Cameroon Train Disaster Survivors Still Await Justice 10 Years Later
Ten years after Cameroon’s deadliest rail disaster killed 79 people and injured more than 500, survivors are still dealing with serious injuries, while some victims have not received compensation and legal proceedings remain unresolved. The Camrail train derailed near Eseka on 21 October 2016 while travelling from Yaoundé to Douala. An investigation found that it was travelling at 96km/h in a section with a 40km/h speed limit. Overloading, defective brakes and the addition of extra carriages also contributed to the crash. Survivors continue to suffer from chronic pain and lasting disabilities. In 2018, Camrail and 11 employees were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and causing unintentional injuries. The company’s former managing director received a suspended sentence, while other officials were also given suspended sentences. The train driver was sentenced to five years in prison. However, Camrail appealed the ruling, and the appeal has yet to be heard. Victims’ lawyers say compensation has been inadequate, with some payments still outstanding.
Burkina Faso Restores Death Penalty Amid Crackdown on Critics
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Burkina Faso’s unelected parliament has unanimously adopted a new penal code restoring the death penalty for offences including high treason, terrorism, espionage, parricide and importing expired or prohibited products. The death penalty for ordinary crimes was abolished in 2018. Human Rights Watch warns that reinstating capital punishment could further threaten civil liberties under the military junta, which took power in a 2022 coup. Authorities have restricted media outlets, suspended civil society organisations and unions, and targeted critics through arrests and enforced disappearances. The government said that the measure will help combat terrorism. Rights advocates argue that weaknesses in the justice system increase the risk of wrongful convictions and irreversible injustice.
Nearly 200,000 Zimbabweans Returned From South Africa
Nearly 200,000 Zimbabweans have returned home from South Africa amid anti-migrant protests and attacks targeting foreign nationals, according to the government. Cabinet was told that 197,294 people had returned, including 42,553 repatriated through government assistance and 154,741 who returned independently. The government deployed buses to collect stranded nationals, including those in Cape Town. The protests, involving groups such as Operation Dudula and March and March, have targeted Zimbabweans and other African migrants. Authorities said the number of returnees has declined but are continuing to monitor the situation. Zimbabwe is also screening deportees arriving from South Africa, including 700 people received from the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
Gambia to Compensate Victims With Proceeds From Jammeh’s US Mansion
The Gambia’s Reparations Commission has received more than US$2.57 million from the sale of a Maryland mansion belonging to former president Yahya Jammeh. The funds will be used to compensate victims of abuses committed during his more than two decades in power. US authorities secured the right to sell the property in 2022, arguing that it had been acquired using criminal proceeds and misappropriated public funds. Jammeh seized power in a 1994 coup and was accused of overseeing torture, forced disappearances, rape and extrajudicial killings. He lost the 2016 election to Adama Barrow but initially refused to step down. He eventually left office in 2017 and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea. A national inquiry found that he had amassed hundreds of properties and misappropriated more than US$300 million.
Latin American Drug Cartels Expand Operations Across Africa
Latin American drug trafficking organizations are expanding into Africa, using the continent as a transshipment point for cocaine and as a new production base for methamphetamine. Global demand is rising, and enforcement efforts are harder to maintain in the Americas, so criminal groups have tried to link up with African networks. Methamphetamine labs have been found in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mozambique. It is still common for cocaine to travel through West Africa on its way to Europe. They generate revenue by engaging in money laundering and drug trafficking. They achieve this by capitalizing on corruption, porous borders, and a scarcity of police officers. Nevertheless, the drug trade is gaining popularity, which is a cause for concern as it undermines government institutions and results in a rise in crime, addiction, and violence. The authorities have increased the number of arrests and seizures. Experts warn that criminal networks will continue to thrive where oversight and law enforcement remain weak.
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Kagame Urges Rwanda’s Youth to Put Health Before Ambitions
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has called on the youth to prioritise their health and well-being as they chase their personal and professional aspirations. Speaking at a youth engagement event at BK Arena on October 21, he stressed the importance of developing healthy habits from childhood. Kagame warned against alcohol and drug abuse, saying such behaviours can worsen personal difficulties rather than solve them. He also encouraged young people to exercise, continue learning, work hard and make responsible decisions. He called on them to challenge harmful practices in their communities instead of allowing them to become normalised. Kagame said young people should recognise their potential, distinguish right from wrong and take responsibility for shaping their futures.
