🇸🇩 MTN Sudan's network down as fighting hits power supplies

The Sudanese arm of Africa's biggest mobile operator MTN Group said on Friday its network was down after fighting in the country led to fuel shortages and power cuts. Across swathes of Khartoum, power and water supplies have been failing.

MTN said in a statement it was working to resolve the network outage as soon as possible. "The company fully understands the impact this may have on communication needs and extends its apologies for any inconvenience experienced during this challenging time," it said.

#Sudan

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigeria begins hearing presidential election challenge next week

Nigeria's election tribunal will on Monday start hearing opposition petitions challenging president-elect Bola Tinubu's victory in the disputed February presidential vote, court records showed on Friday.

Tinubu, from the ruling All Progressives Congress party, defeated his closest rivals Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party and Labour Party's Peter Obi, who alleged fraud and have launched a court challenge.

The hearing will be before Court of Appeal judges, who constitute the tribunal. Under Nigeria's electoral laws, the first day of hearing will see candidates' lawyers agree on the witnesses and evidence to be used during the proceedings.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇪🇬🇹🇩🇸🇸🇸🇩 Egypt's foreign minister will visit Chad and South Sudan to discuss the situation in Sudan

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will visit Chad and South Sudan on May 8 to discuss the situation in Sudan.

The upcoming visit of Sameh Shoukry to N'Djamena and Juba will take place within the framework of coordination and consultation with Sudan's neighboring countries on the current crisis and its impact on the region and the world.

The ministry's spokesman revealed that the Egyptian top diplomat, during the visit, will deliver a written message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Chadian President Mohamed Idriss Deby, and President Salva Kiir, President of the Republic of South Sudan.

#Egypt #Chad #SouthSudan #Sudan

@africaintel

🇲🇦🇧🇷 Morocco and Brazil ratified military agreement

Morocco and Brazil have ratified a military agreement that provides for the transfer of technology and military achievements, the creation of joint military projects and joint exercises.

Morocco and Brazil signed the cooperation agreement in June 2019 to cooperate in defense-related sectors, including military training, joint military exercises, and the exchange of defense information.

The agreement will also allow the two countries to engage in theoretical and practical sessions, cultural and sporting events, as well as humanitarian assistance and military training.

#Morocco #Brazil

@africaintel

🇳🇬🛢 Nigerian president to commission Dangote refinery in two weeks

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the multi-billion dollar Dangote oil refinery in two weeks, a presidency spokesperson said on Sunday, setting up the plant for its first production since construction started in 2016.

Nigeria sees the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery - being built by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote's Dangote Group - as a solution to ending the country's reliance on imports for nearly all of its refined petroleum products.

Spokesperson Bashir Ahmad said Buhari will commission the refinery, near Lagos, on May 22, a week before he is due to leave office.

The Dangote refinery's cost grew to $19 billion from initial estimates of between $12 billion and $14 billion, after years of delays.

#Nigeria

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🇨🇩 Death toll from Congo floods rises to 401

The death toll from flooding that hit two villages in east Democratic Republic of Congo last week has risen to 401, provincial governor told.

Torrential rain in Kalehe territory in South Kivu province caused rivers to overflow on Thursday, inundating the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi

#DRC

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🇿🇼 Invictus Energy confirms oil, gas and helium find in Zimbabwe

Australia-listed Invictus Energy on Monday confirmed the presence of light oil, gas condensate and helium at its Cabora Bassa project in Zimbabwe, sending its shares up 8.7%.

The company said that mud gas analysis from the Mukuyu-1 well drilled last year had proved the presence of hydrocarbons in multiple reservoir pay zones.

“Analysis shows the presence of light oil and rich natural gas condensate, with condensate gas ratios estimated at between 30 and 135 barrels per million cubic feet," it said. The analysis also confirmed the presence of helium gas in commercial concentrations comparable with global helium producing fields, the company added.

Invictus said it plans to drill a second well, Mukuyu-2, during the third quarter of this year.

