Anne Soy
BBC News, Kigali

Image source, AFP

An opposition politician in Rwanda has questioned her country’s suitability to host the Commonwealth summit.

More than 5,000 delegates from 54 Commonwealth countries are currently in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. The official opening of the heads of government meeting is on Friday, but interest group events have been taking place since Sunday.

Victoire Ingabire, of the DALF-Umurinzi party, told the BBC she had returned returned home from the Netherlands shortly after Rwanda was admitted to the organisation in 2009.

“The Commonwealth has values such as democracy, rule of law, human rights and gender equality,” she said. “I thought the UK would really help Rwanda become a democratic country.”

But she says nothing changed. She was arrested on her return and subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison for “genocide denial” and “destabilising government”.

She served some of her sentence in solitary confinement before being released following a presidential pardon in 2018.

Ms Ingabire told the BBC that Commonwealth leaders - including the UK prime minister - should “visit the prison to see members of the opposition, independent journalists and YouTubers”.

In response, government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the BBC: “Anyone can have an opinion, anyone can register their opposition to government policies or programmes, anyone can start a political party if they want [but] what they cannot do is break the law.”

She said human rights and democracy were work in progress - not just in Rwanda but across the Commonwealth.

Rwanda is among a handful of Commonwealth members without historic UK ties. Gabon,a former French colony, is expected to be admitted during the Kigali meeting.

More on this topic:

• Refugees previously despatched to Rwanda now in Europe
• Why a Rwandan sports reporter fled his home
• UK asylum deal: Is Rwanda a land of safety or fear?

Kennedy Gondwe
BBC News, Lusaka

Image source, Getty Images

Zambia's Human Rights Commission has condemned an incident caught on camera that showed government soldiers slapping youths - some of whom look like teenagers - who were under arrest for heckling President Hakainde Hichilema.

They were accused of defaming the president, which can attract a sentence of up to three years in Zambia.

The incident took place last week in Chiengi District in the northern province of Luapula.

In a video that went viral, the youths used expletives at a presidential event to express annoyance at how their lives had not changed since Mr Hichilema's election last year.

After their arrest and while in handcuffs, armed soldiers can be seen in another video slapping them on their faces.

The army subsequently justified the actions of the soldiers.

But the commission said it was "shocked and gravely concerned at the apparent lack of remorse by the Zambian army".

"The commission is of the view that even a 'few slaps' can and do amount to brutality contrary the position taken by the Zambia army," said chairperson Mudford Mwandenga.

The youths have not yet been taken to court, but the rights watchdog said it was "closely monitoring the case with a view of ensuring that their rights to liberty and to secure protection of the law are upheld and protected".

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

The construction of a new presidential palace has begun in South Sudan's capital, Juba - with President Salva Kiir attending a ceremony to mark the start earlier this week.

The project is funded by the government and will take about two years to be completed, according to James Deng Wal, the executive director in the Office of the President.

It is unclear how much it will cost, but the country is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis that the UN says has left half of the population food insecure this year.

The new building will house the president’s office and will be a venue for other government activities.

Mr Deng said its construction would provide work for South Sudanese citizens including engineers, architects, artisans and administrative staff.

He said once completed, the building would rival other modern State Houses in East Africa.

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Mozambican police say they have detained five Somali nationals suspected of being members of a kidnapping and drug-trafficking network in the central city of Beira.

The five, according to the police, had false documents.

They included dozens of Mozambican and Kenyan identity cards, passports, as well as asylum application cards and travel documents.

The five suspects - who are currently under police custody - and their seized documents were presented before journalists on Wednesday.

Police are also investigating a network of civil servants who facilitated the group's entry and the issuance of documents.

Abdi Dahir
BBC Monitoring, Nairobi

Image source, Reuters

One of Somalia’s main rivers, the Shabelle, is running dry and affecting people who depend on it for their livelihoods amid a continued drought.

The state-owned Somali National TV said the river had “dried up” and it could exacerbate the drought and further increase food insecurity.

The Shabelle River flows into southern Somalia from the highlands of neighbouring Ethiopia.

It is second biggest river in Somalia and is a major source of water for people in southern and central regions.

Agricultural activities in the country have been affected by a fourth failed rainy season.

