In the news

The wife of detained Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has sued the country’s police chiefs demanding that they produce him, BBC News reports. A court on Tuesday directed the police to release Mr Rukirabashaija unconditionally, but he is still in custody. Eva Basima sued the special forces command chief and police …

China on Thursday said it would appoint a special envoy to the turbulent Horn of Africa and wanted to shift focus on the continent to trade over infrastructure. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments in Kenya, which has been active in diplomatic efforts to halt war in Ethiopia since …

Pro-democracy activists in Sudan have said they will take to the streets across the country until military leaders step down and restore civilian rule. “We have no option but to go out and demonstrate against the military,” the spokesperson of the Sudanese Professionals Association said. “Our people decided to bring …

A manhunt has been launched for three Chinese nationals who were abducted earlier this week, police in central Nigeria said. The victims were working at a hydro-power plant near the town of Zungeru, according to the Niger state police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun. Four Chinese workers were rescued, but two local …

The head of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), John Nkengasong has said severe lockdowns were no longer the best way to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Dr Nkengasong, “the period where we are using severe lockdowns as a tool is over. We should actually …

Some ministers and other government officials in Ivory Coast were barred from attending the cabinet meeting on Wednesday after failing to show proof of vaccination or present Covid-19 test certificates. At least eight officials reportedly did not attend the meeting. According to Ivorian media, absentees included the minister of communication, …

U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will step down from his post this month after more than nine months in the job, Reuters reports. David Satterfield, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Turkey, will take up the role, the report say. Feltman, a veteran U.S. diplomat, assumed …

All detention facilities in Liberia have this week run out of food for inmates, causing two prisons, including the main Monrovia Central Prison, to temporarily shut their doors to newcomers, the BBC reports. The situation is being blamed on a number of factors including delays in remitting funds for food …

The Nigerian government through a statement, has formally designated all armed gangs popularly known as bandits, operating in the country, as terrorist groups. The declaration titled Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021, is contained in a document released by the justice minister on Wednesday. The criminal gangs who rule in …

At least twelve Rwandans including women and children have been expelled by the Burundian authorities after refusing to be vaccinated against covid-19. Those expelled said they had fled the ongoing mandatory vaccination campaign in Rwanda. The provincial governor, Albert Hatungimana, directed that they be deported to Rwanda. Last Thursday, nine …