Tanzanian opposition leader to face trial on treason charges

By Our Correspondent, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania 

Tanzania’s opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, is to face trial on treason charges after a court on Friday ruled that he has a case to answer.

The head of the opposition Chadema party has been detained since April last year for allegedly inciting the public to boycott the November elections.

Ahead of the polls Lissu's party had conducted an election reform campaign dubbed "No Reforms, No Elections", which led to his arrest.

Tanzania’s faced international criticism for its violent repression of protests around the elections with opposition and rights groups saying thousands were killed by security forces.

Security was tight on Friday as his supporters packed the high court for the ruling which was also attended by foreign diplomats.

Lissu, a long-time campaigner who returned from exile in 2023, has faced multiple arrests over the years and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

The ruling by a three-judge bench came days after prosecutors presented evidence and 17 witnesses testified against him.

Lissu, who represented himself, said the judges needed to ensure he could meet his lawyers who have not been allowed to visit him in jail.

He also asked them to “summon” several high-ranking government officials - including President Samia Hassan - he intends calling as defence witnesses.

Other witnesses he intends to summon are the former Vice-president, Isdor Mpango, former Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa and leading security officers; the Inspector General of police, Chief of armed forces and the Director of intelligence unit. 

If found guilty, he could face the death penalty.

Lissu's party accuses Hassan, who won the last election with 98 per cent of the vote, of a return to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli.

The government says more than 500 people were killed during the election unrest, without saying who was responsible.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 21/8/2026

 

UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada condemn Israel's West Bank settlement project

LONDON, England 

Israel's plans to open up tenders for the construction of some 1,200 settlement homes in a strategically important part of the occupied West Bank have sparked fresh condemnation by major Western powers.

In a joint statement, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada called the decision "unacceptable" and urged Israel to "retract the plans immediately".

All settlements are illegal under international law and, under international pressure, Israel held off for decades on plans to build in E1 to the east of Jerusalem.

Many of its allies and Palestinians argued this development would deal a major blow to hopes of a two-state solution, effectively cutting the West Bank in two and isolating east Jerusalem.

"At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning", the statement from the European allies and Canada published on Thursday said.

"Not only will they [the plans] take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel's international standing," the statement added.

In a separate statement, the UN secretary general also said the E1 plan posed an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state - and so did Belgium's foreign minister.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's condemnation earlier on Thursday had drawn "ouright" rejection by the Israeli foreign minister.

Despite an Israeli court challenge to the plans by Bedouin Palestinians living in the area and Israeli peace groups, on Wednesday the Israeli housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government last August.

It covers about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim.

At the time of their unveiling, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich - an ultranationalist and settler - said the idea of a Palestinian state was "being erased".

The deadline for bids is 19 October, just days before Israel's general election on 27 October, making it much harder for any future government to overturn any tenders issued.

Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since it occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem - land Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for future state - during the 1967 Middle East war. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them.

Despite the fierce international opposition, successive Israeli governments have allowed settlements to grow.

US says sanctions will 'squash' Iran's economy and 'collapse' its regime

WASHINGTON, United States 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged US allies to support Washington's efforts to "squash" the Iranian economy.

Bessent believes international sanctions will 'minimise the need' to return to war with Iran

"We are going to collapse this regime. It is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision," Bessent told broadcaster CNBC.

"You are either with us or against us," he said.

Bessent's remarks come after US President Donald Trump said that countries providing "any type of lifeline" to the Islamic Republic's regime will face "tremendous economic consequences".

Bessent did not offer any insight on the measures Trump's team was looking to implement, but said the planned pressure campaign on the Iranian economy would minimise the need of a "large-scale kinetic restart" of the conflict.

The US and Israel started a war with Iran in February, arguing the strikes were to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, which Tehran has consistently denied.

Iran, however, responded by attacking Israel, US bases across the Middle East as well as targeting Gulf Arab allies of the US.

Since then, Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz - the waterway through which some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit - causing wild fluctuations in prices on world markets.

The US and Iran agreed a ceasefire in April - and then another one in June, both aimed at facilitating negotiations to end the conflict.

However, the truce has been consistently broken and talks appear to have stalled but, instead of returning to war, Trump is gearing up to unleash the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country".

Bessent said the new economic penalties will be part of "the greatest co-ordinated economic isolation in the history of the world".

"If you insist on doing business with them, either transferring money, buying their oil... then the US Treasury and the US government will put [their] full might and force towards enforcing against you," the treasure secretary said referring to the US's international trading partners.

Bessent confirmed further details about the plan will be made public at a press conference on 24 August.