More than five million people are reportedly at risk of famine as a result of a severe drought affecting the country.

More on this topic:

• Somalia drought: 'Act now or 350,000 children will die'

Kalkidan Yibeltal
BBC News, Addis Ababa

Survivors of deadly attacks in western Ethiopia say they are not getting sufficient support in the wake of ethnic violence that resulted in the deaths of more than 250 people and damage of properties.

The attacks on Saturday took place in remote farming villages in Gimbi district, in the country’s Oromia region.

Survivors have blamed the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), but the group has denied the accusations and blames government fighters for the attacks.

Witnesses told the BBC that the gunmen killed villagers indiscriminately, set houses and shops on fire and looted properties.

The survivors are ethnic Amharas who are now sheltered in mosques and relatives’ houses. Among them is a mother of seven whose house was completely destroyed in the attacks.

“We are now crying and enduring hunger and thirst,” she told the BBC.

Another survivor from a different village said he had no food to feed his children.

“We don’t have a single kilogramme of food. We don’t have clothes or shoes. And the government is not helping us,” he told the BBC.

Another said there had been efforts to distribute food aid but added that it had not been enough.

“After having seen all those dead bodies, we do not think about returning to work,” a farmer told the BBC.

The army and local police have been deployed to the area but survivors told the BBC they still felt unsafe and wanted to be resettled elsewhere.

No official death toll has been provided by authorities and it has been difficult to determine the exact figure as attacks occurred in six small villages. But there are fears it could be high.

The federal government described the violence as "terror attacks", while the ruling Prosperity Party vowed to continue what it called a law enforcement operation in the region.

Kenyan rally driver Nikhil Sachania never thought about quitting motorsport despite a crash causing life-changing injury.

Alfred Lasteck
BBC News, Dar es Salaam

Image source, Reuters

Tanzania’s ruling party CCM says it is ready for reforms on the country's constitution after years of fending off pressure from opposition parties and rights defenders.

A previous attempt to change the constitution failed in 2014, after a draft document proposed to reduce presidential powers and establish an independent electoral body.

On Wednesday, CCM spokesperson Shaka Hamdu Shaka said the party's top body was "insisting" on a need to have a new constitution.

He said the party was supporting President Samia Suluhu's reconciliation efforts.

Since 2014, the main opposition party Chadema and other parties have been pushing for a new constitution, which has seen their leaders and supporters have run-ins with the authorities.

Some have been detained several times for holding meetings on a new constitution - including Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe, who was arrested last July and held for seven months in custody.

Former President John Magufuli, who ruled from November 2015 until his death in March last year, had declared there would be no constitutional reforms while he was president.

Opposition rallies were restricted during his tenure.

David Bamford
BBC World Service News

Image source, Getty Images

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed support for a wide-ranging but controversial economic reform programme being implemented by the government in Tunisia.

The country is facing a severe economic crisis and is asking for a $4bn (£3.2bn) loan.

Jihad Azour, the IMF's Middle East director - after meeting President Kais Saied in Tunis on Wednesday - said he liked the reform plan and that the IMF was ready to discuss a loan.

The plan includes freezing wages, stopping recruitment in the public sector and cutting energy and food subsidies.

But there have been big protests and Tunisia's powerful trade union movement has called nationwide strikes.

The president has already suspended parliament and sacked his entire cabinet.

He says he needs even more powers to better steer the country - his opponents say that amounts to a coup against democracy.

Thomas Naadi
BBC News, Accra

Image source, Getty Images

Ghana’s lawmakers have approved a plan to investigate how funds worth $1.5bn (£1.2bn) were spent in the fight against Covid-19.

It follows alleged discrepancies in receipts and payments presented to MPs by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Opposition MPs said the minister had failed to give a convincing explanation when he appeared before parliament on Wednesday.

His figures contradicted earlier ones presented by President Nana Akufo-Addo during a state of the nation address.

But the minister said the government had been accountable and transparent in the use of the funds.

Nevertheless parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin ordered the parliamentary committees on finance and health to investigate the management of the funds.

The money was allocated to contain the spread of the virus and cushion Ghanaians against the economic impact of the pandemic.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC Southern Africa correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The final part of a mammoth report into alleged corruption in South Africa under former President Jacob Zuma has been handed to his successor Cyril Ramaphosa.

