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Africa Subsaharan
President of Equatorial Guinea on course to extend three-decade rule
2009-12-01
Here's another surprising election result. Daley and the boys in the precincts of Bridgeport could learn from these guys.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, who has ruled for three decades, is to extend his grip on power for seven more years after winning 96.7% of the vote in an election. The figure was published on the government's website today after returns from about a quarter of voting stations, but the opposition has refused to accept the result amid accusations of fraud and intimidation. The Convergence for Social Democracy, one of the few parties that contested the presidential poll, said one of its electoral officials was forced with a pistol held to his head to sign off on a vote count. It also said that district and provincial electoral officials voted for entire populations in villages. Final results are expected on 7 December.

Turnout appeared weak, according to a witness in the capital Malabo, with polling stations guarded by soldiers, and streets empty after a temporary ban on car travel was imposed last week.

Human rights groups describe the government of Equatorial Guinea as one of the most corrupt and abusive in the world. Ahead of the vote, Human Rights Watch, the New York-based group, said the government had stifled and harassed the country's beleaguered political opposition, denying it equal access to the media, and imposing serious constraints on international observers.

The former Spanish colony has been ruled by Obiang since 1979, when he seized power from his uncle in a coup. In the last presidential election in 2002, Obiang took 97%. Earlier this month, he vowed to exceed that margin, calling himself the "candidate of the people."

Obiang has faced several threats from abroad, including a 2004 coup attempt led by Simon Mann, the former British mercenary who was pardoned in November and freed from a sentence of 34 years' jail for his part in the plot. Earlier this year seaborne gunmen suspected to be militants from Nigeria's unstable Niger Delta attacked his palace.

Obiang faced growing criticism that the country's oil wealth has not improved conditions for the 650,000 inhabitants of this tiny west African state.
Was it supposed to? Has it ever? Oil is poison to an underdeveloped state.
HRW says Obiang's rampant corruption drains funds that could be used for education and health care, pointing out that development indicators are among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa even though Equatorial Guinea is the richest country in the region on a GDP-per-capita basis.

Obiang's eldest son and possible successor, known by his nickname Teodorin, is accused of financing a lavish lifestyle with his total spending on mansions, exotic cars, and other luxury goods in 2004-2007 amounting to almost double the government's 2005 budget for education.
Posted by:Steve White

#1  Obiang's eldest son and possible successor, known by his nickname Teodorin, is accused of financing a lavish lifestyle with his total spending on mansions, exotic cars, and other luxury goods

Totally out of character for tribal leaders of that region. Yes indeed totally!
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-12-01 09:16  

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