News That Matters To Africa©️
QUOTE OF THE DAY
*Kenya’s Gen-Z went hunting for a rabbit, and…caught a buffalo*
HIGHLIGHTS
Kenyan, Haitian police recapture port from gangs
Nigeria fines Meta $220m for violating consumer, data laws
Ramaphosa pledges to revive economy
Suez Canal revenue drops as some shippers shun Red Sea
Arrested European aid worker in CAR on hunger strike
Exhausted migrants arrive on beach in Canaries
TOP NEWS
Eastern Africa Congo’s South Kivu governor suspends mining operations in province
A truce to halt violence in eastern Congo is extended
DRC military spending rose fastest in the world in 2023
DRC treads carefully not to antagonise Uganda
Eritrea: The African Tour de France cyclist racking up historic wins
Latest: Kenya political upheaval
Enough is enough Ruto tells GenZ
Pressure Mounts On President Ruto, Parliament Over Controversial Cabinet Nominees
Raila: My Conditions Before Engaging In National Dialogue
Kenya’s government appeals for protests to stop, but court suspends ban
Ruto retains former ministers in new cabinet appointments
Explainer: Why is Ruto accusing the Ford Foundation of stoking protests?
Kenyan, Haitian police recapture port from gangs
Did Police in Kenya Catch a Serial Killer or Coerce a Confession?
Swahili Village in Washington fined for wages, tips theft
Rwanda’s President Kagame re-elected in a landslide
Turkey to send navy to Somalia
USA narrowly avoid huge basketball upset against South Sudan
Indirect talks involving Sudan’s warring parties wraps up in Geneva
UAE president discusses peace efforts in Sudan with army’s Burhan
Uganda protest organisers playing with fire, president says
West Africa
Mali’s ‘king of kora’ Toumani Diabate dies at 58
Nigeria more than doubles the minimum wage for government workers after strikes and negotiations
Nigeria fines Meta $220m for violating consumer, data laws
Interpol arrests 300 people in a global crackdown on West African crime groups
Southern Africa
Former Mozambique finance minister on trial in US over ‘tuna bond’ scandal
SAfr leader pledges to revive economy, include the poor
SAfr police uncover multi-million dollar meth lab
Zambia’s anti-corruption board fired for alleged corruption
Zimbabwe deports Chinese for assaulting mine workers
North Africa
Suez Canal revenue drops as some shippers shun Red Sea
Anger as dean ‘confronts’ Moroccan student with Palestinian keffiyeh
Libya, Tunisia urge Europe to increase aid to help tackle migration crisis
Tunisian President Saied announces re-election bid as Opposition rival is jailed
Central Africa
European aid worker arrested in Central African Republic over spying allegations is on hunger strike
AFRICA GENERAL
VIDEO OF THE DAY
ARTICLES ON ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL & OPINION
EASTERN AFRICA
DR CONGO
Congo’s South Kivu governor suspends mining operations in province
The governor of DRCongo’s South Kivu province has suspended all mining activities in the restive region and ordered companies and operators to leave mining sites, he said on Friday. Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki said in a statement that the suspension until further notice was due to “disorder caused by the mining operators,” without elaborating. “All companies, businesses and cooperatives are required to leave the sites and operating locations within 72 hours,” he said. The decision will hit artisanal miners of metals such as gold and tin hard, as they are the region’s dominant producers. “The decision is illegal and falls within the scope of abuse of power,” said Jean Pierre Okenda, an analyst on governance in Congo’s extractive sector, adding that Congo’s mines minister should urgently ask for the ban to be lifted. In a separate statement, the governor called for a July 30 meeting with mining operators to assess the situation.
A truce to halt violence in eastern Congo is extended
The United States announced the extension of a humanitarian truce that had reduced fighting in eastern Congo even as violence and human rights abuses continue there, leading to calls for an end to the conflict to allow displaced people to return home. The latest truce in the decades-long conflict that was to end on Friday has been extended by 15 days until August 3, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that urged all actors “to respect the truce” that had been violated since it took effect on July 5. The violence concentrated in the eastern North Kivu province has resulted not just in arbitrary killings and arrests but also in sexual abuses with women and children affected the most, according to Carine Kaneza Nantulya of the Human Rights Watch, who spoke at a briefing about the situation in Congo.
