Ghana opens up visa-free travel to all Africans

ACCRA, Ghana 

All African passport holders are now able to visit Ghana without needing a visa, outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has said.

He announced the plan last month but in his final state-of-the-nation address on Friday he said that the policy had come into effect at the beginning of the year.

Visa-free travel within the continent has long been an aspiration for those promoting pan-African values and is seen as vital for economic cooperation.

Ghana is now the fifth African country to offer this to travellers from the rest of the continent.

Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia and Benin are the others.

"I am proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, with effect from the beginning of this year," Akufo-Addo told lawmakers in his last address to parliament before he steps down next week after eight years in office.

"This is the logical next step to the African Continental Free Trade Area and the workings of the largest trading bloc in the world," he said referring to the zone that came into effect four years ago.

In an annual African ranking of visa-openness, Ghana was placed fifth last year as it already offered visa-free travel to citizens of 26 continental countries.

Ghana in recent years has been promoting itself as a destination for people from the continent and the African diaspora to visit. In 2019, Akufo-Addo launched the Year of Return - an initiative to encourage those with African roots to invest in the country.

The president used his last state-of-the-nation speech to review his two terms in power.

Despite him overseeing tough economic times for most Ghanaians, he said that "growth has returned to the pre-Covid trajectory" adding that he leaves behind a country "that is thriving".

Having served two terms already, Akufo-Addo was unable to run for re-election last month. But the man his party chose to succeed him, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, lost by a large margin to John Mahama.

Mahama is due to be sworn in on Tuesday.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 04/01/2025

 

South Korea’s impeached president defies warrant after hourslong standoff

By Kim Tong-Hyung, SEOUL South Korea 

South Korean investigators left the official residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after a near-six-hour standoff on Friday during which he defied their attempt to detain him. 

It’s the latest confrontation in a political crisis that has paralyzed South Korean politics and seen two heads of state impeached in under a month.

The country’s anti-corruption agency said it withdrew its investigators after the presidential security service blocked them from entering Yoon’s residence for hours, due to concerns about their safety.

The agency said its outnumbered investigators had several scuffles with presidential security forces and expressed “serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not comply with the legal process.”

It said detaining Yoon would be “virtually impossible” as long as he is protected by the presidential security service. The agency plans to “strongly demand” that the country’s acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, instruct the service to comply with their execution of the detainment warrant.

Outside the residence, a large group of pro-Yoon protesters braved freezing temperatures for hours, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting slogans vowing to protect him.

The National Police Agency said it planned to investigate the chief and deputy chiefs of the presidential security service on suspicion of obstructing official duty and summoned them for questioning on Saturday.

Yoon, a former prosecutor, has resisted investigators’ attempts to question him for weeks. The last time he is known to have left the residence was on Dec. 12, when he went to the nearby presidential office to make a televised statement to the nation, making a defiant statement that he will fight efforts to oust him.

Investigators from the country’s anti-corruption agency are weighing charges of rebellion after Yoon, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by an opposition-dominated parliament, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly.

Parliament overturned the declaration within hours in an unanimous vote and impeached Yoon on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events.

A Seoul court issued a warrant to detain Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence on Tuesday, but enforcing them is complicated as long as he remains in his official residence.

Yoon’s lawyers, who filed a challenge to the warrant on Thursday, say it cannot be enforced at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.

The office said it will discuss further actions but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. The warrant for his detention is valid for one week.

Yoon’s lawyers have also argued that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, lacks the authority to investigate rebellion charges. 

They said that police officers don’t have the legal authority to assist in detaining Yoon, and could face arrest by either the “presidential security service or any citizens.” They didn’t elaborate further on the claim.

If investigators manage to detain Yoon, they will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

During a background briefing to reporters, an official from the anti-corruption agency said its investigators were able to approach within 200 meters (yards) of Yoon’s residence but were stopped by a barricade comprising around 10 vehicles and approximately 200 members of the presidential security forces and troops. 

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity per department rules, said three of its prosecutors were eventually allowed to approach the building but they weren’t able to confirm whether Yoon was inside.

While the presidential security act mandates protection for Yoon, it does not authorize the presidential security service to block court-ordered detainments, which would amount to an infringement on judicial authority, said Park Seong-bae, an attorney specializing in criminal law. 

While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, the protection does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

“There’s a high possibility that the act of blocking the execution of a detainment warrant would constitute an obstruction of official duty,” he said.

The law requiring consent of the person in charge for searches in locations with potential military secrets could continue to hinder Yoon’s detainment. 

Courts often require law enforcement officials to obtain search warrants with detainment warrants in case they need to search the site to locate the suspect, which is also what the anti-corruption agency did in their pursuit of Yoon.

