CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Ethiopia announces poll date

Ethiopia’s electoral board has set August 16 as the tentative date for this year’s general elections, in the process alleviating concerns that the government might try to delay the vote. This election may be the most significant in Ethiopia’s history, coming after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s sweeping reforms that have opened up political space — but also led to a spike in violence. The election is likely to be competitive, with analysts suggesting that an overall majority for Abiy’s party is by no means guaranteed.

Opposition shuns Nyusi

There were plenty of visiting dignitaries and supporters in evidence at Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi’s inauguration in Maputo on Wednesday, but members of opposition parties were conspicuous by their absence. The opposition boycotted the ceremony, saying that his October election win was fraudulent. “The opposition is crying foul, in general it uses this tactic to spark instability,” said a government spokesperson. Nyusi is serving his second term in office.

Sudan contains armed revolt

An armed rebellion broke out in Khartoum on Tuesday, with four hours of fighting between government forces and members of the security service linked with ousted president Omar al-bashir. Two soldiers were killed and four were injured in the unrest, but the revolt was eventually contained. The violence caused Sudan’s air space to be closed and briefly halted production at two oil fields. It is thought that a dispute over severance packages sparked the fighting.

Libya talks collapse

Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar left peace talks in Moscow without signing a deal to formalise a ceasefire. An agreement had already been signed by the internationally-recognised government based in Tripoli. His departure dashed hopes of a resolution to Libya’s long-running conflict, and may in fact have raised tensions, with an irate Turkey — a key ally of the Tripoli government — threatening to “teach a lesson to the putchist Haftar” if he resumed attacks on Tripoli. Meanwhile, 2 000 Syrian fighters have travelled from Turkey to Libya.

Kenya recovers $20m

Kenya’s much-publicised anticorruption drive is working, public prosecutor Noordin Haji said in an interview with the BBC this week. He said the government has clawed back some $20-million in misappropriated funds, and hopes to secure a high-profile conviction this year. But that figure is 1% of the estimated $2-billion of public money involved in high profile corruption cases.

West African piracy increases

There was a 50% rise in the kidnapping of sailors along West Africa’s coastline last year, according to the International Maritime Bureau. It said that 121 sailors were kidnapped in 2019, compared with 78 in 2018. This spike comes even as the total number of piracy incidents declined worldwide. The Gulf of Guinea is currently considered to be among the most dangerous stretches of water in the world. — Briefs sourced from Al Jazeera, BBC and Reuters