A surge in politically linked abuses gripped Zimbabwe in April, with 145 human rights violations impacting 3,675 people, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) reported. The watchdog highlighted a pattern of political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and curbs on freedoms of expression and association among the most pressing issues. According to the report, those affected included 1,887 women and 1,788 men. ZPP warned that the human rights climate is deteriorating, citing an escalation in intimidation, violence, and the misuse…

A Federal High Court has mandated the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to compensate two officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) with $72,000 in damages. Additionally, the court has instructed SERAP to publish public apologies and cover the associated litigation costs. This decision arises from SERAP's accusations in 2024 that DSS personnel conducted an unlawful raid on its office in Abuja. These allegations followed SERAP's critique of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company's fuel…

Felicien Kabuga, long branded one of the world’s most-wanted fugitives and a central suspect in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, has died in custody at 93, the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals confirmed. Prosecutors accused Kabuga of using his wealth and influence to encourage and finance the killings that swept Rwanda between April and June 1994, when Hutu extremists murdered more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in just 100 days. After more than two decades on the run, he was arrested in France…

In a significant escalation of military efforts, the U.S. and Nigerian forces have launched new airstrikes against militant groups in northern Nigeria, occurring shortly after the announcement regarding the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a prominent figure within these insurgent factions. According to a recent statement from U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), the airstrikes were executed on Sunday and specifically targeted ISIS militants. Notably, there were no reported casualties among either U.S. or Nigerian military…

In a harrowing incident, over 50 children—primarily aged between two and five—were taken by armed assailants from three schools in Mussa, Borno State. Witnesses to the attack recounted that the kidnappers employed the young victims as human shields while making their escape on motorbikes, complicating efforts by security forces to engage. The abductions occurred at the Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School, and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Secondary School. As of now, no group…

Botswana has scrapped the sections of its penal code that outlawed same-sex relations, a decisive move that cements one of the continent’s most significant advances for LGBTQ rights. The change formalises a 2019 High Court judgment that struck down the provisions as unconstitutional. Activists from Legabibo say the amendment underscores the government’s commitment to human rights, even as momentum elsewhere on the continent moves in the opposite direction. Several nations, including Senegal, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali,…

From the stage of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, President Paul Kagame delivered a sharp critique of global sanctions, saying they are wielded unevenly and weaponized against weaker states. He argued that the way sanctions are imposed reflects raw power rather than justice, advantaging countries with greater strategic or economic clout. During a session moderated by CNN anchor and correspondent Eleni Giokos, African leaders were pressed on how they are navigating escalating geopolitical strains — from disputed mineral…

Bureaucracy is choking access to safe drinking water nationwide, lawmakers warned, taking aim at the government’s current water-supply budget. Several MPs pressed ministers to declare water provision a national emergency, arguing that the allocated funds fall far short of what is needed to deliver additional tanks and bolster infrastructure in many regions. "In most rural areas, there is only one tap serving an entire community. Water tankers do not reach all settlements, and sometimes there is no money for fuel," one MP…

Alarmed by a fresh Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says it is tracking the situation closely and mobilizing support. The agency is coordinating with national authorities and partners to mount a rapid, unified response as officials race to contain the spread. Early testing by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) detected Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples, with preliminary findings pointing to a…

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Confirms New Ebola Outbreak in the DRC In a troubling development, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has announced a fresh Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily affecting Ituri Province. With 246 suspected cases and 65 fatalities reported, the region's fragile infrastructure and security issues have posed significant challenges to early containment efforts. In their Friday statement, the agency indicated that the…