Africa 54 - October 26, 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: Life in Lagos, Nigeria appears to be gradually returning to normal Monday with a curfew in place only from 6 pm to 8 pm local time. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday launched an appeal for peace in Nigeria where the authorities are struggling to end looting after two weeks of protests. Buhari said he supports the principle of a judicial inquiry in Lagos “bring justice to the peaceful protesters who lost their lives, to the security men who were murdered” -- and to those who lost property during the days of violence. Street cleaners working to remove debris caused by days of violence from major roads and traffic returned to normal. Authorities in Nigeria’s biggest state Lagos have relaxed the around-the-clock curfew as they attempted to restore order following days of unrest. Violence erupted last week in the wake of the alleged shooting of anti-police brutality protesters by security forces. The unrest in Nigeria’s sprawling commercial hub, a city of 20 million, initially escalated last Tuesday night, when the daily 24-hour curfew was first announced. During his devotion commemorating the incarnation of Jesus, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the Nigerian people hoping for a just end of clashes between police and protesters. The Pontiff said “Dear brothers and sisters, I am following with increasing worry the news that comes from Nigeria about the violent clashes, recently happened between police forces and some young protesters. Let's pray to God that all kind of violence is avoided, in a constant search for social harmony, through a promotion of justice and common well-being." During his mass, the pontiff also named 13 new roman catholic cardinals, including, according to multiple media reports, Washington D.C. Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who would become the first Black U.S. prelate to earn the red hat. Nine are under the age of 80 and are eligible to enter a conclave to elect his successor after his death or resignation. They are to be elevated to the high rank at a ceremony known as a consistory at the Vatican on November 28th. As the protests demanding police reform and an end to a police unit also known as SARS continue in Nigeria, observers say the U.S. and the international community have a role to play. VOA's Salem Solomon has the story. Six students were killed in Cameroon on Saturday in an attack on a school in the southwest region of the country, a dozen others were wounded. A seventh student, a 12-year-old girl died Sunday, from wounds sustained when gunmen stormed the school. The attack on the school, in the region where separatist insurgents have been battling government forces since 2017, is drawing widespread condemnation and is likely to add further pressure on the government to do more to end the conflict. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack in the town of Kumba, where the grieving father of the 12-year-old girl said he saw the gunmen drive by on motorcycles in the direction of the school, and then back after a barrage of gunfire. Guinea is bracing for more post-election unrest after the Electoral Commission Saturday declared preliminary results showing President Alpha Conde was reelected for a third term. Tanzania is set to hold general elections on October 28th to elect the president and national assembly. Chama Cha Mapinduzi, the ruling party since independence in 1961, has never lost an election. The CCM party is led by incumbent President John Magufuli, who is running for his second term in office. Tundu Lissu, is running for president, representing the main opposition Chadema Party. In our final "We are Tanzanians" episode, VOA’s Swahili spoke to Ruqsana Abdul, a Tanzanian businesswoman about her feelings and concerns ahead of the upcoming election. While the U.S. Senate this week will likely confirm President Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court, Michelle Quinn reports that the nation’s attention is fixed on the final full week of the presidential campaign. U.S. Senate judiciary Republicans have approved President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month, despite protests by democrats the vote is too close to election day. #Nigeria #SARS #MuhammaduBuhari #Lagos #PopeFrancis #Cameroon #Students #Kumba #Guinea #AlphaConde #Tanzania #JohnMagufuli #TunduLissu #UnitedStates #elections #SupremeCourt #DonaldTrump #JoeBiden #Democrats #republicans