Today in Africa — October 23, 2025: Cameroonian Election Unrest Results in One Death, Ruth Chepngetich Handed Three-Year Ban For Doping, Khartoum Airport Resumes Operations

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.

Young Teacher Killed in Cameroon as Post-Election Tensions Continue to Run High

Ahead of the announcement of Cameroon’s presidential election results, hundreds of Cameroonians marched in protests in Garoua, the capital of the country’s northern region, as preliminary results showed that President Paul Biya is set to return to office with 53% of the vote. Zouhairatou Hassana, a young teacher, was shot and killed by a police officer during the protests, according to neighbors. This death marks the first fatality of the demonstrations, as many contest the fairness of the election and its results, alleging rigging and electoral fraud.

Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma has declared himself the winner of the election, claiming to have won 55% of the votes — a dramatic increase from the 35% recorded in official preliminary results. “If the Constitutional Council proclaims falsified and truncated results, it will be complicit in a breach of trust,” Tchiroma said. The statement comes after the constitutional council judges dismissed calls for a partial or total cancellation of the election. The judges threw out eight petitions, citing insufficient evidence of irregularities or a lack of jurisdiction to annul results.

Internet access has also been significantly disrupted in the central African country, which internet monitor NetBlocks says “may limit coverage of events on the ground.” Biya is the world’s oldest president at 92 years old and is looking to stay in power for another seven years.

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich Handed Three-Year Doping Ban, Chicago Marathon Record to Stand

Kenyan marathon runner Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after testing positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), though her 2023 Chicago Marathon world record of 2:09:56 will remain valid. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said today, Thursday, October 23, that her March 2024 sample contained 190 times the permitted level of HCTZ, a masking agent, and later found evidence on her phone suggesting possible use of testosterone and anabolic steroids. Chepngetich denied intentionally doping but failed to provide a credible explanation for the test results.

The 31-year-old’s ban was reduced from four to three years after she admitted guilt. The AIU stated that she showed “reckless disregard” for anti-doping rules, describing her case as “deeply concerning.” Despite the ban, her record-breaking Chicago performance — one of the fastest in marathon history — will remain, as it predates her positive test.

Khartoum International Airport Resumes Operations

A Badr Airlines flight from Port Sudan has been reported as the first civilian plane to land in the Khartoum International Airport since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out in 2023. The airport began handling domestic flights for the first time since the war on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, a comeback that was briefly delayed by drone strikes in the area around the airport.

The resumption of operations is vital for the movement of humanitarian aid and people from still-raging warzones, as well as for economic reasons. Despite the armed forces taking back Khartoum earlier this year, fighting is far from over, particularly in El Fasher, where thousands are trapped and bombarded, primarily by the RSF, with severely limited access to food, water, medicine, and other essentials.

South African Court Orders Former President Jacob Zuma to Repay Legal Fees

A high court in Pretoria has ordered former South African President Jacob Zuma to repay about R29 million (nearly $1.7 million) in legal fees that were unlawfully sponsored by the state during his time as Vice President and President between 2005 and 2019. Zuma has 60 days to repay; if not, the State Attorney will be allowed to begin asset attachment proceedings, which may include the holding of his presidential pension. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which is currently in an uneasy ruling coalition with Zuma’s former party, has said it will oppose any attempts by the former president to avoid repayment, citing the ruling as proof that no one is above the rule of law.

Nnamdi Kanu Fires Legal Team, Chooses to Represent Himself in Terrorism Trial

Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has dismissed his legal team and will now represent himself in court as his terrorism and incitement trial resumes in Abuja. The 58-year-old leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) argued that the court lacks jurisdiction to try him — a claim the judge rejected before ordering him to begin his defense. Kanu, who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, maintains that his detention defies a 2022 court of appeal ruling that ordered his release, later overturned by the Supreme Court. His decision comes days after police used tear gas to disperse supporters protesting his continued imprisonment.

Gabon’s Former First Lady and Son Refuse to Return for “Show Trial” Over Corruption Charges

Gabon’s former First Lady, Sylvia Bongo, and her son Noureddin have announced they will not return from London to face trial for alleged embezzlement of public funds, calling the upcoming November 10 hearing in Libreville a “show trial.” Their French lawyers said yesterday, Wednesday, October 22, the pair never received formal summonses and accused President Brice Oligui Nguema’s government of pressuring judges to secure convictions for political gain. Both Sylvia, 62, and Noureddin, 33, were detained after last year’s coup that ended the Bongo family’s 55-year rule and claim they were tortured while in custody — a charge the new government denies.