Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu has announced plans to begin a hunger strike in protest against what he describes as unjust treatment during his detention and ongoing treason trial. The 57-year-old leader of the opposition party Chadema will commence the strike on Sunday or Monday, according to his lawyer, Peter Kibatala. The move comes amid growing concerns about political repression ahead of Tanzania’s general elections set for October. Lissu, a long-time critic of the ruling government, was arrested last month and charged with treason—a serious offense in Tanzania that carries the possibility of the death penalty. Speaking to journalists, Kibatala…

In a bold move to stabilize its weakening national currency, the Tanzanian government has officially banned the use of foreign currencies—most notably the US dollar—in all domestic transactions. The new foreign exchange regulations were made public in the Government Gazette on March 28, 2025, and are now being enforced across the country. According to a notice issued by the Bank of Tanzania, all goods and services must now be priced and paid for exclusively in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS). The central bank emphasized that quoting or receiving payments in foreign currencies is now illegal, and violations may lead to legal consequences.…

Kenya and Azerbaijan have taken a significant step toward strengthening their diplomatic and economic cooperation, following the first round of political consultations between the two countries held in Nairobi on Friday. The high-level discussions were led by Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr. Abraham Korir Sing’Oei and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, who is heading a visiting delegation from Baku. The meeting, which comes as the two countries mark over two decades of diplomatic relations, focused on expanding partnerships in key sectors such as trade, digital innovation, energy, agriculture, tourism, and education. Both sides expressed a shared interest in…

At least 50 Al-Shabaab militants were killed on Saturday in fierce clashes between Somali government forces and community-based fighters along the border of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions, Somali defense officials reported. The battle erupted in multiple rural areas, including Muqliga Ali, El-Hareeri, Hareeri Madoobe, and Garas Magan, after the militant group launched a surprise assault on a military base. According to the Ministry of Defense, government troops and allied Ma’awisley fighters successfully repelled the attack, inflicting heavy losses on the attackers. Defense Ministry spokesperson Abukar Mohamed described the operation as a major victory. “Our troops, with the support of…

In the heart of Harar’s ancient walled city, 75-year-old Abdallah Ali Sherif is quietly preserving the cultural soul of one of Ethiopia’s most historic towns. Surrounded by shelves of old cassette tapes and piles of weathered newspapers, the father and grandfather has spent decades recovering Harar’s lost heritage—one book at a time. Growing up in eastern Ethiopia, Abdallah was met with silence whenever he asked about his city’s past. “Our parents were too afraid to teach us,” he says, seated on a floor mattress in his modest home. Like many of his generation, he was discouraged from exploring his roots…

In a significant escalation of Sudan’s ongoing civil war, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a drone attack on military facilities near Port Sudan Airport, a Sudanese army spokesperson confirmed on Sunday. This marks the first RSF strike to reach the eastern port city, which has largely remained untouched by the violence ravaging other regions. While no casualties were reported, the incident has raised alarm over the conflict’s eastward expansion. The RSF has not publicly commented on the attack. Over recent months, the RSF has targeted energy infrastructure in central and northern Sudan, though with limited impact. However, Sunday’s…

Three leading Republican senators have unveiled a proposed bill to restrict U.S. funding for peacekeeping operations in Somalia, unless international partners—including the European Union, the United Nations (UN), and the African Union (AU)—increase their financial contributions to match the U.S. share. The bill, titled the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025, is spearheaded by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Rick Scott (R-Florida). It seeks to ensure American tax dollars are not disproportionately used to fund anti-terrorism and peace operations in…

Nine months after their abduction near the Kenyan border town of Moyale, Marsabet County, two South Korean nationals have appeared in a newly released video showing them alive but in distress inside Somalia. The video, which surfaced on social media on Monday, features humanitarian worker and reportedly missionaries David Ian Lee and his mother-in-law Hiwi Sokk Cheon, who were kidnapped on August 12, 2024, by suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists from their home in the village of Odda, near the Kenya–Ethiopia border. In the three-minute footage reviewed by WAJ, David Ian Lee is seen pleading for help from the South Korean government.…

