As we wrap up the week, here are the top stories from Africa. Rwanda prepares for its presidential poll in July 2024, while Kenya takes a step towards financial stability by settling an extra $17 million debt owed by Kenya Airways.
Additionally, Kenya announces plans to become a visa-free country for all tourists starting January 2024. In a significant development, a Ugandan serial killer is sentenced to 105 years for the tragic murders of four girlfriends. South Africa gears up to address its power challenges by launching bids for 2,500 megawatts of nuclear power.
Lastly, two Zimbabweans face charges for allegedly trafficking 14 children from Midrand to Cape Town, shedding light on the urgency to combat human trafficking in the region.
Check out all the top stories below:
RWANDA TO HOLD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NEXT JULY
The election commission in Rwanda sets the date for presidential and parliamentary polls on July 15 next year, with President Paul Kagame eyeing a fourth term.
President Paul Kagame, at 66, has maintained a firm grip on the nation, securing more than 90 percent of the vote in the elections of 2003, 2010, and 2017. His influence extended with controversial constitutional amendments in 2015, enabling him to pursue additional terms and remain in power until 2034.
KENYA TO BE A VISA-FREE COUNTRY FOR ALL TOURISTS FROM JANUARY 2024
Starting from January 2024, Kenya plans to remove visa requirements for everyone around the world. President William Ruto revealed this decision, emphasizing Kenya’s dedication to global connections and opening up its borders to boost social and economic growth.
“Beginning January 2024, Kenya will be a visa-free country. It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya,” Ruto said.
“All travellers will obtain electronic travel authorisation,” Ruto said, emphasising background checks as a prerequisite for travel into Kenya.
UGANDAN SERIAL KILLER SENTENCED TO 105 YEARS FOR KILLING FOUR GIRLFRIENDS
A 25-year-old man named Musa Musasizi has been sentenced to 105 years in prison by the High Court in Kampala, Uganda, for the terrible murders of three women, identified as his girlfriends, and a three-month-old infant who was the child of one of the victims.
Musasizi, who admitted guilt, engaged in romantic relationships with the women, subjecting them to assault and ending their lives, and shockingly burning and disposing of their bodies.
Justice Margaret Mutonyi’s sentencing emphasizes the severity of Musasizi’s crimes, with a lengthy prison term necessary to protect young women, including his own six-year-old daughter, as reported by the privately-owned NTV channel.
SOUTH AFRICA TO LAUNCH BIDS FOR 2,500 MEGAWATTS NUCLEAR POWER STATION
Amidst continuous power blackouts, South Africa plans to launch a bidding process for an additional 2,500 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power by March 2024, aiming to address its worst power outages on record.
South Africa intends to include 2,500 megawatts of new nuclear generation, with the first of the new units likely to commence operations in 2032 or 2033, as mentioned by Zizamele Mbambo, Deputy Director-General of Nuclear Power at the South African Energy Ministry, during a press briefing (on Tuesday, 12 December 2023).
Ramokgopa dubbed the additional 2,500MW of nuclear power as a “significant milestone,” noting that it is part of the government’s plan to address the “existential challenge” the country faces in ensuring long-term energy security.
During the press briefing, Electricity Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa mentioned that it will take at least three to four years for South Africans to experience the benefits of the new generation capacity, adding, “We are starting the process of gazetting, so we are essentially triggering a procurement process.”
IVORY COAST IMPROVES SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE AHEAD OF 2024 AFCON
In getting ready to host the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament starting in January 2024, Ivory Coast has made new roads and built four sports stadiums, showing its commitment to growing local football and proving it can host big international events.
“Ivory Coast will become a hub in the sub-region. All countries in the sub-region which do not have approved stadiums will be welcome,” said Idriss Diallo, president of the Ivorian Football Federation.
Speaking about Ivory Coast’s preparations, Diallo mentioned that the country has invested over $1 billion in roads, stadiums, hospitals, and other infrastructure for the upcoming competition, scheduled to take place in multiple cities from January 13 to February 11.
The Africa Cup of Nations, initially delayed due to weather concerns, is set to be held in Ivory Coast in January 2024.
