Africa highlights: Wednesday 15 June 2016 as it happened

Summary

Anonymous Africa attack business sites in South Africa
Rate of Nigeria's currency to be market driven
Kenya 'closes' border with Somalia
Pistorius 'should be jailed for at least 15 years'
Kenyan senator in 'brawl' with Nairobi governor
'Upsurge' in attacks on aid workers in South Sudan
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Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Wednesday 15 June 2016

Live Reporting

Clare Spencer and Farouk Chothia

Kenya troop 'build-up at Somalia border'published at 13:42 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Wanyama wa Chebusiri
BBC Africa
There has been a massive build-up of Kenyan troops along the border with Somalia.
Kenya has also shut the crossing between the two countries.
The reason for its decision is still unclear.
An official in Somalia’s neighbouring Gedo region, Yusuf Kanti, said he was shocked by the border's closure.
The movement of people from both sides of the border has been restricted by the Kenyan military, he told the BBC Somali service.
Troops are heavily armed with artillery tanks and armoured vehicles, Mr Kanti added.
Efforts to get comment from Kenyan authorities have been unsuccessful.
Image source, af
Image caption,
Kenyan troops entered Somalia in 2011 to fight militant Islamists
Jail Pistorius in 'public interest'published at 13:21 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend through a locked door in 2013
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel is urging the High Court in South Africa to sentence Paralympic and Olympic star Oscar Pistorius to at least 15 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
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Nigerian Olympic athletes 'can't afford entry visas'published at 13:01 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, AP
Image caption,
Nigerian athletes like hurdler Tobi Amusan, centre, have been breaking records in smaller competitions
Nigerian athletes who plan to compete in the Olympics have so little money that they can't even afford entry visas to South Africa for a preparatory competition, reports Nigeria's Today news site, external.
Nigerian athletes were expected to compete in the African Senior Athletics Championship in the Durban later this week, the site adds.
However, Today quotes an unnamed official from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria as saying the sports ministry in Abuja has failed to release money for the trip.
The official says Nigeria is hoping to get medals in athletics at the Rio Games in August.
Your views: Pistorius on stumpspublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
The Paralympic gold medalist wants to be sentenced to community service
Opinion is divided on the BBC Africa Facebook page, external about South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, after he walked in court without his prosthetic legs.
A judge is hearing arguments before she sentences him for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Mubita Likando Mundia says:
Quote Message
This is so sad, troubling a soul that is already suffering emotionally, physically and mentally. The family of Steenkamp must learn to forgive and forget."
George K O Monima takes the opposite view:
Quote Message
This is truly pathetic. With the antics he and his lawyers have employed, I'm more convinced more than ever that he's guilty. Justice must be served. He must rot in jail."
Read: A fallen idol
Congo-Brazzaville ex-army chief 'arrested'published at 12:30 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko was a former security adviser to the president
A former army chief and defeated presidential candidate in Congo-Brazzaville has been arrested, his party has said, Reuters news agency reports.
No official reasons have been given for the arrest of General Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko, but President Denis Sassou Nguesso has previously accused him of plotting a coup.
"This is clearly a desire to harm the general, who stood up to Sassou during the last presidential election," spokesman for the l'IDC-FROCAD party Guy Romain Kinfouissia said, Reuters reports.
"It is just another demonstration of force to muzzle the opposition," he added.
Mr Sassou Nguesso, who has been in power since 1979, was re-elected in March in a poll rejected by the opposition as a sham.
Jail Pistorius 'for at least 15 years'published at 12:14 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel has called for South African athlete Oscar Pistorius to be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as our reporters are tweeting from court:
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Read: My friend Reeva Steenkamp
Has Nigerian teachers job site crashed?published at 11:53 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, Getty Images
We have been looking into reports that a new Nigerian teachers job site has crashed.
Last week the Nigerian government launched its plan to give at least 500,000 unemployed graduates teaching jobs for two years.
The government said 400,000 people registered on the site in just 36 hours.
But the BBC's Naziru Makailu, who tried and failed to log into the site from Abuja today, says it is unclear how many people have actually been able to submit their applications.
He explains that there is a difference between registration and application as you need to upload your CV before your application is complete.
And that is the tricky part of the process - which is running very slowly.
Ban on Steenkamp photos 'should be lifted'published at 11:46 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel has been presenting his closing arguments at the sentence hearing of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
And he has been referring to the evidence given in court yesterday by Steenkamp's father:
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Pistorius walks on stumpspublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Pistorius walked across the courtroom without his prosthetic legs
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has walked in court on his stumps, at the request of his lawyer Barry Roux.
The move came as Mr Roux wrapped up his argument at the former Paralympic and Olympic star's sentence hearing for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Journalists are tweeting from court:
