South Africa: Village Activists Take Marikana Mining Company to Court
[GroundUp] Tharisa Mines is trying to gag us, say Oridile Kgatea and Rodney Kotsedi
Two activists in North West Province are taking on a Marikana mining company which they say wants to gag them through a court interdict. Tharisa Mine says Oridile Kgatea and Rodney Kotsedi are interfering with the operations of the mine. The two activists say they represent the community of Mmaditlhokwa village which is affected by blasting and dust and contamination of drinking water. The matter will be heard in the Mahikeng High

Kenya: Fuel Contamination Risk Leads to Closure of Flooded Petrol Stations in Nairobi
[Capital FM] The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has directed retail fuel stations affected by flooding to temporarily cease operations due to the risk of fuel contamination.
The authority's move comes in response to heavy rains that pose a threat of damaging Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks (UST), potentially compromising the quality of fuel products and causing damage to vehicles.
"The Authority wishes to caution owners of the retail stations to ensure the safety of the public and quality of their

Ethiopia 'Dismayed' By EU's Restriction of Visa Provisions to Ethiopians
[Addis Standard] The Ethiopian government said it was "dismayed by the decision of the Council of the European Union to temporarily suspend certain elements of the EU law that regulates issuing of visas to Ethiopian nationals."
In a statement issued by Ethiopian Embassy in Brussels, the government also said the decision was "made at a time when both sides are closely working for the return of Ethiopians who have been denied legal permit to stay in the European Union member states in a dignified, orderly, and safe manner."

Kenya: President Ruto Urges Striking Doctors to End Paralysis, Citing Financial Constraints
[Capital FM] President William Ruto has called on striking doctors to end their industrial action, citing financial constraints that hinder the resolution of the remaining two out of 19 issues raised by their union.
Addressing the 59th Labour Day celebrations in Nairobi on Wednesday, Ruto urged the doctors to return to work, emphasizing the need to alleviate the ongoing health crisis nationwide.
"We have resolved 17 out of the 19 issues raised by our doctors, but the remaining two are impossible to address due to

East Africa: Former Rwandan Opposition Leader Asks Court to Allow Her Run in Elections
[RFI] Rwanda's historic opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, has filed a case before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) seeking a re-establishment of her civic rights, including the right to stand in the next elections.
Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza initiated proceedings earlier this week. She is contesting the Rwandan state's refusal to restore her civic rights.
In March 2024, the High Court in Rwanda controversially denied Ingabire Umuhoza's application for rehabilitation, "preventing her from

Senegalese Unions Voice Demands On First Labour Day March in Four Years
[RFI] After four years without a May Day parade because of Covid-19and other strategic reasons, Senegal has organised a rally for Labour Day this year. This will be President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's first interface with trade unions.
The unions are marching towards Independence Square in the centre of the capital, Dakar.
There, they plan to submit a list of grievances to the president with a list of demands, hoping that social dialogue will be more fluid than in the past.
Cost of living
The principle issue is

Uganda: Farmers Hire Gunmen to Guard Cocoa Farms in Uganda As Prices Soar
[Accra Time] Global cocoa prices have reached their highest point in over a decade as dry weather hinders farming in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the biggest producers of cocoa in the world.
Some farmers in Uganda have hired gunmen to protect their cocoa as thieves attempt to cash in on the crop's increased value.
Global cocoa prices have reached their highest point in over a decade as dry weather hinders farming in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the biggest producers of cocoa in the world.
According to Mutanga Grace, a Ugandan

Kenya: More Heavy Rainfall Predicted Amid Deaths and Destruction
[Capital FM] The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that the heavy rains are likely to persist for the entire month of May, raising fears of more devastating effects in the coming days.
Flash floods have already claimed more than 130 lives and submerged roads and neighbourhoods since March, leading to the displacement of more than 130,000 people across 24,000 households, many of them in the capital Nairobi.
70 of the fatalities were reported in Mai Mahiu flood tragedy on Monday, one of the hardest-hit areas

Nigeria: Govt Inceases Minimum Wage
[Vanguard] The Trade Union Congress, TUC said increasing the minimum wage for civil servants will not worsen inflation.
The president of TUC, Festus Osifo stated this in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday.
Osifo said the increase in the minimum wage is justified because of the increased revenue allocation to states since May 2023.
He said, "If you look today, from May 2023 to date, revenue from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to the state governments has tripled," he said.
"This

Rwanda Receives First UK Migrant Under New Voluntary Scheme
[New Times] The government has confirmed that the United Kingdom sent its first asylum seeker to Rwanda on Monday, April 29 under a new voluntary program inked between both countries.
The voluntary scheme is separate from the ongoing Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP), which the British government said would come into effect in July.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda confirmed the development but could not divulge details by press time.
The agreement, however, is part of an existing