Equatorial Guinea: French Court Upholds Corruption Rulings
PARIS, 29 July 2021 – France's highest court has upheld the conviction by two lower courts of the son of Equato-Guinean President found guilty of using public funds to pay for his lavish lifestyle. The Cour de Cassation reaffirmed the convictions of Teodorin Nguema...
South Sudan: Violence Threatens Fragile Peace Deal
JUBA, 29 July 2021 - Continued and worsening violence threatens a fragile peace deal in South Sudan, according to international monitors. The Djibouti-based IGAD (Inter-Governmental Agency for Development) deployed the monitors after parties to the conflict agreed a...
Africa: Obama Strategic Partner of NBA Africa
WASHINGTON, DC, 29 July 2021 - Former American President Barack Obama has taken on minority ownership of NBA Africa, making him the league’s most high-profile “strategic partner”. "In Africa basketball has the power to promote opportunity, wellness, equality and...
South Africa: Officials Condemn Rights Violations
PRETORIA, 28 July 2021 - South African officials have slammed security forces for violating the rights of persons suspected of looting shops during recent riots. While condoning looting, the South African Commission for Gender Equality said “degrading people and...
Tanzania: President Suluhu Hassan Gets the Jab
DODOMA, 28 July 2021 – Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has been vaccinated against the new coronavirus at the start of her country's mass vaccination campaign. Her inoculation took place in front of television cameras and the 61-year-old president urged...
Kenya: Nearly 1700 Shona Get Nationality
NAIROBI, 28 July 2021 – Some 1,670 members of the Shona community who moved from Zimbabwe to Kenya prior to 1963 have been granted Kenyan nationality.. The move provides a country the Shona can call their own after generations of previous Shona have to self-identify...
Uganda: Weightlifter Released from Detention
KAMPALA, 28 July 2021 – The Ugandan weightlifter deported from Japan last week after going missing has been released from detention. Police in Uganda released Julius Ssekitoleko, Tuesday on a police bond, pending further investigation. The weightlifter had traveled to...
South Sudan: UN Concerned Over Executions
JUBA, 28 July 2021 – The UN Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS) has expressed deep concern over a spike of extrajudicial executions in Africa’s youngest nation. People accused of crimes must have a right to have their day in court before any punishment can be meted out...
Senegal: Hospitals Overwhelmed with COVID Patients
DAKAR, 28 July 2021 – A spike in COVID-19 infections in Senegal has hospitals running at full capacity or close to being overwhelmed, officials warned Monday. Over the last month, daily cases of confirmed infections have risen from a few dozen a day to nearly 2,000...
Sao Tome & Principe: Presidential Runoff August 8
SAO TOME, 28 July 2021 - A presidential runoff will be needed to determine the next president of Sao Tome & Principe, the country’s electoral commission has said. The runoff will see a former infrastructure minister, Carlos Vila Nova, face off with a former prime...
Morocco: France Probing Spying on Journalists
PARIS, 28 July 2021 – French authorities are investigating allegations that Moroccan authorities spied on journalists working for Mediapart, a Paris-based news website. The probe has been opened after French judiciary authorities received complaints from Mediapart...
Tanzania: Opposition Leader Accused of Terrorism
DAR ES SALAAM, 28 July 2021 – Detained Tanzanian opposition leader Freeman Mbowe has been charged with terrorism-related crimes, according to reports and a tweet by his party. The opposition Chadema party confirmed Monday on Twitter that its leader was facing...
Sudan-Algeria: Politics and the Tokyo Olympics
TOKYO, 27 July 2021 – The first big story about Africa's participation at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics is not about gold medals won or even about sports. Rather it is about the politics of sports and the steps athletes continue to take in the sports arena to promote...
Tanzania: Reviewing Levy on Mobile Money
DODOMA, 26 July 2021 – The government of Tanzania says it is reviewing a new levy on mobile money which has triggered a public outcry. The levy imposes additional charges every time that payments are sent or received via cellular phones. Tanzania’s parliament approved...
Nigeria: Yoruba Separatist Leader Arrested in Benin
COTONOU, 26 July 2021 – The leader of the Yoruba separatist movement in Nigeria, Sunday Igboho Adeyemo, has been return to Nigeria to face charges that include treason and terrorism. Igboho was arrested in neighboring Republic of Benin at the airport in the port city...
DR Congo: Thousands Honor Cardinal Monsengwo
KINSHASA, 26 July 2021 – Thousands held a final memorial over the weekend to honor the memory of a cardinal of the Catholic Church in DR Congo. Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya has been honored at several ceremonies since last Tuesday by Christians and government...
Mozambique: Ban on Use of Police Uniforms
MAPUTO, 26 July 2021 – Authorities in Mozambique have banned the use of police uniforms by artists, according to a decree by the country’s police boss. Bernardino Rafael issued the decree Monday, prohibiting civilians from wearing police uniforms which he said had not...
South Africa: Zuma’s Corruption Trial Delayed
PRETORIA, 26 July 2021 – The corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma has been postponed until next August 10. Zuma was jailed earlier this month for 15 months for contempt of court after he failed to appear at a separate judiciary inquiry. His...
Burkina Faso: Dozens of Rebels Killed in Raids
OUAGADOUGOU, 26 July 2021 – Officials in Burkina Faso say the country’s army has destroyed a base of armed rebels, killing dozens of rebels. The country’s army described the location its forces destroyed in the northern part of the country as a “terrorist base”....
Mali: Man Who Tried to Stab Junta Leader Dies
BAMAKO, 26 July 2021 – The man accused of trying to stab the junta leader in Mali, Assimi Goita, has died in a hospital where he was under guard. A government statement said the man’s health deteriorated while he was in custody and that he died in hospital where he...
South Africa: Some COVID Restrictions Eased
JOHANNESBURG, 26 July 2021 – South Africa has relaxed some of its COVID-19 restrictions amidst claims that it has largely passed the peak of its third wave of the pandemic. Schools across the country reopened on Monday as part of the ease in restrictions announced by...
Nigeria: Police Arrest 12 People at Protest
ABUJA, 26 July 2021 – At least a dozen people have been arrested for protesting Monday outside the High Court in Abuja, capital of Nigeria. The protesters gathered ahead of the planned appearance before the court of the pro-Biafra leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who faces a...
Equatorial Guinea: London Embassy to be Closed
MALABO, 26 July 2021 – Equatorial Guinea is planning to close its embassy in London in retaliation for Britain sanctioning a son of the president. Few details are available on how the plan will be implemented and officials at the embassy in London were unable Monday...
Liberia: Politician Slammed for Expensive Mausoleum
MONROVIA, 26 July 2021 – Liberians on social media are slamming a cabinet minister in the president's office for burying his mother in an expensive mausoleum. Presidential Affairs Minister Nathaniel McGill built a miniature royal home to serve as a grave for her...
Nigeria: Heavy Jail Terms for Kidnappers
ABUJA, 24 July 2021 – A court has sentenced ten Nigerians to 12 years in prison for their role in a hijacking and kidnapping incident which occurred in May 2020. Those sentenced were found guilty of hijacking a Chinese vessel and kidnapping members of its crew. The...
