Friday 30 April 2010
Kenyan Airways Defends Plane Crash Pilots
Kenya’s national carrier has defended two of its pilots who have been blamed posthumously for a plane crash that claimed 114 lives two years ago.
The Kenya Airways plane crashed into a swamp in Cameroon in May 2007, killing all passengers and crew on board. A Cameroonian probe said the two pilots failed to observe standard operating procedures after taking off in bad weather, a matter worsened by the 57 year old pilot’s “overbearing attitude” towards his 23 year old co-pilot.
Kenya Airways chief executive Titus Naikuni said the airline generally agreed with the report but disputed its claim that the two pilots had failed to ensure safety. Kenya Airways also said there was no factual evidence of the pilot’s “overbearing attitude”. [PE]
Nigeria’s Acting Leader Sacks Polls Chief
Nigeria’s acting President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed the chairman of the country’s electoral commission following mounting concern over his credibility to conduct next year’s elections.
Jonathan asked Maurice Iwu to step down as head of the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was especially criticized over for its handling of the discredited 2007 elections that brought ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua to power with Jonathan as Vice President.
The Nigerian parliament will soon debate a proposed bill that would reform the elections body and empower it to handle election irregularities.
Increase Pressure on Sudan, NGOs Ask Washington
A coalition of eight lobby groups has called on US President Barack Obama’s administration to prioritise Sudan and increase pressure on parties that are impeding its peace process.
In a report released Thursday, The Sudan Now Campaign said the Obama administration could prevent a return to full-scale war by imposing sanctions on the Khartoum regime if it continues to pursue genocide in the Western region of Darfur.
Sudan held a landmark election this month, which saw President Omar Al-Bashir re-elected with 68 percent of the vote according to official results. International observers criticized the polls for not meeting international standards, and Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Darfur. [ER]
Zuma Sends Team to Address Zimbabwe Coalition Rifts
South African President Jacob Zuma has sent a mediation team to Zimbabwe after a fresh dispute threatened to upset the country’s fragile unity government.
Zuma sent the three member team days after Zimbabwean Prime Minister launched his latest attempt to force President Robert Mugabe into honouring their power sharing agreement.
Tsvangirai was in South Africa and Botswana last weekend, where he criticised Mugabe for being insincere in the implementation of the agreement. President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has on its part accused Tsvangirai of wanting ministers to report directly to him instead of the president. [ER]