As we wrap up the week, here are the top stories from Africa. In Kenya, a hospital’s decision to lay off 100 striking doctors has raised concerns about healthcare access.
Meanwhile, Zambia grapples with a suspected food poisoning outbreak, with over 80 individuals hospitalized. Tragedy struck in Mozambique as more than 90 lives were lost when a boat sank off its northern coast. On a more positive note, construction has commenced for two stadiums in Tanzania and Kenya, gearing up for the AFCON 2027.
Check out all the top stories below:
KENYAN HOSPITAL LAYS OFF 100 STRIKING DOCTORS
On Tuesday, the management of a public hospital in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, announced the layoff of 100 doctors participating in a nationwide strike that has persisted for nearly a month.
Around 7,000 members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and doctors have been protesting in Nairobi for nearly a month, advocating for improved pay and working conditions.
President William Ruto addressed the strike on Sunday, citing a lack of funds to compensate the striking doctors.
Amidst the strike, the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital said the recruitment of new doctors to replace those who were striking.
“We must be honest with ourselves and the truth is that we must live within our means, we can’t borrow money to pay salaries”, Ruto said.
On Tuesday, hundreds of doctors participated in protests and submitted a petition to parliament, urging lawmakers to intervene in their labor dispute, as the doctors’ union remained firm in its stance.
In 2017, Kenyan doctors struck for 100 days due to poor pay and working conditions, resulting in deaths from lack of care, and secured a pay increase agreement with the government.
Doctors now claim that part of the agreement made in 2017 has not been fulfilled.
80 HOSPITALIZED IN ZAMBIA DUE TO SUSPECTED FOOD POISONING
On Tuesday, the police reported that at least 80 individuals were hurried to different hospitals in Zambia’s Chililabombwe Town, Copperbelt Province, due to suspected food poisoning.
This incident comes after individuals consumed shawarma purchased from a fast-food outlet.
In a statement, Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Peacewell Mweemba reported that the incident occurred on April 7 when health workers at a hospital received 53 people complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting after consuming shawarma, with additional patients admitted to different health facilities with similar complaints.
According to the Police Commissioner, police visited Grace Clinic, finding 10 admitted patients, Lubengele Clinic with 3 admissions, and Konkola Mine Hospital with 14 admissions, totaling 80 patients hospitalized.
However, Mweemba mentioned that the patients’ condition is stable.
OVER 90 KILLED AS BOAT SINKS IN MOZAMBIQUE
On Monday, authorities reported that a makeshift ferry boat sank off the northern coast of Mozambique, resulting in the tragic loss of 96 lives, including children.
Officials stated that late on Sunday, a converted fishing boat transporting approximately 130 individuals, encountered difficulties while attempting to reach an island off Nampula province.
The individuals were leaving Mossuril following a panic caused by the misinformation about the cholera outbreak.
The Administrator of the Island of Mozambique, Silverio Nauaito, told AFP that:
“Five more (bodies) have been found in the last few hours, therefore we are talking about 96 deaths.”
Nauaito further stated that among them were three children, adding that rescuers have found 11 survivors
The boat was believed to have sunk due to overcrowding and unsuitability for passengers.
Search operations are continuing between the island of Mozambique and the Lungo administrative post in the district of Mossuril to locate more missing people.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS FOR TWO STADIUMS IN TANZANIA AND KENYA AHEAD OF AFCON 2027
Construction is underway for a modern soccer stadium in Tanzania’s northern city of Arusha by China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG), in preparation for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
Damas Ndumbaro, the Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, stated that the construction of the stadium is a significant milestone as Tanzania prepares to co-host the AFCON finals with Kenya and Uganda.
A 30,000-seat stadium in Arusha, northern Tanzania, and a 60,000-seat one in the Kenyan capital Nairobi will both host football matches during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
CRCEG will be taking care of the construction of a stadium, set to be named after Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, with a budget of 286 billion Tanzanian shillings (approximately $124 million). The stadium is expected to be completed within 22 months.
In Kenya, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has been granted the contract to construct Nairobi’s Talanta Stadium, a 60,000-seat FIFA-standard football arena also suitable for rugby matches. The venue will be officially owned by Kenya’s defense and sports ministries.
The stadium is expected to be completed by end of 2025 and will serve as the main venue for AFCON 2027’s opening and closing ceremonies.
CAPE TOWN TO INTRODUCE ELECTRIC BUSES BY 2027
The Cape Town council has approved the Urban Mobility Directorate’s proposal to implement alternative energy buses for MyCiTi Phase 2A, engineeringnews reports.
According to Engineering News, Phase 2A will extend the bus service to connect Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Wynberg, and Claremont.
This move from the city reflects its dedication to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resilience to climate change, aligning with commitments like the Compact of Mayors and the Paris Pledge for Action. By transitioning to electric buses, the city not only reduces operational costs and emissions but also aligns with its Energy 2040 Strategy, ensuring progress towards carbon targets.
Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas hinted that the first routes are expected to be operational by mid-2027
“At this point in time it is foreseen that the first routes will be operational by mid-2027, if all goes as planned,” said Quintas.
Quintas clarifies that while the service won’t solely rely on e-buses, Cape Town aims to transition all vehicles to electric or alternative fuels by 2050 as per its Climate Change Action Plan.
