H+K Africa Digest | January 2018 | 1

H+K
January 2018

Africa Digest
Summary of Key Political & Economic
Developments

Angola Ethiopia Ghana Kenya

Mozambique Nigeria Rwanda
South Africa Ta n z a n i a Uganda

Image courtesy of Kenya Ports Authority | Nairobi ICD

2 H+K Africa Digest | January 2018

+ Political News Roundup

Angola Mozambique Tanzania

4 Making a clean Peace talks nearing Tanzania leader rules out
sweep conclusion, says Nyusi extending presidential
Relations between terms
All in readiness for
Angola and Portugal Nampula by-election Tanzania suspends
on Portuguese press its shipping ‘flag of
headlines Mozambique’s 2016 convenience’
unrest must be probed:
Angolan opposition Lawyers cautiously
rights group
parties call for audit welcome CJ’s warning
of public debt
Nigeria Uganda
Ethiopia Nigeria political system Museveni signs age limit
can no longer sustain bill into law
Ethiopia court jails its growth
members of outlawed Uganda Law Society
group Ginbot 7 Farmers-herdsmen goes to court to
conflict, Lamido’s challenge age limit law
Ethiopia’s leading model to the rescue
opposition figure Constitution gives
2019 Governorship parliament too much
warns of unrest if election: Hurdles
dialogue fails power - Museveni
before Ogun West
Ethiopia forces INEC’s timetable and
responded to the 2019 General
anti-govt chants with Election
bullets: U.N. backs
probe Rwanda
6 President Kagame
Ghana takes over as AU
Security agencies in chairman
Ghana need more Rwanda, Uganda
resources disown refugee deal
NPP polling station but Israel insists one
elections lead to exists
clashes in WA Rwanda, Uganda
move to end strained
5 Scrutinize relations
government’s
priority on use of South Africa
public purse
South Africa is open for
business
Kenya ANC passes the buck
Uhuru unveils new to government on free
Cabinet, nominates higher education and
Munya, Shebesh, land expropriation
Ababu, and Marwa
Zille asks Zuma to declare
Face-off looms over national disaster, as Day
oath as NASA vows to Zero looms for Cape
defy police warning Town
Polycarp Igathe
resigns as Nairobi
Deputy Governor