#Zimbabwe

@africaintel

🇨🇲 Gunmen kill journalist in restive northwest Cameroon

Gunmen shot dead a journalist late on Sunday in Bamenda, the local journalists' union said, in at least the third killing of a media worker in the country this year.

Anye Nde Nsoh, the west and northwest region bureau chief for weekly newspaper the Advocate, was in a pub in Bamenda's Ntarikon neighbourhood when unidentified assailants opened fire on him.

The Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) confirmed Nsoh's death and called for an investigation. "This latest attack on a journalist is one too many. The long-drawn conflict in the northwest and southwest regions has pitched journalists into grave danger," said CAMASEJ President.

#Cameroon

@africaintel

🇿🇦 South Africa's Redefine reports 9.2% fall in distributable income

South African commercial property group Redefine reported on Monday that its half-year distributable income fell 9.2% and declared an interim divided of 20.32 cents, down 14.2% from the previous period.

Redefine, which owns retail, office and industrial properties valued at 94.1 billion rand, said its active South African portfolio vacancy rate increased to 7.5% from 6.7% last year as the vacancy in industrial rose to 4.9%. The office vacancy rate dipped to 14.3% from 14.4% over the same period.

But revenue was capped by negative rental reversions - when a tenant pays a lower rental on a lease than they did before - and disposals.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigerian police rescue 58 kidnap victims

Police in Nigeria say they have rescued 58 people who had been abducted and held hostage by criminal gangs in central Kogi state. It was not clear how long they had been held.

A police spokeswoman said the rescue was a joint operation in Udulu Forest which was carried out with local volunteer defence groups. She said the kidnapping gang escaped with injuries and one of the hostages died during the operation.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇨🇩 DR Congo holds day of mourning as floods kill hundreds

A day of national mourning is being held in the Democratic Republic of Congo where more than 400 bodies have been recovered following floods and landslides in the east of the country.

Many people are still missing and are feared to be under mud that covered two villages in Kalehe district. Some bodies were found in nearby Lake Kivu.

A government delegation from the capital Kinshasa has been sent to the area - four days after the floods and landslides hit.

#DRC

@africaintel

🇸🇦🇸🇩 Saudi Arabia expecting effective ceasefire as a result of Sudan's warring parties talks

Saudi Arabia says it expects talks which began in Jeddah on Saturday between Sudan's warring military factions will reach an effective ceasefire.

In the first confirmation that the meetings had started, the Saudi foreign ministry said both sides recognised the need to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.

It said, as well as stopping the fighting, the aim was to ensure the delivery of relief supplies and the restoration of essential services.

However, as of now, talks were not fruitful, since both warring parties are sure they can win.

#SaudiArabia #Sudan

@africaintel

🇺🇬 Explosives were discovered in Uganda ahead of protests

Uganda’s security forces say they have discovered explosives intended for use during planned anti-government protests in the capital Kampala.

An activist group, Uganda Freedom Activists, has called for nationwide protests on Monday against corruption and economic hardships in the country.

Defence spokesperson, Brig Felix Kulayigye, said the explosives were found in Nabweru on the road to Kazo in central Wakiso district.

“These were to be used today in the city by those planning to paint it red,” Brig Kulayigye said. Four people were arrested for alleged possession of improvised explosive devices, the army said.

#Uganda

@africaintel

🇰🇪 Autopsies rule out organ harvesting in Kenya cult deaths

Autopsies on at least 112 bodies of cult victims exhumed from shallow graves in Kenya’s coastal Kilifi county have ruled out organ harvesting.

Government pathologists said some of the victims died of starvation, strangulation and suffocation.

Kenyan police are expected dig up more graves in search of victims of the cult whose leader, Pastor Paul Mackenzie, allegedly encouraged them to fast to death in order to go to heaven.

The Kenyan Red Cross said that 360 people had been reported missing, while the authorities say at least 60 others have been rescued alive.

#Kenya

@africaintel