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News and information from the fast-changing continent.
Sudan: Humanitarians Step Up Response to Deadly Cholera Outbreak in Sudan
[UN News] Cholera vaccines are expected to arrive in Sudan this month as the country continues to face a deadly outbreak of the disease amidst the ongoing war, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.
UN agencies and partners are scaling up response to the outbreak, which was first declared in Gedaref state, located in the east, on 26 September.
At least 2,525 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhoea/cholera have been reported, including 78 associated deaths, in 27 localities across seven states.
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Africa: Smallholder Farmers Gain Least From International Climate Funding - Study
[IPS] Smallholder farmers from the Global South benefit from a grossly disproportionate 0.3% of international climate finance despite producing a third of the world's food and despite holding the key to climate-proofing food systems.
The family farmers and rural communities received around USD 2 billion from both public and private international climate funds out of the USD 8.4 billion that went to the agriculture sector in 2021, even as over 2.5 billion people globally depended on the farms for their
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Africa: West Africa's Plastic Waste Could Be Fuelling the Economy Instead of Polluting the Ocean - Experts
[The Conversation Africa] Plastic pollution is an urgent environmental issue, globally. Every year, about eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans.
Most of the 17 west African countries have a problem managing plastic waste. Eight of them are among the top 20 with the least effective plastic waste management practices - up from five in 2015. This has worsened marine pollution and adversely affected activities in the region.
Coastal provinces account for about 56% of west Africa's GDP and one-third of the population
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Congo-Kinshasa: Democracy At work - A Milestone Gathering in the Democratic Republic of Congo
[Forum of Congolese Intellectuals Abroad] In a significant development for Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced a historic moment as 26 candidates came together for a collective briefing on the preparations for the upcoming election on December 20th, 2023, led by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
The presence of all 26 candidates in the same room stands as a testament to CENI's unwavering commitment to fostering a true democratic, free, and fair elections. Despite all the challenges, the CENI
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Kenyans Struggle to Make Ends Meet Despite Election Promises
[RFI] Nairobi, Kenya - Kenya's president William Ruto has acknowledged that his government is having a tough time in delivering what it promised in the campaign leading up to the elections.
Addressing the nation at a joint parliamentary sitting in Nairobi 14 months after his election, the head of state said his government has identified external shocks, structural imbalances and fiscal pressure as the main financial challenges of his government.
Cost of living
They are the reason, he said, that the government
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Congo-Kinshasa: DRC Elections - the Kabila Family Legacy Looms Large Over the Country's Polls
[The Conversation Africa] The Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to hold elections on 20 December 2023. The country's electoral commission has announced President Felix Tshisekedi will be seeking reelection alongside 23 other candidates. They include Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege and the runner-up in the 2018 presidential election, Martin Fayulu. The courts will confirm the final list of candidates. One key political figure has yet to make his intentions known: Joseph Kabila. He was president for 18 years until
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Egypt's President Faces Election Amid Economic Woes
[The Conversation Africa] The bitter conflict between Israel and Hamas could not have come at a worse time for Egypt. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former military strongman who seized power in 2013 amid the turbulent fallout of the Arab Spring, faces a general election in December.
Beset by economic woes and with a political and humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on his country's border, it will be an election fraught with risks.
Sisi effectively took power in July 2013, after decades of military dictatorship under Hosni Mubarak.
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Nigeria Unions Call for Nationwide Strike
[Premium Times] The NLC had on Monday announced the commencement of the industrial action from midnight of Monday, 13 November, in defiance of a restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Friday.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliates including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, began a nationwide strike, in defiance of a restraining court order barring them from embarking on the industrial action.
The two major labour
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Africa: 'If Africa Prospers, America Prospers' - New Prosper Africa Leader British Robinson Speaks
[allAfrica] Prosper Africa Co-ordinator British Robinson participated in the AGOA Forum, where it was agreed that the Act should be renewed, and the draft reauthorisation was made public, but there are still discussions about what form it will take. The trade ministers of African countries' who participate in AGOA called for an extension of at least a decade for all the countries who are currently benefiting in order to preserve value chains and support the continent's efforts to industrialise.
allAfrica's
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South Africa: After 24 Years, Almost 1,000 Govt Houses in Mthatha Are Still Not Finished
[GroundUp] The Hawks are now investigating
In 1999, shack dwellers in Mthatha were moved into 969 RDP homes, only to find the houses were very badly built. Only in 2017 was a rectification project started. It only managed to demolish and rebuild about 100 of the homes in six years. People given rebuilt homes were disappointed to find that these too were substandard. The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlement has ignored our questions.
