Summary

  • Nigeria oil minister says the country's fuel scarcity will soon be over

  • Six men are charged in Kenya over an alleged attack on an Uber driver

  • Niger's opposition leader Hama Amadou 'freed on bail'

  • French naval forces seize arms cache thought to be bound for Somalia

  • US agency calls off $470m aid deal for Tanzania

  • Kenyan authorities scrap plan to expand the country's main airport

  • Hijacker of EgyptAir flight forced to land in Cyprus arrested

  1. Scroll down for Tuesday's storiespublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    We'll be back tomorrow

    In the meantime, keep up-to-date with what is happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast and checking the BBC News website.  

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message

    "Stealing a drum is easy, but finding a place to beat it is not."

    Chukwuzo N, Onitsha, Nigeria

    And we leave you with this photo of jockeys in full flow at the hippodrome in Niger's capital, Niamey.  

    Jockeys race two horses as a group of young boys looks onImage source, AFP
  2. 'Last hope' for Nigeria's Super Eaglespublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Nigeria are currently taking on Egypt in Alexandria in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

    The Super Eagles must avoid defeat to still have a chance of getting through to the finals in Gabon.

    An assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari has tweeted a message to rally support for the team:

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    The score is currently 0-0.

  3. Tanzanian president criticises aid after funding pulledpublished at 18:23 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    We reported earlier that the US has pulled $472m (£331m) in funding to Tanzania, saying the recent election in Zanzibar was not inclusive (see 15:17 entry).

    The Tanzanian president has just criticised the concept of receiving aid at a public rally:

    Quote Message

    "We need to stand on our own! If you are a farmer, you need to farm hard, if you are a fisherman, fish hard or if you are employed anywhere then work hard so that Tanzania [and] Tanzanians can get rid of donor dependence."

    President John Magufuli

    President MagufuliImage source, AFP
  4. Burundi come from behind to beat Namibiapublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    In one of the latest results from today's round of African Cup of Nations qualifiers Burundi came back from 1-0 down against Namibia away to beat them 3-1.

    Namibia opened the scoring after six minutes, with Burundi equalising just before half time.

    Burundi then scored two more goals late on in the game to clinch the tie and cement their place as second in the group.

    In one other result, Togo drew 0-0 at home to Tunisia, which puts them joint second in their qualifying group.

    Here are the scores from the other matches currently under way: 

    • Angola 0-1 DR Congo
    • Liberia 2-0 Djibouti
    • Uganda 0-0 Burkina Faso
    • Gambia 0-0 Mauritania

    The game between Nigeria and Egypt has just kicked off in Alexandria, with Nigeria needing to avoid a defeat to maintain a chance of qualifying for next year's finals in Gabon.

    Afcon trophyImage source, AFP
  5. South Africa's Malema 'to receive university degree'published at 18:07 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa's left-wing opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party is set to graduate tomorrow, the Times Live website reports, external.

    He will receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and African Studies from the University of South Africa, it adds. 

    EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is quoted as saying that Mr Malema “continues to make us proud and his graduation confirms the reality that education is central to the struggle for economic freedom”.  

    Julius MalemaImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Mr Malema in his trademark red beret

    Read more about Julius Malema

  6. Nigeria fuel scarcity 'will soon be over', minister sayspublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    A media adviser to Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has been tweeting comments made by the country's junior oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, as he was giving evidence to a Senate committee hearing. 

    Mr Kachikwu promised that the current fuel scarcity in the country would soon be over:

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    A Nigerian news organisation has tweeted some pictures from the hearing:

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  7. One dead, four injured after truck hits Ethiopian marathon runnerspublished at 17:32 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    An Ethiopian marathon runner has died and four others have been seriously injured after their training group was hit by a truck while out running in Sululuta, just north of the capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday.

    The runner who died has been named as Ashagre Girma.

    His agent Yonas Mekonnon called the 25-year-old Ashagre "a very good athlete..[who] had great hope of what he could do for his country and himself".   

    He told the BBC World Service's Sportsday programme that this was not the first time that athletes had been killed on the same narrow stretch of road.

    An athletics website has now launched a crowdfunding campaign to help those injured in the accident. 

