NEWS - The African Mirror

Jan

17

2026

The prophet, the penalty shootout, and the pummeling

NEWS

ONCE upon a tournament in the sun-scorched realm of African football, there lived a man named Karamogo Sinayoko who made a career decision that would prove... let's say cosmically inadvisable. Our protagonist - blessed with either tremendous confidence or catastrophic judgment - declared himself a prophet. Not just any prophet, mind you, but one with a very specific celestial portfolio: helping Mali win the Africa Cup of Nations through the mystical art of spiritual meddling. The devoted faithful of Mali, their hearts swollen with hope and their wallets lighter by nearly $39,000, placed their trust (and considerable cash) in Sinayoko's…

Jan

16

2026

By OWN CORRESPONDENTS

When the sky turns to fury: floods wreak havoc in South Africa – 19 dead, infrastructure damaged, villages, towns, Kruger Park flooded

NEWS

THE heavens opened with a vengeance over South Africa's northeastern provinces, unleashing a torrent that would remake the landscape and test the limits of human resilience. What began as rain became something far more primal - a biblical deluge that transformed rivers into raging monsters, swallowed roads whole, and reminded a nation that nature's fury acknowledges no boundaries. Across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the death toll has climbed to 19, with bodies still being recovered from flood-swollen waters. Each number represents a life cut short - mothers swept away while crossing streams, children caught in currents, families torn apart by waters…

Jan

17

2026

By OWN CORRESPONDENTS

The choreography of inevitability: Uganda’s 2026 electoral charade

NEWS

IN the sterile halls of Uganda's national tally centre in Lweza, electoral officials are performing an elaborate pantomime of democracy. They are counting votes, announcing percentages, updating spreadsheets with bureaucratic precision. The theatre is meticulous. The outcome was never in doubt. As tallies from nearly half of polling stations emerged Friday, President Yoweri Museveni commanded 76 percent of the vote, his main challenger Bobi Wine trailing with roughly 20 percent. The numbers scroll across screens like a script written long before the first ballot was cast. For this is not an election in any meaningful sense - it is a…

Jan

16

2026

By OWN CORRESPONDENT

Trump’s visa freeze hits 26 African nations: what it means and where to turn

NEWS

THE United States has suspended immigrant visa processing for 26 African countries, effective January 21, in a sweeping crackdown that affects nearly half the continent and raises serious questions about America's hosting of the FIFA World Cup in just five months. The freeze targets citizens from Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tunisia, and Uganda. Washington claims nationals from these countries rely on public assistance "at unacceptable rates" and pose…

Jan

16

2026

By The African Mirror

Uganda Election 2026: Democracy under siege

NEWS

VOTES have been cast in Uganda, under conditions that international observers have characterised as fundamentally incompatible with free and fair elections, as 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his iron grip on power into a fifth decade against the backdrop of systematic repression, widespread violence, and a government-imposed internet blackout. The election represents a critical rematch between Museveni and his primary challenger, 43-year-old pop star-turned-opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, who has galvanised millions of young Ugandans with promises to dismantle what he characterises as a brutal dictatorship. Yet the contest unfolds under circumstances that reveal the…

Jan

15

2026

By The African Mirror

Malawi’s cabinet dogs: When German shepherds sparked a political storm

NEWS

IN a plot twist that would make even the most creative political thriller writers blush, Malawi has found itself embroiled in what can only be described as the world's most expensive dog custody battle. Move over, bitter Hollywood divorces - this one involves 80 policemen, a former president barricaded in his home, and four very confused German Shepherds worth $2,300. The Great Canine Caper Picture this: It's September, and Lazarus Chakwera, the 70-year-old pastor-turned-president, has just lost his re-election bid to 85-year-old Peter Mutharika, who's staging his own political comeback tour (tagline: "Return to Proven Leadership"). As Chakwera prepares to…

Jan

15

2026

By The African Mirror

American family trapped in Nigeria after Trump immigration order blocks adopted child’s entry

NEWS

AN American family remains stranded in Nigeria after President Donald Trump's latest immigration proclamation blocked their newly adopted special-needs infant from entering the United States, marking what advocates say is an unprecedented restriction on international adoptions. The Wilson family, whose case has drawn attention on social media, cannot return home because Presidential Proclamation 10998 — signed shortly after Trump's January 20 inauguration — removed the traditional exemption for adopted children from travel restrictions affecting 39 countries, including Nigeria. "No parent should have to choose between staying in a dangerous place or leaving their child behind," the family wrote in advocacy…

Jan

15

2026

By OWN CORRESPONENT

Uganda deploys army, bans rights groups as internet blackout grips nation before elections

NEWS

ARMED soldiers patrolled the streets of Uganda's capital on Wednesday as the government intensified a sweeping crackdown on the eve of contentious elections, deploying military forces to intimidate opposition supporters while the country remained cut off from the internet. The military deployment follows the government's shutdown of internet services Tuesday evening and the banning of two prominent civil society organisations, marking an escalation in what human rights groups describe as an unprecedented assault on democratic freedoms in the East African nation. The Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile service providers to shut down public internet connections from 6 p.m. local time…

Jan

14

2026

By OWN CORRESPONDENT

Millionaire investor loses safari empire after Zimbabwe court invalidates lease

NEWS

A 73-year-old businessman who poured millions into one of Zimbabwe's premier safari destinations has been stripped of his investment after the country's Supreme Court cancelled his lease, leaving him facing eviction without compensation in a ruling that has sent shockwaves through the investment community. Terry William Kelly, whose Chewore Lodge has hosted international tourists for 15 years and generated substantial revenue for both his company and the Zimbabwean government, now stands to lose everything after judges ruled his 25-year lease agreement was invalid — despite years of government acceptance of his rental payments and operational permits. The court's decision hinged…

Jan

14

2026

By STAFF REPORTER

Pope Leo’s Africa visit signals strategic pivot for Catholic Church’s fastest-growing continent

NEWS

POPE LEO will visit Angola as part of a multi-nation African tour, the Vatican's ambassador has announced, marking what could be the first overseas journey of 2026 for a pontiff whose tenure may define the Catholic Church's relationship with its most vital demographic frontier.Archbishop Kryspin Dubiel, the Holy See's envoy to Angola, told journalists in Luanda that Leo has accepted an invitation from President João Lourenço, though dates and itinerary details remain under negotiation. "The Holy Father has accepted the invitation… (but) we are currently in the process of preparing the plan and programme," Dubiel said.The announcement carries profound strategic…