Chad’s former dictator Hissène Habré will return to prison in Senegal after a two-month release aimed at protecting him from the coronavirus.
Habré’s legacy: Habré seized power in Chad in 1982, and about 40,000 people are estimated to have been killed under Habré’s leadership, until he flew to Senegal in 1990 after he was overthrown.
The former leader was jailed in Senegal in 2016 over abuses committed during years of iron-fisted rule in Chad.
Criticism trails Ugandan journalists anti-racism campaign
Following global protests with the Black Lives Matter headline, a Ugandan broadcaster has been forced to apologise after its employees wore T-shirts with the All Lives Matter inscription in one of its shows.
Privately-owned NBS television said it did not intend any wrong with the T-shirts, adding “we shall do better”.
Go deeper: The campaign – All Lives Matter – is often believed to be a counter slogan to the Black Lives Matter campaign, which aims to highlight systemic discrimination against people of colour.
The Black Lives Matter campaign was re-ignited in the US last month after Black American George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis.
Malawi’s Mutharika appoints new electoral chief ahead of rerun
Malawi’s President, Peter Mutharika has appointed Justice Chifundo Kachale as the new electoral commission chairperson ahead of a presidential re-run.
Go deeper: The Constitutional Court had in February ordered a fresh presidential election be held within 150 days after annulling last year’s re-election of President Mutharika – a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court.
The former commission chairperson Jane Ansah resigned amid criticism by the opposition on how she managed the disputed election.
Weah to restart international travel, reopen hotels
Liberian President, George Weah says the country has made enough progress against the coronavirus to allow the reopening of the international airport and hotels in two weeks’ time.
The irony: Due to very low levels of testing, the full extent of the disease in the country is uncertain. To date, 345 cases of the virus have been confirmed in Liberia, with 30 deaths. Correspondents say although schools have shut and an overnight curfew is in place, most people have carried on with their lives as normal during the state of emergency, with markets still busy and shops open.
SA ‘reports’ increased crime incidents following alcohol ban lift
Reports from South Africa are that last week’s lifting of an alcohol ban – following the coronavirus pandemic – has led to a sharp rise in trauma cases at hospitals some of which are already under strain due to the pandemic.
Go deeper: The lift on alcohol ban had been heavily criticised, with critics insisting that the ban be put back in place.
A specialist at a hospital in Durban told South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper that there had been many more stabbings, car accidents and assaults.
“It’s a nightmare. All are linked to unbanning alcohol,” he told the newspaper.
During the first two months of the lockdown when alcohol was banned some hospitals reported a 70% reduction in trauma admissions.
