Senegal President, Macky Sall has proposed an amnesty for those convicted in connection with political protests in the past three years.
He said this would make it possible “to pacify the political arena and further strengthen our national cohesion”. He was speaking at talks which have been largely boycotted by the opposition and civic groups. The beleaguered president has been widely criticised for postponing elections which were due to take place on Sunday, without setting a new date.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that the vote should be held as soon as possible. suggested amnesty bill – which Mr Sall says will be put to parliament on Wednesday – has already been condemned by his opponents. Senegal
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They say the aim is to ensure that members of the security forces, and President Sall himself, cannot be prosecuted for the deaths of protesters. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, value-added tax (VAT) will be removed from Zanzibar’s imported sugar in an effort to make life more affordable.
Traders are also being told by the president “there is no excuse” to hike their food prices. Sugar shortages mean prices have rocketed over the past three months in Tanzania and in its semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar. Their governments say low production is to blame.
While visiting markets on Monday, Zanzibar’s President Hussein Ali Mwinyi said the government was tackling inflation but that some dishonest traders still kept prices artificially high – including for locally produced cassava, fish, vegetables and fruits.
“Stop unnecessary price hikes during Ramadan, causing inconvenience to most of the poor,” he said.
Zanzibar has a Muslim-majority population. The month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, is due to begin in less than two weeks.
SOURCE: BBC
