With immediate effect and consistent with national laws of the creditor countries, the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are calling on all official bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from International Development Association (IDA) countries that request forbearance. This follows a joint statement to the...
Category: News
Public Distrust Hinders Fight Against Virus Misinformation
African nations fighting the novel coronavirus face a foe as stealthy and dangerous as the microbe itself: misinformation and apathy, fuelled by deep distrust of government. Bogus news and indifference to official warnings are emerging as giant obstacles in a region where poor healthcare infrastructure, sanitation and overcrowded slums provide...
Kenya’s Flowers Left To Rot Amid Coronavirus Slowdown
On a Kenyan flower farm, workers stick to their daily schedule of cutting some of the world's finest roses. But instead of flying them to Europe or the Middle East for weddings, funerals and romantic gestures, they take them to an improvised dump where tens of thousands of delicate blooms...
Rwandan Man Killed And Eaten By Crocodile While Defying Curfew
A Rwandan man who breached government’s instruction to stay at home during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown to go fishing, has been killed and eaten by a crocodile, the New York Post reported. Alice Kayitesi, the mayor of the southern Kamonyi district, confirmed the incident, which took place in the Nyabarongo river on...
FIFA: Player, Coach Contracts Should Be Extended Due To COVID-19
Current contracts for players and coaches should be extended until the end of the delayed domestic soccer seasons, according to an internal FIFA document presented to its coronavirus Working Group. The confidential document, seen by Reuters, also recommends allowing transfer windows to be changed in accordance with new season dates...
IOC Chief: Coronavirus Surge In Africa Prompted Olympics Delay
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said Wednesday that a surge in coronavirus cases in Africa prompted the decision to postpone the world’s biggest sporting event. Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Tuesday that the Olympic Games, which was due to start in Tokyo on July 24,...
Africa’s COVID-19 Cases Pass 2,400
There are now more than 2,400 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across Africa and growing warnings that the pandemic will cause major challenges for the continent’s under-resourced health services. World Health Organization officials have said the statistics are likely to significantly underestimate the true number of cases. There have been 60...
Bobi Wine Releases Coronavirus Track
Ugandan lawmaker and afro-pop star Bobi Wine has released a track educating people about the coronavirus and the need to stay alert and keep safe from the virus. “The bad news is that everyone is a potential victim. But the good news is that everyone is a potential solution. Sensitize...
Uhuru Imposes Dusk To Dawn Curfew
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday announced a countywide curfew from 7pm to 5am starting Friday in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In an address to the nation, the President also outlined new measures to fight the spread of the new coronavirus. The President announced a 100 percent tax relief for...
Museveni Suspends Public Transport For 14 Days
President Museveni on Wednesday evening suspended use of public transport for 14 days with immediate effect. “All public means of transport have been suspended for 14 days. This includes taxis, buses, coasters, passenger trains, tricycles and boda bodas. Only private means will be allowed to move. Private cars will only...