East Africa

Elinaza Luvanda, the judge in the trial of Tanzania’s main opposition leader has stepped down after the defendants told the court that they had no confidence in him. The case against Freeman Mbowe and three others has been adjourned. They were arrested in July and charged with terrorism offences. Read …

Government in Uganda will receive up to 647,000 doses of the American-made Moderna Covid-19 vaccines on Monday. It has been confirmed by the government chief adviser on vaccine access, Prof David Sserwadda. The vaccine doses that have been donated by the US government are expected to arrive at 6pm.  “Logistics …

The Most Reverend Orthodox Archbishop of Uganda, Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga has died. His death has been confirmed by the Orthodox church in a statement on Sunday. “Our spiritual Father is gone to meet the Lord,” the statement said. The Church  early Sunday virtually held an intercessory prayer, also informing  congregants that …

The government in Uganda has suspended planned mandatory Covid-19 test for all international travellers. An inter-ministerial committee convened by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja cited unpreparedness and postponed implementation for two weeks. Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng had on August 20 announced that all travellers arriving in Uganda, including citizens …

Ugandan security forces are holding Dr Lawrence Muganga, a Rwandan descent over allegations of espionage and illegally staying in the country, army spokesperson Brig-Gen Flavia Byekwaso has said. Dr Lawrence Muganga, who is the vice-chancellor of the privately owned Victoria University, was picked up by plain-clothed officers from his office …

Kenya police are investigating a case in which three students were tied to a tree as punishment for absenteeism. Two senior teachers were questioned at Thiru Primary School in Laikipia County, central Kenya, about the incident. The incident sparked anger among Kenyans. Local television station NTV says the learners are …

Rwanda is mourning one of its most famous rappers, known as Jay Polly. He has died at the age of 33 in a hospital in Kigali. From his real name Joshua Tuissimier, Jay Polly was in jail awaiting trial on drug charges, and was rushed to hospital early on Thursday …

Kenya’s customs authorities have given importers of unclaimed items up to the end of the month to pay relevant fees or risk them being auctioned or destroyed, local Business Daily news site reports. The items including sex toys, civilian drones and shisha pipes have “clogged” warehouses at the main airport …

Ugandan Education and Sports Minister Janet Museveni said on August 30 that God was using her to transform the education sector and reiterated that “the quality of education is and will continue to change for the better”. In a statement carried by government newspaper, the New Vision, Ms Museveni, who …

About 100,000 Kenyans have not yet received a second dose of the Covid vaccine and many are thought to be holding out for the arrival of other vaccines which they judge to be more effective. The head of Kenya’s vaccine task force warns that many Kenyans risk becoming severely ill …