Politics

The deposed president of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, is “free to move” and “can go abroad, if he wishes,” Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi, putshists spokesman announced on state television. Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi was reading a press release “signed” by General Oligui, who now heads the transition. Ali Bongo, in power for …

The wife of former Zambia President Edgar Lungu has been released from police custody until she appears in court. Esther Lungu, who was arrested along with four others on Wednesday, was released later in the evening alongside her fellow accused, according to police spokesperson Danny Mwale. They were facing several …

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has said that the country needs to slow its birth rate to avoid a catastrophe, local media reported. He said that Egypt has to lower its annual births to 400,000 from the current more than two million for the country to efficiently provide jobs and …

Nigeria’s presidential election tribunal is due to rule on Wednesday on whether Bola Tinubu should stay as president after two rivals challenged his victory in February’s disputed vote, Reuters reported. There have been numerous legal challenges to the outcome of previous Nigerian presidential elections but none have succeeded. Most political …

The United Kingdom will include the Russian paramilitary group Wagner on its list of terrorist organizations, the Daily Mail said Tuesday, citing Interior Minister Suella Braverman. “Wagner is a violent and destructive organization which acted as a military instrument abroad for Vladimir Putin’s Russia,” the minister declared, the British daily …

East African heads of state on Tuesday unanimously agreed to extend the deployment of the regional military force in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The decision happens a week after DR Congo military officials killed 43 and arrested 168 protestors who were demanding the withdrawal of East African troops and …

Large sums of money have already been pledged to Africa at the ongoing climate summit in Kenya, with the UK among the first to make a commitment. It is to invest £49m ($61m) in new projects to help Africans manage the impact of climate change and mobilise finance for climate …

The Chinese government intends to play a “mediating role” in the political crisis in Niger, declared Jiang Feng, the Chinese ambassador to this country in an interview on Monday on Nigerien national television. “The Chinese government intends to play a role of good offices, of mediator, with total respect for …

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), says it has suspended Gabon’s membership in response to last week’s coup. Earlier on Monday the coup leader, Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, was sworn in as transitional president. He seized power just after Ali Bongo was declared to have won a third …

Paying passengers have used the Lagos metro rail line for the first time on Monday, 20 years after construction began on the project. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was on board as the train began commercial operations months after it was launched at the beginning of the year with test rides. The …