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Today in Africa — August 10, 2026: Malawi Secures Historic Women’s World Cup Spot, Madagascar Moves to Reclaim Colonial Land

OkayAfrica has scoured the Internet for today’s major news stories, so you don't have to. On Aug. 10, coverage includes: Cameroon knocking out defending champions Nigeria to seal its own World Cup berth; Madagascar's top court upholding a law allowing the state to take back land still held by foreign settlers since independence; and more.

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Lihle Z. Mtshali Today in Africa & Newsletter Editor
Temwa Chawinga #6 of Kansas City Current controls the ball during a game against Denver Summit FC at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on July 3, 2026 in Commerce City, Colorado.
Temwa Chawinga, Malawi women’s national football team captain and a player for the Kansas City Current in the U.S., led her team to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification yesterday with a 2-1 win over Ghana.

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

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Malawi Beats Ghana to Reach First-Ever World Cup, Cameroon Ends Nigeria's Reign

Malawi completed one of the greatest underdog stories in Women's AFCON history yesterday, Sunday, August 9, beating Ghana 2-1 on a dramatic late goal from Rose Kadzere to reach the semifinals and qualify for their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup. It's a stunning achievement for a team playing in its first-ever WAFCON, having already knocked out defending champions Nigeria and Egypt in the group stage. Earlier on Sunday, Cameroon delivered a shock of its own, ending Nigeria's title reign with a 1-0 quarterfinal win off a stunning free kick from 19-year-old Myriam Nyadjou — a result that also books Cameroon's ticket to Brazil 2027.

More From the Quarterfinals

  • Ghana took an early lead through Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, but Malawi's captain Temwa Chawinga equalized minutes later before Kadzere's 79th-minute winner sealed it.

  • Ghana's World Cup dream isn't over — the Black Queens face Côte d'Ivoire in an African play-off on Thursday, August 13, with the winner advancing to the FIFA intercontinental play-offs.

  • Nigeria's Super Falcons, who've qualified for all nine previous Women's World Cups, face South Africa's Banyana Banyana later on Thursday in the second play-off match of the day to decide who advances to the intercontinental play-offs.

  • Morocco and Algeria round out the four direct World Cup qualifiers, having beaten South Africa and Côte d'Ivoire, respectively, in the quarterfinals.

  • Nigeria's loss guarantees a first-time WAFCON champion this year, since defending champs are out of the running.

Madagascar's Top Court Clears Way for State to Reclaim Colonial-Era Land

Madagascar's High Constitutional Court ruled on August 3 that a new law allowing the state to reclaim land still registered in the names of foreign settlers from the colonial era is constitutional, reviving a decades-old land dispute. Law No. 2026-007 uses June 26, 1960 — the day Madagascar gained independence — as its cutoff: any land still registered in a foreign name on that date and never transferred to a Malagasy owner since then automatically becomes state property. The court framed the ruling as restoring Malagasy land rights and strengthening the state's control over strategic property, though the law must still be published in the Official Journal before it takes effect.

What to Know

  • The law exempts land used by foreign diplomatic missions, properties already transferred to Malagasy citizens before independence, and land held by foreign nationals who later became Malagasy citizens.

  • While the law doesn't name France directly, French colonial rule left behind land records still registered in the names of foreign settlers, and the ruling adds to long-standing tensions between Madagascar and France over land and territory, including the disputed Scattered Islands.

  • A similar 2015 law aimed at transferring colonial-era land was struck down by the same court over constitutional issues.

  • Once the law takes effect, authorities will need to identify, verify, and inventory affected properties before deciding how to redistribute them.

Heavy Snow Blankets South Africa, Forcing Major Road Closures

South Africa is battling a severe winter storm, with the South African Weather Service issuing a Level 6 disruptive snow warning as heavy snow, hail, and icy conditions hit several provinces. KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are the worst hit, with major routes such as the N3, N6, and N9 closed and forecasters expecting 25 to 35 centimeters of snow in high-lying areas. The Road Traffic Management Corporation is urging drivers to stay off the roads where possible and proceed with extreme caution where travel is unavoidable.

What's Behind the Storm

  • The weather service says the system started as a standard cold front but has since matured into a "cutoff low," an upper-atmosphere system that's now feeding off and intensifying the surface cold front, according to SAWS senior forecaster Tokelo Chiloane.

