<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="594" height="438" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-642093036-594x594-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-352574" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-642093036-594x594-2.jpg 594w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-642093036-594x594-2-300x221.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-642093036-594x594-2-80x60.jpg 80w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-642093036-594x594-2-570x420.jpg 570w" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px" /><figcaption>WASHINGTON, DC &#8211; FEBRUARY 16: U.S. President Donald Trump stands during a news conference announcing Alexander Acosta as the new Labor Secretary nominee in the East Room at the White House on February 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. The announcement comes a day after Andrew Puzder withdrew his nomination. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



ABIDJAN/CONAKRY (Reuters) &#8211; For some Africans, President Donald Trump’s actions in the aftermath of the U.S. election have been a cause for dark humour, while others reacted with dismay or disbelief.



In countries whose own recent elections were marred by accusations of cheating and violence, some expressed concern about what signal Trump’s premature declaration of victory, allegations of fraud and flurry of lawsuits might send to their own leaders.



“Trump is setting a bad example for Africa and a country like ours. You cannot proclaim yourself in an election where you are a candidate when justice exists,” said Mory Keïta, a car parts dealer in Guinea.



Dozens of people were killed in protests before and after the West African country’s president won a contested third term last month.



“It’s a total disgrace,” said Bachir Diallo, a Guinean mining executive. “Such a mess is worthy of a banana republic.”



As Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to victory over President Donald Trump, others felt a sharp sense of irony seeing events play out in a developed nation whose authorities regularly admonish African leaders for not respecting democratic norms.



Trump, who during the long and rancorous campaign attacked the integrity of the American voting system, has alleged fraud without providing evidence, filed lawsuits and called for at least one recount.



When the U.S. Embassy in Guinea’s neighbour Ivory Coast called on Wednesday for dialogue and commitment to the rule of law following another disputed presidential election, some people took umbrage.



“I believe the playground response is ‘why you talking about yourself?’” one Twitter user wrote.



“They tell us about democracy, it’s simply a hoax. They don’t mean it,” said Maurice Nandasaba, as he caught up with friends near a newsstand in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.



Some who followed the U.S. election found positives in what was happening across the Atlantic.



“It’s calm, and there is no violence,” said Viviane Asseke, a schoolteacher in Ivory Coast, where more than 10 people have died in clashes since the president won a third term that opponents consider unconstitutional.



“It makes you want to vote.”



But more people were disappointed.



“You would think we’re in Africa when you see Trump’s behaviour,” said Ange Kouame, 23, a student in Ivory Coast’s main city, Abidjan.



“It is terrifying to see this in America,” said Tito Kisiya, a sales executive in Tanzania, whose presidential election last week drew criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.



In Africa’s most populous nation Nigeria, where Trump has many admirers, some were critical of his actions.



“A soothsayer does not need to tell us that the America we are looking at as a model in everything is not even a model when it comes to electioneering,” said Agbor Elemi, a consultant in Lagos.



Additional reporting by Edwin Waita in Nairobi and Angela Ukomadu in Lagos; Writing by Aaron Ross; editing by John Stonestreet and Mike Collett-White

gettyimages-642093036-594×594

‘Disgrace’ and a ‘mess’: Africans taken aback by U.S. election turmoil

NAIROBI (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzanians headed to the polls on Wednesday for presidential and parliamentary elections that President John Magufuli hopes will hand him another five-year term despite criticism from rights groups that the government has stifled political dissent.



Magufuli’s main challengers include Tundu Lissu, who was shot 16 times in 2017, and former foreign minister Bernard Membe. The attack on Lissu, who returned from three years in exile in July, has never been solved.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-374198" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749.jpg 800w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-696x522.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shutterstock_207995749-600x450.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption>Kenya, Tanzania. Shutterstock </figcaption></figure>



People turned out early to cast their ballots in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday morning.



“The voting process is good, calm,” local pastor Clement Fumbo told Reuters after voting. “I expect the election to continue to be peaceful, fair and free.”



But many Tanzanians complained online that they were are experiencing problems accessing social media platforms.



“Authorities are now trying to block VPN services,” said ProtonVPN, an open source VPN provider, on Twitter.



On Tuesday, both Twitter and Internet blockage monitor NetBlocks reported widespread problems.