Ghana: MPs Seek Jail Terms for Gay Activists
ACCRA, 24 July 2021 - A group of Ghanaian members of parliament (MPs) has finalized a draft bill which, if adopted and signed into law, would jail people for promoting same-sex relations. Anyone found guilty of promoting LGBT+ activities through mainstream or social...
Africa: Continent Gets Gold for Olympic Fashion
TOKYO, 24 July 2021 – Olympic teams from Africa outshone teams from other continents in their glamorous outfits during the opening parade of the Olympic Games Friday. Kenya, Cameroon and Ghana spotted the traditional customs voted the top three best national attires...
South Sudan: Spike in Attacks on Aid Workers
JUBA, 24 July 2021 – The United Nations has expressed concern over an increase in violent attacks on humanitarian workers in various parts of the country. "South Sudan is increasingly becoming one of the most dangerous places to operate for humanitarian workers,”...
Sierra Leone: MPs Scrap Death Penalty
FREETOWN, 24 July 2021 - Members of parliament (MPs) in Sierra Leone have reached unanimous agreement on a draft bill to scrap the death penalty. Life imprisonment will replace the death penalty wherever it previously applied, according to the deal. Legislative action...
Kenya: COVID-19 Relief Reached a Small Fraction
NAIROBI, 21 July 2021 – An initiative by the Kenyan government to assist the country’s most vulnerable families with cash as part of COVID-19 relief reached only a few. "Only a small fraction” of the vulnerable families in the capital, Nairobi, benefited from...
Libya: UN Alarmed at COVID Surge
TRIPOLI, 21 July 2021 – United Nations officials have said they are alarmed by a spike in COVD-19 cases over the last few weeks in Libya. Earlier this week, Libyan public health officials confirmed 6,061 new cases of the virus – the highest daily number of cases ever...
Cameroon: Transgender Women Released
DOUALA, 16 July 2021 – Two transgender women previously sentenced to five years in prison and fined for attempted homosexuality have been provisionally released. The two transgender celebrities – Shakiro and her friend Patricia – were serving a second month in their...
South Sudan: Over 50,000 Vaccinated Against COVID-19
JUBA, 16 July 2021 - South Sudanese public health officials have vaccinated more than 50,000 people with their first COVID-19 jab. While encouraging, the number is a drop in the ocean for a country with a population of eleven million inhabitants. Tens of thousands of...
Africa: African in Run for UNIDO Top Job Ousted
GENEVA, 16 July 2021 - The only African in the race to become the head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has failed in his bid. Arkebe Okubav, who is a special adviser to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed bowed out of the race to...
Algeria: Producing Two COVID-19 Vaccines
ALGIERS, 16 July 2021 - Algeria will start producing new coronavirus vaccines next September, according to a cabinet minister speaking on state radio. "In addition to the Russian vaccine Sputnik, we will be producing the Chinese Sinovac as well,” Lotfi Benbahmed told...
Nigeria: Five Arrested Over Homosexuality
KANO, 16 July 2021 - Islamic police in the northern Nigerian town of Kano have arrested five men and accused them of breaking laws on homosexuality. A dozen northern Nigerian states which have Sharia Law on the books, including the state of Kaduna of which Kano is the...
Cameroon: International Banks Asked to Stop Funding Genocide
WASHINGTON, DC, 16 July 2021 – Civil and criminal charges will be pressed against international financial institutions funding genocide in Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia. The Ambazonia Coalition team (ACT) aka Team Ambazonia, whose member liberation movements and...
Ethiopia: UN Wants Attacks on Eritreans Probed
ROME, 14 July 2021 – The leader of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, says he has received credible reports of reprisal attacks against Eritrean refugees. The refugees have been arrested or abducted apparently for their perceived affiliation...
South Africa: Death Toll Rises to 72
PRETORIA, 14 July 2021 – No fewer than 72 people have been confirmed killed in the violence that has engulfed parts of South Africa since ex-president Jacob Zuma was jailed. The 72 include ten people who were killed in a stampede during looting in a shopping center in...
Eswatini: Twelve People Killed in Pro-Democracy Protests
MBABANE, 2 July 2021 - Over a dozen people have been killed in anti-government protests in Eswatini, according to concurrent news reports, citing protest organizers. The government of Eswatini has put the number of those killed at nine, adding that over 100 others are...
South Africa: Zuma Fighting to Stay Out of Jail
PRETORIA, 2 July 2021 - Former South African President Jacob Zuma has appealed to the country’s highest court to review its decision to sentence him to 15 months in jail. Zuma filed papers Friday with South Africa’s Constitutional Court, asking its ruling handed down...
Morocco: Fame and Criticism for Viral Vlog
RABAT, 2 July 2021 - The viewing over half a million times of a viral vlog of a baby’s funeral has brought both additional fame and criticism for its parents. A Moroccan couple who document their lives on a popular YouTube channel, Sara and her spouse Hamza, are...
Algeria: Critics of Wedding Practices Slammed as Racist
PARIS, 2 July 2021 - A French MP has come under fire for criticizing “foreign” dancing and other practices at weddings in France by French nationals of North African descent. Anne Genevard of “Les Republicains” party described “dancing, singing and flag-waving” as...
Nigeria: Mazi Kanu Arrested and Arraigned
ABUJA, 30 June 2021 – The leader of the campaign for a breakaway Republic of Biafra in Nigeria has been arrested, according to many concurrent news reports Tuesday. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was apparently arrested with the help of the global police organization, INTERPOL....
Tunisia: Kairouan City Overwhelmed by COVID-19
KAIROUAN, 29 June 2021 – A spike in infections and deaths from the new coronavirus (COVID-19) have overwhelmed the Tunisian city of Kairouan. An average of eight people are dying each day since last from the pandemic, health officials in Kairouan have told the Africa...
Egypt: Blinken Briefed on GERD
ROME, 30 June 2021 – Egypt has shared its concerns over Ethiopia’s mega dam on the Nile with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Egypt’s foreign minister met with Blinken on the sidelines of a foreign ministers’ meeting held in Rome. The Grand Ethiopian...
Tanzania: First Data on COVID-19 Shared
DAR ES SALAAM, 30 June 2021 – Tanzanian officials have shared some statistics on the new coronavirus in the country, the first time they have done so in over a year. Seventy Tanzanians infected with the virus are on oxygen at hospitals in the country, President Samia...
Zambia: Concerns Over Rights Violations
LONDON, 29 June 2021 - Amnesty International has expressed concern over human rights violations in Zambia ahead of general elections scheduled for next August 12. Protests against the Zambian government are being stopped with “unlawful and lethal force”, Amnesty said...
Ethiopia: Unilateral Ceasefire Declared in Tigray
ADDIS ABABA, 28 June 2021 - The Ethiopian government has declared a unilateral ceasefire in the country’s northern Tigray, the United Nations reported Monday. The ceasefire comes eight months after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent federal troops into the...
DR Congo: Two Injured in Attack on Church
BENI, 28 June 2021 - Two people were injured Sunday, after a homemade bomb exploded inside a church in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The attack, in the city of Beni, occurred shortly before clergy at the Roman Catholic Church were due to begin a...
