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Live Reporting

Hugo Williams and Damian Zane

All times stated are UK

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  1. Scroll down for Monday's stories

    We'll be back tomorrow

    That's all from the  BBC Africa Live  page today. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the  Africa Today podcast  or checking the  BBC News website

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message: The ring of a child does not fit an elderly person, but his food can be eaten by one." from An Akan proverb sent by Kwasi Baafi, Accra, Ghana
    An Akan proverb sent by Kwasi Baafi, Accra, Ghana

    Click here and scroll to the bottom to send us your African proverbs .

    And we leave you with this picture of a vendor in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria heating up some corn for sale at the end of the day:

    
          a vendor heats up a grill to roast corn on the Mediterranean Sea coast, in Alexandria, Egypt
  2. Rand steadies as markets wait for news on South Africa finance minister

    The story of the day has been the fate that awaits South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

    He's due to fly home from London tonight after being called back from a foreign trip during which he was promoting investment in South Africa.

    When news of his recall broke this morning the rand dropped in value against the dollar and continued its downward movement until it stabilised towards the end of the day, according to this chart from xe.com.

    Chart showing the value of the rand to the dollar

    There have been concerns that Mr Gordhan, seen by investors as a trusted figure, could be removed from his government post.

  3. Five dead in plane crash near Zimbabwe-Mozambique border

    A small plane has crashed neat the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border killing at least five people.

    There were six people on board the plane flying from Mozambique to Zimbabwe, the AFP news agency reports. 

    It quotes a Mozambican official saying that one person may have survived.

    Four of those on board were executives with a Mozambican transport company.

  4. Benin defence minister resigns

    Benin's Defence Minister Candide Armand-Marie Azannai has announced his resignation in a shock move.

    In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Azannai said he had delivered a letter early this morning to President Patrice Talon asking him to accept his resignation.

    His announcement comes at a time when Benin is preparing to put through constitutional reforms, which would include limiting the president to a single six-year term.

    Mr Azannai said he had taken the decision due to "recent developments in the political situation in our country", without giving further details.

    The proposal to change the current rules, under which a president can serve two five-year terms, have proved highly contentious.

    The amendments also suggest changes to how the judiciary is made up. 

    Last week, an opposition movement organised a sit-in in front of the parliament saying that the people should have had a chance to debate the changes first.

    In Benin, any constitutional amendment can be approved either by referendum or by a four-fifths majority vote in parliament.

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  5. British-Rwandan woman freed from detention in Kigale

    We posted earlier  about a Rwandan court ordering the release from custody of British-Rwandan woman Violette Uwamahoro.

    She was arrested while on a trip to Rwanda on allegations that she was spreading state secrets.

    We've just heard from her lawyer that she has now been freed, but cannot leave the country as the prosecution can still appeal the release, should they argue that there is enough evidence to go to trial.

  6. Ghana-born female doctor blazes trail in US neurosurgery

    Dr Nancy Abu-Bonsrah, who migrated to the US from Ghana 11 years ago, has become the first black woman to be accepted as a neurosurgery resident at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital - in other words she's training to be a neurosurgeon.

    She has been speaking to the BBC's Focus on Africa radio about how humbled she is by the opportunity and how regular trips back to Ghana inspired her:

    Video content

    Video caption: Dr Nancy Abu-Bonsrah
  7. South Africa axe murder trial postponed

    Mohammed Allie

    BBC Africa, Cape Town

    In South Africa, the murder trial of the Cape Town man who is alleged to have killed his parents and brother with an axe in their upmarket home was today postponed in the Cape Town High Court until the 24 April.

    Twenty-two-year-old Henri van Breda is accused of having committed the gruesome murders in January 2015. 

    There was a large media and public presence outside the Cape Town High Court today when Mr Van Breda made his way into the building for the start of his eagerly-awaited trial. 

    Mr Van Breda arriving in court

    Today’s proceedings ended after the judge granted a request for a postponement by the defence, who said they were still waiting on police to provide original photos of the murder scene as well as DNA reports. 

    Earlier the defence lawyer said his client was chomping at the bit to tell his side of the story.

  8. Tanzania rapper 'will work on song' after Magufuli suggestions

    Nay wa Mitego
    Image caption: Emmanuel Elibariki aka Nay wa Mitego (R) said he

    Tanzanian rapper Nay wa Mitego has been speaking to media outside the central police station in Dar es Salaam, following his release. 

