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Six years after Cyclone Idai tore through central Mozambique, the port city of Beira still carries the imprint of that storm in both brick and belief. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 500 people in Mozambique and left thousands more homeless; in the past decade alone, 10 cyclones have claimed more than a thousand lives across the country. For many residents, the memory of Idai is not only a ledger of loss but a constant lens through which the next weather warning is viewed. Reporting by Sean Christie for the Bhekisisa…

West African shipping companies are revising routes and business plans as the escalating crisis in the Middle East disrupts global maritime corridors, industry officials and analysts say. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and heightened insecurity in the Red Sea and Suez Canal have pushed up operational costs — most notably insurance premiums — and prompted firms to consider rerouting, suspending services or passing fees on to importers and exporters. Boma Alabi, chairperson of the Shipping Association of Nigeria, said…

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said U.S. Ambassador Brent Bozell III expressed regret for comments he made about a South African court’s ruling on the controversial “Kill the Boer” chant. DIRCO confirmed the South African government summoned Bozell III, who took over the ambassadorial post last month, after he publicly criticized a court decision that found the chant did not amount to hate speech. The summons was intended to register the government’s concern over the ambassador…

As the Republic of the Congo approaches a March 15 presidential election widely viewed as tightly controlled, attention is fixed on Denis Sassou Nguesso — the 82-year-old incumbent seeking what researchers say will be effectively a fifth consecutive term since his 1997 return to power. Analysts Remadji Hoinathy and Nirvaly Mooloo of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) warn that the vote is unlikely to alter the country's political trajectory, suggesting instead that the ruling Parti Congolais du Travail (PCT) will…

On the 11th anniversary of his disappearance, human rights groups renewed calls for truth and accountability in the case of pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted outside a barber shop in Glen View, Harare, on March 9, 2015, and has not been seen since. Dzamara’s disappearance remains unresolved a decade after the incident that shocked Zimbabwe and drew attention to the risks faced by vocal critics of the country’s former president, Robert Mugabe. Amnesty International Zimbabwe said Dzamara’s family has…

President Duma Boko Addresses Death Penalty and Corruption Allegations In a recent statement, President Duma Boko of Botswana refuted claims suggesting he harbors opposition to the death penalty, labeling these assertions as "baseless." He emphasized that the Clemency Committee has not yet put forth any recommendations regarding executions for his consideration, reinforcing his commitment to uphold the legal framework of the nation. Boko's statements come amidst rising concerns over governance and accountability within…

Malawi has banned "dual practice" for health workers at all public clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and diagnostic centers in a sweeping move intended to stamp out corruption and restore confidence in the state health system, the government announced Monday. The directive bars public-sector health employees from holding concurrent jobs in private medical facilities. It also requires any health worker who owns or has a stake in a private clinic, pharmacy or diagnostic center to divest within 30 days or face dismissal and…

South Africa’s proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) — billed by the government as the country’s most sweeping health overhaul since the end of apartheid in 1994 — is effectively frozen amid court challenges and constitutional clashes. Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism spoke with health economist Susan Cleary to explore whether the NHI is a wise way forward. The debate now centers on capacity, cost, equity and the political will required to remake a deeply unequal health system. The case for NHI is straightforward…

The Zimbabwean government’s decision to allocate US$25 million to a new football tournament has ignited a debate about priorities and transparency, underscoring tensions between high-profile state-sponsored projects and urgent public-sector needs. President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the Munhumutapa ZIFA Cup in Harare, a five-year competition that will include men's, women's, developmental and futsal categories. Organisers say the men's champions will receive US$1 million and a berth in the CAF Confederation Cup, details…

Angola's New NGO Law Raises Alarms Over Civil Liberties President João Lourenço has signed into law new legislation regulating the operation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups in Angola, stirring significant concern among civil society. Organizations like Human Rights Watch have raised alarms about the severe implications this law could have on civic freedoms within the country. The new legislation grants authorities expansive powers to authorize, monitor, suspend, and financially restrict NGOs under…