Luanda Leaks | UK-Africa Summit |Strive Saves Zim Doctors
This Week In Africa | Issue 03 | 19th Jan — 25th Jan 2020
In this weeks monitor, we look at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists report on Angola’s former first daughter dubbed the Luanda leaks, we also understand what was at stake at the first UK — Africa summit in London and learn more about unique Ethiopian Calendar in the Afri-fact column.
Politics:
- Isabel Dos Santos, Angola’s former first daughter at the centre of Luanda Leaks
“Luanda Leaks, a new investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and 36 media partners, exposes two decades of unscrupulous deals that made dos Santos Africa’s wealthiest woman and left oil- and diamond-rich Angola one of the poorest countries on Earth. Based on more than 715,000 confidential financial and business records and hundreds of interviews, Luanda Leaks offers a case study of a growing global problem: Thieving rulers, often called kleptocrats, and their family members and associates are moving ill-gotten public money to offshore secrecy jurisdictions, often with the help of prominent Western firms. From there, the money is used to buy up properties, businesses and other valuable assets, or it is simply hidden away, safe from tax authorities and criminal investigators.” Source: ICIJ
- Burundi President, Pierre Nkurunziza will be called ‘Supreme Leader” when he leaves office.
“Burundi’s national assembly has voted to pay President Pierre Nkurunziza $530,000 (£400,000) and provide him with a luxury villa when he leaves office in May. The draft law, which has been presented to the cabinet for approval, also awards him a lifetime salary. It also proposes that Mr Nkurunziza be elevated to the title of “supreme leader” when he steps down.” Source: CGTN NEWS
- Felix Tshikedi Celebrates One Year In Office
Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo exactly a year ago, it was hailed as a landmark moment — the first peaceful transfer of power in the vast country’s almost six-decade history. The BBC tracks his one year in power by checking if he has solved DRC’s six biggest problems: conflict in the East, Ebola outbreak, Measles outbreak, building the country, escaping poverty and political tensions. Source: BBC Africa
Elections:
- Comoros: President Azali Assoumani’s Party Wins Elections Boycotted by Opposition.
“The Convention for the Renewal of Comoros (CRC) won 17 out of 24 legislative seats, while two other places went to parties in the presidential coalition. The second round of voting will take place on February 23 to allocate the remaining five seats, the electoral commission said on Monday. Opposition parties stayed away from the weekend contest in the Indian Ocean islands’ national assembly after saying they had failed to obtain guarantees of a “transparent, free and democratic” election. Source: The African Exponent
- Prominent Banker Arrested in Malawi Election Bribery Case
“A prominent Malawian banker has been arrested in connection with a suspected attempt to bribe a panel of five judges presiding over the country’s presidential election vote-rigging case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said it arrested Thomson Mpinganjira on Wednesday after receiving a complaint on December 8 alleging that some people were attempting to bribe the judges of the Constitutional Court.” Source: Aljazeera
- Ouattara promises peaceful elections in uneasy Côte d’Ivoire
“President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire promised on Tuesday (21 Jan 2020) that the country’s October 2020 elections will be “democratic, transparent and peaceful,” though the West African nation is increasingly troubled over the targeting of political opponents and Ouattara’s own intentions regarding any third term. Ouattara, speaking at Chatham House in London, addressed the issue of “how to ensure stability and inclusion” during the elections. The president described how the country got back on track following the 2010 electoral crisis, which led to a civil war in which 3,000 people died and another 300,000 were displaced.” Source: Africa Times
Foreign Policy:
- UK — Africa Investment Summit
“Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered his administration’s first major statement on Africa when he hosted African presidents for the UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020. He spoke mainly about existing private sector initiatives, pushing the idea that the UK is an ‘obvious partner of choice’ for Africa, highlighting financial services in London, tech innovation, security co-operation and the UK’s higher education sector. The Summit’s pre-publicity described the UK’s desire to take advantage of leaving the EU to secure trade and investment opportunities in Africa, making London a centre for ‘development financing’ for a rapidly growing continent, perhaps even, rather fancifully, the largest source for foreign direct investment (FDI) for Africa.” Source: SOAS Blog
- Rwanda Plans To Waive Visa Fees Africans
Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, said in the UK-Africa summit in London that Rwanda is considering waiving visa fees for Africans entering the country. Also to benefit are Commonwealth and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) citizens. Source: The African Exponent
- Six African Foreign Ministers Meet In Algeria Over Libya Conflict
“Foreign ministers from nations bordering Libya have been meeting in Algeria to discuss ways of stopping the fighting there. Egypt, Sudan and Tunisia are among the countries that have been affected by the Libyan conflict. But the temporary ceasefire is shaky and Libya’s warring parties have already met in Berlin, with another meeting planned later in Geneva.” Source: Aljazeera
- Madagascar opens up senior govt positions to public
“A major recruitment campaign for senior government officials has begun in Madagascar. Interested persons since January 12 can apply for positions in an online platform.It includes positions for director of service in ministries, governor, ambassador, adviser to the president, and ministers. Interested persons have until Friday January 24th to submit their applications..” Africanews
Business:
- Strive Masiwa pays striking Zim doctors
“Zimbabwe’s doctors have agreed to return to work after accepting a funding offer from a billionaire, ending a prolonged strike. The strike over pay and poor conditions lasted more than four months, paralysing the country’s healthcare sector. Last year, Zimbabwean telecoms billionaire Strive Masiyiwa tabled an offer to break the impasse. Mr Masiyiwa said he would set up a 100m Zimbabwean dollar ($6.25m; £4.8m) fund. He said this fund would pay up to 2,000 doctors a subsistence allowance of about US$300 a month to help them with transport and living costs.” Source: BBC
- Prof Clive Chirwa Invents Bus For Zambian Road
“Renowned Zambian UK based Professor Clive Chirwa has designed and manufactured a high roof monocoque bus according to the Provisions of Statutory Instrument (SI) No 79 of 2016. This is the first ever AUVIV bus to be manufactured according to the Zambian laws.” Lusaka Times
Sports:
- Qatar 2020 FIFA World Cup Africa Qualifier Draws Out
Social Media Trends:
- Twitter Reacts To Patrice Motsepe Telling Trump Africa Loves Him.
South African mining billionaire Patrice Motsepe divided twitter after a comment he made at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He said, “We do business in 50 countries and I had the honour of being one of the 100 greatest business minds by Forbes and it was an honour to be with you. All we wanted to say is Africa loves America. Africa loves you [Donald Trump].”
Afri-Fact:
- Why Is The Ethiopian Calendar Is 7 Years Behind?
The seven-year difference is a result of the distinction in the belief as to when Jesus Christ was born. While the world adopted the Gregorian calendar beliefs that Jesus was born 2020 years ago, Ethiopian scholars believed that he was born 2012 years ago. Furthermore, the Gregorian calendar is based on the lunar cycle the Ethiopian calendar follows solar cycle (similar to that of the Coptic calendar) resulting in different leap years.
Their calendar has 13 months in a year because it has 365 days in a year and 366 days in a leap year (which happens every four years later) However, in the Ethiopian calendar, there are 12 months with 30 days (equally distributed unlike the Gregorian one which assumes some months with 28, 31, or 29 days) So if you calculate 12*30=360. Now if you deduct 360 from 365/366, there will be 5/6 days left. That is the last 13th month that has 5 days /6 on leap years / and it’s called Pwagme.
(Published late due to circumstances beyond our control)
