BBC News Africa

Kenya is set to disregard the judgement of The International Court of Justice on the maritime border dispute between Kenya and Somalia, due today at 13:00 GMT.

The two countries are both claiming a 62,000 sq miles (160,000 sq km) in the Indian Ocean thought to be rich in oil and gas.

Kenya’s border currently runs horizontally into the Indian Ocean, and that is how Nairobi wants it to stay. But Somalia insists its southern boundary should run south-east as an extension of the land border.

Kenya first established this maritime boundary along the parallel of latitude by presidential proclamation in 1979.

BBCCopyright: BBC

In 2009, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding, certified by the United Nations, to negotiate their boundaries.

In 2014, Somalia decided to settle the matter at the International Court of Justice at the Hague.

In its application, Somalia said diplomatic negotiation had failed and it was now asking the court to "determine the precise geographical co-ordinates of the single maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean”.

But that is not all. Somalia also wants the ICJ to declare that “Kenya… has violated its international obligations to respect the sovereignty, and sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Somalia, and is responsible under international law to make full reparation to Somalia".

A year later, Kenya filed an objection to the court case, arguing that the memorandum of understanding was binding.

Kenya also questioned the jurisdiction and fairness of the courts and seek postponements because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The court eventually rejected those arguments and ordered a hearing this year. Kenya decided to pull out of the case, citing procedural unfairness and questioning whether justice would be done.

Nevertheless, the judgement is set to go ahead.

Last Friday, Kenya said withdrew its membership from the ICJ, and declared it would not recognise Tuesday’s judgement.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

A major labour union in Tunisia has welcomed the formation of a new government, but has urged President Kais Saied to set a time limit on how long emergency powers will be in place.

The UGTT - which is one of the most powerful players in Tunisian politics - has previously condemned Mr Saied's seizure of most executive powers in July.

The new government was selected by Prime Minister Najla Bouden, whom Mr Saied appointed last month.

The new cabinet contains 10 women, including the prime minister.

On Sunday, several thousand people held another protest against President Saied in the capital Tunis.

A rebel leader in Mozambique has been killed following an intense gun battle with government troops in his forest hide-out in central Sofala province, police have said.

Mariano Nhongo - who led the Renamo Military Junta - was killed along with a close associate of his.

Nhongo had broken away from Renamo, rejecting a peace deal it had signed with President Filipe Nyusi in 2019 to end conflict.

On Peace Day on 4 October, Mr Nyusi said that troops had reached Nhongo's base. The president urged him to surrender.

Nhongo's fighters were responsible for small-scale attacks on civilians.

Uganda has given out the first official documents that recognise a transgender person.

Cleopatra Kambugu received her new passport and ID documents last week, identifying her as female.

She told the BBC's Newsday programme that she hoped one day it wouldn't be such a huge thing, but getting the papers felt like a moment in history, similar to when women got the vote.

She said that when her passport had an "M" for male on it, there were a number of times she had to prove her identity by stripping.

She remembered one particular instance: "He was like: 'Are you a man or a woman?' and it was so embarrassing... You don't have to look at someone's genitals to know who they are.

"We have biometric systems at border points. I asked this immigration officer if I could use my biometrics to prove who I was. So I really didn't know why I had to be identified with my genitals."

You can listen to the full interview here:

A German tourist and a crew member have died after a luxury houseboat caught fire on a dam in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, local media report.

Five passengers and four crew were on the boat when it caught fire on the Jozini Dam on Saturday.

“They all jumped into the water and unfortunately three drowned, two bodies were recovered in the dam," a police spokesman was quoted by the IOL news site as saying.

A search is still under way for the missing crew member.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said it was investigating the cause of the blaze.

The boat was reportedly on a two-night cruise when it caught fire, Samsa said.

Its burnt-out wreckage was towed to the docking site on Monday, IOL reported.

A photo of the burning houseboat has been posted on Facebook:

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The African Union says it wants to extend and expand its military operation in Somalia, where AU troops have been fighting Islamist militants for 14 years.

The AU said the new mission would be run jointly with the United Nations.

It said the expanded Amisom force would include soldiers from other African countries.

The plan needs to be endorsed by the UN and the Somali government, which has previously rejected AU proposals.

Ethiopia, which contributes thousands of soldiers to Amisom, is facing serious security challenges at home.

Kenya is also reported to be considering a military drawdown.

Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa's convoy has been attacked with "burning logs" at a village in south-eastern Masvingo province, his party, the MDC Alliance, has tweeted.

Members of his entourage were taken to hospital after being badly injured in the attack by "hired thugs", it said.

"Burning logs were used to beat up the delegation and block the road to Charumbira Village," the party added.

It did not say who exactly was behind the violence.

Meanwhile, a privately owned newspaper has reported that armed riot police have blocked an attempt by Mr Chamisa to hold a meeting with provincial party leaders at a private home in Masvingo city.

The authorities have not yet commented on the allegations.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Tigrayan forces in northern Ethiopia say federal troops and their allies have launched coordinated attacks on all fronts.

They said heavy artillery, tanks, fighter jets and drones were being used against them.

A senior member of the Tigray People's Liberation Front said Tigrayan forces were holding their ground.

Getachew Reda said the government offensive launched last week was now in "full swing".

There has been no word so far from Addis Ababa.

A communications blackout means it is not possible to verify the information independently. Nearly two million people have been displaced in the 11-month war.

BBCCopyright: BBC

The head of the European Union in Liberia has apologised for saying that Liberia's capital Monrovia is a "disgusting" and "dirty" city, following a backlash.

Laurent Delahousse said that his comments were meant to be “a wake-up call” to residents “to change their practices of littering” and to improve the city’s waste management system that receives funding from the EU.

Speaking at an event organised by the Monrovia City Corporation last week, he said that “Monrovia is a disgusting city, it is a dirty city”.

“Of all the capitals I have seen in my previous posts in Africa, I have not seen one that is as dirty as yours,” he added.

Mr Delahousse clarified that his remarks were not intended “to disparage anyone or to affect the reputation of the beautiful capital city of Liberia.”

He apologised to the government and anyone “feeling misrepresented by these remarks and I willingly retract the exaggerated wording that I used”.

Even though the EU envoy’s apology seems to have resonated well with people in high places, many people are still insisting his remarks were a fair assessment of the situation in the Liberian capital.