“We’re seeing some blocking and throttling of Twitter,” Twitter in a statement from its public policy account.







East Africa’s third-largest economy has recorded average growth of close to 7% over the last four years, according to official figures, as the government invested billions of dollars in infrastructure including a new railway, a hydropower dam and planes for the national airline.



“THIRSTY FOR JUSTICE”



The government projects economic growth of 5.5% in 2020 after COVID-19 hit key sectors such as tourism. But the World Bank predicts growth of only 2.5%.



Magufuli is promising voters that new infrastructure projects will fuel growth of at least 8% soon.



“We have told Tanzanians the importance of investing on transport infrastructure&#8230;for the betterment of this nation,” Magufuli said on Tuesday in Dodoma at his last rally.



Lissu told his final rally in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam that he was confident of winning. “Tanzanians are hungry and thirsty for justice,” he said. “It’s time to decide.”



More than 29 million people are registered to vote out of 58 million citizens. They will choose from 15 presidential candidates and elect lawmakers for 264 parliamentary seats.







The ruling party CCM, a version of which has held power since independence in 1961, won the presidency with 58% of votes in 2015 and currently holds about three-quarters of parliamentary seats. Tanzania uses a first-past-the post system.



The opposition and rights groups say authorities have cracked down on critical voices by closing down media outlets and banning public rallies during Magufuli’s first term.



Last week, a coalition of 65 international rights groups issued a letter accusing the government of harassing NGOs and abusing the power of the justice system.



“Tanzania’s criminal justice system has &#8230; been misused to target those who criticize the government,” the letter read.



Opposition parties said police disrupted their campaigns and electoral authorities disqualified dozens of their parliamentary candidates.



The government has previously denied any crackdown and the National Electoral Commission has rejected accusations of unfair treatment.



In the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, the opposition presidential candidate was detained and later released as he tried to vote early on Tuesday after at least nine people were shot dead by security forces.

shutterstock_354115238

Tanzania president Magufuli seeks second term as polls open

NEW YORK (Reuters) &#8211; Investors are girding their portfolios for market moves ahead of the U.S. presidential vote, as election season kicks into higher gear with the Democratic National Convention in the coming week.



Though elections have loomed large on investors’ radar this year, their influence on markets has taken a backseat to the coronavirus pandemic and unprecedented stimulus from U.S. policymakers.



That may change in coming weeks, investors said. Some are beefing up cash positions or making bets on a flare-up in volatility as they eye a range of outcomes, including the possibility that the contest between President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden may yield a result that is not immediately certain or likely to be disputed.



“There’s plenty of reasons to believe that the election outcome is going to be drawn out,” said Lamar Villere, a portfolio manager at Villere &amp; Co. “That’s going to show the cracks in a market that’s been priced for perfection.”



Villere’s firm has raised its cash levels to as high as 20% of assets as a hedge against election-induced volatility in a stock market some say has become richly valued &#8211; the S&amp;P 500 has rallied more than 50% from its lows of the year and trades at its highest forward price-to-earnings multiple in around two decades.



Some investors believe the market’s performance over the next few months could point to which candidate will triumph in November.



The incumbent president has tended to win the White House when the S&amp;P 500 index has risen in the three months before the election, data from TD Securities going back to 1930 showed.



That may be bad news for Trump. While the index is up about 3% for this month, August kicks off what has historically been the weakest three-month stretch of the year for equities, where the average historic return stands at about 0%, according to data from BofA Global Research.



At the same time, no incumbent has been awarded a second term in the midst of a recession, TD securities wrote.



Biden leads Trump by 8 percentage points, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday after Biden had selected U.S. Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.



A Biden victory &#8211; as well as a possible Democratic sweep of the House and Senate &#8211; could threaten policies championed by Trump and generally favored by Wall Street, including lower corporate tax rates and fewer regulations, analysts said.



“The full implications of a future Biden presidency could unsettle markets in the first instance,” analysts at Oxford Economics said in a recent note.



A proposed corporate tax rate increase to 28% could shave about 5.5% off 2021 S&amp;P 500 earnings, lower capital spending by around $50 billion and lead to a $100 billion decline in stock buybacks, according to J.P.Morgan.



