International

World-renowned infectious disease doctor, anthropologist, global health advocate, and author leaves large legacy. Partners In Health announced that its founder, Dr. Paul Farmer, unexpectedly passed away today in Rwanda from an acute cardiac event while he was sleeping. Dr. Farmer was 62 years old. He is survived by his wife, Didi Bertrand Farmer, and their…

Abuja — Nigerian track star, Blessing Okagbare will head to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), to challenge the 10-year ban slammed on her over the weekend by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), for out of competition doping violations. The sprinter’s counsel, Chinedu Udora disclosed this yesterday while speaking on THISDAYLIVE, an interview segment…

Internal displacement, regional instability, and climate change have created a refugee crisis in Niger, but an initiative in the town of Ouallam is showing how different communities can work together to survive, and improve the local environment. In the dusty plains outside Ouallam, a town some 100 kilometres north of Niger’s capital Niamey, verdant rows…

Concerted efforts to eradicate corruption within civil society and state departments yielded positive results during an integrated joint court-driven operation involving various departments, including SAPS specialised units such as, Cyber Crime, Crime Intelligence and Provincial Commercial Crime Investigations as well as the Department of Transport, Western Cape, yesterday, 18 February 2022. SAPS Operation Vura, which…

Thirteen Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists, who were arrested in Harare’s central business district (CBD) Friday, were severely assaulted by suspected State security agents while in custody, the Harare Magistrates Court has heard. They appeared before magistrate Yeukai Dzuda facing charges of inciting public violence. Dzuda remanded them in custody to Tuesday for bail…

Nairobi — President Uhuru Kenyatta has condoled with the family, relatives and friends of Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Dr Wilfred Gisuka Machage who died on Saturday afternoon. Dr Machage, a two-term Kuria East MP, Migori Senator and former Cabinet Minister, is reported to have collapsed and died suddenly at his home in Abuja, Nigeria.…

GOVERNMENT has claimed that school teachers have started returning to work and expects everyone back by the time its ultimatum forcing them to end their strike lapses on Tuesday next week. Teachers have refused to get back to work, maintaining they can only do so after government meets their demands of a monthly salary of…

The Roads Authority promises that the cut off M005 Road between Salima and Golomoti will be opened by end of Friday as a contractor is already on site reinstating Lifidzi Bridge, whose approach was washed away by heavy flow of rain water. The public is thus advised to use the M001 Road as an alternative.…

The Gauteng Department of Health has taken over the reconstruction of the hospital from the provincial Department of Infrastructure Development Charlotte Maxeke Hospital was forced to close on 16 April after a fire. There has been widespread criticism of the provincial government’s failure to get the facility fully operational again. We spoke to health workers…

Nairobi — Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid got a boost today after the National Rainbow Coalition and the Muungano parties endorsed him during their National Delegate Conventions held today. Speaking during the joint exercise, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu and her Makueni counterpart Kivutha Kibwana stated that their parties will not field…

Government is shifting to a site-and-service model rather than building houses On 10 February, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation, delivering an almost two-hour-long State of the Nation Address (SONA). However, throughout the President’s address, not a word was said about the far-reaching changes in housing policy that are afoot. In November 2020, former Minister…

The strike entered its ninth day on Thursday with negotiations between union members and management still ongoing Hundreds of workers at the University of Pretoria have been protesting for wage increases and better working conditions. The strike entered its ninth day on Thursday. Workers, who were in-sourced in 2016, are demanding a R3,000 wage increase…

A screenshot circulating on Facebook since late January 2022 claims that Nigerian presidential aspirant Bola Tinubu is only seven years older than his first daughter, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo. “Tinubu’s First Daughter Folashade Tinubu is 62 years old while the father is 69, mathematically, Tinubu was 7 years old when he had his first daughter. This is…

The South African Post Office (Sapo) partnership with non-profit organisation Nal’ibali now makes it possible for children, reading clubs, schools and libraries to collect free reading material from 508 branches throughout the country. A year ago, the reading supplements were available at only 46 post offices. This increase has been made possible by the partnership…

This is the year to take real action on disability rights in Africa, starting by ratifying the ADP. This week, the governments of Ghana and Norway are co-hosting the second ever Global Disability Summit. On 16-17 February, the gathering will aim to address the needs of the more than 1 billion people with disabilities around…

The ubiquitous motorcycle taxis are back. So are the problems associated with an unregulated and neglected sector, but they can be solved. In Kampala, boda bodas can be found on every street, shooting between police cruisers and NGO vehicles stuck in never-ending traffic jams. Anyone who has been to Uganda’s capital knows these ubiquitous motorcycle…

Trade minister Lucia Iipumbu said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the roots of many economies around the globe and would play the same role in Namibia if supported and developed. She said these small businesses could eventually grow into larger enterprises that would contribute greatly to the country’s gross domestic product. Iipumbu made…

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said Ghana is implementing a strategic plan to deal with illegal, unregulated and marine litter on its seas and fully supports a vigorous global treaties to combat plastic pollution and illegal marine activities on the high seas. President Akufo-Addo said in Ghana, illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities had…

Khartoum — The Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council and General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, has pledged that the SAF will leave all political frameworks if a national consensus is reached through elections. In an interview on Sudan’s National TV on Saturday, El Burhan said that he does…

Khartoum — A high-level delegation of the African Union, led by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Bankole Adeoye, and the Director of the Chamber of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mohamed Elhassan Ould Lebat, has arrived in Khartoum, to…

President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday joined his counterparts from Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazaville, and Togo to discuss among others coups and security in Africa. The mini-summit held in the Republic of Congo’s Oyo town in the Cuvette region was organized by President Denis Sassou Nguesso. According to a joint communique, the four leaders…

The Federal Government had in January lifted the suspension of Twitter’s operation in Nigeria. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over “the failure to publish copy of the agreement the Federal Government recently signed with Twitter, Inc, and the failure to publish the details of the…

Kenya’s Energy sector is largely to blame for greenhouse gas emissions The major shift is now being witnessed with most of the industries investing in clean energy The Bamburi Cement power project is expected to take off within this year The Kenyan energy sector is grappling with transiting to clean power as the country cannot…

South African artist Molemo ‘Jub Jub’ Maarohanye has finally apologised to his ex girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo after slandering her in an interview with Mac G in December last year. In a Podcast and Chill with Mac G episode that aired in 2021 Jub Jub accused Kelly Khumalo whom he shares a son with, of using…

