Africa (except North Africa)

LUSAKA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's holding of general elections on Aug. 12, 2021, and the peaceful transition of power by the incumbent president maintained Zambia as one of the few countries on the continent to see peaceful transitions.

The southern African nation has established a reputation as one of Africa's stable democratic nations with regular elections followed by peaceful transfers of power since the country's founding leader, the late Kenneth Kaunda, introduced multiparty democracy in 1991.

LIMBE (Cameroon) — Droves of armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets of Limbe in Cameroon’s conflict-torn South West Region ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) soccer finals starting on Jan 9 that separatist militants have vowed to disrupt.

Cameroon is hosting the tournament in six cities, but security is potentially most at threat in Limbe, a city on the tropical Atlantic coast whose surrounding region has been rocked by armed attacks since war broke out in 2017.

CONAKRY, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The transitional authorities in Guinea-Conakry have allowed former president Alpha Condé to leave the country to seek medical help.

The condition is that the former president cannot stay away for more than one month unless advised otherwise by the medical professionals.

The announcement came in response to a request sent by ECOWAS to the new leader of the country, colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, on the Dec 23.

The news of Alpha Condé imminent release was greeted by the former president’s supporters.

NAIROBI, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenyan police arrested a Dutch national wanted by Interpol for allegedly smuggling dozens of men, women and children to Europe.

John Habeta, 53, was allegedly involved in at least four different operations to smuggle groups of Eritrean nationals into Europe using routes from Asia.

01 Jan 2022; MEMO: A deepening rift between Somalia's President and Prime Minister has plunged the Horn of Africa country into political crisis, Anadolu News Agency reports.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who took office in 2017, suspended Prime Minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble and Naval Forces Commander, Abas Amin Ali, on charges of "corruption" and "abuse of public land."

The Prime Minister, however, defied the order, describing the President's decision to suspend him as "outrageous."

BRAZZAVILLE, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- With the Omicron variant circulating and people traveling and gathering for year-end festivals, post-Christmas COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Africa, as countries are counting on vaccination and tighter measures to keep the pandemic under control.

POST-CHRISTMAS FLARE-UP

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's legislative capital Cape Town on Wednesday encouraged eligible persons to report to vaccination sites as soon as possible for their COVID-19 booster shots.

Both Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer booster shots are now available, according to a statement issued by the Cape Town municipality.

HARARE, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 77 people were killed in 1,295 road traffic accidents countrywide between Dec. 15 and 27 this year, Zimbabwean Police said Wednesday.

During the same period in 2020, there were 1,216 accidents and 66 deaths recorded.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said in a statement that 13 people died in 10 fatal road traffic accidents on Christmas Day. A total of 91 accidents were recorded on the same day, leaving 59 people injured.

He said another 12 people died and 25 were injured in road accidents on Dec. 26.

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Research by South African scientists suggests that Omicron could displace the Delta variant of the coronavirus because infection with the new variant boosts immunity to the older one.

The study only covered a small group of people and has not been peer-reviewed, but it found that people who were infected with Omicron, especially those who were vaccinated, developed enhanced immunity to the Delta variant.

27 Dec 2021; MEMO: Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Monday suspended the country's prime minister over alleged corruption and misuse of public land reports Anadolu Agency.