Sudan has endorsed the African Union's (AU) roadmap to avert an all-out war with South Sudan, though it insisted on retaining the right to self-defence. Earlier, South Sudan said it had accepted the AU's seven-point roadmap that called for a cessation of hostilities. Based on the seven-point roadmap, the two countries have until next Tuesday to restart stalled negotiations and three months to reach an agreement.

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete has sacked six ministers amid allegations of government corruption. He has been under pressure to deal with the scandal following a report by a body overseeing public finances. The inspector of the government's accounts noted the rampant misuse of funds in at least seven ministries.

This report covers the findings of the third week (April 15 to 21, 2012) of monitoring language use on radio under Media Foundation for West Africa’s project on: Promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in Ghana’s 2012 elections, funded by STAR-Ghana. For the week under review, indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 14 programmes aired on 11 out of the 31 radio stations being monitored under the project.

Malawi President Joyce Banda has said she had asked the African Union to prevent Sudan's wanted leader Omar Hassan al-Bashir from attending a summit in her country, saying his visit would have 'implications' for the economy. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Sudan's President Bashir to face charges of masterminding genocide and other war crimes during his nation's Darfur conflict. Malawi angered international donors when it played host to Bashir last year - ICC members countries like Malawi are supposed to arrest people wanted by the global court.

The Malawi Law Society convened a meeting where among others they discussed attempts by former ruling DPP ministers to prevent Joyce Banda from taking over power after President Mutharika’s death. Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe President Joyce Banda also hinted that she wants an investigation into attempts by some DPP ministers to prevent her from ascending to the highest office in the country.

High-level Nigerian government participation is needed at an upcoming international conference to make progress in ending a lead poisoning epidemic among children in Zamfara State, Human Rights Watch said. The international conference, in Abuja, the capital, on May 9 and 10, 2012, will include representatives from the World Health Organization, bilateral donor agencies and nongovernmental organizations. It will focus on the mass lead poisoning in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara, one of the worst such crises in modern history.

The complex linkages between poverty and ethnicity are explored in the context of Mauritius. The research finds that the causes and patterns of poverty differ according to ethnic group. Economic, political, and social spheres are analysed. The author carried out doctoral field research for fourteen months in Mauritius to collect primary data concerning: ethnic identity, inter-ethnic/religious relations, poverty, exclusion, and marginalisation.

This short play celebrates the late renowned Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace laureate Prof Wangari Maathai.

The problem of Nigeria is one-Nigeria. The state structure is wrong. The solution is restructuring; separation of the warring peoples, cultures and religions into independent countries.

It is immoral and a political crime to purport to draft a new constitution under the prevailing political and security conditions in Somalia.

The February death of Trayvon Martin in the US shows the need to address the underlying structures of racism that are embedded in the ideology of a capitalist and imperialist society.

To novelist Nuruddin Farah, his homeland city is not the ‘most dangerous in the world;’ it’s the prettiest and most colourful — once you’ve tasted its waters, you will always go back.

The proposed Somali constitution is a hurried job, with the latest version available only in Somali language while various outdated or fake versions are circulating on the web.

The draft constitution is a considerable improvement from the Transitional Federal Charter. However, there are serious flaws in the draft which would make the operation of the system of government difficult and controversial.

'Everybody knows the solution in Somalia is political not military. Even if there is a military victory in Somalia, it will not be sustainable without a political solution.'

Leading political philosopher Mahmood Mamdani says the government’s ban on the political pressure group Activists for Change (A4C) is naïve and likely to drive opposition underground.

In this short story, the wedding day of a young woman is described in the context of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has presented the maiden report of its language monitoring project, which is aimed at promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in this year’s elections. The first report was based on monitoring for the first week of April (April 1 to 7, 2012). The report covers findings on the second week of monitoring (April 8 to 14, 2012). In all, monitoring reports were received from 15 out of the 31 selected radio stations that are being monitored under the project. This report is, therefore, based on data gathered from the 15 radio stations, which have been named in the report.

Zambia President Michael Sata has with immediate effect suspended Justices Philip Musonda, Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna. The President has since appointed a tribunal which will be headed by Justice Lovemore Chipoka of the Malawi High Court to investigate the alleged misbehavior of the three Judges. The terms of reference would be based on the allegations that the trio interfered with a case involving the Post newspapers, Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ and JNC holding limited and Mutembo Nchito.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) will continue its fight against the e-tolling project until the tolls have 'finally been scrapped', the union federation said. Spokesperson Patrick Craven said in the federation's Workers' Day statement that the postponement of the R20-billion e-toll project was 'a direct product of the workers' power and sacrifices'.