The report by Judge Raymond Zondo is more than 5,000 pages long.

It paints a picture of a country whose coffers were looted by its former president and his associates - the prominent Gupta brothers.

It also accuses him of halting an investigation into alleged financial misdeeds by the Guptas. They and Mr Zuma deny wrongdoing.

The Guptas' influence on the hiring and firing of government ministers has also been laid bare by the report.

It found that Mr Zuma enabled, indirectly, Gupta family members to occupy a place of prominence to the detriment of the country.

The South African authorities are currently working on having the Gupta brothers extradited from the United Arab Emirates to answer for their alleged crimes.

The commission's chairman has also recommended that election rules be amended to allow for South Africans to directly elect a president instead of using the party system.

This, he says, will prevent the country having another leader such as Mr Zuma.

Mr Ramaphosa must now decide whether further legal action should be taken against his predecessor.

More on this topic:

• The Guptas and their links to South Africa's Jacob Zuma
• South Africa's Zondo commission report: Scandal, bullying and fear
• Athol Williams: South Africa corruption whistle-blower flees for his life

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accused critics of his government's policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as having a condescending attitude towards the African country.

He made the comments before embarking for Rwanda's capital, Kigali, where he is due to attend a meeting of the Commonwealth's heads of government.

Mr Johnson said his trip was an opportunity to see the country with which the UK has an important economic and migration partnership.

He acknowledged he would be arriving ahead of many of the people his government planned to send there; the first such flight was halted last week by the European Court of Human Rights.

The Commonwealth summit is expected to focus on boosting trade and co-operation, improving food security, tackling climate change and improving education for women and girls.

Ishaq Khalid
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, AFP

A second Nigerian politician has been beheaded by abductors in the south-east of the country, the authorities say.

Police in Anambra state say the decapitated body of a former local MP, Nelson Achukwu, was found two weeks after he had been kidnapped by gunmen for a second time.

On both occasions, his family is reported to have paid a ransom for his safe return.

It is not clear who abducted and subsequently killed the disabled politician.

One month ago, a serving member of the state assembly, Okechukwu Okoye, was also abducted and beheaded.

A military officer and his female partner were also decapitated recently.

There has been a series of gruesome murders in the south-east as the country prepares for elections.

Some officials have blamed the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), but it has always denied carrying out violent attacks.

Our proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

Omar comes to the UK after falling in love with a British woman. After his relationship breaks down, he seeks asylum, claiming it is unsafe for him to return to The Gambia because he has been persecuted and assaulted for being bisexual. But can he prove his bisexuality in court? Can anyone?

In celebration of Pride Month Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen explore the history, science and culture of bisexuality. In this episode, they discuss research on the difficulties faced by bisexual aslyum seekers, the consequences of coming out as bisexual in relationships, and instances where their own sexuality has been seen as performative.

Warning: This episode includes some swearing, violent scenes and references to sex.

CREDITS Presenters: Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen Producer: Caroline Steel Assistant Producers: Simon Rata and Emily Bird Music: Matt Chandler Editor: Rami Tzabar

#BadPeople_BBC Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins Bad People is produced in partnership with The Open University and is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC

Kenyan politicians are spending millions of dollars on campaigns to win lucrative political office in August's crucial elections. With 75 percent of Kenyans under the age of 35, securing the youth vote will be key. But amid a youth unemployment crisis, many have grown disillusioned about the chance for real change. Dickens Olewe travels to Nairobi to meet the young Kenyans who instead see the election campaign as a new business opportunity, a new "hustle" to extract cash from competing candidates. Photo: Supporters gather at Kenyan election rally. (AFP/Getty Images)

Leaders from India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa meet amid major shifts in geopolitics.

As the UK presses on with its asylum deal, refugees sent from Israel to Rwanda describe their experiences.

Civilians take their last chance to escape Lysychansk, and a centre for 60 Ukrainian families in Wales.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now, but we'll be back on Thursday morning.

In the meantime there will be an automated news feed and you can also check the BBC News website or listen to our Africa Today podcast.

A reminder of our wise words of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this picture of the Duchess of Cornwall at a memorial to the victims of the Rwandan genocide during a visit to the country as part of the summit of Commonwealth leaders:

Image source, Getty Images