Africa Daily

“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 S...

“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 a...

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...

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...

“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-...

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 wa...

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. De...

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...

“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...

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...

“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 ca...

“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...

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 du...

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 Afr...

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 o...

“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 Manc...

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 pa...

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...

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 atrociti...

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...

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...

“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-backe...

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...

“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 Acheb...

“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 giv...