African briefs … Former Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi dies

NAIROBI — Former Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi, who ruled the country with an iron fist between 1978 and 2002, has died aged 95, president Uhuru Kenyatta has announced.

Moi’s 24-year rule saw his country become a one-party state where critical voices were crushed, corruption became endemic and tribal divisions were stoked and turned bloody. “It is with profound sadness that I announce the death of a great man of an African state,” Kenyatta said in a statement. He ordered a period of national mourning until a state funeral is held, on a date not yet announced. The former president died early yesterday morning at his family home in Kenya’s west, Kenyatta added. Moi fought off rivals in a bitter contest to take the top job in 1978, succeeding Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, when he died.

Zim MP on trial for trying to overthrow Govt

HARARE — A leading Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker pleaded not guilty to charges that he planned to overthrow president Emmerson Mnangagwa, a lawyers’ group said on Monday, the latest in a series of cases to target government critics. Job Sikhala, vice chairman of the main opposition the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, was arrested in July, after he criticised the government at a rally in the southern Masvingo province. The 47-year-old was subsequently released on bail. At the opening of the trial on Monday prosecutor Tawanda Zvekare told the court in Masvingo city that Sikhala was planning to subvert the government “through unconstitutional means” at the MDC event. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said Sikhala pleaded not guilty and was seeking to have the subversion charges dropped.

Israel, Sudan push

to normalise relations

JERUSALEM — Israel and Sudan have agreed to move towards forging normal relations for the first time, Israeli officials said on Monday after the leaders of the two former foes met in Uganda. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had two hours of talks with Abdel Fattah al Burhan, head of Sudan’s sovereign council, in the city of Entebbe in central Uganda. “It was agreed to start cooperation leading to normalisation of the relationship between the two countries,” an Israeli statement said. Sudan’s information minister and government spokesman, Faisal Salih, told Reuters he had no information about the visit and that the cabinet had not discussed it. Officials would wait for “clarifications” on Burhan’s return, Salih said in a later statement.– Nampa-AFP-Reuters

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