It’s unlikely that the approval could come from the country’s acting leader, Choi, as it would be difficult to see him as the person in charge of Yoon’s residence, Park said.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, called the anti-corruption agency’s withdrawal regrettable and urged the agency to make another attempt to detain Yoon on Friday.

Kwon Young-se, who heads the emergency leadership committee of Yoon’s conservative People Power Party, called the agency’s effort to detain Yoon “highly unfair and exceedingly improper,” saying that there is no risk of Yoon attempting to flee or to destroy evidence.

Thousands of police officers gathered at Yoon’s residence on Friday, forming a perimeter around a growing group of pro-Yoon protesters who braved freezing temperatures for hours, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting slogans vowing to protect him. There were no immediate reports of major clashes outside the residence.

Yoon’s defense minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the period of martial law.

Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended since the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14. Yoon’s fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. 

At least six justices on the nine-member Constitutional Court must vote in favor to remove him from office.

The National Assembly voted last week to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting president after Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of Yoon’s case.

Facing growing pressure, the new acting president, Choi, appointed two new justices on Tuesday, which could increase the chances of the court upholding Yoon’s impeachment.

Mozambique army to register 221,141 recruits

MAPUTO,  Mozambique 

The Mozambique ministry of National Defence (MDN) aims to register 221,141 recruits for military service by 28 February, as announced yesterday in Maputo during a press conference marking the start of military registration.

According to Jorge Delfim Leonel, the National Director of Human Resources at the MDN, 1,690 registration posts have been set up, including 1,519 fixed and 171 mobile stations, to register 147,114 men and 74,027 women.

“All Mozambicans who turn 18 in 2025, as well as those who have not yet registered for various reasons, will be included in the military registration,” he emphasised.

The official launch ceremony will be presided over by the Minister of National Defence, Custódio Chume, on 10 January in Metoro district, Cabo Delgado province.

Zambian police Inspector freed 13 suspects to celebrate New Year

By Kenedy Gondwe, LUSAKA Zambia 

A drunken police officer in Zambia freed 13 suspects from custody so that they could go and celebrate the new year, officials say.

Detective inspector Titus Phiri was arrested after releasing the suspects from Leonard Cheelo police station in the capital, Lusaka, before running away himself.

The 13 detainees were accused of crimes such as assault, robbery and burglary.

They are all currently on the run and a manhunt has been launched to find them.

Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said that Mr Phiri, "in a state of intoxication, forcibly seized cell keys" from constable Serah Banda on New Year's Eve.

"Subsequently, detective inspector Phiri unlocked both the male and female cells and instructed the suspects to leave, stating they were free to cross over into the new year," he said.

"Out of the 15 suspects in custody, 13 escaped. Following the incident, the officer fled the scene."

Mr Phiri has not yet commented on the allegations.

Reacting to the incident, former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Dickson Jere wrote on Facebook: "I keep laughing each time I picture the scenario - comical! But then, I remembered a similar incident in 1997."

On New Year's Eve in 1997, the late, controversial High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 suspects, some of whom were deemed dangerous by the police.

Mr Chanda was annoyed that the suspects had been arrested as long ago as 1992, but had not yet appeared in court.

"Justice delayed, is justice denied," he said.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 03/01/2024

 

Pope urges debt relief for poorer nations

VATICAN CITY,  Italy 

As he addressed the faithful in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis urged world leaders of wealthy nations to cancel or decrease the debts of less privileged nations, on the occasion of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

"The Jubilee asks to translate this remission of debts on a social level so that no person, no family, no people is crushed by debts. I, therefore, encourage the rulers of countries with a Christian tradition to set a good example by cancelling or reducing as much as possible the debts of the poorest countries," the Pontiff insisted.

In addition touching on debt relief, the Pope also voiced his hope for an end to conflicts around the world in 2025.

"Let us pray for an end to the fighting on all fronts and a decisive move towards peace and reconciliation. I am thinking of the tormented in Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Myanmar, Kivu and so many warring peoples," Francis said.

During the new year’s day mass, he also urged Catholics to refuse abortion.

Francis recently drew criticism for his remarks on the issue in Belgium. During his trip to Brussels in September, he referred to Belgium's abortion laws as ''homicidal''.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo described Francis’ remarks as “totally unacceptable,” and summoned the Vatican’s ambassador to the country.

Presidents of Uganda, Kenya and Vice President of South Sudan converged for the Piny Luo Cultural Festival

By Our Correspondent,  KISUMU Kenya 

President of Kenya, William Ruto, Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, Vice President of South Sudan Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior and the former Kenya Prime Minister, Raila Odinga have converged at the Got Ramogi shrine in Bondo for the annual Piny Luo Cultural Festival in Siaya County.

Museveni who was the chief guest was earlier received at the Kenya Uganda border in Busia by Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi. 

The leaders spent an enlightening afternoon at Got Ramogi addressed by Luo luminaries from Ethiopia,  South Sudan, and Uganda.