MAN ALLEGEDLY COMMITS SUICIDE AFTER LOSING N2.5 MILLION BET
Tragically, in Abia State, Nigeria’s South-east, a 31-year-old man named Chukwuma Onoh took his own life after losing N2.5 million in an online bet, where he borrowed N1.2 million from friends and added his own N1.3 million but didn’t win, PREMIUM TIMES reports.
Per the report, Earlier on the same day, Mr. Onoh sent a WhatsApp message to a man claiming to be his boss, asking for help to pay off a debt of N1.2 million he owed after losing N2.5 million in a bet.
“The only option is to end my life as I cannot live with the shame. I have turned into a gambler because of no job, and right now, I am at a point if I don’t redeem my debt, I might kill myself to pay the debt,” he reportedly wrote in the WhatsApp message seen by PREMIUM TIMES.
“I used N2,500,000 to place a bet and N1.2 m is not my own and if I don’t pay up today. I will be dead by the time you read this message. As I type this message, I am where I want to buy a sniper,” he added.
TWO ZIMBABWEANS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKING 14 KIDS FROM MIDRAND TO CAPE TOWN
Two individuals from Zimbabwe were arrested for human trafficking when they were found on a bus with 14 undocumented children, marking the second incident of child trafficking in recent days.
Last week we reported that: South africa stops buses carrying more than 400 children from zimbabwe.
Regarding the latest incident, it is alleged that on Tuesday night, a 46-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman were seen boarding a bus in Midrand with 14 undocumented children, including eight boys and six girls aged between six and 14, according to Provincial Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe.
“Police were alerted to the incident by a vigilant passenger in a bus from Midrand in Johannesburg en route to Cape Town.
“The suspects claimed to be taking the kids to their parents in Cape Town, information the police could not verify, leading to the arrest.”
WYCLEF JEAN INKS DEAL TO BUILD A TECH HUB IN NIGERIA
Grammy-winning artist and entrepreneur Wyclef Jean has joined forces with Caribbean International Commerce (CICH), a tech organization assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to set up a tech hub in Plateau State, Nigeria.
This deal aims to create a technology and infrastructure hub covering more than 4000 hectares of land within the state.
Plateau State, home to around 3.5 million people, is the 12th largest state in Nigeria, situated in the central part of the country. It features hills around its capital, Jos Plateau, and the entire plateau area.
This tech hub in Plateau will have modern music and movie studios.
WHO CONFIRMS 25 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 IN NIGERIA
As of December 13, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced 25 new coronavirus cases in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria.
The WHO officer for the state, Ogechukwu Chigbo, shared this information during a meeting about COVID-19 in Makurdi, the state’s capital.
Additionally, while the NCDC is yet to report the new cases in Benue State, its COVID-19 dashboard as of December 13 shows a total of 266,675 confirmed cases and 3,155 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SPEAKS ON REPORT OF ILLEGAL KIDNEY TRADE
Addressing the issue head-on, the Nigerian government has admitted the existence of an illegal kidney trade in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and has explained the steps it is taking to prevent it.
In a report by Daily Trust, it was revealed that illegal kidney trade is a thriving business in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where agents freely operate, enticing young men from low-income backgrounds to sell their kidneys.
The investigation also pointed out that Nigeria’s socio-economic difficulties have added to the struggles of these young men, who sell their kidneys without considering the long-term consequences, as there is no regulatory body overseeing this in Nigeria.
Responding to these discoveries, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate clarified through his Twitter account that there is a policy and legal framework in place to regulate health practices in Nigeria, including medical transplantation.
KENYA SETTLES $17M EXTRA KENYA AIRWAYS DEBT
Kenya’s National Treasury has recently taken on a greater financial responsibility by paying off Ksh2.7 billion ($17.62 million) in Kenya Airways (KQ) guaranteed debt over the last three months, inheriting the burden from the national carrier.
In the past three months, the payments made include Ksh2.37 billion ($15.5 million) for repaying the main amount and Ksh351.29 million ($2.3 million) for paying interest, as reported by the Controller of Budget (COB).
Kenya Airways has now paid a total of Ksh13.35 billion ($87.1 million) on its guaranteed debt, with the first payment made in the quarter ending December 2022.
Share your thoughts on this article and join the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.
