Africa Daily

The relationship between Algeria and France - often sensitive, sometimes strained, but usually restrained - has soured horribly in recent weeks. With tit-for-tat expulsions, diplomatic recalls and lingering resentment over France’s stance on Western Sahara, some observers are calling this crisis unprecedented. So, have Algeria and France reached a point of no return? BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC Arabic’s Ahmed Rouaba to unpack what’s fuelling the latest fallout between the two countries.

“South Africa is known for championing human rights using diplomacy to bring all parties together. But it’s not as simple as that” - Thelela Ngcetane-Vika of the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg.South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital Pretoria today.The two are expected to discuss the on-going war in Europe, trade and several other issues.This comes a few days after Ramaphosa had a telephone conversation with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin about the conflict.Today, Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja attempts to understand if the southern African nation has what it takes to help end the conflict which started in February 2022.Some political observers argue that it will be a tricky assignment for Ramaphosa, considering his close proximity to Putin.Relations between Russia and South Africa date back to the years of apartheid, when the then Soviet Union threw its weight behind black liberation movements.

“Our goal is to... silence the guns.” One of the stated aims of the African Union is to 'promote peace, security, and stability on the continent'. With that in mind, the organisation co-hosted a conference aimed at finding an end to Sudan’s war last week in London. But even as discussions continued in London, thousands of civilians in Northern Darfur were fleeing for their lives under military bombardment. And in other parts of the continent there are other equally bloody and apparently unresolvable conflicts – including in neighbouring South Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Sahel region where Islamist jihadist groups are active. So how much impact can such meetings, and the organisation, actually have? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to the AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye.

“We’ve had a pope who was able to grasp and understand the problems in third world countries.”In 2023 Pope Francis showed his commitment to Africa by visiting two countries riven by conflict: the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out to celebrate him in Kinshasa. But his decision was not a surprising choice – given that he’d made social justice and the rights of the poor and suffering central to his papacy.So when the news of his death was announced yesterday, it was greeted by African Catholics with both sadness, but also prayers of thanks for his life.For today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears from two Congolese people who met the pope as students, Mpongo Simon and Christine Mwanini, and speaks to Father Desmond Nair, a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Durban, South Africa.

Think about your favourite foods… the dishes you eat to make you happy. Are they traditional African foods - like vegetables, fresh fruits, roots, tubers, nuts, beans, and staple whole grains? Foods like Pap, Fufu or Ugali? Or are you thinking about a burger or deep fried chicken and chips from your favourite fast food shop? A new small-scale study found that when participants switched from a western diet to the traditional Kilimanjaro diet, their health markers improved in as little as two weeks. The researchers say they believe traditional foods from throughout the continent could have a similar impact.So could the ‘African Heritage Diet’ be the new Mediterranean diet which helps us all get healthier?Today on the podcast, Mpho Lakaje speaks with the team from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College which conducted the research: Dr Godfrey Temba, an expert in nutrition, and members of his research team, Dr. Mary Mosha and Dr Vesla Kullaya.

“We must, as Africans, begin to solve some of our problems ourselves, because we have more local context, the nuances. It’s our people, it’s our community.”AI is transforming everything - from how we search information online to how we access healthcare. It’s also an industry that is projected to generate nearly $3 trillion for the African continent by 2030.But without African data, languages and culture, the risks are high, some experts warn, of a new kind of colonisation - led by algorithms.Chido Dzinotyiwei’s ‘Vambo AI’ is building African language models, while Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson’s ‘Healthtracka’ is using AI to expand healthcare access in Nigeria.BBC Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi spoke to the two innovators to explore how their work is shaping a future that reflects Africa’s needs.

