Rwandan opposition figure Victoire Ingabire is back in court for a second trial, this time accused of inciting public unrest and joining a criminal organization. She appears alongside nine co-defendants, most of whom are fellow members of her party, Development and Liberty for All (DALFA-Umurinzi). Ingabire was freed in September 2018 by a presidential pardon from President Paul Kagame after serving 8 years of a 15-year sentence.

A family feud has spilled into the courts: Wicknell Chivayo’s former mother-in-law, Tabitha Madzikanda, has been arrested on suspicion of fraud, accused of attempting to divert U.S.$1.4 million from a trust established for her grandchildren. Madzikanda, who works at FBC Bank, allegedly tried to recruit colleagues to remove Chivayo as a signatory on a US$5 million account, after which they purportedly sought to channel the funds into a property development project involving the construction of cluster houses. Her arrest…

After coordinated protests by the anti-immigrant group March and March targeting undocumented migrants in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban, Human Rights Watch urged South African authorities to act decisively. South Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka said authorities "should intensify efforts to address anti-immigrant sentiments and violence to ensure the safety and protection of at-risk foreign nationals in the country," calling for stronger measures to curb hostility and safeguard…

The stage is set for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the qualifying rounds officially drawn at the Egyptian Football Association's headquarters. A total of 48 nations have been organized into 12 groups of four, igniting the competition for coveted spots in the tournament. This vibrant event is scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027, across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, who will share hosting duties. Defending champions Morocco head Group A, where they will compete against Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho. Key…

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,…