At the same time, a Biden administration would likely move away from Trump’s trade tariffs in Europe and China, helping international and emerging market stocks outperform U.S. equities in the year ahead, said Stuart Katz, chief investment officer of Robertson Stephens Wealth Management.



At least one of Biden’s flagship policies &#8211; a $2 trillion increase in infrastructure spending &#8211; could further weigh on the already weakened U.S. dollar, Oxford Economics said.



A Trump re-election, meanwhile, could allay concerns over higher taxes but spark renewed fears of U.S.-China trade tensions, said Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at AxiCorp.



A second term for Trump could also be positive for oil and gas companies which may benefit from a further relaxation of Obama-era regulations, Innes said.



Investors should also prepare for the possibility that the president could cast doubt on the veracity of the vote or pull out of the race altogether, wrote Joseph Amato, CIO of equities at Neuberger Berman, said in a recent note.



Trump escalated fears of a contested election in a late July tweet, suggesting the election be delayed until people can “properly, securely and safely vote.”



“The further behind he is in the polls, the more provocative his decision-making could become,” Amato wrote.

wall street

Wall Street Week Ahead: Biden victory? Disputed election? Wall Street prices in November outcomes

(Reuters) &#8211; Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his new running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, will make their first appearance as a ticket on Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, as the campaign for the White House enters a more frenetic phase.



The two are scheduled to deliver remarks just days before Biden formally accepts the Democratic nomination during the party’s national convention, which will take place largely as a virtual event next week due to the coronavirus pandemic.



The Republican convention, where President Donald Trump will be nominated for a second four-year term, follows a week later and kicks off a 10-week sprint to the Nov. 3 election.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">RELATED COVERAGE</h4>



<ul><li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-biden-harris-analysis/why-kamala-harris-may-prove-an-elusive-target-for-trump-idUSKCN25818T">Why Kamala Harris may prove an elusive target for Trump</a></li></ul>



Harris, 55, the first Black woman and the first Asian American to appear on a major-party presidential ticket, was announced as Biden’s choice on Tuesday after a selection process that drew extra scrutiny thanks to Biden’s age.



The 77-year-old would be the oldest president ever if he wins, raising speculation that he would not seek re-election in 2024.



Wednesday’s event in Biden’s hometown will take place on the third anniversary of the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where violent clashes erupted as white supremacists and neo-Nazis descended on the town.



Biden has said Trump’s comment after the clashes that there were “very fine people on both sides”, which drew widespread criticism, convinced him to run for president.



In choosing Harris, Biden selected a former rival for the nomination whose most memorable campaign moment was when she criticized his past position on using busing to integrate schools during a televised debate.



But Harris was regarded as a relatively safe choice. She is a more dynamic campaigner than Biden and will be relied upon to help energize Black voters, who represent a crucial constituency for Biden in key swing states.



In recent months, as unrest has convulsed U.S. cities following the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, Harris has become a prominent voice calling for change. She has marched alongside protesters and pushed legislation to reform policing practices.



Biden, who had vowed to pick a female running mate, had come under increasing pressure to select a Black woman.



As a former prosecutor and attorney general, Harris has shown herself to be a sharp questioner in Senate hearings and appears to be well suited to the traditional “attack dog” role that vice presidential candidates are often asked to assume.



The Trump campaign wasted little time on Tuesday attacking Harris as a “radical” who would drag Biden to the left. But it remains unclear whether the broadsides will be effective.

540px-Senator_Harris_official_senate_portrait-1

Democrat Biden and new running mate Harris to make first campaign appearance

ABIDJAN (Reuters) &#8211; Ivory Coast’s electoral commission promised a fair election on Wednesday as the ruling RHDP party asked President Alassane Ouattara to stand again, defying opponents who say he does not have the constitutional right to a third term.



The election is seen as the biggest test yet of the tenuous stability achieved since a brief civil war killed about 3,000 people in 2010 and 2011.



The election commission’s role is particularly sensitive.



A dispute over Ouattara’s 2010 poll victory sparked the conflict and opposition parties suspect local election offices favour Ouattara.



The national election commission plans to reform these offices and consult all parties in the run-up to the vote, its president, Ibrahime Coulibaly Kuibert, told Reuters.



“Our primary objective is to make our process credible and transparent,” he said.