+ Economic News Roundup
Angola
7 VTB says in talks to
prolong Angola’s $1.5
billion loan to 10 years
Angola’s hefty airlines
bill
Angola plans to ditch
currency peg to dollar,
restructure debts
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, Tanzania
electric trains to speed
up cargo movement
Ethiopia vows to
support AU’s single
African air transport
market initiative
Ethiopia refuses World
Bank arbitration over
Nile River dam
Ghana 9 Akagera National Park
Ghana economy will
top Africa in 2018
BOG cautions public
over use of bitcoin in
Ghana
Ghana’s total debt
stock rises to GH¢ 138.
billion
8 OMCs confirm increase
in fuel prices
Kenya
Kenya builds its first
satellite
Kenya exports to
Tanzania hit ten-year
low
UN eases Kenya cash
crunch with Sh1.9bn
refund
Mozambique
U.S. $8 billion
investment
set to return
Mozambique
to growth
H+K Africa Digest | January 2018 | 3
Savannah submits Uganda
three mining lease
applications in Heavy taxes weighing
Mozambique us down, private
sector says
11% growth in
Uganda pushes for
Mozambique’s
nuclear energy
telecoms
sector
What drives
Kampala’s economy?
Nigeria
Nigeria’s contraction
to drop to 0.6 per cent
in 2018 – AfDB
Nigeria’s economic
resurgence
Nigeria economy will
be better in 2018
World Bank releases
forecast on Nigeria’s
economy in 2018
Rwanda
posts 20pc rise in net
revenue
New policy to ease
access to land in
industrial zones
South Africa
“South Africa will be
the big emerging
market story of 2018” –
Goldman Sachs
South Africans want
govt to reduce gap
between rich and poor
- Oxfam report
IMF cuts South Africa’s
growth forecast for
2018 and 2019
Tanzania
Rwanda, Tanzania to
jointly mobilise funds
for SGR
Tanzania eyes a share
of conference tourism
market
Tanzania’s mining firms
have three months to
comply with law
4 H+K Africa Digest | January 2018
Political
News
Roundup
Angola
Making a clean sweep
Ref: 18 January 2018
Since taking the office of
President in September last
year, João Lourenço has
already set Angola on a
more promising path. After
removing the country’s
centres of power from former
President José Eduardo dos
Santos’ allies, Lourenço is
now focusing on economic
reform. His first priority here has
been abolishing the Angolan
kwanza’s peg to the UD dollar.
For the new
president’s economic
and finance reforms
to succeed, and
for the country’s
economy to grow,
Angola needs to
attract more foreign
direct investment
Read more
Relations between
Angola and Portugal
on Portuguese press
headlines
Ref: 9 January 2018
Following the recent collective
interview of the President of
the Republic, João Lourenço,
the international press has
highlighted issues related to
the tensions in the relationship
Read more
between Angola and
Portugal.
Read more
Angolan opposition
parties call for audit of
Ethiopia forces responded to
anti-govt chants with bullets:
public debt U.N. backs probe
Ref: 19 January 2018 Ref: 24 January 2018
Angola’s largest opposition
Spokesperson for the United
parties called for a probe of
Nations High Commissioner for
the country’s public debt to
Human Rights has in a press
determine who benefited from it
briefing called for a probe into
under the previous government,
the latest clash between the
saying an investigation would
Ethiopian security forces and
show that President João
anti-government protesters.
Lourenço is serious about his
pledge to fight corruption. Read more
Read more
Ghana
Security agencies in Ghana
Ethiopia need more resources
Ethiopia court jails Ref: 23 January 2018
members of outlawed The Minority of the Parliament
group Ginbot 7 wants the government to
immediately re-tool the
Ref: 12 January 2018
country’s security services to
A court in Ethiopia has ensure the safety of citizens.
sentenced more than 30
people to long prison terms
Read more
for belonging to an outlawed
NPP polling station elections
group.
lead to clashes in WA
Read more
Ref: 22 January 2018
Ethiopia’s leading The recent Polling Station
Executive elections of the
opposition figure warns governing New Patriotic Party
of unrest if dialogue fails (NPP) is gaining notoriety for
Ref: 24 January 2018 clashes as aspirants, or groups
Ethiopia’s government needs loyal to them, turn against their
opponents.
to hold negotiations with
the country’s most-popular Read more
opposition parties or risk the
return of destabilising protests,
veteran dissident Merera
Gudina said in an interview,
days after leaving prison.