Cameroon: Fans Celebrate Wes Madiko
DOUALA, 28 June 2021 - Fans of Cameroonian artist Wes Madiko, spent the weekend celebrating his life and great artistic work in Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala. The Grammy Award Winner died in Paris Friday night at the age of 57. Family members who confirmed his...
Burundi: At Least 15 Killed in Attacks
BUJUMBURA, 28 June 2021 – At least 15 people have been killed in Muramvya province in Burundi’s central region, according to local media. Several injured passengers were rushed to hospitals, reports said Sunday. Two minibusses were also set ablaze by the assailants...
Sudan: War Crime Accused to be Handed Over
KHARTOUM, 28 June 2021 – Authorities in Sudan say they will hand over officials wanted on allegations of war crimes in Darfur. Khartoum has not named who they intend to hand over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) based at The Hague in The Netherlands. Former...
Somalia: Twenty-one Al-Shabab Members Executed
MOGADISHU, 28 June 2021 – Twenty-one men have been executed in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland after being convicted as al-Shabab members. The 21 were executed Sunday by firing squad after being found guilty by a military court in Galkayo. Fighters of the...
Algeria: New Government Awaited After PM Resigned
ALGIERS, 28 June 2021 – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is expected to name a new cabinet following the resignation Thursday of the Prime Minister. Tebboune accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad opening the door for the formation of a new...
Ethiopia: Hundessa Album to be Released
ADDIS ABABA, 28 June 2021 – An album will be released this week of unheard songs by Ethiopian singer Hachaclu Hundessa, who was killed one year ago Monday. The songs were recorded a few months before Hundessa was killed at the age of 34. It will be the singer’s third...
Nigeria: Private School Accepting Crypto
KANO, 28 June 2021 – A private school in the northern Nigerian city of Kano is accepting cryptocurrency as a means of payment of school fees, the BBC reports. Oxford Science Academy says it is turning to cryptocurrencies because of their acceptance around the world....
Africa: Special Cemetery for Migrants
ZARZIS, 27 June 2021 – Algerian artist Rashid al-Qurashi has designed a special cemetery in Zarzis, Tunisia, to honor migrants killed as they crossed the sea into Europe. Qureshi has named the cemetery the “Garden of Africa” and says his goal is to ensure the...
Namibia: Record COVID-19 Infections and Deaths
WINDHOEK, 27 June 2021 - Namibia has ran out of its reserves of medical oxygen, as its hospitals have been overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. Only this week, the country’s health ministry announced 45 deaths from the virus on Wednesday followed by another 55 deaths...
Tanzania: Third Wave of COVID-19 Hits
DAR ES SALAAM, 27 June 2021 – The president of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan has said her country is battling a third wave of the new coronavirus. "Prevention is better than cure; let’s not stop using anything that may protect us from the pandemic to avoid mass...
Ethiopia: Three Aid Workers Killed in Tigray
ADDIS ABABA, 27 June 2021 – Medical aid group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says it is horrified by the murder of three of its staff in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, says it lost contact with the team on Thursday while they...
Chad: Six Soldiers Killed by CAR Peers
N’DJAMENA, 23 June 2021 - The government of Chad has accused soldiers of the Central African Republic (CAR) of killing six of its soldiers. The fatalities reportedly occurred Monday during an attack on an outpost in the south of the country. "The Central African armed...
Maghreb: EU Provide 20 Million Euros in Aid
GENEVA, 23 June 2021 - The European Commission (EU) will provide 20 million Euros in humanitarian funding to Algeria, Egypt and Libya. "The EU's assistance will help the most vulnerable people to meet their basic needs, as well as access protection and education,...
Burundi: Borders with Tanzania Reopened
BUJUMBURA, 23 June 2021 – Burundi has reopened its land border with neighboring Tanzania at the Kobero-Kabanga and Mugina border crossings. "The border of Kobero and Mugina is now open for travellers and they will have to test for COVID-19 as well before continuing...
Algeria: Ex-Officials Face Corruption Charges
ALGIERS, 23 June 2021 – Algerian judicial authorities are expected to bring a new group of former officials before justice on graft and corruption charges. The officials previously served in the administration of former Algerian President Abdulaziz Bouteflika. So far...
Kenya: Two Somali Girls Go Missing
NAIROBI, 20 June 2021 - Two Kenyan parliamentarians have expressed concern after seven girls from the Somali community went missing last Tuesday. Fear has gripped the Somali community after a photo of one girl, injured in an attack, was shared on social media. A video...
Ethiopia: Nine Killed by Oromo Liberation Army
ADDIS ABABA, 20 June 2021 – Rebels of the Oromo Liberation Army have been accused of killing nine people in the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Ethiopian authorities levied the accusation Saturday. Eight of those killed were working on a bridge...
South Africa: New Tighter COVID-19 Restrictions
PRETORIA, 18 June 2021 – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new, stricter restrictions as the country faces a third wave of COVID-19. A nationwide curfew will now begin at 10 pm and remain in force until dawn the next day. Public gatherings remain...
Ethiopia: Tigray Starvation Worse than Thought
ADDIS ABABA, 18 June 2021 - The United Nations humanitarian chief says the starvation in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region is much worse than previously thought. There is now famine in Tigray, Mark Lowcock told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, according...
Cote d’Ivoire: Laurent Gbagbo Returns Home
ABIDJAN, 18 June 2021 – The former president of Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, has returned to the country after almost a decade of absence. The former leader returns home after being cleared of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal...
Nigeria: Gunmen Abduct Students
BIRNIN KEBBI, 18 June 2021 - Unidentified gunmen killed a police officer, injured one student, and abducted at least 80 other students from a mixed boarding school in Kebbi state, northwestern Nigeria. The abductees, who included five teachers, were still in captivity...
Kenya: New COVID-19 Restrictions Imposed
NAIROBI, 18 June 2021 – Kenyan authorities have declared the western part of the country a COVID-19 hotspot, imposing new and stricter restrictions. All but essential travel between, into, and out of 13 counties in western Kenya will be "strongly discouraged"...
Ambazonia: Calls for Tougher Sanctions against Cameroun
BUEA, 17 June 2021 – Southern Cameroonian liberation movements signatories to the Swiss-led Process have lauded America’s policy of visa restrictions, but want tougher sanctions. In a statement released Wednesday night, Team Ambazonia also known as (aka) the Ambazonia...
Zambia: Kenneth Kaunda Dies at 97
LUSAKA, 17 June 2021 – Zambia’s founding president and one of the last in the generation of Africa’s independence leaders, Kenneth Kaunda, has died. He was 97. "I am sad to inform we have lost Mzee," Kaunda's son, Kambarage, wrote on his late father's Facebook page,...
Mozambique: Probe into Allegations of Prison Prostitution
MAPUTO, 17 June 2021 – Judicial authorities in Mozambique are probing allegations that staff at a women’s prison have been forcing inmates into prostitution. Prisoners from Ndlavela Women’s Penitentiary in the capital, Maputo, have been taken to nearby guest houses to...
