Africa Daily

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?

Over the past 14 years Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. The group gained international notoriety with the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014 which sparked the ‘Bring Back Our Girls campaign’. Their attacks also spread to Cameroon, Chad and Niger leaving thousands dead and three million people displaced according to the United Nations. Le Spectre de Boko Haram, an award winning documentary, recently screened in at the London Film Festival. It tells the story of three children living in a village in northern Cameroon, a region regularly attacked by Boko Haram in cross border raids. The film’s director Cyrielle Raingou spoke to Africa Daily’s Sharon Hemans about why she decided to tell this story and the challenges she faced as a woman film director.

Known as the ‘pearl of the desert’, Timbuktu was a spiritual and intellectual capital in the 15th and 16th centuries - the home of mosques and libraries and commerce. For years its treasures drew tens of thousands of tourists each year. But now it’s a city under siege. Attacks on civilians have spiked. An Al Qaeda affiliated group announced a blockade of the city - and in September, a rocket attack on a passenger boat led to dozens of deaths and hundreds injured. This led to the cancellation of the boat service - previously seen as the only ‘safe’ form of travel in and out of Timbuktu. So what has caused this change? For Africa Daily Alan Kasujja speaks an analyst who monitors the levels of violence – and to a man who grew up in the city – but didn’t want to be named for fear of repercussions from the military government.

“I can’t look at things, but I can see them.” The words of Winston Fani, a blind tour guide from South Africa. He shares his journey with Alan Kasujja and explains he found himself working in an industry where very few professionals are living with disability. Winston is part of about 7.5% of South Africa’s population living with some form of disability, according to government data. Alan also chats with Ugandan tour operator Amos Wekesa about how accessible tourism destinations are on the African continent. The World Bank says Uganda’s tourism sector holds the key to creating jobs and increased foreign exchange earnings.

Last week, hundreds of protesters marched in Ghana’s capital, Accra. They called for the resignation of the governor of the Bank of Ghana over billions of Ghanaian cedis lost in the 2022 financial year. The country is facing its worst economic hardship in over a generation with the high cost of living being driven by inflation of more than 40%. It has stoked tensions which have led to protests in recent months. Last month, more than 50 protesters have been arrested in Ghana for defying a police order not to demonstrate. So, what hope are protesters in Ghana hoping to provoke?#AfricaDaily

Can East Africa cope with heavier than average rainfall – predicted to possibly arrive between October and December, linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon? Forecasts show there’s an 85% higher chance of wetter-than-usual conditions across most parts of the horn of Africa this year. Scientists say areas expected to face floods will include southern Ethiopia, eastern Kenya and southern Somalia, but that parts of Uganda and South Sudan may also face drier conditions.El Nino is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It can lead to heavy rains thousands of miles away – but also drought and lack of rains elsewhere.Eunice Koech, a meteorologist with the horn of Africa’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development- IGAD has been speaking to Africa Daily about what El Nino is – and how it might affect East Africa.

For his whole life, Fallou Ngom believed his father was illiterate. It was only after he died that Professor Ngom returned to Senegal and found unusual writing samples among his belongings. Through his research, he found that the notes were written in Ajami, a modified form of Arabic used to write many African languages. But Fallou had no idea that many people of his father’s generation were using it to communicate, record debts, and write poems, prayers and stories. He says that for decades people were recorded as being illiterate if they didn’t write in French. And many people of Ngom’s generation had no idea their parents were using Ajami all along. So, what has he found out about his father and his country in the years since he started studying Ajami?Host: Alan Kasujja Guest: Fallou Ngom, Professor of Anthropology, Boston University

“The hardest thing is not being able to help someone beyond what you are able to do with the little medication you have. You examine your patients but don’t have what you need to solve their medical needs. And that has a psychological effect on me” In today’s podcast, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje hears from healthcare workers trying to assist Sudanese refugees at camps in Chad. There are more than 20 such shelters in eastern Chad, housing at least 400, 000 people. This humanitarian crisis has been triggered by a conflict led by Sudanese army head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, otherwise known as Hemedti. In 2021, the two generals staged a coup, but in recent months they have taken up arms against each other in a power struggle. The civil war has claimed thousands of lives. With the number of Sudanese refugees crossing into Chad expected to reach 600, 000 by the end of 2023, how will the country deal with the influx?

