ITMILD

Johannesburg — Donald Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris dominated the news cycle across Africa on Wednesday, with coverage reflecting the anxiety being felt by some on the continent. 

In South Africa, the newspaper Business Day ran an opinion column headlined “Trump’s comeback heralds harder U.S. approach to Africa,” while another local newspaper, The Sunday Times, was running a poll for readers asking: “Are you worried about Donald Trump being elected U.S. president?” 

A cartoon by renowned South African political cartoonist Zapiro in the Daily Maverick newspaper depicted a frightened looking globe watching TV as U.S. election results came in. 

The markets were also affected, with South Africa’s currency, the rand, dropping almost 3% on the news in the early hours of trading. 

Trump inspires mixed views on the continent, having riled some by calling African countries a derogatory name in his first term, and being viewed positively by others as a kind of “strongman” leader. 

Steven Gruzd, a political analyst with the South African Institute of International Affairs, told VOA that Trump did not pay much attention to Africa in his first term and he doesn’t expect that to change. 

“Africa is not going to be a priority for the second Trump administration by any measure, and I don’t think we should expect too much,” he said. “I think we’re also going to see a world that has a very different USA in operation, and African countries will have to decide how they deal with that.” 

Asanda Ngoasheng, an independent analyst in Cape Town, said she believes a Trump presidency will affect Africa in terms of trade, with South Africa possibly seeing its exports to the U.S. reduced. 

Ngoasheng said public health funding for Africa could also be affected under the incoming Republican administration, particularly for reproductive health. Likewise, any reduction in U.S. contributions to the United Nations could have negative effects on the continent, she said. 

“Donald Trump has been very clear that his administration will be an America-first administration. … This is going to have implications for Africa,” Ngoasheng said. 

As is diplomatic custom, leaders around the world congratulated the U.S. election winner. 

Kenyan President William Ruto, who recently paid a state visit to the U.S. at President Joe Biden’s invitation, praised what he called Trump’s “visionary, bold and innovative leadership.” 

Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu said he hoped Trump’s presidency would usher in an era of “beneficial and reciprocal economic and development partnerships” between Africa and the U.S. 

And South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa said he looked forward to continuing a “mutually beneficial partnership” between the two countries. 

The statements come as African governments are hoping the U.S. will renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, next year. The preferential trade policy gives some countries duty-free access to the U.S. market. 

However, the president of the Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, had other concerns about what a second Trump presidency could mean for his Indian Ocean island nation, which is under particular threat from climate change and rising sea levels. 

“We are going through a climate crisis, so will the U.S. once again pull out of the Paris Agreement? … What will be the pronouncement of President Trump?” Ramkalawan asked.

Ramkalawan, speaking at a press event in Johannesburg, was referring to the fact that in his first term Trump withdrew the U.S. from a major international agreement to limit global warming. The U.S. rejoined the pact under President Biden. 
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ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigerian army chief Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has died, according to a statement Wednesday from the country’s president.

On the social media platform X, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced Lagbaja’s death and expressed condolences to his family and Nigeria’s armed forces.

Lagbaja, 56, died in Lagos on Tuesday night after a period of illness, authorities said. They did not elaborate on his illness.

Two weeks ago, Nigerian defense authorities denied rumors suggesting the army chief had died after his prolonged absence from the public and active duty.

The Nigerian army has been fighting various adversaries across the country, including bandits and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Lagbaja is not the first Nigerian army chief to die while on active duty in recent years. In 2021, Ibrahim Attahiru died in a military air crash along with 10 other high-ranking officials.

Tinubu appointed Lagbaja in June 2023, shortly after taking office. Lagbaja launched a campaign seeking to repair the reputation of the military, which is often accused of mistreating civilians and extrajudicial killings.

Last week, Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede as acting army chief and, on Tuesday, promoted him to the rank of lieutenant general.
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nairobi, kenya — In a vibrant Nairobi community center, American citizens living in Kenya gathered with palpable excitement early Wednesday to watch the U.S. election results unfold. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as expatriates shared snacks and stories, their eyes glued to screens displaying real-time updates.

As the results of the U.S elections trickled in, a mix of American citizens and local Kenyan friends anxiously monitored the results.

Robyn Emerson, an American expatriate in Nairobi and chairperson of Democrats Abroad Kenya, which organized the event, said all American citizens were invited to the event, regardless of the party they support.

