Africa highlights: Zimbabwe targets satellite TV fees, Buhari 'healthy and witty'

We reported earlier that cyclone Dineo, which hit Mozambique, has calmed down. 

But there is still potential for heavy rainfall as the storm moves across southern Africa.

BBC Weatherman Jay Wynne explains:

Cocoa growers have been marching in Ivory Coast's commercial hub, Abidjan, today in protest against a slowdown in exports and a reduced buying price.  

Many are brandishing documents showing buyers have not paid them since December:

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This banner reads "The cocoa council wants to kill the grower":

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Cocoa producers are asking the government to activate an emergency fund on cocoa.     

This placard asks for help from President Alassane Ouattara:

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While this placard says cocoa growers "also want to be a part" of the emerging economy.

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Meanwhile, cocoa has piled up in warehouses, reports AP news agency. 

The Coffee-Cocoa Council says there has been a slowdown of sales because of overproduction and a worldwide price reduction by 30%, AP adds.

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The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says it is concerned that the armyworm outbreak could spread to the whole of southern Africa, threatening crops. 

So far, seven of the 15 states which make up the regional body Sadc have been affected by the outbreak. 

The FAO says Zimbabwe might be the hardest hit, with up to 130,000 hectares of maize infested. 

In Namibia, 50,000 hectares of maize and millet have been damaged. 

The pests are called armyworms because they eat most vegetation in their way and can destroy entire fields.  

A three day regional meeting to discuss the outbreak has ended in Zimbabwe's capital Harare. 

The delegates resolved to roll out awareness campaigns targeting farmers. 

Read: Why are army worms attacking Africa's crops?

People on Twitter are paying tribute to the famous British historian of Ethiopia: 

The Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs has announced the death of the most prominent historian of the country, the Briton, Richard Pankhurst. 

The government said he was one of Ethiopia's greatest friends during his long and productive life. 

The son of the suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst, he moved to Ethiopia in 1956, the start of a long relationship with the country. 

Mr Pankhurst wrote numerous books on Ethiopia's history, culture and economics. 

He was also instrumental in the successful campaign to get the Axum obelisk returned to Ethiopia from Italy. 

He was awarded an OBE by the British Government for his services to Ethiopian studies. 

The Ethiopian embassy in London has tweeted a photo of Mr Pankhurst: 

Benin's government has abolished short-stay visas for nationals from 31 African countries in an effort to promote easier travel and strengthen relations, reports BBC Afrique's Leone Ouedraogo.

Nationals from Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia are among those who no longer require a visa for visits of up to 90 days.

Only short-stay visitors from countries which make up the West African regional grouping Ecowas were previously exempted from applying for visas.

Benin's President Patrice Talon promised to lift the restrictions during a trip to Rwanda.

Countries like Ghana and Rwanda have already been implementing such a policy.

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A lawyer for Angola's Vice-President Manuel Vicente has hit back at corruption allegations levelled against him by prosecuting authorities in Portugal. 

A news agency quotes lawyer Rui Patricio as saying:

Quote Message: I'm astounded that my client has been accused, not only because he had nothing to do with the facts mentioned but also because he has never even been questioned about them."

I'm astounded that my client has been accused, not only because he had nothing to do with the facts mentioned but also because he has never even been questioned about them."

See earlier post for more details .

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Nato says it has received a new request from Libya's UN-backed government to train and develop its military, reports Reuters news agency.

Its secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the grouping was ready to help because "training local forces is one of the best weapons in the fight against terrorism and building stability". 

Libya has not had an effective national army since Col Muamar Gaddafi's rule ended in 2011. The Nato-backed armed groups which overthrew him having been fighting among themselves for power. 

The presenter of BBC Focus on Africa radio tweets:

A state of emergency imposed in Tunisia in 2015 to curb attacks by militant Islamists has been extended by three months, the president's office has said. 

Defence Minister Farhat Horchani told local radio that there had been a "major improvement" in security but for as long as neighbouring Libya "does not have a government that is in control of the situation... the threat exists."

