Category: Politics

The basics of Tunisia’s foreign policy as well as the independence of the national decision-making were broadly discussed in a meeting held, Wednesday, at the Palace of Carthage between President of the Republic, Kais Saied, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Nabil Ammar.

«The sovereignty of the Tunisian State abroad is the sovereignty of Tunisian citizens at home,» Saied said.

The Head of State urged consulates to provide quality services to Tunisian expatriates, reads a press release of the Presidency of the Republic.

The President of the Republic called on his Foreign Affairs Minister to increase diplomatic action in all international events showing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Saied expressed Tunisia’s unwavering stance regarding Palestinians’ right to establish an independent State with Al-Quds as its capital.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Three terrorists were eliminated and a number of weapons, ammunition and explosives were seized in the mountains of Kasserine in a joint operation by the National Guard Special Unit (USGN) and the National Army’s Special Forces, supported by the Air Force.

This followed joint intelligence work in the field between units of the National Guard and their counterparts from the National Army.

The operation is still ongoing, according to a statement from the Ministry of the Interior.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Persons living with disabilities in Bomet County have a reason to smile thanks to the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK), which has donated different machines and equipment to empower them through the fund’s social-economic flagship programme. The aim of NFDK’s flagship projects is to aid beneficiaries countrywide with donations to lift them out of poverty. Speaking to KNA in Bomet during the handover of the machines and equipment, Isaac Aliya, Assistant Director of NFDK, said that his organisation, through their flagship projects, aims to aid beneficiaries with devices to support their endeavours. Aliya said NFDK is currently running three projects, all aimed at alleviating PWD’s and also supporting institutions that are caring for their needs across the county. Among the flagship projects currently benefiting individuals are small grants that amount to Sh300,000 to institutions hosting PWDs and the flagship projects of Sh3 million that include the construction of dormitories, dining halls, and physiotherapy centres. Individual donations are those where beneficiaries receive rehabilitative devices and tools of the trade to assist and uplift them economically. ‘We have embarked on a process of supporting PWDs, which is our core mandate. We have been moving around the country, where we have donated different equipment and machines to empower them financially,’ said Aliya. In the two sub-counties of Chepalungu and Bomet Central, NFDK donated sewing machines, hair salon kits, and farming tools to different applicants who had made their requests to the organisation. Aliya said the core mandate of NFDK is to aid by funding and empowering persons with disabilities to realise their potential through socio-economic integration by supporting them with mobility enablers and business gear. He also noted that the fund has completed the construction of a dormitory in Korara Special School in Bomet East to the tune of three million shillings as one of their flagship projects, which will be commissioned soon. The fund has also sponsored the construction of a dining hall and assorted kitchen wares worth Sh2.7 million at St. Kizito Girls Special School. Addressing the beneficiaries, Bomet Central Deputy County Commissioner Victor Kisachi urged them to use the tools of trade to transform their lives and cautioned them against selling them. ‘The government continues to address the concerns of people living with disabilities, and that is the reason why officials from NFDK are here today with assorted equipment to give out to you. The items issued to you are meant to transform your lives by using them as economic means where you will be making a living out of them,’ said the DCC.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The regional election commission (French: IRIE) in Sousse received until October 26 some 129 candidacies for the forthcoming local elections. These candidates, including 18 with special needs, represent 105 communities which cover 112 constituencies, IRIE President Yassine Gaaza told TAP on Friday. There are 16 delegations, 105 local communities, 112 constituencies and 183 polling stations in Sousse.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The situation of the Social Democratic Front Party, SDF, 5 years down, can be assessed as a political mishap for the one-time main opposition party that once gained grounds across the country.

Looking back from the February 24, 2018, presidential elections, the SDF came 4th with 3.35% after PCRN with 6.28% and the MRC topped the opposition with 14, 23% votes.

Fall from grace to Grass?

The SDF political grip has continued to decline as they left from having 14 Senators in the 2013 senatorial elections to just seven Senators in the 2018 senatorial elections.

The March 12, 2023 senatorial was also an ignominy to the party as just 1 Senator was appointed from the SDF.

The CPDM grabbed all 70 seats during the elections while 15 others were appointed increasing their number to 94 with just 6 left for the opposition.

Consequently, following the February 9, 2020, municipal elections, the SDF currently controls only 1 municipal council, the Bamenda III council in the North West region out of the 360 local councils in the country.

The SDF holds 5 seats in the 180-member chamber of the National Assembly with UNDP coming second after the CPDM with 7 seats.

These challenges have also been aggravated by internal squabbles plaguing the party.

The National Union for Democracy and Progress, UNDP currently is the leading opposition after the CPDM with 7 Members of Parliament at the National Assembly.

As SDF candidates begin the race to succeed the late president, Ni John Fru Ndi, many look up to the next national Chairman to revive the one-time main opposition.

Source: Cameroon News Agency