“As days passed, and bodies continued to be recovered, they became very hard to identify – and it was difficult to cope with it emotionally. Swollen bodies, bodies with fractured faces, decomposed bodies… It was the most excruciating experience, but our help was very crucial for the process. So, we had to do it.” On October 3rd, 2013 – exactly 10 years ago - a boat crammed with around 500 people caught fire and sank - just off the coast of the Italian Island of Lampedusa. The victims’ support group – the 3rd of October Committee - says 368 died that night. But to this day, many families don’t know if their loved ones were amongst the passengers on the boat. So how are the victims of the Lampedusa shipwreck being remembered? And has anything changed for people risking the sea crossing from Africa to Europe in the decade since? For Africa Daily, a survivor remembers his experiences of that night.

“In Gabon, football and paedophilia go hand in hand, we were all told the stories.” In December 2021 a British newspaper named several leading figures in Gabonese football, alleged to have sexually abused hundreds of boys over a period of decades. The former head coach of Gabon's youth teams, Patrick Assoumou Eyi - widely known as "Capello" - admitted charges of "raping, grooming and exploiting young players" and remains in prison awaiting sentencing. Three other coaches were arrested but deny the allegations made against them. But did the football authorities - in both Gabon and further afield - fail to protect these children? And are they continuing to fail them? For today’s Africa Daily, Alan@kasujja talks to Khadidiatou Cissé, the reporter who worked on the documentary. To see ‘Predators on the Pitch: Inside Africa’s Biggest Football Scandal’ go to the BBC News Africa YouTube page.

It’s been more than two weeks since devastating floods swept away large parts of the city of Derna. The government in the east of the country says more than 4000 people lost their lives in the disaster, although this number remains disputed. Many more thousands of people are still missing and displaced by the disaster. In the weeks since the floods, fear and horror has turned to anger, with people taking to the streets to demand answers. So, how are people in Libya coping and trying to rebuild their lives?#AfricaDaily

Ugandan politician and musician Rachael Magoola says she’d be flying planes if she had been paid the way she should have been paid for the success of her music. She was elected in 2021 and says her music played a big part in winning a seat in Uganda’s parliament. She’s most famous for her song Obangaina which she wrote late 1990’s but she says she did not earn as much as she should have from the song. Since becoming an Member of Parliament, Rachael Magoola has launched the Parliamentary Forum for Creative Arts in Uganda. She hopes it will push policies which will help to build a thriving creative economy in her country where artists can be paid what they are owed. She believes the success of this industry could even reduce the number of young people leaving the continent for Europe. She was in London recently with her band Afrigo, which just celebrated its 48th anniversary, and she spoke to Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi.

During Sierra Leone’s civil war in the 1990’s, child soldiers roamed mutilating and killing their victims. Economic turmoil ensued once the conflict ended, with high unemployment and poverty. And the 2014 outbreak of the Ebola virus left almost 4,000 people dead there. There are physical scars from the events of those years but also scars that are less visible. This year President Julius Maada Bio launched a Mental Health Taskforce to address the country’s lack of mental health resources. The initiative is being led by Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh. So what is this Taskforce going to do? Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Vice President Jalloh about his government’s plans.

If you search for ‘philosophy’ or ‘philosophers’ online, chances are you’ll find lots of photos of white men. Wikipedia will tell you that historically, the main traditions include Western, Indian, Arabic-Persian and Chinese philosophy. But some people question how insightful these ideas are to life on the continent. Meanwhile, some of the oldest philosophical texts were produced in ancient Egypt. And terms from African philosophy such as Ubuntu – “I am because we are” – are influential around the world even today. A new “Handbook of African Philosophy” has been compiled by Dr Mpho Tshivhase (University of Pretoria) and Dr Elvis Imafidon (SOAS, London) and is set to be published in November. So, what are they hoping to achieve with the book? And what are the big questions for African philosophers today?

