African press review 27 April 2017

Five and a half million Ugandans are suffering from the current famine. A group of MPs calls for the declaration of a state of emergency. Some big names in Kenyan politics fail to make the grade as elections approach. And the UN condemns both sides in South Sudan's civil war.

The Ugandan parliament yesterday called for the declaration of a national state of emergency as the number of people affected by the current famine hit the tragic record figure of 5.5 million.

This is the top story in the Kampala-based Daily Monitor.

The report says parliament yesterday adopted a motion tabled by lawmakers from famine-stricken districts, urging the government to declare a state of emergency in the worst-affected areas.

The motion by representatives from Lango sub-region as well as Teso and Karamoja was based on their assertion that the government has delayed its reaction to the crisis and has failed to distribute relief food equitably.

Kenyan political hierarchy shaken as stalwarts dropped

There are ructions in both the Kenyan ruling coalition and the opposition as elections approach. This according to the main story in this morning's Nairobi-based Daily Nation newspaper.

The report says allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta and the opposition National Super Alliance coleader Raila Odinga have been voted out by the electorate in the Jubilee and ODM nominations which have been marked by violence, chaos and confusion.

The governor of Kiambu is among those to have been dumped.

Six MPs were also kicked out in the Jubilee Party nominations in Kenyatta’s backyard. Among the MPs losing public support is Kiambu Women's Representative Anna Nyokabi, a relative of the president who lost by a huge margin to radio journalist Gathoni Wamuchomba.

In Nyanza Raila Odinga’s allies were easily beaten in the Orange Democratic Movement nominations by newcomers.

Those dropped include Odinga’s elder brother Oburu Odinga.

Supporters rally round Zuma before confidence vote

Some of Jacob Zuma's supporters are not ready to see the South African president kicked out of office.

According to a front-page story in the Johannesburg-based financial paper BusinessDay, the ruling African National Congress in Durban has read the riot act to five of its seven members of parliament‚ laying down the law and ordering them not to abandon Zuma ahead of a planned no-confidence vote.

ANC regional secretary Bheki Ntuli yesterday said the committee viewed the motion as having all the hallmarks of idiocy‚ describing it as a waste of time and resources by a reckless opposition.

BusinessDay says the ruling party in the Eastern Cape has also contacted its MPs‚ warning them against siding with the opposition.

New call for sanctions in South Sudan

The United Nations has repeated its call for sanctions against military leaders on both sides of South Sudan's civil war.

According to a report in regional paper the East African, the UN panel of experts for South Sudan has directed member states of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development to impose immediate travel bans and asset freezes on six military commanders sanctioned by the UN Security Council last year.

The sanctions were imposed for gross atrocities committed by both sides since the onset of the war in 2013.

The panel of experts also renewed calls for the imposition of an arms embargo on South Sudan.

The government in Juba has promised to issue an official response to the UN statement tomorrow.

Cash boost for African power projects

African electricity is to get a billion-dollar boost, according to another story in the East African.

Three international development agencies have come together to mobilise more than one billion dollars for power generation across the continent. Projects to be supported include the Ruzizi III project on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, that will supply electricity to both those countries and to Burundi.