Welcome to the Development Diaries weekly roundup of top African stories for Sunday, 14 November, 2024.

Last week, we reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of minister Betta Edu, why the president must read all his appointees the riot act, the police ‘no gree for anybody’ warning, and a Nigerian soldier’s assault of a helpless citizen. We also responded to Tunisia’s violation of a journalist’s right; humanitarian crisis in Sudan; the cholera outbreak in Zambia among other top stories.

Humanitarian Ministry Scandal: Tinubu Must Go Beyond Suspending Edu

The alleged payment of funds into a private account by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation did not come as a surprise because the ministry has always lacked transparency in its operations. Beyond the suspension of the minister, we urged President Bola Tinubu to direct immediate investigations into all aspects of financial transactions involving all federal government ministries. Read more

Humanitarian Ministry Scandal: Tunji-Ojo’s Claim Unacceptable

We reported that the explanation given by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over the allegation of his company receiving N438 million in ‘consultancy fees’ from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation was unacceptable. Read more

‘No Gree for Anybody’: Police Must Respect Freedom of Expression

The recent warning by the Nigerian police against the use of the ‘no gree for anybody‘ slogan is a threat to citizens’ right to freedom of expression and stands condemned. We emphasised that the warning was a threat to citizens’ active participation in governance because it could further reduce the public’s trust in the police, and this might lead to their inability to support the police in combating crime. We called on the Nigerian police to respect the freedom of expression as guaranteed in the constitution. Read more

Assault: Nigerian Army Must Improve Human Rights Record

Nigerian army’s human rights commitment remains questionable following the circulation of a viral video depicting soldiers torturing a civilian. We called on the Nigerian Army Human Rights Desk to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation into this incident in Rivers State and bring erring personnel to book. Read more

Tunisia: Respect Freedom of Expression, Drop Charges against Journalist

Tunisia, despite being hailed as a beacon of hope during the Arab Spring for its successful transition to democracy, continued to exhibit concerning signs of disrespect for freedom of expression in recent years. We demanded the unconditional release of independent journalist Zied el-Heni and all charges against him dropped since his charges were based only on the exercise of his rights. Read more

Congo: How Citizens Can Hold President Tshisekedi, Others Accountable

It is another time for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to actively participate in governance following the upholding of President Felix Tshisekedi’s victory at the polls. We urged President Tshisekedi to ensure that citizens’ right to freedom of expression is respected, just as we called on the government to encourage public participation in governance to stimulate effective policy formulation and service delivery. Read more

Sudan: Government Action Needed to Prevent Humanitarian Disaster

Medical facilities providing life-saving support in Sudan were running out of oxygen and struggling to keep the lights on. We called on the Sudanese government, through the Ministry of Social Welfare, and the Humanitarian Aid Commission, to urgently put in place measures to ensure health facilities receive the support required to keep them running at this crucial time. Read more

Emefiele’s Rights Violation: EFCC Must Respect Rule of Law

The slamming of a N100 million fine against the government of Nigeria and its agency, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), by an Abuja high court is a reminder that government agencies must adhere to the law in every situation. We noted that government agencies are bound by national and international laws that protect human rights, calling on the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and other law enforcement agencies to make it their duty to always respect the rule of law in discharging their duties. Read more

Zambia Cholera Outbreak: President Should Consider Sustainable Solution

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema urged citizens to relocate from towns to villages following the deaths of about 300 people from cholera infection. We called on the president to come up with more sustainable solutions to curb the outbreak instead of just urging people to relocate from towns to villages. Read more

Ethiopia: Who Killed Red Cross Worker in Tigray?

The killing of a staff member of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is a violation of acceptable norms and demands the Ethiopian government’s investigation. We urged the Ethiopian government, through the Federal Police Commission, to thoroughly investigate Aregawi’s killing and bring the perpetrators to book. Read more

That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More headlines are available on Development Diaries.