Ambazonia: Four Cameroonian Officers Killed in Ambush
BUEA, 17 June 2021 – Four officers of Cameroon’s armed and security forces have been killed in an ambush in the breakaway republic of Ambazonia. The victims were identified Wednesday as two police and two gendarme officers. Four other officers are missing, reportedly...
Liberia: Search for COVID-Positive People
MONROVIA, 17 June 2021 – Liberian officials are searching for nearly 140 people who tested positive for COVID-19 but have neither turned up for treatment nor have isolated. Efforts to trace the patients have been unsuccessful so far, Liberia’s health minister...
Uganda: Military Court Releases 18 on Bail
KAMPALA, 17 June 2021 - Eighteen opposition supporters have been released on bail by a military court in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The 18 were arrested last December during a campaign rally they had organized for singer turned politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also...
Somalia: Relations with Kenya Normalized
MOGADISHU, 17 June 2021 - Somali authorities say they have normalized diplomatic relations with neighboring Kenya after the latter lifted a ban on flights to and from Mogadishu. On Wednesday, Somalia’s foreign minister called on Kenya to reopen its diplomatic mission...
Tanzania: Ending Exports of Raw Gold
DAR ES SALAAM, 17 June 2021 – The Tanzanian government has inaugurated a $5.2 million gold refining plant under an initiative aimed at ending exports of raw gold. The Mwanza Precious Metals Refinery factory is the third such new factory established in the east African...
Africa: Dozens of Migrants Feared Dead
LAHIJ, 17 June 2021 - Dozens of African migrants are feared dead after a boat carrying them reportedly capsized off the coast of Yemen. At least 25 bodies have been recovered in the water near Ras al-Ara, according to news reports citing fishermen in the Lahij...
South Sudan: Nationwide COVID-19 Vaccinations Resume
JUBA, 17 June 2021 – More than 16,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in South Sudan, according to health authorities. It is an insignificant number of people incouldated so far a country of 13 million inhabitants. Last March, Africa’s youngest nation...
Egypt: Death Penalty Confirmed for Muslim Brotherhood
CAIRO, 17 June 2021 – The death penalty ruling handed down to twelve members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been upheld by an Egyptian court. Those condemned to death include two senior officials of the Muslim Brotherhood. The court of cassation reduced the sentence...
Tanzania: CPJ Advocates for a Free Press
DODOMA, 17 June 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Tanzania to adopt reforms to guarantee press freedom. "We write to urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure a free and safe environment for journalists,” the CPJ said in an open...
Zimbabwe: Land Re-acquisition Program Slammed
HARARE, 16 June 2021 - Siphosami Malunga, the son of a Zimbabwean national hero, Sydney Malunga, is protesting plans by the government to seize farmland owned by his family. Under the plan, Zimbabwean authorities seize privately-owned farms in order to redistribute to...
Kenya: Elephant Naming Festival
NAIROBI, 16 June 2021 - Kenya’s tourism ministry has launched an elephant-naming festival in furtherance of its initiative to promote wildlife conservation. Under the initiative, individuals who contribute at least a minimum amount in support of conservation will be...
Mali: UN Calls for Free and Fair Elections
NEW YORK, 16 June 2021 – The United Nations Security Council has called on the junta in Mali to organize free and fair elections to return the country to civilian rule. The Security Council called on the junta in Bamako, Mali’s capital, to take immediate action on the...
South Africa: Police Fail to Stop Rush for Stones
JOHANNESBURG, 16 June 2021 - Police in South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal have failed in preventing people from searching for what they believe are precious stones. A man herding cattle was first to find the rare stones after which rumors spread that the stones were either...
Uganda: New Portrait of Museveni Coming Onstream
KAMPALA, 16 June 2021 – Public offices across Uganda have been invited to replace an old portrait of President Yoweri Museveni with a more recent one. Officials in charge of such offices have been invited to place orders with the government printers for copies of the...
Somalia: Fifteen Killed in Suicide Bombing
MOGADISHU, 16 June 2021 – At least fifteen Somali soldiers have been killed Tuesday in a suicide bomb attack at a military training base in the capital, Mogadishu. The suicide bomber posed as a military trainee, according to eyewitnesses. The fake identity allowed the...
Rwanda: Fresh Spike in COVID Cases and Deaths
KIGALI, 15 June 2021 – Rwanda is seeing another spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths despite ongoing vaccinations, the country’s health ministry said Monday. New infections rose to 1,307 in the seven days to Sunday, up from 334 in the previous week, according to the...
Nigeria: Islamist Militants Release Ten Captors
MAIDUGURI, 15 June 2021 - Islamist militants in northern Nigeria have freed ten people who were abducted and have been held in captivity for five months. One of the ten is an aid worker by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). A spokesperson for the UNHCR...
Zambia: KK Receiving Treatment for Pneumonia
LUSAKA, 15 June 2021 – Zambia’s founding father, Kenneth Kaunda (KK), is in hospital, receiving treatment for pneumonia, one of his aides has said. The 97-year-old KK has asked people to pray for him, according to a statement issued Monday by one of his aides. The...
Mozambique: Spike in COVID-19 Cases and Deaths
MAPUTO, 15 June 2021 – Public health officials in Mozambique are on high alert as COVID-19 cases spike and fatalities from the pandemic rise. Over the last fortnight, the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the country have risen to 773 from 442 cases over the...
Egypt: First Locally-Made COVID-19 Vaccines
CAIRO, 14 June 2021 - Egypt will this week begin producing its first packs of locally manufactured Sinovac new coronavirus vaccine. The expected rollout of the vaccines was announced by Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly. Egypt received its first shipment of...
Kenya: Resumption of Flights to Somalia
NAIROBI, 14 June 2021 – The ban on direct flights from Kenya to Somalia and vice-versa has been lifted, less than a month since it was imposed. In announcing the move, Kenya’s foreign minister said he hopes it will lead to full normalization of diplomatic relations...
Ethiopia: Elections Postponed in Two Federal States
ADDIS ABABA, 14 June 2021 – Elections have been postponed until next September in two of Ethiopia’s federal states, the electoral board has confirmed. The two states are Somali and Harari. "For some constituencies, the election will be done in a second-round on 6...
Uganda: Record COVID-19 Cases and Deaths
KAMPALA, 14 June 2021 - Uganda has established a new record in the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths confirmed per day in the East African nation. A total of 1,438 out of 8,478 people tested positive for the virus in tests conducted last June 8, according to...
South Africa: Sale of Stake in South African Airways
JOHANNESBURG, 14 June 2021 – The government of South Africa is proceeding with a plan to sell a 51 percent stake in the country’s national airliner. The Takatso Consortium, which is taking up the stake, will pay $220 million for it, according to South Africa’s Public...
Burundi: Muslim Leaders Agree to Stop Noisy Service
BUJUMBURA, 13 June 2021 – A call for religious leaders not to hold noisy worship sessions has irked some in the Muslim community in Burundi. Other Muslim leaders have distanced themselves from a fellow Muslim cleric, Ndikumana Rashid, who criticized Burundian...
