At least 56 people have been killed in Mozambique since Monday, a nongovernmental organization said on Wednesday, as police officers and protesters clashed in the latest wave of unrest over a presidential election that demonstrators claim was rigged by the governing party. At Maputo Central Prison, which housed 2,500 inmates, more than 1,530 prisoners escaped, a police commander, Bernardino Rafael, said at news conference on Wednesday…Tensions escalated this week after the nation’s top court on Monday upheld the result of the election in favor of Daniel Chapo, the candidate for Frelimo, which has governed Mozambique since it gained independence from Portugal in 1975…The protests erupted after the country’s election in October, and human rights groups say that Mozambique’s security forces have responded with excessive force, including firing live rounds and rubber bullets into crowds…Much of the public’s anger stems from widespread irregularities in the election process — including voter registration and vote counting — that were identified by independent observers. The New York Times
SA Calls for Urgent Dialogue Amidst Mozambique’s Escalating Violence and Protests
The South African government has offered to help facilitate an urgent dialogue among all parties in Mozambique to try to end the violence and disruptive protests which erupted on Monday, 23 December 2024, after the country’s Constitutional Council certified the ruling Frelimo party and its presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of the presidential, legislative and provincial elections on 9 October 2024…Officials said that Pretoria had been calling for the institutional process for verifying the election result to conclude. This had now happened and the SA government accepted that. However, they also noted that Pretoria’s call for an urgent dialogue among all parties to resolve the violence and disruption indicated that it did not find the situation satisfactory. Meanwhile, at the Lebombo border post, the main entry point for South Africans into Mozambique, Michael Masiapato, Commissioner of SA’s Border Management Authority, said on Tuesday morning that SA was still processing people through the port into Mozambique but was also still blocking cargo trucks from entering the country because of concerns that they might be attacked. He noted that toll gates on the route from Lebombo to Maputo had been attacked and damaged since the announcement of the Constitutional Council. Daily MaverickUAE Becomes Africa’s Biggest Investor amid Rights Concerns
The United Arab Emirates has become the largest backer of new business projects in Africa, raising hopes of a rush of much-needed money for green energy, but also concerns that the investments could compromise the rights of workers and environmental protections. Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati companies announced $110bn of projects, $72bn of them in renewable energy, according to FT Locations, a data company owned by the Financial Times. The pledges were more than double the value of those made by companies from the UK, France or China, which pulled back from big-ticket infrastructure investment projects in Africa after many failed to deliver expected returns…Although African leaders have welcomed the increased interest from the Emiratis, some activists and analysts have expressed fears that the UAE’s poor record on labour rights for migrant workers, continued support for hydrocarbons and failure to address environmental issues will characterise its investments in Africa…The UAE has long been a political player in north Africa and the Horn of Africa, where it has been accused of fuelling conflicts in Libya and Sudan…Meanwhile, the amount of illegally smuggled gold to Dubai from Africa has grown, according to researchers. The Guardian
Sudan Slides Deeper into Famine, Experts Say
Famine has spread to five areas [in Sudan], with 24.6 million people – about half the population – in urgent need of food aid, the experts said…It has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with the UN-backed Famine Review Committee (FRC) warning that a “greater catastrophe” could unfold if the conflict did not end. The committee is linked to the Integrated Food Phase Classification (IPC) – a global initiative by UN agencies, aid groups and governments to identify famine conditions…The IPC had first identified a famine in August at the Zamzam camp in Sudan’s Darfur region, where about half a million people were taking refuge. In its latest report, the FRC said that famine had now also hit the Abu Shouk and al-Salam camps in Darfur’s besieged city of el-Fasher, as well as two areas in South Kordofan state…”It is not merely a lack of food but a profound breakdown of health, livelihoods and social structures, leaving entire communities in a state of desperation,” it added. The FRC predicted that five further areas in Darfur could face famine by May, and there was a risk of it spreading to 17 other areas. BBC
Sudan Drops Out of Hunger-monitor System on Eve of Famine Report
