The rhyming hashtag #JacarandaPropaganda is trending on Twitter in Kenya as people post their best pictures of the glorious splash of purple the Jacaranda tree is showing off at the moment:

But some have been questioning whether Nairobi really is the best place to spot jacaranda trees in full bloom. 

Here's a contender from a tweeter who says he is in Pretoria:

Pictures are now coming though of Moroccans voting today in parliamentary elections.

This is the second vote since King Mohammed VI reformed the constitution in the wake of protests in the region.

Image source, AP

Image source, Reuters

More powers were given to the parliament, but the king is still the pivotal figure in the constitution.

The Islamist Justice and Development party (PJD) is hoping to be re-elected to government.

It faces opposition from the Authenticity and Modernity Party, which wants to roll back what it calls the "Islamisation" of Moroccan society.  

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said in a birthday message in the Washington Post, external that he wants the option of assisted death.

In the op-ed he says:

He announced, external the reversal of his lifelong opposition to assisted dying in 2014.

Thomas Naadi
BBC Africa

There's a heated discussion in Ghana over the decision for the national football team, the Black Stars, to play today's World Cup qualifier against Uganda in the northern city of Tamale.

The Black Stars have played in Tamale before, but traditionally they play in either the capital, Accra, or the second city, Kumasi.

Some commentators have suggested that the move to the north is about the lukewarm support the team is getting in the big urban areas like Accra and Kumasi.

This all goes back to Ghana's appearance at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

At that time the government was compelled to fly out $3m (£2.4m) in cash to pay the players to avoid a strike.

Some fans now believe that the players are selfish and unpatriotic and has affected their level of support.

Despite this, the team has got a warm reception in Tamale according to the coach, Avram Grant.

He said: “The welcome from the fans was very good and the players like to be here. The atmosphere and we are happy.”

Image source, AFP

Somalia has hit the top of a list of countries where girls spend longest on household chores. 

In Somalia, girls between 10 and 14 years old spend on average 26 hours a week on these jobs according to data released by Unicef, external.

Looking at the data for girls aged between five and 14, the three countries at the top of the chore list are:

• Somalia, where 64% of girls spend at least 14 hours on chores a week. 
• Ethiopia the figure is 56% 
• And in Rwanda it's 48% 

Read more on the BBC News website

Image source, Reuters

The US has praised Cape Verde, external as "a model of democratic values and processes in Africa" after last Sunday's presidential election.

Incumbent President Jorge Carlos Fonseca won a second term with nearly 75% of the vote in a peaceful poll.

In a statement, a US State Department spokerperson said "I applaud the people of Cape Verde for their enthusiastic and peaceful participation" in the vote.

This week, the Mo Ibrahim index, external on governance put Cape Verde third overall in Africa behind Mauritius and Botswana.

Image source, EPA

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

We've reported on the call from some stalwarts of South Africa's governing African National Congress for President Jacob Zuma to step down. But how significant is this move? 

The ANC is deeply divided, and if there is one thing President Zuma has done a great job of it's keeping those loyal to him close through key government positions. 

While this group of "dissidents" is respected in society they are unlikely to stir the president into action. 

Calls for Mr Zuma to step down are not new and have taken many forms including marches through South Africa's major cities. Not a single one of them has been successful, or remotely close to it.

Mr Zuma will leave when his own people turn on him. 

So this remains the president's show.

Image source, AFP

Farai Mushayademo is one of more than 100,000 vendors operating on the streets of Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, but he has found a way to stand out from his rivals.

When he sells water and other beverages to motorists, he dresses immaculately in suits he has tailored himself.

Video Journalist: Tendai Msiyazviriyo

Patrick Kihara
BBC Monitoring, Nairobi

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe yesterday afternoon left the capital, Harare, for Malaysia on a working visit, the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, external reports.

He was accompanied by First Lady Grace Mugabe, Transport Minister Jorum Gumbo and Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa among other senior government officials.

Another website ZimNews, external, however, says that while his office says he left on a working visit, unnamed sources in the government told its reporters that "Mr Mugabe and his wife are due for their regular medical check ups in the Far East". 

The website adds that "from Malaysia, the Mugabe family will reroute to Singapore for scheduled medical treatment leaving the rest of the travelling team in Malaysia".

Image source, AP

Read more Mugabe: Zimbabwe to soften controversial foreign company law

Stalwarts from South Africa's governing African National Congress have called on President Jacob Zuma to step down, the Fin24 website, external reports.

It quotes an emailed statement from a pressure group called Save South Africa, made up of some highly-respected veteran ANC members.

They include the former finance minister Trevor Manuel.

The statement said they have "deep concern" about the state of the country.

Fin24 adds that the group wants to meet with President Zuma to talk about “the leadership that is required to chart a way to stability, economic growth and the rights and promises contained in the constitution".

Image source, AFP

The people of Morocco are voting today in parliamentary elections.

These are the second elections since the country adopted constitutional reforms in 2011 designed to calm protests during the Arab Spring uprisings. 

The Islamist Justice and Development party (PJD) is hoping to be re-elected to government. 

It says a second term would allow it to press ahead with its economic and social reforms.

Image source, Getty Images

It faces opposition from the Authenticity and Modernity Party, which wants to roll back what it calls the "Islamisation" of Moroccan society.

Image source, Getty Images

Burundi's government says it wants to pull out of the International Criminal Court.

The cabinet made the decision last night, the Reuters news agency reports.

It is six months after the ICC prosecutor said her office would investigate last year's violence in which hundreds of people died.

Political turmoil followed the announcement in April 2015 that President Pierre Nkurunziza would run for a third term.

The country's parliament will have to pass a bill to legalise the withdrawal.

Vice-President Gaston Sindimwo said his government was not worried that the decision would lead to international isolation. 

He added that Burundi is ready to face any consequences of its decision:

Withdrawal from the ICC has been discussed by the African Union and heads of state supported a Kenyan proposal earlier this year to look at ways to do this.

They said that the court unfairly targets African countries.

Image source, AFP

At least 20 soldiers have been killed in Niger in an attack on a camp for Malian refugees, officials say.

The attack took place in the western Tahoua region, Prime Minister Brigi Rafini told state TV.

Assailants targeted a military post near the camp, a local official told the Associated Press.

Three soldiers were also injured in the attack, the local official said, and Prime Minister Rafini said the death toll could rise.  

Northern and central Mali remain unstable nearly four years after France led a military intervention to drive out jihadists.

Read more on the BBC News website

Today’s African proverb: 

Image source, Getty

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