Guinea-Bissau Constitutional Referendum: An Explainer
Guinea-Bissau’s military junta is organizing a constitutional referendum on August 30, 2026, intended to lay the legal framework for planned elections in December. Guinea-Bissau’s political trajectory has been shrouded in confusion following a military coup led by Defense Chief of Staff, General Horta Inta-A Na Man, on November 26, 2025. The coup, the country’s fifth since 1980, perpetuates the country’s long history of political instability. … The referendum is being held to validate a new constitution created by the military junta following the November 2025 coup that occurred as the National Electoral Commission was counting ballots from the country’s last presidential election. The military subsequently destroyed ballots and detained opposition political leaders. … The proposed constitution aims to consolidate power within the office of the president. … Institutionalizing oversight of political power and civil-military relations are central issues in Guinea-Bissau given the long legacy of coups, state corruption, narcotics trafficking linked to senior government and military officials, and political violence. … Political space remains limited since the coup, with demonstrations and strikes prohibited. Political activities are banned, opposition party headquarters are closed, and the Constitutional Court is suspended. Independent media have been restricted since the coup and journalists have faced increased intimidation. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
US, African Union Warn of Regional Spillover after Sudanese Strikes in Chad
The United States and the African Union have warned against the regional expansion of Sudan’s war following reports of air strikes conducted by the Sudanese military inside neighbouring Chad. U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos condemned the strikes in Chadian territory on Wednesday, saying there is no justification for expanding the violence beyond Sudan’s borders. Boulos called for an immediate humanitarian truce and urged the United Nations Security Council to urgently update its sanctions regime and arms embargo to halt external military and financial backing for the warring parties. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf also voiced deep concern over the reported Aug. 20 strikes in Chad’s Ennedi-Est region, calling on all sides to respect national sovereignty and the inviolability of borders. Youssouf urged maximum restraint and called for stronger regional cooperation to secure shared frontiers and prevent cross-border escalation. Sudan Tribune
Sudan Seeks China-led Bloc’s Support to Block UN Rights Mission Renewal
Sudan asked a 29-member coalition led by China on Wednesday to help block a draft resolution seeking to renew the mandate of the U.N. Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission. Britain is expected to lead Western efforts during the council’s 63rd session, scheduled from Sept. 7 to Oct. 7, to extend the mission’s mandate. Sudan has repeatedly refused to cooperate with the investigators or allow them entry into the country. Sudan’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Hassan Hamid Hassan, addressed an ambassadorial meeting of the Like-Minded Group at the Palais des Nations in Geneva ahead of the session. Hassan urged member states to back Khartoum against the anticipated British draft resolution, according to the state-run SUNA news agency. … The Human Rights Council established the independent Fact-Finding Mission in October 2023 to investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations, including those committed against refugees, and has renewed its mandate annually. The mission is tasked with collecting and analyzing evidence, identifying responsible individuals and entities, and recommending accountability measures. Sudan Tribune
Nigerian Armed Groups Net Nearly $6 Mn In Ransoms: Study
Criminal groups in Nigeria raised nearly $6 million in ransom payments in the last year, a report said Wednesday, with two mass kidnappings by Boko Haram responsible for nearly 90 percent of the total. Abductions have become a key moneymaker for criminal groups in Africa’s most populous country, especially jihadists and non-ideological armed gangs known as bandits. Some 7.78 billion naira in ransom was paid between July 2025 and June 2026, the report, from Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence, said — more than triple the 2.56 billion naira paid during the same period last year. At least 7,825 people were abducted, up 66 percent compared with the same period last year, based on SBM’s figures, which may be conservative since many victims do not want to speak about ransom payments, which are illegal in Nigeria. … Two abductions blamed on Boko Haram drove 7 billion in payments — the kidnapping of more than 400 people from Ngoshe, in Borno state, the epicentre of the jihadist insurgency, and the abduction of some 300 pupils and staff from St Mary’s Catholic school in north-central Niger state. AFP
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Strengthen Military Ties as Envoy Visits CDS
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence and security cooperation following a courtesy visit by the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Yousef bin Mohammed Al-Balawi, to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. The visit, which took place on Wednesday, provided an opportunity for both countries to review existing military-to-military relations and explore additional areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing their shared security interests. Receiving the Saudi envoy, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, welcomed the visit and underscored the importance Nigeria attaches to its longstanding relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The CDS stressed the need to sustain and expand existing channels of defence cooperation, particularly in areas that could strengthen the professional capacity and operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. … Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding military-to-military relations and identifying mutually beneficial areas of collaboration. PR Nigeria
Guinea’s President Dismisses 173 Soldiers, Including Coup Ally, for Desertion
Guinea’s President Mamadi Doumbouya, 41, has dismissed more than 170 soldiers for “desertion”, including a colonel who helped him seize power in a coup in 2021. Col Michel Lamah was a member of the Special Forces Group (GFS), the elite army unit which Doumbouya once commanded. … The dismissals, announced in a decree on state television, are thought to be part of ongoing efforts by the president to consolidate his control and prevent potential challenges to his leadership. Those in the firing line came from various branches of the military. No details were given about the circumstances of the alleged desertions of the 173 military personnel when Gen Amara Camara, the president’s spokesman, read out the decree on Monday. BBC
Tanzania’s VP Expelled from Ruling Party for Indiscipline and His Successor Named
