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African Press Review 12 December 2017

Human trafficking between Libya and Nigeria, lifting the age restriction for Uganda's presidential candidates and unspent county funds in Kenya.

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In Nigeria the Punch features an opinion piece entitled "No Man's Land:Oladele's Libya Tale." It's the account of a young man who paid a lot of money to be smuggled to South Africa, a country the paper says is viewed by many Nigerians seeking a better life abroad, as an alternative destination to Europe.

Despite incredible amounts of money being paid, Olaldele ends up being trafficked to Libya.

In light of the recent international outcry over the modern-day slavery tales in Libya, the Punch says has decided to feature these kind of accounts regularly in its pages.

"Eight out of every 10 Africans I encountered there were Nigerians" writes the author "Nigerians were the main traffickers I came across. They were also the traitors." "Libyans also made money off Nigerians at every opportunity(...)Sometimes, you had to pay something to save your own life."

The purchasing of human beings also features in the pages of Nigeria's Guardian with 80 suspects being paraded by Lagos State Police for various crimes ranging from Murder to drug dealing.

Some are accused of kidnapping children and selling them to orphanages who then sell them on. A proud police commander tells the paper their efforts have paid off and explains:“President Muhammadu Buhari, during his last visit to Kano State, gave a directive that security agencies should crack down on illicit drug dealers. "

Over in Uganda, The Daily Monitor is focusing on how MPs will vote to amend the constitution's presidential age limit which currently bars anyone aged below 35 or above 75.

"Under the Article, President Museveni, now aged 73, will be ineligible for re-election at the next election in 2021. "

Daily Monitor contacted 336 of 436 MPs who are entitled to vote in Parliament but 317 responded.

53 per cent indicated that they will vote for the removal of age limit, 29 per cent won't while 18 percent remained undecided.

Over in Kenya, The Standard looks at how "a number of counties have yet to re-allocate unspent funds running into millions of shillings from the previous financial year." Apparently this is because "their executives have yet to draft supplementary budgets to give the counties power to spend the funds on various sectors."

In South Africa The Sowetan reports on the slaughter of donkeys saying it "has raised concerns about consumers being duped when ordering “pap and vleis” from vendors on the outskirts of Pretoria."

People's Donkeys are being stolen and slaughtered before allegedly being sold as “game” to unsuspecting commuters at Mabopane station. This could have a negative impact for street vendors and the paper also gives a glimpse of the cruel manner in which the animals are killed.

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