BBC World Service

Image source, Anadolu Agency

The authorities in Zimbabwe have again cut off internet services, four days after the start of anti-government protests that have seen at least five people killed and dozens seriously injured.

The country's largest mobile operator - Econet - says it's been ordered to shut services until further notice, though the order is being challenged in court.

Critics say a similar blackout earlier in the week was aimed at blocking images of the Zimbabwean security forces' heavy-handed actions against demonstrators.

A doctors' association says its members have treated more than 170 people since Monday --some with gunshot wounds, some with dog bites.

On Thursday, the European Union condemned Zimbabwe's security forces for what it called their "disproportionate force" against demonstrators.

Friday's African proverb is:

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

Welcome back to BBC Africa Live where we will bring you the latest news from Kenya following the terror attack on Tuesday and other updates from around the continent.

That's all from BBC Africa Live today. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or check the BBC News website.

A reminder of today's wise words:

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

And we leave you with this photo of a mobile hairdresser plaiting the hair of an okra seller in Accra, Ghana, taken by Nana Kofi Acquah.

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

A former top boss of a South African services company has shown a video of a colleague counting out money for a bribe to an inquiry into state corruption.

Angelo Agrizzi, the former chief operations officer of Bosasa, told the "state capture" inquiry that every contract “was tainted”.

The company, now re-branded African Global Group, won lucrative catering, facilities management and security contracts at various government institutions.

In South Africa’s main city of Johannesburg he told the public inquiry that his company kept hard cash in vaults to use as bribes.

When Mr Agrizzi was asked why he made the video he said, “Had I come to the commission chair without solid evidence to show you, it would have been all pinned on me alone.”

Click here to watch his testimony, external.

Image source, Reuters

US newspaper the New York Times has told the Media Council of Kenya that it stands by its decision to publish pictures of dead men slumped over the tables in a Nairobi restaurant.

The pictures were from the hotel siege in Nairobi on Tuesday where 21 people were killed.

The Media Council of Kenya's CEO David Omwoyo wrote to New York Times Bureau Chief in Nairobi demanding an apology for using the images.

Mr Omwoye threatened to take away the press accreditation of New York Times journalists in Kenya.

Phil Corbett, Associate Managing Editor for Standards at New York Times, insisted in a public letter, external, published this afternoon, that the decision to use the pictures was not made by their Kenyan colleagues.

However, he added that the newspaper stands by their decision to publish the graphic photos:

Read more about the controversy on the BBC News website.

Somali government forces today received 68 armoured vehicles from Qatar's government, private Somali news company Goobjoog reports.

Somali Defence Minister Hassan Ali Mohamed "Amar-dambe" and the chief of Somali Defence Forces Dahir Adan Elmi "Indhaqarshe" officially received the vehicles at a brief ceremony in Mogadishu.

Somali news service Goodjoog quoted Qatari officials as saying that the vehicles are intended to help in the fight against al-Shabab.

Goobjoog added that Somali ministers praised the Qatari government for its support.

Goobjoob tweeted photos of the armoured vehicles:

The chief of Somali Defence Forces had recently met with Qatari military officials in Mogadishu, the news company reports.

Qatar is believed to be one of the main supporters of the Federal Government of Somalia.

Image source, Reuters

The chairperson of the African Union Commission has said "serious doubts" remain over the results of last month's election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports AFP news agency.

Moussa Faki Mahamat is quoted as saying:

He was talking to leaders from South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda Republic of Congo and elsewhere gathered at a crisis meeting over the vote dispute at the AU's headquarters in Ethiopia.

The other opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi was declared the provisional winner by the electoral commission.

Shingai Nyoka
BBC Africa, Harare

Image source, Getty Images

Prominent Zimbabwean pastor, Evan Mawarire, has now been officially charged with subverting an elected government.

He told reporters outside the court of the "heartbreak":

He was arrested earlier this week for inciting public violence following deadly protests over fuel price increases.

The additional charge carries a maximum 20 year sentence.

Prosecutors say his social media posts encouraging a stay-at-home protest led to violence.

Similar charges made against him in 2016 were thrown out.

State TV says over 600 others have been arrested over this week's protests.

Unions plan to call for another strike, to force government to act against price increases.

Gabon's President Ali Bongo has returned to Morocco to continue his rehabilitation, a government source told Reuters news agency.

It is less than 48 hours after he returned to the Gabonese capital Libreville.

Mr Bongo returned Gabon on Tuesday - just over a week after an attempted coup - ahead of a ceremony where a new cabinet was sworn in.

While he was still in Gabon, he was pictured at the swearing-in:

Image source, Reuters

Mr Bongo, who has been out of the country for two months, reportedly suffered a stroke in October and received treatment in Morocco.

He sought to put an end to the rumours about his health with a televised New Year message in which he said he was feeling fine.

Soldiers said they had been disappointed by the message, calling it "a pitiful sight" and a "relentless attempt to cling onto power."

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC Amharic Service, Addis Ababa

Image source, Getty Images

Ethiopian parliament has ratified a bill that gives refugees more rights.

The bill gives refugees the right to work in jobs allowed for foreign nationals. Refugees will have right to access primary and secondary schools as long as they are recognised by the government. The bill also grants refugees the freedom to move out of camps.

