Africa

The former wife and the sister of late Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo have agreed to manage his estate together. Sonja Louise Madzikanda and Esther Chivayo signed a memorandum of understanding in Harare on Tuesday, Tanzania's Mwananchi reported, citing Zimbabwean media. The deal sets transparency rules for handling his assets, his debts and the interests of his two children. The agreement does not yet make them co-executors. According to Mwananchi, the appointment must follow legal procedures and be confirmed by the relevant authorities. Madzikanda's lawyer, Rungano Mahuni of Mahuni Gidiri Law Chambers, wrote to the Master of the High Court. He said the parties had reached consensus after consultations and agreed to appoint the two women as co-executors. Esther's lawyers, Caleb Mucheche and Partners, said she is the deceased's sister and close relative. They said her role aims to protect the family's interests, especially those of the two children. Her involvement also avoids the cost of appointing an independent executor. The deal requires both women to act honestly and in the estate's interest. Each must disclose what she knows about the assets, debts, shares, investments and business interests. New information must be shared within two working days, or immediately if property is at risk. Neither may take control of assets or act alone, unless the law allows it or loss is imminent.…

Nigeria's electoral commission is under growing pressure after AI-generated voter information and ID photos were found on a draft electoral roll, Semafor reported on Wednesday. Critics say the discovery casts doubt on January's presidential election. The vote is just over 10 weeks away. More than 103 million Nigerians have registered to vote, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election against a slate of familiar rivals. According to Semafor, the campaign has centred on the economy and security. INEC said the register is a temporary document open to review for errors. It said it would look into "possible technical or procedural lapses" that let the AI-generated entries in. A senior official blamed rogue staff and said the commission "doesn't know why" they would use their logins to tamper with the roll. Advocacy groups, technology analysts and former INEC officials are calling for an independent inquiry. Kolawole Oluwadare, a senior official at the Lagos-based rights group SERAP, told Semafor that INEC wants to play the problem down as a cleanup. He said the matter…

Senegal's parliament on Tuesday threw out proposed revisions to this year's budget. The bill is key to securing a new International Monetary Fund bailout, Africanews reported. Lawmakers from Ousmane Sonko's Pastef party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, voted it down 109 to 20. Three MPs abstained. The vote prolongs a standoff over the country's fiscal plans. A week earlier, parliament had sent the bill back to the finance committee. According to Africanews, the deadlock could derail hopes of an IMF board vote on the $2.2 billion, three-year programme as early as next month. Semafor reported that the government's $13 billion plan cut public investment. The cut was meant to cover extra costs after high oil prices made energy subsidies more expensive. Pastef argued that households and essential public services would carry too much of the burden. The IMF…

Nigerian lawmakers want doctors and nurses who delay emergency treatment to face six months in jail, Premium Times reported. The penalty is part of a proposed amendment to the law. Under the proposal, hospitals would have to begin treatment within 15 minutes…