Image source, AFP

Benin's Grammy Award-winning musician Angelique Kidjo, along with three African youth activist movements, has been awarded the 2016 human rights award  for standing up to injustice by Amnesty International.

Kidjo and Senegal's Enough is Enough (Y'en a marre), Le Balai Citoyen from Burkina Faso and Lucha from the Democratic Republic of Congo have shown "exceptional courage," the rights group said.

They "have all proved themselves to be bold advocates for human rights, using their talents to inspire others", Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary-general, said in a statement.

Kidjo is also known for her prominent campaign for freedom of expression and work against female genital mutilation.

The musician has now joined a list of famous people who have won the Ambassador of Conscience Award, including South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela and Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

Watch this BBC news video on the rise of youths activists in DR Congo.

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, ENCA

Earlier we reported that eight schools in northern South Africa had been burnt down by demonstrators (see 11:13 post).

Protests in South Africa have a history of becoming violent – this largely stems from the years of white minority rule when angry residents would destroy state-owned property to show their disapproval.

More than 20 years since the country's hard-won democracy and it seems that sentiment has not been lost. 

People are often so frustrated at what they say is the slow pace of getting basic services like house, electricity and water - that they resort to vandalism.

But these actions have been criticised by the government as protesters often destroy much-needed property such as schools, libraries and even clinics.

In that end, those same communities are then left worse off, the government says.

Alastair Leithead
BBC Africa correspondent

Kenyan police say they have foiled a "large-scale" biological attack using anthrax, by an East African terror group with links to the so-called Islamic State (IS).

But yesterday’s statement from the inspector general of police gives no detail as to the group’s name, or evidence for its affiliation to IS.

A group calling itself “Jahba East Africa” has recently emerged and pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group, but it is not known if they are connected to this “foiled terror plot” as police described it.

There is a split within the Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabab over allegiance to either al-Qaeda or IS.

Image source, Kenya National Police Service

While there are thought to be some IS-linked militants fighting in Somalia, Emmanuel Kisiangani from the Institute for Security Studies in Nairobi believes it is unlikely they would target Kenya.

“I cannot discount the idea they would be recruiting for Syria, but in targeting Kenya I don’t see any connection, even remotely,” he said.

Mustafa Ali, an expert in conflict resolution and violent extremism in Kenya, said an anthrax attack in Kenya was “less likely, but then it was less likely the US would be attacked in that way in 2001”.

He said the aim of IS is to create terror anywhere they are able to carry out attacks.

Read the BBC News story for more.

At least 10 people have been killed after suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked two villages in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara, the BBC Hausa service is reporting.

Residents of Madaɗa and Ruwan Tofa say dozens of attackers stormed the villages early this morning on motorcycles. 

Nomadic herders from the Fulani ethnic group and farming communities often clash for control of land and water.    

Police have not yet commented on the incident which comes amid a growing anger in the country over the recent upsurge in attacks blamed on cattle raiders.

Hundreds have been killed in past few months, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari to order the security forces to crack down on the herdsmen.

The Nigerian military is today holding a meeting with representatives of Fulani ethnic group in the capital, Abuja, to find a solution to the crisis.

Image source, Getty Images

Who are the Fulanis?

The Fulanis are believed to be the largest semi-nomadic group in the world and are mainly based in West and Central Africa.

In Nigeria, there are two types: The semi-nomadic herders and those who live in the city.

Unlike the more integrated city dwellers, the nomadic groups spend most of their lives in the bush and are the ones largely involved in these clashes.

They herd their animals across vast dry hinterlands, something that often puts them at odds with many communities, especially farmers who accuse them of damaging their crops.

However, the Fulanis have sometimes been attacked and have their animals stolen by bandits, prompting reprisal attacks.

The conflict has been going on for about two decades, but following the upsurge in attacks this year the government is under increasing pressure to take steps to curb it.

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, ENCA

South African police are on high alert after eight schools were torched and badly damaged by protesting residents in Limpopo province overnight.

The residents of Vuwani and Livubu villages are angry about a decision to put the schools under a new district authority.

This so-called rezoning is being done to help municipal authorities provide basic services by spreading out their budgets.

But the residents believe this will further delay them getting government housing and water.

The violence brings to 13 the number of schools destroyed in recent days, leaving hundreds of pupils without a place to learn.

