Global Pulse

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  • In Rwanda, a royal herd of cattle is treated to poetry and cultural reverence

    In Rwanda, a royal herd of cattle is treated to poetry and cultural reverence

    In the rolling grasslands of Nyanza, Rwanda, a gentle daily routine unfolds that reflects the country’s deep-rooted royal history: caretakers serenade sacred cows with traditional flute melodies and recite lyrical poetry honoring their grace. These are the Inyambo, a distinctive lineage of royal cattle that have evolved from symbols of monarchy power to treasured anchors of Rwandan national identity.

    With iconic crescent-shaped horns and a rich deep brown coat long associated with nobility, Inyambo cows descend from the famous Ankole cattle of East Africa, a breed also found in neighboring Uganda and Burundi. For centuries, they occupied a unique place in Rwandan royal courts: unlike common cattle raised for milk or beef, Inyambo were kept exclusively as status symbols, representing immense wealth, prestige, and sovereign power for ruling monarchs. “They’re not for milk, they’re not for meat. They were just used as decorations around the palaces,” explains Bigira Junior, curator of the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, where a herd of Inyambo grazes today.

    Though Rwanda’s monarchy was abolished decades ago, the reverence for Inyambo has endured and adapted to modern times. Even President Paul Kagame keeps Inyambo cows, and has continued the ancient tradition of gifting the cattle to foreign heads of state—a practice local outlet *The New Times* has dubbed “Inyambo diplomacy.” As Rwanda ramps up investment in cultural tourism to draw international visitors, the Inyambo herd at the King’s Palace Museum has become the site’s star attraction, drawing crowds eager to learn about the country’s pre-colonial history.

    The care given to these animals reflects their elevated cultural status. Before public presentations or traditional ceremonies, caretakers call each cow by name and sing verses celebrating their unique beauty, a practice believed to keep the animals calm. One traditional refrain goes: “You have beautiful horns. Move your head so that we can see your beautiful neck and body. You are the most beautiful cow among others.” After reciting poetry, caretakers gently brush each cow’s coat, a hands-on practice that reflects the community’s connection to the breed. “Remember, they are to be loved and cherished, and you can’t love something from afar. You have to get close to it,” Junior notes.

    Across much of East Africa, cattle have long carried profound social and economic weight: a larger herd, especially one with rare, distinctive breeds, signals greater respect and standing for its owner. This tradition extends across borders: in 2004, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa purchased a prized group of Ankole cattle from Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, underscoring the breed’s cross-regional cultural significance. Today, Inyambo serve as shared cultural ambassadors for both Rwanda and Uganda, tying together shared regional heritage.

    In Rwandan traditional culture, the influence of Inyambo extends beyond the pasture. The iconic shape of their curved horns has inspired the country’s beloved traditional women’s dance, where performers extend their arms in graceful arcs to mimic the cows’ silhouette. “The dance is more or less a way to portray the beauty of the royal cows,” Junior explains.

    Formal conservation efforts for the Inyambo breed launched in the early 2010s, when the herd was reintroduced to grounds surrounding the King’s Palace Museum as part of a national heritage initiative. Today, the exact global population of Inyambo remains unknown, so caretakers run dedicated breeding programs to protect the breed’s most distinctive traits: their signature long crescent horns and the deep brown coat that has symbolized royalty, maturity, and stability for centuries.

    For younger Rwandan generations visiting the museum, encountering Inyambo is more than a tourist experience—it is an introduction to their country’s history and shared identity. Museum educators work to instill this appreciation in young visitors, tasking them with carrying the tradition forward. “We educate them to take this information to others and keep the culture alive,” Junior says. As Rwanda builds its future, the gentle, sacred Inyambo cows remain a living link to the royal traditions that shape the nation’s identity today.

