2025 has proven to be a year of extraordinary political drama and diplomatic maneuvering across Africa, with South Africa and Kenya finding themselves at the center of global headlines. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa navigated a maze of internal coalition strife and high-stakes international diplomacy, while Kenyan President William Ruto faced mounting criticism over his administration’s alignment with U.S. interests at the expense of Pan-African solidarity and domestic accountability.
South Africa made history in November by hosting the G20 Summit—the first time the prestigious gathering landed on African soil. President Ramaphosa seized the moment, placing African priorities such as debt sustainability, climate adaptation, energy transitions, and inclusive growth squarely on the global agenda. Yet, the summit’s significance was overshadowed by the conspicuous absence of the United States. President Donald Trump’s administration declined to attend, casting a shadow of doubt over the summit’s legitimacy and sending ripples through diplomatic circles.
But the drama didn’t end with the U.S. boycott. In a move that stunned many, Kenya joined the United States in boycotting the G20 Summit, a decision that reverberated across the continent. According to NOWinSA, this act was seen as a direct slight to President Ramaphosa and the African Union, undermining South Africa’s historic moment and raising questions about Kenya’s shifting diplomatic loyalties. The boycott, rooted in U.S. objections over the treatment of the Afrikaner minority in South Africa—a claim South African officials have repeatedly debunked—was widely viewed as a calculated snub.
Despite these diplomatic headwinds, Ramaphosa pressed on. He dismissed the impact of the U.S. and Kenyan absences, insisting the meeting would continue with full integrity. In an unexpected twist, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema publicly praised Ramaphosa’s handling of the summit and his steadfastness in the face of U.S. pressure. During a briefing at EFF headquarters on December 11, Malema commended Ramaphosa for refusing to bow to outside influence, marking a rare moment of unity in South Africa’s often fractious political landscape.
Relations between Pretoria and Washington, however, remained tense throughout 2025. President Trump’s repeated false claims of “white genocide” in South Africa, amplified by right-wing groups like AfriForum and Solidarity, only deepened the rift. Ramaphosa’s visit to the Oval Office in May drew global attention. The discussions with Trump were wide-ranging—trade, agricultural stability, security concerns including farm attacks, and the ever-contentious land reform process. Despite concerns that Ramaphosa might be publicly undermined, analysts noted his measured approach and refusal to make visible concessions.
Back home, Ramaphosa’s political challenges were no less daunting. The Government of National Unity (GNU), a coalition cobbled together after the last election, was wracked by internal tensions. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the coalition’s second-largest party, threatened to withdraw on several occasions. In February, the DA nearly walked out after a controversial VAT increase, but Ramaphosa’s direct intervention and negotiation skills kept the coalition intact.
Tensions flared again in June when Ramaphosa dismissed Andrew Whitfield, the DA’s Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, for taking an unauthorized trip to the United States. DA leader John Steenhuisen criticized the move as unilateral, claiming Whitfield had followed internal procedures and sought permission from the presidency but received no response. The DA accused Ramaphosa of undermining coalition norms but ultimately chose to stay in the GNU, a decision analysts say highlights Ramaphosa’s willingness to assert executive power even at the risk of political fallout.
Within the African National Congress (ANC), Ramaphosa faced a different kind of pressure. Some party members called for the DA’s removal from the GNU, advocating instead for alliances with the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) or the EFF. The ANC’s long-standing partner, the South African Communist Party, even decided to contest the elections independently, accusing the Ramaphosa-led ANC of “selling out” by working with the DA. Ramaphosa, however, resisted these calls, insisting that government stability required maintaining the GNU’s broad political base. In a tense mid-November National Executive Committee meeting, he challenged internal critics to voice their concerns openly rather than resorting to factional maneuvering. Despite speculation that the December National General Council would become a platform for calls to remove him, the meeting ended with an emphatic show of support for his leadership.
Outside the political arena, Ramaphosa received praise from several human rights organizations—particularly women-led groups—for formally declaring gender-based violence a national crisis. Activists welcomed the move as a sign of renewed commitment to tackling one of South Africa’s most urgent social issues.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s President William Ruto found himself embroiled in controversy on multiple fronts. As reported by NOWinSA, Kenya’s decision to boycott the G20 Summit was only the tip of the iceberg. A legal battle erupted at home over a Ksh 200 billion Kenya–US health deal, a five-year cooperation framework publicly acknowledged by both the U.S. State Department and the Kenyan presidency. Critics, including the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) and Senator Okiya Omtatah, raised alarm over the commercialization and transfer of Kenyan medical data to U.S. health conglomerates, likening the arrangement to the extractive deals of the colonial era. Ruto dismissed these concerns as “misinformed,” insisting the agreement was “not a loan,” but many Kenyans felt their privacy and sovereignty were being traded for foreign favor.
The diplomatic fallout intensified in Johannesburg the week of December 15–19, when seven Kenyan nationals were arrested during a raid on a U.S.-linked facility. The Kenyans, reportedly working on tourist visas, were involved in administrative labor for a controversial U.S. refugee pathway program—one that has drawn sharp criticism from many South Africans as offensive to the country’s post-apartheid journey. South African authorities deported the Kenyan workers, while the U.S. State Department protested the raid. Nairobi, for its part, remained conspicuously silent, leaving the arrested Kenyans to face deportation and potential long-term entry bans—collateral damage in a diplomatic standoff exacerbated by Kenya’s own boycott of the G20.
As 2025 draws to a close, both Ramaphosa and Ruto stand at critical junctures. Ramaphosa, despite a year of turbulence, has managed to keep his coalition afloat, maintain internal party support, and elevate South Africa’s international standing—even as he faced down U.S. pressure and domestic dissent. Ruto, on the other hand, faces growing skepticism at home and abroad over his administration’s diplomatic choices and the perceived cost to Kenyan sovereignty and citizen welfare.
The events of this year have left an indelible mark on the continent, raising urgent questions about leadership, loyalty, and the true meaning of solidarity in a rapidly changing world.
