East Africa in January 2026: the most important developments in society
East Africa faced several humanitarian emergencies in January 2026. The UN said 53 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo had died in Burundi. In South Sudan, UN officials warned on 25 January of a risk of mass violence against civilians, and a warning on 30 January said all the conditions for a human catastrophe were present. Floods in southern Africa killed at least 14 people in Mozambique and left large parts of the country submerged, the toll in South Africa rose, and the UN warned of a humanitarian crisis in Mozambique. Sasol issued a gas supply warning on 28 January.
Uganda suspended internet access, roaming calls and new SIM cards days before its election, and calls grew to end the blackout. Twelve people were killed on 16 January in running battles over the poll results. On 22 January the wife of a detained opposition figure said her husband was sick. Old ballot footage was reused to claim fraud in the 2026 vote.
Northern Kenya was on alert as drought threatened lives and livelihoods, and the heat of January forced workers to shelter from the sun. Kenya excluded sign language from national exam grading. In Tanzania, the government said it would purge unlicensed journalists and media outlets, and on 28 January families were still looking for bodies three months after protests.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
Click a day in the chart above for that day's brief.