Focus on Africa

Why would a migrant embark on a journey on Africa's deadliest migration route? A French-Cameroonian writer on trial in Paris for contesting the 1994 genocide in Rwanda-we find out why And how excess salt in soil is affecting farming communities in Africa Presenter :Charles Gitonga Producers: Amie Liebowitz, Nyasha Michelle, Patricia Whitehorne, Yvette Twagiramariya and Susan Gachuhi Senior Produce...

The leaders of Egypt, Somalia and Eritrea, countries which all have strained relations with Ethiopia, have been meeting in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. Can Eritrea help de-escalete tension between its neighbours Also an app that helps detect illnesses in people with black and brown skin And the Ugandan bill, seeking to restore respect for the elderly! Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Rob Wil...

Zimbabwe announces a major shift in its land tenure. Black farmers will get titles for land seized from white farmers but can only sell to "indigenous Zimbabweans" What's behind the rare flooding in the Sahara Desert? And a community in Uganda with an unusually high number of blind people. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Nyasha Michelle, Rukia Bulle, Bella Hassan and Pa...

Burkina Faso has allegedly withdrawn all its diplomats from Ivory Coast, worsening ties between the neighbours. The relationship has been rocky of late and earlier this year their ministers of defence held a meeting on the border, in a bid to bring about a "new start" in relations - but that meeting didn't seem to help. What's going on? Also how important is it for African countries to have a perm...

Ethiopia's first female head of state replaced - meanwhile clashes continue in the Amhara region. How the relationship between Israel and African states has evolved a year since the Israel-Gaza war And a pioneer fashion show to highlight the plight of amputees Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: :Bella Hassan, Patricia Whitehorne and Nyasha Michelle in London, and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi. Senio...

Mozambicans will vote for a new president this week, who many hope will bring peace to a country that has faced a jihadist insurgency in the north for almost seven years. How are security challenges impacting campaigning and voting? Also, did you know that for a year, Nigeria has not had any ambassadors representing the country abroad? What is the diplomatic impact? And we hear how climate change...

Britain agrees to give sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but what follows next? Why the Islamic police in Kano northern Nigeria  is cracking down on sports betting And why are parents sending very young children to boarding school in Lesotho? Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Bella Hassan and Nyasha Michelle in London. Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Techni...

Kenya's Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who calls himself the “truthful man”, is facing impeachment. Before he was elected as a member of parliament in 2017 little was known about the man, who would in five short years, rise to become Kenya’s second-in-command. So who is he and why is he facing impeachment? Also how are Tunisian's feeling ahead of their Presidential elections on Sunday? And on...

Lebanon conflict: As Israel continues to attack, we learn the plight of foreigners stranded there We assess the state of security in Mali following last month's deadly attack in the capital, Bamako And outrage in Egypt after a video showing possible sexual harassment by male doctors goes viral. A medical association vows to investigate. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Bella Hassan, Yvette Tw...

The newly appointed Foreign Minister of the DR Congo, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, tells Focus on Africa, the crisis faced in her country is an international not a regional one. We'll get the details from the BBC's Wahiga Mwaura. Also we'll hear from a member of Eswatini's opposition party after an alleged poisoning attempt on their leader. And why illegal lithium mining is on the rise in Nigeria. P...

BBC Africa Eye investigates how some sailors were tricked into smuggling cocaine to Cape Verde. We’ll also meet the rap artist and former cocaine addict who is helping addicts Why South Sudan lawyers are challenging the postponement of elections in court Plus, harrowing tales of the conditions young Kenyan doctors operate under Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Nyasha Michelle and R...

The leader of the Sudanese army has told UN General Assembly in New York, that a peace deal depends on the paramilitary Rapid Support Force laying down their arms. The army has also launched a major offensive in the capital Khartoum, targeting areas in the hands of RSF. The BBC's Barbara Plett has got rare access to Sudan. She's accompanied the army to some areas and reports on the how the war is...

Kenyan police are alleged to have used unlawful force during protests in June. How African countries benefit from having satellites in space And Ethiopia finally launches a stock market. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Frenny Jowi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Bella Hassan and Nyasha Michelle in London. Technical producer : Nick Randell Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga. Editors: Andre Lombard...

