- Analysts fear the move could sound the death knell for an economy that has also suffered from foreign investor flight, and is struggling with the world's highest inflation rate of over 100,000 percent. The government has sought to allay business fears of a blanket seizure of companies by saying the authorities would work with different industries to set timetables for foreign-owned firms to transfer shares to locals. Mugabe, who is seeking re-election in general elections on March 29, has approved the controversial bill in a seal of assent in a weekend government gazette of legal notices. "President Mugabe has assented to the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Bill, paving the wa…

- Speaking to Reuters Sunday, head of Mozambique's National Meteorological Institute, Mussa Mustafa said the cyclone which swept through part of Madagascar last week, is expected to intensify by Monday. "Our colleagues in the coastal district of Angoche reported that one person died when his house collapsed, and we also have a number of houses which have been extensively damaged there", the meteorological official said. Scores of people have fled their homes in the northern Nampula Province which are reported to have been brought down by strong winds of up to 200 kph (125 miles). Mustafa said the risk of renewed flooding was small because the rains would hit coastal areas and flow…

- Tropical cyclone Jokwe lashed northern Mozambique on Sunday, killing at least one person and destroying over 500 homes. Speaking to Reuters Sunday, head of Mozambique's National Meteorological Institute, Mussa Mustafa said the cyclone which swept through part of Madagascar last week, is expected to intensify by Monday. "Our colleagues in the coastal district of Angoche reported that one person died when his house collapsed, and we also have a number of houses which have been extensively damaged there", the meteorological official said. Scores of people have fled their homes in the northern Nampula Province which are reported to have been brought down by strong wi…

- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has signed into law a bill giving local owners the right to take majority control of foreign companies, including mines and banks. However analysts fear the move could sound the death knell for an economy that has also suffered from foreign investor flight, and is struggling with the world's highest inflation rate of over 100,000 percent. The government has sought to allay business fears of a blanket seizure of companies by saying the authorities would work with different industries to set timetables for foreign-owned firms to transfer shares to locals. Mugabe, who is seeking re-election in general elections on March 29, has approved…

- The 2007 International Narcotics Board report has cited Zambia as among the few countries in Africa leading in Cannabis cultivation and abuse which is cause for alarm for authorities in the country. The report further says the southern African country is also increasingly becoming a favourite destination and transit point for shipments of cocaine from West Africa and Latin America for onward delivery to Europe and North America. It is believed that Africa including Zambia is also being used as a Trans -shipment area for the diversion of precursors, particularly ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine. Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Commissioner Peter Chigaipe, says that those identifie…

- The Mozambican police have arrested about 50 foreign citizens who were illegally mining precious stones in Mogovolas district, in the northern province of Nampula allAfrica.com reported on Sunday. A deposit of tourmalines was discovered at Aveira, some 16 kilometres from the town of Nametil, in February however, when news spread, both Mozambicans and foreigners descended on the area to dig up the precious stones. Marketing of the stones was believed to be in the hands of a group of Zimbabweans, who had earlier been expelled from Barue, in the central province of Manica, where a similar tourmaline deposit had been discovered. Head of Mineral Resources Department in Nampula, Candeei…

- South African President Thabo Mbeki can no longer govern effectively after losing the leadership of the country's ruling party, African National Congress(ANC) leader Jacob Zuma said on Friday. Zuma defeated Mbeki at a party election in December and is likely to become state president when Mbeki steps down in 2009 if he defeats corruption charges in court. Reuters reported Saturday that in an unusually strong and direct attack on Mbeki, Zuma said that power was firmly concentrated in the hands of ANC, suggesting the president's authority had slipped away. "... if he's not part of the ANC leadership, he doesn't have authority. You can't even take ser…

- Botswana outgoing President, Festus Mogae and his family have already moved to his retirement home in the up-market Phakalane suburb in Gaborone North, allAfrica.com has reported. "He moved on the second week of January. The house is finished and is ready and occupied," Private Secretary to the President, Nkoloi Nkoloi said Wednesday. The Private Secretary cleared the confusion over the ownership of the Phakalane house saying it belongs to the government. The house was built at an estimated 20 million Botswana Pula and the government is going to spend around 16 million Botswana Pula to refurbish the State House where it is hoped that incoming President Lt General Ian Kh…

- Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania have proposed a 60 megawatt hydroelectric dam project, expected to cost $100 million, to meet growing demand for power in the region, Reuters has reported. "All regional countries are affected by a serious energy crisis which causes a great impact on our economies," Burundi's director-general for water and energy, Idi-Presadi Buhanga, said on Friday. Buhanga said the three countries would each get 20 MW from the dam, to be sited in Tanzania along the Kagera river. Feasibility studies are underway, and the three nations have pitched the project to the African Development Bank(Afdb) and the World Bank with the expected completion in 20…

- The programme of disarming of civilians in illegal possession of weapons in Angola will take four phases, which will help outline consistent plans for a successful operation allAfrica.com has reported. The country's Home minister, Roberto Leal Monteiro "Ngongo", said Wednesday in Luanda during the closing of a two-day workshop on disarming of civilians in unlawful possession of firearms. which was under the motto "Unarmed citizen: stability and security for everyone". The minister said the first phase will consist in the organisation and awareness to take place from March to June this year whereas the second phase that will take place between April and June…

- Newly elected Cuban president Raul Castro has given the green light to deepening the cooperation between Mozambique and Cuba in several areas, Allafrica has reported.In the area of education, the basis of Cuba's success, where pre-university education is compulsory and all education, including university level, is free of charge, the two parties agreed on the creation of a Higher Arts and Culture Institute, which will rely on the assistance of five Cuban specialists, who are already in Mozambique.This institute is to be established in the southern city of Matola, and will be the first higher education institution there.Mozambican Education Minister Aires Aly said that an Installing Commiss…

- Speaking to BBC on Friday, Mumbengegwi said: "Clearly, those who believe that the only free and fair election is where the opposition wins have been excluded since the ruling party, Zanu-PF, is poised to score yet another triumph," said Mumbengegwi.Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 84, says that Western countries are trying to remove him from government. Two credible challengers are running against Mugabe in the 29 March poll - Simba Makoni and Morgan Tsvangirai. But Tsvangirai's faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said the move showed the government had "a lot to hide". "If everything was being done in a fair and transparent manner, th…

- Zimbabwe has banned observers from Western countries from monitoring elections later this month, BBC has reported. The country's Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said African countries would be allowed to send monitors, as would allies such as China, Iran and Venezuela. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 84, says that Western countries are trying to remove him from government. Two credible challengers are running against Mugabe in the 29 March poll - Simba Makoni and Morgan Tsvangirai. "Clearly, those who believe that the only free and fair election is where the opposition wins have been excluded since the ruling party, Zanu-PF, is poised to score yet…

- The Cuban government has pledged further support to Mozambique, particularly in the areas of education, health, and science and technology, allAfrica.com has reported. Talks in Havana between delegations of the two countries, headed by Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and his new Cuban president Raul Castro, gave the green light to deepening the cooperation between Mozambique and Cuba in several areas. In the area of education, the basis of Cuba's success, where pre-university education is compulsory and all education, including university level, is free of charge, the two parties agreed on the creation of a Higher Arts and Culture Institute, which will rely on the assistanc…

- Malawi president Bingu Wa Mutharika is said to have tipped Speaker of the National Assembly Louis Chimango for the position of running mate in his ruling Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) for next years elections, The Daily Times has reported. A friend of the Speaker who is a member of parliament said on Tuesday that last year Mutharika promised Chimango the position of running mate on condition that he chairs parliamentary deliberations in favour of government. "Honourable Chimango was approached personally by the president, and an offer of the president's running mate for next year's elections on condition that the August House avoid transacting business that could a…

- "They have assured us that everybody will get back to work and we hope normal operations will resume Monday," National Union of Mining and Allied Workers (Numaw) General Secretary Albert Mando told Reuters on Thursday.The incident highlighted tensions between Zambian workers and Chinese managers in the mining industry-Zambia's economic lifeblood.Chambishi Copper Smelter, located 420km(260) miles north of Lusaka, is the first of 50 Chinese companies that plan to invest US$ 800 million in a tax free zone in Zambia within the next five years, Zambian officials said.Zambia president Levy Mwanawasa has vowed to fight political opponents who try to limit or frustrate Chinese investment…

- Head of Mozambique's National Meteorological Institute, Mussa Mustafa said the Cyclone's force would likely be near the Port of Nacala, which suffered severe floods in January and February.However Mustafa said Thursday that the risk of renewed flooding was small because the rains would hit coastal areas and flow into ocean.Tens of thousands of people in Mozambique were forced to flee their homes earlier this year in what the UN said could be the worst floods in memory sweeping farmland and wrecking roads and bridges.Last month Cyclone Ivan smashed Madagascar, killing more than 80 people and leaving 200,000 homeless, but lost steam before striking Mozambique.Mustafa said that the swirling w…

