Kenya 

High Court Suspends Ruto’s Multi-Agency Team on Graft

The High Court on Wednesday temporarily halted the operation of President William Ruto’s newly unveiled Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption following a petition challenging its legality.

The President’s multi-agency team is to step up the fight against corruption and economic crimes in the country. In a presidential proclamation issued on Tuesday, the Head of State said that the team will enhance coordination in investigations, prosecutions, financial intelligence, and asset recovery.

The team brings together 10 state agencies, including the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA). The Executive Office of the President (EOP) and the Office of the Attorney General will also take part. Justice Bahati Mwamuye, in conservatory orders, directed that the proclamation establishing the team be suspended pending full hearing of the case. 

(Source: The Star) 

Uganda

NRM Polls: Vetting of Aspirants Starts

Vetting of candidates vying for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) and National Executive Council (NEC) positions has begun at State House, Entebbe, ahead of the party’s national conference next week.

The CEC, comprising 16 members, provides political leadership and formulates policies for the NEC to consider and adopt. The NEC, which has 20 members, initiates policies and other measures for the national conference, the party’s supreme organ, and reviews how party programmes are implemented.

(Source: The Monitor) 

Tanzania 

Revealed: 10 Key Regions in Tanzania’s Presidential Election

The secret to winning Tanzania’s 2025 presidential election lies in 10 key regions, including Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Morogoro, Tabora, and Geita. While victory ultimately depends on the nationwide vote total, these regions carry significant influence due to their large numbers of registered voters, according to figures from the National Electoral Commission (INEC). The regions, which together account for 53.73% of the nation’s registered voters.

(Source: The Citizen)

Rwanda

PM Nsengiyumva Makes First Appearance Before Parliament

Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva presented the government’s development programme on Tuesday, August 12, covering a five-year period that ends in 2029. This is the first time the premier delivered a presentation on government activities since his appointment on July 23. The programme, known as the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), is designed to bring the country closer to achieving the Vision 2050 goal of sustainable economic growth, prosperity, and a high quality of life for all citizens.

(Source: The New Times)

Ethiopia

US Report Accuses Gov’t of Press Freedom Crackdown

A new report from the U.S. State Department accuses the Ethiopian government of a widespread crackdown on press freedom, citing systematic harassment, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances of journalists and government critics. The 2024 Human Rights Report highlights a significant decline in the country’s civic space. It warns that numerous cases of intimidation and abductions have created a climate of fear for media professionals and activists.

The 28-page report documents numerous human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and credible reports of disappearances and torture. It also details how the government and other groups, through censorship, placed restrictions on freedom of expression.

(Source: The Reporter) 

Somalia

Federal State Feuds Signal Mohamud’s Power Game

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been attempting to assert control over the federal states, some of which are resisting. This month, two key events have highlighted these disputes in ways that could shape the country’s voting in the 2026 elections.

First, Mogadishu endorsed the creation of a new federal state in SSC-Khatumo, a region straddling Somaliland and Puntland. The Puntland administration strongly criticised the decision, arguing that part of the new state lies within its territory.

Then, Somali federal forces clashed with Jubaland troops in Gedo, near the tri-border area of Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. On Wednesday, Jubaland, the southernmost state in Somalia, accused the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) of instigating the conflict.

(Source: The East African) 

Sudan

Gov’t to Move Ministries From Battle-Scarred Khartoum Centre

Sudan’s government on Tuesday ordered the relocation of its ministries from the conflict-ravaged centre of the capital to alternative sites, citing the high cost of repairing buildings damaged by fierce fighting. A decree issued by Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jabir mandated the immediate move of all government headquarters from a central zone stretching from Nile Street to the southern railway line. The order did not mention the fate of the nearby Presidential Palace, which has been undergoing repairs after being a focal point of battles between the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

(Source: Sudan Tribune)