The presidential race was upset earlier this month by the death of the preferred successor of Ouattara, after the 78-year-old economist had said he would not stand again.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">“I HAVE NEVER DISAPPOINTED”</h3>



Responding to a formal request from his party on Wednesday to run for re-election, Ouattara asked for some time to consider, but added: “You know I have never disappointed you.”



Addressing party members, he said he would announce his decision in a speech to the nation.



He is due to make a public address on Aug. 6.



Opponents say the two-term limit in the constitution bars him from standing again, but Ouattara has said his first two mandates do not count under the new charter from 2016.



The other main confirmed candidate is Henri Konan Bedie, who was president from 1993-1999 and leads one of Ivory Coast’s largest parties, the PDCI.



Bedie told France 24 television he had agreed with former president Laurent Gbagbo that their parties would back the other’s candidate in the event of a second round run-off against Ouattara.



Gbagbo, who resides in Belgium and was acquitted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court last year, has not yet confirmed he will run as candidate of his FPI party. But his application for travel documents to return to Ivory Coast has raised expectations an announcement could be imminent.

shutterstock_393043678-Roman Yanushevsky Shutterstock

Ivory Coast pledges fair vote, Ouattara asked to run again

LILONGWE (Reuters) &#8211; Malawi’s Constitutional Court on Monday annulled the May 2019 presidential vote that declared Peter Mutharika a winner and ordered a re-run after an application from opposition parties citing irregularities.



Mutharika, Malawi president since 2014, won the election with a 38.57% share of the vote, with opposition party leader Lazarus Chakwera getting 35.41% and Deputy President Saulos Chilima, who formed his own party, had 20.24% in the final tally.



The electoral commission declared Mutharika the winner despite complaints of irregularities including results sheets with sections blotted out or altered with correction fluid.



Mutharika had pledged to crack down on corruption and revive the economy in his second five-year term.



But Chakwera, the president’s main rival, and Chilima rejected the results and filed a petition to the High Court asking it to nullify the results.



In a unanimous decision, a panel of five judges ordered that a new presidential vote be held within 150 days.



“It is almost impossible to have an election free of irregularities,” said Justice Healey Potani, who headed the panel. “However, in the present matter our finding is that the anomalies and irregularities have been so widespread, systematic and grave such that the integrity of the result was seriously compromised, and can’t be trusted as the will of voters of the May 21, 2019 election.”



In a landmark ruling for the country, the court describe the conduct of the electoral commission as “very lacking and demonstrated incompetence”.



The status in the presidency would revert to before the elections, Potani said, which meant Chilima would be reinstated as vice president.



The court also directed Parliament to consider recalling the current electoral body, which is headed by Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Jane Ansah, to “ensure smooth conduct of fresh elections.”



The streets in Lilongwe and the commercial capital Blantyre were unusually quiet ahead of the ruling, and many businesses were shut, fearing violence and looting from supporters of the losing side.



Security forces were out on the streets in large numbers, and the judges delivering the verdict were flown in on a military plane and arrived at the venue in armoured vehicles.



Malawi, a lakeside nation on the southern tip of the Great Rift Valley, is dependent on foreign aid and is frequently beset by drought which threatens the lives of thousands of people.



Former law professor Mutharika, 79, oversaw infrastructure improvements and a slowdown in inflation in his first five-year term, but critics accuse him of cronyism and failing to tackle graft.



Reporting by Frank Phiri; Editing by Grant McCool and Lisa Shumaker

Malawi court annuls President Mutharika’s 2019 election victory, here’s why

WINDHOEK (Reuters) &#8211; Namibians voted on Wednesday in what was expected to be the toughest contest yet for the party that has ruled for three decades of independence, an election it was still expected to win despite a brutal economic crisis. 



President Hage Geingob, Namibia’s third leader since the sparsely populated and mostly arid country freed itself from the shackles of apartheid South Africa in 1990, is seeking a second and final term from 1.3 million registered voters.



He faces nine challengers including Panduleni Itula, a dentist-turned-politician who is a member of the ruling SWAPO party but is running as an independent. Itula is popular with young people, nearly half of whom are unemployed.



Concurrent legislative polls will elect 96 members of parliament, testing SWAPO’s 77-seat majority. Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT).



Results are expected within 48 hours.