“American voters have come to a central place so that we can be together and watch the election come in so that we can really celebrate the right to vote,” Emerson said. “That we have done our part; we participated in a democratic process. And watching how the different states are coming in, and the results that are there.”

Bentley Wilson, an independent voter from the western state of Utah, agreed.

“It’s important for us to see each other as one country. And no matter whether we go for a certain party, it’s important for us to come together because it’s our country’s significance that’s at stake,” Wilson said. “So, we better come together. I like coming together no matter whether I’m leaning one side or another, to come together with citizens of my country to support the cause of … choosing an elected official.”

The Democrats Abroad Kenyan chapter estimates that approximately 30,000 American expatriates reside in the country.

Tom Wolf, an American researcher based in Nairobi, said most expatriates are keen to engage in the election process back home.

“They are well educated people … or they wouldn’t be allowed to stay in Kenya, they wouldn’t have jobs here,” Wolf said. “Whether they are diplomats or businesspeople, or with NGOs. So, they tend to be of higher education levels than the averages in their home countries. And we all know from studies of voting that people with higher education levels are more likely to vote.”

Lisa Maroni, a native of Detroit, said the event provided her with a special opportunity to interact with fellow citizens.

“I’m so grateful for the community in Kenya. I think it’s really special. I’ve lived in other countries and never had such an opportunity to spend time with other Americans and friends,” she said. “There are some allies from other countries here who are interested in what’s happening in the country, and I’m just very grateful to have somewhere to share that experience.”

Given that the event was organized by Democratic Party supporters, the early morning excitement began to dissipate as it became clear that their candidate, Kamala Harris, was losing to the Republican, former president Donald Trump.

Wilson, a Harris supporter, was among the disappointed people.

“I was really hopeful that we would vote the first U.S. woman and woman of color president this year,” Wilson said.

Disappointed in the results, most of the participants started leaving the event and it ended earlier than scheduled.
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NAIROBI, KENYA — Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused Kenyan security forces of abducting, torturing and killing people believed to be leaders of anti-government protests that took place between June and August.

The group said security officers held abductees in unlawful detention facilities, including in forests and abandoned buildings, and denied them access to their families and lawyers.

Mary Muthoni Mwangi of Kirinyaga, in rural central Kenya, said she lost her son in the protests, in which thousands of young Kenyans demonstrated against a bill that would have increased taxes.

Her son, 20-year-old Kennedy Njeru, took part in a protest on June 25, she said, when demonstrators stormed the parliament after lawmakers passed the tax increase.

Mwangi said she searched for her son for four days, finally finding his body in the city mortuary. She said a postmortem examination found a bullet wound to his head.

Human rights groups say 61 people were killed across the country during the weeks of protests.

Human Rights Watch blamed Kenyan security agencies for the abduction, torture and killing of people seen as leading or taking part in the demonstrations.

Mausi Segun, head of HRW’s Africa division, said, “Whoever the initial abductors were, the police were involved because people were taken to police stations and many times the torture happened while people were in police custody.”

She added, “Those who are dead, we don’t have details of what happened to them, but people who witnessed their abduction said that individuals who took them away were clearly security agents.”

HRW researchers spoke to 75 people, including victims, family members, journalists, parliament staff and police officers.

The interviewees said that police officers hunted down protesters. But because the officers wore plain clothes, covered their faces and traveled in unmarked vehicles, it was difficult for family members, rights groups, lawyers and government agencies to trace victims’ whereabouts.

Segun said some of those taken away were tortured and killed.

“Many of the bodies of those who have been abducted have showed up sometimes on the streets, sometimes in quarries, unmarked places where they have been dumped,” she said.

“Many of those bodies have shown signs of torture and dismemberment of body parts, showing what they went through at the hands of their captors,” she said. “Many of these bodies have not been released to family members.”

Kenyan security forces deny that their officers were behind the abductions and killings.

President William Ruto, speaking at a town hall gathering in Kisumu in late August, said he was not aware of any abductions and called on family members to forward the names to the government to take action.

Human Rights Watch said reports of abductions, missing people and killings are well documented and called on the president and other government institutions to hold those responsible to account.

On September 24, Mary Mwangi was among dozens of activists and victims’ family members who tried to submit a list of the missing and dead to the president’s office.

