African press review 24 January 2018

Obasanjo warns Buhari not to seek re-election after failed Presidency. South Africa mourns jazz icon Hugh Masekela and Kenyan MPs win crucial battle over their fat salaries.

We begin in Kenya where lawmakers have won round one of their war over perks. That's the opinion of the Standard newspaper after reports that each of the 416 MPs got ready to pocket at least Sh668.000 (5,000 euros) extra in allowances and salary at the end of January.

According to the paper this comes after the suspension of the pay structure that would have slashed their remuneration. The lawmakers managed to have the new Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) structure put aside by a court order in December last year.

The new development implies that the taxpayer will have to cough about Sh278 million (2.1 million euros) to finance the legislators’ trips to their constituencies and pay for the maintenance of their top-end cars, according to the Standard newspaper.

Meanwhile Nigeria's Punch  launches a scathing attack on President Muhammadu Buhari's stewardship by the former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the special press statement, issued on Tuesday, Obasanjo who supported Buhari in 2015 over the then incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan reportedly questioned Buhari’s competence to rule Nigeria further, advising him to forget his second term bid.

According to the newspaper, the former President, also accused Buhari of not doing enough to check corruption within his government, lamenting nepotism in his appointments, as well as his lack of understanding of dynamics of politics.

Punch observes that Obasanjo's outburst was sparked by a move by some state governors who asked Buhari to seek re-election barely 24 hours after 73 people killed by herdsmen in Benue State were given a mass burial.

The Sun also headlines on the 18-page letter in which it claims Obasanjo publicly dumps Buhari. For the newspaper, Obasanjo even went to the extent of calling for a coalition of movement of well-meaning Nigerians to salvage and redeem the country, saying national interest was being sacrificed on the altar of nepotism by Buhari’s administration.

In South Africa, the papers pay glowing tribute to the world-renowned jazz musician Hugh Masekela who died on Tuesday at the age of 78 in a Johannesburg hospital. He had been battling prostate cancer since 2008.

"News of the veteran musician's death has sent shockwaves through the nation", observes the Sowetan. Mail and Guardian says that when he cancelled his appearance last year at the Johannesburg Joy of Jazz Festival, taking time out to deal with his serious health issues, fans were forced to return to his recorded opus for reminders of his unique work spanning half-century of disks and achievements.

The Star carries a tweet posted on his wall by the country's Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthetwa referring to Masekela as a "baobab tree that has fallen". "He uplifted the soul of our nation through his timeless music", Mthetwa wrote. "I hope we become the Africa you will be proud to look over Bra Hugh", mourns the Times.