Today in Africa — December 30, 2025: Côte d’Ivoire Ruling Party Wins, U.S. Judge Halts South Sudanese Deportations, Guinea Junta Leads Vote

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.

Ouattara’s Party Widens Parliamentary Majority as PDCI Loses Ground in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire’s ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party expanded its majority in parliament after weekend legislative elections, provisional results show. The party won 197 of 255 seats, up from 163, strengthening President Alassane Ouattara’s hand as he pushes an agenda focused on attracting private investment to the world’s top cocoa producer. Ouattara, 83, secured a fourth presidential term in October and has said he wants to prepare the way for a new generation of leaders.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), led by former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, saw its seat count fall to 32 from 65, while independents won 23 seats. Voter turnout dropped to 35.04%, down from 37.88% in 2021. Former president Laurent Gbagbo’s party boycotted the vote, arguing it would not be credible. Gbagbo and Thiam were both barred from running in the October presidential election, which Ouattara won with more than 89% of the vote.

U.S. Judge Blocks End of Deportation Protections for South Sudanese Migrants

A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s move to end deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals living in the United States. Judge Angel Kelley granted an emergency request today, Tuesday, December 30, stopping temporary protected status, or TPS, from expiring after January 5 while the case is reviewed. She said allowing the policy to take effect now would strip beneficiaries of lawful status and could lead to immediate deportations.

The case was brought by four South Sudanese migrants and the nonprofit African Communities Together, who argue the decision ignores ongoing humanitarian crises in South Sudan and violates U.S. law. About 232 South Sudanese currently hold TPS, with another 73 applications pending. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had ended the designation in November, saying conditions had improved, though South Sudan remains affected by conflict and instability. The ruling pauses the policy as similar court challenges play out over efforts to end TPS for migrants from other countries.

Doumbouya Takes Early Lead in Guinea Vote as Critics Decry Process

Guinea’s junta leader, Gen. Mamady Doumbouya, has taken a commanding lead in the presidential election, according to partial official results, after most major opposition figures were barred from running. Electoral authorities say Doumbouya won more than 80 percent of the vote in many districts in the capital, Conakry, and posted strong results across several regions. The vote is meant to legitimize his rule four years after he seized power in a 2021 coup, despite earlier promises not to seek elected office.

Opposition groups and civil society activists have rejected the poll, calling it a charade marked by irregularities and repression. Access to major social media platforms was restricted as results began to emerge, fueling accusations that the junta is trying to silence criticism. Doumbouya was able to run after a new constitution adopted in September lifted earlier restrictions, while key opposition parties were excluded. Critics also point to banned protests and limits on press freedom during the campaign, even as the general highlights mining projects and reform promises in a country where more than half the population still lives in poverty.

UN Members Slam Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland, Raise Gaza Concerns

Israel faced sharp criticism at the United Nations after becoming the first country to formally recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, a move most Security Council members said violates Somalia’s sovereignty. Israel defended the decision as non-hostile and said recognition could open space for cooperation and dialogue, but Somalia and several countries warned it could destabilize the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.

Turkey, Arab League members, Pakistan, China, the UK, and others questioned whether the move could be used to establish military bases in northern Somalia or advance proposals to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. Somalia’s UN ambassador said any attempt to move Palestinians to the region was unacceptable, while Israel rejected claims that recognition was linked to forced displacement. Israel did not directly address the allegations during the meeting.

The United States was the only Security Council member not to condemn Israel’s decision, though it said its own policy on Somaliland had not changed. Washington argued Israel has the right to form diplomatic ties, while critics rejected U.S. comparisons between recognizing Somaliland and recognizing Palestine. Somaliland has operated with de facto autonomy since 1991 but remains unrecognized by other states, even as it hopes Israel’s move will encourage broader international backing.

