Thousands of people protested on Tuesday for a statue of 19th century British imperialist Cecil Rhodes to be removed from an Oxford University college, as debate raged over the removal of other monuments attached to the nation’s colonial past. Protesters chanted “Take it down” and “Decolonise”, and held placards urging “Rhodes Must Fall” and “Black…
The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun administering Ebola vaccinations in an effort to curb the spread of the virus which resurfaced in the country recently. With the help of various partners, vaccination begun over the weekend in the north-east of the country, a region considered the epicentre of the epidemic. According to the Congolese…
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday rejected the idea of forming a transitional government when his term of office expires in October, brushing aside fears of a constitutional crisis. The August election was viewed by many observers as test for Abiy Ahmed since coming to office in April 2018. But the election commission announced…
Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza has died of heart attack, the government has confirmed. He died at the age of 55. A statement confirming his demise says he succumbed on June 8. He was seeing out his 15-year-rule ahead of handing over to president-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye. The former general was declared winner of May 22 elections…
Burundi’s first lady has reportedly been airlifted to Kenya after contracting COVID-19, Kenyan media report. Citizen TV reports that Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza arrived in Nairobi on Thursday and was immediately admitted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, one of the COVID-19 treatment facilities in the country. The 50-year-old was accompanied by three bodyguards, one of…
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza, aged 55, has died after suffering a cardiac arrest, the government says. He was admitted to hospital on Saturday after feeling unwell, his condition improved but on Monday he had a cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, officials say. After 15 years in power, Mr Nkurunziza was due…
Algeria is easing lockdown restrictions over the novel coronavirus. The government issued directives that will see the North African country have a progressive reopening in the coming weeks. Some shops started reopening in Algeria as part of a series of measures to ease the lockdown in place to fight COVID-19, while partial confinement remains in force…
Keria Ibrahim, speaker of Ethiopia’s upper parliamentary chamber, the House of federation, has quit her position citing a looming constitutional blank with postponed elections. Her resignation was announced first by regional Tigray TV. Privately-owned Addis Standard said Keria’s resignation was on the outcome of a Council of Constitutional Inquiry on deferred elections. According to Tigray Communication Affairs…
June 9: Tanzania ‘free of coronavirus’ – president In late May, it was the Regional Commissioner for Dar es Salaam, declaring that COVID-19 had been defeated in Tanzania. Weeks on, President John Magufuli has reaffirmed Paul Makonda’s claims. The president declared the country “coronavirus-free,” he credited the prayers of citizens for the triumph. “The corona disease…
South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar and his wife, Defense Minister Angelina Teny, have resumed their official duties on Monday after recovering from COVID-19, an official statement said. Machar and Angelina went into self-isolation in Juba three weeks ago after both tested positive for the novel coronavirus. “The First Vice President, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon,…
