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.
UK Aid Cuts Hit Africa’s Women and Children Hardest, Government Report Confirms
The UK government’s decision to slash its foreign aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income is already taking a toll — especially in Africa, where funding for women’s health, education, and basic services is being cut. According to the UK government’s impact assessment, released yesterday, Tuesday, July 22, the steepest reductions are affecting countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the DRC, with early closures of key programs impacting up to 170,000 children. The cuts follow a shift in priority toward defence spending and funding multilateral institutions like the World Bank and Gavi.
Critics argue that the cuts are short-sighted and potentially deadly. UNICEF, Save the Children, and UK-based NGOs warn the changes will increase disease and child mortality and leave the most vulnerable — women, children, and people with disabilities — without support. Aid groups say education programmes in Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and the DRC are ending, while lifesaving health projects in countries already facing humanitarian crises are being dismantled. The UK insists it is “modernizing” its development approach, but groups on the ground say the real cost will be paid in African lives.
Chibok Parents Renew Plea to Bring Back 87 Girls Still in Captivity After 11 Years
Eleven years after Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, 87 remain missing, and their families are still waiting. In a statement released yesterday, Tuesday, July 22, the parents called on the Nigerian government to move beyond promises and take real action to find their daughters. They acknowledged the return of 103 girls under former president Muhammadu Buhari but said time has only deepened their pain. “Our daughters are still out there,” they said, with reports suggesting some are in forests across Kaduna and Sambisa but still out of reach, many now held back by their captors or so-called husbands.
The families said they will never stop calling for justice and reunification. Meanwhile, experts say it’s not enough to rescue the girls — those who’ve returned must be supported with trauma care, education, and economic empowerment. According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, 21 of the freed girls have had 34 children while in captivity. Advocates argue that better treatment of the rescued girls could inspire others still held to come forward. “Bring Back Our Girls — every single one,” the parents said.
Almost 50 Days Later, and Zambia’s Battle Over Former President Edgar Lungu’s Burial Rages On
A bitter legal fight is still ongoing over the burial of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, with his widow, Esther, refusing to allow the Zambian government to repatriate his remains. In court papers filed in South Africa, Esther Lungu says her husband made it clear that the current president, Hakainde Hichilema, should not attend his funeral, accusing the government of mistreating him and denying him medical care. The family argues that without a will, they should have the final say on burial arrangements and insists Lungu died a private citizen after his benefits were revoked when he re-entered politics.
The Zambian government disputes this, saying the benefits were only suspended and that it has the legal authority under the Benefits Act to oversee the burial of former heads of state. It accuses Esther Lungu of reversing an earlier agreement and blocking state plans to return Lungu’s body for a national send-off. Lungu died in Johannesburg on June 5, and his body remains in a South African funeral home. The standoff has delayed the burial for nearly seven weeks and highlights the deep political tensions between Zambia’s current and former leaders. Arguments in the case will be heard on August 4.
Battle for Kordofan Heats Up as Sudan’s Warring Sides Target Oil-Rich Region
Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are intensifying their fight over Kordofan, a region critical to the country’s oil supply and strategic control. Both sides are accused of deadly attacks on civilians — airstrikes by the army in West Kordofan and massacres by the RSF in the north. With 150,000 killed and 12 million displaced since the war began, the battle for Kordofan could reshape the conflict’s trajectory. The RSF is reportedly preparing to advance on el-Obeid, raising fears of more bloodshed in the coming weeks.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Blocked from Parliament After Harassment Claim
Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was denied entry to the National Assembly yesterday, Tuesday, July 22, despite a court order she says permits her return. Suspended in March after accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, which he denies, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintains the suspension was retaliation. Senate leaders say she was suspended for disruptive conduct and argue that courts can’t interfere in parliamentary matters. Akpabio has appealed the ruling ordering her reinstatement, while civil society groups are calling for a fair investigation into her claims.
Mali Army and Wagner Accused of Killing and Disappearing Dozens of Fulani Men
Human Rights Watch says Mali’s army and Russian-linked Wagner Group have executed at least 12 Fulani men and forcibly disappeared 81 others since January 2025. The group alleges these abuses happened during joint operations against Islamist militants, who often try to recruit Fulani men, turning the broader community into a target. HRW is urging the African Union to pressure Mali’s military rulers to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.
Mozambique Opposition Leader Charged as Post-Election Tensions Boil Over
Venancio Mondlane, a leading opposition figure in Mozambique, has been charged with five crimes, including instigating terrorism, after months of protests over alleged electoral fraud in the October 9, 2024, vote that re-elected President Daniel Chapo. Mondlane says the charges are politically motivated and claims the government is backtracking on a peace deal signed in March. At least 400 people died during the unrest, with 31 police officers now facing trial for their role in the crackdown.
Two Years After Coup, Niger’s Ousted President Still Held Without Trial
Former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have spent two years in detention since a July 2023 coup ousted his government, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today, Wednesday, July 23. Despite international court rulings and UN findings calling for his release, the military junta continues to hold the couple without access to lawyers or family. Bazoum’s immunity was lifted last year, paving the way for a still-unscheduled trial on charges of high treason. HRW says his detention reflects a broader crackdown on dissent and signals the junta’s resistance to returning to civilian rule.
ZANU-PF Pushes to Extend Mnangagwa’s Term Despite Constitutional Limits
Zimbabwe’s governing ZANU-PF party is renewing calls to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidency beyond the two-term constitutional limit, with senior officials naming it a top priority ahead of the party’s upcoming conference. Although Mnangagwa says he’s serving his final term, last year’s party resolution backed an extension, and provincial leaders like Daniel Garwe are rallying support under the banner of “Vision 2030.” Changing the law would require constitutional amendments and overcoming provisions that bar Mnangagwa from benefiting directly. Opposition figures, including Tendai Biti, have vowed to fight what they call a dangerous erosion of Zimbabwe’s democracy.
Malawi Parliament Dissolves as Election Campaign Season Kicks Off
Malawi’s Parliament has officially dissolved, clearing the way for the September 16 Tripartite Elections. Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara confirmed the move, which ends all legislative activity until a new Parliament is sworn in. With campaigning now in full swing, voters will choose a new president, MPs, and local councillors. The dissolution signals a major step in Malawi’s democratic process, as political parties shift focus to the ballot box and voters prepare to decide the country’s next chapter.
