Sunday, March 29, 2026

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 30/03/2026

 

















CAF general secretary resigns amid Afcon final fallout

CAIRO, Egypt 

The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has resigned amid a chaotic time for football on the continent.

Veron Mosengo-Omba said in a statement he was retiring, but his departure comes during the fallout over decisions to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title and postpone the women's tournament at the last minute.

These incidents have left Caf, the governing body for African football, battling a crisis of confidence.

Mosengo-Omba alluded to controversies faced during his tenure in his statement on Sunday.

"Now that I have been able to dispel the suspicions that some people have gone to great lengths to cast on me, I can retire with peace of mind and without constraint, leaving the CAF more prosperous than ever," Mosengo-Omba, deputy to Caf president Patrice Motsepe, wrote.

The 66-year-old has been criticised for staying on as general secretary past the organisation's mandatory retirement age of 63.

He has also been accused by some employees of creating a toxic atmosphere in the workplace, although an investigation after staff complaints cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Mosengo-Omba, who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo but also holds Swiss nationality, was appointed general secretary in March 2021.

In the meantime, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Nigerian football administrator Samson Adamu as its Acting Secretary General.

Adamu’s appointment follows the resignation of VĂ©ron Mosengo-Omba, who stepped down on Saturday day to pursue personal projects and is reportedly set to contest for the presidency of the Congolese Football Federation.

The governing body is awaiting a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) on Senegal's appeal against being stripped of the Afcon title.

Senegal is challenging Caf's appeals body for overturning their 1-0 win over hosts Morocco in January's Afcon final.

During the game, Senegal's players left the field in protest when, with the score at 0-0, hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

When they returned after a delay of about 17 minutes, Morocco subsequently failed to score the spot-kick and Senegal netted an extra-time winner.

Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA (FRMF), Caf later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and Morocco were awarded a 3-0 victory.

Saturday, March 28, 2026

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 29/03/2026

 












Landslides kill 20 in Tanzania as heavy rains hit East Africa

MBEYA, Tanzania 

At least 20 people have been killed in landslides in southern Tanzania after days of intense rainfall, as extreme weather continues to batter parts of East Africa.

Local officials say the disaster struck early Wednesday in the Mbeya region, where heavy rain and strong winds triggered landslides that swept through homes. Authorities in Rungwe district confirmed the deaths, including that of a young child, and warned the toll could rise.

Residents in high-risk areas have been urged to move to safer ground, with forecasters predicting more rain in the coming days.

Across the region, the impact of the seasonal rains has been severe. In Kenya, flooding has claimed at least 88 lives, with large parts of the country affected. More than 20 counties have reported damage, and rivers have overflowed following weeks of heavy downpours. The military has been deployed to support rescue efforts.

Ethiopia has also been hit, with landslides earlier this month leaving around 80 people dead in the south.

The scale of the destruction has raised fresh concerns about preparedness and the vulnerability of communities living in flood-prone areas.

Regional climate experts had warned of an increased likelihood of heavier-than-usual rainfall during the current March-to-May season, with several countries across East Africa expected to be affected.