Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, also known as Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, was shot in the leg on Tuesday during a clash with police near Kampala, leaving him seriously injured, according to his party, the National Unity Platform. The incident occurred in Bulindo, Wakiso District, where Wine was seen being helped into a car by supporters. The police claim the altercation began after Wine defied advice against holding a street procession, while Wine’s party condemned the shooting, calling it an assassination attempt. Wine, a popular figure among Uganda’s youth, has frequently clashed with authorities since entering politics. His bid to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 presidential election heightened tensions.
An attempted jailbreak at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Congo, resulted in at least 129 deaths, mostly from a stampede, authorities reported Tuesday. Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said 24 inmates were shot dead by warning gunfire as they tried to escape the overcrowded prison, which houses over 12,000 inmates despite a capacity of 1,500. The incident also left 59 injured and included reports of rapes. Videos from the prison showed bodies with visible injuries, raising concerns about the death toll. Authorities believe the escape was orchestrated by inmates from inside, though no forced entry was detected. Previous jailbreaks have occurred at Makala, including a 2017 attack by a religious sect. The government has launched an investigation and vowed to respond to the “premeditated act of sabotage.” Congo’s prisons, notorious for overcrowding and starvation, have seen some releases this year to reduce congestion.
African nations are losing up to 5% of their GDP annually due to the disproportionate impact of climate change, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Many countries are spending up to 9% of their budgets on climate adaptation, despite Africa contributing less than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The report highlights 2023 as one of Africa’s hottest years on record, with extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves affecting millions. In sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of adapting to climate change could reach $50 billion annually by 2030. Recent extreme weather has impacted over 716,000 people in the Sahel and caused severe floods in West Africa, while Zambia faced its worst drought in 40 years. The WMO urges African governments to invest in early warning systems and meteorological services to mitigate further damage.
President Xi Jinping pledged nearly $51 billion in support for Africa over the next three years, focusing on infrastructure, job creation, and green technology projects. Speaking at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing, Xi emphasized the need for deeper cooperation in industry, agriculture, and trade, positioning China and Africa as key players in global modernization. China, Africa’s largest bilateral lender, will prioritize smaller, technologically advanced projects, though it still plans to triple infrastructure initiatives across the continent. Of the pledged funds, 210 billion yuan will be disbursed through credit lines, and 70 billion will come as new Chinese investment. Xi’s commitment comes amid concerns over African nations’ mounting debt to China, though debt was not directly addressed in his speech.
Germany proposed adopting a controversial plan to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda, just two months after the UK’s Labour government scrapped a similar scheme. Migration commissioner Joachim Stamp on Thursday revealed that the German plan would target migrants crossing the European Union’s eastern borders. Facing rising pressure to curb irregular migration after a deadly Islamic State-linked stabbing in Solingen, Germany’s ruling coalition is under fire from far-right critics. Unlike the UK’s plan, Germany’s would be supervised by the United Nations, with Rwanda remaining the only willing host country. Stamp also called for changes to the EU’s Common European Asylum System, which currently requires asylum procedures to be conducted in countries where the seeker has a social connection. The EU recently agreed on new rules to manage irregular migration, but full implementation may not occur until late 2025.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received its first shipment of mpox vaccines, part of a global effort to curb the outbreak that led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global public health emergency last month. A plane carrying 99,000 vaccine doses, donated by the European Union, landed in Kinshasa. The vaccines, produced by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, will be distributed primarily in Equateur and South Kivu, regions heavily affected by the outbreak. With over 17,500 cases and 629 deaths reported in the DRC this year, authorities plan to begin vaccinations on October 8. However, the vast size of the country and its poor infrastructure present logistical challenges, particularly as the vaccine requires storage at minus 20°C. The DRC’s outbreak includes both clade 1a and 1b strains, with the latter spreading more easily between humans. Europe aims to deliver 566,000 doses to the region.
Nigeria’s Dangote Oil Refinery has started processing gasoline, following delays caused by recent crude shortages, an executive confirmed on Monday. The $20 billion refinery, located on the outskirts of Lagos, began operations in January and has been producing products such as naphtha and jet fuel. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, Africa’s largest refinery is expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel. Devakumar Edwin, vice president at Dangote Industries, announced that gasoline is being tested and will soon be ready for the market, with state oil firm NNPC Ltd as the exclusive buyer. NNPC, which faces $6 billion in debt and ongoing fuel supply issues, has struggled to meet local demand since July. This refinery could help ease those pressures, though concerns about NNPC’s financial management remain.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks in Ankara this week, marking the first presidential visit between the two countries in 12 years, focusing on the Gaza conflict and mending long-strained ties. Relations soured in 2013 after Sisi, then Egypt’s army chief, ousted Mohamed Mursi, a Turkish ally and Egypt’s first democratically elected president. Diplomatic efforts began to thaw in 2020, leading to the restoration of ambassadors and Erdogan’s visit to Cairo earlier this year. During their Ankara meeting, the leaders discussed deepening cooperation in natural gas, nuclear energy, and trade, with aims to boost annual trade from $5 billion to $15 billion within five years. Both leaders called for a ceasefire in Gaza and shared a common stance on the Palestinian cause. They also addressed the situation in Libya, advocating for elections and the withdrawal of foreign forces and militias to resolve the conflict.
Burkina Faso introduced new biometric passports without the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday, signaling its continued withdrawal from the regional bloc. The move follows Burkina Faso’s decision, alongside Niger and Mali, to exit the 15-member ECOWAS earlier this year after military juntas took power in all three countries. Burkina Faso’s security minister, Mahamadou Sana, confirmed the omission of the ECOWAS logo, aligning with the nation’s departure from the bloc. ECOWAS has expressed concern that the countries’ withdrawal could harm the region’s common market and freedom of movement. The trio, which faces ongoing insurgencies from groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, has shifted its alliances towards Russia, forming a defense pact known as the Alliance of Sahel States while distancing itself from Western powers.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged South Africa on Wednesday to implement significant fiscal consolidation to ensure the sustainability of its public finances. This recommendation follows an IMF assessment after a $4.3 billion loan provided in 2020 to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects. The IMF advised that South Africa needs to achieve a durable expenditure-based consolidation of at least 3% of GDP over the next three years to reduce debt levels while protecting vulnerable groups. The Fund emphasized the need for the new government to build on existing reforms, increase ambition, and accelerate implementation. The newly formed coalition government, led by the African National Congress and including the Democratic Alliance, faces challenges such as rising debt, high unemployment, and growing inequality. The National Treasury acknowledged the IMF’s constructive feedback and reiterated its commitment to improving fiscal stability and fostering inclusive economic growth.
Writer and researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.