AFRICANEWS
WAR AND PEACECongoThe Democratic Republic of Congo said on December 15, that it would seek extradition or trial for three allies (Generals Baramoto Kpama, Nzimbi Nzaler and Mavua Musima) of the former Zaire's late dictator Mobutu Sese Seko who have been arrested in South Africa. The three were seized after attending a secret meeting in the former Zaire to plot the overthrow of President Laurent Kabila. Nigeria On December 15, some 3000 people demonstrated in Katsina, the home town of Nigerian General Shehu Yar'Adua, protesting his death in prison. General Yar'Adua, 54, died December 15 while serving his 25-year jail term in prison following his conviction in March 1995 of involvement in a plot to overthrow General Sani Abacha.SomaliaThe President of the self declared republic of Somaliland, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, pardoned 304 prisoners who were serving jail terms fro minor crimes, a prisons administrator Mr. Abdullahi Ahmed, said on December 14. Somali groups and individuals have raised $8000 for the victims of flooding in Southern Somalia and have pledges for another $8000, the chairman of a flood aid committee Mr. Mohamed Mohamud Shirwa reported on December 14.TogoHeads of state and government, met in Lome, Togo on December 15 and agreed in principle to set up an autonomous and transparent mechanism for conflict prevention and resolution, free from dominance of a single state such as Nigeria. Nigeria, with its 100 million inhabitants and oil wealth is stronger than the 15 other ECOWAS members put together, but seemed to have failed in its ambition to transform ECOMOG - the regional/intervention force it dominates - into a permanent West African forceUgandaTanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, held talks in Entebbe, on how best to resolve the insecurity and other matters of Bilateral interests. Tanzania is keen to end the insecurity along its borders with Burundi as the two countries accuse each other of border violations.ZimbabweThe Zimbabwean government has rejected renewed appeals for clemency by four South Africans ( Kevin Woods, Philip Conjwayo, Mike Smith and Barry Bawden), serving life sentence. They were convicted of involvement in spying and sabotaging ANC targets in Zimbabwe during the 1980s, as reported by the Sunday Mail of December 14. A Zimbabwean high court sentenced veteran Zimbabwean opposition leader Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole on December 18 to two years in jail for plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe. The court also gave Sithole a suspended five-year term in prison on two other counts of possessing weapons and of plotting to overthrow the government. | CONTENTS | AFRICANEWS HOMEPAGE |
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