Latest news with #APAfrica
Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has died at 68
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015-2021, died Thursday, his daughter said. He was 68. Lungu's daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, announced his death in a video posted on the official Facebook page of his political party, the Patriotic Front. She said he died in a hospital in South Africa after having been under 'medical supervision' in recent weeks. Lungu-Mwansa, who is a lawmaker, did not give a cause of death. Lungu became president in 2015 to complete the term of Michael Sata after he died in office. Lungu was elected to a full presidential term in 2016, beating current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu later lost to Hichilema in the 2021 election. Lungu had sought to challenge Hichilema in next year's presidential election, but a court last year barred him from standing. The court ruled his time as president from 2015-2016 counted as a full term and said he had, therefore, served the maximum length of two terms. Lungu alleged there was political interference in the court ruling. His wife and other family members have faced corruption allegations. Lungu claimed last year that his movements were being monitored by police and he had effectively been placed under house arrest to restrict his return to politics. Police said it was standard to monitor former presidents for their safety. ___ AP Africa news: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has died at 68
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015-2021, died Thursday, his daughter said. He was 68. Lungu's daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, announced his death in a video posted on the official Facebook page of his political party, the Patriotic Front. She said he died in a hospital in South Africa after having been under 'medical supervision' in recent weeks. Lungu-Mwansa, who is a lawmaker, did not give a cause of death. Lungu became president in 2015 to complete the term of Michael Sata after he died in office. Lungu was elected to a full presidential term in 2016, beating current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu later lost to Hichilema in the 2021 election. Lungu had sought to challenge Hichilema in next year's presidential election, but a court last year barred him from standing. The court ruled his time as president from 2015-2016 counted as a full term and said he had, therefore, served the maximum length of two terms. Lungu alleged there was political interference in the court ruling. His wife and other family members have faced corruption allegations. Lungu claimed last year that his movements were being monitored by police and he had effectively been placed under house arrest to restrict his return to politics. Police said it was standard to monitor former presidents for their safety. ___ AP Africa news:
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has died at 68
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015-2021, died Thursday, his daughter said. He was 68. Lungu's daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, announced his death in a video posted on the official Facebook page of his political party, the Patriotic Front. She said he died in a hospital in South Africa after having been under 'medical supervision' in recent weeks. Lungu-Mwansa, who is a lawmaker, did not give a cause of death. Lungu became president in 2015 to complete the term of Michael Sata after he died in office. Lungu was elected to a full presidential term in 2016, beating current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu later lost to Hichilema in the 2021 election. Lungu had sought to challenge Hichilema in next year's presidential election, but a court last year barred him from standing. The court ruled his time as president from 2015-2016 counted as a full term and said he had, therefore, served the maximum length of two terms. Lungu alleged there was political interference in the court ruling. His wife and other family members have faced corruption allegations. Lungu claimed last year that his movements were being monitored by police and he had effectively been placed under house arrest to restrict his return to politics. Police said it was standard to monitor former presidents for their safety. ___ AP Africa news:
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- General
- Associated Press
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has died at 68
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015-2021, died Thursday, his daughter said. He was 68. Lungu's daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, announced his death in a video posted on the official Facebook page of his political party, the Patriotic Front. She said he died in a hospital in South Africa after having been under 'medical supervision' in recent weeks. Lungu-Mwansa, who is a lawmaker, did not give a cause of death. Lungu became president in 2015 to complete the term of Michael Sata after he died in office. Lungu was elected to a full presidential term in 2016, beating current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu later lost to Hichilema in the 2021 election. Lungu had sought to challenge Hichilema in next year's presidential election, but a court last year barred him from standing. The court ruled his time as president from 2015-2016 counted as a full term and said he had, therefore, served the maximum length of two terms. Lungu alleged there was political interference in the court ruling. His wife and other family members have faced corruption allegations. Lungu claimed last year that his movements were being monitored by police and he had effectively been placed under house arrest to restrict his return to politics. Police said it was standard to monitor former presidents for their safety. ___ AP Africa news:
Hamilton Spectator
29-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
A South African woman is sentenced to life in prison for selling her young daughter
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A South African woman was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for selling her 6-year-old daughter. Kelly Smith was sentenced by a judge alongside two others, her boyfriend and another man, who also received life sentences. All three were convicted earlier this month on kidnapping and human trafficking charges. Smith's daughter, Joshlin, went missing in February 2024 when she was 6, sparking a nationwide hunt by police in South Africa. She has still not been found. Smith, boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were sentenced to life terms for human trafficking and 10 years each for kidnapping. Their sentences were read out by Judge Nathan Erasmus at a sports center in the west coast town of Saldanha Bay. The trial was moved to the sports center so members of the local community could attend. Smith — whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith — was initially a figure of sympathy when her daughter went missing. Community members rallied around her and volunteered to help police search for Joshlin in the sand dunes near their poor neighborhood of shacks close to Saldanha Bay, around 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Cape Town. A photograph of Joshlin smiling and with her hair tied in pigtails was broadcast by news stations across South Africa during the hunt for her. Smith said she had left Joshlin with Appollis on the day she disappeared, but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested. A woman testified during the trial that Smith had told her she and the two men had sold Joshlin for around $1,000 to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts. The judge's verdict did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her, but said she had been sold for slavery or practices similar to slavery. ___ AP Africa news:
