- — Uganda: case closes in activist Nyanzi trial
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at 7/16/19 3:04pmThe Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala has closed the defence in the case of Ugandan activist Stella Nyanzi, charged with cyber harassment and offensive communication on social media, deemed critical of President Yoweri Museveni. Gladys Kamasanyu, closed the case on Tuesday after the defence failed to produce witnesses. “She (Stella Nyanzi) voluntarily waived her own right to call witnesses and this court therefore considers that the accused does not have to call witnesses in her defence. And since the accused has chosen this choice, this court has no choice but to dismiss the defence. And the defence case is now closed.” Imprisoned in the country’s first psychiatric centre in Luzura, the activist had unsuccessfully asked the court to summon some 20 witnesses. The Magistrate said the defence did not give the court any justification to compel the summoned witnesses to court through arrest warrants defence asked court to issue. According to Isaac Ssemakadde, Stella Nyanzi’s defence lawyer “here, we have excessive interference, we have had excessive interference in the defence case, according to the procedural codes. So we did not find a solution. And we have already mentioned it in this court. So we are not surprised by the result.” Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has set August 1 as the date it will deliver its judgment in the stella Nyanzi case. It should be recalled that the defense does not believe in the objectivity of the Kampala Magistrate’s court.- — Congo: Chikungunya outbreak and research
- at 7/16/19 8:36amSince January an outbreak of Chikungunya was reported in a region near Pointe-noire precisely Diosso. After molecular and phylogenic analysis, it was discovered that the strain had a close relation with Central Africa Chikungunya strains. The confirmation was done after blood samples were collected and confirmed at the Laboratory of the Institute for Development Research in France Analysis and results have shown a recent vector host switch. Some many other suspected cases have been observed around Pointe-noire and there are fears of a more devastating future outbreak if measures are not taken. One of the specialists involved in the research was Dr Raphael Tatty Tatty, Specialist of Viral and Infectious Diseases at the centre for Infectious diseases, he now speaks out on research and prevention efforts.
- — DRC authorities confirm death of Goma Ebola patient
- at 7/16/19 7:15amJuly 16: Goma Ebola victim dies Authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest city, Goma, on Tuesday said the first patient in the city has died. The patient was a priest who became infected during a visit to the town of Butembo, one of the epicentres of the outbreak, before taking a bus to Goma, according to Congo’s health ministry. He was being driven from Goma to a clinic in Butembo on Monday to receive treatment when he died, North Kivu province’s Governor Carly Nzanzu told an Ebola response meeting. The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) described the case as a “potential game-changer” and said it would reconvene a key panel to see whether the outbreak required a heightened global response. July 14: Ebola case confirmed in Goma Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed on Sunday that the Ebola virus had spread to the Eastern city of Goma. This is the first case in the lakeside city of 1 million people, which is more than 350 km (220 miles) south of where the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record was first detected a year ago. The haemorrhagic fever has gradually spread south, infecting nearly 2,500 people and killing more than 1,600, and now officials fear the virus could spread quicker in a densely populated area close to the Rwandan border. Rwanda, meanwhile, said it would step up border monitoring and urged its citizens to avoid “unnecessary” travel to the eastern DRC. How Ebola spread to Goma The patient was a priest who became infected during a visit to the town of Butembo, 200 km (124 miles) north of Goma, where he interacted with Ebola patients, Congo’s health ministry said in a statement. He developed symptoms last week before taking a bus to Goma on Friday. When he arrived in Goma on Sunday he went to a clinic where he tested positive for Ebola. “Due to the speed with which the patient has been identified and isolated, as well as the identification of all bus passengers from Butembo, the risk of spreading to the rest of the city of Goma remains low,” the ministry said. Goma has been preparing for the arrival of Ebola for a year, setting up hand-washing stations and making sure mototaxi drivers do not share helmets. But in more rural areas, the virus has been hard to contain. Local mistrust of health officials and militia violence have hobbled containment efforts and caused the number of new cases to spike. Ebola causes diarrhoea, vomiting and hemorrhagic fever and can be spread through bodily fluids. An epidemic between 2013 and 2016 killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa. REUTERS
- — 2019 Netball World Cup: Zimbabwe vs Barbados, Malawi vs Australia
- at 7/16/19 6:44amJuly 16 fixtures Malawi vs Australia Zimbabwe vs Barbados July 15: highlights of Day 4 South Africa 66 – 38 Scotland Uganda 57 – 54 Trinidad and Tobago Malawi 47 – 43 Northern Ireland Zimbabwe 36 – 79 New Zealand South Africa maintains 100% record South Africa’s Proteas maintained their 100% record at the Netball World Cup, when they defeated Scotland, 66-38. The wins puts the African team in an elite club that includes hosts England, defending champions Australia and New Zealand, who have won all their four matches at the tournament. Uganda wins 3 in a row Uganda defeated Trinidad and Tobago, 57-54 to keep alive their chances of a semi-final berth. The win means the She-Cranes have now lost one game, against hosts England, and won three including against Scotland and Samoa. Who are Africa’s representatives? Malawi gets third win a row Malawi’s Queens won their first game in Group F, defeating Northern Ireland, 47-43. The win is Malawi’s third in a row, and the team ranked 9th in the world, have only lost one match at this year’s World Cup, their opening day loss to New Zealand. ‘‘It was a tough game, it was not easy. Northern Ireland played really well. We worked hard as a team. We have the fighting spirit, and that enabled us to win the game,’‘ said Malawi’s captain Joanna Kachilika. The top two teams in Group F that also includes reigning champions Australia and Barbados, will proceed to the semi-finals. Zimbabwe lose to New Zealand Zimbabwe’s bid for a semi-final berth suffered a setback when they lost first game in Group F to New Zealand. The match that ended 79-36 in favor of the Silver Ferns, means New Zealand have now secured four wins in four games, while Zimbabwe have two wins and two losses so far. ‘‘It was a nice experience to play against New Zealand. We learned a lot, because these girls are good. We are ranked 13 in the world, so we learned a lot from New Zealand,’‘ Zimbabwe’s Pauline Jani said. July 15 Fixtures Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Northern Ireland vs Malawi Trinidad & Tobago vs Uganda South Africa vs Scotland Who’s facing who at stage 2? Following the end of the preliminary stage of the Netball World Cup, 