Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Congolese President Joseph Kabila on Tuesday defied calls to step down when his term ends next month and vowed during remarks to lawmakers to defend his government against violent overthrow. His defiant speech to parliament came as criticism grows following a controversial deal between …
Read More »Egypt court overturns Morsi death sentence
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | An Egyptian appeals court has overturned a death sentence handed down against ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in one of four trials since his 2013 overthrow, a judicial official said. The Court of Cassation ordered that Morsi be retried on the charges of taking part …
Read More »Rwanda builds disaster village for vulnerable community
The Rwanda government, through its Ministry of Disaster and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR), is to build a `Disaster Resilience Village’ to be used as a safe haven by communities at risk, writes Susan Babijja. Preparations for the disaster resilience village are in progress in Ngororero district, Mityazo sector, Kigali Hill. The village …
Read More »DR Congo PM resigns but opposition wants Kabila to quit
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata resigned Monday to make way for an opposition figure to take his place following a controversial deal that effectively extends the president’s term in office. The decision to delay presidential polls until at least late 2017 was part of …
Read More »America to copy Rwanda drone delivery system
When the Rwanda government, in partnership with the American company Zipline launched an emergency medical supplies system on Oct.13, nobody could have anticipated the interest it would generate, writes The Independent Correspondent. The latest information is that the American government now wants to copy the Rwanda system and use it to …
Read More »Eskom chief resigns in graft scandal
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The head of South Africa’s state-owned power company Eskom has announced his resignation in a corruption scandal that has embroiled President Jacob Zuma. Brian Molefe became the first person to step down after a report released last week raised allegations of corrupt links between …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Africa waits and wonders on Trump’s foreign policy
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Across Africa, the approaching presidency of Donald Trump has provoked deep uncertainty over how the United States will pursue policies ranging from counter-terrorism and trade, to aid and climate change. Many African countries had high hopes that Barack Obama would bring transformative benefits to …
Read More »UN fears ‘ethnic war’ in S. Sudan, EU boosts refugee funding
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | The UN’s special advisor on preventing genocide, Adama Dieng, said he feared escalating ethnic violence in South Sudan, as the EU offered emergency aid for the swelling number of refugees on Friday. Speaking in Yumbe in neighbouring Uganda, the EU ‘s humanitarian aid commissioner …
Read More »Zimbabwe drops charges against Cecil the lion hunter
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | A Zimbabwean high court has dropped charges against the professional hunter, Theo Bronkhorst, who led the expedition that killed prized lion Cecil last year, his lawyer said Friday. “The high court has said the charges were flawed and, therefore, should be set aside,” lawyer Perpetua …
Read More »EU announces $85million for South Sudan crisis
The European Commission will provide €78 million ($85m) in emergency aid to help those affected by the South Sudan crisis both within the country and in the region. Over one million refugees from South Sudan have fled to neighbouring countries, with the number expected to grow. There are currently two million …
Read More »