The head of Kenya’s electoral body has suspended voting in four places in the country, following a mix-up in the printing of ballot papers. The areas affected are the counties Mombasa and Kakamega where gubernatorial elections will not happen, and Pokot South and Kacheliba constituencies where constituents will not cast ballots for MPs. Details and images of the candidates listed on the ballots were wrong, said Chairman Wafula Chebukati of Kenya’s electoral body, the IEBC. Last week, the IEBC suspended elections in four wards following the deaths of candidates, under various circumstances. On Tuesday, Kenyans will be electing a new president as well as legislators and county administrations. Source: BBC

Voters started queuing before dawn across Kenya on Tuesday, eager to have their say over who will run the country for the next five years. Delays and logistical problems have been reported in some places, but in general the process appears smooth. The vote follows an intense campaign dominated by debates about living costs, unemployment and corruption. The frontrunners for president are ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga and current Deputy President William Ruto. The outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta is backing his former foe Mr Odinga, after a falling out with his own deputy. Mr Odinga was mobbed by supporters when he went to vote in Kibra – one of his strongholds in the capital, Nairobi. He did not speak to the press, but his wife, Ida Odinga, said he was “upbeat about the election”. When Mr Ruto voted in the town of Eldoret in the Rift Valley he pledged to accept the election result. “I think for the first time in the history of multi-party democracy in Kenya, all the candidates have undertaken that they will accept the outcome of the results,” he told the BBC. A dispute over election results in 2007 led to weeks of violence leading to the deaths of an estimated 1,200 people and forced about 600,000 people to flee from their homes On Tuesday, there was some frustration among the early morning voters at a polling station in a primary school in the Westlands area of Nairobi. They were blocked from entering the compound of the school for 90 minutes after voting was supposed to start at 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT). The reason for the delay was not clear and some people started chanting: “We want to vote!” “I was here very early. It’s been disappointing that we got here early and had to wait for a long time,” voter Alex Kipchoge told the BBC. When voting did get under way, however, the process went well. There have also been reports of delays in the coastal area of Mombasa and some parts of the north-east of the country. There are several other elections for parliament and local government happening at the same time and a mix-up of ballot papers in some areas for some of those votes has again raised questions about the organisation of the general election. Polls are open for 11 hours and are expected to close at 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT). Anyone still in the queue at closing time will be allowed to vote. The results of the last presidential election in 2017 were annulled after the Supreme Court ruled that the electoral commission had not followed the law when it came to the electronic transmission of the vote tallies from the polling stations. Judges ruled that “illegalities and irregularities” had taken place. A re-run was won by Mr Kenyatta, but boycotted by Mr Odinga – the main opposition candidate at the time. The chairman of the electoral commission, Wafula Chebukati, who was also in charge of the 2017 vote, has frequently tried to reassure Kenyans that his team will be up to the task this time. But Monday’s logistical problems have increased the pressure on him. Baba v Hustler This election looks like it will be a tight race between frontrunners Mr Odinga, 77, and Mr Ruto, 55. Mr Odinga – a long-serving opposition leader, nicknamed Baba (“father”) by his supporters, is running for president for a fifth time. Mr Ruto, who has tried to emphasise his connection with ordinary Kenyans by calling himself a “hustler”, is taking his first stab at the presidency. Two other candidates – David Mwaure and George Wajackoya – are also in the race. Despite the campaign being dominated by issues, ethnic loyalty may also play a part in determining how people vote. For the first time in the multi-party era none of the main candidates are from the country’s largest ethnic group – Kikuyu. But knowing that those votes are vital, both have chosen Kikuyu running mates. Voting process To win the presidential race in the first round, a candidate needs: more than half of all the votes cast across the country at least 25% of the votes cast in a minimum of 24 counties. Voters will also be choosing MPs and senators to go to the national parliament, county governors and county assembly members, as well as 47 women’s representatives to sit in the National Assembly. Counting will start at the polling stations shortly after voting ends. Officials will then take a photo of the final tally and send the image to both the constituency and national tallying centres. To ensure transparency the media, political parties and civil society groups have been urged to run their own tallies using final results declared at the more than 40,000 polling stations. But only the electoral commission can declare the winner of the presidential election after verifying the physical and digital forms sent to the national tallying centre. Source: BBC