On Monday 24 January 2022, Tropical Storm Ana made landfall in Malawi, directly affecting around 945,000 people, killing 45 leaving tens of thousands with no access to food or clean water. In response, the President declared a State of National Disaster just two days later. Tropical Storm Ana is the third major storm to have…

Addis Ababa — The critical need to invest in Africa’s transport and tourism sectors was the focus of a high-level meeting convened this week in Addis Ababa by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The gathering of senior business leaders, executives and head of governments – the fifth edition of the African Business…

El Fasher — Two people were killed and eight were wounded, with three of whom are in critical condition, after an attack by armed men on Tuesday, on the village of Gura Farjawiya in North Darfur. The activist Adam Juma told Radio Dabanga that a group of armed militiamen on board a truck and a…

Geneva — World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has fought hard for vaccine equity in the battle against COVID-19. On Friday, a visit to an mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa will add a piece to the jigsaw puzzle which has to be built to achieve that. Tedros will join Belgium’s Minister…

A U.S. doctor turned businessman is opening a new vaccine plant in South Africa that will produce the first COVID-19 vaccines manufactured entirely in Africa. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who immigrated to the United States from South Africa, held an opening ceremony for the Nant SA facility in Cape Town, South Africa, January 19. The plant…

The recent wave of coups in West Africa reflects both a generational divide and a history of military involvement in African politics. The recent spate of coups in West Africa has unsurprisingly drawn the attention of African leaders. Following the failed takeover in Guinea-Bissau, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summoned a one-day…

IN a first of its kind gesture, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday took her mission to empower women and girls through open learning to Matabeleland North Province where Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) deans of faculty unpacked the various courses being offered and what they involve. The courses are offered for free by ZOU through its…

ROYAL Group of Schools of Budiriro in Harare appeared in court along with other private schools that had been operating in Harare without licences from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The school, which was being represented by Charlotte Musadaidzwa, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with establishing and maintaining an unregistered school.…

While South Africa has recorded a 24% decrease in rhino poaching compared to the pre-COVID period in 2019, there has been an increase in poaching on private properties. In a statement on Tuesday, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, said a total of 451 rhino were poached in South Africa last year,…

Despite logistical challenges associated with preparing for the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA), National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula says Parliament is ready to host the event on Thursday. For the first time in South African history, the SONA will be delivered outside the Parliament precinct, after the building was gutted in a fire…

Maputo — A terrorist group on Saturday beheaded four people in the Bengala 2 village, a few kilometres from Macomia town, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, according to a report on the “Voice of America” radio station, cited in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”. Among the victims of the jihadists…

Maputo — The Mozambican Ministry of Education on Monday threatened to hold criminally accountable any public school managers who prevent children from attending classes, because their parents have not yet paid the supplementary fees some schools charge to pay for security guards. Addressing a Maputo press conference, the ministry’s spokesperson, Gina Guibunda, said there is…

‘MISERY AND MAGIC FUEL MAYHEM IN CAFUNFO’: A new book from Angolan journalist and human rights defender Rafael Marques reveals why a supposedly ‘peaceful protest’ in a diamond-rich but dirt-poor north-eastern town erupted into bloody violence and shocked the nation. Amid public outrage, there were claims that the security forces had used excessive force against…

The tropical storm struck Madagascar’s eastern coast at full force, killing at least six people. Several towns have experienced widespread damage and flooding, according to reports. At least six people were killed after Cyclone Batsirai made landfall on Madagascar’s coast, the disaster management agency said Sunday. Packing winds of 235 km/h (155mph), the cyclone struck…

Fostering cooperation among African countries will improve the lives of people and overcome the pressure of external forces, social science experts said. The experts told local media that as Africa remains only the sole supplier of raw materials to the developed world and cannot utilize its resources properly, it cannot avail health, education and other…

The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education visited several schools in the Frances Baard Education District in Kimberley today, where it wrapped up its week-long oversight visit to the Northern Cape Province to assess readiness of schools for the 2022 academic year. The committee has visited schools in four provinces since the start of the 2022…

ADDIS ABABA- The peaceful and colorful happening of the 40th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council dispels the false rumors of some interest groups and the corporate media that largely strive to portray Ethiopia as a place of disorder, foreign journalists said. Approached by The Ethiopian Herald on the sidelines of the Summit,…

KICK-BOXING star Delano Muller (17) recently hosted a self-defence workshop at Otjiwarongo. The event took place at the Peri Naua Cultural Centre, which offers underprivileged children library and kindergarten facilities, as well as language, dance and paper mache classes. “The event was held to support the Peri Naua Cultural Centre as they depend on sponsorships.…

Zimbabwe was this week elected to the 15-member African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava has said. He spoke at the end of the 40th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday and Thursday. “Zimbabwe, along with…

HARDLY four days since President Hussein Mwinyi decried the underperformance of some of his appointees, vowing to sack the culprits; five senior officials were dismissed from office. A statement released on Thursday by Chief Secretary Engineer Zena Ahmed Said announced the dismissal of the Education and Vocational Training Minister’s Director of Personnel and Operations, Omar…

The deteriorating security situation and governance deficits have taken their toll on the Kaboré regime. The 24 January military coup that overthrew Burkina Faso’s president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré comes amid a deepening security crisis in the country. Both civilians and defence and security forces have long voiced their discontent, including with Kaboré’s political stewardship.…

Mutoko, Zimbabwe — Villagers in Zimbabwe say a Chinese mining company has told them they will have to leave their homes to make way for a granite quarry. The company denies plans to forcibly move the villagers, but a lack of transparency has many fearing they will be pushed out of their ancestral land. Some…

Abuja, Nigeria — A Chinese official in Nigeria says Beijing plans to invest over $300 billion in Africa to increase African exports and help close the large trade gap with China. China’s plans for more investment in Africa have been welcomed by some, but critics worry about Africa’s growing debt with Beijing. The recent signing…

Zimbabwean and other foreign students who studied at South African universities and colleges under critical skills areas will no longer have the automatic permanent residency privilege, Home Affairs minister, Aaron Motsoaledi has said. In the past, upon graduation, students could get permanent residency on the basis they were studying a critical skill. However, South African…

Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Tuesday said that the government will deliver, later this year, a package of proposals to the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic (AR), seeking a review of the structural laws against terrorism and related crimes dealing with violent extremism, Addressing the opening ceremony of the 2022 Judicial…

South Africa’s recent R11 billion loan from the World Bank is an above board credit facility with favourable conditions, says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. The Minister and the National Treasury, led by Director-General, Dondo Mogajane, gave the assurance during a detailed presentation on the loan to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday. During the…

