News Snippets in Africa 2nd to 15th May2021
Algeria: After an increase in street protests calling for systematic change, the Government is to ban all unauthorised protests. (Al-Jazeera English)
On 8/05/21 Algeria marked first national day of remembrance over mass killings (allegedly 45,000 mainly unarmed Algerian Muslims) by French forces 8th May 1945 in Setif. It was a celebration of victory over Germany which turned into a claim for Independence. Algeria is waiting for apologies from Paris for colonial-era crimes. (France 24)
Chad: Sunday 9th May, the army returned to barracks claiming victory over northern rebel group FACT. The previous president died in action against them. FACT have not commented. (France 24)
Democratic Republic of Congo:
Two rival Muslim groups fought outside Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa on Thursday at the end of Ramadan. 40 people wounded, 35 arrested, 30 people sentenced to death. 1 policeman was killed and a police vehicle was burned. (Al-Jazeera English)
More than 20 women in Eastern Congo claim they were coerced into having sex with aid workers during Ebola crisis. (France 24)
Uganda to set up joint army offensive with Congo against Islamist rebels in East of DRC. (Reuters)
Partly because of fake news only 500,000 people have been vaccinated in a population of 90,000,000. Therefore of the 1,700,000 vaccine doses received in March through Covax 1,300,000 are being passed on to other African countries before they expire at the end of June. (BBC)
Egypt: Suez Canal Authority has started to dredge a second lane in the Canal to allow two-way traffic. (Reuters)
Ethiopia: Vote originally foreseen for August 2020 and which was delayed because of Coronavirus, was supposed to take place on 5th June 2021. This has been postponed again for 3 weeks. (Reuters)
Save the Children claims that 5,000 children have been separated from their parents in the Tigray region because of the conflict (Reuters)
Ethiopian military claim to have destroyed a group of 320 Tigrayan rebels on 15 May trying to enter the country from Sudan. It is said their aim had been to link up with and support rebel leaders in the country already. (BBC)
Guinea: US has lifted flight restrictions to Guinea which were imposed because of Ebola outbreak in Guinea (Reuters)
Ivory Coast: PM Patrick Achi in hospital in France suffering from “fatigue”. He was appointed PM after the death of 2 PMs in 8 months. Both his predecessors were originally reported to be suffering from fatigue until one died of cardiac issues and the other from cancer. (Al-Jazeera English)
PM returned from France 15th May “in good shape” (Reuters)
Online disinformation still hampering anti-Covid vaccinations. (France 24)
Kenya: High Court ruling that Pres. Uhuru Kenyatta’s attempts to alter the Constitution by Building Bridges Initiative is illegal and civil proceedings can be initiated against the Pres. (Al-Jazeera English)
Kenya has suspended all flights to Somalia for 3 months. No reason was given. (Al-Jazeera English)
Police used tear gas to disperse protestors in Nairobi against Israeli air strikes on Gaza (13/05/21) (France 24)
Rights groups have asked Qatar for information about Kenyan man detained and disappeared in Qatar after he wrote about migrant rights in Qatar. (Reuters)
Burial site found in cave 12th May in cave Panga ya Saidi (near coast). Dating from 78,000 years ago it contains the remains of a Homo Sapiens child and shows beginnings of cognitive and emotional abilities amongst those who buried the child. (Reuters)
Libya: 17 African migrants who set off from Libya for Italy drowned off Tunis 13th May. 2 Nigerian women rescued by Tunisian coastguard. (Reuters)
UK imposed sanctions on Kaniyat militia. (Reuters
Madagascar:
Malawi: Tobacco use in terminal decline worldwide so Pres. Lazarus Chakwera suggested that tobacco growers switch to other foreign exchange earning crops like cannabis. (Reuters)
Mali: Last month the Govt. announced a constitutional referendum for 31 Oct. 2021 and elections in Feb. 2022. There have been doubts expressed as to the likelihood of this timetable being adhered to. Fri 14th May 2021 the PM appointed by the military, Moctar Ouane, resigned but was immediately reinstated to begin consultations to form a broad-based government. (Al-Jazeera English)
The largest trade union, UNTM, is threatening a 4 day strike over salary issues next week. (Al-Jazeera English)
