African press review 29 August 2016

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari offers to swap Boko Haram operatives for Chibok girls and urges Niger Delta fighters to dialogue or be dealt with as Boko Haram. There's tension in South Africa as finance Minister Pravin Gordhan faces arrest for "trying to rescue the economy from thieves".  And Kenya's golden girl's Olympic medal brings lights to her remote village.

In Nigeria the papers lead with President Muhammadu Buhari's clarification of his government's position about the war against the Boko Haram insurgency, efforts to secure the release the Chibok girls and his plans to end the armed uprising by separatists in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

Buhari spoke on the sideline of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Sunday.

Chibok girls swap offer

The Nation takes up Buhari's offer to swap Boko Haram prisoners for abducted Chibok girls and his appeal to what he called "the group’s genuine leaders" to engage international figures to negotiate on their behalf, if they had no trust in officials his government.

The Guardian takes up Buhari's appeal to "the modified leadership of Boko Haram" and his claims that the group's leaders are in conflict with each other. Buhari reportedly corroborated claims that the self-acclaimed leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, wounded in a Nigerian air force raid had been edged out, adding that there was now a problem between the top hierarchy and lower commanders.

Vanguard welcomes Buhari's offer to give dialogue a chance in the Niger Delta, especially his government's understanding of willingness to take time to understand who the group's leaders are, the issues relevant to their cause and his reiteration that peace is a prerequisite to the launching of  any projects in the region.

But it also underlines his warning that the Niger Delta must dialogue with the federal government or be dealt with in the same way as Boko Haram.

ThisDay says that the last part of the Nigerian president's remarks sparked an angry reaction from the influential Ijaw Youth Council. The umbrella body of the Niger Delta region's main ethnic populatiojn slammed the remarks as "reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the region".

SA minister may be arrested

South Africa's media are full of speculation that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan could be arrested for refusing to appear before police to answer charges of contravening the National Strategic Intelligence Act by creating a covert unit to investigate corruption.

Times Live says the summons was an attempt by President Jacob Zuma's allies to neutralise Pravin Gordhan who vowed he is prepared to die to save the country from thieves.

The Star reports that Gordhan told National Treasury staff on Friday that the Gupta family who are well known friends of Zuma were behind his troubles with the Hawks.
At the weekend the Guptas announced they were selling all their business interests in South Africa.

The Mail and Guardian publishes a video feature in which it shows how Zuma's allies are taking aim at those stading in his way, including a possible cabinet reshuffle is imminent and the threats to arrest Gordhan.

According to the newspaper, Zuma has responded to calls that he intervene with a statement saying he had no powers to stop the investigation. The Mail and Guardian states that Zuma's supporters want him to remove some of his political opponents from the cabinet adding that the anti-Zuma faction is unlikely to go down without a fight.

Olympics heroine brings power to village

And in Kenya, Daily Nation narrates the emotional story of Rio Olympics heroine Chepng’etich Kipyegon whose exploits in the 1500 metres triggered the connection of electricity to her little-known village of Ndabibit in Nakuru County.

The Nation reports that the remote village had been plagued with darkness for nearly four decades, until her father in the celebrations made a plea to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

According to the newspaper, his prayers were answered nine days later when energy secretary Charles Keter made the trip to Ndabibit to personally preside at the switching on of electricity, to the pleasure of jubilant residents.