Africa: All of Africa Today – February 20, 2026

Sudan’s RSF Accused of Coordinated Genocide in Darfur

A UN fact-finding mission concluded that atrocities committed during the siege and capture of the Sudanese city of el-Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces amounted to genocide. This is the closest the UN has come to declaring that RSF fighters in Darfur are carrying out genocide during the current conflict. The RSF has not commented on the report but has denied previous accusations. Investigators, who relied on more than 320 survivor interviews and verified imagery, named RSF leader Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) and his spokesperson among those publicly celebrating the assault. They said that the violence was coordinated and systematic. Yvette Cooper, UK foreign secretary, called the findings horrific and said she would present them to the UN Security Council, calling for criminal investigations, the enforcement of the arms embargo in Darfur, and the expansion of international pressure for a ceasefire. Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle between the regular army and the RSF over how and whether the paramilitaries would integrate into the security forces.

Robert Mugabe’s Youngest Son Arrested After Johannesburg Shooting

South African police arrested Bellarmine Mugabe, the 28-year-old youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, on an attempted murder charge. This comes after a reported shooting at a property in an upmarket suburb of Johannesburg. A 23-year-old man, believed to be a gardener, was critically injured. Officers searching the house recovered bullet cartridges but no firearm. Another man was arrested as investigations continue. The police said both suspects had not disclosed the location of the weapon. The two were expected to appear in court soon. Bellarmine is the youngest son of Robert and his second wife, Grace Mugabe. Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019. Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years before being forced out of power at the age of 93 in 2017.

Over 1,000 Kenyans Recruited to Fight for Russia in Ukraine

More than 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, according to a Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers. The National Intelligence Service and rogue state officials colluded with human trafficking syndicates to target former soldiers, police officers, and unemployed youth with promises of high salaries and bonuses. Kimani Ichung’wah, the leader of the majority in parliament, said that those recruited initially traveled through Turkey and the UAE, but routes later shifted to Uganda, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as airport surveillance was tightened. Several corrupt Kenyan officials and staff members were alleged to have participated in recruiting illegally at both the Russian Embassy in Nairobi and the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow. However, the Russian Embassy denied any illegal recruitment, asserting that foreigners could voluntarily enlist under Russian law. As of February 2026, 89 Kenyans were reported to be on the frontlines, 39 in hospitals, and 28 were missing.

Tanzania Orders Public Servants to Stop Using Personal Accounts for Official Work

Tanzania banned public servants from using personal email accounts for official communication, directing all government staff to use the state’s secure email systems. Minister of State Ridhiwani Kikwete said the continued use of private emails posed serious risks and stressed that locally developed government systems must be used instead. The Minister made the remarks at the sixth Government Network meeting in Arusha. He said that if a public servant faces any disciplinary issue, they should be referred to disciplinary committees so that appropriate sanctions are applied, and not be mistreated simply because of their vulnerability. He said that public servants joined the service through merit, whether by exam or appointment, and that effective performance from each staff member would ensure strong results for the government.

IMF Warns Mozambique Faces ‘Increasingly Difficult’ Financing Conditions

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the Mozambican government faces increasingly difficult financing conditions due to the vulnerability of the country’s debt, both domestic and foreign. A team from the International Monetary Fund visited Mozambique and reported that the government is facing increasingly challenging financing conditions due to delays in debt servicing, and the holding of government bonds by national banks has stagnated as a result of delays in debt servicing. The net external financing has been negative. As a result, the fiscal deficit was estimated to have fallen sharply in 2025 to 4.5% of GDP, down from 6.2% in 2024, mainly due to cuts in goods, services, and capital spending. However, the IMF believes that the country has been recording some positive developments, such as low inflation, adequate foreign exchange reserves, the resumption of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project by TotalEnergies and partners, and the removal of Mozambique from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list.’ The government did not receive a new loan from the IMF. Instead, the Fund called for “fiscal consolidation” to reduce financing needs and restore debt sustainability, as well as to create fiscal space to finance vital social and development needs.

Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters

Success!