Africa Daily

On Wednesday, opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane returned to Mozambique after a two month self-imposed exile. He was greeted by thousands of his supporters at the main airport in the capital Maputo. Video shared on social media shows him kneeling with a hand on a bible declaring himself president-elect of Mozambique. This latest twist in the country’s post-election drama comes amidst heightened t...

This week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said genocide had been committed in Darfur by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. He said the RSF was responsible for the murder of "men and boys - even infants", that it had committed brutal crimes of sexual violence against women on ethnic grounds, and that it had murdered civilians even as they tried to flee the conflict. He also annou...

“The African National Congress right now is at a crossroads and that crossroads is as a result of one, the electoral performance in 2024 and two, some of the challenges that the country is facing” – Jamie Mighti, South African political commentator Today South Africa’s biggest political party, the African National Congress (ANC), is celebrating its 113th birthday. It comes nearly a year after it l...

Over the past five years Ghana has seen a wave of Africans from the diaspora returning to their ancestral land. That’s because of initiatives like ‘The Year of Return’ which the government launched in 2019. Former president Nana Akufo Addo said “we believe we have a responsibility to extend a hand of welcome” and that ‘The Year of Return’ had been a “great success”. But this movement isn’t without...

2024 was a phenomenal year for women’s sport in Kenya. Amongst other achievements, women athletes won three of Kenya’s four gold medals at the Paris Olympics; in November, Kenyan women were first, second and third in the New York City Marathon; and on the very last day of 2024, double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet smashed the women’s 5000 metre record with an incredible time of 13 minutes and 2...

Tsitsi Dangarembga is a critically acclaimed Zimbabwean writer. She is known for her trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels- ‘Nervous Conditions’, ‘The Book of Not’, and ‘This Mournable Body'. She’s won awards, made films, been arrested for anti-government protests in her home country and lived in Zimbabwe and abroad. For the last episode in our ‘How I became me’ series, Alan Kasujja speaks to he...

In today's Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong Akinboboye. She campaigns for a better understanding of mental health in Cameroon. She founded two NGOs, Positive Youths Africa which is based on encouraging positive mental health for young people and Afrogiveness which uses art therapy, amongst other methods, to help survivors of conflict and discrimination. Her work has rea...

Yesterday Alan and his BBC colleagues from South, East and West Africa gathered for a reminder of the big stories of 2024 – and to discuss how they’d shaped the continent. Today they pick up and look forward to the next year: so what can we expect to see in the news in 2025? With presenter Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja), Africa Daily’s @Mpholakaje in Johannesburg, East Africa Deployments Editor @RuthNeso...

Which news stories have stuck with you over the last year? Sudan? Mpox? The Gen Z protests? What about the cost of living? Alan Kasujja is joined by three BBC colleagues in South, East and West Africa to unpack the biggest issues which impacted the continent in 2024. With presenter Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja), Africa Daily’s @Mpholakaje in Johannesburg, East Africa Deployments Editor @RuthNesoba in Na...

"The power of live entertainment is unmatched." In today’s podcast, we explore the vibrant culture of African festivals and their growing impact on the continent's economy and global influence. Events like Flytime Fest in Lagos and Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar draw thousands of visitors annually, fuelling tourism, hospitality, and cultural exchange. But what does it take to organise a music festiva...

What and who made you the person you are today? It’s a big question and the answer is different for us all. Over the festive period Alan Kasujja has been exploring this subject with people who have gone on to do amazing things in their lives. Today’s guest is the Right Reverend Dr Vicentia Kgabe, the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Lesotho. She grew up in Soweto in Johannesburg when there were n...

In 2018 Meaza Ashenafi made history when she became Ethiopia’s first female Chief Justice, transforming the country’s judicial system while breaking barriers for women. But her remarkable path began far from the courtroom, in a small town in Benishangul-Gumuz, in north west Ethiopia. In today's Africa Daily, she speaks to Alan Kasujja about her journey- her childhood, her law school days as the on...