DRC military spending rose fastest in the world in 2023
Global military expenditure is dominated by the United States and China, with 49 percent of total spending between them. According to the most recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military spending reached $2.4 trillion in 2023, a 6.8 percent increase on 2022. Africa’s military expenditure is comparatively low. In 2023, African countries spent $51.6 billion, accounting for 2.1 percent of the world total. Still, this figure was a huge jump of 22 percent from the previous year. Two countries in Africa – the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan – registered the highest year-on-year increases in the world. The huge 2023 jump was mainly driven by two countries ravaged by internal conflict – the DRC and South Sudan – and Algeria, which is experiencing a fossil fuel export boom. Together, their increases accounted for 87 percent of the overall rise in Africa’s spending. The DRC’s military spending had the highest increase in the world in 2023. Its $794 million spending was 105 percent higher than in 2022. The increase in the DRC’s military spending coincides with growing tensions between the country and its neighbour, Rwanda, and clashes over territory and natural resources involving the DRC armed forces and militia groups such as the M23. For example, in 2023, the DRC procured Chinese unmanned drones to combat the M23 in the east of the country. The spending also reflects the country’s plan to enhance military capabilities following its request for the UN’s DRC mission, Monusco, to leave.
DRC treads carefully not to antagonise Uganda
On July 12, during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Félix Tshisekedi, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Defence Guy Kabongo reported that while a humanitarian truce was being put in place, the M23 rebels were “forcibly recruiting young people” while receiving “continuous reinforcements of personnel and equipment” from Rwanda and Uganda. This was the first time in recent times that the government was accusing Uganda of supporting the M23. National Assembly Speaker Vital Kamerhe had, on several occasions, cited Uganda as one of Congo’s “aggressors”, but the government never backed him up. Only four days after the publication of a United Nations Group of Experts report pointing to Uganda’s alleged role in the current war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo did Kinshasa voice its accusation. Uganda People’s Defence Forces rejected the allegations. For some Congolese military experts, “the UN experts’ report does not add anything that was not already known”. Nicaise Kibel Bel, a military expert, said: “Uganda has been on Congolese territory since the 1990s, accompanying Rwanda.” He, however, warned that a conflict between DRC and Uganda would be ill-advised. Neither country wants to start an open conflict over a war that is already complex, bloody and costly for the region. DRC authorities are all the more confused. “We need to take a look at the situation in Uganda and how to deal with it,” said Government Spokesman Patrick Muyaya. He added: “We have Ugandan soldiers dying alongside Congolese soldiers in Ituri and North Kivu fighting the ADF, rebels who are originally Ugandans, and, on the other hand, that they are providing support to the rebels.”
ERITREA
The African Tour de France cyclist racking up historic wins
To his fans, he’s the “African king” – an international star and the first black African to win a Tour de France stage. Biniam Girmay did that not only once but three times this year at road cycling’s premier event. On top of this the 24-year-old won the green jersey on Sunday – a prize awarded to the best sprinter over the gruelling three-week competition. But Girmay’s journey to the top has been riddled with obstacles – he has battled culture shocks, Europe’s visa procedures and the loneliness of being thousands of miles away from his wife and young daughter. Now, he is embracing his role as a hero in his home country – Eritrea – and an inspiration for cyclists across Africa as a whole. Many believe Girmay’s success will spark change in an overwhelmingly white sport – in this year’s Tour de France he is the only black rider in the whole peloton of 176 riders. Girmay – or Bini to his loved ones and fans – was born and raised in Eritrea, a small East African country with a population of around 3.7 million. Unusually, Girmay was never a champion of Asmara – the capital city he grew up in – or Eritrea. Instead, he appeared quite suddenly on the international stage after being scouted by cycling’s global governing body, the UCI. Girmay told Eritrean media earlier this year that it is easier to win at the Tour de France than to be an Eritrean champion. This is because despite its tiny population, the country has a wealth of talented cyclists, many of whom have won medals in global and continental races. Cycling is one of Eritrea’s most popular sports, a pastime picked up during decades of Italian colonial rule.
KENYA
Latest: Kenya political upheaval
Enough is enough Ruto tells GenZ
President William Ruto has declared “enough is enough” after weeks of protests that have claimed over 50 lives across the country. Speaking in Bomet County, Ruto emphasized that he has given ample concessions to the “leaderless” protests by Gen Z, and any further continuation will only serve to disrupt the nation’s fabric. “I have said going forward, I will protect the nation,” he stated, addressing a roadside gathering after attending a church service. “ Last week, President Ruto accused Ford Foundation of sponsoring the protests in Kenya through some civil society organisations but the American NGO has dismissed the claim. And even as the president vowed to spoke the protests, the Gen Z movement has already released plans for more protests starting Tuesday this week. However, Ruto has vowed that they will not proceed. “I want to promise it is going to stop. Enough is enough,” he said after unveiling a new Cabinet of eleven members, retaining six from the previous Cabinet he dissolved a week ago. “We will protect life, we will protect property, we will stop the looters, we will stop the killers, we will stop the mayhem, we will stop anarchy because Kenya is a democracy and we want a peaceful, stable nation. Our issues are resolved using democratic means,” the president said.
