By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter 

LUSAKA, Zambia– 8 are dead after a stampede in Zambia.  The stampede happened as people were trying to receive food aid in the capital city of Lusaka.  A church called the Church of Christ was handing out food aid at the Olympic Development Centre to about 35,000 people when the stampede happened.  Many of the people the church hoped to serve are residents of Lusaka’s slums.

Police spokeswomen Esther Katongo. (Photo Courtesy of ZNBC)

Police spokeswomen Esther Katongo confirmed that eight were dead.  Six of the victims were female, one male, and one male juvenile.  Five died at the scene while the three other succumbed to their injuries at the hospitals that they were rushed to.  After the chaos police ordered the church to halt the handouts of food, but some still stayed hoping to still get food.  An official statement reads “The victims are among the 35,000 which the group called Lesedi seven, had invited for prayers at OYDC. The group had also organized food hampers to distribute to people. This Lesedi seven is a grouping under Church of Christ.”

Zambia like many other countries near the horn of Africa is experiencing an extreme drought that is crippling resources.  Food prices have also risen which has made food unaffordable for many.  Zambian police are inquiring into all eight deaths as well as the other twenty or so people that were injured.  Despite the chaos Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja has said he has had a hard time convincing people to go home.  Many families are so desperate for the food they will risk their lives to get it.

For more information, please see: 

Africa News – Zambia: 8 dead, 28 Injured in stampede for free Church food – 6 March 2017

Al Jazeera – Zambians seeking food aid killed in stampede – 6 March 2017

Stuff – 8 die in as crowd stampedes to get food handouts in Zambia – 6 March 2017

ZNBC – 8 die in stampede – 6 March 2017

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

MOGADISHU, Somalia– The drought has worsened in Somalia leading to 110 deaths in the South Western Bay region, according to Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Haire.  The drought is caused in part by the El Nino weather pattern, and is wrecking havoc on an already struggling country.  Somalia has experienced low rain fall totals for the last two years.   While over a hundred have died, many thousands are still in need of food aid.

Many travel long distances to this river that still has water.  (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo declared the drought a national disaster last week, hoping to show the rest of the world how bad the drought truly is.  Food is unavailable because of the drought and domestic livestock are also dying.  Thousands travel miles to the capital of Mogadishu for food aid, or to rivers that still have water.  Some of the water that remains is not clean, which puts citizens at risk for diseases like cholera.

United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq said that the drought has the potential to develop into a full blown famine.  de Clercq is scheduled to visit Somalia to discuss the humanitarian situation in the country.  Somalia is one of four countries, along with Nigeria, South Sudan, and Yemen that is in desperate need of humanitarian aid.  With limited resources Somalia will get more aid to help fight this drought, but it will most likely not be enough to save everyone.  Somalia is no stranger to drought and has lost over 400,000 citizens in droughts that happened in 2010 and 1992.

For more information, please see: 

AOL – Somalia Drought Threatens Thousands – 5 March 2017

BBC Africa – Somalia Drought: More than 100 Die from hunger in One Region – 4 March 2017

CNN – Somalia Drought: At least 110 Die as fears of famine grow – 4 March 2017

NBC – Somalia: 110 Dead From Hunger in Past 48 Hours of Drought – 5 March 2017 

By Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

CAPE TOWN, South Africa– The North Gauteng High Court in South Africa has declared that South Africa’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court unconstitutional.  The court’s reasoning behind this decision is that because the parliament was not consulted in making the withdrawal, the withdrawal is unconstitutional.  The court has ordered that President Jacob Zuma and the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs revoke their notice of withdrawal.

The ICC. (Photo Courtesy of Human Rights Watch)

This ruling comes at an interesting time in the international community.  The Gambia, which is under new leadership, just recently revoked its own withdrawal notice.  After the ruling in South Africa there is now only one African nation who wishes to withdrawal, the country of Burundi.  Many in South Africa are excited about the ruling, mainly because of South Africa’s human rights focused foreign policy.  South Africa has worked to keep good human rights record since the end of apartheid.

While this ruling is welcome by many the government can appeal the ruling to a higher court, which they most likely will.  The government is still reeling after the visit of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s in 2015.  While the Sudanese President was visiting Johannesburg for an African Union summit the South African government openly ignored an ICC arrest warrant for al-Bashir.  The Sudanese President is wanted for alleged war crimes.

For now members of the international community are happy with this victory that will help save the International Criminal Court.  Until the government appeals South Africa will not be able to withdrawal from the court.

For more information, please see: 

Arab News – South African Court rules ICC Withdrawal Unconstitutional – 23 February 2017

BBC Africa – South Africa’s Decision to leave ICC ruled ‘invalid’ – 22 February 2017

Daily Maverick – Hasty, irrational and unconstitutional: High Court’s damning verdict on SA’s ICC withdrawal – 24 February 2017

Human Rights Watch – South Africa High Court Rejects ICC Withdrawal – 22 February 2017

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

BANJUL, The Gambia–The Gambia has committed to rejoining the International Criminal Court.  The country formally recanted its original withdrawal from the International Criminal Court in a letter to the United Nations on February 10, 2017.  This decision comes after the inauguration of newly elected President Adama Barrow.

Judges at the International Criminal Court.  (Photo Courtesy of ENCA)

The Gambia’s recant of withdrawal leaves two African countries as outliers who are still pursuing withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.  Burundi and South Africa are still hoping to withdrawal from the court.  Both countries have unique reasons why they are trying to withdraw from the court, but one critique of the court has been that only African leaders have been held accountable through the courts justice mechanisms.  However, many of the individuals who have been held accountable were self referrals to the court from their country of origin.

The Gambia’s withdrawal has quelled concerns regarding the uncertainty of the International Criminal Court.  While there has been criticism of the courts jurisdiction, overall the court is the only of its kind that holds people accountable for international crimes.  Secretary General Antonio Guterres applauded the Gambia’s decision to stay: ‘‘The Secretary-General welcomes that The Gambia will remain a State Party to the International Criminal Court’s founding instrument, and remains confident that States Parties will continue to further strengthen the Court through a constructive dialogue.’‘  Clément Capo-Chichi, the Africa Coordinator for the Coalition for the ICC (CICC), a global NGO network, said the “decision to reverse withdrawal from the ICC is a crucial development for victims of grave crimes and the rule of law”.  For now the Gambia has helped quell fears of a collapse of the International Criminal Court, but whether or not this stability will continue remains to be seen.

For more information, please see: 

Africa News – ICC exit: UN chief hails The Gambia’s decision to stay – 17 February 2017

ENCA – Gambia to stay in ICC – 17 February 2017

Human Rights Watch – Gambia Rejoins ICC – 17 February 2017

News Ghana – Gov’t of Gambia to Rescind Decision to Live ICC – 17 February 2017

By Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter 

NAIROBI, Kenya– Kenya declared a national disaster on Friday February 10th due to an ongoing drought that started in October.  By declaring a national disaster, Kenya will be able to receive aid and has called for international aid in order to help people across the country.  According to reports 2.7 million people are in need of food aid in the country.

Herding cattle in Kenya. (Photo Courtesy of BBC Africa)

Kenya is not due for another rainy season until April, meaning that the drought will most likely remain in place until then.  Aid organizations fear that they will not have enough to contribute to Kenya’s needs.  The United Nations World Food Programme is running $22 million short for 6-9 months.  The World Food Programme works to provide children around the globe with a meal that is sometimes their only substantial meal of the day.

Kenya is also contributing its own funds to alleviate the drought.  President Uhuru Kenyatta released $70 million to be used to combat the drought while local governments released close to $2 billion total.  The country is also dealing with the loss of agricultural land and access to water.  Kenya is facing increased desertification and is experiencing a loss of access to water in the Mau Forest Complex due to human activity.

Kenya is not alone in their struggles with food insecurity and the effects of the long lasting drought.  All of East Africa continues to struggle with the effects of the drought.  The International Federation of the Red Cross stating that 11 million people across East Africa have been affected.

For more information, please see: 

BBC Africa – Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta declares drought a national disaster – 10 February 2017

News 24 – Kenya declares worsening drought a national disaster – 10 February 2017

Sputnik International – Kenya Appeals for International Aid as Drought Threatens Mass Famine – 12 February 2017

Yahoo News – Kenya  declares drought a national disaster, seeks help – 10 February 2017