The Luo leader 'Ker' Odungi Randa used the occasion to install the two presidents; Museveni and Ruto as Luo elders.

The event will also feature a friendly match between Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia and Uganda’s Kitara FC.

The event is the culmination of “Piny Luo Festival”, which has been running in Migwena in Bondo.

The Luo are several ethnically and linguistically related Nilotic ethnic groups that inhabit an area ranging from Egypt and Sudan to South Sudan and Ethiopia, through Northern Uganda and eastern Congo (DRC), into western Kenya, and the Mara Region of Tanzania.

The level of historical separation between these groups is estimated at about eight centuries. 

Dispersion from the Nilotic homeland in South Sudan was presumably triggered by the turmoil of the Muslim conquest of Sudan.

Their migration of individual groups over the last few centuries can to some extent be traced in the respective group's oral history.

Their Luo languages (Dholuo) belong to the western branch of the Nilotic language family.

3,000 flee poll violence in Mozambique - UNHCR

GENEVA, Switzerland 

Post-election unrest in Mozambique has forced more than 3,000 people to flee their homes to neighbouring countries. 

In Malawi, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the government have identified around 2,000 who crossed into the country in the past week. 

In neighbouring Eswatini, another 1,000 people have arrived. 

Amongst the new arrivals are refugees and asylum seekers of various nationalities who have been living in Mozambique. 

UNHCR is raising concerns over the escalating displacement and its impact on the affected populations.

"We are deeply alarmed by the ongoing situation in Mozambique, where escalating violence has forced thousands to flee. Refugees and civilians are facing immense risks, losing their livelihoods and relying on humanitarian assistance. While we are grateful for the generosity of Malawi and Eswatini, immediate support is crucial to tackle the worsening crisis and prevent further suffering,” said Chansa Kapaya, UNHCR’s Regional Director for Southern Africa.

In Malawi, people who fled Mozambique said they escaped attacks and looting in their villages.

Many walked long distances and crossed the Shire River on foot or by small boats to reach safety. 

Among them are pregnant women, the elderly and children who have had little food to eat. UNHCR has swiftly provided tents, blankets and hygiene kits to assist the most vulnerable, yet significant humanitarian assistance gaps remain. 

Shelters are overcrowded, sanitation facilities are inadequate, and access to food and clean water is insufficient.

Over 1,000 people are sharing a single latrine at some sites, significantly increasing the risk of disease.

In Eswatini, many of the new arrivals report losing their shops and businesses due to the violence. 

The Malindza refugee reception centre, originally designed for 250 people, is now overcrowded, housing over 1,000 people. 

UNHCR is collaborating with local authorities and partners to provide assistance, but additional resources are urgently needed to sustain the response and prepare for more arrivals.

Mozambique is still recovering from the devastating effects of Cyclone Chido, which hit just weeks ago. 

The current situation is hampering vital humanitarian efforts for communities who lost everything in the storm, while challenging the response to assist them.

The situation in both Malawi and Eswatini is becoming critical, with the rising number of refugees and asylum-seekers straining already overstretched resources. 

While UNHCR remains committed to working with local authorities and partners to tackle this emergency, the international community must urgently provide support to host countries and ensure affected populations receive the assistance they desperately need.

Kenya President admits security abuses amid kidnapping outrage

NAIROBI,  Kenya 

President of Kenya,  William Ruto, has for the first time publicly acknowledged the abuse of power by Kenya's security forces, following a wave of controversial kidnappings that have sparked widespread protests.

In a statement during his New Year’s address on Tuesday, Ruto admitted that there had been “instances of excessive and extrajudicial actions” by security personnel but did not provide specifics.

His comments come after youth-led demonstrations over alleged abductions by security forces, particularly after the violent repression of protests in June and July. These protests, aimed at addressing growing concerns over disappearances, were met with heavy force, including tear gas and mass detentions.

"That said, it is crucial to remember that every freedom has its limits, and public safety and order must always supersede the desire for unchecked liberty," Ruto stated.

Amid ongoing concerns, human rights activists have expressed alarm over what they perceive as the government's failure to investigate these disappearances thoroughly. A recent court ruling demanded that five men who had been reportedly abducted by security forces be freed immediately, or the police must provide an explanation under oath.

However, no one was brought to court on Tuesday, and the police inspector general sent a representative in his place. The families of the missing are growing increasingly desperate.

The latest disappearances predominantly involve young individuals critical of Ruto, including two who shared a controversial AI-generated image of the president lying in a coffin. In his address, Ruto linked these incidents to the rise in digital manipulation, including harmful social media activity. “These are clear signals that our moral fabric is at risk of decay,” Ruto remarked.

Human Rights Watch has pointed to a special security unit composed of several agencies, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reporting seven abductions this month alone, six of which are still missing. 