Pressure Mounts On President Ruto, Parliament Over Controversial Cabinet Nominees
Pressure is mounting on Parliament and President William Ruto from leaders and clergymen regarding the vetting of the nominated cabinet members and the naming of the remaining nominees. Clergymen warned members of Parliament against approving cabinet nominees rejected by Kenyans. This even as Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua continued to appeal to Gen-Z to end the protests. Days after President William Ruto nominated 11 individuals to make up his new cabinet after dissolving 21 members of his cabinet and the Attorney General, Kenyans, including members of the clergy, continue to express their disquiet. As the process of vetting the nominees by members of Parliament gets underway in the coming days, Kenyans want a proper scrutiny of the nominees. Critics have termed the vetting process of cabinet secretaries as a charade where Parliament scratches the surface and does not delve into critical background checks of individuals. Members of Parliament say the rage in their constituencies is palpable.
Raila’s 6-point dealbreaker on talks with Ruto
Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Sunday laid out a six-point action plan that the government must address before he will engage in any discussions with President William Ruto. The latest demands come as Raila faces mounting pressure from some of his allies and Kenyans to boycott the talks with President Ruto. President Ruto initiated the talks, which Raila had agreed to but later rejected, citing the demands of the youth—specifically Generation Z—who continue to mobilize anti-government protests. Key items on the actionable plan include compensating victims of police brutality, dismissing all protest-related cases, releasing all abductees and prisoners, and addressing unresolved issues in healthcare (specifically for healthcare workers) and education (especially for JSS teachers). Additionally, the plan advocates for returning public healthcare insurance to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), eliminating the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and prosecuting all security sector individuals involved in atrocities against peaceful Kenyans. “Once these issues are resolved, we can focus on a National Conversation, and conducted transparently in a neutral venue,” Raila said. President Ruto had on July 9, 2024, announced a multi-sectoral national conference aimed at addressing the nationwide protests that have resulted in loss of life and widespread property damage.
Ruto retains former ministers in new cabinet appointments
President William Ruto on Friday mostly named holdovers from the cabinet he sacked last week to a new government meant to respond to the grievances of young protesters. In a televised address, Ruto announced 11 appointments – six from the previous cabinet – with others to follow soon. The mass firing last week was a concession to demands from youth-led protests that had already forced him to withdraw $2.7 billion in proposed tax hikes amid the biggest crisis of his two-year presidency. Ruto re-appointed the ministers of interior, defence, environment and lands and changed the portfolios of two other ministers. The appointee to be education minister, Julius Migos Ogamba, was the running mate of the outgoing education minister, Ezekiel Machogu, when Machogu stood unsuccessfully for governor of Kisii County in 2022…The nominees to be ministers of health, information, agriculture, water and education did not appear to have political backgrounds. Leading activists behind the protests, which have no official leader and reject the entire political class as corrupt, quickly panned the appointments. One of them, Hanifa Farsafi, posted the list of nominees on X with the word “REJECTED” stamped across it in red.
Explainer: Why is Kenya’s Ruto accusing the Ford Foundation of stoking protests?
The explosion of tear gas canisters, masked protesters wielding the Kenyan flag, throngs of people chanting in unison – these have been the scenes in Kenya for well over a month as thousands have taken to the streets – first to protest against proposed tax hikes and now to air their general grievances with the government. In recent days, Kenyan President William Ruto, a key United States-ally, made a fiery charge: that antigovernment protesters are being funded by the US philanthropic organisation Ford Foundation. Why did Ruto level this accusation? Here’s everything you need to know:
Opinion:
Kenya unrest: Ruto awakened class politics that now threatens to engulf him
Let’s now ‘occupy’ this vile culture of subservience
Protest schedule
1) Monday – Doctors will take to streets
2) Tuesday – GenZs turn
3) Wednesday – Media Society representing journalists
4) Thursday – GenZs again
5) Friday – Engineers will appear
So, a very busy week ahead. Plan accordingly.
Kenyan, Haitian police recapture port from gangs
Video
Contrary to what the local media showed about the visit of President Ruto to his political backyard – Bomet – the President’s reception may not have been as welcoming as he may have expected:
Kenyan, Haitian police recapture port from gangs
Kenyan police officers in Haiti and their Haitian counterparts have managed to take over a port that has been controlled by gangs for the past five months. The officers, who are part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, managed on Wednesday, July 17, to recapture the Auorite Portuaire Nationale (APN) port, which fell to the gangs on March 6, 2024. The port is located in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. MSS Mission Commander Godfrey Otunge said the gangs, who resisted the takeover, surrendered the port after an exchange of fire. By taking over the port, the gangs prevented food, medical and other supplies, including humanitarian aid, from entering the troubled Caribbean nation. It was the first time Kenyan officers engaged gang members in combat as they travelled from Toussaint Louverture International Airport to the Autorite Portuaire Nationale port. The clash between the officers and the gangs took place just a few metres from the White Palace, the official residence of Haiti’s president. The takeover of the port came just 10 days after the same security agents managed to take over the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince. The hospital had been closed since March when gangs took control of the area.
