Africa

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  9 January 2026
  AFRICA/GABON - Faced with alarm over "ritual murders", the President asks the population whether they want the death penalty reintroduced Libreville (Agenzia Fides) –Citizens will decide whether the death penalty will be imposed for so-called "ritual murders." This was announced by the President of Gabon, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, in his New Year's a ...
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  9 January 2026
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Education in North Darfur: a matter of survival and social protection Port Sudan (Agenzia Fides) - Since the outbreak of war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, one of the most severely affected sectors, particularly in historically fragile states like North Darfur, is education. Poverty, natu ...
• 9 January 2026
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Cape Town Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka, until now bishop of the diocese of Mthatha, as metropolitan archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa. Archbishop-elect Sithembele ...
• 8 January 2026
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - Erection of the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, and appointment of first bishop Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, with territory taken from the diocese of Shinyanga, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Mwanza. The Holy ...
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  7 January 2026
  AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Four new priests and six deacons: a significant milestone in the life of the local Church Tombura-Yambio (Agenzia Fides) - Grace, faith, unity and hope animated the historic celebration of the ordination of four new priests and six deacons in the diocese of Tombura-Yambio. "This event marks a significant mile ...
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  6 January 2026
  AFRICA/MALAWI - In Malawi, 100,000 children celebrate Missionary Childhood Day on the Solemnity of the Epiphany Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – This year in Malawi, more than 100,000 children participated as protagonists in the celebration of Missionary Childhood Day. Missionary Childhood Day coincides with the Solemnity of the E ...
• 4 January 2026
  AFRICA/KENYA - Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Machakos Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Joseph Maluki Mwongela, until now bishop of Kitui, as coadjutor bishop of Machakos, Kenya. Bishop Joseph Maluki Mwongela was born on 17 April 1968 in ...
• 1 January 2026
  AFRICA/KENYA - Resignation and succession of bishop of Meru The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Meru, Kenya, presented by Bishop Salesius Mugambi. He is succeeded by Bishop Jackson Murugara, I.M.C., until now coadjutor bishop o ...
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  30 December 2025
  Archbishop Nwachukwu: Free Nigeria from the "smokescreen" of widespread violence by Gianni Valente Rome (Agenzia Fides) - In 2025, Nigeria was the country with the highest number (5) of Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers killed. It is also the same country where the Catholic community has ...
• 23 December 2025
  AFRICA/GHANA - Resignation and appointment of bishop of Jasikan Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Jasikan, Ghana, presented by Bishop Gabriel Akwasi Ababio Mante. The Holy Father has appointed the Rev ...
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  23 December 2025
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Between M23 “ghost” militiamen and private vendettas, Uvira lives in uncertainty Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – A city suspended in limbo. This is the situation in Uvira, a city in South Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Burundi, which was captured on December 10 by M23/ ...
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  22 December 2025
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - The last 130 children from the Catholic school in Papiri have been freed Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – The 130 students who had been held hostage in the attack on St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri (Niger State, north-central Nigeria) on November 21 (see Fides, November 24 and 26, 2025) have be ...
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  19 December 2025
  AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - UN staff member killed detained by South Sudanese security forces Juba (Agenzia Fides) – Tensions have risen between the Government of South Sudan and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) following the death, under circumstances that remain unclear, of a mission staff ...
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  18 December 2025
  AFRICA/SUDAN - New drone attacks and threats to oil production Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Drones belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have attacked the city of Atbara in northern Sudan, targeting power infrastructure and other sites, according to local media reports. The RS ...
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  17 December 2025
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Priest reported missing since December 3 arrested under unconstitutional circumstances Kampala (Agenzia Fides) – The Uganda Catholic Lawyers Society (UCLS) has denounced the arrest of Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira, a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Masaka, who had been missing since December 3, as a v ...