The Iranian economy has long been struggling under the weight of decades of international sanctions, which left it in tatters.

Earlier this year, Iran experienced weeks of protests due to the spiralling cost of living and inflation – with everyday Iranians blaming the regime for their difficulties.

Official figures show that in the 12 months to February 2026, the price of basic necessities increased by an average 60%, while food prices doubled in the same period.

At the time, Trump told demonstrators "help is on the way" as he urged them to "keep protesting".

The attacks on Iran ensued - and later led to the US to imposed a blockade of Iranian ports, threatening further sanctions.

In April, the US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms doing business with Tehran after it became apparent military operations had not led to the overthrow of Iran's regime nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.

Operation Economic Fury, announced by the US Treasury Department and the Pentagon, aimed at degrading Tehran's warfighting capability by cutting off its revenue streams, and also included a naval blockade aimed at stopping Iranian exports.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the US in June included a clause stating that the US would "terminate all types of sanctions" against Iran in an agreed-upon schedule. 

Former Zambian minister killed in post-election security raid

LUSAKA, Zambia 

A former Zambian cabinet minister was shot dead during a security operation at the home of opposition leader Brian Mundubile, police said Wednesday, days after President Hakainde Hichilema won a second term amid opposition claims of irregularities and intimidation.

Police said Mutotwe Kafwaya, 49, was killed during a joint security operation at Mundubile’s residence, a day after the August 13 presidential election.

According to police, security forces encountered gunfire and resistance from unidentified individuals during the raid and returned fire. An unidentified man was fatally wounded and a firearm was recovered.

Authorities later confirmed the dead man was Kafwaya, a former cabinet minister and opposition parliamentarian.

The operation came after the election, which gave President Hakainde Hichilema about 60 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission.

The government said the raid was aimed at dismantling a suspected militia that posed "a serious threat to State security". Eleven people were arrested during the operation, including three former commandos described by police as having extensive military experience.

Mundubile, who finished second with around 38 percent, said the operation took place at his home. He said Kafwaya had been struck by gunfire and that he was initially unable to establish what had happened to him.

Mundubile has rejected allegations that his alliance was involved in insurgency or militia activity.

He said those detained included members of his security team and opposition figures. After the raid, the opposition leader went into hiding.

The death of Kafwaya followed growing demands from his family for authorities to provide information about his whereabouts and condition.

Mundubile said his campaign had identified "serious irregularities" during the election and intends to challenge the results in court.

International observers have also raised concerns about the conduct of the vote, citing opposition allegations of intimidation, arrests, abductions and violence.

Kafwaya served as a minister under the Patriotic Front government between 2016 and 2021 before becoming an opposition lawmaker during Hichilema’s first term.

The raid and subsequent death have drawn renewed scrutiny of the government's handling of opposition activity following the election.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk called on the authorities to stop arbitrary arrests and fully respect the due process rights of detainees.

The incident adds to tensions in the aftermath of the vote, with questions remaining over the circumstances of Kafwaya’s death, the people arrested during the operation and the opposition’s planned legal challenge to the election result.

Russia launches missile strikes on Kyiv and surrounding region, killing at least eight

By Harry Sekulich, KYIV Ukraine 

A wave of overnight Russian missile strikes has killed at least eight people in the capital Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities say.

Apartment blocks and warehouses were hit in the "massive attack" on Thursday, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS), while a children's hospital and school were damaged. At least 33 people were injured.

Authorities are working to rescue people trapped underneath the rubble of demolished buildings, with crews already pulling two survivors from debris.

Meanwhile, Romania said one drone crossed into its territory at the northern border with Ukraine triggering an air alert siren.

In the early hours of Thursday, "a drone entered Romanian national airspace, approximately 13 kilometres east of the city of Galați," the Romanian defence ministry wrote in a statement.

The drone crashed into "an uninhabited area", causing a small fire that was extinguished.

"No casualties or material damage were reported", the ministry added, noting that the initial alert had been lifted.

The Polish military also said it had begun "defensive air operations" to protect its airspace, with the country sharing part of its south-eastern border with Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said a children's hospital had been damaged in the overnight strikes, where windows were broken and cars set ablaze nearby. There was also damage at an educational institution, he said.

An industrial centre in the Solomyanskyi district, south-west Kyiv, was also hit by missiles, according to the mayor.

An attack in Brovary district of the broader Kyiv region killed one man and wounded another, Kyiv regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said.

The regional administration issued an alert earlier in the night warning residents to take shelter. It continued: "Air defense operations are possible in the area".

More missile alerts were issued from regional authorities throughout the night, citing warnings from the Ukrainian air force that missiles were flying towards the capital.