Snowfall in a hot desert may seem a contradiction but snow has been recorded several times in the Sahara Desert over the last decades, most recently in January 2022. Thus, snowfall may be unusual but is not unprecedented in the region. In order for snow to form, two distinctive weather properties are needed: cold temperatures…

The COVID-19 pandemic, with its lockdown and social isolation, has added to the vulnerability of many Nigerians in several ways. Aside from health risks and disruption to livelihoods, the move from physical to virtual relationships heightened the exposure of people to cybercriminals. The pandemic has changed the landscape of cybercrime in the country. The government’s…

Dango Aboubacar Ouattara’s goal on the stroke of halftime was enough for Burkina Faso to beat Tunisia 1-0 and progress to the semifinals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021. Dango Ouattara who was sent off in the closing stages scored on the stroke of halftime to give Kamou Malo’s side the victory…

The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has announced that as part its currency reform exercise, more than half-a-billion in mutilated Liberian dollar banknotes will be burnt by on Saturday, January 29, 2022, in Bentol, Montserrado County. In a press release issued Friday Jan. 28, the CBL said the move is in the interest of sustaining…

The Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS), West Africa’s regional bloc, has suspended Burkina Faso in the aftermath of a military coup, making it the third member nation to be punished for a military takeover in just 18 months. The announcement by the ECOWAS yesterday is coming several days after mutinous soldiers forced democratically…

Geneva — The U.N, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, warns it may be forced to end its humanitarian operation in northern Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray province because supplies are running out. Intense fighting in northern Ethiopia has prevented aid from getting through to millions of destitute people in Tigray since mid-December. OCHA spokesman…

Blantyre — Hundreds of soccer fans in Malawi braved heavy rain Friday to cheer and welcome Malawi’s national football team, nicknamed The Flames, as it returned from Cameroon, despite failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals. As the team arrived Friday at Chileka International Airport, soccer fans, many of them dressed…

The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund hopes an increased budget, to N$1.6 billion, to cater for the expected increased number of applicants during the 2022 academic year, will be approved. The increased budget is needed for the students as the number of applicants is expected to increase by 2% or more to over 25 000.…

Three months after joining 191 other nations as a participant at the Expo 2020 Dubai hosted in the United Arab Emirates, Namibia is well on her way to achieving ambitious goals set for the expo. This is according to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), as the national investment promotion agency and custodian…

The government has relaxed measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic by allowing movement of people across the country to go on until midnight from 10pm. This follows the reduction in the number of cases, following a spike in December which was occasioned by the Omicron variant. It is among new resolutions taken during the cabinet…

The Borno government said that though the international laws regulating the operations of the UN system exempt them from paying tax as entities, it does not apply to their workers. Seven agencies of the United Nations (UN) were on Wednesday indicted for tax evasion by the Borno State Internal Revenue Service (BO-IRS). The seven agencies,…

There are two big challenges African countries face when it comes to managing public finances. First, many lack fiscal capacity on account of structural weaknesses of their economies and gaps in tax administration. Predominant informality of wage employment and reliance on subsistence agriculture in most countries make it difficult to raise revenue beyond consumption and…

Aspiring candidates for Mbizo Constituency have expressed disappointment following a last minute High Court order to stop the by-election. Mr Settlement Chikwinya of MDC Alliance who was recalled by the MDC-T, together with his colleagues, successfully applied to stop the by- election in Mbizo. However, some aspiring candidates including Zanu PF’s Cde Vongaishe Mpereri could…

Nairobi — Picture this, you encounter a security emergency or are in need of medical help and you can’t even think of whom to call without raising an alarm to your attackers. This uncertainty amid rising insecurity around estates, carjacking, are among the factors which drove a Kenyan businessman to start an app that automatically…

Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, today opened a newly built block of classrooms, which will accommodate more than 350 learners at Bordeaux Primary School in Randburg. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said this forms part of its plans to build classrooms that will alleviate pressure in identified areas. “We wish to reiterate that, to…

The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has called for absolute transparency regarding the housing beneficiary list, to ensure that beneficiaries know their place on the waiting list. The committee highlighted this during the first day of its oversight visits in Gauteng to assess progress in the implementation of human settlements targets by all spheres of…

Nairobi — The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will join forces with its newly found allies in Parliament to guard against unchecked public debt and taxation proposals. UDA made the announcement on Monday following a Parliamentary Group meeting during which lawmakers endorsed the party’s alliance with the Amani National Congress and FORD Kenya. Speaking at Deputy…

During his inaugural speech for a second term as the President of The Gambia, President Adama Barrow revealed that the target for his new government is rice self-sufficiency and food security for all. To maintain this, he added that his government would open up industries, upgrade the country’s technology status, and process our produce, while…

Paris, January 24, 2022 – World Education Day: A new report released today by UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics and the Global Education Monitoring Report finds that, according to their own benchmarks, countries will not achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all by…

Harare — As of January 24, 2022, confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 55 African countries reached   10,580,634 while over 205,275,858 vaccinations have been administered across the continent. Reported deaths in Africa reached   236,169 and  9,436,859 people have recovered. South Africa has the most reported cases  3,581,359 and   94,117 people died. Other most-affected countries are Morocco…

A study into the disruption of menstrual cycles experienced by a few women after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine shows that menstruation is not significantly affected by the vaccine, the president of the South African Society of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, Dr Haynes van der Merwe, said this week. Dr Haynes van der Merwe, the president of…

Westerford High School in Cape Town has maintained a consistent 100% pass rate for years, which has positioned the 69-year-old academic institution as one of the country’s top schools. Westerford High School in Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most expensive public schools, and costs about R44,991 in annual school fees. After the results…

Is the expanding presence of Russia’s private military company a legitimate cause for African concern? Russia has established a strong military presence in the Central African Republic (CAR) over the past four years, clandestinely using dubious actors like the military company Wagner, which is allegedly close to President Vladimir Putin. Wagner has become the deniable…

The Super Eagles winger is finally putting on the kind of displays for the national team that his Nigerian fans have been waiting for, impressing football watchers worldwide in the process. The Super Eagles of Nigeria have weathered a troubled preparation to become one of the favourites to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations…

The party’s reckless descent into xenophobic politics is an alarming development. Building a counter-politics of solidarity is essential. Until recently, the EFF’s sternest critics had to concede that the party had held a principled line on xenophobia towards African migrants. With all the major parties taking xenophobic positions, the EFF, an entirely unscrupulous organisation in…

