Today in Africa — November 10, 2025: Hundreds Displaced by Fighting In Central Sudan, African Union Calls for Urgent Action in Mali, Museum for West African Art Postpones Opening

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.

Museum of West African Art Postpones Opening Following Protests

The Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has been forced to postpone its planned opening initially scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Protesters stormed the multimillion dollar campus in Benin city, Edo state capital in Nigeria, during its soft launch over the weekend. Multiple videos surfaced online, showing dozens of protesters physically disrupting installations, insulting foreign guests and ordering them to leave the campus grounds. Witnesses said they were protesting that the museum wasn’t called the Benin Royal Museum and wasn’t under the control of the Oba of Benin.

In a statement, Mowaa said the protests stemmed from “disputes between the previous and current state administrations.” The “independent, non-profit institution” was named to signify its broader approach to cater to west African art, although it was partly built and curated to become the new home of repatriated Benin bronzes and other looted artefacts. Mowaa has cancelled its week-long lineup of events to mark the launch and has advised visitors to not visit the museum until the situation is resolved.

Thousands Displaced as Fighting Intensifies in Central Sudan

About 2,000 people have been displaced following intense fighting in North Kordofan province, central Sudan. According to the International Organization of Migration, the displaced fled from towns and villages in the Bara area of the province between Friday and Saturday. Kordofan has become one of the main fighting areas between Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in recent months, and could get even more intense in the area after the RSF’s violent capture of El Fasher in nearby Western Darfur.

Tens of thousands have fled El Fasher in the last two weeks, with many walking about 70 kilometers to already overcrowded camps in Tawila. Over 16,000 people have made it to Tawila, and the local hospital has received at least 1,500 people suffering from a range of injuries, including broken fractures. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has warned that those trapped in El Fasher are vulnerable to “abominable atrocities such as summary executions, rape and ethnically motivated violence.” The RSF has been accused of violating a temporary truce, while satellite images seem to show the paramilitary disposing of bodies in El Fasher.

Ugandan Authorities Release Two Kenyan Activists

Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo have been released after five weeks in detention in Uganda. President Yoweri Museveni confirmed that the Kenyan activists were arrested, after his government initially denied any knowledge about the activists’ whereabouts. Museveni accused Njagi and Oyoo of working with the opposition in Uganda to unseat him at January’s general election, accusing them of being “experts in riots.”

The activists were taken by armed men on October 1, after taking part in a campaign rally for the most prominent opposition candidate Solomon Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said that Njagi and Oyoo were released after “open and constructive communication.” They returned to Kenya on Saturday, November 8, sharing that they were held in a military facility under harsh conditions. This is the latest in a string of arrests of activists and opposition leaders across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, outside their home countries, with all three countries dealing with civil demonstrations in recent times.

Daughter of Former South African President Stands Trial for Inciting Public Riots

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has pleaded not guilty to charges of inciting violence, related to the 2021 riots that ensued after the arrest of her father, former South African President Jacob Zuma, for disobeying a court order to appear at a corruption inquiry. Zuma-Sambudla appeared at the high court in Durban for the first day of her trial today. Police Major General Gopaul Govender told the court that the defendant used her influence to incite the riots, referencing her posts on X at the time. More than 300 people reportedly died in the unrest and the looting of stores across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal resulted in financial damages estimated at $2.9 billion.

African Union Calls for Urgent Action over Mali Situation

African Union Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has condemned recent jihadist attacks on civilians and expressed deep concern over the security situation in Mali. In recent weeks, insurgents have imposed a fuel blockade that has led to severe fuel shortages in the capital, Bamako, which has led to a temporary closure of schools and tertiary institutions. Ali Youssouf called for “a robust, coordinated, and coherent international response to counter terrorism and violent extremism in the Sahel,” adding that the African Union is ready to support the Malian government’s fight against insecurity. Mali is one of the three founding countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), and has allied itself with Russia, while limiting ties with other west African countries.

Angolans Decry Country’s Situation Ahead of 50th Independence Anniversary

On Tuesday, November 11, Angola will mark fifty years as an independent country. However, it seems celebrations may be muted due to the country’s cost of living crisis. “My life is difficult. I can’t earn money or buy better clothes, but what’s really wearing us down is the hunger,” a market vendor shared with Africanews. The oil-producing country has been dealing with inflation since the price of fuel was increased, which led to a protest earlier this year that led to the deaths of 22 people and left over 200 people injured. With crackdown on critical voices and the shrinking civic space, as well as uncertain prospects for the future, there’s not much for many Angolans to celebrate.