Donald Trump has said his Florida home was raided by the FBI, in a dramatic escalation of the legal investigations into the former US president. In a lengthy statement on Monday evening, Mr Trump said a “large group” of FBI agents were at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and had broken open a safe. The search is reportedly linked to an investigation into his handling of classified and sensitive material. The FBI and the Department of Justice have not yet commented. An unnamed law enforcement official told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that the Secret Service was notified shortly before the warrant was served at about 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT) and that agents protecting Mr Trump helped the FBI investigators. Several boxes were taken away, the source said, adding that no doors were kicked down and the search had concluded by late afternoon. Some reports suggest the FBI activity – which Mr Trump described as an “unannounced raid” – was connected to an investigation into whether the former president removed classified records and sensitive material from the White House and took them to Mar-a-Lago. Eric Trump, the president’s second-oldest son, told Fox News that it was related to an investigation into the handling of National Archives (NA) records that were taken to the Florida residence after his father left office. US presidents are required by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) to transfer all of their documents and emails to the NA. The government agency said in February that it had retrieved 15 boxes of papers from Mar-a-Lago, which Mr Trump should have turned over when he left the White House. It later told Congress the boxes included items marked as classified national security information and asked the Justice Department to investigate. Mr Trump at the time rejected reports that he had mishandled official records as “fake news”. A federal search warrant must be signed by a judge and legal experts suggest this warrant was probably approved at the top levels of the Justice Department. Although such a warrant does not suggest that criminal charges are expected, law enforcement agencies must first demonstrate the possibility that evidence of illegality will be found. The FBI and the Justice Department rarely comment on active investigations and neither has issued a statement. The search marks a major escalation in the months-long investigation into the handling of classified documents and comes as Mr Trump – who was in New York at the time – prepares for a possible further presidential run in 2024. In his statement, he said he had co-operated with all relevant government agencies and so the “unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate”. “Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World countries,” he said. “Sadly, America has now become one of those countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.” News of the search has mobilised some of Donald Trump’s supporters. A group gathered outside Mar-a-Lago to wave flags and express their anger while others have travelled to Trump Tower in New York. Meanwhile, in Congress, many Republicans expressed their anger. House of Representatives Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy said: “The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponised politicisation.” A senior White House official told CBS that President Joe Biden’s administration was given no notice of the FBI search in Florida on Monday. The White House has said it is limiting its interactions with Justice Department officials to avoid any hint of political pressure or impropriety. Donald Trump’s other legal battles: A House of Representatives select committee is investigating Mr Trump’s actions surrounding the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 – when Trump supporters rioted at the Congress building in Washington DC as lawmakers met to certify Mr Biden’s election victory The Justice Department is examining the former president’s challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election A prosecutor in Fulton County, Georgia, is investigating whether Mr Trump and his associates tried to interfere in that state’s results from the election On top of that, Mr Trump faces a further array of lawsuits ranging from allegations of fraud, to inflating asset values, to sexual harassment. He denies any wrongdoing Source: BBC

Founder of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, Pastor Christian Oyakhilome has suspended his nephew, Dr. Daysman Oyakhilome Woghiren, from all church activities. The suspension, according to Pastor Chris, is due to “gross misconduct”. Until the suspension, Dr Daysman Oyakhilome Woghiren was President of LoveWorld Next and LoveWorld Innovations. He is a world-acclaimed animator and his works including Christian music videos I Know Who I Am by Sinach, Kinging by Rozey, Igbunu by Micheal Jaffe, and Untouchable by TB1 won him the American Academy of Animations Award three times at age 20. He was also the winner of the prestigious Walt Disney Award and nominee for a Future African Leaders Award (FALA). Pastor Chris announced the suspension during a Communion Service and Worship on Sunday, August 7. Dr Daysman Oyakhilome Woghiren had a brush with the law in November, 2021 with rumours rife that he risked jail. He was investigated by the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria for alleged fraudulent financial activities. He is also said to have left Ethiopia with $1.8 million claiming they were contributions and donations from a youth church programme. Source: 3news.com

The Tamale Circuit Court presided over by His Lordship Alexander Oware has sentenced 32-year-old Social Studies teacher Natogmah Yamousa Otabil to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for sodomizing 18 pupils of the Kulpi R/C Junior High School. In September last year, police in Salaga arrested Yamousa Otabil following a report by the East Gonja Municipal Education Director over some sodomy allegations. The accused earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges put on him. He, therefore, granted bail on Thursday, November 4, 2021. His defense lawyer prayed the court for a psychiatric assessment, which the court granted. Reports of the first examination conducted at Pantang Hospital in Accra was rejected by the Presiding Judge, resulting in a second examination at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. The case was adjourned a number of times until Tuesday, August 9 when judgement was delivered. Story by: Christopher Amoako

