Africa highlights: ANC fury over Zuma sex paintings, ex-BBC journalist killed in Burundi

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has visited the office of a rights group in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, to offer condolences for the killing of one of its lawyers, the Associated Press news agency reports. 

Willie Kimani, who worked for the International Justice Mission, was shot dead in a suspected extrajudicial killing last month. 

Four police officers face murder charges over his death, and that of his client Josephat Mwenda and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri.  

Lawyers protested across Kenya after their bodies were pulled out of a river on 1 July with autopsy results show they were tortured. 

Mr Kimani was representing Mr Mwenda in pursuing charges against a police officer for shooting him in April 2015. 

APCopyright: AP

A reporter inside the courtroom in Zimbabwe where Pastor Evan Mawarire has been charged with trying to overthrow the government is tweeting dramatic scenes from there. 

Simon Allison tweeted that supporters of the pastor started singing in the packed court room, and then police intervened: 

Read: Zimbabwe's #ThisFlag protests.

Most comic book superheroes are Europeans or white Americans but one artist in South Africa has been trying to change that.

"Kwezi" (star in Xhosa and Zulu) is the brainchild of Loyiso Mkize, who describes it as a coming-of-age story about finding one's heritage.

He's been speaking to the BBC about his work in visual art and why he feels Africa needs to have its own superheroes:

Although night has fallen in Zimbabwe, supporters of Pastor Evan Mawarire have remained outside court in the capital, Harare, as his bail hearing continues.

Here's a tweet about the atmosphere there: 

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Zimbabwe's Pastor Evan Mawarire is applying for bail after being charged with subversion - an offence which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. 

The hearing - at a magistrate's court in the capital, Harare - is still in its early stages. I'll bring you more details as soon as I can.  

Prayers have been held in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, for Pastor Evan Mawarire, who has been charged with attempting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's government. 

Zimbabwean newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube has tweeted about it: 

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir on Wednesday has said he is granting an amnesty to troops loyal to his rival, Vice-President Riek Machar, AFP news agency reports. 

Forces loyal to Mr Kiir and Machar fought each other for four days in the capital, Juba, leaving more than 270 people dead. 

AFPCopyright: AFP

The leader of Somalia's militant Islamist group al-Shabab has released his first audio message since he took over in 2014 following the killing of his predecessor Ahmed Godane in a UN airstrike. 

Ahmed Umar, who is often known as Abu Ubaidah, condemned the presence of African Union troops in Somalia. 

He said they were there to loot the country's resources. 

He also criticised Turkey, which has stepped up its investment and aid work in Somalia. 

There are indications that the message was recorded before last week's Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr. 

AFPCopyright: AFP

AFPCopyright: AFP

The head of United Nations peacekeeping operations, Hervy Ladsous, has described the number of people reported dead in recent clashes in South Sudan as just the tip of the iceberg. 

"We remain very worried about the potential for the resumption of violence and spill-over into other parts of the country, as we have seen in the past," Mr Ladsous told the UN Security Council.  

The authorities in the capital, Juba, say more than 270 people died in the outbreak of violence between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice-President Riek Machar. 

A ceasefire was declared on Monday and a spokesman for Machar said he and his forces had now left the capital, Juba. 

He called on UN peacekeepers to be deployed as a buffer between the opposing sides. 

Read: We want peace - and ice cream

AFPCopyright: AFP

South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) has condemned artist Ayanda Mabulu's latest paintings of President Jacob Zuma as a "grotesque act of vulgarity". 

He had illustrated Mr Zuma, 74, in a "demeaning and hyper-sexualized manner", and had "abused" free speech, the party said in a statement. 

It added: 

Quote Message: The ANC also notes that Mr Mabulu has consistently, over a long time, relied on a particular symbolism to advance his commentary.

The ANC also notes that Mr Mabulu has consistently, over a long time, relied on a particular symbolism to advance his commentary.

Quote Message: Common amongst these include the portrayal of black leaders in the form of baboons and, as in this instance, crude sexualization.

Common amongst these include the portrayal of black leaders in the form of baboons and, as in this instance, crude sexualization.

Quote Message: These are all symbols of colonial anthropology that views black people as hyper-sexual beasts who think through their genitalia and are only intellectually competent on a scale similar to baboons."

These are all symbols of colonial anthropology that views black people as hyper-sexual beasts who think through their genitalia and are only intellectually competent on a scale similar to baboons."

See our earlier post for more details.

East Africa PaliamentCopyright: East Africa Paliament

Police in Burundi have given the BBC more details about the killing of East African MP and former BBC producer Hafsa Mossi.

They say she was leaving her home when an unidentified vehicle hit her car. 

When she got out to find out what was going on, she was shot in the chest. 

Ms Hafsa was then rushed to hospital where she died while undergoing treatment.

She leaves behind three children. 

We reported earlier that President Pierre Nkurunziza led his government’s condemnation of the killing, calling it an assassination, and a vile and cowardly act.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Egypt's all-time top goal-scorer Hossam Hassan will go on trial on Saturday for allegedly assaulting a government photographer, reports AFP news agency.

A court official told the agency that the incident is alleged to have happened during clashes after a match on Friday between players of Al-Masry - the Port Said team where Hassan is now head coach - and Ghazl el-Mahalla. They drew 2-2.

Hassan was filmed apparently chasing the photographer across the pitch then punching him in the head, taking his camera and smashing it on the ground next to the pitch, AFP reports. 

