Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Langton Chiwocha chose Emmerson Mnangagwa among 23 candidates in Zimbabwe’s presidential elections a year ago. Today he says he deeply regrets his choice. “We had high expectations as many promises were made, but things have turned worse since the elections,” Chiwocha told AFP. “I wish I …
Read More »DR Congo makes new push to fight year-old Ebola epidemic
Goma, DR Congo | AFP | An Ebola epidemic raging in eastern DR Congo marks its first year on Thursday in a mood of fear mingled with hope that fresh money and a change of leadership will turn the tide. So far, 1,790 people have died of the dreaded haemorrhagic virus …
Read More »Sudan talks cancelled as army ruler condemns teenagers’ killing
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudanese protest leaders cancelled planned talks with the country’s ruling generals on Tuesday as they visited a town where five teenaged protesters were shot dead. Sudan’s military ruler condemned the killing of the schoolchildren in the central town of Al-Obeid on Monday as the United Nations …
Read More »School students shot dead at Sudan rally ahead of talks
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Four Sudanese school students were among five demonstrators shot dead Monday during a rally against shortages of bread and fuel, a day before protest leaders and ruling generals are set to hold new talks on the country’s transition. Authorities announced a night-time curfew in four towns …
Read More »Africa moves to conserve animal genetic resources
Only developed countries including the US, China, India, some in Europe and South America have well–established gene banks Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | For the recent decades, Africa’s indigenous animals such as the East Africa’s sinewy Ankole cattle; a product of the centuries of selection for traits adapted to …
Read More »COMESA to hold climate change meeting in Zimbabwe
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa secretariat will hold a two-day training workshop to build capacity for member states in what it is calling ‘target indicator tracking and implementation’ of the Transparency Clause of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, …
Read More »Morocco’s two decades under King Mohammed VI
Rabat, Morocco | AFP | Here are some milestones in the two-decade reign of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and facts on the North African country: – Breaks with father – On July 23, 1999, Mohammed ascends the throne at age 35 on the death of his father Hassan II, …
Read More »State funeral for Tunisia’s Essebsi as new polls loom
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Thousands of Tunisians on Saturday attended the funeral of president Beji Caid Essebsi as the North African nation gears up for snap elections as early as September to defend the democratic gains of the Arab Spring. Essebsi, the country’s first head of state elected in …
Read More »Sudan probe shows paramilitaries involved in deadly raid on sit-in
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | A probe into a deadly June raid on a Khartoum protest camp revealed Saturday that a feared Sudanese paramilitary group was involved in the crackdown that killed scores and sparked international outrage. Shortly before dawn on June 3, gunmen in military fatigues raided the site of …
Read More »Missing or murdered: the grim fate of Tanzania dissidents
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Some turn up dead or injured. Others are never heard of again: A wave of kidnappings in Tanzania that appears to target critics of the government has set the nation on edge. In May, high-profile dissident Mdude Nyagali was snatched by four gunmen after leaving …
Read More »