Names of Some Passengers of Ethiopian Airlines Crash Released
As
the world still reels from this weekend’s crash that killed 157 people, seven
of them crew members and one a security official, authorities say the
passengers were from 35 nations with the greatest share from Kenya. Cedric
Asiavugwa was a third-year student at Georgetown Law and a member of Georgetown
University’s Campus Ministry, the school said. Born and raised in Mombasa, he
was on his way home to Nairobi after the death of his fiancée’s mother,
according to the school. Nigerian-born scholar and author Pius Adesanmi was the
director of Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies. The Ottawa
University said he was among the 18 Canadians killed in the crash. The airline
has not yet reported the crew members’ home countries.
SOURCES: CNN
Jean-Pierre Bemba Comes for the ICC
The former vice president and rebel leader in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), is seeking millions of dollars in compensation
from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The 55-year-old’s legal team last
week filed an application asking judges at The Hague-based court to award him a
total of nearly 77m for what they called a miscarriage of justice over his former
conviction for war crimes. The sum includes damages for the 10 years Bemba
spent in prison between from 2008 to 2018 for alleged murders and rapes
committed by the fighters belonging to his Movement for the Liberation of Congo
(MLC) rebel group in the Central African Republic (CAR) during 2002-2003. In
2016, the ICC convicted him on two counts of crimes against humanity and three
counts of war crimes over his role in events in the CAR. He was acquitted on
appeal in June of last year and released from prison days later.
SOURCES: AL
JAZEERA
Algerian President Listens
After weeks of mass protests against his controversial bid for a
fifth term in office, Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has pulled out of
the running. The protests, believed to be the biggest in the country in nearly
three decades, have marked a major shift in Algeria. Algerians largely
abstained from the Arab Spring protests in 2011 that resulted in regime change
in Egypt and Tunisia. Citizens have cited Bouteflika’s tight control on state
resources through his family, growing unemployment and a continued clampdown on
dissent and opposition figures as reasons for protests. While Bouteflika is
often credited with ending Algeria’s brutal civil war and overseeing an
economic boom thanks to oil revenues, like most African strongmen rulers, he
also appears to have overstayed his welcome.
SOURCES: QUARTZ
AFRICA
Cameroon Celebrates Women’s Rights Activist
Aissa Doumara Ngatansou won France’s inaugural Simone Veil Prize
for helping victims of rape and forced marriage. French President Emmanuel
Macron gave Ngatansou, 47, the $112,000 prize, named after the iconic French
women’s rights activist. The award was named in memory of Simone Veil, the
person said to be most responsible for advancing women’s legal rights in France
during the 20th century. Veil fought in the French parliament to legalize
abortion in 1975. Nganasou said she is dedicating the award to all female
victims of violence and forced marriage and survivors of the Nigerian militant
group Boko Haram. Ngatansou escaped a forced marriage at 11 years old, fleeing
her home and continuing her studies. She has since braved numerous threats to
save hundreds of girls and women from the same fate.
SOURCES: VOA
Sneaking Up on Animals on Safari just became a Whole lot Easier
With millions of Kenyans relying on solar power for their
energy, a new company has started converting existing vehicles into
solar-powered electric ones. Whilst this green option reduces the carbon
footprint of the service provider it also helps travellers to create a smaller
carbon footprint on their travels. The e-car uses solar panels to power
its engine and is currently being used in the Serengeti National Park. Thanks
to the environmentally friendly e-safari vehicle being near noiseless, it can
approach wildlife without disturbing them, which in turn allows for a better
game-viewing experience overall. So far the idea is being trialed on safari
cars, but the Swedish company behind the idea wants to expand the idea across
Nairobi’s transport network.
SOURCES: BBC | SOUTHERN
& EAST TOURISM UPDATE
South Africa’s Public Broadcaster in Dire Straits
The South African Broadcasting Corporation(SABC) is on the verge
of collapse with executives telling MPs on Tuesday that the company cannot
guarantee it will be able to pay its employees’ salaries at the end of March.
The broadcaster, which remains the only source of news and commentary for
millions of South Africans, has requested R6.8bn from the government to stay
afloat, but its bid for funding has so far been unsuccessful. The SABC’s
projected figures show factual insolvency by March 31 2019. Forecasts indicate
that the public broadcaster will end the financial year with a net loss of
R568m against a budgeted loss of R288m and trade and other payables are
expected to be R2bn.
SOURCES: BUSINESS
DAY LIVE
The Battle for Libya Continues
A major military push south by the Libyan strongman Marshal
Khalifa Haftar has left him in the ascendant, and possibly able with
international backing to dictate the terms of a future Libyan political
settlement, including presidential and parliamentary elections. Haftar, the
head of the Libyan national army, has been strengthened by a successful
offensive into the often lawless south-west, and some observers say he is in a
better position to dictate terms to his rival Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the
UN-recognised government of national accord in Tripoli. The push into the
Fezzan region has left Haftar in control of two-thirds of the country, most
border crossings and many key oil installations, including the large oil fields
in the Murzuk basin.
SOURCES: THE
GUARDIAN
[WATCH] Assessing Africa’s Readiness For The Fourth Industrial Revolution
This year’s World Economic Forum theme of Globalisation 4.0
addressed the fourth industrial revolution which is taking place globally at an
unpredictable rate. Is Africa ready? Tune into CNBC Africa for a panel
discussion about the disruptions of digital technology across industries and
all economic sectors and Africa’s readiness for the fourth industrial
revolution.
SOURCES: AFRICA.COM
South African Bank Looks East
South Africa’s Absa is considering entering Ethiopia, where
lenders are hoping reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will liberalise an
antiquated and state-dominated banking sector. An entrance into the Ethiopian
market of 100 million people, while not imminent, would be part of a strategy
Absa laid out after its split from Britain’s Barclays in 2017. Several South
Africa banks have looked to the rest of the continent for growth, as a slow
economy and under-pressure consumer weigh on potential at home. Absa, which
wants to double its share of revenues on the continent to 12 percent, saw
earnings from its operations elsewhere in Africa grow by 9 percent in 2018, the
fastest of all its divisions, its annual results showed.
SOURCES: CGTN
AFRICA
Driving Mr Kenyatta
When an African leader visits the other, it is a time to roll
out the best in terms of hospitality – red carpets, chauffeur driven flashy
cars, the salutes, handshakes, hugs etc. But for some political leaders, it is
also a time to break the status quo and do what one might call the ‘out of the
world.’ Like Rwandan president Paul Kagame opted to do on Monday, drive his
guest. His counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta was in town for a one-day visit as part
of a national event. Kagame at a point opted to drive him as per photos shared
by Rwanda’s presidency.
SOURCES: AFRICA
NEWS