Namibia’s ruling party has successfully tackled problems left over from decades of neglectful rule by a German colonial and later white minority South African administrations. The proportion of Namibians living below the poverty line fell by three quarters, from nearly 70 percent in 1993 to 17 percent in 2016, according to World Bank figures.



But now SWAPO is contending with an economy that has been in recession for nearly three years, one of Namibia’s worst-ever droughts and the biggest corruption scandal in its history — all of which have conspired to make this election unexpectedly tough for Geingob, who won by 87% last time.



“I campaigned like hell but if I lose I will accept that. I am a democrat,” Geingob told reporters shortly after voting.



The economy has been marred by a drought that ravaged agricultural export crops, as well as by unprofitably low prices for Namibia’s main hard commodities, uranium and diamonds.



The Bank of Namibia expects the domestic economy to contract for a third year in 2019, by 1.7%.



A scandal in which two ministers were alleged to have conspired to dole out fishing licences to Iceland’s biggest fishing firm, Samherji, in return for kickbacks has also taken the shine off the ruling party.



Yet loyalty to the former guerrilla movement remains high.



“Namibia has gone through a very terrible time,” Leevylee Abrahams said, after casting his vote. “But I’m voting for continuity because I believe that this government can really improve the lives of people, given a chance again.”



Whether the result is close or not, a SWAPO win is likely to be controversial, especially since the court threw out a case mounted by the opposition against the use of electronic voting machines it fears will be used to cheat.



The military said in a statement it was on high alert for violence, which Namibia has avoided in previous polls.



Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Paul Tait

Namibia

Namibians vote in tight contest clouded by economic crisis, what you need to know

MAPUTO, Oct 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Mozambique&#8217;s main opposition party Renamo on Tuesday appealed the result of the Oct. 15 general election, calling on the country&#8217;s top court to annul incumbent President Filipe Nyusi&#8217;s victory.



Nyusi and his ruling Frelimo party won big in the election, which was hoped would calm tensions in Mozambique, soon to become a top global gas exporter. Instead, the contested result has stoked divisions as opposition parties have cried foul.



&#8220;We want the election results to be annulled because they were not elections. They were a caricature, a circus show,&#8221; Venâncio Mondlane, a Renamo representative, told Reuters by phone.



&#8220;Today we filed the appeal to the Constitutional Council (CC) against the deliberation of the National Election Commission, which we do not agree with. We demand that the CC annul the election results,&#8221; Mondlane said.



It was hoped the election could set the seal on a fragile peace pact, designed to put a definitive end to four decades of violence between Frelimo and Renamo.



The two fought a 16-year civil war that ended in a truce in 1992 but have clashed sporadically since.



Renamo had wanted to win control of a number of provinces in Mozambique&#8217;s centre and north but came away empty handed. 



(Reporting by Manuel Mucari; editing by Grant McCool)

Mozambique’s main opposition party plans to appeal election result

By Gary van Staden, Head of Research, NKC African Economics.



Mozambique’s elections – due in less than a month – will go ahead as planned despite threats by a splinter group of Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) fighters who have defied the party leadership and vowed to step up its violence unless campaigning for the upcoming polls is suspended. There are no plans on the part of the government to suspend campaigning or delay the vote.



Fresh
elections are due on October 15 and the splinter group of disgruntled fighters
who lost January elections for a new leader following the death of long-time
boss Afonso Dhlakama have threatened to step up their banditry activities that
(to date) include two messy and unsuccessful attempts to hijack vehicles and
kidnap the occupants. 



The
new peace agreements implemented on August 1 by President Filipe Nyusi, leader
of the governing Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), and Renamo leader
Ossufo Momade, required Renamo’s armed wing to disband (for the second time),
where members could either retire with a government pension or join the
national army.



Renamo’s
coercive capacity has dwindled to almost nothing following the death of
hardliner Mr Dhlakama, leaving a few disgruntled groups of fighters to continue
to resort to sporadic violence. 



Among
them was a renegade self-appointed ‘general’, Mariano Nhongo, who has falsely
claimed in several interviews to be ‘chief’ of Renamo’s armed wing. That was
never the case according to Southern African Development Community (Sadc)
sources. 



“We
do not acknowledge the recently signed peace treaty. An election will not take
place. Anyone who makes calls for elections should know: We will kill him,” Mr
Nhongo told foreign media while also claiming to be the legitimate leader of
Renamo having previously threatened to kill Mr Momade. 



