Kikwete kayaona: Gun battles erupt in Ivorian city

[Askari Kanzu]

Gun battles erupt in Ivorian city
Three soldiers killed as heavy gunfire and explosions rock Abidjan, while African Union tries to end political impasse.

Last Modified: 23 Feb 2011 09:59 GMT

Army official said three soldiers were confirmed killed in the clashes, but thought there were up to five dead [Reuters]

A series of explosions and gunfire have rocked the main city of Abidjan that supports Ivorian presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara, with protesters calling on his rival to step down. At least three soldiers were killed in the clashes.

The fighting had continued in Abobo, residents and the military said on Wednesday, while African presidents met with Ouattara on a trip aiming to end his violent post-election power struggle with incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.

The election that was meant to heal the wounds of a 2002-3 civil war and years of economic stagnation since, looks increasingly likely to reignite the conflict.

A day earlier the delegation - the presidents of South Africa, Chad, Mauritania and Tanzania - met Gbagbo, who has defied international sanctions and pressure to yield to the results of a November 28 poll that showed he lost to Ouattara.

'Everyone is terrified'

The military that supports Gbagbo has crushed dissent in a series of bloody crackdowns, but military officials say they have been provoked because some Ouattara supporters are armed.

"Since this morning, there has been constant shooting between the military and the people here," said Sephora Konate, an Abobo market trader, who added that she heard explosions and machine gun fire. Later in the night, the violence had calmed.

"Everyone is terrified. Children are crying but there's nothing we can say to comfort them," said Konate.

A commander at army headquarters who could not be named said three soldiers were confirmed killed in the clashes, but thought there were up to five dead. The military rarely gives civilian casualties, but previous clampdowns have left a trail of dead.

More than 300 people have been killed since the poll and the turmoil has driven cocoa futures to their highest level in more than three decades.

Cote d'Ivoire is the world's biggest cocoa producer, and a spokesman for Ouattara said he would extend the ban he had ordered on cocoa exports to March 15.

Zuma mobbed

Before Tuesday's meeting with Ouattara in the Golf Hotel, where he is besieged by Ivorian troops, South African President Jacob Zuma was mobbed by angry pro-Ouattara youths.

Chanting "Zuma, Zuma, tell the truth", the protesters surrounded the car Zuma was travelling in and armed police had to intervene to push the youths back, South Africa's SABC radio news reported.

Zuma is visiting the country as part of African Union efforts to solve the four-month-long political impasse in the country.

Zuma was mobbed by angry supporters of Cote d'Ivoire's internationally-recognised president Ouattara [AFP]

West Africa's regional body ECOWAS had said it would not come as planned due to threats by Gbagbo supporters, though James Victor Gbeho, the ECOWAS commission chief, later arrived. Such threats kept Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore from coming.

A source close to the talks said the panel would make no public statement until everyone has left.

At least six people trying to protest against Gbagbo were killed by the security forces on Monday, witnesses said.

Ouattara's camp said the toll was double that, including three of his supporters killed by a rocket-propelled grenade.

In a further sign that Gbagbo is digging in, and with February salaries due soon, his government said it would open two nationalised French banks later this week.

Gbagbo's camp has earmarked the Ivorian branches of Societe Generale and BNP Paribas, two of many foreign banks to have suspended operations, for nationalisation.

"The government will take all measures necessary to put these banks back to work," Bernadin Yapi, Gbagbo's inspector general of finance, said. "This will show the whole world that the state can take its responsibilities."

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[Quinine]

Kikwete amesalimika?

 

[Uwezo Tunao]

Defiant Gaddafi vows to fight on
In televised speech, Libyan leader blames youths inspired by regional events for uprising and vows to die a 'martyr'. ( 23-Feb-2011 )

SWALI HUMU: UTAMADUNI WA KURITHISHA WATOTO WA WAKUBWA
UKUBWA TANZANIA CHANZO CHAKE NI WAPI???

Nani anayejua hasa darasa la huyu King of Kings?

Kwa mtaji wa hutuba aliyoitao hivi majuzi ni mara mia angjinyamazia tu hivyo tungeendelea kumfikiria mstaarabu fulani hivi. Kwa kujiunga kwake jeshini akiwa na umri wa miaka 12 (child soldier) wala hatuhitaji kuuliza kama 'ALIONEWA SANA YEYE', 'AKADHALILISHWA SANA GADDAFI' hivyo kuja kupata kamwanya wa kuongoza nchi kwa mtindo wake mwenyewe hivi sasa anarudishia ngumi kwa jamii nzima ya Libya.

Tujifunze kitu basi na sisi hapa kwamba wale tuliowahi kuwaondoa kwenye nyadhifa fulani hapa nyumbani kufuatia kashfa iliyogoma kwisha katikati yetu hadi leo, nao wakija tu kupata urais wa nchi hii mtindo wao wenyewe na tusifikirie matendo yao kutofautiana sana na ya huyu nduli hapa.

Hakika shule iliomuingia mtu na kutulia ndani mwake ni muhimu zaidi tena sana kuliko shule ya kupitia hata kama madarasa yako ni mengi kimahesabu vidoleni.

Kanali Gaddafi ajikaanga kwa ulimi wake mwenyewe. Na watoto wake , masikini ya Mungu, ndio kabisaa wanaamini taifa zima la Libya ni kama shamba binafsi la ukoo kwa baba yao.

Nikitazama ya Ben Ali wa Tunisia, nikamgeukia Hosni Mubarak wa Misri na kumtaza mzee huyu ambaye kimawazo ni 'chipukizi' tu, na mwenendo mzima wa ushiriki wa familia zao katika mambo ya utawala wa nchi, Wa-Tanzania wenzangu NAPATA MAJIBU KUBWA SANA HAPA HAPA NYUMBANI kwamba ni kwa nini kati ya marais wetu wote wanne ni wawili tu kati yao ambao waonekana kupenda saana KUWARITHISHA UKUBWA WA TAIFA HILI kimtindo!!

Endapo Hussein Mwinyi hatojiuzulu ya Gongolamboto kwa kiburi tu kama ya watoto wa marais niliotangulia kuwataja kaskazini mwa bara hili basi huenda hata UKUBWA WA ZANZIBAR unaotazamiwa kwake ukagoma lakini ya Muungano ndio kabisaaaa wa kusikia tu redioni.

Katika hili tayari Vijana wa Tanzania TUMEWASOMA MCHEZO MZIMA na majibu tunayo!!!​

 

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