As we wrap up the week, here are the top stories from Africa. Kenya plans to ban private children’s homes to combat trafficking concerns, Zimbabwe mourns at least 10 lives lost in a gold mine collapse.
A university student is tragically killed in a dispute over a female classmate, the WHO announces a second malaria vaccine for children set to roll out in 2024, Chicago State University finally discloses Tinubu’s academic records, and Morocco, Spain, and Portugal secure the 2030 World Cup hosting rights.
KENYA TO BAN PRIVATE CHILDREN’S HOMES OVER TRAFFICKING FEARS
Kenya’s government, as announced by Minister of Social Protection Florence Bore, plans to eliminate all privately owned orphanages and children’s homes over the next eight years to combat child trafficking.
She pointed out that privately run homes have been used for child trafficking.
“The reason why we are closing them up is because we have been given directions under the Children’s Act that the private homes should be closed. They have also been routes for child trafficking, so the government wants us to retain the institutions that we have under the Child Welfare Society of Kenya,” Bore stated.
AT LEAST 10 KILLED IN ZIMBABWE GOLD MINE COLLAPSE
So far 10 illegal miners have lost their lives in a ground collapse at Zimbabwe’s Bay Horse mine in Chegutu, west of the capital Harare, while 15 others remain trapped underground, as reported by state television on Friday, 29 September 2023.
Local reports indicate that around 42 artisanal miners were working below ground at the mine, with 21 of them successfully rescued and another 10 thought to be trapped in the debris. Ongoing rescue operations are still in progress.
NIGERIA: VARSITY STUDENT KILLED FOLLOWING CLASH OVER FEMALE SCHOOLMATE
A student at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Katsina State in Nigeria was killed following a clash between students over a relationship with a female student.
The tragic incident involving eight university students reportedly occurred at Darawa quarters, Dutsinma LGA, Katsina State, around 1:20 pm on Thursday.
Per the Premium Times, the father of the deceased, Nasir Barda, mentioned that his son was killed following a row with some students over a female student who was in a relationship with the deceased student.
“His (the deceased) friends told me that he had an argument with some students who accused him of snatching their friend’s girlfriend. After the heated argument, as I was told, all the parties involved sat and reached a consensus. I learnt that the lady in question even said she is the one who loves my son,” the senior Mr Barda said.
Latest development: The Katsina Police spokesperson, Abubakar Sadik, said the command has arrested six students in connection with the killing.
“On September 28, 2023, at about 1320 hrs, a tragic incident occurred at Darawa quarters, Dutsinma LGA, Katsina State, involving eight (8) students of the Federal University Dutsinma. The incident was the result of a heated altercation between the students over a relationship with a fellow female student, which escalated tragically, leading to the death of one of the students involved,” Mr Sadik said.
“The Command takes this matter very seriously and is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the facts surrounding the incident, as six (6) of the students in connection with the incident have been arrested. We are working diligently to gather and analyze all available evidence, including eyewitness testimonies, with the aim of establishing a comprehensive understanding of the events that transpired while upholding the principles of justice and fairness,” he said.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
(WHO) ANNOUNCES SECOND MALARIA VACCINE FOR CHILDREN, ROLLING OUT 2024
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the new R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine for children’s prevention. This vaccine, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine’s WHO endorsement in 2021, is proven safe and effective, with the potential for significant public health impact. Malaria, which takes a heavy toll on children in the African Region, will be targeted by these vaccines.
International procurement of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine is in progress upon WHO prequalification, and it will be introduced alongside the RTS,S vaccine in early 2024 in at least 28 African countries, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Key features of the R21 malaria vaccine:
- High efficacy during the high transmission season: In places with seasonal malaria (where it occurs mainly for 4-5 months a year), the R21 vaccine reduced malaria cases by 75% in the year following a 3-dose series. A fourth dose a year later maintained this high effectiveness, similar to RTS,S vaccine when given seasonally.
- Good efficacy with an age-based schedule: The vaccine showed 66% effectiveness during the year after the first 3 doses, and a fourth dose after a year kept it effective.
- High public health impact: Mathematical models predict that the R21 vaccine will have a significant impact on public health in various malaria transmission areas, even in low transmission settings.
- Cost-effective: Priced at US$ 2 – US$ 4 per dose, the R21 vaccine is cost-effective, and comparable to other recommended malaria measures and childhood vaccines.
- Similarity with RTS,S: While R21 and RTS,S are both WHO-recommended vaccines, they haven’t been directly compared. There’s no evidence that one is better than the other. The choice of vaccine depends on programmatic factors, vaccine availability, and affordability.
- Safety: Clinical trials confirm the safety of the R21 vaccine, with ongoing safety monitoring as is standard for new vaccines.
TINUBU APPROVES N35,000 PROVISIONAL WAGE INCREASE FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has given the go-ahead for a temporary wage increase of N35,000 for all federal government workers who are paid from the treasury. This decision comes after discussions with the Federal Government delegation that recently met with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Tinubu made this announcement during a speech commemorating Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary on Sunday, October 1, 2023.
The president stated that the new raise will apply for the next six months, as part of the government’s efforts to ease the financial burden on families and households.
CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY FINALLY RELEASES TINUBU’S ACADEMIC RECORDS
Chicago State University (CSU), on Monday, 02 October 2023 released Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu’s academic records to his political opponent Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This action follows Atiku’s legal victory in his quest to examine Tinubu’s qualifications for the February 25 presidential election.
Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that documents from Chicago State University suggest that President Bola Tinubu may have submitted a counterfeit certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement, said:
“The samples of redacted certificates handed to us by CSU show that the one submitted to INEC by Tinubu was indeed a forgery, and this will be made known during the deposition, which will be done under oath.”
Shaibu further stated that the documents made public also reveal that the procedure for Tinubu’s enrollment at CSU was likewise deceptive.
Amidst this ongoing situation, the latest development reveals that Chicago State University (CSU) has confirmed the validity of President Bola Tinubu’s diploma certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
As reported by The Nation, Chicago State University has verified the authenticity of President Tinubu’s certificate, which he presented during his graduation from the institution in 1979.
NETFLIX ENDS ITS FREE PLAN IN KENYA FROM NOVEMBER
As of November 1, 2023, streaming giant Netflix will discontinue its free plan in Kenya.
Netflix notified its free plan users of the announcement through emails on Tuesday.
“On November 1, 2023, the Free Plan will no longer be available and your membership will end. If you want to cancel; no action is required. Your membership will be automatically canceled when the Free plan ends.”
For users who want to continue enjoying content, they have the option to upgrade to one of Netflix’s paid plans, starting at just Ksh 200 (R27) per month, which unlocks access to all shows and movies, additional features, and the ability to watch on various devices, including phones, TVs, and laptops.
The free plan was launched in Kenya in 2021, offering users the convenience of watching ad-free Netflix content on their smartphones without the need for upfront payments upon registration.
MOROCCO-SPAIN-PORTUGAL TO HOST 2030 WORLD CUP
FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup for football will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, which is a joint intended bid by the three countries to host the tournament.
However, the first three matches will be played in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to mark the 100-year anniversary of the tournament.
“The FIFA Council unanimously agreed that the sole candidacy will be the combined bid of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, which will host the event in 2030 and qualify automatically from the existing slot allocation subject to the completion of a successful bidding process conducted by Fifa and a decision by the Fifa Congress in 2024,” FIFA said in a statement.
The decision to hold the World Cup in six different countries across three continents could result in some teams playing their group matches in different seasons.
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