Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Friday inaugurated a 24-kilometre (15-mile) around the country’s tanzanite mines to prevent smuggling of the precious violet-blue stones, which are unique to the East African country. Magufuli in September ordered the army to build the wall around the mines, located …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has castigated laziness in the Ministry of Health, that has seen them focus on ‘conservation’ and not elimination of malaria. “Why then do we have this malaria conservation programme? We can eliminate it. We have been able to eliminate 13 diseases. …

New Delhi, India | AFP | Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, now Prisoner 106, will have to spend at least another night in jail as he fights a five-year prison term for killing endangered wildlife. Khan, one of the world’s highest paid actors, was imprisoned Thursday after a court convicted him …

Seoul, South Korea | AFP |  The epic scandal that led Friday to the jailing of former South Korean president Park Geun-hye for 24 years broke more than 18 months ago. The once-popular leader and her confidante Choi Soon-sil were ensnared by allegations of dodgy links with big business, abuse …

  Durban, South Africa | AFP | South African former president Jacob Zuma appeared in court Friday on corruption charges over a multi-billion dollar 1990s arms deal, with the judge adjourning the case after a 15-minute hearing. Zuma, 75, smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up as he walked into the …

  Liesl Louw-Vaudran | ISS AFRICA | The impressive turnout at the African Union’s Extraordinary Summit on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 21 March showed the continent’s united fervour to boost its economic opportunities. Delegations from 50 countries, including 27 heads of state, attended the summit in …

Leighann Spencer | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS |  Last month, Uganda experienced a senior changing of the guard as Kale Kayihura was officially replaced as Inspector General of Police. The prominent figure had been head of the Uganda Police Force for over 12 years, and his contract had been renewed for another three …

William Davison | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS |  The swearing-in this week of Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed and his promising inaugural speech suggests Ethiopia has its best chance yet to address a political crisis that has been building for decades. This comes not a moment too soon. Youthful protesters, particularly in Oromiya, …

Lusaka, Zambia | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS | On 23 March, Zambia’s main opposition party filed a motion seeking the impeachment of President Edgar Lungu. The action was led by the United Party for National Development (UPND) party and backed by a third of MPs. The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) immediately derided the move. Presidential spokesperson …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The United States on Thursday approved a contract to sell Saudi Arabia 180 self-propelled artillery systems for $1.31 billion, in the latest stage of perhaps the world’s biggest arms deal. When US President Donald Trump visited Riyadh last year he boasted that the desert …