CONTINENTAL DRIFT
UN to assist Zimbabwe
The United Nations announced that it is procuring food assistance for 4.1-million Zimbabweans — a quarter of the population. The country has been experiencing food, fuel, medicine and electricity shortages because of a soaring inflation rate and the drought. “Zimbabwe has only had one year of normal rainfall in the last five and markets are not functioning,” said Eddie Rowe, the World Food Programme’s country director. “There are families that go to bed hungry without a meal a day.”
Mugabe’s missing millions
Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s former president who died in September aged 95, left behind $10-million and several properties — but no will. That is according to his daughter, Bona Chikowore, who wrote to the high court seeking to register Mugabe’s estate. According to the BBC, none of the properties are in his name. Not everyone is buying the stated figures, however: although $10-million might sound like a hefty sum, Mugabe is widely believed to have stashed away several hundred million.
Tunisian sets himself on fire
On Saturday, 25-year-old Tunisian Abdelwaheb Hablani set himself on fire in protest against poverty and poor living conditions. He later died in hospital. His self-immolation has set off a wave of protests, which has drawn a stiff police response: tear gas was used to disperse demonstrations and at least 11 protesters have been arrested. Authorities are right to be nervous: it was the selfimmolation in 2010 by another poor Tunisian, Mohammed Bouazizi, which set the Arab Spring in motion and toppled the government at the time.
Nile bursts its banks in Uganda
Amid torrential downpours across East Africa, the Nile river in Uganda has burst its banks, cutting off a major highway that links Uganda to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The unprecedented rains have already caused flash floods and landslides across the region, leaving 250 people dead and affecting three million.
The internet fraud academy
Nigeria’s anticorruption agency has arrested 23 people in the process of learning how to execute internet scams at a so-called internet fraud academy in a village in the south of the country. Thirty-four laptop computers and 21 phones were seized in the raid. The suspects, aged 19 to 35, were being taught how to fake identities and how to defraud internet users by posing as traders or potential romantic partners.
Moroccan Youtuber arrested
Mohamed Sekkaki, a social media influencer from Morocco, was arrested this week after posting a video on Youtube that criticised King Mohammed VI. Sekkaki said the king’s speeches were “useless” and said his fellow citizens were ignorant for not standing up for their rights. He has been charged with showing contempt for the country’s institutions. — Briefs compiled by Wianda Gilliland and Annerine Snyman. Sourced from BBC and Reuters.