Category: LATEST NEWS

The torrential rains that have recently fallen in Brazzaville have had serious consequences. Dozens of residents have lost their homes in landslides caused by the rains.

In the Don Bosco district in the ninth arrondissement in the north of the Congolese capital, the debris lying in this erosion is that of a Pentecostal church swept away in the landslide caused by rainwater.

A few days ago, the faithful were still praying there.

In the vicinity of this place of prayer, several modest, modern dwellings have also been destroyed by the same phenomenon, as Joseph Bango, a 68-year-old retired civil servant, explains.

“It just so happens that there have been three major rains which have caused disarray in the neighbourhood, causing some people to flee. Behind me, some houses have been cleared (as a precaution) and the occupants have left. They can no longer live in the neighbourhood. Right next door there was a lady who had a large house with 14 tenant doors. It’s been swallowed up. It’s a loss of income for her. She had a house here and on the other side,” said a visibly moved Mr Bango.

The other debris at the bottom of the ravine are shrouds taken from coffins in the graves of the old Itatolo cemetery. It’s a scene that has left the local population bewildered, with fears of epidemics.

“We’re in disarray, it’s practically a disaster area. We’ve been left to our own devices. We don’t have an appropriate laboratory to deal with epidemics. If the Hygiene Department could come and disinfect the area for us, that would be great, because there’s a fear of epidemics,” says Alexandre Oyoua, 73, one of the neighbourhood’s leaders.

In desperation, local residents are building dykes from scratch to try and halt the progress of the erosion. It’s almost a lost cause.

“It hurts our hearts. We can’t be happy because we don’t know where to go. These houses are the few we’ve been able to get. Erosion is progressing and preventing us from living better. In this neighbourhood we have a serious problem with erosion washing away our houses. Many people have deserted the area. Among them are retired people. As we speak, we can’t tell where they’re going to go, or whether they’re going to become tenants again,” said Saurelle Leboma and Jules Ferry, two young residents of the Don Bosco neighbourhood.

As soon as the sky darkens, the bodies of those who are still holding out beat faster and faster. Their houses are zero steps away from erosion and have a good chance of being destroyed.

“The rains have been falling relentlessly on Brazzaville since October. The skies are far from being kind again. The landslides that are sweeping away houses and graves in cemeteries are caused by the fragility of the soil and the lack of rainwater drainage systems”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi won the country’s presidential election with 89.6% of the vote, securing himself a new six-year term, the National Elections Authority announced on Monday.

The head of the Authority, Hazem Badawy, said that turnout had reached an “unprecedented” 66.8% among Egypt’s 67 million voters.

More than 39 million voters cast their ballots for Mr Sissi, who has been at the helm of the country for a decade.

The President was pitted against three candidates: Hazem Omar, leader of the Republican People’s Party and second in the poll with 4.5% of the vote, Farid Zahran, leader of a small left-wing party, and Abdel-Sanad Yamama of the Wafd, a century-old but now marginal party.

Mr Sissi’s victory guarantees him a third term in office, starting in April and supposed to be his last, under the Egyptian Constitution.

His election comes as no surprise in a country of 106 million people beset by multiple crises, ranging from purchasing power to the war in neighbouring Gaza.

In the midst of an economic crisis, inflation currently stands at 36.4%, while the currency has lost half its value and the price of certain basic foods is rising every week.

Two-thirds of the population live below or just above the poverty line.

In the 2014 and 2018 presidential elections, Mr Sissi won with more than 96% of the vote.

Rwanda’s government has eased operating restrictions for bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues, marking a significant shift just in time for the festive season.

Originally implemented in September to address concerns about “noise pollution” and public disturbance, these restrictions on “non-essential services” had reaped disapproval, especially from hotel, restaurant, and nightclub owners who faced shortened operating hours.

The Rwanda Development Board, a state-run entity, has now declared a reprieve. Between December 15 and January 17, bars are permitted to extend their operational hours until 02:00 (local time), with the added benefit of lifted restrictions on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays.

In a statement released on Thursday, the board expressed its desire for people to revel in the festive season: “The end of the year festive season has begun, and the government of Rwanda wants people to celebrate and enjoy.” Notably, these revised guidelines encompass private events as well.

Despite this relaxation, the board has issued a stern warning against violations, emphasizing the need for establishments to adhere to noise pollution regulations.

According to the measures instituted in September, sound levels in commercial areas are restricted to 55 decibels during the night. As Rwanda ushers in the holiday spirit, the government encourages celebration while ensuring compliance with necessary safeguards.

Security forces in South Africa have ramped up a clampdown on illegal miners.

On Thursday (Dec. 14), dozens of army and police searched shacks, seizing mining equipment in the Soul City settlement near Kagiso, west of Johannesburg, Africanewsguru.com journalist witnessed.

More than 70 people, mostly undocumented migrants, were held over two days in the area, which lies near disused gold mines, the provincial police commissioner told the media.

Some were arrested for drug dealing and possession of illegal firearms, he added.

Along with high unemployment and illegal immigration, rampant crime has become a key political issue ahead of general elections next year.

President Cyril Ramaphosa told a passing out ceremony for 1,400 new police recruits in the central city of Kimberly on Thursday that the country was “tired of crime”.

He revealed that over 250,000 arrests were made and 3,200 firearms seized since authorities launched a crackdown on criminality in May.

Commonly known as “zama zamas” (“those who try” in the Zulu language), thousands of informal miners operate in mineral-rich South Africa.

The Johannesburg region in particular is dotted with slag heaps, shafts and deep trenches left by generations of miners, whose arrival in a gold rush in the 1880s led to the birth of the city.

Many informal miners are from other countries, living and working in arduous conditions in the clandestine pits.

Their activities are seen as a source of criminality by locals.

Access to the old mines is often controlled by gangs that sometimes fight for territorial control.

The High Court in Kampala, Uganda, has sentenced 25-year-old Musa Musasizi to 105 years in prison for the heinous murders of three women and a three-month-old infant. The victims were identified as his girlfriends, and the infant was the child of one of the victims.

Musasizi, who pleaded guilty, pursued romantic relationships with the women before subjecting them to sexual assault and ultimately ending their lives. Shockingly, he went further by burning and disposing of their bodies, leaving a trail of horror.

The sentencing, delivered by Justice Margaret Mutonyi, underscores the gravity of Musasizi’s crimes. She emphasized the necessity of the lengthy sentence to safeguard young women, including Musasizi’s own six-year-old daughter, according to reports from the privately-owned NTV channel.

This case unfolded after Musasizi’s arrest in March 2021 on suspicion of killing five women and an infant. He was convicted in July for the murder of one of the victims. During the trial, Musasizi’s lawyer appealed for leniency, citing his difficult upbringing as a former street child.

The High Court’s decision serves as a critical step towards justice and sends a clear message about the severity of crimes against women and children in Uganda. The sentencing aims to protect the vulnerable and deter potential offenders, marking a crucial moment in the pursuit of a safer society.