By Sarah Miansoni with AFP Gabon authorities have arrested main opposition leader and vocal government critic Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, his political party said in a statement on Thursday. Bilie-By-Nze was detained at his home late on Wednesday, his Together For Gabon (EPG) party said, adding that it was carried out in “conditions that we consider arbitrary, brutal and manifestly contrary to the fundamental principles of the rule of law.” The party said the arrest is linked to a 2008 event for which the politician was at the head of the organising committee. The case relates to “a debt that the Gabonese…
Author: Montage Africa
South African police say have they arrested “wanted fugitive” French-born Beninese activist Kemi Seba while he was allegedly attempting to flee to Europe through Zimbabwe. Seba, whose real name is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is wanted in Benin on charges of “inciting rebellion” after supporting last year’s foiled coup there. He was arrested on Monday alongside his 18-year-old son in a sting operation at a shopping centre in Pretoria. A “facilitator” who had allegedly been paid to help them illegally cross to Zimbabwe was also detained. Seba, 45, is known for opposing French influence in Africa, backing West Africa’s…
By Rédaction Africanews Nigerian airlines say they will suspend operations from April 20, 2026, citing the rising cost of aviation fuel and what they describe as exploitative pricing by fuel marketers. The decision, which could disrupt air travel nationwide, was communicated in a letter dated April 14 by the President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Abdulmunaf Sarina, according to sources familiar with the matter. Fuel prices push airlines to the brink Industry operators say the cost of Jet A1 fuel has climbed to unsustainable levels, making it increasingly difficult to maintain daily operations. Fuel expenses account for a significant…
By Africanews with AP Sudan has entered a fourth year of a devastating conflict widely described as an “abandoned crisis,” with global attention increasingly diverted by instability elsewhere, particularly in the Middle East. Yet the scale of suffering in the North African nation continues to deepen, with no end in sight to the war between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has forced an estimated 13 million people from their homes, creating what aid agencies call the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. At least 59,000 people have been killed, while more than 11,000 remain missing,…
By Rédaction Africanews with agencies Pope Leo XIV has told Cameroon’s government to root out corruption during a forthright address on the second leg of his African tour. “In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption – which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility – must be broken,” he told those gathered at the presidential palace in the capital, Yaoundé, including President Paul Biya. The 93-year-old president won an eighth term last year in a disputed poll and his administration faces criticism over allegations of corruption, bad governance and a failure to tackle security.…
Leading South African opposition politician Julius Malema, 45, has been sentenced to five years after being found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public. But Magistrate Twanet Olivier allowed the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and MP to appeal against the verdict and sentencing, meaning that he will not immediately be taken to prison. Earlier, standing in the East London court in a dark suit and red tie, Malema showed little emotion as Olivier read out the sentence even though his political future is at stake. Last year, he was convicted of five…
Pope Leo XIV has told Cameroon’s government to root out corruption during a forthright address on the second leg of his African tour. “In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption – which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility – must be broken,” he told those gathered at the presidential palace in the capital, Yaoundé, including President Paul Biya. The 93-year-old president won an eighth term last year in a disputed poll and his administration faces criticism over allegations of corruption, bad governance and a failure to tackle security. The Pope is now in…
By Sarah Miansoni with AP Senegal has issued the first conviction under a new law increasing the punishment for homosexuality. A court in Dakar suburb Pikine-Guédiawaye sentenced a 24-year-old labourer on Friday (10 April) to six years in prison and fined him 2 million CFA ($3,300) for “acts against nature and public indecency.” He was arrested earlier this month. Senegal is the latest African country to impose harsher penalties against the LGBTQ+ community. On 31 March, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed into law a new legislation doubling the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, from five to 10 years in…
By Rédaction Africanews In the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, dozens gathered at what is known as a ‘standing parliament.’ Among the crowd were supporters of the presidential party. The gatherings are being used to both test and champion certain ideas from those in power, according to observers. Some spoke of the conflict in the country. “When we finish the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, that will be the moment when we will change the Constitution,” Jean-Claude Mwamba, coordinator of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress’ (UDPS) ‘standing parliaments.’ “All those things…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP In Colombia, authorities have approved a plan to cull dozens of hippos descended from animals once brought in by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, as their rapidly growing population continues to threaten communities and native wildlife. The hippos, which roam freely in parts of central Colombia, have multiplied far beyond their original numbers, raising alarm among environmental officials who warn they are disrupting ecosystems and endangering local species. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said a euthanasia protocol is being developed to allow environmental authorities to carry out controlled population reduction measures with scientific support.…