CAR president accuses aides of racketeering

President Francois Bozize of the Central African Republic on Friday accused some officials in his Kwa na Kwa Convergence party of racketeering to obtain funds and pledged a personal crackdown.

In a broadcast statement, Bozize said such officials were issuing fraudulent mandates and organising unathorised collections of funds, in a practice that extended to foreign partners as well as local businesses.

"This behaviour is akin to racketeering, dishonours those who do it, and discredits the image of the Kwa na Kwa (Work, only Work) Convergence and the presidential majority," Bozize said.

"Henceforth, any mandate that is issued without my signature on it will be considered nul and void. I'm taking this occasion to remind all officials and activists of the KNK of their obligation of dignity and openness that (...) must guide all our behaviour," he concluded.

The KNK Convergence includes about 30 political parties that are members or allies of the presidential majority in the poor, landlocked central African country.

Bozize, a former military chief who initially took power in a coup before being elected in 2005, has no party of his own. Sources close to him say that the KNK Convergence could become a party ahead of a presidential election in 2010.