CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Fatal landslides in Kenya, DRC

Landslides this week in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have killed 68 people. The landslides were caused by torrential rainfall, which scientists believe was caused by a weather system called the Indian Ocean Dipole, which occurs when the western part of the Indian Ocean becomes significantly warmer. Twenty-nine people died in West Pokot county, Kenya and an estimated 39 people died in Kinshasa, DRC.

Angry crowd attacks UN base

Congolese police killed two people after protestors set fire to the mayor’s office and several United Nations buildings in Beni, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The protesters were angry that the peacekeepers and the government had failed to protect them against a local militant group, which killed eight people in the city earlier in the week. “We do understand the anger and frustration of the population, but ... attacking UN or local facilities ... actually weakens the Congolese army’s operations,” said UN spokesperson Matthias Gillman.

Nigeria takes on sex offenders

Nigerians convicted of sexual offences will be recorded on a national sexual offenders register, as of this week. The database will contain the names of everyone convicted of a sexual offence since 2015. “The register will serve as a strategy to stop those engaged in violence against women,” said humanitarian affairs minister Sadiya Farouq. According to the United Nations children’s agency, one in four Nigerian women are sexually abused before their 18th birthday.

Moroccan rapper jailed

A Moroccan rapper has been sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 1 000 dirhams (about R1 525). His crime? Insulting the police on social media, after they had stopped him earlier and checked his papers. The rapper in question, Mohamed Mounir aka Gnawi, said he was drunk at the time. Rights groups have said that Gnawi was targeted because he wrote a song about corruption that went viral. The song was released just a few days before his arrest.

Chiwenga returns from China

After four months spent receiving medical treatment in China, Zimbabwe’s vice-president Constantino Chiwenga returned home last weekend. The nature of his illness has not been disclosed, although local media reports suggest he may have been poisoned. Chiwenga chose not to receive treatment in Zimbabwe’s hospitals, which are running on a skeleton staff thanks to the doctors’ strike.

Run-off for Guinea-bissau

Results from Guinea-bissau’s firstround presidential election are in, and it is bad news for incumbent José Mário Vaz, who finished fourth with just 12% of the vote. First and second place was taken by two former prime ministers: Domingos Simões Pereira 40% and Umaro Cissoko Embaló came second with 28%. They both advance to the run-off election on December 29. — Briefs compiled by Wianda Gilliland and Annerine Snyman. Sourced from Al Jazeera, BBC and Reuters