Africa news roundup
August 11-17, 2024
Ghana
Plans to launch rocket into space announced
The Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute has announced that Ghana plans to launch a rocket into space soon. According to the institute, the long-term ambition will require partnerships with other member states of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The IAU General Assembly serves as the largest global platform for astronomers, scientists, and researchers to discuss advancements in astronomical research and foster international collaboration. Reacting to concerns that Ghana and other African countries may lack advanced satellite technology, Dr Naomi Asabre Frimpong, a research scientist at the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute expressed confidence in Ghana’s capabilities.
The 2024 IAU General Assembly was hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, marking the first time the event has been held in Africa. It offered a significant opportunity for scientists to showcase advancements in astronomy, particularly through their involvement in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project which is set to revolutionize our understanding of the universe with its unprecedented sensitivity and scale. Notable guests included Dr Sian Proctor, who made history as the first African American woman to pilot a spacecraft on the all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission.
Nigeria
Tinubu approves workforce pol
President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration a new national policy aimed at curbing the exodus of medical professionals from Nigeria. The policy, announced by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Muhammad Pate, on his X handle on Tuesday, aims to woo an estimated 12,400 Nigerian-trained doctors practising abroad back home.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare Ali Pate described the policy as a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health workers’ migration. He added that the policy would encourage the return of professionals to Nigeria through attractive incentives with the aim of reintegrating them into the nation’s health system. The policy recognizes the importance of work-life balance and has included provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors.
South Africa
ANC selects new Johannesburg mayor
The African National Congress (ANC) has proposed City of Johannesburg finance member of the mayoral committee (MMC) Dada Morero to be the next mayor of the metropolitan municipality. Morero who also doubles as the party’s regional chairperson. The nomination comes after the resignation of Kabelo Gwamanda. During a media briefing, the regional secretary of the ANC in Johannesburg Sasabona Manganye revealed that the nominating Morero was done after thorough deliberation among the regional executive committee with the national executive committee and the party’s Gauteng leadership.
Kabelo Gwamanda’s, the former mayor of Johannesburg, resignation earlier this week follows on the newly established political framework for governance subsequent to the national and provincial elections held on May 29. Gwamanda said he was humbled by the opportunity to have led the city of Johannesburg and to have stabilized the city financially and administratively. Gwamanda was the youngest person to be elected mayor Johannesburg.
Kenya
Ruto embarks on goodwill tour
President William Ruto has embarked on his development tour of counties after a two-month hiatus. Ruto has announced development projects for different parts of the country. In recent weeks, Ruto had been confined to Nairobi as angry Kenyans protested against his government’s perceived sins of omission and commission. He is now launching projects valued at more than five billion shillings ranging from last mile electricity connectivity, road construction, healthcare, schools and markets in various counties.
The President, accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, launched the affordable housing project in Nyaribari Masaba, saying that plans are underway to construct 10,000 units in the county with the potential to create employment for at least 20,000 youths.
The President has assured the country that the broad-based government will continue to take steps to accelerate delivery of the national economic transformation agenda. It is felt that Ruto is using the development tours to justify his foreign trips through which he says he has secured funding of about Sh27 billion in France, Saudi Arabia and Brussels to cater for various projects in the country, which will accelerate economic growth. Similarly, he cited funding from the Chinese Government of about Sh40 billion last year, also with the aim of facilitating mega projects such as road construction.
The move comes against the backdrop of the protests against the President’s attempt to implement austerity measures in government resulting in the withdrawal of the 2024 Finance Bill and declaration of the Finance Act of 2023 unconstitutional.
Sierra Leone
24 convicted for attempted coup
A military court in Sierra Leone has convicted 24 military personnel associated with last year’s failed coup in the country. The president of the Court Martial, Captain Lawrence Jabati, read the guilty verdict saying the court had unanimously found the 24 accused persons guilty of various charges brought against them. The convicted soldiers were accused of attempting to overthrow the government of President Julius Maada Bio last November. Reports indicated that the convicted soldiers received jail sentences ranging between 50 and 120 years. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Yamba was, reportedly, found guilty of all six charges against him and received the longest sentence of 120 years.
