· AFCON: 46 hurt in Zambia victory celebrations
Over 40 casualty cases were recorded Wednesday night at Zambia's University Teaching Hospital (UTH) after post-match celebrations turned violent and unruly, hospital authorities said. UTH said it had treated 46 casualties who were injured after Zambia national soccer team - "Chipolopolo" - beat Ghana's "Black Stars" to…
· African Peer Review Mechanism making progress
In 2003 the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the continental development plan, initiated the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Since then 30 countries have joined the voluntary arrangement. How well has this process been working, and what lies ahead? A member of the APRMs Panel of Eminent Persons, Amos Sawyer - who was Liberia's…
· Combating HIV infections among African women
With a lack of knowledge and power, African women continue to bear the brunt of HIV infections. Faced with declining donor funding, HIV/AIDS campaigners are calling for a lifeline for women in the throes of death. Schoolgirl Nomasonto Masango giggles as she lists the things she and her friends want boyfriends to buy them. “If you have an older…
· Legume cultivation booms in Western Kenya
Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) who traditionally relied on seed companies for all their seeds are now bulking their own legume seeds for their farms. The seed bulking initiative is taking pressure off research institutions charged with breeding and multiplying the seed for farmers. It's also building up seed banks of orphan crops, many seed companies…
· Malawi vendors chase out Chinese
Vendors in Kalonga, the Northern district of Malawi, on Wednesday petitioned the District Commissioner to flash out all Chinese nationals who are doing their businesses in the district. The petition, signed by over 33 representatives of the vendors, says the Chinese investors have gone over bound taking over small-scale business which the natives can…
· Zim: Informal sector urged to join HIV battle
While the Harare City council is busy engaging in running battles with city vendors, Health Minister has called for authorities to devise ways to formalize the vending sector so as to boost government coffers for efficient health service delivery. Due to the fact that there is donor fatigue, the government alone is not capable of financing the operations…
· Elections: Wole Soyinka warns Mugabe, Wade
The Nigerian Nobel Prize winner for literature said heads of states who are trying to cling to power suffer the same fate as the dictators who were swept away by the Arab spring. Nigerian's Wole Soyinka cited the example of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, describing both of them as "irremovable octogenarian" who…
· AU elections rescheduled for June in Malawi
Following a deadlock during Monday's African Union elections, with a tie between former wife to South African president Jacob Zuma, Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and current and outgoing chairperson, Jean Ping of Gabon, the caucus agreed to meet in Malawi in June for a decider. Attended strictly by the heads of states and government…
· Senegal in turmoil as protest intensifies
Hundreds of anti-government protesters Tuesday gathered in the central Dakar, Senegal to show their dissatisfaction over the incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy after two civilians were killed by paramilitary police in a similar demonstration in Podor situated in the northern part of the country. The angry demonstrator gathered, holding…
· Zimbabwe’s inflation still favourable - Gono
Zimbabwe's annual headline inflation still compared favourably with economies in the region, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono said on Tuesday, adding that the projected stabilisation of international oil prices this year might also help in lessening price pressures. But Gono expressed worries over the state of the balance of payments,…
· AFCON 2012: Sudan qualifies after four decades
The Sudanese national team has sealed a historic win over the Stallions of Burkina Faso. For the first time since 1970, the Sudanese proceeded to the quarter-finals stage of the AFCON. The all-locally-based players that constitute the Sudanese squad beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in their last Group B match to pick up four points that has propelled them to the…
· Senegalese opposition to intensify protests
Opposition and civil society groups in Senegal have vowed to increase their fight against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade's presidential bid. The pronouncement came after the constitutional Council rejected an appeal filed by the opposition. Senegal's highest court also rejected opposition appeal and confirming President Wade's bid…
· Malawi: Rights coalition condemn stripping of women
The 39 members of the Solidarity for African Women's Rights Coalition based in 18 African countries have vehemently condemned the stripping of women wearing trousers and short skirts by male vendors in three major cities in Malawi - Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre. A statement from the coalition read: “Women’s rights in Malawi are guaranteed…
· Kenya to deworm five million children annually
Kenya launched the second phase of its national deworming programme at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012, aiming to treat 5 million children annually for the next five years. The programme is supported by Deworm the World, a cost-effective initiative treating school children for parasitic worms, which stunt development and impair education.…
· Benin’s Yayi Boni is AU’s new chairman
President Yayi Boni of Benin Republic has been elected chairperson of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. President Yayi Boni elected Sunday at the 18th Ordinary Summit of the African Union (AU) took over the post from Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. He is expected to lead the continental body for a period…
· Clashes in Senegal as Wade seek third term
Clashes have erupted in Senegal's capital Dakar and several other city cities ; after the Constitutional Council said President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term in next month's poll. A police officer has made his untimely death during clashes with civil society and opposition suppers in the central Dakar Angered by the decision,…
· Africa Union’s top posts tightly contested
All eyes are on the 18th African Union (AU) Summit that is currently underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia until the 30th of January 2012. While the theme of the Summit is "Boosting Intra-African Trade", the election of the AU Commission Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson on 29 January will also take centre stage. This year, one of the most anticipated…
· Gambia's leader pulls out of AU presidency race
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has pulled out of the race for the presidency of the African Union's Assembly. Gambia's foreign minister Momodou Tangara informed AU officials that president Yahya Jammeh has decided to with withdraw from the race for the AU presidency after a closed-door meeting of foreign minister from the Economic Community…
· NIGERIA: Chadians among Kano attackers
Nigerian police said people speaking a Chadian language were among the attackers who waged bombing and shooting sprees in Kano last Friday, killing a total of 185 people according to the first official tally. "The extremists are said to be speaking accented Hausa language, Kanuri and Chad languages," the state police command said in its first…
· Kenya’s finance minister resigns
Kenyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta has resigned on Thursday together with the Secretary to the Cabinet and head of the Public Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura. The two alongside Eldoret Member of Parliament William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang were on Monday ordered to stand for trial by the International…