After two years of conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) finally put a stop to the fighting between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Both sides agreed to work together to find lasting solutions, including the restoration of constitutional order in Tigray. Two years on, some say the Ethiopian government is downplaying the seriousness of the current situation in the country - while aid agencies warn of signif...
Nov 01, 2024•17 min
Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Ghanaian artist, Israel Derrick Epeti, to discuss the environmental disaster that’s caused by illegal mining. Mercury is being used to extract gold by miners digging on a massive scale in forests and farms across the west African country. The 26-year-old artist recently visited the town of Twifo Praso to see for himself how the Pra River is polluted by chemicals. “I was able to paint with the water on my canvas. That’s how bad it was”, he tells Alan. He further ...
Oct 31, 2024•17 min
“The stigmatisation extends to the fact that in some cultures, there’s a presumption that if an elderly person is talking bizarrely or behaving unusually, they’re suspected of being witches or wizards or something like that.” Three and a half million people are currently estimated to live with dementia in Africa. Dementia is an umbrella term use to describe neurological conditions which lead to the loss of memory, language, and the ability to think clearly. People can start to struggle to get dr...
Oct 30, 2024•20 min
“We sit on some of the best grains in the world… things that can grow in really tough environments and give you harvests several times a year.” Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia but was adopted by a Swedish couple and taken to Sweden as a small child after his mother died of tuberculosis. After travelling across Europe and to Japan for his training, he rose to prominence as a chef in the US - cooking for the rich and famous including Barack and Michelle Obama, Desmond Tutu, N...
Oct 29, 2024•17 min
"I started out life not being acutely aware of being blind. I was more aware of what I could do as opposed to the reality of being blind and the accompanying limitations." Nigerian musician Cobhams Asuquo has produced for some of Africa’s biggest stars and become a celebrated musician himself. In today’s Africa Daily, Cobhams talks to Alan Kasujja about turning obstacles into opportunities. He's been using his platform for an even greater cause—advocating for childhood immunisation. With the rel...
Oct 28, 2024•21 min
The killing of two high-ranking members of the Podemos political party in Mozambique has sent shock waves through the country. Elvino Dias and Paul Guambe were murdered in a hail of bullets in the capital Maputo in the early hours of the 19th of October. The leader of the Podemos party, Venancio Mondlane has accused the ruling Frelimo party of being behind the killings, a charge the government denies. The murders happened ten days after the country voted in national elections, a process that the...
Oct 25, 2024•19 min
President Mokgweetsi Masisi will be looking to secure another term in office when his nation votes in a national election next Wednesday. His predecessor and former boss, Ian Khama, is also in the picture. He won’t be running for office, but he’s throwing his weight behind the Botswana Patriotic Front, an opposition party he helped to establish. The southern African nation, which has a population of over two million people, relies heavily on diamond mining to drive its economy. While it’s known ...
Oct 24, 2024•15 min
Professor Thuli Madonsela was South Africa’s Public Protector from 2009 to 2016. She’s famous for taking on former president Jacob Zuma over his misuse of public money. She received death threats for doing her job. Abideen Olasupo, is Nigerian and belongs to the next generation of anti-corruption activists who believe Artificial Intelligence will empower young people to hold those in public office accountable. He’s developed ‘My AI Factchecker’, a tool which allows people to verify the factual a...
Oct 23, 2024•20 min
"We tried so many shelters, and we were like rejected. It’s like, it’s not for migrants, it’s not for migrants!” Lebanon is caught in a devastating conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, a powerful Shia Muslim political party and armed group. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, residential buildings, and shelters, has been destroyed, displacing over a million people across the country. Among those most affected are Lebanon’s roughly 250,000 migrant domestic workers, primarily...
Oct 22, 2024•19 min
"From time to time my parents will ask me: 'Hey why do you look like this'?... But they'll never ask me directly because I try my best to conceal it." In Somalia, alcohol is completely banned because of Sharia law. It’s also frowned on by many people on religious grounds. Those caught using it are arrested and fined or imprisoned – and dealers caught with large amounts are named and shamed on TV. But its sale is also highly lucrative in a country with high unemployment – meaning there are plenty...
