🇬🇶 Vote counting underway in Equatorial Guinea's polls

According to some members of the voting centre, the day was calm and without incidents, with a high participation of people in the elections, while the opposition has suggested voting irregularities.

A member of the Independent National electoral Commission described a calm election day.

#EquatorialGuinea

@africaintel

🇫🇷🇧🇫 France not ruling out pulling special forces from Burkina

France has not ruled out withdrawing its special forces in Burkina Faso, where protests against the French military presence have been increasing, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in an interview published Sunday.

#France #BurkinaFaso

@africaintel

🇨🇲 Cameroonians attack presidential celebration event in France

A Cameroon cabinet minister was allegedly killed at a venue in France where President Paul Biya was to celebrate his 40th year in power.

In a video shared on social media, a number of men and women can be seen storming the venue and destroying the well decorated hall before leaving minutes later, with a body lying in a pool of blood.

The Cameroonian government had not confirmed the death of the minister or released a statement on the attack by Sunday night.

#Cameroon

@africaintel

🇰🇪 In Kenya, 5-storey building with over 100 tenants collapses hours after evacuation

A five-storey building that had been housing more than 100 tenants in Ruiru Town, Kiambu County collapsed hours after they had been evacuated.

The building collapsed Monday morning hours after the tenants were evacuated when cracks were seen on its pillars on Sunday afternoon.

This is the second building to collapse in Kiambu within one week. On November 17, another 5-storey building collapsed in the same town.

#Kenya

@africaintel

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe, new law bans MPs with criminal conviction from participating in future elections

Members of Parliament with a criminal conviction will no longer be allowed to contest future elections.

According to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, legislators or councillors will be disqualified if they commit physical violence or dishonesty crimes and get convicted within a period of 12 months before the date of nomination as a candidate.

#Zimbabwe

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Treatment of wastewater in Nigeria's oil fields is failing, raising the risk of health hazards

The Niger Delta region produces some 2 million barrels (320,000 cubic metres) of oil a day and has always accounted for more than 75% of Nigeria's export earnings. Together oil and natural gas extraction comprise 97% of Nigeria's foreign exchange revenues.

But despite the fact that the oil industry has contributed significantly to the nation's prosperity, the producing regions have suffered severe environmental damage. The people who live there have been subjected to untold hardship through oil pollution, environmental degradation, destruction of aquatic life, and other negative activities as a result of unhealthy extraction and treatment of oilfield waste.

A number of studies have reported various effects of exposure to heavy metals and organic pollutants. There have been numerous anecdotal reports of health complications that are attributed to oil and gas operations in this region.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇰🇪🇨🇳 Kenya Discloses Part of Contract for China-Funded Railway Project, Revealing Beijing’s Ambition in Africa

The Kenyan government has disclosed some details of loan agreements with a Chinese bank that show Beijing got an upper hand in financing the construction of a railway eight years ago. The documents show the one-sided face of the contents are in China’s favor.

Analysts say it a rare move and express concerns that this could strain the Kenya-China relations.

#Kenya #China

@africaintel

🇿🇦 "Go back to jail," court orders ex-South Africa’s President Zuma

South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal has ordered former President Jacob Zuma to return to prison after his conditional release on health grounds.

It “considers that Mr Zuma’s conditional release on medical grounds was contrary to the law.”

The court, on Monday, said Zuma’s freedom was contrary to the law after he officially completed serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court.

The 80-year-old was convicted in June 2021 for stubbornly refusing to testify before a commission investigating corruption under his presidency (2009-2018). Zuma’s imprisonment was greeted with a wave of violence and looting which led to the death of 350 persons.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel

🇨🇩 Trafigura gets $600 million from Africa's TDB for DR Congo cobalt mines

Commodities trader Trafigura has agreed a $600 million syndicated financing facility with the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) to develop cobalt and copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

#DRC

@africaintel

🇲🇱🇫🇷 Mali bans activities of NGOs funded by France

Mali announced a ban on the activities of NGOs funded or supported by France, including humanitarian groups, amid a worsening row between Paris and Bamako.

