South Africa witnessed devastating floods this week in the Eastern Cape province, Clermont-Durban, resulting in over 70 deaths. The severe weather, including torrential rain, strong winds, and snowfall, has displaced entire communities and damaged infrastructure. The town of Mthatha was among the hardest hit, with dozens of families displaced and hundreds sheltering in temporary centers. At least 58 schools and 20 hospitals were damaged, and numerous homes were washed away or submerged. The Eastern Cape is one of South Africa’s most impoverished regions, and the impact has been especially severe in areas with informal housing. Rescue operations continue as authorities work to account for the missing.
Burundi’s ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, won all 100 seats in the country’s legislative elections, sparking outrage from opposition parties who accuse the polls of being fraudulent and undemocratic. The CNDD-FDD secured 96.51% of the vote, while all other parties failed to meet the 2% threshold for parliamentary representation. The main opposition party, the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), was largely sidelined ahead of the vote, with its leaders removed and many members reporting harassment and detention. Civil society organizations raised concerns about a climate of fear and the arrest of opposition polling agents. Despite the election atmosphere being described as peaceful, critics argue that fairness is not guaranteed.
During Nigeria’s annual Democracy Day, President Bola Tinubu honored Nigerian activists, journalists, scholars, and slain pro-democracy icons for their enormous contributions to the country’s democratic struggle. He also gave a presidential pardon and honored the Ogoni Nine, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, a group of activists killed by the military dictatorship after protesting Shell’s oil activities. The list was made public on Thursday, June 12, during President Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech to a joint session of the National Assembly.
Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé is under increasing pressure following a government crackdown on rallies calling for his resignation over recent constitutional revisions that could keep him in power indefinitely. Activists decried the detention and alleged mistreatment of dozens of individuals after rallies in Togo’s capital, Lomé, and on social media. The Togolese leader, who has been in power since 2005, was inaugurated as president of the Council of Ministers in May. Opposition MPs have condemned the move as a “constitutional coup.” Approximately half of the 80 jailed protestors were released, while at least 25 are still in custody. A coalition of political groups known as “Hands Off My Constitution” demanded the release of the remaining inmates and the end of the government.
Ghana witnessed a continual rise in mpox cases, with six new verified cases reported, according to an update provided this week by the Ghana Health Service, bringing the total number of documented cases in the country to 85. It further stated that one person is on admission and being monitored while contact tracing is ongoing. Furthermore, more than ten regions have reported incidents, resulting in increased surveillance across the country. The recent pattern of increasing cases has raised concerns among the public. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease that can transfer from animals to people as well as between humans.
This week, tensions rose in Cameroon as Maurice Kamto’s MRC party members and activists battled to get entry to their Douala headquarters that security personnel had sealed off, ahead of Cameroon’s October presidential election. Motorcyclists and taxi drivers have been prohibited from accessing some areas of the city and airport since Saturday. Additionally, Kamto made public a video in which he claimed that police were holding him at his home and preventing him from going to his party headquarters. Under the ruling party that has ruled since 1960, President Paul Biya is scheduled to run for his eighth term, while Kamto, who received 14% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election, is anticipated to enter the campaign.
Tunisian politician Abir Moussi has been sentenced to two years in prison for criticizing the legislative electoral process. Moussi, an opposition to the ruling party, and the head of the Free Destourian Party, has been in detention since 2023 for charges that include “attempting to change the form of government,” “inciting violence,” and “attacking with the aim of provoking disorder.” The sentencing is part of a crackdown on opposition politicians, following a trial called “farcical” by Amnesty International. The international rights NGO has called for the verdict to be quashed and the charges against all defendants to be dropped.
Activists protested outside a mortuary in Nairobi, Kenya, following the death of 31-year-old Albert Omondi Ojwang while in police custody, after he was arrested following a complaint from the deputy police chief, who accused him of ruining his reputation on social media. Despite the Ojwang family’s claims that he was murdered in custody, police authorities claimed that Ojwang committed suicide himself by slamming his head against the wall. However, an autopsy of his body reported significant skull traumas, neck compression, and extensive soft tissue trauma, proving that he was murdered in custody. Kenyan President Ruto has called for a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into Ojwang’s killing.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to conclude the withdrawal of troops from the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The first phase of withdrawal involved hundreds of troops leaving the DRC through Rwanda and Tanzania, fleeing to their respective countries in the southern region. Despite the withdrawal, the SADC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace, security, and political stability in the DRC and the SADC region. The first phase began on 29 April 2025, focusing on equipment and logistical assets. The SADC military mission suffered heavy losses in the previous months.
Rwanda has announced plans to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) due to a diplomatic disagreement over its involvement in the ongoing conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country was supposed to take up the chairman role of ECCAS, which rotates between its 11 members. However, it was prevented from doing so at a meeting in Equatorial Guinea. Rwanda claims that its right to take up the chairmanship was deliberately ignored to impose the DRC’s diktat. The row comes as Rwanda and DR Congo are working on a draft peace plan.
