Today in Africa — October 20, 2025: Zimbabwe Moves to Extend President’s Term, Thousands Attend Raila Odinga’s Burial, Nigeria Marks Five Years Since Lekki Massacre

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.

ZANU-PF Moves to Extend President’s Term to 2030, Opposition Cries Foul

Zimbabwe’s governing ZANU-PF has resolved to amend the constitution to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years, allowing him to stay in power until 2030. The proposal, adopted at the party’s annual conference in Mutare this past weekend, directs the Justice Ministry to begin the legal process by October next year. Party officials say the move aims to ensure “continuity and stability,” while Mnangagwa, 83, has previously claimed he would step down when his current term ends in 2028.

Opposition leaders and civil society groups have condemned the plan as unconstitutional and politically driven. Former Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa said the resolution only binds ZANU-PF, not the people of Zimbabwe, while CCC interim leader Jameson Timba insisted that only a national referendum could decide such a change. Others, including former finance minister Tendai Biti, vowed to “defend the Constitution” against what they called an attempt to entrench authoritarian rule in the country.

Kenya Bids Farewell to Raila Odinga Amid Week of Mourning and Chaos

Thousands gathered in Bondo, western Kenya, yesterday, Sunday, October 19, to bid farewell to opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga, who was buried near his family home by Lake Victoria. The 80-year-old, affectionately known as “Baba,” died last Wednesday, October 15, in India, sparking a week of mourning that saw deadly chaos at public viewings and funeral ceremonies. His final Anglican service drew dignitaries, including President William Ruto, former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and tributes from around the world.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama praised Odinga as a “champion of peace” who chose reconciliation over rivalry. Odinga’s legacy spans decades of political struggle — marked by imprisonment, five presidential runs, and a defining role in Kenya’s fight for multiparty democracy. Despite violent incidents earlier in the week that left at least five people dead and hundreds injured, Sunday’s burial proceeded peacefully as Kenyans laid to rest one of the country’s most enduring political figures.

Five Years After Lekki Massacre, Nigerians Still Wait for Justice

Five years after security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters at Lagos’s Lekki Toll Gate, survivors and families of victims say justice remains out of reach. The 2020 #EndSARS protests, which began as a youth-led movement against police brutality, ended in bloodshed when the army shot unarmed demonstrators waving Nigerian flags. Despite government promises and state panels of inquiry that paid limited compensation, no one has been held accountable for the killings or broader abuses.

Many survivors, like 35-year-old Agbeze Ifeanyi Matthew, still live with physical and emotional scars from that night, while human rights groups cite a “culture of impunity” and failure of Nigeria’s justice system. Analysts say the protests remain a symbol of unity and defiance for young Nigerians demanding accountability and reform — and a reminder of how little has changed in policing and governance since the Lekki massacre.

Madagascar’s Gen Z Protesters Torn Between Hope and Doubt After Military Takeover

As Madagascar’s new military ruler, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, settles into power, many of the young activists whose protests helped oust former President Andry Rajoelina are grappling with mixed feelings. Gen Z movement leaders say they welcomed the army’s protection during weeks of violent crackdowns over electricity and water shortages, but now question whether their demands for lasting change will be met. “We asked for water, electricity, and food — not another president,” said 28-year-old activist Olivia Rafetison.

Randrianirina, who seized control and was sworn in as president on Friday, October 17, has promised a two-year transition before elections, but youth organizers fear history will repeat itself in a country long plagued by military interventions and economic collapse. Transparency International’s Ketakandriana Rafitoson called the coup “undesirable but inevitable” after government inaction and deadly repression left no civilian alternative. Still, Gen Z leaders warn they will return to the streets if the new regime fails to deliver. “We did it once,” said 23-year-old Tolotra Andrianirina. “We can do it again.”

Sudan’s Last Army Stronghold in Darfur Faces Relentless Drone Strikes and Starvation

Residents of El Fasher, the Sudanese army’s final stronghold in Darfur, are hiding in underground bunkers as relentless drone and shell attacks pound the besieged city. Once home to more than a million people, El Fasher has endured an 18-month siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leaving around 250,000 civilians trapped without food, medicine, or safe passage. Aid groups say famine and disease are rampant, while activists report up to 30 deaths daily from violence, hunger, and illness.

Footage verified by Reuters shows schools, mosques, and displacement shelters reduced to rubble, with dozens of civilians — including children — killed in recent strikes. Residents accuse the RSF of targeting civilians, while the group claims the city is “devoid of civilians” and that the army is using hospitals and mosques as bases. Both sides have used drones in the fighting, further endangering those who remain. “El Fasher is basically lifeless,” one resident said. “But leaving is even more dangerous than staying.”

Cape Town Marathon Canceled Due to High Winds, Organizers Offer Deferred Entries

The 2025 Cape Town Marathon was canceled yesterday, Sunday, October 19, just 90 minutes before its scheduled start, after powerful overnight winds damaged key race structures at the Green Point start line. Organizers called off the sold-out event — set to host 24,000 runners — following emergency consultations with city safety officials, citing risks to participants and spectators. Registered runners will be offered deferred entries for the 2026 or 2027 races, though no refunds will be issued. The marathon, currently in phase two of its bid to join the World Marathon Majors series, would be Africa’s first event in the global lineup.

Namibia Confirms First Mpox Case, Declares Outbreak in Swakopmund

Namibia’s health ministry has declared an mpox outbreak after confirming the country’s first case in the coastal city of Swakopmund. The patient, who tested positive on Saturday, October 18, is in stable condition and remains in isolation at Swakopmund District Hospital. Officials say the case is linked to cross-border travel within southern Africa and have launched surveillance, contact tracing, and containment efforts.  Mpox, a viral disease similar to smallpox, spreads through close contact and causes fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a blistering rash. Namibia joins 17 African countries currently battling active outbreaks, with over 118,000 cases reported continent-wide this year.

Tunisian City of Gabes Chokes Under Toxic Pollution From State Chemical Plant

Residents of Gabes, once a lush coastal oasis in southern Tunisia, say they are living in a “toxic wasteland” after decades of pollution from a state-run phosphate plant. Thick smog, dying trees, and rising cancer and respiratory disease rates have fueled mass protests, with thousands demanding the closure of the Tunisian Chemical Group complex that dominates the city’s skyline. A recent audit found the plant was dumping up to 15,000 tons of radioactive phosphogypsum into the sea each day, devastating marine life and contaminating the air. President Kais Saied has called the situation an “environmental assassination,” but locals say they’ve run out of patience: “We no longer ask for food or jobs,” one resident told Reuters. “We just want to breathe.”

Protests for Biafra Leader Nnamdi Kanu Turn Violent in Nigeria’s Capital

Police fired tear gas and arrested dozens of people, including an AFP journalist, as protests demanding the release of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu erupted across Abuja today, Monday, October 20. Witnesses reported gunfire and heavy security deployments that blocked major roads and stranded commuters. Demonstrators called for the freedom of Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra movement, who remains in detention facing terrorism and treason charges. His lawyers say the government has no case, but a Nigerian court recently ruled he must stand trial, reigniting tensions in the country’s southeast, where many Igbos claim political marginalization.