Legal and Judicial Affairs

Echoes of Dissent: Cameroon's Deepening Political Crisis In the heart of Central Africa, where the air carries a blend of hope and despair, an unsettling tension has gripped Cameroon following the recent presidential election. On October 12, the Constitutional Council declared President Paul Biya the victor, cementing his authority for an astonishing 43 years. At 92 years old, Biya’s continued reign raises significant questions, not only about the nation’s political landscape but also about the very fabric of democracy in a…

Djibouti Clears Way for President Guelleh to Run Again — What It Means for a Tiny but Pivotal State Djibouti’s parliament has removed a constitutional age limit that would have barred the 77‑year‑old president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, from seeking another term, clearing the path for him to run in the April 2026 election. The decision, short and decisive in the capital, underscores a growing pattern across parts of Africa in which long‑serving leaders reshape rules to extend their time in office — with consequences that ripple…

Raid on Northern Mozambican Mine Leaves Police Missing, Operations Halted An attack on a mining site in Mozambique’s volatile Cabo Delgado province has forced miners to flee, left equipment ablaze and an unspecified number of police officers missing, authorities and local sources said Friday. The assault — blamed on Islamist militants — interrupted operations at the site and prompted fear among communities already traumatised by years of violence. What happened Raiders struck the extraction site in the north of the…

Struggle for Stability: The Ongoing Conflict in Nigeria's Borno State In the early hours of a recent morning, a deadly pre-dawn raid shook the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, reminding the world of the ongoing turmoil that characterizes this region. Fighters affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched an audacious assault on army positions in two strategically important towns, a move that highlights both the vulnerability of state forces and the ever-present threat posed by these militants.…

Mozambique’s memory of election violence tests trust in courts and rights to protest When former presidential contender Venancio Mondlane publicly disavowed calls for street demonstrations this week, he was trying to steer what has become an anxious ritual in Mozambique away from confrontation and toward commemoration. “I did not call for demonstrations,” he told supporters; “I called for a day of reflection” to honour those killed in the unrest that followed last year’s disputed election — among them his lawyer, slain…

The Unyielding Call for Justice: A City Divided by Dissent On a seemingly ordinary day in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the air thickens with tension as protesters gather, their chants rising like a storm. Under a veil of clouds and uncertainty, the demonstration unfurls its wings, an echo of a deeper longing for justice and autonomy resonating through the streets. Amid the clamor, one name emerges—Nnamdi Kanu, a polarizing figure whose imprisonment has set aflame a nation’s quest for identity and political agency. The…

Violence erupts as social-media-fuelled gold rush swamps northwestern Zambia Hundreds of police clashed with thousands of informal miners this week in northwestern Zambia after viral posts claimed gold lay just beneath the surface across a wide rural swathe. The sudden influx — tens of thousands of people by local estimates — overwhelmed local authorities, sparked allegations of bribery and violence, and prompted a delegation of senior ministers to the scene in a bid to restore order. Officials said security forces had…

Zanu PF moves to extend Mnangagwa’s rule to 2030, sparking fierce opposition and constitutional questions In a decision that could reshape Zimbabwe’s immediate political trajectory, the ruling Zanu PF party has instructed the government to begin legal and constitutional changes to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure by two years, to 2030. The resolution, adopted at Zanu PF’s 22nd Annual People’s Conference in Mutare, has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition figures who say the move threatens the country’s…

Zimbabwe police warn protesters will face “the full wrath of the law” after ex-Zanu PF veteran calls for nationwide demonstrations Harare — Zimbabwean authorities warned on Monday that any illegal gatherings would be met with force after a prominent war veteran and former Zanu PF committee member urged citizens to take to the streets to denounce President Emmerson Mnangagwa and alleged corruption among his inner circle. The government, meanwhile, announced a one-off $150 “Special Presidential Bonus” aimed at soothing…

Navigating the Storm: Violence and Democracy in Nigeria's Political Landscape Ahead of 2027 As Nigeria gears up for its 2027 elections, a palpable tension hangs in the air, reverberating through the streets of a nation rich in culture but strained under the weight of political machinations. The fear of violence looms large, echoing the troubling cycles of electoral conflict seen in 1999, 2019, and most recently, in 2023, when hired thugs, gangs, and political militias turned polling stations into battlegrounds. Scholars and…