“The journey has been very difficult. It’s time consuming, it’s stressful. It hasn’t been easy”, says a mother who adopted a child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.According to a number of published medical papers, South Africa has the highest reported rates of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the world. It’s 111 per 1,000 people. A baby can be born with this condition if its mother drinks alcohol while pregnant. It's accompanied by all sorts of medical complications. Some people with it can’t do some of the things we sometimes take for granted, like reading and writing. Alan Kasujja sits down with Doreen Smit, a mother who adopted a baby born with the condition. He also hears from an organisation that’s trying to help mothers raising children with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.Note: This podcast has been edited and republished on 6 October 2023. The research on the high incidence of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in South Africa was conducted by JAMA Paediatrics, not the National Library of Medicine as we previously stated.

It was a shocking attack which still has implications today: in September 2013 fighters from the Somalia-based al-Shabab militant group burst into the Westgate mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi – taking control of the building for the next four days. At the end of the siege, 67 people were dead, with almost 200 wounded. So what impact did it have on relationships between different Kenyan communities? And why has it led many Somalis in Kenya to rethink their culture of hospitality?

In September 2013 members of the Somalia based militant group al-Shabab attacked and took control of the Westgate mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The attack was the start of a four day siege. 67 people were killed and almost 200 people wounded. The majority of those killed or injured were Kenyans but there were several foreign nationals who died in the attack, including Ghanaian poet and diplomat Kofi Awoonor. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to his son, Afetsi Awoonor, who survived with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. And we hear from BBC editor Ruth Nesoba on the challenge of covering a story like Westgate.

Last Sunday Storm Daniel hit Libya bringing heavy rain and catastrophic flooding. Derna, a city in the east, suffered the most. A tsunami-like river of water swept through its streets when two dams burst. More than 10,000 people are missing and almost 4,000 people have been confirmed dead according to the United Nations. It’s a situation any country would struggle to deal with but in Libya, there’s an added complication because it’s a country with two rival governments. So today Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja has been looking at how Libya will recover from the catastrophic floods.

Kenyans have got used to a system of political coalitions with long-term politicians forming new alliances, changing parties…. often in the run up to elections.But is this a good thing? Does it give Kenya a more consensual form of politics? Or is it just a system of patronage which rewards the political elite – and is inherently instable? For Africa Daily Alan Kasujja discusses the subject with Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s ‘Prime Minister’ – as well as about his government’s hopes for Kenya to take leadership role on the subject of food security and the environment.

"Our biggest challenge now is monetisation". Social media influencers in Africa say it’s harder for them to make money from their online content. These content creators say they don't get paid in the same way as creators in the UK, the US or European Union do. Content creators in those other countries have access to what is called a creator fund – a pot of money that pays creators for their content. So what’s being done about it in Africa and how can African creators make money from their content? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Charity Ekezie and Daud Suleman

Over the last week, Moroccans have been tested to their limits after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakesh. Whole villages were buried in landslides – while residents of other towns have been forced to sleep outside or in tents as their houses are too damaged to sleep in. There are fears about how they’ll manage as winter approaches. Almost 3,000 people are now known to have died in the disaster and the death toll is expected to rise. But on Africa Daily today, we also hear stories of generosity and compassion as Moroccans travel across the country with food and supplies to help their fellow citizens.

In today’s podcast, Alan Kasujja sits down with award-winning South African health practitioner professor Lucille Blumberg. She explains why she thinks she was recognized for her efforts in fighting malaria. She also tells our presenter why thousands of people across the African continent are still dying of the disease, despite the medical advancements of recent times. In addition, Alan explores the discovery of a strain of natural bacteria which promises to help fight malaria transmission. He also looks at the vaccines that are being rolled out across the continent. How effective are they?

The family-run business model is as old as business itself.Across Africa and the rest of the world, it is family businesses that dominate production and trade.From massive global brands like BMW or Nike to your local grocery store, it is a common set-up.But a family business can be difficult to manage, and often they don’t survive beyond one or two generations.Issues around money, control, who does what, are complex enough in a commercial setting, let alone with your own flesh and blood.So today we are looking at the pros and the cons of going into business with your family, with a focus on a family farm in Kenya, run by 3 generations of the Chiira family.