12 teams have now progressed to the next stage. The 12 teams have been placed in two groups to play for a place in the semi-finals, while the remaining four will compete to determine 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th place. The groups competing for the semis are as follows; Group F: Australia, Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Malawi and Barbados Group G: Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, England, Uganda and Scotland Previous results against teams within their new groups will carry over, ensuring that the teams who secured three wins at the preliminaries stage go into the next phase with an advantage. South Africa, along with hosts England, holders Australia and New Zealand all topped their groups with maximum points. The top two teams in both groups will qualify for the semi-finals, while the remaining eight will contest matches to determine their overall placing (5th-12th) depending on their finishing position in Group F or G. July 14: Highlights of Day 3 South Africa 55 – 52 Jamaica Zimbabwe 51 – 49 Northern Ireland Malawi 65 – 41 Barbados Uganda 52 – 43 Scotland Now THAT was some day of netball! ? All the best moments ??#ThisIsNetball pic.twitter.com/cM4KBXeOqd— Netball World Cup (@NetballWorldCup) 14 juillet 2019 South Africa wins against Jamaica South Africa’s Proteas beat Jamaica by 55 goals to 52 to clinch top spot. All four of Africa’s representatives at the Netball World Cup have now qualified for the next stage, where they will play for a place in the semi-finals. Zimbabwe secures second win Tournament debutants Zimbabwe pulled off yet another positive result, when they edged Northern Ireland 51-49 in the last game of Group A. The result means Zimbabwe qualifies for the next stage, having secured the second slot behind defending champions Australia, who won all of their three games at the group stage. South Africa, Zimbabwe in action The other African teams, Zimbabwe and South Africa are also in action on Sunday. Zimbabwe’s Gems take on Northern Ireland while South Africa’s Proteas will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they take on Jamaica. Malawi qualify Malawi’s Queens defeated Barbados 65-41 in a battle to separate the two sides that had both beaten Singapore and lost to New Zealand. Uganda qualify Uganda’s She Cranes won their second game at the Netball World Cup, beating Scotland by 52-43. The win ensured the East African nation finishes second in Group A, behind hosts England. June 13: highlights of Day 2 South Africa 90-35 Fiji Uganda 69-48 Samoa Malawi 87-38 Singapore Zimbabwe 37-73 Australia South Africa beats Fiji Its two wins out of two for South Africa, who impressed with a 90-35 victory over Fiji. South Africa will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they face Jamaica, who have also won both of their matches so far, tomorrow. The winner of that game will finish top of Group C. Uganda gets first win Uganda’s She Cranes managed a 69-48 win over Samoa, to ensure that all four African teams at the tournament now have at least one victory. Hosts England who defeated Uganda in the Group A opening game on Friday, recorded a second win at the tournament, beating Scotland by 70-34. Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa have each secured a win at the 2019 Netball World Cup. South Africa, who take on Fiji later this evening, have a chance to make it two wins out of two. Malawi secures win against Singapore Malawi Queens secured their first win at the 2019 Netball World Cup, winning against Singapore by 49 goals. The match which ended 87-38, puts the Malawi Queens in second position behind New Zealand and ahead of Barbados and Singapore in Group B. Malawi, Uganda seeking wins Malawi and Uganda will be playing to secure their first wins of the tournament, having lost against New Zealand and England respectively. The Malawi Queens are set to take on Singapore, while Uganda’s She Cranes will play against Samoa later in the day. South Africa, who won their opening game against Trinidad and Tobago, will play against Fiji on Saturday. Zimbabwe loses to Australia Tournament debutants Zimbabwe lost to Netball giants Australia in their second game, even though they still impressed the cheering crowd. The match ended 73-37 in favor of the defending champions, who now have two wins out of two, having beaten Northern Ireland in their first game. Zimbabwe will hope ti return to winning ways when they take on the European team, that on Saturday secured a 67-50 win against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka have now lost both of their matches at the World Cup, following their opening day loss to Zimbabwe’s Gems. July 12: Highlights of Day 1 New Zealand 64 – 45 Malawi Zimbabwe 79 – 49 Sri Lanka South Africa 76 – 45 Trinidad and Tobago England 64 – 32 Uganda And that’s a wrap for a BRILLIANT opening day at the #Vitality Netball World Cup ? One stunning opening ceremony ? Thousands of superb fans ? Eight ? games All the best moments ?? pic.twitter.com/OpV3Qv91zm— Netball World Cup (@NetballWorldCup) July 12, 2019 South Africa wins opening game South Africa’s Proteas got off to a winning start, recording a 76-45 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. ‘‘At first it was a little shaky. But the second quarter, we stepped up. We did not know what to expect, we did not know how they played. Then the second quarter was better, because we could work things out,’‘ South Africa’s Bongiwe Msomi said. South Africa will also take on Jamaica and Fiji in Group C. Uganda loses to hosts England Uganda’s She Cranes were not a match for the dominant host nation, the England Roses, who are playing to win the tournament in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. Despite the best efforts of She Cranes shooters Peace Proscovia and Rachael Nanyonga, England ran out 64-32 winners to open their home World Cup in solid fashion. Uganda will also face Scotland and Samoa in Group D. Malawi loses to New Zealand The Malawi Queens put up a brave performance but eventually succumbed to New Zealand’s Sliver Ferns, by a scoreline of 64-45. The action from Group B also saw Barbados kick off its World Cup campaign with an impressive 69-34 win over Singapore. New Zealand take on Barbados tomorrow Saturday, while Malawi will hope for better results in their fixture against Singapore. Zimbabwe’s historic win Zimbabwe has made history, winning their first ever match at the Netball World Cup. The Gems won their match against Sri Lanka by 79-49, kicking off what could be a thrilling journey. ‘‘I have goosebumps, this is a dream come true! We didn’t know we had so many people supporting Zimbabwe, to see the whole arena supporting us like that was so exciting, said Zimbabwe goal shooter Joice Takaidza. Zimbabwe is one of four African teams at the tournament that is being hosted in Liverpool, England. The others are Malawi, Uganda and South Africa. The Zimbabwe Gems are in Group A, along with reigning champions Australia and Northern Ireland. ‘‘Zimbabwe are something of an unknown quality and will look to capitalise on that against higher ranked teams,’‘ Africanews correspondent, Yvonnie Akonda Sundu told us ahead of the tournament. READ MORE: Rooting for African teams at 2019 Netball World Cup In the other Group A game, Australia were leading Northern Ireland at halftime by 45-15. The game eventually ended 88-24 in favour of the Australia diamonds.
