Africa Daily

"I was hoping that by 9 months I will be a mother, but then they told me that I will carry the baby for at least 1 year and 5 months. So, I did not understand."

A year-long investigation by the BBC's Africa Eye team has exposed how fraudsters in Nigeria are targeting women struggling with infertility with the promise of miracle babies in exchange for hundreds of dollars.

Vulnerable women are tricked into believing they’re pregnant and told delivery of their baby won’t happen without payment for an expensive drug. The film discovers a network of deception and exploitation involving the illegal trafficking of babies.

BBC reporter Ebere Ekeopara went undercover to expose one clinic in Anambra state, in southeastern Nigeria. She spoke to Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja about the stories of women convinced to carry “pregnancies” for over a year.

Mozambique’s government has banned protests and restricted internet access amid post-election unrest that has left several people dead and injured.

The unrest follows last month’s disputed presidential election, won by the long-ruling Frelimo party, which denies opposition claims of vote-rigging.

Opposition leader, Venâncio Mondlane, went into hiding after his lawyer and aide were shot dead while preparing to challenge the results.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke with Mozambican journalist Fernando Gonçalves about the crisis and its impact on ordinary citizens.

“We don’t have clear legislation (for) the carbon market that can guarantee the rights of local communities and indigenous people.”

The Congo Basin forest is known as the “lungs of Africa” because of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide – around 1.5 billion tons each year.

It also provides food and income for indigenous and local populations in the six countries it spans.

And this week, at the COP 29 climate conference, it’s being discussed as an example of a carbon sink which can help the world prevent further global warming – and be part of global carbon credit trading. So why – with the forest in urgent need of protection from deforestation - do some activists say Carbon trading is NOT the answer?

Presenter: Alan @Kasujja Guests: Ève Bazaiba, DRC Environment Minister. Bonaventure Bondo, a forest campaigner with Greenpeace Africa.

“I ask myself, where will I be after graduating? And looking at ownership of a house, it seems like a farfetched dream that could never materialize” – First time Namibian voter Rivaldo Kanongo Kavanga On the 27th of November, the citizens of Namibia will choose a new president in an election expected to be the most competitive since independence in 1990. The ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) is fielding veteran politician Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who is tipped to become the country’s first female president. Land reform is one of the key election issues. Government statistics show that the white population still own 70% of agricultural land while the indigenous majority remain marginalised. Namibia attained its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990, with liberation hero Sam Nujoma becoming its first head of state. Before South Africa’s occupation, Namibia was under German colonial rule. In 2021, the European country apologised for the killings of 65, 000 Herero and 10, 000 Nama people, pledging to fund development projects worth more than a billion dollars.

In today's Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to people in Namibia about whether this election will address the question of land reform.

Eritrea is the worst place to work as a journalist in the world and is one of the most repressive countries on press freedom. In the latest World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, Eritrea was ranked last out of 180 countries. Since 2001, the government has banned all independent media outlets, leaving only state-controlled media under the Ministry of Information. That year, about 11 journalists were arrested and put in jail without trial in a crackdown against the country’s first independent newspaper. Half of them have since died while the rest, including journalist Dawit Isaak, languish in prison. Mr Isaak is now considered to be one of the world's longest detained journalists. He was recently recognised with the prestigious Edelstam prize in Sweden for his commitment to freedom of expression. His daughter Betlehem Isaak will be receiving the award on his behalf today. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to her about campaigning for her father’s release and what she believes needs to be done to make this happen.

“You should not put too much expectation on your young ones, especially those from a humble background. They have their own lives to live.” Femi Olayanju.

“Parents put themselves on hunger strike so they can abolish poverty from their families. And then this child grows up and comes back to say ‘I’m sorry I can’t take care of you’. That’s insensitive.” Abosede Sodiq ___________________________________________________________________________ It’s always been an expectation: when children reach adulthood in Africa they should ‘look back’ and care for their parents – especially as they age and can no longer work themselves. But in Nigeria some young professionals – from Gen Z - are pushing back against this, saying they’re struggling to manage financially themselves with the spiralling cost of living. They say too many parents treat their children as their ‘pensions’ expecting them to support them financially, even if they themselves don’t have the resources, and even if they gave them little care when they were children. For today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja hears the opinions of three Nigerians from different generations. And it’s a discussion which certainly gets passionate!

In 2018, Nigeria passed the Not Too Young to Run bill, opening doors for younger candidates by lowering the age limits to hold office. This movement was meant to bring a shift, a break from the old ways of using power. But did it?

Last month Nigerian MP Alex Ikwechegh, was caught slapping and intimidating a taxi driver who had delivered food to his house. Ikwechegh, aged 42, is one of Nigeria’s youngest MPs, he was brought to office by the Not Too Young to Run movement. The taxi driver filmed the incident and the video went viral, sparking outrage.

Many Nigerians hoped younger leaders would leave behind the misuse of power and bad behaviour seen in politicians in the past.

In today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja looks at the controversy and the questions incidents like this raise for young politicians in Africa.

Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley has just made history.

She’s become the first Kenyan-born woman to be elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Moving from Kisii in Kenya to the US Huldah faced challenges, including navigating the immigration system to prevent her family’s deportation.

Amid Donald Trump’s re-election as the 47th president, she is focused on amplifying minority voices and empowering immigrant communities.

She joins trailblazers like Somali-born Ilhan Omar, in reshaping the political landscape.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja explores her motivations, challenges and the growing influence of African women in US politics.

“If you’re poor in Kinshasa, you are going to stay single, even to the day you die.”

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, it’s traditional for a man to pay a dowry to the family of the woman he wants to marry. But in recent years the cost has spiralled – with some parents asking for thousands of pounds, or even items like flat-screen TVs.

And there are also fees to be paid by those wanting to get legally married after their first traditional marriage.

The rising expense has meant many couples are choosing not to get married at all – leading churches and the government to launch a campaign last year called ‘projet marriage’ in an effort to encourage people to tie the knot.

It’s involved some mass-weddings to help those who otherwise couldn’t afford to marry, and the government is trying to push a bill through parliament to place a limit on fees and dowries.

For Africa Daily, Sara Menai speaks to one of the couples who got married in a mass wedding this summer, and Léonnie Kandolo, Minister of Gender, Family and Children, who says marriage is vital for protecting the interests of women.

Producer: Njoroge Muigai

The COP 29 climate summit has been christened the finance COP - and negotiators will seek to agree on a new goal for how much money richer countries should be paying to poorer countries to help them adapt to climate change.

A new fund to be known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is replacing the $100 billion a year fund which was meant to have been paid out from 2009 to 2022 but which hardly took off. As the latest summit got underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators for the Least Developed Countries (LCDs) have demanded a “scaled up, new, additional, and easily accessible climate finance.” They say more than US$ 1trillion is needed by 2030 to help them adapt to climate change, money they want as grants instead of loans. In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to the negotiator leading the LDCs at COP29, Evans Njewa from Malawi. He also hears from some Malawians about how money paid in as part of the Loss and Damage Fund has helped them recover from the effects of Cyclone Freddie which hit the country last year. For more on this, you can listen to The Climate Question podcast from next weekend.

Producer: Peter Musembi.

“Women are getting more empowered to know their rights… the law is there, violence is a crime, but following through and reporting is also a problem because of the way we are brought up to think that women are supposed to be subservient and bear it all.”

Martha Koome describes herself as a defender and advocate for women’s and children’s rights, and in 2020, she was runner-up for the ‘United Nations Person of the Year’, in recognition for her work in this field. But Chief Justice Koome has also come under a lot of scrutiny from critics of Kenyan’s judiciary – who say she has failed to properly investigate and tackle allegations of bribery and corruption.

Today on the podcast, Alan Kasujja discusses these criticisms, her plans for courts across Kenya specialising in gender-based violence, and asks how a girl who grew up in a family of eighteen in rural Kenya ended up as one of the country’s most powerful women.

“Tug at my jacket – tell me what needs to be done.”

Later today, Botswana’s newly-elected president, Duma Boko, will be inaugurated in Gaborone – but he still found time this week for a discussion of his agenda with Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje.

In a wide ranging discussion he talks about signing a new deal with global diamond giant De Beers, how he wants to help people to become entrepreneurs, and why he wants to grant permits to undocumented Zimbabweans to make the system more ‘orderly’ and to allow Batswana to acquire more skills.

He also argues that politicians need to be more accessible if they are to do their jobs.

In today's podcast, we explore the tradition of bridal counselling in Zambia.

Before marriage, elderly women share tips on how to run a home, how to look after the husband, how to look after the children, how to resolve conflict and there are lessons about sex too.

For many, this training is a way to strengthen a marriage, but for some women it’s meant lasting harm. ‘Bride of Zambia’ is a short film which tells the story of a young Zambian-American woman who reluctantly has this counselling ahead of her wedding after arguing with her mother about the merits of this practice.

It’s a story that’s resonated with some women in Zambia, sparking conversation on social media about a tradition that’s rarely discussed in public. In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to the film's director, Tisa Chigaga, and to Samfrosa Chibwe, a woman who says watching the film brought up memories of the counselling she received before her wedding.

Alan also speaks to Tisa’s mother, Mwila Chigaga, to share an elder’s perspective on why she still considers this a vital tradition.

This week Botswana’s president-elect Duma Boko will be inaugurated in an event that’s expected to be attended by dignitaries from across the continent.

The 54-year-old lawyer and his Umbrella for Democratic Change beat Mokgweetsi Masisi’s Botswana Democratic Party, which had been in power for 58 years.

When he officially takes over as the country’s president, Mr Boko will be hoping to create jobs particularly for young people who’ve been agitating for change. But some are still wondering how he managed to beat Mokgweetsi Masisi by such a big margin.

In this episode, Alan Kasujja attempts to understand what exactly went wrong for Mr Masisi and his Botswana Democratic Party.

Guests: Mmapula Molapong and Tendai Mbanje

Last month, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded Nigeria victory in a forfeited 2025 Nations Cup qualifier against Libya, and fined Libya $50,000.

It came after an investigation found that a plane carrying the Nigerian squad had been deliberately redirected to the wrong airport – where the Super Eagles were left for nearly 20 hours without food, water or internet access.

The incident has yet again exposed the unorthodox – and unsporting - tactics which are often used against visiting teams in African football.

So why has psychological and physical intimidation been allowed to continue?

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje

Guests: Sports journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, and Isha Johansen, former president of Sierra Leone Football Association, and a member of FIFA’s council, and the CAF executive committee.

The 2024 US election, set for Tuesday November 5, could have major implications for African economies and African communities in the United States.

As Africa’s global significance grows, the election may reshape US engagement in areas like investment, health, security, and climate policy. On one side, former President Donald Trump has pledged to prioritise domestic issues, which could mean a reduction in US aid and military presence abroad. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris has focused on climate action, strengthening international partnerships, and expanding social programs.

South African broadcaster, Redi Tlhabi, joins Alan Kasujja to explore what’s at stake for Africa and why this election matters for African nations, leaders, and communities in the US.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guest: Redi Tlhabi

After two years of conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) finally put a stop to the fighting between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Both sides agreed to work together to find lasting solutions, including the restoration of constitutional order in Tigray.

Two years on, some say the Ethiopian government is downplaying the seriousness of the current situation in the country - while aid agencies warn of significant food shortages and humanitarian needs.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC correspondent Kalkidan Yibeltal who was recently in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, for 6 days.

Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Ghanaian artist, Israel Derrick Epeti, to discuss the environmental disaster that’s caused by illegal mining. Mercury is being used to extract gold by miners digging on a massive scale in forests and farms across the west African country. The 26-year-old artist recently visited the town of Twifo Praso to see for himself how the Pra River is polluted by chemicals. “I was able to paint with the water on my canvas. That’s how bad it was”, he tells Alan. He further says “if this is not curbed, it will affect each and everyone in the country. We might need to import water from outside”. According to the Institute for Security Studies, galamsey, a term used in Ghana to describe illegal mining, involves large firms operating against the law. It is carried out by Ghanaians and foreigners, including Chinese and West African nationals from Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. The government has introduced a variety of interventions to stop the problem, including the deployment of the army.

“The stigmatisation extends to the fact that in some cultures, there’s a presumption that if an elderly person is talking bizarrely or behaving unusually, they’re suspected of being witches or wizards or something like that.”

Three and a half million people are currently estimated to live with dementia in Africa.

Dementia is an umbrella term use to describe neurological conditions which lead to the loss of memory, language, and the ability to think clearly. People can start to struggle to get dressed. They can forget things they’ve known all their lives: how to get home, or even who their loved ones are. And it can affect their behaviour.

But there’s been very little research done on African patients. And studies - especially using genetics - have been heavily reliant on Caucasian populations. This is why a group of scientists in Africa have set up the Africa Dementia Consortium to improve the research and knowledge of Dementia in Africa.

Mpho Lakaje speaks to one of the scientists involved, Professor Njideka Okubadejo, a Professor of Neurology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, as well as Sseku Safic from the Mount Meru Hospital in northern Tanzania, who has set up the only memory clinic in the country.

“We sit on some of the best grains in the world… things that can grow in really tough environments and give you harvests several times a year.”

Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia but was adopted by a Swedish couple and taken to Sweden as a small child after his mother died of tuberculosis.

After travelling across Europe and to Japan for his training, he rose to prominence as a chef in the US - cooking for the rich and famous including Barack and Michelle Obama, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey. He's recently opened a restaurant in Addis Ababa – to add to those he already runs in New York City and elsewhere.

And now he's on a mission to get people to eat more African grains like millet, teff, and sorghum - arguing they’re more sustainable, climate resistant and nutritious.

For Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje talks to him about his passion for African grains as well as what influenced him in his journey to becoming a successful businessman and chef.

"I started out life not being acutely aware of being blind. I was more aware of what I could do as opposed to the reality of being blind and the accompanying limitations."

Nigerian musician Cobhams Asuquo has produced for some of Africa’s biggest stars and become a celebrated musician himself. In today’s Africa Daily, Cobhams talks to Alan Kasujja about turning obstacles into opportunities.

He's been using his platform for an even greater cause—advocating for childhood immunisation. With the release of No More Zero Dose, an anthem featuring stars like Timi Dakolo and Omawumi, Cobhams is trying raise awareness about the millions of children in Africa who still lack access to vaccines.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guest: Cobhams Asuquo

The killing of two high-ranking members of the Podemos political party in Mozambique has sent shock waves through the country.

Elvino Dias and Paul Guambe were murdered in a hail of bullets in the capital Maputo in the early hours of the 19th of October.

The leader of the Podemos party, Venancio Mondlane has accused the ruling Frelimo party of being behind the killings, a charge the government denies.

The murders happened ten days after the country voted in national elections, a process that the government says was free and fair, and which opposition parties say was marred by election rigging. Frelimo won the election with 70% of the vote, and Podemos came second with 20%.

So at a time of political tension, Africa Daily's Mpho Lakaje examine how this double murder could affect the political landscape of Mozambique.

Guests: Dr Jussuf Adam, an academic in Mozambique who studies the contemporary history of his country, and Dr Edson Cortez, Director of the Public Integrity Centre, a civil society organisation in Mozambique.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi will be looking to secure another term in office when his nation votes in a national election next Wednesday. His predecessor and former boss, Ian Khama, is also in the picture. He won’t be running for office, but he’s throwing his weight behind the Botswana Patriotic Front, an opposition party he helped to establish. The southern African nation, which has a population of over two million people, relies heavily on diamond mining to drive its economy. While it’s known for being one of the least corrupt nations in Africa, it currently faces all sorts of economic problems. Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: Mmapula Molapong and Professor Zibani Maundeni

Professor Thuli Madonsela was South Africa’s Public Protector from 2009 to 2016. She’s famous for taking on former president Jacob Zuma over his misuse of public money. She received death threats for doing her job.

Abideen Olasupo, is Nigerian and belongs to the next generation of anti-corruption activists who believe Artificial Intelligence will empower young people to hold those in public office accountable. He’s developed ‘My AI Factchecker’, a tool which allows people to verify the factual accuracy of information.

They were brought together at the recent One Young World summit in Montreal, Canada.

So what can the new generation of corruption activists learn from someone like Thuli Madonsela? And is AI going to be a help or hindrance for the next generation? They answered these questions and more in a discussion with Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje.

"We tried so many shelters, and we were like rejected. It’s like, it’s not for migrants, it’s not for migrants!” Lebanon is caught in a devastating conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, a powerful Shia Muslim political party and armed group. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, residential buildings, and shelters, has been destroyed, displacing over a million people across the country. Among those most affected are Lebanon’s roughly 250,000 migrant domestic workers, primarily from African and Asian countries including Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Sierra Leone. Many of these workers, who were already living in precarious conditions under the Kafala system which leaves them heavily reliant on their employers, have now been made homeless and are desperately seeking shelter, food, and safety. For Africa Daily, Muthoni Muchiri speaks with Mariam Bai Sesay, a former domestic worker and Enu, the deputy director of Egna Legna Besidet, an organisation that provides legal aid, housing assistance, and food relief to the workers.

"From time to time my parents will ask me: 'Hey why do you look like this'?... But they'll never ask me directly because I try my best to conceal it."

In Somalia, alcohol is completely banned because of Sharia law. It’s also frowned on by many people on religious grounds. Those caught using it are arrested and fined or imprisoned – and dealers caught with large amounts are named and shamed on TV.

But its sale is also highly lucrative in a country with high unemployment – meaning there are plenty of people willing to risk smuggling and selling it. Smugglers have to drive hundreds of kilometres from Ethiopia trying to evade Al Shabaab militants and clan militiamen in order to get the alcohol to Mogadishu. But on the way they pass through border towns where there’s increasing concern about the impact of drinking.

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi speaks with a young drinker and Yusuf Warsame, a community leader from Galdogob – a town on the border with Ethiopia.

Today Africa Daily's Mpho Lakaje sits down with multi-award winning South African musician Nhlanhla Mafu of the popular Afro-pop group, Mafikizolo.

Our guest shares her journey with hearing loss, which has been devastating to her, considering the nature of the industry she's in.

This comes as Africa is facing a growing hearing loss crisis, affecting 49 million people and costing the continent $27 billion each year.

The World Health Organisation predicts this number could rise to 54 million by 2030.

Key causes include a shortage of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists, limited access to hearing aids, and untreated diseases due to unequal healthcare.

So, what's the solution? How best can African countries respond to this crisis?

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje. Guests: Dr. Mukara Batamuliza Kaitesi and Nhlanhla Mafu.

“He is the reason my father sacrificed everything we had - just for him to throw it all away and come back!” Gambian migrants frequently risk their lives to reach Europe in hopes of a better life, only to be sent back home. These returnees don’t just face the disappointment of a failed journey - they often return to a cold reception from families and communities. Families often sell their personal belongings, land and even livestock, sacrificing everything to fund these dangerous journeys. BBC Africa Daily’s Muthoni Muchiri speaks to Gambian filmmaker Cherno Jagne, whose short film ‘The Backway’ dives into this emotional and often overlooked side of migration.

“They made me, a woman who’s over 80, crawl the street in front of soldiers laughing and shouting and hurling abuse.”

Today on the podcast we hear stories from the people of Omdurman from the BBC’s Mohanad Hashim, who was born and raised in the city. Sudan has been embroiled in a war since the army and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (or RSF), began a vicious struggle for power in April 2023, leading to what the UN has called one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. It says more than 20 thousand people have died, with millions becoming refugees.

Just over a month into the war - in May 2023 – the RSF took military control of Omdurman. But in February this year the army recaptured it, giving Mohanad the opportunity to return to his home city for the first time in three years with a BBC team.

For Africa Daily, he tells @mpholakaje of his response to finding his home and city in ruins – and of hearing tales of brutality and pain from family, friends and neighbours.

Before you listen to this episode, please be warned we will be discussing incidents that are highly distressing. Some of the explanations could upset some listeners.

Abortion laws vary across Africa, leading to many cases of unsafe abortions. Sub-Saharan Africa records over 6 million unsafe abortions annually according to the African Institute for Development Policy. The maternal death rate from unsafe abortions in Africa remains among the highest globally, underscoring the urgent need for clearer laws and better access to safe care. In Uganda, abortion is illegal unless the mother’s life is at risk, which has meant that many there resort to unsafe terminations. Despite significant funding for post-abortion care, women and healthcare workers in Uganda remain reluctant to seek or offer help due to societal and religious pressures. Activist Moses Odongo, whose 14-year-old cousin Christine died in an attempt to terminate her pregnancy, talks to Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje about what happened to his cousin.

Before you listen to this episode, please be warned we will be discussing incidents that are highly distressing. Some of the explanations are graphic and could upset some listeners. Today Mpho Lakaje sits down with Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile who had a horrifying experience when she went for an abortion facility in Johannesburg. It came after she was raped in 2009 and opted not to keep the baby. She explains to our presenter why women risk their lives by opting for an unsafe abortion even though terminating a pregnancy is legal in South Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions in the world, contributing to around 7% of maternal deaths in the region. In countries like Egypt, Madagascar, and Congo, abortion is completely illegal. On the other hand, South Africa, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau permit the termination of pregnancy within certain time frames.

“I have no intention of resigning from this job. I’ll fight till the end. I have no doubt that I will get justice.”

This week in a historic vote the National Assembly voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

281 MPs voted in favour and 44 against, making him the first Kenyan deputy president go through an impeachment process.

Gachagua, who has served alongside President William Ruto since 2022, was expected to remain in his job until the next election in August 2027. However, his political career may be cut short.

He’s been accused of corruption, undermining the president, and promoting ethnic division. He denies all the charges and described them as “outrageous” and “propaganda”’.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje spoke with BBC reporter Jewel Kiriungi in Nairobi to discuss what this impeachment could mean for Kenyan politics.

Dikembe Mutombo, the legendary basketball player from the DR Congo, died last month aged 52 from brain cancer.

He was a giant of a man and giant of the game of basketball, winning many awards from the NBA as an all-star defensive player.

He was also committed to using his influence to nurture basketball talent in Africa, and also bring about change through education, healthcare and humanitarian projects.

We look back on his life with two people who knew him well: Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the Basketball Africa League, and Roger Muntu, an old friend.

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje

Ramatou Nombro is a doctor living in Mali. She started her job with high hopes of wanting to help people in need in her country.

But when she began working in a psychiatric department, she found herself battling against the odds. Not only has she struggled to keep up with her workload, during some months, she hasn’t received her wages. She has now decided to leave her profession.

In today's episode of Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Ramatou and looks at what needs to be done to protect the mental health of Africa’s healthcare workers.

"Men are predisposed not to talk—that’s what we grew up knowing, especially African men." Research shows that hormonal differences between men and women influence how they handle stress. However, experts also point out that societal expectations often prevent men from showing vulnerability or expressing their emotions openly. Men tend to delay seeking professional help, while women are more likely to reach out for support sooner.