  • How Cape Verde stunned World Cup to set up Argentina tie

    How Cape Verde stunned World Cup to set up Argentina tie

    Against all the odds stacked against it, the tiny Atlantic archipelago nation of Cape Verde has written its name into World Cup folklore, becoming the smallest country by population to ever advance to the tournament’s knockout round on its first ever appearance at the global showpiece.

    After securing a hard-fought goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in their final Group H fixture, the entire Cape Verde squad huddled around a mobile phone on the pitch, waiting anxiously for the full-time whistle of the concurrent Spain-Uruguay match. When Spain secured the win that confirmed Cape Verde’s place as group runners-up, celebrations erupted: tears of joy and pride flowed across the pitch, the stands, and across the entire island nation, in what commentators have already called the defining moment of the 2026 World Cup.

    This historic run is no accident. Cape Verde entered the tournament with draws in already under their belt: an incredible opening goalless stalemate against 2010 World Cup champions Spain, where 40-year-old veteran goalkeeper Vozinha delivered a man-of-the-match masterclass, and a dramatic 2-2 draw against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay. For a country of just 525,000 inhabitants that beat five-time African champions Cameroon to qualify, this run has left the global football community stunned.

    The blueprint for Cape Verde’s success was crafted years ago, centered on a deliberate strategy by the country’s football federation (FCF) to leverage its large global diaspora. Centuries of colonial ties to Portugal, paired with 20th century droughts that drove mass emigration and deep-rooted maritime trading traditions, have left large communities of Cape Verdean descent across Europe, most notably in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. Of the 26 players in Cape Verde’s 2026 World Cup squad, 14 were born outside the archipelago, with six hailing from Rotterdam. One of those diaspora players, forward Dailon Livramento, scored the game-winning goal that sealed Cape Verde’s qualifying victory over Cameroon in September 2025.

    This open approach to recruitment has produced some unlikely success stories: centre-back Roberto Lopes, born in Dublin, was first scouted and recruited via the professional networking platform LinkedIn back in 2019, while former Portugal under-21 winger Bebe – once of Manchester United – joined the squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). “There is an inner confidence in this team that we are good enough to mix with the best teams in the world,” Lopes explained. “It’s not something that’s just been fabricated out of nothing. Since I’ve been involved, and before that, there’s been an ongoing plan to get Cape Verde up at the big table with the big football nations of the world.”

    Much of the credit for the team’s cohesive, disciplined performance also goes to head coach Bubista, a former Cape Verde international who has led the side since January 2020. The stability of his long tenure has allowed the 56-year-old former defender to build a tight, well-organized unit: a solid defensive structure, technically gifted midfielders, and clinical forward play that carried Cape Verde to the Afcon 2023 quarter-finals – just a decade after the nation made its debut in the continental tournament.

    Bubista’s tactical discipline was on full display against Spain: while Vozinha’s seven saves earned the headlines, it was the team’s extraordinary discipline that set a modern record, conceding just one foul against the 2010 champions – the lowest number of fouls by any team in a World Cup match since 1966. When the team needed a fighting equalizer against Uruguay, they shifted to a more expansive attacking game and showed their resilience to get a result. That same resolve held against Saudi Arabia to secure the point they needed to advance.

    “It’s incredible what they are doing, it wasn’t just one game against Spain, it is three games at the highest level,” former Spanish World Cup winner Juan Mata commented of the side’s run. Bubista, who was named 2025 African Coach of the Year by the Confederation of African Football after securing qualification, has long held belief in his team’s potential. Back before the 2021 Afcon, where Cape Verde reached the last 16, he predicted the side would soon reach the World Cup – a prediction that has now come true. Today, he hopes his side’s run can inspire other underdog football nations across the globe. “I believe that football belongs to everyone, or is for everyone,” he said.