Police have arrested two persons including a minor for allegedly robbing and murdering one Daniel Osei-Mensah, a final year student of Tweneboah Kodua Senior High School. According to a statement from the police, they arrested suspect Eric Anning and the minor with the support of some members of the Fiankoma community in the Ashanti Region. The two are said to have perpetrated the act on Friday, August 5, robbing the deceased of his motorbike and burying him in a cocoa farm at Benebene near Fiankoma. “Following their arrest, the suspect together with his minor accomplice led the police to the scene where the body of the deceased was found,” the statement from the police said. “The body was removed and deposited at the St Peter’s Catholic Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.” Suspect Eric Anning is said to have sustained a deep cut on his right hand during the robbery and so was taken to the hospital for medical attention. The two will, however, be arraigned before court on Tuesday, August 9. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, is said to have spoken to the parents of the deceased “to commiserate with them on behalf of the Police administration”. “We would like to commend the people of Fiankoma for their support and weurge other communities to continue supporting the police to ensure the safety of everyone,” the statement signed by CSP Grace Akrofi-Ansah, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, concluded. The deceased was said to be operating the motorbike business at Manson Odaho in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. Story by: Emmanuel Kwame Amoh

The Government of Ghana has said it is disappointed by S&P’s decision to downgrade Ghana because bold policies have been implemented in 2022 to address macro fiscal challenges and debt sustainability which have been significantly exacerbated by the impact of these global external shocks on the economy. The government said it will continue to be proactive in addressing the impact of these external and domestic headwinds on the economy and on the lives and livelihoods of Ghanaians. S&P Global Ratings decided to push Ghana’s debt further into speculative territory, lowering its foreign and local currency sovereign ratings to CCC+/C from B-/B, on Friday August 5. It said its outlook for the country is negative, “reflecting Ghana’s limited commercial financing options, and constrained external and fiscal buffers.” The Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Russia have magnified Ghana’s fiscal and external imbalances, S&P said. Demand for foreign currency has been driven higher by several factors, including nonresident outflows from domestic government bond markets, dividend payments to foreign investors and higher costs for refined petroleum products, the agency said. The nation has also been affected by a lack of access to Eurobond markets, the agency said. Local authorities have passed a levy on electronic transactions and legislation to tighten exemptions on tax payments including for VAT, among other moves. “While these changes could improve the tax take going forward, the situation remains challenging, and over the first half of 2022, the fiscal deficit has exceeded the government’s ambitious target,” S&P said. S&P had affirmed Ghana’s ratings in February, as Moody’s downgraded the African nation to Caa1 with a stable outlook. Reacting to this in a statement on Monday August 8, the Ministry of Finance said ” On 5th August 2022, Standard and Poor’s (“S&P”) Global Ratings downgraded Ghana’s foreign and local currency credit ratings from ‘B-/B’ To ‘CCC+/C’ with a negative outlook. According to S&P, the downgrade is due to intensifying financing and external pressures on the economy. “In arriving at their decision, the credit rating agency considered: (a) the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe global shock of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Ghana and the consequent fiscal and external imbalances; (b) elevated gross financing needs in the face of International Capital Market hiatus (c) the limited commercial financing options; and (d) the credible steps taken by Government to fast-track fiscal consolidation and the passage of key revenue bills. “The Government is disappointed by S&P’s decision to downgrade Ghana despite the bold policies implemented in 2022 to address macro fiscal challenges and debt sustainability which have been significantly exacerbated by the impact of these global external shocks on the economy. “Government will continue to be proactive in addressing the impact of these external and domestic headwinds on the economy and on the lives and livelihoods of Ghanaians. Government has implemented key revenue and expenditure measures, including the 30% cut in discretionary expenditures. The delays in the passage of key revenue measures introduced in the 2022 Budget affected revenues performance in the first half of the year. However, all the revenue measures introduced in the 2022 Budget, including the review of the MDA Fees and Charges Bill, the Tax Exemption Bill, the E-Levy Bill, have all now been promulgated by Parliament. These fiscal measures are now in full implementation mode to support our fiscal and debt sustainability policies.” It added “The Government is committed and is confident that it will successfully emerge from these challenges in the shortest possible time as we have demonstrated the track record to do so in the Akufo-Addo led Government. Our current engagement with the International Monetary Fund for a Programme, incorporating our Enhanced Domestic Program (EDP), is expected to support our drive to restore and sustain macroeconomic stability; debt sustainability and promote growth and job creation whilst ensuring social protection to achieve our vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid.” Credit: 3news.com