Zimbabwe: Woman Sues Police Seeking $3 Million
HARARE, 13 June 2021 - A 63-year-old Zimbabwean woman is suing the police boss and home affairs minister for police allegedly assaulting her. Lydia Chapalapata is demanding $3 million in compensation for injuries she sustained and treatment she received after being...
Nigeria: U.S. Condemns Twitter Ban
WASHINGTON, DC, 13 June 2021 – The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has condemned the Nigerian government for its ban on Twitter. The order has no place in a democracy, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department Ned Price told reporters on Thursday. Price...
Ethiopia: Addis Denies Reports of Famine
ADDIS ABABA, 12 June 2021 - The government of Ethiopia has denied reports by the United Nations that famine looms in the country’s northern regions, especially in Tigray. Addis Ababa has said the claims of hundreds of thousands of people living in famine conditions is...
Algeria: Early Legislative Elections Underway
ALGIERS, 12 June 2021 – Algerians are casting votes Saturday in parliamentary elections boycotted by the main opposition and the Hirak protest movement. Critics say the early elections are really meant to grant a semblance of democracy to a regime that is the civilian...
Ghana: Planting Five Million Trees
ACCRA, 11 June 2021 – Ghana on Friday embarked on an ambitious operation to plant five million trees in a single day, local media coverage said on Friday. All Ghanaians citizens were invited during long weeks of campaigns to take part in planting at least one tree as...
South Africa-Lesotho: Diplomats Asked to Leave
PRETORIA, 11 June 2021 - Several diplomats from Lesotho have been given 72 hours to leave South Africa over allegations of the illegal sale of duty-free alcohol. The diplomats have “abused their diplomatic privileges”, South African authorities said in a statement...
Mozambique: Safety of Civilians a Big Concern
MAPUTO, 11 June 2021 - The United Nations is deeply concerned over the insecurity and violence on civilians in northern Mozambique by jihadists militants. The northern province of Cabo Delgado continues to witness widespread acts of violence, with local people telling...
Nambia: Hospitals Overwhelmed by COVID-19 Cases
WINDHOEK, 10 June 2021 – Hospitals in Namibia are overwhelmed by high numbers of new coronavirus infections and deaths from the virus. Over the last seven days, 91 people have died from the pandemic, according to data maintained by the country’s health ministry. Our...
Egypt: Ramses III Linked to Saudi Peninsula
CAIRO, 11 June 2021 - Archaeologist are planning an excavation project in Saudi Arabia to determine the connections of Pharaoh Ramses III with the Arabian Peninsula. World renown Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass will lead the project initiated after several...
Ethiopia-Djibouti: Chinese-built Rail Earns $29 Million
ADDIS ABABA, 11 June 2021 – A 752.7 km Chinese-built railway line linking Ethiopia to Djibouti has brought in $29 million over the last nine months. The funds were earned from 1.35 million tons of cargo and 15,480 passengers that were transported over the period,...
Egypt: TikTok Girls Get Three Years in Jail
CAIRO, 11 June 2021 - A court in Cairo, Egypt, has sentenced a female TikTok influencer to three years in prison for "violating society's values and principles". The TikToker, Minatullah Emad, known as Renad Emad, was arrested in July 2020 at a café in Cairo’s Dokki...
Djibouti: UN Condemns the Rendition of Refugees
DJIBOUTI CITY, 11 June 2021 - The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the ‘breach of international law after Djiboutian authorities returned refugees to Ethiopia. Three individuals from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region who arrived Djibouti seeking...
Chad: Calls for Sovereign National Conference
N’DJAMENA, 11 June 2021 - Twenty prominent Chadians, including former ministers, former presidential advisers, and parliamentarians have called for a sovereign national conference. The appeal they signed calls for what they call a "sincere inclusive and sovereign...
Libya-Algeria: Boosting Trade Volume to $3 Billion
TRIPOLI, 11 June 2021 - Libya and Algeria project their bilateral trade hitting $3 billion annually in the near future, officials of both countries have said. At a Libyan Arab Forum, Algerian Trade Minister Kamel Rezig called for the removal of all barriers to...
Algeria: Parliamentary Election Campaigns End
ALGIERS, 10 June 2021 – Campaigns officially closed Wednesday ahead of early parliamentary elections in Algeria next Saturday, June 12. Algeria’s main opposition political parties and the Hirak movement have called for a boycott of the ballot. Pro-governmment parties...
Guinea: Dissident Gets Three Years in Jail
CONAKRY, 10 June 2021 - A court in Guinea has sentenced an opposition activist to three years in prison for organizing protests against President Alpha Conde. Oumar Sylla, known as Foniké Mengue, was found guilty of illegal assembly and spreading false information....
CAR: Prime Minister and Government Resign
BANGUI, 10 June 2021 – The prime minister of the Central African Republic (CAR), Firmin Ngrebda, has announced on Twitter that he and his government have resigned. Ngrebad may be asked to stay in the role and form a new government, the French News Agency (AFP)...
Cote d’Ivoire: Anti-Terror Academy Opens
ABIDJAN, 10 June 2021 - An international academy dedicated to training troops to combat terrorism has opened its doors in the outskirts of Abidjan. The center, located about 50 miles outside of the country’s economic capital, Abidjan, was inaugurated in the presence...
Kenya-South Africa: U.S. Eases Travel Restrictions
WASHINGTON, DC, 10 June 2021 - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has eased travel advisories for Kenya and South Africa. The U.S. State Department has downgraded Kenya’s travel advisory to Level Two, from Level Four, allowing American citizens...
Eritrea-Somalia-Ethiopia: No Somali Troops in Tigray
ASMARA, 10 June 2021 - Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Meskel has missed allegations that Somali troops fought in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Meskel; was reacting to claims that Eritrean troops fought alongside Somali soldeiers and Ethiopa to oust the...
South Africa: Cutting Red Tape to Ramp Up Electricity
PRETORIA, 10 June 2021 - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said his government will allow private power companies to generate more electricity without red tape. The announcement of the energy sector shake-up comes as South Africa faces rolling blackouts. For...
Ethiopia: Death from Famine Knocking on Doors
ADDIS ABABA, 10 June 2021 - There is famine in northern parts of Ethiopia, the United Nations humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, said Thursday. "There is famine now,” Lowcock said, adding: “This is going to get a lot worse”. UN-backed research into the situation in the...
Nigeria: Donald Trump Applauds Twitter Ban
MAIMI, 9 June 2021 - Former United States President Donald John Trump has praised the decision by the Nigerian government to ban Twitter. "Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their president," Trump said in a...
South Africa: South African Gives Birth to Decuplets
PRETORIA, 9 June 2021 - A South African has given birth to decuplets (ten babies), establishing a new world record of the highest number of children in a single birth. Pretoria News confirmed the births on Wednesday, citing the husband of the woman, 37-year-old...
Kenya: Allegations “Water Vaccines” being Administered
NAIROBI, 9 June 2021 – Media outlets in Kenya have printed allegations that some healthcare workers are administering fake COVID-19 vaccines and getting paid for it. The mass vaccination program against COVID-19 of the East African nation of 54 million inhabitants is...
