East Africa

Lilongwe — A court in Lilongwe has issued a warrant authorizing a search of former President Lazarus Chakwera’s residence over allegations that he is unlawfully holding four State-owned security dogs, according to court records and an affidavit filed with the court. The affidavit says the animals are normally deployed to State House and other presidential security installations and were allegedly moved into Chakwera’s custody without the required approval. The warrant empowers investigators to enter the former president’s…

US Special Forces and Puntland State counterterrorism units on Wednesday carried out a coordinated raid on an ISIS hideout in Somalia’s Balade Valley, unleashing hours of gunfire and precision drone strikes that killed a senior commander and several militants, according to security sources. The joint operation inserted dozens of US troops by MH-60 helicopters and used MQ-9 Reaper drones to hit targets across the Habarbakuuje and Mareero areas of the valley, where intelligence indicated a fortified base was housing 10 to 15…

Kampala, Uganda — Uganda has halted the granting of refugee status to asylum seekers from Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, citing an absence of active armed conflict in those countries and a steep decline in donor support that officials say is straining the country’s capacity to assist new arrivals. Hilary Onek, Uganda’s minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, said he has instructed officials to stop processing new claims from citizens of the three countries. The move comes even as Uganda continues to…

Malawi is unprepared for the upcoming planting season, with limited fertilizer stocks and the procurement of other farming inputs “dangerously” behind schedule, President Peter Mutharika told an International Monetary Fund delegation on Thursday. Mutharika made the rare public admission as he laid out a string of economic pressures that he said have constrained the government’s ability to mount an adequate agricultural response: a foreign‑exchange shortage, unstable fuel supplies and rising debt repayments. He said those…

Rwanda Rebuts Macron's Claims on Goma Airport's Reopening The Rwandan government has publicly challenged French President Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks concerning the resumption of flights at Goma Airport. Macron suggested that both the M23 rebel group and those controlling the airport had not made sufficient efforts to allow flights to resume while asserting that "all the administrative conditions have nevertheless been met by DR Congo." In a pointed response, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe criticized…

Puntland State arrests senior immigration official in Garowe over alleged youth-smuggling passports Garowe, Somalia — Puntland State security forces on Sunday arrested a senior official with the Immigration and Nationality Authority in Garowe on allegations he facilitated youth smuggling networks by illegally issuing Somali passports, authorities said. The official, identified by local sources as the deputy head of the Garowe Immigration Office, is accused of producing travel documents for large numbers of young people who…

EACJ lifts injunction, reinstates Somalia’s nine EALA delegates after months-long dispute NAIROBI, Kenya — The East African Court of Justice has reinstated nine Somali delegates to the East African Legislative Assembly, ending months of suspension tied to allegations that their selection in Mogadishu was flawed and politically influenced. The Arusha-based court on Friday lifted an injunction imposed earlier this year after a group of Somali academics and politicians challenged the delegates’ election. The petitioners alleged…

Nnamdi Kanu Convicted of Terrorism and Treason in Nigeria Separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has been convicted of terrorism, treason, and other charges in Nigeria after a decade-long trial. He has been sentenced to four life sentences, along with additional terms to be served concurrently. The prosecution had sought the death penalty; however, Judge James Omotosho stated that executions are now "frowned upon." Omotosho’s ruling emphasized that Kanu used a series of broadcasts to incite violence and killings in support of his…

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promoted Lieutenant Gen. Emmanuel Matatu and named him head of the Zimbabwean Defence Force (ZDF), and elevated Major Gen. Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi to lieutenant general as commander of the Zimbabwean Armed Forces, the presidency said in a statement. The statement said the appointments and promotions were made “in keeping with the country’s Constitution.” It gave no further detail on the timing of the handovers, the officials’ previous postings or any accompanying changes to the defence…

Mogadishu — Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has been named the CAF Best Male Referee for 2025, a landmark honor announced Wednesday evening at a ceremony at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco. The award marks a historic breakthrough for Somali football and its match officials, drawing swift congratulations from the nation’s top leadership. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called the accolade “historic” and said Artan’s rise reflects the talent and professionalism of a new generation of Somali officials…