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  8. Ethiopia held at home by Algeria in Afcon qualifierpublished at 17:22 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Ethiopia were held at home to a 3-3 draw against Algeria in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

    They took the lead three times, but Algeria pegged them back each time with their final equaliser coming in the 85th minute.

    Algeria remain top of their qualifying group and Ethiopia are now in second place with two matches remaining.

    Senegal defeated Niger 2-1 away from home, maintaining their unbeaten record and keeping them at the top of their group, while Niger are bottom.

    The scores in the games that are currently under way:

    • Namibia 1-1 Burundi
    • Togo 0-0 Tunisia
    • Angola 0-0 DR Congo
    • Liberia 1-0 Djibouti
    • Uganda 0-0 Burkina Faso 
    Samba the pantherImage source, Caf
    Image caption,

    Samba the panther was unveiled as the Gabon 2017 last week

  9. Guinea police bust counterfeit currency ringpublished at 17:08 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Alhassan Sillah
    BBC Africa, Conakry

    Guinea police have raided premises in different parts of the country where counterfeit currency was being made, confiscating large amounts of fake local and foreign currency.

    The first raid took place in Nzerekore, a town to the south of the capital, Conakry.

    A Guinean woman was arrested as the alleged head of the counterfeit ring there and the police say some of her accomplices include Nigerians and Malians.

    The police also swooped on the town of Forecariah, on the border with Sierra Leone, where tens of thousands of fake US dollars were discovered, along with counterfeit euro notes.

    The police discovered that local traders and foreign exchange bureaus were happy to accept the notes, unaware that they were fake.

    Dollar notesImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The US introduced new security features in 2013 on the $100 bill making it harder to forge

  10. Rwanda thrash Mauritius in Afcon qualifierpublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Rwanda put five goals passed Mauritius without reply at home in the latest result from the qualifiers for next year's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon.

    BBC Swahili's Yves Bucyana sent this short video of Rwanda fans enjoying the match in the capital, Kigali:

    Lesotho scored a late winner to make it 2-1 against Seychelles as they secured their first victory in the qualifying group.   

    Scores in the games that are currently under way:

    • Ethiopia 3-3 Algeria
    • Niger 1-2 Senegal
    • Namibia 1-0 Burundi
    • Togo 0-0 Tunisia

  11. Niger opposition leader 'to leave France soon'published at 16:37 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Niger's opposition leader Hama Amadou, who is receiving treatment in Paris "should be out today or tomorrow," his doctor Luc Karsenty has told the AFP news agency.

    Before his emergency evacuation to France earlier this month, Mr Amadou had been jailed in Niger on baby trafficking charges, which he denies and says are politically motivated.

    A court ruling earlier which granted him bail means that he will not return to prison if he goes back home, reports the BBC Hausa's Baro Arzika from Niger's capital, Niamey.

    Hama AmadouImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Hama Amadou says he was detained to prevent him from campaigning

    Read the full BBC News story

  12. Six charged in Kenya over Uber attackpublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Kenyan police have charged six men with attempted murder and malicious damage to property after they were allegedly involved in an attack on an Uber taxi driver last month, the Reuters news agency reports.

    There have been a number of attacks on drivers working for the taxi-hailing app in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, as traditional drivers complain of unfair competition.

    Nairobi taxiImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Traditional taxi drivers say they are losing business to Uber drivers

  13. Nigerian hunters seek to join fight against Boko Harampublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Paul Brown
    BBC Monitoring

    As many as 10,000 hunters have asked the Nigerian government to allow them to join the fight against Boko Haram, Premium Times reports, external.

    Screengrab from newspaperImage source, Premium Times

    The appeal was made during an annual oath-taking event known as Salala which took place in Adamawa state.

    “We are ready to pursue the terrorists because we know the terrain very well,” the leader of the group Muhammad Tola told the newspaper.

    Mr Tola, who described his group as "one big family devoid of religious or tribal sentiments," said they required government assistance in the form of ammunition, transport and logistics to tackle the militants.

  14. Guinea beat Malawi away in first of today's Afcon qualifierspublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Guinea came back from a goal down to beat Malawi 2-1 away from home.

    It was the first result from today's 15 qualifying matches for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Gabon.

