BBC World Service

Opposition leaders in Gabon have condemned a government ban on them leaving the country.

A spokesman for the interior ministry said the move followed what he described as inflammatory remarks by the opposition leader Jean Ping.

Last week, the authorities said members of the opposition who refused to recognise the government could no longer appear on state media.

Mr Ping narrowly lost to the incumbent Ali Bongo in last year's presidential election.

He alleged fraud and said he should have been sworn in as head of state.

Image source, AFP

Oxfam is in the process of moving its headquarters from the UK to Kenya.

It's part of a trend of organisations relocating to the areas where they're actually working.

Oxfam International's head Winnie Byanyima told the BBC why the charity has made the move:

You can listen to more of what Ms Byanyima has to say on the BBC World Service programme Conversation here:

Some 90 police officers have been admitted to hospital with suspected cases of cholera, Kenya's ministry of health has said.

It added that the officers are suspected to have caught the infection from something they ate or drank in a canteen in the capital, Nairobi:

The Star newspaper reports, external that the officers were on duty last week during the hearing of the presidential petition, which ended last Friday.

It quotes the capital's governor Mike Sonko saying that the situation was under control:

An investigation into a British public relations firm, Bell Pottinger, has said that it tried to "mislead or undermine journalists who were asking questions" about its controversial campaign on behalf of the wealthy Gupta family.

Bell Pottinger commissioned the independent investigation after it was accused of helping to stir up racial tensions with its campaign.

The Gupta family is said to have wanted to distract attention from the allegations that it exerted undue influence on President Jacob Zuma by blaming the country's problems on white-owned businesses, or "white monopoly capital".

Both the Guptas and President Zuma deny wrongdoing.

The independent investigation, which was commissioned by Bell Pottinger, concluded:

It also said that there was evidence that the account team:

Bell Pottinger may also be sanctioned by the PR umbrella body that it belongs to.

Image source, Reuters

It's been three weeks since the devastating mudslide that claimed the lives of hundreds of people in the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown.

The aftermath of the disaster are still evident but the rain has not relented, a situation that continues to cause damage.

The BBC's Umaru Fofana has shared pictures of submerged houses as rain continues to drop on the West African country:

He reports that the rain has continued to fall this morning.

Image source, ACACIA

UK-based mining firm, Acacia, has announced that is has reduced operations and cut its workforce in Tanzania following an export ban on gold and copper concentrate imposed by the government in March last year.

It said in a statement that the move had forced it to make staffing changes:

The company said that the ban had led to a "negative cash flow of approximately $15m (£11m) per month" and made operations at one of its mines, Bulyanhulu, unsustainable.

Acacia operates three gold mines in Tanzania: in Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi and North Mara.

In July, the Tanzanian government hit the company with a demand for $190bn in unpaid taxes.

The company however said that it has declared all materials produced and has paid royalties and taxes in full.

President John Magufuli has been pushing for changes in the mining industry, because he says he does not believe the country is getting a fair share of profit from the industry.

Acacia says that despite the challenges to its business it was in talks with the government to resolve the issues.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Addis Ababa

We've been reporting on the move by the Ethiopian authorities to prevent an event for pop star Teddy Afro from taking place in the capital, Addis Ababa.

He is a huge figure in the country.

Teddy enjoys almost cult like following and his latest album - his fifth - has elevated him to legendary status.

The album is like a history lesson, with references to Emperor Tewodros II, who is seen as the father of modern day Ethiopia, and it also calls for unity among Ethiopians.

Teddy is no stranger to controversy though.

In 2008, he was jailed for a hit-and-run accident. He has always maintained that the case against him was politically motivated.

He raised the ire of the authorities in 2005 when he released an album that was seen as critical of the authorities in the wake of disputed elections, but Teddy has tried to distance himself from politics.

He still enjoys massive following among Ethiopians who adore and revere him.

Months after his album was released this year, his music is still being blasted out on public transport, in pubs, local shops and homes.

Imogen Foulkes
BBC News, Geneva

Image source, AFP

A UN investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Burundi says there is strong evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed.

