Ousted Burkina Faso Leader Damiba in Togo After Coup: Government
Togo’s government said on Monday that ousted Burkina Faso coup leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba had taken refuge there in the aftermath of the latest military putsch in Ouagadougou on Friday. The minister of communication and government spokesman, Akodah Ayewouadan, said Damiba was in Togo as part of the country’s commitment to “peace in the sub-region.” “Togo, like ECOWAS, welcomes the fact that the spirit of peace has prevailed,” he told the AFP news agency. “The reception of … Damiba is part of this spirit.” Unconfirmed reports of Damiba’s presence in Togo, originating from diplomatic sources, had circulated over the weekend as the two military leaders and their supporters vied for control of the country. DW
Burkina Faso 2024 Vote Still Expected amid Coup –Junta Leader
Burkina Faso’s new junta leader said Monday that the West African nation will still aim to hold an election by 2024 or even earlier. The power grab by Capt. Ibrahim Traore is the latest setback for the regional bloc known as ECOWAS, which has tried to steer three of its 15 countries back toward democracy after a spate of coups in West Africa over the last two years. Burkina Faso’s latest coup, announced Friday on state television, has raised fears that the country’s political chaos could produce more violence from the region’s Islamic extremists. AfricaNews with AP
Lesotho to Hold Parliamentary Vote amid Political Instability
Lesotho will hold a parliamentary election on Friday, amid failures by its politicians to pass constitutional reforms meant to end years of political instability in the southern African mountain kingdom. The All Basotho Convention (ABC) has run the country since 2017, but divisions within the party have led to two prime ministers over five years. One of them, Thomas Thabane, stepped down in 2020 after being charged with the murder of his ex-wife. He denied any wrongdoing and the charges were later dropped. His successor, Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro, declared a state of emergency in August after legislators failed to pass two bills meant to end political volatility in parliament. Last month, Lesotho’s highest court ruled the declaration unconstitutional. The ABC has selected another leader, former health minister Nkaku Kabi, to contest the ticket, after he defeated Majoro in a party vote in February. Al Jazeera
King Charles III’s State Invite to Ramaphosa Reflects Importance of SA, UK Relationship, Says Dirco
The invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa by King Charles III as the first statesman to visit Buckingham Palace under the new king’s reign “confirms that South Africa continues to be regarded as an important and influential voice in regional and global affairs,” this according to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s head of public policy, Clayson Monyela. In addition to bilateral matters, President Cyril Ramaphosa will use this occasion to share [with the king] South Africa’s perspectives on global developments.” News24
Somali Government Says It Has Killed Al-Shabab Co-Founder
Somalia’s government says it has killed Abdullahi Nadir, one of the co-founders of the armed group al-Shabab, in an operation with international partners. The country’s information ministry said in a statement late on Sunday that the operation that killed Nadir happened on Saturday. It said he was al-Shabab’s chief prosecutor and was in line to replace the group’s leader, Ahmed Diriye, who is sick. “His death is a thorn removed from the Somali nation,” the statement said. “The government is grateful to the Somali people and international friends whose cooperation facilitated the killing of this leader who was an enemy of the Somali nation.” Al Jazeera
Extremist Attack in Somalia Kills at Least 20
An attack by Islamic extremist fighters Somali government headquarters on Monday has left 20 dead and 36 wounded. The Somalia-based al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in Beledweyne, a town more than 300 kilometres north of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. “Heavy and disastrous explosions in Beledweyne district have killed people including government officials, civilians and soldiers”, said Bishar Hussein Jimale, Beledweyne Police Commissioner. AfricaNews
Ethiopia’s Tigray Forces Withdraw from Parts of Amhara Region
Ethiopia’s Tigray forces have said that they are withdrawing from territories of the neighbouring Amhara region, which they took control, after fighting resumed a few weeks ago, ending a six-month-long agreed truce. Fresh fighting between Tigray and government forces broke out at the end of August. Eritrea, a sworn enemy of Tigray leaders, has also deployed its forces as it did during the first phase of the conflict, which erupted in November 2020. Sudan Tribune
Uganda: Museveni’s Son Hints at Being Demoted in New Army Changes
Lieutenant General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, has hinted on being demoted in the Ugandan army following his controversial tweets about Kenya. Muhoozi on Tuesday morning said he had a discussion with his father and that new changes will be made public soon. This comes hours after a Twitter account associated with him posted chilling tweets that turned into an embarrassing diplomatic tiff. In the tweet, which has since been deleted, he warned that he would only need two weeks with his army to capture Nairobi. Nation
President Ruto Unlocks GMO Billions as Kenya Okays Biotech Foods
Kenya’s Cabinet has unlocked billions for firms involved in the genetically modified organisms (GMO) industry after it approved the farming and importation of biotechnology crops in a major policy shift that seeks to make the country food secure and contain runaway prices. President William Ruto Monday chaired a Cabinet meeting that lifted the 2012 moratorium that restricted importation or open cultivation of GMO crops, making Kenya the second country in the continent after South Africa to allow biotechnology foods. The approval comes in the wake of a biting drought that has exposed three million Kenyans to famine in 23 counties, forcing the government to intervene with relief food. Firms involved in GMO seed manufacturing will be some of the biggest beneficiaries of the policy shift that will put pressure on farmers to reduce prices or be forced out of the market. Business Daily
Protest Escalation in October as Sudan Coup Marks First Anniversary
The Coordination of Resistance Committees in Khartoum state announced six Marches of the Millions this month, October, to mark the one-year anniversary of the October 25 military coup d’état as part of their protest escalation schedule. In a joint statement, the coordination explained that there will be three centralised demonstrations (one big march in one location) and three non-centralised marches (in different cities on the same day) in the state. The coordination explained that the resistance committees and revolutionary groups will also organise other escalatory activities outside of the marches, which have been taking place regularly as ‘Marches of the Millions’ since the 2021 military coup but the term was already used during the 2019 anti-junta protests after the revolution that toppled the dictatorial regime of Omar Al Bashir. Dabanga
African Climate Summit in DRC to Keep the Pressure on Rich Nations
Environment ministers from 50 countries will gather in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday for a “pre-Cop27” climate summit, with rich nations likely to come under pressure to raise spending to combat climate change. The talks in the DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, will be informal but are intended to allow various countries and climate action groups to take stock of political positions ahead of Cop27 — the United Nations climate gathering of world leaders — which takes place in Egypt next month. The African talks will take place in the Congolese parliament building in Kinshasa, and will be followed by discussions on mitigating climate change, and providing funding for countries already damaged by global warming and severe weather events. Delegates from 50 countries are expected to attend, including United States climate envoy John Kerry. RFI
Africa Wants $1.3 Trillion in Climate Financing
Amid failed promises of climate funds to a continent that contributes the least to climate change yet suffers the greatest devastation, climate activists are pushing for more: a tenfold increase in climate funding commitments to Africa from the west’s 2009 $100 billion figure to $1.3 trillion. These calls were made during a recent pre-COP27 media conference in Kigali, Rwanda. This year alone, climate-change has caused one of the worst droughts in the Horn of Africa region. At least 453 people died as a result of flooding in South Africa in April, while hundreds perished due to devastating tropical storms in Madagascar and Mozambique in the same month. On Aug. 3, at least 24 Ugandans lost their lives as flash floods hit the town of Mbale, leaving 5,600 people displaced and over 5,000 acres of crops destroyed. A 2019 Save the Children report shows over 1,200 people died as the result of cyclones, floods, and landslides in Mozambique, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, and Malawi. Quartz Africa