Did Police in Kenya Catch a Serial Killer or Coerce a Confession?
The Kenyan police announced that they had arrested a suspected serial killer, who they said had confessed to killing 42 women, including his own wife, in the past two years, and throwing them into the dump. The suspect’s lawyer accused the police of using torture to extract a confession. And the speed with which the police made the arrest left many Kenyans suspicious. But the police said they had traced their way to the suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, 33, after doing a forensic analysis of a cellphone belonging to one of the victims. The discovery of the body parts in the dump — located across the street from a police station — has shocked Kenyans, spreading fear and rumors about who could have committed such grisly murders.
It has also brought intense scrutiny of the Kenyan police, raising questions about how they could have failed to detect or investigate the disappearance of so many women. An epidemic of gender-based violence and murders of women set off widespread protests in Kenya this year. The criticism of the police intensified in recent weeks after they were accused of using live bullets to put down even larger demonstrations against tax hikes introduced by President William Ruto. At least 50 people were killed in those demonstrations, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said. The police have also been accused of conducting brutal abductions of outspoken activists and this week, of a journalist. The country’s inspector general of police resigned this month after the uproar over the killings of protesters.
Swahili Village in Washington fined for wages, tips theft
A Kenyan-owned US fine-dining restaurant that landed itself in the soup for allegedly stealing and swallowing up wages and tips from workers in breach of Washington DC labour laws has agreed to scoop itself from the frying pan by coughing up $527,000 in penalties. Swahili Village, an eatery famed for its fine African cuisine, and has had the honour of hosting President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta for meals, on Tuesday agreed to pay the amount in an out-of-court settlement of a lawsuit filed by District of Columbia Attorney-General Brian Schwalb in 2023. Its Kenyan founder Kevin Onyona and his Chief Operating Officer Emad Shoeb found themselves in hot water after investigations by Mr Schwalb’s office found that they (allegedly) “systematically stole wages and tips from servers, hosts, food runners, bussers, and bartenders and violated multiple DC labour laws.” The restaurant, according to the investigators, “rampantly and systematically violated the city’s tipped minimum wage law and other worker protections,” and turned some its workers into “chattel slaves”. Under the terms of the settlement registered at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Swahili Village DC and Mr Onyona are required to pay more than $260,000 to 72 restaurant workers, fund the process to distribute worker restitution to the tune of and pay $197,614 in penalties to the District of Columbia.
RWANDA
President Kagame re-elected in a landslide
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has been re-elected with 99.18% of the vote, the National Electoral Commission said, extending his near quarter-century in office. The two men standing against him – Frank Habineza from the Democratic Green Party and independent Philippe Mpayimana – both conceded defeat, which rights groups say was marred by a crack-down on journalists, the opposition and civil society groups. A government spokesperson repeatedly rejected such criticism during the election period. Oda Gasinzigwa, chairperson of the National Electoral Commission, told a news conference that voter turnout was 98.20% of the nine million registered voters. The final election results are due to be announced no later than July 27, she said. The electoral commission barred eight other candidates, including Kagame’s most vocal critics, from running, citing a range of reasons including missing and incomplete registration documents. Kagame, who got more than 93% of the vote in the last three elections, has won praise from Western and regional leaders for helping to end the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and rebuilding the country into an attractive destination for investment and aid.
SOMALIA
Turkey to send navy to Somalia
Turkey is set to send navy support to Somali waters after the two countries agreed Ankara will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia to prospect for oil and gas. President Tayyip Erdogan submitted a motion to the Turkish parliament late on Friday, seeking authorisation for the deployment of Turkish military to Somalia including the country’s territorial waters, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The move came a day after the Turkish Energy Ministry announced that Turkey will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia later this year to search for oil and gas as part of a hydrocarbon cooperation deal between two countries. Earlier this year, Turkey and Somalia signed a defence and economic cooperation agreement during Somali Defence minister’s visit to Ankara.
SOUTH SUDAN
USA narrowly avoid huge basketball upset against South Sudan
The United States came from 16 points down to avoid one of the biggest shocks in basketball history in a dramatic 101-100 victory over South Sudan in London. South Sudan led 58-42 in the second quarter before taking a 14-point lead into the break in an Olympics warm-up game at the O2 Arena. The USA went on a 16-0 run to end the third quarter with a five-point lead but South Sudan battled back to go one point ahead with 20 seconds remaining. LeBron James hit a crucial lay-up to put his side ahead by one point with eight seconds to go, and South Sudan could not hit a late winner. The USA are targeting a fifth consecutive men’s basketball gold medal at this summer’s Olympics in Paris, while South Sudan, ranked 33rd in the world, will play in their first Games. The 12-man USA roster is filled with some of the NBA’s greatest talents, while only four of the South Sudan team have played an NBA game.
