Kenya’s Lawmakers’ Opulent Lifestyles on Social Media Spark Public Outcry

Kenya’s Lawmakers’ Opulent Lifestyles on Social Media Spark Public Outcry

Luxury cars, private helicopters, and stacks of cash: the extravagant lives of Kenya's lawmakers showcased on platforms like TikTok and X have intensified discontent among the country's tech-savvy youth, already angered by proposed tax hikes last month as per Reuters. Protests spanning weeks against these tax measures have increasingly highlighted the high salaries, perks, and conspicuous consumption of MPs in a nation where a large majority of the population is […]

July 15, 2024 8

Africa

Four Rescued And Two Critically Injured As Building Collapses in Nigeria

Emergency officials have rescued four people after a section of a building collapsed in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. Two of them are critically injured, and receiving medical attention in hospital. Tesem Akende reports.

July 15, 2024 25

Africa

Paul Kagame has had an iron grip on Rwanda for decades – 6 essential reads on what keeps him in power

By Julius Maina, The Conversation and Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation There is little doubt that Paul Kagame will win the votes necessary to extend his 24-year rule in Rwanda’s general election on 15 July 2024. The ruling party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front, nominated Kagame as its presidential candidate during a congress in March. He got 99.1% of the vote. Kagame faces Frank Habineza, who […]

July 12, 2024 28

Africa

‘Kinship tax’ puts the brakes on business – Kenyan study measures the impact of helping family

By Munir Squires, University of British Columbia Imagine working hard to build your business, only to find that your success brings about a wave of requests for help that you can’t turn down. This is a reality for many in African communities, where sharing income is a deeply rooted tradition. In fact, 93% of Kenyans I surveyed in a study of entrepreneurs believed that […]

July 12, 2024 14

Africa

Kenya’s ambitious read-aloud event aims for a world record with 300,000 participant

By Seth Onyango, bird story agency More than 300,000 young voices echoed across over 3,000 schools in Kenya, all reading aloud in unison in an historic attempt to break the world record for the most people reading aloud from the same text, simultaneously. From 8:30 am to 9:00 am on Friday (July 12), learners from various regions participated in this ambitious endeavour, aiming to surpass the […]

July 12, 2024 38

Africa

President Ruto Of Kenya Sacks Cabinet Amidst Nationwide Protests

President William Ruto of Kenya has dismissed his entire cabinet, except for the foreign minister, in response to widespread protests against proposed tax increases- Reuters has it. The demonstrations, initially peaceful, escalated into violence resulting in 39 deaths during clashes with police. Protesters, including youth groups, briefly occupied parliament before Ruto withdrew the tax proposals.

July 12, 2024 8

Africa

Sudanese Factions Convene in Switzerland for UN Talks Amid Attendance Disparity

Sudan's opposing factions have convened in Geneva for U.N.-mediated discussions aiming to establish local ceasefires reports Reuters. These talks, prompted by the humanitarian crisis affecting millions amid ongoing conflict since April 2023, seek to enable aid delivery and protect civilians. Previous negotiations in Jeddah collapsed in late 2023 amidst ethnic violence linked to the Rapid Support Forces.

July 12, 2024 8

Africa

80% of Zimbabwe transactions in USD

Zimbabwe must take the necessary steps to end its reliance on the dollar and increase the use of its own currency, Information Secretary Nick Mangwana said. “The benefits of de-dollarisation far outweigh the costs, making it an urgent imperative for Zimbabwe to break free from the US dollar grip,” Mangwana said in an opinion piece published in the Herald newspaper. Bloomberg reports that more than 80% of Zimbabwe’s transactions are denominated […]

July 11, 2024 31

Africa

Ugandan Tik Toker jailed for insulting President

A Ugandan court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to six years in prison for insulting the president and the first family through his video posted on TikTok. The BBC reports that Edward Awebwa was charged with hate speech and spreading "misleading and malicious" information against President Yoweri Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, and son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is the head of the military.

July 11, 2024 10