African political news summarised in English: elections, governments, diplomacy, justice and security across the 54 countries, from the local press. 997 articles published.
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Gambian President Adama Barrow accuses the United Democratic Party (UDP) of organising hostile protests along the routes of his nationwide tour. At a meeting in Jabang, he urged opposition parties to focus on campaigning, according to Kerr Fatou.
Source: Kerr Fatou
The director generals of customs from the AES and Togo approved a draft decision on certifying confederal origin and advanced the interconnection of their IT systems. Received by Ibrahim Traoré in Ouagadougou, the delegation also received instructions to facilitate trade, according to Sidwaya.
Source: Sidwaya
Federal judge Jinsook Ohta ordered the US State Department to quickly reopen applications for the DV-2027 Diversity Visa lottery, which have been blocked for more than a year. She deemed the suspension an “arbitrary and capricious” decision, following proceedings brought by Californian law firm Red Eagle Law, according to Le Courrier des Amériques.
Source: Maghrebemergent
Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced that the curfew would remain in place over the weekend, from 10pm to 4.30am, and said its continuation would be reassessed on Monday. He also reported 16 arrests on Thursday night, according to Defimedia, as the government says it wants to avoid any risk to the population.
Source: Defimedia
Zimbabwean Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga warned against the concentration of power within ZANU-PF at the party’s 23rd national conference in Chinhoyi. He referred to the events of November 2017, which led to Robert Mugabe’s resignation, according to the Zambian Observer.
Source: Zambianobserver
Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner opposes the proposed Formula 1 Grand Prix in Rwanda and is seeking guarantees about the source of its funding. Kinshasa instead backs South Africa’s bid to host Formula 1’s return to Africa, according to Africatopsports.
Source: Africatopsports
A court on the Cape Verdean island of Sal has remanded a man arrested in Espargos with 42.145 kilos of cannabis. The National Police said the drug, divided into 29 packages, was seized in Chã de Matias and then analysed by the Judicial Police.
Source: Expresso das Ilhas
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir brought together leaders from Warrap, Unity, Abyei and Ruweng to peacefully resolve two disputes over electoral constituency boundaries. The meeting on 16 October 2026 enabled the National Elections Commission to continue its preparations without delay, according to the presidential office cited by Eye Radio.
Source: Eyeradio
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted the suspension of National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, who is due to resume his duties after the criminal charges against him were withdrawn. Removed for six months over an investigation linked to a 360 million rand health services contract, he returns as the Madlanga Commission raises questions about investigations and the fight against corruption, reports the Daily Maverick.
Source: Daily Maverick
Kenya has condemned attacks by Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilian and strategic facilities, Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said. The Kenyan official expressed Nairobi’s solidarity after an attack on Riyadh airport killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi authorities.
Source: Capital FM
The South African Electoral Commission is keeping the municipal elections on 4 November 2026, despite logistical difficulties caused by a Constitutional Court decision on candidate lists. The election will be prepared within a significantly reduced timeframe, particularly for ballot-paper printing, its chairman Mosotho Moepya said at a press briefing in Pretoria.
Source: Sabcnews
Human Rights Watch says at least 31 people have been executed since late August by military authorities in eastern Libya. The organisation says these are the first executions reported in the country since 2010, according to RFI.
Source: RFI
The MLSTP, which came first in the legislative elections in São Tomé and Príncipe without an absolute majority, is calling on parliamentary forces to conclude a pact to revise the Constitution, the judicial system and the electoral law. The party also cites economic and social urgency, as President Carlos Vila Nova is due to announce a government solution within a month, according to Telanon.
Source: Telanon
Ministers from the Confederation of Sahel States harmonised their positions in Ouagadougou ahead of the first formal consultations with ECOWAS in Dakar. They want to defend the sovereignty of the three countries, consolidate the AES and protect their populations’ interests, reports Sidwaya.
Source: Sidwaya
Equatorial Guinea’s First Lady, Constancia Mangue de Obiang, received the new US ambassador, Stanley León Brown, to discuss education, agriculture, family and social cooperation. The meeting was their first official exchange since the diplomat presented his credentials to President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, according to the Equatorial Guinean presidency.
Source: Realequatorialguinea
The Ethiopian army has retaken Mekele and advanced to the outskirts of the Eritrean border, bringing the forces of the two countries closer together. Magnus Taylor, deputy director for the Horn of Africa at the International Crisis Group, believes the advance could heighten tensions and raise fears of a direct clash between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Source: Africanews
A dispute has pitted the communities of Ewonda and Lower Ewonda against each other for five years over 101 hectares on the slopes of Mount Cameroon, in Buea. Gendarmes arrested young people from Ewonda after allegations of trespassing and destruction, while both sides claim ancestral rights to the land.
Source: Cameroonnewsagency
Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president has appointed Major-General Ibraima Papa Camará head of the Civil House of the Presidency by decree dated 16 October 2026. He replaces Lieutenant-General Sandji Fati after leaving the leadership of the National Defence Institute, ANG reports.
Source: Ang
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