Polls open in Ethiopia’s election

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia 

Polls opened Monday in Ethiopia in an election that is widely expected to be won by the ruling party.

A heavy military presence was observed in the capital, Addis Ababa, as observers called for a peaceful election in the country that is Africa’s second-most populous and hosts the headquarters of the African Union.

Long queues began forming before the 6 a.m. opening time, with voters eager to cast their ballots and make their voices heard.

Ethiopians are choosing more than 500 members of the House of Representatives, who will subsequently vote to select the prime minister.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party is expected to secure a majority of seats, paving the way for him to retain office for another term.

About 50 million people, out of Ethiopia’s estimated population of 130 million, are registered to vote. Voters are also electing members of local government councils. Results are expected later on Monday.

Opposition parties have raised concerns over what they describe as a shrinking political space, alleging that they were prevented from actively campaigning and persuading voters. 

Ethiopia has also faced criticism over reports of human rights abuses targeting government critics and journalists.

A human rights defender, Noah Yesuf, said the election was illegitimate “from the beginning.”

“The fairness of an election is judged by whether there is a level playing field for the opposition and a conducive environment for citizens to freely participate,” he told our Correspondent. 

There’s an element of voter apathy due to citizens feeling let down by politicians.

Senait Dereje, a 37-year-old shopkeeper, is certain her vote matters.

“I have registered to vote. I am not sure if my vote will bring the change that I want and that will help change my livelihood,” Dereje told the reporter. “I know many friends refuse to vote as they have given up on the politicians but I have not and I see it as a referendum like vote on the mixed record of the government.”

This year’s election themes include national reconciliation due to the fighting seen in regions such as Tigray, Oromia, and Amhara, and there is also a development theme as the government pledges to undertake major projects.

Iran and US report new wave of air strikes in Gulf

WASHINGTON, United States 

Air strikes resumed between the US and Iran over the weekend as each side claimed to have hit military targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Central Command (Centcom) said it conducted "self-defense strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran and Qeshm Island this weekend".

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted an air base used by US forces in retaliation, but did not say where.

Earlier US media reported President Donald Trump had requested "edits" to the latest terms of a proposal that could lead to a peace deal, and there was no sign of a breakthrough.

The US said its strikes on Saturday and Sunday were in response to "aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters".

In a post on X, Centcom said US fighters struck the Iranian military's air defences, a ground control station and two drones that it said "posed a clear threat to ships transiting through regional waters". No American servicemen or women were injured in the attacks, the military said.

The IRGC said it struck the airbase which the US had used to carry out the strikes on its communications tower on Sirri Island in the Gulf, around 40 miles (65km) from Iran's southern coastline.

Iran's military added that its response would be "completely different" if US aggression was "repeated", according to IRGC remarks reported by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Kuwait's military said it was "confronting hostile missile and drone attacks" using its air-defence systems, but did not specify where the interceptions were occurring.

Tehran targeted an air base in Kuwait last week in response to earlier US air strikes, which it said were conducted to prevent Iranian boats and missile strikes from laying mines around the shipping channel.

While a ceasefire came into effect on on 8 April, Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that the US and Iran were close to a permanent deal and that negotiations were progressing, but so far no formal agreement has been reached.

The latest iteration of the deal included a 60-day cessation of violence, a call to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and a framework to reopen negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to the CBS News.

Approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments usually pass through the Gulf shipping channel, with the de facto trade embargo placing upward pressure on fuel prices around the world.

On Sunday, Trump requested changes to an existing deal, which Iran dismissed as "speculation".

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 1/6/2026

 

WHO chief visits town at the epicentre of Ebola outbreak in DR Congo

BUNIA, DR Congo 

The head of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, arrived in the town of Bunia in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday.

It is the capital of Ituri Province, the epicentre of the current outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus which is already present in three of the country’s eastern provinces.

There have been at least 1,077 suspected cases in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, including 246 deaths.

In neighbouring Uganda, there are nine confirmed infections of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever, including one death.

Speaking on his arrival in Bunia, Tedros called on communities to ​play a central role in fighting the disease.

He said while the international community was involved, under the leadership of Kinshasa, communities understand the ​problems better and know the solution as well.

Tedros said the WHO was there to discuss with people, to see how the response was running, and if there were challenges to help.

The director-general has been in the DRC since Thursday to coordinate the response to the Ebola outbreak.

He called for more international support for the response, saying the WHO had so far received only a third of its funding requirements.

The WHO has warned that the true reach of the outbreak in the DRC, which is thought to have been circulating before it was detected, is likely to be much wider.

Arsenal 'pain' will fuel fire after Champions League heartbreak

BUDAPEST, Hungary 

"Pain."

That was the first word out of Mikel Arteta's mouth in his post-match news conference when asked how he would sum up the Champions League final defeat to Paris St-Germain in Budapest.

On Sunday, Arsenal will get on an open-top bus parade to celebrate their Premier League title, less than 24 hours after their final heartbreak.

The Gunners, who were unbeaten in the Champions League this season heading into Saturday's final, missed out on becoming European invincibles with their penalty shootout defeat.

Arsenal are hurting but they will fly back from Hungary early on Sunday before joining their fans to celebrate a season to be proud of.

Before the game manager Arteta said he wanted to use the Premier League success as a platform to reach bigger destinations and to aim for more silverware.

But unfortunately, his side fell at the final hurdle in their pursuit of a first European trophy, in their first final in the competition since 2006.

Arsenal produced a battling display but lacked attacking quality as PSG dominated with 75% possession and eventually won on penalties as centre-back Gabriel skied his penalty in the shootout.

The Gunners have still had an excellent season, winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, but could the manner of the defeat be what pushes Arsenal on next season?

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 31/5/2026

 

Eight students arrested after deadly Kenya school fire

NAIROBI, Kenya 

Eight students have been arrested over a suspected arson attack at a Kenyan girls’ boarding school that killed 16 students and injured 79 others, as investigators probe allegations of negligence, overcrowding and ignored warnings at the institution.

Kenyan authorities on Friday arrested eight students over a suspected arson attack at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, west-central Kenya, after a dormitory fire killed 16 students and left dozens injured.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, preliminary findings identified the students as persons of interest linked to the planning and execution of the blaze, which erupted in the early hours of Thursday. The eight girls are currently in police custody as investigations continue.

Investigators said the affected dormitory contained 135 bunk beds, raising concerns over overcrowding and safety standards at the school.

Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary investigations found that two teachers had allegedly been informed of possible plans to start the fire but failed to intervene.

Ogamba also accused the school administration of ignoring safety regulations, pointing to overcrowded dormitories and a locked emergency exit during the fire, which may have contributed to the high death toll.

The government has since disbanded the school’s board of management and vowed legal and disciplinary action against any staff found to have neglected their duties.

School fires have long been a recurring problem in Kenya, with researchers linking many incidents to student protests over harsh discipline and poor living conditions in boarding institutions.

In 2024, a fire at a boarding primary school in Nyeri County killed 21 students, although the cause was never conclusively established.

Kenya’s deadliest school fire in recent decades occurred in 2001 at Kyanguli Secondary School near Nairobi, where 67 boys were killed in a dormitory blaze authorities blamed on arson.

The latest tragedy has reignited concerns over student welfare, overcrowding and emergency preparedness in Kenyan schools

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 30/5/2026