The Russian airstrikes cut power to thousands of properties overnight, plunging parts of the Kyiv region into darkness, with technicians racing to repair the damaged energy grids.

The Russian defence ministry claims to have targeted a drone component production facility and a munition depot in Kyiv, according to state-run media, although the claims have not been independently verified by our correspondent.

Kyiv has been battered in near nightly-attacks in recent weeks, with some strikes resulting in dozens of deaths and serious injuries.

More than a dozen regions have been targeted across Ukraine over the past week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, with Russia launching more than 1,550 attack drones, 1,560 guide aerial bombs and 62 missiles Ukraine.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks deep inside Russia during the past few weeks, with a recent flurry of 600 drones targeting Moscow.

Two separate attacks on Russia this week has killed at least 16 people, including one child.

At least 100 dead in gold mine collapse in Central African Republic

BABOUA, Central African Republic 

More than 100 people have been killed after an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Central African Republic (CAR) near the border with Cameroon, local sources and a Red Cross volunteer have said.

Local media reported that the cave-in occurred on Tuesday in the village of Zamboye, about 50km (31 miles) from the Central African town of Baboua and a few kilometres from Garoua-Boulai, in eastern Cameroon.

Gervais Ganagoroh, a Red Cross volunteer involved in the relief effort, told the Associated Press news agency on Wednesday that more than 100 bodies had been recovered from the collapse.

A senior official at a local mining association also told Reuters that the cave-in had claimed more than 100 lives, a toll other local sources confirmed to the AFP.

The toll is expected to rise, with several people still missing or trapped beneath the rubble, according to city official Bertrand Be Yangue.

“Finding them alive would be a miracle,” Yangue said. “We are saddened and heartbroken to see young men and women perish after coming to the mines to save their families from despair.”

Souleymane Bi, the deputy mayor of Nana-Mambere prefecture in the Central African Republic, said: “It is horrible … And we are calling for help from organisations and all people of goodwill to help.”

The landslide is believed to have been caused by “the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating”, the Baboua public prosecutor said in a statement, announcing a judicial inquiry had been opened.

“At this stage, it’s difficult for us to establish a formal toll,” Baboua local official Laurent Ngon Baba told AFP earlier on Wednesday.

Cedric Mbango, a miner at the site, described the incident as “catastrophic”.

“The ground completely collapsed and buried people. As I speak to you, other people are still buried. Rescue attempts are under way,” he told AFP.

Government spokesman Evariste Ngamana expressed sympathy for the families of the victims and said authorities are “working hard to provide relief and assistance” to those affected.

Gregoire Mvongo, governor of the eastern Cameroonian region, said on public CRTV radio that they were “working in close collaboration with our Central African colleagues to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy”.

Artisanal mine collapses are common in CAR, where several thousand people work in small-scale extraction mining outside government control. The work is risky because miners typically do not have enough protection and accidents are often deadly.

In June, a collapse killed dozens of people at the Be-Mbari gold mining site, also on the Cameroon border.

In mid-March, a landslide killed seven people at a mine in the village of Ngourroum, in the west of CAR.

Another 20 were killed in February in Gordi, in the northeast.

Kenya helicopter crash kills seven in Samburu, including six tourists

NAIROBI, Kenya 

Seven people, including six tourists and the pilot, have died after a helicopter came down near Mount Ololokwe in central Kenya, according to air accident officials.

The crash took place in Samburu County at around 9:13 a.m. local time (06:13 GMT), the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said.

The aircraft had been operating a sightseeing trip between a wildlife conservancy in Loisaba and Ewaso Nyiro, a river that passes through a number of national reserves.

The KCAA identified the helicopter as a Eurocopter EC130 B4 and said it was helping coordinate the response. The Transport Ministry and the Air Accident Investigations Department are expected to establish what caused the crash.

The identities and nationalities of those who died have not yet been released.

Access to the crash site remains difficult, according to the Kenya Red Cross. It said drones were being used to survey the area and help assess the situation. Images circulating online showed smoke rising from the site near Mount Ololokwe.

Samburu is one of Kenya's well-known tourism areas, attracting visitors to its wildlife conservancies and distinctive landscapes.

The latest crash adds to a number of fatal helicopter accidents recorded in Kenya in recent years.

Six people, including a lawmaker, died in a helicopter crash in Nandi County in February this year.

In April 2024, Kenya's military chief, General Francis Omondi Ogolla, was killed when an army helicopter carrying 11 people crashed in the western part of the country. Two people survived.

Another military helicopter accident in June 2021 killed at least 10 soldiers during a landing near Nairobi.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 20/8/2026

 

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 19/8/2026