- — South Africa: Zuma says he received death threat after commission testimony
- at 7/16/19 4:14amDay 2 of Zuma’s testimony South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday said he had received a death threat after his testimony the previous day to an inquiry on corruption. Appearing for the second day at the commision of inquiry into state capture, Zuma said his personal assistant received a phone call late on Monday from an unknown caller threatening to kill Zuma and his children. The country’s deputy chief justice, Raymond Zondo, who is overseeing the inquiry, said the threats were unacceptable. There was no immediate comment from the police. Day 1 of Zuma’s testimony South Africa’s ex-president, Jacob Zuma on Monday defended himself at the commision of inquiry into state capture, where he is accused of having presided over a corrupt government. Over the past year, this commission, chaired by the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court Raymond Zondo, has heard from dozens of ministers, elected officials, businessmen and senior civil servants who have come to expose the shady cases of the Zuma era (2009-2018). The former head of state, 77, is suspected of illegally granting lucrative public contracts and undue advantages to a sulfurous family of Indian businessmen with whom he is close, the Gupta. Zuma’s testimony Zuma told the inquiry that there was a conspiracy against him and that his enemies had subjected him to a “character assassination” because they wanted him out of power. “This commission, from my understanding, was really created to have me coming here, and perhaps to find things on me,” Zuma said in his opening remarks at the inquiry, looking relaxed and wearing a dark suit. “There has been a drive to remove me from the scene, a wish that I should disappear.” About his controversial links to the Gupta family, Zuma said he had never broken the law with them, describing the businessmen at the centre of an influence-peddling scandal as friends. “I never did anything with them (the Guptas) unlawfully, they just remained friends. … Never, never did I discuss any matter that does not belong to them,” Zuma told the inquiry. “They were businesspeople and successful businesspeople,” Zuma continued, referring to the three Gupta brothers. “I’m not a businessperson, I know nothing about business, I’m a politician, I know something about politics.” He said he could trace this to the early 1990s, when he received an intelligence report that two foreign intelligence agencies and a branch of the apartheid government that was in power at the time had come up with a strategy to get rid of him. He did not name where the foreign intelligence agencies came from, only that they were from “big countries”. “They (my enemies) took a decision that Zuma must be removed from the decision-making structures of the ANC. That’s why the character assassination, that is the beginning of the process that has put me where I am today,” Zuma said. Zuma also hinted that he could spill the beans on ANC comrades who had spoken out against him. “I’ve been respectful to comrades, maybe I’ve reached a point where that must take a back seat.” .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Jacob Zuma was forced by his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, to resign a year and a half ago at the head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the country. But he has always denied that he was involved in all the scandals that have splashed his reign. Reactions to Zuma’s testimony Asked about Zuma’s comments, ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said the party would give the inquiry space to do its work. “The ANC is not on trial here,” Mabe said. Natasha Mazzone, a senior lawmaker with the opposition Democratic Alliance party, said Zuma was trying to whitewash serious allegations. “The fact that we’ve heard a conspiracy theory dating back to 1990 is proof that the real truth is going to take a long time to extract,” Mazzone said. Rudie Heyneke from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said the inquiry could find it difficult to pin much on Zuma because he had “always been careful to stay a layer or two away from the action”. Reservations from Zuma’s lawyers In a letter made public last month, his lawyer Daniel Mantsha questioned the impartiality of the commission of inquiry by accusing it of seeking “only one truth” and wanting to “trap and humiliate” his client. Although he did not obtain the list of questions that Judge Zondo plans to ask him, Jacob Zuma agreed to respond to his non-binding summons, in principle until Friday, July 19. But there is still doubt about the attitude he will adopt at the hearing, which will be broadcast live on television. “The committee asked me to come and testify and provide it with any information I may have in my possession,” Zuma told the press this week. “I’m going to go and we’ll see how things turn out.” The case against Zuma Since it launched its hearings, the Zondo Commission has compiled a thick case against the former president. A former minister, Mcebisi Jonas, came to tell how the Gupta brothers had come to offer him in 2015 the morocco Finance in exchange for his help in obtaining contracts and a bribe of 600 million rand (nearly 40 million euros). According to Mr. Jonas, Ajay Gupta then told that “You have to understand that we control everything (...) and that the old man (Zuma) will do whatever he tells us to do”. Another Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, testified that he was thanked the same year by Jacob Zuma for refusing a lucrative nuclear contract project that would have benefited the same Gupta brothers, owners of a uranium mine. In turn, the current Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan also settled his accounts with Jacob Zuma, accusing him of having “allowed a climate of impunity allowing corruption” and the “capture of the State” by private interests. Gordhan has estimated that 100 billion rand (€6 billion) of public funds have been diverted in recent years in his country. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has been a long-time critic of the turpitudes of the Zuma regime and welcomed its hearing. “There can be no immunity for Jacob Zuma,” said MP Natasha Mazzone, “he must be held accountable for his role in capturing the state. Despite all the accusations against him, the former president has still not been formally charged. He is currently being prosecuted in only one case involving bribes paid on the margins of an arms contract signed… twenty years ago. In defence of Zuma Zuma still has allies and a group of several dozen supporters broke into clapping and chants of “Zuma” as he entered the hearing room. Outside, supporters wearing military clothing emblazoned with the emblem of the former armed wing of the ANC shouted: “Hands off Zuma!” One of them, Bongani Nkosi, said he thought the inquiry was out to get Zuma and that he had enemies because he supported radical economic policies to help poor black people. Ramaphosa, Zuma’s former deputy, has made sweeping personnel changes in government and state-owned companies as part of an effort to curb corruption and revive the stagnant economy. But he has been hampered by the lingering influence that Zuma and his allies exert over the ANC’s top decision-making bodies, as well as by the scale of the problems he inherited. Zuma, expected to give testimony to the inquiry from Monday to Friday, has also been in court on several occasions over the past year to answer corruption charges linked to a deal to buy military hardware for the armed forces in the 1990s. The inquiry is a rare example of an African leader being brought to book soon after losing power. Agencies
- — South Africa: Zuma dismisses graft allegations [The Morning Call]
- at 7/16/19 3:53amFormer South African President Jacob Zuma is crying foul over corruption allegations against him. He has denied being the king of corruption during a hearing of the state capture inquiry commission on Monday. According to him, he was a victim of a “character assassination” campaign by enemies seeking his removal from power. He even went further to reveal some of the names of those who were part of a plot to remove him from office. Several witnesses who have appeared before the commission have directly linked Zuma to the corruption allegations, including former cabinet ministers who claim to have been offered cabinet appointments by the Gupta family. Zuma has however on several occasions denied any wrongdoing and speaking for the first time before the commission, he seemed confident in his statements.
- — DR Congo: First case of Ebola in Goma [The Morning Call]
- at 7/16/19 3:52amAuthorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are calling for calm after the announcement of the first case of the Ebola virus in the eastern city of Goma. Health officials in the region are on high alert and vaccinations against the virus began in the area on Monday. The case involves an evangelical preacher who is now under isolation at an Ebola treatment center in Butembo. According to the Congolese health ministry, his symptoms first surfaced last Tuesday and only tested positive on Sunday when he arrived in Goma. Some of the people he got into contact with have already been tracked down and vaccinated. There are concerns about the spread of the epidemic in Goma because this is a city with a population of one million people and is neighbouring to Rwanda’s town of Gisenyi. For the World Health Organisation, the city is a gateway to the region and the world and describes this case as a “potential game-changer” .