This prolonged stress can lead to serious physical and mental health problems, sometimes with fatal consequences. According to the World Health Organisation, male suicide rates are significantly higher than those of women globally, with Africa having the highest rate in the world. Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guests: Thomas Kwaka Omolo, Dora Kemirimo Okuja and Dr. Chido Rwafa-Madzvamutse.

While there’s no doubt that the internet has taken the human race forward, it has its dark side. If left unregulated, it can be exploited and used for the wrong reasons, like stealing money from people or to even compromise a country's security. This is why many governments across Africa say they require laws to counter what's often referred to as cybercrimes, to protect their citizens. But in countries like Malawi, Zambia, Eswatini, Botswana and Lesotho, there's a serious push back against some of these laws. Human rights activists argue that they will lead to the arrests of journalists who are investigating government corruption. In Malawi news reporter McMillan Mhone was arrested by the country’s Cyber Crimes Division in Blantyre. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje

Guests: Former editor of Lesotho Times Herbert Moyo, Lesotho’s Communications Minister Nthati Moorosi and Botswana’s independent journalist Mmapula Molapong

Presidential candidates have been campaigning and making their case for why they believe they should be the next president of Mozambique.

The independent candidate Venancio Mondlane has caused the most excitement, especially amongst young voters.

But most commentators don’t expect him or the other two opposition candidates to win.

It’s assumed that the candidate of the ruling party, Frelimo, Daniel Chapo, will be the next president. Frelimo have been the ruling party for since independence, almost 50 years ago.

In today’s Africa Daily Mpho Lakaje has been looking at the big election issues.

Ghana has made a major leap toward gender equality with the passing of its Affirmative Action law, after nearly three decades of delays and political promises.

The law aims to increase women's representation in leadership positions, setting a goal of 50% by 2030. However, questions remain about its enforcement and the impact it will have ahead of the upcoming elections.

Will this law bring real change to who holds power in Ghana, or will it face further challenges in implementation?

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Ghana’s Gender Minister, Dakoa Newman, on what the new law means for women in leadership.

In today’s podcast, we hear the fascinating story of Nigerian rapper Samuel Morrison, better known as Yung Sammy, who found success as a hip hop artist in India.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Sammy moved to Delhi at 12 and developed his passion for music. Now fluent in Punjabi, Gujari, and Haryanvi, he’s using his multilingual talent to captivate audiences across India.

Yung Sammy’s story is one of perseverance, embracing a new culture, and thriving in an unexpected environment. So how did a young Nigerian man become a rap sensation in the heart of India?

“I look good and no-one else has it”. In Zimbabwe the trade in second hand clothing is booming. Sold in markets or just out of the back of cars or from homes, the clothes are popular with those struggling with the cost of living, but also with those who just want good quality affordable fashion. But the clothes are imported illegally and no tax is paid. Many shops also sell cheap, but poorly made, imports from China. Manufacturers in the country say they just can’t compete and recently one firm, Truworths, went into corporate rescue to protect it from bankruptcy, while other firms have also closed their doors. So is it time to ban the import of second hand clothes from the west? And could that be enforced? Presenter: Alan @Kasujja Reporter: Ish Mafundikwa @tallish Guests: CEO of Truworths Bekithemba Ndebele, market stall holder Winnie, and shoppers Kimberley Dube and Gamu Mpofu.

“One of them said: ‘but you have your ovaries so you can have a surrogate mother to carry a baby for you. I was like, ‘really?’"

Joyce Wanjala-Lay is a former Member of Parliament in Kenya. Her son was born through surrogacy with the help of a friend, and in the years since she’s campaigned for the procedure to be recognised in law.

Rwanda has recently made such a change – meaning the legal mother of a child can be the genetic egg donor rather than the woman who gives birth.

For today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja speaks to Joyce and lawyer Florida Kabasinga who worked to get the law changed in Rwanda.

“You catch the flu time and again. Once the weather gets this bad, guaranteed, we get sick” - Calvin Takesure, South African resident On the weekend of the 21st of September 2024, several provinces of South Africa were hit by a heavy snowstorm. Motorists travelling on the N3, one of the national roads towards the coastal city of Durban, were stuck in traffic and forced to sleep in their vehicles. Tragically, two people lost their lives as a result of hypothermia. At the same time, other parts of the country experienced freezing weather conditions, leaving people who either live or work on the streets severely affected. All of this is happening at a time when Southern Africa is experiencing a devastating drought. Today Alan Kasujja attempts to understand why the region is hit by extremely dry and wet weather conditions simultaneously. Guests: Lehlohonolo Thobela, Sanele Nkosi, Calvin Takesure and Pholane Polite

When president Samia Suluhu Hassan came into power in 2021 she lifted a ban on political rallies imposed by her predecessor the late John Magufuli, and promised the 4 Rs: reconciliation, resilience, reforms and rebuilding.

But now, as the country heads towards elections - this year and next - fear is growing.

Just under 3 weeks ago, an opposition official Ali Kibao, was abducted, killed and his body doused in acid. A number of other activists have disappeared. And the two most senior opposition leaders have been arrested – twice – on the eve of planned protests.

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to one of them, Freeman Mbowe, leader of the main opposition party CHADEMA.

He also speaks to former BBC journalist Salim Kikeke for context of what has been happening in the country.

Today on the podcast we meet a young Nigerian who’s made it her mission to revive the tradition of weaving – especially for women. Florentina Agu, the founder of luxury brand Hertunba, blends modern fashion with vibrant traditional Nigerian textiles, hoping to inspire more women and young people to consider making their livelihoods from this ancient craft. Between the 1970s and 1990s, Nigeria’s textile sector enjoyed its golden years, but in recent years the industry has declined due to economic challenges and restrictive government policies. Textile weaving has been integral to Nigerian culture since pre-historic times, reflecting heritage, identity, and storytelling. In this episode, we journey through history, exploring the rich symbolism of Nigerian fabrics, learning more about hand-weaving techniques, and discussing how to keep these textile traditions alive for future generations.

Presenter: Alan @kasujja Guest: The_florentyna (instagram)

Albinism is an inherited condition that affects the production of melanin. People born with the condition have fair skin, hair and eyes.

Superstitions about the body parts of people with albinism have led to violent attacks.

In 2008 Tanzania appeared to be the epicentre of these superstitions and attacks. Anyone living with albinism there lived in fear. The BBC’s former Tanzania correspondent Vicky Ntetema’s reporting on the brutality of the attacks - maiming and beheadings - brought global attention to what was happening there.

Over the past 16 years, attacks in Tanzania have reduced significantly but the recent increase in violence against people with albinism in Madagascar suggest the problem has not gone away.

In today’s episode Africa, Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to journalist Raissa Ioussef in the capital Antananarivo and to Ikwonponsa Ero, the Managing Director of the African Albinism Network.

The Mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency in August 2024. Since then, more than 29,000 cases and 738 deaths have been reported across 15 Africa Union member states, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC).

Despite some progress, such as the delivery of 200,000 vaccines to the DRC, challenges remain in getting the vaccines to the most affected communities. The outbreak has also evolved from a health crisis into a wider issue affecting businesses and livelihoods.

Alan Kasujja speaks with BBC Africa Health Correspondent Dorcas Wangira and Monique Gieskes, Managing Director of Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), the DRC's largest industrial palm oil producer with over 10,000 employees.

“I hated myself so much. But now I have the courage to love myself and see myself beyond this virus.”

Singing a song in class with the words ‘Aids is a killer disease’ when none of your classmates know you’re HIV positive…

Telling friends your status and then finding people are afraid to touch you…

Being told by young men that you’re ‘lucky’ they will date you.

Two young women from South Africa and Kenya who were born with the virus share an emotional discussion about how these experiences impacted on their childhood and mental health. Nomonde Ngema is a 21 year old HIV activist from KwaZulu-Natal who shares videos on TikTok about her daily life managing her illness. Jerop Limo is a 24-year-old activist from Kenya.

Both are currently in New York to speak to world leaders as part of the UN’s Summit of the Future – before the General Assembly debates start next week.

They’ve both decided to speak openly about their status and experiences to help other young people with the virus know they’re not alone.

According to the World Health Organisation there are about 1.5 million children under the age of 14 currently living with HIV.

Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Dan Marokane, the recently appointed CEO of South Africa's national power supplier, Eskom. He wants to understand how the new boss has been able to halt power cuts that have been devastating to both the economy and the wellbeing of all South Africans. These electricity problems started towards the end of 2007. Then president Thabo Mbeki apologised and admitted that he should have listened to the leadership of Eskom who warned his administration about future power shortages. Alan also hears from two women who run a hospice that looks after children in the east of Johannesburg. They share heart breaking stories of what happens to the babies whenever there are power cuts. Guests: Katlego Foster, Lyn Crooye, Chanda Nxumalo and Dan Marokane

China is now Africa’s biggest trading partner, with 20% of exports going to China and 16% of imports coming from there, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). At the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting earlier this month, President Xi Jinping promised $50 billion for African development, including military support and new jobs. While this partnership boosts development, it’s also raising worries about debt, dependency and power imbalances. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to experts Dr. Faith Mabera and Dr. Folashadé Soulé to break down these complex relations.

Hunger. It’s not just a horrible feeling… it also has a massive impact on how a child performs academically and how productive they will be as an adult.

A new Gates Foundation report “The Race to Nourish a Warming World” calls malnutrition the world’s worst health crisis - with more than 400 million children not getting the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

Many of those children are in Africa - and one organisation trying to tackle child hunger is Food4Education. Since 2016 they have provided over 50 million meals in primary and secondary schools in Kenya. The cost to the parent in Nairobi is just 5 Kenyan shillings – that’s 3-4 US cents per plate.

So can other African countries learn lessons?

Today Alan speaks to Wawira Njiru the organisation's founder, as well as Stella Mose, a mother of two children who eat the meals, and who is also employed as manager for Tap2Eat - a payments system which enables kids to pay for their school meals electronically.

“I have eaten elephant meat. I have eaten hippo meat. I think what is food depends on where you are” – Romeo Muyunda, Namibia’s Department of Environment, Forestry and Tourism The drought, which became worse earlier this year, has seen crops being wiped out and animals dying across Southern Africa. As a result, 68 million people have been affected, with some now facing hunger. It’s reached a point where countries like Namibia are now resorting to slaughtering wild animals such as hippos, elephants and zebras, to feed their people. But animal rights groups are up in arms saying this will lead to all sorts of problems in ecosystems. Presenter Alan Kasujja and producer Mpho Lakaje take a closer look at several countries across the region to see which ones are badly affected. They also hear from Romeo Muyunda of Namibia’s Department of Environment, Forestry and Tourism as well as John Stegling from Botswana’s Department of Meteorological Services.

Rebecca Cheptegei had just returned to her training base in Kenya from Paris, where she had competed in the women’s marathon at the Olympics. The following Sunday she and her two daughters aged 11 and 9 arrived home from a church service. Her ex-boyfriend was waiting at her home with a jerry can of petrol. He poured it on Rebecca and set her on fire as her children watched. She died four days later. Two other elite female athletes have died under similar circumstances in recent years in Kenya, with their male partners facing charges. Alan Kasujja speaks to one of the first people Rebecca’s children called, Caroline Atieno the pastor of God’s Dwelling Ministry Kiungani. He also speaks to Kenya’s former Sports Minister Professor Hellen Sambili about her concerns for the wellbeing of female athletes.

“Dream big! You can achieve your wildest dreams as long as you work hard and get yourself in school.”

Nicknamed ‘the Beast’, Tendai Mtawarira is the most-capped prop to have played for the Springboks.

Born in Zimbabwe, his talent at rugby was quickly spotted and he was offered a bursary as a teenager to train with the Sharks in South Africa. In 2008 he was called up to play for the national squad as he’d lived in the country for enough time.

But in 2010 he was barred from playing because of a controversy over his nationality. It took the intervention of Archbishop Desmond Tutu before he was able to play for the team again.

He also struggled sometimes as a big, aggressive child. And so - now he’s retired from rugby - his new passion is helping children and young adults reach their potential, through his ‘Beast Academy’ and also as an Unicef ambassador.

Alan Kasujja speaks to the Beast – just back from a trip with Unicef to South Sudan – but also with a young South Sudanese woman whose journey has taken her from cattle camp, to street child, to finally becoming an ‘inspirator’ who helps other young people to realise their goals.

NOTE: Correction made at 0645 GMT changing UNHCR to Unicef.

"The pilot told us, ‘Don’t go back...either you will be raped or killed at the airport if you go back.’"

Safia Omer, a former member of Somalia’s national women’s basketball team, vividly remembers the day she knew she couldn’t return home.

In 1991, as civil war erupted in Somalia, Safia and her teammates were in Ethiopia for a tournament when they were warned that it was too dangerous to return. Stranded for 10 days at the airport, Safia eventually sought refuge in the United States, mirroring the fate of many Somalis who fled the escalating violence.

Today, Somalia continues to struggle with insecurity and violence from the extremist group Al-Shabab, preventing many from returning home.

But each summer, Somalis from around the world make their way to Ashland, Oregon where they reunite to share stories, reminisce, and of course, play basketball.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guests: Abdiaziz Guled, Safia Omer, and Abukar Shiino

You may not have heard of the African Initiative before…

It’s a Russian media organisation - established exactly a year ago – which defines itself as an “information bridge between Russia and Africa”. It has offices in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

But it also stands accused of targeting African journalists - and the public - with disinformation.

So what is the end goal for Russia’s African Initiative?

Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Fauziyya Tukur of the BBC’s global disinformation team, and foreign affairs expert, Raymond Mujuni.

“My uncle passed away, his wife, his three sons, I lost my best friend, and a lot of people in Derna lost someone that they know.”

On the 11th of September 2023 two dams burst in the hills above the city of Derna in Libya. Millions of tonnes of water were released in a catastrophic flood which killed thousands of people in the city. Whole neighbourhoods were swept away. Eastern Libya had been affected by heavy rain from Storm Daniel the day before, but the dam walls should have held firm, and a subsequent legal investigation jailed officials for failing to maintain them.

One year on we speak to someone who was there about how she survived, the tragedy which still affects the whole city, and how she is rebuilding her life.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guest: Mariam Al-Ghythy, a medical student from Derna

Egypt has offered to send 10,000 soldiers to Somalia to assist the country with peacekeeping operations. However, this seems to have unsettled Ethiopia which has said it could not “stand idle while other actors take measures to destabilise the region.” Ethiopia has been a key ally of Somalia in its fight against the militant group, Al-Shabaab.

So what exactly has caused these tensions? And what has the Ethiopian Grand Renascence dam got to do with all this? Alan Kasujja has been exploring for Africa Daily.

The people of Tunisia are expected to elect a new president in October. But the build-up to the election has been marred by controversy with key political leaders being arrested and some journalists leaving the country. It all started in July 2021 when president Kais Saied suspended parliament and sacked the prime minister. These events were triggered by anger over the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the economic and social turmoil. President Saied defended his decision to dissolve the government saying he acted in accordance with the constitution. But now he has, once again, come under fire after sacking 19 cabinet ministers. Some say he’s attempting to cling on to power. But he denies this, saying his move was necessary for the sake of Tunisia’s national security. Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: Amine Snoussi and Dr. Yusra Ghannouchi

“Within just five years we lost almost 20 metres of the shoreline and it does not seem to be slowing with time.”

Climate experts say up to 60% of Africa’s coastal land could disappear within the next 50 years due to coastal erosion resulting from sea-level rise. In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja discusses the impact of this on coastal communities, and what they need to do to avert the worst possible scenarios.

He speaks to Saida Idris, a resident of Kipini village on the Kenyan coast where 10 kilometres of dry land have been lost to the sea and a thousand people forced to relocate over the last decade.

Conservationist George Odera, who witnessed the changes as they unfolded in Kipini for over a decade, shares expert opinion.

And International development consultant and former Principal Environmentalist at the African Development Bank, Dr Hany Shalaby, gives an overview of how coastal erosion is manifesting along the Mediterranean shorelines in North Africa and on the seven thousand kilometre-long West African coastline.

The 36-acre landfill is the only landfill serving the whole of Uganda’s capital – Kampala. A city that’s home to an estimated four million people.

It collapsed after weeks of relentless rain. The city authorities have reportedly been trying to find a new site for years. Many victims were living in unsafe conditions. An investigation has been ordered into years of neglect.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Ugandan Earth Observation expert Ivan Bamweyana and renowned lawyer David Mpanga.

A couple of weeks ago Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja spoke to two farmers in Nigeria and Tanzania about the challenges around farming in Africa. They talked about deteriorating soil quality, rising prices, insecurity and unreliable weather patterns. This week these issues will be discussed at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 summit which will be held in Rwanda’s capital Kigali. Heads of state, politicians, farmers, and agricultural businesses will be there to look at ways of making the production and distribution of food more sustainable and secure. And the message this year is that young people and women must be at the heart of this. In today’s episode Alan Kasujja speaks to two experienced agricultural experts who explain how African farmers can farm more productively and affordably.

“More than ever, the people of Burkina Faso need to remain united around the defence and security forces.”

A video showing scores of civilians shot dead in the ditches they were digging - was released by an Al Qaeda-linked group active in Burkina Faso earlier this week. It was apparent proof of a major attack it said it had conducted in the northern village of Barsalogho on Saturday.

It’s believed at least 100 people were killed, but the government hasn’t confirmed numbers. But what is clear is that it’s one of the worst attacks by Jihadist fighters the country has ever suffered.

The government often doesn’t acknowledge such attacks, but this time ministers were filmed visiting victims in hospital. They condemned the attack and called on the public to support the army in its fight against the insurgency. The leader of the military regime, Ibrahim Traore, came to power in a coup in 2022 promising to reconquer all rebel held areas - and last year declared a "general mobilisation" of the population.

But will this attack make civilians even more fearful of aiding the military?

Presenter: Alan @Kasujja Guest: Beverly Ochieng, senior analyst with Control Risks.

“I always say to them (South Africans), these foreign nationals are developing your country. Why can’t you see that? The main guy who owned this shop was always helpful, especially to the old ladies here in our area.” – Samuel Makgowa, South African landlord Earlier this month, shops belonging to foreign nationals were, once again, shut down indefinitely in the township of Soweto in South Africa. It's a campaign sponsored by anti-migrant group, Operation Dudula. It came after a South African man was wounded during an alleged altercation with an immigrant who runs a grocery shop. But week-long raids and demonstrations against Somalis, Bangladeshis and Pakistani shop owners, only drew small crowds. Alan Kasujja speaks to reporter Mpho Lakaje who's been on the ground to understand the issue better. Guests: Zandile Dabula, Samuel Makgowa and Daphne Phakathi

“As a person living with disability, sport gives you the purpose and the inspiration to move on with life because when you see someone who is physically worse off than you doing better than you, you get inspired and want to do more."

The Paralympic games start today in Paris, just over two weeks after the Olympic games ended in the French Capital. Over 4,400 athletes with various forms of disabilities will be competing in 22 sports for 549 gold medals. Africa has just over 300 para athletes representing 44 countries from the continent.

Kenya’s Asiya Mohammed Sururu will be competing in para rowing, a sport not accessed by many in Africa despite the abundant natural water bodies on the continent. The 32-year-old lost both her legs after she was run over by a train at the age of two.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Asiya about the challenges African para athletes face beyond their physical disabilities.

“It becomes scary when you see people that would normally smile at you - and all of a sudden you see so many people on the streets making those kind of chants. And you think, 'wow, what has been going on underground? This is the city that I used to know. Why should I now be extra watchful? What exactly is going on?'” - Toyyib Adelodun, Nigerian migrant in the UK The world watched in shock as police cars were destroyed and shops and properties belonging to foreign nationals targeted in the UK, earlier this month. The riots were triggered by the killing of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event for children in Southport, northern England. False rumours were spread on social media that the teenager charged with the murders was a Muslim migrant. There were similar events in the township of Soweto in South Africa recently. Shops belonging to African immigrants were forced to shut down, after a foreign national was accused of attacking a local resident. Alan Kasujja attempts to find out if these are isolated incidents or if there is a political ideology driving them. Guests: Professor Bongani Ngqulunga, Toyyib Adelodun and Wallace Musonda

"If not now, then when? And if you don’t do it, who else will?”

Those are the two questions Sara Sabry suggests all woman ask themselves when they’re thinking through a big move… and finding they don’t have the confidence to follow it through.

And she should know. The Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer was the first African woman in space when she blasted off in Blue Origin’s New Shepherd rocket in 2022. She’s the founder of Deep Space Initiative, an organisation with the mission to make space and the study of space more accessible– and she dreams of one day being part of a community living on the moon and eventually ‘retiring on Mars’.

But is space travel and research really something for Africa to invest in when there are so many other priorities?

Alan Kasujja hears her thoughts.

We all know that Africa is getting hit hardest by climate change - even though the continent contributes less than 4% of global emissions. BBC’s Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke with Kulthoum Omari Motsumi, Africa’s lead negotiator in global climate talks.

Kulthoum is on the front line, making sure Africa’s voice is heard and fighting for the support it deserves. She talks about the unique challenge of representing 54 countries with different needs and how they’re pushing for real action in the global climate battle.

“The cost of food will just go higher and higher, because farmers like myself cannot afford to invest in farming and can’t even have their capital back at the end of the season.” More than 300 million people faced acute hunger in 2023 according to the World Food Programme. The UN body said this was caused by a number of issues including global warming, insecurity and conflict, and food and energy price inflation. Africa is home to millions of small farmers who are key to feeding the continent… so what are the issues they’re facing and how can they be helped? Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to two farmers: Crescentia Mushobozi, the founder of Tanzania Viable Farms, and Gabriel Eze, the founder of Rural Farmers Hub in Nigeria, who both work to improve the lives and yields of farmers.

With thanks to the African Food Systems Forum's 'GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize'.

“If the leadership of the minibus taxi sector is prepared to be patient and invest in research and development, absolutely, they stand a chance” – Dr. Mathetha Mokonyama, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

When international e-hailing services Uber and Bolt arrived in South Africa about a decade ago, they claimed a massive chunk of the metered taxi market.

This left local taxi operators fuming, with tensions leading to the loss of life in some parts of the country.

But now, South Africa’s main taxi associations, the National Taxi Alliance and the South African National Taxi Council, are responding with innovation of their own.

They call it Shesha, a downloadable app that enables you to order a ride from the comfort of your home.

So, today our presenter Mpho Lakaje is on the road, testing the new local service.

He attempts to find out if it stands a chance against well established players with deep pockets.

Guests: Rebecca Phala, Irene Hlabangwane and Dr. Mathetha Mokonyama.

Just over four months ago Senegal elected a new president.

After a tumultuous start to the election- Bassirou Diomaye Faye was declared the winner and became at 44 years old Africa’s youngest head of state.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko promised a radical break from the past, an Afrocentric and nationalist agenda.

They vowed to fight poverty and corruption. To create jobs for young people, contracts for gas, oil, fishing and defence would be renegotiated to get a better deal. And there would be an end their currency the CFA franc, which is pegged to the euro and backed by former colonial power France.