On Saturday, the Egyptian Football Association suspended Hassan from taking part in his club's next three matches and fined him 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,100; £830). 

The club was also fined 20,000 Egyptian pounds.   

AFPCopyright: AFP

South African artist Ayanda Mabulu has done it again - this time showing President Jacob Zuma licking the bottom of one of the Gupta bothers in a painting that has got South Africans talking. 

In another painting, he shows Mr Zuma reclining on a throne and seemingly falling asleep with his genitals exposed.

The works are on exhibition at Constitutional Hill in the main city, Johannesburg, and have been released ahead of crucial local government elections next month.

I asked Mr Mabulu what he was trying to achieve. He told me he was trying to show who are Mr Zuma's "masters" - a reference to allegations that the Gupta family has been involved in "state capture" through it business interests and government contacts. 

Both the Gupta brothers and Mr Zuma have strongly denied the allegation.

Mr Mabulu also said:  

Quote Message: “I’m trying to expose him [Mr Zuma]. People need to know who they are voting for ahead of the polls. They need to know this beast!”

“I’m trying to expose him [Mr Zuma]. People need to know who they are voting for ahead of the polls. They need to know this beast!”

Last year the president’s son Edward Zuma denounced Mr Mbulu for the way he portrayed his father in a painting called Pornography of Power.  

Mr Mabulu denied he is only focusing on Mr Zuma, pointing out he has done some work on the Black Lives Matter movement campaigning against racism in the US. 

See earlier post for more details

APCopyright: AP

Zimbabwe's Pastor Evan Mawarire is in court draped in the national flag. He looks defiant and unfazed. 

Dozens of lawyers showed their practicing certificates, all eager to represent the preacher who launched the #ThisFlag campaign to draw attention to the growing economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

Charges of inciting violence and - more significantly - subverting the constitutionally elected government through civil unrest have been read out in court.

One of his lawyers responded that Mr Mawarire was never told of the subversion charge,  which carries a 20-year prison term.

He is urging the court not to entertain the new charge as it would be tantamount to "eating fruit from a poisoned tree".

BBCCopyright: BBC

The Zimbabwean pastor Evan Mawarire, who is behind the #ThisFlag protests, is in court at the moment charged with inciting violence. 

A reporter with neighbouring South Africa's Daily Maverick newspaper is tweeting from the court in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare:

Meanwhile outside, supporters are singing:

Pastor Evan Mawarire had called for people to stay at home today to protest against the deteriorating economic situation.  

We reported earlier that Kenya intends to airlift its citizens out South Sudan.

Kenya's foreign minister Amina Mohamed has now said there is no need at the moment for a full scale evacuation of Kenyans from South Sudan. 

She said the airport in Juba has been reopened and any Kenyan wishing to leave can do so. 

She added regional body Igad, which brokered the fragile peace deal, will be holding a crisis meeting at the sidelines of the African Union heads of State meeting in Kigali Rwanda to discuss South Sudan. 

BBCCopyright: BBC

It's not surprising that the call for a nationwide stay away in Zimbabwe to highlight the deepening economic crisis has gone mostly unheeded. 

The reasons are the following:  

• Civil servants who contributed significantly to the success of a similar stay away last week have since been paid their salaries by the government
• Public transport operators have been placated by the partial reduction in roadblocks, a grievance which boosted last week’s protest
• Self-employed people were worried about the loss of income yet again  
• The arrest of leaders behind the protest action 
• A warning by the government that anyone who took part in the protests would face the full wrath of the law
• Poor coordination among protest group with some feeling that today's stay away was hastily organised.  

AFPCopyright: AFP

BBCCopyright: BBC

Uganda's opposition leader Kizza Besigye has held his first press conference since being released on bail on Tuesday. 

He had been in prison on charges of treason for close to two months after he challenged President Yoweri Museveni's victory in elections in February as fraudulent.

When releasing him on bail, a judge ordered the defeated presidential candidate to keep the peace and not to engage in any protests.

At the press conference at his party's headquarters on the outskirts of the capital, Kampala, Mr Besigye said: 

Quote Message: I have absolutely no intention of compromising my rights as a full citizen of this country. I am a free, independent citizen of this country with full rights. Before I left prison, I pointed out that I will continue to be defiant.

I have absolutely no intention of compromising my rights as a full citizen of this country. I am a free, independent citizen of this country with full rights. Before I left prison, I pointed out that I will continue to be defiant.

Quote Message: Government wants to create the impression that defiance is illegal. There is nothing illegal about defiance."

Government wants to create the impression that defiance is illegal. There is nothing illegal about defiance."

Police were heavily deployed along the Kampala-Entebbe highway, to control the jubilant crowds welcoming Mr Besigye.

Anti-riot officers were seen wielding sticks, which they used to hit Besigye supporters.

He condemned the violence:  

Quote Message: There is a war between the citizens and the rulers. That is why the rulers are beating up the citizens because they see them as their enemies.

There is a war between the citizens and the rulers. That is why the rulers are beating up the citizens because they see them as their enemies.

Quote Message: What happens in the system that we have is really organized crime. And we want to have the rule of law."

What happens in the system that we have is really organized crime. And we want to have the rule of law."

Italy's foreign ministry says one of its military planes has landed in South Sudan's capital, Juuba, to evacuate 30 of its citizens who have decided to leave the war-torn country.