    Next up for the Blue Sharks is a showdown with defending champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, in the round of 32 this Friday in Miami. Midfielder Deroy Duarte, who earned man of the match honors against Saudi Arabia, summed up the mood in the camp: “Honestly, it’s mad. I feel like I’m in a dream. First, let’s celebrate. We’re so happy. Let’s hope all Cape Verdeans are happy too. From tomorrow, we’ll focus on the next match. It’s against Argentina, isn’t it? A tough match, but let’s believe. Anything is possible.”

    Global football figures have been quick to praise Cape Verde’s historic run, noting it captures the true spirit of the World Cup. “It’s just a great story for what the World Cup is all about,” said top manager Ange Postecoglou. “We often talk about how football touches every part of the globe and this is what it can do.” Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville added that the run could change minds about World Cup expansion: “I think those sceptics who thought expanding the World Cup wasn’t the right thing might be rethinking it watching these Cape Verde fans, because this is really special. A country of 500,000 people getting to the knockout phase. We’ve seen Uruguay, one of the biggest football nations, going out and then one of the smallest teams making it. What a moment for them.”

  • ‘The fairytale continues!’ Emotional scenes as Cape Verde qualify for last 32

    ‘The fairytale continues!’ Emotional scenes as Cape Verde qualify for last 32

    In a stunning underdog story that has sent shockwaves through the global football community, Cape Verde has sealed a spot in the final 32 of the World Cup, delivering one of the tournament’s most talked-about upsets in Houston. A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia proved enough for the minnows to claim their place in the next round, a result that has been hailed as nothing short of a football miracle by players, fans, and pundits alike.

    Moments after the final whistle blew, scenes of unbridled joy erupted across the stadium and in celebrations back home. Cape Verde’s players collapsed to the pitch in embraces, many openly crying tears of disbelief, while jubilant fans waving the nation’s blue flag chanted and cheered long after the match concluded. What was widely predicted to be a straightforward win for Saudi Arabia instead turned into a historic moment for the small West African nation, which has defied all pre-tournament odds to advance deeper into the World Cup than most analysts ever expected.

    The match, which was restricted to viewership exclusively for users based in the United Kingdom, was published by sports outlets just four hours ago, with fans around the world already sharing the story of the historic result across social media platforms. For Cape Verde, a nation with a relatively small footballing footprint on the global stage, this qualification cements their place in World Cup history as one of the competition’s most surprising success stories.

  • Hit South African show gets the world talking about polygamy and cheating

    Hit South African show gets the world talking about polygamy and cheating

    When the opening credits of Netflix’s breakout hit *The Polygamist* roll, audiences are immediately plunged into a charged, tense moment: the funeral of Johannesburg tycoon Jonasi Gomora, where the carefully constructed facade of his life shatters before viewers’ eyes. Standing front and center as chief mourners are not one, but two of his secret wives, flanked by a third spouse and a long-hidden mistress — all dressed in mourning black, while his public-facing social media influencer widow stands out in a striking white ensemble. What unfolds from this explosive opening is a 22-episode non-English drama that has not only dominated streaming charts across Africa and beyond, but also ignited fierce global conversation about polygamy, infidelity, and intergenerational trauma in modern African families.

    Adapted from Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi’s 2012 novel of the same name, the Zulu-language series traces the toxic, tangled dynamics of Gomora’s household over five years, unspooling the secrets and betrayals that led to the emotional confrontation at his funeral. Produced through a partnership between streaming giant Netflix and South African production house Stained Glass TV, the series counts two daughters of former South African president Jacob Zuma — a well-known public polygamist with deep roots in Zulu traditional culture — among its executive producers. Gugu Zuma-Ncube, one of the Zuma sisters leading the project, opened up about how her own upbringing shaped the show’s raw, authentic storytelling.

    “A lot of the scenes that you see in the show are taken directly out of our lives. I famously come from a very polygamist family… [so] I brought that in,” Zuma-Ncube told the BBC. She added that the production team was completely caught off guard by the overwhelming global response to the series, which far outstripped even their most optimistic expectations. Within its first week of release on June 12, *The Polygamist* claimed the number one spot on Netflix’s viewing charts in both South Africa and Kenya, cracked the top 10 in Nigeria and Mauritius, and climbed to number four on the streamer’s global list of most-watched non-English series, racking up two million views worldwide. Its popularity extended far beyond the African continent, too, earning top spots in Trinidad and Tobago, Romania, and the Dominican Republic.

