The World Bank has announced the resumption of funding to Uganda, nearly two years after halting new financial support in response to the country’s controversial anti-LGBT law. The suspension began in August 2023, following the enactment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), which introduced severe penalties, including life imprisonment and the death penalty for certain same-sex activities. The Bank said the legislation was inconsistent with its core values, prompting the initial funding freeze. However, according to a World Bank spokesperson, efforts have since been made in collaboration with Ugandan authorities to implement robust safeguards aimed at minimizing potential harm caused by…
Author: Tosin Onisuuru
Kenyan lawyers and free speech advocates have spoken out against the prosecution of Webster Ochora Elijah, the author of an unauthorized biography about Charlene Ruto, daughter of President William Ruto. The book, titled Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising, has sparked controversy—not for its content, but for allegedly using Charlene’s name without her consent. Charlene Ruto reported the matter to the police, leading to the author’s arrest on Tuesday. He was charged with impersonation and accused of publishing the book with the intent to defraud. Although the exact contents of the book are not publicly available, Ms.…
Ivory Coast’s final list of presidential candidates has excluded prominent opposition figure and former Credit Suisse CEO, Tidjane Thiam, making him ineligible to contest the upcoming October election, according to a statement by his party on Wednesday. Thiam had previously confirmed to Reuters in April that he would maintain his candidacy despite a court ruling that invalidated his eligibility due to his French nationality at the time of registration. This decision by the Independent Electoral Commission could potentially reignite political tensions in a nation still healing from a decade-long civil conflict that ended in the early 2000s—an era marked by…
The Dutch coalition government has collapsed following the sudden withdrawal of Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party (PVV) over unresolved tensions surrounding immigration policy. Wilders’ dramatic exit has triggered the likely prospect of early national elections, less than a year after the coalition was formed in July 2024. A last-ditch meeting held on Tuesday morning, led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof, aimed to salvage the fragile alliance. However, talks ended almost immediately when Wilders abruptly left the room, effectively dissolving the coalition. At the center of the fallout were ten additional asylum-related demands from Wilders, which included halting new asylum applications,…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Rwanda-backed M23 rebels of executing at least 21 civilians over a two-day period in February in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The human rights group detailed the killings in a report released Tuesday, highlighting the atrocities committed in Goma’s Kasika neighborhood on February 22 and 23. The report offers a grim snapshot of the escalating violence in the region, where M23 rebels have mounted a large-scale offensive since January, seizing Goma and Bukavu—two of eastern Congo’s largest cities. The conflict has left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands. Among the victims…
The United Nations refugee agency has reported that more than 4 million people have fled Sudan since the outbreak of its civil war in April 2023, marking one of the world’s most severe displacement crises. Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun described the figure as a tragic milestone. “Now entering its third year, the displacement of over 4 million people underscores the magnitude of this ongoing humanitarian disaster,” she said. “If the violence continues, we expect thousands more to flee, posing risks to both regional and global stability.” Sudan, which borders Chad, South Sudan, Egypt,…
A 40-year-old Harare resident, Mike Mupinga, has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide after his pit bull fatally attacked a man on Sunday morning in New Bluffhill, Harare’s Ward 41. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed in a statement posted on X today that Mupinga is in custody over the incident, in which his dogs allegedly mauled Samuel Machara (39) to death near his residence. The police revealed that the victim’s body was discovered with multiple dog bite wounds and has since been transported to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals mortuary for a postmortem examination. Ward 41 Councillor Kudzai Kadzombe…
More than 15 parishes within the Makurdi Catholic Diocese in Benue State have been forced to shut down following relentless attacks on their host communities by suspected armed herders. This was revealed on Sunday by Rev. Fr Joseph Beba, Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) in the Makurdi Diocese, during a press briefing at the Catholic Cathedral in Makurdi. According to Fr Beba, the violence has mainly affected communities such as Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana. In the past two weeks, these areas have experienced coordinated assaults that have led to the deaths…
A rebel group affiliated with Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military base in central Mali, near the Burkina Faso border. According to two security sources, over 30 Malian soldiers were killed during the assault on Sunday. The group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), confirmed in a statement that its fighters captured the Boulkessi base. The Malian army, in its statement, acknowledged it had to withdraw, noting that many soldiers fought bravely until their last breath, but did not provide specific casualty figures. A spokesperson for the army did not respond to inquiries about…
The death toll from flooding in Nigeria’s Niger State has risen to 151, with thousands forced from their homes, according to emergency officials. Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, Director of Information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the updated figure on Saturday. Just a day earlier, the death toll had been reported as 117. Hussaini stated that more than 500 households have been affected, displacing over 3,000 people. The devastating floods hit the central town of Mokwa on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning. Days later, rescue teams are still combing through mud and debris, searching for victims. Flooding…