Every year the G20 – a group made up of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful countries - meet to discuss and make decisions on global challenges: climate change, energy security, trade and conflict. For many years there have been complaints that many of those affected by those decisions aren’t represented. So with the African Union now a member, will this mean Africa’s voice will be heard more? Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to Mikatekiso Kubayi, a researcher at the Institute for Global Dialogue at the University of South Africa.

Bola Tinubu was officially sworn in as President of Nigeria just over 100 days ago. Since then, opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have alleged widespread fraud in the election.But last week, Nigeria’s Appeal Court rejected challenges to his narrow victory. The problems President Tinubu inherited are huge. There’s widespread insecurity, the cost of living crisis, high unemployment, a shrinking oil industry and high inflation. So how’s he begun to deal with those challenges? And are people happy with the job he’s doing so far? Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje has been looking at this with the BBC’s Chris Ewokor in the capital Abuja.

This week the first ever Africa Climate Summit took place in Nairobi, to discuss ways the continent can respond to the threat of climate change .At least 23 African heads of state and government joined thousands of delegates at the summit, with a goal to influence climate commitments, pledges and outcomes.At the close of the summit on Wednesday, the African leaders adopted a joint declaration outlining the continent’s position on climate finance and green growth. In the declaration- the African leaders proposed new taxes across the world to fund action against climate change.The heads of state say the declaration will form the basis of their negotiating position at November's COP28 summit in Dubai. They've proposed taxes on shipping, aviation and the trade in fossil fuel. Although the summit was largely hailed as a success, there has been outcry over the small number of African heads of state and governments who attended.Civil society groups say they were side-lined, and claim the process of preparing the summit was hijacked by western influencers.

As the World Cup is set to start in Paris, President of Rugby Africa says investment is needed for more countries to replicate the Springbok’s success

“What I saw was really traumatizing. It was traumatic to see people jumping out of a building” On the 31st of August, a fire destroyed a block of flats in the Johannesburg inner city, in South Africa. A total of 77 people died while dozens of others remain in hospital. The police are still investigating how the fire started. The authorities say those who died in the catastrophe were living in the derelict and abandoned building illegally. This is part of what has been described as ‘building hijacking’. Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg speaks to former mayor Herman Mashaba and constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos, to get an understanding of this problem.

The leader of Gabon's military junta has vowed to return power to civilians after "free, transparent" elections. However, in a speech after being sworn in as interim president, he did not give a date for military rule to end. The coup, that ended more than 50 years of rule by the Bongo family in Gabon, was welcomed by crowds of cheering civilians that turned up at the inauguration. However, some question his links to the old regime and say Gen Nguema's rule will be a continuation of the Bongo dynasty.

Young people in Zanzibar are able to pursue boxing for the first time in nearly six decades, now that a ban on the sport has been lifted. Zanzibar’s first president Abeid Karume banned boxing in 1965, saying it was inhumane and against the culture of Zanzibaris. In the years since, some aspiring boxers had to travel to mainland Tanzania to pursue their ambitions. It means that people on the island were only recently able to enjoy one of Africa’s most popular sports in person for the first time in nearly 60 years. But after all that time, are people on Zanzibar ready to lace up their gloves and embrace boxing again?

We speak hundreds of languages across the African continent. But only a small number are represented on the internet. So what future do the languages we speak at home and with our families have, if we cannot use them in a digital world?This is where machine learning comes in, Artificial Intelligence. Because there are translation tools out there, built through Natural Language Processing (NLP), which can allow you to be understood anywhere in the world. But the data needed is complex and takes a long time to create. So we brought together 3 women who work in this field and are ‘language champions’ for African languages – Salomey Osei from Ghana, Jade Abbott from South Africa, and Kathleen Siminyu from Kenya – to find out whether our African languages can have a digital future.

When South African Motswedi Modiba made her first appearance on Sing China, one of the world’s biggest TV shows, the video went viral. It wasn’t just because she sang the song beautifully or because she belted out the words in perfect Mandarin. People were also excited because she became the first black African to appear on the show. The show has more than 150 million viewers and since her audition, she’s picked up thousands of new followers across Asia.

