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Tag: Comoros

  • Internet shutdown in Comoros amid president Assoumani’s re-election protest

    Internet shutdown in Comoros amid president Assoumani’s re-election protest

    In response to protests against President Azali Assoumani’s re-election in Comoros, authorities have taken the measure of cutting off internet access. Reports indicate one person killed and six others injured as police confront opposition supporters in Moroni, the capital.

    Barricades on several roads and the arrest of an undisclosed number of protesters have contributed to the unrest. To quell the situation, a nighttime curfew has been enforced.

    The electoral commission declared on Tuesday that President Assoumani secured a fourth term with 63% of the vote in Sunday’s ballot.

    The announcement of President Assoumani’s re-election has sparked violent protests, with opposition parties denouncing the results as fraudulent and demanding their annulment. The capital witnessed widespread vandalism, looting, and arson, including the destruction of a minister’s residence and the burning of a national food depot.

    As a response, internet services have been severely disrupted, with Netblocks confirming inaccessible sites and blocked WhatsApp calls. Mobile messages are also restricted due to extremely low connection speeds, a tactic reportedly aimed at hindering communication among demonstrators.

    The first casualties of the protests were reported on Thursday, with six individuals admitted to the hospital, one in critical condition, following the unrest. A 21-year-old man lost his life, likely due to a gunshot during the demonstrations.

    Opposition figures emphasize that the protests represent a “spontaneous uprising against autocratic rule,” and while disavowing direct organization, they express solidarity with the protesting youths. The government, however, asserts that it will not yield to violence, identifying the alleged instigators.

    President Assoumani’s victory is anticipated to be officially confirmed by the Comoros’ Supreme Court over the weekend.

  • President of Comoros wins fourth term in a contentious poll

    President of Comoros wins fourth term in a contentious poll

    Comoros President Azali Assoumani has won another term in office, but the opposition says the election was not fair.

    Ceni said he won with 63% of the votes.

    However, not many people came to vote because the opposition did not participate – only 16% of the population voted in the presidential election.

    Opposition candidates said that people put extra votes in the ballot boxes for Mr Assoumani and that the polls closed too soon, according to Reuters news agency.

    Mr Assoumani’s team said no to what the opposition is saying.

    Six people ran for president in an election on 14 January in a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.

    “We can’t say anything about the outcome because there wasn’t an election,” said Mouigni Baraka Said Soilihi, who is running against Mr. Assoumani, according to Reuters.

    Poll observers from other countries said that the voting process was mostly fair, even though the opposition reported some problems.

    The election commission says that 189,000 people could have voted, but only 55,259 actually did – that’s only 16% of the people who could have voted.

    The voter turnout was low because some opposition candidates asked people not to vote. As a result, some voters only voted in the governor elections and didn’t participate in the other elections.

    Over 330,000 people signed up to vote out of a total of 836,000 people in the area.

    Mr Assoumani used to be in the military and took control by force in 1999. He then won the first election in 2002.

    He stopped doing politics in 2006, but then he won the presidential election in 2016.

    He was allowed to run for president for a fourth time because the rules about how many times a president can run were changed in 2018. This caused many people in the country to protest.

    Mr Assoumani’s time as leader has been filled with arguments, as some people say he has put his rivals in jail or made them leave the country.

    He leads the African Union right now.

  • Campaigns wind down as Comoros poll draws near in Comoros

    Campaigns wind down as Comoros poll draws near in Comoros

    Campaigns for the presidential and regional elections in Comoros on Sunday will finish on Friday. Some presidential candidates want people to not vote.

    Current President Azali Assoumani is running for a fourth term and has five people competing against him.

    For months, some of the people running for office have said they might not participate in the election because they are worried about the fair treatment of political prisoners and if the election is going to be fair.

    Mr Assoumani, who is 65 years old, used to be in the military. He became the leader after a coup in 1999.

    Both President Assoumani and the electoral body CENI have promised that the election will be fair and open.

    Over 300,000 people can vote in the small group of African islands. The total population, estimated by the World Bank, is 836,000.

  • Comoros takes the lead against Ghana with a score of 1 in the first half

    Comoros takes the lead against Ghana with a score of 1 in the first half

    Comoros scored Ghana in the first half of the World Cup qualifier match on November 21, 2023.

    The goal came in the 43rd minute, when Comoros midfielder Ahmed Mogni dribbled past two Ghanaian defenders and unleashed a low shot that beat goalkeeper Richard Ofori.

    The goal was Mogni’s third against Ghana, after he scored twice in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations

    The first half ended with Comoros leading Ghana by 1-0, despite Ghana having more possession and shots on target.

    Ghana coach Charles Akonnor made two substitutions at halftime, bringing on Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey for Kwame Opoku and Mubarak Wakaso.

    Ghana hoped to equalise and turn the game around in the second half.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSO4EkK-KHk
  • Daniel Amartey, Kudus to miss Ghana’s game vs Comoros over fitness concerns

    Daniel Amartey, Kudus to miss Ghana’s game vs Comoros over fitness concerns

    In Ghana’s second 2026 World Cup qualifier against the Comoros, coach Chris Hughton faces the challenge of navigating the match without two key players who have been sidelined due to injuries.