South Sudan has resumed oil exports through Sudan after a months-long disruption caused by damage to a critical pipeline amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The development offers a major financial lifeline to Juba, which depends on oil revenues for nearly 98% of its national budget. The flow of crude oil resumed on January 8, 2025, after successful repairs to a damaged section of the pipeline passing through conflict-affected areas of Sudan. The pipeline services oil production from Blocks 3 and 7 in South Sudan and ends at Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The repairs were made possible through…

Khartoum — Once a battleground echoing with gunfire, Sudan’s capital is now witnessing a cautious return to life. Weeks after the Sudanese army reclaimed control of Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), small signs of recovery are emerging amid the wreckage of war. In neighborhoods like Kalakla, which bore the brunt of heavy fighting, the clatter of donkey carts and the aroma of fresh produce from reopened market stalls hint at a fragile normalcy. “People feel safe again,” says Maqbool Essa Mohamed, a vendor who has returned to his spot in the southern district’s main market. “Business is moving…

South African police have rescued 44 Ethiopian nationals, including 17 minors, from a house in Sandton, one of Johannesburg’s most affluent suburbs, in what authorities suspect is a human trafficking case. The operation followed an emergency call reporting cries for help coming from the residence. Upon arrival, officers discovered the group locked in multiple rooms, according to a police statement. “We discovered 44 undocumented individuals—among them 17 minors—held under suspicious circumstances,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo. Authorities are currently awaiting interpreters to speak with the victims and determine the full extent of the situation. The rescue sheds light…

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has unveiled a groundbreaking draft proclamation that would allow foreign nationals to own immovable property in the country—potentially reversing decades of state-centered land ownership policy. The new bill, officially referred to the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) for deliberation, outlines specific conditions under which non-Ethiopians may acquire land and property without undermining citizens’ constitutional rights. According to the Council, the legislation aims to balance local access to land while attracting foreign capital, encouraging real estate development, and generating employment. If passed, the law would mark a significant departure from the current legal framework, which strictly prohibits…

Sudan’s brutal civil conflict took another violent turn as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled the presidential palace in Khartoum on Thursday, marking their second major strike on the capital within a week. The artillery attack, launched from al-Salha neighborhood across the White Nile, highlights the paramilitary group’s persistent threat despite losing control of the city last month. No casualties were immediately reported, but the shelling signals growing pressure on the army, which has struggled to maintain its grip on Khartoum and other strategic zones. Just days earlier, the RSF bombarded the army’s General Command headquarters in the city. The…

Somalia’s decision to ban the entry and transit of travelers holding Taiwanese passports has sparked diplomatic waves across the Horn of Africa and beyond, as tensions around Taiwan’s international status and Somaliland’s sovereignty continue to escalate. The ban, which came into effect on April 30, was confirmed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused China of pressuring Somalia into the move. In a strongly worded statement, Taiwan protested the decision and urged the Somali government to immediately revoke the directive, citing concerns over the freedom and safety of Taiwanese citizens. Somalia has not officially commented on the ban. However,…

Sudan’s military leader and head of the Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has appointed Ambassador Dafallah Al-Haj Ali Osman as Minister of Cabinet Affairs and de facto head of government, in a move that underscores a broader political shake-up amid the country’s ongoing civil war. Al-Haj, Sudan’s current ambassador to Saudi Arabia, brings decades of diplomatic experience to the post. Since joining the Foreign Ministry in 1980, he has served in multiple senior positions, including ambassador to France, Pakistan, and the Vatican, as well as Sudan’s representative to the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He…

Taiwan has voiced strong criticism against Somalia after authorities in the East African country enforced a travel ban on individuals holding Taiwanese passports. The move, which took effect on April 30, prevents Taiwanese nationals from entering or transiting through Somalia. Taiwan’s foreign ministry described the action as politically motivated and influenced by China, calling it a violation of basic travel rights. A statement issued Tuesday evening urged Somali authorities to immediately revoke the directive and warned its citizens against traveling to either Somalia or the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. Somalia has not officially commented on the decision, but the ban…