**African News Round‑up – 28 August 2026**
**Uganda – Military chief announces presidential bid for 2031**
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the commander of Uganda’s armed forces, said on the social‑media platform X that he intends to contest the country’s highest office in the 2031 elections. Kainerugaba, 52, is the son of President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986. In his statement he indicated that he would seek the presidency with his father’s support. The general currently heads the Patriotic League of Uganda, a political pressure group, and has previously signalled an intention to run in the 2026 election before withdrawing from that race. His announcement comes amid ongoing uncertainty about Museveni’s political future and increased scrutiny of Kainerugaba’s public statements and actions against opposition figures.
**Nigeria – Kidnapping ransom payments total nearly $6 million**
According to a report by SBM Intelligence, Nigeria recorded 1,411 kidnapping incidents involving approximately 7,825 victims between July 2025 and June 2026. The firm estimates that at least N7.78 billion (about US$6 million) was paid in ransom during the period, with Boko Haram responsible for more than 90 % of the payments. Eight incidents accounted for roughly N7 billion of the total, including large‑scale abductions of students in Niger and Borno states. The report also documented 963 deaths linked to kidnappings, with the northern region accounting for 85 % of cases. Security forces carried out 302 anti‑kidnapping operations, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing Nigerian authorities.
**Zambia – Opposition leader Brian Mundubile taken into police custody**
Zambian opposition figure Brian Mundubile, who finished as the runner‑up in the recent presidential election, was placed in police custody and questioned alongside his running mate, Makebi Zulu. The detention follows a disputed but largely peaceful election in which incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner. Mundubile had gone into hiding after police raids on opposition offices and announced plans to contest the results in court. Authorities have charged him with offences related to national security and alleged activities threatening the state. The pair surrendered to police after reportedly being under United Nations protection; lawyers were present during the questioning. The incident has raised concerns about post‑election tensions ahead of Hichilema’s inauguration scheduled for 1 September.
**Kenya – President William Ruto reaffirms right to dissent**
Speaking at the 16th Katiba Day Symposium in Nairobi, President William Ruto reiterated that Kenyan citizens retain the constitutional right to criticize the government, express dissent and participate in peaceful demonstrations. He stated that no individual should lose life, liberty or dignity for exercising these freedoms. Ruto acknowledged allegations of unlawful arrests, disappearances and excessive force during the 2024 protests led by Generation Z, and called for independent investigations and accountability. He added that the right to protest does not extend to violent or criminal acts, emphasizing the need to balance civil liberties with public order.
**Malawi – New testimony raises questions about 2024 plane crash that killed Zambian Vice‑President**
During a parliamentary inquiry into the 10 June 2024 crash of a plane that killed Zambian Vice‑President Saulos Chilima and eight others, former officer‑in‑charge of the Mzuzu Climate Change and Meteorological Station, Olive Chavunguma, testified that visibility at Mzuzu Airport was eight kilometres on the morning of the accident. She argued that such conditions would have been sufficient for the aircraft to land safely, despite the overcast sky, drizzle and fog reported at the time. Chavunguma could not confirm whether adverse weather caused the crash, noting that conditions at the Chikangawa crash site might have differed. Her statements challenge aspects of the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation’s (BFU) findings, which attributed the crash to adverse weather and a lack of meteorological information for the flight route.
**South Africa – Malian singer Salif Keïta cancels festival appearance over xenophobic violence**
Malian music legend Salif Keïta has withdrawn from a scheduled performance at
Article and image source: allafrica.com
