Africa Media Review for September 18, 2024

Islamist Groups Escalate Retaliatory Attacks on Burkina Faso Civilians, HRW Says
Jihadist groups in Burkina Faso have escalated attacks on civilians, often in retaliation against communities for refusing to join their ranks or allegedly collaborating with government troops, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday. The junta-led West African nation has been grappling with Islamist insurgents, some with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, since they spread into its territory from neighbouring Mali almost a decade ago. Military leader Ibrahim Traore has pushed for civilians to play a role in fighting the insurgency, recruiting thousands of volunteer army auxiliaries known as VDPs and, more recently, requiring civilians to dig defensive trenches. The jihadists have been retaliating with increasingly deadly attacks on civilians, Human Rights Watch (HRW) found. The watchdog documented seven jihadist attacks between February and June that led to at least 128 civilian deaths. Insurgents targeted villages, a displaced people’s camp and worshippers in a Catholic church. Al Qaeda affiliate Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for six of the attacks. The group has issued several warnings against civilians seen as collaborating with the army in the past, and witnesses told HRW this motivated the attacks. Some villagers were killed after authorities forced them to return to areas from which jihadists had evicted them because some had joined the VDPs. Reuters

Nine Dead in Renewed Fighting in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region
At least nine people were killed and more than 30 others were injured in fresh fighting that erupted in Debark and Dabat towns of the North Gondar zone in Ethiopia’s Amhara region between government forces and the Fano militias, witnesses and medical sources told VOA Horn of Africa Service. The fighting ignited Monday and continued into Tuesday. Witnesses and medical workers in Debark reported the fatalities and dozens of injuries. The general manager of Debark Hospital, Ale Amlak, told VOA that they have treated at least 30 combatants and civilians, including children that were injured in the clashes since Monday. … Businesses and government offices remained closed for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in the Debark and Dabat towns as a result of the fighting, three residents, who did not want to be identified for security reasons, told VOA. … Meanwhile, residents in the main Amhara city of Gondar have also reported a third frontline, where government and Fano militias clashed. A resident in Gondar told VOA that fighting has been ongoing since Monday, with Fano entering parts of the city. VOA

Uganda: Concerns Grow Over Politically Hired Gangs Ahead of Elections
Sembabule District, which was separated from Masaka in 1996 to improve services for its community, is now facing escalating violence within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. Tensions have heightened as some wealthy party members are accused of hiring gangs to disrupt political gatherings, raising fears of more violent elections ahead. Despite its political prominence, with many of its leaders enjoying the support of the President and being rewarded with key government positions, residents of Sembabule continue to feel neglected. Basic services, including access to clean drinking water, remain inadequate, with many relying on the same sources as livestock. In addition to the lack of services, Sembabule’s election cycles have been marred by violence. Residents claim that every election season sees lives lost due to violent political rivalries. … Bwire Edmond, a former candidate in the last election, expressed deep concern. “The violence we experienced in the last election was devastating, and it’s crucial that we establish a clear plan to end this cycle once and for all,” Edmond added. Nile Post

Tanzania Abductions: Samia Tells Foreign Envoys to Keep off Probe
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday warned foreign diplomats against “meddling” in Tanzania’s affairs, as she fights off allegations that state security agencies are responsible for the recent spate of abductions and killings of opposition leaders. The worrying trend comes as the country prepares for local government elections in November and President Samia asserts that that her administration can—and will—handle the situation its own way. In her first substantive comment on recent violent events that have cast a shadow over the upcoming civic polls, the president said statements of condemnation issued by several Western diplomatic missions stationed in Tanzania were not welcome and were in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. … The violence reached a new zenith on September 6 in the brazen abduction and subsequent killing of a senior Chadema secretariat member Ali Mohamed Kibao in Dar es Salaam. The East African

Codeco Militia Kills 10 Civilians in Eastern Congo
Ten civilians were killed in a midnight attack by the Codeco militia on a village in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri Province, the head of local administration and a civil society leader said on Tuesday. Codeco is one of a myriad of militias fighting over land and resources in East DR Congo. It has been accused in the past by the United Nations of attacks against other communities including Hema herders that could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. At around midnight, fighters of the armed group entered a village in Djugu territory, where the majority of residents are from the Hema community, and killed 10 people in two households, according to Administration Head Jean Marie Mateso and civil society leader Jules Tsuba. Codeco militia cut off the heads of some of the victims and cut open their bodies, Mateso told Reuters. “There is now strong frustration here as there are many rumours that other villages will be attacked,” He said. Mateso said the killings took place not far from a Congolese military position. The East African