- — Sudanese poet reflects in exile
- at 7/16/19 3:17amFor Bigoa Chuol, 1991 is the not just the year of her birth, but the year that her family escaped from South Sudan then still part of Sudan. “To the children whose birth water is broken by whizzing of shrapnel. this is our portion we know war in sunken eyes we know it in the jabbing hunger pains we know it in our heavily blistered, callused feet,” said Bigoa Chuol, Sudanese poet. Bigoa holds no memory of her country of birth, her family says she was whisked away in a bucket as bullets whizzed by. But can she still call South Sudan home? “When you had the experience of being uprooted and not really having a sense of being safe and settled. You don’t… you’re not quick to really put your roots in the ground. so, i’ve never really felt like I’ve left a place because I don’t think I’ve ever really felt it was home,“said Bigoa Chuol, Sudanese poet. Through her poetry, she unravels the arduous journey from the brutal war in Sudan, to Ethiopia, Kenya before resettling in Australia 17 years ago. “The refugee experience is very complex and so different for so many different people. place, time, gender, ability, different things like that they really impact people in so many different levels. second, third countries that people go to, people who are you know even internally displaced, people who are in camps. those stories are all relevant and they’re all worthy of being told,“said Bigoa Chuol, Sudanese poet. Although South Sudan got independence from Sudan in 2011, the world’s youngest nation is not at peace with an ongoing civil war forcing over 4 million people to flee their homes, making South Sudan Africa’s largest displacement crisis.
- — Pics of the day, July 15, 2019
- at 7/16/19 2:36amAfricanews samples the best pictures of the day’s news.
- — Somalia to honour TV host killed by Al-Shabaab with annual award
- at 7/15/19 10:00pmThe Somali government will roll out an annual award scheme in honour of Hodan Nalaye, a Somali-Canadian TV host who was killed late last week in the city of Kismayo in an Al-Shabaab attack. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Awad, confirmed that his Ministry will have the Hodan Nalaye Award in honour of the deceased’s inspirational life. “Every year we will recognise an outstanding individual who made a positive contribution from the Somali Diaspora,” the Minister said in a July 15 tweet promising to follow with “More information.” In honour of hodantv’s inspirational life MofaSomalia will have (The #HodanNalaye Award) inshaAllah. Every year we will recognise an outstanding individual who made a positive contribution from the Somali Diaspora. More information to follow. pic.twitter.com/2QIytrKgyV— Amb. Ahmed Awad (@MinisterMOFA) July 15, 2019 On Friday, the journalist dedicated to telling positive stories from a country suffering through decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine was killed along with her husband, Farid Jama Suleiman, entrepreneur Mahad Nur and at least 23 others after a bomb exploded outside the Asasey Hotel in the Somali city of Kismayo and gunmen stormed inside. Fifty-six other people were wounded in the attack, according to the Jubbaland regional president. Somalia’s Islamic extremist rebels, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the 14-hour assault that ended as troops killed the gunmen. On Saturday, friends and family reeled as they heard that Nalayeh, 43, a journalist and mother expecting her third child, was among the dead. Maaz Khan, a 24-year-old filmmaker in Toronto, said Nalayeh had shared her hard-earned wisdom when he met her a few years ago. “She was always very inspiring,” he told The Associated Press. “She would say, ‘It’s tough in the beginning, but always push through and don’t give up on your passion.’” Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, mourned the journalist’s death, saying on Twitter that she “highlighted the community’s positive stories and contributions in Canada” through her work. “We mourn her loss deeply, and all others killed in the #KismayoAttack,” he said. Nalayeh was born in the northern Somali city of Las Anod but moved with her parents and 11 siblings to the Canadian province of Alberta in the winter of 1984, when temperatures dropped to -40 degrees Celsius. Her father, a former Somali diplomat, took a job as a parking attendant, she told Toronto.com in a 2014 interview.
- — Mozambique gets first female presidential aspirant: Alice Mabota
- at 7/15/19 9:00pmMozambicans will for the first time have a woman on the ballot paper when they go to the polls in October this year to vote for a president. Maria Alice Mabota, a revered human rights activist and former president of the Mozambique Human Rights League, has filed her papers on the ticket of a number of parties. She will contest as candidate of a coalition, the Democratic Alliance Coalition, CAD, a group of six parties that she ia not a member of any but was chosen to run on their ticket. She becomes the fifth candidate to file papers for the October 15 vote which will have President Filipe Nyusi contesting for another term in charge of the southern African nation. A local website quoted her as saying: ““I am not scared. I know I will face stones and boulders, but I cannot give up”. She stressed that despite spending over three decades fighting for justice, she was was on a mission to rescue Mozambique, “... the country is now going backwards in terms of the rule of law,” she is quoted to have said after filing. Under Mozambican electoral laws, the nomination papers of all candidates are vetted and cleared by the Constitutional Council, Mozambique’s highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law. For the 1st in Mozambican history, a woman will run for president. Alice Mabota is a lawyer & a leading human rights activist. Back in the 90’s she was one first people to publicly challenge government abuses. She is a smart, fierce woman… and one of my favorite people.?? pic.twitter.com/lnTdHbpxbw— Zenaida Machado (@zenaidamz) July 15, 2019 Other candidates who have filed their nominations include: Incumbent Filipe Nyusi, of the ruling Frelimo Party, running for a second term; Ossufo Momade, leader of the main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo Daviz Simango, mayor of Beira and leader of the Mozambique Democratic Movement Helder Mendonca (better known by his stage name of Dino XS), standing for PODEMOS (Party of Optimists for the Development of Mozambique).
