Africa 54 - November 9, 2020

You are watching Africa 54, your daily news and feature magazine-style program, from the Voice of America. Host Esther Githui-Ewart and a team of correspondents zero in on the big stories making news on the continent and around the world with context and analysis. Top Stories: The South Sudanese government and humanitarian agencies are rushing to avert a famine by distributing seeds to farmers who saw their crops washed away in recent flooding. A new week is underway with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accusing the Tigray People's Liberation Front of preparing for war with the federal government since 2018. Abiy says the group has siphoned development funds to buy weapons and train militias, according to Reuters. In statement that was posted on Facebook, Abiy said "the TPLF old guards have continuously mounted both covert and overt attempts to undermine the people of Ethiopia and our new administration." Abiy stepped up a military offensive in the northern region of Tigray on Sunday with air strikes as part of what he called a "law enforcement operation", increasing fears of outright civil war. Aid workers on Sunday reported heavy fighting in several parts of the region, with at least six dead and dozens wounded. The military campaign comes as Abiy on Sunday made several major administration changes -- replacing his army chief, the head of intelligence and the foreign minister. Tigrayans dominated Ethiopian politics for decades until Abiy reorganized the ruling coalition into a single party which the TPLF refused to join. Guinea's top court has confirmed President Alpha Conde's victory in last month's election rejecting accusations of fraud and handing him a third term that his opponents vehemently say is unconstitutional. The 82-year-old conde's campaign to change the constitution earlier this year to circumvent a two-term limit and subsequent candidacy in the October 18th election sparked violent protests that killed dozens of people. Conde’s main rival, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, and other opposition candidates alleged irregularities in the official results announced two weeks ago that showed conde with fifty-nine-point-five percent of the vote. However, the constitutional court says the opposition did not produce any evidence. U.S. president-elect Joe Biden is promoting a message of unity and bridging America’s political divide after American news networks projected him winning the presidential election. VOA White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara reports from Washington. After several tense days of vote counting, many Americans spent the weekend celebrating -- and protesting -- the results of the U.S. presidential race. American candidates are celebrating election victories at the state and local level. Oballa Bballa, is one of them and he is a 27-year-old former refugee from Ethiopia who won a city council election in Austin, Minnesota. He spoke to VOA's Salem Solomon, and this is an excerpt where he shares what the victory means to him. American voters waited days to hear the projected results of the 2020 election, with voter turnout at record numbers. Amid a pandemic and a strong partisan divide, how does the country heal? U.S. president-elect Joe Biden, whom VOA projects is the election winner, on Monday announced his COVID-19 task force advisory board co-chaired by former surgeon general Vivek Murthy, former food and drug administration commissioner David Kessler and yale university associate professor Marcella Nunez-Smith. The group of scientists and experts are expected liaise with local and state officials on the pandemic response, including how to safely reopen schools, businesses and tackle racial disparities. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is continuing to press the case of voting irregularities in the presidential election. A54 Sports: Organizers of next year’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will have measures in place to limit the spread of covid-19. But little is known about how the virus affects the long-term health of those already infected, including athletes. South African researchers are leading an international effort looking for answers, as Marize de Klerk reports from Pretoria. #SouthSudan #Ethiopia #Tigray #TPFL #AbiyAhmed #Guinea #AlphaConde #UnitedStates #JoeBiden #DonaldTrump #SouthAfrica #Tokyo #TokyoOlympics #Sports