Africa: All of Africa Today – March 12, 2026

Floods and Landslides Leave 30 Dead in Ethiopia

At least 30 people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in the Gamo Zone of southern Ethiopia, local officials said. Most of the deaths occurred in highland areas where saturated slopes collapsed after days of heavy rain. The town of Arba Minch and neighbouring areas have experienced continuous downpours for two days, causing widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and farmland. Mudslides blocked roads and flooded bridges. Authorities have warned that further flooding and landslides remain possible. Torrential rains have unleashed widespread flooding across East Africa in recent days. Dozens have also died in neighbouring Kenya.

South Africa Summons US Envoy Over ‘Undiplomatic’ Chant Comments

The South African government summoned the new US ambassador, Leo Brent Bozell III, after he made what they called “undiplomatic” comments about an anti-apartheid chant. Bozell, who took over the role last month, disagreed with a legal ruling regarding the chant Kill The Boer. Some say the chant amounts to hate speech, although the Constitutional Court has previously ruled that it does not. Bozell had criticised a court ruling that found the chant was not hate speech. He said that he did not care what the courts said, but the remarks were seen as disrespectful to the country’s judiciary. Government officials protested and called him to explain his remarks. Bozell later clarified that the US government respected the independence of South Africa’s judiciary and expressed regret for the remarks. The incident came amid already strained relations between the two countries, which have clashed over trade, diplomacy, land reform policies, and US claims about the treatment of white Afrikaners.

Senegal Parliament Tightens Anti-Gay Law

Senegal’s parliament approved a bill doubling the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years. Lawmakers passed the government-backed legislation by 135 votes to none, with three abstentions. The legislation, a key campaign promise of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, strengthened an existing law. The law previously allowed prison terms of up to five years for what the penal code describes as “acts against nature.” The new law also criminalised the promotion of homosexuality, and increased fines to up to 10 million CFA francs. It barred judges from issuing suspended sentences or reducing minimum prison terms. Rights groups said the move reflected a broader trend of tightening anti-LGBTQ+ laws in parts of Africa, with similar developments in countries such as Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Civilians Flee Tigray Capital as Fears of Renewed War Mount

Residents have begun fleeing the regional capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region amid fears of a return to open conflict, as tensions that have been building for weeks show no sign of easing. Hundreds of people reportedly left the region daily by bus and plane as troops from both sides gathered near their shared border. The two sides signed a peace agreement in 2022 to end the civil war, but neither has properly implemented it. Officials from the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front accused federal troops of surrounding the region. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted that he did not want another war. The worsening tensions, along with deteriorating relations between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea, have deepened uncertainty in the region. The conflict killed at least 600,000 people.

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