African press review 1 February 2013

Uganda's schools can't cope with demand. What's behind the delay in swearing in two Kenyan deputy police chiefs. SA cops chase police impersonators. Nigerian cops save a child-molester from a lynch-mob. And Nigeria's foreign minister explains why its troops are in Mali.

In Uganda160,000 students will miss "Senior One" admission to government-aided and privately owned schools supported by the government even though they have passed ther relevant exams.

According to the Daily Monitor, of the 480,000 or so students who passed last year's primary leaving examination the government could only take 316,980. This means others will have to seek private tuition which is more expensive. Apparently, despite the cuts, state schools still have too many applications for the positions available.

The paper writes that competition means the cut-off rate have been raised. Some schools have 1,400 hopeful applicants for 200 positions.

The problem with this, one assistant from a private school tells the Daily Monitor, is concern this will lead to an increase in absenteeism, dropouts, child labour, early marriages and so on which may hinder the development of a country.

Over in Kenya the Daily Nation reports that a gender agency has expressed concern over the the delay to swear in two deputy police chiefs. Winfred Lichuma has asked President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to ensure that the two deputy inspectors general can start their jobs.

It's thought that if they are sworn in tensions during the forthcoming election would be eased.

Down in South Africa The Star tells of how a group of thugs pretended to be police officers. They even checked in to hotels as police officers and drove around in a police vehicle. This Tuesday Kenyan police - the real ones - ended up chasing the impersonators and their fake police vehicle for three hours.

They had just robbed a number of houses The article goes on to explain how the gang carried out robberies and forged police signs to stick on their car. Interestingly, in the comment section of the web version of this article, readers question whether this is really not some dodgy policemen who are committing the crimes.

Over in Nigeria the people decided to take justice into their own hands.

The Punch describes how an 85 year-old man escaped lynching after he molested a 14 year-old girl. Police intervened just as the crowd were about to take justice into their own hands. Apparently the culprit is notorious for preying on young girls. He's said to have to have already served a prison term for sexually abusing a nine-year-old. Police told the paper they are now looking into his case.

Staying in Nigeria, the Guardian looks at the fall of the “last rebel stronghold” in Mali. It writes that France is now awaiting the deployment of a UN-backed African mission to help drive the Al Qaeda-linked fighters from their desert hideouts.

Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Viola Adaku Onwuliri tells the paper that the country "had to move into Mali to prevent [It] from becoming a safe haven and training base for terrorists who would come and join forces in Nigeria".