The protests are being organized by families of victims and civil society groups seeking justice and accountability for more than 60 people who were killed during demonstrations that culminated in protesters storming the Kenyan Parliament in 2024.

Authorities blocked major highways leading into Nairobi, while Parliament remained heavily barricaded and many businesses stayed closed amid heightened security concerns.

President William Ruto recently stated that citizens would be allowed to exercise their right to protest, but emphasized that the government also has a responsibility to protect public order, ensure schools remain open and allow economic activities to continue.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said police would provide security and escort peaceful demonstrators, but warned that criminal elements attempting to exploit the protests would face firm action.

The planned demonstrations have received support from opposition leaders, who are demanding greater transparency in the government’s compensation program for victims of the 2024 unrest.

Many affected families say justice has been slow. Edith Wanjiku, whose 19-year-old son Ibrahim Kamau was fatally shot during the protests, said her family has yet to receive compensation despite completing all required documentation.

According to families of victims, only a small number of affected households have received compensation so far, raising questions about the selection process and the pace of implementation.

The June 2024 protests were triggered by widespread opposition to a proposed finance bill that sought to increase taxes amid rising living costs. Thousands of mainly young protesters took to the streets, and security forces opened fire after demonstrators breached Parliament grounds, resulting in dozens of deaths.

President Ruto has described the compensation initiative as an acknowledgment of harm suffered by victims and their families, while maintaining that the payments should not be interpreted as an admission of government liability.

Authorities remain on high alert as demonstrators prepare to gather across Nairobi, with concerns over potential unrest and disruptions in the city.

A US airstrike in southern Somalia that killed at least 12 civilians, including eight children, in November 2025 has raised renewed questions over the consequences of American military operations targeting armed groups in the country.

The strike took place in Jamaame, a town in Somalia’s Lower Juba region, on the morning of Nov. 15, according to accounts gathered from residents and reviewed evidence from the attack site. The United States has not publicly acknowledged civilian deaths from the operation.

Residents said the attack began shortly after 9 a.m. when aircraft were heard above the town. Witnesses described a series of explosions that struck residential areas and a religious school, leaving homes damaged or destroyed.The victims included children who had been returning from Qur’an school, families inside their homes, and a pregnant woman, according to relatives and witnesses.

The US military confirmed that it had conducted an operation against al-Shabaab, an armed group linked to al-Qaida that has carried out attacks in Somalia and neighbouring countries. The strike was part of a wider campaign of US air operations aimed at disrupting the group.Residents said the aircraft involved were likely drones.

The weaponry used in the attack was not publicly disclosed, but witnesses described repeated missile strikes consistent with the use of remotely piloted aircraft.At one home in Jamaame, relatives said the attack killed Safiyo Hassan Abukar, who was heavily pregnant, along with her children Abdifatah, 10, Abdinasir, 7, Hussein, 6, and Abdurahman, 4.Mohamed, the children’s grandfather, said he rushed to the scene after hearing explosions and found debris scattered around the destroyed house.

He said Abdifatah was often close to his mother and helped her with household tasks. He described Abdinasir as a child who regularly asked him to pray so he could memorise the Qur’an.Other residents reported similar losses.

Marian Haji Abdi Guled said her children were returning from Qur’an school when the attack occurred. She said the sound of aircraft overhead caused fear among residents before the strikes hit.According to Guled, her children were injured when missiles struck nearby.

She said the area became chaotic as residents attempted to move away from the attacks.Maryan Nur Buruji said her pregnant stepdaughter sought shelter at the Qur’an school with her two-year-old child. She said the school was later hit, killing the woman while the toddler survived.

Another resident, Mohamed Hassan Abdulle, said he returned to find his home destroyed and his wife, Farhiyo Hassan Nuur, and their 10-month-old daughter, Layla, dead.Farmers working outside the town also described receiving urgent calls from relatives as the attack unfolded.Gedow Ibrahim said he was working in his sesame fields when his wife called, warning him that drones were flying overhead.

He told her to remain inside, but later received another call saying their home had been hit.He said his daughters Maryan, 9, and Farhiyo, 7, were killed, while another child, Amin, 8, was injured by shrapnel.The attack also killed other residents, including a local imam, according to witnesses.

Residents said at least 15 explosions were heard and that numerous homes were damaged. Witnesses estimated that about 18 houses were destroyed, while the school was heavily damaged.The incident is among the deadliest reported civilian casualties from a US operation in Somalia in recent years.