SUDAN
Indirect talks involving warring parties wraps up in Geneva
A week of indirect talks involving Sudan’s warring parties ended in Geneva on Friday. Representatives of the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accepted invitations to meet separately with the UN envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, who started the talks on July 11. He said in a statement that his team held a total of about 20 sessions with the parties’ delegations. Talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces broke down at the end of last year.The Geneva talks centered on measures to ensure the distribution of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians across Sudan. Lamamra said he was “encouraged by the willingness of the parties to engage with me on these critical matters, as well as by the commitments made to respond to some specific requests we presented to them.” He didn’t elaborate. “The discussions held in Geneva are an encouraging initial step in a longer and complex process,” Lamamra said.
UAE president discusses peace efforts in Sudan with army’s Burhan
The United Arab Emirates’ president and the head of Sudan’s army have discussed an offer from Ethiopia’s leader to mediate in Sudan’s 15-month-old war, diplomatic sources said. It was the first public communication between the two leaders since the army began publicly criticising the UAE over its alleged support for its rival in the war, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UAE denies the allegations although U.N. experts have said they are credible. The allegations surfaced in a fiery back-and-forth at the U.N. Security Council in June. Early on Friday the Sudanese army said in a statement that Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan told Sheikh Mohammed, known as MbZ, to stop his backing for the RSF, “who kill the Sudanese, destroy their country, and displace them”. According to Sudanese diplomatic sources, Burhan and MbZ discussed a proposal by Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed, who visited Sudan earlier this month, to mediate an end to the war which erupted in April 2023 over plans for a political transition. Analysts and diplomats say the UAE, which maintains good relations with most of Sudan’s neighbours including the army’s main backer Egypt, will likely have to play a role in finding an end to the war.
UGANDA
Protest organisers playing with fire, president says
President Yoweri Museveni has warned protesters that they will be “playing with fire” if they press ahead with plans to stage an anti-corruption march to parliament on Tuesday. Young Ugandans have been organising the march on social media to demand an end to corruption in government. They have been partly inspired by their counterparts in neighbouring Kenya, who organised mass demonstrations that forced President William Ruto to drop plans to increase taxes. The protests have since morphed into calls for his resignation. In a televised address, Mr Museveni warned the Ugandan organisers that their planned protest would not be tolerated. Yeah “We are busy producing wealth… and you here want to disturb us. You are playing with fire because we cannot allow you to disturb us,” he said. Mr Museveni is accused by his critics of ruling Uganda with an iron hand since taking power in 1986, but his supporters praise him for maintaining stability in the East African state. The president also accused some of the protest organisers of “always working with foreigners” to cause chaos in Uganda. He did not elaborate. Police had earlier announced that they had refused to give permission for the march to take place. One of the main protest leaders told media that they would go ahead with it. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” Louez Aloikin Opolose was quoted as saying.
WEST AFRICA
MALI
’King of kora’ Toumani Diabate dies at 58
Mali’s celebrated “king of kora,” Toumani Diabate, passed away on Friday at the age of 58 following a brief illness, according to an announcement from his family on social media. Diabate, a renowned master of the kora—a traditional West African stringed instrument—died at a private clinic in Bamako, the capital of Mali. Born in 1965 into a family of griots, Diabate was deeply rooted in Mali’s rich cultural heritage, serving as a guardian of the nation’s oral histories and traditions. Throughout his career, Diabate was celebrated for his extraordinary skill and innovative approach to the kora. His ability to seamlessly blend traditional Malian music with contemporary influences earned him acclaim both in Africa and internationally. The news of his passing has led to a wave of tributes from across the West African music scene. Fellow musicians and admirers have praised Diabate for his profound impact on the music world. His contributions were recognized for bridging the gap between ancestral traditions and modern music, making a lasting imprint on Mali’s cultural landscape.
NIGERIA
Nigeria more than doubles the minimum wage for government workers after strikes and negotiations
Nigeria’s main labour unions agreed on a new minimum wage of 70,000 naira ($44) a month on Thursday after talks with the government, ending months of deadlock and the threat of strikes. Africa’s most populous nation is grappling with the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, stoking fears of Kenyan-style protests that have rocked that country for nearly a month. Nigeria’s two biggest union federations, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have argued that soaring prices and a weakening currency caused by reforms instituted by President Bola Tinubu were hitting workers hard. Soaring inflation has eroded incomes and hurt millions of Nigerians who are struggling to meet their basic needs. The new wage announced by Minister of Information Mohammed Idris and union leaders, is more than double the 30,000 naira a month that was agreed in 2019. “We are taking this new 70,000 naira minimum wage with mixed feelings because of the situation of the economy. We have to move ahead despite the situation otherwise the negotiation can linger,” NLC President Joe Ajaero told reporters. He said the next minimum wage would be reviewed in three years instead of the customary five years. The unions suspended a strike in early June to give negotiations a chance but warned that failure to reach an agreement could prompt members to call for new action.
