Africa (except North Africa)

6 Sep 2019; MEMO: South Sudan’s president on Thursday called on people to stop war and focus on peace and development in the country, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Let us not talk about war in the country but speak about peace and development. War used to destroy the country and we have seen it as our people are suffering now,” Salva Kiir said at the 64th Veterans Day Celebration ceremony.

Kiir called on youth in the country to unite and stop tribalism.

MOSCOW, Sept 6 (NNN-SPUTNIK) — Former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has passed away at the age of 95, Sputnik news agency reported President Emmerson Mnangagwa as saying on Friday.

LUSAKA, Sept 5 (NNN-Xinhua) — Zambian President Edgar Lungu condemned the ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The Zambian leader said the attacks deserve to be condemned in all its forms and manifestations.

“Attacks of this nature targeted at foreign nations call for urgent concerted measures by the South African government and the regional bodies,” he said in a statement.

He further assured that leaders were working on solutions to combat xenophobia and bring back the spirit of togetherness.

LAGOS (Nigeria), Sept 5 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Nigeria announced plans to evacuate its nationals in South Africa on Wednesday following a wave of xenophobic attacks, signaling worsening diplomatic relations between the two African countries, Anadolu Agency reported, quoting a statement by Nigerian foreign ministry.

The Nigerian Foreign Ministry said a commercial airline offered to send an aircraft Friday to evacuate nationals “free or charge” who were willing to return.

4 September 2019; AFP: South Africa and Nigeria stepped security on Wednesday after deadly attacks on foreign-owned stores in Johannesburg triggered reprisal assaults on South African businesses in Nigerian cities.

The centre of Johannesburg and the impoverished suburb of Alexandra were calm as police stepped up patrols following two days of looting, AFP reporters saw.

ASMARA, Sept 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The authorities in Eritrea have seized control of seven secondary schools run by religious organisations.

An order to hand over the running of the schools was given to the Catholic Church and other Christian and Muslim groups on Tuesday morning.

Most of the students at the schools are from economically disadvantaged families, sources said.

PRETORIA, Sept 4 (NNN-SANEWS) — An urgent meeting between the Presiding Officers of Parliament and the relevant oversight committees is to be called to determine a parliamentary intervention in the ongoing violent tensions in the country.

HARARE, Zimbabwe, Sept 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is expected to address party supporters, set to gather in Harare for an anti-sanctions solidarity march, this Thursday (Sept 5).

The Herald newspaper reported that the march is in support of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, who are calling for the removal of sanctions imposed on the country, by the United States and the European Union in the early 2000’s.

KINSHASA, Congo, Aug 26 (NNN-BERNAMA-ANADOLU) — The Democratic Republic of Congo announced a new coalition government on Monday, seven months after President Felix Tshisekedi was inaugurated as the country’s head of state.

“This is a cohabitation experience that is the first in our country and change is starting now,” said Prime Minister Sylvester Ilunga Ilunkamba, who was appointed on May 20.

The new government has brought in new blood.

“76.9% of ministers have never been members of the government,” said Ilunkamba.

ABUJA, Aug 25 (NNN-NAN) — The Nigerian Federal Government promised to address housing deficit by delivering one million houses per year to close the 17 million shortfall by the year 2033.

The Minister of State, Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday during an inspection of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) mass housing project in Zuba, Federal Capital Territory.

Aliyu said the government had decided to improve on current construction of 100,000 houses per years in order to meet the basic needs of the people.