So what’s happened since they were elected?

Alan Kasujja has been hearing from people on the streets of Dakar and speaking to El Malick Ndiaye, Senegal's Minister for Infrastructure, Land and Air Transport.

It started with the horrific killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event for children in the seaside town of Southport, in northern England.

After false rumours were spread on social media that the 17-year-old charged with their murders was a Muslim migrant who’d arrived by boat a few years before, a wave of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant protests spread across the UK. Cars were set on fire, immigrant-owned-businesses were destroyed, and the police attacked. A hotel housing asylum seekers had its windows smashed and a video went viral showing rioters stopping cars to see if the drivers were ‘white enough’ to be allowed to pass through safely.

In response, there were a number of massive counter-protests against racism – and the UK government promised swift and tough justice would follow. So far, more than 1,100 people have been arrested and more than 600 charged. But has this helped to reassure Africans and people of African descent living in the UK?

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC Arabic's Reda El Mawy, and Mohammed Idris, a Sudanese business owner living in Belfast, whose shop was destroyed in the attacks.

The funeral of former president of Confederation of African Football Dr Issa Hayatou is taking place today in Garoua, northern Cameroon.

Hayatou died aged 77 last week in Paris, where he’d been receiving dialysis for kidney problems.

His name was synonymous with African football for nearly three decades.

He served as president of Caf from 1988 to 2017.

He is credited with expanding Africa’s participation at the World Cup and secured the financial security of African football.

But he is also criticised by others for hanging onto power- and during his tenure he faced a number of controversial allegations.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: Steve Vickers, Harare-based sports journalist and Amaju Pinnick, former president of Nigeria football Federation (NFF).

“These MPs were never advocates of violence. They were speaking inside the chambers of parliament. They have never joined any mass action on the streets” – Thantaza Silolo, Swaziland Liberation Movement Eswatini’s former Members of Parliament, Mduduzi Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were arrested following the anti-monarchy riots that claimed dozens of lives back in 2021. Mabuza is currently serving 25 years while Mthandeni Dube was given 18 years. They are now appealing their sentences. But human rights groups and pro-democracy activists say the pair were “silenced” for calling on King Mswati to introduce reforms. This has been denied by the government of Eswatini. Over the years, the southern African country has been marred by political dissent, with sections of the population calling for democracy. Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: Alpheous Nxumalo, Eswatini government spokesperson and Thantaza Silolo of the Swaziland Liberation Movement

“It’s a clarion call to action. It’s a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our effort to eliminate this threat.” Africa’s leading health body - Africa CDC – has declared the rapidly rising cases of Mpox in East Africa a public health emergency. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 14,000 cases and 450 deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the most affected country. And more cases are being recorded in other African countries - including a number, like Uganda and Kenya, which are seeing the disease for the first time. So what should the global response be to what’s been called the ‘most dangerous’ strain of the disease yet? Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: Dr Jean Claude Udahemuka of the University of Rwanda, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, and Ampeire Christiana, Jadrine Komukyeya, and Herbert Ssekatawa.

Less than 50% of the world’s population have access to diagnostics, according to statistics from the medical journal, The Lancet.

That drops to 20% when it comes to Africa, where the diagnostic gap is most severe at the level of primary health care. According to The Global Health Fund, Africa bears a quarter of the global disease burden and endures over 100 health emergencies a year.

In this episode of the Africa Daily Podcast, Peter Musembi explores what needs to be done to address that acute gap in diagnostics in Africa.

Guests: Zambian health worker Constance Mudenda and Dr Allan Pamba, Executive Vice President in charge of Africa for Roche Diagnostics.

The number of women using modern contraception in sub-Saharan Africa has nearly doubled to 66 million, thanks to methods like hormonal implants and injections reaching even remote areas.

Community health workers play a crucial role, often delivering contraceptive injections and birth control pills door-to-door.

Global health agencies have expanded family planning services to reduce child mortality and improve the education of girls. Recently, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) called on low-income countries to increase funding for reproductive health, and 44 governments have committed to raising their contributions annually.

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje. Guests: Felicia Issah and Dr. Claudette A. Diogo.

Not long ago, huge demonstrations took place in Kenya against President William Ruto’s plan to increase taxes- he eventually overturned his decision. But despite this, protests in Kenya continue- yesterday police used teargas to disperse pockets of protestors from Nairobi Central Business district. Across the continent, demonstrations have taken place in both Nigeria and Somalia too. Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja has been looking why so many people have taken to the streets.

“If South Africa was that hostile towards African immigrants, I would expect that people would stop coming. If South Africa was such a deadly place to be an African national, then why would you still be seeing South Africa top the charts on the lists of immigrants flocking here?” - Makone Maja, Institute of Race Relations Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old model based in Cape Town will be among the ten women who will be hoping to walk away with the Miss SA crown, this Saturday. But her participation has been rejected by some, questioning her nationality. She was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother who has Mozambican roots. The Patriotic Alliance, a party led by South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, says it’s planning to interdict Chidimma from participating in the contest. But there are many others who’ve thrown their weight behind the 23-year-old. They include political parties like Rise Mzansi and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. Alan Kasujja attempts to find out why this issue is dividing South Africans.

UPDATE: On Thursday afternoon Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa contest. Her decision follows accusations from the Ministry of Home Affairs that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft to obtain South African citizenship.

Not too long ago we spoke with Benin’s former Minister for Environment and Urban Planning, Luc Gnacadja, about the challenges and strategies for planning African cities. He told us that he considers Africa’s biggest city, Lagos, to be the least climate resilient city on the continent. Africa has suffered disproportionately from climate change, and this is set to continue- scientists predict that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades. But will urban populations cope? In today's episode, we explore one man's plan to address this.

James George, a Nigerian architect, and founder of HTL of Africa. He spoke to Alan Kasujja about his vision for the design and building of more climate-resilient cities, starting with Lagos.

South Sudanese citizens will finally get to vote in an election at the end of this year.

This will be the first time a democratic process will have been carried out since Independence in 2011. But the basic preparations for such an event do not seem to have got off the ground yet.

So will the politicians of a country that has suffered years of civil war, and is still affected by inter-communal violence, have the ability to pull together and get the process started? And will the difficulties of weak state institutions, a lack of census data and logistical problems be overcome? These are some of the questions to explore as South Sudan looks forward to the 22nd of December, the date set for its first election.

Guests: BBC reporter Nichol Mandil in Juba, and Professor Abednego Akok Kacuol, the chair of the National Elections Commission.

Surfing looks amazing fun – seeing a surfer crouched on a board riding a big wave at speed must be an incredible feeling.

But it’s not a well-known sport in Africa, despite nearly 40 countries on the continent having coastlines, with waves breaking along hundreds of miles of beaches.

Four African surfers did make it to the current Olympic games, from South Africa and Morocco. But their ratio of three men to one woman is a good illustration of the fact that it’s a male dominated sport in Africa.

So today we’re going to talk to two pioneering female surfers about why they surf, and what challenges they’ve overcome to become women who surf.

Guests: Maryam el Gardoum, a champion surfer who runs Dihya Surf School, the first female-led surf school in Morocco, and Dihya Nasri, who is known as the only female surfer in Algeria.

“It’s unacceptable for a member who was a veteran and he was a former president, to have started a new political party. Of course he knew that he was violating the ANC’s rules” – Snuki Zikalala, president of the ANC’s Veterans League The relationship between South Africa’s African National Congress and its former president Jacob Zuma appears to have come to an end. Zuma was officially expelled by the party last month, following a disciplinary hearing. It comes after he established Umkhonto Wesizwe Party, which claimed almost 15% of the vote at this year's national election. On Thursday, the ANC’s Secretary General Fikile Mbalula reiterated that Zuma’s matter had now been finalized and that he was no longer the party’s member. Although it’s not clear if Zuma will appeal, he earlier insisted that this was far from over. Zuma is a popular but also controversial figure who’s known for staging sensational political comebacks. Alan Kasujja sits down with two ANC veterans Tony Yengeni, who represented Zuma at his disciplinary hearing as well as Snuki Zikalala, a critic of Zuma’s. To unpack all these political developments, Alan hears from Professor Daryl Glaser from Wits University in Johannesburg.

Hidden behind the fearlessness displayed by Kenyan youths during recent anti-government protests could be a mountain of mental health challenges.

A mental health expert says this is linked to the extra responsibilities young people are having to take up in a continent where the median age is 19.

But while mental health awareness is high among the youth, access to mental health services remains limited.

In this episode of Africa Daily Alan Kasujja talks to Tom Osborn- the founder of the Shamiri Institute which uses a peer-based model to support young people in navigating their mental health challenges.

He argues that the growth in activism among the youth – often honed on social media – is intrinsically linked to the mental health of young people.

We also hear from young people on their mental health experiences.

Last year, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to lift Somalia's arms embargo, a decision that is now under scrutiny.

The embargo had aimed to limit weapon deliveries to the Somali government and security forces, preventing them from reaching warlords.

A recent ambush in Abudwaq, central Somalia, has some people debating whether lifting the embargo restriction was a mistake.

During the attack, a convoy of weapons transported by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) was intercepted by a clan militia, resulting in at least 10 deaths and the weapons reportedly falling into villagers' hands.

The government say they are committed to recovering these weapons before they potentially end up with Al-Shabaab.

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje. Guests: Samira Gaid and Abdishukri Haybe

“Why were they born in Europe? Their parents were escaping the economic realities of Africa. We need to work on ourselves. We need to work more as Africa in order to keep this talent here” – Brian Wesaala, Football Foundation for Africa In recent times, Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been captivating football lovers around the world with his talent. He played a critical role when his national team, Spain, won this year’s European Football Championship. But Morocco and Equatorial Guinea are now claiming the 17-year-old megastar. That’s because his mother is originally from Equatorial Guinea while his father is from Morocco. So, today Mpho Lakaje sits down with Ntsako Mkhari, the anchor and reporter for South African TV news channel eNCA and Brian Wesaala, the founder and CEO of Football Foundation for Africa.

He attempts to understand if African countries should claim players who were born in Europe.

“A lot of people were mocking me. People would send pictures to my mum saying ‘is there something wrong with your son? We’ve seen him in traffic hawking watches’”. For a lot of African people, luxury goods are synonymous with international brands. They believe that high-quality products can only come from abroad. Today in the podcast, Africa Daily’s Muthoni Muchiri speaks with Anthony Dzamefe of Caveman Watches who quit his job working for a hotel collecting tourists to set up his own business. He ended up learning how to fix and then make quality watches – and now counts celebrities like Beyoncé and Angelique Kidjo amongst his clientele. But at the beginning he says customers would reject his watches after they found out they were made in Ghana.

The Olympic Games officially open in Paris today.

Over three billion people around the globe are expected to watch the world’s best sportsmen and women compete for 329 gold medals in 32 sports over 18 days.

The continent will be fully represented with all 54 countries taking part. So, what can Africa expect from the games and who are the athletes to watch?

Peter Musembi has been finding out from Malawian swimmer Tayamika Chang’anamuno and Ugandan sports journalist Darren Darren Allan Kyeyune who’s covering the games.

An investigation by BBC Verify has revealed that over 2 million people in the northern part of Ethiopia are at risk of starvation due to drought. The need for food aid has forced many to remain in camps for displaced persons.

The Tigray region is still dealing with the aftermath of a bitter two-year war with the federal government that ended in 2022.

BBC reporter Girmay Gebru led the investigation and spoke about what he uncovered with Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja.

“The initial investment is quite high, but looking long-term into many development projects, I think it is an investment worthwhile” – Professor Otlogetswe Totolo Botswana is building its very first space satellite. Known as Bot-Sat-1, it is being developed by scientists and engineers at Botswana International University of Science and Technology in the town of Palapye. The southern African country is looking to use images produced by this technology in town planning, mining, farming and other areas of commerce. Alan Kasujja sits down with Prof. Otlogetswe Totolo and Dr. Dimane Mpoeleng who are at the heart of the project. He tries to understand if the satellite is worth the millions of dollars spent to develop it.

“That will be a miracle on its own because when I started taking ARVs I began with 20 tablets.”

In June, the US drug company Gilead announced that a trial of its HIV drug Lenacapavir had got a 100% success rate.

The drug - a twice-yearly injection – can be used to protect people from catching the virus, but also to treat those who have it.

But the question of pricing remains – with people in poor countries unable to afford the current price tag of $40,000 per person per year. One analysis has suggested it could be mass produced as a generic drug for about $40 per person per year.

In this episode of Africa Daily podcast Peter Musembi speaks to Dr Moupali Das who oversees the development of HIV prevention drugs at Gilead – and also gets reaction with two people living with HIV.

‘The Apartheid Killer’ is the latest investigation from the BBC Africa Eye team. Filmed over four years, it tells the story of Louis van Schoor, an ex-police officer turned security guard who in the late 1980's terrorised and killed at least 39 people in the South African city of East London. All of his victims were black and the youngest was just 12 years old. He was finally arrested in 1991. But was released from prison after just over a decade in jail. More than 30 of Louis van Schoor’s killings are still categorised as ‘justifiable homicides’ by police today. In his version of events, he’d caught the people he killed breaking into the white-owned businesses he was employed to protect and says he acted “within the law.” In today’s episode, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Marlene Mvumbi, the sister of a man murdered by van Schoor and the co-director of ‘The Apartheid Killer’ freelance filmmaker and journalist Isa Jacobson.

“I have lived with HIV for 25 years out of 50. I just turned 50, and I was diagnosed in 1999 at the age of 25 with HIV.”

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has significantly impacted African countries south of the Sahara. By late 2001, over half of the world's HIV cases were in sub-Saharan Africa.

UNAIDS, the organisation advocating for accelerated and effective global action on the HIV pandemic, is leading efforts to eradicate the virus by 2030.

They will hold their 25th conference next week.

In today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja speaks to Friedel Dausab, a gay man living in Namibia who remembers a time when treatment was unavailable, that changed for him in 2002, and Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS.

In a viral video from South Africa, drivers are seen eagerly stopping to donate money to Ayanda Msweli, founder of The Bucket Initiative.

This grassroots effort is capturing hearts by building houses for impoverished families.

South Africa faces a severe housing crisis, with a backlog of 2.3 million units affecting 12 million people, exacerbated by rapid urbanization, high construction costs, and limited affordable financing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified poverty and homelessness, making initiatives like Ayanda’s crucial.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje has been hearing more about these efforts and their origins from Ayanda as well as Sunday World senior journalist Mawande AmaShabalala.

Women in Tanzania face immense hurdles in accessing education, employment and financial services.

Despite these challenges, Tanzanian women are incredibly resilient. Many are the backbone of their families and communities, often juggling multiple roles as caregivers, breadwinners and entrepreneurs.

Yet, they face systemic barriers that keep them from achieving financial independence.

President Samia Suluhu took office in 2021 with promises to prioritize initiatives promoting gender equality, tackling violence against women and boosting economic empowerment.

However, there's still much more to do. Lydia Charles Moyo, the founder of ‘Her Initiative’, is leading efforts to empower women through technology and digital inclusion.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been hearing more about these efforts from Lydia as well as Elizabeth, a beneficiary of her work.

“The practice of female genital mutilation is so interwoven with the practice of child marriage. It’s like the marketplace, the institution through which children are prepared for marriage” – Josephine Kamara, advocacy director of Purposeful.

Today, Alan Kasujja hears the moving story of Khadijatu Barrie, a 26-year-old student at the University of Sierra Leone. She recently went public and explained how she refused to be forced into marriage when she was still a little girl.

This comes a month after Sierra Leone’s president Julius Maada Bio signed into law the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2024. It means, anyone marrying a girl under the age of 18 will be jailed for at least 15 years or fined around $4,000 US, or both.

Alan sits down with Patrick Analo from Save the Children as well as Josephine Kamara from Purposeful. He attempts to understand if the new law will change anything at all and if there’s any connection between child marriage and female genital mutilation.

An ongoing inquiry is taking place in Kenya in response to a series of allegations of rape and other misconduct by British soldiers during their time training in the country. The allegations date back to the 1950s and despite a previous investigation carried out by the British army, nobody has been prosecuted or held accountable for any crimes. A new defence pact that came into effect in 2021 means British soldiers can now be sued in Kenyan courts. The inquiry has heard emotional testimonies from several people about the alleged abuses. Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guests: Michael Kaloki, Marian Pannalossy and Kelvin Kubai.

The business of gaming and ‘Esports’ is growing in Africa, with an estimated $1 billion dollars expected to be spent by gamers across the continent this year. But it faces challenges, from internet connectivity to investment to cultural representation.

Africa does have around 40 studios creating games, but those in the business say it needs better understanding from governments and investment from sponsors to realise it’s true potential. So we brought together two enthusiasts who have one foot in the gaming side and one foot in the business side, to hear their stories.

Guests: Krystel Kalanga, a gamer and entrepreneur from the Democratic Republic of Congo and founder of ‘Manga and Geek day’, and Cholwe Shabukali a gamer and entrepreneur from Zambia and founder of Team Gematrix which competes in Esports competitions

“We spoke to relatives of a boy who was seen carrying ammunition. The relatives say this boy had been kidnapped during a January attack in another village. The uncle and aunt of the boy were shocked to see how much confidence he showed operating as a child soldier” – Zenaida Machado, Human Rights Watch In today’s episode, Alan Kasujja revisits the conflict in Mozambique because it’s now emerged that insurgents are using children in their operations. Human Rights Watch says youngsters, some as young as 13, were recently ordered to raid and loot the town of Macomia, in Cabo Delgado province. The recruitment and use of children as soldiers is a war crime. Alan attempts to understand why the Southern African Development Community, despite deploying troops to Mozambique, is failing to quell the violence. Also, with these soldiers withdrawing from Cabo Delgado, how will it affect local communities?

War has raged across the whole of Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force or RSF for the past 15 months.

Human rights abuses and atrocities have been committed on both sides – in Darfur, groups like Human Rights Watch have documented what they say is ethnic cleansing by the RSF as they’ve specifically targeted people of African descent. Millions have fled from the region. El Fasher is the only major city in Darfur that remains outside of RSF control. Mohammed Zakaria is a film maker and photographer who lived in El Fasher. Most of his family fled to neighbouring Chad early in the war but he stayed behind to document what was happening in the city. He finally decided to leave and has just made it out to safety to Uganda. In today’s Africa Daily he speaks to Alan Kasujja about living and escaping El Fasher.

"I’m crazy about you & I want the world to know”. It looks like a pretty harmless Instagram post. Two women kissing and expressing their love. But one of the women – and the woman who posted that photo and accompanying message - was Brenda Biya, the 26 year old daughter of President Paul Biya of Cameroon. The law in Cameroon states that those who engage in same-sex acts or relationships can face up to five years in jail, so it’s perhaps not a surprise that the post has caused a lot of discussion in the country. So was it a brave act of defiance - or a sign that there’s one law for those in power and another for everyone else? For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Bandy Kiki, a Cameroonian LGBT activist and BBC reporter Paul Njie.

For most people in Africa the elderly are respected for their age, wisdom and life experience. And cared for by their children, grandchildren and community. But contradicting this tradition are horrific cases of elder abuse revealed by the BBC’s Africa Eye team in their latest investigation. Haki Yetu, a local human right organisation, say at least one elderly person is killed every week in Kilifi County after being accused of being a witch. Africa Daily Alan Kasujja speaks to Julius Wanyama from Haki Yetu, about the plight of the elderly people targeted in Kilifi County.

Udoh Ebaide Joy has just finished what many would describe as an epic adventure.

She rode her motorbike across Africa – stopping in ten countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Angola and Cameroon. She covered over 9,000 km and ended her journey in her country Nigeria.

Why did she make the journey? And what was it like travelling solo as a woman on a motorbike?

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to her about the experiences she had on the road, the challenges she faced, and the moments she'll never forget.

Is nuclear power a possible answer to the challenge of phasing out fossil fuels in response to global warming? Many African governments say yes – and 18 are now in the feasibility stage of developing nuclear power stations. Currently, South Africa is the only country on the continent which generates electricity from a nuclear power plant.

But activists argue there are too many risks – and that Africa lacks the capacity to dispose of the waste nuclear power produces. In Kenya, residents of Uyombo village in Kilifi are opposing the development of a power plant in their area – even though its construction is only due to start in 2027. The government says when – or if – it comes online, it should generate 1000 megawatts of electricity, nearly a third of the energy Kenya currently produces.

For the Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to renowned environmental activist Phyllis Omido, who is leading the campaign against the project. He also speaks to Justus Wabuyabo, the head of Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), the body tasked by the government with developing nuclear energy in the country.

Over one million people died during Mozambique’s civil war – which continued from 1977 to 1992. By its end, much of the country’s infrastructure was also gone.

One place which was heavily impacted was Gorongosa National Park – in the middle of the country – where virtually all the wild animals were slaughtered for food or for ivory, which was then traded for weapons. Wildebeest and Zebra populations dropped from thousands to less than twenty of each. Elephant numbers decreased by more than 90%. And for the people living there, there were no schools, hospitals or jobs.

But in 2004, the then-president, Joaquim Chissano, appealed to American philanthropist, Greg Carr, to help with the rebuilding of Mozambique - and he chose to concentrate on the park. Now, after 20 years, it’s been transformed.

For today’s Africa Daily Mpho Lakaje finds out more about what’s been called ‘Africa’s most successful rewilding effort’ with journalist Ish Mafundikwa who’s just visited the project.

Today South Africa’s cabinet ministers will be sworn-in at a ceremony in the country’s capital, Pretoria. They are from various political parties and form part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of national unity. Many of them have, in the past, taken each other to court over policy differences. But they now have to work together as a team, in the same cabinet. These political events were triggered by the outcome of the May 2024 national election, where no party secured an outright majority. So, can South Africa’s politicians park their ideological differences aside and pull together to set their nation on a path towards prosperity?

Thousands of students in secondary schools across Africa are sitting their final year exams at the moment and in the coming few weeks.

In the maths paper, they are certain to come across one question from the quadratic equations topic requiring them to find X.

Very few people on the continent look back at their days of finding X with joy, because maths has never been a popular subject for the vast majority.

Statistics from the 2023 exams show there was a mean score of less than 30% in maths in most countries.

For the Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja embarks on finding out where the problem lies by talking to the man ranked by Stanford University as the second best mathematician in the world.

Originally from Cameroon, Prof Abdon Atangana is currently professor of Applied Mathematics at South African University of the Free State. He’s also the chairman of African Mathematical Commission for Research and Innovations.

Rights groups in Zimbabwe have criticised the deteriorating human rights climate in the country.

Complaints of arbitrary arrests, abductions and harassment have also come from individuals such as politicians and writers. The finger of blame has been pointed at state security forces.

So, what exactly is going on?

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to the BBC’s Shingai Nyoka in Zimbabwe, and a human right's lawyer who says that defending people who say they have been arrested unjustly by authorities, puts him in a very risky position.

