Zimbabwe election run-up ‘flawed’

 
Zimbabwe is failing to meet its democratic obligations in the run up to polls on 29 March, a rights group says.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the government has intimidated opposition supporters, and that the electoral process is deeply flawed.
The US-based group says the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is inadequately prepared to run the poll.
But the [...]

Police to resist Zimbabwe change

 
Zimbabwe’s police chief has warned he will not let opposition “puppets” take power in elections later this month, state media reports.
Augustine Chihuri said President Robert Mugabe’s redistribution of white-owned land would never be reversed.
Mr Mugabe says the opposition are “puppets” of Western powers who want to block land reform – which they deny.
Mr Chihuri is [...]

Morocco’s “Facebook criminal” Fouad Mourtada continues to be a talking point in the country

  
Human rights organisations have called for his immediate release, his family is concerned for him in prison, people all around the world have protested against his jail sentence, and ordinary Moroccans have taken to the streets to demand he is set free.

 

At the end of February, Mourtada was sentenced to three years in jail.
His crime [...]

Zuma challenges evidence

 
The leader of South Africa’s governing ANC is at the Constitutional Court to try to prevent prosecutors using some evidence against him.
Jacob Zuma’s lawyers argue his constitutional rights to privacy were violated when investigators raided his home three years ago.
They seized evidence, allegedly linking him to corruption – which he denies.
As African National Congress [...]

Mugabe approves new ownership law

 

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has approved legislation giving local owners the right to take a majority share of foreign companies.
Mr Mugabe’s formal approval of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Bill comes three weeks ahead of his country’s presidential elections.
Under the legislation, every company must have at least 51% of their shares owned by black [...]

Nigerian party picks new leader

 

The governing People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has elected Vincent Ogbulafor as its new leader at a convention in the capital, Abuja.
Mr Ogbulafor is the party’s former general secretary and is considered a compromise candidate, able to unite different factions of the party.
His election is seen as a setback for ex-leader Olusegun Obasanjo [...]

China talks tough over Darfur

 
China has issued an unusually energetic call to its ally, Sudan, to do more to stop fighting in Darfur.
The “humanitarian disaster” in the region was a grave concern to China’s government, said its envoy Liu Guijin.
Mr Liu called for Khartoum to do more to speed up the arrival of peacekeepers in the region but [...]

Violence halts aid mission for Darfur refugees

GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency canceled an aid mission for Darfur refugees because of fighting near Chad’s border with the Sudanese region, the agency said Friday.

Two wounded rebels wait with detainees in Chad. Fighting in Chad and attacks in Sudan are disrupting aid missions.

The mission would have taken relief supplies to some [...]

Uganda boycotts Anglican meeting

 

The Anglican Church in Uganda is to boycott the Lambeth Conference, a meeting of the world’s Anglican bishops held once every 10 years.
The move is in protest at invitations being sent to bishops who condone active homosexuality.
The extent of the boycott was unclear but a significant number of bishops would be absent, said BBC [...]

Mugabe rival expelled from party”kazi ipo”"

Zimbabwe’s ruling party has expelled ex-Finance Minister Simba Makoni who announced he would challenge Robert Mugabe for the presidency in March. “The rules are very clear that anyone who tries to challenge an elected candidate of the party stands expelled,” a Zanu-PF spokesman said.President Mugabe will face three challengers as both factions of the opposition [...]