For decades, wealthy Nigerian families have looked to the UK for elite education - drawn to what they see as prestige, global connections, and academic rigour. But that journey overseas may no longer be necessary. Top British boarding schools like Charterhouse and Rugby are now opening campuses in Nigeria, with others - including Harrow and Millfield - exploring similar moves. But what’s behind this growing trend - and is it being embraced or viewed with caution by parents? Mpho Lakaje speaks with parent Lucy Onoriode Okeke, as well as Dr Joy Isa from Rugby School Nigeria, to find out what’s driving this shift and what it could mean for the country’s education system.

Bobi Wine says to be an opposition politician in Uganda is to be labelled and treated as a terrorist. He’s been beaten, teargassed, arrested and shot at. So why does he want he want to be a presidential candidate in elections scheduled to take place in 2026? He was in London recently and came to our studio to talk to Africa Daily’s Victoria Uwonkunda about why he wants to change Uganda, corruption and his online spat with the chief of the country’s armed forces. We also hear from Ugandan government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo.

“Right now we’re receiving hundreds of patients and victims from ZamZam camp. You can hear the sounds of children… they do not belong to any military.”Today marks two years since war first broke out in Sudan, and in the second of two podcasts on the state of the war, we turn our attention to Darfur.Over the last few days, attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on the Zamzam camp, near the city of El Fasher in North Darfur, have intensified, and the RSF say they have taken control. Over 700,000 people already displaced by the fighting have been taking shelter there. The UN says more than 100 civilians have died in these attacks - including at least 20 children. The aid group Relief International, said its entire staff of 9 hospital employees - including the head doctor – were shot dead by paramilitaries after they broke into the main camp.In today’s pod we hear from a member of the Masalit community of El Geneina which faced similar attacks earlier in the war.

The Sudanese capital, Khartoum, April 15th 2023. Families who’d gathered to celebrate Eid together woke up to gunfire and explosions as a power struggle erupted between two factions of the military led government. There were clashes at the presidential palace, at the airport and at the TV station. Both sides hoped for a quick win, but it quickly became a war of attrition, and in the two years since, the Sudanese people have suffered sexual violence, hunger, displacement and the loss of everything they hold dear. The UNHCR says nearly 13 million people have been displaced by the conflict.In the first of a series of two podcasts to mark the anniversary, Mpho Lakaje talks to Sudan’s former deputy intelligence chief, analyst Dr Majak D’Agoot, and asks if we are now in a stalemate, and what the aims of the two sides are.

“We want to change the narrative, so we as Africans can stop being portrayed only as the poacher, the ranger, the guide, or are people who sing for you when you jump off your safari vehicle. From the presenters to the camera teams to the scientific experts, Africa’s wildlife stories have been mainly told by western documentary teams from large international broadcasters like the BBC and Netflix. However this is starting to change, as African filmmakers are gaining the skills and expertise to make nature documentaries from an African perspective. Alan Kasujja speaks to a South African couple who have been spear-heading this change, Pragna and Noel Kok, and also a marine scientist from Tanzania, Nancy Iraba, about her journey into filmmaking.

“We’ve heard that there’s a possibility that our firms might shut down. This has to do with what Mr Trump said. Should it happen, it will be devastating to us because there isn’t much work in Lesotho. We rely on these firms" - Mamonts'eng LephalloAccording to White House figures, in 2024 the United States exported just $2.8 million worth of goods to Lesotho.The southern African country on the other hand sent products worth nearly $240 million to President Donald Trump's country.They include diamonds and clothing. But now, Lesotho has been slapped with a whopping 50% tariff on goods entering the US. With factory workers and others extremely concerned about possible job losses, Lesotho is now sending a high level government delegation to the United States. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Mamonts’eng Lephallo, Marapelang Khabele and Marafaele Mohloboli

The ownership of land is central to our food production, our financial security, and our sense of identity.But in Africa most women do not inherit or own land, despite laws that often provide for their right to do so. Alan Kasujja finds out what is stopping women from inheriting land with the help of Esther Mwaura-Muiru, the Global Advocacy Director for the ‘Stand For Her Land’ Campaign, and Bankolay Theodore Turay, a researcher on women’s land rights in Sierra Leone.