“I concede.” After a dramatic - and bloody - week of protests on the streets of Kenya, President William Ruto has agreed to ditch his unpopular finance bill. In an address to the nation he said that it was clear that Kenyans “want nothing” to do with the bill which would have introduced controversial tax hikes. Protesters say they would have hit the poorest who are already struggling with rising living costs. On Tuesday, parliament was set ablaze and lawmakers hid in the basement garage after voting for the bill. At least 22 people were killed in the protests. Now President Ruto says he will enter into a dialogue with the young people who have led the protests. For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to protesters outside Kenya’s High Commission in London – and gets an explanation of what was behind both the bill and the protests from Julians Amboko, an Economist and Business Journalist based in Kenya.

“People will say nasty things about you in their lyrics. You will then be tempted to respond. That’s how the violence starts” – Molefi “Mantsoaki” Tjemolane – Lesotho musician Famo music is a genre whose origins can be traced back to the 1920s, among Lesotho’s migrant labourers. Over time, it became commercial and formed a big part of national culture, enabling artists to make a living and win awards. But the music is now associated with gangs primarily linked to illegal gold mining in neighbouring South Africa and Lesotho itself. The main factions are known as Terene, draped in yellow traditional blankets over their shoulders, while Seakhi prefer blue and black blankets. Now, the government of Prime Minister Sam Matekane has banned some of the groups accused of fueling the violence. This has angered some musicians. Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Lesotho’s Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police Lebona Lephema as well as Famo musician Molefi “Mantsoaki” Tjemolane

When Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja was in Lagos last year, he learned that some parents there are using harmful products on their children in order to lighten their skin and that in some instances parents are unintentionally lightening and damaging their children’s skin. The usage of skin lightening products is high in Nigeria. According to the World Health Organisation, the prevalence of skin bleaching varies across the continent in Mali it's 25% while in Nigeria it's 77%, so the market for these products is large and widespread. In today’s episode, Alan looks at what’s behind this trend and hears from the owner of a natural skin products business on the conversations she’s had with mothers looking for skin lightening products for their young children. And he speaks to a dermatologist on the young and damaged skin she’s seen in her clinic.

With special thanks to producer Chigozie Ohaka.

Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Dr.Philbert Komu from the University of Dar es Salaam and Dr. Gideon Chitanga of the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. They are discussing the role of former liberation movements in Africa’s contemporary politics. Is their performance in line with the expectations of their nations? The conversation was sparked by the dismal showing of the African National Congress in South Africa’s May 2024 elections. Others like Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe have also lost support over the years, relying on rural votes to remain in power. Although icons like Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere and Samora Machel are still celebrated to this day, Alan attempts to understand if their ideas still work.

More than 50 defendants are being tried for an attempted coup attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On May 19th, armed men dressed in military attire attacked the home of the economy minister, Vital Kamerhe and later moved on to President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa.

Former Congolese military officer, Christian Malanga, is still expected to face charges for leading this alleged coup, despite being killed by security forces during the attack. Also on trial are three US citizens, one of them is Christian Malanga's 21-year-old son, Marcel.

Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja speaks to the BBC's reporter in the capital Kinshasa, Emery Makumeno.

Millions in Africa live without a consistent supply of electricity, something which has caused a lot of socio-economic setbacks.

Some countries, like Ghana, are turning to power ships to solve their energy problems.

These floating power plants are a quick fix, providing an electricity supply and that helps to reduce those frequent blackouts. However, money troubles still loom large. Unpaid bills can lead to more power cuts, this has happened in Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. And there are questions about the sustainability of dealing with a country’s electricity needs in this way. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been hearing more about all this from the BBC’s Aaron Akinyemi who spoke to the Chief Commercial Officer at Turkish based Karpowership, Zeynab Harezi, as well as Tony Tiyou, the CEO of Renewables in Africa.

“I think historically, science or STEM related subjects have not been encouraged for young girls to participate in. It’s generally been viewed as a male dominated industry” – Lerato Kubushi, African Leadership Academy In today’s Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje speaks to four teenagers from Tunisia, Lesotho, Nigeria Zimbabwe and their teacher from Ghana about why African women are underrepresented in science and what’s being done about it. According to a recent United Nations Commission for Africa report, women make up only 20% of the science and engineering field on the continent. This, however, isn’t to say that Africa hasn’t produced people who are excelling in this sector and doing exceptional things.

Back in 2002, Mark Shuttleworth gained worldwide fame when he became the first South African in space. 20 years later Sara Sabry became the first Egyptian and African woman to go to space. But is enough being done to ensure that more women get to reach the same heights?

“We believe our president has taken a very, very wonderful initiative and we support it 100%... Our president is a Christian and he believes in the power of prayer.”

For months now, a plan to send a thousand Kenyan police to quell gang violence in Haiti has been surrounded with uncertainty.

There have been a series of hold ups to the deployment including challenges in the Kenyan courts, changing leadership in Haiti, and general opposition from the Kenyan public.

It has now emerged that alongside pushing hard for the deployment, Ruto has also been making plans for faith diplomacy and has turned to a group of evangelical pastors close to him and the first lady for support.

For the Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi speaks to one of the evangelical pastors Serge Musasilwa on why and how they are involved. He also speaks to international affairs expert Dr Kizito Saballa.

"This could be one of the greatest teams we’ve ever seen out of Africa… they were the hope of Africa for the 1994 World Cup. And that was taken away instantly.”

In 1993, a plane carrying almost all of Zambia's national football squad crashed in Gabon, killing 18 players. The young team was carrying the hopes of many Africans as they progressed towards the 1994 World Cup.

But out of that tragedy, an amazing story unfolded, as a team was rebuilt from scratch. That team later went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012.

Now 30 years later, the BBC podcast Amazing Sport Stories been speaking with the family members of those who died – who to this day have never received compensation - as well as to those who rebuilt the team.

Presenter: Mpho Lakaje. Guests: Robert Earnshaw, Welsh former international footballer and the host of the podcast, and his mother Rita.

Last week Nigeria’s labour unions suspended a general strike, that caused widespread disruption across the country, for one week. Unions were demanding an increase in the national monthly minimum wage to help workers cope with the rising cost of living. The strike ended after the government agreed to a new national minimum wage. The government also said it will meet with the unions' representatives every day for a week for talks. In today’s Africa Daily Noni Muchiri speaks to the BBC’s Nkechi Ogbonna in Lagos about the union’s demands, the government’s response and the financial hardship facing many workers in Nigeria.

Residents of Ongata Rongai, a suburb in the Kenyan capital Nairobi have recently had to be on their guard after a number of lions have been sighted roaming their neighbourhood.

Concern peaked three weeks ago when a video circulated of a lion climbing over a perimeter wall into a homestead – only to re-emerge with a dog in its mouth moments later.

Since then the residents have received alerts from wildlife authorities, as more carnivores have been sighted.

The increase in such incidents has reignited the debate over whether humans are able to live so closely to wild animals within a city. Nairobi is the only city in the world to contain a national park.

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi speaks to Sylvia Koira, the college student whose family dog was taken and eaten by the lioness, their homestead’s caretaker Joshua Isiga, and the BBC’s Ruth Nesoba- also a resident.

It was the news that Malawians had been dreading: on Tuesday President Lazarus Chakwera announced that his vice president, Saulos Chilima, had been killed in a plane crash.

Vice President Chilima had been travelling to the funeral of a former government minister. The military aircraft he was on had been flying in bad weather and disappeared from airport radars on Monday. When it was found by rescuers, the aircraft was completely destroyed. There were eight others onboard, including the former first lady, Shanil Dzimbiri.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje has been looking at the reaction to Tuesday’s announcement with Bayana Chunga, a journalist in Blantyre and Felix Njawala, the spokesman for Vice President Saulos Chilima’s UTM party.

President Bola Tinubu has signed into law a bill to reintroduce Nigeria’s old national anthem which was dropped by its military government in 1978.

He said the country’s old anthem composed in 1959 symbolised Nigeria's diversity. But many have questioned his priorities amid the cost of living crisis which is shaking the country to the core.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been hearing more about this change and its impact from the BBC’s Chris Ewokor in the capital Abuja and Nigerian gospel singer and song writer Chidinma Okebalama, better known as “Chee”.

Before most marriages in South Sudan go ahead, men will typically give the woman’s family a dowry in the form of money and most often cattle.

For some it’s seen as an important tradition and a sign of respect. However, there are growing concerns from both men and women that providing dowries has become a burden and is leading to more sinister outcomes. This includes forced marriages and men resorting to violent cattle raids to steal the cows they need to get married.

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears from young men and women in South Sudan on what the tradition means for them.

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has been pleading for urgent support for Ghanaian students studying abroad who have not received their stipends for almost a year. The students are on a government scholarship, and they left Ghana with the promise of getting financial support during their time at university. The scholarship was set up for "brilliant and needy" students. But as Ghana is facing its own economic crisis, it has left these students with a huge financial burden of their own. Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guest: Eric Sarpong

For the first time since the fall of apartheid in 1994, South Africa is now negotiating an uncharted political territory. It comes after the ruling African National Congress (ANC), a party that was once led by Nelson Mandela, lost its parliamentary majority. The organization received 40.18% in last week’s elections, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 21.81% and Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MK) with 14.58%. Some attribute the dismal performance of the ANC to its fallout with former president Jacob Zuma who now leads the MK Party. At a press briefing on Wednesday, the ANC revealed that it was in talks with the DA, EFF and several other smaller parties. It said it also reached out to the MK Party, but hasn’t received any positive feedback. So, who will the ANC form a coalition government with? Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje explores various options with Dr. Hlengiwe Ndlovu from the Wits School of Governance and former diplomat Botsang Moiloa.

Teenagers are being actively targeted by the tobacco industry through the use of social media influencers and fruit flavoured products. That’s according to a report by the World Health Organisation which also says that around one in five adolescents in Africa are using tobacco.

So what should governments be doing to protect their young people? Especially those in southern Africa which benefit from growing tobacco as a crop?

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi speaks to Vivian Joseph, a clinician and head of Southern African Youth Forum’s health cluster- who says governments need to toughen up their laws. And he also talks to Rachael Kitonyo Devotsu, a data expert, about the hurdles governments have faced as they try to do this.

“If we want to be a nation we should have our own narrative, we should have our own heroes.”

Alan’s guest on the podcast today is Mia Couto - one of Mozambique’s most famous authors who’s won numerous international awards during his decades-long career. But he’s so much more: a biologist, a critical thinker, the son of immigrants and, as a young man, a member of Frelimo - the independence movement which fought against the Portuguese colonial authorities. As the only ‘white guy’ in the room when he joined, he was told “we need poetry in our struggle”.

Now nearly 50 years on, he tells Alan how he’s become disillusioned with the ruling party – which has been in control of the country since independence. The country remains one of the poorest in Africa in terms of GDP despite its natural resources. He also talks about why it's been so difficult for the authorities to retain control in the northern Cabo Delgado province which has suffered a bloody insurgency since 2017 - and argues that Mozambicans need to remember their own narratives and heroes.

In today’s episode, Mpho Lakaje speaks to a 36-year-old South African man who uses a drug called Nyaope or Whoonga. It’s a type of black tar heroin often mixed with other powdered substances that include cleaning chemicals. But the problem of substance abuse and addiction isn't limited to one country - and the United Nations says it expects the number of people using drugs in Africa to rise 40% by 2030. Sierra Leone is also dealing with a drug commonly known as Kush, a psychoactive blend of addictive substances. Earlier this year, 23 people died and 20 others went blind after allegedly consuming poisonous alcohol in Kenya. And Malawi also has a concoction notoriously known as “God take me”. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guest: Professor Adamson Muula

For many young people in Africa, traditional banking isn’t just a hassle, it’s a major roadblock.

Long lines, piles of paperwork and strict ID requirements mean many are left out in the cold when it comes to managing their money in bank accounts.

Digital banking platforms are trying to change this.

The idea is that they use technology to provide financial services for payments, loans and even investments, through online platforms and apps instead of traditional banks.

Africa Daily’s Muthoni Muchiri spoke to Kiiru Muhoya, CEO of Fingo Africa, about the finance challenges facing the continent's youth and how digital banking can open up the connection channels on the continent.

“Especially the woman, they cannot sing. They cannot go in front of the people and then sing and say ‘I am an artist’. It’s shameful.”

Today Alan enjoys a treat on the podcast: singer and activist Sahra Halgan came in to the Africa Daily studios in Broadcasting House along with her fellow musicians percussionist, Aymeric Krol, and guitarist, Maël Salètes, and they performed some of their music live for him.

Sahra has lived quite a life… She was a nurse during the Somali civil war in the 1980s before fleeing to France in the 1990s. But after years of building up her singing career abroad, she returned to her home city of Hargeisa in the self-declared republic of Somaliland in 2015 and founded its first cultural and music centre. The name of that club is Hiddo Dhawr - which means ‘promote or keep culture’ – which is also the name of her latest album, out this month.

Opening a club wasn’t without challenges; there is disapproval of musicians – especially female ones – from many sectors of Somali society. And even at the age of 55, Sahra's mother is still hoping that one day she’ll get a proper job!

"When I came to Northern Ireland, when I was walking on the streets of Derry, I could hardly see a black person. At that time, I think there were only three Kenyans, with me being the fourth person."

Lilian Seenoi-Barr is about to make history by becoming Northern Ireland's first black mayor. Ms Seenoi-Barr was selected by the SDLP party to become the next first citizen of Derry City and Strabane District Council but despite the support she received, she has also faced some backlash and racist abuse.

She was born in Kenya and left in 2010 to start a new life in Northern Ireland. She proudly comes from the Maasai tribe but since moving to Derry, she has been focused on building community and support for other immigrants.

Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja spoke to her about her journey and why she decided to become a politician. Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guest: Lilian Seenoi-Barr.

Are South Africans ready for Wednesday’s national election?

“Since hearing that political parties will be launching their election manifestos, I decided to attend these events. I wanted to hear for myself which president would address our needs as college students. It’s my first time voting” – Thembeka Dliwako, South African voter

In today’s podcast, Mpho Lakaje sits down with 21-year-old Thembeka Dliwako, who will be voting for the very first time in her life.

In her country, she’s popularly known as “Nomarally”, loosely translated as, “The lady of the rallies”.

That’s because, in recent months she’s been doing something rather unusual.

She’s been traveling to different parts of the country, attending the political rallies of various parties, wanting to hear for herself what leaders have to offer.

Mpho also visits Johannesburg attorney, Oatlhotse Thupayatlase who voted for the first time back in 1994, in an election that marked the end of apartheid.

Is he still as excited about casting his ballot as he was 30 years ago?

Approximately 27 million South Africans are eligible to vote in the watershed general election on Wednesday.

For years, teachers and students at the Dandora Secondary School in Kenya’s capital Nairobi have complained of respiratory illnesses. They say they are caused by the toxic fumes given off by East Africa's largest dump site, the Dandora landfill, which is next to the school.

Despite being declared full in 1996, the landfill continues to receive approximately 2,000 tonnes of waste each day.

But now the head teacher of the school has decided to tackle the issue, and with students has been planting bamboo in order to combat the air pollution.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to school Principal Eutychus Maina who initiated this innovative solution when he fell ill soon after joining the school.

“Without the public outcry, the mass marriage would have gone on as planned.”

There’s been a lot of debate, claim and counter-claim in Nigeria this week over a proposed mass wedding of 100 couples in Niger state in the north of the country.

Concerns were raised that some of the girls involved were under the legal age for marriage, and a petition was quickly launched. The Women's Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye filed a court injunction to stop the ceremony. She’s since said that the wedding can go ahead but only after an investigation has taken place – and has offered the girls scholarships as well as gifts including sewing machines and rice. She said the girls would be closely monitored in their new homes after their marriages. Child marriages are common in the predominantly Muslim north, where poverty is higher than in the largely Christian south.

Alan Kasujja unpicks the controversy – and asks what it tells us about the marriage of young people in Nigeria.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guests: BBC reporter, Azeezat Olaoluwa and gender and child advocate, Ayotomiwa Ayodele.

Updated 24th May to reflect Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye’s latest statement.

Kenyan President William Ruto is on a state visit to the US, the first by an African leader since Ghana’s John Kufour in 2008 and only the 6th state visit Biden has hosted since taking office in 2020

A state visit is the highest level of international visit, and its purpose is to confirm the good relationship between the countries concerned.

For President Ruto it's a significant display of his emergence as leading voice for Africa - particularly in the eyes of the West.

But some observers say that Washington is now playing catch up to Russia and China - which have both grown in influence on the continent in recent years - as well as newer entrants like Turkey, India, and Saudi Arabia.

In this episode of Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja talks to Ambassador Martin Kimani, an international affairs expert and former Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations.

It’s expected to be a bruising election, with 70 political parties contesting for power. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress, and the official opposition, Democratic Alliance, are seen as the frontrunners. Former president Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), are expected to give the ANC a run for their money, particularly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. But on Monday, South Africa's Constitutional Court barred Mr. Zuma from running for parliament, ruling that his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court disqualified him. Mr Zuma was convicted in 2021 for refusing to testify at an inquiry investigating corruption during his presidency which ended in 2018. But he remains the face of the MKP and will continue to campaign. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Dr. Bandile Masuku, Solly Malatsi and Adv. Dwight Snyman

During the recent floods in East Africa it became quickly apparent just how ill-prepared most cities across the region are in the face of heavy rains.

Some of the continent's major cities are located on the coast, and therefore at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels. And meanwhile, a quarter of African cities are exposed to a high risk of drought.

The continent is home to 86 of the world’s 100 fastest growing cities, with 7 billion people expected to be living in urban areas by 2030.

In this episode of Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja talks to Benin’s former minister for Environment and Urban Planning, Luc Gnacadja, who's currently a consultant with the World Bank, about the capacity of African cities to withstand worsening and more frequent extreme weather events.

During Liberia’s two civil wars, it became normal for children to be abducted by armed groups, often drugged, and forced to fight. 250,000 people are estimated to have died in the conflict which continued between 1989-2003.

In 2006, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission - known as ‘TRC’ - to identity individuals linked to war crimes, but as of yet, no-one has been prosecuted. So after President Joseph Boakai recently signed an agreement to establish a war crimes court, people started asking whether the victims of war could finally get justice. For Africa Daily Alan Kasujja speaks to Adama Dempster, a human rights advocate who’s campaigned for the court to be set up, and the BBC’s reporter in Monrovia, Moses Garzeawu.

Male circumcision is deeply rooted in tradition and culture across many African communities but there’s a lot of controversy around the method that is used to remove the foreskin.

Some initiatives that promote voluntary medical male circumcision for the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections have been successful, in Zambia in particular.

But the question remains, is this something that should be done on baby boys or in early adolescence, or is it something that should be left as a personal choice you make in adulthood?

Presenter: Alan Kasujja. Guests: Anthony Natif and Michael Aboneka.

“The irony and the tragedy at once is that all this happened while the international community are watching it. So I think this is the time to prevent the atrocities that happened in El Geneina from repeating itself in El Fasher.”

Last week a 216 page Human Rights Watch report said it had found evidence that a genocide may have been committed in the city of El Geneina in Darfur – and that ethnic cleansing had occurred. It said thousands of members of African ethnic groups – particularly the Massalit – had been killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces or RSF in door to door raids and as they tried to flee the city. The vast majority of Massalits have now fled western Darfur.

But now there’s grave concern that a similar massacre could happen in the city of El Fasher – the only city in Darfur not under RSF control. Thousands of internally displaced people are living in the city after fleeing RSF attacks elsewhere. Our guest today describes this as jumping from 'hot water to hot oil' as the group’s fighters have completely cut off all roads and fighting is underway within the city.

The UN has called the situation “gravely concerning”, while the United States has warned of a large scale massacre if the RSF takes the city. But is anyone able or willing to stop it?

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan @Kasujja talks to a resident of El Fasher and to Adeeb Yousif, the former governor of Central Darfur.

The audio for this episode was updated at 1500 BST on 16 May 2024

The Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill, drafted in 2021, was passed by parliamentarians in Ghana earlier this year. It imposes a prison sentence on anyone identifying as being LGBTQ+. This bill still needs to be signed by President Nana Akuffo Addo to become law.

He's waiting for the verdict of the Supreme Court who will hear two cases challenging the constitutionality of the law.

In today’s episode, Alan Kasujja speaks to Ghanaian film director Joewackle J Kusi about the challenges of making his film Nyame Mma which means Children of God.

It tells the story of Kwamena a young man who goes back to his home town for his father’s funeral. It leads him to revisit the romantic relationship he had with another man, Maroof.

Joewackle says the film had a screening at the beginning of March in Accra but since the new law was passed in parliament all plans to show the film are on hold and he doesn’t know when it will be seen again in Ghana.

“We’re creating a new generation of digital entrepreneurs that we like to call digital warriors… And this new generation they’re passionate about technology – they’re going to be the ones driving innovation in our country.”

Throughout its history, the island nation of Cape Verde has seen heavy emigration – especially at times of drought and shortages. It means that now there are many more Cape Verdeans living abroad than on the islands themselves.

And while the government acknowledges the benefits that have come with that – with its diaspora sending back much-needed foreign currency – it now wants to encourage young people to find opportunities on the islands by developing the country as a ‘digital hub for West Africa’.

On today’s Africa Daily Alan @Kasujja speaks with Pedro Lopes, Cape Verde’s minister for digital economy, as well as entrepreneurs Óscar Borges and Jael Alves Monteiro.

With special thanks to producer Anne Marie Borges.

Even though they see it as something that would benefit them… they would rather put that dollar into fertiliser which they really need to boost their yields.”

Recently on Africa Daily we’ve heard about different insurance schemes for farmers and whole countries to insure themselves against natural disasters. With an increase in extreme weather events due to climate change it’s become an area of growth.

But what are the limitations and difficulties? And can subsistence farmers, who already struggle to earn enough for their basic needs, really be expected to find money to insure themselves?

Alan @Kasujja speaks with Dr Saint Kuttu, a Senior Lecturer in Finance and Risk Management at the University of Ghana Business School, and Dr Betty Chinyamunyamu, CEO of the National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi - NASFAM - which represents 130,000 farmers.

“My wish is that we hold free and transparent elections, so that the voice of the people can be heard for peace. Because governing a country with weapons is not normal.” – voter, Chad.

Interim president, General Mahamat Déby, has been declared the winner of this week’s presidential election with 61% of the vote. His nearest rival, former Prime Minister Succes Masra, came second with just 18.5% - and alleged the vote was rigged.

Deby took over from his father, President Idriss Déby in 2021,who had been in power for more than 30 years.

In conversations recorded before the winner was announced, Alan Kasujja discusses whether this election was a step towards a functioning democracy – or whether it was simply a way for the Déby family to keep hold of power.

Kush is being sold all across Sierra Leone.

It’s a psychoactive blend of addictive substances and has been prevalent in the country for years.

Sierra Leone's president - Julius Maada Bio - has called Kush a “death trap" and said it poses an "existential crisis" in the country. And due to its notoriety and impact, the government has declared a national emergency over rampant drug abuse.

