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/ 14 June 2005

Swazi king keeps power in new Constitution

Lawmakers in Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, have adopted a new Constitution that maintains a ban on political parties and preserves King Mswati III’s sweeping powers. Mswati (37) ascended to the throne of the mountainous nation at the age of 18, maintaining a ban on political parties that was imposed in 1978.

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/ 14 June 2005

DA hails Mbeki’s courage

Tony Leon, the leader of the official opposition Democratic Alliance, hailed President Thabo Mbeki for showing courage and ”upholding principle over politics” in his decision to release Jacob Zuma from his duties as the deputy president. Mbeki made the announcement during a special joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

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/ 14 June 2005

ANC supports Mbeki, Cosatu unhappy

ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said the ANC reaffirmed that the Deputy President and the entire leadership of the Alliance accepted and supported the decision of the president, negating fears that Mbeki’s decision to sack former deputy president Jacob Zuma had caused rifts within the Alliance.

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/ 14 June 2005

Gun owners demand licences

A group of gun owners and gun shop owners are demanding that police grant them firearm licences in a memorandum handed to the office of Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa on Tuesday. The statement read that black gun owners were ”sick and tired of the lies” from Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula.

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/ 14 June 2005

Ugandan army kills 19 LRA rebels

The Ugandan army said on Tuesday that it had killed at least 19 rebels from the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the past two days in various parts of the country’s war-ravaged northern area. Several of the fighters drowned while attempting to escape from military patrols by jumping into a river in Gulu district.