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    For the latest updates, go to bbc.com/africalive

  2. US and Saudi Arabia call for Sudan ceasefire extension

    Richard Hamilton

    BBC World Service Newsroom

    Saudi Arabia and the United States have called for a ceasefire in Sudan to be extended.

    Both countries are monitoring the truce, which has been repeatedly violated, and called on the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to continue negotiations, so that humanitarian aid can be delivered.

    Residents said there were clashes overnight in the capital, Khartoum, and the adjoining city of Omdurman.

    There's growing concern about the worsening security in the Darfur region.

    The former rebel leader and current governor of Darfur, Minni Minawi, has called on civilians to take up arms there.

  3. Somalia proposes fresh plan for everyone to have a vote

    David Bamford

    BBC World Service News

    Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    Image caption: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud became Somalia's president just over a year ago

    Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called on the public to support a new plan to restore universal suffrage next year, ending a decade of indirect voting.

    Under proposals agreed at a four-day conference in the capital, Mogadishu, voters would directly choose a national president for the first time since General Siad Barre seized power in 1969.

    The first direct vote would be in local elections in June next year, followed by federal elections later.

    Somalia's central government collapsed in the 1990s when Siad Barre was overthrown.

    An indirectly appointed administration has been in place since 2012, but it's marred by clan rivalries, corruption and political wrangling - further exacerbated by an Islamist insurgency.

  4. Buhari defends record on eve of stepping down

    Richard Hamilton

    BBC World Service Newsroom

    Muhammadu Buhari
    Image caption: When he was sworn in President Muhammadu Buhari said: "We can fix our problems."

    A day before he hands over power to his successor, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his record on the economy and the outcome of a disputed presidential election.

    He said he was leaving a legacy of credible and fair votes.

    "In the course of revamping the economy, we made some difficult choices, most of which yielded the desired results.

    "Some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which I sincerely apologise to my fellow countrymen, but the measures were taken for the over-all good of the country. I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015. I thank you all," the president said in a national address.

    Mr Buhari first came to office in 2015, promising to improve the economy as well as end corruption and insecurity, but many Nigerians say these issues have worsened under his watch.

    The electoral victory of the incoming president, Bola Tinubu, is being challenged by opposition rivals.

    On Tuesday a tribunal will begin to hear the main arguments in the election petition.

    Read more on this topic:

  5. Al-Shabab attack panicked Uganda troops, says president

    David Bamford

    BBC World Service News

    Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed that a Ugandan army base in Somalia was stormed by hundreds of al-Shabab militants just before dawn on Friday.

    In a statement published on Twitter, he criticised the Ugandan troops stationed there, accusing them of failure.

    These are sharp words from the President Museveni about the conduct of his own soldiers after Islamist fighters managed to overrun one of their African Union mission bases in Somalia.

    He said the soldiers panicked and withdrew. This was unnecessary, he said, because their defence would have been strong enough if they had stayed in place.

    On Friday, al-Shabab had said it had killed numerous Ugandans. Mr Museveni acknowledged that there had been some deaths but gave no details.

    The United States later carried out an airstrike to destroy captured weapons.

    A military inquiry is under way.

  6. Video content

    Video caption: Tinubu inauguration: Challenges facing Nigeria's new president

    After a contested election, Bola Tinubu becomes Nigeria's president on 29 May with a bulging inbox.

  7. Scroll down for this week's stories

    We'll be back on Monday morning

    That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now. We'll be back on Monday morning with the latest from around the continent.

    In the meantime, you can get updates on BBCAfrica.com or listen to the BBC's Africa Today podcast.

    A reminder of our wise words of the day:

    Quote Message: When a ripe fruit sees an honest man it drops." from An Ngoni proverb sent by Khosa Jk Chambalo in Embangweni, Malawi
    An Ngoni proverb sent by Khosa Jk Chambalo in Embangweni, Malawi

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this photo of two women smiling as they pose on Thursday in Dublin during an event organised by the Irish government to mark Africa Day. It is from our selection of the best African pictures this week:

    Smiling women
  8. Sudan authorities call on retired soldiers to fight

    Richard Hamilton

    BBC World Service Newsroom

    Sudan's defence ministry has called on retired soldiers to arm themselves at the nearest military bases as sporadic clashes continue with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

    Residents of the capital, Khartoum, say looting, kidnapping and sexual violence are on the rise despite the seven-day ceasefire currently in force.

    Fighting has also been reported in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

    Heavy artillery was heard this morning and 11 people are said to have been wounded.

    Five former Sudanese rebel groups have deployed hundreds of their combatants to El Fasher to try to stop the violence.

  9. Nigerian medical services disrupted as strike starts

    Azeezat Olaoluwa

    BBC News, Lagos

    Nigerian hospital
    Image caption: Medical workers want improved conditions and are urging the incoming government to take action

    Medical services have been disrupted again in Nigeria as healthcare workers in public hospitals have gone on an indefinite strike over issues relating to pay and welfare.

    The Joint Health Sector Unions (Johesu) said they had given the government a two-week ultimatum to meet their demands but nothing was done.

    Johesu is the association of health workers apart from doctors, dentists and nurses.

    They are in charge of patients' records, laboratories and other medical services in government-owned hospitals.

    The health workers are asking for the immediate approval and implementation of an agreed salary structure, immediate payment of outstanding allowances and a review of the retirement age among other issues.

    This comes just three days before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari's second term in office.