Scrutinize government’s
priority on use of public
purse
Ref: 16 January 2018
The Member of Parliament (MP)
for the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam
Constituency in the Central
Region, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, has
charged Ghanaians to scrutinize
the government’s priority of public
consumption over the infrastructural
development of the country.
Read more
Kenya
Uhuru unveils new
Cabinet, nominates
Munya, Shebesh,
Ababu, and Marwa
Ref: 26 January 2018
Election losers and women
have won big after President
Uhuru Kenyatta appointed
them to the Cabinet in
changes announced on
Friday.
Read more
Face-off looms over
oath as NASA vows to
defy police warning
Ref: 28 January 2018
Police are set for a showdown
with the National Super
Alliance at Uhuru Park over
the planned swearing-in
of opposition leader Raila
Odinga as the ‘People’s
President’.
Read more
Polycarp Igathe re-
signs as Nairobi Deputy
Governor
Ref: 12 January 2018
Nairobi Deputy Governor
Polycarp Igathe has resigned.
He announced his surprise
resignation via his Twitter
handle, claiming that he
has failed to earn the trust
of Governor Mike Sonko
to enable him work at the
County.
Read more
Mozambique
Peace talks nearing
conclusion, says Nyusi
Ref: 15 January 2018
President Filipe Nyusi has
declared that the process
of achieving an “effective
peace” in Mozambique is
nearing its conclusion.
Read more
All in readiness for
Nampula by-election
Ref: 15 January 2018
Mozambique’s National
Elections Commission (CNE)
says that everything is ready
for a successful mayoral by-
election in the northern city of
Nampula.
Read more
Mozambique’s 2016
unrest must be probed:
rights group
Ref: 12 January 2018
Mozambique’s military and
the opposition Renamo
group were both guilty of
serious crimes before a 2016
ceasefire, according to a
Human Rights Watch report
released recently that detailed
killings and torture.
Read more
H+K Africa Digest | January 2018 | 5
Nigeria
Nigeria political system
can no longer sustain
its growth
Ref: 16 January 2018
The current report from a
representative of APC, Chief Bisi
Akande states that the presidential
system of Government in Nigeria is
practicing can no longer sustain its
growth and success.
Read more
Farmers-herdsmen
conflict, Lamido’s
model to the rescue
Ref: 19 January 2018
Recently there have been clashes
between pastoralists and farmers
and its worsening in many parts of
the country and have become a
recurring problem that most Nigerians
are concerned about due to the
disputes but there are things being
done by the government to tackle
the problem.
Read more
2019 Governorship
election: Hurdles be-
fore Ogun West
Ref: 19 January 2018
Recently issues have been raised
about the challenges of multiple
contenders and unyielding attitude
of their politicians, traditional leaders
and other professionals, particularly
between the Yewa and Awori
people, to ensure that their 2019
governorship aspiration becomes a
reality.
Read more
INEC’s timetable and the
2019 General Election
Ref: 17 January 2018
The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) recently released
a detailed timetable of activities
leading to the next general in 2019.
Read more
6 H+K Africa Digest | January 2018
Rwanda
President Kagame takes
over as AU chairman
Ref: 29 January 2018
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame
took over the leadership of the
African Union, hoping to the
continent’s institutional reforms.
Read more
Rwanda, Uganda disown
refugee deal but Israel
insists one exists
Ref: 13 January 2018
The United Nations is urging Israel
to not force out African refugees
on its soil after it emerged that
Rwanda and Uganda had opted
out of the controversial deal to
have the refugees relocated.
Read more
Rwanda, Uganda move
to end strained relations
Ref: 13 January 2018
Relations between Rwanda and
Uganda remain fragile despite
the two countries holding talks,
with Kigali remaining concerned
about ‘hostile activities’ across the
border.
Read more
South Africa
South Africa is open for
business
Ref: 23 January 2018
Deputy President Cyril
Ramaphosa’s main responsibility
at the World Economic Forum will
be assuring investors that South
Africa is no longer facing political
instability.
Read more
ANC passes the buck
to government on free
higher education and
land expropriation
Ref: 22 January 2018
The ANC has left it to government
to work out the methods and
procedures of implementing
fee-free higher education and
land expropriation without
compensation, ANC secretary-
general Ace Magashule said
recently.
Read more
Zille asks Zuma to declare
national disaster, as Day
Zero looms for Cape
Town
Ref: 22 January 2018
Western Cape Premier Helen
Zille has said that she had written
to President Jacob Zuma for a
national disaster to be declared
after the likelihood of Day Zero
was confirmed by the City of
Cape Town.
Read more
Tanzania
Tanzania leader rules out
extending presidential
terms
Ref: 14 January 2018
Tanzanian President John Magufuli
will not seek to extend presidential
terms in the East African country,
his party said.
Read more
Tanzania suspends
its shipping ‘flag of
convenience’
Ref: 21 January 2018
President John Magufuli
suspended the registration of
foreign vessels in Tanzania,
following the seizure of drugs
aboard ships flying his country’s
flag.
Read more
Lawyers cautiously
welcome CJ’s warning
Ref: 24 January 2018
Lawyers welcomed Chief
Justice Ibrahim Juma’s warning
against politicians meddling
in the independence of the
Judiciary, but warned that falling
professional standards in the
key branch of the State may
compound the problem.
Read more
Uganda
Museveni signs age limit
bill into law
Ref: 2 January 2018
President Museveni signed into
law the controversial Constitution
Amendment Bill No. 2 of 2017
popularly known as the age limit
bill recently passed by Parliament.
Read more
Uganda Law Society
goes to court to
challenge age limit law
Ref: 15 January 2018
Hardly two weeks after President
Museveni assented to the
controversial age limit Bill turning
into law, the Uganda Law Society
has petitioned the Constitutional
Court seeking to annul it.
Read more
Constitution gives
parliament too much
power - Museveni
Ref: 22 January 2018
President Museveni noted that
the 1995 Constitution gives
parliament too much powers, that
among other things has led to
wastage of resources and lack of
coordination.
Read more

