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News and information from the fast-changing continent.
Africans Don't Just Live to Die. A Response to the New York Times.
[African Arguments] If reporting on Africa just caters to readers craving a glimpse into the strangeness of how the other half lives, we lose the chance for true internationalism.
Were it not for the notoriety of Western media's often reductionist reporting of the Global South, I would be confounded by the New York Times article published on 4 January entitled "A Continent Where the Dead Are Not Counted". Bylined from Lagos, its central thesis is that the low death rates from COVID-19 in "Africa" are because Africans do not r
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Central African Republic: Thousands Displaced By Post-Election Violence in CAR
[DW] Some 32,000 residents have fled the Central African Republic into adjacent countries, says the UN's refugee agency. The exodus follows opposition complaints over "numerous irregularities" in last month's election.
The Geneva-based UNHCR said "violence and insecurity" plaguing the Central African Republic's December 27 election had prompted thousands of refugees to seek haven in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The more than 24,000 new arrivals had "placed a massive strain on resources," especi
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Africa: Eritrea in the Tigray War - What We Know and Why It Might Backfire
[African Arguments] The war against the TPLF will not be quick or easy, and it already looks to be going badly for Eritrea's president.
There is little doubt now that Eritrean forces are participating in the war in Tigray. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has denied it and Eritrea's foreign minister has
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Zimbabwe: Journalist Chin'ono Arrested Again
[New Zimbabwe] FIREBRAND journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has been picked up by the police again, this time for allegedly falsely claiming police in Harare had struck and killed an infant with a baton stick.
Chin'ono was picked from his Harare home by officers from the CID Law and Order division.
He wrote on his Twitter, "The police have come to arrest me! Let everyone know!
"They say they are charging me with communicating falsehoods for tweeting that a child had been beaten up and died by a police officer! They are taking
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Zimbabwe: Suspended Council Boss Back At Work, Embroiled in New Scam
[Zimbabwe Independent] Suspended Harare City Council Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango, who is facing criminal charges for alleged illegal sale of residential stands, has been embroiled in a fresh ZW$51 million (US$636 000) Covid-19 materials tender scandal.
A recent council audit signed off by audit manager Archibald Nyamurova, revealed that a controversial firm Eqstra Hardware and Electricals was cherry picked to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) before unjustified price adjustments were effected to prejudice the local autho
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Ghana: Akufo-Addo Upbeat for Ghana Second Term
[CAJ News] AHEAD of the resumption of his second term, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has pledged to revatilise Ghana's economy against the tide of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
He will be inaugurated in Accra on Thursday, exactly a month after he was re-elected in a closely-contested poll.
Akufo-Addo delivered his State of the Nation Address on the Dissolution of the Seventh Parliament in Accra.
He noted the outbreak of the COVID-19 halted the strong growth shown by the West African country's economy
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Namibia: Country Records 13 Covid-19 Related Deaths in 24 hrs
[Namibia Economist] The Health Minister Hon Dr. Kalumbi Shangula on Wednesday 6 January announced 13 new COVID-19 deaths, as the country's COVID-19 cases continue to surge.
The minister also announced that in the last 24 hrs the country recorded 432 new COVID-19 confirmed cases.
The second COVID-19 wave is proving to be more fierce as staggering numbers have been reported in the last two months and of the 13 COVID-19 deaths, 10 people had comorbidities.
"Seven are from Windhoek district, two from Gobabis district and 1 each f
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Zimbabwe: Police Refutes Social Media On Death of Infant At Bindura Bus Terminus
[263Chat] The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has refuted social media claims that a police officer killed a toddler after smashing windscreen of a commuter omnibus that was loading at an undesignated point.
Social media was abuzz with reports that a police officer had 'killed' a child after he smashed a windscreen with a truncheon hitting the little baby in the process.
However, in a statement national Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said comprehensive investigations were conducted with the ch
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Zimbabwe: Informal Traders Claim Discrimination, Challenge Chiwenga Lockdown
[New Zimbabwe] The Zimbabwe Informal Sectors Organisation (ZISO), through its Executive director Promise Mkwananzi, has approached the High Court complaining that the ongoing national lockdown is unconstitutional.
The organisation says the regulations enacted were irrational since there was no provision for social safety nets for the vulnerable during this period.
Applicants in the matter are ZISO represented by Mkwananzi and Mfundo Mlilo while Health minister, Constantino Chiwenga is the respondent.
Mkwananzi said the r
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Zimbabwe: Finance Minister Ncube Goes After Leather Sector Tax Relief Abusers
[New Zimbabwe] FINANCE Minister Mthuli Ncube has given the leather sector tax relief beneficiaries 30 days to furnish him with details on tangible achievements made so far saying failure to do so will result in them paying the exempted taxes.
Under Statutory Instrument 4 of 2021, shoe manufacturers will be required to furnish Treasury with an annual report showing full particulars of all the benefits achieved in the utilisation of the rebate facility.