Charges against suspected Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe have been consolidated. The main charge is housebreaking with intent to commit terrorism and arson. The legal team representing Zandile Mafe – senior counsel Dali Mpofu and advocate Luvuyo Godla – have to consult with their client on the new charge before finalising a founding affidavit in support…

As COVID-19 fuels testosterone shortages, some trans men are turning to risky illegal alternatives * Testosterone shortages disrupt gender transitions * COVID-19 vaccines impacting supplies * Transgender men turn to black market hormones South African tech adviser Josh Stols felt a wave of euphoria when his doctor handed over his first testosterone prescription, allowing him…

The ruling Party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has nominated deputy speaker, Tulia Ackson to run for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly. Before announcement of the result in Dodoma Thursday, Chama Cha Mapinduzi CCM national chairperson and Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan presided over a Special Session of the Central Committee (CC) held…

New York — Today, I had a telephone conversation with the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa, H.E Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo, to exchange views with him on the conflict in Ethiopia following his latest visit to Addis Ababa and Mekelle, the capital of the regional state of Tigray. H.E Mr. Obasanjo briefed…

The Nigerian government’s ban of Twitter led many users to simply switch platforms or circumvent the ban with VPNs, an illustration of the difficulty of clamping down on online activities. Nigerian authorities’ decision in June 2021 to ban Twitter from operating in the country “indefinitely” raised Nigerians’ hackles and caused no little consternation across the…

Residents of Windhoek’s informal settlements are once again suffering losses after the heavy downpours in the capital over the weekend. The City of Windhoek has blamed those who built their houses in areas that are not suitable for living. Harold Akwenye, City spokesperson said, “all I can say is, our people do not want to…

Political Philosophy lays a foundation in the formation of state institutions. Western political philosophy dominated the social and political economics of the world from the domestic to international level. The ideas of Marxism, liberalism and socialism have contributed to the modern state. Current scholars and statesmen of Africa took African political philosophy as the traditional…

Nigeria has mapped out strategies to launch a second satellite (Sat 2) into the orbit to enhance the communications status of the nation. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami disclosed this during a one- day facility visit and interaction with the staff of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) in Lugbe, Abuja,…

The fight against corruption, more often than not, starts as a lone battle and could make the initiator unpopular in some quarters. This is because the suspects usually have a lot of influence on society and are sometimes able to endear themselves to unsuspecting members of the public. Where more citizens are gullible, the fight…

Bamako — The U.N. peacekeeping mission to Mali, or MINUSMA, said it has temporarily suspended all flights following West African and EU states imposed sanctions that disrupted air and land transport. MINUSMA flights were abruptly grounded Sunday night in what an email to staff said was a temporary suspension. The email reviewed by VOA said…

By Edwin Genoway, Jr. Buchanan — Contractors and employees of the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC) have endorsed Grand Bassa District Four lawmaker Vincent Willie for a second term in office. The employees, including Camp Masters, young people and market women all of Wee Statutory District, endorsed the representative at the National Football Field during the…

The lakes of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) play a big part in people’s lives – socially, politically and economically. But lake fishing communities find themselves at the intersection of geography, war and authority, as rebel groups and conservation managers also claim spaces and resources. By some estimates there are over 70 armed groups…

Most African countries signed onto the Free Movement of Persons protocol in Addis Ababa in January 2018. Its rationale was set out clearly: the free movement of people – as well as capital goods and services – would promote integration and herald in a host of other benefits. These included improving science, technology, education, research…

Windhoek, Namibia — Namibian authorities say thousands of Angolans who entered Namibia in the past year to escape drought back home, have been returning amid fresh rains. Authorities this month said at least 18 Angolan infants, whose parents fled hunger, died in Namibia from malnutrition. The acting health director in the Omusati region of northern…

Addis Abeba: In a letter sent to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO), Ethiopia filed its “objection against the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom” over what it said was the DG’s “moral, legal and professional standing that threatened WHO’s organizational integrity.” The letter was sent to the WHO executive board after…

Monrovia — Without denying that he had placed and received several calls to a main suspect in a major money laundering case, Solicitor General Syrennius Cephus, has accused the Minister of Justice and other officials within the Ministry of passing on call logs to FrontPageAfrica. “This is a conspiracy, and we strongly suspect that it…

The Gauteng province has officially exited the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with the rest of South Africa’s provinces already having reached their peak and on a steady decline. This was announced by Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla during the department’s first COVID-19 briefing of the year. “Of note is that the decline in…

In late August each year, the normally barren landscape of the Namaqualand, along the western boundary of South Africa, is transformed into a vista of brightly coloured daisies as far as the eye can see. The flowering of the Namaqualand daisies attracts close to 10,000 tourists per season to a part of the country that…

Tunis/Tunisia — Tunisian human rights defenders, political and non-political figures have called on their fellow citizens and all living forces to demonstrate massively on Friday, January 14, to defend “our freedom and our right to decide our fate”, namely to live in “a democratic, pluralist and equitable Tunisia”. In a joint statement issued on Thursday,…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it is steadily rebuilding the institution “after years of being undermined” by those who pursued State capture. The prosecutorial body was responding to the release of the first tranche of the State Capture report. In the report penned by the State Capture Commission chairperson, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo,…

South Africa has recorded 6 762 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24-hour reporting cycle, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 540 891. According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), this increase represents a 15.5% positivity rate. A further 181 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to…

There have been reports that the Malian team has suspended training in the restive south West region of Buea after sporadic shooting this morning between the military and separatists fighters. The team was training at the Molyko stadium in Buea. Separatists vowed the AFCON games will not be held in the region. Two games are…

Vijay Construction will bear the cost for the rebuilding of the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) following an agreement concluded by the company’s director and the Seychelles health minister on Tuesday. Vijay Patel and Peggy Vidot signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the building, which will start in two…

Washington, DC — When he was running to win the White House, President Joe Biden’s campaign committed to implement a “bold strategy” toward Africa, and one that would be based on a “mutually respectful engagement” and a reinvigorated diplomacy, if elected. Indeed, the campaign was the first ever to outline how it would promote the…

Recent signs out of Ethiopia are encouraging, but major issues standing in the way of a sustainable peace remain unresolved. News coming out of Addis Ababa suggests that the conflict in Ethiopia is entering a new phase. For over a year, momentum seemed to be forever driving toward worsening violence between the federal government, its…

Washington, DC — President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia and opportunities to advance peace and reconciliation. President Biden commended Prime Minister Abiy on the recent release of several political prisoners, and the two leaders discussed ways to accelerate dialogue toward…

