Niger Leader Assumes Emergency Powers

Niger leader dissolves parliament




Mamadou Tandja says the people of Niger want him to stay

Niger's President, Mamadou Tandja, has dissolved the uranium-rich country's parliament a day after his bid for a third term in office was ruled illegal.

He assumed executive powers after the constitutional court turned down his attempt to extend his time in power.
The court had found it would be illegal for Mr Tandja to hold a referendum on a change in the law, to allow him to continue as head of state.
Opponents have said they fear a return to dictatorship if Mr Tandja stays on.
"By virtue of a presidential decree, the National Assembly is dissolved," state radio said, reported AFP news agency.
President Tandja is due to complete the permitted maximum of a decade in power later this year.

Widespread opposition

He has insisted the people of Niger want him to stay beyond the end of his second five-year term.
But his plans to remain in office have been met with widespread opposition by political and civil groups.
The constitutional court said Mr Tandja, 70, was breaking his oath of office by trying to hang on.
"The president... cannot seek the amendment of the constitution without violating his oath," the court said in a statement on Monday.
Mr Tandja was first elected in 1999, and then again five years later.
He had previously promised to quit in December this year, a month after presidential elections are due to be held.



BBC NEWS | Africa | Niger leader dissolves parliament

Typical African leader!

Nimesikitishwa sana na taarifa toka Niger, zinazosema kuwa Rais wa nchi hiyo Tandja Mamadou ametangaza kuwa iwapo mahakama itaendelea na msimamo wake wa kumkatalia kubaki madarakani kwa miaka mitatu zaidi ya muda unaoruhusiwa na katiba basi atafanya emergency power grab! Rais Tandja Mamadou amekuwa madarakani tangu mwaka 1999 na hivi sasa kipindi chake cha utawala(kikatiba) kinakaribia ukingoni.
Niger ni miongoni mwa nchi zinazosumbuliwa na umasikini uliokithiri. Nchi pia iko ukingoni mwa jangwa la sahara hivyo hata uzalishaji chakula ni wa kusua sua.
Hivi karibuni kumekuwa na matumaini kuwa uchumi wa Niger unaweza kuboreshwa kwa kuchimba mafuta na madini ya dhahabu ambayo wataalam wamebaini yanapatika katika nchi hiyo yenye watu milion 14.5. Hii ni habari nzuri inayoleta matumaini, sio tu kwa Niger bali kwa kila anayejali maisha bora ya binaadamu. Lakini, nini kinafuata baada ya habari ya kuwepo kwa neema? MGOGORO!!!
MIGOGORO!!!
na baadae labda VITA!!!

Conspiracy theory: Kuna ''investors'' wako katika hatua nzuri ya kuclose deal ya kuchukua mafuta na madini ya Niger mara tu yatakapoanza kuchimbwa. Kwa kushirikiana na serikali za nchi zao investors hawa wanampa kiburi Rais Tandja Mamadou kubaki madarakani ili deal isiharibike akuja mtu mwingine.Wanamuhakikishia kuwa ''international community'' iko upande wake!

My Take:
Viongozi wa Afrika waliouza ndugu zetu kama watumwa hatujawalaani mpaka leo. Wengine tunaendelea kuwaheshimu kama mashujaa- Shame on us!!! Viongozi wote waliouza watumwa walaaniwe. Sababu wanazotoa eti mikataba waliyosaini ilikuwa ya kilaghai, kulaghaiwa sio sababu ya kiongozi kuuza watu wake. Huyu Tandja Mamadou naye hata kama kuna wanaompa kiburi, anapaswa kulaaniwa kwa kuiweka nchi yake kwenye pipa la petroli huku akivuta sigara.Kwa mara nyingine tunaona vyombo vya habari (BBC in particular) ikishiriki kuweka mazingira mazuri ya mgogoro. Kitendo cha Tandja Mamadou ambacho kinapaswa kusemwa kuwa sio cha kufaa BBC wanajaribu kukijustify kuwa Tandja Mamadou ameboresha uchumi n.k. Viongozi wa Afrika AMKENI. Chukueni tahadhari kabla mgogoro huu haujawa BALAA KUU. Likitokea BALAA kwanza tutawalaani wale wote wenye dhamana ya kulilinda bara la Afrika- Viongozi wa Afrika.

Jamii ijuayo uwiano thabiti kati ya dharau, ubinafsi, chuki na ustaarab dhidi ya jamii nyingine na baina ya watu wake ni jamii yenye maendeleo. Isiyojua ni dumazi.

Tamaa, dharau, ubinafsi na chuki!! Kwani miafrika mingi ndivyo tulivyo!!

The president of Niger says he will assume sweeping emergency powers, after a court again said he could not extend his rule.

Mamadou Tandja, 71, made his announcement after Niger's top court ruled against a referendum that could give him three more years in office. Mr Tandja has governed the West African nation since 1999, serving two terms.

His plans to remain in power have sparked domestic protests and been criticised by international donors. But supporters of Mr Tandja say he has brought economic growth and so deserves the right to seek re-election.

In a televised address, the president said he was assuming the special powers "because the independence of the country is threatened".

His address came hours after the Constitutional Court rejected his request for a review of an earlier decision that ruled his referendum unlawful. Mr Tandja announced his referendum plan in May. But it drew protests from the opposition and trade unions, who turned to the court.
The president then dissolved parliament and assumed executive powers.

The country's electoral commission, meanwhile, has set parliamentary elections for 20 August - two weeks after the referendum's proposed date.

BBC NEWS | Africa | Emergency powers for Niger leader

Tafakari, mahakama imesema no to an extended term na jamaa
kaamua kuendelea vivyi hivyo tu na uongozi wake wa kiimla.

Africa, safari kweli ni ndefu.

This is dictatorship plain and simple. Anadai wananchi wanamtaka abaki but obviously from the public reaction hawamtaki. Halafu anasema eti yeye kutokuendelea na uraisi kuta athiri uhuru wakati yeye ndiyo anavunja uhuru huo kwa kwenda kinyume cha mahakama. Na anaonyesha ubabe mkubwa kwa attitude yake la liwalo na liwe lazima niendelee na uraisi. Yani hapo nimesoma na sababu zote anazo toa kubaki raisi don't make sense na nizakijinga sana. Well will stupid leaders like these just die of aaaaarhh.
Najuana na baadhi ya watu kutoka Niger ngoja nita ongea nao nipate feedback yao.