Stephanie Burchard

Kizza Besigye: the firebrand who has shaped opposition politics in Uganda Besigye’s decision to break with the president put him in intense and prolonged personal danger.

Kizza Besigye: The firebrand who has shaped opposition politics in Uganda, now seriously ill in prison.

Belgian museum caught in row over millions of DR Congo records KoBold Metals and DR Congo are pushing a Brussels museum to release records that would help map valuable metals

Fascinating look at the tangled legacies of colonialism.

DRC wants colonial-era geological surveys so a Bill Gates-backed mining/AI firm can digitize them. The Belgian museum won't release them as it's already doing so.

Trump II is now applying pressure as part of its resource grab.

No good guys.

The defunding of the SANDF – A deep head count dive - DefenceWeb In the previous article, I unpacked the financial trajectory of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), showing how prolonged underfunding and rigid

Using official personnel establishment and headcount data, this article examines how the size, structure, and composition of the SANDF workforce have evolved—and what this reveals about the sustainability of the force.
defenceweb.co.za/sa-defence-s...

Gabonese presidency defends social media shutdown | Africanews Authorities have defended the bad as necessary to preserve social cohesion, political stability, and national security

Gabon suspends social media…and demand for VPNs in the country increases by nearly 400% within 48 hours of the announcement of the block.

4 journalists detained in Cameroon reporting on Trump’s deportations Lawyers say Trump is sending migrants to Cameroon who originated elsewhere. AP freelancers, among others, were detained while reporting on the deportees.

Four journalists, including three working for the Associated Press, were detained in Cameroon while reporting from a facility where migrants deported by the Trump administration are held, according to two lawyers.

More than 1,000 Kenyans lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine war, report says Intelligence findings given to parliament say ‘rogue’ agencies and individuals recruiting Kenyan nationals to frontline

More than 1,000 Kenyans have been lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine, according to an intelligence report to the Kenyan parliament.

Meanwhile, four South Africans returned yesterday from Russia, part of a group of 19 men allegedly tricked into fighting for Russia by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla

Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tigray: A Powder Keg in the Horn of Africa | International Crisis Group The risk of hostilities involving Ethiopia, its northernmost Tigray region and its neighbour Eritrea remains high three years after the last major war in the area. African states and outside powers sh...

🔥Risk of descending into a new conflict in an already volatile Horn of Africa. While all sides appear wary of igniting a new war, simmering grievances, overblown rhetoric and military preparations indicate core actors are readying themselves for that eventuality.

www.crisisgroup.org/brf/africa/e...

New from me.

pretty stunning chart

Security begins with justice Opinion: From the Sahel to Europe, global instability is driven by unresolved justice needs and broken social contracts. If the Munich Security Conference wants to redefine security, it must consider ...

💬 "Security built on deterrence alone will not hold."

In an op-ed for @devex.com, our CEO Nathalie Delapalme, alongside Udo Jude Ilo, argues that security does not begin with deterrence or military strength, it begins with justice.

Read here: https://bit.ly/4tx1Hqv

Gen Z’s electoral dilemma Long dismissed as apathetic, Kenya’s youth forced a rupture in 2024. As the 2027 election approaches, their challenge is turning digital rebellion and street protest into political power.

Long dismissed as apathetic, Kenya’s youth forced a rupture in 2024. As the 2027 election approaches, their challenge is turning digital rebellion and street protest into political power. africasacountry.com/2026/02/gen-...

Mozambique naval forces clash with insurgents off Mocímboa da Praia - DefenceWeb After nearly two weeks of successive militant operations on islands off the coast of Mocímboa da Praia district, government security forces mounted a response

After nearly two weeks of successive militant operations on islands off the coast of Mocímboa da Praia district, government security forces mounted a response last week. defenceweb.co.za/land/land-la...

Remember the big foreign aid cuts? Estimates are that more than 760,000 people, including 500,000 children, have died over the past year since American assistance suddenly vanished - figures cited by Senate appropriations member Sen. Schatz.

Congo rebel leader claims responsibility for drone attack on strategic northeast city The leader of the AFC/M23 rebel movement in Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday claimed responsibility on social media for a drone attack targeting the airport in the strategic northeastern city of Kisangani.

Congo rebel leader claims responsibility for drone attack on strategic northeast city reut.rs/4rsAYJQ

Kenyan job seekers were lured to Russia, then sent to die in Ukraine The Post spoke to four Kenyans who fought in Ukraine and relatives of nine other recruits, as a secret pipeline funnels young Africans to Russia’s military.

Serving members of Kenya's security forces have been lured to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine, survivors and families say. They include a member of the elite U.S.-trained SPEAR unit, which guards the U.S. embassy in Nairobi. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...

