Catherine Byaruhanga
BBC Africa correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Sudan’s pro-democracy coalition Forces of Freedom and Change has signed an initial agreement with the military to restore civilian rule after last year’s coup.

The deal allows for a two-year civilian-led transition towards elections.

But protests challenging the agreement have already begun in the capital, Khartoum, and more are expected across the country, as people call for those who led the coup to be held accountable.

Sudan has suffered nearly four years of political instability after the former president Omar al-Bashir was overthrown following mass protests.

The African Union, Arab Nations and western governments have backed negotiations between the army and civilians as a way to restore stability, end mass protests and try to save Sudan’s crashing economy.

But Monday’s agreement faces steep opposition, especially from neighbourhood resistance committees which have been at the heart of grassroots mobilisation.

They want military leaders including Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to be held accountable for the deaths of anti-coup protestors.

The deal also doesn’t cover security sector reforms and many worry that it leaves the army powerful and able to disrupt the democratic transition.

Political leaders say calls for justice and other reforms will be tackled through further talks.

Read more:

• Sudan coup: Why the army is gambling with the future

Lalla Sy
BBC News, Abidjan

Image source, AFP

West African leaders have called for the release of 46 Ivorian soldiers being detained in Mali by 1 January.

The soldiers have been held for four months and are accused by Bamako of being mercenaries. Ivory Coast insists the soldiers were part of a peacekeeping mission in Mali.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) issued the ultimatum as it concluded its 62nd summit on Sunday evening in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

The bloc also announced the creation of a regional force to fight “terrorism and restore constitutional order” in some countries in the region.

Guinea was high on the Ecowas agenda, with leaders calling for an inclusive dialogue on a transition to civilian rule.

The bloc offered to host a meeting in another capital if it could not be held in the Guinean capital, Conakry.

Following a coup last September, the country was suspended from Ecowas and sanctions imposed on it.

Ecowas also expressed concern about the security and the humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso and said it would assist the country

On Mali, it said that while progress was being made in the country, the transition was being closely watched.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC Southern Africa correspondent

A handful of protesters in support of and against President Cyril Ramaphosa have gathered outside the venue where the governing ANC party's highest decision-making body is meeting to plot a way forward following a damning report against the president.

The report released last week concluded that Mr Ramaphosa may have a case to answer after he was accused of covering up the theft of millions of dollars from his private game farm in 2020.

The president has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime.

His lawyers have said they will petition the constitutional court to challenge certain aspects of the report.

Meanwhile, parliament is expected to vote on Tuesday on whether the president should be subjected to an impeachment inquiry.

Opposition parties have said Mr Ramaphosa can no longer be trusted and have called for snap elections.

Kunda Kids is a series of African history books for children which focus on real-life African historical figures.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, AFP

Sudan’s former civilian ruling coalition and the military junta are expected to sign a framework agreement aimed at restoring a civilian-led democratic transition.

The agreement is also expected to end the political crisis triggered by a military coup in October 2021, local media has widely reported.

The Forces for Freedom and Change - Central Council (FFC-CC) says the agreement will end the military coup and establish a new constitution that will pave way for a final agreement on the transitional period in the country.

In a statement on Sunday, FFC-CC said the coalition's priorities were “issues of justice, the dismantling the structure of the 30 June 1989 regime, recovering public funds, security reforms, structuring and integrating forces, and defining their tasks in a civil democratic state, as well as achieving comprehensive and sustainable peace”.

The imminent deal has drawn opposition from pro-democracy groups led by the Sudanese Resistance Committees, who accuse the FFC-CC of agreeing to grant the military leaders immunity against prosecution once they hand over power.

The FFC-CC has denied these accusations. Some activist groups have called for major protests on Monday to reject the deal.

Ahead of the signing of the agreement, Sudanese authorities released a prominent politician, Wajdi Salih.

He was the head of the anti-corruption committee tasked with dismantling former president Omar al-Bashir's regime.

Youssef Taha
BBC World Service News

The authorities in Sudan have released a prominent pro-democracy activist, Wagdi Salih, after nearly two months in jail.

The move comes a day ahead of the signing of an agreement between the military and the civilian coalition Mr Salih belongs to.

He is head of an anti- corruption committee in charge of dismantling the regime of toppled President Omar al-Bashir, who is currently on trial.

