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East-Africa

Somalia seeks offshore oil development through evidence-based partnerships

By: Prof. Abdinasir Ali OsmanTuesday April 14, 2026 A Condensed Investigative and Forward-Looking Policy Analysis of Curad-1 and Somalia’s Offshore Future Somalia’s offshore oil frontier has quickly become one of the Horn of Africa’s most closely watched energy stories. In a region where maritime security, foreign investment, and state-building often collide, the Curad-1 drilling program has pushed Somalia from theory into action. This condensed investigative analysis draws on international reporting, institutional…

Drought-hit Lower Juba pastoralists flee toward Somali-Kenyan border

Tuesday April 14, 2026 Displaced families grapple with food, water shortages/File Photo/Ergo Pastoralist families uprooted by drought in southern Somalia’s Lower Juba region have reached Kulbiyow, a small border town near Kenya, stripped of their livestock, shelter and dependable access to food. They left behind rural settlements around Buulo-Haaji, near Kismayo, after months of severe drought depleted water points, killed animals and shattered the livelihoods that sustained them. Among those now struggling in Kulbiyow is…

Militants No Longer Occupy Major Mozambique Towns, Chapo Says

President Daniel Chapo says Mozambique’s campaign against insurgents has turned a corner, with national security forces working alongside regional partners to retake areas once controlled by militants. Under sustained pressure, he noted, the armed groups are “constantly on the move,” and authorities have recorded no confirmed kidnappings in the past six months. Addressing the National Council of the Mozambique Youth Organisation (OJM), the ruling Frelimo Party’s youth wing, the President also appealed for responsible…

Somalia Galmudug and Hirshabelle political influence explained

Galmudug and Hirshabelle, two federal member states in central and south-central Somalia, shape politics through a mix of formal institutions, clan-based power sharing, and security priorities. How influence is exercised—and why it can differ from federal plans—helps explain many of the country’s repeated political and governance disputes. What Happened In recent years, Somalia’s federal member states have continued to play a major role in national stability, particularly as the federal government and regional…

Killings of Elderly Surge in Malawi Amid Witchcraft Allegations

Malawi is facing a sharp escalation in violence against its seniors, with the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organizations warning that killings tied to witchcraft allegations are surging. The group reports 11 elderly people were murdered in the first three months of this year—putting the country on pace to surpass the 22 deaths documented across all of 2025. Executive Director Andrew Kavala called the trend “alarming,” noting that more than 300 older persons have been killed over witchcraft accusations since 2015. Urging…

Djibouti President Guelleh wins sixth straight term in office

Saturday April 11, 2026 Djibouti (AX) — President Ismail Omar Guelleh has secured a sixth straight term in office after sweeping Friday’s presidential election with 97.81% of the vote, according to official results released by state media. His lone opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar of the opposition Unified Democratic Centre (CDU), won 2.19% of ballots. Authorities said turnout reached 80.4% in the vote, in a country of about one million people with roughly 256,000 registered voters. Shortly after early results were…

Djibouti’s Guelleh set to win sixth term after age limits lifted

Friday April 10, 2026 Djibouti heads to the polls on Friday in a presidential vote that is widely expected to hand incumbent Ismael Omar Guelleh another term, after lawmakers scrapped the age restrictions that could have blocked the 78-year-old from running again. Though tiny in size and home to fewer than 1 million people, the Horn of Africa nation sits in one of the world’s most strategic locations: the Gulf of Aden, at the mouth of the Red Sea. That positioning has drawn a rare concentration of foreign military…

Police arrest multimillion-dollar human trafficker who smuggled thousands, including Somali migrants

Friday April 10, 2026 Ethiopian police say Yetbarek Dawit, who is yet to comment on the allegations, was wanted in various countries Mogadishu (AX) — Ethiopian authorities say they have arrested a man accused of running a trafficking ring that moved thousands of migrants, including Somalis, into Libya over a number of years, where many were allegedly tortured, abused and held for ransom. Federal police named the suspect as Yetbarek Dawit, saying he directed a cross-border operation that smuggled more than 3,000 people from…

Multi-agency team seizes suspected Al-Shabaab uniforms during Eastleigh crackdown

By Manuel NtoyaiWednesday April 8, 2026 A sweeping security raid in Nairobi has uncovered what investigators suspect is a dangerous terror supply line, after officers seized dozens of bales of alleged Al-Shabaab combat uniforms concealed in Eastleigh. The nighttime, intelligence-driven operation around the busy KBS Garage area brought together a multi-agency team led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Starehe and the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), who moved in on a consignment thought to be part of a broader…

Intimidation Allegations Mar Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Hearings Across the Country

Zimbabwe’s human rights watchdog has warned that public hearings on proposed constitutional changes are being undermined by intimidation and the exclusion of critics, with opponents of the bill reportedly singled out. The Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) noted strong turnout at the sessions and praised Parliament for widely promoting the hearings and inviting written submissions. However, it flagged serious risks to participants’ safety. Commission Chairperson Jessie Majome said that "whilst those in support...…