They were driven back with teargas.

Ruto ultimately declined to sign the tax increase into law.
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Yaoundé, Cameroon — Chad says it will withdraw its troops from the United Nations-supported Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, which combats Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

Officials from Chad say its military is not getting enough assistance to fight the terrorist group since an attack last week killed more than 40 of Chad’s soldiers.

Chad’s President Mahamat Idiss Deby says his country will pull out of the Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, which has some 11,000 troops, because of the absence of what he calls coordinated efforts among member states troops in jointly fighting Boko Haram terrorism.

A release read on Chad’s state TV on Monday says Deby is surprised at the slow pace at which the task force, a regional group that includes rescue workers, reacts to Boko Haram attacks.

The task force was created in April 2012 by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin and Nigeria to jointly fight Boko Haram and bring back peace in areas affected by terrorism in Lake Chad Basin shared by the five countries.

The African Union, or AU, authorized the force to operate in February 2015. The force says it receives regular technical support from the United Nations to protect civilians affected by terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin. 

Deby did not say when Chad will withdraw troops. The Central African state’s president, however, says Chad’s military will protect civilians from all forms of terrorism, including Boko Haram.

Remadji Hoinathy is a lecturer at the Department of Anthropology at the University of N’Djamena in Chad and a researcher on strategic development in central Africa and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. 

He said Deby is disgruntled because Chad is not receiving the assistance it needs to track and eliminate several hundred Boko Haram fighters who attacked and killed more than 40 Chad government troops in the Lake Chad Basin last week. He said Deby, who is in the Lake Chad area to supervise a security operation to fight the assailants after the deadly attack, is dissatisfied that his troops are not getting immediate assistance from Cameroon, Benin, Niger and Nigeria.

Remadji spoke Monday on Chad state TV.

Chad’s government sait it informed the task force after last week’s attack on its troops in Ngouboua, a western village in Lake Chad, on the island of Bakaram, near the border with Nigeria.     

Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Benin are yet to react to Deby’s threats to pull his troops from the task force.

The statement about Chad troops leaving was issued after media reports that the central African state’s military recently deployed to fight Boko Haram mistakenly killed at least a dozen fishermen in Lake Chad thinking that they were militants.

Chad’s government said reports that its fighter jets bombed the fishermen were unfounded. 

Belngar Larme Laguerre is the president of Chad’s National Commission on Human Rights. He spoke via a messaging app from N’Djamena.

He said Boko Haram hides among civilians or uses civilians as human shields when attacked, but that Chad troops are well-trained to find terrorists hiding among civilians. He said he has not received complaints from civilians that the Chad soldiers deployed to fight Boko Haram last week disrespected human rights.

Local media reported that the attack on fishermen took place in Tilma, an island on the border with Nigeria. 

VOA could not independently verify if there was an attack on civilians.

Some 40,000 people have been killed and 3 million have fled their homes since 2009, when fighting between Nigerian government troops and Boko Haram militants degenerated into an armed conflict and spread to Cameroon, Niger and Chad, according to the United Nations. 
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Abuja, Nigeria — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate release Monday of some 29 minors detained during anti-government protests in August after their court trial sparked outrage and widespread condemnation.

The protesters faced treason charges punishable by death according to Nigerian law.

But human rights groups saaid recent suppression of protesters is an attempt by authorities to stifle dissent.

Nigeria’s information minister, Mohammed Idris, told reporters that Tinubu ordered the immediate release of all minors arraigned in connection with the anti-government protests in early August.

He said Tinubu also called for a probe of the security operatives involved in their arrest and ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to help rehabilitate the minors.

The children were among 76 protesters who had been detained since early August. They appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, most of them looking frail and sick. 

Their arraignment sparked widespread condemnation of the government by human rights groups including Amnesty International.

Amnesty said putting underage protesters on trial shows the government’s disregard for the rule of law, and it called for the minors to be released unconditionally and immediately. 

Among the charges they face are treason and attempting to destabilize the government. 

Under Nigerian law, treason is punishable by a possible death sentence.

“Any form of trial that has a child as a defendant is illegal, unconstitutional and null and void,” said Marshal Abubakar, a lawyer for the protesters. “We have informed the court through our notice of criminal objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try those children.”

Abubaker said the proceedings were a violation of the children’s fundamental human rights.

Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission also criticized the trial, accusing authorities of manipulating state institutions to punish citizens. 

In early August, many Nigerians took to the streets to denounce government policies they said had increased the cost of living. 

 

The so-called “Ten Days of Rage” protests aimed to pressure the government to abandon unpopular economic policies. However, security forces cracked down and quelled the demonstrations.  

Nigerian police accused the protesters of attempting to foment violence.  

Before the minors were ordered to be released, Nigerian police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the protesters were criminally liable even if they were underage.  

“Once you’re more than 7 [years old], you can be charged to court,” said Muyiwa Adejobi of the national police. “The only thing is that you need to follow certain procedures to do that. The youngest should be 13. So, we have charged them to court on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, because these are those who actually leveraged on the protests, they hijacked the protests, and they’re so violent.” 

Last year, Tinubu introduced several reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which he says will boost Nigeria’s economy.  

But citizens facing higher living costs have been pushing back against the policies and have blamed the government for their hardship.

Abubakar said the government wants to curb demonstrations of any kind.

“Over the months this government has shown that they are interested in curtailing the civic space and denying Nigerians of their fundamental human rights to dissent and to demand for a better life for themselves,” Abubakar said.

 
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Somali Americans in Minnesota last month took part in a town hall involving Democratic and Republican party representatives encouraging them to participate in the 2024 election, arguing the stakes are high for them and their grandchildren.

During a VOA town hall event in Minneapolis, Somali Americans listened to remarks by panelists from both political parties, who answered questions about the economy, immigration, and foreign policy, explaining what their candidate would do to win the votes of Somali Americans.

Economic policy

While many Somali Americans are traditionally Democratic-leaning, there are rising numbers who support former President Donald Trump, crediting him for stronger economic conditions during his presidency, despite concerns over his immigration policies.

Faisal Deri, chair of the African Republicans of Minnesota, urged Somali Americans to vote for Trump, stating that Somali Americans, including truck drivers, experienced positive economic conditions during his presidency.

“Truck drivers’ business was thriving, with a high volume of work and plenty of income flowing in. That brought significant money into the community, and they were able to send substantial support to their relatives in Somalia. But, under [President Joe] Biden’s term, business was down, and many have been forced to park their trucks,” Deri said.

Nimo Ahmed, a Democrat and an activist, is the chair of the Somali American Coalition Action Fund. She said there’s no way the community will vote for Trump, claiming his policies primarily benefit millionaires.

“[Vice President Kamala] Harris will support small businesses, which are essential for many Somali families in Minnesota who run small stores. Trump had focused on supporting millionaires and would continue to do so, but we are middle-class people, and only the Democratic Party truly supports the middle class,” Ahmed said.

Habon Abdulle, director of Ayada Leads, an organization that empowers African diaspora women, stressed that it is crucial for everyone to vote.

“Vote for whoever you choose, but please vote, because your vote reflects your values and who you’re negotiating with. Please make your voice heard,” Abdulle said.

On the economy, the other questions posed to the panelists included: Why is the U.S. spending billions of dollars on foreign wars while homelessness persists in America? What actions can Harris take to address high interest rates, given the community’s desire for affordable homeownership?

In response, Deri asserted that the ongoing wars abroad have contributed to rising interest rates. He noted that when Trump was in office, interest rates were low, allowing many Somalis to purchase homes. However, that is no longer the case, as affordability has decreased.

“If Trump returns to the White House, his first action would be to end the wars and cut foreign aid to Ukraine, rearranging those funds for use within the United States,” Deri said.

Nimo Ahmed defended Harris on economic policies, asserting that her policies aim to support lower and middle-class Americans.

Immigration policy

Trump’s plans for “mass deportations” as well as tightening immigration policy are also concerns for Somali Americans, as well as a travel ban that affected many foreign visitors during his last term in office. Community members said they worry reinstating travel bans could halt family reunifications, and mass deportations could impact many Somali residents in the United States.

Ahmed, the Democrat party supporter, said Trump’s policies would not be good for Somali American communities.

“Trump doesn’t respect immigrants and has referred to them as ‘poisoning the blood.’ We must support Harris to prevent deportations so Somalis without legal status can live with dignity here. When Trump talks about ‘poisoning the blood,’ he’s including some Somalis in that group, so we need to protect them,” Ahmed said.

