Africa Top10 News

A Murderous Plot against Zimbabwe’s General

The wife of Zimbabwe’s vice-president, Constantino Chiwenga, has been accused of attempting to kill him by disconnecting his life support while he was undergoing treatment in a hospital this year. Marry Chiwenga, née Mubaiwa, was arrested at the weekend and appeared at Harare’s magistrate’s court on Monday where she was remanded in custody. She is accused of illegally transferring almost US$1m overseas to purchase luxury cars and property and faces additional charges of attempted murder. Constantino Chiwenga, who played a leading role in ousting Robert Mugabe in a military takeover in 2017, has a serious disease of the oesophagus, which has made eating difficult and has required months of hospital treatment.

SOURCE: BBC

On the Frontlines of Africa’s Drought

Torrents of water once thundered over the precipice at Victoria Falls, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, shrouding the area in mist. The parched waterfall is perhaps the most visible effect of the drought that is hammering this region. But it is not the most devastating. The World Food Program says that more than 7 million people in Zimbabwe alone are going hungry, with a further 45 million people across southern Africa at risk. “At the current rate, with greenhouse gas concentrations continuing to increase in the atmosphere, the southern African region five decades from now will be unrecognizable compared to the region we are living in today,” says noted climate expert Francois Engelbrecht, a scientist at the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand and lead author on the IPCC climate reports.

SOURCE: CNN

Senegal’s Unregulated Quranic Schools 

Senegal is failing to prevent the abuse of thousands of students at the West African country’s Quranic schools, says Human Rights Watch, despite government promises to stop the exploitation.  The rights group analyzed the Senegalese government’s efforts to address abuses over the last two years and found them to be insufficient and ineffective. The report titled “Senegal: Failure to End Abuses in Quranic Schools,” says students at some schools who refuse to beg are subject to harsh, physical punishments and often suffer from malnutrition and untreated illness. Human Rights Watch found that some children have even died from neglect. The number of teachers arrested for abuse has increased in recent years, but according to Human Rights Watch’s Lauren Seibert, charges are often dropped due to the social influence of Koranic teachers.

SOURCE: VOA

Guinea Protesters Vow Not to Stop

For months hundreds of thousands of Guineans have taken to the streets for weekly protests against the prospect of Condé running for a third term. They chant the Susu phrase for “this will not happen”, the slogan of the protest movement, and burn car tires. Many wear red T-shirts, armbands, hats and bandanas – the color of the opposition coalition Front National Pour La Défense De La Constitution (FNDC). Military and paramilitary forces have responded with live rounds and arrests. At least 20 civilians have been killed in the unrest to date, plus one gendarme. Ten opposition leaders jailed in October for organizing mass rallies were temporarily freed earlier this month. On 5 December their case was referred to the constitutional court, prompting cries of joy in the Conakry courtroom.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Condé Nast’s Gold List of Africa’s Favourite Hotels and Resorts

Singita Sabora, in Tanzania’s Grumeti Game Reserve, was made for those who want to go on safari, but would never dream of setting up their own tent—or, for that matter, opening their own beer. For a serious reset, hit Beldi Country Club, where the roomy spa has handcrafted chandeliers and bronze sconces, plus views over the long reflective pool. Twenty-six years on, Ellerman House is still everybody’s fantasy bolthole in Cape Town: minutes from the best beaches and the Table Mountain cableway, but close enough to the city and its dynamic food, art, and design scene. Rwanda’s Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge is arranged like giant birds’ nests around the natural amphitheater of an eroded volcanic cone, its six thatched pods are inspired by the former royal palace in the southern city of Nyanza. 

SOURCE: CN TRAVELER

Can Burundi Afford a New City?

Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza announced in late 2018 that he would make Gitega the country’s new political capital. The move became official in early 2019 and will take at least three years before it is complete. But some critics are wondering, in the face of next year’s general elections, whether the relocation is political. Bujumbura, the old capital, is an opposition base. Others say Burundi cannot afford the relocation cost.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

New Ways Africans Are Splurging On Their Physical And Mental Health

You don’t need to visit every country in Africa to realize how many Africans are spending good money to stay in their best health. All it takes is a quick scroll through social media, and you’ll see the magnitude of the growing health-oriented culture sweeping across the continent. As more Africans become increasingly discerning about what they put in their mouths, healthy eating is turning into a lifestyle for those who can afford the price tag it comes with. The health and fitness industry is among the most profitable industries in Africa. Consider the latest report by The Economist that gym companies in South Africa rake in more than US $900 million in revenue every year. The Africa Yoga Project, an initiative launched in 2007 to empower the youth, has grown into a continental phenomenon reaching out to various communities and teaching people about the benefits of the ancient tradition that dates back 5,000 years.

SOURCE: AFRICA.COM

Tech Hacks to Counter Assault in Uganda

Sexual and gender-based violence remains a critical issue in Uganda. According to a UNHCR protection 2019 report, physical assault (32%) and rape (25%) are the two most prevalent forms of such violence in the country. Entrepreneur Emmanuel Kateregga wants to bring down those numbers and believes his new Safepal app will help accomplish that by making it easier for victims to report attacks. “Safepal was birthed in the UNFPA Uganda Hackathon in partnership with Future Hunt in 2015, Kateregga says. “Over 20 countries were here in Uganda, we were tasked to identify a key challenge faced by young people globally and address it with a technological solution. I and my colleagues identified sexual violence and harassment in communities and schools.”

SOURCE: CGTN AFRICA

Luanda’s Corruption Clampdown Yields Results

Angola has recovered more than $5 billion stolen from state coffers so far this year, both at home and from abroad. The money, including $3 billion stolen from the sovereign wealth fund, had been siphoned off by corruption and money laundering. An anti-corruption drive has accelerated in Africa’s second-biggest oil-exporting country since 2017, when Joao Lourenco became president, ending the nearly 40-year grip on power by Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

SOURCE: REUTERS AFRICA

Here’s Why Everyone Needs a Friend like Miss Nigeria

Nyekachi Douglas didn’t win the Miss World crown over the weekend but you wouldn’t have known it from her reaction when the winner’s name was called.Now, Douglas’s ebullient reaction at her friend’s victory has gone viral with people sharing the clip across social media. Some Twitter users are just sharing the sweet moment, while others are finding inspiration to find a friend like Miss Nigeria—or hoping they can be a friend like her.

SOURCE: TIME