Kenya Flood Death Toll Rises to 66 After Heavy Rains
At least 66 people died in Kenya after heavy rains caused widespread flooding over the past week, police said. Nairobi experienced more overnight rainfall but no new fatalities. Flash floods occurred after rivers burst their banks, flooding homes and damaging roads, power lines and water infrastructure. The heavy rains also caused both the Nairobi River and Ngong River to overflow, triggering riverine flooding in nearby neighbourhoods. Rescue teams saved 11 people after a minibus taxi became trapped in rising water. Two children were rescued from a flooded house in Kilimani. Authorities have urged residents in low-lying areas to move to safer ground, and more than 2,000 people have had to leave their homes to seek shelter. President William Ruto said emergency food and medical assistance were being delivered to affected communities.
Sassou Nguesso Set for Another Term in Congo-Brazzaville Vote
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Denis Sassou Nguesso is expected to secure another five-year term as president of the Republic of the Congo. Six candidates are contesting in the election, but the main opposition is divided and largely absent. He has campaigned on security, infrastructure development and economic growth driven by oil and gas. However, critics and rights groups accused the government of suppressing opposition figures and mismanaging state oil revenues. Sassou Nguesso, who first came to power in 1979 and returned after a civil war in 1997. He ranks as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, along with Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema and Cameroonian President Paul Biya.
Opposition Leader Bobi Wine Says He Fled Uganda Fearing for His Life
Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, left Uganda after January’s disputed election because he fears for his life. He said President Yoweri Museveni’s government wanted to eliminate him. He said supporters sheltered him while he remained in hiding before leaving the country. He repeated that the election was rigged in favour of Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. Wine also said the president’s son, military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, of threatening him online. Museveni, 81, has ruled Uganda since 1986 and is now in his seventh term as president.
Madagascar Appoints Anti-Corruption Chief as Prime Minister
Mamitiana Rajaonarison has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Madagascar. This comes after President Michael Randrianirina dismissed the previous prime minister and cabinet. Randrianirina said the country needed a leader with integrity as it faced a turning point. Rajaonarison previously headed the Financial Intelligence Unit (SAMIFIN), which tackles money laundering and illicit financial flows. He also held senior roles at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (BIANCO). His appointment comes as the country enters a period of political uncertainty. Interim president Randrianirina, a colonel who took power after the country’s Gen Z protests in October last year, promised a string of reforms and has courted closer ties with Russia. A new constitution is to be drafted in 2026, with presidential elections scheduled for 2027.
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South African Province Cases of Foot and Mouth Disease Rise to 179
The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced a rise in confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) across the province. The department alerted communities, farmers, and stakeholders that infections had climbed to 179. The Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality remains the most affected, with 58 cases, followed by the Bojanala Platinum District with 53, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District with 35, and the Ngaka Modiri Molema District with 33. Authorities said the increase signalled the urgent need for stronger action to protect the livestock sector. More than 53,000 animals have already been vaccinated using doses of the Biogenesis Bago FMD vaccine. The department said vaccination efforts are intensifying, with more animals expected to be vaccinated in the coming weeks as another batch of vaccines arrives.