UNTM (national Union of Malian Workers representing 80% of Malian workers) to start strike on Monday 17th May. This will include miners, teachers, and health workers. (Reuters)
Kidnapped French journalist, Olivier Dubois, pleads for help in video released last week. He was kidnapped in Gao in April 2021. (Al-Jazeera English)
Mozambique: Allegations have been made by Amnesty International that in the recent airlift to rescue civilians from a hotel in Palma, white people and even 2 dogs were given priority over local black people. These allegations were denied by DAG (Dyck Advisory Group), a South African company hired by the Mozambique government. (Al-Jazeera English)
Portugal is to send another 60 troops to Mozambique on training mission in order to help tackle the Islamic-state linked insurgency in the north of the country. (Reuters)
Nigeria: Rising cement costs impede building of housing estates. (Reuters)
Seychelles: WHO reviewing coronavirus data after claims that more than 1/3 people who tested positive had been fully vaccinated. (Al-Jazeera English)
Sierra Leone:
Somalia: Kenya has suspended all flights to Somalia for 3 months. No reason was given. (Al-Jazeera English)
South Africa: Ace Magashule has appealed against his suspension from ANC. He claims the charges of embezzlement against him are baseless. (France 24)
Ace Magashule has taken Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa to court over suspension. (Reuters)
Official death total for Covid deaths in the last year of 55,000 claimed to be in excess of 133,000 in reality (Reuters)
South Sudan: In line with the 2018 peace accords, Parliament has been dissolved with a view to lawmakers from opposing sides to be appointed. The new assembly will consist of 550 members, including 332 from Pres. Slava Kiir’s ruling party. Members will be directly appointed by the different parties. No date has been given for the beginning of work for the new Parliament. (Al-Jazeera English)
Sudan: Saudi Arabia is to push for debt restructuring ($50 Billion +) (Reuters)
Tanzania: Settlement agreement reached over abuse claims against Petra Diamonds concerning beatings, detentions and killings (7) of artisanal miners who trespassed on Williamson mine. (Reuters)
Tunisia: A week long increase in coronavirus restrictions has begun over the Eid al-Fitr holiday. (Al-Jazeera English)
Illegal Italian waste shipments still rotting in Tunisia. They arrived in May/June 2020 declared as recyclable plastic waste, but are in fact household waste. 26 people arrested so far including the former environment minister. (France 24)
17 African migrants who set off from Libya for Italy drowned off Tunis 13th May. 2 Nigerian women rescued by Tunisian coastguard. (Reuters)
Uganda: Yoweri Museveni has been sworn in for his sixth term as president. Bobi Wine (chief opposition rival) was surrounded by police in his home. He described the inauguration as a “sham” (Al-Jazeera English)
Dominic Ongwen, former leader of Lord’s Resistance Army sentenced at ICC to 25 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Avoided life sentence because he had himself been abducted at the age of 9. (France 24)
Uganda to set up joint army offensive with Congo against Islamist rebels in East of DRC. (Reuters)
Zambia: New Kazunguka rail and road bridge opened across the Zambia-Botswana border over Zambezi river. This will help avoid the congested crossing at Beitbridge between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Presidents of Zambia and Botswana were present at the opening as were the presidents of DR Congo, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and Chairpersons of AU and South African Development Community. A similar facility is being put up between Zambia and DRC. (Al-Jazeera English)
Zimbabwe: Chief Justice Luke Malaba was due to retire 15 May 2021 on attaining age of 70, but his tenure of office has been extended by 5 years by Pres. Emmerson Mnangagwa. The Chief Justice has been criticised for dismissing a petition seeking to annul the 2018 presidential election results after allegations of vote rigging. (Al-Jazeera English)
Zimbabwe Justice Minister accused judiciary of being captured by foreign press when it ruled the extension of the tenure of office of the Chief Justice by the Govt as illegal. (Reuters)
Re-introduction of rhinos into Gonarezhou (second largest wildlife park in the country) (Reuters)
Govt proposals to bring in a law to punish citizens who are deemed “unpatriotic” because they criticise the country whilst abroad. (BBC)