Summary

  • Nigeria court blocks Wednesday's planned strike against fuel price rise

  • Woldemeskel Kostre, coach to some of Ethiopia's greatest athletes dies

  • Mauritius threatens to take UK to court over Chagos Islands

  • Fighting in South Africa's parliament as MPs thrown out

  • Kenya police accused of brutal crackdown on demonstration

  • State funeral for ex-Burundi President Bagaza

  • Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Tuesday 17 May 2016

  1. Scroll down for Tuesday's storiespublished at 18:02 BST 17 May 2016

    We'll be back tomorrow

    That's all from BBC Africa Live today. Keep up-to-date with what's happening across the continent by listening to the Africa Today podcast or checking the BBC News website.

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message

    If you break a coconut on a man’s head, he will not enjoy eating it."

    Sent by David, Abuja, Nigeria

    Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to send your proverb.

    We leave you with this image of two Kenyan bodybuilders Antony Omondi (left) and Ibrahim Seko (right), who work as bouncers, but also take part in weightlifting competitions:

    Two Kenyan bodybuildersImage source, EPA
  2. SA finance minister speaks out over arrest reportspublished at 18:01 BST 17 May 2016

    South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has spoken out about newspaper reports predicting his imminent arrest. 

    He described them as "extremely distressing" saying in a statement, external

    "I cannot believe that I am being investigated and could possibly be charged for something I am completely innocent of."

    The rand fell sharply on Monday after a newspaper report that Mr Gordhan might be arrested by the Hawks, an investigative police unit seen as close to President Jacob Zuma.

    Mr Gordhan has previously accused the Hawks of trying to undermine the Treasury. 

    Pravin Gordhan in parliamentImage source, SAgovernment
  3. Coach to Ethiopia's greatest athletes dies at 69published at 17:51 BST 17 May 2016

    Ethiopian Woldemeskel Kostre, who coached some of the greatest names in distance athletics, has died at the age of 69.

    He oversaw the success of Olympic champions Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba and Derartu Tulu.

    The international athletics federation, external - the IAAF - says Mr Woldemeskel "was considered by many to be the architect of Ethiopia’s phenomenal success at longer distances from the mid-1980s onwards".

    Haile Gebrselassie paid tribute to his former coach:

    Quote Message

    He was a very strict man but he showed me how to behave. He gave discipline a top priority. It very sad he has now left us."

    Woldemeskel Kostre holding a trophyImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    The IAAF named Woldemeskel Kostre coach of the year in 2006

  4. Emergency yellow fever meeting calledpublished at 17:38 BST 17 May 2016

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday over the yellow fever outbreak that has killed more than 290 people in Angola and threatens other countries, the AFP news agency reports.

    It quotes a WHO spokesman saying that it plans to reiterate the need for a mass vaccination campaign.

    The Democratic Republic of Congo has also been affected, and has 44 suspected cases.

    Aedes aegyptiImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are key yellow fever carriers

  5. Buildings demolished in Nairobi following fatal collapsepublished at 17:21 BST 17 May 2016

    The Kenyan authorities have continued today with their demolition of buildings in the capital, Nairobi, which are considered unsafe to live in.

    The BBC's Peter Njoroge captured what was going on in the city's Mathare slum area:

    Digger destroying houses

    Around 100 buildings have been earmarked for demolition in Mathare.

    Digger destroying houses

    The demolitions attracted a crowd of onlookers:

    Onlookers to the demolition

    The work comes in the wake of last month's building collapse in Nairobi in which 51 people died.

  6. Fifa's new secretary general is 'huge appointment' for Africapublished at 17:13 BST 17 May 2016

    Ghana international Andre Ayew has welcomed Fifa's appointment of an African woman as its first female secretary general.

    It is hoped that Fatma Samoura's two decades of experience as a UN diplomat will help her restore the image of world football.

    Andre Ayew told Focus on Africa radio that it's a huge appointment for the continent.

