News updates from the African continent for June 17th, 2025:
Kenya’s Deputy Police Chief Steps Aside Amid Uproar Over Blogger’s Death
Kenya’s deputy police chief Eliud Lagat has stepped aside pending the outcome of investigations into the death in detention of blogger Albert Ojwang.
Mr Lagat had been under pressure to resign from the opposition and human rights activists as Mr Ojwang was arrested after he filed a complaint, accusing the blogger of defaming him on social media.
Police initially said that Mr Ojwang died of self-inflicted wounds, but were forced to retract the statement after an autopsy found that he was likely to have died from assault wounds.
Mr Lagat denied any wrongdoing, but said in a statement that he was stepping aside in the “good and conscious thought” of his responsibilities as deputy police chief.
Source: BBC News
Tanzanian opposition leader to represent himself in treason trial
The main opposition leader in Tanzania was granted permission on Monday to represent himself in his treason trial after being denied the right to meet his lawyers in private by prison authorities.
Tundu Lissu was arrested on April 9 and charged with treason after addressing a public rally calling for electoral reforms ahead of planned general elections in October.
Lissu’s Chadema party has been critical of the absence of an independent electoral commission and laws that favour the ruling CCM party, which has been in power since Tanzania’s independence in 1961.
Source: Africa News
Togo suspends RFI and France 24 for three months
Togo has suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets RFI and France 24 for three months, its communications authority said on Monday, accusing them of a lack of impartiality and rigour.
The suspension comes as tensions are rising between the West African country’s leader Faure Gnassingbe and the opposition.
Source: Reuters
