Kenya airways protests detention of staff in DR Congo
Kenya Airways (KQ) has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo's army of holding two of its employees since last week, despite a court ruling to release them.
The two were arrested by the DR Congo's military intelligence unit last Friday over alleged missing custom documentation on a "valuable" cargo, KQ said in a statement.
The airline said it did not uplift the cargo to Kinshasa due to incomplete documentation.
"All efforts to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo because of incomplete documentation proved futile," it added.
The military officers detained the two KQ staff until Tuesday, when Kenyan embassy officials and the airline team were allowed to briefly visit them.
On Thursday, KQ said the military court granted its request to have the employees released as investigations continued.
"Despite the court orders, the military intelligence unit is still holding them incommunicado, yet these are civilians being held in a military intelligence facility," the airline added.
The employees' phones were seized during the arrest, according to KQ.
It is unclear what the said cargo contained and authorities in DR Congo are yet to comment on the matter.
Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone roll out malaria vaccine
WHO Regional Office for Africa/XCopyright: WHO Regional Office for Africa/X
They are the latest African countries to roll out the RTS,S vaccineImage caption: They are the latest African countries to roll out the RTS,S vaccine
Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone began mass rollouts of a WHO-approved malaria vaccine on Wednesday, becoming the latest African countries to join the recently introduced routine malaria vaccine programme.
The RTS,S vaccine will be administered to children aged five months or older in four scheduled doses.
Benin received 215,900 doses of the vaccine, while Liberia received 112,000 doses and Sierra Leone 550,000 doses.
The WHO, Unicef and the global vaccine alliance (Gavi), which are coordinating the programme, said in a joint statement that the rollout was "a significant step forward for malaria prevention in Africa", which is the hardest hit by malaria.
In 2022, 94% of all malaria cases and 95% of global malaria deaths happened in Africa, according to WHO.
The vaccine has already been successfully rolled out in Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, after pilots in three of those countries caused a 13% drop in deaths of children of eligible age.
Several more African countries are expected to join the rollout of the RTS,S vaccine in the coming months, amid an anticipated rollout of the second WHO-approved jab - R21.
Uganda's dancehall star Fik Gaza freed from Saudi cell
Fik Gaza/XCopyright: Fik Gaza/X
The musician was reportedly arrested shortly after landing in the Gulf country on TuesdayImage caption: The musician was reportedly arrested shortly after landing in the Gulf country on Tuesday
Ugandan dancehall artist Shafic Dangote, alias Fik Gaza, has been released after spending three days in a Saudi Arabia cell.
Gaza was reportedly arrested on Tuesday by Saudi authorities shortly after landing in the Gulf country.
It is still unclear why he was arrested but some reports said he was nabbed over alleged visa irregularities and dress code violations.
His fellow musicians had condemned the arrest and called for his immediate release.
Authorities in both Saudi Arabia and Uganda are yet to comment on the matter.
Gaza, who started his music career in 2018, is popular with his hits like Digida, Wanika Ebango and Omwana Oyo.
His Banana song, which he released last year, has gained massive airplay in Uganda.
US to 'temporarily' pull troops out of Chad
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The announcement comes days after the US agreed to withdraw its troops from NigerImage caption: The announcement comes days after the US agreed to withdraw its troops from Niger
The US will temporarily withdraw some of its troops from Chad, days after agreeing to remove all its soldiers from the neighbouring Niger.
The US Pentagon Press Secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said on Thursday that the US plans to "reposition" some of its military forces from Chad, but did not say how many would be affected or where they would be shifted to.
"This is a temporary step as part of a ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's 6 May presidential election," he said.
The announcement follows Chad's air force chief ordering the US to halt activities at an air base near the capital, N'Djamena, earlier this month, Reuters news agency reported.
Gen Ryder also said that talks with Niger's ruling military junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), began on Wednesday and are aimed at ensuring "an orderly and responsible withdrawal of US forces" from the country.
The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity.
But the ruling junta, in power since last July, ended a military agreement that allowed US personnel to be deployed in the country and kicked out French troops, part of its efforts to cut links with the West.
Kenyan court allows cult leader to meet wife in prison
EPACopyright: EPA
Paul Mackenzie has also requested to be transferred to a different cellImage caption: Paul Mackenzie has also requested to be transferred to a different cell
A court in Kenya's coastal town of Mombasa has allowed cult leader Paul Mackenzie to meet his wife, Rhodah Mumbua, in prison under strict supervision of the authorities.
Mackenzie had pleaded to the court to order the authorities at Shimo La Tewa Prisons to arrange a meeting between him, his wife and also their children to discuss family matters.