"The report shall be in such a manner that the effect on the following
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Zimbabwe: Econet Data Traffic Volumes Up 90%
[New Zimbabwe] Listed telecommunications giant, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (EWZ) has registered a 90% upturn in data traffic on the backdrop of shifting Covid-19 linked work patterns by locals.
Zimbabwe has been on different levels of lockdowns since March 2020 prompting a shift in work patterns in favour of home-based workstations.
The education sectors have also joined the bandwagon as learning has shifted from the conventional classroom walls to online platforms.
Presenting a trading update this week for the third quart
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Nigeria, Other African Countries Arise to 'Return' Diaspora Graduates
[Vanguard] In reality, when African citizens travel abroad to countries like the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, China, India, and others in search of the golden opportunity, their primary goal is to acquire an education and specialization and eventually return to their native countries to practice what they have learned in school.
Paraphrased- "Any education acquired in foreign countries if not practiced in your home country is worthless", opined by Late President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
These set
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Uganda: Police Beat, Detain Journalists Covering Opposition Candidates Ahead of Uganda Elections
[CPJ] Ugandan security forces should stop harassing and attacking journalists, and should ensure that the press can freely cover the country's upcoming elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Since December 11, security officers have assaulted at least 10 journalists covering opposition events ahead of the country's January 14 presidential election, and briefly detained at least two members of the press and questioned them about their work, according to media reports and journalists who spoke
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Africa: Over 70,000 Covid-19 Deaths Across Continent
[allAfrica] As of January 8, confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 55 African countries reached 2,950,007. Reported deaths in Africa reached 70,550 and 2,414,305 people have recovered.
South Africa has the most reported cases - 1,170,590 - and 31,809 people died. Other most-affected countries are Morocco (448,678), Tunisia (152,254), Egypt (146,809), Ethiopia (127,227), and Libya (103,515). For the latest totals, see the AllAfrica interactive map with per-country numbers.
The numbers are compi
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Nigeria: Buhari, VP Osinbajo, Others May Take Covid-19 Vaccine On Live TV - Official
[Premium Times] The government urges Nigerians not be hesitant to take COVID-19 vaccine.
The federal government has appealed to Nigerians not to be hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it gets to Nigeria.
An official also said President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and other prominent Nigerians are willing to be among the first set of Nigerians to receive the vaccine on live television to help drive acceptance.
Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency
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Ethiopia: African Union Commission Chair 'Undermined' Peace Effort
[African Arguments] The Ethiopian civil war broke out following the November 4 attack by Tigray regional forces on the base of federal troops in Mekelle, capital of the northern Ethiopian regional state. Although the relationship between Addis Ababa and Mekelle has been strained since the transition that saw Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed come to power in 2018, few expected the build-up of tensions to erupt at the time and in the form that it did.
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is also the current chair of the Intergov
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Kenya: $150m Needed to Vaccinate 35 Million Kenyans Against Covid-19
[Nation] Vaccine - To eliminate Covid-19, $150 million should be spent to give 35 million Kenyans the Astra Zeneca vaccine to achieve herd immunity, says Dorothee von Brentano. "The money should be available, especially, if Covid millionaires are made to contribute. It could even be cheaper, given a seropositivity of 40 per cent in the hotspots such as Nairobi and Mombasa." Her contact dvonbrentano@gmail.com.
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Trees - Following Education CS George Magoha's eloquent advisory that "pupils can learn
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Africa: Over 70,000 Covid-19 Deaths Across Continent
[allAfrica] As of January 9, confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 55 African countries reached 2,986,428. Reported deaths in Africa reached 71,460 and 2,433,068 people have recovered.
South Africa has the most reported cases - 1,192,570 - and 32,425 people died. Other most-affected countries are Morocco (450,221), Tunisia (154,903), Egypt (147,810), Ethiopia (127,572), and Libya (104,002). For the latest totals, see the AllAfrica interactive map with per-country numbers.
The numbers are compi
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Zimbabwe: Robbers in U.S.$2,5 Million Heist
[The Herald] Four armed robbers made off with US$2,5 million and $40 000 in dramatic fashion after they had reportedly been offered a lift by a security company cash-in-transit vehicle.
The spellbinding incident, which has seen three suspects being arrested and assisting police with investigations, occurred on Wednesday around 2pm along the Harare-Chinhoyi Road near Gwebi River Bridge.
Police yesterday said the cash-in-transit team, which was travelling in a Toyota Hilux, picked up six male passengers at Westgate and I
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Zimbabwe: Transport Mogul Munhenzva Dies
[The Herald] Herald Reporter
TRANSPORT mogul Regis Matavata of Munhenzva Bus Company has died of Covid-19.
He died at a Harare hospital yesterday afternoon at the age of 56.
Matavata's younger brother Itai, confirmed the death.