- — Ethiopia PM's security advisor elected new leader of Amhara region
- at 7/15/19 8:00pmEthiopia’s Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) named the security adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as head of the restive Amhara region on Monday after his predecessor was killed in a violent attempt to seize power there. Dozens were killed in fighting during the foiled coup by a rogue state militia in Amhara that claimed the life of regional president Ambachew Mekonnen and other top officials. The same night, the army’s chief of staff and a retired general accompanying him were killed in the capital Addis Ababa in a related attack, the government said. The ADP said on its Facebook page that it had nominated Abiy’s security adviser Temesgen Tiruneh as Ambachew’s successor in Amhara. The party controls the Amhara regional government and is also one of four in Abiy’s national governing coalition. The Amhara violence was the strongest challenge yet to the rule of Abiy, who has rolled out ambitious political and economic reforms in what was once one of Africa’s most repressive countries since coming to power in April 2018. Abiy has freed political prisoners and journalists, offered an amnesty for some rebel groups and opened up space for a number of parties ahead of planned parliamentary elections next year in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country. But his government has also presided over a rise of ethnic violence as regional powerbrokers try to grab more power and territory and air long-held grievances against the Addis Ababa coalition. More than 2.4 million of Ethiopia’s 100 million citizens are displaced. Temesgen’s nomination is expected to be ratified by the Amhara regional council at a later date, according to an ADP central committee member. REUTERS
- — 2019 Netball World Cup: South Africa matches England, Australia and NZ's 100% record
- at 7/15/19 12:44pmSouth Africa maintains 100% record South Africa’s Proteas maintained their 100% record at the Netball World, when they defeated Scotland, 66-38. The wins puts the African team in an elite club that includes hosts England, defending champions Australia and New Zealand, who have won all their four matches at the tournament. Uganda wins 3 in a row Uganda defeated Trinidad and Tobago, 57-54 to keep alive their chances of a semi-final berth. The win means the She-Cranes have now lost one game, against hosts England, and won three including against Scotland and Samoa. Who are Africa’s representatives? Malawi gets third win a row Malawi’s Queens won their first game in Group F, defeating Northern Ireland, 47-43. The win is Malawi’s third in a row, and the team ranked 9th in the world, have only lost one match at this year’s World Cup, their opening day loss to New Zealand. ‘‘It was a tough game, it was not easy. Northern Ireland played really well. We worked hard as a team. We have the fighting spirit, and that enabled us to win the game,’‘ said Malawi’s captain Joanna Kachilika. The top two teams in Group F that also includes reigning champions Australia and Barbados, will proceed to the semi-finals. Zimbabwe lose to New Zealand Zimbabwe’s bid for a semi-final berth suffered a setback when they lost first game in Group F to New Zealand. The match that ended 79-36 in favor of the Silver Ferns, means New Zealand have now secured four wins in four games, while Zimbabwe have two wins and two losses so far. ‘‘It was a nice experience to play against New Zealand. We learned a lot, because these girls are good. We are ranked 13 in the world, so we learned a lot from New Zealand,’‘ Zimbabwe’s Pauline Jani said. July 15 Fixtures Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Northern Ireland vs Malawi Trinidad & Tobago vs Uganda South Africa vs Scotland Who’s facing who at stage 2? Following the end of the preliminary stage of the Netball World Cup, 12 teams have now progressed to the next stage. The 12 teams have been placed in two groups to play for a place in the semi-finals, while the remaining four will compete to determine 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th place. The groups competing for the semis are as follows; Group F: Australia, Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Malawi and Barbados Group G: Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, England, Uganda and Scotland Previous results against teams within their new groups will carry over, ensuring that the teams who secured three wins at the preliminaries stage go into the next phase with an advantage. South Africa, along with hosts England, holders Australia and New Zealand all topped their groups with maximum points. The top two teams in both groups will qualify for the semi-finals, while the remaining eight will contest matches to determine their overall placing (5th-12th) depending on their finishing position in Group F or G. July 14: Highlights of Day 3 South Africa 55 – 52 Jamaica Zimbabwe 51 – 49 Northern Ireland Malawi 65 – 41 Barbados Uganda 52 – 43 Scotland Now THAT was some day of netball! ? All the best moments ??#ThisIsNetball pic.twitter.com/cM4KBXeOqd— Netball World Cup (@NetballWorldCup) 14 juillet 2019 South Africa wins against Jamaica South Africa’s Proteas beat Jamaica by 55 goals to 52 to clinch top spot. All four of Africa’s representatives at the Netball World Cup have now qualified for the next stage, where they will play for a place in the semi-finals. Zimbabwe secures second win Tournament debutants Zimbabwe pulled off yet another positive result, when they edged Northern Ireland 51-49 in the last game of Group A. The result means Zimbabwe qualifies for the next stage, having secured the second slot behind defending champions Australia, who won all of their three games at the group stage. South Africa, Zimbabwe in action The other African teams, Zimbabwe and South Africa are also in action on Sunday. Zimbabwe’s Gems take on Northern Ireland while South Africa’s Proteas will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they take on Jamaica. Malawi qualify Malawi’s Queens defeated Barbados 65-41 in a battle to separate the two sides that had both beaten Singapore and lost to New Zealand. Uganda qualify Uganda’s She Cranes won their second game at the Netball World Cup, beating Scotland by 52-43. The win ensured the East African nation finishes second in Group A, behind hosts England. June 13: highlights of Day 2 South Africa 90-35 Fiji Uganda 69-48 Samoa Malawi 87-38 Singapore Zimbabwe 37-73 Australia South Africa beats Fiji Its two wins out of two for South Africa, who impressed with a 90-35 victory over Fiji. South Africa will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they face Jamaica, who have also won both of their matches so far, tomorrow. The winner of that game will finish top of Group C. Uganda gets first win Uganda’s She Cranes managed a 69-48 win over Samoa, to ensure that all four African teams at the tournament now have at least one victory. Hosts England who defeated Uganda in the Group A opening game on Friday, recorded a second win at the tournament, beating Scotland by 70-34. Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa have each secured a win at the 2019 Netball World Cup. South Africa, who take on Fiji later this evening, have a chance to make it two wins out of two. Malawi secures win against Singapore Malawi Queens secured their first win at the 2019 Netball World Cup, winning against Singapore by 49 goals. The match which ended 87-38, puts the Malawi Queens in second position behind New Zealand and ahead of Barbados and Singapore in Group B. Malawi, Uganda seeking wins Malawi and Uganda will be playing to secure their first wins of the tournament, having lost against New Zealand and England respectively. The Malawi Queens are set to take on Singapore, while Uganda’s She Cranes will play against Samoa later in the day. South Africa, who won their opening game against Trinidad and Tobago, will play against Fiji on Saturday. Zimbabwe loses to Australia Tournament debutants Zimbabwe lost to Netball giants Australia in their second game, even though they still impressed the cheering crowd. The match ended 73-37 in favor of the defending champions, who now have two wins out of two, having beaten Northern Ireland in their first game. Zimbabwe will hope ti return to winning ways when they take on the European team, that on Saturday secured a 67-50 win against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka have now lost both of their matches at the World Cup, following their opening day loss to Zimbabwe’s Gems. July 12: Highlights of Day 1 New Zealand 64 – 45 Malawi Zimbabwe 79 – 49 Sri Lanka South Africa 76 – 45 Trinidad and Tobago England 64 – 32 Uganda And that’s a wrap for a BRILLIANT opening day at the #Vitality Netball World Cup ? One stunning opening ceremony ? Thousands of superb fans ? Eight ? games All the best moments ?? pic.twitter.com/OpV3Qv91zm— Netball World Cup (@NetballWorldCup) July 12, 2019 South Africa wins opening game South Africa’s Proteas got off to a winning start, recording a 76-45 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. ‘‘At first it was a little shaky. But the second quarter, we stepped up. We did not know what to expect, we did not know how they played. Then the second quarter was better, because we could work things out,’‘ South Africa’s Bongiwe Msomi said. South Africa will also take on Jamaica and Fiji in Group C. Uganda loses to hosts England Uganda’s She Cranes were not a match for the dominant host nation, the England Roses, who are playing to win the tournament in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. Despite the best efforts of She Cranes shooters Peace Proscovia and Rachael Nanyonga, England ran out 64-32 winners to open their home World Cup in solid fashion. Uganda will also face Scotland and Samoa in Group D. Malawi loses to New Zealand The Malawi Queens put up a brave performance but eventually succumbed to New Zealand’s Sliver Ferns, by a scoreline of 64-45. The action from Group B also saw Barbados kick off its World Cup campaign with an impressive 69-34 win over Singapore. New Zealand take on Barbados tomorrow Saturday, while Malawi will hope for better results in their fixture against Singapore. Zimbabwe’s historic win Zimbabwe has made history, winning their first ever match at the Netball World Cup. The Gems won their match against Sri Lanka by 79-49, kicking off what could be a thrilling journey. ‘‘I have goosebumps, this is a dream come true! We didn’t know we had so many people supporting Zimbabwe, to see the whole arena supporting us like that was so exciting, said Zimbabwe goal shooter Joice Takaidza. Zimbabwe is one of four African teams at the tournament that is being hosted in Liverpool, England. The others are Malawi, Uganda and South Africa. The Zimbabwe Gems are in Group A, along with reigning champions Australia and Northern Ireland. ‘‘Zimbabwe are something of an unknown quality and will look to capitalise on that against higher ranked teams,’‘ Africanews correspondent, Yvonnie Akonda Sundu told us ahead of the tournament. READ MORE: Rooting for African teams at 2019 Netball World Cup In the other Group A game, Australia were leading Northern Ireland at halftime by 45-15. The game eventually ended 88-24 in favour of the Australia diamonds.
