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Chad: Habré Stays in Jail but His Support Grows

Four years after his life sentence was upheld on appeal, former Chadian president Hissène Habré is to remain in jail. On April 20, the Senegalese judiciary rejected his request for a temporary release on health grounds. But Habré has shown he still has the powerful support of some religious leaders. Surprisingly, he also got support […]

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Africa: Secretary Blinken’s Virtual Travel to Africa

Ned Price, Department SpokespersonApril 26, 2021 Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will embark tomorrow, April 27, on his first virtual trip to Africa, where he will visit Kenya and Nigeria and engage with young people from across the continent. Secretary Blinken will begin his virtual travel to Africa meeting with Young African Leadership Initiative […]

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Namibia: Lion’s Share of Health Budget Goes to Salaries

Remuneration of employees is the largest cost driver in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS). This is according to the 2021/22 budget motivation introduced by health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula in parliament last week. Motivating the ministry’s budget of just over N$8 billion in the National Assembly, Shangula said almost half of the […]

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East Africa: My Vision Is to Leave a Fully Integrated EAC – New Secretary General Mathuki

East African Community leaders on February 27 appointed Peter Mathuki as the next Secretary-General of the regional bloc after Burundi’s Liberat Mfumukeko completed his five-year term. The former executive director of the East African Business Council (EABC) officially assumed office on Friday, April 23. The Kenyan national had an exclusive interview with The New Times’ […]

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Rwanda: Kagame Commissions Over 700 Officer Cadets

A total of 721 Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) officer cadets are today expected to be commissioned by President Paul Kagame. The group consists of officers who have successfully completed a one-year military training course at the Rwanda Military Academy (RMA) in Gako, Eastern Province. Also to be commissioned are those who have completed a four-year […]

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Liberian Elected LCCMR Non-Legislative Chair in U.S.

Citizen members of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources elected Brooklyn Park hydrologist Della Schall Young the non-legislative chair late Tuesday afternoon. Young is the first Black Minnesotan to serve as a co-chair of the LCCMR. She joins state representative Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, and state senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, as co-chair. Young ran […]

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Somalia: Clashes Reported in Mogadishu Over Tense Election Fiasco

Authorities in Mogadishu have remained mum even as opposition leaders claimed government forces were unleashed on them on Sunday afternoon. Former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claimed he had been attacked by “Farmaajo’s army”, just hours after Somali media outlets reported that ‘mutineers’ in the Somali National Army had taken control of various roads in the […]

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Somalia: AU to Mediate Talks Between Farmaajo Govt and Opposition

The resolution over the election impasse in Somalia now lies with the African Union after all stakeholders agreed that the continental body should initiate the mediation process. The AU Security Council was scheduled to hold a special summit on Somalia in the coming week following the extension of the mandate of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo […]

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South Africa: SA to Resume Johnson & Johnson Vaccinate Rollout

South Africa will resume the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine rollout on Wednesday in a push to vaccinate 500 000 healthcare workers through the Sisonke Programme. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, this move comes after the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) recommendation and Cabinet concurrence. “We’re looking forward to making up […]

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Nigeria: Sunday Igboho Alleges Plot to Arrest Him, Says Home Under Siege

Mr Igboho had in January led a group of men to Igangan in Oyo state to eject a Fulani leader, triggering a face-off with authorities. Sunday Adeyemi, a self-styled Yoruba activist, on Monday morning claimed soldiers invaded his Ibadan residence in a bid to arrest him and his supporters. Mr Adeyemi, popularly known as Sunday […]

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Nigeria: Attack On Uzodimma’s House, an Attack On Democracy – APC

Abuja — The ruling All Progressives Congress APC said it has ‘closely monitored dangerous developments in Imo State which culminated in Saturday’s brazen and gruesome attack on the residence of the State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma’, describing it as an attack on democracy. APC disclosed this in a statement issued Monday in Abuja by the […]

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Nigeria: Chadian Crisis – Ekhomu Urges Govt to Mass Troops in the Lake Chad Basin Area

Security Expert, Dr Ona Ekhomu has urged the Nigerian military to urgently create a firewall in the North-east to prevent incursion into Nigeria by the various militia groups fighting for control of the Central African nation of Chad. He said: “Aside from the rebel group (Front for Change and Concord in Chad) which assassinated President […]

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Nigeria: Govt Faults World Bank’s Claims On Poor Electricity Supply

Abuja — The Federal Government has faulted claims by the World Bank report which indicated that 78% of power consumers in Nigeria get less than 12 hours of daily electricity supply. The government in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Mr. Ahmad Rufai Zakari, in Abuja, said it was […]

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Nigeria: Addax OMLs – Rebuilding Investors’ Confidence

Lagos — The decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the operating permits on Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 123, 124, 126 and 137, to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and, by extension, Addax Petroleum, has been hailed as a major steps towards rebuilding investors’ confidence in the oil and gas sector. Indeed, the development […]

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Nigeria: Are There Lessons to Learn From Malawi?

“Even though the minister has since returned the money, his usage of the funds means that the money was unavailable for its intended purpose when it was needed most. And I cannot have in my Cabinet any individuals who either spend money budgeted for one thing on something else or do not ask tough questions […]

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Nigeria: Fireworks Over Elumelu’s Call for Pantami’s Resignation

Udora Orizu writes that members of the House of Representatives recently argued over Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu’s motion calling for resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami for his past comments backing activities of terror groups. It was a dramatic week at the House of Representatives, as the Majority and […]

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Nigeria: Judiciary, Parliamentary Workers Press Home Demand for Financial Autonomy

The agitation for autonomy for the judiciary and parliamentary arms of government has assumed a different dimension since workers in both sectors embarked on an enduring strike to press home their demands, write Alexander Enumah and Oñyebuchi Ezigbo In bid to resolve the deadlock over the agitation for financial autonomy by judiciary and parliamentary workers, […]

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Nigeria: Gov Emmanuel Identifies Good Governance, Job Creation As Antidote to Insecurity

Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel has identified inclusive governance, job creation and citizens’ welfare as antidotes to the rising security challenges across Nigeria. The governor stated this while speaking at a gala night in Uyo, with members of the Syndicate 2 of the National Institute for Security Services (NISS), Abuja, who was in […]