Nairobi — Political leaders were united Sunday in condemning Meru Senator Mithika Linturi’s remarks which authorities said border on hate speech when he urged locals to remove people not supportive of Deputy President William Ruto’s bid, while using the term “madoadoa” which means spots. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga has condemned political…

Nairobi — Police have arrested ninety-one Ethiopian nationals who were in the country illegally during a crackdown in Kitengela, Kajiado. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), ‘they were arrested at a house within Milimani area” on Sunday evening. “91, (of whom 44 are juveniles) were ferried to the location onboard a trailer and…

Special Note: Happy 36th Anniversary to COSATU. Formed December 1985 The Congress of South African Trade Unions has noted the African National Congress (ANC) NEC January 08th message as delivered by ANC President Cde Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa in Polokwane yesterday -08 January 2022. We congratulate the ANC on reaching an impressive milestone of 110 years.…

The people of South Africa, Comrades and Friends, Nearly half a century has passed since the ANC in exile issued the first January 8th Statement. It was a time of great upheaval. The people of our country were suffering under a repressive regime. The liberation movements were banned, and our leaders were imprisoned, banished or…

Spread This News ZANU PF is headed for renewed factional turbulence ahead of a string of fresh internal elections starting next month, NewZimbabwe.com can report. The ruling party, still smarting from highly contentious provincial polls held late last month, is gearing towards primary elections to select candidates that will represent the party in the upcoming…

Spread This News MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has lamented the ongoing migration crisis between Zimbabwe and South Africa saying his party would ensure there is a vibrant economy which will allow Zimbabweans to return home. This comes as the South African government recently tightened its regulations and beefed up security to block undocumented Zimbabweans…

THE Zimbabwe Volleyball Association president, Mxolisi Ndlovu, is confident that country’s club representatives at this year’s Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone VI Senior Volleyball Clubs Championships in Maputo, Mozambique, will do well at this event. The Zone Six Club Championships will begin tomorrow with over 24 clubs expected to take part in the tournament,…

The Business and Intellectual Property Authority is urging business owners, especially those with dormant close corporations and who do not intend to conduct business in the future, to rather deregister their entities. This is because various business owners registered their businesses and failed to pay annual duties, ultimately accumulating high penalties. “The submission of annual…

Zimbabwe is working to significantly reduce the annual cooking oil import bill of around US$200 million by promoting increased production of oil seeds for local production of the commodity. Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said Zimbabwe was importing between 55 000 and 65 000 tonnes of crude sunflower oil…

One of the three robbers who was shot dead last December by retired detective Mr Joseph Nemaisa after they stormed his Chadcombe house looking for cash has not yet been buried. The three dead were named as Brian Koga Tendere (38) of Murehwa, Charles Chirara (30) of Ushewokunze and a rogue soldier Tariro Gora of…

The Minister for Works and Transport Gen Katumba has said the requirement of vaccination cards by passengers before boarding public transport means might not be easy to enforce especially by public transport operators but insisted government is to be strict on facemasks for all passengers. Addressing the country last week, President Museveni said before boarding…

Each week, Ghana receives 15 million items of used clothing sent from the West. But 40% of the products get discarded due to poor quality. They end up at landfills and in bodies of water, polluting entire ecosystems. The Kantamanto market in Ghana’s capital Accra is West Africa’s hub for used clothing from the West.…

By Christopher C. Walker Monrovia — About 12 Liberian TVET instructors departed the country on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 Liberia for Zambia to study Information Technology. Under the Youth Rising Project sponsored by the European Union, the 12 instructors will benefit from a twenty-four-month professional training at one of Zambia’s number one TVET institutions ,…

Monrovia — The Financial Intelligence Unit of Liberia (FIU) designates KORLANE INVESTMENTS LIBERIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY as a high-risk money Laundering shell company set up for what appears to be the sole purpose to laundering the proceeds of crimes generated through fraud, a predicated offense for Money Laundering. The FIU therefore admonishes all financial, non-financial…

“Out of these, 29 accidents were fatal, 52 were serious and 25 were minor,” ASP Nampiima said At least 39 persons died in road accidents as the country welcomed the new year, the Traffic Police Directorate, has said. Traffic Police Spokesperson ASP Faridah Nampiima while addressing journalists in a joint police presser at the Naguru…

A section of legislators has asked government to fast track the tabling of the new bills in addition to the reintroduction of the remaining essential shelved bills of the 10th Parliament. To these legislators, once bills are tabled in time, it will give Parliament time to consult widely. ADVERTISEMENT Some of the bills legislators are…

What will be the big events and trends for the new year that deserve serious consideration, but are right alongside any black swans that can overturn those predictions? ‘Prediction is difficult, especially about the future” is the famous observation about life attributed to everyone from physicist Neils Bohr and Mark Twain to baseball’s king of…

National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai apologized on Monday to President Samia Suluhu Hassan and to Tanzanians after nearly a week of reports in the media pointing him accusing the government for widening the national debt through loans. Ndugai through a leaked video had claimed that Tanzania risks being auctioned due to its rising national debt.…

A series of four articles examines issues of policy, laws, rights, culture, popular culture, language, stigma, crimes, discrimination and individual experiences of the queer community in four African countries. In the one-bedroom shack she lives in, in the Cape Flats township of Tambo Village, Tiwonge Chimbalanga keeps a file containing press clippings. It is close…

Parliament’s Presiding Officers wish to confirm the breakout of a fire on the Parliamentary precinct this morning. The cause of the fire has not yet been established and investigations are underway by the relevant authorities. The fire has affected both the Old Assembly Wing and the National Assembly Wing of the buildings of Parliament, which…

A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town’s Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town’s St. George’s Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started…

The US removed Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the African Growth and Opportunity Act due to rights violations and military coups. The US removed access for Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from a duty-free trade program on Saturday, due to their recent alleged human rights violations and recent coups. US President Joe Biden had threatened to…

As our social crisis escalates year after year, we are perilously close to an entirely unviable situation. There is a way out, but it can only be built in the realm of the popular. It has been a long and exhausting stretch since South Africa has not had a bad year. The time when the…

Coups, conflicts and the coronavirus pandemic put Africa’s democratic institutions to the test in 2021. But there are signs of hope. Sub-Saharan Africa experienced a spate of military takeovers in 2021, highlighting the precarious state of democracy on the continent. Upon the death of Chad’s President Idriss Deby in April, the military installed his son…

Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray region – the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse…

