SmallShop....Africa News

Monitor Online "The Tooro Kingdom deputy minister of health, Mr George Kihika, has asked the government to carry out mandatory HIV testing in an effort to stamp out the Aids scourge in the country. Mr said this on June 26 at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital at Buhinga where the Minister of Health, Stephen Malinga, launched the Routine Counselling and Testing (RCT) services."

The Arusha Times "Poaching cases are on the increase in Loliondo game controlled area in contrast to limited number of game rangers in the vicinity. The Ngorongoro District Wildlife Officer Betekire Rubunga said there are just four game rangers including him, to patrol the rather large game controlled area, “We also have only one vehicle, a single-cabin Land-Rover 110 Tdi, which had resumed operation last week after being grounded for repairs since December 2008,” said Rubunga."

The Inquirer Online "The mother of a two-month old Baby Roberts, Mary Worobah, is appealing to the government, Non-Governmental Organizations and humanitarians to please help her baby live by helping him seek medical attention out of the country. Explaining her ordeal in the offices of the INQUIRER over the weekend, she lamented that her baby needs to be operated on because he has an unusual swollen head. But doctors at the Harbel Firestone Hospital told her that the tools needed to do the operations are not in the country."

The Inquirer Online "The Chairman of the Liberia Anti- Corruption Commission(LACC), Cllr. Frances Johnson Morris says only a sitting President of the Republic cannot be arrested and prosecuted for corruption."

THISDAY ONLINE "Enugu State will serve as the co-ordinating centre for disarmament and the demobilisation of militants, THISDAY has learnt. But Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) yesterday clarified its decision to suspend operations in Western Niger Delta, saying it was not as a result of increasing attacks by militants – who hit one of its facilities again yesterday."

A police officer has formally been charged with robbing and killing former Othaya Criminal Investigation Department boss, Jonah Kimanzi Nzau, two weeks ago. Peter Mundia Murigo, a police constable based at Chinga police station in Nyeri South district, was charged with robbing chief inspector Nzau of a Ceska pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition and fatally wounding him.

Al Jazeera's Xolelwa Majeke reports as South Africa aim to build on the success of the Confederations Cup in time for the continent's first football World Cup in 2010.

the Namibian "NAIROBI - In a brazen show of power in Somalia’s capital, Islamist rebels punished four convicted thieves by cutting off a hand and a foot each before hundreds of onlookers who gathered for the bloody spectacle. The punishments were the latest sign that insurgents wield the real power in the lawless African nation, where the embattled, Western-backed government is struggling to survive. Yesterday’s amputations were all the more audacious because they were carried out in Mogadishu, where the administration still has nominal control."

the Namibian: "GAZPROM, the Russian heavyweight in gas and oil exploration, plans to scrutinise all available hydrocarbon data on Namibia to decide where they are going to kick off their search for black gold here."

champion newspapers "LEADERS of four dreaded militant groups in Niger Delta region have called on the federal government to release the detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Henry Okah, to facilitate the peace move in the region. This is just as two top militants in Bayelsa State, Commander Lagosman Jackson and General Africa Ukparasia, declared readiness to surrender their arms and embrace the amnesty offered by President Umaru Yar’Ádua, few hours after the president listed conditions for benefiting from the amnesty."

New Vision Online "THE Police anti-fraud squad on Thursday raided the offices of electricity companies and the energy ministry to investigate the suspected inflation of power tariffs. The operation that started in the afternoon lasted until 10:00pm. The power organisations searched included the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL), UMEME, and the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA)."

Vanguard News : "SIX days after he was declared wanted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta over the disappearance of at least 16 service personnel of the Nigeria Armed Forces amongst other offences, top militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo says that even if he is captured and made to pay the ultimate sacrifice by the security outfit, the Niger-Delta crisis will continue except the Federal Government tackles the root cause of the problem, which is underdevelopment of the region."

Guardian Newspapers : "REMEMBER the 'Miracle Baby,' Mary Obikoya? She is now 14, living with her 'true' biological mother, Mrs. Kikelomo Obikoya, 37, who currently works with the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture. Mary is now a Junior Secondary School (JSS) student of Otibhor International School, Ikeja. Proceedings to determine the criminal intent of the civil case came up before Justice B.O. Shitta-Bey at the Lagos High Court on Wednesday."

