20110423
reuters

ISIOLO, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyan police said on Saturday they had arrested three Somali al Shabaab rebels in the nation's northeast and seized bomb making materials, a day after giving an alert on possible attacks during Easter.

20110423
reuters

QENA, Egypt (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptians on Friday demanded the sacking of three provincial governors who had served in the police force of deposed President Hosni Mubarak, testing the authority of the new government.

20110423
reuters

NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - An Italian supply ship and its 11-member crew, seized in Libya last month, have been released unharmed, the vessel's operator and the Italian foreign ministry said on Saturday.

20110423
reuters

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore named himself to the post of defence minister in a move aimed at quelling army dissent and popular unrest in the West African state.

20110423
reuters

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain on Friday urged President Barack Obama's administration to recognise the Libyan rebel national council as the country's rightful government and transfer frozen Libyan assets to them.

20110423
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara on Friday ordered soldiers from all sides of the country's conflict to return to their barracks in an effort to restore stability.

[b]20110423 - AFRAN Kenya

Leaders of five East African nations in a stalled regional bloc admitted this week to broad concerns over the union, with Uganda's unrest and a monetary union among the sticking points.

The presidents of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda met in Dar es Salaam to review the status of the East African Community, a regional economic and trade union similar o ones elsewhere in Africa.

The leaders said in a final statement the team tasked with finding out what their citizens thought about the bloc had "identified fears, concerns and challenges".

The statement did not elaborate but said the team would draw up "concrete prposals on how to address those fears, concerns and challenges" before the next summit scheduled for November in Burundi.

A federation would necessarily mean that members lose some degree of sovereignty and some diplomats worry that constitutional reform i several countries, notaby in Kenya, is complicating moves towards integration.

There are also concerns about the democratic credentials of some of the oartners such as Uganda, said Tanzanian opposition leader and economist Ibrahim Lipumba.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has in recent weeks clamped down on opposition protests, tarnishing his democratic image.

20110422 – AFRAN Kenya

Kenya will strengthen its fight against international crime following the signing of a new partnership agreement with France.

The deal also calls for closer cooperation in climate change, economic partnership, development aid, education and scientific collaboration.

Prime Ministers Raila Odinga and Francois Fillon of France signed the declaration for a strengthened France – Kenya partnership in Paris on Wednesday.

International crime, including piracy, terrorism, drugs and human trafficking, corruption and money laundering, are some of the areas the agreement hopes as closer cooperation can fight.

In the pact, the two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to the creation of a world environment organization to be located in Nairobi. It is expected that the environment organization will reflect the central role that the environment occupies and will continue to occupy.

The PM was in Paris for a two-day visit, where he joined officials from the French and African governments to launch the Paris-Nairobi Climate Initiative for clean energy for Africa.

The Paris-Nairobi Initiative aims to contribute to the ability of the vulnerable nations to secure funds to finance climate initiatives, and develop sustainable electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

Kenya and France have drawn up a white paper on access to sustainable energy. (A white paper is an authoritative report that helps to solve a problem).

The paper identifies energy and climate projects that can be prioritized for quick gains.

20110422 – AFRAN Kenya

President Mwaki Kibaki has no intention of running for another term, the government said yesterday.

The clarification came on a local daily, The Star, in its lead story claimed that the president, who is serving the last of constitutionally-allowed two terms, would consider running again if Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is barred by the ongoing ICC cases.

The newspaper quoted unnamed sources within the Office of the President as well as Environment minister John Michuki as supporting the third term bid for President Mwaki Kibaki. It claimed several informal meetings had been held by four officials to explore the third term possibility.

“President Mwai Kibaki does not intend to run for re-election, contrary to sensational and manufactured media reports. The President has served this country for most of his life and worked hard to ensure passage of a new constitution, which does not allow a person to serve more than two terms,” the President said in a statement through Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua.

“The government wishes citizens to know that there are no plans being hatched anywhere to extend the President’s term and media reports to that effect are cheap propaganda,” the President added.

The Constitution bars, in Section 12 (3) of the transitional Clauses, the President from running for the State House job at the next General Election expected next year.

20110421
aljazeera
At least 31 people died in fighting between south Sudan's army and rebel militia fighters ahead of independence in July.

20110421
presstv
The African Union (AU) says that an AU plan for a political solution to the ongoing crisis in Libya has stalled due to a precondition set by Libyan revolutionary forces.

20110421
Reuters
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan vowed on Thursday that the country's final round of elections would go ahead next week despite rioting which has killed at least 100 people across the mostly-Muslim north.

20110421
leadership
The Federal Government yesterday directed the nation’s security agencies to probe incessant killings and destruction of property by thugs in the northern part of the country.

20110421
leadership
The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), yesterday alleged complicity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in an alleged massive computer-aided rigging of last Saturday’s presidential election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Buhari lamented that INEC chairman Attahiru Jega ignored the complaints of his party agents.

20110421
angop
Luanda – Matters concerning academic and professional training of youths were discussed Wednesday in Luanda by the ministers of Education and Higher Education and Science and Technology, Mpinda Simão and Maria de Cândida Pereira Teixeira, respectively, and the national first secretary of the ruling party’s youth wing (JMPLA), Sérgio Luther Rescova.

20110421
angop
Luanda – The prime minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, Patrice Emery Trovoada, Wednesday in Luanda, welcomed the state of institutional and business cooperation between the two countries, Angop learned.

20110421
Reuters
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Ugandan security forces detained opposition leader Kizza Besigye on Thursday and fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of his supporters marching beside his car as he drove to work, a Reuters witness said.

20110421
presstv
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has promised the Libyan opposition to step up airstrikes on the North African country.

20110421
presstv
The UN human rights chief condemns the reported use of cluster bombs by the Libyan regime forces against besieged civilians in the northwestern city of Misratah.

20110421
presstv
Seven people have been killed in a NATO airstrike in the Libyan capital as the military alliance faces mounting criticism over the civilian losses in the North African nation.