‘My Heart is Bleeding’: Congolese Youth on the M23 War and Prospects for Peace
A few weeks ago, more than 10,000 people from DRC and neighbouring Rwanda gathered in Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, for a youth forum on peace and peaceful cohabitation that was organised by the Catholic church. … Some interviewees called on the government to end its military-first policy and consider negotiations, while others said past agreements with the rebels and predecessor groups have failed to bring about durable peace. … The M23 is led by Congolese Tutsi who say they are fighting because the government failed to implement a 2013 peace accord with the group and because the Tutsi community is being targeted by other armed groups. They belong to a long line of Congolese rebel movements supported by neighbouring Rwanda, which sees eastern DRC as its backyard and wants to maintain political and economic influence there. … The Congolese government is leery of negotiating with the group, yet it has struggled with its military operations. It has outsourced the fighting to abusive local militias known as Wazalendo, and has struck military alliances with southern African troops, Burundian soldiers, and private security contractors. … Goma-based journalist Fidèle Kitsa attended the event, asking participants how the war has affected them. The New Humanitarian

Tunisia’s Presidential Campaign Continues amid Protests over Restricted Freedoms
In Tunisia, the presidential election campaign kicked off on Saturday, ahead of the vote scheduled for 6 October. Only three candidates are in the running for the presidency. Meanwhile, some activists have begun protesting, raising concerns about a “climate of fear”. Political posters of the three presidential candidates started appearing in Tunis as soon as campaigning began, but few people were ready to talk about politics, according to RFI’s correspondent in Tunis, Amira Soualem. Just days earlier, the city center was bustling with energetic protesters. In all, an estimated 1,000 to 3,500 people took to the streets to voice their opposition. “In Tunisia at the moment, there are obstacles to press freedom; several politicians have also been arrested recently. In this context, it is really good that people are moving and denouncing attacks on freedoms,” Karim Jelassi, activist for a centre-left party, told RFI. Bassem Trifi, head of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, noted that it’s encouraging to see people showing up despite the “climate of fear” marked by “arrests and legal proceedings”. RFI

Consultations Underway on Gabon’s Future Constitution
There is less than a week left for Gabon’s parliamentarians to submit their proposed amendments to the country’s future constitution, ahead of a 22 September deadline. A draft version of the document was handed to transitional president, General Brice Oligui Nguema, earlier this month. The handover came a year after the military ousted President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled the country for over 50 years. The main amendments proposed by civil society groups last week include a reduction in the presidential term from seven to five years. They also want the relaxation of what they say are “discriminatory rules” on who is eligible to stand for president. … Political players have also been commenting on the draft, with presidential candidate Daniel Mengara, among the first to openly say “no” to the project. He has criticised what he described as the “hyper-presidentialism” enshrined in the document and is calling for a return to a parliamentary system to ensure a balance of power. … But while consultations on the draft constitution are underway, the ruling military will have the final say, with a referendum on it due to take place before the end of the year. AfricaNews

Angola’s New Laws Alarm Rights Activists over Civil Liberties
Rights watchdogs are raising alarm after Angola passed two key laws designed to prevent public anarchy, but which are also seen as restricting on civil liberties. President Joao Lourenço last week assented to law two Bills, one criminalising vandalism of public goods and services and the other on national security. Both laws provide for prison terms of up to 25 years for people who take part in protests that result in vandalism and disruption of services, and allow for excessive government control over the media, civil society organisations and other private institutions if national security is threatened. But activists say the laws are unnecessary because existing legal frameworks already deal with this. “Civil society is weakened by the passing of the Bills,” Francisco Fingo of ACC, a local NGO, lamented, adding that the democratic game in Angola is getting worse. The East African

South Africa: Court Ruling on Asylum Seekers Welcomed
Immigration rights activists have welcomed a Western Cape High Court ruling on Friday prohibiting Home Affairs officials from deporting any foreign national who has indicated their intention to apply for asylum under the Refugee Act in South Africa. “Asylum seekers should try to apply for asylum and produce any proof of their efforts to apply. It is hoped that new asylum applicants will not be arrested but ultimately the court order requires a halting of deportations but does not go as far as interdicting arrests,” said James Chapman of the Scalabrini Centre, which brought the case. … Acting Judge Brendan Manca summarising the application said, “The Scalabrini [Centre] submit[s] that the effect of the challenged provisions is that almost all new asylum seekers attending on Refugee Reception Offices (RROs) are refused the right to apply for asylum and are either arrested for deportation or are ordered to depart South Africa. Almost no new asylum applicants are, in fact, attending on RROs, since they have become aware that such attendance amounts, in practice, to being expelled from South Africa.” GroundUp

Climate Change is Turbo-charging Somalia’s Problems—But There’s Still Hope
Somalia may be one of the poorest countries in the world and beset by violence, but it is “fixable”, according to its top climate official. … Abdihakim Ainte, the Somali prime minister’s climate advisor, still regards his country as “as story of potential – of promise”. What makes his optimism all the more surprising is the fact climate change is amplifying virtually all the challenges his country faces. … Somalia is still overwhelmingly an agricultural economy, with about two thirds of the population depending on farming and animal herding for most of their income. … After more than three decades of war, Somalia has fallen way down the list of international priorities. Its problems have been eclipsed by what seem like more urgent conflicts, in places like Ukraine and Gaza. The UN calculates Somalia needs at least $1.6bn (about £1.2bn) to meet the basic humanitarian needs of the people this year, but so far just $600 million has been pledged by donor governments. … But many Somali people are taking action. The local power station in Garowe has been investing in wind and solar power, for example. BBC