- — Uganda's Bobi Wine to contest 2021 polls 'on behalf of the people'
- at 7/15/19 9:38amUgandan pop star and opposition figure Bobi Wine said Monday he will challenge longtime President Yoweri Museveni in a 2021 election “on behalf of the people.” But Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, said he is concerned about his safety after what he believes was an attempt on his life last August. His driver was shot dead in his car after protesters threw stones at the president’s motorcade. Wine’s arrest at the time sparked protests in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. The 37-year-old said he is fearful of harm from running for president because “there has never been a threat to this regime like the threat we pose to it today as a generation.” “I live every day as it comes, not being sure of the next day,” Wine said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I am not blind to the fact that the regime wants me dead and wants me dead as soon as possible.” Authorities have repeatedly denied Wine is being targeted. As the leader of a popular movement known as “People Power,” Wine has captured the imagination of many who want to see the exit of Museveni, a U.S. ally on regional security who has held power since 1986 and looks set to seek a sixth term. Wine said his aim ahead of the election is “to multiply myself in various young men and women, so that there are as many Bobi Wines as possible.” Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of power since the East African country gained independence from Britain in 1962. “Power has been taken away from the people by those that wield guns, and that’s what we want to put an end to through the vote,” he said. Wine first came to national prominence in 2017 when, as an independent candidate, he won election as a lawmaker representing a constituency near Kampala. He has since successfully campaigned for other opposition candidates, raising his profile as a leader and attracting encouragement to run for president. Wine is “a symbol,” a potential catalyst for change in a country where many young people are jobless and angry over official corruption, said Mwambutsya Ndebesa, history lecturer at Uganda’s Makerere University. “He can still be symbolically a game changer in a system where the political space has been narrowed.” Yet the singer’s candidacy comes with multiple challenges, including limited opportunities to hold rallies or stage concerts. Police violently foiled his recent attempts to hold public events, firing bullets and tear gas. Authorities insist such action is necessary in order to protect public order. Wine also faces treason charges stemming from his alleged role in the incident in which the president’s convoy was attacked with stones. Prosecutors added additional charges of annoying the president over that incident. He also is charged with the offense of disobeying statutory authority after he led a demonstration against a new tax targeting social media. He denies all the charges. Wine would be ineligible to run for president if he were to be convicted of any of those crimes. “We know that the regime is going to try anything within their reach to block us from contesting,” Wine said. Museveni, who is 74 and remains popular among some Ugandans, is expected to run again after parliament passed legislation removing a clause in the constitution that prevented anyone over 75 from holding the presidency. As the bill was being debated, security personnel during one chaotic session entered the parliamentary chamber and roughed up opposition lawmakers, including Wine, who had been trying to delay a procedural vote. The president accuses Wine and other opposition figures of trying to lure young people into deadly rioting. Museveni’s party, which dominates the national assembly, has endorsed him as its sole candidate for the next election. The opposition is divided, with veteran opposition figures frequently attacking each other in public. Although Wine’s rise as a possible presidential contender has energized the opposition, it also has exposed rifts among the opposition figures who hope to take power after Museveni. As Wine’s stature rose, tensions grew between him and Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate who has been Museveni’s most serious election opponent. Besigye was criticized by Wine’s supporters after he suggested that the singer was not yet ready to become president, underscoring how difficult it will be for the opposition to unite against Museveni. AP
- — Zambia: Finance Minister dismissed
- at 7/15/19 9:23amMargaret Mwanakatwe is no longer part of the Zambian government. Zambian President Edgar Lungu abruptly fired his finance minister on Sunday. She’s been replaced by Bwalya Ng’andu, former deputy chief of the Zambian central bank. The Zambian presidency announced its decision in a statement issued on Sunday, but did not give reasons for the dismissal. Mwanakatwe had been Finance minister for just over a year. The 9% across-the-board tax on sales of goods and services, which was originally due to be introduced in April, would help rein in the external debt of Africa’s second largest copper producer, which hit $10.05 billion at the end of 2018, and a fiscal deficit running at 7.5% of gross domestic product. The International Monetary Fund has repeatedly warned that Zambia’s high debt and shrinking foreign exchange reserves leave its economy vulnerable. The new finance boss took office on Monday.
- — WHO on high alert on possible Ebola outbreak
- at 7/15/19 9:09amWorld Health Organization has warned on the danger of an Ebola epidemic as the Democratic Republic of Congo authorities call for calm as first case of Ebola haemorrhagic fever is reported in Goma, a populous town in Eastern DRC near the border to Rwanda. “And Goma is a warning, and that warning may result in more cases. We hope it does not.,” said Mike Ryan, World Health Organization Emergencies Director. Authorities claim to have responded early and fast to the case. At least 30 of the 60 people that have been in contact with the patient, an evangelical pastor, have been vaccinated. While the rest hope to be vaccinated in the next 24hrs. Authorities have promised to boost preventive measure to avoid further spread of the disease. Meanwhile, the head of the WHO says he is reconvening the UN agency’s expert committee to assess whether or not the continuing Ebola outbreak in Congo warrants being declared a global emergency. “And finally, the identification of the case in Goma could potentially be a game-changer in this epidemic. Goma is a city of 2 million people, near the border with Rwanda and is a gateway to the region and the world. We’re confident in the measures we’ve put in place and hope that we will see no further transmission of Ebola in Goma. Nevertheless, we cannot be too careful. I have therefore decided to reconvene the emergency committee as soon as possible to assess the threat of this development and advise me accordingly,“Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Head of World Health Organization. The recent Ebola epidemic which has claimed the lives of 1665 people has so far been confined to the north and this new case tests the measures in place. The United States called on UN member states to provide more funds in the efforts against Ebola.