The state of emergency has been in place since a November 2015 bombing of a bus in Tunisia's capital, Tunis, killed 12 presidential guards.

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The girls' school in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria from where more than 200 students were kidnapped is being renovated.

I visited Chibok to find the builders:

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All but two school buildings were knocked down after Islamist militants Boko Haram kidnapped the girls in 2014. 

Some girls I spoke told me that some of their friends, fearing Boko Haram could attack again, have left their studies and got married instead. 

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Portuguese prosecutors are bringing charges of corruption, money-laundering and forgery against Angolan Vice-president Manuel Vicente as part of an investigation in Lisbon, Portugal's attorney general's office told AP news agency.

Mr Vicente is suspected of bribing a Portuguese magistrate to favour him in two investigations, a statement said. 

Investigators allege Mr Vicente paid Portuguese magistrate Orlando Figueira, who was arrested a year ago, about 760,000 euros ($808,000; £647,000) to drop two investigations that involved alleged money laundering and Angolan investments in Portugal while he was the head of the state oil company Sonagol.

The magistrate, Mr Vicente's lawyer, and his representative in Portugal are also accused in the case, called Operation Fizz. 

The Angolan news site Rede Angola reports that in March Mr Vicente denied the allegations. 

There has been no comment from the magistrate or his legal representatives. 

We reported earlier that mortar shells had been fired near the presidential palace in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

We have just got reports from AP news agency that the Islamist militant group al-Shabab said they were behind the attack. 

The blasts were heard during the ceremony passing over power to the new President Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo" Mohamed.

A BBC correspondent is tweeting about her interview with the prime minister of Lesotho  - a tiny kingdom often hit by political instability:   

South Africans have taken to Twitter using the tag #BanksCollusion to express their anger at allegations that 17 top banks have been rigging the price of the currency, the rand.

The claims follow a report by South Africa’s Competition Commission. 

People buying the rand would have been affected by the price-fixing scam, according to the Competition Commission. 

The international giants, which include Barclays, Bank of America and HSBC are likely to be slapped with a hefty fine.

But some in the country are calling for criminal charges to be laid against them and their top managers. 

They are also calling for “fair reporting” in the largely white-controlled media which is accused of treating corporate crime with kid gloves but quick to report on alleged corruption in the mainly black government. 

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South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has promised to act against banks accused by the competition watchdog of rigging the price of the currency, the rand, Reuters news agency reports. 

Addressing parliament, Mr Zuma said:

Quote Message: This matter is still under investigation... government is ready to act against market abuse, price fixing and collusion in the private sector in order to protect our country's economy,

This matter is still under investigation... government is ready to act against market abuse, price fixing and collusion in the private sector in order to protect our country's economy,

See earlier post for more details

  Somalia has not had enough rain for three years. The country's landscape has become littered with dead animals and there are warnings of a full-blown famine by June.  

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Guinea international Florentin Pogba admits his mother will find it difficult to watch him take on younger brother Paul in the Europa League. 

On Thursday, Florentin, will play for St Etienne against Paul who plays for Manchester United. 

It's not going to be easy for her but at the same time what a fantastic moment it'll be for her to see her sons playing out there," the defender said. 

"Maybe the best result for her will be a draw." "But we'll be going all out to get the best result for ourselves. Whoever wins she'll be happy in some respect."  

Thursday's match will be the first time the brothers, who grew up near the French capital Paris, have properly clashed on a football pitch.

Read more on the BBC Sport website

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Zimbabwe’s central bank chief has described as illogical the amount of money leaving the country to pay for satellite TV subscriptions and has announced measures to limit international card payments. 

In his latest monetary policy statement, John Mangudya said international cards payments, including TV subscription fees, accounted for the highest use of foreign exchange after fuel imports. A total of $206m (£165m) was spent from July to December last year, he added.   

 The central bank now wants payments to be settled locally, to avoid using up precious foreign exchange.    

Zimbabwe has faced serious cash shortages because of a shrinking economy and an over-reliance on imports. 

The central bank says foreign investment and remittances from Zimbabweans living abroad declined by up to a fifth in 2016. 

Read: Queuing at banks at night for money