Skip to main content

African press review 13 May 2017

Could a decision by a South African court end President Jacob Zuma's political career? What is South Sudan's sacked army chief of staff planning to do next?And is Kenya on the verge of another strike by hospital doctors?

Advertising

President Jacob Zuma’s political future may hinge on a decision by the South African Constitutional Court, according to Johannesburg-based financial paper BusinessDay.

BusinessDay says the court will decide on Monday whether the parliamentary vote on an opposition motion of no confidence in Zuma's leadership should be held as a secret ballot rather than a show of hands.

The paper says the Constitutional Court is expected to rule that a secret ballot is, indeed, legal but is unlikely to order parliament to use such a ballot when it votes on the no-confidence motion.

The opposition United Democratic Movement brought the case, maintaining that since parliament votes by secret ballot to elect the president, it should also be able to use it to remove him.

The opposition filed the no-confidence motion in April after he fired Pravin Gordhan as finance minister, prompting S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings to cut the country’s credit status to non-investment grade.

While there is mounting dissatisfaction with Zuma's leadership in the ANC, which holds a 62 percent majority in parliament, the party’s leadership has rejected all opposition-led attempts to oust the South African president.

Another case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organisation has confirmed a new case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the Mail & Guardian newspaper, details remain sketchy. The fate of the patient confirmed with the disease remains unclear, nor is it known what strain of the virus is involved.

In 2014 an Ebola outbreak across Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone killed more than 11,000 people.

South Sudan's sacked army chief stays at home

South Sudan's recently sacked army chief is in fighting form, according to President Salva Kiir.

According to the top story in regional paper the East African, tensions between Kiir and ousted army chief General Paul Malong intensified yesterday after the general failed to return to the capital, Juba.

Malong, who had been leading Kiir's military campaign against rebels supporting his political rival Riek Machar, left Juba with a convoy of vehicles for his home state of Aweil in the northwest on Tuesday, shortly after being sacked as army chief.

His sacking followed the resignations of several senior military figures who alleged a clear ethnic bias in the South Sudanese army and that war crimes had been committed.

Yesterday Malong refused to board a government plane that was sent to fly him to the capital unless all his bodyguards accompanied him.

Kenyan doctors may strike again

Is Kenya on the brink of another strike by hospital doctors?

That question is prompted by a story on the front page of this morning's Nairobi-based Daily Nation.

The report says only four counties have fully implemented the return-to-work plan that ended the 100-day strike by doctors on 14 March, according to the medics' union.

Doctors in seven other counties are yet to receive their salaries for the five months of the dispute, as well as the new allowances agreed to end the strike.

A separate story in the Daily Nation claims that county governments have no excuse for not paying the doctors since the national treasury has already released the money required.

No daily updates on Nigerian president's health

And Punch in Nigeria reports that the Federal Government has ruled out the possibility of providing daily bulletins on President Muhammdu Buhari’s health status and treatment while he is in London.

Top Federal Government sources told the daily paper that there was no need for such updates since Buhari had handed over to his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, who is now the acting president.

The president travelled to London last Sunday, almost two months after a long visit to the city for medical treatment.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.