"Yes, he passed away in hospital today (yesterday). We are saddened, we are in pain. We are planning to bury him at our rural home on Saturday," he said.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation (ZPTO), Mr Samson Nhanhanga, said Matavata's death was a blow to the tr
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Zimbabwe: Kazembe Orders Police to Deal With Windscreen Smashing Cops
[New Zimbabwe] HOME Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe has ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to take stern action against police operatives who smash vehicle windscreens in attempts to arrest offending motorists.
The directive follows a recent incident captured on mobile phone in which a police officer used his baton stick to smash the window of a Bindura bound commuter omnibus resulting in a baby passenger being struck by breaking glass.
The video clip of the incident which occurred along Sam Nujoma Street went v
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Kenya: UN Releases U.S.$1.5 Million for Fight On Locust Upsurge
[Nation] The United Nations has set aside Sh164 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to fight a possible desert locust upsurge in Kenya.
The funds will mainly be used in control operations, including air and ground surveillance and pesticide spraying.
Swarms have so far been reported in Mandera, Garissa, Marsabit, Tana River and Wajir.
Undersecretary-General Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian chief, on Tuesday announced the release of the money to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
"I am alloca
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Zimbabwe: Doctors Poke Holes On Current Lockdown Enforcement
[263Chat] Doctors have condemned the enforcement of the current 30 day lockdown saying it will not help in reducing the spread of COVID-19 due to loopholes observed on the first day.
In a statement, Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) said the current lockdown measures announced by government, though welcome, may not provide the much-needed impact in breaking the COVID-19 chain of transmission and help in flattening the COVID 19 curve.
"In a snap survey conducted by ZADHR on the 1st day of the l
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Africa: Dangote Still Africa's Wealthiest
[Premium Times] Musk recently overtook Bill Gates to become the second-richest person in the world.
Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, on Thursday displaced Amazon's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, as the world's richest person just as Nigeria's Aliko Dangote, maintained his spot as Africa's richest man.
Despite his recent dating scandal nonetheless, Dangote remains Africa's richest man and the richest black man in the world for nine years in a row, with a net worth of more than $10 billion.
Musk, 49, overtook Bill Gates in November, 202
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Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Warns Detractors
[The Herald] ZANU PF has warned some critics to stop lecturing the country's leadership on implementing Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Self-exiled G-40 members have on a number of occasions attacked the ruling party, the Government and the First Family as they seek to destabilise the country.
Zimbabwe, like most countries, has imposed Level Four lockdown measures to curb the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic which has killed more than a million globally to date. Some critics claimed that President Mnangagwa needs to
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Zimbabwe: Sally Mugabe Hospital Midwives Down Tools Over Covid-19 PPE
[New Zimbabwe] MIDWIVES manning Sally Mugabe Hospital's maternity ward have withdrawn their services over lack of Covid-19 Personal Protective Equipment.
The health workers have also blamed health minister and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga for alleged failure to listen to their concerns.
An executive with the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) at the hospital who preferred anonymity for fear of victimisation described the situation at the government institution as dire.
"Yes. nurses at the maternity ward have downe
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Nigeria: Going to the Cinema in Lagos Isn't Just About the Movie That's Showing
[The Conversation Africa] Going to the movies is a favourite hobby of many young people in Lagos, Nigeria's most populous city. As the centre of the country's media and art industry, Lagos vibrates with culture and entertainment. It is home to a massive creative ecosystem including film production and exhibition, theatre, music, photography, fashion, hospitality and festive events.
Lagos is also the capital of Nollywood, Nigeria's prolific movie industry. It's the seat of Nigeria's cinema culture, boasting the highest number of mov
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Zimbabwe: Govt Ill-Prepared for Second Wave
[Zimbabwe Independent] ZIMBABWE, like the rest aof the world, is battling second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country's health facilities are inadequate and ill-equipped to deal with the surging numbers across the country.
Two-and-a-half weeks ago I lost my father to Covid-19 in Bulawayo at a government hospital. He had been admitted into an ordinary ward after a rapid antigen test gave a negative result. For almost two days, the medical staff in that ward treated him like an ordinary patient, exhibiting Covid-19-like symp
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Nigeria: Govt Directs Reversal of Electricity Tariff Adjustment
[Premium Times] The minister said reports that electricity tariff had been increased by 50 per cent are inaccurate.
The Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to inform all Electricity Distribution Companies(DISCOs) to revert to tariffs that were applicable in Dec. 2020.
Aaron Artimas, Senior Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the Minister of Power, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the reversal to the old tariff was to promo
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Uganda: Bobi Wine - Why I Shipped My Children Out of Uganda
[East African] Ugandan Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, has defended the decision to ship out his children after his critics questioned the move saying it was a sign of cowardice.
Mr Kyagulanyi, who is the National Unity Platform presidential candidate in next week's presidential election, said he was forced to take his children out of the country after he received credible information that there was a plan by his opponents in the ruling party to kidnap them as part of a scheme to coerce him out o
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