Africa in the News

High Turnout in Mozambique Vote
A big turnout is being reported in Mozambique as people queue to vote in an election for a new president, parliament and regional assemblies. The BBC's Jose Tembe in Maputo says there is an air of excitement - a marked difference to 2004 when only 34% of those eligible cast their vote. The campaign has been dominated by the emergence of a new political party. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8329125.stm

Somalia President Escapes Surprise Attack
Somalia's president escaped an opportunistic attack by Islamic militants Wednesday as deadly fighting erupted in the center of Mogadishu, officials said. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was returning from a trip to Yemen when insurgents began firing mortars, resulted in a clash with African Union peacekeepers, the president's director of communications told CNN. "The Islamic insurgents were just guessing the arrival of the president so they started firing mortars, just to send a kind of their regular violent message that they are around," said Abdulkadir Barnamij. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/10/28/somalia.shelling.president/index.html

Guinea Forces 'Planned Crackdown'
A deadly crackdown on protesters in Guinea in September was "premeditated and pre-planned at the highest level", Human Rights Watch has told the BBC. Soldiers deployed at the sports stadium where protesters had gathered blocked the exits before systematically killing and raping protesters, the group says. Activists say 157 people were killed but officials say far fewer died and claim most were trampled to eath.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8329321.stm

Jail Terms for 'Angola-Gate' Guilty
Arkadi Gaydamak, a Russian-born Israeli businessman and Pierre Falcone, his French associate, have been sentenced to six-year jail terms for organising the illegal trafficking of weapons to Angola. Gaydamak, who fled France before the trial, and Falcone were among 42 politicians, businessmen and members of the Paris elite accused of defying a UN embargo to arm the Angolan government during a civil war in the 1990s. Charles Pasqua, France's former interior minister, was handed a one-year jail term on Tuesday for his involvement in the case dubbed "Angola-gate". http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/10/20091027144327509993.html

Africa in the News

Ethiopia Asks for Urgent Food Aid

The Ethiopian government has asked the international community for emergency food aid for 6.2 million people.
The request came at a meeting of donors to discuss the impact of a prolonged drought affecting parts of East Africa.
The UN's World Food Programme says $285m (£173m) will be needed in the next six months. Some aid officials say the numbers of hungry could rise.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8319741.stm

Africa: Leaders to Strengthen African Court

AFRICAN Union (AU) member states will only refer cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a last resort when the African Court of Justice is established with criminal jurisdiction.
This is one of the proposals in the draft convention that seeks to establish a legal framework to address the root causes of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.
The convention will be tabled before the heads of state summit, which opens today.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910220006.html

Deadly Clashes Shake Somali Capital

At least 20 people have been killed and 58 injured in a battle between anti-government fighters and African peacekeepers in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, medical workers say.
According to witnesses, clashes broke out on Thursday after fighters launched mortar bombs at the city's international airport, as Sharif Ahmed, the country's president, flew out of the country.
Ali Muse, head of Mogadishu's ambulance services, told the AFP news agency it was "the worst such incident recently" in the city.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/10/200910227534514170.html#

Sudan: South Disowns Referendum Vote Limit

The Southern Sudan Government has rejected a deal announced at the weekend on a referendum on the fate of the region.
Under the deal agreed by Southern Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar and the North's VP, Mr Ali Osman Taha, a two thirds turnout of all registered voters and a 50 per cent plus one vote would be necessary for the South to become a separate state.
Says John Andruga Duku, the head of mission at the Government of Southern Sudan Liaison Office in Nairobi: "This is not acceptable to the SPLM and the Government of Southern Sudan.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910211130.html

Algiers Police Fire on Slum Protest

People living in a slum district of the Algerian capital have taken to the streets for a second day to protest against job and housing shortages.
Residents of the Diar Echams area, frustrated over high unemployment and inadequate housing, clashed with police on Wednesday having started their protest on Monday night.
The police said at least 11 officers were hurt, although no figure of civilian casualties was given.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/10/20091021135417557575.html

The Africa Society Embraces Africa & America in Los Angeles

On Friday October 5, The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa paid tribute to President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, of the Republic of Angola at the “Embrace Africa & America” ceremony and reception in Los Angeles. “Embrace Africa & America” was sponsored by The Africa Society in partnership with Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, which offers quality higher education for minorities in Los Angeles in addition to providing training and patient care throughout Africa.

At the ceremony President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, a former Angolan liberation fighter, received an honorary doctorate degree. Interim President of Charles Drew, Dr. Keith C. Norris, conferred the honorary doctorate of Humane Letters to Angolan Ambassador Josefina Pitra Diakite, who accepted it on President dos Santos’ behalf. Ambassador Diakite, a featured guest at the reception, said President dos Santos led the country from a “one party government to a multi-party system, from a centralized government to a market economy, from war to peace.” In recent years, she said, Angola has enjoyed economic stability and has expanded health care system, educational opportunities and transportation services.

Faculty, staff, students—including young children and teenagers from local elementary, junior high and high school—packed the atrium of the W. Montague Medical Education Building to watch as the honor was bestowed on President dos Santos, one of Africa’s longest serving leaders.