Economic
News
Roundup
Angola
VTB says in talks to
prolong Angola’s $1.5
billion loan to 10 years
Ref: 22 January 2018
Russian bank VTB is considering
extending its $1.5 billion loan
to Angola to 10 years, affirm-
ing its optimism about the
country’s future.
Read more
Angola’s hefty airlines bill
Ref: 19 January 2018
Angola still owes more than
$500 million to international
airlines including Emirates,
Deutsche Lufthansa AG and
Air France-KLM, one of many
items in the in-tray of new
President Joao Lourenco as he
tries to revive the economy.
Read more
Angola plans to ditch
currency peg to dollar,
restructure debts
Ref: 3 January 2018
Angola has announced plans
to ditch its currency peg to the
dollar and restructure its debts,
becoming the latest previously
high-flying African country to
bite the default bullet.
Read more
H+K Africa Digest | January 2018 | 7
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, Tanzania
electric trains to speed
up cargo movement
Ref: 6 January 2018
Ethiopia and Tanzania have
raised the stakes in the com-
petition for cargo business
in the region by introducing
electric trains.
Read more
Ethiopia vows to support
AU’s single African
air transport market
initiative
Ref: 25 January 2018
The Ethiopian government
vowed to support African
Union’s (AU) flagship project
dubbed the Single African Air
Transport Market (SAATM).
Read more
Ethiopia refuses World
Bank arbitration over
Nile River dam
Ref: 25 January 2018
Ethiopia’s leader has rejected
arbitration by the World Bank
on a disagreement with Egypt
over the hydroelectric dam
that Ethiopia is building on the
Nile River.
Read more
Ghana
Ghana economy will top
Africa in 2018
Ref: 23 January 2018
Ghana is tipped to lead Africa
as the fastest growing econo-
my in 2018 with a growth rate
of eight per cent as a result of
increased oil and gas produc-
tion, which boosts exports and
domestic electricity produc-
tion.
Read more
BOG cautions public
over use of bitcoin in
Ghana
Ref: 22 January 2018
A statement by the Central
Bank was recently released
stating that the use, holding or
trading in virtual currencies are
not licensed in Ghana yet.
Read more
Ghana’s total debt stock
rises to GH¢ 138.billion
Ref: 22 January 2018
In September, the country’s
total debt stock stood at 138.9
billion cedis, but decreased to
137.6 billion cedis in October
before going up to the 138.8
billion cedis in November.
Read more
8 H+K Africa Digest | January 2018
OMCs confirm increase
in fuel prices
Ref: 17 January 2018
The Chairman of the Govern-
ing Council of the OMCs, Jon-
ny Blagogie, told Accra-based
3FM that the increment took
effect recently.
Read more
Kenya
Kenya builds its first
satellite
Ref: 23 January 2018
Engineers from Kenya’s
University of Nairobi have built
the country’s first satellite,
which will be launched in two
months’ time.
Read more
Kenya exports to
Tanzania hit ten-year
low
Ref: 23 January 2018
Kenya’s exports to Tanzania
in the 10 months to October
have plunged to a 10-year
low amid unresolved trade
spats between Nairobi and
Dar es Salaam, hurting local
manufacturers and traders.
Read more
UN eases Kenya cash
crunch with Sh1.9bn
refund
Ref: 28 January 2018
The United Nations (UN) has
eased Kenya’s cash crunch
with a Sh1.9 billion refund for
money spent by its troops
fighting Al-Shabaab militants in
Somalia.
Read more
Mozambique
U.S. $8 billion investment
set to return Mozambique
to growth
Ref: 22 January 2018
An approximately USD
8 billion investment in
Mozambique’s Coral Floating
Liquefied Natural Gas
(FLNG) development marks
Mozambique’s first step as a
regional and global offshore
natural gas producer and
supplier.
Read more
Savannah submits three
mining lease applications
in Mozambique
Ref: 16 January 2018
Savannah Resources has
submitted three applications
for mining leases to
Mozambique’s Ministry of
Mineral Resources and Energy
regarding the Mutamba
Heavy Mineral Sands Projects.
Savannah operates the
Mutamba Project with a
20% interest in a consortium
agreement with Rio Tinto.
Read more
11% growth in
Mozambique’s telecoms
sector
Ref: 9 January 2018
According to recent statistics,
released at the end of 2017,
Mozambique’s telecoms
sector grew by 11% in 2016.
Read more
Nigeria
Nigeria’s contraction
to drop to 0.6 per cent
in 2018 – AfDB
Ref: 19 January 2018
The contraction in Nigeria’s
economy is projected to
drop to about 0.6 per cent in
2018 and further to about 0.1
per cent in 2019, the African
Development Bank, AfDB, said
in its 2018 African Economic
Outlook Report published
recently.
Read more
Nigeria’s economic
resurgence
Ref: 17 January 2018
Recently the administration
has been credited for the
unwavering commitment
to diversify the Nigerian
economy.
Read more
Nigeria economy will
be better in 2018
Ref: 15 January 2018
Sen. Udo Udoma, Minister of
Budget and National Planning
has assured Nigerians that the
economy would significantly
be better in 2018 going by the
consistent positive trend of key
indicators since the country
emerged from recession in the
second quarter of 2017.
Read more
World Bank releases
forecast on Nigeria’s
economy in 2018
Ref: 10 January 2018
The World Bank forecasts that
economic growth in Nigeria
would edge up to at least
2.5% in 2018.
Read more
 H+K Africa Digest | January 2018 | 9

