governance

Every year since 2013, Africa Check has fact-checked South Africa's State of the Nation Address (SONA) — the speech President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers to mark the start of the political calendar, officially open Parliament, recap the year gone by and outline the government's aims for the year ahead. After more than a decade of scrutiny, the organisation's researchers say they can often guess what the president is going to say before he opens his mouth. That observation, simple on its face, raises deeper questions about…

Cambridge University to Return Benin Bronzes to Nigeria In a significant step towards restorative justice, Cambridge University plans to return approximately 100 Benin bronzes to Nigeria, following a formal request from Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in 2022. This action is part of a growing movement in the UK and Europe aimed at addressing the historical injustices related to colonial artifacts. The Benin bronzes, a collection of intricately designed metal plaques and sculptures, were…

Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved draft legislation that would reshape the presidency and could allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his rule until 2030, senior officials said Tuesday. The proposals would shift the election of presidents from a direct popular vote to selection by members of parliament and lengthen presidential terms from five to seven years. Under the draft, presidents could serve a maximum of two seven‑year terms. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the government plans public consultations before…

The Electoral Act: Embracing Electronic Transmission of Results The recently amended Electoral Act marks a significant shift in the electoral process, embracing modern technology by allowing for the electronic transmission of results. This change promises to enhance transparency and efficiency in the voting process, ensuring that results are reported more swiftly and accurately. However, the new provision is not without its caveats. What the Amendment Means The incorporation of electronic result transmission is designed…

Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria Recalled Amid Electoral Malpractice Allegations In a decisive move, President John Mahama has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recall Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria. This action comes in response to serious allegations accusing Ahmed of electoral malpractice during recent National Democratic Congress (NDC) party primaries in Ghana. Reports have surfaced outlining claims of voter inducement and vote buying associated with Ahmed's candidacy in…

Blessed Runesu “Bombshell” Geza, an outspoken and controversial Zimbabwean war veteran who publicly pushed for the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has died in a Johannesburg hospital, his family said. He was 73. The family said Geza had been hospitalized for about 10 days and died at a cardiology facility in Johannesburg. They announced his death on social media and warned the public to be wary of any solicitations for cash donations allegedly for his funeral. Once a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, Geza…

King Charles III Invites Nigerian President to Historic State Visit In a significant diplomatic gesture, King Charles III and Queen Camilla have invited Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for a state visit, marking the first of its kind by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom in 37 years. The last state visit from Nigeria occurred in 1989, when then-President Gen Ibrahim Babangida met with Queen Elizabeth II. Unlike routine official trips, state visits follow a formal royal protocol and are designed to enhance diplomatic…

Windhoek — Under a sky dimmed by evening, candles flickered across Hero's Acre on Saturday as Namibians gathered at the memorial complex outside the capital to honor two of the country's foremost post‑independence leaders: Sam Nujoma and Hage Geingob. The quiet, ritualized observance drew a measured crowd to a place long shaped into a national repository of memory — an avenue where the country's liberation narrative and its later struggles to forge a modern state intersect. The ceremony, organized on the anniversary weekend…

The recent release of worshippers abducted in Kurmin Wali Village, located in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, marks a significant development more than two weeks after gunmen disrupted services on January 18. The incident, which initially faced denial from law enforcement, has now escalated into a stark reminder of the persistent violence affecting communities in northern Nigeria. Reports indicate that 177 individuals were taken by the armed assailants during the attack. However, some victims managed to…

Cape Town — An African-led effort to develop an HIV vaccine has launched a clinical trial at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in Cape Town, organizers announced, with the first participant already enrolled. The study, called BRILLIANT 011 and led by The BRILLIANT Consortium, is being conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and is designed to target the strains of HIV that are circulating in Southern Africa. "The trial is...marking a major milestone in African-led HIV vaccine research. BRILLIANT…