Africa in the News

ICC Investigates Guinea 'Abuses'

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation into the Guinean military's brutal suppression of an anti-government protest.
The Hague court says it is deciding whether the events of 28 September amount to crimes against humanity.
The prosecutors say there is evidence that women were "abused or otherwise brutalized" during the crackdown.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8308420.stm

Tsvangirai Aide Back in Jail

A Zimbabwean court has ordered a senior official in the party of Morgan Tsvangirai, the Zimbabwean prime minister, back to jail to await trial on terrorism charges.
Authorities detained Roy Bennett, the treasurer of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), on Wednesday following orders from magistrate Lucy Mungwari.
"I commit the accused person to prison. If there is any defect in the process, the accused should raise it before the High Court," Mungwari said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/10/2009101420304911779.html

Africa: Foreign Aid May Dry Up – FG

The Federal Government has predicted that foreign aid, which is important for a number of African countries, is likely to diminish in the coming years as a result of the global economic crisis.
This is following drastic reduction in the foreign direct investments in Africa as the credit squeeze takes hold.
This was made known by the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the ongoing annual conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Abuja.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910150398.html

Congo-Kinshasa: Rights Groups Urge UN to Rein in Army

U.N.-supported military operations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have had an "unacceptable" cost for the civilian population, said a coalition of rights groups Tuesday.
The call to action by the Congo Advocacy Coalition said 1,000 civilians have been killed, 7,000 women and girls have been raped, and nearly 900,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since January.
That is when the Congolese army began an operation called Kimia II to disarm and disband the militia group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, an organization of Rwandan Hutus, some whose leaders participated in the 1994 genocide in neighboring Rwanda.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910141076.html

Africa in the News

Uganda Releases Somali Minister
Somalia's junior minister for defence who was briefly held in Uganda has been released, Uganda's army spokesman says. Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siad, a former Islamist warlord, was detained by Ugandan security forces during a trip to the capital Kampala on Tuesday. Army spokesman Lt Col Felix Kulayigye said he was arrested following a tip-off that a Somali dissident had entered the country. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8294131.stm

5 Held After Pirates Attack French Vessel
Five people were detained off Somalia's coast Wednesday after pirates mistook a French ship involved in an anti-piracy operation for a commercial vessel, the French Defense Ministry said. There were no injuries as a result of the attack on the BCR Somme, the ministry said. The pirates opened fire at midnight local time, about 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers) off Somalia's coast, officials added. An hour after the attack, the French command and supply ship chased down one of the pirates' skiffs, and detained five suspected pirates, it said. A second skiff involved in the attack got away.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/10/07/somalia.pirate.attack/index.html

Kenyans 'Rearming for 2012 Poll'
Rival ethnic groups in Kenya who fought after the 2007 election are rearming in readiness for violence at the 2012 poll, a BBC investigation has found. It is feared villagers in Rift Valley province are moving from traditional weapons such as spears to machine guns. Government officials insist they are tackling the influx of illegal arms.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8293745.stm

Annan: Kenya Must Prevent Chaos
Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary-general, has said Kenyans want their coalition government to take action on impunity and political reforms before the next general election in 2012. Annan, who chaired negotiations between the opposition and Mwai Kibaki, the president, after a disputed election triggered violence, said on Sunday that dealing with the issues would avoid a repeat of last year's unrest.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/10/200910510350194310.html

What's Going on in Africa Today??

Somalia: Bitter Fighting Continues in Kismayu Town
Kismayu — Bitter fighting between forces loyal to Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen and Hizbul Islam is continuing in the port town of Kismayu in southern Somalia, witnesses and officials told Shabelle radio on Thursday.Reports from the town say that fighting is very heavy and both sides are exchanging heavy weapon fire in the war, which has affected all movement of traffic, people and business in the town.Residents said that the sound of gunfire could be heard in the neighborhood of Iskuraran, where rival fighters are using different weapons in the clash.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010290.html

Kikwete: African Leaders Must Create Right Climate for Business
African leaders "have a duty to create the right climate for business" in Africa, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said September 28 in Washington. Kikwete spelled out five key sectors for business investment across Africa: infrastructure, the lack of which is strangling economic development across the region, he said; agriculture and agribusiness; natural resource development; tourism; and financial services, where a broader array of banking tools and programs is needed to help fuel long-term economic growth. The media have not been very helpful, Kikwete said, as Africa makes its case as a great place for investment opportunities and business. "Sometimes I read what they say about us and wonder." http://allafrica.com/stories/200909300795.html

Kenya: International Court to Handle Kenya Post-Election Violence
Those most responsible for last year's post-election violence in Kenya may now be punished by the International Criminal Court, after Kenya missed a deadline to address the issue. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the court, said in a statement Wednesday that his court will now step in to help Kenya address the post-election violence of early 2008. In the statement, he said the International Criminal Court would prosecute those most responsible, and other perpetrators would be subject to "national accountability proceedings as defined by the Kenyan Parliament, such as a Special Tribunal."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/09/30/kenya.election.icc/index.html

Sudan: Peacekeeper Killed in Darfur Ambush
A Nigerian peacekeeper has been killed in an ambush in Sudan's western Darfur region, an official with the joint United Nations and African Union force (Unamid) has said.Kemal Saiki, the chief of communications of Unamid, said on Tuesday that two other soldiers were wounded in the attack which occurred a day earlier."There was a Unamid military and police convoy escorting civilians back to our camp in El Geneina [capital of West Darfur district]. They were attacked by a group of unidentified men," Saiki said."They [the attackers] opened fire, apparently with no warning ..."
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/09/200992975043393744.html

Kenyan Anti-Corruption Chief Quits
The head of Kenya's anti-corruption commission has resigned following weeks of public protests and a parliamentary vote against his reappointment. Aaron Ringera said that he and one of his deputy directors had stepped down on Wednesday because of the "national storm" stirred up after he was returned to the post by Mwai Kibaki, the president, in August."We have given the fight against corruption our all, we could not have done better," Ringera said. The reappointment of Ringera drew fire from ordinary Kenyans, anti-corruption activists and religious leaders who pointed to the failure of the commission to conclude even one case of high-level corruption on his watch. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/09/2009930172145480512.html