Source: Engineering News. [https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/cape-town-takes-second-stab-at-rolling-out-electric-buses-for-its-myciti-service-2024-04-10]
AFRICAN COUNTRIES FACING UNUSUAL HIGH TEMPERATURES
The Horn of Africa countries, including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda, are set to be hit by heatwaves as temperatures continue to rise.
The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) unveiled its seasonal forecast for March to May 2024, predicting increased chances of above-average rainfall in many regions of the Greater Horn of Africa.
Despite the heavier-than-normal rainfall experienced in most countries during the March-May season, the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) predicts that heatwaves will occur in the coming days in the Horn of Africa region.
“Elevated levels of heat stress are expected in southern parts of Somalia and south-eastern Kenya, Afar region in Ethiopia and northern parts of South Sudan,” said ICPAC, adding the temperatures are expected to average 32 degrees Celsius.
These countries are currently experiencing heavy rains of up to 200 mm a day, resulting in flooding, as reported by ICPAC.
The climate center’s analysis reveals that the Horn of Africa is facing a growing range of climate events, including droughts, heavy rains, and higher-than-normal temperatures, attributed to the effects of climate change.
LIBERIA’S SENATORS SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A WAR CRIMES COURT
On Tuesday, Liberia’s senate supported the creation of a war crimes court aimed at delivering long-awaited justice to victims of severe abuses from the nation’s two civil wars.
President Joseph Boakai’s resolution, supported by lawmakers in Liberia’s lower house last month, received further endorsement in a second vote by the Senate on Tuesday, with 27 out of 29 senators backing it.
Boakai’s final approval is now awaited to solidify the decision.
During his swearing-in speech in January, Boakai said his government would explore the possibility of opening a “war and economic crimes court” for “those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity”.
Between 1989 and 2023, Liberia endured two civil wars marked by atrocities such as massacres, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Between 1989 and 2023, Liberia endured two civil wars marked by atrocities such as massacres, rape, and the recruitment of child soldiers, resulting in an estimated death toll of 250,000 people.
NAMIBIA FACING FOOD SHORTAGE DUE TO LOW RAINFALL
On Monday, Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform revealed that the nation is confronting a severe food shortage, especially concerning essential cereal crops like maize and pearl millet.
In a statement, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform Anna Shiweda highlighted that the shortfall would necessitate significant imports to fulfill Namibia’s food needs.
Shiweda shed light on this matter “Looking at the Food Balance Sheet, the indications are that the country will experience a high food deficit, especially for staple cereal crops (maize, pearl millet), which will require coverage through food imports from outside the country.”
Shiweda further stated that Namibia relies on neighboring SADC countries for cereal imports, but with below-normal rainfall affecting cereal production in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, alternative sources outside the region may need to be explored.
“This situation is yet another wake-up call for us as a country to relook at our food production systems and come up with innovative climate-smart strategies that will make the agriculture sector more responsive and resilient to the impact of climate change and climate variability,” she said.
TOTALENERGIES CAF FUTSAL AFCON FIXTURES, TIMES AND VIEWING DETAILS
Kicking off on Thursday, April 11th, the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations begins with hosts Morocco facing Angola, while Ghana will take on Zambia to initiate the Group A matches.
Friday, April 12th sees two former champions, Egypt and Libya, facing each other in the competition. Following that, debutants Namibia and Mauritania will clash in their first appearance, marking the beginning of Group B.
The Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, formerly known as the African Futsal Championship, is the primary national futsal tournament for the nations under the Confederation of African Football. Initiated in 1996, the championship has been held every four years and serves as a qualification for the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Eight nations will compete in the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal for continental glory, with three spots also available for Africa in this year’s FIFA Futsal World Cup in September.
The competition will be held at the Sallly Prince Moulay Abdellah and Salle IBN Yassine Halls in Rabat, and can be watched live on CAF TV, the official YouTube channel of CAF.
For a full list of fixtures and kick off times, CLICK HERE
BOTSWANA MINER TO USE AI FOR DIAMOND EXPLORATION
Botswana Diamonds, a prominent London-and Botswana-listed diamond company, is utilizing advanced technology Artificial Intelligence (AI) to thoroughly search for new diamond deposits and other valuable minerals.
The firm intends to utilize AI techniques on its Botswana database, which houses 375,000 kilometers of geophysical data and 32,000 drill hole logs. This will be accomplished through the implementation of Planetary AI Ltd’s Xplore mineral prospectivity technology.
Its database consists of:
· c.95,000 sq km of data.
· c.375,000 km airborne geophysical data.
· 606 ground geophysical surveys.
· c.228,000 soil sample results.
· c.32,000 drill hole logs.
In total 380 gigabyte of data and 260,000 files.
Botswana Diamonds chairperson John Teeling sees immense potential in their mineral database for AI-driven analysis, promising significant advancements in mineral exploration.
“Our mineral database in Botswana is simply vast. Too big for timely analysis by humans. Think of it, over 375,000 kms of geophysical data, and 32,000 drill holes logs.
Massive databases are suited to analysis by computer-based large Data Models and Artificial Intelligence techniques which can analyse substantial amounts of data in a short time. We feed in the data and create the models from our existing knowledge both theoretical and factual. The techniques then produce results. Where it finds inconsistencies or gaps it adapts. It is early stages in both our work and the use of the technique in mineral exploration, but the future potential is huge.
An added exciting bonus for BOD and for Botswana is that the technique will analyse a number of different minerals. We have always believed that there are more diamond deposits to be found under the sand. Now there is the possibility of other deposits being identified,” said Teeling.
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