In 1999, Meyden Farm shack dwellers were given RDP houses. But, says community
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Kenya: 46 People Killed By Floods in Ongoing Rains, CS Kindiki Says
[Capital FM] Forty six people have so far died across the country due to the ongoing heavy rains that has caused floods and displacement.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki called or caution and adherence to directives issued by security officers on areas prone to flooding and landslides to avert accidents during this El-Nino period.
"We have lost 46 people because of drowning and floods and we don't any single Kenyan to lose their lives. Please comply with directive by security officers and if you don't comply
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Nigeria: Naira Scarcity Worsens As Banks Limit Withdrawals, ATMs Run Dry
[Daily Trust] Naira scarcity is biting harder across the country as banks have limited cash withdrawals, findings by Daily Trust have shown.
Residents of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Adamawa and in other parts of the country are expressing concerns over their inability to withdraw huge cash in their banks, raising fears of scarcity as experienced during the naira swap.
This has also affected business transactions in local markets, especially in the northern part of Nigeria where buyers and sellers prefer to
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South Africa: Diseases On Farms in South Africa - Recent Outbreaks Point to Weaknesses in the System
[The Conversation Africa] South Africa has had a number of outbreaks of animal diseases in recent months that suggest there are weaknesses in the country's biosecurity system - the measures in place to reduce the risk of infectious diseases being transmitted to crops, livestock and poultry.
The outbreaks pose a major challenge for South Africa's domestic animal farming sector. Fears of weaknesses in the system have been raised by agribusiness for some time, suggesting that pressures and concerns are mounting.
Biosecurity breaches
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Africa: Svalbard Seed Vault - Protecting Africa's Food Supply
[DW] Deep in the Arctic permafrost, a special vault stores crop plant seeds from all over the world. In addition to climate change, political conflicts are threatening global crop biodiversity.
"We have received 60 boxes of seeds from 15 seed banks around the world," said Asmund Asdal, a Norwegian biologist who looks after the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
"The boxes are sealed and we are now scanning them in the airport's security system to make sure they only contain seeds."
For 15 years, plant DNA has been
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Kenya: President Ruto Says Kenyans to Transact Using Fingerprints, Iris By December
[Capital FM] President William Ruto has assured that Kenyans will be able to transact using fingerprints and iris by December when the Digital ID platform dubbed the Maisha Number becomes operational.
The President promised that the Digital ID will be in use come December with the testing program set to be concluded end of November to pave way for the seamless launch.
In September, the government postponed the planned launch due to unavoidable circumstances and promised to announce a new date.
"I have been assured by
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Zimbabwe: High Court Blocks Further Recalls of Opposition's MPs
[New Zimbabwe] High Court judge, Justice Tawanda Chitapi has barred further recalls of main opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators, senators and councillors.
This comes after Sengezo Tshabangu claiming to be CCC interim secretary general recalled 28 MPs, senators and over a dozen councillors claiming that they had ceased to be party members.
Obey Shava representing the party confirmed the interdict Tuesday afternoon.
"CCC as a political party sued Sengezo Tshabangu it filed summons on the 20th
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East Africa: Ethiopia and Eritrea - Is a New War Looming?
[DW] Ethiopia and Eritrea made peace in 2018, formally ending their border conflict. But control of the Assab port, which serves both countries, has sparked new tensions and led to fears of a fresh dispute.
When Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came into office in April 2018, he worked to secure a peace deal with former foe and neighbour, Eritrea.
Abiy and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a historic peace deal later the same year to end decades of fighting.
This won Abiy the Noble Peace Prize and the
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Africa: Finding Scientific and Innovative Ways to Accelerate Women's Healthcare
[allAfrica] Healthcare for women is moving forward, from having their sexual and reproductive rights left out of many countries' policies to having access to contraceptives and health services previously denied to women.
But science and innovation can accelerate women's healthcare even more, and experts at the Grand Challenges meeting in Dakar, Senegal, under the theme Science Saves Lives, gathered to reflect on the past and plan for the future.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Grand
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Nigeria: Blackout Looms As Nigerian Electricity Workers Join Labour Unions' Strike
[Premium Times] The NUEE members' strike could throw the country into darkness, given the workers' critical roles in electricity distribution in the country.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed its members to commence full mobilisation to ensure compliance with the directive of the Nigerian labour unions to embark on a nationwide strike.
The NUEE in a notice signed by its acting general secretary, Dominic Igwebike, on Monday, urged its members to comply with the directive and stop work from the
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East Africa: Pledges Aren't Enough to Protect East Africa's Refugees
[ISS] States are committed to helping refugees, but their ability to share the burden beyond their borders is limited.
Despite East Africa's recent commitments, it is becoming increasingly difficult for countries in the region to sustain financial support for refugees and host communities.
On 16 June, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and East African Community (EAC) signed the Munyonyo declaration on durable solutions for refugees, and made pledges ahead of the 13-15 December Global Refugee
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Nigeria: Conduct of Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa Polls, a Major Setback - Situation Room
[Premium Times] The group said by permitting the bypass of the BVAS, INEC has effectively rolled back the gains of electoral reform recorded in recent times.
