Kenya Confirms Eighth Ebola Case
Kenya’s Health Ministry has confirmed another Ebola infection, bringing the country’s total to eight as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) continues to spread. Health Ministry Director-General Dr Patrick Amoth said the latest patient is a 49-year-old man who is not a healthcare worker and developed fever, headaches and muscle pain. He worked as a patient attendant, cleaning utensils and linen. He was likely exposed to Kenya’s first Ebola patient, who died on October 5. Amoth said authorities tested 38 people, with one testing positive, while six other patients in quarantine remained stable after receiving supportive treatment. Meanwhile, authorities in the DR Congo reported that the outbreak had reached an eighth province, Nord-Ubangi, where two cases, including one death, were recorded near the border with the Central African Republic. The DR Congo has reported at least 9,400 cases and more than 4,500 deaths since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Kenyan Court to Deliver Verdict in Paul Mackenzie Mass Murder Case
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
A Kenyan court is set to deliver its judgment in the mass murder case against doomsday preacher Paul Mackenzie and 29 of his followers, who are accused of murdering 191 children in the Shakahola forest. Prosecutors allege that the children were forced to starve to death as part of a religious doctrine that promised they would meet Jesus, while education and modern medicine were portrayed as evil. Mackenzie and the co-accused have pleaded not guilty, maintaining that nobody was forced to die. The case marks the first time Mackenzie will face a verdict on the most serious murder charges, although he and other leaders face additional cases involving terrorism, radicalisation and the denial of education to children. Authorities discovered more than 400 bodies in shallow graves in the coastal forest, where Mackenzie had encouraged followers from across Kenya to settle and observe his teachings. Survivors and witnesses have described widespread starvation, the rejection of medical treatment and the deaths of children and adults. One survivor, Peter Shukrani, said he nearly died after his mother discarded his medication because she believed medicine was forbidden by the preacher’s doctrine. Stephen Mwiti, meanwhile, said he lost all six of his children in the forest. Mackenzie’s former head of security, Enos Amanya Ngala, initially accused in the case, entered a plea deal and became a prosecution witness.
Drone Strikes Kill Civilians in Sudan as Fire Destroys Market Stalls
Drone attacks killed civilians, including women, in Sudan’s West Darfur and West Kordofan regions on Saturday, as separate strikes targeted military installations in the east and a fire destroyed dozens of commercial stalls in Northern State. In West Darfur, a drone attack attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed several people, including six women, and injured five others in Bir Saliba, Sarba locality. Most of the victims were reportedly displaced people who had travelled to the area for agricultural work. In West Kordofan, the Kordofan Observatory said a drone strike carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) hit a civilian lorry near Ankush, killing four people, including three women, and injuring others. The passengers included patients travelling for medical treatment and civilians heading to shop. The Observatory also reported other recent drone attacks that killed civilians, including a child, and warned that targeting civilians and civilian vehicles could violate international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes. It called on the SAF to halt attacks on civilians and urged the RSF to keep away from residential areas. Meanwhile, drone attacks targeted military installations in El Gedaref, Khashm El Girba and the Upper Atbara and Setit Dam Complex on Sunday, with air defences reportedly intercepting several drones. No casualties were reported from those strikes. In Northern State, a fire destroyed between 75 and 80 stalls at El Burgeig market on Saturday evening. Initial reports suggested an electrical fault triggered the blaze, which spread rapidly through stalls containing goods, including perfume.
Ebola Vaccine Trials Offer Hope
Vaccine candidates undergoing clinical trials offer hope of protection against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s worst-ever outbreak, according to Emanuele Capobianco, director of global health security at Gavi, the global vaccine alliance. The outbreak has surpassed 9,000 reported cases, with more than 4,000 deaths, but no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for this strain. A clinical trial of the existing Ervebo vaccine, which is approved for the more common Zaire strain, is expected to assess whether it provides cross-protection against Bundibugyo. Meanwhile, vaccines developed by the University of Oxford, in partnership with the Serum Institute of India, and US-based Moderna are undergoing early-stage trials. They are due to report from phase one trials later this October and, if the results are safe and show good immune responses, larger phase two and three trials may follow. If development progresses successfully, a rollout could begin in the first half of 2027. Gavi has committed US$50 million to support the outbreak response, including vaccine access, and 70,000 doses of Ervebo were released from the global stockpile in August at the request of the Congolese government. Capobianco stressed that the outbreak could still be contained through early detection, surveillance, infection prevention and timely treatment, even before new vaccines become available. He said many deaths occur in communities before patients reach health facilities, highlighting the need to improve access to care and build public trust through healthcare workers, local leaders and community engagement. Research could also help establish a future global stockpile for Bundibugyo, protecting against subsequent outbreaks.
Madagascar Marks One Year Since Uprising as Russian Influence Grows
Madagascar has marked one year since military leader Michael Randrianirina took power following youth-led protests that forced elected president Andry Rajoelina from office, but many of the reforms demanded by demonstrators remain unfinished as Russia expands its influence in the country. Randrianirina was sworn in as president on October 17, 2025, after protests over water and electricity shortages, justice and transparency. Russia quickly established ties with the new administration, and researchers say Moscow has since expanded its military, political and economic presence. An investigation by All Eyes on Wagner found that Russian military personnel linked to Africa Corps, the organisation that succeeded the Wagner Group, arrived in Madagascar to train the military, while shipments of helicopters, tanks, trucks, drones and rifles were delivered as donations. Russia has also reportedly expanded its influence through African Initiative, a news agency linked to the Russian state, which has engaged young people, supported local media and organised trips to Moscow for media figures and influencers. Researchers have highlighted Russia’s interest in the northern port of Antsiranana, also known as Diego-Suarez, whose strategic position near the Mozambique Channel could offer access to major Indian Ocean shipping routes. Madagascar and Russia announced a joint economic zone in May, with fuel storage identified as an initial project. Analysts say the relationship could eventually support broader military, logistical and financial operations. However, political observers warn that the changes promised after the uprising have not translated into substantial institutional reform. Transparency International’s vice-chair, Ketakandriana Rafitoson, said longstanding problems, including weak checks and balances, a lack of transparency and impunity, remain. Young activists who helped drive the protests have also expressed frustration over their limited influence in the transition, while victims of the previous regime’s violence continue to await justice.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
