Former rebel leader Ntumi calls for peaceful, transparent elections
The presidential election on 21st March in Congo-Brazzaville “must be held in peace, transparency and respect for the rules of the game”, said the former rebel leader Pastor Ntumi, who took up arms after the re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the previous election in 2016.
The election “must not be an opportunity to reawaken the old demons of division,” added Frederic Bintsamou, alias Pastor Ntumi, as he received some 20 journalists in Mounkala, a town between Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, in the Pool region, which is considered the agricultural breadbasket of Congo-Brazzaville.
Seven candidates are running on 21 March, including the incumbent president Sassou Nguesso, 77 years old and 36 in power.
The former rebel leader’s party, the National Council of Republicans (CNR), “is not presenting any candidate and is not supporting any candidate,” he added. “The candidates for the election must show love, greatness, patriotism and fair play”.
Pastor Ntumi, 56, took up arms after the disputed re-election of President Sassou Nguesso in March 2016.
The regular forces had counter-attacked in a closed-door conflict that had displaced 140,000 people, according to humanitarian sources.
The authorities finally announced a ceasefire just before Christmas 2017.
Pastor Ntumi regretted certain shortcomings in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
“It provided for a special status to be defined for me and for me to be assigned a guard of 30 soldiers. But, until today, nothing has been done. It is because my security is not assured that I do not circulate throughout the Pool and beyond,” he said.
Pastor Ntumi rejected the accusation that he was playing into the hands of the government in the run-up to the elections.
“I swear to God. I have never been in league with President Sassou (…) Except that we are building peace together,” he said.
The former rebel leader presented to the press the construction site of a hospital that he says he is building “for the people of the area”.
“It should already be finished but we don’t have enough money to go ahead,” he said.
Hauwa Mustapha
Egyptian, French navies hold joint exercise in Red Sea
Egyptian and French naval forces held joint military training in the Red Sea, Egypt’s armed forces said in a statement.
The Egyptian frigate al-Fateh and the combat group accompanying the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle participated in the exercise, according to the statement.
During the training, the forces implemented many joint combat activities, including forming close and remote guard of formations.
The forces also conducted joint night sailing, which demonstrated the ability of the joint marine units to deter various threats, the statement said, adding that the drills effectively contribute to preserving maritime security and stability in the region.
Egypt regularly holds joint military exercises with other countries to boost military collaboration and exchange military expertise.
Hauwa Mustapha
Morocco registers 305 new COVID-19 cases
Morocco has register 305 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 488,937.
The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 475,849 after 392 more were added.
The death toll rose to 8,723 with five new fatalities during the last 24 hours, while 395 people are in intensive care units.
The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.8 percent while the recovery rate is 97.3 percent.
Hauwa Mustapha