  • Chiloane says the combined systems are dropping temperatures sharply enough to turn rainfall into sleet and snow over mountain tops, especially in the Eastern Cape.

  • The system is moving from the Western and Northern Cape eastward toward the Eastern Cape and inland provinces, with snow already reported in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Free State's mountainous areas, and possible snowfall even in Johannesburg.

  • Stellenbosch University's Professor and Chief Academic Director at the School for Climate Studies, Guy Midgley,  says an unusually deep, blocked low-pressure system is pulling cold air up from near Antarctica — a pattern that happens roughly once or twice every few years but isn't unheard of.

  • Midgley notes this storm isn't linked to an atmospheric river, unlike the severe flooding event that hit the Cape in May.

In Brief: More Stories Today

WHO: DR Congo's Ebola Outbreak Started in February, Months Before It Was Declared

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak — the fastest-growing on record — actually began in February, months before it was officially declared in mid-May, the World Health Organization said today, Monday, August 10, citing genetic sequencing. Confirmed cases have now reached 4,200, including more than 1,900 deaths, and health officials say some early cases were mistakenly attributed to malaria and typhoid. Separately, all passengers on a river boat quarantined near Kinshasa tested negative for Ebola, easing fears the virus had reached the capital.

Total Solar Eclipse to Cross Northern Hemisphere, Partial View for North Africa

A total solar eclipse sweeps across the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday, August 12, though the path of totality only crosses Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Western Sahara, and parts of Libya will catch a partial eclipse near sunset, with Algiers seeing up to 98% coverage. A far more dramatic eclipse is coming to the region on August 2, 2027, with over six minutes of totality passing through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations.

Senegal Charges 71 Men in Expanding Crackdown on Same-Sex Relations

Senegal's public prosecutor's office says 71 men have been charged with "unnatural acts" as the country intensifies its crackdown on same-sex relations, months after passing a law doubling prison sentences for homosexuality. More than 100 people have been charged since the law passed, though charges of willfully transmitting HIV have since been dropped. Activists say the LGBT+ community is being scapegoated by politicians.

Tanzanian Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu's Treason Trial Resumes After 5-Month Pause

The treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu resumed today, Monday, August 10, after a five-month suspension tied to a prosecution appeal that was ultimately dismissed. Lissu, who's been jailed since April 2025 on charges that carry the death penalty, accused prosecutors of deliberately dragging out the case to keep him in custody. His Chadema party calls the trial a test of Tanzania's commitment to democracy and political freedom.

Mali's Army Says It Repelled Militant Attack on Military Base, Killing Dozens

Mali's military says it killed around 40 jihadist fighters after repelling a two-hour attack on an army base in the town of San on Sunday, though at least 10 soldiers also died. JNIM, an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed it had seized control of the base, which the army disputes, saying its troops only "retreated temporarily." The attack adds to signs of a deteriorating security situation in Mali, more than a decade into the country's jihadist insurgency.

South Sudanese Whistleblower Released After Nearly Two Months in Detention

Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit, a South Sudanese whistleblower abducted in Kenya in June, has been released and returned to Nairobi, where he's now getting medical treatment after his health declined in detention in Juba. He'd reportedly shared information about alleged high-level corruption in South Sudan before armed men seized him outside a casino near Nairobi. South Sudan's government hasn't commented on his release.

Nigeria's Flag Football Teams Miss World Championships Over Visa Delays

Nigeria's men's and women's flag football teams will skip this week's world championships in Germany after failing to secure visas in time, organizers said today, Monday, August 10. The tournament is the first Olympic qualifying event for the sport ahead of its 2028 Los Angeles debut, and Nigeria — last year's African champion in both divisions — still has a shot at qualifying through next year's continental championship.

Nairobi Bids to Become First African City to Host World Athletics Championships

Nairobi has officially submitted its bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, aiming to be the first African city to land the sport's top event. Kenya's government is backing the bid with full infrastructure, security, and organizational support, and the Kenyan capital will compete against London, Rome, and Munich, with a host city decision expected in September.

Libya's Central Bank Governor Resigns Amid Political Divide

Libya's Central Bank Governor Naji Issa has submitted his resignation to the country's two rival legislative chambers, citing reasons he called too sensitive to disclose. The High Council of State has asked him to remain in office to preserve financial and political stability while his resignation is reviewed, but the House of Representatives hasn't yet responded. Issa took the post in 2024 after a standoff between Libya's rival factions over control of the bank.


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