The West African nation's interim Prime Minister Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga justified the move in a statement on social media, calling it a response to France's recent halt to development aid for Mali.

#Mali #France

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Gunmen kidnap 130 in raids in north-west Nigeria

The authorities in the north-western Nigerian state of Zamfara say at least 130 people have been kidnapped by gunmen in a series of attacks in two different parts of the state.

Gunmen on motorcycles raided two areas taking women, children and the elderly, Ibrahim Dosara, the state's information commissioner, said.

"They were using the victims as ''human shields'' because of the ongoing ''heavy bombardments'' of their hideouts," he added.

Security forces have been deployed to rescue the victims.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇳🇦 In Namibia, 54 percent of babies die from preterm birth

Deputy minister of health and social services Esther Muinjangue says 54% of newborn deaths in Namibia can be attributed to preterm birth and low birthweight.

"We have committed our efforts towards the road map for the acceleration of maternal and newborn mortality reductions. First, the Millennium Development Goals, and now the Sustainable Development Goals," she said.

#Namibia

@africaintel

🇲🇱 German priest missing in Mali

A German priest who has spent around thirty years in the Malian capital of Bamako was reported missing Sunday near an institute where he was giving courses.

Father Hans-Joachim Lohre teaches at the Institute for Christian-Islamic Education. A staff member there said Lohre shares the center's values that "peaceful coexistence between religions is possible."

According to a colleague at the institute, he was preparing to celebrate Mass in another part of Bamako when he was kidnapped.

#Mali

@africaintel

🇺🇬🇨🇩 Uganda to send 1,000 troops to DR Congo as part of regional force

Uganda will send 1,000 troops to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo by the end of this month to join a regional force mandated to help end decades of instability, Kampala's military said on Monday.

The seven countries of the East African Community (EAC), which Congo joined this year, agreed in April to set up a force to fight militia groups in Congo's restive east.

#Uganda #DRC

🇿🇦 South African court orders release of Chris Hani's killer Janusz Walus

South Africa's highest court has ordered the release of a far-right gunman who killed anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani in 1993.

Janusz Walus had committed a "very serious crime", but he was ennoscriptd to parole, the court ruled.

Hani's widow Limpho condemned the ruling as "truly diabolical". She and the government had vigorously resisted attempts by Walus, 69, to gain his freedom after almost three decades in prison.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel

🇰🇪 Doping scandals putting Kenyan athletics on "road to nowhere"

Former world javelin champion Julius Yego says Kenyan athletes are on a road to "nowhere" if the current spate of doping cases continues in the famed running nation.

So far this year 17 athletes from the East African country have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for a range of violations. A further 8 Kenyans have been provisionally suspended, with the outcomes of their cases pending.

Yego, who won the javelin world noscript in 2015, is irritated by the news of each sanction by the AIU, and has called for more athletes to speak out about the dangers of doping.

#Kenya

@africaintel

🇬🇧🇳🇬 UK admits surge in visa application by Nigerians

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Catriona Laing, has said that the number of Nigerians applying for visas to the UK has increased in recent times.

She noted, however, that the UK government was mindful of the situation and was in talks with the Nigerian government to avoid causing brain-drain, especially in the health sector.

The high commissioner expressed her delight that the UK had become an attractive destination for Nigerians, especially students, adding that the UK was ready to welcome talents.

#UK #Nigeria

@africaintel

🇰🇪 Kenya urges probe over baobab uprooting for export

Kenyan President William Ruto has directed the environment and forestry ministry to look into the ongoing uprooting of baobab trees at the coast.

It follows reports about concerns by environmental experts about the export of the massive trees in Kilifi country to Georgia.

Local newspaper Daily Nation last week reported that Kenyan authorities had authorised a foreign company to cut the trees for botanical purposes for two years.

#Kenya

@africaintel