Jenny Hill
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Reuters

South Africa's electoral commission has appealed to the country’s Constitutional Court after judges this week overturned a ban on former President Jacob Zuma standing in the forthcoming election.

The commission had barred his candidacy arguing that the constitution bars from public office people who have been sentenced to more than 12 months in prison.

Mr Zuma was given 15 months for contempt of court in 2021, though he only served three months in jail.

Earlier this week, South Africa’s electoral court overturned that ruling but did not publish its reasoning.

The Electoral Commission has now asked the country’s highest court to provide legal clarification on the issue.

In a statement, external, officials said there was substantial public interest in providing certainty on the interpretation of the relevant law.

Kassaye Dametie
BBC News Amharic

Ethiopia's first ever sexual violence registration system is in the works and set to start operations next year, the government has said.

The system which aims to prevent and respond to sexual violence against women and children is hoped to make an impact in a country where prosecuting gender-based violence is a major challenge.

According to a 2016 survey, 23% of Ethiopian women have experienced physical violence and 10% have experienced sexual violence. People often underreport such experiences so the true number is likely to be higher.

The anticipated system will hold sex offenders accountable even after they serve time for their crimes.

When it's operational, it will exclude registered sex offenders from working in schools, orphanages and other children's institutions, the women's rights and protection executive in the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs Seleshi Tadesse told BBC News Amharic.

With a budget of around 10m birr ($176,000; £140,000) due to be contributed by various institutions, the national sex offence crime registry is proposed to have three types of pages, including a public page.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Ukraine has inaugurated an embassy in Ivory Coast, a day after opening a similar one in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of Kyiv's efforts to expand its presence on the continent.

“A brilliant new chapter has been added to the history of Ukrainian-African and Ukrainian-Ivorian relations,” French public broadcaster RFI quoted Ukraine’s special envoy for Africa and the Middle East, Maksym Subkh, as saying during the event in Ivory Coast's capital, Abidjan on Thursday.

Mr Subkh also expressed appreciation for Ivory Coast's “support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including voting in favour of key UN resolutions on the large-scale Russian invasion”.

The Ukrainian special envoy is on a tour of various African countries to open several embassies to counter Russian influence on the continent.

In March, the DR Congo opened a consulate office in Kyiv's Uzhhorod region, covering the territories of Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Rivne areas.

Image source, AFP

Gauteng province, home to South Africa's major cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, has officially scrapped tolls on freeways, ending more than a decade of public defiance.

The e-tolls were permanently disconnected at 23:59 local time on Thursday. Motorists will no longer be charged to use freeways in the province.

Gauteng introduced e-tolls in December 2013, charging users of highways linking Johannesburg and Pretoria as a way to generate funds for developing and maintaining road infrastructure.

The tolls were however met with criticism and defiance, and many motorists often refused to pay the charges.

"In its current form, the e-toll system was unaffordable," Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said in an earlier statement, explaining the reason for scrapping the tolls.

He added that removing the charges would bring "much needed relief to the people of Gauteng who have had to bear the brunt of paying e-tolls".

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said that motorists with outstanding fees are expected to clear it, but the ministry does not yet have a mechanism for enforcing the payments.

But some civil society groups that championed the abolition of the tolls have urged motorists with outstanding debt not to pay.

Image source, Independent National Electoral Commission/X

The Tanzanian opposition has questioned the recent move by the government to rename the electoral commission.

Effective Friday, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) will officially be known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to a statement issued by government spokesperson Mobhare Matinyi.

It said the change of name aligns with the implementation of the newly enacted electoral laws.

But opposition leader Tundu Lissu said the Tanzanian constitution recognises the poll agency as "electoral commission", without the "independent".

In an X post, Mr Lissu urged the country's judges and lawyers to help explain if the change of the name was legitimate or whether it was just "political fraud" by the ruling CCM party, external.

Critics argue that despite the rebranding, the commission remains susceptible to political influence from the ruling party.

The renaming comes in the wake of a recent legislative amendment aimed at reorganising the functions and structure of the electoral agency in a bid to enhance its efficiency and transparency.

The Tanzanian parliament recently approved the electoral bill which was subsequently signed into law by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, local media reported.

The East African country is set to hold a general election next year.

Image source, AFP

Ghana's vice-president, who is also the presidential candidate of the ruling party, has opposed LGBTQ+ practices, saying they go against his religious faith and the country's cultural norms.

