Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

A faction of the AbaThembu royal family in South Africa has rejected the appointment of Prince Azenathi Zanelizwe Dalindyebo as acting king of the AbaThembu while his father, King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo serves a 12-year jail sentence. 

The controversial monarch is serving time for a string of crimes, external including arson, assault and kidnapping relating to offences committed in the 1990s. 

He handed himself to authorities two weeks go after several failed bids to avoid imprisonment. 

The Business Day newspaper, external reports however that the prince has received the support of the royal house’s national executive. 

Many in the royal family hope the prince’s appointment will bring stability and unity to the embattled kingdom.

Image source, Reuters

"To play ludo or oware - that makes me feel alive."  

For Ghana’s fishermen, the ancient African game of Oware is still a favourite pastime and a way to wind down at the end of a busy day on the ocean.

Watch more here:

Kenya's evangelical churches have condemned government plans to make it tougher for religious bodies and clerics from all faiths to operate.

The move was aimed at stopping the growth evangelical churches, said the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya.

Image source, AFP

But a leading Anglican cleric welcomed the proposals as an attempt to end the "commercialisation" of religion.

Read more on the BBC story here.

French telecoms giant Orange has reached a deal to buy the Liberian subsidiary of Cellcom, the West African nation's second biggest mobile operator, for an undisclosed amount, AFP news agency reports. 

The company's founders and employees will remain involved in the business to support its performance, Orange said.

Image source, Cellcom

Image source, AFP

Bundian journalist Esdras Ndikumana, who worked for Radio France Internationale and the AFP news agency, has won France's prestigious diplomatic press prize.

Mr Ndikumana was given the prize for his coverage of the Burundi crisis, but last year he was forced to flee the country. 

AFP reports that he is the first foreigner to have won the prize.

The journalist has been thanking well-wishers on Twitter - he said that he was moved by the messages of support.

The partner of British actress Sian Blake, who appeared in the popular UK TV soap opera EastEnders has been remanded in custody in Ghana and told he will face an extradition hearing. 

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, appeared at Kaneshie Magistrates' Court in Accra. He has been remanded for two weeks.

The bodies of his partner Sian Blake and two sons were found buried in the garden of their London home on Tuesday.

Image source, Reuters

Read the full BBC story

Sammy Awami
BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

Image source, AFP

Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar has been marking 52 years since the revolution that overthrew the sultanate which used to rule over the islands.

The occasion has been largely overshadowed by the political crisis sparked by the annulment of the Zanzibar elections in October last year.

The main opposition Civic United Front has boycotted the anniversary celebrations saying their participation would be equal to endorsing what they termed as an illegal government. 

Speaking at the anniversary today, Zanzibar President Ali Mohammed Shein insisted the islands will go back to the polls.

"I urge all Zanzibaris to continue remaining peaceful and loving each other as we wait for the electoral commission to announce a new date for the election," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

So now we know: Prisoners at the notorious US military prison in Guantanamo Bay are massive fans of the Black Stars - Ghana's national football team.

That's according to the two former Yemeni detainees, who were recently released from the camp and transferred to Ghana. They've been speaking to state radio station Uniiq FM.

The two men told the station that many of of their fellow detainees at Guantanamo supported the Black Stars at the 2010 Football World Cup.

So, what could be the explanation for this loyal support? 

Well, it was Ghana who dumped the USA out of the tournament at the last-16 stage.

Striker Asamoah Gyan, who the two men say was their favourite player at the tournament, dashed American hopes with a injury-time winner. 

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

"When Ghana beat America, we were very happy. We made some celebrations. We also told the guards that we've won," Mahmoud Omar Bin Atef, who was held for a decade without charge, told the station.

Image source, Getty Images

Ferdinand Omondi
BBC Africa, Mombasa

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially opened the luxury English Point marina in Mombasa.

It hopes to host some of the richest people in the world with a capacity for 60 luxury yachts.

Marina Director Alnoor Kanji says they have brought to Kenya "a small piece of Monte Carlo" - the luxury European resort famous for hosting a Formula One race.

He hopes the marina will be able to attract the likes of Bill Gates and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

There are penthouses, restaurants, a casino and a boutique hotel for guests to enjoy.

Matthew Davies
Editor, BBC Africa Business Report

US President Barack Obama has ordered that agricultural goods from South Africa be stripped of their duty-free status by mid-March if the government in Pretoria fails to comply with a trade deal agreed last week. 

After months of negotiations over the health of US chicken and pork products, a deal was struck that should ensure South Africa enjoys continued duty-free access to the American market under the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa).

The trade spat between the US and South Africa centred around concerns of salmonella and avian flu contamination in chickens, but the deal should ensure the arrival of 65,000 tonnes of poultry products in South Africa. 

Image source, AFP

The 15 March deadline is a warning from the White House that if that does not happen there will be consequences - the suspension of the duty-free status of certain South African agricultural exports.

Before last week's agreement there were fears that South Africa's membership of Agoa could be in jeopardy.

The latest cover of Ethiopian English-language magazine Addis Standard, available in print today, has a damning headline relating to the deadly Oromo protests: 

Rights groups have said that 140 people have been killed in the protests so far. 

The demonstrations are over plans to expand the boundaries of Addis Ababa into the Oromia region.

The Oromo are Ethiopia's largest ethnic group.  

Two journalists who have reported on the wave of protests have been detained by police, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The hearing has started in the attempt by Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto to have the case against him at the International Criminal Court dropped (see 09:06 entry).

He is appearing at the court alongside his co-defendant Joshua arap Sang, who is also trying to get the charges dropped in the case that relates to the violence that followed Kenya's 2007 election.

You can follow proceedings here, external.

Image source, ICC

Uganda's police chief says he is sacking all senior officers in charge of police intelligence in the capital city Kampala, the privately-owned Daily Monitor newspaper reports, external. 

Gen Kale Kayihura said the officers were no longer needed because their efforts were not doing anything to prevent crime in the capital, in comments reported in the paper this morning. 

The newspaper says that three police commanders have also been sacked. 

Wanyama Chebusiri

Image source, AFP

Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto is expected to appear at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands today in a spirited attempt to get the court to drop the case against him. 

Mr Ruto is accused of crimes against humanity charges relating to the violence which followed the 2007 election.

In December 2014, the ICC quashed similar charges against President Uhuru Kenyatta for lack of evidence, but the prosecution argues that Mr Ruto and broadcaster Joshua arap Sang do have a case to answer. 

The defendants argue that the prosecution has failed to produce sufficient evidence for the case to go ahead, denying the charges. 

About 1,200 people were killed and more than a half a million displaced during the post-election violence. 

Today’s African proverb: "A person once stung by a bee gets frightened at the sight of a house fly." An Igbo proverb sent by Achonu Sampson and Opara Joseph, both from Nigeria. 

Image source, Getty Images

Click here to send in your proverb.

Welcome to the BBC Africa Live page where we'll be keeping you up-to-date with news developments across the continent.