Earlier on Sunday, the former president, who was ousted in a popular uprising in 2019, was moved from prison to hospital to complete some medical treatment.

BBC World Service

Image source, Reuters

The executive committee of South Africa's governing ANC party will meet on Monday to consider the future of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

A parliamentary report has accused Mr Ramaphosa of misconduct and potentially violating the oath of office.

He is alleged to have kept millions of dollars in cash at his farm and failing to report it missing when it was stolen.

Speaking on Sunday, the South African president said his fate was in his party's hands.

The scandal has cast doubt on whether he can stand again for the ANC party presidency at a conference later this month.

Youssef Taha
BBC World Service News

Egypt's public prosecutor has launched an investigation into a vicious attack on the staff of a Nile Delta hospital by the family of a patient.

The incident happened at Quwaisna hospital when the family were angered that the only doctor on duty could not see their relative immediately because he was busy delivering a baby.

The doctor had ordered some tests on the patient who was not considered an urgent case.

A whip and a taser were used in the attack which caused one pregnant nurse to miscarry.

Five other nurses and three cleaners were injured.

A video of the incident has gone viral online prompting angry reactions across Egypt.

Image source, Yoweri Museveni / Twitter

A group of doctors in Uganda caused a stir over the weekend after kneeling before long-time President Yoweri Museveni and asking him to stand for a seventh term.

The 78-year-old leader has been in power since 1986. The next general elections are due in 2026.

The doctors representing the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) had attended a patriotism symposium in the capital, Kampala, when they were led by their leader to kneel before the president, according to media footage of the event.

In his speech, UMA boss Dr Samuel Odongo Oledo praised the president for transforming the country's health system and improving the welfare of medical workers, the Nile Post news site reports.

He went ahead to ask President Museveni to vie again in 2026 as a presidential candidate, the NTV television station reports.

The gesture sparked controversy on social media, with many accusing the group of being subservient to politicians.

But in a tweet, the UMA distanced itself, external from the gesture, saying it did not "represent modus operandi of the association".

It said: "Uganda Medical Association has always engaged with the president through formal, professional ways including appreciating him through our annual awards."

More on this topic:

• Yoweri Museveni: How an ex-rebel has stayed in power for 35 years

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

A vital train link between the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and the northern city of Kaduna is due to reopen on Monday, nine months after it was suspended.

Last March gunmen mined the track, forcing a train with more than 360 passengers to stop.

At least eight passengers were killed and dozens kidnapped.

The link had been popular with passengers who feared travelling by road.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation is introducing new security measures, including surveillance devices to monitor the tracks and the trains.

Passengers will also have to provide their national identification number.

The government said the train attack was carried out by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

Read more:

• Nigeria's Kaduna train attack: How I survived hijacking and captivity

Image source, AFP

It was a night of disappointment for Senegal at the World Cup in Qatar on Sunday after they lost 3-0 to England at the knockout stage.

The Teranga Lions were without their key players which proved to be a blow to them as the England midfield dominated play.

England will meet France in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

In a tweet, Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed satisfaction with the team's performance at the tournament.

He said: "Dear Lions, You have not failed. And you played without Sadio [Mane], [Cheikhou] Kouyate and [Idrissa] Gana. You are among the top 16 teams in the world and England were a strong opponent."

Talisman Sadio Mane expressed similar sentiments on Twitter.

"The people are very proud of your journey which has warmed the hearts of the supporters, defending the national flag with dignity."

He added: "The learning continues. We will go in search of other trophies."

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Reuters

Thousands of people across the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken part in protests against the M23 rebel group - one of dozens fighting in the east of the country.

The Catholic church called for people to take to the streets and much of the anger was directed at Rwanda which DR Congo accuses of backing the M23 rebels - something Kigali denies.

As people streamed out of Sunday services across the country, they then marched for peace.

The Catholic church is hugely influential in the country. Some church leaders are calling on Western countries to take a tougher stance against the Rwandan government for backing the M23 rebels.

Banners at protests in Kinshasa opposed the balkanisation of DR Congo and spoke of the hypocrisy of the international community.

Regional talks have been taking place to try to stop the violence.

Several East African countries are sending in troops but in the past the involvement of multiple armies has only complicated the conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.

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