The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has initiated steps to strip former President Joseph Kabila of his legal immunity to pave the way for prosecution over allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and treason linked to rebel insurgencies in the country’s volatile eastern region. Justice Minister Constant Mutamba, speaking to reporters Wednesday in Kinshasa, disclosed that a formal request has been submitted to the Senate to lift Kabila’s immunity. As a former head of state and current senator for life, Kabila is legally protected from prosecution unless that protection is revoked by the legislature. Mutamba stated that authorities have…
Author: Tosin Onisuuru
Kenya’s President William Ruto fended off a shoe thrown at him during a speech about the cost of living which has been a source of public anger, videos shared on social media showed. Ruto has been compelled to abandon tax hikes and invite opposition members into cabinet, but discontent remains high in the East African nation. On Sunday at the rally in Migori county in western Kenya, Ruto blocked the flying footwear with his arm and did not appear to be injured, according to three videos. “We have said we are reducing the price of fertilizer, true or false?” he…
Gabon’s President-elect Brice Oligui Nguema who led a coup ending decades of Bongo family rule and swept polls last month with nearly 95 percent of the vote will be sworn in Saturday. The general and former junta leader, who toppled Ali Bongo in August 2023 ending 55 years of dynastic rule by the Bongo family, officially takes the presidential reins after leading a 19-month transition government. Several African heads of state are expected to attend the inauguration in a 40,000-capacity stadium, north of the capital Libreville. They include Gambia’s Adama Barrow, Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh and…
Farmers in a breadbasket town in eastern Congo who previously fled heavy fighting are facing new challenges as they return to tend fields now under rebel control, a phenomenon playing out across the war-hit region. The unprecedented advance by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, part of a decades-long conflict rooted in the Rwandan genocide, has forced 1.2 million people from their homes in North and South Kivu provinces since January, according to the International Organization for Migration. During the same period, some 1.8 million people – more than 350,000 households – have returned to homes they had earlier vacated, the U.N. agency…
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has stated that the war in Ukraine is unlikely to end in the near future. In an interview with Fox News, Vance emphasized the urgent need for a diplomatic resolution, noting that the United States should focus on encouraging both Russia and Ukraine to reach a middle ground. “The key question now is how the U.S. can help both sides find a path toward peace,” Vance said, adding, “Ultimately, it will be up to Russia and Ukraine to come to an agreement and end this brutal conflict.” Vance’s remarks came on the heels of a…
Uganda’s military chief, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, says he is holding an opposition activist in his basement and has threatened violence against him, after the man’s party said he was abducted by armed men last week. Eddie Mutwe, who also acts as the chief bodyguard for Uganda’s leading opposition figure, Bobi Wine, went missing on April 27 after being grabbed near the capital Kampala by armed men, the National Unity Platform (NUP) party has said. The police have said they do not have Mutwe, whose real name is Edward Ssebuufu, and until now there had been no word…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate longstanding allegations that justice was obstructed in the prosecution of apartheid-era human rights violations. In a statement released on Wednesday, the presidency said the commission will probe whether there were deliberate delays or undue influence that hindered investigations and prosecutions related to crimes committed under the apartheid regime. The announcement comes amid mounting legal pressure from families of political victims who claim successive governments failed to hold perpetrators accountable. “Allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes have persisted…
Nigeria has been officially announced as the host nation for the 2025 Chovken African Regional Championship, according to Nura Kangiwa, Chairman of the African Region of the International Chovken Federation. The announcement came during a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Chovken Association to Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, in Abuja. The development was confirmed in a press statement issued by Joessef Karim, media aide to Kangiwa. The tournament, scheduled for late 2025, will welcome teams from across Africa, including Egypt, Morocco, and Kenya, marking a major leap forward for the promotion of equestrian and traditional sports on…
The City of Harare launched a full-scale emergency response to combat a severe bed bug infestation in Mbare flats. The local authority activated its Incident Management System (IMS), appointed an incident manager, and developed an action plan to address the public health nuisance. The council began the first of three planned fumigation cycles on April 7, targeting 5,450 rooms, with 64% completed by the latest update. The outbreak was confined to Mbare, however, teams were sent to investigate reports from other suburbs. Council said bed bugs, although not known to transmit diseases, pose a serious nuisance and affect the well-being…
Zimbabwe has now secured its position as the fifth-largest producer of avocados in Africa, a remarkable achievement driven by a six-year surge in production. This follows significant production over the past six years. New figures show that the country grew over 125,000 tonnes of avocados in the 2023/2024 farming season, more than double what it produced in 2017. This growth has been driven by more investment in farming by both the government and private companies. Much of the avocado farming is happening in the Manicaland region, especially around the town of Chipinge. The Horticultural Development Council, which helps develop fruit…
