Tundu Lissu, the head of Tanzania’s opposition Chadema party, has been charged with treason and publishing fake material online, reportedly encouraging revolt and accusing police of electoral malpractice. He appeared in magistrate court on Monday, following his arrest last month. The case, however, was deferred until June 2nd. Following the expulsion of notable Kenyan attorneys and rights campaigners, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has urged Kenyan activists not to intervene in her country’s affairs. Recent developments in Tanzania, such as the arrest of opposition members and a series of abductions and assassinations aimed at government opponents, have generated outrage and calls to cease political repression.
The U.N. court has ruled in favour of Equatorial Guinea in a dispute with Gabon over the ownership of three oil-rich islands. The decision was based on a 1900 treaty between Spain and France, which divided colonial holdings. The 1974 Bata Convention, which gave the islands to Gabon, was dismissed as not a treaty with legal force. The dispute resurfaced after oil was discovered in coastal waters in 1972, and both countries have been dependent on oil production. The dispute was brought to the International Court of Justice in 2021 after unsuccessful diplomatic efforts.
False allegations about a military coup spread quickly over Ivory Coast’s social media networks on Tuesday. However, the Ivorian presidency denied it in a statement, confirming that President Alassane Ouattara presided over a council of ministers meeting on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital. Pictures of the president and cabinet officials attending the meeting were also shared. The allegation started with an X user claiming that Ouattara was killed after military forces allegedly took control on Tuesday. Multiple accounts then started spreading the allegations throughout various social media platforms, including X, Facebook, TikTok, and mainstream media.
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, has approved President Bola Tinubu for a second term, marking the second anniversary of his presidency. The 73-year-old won the previous election in February 2023, but his opponents claimed the vote was manipulated. The APC wants Tinubu to continue his government’s economic changes, including eliminating a fuel subsidy and liberalizing the exchange rate. Despite criticism, these measures have resulted in severe inflation and a cost of living crisis. Despite these obstacles, Tinubu remains significant, as evidenced by his 2024 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, which aimed to develop international partnerships. High-profile defections continue to split and weaken the opposition.
Congolese senators have lifted former President Joseph Kabila’s immunity, allowing military prosecutors to pursue legal action against him. The decision follows a request from the Justice Minister last month for the military courts to investigate Kabila’s alleged involvement with the AFC/M23 rebel movement. Kabila was charged by the military prosecutor with crimes against humanity, war crimes, treason, and insurrectionary assistance. Kabila denounced the move as hasty and disrespectful of institutional balance, while the ruling UDPS party stressed that lifting immunity does not imply guilt.
Britain has signed a deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base for £101m a year. The deal aims to maintain the base’s long-term future and strengthen UK national security. Mauritius will gain sovereignty of the islands from the UK, but the US and UK will continue operating a military base on Diego Garcia for 99 years. The treaty will take effect once it has been approved by both the UK and Mauritian parliaments.
Botswana and Namibia are partnering to build a jointly owned oil refinery to improve energy security and reduce reliance on imports. This project was brought up during Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s recent visit to Gaborone. If successful, it could signal a shift in Southern Africa’s energy landscape and a move towards collaborative infrastructure development and economic self-reliance. The two countries are also aiming to reduce their economic dependence on diamonds.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump met in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, during which Trump accused Ramaphosa of systematically targeting white farmers. The conference was intended to strengthen diplomatic ties and clear up misconceptions, but it became acrimonious. Trump brought back a controversial narrative by accusing South Africa of being lawless and racially motivated. President Ramaphosa attempted to dispel myths and repair diplomatic ties, but the outcome disappointed many. With the bilateral relationship at its lowest point since apartheid, South Africa must plan more proactively and send a clearer message in future negotiations.
Tanzanian authorities have barred access to the social networking network X following hacking on official government accounts that were reportedly pushing false and obscene content. The decision comes amid rising political tensions ahead of the upcoming general elections in October. The raid began after the police’s official account was allegedly hijacked. Government spokesman Gerson Msigwa referred to the hacks as “a minor incident” and assured citizens that Tanzania’s digital infrastructure is secure, urging the population to remain calm and avoid panic.
Former Congolese Prime Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon has been sentenced to 10 years of forced labor after embezzling $245 million from a failed agricultural project. The charges relate to a massive corn farming project launched under former President Joseph Kabila’s administration, which collapsed in 2017. The case began in 2021 under President Félix Tshisekedi. Mapon denies wrongdoing and claims the case is politically driven.
