Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has apologised for violence by the police following the enforcement of a nationwide curfew last week. The police have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics to enforce the dusk-to-dawn curfew since its introduction on Friday to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, with tear gas,...
Category: Politics
Uganda Begins 14 Day Coronavirus Lockdown
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday ordered an immediate 14-day nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus which has so far infected 33 people in the country. Uganda last week banned public transport and sealed its borders and urged the population to stay home, but...
Kenya Wants 50 MP’s Tested For COVID-19
Kenya’s lower parliamentary chamber wants some 50 lawmakers to be tested for coronavirus amid fears they may have contracted the virus from a member who recently tested positive, the Daily Nation newspaper reports Local media reports say the parliament has submitted the names of MPs and parliamentary staff it wants...
Magufuli: ‘Elections Will Be Held As Planned’ Despite COVID-19 Outbreak
Tanzania will go ahead and hold its general elections as earlier planned despite the coronavirus scare that has seen many countries go on lock down, suspend services and issue travel restrictions across the globe. On Thursday, President John Magufuli said the country’s October 2020 general elections will be held as...
World Bank, IMF Call For Debt Relief
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...
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...
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...
Egypt Announces Nighttime Curfew To Slow Coronavirus
Egypt is imposing a night-time curfew for the next two weeks in its latest move to try to contain the spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said that movement would be banned on all public roads from 19:00 local time until 06:00 the next morning. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi...
UN Calls For Global Ceasefire To Focus On ‘The True Fight of Our Lives’
In an appeal issued on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19: the common enemy that is now threatening all of humankind. “The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war”, he said. “That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all...