‘‘I was a very ambitious young girl, I looked at Margaret Thatcher and Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir, and I said well, if they can do it at that level, why not me?’’ What and who made you the person you are today? It’s a big question and the answer is different for us all. Over the festive period Alan Kasujja will be exploring this subject with people who have gone on to do amazing things in...

“My age was the most talked-about thing, but I turned it into my strength.” In today’s podcast, we’re serving up the ultimate recipe for success, featuring the extraordinary journey of Bridget Mangwandi, a 20-year-old South African who made history as the first black woman in her country, and the youngest in the world, to win MasterChef. Her final challenge on the show was to create a two-course m...

“For people to be seeing me like this today, I feel embarrassed. I won’t lie to you. There are times when I want to go home and talk to them, but I’m thinking I might get rejected” - Brian Singh, a homeless man in Durban, South Africa Around this time of the year, Durban in South Africa attracts hundreds of thousands of local and international visitors. This is due to its warm weather, sea, theme...

In today’s episode, our presenter Alan Kasujja meets South African musician and writer Lebohang Morake. Popularly known as Lebo M, he co-wrote and sang the music for the Disney movie The Lion King back in 1994. 30 years later he is doing the same for the prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, he was in London to attend the film’s premiere. He talks to Alan about how he went from the slums of Soweto to the...

After 50 years of Assad family rule, Syrians are celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad after rebel forces captured Damascus. But his fall isn’t just Syria’s story - it’s one with global implications. In Africa, countries that rely on Russian paramilitary support from groups like Wagner, also known as the African Corps, are bracing for potential impacts. Disrupted security alliances, risks of mil...

For more than a year the Somali government has been using security cameras as a key part of its strategy for countering the violence of the Islamist group al-Shabab within the capital city. Many businesses installed CCTV as requested and according to many residents it has had a positive impact on crime and in making people feel safer. But, in response, al-Shabab has shot dead a number of businessm...

Isabel Dos Santos is the eldest daughter Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, the former president of Angola and she was once described as one of the richest women in Africa- with an estimated fortune of $2 billion. But over the last four years her life has changed dramatically. She’s faced lawsuits, her assets have been frozen in several countries and in 2022 global police agency Interpol issued a red notice...

"It’s not your typical ‘white Christmas’ where you’re sitting around sipping hot cocoa with family. No… it’s back-to-back parties, beach parties, pool parties, concerts featuring global superstars. That's what Detty December is!" This festive season, known as Detty December, transforms Lagos and Accra into buzzing hubs of celebration. It’s a time when members of the diaspora, jokingly called IJGBs...

In December 1944, Senegalese troops who fought for France in World War II were killed for demanding the pay and dignity they were promised. The Thiaroye Massacre, long shrouded in silence, is now officially acknowledged by France, shedding light on a dark chapter of colonial history and its lasting impact on Senegal and beyond. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Mamadou Faye, based in BBC’s...

“I’m not sure if Egypt is looking to replace the dollar at the moment. I’m not sure even BRICS wants to do that at the moment” - Wael Gamal, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights US president-elect Donald Trump recently threatened BRICS member states with 100% tariffs, should they go against his country’s currency. “We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new...

As the holiday season approaches with its parties, dinners and festive gatherings, one trend is emerging: a growing number of people are choosing to celebrate without alcohol. The “sober curious” movement is gaining traction, especially among younger generations focused on health and wellness. BBC Africa Daily’s Muthoni Muchiri sits down with Ghanaian author and entrepreneur John Asogonnde, who ha...

Ghana: it’s done it again. Leading the way when it comes to showing the continent how to do democracy. On Sunday, ruling party candidate and Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat even before the official result had been declared. But John Mahama, the country’s next President - who is also a former president – inherits some really tough challenges – especially finding solutions to the c...

Warning: This podcast includes description of sexual violence. “I’ve worked in this situation for more than 25 years. And for me it’s not acceptable to stay in the operating room waiting for patients, and treat them, treat their children and treat their grandchildren. This is not acceptable.” Dr Dennis Mukwege set up the Panzi Clinic in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999. It was initiall...