Since June, 29 people out of 82 reported disappearances remain unaccounted for, intensifying calls for accountability from both government and security forces.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 02/01/2025

 

South Korea's Presidential Aides offer resignations amid political crisis

SEOUL,  South Korea 

Senior aides to South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol collectively offered their resignations on Wednesday, following controversy surrounding acting President Choi Sang-mok’s approval of two new judges for the Constitutional Court. The court is set to rule on Yoon’s impeachment trial.

According to a statement from Yoon’s office, his chief of staff, policy chief, national security advisor, special advisor on foreign affairs and security, and all senior secretaries tendered their resignations. 

The statement did not provide further details.

A presidential official, speaking anonymously due to political sensitivities, revealed that the aides had previously offered to resign after Yoon’s failed attempt to declare martial law on December 3.

However, their resignations had not been accepted. 

The official added that these senior secretaries have been supporting Choi since he assumed the acting presidency, though they are not involved in daily government operations. 

Instead, they report to Choi and attend meetings as needed.

The latest resignation offer came after Choi approved the appointment of two judges to the Constitutional Court, bringing the number of justices to eight on the nine-member panel.

A minimum of six judges must agree to reach a decision in Yoon’s case. Choi’s move faced criticism from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party, which called the decision “dogmatic” and said it lacked proper consultations.

Choi became acting president on Friday following the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had served as acting president since December 14, when Yoon was suspended from office.

Yoon is under investigation for allegations of leading an insurrection, and a Seoul district court granted approval for his arrest on Tuesday, marking a historic first for a sitting president.

Foreign fighters given senior Syrian army posts, reports say

By Sebastian Usher, DAMASCUS Syria 

The new Syrian authorities are reported to have given some foreign Islamist fighters senior official posts in the country's armed forces. 

Ahmed al-Sharaa (centre) and the leaders of Syria's new "joint force"

The army is being re-organised by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that is now effectively in charge of the country following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.

There's been no confirmation by the new leadership of the move, but it seems likely to raise concern inside and outside Syria over the role such foreign militants may play in the country's future.

It comes amid reports that Syria's new de-facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has held separate meetings with representatives of the Kurds and Christians in the country – two communities that are most concerned about the potential agenda of the new authorities.

Several Syrian sources have deduced that out of almost 50 new military roles that have been announced, at least six have gone to foreigners.

Based on the names that have been published, they are said to include Chinese Uyghurs, a Jordanian and a Turkish national. All are said to have been given high-ranking positions as colonels or brigadier-generals.

The role of foreign fighters in various armed groups during the civil war is one that stirs strong feelings in Syria.

Thousands of fighters from many different countries joined the uprising against Assad as it became an all-out armed conflict when mass protests were met with violence by the security forces.

Jihadists from abroad were seen as trying to impose their extremist ideology on Syria - something which Syrians from all communities are now saying they will not accept in the country's future after Assad.

Some formed their own groups and others provided the core of the Islamic State (IS) group, which took control of large regions in the east of Syria.

Opponents of HTS had long accused it of being largely made up of foreign jihadists - a charge Assad supporters used to try to delegitimise the group as it mounted its final, decisive offensive against the regime.

But in the years that he ran the rebel enclave in Idlib, Ahmed al-Sharaa – the leader of HTS and now Syria – had been getting rid of some of those foreign fighters in a bid to bolster his group's credentials as a nationalist rather than overtly jihadist force.

Since taking power al-Sharaa has repeatedly stressed the vision of a unified Syrian state, in which all communities must be respected and have a stake.

On Tuesday, a Syrian official said the first talks between members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and al-Sharaa since he became the most powerful man in Syria three weeks ago have now taken place and were positive.

The SDF is backed by the US and controls much of the north-east of Syria.

But Turkey, which has backed al-Sharaa's group HTS, sees them as terrorists, which has raised fears of a looming confrontation.

Al-Sharaa has also met high level members of the Christian clergy. The Christian minority in Syria has long felt threatened by the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

HTS once espoused such an ideology, but al-Sharaa has for some time embraced a more moderate stance.

He has stressed that he wants all communities to have a stake in Syria's future and is preparing a National Dialogue Conference to try to ensure that this process can begin.

For those who are concerned that his actions might not match his words, this apparent move to formalise the positions of some prominent foreign fighters may give them further pause for thought.

The appointments appear to have been made in order to reward those fighters – whether from Syria or elsewhere – who played a significant role in the final triumph over the regime.

For the same reason, some of the remaining foreign fighters – along with their families – now seem likely to be given Syrian citizenship.

The issue is just one of many that could complicate any successful transition to a new political and social framework in Syria.

The new authorities are putting a lot of weight on a National Dialogue Conference that is being prepared to bring together representatives from all sections of society – although no date has been set.

The hope is that the conference will set in motion the process to rebuild the institutions of the broken and divided country.