In January, 27 soldiers were charged with mutiny and murder before Sierra Leone’s court martial in Freetown over their alleged roles in a botched coup attempt in November last year. During the sentencing, Judge Advocate Mark Ngegba emphasized that the verdict was reached in keeping with the gravity of the offences and the importance of maintaining discipline within the military. On November 26, 2023, deadly violence broke out in Freetown, where about 20 people were killed, including security personnel and a civilian. The assailants attacked military barracks and prisons, freeing around 2,000 inmates. The government described the clashes as an attempted coup. Military authorities said several of the attackers had in the past served as bodyguards of former President Ernest Bai Koroma. Koroma was charged with four counts in January, including “treason, misprision of treason and two counts of harboring” in connection with the same incident.
Liberia
Opposition side begins silent protest
The distribution of pro-party T-shirts at various district headquarters across the country has suggested that the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has begun to mobilize supporters amidst growing rumours of planned mass protests. The t-shirts, emblazoned with the slogan “Resist Them,” were introduced by Alvin Wesseh, the acting chairman of the CDC Youth League. However, the Youth League has not confirmed whether the distribution of these T-shirts is linked to any upcoming protest activities. According to Wesseh the “Resist Them” campaign is aimed at protesting the increasing hardship and high cost of living in Liberia under the Boakai-Koung administration.
The launch of the “Resist Them” campaign comes on the heels of a significant police deployment near the CDC headquarters on Monday, August 5, 2024. This deployment has fueled tensions between the police and CDC members. On the evening of Sunday, August 4, 2024, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman announced that Liberia could soon witness a series of demonstrations across the country. While he did not specify the groups behind the protests or their motivations, Coleman assured the country that the police force would be prepared to protect both demonstrators and the general public.
Togo
Impressive milestones chalked in the area of child protection
Lomé hosted a meeting between Togolese authorities and a UNICEF delegation recently. The meeting was co-chaired by Minister Secretary General of the Presidency Sandra Ablamba Johnson, and UNICEF Resident Representative Aissata Ba Sidibé. The various sides reviewed their cooperation in the protection of children, especially in Togo. The participants discussed key UNICEF initiatives across various sectors to ensure the safety of children. In health, for example, Togo has maintained a Penta 3 vaccine coverage rate above 90 per cent, despite challenges from the Covid-19 Pandemic in areas of hygiene and sanitation. The West African country had made progress in reducing open defecation. These successes were achieved due to the “Togo SANDAL by 2030” initiative which was supported by UNICEF and under which 624 ecological and biogas latrines were built in rural areas. The initiative helped to reduce open defecation by nearly 10 points.
Other UNICEF-backed projects to combat violence against children have also been implemented, with 3,730 teachers receiving training. Also, from 2018 to 2022, birth registration for children under five years went from 79.2 per cent to 86 per cent, spurred by the Togo-UNICEF partnership. The two partners recently launched a new cooperation programme for 2024-2026, with a budget of 30 billion FCFA. The programme will focus on five key areas: child survival, education and development, child protection, social policies, and programme effectiveness.
Cote d’Ivoire
Laurent Gbagbo to contest for 2025 elections
Former president of the Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo has agreed to contest the 2025 elections as presidential candidate for his party. Katinan Kone, spokesperson of his party the African People’s Party – Cote d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), which Gbagbo founded in 2021 announced the ex-president’s decision. Gbagbo previously met with Alassane Ouattara, the sitting president, to decide on who would lead the African People’s Party in 2025. The two leaders have not met since 2022, and it’s been months since they last communicated.
Gbagbo returned to Ivory Coast in 2021, after his acquittal in 2019 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of charges relating to his role in a civil war sparked by his refusal to concede defeat in the 2010 election. He lost control of the party he previously founded, the Ivorian Popular Front (IPF) while imprisoned and awaiting trial in the Netherlands for several years, but he is believed to have retained a large and loyal base of supporters at home. The West African country’s next election is expected to be held in October 2025. President Alassane Ouattara, 82, who was re-elected in 2020 has not yet said whether he will run again.