A spike in COVID-19 cases in Seychelles following Christmas celebrations is likely due to the presence of the Omicron variant in the island nation, a top health official said on Thursday. In a press conference urgently convened during the holiday week, the Public Health Commissioner, Jude Gedeon, said there are 621 active COVID-19 cases in…

Rwanda on Wednesday recorded more than 2,000 positive cases of coronavirus. According to daily updates released by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, December 29, out of 22,797 Covid-29 tests conducted, on a positivity rate of 9 .1 per cent, 2,083 tests were positive. It also indicated that 1,939 people who tested positive were symptomatic…

US President Joe Biden has announced the lifting of travel restrictions imposed on Southern African countries following the emergence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant last month. The travel ban is expected to be officially lifted on Friday morning. The variant was announced by South African scientists at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and…

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported at least 7216 new laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the country by 6pm last night. This brings the cumulative number of cases to 3 424 534 since the outbreak. This positivity rate stands at 23.6%, with an increase of 286 hospitalisations due to the virus. The…

Chief of Nianija, Central River Region (CRR) North Dawda York has joined his fellow Niani Chief Pierre Bah in congratulating president-elect Adama Barrow on his December 4th presidential election victory. Chief York prayed for Barrow for Allah’s continuous guidance so that he could deliver in the interest of Gambians for the next five years. According…

The African Union’s heads of state and government adopted the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025) as the framework for a transformative education and training system in Africa. They have further requested member states and partners to promote the alignment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) skills and to expand TVET opportunities.…

President-elect Barrow legal team headed by Sheriff Tambedou, has on Friday 24th of December, 2021 called on the Supreme Court of The Gambia to dismiss the electoral petition filed by the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), citing the petitioner did not comply with the Election Act and the rules of filing an election petition. Barrow’s…

Kalemie (Tanganyika Province) — The Democratic Republic of the Congo today launched a massive cholera vaccination campaign targeting 2 million people aged one year and above in three provinces in the east of the country to halt an ongoing outbreak. The campaign is being caried out in Haut-Lomami, South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces–the most affected…

opinion By Suleiman A. Suleiman A Nigerian president is, by definition, a politician. In his letter to the National Assembly detailing his reasons for not assenting to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, however, President Muhammadu Buhari spoke not just as a president but also as a political scientist. In fact, reading the letter, I…

Nairobi — Amani National Congress Leader Musalia Mudavadi and his counterpart from Ford Kenya Moses Wetangula will not attend the Luyha unity forum in Bukhungu Stadium that is set for New Year’s Eve. During a meeting in Bungoma on Sunday, the duo who are in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) stated that the unity forum…

A suspected grenade explosion has left five people injured and admitted to Mulago hospital in Kampala, the police have said. According to the Kampala Metropolitan Area deputy Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, the incident happened at Industrial zone, Kagugube,Central division in Kampala city when an explosive ordinance blasted and injured five people. ADVERTISEMENT “It is alleged…

Somalia has been riven by decades of conflict and extreme weather events but, says Adam Abdelmoula, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, there are signs of progress amidst a host of ongoing challenges. “I arrived in Somalia in September 2019, two decades after having worked here previously. I knew that I was…

The explosion was as a result of electric poles that collapsed on the pipeline. Residents of Igando, Idimu, and Egbeda areas of Lagos woke up Friday to a pipeline explosion. The explosion occurred at the pipeline site located at Isale Odo, LASU Road, Egbeda. Confirming the incident, Ibrahim Farinloye, the acting coordinator of the National…

Nairobi — The Kenya Meteorological Department Friday announced the continuation of frequent rains in Nairobi and other parts of the country in a weather outlook for the festive season. The Met department said areas of Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera and Tana River will continue to receive occasional rain showers urging drivers to beware of slippery…

Cape Town — The Christian scriptures tell us that Mary and Joseph went up to Bethlehem for the census. One of the reasons for a census was for the Roman authorities to establish how many men were available for conscription, so that they could ensure there was peace in the territories they controlled – the…

The minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng has expressed concern over misuse of the Covid-19 response cars by some distracts officials and politicians who use them for personal purposes. The government through the Covid-19 response donations procured 282 double cabin vehicles to support the response. ADVERTISEMENT The vehicles were strictly purchased to carry out surveillance…

The U.S. will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries on New Year’s Eve, the White House announced Friday. The restrictions, imposed last month, were meant to blunt the spread of the COVID omicron variant. The Nov. 29 ban barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia,…

THIS YEAR WAS by all accounts a memorable year. It began with president Hage Geingob declaring 2021 the year of resilience as he intended to set the tone after Covid-19 upended just about everything in 2020. He said the Cabinet identified agriculture, health, and education as priority areas. But hindsight tells a different story, as…

THE government has assured effective involvement of people with disabilities in the 2022 Population and Housing Census. Equally, it said their participation will help the government especially in provision of social services to the people with disabilities. The 2022 Population and Housing Census Commissioner, who is also former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Anna…

The world football governing body Fifa has approved 15 Malawian referees for the 2022 season following physical fitness test held in September. All the referees have retained apart from Ishmael Chizinga who did not participate in the September fitness exercise, saying he needs to take a break after personal problems. Football Association of Malawi (FAM)…

Paulo Milanesio is a project coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Mueda, a town in the north of the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, where hundreds of thousands of people have sought refuge from ongoing conflict. The conflict in Cabo Delgado has been ongoing for over four years. How is the situation today? During…

Reports from South Africa indicate that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is fighting hard to keep Zimbabweans domiciled in South Africa there despite Tswane threatening to send them packing. The South African government has indicated it will not be renewing the temporary work permits given to Zimbabweans based there, implying hundreds of thousands will have to…

The centre noted that Monday’s new cases raised Nigeria’s total infections to 225,255 while the fatality toll now stands at 2,985. The fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has continued its rage in Nigeria as the country, on Monday, recorded 1,368 new infections. The latest statistics released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)…

When Covid-19 broke out in Rwanda, different businesses halted operations consequently affecting sources of income for many people who had jobs including Visually Impaired people. Massage therapy business is among the most affected businesses as it was restricted severally yet the business has been increasingly viable for visually impaired people. Beth Gatonye, founder of Seeing…

A young mother in Philippi sits nursing her baby while operating a foot-cranked washing machine. Across the city, a student in digs is studying for a test while pedalling away to get his week’s washing done. And in an off-grid home beyond the urban sprawl, laundry has become a win-win for a green householder -…