- — Activists move to declare new federal state in Southern Ethiopia
- at 7/15/19 5:22amSpeculation is rife in Ethiopia that the Sidama area in the southern region will be granted a referendum to determine whether it should become its own federal state. Sidama is currently part of the multi-ethnic Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR), which is represented in the country’s ruling coalition by the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM). BBC reported that over the weekend, a group of youth activists and opposition politicians announced that they would declare the southern region of Sidama as a separate federal state within the country. The declaration is scheduled for Wednesday,significant because it marks a year since SNNPR’s parliament accepted that there should be a referendum on Sidama’s future. According to the constitution, the vote should have happened within the last 12 months. Two weeks ago, the prime minister Abiy Ahmed called upon people agitating for statehood to be patient because changes in the election board need to happen before the referendum can take place. The declaration of Sidama as a state could aggravate regional tensions within Ethiopia which are threatening the unity of the country. ALSO READ: Ethiopia’s TPLF demands clarity on 2020 elections, blasts ADP over ‘coup’
- — South Africa's ex-president Zuma bemoans 'conspiracy to eliminate him'
- at 7/15/19 4:00amSouth Africa’s ex-president, Jacob Zuma on Monday defended himself at the commision of inquiry into state capture, where he is accused of having presided over a corrupt government. Over the past year, this commission, chaired by the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court Raymond Zondo, has heard from dozens of ministers, elected officials, businessmen and senior civil servants who have come to expose the shady cases of the Zuma era (2009-2018). The former head of state, 77, is suspected of illegally granting lucrative public contracts and undue advantages to a sulfurous family of Indian businessmen with whom he is close, the Gupta. Zuma’s testimony Zuma told the inquiry that there was a conspiracy against him and that his enemies had subjected him to a “character assassination” because they wanted him out of power. “This commission, from my understanding, was really created to have me coming here, and perhaps to find things on me,” Zuma said in his opening remarks at the inquiry, looking relaxed and wearing a dark suit. “There has been a drive to remove me from the scene, a wish that I should disappear.” About his controversial links to the Gupta family, Zuma said he had never broken the law with them, describing the businessmen at the centre of an influence-peddling scandal as friends. “I never did anything with them (the Guptas) unlawfully, they just remained friends. … Never, never did I discuss any matter that does not belong to them,” Zuma told the inquiry. “They were businesspeople and successful businesspeople,” Zuma continued, referring to the three Gupta brothers. “I’m not a businessperson, I know nothing about business, I’m a politician, I know something about politics.” He said he could trace this to the early 1990s, when he received an intelligence report that two foreign intelligence agencies and a branch of the apartheid government that was in power at the time had come up with a strategy to get rid of him. He did not name where the foreign intelligence agencies came from, only that they were from “big countries”. “They (my enemies) took a decision that Zuma must be removed from the decision-making structures of the ANC. That’s why the character assassination, that is the beginning of the process that has put me where I am today,” Zuma said. Zuma also hinted that he could spill the beans on ANC comrades who had spoken out against him. “I’ve been respectful to comrades, maybe I’ve reached a point where that must take a back seat.” .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Jacob Zuma was forced by his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, to resign a year and a half ago at the head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the country. But he has always denied that he was involved in all the scandals that have splashed his reign. Reactions to Zuma’s testimony Asked about Zuma’s comments, ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said the party would give the inquiry space to do its work. “The ANC is not on trial here,” Mabe said. Natasha Mazzone, a senior lawmaker with the opposition Democratic Alliance party, said Zuma was trying to whitewash serious allegations. “The fact that we’ve heard a conspiracy theory dating back to 1990 is proof that the real truth is going to take a long time to extract,” Mazzone said. Rudie Heyneke from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said the inquiry could find it difficult to pin much on Zuma because he had “always been careful to stay a layer or two away from the action”. Reservations from Zuma’s lawyers In a letter made public last month, his lawyer Daniel Mantsha questioned the impartiality of the commission of inquiry by accusing it of seeking “only one truth” and wanting to “trap and humiliate” his client. Although he did not obtain the list of questions that Judge Zondo plans to ask him, Jacob Zuma agreed to respond to his non-binding summons, in principle until Friday, July 19. But there is still doubt about the attitude he will adopt at the hearing, which will be broadcast live on television. “The committee asked me to come and testify and provide it with any information I may have in my possession,” Zuma told the press this week. “I’m going to go and we’ll see how things turn out.” The case against Zuma Since it launched its hearings, the Zondo Commission has compiled a thick case against the former president. A former minister, Mcebisi Jonas, came to tell how the Gupta brothers had come to offer him in 2015 the morocco Finance in exchange for his help in obtaining contracts and a bribe of 600 million rand (nearly 40 million euros). According to Mr. Jonas, Ajay Gupta then told that “You have to understand that we control everything (...) and that the old man (Zuma) will do whatever he tells us to do”. Another Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, testified that he was thanked the same year by Jacob Zuma for refusing a lucrative nuclear contract project that would have benefited the same Gupta brothers, owners of a uranium mine. In turn, the current Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan also settled his accounts with Jacob Zuma, accusing him of having “allowed a climate of impunity allowing corruption” and the “capture of the State” by private interests. Gordhan has estimated that 100 billion rand (€6 billion) of public funds have been diverted in recent years in his country. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has been a long-time critic of the turpitudes of the Zuma regime and welcomed its hearing. “There can be no immunity for Jacob Zuma,” said MP Natasha Mazzone, “he must be held accountable for his role in capturing the state. Despite all the accusations against him, the former president has still not been formally charged. He is currently being prosecuted in only one case involving bribes paid on the margins of an arms contract signed… twenty years ago. In defence of Zuma Zuma still has allies and a group of several dozen supporters broke into clapping and chants of “Zuma” as he entered the hearing room. Outside, supporters wearing military clothing emblazoned with the emblem of the former armed wing of the ANC shouted: “Hands off Zuma!” One of them, Bongani Nkosi, said he thought the inquiry was out to get Zuma and that he had enemies because he supported radical economic policies to help poor black people. Ramaphosa, Zuma’s former deputy, has made sweeping personnel changes in government and state-owned companies as part of an effort to curb corruption and revive the stagnant economy. But he has been hampered by the lingering influence that Zuma and his allies exert over the ANC’s top decision-making bodies, as well as by the scale of the problems he inherited. Zuma, expected to give testimony to the inquiry from Monday to Friday, has also been in court on several occasions over the past year to answer corruption charges linked to a deal to buy military hardware for the armed forces in the 1990s. The inquiry is a rare example of an African leader being brought to book soon after losing power. Agencies
- — Former South Africa President refutes corruption charges
- at 7/15/19 3:33am*Former South African President Jacob Zuma has refuted allegations of his misuse of public funds before the commission of inquiry into the corruption. * “I’ve been vilified, alleged to be the king of corrupt people,” said Jacob Zuma, former South African President. Zuma who termed the inquiry as a conspiracy against him is alleged to have indulged in massive corruption during his 9 year tenure before he was forced to resign by his political party, African National Congress (ANC), from office in 2018. The former head of state is said to have favored an Indian business family granting them lucrative public contracts. Dozens of Ministers, elected officials, business people and high ranking officials have given witness to the major corruption under Zuma. 77 year old Zuma is yet to be officially charged, with the justice so far seeking him for bribes paid in an arms contract deal signed 20 years ago.