Burkina Faso
Military expansion begins amidst insurgency
In a bid to counter the ongoing insurgency that has plagued the country, Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s military junta has initiated a recruitment process, prioritizing individuals with direct ties to the conflict. The new recruits will come primarily from the Volunteer Defence Forces (VDP), a civilian militia assisting the army in the fight against jihadists. Widows and orphans of fallen soldiers, as well as former VDP members, will also be given priority. The government has emphasized that the recruitment is the first step in a broader plan to expand the military and secure the entire territory of Burkina Faso. Defence Minister Brigadier General Kassoum Coulibaly recently stated that the army currently controls 69 per cent of the country.
This recruitment drive reflects the growing challenges faced by Burkina Faso in its battle against armed groups. The government hopes that by expanding its military forces, it can regain control of lost territory and provide greater security for its citizens. An ongoing conflict between the Government of Burkina Faso and Islamist rebels began in 2015 and has led to the displacement of over two million people and the deaths of at least 10,000 civilians and combatants.
Senegal
Media protest press freedom
Commuters hoping to browse the news on their way to work were left disappointed on Tuesday as most national newspapers refused to publish in protest against what they saw as shrinking media freedom under the current government. The media is said to be experiencing “one of the darkest days of its history”, the local Council of Press Distributors and Publishers (CDEPS) said. It accuses the government, which is led by former opposition politicians, of freezing the bank accounts of media companies and seizing their equipment over alleged non-payment of taxes. Officials justify the crackdown by saying they were trying to end practices that lead to financial embezzlement and mismanagement in the media industry.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye came to power in March after defeating the ruling coalition’s candidate in elections. His rise to power came after the opposition led huge protests to demand elections that then-President Macky Sall postponed in what his critics saw as a ploy to cling to power. As part of Tuesday’s media blackout, newspapers were displayed on newsstands with no content inside. The editions solely consisted of a black cover reading “journée sans presse” French for “day without press” and an image of three raised fists gripping a pencil. Not all papers participated in the protest – private outlet Wal Fadjri called the blackout an “ugly scar on the cheek of our beautiful democracy”. While agreeing that the press was experiencing a “crisis”, Wal Fadjri said a blackout should be the last resort as it would deprive readers of their right to information
Cameroon
Social media activist feared missing
In a video circulated on social media, Cameroonian social media activist Steve Akam, alias Ramon Cotta was seen standing before a barrier in an outdoor space, handcuffed and surrounded by members of the Cameroonian police. It was the last time he was seen. Cotta, who has been living in Gabon for the past ten years, is known for his videos which are critical of the Cameroonian authorities. Lawyers representing Cotta said they sent requests for information to various Cameroonian authorities about their client’s situation and whereabouts, to no avail. The lawyers believe that Cameroonian authorities extrajudicially returned Cotta to Cameroon from Gabon.
A careful evaluation of the video indicates that it was filmed between July 19 and July 21 at a border between Gabon and Cameroon in the Cameroonian town of Kye-Ossi. Prominent Cameroonian human rights groups have called on authorities to immediately reveal Cotta’s whereabouts. Authorities are yet to respond to these allegations levelled against them.
Rwanda
Kagame sworn into office
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has been sworn in for a fourth term after sweeping to victory in an election last month with more than 99 per cent of the vote. Several dozen heads of state and other dignitaries from African nations attended the inauguration ceremony on Sunday at a packed 45,000-seat stadium in Kigali, where crowds had started gathering from the early morning. Kagame took the oath of office before Chief Justice Faustin Ntezilyayo, pledging to “preserve peace and national sovereignty, consolidate national unity”.
The outcome of the elections was never in doubt for Kagame who has ruled the small African nation since its 1994 genocide, first as de facto leader and then president. He won 99.18 per cent of the ballots cast to secure another five years in power, according to the National Electoral Commission. Rights activists said the 66-year-old’s overwhelming victory was a stark reminder of the lack of democracy in Rwanda. Only two candidates were authorised to run against him out of eight applicants with several prominent Kagame critics barred. Democratic Green Party leader Frank Habineza scraped into second place with 0.5 per cent of the votes against 0.32 per cent for independent Philippe Mpayimana.