“What I’d like to see is when these girls go back into society, they don’t end up back in prison. It's about using football for positive social change. Football is more than just a game on the pitch and this is an example of that.” The “Football for Reform” programme kicked off in Sierra Leone last November, taking place over 8 days. Run by Caf – the Confederation of African Football – it involved female prisoners being taught football coaching skills. The hope with the project is for some of the women to find jobs in the field in the future. Alan Kasujja speaks with Isha Johansen, former President of the Sierra Leone FA and Mercy Tagoe Quarcoo, former Ghana national team women’s coach. He also hears the thoughts of two women prisoners.

“A lot of people in our communities don’t view them as pirates. I think they are defenders of the sea.”In 2011, Somali piracy peaked. Crews were attacked at gunpoint and many held as hostages for months. The World Bank says there were 243 incidents that year. After a crackdown involving international navies, attacks plummeted to almost zero.But since last year there’s been an uptick in incidents. Houthi attacks on shipping using the Suez Canal - in support of the Palestinians in Gaza – drew global attention, and firepower, away from the Somali coastline. And the root causes of the problem – poverty and lack of infrastructure for local fishing communities, and illegal fishing by foreign trawlers – were never addressed.So could piracy return to the levels of 15 years ago?Alan @kasujja speaks with a local fisherman from the affected town of Eyl, and to fisheries expert Abdirahman Mohamed.

“The question that I’ve been grappling with is, are we not punching above our weight as a country given the fact that we are not one of the biggest economies?” – Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Nelson Mandela University in South Africa Tensions between South Africa and the United States appear to be intensifying. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party, the African National Congress recently said, it won’t be dropping its genocide case against Israel to appease America. South Africa took Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s country to the International Court of Justice in 2024, arguing that it was committing genocide. This relates to the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. These developments come weeks after President Donald Trump’s administration took a hostile stance towards South Africa, including cutting off funding. In today’s episode, Alan Kasujja tries to understand how far South Africa is prepared to go for the cause of Palestine, amid America’s pressure.

“It has made nearly every person, every mother, to have their child contaminated, because the lead levels are so rampant,” says Cornelius Katiti, a father from Kabwe, Zambia, whose three children are affected by lead poisoning. For decades, the town has struggled with remediating 6.4 million tonnes of toxic lead waste left behind by a former mine. A Human Rights Watch report shows 95% of children in affected areas of Kabwe have dangerously high lead levels. Cornelius, along with many others in the community, is left asking: who is responsible for the clean-up? In today's episode, Alan Kasujja explores the ongoing environmental and health impacts of mining with Cornelius, an environmental chemist , and an environmental consultant.

Africa’s cities are expanding at an unprecedented rate.A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Sahel and West Africa Club says the urban population will double to 1.4 billion by 2050.But are these cities prepared to handle the growing demand for housing, transport and services? And as urban areas evolve, who truly stands to benefit from this transformation?BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja explores this with Patrick Analo Akivaga, Chief Officer for Urban Development in Nairobi as well as Kenyan photographer Mutua Matheka, who documents Nairobi’s changing cityscapes and comedian Ty Ngachira, who shares his experience of moving to the capital.

Lupus is a condition where someone’s immune system attacks their own body, including healthy tissue and cells, leaving them with debilitating conditions like exhaustion, extreme weight gain, organ failure and pain. It can lead to death. It disproportionately affects black women but very little is known about the condition in Africa and statistics are hard to come by. In today's episode, Alan Kasujja speaks to two women in South Africa who are determined to change this. GUESTS: Palesa Ramakatsa and Una Van Rhyn is the founder of the Andreas Gift Foundation

Have you noticed how southern Africa tends to be hit by deadly cyclones that leave a trail of destruction? Right now the people of Mozambique are trying to piece their lives together after Cyclone Jude battered the country this month. Before it, two others, Chido and Dikeledi, hit the same part of southern Africa in quick succession. All three claimed dozens of lives, leaving schools, homes and other buildings severely damaged. Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Lehlohonolo Thobela of the South African Weather Service in Pretoria. “If you speak about Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa, those are usually the areas that usually experience tropical cyclones. Geographically, the Indian Ocean is in the eastern parts. The Indian Ocean itself is where cyclones are born. Why? Because they need warmth”, Lehlohonolo says. Alan also hears from Mary Louise Eagleton of UNICEF, who is in Maputo. She’s been to the most affected areas and shares what she's seen.