The Sun News On-line "A Lagos high court sitting in Ikeja has struck out two separate applications by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Rabo Lawal standing trials over criminal charges. Al-Mustapha, Lawal together with Lateef Sofolahan, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder of the wife of Late M.K.O Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola who was killed on June 4, 1996."

The Sun News On-line "The story of the world acclaimed King of Pop, Michael Jackson will not be complete without tracing the genesis of the Jackson Five, the teen musical group that brought him into the limelight. Michael passed away on Thursday at the UCLA Medical Center in New York after being hit by cardiac arrest. He was 50. The kind of family that produced Michael had been responsible for his success. Michael’s father, Joseph Jackson was a man of musical ambitions. Back in the days, through a band called The Falcons where he was an electric guitarist, he had struggled without success to have a big break in show business. But what Joe could not get himself he tried to have through his children."

The Standard "His Kenyan fans joined the world in mourning the ‘King of Pop’ who died as he prepared for a comeback to vanquish nightmare years of sexual scandal and financial calamity. They expressed shock at the sudden death of a music icon and recalled his influence during their youth."

Daily News : "The African National Congress and Cosatu in KwaZulu-Natal have released a press release condemning doctors for their 'unprofessional' strike action in the province."

Daily News : "The police have warned motorists travelling on the N3 between Rockdale Bridge and the Pavilion turn-off near Westville not to stop on this stretch of road, which they have dubbed a crime 'Bermuda Triangle' after a spate of robberies and hijackings in the area."

Gangsters in Athi River have sensationally killed three police officers in Athi River, in a daring dawn attack. The armed gangsters, who had just robbed off attendants at a petrol station, ambushed the flying squad officers, attached to Athi river police station.

The Times "A charge of driving under the influence of excessive amounts of alcohol has been dismissed, as the state could not prove how much alcohol was in Motata’s blood at the time of the accident. It had emerged earlier in the trial that there had been an error in recording the blood sample taken at the time of Motata’s arrest."

Daily Observer : "For the family of late Isatou Jallow, a 23-year old nursing mother at Foni Bullock, this year will forever remain unforgettable. This is especially so for Fatoumatta Ceesay, a six-month old baby who lay beside and watched over her mother’s corpse till day break. In the evening of that faithful day, Isatou Jallow bade the world goodbye to meet her untimely death at the hands of her assailants. Four suspects in the names of Agibu Jallow (main suspect), Momodou Jang Bah, Bubacarr Bah and Alfusainey Jallow (suspected accomplices) were linked to the murder of this young lady. They have since been arrested and have appeared before the Brikama Magistrates Court."

The rise in insecurity wthin Nairobi has not gone unnoticed by Internal Security Minister Prof. George Saitoti. Saitoti has said that the security forces will mount a crack down on criminals in a bid to ensure public safety and restore investor confidence in the capital.

Ghana web : "The few days political and media free-for-all lambasting which characterized the revelation that $3.5 million was allegedly given out by the Nigerian River State Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, through former President Jerry John Rawlings for sponsorship of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign in the 2008 elections has taken a new dimension with another Governor in that country exposing another giant financial scandal."

The Standard "Assistant Minister Elizabeth Ongoro had to skip an official function to attend to threats of an attempted abduction of her daughter."

Mail & Guardian Online: "Some KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Free State hospitals were shut down on Tuesday as doctors took to the streets in protest over delays in implementing a new salary scale, the South African Registrars' Association (Sara) said. 'Only hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and Free State were shut down due to the strike action on Tuesday."

Londons High Court will begin hearing the case brought against the British Government by Mau Mau veterans. Five Mau Mau veterans traveled to London to launch a compensation claim against Britain for human rights abuses during the 1950s and 60s, and an official apology for the torture they were subjected to.It is believed that as many as 150,000 Mau Mau members and sympathizers were detained without trial and incarcerated in 150 detention camps across Kenya, where they were subjected to widespread acts of brutality, arbitrary killing and other inhuman and degrading treatment.

THISDAY ONLINE "It was an anti-climax yesterday as the House of Representa-tives resumed from its long recess with the two-week old plot to impeach three of its principal officers crumbling like a pack of cards."

Monitor Online "Kampala The Uganda Prisons chief is warning that homosexual behaviour, an indigenously vile and illicit act, is growing among prisoners, heightening the risk of faster HIV/Aids spread at confinement facilities countrywide. In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, the commissioner general of Uganda Prisons, attributed the upsurge in the vice to sexual starvation among inmates and general moral rot on Uganda’s streets."