    Media caption,

    Ghana's Andre Ayew reacts to Fifa's appointment of its first female secretary general

  7. Local media: Kenya protester alive, despite earlier reportspublished at 16:51 BST 17 May 2016

    A protester who was filmed being severely beaten by police in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Monday is alive, despite earlier reports of his death, according to local media.

    The Capital FM radio station, which had run the story of his death, has identified the man seen in the footage as 36-year-old Boniface Manono, from Kibera in Nairobi.

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  8. Mauritius threatens to take UK to court over Chagos Islandspublished at 16:38 BST 17 May 2016

    Mauritian Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth has threatened to take the UK to the International Court of Justice over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.

    He told parliament in Port Louis that the UK must tell Mauritius by the end of June when it will return the archipelago, otherwise it will go to court.

    The islands were part of Mauritius until 1965, which was at the time a British territory.

    Britain then made it a separate territory, expelled the islanders and allowed the US to set up a naval base on one of the islands - Diego Garcia. 

    Sir Anerood told parliament:

    Quote Message

    [The British] pretend to be freedom lovers but their philosophy is might is right.”

    Campaigners for Chagos IslandersImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Former residents of the Chagos Islands have been campaigning to return there

  9. Mauritania court orders release of anti-slavery campaignerspublished at 16:32 BST 17 May 2016

    The supreme court in Mauritania has ordered the immediate release of two prominent anti-slavery campaigners, who had been convicted of public order offences. 

    The court ruled that they should not have been sentenced to more than 12 months in prison in January, 2015. 

    The men have already spent over a year in jail. 

    The most well known of the two, Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, also came second in the 2014 presidential election. 

    Slavery has officially been abolished in Mauritania, but the practice continues. 

    Mauritania opposition politician, presidential candidate, and anti-slavery activist Biram Dah AbeidImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Mr Biram says he was harrassed by the authorities over his activism

  10. Entrepreneur brings power and wifi to islanders off the gridpublished at 16:14 BST 17 May 2016

    Tamasin Ford
    BBC Africa, Abidjan

    Solrebox in the

    Entrepreneur Guy Oulla has come up with his own solution to the lack of power on Ile Boulay, one of the islands which sits in the lagoon of Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan.

    His solar-panelled charging station, or Solrebox as he calls, offers islanders wifi for $0.90 per day and phone charging for $0.20.

    He tells me he wants to install 15,000 of the stations across the country, in remote areas which have a strong mobile phone signal but no access to the grid.

    Guy Oulla stands in front of his Solrebox
  11. Nigeria's senate drops controversial 'anti-social media' billpublished at 15:43 BST 17 May 2016

    Nigeria's senate has withdrawn what was dubbed the "anti-social media" bill, which detractors thought would restrict the freedom of expression.

    Last December there was an angry reaction to the bill, which sought to punish anyone who "propagates false information" on electronic media.

    It proposed a maximum seven-year sentence or $25,000 (£17,000) fine for anyone found to be sending "abusive messages".

    The senate has been tweeting some highlights from today's discussions:

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  12. Nigeria court halts strike actionpublished at 15:15 BST 17 May 2016
    Breaking

    Habiba Adamu
    BBC Africa, Abuja

    An industrial court has stopped Nigeria's labour unions from embarking on nationwide strike on Wednesday over the 67% increase in petrol prices.

    This followed a law suit filed against the unions by the federal government. 

    The court prevented the labour unions from going on strike pending the conclusion of the case. 

    But talks to head off the industrial action are still scheduled for today.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress has called the increase in the petrol price "criminal".

    Man fills jerry can with petrol from carImage source, AFP
  13. US deplores 'excessive force' by Kenya policepublished at 15:12 BST 17 May 2016

    The US says it "deplores the excessive use of force by the Kenyan security services" when dealing with demonstrators on Monday.

    An emailed statement goes on:

    Quote Message

    We urge the security services to exercise restraint during demonstrations and to protect the rights of free speech, assembly, and political participation guaranteed by the Kenyan constitution."

    The US also welcomes an investigation announced by Kenya's police chief into the police reaction.

