Quotes

'It is still a little too early to start popping the champagne, but this is a huge leap forward for a country that just 15 years ago nearly collapsed in a frenzy of bloodletting over yet another stolen election.'

– Analyst Paul Gathara on the Kenyan election

‘The operational plan confirmed the deployment of members for a week only, but that doesn’t mean that activities are halted. The arrests will still be carried out. It is worth mentioning that cases investigated by (the) Hawks … require extensive investigation and broad consultation, hence it takes long to complete the investigation.’

– Hawks spokesperson Thandi Mbambo on a planned operation to round up 85 suspects in connection with last year’s deadly riots in South Africa

‘We continue to urge the government to address our concerns about the legal protections afforded to him in this case and establish safeguards to prevent similar outcomes in the future.’

– US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Paul Rusesabagina, who was found guilty of crimes related to terrorism, despite intense lobbying by the US. He was portrayed in the film Hotel Rwanda saving the lives of hundreds of ethnic Tutsis during the 1994 genocide.

‘Attacks that kill innocent civilians have no justification, and they are more abhorrent as they are committed by an occupying power which has besieged the Gaza Strip for over a decade in contravention of international law. As an occupying power, Israel has specific obligations in terms of international human rights and humanitarian law, which it continues to breach without being held accountable.’

– Department of International Relations & Co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela last week’s Israeli attacks on Gaza