As the world ushered in the New Year, leaders across Africa took to the platform to address their citizens; most bearing good news for the year ahead. The speeches are mostly lengthy, but here are some of the key things that some of the Presidents’ said.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the change promised by his government will begin to manifest in the New Year, in his New Year’s message.
I wish you all a Happy New Year. May the Almighty God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) January 1, 2017
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said that his government is working towards bringing down the cost of power to affordable rates for industries
Congratulations for completing the year and I wish you a prosperous 2017. Please find my New Year message https://t.co/HK1EcOk4gn
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) December 31, 2016
Gabonese President Ali Bongo said that his government is working towards a political dialogue post last year’s general elections that saw him emerge the winner in a disputed vote. The political dialogue is to bring about consolidation of the country’s democracy, peace and national unity.
A l’heure des traditionnels vœux de #NouvelAn, c’est avec émotion que je m’adresse à vous #DirectABO pic.twitter.com/2mK51B55DH
— Présidence de la République Gabonaise (@PresidenceGA) December 31, 2016
Malawi President Peter Mutharika described 2016 as a success in which government worked hard to manage the drug crisis and theft that haunted public hospitals in the previous years.
“We have managed the hunger situation much better than we did in 2015 and 2014. I want to thank the various humanitarian organizations for supporting us to ensure that the most vulnerable Malawians get food. Nobody, and I repeat, Nobody is going to die of hunger. As I speak, we have enough stocks to take the country into the next season,” said Mutharika.
“This is the place to rejoice in the successes in the fight against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad basin. I congratulate and encourage our soldiers of the Mixed Multinational Force to whom we owe this success. To these soldiers and to all the Niger Defense and Security Forces, I dedicate, as a tribute, the Mandela prize for security that our country has just been honored with. On the other hand, I appeal to all those who have been led astray by Boko Haram and the other terrorist organizations, to recover and to lay down their arms. We guarantee physical integrity and dignified reintegration into socio-economic life” said Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou
Ombi langu kwa Watanzania wote tuulinde,tuutunze na kuudumisha umoja wetu ktk mwaka 2017 kwa kufanya kazi kwa bidii. MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA.
— Dr John Magufuli (@MagufuliJP) December 27, 2016
Happy New Year fellow Ghanaians. This year our beloved Ghana will turn 60. I'm thankful for our time together & for what we've accomplished pic.twitter.com/HZSXErbcBH
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) January 1, 2017
Fellow Namibians, where ever you may find yourselves this evening, I would like to wish you a Productive and Prosperous New Year.
— Dr Hage G. Geingob (@hagegeingob) December 31, 2016
Watch President Kagame End of Year Message to the Nation https://t.co/Zt2JpnktyT
— Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) December 31, 2016
New Year message for year 2017 by President Jacob Zuma. https://t.co/s3OSdusppC
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) December 30, 2016
https://twitter.com/UKenyatta/status/815279567040610304