    The victory lifts Guinea from bottom spot to second place in Group L, above Swaziland on goal difference.

    In other matches the current scores are:

    • Lesotho 2-1 Seychelles
    • Rwanda 3-0 Mauritius
    • Ethiopia 1-1 Algeria
    • Niger 0-1 Senegal

    The BBC Yves Bucyana sent us this picture of the fans in Rwanda watching their team beat Mauritius:

    Rwanda fan
  15. Zambian government and opposition meet for peacepublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Zambia's President Edgar Lungu and opposition leaders have been meeting at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the capital, Lusaka, to discuss ways to ensure peace in the run up to August's general election.

    Mr Lungu posted on his Facebook page, external that they discussed "measures against rising political violence in the conduct of political and civic matters".  

    Zambian politiciansImage source, Zambia Presidency

    All the main party lkeaders were there including Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND).

    Hakainde HichilemaImage source, Zambia Presidency

    The UPND has been complaining of increased police harassment in recent months.

    Its deputy leader has been arrested on charges of training a militia and threatening violence against the president.

  16. Tanzania disappointed by US decision to withdraw electricity aidpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Sammy Awami
    BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam

    Tanzania says it is disappointed by the decision by the US-based aid agency the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to suspend its $472m (£331m) of funding for a Tanzanian electricity project (see our 11:03 entry).

    The suspension came following criticism of the recent elections in Zanzibar.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Augustine Mahiga says the country is surprised that the MCC has not considered the incredible democratic strides that Tanzania continues to make.

    Earlier this month, Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar held a re-run of the islands' presidential election, which the opposition boycotted.

    The opposition said that its candidate had won last October's poll, the results of which were annulled by the electoral commission.

    Mr Mahiga said the MCC should have consulted the government about the decision.

    Zanzibar"s newly-elected President Ali Mohamed Shein (L) reviews a guard of hounour at his swaering-in ceremony in Stone TownImage source, afp
    Image caption,

    Zanzibar's President Ali Mohamed Shein won the re-run poll with more than 90% of the vote

  17. Do expats have a duty to come home?published at 15:01 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    That's what our colleagues at World Have Your Say radio are asking ahead of today's programme.

    It comes after a heated debate on social media between a Nigerian doctor based in the US and an adviser to Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, who had been on a visit to the US as part of her role promoting relations with the diaspora (see tweet below). 

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    Dr Onuoha David responded to the politician's tweets, giving her some of his reasons for not wanting to return to his home country:

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    But then came the reply from Ms Dabiri-Erewa, which angered many on social media: 

    "But who is asking you to come?" 

    Where do you stand? Should people feel responsibility to return to their home countries if they live abroad? Or is it the government's job to make the country attractive to those who have decided to leave? The programme is live from 17:00 GMT (listen here).

  18. Ghana deports three ex-South African policemen after arrestpublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Thomas Naadi
    BBC Africa, Accra

    Ghana has deported the three South African ex-policemen who were arrested after travelling to the country to train bodyguards of the opposition New Patriotic Party leaders. 

    One of the lawyers of the three men, Nana Bediatuo Asante, told me that though the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and unlawful training have not been dropped, their deportation makes it impossible for the case to continue in court .

    The Ghana immigration service has revoked their visas and they were made to board a Johannesburg-bound South African Airways flight.

    According to the Bureau of National Investigation, the three former officers were training 15 young men in various military drills, including unarmed combat, weapons handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response manoeuvres.

  19. Togo's Adebayor to end exile against Tunisiapublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 29 March 2016

    Emmanuel Adebayor has ended his self-imposed exile and will play for Togo in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia on Tuesday.

    The Crystal Place striker last played for his country in June 2015 and rejected a call-up for Friday's match away to Tunisia, which Togo lost 1-0.

    He wrote on Facebook, external on Tuesday: "Let's go get this win together boys! May God be with us today."

    Emmaunel AdebayorImage source, Getty Images

    Read the full BBC Sport story

  20. 'No explosives' in suspect's beltpublished at 14:25

    Cypriot officials say initial searches of the suspected hijacker have revealed that the white belt he was wearing contained no explosives. But searches of the plane are said to be continuing.