This week, Cameroon’s Constitutional Council upheld a decision to bar Maurice Kamto from participating in the upcoming October 12 presidential election due to his affiliation with the MANIDEM party, which supported a second candidate. Despite Kamto’s appeal against the decision, the president of the constitutional council claimed that the ruling cannot be appealed. In response to the ruling, Kamto criticized the ruling party and its institutions, claiming that the decision was a “long-planned” move by the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement. He also accused the Ministry of Territorial Administration of blocking his political ambitions. Kamto, who came second in the 2018 election, with 14% of the vote, has emerged as a strong opposition to President Biya in the upcoming elections.
Ethiopia issued its first capital punishment decision for human trafficking by sentencing five people to death for the crime after they were convicted of operating along the “eastern route,” known to be a migration corridor used by thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa into the Gulf States. The ruling comes after the drowning of dozens of Ethiopian migrants in a maritime disaster off the coast of Yemen. The ruling, which indicated a more aggressive approach against organized smuggling, was hailed by Ethiopian authorities as a historic turning point in anti-trafficking efforts.
Moroccan food and medical supplies landed in Gaza for the third time this week, bringing relief to the Palestinian people living under the Israeli embargo. The aid comes as reports indicate that more Palestinians are being slain by Israeli soldiers while trying to get relief. The aid, which includes baby food, canned foods, bread, and fruit, is being stored in Deir el-Balah distribution centers. However, the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate due to the Israeli embargo, resulting in widespread starvation and famine. Many hospitals struggle to function, making basic essentials scarce and unaffordable for the majority of people.
Guinea-Bissau’s president sacked Prime Minister Rui Duarte de Barros on Thursday and appointed his successor, Braima Camara, a former coordinator of the Madem G15 opposition party, for a likely second term in elections due in November, as Guinea-Bissau’s constitution sets the presidential term at five years, with a maximum of two terms. The opposition claims Embalo’s term should have ended on Feb. 27, but the Supreme Court has ruled it should run until September 4. However, he set the election date for November 30 and said his first term will run until then, escalating tensions. The country has continued to witness political instability, with multiple coups inclusive, since gaining independence from Portugal over 50 years ago.
A military helicopter crashed in Ghana on Wednesday, killing all eight people on board. The helicopter reportedly went off the radar while heading northwest towards Obuasi, a gold-mining area in the Ashanti region. The wreckage was found in the Adansi area of Ashanti. The victims were Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, along with the vice-chair of the National Democratic Congress ruling party, a top national security adviser, and crew members. Ghana has opened investigations into the incident and declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast.
Egypt and Sudan are set to strengthen cooperation on the Nile River during a visit to Cairo by Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris on Thursday. Egypt rejected Ethiopia’s unilateral actions regarding the Nile River, stating that Ethiopia lacks the political will to reach a binding agreement on its dam. Egypt has long opposed the construction of the dam, as it would reduce Egypt’s share of Nile River waters, a key source for agriculture and over 100 million people. Sudan has been in civil war since April 2023, causing a humanitarian crisis with over 40,000 deaths and a displacement emergency.
Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, on Thursday, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where they held bilateral talks. The two countries signed four agreements covering defense, media, and education. The visit aims to deepen cooperation between the two nations. Turkey’s head of communications, Numan Kurtulmus, stated that Erdogan has visited Senegal twice, in 2018 and 2020. Ankara, with Turkish Airlines, has accelerated ties with African countries and is a major defense partner of several African countries due to its military technology, particularly in drones.
A South African court has ruled that Zambia can repatriate former President Edgar Lungu’s body and give him a state funeral, ordering Lungu’s family to surrender the body to the Zambian government. Lungu’s family had wanted to bury him privately in South Africa, where he died in June due to a dispute with Zambian authorities. The dispute follows a long-standing feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. The Zambian state welcomed the ruling, stating that Lungu “belongs to the nation.” However, Lungu’s body will remain in South Africa until an appeal is heard.
The U.S. halted regular visa applications for Zimbabwean citizens this week, as announced by the State Department. The US embassy in Zimbabwe has likewise suspended visa services from Friday, citing worries about Zimbabwe’s administration. The policy is part of the Trump administration’s attempts to combat visa overstays and misuse. Most diplomatic and official visas will be exempted. The United States has also put travel restrictions on citizens of numerous African countries, including seven in Africa, and urged enhanced screening from 36 African countries.
A Cessna plane crashed on Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya, killing six people, while two others were injured. The Cessna aircraft, which belonged to Amref Flying Doctors, a renowned medical charity, lost communication with air traffic control within three minutes after taking off heading to Somalia. Four crew members and Amref employees were lost by the charity. The Kenya Defense Forces and National Police Service have begun to carry out search and recovery efforts after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority verified the occurrence. Also, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority is collaborating closely with emergency response teams and aviation authorities to determine the cause of the crash.