Uganda: Shortages Halt Mass Vaccinations
KAMPALA, 9 June 2021 - Uganda has suspended mass vaccination against COVID-19 as the nation awaits to receive more vaccines from different sources, officials said Tuesday. "For now mass vaccination is suspended as we wait to receive more vaccines," the New China News...
Mali: Opposition Leader Named Prime Minister
BAMAKO, 9 June 2021 – The new junta leader of Mali, Col. Assimi Goita, who was sworn in as president Monday, has named an opposition leader as prime minister. The newly-appointed prime minister, Choguel Maïga, leads the coalition which spearheaded protests against...
Nigeria: Negotiations Underway after Twitter Ban
ABUJA, 9 June 2021 - Nigerian authorities say they are in negotiations with Twitter after the micro-blogging giant was suspended in Africa’s most populous nation. Nigerian foreign minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, said Abuja is waiting to see how negotiations, held in...
DR Congo-Rwanda:Residents Returning After Eruption
GOMA, 8 June 2021 – Residents of districts near Mount Nyiragongo are returning to normal life after last month’s eruption in which 32 people were killed. The prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde has invited residents...
DR Congo: Artist Nkanu Assaulted in France
PARIS, 8 June 2021 – Congolese songwriter and singer, Aime Nkanu, has reported an attack on his person to French police, calling it a hate crime. The artist has shared photos of himself on his Facebook page, showing his swollen forehead, with cuts to some areas of his...
Nigeria: Boko Haram Leader Committed Suicide
ABUJA, 8 June 2021 – The leader of the jihadist militant group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has killed himself, a rival group has said in an audio recording. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) said Shekau died detonating explosives on himself after a...
Tanzania: Petition Wants Platnumz Off BET Awards
DAR ES SALAAM, 8 June 2021 – An online petition asking that a Tanzanian music star be dropped from the BET Music Awards has garnered over 20,000 signatures. Diamond Platnumz was recently nominated alongside Nigerian stars, Burna Boy and Wizkid, in the Best...
Burkina Faso: All Artisanal Mines to be Closed
OUAGADOUGOU, 8 June 2021 – All artisanal mines have been ordered closed in Burkina Faso’s northern Sahel province, after a series of recent attacks left at least 174 people dead. Authorities in the capital, Ouagadougou, said the order was coming into force at midnight...
The Cameroons: U.S. Announces Visa Restrictions
WASHINGTON, DC, 7 June 2021 – The U.S. has announced visa restrictions against individuals who are preventing the peaceful resolution of the war in The Cameroons. "I am establishing a policy imposing visa restrictions on individuals who are believed to be responsible...
Sudan: Nearly 40 People Killed in Ethnic Clashes
KHARTOUM, 7 June 2021 – Nearly 40 people have been killed and dozens injured in fresh ethnic clashes in Um Dafuq, in the state of South Darfur. State media which gave the death toll Monday did not explain what sparked this latest round of ethnic violence. The fighting...
Somaliland: Opposition Wins Parliamentary Elections
HARGEISA, 7 June 2021 – Somaliland’s two biggest opposition political parties have won a majority of seats in last week’s parliamentary elections. The opposition Somaliland National Party (WADDANI) and the opposition Justice and Welfare Party (UCID) won a combined 52...
Zambia: Police Denies Firing at Opposition Leader’s Convoy
LUSAKA, 7 June 2021 – Zambian police has denied reports that police officers fired on a convoy in which an opposition presidential candidate was traveling. Media reported Sunday that police had opened fire on the convoy of presidential wannabe Hakainde Hitchilema as...
Eswatini: Students Protest Alleged Police Brutality
MBABANE, 7 June 2021 - Students in Eswatini have been demonstrating outside the country’s capital, demanding justice for a young man allegedly shot dead by police. The body of the victim, identified as Thabani Nkomonye, was found in the outskirts of Manzini, one of...
Libya: Two Killed Five Injured in Blast
SABHA, 7 June 2021 – Two Libyan security officers were killed in a blast at a checkpoint on Sunday in which five other security officers were injured. The attack occurred in the southern Libyan city of Sabha. A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at the checkpoint,...
Mali: Junta Leader Sworn-in as President
BAMAKO, 7 June 2021 – The new leader of the junta in Mali has been sworn in as president at a ceremony Monday in the capital, Bamako. The event was a formality for Colonel Assimi Goita who declared himself president a fortnight ago after forcing the transitional...
Uganda: Schools Closed as COVID Cases Spike
KAMPALA, 7 June 2021 – Schools have been shutdown in Uganda and all public gatherings suspended for a period of 42 days as the country faces a surge in COVID-19 cases. Nine people were reported dead and 1,259 new coronavirus cases were confirmed on Sunday, the most...
Burkina Faso: Death Toll in Attacks Rises to 174
OUAGADOUGOU, 6 June 2021 – The death toll in attacks on civilians in two villages in northern Burkina Faso on Friday night has risen to 174. Over the last 24 hours, the death toll has risen by 41 more civilian deaths. The two attacks hit Solhan village, situated in...
Burkina Faso: Gunmen Killed 132 Civilians
OUAGADOUGOU, 6 June 2021 – A total of 132 civilians have been confirmed killed following two Friday night attacks on two villages in northern Burkina Faso. The latest death toll has been updated to include 16 other victims who were not counted when the government of...
Nigeria: Televangelist TB Joshua Dies at 57
LAGOS, 6 June 2021 – Leading Nigerian televangelist and self-proclaimed prophet, TB Joshua, has died of an undisclosed illness. He was 57. "God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home,” a posting Sunday on the Facebook page of his church read in part. "His last...
Algeria: U.S. Offers $7m to Capture al-Qaeda Leader
WASHINGTON, DC, 5 June 2021 – The U.S. State Department has offered a reward of $7 million for information leading to the capture of an Algerian-born al-Qaeda leader. Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi took over last November as the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb...
Ghana: Nine Killed in a Flooded Mine
GBANE, 5 June 2021 – At least 12 miners have been confirmed killed in a mine that was flooded in a downpour in the northeastern Ghanaian town of Gbane. A search and rescue team recovered the nine bodies after pumping water out of the pit. Rescue workers said the risks...
Sudan: Seeking Justice for 128 Civilians Massacred
KHARTOUM, 4 June 2021 – Rights groups in Sudan continue to demand justice for over 100 people massacred during street protests in June 2019. Protesters whose mobilization in massive street demonstrations led to the fall of Sudan’s former tyrant Omar al-Bashir...
Mauritius: State Funeral for Jugnauth
PORT LOUIS, 5 June 2021 – A state funeral has been held for the former prime minister and former president of Mauritius, Sir Anerood Jugnauth. The ceremony, rich in protocol, held Saturday in the capital, Port Louis, to memorialize the leader who died Thursday at the...
Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill at least 114 Civilians
OUAGADOUGOU, 5 June 2021 – At least 114 civilians have been killed in a Friday night attack on Solhan village in the northern part of Burkina Faso. Assailants arrived the village, situated in Yagha province, near the eastern border with Niger, riding on motorbikes,...
