NEWS ANALYSIS

Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP |  With a spike in militia killings, a deepening humanitarian crisis and the army still in shambles, the Central African Republic’s bid for peace and stability remains elusive. A three-year civil war that erupted in 2013 between Muslim and Christian militias left thousands of …

Washington, United States | AFP | Stark differences between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on everything from trade to immigration were in full view during an icy first meeting at the White House Friday. In a frequently awkward joint press conference, Trump and Merkel showed little common …

Washington, United States | AFP | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says diplomacy has failed and military action against nuclear-armed North Korea is an “option on the table,” and President Donald Trump insists a long-range nuke from Pyongyang “won’t happen.” While war with North Korea may be unlikely for now, …

Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Dozens of armed factions have battled for control of oil-rich Libya since the 2011 fall of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. This week, four days of intense fighting saw pro-unity government armed forces expand their control in the capital Tripoli, where dozens of militias operate. Further east, …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The seizing of the Aris 13 tanker and its Sri Lankan crew on Monday — the first successful attack by Somali pirates since 2012 — came as little surprise to John Steed of the Oceans Beyond Piracy campaign group. International naval patrols and anti-piracy measures on …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Issa Hayatou, the last of the old generation leaders in world football, faces a rare and determined challenge when he bids for an eighth term as head of the Confederation of African Football in Thursday’s election. Ahmad Ahmad, head of the Madagascar Football Assocation, …

Libyans vow to take on Uganda after `quitting’ It is not clear what the Uganda government’s plan is since it announced that the Libyan owners of Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL) have quit, but the move might get dirty if the Libyans instead implement a fight for the company. The government …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Electric light railway tracks soar over Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, a rare example of mass transit infrastructure on a continent ruled by ramshackle, diesel-spewing buses. But despite government promises, the roads below are still clogged with traffic 14 months after the light rail system’s opening, …

Can Hamis Kiggundu deliver on his promise? Ham Shopping Grounds is a tiny concrete cream building, often called a mall, about half the size of standard football pitch with four floors and flat concrete roof-top right at the edge of Uganda’s oldest sports arena; the Nakivubo Memorial Stadium. The stadium …

Whatsapp war as Nandala quits Besigye camp against Muntu A feud in FDC which has been raging on the various Whatsapp groups of the party members shows the party could be headed for major fallout. In one of the most revealing exchanges, former party Secretary General Alice Alaso who is …