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South Africa: Western Cape Crime Levels ‘A Concern’, Says Cele

Police Minister Bheki Cele has decried the harrowing levels of crime plaguing the Western Cape. The Minister expressed his concerns during a media briefing on Thursday. Despite the province having recorded the lowest murder percentage increase in the crime statistics released in August, extreme violence and brutality “stalks the province”, he said. The Western Cape […]

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South Africa: New Copyright Bill Will Take South Africa Into the 21st Century At Last

The bill will give South Africans artists and creators benefits and rights already enjoyed in many countries On 1 September 2022, the Copyright Amendment Bill was passed by the National Assembly with 163 votes for and 45 votes against the Bill. There were no abstentions. The Bill will now go to the National Council of […]

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Kenya: Governor Gladys Wanga Suspends Revenue Collection in Homabay

Nairobi — Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has suspended the collection of revenue in the county for 15 days to help find the loopholes that affect the effective collection of revenue. Wanga noted that the measure had to be taken as some unscrupulous county officers tasked with collecting revenue perfected deceit and unfaithfulness in their […]

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Kenya: Governors to Hold Inaugural Meeting in Mombasa

Nairobi — Governors and Deputy Governors are expected to kick off a weeklong induction summit in Mombasa on Thursday. The meeting which will be opened by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will mark the first time the county bosses will be meeting following the August 9 general election. The General election saw 28 new Governors elected […]

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South Africa: Ramaphosa Jets Off to U.S. to Meet Biden – South African News Briefs – September 15, 2022

Cape Town —   President Cyril Ramaphosa on Way to Meet U.S. President  President Cyril Ramaphosa is en-route to Washington D.C., where he will hold a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on September 16. Ramaphosa will also meet U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris at her official residence. The agenda for the […]

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Kenya: East African Court Summons Kenya’s Attorney General Over Botched Ruto Visit to Uganda

The East African Court of Justice has summoned the Kenyan Attorney General to appear next week to justify why William Ruto was in 2021 blocked from travelling to Uganda. Ruto, who was by then the Deputy President was was blocked from boarding a plane to Uganda at Wilson Airport after he was told to seek […]

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Kenya: Ruto Revokes Recognition of Western Sahara After Audience With Moroccan Envoy

Nairobi — Kenya has rescinded its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Sahrawi Republic has been seeking to transition from a semi-autonomous region to self-rule, a push that Morocco has vehemently objected to opposing proposals for Western Sahara to decide its future through a referendum. President William Ruto made the announcement at State […]

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Africa: The AU Prepares to Wield the Stick With More Rigorous Sanctions

After lying dormant for 13 years, the sanctions committee aims for more consistency and better results. The African Union (AU) decided in May this year to activate its Peace and Security Council (PSC) sanctions committee. Although established in 2009, the committee has never operated – partly due to opposition and a lack of buy-in from […]

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Senegal’s Presidential Poll Is Shaping Up As a Real Contest, With Voters in the Driver’s Seat

In July 2022 Senegalese voters converged at polling stations to elect 165 members of parliament (MPs) to represent them in the National Assembly. Despite a tense campaign period, low voter turnout (46%), and the opposition’s calls to secure the votes in certain localities, election day remained peaceful and highly competitive. From the eight major political […]

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Kenya: Atwoli Urges End to Political Bickering, Backs Ruto’s Call for Unity

Nairobi — The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya), COTU (K), has vowed to support President William Ruto’s call unity in a congratulatory message following his inauguration on Tuesday. COTU (K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, who fiercely opposed Ruto’s presidential bid, said the country’s interests surpass individual pursuits and hence the need to end “political […]

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Sudan: More Than 70 Injured in Khartoum Demos, Young Sudanese ‘Shaved’ Again

Khartoum — At least 74 protesters were wounded during anti-junta Marches of the Millions in Khartoum organised by the resistance committees on Tuesday. A day earlier, government forces assaulted young people in the city and forcibly shaved their heads. An officer of the Rapid Support Forces convicted for killing a protester has been released. In […]

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Angola: The Real Winners of Angola’s Election

The electorate’s popular will may have been defied by the MPLA’s victory, but the people were more organised, engaged and vigorous than ever before. As the National Electoral Commission proclaimed the incumbent MPLA the winners of the 24 August elections, the streets of the capital Luanda were quiet. The ruling party leaders posed for awkward […]

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Uganda Will Have Peaceful Transfer of Power but Not Under Museveni, Says Besigye

The leader of People’s Front for Transition (PFT) Dr. Kizza Besigye has said he is hopeful there will be a day when Uganda will go through a peaceful handover of power but this will not be under President Museveni. It follows recent political developments in Kenya that led to a peaceful change of power from […]

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South Africa: Power Failure Disrupts Some Home Affairs Services

The Department of Home Affairs has experienced a power failure at its back office in Pretoria, which has disrupted some services. All applications that are live capture, such as Smart ID cards and passports, cannot be issued without first being cleared at this office. “The back office has a generator and four uninterrupted power supplies […]

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Somalia: Somali President Meets With His Kenyan Counterpart Ruto

The newly elected Kenyan president William Ruto met with Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh at the Kenyan presidential palace in Nairobi on Wednesday. “Held discussions with Somalia President Hassan Sheikh that also included the security situation in Somalia and the Horn of Africa, State House, Nairobi,” said Ruto. Ruto added that he and Mohamud will fast-track […]

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Guinea: Junta Sued for Death of Demonstrators

The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC) and the families of the victims of the demonstrations of July and August 2022 have filed a complaint against the president of the transition before the French courts. They accuse Mamadi Doumbouya of “complicity in homicides and torture” following the assassination of at least ten […]

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Liberia: CENTAL Calls for More Pressure On Weah Government

The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia or CENTAL has called on the United States government and the international community to mount more diplomatic pressure on the Weah administration to ensure the immediate prosecution of the three corrupt officials, who resigned on Monday, 12 September. “CENTAL calls on the US Government and the International […]

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South Africa: Minister Mantashe Concerned About Free State Slime Dams

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, says he believes that a 2007 judgement essentially declaring that slime dams do not fall under the jurisdiction of the department is creating a risk for disasters such as the one seen in Jagersfontein to occur. The disaster – which left one person dead, at least 200 […]