Africa briefs
Zambia blames opposition for anti-China attacks
Zambia's government accused the opposition on Friday of fuelling "xenophobic" attacks on Chinese nationals after a spate of violent incidents targeting the community and its businesses.
Anti-Chinese sentiment in Zambia has grown as the government increasingly hands lucrative contracts to the country while borrowing huge sums from Beijing.
Vice President Inonge Wina told parliament that "xenophobic attacks on Chinese [are] politically motivated because of the utterances that politicians make".
Her intervention follows sporadic rioting in the towns of Buchi and Kawama last week when millers took to the streets to protest after rumours that a Zambian timber company had been sold to Chinese buyers.
Last month youths looted Chinese shops in the northern mining town of Kitwe. – Nampa/AFP
Zim's unlicensed foreign currency traders face 10-year jail
Unlicensed foreign currency traders in Zimbabwe face up to 10 years in jail if convicted and loss of their money and assets when new exchange control rules are published this week, a senior government official said on Sunday.
The southern African nation, which adopted the US dollar after dumping its hyperinflation-hit currency in 2009, is gripped by a shortage of cash dollars, which has seen prices of imported goods spiral in recent weeks.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government, under pressure to make good on pre-election promises to mend the stricken economy, is on a drive to end parallel market trading it blames for fuelling price increases.
Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Virginia Mabhiza said Mnangagwa would use executive powers to amend the exchange control and money-laundering laws in an official notice that was gazetted yesterday.
Mabhiza said the new rules will also empower police, the National Prosecuting Authority and anti-corruption commission to compel suspects to explain their source of wealth and bank deposits. – Nampa/Reuters
Kenya signs agricultural exports deal with China
Kenya and China signed an agreement on Friday allowing the East African country to export various agricultural products to China, a senior Kenyan government official said.
Nzioka Waita, President Uhuru Kenyatta's chief of staff, said the agreement on food, plant and animal safety - known as sanitary and phytosanitary measures - had been reached between the two after a week of negotiations.
Waita said on Twitter the agreement would pave the way for Kenya to start exporting a selection of fruit and vegetables, flowers and meat to China.
China has become Kenya's biggest trading partner, accounting for 17% of the East African nation's annual trade by value or more than US$4 billion, heavily tilted in China's favour.
Fruits, vegetables and flowers are already a key foreign exchange earner for Kenya, bringing in 115.3 billion shillings (US$1.13 billion) in 2017 from 101.5 billion shillings a year earlier. At present, their major market is Europe. – Nampa/Reuters
Zambia's government accused the opposition on Friday of fuelling "xenophobic" attacks on Chinese nationals after a spate of violent incidents targeting the community and its businesses.
Anti-Chinese sentiment in Zambia has grown as the government increasingly hands lucrative contracts to the country while borrowing huge sums from Beijing.
Vice President Inonge Wina told parliament that "xenophobic attacks on Chinese [are] politically motivated because of the utterances that politicians make".
Her intervention follows sporadic rioting in the towns of Buchi and Kawama last week when millers took to the streets to protest after rumours that a Zambian timber company had been sold to Chinese buyers.
Last month youths looted Chinese shops in the northern mining town of Kitwe. – Nampa/AFP
Zim's unlicensed foreign currency traders face 10-year jail
Unlicensed foreign currency traders in Zimbabwe face up to 10 years in jail if convicted and loss of their money and assets when new exchange control rules are published this week, a senior government official said on Sunday.
The southern African nation, which adopted the US dollar after dumping its hyperinflation-hit currency in 2009, is gripped by a shortage of cash dollars, which has seen prices of imported goods spiral in recent weeks.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government, under pressure to make good on pre-election promises to mend the stricken economy, is on a drive to end parallel market trading it blames for fuelling price increases.
Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Virginia Mabhiza said Mnangagwa would use executive powers to amend the exchange control and money-laundering laws in an official notice that was gazetted yesterday.
Mabhiza said the new rules will also empower police, the National Prosecuting Authority and anti-corruption commission to compel suspects to explain their source of wealth and bank deposits. – Nampa/Reuters
Kenya signs agricultural exports deal with China
Kenya and China signed an agreement on Friday allowing the East African country to export various agricultural products to China, a senior Kenyan government official said.
Nzioka Waita, President Uhuru Kenyatta's chief of staff, said the agreement on food, plant and animal safety - known as sanitary and phytosanitary measures - had been reached between the two after a week of negotiations.
Waita said on Twitter the agreement would pave the way for Kenya to start exporting a selection of fruit and vegetables, flowers and meat to China.
China has become Kenya's biggest trading partner, accounting for 17% of the East African nation's annual trade by value or more than US$4 billion, heavily tilted in China's favour.
Fruits, vegetables and flowers are already a key foreign exchange earner for Kenya, bringing in 115.3 billion shillings (US$1.13 billion) in 2017 from 101.5 billion shillings a year earlier. At present, their major market is Europe. – Nampa/Reuters
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