Editorials

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In yet another clear indication of why MPs should not be entrusted with too much power over economic policies, parliament on Wednesday passed a Bill seeking to reinstate price controls in certain segments of the economy. (AllAfrica)

With Namibia's parliamentary and presidential elections on 27-28 November, hype and obsession mount by the day. The assumption that democracy is about competition between contesting political programmes of parties seeking to convince voters that they have the best on offer for the political future and social welfare of the country and its people could not be more misplaced than in the current context of Namibia. (AllAfrica)

A CLOSE KNOWLEDGE and deep appreciation of the wounds of electoral violence, including recent ones in some sisterly African counties, would compel any patriotic Liberian to sigh a relief for the peaceful passing of the last action-packed by-election. In Zimbabwe and Kenya for instance, though the former political adversaries are dinning together, families are still mourning the death of loved ones; thousands are languishing in refugee camps either in their own land or in neighboring countries; bloods of hatred and vengeance are boiling, and generally peace is acutely fragile in those countries. Courtesy of election violence! (AllAfrica)

In our editorial of our 25th November Issue we reported that we will do further investigation on the reports of the arrests of the Ex Chief of Defence Staff, Lang Tombong Tamba; The Ex Director General of the NIA, Modou Lamin Badjie; Ex Deputy Inspector General of Police, Momodou Gaye; Ex Lt Colonel, Kawsu Camara;Mr Lie Joof and Mr. Kebba Touray. The list of those reported to be in custody is growing. It includes former Minister and National mobiliser of the APRC, Yankuba Touray. (AllAfrica)

You may not blame those who have advocated for the abolition of local governments in Nigeria. Their argument is that as things are, the local governments are practically of no use. They are neither nearer the people nor are they doing anything that will make their absence felt by anybody. (AllAfrica)

ABRAHAM, as it is universally accepted, is the symbol of faith for both Muslims and Christians. He is a common denominator and should be a unifying factor. His significance to both Islam and Christianity can never be down-played. (AllAfrica)

LATEST data show consumer price inflation back inside the target range for the first time in 31 months, at 5,9%, while at producer level prices are in deflation for the sixth successive month. It is welcome news, and suggests the Reserve Bank shouldn't have to raise interest rates for quite some time. Yet benign as they seem to be, the numbers don't necessarily imply there is space for further interest rate cuts. (AllAfrica)

The decision by the government to give all districts, municipalities and town councils road construction equipment is laudable. Kampala City, where majority of taxpayers live, has for a long time now become synonymous with potholes, dust and mud. (AllAfrica)

THE decision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to exclude Nigeria from the ongoing mass vaccination campaign to protect people from the yellow fever disease in West Africa, is absurd and bound to be counter-productive. (AllAfrica)

A snap survey by this newspaper amongst Members of Parliament shows that the Land Bill will pass if put to the vote in the House, the strong opposition to it notwithstanding. (AllAfrica)

The terms regulation and control sound retrogressive when used in the context of information and communication technology. (AllAfrica)

We cannot afford to waste more time. The more we delay, the more we embolden those using the illegal occupation of the Mau Forest as a weapon of blackmail (AllAfrica)

The Group of Experts appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, has delivered on its mandate, producing a report that seems to be well-researched and detailed in its accusations against those giving support to the rebel outfit, FDLR. (AllAfrica)

IN the recent past, concern has been expressed over the conduct and behaviour of the youth and many who have commented on the matter have expressed worry at the immoral behaviour that the young people are falling in. (AllAfrica)

Both houses of Parliament did not sit this past week and so today I will start by looking at the 2010 National Budget set to be presented on Wednesday and will obviously be the highlight of the coming week. (AllAfrica)

TODAY and tomorrow the Namibian people will cast their votes to elect the parties and President of their own choice. It is my hope that, as they take to the polls on Friday, they will do so fearlessly, and without being intimidated, harassed, forced or disturbed. It is also my wish that these November 27 and 28 elections will be characterised by overall calm, peacefulness, and an environment of tolerance between the various parties and their members. (AllAfrica)

Two weeks ago we ran an oped under the headline Moyo raising the sceptre of racism. We carry Prof Moyo's reply below. DOES criticising Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's controversial choice of Roy Bennett as Deputy Minister of Agriculture amount to raising the sceptre of racism against whites? (AllAfrica)

PROVIDED that there is no last minute rescheduling, Finance minister Tendai Biti will be presenting his proposed 2010 national budget to parliament next Thursday, and Zimbabwe awaits that budget with great anxiety. The ongoing recovery of the economy, so very desperately needed, is largely contingent upon that budget, albeit that of even greater import for that recovery is ongoing and substantive, positive political transformation. (AllAfrica)

THE deadline given by the regional community in Maputo passed on Friday last week without a single decision regarding the issues that are still outstanding being met. The political agreements were signed by the three parties to the Zimbabwe crisis in September 2007. The reason was quite clear -- Zanu PF and the Arthur Mutambara group simply do not know what to do. If they agree to do what the region wants, they are dead in the water. (AllAfrica)

THIS is a response to Eddie Cross's opinion we carried also under the opinion category THIS is an outrageously false comment about the MDC which bears no relation to the facts. (AllAfrica)

I THOUGHT the wound which is still fresh upon Zimbabwe's government would remind them not to repeat the same mistakes. Barely a decade since the so called land acquisition and redistribution programme in Zimbabwe, I gather the government now wants to pass a bill into law which will mandate all foreign owned/controlled companies to cede 51% control stake to local Zimbabweans. Once again the idea is a noble one but wrong timing and wrong methodology. (AllAfrica)

Your Excellency: (AllAfrica)

I read with bewilderment and disgust the rejoinder under the above title written by one Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim (probably a nom de guerre), who tried in vain to respond to a brilliant, in-depth and down-to-earth commentary on Buhari, written by Shehu Mohammed Funtua and published by Daily Trust of Friday, November 13, 2009. (AllAfrica)

The government of our sister Republic of Senegal has recently come under the light. First it was an attempt made by President Wade to bribe an IMF delegate to the country; this aroused suspicion that the government of Senegal especially the Office of the President is involved in the highest level of corruption. Now is even more shocking; a letter obtained by the Daily Observer written by a Gambian dessident in the person of Koukoi Samba Sanyang to President Wade exposed his relationship with the Senegalese president in an egoistic plot to overthrow the democratically elected government of The Gambia. (AllAfrica)

It is not in doubt that agriculture employs more than 60% of the working population of this country, yet unfortunately, those who are engaged in this sector have not seen much improvement in their standard of living, due to post harvest losses and the primitive method of farming. (AllAfrica)

As far as potential is concerned, Tanzania is both a regional and continental tourism giant. (AllAfrica)

The government's plan to invest Sh15 billion in a project to supply the southern regions of Lindi and Mtwara with reliable electricity should be immediately followed up with action. (AllAfrica)

Britain's ambassador to Rwanda, Nicholas Cannon, gave a revealing insight into British policy on Rwanda in his interview with the Rwandan News Agency (RNA) on 17 November. (AllAfrica)

FEDERAL Government's decision to probe the Local Organisation Committee (LOC) of the FIFA is a strong indication of government's dissatisfaction with the organisation of the competition that has drawn flaks from several areas. (AllAfrica)

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) top leadership is doing something that the party is hardly known for: admitting that its shoddy handling of internal elections in many states is responsible for the crisis rocking the party. In Anambra State, for example, the party's recent state congress to pick its governorship flag-bearer ended in a stalemate. That has triggered insinuations. (AllAfrica)

THE National Medical Stores has discovered over 100 non-existent health centres that have for years received drugs and funding from the Government. (AllAfrica)