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As Guinea-Bissau gears up for its forthcoming elections, a notable chill has fallen over the media landscape, prompting serious worries about the state of press freedom in the country. Many media outlets face insurmountable obstacles, particularly the hefty $5,000 licensing fees imposed by the government, which they must pay to continue broadcasting. Consequently, a significant number of radio stations have found it challenging, if not impossible, to muster the funds necessary to renew their licenses in time for the…

Kenya's Deputy Head Honcho, Rigathi Gachagua, chats with the press in Nairobi, Monday, Oct. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku) NAIROBI, Kenya -- Facing a stormy impeachment brew, the deputy chief of Kenya stands accused of backing rebellious protests in June and dabbling in murky dealings. Gachagua stepped up to bat today, vowing to show up in parliament on Tuesday for a verbal showdown. In a broadcast on Monday, Gachagua took aim at the lawmaker behind the impeachment push, branding the accusations as "ridiculous and…

Somalia Insists on Cancellation of North Western State of Somalia Deal Before Starting Talks with Ethiopia MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia has made it clear that before any meaningful discussions occur with Ethiopia, the agreement involving North Western State of Somalia must be nullified. Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity have come into jeopardy recently, prompting this declaration. Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, firmly stated that no official dialogue will commence between Somalia and…

Division on LH electoral procedures ahead of key Somalia summit MOGADISHU, Somalia - Cracks have appeared in the Federal Election Commission on the electoral procedure of the lower house which will be applied during the current legislative elections, which could delay the exercise, which will pave the way for the presidential elections. In a statement released Tuesday, the FIET team appeared to…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble left this morning for Cairo, Egypt, following an invitation from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who has pleaded for a stable Horn on Africa, throughout his tenure as Egyptian leader . Roble is expected to be in Cairo for three days, officials said, but the agenda for his visit has not yet been released. His trip comes a few days after his official visit to Kenya, where he was invited by President Uhuru Kenyatta. In Mombasa, Kenya, the two leaders met and agreed…

Al-Shabaab leader threatens election delegates ahead of election MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Shabaab says it is monitoring ongoing preparations for elections in Somalia, which threatens the future of the Horn of Africa nation, which still grapples with instability, more than three decades on the ousting of military dictator Siad Barre. Al-Shabaab, which controls vast swathes of rural central and…

Somali opposition team calls for emergency meeting ahead of elections MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Union of Presidential Candidates called for a special meeting on the upcoming elections, raising concerns about the exercise, just days before the country heads to the much-anticipated election. The electoral team issued a statement on the elections, giving a final timetable that will be respected for…

KISMAYO, Somalia - Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble is visiting Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland, as part of his pre-election preparations, as he seeks to oversee a credible election in the Horn of Africa country. The Prime Minister accompanied by senior federal government officials, including Finance Minister Abdirahman Dualle Beileh, was warmly greeted at the airport by the President of Jubaland, Ahmed Madobe, and members of the public from state authorities. The state of Jubaland has been at odds…

Prime Minister Roble summons state leaders ahead of Somalia election MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has called all state leaders for a meeting scheduled for June 27, as the country continues to prepare for elections, which are expected to take place next month in all states. Elections in Somalia were delayed after the government failed to hold universal suffrage…

Somalia's army increases pressure on al-Shabaab ahead of elections MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army continued an attack on al-Shabaab militants on Saturday, this time targeting the Hiraan region of central Somalia, where the militants have controlled without impunity. On Saturday morning, state media said at least six al-Shabaab soldiers were killed and several others injured…