In today's episode, our reporter based in Sierra Leone Umaru Fofana talks to a man who became addicted to the drug and hears more about what the government are doing.

Today we’re in Burkina Faso where there's been a serious crackdown on foreign media. There have been several reports alleging that the army massacred hundreds of civilians in northern villages in February 2024 and the government's not happy about it. They’ve taken some pretty strict measures on outlets like The Guardian, Le Monde and Deutsche Welle. The government, led by Ibrahim Traoré, say these reports are just attempts to smear the military's reputation. Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi has been hearing more about what it’s like to be a journalist in Burkina Faso.

Liberia, along with several other African nations, receives donated medications from international organisations such as The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The World Health Organisation says that Africa accounts for 94% of global malaria cases and had over 400,000 tuberculosis-related deaths in 2022.

USAid discovered that a staggering 90% of pharmacies in Liberia are involved in the illicit sale of stolen medications meant for those in dire need. So, why are medicines that should be free being sold in Liberia? And how big of a problem is this in Africa? Guests: Joyce Kilikpo and Dr. Betha Igbinosun. Presenter: Alan Kasujja.

Today, we're shining a light on a topic that keeps many African nations in the dark – the struggle for stable electricity supply. Africa has the lowest access to electricity in the world. Roughly half a billion people lack access to a stable power supply, including two of the continent's biggest economies — Nigeria and South Africa. Recently in Sierra Leone, people faced longer than average blackouts in the capital city Freetown and other main cities across the country. The reason behind these power cuts was because Sierra Leone owed $48 million to the Turkish energy company, Karpowership. Some of that debt has since been settled and electricity has been restored. In today’s Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje has been looking at how frequent black outs impact life on the continent and what should be done to fix the problem.

Regular attacks by men on motorbikes wielding AK-47 rifles have become a common occurrence in Plateau State in central Nigeria.

People in the state are still reeling from the trauma of Christmas Eve attacks just over four months ago, when gunmen attacked 25 villages killing over 150 people.

Over the years, the clashes have mostly been between Muslim Fulani herders from the north and Christian farmers in the state.

The conflict however seems to have morphed into a complicated situation, with the authorities claiming there are some ‘political forces’ fuelling it.

The region is fertile and regarded as Nigeria’s bread basket but insecurity has meant low food production with farmers not being able to go to the farms. In this episode of the Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi talks to Plateau State's Governor Caleb Mutfwang about what the authorities are doing and why the killings have persisted for so long.

Federalism in Africa is the topic of today’s episode.

Depending on how you define the term, there are only around six countries in Africa that use the federal model, with Nigeria and Ethiopia among them.

But what is federalism and what does it look like in practice? How does it function and differ from a system where power is centralised under one authority?

Mpho Lakaje has been looking into all of this and examining whether this is a form of government that suits Africa.

He is in conversation with Dr Bizuneh Yimenu, a teaching fellow at Birmingham University in the UK.

He has also been talking to Dr Dele Babalola, a senior lecturer in International Relations at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK and author of `The political economy of Federalism in Nigeria`.

“We should also harvest the water, store it in the soil. Grow our crops and grow our trees. Because the storage in the soil is much, much bigger than any store we can ever put on the surface. God has already given us a huge reservoir where we can put our water.” Kenya has been ravaged by flooding this month: dozens have died – specifically after a dam burst and a passenger ferry capsized – and thousands more have been made homeless. Schools were closed and farmers have seen their crops destroyed. But in a few months, many of the areas now under water will be struggling with drought. So what can be done to conserve flood waters and build up resilience? And how can small farmers manage their land better? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks with Professor John Gathenya a Hydrologist from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

We’ve spoken many times on Africa Daily about mining and whether natural resources are actually a blessing or a curse for the continent.

It’s led to decades of conflict in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and the neighbouring Central African Republic - and reports from Human Rights organisations about the appalling conditions miners - including children - often work in.

But we rarely get a real sense of what it’s like for people living in these areas.

The BBC’s new Global China Unit has been looking inside the mines owned by Chinese companies in the DR Congo, Indonesia and Argentina.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje talked to the BBC’s Wanqing Zhang about a mine near Lubumbashi, a place often referred to as the mining capital of the country, and learned more about the lives of the communities living near the mine.

“Before pronouncing sentence on Bobrisky, the judge asked, ‘are you male or female?’. For me this was a red flag. Bobrisky’s gender has nothing to do with whether he (or she) abused the Naira.” Money spraying is part of Nigerian culture: throwing bank notes or putting them on a person’s forehead to congratulate them at weddings, birthdays or other big social events. But since 2007, it’s technically been illegal – as those bank notes can fall to the ground and be trodden on - and the maximum punishment is six months in jail. But until recently, prosecutions were rare. So there was much consternation earlier this month when Nigerian internet personality and transgender woman, Bobrisky - who has 5 million followers on Instagram - was sentenced to spend 6 months in a male prison for ‘Naira abuse’ after spraying banknotes at a film premier. The government says it’s just clamping down on the practice. But others argue that Bobrisky has been targeted because of her gender identity.

“If I have my money, I have my assets, I have my farms, my houses, my cars, I have everything I need, I don’t need to be friendly with any white person” – Sandile Swana, former freedom fighter.

In 1948, the National Party came into power in South Africa and introduced apartheid, a system that segregated society along racial lines. Black people were not allowed to share toilets, beaches, theatres and other public facilities with their white counterparts.

In the decades that followed, the black majority rose up against the system and engaged in various political campaigns. Many activists - including Nelson Mandela, Robert Sobukwe, Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada - were incarcerated, while others fled to neighbouring countries. But after years of pressure on the National Party government, which included sanctions and international sports boycotts, apartheid collapsed. On the 27th of April 1994, the nation voted in its first democratic election.

So 30 years since independence, our presenter Mpho Lakaje sits down with two people who were on either side of the political divide: former freedom fighter Sandie Swana and apartheid-era policeman Lourens Groenewald.

So have black and white South Africans truly forgiven each other since those ugly days?

“It feels like a black man deserves the worst. The poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. I don’t know how things will change” – Alexandra resident, Vusi Mbeye. On the 27th of April 1994, millions of South Africans voted in their country’s very first democratic election. During white minority rule, black people were not allowed to vote.

Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress won that election and then introduced policies like Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment. In addition, many black students received financial aid from the government and private companies, to further their university or college studies. All these measures were meant to correct the economic injustices of the past. But 30 years after the fall of apartheid, have black South Africans experienced meaningful economic freedom?

Africa Daily presenter Mpho Lakaje, who is himself a black South African, sits down with two men who were both born in Alexandra township: street vendor Vusi Mbeye and Theo Baloyi, a wealthy businessman. He also visits political analyst Khaya Sithole.

Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé's proposal to change the constitution has ignited a fierce debate in the country. Some say it's a power grab disguised as reform, while others insist it's a step towards a more democratic future.

The reforms aim to switch Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, but critics worry it will only prolong the Gnassingbé family's rule. Helping to keep him in power until 2031 and potentially beyond. President Gnassingbé came to power in 2005 after the death of his father, who had been president since 1967.

Protests have been banned and elections postponed- they are now set to take place on Monday 29th April. It’s all led to heightened tension and concerns about the country's political future.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje spoke to the BBC’s Nicolas Negoce about the future of politics in Togo.

Earlier this month we marked the 10th anniversary of the kidnapping of the Chibok girls.

It was one of the first mass kidnappings of children witnessed in Nigeria. In 2014, 276 girls were abducted from their school by militants from Chibok, a town in the country’s north east.

Over the past 10 years, mass abductions and kidnappings have become a common occurrence in Nigeria.

So what is the government doing to get a handle on security?

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation.

“Development is all about leadership. You can get all the resources in the world, you can get all the best human capital… but if the leadership is not there you can’t make the best of the resources you have and eventually move your country forward.”

Ibrahima Cheikh Diong is UN-Assistant Secretary General and Director General of the African Union specialized agency “the African Risk Capacity Group” or ARC, which works with governments to help them deal with climate related disasters.

But in a varied career, he’s also been a member of the Senegalese government and worked for the World Bank, as a senior banker and in management consultancy. And he even speaks Mandarin as well as French and English thanks to his student days in China.

But he says if he had to best describe himself he’d say he was ‘an African who cares about Africa and wants to make a difference in Africa’.

This is Alan’s second conversation with people included – like himself – in New African Magazine’s 100 Influential Africans list for this year.

You’ve gone to the grocery store and bought your week’s supplies… so can you imagine receiving your change in sweets, chocolates and other small items?

That’s the situation in Zimbabwe where a shortage of US dollars – and a plummeting Zimbabwean dollar – has now led the government to introduce a new currency pegged to gold.

The Zimbabwean dollar has already lost three quarters of its value this year.

But will this latest move work any better than other attempts by the government to stabilise the economy in the past?

Earlier this month, the goalkeeper of Spanish third-tier team, Rayo Majadahonda, went into the stands to confront a fan who allegedly racially abused him. Cheikh Sarr, a black man originally from Senegal, said he heard an elderly man join others as they made monkey gestures. But what took many people by surprise was the Spanish football federation’s decision to slap the player with a two-match ban for the confrontation. It’s not the first time European football has been rocked by a racism scandal. Last year, seven people were arrested for a similar incident against Real Madrid and Brazilian star Vinicius Junior. Samuel Eto’o, who is now the Cameroonian football federation’s president said, he too faced discrimination when he was still playing for Barcelona in Spain. Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze, Ghana’s Iñaki Williams and Mouctar Diakhaby of Guinea, are among European-based African players who’ve also faced racism. So, what will it take to end racism in European football? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Evelyn Watta, vice president of the International Sports Press Association and veteran British-Nigerian broadcaster Osasu Obayiuwana

Ghana and Ivory Coast, responsible for over 60% of the world's cocoa supply, are suffering from catastrophic harvests. Illegal gold mining, climate change and a devastating virus have formed a perfect storm. Over 590,000 hectares of cocoa plantations have been affected according to Ghana’s cocoa marketing board Cocobod.

Meanwhile, shoppers who indulged in Easter treats in the United States found the cost of chocolate had increased by more than 10% on last year, according to data from research firm NielsenIQ.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to BBC's Nicolas Negoce about the specific challenges faced by cocoa farmers in the region.

Yesterday, Africa Daily heard from two Sudanese men about how a year of war has forever changed their lives.

But the impact is also being felt beyond Sudan’s borders: South Sudan’s oil industry – its main income generator – has been heavily impacted because routes to the coast for export have been cut off. Chad and South Sudan are hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees each. And in border areas, armed groups have been growing more active and refugees report extortion, brutal attacks and murder.

In response, many regional leaders have attempted to bring the leaders of the two warring parties together for talks: military chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of Rapid Support Forces, who is more commonly known as Hemedti. But mistakes and perceived insults mean little has been achieved from their efforts.

So can African countries do anything to stop the conflict?

On April 15th last year, fighting broke out between the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a powerful paramilitary group know as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As the conflict escalated millions fled for their lives. According to the United Nations World Food Programme, around 18 million people in Sudan are facing food insecurity – a situation likely to worsen because of failed harvests. In Darfur, now mostly in the hands of the RSF, whole cities have emptied out as civilians faced targeted attacks and rapes based on their ethnic group, and there have been countless atrocities committed by both sides throughout the country. Today on Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to a man who has just been reunited with his elderly mother and younger brother after they crossed the desert to reach him in Egypt, and to the BBC’s Mohanad Hashim, who is himself Sudanese.

This month marks ten years since the kidnapping of the Chibok girls in north eastern Nigeria when militants abducted nearly 300 girls. Most of the girls have either been freed or escaped but dozens remain unaccounted.

In the years since, kidnapping for ransom - for profit- by criminal gangs has also become the norm, even in places like trains or in the capital Abuja, which used to be considered relatively safe.

In today’s episode Alan Kasujja speaks to a woman who was kidnapped twice on her way home from work, and hears more about the approach by Nigerian police to kidnappings.

Some listeners may find some of the descriptions of kidnapping in this episode distressing.

On the 14th of April 2014, 279 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, in north eastern Nigeria.

Since that fateful night some have escaped, many have been rescued but sadly others remain missing.

As Nigeria and the community of Chibok mark 10 years since the kidnapping of the girls, the country has seen many more abductions.

One estimate suggests more than 4,000 people have been abducted in Nigeria in the past 8 months.

So today Alan Kasujja will be looking at how the girls, now women, families and community are getting on. And we hear from the army on what they are doing to find the girls who are still missing.

“The problem is that communities are always excluded when important decisions are taken. Companies impose decisions on communities” – Fana Sibanyoni, a resident of Embalenhle in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province In today’s episode, Mpho Lakaje sits down with Sharon Mbonani and Fana Sibanyoni, the residents of Embalenhle in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. They share their personal stories on how they are affected by air pollution. Their province is known for being home to some of South Africa’s major mines and power stations. This conversation comes after Greenpeace Africa released a report stating that Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa are leading air polluters in Africa. Some of the main culprits include power plants that use fossil fuel for electricity generation, and the results are devastating. The report has revealed that air pollution is responsible for 6.7 million deaths every year on the continent. So, how are the nations mentioned in the study responding to this problem?

Last week, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a national disaster due to a prolonged drought crisis, saying the country needed $2 billion to address hunger. Zimbabwe, once a regional food producer, now grapples with high inflation and scarcity, intensified by climate change-induced droughts. This crisis affects not only food production but also electricity generation, leading to power cuts. And it’s not just Zimbabwe. Neighbouring countries are also struggling, with Zambia and Malawi also declaring drought a national disaster. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja hears from an impacted farmer in Zambia and hears from the BBC's Shingai Nyoka how people are coping in the region.

Recently Africa Daily presenter Mpho Lakaje had a shock - he found he had been the victim of identity theft. The person or people behind the crime had opened accounts using his personal details and taken out six loans to a total value of $2,000. It has so far been impossible for the local police to make arrests because everything happened online.

He's far from alone: the Southern African Fraud Prevention Services says reports of the crime increased by 356% in South Africa from 2022 to 2023 - and an Interpol report shows that South Africa tops Africa in cyber threats and is third in the world. In today’s episode, Mpho makes a trip to the police station to sort out his now complicated affairs - and sits down with another identity theft victim Cisca. He also speaks to Chad Thomas of IRS Forensic Investigations.

So just how big a problem is impersonation fraud in Africa? And what can you do to protect yourself from cybercriminals?

This episode contains graphic description of violence. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“I do not know when I will die maybe it’s today or tomorrow - but I felt if I died without forgiving him the burden would be on my children.” This weekend marks 30 years since the start of the Rwandan genocide. In 100 days, nearly 1 million people were killed based on their ethnicity.

At 13 years old, Claudette was attacked with a spear and shot – but somehow survived. Most of her family were less lucky and were killed. And yet she’s taken the remarkable decision of forgiving her attacker.

She’s one of a number of people who told her story to BBC reporter Victoria Uwonkunda on a recent visit to the country to mark the anniversary.

Victoria was just a year younger, 12 years old, when she herself fled Rwanda and the genocide with her family. She lived as a refugee in the DRC and Kenya before being settled in Norway. She has spoken about her struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

In this episode of Africa, she tells Alan Kasujja about her trip back to her home country – the first since she left – and shares more of Claudette’s story.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja Reporter: Victoria Uwonkunda @afroscandi

To hear more, listen to Victoria’s full documentary on https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hm1sbt

"It's hard to live in Africa. It's hard to pay your bills. Public transport is hard... And it's hard to run a business in Africa."

Alan got a belated Christmas surprise this year – when he found out he’d been named as one of New African Magazine’s list of 100 most influential Africans.

He’s in good company… Senegal’s Ousmane Sonko, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and Guinea’s coup leader and president, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, are also on the list.

But the list isn’t just about politics: it also gives a nod to changemakers in business, science, sport - and to those working to improve the environment.

So in the first in a series of conversations, Alan speaks today to two young, energetic business leaders who are on the list - and are changing how money is used on the continent.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja Guests: Coura Sene, West Africa Regional director for Wave and Ham Sirunjogi, Co-Founder & CEO of Chipper Cash

South Africa is one of the top wine producers in the world yet, nearly thirty years after the end of apartheid, the industry is still dominated by white-owned wineries. Black-owned brands account for less than 1% of wine sales per litre in South Africa, even though black South Africans make up over 80% of the population.

But a determined group of black women wine-makers want to change this. They’ve been supported by a British company ‘On Cloud Wine’ and its owner, Emily Batchelor, who gave them the financial support to export their wines – after many found it difficult to sell it themselves within South Africa But 30 years after apartheid, why are there still so few black women involved in winemaking in South Africa? Guests: Nondumiso Pikashe and Vivian Kleyhans. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje

“Davy became our friend.”

Tales of conflict between animals and people are all too common across Africa. People have been cast off their land to make way for wildlife parks for tourists. Animals have attacked humans, poachers kill for tusks and scales, and large animals like elephants trample on crops and destroy them.

But today we’re travelling about 200 km west of Nairobi in Kenya to an area called Sachangwan, where a shy elephant managed to charm his way into the hearts of the local community when he wandered into their area as a calf in 2017. Despite him causing some damage, the local people grew fond of him and learnt to live with him – and even gave him the name Davy.

But last month the Kenya Wildlife Service finally captured him and moved him to the Aberdare National Park where they say he’ll have the company of other elephants. They also say it’s not a good thing for elephants to live in such close proximity to humans.

So on today’s Africa Daily, Muthoni Muchiri asks – how can humans and elephants co-exist for the benefit of both?

GUESTS: Joel Too - local pastor Abigael Simaloi Pertet - Co-Existence Project Manager at the Mara Elephant Project

Approximately 26.3 million people in Africa have a form of visual impairment, and it’s estimated that 5.9 million are blind. Blindness in people can occur at birth or later in life, and many people across the continent who are blind face several daily challenges. Amidu Abubakar made history when he became Sierra Leone’s first ever blind law graduate. So what’s it like to study law as a blind person? What changes made it possible for Amidu to reach this dream of studying law? Umaru Fofana, based in Freetown, has been finding out in this episode he guest presented.

The Ras al-Hikma peninsula on the north coast of Egypt is going to become a new city. But it’s going to be built and managed by another country, the United Arab Emirates.

In a deal signed earlier this year, Egypt gave the UAE the right to develop this 170 square kilometre area in return for $35 billion dollars. The Egyptian economy was in a critical position, and needed a quick cash injection to get it out of trouble, and the Ras al-Hikma deal was seen as the solution. But it is a very unusual deal. Both because of the amount of money involved, but also because it gives another country the right to essentially build and own a city in Egypt. And it’s not known whether it provides a long-term solution to Egypt’s economic problems. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Wael Gamal, from ‘The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights’ a human rights think tank based in Cairo, Yomn Hamaky an Economics Professor at Ain Shams university in Egypt, and Ahmed Ghoneim, Professor of Economics at Cairo University.

This month there have been six mass abductions in the north of Nigeria, many involving children.

One school that was attacked by armed men was in the town of Kuriga in the North West. There, the parents of 137 children had to wait, helpless, for the next 16 days, not knowing where their children were, or how they were being treated by the kidnappers.

The Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, took a tough line, saying there would be no ransom paid.

But then, on Sunday, there was relief after it was announced they'd been released. It’s not clear how this happened, but all the children are believed to have survived. There was one fatality, a teacher called Abubakar Issa, who had been kidnapped with the children.

For today's Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Dahiru Abdulahi, the parent of one of the students who was taken.

“Everybody wants to see you – everybody thinks this is an opportunity for employment…. a lot of people come into government believing they are there to enrich themselves.”

It’s nearly three months since Joseph Boakai started work as Liberia’s new president. But in an interview with the Africa Daily podcast he tells Alan Kasujja that he’s still fielding enquiries from people wanting government jobs every working day from early in the morning.

The 79-year-old, who was Vice President from 2006 to 2018 under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, narrowly defeated George Weah in November last year – after campaigning on an anti-corruption ticket. But he says while he’s spoken constantly about the need to clean up politics, many people ‘still haven’t grasped’ the concept that politics is about service and not about financial security for themselves and their family.

In a wide-ranging and frank interview, he also tells Alan Kasujja how poverty and badly paid jobs like rubber tapping helped prepare him for leadership, his plans for a war crimes court to work for justice and reconciliation after the country’s two brutal civil wars, and how he wants to sort out Liberia’s awful roads within his first 100 days in office.

And he and Alan discover a shared love of Arsenal Football Club…

“Life here is difficult. You have to be a resilient person to survive. There’s no electricity. The roads are almost non-existent. In sunny days, the shack gets too hot. You can’t stay inside. When it’s cold, it gets very cold. When it’s raining, it gets flooded” – Lala Maria Sebetlele, a resident of a Johannesburg shanty town When Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress took over in 1994, it introduced the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). It’s a policy that aims to build low-cost homes for the poor, thus reversing the legacy of apartheid. More than three million such houses have since been built, but many people still live in shanty towns due to a variety of reasons. They include internal migration and rapid urbanization. The University of Johannesburg has now come up with an initiative to use 3D printing technology to construct low-cost houses to help ease the accommodation burden. How exactly does it work? And will it make a difference? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Lala Maria Sebetlele, Dr. Alec Moemi and Professor Jeffrey Mahachi

It’s been 30 years since one of the worst atrocities in recent African history - the Rwandan genocide.

In 1994, between 800,000 and one million ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 100 days.

Some Rwandans have worked hard to move on from the tragic events of 1994, but many - both in and out of the country - are still living with the trauma.

Jean Paul Samputu was already an established musician in Rwanda at the time.

He was living abroad during the genocide, but he lost his parents, two brothers and a sister, all killed by a neighbour and his childhood friend.

Now a global peace ambassador, Jean Paul says he has found healing in forgiving his family’s killer.

The Kora Awards winner tells Alan Kasujja what role music has played in his peace campaigns.

After a turbulent few years of disputes and protests, and accusations that President Macky Sall was trying to hang on to office, Senegal is holding its presidential election on March 24.

Speaking to the BBC this week, the president refused to apologise for his attempt in February to postpone the vote by several months - saying he'd always acted according to the constitution and that he 'did nothing wrong'.

He decision led to violent protests, but was reversed after Senegal’s top court blocked the postponement.

So, will these elections be a turning point for Senegal and can the country have a peaceful transition of power?

Presenter: Alan Kasujja

Guests: James Copnall and Professor Mamadou Bodian

Female Genital Mutilation or FGM is a practice that divides people. In the countries where it’s common – it’s usually carried out for cultural or religious reasons - but in recent years many African countries have banned the practice saying it’s a violation of the rights of women and girls. It can cause serious health problems – including infection and complications in childbirth – and girls have died when the procedure has gone wrong.

But now in The Gambia – a bill has been introduced that would reverse a ban brought in under former President Yahya Jammeh in 2015. This week, the bill passed its latest parliamentary stage and will now go to a committee of MPs for further consideration.