Rwanda IMF cuts South Africa’s

Akagera National Park
posts 20pc rise in net
revenue
Ref: 21 January 2018
Akagera National Park,
has reported a 20 per cent
increase in net revenue, with
half of its visitors being local
travellers, signalling a boost in
domestic tourism.
Read more
growth forecast for
Uganda
2018 and 2019
Ref: 18 January 2018
The International Monetary
Fund (IMF) has revised South
Africa’s economic growth
forecast downward in 2018
and 2019 as a result of rising
political uncertainty, which it
says weighs on confidence
and investment.
Read more

New policy to ease

access to land in
industrial zones
Ref: 29 January 2018
Investors seeking to set
up factories in the Special
Economic Zones will now
find it easier to access land
under a new policy as it curbs
unnecessary rises of land
prices, the Ministry of Trade
and Industry said.
Read more
Tanzania
Rwanda, Tanzania to
jointly mobilise funds Heavy taxes weighing
for SGR us down, private sector
Ref: 11 December 2017 says
Ministers for Infrastructure of
Ref: 29 January 2018
Rwanda and Tanzania met
The top leadership of Private
in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
Sector Foundation Uganda
to consider implementation
(PSFU) wants government to
of the countries’ joint
lessen the taxation burden
521kilometre Isaka-Kigali
that the formal sector is
Standard Gauge Railway
increasingly shouldering.
(SGR) project which is
estimated to cost $2.5 billion. Read more

South Africa Read more

“South Africa will be the
big emerging market
story of 2018” – Goldman
Sachs
Ref: 22 January 2018
Goldman Sachs are the
world’s third-biggest
investment bank. So they know
a thing or two when it comes
to picking out a country with
massive ’emerging market’
potential.
Read more
South Africans want govt
to reduce gap between
rich and poor - Oxfam
report
Ref: 22 January 2018
Seven out of ten South
Africans believe it is the
government’s responsibility to
reduce the gap between rich
and poor, according to a new
report on global inequality by
Oxfam International.
Read more
Tanzania eyes a share
of conference tourism
market
Ref: 23 January 2018
Tanzania is reviewing its
Tourism Policy to include
conference and meeting
tourism to complement the
wildlife, cultural and beach
tourism products.
Read more
Tanzania’s mining firms
have three months to
comply with law
Ref: 23 January 2018
Tanzania is set to restructure
its troubled mining sector after
the government gave mining
companies three months to
comply with new guidelines,
which give local mining firms
and financial institutions
preference.
Read more
Uganda pushes for
nuclear energy
Ref: 18 January 2018
President Yoweri Museveni
said that unless solar becomes
a cheaper alternative source
of clean energy, Africa and
Uganda in particular will have
to use nuclear energy to
improve the wellbeing of its
people.
Read more
What drives Kampala’s
economy?
Ref: 24 January 2018
Kampala is the capital city
of Uganda with a myriad of
activities. Being the nerve-
centre of the country, it brings
different people from all works
of life, who later engage in
different activities to make
ends meet.
Read more