Zambian Court Jails Two Men for Attempting to Kill President with Witchcraft
A Zambian court sentenced Leonard Phiri from Zambia and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde from Mozambique to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The men were convicted under the Witchcraft Act after being arrested in December with charms in their possession, including a live chameleon. Magistrate Fine Mayambu ruled that they posed a threat not only to the president but to all Zambians. The prosecution alleged that the men were hired by a fugitive former MP to bewitch Hichilema. Their lawyer requested a fine instead of prison time, but the court rejected the plea. The case has been closely followed in Zambia, as this was the first time anyone was put on trial for attempting to use witchcraft against a president. Hichilema has previously said he does not believe in witchcraft. He has not commented on the case.
Tanzania Bars Opposition Candidate Luhaga Mpina From Presidential Race Again
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Tanzanian opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina has been banned from running in next month’s election for the second time. Tanzania’s electoral commission disqualified Mpina, the candidate for the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), the country’s second opposition party. The move overturned a court ruling that had reinstated his candidacy after an earlier disqualification, with the commission citing an objection by Attorney General Hamza Saidi Johari. ACT-Wazalendo denounced the decision as politically motivated, vowing to challenge it. This leaves President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling CCM facing little competition. Hassan came to power without being directly elected after taking over from John Magufuli when he died in March 2021, and she has taken no chances in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary votes. The main opposition party, Chadema, was already barred in April, and its candidate, Tundu Lissu, remains jailed on treason charges. Rights groups have warned of a government crackdown on opposition voices.
Zimbabwean Tycoon Sparks Outrage After Lavish Gifts to Ruling Party Officials
Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has sparked public outrage after splurging U.S.$3 million on luxury vehicles for Zanu PF officials, reigniting scrutiny over the source of his wealth. Chivayo gifted each of the party’s ten Provincial Chairpersons a brand new 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 series VXR, worth about U.S.$190,000, along with U.S.$100,000 in cash for local development projects. He described the gesture as a celebration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday and a token of appreciation for Zanu PF’s 2023 election victory. While Mnangagwa has previously defended Chivayo as a philanthropist, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has indirectly criticised such displays of questionable wealth, calling those who enrich themselves dishonestly “zvigananda.” Chivayo also donated ten Land Cruiser ICU ambulances to government hospitals. However, some hailed Chivayo’s charitable act, but others dismissed it as his flaunting of ill-gotten gains.
Half of Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Still Living in Extreme Poverty
According to a new report by the World Bank and UNICEF, despite global progress in reducing extreme child poverty, Sub-Saharan Africa has not improved in the past decade, with more than half of its children living below the poverty line. Sub-Saharan Africa still faces a significant problem with extreme poverty, even as the global numbers have dropped from 507 million in 2014 to 412 million in 2024. About one in five children worldwide lives in extreme poverty, which means their households survive on less than $3 a day. A UNICEF study in Nigeria revealed that 69.2% of children in Kano State lack access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter. Nearly 60% also live in monetary poverty. UNICEF has urged governments to increase budgetary allocations for child-focused programmes and also called on the media to raise awareness on children’s rights, school enrolment, and the dangers of violence against children.
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Nigerian Chef Hilda Baci Confirmed for New Guinness World Record in Jollof Rice
Guinness World Records confirmed Nigerian chef Hilda Baci’s successful attempt at cooking the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof Rice. Baci, along with Gino Nigeria, cooked 8,780 kg of jollof rice during a nine-hour open-air event at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos. This accomplishment took nine months to plan and two months to prepare. It required 4,000 kg of rice, 164 kg of goat meat, 220 kg of chicken cubes, and 600 kg of her special pepper mix. The event served over 16,600 plates and attracted thousands of spectators and live performers. In 2023, Baci set the record for the longest cooking marathon, but Irish chef Alan Fisher later surpassed her.