Meta fined $220m for violating consumer, data laws
Nigeria fined Meta Platforms $220 million, its competition watchdog said on Friday, after investigations showed data-sharing on social platforms violated local consumer, data protection and privacy laws. Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said Meta appropriated the data of Nigerian users on its platforms without their consent, abused its market dominance by forcing exploitative privacy policies on users, and meted out discriminatory and disparate treatment on Nigerians, compared with other jurisdictions with similar regulations.Meta did not immediately comment, but the FCCPC said in a statement that the company had provided some documents and have retained counsels who have met and engaged with the agency.
FCCPC Chief Adamu Abdullahi said the investigations were jointly held with Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission and spanned over 38 months. The investigations found Meta policies don’t allow users the option or opportunity to self-determine or withhold consent to the gathering, use, and sharing of personal data, Abdullahi said. Meanwhile, South Africa’s competition watchdog have announced plans to investigate whether digital platforms, including Meta unfairly compete with news publishers by using their content to generate ad revenue.
Interpol arrests 300 people in a global crackdown on West African crime groups
In a global operation targeting West African organized crime groups across five continents, police arrested 300 people, seized $3 million and blocked 720 bank accounts, Interpol said. Operation Jackal III, which ran from 10 April to 3 July in 21 countries, aimed to fight online financial fraud and the West African syndicates behind it, the agency said in a statement. One of the targeted groups was Black Axe, one of the most prominent criminal networks in West Africa. Black Axe operates in cyber fraud, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and is responsible for violent crimes both within Africa and globally, the agency added. Black Axe used money mules to open bank accounts worldwide and is now under investigation in over 40 countries for related money laundering activities, the agency said. The suspects include citizens from Argentina, Colombia, Nigeria and Venezuela.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
MOZAMBIQUE
Former finance minister on trial in US over ‘tuna bond’ scandal
The “ tuna bond ” scandal that shook Mozambique’s economy is washing into a U.S. court, where a former Mozambican finance minister is being tried on charges that he took bribes to commit his country — secretly — to huge loans that prosecutors say got looted. When the loans — supposed to go in part to tuna fishing ships — went bad and the government’s $2 billion in “hidden debt” came to light in 2016, a financial crisis erupted in Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries. Jurors began hearing the case this week against Manuel Chang, the African nation’s top financial official from 2005 to 2015. Chang “abused his authority to enrich himself through bribery, fraud and money laundering,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Cooch said during opening statements this week in a federal court in Brooklyn. Chang has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. Defense lawyer Adam Ford told jurors there’s no evidence that Chang agreed to take payoffs, or received a penny, in exchange for having Mozambique guarantee that the loans would be repaid.
SOUTH AFRICA
Ramaphosa pledges to revive economy, include the poor
President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged on Thursday to revive South Africa’s flagging economy and extend prosperity to the many left out of it, by resuscitating factories and farms, building roads and seizing the opportunities presented by green energy. In his first policy speech to a new parliament since the African National Congress (ANC) lost its ruling majority in May – forcing it to team up with its rivals – Ramaphosa also pledged to get on top of the nation’s debt burden. After an optimistic decade following the end of apartheid and the election of Nelson Mandela, South Africa has been mired in political troubles, including a lumbering response to its deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic, grand corruption and a systemic failure to deliver services or even keep the lights on. Voters punished the ANC for these shortcomings in the May 29 election, leaving it with just 40% of the vote and forcing it into a unity government, mostly with the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), for the first time in three decades. South Africa suffers some of the world’s biggest divides between rich and poor. Ramaphosa, formerly one of the country’s wealthiest Black businessmen, used the word “inclusive” 18 times in his speech to signal his intention to tackle economic injustice.
Police uncover multi-million dollar meth lab
Police have uncovered an industrial scale meth manufacturing lab in one of the country’s biggest ever drug busts and arrested four suspects including two Mexicans, they said on Saturday. The laboratory was discovered on a farm in Groblersdal, a small town in Limpopo province. They found large quantities of chemicals used in the manufacturing of illicit drugs including acetone and crystal meth, with an estimated street value of 2 billion rand ($109.5 million), the statement said. “What makes this different from other (seizures) is the involvement of Mexican citizens,” said Katlego Mogale, national spokesperson for the Hawks, an elite police unit which took part in the raid. It is not clear whether the suspects were manufacturing drugs to distribute within the country or elsewhere, she added. South Africa is a major drug transit country due to its geography and international trade links, and also a growing market for synthetic drugs, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Methamphetamine trafficking in particular is on the rise in Africa, the U.N. agency said in its 2023 World Drug Report.