“Africa imports excessively from the rest of the world, manufactures exceedingly too little and hence trades too little,” Wamkele Meme,  who heads Africa’s free-trade agency, said during a visit to Washington, DC last week. “Africa is increasingly being left behind by the rest of the world in virtually all aspects except poverty and despair,” he…

The German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) has granted a 12 million Euro top up for the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) doubling Germany’s total contribution to the SHF for 2021 to 24 million Euro. The funds will be used to assist people in coping with the deteriorating drought conditions. The announcement follows another top up of…

“Twenty-nine of the victims have been identified, with nine remaining unidentified as of the time of this update,” a Kaduna official says. The death toll from Sunday’s attack on communities in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State has risen to 38. PREMIUM TIMES reported the attacks on villages in the local government with a…

As of December 19, 2021, confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 55 African countries reached  9,165,000   while over  173,532,190 vaccinations have been administered across the continent. Reported deaths in Africa reached  225,703 and  8,297,592 people have recovered. South Africa has the most reported cases  3,292,609 and  90,345  people died. Other most-affected countries are Morocco (…

Geneva — Marking International Migrants Day, the United Nations reports hostility and xenophobia are growing against migrants. It warns the stigmatization and marginalization of migrants amid a raging pandemic is putting many lives at risk. U.N. agencies report one seventh of the global population, or one billion people, are on the move. This number includes…

A new study by risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft has revealed that Nigeria may face difficulty producing its huge oil and gas reserves. The study states that Africa’s number two exporter Nigeria, where reserves are concentrated around the Niger Delta river system, droughts and flooding present threats. The report further said, apart from Nigeria, much of…

Kayunga, Uganda — The Electoral Commission is set to declare final results from the Kayunga District Chairperson by-elections, 16 hours after the polls ended. EC chairman Justice Simon Byabakama has arrived at the tallying centre where the two leading candidates Harriet Nakwedde for the National Unity Platform (NUP) and Andrew Muwonge for National Resistance (NRM)…

Serious concerns over alleged severe human rights violations and abuses in Ethiopia should be investigated by an international rights probe, the Human Rights Council agreed in a vote on Friday. In a special session held at the request of the European Union, to discuss the impact of conflict that began in Tigray in the north…

As the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) retains the lockdown restrictions at Adjusted Alert Level 1, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has called for responsible behaviour and stronger compliance with COVID-19 prevention and treatment protocols during the festive season. “The NCCC has reflected on the current COVID-19 situation and deliberated on [a] number of recommendations…

Nairobi — Amhara security forces are responsible for a surge of mass detentions, killings, and forced expulsions of ethnic Tigrayans in the Western Tigray territory of northern Ethiopia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. Tigrayan civilians attempting to escape the new wave of violence have been attacked and killed. Scores in detention face…

American policy in Africa has not always empowered those fighting on behalf of democracy–and sometimes even supports anti-democratic forces–taking away from its stated aim of promoting democracy abroad. At the recently concluded Democracy Summit, U.S. President Joe Biden and his team pledged to revitalize democratic governance at home and called for democratic solidarity to resist…

document By Antoinette M. Sayeh, Deputy Managing Director A very good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to all—wherever you are. My name is Antoinette Sayeh. I am Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and former Director of the IMF’s African Department. Thank you all for being here today. I am most honored…

Dakar — International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva visited Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal last week, where she met with the current and upcoming chairs of the African Union. In this guest column, she and Senegal’s President Macky Sall envision ways to boost African recovery from the severe economic and social disruptions of…

African countries are making great strides in preserving wildlife, and the United States is committed to supporting them. U.S. agencies fund African programs that protect sea turtle habitat, combat wildlife trafficking and foster community involvement in conservation. Kenya has seen an 11% growth in rhino populations. Protected areas for critically endangered gorillas in the Democratic…

Rhino translocations have become a critical tool in the arsenal for the protection of these endangered animals. Recently, 30 white rhinos were flown into Rwanda from South Africa and introduced into the Akagera National Park, in what is the single largest translocation. It was carried out through a collaboration between the Rwanda Development Board, African…

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has approved a temporary extension of operating times at front offices by two and a half hours from 08:00 to 17:30 from today, Monday, 13 December to Thursday 30 December 2021 to deal with the high demand for services at Home Affairs offices. This extension period excludes weekends, public…

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has accepted a set of recommendations by the Consultative Advisory Forum (CAF) appointed to advise on the West Coast Rock Lobster fishery. Necessary regulatory processes will be followed to give expression to this decision. The report recommends that the TAC be increased for the 2021/22 season to…

The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has welcomed Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi’s recommitment to corruption-free service delivery and the eradication of poor performance in the delivery of sustainable and impactful human settlements across the country. Committee chairperson, Machwene Semenya, said the committee appreciates the strong emphasis on the eradication of corruption and poor workmanship. “We welcome…

Nairobi — The Marine Conservation Institute has honoured the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve with a gold level Blue Park Award for achieving the highest science-based standards for marine life protection and management. It is the first Blue Park award in Kenya which has a coastal area that supports so much important marine biodiversity. Kisite-Mpunguti,…

Addis Ababa — The Rastafari community in Jamaica joined by Pan-Africanists, members of the Ethiopian community in Jamaica, and the wider population of peace-loving people across Jamaica and elsewhere held a peaceful demonstration in front of the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica. They expressed disappointment at the unhelpful position taken by the US and its allies,…

Addis Abeba — Journalist Meaza Mohammed was taken from her house in Addis Abeba Nifas Silk sub city this morning, according to her husband, Robel Gebeyehu who told Addis Standard, “They were not wearing uniforms but they showed her their IDs.” Journalist Meaza is the co-founder of online media outlet, Roha Media and previously worked…

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have responded to public concerns about the safety of the joint operations against terrorists with a pledge of transparency. They said, in fact, that they will elevate their cooperation to target all armed groups, not just the Allied Democratic Forces. The Ugandan and Congolese ministers of defence, after…

Villagers in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality have been walking at least a kilometre to fetch dirty water from a spring. Meanwhile the municipality is among several in the OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape where water operators have not been paid. This week, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) ruled in…

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) this week gave the green light to a third dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to people who had received their second dose of the same vaccine six or more months earlier. No such green light has yet been given for a booster dose for people who received…

Geneva — Imagine being told by your government that you need to build a new tertiary-care hospital. But then the authorities give you only 20 percent of the budget – little more than enough to build the foundation. You are told you will have to raise the remaining 80 percent. But then the funders tell…