A coalition of civil society organizations, labor unions, media outlets and religious leaders in Ghana have intensified pressure on the government to act decisively against illegal mining, known as galamsey. What impact does galamsey have on the country? Also, an appeal from Amnesty International to release four activists detained in Angola. There's concern over their detriorating health. We'll he...

The Tanzanian opposition is concerned by abductions  in the country they suggest are meant to cower the opposition. The Zimbabwe plans to cull at least 200 elephants. The meat will be used to feed hungry people. So what are the challenges and advantages of eating elephant meat? And why did  Botswana's ex-president return home to face trial. Does he have other plans afoot? Presenter :Charles Gitong...

We hear reaction from Ghana where President Nana Akufo Addo signed the gender equality bill. Women's rights advocates are calling for the immediate implementation of the nearly 30-year-old bill. Also, what is the legacy of Ali Bongo, the disposed president of Gabon? The former head of state has in a letter, announced he has quit politics. And how the demand for frankincense is promoting poor harve...

Nigeria warns of massive potential flooding after neighbouring Cameroon releases dam waters. Why has Nigeria failed to construct a buffer dam over the years? We look at cybersecurity and its best practice in Africa And why is Hungary sending soldiers to Chad? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Charles Gitonga, Rob Wilson, Patricia Whitehorne and Bella Hassan Technical Producer:...

Over one thousand children are feared still missing in Pibor, South Sudan. An initiative is now underway to try and reunite abducted children with their families. Over the past few weeks, around 200 of them have been brought back home. But why are they being abducted and by whom? Also why did thousands of young people attempt to cross the border between Morocco and Ceuta, in the northern part of t...

Ahead of knife-edge December elections there are demands for an independent forensic audit of the voter register. The electoral commission says it is not needed. Why is the opposition party NDC adamant? Communities in Guinea welcome the return of land taken from them violently by previous governments Africa's future is urban- we explore what's behind the growth of megacities on the continent? Pres...

Kenya’s President Ruto has struck a labour deal with Germany, but how will the policy work, and will the skilled and semi-skilled workers arriving from Kenya be well-received? Is Tanzania's increasing involvement in the tobacco industry sacrificing the health of its population? And why did a student take Ghana's education department to court over his hairstyle? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: C...

Why did Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolve the National Assembly? Consensual same sex acts are not a crime in Ivory Coast, so why are homophobic attacks on the rise? Plus, we meet the man who's trying to save African indigenous vegetables from dying out. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers:  Charles Gitonga in Nairobi and Nyasha Michelle, Bella Hassan and Yvette Twagiramariya in Lond...

Devastating floods caused by a burst dam in northeastern Nigeria have submerged entire residential areas, displacing tens of thousands of people and animals. Authorities say at least thirty people have died. Two hundered prisoners also escaped from the Maiduguri state prison. It's been described as the worst flooding in thirty years, reports our correspondent Azzezat Olaoluwa in Maiduguri. Also, h...

Why are workers at Kenya's main airports objecting to a planned deal to lease the facility to India's Adani Group for 30 years?   How Cameroon's simmering secessionist rebellion is affecting schooling for children    And why African women need to be involved in developing Artificial Intelligence.   Presenter : Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi, Todah Opeyemi in L...

On the night of 10 September 2023, Storm Daniel unleashed torrential rain and fierce winds on Libya’s north-east region. Two dams burst near Derna, releasing a devastating flood wave that swept through the city centre, killing thousands of people and causing widespread destruction. A year on since the disaster - a survivor reflects on the day and life now in Derna. Also, there is a new malaria vac...

In recent years, there have been several incidents of fires at  boarding schools in Kenya, causing concern about  safety measures in place. Is accountability possible? Dark days ahead as Zambia plans to shut down its hydropower plant at Kariba due to drought And how changing forms of payment for land are affecting women farmers in Sierra Leone. Presenter: Audrey Producers :Frenny Jowi, Susan Gachu...