Oct 21, 2024•20 min
Today Africa Daily's Mpho Lakaje sits down with multi-award winning South African musician Nhlanhla Mafu of the popular Afro-pop group, Mafikizolo. Our guest shares her journey with hearing loss, which has been devastating to her, considering the nature of the industry she's in. This comes as Africa is facing a growing hearing loss crisis, affecting 49 million people and costing the continent $27 billion each year. The World Health Organisation predicts this number could rise to 54 million by 20...
Oct 18, 2024•23 min
“He is the reason my father sacrificed everything we had - just for him to throw it all away and come back!” Gambian migrants frequently risk their lives to reach Europe in hopes of a better life, only to be sent back home. These returnees don’t just face the disappointment of a failed journey - they often return to a cold reception from families and communities. Families often sell their personal belongings, land and even livestock, sacrificing everything to fund these dangerous journeys. BBC A...
Oct 17, 2024•17 min
“They made me, a woman who’s over 80, crawl the street in front of soldiers laughing and shouting and hurling abuse.” Today on the podcast we hear stories from the people of Omdurman from the BBC’s Mohanad Hashim, who was born and raised in the city. Sudan has been embroiled in a war since the army and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (or RSF), began a vicious struggle for power in April 2023, leading to what the UN has called one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. ...
Oct 16, 2024•19 min
Before you listen to this episode, please be warned we will be discussing incidents that are highly distressing. Some of the explanations could upset some listeners. Abortion laws vary across Africa, leading to many cases of unsafe abortions. Sub-Saharan Africa records over 6 million unsafe abortions annually according to the African Institute for Development Policy. The maternal death rate from unsafe abortions in Africa remains among the highest globally, underscoring the urgent need for clear...
Oct 15, 2024•19 min
Before you listen to this episode, please be warned we will be discussing incidents that are highly distressing. Some of the explanations are graphic and could upset some listeners. Today Mpho Lakaje sits down with Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile who had a horrifying experience when she went for an abortion facility in Johannesburg. It came after she was raped in 2009 and opted not to keep the baby. She explains to our presenter why women risk their lives by opting for an unsafe abortion even though term...
Oct 14, 2024•22 min
“I have no intention of resigning from this job. I’ll fight till the end. I have no doubt that I will get justice.” This week in a historic vote the National Assembly voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. 281 MPs voted in favour and 44 against, making him the first Kenyan deputy president go through an impeachment process. Gachagua, who has served alongside President William Ruto since 2022, was expected to remain in his job until the next election in August 2027. However, his poli...
Oct 11, 2024•15 min
Dikembe Mutombo, the legendary basketball player from the DR Congo, died last month aged 52 from brain cancer. He was a giant of a man and giant of the game of basketball, winning many awards from the NBA as an all-star defensive player. He was also committed to using his influence to nurture basketball talent in Africa, and also bring about change through education, healthcare and humanitarian projects. We look back on his life with two people who knew him well: Amadou Gallo Fall, President of ...
Oct 10, 2024•21 min
Ramatou Nombro is a doctor living in Mali. She started her job with high hopes of wanting to help people in need in her country. But when she began working in a psychiatric department, she found herself battling against the odds. Not only has she struggled to keep up with her workload, during some months, she hasn’t received her wages. She has now decided to leave her profession. In today's episode of Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Ramatou and looks at what needs to be done to protect the m...
Oct 09, 2024•16 min
"Men are predisposed not to talk—that’s what we grew up knowing, especially African men." Research shows that hormonal differences between men and women influence how they handle stress. However, experts also point out that societal expectations often prevent men from showing vulnerability or expressing their emotions openly. Men tend to delay seeking professional help, while women are more likely to reach out for support sooner. This prolonged stress can lead to serious physical and mental heal...
Oct 08, 2024•22 min
While there’s no doubt that the internet has taken the human race forward, it has its dark side. If left unregulated, it can be exploited and used for the wrong reasons, like stealing money from people or to even compromise a country's security. This is why many governments across Africa say they require laws to counter what's often referred to as cybercrimes, to protect their citizens. But in countries like Malawi, Zambia, Eswatini, Botswana and Lesotho, there's a serious push back against some...
Oct 07, 2024•20 min
Presidential candidates have been campaigning and making their case for why they believe they should be the next president of Mozambique. The independent candidate Venancio Mondlane has caused the most excitement, especially amongst young voters. But most commentators don’t expect him or the other two opposition candidates to win. It’s assumed that the candidate of the ruling party, Frelimo, Daniel Chapo, will be the next president. Frelimo have been the ruling party for since independence, almo...
