debate

As South Africa marks Freedom Day, celebrations share space with sober reflection. Thirty-two years after the country’s first democratic election, many proudly recount what they cherish about the nation, while others urge citizens to weigh whether the day’s founding promise has truly been realised. Addressing the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to those who sacrificed for liberation and acknowledged that the work is not complete. He said the quest for full economic freedom and social justice remains a task…

Pope Leo XIV moved to tamp down talk of a clash with President Donald Trump, saying he regretted that recent remarks had been taken as a rebuttal to the US leader and stressing that he had no desire to engage in a public dispute. Speaking to journalists while travelling to Angola, the Pope pointed to a speech he delivered on Thursday in Cameroon — during the second leg of his African tour — in which he spoke of "tyrants" ransacking the world. He said the text had been prepared well before Mr Trump's "comment on myself and on…

Members of parliament are pressing for a formal review of the benefits granted to former presidents after media reports said founding president Sam Nujoma had amassed assets worth more than N$100 million, including a state-funded mansion. The controversy has reopened questions about the scope and oversight of the 2004 Former Presidents' Pension and Other Benefits Act and about the line between public support and private enrichment. The 2004 law guarantees former heads of state a pension and a suite of state-funded…

Dr. Hilary Cass, the pediatrician who led the landmark review of gender healthcare for children in the U.K., said young people have been “weaponised” and misled by social media about the realities of transitioning — comments that arrive as the government publishes draft guidance for schools on supporting gender-questioning pupils. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Cass welcomed the Department for Education’s draft issued earlier this week, while acknowledging “it is impossible for it to be completely…

Somali Parliament wraps Chapter Four debate, opens divisive Chapter Five in constitutional review Monday, February 9, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal parliament on Monday closed debate on Chapter Four of the Provisional Constitution and formally opened deliberations on Chapter Five, pressing ahead with a high-stakes constitutional review that has laid bare deep political rifts between federal leaders, opposition lawmakers and member states. Lawmakers concluded discussions on Articles 49, 50 and 54, which define…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Clashes and scuffles erupted Tuesday inside Villa Hargeisa, the seat of Somalia’s federal parliament, after opposition lawmakers blocked a planned session to debate constitutional amendments, officials and witnesses said. The day’s sitting was canceled, deepening a standoff over the government’s push to modify the country’s provisional charter. Opposition legislators entered the chamber early, occupied leadership seats and sealed off access points, preventing Speaker Adan Mohamed Nur, known as Madoobe,…

Somalia parliament descends into chaos as opposition blocks constitutional debate in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia’s lower house erupted into chaos Monday as opposition lawmakers shut down the opening of a debate on sweeping constitutional amendments, occupying the speaker’s seat, blocking entrances to the chamber and forcing the suspension of proceedings. The confrontation came as Parliament prepared to take up proposed changes to chapters five through nine of the provisional constitution — a politically charged package…

Chimamanda Adichie's Son Dies Amid Allegations of Medical Negligence Internationally acclaimed author Chimamanda Adichie is mourning the tragic loss of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, whose death she attributes to critical failures in medical care at a private hospital in Lagos. Friends of the author revealed that the medical procedures Nkanu underwent, which should have been routine, were mishandled, leading to what she describes as an avoidable loss. In a statement regarding the incident, Adichie emphasized her…

Opinion/Analysis | North Western State of Somalia recognition is a mirror held up to Somalia’s leadership For nearly 34 years—since North Western State of Somalia declared the restoration of its sovereignty in 1991—the question of recognition has shadowed Somali politics. Yet framing the crisis as a binary fight over North Western State of Somalia’s status misses the deeper failure: successive federal leaders have not built a consent-based, trust-driven union that people across the country would choose to join. Recognition…

Crisis Deepens in Guinea-Bissau: A Political Stunt or Genuine Coup? The recent turmoil in Guinea-Bissau has sparked intense debate among analysts and commentators, with some suggesting that the events unfold less like a traditional coup and more like a politically orchestrated stunt shrouded in military theatrics. Daniel T. Makokera, writing in an AllAfrica guest column, suggests that there is a "growing belief that the crisis may have been an inside job," framing it as "a carefully managed confrontation used to settle…