Here’s your daily news brief for Monday, 9th June 2025:
Rwanda Exits Regional Bloc Over Congo Row
What’s Happening: Rwanda has withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) due to tensions with the Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing ECCAS of bias after being denied the chairmanship role.
This is Rwanda’s second exit, having left in 2007 before rejoining.
Source: BBC News
Kenya Police Suspended Over Death of Man in Custody for Online Post
What’s Happening: Kenya’s police chief suspended a station head and officers after Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, died in custody following his arrest for a post on X.
Detained in Homa Bay, he was driven 350km to Nairobi. Amnesty has demanded an urgent, independent investigation.
Source: BBC News
British Soldier Accused of Rape in Kenya Sent Back To UK
What’s Happening: A British soldier accused of raping a woman near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) in Nanyuki, 200km north of Nairobi, has been sent back to the UK as investigations continue.
The alleged incident occurred last month after soldiers visited a local bar. The UK’s Defence Serious Crime Unit is investigating, and the Ministry of Defence condemned such behavior, emphasizing independent probes.
Background: This follows historical allegations, including the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru near Batuk, with ongoing Kenyan investigations.
Source: BBC News
APRM Challenges Fitch Ratings’ Downgrade of Afreximbank
What’s Happening: The African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has challenged Fitch Ratings’ downgrade of Afreximbank’s credit rating from BBB to BBB-, one notch above junk status.
They calling it “flawed” due to the misclassification of loans to Ghana, South Sudan, and Zambia as non-performing loans (NPLs).
Why It Matters: Fitch cited high credit risks and weak risk management, claiming Afreximbank’s NPL ratio exceeded the 6% high-risk threshold, while Afreximbank reported a 2.44% NPL ratio for Q1.
APRM urged reconsideration and dialogue, while Fitch defended its independent analysis based on global criteria.
Source: Reuters