In a letter dated Dec. 23, [Sudan’s] agriculture minister said the government is halting its participation in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system. The letter accused the IPC of “issuing unreliable reports that undermine Sudan’s sovereignty and dignity.”…Sudan’s withdrawal from the IPC system could undermine humanitarian efforts to help millions of Sudanese suffering from extreme hunger, said the leader of a non-governmental organization operating there, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Withdrawal from the IPC system won’t change the reality of hunger on the ground,” the NGO source said. “But it does deprive the international community of its compass to navigate Sudan’s hunger crisis. Without independent analysis, we’re flying blind into this storm of food insecurity.”..A linchpin in the world’s vast system for monitoring and alleviating hunger, it is designed to sound the alarm about developing food crises so organizations can respond and prevent famine and mass starvation. Reuters
Sudanese Women Filmmakers Defy War with Stories of Resilience
Far from the frontlines of Sudan’s devastating war, a new generation of amateur women filmmakers is gathering in the formerly sleepy city of Port Sudan to explore the untold stories of their troubled country. Armed with only their smartphones, the women, brought together in a project run by filmmaker Mohamed Fawi, have produced three short documentaries tackling education, independence and community resilience…Like millions who fled the war-torn capital, Fawi, a visual artist and filmmaker with more than a decade’s experience, had to leave everything behind…In Port Sudan, he began his project to empower women through film production, initially training 11 women in cinematography, scriptwriting and directing techniques, as well as post-production skills…Port Sudan has no cinematic pedigree but an influx of Khartoum’s artists since the war began is helping to put it on the map. Fawi believes the project’s success lies in the determination of the women involved…”I want the world to see eastern Sudan through our films,” cinematographer [Tasabih] Hussein said. RFI
DRC: Kinshasa’s Archbishop Delivers Politically Loaded Christmas Message
The Archbishop of Kinshasa’s Christmas message is likely to cause further tension between the Catholic church and the state in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Preaching during Christmas eve mass, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo accused the authorities of failing to bring about peace, and to end the misery of the population. Ambongo said that the country was living through ‘hellish conditions’, citing war in the east and widespread poverty. It is not the first time Ambongo is issuing a stinging criticism of President Felix Tshisekedi’s government. Earlier this year, prosecutors opened a judicial inquiry against him for what they called “seditious comments”. Ambongo was accused of “incitement” after speaking out against insecurity in the east of the country, where the army is fighting the M23 rebels, during his Easter Mass. The Catholic Church in the DRC has been a vocal critic of corruption, human rights abuses, and bad governance for decades. Africanews
DRC: Why Ituri’s War-displaced Fear a UN Peacekeeper Pullout
On the ground for 25 years, MONUSCO is currently embarking on a phased withdrawal from DRC. It has been under pressure to leave from both the Congolese government and from the UN Security Council, which is jaded by its size, cost, and longevity. It is unclear when the mission will complete its disengagement. The Congolese government had requested it withdraw at the end of this year, though it has since softened that demand as armed conflicts worsen in eastern parts of the country. Many Congolese support the withdrawal, including large numbers in Ituri. They believe MONUSCO has failed to protect civilians, and presided over a worsening security crisis that has seen conflict become entrenched and the number of armed groups balloon. However, others argue that the blue helmets are still providing some semblance of protection, dissuading armed groups from attacking civilians in some places, and patching over weaknesses in the thinly spread yet frequently abusive national army…People displaced by the conflict said the withdrawal will not only impact their security, but will have a bearing on community dialogue initiatives sponsored by MONUSCO, and the various outreach efforts that the mission undertook with armed groups. The New Humanitarian
On Patrol with Kenyan Forces inside Haiti’s Gang Warzone
To combat the growing violence [in Haiti], the UN Security Council authorised the establishment of a Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in October 2023. Funded primarily by the US, the Kenyan-led force deployed to Haiti six months ago tasked with restoring law and order…Four hundred officers arrived in June – but they are hugely outnumbered. In July, Haiti’s government estimated there were 12,000 armed gang members in the country. The Kenyans were promised additional personnel. When the UN authorised the mission, a force of 2,500 was envisioned, but that support, which was supposed to arrive in November, has yet to materialise. Despite the situation, the force’s leadership remains optimistic. Commander Godfrey Otunge is under pressure from the Kenyan government to make a success of this mission…The Kenyan officers say some of their much-delayed additional forces will arrive by the end of this year, bringing their total to 1,000. And the support is urgently needed. There are areas in Port-au-Prince which are under such tight gang control they are virtually impenetrable for the police. BBC
The Pains and Struggles of Nigeria’s Forgotten IDPs in El-Miskin Camp