“A lot is expected of her. A lot of eyes are going to be on her.” A moment of sporting history. That’s how many sports fans around the world will remember it. Africa’s most decorated Olympian, swimming champion, Kirsty Coventry will become the next President of the International Olympic Committee. The first time for a woman, an African and the governing body's youngest president. In today’s Africa Daily Alan Kasujja hears reaction from Zimbabwe and speaks to two female Olympians on what this means for Africa. Guests: Zimbabwean sports journalist Steve Vickers, two-time Olympic medallist Nigeria's Mary Onyali Omagbemi, and Kenya’s Sinaida Aura who took part in the Tokyo Olympics for Kenya’s rugby Lionesses

“You cannot feel that you’re fasting when you’re playing. No water, no food, but it’s still very exciting to finish and to score" Ramadan is a time for prayer and reflection worldwide. But in Egypt they mark it using one of their nationwide passions: football. Since the 1960s street football tournaments have spread to every town – involving everyone from professional footballers to children and old men. A woman’s tournament is in its infancy. Some footballers have even been slapped with heavy fines by their clubs for taking part – but many remain undeterred, as it’s such a part of Ramadan tradition and culture. PRESENTER: Alan @Kasujja GUESTS: 70 year old Elsayed Mohamed and his son, football journalist, Mohamed Kutbah, and Hamada Elalfy, one of the organisers of the Mit Rumi tournament.

As Morocco faces one of its worst droughts in decades, soaring meat prices and dwindling livestock have made Eid al-Adha sacrifices difficult. In response King Mohammed VI has urged Moroccans to forgo the tradition, echoing a similar appeal by his father in 1966.Could changing weather patterns reshape how Eid is observed? BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Moroccan journalist Basma El Atti to explore how Moroccans are adapting and what this means for the future of Eid traditions.This episode has been edited since it was originally published

"It was hell. The worst seven months of my life. I was beaten, humiliated, electrocuted."Jalil Muyeke thought he was travelling to Thailand for a dream job. Instead, he was trafficked to Myanmar, imprisoned in a scam centre, and forced to commit online fraud under the threat of violence. An estimated 100,000 people fell victim to these operations run by Chinese crime groups. Jalil endured seven months of beatings and abuse before finally finding a way out. He eventually had to pay for his own flight back home and was fined 1,500 Thai Baht for overstaying his visa, which is approximately 44 dollars - a small price to pay to be swiftly reunited with his family in Uganda. But thousands are still stuck in Myanmar today, with many African governments unwilling to pay to bring their citizens home. Alan Kasujja speaks to Jalil, who survived the ordeal, to find out how he was tricked, what life was like inside, and how he made it out.

“For someone seeing a light bulb for the first time, it is like a magic show from heaven. They are so happy, they are singing. That moment, it never gets old.”Six hundred million people in Africa don’t have access to electricity – meaning that for many living on a continent with a median age of 19, the future is anything but bright.But it’s a challenge that the winner of this year’s Commonwealth Young Person of the Year prize is determined to overcome. Nigeria’s Stanley Anigbogu was honoured for his innovations in transforming plastic waste into solar innovations and providing clean energy to thousands of people including refugees. For today’s Africa Daily, he speaks to Peter Musembi about his goals and inspirations – including Marvel’s Iron Man!