    Johesu national vice-president Dr Obinna Ogbonna told the BBC that the incoming government should be ready to do the right thing.

    "Let the new government inherit the strike. After all, one of the agendas of the incoming government is to fix the issues of welfare and salaries in the health sector," Dr Ogbonna said.

    "It will serve as a good opportunity to test the genuineness of the new government," he added.

    The latest strike starts four days after doctors in public hospitals called off their five-day warning strike in order to give the government two weeks to implement the agreements.

    The government is yet to comment.

  10. Court activities stop in Ghana amid strike action

    Favour Nunoo

    BBC Pidgin

    Ghana Supreme Court and Court of Appeal
    Image caption: Ghana's court system already has a reputation for being overwhelmed with cases

    Court activities in Ghana have ground to a halt following indefinite strike action announced by judicial service staff on Thursday over demands for salary increases and unpaid arrears.

    An association for the staff members has directed all employees of the service not to report to work, leaving the usually busy courts across the country empty.

    Court registrars have been advised not to open or be compelled to open any court for use during the period of the strike until President Nana Akufo-Addo approves the strikers' demands.

    "This is a total shutdown... there will be court delays, nobody is there to open the courts, trials will have to be postponed," legal practitioner Fred Aboagye Kasapa told the BBC.

    Calls have intensified for workers to not go ahead with the strike which has entered its second day, but their leadership insist the industrial action continues.

    This strike action is set to add to the backlog of cases which observers say will negatively affect the country's delivery of justice.

  11. Sudan ceasefire compliance increasing, US and Saudis say

    Richard Hamilton

    BBC World Service Newsroom

    Saudi Arabia and the United States say the warring sides in Sudan are showing more signs of complying with a seven-day ceasefire.

    The two nations issued a joint statement via the US embassy in Khartoum.

    However eyewitnesses again reported sporadic clashes between Sudan's army and a Rapid Support Fores (the RSF) in the capital Khartoum.

    A resident there told the BBC that looting, kidnapping and sexual violence was on the rise.

    She said it was a massive crisis which no-one - including the international mediators in Saudi Arabia - truly comprehended.

    Fighting has also been reported in the troubled region of Darfur.

    In El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, residents said they'd seen battles with all types of weapons.

  12. Why a Namibian artist records his music in the dark

    DJ Edu

    Presenter of This Is Africa on BBC World Service

    Gazza
    Image caption: Gazza is considered one of Namibia’s most successful artists

    Lazarus Shiimi, or Gazza as he’s more popularly known, is one of Namibia’s most successful artists.

    He is also one of the driving forces behind the development of Namibia’s music industry.

    His sound is influenced by kwaito, dancehall, hip-hop, reggae and Afrobeats.

    He’s won over 30 music awards and has 13 albums under his belt.

    But he’s preparing to get out of his comfort zone with his next big project.

    He is about to perform his music with over 100 others on stage with a symphony orchestra, a 40-strong choir and around 60 musicians from the Alabama School of Fine Arts who are flying in to Windhoek especially.

    And yet he told me he still suffers from shyness.

    “I don’t think that will ever go away. When I’m alone I still have to record myself in the dark because I’m still not comfortable until I hear what I’ve recorded and if it sounds good, that’s when I switch on the lights.”

    He is doing the concert in order to appeal to the government and businesses to put more infrastructure in place for the creative industries.

    “The unemployment rate is so high, the youth are trying to do a few things with their talents, but there are no proper platforms and sometimes they become frustrated and resort to criminal activities and stuff like that.

    "I’m just saying to the government and private sector: 'Can we please try and see what we can do for the youth in Namibia to thrive?'

    “I want to be able to deliver something that’s going to be remembered for a long time and something that’s going to bring about change,” he said.

    The concerts of hope take place on 2 and 3 June at the National Theatre of Namibia.

    To hear the full interview with Gazza, listen to This is Africa on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, and online here.

  13. Nigeria Supreme Court throws out landmark election case

    Chris Ewokor

    BBC News, Abuja

    Shettima and Tinubu
    Image caption: Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima were announced winners of the election, despite opposition protests

    Nigeria’s Supreme Court has dismissed a case seeking to disqualify Vice-President-elect Kashim Shettima as the candidate for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in February's general election.

    If the case had been carried forward it could have had far-reaching consequences for the candidacy and eventual victory of President elect Bola Tinubu, as they ran on a joint ticket.

    The suit filed in July last year by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) argued that Mr Shettima’s nomination as Mr Tinubu’s running mate was in breach of the Nigerian constitution.

    They had argued that Mr Shettima’s nomination to contest the positions of both vice-president and the Borno central senatorial seat at the same time contravened the law.

    However, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the case lacked merit, and said there was evidence Mr Shettima eventually withdraw his nomination for the senatorial seat.

    There had been palpable fear and anxiety before the landmark judgement but the justices also decided that the PDP lacked the power to put forward the lawsuit since it is not a member of the APC.

    Justice Adamu Jauro, who delivered the lead judgment, noted that the PDP was meddling in the internal affairs of another party and ordered it to pay a fine of around $4,300 (£3,500).

    The Supreme Court ruling has now put the issue to rest and seemingly given a judicial seal of approval for the inauguration of the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima.

    They are due to be sworn in on 29 May when outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office after completing a two terms.

    However, lawsuits by major opposition parties challenging Mr Tinubu’s election victory are still ongoing at the election petitions tribunal, where hearings will begin on 30 May, a day after Mr Tinubu is sworn in.