Ghana: Calls for Release of LGBT+ Activists
ACCRA, 4 June 2021 – Rights groups have called for the immediate release of 21 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and gender-diverse (LGBT+) activists detained in the Ghanaian town of Ho. On Friday, a group of United Nations human rights experts expressed "deep" concern...
Egypt: Six Teenage Girls Killed in Fire
CAIRO, 4 June 2021 – Six teenage girls and no fewer than 19 other people have been injured in a fire accident at a facility for juvenile offenders in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. An electrical fault in one of the cells at the facility situated in the Al-Marg district...
Ethiopia: UN Fears Repeat of 1984 Famine
GENEVA, 4 June 2021 - The United Nations has warned of a repeat of Ethiopia's devastating 1984 famine in which millions of people were killed. Close to eight million Ethiopians lived in famine in 1984 and up to one million starved to death, according to United Nations...
South Sudan: UN Commits to Prevent Relapse into War
JUBA, 4 June 2021 – The UN head of mission to South Sudan says the peacekeepers in the war-torn country will do more to guarantee the success of the peace process. Nicholas Hayson said UNMISS, as the mission is known, will do everything to offer more protection for...
Mauritius: Establishing a Presence in Space
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, 4 June 2021 – Mauritius will have a small satellite in space after one traveled Thursday in a rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. Scientists at the Mauritian Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) in Ebene, Mauritius, will be in...
Nigeria: Zamfara Facing a Humanitarian Crisis
ABUJA, 4 June 2021 - Escalating and persistent violence in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara is now causing a humanitarian crisis, an international medical charity has warned. On Friday Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) also known as Doctors Without Borders...
South Africa: Millions Face Power Rationing
JOHANNESBURG., 4 June 2021 – Millions of South Africans are facing massive power outage as the utility ESKOM rations power to prevent vital services from shutting down. Poor and old infrastructure is to blame for the power rationing, the country’s utility boss, Andre...
Kenya: Nurses Sacked for Partying as Woman Died
NAIROBI, 4 June 2021 – Kenya’s health ministry has sacked two healthcare workers for reportedly partying as a women died while seeking treatment. The 58-year-old woman died while waiting to be attended to by Laikipia county medical staff who were attending a...
Rwanda: Banyamulenge Activist Dies in Suspected Suicide
KIGALI, 4 June 2021 - A campaigner against threats to Banyamulenge people living in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), has died in a suspected suicide. Bukuru Ntwari died after falling from a commercial building in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, according to...
Nigeria: Twitter Off in Nigeria
ABUJA, 4 June 2021 - Twitter has been indefinitely suspended from operating in Nigeria, the country’s government announced Friday. Offering a justification for its decision to suspend the micro-blogging site, the Nigerian government cited the "persistent use of the...
Ethiopia: Troops from Eritrea Begin Withdrawal
ADDIS ABABA, 4 June 2021 – Ethiopian authorities say troops from neighboring Eritrea have started withdrawing from the Horn of Africa nation. Asmara sent troops into the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray to fight alongside Ethiopian federal troops against soldiers...
Sudan: Reviewing Russian Plan to Build Naval Base
KHARTOUM, 3 June 2021 – Sudanese authorities say they were reviewing an agreement signed with Russia to allow the latter build a naval base in the country. Under the deal, Russai would build a naval base in Port Sudan, situated on the country’s Red Sea coast. Sudanese...
Algeria: France Asked to Apologize for Genocide
ALGIERS, 3 June 2021 – Algerian President Abdelamdjid Tebboune has urged France to fully recognize and apologize for atrocity crimes committed as part of the colonization of his country. Paris should do this in the “form of apology”, Tebboune told the French magazine...
Mauritius: Former President Jugnauth Dies at 91
PORT LOUIS, 3 June 2021 - The former president of Mauritius, also a former prime minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, has died, the state broadcaster announced Thursday. He was 91. No details have been provided about the cause of death, but reporting on his passing...
South Africa: Interpol Asked to Arrest Some Guptas
JOHANNESBURG, 3 June 2021 – Judicial authorities in South Africa have asked INTERPOL to arrest and extradite some members of the Gupta family to face trial on corruption charges. South Africa is interested in the arrest, detention and extradition to South Africa of...
Kenya: No Fees for Tanzanian Processed Foods
NAIROBI, 3 June 2021 – Kenyan revenue officials are no longer collecting fees for the inspection of processed foods imported from neighboring Tanzania. The move is one in a series of actions agreed during talks held between delegations of the two countries meeting in...
Burundi-Kenya: MoUs to Expand Trade on Madaraka Day
KISUMU, 2 June 2021 – Burundi and Kenya have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that would deepen trade, facilitate better relations and collaborative efforts. Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye and First Lady Angeline were guests of honor, Tuesday at the...
Mali: France Backs ECOWAS Transition Efforts
PARIS, 2 June 2021 – The French foreign ministry has reiterated France’s condemnation of the coup in Mali and called for strict adherence to the country’s transition timetable. "France shares the absolute priority given by the Economic Community of West African States...
Nigeria: 136 Abducted Students Still in Captivity
TEGINA, 2 June 2021 - Some 136 students remain missing from an Islamic school in Nigeria where suspected jihadist militants abducted students on Sunday. Abubakar Alhassan, the head teacher of the school in the town of Tegina in the western Nigerian state of Niger...
Angola: Security Chief Sacked
LAUNDA, 2 June 2021 – Angolan President Joao Lourenco has sacked the country’s head of security, Pedro Sebasiao, giving no reason for the firing. Lourenco also fired the country’s defense secretary and the head of military intelligence. The sackings come weeks after a...
Ethiopia: Tigray in Urgent Need of Food
ADDIS ABABA, 2 June 2021 - More than 90 percent of people in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray are in dire need of emergency food aid, the UN food agency says. "A total of 5.2 million people, 91 percent of Tigray’s population, need emergency food assistance due to...
Rwanda: Trial Resumes for Genocide Suspect Kabuga
THE HAGUE, 1 June 2021 - Top genocide suspect, Felicien Kabuga, who was arrested in France in May 2020, appeared Tuesday at The Hague at the resumption of his trial. Kabuga, who was transferred from France last October 26, pleaded not guilty in the case which is...
DR Congo: 500,000 Without Water after Eruption
GOMA, 1 June 2021 - Nearly half a million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) are without clean drinking water after a volcano erupted, an international charity has warned. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says there is an urgent need to provide people...
West Africa: 30 Million Starve While Pets are Fed
LONDON, 1 June 2021 - Exports of fish meal and fish oil from West Africa are depriving more than 30 million people a year of food, rights groups have warned. Greenpeace Africa and Changing Markets, an NGO based in The Netherlands have urged West African governments...
Uganda: Musveni Vows to Defeat Criminals
KAMPALA, 1 June 2021 - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to defeat the criminals who injured a former army commander, killing his daughter and driver-bodyguard. The Ugandan state house has not officially referred to the attack as an assassination attempt. A...
Ethiopia: PM Denies He’d Rather Die than Quit
ADDIS ABABA, 1 June 2021 - A recording purportedly of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been disowned by his office, which on Tuesday called it fake. The audio clip published by the U.S.-based Kello Media has a voice presented as Abiy Ahmed saying he would...
