Currently at 1.2 billion, Africa’s population is projected to more than double by 2050 and quadruple by 2100, reaching 4 billion. Young people make up a large part of Africa’s population but the continent is home to aging and many of the world’s longest-serving presidents. Unemployment is a reality across the continent and with the projected doubling population by 2050 new political, social and economic challenges face Africa. While African youth still remain marginalised in terms of political and civic engagement/involvement, the trend is beginning to change, and Africa’s growing and large youth population presents great opportunities.

Kenya’s Supreme Court on September 1 invalidated presidential election result of the August 8 poll, which saw the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Court ruled that the vote was marred by “irregularities and illegalities”. The Court said the election “was not conducted in accordance with the Constitution and … is invalid”. The ruling seen as a triumph for democracy and constitutionalism, and it has been widely celebrated across the continent, welcomed as an important precedent. Kenyatta will once again face a stern test from opposition leader Raila Odinga in the rerun scheduled for October 17.

Africa has seen some of its leaders clinging to power for decades. Some of these leaders will rather die hanging on to power than to handing it over to someone else. There are cases where some leaders continue to cling on by changing the constitution, removing term limits to stay in power. In recent years, a number of leaders have been successfully removed from power (Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia, more recently), but there are still a number of leaders prepared to manipulate the political processes to extend their stay in power.

This is a call for contributions on all things pleasure. This Is Africa is producing an anthology that explores ideas of pleasure on the continent.

Cartoon: The security situation in Kenya remains precarious following calls by opposition candidate Raila Odinga to continue fighting what he terms widespread electoral fraud. Kenyans went to the polls last week to decide their president. The official results of the election in which Odinga garnered 44,8 percent of the vote is being disputed. Odinga who officially lost to Jubilee party’s Uhuru Kenyatta, has urged people to stay away from work on Monday. Post election violence has left numerous people dead and scores injured but despite the deaths, the opposition says it will continue fighting. Various African and international observers have endorsed the poll, and described the election as free and fair.

The succession debate in Zimbabwe’s governing party Zanu PF has reached a crescendo following recent revelations by the country’s First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe (52) that President Robert Mugabe should now name his successor and any discussion on the issue should involve Mugabe. Zanu PF has been rocked by factional fights as two opposing groups are angling to succeed the 93 year-old who has been at the helm since the country’s independence in 1980. One faction is widely thought to be led by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa (74) and the rival group, G40 (Generation 40) is believed to enjoy the backing of the First Lady. Grace Mugabe has previously said Mugabe’s corpse could rule even from the grave. Elections are due in July next year.

Amnesty International has released a report which reveals war crimes in the fight against Boko Haram, including horrific use of torture. Detainees have been subjected to severe beatings, agonising stress positions and drownings, with some tortured to death. The report details torture at 20 sites, including four military bases, two facilities run by intelligence services, a private residence and a school. Castigating the abuse, Amnesty has called for the US and other international partners to investigate their military personnel’s possible knowledge of torture at one base. Alioune Tine, Amnesty’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa said while the organisation condemns the atrocities committed by Boko Haram, nothing could justify the “widespread practice of torture committed by the security forces against ordinary Cameroonians”.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has made an appearance since leaving the country for medical treatment in London, appearing in a picture released on Twitter by the Presidency of Nigeria. Although the latest picture could dispel the rumours doing the rounds in Nigeria, lack of clarity on the nature of Buhari’s illness and what the prognosis for his long-term health could be, can spur more damaging speculations.

The Catholic Church has revealed that more than 3,300 people have been killed in the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai region since last October. The UN also gave details of “harrowing reports” of killings, mutilation and entire villages destroyed in Kasai. The humanitarian and human rights situation has continued to deteriorate and the civilian population in the Kasai is in a precarious state following reports of “ethnic hatred, resulting in extremely grave, widespread and apparently planned attacks,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein told the Council. There has been reports of fighting between the Congolese security forces and militia members. The Congolese authorities have rejected a proposal by the UN Human Rights Council to send in an investigation team to look into the violence that has killed hundreds of civilians.

Today an African literary giant Prof Wole Soyinka celebrates his birthday. Prof Soyinka, a Nigerian poet and novelist turns 83. Soyinka is considered one of the foremost African poetry, and prose writers. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first African to be honoured in that category. As we celebrate Prof Soyinka’s 83rd birthday, we look at some moments in his life in pictures.