- — Trump tells Somali-born Omar, others to 'go back' and 'fix' countries they came from
- at 7/15/19 3:00amUnited States president Donald Trump on Sunday told Democratic Party congresswomen including Somali-born Ilhan Omar who now represents Minnesota, to ‘‘go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came’‘. Omar is one of several first-year Representatives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who have been very critical of Trump. The group known as “the squad” that has also been critical of the current Democratic leadership of the House. “So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe… viciously telling the people of the United States… how our government is to be run,” Trump said in a series of three comments on Twitter. ‘‘Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.’‘ ‘‘These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!’‘ The squad reacts Only Omar, whose family left Somalia as refugees and arrived in Minneapolis in 1997, was born outside the United States. “Mr. President, the country I ‘come from,’ and the country we all swear to, is the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez, like Trump a native of New York City, responded on Twitter. “You are angry because you can’t conceive of an America that includes us. You rely on a frightened America for your plunder.” THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like. And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday. pic.twitter.com/vYzoxCgN0X— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) 14 juillet 2019 Mr. President, As Members of Congress, the only country we swear an oath to is the United States. Which is why we are fighting to protect it from the worst, most corrupt and inept president we have ever seen. https://t.co/FBygHa2QTt— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) 14 juillet 2019 Yo realDonaldTrump, I am fighting corruption in OUR country. I do it every day when I hold your admin accountable as a U.S. Congresswoman. Detroit taught me how to fight for the communities you continue to degrade & attack. Keep talking, you’ll be out of the WH soon. #TickTock— Rashida Tlaib (RashidaTlaib) 14 juillet 2019 ‘Racist and Xenophobic’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, has feuded with the group in an increasingly bitter intra-party fight, but came to their defense Sunday along with other Democratic colleagues. She called Trump’s comments “xenophobic.” “When @realDonaldTrump tells four American Congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to ‘Make America Great Again’ has always been about making America white again,” she said on Twitter. “Do I fit into the President’s category?” U.S. Senator Dick Durbin on Illinois, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” mentioning his family’s Lithuanian heritage. “Thanks goodness,” he said of Omar’s journey from refugee to one of only two Muslim women elected to Congress, along with Tlaib, a native of Detroit. “That is what America holds as a dream. The president should not diminish it.” ALSO READ: First Somali-American Muslim lawmaker covers TIME mag special edition
- — Nigeria: Buhari ministerial list expected this week [Morning Call]
- at 7/15/19 1:28amNigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari could submit his cabinet nominees this week. But why has there been a delay in the first place with appointing a cabinet and could Mr Buhari’s nominees when ready face any bottleneck with senate approval as was the case in 2015?
- — French missile claim hints of complicity [Morning Call]
- at 7/15/19 1:26amFathi Bashagha, Interior Minister of the Libyan city of Misrata, has disputed France’s claim that missiles discovered in commander Khalifa Haftar’s base were inoperable. He said the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) has asked experts from the United Nations and the U.S. to examine the weapons to confirm they are in working order.
- — A harrowing heroin addiction grips South Africa
- at 7/14/19 4:22amAshley Abrahams, a 37-year-old homeless man, is one of over 100,000 regular heroin users in South Africa, according to a survey published in March by European project ENACT, which fights organised transnational crimes. Heroin has been wreaking havoc in South Africa’s cities and rural areas since the early 2000s, with a trafficking market generating about 3.6 billion rand ($260 million) in annual revenue. “What happens is that it comes in a form of powder and then I throw a liquid on it, water, and then I cook it up and then I inject it. Basically for me it’s only to take the pain away.I actually don’t have a main reason for using it. But it was basically just to fit in. Peer pressure plays a bigger role in that thing. And I was just stupid. Like I said I regret the day I used the drug. I regret the day because I didn’t know about the withdrawals, nobody told me about the withdrawals, nobody told me about the effects it’s gonna have on me.” Ashley added that heroin is one of the many survival strategies they use to survive on the street. “Nobody can sleep sober on the street, you will die of the cold. Why do you think most of the people survive on the street ? Because there’s something in their system, there’s something toxic in their system that keeps them warm and helps them,” he confessed. According to Robert Michel, executive director of Outreach Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation which helps needy young people, “out of five we send to rehab maybe one will stay clean for at least six months. And we usually loose them out of our sight and we don’t know whether a year or two years later they’re still out of drugs or have come back. That, we don’t know. So at best, at best, I’d say our success rate is about 20% but it could be much less actually.” Despite the very low success rate recorded so far, Robert says there is light at the end of the tunnel. “There’s always hope, there has to be hope. Otherwise, what would we do here on earth ? The sun is shining again tomorrow, in Africa at least where the sun is always shining, and that gives us hope and that pushes us on. Yes, we know it’s probably a lost battle but I still think it’s worth doing it.” Many streets across South Africa have become drug supermarkets, a practice that has been strongly condemned by NGOs and experts, who accuse the police and the government of passivity at its best and complicity at its worst.
- — Sudan power-sharing deal signing delayed
- at 7/14/19 2:54amA meeting that will see parties in Sudan sign a power-sharing deal has been postponed to Sunday. African Union envoy Mohammed el-Hassan Labat revealed this Saturday after meeting with the military council and Ethiopia’s envoy, Mahmoud Dirir. “The meeting that was supposed to be this evening between the Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change and the military council in Sudan was postponed till tomorrow (Sunday). The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change delegation asked for more consultations, and thanks to the transitional military council for accepting this demand so the meeting will be tomorrow God willing”, Labat said. Earlier in the day, thousands of Sudanese filled the streets of Khartoum and several other cities to mark the 40th day since the deadly evacuation of a protest sit-in. The “Justice First” marches were called by the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, which has been leading the protests. The protests led to the ouster of long time president Omar al-Bashir in April. AP
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