Previous major incidents involving US forces in Somalia include the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, known as “Black Hawk Down,” which resulted in significant casualties during a failed US military mission.The strike occurred months after the start of the second Trump administration, during a period when US policy toward Somalia was being reassessed.

In early 2025, US defence officials held discussions with senior officers from US Africa Command, which oversees American military operations on the continent.A directive issued during that period changed procedures governing aspects of US military operations, according to reporting on the policy shift. The effect of those changes on individual operations was not publicly detailed.

US officials have repeatedly said American military action in Somalia is aimed at preventing attacks by al-Shabaab and reducing the group’s ability to operate. The group has controlled territory in parts of Somalia at various times and has carried out attacks against civilians, government forces, and international targets.

Human rights organisations have previously raised concerns about civilian harm from airstrikes in Somalia and other conflict zones, calling for greater transparency around targeting decisions and investigations into possible civilian casualties.The Jamaame strike has renewed scrutiny over the balance between counterterrorism operations and civilian protection in areas where armed groups operate among local populations.

For the families affected, the consequences remain centred on the loss of relatives who were inside homes, travelling from school, or working nearby when the strikes occurred.Abdullahi Mohamed Abo Sheikh Ali, whose family was killed, said he believed civilians had been caught in the attack.

“The Americans bombed us,” he said. “Children, women and elders were bombed. They spared nothing.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on social media platform X that he hosted President Abdullahi during a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for what he described as a “historic State Visit” to inaugurate Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem. He added that the move marked the beginning of formal bilateral relations between the two sides.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also met the Somaliland leader during the visit, with both leaders appearing together in Jerusalem, according to images and official accounts from the meeting.

Somaliland, which declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war but is not widely recognized internationally, becomes the eighth country to open an embassy in Jerusalem, joining a list that includes the United States and several smaller states.

The opening has drawn strong criticism from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which said the move violated international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. The OIC reiterated its position that Israel has no sovereignty over Jerusalem and that attempts to alter the city’s legal or political status are considered null and void.

Jerusalem remains one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with most countries maintaining embassies in Tel Aviv due to disputed claims over the city.

Israel formally recognised Somaliland’s independence in December, according to the report, further deepening ties between the two sides ahead of the embassy opening.

Years of drought, recurring floods, armed conflict and shrinking humanitarian assistance have forced millions of Somalis into increasingly precarious conditions, with many displaced families now struggling to survive in overcrowded camps around the capital, Mogadishu.

Among them is 38-year-old Zeynab Ibrahim, a single mother who fled her hometown near Burhakaba in central Somalia after years of failed rains devastated local agriculture and pushed her family into extreme hardship.For three years, Ibrahim watched as drought tightened its grip on her community.

Reservoirs dried up, crops failed and food became increasingly scarce. Hunger and disease spread through the area, claiming numerous lives, including four of her 10 children.“We tried every means to survive – selling dried grass and digging up water from the barren earth.

Unfortunately, there was nothing left, so we had no choice but to escape to save our children,” Ibrahim said while sitting outside a makeshift shelter in an internally displaced persons camp in Mogadishu’s Kahda district.The journey to the capital came only after all other options had been exhausted.

Assisted by a truck driver transporting other displaced families from drought-stricken areas around Burhakaba, she joined the growing number of Somalis seeking refuge in the city.“So hunger is what brought us here,” she said.Ibrahim is one of more than one million displaced people now living in informal settlements across Mogadishu, where many families continue to face severe shortages of food, clean water and basic services despite escaping the immediate effects of drought in rural areas.

Before being displaced, her family relied entirely on farming for survival. Maize, beans, sesame and vegetables grown on their land provided both food and income. As rainfall disappeared, however, agricultural production collapsed.

“Our livelihoods depended on what we could grow on the ground, including maize, beans, sesame and vegetables. But the ground dried because there was no rain,” she said.Her experience reflects a broader pattern unfolding across Somalia, where communities increasingly face overlapping climate and security pressures.

Repeated droughts destroy crops and livestock, while floods that follow periods of extreme dryness often wash away fragile infrastructure and further undermine agricultural recovery.For many households, these environmental shocks occur against a backdrop of persistent conflict and insecurity, limiting opportunities to rebuild livelihoods or safely return home.