For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Jaha Marie Dukureh, the founder for Safe Hands for Girls - an organization focused on ending FGM in The Gambia, and UN women regional goodwill ambassador for Africa.

For the last 10 years Libya has been split into two – East and West - each with its own government.

And in 2021 an attempt at elections failed after some questioned the eligibility of the main candidates.

But now three influential Libyan leaders have said they intend to try to form a new unified government. They say it's a 'necessity'. So why is this happening now? And could a coalition government finally bring some peace to Libya? Guest: Amira Fathalla, Presenter: Alan Kasujja

So the question being discussed by Kenyans for the last 2 weeks: will the country really send police officers to Haiti or not?

US citizens have been evacuated and aid groups have warned that millions of Haitians face acute food shortages, as well-armed gangs wreak terror on the capital, Port-au-Prince.

It’s widely accepted that stopping the gangs will take determined international intervention – but the shape that it will take is still under question.

President Ruto is insisting Kenya will send 1000 police officers to fight the gangs once a transitional government is in place.

But many Kenyans are asking why their police officers are being offered to lead the force – when the US is so much closer to the violence stricken country.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Dr Ekuru Aukot, a lawyer and opposition politician who successfully obtained a court order stopping the deployment in January.

He also talks to Kenyan security analyst George Musamali and BBC Africa’s Security Correspondent Ian Wafula.

Earlier this month an arrest warrant was issued for a Kenyan man accused of practising law without qualifications after he skipped court, according to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

The case has captivated Kenyans ever since the man was outed as an illegitimate lawyer last October, there's been outrage, support and amusement.

At the time, legal officials in Kenya urged police to arrest the man, who had been practicing under the name "Brian Mwenda".

Alan Kasujja spoke to Mwaura Kabata, the Vice President Elect of the Law Society of Kenya. They’re known for advocating for lawyers' rights, shaping legal policies and providing crucial support and education to legal professionals across the country.

It’s like something out of a Shakespearean drama. A strongman in power. A cousin threatens his position only to end up dead. But this is Chad, 2024 – and the strongman is Chad’s military leader, Mahamat Déby. Recently his most vocal critic, Yaya Dillo, who was also his cousin, was killed in a shootout with security forces.

So what is the relationship between different members of this powerful family? And as the country gears up to Presidential elections on the 6th May – meant to return the country to constitutional rule - does Chad even have a viable opposition anymore?

Guest: Beverley Ochieng, Presenter: Alan Kasujja

“As an ordinary Zimbabwean I have to be worried when my president is sanctioned, because an investor who is in Dubai will think twice before coming to Zimbabwe” – Dr. Alexander Rusero, Zimbabwean political analyst. The United States has imposed fresh sanctions, replacing a broader programme that was introduced more than two decades ago. Those targeted include president Emmerson Mnangagwa who is accused by President Joe Biden’s administration of corruption and human rights abuses. Others on the list are First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri. In a statement the United States says, “We continue to witness gross abuses of political, economic and human rights”. The White House further says, the targeting of civil society and severe restrictions on political activity have stifled fundamental freedoms. But Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF has denied America’s claims. So, where do these developments leave ordinary Zimbabweans? Alan Kasujja speaks to Zanu-PF spokesperson Tafadzwa Mugwadi and political analyst Dr. Alexander Rusero.

Nollywood is Africa’s biggest film industry.

Many will associate it with lots of drama, addictive story-telling, the glitz and glamour of the red carpet. But a story that’s increasingly being told now is of financial hardship.

John Okafor, who was also known as Mr Ibu, died a few weeks ago, last year he posted a video on Instagram asking his fans for help with his medical bills. And he isn’t alone, many other household names in Nigeria have posted videos on social media asking for financial support as they struggle with the challenges of being older actors.

So why’s this happening in a multi-billion dollar movie industry?

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas.

Apologies: only part of this podcast was initially published because of a technical fault, but this has since been rectified. _______________________________________________________________________________

"They thought that paying fees for girls to go to school was losing money... We would not get husbands to marry us. People say that going to school is just building prostitution."

When Marthe Wandou was growing up in the village of Kaélé in northern Cameroon, she was the only girl to get to university. Most of her female classmates left to get married – and local people ridiculed her parents - especially her Dad – for sending their daughters to school.

She studied law, but returned to her home state and set up a foundation called Aldepa which works to support girls and women - especially in making sure they stay in school.

So what are the obstacles girls still face when it comes to their education? And what are women like Marthe doing about it?

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has declared a national because of the prolonged drought.

He says 84 districts out of a total of 116 in the country have been affected.

The President said almost half of the land used for planting crops had been affected by severe dry conditions.

There are also fears that the country will struggle to meet its electricity demands, as most of its energy comes from water sources.

So how are Zambians coping with this situation? Alan Kasujja speaks to Zambian journalist Kennedy Gondwe.

Africa's biggest multisport event - the African Games - get underway in Ghana tonight, with 49 nations competing in 29 different sports.

This is the 13th edition of the games – which are held every four years, usually one year before the Olympic Games.

But this time they’ve been delayed by 8 months - since August 2023 - because of a disagreement over marketing rights which delayed the completion of facilities.

It’s part of an ongoing dispute between the Africa Union (AU) which owns the games, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations – all of which are meant to work together to put on the event.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja re-lives his childhood memories from the fourth edition of the games held in Nairobi in 1987 as he talks to Africa’s former queen of sprints Nigeria’s Mary Onyali Omagbemi who lit up the games with phenomenal speed.

But with the standards of the games appearing to have dropped, he also talks to Ghanaian Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, asking if there is a future for the Africa Games.

“If the Islamist extremist groups succeed in entrenching themselves in Cabo Delgado, they will launch attacks in different parts of the continent” – Professor Adriano Nuvunga of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights Just as Mozambique's authorities thought Cabo Delgado province in the north of the country was beginning to stabilise, trouble started again. Insurgents linked to the group, Islamic State have launched new attacks on the area in recent weeks. As a result, more than 70 children are now missing. The authorities say they were separated from their families as thousands of people fled to a neighbouring province. According to Doctors Without Borders, over half a million people in that province remain displaced as of December 2023. The insurgency in gas-rich Cabo Delgado, launched by the IS-linked local al-Shabab militia, is now in its seventh year. High levels of poverty and disputes over access to land and jobs have contributed to local grievances. Today Alan Kasujja attempts to understand what it will take to end the conflict in Cabo Delgado.

In many parts of the continent, landing a job at a multinational company is a big deal – it promises growth and stability. But what happens when things go wrong? You get made redundant. Do you know what rights and protections you have?

That’s the scenario that staff members in Ghana’s Twitter office found themselves in back in November 2022. Musk tweeted that "everyone" would get three months' severance pay. But it turns out, "everyone" didn't seem to include the Ghanaian staff.

Alan Kasujja caught up with Carla Olympio, founder of Agency Seven Seven, the firm backing the Ghanaian staff fighting for their rights under Ghana's Labour Act of 2003. After a year-long battle, the agency successfully negotiated a redundancy settlement for the affected staff members.

“I think this community of BRICS is looking after each other and for sure it’s going to open more doors” – Gert Blignaut, South African beef exporter In August 2023, we brought you an episode on South Africa hosting about 70 heads of state from different parts of the world. They included China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi and Lula da Silva of Brazil, whose nations, along with Russia, form part of a bloc known as BRICS.

Founded in 2009, this group aims to promote economic co-operation and increase trade among its member states. Russia’s Vladimir Putin couldn’t attend because of the International Criminal Court warrant of arrest against him, because of claims relating to the on-going war in Ukraine. At that two-day meeting held in Johannesburg, it was announced that Egypt, Ethiopia and several other developing economies were joining the bloc from the start of 2024. And this year, South Africa started exporting beef to Saudi Arabia, one of the countries who’ve been invited to join BRICS. So, what do these developments mean? Is Africa starting to see the benefits of aligning with BRICS? Does America and its western allies have a credible economic rival? Or is it all a pie in the sky?

To answer these questions, Alan Kasujja sits down with South African beef exporter Gert Blignaut and Professor Patrick Bond from the University of Johannesburg.

“You just learn that the people who are against you… will always exist and they’ll always use every opportunity they can to amplify mistakes and actually very often try to portray them as deliberate. That’s part of the learning I’ve had to go through.”

Being the mayor of Freetown is a tough job. Yvonne Aki Sawyer grew up in Sierra Leone but then went to the UK to study as a student. She stayed, built up a well-paid career in finance, got married, had kids. But after Ebola hit Sierra Leone in 2014 she took a sabbatical to help and became the director of Planning for Sierra Leone's National Ebola Response Centre.

In the years since, she’s been voted in as mayor of Freetown twice – running on a ticket dominated with environmental concerns. But she’s also been investigated for corruption and accused of misappropriating public funds - allegations she denies and says are politically motivated.

In a frank conversation, she tells Alan Kasujja about her attempts to work with the government, how women support women in Sierra Leone, and denies she’s drunk the political Kool-Aid.

“My life is very different to what it was (in the UK)… I certainly don’t earn a fraction of what I used to earn… I am here because this is my heart,” she tells Alan.

You can see the Africa Eye film about her work – and the pretty brutal election campaign she went through - “Mayor on the Frontline: democracy in crisis’’ on the BBC News Africa Youtube page.

Earlier this week we heard on Africa Daily from people struggling to manage as the cost of essential food items and fuel rockets in Nigeria.

Inflation is now close to 30% and many stores have stopped displaying prices for the goods on sale - because prices are increasing so fast. Some people have begun hoarding food.

Protesters have taken to the streets in cities around the country calling on the government to intervene - but the unions cancelled a second day of strikes on Wednesday - giving the government two weeks to meet their demands.

So what has the government said in response? And what are they likely to do?

For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to the BBC’s West Africa reporter Nkechi Ogbonna - and we hear from Nigeria's Finance Minister, Wale Edun.

“Society calls us waste pickers but I am a reclaimer, I don’t collect waste,” says Luyanda Hlashwayo, who for the last 12 years has made a living by sifting through household garbage to find recyclables for sale.

It is estimated there are 15-20 million people worldwide who, like Hlatshwayo, depend on the informal waste sector for livelihood.

Their work is dangerous and they are paid poorly.

Through the Africa Reclaimers Organisation which he helped found, waste pickers from South Africa and Kenya are discussing ways to improve their working conditions and livelihoods, as they continue to push for recognition as formal stakeholders.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Hlatshwayo and Winnie Wanjira who has been a waste picker at one of the largest landfills in East Africa.

“South African deployment of soldiers to DRC is out of order. It must be withdrawn with immediate effect. Not that South Africa is not supposed to deploy in DRC. We [are] supposed to deploy in the DRC and be in the forefront. We just don’t have the army” – Julius Malema, EFF leader The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is affecting several African nations. Just recently, Africa Daily produced a podcast demonstrating how tensions between Burundi and Rwanda are tied to the conflict in the DRC. And now, it’s South Africans who’ve been affected. Local opposition parties insist that their nation’s army lacks the intended weapons, drones and mortar groups to protect them. It comes after two of the troops were killed in a mortar strike in eastern DRC. They were part of 2, 900 soldiers deployed to that country for a peacekeeping mission. So, is South Africa up for this operation? Why does president Cyril Ramaphosa’s government feel so strongly about having a presence in the DRC? What’s in it for them? But also, who decides which countries should be part of such missions?

It’s been 10 months since fierce fighting between the Sudanese army and the parliamentary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out. A civil war that continues to heavily impact Sudan and its civilians.

Earlier this month, the United Nations appealed for just over $4 billion to fund humanitarian operations in the country and neighbouring countries hosting refugees. They’ve described human suffering of epic proportions and say nearly nine million people have been displaced.

More recently, Sudan has been plunged into an internet blackout. The blackout has left people in the country unable to access essential services, like transferring money.

To find out more on the situation, BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Suliman Baldo who is the founding director of the think tank Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker and Buthina who was born and raised in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital. She had to relocate when the war started and now works for an international organization supporting local groups on the ground.

In Nigeria, consumers are struggling. The cost of many basic necessities like rice, yams and even onions, have doubled since last year.

It follows the decision by the government of President Bola Tinubu to remove a subsidy on fuel, and to devalue the naira – which had cost the government billions of dollars. But while the policies were aimed at increasing foreign investment, they’ve seen costs rocket for consumers in Nigeria.

People have reacted in a variety of ways: from protests, to food hoarding, to prayers and fasting in the hope God might just intervene.

For today’s Africa Daily, Alan @Kasujja speaks to a Tolani and Femi Sarumi, who work respectively as a travel agent and estate surveyor, to find out how they’re coping – and talks through the background to the crisis with business analyst, Endurance Okafor.

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum will be buried on Friday in his village in south-western Kenya.

The 24-year-old died in a road accident two weeks ago alongside his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana.

Kiptum’s death comes after several tragic incidents which have claimed the lives of Kenyan athletes in their prime.

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir and asks if athletes are faced with greater risks outside the field of play.

“This is a cycle in Congo. It’s been almost 30 years this has been happening again and again and again. And (it) is devastating to see the same civilian populations are moving again and again.”

Goma – the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo - has an official population of 2 million people. But more than half a million displaced people are now also living there, following a spike in fighting between the Congolese army and the Tutsi-led M23 rebel group around the town of Sake - just over 20 kilometres away.

Sake is on the main road that connects Goma to the rest of the region – meaning the city is all but cut off for supplies by road.

Aid agencies say if the rebel group were to move into Goma it would be an even greater disaster for the local population.

But how likely is that, and what is M23’s goal?

Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja. Guests: Eric Batonon, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s country director and security analyst Alex Ntung.

Afrobeats and Amapiano are two of the most popular genres in Africa and both genres are now also being recognised and appreciated worldwide. This year's prestigious Grammy awards gave us 'Best African Music Performance’ for the first time. Out of the seven nominees- four were from Nigeria- Davido, Burna Boy, Asake and Olamide and there were two artists from South Africa, Musa Keys and the winner Tyla. The only other country represented was Arya Starr from Benin but even she lives in Nigeria. A lot of people raised the question of why this award didn’t recognise artists from other parts of Africa if it's an award created to celebrate music across the whole continent. So why does Nigerian and South African music seem to be dominating music from other parts of Africa? Guests: MC Yallah, ePianoh and Keiitumetse Maako

Back in 2015, Burundi closed its border with Rwanda, amid internal violence that erupted from the disputed re-election of then President Pierre Nkurunziza. At the time, Burundi accused Rwanda of supporting the protesters and encouraging the perpetrators of a failed coup. But the two governments seemed to put that behind them, following the election of Évariste Ndayishimiye as Burundi’s president in 2020. Two years later, the crossing was reopened and trade was back on track. But at the start of this year, diplomatic ties between the two nations suffered a new blow. Burundi, once again, shut the entry points, accusing its neighbour of hosting and training a rebel group known as RED-Tabara. This armed militia claimed responsibility for a deadly attack near Burundi's western border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So, what will it take to end tensions between the two nations? Guests: Rwanda’s government spokesperson Yolande Makolo and political analyst Kwezi Tabaro Presenter: Alan Kasujja

“This is a time for us to stand very tall and stop aid in Africa. We need to find a way of nurturing our natural resources that we have in Africa and really claim back this beautiful continent that we call the Mother Africa” – Nthabeleng Likotsi, South African entrepreneur Today Alan Kasujja sits down with award-winning South African entrepreneur Nthabeleng Likotsi, to discuss how she and her team are building a mutual bank. Her country’s central bank, SARB, recently granted her organization a license to officially run their organization. It took nearly a decade for Nthabeleng to secure this crucial document because businesses first have to tick all the boxes. Her organisation, Young Women in Business Network, is the very first black women owned financial services company of its kind to be granted such a permit in her country. Nthabeleng’s is a story of relentless optimism, perseverance, the ability to learn all the time and most importantly, having the courage to pursue your dreams. The lessons don’t only apply to business. As our listener, you could use them to start anything. It could be a small initiative that helps your community or anything that makes a difference in the lives of your loved ones.

After the introduction of the first African woman referee at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2021, the expansion of women into football decision-making on the continent continued in Ivory Coast where a total of six women were officiating at the 2023 Afcon tournament.

Zambian assistant referee Diana Chikotesha made history when she became the first female on-pitch match official to feature in a men’s Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. She was assistant referee in the match that saw Ivory Coast crowned champions after a 2-1 win over Nigeria.

In this week’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Diana along with her fellow referee, South Africa’s Akhona Makalaima.

“The government has been reacting very strongly to the possibility of famine and they’re dismissing it, but they are admitting there is drought and that millions of people are being affected.”

It’s just over a year since the Ethiopian government signed a peace deal with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front – to end the brutal civil war in the north of the country.

The ‘Pretoria agreement’ saw the TPLF agreeing to disarm, in return for the reopening of Tigray, to allow in desperately needed food aid.

During the war hundreds of thousands of people are reported to have died – many from starvation. But now, international aid agencies are warning that people there are again in desperate need of food. And throughout the last year there have been outbreaks of violence in other regions in Ethiopia: Amhara, Afar, and Oromia. So what’s happening in Tigray and Ethiopia?

Alan @Kasujja speaks to the BBC’s Kalkidan Yibeltal.

The African diaspora are viewed by many as a valuable asset for Africa on the global stage. One country trying to harness that power and influence is Rwanda. They have events around the world to connect and engage with their diaspora. This year an event was held in Washington DC in the United States where President Paul Kagame spoke. So how can Africa tap into the diverse skills, knowledge and expertise gained from years of experience abroad to further develop the continent in terms of innovation, entrepreneurship and capacity-building? BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to the spokesperson for the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo, as well as Natasha Muhoza and Maudo Jallow - two young Africans living in the diaspora who spoke about their personal experience.

“Some members will still look at you as a person who is only there to talk about disability. So every time you want to speak about a different issue, people still want to push you into the disability corner and say ‘this is not your space… If you’re not talking about disability you better keep quiet’.” Women in politics already face a lot of challenges in Africa - with some of their male counterparts questioning their ability, criticising their clothing and telling them to stick to ‘women’s issues’. But what about if you’re a woman and deaf? Or blind? Or live with another disability? Today, Alan Kasujja speaks with two women with disabilities who’ve had success in politics – but who are still pushing to make sure they are represented at the very heart of government. “Of course I can be President! Why not?!” Presenter: @kasujja Guests: @ashura_michael and @LKanushu39049

Producers: Gbenga Ogundare and Tabitha Mwai

“When I wake up every morning my work is only to find work, yet I have not heard from any employer for the last six months,” says Abdullahi Mohammed, a young Somali graduate. He has a degree in Information Technology, a master’s in Development Studies from the UK, and has some short-term experience working with international organisations. And yet he still can’t find a job in Somalia. This is the reality for millions of young people in the country, who are well educated but who face real challenges getting work. And it is particularly difficult for women. The statistics vary wildly according to who you speak to: The World Bank says about 20% of people are unemployed, while the Somali Congress of Trade Unions says it’s as high as 70%. In this episode of the Africa Daily Podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks with Abdullahi, another graduate Fardowsa Khalif, the president of Somali Trade Unions Mohamed Osman Haji Ali, and Mohammed Adam from Somali Public Agenda, a public policy research NGO.

When the Africa Cup of Nations started, hosts Ivory Coast were on the verge of disaster after losing two of their first three matches. But they dusted themselves off and went on to reach the final. They will take on a Nigerian side who boast talented players like Victor Osimhen, who plies his trade in Italy, and Stanley Nwabili, who plays in South Africa. But the Ivorians have dangermen of their own, including Seko Fofana and Sebastien Haller. But before the final, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa will be fighting for the bronze medal. This has been hailed as one of the most captivating AFCON tournaments in recent history, with smaller nations like Namibia beating Tunisia while Equatorial Guinea shocked the hosts in the group stages, by defeating them 4-0.

So, come the end of the weekend, who will be crowned the kings of African football?

Senegal has long had the reputation of being a bastion of democracy in Africa.

It has been a stable democracy in a region that’s often been blighted by instability.

In fact, it is the only country in mainland West Africa that has never had a military takeover.

But a recent postponement of the election by 10 months has seen Senegalese take to the streets saying they are worried their country’s reputation is at risk.

So how did Senegal get to this point and what next for the country?

Alan Kasujja has been speaking to Senegalese journalist Borso Tall and political analyst Ibrahima Kane.

It’s a common story across the continent. A student graduates from university. They celebrate the end of their hard work with proud family members.

But when they start job hunting they find they face fierce competition for a small number of jobs.

The International Labour Organization say one in five African youth were not in employment, education, or training in 2021.

But a similar proportion of Africa's working-age population are starting new businesses - the highest rate of any region in the world, according to the African Development Bank. So is entrepreneurship the answer to low job creation?

Alan Kasujja has been looking at this issue with a budding entrepreneur who is about to graduate and a university professor who has witnessed trends in graduate employment.

"It's time to bring the decent story about Africa forward."

It’s not every day you get to chat to a billionaire.

But for today’s episode Alan Kasujja speaks with Mo Ibrahim - the Sudanese born businessman who’s made it his life's mission to counter corruption.

His charitable organisation ‘The Mo Ibrahim Foundation’ rewards African leaders for good governance with awards of $5 million.

He made his wealth by building a telecommunications company called Celtel which he sold in 2005 for $3.4 billion.

In a lively conversation, Alan talks to him about celebrating Africa’s heroes, corruption – and how much cash a billionaire carries in his wallet…

In today's episode, Alan Kasujja sits down with Michayla Moss who is American-Israeli and Iyad Abu Kalusa, a Palestinian from Gaza. Both of them currently live in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conflict started on the 7th of October 2023, when Palestinian group Hamas and other armed factions attacked Israel, killing about 1,300 people - mostly civilians - and taking 240 hostages. Israel subsequently retaliated, killing more than 27,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

South Africa then asked the international Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

So what's it like to watch a war unfold in your homeland from thousands of kilometres away?

A regional bloc is a group of countries that team up to work together on common goals, like trade or security, to benefit all members. In Africa they include Ecowas, which stands for the Economic Community of West African States, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) amongst others.

But are they always as effective as they set out to be? Recently, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso quit the West African bloc - Ecowas. The military-led countries had already been suspended from the bloc, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.

From Liberia in 1990 to the Gambia in 2017, regional groups have deployed troops to address coups, civil wars, and disputed elections. While some interventions, like the restoration of President Kabbah in Sierra Leone, were successful, others such as the intervention in the Liberian civil war, faced criticism for human rights abuses.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to BBC Africa’s Beverly Ochieng about the role regional blocs play in Africa and how their interventions impact citizens.

Religion is a close to the heart of many Africans – closely linked as it is to identity, culture and values.

So no-one will have been surprised at the ferocious response to the BBC Africa Eye documentary series called ‘Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua’ – in which a number of former followers recounted experiences including sexual abuse, rape and manipulation by the self-proclaimed prophet.