Mr
Nhongo claimed to command some 500 troops, but Sadc intelligence and security
sources believe the number to be significantly lower and that these troops are
the dregs of the former armed wing and not very well trained. 



Nevertheless,
the commander continued his threats, saying that should the election
campaigning continue, “our attacks will continue”. He claimed that his fighters
had been responsible for two recent attacks on the vehicles of provincial
heavyweights in central Manica which left a total of four people injured.
Gunmen attacked two cars along the main N6 road from Beira to Chimoio. 



Some
media reports stated that the attack took place in the village of Zimpinga,
Gondola district, Manica – a Renamo zone of influence. Others said that police
had arrived on the scene, relatively swiftly ending the attack and foiling an
apparent attempted kidnapping. 



Speculation
that the actives of this splinter group, which must now operate outside any
formal Renamo structures or logistical or other support, have a capacity to
destabilise the elections, let alone the country, are fanciful and far-fetched.




The
evidence rather suggests a ragtag outfit of disgruntled fighters unable or
unwilling to accept the terms of the peace agreement. However, that does not
mean they are harmless. 



Sporadic
attacks on unarmed motorists could unfortunately result in fatalities. 



Mozambique
seldom runs perfect elections and the debates over legitimacy will resurface
before, during, and after the polls. But elections have tended to express the
will of the people and we doubt any Renamo splinter group will have much impact.

Op-Ed: Mozambique elections will go ahead despite threats of violence

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6075099006001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script>
Sudan’s military and opposition coalition have signed a final power-sharing agreement that paves the way for a transitional government and elections. Meanwhile, deposed President Omar al-Bashir is facing trial over fraud charges. Activist, Rozan Ahmed joins CNBC Africa for more.

Omar al-Bashir faces corruption charges, what impact will Sudan’s power-sharing agreement have on the revolution?

By Gary van Staden, Senior Political Analyst, NKC African Economics



Parties
that want to contest national and provincial elections in October have until
the end of July to submit their list of candidates to the national electoral
commission (CNE). Meanwhile, the armed opposition Mozambican National
Resistance (Renamo) party continues to squabble over its leadership.



The
submission of candidate lists opened this week, July 2, and will end on August
1 ahead of the elections scheduled for October 15. A total of 39 parties and
coalitions have registered with the CNE to take part in the national and/or
provincial polls. 



Realistically,
only the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) party, Renamo, and the
Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) that stunned Renamo last time out by
winning some seats in its backyard have any prospect of success. 



Frelimo
is expected to emerge victorious once again and Renamo is likely to claim fraud
and contest the outcome once again. 



Renamo’s
performance in the central and northern regions will be a key test of its
electoral appeal. Changes to the constitution will allow Renamo to select the
regional governor in those provinces where it obtains a majority, if any. 



Meanwhile,
local media reported in early July that a new group of Renamo fighters based in
Funhalouro district in the Inhambane interior have threatened to block the
demobilisation and disarmament process until the party’s leader, Ossufo Momade,
resigns. 



The
call comes after accusations that Mr Momade had removed those who did not
support him at the party&#8217;s congress earlier in the year. 



A
spokesperson for the Funhalouro group told media that there were 280 armed men
in the district – a claim likely to be unreliable given the total absence of
Renamo activity in the region for some time. 



The
new threats follow those made to media by Renamo dissidents in the central
province of Sofala in June when Major General Mariano Nhongo threatened that
dissidents would kill Mr Momade unless he resigned. The dissident fighters have
been labelled deserters and criminals by the Renamo leadership and their credibility
is in question. 



Their
claims that Brigadier Josefa de Sousa was executed on Mr Momade&#8217;s orders were
proved false when the “dead” brigadier appeared at a press conference to say
claims of his death had been exaggerated.



With
electoral season now underway, there is a heightened possibility of renewed
dissident Renamo conflict in parts of the country, coupled with localised
Islamist fundamentalist activities in the Tanzania border regions that are
likely to attract media attention. 



We
do not believe that these activities pose a serious threat to overall stability
in the country. But given the proximity of the elections, they could prove
disruptive at times and closer to the polls, there is an increased prospect of
violence. 