Concerns Mount over Senegal Fiscal Shortfalls Ahead of Election
Senegal’s slower economic growth, its widening fiscal deficit and a potential delay in International Monetary Fund financing could cloud the outlook ahead of Nov. 17 parliamentary elections, analysts say. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, just five months into the job, set the stage for the snap vote when he dissolved the opposition-led National Assembly on Thursday. Election planning will now clog up the calendar just as the West African nation is preparing for the next review of the $1.9 billion IMF loan that it secured last year in a bid to stabilise public finances. “Senegal is unlikely to have its next review approved by the IMF board before December,” Barclays analyst Michael Kafe said in a note to clients. … This year’s growth forecast has been reduced to 6.0%, the IMF said on Friday, from a forecast of 7.1% in June, after the economy expanded at a slower-than-projected pace in the first half. … Faye, a former tax inspector, blamed the previous parliament’s refusal to initiate a new budget law, and its push-back against a plan to abolish wasteful state bodies, for his decision to dissolve it. He won the presidential election in March with 54% of the vote, driven by discontent among youth voters. But his Pastef party only had 26 seats in the now-dissolved 165-member parliament. It was part of a coalition that had a total of 56 lawmakers. Reuters

Ghana Opposition Demands Voter Roll Audit
Thousands of supporters of Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have been protesting nationwide to demand an independent forensic audit of the country’s voter register. Party officials say they have identified errors in the electoral roll for December’s nationwide poll that require correction. The election authority says errors that were previously identified have been corrected. Ghana, which has held a series of peaceful but hotly contested votes over the past three decades, is heading for another knife-edge presidential election. … NDC director of elections Dr Omane Boamah said an independent audit of the electoral roll is the only way to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process. He said his party had suggested the Electoral Commision (EC) allow the UN Development Programme to facilitate the process, but that this idea was rejected. The EC has said calls for an audit are misguided and unnecessary, but the opposition warns that thousands of registered voters risk being disenfranchised if errors persist. The commission said mistakes highlighted previously have been corrected. BBC

Dangote Refinery Begins Gasoline Sales to Nigeria’s Domestic Market
Nigeria’s 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery has begun selling gasoline domestically, with state-owned NNPC as the sole buyer. NNPC is paying Dangote in US dollars for September gasoline deliveries, with a crude-for-gasoline swap starting in October to be settled in naira. The refinery’s ex-refinery price for gasoline is set at $736/t, or 898.78 naira/litre ($0.55/l), with a retail price of N950.22/l in Lagos, reflecting recent price hikes due to reduced government subsidies. Gasoline pricing is negotiated directly between parties under Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act. NNPC has relied heavily on imports for domestic gasoline supply but hopes Dangote’s operations will reduce this dependence. While the refinery aims to meet domestic demand, it is still ramping up production, supplying 16mn litres over the weekend, far below its full capacity of 57mn l/d. AfricaNews

Bill Gates Calls for More Aid to Go to Africa and for Debt Relief for Burdened Countries
The billionaire Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates thinks the richest governments should increase their support for African countries that have been overshadowed by development funding increasingly going toward the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine as well as support for refugees around the world in recent years. “There’s less money going to Africa at a time when they need it,” whether it’s for debt relief, vaccinations or to reduce malnutrition, Gates told The Associated Press in an interview. As a portion of aid money, the funds going to Ukraine are “substantial,” he said. Gates was speaking in the context of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s annual Goalkeeper’s report published on Tuesday. … In April, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development pointed to preliminary data from 2023 that showed overall development assistance from the richest countries had increased each year since 2019—even excluding funds for refugees, COVID-19 and Ukraine—but the portion that has gone to African countries fell in 2022 to a 20-year low of around 25%. AP

Kenya: Islanders Upcycle Washed Up Plastic Waste into Boats
On the Lamu island, off Kenya’s east coast, 47-year-old Usmail collects plastic which he then sells onto the Flipflopi Project. The NGO was founded in 2016. It upcycles the waste into boats and furniture. Lamu is contending with mounds of plastic waste—some washed up on its beaches, others genrated by its residents. “We started collecting plastics a while ago,” Usmail says. “There used to be a lot of plastic waste in this area, Lamu. We collect the plastic waste and sell it to the organization at Ksh16 per-kilogram or about 16 cents in dollars, We do not have a job. That is where we get money to educate our children and also make a living.” The Flipflopi Project receives grants from other NGOs which they then use to buy plastic waste from locals. AfricaNews