Mackenzie had also requested to be transferred to a different cell.
But a magistrate summoned the officer in charge of the prison to guide the court on Mackenzie's plea to be relocated to a different cell.
Mackenzie has been charged with murder after more than 400 bodies were found buried in shallow graves in a remote forest in the coastal Kilifi county.
Survivors and victims' families have said Mackenzie urged followers to fast in order to "go see Jesus".
He and 29 others pleaded not guilty and have been behind bars for more than one year now.
Mackenzie has already been charged with committing acts of terror, child cruelty and torture, which he denied.
Nigeria blames logistics for return of long fuel queues
AFPCopyright: AFP
The state-owned oil company says the challenge has been fixed (file photo)Image caption: The state-owned oil company says the challenge has been fixed (file photo)
Nigeria's state-owned oil company has warned against panic buying of petrol, saying the prices of fuel were not changing.
It follows the return of long queues at petrol stations that persisted on Thursday in the capital, Abuja, and the neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states over fuel scarcity.
Consumers are boycotting unaffordable productsImage caption: Consumers are boycotting unaffordable products
Fishmongers in Egypt say they have been forced to slash their prices by up to 50% because of a boycott that has swept the country.
A campaign against high prices, which began in the major cities of Port Said and Alexandria, has spread elsewhere under the slogan "let it rot".
The protest began online weeks ago, sparked by the ongoing price hikes of almost all goods.
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has previously advised consumers to boycott products that become unaffordable as the Egyptian currency plunged in value.
Seafood is traditionally eaten during celebrations of the Sham Ennessim national festival, which falls on 6 May.
The festival will coincide with the Easter Monday celebrations of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church.
Wise words for Friday 26 April 2024
Our African proverb of the day:
Quote Message: Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together." from An Ashanti proverb sent by Frank Osei Kwabena Asamoah in Obuasi, Ghana
Live Reporting
Wycliffe Muia and Gloria Aradi
All times stated are UK
Get involved
WHO Regional Office for Africa/XCopyright: WHO Regional Office for Africa/X They are the latest African countries to roll out the RTS,S vaccineImage caption: They are the latest African countries to roll out the RTS,S vaccine 
Fik Gaza/XCopyright: Fik Gaza/X The musician was reportedly arrested shortly after landing in the Gulf country on TuesdayImage caption: The musician was reportedly arrested shortly after landing in the Gulf country on Tuesday 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images The announcement comes days after the US agreed to withdraw its troops from NigerImage caption: The announcement comes days after the US agreed to withdraw its troops from Niger 
EPACopyright: EPA Paul Mackenzie has also requested to be transferred to a different cellImage caption: Paul Mackenzie has also requested to be transferred to a different cell 
AFPCopyright: AFP The state-owned oil company says the challenge has been fixed (file photo)Image caption: The state-owned oil company says the challenge has been fixed (file photo) 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters Consumers are boycotting unaffordable productsImage caption: Consumers are boycotting unaffordable products 
Video caption: Question Time: MP's DR Congo and Rwanda question raises eyebrowsQuestion Time: MP's DR Congo and Rwanda question raises eyebrows 
Video caption: Floods wreak havoc in Kenya, Tanzania and BurundiFloods wreak havoc in Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi 
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Read moreKenya airways protests detention of staff in DR Congo
Kenya Airways (KQ) has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo's army of holding two of its employees since last week, despite a court ruling to release them.
The two were arrested by the DR Congo's military intelligence unit last Friday over alleged missing custom documentation on a "valuable" cargo, KQ said in a statement.
The airline said it did not uplift the cargo to Kinshasa due to incomplete documentation.
"All efforts to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo because of incomplete documentation proved futile," it added.
The military officers detained the two KQ staff until Tuesday, when Kenyan embassy officials and the airline team were allowed to briefly visit them.
On Thursday, KQ said the military court granted its request to have the employees released as investigations continued.
"Despite the court orders, the military intelligence unit is still holding them incommunicado, yet these are civilians being held in a military intelligence facility," the airline added.
The employees' phones were seized during the arrest, according to KQ.
It is unclear what the said cargo contained and authorities in DR Congo are yet to comment on the matter.
Question Time: Did Philp confuse Rwanda and Congo?
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The policing minister appeared to ask an audience member if Rwanda and Congo were different countries.
Read moreBenin, Liberia and Sierra Leone roll out malaria vaccine
Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone began mass rollouts of a WHO-approved malaria vaccine on Wednesday, becoming the latest African countries to join the recently introduced routine malaria vaccine programme.
The RTS,S vaccine will be administered to children aged five months or older in four scheduled doses.