Frelimo
remains the most likely winners of the polls, but we anticipate Renamo will
once again reject the outcome, allege widespread rigging, and possibly provoke
more short-term conflict. 



Dissident
Renamo activities are unlikely to have a major impact on stability or on
Renamo, as their numbers remain small and they are isolated.

Op-Ed: Mozambique’s parties line up candidates for October polls

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6034154629001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
As South Africa&#8217;s elections hold today, CNBC Africa spoke to Nigerians on the street of Lagos about their thoughts on the polls.

Nigerians speak about South Africa’s elections

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6033790209001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
South Africa ranked fourth as Nigeria’s major export trading partner in the fourth quarter of 2018 according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics. As South Africans head to the polls tomorrow, we find out what the business communities with affiliations to South Africa expect from the elections. Osayaba Giwa-Osagie, Director of the Nigeria South-Africa Chamber of Commerce joins CNBC Africa for this conversation.

What Nigeria’s business community expect from South Africa’s elections?

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6012563032001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
Nigeria&#8217;s governorship and State house of Assembly elections held on Saturday, 9th of March were not without its challenges. Michael Famoroti, Partner at Stears, joins CNBC Africa to highlight some these challenges and discuss ways to combat them in future elections.

Challenges & lessons from Nigeria governorship election

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6003881232001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
Taiwo Oyedele, Partner and West Africa Tax Leader at joins CNBC Africa to assess the cost of Nigeria&#8217;s election cycle on taxpayers as we build up to Nigeria&#8217;s elections this weekend.

Assessing the tax burden of Nigeria’s election cycle on taxpayers

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6002904224001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
Building up to Nigeria&#8217;s elections, CNBC AFRICA spoke to Nigerians on the street of Lagos about their confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct free and fair elections.

Nigerians speak out about INEC

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6000697439001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
It is exactly 5 days to Nigeria&#8217;s presidential elections. Emeka Izeze, Former Managing Director and Editor in Chief of the Guardian Newspapers Nigeria joins CNBC Africa to discuss the issues on the front burner.

elections

‘Disgrace’ and a ‘mess’: Africans taken aback by U.S. election turmoil

Tanzania president Magufuli seeks second term as polls open

Wall Street Week Ahead: Biden victory? Disputed election? Wall Street prices in November outcomes

Democrat Biden and new running mate Harris to make first campaign appearance

Ivory Coast pledges fair vote, Ouattara asked to run again

Malawi court annuls President Mutharika’s 2019 election victory, here’s why

Namibians vote in tight contest clouded by economic crisis, what you need to know

Mozambique’s main opposition party plans to appeal election result

Op-Ed: Mozambique elections will go ahead despite threats of violence

Omar al-Bashir faces corruption charges, what impact will Sudan’s power-sharing agreement have on the revolution?

Op-Ed: Mozambique’s parties line up candidates for October polls

Nigerians speak about South Africa’s elections

What Nigeria’s business community expect from South Africa’s elections?

Challenges & lessons from Nigeria governorship election

Assessing the tax burden of Nigeria’s election cycle on taxpayers

Nigerians speak out about INEC

Nigeria’s presidential election: The final countdown

News Tips

Advertise With Us

elections

‘Disgrace’ and a ‘mess’: Africans taken aback by U.S. election turmoil

Tanzania president Magufuli seeks second term as polls open

Wall Street Week Ahead: Biden victory? Disputed election? Wall Street prices in November outcomes

Democrat Biden and new running mate Harris to make first campaign appearance

Ivory Coast pledges fair vote, Ouattara asked to run again

Malawi court annuls President Mutharika’s 2019 election victory, here’s why

Namibians vote in tight contest clouded by economic crisis, what you need to know

Mozambique’s main opposition party plans to appeal election result

Op-Ed: Mozambique elections will go ahead despite threats of violence

Omar al-Bashir faces corruption charges, what impact will Sudan’s power-sharing agreement have on the revolution?

Op-Ed: Mozambique’s parties line up candidates for October polls

Nigerians speak about South Africa’s elections

What Nigeria’s business community expect from South Africa’s elections?

Challenges & lessons from Nigeria governorship election

Assessing the tax burden of Nigeria’s election cycle on taxpayers

Nigerians speak out about INEC

Nigeria’s presidential election: The final countdown

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters