Brian Hungwe
BBC Africa, Harare

Image source, AFP

The expulsion of four senior war veterans from Zimbabwe's ruling-Zanu PF party was inevitable after they issued a statement withdrawing their support for President Robert Mugabe.

There is no doubt that the 92-year-old leader is facing trying times ahead of the 2018 elections, and he is slowly loosing his grip on power.

Zanu-PF is deeply split, and Mr Mugabe will have to do more to keep the party together. 

But he is a survivor and the four were expelled despite the fact that he was warned by war veterans, at a meeting which was also attended by army commanders, not to needlessly kick out party cadres. 

See earlier post for more details

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

With nearly 80% of votes counted at 09:00 GMT in South Africa's local government elections, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says voter turnout stands at about 58% of eligible voters - slightly more than the previous municipal election in 2011.

IEC boss Mosotho Moepya appealed for patience as people waited for final results, saying the election body wanted to make sure there was "due diligence and accuracy”.

Mr Moepya also thanked over 200,000 election officials for their work as well South Africans for voting peacefully and passionately.

As the votes trickle in, the picture emerging at a national level is that the governing African National Congress is holding a firm lead. 

But it is still losing votes to the Democratic Alliance and  Economic Freedom Fighters.

The fiercely contested metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth are showing the opposition in the lead but counting is still continuing.

Nigeria's men's football team have fourteen hours to get to their first match of the Olympics but they haven't even arrived in Brazil.

Sports journalist Colin Udoh says they are boarding their plane in the US:

We reported earlier that there had been a dispute about payment followed by a cancelled flight because the plane was too small.

Mary Harper
Africa editor, BBC World Service

The authorities in Sudan say 76 people have been killed by floods in the past few days. 

Thousands of homes have been destroyed and in some cases, entire villages have been swept away. 

At least 13 of Sudan's 18 provinces have been affected. The water and irrigation ministry says the River Nile is at its highest level in more than a century. 

More heavy rain is expected.

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

The South African governing party's declaration of victory in Nkandla, the rural area at the centre of controversy after President Jacob Zuma upgraded him home there with government money, may be premature.

The ANC had lost the lead to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) by 09:00 GMT, as counting continued.  

The party had 41.7% of the vote compared with the IFP's 56.1%. 

The IFP says it is confident that it will take the Uthungulu district, which includes Nkandla.

Image source, EPA

There has been surprise recently at the plan to build a Pepsi bottling plant in Zimbabwe, given the country's economic instability.

But, in an interview published today in Zimbabwe's Financial Gazette, external, the main funder, Ravi Jaipuria, implied that he can afford to let the plant fail:

The newspaper says the plant will cost $30m (£22.5m) but the interview suggests that it is small change for Mr Jaipuria, who it dubbed India's bottling king.

The Indian investor also spoke highly about Zimbabweans:

And he gave some insight into the problems of travelling around Africa:

Aliyu Tanko
BBC Hausa

The audio message by Abubakar Shekau, in which he insists he is still the leader of Boko Haram, is an indication of the sharpest ever division to hit Nigeria's militant Islamist group since the death of its founding leader Mohammed Yusuf in 2009. 

Shekau's denunciation of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, whom the Islamic State (IS) group has declared the new leader of Boko Haram, as an "infidel" suggests that their may be no room for compromise and the rival factions may take up arms against each other. 

Image source, Boko Haram video

But it is clear that there is unhappiness within Boko Haram's ranks with Shekau's leadership, resulting in some militants reaching out to IS in their bid to topple him. 

What is not clear though is the extent of support that al-Barnawi has within Boko Haram. 

Shekau pledged allegiance to IS last year, giving it its first presence in sub-Saharan Africa - only for it to now betray him.  

With global jihadists competing for support, it will not be surprising if the Shekau-led faction now switches allegiance to al-Qaeda or another militant group.   

Pat Murphy
BBC Midlands football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Senegalese footballer Diafra Sakho's move from English Premier League club West Ham United to West Bromwich Albion could be formalised today, once West Brom know the results of medical tests undergone by the 26-year-old striker.

Sakho, who has had injury problems in the past, had scans at a Birmingham hospital last night.

It would be a club record fee for West Brom of £15m ($20m).

If the Sakho deal goes through, that will pave the way for Crystal Palace and Stoke to pursue Saido Berahino as West Brom will not release the striker until a replacement is bought. They will be looking for at least £20m for Berahino.

Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC Sport

Nigeria’s men’s football team are only due to arrive in Brazil's Manaus city hours before their match against Japan at the Rio 2016 Olympics. 

They are due to leave Atlanta in the US at around 11:00 GMT to fly for seven hours and then start the match at 01:00 GMT.

The squad was stuck in the US because the plane was too small for them.

They had previously had a dispute over payment, which had been sorted out.

The Nigerian sports ministry insisted a new payment had been made to the airline.

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

South Africa's governing party says it has taken control of Nkandla - the rural area from where President Jacob Zuma comes - from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in local government elections. 

Image source, EPA

South Africa's highest court ruled earlier this year that Mr Zuma violated the constitution by using government money to upgrade his home there and ordered him to repay about $510,000 (£383.000).  

* An earlier version of this entry incorrectly suggested that official results showed that the ANC had won. We regret the error. 

South Africa women's football captain Janine Van Wyk says on the Fifa website, external that the team's next match in the Olympics against China is "do or die".

It comes after they lost 1-0 to Sweden last night.

The match was the first event to open the Rio 2016 Olympics. 

Ms Van Wyk tweeted her disappointment at the result:

Read more on the BBC Sport website. 

Image source, AFP

Abubakar Shekau says he is still in charge of Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram despite a statement by so-called Islamic State that he had been replaced.

He denounced the IS declaration of Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the leader in an audio message released on Wednesday.

Shekau accused al-Barnawi of trying to stage a coup against him.

Read more on the BBC News website.

BBC World Service

Image source, AFP

With nearly half the votes counted in South Africa's local elections, the governing African National Congress (ANC) appears to be heading for its worst result since the end of apartheid. 

It's secured about 50% of the vote so far, down more than 10% on the last municipal polls five years ago. 

Its main rival, the Democratic Alliance, has so far won about 30% and is challenging for control of major cities, including Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. 

High unemployment and corruption scandals surrounding President Jacob Zuma have dented the ANC's popularity. 

Read: Could ANC lose capital?

Zimabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has expelled four senior war veterans from the party, the state-owned Herald newspaper reports, external. 

The move comes after President Robert Mugabe vowed to punish members of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association for issuing a statement denouncing him as "dictatorial" and demanding an end to his 36-year rule.

The four war veterans, including the association's secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, were among nine Zanu-PF members expelled from the party, the Herald reports.  

Image source, AFP

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