Author: WAJ Editor

The Zimbabwean government has announced plans to pay compensation to victims of the Gukurahundi massacres, with community-based hearings scheduled to begin in Matabeleland North and South on June 26, 2025. The process, led by the National Council of Chiefs, represents a significant step towards reconciliation and justice more than four decades after the atrocities of the 1980s. Zimbabwe’s Deputy Chairman of the National Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira, revealed the details at a press conference in Bulawayo earlier this week. He confirmed that traditional leaders will oversee confidential, victim-centred hearings across affected communities, ensuring that each case is heard…

Tensions rose across Kenya on Tuesday following the death of 31-year-old blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody on June 8, sparking anger and fresh protests across the country over alleged extrajudicial killings by security forces. At least one person is alleged to have died during demonstrations in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. The circumstances of the death and the identity of the victim remain unclear. Police spokesman Muchiri Nyaga said he was not aware of the incident. Ojwang’s death comes almost exactly a year after more than 60 people were killed in protests that initially began over proposed…

Across the continent, African nations commemorated the Day of the African Child on June 16, 2025, under the African Union’s theme: “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010.” The annual observance, established in 1991 in memory of the 1976 Soweto uprising, provided a platform for governments, civil society organizations, and young people to reflect on how national policies and public spending have addressed children’s rights over the last 15 years. Long-Term Progress with Government Initiatives Mauritius held a central ceremony at the Intercontinental Slavery Museum in Port Louis, with senior government officials in attendance, including the Minister of…

UN experts have called for an immediate arms embargo on Sudan and accountability for serious human rights violations, warning that the country’s civil war is escalating with devastating consequences for civilians. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan said on Tuesday that the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has escalated, deepening the humanitarian crisis and fueling widespread violence, displacement and famine. “The conflict in Sudan is far from over,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, who heads the mission. “The scale of human suffering is increasing as the collapse of governance, militarization…

Local authorities confirmed on Monday that the death toll from devastating floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province last week had risen to 90. Emergency crews were continuing search and rescue operations in the hardest-hit areas. The floods, caused by heavy rain and strong winds, hit one of the country’s poorest regions, displacing thousands and causing widespread destruction. Authorities said at least 30 of those killed were children, six of whom died when school buses were swept away by floodwaters. Three other students survived by clinging to trees. The Eastern Cape government said in a statement that the confirmed death…

At least 20 people have been killed and 16 injured in nearly a week of inter-communal violence in eastern Chad, according to parliament and local sources on Monday. The clashes erupted in Ouaddai province, an area where tensions between farming and herding communities have long persisted. Local authorities said the violence began last Tuesday when two armed youths from the Zaghawa community stole a motorcycle from a member of the Ouaddai ethnic group. The incident quickly escalated into armed retaliation, leaving eight people, including the alleged thieves, dead. The violence intensified on Saturday when at least 12 Ouaddai residents were…

Togo’s media regulator announced on Monday that it had suspended French broadcasters Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 for three months, accusing them of broadcasting biased and false content that allegedly undermined the country’s institutions and reputation. The High Authority for Audiovisual and Communications (HAAC) said the decision was in response to “inaccurate and biased” reports published in recent weeks. According to the regulator, the reports included statements deemed “untrue” and damaging to the stability of Togo’s republican institutions. The suspension follows a series of anti-government protests that erupted in the capital Lome earlier this month. Demonstrators clashed with…

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has signed into law a controversial bill that would allow civilians to be tried in military courts. The move has sparked widespread concern among opposition figures and rights activists ahead of the country’s presidential elections in January 2026. The law, which was made public on social media by the Ugandan parliament, comes just months after the Supreme Court ruled that the trial of civilians in military courts was unconstitutional. The ruling cited the case of opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Besigye, a long-time critic of Museveni, was kidnapped by gunmen in Nairobi last November and later tried…

Authorities confirmed on Monday that at least 29 people lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa over the weekend due to heavy flooding and rain-related incidents. Governor Daniel Bumba said that overnight rains on Friday and Saturday affected several districts including Ngaliema, Masina, Lemba and Matete. The heavy downpour caused landslides and widespread flooding, damaging homes, roads and bridges. In Lemba, a couple died when a landslide hit their home. Several bridges were also destroyed in the Kalamu district, causing major disruptions to traffic and mobility. “The rains caused landslides and floods, destroying homes and damaging…

Kenya Deputy Police Chief Eliud Kipkoech Lagat has voluntarily resigned from his post as investigations into the death of 31-year-old political blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody, continue. Ojwang was arrested after making social media posts accusing Lagat of corruption. His death sparked widespread public outrage and intensified calls for accountability at the highest levels of the police force. In a statement released on Monday, Lagat said he was stepping down in light of the ongoing investigation and out of respect for his position. He also pledged to cooperate fully with authorities and offered his condolences to Ojwang’s…

Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu has announced that he will represent himself in court as he faces high-profile treason charges, claiming that his legal rights have been repeatedly violated since he was detained in April. Appearing in court on Monday, Lissu told the judge that he had been denied private meetings with his lawyers for 68 days. “They were not allowed to see me or speak to me,” he said, explaining his decision to act as his own legal counsel in a case that carries the death penalty. Lissu, who has been a vocal critic of the government, appeared in…

Julius Kambarage Nyerere, known as “Mwalimu” (meaning “teacher” in Swahili), was a significant Tanzanian politician, anti-colonial activist, philosopher, and the first President of independent Tanganyika, later Tanzania. Revered as the father of the nation, Nyerere played a central role in the political transformation of East Africa during the decolonization era and shaped the political, economic, and social fabric of modern Tanzania. His legacy still influences African political thought and nation-building efforts. Early Life and Education Julius Nyerere was born on April 13, 1922, in Butiama, a small village on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria in what was then British-ruled…

The Libya British Business Council (LBBC), in collaboration with the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) and Murzuq Oil Services Limited (MOSL), has announced that it will host the Libya Energy Conference in London on July 2. According to LBBC, the high-level conference aims to foster strategic dialogue between Libyan energy leaders and international business representatives. The event will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the latest developments in Libya’s energy sector, new investment opportunities and the growing role of the private sector. The Libyan Minister of Oil and Gas is scheduled to deliver the opening speech. The conference agenda will…

The Tanzanian government has announced that all local government councils will be formally dissolved on June 20, 2025, in preparation for the country’s upcoming general elections will take place in October. The announcement was made during an official briefing on Sunday by Mohamed Mchengerwa, Tanzanian Minister of State at the Presidential Office for Regional Government and Local Government (TAMISEMI). The minister also confirmed that all standing committee meetings have been suspended from that date. Minister Mchengerwa referred to Section 178 of the Local Government (District Authorities) Act, stating that the law empowers him to dissolve local councils seven days before…

At least 102 people were killed and over 100 others were seriously injured in a brutal attack on a rural community in Benue State of Nigeria, local authorities said on Saturday, making it one of the deadliest attacks in Nigeria this year. The violence erupted late Friday when suspected criminal herdsmen raided the Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area. The attackers, reportedly armed with firearms and explosives, continued their attack until the early hours of Saturday, setting houses ablaze and trapping residents inside. “This is a tragedy beyond words. We have counted at least 102 bodies and over 100…

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that the second group of South African troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will arrive home on Sunday afternoon. The contingent, returning as part of the phased withdrawal from the SADC peacekeeping mission, is expected to land at Air Force Base Waterkloof between 3pm and 5pm. A third and final group is scheduled to return on Monday. This follows the arrival of the first group of 249 soldiers on Friday evening, who were transported to Tempe military base in Bloemfontein early Saturday morning. Their return had been delayed…