‘The Second Emancipation’ Review: Imagining Africa United The 20th-century Ghanaian leader Kwame Nkrumah saw an opportunity to move Africa past the fragmentation left behind by colonial powers.

At the start of Black history month, I'd like to recommend my book, The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide. As w my previous book, Born in Blackness, it follows the conviction that Black history is World history. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

My latest substack post explains why U.S. policymakers ask for less time, attention, and resources for Africa — and what are the consequences. open.substack.com/pub/poststra...

A Growing Divergence of Security Narratives in Burkina Faso Burkina Faso’s security conditions continue to deteriorate under the military junta despite a high-volume information campaign.

It is especially significant that the junta is silencing political parties given the widening gap between the junta's messaging and realities on the ground in Burkina Faso, where security, economic, and humanitarian conditions all continue to deteriorate.

africacenter.org/spo...
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Burkina Faso junta announces ban on all political parties The multiparty system had been "promoting division among citizens", the country's interior minister said.

Burkina Faso junta announces ban on all political parties

Niger says gunmen attacked air force base in the capital, resulting in heavy gunfire, explosions Niger's state broadcaster said armed men attacked a Nigerien Air Force base in the capital city overnight into Thursday morning, resulting in loud explosions and heavy gunfire.

Jihadists likely targeted with their attack on Niamey airport Niger’s newly-acquired Turkish drones, I tell AP apnews.com/article/nige...

The Strategies of Terrorism Abstract. Terrorism is designed to change minds by destroying bodies; it is a form of costly signaling. Terrorists employ five primary strategies of costly signaling: attrition, intimidation, provocat...

Research has shown that the fastest way to radicalize a population is to use brutal force against innocent people. It's happening in real time in MN and never ends well for the government. I've written about it here:

We're back!

Are the Central African Republic’s Security Gains Sustainable? The Central African Republic's relatively safe elections last month marked a real accomplishment, but real challenges remain.

That the Central African Republica was able to organize elections under relatively safe conditions marks a real accomplishment.

The question now is whether this stability is sustainable—or merely cosmetic.

Uganda, 93.6% precincts reporting:


Presidential election, first round

Museveni (NRM) (Conservative): 71.9% (+13.5)
Wine (NUP) (Centre-left): 24.5% (-10.6)
Mafabi (FDC) (Centre-right): 1.9% (-5.4)
Muntu (ANT) (Centre-left): 0.5% (+0.5)
...

+/- vs. 2021 election

➤ africaelects.com/uganda

Ugandan presidential candidate abducted by military, opposition party says Bobi Wine, the pop star-turned-politician who is contesting President Yoweri Museveni’s rule, was forced into a helicopter and flown to an unknown location as votes are tallied, his party said.

The Ugandan military forcibly removed pop star–turned–politician Bobi Wine from his home and took him to an unknown location, officials in his National Unity Platform party said, in a stunning development in a bruising presidential race marred by violence.

The Sahel's journey from France to Wagner - DefenceWeb On 6 June 2025, private military company Wagner announced they would be withdrawing from Mali. "Mission accomplished”, declared the mercenary group via

On 6 June 2025, Wagner announced they would be withdrawing from Mali. “Mission accomplished”, declared the mercenary group via Telegram. For people who knew why the group were invited into the country, the announcement was odd, to say the least.
defenceweb.co.za/security/nat...

Africa Media Review for January 16, 2026 Daily Media Review: News relevant to security in Africa, from the United States, Europe, and Africa, distributed every morning.

From today's Africa Media Review: "A senior member of the Ugandan opposition told AFP on Friday that security forces stormed his home the previous day as the country held elections, shooting dead 10 members of his campaign team."

africacenter.org/dai...
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Ugandans, Iranians turn to Dorsey's messaging app Bitchat in web crackdowns A little-known offline messaging app launched by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has emerged as a key lifeline for Ugandans cut off from the internet ahead of a contentious election that could extend President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule.

A little-known offline messaging app launched by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has emerged as a key lifeline for Ugandans cut off from the internet ahead of a contentious election that could extend President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule.

Uganda Holds Elections under the Shadow of an Uncertain Future | International Crisis Group Uganda’s octogenarian president will likely retain power in forthcoming polls. But all eyes are on the succession race to come in a country that is pivotal to stability in its neighbourhood. In this Q...

Uganda’s authorities have imposed an internet shutdown ahead of the country’s general elections tomorrow.

Here, @crisisgroup.org colleagues examine what is at stake for the country and analyse the turmoil within which the elections are taking place.
www.crisisgroup.org/africa/ugand...