Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete won a second term in office with 61% of the vote, election officials said.

Mass protests by Kenya’s opposition were called off today under pressure from former UN chief Kofi Annan who is trying to pave the way for a permanent deal to end the country’s divisions.

A defiant and angry Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has lashed out at Western support for what he called violent opposition activists and told his growing number of critics to “go hang”.

President Mary McAleese today travels to Tanzania as part of her resumed trip to southern Africa.