Bird-flu forces South Africa to ration eggs
The outbreak of bird flu in South Africa has forced supermarkets in the country to ration eggs as the nation grapples with a shortage of poultry products.
A local media report has it that some supermarkets have limited the number of eggs that customers can buy to six per day.
Major retail chain Woolworths told local media outlet News24 that it had “implemented a limit on whole egg purchases in our stores to six eggs per customer”.
Pick n Pay, another chain, reportedly asked people to “shop responsibly” and would limit purchases per customer to one or two egg packs.
Egg producers have been warning of a shortage of eggs and poultry meat due to the outbreak and the impact of power cuts on the industry.
The agriculture ministry last week said that over 2.5 million chickens had been killed, with five of the eight provinces affected by the avian flu.
Nigerians lawmakers investigate alleged incarcerations, Killings of citizens In Ethiopia
Nigerian lawmakers, earlier today, said they will investigate the alleged maltreatment and killings of its over 250 Nigerian citizens in Ethiopia.
The call came after some reports on social media alleged that over 250 Nigerians are facing maltreatment by the Ethiopians.
The Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, drew the attention of his colleagues to the matter during the plenary session on Thursday, October 5th.
Some Nigerians have therefore taken to social media calling on the federal government to intervene in the illegal incarceration of the people by the Ethiopian government.
While presenting his motion during the plenary, Senator Mwadkwon stressed that the social media report is disturbing because it has no legal basis in the provision of international courts to which Nigeria and Ethiopia are signatories.
“Based on the sovereignty of this country and the sanctity of lives and properties of all Nigerians all over the world as captured in the Nigerian constitution, especially Section 33, 34 and 35 of the 1999 constitution as amended which have similar provisions in order international courts, instruments and convention which the Nigerian and the Ethiopian are signatories to. There is no justification whatsoever for taking away the dignity of any person, let alone taking away the life of a citizen,” as quoted by Voice of Nigeria.
The minority leader urged the Senate to immediately intervene in the crisis and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the imprisonments and killings.
When the motion was thrown to debate, the majority of the senators supported it.
The Senate, in its resolution, however, directed its Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to work with the Federal Government to immediately constitute a committee to visit the Republic of Ethiopia and investigate what is happening to Nigerians in the country, as well as report their findings back to the Senate within two weeks.
Mauritius repeals colonial-era anti-homosexuality law
The Supreme Court of Mauritius has declared section 250 of the country’s Criminal Code that found individuals engaging in same-sex relations guilty as unconstitutional.
Under the criminal code, which dates back to 1898, individuals found guilty of engaging in same-sex relations were at risk of being jailed for up to five years.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court stated that the abolished law did not “reflect any indigenous Mauritian values but was inherited as part of our colonial history from Britain.”
The decision to repeal the anti-homosexuality law is traced to October 2019, when four young Mauritians from the rights group – Young Queer Alliance filed a legal challenge against the anti-homosexuality law for “violating their fundamental rights and freedom”.
The United Nations and several human rights groups have commended the ruling.
“The United Nations welcomes the decision of Mauritius to join the growing list of African countries protecting the human rights of everyone, including LGBTQI+ people,” UNAids said in a statement made available to Agence France Presse.
With the ruling, Mauritius joins the growing list of African countries that have either decriminalised or legalised same-sex relationships, including Angola, Botswana, Seychelles, and Mozambique, while others are yet to.
Burkina Faso junta leader sacks police chief
Burkina Faso’s interim leader Ibrahim Traoré has replaced the head of the country’s paramilitary police Lt Col Evrard Somda, more than a week after the ruling junta said it had averted a coup attempt.
The junta leader Ibrahim Traoré on Wednesday appointed Lt Col Kouagri Natama to replace Lt Col Evrard Somda, who had led the national gendarmerie since last year.
Traoré is also said to have changed the officers charged with managing logistics and equipment within the Burkinabe army and the gendarmerie.
BBC reports that last week, Burkina Faso’s junta arrested and detained four police officers on suspicion that they participated in a “plot against state security”.
According to the French-language news publication Jeune Afrique, two of the detained police officers worked under the national gendarmerie and were Mr Somda’s close associates.
His replacement previously led the police in the northern Kaya region, where Mr Traore’s unit was stationed.
Uganda opposition party leader Robert Kyagula whisked at the airport
The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni’s main rival – Robert Kyagula has been arrested and whisked away at the Entebbe International Airport as he arrived from abroad.
Robert, better known as Bobi Wine, is one of the strongest rivals of 79-year-old President Museveni, who has been in power for decades – 1986.
“The cowardly regime has arrested our President upon arrival at Entebbe Airport. We set out to receive him today, but the panicky regime security could not even allow him into immigration,” Mathias Mpuuga, leader of the National Unity Platform in the Ugandan parliament, said on his X account, sighted by Reuters.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Wine ran against Museveni in the last presidential election in 2021 and lost, although he rejected the results, saying there was widespread rigging and intimidation by security forces.
Bird-flu forces South Africa to ration eggs
South Africa is facing a shortage of poultry products due to a bird flu outbreak, prompting supermarkets to ration egg purchases. Supermarkets like Woolworths have limited sales to six eggs per customer, while Pick n Pay is encouraging responsible buying. The outbreak has significantly impacted egg production, with over 2.5 million chickens culled across five provinces.
Nigerians lawmakers investigate alleged incarcerations, killings of citizens In Ethiopia
Nigerian lawmakers are investigating reports of maltreatment and killings of over 250 Nigerian citizens in Ethiopia. Senate Minority Leader Simon Mwadkwon highlighted the issue, stressing the need for legal basis in international courts. The Senate has directed its Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to collaborate with the Federal Government and visit Ethiopia to report back within two weeks.
Mauritius repeals colonial-era anti-homosexuality law
The Supreme Court of Mauritius declared the colonial-era section 250 of the Criminal Code, which criminalized same-sex relations, unconstitutional. The law, dating back to 1898, had allowed for up to five years of imprisonment. The ruling followed a legal challenge by the Young Queer Alliance and has been hailed by the United Nations and human rights groups. Mauritius joins several African nations in decriminalizing same-sex relationships.
Burkina Faso junta leader sacks police chief
Burkina Faso's interim leader Ibrahim Traoré has replaced the head of the paramilitary police, Lt Col Evrard Somda, following a thwarted coup attempt. Lt Col Kouagri Natama has been appointed as the new head, with further changes in officers managing logistics and equipment within the armed forces. Four police officers, including close associates of Somda, were arrested last week on suspicion of plotting against state security.
Uganda opposition party leader Robert Kyagula whisked at the airport
Robert Kyagula, also known as Bobi Wine, was arrested at Entebbe International Airport upon his return to Uganda. Wine, a prominent opposition leader, has been a major rival to President Yoweri Museveni. His party, the National Unity Platform, criticized the arrest as politically motivated. Wine had contested and disputed the results of the 2021 presidential election, alleging widespread rigging and intimidation.