Deep within the sprawling city of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, lies the El-Miskin camp, housing hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their various communities as a result of the Boko Haram conflict in northeastern Nigeria. For over a decade, they have endured dire conditions and have felt neglected by the government and the rest of the world…The Elmiskin IDP camp is an unofficial camp, however. It is neither recognised by the government nor authorised by it. The Borno State government has also closed all its official camps since May 2021 and resettled the IDPs to their original villages and, in some cases, other villages. Unofficial camps rarely receive help from authorities…Even after the recent flooding that devastated Maiduguri, residents said the camp did not receive any attention from authorities. Bulama Bukar, one of the leaders at the camp, painted a stark picture of abandonment. “The flood swept away our shelters, leaving us with nothing,” Bulama recalled. “We spent sleepless nights on the streets, pleading for help that never came. The government’s absence was a harsh reminder that we’re forgotten. We were left to face the ruins alone. No aid, no sustenance, no hope.” HumAngle
Chad’s Online Journalists Decry Ban Ahead of December 29 Elections
Online media journalists in Chad are voicing dissatisfaction and frustration over officials’ refusal to lift a ban on the broadcasting of audiovisual content. The High Media and Audiovisual Authority, or HAMA, accuses journalists of reposting videos without the content producers’ permission but journalists say they are being silenced from reporting on critical election issues. Journalists reporting for online media platforms say they are surprised that Chad’s High Media and Audiovisual Authority, or HAMA, has refused to respect a December 20 Supreme Court decision ordering an immediate end to a ban on broadcasting online media content…HAMA has always complained that online media regularly publish unverifiable information about President Mahamat Idriss Deby…Journalists in Chad say by banning online audiovisual content, HAMA wants to silence online media that have been reporting that Deby’s Patriotic Salvation Movement, or MPS, wants to use the polls to consolidate its grip on power at all costs. VOA
Report Alleges Shrinking Media Space in Zambia
A new report says that media freedoms in Zambia are under attack. The report says more than 60 percent of people surveyed think that the media cannot operate freely, due to frequent instances of harassment and intimidation faced by journalists and bloggers. The Media Institute of Southern Africa, or MISA, launched its report on December 17 in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. MISA chairperson Lorraine Mwanza said that journalists in Zambia still face censorship and violence in the course of their duties. Both she and the report cited the case of Thomas Zgambo, an investigative journalist, who has been arrested three times in the last 13 months for writing stories that Zambian authorities deemed overly critical. Zgambo faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of charges that include libel and sedition. VOA
Nay Wa Mitego, the Tanzanian Rapper Who Has Been Banned, Jailed and Threatened but Says He Won’t Stop
[Tanzanian rapper Nay wa Mitego] has faced many arrests, charges, threats and song bans as a result of releasing music critical of the government. On one occasion, he spent two nights in jail. Those actions have often seen him fail to get endorsements, besides being denied permits to hold shows. As recently as September, the country’s national arts council, Basata, charged him with four offences after he released a song called Nitasema (I Shall Speak) about reported incidents of enforced disappearances of government critics…Nay’s career troubles embody the repressive trajectory that Tanzania has been on for nearly 10 years now. Magufuli was accused of overseeing repression targeting the opposition, civil society, the press and other critics throughout his six-year term. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who succeeded Magufuli upon his death in 2021, initially took a reformist approach at the start of her administration. But recent incidents during her watch – including disappearances and arrests of government critics and bans on opposition rallies – signal a return to intolerance. Creatives critical of the government, such as Nay, are among those who have faced retribution under both administrations. The Guardian
Africa Making a Mint from Crypto Mining Boom
The recently-commissioned Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has given Ethiopia significant capacity and led to surprising success in power sales to the crypto sector…Companies like Gridless are using bitcoin mining to finance and sustain micro-grids, providing affordable electricity to rural areas in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. The Virunga National Park’s hydro-powered bitcoin mine in Democratic Republic of Congo showcases the sector’s potential for sustainability by using mining revenue to fund conservation efforts. But there are concerns Africa’s nascent power-production capacity will be leapt on by deep-pocketed crypto operations, with governments tempted by the cash on offer. Angola outlawed cryptocurrency mining operations in a bid to safeguard national energy security, with a bill passed in February 2024. The Africa Report