• Zuma's son says victim of S.African political 'storm'

The son of South Africa's ex-president Jacob Zuma, accused by witnesses of acting as a conduit in a major web of state graft, said on Tuesday he was a victim of political crossfire.

Duduzane Zuma, 35, was testifying before a judicial inquiry probing allegations that his father organised a systematic plunder of government coffers in a scandal known as "state capture".

"I'm not corrupt, I have not taken money from anybody, I never have and I never will," Duduzane said in response to claims that he was a conduit for the Gupta's to loot the state in collusion with his father.

• Egypt PM says will not allow protests to spread 'chaos'

Egypt's prime minister Mostafa Madbouli warned Tuesday his government would not allow protesters to spread "chaos" after small rallies erupted against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi last month.

The rare protests broke out in defiance of a ban on demonstrations after an exiled Egyptian businessman in Spain accused the president and the military of rampant corruption.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli denounced the protests as part of an external "brutal war" designed to create "confusion", in an address before parliament.

"The people of Egypt will not allow the scenario of chaos to be repeated again," Madbouli said in reference to the 2011 revolution that unseated long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

He did not state the fate of more than 3,000 people detained over the last three weeks in relation to the protests.

• I. Coast ex-leader Gbagbo seeks freedom, role in 2020 elections.

Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo, 73, has asked the International Criminal Court to release him after his acquittal over post-electoral violence that killed around 3,000 people.

Gbagbo, the first head of state to stand trial in The Hague, and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were both cleared of crimes against humanity in January and released under conditions the following month.

The ICC's chief prosecutor has appealed the ruling alleging "legal and procedural errors".

Gbagbo's lawyer Emmanuel Altit sent a 22-page letter to the ICC asking it to "immediately and unconditionally free Gbagbo so that he could play a role in next year's presidential election.

"Laurent Gbagbo could in effect, at the demand of political players in the country, be allowed to participate in the campaign ... or even be a candidate," said the letter.

• Elite Mozambique police unit linked to poll observer's murder

Mozambican police said members of one of its elite units were involved in the murder of local poll observer mission head Anastacio Matavele, 58, just ahead of next week's election.

Anastacio Matavele, 58, the head of a local election observation mission, was shot dead Monday while driving away from a workshop in Xai-Xai, the capital of the southeastern Gaza province.

National police commander Bernardino Rafael said there were five perpetrators involved in the "homicide", of whom "four (were) police officers of the Republic of Mozambique assigned to the Gaza rapid intervention sub-unit".

• Malawi policeman stoned to death by protesters

A policeman was stoned to death Tuesday in Malawi during clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters ahead of President Peter Mutharika's first public meeting since a disputed election.

A wave of protests over the May poll has gripped Malawi since May and Msundwe - a trading outpost west of the capital - has been a hotbed of demonstrations.

Police spokesman James Kadadzera said Superintendent Usumani Imedi had been stoned to death and "killed by rioters and criminals this morning."

• Uganda police cancel Bobi Wine's concert

Police in Uganda have surrounded Bobi Wine's home after cancelling a concert set to be held near the capital, Kampala, by the pop star turned politician.

He weeted photos showing police vehicles surrounding his home, as well as spiked road barriers erected on a road leading to the house.

He claimed police had also sealed off his lakeside property, One Love Beach Busabala, the venue for the concert.

Assistant Inspector General of Police Asuman Mugyenyi said organisers of the concert failed to "heed minimum security standards."

• Start-up launches electric bikes in Rwanda

Local start-up Safi Ltd, on Wednesday launched its electric motorbikes to operate as shared taxis in Rwanda as the country fronts its smart city and clean energy credentials.

Safi (clean in Swahihi) said its fully charged e-motors can run for 45 minutes and cover a distance of 90km (55 miles) adding it would instal charging points across the country. .

They will first be introduced in Kigali where 20,000 riders operate, Huye, Rubavu and Musanze.

The firm has invested $13 million in the technology and targets to have 3,000 electric bicycles, 2,500 motorbikes and 1,500 electric scooters.

• Nigeria's Buhari unveils record budget

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday unveiled a record budget plan to lawmakers, ramping up ambitious spending goals for his second term in charge.

The focus for 2020 remained on infrastructure spending with housing, power and transport receiving major chunks of the 10.33 trillion naira ($33.8 billion) budget.

The authorities are trying to increase revenues as they look to wean Nigeria off oil and aim to increase value-added tax from 5 to 7.5 percent.

The government put the growth rate at just over 2 percent for the first half of 2019 and predicted it would rise to 2.93 percent in 2020.