In contrast, Deri, the Republican panelist, argued that Trump’s immigration policies focus on preventing criminals from entering the United States, a benefit to all American communities, including Somalis.

“The deportation policy targets criminals who bring drugs into the country, which especially harms minorities like us. The focus isn’t on Somalis, and each country’s rules must be respected,” Deri said.

Foreign policy

Ahead of the election, opinion surveys have indicated that many American Muslims oppose the Biden administration’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. During the VOA town hall, some participants questioned why they should support Harris when there seems to have been no significant action in ending the conflict in Gaza.

“I don’t support Biden and Harris for failing to establish a cease-fire in Gaza. It’s disheartening, but Trump doesn’t have anything for Gazans; their lives would only be worse if he were to be elected. I prefer Harris’s party because they can be held accountable, while Trump’s administration lacks that accountability,” Democrat Nimo Ahmed said.

The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, following a terror attack in southern Israel by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group.

Deri, the pro-Republican activist argued that the Biden-Harris administration’s policies have been tested, and they missed their opportunity to deliver aid to Gaza.

“If we vote for Harris, we are rewarding someone who has failed. Trump is a strong leader, and he could potentially resolve the Gaza situation quickly,” Deri said.

Amin Harun, a lawyer in Minneapolis, said the division of opinion among American Muslims is a significant issue.

“Some are voting, some are rejecting, and others are supporting different candidates. Unifying the voices of Muslims is essential for expressing their collective thoughts,” Harun said.

Abdulle, the director of the Ayada Leads organization, underscored the importance of voting.

“Even if you don’t vote for the president, you need to participate in local elections, vote for local seats so that your votes make an impact,” Abdulle said.

Ifrah Farah, a town hall attendee, said there should not be a reason to equate the policies of Biden with those of Harris, who she said has her own political agenda.

Farah urged participants to vote, stating, “Elections are crucial. If you’re a citizen of this country, you should vote because it will benefit you and your children in the future.”

As the community gears up for these crucial elections, there are dozens of Somali American candidates vying for seats to represent a rapidly growing immigrant community that has exceeded 300,000.

This story originated in VOA’s Somali Service. The townhall was recorded on October 19, 2024, and was conducted in Somali. The discussion has been translated into English for this story.
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gabarone, botswana — Botswana’s newly elected leader, Duma Boko, says Africa can draw vital lessons from his country’s smooth transfer of power. Boko spoke after the Botswana Democratic Party, which had ruled the country since independence in 1966, suffered a crushing defeat in last week’s elections.

Addressing the media after an official handover of office Monday, Boko praised outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi for ensuring a seamless transfer of power.

Boko’s party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, will form the next government.

“Botswana today, sends a message to the whole world and says democracy is alive here, democracy is in action,” Boko said. “This is democracy in motion; this is democracy exemplified, sent as an abiding lesson to the whole world to say to the African continent — it must happen, it can happen and when it does, it is one of the most beautiful experiences a country can go through.”

Masisi’s former ruling Botswana Democratic Party was soundly beaten, winning only four out of 61 National Assembly seats. Analysts blamed mounting economic grievances, particularly among young people, for the party’s downfall.

The former president said he had a duty to ensure that the first change of government since 1966 was seamless.

“I knew I had a responsibility to make sure we set a standard, because we have never had a change of government as in a different party taking over in this country,” Masisi said. “So the onerousness of the responsibility on me was massive and I had to lead.”

Masisi, who served only one out of a possible two five-year terms, said he will not run for political office again.

Piers Pigou of the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria said the smooth transition in Botswana was expected.

“The fact that we have had an expedited and smooth transfer of power should really surprise no one given Botswana’s pedigree,” Pigou said. “Of course, there are many lessons for the region where such reflections of such pluralism are largely absent. One hopes there will be lessons learned.”

Pigou said Botswana has always been a shining example of democracy in the region, backed by independent public institutions.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Botswana has been ruled by one party for almost six decades until this recent election, it is nevertheless held out as an example of democratic practice, strong independent institutions for the most part in the southern Africa region,” he said.

“There have been concerns of late of compromising those institutions, corruption and so forth under the Masisi administration. But I think by and large what this election has showed is that the institutions have held firm.”

Masisi said his hands are clean and is prepared to defend himself if called to answer for any supposed improprieties while in office.
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