Africa highlights: Monday 27 June 2016 as it happened

Summary

Tsvangirai has cancer of the colon
Michelle Obama in Liberia to promote education
Two powerful Nigerian politicians in court
Zuma told to repay $510,000 for Nkandla upgrades
Bodies of Ethiopian migrants who suffocated to death return home
Boy bitten on face by hyena in South Africa
Foreign workers abducted in Nigeria freed
Get Involved: #BBCAfricaLive WhatsApp: +44 7341070844
Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Monday 27 June 2016

Live Reporting

Uwa Nnachi and Farouk Chothia

Scroll down for Monday's storiespublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
We'll be back tomorrow
That's all from the BBC Africa Live page today. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or checking the BBC News website.
A reminder of today's wise words:
Quote Message
If a child that is not yet mature tries to know what killed his father, whatever killed his father might kill him too."
An Igbo proverb sent by Nwogu Chukwuemeka, Imo State, Nigeria.
Click here to send us your African proverbs.
And we leave you with a photo of a hawker preparing a cob of corn at his makeshift shop in South Africa's Soweto township:
Image source, Reuters
Photos of torched Kenyan dormitoriespublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Here are pictures of the dormitories set ablaze by students in Kenya apparently after teachers refused to allow them to watch a Euro 2016 football match on television on Saturday night:
Image source, Daily Nation
Image source, Daily Nation
Read the full BBC story here
Tsvangirai receives chemotherapypublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Mr Tsvangirai is a long-standing opponent of President Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he is receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer of the colon (see earlier post).
AFP news agency quotes the 64-year-old as saying:
Quote Message
This health condition is unfortunate but can be faced by anyone. I intend to confront this development with the determination to overcome it."
Life after Mogadishu beach attackpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Somalia's popular Lido beach in the capital Mogadishu was the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist militant group al-Shabab in January.
Twenty people were killed - many died from their injuries in the days following the attack.
The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga has visited the beach, where she spoke to young Somalis.
Media caption,
Life is returning to normal in some parts of Mogadishu
Michelle Obama in Liberiapublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Jonathan Paye-Layleh
BBC Africa, Monrovia
US First lady Michelle Obama has visited a leadership camp for girls in Liberia on her latest trip to Africa.
"I am just so thrilled to be here with you,'' she told the young women at the US Peace Corps-sponsored project in Kakata in north-western Liberia.
Earlier, traditional dancers wearing the red, white and blue colours of both countries' flags welcomed her in in the capital, Monrovia.
Mrs Obama met President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, before travelling 70km (43 miles) along a heavily potholed road to Kakata.
The first lady is travelling with her mother and daughters Malia, 18, who recently graduated from high school, and Sasha, 15.
The central theme of her trip is education for girls. She is also due to visit Morocco.
Liberia's oldest vocational high school, located in Kakata and named after African-American civil rights activist Booker T. Washington, suspended mid-term exams that were scheduled to start today so that students could give Mrs Obama a "rousing welcome", said principal Harris Tarnue.
He added:
Quote Message
She will be a real inspiration to the young girls around here."
EgyptAir crash: Paris prosecutor open manslaughter inquirypublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, ALEX SNOW / AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM
French prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation into the EgyptAir plane crash last month.
Flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo came down in the Mediterranean Sea on 19 May, killing all 66 people on board.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, but the Paris prosecutor's office said it had no evidence so far of terrorism.
Read: Who were the victims?
South African out of Wimbledonpublished at 17:06 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport
South Africa's number 20 seed Kevin Anderson has been knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round by Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin.
Istomin beat Anderson 3 sets to 2.
Kenya's popular open garagespublished at 17:02 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Garages out in the open are common in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.
Image caption,
Auto mechanics at the garage do daily checks on brake pad conditions.
The mechanics say they can repair any vehicle - from the most common mode of transport, the 'Matatu' taxi, to the king of the jungle, the Land Rover.
And they also re-spray vehicles at cheaper priced than the big car dealers.
The mechanics, known locally as Jua Kali (hot sun) because they work outside in the sun, are said to be the masters of their art.
They carefully prepare each car before the start working on it.
And if your car is beyond repair there is plenty of room to leave it.
SA opposition leader welcomes Nkandla reportpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Mr Zuma is a polygamist who has married six times
South Africa's main opposition leader Mmusi Maimane has welcomed the Treasury's proposal that President Jacob Zuma should repay the government $510,000 (£380,000) for upgrades to his personal home in rural Nkandla.
In a statement, external, Mr Msimane said:
Quote Message
The fact that President Zuma is now legally obliged to pay back a portion of the money spent at Nkandla is to be welcomed. President Zuma must pay this amount without delay, and he must pay it personally."
Mr Maimane said the $510,000 was just over 3% of the total spent by the government on Mr Zuma's home.
He said Mr Zuma should repay the rest of the money:
Quote Message
Zuma and his cronies still owe the South African people hundreds of millions of rands [the South African currency]."
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Mr Zuma's home in Nkandla has caused him a big political headache
Read: How Mr Zuma's home has grown
Why is Nigeria's Senate leader in trouble with the law?published at 16:32 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Chris Ewokor
BBC Africa, Abuja
For allies of Nigeria's Senate President Bukola Saraki, his legal problems are not unconnected to the way he rose to the post last year.
A former governor of Kwara state in north-central Nigeria, he was accused of undermining the position of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) by running for the post after it took power in elections last year.
The APC, to which Mr Saraki belonged, has wanted the position of the Senate President to be given to a politician from the north-east.
What angered the APC leadership most was his alleged complicity in allowing a member of the opposition, Ike Ekweremadu, to emerge as his deputy.
From that point on, Mr Saraki has said, there have been attempts by the party hierarchy and the presidency to unseat him, although the presidency has denied having any hand in his legal problems which started when the Nigerian government filed 13 charges against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He went to the High Court and Supreme Court to stop the case, but failed.
