More than 100 inmates have died so far this year in Democratic Republic of Congo’s underfunded and chronically overcrowded prisons, Reuters reported, citing a U.N. human rights official. The main cause of the deaths was contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, which spread easily in crowded facilities and require unavailable medical …
Read More »Togo postpones elections to focus on new constitution
Legislative and regional elections in Togo will no longer be held on April 20 as the government has postponed this double ballot to a later date, indicates a press release. The Togolese must still wait to vote for their next deputies and governors. The country’s authorities postponed the date of …
Read More »South African Parliament Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula resigns
South Africa’s Speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has resigned after police raided her home during a corruption investigation, local media reported. Ms Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of soliciting bribes in return for awarding contracts during her time as defence minister. She has denied the charges and said her resignation was “in …
Read More »Zimbabwe declares state of disaster over severe drought
Authorities in Zimbabwe have declared a state of disaster over a drought that has left around three million people facing hunger – making it the third country in southern Africa to raise the alarm. Poor rains have wrought havoc across much of the region, where according to the UN’s World …
Read More »South African ex-president Zuma appeals against election ban
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has filed an appeal against the South African Electoral Commission, which last week banned him from running in the upcoming elections. The 81-year-old served as president from 2009 until 2018, when he had to step down because of corruption allegations. He was convicted and …
Read More »Kenyan doctors’ strike over salaries, training extends into third week
Kenyan public hospital doctors who have been on strike since last month convened in two major cities on Tuesday to discuss their grievances against the government, Reuters reported. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which represents over 7,000 members, went on strike on March 15 to demand …
Read More »Kenyan hospital to dispose of unclaimed bodies including 475 babies
Kenya’s largest public referral hospital has announced it will dispose of hundreds of unclaimed bodies currently at its morgue if family members are unwilling to collect them. “Interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days, failure to which the hospital will …
Read More »Deputy head of Russian Navy arrives in Eritrea for negotiations
A Russian delegation led by the country’s deputy navy commander Vladimir Kasatonov has arrived at the Eritrean port city of Massawa for bilateral talks. It was welcomed on Monday by senior Eritrean military officials led by army chief Philipos Woldeyohannes and Culture and Sports Commission Commissioner Zemede Tekle. The visit …
Read More »Egyptian President Sissi to be sworn in for third term
Re-elected in December with 89.6% of the vote, Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is due to be sworn in for a third consecutive six-year term as the country’s leader. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on Tuesday at the new parliament buildings near the capital, Cairo, partly state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram …
Read More »DR Congo President appoints first ever female PM
Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has appointed former Planning Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka as the country’s first-ever female Prime Minister. She replaces Sama Lukonde who resigned in February. “I know that the task is great and the challenges [are] immense, but with the support of the president and …
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