“The emphasis now is not on Netumbo the person, the emphasis is on a woman… If anything happens, like it can happen in any administration under men, there are also those that won’t talk about Netumbo, but rather say: “look at women!””Today sees the inauguration of Namibia’s first-ever female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. The 72-year-old is a former freedom fighter and veteran of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization – better known as SWAPO.In a special interview recorded in Windhoek, she speaks to Mpho Lakaje about land reform, the challenges of being a woman politician, and how she still likes to go back to the village and to play with her grandchildren.

“It could not by itself stop the advance of M23 without a strong Congolese army. And my sense is that it was not SADC that failed, but the Congolese army that failed.” Since December 2023, troops from SADC - the Southern African Development Community - have been taking part in a mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo tasked with supporting the Congolese army and protecting civilians and infrastructure. They included soldiers from Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa.But then in January, rebels from the M23 group made lightning advances across the region – taking key towns including the capital Goma. A number of SADC troops were killed in the fighting. And last week, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced a ‘phased withdrawal’.So is this a sign that the mission has failed? And what will it mean for the government and people of the DRC? Presenter: Alan @kasujja Guests: Rear Admiral (JG) Prince Tshabalala, Thierry Bashala (businessman) and Dr. Claude Kabemba, the CEO of Southern Africa Resource Watch.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan says Nigeria’s senate President began to sexually harass her in December 2023 and that there were multiple incidents of this nature. She’s been speaking publicly about what she says happened and filed a petition to the senate. But earlier this month Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan received a six month suspension from her job over what was described as a “breach of the rules of the Senate”. There are only four women in the senate and 109 men, so the allegations have got lots of people talking and sparked protests. What does this all say about how sexual harassment allegations are treated in Nigeria? In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears more about the story from the BBC’s Azeezat Olaoluwa in Lagos. He also speaks to Nigerian lawyer and civil rights activist Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi and Omowumi Ogunrotimi, the founder and executive director of Gender Mobile Initiative.

The dispute over Western Sahara is one of Africa’s longest running wars – starting in 1975. It pits Morocco against the Polisario Front- an Algerian backed political movement. But while the international community has focussed on finding a diplomatic solution – the plight of the indigenous Sahrawi people, who used to live on the disputed land, is often forgotten. They have been living in difficult-to-access refugee camps in Algeria for the past 50 years, amidst allegations that they’re being used as pawns in a wider struggle. So what is their life like? And is there any hope that this long running conflict can be resolved? GUESTS: Moroccan politician and activist, Lahcen Haddad, and the BBC’s Sally Nabil who’s visited the camps.

“This is a payment of debt. Definitely we are trying our best to show our gratitude and also to stand by our brothers and the nation of Sudan.”After three decades of civil war in Somalia, the healthcare system in the country was a mess and many people had to travel to neighbouring countries for treatment - if they could afford it. And so, in 2014, a group of Somali businessmen founded the Somali-Sudanese Hospital in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, to respond to the challenge. It followed years of Somali medical students going to Sudan for training – and the hospital became a place for them to use their expertise on their return. But then in 2022 war broke out in Sudan – and the hospital became a refuge for Sudanese doctors fleeing the war, thanks to that long-established relationship. The Sudanese medics are also offering crucial specialist services the hospital could not provide before. In this episode of Africa Daily, Peter Musembi talks to Prof Helmi Daoud who was the first doctor to flee to Somalia with his whole family three months after the start of the war.He also hears from Dr Abdilqadir Yusuf, the hospital’s Research and Development manager on how the arrival of the Sudanese doctors has transformed services there.NOTE: This pod was updated at 0709 GMT on 17/3/25 to correct the year war broke out in Sudan.