Image source, afp
Image caption,
Mr Saraki holds the third most powerful position after the president and deputy president
He was a two-term governor in Kwara before being elected to the Senate. He was required to declare his assets before taking public office as a public officer.
He is accused of having failed to sufficiently comply with the Code of Conduct Act. He has strongly denied the allegation.
He is now being accused of changing the Senate standing orders to help him and Mr Ekweremadu secure their posts.
Both pleaded not guilty in court today, and will have to convince the court of their innocence. Otherwise, they could be jailed for up to 14 years
See earlier post for more details
Zuma 'must repay $510,000' over Nkandla upgradespublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Mr Zuma was under pressure to resign for spending government money on his private residential complex
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma should pay back $510,000 (£380,000) of public funds which he used to upgrade his private residence, the Treasure has said.
It worked out the amount at the request of South Africa's highest court, which ruled earlier this year that Mr Zuma had breached his oath of office by failing to repay the money used to build a swimming pool, amphitheatre, visitor centre, chicken run and cattle enclosure at his home in rural Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province.
A total of $23m (£15m) of public money had been spent on renovating the home.
Opposition parties called for Mr Zuma's resignation over the scandal, but he refused, insisting he did not behave dishonestly.
Read: Colourful and controversial Zuma
AU troops in Somalia not paidpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Amisom troops are not being paid properly despite the high risks involved with serving in Somalia
The allowances for African troops fighting al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia have not been paid for at least six months, the BBC has learned.
The 22,000-strong African Union force (Amisom) fighting the Islamist militant group al-Shabab is funded by the EU.
An European Union source told the BBC that last six-month payment was being withheld over "accounting issues".
Read the full BBC story here
Senegal authorities want Karim Wade property in Francepublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Abdourahmane Dia
BBC Afrique
A Paris court will hear a case brought by the Senegalese government to repossess two apartments that it says belong to former minister Karim Wade.
Last week, Senegalese President Macky Sall pardoned Mr Wade, the son of ex-President Abdoulaye Wade, after he served half of a six-year sentence for corruption.
Authorities in Senegal say they will continue their attempts to recoup the amount Wade is accused of embezzling.
Justice Minister Sidiki Kaba said on Friday that the government had already recovered assets worth 50bn CFA francs ($110m, £68m) since they launched the probes against corruption in 2012.
Wade, a former minister under his father's presidency, was found guilty of illicit enrichment amounting to more than $200m.
He flew to Qatar after his release.
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Karim Wade hid money in offshore companies
Caine Prize finalist Abdul Adanpublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Kenyan-Somali writer Abdul Adan is among the five shortlisted authors for this years Caine Prize, external for African writing.
His short story, The Lifebloom Gift, is set in America and reflects on the magical powers of a character called Ted Lifebloom.
Hear an extract from his story:
Media caption,
Kenyan-Somali writer Abdul Adan is one of five finalists for the Caine Prize.
We'll be featuring each of the writers on the shortlist throughout the week.
The winner will be announced next week.
Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai 'has cancer'published at 14:00 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has revealed that he can cancer of the colon, Zimbabwe's private NewsDay newspaper reports, external.
It quotes a statement by the 64-year-old opposition leader as saying:
Quote Message
On 8 May 2016, my Zimbabwean doctors referred me to South Africa, where a further diagnosis revealed that I am suffering from cancer of the colon."
Could Kenya burn?published at 13:39 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Kenya is walking dangerously close to the "mass grave" it dug for itself in 2008, following the disputed election of 2007.
If nothing is done to pacify the society and cool the temperatures that have been recklessly raised by politicians, this nation could burn.
And if it does, the blaze will be a lot more fierce and destructive than in 2008.
That's the view of former BBC Focus on Africa editor Joseph Warungu. Read his article here.
Egyptian protest 'over exams'published at 13:24 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Hundreds of students are marching in front of the offices of the Education Ministry in Egypt's capital, Cairo, over the cancellation of some high school exams, the Associated Press news agency reports.
The protest comes after 12 ministry officials were detained after answers to the final exams for Arabic, religion and other subjects were posted on Facebook earlier this month by an anonymous user who said he wanted to expose corruption and inefficiency.
Nigeria's Senate leader in dockpublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Chris Ewokor
BBC Africa, Abuja
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Mr Saraki (C) denies wrongdoing
There was a rowdy crowd at the forgery trial of Nigera's Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu.
It forced a 15-minute delay to the start of the case, as attempts were made to calm the crowd.
Both pleaded not guilty to the charges read out to them (see earlier post).
The Nigerian Government is accusing them of complicity in forging of the Senate Standing Orders to help them secure their current positions.
They have been granted bail and the case has been adjourned to 11 July. The senate president has been battling another court case of false asset declaration, a charge which he denies.
Hong Kong 'to ban ivory trade'published at 12:40 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Juliana Liu
BBC News, Hong Kong
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
It is legal to buy and sell Ivory in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government says it will completely ban ivory trading in five years time.
Officials added that they do not intend to give any compensation to legitimate ivory traders.
Currently some types of ivory can be legally sold but conservation groups believe this masks a flourishing trade in illegal ivory.
Legislators and conservation groups welcome the proposal, but question why the ban cannot be enacted much sooner.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), external believes a complete ban can be enacted in two years.
Kenya's leader visits Botswanapublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 27 June 2016
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta is in Botswana for a three day state visit.
The visit, at the invitation of Botswana's President Ian Khama, is geared towards boosting trade and bilateral relations between the two countries, according to Kenya's privately owned Daily Nation newspaper., external
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
President Kenyatta hopes to boost trade between the two countries.