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African press review 4 May 2017

More news from Nigeria, as President Muhammadu Buhari fails to attend a third consecutive weekly cabinet meeting. Who is really running the country? Judges are on strike in South Sudan. And why you should be careful not to assault a tourist in Egypt.

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The health of the Nigerian president is again making headlines this morning, this time as far away as Johannesburg.

South African financial paper BusinessDay reports that Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari failed to attend a third consecutive weekly cabinet meeting, fueling concern about an undisclosed illness that’s prevented him from appearing in public for more than two weeks.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo led the meeting on Wednesday in the capital, Abuja, while the presidency offered no explanation for Buhari’s absence. The 74-year-old leader hasn’t made a public appearance since 14 April, when he attended Friday prayers, feeding speculation about his fitness to govern Africa’s most populous nation of more than 180 million.

Buhari stayed in the UK for more than seven weeks earlier this year to receive treatment for an undisclosed ailment. He returned to Nigeria on 10 March but last month the presidency said he was expected to fly back to London for further care.

In Nigeria itself the Lagos-based Guardian gives front-page prominence to the same story, simply noting that Buhari failed to appear at yesterday's cabinet meeting, saying the president has now missed the last three gatherings of senior ministers and advisors.

The main story in another Nigerian daily, Punch, says the opposition People's Democratic Party has alleged that a cabal is now ruling Nigeria.

The centre-right group claims that Buhari's health problems has led to some individuals taking over the running of the government from the ailing leader.

The report does not name any names.

Judges down tools in South Sudan

Judges are on strike in South Sudan.

According to a story on the front page of this morning's edition of regional paper the East African, the long-threatened strike for higher wages and the resignation of the chief justice has paralysed the nation's courts.

The strike, says the East African, marks the failure of talks between judges and the government of President Salva Kiir who last month set up a committee to hear their grievances.

The judges' demands include increased salaries and better working conditions as well as the resignation of chief justice Chan Reec Madut, accused of poor leadership.

The strike by the country's 274 judges has paralysed the overstretched judiciary in South Sudan leaving courts nationwide unable to hear cases.

One striker said judges had suffered, like most in South Sudan, from the collapse of the national currency, meaning that a junior judge's monthly salary of 4,000 South Sudanese pounds is now worth less than 25 euros, down from well over 1,000 euros in 2013 before the outbreak of civil war.

Another name in the ring against Paul Kagame

And the East African also reports that Diane Shima Rwigara yesterday declared her intention to run for the Rwandan presidency, becoming the first female independent candidate.

In her manifesto, the 35-year-old said she will work to eradicate poverty, champion free speech and provide health insurance for all Rwandans.

The accountant and businesswoman also criticised the ruling RPF party saying it was behind the 2015 referendum that led to the suspension of presidential term limits in Rwanda.

Rwigara is the daughter of deceased Kigali tycoon Assinapol Rwigara, who died in a road accident in February 2015. His death became controversial after the family cited foul play and petitioned President Paul Kagame for investigations into the manner in which he died.

Don't bash me, I'm a tourist!

And there's good news for anyone planning to visit Egypt on the front page of the Cairo-based Egypt Independent. Yesterday's cabinet meeting reviewed amendments to the 1983 Antiquities Law and, among other changes, raised the fine for assaulting tourists to 10,000 Egyptian pounds (that's about 500 euros).

The proposals will now be submitted to parliament for approval.

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