Africa Political Roundup: CAR Trial of Ex-President Bozizé, Disappearances in Ghana and Mozambique, and Regional Human Rights Shifts

A UN-backed court in the Central African Republic (CAR) has commenced the landmark trial in absentia of former President François Bozizé, who faces charges of crimes against humanity. The Special Criminal Court in Bangui is examining allegations of murder, enforced disappearance, torture, and rape committed by Bozizé’s security forces between 2009 and 2013. Bozizé, who has been in exile in Guinea-Bissau since early 2023, remains a controversial figure following his 2013 overthrow, which triggered years of civil conflict. Amidst this high-profile legal proceeding, the CAR military has been forced to publicly deny social media rumors of a coup attempt, asserting that the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra remains stable and operational.

In Ghana, the political community in Tema West is grappling with the unexplained disappearance of Paulina Lamisi Akanbodiipo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Women’s Organiser, who went missing on June 12, 2024. Member of Parliament James Enu has intensified calls for the Inspector-General of Police to deploy advanced investigative resources, emphasizing that her absence is a public safety issue rather than a partisan matter. A similar crisis of political violence is unfolding in Mozambique, where journalist and activist Arlindo Chissale vanished following the October 2024 elections. Chissale, a member of the opposition party Podemos, had been vocal about electoral fraud and state-led violence before his disappearance, joining a growing list of missing or assassinated figures in the wake of the country's recent polls.

Across the continent, government actions are significantly altering political landscapes. In Nigeria, a Federal High Court has ordered the electoral agency to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements, a move that could disrupt the campaign of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. In Uganda, Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba has drawn international condemnation for boasting about the detention of opposition lawyer Erias Lukwago, who was reportedly seized by military personnel. Meanwhile, in South Sudan, military operations in Jonglei State have left the town of Lankien in ruins, with reports of hospitals and civilian markets being targeted, further exacerbating a humanitarian crisis characterized by looming famine and mass displacement.

Contrasting these reports of repression, Kenya has taken a significant step toward state accountability. President William Ruto announced a $15 million compensation fund for nearly 2,000 victims of human rights abuses linked to recent violent protests. While the government clarified that the payment does not constitute an admission of guilt, it is being framed as a necessary measure for national healing. Collectively, these developments across CAR, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya underscore a turbulent period for African governance, where the pursuit of justice and the protection of democratic actors remain under constant pressure from both state and non-state forces.