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Deadly fighting in Sirtepublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, AP
Image caption,
Sirte was heavily bombed by Nato forces during the offensive to oust Col Gaddafi in 2011
Nine fighters allied with the UN-backed government in Libya have been killed and 50 others wounded in fighting to dislodge the Islamic State group from its stronghold of Sirte, a hospital spokesman has said, the Associated Press news agency reports.
The men died either from sniper fire, direct gunfire or in road bomb explosions in fighting earlier this week, the spokesman added.
Sirte was the birthplace of Muammar Gaddafi, the former Libyan ruler who was killed by Nato-backed forces in 2011.
Read: Why is Libya so lawless?
Besigye 'must be tried in court'published at 10:58 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, AP
Image caption,
Mr Besigye (C) was the president's doctor before the two fell out
A judge has ruled that Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye should be tried in court for treason - and not at the maximum security prison where he is being held.
Mr Besigye appeared briefly in court today and the case was adjourned to 29 June.
The prosecution asked for the case to be held in prison, citing security concerns.
He was arrested last month and charged with treason for arranging a mock ceremony to inaugurate himself as president.
He rejected President Yoweri Museveni's fifth-term win in the February poll as fraudulent.
Pistorius 'should not be imprisoned'published at 10:30 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius should not be jailed for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in the capital, Pretoria, on 14 February 2013, his lawyer Barry Roux has said at his sentence hearing.
Our reporter is tweeting from court:
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Nairobi governor 'fended off blow'published at 10:20 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Anthony Irungu
BBC Africa, Nairobi
The governor of Kenya's capital Nairobi, Evans Kidero, has denied that senator Mike Sonko's punch landed on him, during their altercation earlier today at a meeting of the Senate's public accounts committee.
"He never hit me. I just blocked his hand," Mr Kidero told journalists.
He also denied that he had been rushed to hospital - something that his spokesman Beryl Okundi had said.
Finally, Mr Kidero denied the murder allegations that Mr Sonko levelled against him, saying they were "frivolous".
'Rats' to be used in Kenyan protestpublished at 10:05 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, Thinkstock
Demonstrators plan to use 200 live rats in a protest in Nyeri city in central Kenya, reports the Kenyan newspaper the Star, external.
The Star quotes organising coordinator John Wamagata as saying "we shall bring 200 rats and take them round the town".
The newspaper adds that the protest, planned for next week, is against a proposal by the county assembly to spend 75 million Kenyan shillings ($740,000; £510,000) to build a health club.
The Nyeri County Assembly Health Club will have a gym, steam bath, massage parlour, swimming pool and sauna, according to the Star.
Pistorius has 'lost all assets'published at 10:04 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Pistorius shot his girlfriend at his upmarket home in 2013
Barry Roux - the defence lawyer of convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius - says the former Olympic and Paralympic star has suffered heavy losses since the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp .
Our reporter is tweeting from court:
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Nairobi governor 'in hospital'published at 09:55 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
Anthony Irungu
BBC Africa, Nairobi
The governor of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, Evans Kidero, has been taken to hospital for a check-up after he was punched by a senator Mike Sonko, his spokesman Beryl Okundi has said.
Mr Sonko and Mr Kidero got involved in a fight while the governor was being grilled by the Senate's public accounts committee on the misappropriation of funds.
Pistorius 'not evil'published at 09:47 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
South African athlete Oscar's Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux is appealing to the court not to impose a 15-year prison sentence on him for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.
Here are a few tweets from our reporter from court:
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Pistorius 'trembles'published at 09:26 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is in court, as his lawyer Barry Roux argues there are compelling reasons not impose the minimum 15-year sentence on him for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Here are a few tweets from journalists at the hearing:
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US worried about Eritrea-Ethiopia clashespublished at 09:16 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
The US government says it is "gravely concerned" about the clashes on the Ethiopia-Eritrea border on Sunday and Monday.
"As both Ethiopia and Eritrea are party to the 2000 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and there cannot be a military solution,
Both sides should exercise restraint and engage in political dialogue, State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement, external.
We reported at the time that it is not clear why fighting erupted.
But there has been an impasse since a peace agreement in 2000 over the disputed town of Badme.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The 1998-2000 border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea led to the deaths of around 80,000 people
Pistorius lawyer in final argumentpublished at 09:15 British Summer Time 15 June 2016
The defence is now presenting its final arguments in the sentence hearing of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, after he was convicted of murder.
It carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison but defence lawyer Barry Roux is appealing for leniency.
Our reporters are tweeting from the court in Pretoria:
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