It is the first time Mahamudu Bawumia has publicly disclosed his stance on LGBTQ+ issues, which are currently dividing the West African country.

In February, Ghana's parliament passed a controversial bill criminalising LGBTQ+ practices and advocacy.

Several groups have since mounted pressure on President Nana Akufo-Addo, with some urging him to sign it into law, and others warning that assenting to the bill could result in the loss of much-needed international funding.

"On the issue of LGBTQ... it is important to note that our cultural and societal norms and values as Ghanaians frown on the practice of homosexuality," Mr Bawumia was quoted by AFP news agency as telling a group of Muslims during Eid celebrations on Thursday.

"Furthermore, as a Muslim, my view on this matter aligns with the position of my religious faith. My faith is therefore very strictly against the practice of homosexuality. No shades of grey," the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate added.

Mr Bawumia also told Reuters news agency that he would continue to oppose LGBTQ+ practices if elected president.

Ghana's former president and Mr Bawumia's main challenger in the December presidential polls, John Dramani Mahama, also opposed LGBTQ practices in February, saying they contradict his Christian faith.

Image source, EPA

Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger to train the national army, as Moscow continues to bolster its influence in the troubled Sahel region of West Africa.

The military specialists, who arrived in Niger's capital, Niamey on Wednesday, were seen unloading gear from a cargo plane.

"We are here to train the Nigerien army …[and] to develop military cooperation between Russia and Niger," one of the instructors told Niger state TV RTN.

The military instructors are also bringing an air defence system, according to the broadcaster.

Their arrival followed a recent agreement between Niger's junta and Russia to boost security cooperation.

The West African country has pivoted towards Moscow since the junta seized power in a coup last year.

It has broken off long-standing military and diplomatic ties with France and, like neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, is turning to Russia for support in beating back a jihadist insurgency.

Our African proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

A selection of the best photos from across the African continent this week.

Muaziza Ambaraje is one of the few people to escape alive after a boat sank off the coast of Mozambique.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now.

There'll be an automated service until our team is back on Friday morning. You can get the latest news on our website or listen to our podcasts Africa Daily and Focus on Africa.

A reminder of Thursday's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this shot of volunteers in South Africa preparing meals on Wednesday to be distributed for Eid al-Fitr, one of the biggest celebrations in the Islamic calendar.

Image source, AFP

Nicolas Negoce
BBC News

The UN has asked Mali's military junta to lift its recent ban on political activity in the West African country.

"We are deeply concerned by the decree suspending the activities of political parties and other civic associations," the UN has said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, external.

Opposition groups have also been critical of the move by the military authorities, which have been in power since a 2020 coup.

It has further inflamed tensions that have been growing since the junta broke its promise to hold presidential elections in February.

Cherif Koné, general co-ordinator of L'Appel du 20 février, said it was “out of the question to let the dictatorship prosper in the country”.

In its decree, the junta said broadcasts and the publication of political activities were also barred to maintain public order.

In response, influential cleric Mahmoud Dicko issued a video on social media to his supporters from exile vowing to return home.

He initially supported the coup but has since fallen out with the junta for failing to meet various deadlines for a return to civilian rule - leaving Mali for Algeria in December.

A few civil society and opposition groups called for demonstrations on Thursday, but they were banned. They also called for weekend protests.

"The Malian population should unite itself and protest against this decision," Ismael Sacko, president of the African Democratic Socialist Party (PSDA), told the BBC.

Kenya's pharmacy board has recalled a batch of cough syrup that has been reported to be contaminated with a toxic substance.

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) said it had received an alert that the medicine could prove fatal if consumed.

In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, external, Kenya's drug regulatory authority said it was acting on the advice of the Nigerian food and drug agency.

It had detected an unacceptably high level of diethylene glycol in a batch of Benylin Paediatric in 100ml bottles and issued a recall in Nigeria on Wednesday, external.

The effects of ingesting diethylene glycol include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, altered mental state and acute kidney injury, the PPB said.

The alert only applies to Batch No 329304 of Benylin Paediatric 100ml, which is due to expire this month.

The PPB ordered all pharmaceutical outlets, healthcare facilities and healthcare workers in Kenya to stop distributing it.

It said it was now conducting its own investigations.

Johnson & Johnson, which manufactures the syrup in South Africa, has not commented.

A US helicopter charter company is being sued over a crash in February that killed the former boss of Nigeria’s stock exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.

He had been travelling to Las Vegas to watch the Super Bowl when the helicopter went down in southern California.

