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African press review 27 August 2016

The Burundi government readies to scrap presidential term limits. A new report shows east Africa's top officials are involved in wildlife poaching and trophy killing, particularly of elephants. And Tanzania hunts down police killers and their social media supporters. These are the headlines in the African dailies.

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Tanzania's Citizen newspaper says several of east Africa's top officials are involved in wildlife poaching and trophy killing.

A report has found that high-level corruption particularly among Tanzanian and Kenyan officials has aided poaching of endangered animals whose body parts are destined for overseas markets, the paper says.

The report from the East African Legislative Assembly found that a lack of rangers adequately skilled to tackle heavily armed gangsters is also behind the escalating killings of wildlife particularly elephants.

The report tabled in parliament this week says corrupt officials could have been compromised through bribes to allow poaching and the illegal export of trophies.

Other factors contributing to the rise in poaching include a lack of modern technology and equipment to combat the poaching, as well as poor law enforcement in protected areas.

Lawmakers found Tanzania's Serengeti National Park was the hardest hit, followed by the Nairobi National Park in Kenya, while Kenya's Port of Mombasa is the major gateway for exporting illegal ivory to overseas buyers.

Tanzanian police to hunt down police killers and their fans

The Citizen also reports that the Tanzanian government has vowed to capture and bring to justice the killers of four policemen.

The policemen were killed by gunmen at a bank on Tuesday in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

Speaking at a ceremony for the officers yesterday, Home Affairs Minister Mwigulu Nchemba condemned the killings and warned those posting messages congratulating the assassins on social media that they would be arrested.

Police say the messages "aim at poisoning relations between the public and the police force", the paper reports.

"The killings are being considered as an act of vengeance" and was not a robbery.

End to Burundi's presidential term limits?

The East African reports that the Burundi government could scrap presidential term limits.

A Burundian panel charged with finding ways to resolve the nation's political and security crisis is ready to present its findings to parliament.

The report includes a proposal to remove term limits for the head of state from the constitution, allowing office-holders to stay in power indefinitely once elected.

Commission chair Justin Nzoyisaba claims their inquiries showed the public backed such a move, away from the current limit of two full terms.

"Analysts say debate on the removal of term limits is likely to begin after the commission delivers its verdict," the report says.

Opposition groups say President Pierre Nkurunziza is to blame for the country's crisis for seeking a third successive term in office.

And it is he who will make the final decision on the report if parliament approves it.

Love gone wrong

Nigeria's Vanguard reports that the country's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a man, Iwuchukwu Martin Uche, over "a love scam" after he allegedly defrauded a Vietnamese woman out of 130,000 euros.

The economic financial crimes commission arrested the man on Tuesday for obtaining money under false pretences after promising to marry the woman.

The suspect allegedly claimed to be a military officer working for Nato in Afghanistan.

The money was wired to his bank account after he told the woman he needed it to obtain documents for the planned wedding.

Anti-Mugabe book as election weapon

And finally the Centre for African Journalists News Agency in Johannesburg says the opposition party formed by Zimbabwe's ousted deputy president Joice Mujuru has launched a book to be used in its campaign to unseat President Robert Mugabe in the 2018 elections.

The National Grievances is authored by prominent Zimbabwe People First party member and former military colonel, Kudzai Mbudzi.

According to Mbudzi the book chronicles Mugabe's alleged "gross governance and leadership failure" since ascending to power in 1980.

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