But do allegations of abuse of power – levelled at a number of religious leaders over the years – suggest regulation is needed? And how can the followers of different religious groups be best protected?

Today on Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja brings together two Christian theologians who’ve wrestled with this question: Bishop Zac Niringiye, who was assistant Bishop of Kampala with the Church of Uganda, and Rev Dr Kenneth Ofula, a priest in his Anglican Church of Kenya and currently Tutorial Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University.

"I was so thankful that at my age, at 18, I had discovered this. Grown men were moved to tears… it was a collective state of euphoria."

Before his death in 2021, TB Joshua, the TV evangelist and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, was often seen alongside presidents and powerful politicians. But for the last few weeks, he has been the subject of furious debate, after the publication of a 3-part documentary series which exposed his rape, abuse and mistreatment of his ‘disciples’.

The former disciples accuse him of using both fake miracles and threats to win and then retain followers.

His church didn’t respond to the allegations in the documentary series but said previous claims against TB Joshua have been unfounded.

In the first part of a two-part series on cults, prophets and religious leaders, Alan Kasujja hears about the experiences of one of TB Joshua’s disciples – and speaks to Professor Maria Frahm-Arp from the department of religious studies at the University of Johannesburg.

He discusses why prophet-led, ‘single-man’ churches are so attractive to many people – and asks how people can spot if their church is actually a cult.

For more, listen to the World of Secrets 'Disciples' podcast from the BBC World Service. Or watch "Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua" on Youtube.

Table tennis lacks the glamour of football and the investment that athletics gets in Africa. However, it is played to a high standard in many countries, and in 2023, over 500 million people watched the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, South Africa, according to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

So do the young dedicated players of today believe that their game can raise its profile, and if so, what is needed for that to happen?

Alan Kasujja talks to two table-tennis playing students in Lagos, Ayuba Daniel Ikko-Allah and Ayomikun Oyenuga, about their hopes and dreams, and Latifat Ohiosumuan from the Africa branch of the ITTF to find out what needs to change to put table tennis on the map in Africa.

In November 2023, South Africa approached the International Court of Justice, to consider whether Israel is committing acts of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. It also called for an immediate ceasefire. And on Friday, the 26th of January, the UN’s top court made its interim ruling. It said, among other things, that Israel must do everything in its power to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza. But the court did stop short of ordering an immediate halt to military operations. So, what’s next? Will this ruling change anything in relation to the war in the Middle East? Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje talks to Palestinian ambassador to South Africa, Hanan Jarrar, and Benji Shulman of the South African Zionist Federation. He also sits down with Dr. Hlengiwe Ndlovu from the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg, to unpack the recent developments.

20 year old Rita Waeni was brutally murdered and dismembered. Her remains were discovered in rubbish bags at a rental apartment in the capital, Nairobi this month. The news shocked Kenya and led to uproar both online and offline with many saying that the government isn’t doing enough about violence against women.

Research by Africa Data Hub shows that from 2016 to 2023, over 500 femicide cases were uncovered in Kenya. Each representing a shattered life and a broken family. These numbers, though staggering, only scratch the surface of a much deeper problem rooted in intimate partner violence and systemic gender inequality.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to politician Esther Passaris about claims that Kenya’s leaders have been quiet on this matter. He also spoke to Njeri Migwi, the founder of Usikimye, an organization working towards ending the prevalence of sexual and gender based violence. Usikimye, along with two other organisations in Kenya, have organised an anti-femicide march in multiple counties over the weekend in Kenya.

Malaria kills more than 600,000 people around the world every year. But this week, Cameroon became the first country to start a mass rollout of the world’s first ever malaria vaccine – the WHO-approved RTS,S vaccine.

It is hoped that other countries will follow, in a move projected to save thousands of children's lives across Africa.

But will vaccine hesitancy stop parents having their children vaccinated?

On today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja talks to Professor Rose Leke, an internationally acclaimed Malaria expert who’s studied the disease for decades.

We all have a beginning to our lives and we will all have an ending.

At the end it is the work of morticians to look after our bodies when we die and to prepare them for burial.

It is an incredibly important job, but one that most of us give no thought to.

One person who is trying to change that is Filinda Wakuthi Kamau, a mortician and funeral director in Kenya. She publishes TikTok videos, using the handle @frimahkuthi, which get up to 25 million views, to demystify her work and get us talking a bit more about death.

Alan Kasujja called her up at Egerton University Funeral Home where she works to find out why.

At the weekend, Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in as President of the Democratic Republic of Congo – starting his second term in office. Last week on the podcast we talked about whether democracy and the political classes were doing anything to improve the lives of normal citizens across the country. And today we’re taking a closer look at the Eastern DRC – where decades of war has left millions killed or displaced. Despite ongoing fighting between government forces and the M23 rebels and other armed groups, Tshisekedi’s government has demanded that regional and UN peacekeepers leave the region – arguing both have failed to stop the violence, and accusing the East African Community forces of colluding with the rebels. In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja discusses the implications of the peacekeeping forces’ departure with Goma-based journalist Akilimali Saleh and BBC Africa’s security correspondent, Ian Wafula.

“Usually I would spend about 10,000 to 12,000 [South African Rands] on a bulk buy for the units of hair. But when I got this particular quotation, the hair on its own, the units I usually buy were at a total of 28,000 to 30,000” – Ziyanda Khumalo, South African small business owner Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja looks at how the attacks by the Houthis, a Yemen-based rebel group, are affecting Africa. He sits down with Johannesburg business owner Ziyanda Khumalo, who imports her products from overseas. He also hears from economist Joseph Busha, who explains how the events of the recent months in the Middle East are influencing the price of commodities in Africa. It all started on the 7th of October 2023, when Hamas and other factions attacked Israel. That country reported that more than 1,200 people were killed. This was followed by a barrage of Israeli air strikes and artillery on Gaza, which have so far claimed the lives of more than 23,000 Palestinians. This is according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The Houthis subsequently launched attacks of their own on vessels passing through the Red Sea. They claim to be targeting Israeli-linked ships, in protest at the war in Gaza.

A new government for the Democratic Republic of Congo will be sworn in at the weekend, and President Felix Tshisekedi will start his second term of office.

The country faces many challenges: from conflict in the east, to poor infrastructure, to lack of investment in public services. There are also questions about how connected the political elite in the capital are with the rest of the country, the biggest in Africa south of the Sahara.

So what are the expectations of the population for this new government?

We discuss this with Fred Bauma, a civil society activist and leader of a social justice collective called ‘La Lutte pour le Changement’, known as LUCHA. For many years he has been a leading voice in the DRC calling for political participation and peaceful activism.

On the podcast in November last year we heard the terrible stories of South Africans who’d lost their loved ones to cholera. Then, the disease was sweeping across Southern Africa and was causing a public health crisis in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique and Cameroon. Now, just two months later – Zambia is scrambling to contain the disease with more than 9,500 people affected.

Since 2023, 13 countries in the region have battled one of the worst cholera outbreaks to hit the region in years and, as of 15 January 2024, more than 200,000 cases, including over 3000 deaths, have been reported.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja discusses with BBC Africa’s Health Correspondent Dorcas Wangira why this preventable disease is proving so hard to control.

Former president Ernest Bai Koroma is due in court on Wednesday to face treason charges and other offences in connection with an attempted coup last November.

More than 20 people were killed when key sites across the country were attacked, including a military barracks and a prison where more than 2,200 inmates were set free.

Ernest Bai Koroma was elected in 2007 and was president for 11 years, he has denied any involvement.

In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja spoke to journalist Umaru Fofana in the capital Freetown on the charges and what this case means for Sierra Leone.

For many women and girls in Africa, getting their hair is a done is an essential ritual to feel and look good. Many find the hair salon to be one of the few places where they have time for themselves, to chat, laugh, to share good news and sorrows. But what if seeing your stylist was about something much more than getting your hair done… what if that relationship could help to save your life? In today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja has been speaking to Marie-Alix de Putter, the founder of the ‘Heal by Hair’ initiative. She explains why she believes that hairdressers have the under valued skills that could help African women with their mental health challenges and how her hair stylist helped her at the worst moment of her life.

“When you commit to a journey, the universe conspires to help you.“

In a surprise zoom call with student Mamadou Barry, Will Smith quoted those words from Paulo Coelho’s novel 'The Alchemist'. That story is about a boy who goes on a journey across north Africa to Egypt when he dreams of gold.

In a case of real life mirroring fiction, Mamadou also gave up his normal life to undertake a long journey across northern Africa. But his dream was of studying at the Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt.

When he realised he couldn’t raise enough money for a flight, Mamadou decided he’d simply cycle there, and so he began a journey that was to take him four months and thousands of miles through Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger and Chad.

His amazing bike ride caught the attention of strangers - who helped him to his end goal - and eventually of Will Smith who sent him a bike, a laptop and flight vouchers in Egypt to help him get back home to Guinea to visit his family.

In this edition of the Africa Daily podcast, Peter Musembi speaks to Mamadou about his journey, his motivation and the unexpected attention and support he’s received.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja takes a look at how Ivory Coast is preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to kick off this Saturday. The host nation will take on Guinea-Bissau in a clash that promises to set the tone for the rest of the competition. Other countries to watch include title holders Senegal, 2022 finalists Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Morocco who reached the semifinal of the FIFA World Cup two years ago. But some are weary of spoilers like Zambia who defeated Ivory Coast in 2012 and South Africa who last won it in 1996. Ivory Coast is also using this sporting event for social development, having spent over a billion dollars on stadia and other infrastructure. But many street vendors in the capital Yamoussoukro are fuming after the authorities moved them from areas closer to the stadium, to make way for the visitors. This is the reason some locals say that this event is excluding the poor.

The drama, the excitement and the big talking points – every match day. Star guests join the BBC’s John Bennett for reaction and analysis.

We’ll take you from the group stage all the way to the final, with everything you need to know from one of the biggest tournaments in the global game.

Search for World Football, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

On the 7th of October 2023, Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and other factions, launched a surprise attack on Israel. It led to the deaths of about 1,200 people, including foreign nationals, according to the Israeli government. More than 200 others were taken to Gaza as hostages, over a hundred have since been released.

Israel retaliated with a series of air and artillery strikes in Gaza. The Hamas-led Health Ministry says more than 22,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed to date. South Africa subsequently filed a case against Israel at the United Nations’ top court alleging that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to an act of genocide. But Israel has dismissed this accusation, promising to fight back. The hearing officially kicks off at the Hague in the Netherlands today.

Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja has been looking at the significance of this court case.

This week, pictures of the leader of the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, better known as Hemedti, at a genocide memorial in Rwanda and in Kenya hugging President William Ruto might have confused many.

That’s because a civil war has raged in Sudan since last April.

It began after Hemedti and the head of the armed forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan disagreed on the direction the country was going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule. The most contentious issue were plans to include the Rapid Support Forces’s 100,000 troops into the army. With no peace talks in sight, why is the RSF’s leader choosing to meet African leaders instead? Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been speaking to the BBC’s Africa correspondent Anne Soy and Suliman Baldo, an expert on Sudan and Executive Director of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker

Can you imagine life without plastic?

It’s cheap and convenient – but makes up an estimated 400 million tonnes of waste every year, of which only 10% is recycled.

It’s hoped ongoing negotiations could lead to an internationally legally binding treaty on ending plastic pollution by end of this year.

But calls for a reduction in the production of plastics is being strongly opposed by the plastics industry as well as oil and petrochemical exporting countries like Saudi Arabia. They insist the best solution to plastic waste is recycling. In this episode of Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to Dr Tiwonge Mzumara-Gawa from the Malawi University of Science and Technology, who is also a campaigner against plastic pollution. She says she's a conservation biologist by training; and an activist by passion.

The number of women studying STEM subjects in African universities - that’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – has risen dramatically over the last five decades. Female students now make up for almost 50% of the total number, a higher percentage of female representation than any other continent in the world. How has this happened and does this translate into similar representation in the job market once students graduate?

Alan Kasujja speaks to Professor Verdiana Grace Masanja, the first woman to gain a Maths Phd in Tanzania, and the first female Maths professor there. When she started she was the only woman in the room and throughout her life she has encouraged young women to seize the opportunities that she herself had to struggle for.

"I don't think the Somali government is interested in a fist fight with Ethiopia."

A diplomatic row broke out this week in response to a deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland allowing landlocked Ethiopia access to Somaliland’s coastline.

Somalia described the agreement as an act of "aggression". Both the African Union and US have issued statements saying Somalia’s sovereignty must be respected. Somaliland seceded from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as an independent state.

Somaliland said in a statement that in exchange for sea access, Ethiopia would "formally recognise" it.

But Ethiopia said that other countries had done deals with Somaliland in the past, and it had not "transgressed" any laws.

Confused? For today’s Africa Daily podcast Peter Musembi goes back to the basics – and hears about the background to this latest dispute.

Like many children in Africa, Masai Ujiri was obsessed with football as he was growing up.

But one day a new love struck him and he started what was to become a lifelong love affair with basketball.

He’s been a player, a scout, an agent and today he’s the president of the NBA side the Toronto Raptors, making him the first and only African-born president of a professional sports franchise in North America.

He’s also the founder of Giants of Africa: an organisation that aims to empower young African boys and girls through sport and basketball.

Alan caught up with Ujiri to talk about his journey and what drives him.

Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guest: Masai Ujiri

Peter Mutabazi is a Ugandan single dad who has fostered 38 children and adopted three of those kids. He lives in North Carolina in the US and these children come from different backgrounds and walks of life. This is something that gets him regularly noticed when he’s out with his family- he’s a black man in America raising white children. Peter was drawn to fostering and adoption because of what happened to him as a child. He was born in rural Uganda and lived in poverty without money for food, clothes or school. He ran away from home when he was 10 years old and became a homeless street kid in the capital Kampala. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Peter about growing as a vulnerable child in Uganda, life in the US and why he decided to parent so many children.

'The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability.’ Think about architecture and you probably think about tall buildings of steel and glass. But the theme of this year’s Sharjah Architecture Triennial is design influenced by scarcity – and how we can build in a way that adapts to decreasing resources and hotter climates. Africa has been disproportionately impacted by climate change. The Triennial is designed as a platform for architects from the global south – allowing them to share ideas on sustainability and reuse. Africa Daily hears from the curator of the exhibition, Nigerian architect, Tosin Oshinowo – as well from reporter Ijeoma Ndukwe who went to the opening week of the exhibition.

2023 was full of big news, interesting personal stories and some disastrous events like floods and earthquakes in different parts of Africa. So, what does 2024 hold for countries across Africa?

Guests: Anne Soy, Mpho Lakaje and Thomas Naadi. Presenter: Alan Kasujja.

2023 has been an eventful year for Africa and it's that time of the year when Africa Daily reflects on some of the things that have happened.

There's so much to discuss from South Africa's Springboks winning the rugby world cup to the Nigerian elections, as well as some disastrous floods and earthquakes in different regions.

Guests: Anne Soy, Mpho Lakaje, Sally Nabil, and Thomas Naadi. Presenter: Alan Kasujja.

Letsile Tebogo is well on his way to becoming an African superstar.

He took the athletics world by storm when he became the first African and first man from Botswana to win a medal in the 100 metres. He won silver and ran with a race time of 9.88 seconds, making him the first man from Botswana to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds.

And he’s only 20 years old.

His talent is a huge topic of conversation in the athletics world and the continent.

In today’s episode, we hear from the man himself on how he went from playing football to becoming fast on the track.

Buying affordable and safe medicines across Africa is often difficult. There are not enough pharmacies and the price of medicine is often too high for many people to afford.

If you do get hold of the medicine you need, then there is the question of whether you can trust it; shocking statistics from the United Nations show that close to 500,000 people in sub Saharan Africa die each year due to fake or substandard medicines.

So in this episode of Africa Daily we look at the journey of a packet of medicine from start to finish, to find out where the problems are, and how they can be solved.

Our two experts are Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi, Director of Research at Global Health Focus, and Chimwemwe Chamdimba, the Principal Policy Specialist at the African Union Development Agency.

"The majority of the men who come into my life feel they want to be my saviours... they can say: 'I'm dating a blind girl. Guess what guys, I'm taking one for the team'."

Imagine losing your sight after 31 years of clear vision. The simple tasks like attaching a file to an email, entering an office building or going for a walk unassisted now become so difficult. And what about things like dating and socialising?

According to the WHO, about 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment.

And even though sudden blindness cases are rare - conditions like glaucoma, where there’s increased pressure within the eyeball causing gradual loss of sight, affects over 80 million people.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to Evelyn who - as a filmmaker – relied on her sight for work – but who lost her sight completely in 2020.

She now aims to educate, inspire and 'share her daily nonsense' with people via Youtube and her social media platforms.

Producers: Gbenga Ogundare, Tabitha Mwai and Muthoni Muchiri.

"Every one of us has his or her personal mountain to climb. It might not be Everest or it might not be a physical mountain. Yours might be in the boardroom, on a bicycle, in your family, at school... There's always something we need to achieve. Something big, something difficult and something meaningful... And when you get there, remember to be thankful and reach down and pull someone else up with you."

Africa has its fair share of mountains ranges – the Rwenzoris, the Drakensburgs, The Atlas mountains, the Nuba, Mt Kenya, and of course Mt. Kilimanjaro.

They all form a nice backdrop, but very few look at them and say: “I’m going to go and climb that mountain!” Those who do lace up their hiking boots and set out to conquer those mountains are a special group – the mountaineer extra-ordinaries.

But one woman is in a league of her own. Saray Khumalo has done all there’s to do with African mountains and once that was done and dusted, she turned her gaze to Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain on earth at 8,849m.

But that wasn’t enough. She recently travelled to the South Pole, and she’s now planning her trip in the opposite direction – the North Pole.

Presenter: Victoria Uwonkunda Guest: Saray Khumalo

On Monday, Egypt’s incumbent president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi won a third term in office with just under 90 % of the vote.

This is despite ongoing economic turmoil in the country, caused by high inflation.

A former army chief, Mr Sisi has ruled Egypt since overthrowing the democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, a decade ago. He will now be in power until 2029.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to BBC Arabic’s Mohamed Taha to find out why Sisi is so dominant and if he is likely to leave power after the next six years.

And he discusses the impact of the country’s economic crisis on ordinary Egyptians with economic journalist Doaa Abdelmoneim

The Ubo-aka is one of Africa’s oldest musical instrument and keeping the sound of this ancient instrument alive has been challenging.

Musician Gerald Eze says the number of young people playing this instrument has declined and that he wants to make sure this Igbo tradition survives by performing with the Ubo-aka and teaching people how to play it.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja met Gerald when he was in Lagos a few months ago and learned more about why this instrument and sound are important to Igbo culture.

Producers: Chukwumerije Obiejesi, Chigozie Ohaka, Richard Moran and Sharon Hemans.

This episode discusses difficult issues including sexual violence and suicide.

“You have thousands of cases and you have one judge. So every day you go to the court, they say come back tomorrow. The families they just get tired.”

Miatta Grey is a woman with a very personal mission. She’s the founder of ‘Sister’s Hand’ - an organisation in Liberia which supports victims of gender-based violence – having herself survived rape and domestic abuse. She was also badly injured through female genital mutilation - or FGM - in a ceremony that killed her sister.

She – like many campaigners within Liberia’s civil society – have long been pressurising the government to improve the situation. But she says things actually got worse under the last government.

So what needs to be done to protect women from sexual violence in Liberia?

Millions of people will be voting in elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week. President Félix Tshisekedi is seeking a second, and final, five-year term in office. It’s a country the size of Western Europe with an estimated population of more than 100 million people. It’s also a country rich in natural resources- it has 70% of the world's reserves of coltan, a mineral used to make mobile phones. But it’s also a country with many challenges, there’s been a bloody conflict in eastern DRCongo for three decades which has left millions dead. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been looking at what’s a stake with the BBC's Roncliffe Odit in the capital Kinshasa.

Imagine paying off someone else’s debts from 30 years ago. That’s what the Somali government has been having to do, as it tried to pay off debts built up by governments in the 1990s.

Five years ago Somalia was using 64% of its Gross Domestic Product – the value of all the goods and services it produces – to pay off foreign debts. Now it’s only using 6%.

It’s come after a process of painful economic reforms – supported by the IMF and World Bank – which culminated in it having $4.5 billion worth of debts written off last week.

For Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Dr Hodan Osman, Senior Advisor & National Coordinator of Human Capital Development, in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to Laura Jaramillo, who led the IMF teams in talks with the Somali government.

“Our ancestors, our forefathers and our great grandmothers used to come together and have discussions and sing songs and dance. This is how we would document our lives and our history and this is how we would begin very important and critical conversations” – Masechaba Ndlovu, Rainbow Nation Music Fest ambassador.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the Rainbow Nation Festival in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. It aims to bring different racial groups together and promote social cohesion.

This is particularly important as the country continues to be haunted by its apartheid past, with disturbing incidents of racism making headlines from time to time. The festival will take place on the 16th of December, a public holiday known as the Day of Reconciliation.

But can music really unite South Africans?

“The words ‘fossil fuels’ have never (before) made it into a COP decision. We’re finally naming the elephant in the room. The genie is never going back in the bottle again.”

So the talking is over and the weary delegates have headed home.

This year’s climate conference, COP28 – when world leaders, activist and lobbyists get together to discuss how to limit global warming - was certainly eventful.

$700 million was pledged to the Loss and Damage fund to help poorer nations deal with the impact of climate change before the conference had even began.

And the ‘elephant in the room’ – fossil fuels and how to wean ourselves off them – was mentioned in the final agreement for the first time in the history of COP… but only after a rejected first draft which took the conference into an extra 24 hours of argument and negotiation.

So has it been a good or bad conference for Africa? Peter Musembi – Africa Daily’s Environment enthusiast, gets an assessment from Mohamed Adow from Powershift Africa.

Today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje talks to Zimbabwean blueberry farmer Stuart Torr. He and his brother studied in the UK, before returning to Africa to farm.

Their company is among those exporting blueberries to countries like the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, Singapore and Malaysia.

They operate in a sector that has seen significant growth in recent years. Fruit industry analysis group, East Fruit says Zimbabwe has been increasing its blueberry exports by 63%, annually.

So, what’s behind these developments? Mpho is also joined by Zimbabwean economist Prosper Chitambara.

Kenya's parliament has banned the wearing of a suit, named after the late Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, within the building.

Speaker of Parliament Moses Wetangula said Kaunda suits, as well as traditional African clothes, were not welcome.

And Kenya is not alone – African clothes are not permitted in many parliaments across the continent.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been speaking to Senator Gloria Orwoba about her specific challenges around being a female in Senate and historian Godfrey Sang told him more about the evolution of African attire.

Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania where more than 99% of the population are Muslim. In a community that places high value on family and marriage, being a divorcee is something that is often looked down upon, especially for women. However, one woman is breaking down those stereotypes through her culinary initiative, Mamas of Zanzibar. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to Maskat on why she started her initiative and the impact it’s had on her life as a single mother as well as the lives of other ‘mamas’ on the island.