    For Zuma-Ncube, the pan-African embrace of the series carries extra weight amid rising continental tensions sparked by recent anti-migrant unrest in South Africa. Beyond geographic reach, the series has struck a surprising emotional chord with diverse audiences, particularly women navigating unfaithful relationships and people raised in fractured family structures. It is the charismatic, ruthless patriarch Jonasi, masterfully portrayed by South African actor Sdumo Mtshali, who has emerged as the show’s most divisive figure, splitting viewers and critics alike.

    Critics and everyday viewers have condemned Gomora as a manipulative serial cheater and narcissistic opportunist, whose secretive, duplicitous approach to multiple relationships has laid bare normalized social ills plaguing modern South African society. Letlhogonolo Mogale, a 35-year-old viewer from South Africa who binged the series shortly after release, told the BBC that the show’s unflinching portrayal of broken family dynamics hit particularly close to home, even though she does not come from a polygamous background. “What stuck out for me personally was how broken families are and how broken society is,” she said. Unlike the culturally rooted, consensual polygamy recognized under South African law and practiced in many traditional Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, and Venda communities, Mogale argues that the series depicts a coercive, hidden form of polygamy that warps every relationship in the household — a dynamic she says is rarely discussed openly. The show also confronts overlapping public health and social issues, including HIV transmission risks in plural unions (a particularly pressing topic in South Africa, where 13% of the population lives with HIV), gender-based violence, and intergenerational trauma.

    Not everyone has reacted positively to the series, however. The show has drawn vocal criticism from defenders of traditional polygamy, most notably Kenyan civil servant Geoffrey Mosiria, who has amassed a large social media following calling for *The Polygamist* to be banned entirely in Kenya. Mosiria, who grew up as the youngest of 22 children in a happy polygamous household, argues the series paints a misleadingly negative picture of the practice, which he says builds strong community bonds and is a common cultural norm across parts of Kenya. “Polygamy is the best way to find love,” he told the BBC, adding that the show’s plot will only fuel unnecessary distrust among married couples.

    Prominent South African film critic Phil Mphela pushed back on this criticism, noting that the series is not an attack on cultural polygamy as an institution, but rather a character study of one man’s selfish, harmful behavior. He also framed *The Polygamist* as a pivotal turning point for African television, noting that while South Africa has long produced world-class content, the series’ global breakout marks a major milestone for authentic African stories reaching and resonating with international audiences. “It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing because these stories are supposed to evoke something within our society,” Mphela said.

    The series’ runaway popularity has already had ripple effects beyond the streaming space: demand for Nyathi’s original source novel has surged, prompting the author to issue a public warning this week about pirated counterfeit copies being sold in Nairobi bookstores. “Please don’t buy pirated copies. I am working day and night (like Michael Jackson) to make sure the book becomes available in the East African region. Copyright infringement is a crime and a violation of my rights,” she wrote on Instagram.

    A-list celebrities from across the globe have also weighed in on the viral hit: Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido tweeted simply, “Yo JONASI is WILD,” while Emmy-winning host and actress Sherri Shepherd joked on Instagram, “I thought Crazy Rich Asians was something, but crazy rich Africans is a whole ‘nother level.” Academy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson replied to Shepherd’s post, admitting the show had her in a “chokehold” and that she binged the entire first season in a single day. The show’s popularity is so intense in Kenya that local matatu minibus taxis have already been redecorated with Jonasi’s face and name to capitalize on the hype.

