Zimbabwean street vendor Spiwe Tembo illegally sells bread buns in the capital Harare to feed her three children... and gets arrested again and again. The government banned street vendors as part of restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. But Tembo, and many others like her, have no other way to survive.

Buyers and sellers gather on the trading floor in Zimbabwe's capital to bid on bales of dried tobacco leaves as the marketing season kicks off. According to the industry regulator, the country is on track to produce 200,000 tonnes of tobacco this year, up from 184,000 in 2020.

South Africa's COVID-19 infection rates have remained low in the run-up to Easter, but fears of a third wave are mounting. Meanwhile, Africa's top health official has sounded alarm bells over a new Tanzanian variant.

Zimbabwe's Vice President Kembo Mohadi resigns amid sexual misconduct allegations. Local news outlets have been notified of phone recordings allegedly of Mohadi soliciting sex from women, including a subordinate in his office. Meanwhile in Nigeria, families face an anxious wait ahead as Zamfara state officials say they are negotiating with the kidnappers of 317 schoolgirls. And rights activists in Morocco are encouraging women to talk to organisations to break the silence and raise awareness about sexual violence and domestic abuse in the country.

Zimbabwe's transport and foreign ministers have both succumbed to the disease within less than two days of each other. Four ministers have died so far, with several more reportedly fighting for their lives in hospital.

Zimbabwe enters another lockdown as coronavirus numbers spike. Despite calls for people to avoid large gatherings, worryingly large crowds build up at the border with South Africa.

She was the first black woman in Zimbabwe to have a book published in English and, in doing so, Tsitsi Dangarembga became one of the late 20th century's key literary voices. Her latest novel "This Mournable Body" completes the trilogy she started in 1988, tracing the journey of a young girl in post-colonial Rhodesia to womanhood in 21st century Zimbabwe. Applauded by critics worldwide, this latest novel is a powerful study of the struggle to survive in an unforgiving society and the scars – both psychological and physical – of decades of conflict and oppression.

Beatrice Savadye grew up in a poor mining community in northern Zimbabwe. She experienced gender violence at home: her father told her brother to beat her and her sisters up if they misbehaved. But she decided to take a stand and not accept the status quo. Seven years ago, she started a women's group for Zimbabweans called Roots Africa. It pushes for stronger laws to protect women trapped with abusers from a surge in violence and from HIV infections. She joins us as part of our special coverage to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

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Zimbabwe President vows to 'flush out opponents'

Hundreds of military troops and police clamped down on an anti-government protest this Friday. Scores were arrested. The planned demonstration was against corruption and economic hardship amid skyrocketing inflation. President Emmerson Mnangagwa's critics say his government is increasingly resorting to the authoritarian tactics of the Robert Mugabe era. We speak to our correspondent in Harare.