Black Economic Empowerment was initially introduced by former South African president Nelson Mandela in the 1990s, as one of his government’s policies. But in 2003, it was revised and changed to BBBEE: Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment. It's aim is to facilitate the much broader participation of black South Africans in the economy, thus addressing inequality. This section of the population was excluded during the years of white minority rule, leading to high levels of poverty. But some sections of the white population, including American businessman Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, have been critical of this policy. So today Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje finds out why this law is so polarizing. Guests: Tshepo Mokoena, Kganki Matabane and Sandile Swana

For African immigrants in the US, the threat of mass deportation is a constant fear. Many have built lives, found stability, and raised families but now over a million non-US citizens face the reality of potential deportation. The Trump administration now plans to create a national register for undocumented migrants over the age of 14, with those failing to sign up risking criminal prosecution. Deportees like Anwar Mohamed, sent back to Somalia in 2018 after being convicted of a felony, recall the shock of being forced to leave the country they had come to see as home. Alan Kasujja speaks with Anwar and Muktar Ahmed about their deportation experiences, as well as Ghanaian immigration attorney Akua Aboagye, who helps families navigate the complex US immigration system.Producer: Mohamad Gabobe

River blindness – or onchocerciasis – is a tropical disease which causes itchiness, skin damage, and eventually blindness. It affects millions of people across Africa. In Niger a staggering 70 percent of the population was once infected. But now, after a gruelling 45 year health campaign, it’s become the first African country to eliminate the disease. Alan Kasujja speaks Dr Paulin Basinga, head of the Gates Foundation in Africa who has who has played a key role in the fight against river blindness in western Africa.

“We didn’t harvest anything at all” – Zimbabwean resident Hlengiwe Moyo Today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje focuses on Zimbabwe, one of several southern African countries recently hit by a prolonged drought. Seven million people are now desperate for food assistance. The World Food Programme, along with several nations, partnered to donate bags of maize, pulses and cooking oil. Other countries that were hardest hit include Zambia and Malawi. Namibia even resorted to slaughtering wild animals such as hippos, elephants and zebras, to feed its people. The situation became so bad that Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a national disaster to tackle the prolonged drought crisis. Guests: Ish Mafundikwa, Regina Vurayayi and Hlengiwe Moyo

Autism remains one of the most misunderstood conditions in many African countries, often leading to stigma, misdiagnosis and a lack of support.Why do so many children in Africa go undiagnosed, and what impact does this have on their futures?BBC Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi speaks with Cameroonian author Delly Singah, whose personal journey as a mother of an autistic child has shaped her advocacy. Through her book ‘Diary of a Special Mum – Kicking Autism to the Curb’, Delly challenges misconceptions and highlights the struggles families face in getting a proper diagnosis and help.

“South Sudan is on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war - and this civil war could be on a much larger scale than we’ve seen in the past.”What’s going on in South Sudan? This week alarm bells have been ringing after leading allies of the Vice President, Riek Machar, were arrested – and Machar’s own home in Juba was surrounded temporarily by troops.It follows clashes between a militia called the ‘White Army’ which fought alongside Machar during the civil war, with government troops in Upper Nile state, close to the Ethiopian border.The relationship between Machar and President Salva Kiir has always been fractious and in 2013 a bloody civil war broke out after their political differences spiralled. 400,000 people were killed and 2 and a half million were displaced.So is the peace deal which ended that war in 2018 now under threat?Presenter: @Mpholakaje Guest: Daniel Akech Thiong of the Crisis Group.

“I believe that when I sing things will change and we shall have a bright future. We are going to be the ambassadors of change for our country South Sudan." War and displacement leave scars that go beyond the physical. In Bidibidi, one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, many struggle with trauma, substance abuse, and uncertainty. Bidibidi is home to over 250,000 refugees but a performing arts centre is helping refugees find healing, and hope for a better future, through music, dance, and theatre. Alan Kasujja speaks to Victor Aluonzi, who helped bring the project to life, as well as South Sudanese refugees Moses Modi and Mary Nadia, who find comfort in the arts.

