South Africa Unveils World Cup Security Measures

South Africa has unveiled a detailed security plan to secure the country during the 2010 FIFA world Cup, due to kick off on June11.

The country’s police service has established an intelligence coordination committee that will liaise with foreign intelligence agencies, while the rest of the plan includes air sweeps by fighter jets, joint border patrols with neighbouring countries and police escorts for cruise ships.

This year’s World Cup is the first to be hosted on African soil. [ER]

Ethiopia’s Ruling Party in Landslide Poll Win

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has won another term in office after his Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) triumphed in last weekend’s parliamentary elections.

Zenawi’s EPRDF party won 477 out of 547-seats, while its closest challenger - an eight-party opposition coalition, won 479 seats.

European Union poll observers however said the election was held in a ‘narrow political space’ that favoured the ruling party. [ER]

Kenya to Hold Referendum despite Ruling on Islamic Courts

A referendum on a new constitution will go ahead in August despite a controversial court ruling against the inclusion of Islamic courts, Kenya’s government has said.

Attorney general Amos Wako has said he will appeal against Monday’s ruling by three high court judges, who declared that including the Islamic ‘Kadhi’ courts in the draft constitution was tantamount to favouring Islam over other religions in the secular East African state. The case was brought to court by Christian churches six years ago.

The ‘Kadhi’ courts, which deal with matters pertaining marriage, divorce and inheritance among Muslims, have been the most contentious issues alongside abortion as Kenyans prepare to vote on the draft constitution. [ER]

Madagascar Arrests Alleged Mutiny Leader

Madagascan authorities have detained the suspected leader of last week’s failed mutiny in the capital, Antananarivo.

In the mutiny on Thursday last week, at least 20 members of the country’s elite National Gendarmes Intervention Forces engaged security forces in a gun battle that claimed the lives of two soldiers and several civilians. The government has accused ousted President Marc Ravalomanana of engineering the attempted mutiny.

Madagascar’s current leader Andry Rajoelina toppled President Ravalomanana using a string of military-backed mass protests in March 2009. [ER]