NEWS ANALYSIS

They reduce its upfront costs by 25%, electricity costs by 40%, and maintenance costs by 60% | ANDREW SUDMANT AND ANDY GOULDSON | Street-lighting is important. It allows informal vendors and traders to operate for longer hours and improves road and public safety. It also makes streets feel safer and …

Environmental activists raise concerns on NEMA’s role Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Total E&P has secured the green light for its major oil project also known as Tilenga to proceed after 10 months of evaluations by Uganda’s environmental body. Total E&P said the approval by the National Environment Management …

Should opposition trust NRM promise to allow opposition meetings? Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | A meeting between leaders of government and political parties on April 25 to discuss how the Uganda Police is implementing the Public Order Management Act (POMA) went badly for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s prosecutor general on Thursday ordered the questioning of deposed president Omar al-Bashir over money-laundering and “financing terrorism”, as protesters staged a vast rally in Khartoum to demand a civilian government. A source in the prosecutor general’s office confirmed reports on state media that acting public …

Omdourman, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s main opposition chief on Wednesday warned protest leaders against any provocation of the country’s army rulers, saying they will soon hand power to a civilian administration as demanded by demonstrators. The call by Sadiq al-Mahdi, chief of Sudan’s opposition National Umma Party, comes amid a …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | In the busy centre of Johannesburg on one short stretch of pavement, men search through a dumpster, women sell wigs — and South Africa’s main opposition party unveils its latest election slogan. “Honour Mandela’s vision to build one South Africa for all. Vote DA,” it …

San José, United States | AFP | Got a crush on another Facebook user? The social network will help you connect, as part of a revamp unveiled Tuesday that aims to foster real-world relationships and make the platform a more intimate place for small groups of friends. Changes coming to the …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudanese protesters on Tuesday called for a mass rally, insisting the army is not serious about handing power to civilians nearly three weeks after it toppled autocratic president Omar al-Bashir. The call came as tensions mounted over the make-up of a new joint civilian-military council to …

Baghdad, Iraq | AFP | Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in an IS propaganda video released Monday, remains the world’s most wanted man, despite the jihadists’ “caliphate” imploding weeks ago. After declaring himself caliph in 2014, Baghdadi held sway …

Washington, United States | AFP | Democrats seeking to reclaim the White House are calling for generational change. It may be time for a woman, they say, or a minority figure. But for all the talk of breaking new presidential ground, the opposition party’s top candidates to become the new …