Since 2013, more than 70,000 Nigerians have crossed into northern Cameroon fleeing Boko Haram attacks.

As they settled in Minawao as refugees, they were faced with difficult desert conditions, with nowhere to hide their heads when the sun was scorching.

So they opted to join forces to plant trees and have build what is now known as The Green Refugee Camp.

In today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to one of the refugees, Isaac Luka, who gives an account of how step-by-step, refugees embraced tree planting to counter a hot climate, and how the initiative is providing jobs, shade, health and food for hundreds of refugees and local families.

Alan also speaks to reporter Henry Tataw Ekambi to understand how Minawao looked before the refugees arrived, and to expert, Teboh Emmanuel, who shares insights into what it takes to successfully plant trees in arid areas.

Artificial Intelligence is playing a growing part in modern life. We’re told it can make things faster, more efficient and cheaper.

But people with disabilities can struggle to use machines which use AI because they don’t recognise their special needs and adapt to them. Instructions are often visual – making it impossible for a blind person to use without the assistance of someone else.

A number of African countries have AI strategies but in Nigeria this is still being discussed – and so people with disabilities there are pressing for their needs to be recognised within any legislation.

For today’s Africa Daily, Alan hears from journalist Gbenga Ogundare, Olufemi Bayode, a teacher at Kings College, and Opeolu Akinola, an ICT consultant and the co-founder of the Microsoft Experience Centre in Lagos. All three are blind.

“Families who have young brothers and sister or sons being killed didn’t even know they were in criminal environments. It caught politicians off guard. It caught everyone off guard.”

Sweden’s police chief has described a spike in gang violence – including shootings and bomb attacks - as “unprecedented”. The police force in the capital Stockholm have said they are overwhelmed and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has asked the army to provide support. The police have linked the violence to a widening gap between rich and poor and drug use. More than 40 people have died in nearly 300 shootings in Sweden this year, according to official police statistics. There are many African communities in Sweden, the largest is the Somali community. Second generation Somali-Swedes say the situation has changed life for many there. Victoria Uwonkunda has been speaks to a woman who offers group therapy to young people and a journalist who has covered the story for years.

“Look at the Middle East right now, Israel and Palestine. They could have come to terms with each other a long time ago. We were fortunate that we had a Mandela” – Roelf Meyer, former South African cabinet minister. South Africa’s first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela died on this day, a decade ago. So today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje sits down with two of his former ministers, Sydney Mufamadi and Roelf Meyer. What was it like reporting to one of the most prominent political figures of the 21st century? But most importantly, what type of legacy did the man affectionately known as Madiba leave behind? His country is facing a mountain of problems including joblessness, power outages and persistent government corruption. If he was still alive, would Mandela associate with the ruling ANC party? These are some of the questions Mpho is asking his guests.

In November this year, 221 Malawians flew to Israel to start working on farms there. The Malawian government has a labour export deal with Israel, and says it is eventually aiming for a total of 5000 people to travel there for work.

According to the World Bank, Malawi is the fourth poorest country in the world.

But the deal has provoked debate in Malawi because of the current conflict in Israel. The political opposition says the scheme is putting citizens in danger, pointing out that 39 agricultural workers from Thailand were killed at the start of the fighting. The government in Malawi says they have assurances the workers will be safe.

So we got in contact with one of the workers who has just arrived in Israel, Andrew Chunga, to ask him what life was really like there.

Across Africa, the impact of climate change is becoming more and more apparent. This year alone, multiple countries across the continent have been hit with an array of severe natural disasters – ranging from floods to excruciatingly high temperatures.

As the United Nations Climate Change Conference - or COP28 - kicked of this week, delegates agreed to launch the long-awaited 'loss and damage' fund to pay for damage from climate-driven storms and drought. The EU, US, UAE and others immediately announced contributions totalling around $400m for poor countries reeling from the impacts of climate change.

But in the past pledges for climate funding - for example to the Green Climate Fund - have far exceeded the actual amount of money that has been given.

So should Africa be cautious about these new pledges?

In a discussion recorded before the launch of the new fund, Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja hears why the issue of money has been so fraught in the past from our resident environment reporter, Peter Musembi - and talks over Africa's priorities for the summit with Eva Masudi, the Environment and Sustainable Development Minister for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Horn of Africa region is experiencing torrential rainfall and floods linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, claiming dozens of lives and causing large-scale displacement.

In Somalia the number of those killed by the floods has surpassed 100, and more than 700,000 have been displaced.

The rains are forecast to continue battering East Africa till the end of the year.

It comes as the region emerges from its worst drought in four decades after multiple failed rainy seasons that left millions of people in need and devastated crops and livestock.

The current El Nino phenomenon had been predicted since the beginning of the year.

In today’s Africa Daily Podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to Somalia deputy prime minister Salah Jama, to find out why it has not been possible to mitigate the damage despite this early warning.

Brain drain is an issue across the continent but has become closely associated with Nigeria.

Several surveys have found that the country has the highest proportion of young people wanting to move overseas.

The tendency even has its own term – Japa – meaning to run, flee, or escape, in the Yoruba language.

But does this tell the whole story? On a recent trip to Lagos, Alan Kasujja brought together a group of Nigerians with different perspectives on the topic.

Among them are people thinking about leaving and those who have left but later decided to return home.

Alan also heard from a couple of Kenyans, who saw an opportunity in Nigeria, the same country some want to leave, and moved there for a better life.

“The water is dirty. You can see it with your own eyes. It looks muddy. When you pour it in a glass and leave it overnight, the following day you start seeing small things swimming in the water” – Kamogelo Stock, South African citizen In this episode, we hear from people who’ve gone through the agony of losing their loved ones to cholera in South Africa. The disease is currently wreaking havoc in several parts of the African continent including Malawi, Cameroon and Mozambique. Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, is currently under a state of emergency following a deadly outbreak. Cholera is an infectious and often fatal bacterial disease which causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. It can spread in places with insufficient water treatment, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene. In today’s episode Alan Kasujja attempts to find out why so many African countries are still struggling to contain the disease.

Some people may find the issues discussed in this episode upsetting. _____________________________________________________________________

“Some of the children that I talk to who attempted suicide would simply tell me that: 'I think I’m a burden to my parents. They want me to pass, I don’t pass. I think if I die I would solve their problems.'” - Tsepiso Siseoana, Lesotho psychotherapist.

Recently released data from the World Health Organisation shows that Lesotho is amongst a group of African countries with an alarming rate of suicide. The southern African nation recorded 87.5 deaths per 100 000 people.

Other countries with a similar problem include neighbouring Eswatini, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. Alan Kasujja attempts to understand why Lesotho’s suicide level is so high.

Please note: If you are experiencing emotional stress and would like details of organisations which offer advice and support, visit www.befrienders.org

Last week the Malian army seized the town of Kidal, in the country's north - weeks after the United Nations stabilisation mission, MINUSMA, withdrew from its base there.

For the past decade, Kidal has been a stronghold of the Tuareg rebel group - and so its capture was a symbolic success for Mali’s military leaders, who seized power in 2020. They have made the restoration of territorial sovereignty a key priority.

The military government has given UN forces until the end of the year to withdraw from the country - triggering a race to seize territory between the army, rebel groups and jihadists.

But while the army is now in control of the military base – the question of who’s in control of the region is far more complicated. In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to the BBC’s Beverly Ochieng and MINUSMA spokesperson, Fatoumata Kaba.

It’s an astonishing story of political intrigue: a man called Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the Secretary General of Zimbabwe’s opposition party – the Citizens Coalition for Change, or the CCC, has been issuing recall letters, which say they are no longer members of the party – and getting opposition MPs barred from parliament. At the time of recording, 32 MPs have lost their seats. Some already face re-election battles in December.

But the opposition MPs say they have no idea who he is – and that he definitely isn’t their Secretary General. So who is this person? And how is he gradually dismantling the opposition party in Zimbabwe’s Parliament?

Alan Kasujja has been talking to Zimbabwean journalist Ish Mafundikwa, as well as one of the MPs affected, Gift Ostallos Siziba, the CCC’s Deputy National Spokesperson.

12 countries in Africa will receive 18 million doses of the RTS,S malaria vaccine in the coming days. The roll out will begin in the new year. The doses are injections for children between 5 months and 2 years old.

Kenya, Ghana and Malawi have already been using the vaccine in a pilot programme since 2019, but in other countries - including Uganda, Mozambique and Cameroon - this will be new.

So today, Africa Daily asks how parents view the vaccine – and about how the rollout is likely to go.

The South African singer and pianist Thandi Ntuli was surrounded by music as a child – her grandfather was a key part of the musical scene in Sophiatown, a suburb in Johannesburg known for its music.

She now has a new album out called ‘Rainbow Revisited’ – referring to the term coined by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Rainbow Nation” to describe post-apartheid South Africa – a nation where its diverse people could live together in harmony, following years of racial segregation.

Now – nearly thirty years on, with Victoria Uwonkunda, Thandi explores where that optimism has gone – and what hope there is for the future.

Today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje attempts to find out whose heritage is being preserved and whose is being sacrificed when we change the names of Africa’s roads, towns and cities. Zimbabwe for example, changed its name after independence from white minority rule in 1980. White people, however, remain very much part of that country. Neighbouring South Africa has also been doing away with public names associated with the apartheid regime. Some people are even calling for the nickname of the rugby national team, the Springboks, to be abolished because it represents “white supremacy”. Is this the way to go? Mpho is joined by Charlotte Ashamu, the Director of International Programs at Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, and Cameron Peters who runs Cape Town Heritage Tours.

NOTE: edited to correct Charlotte's job title on 20th Nov 2023.

Sex trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where individuals perform commercial sex through the use of force, fraud or coercion - often by those they know. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists say the UAE is a major destination for sex trafficking. African women are forced into prostitution by illicit networks operating in the country. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to Mary*, a survivor of human trafficking who courageously shared her story of how her life changed when she went from Nigeria to Dubai. He also speaks to the Director General of the Nigerian National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons - Fatima Waziri-Azi, for more insight on the scale of this problem in Nigeria.

“Those who are not killed are hiding”.

Thousands of new refugees have crossed into Chad from Darfur in recent weeks - all describing scenes of horror as the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, establish their dominance across the region in western Sudan.

The RSF was created from the feared Janjaweed militia which destroyed villages and killed or displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur in 2003 and 2004. Its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo - widely known as Hemedti - used to be a Janjaweed commander.

Now the RSF is expected to take the capital city of north Darfur - Al Fashar - previously a safe haven for the non-Arab population. Around 50 thousand internally displaced people had already sought shelter there earlier in the war, prompting fears of an even greater humanitarian disaster.

For today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja gets the latest on the situation from Suliman Baldo of the Sudan Crisis Research Network as well as from Seif Nemir who managed to get his family out of the embattled city of El Geneina in June.

On the 16th of November, millions of people are expected to vote in the presidential election in Madagascar.

Long-time political rivals Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana will take each other on, along with eleven other candidates.

Rajoelina, the former DJ-turned-politician, rose to power back in 2009 when he replaced Ravalomana as head of state, following a bloodless coup.

Madagascar is among the poorest nations in the world.

The percentage of the population living below the national poverty line rose from 72% in 2012 to 75% in 2022, according to the World Bank.

Africa Daily's Alan Kasujja has been looking at what's at stake in this election.

“Divorces were happening on these cassette tapes… And the messenger wouldn't know that there had been a divorce recorded on this cassette tape, so when they got to the partner and offered them the cassette tape and it was played they were the unwilling participant in this divorce.” Nowadays we’re so linked up - via whatsapp, email, phone calls. But how did people stay connected in the days before the mobile phone? In Somalia – from the 1970s to 90s –the cassette tape was a crucial tool for sending messages – especially to family members who had fled to other countries after war broke out. Letter tapes were used for verbal love letters, regular family updates, to plan political resistance – and even as a means of divorce. Now a Somali feminist art group called Dhaqan Collective (@DhaqanC) - based in Bristol in South West England - is using these tapes as a way to explore Somali history and culture in a project called Camel Meat & Cassette Tapes. They’ve also used cassettes as a vehicle to encourage young Somalis to record interviews with their older family members – and so to connect with their history and traditions. For Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks with two members of the collective.

With thanks to producer @layla_mood

Last month a ‘controlled spillage’ was conducted at the Akosombo and Kpong hydro-electric dams near the southern tip of Lake Volta.

But for those living downstream it felt anything but controlled; rather residents described sudden and massive floods which took water levels to the rooftops of their houses – destroying homes in minutes which had taken them years to build.

Around 26,000 people were left homeless. With water levels still high, any thoughts of rebuilding are for the future and for now the priority remains survival.

The authorities say that unpredictable and heavy rains caused by climate change significantly increased the volume of water in the two dams – and that Akosombo dam had reached the maximum safe operational level. They say without the release of the water the dam could have burst creating an even greater disaster.

But many local people are critical with how the situation has been handled.

For Africa Daily, Victoria Uwonkunda reports.

On yesterday’s episode, Alan heard that the traffic in Lagos has become unbearable for many people. Hours spent in gridlock mean that some people aren’t spending enough time at home for a good night’s sleep. For years, commuters have been promised a new train service linking the island with the suburbs where many people live. It finally launched in September and has been a huge hit. Alan took the train for a evening commute to find out whether it is meeting expectations and can continue to match demand.

#AfricaDaily

If you are visiting Lagos, you’ll likely be away for the traffic long before you arrive. People are eager to warn you about the gridlocked roads when they find out you’re travelling there. For commuters in the city, it has been an ongoing problem for years. Journeys that should take just an hour, can sometimes take over five hours. And some people have to miss out on sleep to make enough time for the commute. So, it’s no surprise that people are looking for any shortcut, even if that means stepping foot off dry land. Could boat travel be one of the answers to the travel woes in Lagos?

#AfricaDaily

For many Kenyans illness and needing healthcare can result in serious financial hardship or mean those who can’t pay don’t get the healthcare they need.

President William Ruto says new legislation will ensure that healthcare is affordable and accessible to all Kenyans.

The changes have been described as controversial and the biggest shake-up of the health sector in more than two decades.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje spoke to the BBC’s Health correspondent in Nairobi Dorcas Wangira about what this will all mean for Kenyans and hears from a woman who struggled to pay for her medical treatment when she was diagnosed with cancer.

King Charles and his wife Camilla wrapped up a four-day state visit to Kenya last week. The visit was at the invitation of Kenya’s President William Ruto and came as the country prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence at the end of the year.

This was his first visit to a Commonwealth country since the start of his reign. Kenya is where the King’s mother, Queen Elizabeth, found out she was going to be Queen after her father passed away while she was there on a private visit in 1952.

BBC Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje spoke to historian Godfrey Sang about the historical ties and the lingering question of an official apology for colonial injustices including the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950’s where more than 10,000 Kenyans were killed and tortured.

On the 11th of October, the citizens of Mozambique voted in their country’s municipal elections. The authorities later announced that the ruling Frelimo won 64 out of 65 municipalities. The main opposition Renamo, however, disputed the election results saying the process was rigged, a claim that has been denied by Frelimo. Two people have lost their lives since the unrest started. The violence has been condemned by the European Union and US embassy who’ve urged all parties involved to find a peaceful resolution. Hostilities between Frelimo and Renamo go back to the 1970s when Mozambique descended into a civil war that claimed an estimated one million lives. Presenter: Peter Musembi

In his reports from Lagos this week, Alan has heard that the naira doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. Expensive exports, the removal of fuel subsidies and high inflation means that many people have less cash in their pockets. Nigerians are having to find creative ways to make ends meet. In this episode, he hears from young men who are turning to sports betting. He hears stories of people winning big when luck is on their side. But he finds that making big money isn’t always as easy as people hope. could lead to a quick win – an injection of cash if they beat the odds. For people already struggling with the cost of living, it’s risky. And there may be hidden dangers.

More and more Africans are being displaced, largely due to conflict.

And that number has risen over the past year and now totals over 40 million people.

For a while, the displacement crisis has been viewed as a humanitarian issue - with the burden of response largely left to international aid organisations.

But that might be about to change.

Business stakeholders are getting together to look into how the private sector can play a role in helping solve the refugee crisis.

Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi speaks to Innocent Habyarimana and Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr. and gets their insights and experiences.

At Balogun market in Lagos almost everybody has something to say about the economy. Financially, Nigerians have been on a bumpy ride since the election in February. The new government removed fuel subsidies, meaning every car journey now costs significantly more. A weak naira is adding to the price of imported goods. And inflation is soaring. So, how are people coping? How are they still striving to thrive? And why aren’t people excited about a government plan to put a bit of extra cash in their pockets? #AfricaDaily

Hamas gunmen launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 7 October, which resulted in killing more than 1,400 people and taking almost 230 hostages. Since the attack Israel has been carrying out strikes in Gaza. The Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry says more than 8,000 people have been killed. Following the surprise attack, many of Israel’s allies and others quickly condemned the assault and said they were standing with Israel. Israel then launched airstrikes into Gaza. Leaders from US, UK, EU and some African countries including Kenya, said Israel had a right to defend itself. However there’s also been condemnation of Israel and its airstrikes by South Africa. BBC Monitoring’s Beverly Ochieng tells us why certain countries took the positions they did during the UN resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza and how it sheds light on the diverse perspectives held by African Nations.

Alan Kasujja is back in Lagos. He was last there in the days before the presidential election in February. Since then a lot has changed. The country has a new government and a new president – Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. A surprise removal of subsidies on fuel has seen prices saw at petrol stations. And inflation currently at 26% has seen the cost of many other products soar. In the first of three episodes looking at a changing Nigeria, Alan looks at how life in Lagos has changed since his last visit. #AfricaDaily

“The world wants us to constantly fight and struggle and be on the offensive. I think in those moments of sport, we become who we truly are, which is people who really wanna live with each other, be at peace with each other” – Khanyi Magubane.

South Africa arrived in France and the 2023 Rugby World Cup as defending champions, with the hope to hoist the trophy for a 4th equalling time.

The African nation last lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Japan in 2019.

But for South Africa, win or lose, this is not just about sport.

During the years of apartheid, when white minority politically and economically oppressed the black majority, rugby was used by the ruling National party at the time as a tool of segregation.

Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje attempts to find out why rugby continues to be a symbol of unity in South Africa.

Guests: Vata Ngobeni and Khanyi Magubane.

Often seen as the workhorse of transport in some parts of Africa, the humble bicycle is going through a change on the continent, as people start to cycle for fun and fitness.

Modern bikes with more gears and the rise in popularity of taking exercise to get fit have contributed to an increase in recreational cycling.

However, safety on the roads remains a major challenge, and United Nations figures from a report last year say 18 cyclists are killed on Africa’s roads every day.

So with that in mind, Victoria Uwonkunda joined two cycling enthusiasts - Angela Wainaina, who is the captain of Joyriders cycling club in Kenya, and Temitope George who is the captain of Cycology cycling club in Nigeria – to ask them ‘why cycle for fun?’

A daughter complains to her father that she never gets to see him. She says she feels like they don’t spend enough time together.

Craig Phakathi is a long distance truck driver in Zimbabwe and he too wants to have time with his daughter.

So he invites her along and they go on the road together, with Bhule joining her dad for five days.

Alan Kasujja also decides to enlist the help of his own daughter Zuri, in this chat about parent-child relationship, finding that work and life balance and what it is like having to travel for work - something both Alan and Craig know a thing or two about.

Sierra Leone has managed to reduce the number of women who die during and after childbirth by half in the last 2 years.

But the maternal mortality figures are still too high, and the government has called it a ‘national emergency’.

A new maternity centre is being built in the east of the country as part of the drive to improve the medical care of women and the training of midwives.

And it’s being built mostly by women.

Alan Kasujja hears from workers Bintu Missah and Hawa Baryoh and midwife Isata Dumbuya about the significance of this new Maternal Centre of Excellence.

Many governments around the world have been questioning how prepared they were for covid- 19 and discussing what they might do in another pandemic.

But what about Africa?

One of the most interesting and significant things happening on the continent is an early warning system in Nigeria which could alert Africa and the world to an emerging pandemic.

It’s been developed by Professor Christian Happi, he’s the Director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria.

Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Professor Happi about the work happening at the centre and the lessons learned from covid-19.

In 2015 the price of crude oil fell and since then Nigeria has struggled with a shortage of foreign currency- dollars.

It led the previous government to place restrictions on who could access dollars through the official markets – including banning the use of foreign exchange for the importation of 43 items including rice, cooking oil, tooth picks, and cement.

That ban has now been lifted as part of a series of reforms introduced by Nigeria’s current government. When President Bola Tinubu came to power in May this year he criticised the past policies of the central bank and accused it of mismanaging the foreign exchange crisis. But can his policies improve the situation? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to BBC Africa’s business correspondent Nkechi Ogbonna in Lagos.

The Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza is not just an international border point, but is a symbol of the complicated nature of the north African country’s relationship with the Middle East conflict.

Since the 7th October 2023 attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas, and Israel’s military response, the Rafah Crossing is back in the headlines.

It’s seen as a lifeline for Gaza, but has also been closed and opened many times over the years. We discuss its significance with the BBC’s Amal Saeed from our Cairo Bureau.

Since April this year, South Africa has been hit by its worst bird flu outbreak since 2017.

Known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or HPAI, it’s caused the deaths of millions of chickens and a severe shortage of eggs. Now the flu has been detected in Mozambique leading to the concern that it could become a regional problem. Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje speaks to Dr. Abongile Balarane from the South African Poultry Association to understand the flu's impact and its potential risks to humans – and hears from chicken farmers and consumers in Johannesburg to see how the egg shortage is impacting on their daily lives.

In recent years, Morocco has been spending millions of dollars in developing its football. It now boasts six FIFA approved stadiums, a competitive local league and has world class transport infrastructure. Some of its investment paid off in 2022 when it reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But what exactly is Morocco trying to achieve with its multimillion dollar investment in football? Can hosting the 2030 World Cup boost its economy? Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Jalal Bounouar and Brian Wesaala

It’s nearly three years since a BBC Africa Eye investigation uncovered multiple cases of children being stolen and sold for cash in Kenya. The film saw Njeri Mwangi speaking to mothers who were still looking for their children years after they went missing. Many people were shocked to see a former nurse, a hospital worker and a homeless woman caught on camera trying to sell children. In recent weeks, one of them was sentenced to 25 years in prison. But not all of them have faced justice. So, what impact did the investigation have? And what has happened to Kenya’s baby stealers in the years since?

Since the second world war, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have attempted to help countries in financial difficulties by providing low interest loans. This week the two Bretton Woods institutions have been holding their annual meetings in the Moroccan town of Marrakech - the first time they’ve been on African soil in 50 years. The two institutions divide opinion. Some people believe they have had a positive impact. But others say the organisations are dominated by the west and need reform to make them fairer to developing countries. So, what do we really know about the World Bank and IMF?