East Africa

A student died while three others were injured when fire engulfed two dormitories at Kyamate Secondary School in Uganda’s Ntungamo Municipality on Sunday evening, local media reported. On February 27, the school head teacher Emmanuel Arinaitwe said the fire which started at around 9:30pm at Nyerere and Mandela dormitories was …

A total of 12 children have died of measles in south-western Tanzania’s Mlele district since December, local media reported, citing district commissioner Majid Mwanga. Mr Mwanga added that 847 children had been infected with measles in the district between December and February. “Health workers have so far vaccinated 16,480 children …

More than 70 women working on two British-owned tea plantations in Kenya have told the BBC they were forced to have sex by their managers to retain their jobs. Undercover filming by the BBC caught local bosses pressuring a female worker for sex. The two firms, Unilever and James Finlay …

Police in Kenya have questioned a member of parliament over claims of funding bandits in the country’s northern Rift Valley region. Pokot South MP David Pkosing was arrested on Thursday evening by officers from the Serious Crimes Unit and released hours after interrogation. His lawyer says the MP will appear …

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said his country will not embrace homosexuality and the West should stop seeking to impose its views to compel dissenting countries to “normalise” what he called “deviations”. Officiating at the national celebrations to mark Janani Luwum Day at Wii-Gweng village in Mucwini Sub-County, Kitgum District, Mr …

A pastor, founder of the Santa Trindade evangelical church in the central province of Manica, died after fasting for 40 days in an attempt to reach the record set by Jesus on the biblical Mount of Olives in Mozambique. After 25 days of fasting, the pastor had lost a lot …

Uganda’s military has denied accusations of abducting and torturing an opposition activist, a day after pictures emerged showing the victim with visible marks of torture on his chest, local media reported. In a Twitter thread, opposition leader Bobi Wine had said his supporter was burnt with hot metals on the …

The African Union has appointed former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta to lead its observation mission in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria. Nigerians go to the polls on 25 February. The observer mission includes representatives from the AU member states’ election bodies, civil society, independent experts and AU organs. Its …

Uganda’s environmental management agency says it will start imposing fines from April on motorists driving private cars without rubbish bins. Offenders will face a maximum fine of up to 6,000,000 Ugandan shillings ($1,630; £1,350), according to a penalty scheme announced on Wednesday. Motorists who refuse to pay the fines will …

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has refuted reports that the families of former presidents Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Moi were being targeted for tax evasion. Mr Mudavadi said President William Ruto had not mentioned any names in his push for tax compliance, and claimed the reports were inferences made …