    He thanked all those who had supported him following his arrest over the weekend after the release of his new song, which was deemed to contain lyrics insulting to the government.

    President John Magufuli, who is mocked in the song for not tolerating criticism (see previous entries), came out after the arrest to say that he "loved" the track and had encouraged the rapper to add more lyrics about the fight against corruption. 

    Nay wa Mitego said:

    Quote Message: I’m grateful that the song has been approved... Now let it be played hard and widely."

    Asked whether he was going to change anything on the track after the president's comments, he said:

    Quote Message: I can't say now what exactly I’ll add because I've just been released... but I’ll work on it, because this is everybody’s song, it's Tanzania's song."
  9. SA finance minister to return home tonight

    South Africa's government has released a statement to say that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will leave London tonight and be back in South Africa by the morning:

    View more on twitter

    Earlier, President Jacob Zuma ordered him to return home from a foreign trip where he was trying to drum up investment for the country.

    The order has led to speculation that Mr Gordhan will be sacked in a cabinet reshuffle. 

    This, in turn, has led to the price of the rand falling against the dollar, with traders worried about the fate of a minister they consider to be a safe pair of hands. 

  10. Court orders release of British-Rwandan woman over Kagame plot

    A Rwandan court has ordered the release from custody of British-Rwandan woman Violette Uwamahoro, who was being held on allegations that she was spreading state secrets to undermine President Paul Kagame.

    Her husband, an opposition activist, said at the time of her arrest that she was being made a scapegoat.  

    Ms Uwamahoro's family had asked the UK government to intervene, saying they fear the trial is fixed and cannot be fair.

    She is currently still being held, as the prosecution may appeal the court order.

    Ms Uwamahoro outside the court room
    Image caption: Ms Uwamahoro (right) was arrested on 14 February after travelling to Rwanda for a family funeral.
  11. Al-Shabab denies Kenya killed 31 of its fighters

    Al-Shabab has denied reports that its base in Badhade, southern Somalia, was attacked by Kenyan soldiers.

    Earlier, Kenya's government said that its soldiers killed 31 al-Shabab fighters and seized a number of weapons including improvised explosive devices ( see earlier entry ).

    IED
    Image caption: Picture of one of the IEDs the Kenyan army says was recovered

    The commissioner for the Badhade region told the BBC Somali service that an attack had taken place but could not confirm casualties.

    Kenyan soldiers are part of the African Union force supporting the Somali government.

  12. South Sudan aid workers' families await release of bodies

    
          Relatives of the six aid workers who were ambushed and killed grieve as they wait to collect and bury the bodies of their loved ones, outside the morgue in Juba, South Sudan Monday, March 27, 2017.

    Families of aid workers killed in an ambush in South Sudan on Saturday have been at the morgue in the capital, Juba, waiting to collect the bodies of their loved ones.

    The UN has called it the worst attack on humanitarian workers since the start of the civil war more than three years ago. 

    The number of people killed in the attack has now risen to seven, after the driver of the vehicle also died, according to AP news agency.

    The four South Sudanese and three Kenyans worked for a local NGO and were attacked while on a routine food convoy from Juba to Pibor. 

    
          Relatives of the six aid workers who were ambushed and killed grieve as they wait to collect and bury the bodies of their loved ones, outside the morgue in Juba, South Sudan Monday, March 27, 2017.
  13. Rand under pressure over recall of finance minister

    The South African currency, the rand, has lost nearly 3.5% in value against the US dollar today as traders digest the news that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has been ordered to return home from an investment trip abroad ( see earlier story ).

    This graph from xe.com shows how the rand fell in price from 08:40 GMT (10:40 am local time) as the news started to come in:

    Graph showing rand/dollar value

    There are concerns that his recall is the prelude to a cabinet reshuffle in which Mr Gordhan will lose his job.

    Mr Gordhan is viewed by economists as a safe pair of hands in managing the country's finances.

  14. Cheptai delight after Kenyan women's clean sweep

    Kenya dominated the women's senior race at the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda this weekend, taking all top six positions in an unprecedented finish.

