Africa: All of Africa Today – August 21, 2026

107 Killed in Central African Republic Gold Mine Collapse

An artisanal gold mine collapse in Zamboye, western Central African Republic, has killed at least 107 labourers. The death toll is rising sharply as rescue teams recover more bodies from the rubble. Several people remain missing or trapped underground, and authorities expect the toll to increase. The cause of the collapse remains unclear, although several underground tunnels reportedly gave way. At least three of the victims were Cameroonian, according to Cameroonian authorities. The CAR government has launched an investigation and pledged relief for affected families. The disaster is the latest in a series of deadly mine collapses in the country, highlighting the risks faced by artisanal miners.

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Amnesty Calls for Probe Into Fatal Shooting of Zambian Opposition Member

Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the reported fatal shooting of opposition member and former cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya during a security operation in Kabulonga, Lusaka, on 14 August, following Zambia’s general election. The rights group also raised concerns over the arrest of at least three other opposition members. This comes amid reports of a wider crackdown on opposition politicians, campaign officials, artists and supporters. Amnesty said authorities must ensure that detainees have access to lawyers, families, and medical care, are promptly brought before an independent court, and are released if there is insufficient evidence of a recognizable criminal offence. It also urged the government to end arbitrary arrests and detentions and provide Kafwaya’s family with full information about the circumstances of his death.

DR Congo to Receive 70,000 Ebola Vaccine Doses Amid Deadliest Outbreak

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine from the UN-backed International Coordinating Group (ICG). 20,000 doses are reserved for a clinical trial and 50,000 for frontline health workers. The allocation comes as the country battles its deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. 5,021 cases and 2,325 deaths have been reported so far. However, WHO cautions that it remains unknown whether Ervebo protects against the Bundibugyo strain driving the current outbreak. Early laboratory and animal data suggest it may offer some protection. The response is further complicated by conflict in eastern DRC, which has restricted access to affected communities and hampered contact tracing and safe burials. More than 160 health workers have contracted Ebola, and 40 have died.

Five Years After First Vaccine, Africa Makes Progress Against Malaria

Five years after the rollout of the first malaria vaccine, Africa is beginning to see measurable progress against a disease that still causes 95% of malaria deaths worldwide.  The RTS,S vaccine has been introduced into routine childhood immunisation programmes in 25 African countries. WHO estimates that the use of malaria prevention tools averted more than 170 million cases and nearly 1 million deaths in 2024. A study which appeared in The Lancet in 2026 showed that children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi had a one-in-eight lower chance of dying as a result of having received the RTS,S vaccine. Malaria remains a major health threat in Africa, with an estimated 579,000 deaths in 2024. Three-quarters of these cases occur in children under the age of five. Another growing problem is the spread of the urban-adapted Anopheles stephensi mosquito, which might expose an additional 120 million Africans to malaria.

47 Dead After Boat Capsizes in Nigeria’s Sokoto State

At least 47 people have died after a boat capsized in a river in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria. The boat was carrying people travelling to farms in Gorau town, Goronyo local government area. Residents said that most of the victims were women and children. A resident said he had counted at least 42 bodies, including that of his 13-year-old granddaughter. Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, with overcrowding, poorly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety rules often blamed for deaths. At least five people drowned when a boat overturned in Jigawa state last month. In January, at least 26 people drowned when a boat carrying farmers and fishermen from Jigawa to Yobe state capsized.