African press review 19 September 2016

Zimbabwe's main MDC-T opposition party accuses President Mugabe of "smelling blood" as the crisis over electoral reform worsens, while Nigerian politics block process to slash fat salaries of office holders.

We begin in Zimbabwe where the papers offer robust coverage of the worsening political crisis in the country.

Standard

The paper reports that the capital Harare on Sunday resembled a war zone, as police officers openrf fire on protesters in residential areas around the city. According to the Standard, the protests organized by the National Election Reform Agenda (Nera) spread countrywide on Sunday amid reports that hordes of opposition supporters had been arrested.

Newsday

The paper puts the number of people arrested around over the weekend at 87. It carries damning remarks made by former State Security minister Didymus Mutasa, who was one of Mugabe’s closest wartime aides but now convener of NERA.

He told the paper he is saddened by the government's brutality and accuses the Mugabe regime of using Rhodesian tactics against the people.

New Zimbabwe

The publication carries excerpts of a letter written by the opposition leaders to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urging him to “isolate the Mugabe government for declaring war on Zimbabweans”.

According to New Zimbabwe, ex-Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's faction of the MDC warned in the letter that Mugabe "is smelling blood".

The MDC-T also pressed claims that some members of the ruling “ZANU/PF party's youth wing dressed in Zimbabwe Republic Police uniforms had been seen shooting at peaceful protesters”.

Nigerian Politics stall plans to slash fat salaries of office holders

Punch publishes details of sensitive report on the wages of Nigeria’s top office holders. According to the document prepared by the powerful Revenue and Fiscal Commission, the treasury continues to cough out 25 million euros ever year to pay top members of the government, despite a pledged made last year by the Federal government to review the fat earnings.

According to the document President Mohammadu Buhari had slashed his annual earnings which stood at 39,000 euros by 50 percent, honoring a pledge he made after taking office. Punch says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also followed suit and now earns annual wages amounting to 17,000 euros.

The two officials are also entitled to so-called “annual hardship and consistency allowances”, including a leave allowance representing 10 per cent of their annual wages.

Punch says the review was completed since November last year but has not seen the light of day, due to what it called "politics involved in the process".

"Kwaito" superstar Mandoza loses battle with brain cancer

In South Africa, the papers pay glowing tribute to Mandoza, who died on Sunday at the age of 38 after a battle with brain cancer.

Mail and Guardian reports that Mandoza – whose real name was Mduduzi Tshabalala – was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of last year.

It carried a tribute from President Jacob Zuma who hailed Mandoza for "crossing the white black cultural divide in South Africa with his music".

The Sowetan reports from the streets outside Mandoza’s home in Pimville‚ Soweto saying it is lined with cars as friends‚ family and neighbors gather to pay their respects.

The Star says that Mandoza was catapulted into national stardom by his 2000 multi-South African Music Award-winning hit Nkalakatha with 350 000 records sold in the country alone. City Press reports that Mandoza faced death as a lion and only last Saturday performed at the "Thank You" music concert at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.