Ethiopia hosts close to a million refugees from neighbouring countries in addition to two million internally displaced Ethiopians.

The bill was met with little resistance though some parliamentarians expressed concern that refugees might end up taking jobs meant for unemployed Ethiopians.

The bill is expected to pave the way for the country’s intentions to employ refugees in industrial parks.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC Africa, Addis Ababa

An emergency meeting about the disputed election in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being held here in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Leaders from Angola, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa and Uganda are attending.

The gathering comes as DR Congo's Constitutional Court hears a petition from opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, who believes he won and is demanding a manual recount.

The other opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, who was declared the provisional winner by the electoral commission, is expected to be inaugurated as president next Tuesday.

The Africa Union’s chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat says the meeting of regional leaders is intended to help with the delicate transition in DR Congo, where Joseph Kabila will be stepping down after leading the country for 18 years.

On Sunday, the southern African regional bloc Sadc said all political leaders should agree a negotiated settlement and form a unity government.

If the court confirms Mr Tshisekedi’s victory, this would be the first orderly transfer of power since the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

Read: How does Tshisekedi's poll victory add up?

Image source, Linked in

A Canadian mining worker kidnapped earlier this week in Burkina Faso has been killed, Canadian officials confirm.

Kirk Woodman was abducted by gunmen on Tuesday night from a mine near the border with Niger.

Mr Woodman was the second Canadian to go missing in Burkina Faso in recent weeks.

So far, little is known about the circumstances around his kidnapping and death and no group has taken responsibility.

Read more on the BBC News website.

Tomi Oladipo
BBC Africa security correspondent

Many newspapers have picked up on one element of Tuesday's attack on a Nairobi hotel compound - a British special forces soldier stood out as he rushed to rescue people stuck in the compound:

I was there and saw him in action.

The SAS man arrived at approximately 15:40 local time (12:40GMT) on Tuesday in a vehicle.

The car was parked by the closest barrier to the complex – just a few metres from the buildings.

He appeared calm, and did not run. He was wearing jeans, and was already carrying his gun.

He went straight over to some plain-clothed Kenyan security officials.

They consulted what appeared to be a map, or plans could have been plans.

For a few minutes he helped escort a small groups of one or two civilians as they rushed out. He also appeared to be scouting the area.

After that, he disappeared inside the compound.

Zimbabwean activist pastor Evan Mawarire is to be charged with subverting the government, Reuters news agency reports.

He denies the charges.

He was due to appear in court today on the charges of inciting public violence following his call for a three-day strike in Zimbabwe earlier this week.

This "upgrade" of the charges delays the pastor's appearance in court, a spokesman for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told Reuters.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mozambique's Renamo opposition party has elected Ossufo Momade as its leader, reports AFP news agency.

A party delegate told AFP that Mr Momade had won with 410 votes compared to 238 votes for his nearest rival.

Official results are expected later Thursday.

He replaces veteran rebel Afonso Dhlakama who died suddenly last May.

Mr Momade was a guerrilla leader during the civil war and has been an MP since 1999.

Renamo, a political party that retains an armed wing, fought a 16-year civil war against the government until 1992.

The charity Gatsby Africa has said that a British member of their staff was injured in the attack on the hotel in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

"They’re receiving medical support in Nairobi and are expected to make a full recovery in due course,” the charity told the BBC.

It was announced on Wednesday that Luke Potter, who worked for Gatsby Africa as their Africa programmes director, was killed in the attack.

The charity said he played an "instrumental" role in establishing the organisation's forestry programme in Kenya and provided "crucial leadership, guidance and support" to other programmes in Tanzania and Rwanda.

Read more about Luke Potter.

People on social media are mocking the new uniform for Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) customs officers.

The striped blue-and-yellow outfits have been likened to prison uniforms or pyjamas.

Some people online wrongly thought the uniform was for police officers but, alas, only customs officers will have the pleasure of sporting this unique design.

Here's a taste of what people are saying:

A Ghanaian undercover journalist has been shot dead as he drove home, after a politician called for retribution against him.

Local media reports say unidentified men on motorbikes shot Ahmed Hussein-Suale three times in the capital, Accra.

He was a member of Tiger Eye Private Investigations and had investigated corruption in Ghana's football leagues.

The undercover report on cash gifts led to a lifetime ban for the former head of Ghana's Football Association.

BBC Africa Eye made a documentary about the scandal in 2018 after gaining access to the investigation led by controversial journalist Anas Aremayaw Anas, who runs Tiger Eye.

After the BBC broadcast the film, Ghanaian MP Kennedy Agyapong circulated photos of Mr Hussein-Suale and called for retribution against him.

"If he comes here, beat him," Mr Agyapong says in video published on news site Ghana Web, external. "Whatever happens, I'll pay."

Read more on the BBC News website.

Image source, Getty Images

The US Embassy has released a statement to say they had no advance notice of the attack on DusitD2 hotel in Kenya's capital Nairobi.

"Contrary to some false reports on social media, the United States had no advance notice of the attack, nor did we ever advise American citizens or our staff to avoid the DusitD2 prior to the incident," the statement said.

"We deplore the spread of false information in the wake of this tragedy, which only serves to hamper ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism," it added.

Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabab says it was behind Tuesday's attack on the luxury hotel compound that killed at least 21 people.