Burkina Faso Dissolves Electoral Commission, Extends Military Rule to 2029
Burkina Faso’s military rulers disbanded its electoral commission, calling it a waste of money. According to RTB TV, the interior ministry will oversee future elections. In September 2022, the junta took power in a coup and implemented broad reforms, including delaying elections intended to restore civilian rule. A nationwide vote that was due the previous year was postponed, with the transition to democracy extended until July 2029, allowing Captain Ibrahim Traore to remain in power and run for the presidency. Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo said that the commission had been subsidised with about $870,000 annually, and its dissolution aimed to strengthen national control over the electoral process and reduce foreign influence.
World Record Marathoner Ruth Chepngetich Suspended for Doping
Kenyan Marathon runner Ruth Chepngetich, who set the world record for women’s marathons with a time of 2:10:56, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed that she tested positive on March 14, 2024, and voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension on April 19 while the investigation continued. The AIU later issued a formal Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension. Chepngetich, who had withdrawn from the London Marathon citing mental and physical unpreparedness, retained the right to have her case heard by a disciplinary tribunal. Her case adds to a growing list of Kenyan athletes recently sanctioned for doping violations.
Former Opposition Leader Chamisa Reveals Resignation Was Strategic Move to Spite Mnangagwa
Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa revealed that his resignation from both the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was a strategic move intended to frustrate President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom he accused of engineering the takeover of opposition parties. Chamisa resigned as leader of the CCC in January last year, citing the hijacking of his party by Mnangagwa as punishment for his refusal to accept the results of the chaotic August 2023 general elections. The fallout from the elections saw Sengezo Tshabangu emerge, seemingly from nowhere, claiming to be the interim Secretary General of the CCC. Despite Chamisa’s attempts to block the recalls through official appeals, the courts upheld them, prompting his resignation. In a Facebook post, Chamisa confirmed that leaving the CCC was meant to “spite Mnangagwa” and break a cycle of political manipulation. His exit from the CCC followed a similar departure from the MDC after a Supreme Court ruling questioned the legitimacy of his leadership after Morgan Tsvangirai’s death.
Child Vaccinations Plummet as Sudan’s Health Crisis Deepens
Sudan’s childhood immunisation rate plummeted to 48% in 2025, the lowest in over four decades, down from 94% in 2022, leaving nearly 880,000 infants unprotected against diseases such as tetanus, pertussis, and diphtheria, according to WHO and UNICEF. The ongoing war has devastated the health system, disrupting services and vaccine access, despite UNICEF delivering 16 million doses, including 3.5 million to Darfur. As a result of the war, about 85 percent of Sudan’s industrial sector has been destroyed, making medicine supplies scarce. Many pharmaceutical factories remain non-operational due to looting, displacement, and infrastructure damage. In West Darfur, heavy rains have once again flooded El Geneina, isolating parts of the city and bringing transport and trade to a halt. Local farmers warned of a potential season failure as communities pushed forward with planting despite high fuel and food prices.
Operation Dudula Clashes with Rights Groups in Tense South Africa Protest
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Human rights organisations intervened to prevent members of the anti-immigration group Operation Dudula from entering the offices of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) in Johannesburg. Operation Dudula had planned to deliver memoranda to SERI, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), and the Helen Suzman Foundation, accusing them of being “unpatriotic” for defending undocumented immigrants. Supporters marched from Mary Fitzgerald Square to Braamfontein, chanting inflammatory slogans. Abahlali baseMjondolo activists met them at SERI’s offices. The situation escalated, resulting in shoving and insults, and police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Operation Dudula eventually moved on to the SAHRC offices, where they submitted their memorandum. SERI’s executive director, Nomzamo Zondo, said that their right to protest but criticised their misdirected anger, warning against scapegoating migrants. Abahlali baseMjondolo’s Thapelo Mohapi called for unity, urging South Africans to address structural issues with the government rather than blaming fellow Africans.