    Mohammed Kudus and Daniel Amartey are notable absentees from the crucial Group I game scheduled for Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

    Defender Daniel Amartey, having undergone a late fitness test, was deemed unfit for the match, as revealed in a statement released by the Ghana Football Association on Monday morning.

    Amartey sustained an injury just over an hour into the game against Madagascar at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday and was subsequently replaced by Kasim Adams.

    Adding to the setback, reports indicate that Mohammed Kudus is also set to miss the game after suffering an injury during the Black Stars’ training session on Monday leading up to the match.

    The absence of the West Ham United midfielder poses a significant loss for the team, particularly as they aim to secure consecutive wins in the qualifiers.

    Despite these setbacks, the team is gearing up for the challenge, with the game scheduled to kick off at 4p.m. at the Stade de Moroni.

  • Black Stars to rank first in Group I if Ghana secures win over Comoros today

    Black Stars to rank first in Group I if Ghana secures win over Comoros today

    On Tuesday, November 21, Ghana has the opportunity to claim the top spot in Group I if they secure a victory over Comoros.

    This follows their recent narrow triumph against Madagascar at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, where striker Inaki Williams found the net in added time of the second half, earning them three crucial points.

    After their Saturday journey to Comoros, the Black Stars utilised the Moroni Training Centre for their practice session on Sunday.

    Today marked the team’s final training session at the same venue, affirming their readiness for the impending showdown with Comoros under the guidance of coach Chris Hughton.

    In the broader context of the group standings, a win for Madagascar against Chad today, coupled with a draw between the Central African Republic and Mali, sets the stage for Ghana to claim the top position in Group I with a victory over Comoros tomorrow.

    The highly anticipated match between Comoros and Ghana is scheduled to commence at 4 p.m. at the Moroni Stadium.

  • Black Stars face Comoros for World Cup qualifier today

    Black Stars face Comoros for World Cup qualifier today

    Ghana is set to face Comoros in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday at 4pm. Both teams currently share three points each after securing victories in the opening round of matches in Group I.

    Ghana secured a narrow 1-0 win over Madagascar with a late goal from Inaki Williams, while Comoros capitalized on home advantage to beat Central African Republic 4-2 in Moroni.

    The Islanders have a recent memorable victory against Ghana, having defeated them 3-2 in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, which led to Ghana’s exit from the tournament.

    Ghana’s coach, Chris Hughton, remains unbeaten in competitive games since taking over from Otto Addo. He boasts three home wins but is yet to secure a victory on the road, having drawn against Angola and Madagascar in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Hughton faces the challenge of adjusting his backline due to the injury to Daniel Amartey. However, he has several available options for selection.

    The Ghanaian squad includes players such as Baba Idrissu, Samed Salis, Majeed Ashimeru, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, and Mohammed Kudus. Inaki Williams, who scored his first international goal against Madagascar, is eager to contribute to the team’s success.

    Comoros, coached by Stefano Cusin, has shown promise with three games without defeat, including a draw with Zambia and victories over Cape Verde and Central African Republic in the World Cup qualifiers.

    The match is scheduled to take place at the Omnisports Sports Stadium in Moroni on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

  • Black Stars arrive in Moroni, fully prepared for showdown against Comoros

    Black Stars arrive in Moroni, fully prepared for showdown against Comoros

    Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars, have touched down in Moroni ahead of their second Group I FIFA World Cup qualifier against Comoros scheduled for Tuesday.

    The team embarked on their journey from Accra at 1 pm and landed at Moroni International Airport at 10 pm local time (7 pm Ghana time) via Ethiopia Airlines.

    Head coach Chris Hughton accompanied the entire squad of 25 players who have been part of the camp since the beginning of preparations for this month’s qualifiers.

    The Black Stars secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Madagascar at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday, while Comoros emerged triumphant with a 4-2 win over Central African Republic in their opening match.

    The team will hold its first training session on Sunday, November 19, 2023, in readiness for the game on Tuesday. Ghana are third in the group-level on 3 points, with leaders Comoros and second-placed Mali. 

    The game against Comoros is scheduled for the Moroni Stadium on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

  • World Cup 2026Q:Kamaldeen Sulemana, Abdul Mumin backs out of Ghana squad for Madagascar and Comoros clash

    World Cup 2026Q:Kamaldeen Sulemana, Abdul Mumin backs out of Ghana squad for Madagascar and Comoros clash

    Defender Abdul Mumin and winger Kamaldeen Sulemana have withdrawn from the Black Stars squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Madagascar and Comoros this month.

    Initially named in Chris Hughton’s 25-man squad for the two games, the duo was expected to report to camp on Monday, November 13.

    However, a late injury to Mumin, the Rayo Vallecano centre-back, has ruled him out of the matches scheduled for Friday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 21.

    Mumin, who received his first Black Stars call-up under Hughton, will have to wait for another opportunity to join the Irish gaffer’s team due to the injury setback.

    Kamaldeen, who also missed the friendly games against Mexico and the United States of America last month, will once again be absent for the opening games of the qualifiers.

    The void left by the injured players has been filled by Medeama Sporting Club’s Nurudeen Abdulai and Leicester City’s Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.

    Preparations for the two games will commence as the Black Stars jet off to Kumasi on Tuesday.