Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Nairobi

At least five countries have started to evacuate their citizens from South Sudan after four days of fighting between rival government forces in the capital, Juba. 

They include Uganda, the UK, Germany, Japan and India. 

The US and Kenya have also announced that they intend to airlift their citizens out of the country. 

Image source, AFP

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has condemned as "cowardly" the killing of Hafsa Mossi, the country's representative to the East Africa legislative assembly and a former BBC Swahili producer:

In a tweet in French, he said:

The tweet reads: "The assassination of the Hon. Hafsa Mossi is a despicable and cowardly act. This is an inestimable loss for Burundi, her family and all [of] the EAC [East African Community]".

She was shot dead this morning in the capital, Bujumbura, by unknown gunmen. 

Mr Nkurunziza's spokesman Willy Nyamitwe tweeted:

Read more about Burundi's tit-for-tat killings.

Haruna Shehu Tangaza
BBC Africa, Abuja

Image source, AFP

We reported earlier that Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is in the north-western state of Zamfara to launch a military operation against deadly gangs of cattle rustlers.

The heavily-armed bandits kill hundreds of people each year and steal livestock.

The Nigerian Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali told the BBC that up to one battalion would initially be deployed into the bush where the gangs are based with the aim  of flushing them. 

Mr Dan Ali said the military campaign was likely to last for about six months and more troops would join the operation. 

There has been an outcry by residents over what they call the failure of local authorities to defend them. 

Hundreds of families are now homeless after they fled their villages where bandits warned farmers not to farm - eight farmers have been shot dead so far for ignoring the warning, according to local media. 

There are fears that fighters from militant Islamist group Boko Haram have infiltrated the gangs after having been dislodged from their strongholds in the north-east, but there is no confirmation of this.

Read: Making sense of the Fulani-farmer conflict

South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar has left the capital, Juba, with his troops, his spokesman has told Reuters news agency.

"We had to move away from our base [in Juba] to avoid further confrontation," James Gatdet Dak told Reuters news agency from Kenya's capital, Nairobi. 

He said he was in contact with Machar's forces. 

"He is around the capital. I cannot say the location," he added. 

President Salva Kiir and his rival, Mr Machar, announced a ceasefire which came into force on Monday after their troops clashed for four days in Juba.  

Image source, AP

Last week heavy fighting between rival forces left more than 270 people dead.

It seems a disagreement at a checkpoint between rival soldiers led to a shootout on Thursday night in which five soldiers died. This quickly escalated into serious fighting from Friday onwards.  

Germany has begun evacuating foreigners from South Sudan's capital, Juba, amid fears for their safety, as this tweet shows:  

 It follows the killing of more than 270 people in four days of fighting.   

The evacuations came despite the fact that a ceasefire has been holding since Monday evening to end three days of heavy fighting in Juba between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice-President Riek Machar. 

More than 270 people, including two Chinese UN peacekeepers, were killed in the clashes. 

The US, Japan, Kenya and Uganda have also announced that they are evacuating their citizens. 

Tweeters have reacted with disgust at paintings depicting South African President Jacob Zuma naked, and committing a sex act on businessman Atul Gupta.

Some say that artist Ayanda Mabulu - whose paintings are being shown at a gallery in the main city, Johannesburg - has crossed the line:

While others don't have so much sympathy:

Mr Zuma has been at the centre of a spate of corruption scandals in  South Africa and the Gupta family has been accused of having undue influence over him - a charge they both deny.

Artist Ayanda Mabulu told South Africa’s Culture review that the painting is more about the Gupta family  than the president:

Read more on the Guptas and their relationship with President Jacob Zuma.

Brian Hungwe
BBC Africa, Harare

Zimbabwe's pastor Evan Mawarire has been brought to court in the capital, Harare, to face charges of inciting violence following his arrest yesterday. 

Hundreds of people have come to court in solidarity with him. 

Anti-riot police are manning the main entrance, forcing people to queue to get in.

Image source, Reuters

Dozens of anti-riot police have surrounded the court in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, where preacher Evan Mawarire is due to appear on charges of inciting violence. 

The pastor was arrested yesterday after he called for "stay at home" protests against President Robert Mugabe's government.

 Read: What is behind the anger and despair in Zimbabwe?

The Sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse has finished its penultimate flight, landing in Egypt's capital, Cairo.

Andre Borschberg flew over the pyramids before landing:

Image source, Solar Impulse

The zero-fuel aircraft is now in the home straight of its bid to circumnavigate the globe. Its final stop is Abu Dhabi, where the challenge began in March 2015. 

Image source, Map

The pilot tweeted the final approach was a bit bumpy:

The plane has 17,000 solar cells.

Read more on the BBC News website.

Early signs are that most people in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, have not heeded a call for a stay away to protest against the economic crisis in the country, Reuters news agency reports. 

Queues built up as normal at bus and taxi ranks to ferry people to work, while most businesses, including banks, are open, it reports. 

Teachers reported for duty at most public schools, which are conducting mid-year examinations, while nurses and doctors were at work at state-run hospitals, Reuters says. 

Zimbabwean preacher Evan Mawarire is due to appear in court  today on charges of inciting public violence after he called for "stay at home" protests against the deteriorating economic situation, his lawyer has said, Reuters news agency reports. 

Mr Mawarire spent the night in police cells after officers searched his house, church and office in the capital Harare as part of their investigations. 

People have been tweeting about his arrest: 

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to launch a special military task force today to fight "bandits" in north-western Nigeria's Zamfara state, reports the BBC's Abuja bureau. 

A recent attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen claimed 15 lives in the state.   

In 2014, more than 100 people were killed by unknown gunmen in the Maru area. 

Image source, Reuters

Image source, AFP

Zimbabweans are being urged on social media and the messaging service WhatsApp to observe a two-day national "shutdown" in protest at the government's alleged mismanagement of the country.

A one-day stay away was organised last week and led to a complete shutdown of schools, businesses and shops across the country.

On Tuesday, police arrested pastor Evan Mawarire who organised the protest under the hashtag #ThisFlag on Twitter. 

Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo warned that anyone who took part in the two-day strike would face "the full wrath of the law". 

Our African proverb of the day:  

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

Image source, AFP

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