Africa Daily

BBC World Service

4.8 (166)
NEWS
UPDATED DAILY

One question to wake up to every weekday morning. One story from Africa, for Africa. Alan Kasujja takes a deep dive into the news shaping the continent. Ready by early morning, five days a week, Monday to Friday.

19H AGO

Why is Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in South Africa?

“South Africa is known for championing human rights using diplomacy to bring all parties together. But it’s not as simple as that” - Thelela Ngcetane-Vika of the Wits School of Governance in Johannesburg. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital Pretoria today. The two are expected to discuss the on-going war in Europe, trade and several other issues. This comes a few days after Ramaphosa had a telephone conversation with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin about the conflict. Today, Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja attempts to understand if the southern African nation has what it takes to help end the conflict which started in February 2022. Some political observers argue that it will be a tricky assignment for Ramaphosa, considering his close proximity to Putin. Relations between Russia and South Africa date back to the years of apartheid, when the then Soviet Union threw its weight behind black liberation movements.

20 min
1D AGO

Can the Africa Union help end the war in Sudan?

“Our goal is to... silence the guns.” One of the stated aims of the African Union is to 'promote peace, security, and stability on the continent'. With that in mind, the organisation co-hosted a conference aimed at finding an end to Sudan’s war last week in London. But even as discussions continued in London, thousands of civilians in Northern Darfur were fleeing for their lives under military bombardment. And in other parts of the continent there are other equally bloody and apparently unresolvable conflicts – including in neighbouring South Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Sahel region where Islamist jihadist groups are active. So how much impact can such meetings, and the organisation, actually have? For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks to the AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye.

15 min
2D AGO

How will Pope Francis be remembered in Africa?

“We’ve had a pope who was able to grasp and understand the problems in third world countries.” In 2023 Pope Francis showed his commitment to Africa by visiting two countries riven by conflict: the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out to celebrate him in Kinshasa. But his decision was not a surprising choice – given that he’d made social justice and the rights of the poor and suffering central to his papacy. So when the news of his death was announced yesterday, it was greeted by African Catholics with both sadness, but also prayers of thanks for his life. For today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears from two Congolese people who met the pope as students, Mpongo Simon and Christine Mwanini, and speaks to Father Desmond Nair, a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Durban, South Africa.

16 min
3D AGO

Is the ‘African Heritage Diet’ more healthy for you?

Think about your favourite foods… the dishes you eat to make you happy. Are they traditional African foods - like vegetables, fresh fruits, roots, tubers, nuts, beans, and staple whole grains? Foods like Pap, Fufu or Ugali? Or are you thinking about a burger or deep fried chicken and chips from your favourite fast food shop? A new small-scale study found that when participants switched from a western diet to the traditional Kilimanjaro diet, their health markers improved in as little as two weeks. The researchers say they believe traditional foods from throughout the continent could have a similar impact. So could the ‘African Heritage Diet’ be the new Mediterranean diet which helps us all get healthier? Today on the podcast, Mpho Lakaje speaks with the team from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College which conducted the research: Dr Godfrey Temba, an expert in nutrition, and members of his research team, Dr. Mary Mosha and Dr Vesla Kullaya.

15 min
6D AGO

How are Africa’s innovators shaping the future of AI?

“We must, as Africans, begin to solve some of our problems ourselves, because we have more local context, the nuances. It’s our people, it’s our community.” AI is transforming everything - from how we search information online to how we access healthcare. It’s also an industry that is projected to generate nearly $3 trillion for the African continent by 2030. But without African data, languages and culture, the risks are high, some experts warn, of a new kind of colonisation - led by algorithms. Chido Dzinotyiwei’s ‘Vambo AI’ is building African language models, while Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson’s ‘Healthtracka’ is using AI to expand healthcare access in Nigeria. BBC Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi spoke to the two innovators to explore how their work is shaping a future that reflects Africa’s needs.

17 min
APR 17

Why are elite British boarding schools opening up in Lagos?

For decades, wealthy Nigerian families have looked to the UK for elite education - drawn to what they see as prestige, global connections, and academic rigour. But that journey overseas may no longer be necessary. Top British boarding schools like Charterhouse and Rugby are now opening campuses in Nigeria, with others - including Harrow and Millfield - exploring similar moves. But what’s behind this growing trend - and is it being embraced or viewed with caution by parents? Mpho Lakaje speaks with parent Lucy Onoriode Okeke, as well as Dr Joy Isa from Rugby School Nigeria, to find out what’s driving this shift and what it could mean for the country’s education system.

