News

[New Times] President Paul Kagame chaired a Cabinet meeting on Monday, January 18, 2021, where strict guidelines were put in place to slow the spread of new Covid-19 infections.

[Nairobi News] President Uhuru Kenyatta has, for the first time, publicly addressed the fallout between him and impeached Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.

[Nairobi News] Acting Nairobi Governor Benson Mutura has today vacated the office of the governor of Nairobi, paving the way for Deputy Governor Anne Mwenda to take over.

[RFI] In the wake of of two Malawian cabinet officials dying of coronavirus last week, President Lazarus Chakwera has announced new health measures to combat the spread of the virus, including lockdown, as cases have increased since the new year.

[DW] As part of its post-Brexit global vision, Britain is hosting a UK-Africa trade conference. But its new trade deals fail to offer African nations much extra as Britain falls behind as a trading partner on the continent.

[DW] Unrest spread across Tunisia after the government imposed an anti-virus lockdown amid economic hardship. Many Tunisians are frustrated by the lack of political reforms a decade after the Arab Spring.

[The New Humanitarian] Bangui -- 'This coalition puts fear back in our stomachs.'

[Thomson Reuters Foundation] Johannesburg -- Activist-turned-entrepreneur Joanie Fredericks offers safe transport options for women in a Cape Town crime hotspot

[The Conversation Africa] Vaccines for COVID-19 are generating a lot of talk. To shed some light on which vaccines are available for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and how the process will work, The Conversation Africa's Ina Skosana and Ozayr Patel asked Benjamin Kagina to answer a few questions.

[DW] Social media platforms in Uganda played a crucial role in the mobilization of opposition leader Bobi Wine's followers. Shutting down the internet on the eve of polls added to doubts about how fair the elections were.

[ISS] In the earlier days of Ugandan Yoweri Museveni's presidential career in 2006, I remember seeing election posters routinely torn down by all sides during campaign rallies in an attempt to control the message. Now social media has become the new election battleground, propelled by the rapid proliferation and reach of cellphone technology across Africa.

[The Point] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board on Friday approved an immediate disbursement of about US$28.8 million to The Gambia to help meet the country's financing needs, support social spending and the post-pandemic recovery.

[East African] A Djibouti-led mission to resolve accusations of territorial violations between Kenya and Somalia has concluded a fact-finding mission in both countries.

[Monitor] Church of Uganda Archbishop Dr Stephen Kaziimba has asked election losers who contest the results to seek remedies in court.

[The Herald] MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has been granted $10 000 bail by Harare magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe.

[The Herald] Villagers in Buhera South are living in fear as landmines and other explosives buried by freedom fighters at different former bases during the liberation war, are being picked up by innocent children herding cattle, more than 40 years after independence.

[East African] Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni beat his main challenger Bobi Wine to win a sixth straight term, but lost ground in parliament to opposition National Unity Platform.

[New Zimbabwe] The ruling party Zanu-PF has been angered by the failure of the United States of America's envoy to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols to denounce the recent violent protests at the Capitol Hill in Washington DC, which left six five people dead and scores injured.

[New Zimbabwe] Lawyers representing incarcerated journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, senior MDC Alliance officials, Fadzayi Mahere and Job Sikhala, were at the weekend denied access, by prison officials, to their clients detained at the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

[Nation] President Uhuru Kenyatta has cautioned headteachers in day primary and secondary schools across the country against sending learners away for fees.

[allAfrica] Cape Town -- As of January 18, confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 55 African countries reached  3,261,125 . Reported deaths in Africa reached 78,874  and 2,676,282  people have recovered.

[Nation] The government will continue cracking down on men who impregnate schoolgirls, but ensure all teenagers access education, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang has said.

[The Conversation Africa] On the day before the 2020 US presidential election, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, the leader of the African Christian Democratic Party in South Africa, tweeted:

[AIM] Maputo -- Pemba (Mozambique), 15 Jan (AIM) - The northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado is on the verge of serious hunger and a consequent increase in chronic child malnutrition, as food production especially in districts affected by terrorism has recorded very poor yields.

[New Times] Effective Monday, January 18, all nursery, primary and secondary schools will be closed in the City of Kigali, the Ministry of Education has announced.

[Nation] Somalia is largely an oral society where word of mouth spreads like fire.

[Nation] Somalia's main organisation for investors and traders this week got a reprieve after the government rescinded its decision to disband it over complaints from traders.

[Nation] The Trump administration is continuing to deport African asylum seekers in its last few days before the inauguration of Joe Biden, who has promised a 100-day suspension of deportations, amid allegations of abuse of detainees, insufficient legal protections and inadequate precautions against Covid infection.

[Monitor] By Patience Ahimbisibwe

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- China has indicated its willingness to suspend Kenya's debt as part of measures to help developing countries weather the COVID-19 storm.