Most people in Harare use buses and vans called kombis to get to work and school. These kombis are owned by private companies, not the government. The government wants to ensure that the kombis are safe and easy to use, so it has rules that kombi owners must follow.
The police are checking that kombis have the right paperwork, including licenses, insurance, and permits. Many kombis are not following all the rules, and their owners need to fix this problem soon.
The city government is supposed to manage the terminuses and ranks where people get on and off the kombis. Touts bother passengers at these places, and there is a lot of trash around.
The police and kombi owners want to work together to improve things. They want the terminuses...
The government of Zimbabwe is taking a big step to help farmers. They will give them special papers called title deeds, which show that a farmer can use a piece of land.
With a title deed, farmers can go to a bank and use the title deed to get a loan. The loan gives them money to improve their farms, buy machines and supplies, and grow more crops.
Banks are careful about giving out loans. They want to ensure farmers can pay the money back, so they will look for farmers who know how to run a farm well.
If a farmer can't pay back the loan, the bank needs to get its money back. Usually, they would sell the land the farmer used to secure the loan. But in Zimbabwe, the government still owns all the land. They are in charge of deciding who...
Rural School Shapes Young Farmers in Gambian Village.
Parents came to see where their children learn farming in Balingho. The school helps young people grow food and start businesses.
A German group called Sabab Lou set up the school in 2018. They want to give youth good jobs at home instead of leaving the country.
"We teach kids how plants grow and how to sell them," said Momodou Y. Bah, who runs the school. He told parents their children get part of what they grow. The school helps students save money and get loans.
The teachers want families to help. "Parents need to know what their kids learn here," said Mbemba Gibba, who teaches at the school. He asked parents to tell them if students have health issues.
Migan Romain trains...
New Leader Takes Helm of West African Force in Gambia.
A fresh face stepped up to lead the peace mission in The Gambia. Colonel Ndiangne Diouf became the new boss of ECOMIG forces at a bright ceremony in Fajara.
The old commander, Colonel Babucarr Touray, passed him the flag after he had served one year. Many key people came to watch, like the defense minister and the head of ECOWAS.
Esther Lilian French, who runs ECOWAS in The Gambia, praised both men. She thanked Touray for his work over the past year. She said the job helped make him better at what he does.
The peace team kept things stable under Touray, French said. She gave credit to the Gambian army and police for their help. French also thanked President Adama Barrow for...
Court Waits for Drug Case Star to Return from Holiday Trip.
A woman charged with moving drugs comes back to The Gambia this weekend. Nadine Ismael De Gouveira Pareira left for Portugal last month. She needs to face a judge in Banjul's High Court.
Judge Ebrima Jaiteh gave her time off at Christmas. He let her take her passport and fly home from December 13 to January 18. But she had to promise D5 million through her friend Saikou Conteh. The money stays safe if she returns on time.
Her lawyer, Sheriff Tambadou, told the court she would come back. He brought Conteh as proof. Conteh said he would pay if she missed her court date on January 20.
The state worried she might run away. But Judge Jaiteh said the law sees her as not guilty...
Watchdog Waits for Answers on Missing Millions in Gambia.
The National Assembly wants to know what happened to money from selling ex-president Jammeh's things. Last year, they asked for papers showing D22 million in bank slips, but no one has given them the files yet.
Leaders set a clear rule - share the papers by September 28. If not, police must look into it. But the Vice President's office stays quiet. The law office sent a list of papers but kept the real files away.
Many other money cases need answers. The main bank must fix its books from 2019. State House fixed its buildings but broke the rules on who got the work. A school can't find papers for the D21 million spent.
Some timber sales raise questions. The state took wood...
"Blessed Ways vs. Blessed Lands" - A Fresh Look at Faith and Progress.
People often fight over holy places. Yet what matters more—where you live or how you live? Many claim their land is special through faith, but good living beats a good location.
Take Africa. It has rich soil and warm sun, but its people face hard times. They buy food from far away when they can grow their own. African leaders spend more cash on roads than helping farmers grow crops. This shows that having good land means little without good choices.
Weather hits holy cities hard these days. Mecca sees floods. The heat burns hot. Rich people there could help poor Arabs more. They could share their wealth around the world.
War fills the lands some call blessed...
African Soccer Tournament Moves to August.
A big soccer event in East Africa needs more time to get ready. The games will move from February to August 2025.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda planned to share the hosting duties. However, experts checked the fields and buildings and said these countries need extra months to finish everything.
Soccer boss Patrice Motsepe praised the leaders of the three nations. He liked how they fixed up fields and built new places for teams to stay. He thinks the delay will improve the games.
The African Nations Championship draws teams from across the continent. Officials will pick who plays against whom next week in Kenya's capital. They'll tell everyone the exact August dates very soon.
These changes...
NPP Party Plans Big Meeting in Soma.
The National People's Party will meet this Saturday after putting it off for a time. Party boss Seedy Njie shared news of the one-day event.
Their leader, President Adama Barrow, plans to join the gathering. The party must hold these big talks every two years by law.
The NPP asked for more time to set up this meeting, and three other parties did the same. When the voting office said yes to their request, it made some people mad. The United Democratic Party said it wasn't fair.
At the meeting, party heads will talk about what they did and how they spent money. Leaders from different groups will speak, like the youth wing and women's team. The party chief will share thoughts about where they're...
