Africa News

Lavrov visit to South Africa: Pandor defends joint Russia-China military exercise

South Africa has defended its decision to hold a joint military exercise with Russia and China next month.

Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor condemned the “double-standard” which says some countries can perform such exercises but others are not.

“All countries conduct military exercises with friends worldwide,” Dr Pandor added.

The comments came at a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Pretoria.

The event attracted a small group of protesters outside the venue, waiving Ukrainian flags.

Dr Pandor went on to slam the suggestion that South Africa cannot conduct the military exercises it wants to as an “abuse of international practice”.

“This is just a natural set of exercises that occur between countries,” she said.

Last week South Africa’s military announced it would hold joint naval drills with Russia and China off its coast next month.

But there has been some criticism that the exercise is not appropriate, given that it coincides with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Not much information has been given about the exercises, but the state-owned Tass news agency reports that a Russian warship armed with hypersonic cruise weapons will take part.

The Ministry of Defence has also defended the planned drills, saying that South Africa has in the past hosted similar exercises with France, the US and countries from the Western Nato military alliance.

The drills will run for 10 days from 17 February to 27 February in the port city of Durban, and Richards Bay.

The aim is to share operational skills and knowledge, the South African National Defence Force said.

Despite pressure from Western countries to condemn the Russian invasion, South Africa has remained neutral - to the disappointment of Ukraine.

Speaking at the conference, Mr Lavrov said he appreciated the “well balanced” and “considerate” approach of South Africa to the Ukraine war, which South Africa’s Dr Pandor said must be resolved diplomatically and through negotiation.

Officials in South Africa have repeatedly said they do not condone the invasion but will not be forced into choosing sides and are continuing to engage with both countries in a business-as-usual manner.

Critics of South Africa’s stance have accused the country of playing coy.

South Africa’s leaders have a connection to Russian dating back to the fight against white-minority rule, or apartheid, when some members of the country’s liberation movement received military training in Russia.

In recent years that relationship has grown into business ties through the Brics bloc of emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Mr Lavrov was also in Africa in July 2022, when he visited Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and Congo-Brazzaville, and South Africa is not alone in refusing to take sides in the war in Ukraine.

Many African nations - including Nigeria and Kenya, the economic powerhouses of West and East Africa respectively - voted in favour of a UN general assembly resolution in March last year, condemning Russian “aggression” and demanding its withdrawal from Ukraine.

Both parties described the other as a friend, with Naledi Pandor describing their talks as “wonderful”

Raila refuses to recognise Ruto’s presidency in Kenya

Mr Ruto beat him in last August’s poll, but Mr Odinga - who appeared at Nairobi’s Kamukunji Stadium along with his running mate Martha Karua, and other allies - repeated claims that the results were manipulated. Claims that had already been rejected in court.

He declared that he and his movement “reject the 2022 election result totally”, which was received with great cheers and applause from an adoring crowd.

“We cannot and we don’t recognise the Kenya Kwanza regime,” he continued.

The 2022 election was Mr Odinga’s fifth attempt at the presidency, but he was beaten by Mr Ruto who was declared winner in the absence of four election commissioners who dissented and accused the commission chairman of delivering what they called “opaque” results.

Mr Raila then rejected the results and took the case to court .

But the Supreme Court upheld Mr Ruto’s victory. The aftermath has been dramatic with accusations and counter accusations.

Election chief Wafula Chebukati has claimed he was under intense pressure from unspecified forces to announce different results, and most recently, President Ruto sensationally said there had been an assassination plot against Mr Chebukati.

Some of Mr Odinga’s partners in his Azimio Coalition have since decamped and declared their support for the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Others have remained steadfast with him in this renewed fight for what they call electoral justice.

Arsenal fans arrested in Uganda after celebrating Manchester United victory

One fan was carrying a symbolic trophy which they had bought at a store

By Jacobs Odongo Seaman

At least eight Arsenal fans have been arrested in the Ugandan city of Jinja after celebrating the club’s win against Manchester United in the English Premier League.

The fans were wearing the club’s red jersey and carrying a symbolic trophy.

Police said they didn’t have a permit to hold the procession which is a public order offence.

Arsenal scored a dramatic last-minute goal to win 3-2 in Sunday’s match against a fierce rival.

The result gave the Gunners a five-point cushion at the top of the table, giving hope to fans around the world that the club could end its 19-year wait to win the English Premier League.

The Arsenal fans were travelling in a convoy of five vehicles on Monday morning when they were intercepted by police. One of them was carrying a trophy they had bought at a local store.

“I don’t know what we have done but we were simply celebrating our victory over rivals Manchester United,” Arsenal fan Baker Kasule is quoted as saying by the local Daily Monitor news site.

James Mubi, the regional police boss and a self-declared Arsenal fan, told the BBC he had not reviewed the fans’ charges but wondered why they were celebrating when only half of the matches in the season had been played.

“What would happen if an altercation with rival fans broke out? They did not inform police to provide security for their procession,” Mr Mubi said, dismissing the suggestion that the arrest was linked to the frequent arrest of members of an opposition party who also wear red.

Rights groups say the Public Order Management Act has given police discretionary powers that have been used to stifle citizens’ rights.

Agather Atuhaire, a lawyer and rights activist, told the BBC that Uganda’s police continue “to be high-handed even after the Constitutional Court nullified all the draconian provisions that gave them unfettered powers to restrict the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association and assembly”.

Arsenal and Manchester United enjoy huge support in Uganda, and across Africa, and when they play makeshift video halls in Uganda are always packed to the rafters.

Source;BBC