- Botswana FA president Philip Makgalemele said that playing Brazil was a big achievement which will also help the southern African countries preparations for the upcoming 2010 World and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers."Everybody in the world wants to play against Brazil and for a country like Botswana to do so is a huge milestone," Makgalemele said.Brazil's ambassador to the southern African region, Joao Inacio Padilha said the core of the team that will play Botswana would be local.The last time Brazil played a southern African country was in 1996 when they beat South Africa 3-2 in a friendly.Ian Khama is the son of Botswana's first president and will take over from Festus Mogae…

- Some patients who are on Malaria treatment in Malawi, have complained of persistent headaches and itching whilst others have said some parts of their bodies swell after taking the the newly introduced drug known as artemisinin combination therapy(ACT) commonly known as LA. However the warm heart of Africa's Malaria Control Programme told the country's local paper of The Daily Times Wednesday that the new drug is the best despite getting complains from patients. Programme Manager of Malaria Control Programme Stone Kabuluzi said that the Malawi government was not aware of the side effects. "We have not received any report to that effect," Kabuluzi told the local…

- Tropical Cyclone is expected to lash northern Mozambique on Saturday after sweeping through parts of Madagascar, a meteorological official told Reuters Thursday. Head of Mozambique's National Meteorological Institute, Mussa Mustafa said the Cyclone's force would likely be near the Port of Nacala, which suffered severe floods in January and February. However Mustafa told Reuters Thursday that the risk of renewed flooding was small because the rains would hit coastal areas and flow into ocean. Reuters reports that tens of thousands of people in Mozambique were forced to flee their homes earlier this year in what the UN said could be the worst floods in memory sweeping farm…

- The Chinese managers of Zambia's Chambishi Copper Smelter(CCS) agreed on Thursday to reinstate 500 workers who had been sacked, their union said. The BBC reported Wednesday that CCS employees went on strike and rioted on Tuesday over pay and work conditions, injuring a Chinese manager and a Zambian. "They have assured us that everybody will get back to work and we hope normal operations will resume Monday," National Union of Mining and Allied Workers(Numaw) General Secretary Albert Mando told Reuters on Thursday. The incident highlighted tensions between Zambian workers and Chinese managers in the mining industry-Zambia's economic lifeblood. Chambishi Copper…

- International Federation of Netball Associations(Ifna) has launched a new world ranking system for the sport that will provide a more accurate reflection of the current form of countries competing internationally, Malawi's The Daily Times reported today. The newspaper quotes ifna's website www.netball.org to say despite the new system Malawi Queens remain fifth in the world and first in Africa. Malawi who were unranked under the old system as they did not participate in the World Championships in 2003 now take their rightful position following exceptional performances at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006, the Cosana regional championships and more recently at the New…

- In his new position Gabriel, will supervise all of the Celtel's 15 operations in Africa that currently serve over 28 million customers, representing two thirds of the Zain Group's total customers.Gabriel is a talented telecommunications professional with more than 25 years experience in high growth competitive and emerging markets.According to the Southern Africa paper, Gabriel has previously held senior positions with Zain Group and telecom operators in Australia, Bahrain, Jordan and Singapore.The new CEO replaces Marten Pieters who held the position for three years.Keywords: business telecom

- Celtel International, a subsidiary of the Zain Group, the leading mobile telecommunications operator in Africa and the Middle East, has appointed Chris Gabriel as the new Chief Executive Officer to oversee all operations in Africa, Malawi's The Daily Times newspaper reported today. According to the paper, Gabriel in his role as Chief Executive Officer will supervise all of the Celtel's 15 operations in Africa that currently serve over 28 million customers, representing two thirds of the Zain Group's total customers. Gabriel is a talented telecommunications professional with more than 25 years experience in high growth competitive and emerging markets. According to t…

- A Chinese manager at a copper smelter in northern Zambia has been admitted to hospital after being assaulted by workers demanding better conditions the British Broadcsting Corporation( BBC)'s online reported today. The BBC says an estimated 500 workers at the Chinese-owned Chambishi mine site started throwing stones at the managers as they attempted to hold talks. The BBC's report says that police came in to restore order and rescue the Chinese who had taken refuge by locking themselves in their offices. Several buildings were burned in the violence and a protester was injured. The online publication says the protest was sparked by rumours that members of the Chinese…