Schools in South Sudan could remain closed for another four weeks as a severe heat wave continues in the country. Last week the government ordered schools across the country to close for two weeks as temperatures rose above 42°C, with reports indicating that an average of 12 students had been collapsing daily due to the soaring heat. It is the second consecutive year schools have been shut down during the hottest months, disrupting the academic calendar. Floods have in the past contributed to the instability of the education system in South Sudan, making it one of the countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children because of climate change. For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja has been speaking to two students - Naomi and Maxwell. He also hears from school teacher Akot Aliel, about life in the classroom during the heat wave.(Audio updated: 0658 6/3/25)

The bacteria in our stomachs – known collectively as the microbiome - are increasingly seen by scientists as playing an important role in our overall health. According to research, it can show markers of disease as well as affect everything from digestion to mental health. Everyone has a different microbiome depending on where you live, your lifestyle, and various external factors. But data in Africa has been lacking. Now a new study of four different countries on the continent – Burkina Faso, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana - is starting to fill that gap. Alan Kasujja talks to two of the researchers involved. GUESTS: Dr Luicer Olubayo and Dr Ovokeraye Oduaran

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world - from healthcare to finance, agriculture to education. But in Africa, the stakes are different. How do we make sure AI isn’t just another import but is something built for Africans, by Africans? With so many languages, infrastructure gaps, and the need to protect our own data, building a truly African AI comes with big challenges, but also huge opportunities. Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja speaks to Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, to unpack what it will take to own our digital future—tackling everything from data sovereignty to local innovation.

“Lacking respect for Mohamed Salah and lacking respect for Egypt and for African football.”That’s how three-time Afcon winner Wael Goma sums up Jamie Carragher’s comment that the Africa Cup of Nations is ‘not a major tournament’. The former England and Liverpool defender was taking part in a TV discussion about Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’or after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday. He said because Salah hadn’t won a ‘major’ tournament like the World Cup, Euros or Copa America so he didn’t have much chance of winning the coveted award for the best player in the world. But Africa’s top footballing guns have come out angrily to defend the importance of Afcon. PRESENTER: Alan @Kasujja GUESTS: Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Bony who won Afcon in 2015 Egypt’s Wael Goma who won Afcon in 2006, 2008, and 2010 Football Journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently told journalists that he has no interest in extending his term of office. “These terms are very definite, and I’m so democratic. When they come to an end, I will step aside and my party will elect my successor”, he said. But will the head of state really hand over the baton to someone else? Towards the end of last year, Mnangagwa’s party, Zanu PF passed a resolution to extend his term when it ends in 2028. Some in Zimbabwe believe the president is in fact playing politics and that he intends to consolidate his power. At the same time, a group of Zanu PF war veterans are pushing for Mnangagwa to immediately vacate his office, accusing him of failing to improve the country. So, what does the future hold for the southern African nation? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Shingai Nyoka and Dr. Gideon Chitanga

Millions of people in Sudan are facing hunger and possible famine due to the war between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces militia, which has been going on for almost two years. The country has the ability to feed itself if farmers could use the most fertile land, between the White and the Blue Nile rivers in El Gezira state. Although a massive irrigation scheme has been in place there for a century, the past choice of cash crops, along with mismanagement by the government have meant Sudan has not been able to benefit from the potential of this agricultural heartland, even before the current war saw most of the farming community flee.Guest: Professor Nisrin Elamin.

Warning: this pod contains description of violence from the beginning. “They died in the hands of the state. And to die in the hands of the state – that’s something we can’t just let pass… Without their rights they cannot rest in peace.” Nearly a month ago, M23 rebels captured the regional capital Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the time, one of the worst reported atrocities of the conflict took place – when more than 150 women prisoners and their children were killed in Munzenze Prison - after an intense fire broke out. The UN says most of the women were probably subjected to sexual violence before they died. The horror of it all has left family members trying desperately to find the remains of their loved ones. In this episode, Alan Kasujja speaks to Mwamisyo, an activist who was a prisoner at the time of the fire, and to Lumumba, whose aunt was one of the women who died.