ZIMBABWE
Chinese deported for assaulting mine workers
Zimbabwe this week deported two Chinese nationals accused of hanging two mine employees on a front-end loader in a case that ignited debate about alleged abuses by investors from the Asian country. A viral video of the two employees being tied to a bucket of the front-end loader before it was lifted with them hanging by their hands sparked outrage and spurred the authorities to take action. Police on Wednesday said they had identified the suspects and complainants at Makanga mine in Bindura, about 88 kilometres northeast of the capital Harare. The brief police statement said, “investigations are in progress,” without naming the Chinese nationals, but a few hours later a government spokesperson announced on social media that they had been deported.
ZAMBIA
Entire anti-corruption board fired for alleged corruption
President Hakinde Hichilema has taken the extraordinary step of firing the entire board of the country’s corruption-busting body, after they themselves were accused of corruption, which they deny. It comes days after the head of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Thom Shamakamba, resigned from his post. Both he and the country’s solicitor-general – Marshal Muchende – were accused of taking kickbacks. Both men strongly deny the allegations. Since Mr Hichilema came to power three years ago, the authorities have been investigating a number officials from the former government accused of graft. Now, the explosive allegations are that ACC officials have been taking payments from politicians targeted by the probe in exchange for amnesty. The whistleblower is a man called O’Brien Kaaba – who was once a board member of the ACC. A statement from Zambia’s presidency said dissolving board was necessary “to renew the Anti-Corruption Commission’s sacred mandate”.
NORTH AFRICA
EGYPT
Suez Canal revenue drops as some shippers shun Red Sea
The Suez Canal’s annual revenue dropped by almost a quarter in its latest financial year as some shippers switched to alternative routes to avoid attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis in the Red Sea. Osama Rabie, the head of the Egyptian canal’s authority said on Thursday revenues fell to $7.2 billion in its 2023-24 financial year from $9.4 billion the year before. Since November, the Houthis have been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to show support for Palestinian militant group Hamas in its fight against Israel. Rabie said the number of ships using the canal fell to 20,148 in 2023-24 from 25,911 the year before. The Suez Canal is a key source of foreign currency for Egypt, and authorities have been trying to boost its revenues in recent years, including via an expansion in 2015.
LIBYA/TUNISIA
Libya, Tunisia urge Europe to increase aid to help tackle migration crisis
Representatives from 28 African and European countries have met in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, to discuss ways to address irregular migration. In his opening remarks at the beginning of the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said countries “have a moral responsibility” towards the people “who cross the desert and the sea” hoping to reach Europe. The North African country is a main departure point for refugees and migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, risking dangerous sea journeys to seek better lives. The United Nations has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it one of the most perilous migrant crossings in the world. Tunisian Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani also called on European countries at the Tripoli conference to increase financial aid to his country and others to help tackle the flow of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa…Libya has been criticised over the treatment of migrants and refugees. Accusations from rights groups range from extortion to slavery, while smugglers and human traffickers have also taken advantage of the climate of instability in the country.
MOROCCO
Anger as dean ‘confronts’ student with Palestinian keffiyeh
Students, academic and non-academic communities in Morocco have condemned the action of the dean of Hassan II University’s faculty of science in Casablanca who refused to award an excellence prize to a high-achieving female student wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh. The wearing of a keffiyeh has become a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian cause at universities’ graduation ceremonies worldwide as students continue to challenge their governments’ and institutions’ ties with Israel amid its ongoing war in Gaza. The National Union of Moroccan Students, posted a video taken at the 13 July awards ceremony which showed that, when the student was called to the stage, the dean of the faculty of sciences in Ben M’Sik, also part of Hassan II University, first tried to persuade Khadija Ahtour to remove the keffiyeh, which he allegedly deemed a ‘political statement’ and, therefore, inappropriate for a graduation ceremony. The video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking outrage among university communities, including students, academics and employees who condemned the dean’s action and considered it a violation of the sanctity of the university, the suppression of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Moroccan Constitution and an attack on the female student’s privacy.
TUNISIA
Saied announces re-election bid as Opposition rival is jailed
President Kais Saied said on Friday he will run for another presidential term in Oct. 6 elections. The candidacy aims “to continue the national liberation struggle,” Saied said in a video on the presidency’s Facebook page. Opposition parties, many of whose leaders are in prison, have accused Saied’s government of exerting pressure on the judiciary to crack down on his rivals in the 2024 elections and pave the way for him to win a second term. The re-election bid was announced the same day a court jailed opposition leader Lotfi Mraihi, a potential presidential election candidate, to eight months in prison on a charge of vote buying. The court also banned Mraihi, leader of the Republican Union Party and one of the most prominent critics of President Kais Saied, from running in presidential elections for life. The opposition says fair and credible elections cannot be held unless imprisoned politicians are released and the media is allowed to do its job without pressure from the government. Saied, who was elected in 2019, dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree in a move the opposition has described as a coup. The president said his steps were legal and necessary to end years of rampant corruption among the political elite.
