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JUST IN: Mnangagwa announces date of Zimbabwe elections
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly announced that the country will hold its general elections on July 30.
The elections would be the first since the ouster of former president Robert Mugabe following a military operation in November.
Mnangagwa made the announcement on Wednesday morning, a BBC report said.
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Mnangagwa's govt 'not in a hurry to arrest Grace Mugabe ally', says aide
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesperson has reportedly said that the government is not in a hurry to arrest a political ally of former first lady Grace Mugabe, who recently returned from a self-imposed exile in South Africa.
Saviour Kasukuwere landed back in Harare a week ago, six months after he fled into exile in South Africa.
Kasukuwere, a former cabinet minister, was allegedly a key member of the G40 faction in the ruling Zanu-PF party that orchestrated the sacking of Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president in early November. It was that incident that triggered the army operation that led to former president Robert Mugabe's resignation on November 21 and his replacement by Mnangagwa. The army said it was targeting "criminals" around Mugabe, believed to be G40 members.
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Zimbabweans in the diaspora 'won't be able to vote'
Zimbabwe will hold elections on July 30, according to an announcement by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in a government notice.
These will be Zimbabwe's first ever elections since independence from white minority rule in 1980 without the participation of Robert Mugabe, who resigned in November amid pressure from the military, his party and the public.
The elections will be for president as well as for parliamentary and council seats.
Nelson Chamisa, 40, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change will be Mnangagwa's main challenger, and there are many smaller parties.
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Rwanda's Kagame responds to Zim opposition leader's claims
Rwanda's president Paul Kagame has denied ever meeting with Zimbabwe's opposition leader Nelson Chamisa after he (Chamisa) suggested during a rally to have "helped the Rwandese leader turn his country around" following the gruesome genocide in 1994.
According to New Zimbabwe.com, Chamisa told his supporters in Beitbridge over the weekend that he had helped the Rwandese leader turn his country around during his time as Zimbabwe's minister of information and communication technology (ICT) between 2009- 2013.
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Group challenges criminalisation of same-sex relationships in Botswana
Botswana's High Court is expected on Thursday to hear a case in which the constitutionality of the provisions that criminalise same-sex sexual acts between consenting persons will be challenged.
In a statement, a human rights advocacy group, Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO), said that it had submitted factual evidence that sought to demonstrate that continued criminalisation of consensual same-sex sexual acts perpetuated stigma, intolerance, homophobia and violence against members of the LGBT community.
"LEGABIBO will argue that decriminalisation of same-sex sexual acts would not only greatly enhance public health - by assisting with treatment, care and education in the fight against HIV in particular - but it will also affirm basic human rights and the diversity of the Botswana nation," read part of the statement.
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Zim: Ex-finance minister's party threatens to quit 'unhappy Alliance' - report
The coalition of Zimbabwean opposition parties led by Nelson Chamisa is reportedly on the brink of a split after being rocked by tensions over the list of people to stand as candidates for the forthcoming polls.
According to New Zimbabwe.com, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tendai Biti has expressed anger over the the manner in which primary elections were handled.
PDP claimed that it was "hoodwinked and taken for fools by those who think they own the electorate simple because they have a leader who is youthful".
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'No mercy for the thieves' in Kenya graft scandal: President
"There will be no mercy for the thieves," Kenya's president announced on Wednesday amid a growing corruption scandal as diplomats representing 18 Western countries including the United States urged strong action against graft.
President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke a day after 24 officials were charged with corruption-related offenses in a probe linked to the alleged diversion of nearly $80m.
The government will spare no effort to recover all of the money, Kenyatta said. As for those to blame, "their days are numbered. They will be prosecuted and jailed."
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