Five others were also killed in the crash, including Herbert Wigwe, the co-founder of Access Bank - Nigeria's largest bank.

Mr Ogunbanjo’s family are seeking compensation, including money for funeral expenses.

In the lawsuit, filed in a US court on Wednesday, the family accuses the charter company Orbic Air LL of flying in unsuitable weather conditions.

Local police said the weather was poor, with reports of rain and snow showers in the area.

“Helicopters do not do very well in snow and ice,” Andrew C Robb, the lawyer representing the Ogunbanjo family, told the Associated Press news agency.

"This flight was entirely preventable, and we don’t know why they took off.”

He added that the family wants "answers and accountability”.

Guy Deacon has written a new book about his 18,000 mile journey across Africa.

Chimezie Ucheagbo
BBC Igbo, Lagos

Image source, Junior Pope/Instagram

Tributes are pouring in for Nollywood actor Junior Pope, 39, whose life was cut short after he succumbed to his injuries sustained because of a boat accident on Wednesday.

Nigerian celebrities and politicians took to social media to reflect on the life of the late actor, describing his sudden death as a great loss to Nigeria’s movie industry.

"It's so so sad that our joy was short lived. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail. We finally lost him," Emeka Rollas Ejezie, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), posted on Facebook.

Nigerian politician Peter Obi, who ran for president last year, shared a moving message to commemorate the late actor on X.

"Junior Pope was known for his energetic acting, always comically delivered to entertain and educate. He brought smiles to the faces of many through his roles in movies and comedy skits,” he wrote.

The film star was born in Bamenda, Cameroon to a Nigerian father and Cameroonian mother. He attended primary and secondary school in Cameroon before moving to Nigeria.

His acting career began in 2006 and he since featured in over 100 movies including, Mad Sex, Secret Adventure, Wrong Initiation, The Generals and more.

He is famous for playing roles of villain, criminal, armed robber, militant and hitman gaining some recognition for his craft.

In 2010, he was awarded Nollywood’s Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the City People Entertainment Awards and also nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the movie Nkwocha at the Nigeria Movies Awards.

He was married to Jennifer Awele for 10 years and they had three boys together.

One of Nollywood's most popular actresses, Ini Edo posted a message voicing concern for more safeguarding measures to be put in place for actors working on movie sets.

“Junior Pope did not have to sacrifice his life for Nollywood to realise the need for a long and much needed regulatory structure that would safeguard an entire production," she said.

Image source, Getty Images

Ugandan female members of parliament have asked for an in-house salon to be opened at parliament to boost their participation.

Recently the parliament got its own gym, but female MPs say vigorous exercise leaves their hair disorganised, leaving few MPs willing to use the facility.

State Minister for Water and Environment Beatrice Anywar said on Thursday that having a beauty parlour would help facilitate female MPs needs before house sessions, according to local media.

Ms Anywar said: "My hair and nails and whatever are part of the woman".

"What I am really saying is that we ladies can come early, spend more time in the salon and then the house," she said.

Nichola Mandil
BBC News, Juba

Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, sent a message of support to Muslim communities suffering around the globe during Eid al-Fitr - but failed to mention the ongoing war in Sudan.

"Our thoughts turn to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, civilians in Syria, women suffering under the Taliban in Afghanistan, Uyghurs in the People's Republic of China, Rohingya in Burma and Bangladesh, and far too many others," Mr Blinken said in a message to Muslim communities.

Although he mentioned countries where Muslims are suffering as a result of the conflicts and wars, Mr Blinken's message fell short of mentioning Sudan, where the majority of the population are Muslims.

Does this mean Sudan has been forgotten or the International community is giving up on Sudan?

On 15 April last year, war broke out between the Sudanese army, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The war has killed an estimated 14,000 people, displaced millions internally, and forced thousands to flee to the neighbouring countries.

The US and Saudi Arabia have been mediating talks in Jeddah to arrange humanitarian aid, establish a ceasefire and other confidence-building measures, aimed at building a permanent cessation of hostilities in Sudan.

Previous attempts to broker a lasting ceasefire between the army and the RSF have failed.

More stories about Sudan:

• What is famine, when is it declared and why are Gaza and Sudan at risk?
• ‘Our lives have become a piece of hell’
• 'When a bomb fell I told my son it was an action movie'

The public prosecutor blames lax security, but a government spokesman suspects it was pre-planned.

The 32 precious items are on loan for at least three years after being taken from the Asante people.