The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room has expressed disappointment with the conduct of Saturday's off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, describing it as a major setback in the nation's democratic development.
In a statement on Monday in Abuja, Situation Room said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not show that it
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South Africa: Bad Food Choices - Clearer Labels Aim to Help South Africans Pick Healthier Options
[The Conversation Africa] South Africans have a hard time figuring out which foods are unhealthy when they go shopping. But this is about to change.
South African supermarkets currently sell large amounts of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods. Packaged foods in particular have high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat - all things that are bad for our health.
Research shows that the consumption of these foods is linked to increasing rates of obesity and related diseases such as diabetes.
Many countries have been looking for better
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Rwanda: Survivors, Activists Hope for Justice as 'Butcher of Tumba' Trial Starts in France
[New Times] It was a very long wait but survivors and rights activists still hope justice will be delivered as a court in Paris on November 14 starts proceedings in a case involving the seventh Rwandan to be tried in France for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
At the Cour d' assises de Paris, Dr. Sosthene Munyemana will be tried for allegedly being at the forefront of massacres in Tumba - a locality in current Huye town, southern Rwanda - a role that earned him the nickname " butcher of Tumba".
A day
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Uganda: As Ugandan Pipeline Project Begins, Landowners Navigate a Crooked Road to Compensation
[Global Press Journal] The East African Crude Oil Pipeline is slated to pass through 10 districts in Uganda, but many who own property in its path haven't seen a cent from the government.
Years ago, Steven Pepe, a cattle farmer, believed he was about to get a windfall. Pepe, the local chairperson of Karyabuhoro village in Kyahi subcounty, Gomba district, has a farm that sits on several acres of land. In 2018, government appraisers surveyed the land and earmarked 10 acres to route the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
Running from
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South Africa: Tribunal Postponed as Judge Racks Up Legal Fees in Excess of R3-Million
[GroundUp] Judicial Conduct Tribunal into her alleged misconduct adjourns until January
The tribunal looking into the conduct of Judge Tintswalo Annah Nana Makhubele has been postponed to January. On Monday the tribunal, through correspondence, was informed that Judge Makhubele has outstanding legal fees in excess of R3-million for her representation for the hearings. The matter was previously postponed because she was embroiled in a battle with the State over who was to pay her legal fees. Makhubele's attorney told
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Nigeria: Govt to Withdraw Police from VIP Security
[Daily Trust] President Bola Tinubu has ordered withdrawal of police personnel from VIPs, saying it was imperative they take back their normal duties as spelt out in the constitution of the country and the Police Act particularly in the area of developing a community policing strategy, among others.
Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, disclosed this during a two-day management retreat at the Ministry of Police Affairs in Abuja on Monday.
He said the police high command would execute Tinubu's
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South Africa: Durban Residents Dumped for 2010 World Cup Stage Protest
[GroundUp] They were told in 2009 their temporary accommodation was only for six months
In 2009 more than 600 families were moved to Kwadabeka, north-west of Durban, in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They have been there ever since. They live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions with more than 600 households sharing two toilets and two showers. They have staged protests but say to date they have been ignored.
Last week residents of Kwadabeka, north-west of Durban, blocked Dumisani Makhaye highway in the
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Rwanda: A Genocide Trial in France Symbolises the Push for Accountability
[DW] A Rwandan doctor is on trial in Paris, accused of complicity in the 1994 genocide. He denies the charges against him, but the plaintiffs say the case has symbolic significance.
April 6, 1994, was a tragic turning point in the history of Rwanda. That evening, Juvenal Habyarimana, the president of the central African country, was flying back from neighboring Tanzania when his plane was shot down by surface-to-air missiles as it came in to land in the capital, Kigali. All those on board perished; they also
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South Africa: Children Play Among Rubbish and Rodents At This Dunoon Park
[GroundUp] City official says a developer is waiting for approval to fund the repairs of Thandabantu Park but suggest moving the equipment to a different place
The Thandabantu Park in Dunoon is in a terrible state. Most of the play equipment is broken or badly rusted. People who wash vehicles along the road have dug up some of the park's grounds to illegally connect a municipal water pipe. Ward Councillor, Meisie Makuwa, questioned the City of Cape Town's budget allocation for the park during a recent subcouncil
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Tanzania: Maternal Deaths Drops
[Daily News] PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday launched the new Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey (2022 TDHS-MIS), which shows that the country has cut down maternal mortality rate by 80 per cent.
This significant stride implies that Tanzania is on the right track towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number three of ensuring healthy lives while promoting the well-being of all ages, according to the Head of State.
Dr Samia revealed this at the launch of the
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