Malawi launches $40 cash transfer to cushion the poor

Malawi launches emergency cash transfer programme targeting about 1 million people and small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, President Arthur Peter Mutharika said on Tuesday. Eligible households will receive a 35,000 Malawi kwacha ($40) monthly payment, matching the country’s minimum wage, through mobile cash transfer starting in May, Mutharika said. “This will strengthen livelihoods,” […]

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Rwandan police chief accused of child refugee sexual harassment at UN centre

An allegation that a Rwandan police commander sexually assaulted a child refugee has rocked an EU-funded scheme, under which hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from detention centres in Libya. The allegation was made by a 16-year-old Eritrean boy, who had returned to Gashora transit centre, south of Kigali, after a coronavirus-related […]

Nigeria Red Cross donates relief items to the vulnerable

In Nigeria, the Red Cross in Lagos has distributed relief items to vulnerable people reeling under pressure over lockdown. The Makoko community is one of the hardest hit as the city observes the lockdown to help curtail spread of the coronavirus. Adebola Kolawole is the Branch Chairperson of Nigeria Red Cross. She told the Associated […]

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Calm in Niger as Ramadan begins

It was a calm day in Niamey on day one of the Holy month of Ramadan. It follows protest against a curfew and ban on mass prayers to help curtail spread of the coronavirus. But tension still persists in Niger. “It’s very difficult, I’ve been here since the beginning of the afternoon but business is […]

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Ghana to test 8,000 police deployed to coronavirus hot spots

Over 8,000 police officers are to be tested for COVID-19 after they were deployed in virus hot spots during a three-week lockdown that was lifted last Sunday by President Akufo-Addo. They were part of 30,000 police – military deployment. The figure represents about one-third of officers deployed over the period to enforce the measure meant […]

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COVID-19 will worsen South Sudan’s existing challenges – WFP

Country Director for the UN World Food Programme in South Sudan has warned of the risk posed by COVID-19 in the country. The East-Central African nation is, already struggling with hunger due to conflict, its harsh climate and locust invasions. Matthew Hollingworth told the media: “Last year we had to feed 5 million people due […]

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Virus-free Lesotho extends lockdown amid political showdown

With the expiration of an initial three-week nationwide lockdown, Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has extended the coronavirus prevention measure by another by two weeks. The lockdown expired on Tuesday (April 21) but will now run till 5 May. Lesotho remains one of two African countries yet to record infections, the other being Comoros. PM […]

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In 10 years, Victoria Falls hits the highest point

The Victoria Falls appears to be thoroughly enjoying its alone time, reaching its highest flows in a decade in a powerful display of breath-taking beauty and intensity, whilst ironically, no-one is there to witness. The Victoria Falls rainforest is closed, as like the rest of the world, Zimbabwe is in lockdown to protect against the […]

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Mali counts votes held amid coronavirus pandemic

Vote counting began on Monday in Mali as polling stations closed in the final round of legislative elections held on Sunday April 19. The vote was held amid the coronavirus pandemic with the aim to revive confidence in the country’s embattled governance institutions despite a bloody terrorist conflict. Sunday’s vote was the second and final […]

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South Africa: Soldier dies in high-speed chase of weapons loaded vehicle

A member of the South African Defence Force has died while two of his colleagues and a police officer were injured during an accident in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, at the weekend. According to the Mpumalanga police, the three members of the SANDF and a police officer chased a silver Volvo sedan which was believed to have […]

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18 dead in enforcement of Nigeria COVID-19 lockdown – report

Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday claimed in a report that security operatives killed 18 civilians during enforcement of a total lockdown in major cities in the country over the novel coronavirus. The commission, founded under a special law to monitor human rights violations in Nigeria, said in a report it got 105 petitions […]

Account in Nigeria linked to European COVID-19 mask fraud – INTERPOL

INTERPOL on Tuesday unmasked an international COVID-19 fraud racket straddling three European countries – Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. Nigeria was mentioned, as home to an account that was to receive a fraudulent onward transfer sum. The elaborate plan that targeted German health authorities had to do with securing of face masks in the wake […]

Eritrean diaspora donating to coronavirus combat, case tally at 34

Eritrea coronavirus statistics as of April 14 stood at 34, no death and no recoveries have so far been announced meaning all 34 patients were under treatment. The last time an increase was recorded being April 10. The country continues to celebrate the financial commitment and contributions of its diaspora in supporting government efforts to […]

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In Liberia capital Monrovia, residents down play coronavirus lockdown

People in the Liberian capital, Monrovia are downplaying the country’s three-week State of Emergency declaration and lockdown imposed by the government to help fight COVID-19. While the government is keen to beat down the spread, misinformation is taking the better side of it according to reports from the West African country. A Reuters report said […]

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Edem Kodjo: Togo mourns ex-Prime Minister, Africa remembers ex-OAU chief

The government and people of Togo are mourning the death of a former Prime Minister of the West African country, Edem Kodjo. The former diplomat died at the age of 82 in the French capital Paris on Saturday, April 11. The current Togolese Foreign Minister in reacting to the news posted on Twitter: “A brilliant […]

Why Chad quit all external military operations

Chadian soldiers deployed outside the country are packing their bags. President Idriss Déby on Friday announced the end of the presence of Chadian soldiers around Lake Chad. They were not only fighting against the jihadists, but also in the Sahel, where they supported the Barkhane force. The announcement comes after N’djamena said it had killed […]

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Coronavirus: Lesotho, Comoros virus-free; stats of most impacted nations

There are two African countries that have not recorded a case of coronavirus as of April 7. 52 countries have officially recorded cases. The death toll is past 500 whiles recoveries are also past 1400. Cases have also passed the 11,000 mark. The only region with virus-free countries being southern Africa where Comoros and Lesotho […]

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DR Congo closes off Gombe, Kinshasa’s ‘coronavirus epicenter

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital on Monday Kinshasa closed off its upmarket business district known as ‘Gombe’ for two weeks. The country also began large-scale disinfection in a bid to root out DR Congo’s main suspected source of coronavirus. Joshua Kashala, medical epidemiologist of hygiene at the borders told the media: “Here we are […]