    As Netflix and the producers celebrate the show’s unprecedented success, fans across the world are already demanding a second season. When pressed for details on future installments, Zuma-Ncube remained coy, telling reporters: “I think ultimately what we’ll be guided by is serving the story and serving the audience… [but] who knows where we end up.”

  • A Minnesota man accused in a $250M fraud scheme has been taken into custody in Somalia

    A Minnesota man accused in a $250M fraud scheme has been taken into custody in Somalia

    Mogadishu, Somalia — A 42-year-old Minnesota man identified as a core conspirator in one of the largest public fraud schemes in U.S. Midwest history has been apprehended by authorities after years as a fugitive, U.S. federal law enforcement officials confirmed Friday.

    Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, a resident of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody on Thursday in Somalia’s capital city of Mogadishu, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen announced in an official media statement. As of the latest update, court records have not listed any legal representation for Eidleh, and he has not yet appeared before a judicial officer to enter a plea to the charges against him.

    Eidleh is among more than 40 individuals indicted back in 2022 for their alleged roles in a coordinated, multi-million dollar scam targeting a U.S. federal child nutrition program launched to support vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 public health crisis. At the center of the scheme was Feeding Our Future, a Minnesota-based non-profit that publicly claimed it would use federal funding to distribute millions of free meals to food-insecure children across the state when pandemic school closures disrupted access to regular school nutrition services.

    Court filings lay out damning allegations that only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars allocated to the organization actually went toward feeding children in need. Prosecutors say the vast majority of the funds were illegally siphoned off through a network of dummy shell companies, then laundered to fund personal luxuries for the conspirators: high-end residential and commercial real estate purchases, luxury vehicles, and extravagant international vacations.

    As a former employee of Feeding Our Future, Eidleh is accused of taking on a central coordinating role in the fraud. Court documents allege he helped create dozens of fake program meal sites, falsified daily attendance and meal distribution records that claimed the sites were serving thousands of children every day, and set up the fraudulent shell companies that were listed as official meal vendors for the non-existent sites. The grand jury indictment brings six separate types of charges against him, totaling 31 counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, substantive wire fraud violations, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, substantive bribery charges, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and substantive money laundering charges.

    Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, emphasized the severity of the alleged crimes in public comments following the capture. “Eidleh was a central figure in one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history,” McDonald said. “He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed. Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice.”

    The high-profile fraud case has already spilled over into national political discourse. Former U.S. President Donald Trump cited the case as a key justification when he announced a sweeping immigration crackdown targeting the state of Minnesota in late 2023, framing the scam as evidence of weak border security and lax enforcement that enabled large-scale public corruption.

  • Senegal routs 10-man Iraq 5-0 to boost hopes of reaching World Cup knockout rounds

    Senegal routs 10-man Iraq 5-0 to boost hopes of reaching World Cup knockout rounds

    TORONTO – Heading into their final Group I World Cup group stage match on Friday, Senegal faced a clear and unforgiving mandate: they not only needed a win, but a lopsided, goal-heavy victory to keep their knockout stage hopes alive. By the final whistle, the African side delivered exactly that, tearing through a shorthanded Iraq squad to claim a resounding 5-0 triumph that leaves them on the cusp of advancing to the Round of 32.

    From the opening minutes, Senegal came out pressing aggressively, and they earned their first reward just four minutes into the contest when Habib Diarra found the back of the net to put his side up early. The game’s turning point arrived just nine minutes later, when Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka was shown a straight red card for pulling Sadio Mane’s jersey to stop the winger from breaking away on a one-on-one scoring chance. Left down to 10 men for virtually the entire remainder of the match, Iraq was forced into a defensive rearguard that held firm for nearly 40 minutes after the red card, with Senegal unable to extend their lead until the 56th minute, when Ismaila Sarr slotted home the side’s second goal.

    What followed was a devastating second-half scoring flurry from Senegal. Midfielder Pape Gueye bagged a brace, both goals powerful strikes from just outside the 18-yard box, before substitute Iliman Ndiaye capped off the rout with Senegal’s fifth goal of the night.