UN Calls El Fasher a “Crime Scene” After First Aid Visit Since RSF Takeover

International aid workers who entered Sudan’s El Fasher for the first time since the Rapid Support Forces seized the city found it largely empty, with only a few people sheltering in abandoned buildings or under plastic sheets, a senior United Nations official says. More than 100,000 people have fled since late October after an 18-month siege ended with the RSF takeover, which survivors say involved ethnically motivated killings and mass detentions. UN humanitarian coordinator Denise Brown described El Fasher as a “crime scene,” citing deserted neighborhoods, a barely functioning market, and a hospital with staff but no supplies. Many residents remain missing or unaccounted for, and aid officials say those still in the city are likely too old, sick, or injured to escape, raising deep concern about detainees, the wounded, and access to basic aid.

Tributes Pour In After Deaths of Two Anthony Joshua Team Members in Nigeria Crash

Tributes are pouring in for the two close members of British Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua’s team, Sina Ghami and Kevin “Lateef” Ayodele, who were killed in a car crash in Nigeria yesterday morning, Monday, December 29. Ghami, Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach and a co-founder of Evolve Gym in west London, and Ayodele, a trainer in the boxer’s camp, both died at the scene of the accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Evolve Gym closed its Colindale and South Ruislip locations today, Tuesday, December 30, posting notices mourning Ghami and thanking the community for its support. Joshua, who was a passenger in the back seat, sustained minor injuries and remains under observation. He said he was devastated by the loss, while his promoter, Eddie Hearn, described the men as “two great men.” Nigerian President Bola Tinubu also offered condolences to the families, as investigations into the crash continue.

U.S., UN Seal $2 Billion Humanitarian Aid Deal Covering 17 Crisis-Hit Countries

The United Nations and the United States have formalized a $2 billion humanitarian funding agreement aimed at scaling up emergency relief as global needs surge. Signed in Geneva, the memorandum of understanding commits U.S. support to UN programs across 17 crisis-affected countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, the DRC, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, and Chad, as well as the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund. UN relief chief Tom Fletcher called the deal a landmark moment, saying it will help save millions of lives and support the UN’s 2026 plan to reach 87 million people with prioritized, streamlined aid. He stressed strong accountability for how funds are spent and said the agreement backs the UN’s “Humanitarian Reset,” while underscoring that diplomacy and conflict resolution remain key to reducing humanitarian need.

Uganda Court Denies Bail Again to Kizza Besigye and Aide

A Ugandan court has denied bail for the fourth time to opposition veteran Kizza Besigye and his aide Obeid Lutale, ruling that bail cannot be granted before they take a plea. Justice Emmanuel Baguma said yesterday, Monday, December 29, that staying proceedings and releasing the accused would be improper given repeated delays, many linked to defense applications, and that plea taking should come first. The defense team protested the decision, with Kenyan senior counsel Martha Karua calling it an ambush and arguing they were not formally notified that plea taking would proceed. Lawyer Erias Lukwago sought an adjournment to prepare, as proceedings continued.

Nigeria Charges Former Attorney General Abubakar Malami With Money Laundering

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency has charged former attorney general Abubakar Malami with 16 counts of money laundering and conspiracy involving more than 8 billion naira ($5.5 million). Court filings by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accuse Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe of hiding the origins of funds allegedly linked to unlawful activity between 2015 and 2025 through corporate accounts and property deals. The assets cited include a luxury duplex in Maitama, hotels in Jabi, and plots in Gwarimpa and Asokoro. All three pleaded not guilty today, Tuesday, December 30, and were remanded in EFCC custody, with a bail hearing set for January 2.

UK Reviews Due Diligence After Alaa Abd el-Fattah Apologizes for Past Posts

Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, recently freed from prison and now in Britain, has apologized for “shocking and hurtful” social media posts he made more than a decade ago, as UK counter-terrorism police assess the content. British media resurfaced posts from 2008 to 2014 that endorsed violence against “Zionists” and police and included insults toward British people. Abd el-Fattah says some posts were misunderstood, but admits others were unacceptable, describing them as expressions of anger tied to wars in Iraq, Lebanon, and Gaza and to police brutality in Egypt. His arrival last week followed years of detention under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the granting of British citizenship through his mother. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he was unaware of the posts when he supported Abd el-Fattah’s release, while calls for deportation came from UK members of parliament Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says the government would urgently review its processes, calling the failure to flag the posts an unacceptable lapse in due diligence.