Among the mourners for Papa Wemba at Notre Dame Cathedral in Kinshasa (see 10:54 post) are members of the Society of Ambianceurs and Elegant Persons (Sape), known as Sapeurs.

Style is everything to the sapeurs - and the ever-fashionable Papa Wemba was their leader.

BBC Afrique's Poly Muzalia snapped some of them in front of the church:

Read more about Congolese Sapeurs and What made Papa Wemba so influential.

A funeral mass is being held in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for the music star Papa Wemba.

Known as the king of Congolese rumba, the 66-year-old died after collapsing on stage in Ivory Coast on 24 April. He will be buried later today.

The BBC's Poly Muzalia sent some photos from the city's Notre Dame Cathedral which is thronged with mourners:

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has described the country's former first lady Lucy Kibaki as a great leader who was committed to improving the lives of Kenyans.

Mr Kenyatta has been tweeting at the start of a requiem mass being held for Mrs Kibaki who died last week.

See 09:04 entry for more details

Prime Ndikumagenge
BBC Africa, Bujumbura

Image source, AFP

One of Burundi's former presidents, Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, has died at the age of 69 in hospital in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

He came to power in a coup in 1976 and ruled until he was deposed in 1987.

Much of the country's infrastructure and industry was built up during this time and it was one of the most stable periods in the country's post-independence history.

Current President Pierre Nkurunziza tweeted his "condolences to his family and all Burundians" in French:

South Africa's Doping Control Laboratory has become the fourth lab to have its accreditation suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) in the past month.

Bloemfontein joins Beijing, Moscow and Lisbon in being prohibited from carrying out any Wada-related anti-doping activities.

The decision leaves 31 Wada-accredited labs in the world, but none in Africa.

Wada said , externalthe laboratory may apply for reinstatement before 30 September.

All four suspended labs can appeal about the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Read the BBC Sport story for more.

Image source, AFP

Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola has lost more than $400m (£280m) of his personal fortune in the last nine weeks after stock price of his Forte Oil company crashed by 43%, the US-based Forbes magazine, external reports.

Forte's share price has dropped to 193 naira ($1, £0.66) from 342 naira in late February after recording consistent daily losses in recent weeks, it added.

The magazine quoted a source at Forte Oil as linking the drop in the company’s share price with massive sell-offs of bonus shares by some of the company’s retail investors.  

In March, Forbes estimated that Mr Otedola had been worth $1.6bn, but that had now dropped to $1.2bn, it said.

Image source, Getty Images

Mozambique should urgently act on reports of a mass grave found in the central province of Sofala, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.

Last week, Deutsche Welle and Lusa news agency reported the discovery in the area of Canda in Gorongosa district.

Residents said they had counted between 100 to 120 bodies in a hole once used as an open-pit gold mine; journalists who visited the area saw at least 15 bodies scattered in the bush near the alleged mass grave, HRW said.

The US-based rights group's Africa researcher tweeted:

The region has recently been affected by clashes between the Mozambican army and gunmen of the Renamo opposition party.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Nairobi

Image source, EPA

Three more bodies have been retrieved from the rubble of a six-storey building that collapsed in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Friday. 

This brings the number of fatalities to 26. At least 93 people are still missing five days after the building collapsed under heavy rains.

A six-month-old girl was rescued from the debris on Tuesday.  

Two brothers who are believed to be the owners of the building and three government officials were arraigned in court over the incident yesterday. 

Their bail application will be heard this morning. 

Image source, AFP

A requiem mass is being held for Kenya’s former First Lady Lucy Kibaki, who died last week of an undisclosed illness in London.

Dozens of leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, are attending the funeral mass, the Daily Nation reports.

Interior Permanent Secretary Karanja Kibicho has told people to don yellow ribbons in her honour until she is buried on Saturday.

“Fellow Kenyans, we are reminded that Mama Lucy loved bright colours. Therefore, the Kibaki family has identified the yellow ribbon as a symbol of the celebration of Mama Lucy,” Kenya’s Capital News quoted him as saying.

“Members of the public who wish to stand by the roadside as the convoy meanders through the road to pay their last respects are welcome to do so."

Kenya's NTV is covering the service:

Send us your comments, stories or photos of your daily lives. Email africalive@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp +44 7341070844.

Today’s African proverb:

Image source, AFP

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