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that Ghanaian Gospel Musician, Prince Nyarko has been reported dead. The cause of his demise yet to be known. He would be remembered for his famous song ‘Hena Ne W’adamfo Pa’ which featured Celestine Donkor and Sylvia. Late Rev. Prince Nyarko was a graduate of Maximillian International University and had three albums to his credit. Aside from music, he was a missionary, a revivalist and a psalmist. He left behind a wife and two children. Story by: Think News Desk Report

The final year student of Tweneboah Kodua Senior High School in the Ashanti Region who was murdered at Manso left the school without an exeat, an official statement from the school has said. In the press statement released by the Tweneboah Kodua Senior High School and signed by the headmaster, John Asante Bawua, the deceased had left school without exeat and his absence was only noticed after a roll call by the housemaster. Identified as Daniel Osei-Mensah, a native of Manso Odaho, the deceased reportedly went missing on Friday, August 5 while working with his motorcycle. The police in a statement on Monday, August 8 said the 17-year-old was robbed, murdered and buried in a cocoa farm near Benebene. According to the police, two suspects including a minor have so far been arrested in connection with the murder and will be arraigned before the court on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a statement issued by the authorities of the school confirmed the deceased is a student of Tweneboah Kodua Senior High School but left the institution without the knowledge of authorities. Story by: Nana Asenso Mensah

Black Stars and AS. Roma forward, Afena Gyan has melted hearts of Shattawale fans in a unique style after he introduced himself to AS Roma fans with Shattawale's 'On God' song at the Stadio Olimpico. The unveiling by AS Roma was to update their supporters of its old and new signings to the club. The unveiling was held in the wake of the 2022/23 season. The wonderkid was captured in a video not only singing the song but also showcased some dance moves. The move by the Afena has not only won the hearts of SM Fans but earned his club a bunch of new supporters. The 19-year-old forward has scored two goals in 22 appearances for the Giallorossi since making his first-team debut last October and signed a new contract in July that will keep him at the club for the next five years. He said “Ever since I arrived at this club my aim was to reach the first team,” Afena-Gyan told the club website. “Since I did that my life has changed a lot. Now I need to just concentrate on continuing to improve.” He had expressed his delight with the team after inking the new deal. Watch the video below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, could not tell if Jesus Christ, who he says is leading him and the government in the management of Ghana’s economy, will be happy with the state in which it is currently. He was being interviewed on the HARDtruth TV show following the presentation of the mid-year budget in parliament last month, where he conceded that the economy is in a pathetic condition. The interview focused on many issues pertaining to the Ghanaian economy and how well or badly it is faring. But while wrapping up, the interviewer asked Ofori-Atta if Jesus Christ would be happy about the way he and the New Patriotic Party have run the affairs of the country. Then he answered, saying: "I think it’s an issue of willingness and obedience to what Christ would like us to do; honest good job done over the period? Yes. Holy spirit guiding us to the things we do? Yes. Am I confident that he is leading us in the right direction? Unequivocally…" "As if the interviewer wasn’t sure about the misters claim to be following the direction of the saviour, she asked again for emphasis: "So Jesus is happy about the way you’ve managed the economy?" A this point, with his two arms folded, the minister hesitated for a while, while looking up as if he wanted to have a tête-à-tête with Jesus first before answering the question. He then said: "You know it’s very difficult to think that one will be holly enough to the acceptance… you constantly pray that you have the courage and the spirit to go on." Ghana is currently having conversations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout after the government finally admitted that the economy is in a terrible state. Watch the video below: Credit: Pulse GH

A man who raped a 26-year-old university graduate who was seeking a job has been sentenced to death by hanging. Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom State High Court found Uduak-Abasi Akpan guilty of the charges proffered against him. According to the BBC, the convict had pretended to have a job for the deceased, Iniubong Umoren had recently graduated in Philosophy from the University of Uyo. She was looking for paid work before beginning compulsory military service, when Akpan lured her into thinking that he had one for her. The young lady’s corpse was later found buried in a shallow grave. Iniubong Umoren’s brother, Ukeme, expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling. "Thank God they gave us justice. You can’t just kill my sister, bury her and go. All the family is happy with this judgement," he said. Meanwhile, two other defendants, Frank Akpan and Anwan-Bassey Akpan, were acquitted. Credit: Pulse GH