Africa (except North Africa)

African Union suspends South Sudan over $9m membership debt

ADDIS ABABA, June 24 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The African Union (AU) has suspended South Sudan from the continental body over failure to honour its financial obligations over the past three years.

A letter from the country’s mission in Ethiopia to the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the development saying the amount in question came up to over 9 million dollars. The Ministry had confirmed the suspension from the Addis Ababa-based body.

Indonesian peacekeeper killed in eastern DR Congo: UN Maha Kamal 24/06/2020 - 12:18

BENI (DR Congo), June 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Indonesian soldier with the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in DR Congo was killed, and a second was injured, in a militia attack late Monday in the country’s troubled east, the UN said.

Their patrol was attacked around 20 kilometres from the city of Beni in North Kivu province, Sy Koumbo, a communications officer with the MONUSCO peacekeeping force, said.

“A Blue Helmet died and another is wounded but not seriously. He is in a stable condition,” she said.

Kenya-US trade talks delayed until pan-African trade bloc comes into force: Pres Kenyatta

NAIROBI, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has delayed talks on a trade deal with the United States until a pan-African trade bloc comes into force, President Uhuru Kenyatta said, likely holding up what would be Washington’s first such pact in sub-Saharan Africa.

US President Donald Trump and Kenyatta agreed in February to start formal talks on a bilateral trade pact that might help offset concerns about China’s expanding investment imprint on the continent.

Nigerian doctors call off nationwide strike

ABUJA, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigerian doctors have ended a nationwide strike that was called to protest against low pay and inadequate protective equipment against the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Association of Resident Doctors (Nard), which represents some 40% of Nigeria’s doctors, said it called off the strike to give the government time to act on its demands.

The week-long strike ends on Monday morning, according to a statement quoted by local media. It had not affected medics treating coronavirus patients.

Malawi re-runs election in test case for African democracy

BLANTYRE (Reuters) - Malawians queued up to vote on Tuesday in a re-run of a discredited poll that has become a test case for the ability of African courts to tackle vote fraud and restrain presidential power.

Malawi’s judiciary infuriated President Peter Mutharika, in power since 2014, when it overturned his narrow victory in February over “systematic and grave” irregularities.

ECOWAS urges Mali to re-run disputed elections amid mass protests

BAMAKO, June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — West African regional bloc ECOWAS called on Mali to re-run some of its contested local elections and convene a government of national unity after anti-government protests swept the capital Bamako.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Friday for the second time in a month to demand President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita step down.

Keita, who was re-elected in 2018 for a second five-year term, has struggled with an ongoing security crisis, a strike by teachers and the coronavirus outbreak.

Ivory Coast ex-president Bedie says he will run in 2020 election

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast’s octogenarian former President Henri Konan Bedie will run for office again in presidential elections in October, he said in a statement on Saturday.

Bedie’s candidacy is the latest twist in a turbulent build-up to a vote that is wide open after current President Alassane Ouattara said he would not run again after 10 years in power.

“I am both surprised and happy with the content of your messages asking me to be a candidate in the election,” Bedie told members of his PDCI-RDA coalition. “I feel honoured.”

DRC President’s Chief of Staff Vital Kamerhe guilty of corruption; sentenced to 20 years imprisonment Maha Kamal 21/06/2020 - 11:42

KINSHASA, June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has found President Felix Tshisekedi’s chief of staff guilty of corruption.

Vital Kamerhe was sentenced to 20 years’ hard labour on Saturday, after facing charges of embezzling almost $50m of public funds.

The judge presiding over the case was murdered in May.

The trial continued with a replacement judge after the death of Judge Raphael Yanyi in May. An initial police report said he had died of a heart attack.

Zimbabwe’s health minister charged in COVID-19 graft case

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s health minister on Saturday was charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, accused of illegally awarding a multi-million-dollar contract for COVID-19 medical supplies to a shadowy company that sold the government $28 face masks and other materials at inflated prices.

The country’s anti-corruption agency arrested Obadiah Moyo on Friday and the government cancelled the contracts following public uproar.

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