Africa Daily

“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 voterIn 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 2020A 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.