Times of Zambia : "THE Government has put in place stringent mechanisms to curb corruption in the public service. Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja said it had become necessary to introduce such measures because the Government’s efforts to fight corruption were being frustrated by some dishonest public service workers who divert public resources for personal gain. Dr Kanganja was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during a Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation television interview on the eve of the Africa Public Service Day, which falls today."

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation "The Vice President, John Dramani Mahama says government remains committed to the one laptop per child project."

the Namibian: "ILLEGAL drug abuse is at an all-time high in Namibia, Health and Social Services Minister Richard Kamwi, warned yesterday. He said Namibia can not allow itself to be turned into a drug consumer country and called on each and every Namibian to act as a whistle-blower against the sellers and abusers of illicit substances."

New Vision Online "VINCENT Baguma, a key suspect wanted by the Police in connection with the murder of FDC activist Tom Jjulunga, turned himself in on Saturday and was immediately arrested. He, however, denied having a hand in the death of Jjulunga, who he said was his accomplice. Instead, he said, the two of them and another colleague, only identified as Waswa, were gunned down by the Police while on a robbery spree."

Guardian Newspapers : "IN what seemed a serious soul-searching, the Federal Government yesterday reappraised the hydra-headed Niger Delta crisis and submitted that negligence on the part of oil companies operating in the area led to severe environment problems like oil spillage, gas flaring, water and air pollution, which in turn engendered the current youth restiveness in the region"

SABCNews "Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Sicelo Shiceka, has expressed shock at the salary dispute at the Sol Plaatjie Local Municipality in Kimberley which led to workers downing tools. This comes after workers were told last Friday that they will not be getting their full salaries by the end of the month."

The Standard "They warn that about 100,000 different species of birds are either killed annually to be used in cultural practices, which have refused to die over time or for commercial poaching of their colourful plumage. They also warn that habitat loss, which includes deforestation because of settlements, forest fires that burn bird nests and use of pesticide in underlying farming zones neighbouring the forest will decimate the Mau bird population."

Rwanda "baptised" 18 rare baby mountain gorillas at what has become an annual event to highlight the plight of the endangered apes. Of about 700 of the gorillas left in the world, just over half live around the lush Virunga volcanoes that straddle Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Attempts by Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to convince Zimbabweans living in the UK to return home, have been met with boos and heckling. People listening to his speech in London gave him a thumbs down sign and chanted "Mugabe must go," before a priest appealed for calm.

champion newspapers, "A popular Ibadan masquerade, Alapansanpa, yesterday appeared before an Ibadan Chief Magistrate’s Court on a three count-charge of assault, stealing and willful damage to property. The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Ade Adebusuyi, alleged that the masquerade and others now at large, committed the crime on June 16 at Kosodo-Eleta area of Ibadan during the ongoing masquerade festival."

thezimbabweindependent "A ZANU PF faction headed by retired army general Solomon Mujuru is reportedly seeking a meeting with President Robert Mugabe to broker a deal that will avert a major shake-up of the party’s presidium and politburo during its December congress. Sources in Zanu PF told the Zimbabwe Independent that the Mujuru faction wants a meeting with the 85-year-old veteran leader to structure a deal for the retention of Joice Mujuru (pictured) as vice-president and stop the axing of some members of the camp from the politburo, the party’s powerful decision-making body."

Ghanaian Chronicle "A group of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters at Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipality of Brong-Ahafo region yesterday went to the local offices of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to lock it up. The situation prevented the scheme manager, Mr. Jephtar Apau and his staff from entering the office to work. Information obtained by this reporter revealed that the NDC supporters, who were mostly made up of the youth, took the decision because they do not think the scheme manager, who reportedly went from one radio station to the other insulting the then presidential candidate, Professor Atta Mills, during last year’s elections, deserves to be in office."

THISDAY ONLINE "Yet another attack yesterday, this time on an oil pipeline supplying crude oil to Agip's Brass Export Terminal in Nembe Creek, Bayelsa State, had the opposite effect on crude oil as prices slumped 2.5 per cent to $69.55 a barrel on the back of news that there would be enough fuel supply in the United States to meet demand during the summer."