SADR-Western Sahara: Spain Won’t Arrest Polisario Head
MADRID, 1 June 2021 - A judge in the Spanish city of Madrid has denied a request by prosecutors to detain the leader of Polisario or Western Sahara. Brahim Ghali, the leader of Western Sahara occupied by Morocco, has been receiving medical attention in Spain after...
South Sudan: Juba Decries UN Sanctions
JUBA, 1 June 2021 – The government of South Sudan says the renewal of sanctions against Africa’s youngest nation undermines the progress it is making towards peace. The sanctions will undermine implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and will negatively...
Uganda: Two Killed in Minister’s Assassination Attempt
KAMPALA, 1 June 2021 – The bodyguard and daughter of a Ugandan minister has been killed in an assassination attempt on the minister’s life, news reports said Tuesday. Katumba Wamala, who is minister of works and transport and a former Ugandan armhy general, cheated...
Rwanda: AfDB Provides $84 Million for Electricity
ABIDJAN, 1 June 2021 - The African Development Bank Group on Monday approved $84.22 million in loans and grants for an electricity project in Rwanda. "The project will advance the country’s goal of universal electrification and benefit small businesses and youth,”...
South Sudan: Humanitarian Crisis Could Worsen
JUBA, 31 MAY 2021 - Fears have grown that the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan could worsen with the United Kingdom (UK) cutting aid by around 30 percent. The UK is South Sudan’s second biggest donor of emergency food and its cut in food assistance comes at a time...
Africa: Three Artists Nominated for BET Awards
NEW YORK, 31 May 2021 - Three African artists - two from Nigeria and one from Tanzania - are among those nominated for this year’s American BET Awards. One of the three – Nigerian-born Burna Boy – was already crowned winner of the international category last year. The...
Ghana: Defense for Burning Illegal Mining Gear
ACCRA, 31 MAY 2021 - Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo has defended the action of his law enforcement agencies who burnt down mining equipment at illegal mining sites. The owners of the equipment can to to court, Nana Akufo Addo has said. Aggrieved mining companies...
DR Congo: Over 400000 Flee Nyiragongo Eruption
GOMA, 31 May 2021 – No fewer than 400,000 people have fled the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, according to the United Nations. Goma city in eastern DR Congo was evacuated Thursday and Friday under orders from the country’s officials, worried lava flows into...
EAC: Cross-Border Maize Trade Still Blocked
ARUSHA, 30 May 2021 – Tanzanian maize exporters are facing new obstacles meeting quality control guidelines to get their goods into the Kenyan market. Dozens of lorries ferrying maize from Tanzania to Kenya are stranded at Namanga, considered the busiest border post...
Kenya: Halt to AstraZeneca Vaccines
NAIROBI, 30 May 2021 – Kenyan public health officials have instructed hospitals to stop giving first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. Kenyan authorities say they will be using other vaccines to vaccinate the rest of its population. A shipment...
Uganda: Hundreds Queuing for Vaccination
KAMPALA, 30 May 2021 - Hundreds of people are queuing at health ministry offices to get vaccinated as Uganda enters its second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The second wave has reach full-blown pandemic level within less than ten days, according to Uganda’s Director...
Uganda-DR Congo: Road Deals Sealed
ENTEBBE, 29 May 2021 – Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have sealed road construction deals in an effort to boost bilateral trade. The deal, known as the Inter–Governmental Agreement (IGA), covers three roads stretching a total 223 kilometers....
Sierra Leone: Citizenship for DNA-Linked Diaspora
FREETOWN, 29 May 2021 - The government of Sierra Leone is offering citizenship to people in the Diaspora who trace their roots back to the west African nation. Authorities in the capital, Freetown, say they have partnered with genealogy service AfricanAncestry.com to...
Zambia: Making Life in Prison More Humane
LUSAKA, 29 May 2021 – The Zambian government is launching a new program whose goal is to make life-time imprisonments more humane. Under the program, life-time prison inmates in the country will be able to enjoy a two-week break to visit their families if they are...
Somalia: Four Killed in IED Attack
BAIDOA, 29 May 2021 – Four people have been killed and seven others injured in an explosion at a busy market in the town of Baidoa, southwestern Somalia. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Somali state media reports. Authorities in the...
Kenya: Ship Blocking Port of Mombasa
MOMBASA, 28 May 2021 - A giant ship - over 200 meters long – is blocking maritime and ferry traffic to and from the Port of Mombasa. The ship developed technical problems while sailing through the waterway. Official say the ship had just left the Base Titanium berth,...
South Sudan: Juba Reassures Ethiopia
JUBA, 28 May 2021 – South Sudanese authorities have said they will not tolerate groups or individuals using the country to destabilize neighboring Ethiopia. The world’s youngest country won’t harbor or cooperate with countries or individuals that are seen as working...
Tanzania: No Longer Leaving the African Court
DODOMA, 28 May 2021 - Tanzanian authorities have signaled their intent to reverse an earlier decision committing to withdraw from the African Court of Human and People’s Rights. The administration of late President John Pombe Magufuli announced plans to withdraw....
Namibia: Germany Admits Colonial-Time Genocide
WINDHOEK, 28 May 2021 – Germany on Friday formally recognized that atrocity crimes committed by its troops in present-day Namibia constitute genocide. German colonialists wiped out over 80 percent of the Nama and Herero people of Namibia during those campaigns between...
Mali: America Stops Military Cooperation
WASHINGTON, DC, 27 May 2021 - The United States has halted security assistance to Mali following the ouster of the country’s interim leaders in a second coup in under nine months. "We are now suspending all security assistance that benefits the Malian Security and...
Rwanda: Macron Asks for Forgiveness on Genocide
KIGALI, 27 May 2021 – France's President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday asked for forgiveness for the role of his country in the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. "I hereby humbly and with respect stand by your side today, I come to recognize the extent of our responsibilities,"...
Mali: Assimi Goita Declares Himself President
BAMAKO, 27 May 2021 - The leader of the former junta in Mali, Col Assimi Goïta, has declared himself the country's transitional president. Soldiers under his command arrested, detained, and stipped the country’s interim president, Bah Ndaw, and Moctar Ouane, his prime...
Uganda: Former Ally Urges Museveni to Resign
KAMPALA, 27 May 2021 - Another former ally of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has pleaded with him to step down peacefully. Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, a former presidential candidate and former minister in one of Museveni’s Cabinet, called on the long-serving Ugandan...
Tanzania: Finalizing Plans to Ratify AfCFTA
DAR ES SALAAM, 27 May 2021 – Tanzanian authorities have pledged to ratify the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) between June and October 2021. The country’s cabinet is expected to endorse AfCFTA prior to its presentation for debate, adoption, and...
South Sudan: UN Backs Constitution-Making
JUBA, 27 May 2021 – South Sudan has embarked on the process of writing a new constitution, a prerequisite for ahead of the holding of free and fair elections. South Sudanese stakeholders are gathered in the capital, Juba for a workshop on drafting the constitution....