Oct 04, 2024•19 min
Ghana has made a major leap toward gender equality with the passing of its Affirmative Action law, after nearly three decades of delays and political promises. The law aims to increase women's representation in leadership positions, setting a goal of 50% by 2030. However, questions remain about its enforcement and the impact it will have ahead of the upcoming elections. Will this law bring real change to who holds power in Ghana, or will it face further challenges in implementation? BBC Africa D...
Oct 03, 2024•13 min
In today’s podcast, we hear the fascinating story of Nigerian rapper Samuel Morrison, better known as Yung Sammy, who found success as a hip hop artist in India. Born and raised in Nigeria, Sammy moved to Delhi at 12 and developed his passion for music. Now fluent in Punjabi, Gujari, and Haryanvi, he’s using his multilingual talent to captivate audiences across India. Yung Sammy’s story is one of perseverance, embracing a new culture, and thriving in an unexpected environment. So how did a young...
Oct 02, 2024•16 min
“I look good and no-one else has it”. In Zimbabwe the trade in second hand clothing is booming. Sold in markets or just out of the back of cars or from homes, the clothes are popular with those struggling with the cost of living, but also with those who just want good quality affordable fashion. But the clothes are imported illegally and no tax is paid. Many shops also sell cheap, but poorly made, imports from China. Manufacturers in the country say they just can’t compete and recently one firm,...
Oct 01, 2024•17 min
“One of them said: ‘but you have your ovaries so you can have a surrogate mother to carry a baby for you. I was like, ‘really?’" Joyce Wanjala-Lay is a former Member of Parliament in Kenya. Her son was born through surrogacy with the help of a friend, and in the years since she’s campaigned for the procedure to be recognised in law. Rwanda has recently made such a change – meaning the legal mother of a child can be the genetic egg donor rather than the woman who gives birth. For today’s Africa D...
Sep 30, 2024•17 min
“You catch the flu time and again. Once the weather gets this bad, guaranteed, we get sick” - Calvin Takesure, South African resident On the weekend of the 21st of September 2024, several provinces of South Africa were hit by a heavy snowstorm. Motorists travelling on the N3, one of the national roads towards the coastal city of Durban, were stuck in traffic and forced to sleep in their vehicles. Tragically, two people lost their lives as a result of hypothermia. At the same time, other parts of...
Sep 27, 2024•20 min
When president Samia Suluhu Hassan came into power in 2021 she lifted a ban on political rallies imposed by her predecessor the late John Magufuli, and promised the 4 Rs: reconciliation, resilience, reforms and rebuilding. But now, as the country heads towards elections - this year and next - fear is growing. Just under 3 weeks ago, an opposition official Ali Kibao, was abducted, killed and his body doused in acid. A number of other activists have disappeared. And the two most senior opposition ...
Sep 26, 2024•20 min
Today on the podcast we meet a young Nigerian who’s made it her mission to revive the tradition of weaving – especially for women. Florentina Agu, the founder of luxury brand Hertunba, blends modern fashion with vibrant traditional Nigerian textiles, hoping to inspire more women and young people to consider making their livelihoods from this ancient craft. Between the 1970s and 1990s, Nigeria’s textile sector enjoyed its golden years, but in recent years the industry has declined due to economic...
Sep 25, 2024•18 min
Albinism is an inherited condition that affects the production of melanin. People born with the condition have fair skin, hair and eyes. Superstitions about the body parts of people with albinism have led to violent attacks. In 2008 Tanzania appeared to be the epicentre of these superstitions and attacks. Anyone living with albinism there lived in fear. The BBC’s former Tanzania correspondent Vicky Ntetema’s reporting on the brutality of the attacks - maiming and beheadings - brought global atte...
Sep 24, 2024•22 min
The Mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency in August 2024. Since then, more than 29,000 cases and 738 deaths have been reported across 15 Africa Union member states, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC). Despite some progress, such as the delivery of 200,000 vaccines to the DRC, challenges remain in getting the vaccines to the most affected communities. The outbreak has also evolved from a health crisis into a wider issue affecting businesses and liveliho...
Sep 23, 2024•16 min
