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.
East African Hosts Make CHAN History With Quarterfinal Spots
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have all reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the first time in CAF history that three host nations of the same tournament advanced together. Kenya shocked the continent by topping Group A after a 1-0 win over Zambia, while Tanzania dominated Group B with three wins out of four. Uganda broke their long streak of early exits by edging South Africa 3-3 in a dramatic final group game, sealing their first-ever knockout spot.
The co-hosting format — spanning Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala — has fueled massive home support, with each team set to play their quarterfinal matches at home this weekend. Kenya faces Madagascar on Friday in Nairobi, Tanzania hosts Morocco the same night in Dar es Salaam, and Uganda meets the Group D runners-up on Saturday in Kampala. The packed stadiums and festival-like atmosphere have made this CHAN one of the most celebrated in recent memory.
HRW: M23 Rebels Killed Over 140 Civilians in Eastern DRC
M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in July, Human Rights Watch said yesterday, Wednesday, August 19, warning the real toll could be more than 300. Survivors told the group how fighters attacked villages near Virunga National Park, hacking and shooting civilians. One woman said rebels murdered her husband with a machete before marching her and 70 others to a river, where they opened fire. Another witness said he watched his wife and four young children being killed from afar. Most victims were ethnic Hutu, with some Nande, according to the report.
The killings came just weeks after the DRC and Rwanda signed a preliminary U.S.-brokered deal and as peace talks with M23 continued in Qatar. The Qatar talks have since stalled. The group has denied involvement and did not comment on the report. HRW urged the UN, EU, and governments to expand sanctions, pursue prosecutions, and press Rwanda to allow forensic experts access to areas under rebel control.
Egyptian Mohamed Salah Makes History With Third PFA Player of the Year Win
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year for 2025, becoming the first player to win the award three times. The 33-year-old Egyptian winger led Liverpool to the league title last season, finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer with 29 goals and 18 assists. Salah also claimed the Premier League Player of the Season and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers was named young player of the year, while former England manager Gareth Southgate received the PFA merit award for his contributions to the game.
Japan Pushes Africa Ties at Yokohama Summit
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba opened a three-day summit with nearly 50 African leaders in Yokohama today, Wednesday, August 20, pitching stronger trade and strategic partnerships as Tokyo seeks to balance China’s growing clout and fading U.S. engagement. The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) has drawn heads of state, ministers, and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, underscoring the global weight of the gathering.
Ishiba is expected to launch a new Indo-Pacific–Africa cooperation plan centered on the “Indian Ocean–Africa Economic Zone Initiative,” a framework linking Japanese agencies, businesses, and experts to expand free trade, investment, and infrastructure ties. Organizers say the push highlights Japan’s aim to be seen as a stable partner in Africa’s growth, with a focus on connectivity, markets, and sustainable development.
Uganda Rejects Report of U.S. Deportation Deal
Uganda has dismissed claims that it agreed to take in people deported from the United States, following a CBS News report yesterday, Tuesday, August 19, which suggested that Washington had struck such a deal with Kampala and Honduras. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem told Reuters that no agreement exists and that Uganda lacks the infrastructure to accommodate deportees. The report comes as the Trump administration pushes to expand deportations through third-country arrangements, even as Uganda already hosts nearly two million refugees, mostly from neighboring countries in crisis.
50 Killed, Dozens Abducted in Nigeria Mosque Attack
At least 50 people were killed and around 60 others abducted when gunmen stormed a mosque and nearby homes in Katsina state’s Malumfashi district during dawn prayers yesterday, Tuesday, August 19. Witnesses said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, shooting inside the mosque before moving through the village, killing residents and setting homes on fire. Local lawmaker Aminu Ibrahim said 20 victims were burned alive, while survivors described women and girls being dragged away. Police said officers intercepted the assailants before they could strike other villages, but the attackers opened fire as they fled through Unguwan Mantau. The assault is the latest in a wave of deadly bandit attacks in northwest Nigeria, where armed groups frequently raid rural communities for ransom and extortion.
Report Warns Luxury Tourism in Africa Excludes Local Communities
Luxury tourism is booming across Africa, but new research from the University of Manchester says most of the profits bypass local communities. Published in African Studies Review, the study found that all-inclusive resorts often isolate visitors from nearby towns, hire few local workers, and keep spending in-house. Many profitable eco-lodges are also foreign-owned, with revenues flowing abroad, deepening inequality, while most tourism jobs remain low-paid. The issue is sparking pushback: in Kenya, activists are suing to stop a new Ritz-Carlton safari lodge in the Maasai Mara, and in Tanzania, protests over Maasai evictions to make way for luxury hunting lodges have turned deadly.
Mali Ex-PM Charged with Embezzlement
Former Malian prime minister Choguel Maïga, 67, appeared before the Supreme Court yesterday, Tuesday, August 19, and was charged with embezzlement linked to his time in office. He was remanded in custody, his lawyer said. He was arrested on August 13. Maïga, who led the civilian wing of the junta until his 2024 dismissal for criticizing election delays, has denied the allegations. The charges stem from an auditor general’s report on public funds management. No trial date has been set. His detention follows the recent jailing of another ex-PM, Moussa Mara, amid a wider crackdown by Mali’s military rulers, who have extended their stay in power and dissolved political parties.
South Africa Arrests Rhino Horn Trafficking Ring
South Africa’s Hawks unit has arrested six people, including controversial conservationist John Hume, after a seven-year probe into an alleged rhino horn trafficking syndicate. Prosecutors say the group used fraudulent permits to obtain nearly 964 horns — around 15% of the southern white rhino population — and illegally exported them to Southeast Asia. The suspects, who include lawyers, farmers, and reserve managers, face charges of fraud, racketeering, money laundering, and breaching biodiversity laws. All appeared in a Pretoria court and were granted bail, with Hume set at R100,000 (about $5,700). The case, hailed by officials as a major win against wildlife crime, resumes in December.
Ethiopia Approves Major Pay Hike for Civil Servants
Ethiopia has announced a sweeping salary increase for civil servants starting September 2025, raising entry-level pay for degree holders from 6,940 (about $50) to 11,500 Birr (a little over $80) a month and nearly doubling the maximum salary to 39,000 Birr (about $277). The minimum wage for government employees will also rise to 6,000 Birr (about $42). The Federal Civil Service Commission says the new scale, which pushes the annual payroll to 560 billion Birr (nearly $4 billion), is meant to ease rising living costs and reward workers’ service. It follows last year’s wage revision and complements recent tax reforms that lifted the income tax-free threshold, giving relief to low- and middle-income earners.
Mali Army Says 149 Soldiers Killed in Militant Attacks
Mali’s army announced today, Wednesday, August 20, that more than 149 soldiers were killed within 24 hours in coordinated assaults by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al Qaeda-linked group. The attacks hit several localities across the country, marking one of the deadliest days for the military since the junta seized power in 2020.