Benin received 215,900 doses of the vaccine, while Liberia received 112,000 doses and Sierra Leone 550,000 doses.
The WHO, Unicef and the global vaccine alliance (Gavi), which are coordinating the programme, said in a joint statement that the rollout was "a significant step forward for malaria prevention in Africa", which is the hardest hit by malaria.
In 2022, 94% of all malaria cases and 95% of global malaria deaths happened in Africa, according to WHO.
The vaccine has already been successfully rolled out in Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, after pilots in three of those countries caused a 13% drop in deaths of children of eligible age.
Several more African countries are expected to join the rollout of the RTS,S vaccine in the coming months, amid an anticipated rollout of the second WHO-approved jab - R21.
Uganda's dancehall star Fik Gaza freed from Saudi cell
Ugandan dancehall artist Shafic Dangote, alias Fik Gaza, has been released after spending three days in a Saudi Arabia cell.
Gaza was reportedly arrested on Tuesday by Saudi authorities shortly after landing in the Gulf country.
It is still unclear why he was arrested but some reports said he was nabbed over alleged visa irregularities and dress code violations.
His fellow musicians had condemned the arrest and called for his immediate release.
"Am Free. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get me out of jail," Gaza posted on X platform.
Authorities in both Saudi Arabia and Uganda are yet to comment on the matter.
Gaza, who started his music career in 2018, is popular with his hits like Digida, Wanika Ebango and Omwana Oyo.
His Banana song, which he released last year, has gained massive airplay in Uganda.
US to 'temporarily' pull troops out of Chad
The US will temporarily withdraw some of its troops from Chad, days after agreeing to remove all its soldiers from the neighbouring Niger.
The US Pentagon Press Secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said on Thursday that the US plans to "reposition" some of its military forces from Chad, but did not say how many would be affected or where they would be shifted to.
"This is a temporary step as part of a ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's 6 May presidential election," he said.
The announcement follows Chad's air force chief ordering the US to halt activities at an air base near the capital, N'Djamena, earlier this month, Reuters news agency reported.
Gen Ryder also said that talks with Niger's ruling military junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), began on Wednesday and are aimed at ensuring "an orderly and responsible withdrawal of US forces" from the country.
The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity.
But the ruling junta, in power since last July, ended a military agreement that allowed US personnel to be deployed in the country and kicked out French troops, part of its efforts to cut links with the West.
Kenyan court allows cult leader to meet wife in prison
A court in Kenya's coastal town of Mombasa has allowed cult leader Paul Mackenzie to meet his wife, Rhodah Mumbua, in prison under strict supervision of the authorities.
Mackenzie had pleaded to the court to order the authorities at Shimo La Tewa Prisons to arrange a meeting between him, his wife and also their children to discuss family matters.
Mackenzie had also requested to be transferred to a different cell.
But a magistrate summoned the officer in charge of the prison to guide the court on Mackenzie's plea to be relocated to a different cell.
Mackenzie has been charged with murder after more than 400 bodies were found buried in shallow graves in a remote forest in the coastal Kilifi county.
Survivors and victims' families have said Mackenzie urged followers to fast in order to "go see Jesus".
He and 29 others pleaded not guilty and have been behind bars for more than one year now.
Mackenzie has already been charged with committing acts of terror, child cruelty and torture, which he denied.
Nigeria blames logistics for return of long fuel queues
Nigeria's state-owned oil company has warned against panic buying of petrol, saying the prices of fuel were not changing.
It follows the return of long queues at petrol stations that persisted on Thursday in the capital, Abuja, and the neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states over fuel scarcity.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) in a statement said the limited availability of petrol was a result of logistical problems.
However, the company said the challenge had been fixed.
It urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying as "there is a sufficiency of [fuel] products in the country”.
Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy and oil producer, had subsidised fuel for decades to keep pump prices affordable.
But President Bola Tinubu removed the subsidies as part of wider reforms to stabilise the economy, pushing prices to triple.
'Let it rot' campaign hits fish prices in Egypt
The Newsroom
BBC World Service
Fishmongers in Egypt say they have been forced to slash their prices by up to 50% because of a boycott that has swept the country.
A campaign against high prices, which began in the major cities of Port Said and Alexandria, has spread elsewhere under the slogan "let it rot".
The protest began online weeks ago, sparked by the ongoing price hikes of almost all goods.
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has previously advised consumers to boycott products that become unaffordable as the Egyptian currency plunged in value.
Seafood is traditionally eaten during celebrations of the Sham Ennessim national festival, which falls on 6 May.
The festival will coincide with the Easter Monday celebrations of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church.
Wise words for Friday 26 April 2024
Our African proverb of the day:
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