    The dominant result leaves Senegal sitting at three points in Group I with a +2 goal differential, currently in third place in the group. With only the eight best third-place teams across all groups earning a spot in the knockout round, Senegal has done everything it can to advance – but now must wait for the remaining six group stage matches across the tournament to conclude to learn their fate. “The job is done, but fate is no longer in our hands,” Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw said in post-match comments. “We have to wait until the other matches are over.”

    Gueye echoed his coach’s sentiment, noting that the team executed the game plan they came into the match with. “We had to score as many goals as possible,” Gueye said. “So there you go.” Diarra, who opened the scoring for Senegal, expressed confidence that the side’s strong result would be enough to see them through to the next round. “They gave us problems, but we solved them,” he said. “We played a great match, both collectively and individually. Now, here we are. I can say we are focused on our next match.”

    For Iraq, the loss brings an early end to their historic World Cup run, marking their first appearance at the tournament since 1986. They exit the competition winless, having failed to pick up a single point across three group stage matches. “I want to apologize for our fans, for our country, these three games,” Iraqi defender Merchas Doski said after the match.

    Even so, Iraq head coach Graham Arnold framed the team’s qualification for the tournament itself as a remarkable achievement. “Hopefully the players will go away from this enjoying the experience of being in the World Cup for the first time in 40 years,” he said, “but also learning from mistakes.”

  • Tanzania bans political rallies ahead of planned anti-government protests

    Tanzania bans political rallies ahead of planned anti-government protests

    In a move that has reignited debates over constitutional rights and political freedom in East Africa, Tanzania’s ruling administration announced a nationwide ban on all political gatherings Friday, stepping in ahead of planned mass protests centered on disputed 2024 election results and the ongoing detention of a prominent opposition leader.

    Internal Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi issued an official order to Police Inspector General Camillus Wambura, directing authorities to halt the processing and issuance of new permits for all political activities across the country, ending a two-year period of relaxed restrictions on opposition organizing.

    This latest policy shift reverses a 2023 executive order from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who lifted a strict six-year ban on opposition rallies implemented by her predecessor, the late John Magufuli. The new ban comes as young Tanzanian activists prepare to launch nationwide demonstrations on July 7, where they intend to challenge Hassan’s re-election in last year’s general vote and advocate for a complete rewrite of the country’s constitution.

    The 2024 general election, which resulted in a landslide victory for Hassan’s ruling party, has been mired in controversy from the start. Tanzania’s largest main opposition party boycotted the contest entirely in protest of systemic unfairness, while the presidential candidate representing the country’s second-largest opposition bloc was blocked from appearing on the ballot ahead of voting.

    This year will mark the first post-election protests held in Tanzania since 2025, an unprecedented moment of public pushback against the administration’s election outcome. Beyond challenging the election results, protesters are demanding two key changes: the immediate release of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces high-profile treason charges stemming from his calls for political reform ahead of the 2024 vote, and official accountability for the post-election violence that left at least 518 people dead, according to a previously released post-election inquiry.

    Law enforcement has already taken preemptive action, arresting multiple individuals tied to the protest organizing effort, which has been coordinated largely through social media platforms to avoid government interference. Even so, opposition and civil society leaders have pushed back aggressively against the new ban, framing it as an unconstitutional overreach of executive power.

    Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the Tanzania Law Society, emphasized that the government has no legal standing to restrict public meetings that are explicitly permitted under Tanzanian law. “We will convene to determine the legal measures we will take, both domestically and internationally, against anyone who attempts to enforce this unlawful and invalid directive in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the country,” Mwabukusi said in a statement following the ban announcement.