The report, which is being published today in Geneva, details what the authors say are widespread and systematic violations, committed largely by government forces, since April 2015, when Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to seek a controversial third term in office

The UN report contains horrific details of killing, torture, and rape committed, the investigators say, primarily by Burundi's national intelligence service, its police, and its army.

Thousands of people have fled Burundi to escape the violence.

The UN investigators have a long list of recommendations for Burundi's government, including to cease all violence, release all political prisoners and completely reform the judiciary.

But, the report continues, since there is no realistic chance of this happening, the International Criminal Court ( ICC) should open its own investigation.

Burundi, however, initiated the process of withdrawing from the ICC last year, apparently in anticipation of this very report.

Kenya's Education Minister Fred Matiang'i has told a media briefing that the fire that occurred at a boarding school in the capital, Nairobi, over the weekend, killing nine students, was an arson attack:

Media reports say that at least 10 Moi Girls School students remain in hospital.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Addis Ababa

Authorities in Ethiopia have stopped singer Tewodros Kassahun, popularly known as Teddy Afro, from launching his much-acclaimed album, Ethiopia.

On his Facebook Page, Teddy Afro says police asked him to have a permit for the launch that was to be held at a hotel in the capital, Addis Ababa, a demand he has termed as ridiculous.

A BBC reporter, who was attending the launch, says federal police showed up at the hotel hours before the launch and prevented Teddy's sound team from setting up equipment for the gig.

His manager told the BBC, that they are yet to get official reasons as to why the launch was cancelled.

His concert scheduled for the eve of Ethiopian New Year, which falls on 11 September, has also been cancelled in unclear circumstances.

Teddy's 15-track album has made history as the quickest selling album since its release in May this year and for weeks topped the Billboard World Albums chart.

Kenya's leading satirical cartoonist has summed up the different attitudes to Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to annul last month's presidential election result.

Before he took the matter to court, opposition leader Raila Odinga was sceptical about its independence but then on Friday hailed the court.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier encouraged the opposition to take the legal route but then called the judges "wakora" - Swahili for crooks or thugs, when the decision was not in his favour.

Tomi Oladipo
BBC Monitoring's Africa security correspondent

Somalia's government has made a startling request for "immediate military assistance" to prevent Islamist militants al-Shabab from supplying uranium to Iran.

In a letter, Foreign Minister Yusuf Garaad says the militants have captured a region with uranium deposits and have been strip mining the components.

Somalia is said to have the potential for uranium, according to past findings by the International Atomic Energy Agency, but this has not been developed.

The claim, which has not been independently verified, has not revealed how this artisanal mining of uranium works and what evidence it has to prove that al-Shabab is working on it or plans to send the deposits to Iran.

The letter also described al-Shabab as being linked with the so-called Islamic State, when in fact it has been long associated with al-Qaeda.

It also says that the current problem is too big even for the African Union forces based in Somalia.

The State Department has not responded to the letter but according to US media has confirmed it did receive it.

Analysts suggest this letter is intended to attract a larger US military presence to Somalia where al-Shabab is waging a violent campaign.

Read:Who are Somalia's al-Shabab?

Image source, AFP

BBC World Service

The British trade body which regulates the public relations industry, the PRCA, is meeting today to decide whether to impose sanctions on one of its best-known companies, Bell Pottinger.

The firm's chief executive, James Henderson, has already resigned following allegations that it stirred up racial tensions in South Africa through a controversial social media campaign.

Bell Pottinger ran the campaign for the powerful business family, the Guptas, who have links with President Jacob Zuma.

The family are accused of trying to influence decisions made by the president. Something that the Guptas and Mr Zuma deny.

Image source, Getty

The trade body upheld a complaint against Bell Pottinger by South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA accused Bell Pottinger of a "hateful and divisive campaign to divide South Africa along the lines of race".

It said the PR firm emphasised the power of white-owned businesses in the campaign, which used the #WhiteMonopolyCapital hashtag.

In July, Mr Henderson issued an "unequivocal" apology and four staff were dismissed or suspended.

Bell Pottinger has appealed against that decision.

Read more: Will 'the Zuptas' fall in South Africa? - BBC News

Today's African proverb:

Click here and scroll to the bottom to send us your African proverbs.

Welcome to the BBC Africa Live page where we'll be keeping you up-to-date with news stories on the continent.