CENTRAL AFRICA
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)
Arrested European aid worker on hunger strike over spying allegations
A European aid worker who was arrested two months ago in Central African Republic over spying allegations has begun a hunger strike to protest the conditions of his detention, his family and the Portuguese honorary consul reported. Martin Joseph Figueira, a consultant for the American nongovernmental organization FHI 360, was arrested in May, according to the Central African Republic prosecutor’s office. He is accused of being in communication with armed groups to plot a coup, jeopardizing national security, the office added, but is yet to face official charges. Figueira initially was detained in “relatively good conditions,” Victor Manuel Alves da Rocha, the Portuguese honorary consul in Bangui, said in a phone call. But around a week ago, Figueira was transferred to a political prison called Camp de Roux, located at army headquarters in Bangui, where conditions are “very difficult,” da Rocha said. “He started a hunger strike three days ago, because he is innocent, and he wants to prove his innocence,” da Rocha said. “He also wants to protest the bad conditions of his detention.”
AFRICA- GENERAL NEWS
Exhausted migrants arrive on beach in Canaries
Dozens of exhausted migrants arrived in a wooden boat on a beach in Spain’s Canary Islands early on Friday amid a sharp rise in perilous crossings from Africa, with emergency personnel and a few stunned beachgoers rushing to help. The boat carrying 64 people made it to the Las Burras beach on the island of Gran Canaria by its own means, authorities said. Eleven migrants were taken to hospitals, some by helicopter as four were in critical condition. The number of migrants arriving irregularly by sea to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean soared by 160% between January and July 15 from a year ago, totalling almost 20,000 people, according to Spain’s interior ministry. Overall arrivals by sea to Spain, including across the mainland, grew by 88% to around 25,300 people. After reaching the beach lined with hotels, many of the migrants lay on the sand, looking frail and exhausted. One lay flat and almost motionless. Many struggled to walk. The route from Africa to the Canary Islands is the fastest-growing migration route in Europe, with irregular crossings up 303% from January to May from a year ago, according to the latest data from European border control agency Frontex.
Who were the first Africans at the Olympics? The disturbing story of two 1904 marathon runners
The first modern Olympic Games was held in 1896 in Greece. This was at the height of European colonialism and there is no record of Africans participating. It was only after the second world war, in the late 1940s, that African countries began to join the Olympic movement in significant numbers, as African independence took hold. There exists, however, a little-known story of two black South African runners who competed in the first US-hosted Olympics, in St Louis in 1904. They were Jan Mashiani and Len Taunyane (Tau), who appeared along with a white South African runner – B.W. Harris – on the Olympic marathon programme. (A Boer tug-of-war team from South Africa also took part in the Olympics that year.) A photo of Mashiani and Tau is housed at the museum of the Missouri Historical Society, which switched their names around in the caption, resulting in the two men being given the wrong identities for decades. Mashiani and Tau did not officially represent South Africa at the games. That’s because, in 1904, South Africa was not South Africa at all, it was a colony governed by Great Britain. This was two years after the South African War between Great Britain and two independent Boer (Dutch Afrikaner) republics. Both sides used black South Africans in various roles, including running with messages. Which is how Mashiani and Tau enter the picture – along with their appearance at a world’s fair in St Louis that was tied to the Olympics. The fair presented “savages” competing in physical displays as part of its international exhibition of science and culture. Before competing in the Olympic marathon, Jan Mashiani (referred to as “Yamasani” by officials who could not pronounce his name) and Len Tau (referred to as “Lentauw”) participated in this “athletic event for savages”. Besides the stone-throwing battle, there was javelin throwing for accuracy, tree climbing, throwing the baseball, and various track and field sports including a one-mile (1.6km) race, which they ran in.
VIDEO (S) OF THE DAY
“Ethiopian Airlines kicked a passenger off my flight because a Minister took her seat. They didn’t apologize and they eventually forcefully offloaded her screaming. The Minister did nothing. Disgraceful.”
Over the past century, African writers have written about their lives, experiences, culture, history, and myths in a variety of forms, styles, and languages. They have been widely published across Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. They’ve written in English, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, and several other indigenous languages. They wrote, and write, with exceptional originality, flair, and sincerity. From Chinua Achebe, considered to be the father of modern African literature, to Trevor Noah who is part of the new-age crop of writers; African literature continues to stay relevant and as educative as it is entertaining and enlightening. Although not exhaustive, this list puts together some of Africa’s best selling books of the past century. (@LarryMadowo (CNN)
Ethiopian Airlines’ response:
“Official Statement Regarding Recent Video Circulation
Ethiopian Airlines has watched the circulation of a viral video on various social media platforms depicting a passenger being removed from flight ET308 on July 19th, from Addis Ababa to Nairobi”
“Former Nigerian President Obasanjo is 87 and Biden is 81. I am not saying anything”:
AFRICA – ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL/OPINION
The latest edition of Diplomacy Now – Edition 14 – ‘An African Spring in the Making?’
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