African press review 24 December 2014

New security laws challenged in court in Kenya, the death of Mosheh Sang a leader of the House of Yahweh in Nairobi and a court victory for Julius Malema and his Economic Freedom Fighters... Here's what the African Press has to say today.

The main story in the Kenyan Standard says that the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy yesterday started its court challenge to the country's new security laws.

According to the opposition alliance, the Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 recently signed by President Uhuru Kenyatta infringes individual rights. Senator James Orengo who represented the coalition in court argued that the Act contravenes the Constitution.

Cord also argues that the law as passed by the National Assembly infringes the Bill of Rights provided for in the Constitution.

Among provisions in the constitution that Cord argues are violated by the new law are the right to fair trial, freedom from discrimination, right to privacy, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, media freedom, access to information, freedom of movement and fair administrative action.

The Kenya Daily Nation notes that the opposition alliance suffered a temporary setback when the High Court refused to shelve the laws and asked the applicants to inform the government and return to court this morning.

The judge said Cord has the right to ask the court to block the laws but he wanted the Attorney General in court when the arguments are presented.

Also in The Standard, news that Mosheh Sang, the man who eight years ago predicted that 12 September 2006 would be the end of the world, has died at the age of 55.

According to the Nairobi newspaper, Sang came to international prominence in 2006 when he led his House of Yahweh followers to bunkers in preparation for the nuclear war which he claimed would mark the end of the world.

The cause of his death has not been made public.

In South Africa, the main story in this morning's BusinessDay reports a court victory for Julius Malema and his Economic Freedom Fighters . . .

Yesterday, the Western Cape High Court ruled that twenty party MPs should be paid their salaries and allowed access to their offices and parliamentary facilities.

The Economic Freedom Fighters were sanctioned in November as punishment for disrupting President Jacob Zuma’s question and answer session on 21 August.

On that day, the EFF protested that Zuma had not given intelligent and meaningful answers to their questions about when he would pay back the public money that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had ordered in her report on security upgrades at his private Nkandla residence.

Under the headline "TB Joshua reaches out to South African relatives of building collapse victims," BusinessDay reports that the Nigerian preacher has invited the bereaved families of the South African victims of this year's church building collapse for a trip to Lagos for "spiritual and emotional support".

A guesthouse for foreign followers of the pastor collapsed on 12 September killing 116 people   including 81 South Africans.

Forty-four of the 74 families have taken up the offer for the all-expenses-paid, week-long trip starting on Christmas Day.

The others are unable to travel because of lack of documents or prior commitments, according to a spokesman for TB Joshua.

Critics suggest that the trip is a bribe for the families to ensure that they do not launch any legal action against Joshua.

The preacher has on three occasions ignored summonses to testify before an ongoing coroner’s inquest into the collapse.

In Uganda, the former coordinator of national Intelligence Services General David Sejusa is back at the top of the Monitor's front page.

Having last week returned from 20 months of self-imposed exile in London, Sejusa yesterday reaffirmed his call for regime change saying he is ready to uproot President Museveni at all costs.

Sejusa fled following the publication of a letter in which he asked the head of internal security to investigate claims that there was a plot to assassinate officers opposed to the ‘Muhoozi project,’ an alleged attempt to ensure that President Museveni's eldest son would succeed him as president

On his return last week, General Sejusa said he wanted to live quietly. Yesterday, in response to a question from the crowd about whether he would contest the presidency in 2016, he replied “It’s possible.” Pressed further for a more concise response, the General said, “All options are open.”