After the shutdowns of the last year, 2021 saw movies make a comeback. Productions picked up once again in several countries. Theatres sprung back to life as did physical festivals. Streaming platforms, big and small, worked overtime to fill up the vacuum and continued to license and commission films, turning what could have been a…

analysis By Barend Erasmus, Christel Dorothee Hansen, Els Vermeulen, James Roberts, Jean Purdon, Mia Wege and Michael John Somers The planned seismic survey off South Africa’s Wild Coast by energy company Shell has unleashed public outrage in the country and beyond. The survey’s aim is to search for oil and gas deposits. Environmental and human…

The standing committee on home affairs, security, constitutional and legal affairs of the National Council has found that some families who have been traumatised by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in the Zambezi region, and lost relatives, “are left to fend for themselves”. Some are also yet to receive any psychological support. This is according…

A students’ association says the resetting of examination dates to early next year is an unrealistic and premature decision made by the education ministry. National African Students’ Association (Nasa) secretary general David Johannes said yesterday at Rundu that the decision was unfair to the pupils who are now carrying the burden of the ministry’s mistakes.…

Port Louis — The Mauritian tourism family welcomes the decision by the French government to remove Mauritius from its list of “scarlet” destinations, just a few days after its classification as part of this list. We wish to thank the French Ambassador, Her Excellency Florence Caussé-Tissier, whose intervention was instrumental, for her support. Following tonight’s…

Leaders from 17 African nations will this week join a ‘Summit for Democracy’ organized by an American administration clearly aware that the United States is itself under scrutiny over its own commitment to the democratic process. The two-day summit, with a participant list the includes 110 countries, will be hosted by President Joe Biden, who…

On Monday, a huge crowd of Mr Darboe’s supporters besieged the Kairaba Avenue Street where he resides. Thousands of The Gambian citizens have taken to the streets in protest after the December 4 presidential election result. The election, contested by six candidates, was won by the incumbent president, Adama Barrow. Mr Barrow, who contested the…

At about 7:20 p.m. local time, the officers fired teargas to disperse the massive crowd of supporters, leaving many scampering for safety. The Gambian police officers have fired tear gas cannisters to disperse protesters gathered on Kairaba Avenue. Protesters, mostly youth, had gathered at the stretch of the road to protest the outcome of Saturday’s…

Gambia has reelected President Adama Barrow by an unexpectedly wide margin, despite the incumbent’s broken promises. In a vote conducted by marbles, the nation has passed the democracy test, writes Claus Stäcker. The marbles have been cast: In Gambia’s unique voting system, marbles instead of paper ballots are counted for each candidate. The marble rolls…

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has established partnership with Pakistani investors as part of the Commission’s efforts to attract more foreign investments into Nigeria. CAC Head of Media, Rasheed Mahe, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that in pursuance of this CAC has provided a platform to acquaint Pakistani investors with the provisions…

Benin City — THE Chairman, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mr Lawani Jimoh, has tendered apology for allegedly not consulting members of the union before his purported endorsement of a particular candidate for the vacant position of rector of the nation’s foremost institution. In a tension soaked congress, held…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was on hand to monitor the counting of votes in the ongoing Gambia presidential elections on Saturday. Mr Obasanjo is the head of a Commonwealth team observing The Gambia’s Presidential Election. The former president arrived the polling unit of the leading opposition candidate in the election, Ousainou Darboe, at about 4:50…

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia have commenced announcement of results for the Saturday presidential election. Chairman of the the commission, Alieu Nije, announced results for the first constituency of the 53 expected at about some minutes to 11p.m. Saturday evening. Six candidates seek election to become the next president of the West…

Seif al-Islam al-Gadhafi has said he wants to restore Libya’s “lost unity.” The son of late strongman leader Moammar Gadhafi had previously been barred from presidential elections slated for December. Libya’s election commission has ruled that Seif al-Islam al-Gadhafi may now stand as a presidential candidate after he was disqualified last month. Gadhafi, son of…

Developing countries want the right to make their own COVID-19 vaccines, but opponents say there are better ways to boost supplies LONDON – The emergence of the Omicron variant has reignited calls for patent waivers for COVID-19 vaccines to help developing nations get more jabs in arms as they battle to control the pandemic. Supporters…

Nairobi — Concerns about the omicron COVID-19 variant are growing in Africa but health experts say vaccination can help reduce infections in the population. This week has seen a surge in coronavirus cases in Africa due to the new omicron variant. The continent reported 52,000 cases for the week, and 31,000 were reported in South…

The fourth wave has sparked an increase in hospital admissions in children under the age of five, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said. In a briefing led by Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, the NICD’s Dr Waasila Jassat said there has been a rise in children who are in hospital for COVID-19 in…

Harare City Council wants to raise at least US$50 million through the regularisation of more than 25 000 illegally developed residential stands in the capital, drawing the ire of some residents who feel this could encourage more people to flout laid down procedures when acquiring properties. Others feel this is a ploy by council officials…

Unpredictable rainfall patterns and heatwaves are beginning to influence priorities for developing countries to direct more attention and resources to reducing food losses. For a long time, food losses have not been receiving sufficient resources , with everybody seemingly obsessed with production. National agricultural budgets have focused mainly on providing inputs. The same has been…

Police have said they have arrested the mastermind of the recent bomb blast that targeted passengers in a Swift Safari bus along the Kampala-Masaka highway. One person was left dead after a bomb blast in a Swift Safaris bus on October 25 at Lungala in Mpigi and according to security, the deceased was a suicide…

Washington, DC — When Ambassador Mahamadou Nimaga told me a few months back that Vivian Lowery Derryck, Chic Dambach and I were going to be Knighted by the Mali government, of course I was surprised as well as deeply honored!  Not more than a week later the government of Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was overthrown! I…

The disease centre said the two cases of the variant were discovered through “genomic sequencing.” Nigeria on Wednesday joined the growing number of countries that have recorded the first cases of the Omicron variant also known as B.1.1.529 lineage. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced this in a statement signed by the Director-General,…

Professor George Warimwe should be a household name in Kenya. He’s a leading scientist who has created a life-saving vaccine against Rift Valley Fever. He is also leading policy-changing work on Yellow Fever vaccines. Warimwe has now been awarded the Royal Society Africa Prize for his work on vaccine development and capacity building in Africa.…

South African opposition Action South Africa party leader Herman Mashaba has urged the neighbouring country’s government to impose economic sanctions on Zimbabwean government and Zanu PF officials and freeze their assets saying this would force them to expedite political and economic reforms. Mashaba made the calls at a press conference Monday. His call is a…