Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.
Appointed head of the Grande Loge du Gabon at the start of the year, Jacques-Denis Tsanga announced the suspension of several rites this month, including the Knights Templar rite linked to former Pro Grand Master Lin Mombo.
After almost four months in charge of a regional intervention force deployed to restore peace to eastern DRC, the South African is frustrated by a shortage of men and resources. And a chronically strained relationship with MONUSCO isn't helping.
In a bid to increase his influence, Babagana Zulum is imposing numerous conditions on a humanitarian aid programme in his home state. The European Union is now looking to provide support elsewhere in the country.
French electronics giant CS Group hopes it will finally clinch a €150m contract to secure Senegal's territorial waters now that Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected as president. The Israeli broker Gaby Peretz, whose interests may be damaged by Faye's arrival in power, has made a competing bid.
Increasingly sidelined in recent years, Rigathi Gachagua is determined to shore up his political standing. After several false starts, he has now set his sights on a new target: supporters of Musalia Mudavadi, the prime minister and a key rival.
Ethiopia, the birthplace of many a world-class athlete, wants to review the terms of its deal with Adidas, which has suffered a setback in its native Germany and is competing with Nike to sign up East Africa's best athletes.
Spanish, Turkish and South Korean firms could all enter the competition alongside the French company Naval Group, despite the many financial and technical questions still surrounding the new port activities in the economic capital.