African press review 28 April 2016

There’s a surpising amount of love in the African press this morning, from the lofty love of art to the less poetic realities of extramarital affairs… Not to forget Kenya’s attempts to defend its wildlife or Tanzania’s endangered tradition of wood carving.

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Uganda’s Daily Monitor tells us how one Supreme Court judge forcefully reclaimed a house from the hands of her husband’s former mistress.

The property, worth 10,000 euros, was under dispute for more than six years.

Judge Esther Kisaakye had bought it from her husband, Frank Samanya Kitimbo, with the guarantee that his former employee, who turned out to be his mistress, would vacate the premises by April 2010.

But that never happened, as Judge Kisaakye’s inamorata refused to move, arguing that she was Kitimbo’s regular mistress and that he even used to introduce her as his wife.

She entrenched herself in the residential house for over four years.

But if there is one lesson to be learnt from this story, it’s that you don’t mess with a Supreme Court judge.

The Daily Monitor reports that Esther Kisaakye was finally awarded 10,000 euros in compensation, along with a court order evicting her cumbersome tenant.

South Sudan on path to reconciliation

In Kenya’s Daily Nation it was brotherly love that made the headlines this morning, with a heartwarming story of national unity from South Sudan.

In December 2013 troops stormed the house of South Sudan’s now new Vice-President Riek Machar, as civil war erupted, leaving tens of thousands dead.

But on Tuesday President Salva Kiir called the matter an “incident”, as he welcomed the rebel chief back to Juba, saying his return marked “the end of the war and the return of peace and stability”.

Peace doves were released, the Daily Nation reports, and after Machar was sworn into office, the two men stood alongside each other with hands on hearts, as a red-coated band played the national anthem, “God bless South Sudan.”

Machar, who returned to the post of vice-president that he was sacked from five months before war broke out, said he wanted “to make sure peace breaks out all over the country”.

The Daily Nation says “the next few weeks will be critical for persuading people the country has turned a corner”.

It says people in South Sudan are cautious, as “Machar and Kiir have previously fallen out, fought, made up and fought again”.

Celebrities vs poachers 

The East African has an article on our love of nature, or of celebrities, or maybe both.

It says Kenyan celebrities are throwing their weight behind a global anti-poaching drive by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

They’re launching a conservation campaign ahead of an ivory bonfire to be conducted this Saturday.

Kenya is set to burn its largest haul of elephant tusks and rhino horns at the Nairobi National Park with President Uhuru Kenyatta presiding.

Several heads of state, renowned conservationists, celebrities and other guests will also be present.

Afro-pop band Sauti Sol, Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o and radio personality Caroline Mutoko have dubbed their campaign “hearts and minds”, as they take on wildlife crime. 

Tanzania's endangered wood carvers 

In The Citizen, Tanzania’s love of art was one of the main stories this morning.

It says the government has been advised to help save the art of woodcarving by seeking new markets.

The craft was once famous in Tanzania, especially in the region of Mtwara, which is known for its Makonde carvings.

But according to the article, it could now face extinction, as the current generation sees it as unprofitable.

One artist interviewed by The Citizen says the carving business had helped him send his children to school and achieve a number of goals but that is was now losing respect and value.