    Opposition parties have echoed this criticism, uniformly describing the ban as a politically motivated effort to silence dissent ahead of the planned protests. Rugemeleza Nshala, chief legal counsel for the leading opposition party Chadema, said the order was a deliberate attempt to “muzzle political freedom.” He confirmed that Chadema is currently drafting both domestic and international legal challenges to overturn the ban. Rashid Ali, shadow minister for defense, internal affairs and security for the second major opposition party ACT Wazalendo, added that the directive is just the latest in a series of government actions that violate the country’s founding constitution.

    The controversy comes amid already strained relations between Tanzania and Western governments: the United States recently imposed sanctions on the country’s national police chief over documented human rights violations connected to post-election crackdowns, adding a layer of international tension to the growing domestic political crisis.

  • DR Congo takes Rwanda to international court over decades of conflict

    DR Congo takes Rwanda to international court over decades of conflict

    Decades of simmering cross-border tension between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have escalated into a new formal legal confrontation, as Kinshasa has lodged a fresh case against its neighbor at the United Nations’ highest court for state disputes, the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

    In an official statement released following the filing, the Congolese government laid out a sweeping set of accusations, claiming Rwanda has systematically deployed its own military forces and provided material support to armed rebel groups operating within Congolese territory for decades, a pattern of interference that began in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Congolese Justice Minister Guillaume Andali confirmed on Friday that Kinshasa is pursuing full accountability for alleged violations of four landmark international conventions: the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

    Kigali has not yet issued an official response to this latest legal filing, but it has consistently rejected all previous claims that it provides backing to rebel factions operating in eastern DR Congo. This rejection runs counter to findings from United Nations independent experts and multiple Western governments, which have repeatedly confirmed that Rwanda does support the M23 rebel movement – the most prominent armed group active in DR Congo’s volatile eastern region. Since M23 renewed its large-scale offensive in January 2024, the group has seized thousands of square kilometers of territory, including Goma, the regional capital of North Kivu province, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced.

    DR Congo’s legal filing asks the Hague-based ICJ to order Rwanda to immediately end all alleged unlawful activities on Congolese territory, and to award full financial reparations to both the Congolese government and thousands of civilian victims of the decades-long conflict. The ICJ has confirmed it will now initiate formal review of the claims to determine next steps in the proceedings.

    This new case marks the third time DR Congo has turned to the ICJ to resolve its disputes with Rwanda. The first case was voluntarily withdrawn by Congolese authorities in 2001, while the second was dismissed by the court in 2006 on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction, as Rwanda had not formally recognized the ICJ’s authority to hear the dispute at that time.

    The current crisis in eastern DR Congo has deep roots in the regional upheaval following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when ethnic Hutu extremists killed an estimated 800,000 people, mostly from the Tutsi ethnic group. In the wake of the genocide, around one million Hutu civilians and former extremist fighters fled across the border into eastern DR Congo to escape reprisals, creating a tinderbox of ethnic tension in the already fractured region. Among the local populations, the marginalized Tutsi Banyamulenge community, which has deep historical ties to Rwanda, faced growing hostility from other ethnic groups, leaving many feeling increasingly vulnerable.

    Rwanda’s government launched two full-scale military invasions of DR Congo in the 1990s and early 2000s, framing the operations as necessary to hunt down remaining genocide perpetrators hiding among the refugee population. During these interventions, Kigali built alliances with local armed groups, including factions that would eventually evolve into the M23 movement.

    One of the remaining Hutu armed groups, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which includes a core of former genocide perpetrators, still maintains a presence in remote areas of eastern DR Congo. Rwanda has long labeled the FDLR a genocidal militia and argues that its continued presence on Congolese territory poses a direct security threat to Rwanda. Kigali also repeatedly accuses the Congolese government of covertly collaborating with the FDLR to destabilize Rwanda – a claim Kinshasa has consistently denied.

    Despite a US-brokered peace deal signed by both nations in December 2023 that was meant to de-escalate tensions and force M23 to withdraw from seized territory, heavy fighting has continued across eastern DR Congo through 2024, with M23 making steady territorial gains that have put hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk of violence and displacement.