The Observer "The treason charges preferred against 11 men from northern Uganda, including a journalist, Patrick Otim, have been linked to a plot by some elements of the ruling NRM to scare Ugandans in the Diaspora away from home and scuttle their plans to mobilise against President Museveni in the run up to the 2011 elections."

Mail & Guardian Online: : "Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called on Zimbabweans living in Britain to 'come home' and help in the country's redevelopment, the Daily Telegraph said on Saturday. Tsvangirai, who is in Britain on a tour of Europe and the United States to woo financial support, said the country had achieved a lot since his Movement for Democratic Change entered a unity government with long-ruling President Robert Mugabe four months ago."

The Sun News On-line "The traditional ruler of Nkwerre Community in Nkwere Local Government council of Imo State, Eze Chijioke Okwara has called on the Federal Government to declare the South-East geopolitical zone an emergency security area. The embattled monarch who recently regained his freedom from yet-to-be identified kidnappers at Ubakala in the Umuahia South Council area of Abia State said to stem the upsurge of violent crimes including abduction and kidnappings now ravaging the zone, the Federal Government must set the necessary machinery in motion to change the “get rich quick syndrome of the youths.”"

After Burundi's 1972 civil war, hundreds of thousands of Burundians fled to neighbouring Africans countries to escape the fighting. They watched their homeland descend into more than 30 years of fighting until a ceasefire in 2008 gave some of them the courage to return. But as Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege reports, those returning do not necessarily find the better life they had hoped for.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Defenders

THISDAY ONLINE "The Niger State Police Command at the weekend, declared the new Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Alhaji Saidu Ndako Idris, and eight others wanted."

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE : "ONE person was reported dead while many people were hospitalised following a downpour in Maradun and Talata Mafara local government areas of Zamfara State. Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that about 500 houses across the two local government areas were destroyed, leaving many people homeless. The disaster occurred last Wednessday affecting houses at Talata Mafara and the state polytechnic, leaving a student of the institution seriously injured."

Interview with Newton Kanhema of the Zimbabwe Independence Assistance Network talks about Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's U.S. visit.

The Somali capital, Mogadishu, has turned into a battle zone between Islamist insurgents and Somali troops, with African Union and AMISOM peacekeeping troops caught in the crossfire. FRANCE 24 followed one of their convoys.

New Vision Online "The Highest malaria transmission in the world is in Apac district, in the northern part of Uganda. Health scientists have revealed this. The team leader of the Uganda Malaria Training Program, Dr Umaru Ssekabira, reminds that 60% of the district is swampy. This is creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding, he says."

Vanguard News : "OPPOSITION party in Ogun State, the Action Congress (AC) yesterday reacted to controversy over the resolution of the State House of Assembly on the state’s financial profile, saying that it has been vindicated over its stand that the state had been plunged into debt. Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Tajuden Bello and its gubernatorial candidate in the 2007 polls, Otunba Dipo Dina who spoke differently both agreed that the financial situation of the state was precarious and that more debts should not be added."

Guardian Newspapers : "BOTH the Federal Government and the Joint Task Force have been accused of high-handedness and insincerity in the handling of the ongoing unrest in the Niger Delta. The JTF was also accused of wrongly labelling Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) a criminal, despite his peace initiatives in the region."

Daily News : "A 72-year-old woman was found dead inside a small roadside shack in Mabokelele Village outside Seshego, Limpopo on Friday, police said. Sergeant Mothemane Malefo said the gruesome find was made by a female passer-by on the Gilead Road at 7am."

Over the past month, more than 200 people have been killed and more than 100,000 have fled Mogadishu, Somalia's capital. Riz Khan discusses the country's worsening crisis with Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, the Somali foreign minister, and Sadia Ali Aden, a Somali-US activist.

Dozens of human rights activists and members of the opposition MDC party are being tried on charges of training fighters outside the country to oust Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe.

VOA's Scott Bobb reports from a tourism convention in Durban on South Africa's tourism.

Monitor Online "In spite of a standing court order barring him from kingship, Edward Columbus Wambuzi Zibondo was yesterday enthroned Kyabazinga of Busoga. A Busoga faction loyal to the 36-year-old son of the late Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki yesterday morning took him through the cultural rituals of enthronement and later presented him to the public at Busoga headquarters at Bugembe, announcing him as a fully coronated Kyabazinga. Traditional rituals were performed on him early morning yesterday at cultural sites on Mpumudde and Igenge hills in Jinja, even as Police and other authorities in Jinja made continuous announcements on local FM radio stations that the event is illegal and should be ignored by the public."

