Pope Leo XIV Urges Justice and Freedom in Equatorial Guinea
Pope Leo XIV continued his African tour with a Mass in Equatorial Guinea. He addressed a Mass that drew some 100,000 people, including Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the country’s leader and the world’s long-serving president. Leo, who is on an 11-day tour of Africa, greeted the crowd and the presidential family before the religious service. Leo urged citizens to work together to build a society “capable of engendering a new sense of justice,” one where there is “greater room for freedom” and where “the dignity of the human person always may be safeguarded.” In his remarks, the pope focused attention on the country’s record of human rights abuses and massive inequality when it comes to distributing the oil-rich nation’s wealth. Equatorial Guinea’s prisons and justice system have been repeatedly singled out by the UN and condemned by human rights groups and the US State Department. During his tour of Africa, in which he visited Algeria, Cameroon and Angola, Leo has spoken frankly and emphatically, blasting “tyrants” for spending billions on wars and condemning the “colonisation” of Africa’s mineral resources.
Foreign-Owned Shops in South Africa Shut Down as Violence Erupts
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Businesses owned by foreign nationals in Durban were forced to close following a two-day protest by a group called March and March. Locals called the protest a mass cleanup against illegal immigrants. The situation escalated when violence broke out, with some foreign nationals assaulted after protesters accused them of attacking a woman involved in the demonstrations. Group leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma alleged that some foreign-owned businesses were fronts for criminal activities, including drug trafficking. Police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi condemned the actions. He said that people are not allowed to chase foreign nationals without checking their documents.
Zambia Takes Body of Former President Lungu Against Family Wishes
The Zambian government has said that it has taken possession of the body of former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa 10 months ago, against the wishes of the family. The dispute stems from a long-running feud between Lungu and his successor, Hakainde Hichilema. The government has maintained that as a former head of state, he should be honoured in the country and buried alongside his predecessors in the special presidential burial ground in the capital, Lusaka. However, the family prefers a private burial. A South African court had previously ruled in favour of repatriation and give him a state funeral. Lungu died of an undisclosed illness last June, aged 68, at a clinic in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria. He had led Zambia from 2015 until 2021, when he lost the election by a wide margin to Hichilema. The family has now filed an urgent application in a South African high court for the former president’s body to be returned to the funeral home where it was originally being kept.
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Six Suspected Nigerian Coup Plotters Plead Not Guilty to Overthrow Tinubu
Six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have pleaded not guilty to plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu. Prosecutors allege the group conspired to destabilise the state, with charges including treason, terrorism and money laundering. A seventh person, a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva, has also been named as a conspirator, but court documents said he was still at large. Rumours of the coup plot surfaced when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary on 1 October 2025. The court scheduled 27 April for bail hearings.
Taiwan President Cancels Eswatini Trip Citing Chinese Pressure
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned visit to Eswatini. Taiwan accused Beijing of pressuring several countries to revoke overflight clearances ahead of the trip, calling the move a violation of international norms and a threat to aviation safety. Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked Lai’s flight permits after “intense pressure” and economic coercion from China, said a Taiwan official. China denied coercion, while praising the three Indian Ocean nations, saying it had “high appreciation” for them. Eswatini is one of 12 nations that are diplomatic allies of Taiwan and the only one in Africa. Lai was due to spend 22 to 26 April in Eswatini to attend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and the king’s birthday.
