Nigeria: Study Flags Cement As Construction Industry's Biggest Carbon Problem, Offers Greener Solutions

[Leadership] A recent study by a Nigerian student, Ololade Temitope Oduneye, has identified cement as the construction sector's biggest carbon problem, highlighting a range of greener alternatives that could significantly reduce emissions across the industry. Source

Kenya: 'Taking Ballot Photos Could Cost You Ksh1 Million,' IEBC Warns

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has cautioned voters participating in Thursday's by-election that they risk incurring a fine of up to Ksh1 million, a jail term not exceeding three years, or both for taking selfies, photos, or videos inside polling booths. Source

South Africa: Groundbreaking HIV Drug, Lenacapavir, to Be Launched Next Month

[SAnews.gov.za] The launch of Lenacapavir - a groundbreaking HIV drug - will be held on June 5 in Mpumalanga. Source

Congo-Kinshasa: DRC Journalist Detained Since January, Another in Hiding After Mining Impact Report

[CPJ] Kinshasa -- The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release journalist Stéphane Shisso, who was arrested in January after reporting on erosion caused by mining, and to ensure the safety of his colleague Guelord Shamba, who is in hiding. Source

South Africa: Homes of Over 5,000 People Still Flooded in Khayelitsha

[GroundUp] City of Cape Town calls for donations to help flood victims Source

South Africa: Rights Groups Disappointed By Constitutional Court Asylum Ruling

[GroundUp] Immigrant community leaders say the ruling that bars rejected asylum seekers from reapplying, may see people deported back to countries where they face danger Source

Somalia: Somalia Election Talks Stall in Mogadishu As Dispute Deepens

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- High-level talks between opposition leaders and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ended without agreement on Wednesday, with negotiators reportedly failing to bridge key differences over the country's disputed electoral framework, sources familiar with the discussions said. Source

Botswana: Public Pays Last Respects as Mogae Lies in State

[Botswana Daily News] Gaborone -- Braving the early morning winter frosty conditions, hundreds of Batswana on Wednesday morning lined up at Parliament Building to pay their last respects to the country's former President, Dr Festus Mogae, whose body is lying in state. Source

East Africa: Truck Drivers' Protest Cripples Trade Flow At Uganda-Kenya Border

[Nile Post] A cross-border truck drivers' strike at the Malaba border earlier this week disrupted trade and transport between Uganda and Kenya, with authorities estimating losses of up to Shs35 billion in revenue collections during the one-day standoff. Source

Uganda: Kampala Faces Three-Week Planned Power Disruptions

[Nile Post] Electricity consumers in Kampala and surrounding areas are set to experience scheduled daytime power outages for nearly three weeks as the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) undertakes major maintenance works on a key transmission line. Source

Nigeria: Court Jails Ex-Minister Mamman for 75 Years Over Power Project Fraud

[Premium Times] In a rare show of toughness against a corrupt official, the judge ordered that the sentences attracted by each of the 12 counts run consecutively, not concurrently. Source

Rwanda: Where Rwanda's Rwf7.8tn Budget Will Go in 2026/27

[New Times] The government has proposed to spend Rwf7.8 trillion in the 2026/27 fiscal year, an increase of Rwf844.2 billion from the revised Rwf6.9 trillion budget for 2025/26. Source