Kenyan Electoral Authority in Disarray a Week Before Vote Rerun

Kenyan Electoral Authority in Disarray a Week Before Vote Rerun

KENYA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Preparations for Kenya’s presidential election rerun next week are in disarray after a top official of the commission organizing the vote resigned and fled the East African nation and its chairman said his efforts to ensure a credible ballot are being thwarted. Roselyn Akombe quit the Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission, citing issues including the intimidation of staff by “political actors” and protesters, and she accused unidentified senior personnel…

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Rio, Ex-CEO Face Fraud Charges on $3.7 Billion Coal Calamity

Rio, Ex-CEO Face Fraud Charges on $3.7 Billion Coal Calamity

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Rio Tinto Group’s calamitous $3.7 billion coal deal in Mozambique, involving a plan to barge the fuel hundreds of kilometres down the Zambezi River, keeps coming back to haunt the world’s second-biggest miner — already grappling with another African misadventure. U.S. authorities filed fraud charges against London-based Rio, former Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese and ex-Chief Financial Officer Guy Elliott, claiming they inflated the value of the coal assets acquired in 2011. The unit…

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Merkel Faces `Divided’ Germany as Talks on Coalition Begin

Merkel Faces `Divided’ Germany as Talks on Coalition Begin

BERLIN (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angela Merkel is facing pressure to put her stamp on Germany’s next government as the chancellor begins talks on uniting four disparate parties into a coalition to govern Europe’s biggest economy. Almost a month after her Christian Democratic-led bloc emerged weakened from a national election, Merkel meets separately with the pro-market Free Democratic Party and the Greens on Wednesday to sound out the potential for a pact on cabinet posts and policy….

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Kenya Opposition Suspends Vote Protests as Supporters Killed

Kenya Opposition Suspends Vote Protests as Supporters Killed

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s main opposition group suspended protests calling for electoral reform as it accused the government of deliberately targeting supporters in a series of killings since the country’s annulled presidential election in August. The death of a student in the western city of Kisumu on Monday was the latest in a series of murders as the country gears up for a rerun of the election next week, National Super Alliance…

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EU Is Said to Seek a Road Map for Future U.K. Deal by December

EU Is Said to Seek a Road Map for Future U.K. Deal by December

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – European Union countries are seeking to complete preparatory work on a future relationship with the U.K. before the end of the year, in a move intended to keep hope alive for Theresa May’s government as Brexit negotiations stall. The European Council, which represents member states, will start working with the European Commission as soon as this month on the key points, according to an EU government official familiar with the matter. The plan…

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Franco-German Brexit Stance Is Said to Have Broad EU Support

Franco-German Brexit Stance Is Said to Have Broad EU Support

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Germany and France insist they’re not alone in refusing British pleas to move ahead with Brexit talks, as they lay the blame for the impasse with Prime Minister Theresa May’s government. Officials in Berlin and Paris said their stance in negotiations is no tougher than that of other member states. Even though the bloc’s positions have been unanimously agreed, there is a concern in the German government that some countries…

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Zuma’s Moves Threaten Split in South Africa’s Ruling Alliance

Zuma’s Moves Threaten Split in South Africa’s Ruling Alliance

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African President Jacob Zuma’s decision to fire communist party leader Blade Nzimande from his cabinet is widening a rift with two of the African National Congress’s closest allies before a key leadership conference in December. In dismissing Nzimande as higher education minister Tuesday, Zuma, 75, targeted the communist party, which along with the main labor confederation, Cosatu, has said the president must step down because of a series of scandals that have…

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