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Burundi’s Nkurunziza hails chosen successor’s election victory
Burundi’s longtime President Pierre Nkurunziza has congratulated the governing party’s hand-picked successor on a “large victory” in the country’s presidential election, though the main opposition has pledged to contest the result in court.
The election commission on Monday declared Evariste Ndayishimiye, a former army general chosen by the CNDD-FDD party as heir to Nkurunziza, the winner of the May 20 poll with 68.72 per cent vote.
“I warmly congratulate the President-elect General Major Evariste Ndayishimiye for his large victory which confirms that the great majority of Burundians adhere to the projects and the values he embodies,” Nkurunziza, who chose not to run after 15 years in power, posted on Twitter.
Agathon Rwasa, Ndayishimiye’s main challenger in a race contested by seven candidates, came in a distant second with 24.19 per cent of the vote. His National Freedom Council (CNL), however, has rejected the results, alleging cheating by the CNDD-FDD.
CNL spokesman Therence Manirambona said on Monday his party was putting together a legal complaint to submit within days “so that the court can take a decision on the massive fraud that marked this electoral farce”.
The CNDD-FDD defeated the CNL by a similar margin in the legislative elections held on the same day.
The polls went ahead with scant regard to the coronavirus outbreak following a tense campaign marked by violence and arbitrary arrests. They also proceeded without the presence of international observers.
On May 8, 12 days to the polls and before the scheduled arrival of an East African Community mission to the country, the government said the regional bloc’s observers would have to be in quarantine for 14 days, effectively ruling them out of the election process.
Ndayishimiye is expected to be sworn in for a seven-year term in late August, when Nkurunziza’s term ends.
Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005, and his final years in office have been racked by turmoil.
His controversial decision to seek a third term in the last election in 2015 sparked mass unrest, violence and an opposition boycott.
Burundi is tightly controlled by the governing party and its youth wing has been linked to a forceful crackdown against the government’s critics.
State security forces have been accused by rights groups and the UN of crimes against humanity and abuses such as torture, disappearances, sexual violence and executions.
Ndayishimiye is set to inherit a deeply isolated country, under sanctions and cut off by foreign donors, its economy and national psyche damaged by the years of unrest.
It remains to be seen how much influence Nkurunziza will exert going forward, and how freely his successor can reign.
Nkurunziza was this year elevated by Burundi’s parliament to the rank of “supreme guide for patriotism” and he will continue to be chairman of the governing party’s powerful council of elders.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
A new international whitepaper on democracy in Africa has placed Ghana’s Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at the centre of a major research study on the role of opposition parties in strengthening democratic governance across the continent.
The study is being conducted by the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) in partnership with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Ghana.
It uses Ghana’s 2025/2026 parliamentary session as a case study to examine how opposition parties can contribute to peace, development and democratic stability.
President of the ACCP, Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, said the research forms part of a wider continental project aimed at identifying successful governance models in Africa.
He explained that the chamber is interested in promoting positive African stories and finding practical democratic systems that other countries can adopt.
Mr. Dwomoh-Doyen said political differences should not create division or hostility among leaders and citizens.
He stated that despite belonging to different political sides, people must work together in the interest of national development.
According to him, Ghana’s democratic journey and parliamentary system made the country an important case for the study.
The whitepaper, titled “A Strong and Responsible Opposition in Africa: A Ghanaian Case Study (2025/2026 Review)”, reviews the Minority Leader’s parliamentary activities, including his statements, motions and media engagements.
Researchers are also conducting public opinion surveys in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale as part of the study.
Head of ACCP’s Liberia branch, Dr. Murphy T. Jackson, said African countries should formally recognise and support the office of the Leader of the Opposition through legal structures and institutional resources.
He noted that such systems would help reduce the chances of unconstitutional changes of government on the continent.
Head of Research at ACCP Ghana, David Adofo, described Ghana’s opposition institution as one of the strongest in Africa.
He said although the current research focuses on Ghana, future studies would examine opposition institutions in other African countries.
Deputy Secretary General of UPF-Ghana, Tegha King, stressed the importance of a responsible opposition in national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Universal Peace Federation and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), he said opposition parties should not be seen as enemies of progress.
According to him, respectful debate, alternative policy ideas and cross-party dialogue are necessary for strong democratic institutions and national peace.
The research comes at a time when some African countries are experiencing political instability and military takeovers.
Despite these challenges, Ghana continues to be recognised as one of Africa’s stable democracies, having recorded several peaceful transfers of power since 1992.
The completed whitepaper will later be submitted to an international peer-reviewed journal, while the abstract has already been made available upon request.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NuGhana Expat Center to launch ‘AfroTango Platform’ to support diasporans in Ghana and Africa — Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang
The Executive Director of the NuGhana International Expat Center, Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang, has disclosed that the organisation is preparing to launch the “AfroTango Platform” to support diasporans with integration in Ghana and across Africa.
According to him, the platform is intended to help diasporans navigate African systems, which many often find difficult to understand after relocating from Western countries.
“The AfroTango Platform will provide a structured bridge, offering orientation, vetted service referrals, and a trusted community to help them integrate smoothly for business or relocation,” he said.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang made the disclosure while speaking about a proposal submitted by the NuGhana International Expat Center to the government of President John Dramani Mahama for the establishment of a specialised multi-agency Diaspora Protection and Human Capital Task Force.
According to their statement, the proposal has been submitted to the President and shared with key institutions, including the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), the Ministry of the Interior, the Office of National Security, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of Diaspora Affairs, and the Black Star Experience Secretariat.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang explained that the proposed task force would help protect diasporans and foreign nationals from organised fraud and exploitation while also helping the country benefit from their expertise, investments, and professional skills.
He noted that many diasporans relocating to Ghana often face challenges such as land disputes, business fraud, and difficulties finding trusted people to guide them through local systems.
President of the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP), Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, who endorsed the proposal, described the initiative as timely and necessary.
According to him, the leadership of NuGhana understands the realities and expectations of diasporans because of their experience living in Western countries.
He appealed to the government to consider the proposal seriously, stating that it could help protect lives and investments while encouraging more diasporans to contribute to national development.
The statement identified key challenges facing diasporans, including organised land and business scams, the absence of a unified system to engage skilled professionals entering the country, and fears over investment security.
Some diasporans who spoke on condition of anonymity also welcomed the initiative and said a state-backed protection system would give them more confidence to relocate and invest in Ghana.
NuGhana said it has already built a human capital and risk database over the past four years to catalogue diasporans and foreign nationals according to their professions, skills, investment interests, and reported incidents.
The organisation added that it is ready to engage the President’s designated team to demonstrate its database and begin a pilot phase of the proposed framework.
By: Jacob Aggrey