Being online has become a huge part of our lives. Everywhere you look, you see people on their phones in homes, schools, work and markets.These devices are not just almost glued to our hands for fun, they are also crucial to people’s businesses and livelihoods.So earlier this year when Nigerian telecommunication companies announced they would be raising their prices, with some services increased by 50 percent, it got many Nigerians talking.These companies say they are doing this because they have to meet their costs as a result of economic factors such as inflation. So what is the price of being online and how are Nigerians being affected?Host: Alan Kasujja Guests: BBC reporter in Lagos, Yusuf Akinpelu and Taofeek Adeshina, photographer based in Lagos.

Muhsin Hendricks, the world's first openly gay imam, was shot dead in South Africa on Saturday, leaving many in mourning. The 57-year-old was a trailblazer, known for his advocacy and for creating safe spaces for queer Muslims. From founding The Inner Circle, a support group for queer Muslims, to leading an inclusive mosque, his work gave many a sense of belonging. Alan Kasujja speaks to those who knew and were inspired by him—including activists and religious leaders—to explore the impact of his life and tragic death. Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Nicole McCain, Rev. Sharon Cox and SimSim.

“Our minerals, yes, are important for the advancement of the world, but they are also important for the progress of our people. We could share these minerals with the world, but our people must come first” - Shanty Tshiela Byart-Mutombo, DRC company owner On Friday, the 14th of February, the M23 rebels started entering Bukavu, having already captured another strategic city, Goma. The Rwandan-backed militants' progress comes despite international calls for a ceasefire and a resumption of talks aimed at ending the conflict in the DRC. For more than three decades, armed groups have competed with the central government for power and control of the mineral-rich country. The conflict has claimed countless lives over the years, with hundreds of thousands of people being displaced in the last few weeks alone. Its impact is being felt by citizens and businesses countrywide. Today Alan Kasujja sits down with local entrepreneur Shanty Tshiela Byart-Mutombo, to find out what it’s like to run a company during such a difficult time.

Midwife or mid-husband? That’s a common question on social media posts highlighting the work of the very few men who help women to deliver babies. Midwifery is a profession that has traditionally been dominated by women. Less than 1% of people registered as midwives globally are men. According to research conducted by the University of Northampton in the UK, 19 countries have no men registered as midwives and five countries legally prohibit men from being midwives.In today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to 63-year-old Robert Aule, a man who has helped to deliver more than 500 babies over the last four decades in one of the most remote regions in Kenya. Could the recruitment of men help to deal with the shortage of midwives?

“The writers of our time who used to criticise the government are no longer there.”Today on the podcast, Alan has the pleasure and privilege of speaking to one of Africa’s great writers: the South Sudanese author Taban Lo Liyong.In the 1960s he rubbed shoulders with independence politicians like Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah and with giants of African literature like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Ngugi wa Thiong’o. He was taken to Uganda as a young child and spent his formative years there – but now lives in his native South Sudan. On today’s podcast he discusses language, the impact of HIV Aids, and why he’s not ready to stop work at the age of 93 years. He says he still has two more books in him…

“This is the new reality that we are going to have to face and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to redefine our position away from the US trying to tell us who we can or cannot be, because they really don’t care about us” - Ugandan coffee farmer Robert Kabushenga In the year 2000, the United States government set up the African Growth and Opportunity Act also known as AGOA. It's aim was to give qualifying sub-Saharan African countries access to the US market, without paying import taxes, thus promoting economic growth in Africa. But there’s no certainty that president Donald Trump will renew the deal when it expires later this year, especially considering many of the moves he's made in recent weeks. His administration cut off financial aid to countries like South Africa and many others around the world. So, what lies ahead for trade relations between Africa and the United States? Presenter: Alan Kasujja Guests: Ugandan coffee farmer Robert Kabushenga, Eswatini economics lecturer Sanele Sibiya and South African exporter Nhlanhla Dlamini