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Head of ECOWAS observation mission commends orderly voting in mali
BAMAKO – The Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), Prof. Amos Sawyer has commended Malians for their orderly conduct during balloting on Sunday to fill the country’s 147-seat parliament.
The legislative election is the last stage of the political transition process facilitated by ECOWAS to restore constitutional order and the country’s territorial integrity after its 10-month political and security crises.
“The electoral process today has been orderly, security and the general atmosphere is fine and the preparation has been very good,” Prof. said after observing the elections in several voting centres in the Bamako municipalities, accompanied by a delegation that included Ambassador Aboudou Toure Cheaka, ECOWAS Commission President’s Special Representative to Mali.
The Head of Mission also commended the noticeable improvement in the delivery of poll materials and expressed the hope that the process would gather momentum for successful poll after a slow start.
The Hamallaye Marchie Polling centre with 59 polling stations in Bamako’s Community IV was his first port of call, where the polling Coordinator Souleymane Kanoute informed the head of the regional observer mission that the voter turn-out was expected to improve after a handful of voters had cast their ballots by 8.30 AM, thirty minutes after official opening of the process.
The polling official also observed that although the legislative poll is closer to the people, the general expectation is that the turn-out would not be as high as in the recent presidential election in the country of 16.5 million with 6.5 million registered voters.
A similar slow start to the process was noted at the Groupe Scolaire Aminata Diop, also in Bamako Community IV as well as Mairie Centrale de Bamako polling centre in Community III, and Lycee Sacre Coer ACI in Community V.
Of the 446 registered voters at polling station 003 in Community III, some 40 had cast their ballots by 12.09 PM, while in polling station 009, fifty of the 472 registered voters had voted by 12.30 PM.
Members of the 100-strong ECOWAS Observation Mission have been deployed across Mali’s eight regions including Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu in the north, as well as the six Bamako Communities.
Voting ended at 6 PM in the more than 20,000 polling centres nationwide with some 1,141 candidates from the ruling party and opposition coalitions and independents, vying for the National Assembly seats.
Prof. Sawyer and his delegation returned to Groupe Scolaire Aminata Diop centre with 18 polling stations to observe the counting of votes.
Polling official Mohamed Lamine Idrissa and his colleagues in the presence of agents of candidates and observers recorded 80 votes or 16.5 percent turn-out from the 484 registered voters at polling station 067. The ruling party, RPM polled 20 of the total 80 votes, while the opposition UDR got 16 votes.
Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa has been signed up by Jaiz Bank as a brand ambassador.
An elated Musa made the disclosure in a statement on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Thursday.
The Kano Pillars striker urged his fans to troop to Jaiz Bank to do business for trusting him with the new role.
He exclaimed, “And to my amazing fans – if you want to support me, make sure to head over to Jaiz Bank and open your accounts with them today! ”
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He wrote, “✨Alhamdulillah✨ I am SO excited to announce that I’ve officially joined Jaiz Bank as their newest ambassador! 🎉💼
“A huge thank you to @JaizBankNG for trusting me and allowing me to be a part of this amazing journey! 🙏🏼💚 It’s an honor to represent a brand that believes in growth, security, and financial empowerment.
“I can’t wait to share all the incredible things we’ll be doing together! 🚀💡
And to my amazing fans – if you want to support me, make sure to head over to Jaiz Bank and open your accounts with them today! Let’s grow together! 💪🏼🔑
“@JaizBankNG is a non interest Financial institution poised with a mission to make life better through ethical Finance. 👌👌”
#NewBeginnings #BankWithJaizBank #PartneredUp #TeamJaizBank”
On November 20, 2024, Kenya’s First Lady, Rachel Ruto, celebrated her 56th birthday and her husband President William Ruto publicly expressed his love and appreciation for his wife on this special day, wishing her well.
The birthday celebrations were marked by an outpouring of goodwill from political figures, media, and citizens across Kenya, who praised her for her grace, leadership, and significant contributions to society, particularly through initiatives like the Joyful Women Organisation, which aims to empower rural women.
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The day was characterized by a collective acknowledgment of her role as a national figure dedicated to community upliftment.
In a heartfelt message, President William Ruto took to social media, writing, “Happy birthday my love, @MamaRachelRuto. Continue being a blessing to me and our children. Mungu akubariki sana,” which translates to “God bless you abundantly.”
Other prominent leaders also extended their wishes to the First Lady, with Anne Waiguru, EGH, OGW, Governor of Kirinyaga County, tweeting, “Happy Birthday First Lady,” further showing the respect and admiration for Rachel Ruto’s leadership and impact.
A gas cylinder explosion at a filling station in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State has resulted in significant damage to six vehicles, according to a statement from the Katsina State Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday, November 15, 2024.
He explained that a loud explosion alerted police operatives from the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters. Responding promptly, the Divisional Police Officer led a team to the site, supported by military personnel.
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“Upon arrival, operatives found a truck loaded with gas cylinders engulfed in flames at Tamal filling station, along Kagadama-Magamar Jibia Road,” Sadiq-Aliyu stated. The joint team acted swiftly, deploying measures to protect lives and limit property damage. Their efforts successfully extinguished the fire.
The spokesperson added, “Six motor vehicles were significantly affected by the fire incident, but fortunately, no life was lost.”
State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, has directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Updates on the findings will be provided as investigations progress.
This incident highlights the need for heightened safety measures at gas filling stations to prevent such occurrences.
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