There are good news out of Africa this week, and there are stories equally as bad.
After killing 33 people died in a 10-week outbreak, the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced the end of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.
Nigeria's political landscape witnessed a flurry of defections that might affect the chances of the ruling party in the 2019 general elections.
A former governor in Kenya mystriously disappeared when he was about to be arrested for fraud, while former South African president, Jacob Zuma, appeared in court over a $2.5-billion corruption case
Here's a roundup of some of the notable stories about Africa this week:
In Nigeria
- The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed that the validity of Nigerian passports will be extended from five to 10 years.
- A suicide-bomb attack at a mosque in the Mainari area of Konduga, Borno State, claimed the lives of eight worshippers.
- The attack came only two days after troops killed scores of Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe State while countering an ambush staged by the insurgents. Troops suffered an unspecified amount of casualties.
- 14 Senators of the All Progressives' Congress (APC) officially dumped the ruling party and moved to opposition parties. 37 members of the House of Representatives also dumped the APC just moments later.
- Nearly a month after a fuel tanker explosion killed 12 in Lagos, the state government revealed the identity of the owner and revealed plans to prosecute him. He was later arrested in Kano.
- The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), disclosed that cholera has killed 186 people in the country since the beginning of the year.
- Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, also dumped the APC for the PDP after months of speculations.
- The Rivers State Police Command disclosed that four of its officers were killed in three days.
- Gunmen shot and killed Sunny Ejiagwu, the APC chairman in Ideato North local government area of Imo State.
- The Nigerian Army appointed Major-General Ahmed Dikko as the new Theatre Commander of anti-Boko Haram mission, Operation LAFIYA DOLE.
- Benue State lawmakers became fence climbers when police officers locked the gates of the House of Assemby complex.
In Ghana
- Thousands of Ghanians were at the Accra International Conference Center to pay their final respects to ex-Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur who was buried after his death in June.
- Daniel Asiedu, the prime suspect accused of stabbing a member of parliament, the New Patriotic Party's Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, to death threatened to petition the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate those he claimed had hired him to kill the former MP.
- The Ghanaian government has commenced the process to amend the controversial power deal that the administration of former president, John Mahama, signed with Ameri.
- At least five people were killed in an accident at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra region.
- The 2017 annual report by Ghana's Auditor General revealed that the government's School Feeding Programme made an illegal investment of GHC 16,000,000 in 2016.
- Fredrick Godzi, the police officer who infamously abused a customer at the Midland Savings and Loans, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault during his arraignement before Circuit Court 10.
- A 36-year-old farmer accused the District Police Commander of Akontombra in the Western Region, ASP Dickson Obeng, of ordering police officers to flog a 14-year-old class 6 pupil, Stanley Antwi of the St. James Anglican Primary at Akontombra.
- Officers of the Ghana Police Service were involved in a bloody clash with commercial motorcycle riders at the Ashaiman Divisional Police Headquarters in Accra.
- New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyekum, disclosed that he will not seek re-election in 2020.
In Kenya
- Peter Kimiti Nyuguto, a Kenyan government official, was shot dead at a plantation located just a few meters away from his compound.
- Former Nyandarua governor, Daniel Waithaka, mysteriously disappeared without a trace after police and EACC officials raided his Nyahururu home in attempts to arrest him over alleged fraud. He later surrendered himself to the state authorities.
- Two ministers in the County Government of Vihiga were sacked over alleged corruption.
- Former Kenya Power Managing Director, Ben Chumo, was rejected by the National Assembly's Finance Committee for the Salaries and Remuneration Commission job due to corruption allegations trailing behind him.
- Police officers gunned down four thugs in Nairobi's Mathare and Buruburu areas in separate robbery incidents.
- The Court of Appeal in Mombasa upheld the election of Nyali Member of Parliament (MP), Mohamed Ali.
- A pride of lions wandered into Kenyatta High School in Mwatate after breaking out of the Tsavo National Park.
- Some angry protesters blocked a section of Ngong Road while demonstrating over the delays in completion of road repairs.
In other African countries
- South Africa's former president, Jacob Zuma, appeared in court over a $2.5-billion corruption case linked to a 1990s arms deal.
- Opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, said Zimbabwe's election was threatened by fraud and accused electoral authorities of bias.
- DR Congo officially declared the end of an outbreak of Ebola, bringing the curtain down on a 10-week re-emergence of the disease which claimed 33 lives.