Briefly: Africa

SIERRA LEONE

Ex-fighters seen as risky security for politicians

FREETOWN — Sierra Leone’s national security bureau on Tuesday warned of a “violent” threat posed by politicians using former fighters in the nation’s decade-long civil war ahead of 2012 elections.

“The use of ex-combatants by politicians in the electoral process poses violent threats,” Francis Keili, the director of the Office of National Security, told journalists.

Politicians often have ex-combatants as part of their security details or entourages, he said, a dangerous practice in a country where one of Africa’s bloodiest civil conflicts ended just a decade ago.

“Ex-combatants should not be part of the country’s security apparatus,” said Mr. Keili, adding that “the level of political intolerance is increasing.”

Several clashes between supporters of the ruling party and the main opposition have taken place in recent months, and one person was killed in clashes in the city of Bo, after the main opposition presidential candidate was pelted with stones.

ANGOLA

President: ’No dictatorship,’ but need for talks

LUANDA — The president of oil-rich Angola has denied that his country is a dictatorship but acknowledged a need for more social dialogue after a series of unprecedented protests against the government.

“There is no basis whatsoever to the claim that Angola is ruled by a dictatorial regime that doesn’t recognize citizens’ rights or freedoms,” Jose Eduardo dos Santos told parliament during his annual State of the Nation address Tuesday.

“There is no dictatorship here whatsoever,” added the president, who has been in power for 32 years. “On the contrary, in the country there is a new democracy which is lively, dynamic and participatory and which is being consolidated every day.”

On foreign policy, Mr. dos Santos, whose government has been outspoken about Western interventions in Africa, such as Libya and Ivory Coast, said: “We will never allow interference from foreign entities or governments in our internal affairs.”

Africa’s second-longest-serving president said Angola would hold general elections in the third quarter of 2012, but did not say whether he would be standing again.

Mr. dos Santos can govern up to 10 more years under a constitution ratified last year. His ruling MPLA party won 82 percent of the vote in 2008, the first election that didn’t plunge Angola back into violence.

SOUTH AFRICA

Churches accuse ANC of interfering

JOHANNESBURG — Leaders of churches representing tens of millions of South Africans have accused the governing African National Congress (ANC) of trying to co-opt and manipulate them, in a strongly worded statement reflecting two years of brewing tensions.

“Motshekga, back off from the church!” was the warning sent in a joint statement on Tuesday to Mathole Motshekga, parliamentary chief whip of the ANC and the head of the party’s cultural and religious affairs desk.

Mr. Motshekga shrugged it off as “a storm in a teacup.”

The onetime allies in the fight to end racist white rule in South Africa have drawn apart as church leaders have increasingly criticized corruption in the government and the ANC and their apparent inability to address failures in the national education and health care systems.

They also have criticized growing inequality that has the poorest people worse off financially than they were under apartheid while a small black elite led by party officials gets fabulously wealthy.

The statement from leaders of the Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Salvation Army, Baptist and traditional African churches accused Mr. Motshekga of sending four subordinates to “infiltrate” their closed meeting of the National Church Leaders’ Consultation.

MADAGASCAR

Prime minister resigns for consensus government

ANTANANARIVO — Madagascar’s coup-appointed prime minister has resigned along with his government to open the way for a new premier to be chosen by consensus to lead a transitional government that will end the Indian Ocean island’s two-year political crisis.

The breakthrough was reached after South Africa sent a delegation last week to negotiate with coup leader Andry Rajoelina and other stakeholders to implement a road map brokered by Southern African states and signed last month by leaders in Madagascar and the ousted President Marc Ravalomanana, who is living in South Africa.

Brig. Gen. Albert Camille Vitalis resigned as premier in a letter to Mr. Rajoelina dated Monday and received Tuesday.

“To allow you to take on this heavy task in all serenity, I have the honor to submit my resignation as well as that of the government I lead,” Gen. Vitalis wrote.

The island’s largely impoverished population has suffered untold misery since Mr. Rajoelina toppled Mr. Ravalomanana in 2009. The United Nations reported in June that half of the 20 million people were hungry.

Foreign aid was suspended in protest, investors backed off and the economy ground to a near halt.

SWAZILAND

King Mswati III shuffles Cabinet

JOHANNESBURG — Swaziland’s King Mswati III has announced a major Cabinet reshuffle in a move his critics say is aimed at punishing those who do not toe the line.

Among those fired is Justice Minister David Matse, who refused to fire an independently minded High Court judge, Thomas Masuku, this month.

Information Minister Nelisiwe Shongwe, who recently has been at the center of a bitter wrangle over control of the telecommunications industry, also was fired.

The king and Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini have personal stakes in the industry.

• From wire dispatches and staff reports