Kenya

When The Cheese Moves: Gachagua, Kalonzo Team 2027 Shocker In By-Election Loss

The united opposition’s bid to use by-elections as a springboard for a 2027 showdown against President William Ruto has instead delivered uncomfortable lessons. Despite spirited campaigns, particularly in Mbeere North, Malava and Magarini constituencies, the movement led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua emerged weakened and forced back to the drawing board. The opposition camp leaves these contests with more questions than victories, as President Ruto’s team tightened its grip and exposed the opposition’s philosophical and structural vulnerabilities.

(Source: Daily Nation)

Tanzania

Samia: October 29 Unrest Was Part Of Plot To Overthrow The Government

President Samia Suluhu has said that the unrest that broke out on October 29, along with the violent incidents that followed, were not a spontaneous eruption of public anger but a carefully orchestrated operation aimed at toppling the government. Addressing the Dar es Salaam Region Elders on December 2 at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre, President Hassan described the events as a “manufactured” political scheme with deeper motives than initially perceived.

( Source: The Citizen)

Uganda

Brig. Gen. Tukachungurwa Appointed to Lead Reconstituted General Court Martial

President Museveni has appointed Brig. Gen. Richard Tukachungurwa to head the General Court Martial after it was controversially reconstituted following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that found military courts lacked the judicial competence to hear cases against civilians. Brig. Tukachungurwa replaces Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugambe, who was appointed in May 2024 and served one term.

In January, Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled that the prosecution of civilians in military courts, including the General Court Martial, is unconstitutional. Following this decision, military trials for civilians were effectively banned, prompting the reconstitution of the General Court Martial and related courts.

(Source: The Monitor)

Rwanda

Kagame Arrives in Washington Ahead of Peace Deal Signing

President Paul Kagame arrived in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, December 3, where he is expected to meet US President Donald Trump. The visit comes as Kagame and his DR Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, and host President Trump are due to sign a peace and economic agreement on Thursday. The US-brokered accord promises to lay the foundation for peace and regional economic integration. The deal includes a formal Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for dismantling Kinshasa-backed FDLR and establishing a standing joint security coordination mechanism. Rwanda says the existence of FDLR, a UN-sanctioned terrorist militia mainly comprised of remnants of the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is an existential threat to the region, pointing to its record of cross-border shellings, attacks on Congolese Tutsi communities, and its role in radicalising local militias. It is part of a larger coalition of the Congolese army (FARDC) that is fighting the AFC/M23 rebels in the restive eastern DR Congo.

 (Source: The New Times)

Ethiopia

Election Board’s Unilateral Preparations Ahead of 2026 Vote Incense Opposition Parties

A fallout between opposition political parties and officials at the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is intensifying ahead of the seventh national elections, with opposition figures arguing that the country is not fit to head to the polls. At the same time, the Board finalises preparations to launch the electoral process. The Board recently put out a call for political parties to register their candidates for the vote, giving them just a few weeks to finalise the list. More recently, the Board sent out a letter inviting parties to attend a meeting on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at which its officials plan to roll out new directives and plans.

On the agenda are funding allocations for political parties, mechanisms for addressing complaints during the election process, and media coverage and airtime. The veteran opposition leader observes that most of the country is weighed down by conflict, unrest, and the breakdown of the rule of law, which he argues needs to be resolved before the public can go to the polls.

(Source: The Reporter) 

Sudan 

UN Appoints Nepal General as UNISFA Force Commander

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Nepal’s Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha as force commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the world body said on Monday. Shrestha succeeds Major General Robert Yaw Affram of Ghana, whom Guterres thanked for his leadership during the interim period, the UN said in a statement. Shrestha brings 36 years of military experience, including service as the division commander of Nepal’s Far Western Division and the sector commander for the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). His most recent post was master general of ordnance at the Nepal Army headquarters. He holds master’s degrees in military science, strategic studies and economics, along with a bachelor’s degree in humanities and social sciences from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, according to the UN.

(Source: Sudan Tribune) 

Somalia

Somalia Ruling Party Deputy Announces Candidacy for Southwest Presidency Amid Increasing Tensions

Hussein Sheikh Mohamud, the deputy secretary of Somalia’s ruling Justice and Prosperity Party, has declared his intention to run for president of the country’s South West State. This move risks deepening political tensions with the region’s powerful incumbent leader, Abdiasis Laftagareen.

The announcement is likely to unsettle Laftagareen, who has governed the state for years and maintains considerable influence on the ground. Although both men belong to the same ruling party, relations between the regional president and Mogadishu have become increasingly fragile. They could deteriorate further if Laftagareen views Mohamud’s candidacy as a direct threat to his authority.

(Source: Somali Guardian)