Kioo17 Journal

Banjul, GAMBIA: Thousands of Gambians on Monday took to the streets of Banjul to protest against setting President Adama Barrow to step down in honor of his campaign promise that saw him elected in 2016 under a coalition team that lasted less than six months. Mr. Barrow promised in 2016 to only serve a three years government, a promise he now made clear will not fulfill. The protest under the banner “Three Years Jotna” which translates in the local Wolof dialect as “It has reached three years” hopes to pressure president Adama Barrow to step down through popular uprising in the tiny west African nation. Adama Barrow came into power in 2016 following a historical defeat of former strong man Yahya Jammeh but has since gained low approval rating among Gambians especially following the sacking of long-time opposition leader and former Vice President, Mr. Ousainor Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP). The protest is ongoing… Couple with the withdrawal of T...

Lusaka, ZAMBIA: Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu said he wants the U.S. Ambassador to leave the country after the diplomat criticized the African nation for sentencing a gay couple to 15 years of imprisonment for having a consensual relationship. “We have complained officially to the American government, and we are waiting for their response because we don’t want such people in our midst,”  Lungu said Sunday in comments broadcast on state-owned ZNBC TV.  “ We want him gone.” U.S. Ambassador Daniel Foote said last month that he was “personally horrified” after the high court sentenced the two men and called on the government to reconsider laws that punish minority groups. The U.S. Ambassador had even threatened to withhold financial aid to this AIDS-ravaged African country. The U.S. provides $500 million in aid to Zambia yearly, according to Foote. "I saw this giant headline 'gay sex for fifteen years ' as the government pounding its chest saying ...

Marry Chiwenga, looking very tired when entering Harare Magistrate Court. Harare, ZIMBABWE : Court papers against the beleaguered Marry Chiwenga wife to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga have revealed that she at one stage attempted to end Chiwenga’s life by denying him medical attention. The papers make an additional charge of attempted murder on Marry Chiwenga who already has a host of other charges against her. A Court Affidavit page copy. Marry arrived at Rotten Row  Magistrates’ Court in Harare this morning where she is facing allegations of externalising US$1 million and fraudulently seeking to solemnise her marriage with neither the husband’s knowledge nor consent. According to a Zacc memo seen by NewsDay , Marry, mentioned as chief executive officer of East Town Holdings and shareholder of a company called Tarnor Investments, externalised close to a million dollars by misrepresentations on proforma invoices before converting the money to persona...

Monrovia, LIBERIA: Montserrado County Representative Solomon Claudius George has commenced a new and extra role, outside of his legislative responsibilities, by starring in a new Liberian movie released in the country. Representative George is representing the people of electoral district number 7 on the ticket of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). The constitutional responsibilities of a lawmaker are: oversight, representation and lawmaking. The movie titled: Wrong Decision was launched at the Unification Theatre of Arts on Sunday. The Unification Theatre is owned by Liberia’s President George Manneh Weah. It was constructed, along with the multi-million dollars, Forky Klon Jlaleh Family Fellowship Church, and several duplexes, just few months after the inauguration of President Weah into office. Representative George, who is an Executive Producer of the movie directed by King Solomon and marketed by KMEC Films, is playing the role of Pas...

Harare, ZIMBABWE: Mary Chiwenga, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has been arrested for causing a fraudulent marriage between herself and the former army General to be registered. Chiwenga and his wife are said to have fallen out after the former model allegedly asked the VP to formalise their marriage when he was on his sick bed at a South African hospital. The former army general who led the military coup that toppled long time ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017 spent the better part of this year battling for his life in hospitals in South Africa, China and India. When he was flown to China, Marry was allegedly banned from visiting him. On his return to Harare on November 23 she was not among those that welcomed him at the Robert Mugabe International Airport. Marry was also conspicuous by her absence a week later when Chiwenga held a prayer meeting and a party at his homestead in Wedza. The two are said to be living separately after the VP moved i...

Sanna Mirella Marin (born 16 November 1985) is a Finnish politician. A Social Democrat, she has been member of the Parliament of Finland since 2015 and the Minister of Transport and Communications since 6 June 2019. Helsinki, FINLAND: At just 34 years old, Sanna Marin is about to make history as she becomes the world’s youngest prime minister. The Finnish Social Democrat won her party’s backing over the weekend, and is set to be confirmed on Tuesday. Marin will need to govern a five-party coalition that just ousted her predecessor, Antti Rinne, after he stumbled on a number of key issues. In the end, he was toppled in a dispute centering on pay at the state postal company. Marin will lead a government at a younger age even than New Zealand’s Premier Jacinda Ardern, who was 37 at the time of her appointment. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un was under 30 years old when he became Supreme Leader in 2011. Going further back in history, William Pitt the Younger stands out, becom...

Okahandja, NAMIBIA: Vibrant rows of neatly lined plants grow on a patch once trampled by the cattle of a large commercial farm run by a family of German descent in Namibia. From that 2,400 square-meter rectangle of sand in the northern Otjozondjupa region, Kornelius Hamasab, 69, now produces spinach, onions and tomatoes. Hamasab is among the 16 percent of black Namibians owning arable land in the semi-desert southwest African nation. White Namibians, who are descended from former colonizers Germany and South Africa and make up six percent of the population, own 70 percent of the land. "It doesn't seem right to me,"  said Hamasab, who acquired his land as compensation five years after the farm downsized into a guesthouse in 2000 and laid off its staff. "The government should do something about it,"  he added, while his family picked and rinsed collared greens to be sold in the capital Windhoek, 150 kilometers away. Namibia adopted ...

Atlanta, U.S: Sunday 8 December saw the crowning of the 68th Miss Universe at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.  The three-hour show was hosted once again by award-winning comedian, Steve Harvey alongside actress and former beauty queen Vanessa Lachey, and saw performances by Fifth Harmony member, Ally Brooke.  Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe Sunday night after excelling through rounds of swimsuit and evening gown struts, questions on social issues and one final chance to explain why she was the right choice. "I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful,"  she said in her last response.  "I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine." After wowing the judges and fans throughout the competition Zozibini managed to swoop the title, ta...

Manchester, ENGLAND: Manchester United legend Gary Neville has slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnson after a racist incident during the Manchester derby. Both Jesse Lingard and Fred appeared to be racially abused by a Manchester City fan during the second half at the Etihad Stadium. And former Red Devils captain and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville raised the issue that the Prime Minister has 'fuelled' racism through his political policies in recent years. “ It is happening in our country, our league,” Neville explained. “You are watching the Prime Minister's debate last night where he is talking about migration to this country, and people having to have certain levels. “It fuels it all the time. It has got worse over the last few years in this country and not just in football.” Fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp echoed Neville’s comments; raising the problem as ’societal’ and labelling the racist behaviour as “disgusting”. “It is a society problem,”   Red...

A total of 440 pairs of high-heel black shoes were installed recently on a facade of a building in downtown Istanbul to draw attention to the equal number of women murders in Turkey last year and raise awareness against increasing male violence in the country. Instanbul, TURKEY: The high heels project is dedicated to the 440 women murdered by their male partners or relatives last year. The installations at a business center in the Kabatas neighborhood are part of an art project launched by Kahve Dunyasi, one of Turkey's leading coffee and chocolate producers. Vahit Tuna, the creator of the shoe project, said it is dedicated to the 440 women murdered by their male partners or relatives last year. "It is a severe wound and grievous situation for the people in Turkey," Tuna told Xinhua. In his project, the art stands in the background and reveals its power through minimalism. "It doesn't have much decorations or ornaments, and that's why i...