Democracy

Ivory Coast commission produces final voter list

Friday, 03 September 2010 12:47

Ivory Coast's electoral commission said on Thursday it had produced a final voter list for the first time, raising the chance that an election which has been delayed six times in five years might go ahead.

(2 Votes)

Tags: Laurent Gbagbo - Nicolas Coulibaly - Ivory Coast electoral commission - voter list - election - October 31 - Ivory Coast

Jubilant Kenyans usher in new constitution

Monday, 30 August 2010 15:30

Cheered by hundreds of thousands of jubilant Kenyans waving national flags, President Mwai Kibaki signed a new constitution on Friday that curbs his sweeping powers and strengthens civic rights.

(3 Votes)

Tags: Constitution - Mwai Kibaki - Uhuru Park - Raila Odinga - Kenya

Ivory Coast final voter list to be posted Oct 10-12

Thursday, 26 August 2010 14:02

Ivory Coast's electoral commission said on Wednesday it will post a final voter list between October 10-12 when it unveiled its timetable for an October 31 poll which Ivorians hope will end years of instability.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Ivory Coast electoral commission - voter lisst - election - Laurent Gbagbo - Bamba Yacouba - Ivory Coast

Nigeria to hold staggered polls under new act

Monday, 23 August 2010 13:11

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signed a new electoral act on Friday that prepares the way for staggered parliamentary, presidential and state governorship polls to be held next year.

(3 Votes)

Tags: Goodluck Jonathan - election - 2010 Electoral Act - Independent National Electoral Commission - Olusegun Aganga - Nigeria

New Niger charter to limit powers, seek transparency

Friday, 13 August 2010 14:29

Niger's civilian transitional authorities adopted a new constitution on Thursday aimed at watering down presidential powers and ensuring greater transparency in, and state revenues from, the nation's natural resources.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Niger civilian transitional authorities - constitution - referendum - Mamadou Tandja - Ali Adrissa - transparency - Niger

New constitution means major changes for Kenya

Friday, 13 August 2010 12:15

In a referendum held during the first week of August, voters in Kenya overwhelmingly approved a new constitution, replacing one that was drafted during the country's colonial era. Among other things, the document sets out a Bill of Rights, creates a National Land Commission, and de-centralizes political power. Many Kenyans see the vote as paving the way for greater government accountability and a fairer distribution of resources. But analysts say the tough work is just beginning.

(3 Votes)

Tags: Kenya referendum - Kenya constitution - Bill of Rights - National Land Commission - Fred Olendo - National Council of NGOs - Equalization Fund - Kenya

AU hails Kenya's peaceful referendum

Tuesday, 10 August 2010 17:13

The African Union (AU) has said it is satisfied and proud of the Kenyan people for conducting a peaceful and smooth referendum.

(2 Votes)

Tags: African Union - Jean Ping - Kenya Referendum - constitution - Kenya

Ivory Coast sets October 31 election date

Friday, 06 August 2010 14:40

Ivory Coast's prime minister says the country will hold elections, delayed since 2005, on October 31. Guillaume Soro announced Thursday after a Cabinet meeting the new date takes into account the recommendation of the electoral commission.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Prime Minister - election - democracy - vote - Cote D'ivoire

UN welcomes peaceful staging of referendum in Zanzibar

Friday, 06 August 2010 14:23

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the peaceful staging of a referendum in Zanzibar, saying it will help with long-term reconciliation efforts in the semi-autonomous Tanzanian islands.

(2 Votes)

Tags: Ban Ki-moon - UN - elections - democracy - Tanzania

Kenya votes "Yes" to new charter

Thursday, 05 August 2010 13:17

Kenyans voted in favour of a new constitution in a peaceful referendum that could reshape the political landscape of east Africa's largest economy, according to partial results published on Thursday.

(1 Vote)

Tags: constitution - referendum - peaceful - politics - charter - election - poll - violence - Kenya

High turnout for Kenyan constitution referendum

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 15:29

Kenyans voted peacefully in a referendum on a new constitution on Wednesday, a poll that could reshape the politics of east Africa's largest economy after years of disputed, violent elections.

(1 Vote)

Tags: referendum - constitution - vote - politics - Kenya

EU happy with Kenya's preparation for referendum

Thursday, 29 July 2010 14:43

With just one week until Kenyans head to the polls to accept or reject a new constitution, the European Union delegation to Nairobi says they are pleased with the country's preparations for the crucial vote.

(1 Vote)

Tags: referendum - EU - constitution - vote - democracy - Kenya

Niger sets presidential election for January 2011

Monday, 05 July 2010 12:45

Niger will hold a presidential election in January 2011, its first since a military coup in February, the west African country's electoral commission said.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Presidential election - legislative election - civilian rule - Mamdou Tandja - Niger

UN welcomes endorsement of referendum commission in Sudan

Thursday, 01 July 2010 13:25

The head of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) this week welcomed the appointment of an independent body that will oversee preparations for a referendum on whether southern Sudan should secede from the rest of the country.

(1 Vote)

Tags: UNMIS - Southern Sudan Referendum Commission - Haile Menkerios - Comprehensive Peace Agreement - Sudan

Observers say breakaway Somali region vote was fair

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 15:37

The presidential election in Somalia's breakaway republic of Somaliland was free and fair, international observers said on Monday.

(2 Votes)

Tags: Presidential election - Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo - Dahir Rayale Kahin - Conrad Heine - International Republican Institute - National Election Commission - Essa Yusuf Mohammed - Somalia - Somaliland

Turnout high as coup-prone Guinea votes in peace

Monday, 28 June 2010 13:29

Polling wound down peacefully in Guinea on Sunday in a landmark election offering voters their first chance to freely choose a leader since the coup-prone West African state won independence from France in 1958.

(2 Votes)

Tags: Election - Carter Center - Yakubu Gowon - investment - Alpha Conde - Cellou Dalein Diallo - Sidya Toure - Guinea

‘Positive' campaigning seen ahead of Guinea vote

Tuesday, 22 June 2010 14:15

A top official at the Carter Center poll observer team to monitor Guinea's upcoming election has described political campaigning ahead of the scheduled 27th June vote as vigorous.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Carter Center - Guinea election - campaigning - David Pottie - Carter Center - Democracy Program - Sekouba Konate - Niger

Zimbabwe leaders launch constitutional reform drive

Thursday, 17 June 2010 14:11

Zimbabwe's rival political leaders sat side-by-side and called for peace on Wednesday at the launch of a campaign to solicit public views on a new constitution, a long-delayed step toward a new general election.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Constitution - Power sharing government - Robert Mugabe - Morgan Tsvangirai - public views - election - Arthur Mutambara - Zimbabwe

Cautious optimism greets new Nigeria elections chief

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 17:41

The choice of a respected Nigerian academic to head the electoral commission and organise polls due by next April met with cautious optimism from political parties on Wednesday, but many said deeper reforms were needed fast.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Attahiru Jega - National Electoral Commission - elections - Goodluck Jonathan - Lai Mohammed - Action Congress party - Nigeria

Guinea headed for free election, analysts say

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 14:57

Former members of a government that took power after a 2008 coup will be allowed to run in next month's landmark election, underlining the difficulty of staging the first free polls in Guinea since independence more than 50 years ago.

(1 Vote)

Tags: government - elections - free - fair - Guinea

Africa making progress on democracy: Motlanthe

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 14:57

Africa was committed to dealing with the "sporadic challenges" to its ideal of continent-wide democracy, South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Tuesday.