Times of Zambia : "UNIONS, business community, church leaders and residents have welcomed the handover of Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) to new owners, China Non-Ferrous Metals Mining Company (CNMC). Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and the National Union for Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) commended the takeover of the mine and expressed hope of a quick resumption of operations."

The Arusha Times "The rare score of chimpanzees currently numbering at about 700 are the next endangered animal species in Tanzania after rhinoceroses, the Tanzania National Parks Authority has revealed. Speaking in his office recently, the Director General of TANAPA Gerald Bigurube revealed that there are 600 chimps at Mahale which is the highest number at any location with 100 others at Gombe, but being susceptible to diseases, including those affecting humans and hounded by more than fair share of predators, the chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing."

The death toll from the building that collapsed in Kisii has risen to 7. More people are feared to be trapped in the building as rescue efforts enter the second day. In a separate incident more than 34 houses have been destroyed by heavy rains at a village in Kikambala. Four people were injured in the incident... Sheila Sendeyo reports.

The Sunday Times "ISINGIRO - The Ugandan government has arrested five local officials of Isingiro district near Nakivale camp, in connection with aiding Rwandan refugees flee camps. Uganda’s Minister of Relief and Disaster Preparedness, Prof. Tarcis Kabwegere confirmed the development."

Dr. Julius Spencer Questions Veracity of Sierra Leone's Foreign Office Spokesman's Account against John Benjamin: Sierra Leone News : "Dr. Julius Spencer, who is cited as having been a co-detainee alongside the current Sierra Leone Foreign Office Spokesman Abdulai Bayraytay, has tonight told Awareness Times that whilst he recalled being detained with Bayraytay for Seditious Libel during the NPRC years, at no point in time did John Benjamin ever lead soldiers with Kalashnikov weapons to intimidate them at the CID Headquarters as was now being alleged by Sierra Leone's Foreign Office Spokesman."

Guardian Newspapers : "THE United States government has refused releasing the information requested by the Federal Government in the $180m bribery scandal over the LNG projects facilitated by Halliburton. This appears a clear and certain dampener to the anti-corruption clamour in Nigeria and a cold shoulder to the bid of the Yar'Adua administration to unveil the identities of top government officials implicated in the bribery scandal."

ZWNEWS.com "Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said he was surprised that the state intends to appeal against a judgement in favour of freelance journalists who successfully applied to stop the defunct Media and Information Commission from interfering in their work. Freelance journalists, Stanley Gama, Valentine Maponga, Stanley Kwenda and Jealousy Mawarire sought the intervention of the court after the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity insisted that those without MIC accreditation would not be allowed to cover the Comesa summit."

::::The Sun News On-line | newsbreak:::: : "A woman, Joy Asabe Williams, who claimed to be the wife of the late elder brother to the President, Major-General Musa Yar’ Adua, was at the weekend remanded in Suleja Prison by an Abuja High Court after she was arraigned along with one Linda Anyanwu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a three-count charge bordering on Advance Fee Fraud."

News24: SouthAfrica: : "Stellenbosch - The 20-year-old Matie student, Erin van Rensburg, whose body was found on Wednesday morning buried in the sand near Elands Bay, was presumably choked and then buried alive by her suspected killer. Van Rensburg went missing on Monday from her flat in Stellenbosch. Reliable sources said she was choked, raped and possible also sodomised."

Child advocay groups have accused Islamic schools in Senegal of exploiting children by using them to beg on the streets. Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege reports from Dakar, the Senegalese capital, where the schools say they are simply teaching children in their care a lesson in humility.

VOA News "Kenyans welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's address to the Muslim world on Thursday, although some Muslim leaders said they will watch closely to see if his words are followed by action. Early in the speech in Cairo, Egypt, Mr. Obama noted his father was born in Kenya and many of his relatives living in the African nation are Muslim."

VOA's Sahabo Imam Aliyu gives an African perspective on President Barack Obama's world Muslim speech.

Zimbabwe's unity government is banking on its natural resources, such as platinum and gold, to help overcome its crippling economic crisis. But the mining industry desperately lacking foreign investment to fund further expansion, due to the global recession and political instability in Harare. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa reports from Ngezi.