    Head of the pack was Irene Chepet Cheptai, who has been speaking to the BBC about her "unexpected" victory: 

    Video content

    Video caption: Kenyan women fill top 6 at World Championships
  15. Buhari's health leads to 'slim-downed' schedule

    There are concerns that the health of Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is reducing his working day, the Reuters news agency reports.

    He returned from extended medical leave in London earlier this month where he was being treated for an undisclosed illness. He said on his return that he would still need medical check-ups.

    Reuters says that the president is spending between one and four hours a day in the office.

    His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has retweeted reports of his comments about Mr Buhari working from home.

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    But people are worried that the pace of work is being affected.

    Reuters quotes an anonymous diplomatic source as saying that: "Things are slowing down, particularly on the economic front, which is a concern."

    Muhammadu Buhari
    Image caption: President Buhari said he was "felling much better" on his return from London on 10 March
  16. Warning over illicit Libyan oil contracts

    Rana Jawad

    BBC North Africa correspondent

    Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has warned international buyers against illicit contracts to purchase the country’s crude oil. 

    The NOC is state-run and is one of the few remaining independent institutions in the conflict-ridden, and politically divided country.  

    The latest warning comes following this month’s battle between rival armed groups for control of the oil crescent in central and eastern Libya.  

    The NOC statement suggests that a group of individuals has already signed illegal oil contracts with unknown companies.  

    The corporation has been vague on the details of who exactly is involved in the alleged attempted transaction, and when this took place, but it says Libyan crude oil is being offered at a "huge discount" to unqualified companies.  

    It warns that the country stands to lose millions of dollars in revenues if these contracts get implemented.  

    Libya’s chaos, with its rival regional administrations and armed groups, often challenge the work of state institutions. 

    The highly contested oil crescent and its lucrative export terminals recently changed hands twice between rival armed groups. 

    Read more on the battles for Libya's oil

    Ras Lanuf oil terminal
    Image caption: Ras Lanuf is one of four key oil terminals in the 'oil crescent'
  17. Tanzania rapper Nay wa Mitego released from custody

    Tanzanian rapper Nay wa Mitego has now been freed from police detention after being arrested over the lyrics of his latest song.

    Photos show him being greeted outside a police station in the main city, Dar es Salaam. 

    Nay wa Mitego outside a police station
    Nay wa Mitego outside a police station

    The song emerged last week and has been widely shared on social media.

    One line in it asks: "Is there still freedom of expression in the country?" and refers to a "doctor" who can't tolerate criticism.

    Earlier, Information Minister Harrison Mwakyembe said he should be freed but the song could be improved. 

    He later clarified that President John Magufuli loved the song and said that more verses could be added condemning corruption and tax evasion ( see earlier entry ).

  18. South Africa's Gordhan says he was 'planning' to go home

    The Reuters news agency has managed to grab a word in London with South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan who has been ordered back home.

    The order has led some to suggests that it foreshadows a cabinet reshuffle in which he might be sacked. This, in turn, has unnerved the markets and the currency, the rand, has dipped in value against the dollar.

    Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an investor meeting, Mr Gordhan denied this was a recall and said he had been panning to return home. 

    He said he was not scheduled to go onto the next leg of the South African investment roadshow in the US.

    Pravin Gordhan
    Image caption: Mr Gordhan said a cabinet reshuffle was President Zuma's prerogative
  19. Tanzania president 'loves song' that led to rapper's arrest

    Tanzania's President John Magufuli "loves" the song that caused a popular rapper to be arrested over the weekend after it was deemed to be critical of the government, according to the country's information minister. 

    The president appreciated the way the song dealt with relevant issues facing the country and has suggested that rapper Ney wa Mitego could add even more lyrics that condemn corruption and tax evasion to the song, Information Minister Harrison Mwakyembe told local media.

    The president has said the song can be played on all radio stations without any restriction, the minister added.

    In light of that, here it is (in Swahili): 

    View more on youtube
  20. Malaria rise in Zimbabwe after heavy rains

    Health officials in Zimbabwe say heavy rain in recent months has led to a dramatic increase in cases of malaria. 

    They say more than 150 people died of the disease over the past two months. 

    About 90,000 cases of malaria have been recorded during that period. 

    The manager for Zimbabwe's malaria control programme says the heavy rains have increased the breeding grounds for mosquitoes spreading the disease. 

    Mosquito
    Image caption: The anopheles mosquito spreads the malaria-causing parasite