On Sunday, Russian officials confirmed that Yevgeny Prighozin was among those killed in a plane crash last week. Prighozin was chief of the Wagner mercenary group, which has carried out operations in a number of African countries. Over the last year, many countries in the Sahel region have moved away from their former security partners in the west. And Mali, which is struggling to contain secessionists and Islamist militants, has turned to Wagner to bolster their security. So, what might Prighozin’s death mean for those countries that are relying on Wagner?

“It is not cast in stone that a military junta is always bad. What if it’s the only thing that we have?” On the 26th of July 2023, a group of soldiers in Niger ousted president Mohamed Bazoum from power. His presidential guard commander general Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new military junta. Niger joined Sahel nations like Sudan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Guinea who are also led by army men. Some of these leaders, including Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traore, appear to be enjoying the support of the masses. So, do these developments mean that western style democracy has collapsed in the Sahel region? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Everisto Benyera and Mausi Segun

It’s been 135 days since the start of the conflict in Sudan. Four million people have been displaced since the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces turned their guns on each other, according to the UN Refugee Agency. More than 700,000 people have left the country, crossing the border to neighbours like, Egypt, South Sudan and Chad. Around 3.2 million are displaced within the country, making their way to areas that feel relatively safer. So, what has it been like for those who made the decision to leave? And how are they trying to rebuild their lives elsewhere?#AfricaDaily

On Monday, the government in Somalia announced that TikTok, Telegram and an online betting platform would be banned. They said the move would help limit the spread of indecent content and terrorist propaganda. The Minister of Communications ordered the internet companies to block the apps by Thursday night. For many people, TikTok is a light hearted escape. But creators have sometimes spent years building up millions of followers. Posting on the platform has become their livelihood. So, why is Somalia banning apps including TikTok? And how will it impact Somalia’s TikTok superstars?#AfricaDaily

We all grow up with an identity shaped by history – where we were born, how our parents and grandparents lived, what happened in our country, all these things shape us. But we also have agency, we have the ability to look at our history and the sources that shaped it, and interpret it for ourselves. The same historical event can mean many things to many people.Nigeria is a country where many communities and identities are held within one nation. And the history of that nation is the source of it’s current identity. So we’ve brought together an eminent Nigerian historian and intellectual, Dr Toyin Falola, and Fu’ad Lawal the founder of archivi.ng which is a project to preserve modern history through an online newspaper archive, to discuss how history is used to shape our identities. #AfricaDaily

As the majority of African countries work towards a tobacco free world, Tanzania - the third largest producer on the continent - is still hanging onto the crop as part of its revenue. The country’s health ministry has been discouraging smoking, with data showing 17 thousand Tanzanians are killed by tobacco related diseases each year. But the ministry of agriculture has been supporting tobacco farming, with reports indicating local politicians are key stakeholders in the tobacco industry. For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja looks at why Tanzania is hanging onto tobacco farming, and why a bill prepared more than five years ago to align local legislation with the requirements of the World Health Organisation is yet to be tabled in parliament.

For the next two days, South Africa will host world leaders including Xi Jinping of China, Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Narendra Modi of India. Russia’s Vladimir Putin was initially invited, but couldn’t travel to Johannesburg due to a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC. It relates to alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Those gathered for this week’s BRICS summit, will discuss an alternative currency to the US dollar, trade and expanding the BRICS bloc. In recent months, dozens of countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina, Iran, Egypt and Nigeria expressed interest to join. Some political commentators say BRICS could challenge the dominance of the United States and its western allies.

“What a lot of Zimbabweans are really concerned about at the moment is the level of joblessness. This has been a historical problem and so has been the high cost of living” - Shingai NyokaOn Wednesday, millions of Zimbabweans are expected to vote in this year’s national election.A total of eleven presidential candidates appear on the ballot paper.But Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF and the Citizens Coalition for Change of Nelson Chamisa are seen as the frontrunners.Zimbabweans will go to the polls at a time when hyperinflation pushes up the prices of basic necessities.So, what changes can the elections bring, especially considering Zanu PF's 43 year rule?

