Africa Daily

The Olkaria geothermal power station in Kenya opened four decades ago. It’s located in Hell’s Gate National Park and was originally conceived as a research project. But today it’s a viable commercial business that generates electricity using steam rising from deep in the ground. And it’s a renewable source that could bring energy to millions. In the next edition of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja looks...

Houses burnt. Empty schools. The recent unrest in Laikipia county has shocked Kenyans. Armed pastoralists are being blamed for the violence. They say they’re being denied access to water and land. But the Kenyan government says the unrest is actually the work of “politicians” - so, what exactly has been going on? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Ferdinand Omondi, BBC reporter. #...

Traditional healers used to be community elders – not anymore. A new generation of young South Africans is embracing what they describe as their “ancestral calling”, and using social media to bring new life to ancient traditions. Who are they – and how does their country see them? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Mpho Lakaje, reporter based in Johannesburg; Rutendo Ngara, cultu...

Boko Haram is on the ropes. The group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, is dead and his followers are more divided than ever. And yet, there seems to be little reason to celebrate: the Islamic State West Africa Province, a former offshoot of the group, is set on continuing their campaign of terror. Can they be stopped? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Audu Bulama Bukarti, analyst with...

Rising temperatures. Drier weather. Four years of drought have taken their toll on Madagascar: the country’s now on the brink of the world's first "climate change famine", according to the United Nations. But why exactly? And what can the island-state do about it? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Tiana Andriamanana, Executive Director of Fanamby. #AfricaDaily

The trial of the man who inspired the Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” concludes this week in Kigali. Paul Rusesabagina has been on trial charged with crimes related to terrorism, arson, kidnap and murder. The charges relate to rebel attacks that occurred in southern Rwanda in which nine people were killed. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence, but Mr Rusesabagina has continued to boycott his trai...

Yemi Alade is Afrobeats royalty: don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Her songs have millions of views on YouTube – and her fans are scattered all around the world. It’s fair to say Yemi Alade has pushed Nigerian music to new heights. So, what’s her secret? We went to meet her. Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) #AfricaDaily

Enough with the petty bribes: Kenyan drivers are fed up with having to pay off police officers every time they’re stopped on the road. Police chiefs are concerned – and they believe the solution might be to scale down roadblocks and static police checks. But how much of a difference will it make? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) #AfricaDaily

Former dictator Yahya Jammeh makes for an unlikely ally – and yet, his political clout seems to appeal to Gambian President Adama Barrow. An alliance between their parties has been announced ahead of December’s presidential election. So, what does it all mean for The Gambia? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Mustapha Darboe, Gambian journalist and news editor. #AfricaDaily

Is this what a “brain drain” looks like? For years, thousands of doctors have been leaving Nigeria to search for new jobs abroad. They say their country has denied them fair salaries and adequate working conditions. And yet, the government worries that their departure might further weaken the health system. How big a problem is this? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Dr Ajidahun...

Historically, African women have been told the subject of sex is off limits. But author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah wants to change all that. She thinks that to get our best sex lives, we need to be able to talk about it - with partners, friends and family. So she spoke to over thirty women from across the continent and diaspora and wrote a book about it: The Sex Lives of African Women. So, what did she...

This is not the time to be selfish: politicians and health experts across Africa are losing their cool with Western countries. Barely 3% of the continent has been vaccinated against Covid-19 - and yet, in many wealthier nations, booster jabs are already being considered. Some say this is what a “vaccine apartheid” looks like, but do they have a point? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) G...

South Africa’s unemployment rate has hit a record high: it’s now 34.4%, which means about 7.8 million people are currently without a job. Young South Africans - especially young graduates - have been hit the hardest. So, how did things get so out of hand? And is the pandemic solely to blame for this? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Mpho, young unemployed South African; Phumlan...

A president deposed, soldiers at the wheel. Guinea is still reeling from a coup that saw President Alpha Conde toppled. The UN and the African Union are unhappy about it all – but some in the country see this is an opportunity for a new beginning. How likely is it to happen? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Beverly Ochieng, BBC Monitoring. #AfricaDaily

Some Ugandans are feeling left out: they don’t have one of the shiny identity cards that were introduced in 2014. And this is a problem: after all, not having a national ID card means they can’t access healthcare and some other basic services – but how widespread is the problem? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Gilbert Kadilo, public relations officer for Uganda’s National Iden...

Across Africa’s newsrooms, sexual harassment appears to be rife. That’s according to research by Women in News - a media development programme. Half of all the women surveyed said they’d been harassed at work - and only a third had reported it. So, despite all the progress with the #metoo movement, why is sexual harassment still so widespread? And what’s being done to stop it? Hosted by Alan Kasuj...

A historic new law is set to reshape Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. But critics say the Petroleum Industry Act fails to adequately reward the communities and regions where Nigeria’s oil is sourced from. Do they have a point? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Dr Isaac Osuoka, community activist with Social Action International; Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, advisory Board Member for...

What’s not to like about seaweed? It’s nutritious, good for the environment, and – as it turns out – surprisingly profitable. Farmers say this could be the crop of the future, and that seaweed farms could soon become a feature of Africa’s vast coastline. So, what’s holding them back? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Mounir Boulkout, SELT Marine Group; Houssam Hamza, Aquaculture...

Bruises and broken bones. Dambe is not kind to the human body. As extreme as this combat sport may be, it’s amassed legions of fans not only in Nigeria, where it was born, but also around the world. What’s it all about? And how did it become so popular? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Maxwell Kalu, founder and CEO of African Warriors FC; Dogon Kyallu, Dambe fighter. #AfricaDail...

Child marriage isn’t a thing of the past: by some estimates, a third of all Zimbabwean girls are married before they turn eighteen. But the recent death of a fifteen-year-old girl has shaken the nation and kick-started a fresh debate about the problem. Campaigners say child marriages are rising - but why exactly is that? Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Respect Ruvimbo Topodzi,...

In just a few days, Sao Tome and Principe are to hold a runoff of their Presidential elections. Research recently published suggests that when you look at the whole African continent, small islands like this tend to be more democratic and that people have more freedoms. In the next edition of Africa Daily Alan Kasujja looks at whether island-states have Africa’s best democracies. Host: Alan Kasujj...

We’re taking a break. Time for a breather. It’s been a busy year. But don’t worry. In just a few weeks, we’ll have some top notch episodes for you. And in the meantime, you can catch up on our back catalogue. Alan and the team will be back on 30 August. #AfricaDaily

If you still haven’t heard of Naija trap, believe us: you will. A new generation of ambitious young rappers is trying to put Nigerian trap on the map. But can they succeed in an industry where Afrobeats is still king? And what exactly makes their beats so unique? Host: Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Simi Drey, Nigerian TV and radio presenter; Trill Xoe, Nigerian trap artist. #AfricaDai...

Is this Zambia’s most unpredictable election yet? With a week to go before Zambians choose their president, clashes are being reported in parts of the country. Soldiers are in the streets of Lusaka. Observers say the race for the top job is tight – so, what can we expect from the vote? Host: Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guest: Kennedy Gondwe, reporter in Lusaka. #AfricaDaily

Sierra Leone has abolished the death penalty – and in countries where it’s still legal, executions are going down. Last year, only 16 were reportedly carried out in sub-Saharan Africa. So, is the end of capital punishment getting nearer? And what will happen to all the prisoners waiting on death row? Host: Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) Guests: Umaru Fofana, reporter in Sierra Leone; Morris Ka...