The European Union has renewed sanctions against the DR Congo’s top officials. These sanctions were first imposed in December of 2016 and renewed in March of 2017. These sanctions consist of travel bans, asset freezing, and a ban on making funds or economic resources available to, or engaging in transactions with the listed individuals. These sanctions directly affect President Laurent Kabila’s successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and 15 other ruling officials. Shadary has referred to it as “humiliating sanctions” and the government referring to is as “unacceptable interference in the electoral process”. The EU has encouraged the DR Congo’s authorities to organize free and fair elections, and that they will review these sanctions after the election. Teachers in Narok County, Kenya have dismissed the directive by Commissioner George Natembeya for all upper primary and secondary school girl checks for pregnancy and female genital mutilation. These tests are a violation of rights. The directive does not fall under the mandate so teachers are ignoring it. Parents and stakeholders agree that the issue of teen pregnancy must be addressed by the community but the approach by the community Commissioner is totally wrong. Teachers have said that they will not follow this directive because it infringes of the rights of learners. Bandits continue to cause chaos in Zamfara State, Nigeria, governor Abaulaziz Yari declared a state of emergency to solve a security problem in the state. The Nigerian Air Force revealed that 5 of it personnel, including the pilot, co-pilot, and 3 crew members died in Wednesday’s helicopter which crashed in fight against Boko Haram in Borno State. The shortage of police personnel in the state is stressing with the presence of security men, banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency. Governor Yari has said that the deployment of more security agents in the state, and some encouragement from the President would improve the situation. The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, has called on all governments to ensure Antiretroviral therapy is completely free and accessible and without user fee in 2019. People have been paying N2,000 for monthly access to drugs. There should be no user fee, and it should be in all nearest places and facilities for easy accessibility.