  • Cape Verde looks to capitalise on World Cup heroics

    Cape Verde looks to capitalise on World Cup heroics

    Against all expectations, the tiny Atlantic archipelago nation of Cape Verde has captured global attention with its standout showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a stage where most football fans wrote off the Blue Sharks as heavy underdogs. Now, the island nation is moving quickly to turn this sudden international spotlight into long-term growth for its homegrown football ecosystem.

    A team from BBC Africa has traveled to the West African nation to investigate how the country nurtures the emerging football talent that delivered its historic World Cup run. On the ground in Praia, Cape Verde’s capital, reporters met Silveria Nedio, a coach at the Bola Pra Frente Academy, who has helped develop several of the current Blue Sharks squad that competed in the 2026 finals.

    For a nation with a population of just over 590,000, reaching the World Cup finals is already a historic achievement, but it also delivers tangible financial benefits that the country plans to reinvest in the sport. Mario Semedo, president of the Cape Verde Football Federation, confirmed that all prize money earned from the team’s World Cup participation will be directed toward expanding and improving domestic football development programs, from youth academies to grassroots infrastructure across the archipelago.

    The unexpected success of Cape Verde’s national team has already generated increased global interest in the nation’s football culture, creating a rare opportunity to build a sustainable pipeline of talent for future international competitions, industry observers note.

  • Tanzania suspends political rallies three years after lifting ban

    Tanzania suspends political rallies three years after lifting ban

    In a sudden policy shift that reverses recent democratic reforms, Tanzania’s national government has implemented an indefinite suspension on all political rallies across the country, framing the ban as a critical security measure ahead of a major international event.

    Home Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi announced the directive to parliament, confirming that the suspension will remain in place until further notice. He explained that security officials have uncovered credible threats, including individuals found stockpiling weapons and plotting coordinated criminal activity that could disrupt public order. Beyond these immediate security concerns, Katambi noted that Tanzania is preparing to host an upcoming international trade fair expected to draw delegates and visitors from across the globe. “We should focus on building our economy,” Katambi said, adding, “During this period, we will not tolerate anyone who engages in any form of disorder.”

    The decision marks a sharp reversal of the liberalizing reforms rolled out by President Samia Suluhu Hassan just two years ago. When she took office following the death of predecessor John Magufuli, Hassan moved quickly to undo a six-year ban on political gatherings that Magufuli first imposed in 2016. At the time of lifting the ban in 2023, Hassan affirmed that all political parties held a constitutional right to host rallies, while urging participants to engage in civil discourse rather than personal insults. Magufuli’s original ban had been widely interpreted as a deliberate tactic to suppress opposition power, with the former president arguing that gatherings wasted public resources and diverted attention from national economic development goals.

    Opposition groups have immediately rejected the new suspension, branding it unconstitutional and a deliberate power grab by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. The main opposition bloc ACT Wazalendo has announced it will challenge the government’s directive in court, accusing CCM of weaponizing state institutions to stifle dissent ahead of growing calls for accountability.

    Veteran Chadema opposition figure Joseph Selasini connected the new ban to the rising popularity of opposition rallies that have drawn massive crowds demanding justice for victims of post-election violence last year. Following the controversial October 2025 general election, widespread protests broke out across the country after the two leading opposition presidential candidates were blocked from contesting the poll. A formal commission of inquiry established by President Samia to investigate the unrest confirmed that 517 people died from unnatural causes during the violence, including 197 people who were shot and killed by security forces. The scale of the bloodshed shocked many observers, as Tanzania had maintained a reputation for political stability and peaceful consensus for nearly 60 years.

    Calls for democratic reform and official accountability for the post-election violence had been growing in recent months, with opposition groups organizing repeated public gatherings to pressure the government. As of publication, the ruling CCM party has not issued any public response to the opposition’s accusations of suppression, nor has it released additional comment on the government’s suspension decision.