The result has been a growing displacement crisis that has reshaped communities across the country. Families forced from rural areas frequently arrive in urban centers with few possessions and limited means of earning an income, increasing their dependence on humanitarian support at a time when aid resources are under strain.

Adan Roble, another displaced Somali, said the combined effects of environmental disasters and insecurity have left many families struggling to meet even their most basic needs.“Imagine losing everything and trying to survive without food and clean water, while fighting continues and drones keep flying overhead,” Roble said.

Roble has experienced multiple climate-related disasters. Years of drought destroyed his crops and rendered his farmland unproductive, undermining the economic foundation on which his family depended.Stories such as those of Ibrahim and Roble illustrate the mounting challenges facing Somalia as climate-related shocks become more frequent and severe.

Rural communities that depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture are often among the most vulnerable, with prolonged dry periods quickly translating into crop failures, livestock losses and widespread food insecurity.For many displaced families, arriving in Mogadishu has provided safety from immediate environmental threats but not from poverty.

Conditions in many informal settlements remain difficult, with limited access to employment opportunities, healthcare, sanitation and reliable food supplies.As climate pressures, conflict and humanitarian constraints converge, displaced households continue to face uncertain futures.

Families that once relied on farming and livestock now find themselves dependent on irregular aid and struggling to rebuild their lives far from the land that once sustained them.

For Ibrahim, the move to Mogadishu was not a choice but a last resort after years of watching her community deteriorate. Although she escaped the drought that devastated her hometown, the daily struggle against hunger and deprivation continues in the camp she now calls home.

The attacks occurred between May 31 and June 3, coinciding with voting in Ethiopia’s parliamentary elections on June 1, which the OLA had previously threatened to disrupt. While authorities confirmed the incidents and blamed the insurgent group, they did not provide an official casualty figure.

Witnesses in Arsi zone told AFP that OLA fighters attacked the village of Eleta Chefa on multiple occasions, killing residents and forcing thousands to flee. Two residents said they personally knew 11 people who were killed during the assaults.

A medical worker who treated victims from several affected communities said he had counted 56 deaths and approximately 50 injuries linked to attacks across multiple localities during the four-day period. The figures could not be independently verified because access to conflict-affected areas remains heavily restricted and official information has been limited.

One survivor said armed militants used rifles to target residents, adding that Orthodox Christians, whom attackers allegedly viewed as sympathetic to the federal government, were among those targeted. He also said Muslims who attempted to protect their neighbors came under attack.

The witness estimated that as many as 3,000 people, including women, children and elderly residents, fled the area following the violence. Another resident said Eleta Chefa was attacked twice, on May 31 and June 1, and reported extensive destruction of homes, crops and livestock.

The medical worker said many displaced residents remained scattered across forests, churches and relatives’ homes, complicating humanitarian assistance efforts. He described treating injuries caused by rifle fire, heavy weapons and sharp-edged weapons.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office issued a statement on Friday expressing condolences to victims and their families, while reaffirming the government’s position that the attacks were carried out by the OLA.

The OLA rejected accusations of responsibility in a statement posted on X, instead accusing government authorities of fueling communal violence in the region.

The violence highlights the continuing instability in parts of Oromia despite the federal government’s broader efforts to consolidate control following years of conflict across Ethiopia. The OLA, which the government has designated a terrorist organization, has expanded significantly since 2018 and remains one of the country’s most active insurgent movements.

Although the group is not considered capable of threatening the federal government directly, it has repeatedly been linked to deadly attacks and insecurity across Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest regional state.

Official election results have yet to be announced, though Prime Minister Abiy’s Prosperity Party is widely expected to secure another commanding victory, extending its dominance of Ethiopian politics despite ongoing security concerns in several parts of the country.

Long queues of trucks carrying perishable goods such as plantains and fish have been stranded at the border, with many traders fearing their products will spoil before reaching markets.

Ugandan authorities tightened restrictions after Congo’s Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province worsened. While emergency and humanitarian traffic is still allowed, cargo movement has slowed significantly.

Officials say the measures are necessary to stop cross-border transmission of Ebola. Uganda has already recorded 15 confirmed Ebola cases linked to the outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Local businesses around the busy Mpondwe Border Post have been hit hard, with traders reporting spoiled goods, reduced income, and growing uncertainty.

The World Health Organization has warned that neighboring countries face a high risk of infection but generally discourages border closures, emphasizing surveillance and health measures instead.