    Tear gad fired at demonstratorsImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    Police used tear gas to break up the demonstration

  14. Shocking family murder in Nigeriapublished at 15:11 BST 17 May 2016

    Isa Sanusi
    BBC Africa, Abuja

    Hundreds of mourners have turned out for a funeral in Potiskum, north-east Nigeria, of a mother, father and two daughters who were murdered on Monday.

    Mourners gather around bodyImage source, Ibraheem Al Tafseer

    The police have arrested their 22-year-old son for the crime.

    They say that he was angry after his parents had told him off for taking drugs.

  15. Kenya police 'injured' in Monday's clashes with protesterspublished at 14:53 BST 17 May 2016

    As we've been reporting, Kenya's police chief Joseph Boinnet has said there will be an investigation into the police reaction to Monday's opposition demonstration (see 13.09 entry).

    There are reports that one demonstrator has died, but the police have not confirmed this.

    The police chief's spokesperson George Kinoti has told the BBC that some police officers were also injured as they clashed with protesters.

    The police say their officers were trying to deal with people who were rioting and looting.

    Man facing a police officer with a batonImage source, EPA
  16. Brawl in South Africa's parliament as MPs are ejectedpublished at 14:30 BST 17 May 2016

    Punches were thrown in the South African parliament as security guards forcibly ejected several opposition lawmakers. 

    Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party had tried to stop President Jacob Zuma from speaking, the latest in their protests against him. 

    Pictures from parliament show the guards surrounding the EFF MPs, dressed in red boiler suits:

    Security guards gathering around EFFImage source, SA Parliament

    Then objects, including bottles of water and a hard hat, are thrown as the guards try to wrestle the MPs out of the chamber:

    Security guards and EFF fightImage source, SA Parliament

    You can watch the events on this link - you need to fast forward about 17 minutes: 

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     Mr Zuma has been under increasing pressure since a court ruled in March that he had violated the constitution in failing to pay back public money used to upgrade his rural home.

  17. Trouble in Niger Delta 'causes crude oil price rise'published at 14:03 BST 17 May 2016

    The renewed troubles in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region have made it to the front page of today's Financial Times. 

    FT front page

    It reports, external that concerns about what's happening there briefly pushed oil above $50 a barrel.

    Ironically, the recent decline in oil prices has exposed the over-reliance of Nigeria's economy on oil revenue, which has already led to an increasing budget deficit.

    Earlier this month, a previously little-known group the Niger Delta Avengers attacked an offshore facility owned by Chevron Nigeria, causing it to shut down.

  18. Analysis: Kenya police crackdownpublished at 13:57 BST 17 May 2016

    Ruth Nesoba
    BBC Africa, Nairobi

    We have not seen this level of violence from police in recent times.

    Pressure has been building since since opposition supporters started staging weekly protests last month outside the headquarters of the electoral commission, which they accuse of being biased in favour of the ruling party. 

    Kenya’s minister for internal security and the city’s chief of police had warned that there would be consequences if Monday’s protests went ahead. 

    Opposition groups are calling for the commission to be disbanded immediately, so that new members can be agreed between parties before general elections next August. 

    The protesters say the violence was unprovoked, but police argue that they were rioting, looting and throwing stones.

    Protesters run away from tear gasImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Police used tear gas on protesters on Monday

  19. Kenya cartoonists slam police actionpublished at 13:41 BST 17 May 2016

    We've already featured the work of one Kenyan cartoonist commenting on the police action to quell a demonstration on Monday (see 11.48 entry).

    And now Gathara - another cartoonist - has used the same image to make his point:

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    Kenya's police chief has said that there will be an internal investigation to see if any police officer broke the law.

  20. Kenya police order investigation into alleged brutalitypublished at 13:09 BST 17 May 2016
    Breaking

    Kenya's police chief ordered has an internal investigation after police were captured on camera severely beating protesters on Monday in the capital Nairobi, AFP news agency reports.

    Local media have reported at least one death.

    Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said action will be taken against any officers found guilty of using excessive force, while also criticising protesters:

    Quote Message

    "I condemn the lawlessness visited on the public by rioters yesterday and an internal inquiry is underway to determine whether any police officer broke any law while quelling the riots"