Emmanuel Nchimbi has been expelled from Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for indiscipline following his decision earlier this week to resign as the country’s vice-president after 10 months in the job. The 54-year-old has made some controversial remarks in recent weeks – including urging Tanzanians to “fight for a new constitution” – pointing to a possible fallout with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. He was Samia’s running mate in last October’s disputed presidential election, which saw hundreds killed in post-poll unrest. Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi, 43, has been nominated as his replacement and his name will now be presented to parliament for approval. The decisions were taken at an extraordinary meeting of the CCM, chaired by President Samia. The party did not give details about the indiscipline allegations against Nchimbi, whose resignation takes effect at the end of next week. Nchimbi, who shared his brief resignation letter on his Instagram account on Tuesday morning, is the first vice-president to step down in Tanzania’s history. BBC
Palace Intrigue In Uganda As Succession Battle Heats Up
Uganda’s tempestuous army chief has once again vowed to run for president and succeed his long-ruling father, but palace intrigues are swirling as he faces a challenge from a brother-in-law. The east African country has been ruled by President Yoweri Museveni for more than four decades, but as the 81-year-old has taken more of a backseat in recent months, speculation has mounted over who will succeed him. Museveni’s son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has made no secret of his desire for the top job, announcing — then retracting — his intention to run multiple times over the years. The heir-apparent has been flexing his muscles of late, ordering crackdowns on rivals, opposition figures and the media — even boasting of kidnapping and torturing opponents. … This week, he vowed he would run for the presidency at the next election in 2031, expecting to “get 90 percent”. But he faces competition from within the powerful first family, with some backing his more sedate brother-in-law, Odrek Rwabwogo, 56, who has been quietly gathering support for years within the bureaucracy and presents himself as a reformer. Rwabwogo is married to the army chief’s sister, Patience. … “(He) is trying to market himself as a more democratic alternative compared to his brother-in-law. It does not necessarily mean that he is what he claims to be,” said Gerald Waluya, a communications lecturer at Kampala’s Makerere University. … The palace intrigue has become the focus of Ugandan politics because all other opponents have either been jailed or forced to flee the country. AFP
Ex-head of Rwanda’s Presidential Guard Dies in Jail 12 Years after His Arrest
Former head of Rwanda’s presidential guard Tom Byabagamba, 59, who once served as President Paul Kagame’s personal bodyguard, has died in jail. He was arrested in 2014 along with his brother-in-law Frank Rusagara, a retired brigadier-general, for “spreading rumours” and “tarnishing the image of the country and government”. Right groups expressed concern over their cases, framing them as a part of a pattern of government repression. Throughout his trial, Col Byabagamba denied the allegations against him, saying they were fabricated. Byabagamba’s brother David Himbara told the BBC Great Lakes service his family did not know the cause of death as “no-one was allowed to see him in all these years”. Rights groups have repeatedly accused Kagame’s government of restricting political opposition and silencing critics within Rwanda and abroad. … The conviction of the two men had followed a “flawed trial” marked by “serious allegations of torture and witness tampering”, according to HRW. Campaign group Freedom Now had also previously criticised their detention as “arbitrary” and as having “violated international law”. BBC
WHO Says Ebola Outbreak in Uganda over, as Cases Continue to Rise in Congo
The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda is over, a World Health Organization official said in a briefing on Wednesday, as she warned that cases continue to rise in Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda declared the end of its epidemic on July 28, but the WHO monitored the situation until this week to be sure that no chains of transmission had been missed before making its declaration. Cases in Democratic Republic of Congo continue to rise despite some progress, Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, director of emergency preparedness for the WHO African region, told a WHO regional meeting. Reuters
More Health Workers, Stronger Systems: Africa’s New Ambitious Goal
Facing a projected shortage of more than six million health professionals by 2035, African countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen their workforce, with a new decade-long plan announced on Wednesday during a meeting of health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Adopted during the 76th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, the Health Workforce Management Programme in Africa (2026–2035) aims to transform health-sector labour markets. … The commitment comes as Africa’s health workforce has grown significantly over the past decade, reaching nearly 5.72 million professionals in 2024. Yet, the increase remains far short of what is needed. The continent currently has only about 46 per cent of the health workers required to meet its needs, leaving millions of people without adequate access to essential health services. Without decisive action, the shortfall could exceed six million professionals by 2035. At the same time, Africa faces a striking paradox: health facilities are struggling with staff shortages while nearly one million trained health professionals are unemployed, with recent graduates particularly affected. … The new programme provides countries with a roadmap to improve workforce planning, expand quality training, create more employment opportunities and retain skilled professionals in the areas where they are most needed. UN News
African Union to Launch African Credit Rating Agency in October, Adviser Says
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) – an African Union-backed initiative – will launch a continent-wide credit ratings agency in October, a senior adviser at the AU said on Wednesday, as it seeks to tackle high borrowing costs. Paul Sikazwe, technical adviser on debt to the African Union Commission, said the ratings agency created for Africa will be launched in Mauritius on October 5. “This is a sign of progress in our ambition to provide momentum for the reform of the international financial architecture,” said Sikazwe, speaking during a conference on debt and development in the Kenyan capital hosted by campaign group AfroDad. The APRM has been working for years on the launch of an agency that assesses the creditworthiness of African sovereigns as governments seek an alternative to ratings from the dominant global ratings firms such as Fitch, Moody’s and S&P Global. … Debt issues in Africa have risen to the fore in recent years after heavy borrowing, economic mismanagement and external shocks pushed countries including Zambia, Ghana and Ethiopia into sovereign defaults in recent years. The AU is also forging ahead with a push to take common action on debt by its 54-member states, Sikazwe said, including the inauguration of an African Monetary Institute in Abuja in late October, which is designed to serve as a precursor to a regional central bank. Reuters