This week marked a painful anniversary for Egyptians - 10 years since the violence at Rabaa Square and Nahda Square. In August 2013, supporters of the ousted President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood had been staging protests and sit ins for almost 50 days. Hundreds of people, mostly civilians, were killed within just a few hours when Egyptian forces violently dispersed the crowds. And many more of those who witnessed the violence have faced arrests, prison terms or have fled the country in the years since. So, what has life been like for them over the past decade? #AfricaDaily

The phrase ‘sanctions have been imposed’ frequently features when countries are at the centre of a big news story. Recently we’ve mentioned that some of Niger’s neighbours brought in sanctions after the military takeover. And the warring parties in Sudan have faced sanctions from the UK since the conflict started there. They are seen by some countries as a way of leveraging their influence to get a preferred outcome. But, what exactly are sanctions? How are they supposed to work? And do they actually have any impact?#AfricaDaily

When a firework blew up in Ubokobong Amanam’s hand, he was left with life changing injuries. He needed a prosthesis to replace the fingers he lost, but none of those on the market matched his complexion. The accident inspired his brother John to work on making something better for him. But they didn’t stop there…they now run a company making prostheses (artificial body parts) for the African market and employ 35 people. And next they have their sights on the world of robotics. #AfricaDaily

From buying goods to communicating with friends, mobile internet has completely changed how we live our lives. In the continents biggest cities, speedy 4G makes transactions quick and reliable. But in rural areas and poorer countries, data can be slower, temperamental and much more expensive. It means that many people are priced out of getting on line and are missing out on all the benefits that come with it. So, why is data still too expensive in some parts of the continent?

“If that path is clogged with trees or it’s difficult to get through but it’s the only path you have to a better circumstance, you will go a lot further through that path and you will trek a lot further before giving up than someone who has, perhaps, six or seven paths at their disposal”As the Women’s World Cup draws to a close, Alan Kasujja looks at whether or not poverty plays any part in propelling athletes to greatness.Footballers like Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga, Sadio Mane of Senegal, South Africa’s Steven Pienaar and Englishman Marcus Rashford, grew up in tough conditions.But this did not stop them from playing the beautiful game at the highest level possible.So, what exactly is it about their background that makes them tick?Presenter: Alan KasujjaGuests: Tabitha Chawinga and Ryan Tehini

“It’s becoming a luxury now to purchase a pad.” Women in Ghana protested outside the parliament building in Accra in June chanting for ‘tax free periods’. It followed a rise in taxes on sanitary pads. And now, a BBC survey has found that of all women on the continent, Ghanaian women on low incomes have to spend the biggest proportion of their wages on even the cheapest sanitary protection – a staggering 13%. Because of the cost, many women and girls in Africa will use makeshift protection, including rags, corn leaves and even dried cow dung. And while campaigners in Kenya and South Africa have succeeded in driving down the cost – some say it’s not enough, and that women should be given access to free sanitary products. For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja sits down to discuss the issues with three campaigners from South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Presenter: @kasujja Guests: @Nokuzola_SA, @anittanesh and @faleyeibrahimFor more on the BBC report on the cost of sanitary ware see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-66423981

Finding a place to live can be challenging in a growing, expensive city like Lagos. But single women might find it particularly difficult. They report being turned down by landlords even when they can afford an apartment and have the funds to pay rent in advance. So, why is it so hard to find a place to stay?

“If I take one step to my right I will be in Kenya and if I take one step to my left, I will be in Somalia."A phased reopening of the border between Kenya and Somalia was meant to be happening last month. But that reopening was then postponed by Kenya's interior minister – citing security concerns. So what has the response been on both sides of the border?GUESTS: Abdikafi Adan Mohamed, Mohamed Mohamed and Waihiga Mwaura (@waihigamwaura)

Over the last few years there’s been a surge in violence between police and gangs in Haiti, with an eyewatering 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince under the control of gangs. The government has been calling for international intervention but its neighbours including the US have opted to keep out. So why has Kenya decided to get involved? It has offered to send 1000 police officers to lead a multinational force. For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja looks at what the force will be dealing with if approved by the United Nations.