Authorities say further restrictions may be introduced if the outbreak continues to spread.

Gunfire echoed through several districts of the Somali capital, with smoke rising over residential areas after hours of sporadic battles. Police said they were conducting a large-scale security operation against heavily armed militias accused of launching mortar attacks on parts of the city.

The violence follows a deepening political crisis after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced an extension of his term beyond its scheduled May 15 expiry, a move rejected by opposition leaders and several regional authorities.

Former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused government forces of attacking his convoy on Wednesday as he prepared to participate in demonstrations against the extension. Witnesses also reported clashes near the residence of former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

The unrest comes as opposition groups mobilize protests against Mohamud’s plan to advance constitutional reforms and move Somalia toward direct elections, a proposal critics say concentrates power in the presidency.

Somalia remains politically fragile, with divisions among rival clans and a continuing insurgency by Al-Shabab complicating efforts to implement nationwide electoral reforms.

The blaze erupted around 1 a.m., prompting emergency rescue operations as firefighters and police evacuated students and searched the damaged dormitory for survivors, according to Capital FM radio.

Regional police commander Samuel Ndanyi said rescue teams were continuing operations at the school, while county police official Masoud Mwinyi described the incident as “distressing and saddening” as anxious parents gathered outside the campus.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.The tragedy has renewed concerns over school safety standards in Kenya following a series of deadly boarding school fires. In 2024, 21 students died in a dormitory blaze at a primary school in neighboring Nyeri county.

The newly identified cases include a Ugandan driver who transported the country’s first confirmed Ebola patient and a healthcare worker who was exposed to the virus while caring for the same individual, the ministry said in a statement.

A Congolese woman was also confirmed to have contracted the disease, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed infections to five.

Health authorities did not immediately provide additional details on the conditions of the patients or whether further contacts were being monitored. The latest infections underscore the risks faced by frontline medical personnel and individuals who come into close contact with infected patients during outbreak investigations.

Uganda has previously experienced several Ebola outbreaks and has developed response mechanisms that include contact tracing, patient isolation and public health surveillance aimed at limiting transmission.

The confirmation of additional cases is likely to heighten monitoring efforts by health officials as they seek to prevent wider community spread and identify potential chains of transmission linked to the initial patient.

Ebola is a severe viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials. Outbreaks require rapid detection and containment measures to prevent further spread.

According to the ICRC, more than 8,000 missing-person cases have been recorded during the war, although the organization said it had resolved over 1,000 cases and declined to specify how many involved people found alive or deceased.

Many of those missing in Khartoum state are believed to be among the thousands of bodies discovered in makeshift graves after the army regained control of the capital from RSF fighters last year. During intense fighting, residents often buried the dead near homes, roadsides and public spaces because access to cemeteries was too dangerous.

Associated Press reporters visiting Khartoum last month observed improvised burial sites in sports fields and other urban areas, with many graves lacking identification markers. A military media representative accompanied the reporting team during the visit.

Khartoum state authorities have relocated nearly 30,000 bodies from an estimated 50,000 hastily dug graves scattered across the region, according to forensic officials. The reburial effort remains ongoing as authorities work to identify the dead.

Hisham Zienalabdien, director general of Khartoum state’s forensic medicine department, said approximately 10% of recovered bodies remain unidentified. Authorities are preserving DNA samples from those remains in hopes that future testing will allow relatives to confirm identities.

Efforts to identify victims have been hampered by extensive wartime destruction. Laboratories that could conduct DNA analysis have been damaged or destroyed, while many forensic specialists have fled the country or are no longer able to work.

The uncertainty has left thousands of families searching for answers. Relatives continue visiting hospitals, morgues, detention centers and military facilities in attempts to locate loved ones who disappeared during military operations, displacement or detention.

Humanitarian organizations say the psychological burden of not knowing whether relatives are alive or dead has compounded the suffering caused by conflict and displacement. The ICRC said families of missing persons face heightened vulnerabilities stemming from ongoing hostilities and prolonged uncertainty.

The war has also complicated traditional burial practices. In many cases, families have been unable to retrieve or properly bury relatives killed during fighting, forcing communities to conduct emergency burials near homes and neighborhoods.

Sudan’s conflict has generated one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with widespread destruction, mass displacement and severe disruptions to public services across large parts of the country.