Africa – 25 August 2015

Burundi
Burundi police ‘tortured’ anti-Nkurunziza protesters
Burundi’s security forces have tortured suspected opponents of President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third-term bid, Amnesty International says.
The rights group details how people arrested for allegedly taking part in demonstrations have been mistreated to extract information.
The government has not yet responded.
Burundi has experienced months of turmoil following April’s announcement that the president would run for a third term.
BBC

Analysts: Burundi Crisis Not Over
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza was sworn in for a third term last Thursday, as critics continue to accuse him of hijacking democracy by breaking terms limits in the nation’s constitution.
In taking the oath of office, Nkurunziza swore to uphold the constitution and defend the best interests of the Burundian nation. But the United States said it was an inauguration without a government that represents the population’s many political voices, and won’t resolve the political and security crisis in Burundi.
Voice of America

 
Lesotho
Lesotho’s instability means no place for SADC chairmanship
The decision to pass Lesotho over again for the chairpersonship of the Southern African Development Community’s organ on security was taken unanimously by SADC leaders at their summit here and even Lesotho’s own government recommended it.
“The government of Lesotho is of the view that it cannot take over the chairmanship of the Sadc Organ in the middle of the aforementioned inquiry in our country,” Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili said in a statement released late on Monday, the first day of the summit which ends on Tuesday. The decision was taken at a meeting of SADC’s Organ for Politics, Defence and Security on Sunday night, and it was ratified by all the region’s leaders in the full summit on Monday. The year-long tenure has gone to Mozambique instead.
The Citizen

Sadc to tighten monitoring of shaky Lesotho
POLITICAL instability and violence in Lesotho will take centre stage at the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit starting Monday, where a decision will be made on an early warning mechanism to monitor instability in the landlocked country.
Lesotho has been in turmoil since an attempted coup late last year that resulted in Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa being appointed as a facilitator by Sadc and tasked with brokering a settlement between the feuding parties.
BDLive