African press review 19 May 2014

Nigeria's Punch daily newspaper reports that scores are feared dead following yesterday's suspected car bomb explosion in the northern city of Kano.

The blast took place in an area mostly inhabited by Christians from southern Nigeria. Witnesses quoted by the French Press Agency said that the blast could be heard several miles away and happened on a busy road lined with bars in the predominantly Christian area of Sabon Gari.

An eyewitness said he saw at least four bodies at the scene.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but blame is likely to fall on Boko Haram, the islamic militant group whose struggle against the Nigerian state has killed at least 12,000 in the last five years.

The Egypt Independent reports that a poll conducted by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research has found that only 34 per cent of Egyptians know the correct date for the upcoming presidential elections, 18 per cent know an incorrect date and 48 per cent don't know any date at all.

Sixty per cent of participants indicated that the most important task facing the in-coming president is to restore security and provide jobs. This was followed by administrative reform, raising the standard of living, achieving justice and monitoring prices.

Only three per cent of those surveyed identified education as a priority.

Eighty per cent of those questioned say they intend to vote, which is good news. Now, we just have to get them to the polling stations on the proper days. May 26 and 27 are the dates to remember.

The same paper reports that one of the two candidates in the presidential race, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, could be in trouble with the High Elections Commission.

The commission suspects that Sisi campaigners are distributing thousands of energy-saving lamps to citizens. Egyptian law forbids distributing electoral gifts or bribes to urge citizens to vote for a specific candidate.

In a recent TV interview, Sisi advised Egyptians to use energy-saving lamps in order to reduce electricity loads in the summer, since the nation's power stations are suffering from fuel shortages.

The commission had earlier instructed Sisi's challenger, Hamdeen Sabbahi, to stick to electoral rules after he held a press conference before the official start of campaigning.

According to the Nairobi-based Standard newspaper, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday warned opposition leaders that the State will not accept statements that may divide the country.

The Head of State declared he had a legitimate mandate to govern for a five-year term and insisted those with alternative agenda should wait for elections.

Uhuru said that although the Constitution gives them right to free expression, they should not resort to statements that are likely to create animosity and hatred among communities.

He recalled that Kenya had experienced its darkest days with the 2007-8 post-election violence, which he attributed to reckless statements by leaders which had polarised the country along ethnic lines.

The front page of the Kenyan Daily Nation also has president Uhuru giving out, this time telling off western governments for issuing travel advisories against Kenya.

President Kenyatta accused the West of double standards in the war against terrorism.

The US and Great Britain have recently warned their nationals against visiting Kenya for fear of terrorist attacks.

The main story in this morning's UgandanDaily Monitor reports that a majority of Ugandans would want the current Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, to be the country’s next president if incumbent Yoweri Museveni and his political nemesis, Kizza Besigye, both decided not contest the 2016 poll.

According to results of a political opinion poll commissioned by the Daily Monitor and the Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform, Ms Kadaga is closely followed by First Lady and Karamoja Affairs Minister Janet Museveni. The results will come as a boost to those who support the idea of a female presidency.

President Museveni has yet to indicate if he will run for the presidency in 2016. A ruling party vote last February would make him the National Rainbow Movement's sole presidential candidate.

Kizza Besigye, who has lost the last three elections against President Museveni, says he will not stand, instead preferring to agitate for electoral reforms.