21 min
APR 16

Why has Ugandan politician Bobi Wine decided to stand in Uganda’s 2026 election?

Bobi Wine says to be an opposition politician in Uganda is to be labelled and treated as a terrorist. He’s been beaten, teargassed, arrested and shot at. So why does he want he want to be a presidential candidate in elections scheduled to take place in 2026? He was in London recently and came to our studio to talk to Africa Daily’s Victoria Uwonkunda about why he wants to change Uganda, corruption and his online spat with the chief of the country’s armed forces. We also hear from Ugandan government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo.

23 min
APR 15

What’s the situation in Darfur two years after Sudan’s war broke out?

“Right now we’re receiving hundreds of patients and victims from ZamZam camp. You can hear the sounds of children… they do not belong to any military.” Today marks two years since war first broke out in Sudan, and in the second of two podcasts on the state of the war, we turn our attention to Darfur. Over the last few days, attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on the Zamzam camp, near the city of El Fasher in North Darfur, have intensified, and the RSF say they have taken control. Over 700,000 people already displaced by the fighting have been taking shelter there. The UN says more than 100 civilians have died in these attacks - including at least 20 children. The aid group Relief International, said its entire staff of 9 hospital employees - including the head doctor – were shot dead by paramilitaries after they broke into the main camp. In today’s pod we hear from a member of the Masalit community of El Geneina which faced similar attacks earlier in the war.

21 min

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Alan Kasujja

Host

4.8

out of 5

166 Ratings

A must-listen!

Apr 4

african sky

Wonderful concise, upbeat, insightful take on the news that normally gets missed by mass media. Thank you especially for the recent episode on Lupus! So encouraging to not feel alone out there. And so wish I could bring meds to those in remote places, who couldn’t afford diagnosis or treatment. What can we do to help?
Excellent!

04/12/2024

Ada Mbaise

The hosts are well researched and the guests are inspiring… (well most of them). The contrast between private citizen guests and most of the political guests/government representatives (in terms of social awareness, service orientation and emotional intelligence), is stunning.
Great informative podcast

01/25/2024

Icaresca

I learn so much in bitesized pieces and Alan K. is an absolute joy to listen to. I wish I could have him over for dinner.
Paul in the USA

11/12/2023

muthembwa

You show is extremely informative and I have learned a lot Keep it going
Excellent

08/30/2023

T-Lur

Allan…your deep dive into these stories is excellent…it gives more contents to these issues…something the regular news cast don’t do…keep up the great work!
Kasujja is a rare spicie

05/10/2023

Imuka Singers

The reporting is incredibly professional, authentic and deeply from the caring soul of someone who masters his subject matter and respect AFRICA without malice or arrogance . What a Genious !
Guest are ignorant

07/09/2023

Twijordan

The people running the podcast seem to do their research, but the guests are ignorant to a point of frustration. The fact that many of them are politicians makes it even worse.
Mr. Kasujja

01/17/2023

holdenolive

You are a gem. A true journalist in the midst of the wreckage of the industry. I am just someone who wants to learn more about Africa. Thank you for the professional, informative work you do. You respect the intelligence of your listeners, and that is such a rare thing .I hope young people listen to your example and carry on this important work.
Great voice with great stories

09/03/2022

ordamn

Honestly, the best Africa coverage the BBC does. Far better than the sometimes arrogant, ignorant, unselfaware reports some UK born correspondents send back… My only suggestion would be that since it often sounds like the people being interviewed are on a phone line, you often have to concentrate much harder to understand them… if they were more often able to record their conversations from their end, using a different phone or something, then send that recording in for mixing, the audio quality would probably be improved. But it might not be worth it, and I know not every interviewee would be able to do that. The podcast is great though, and I really appreciate it! Thank you Alan and all the rest of the team!
21/7/2022 episode Tour de France

07/22/2022

T Drinker

I always look forward to the African Daily which is why I feel inclined to share my disappointment n the Tour de France episode. It began with the reporter informing us that she despises cycling. Not a very positive note to begin on. She missed reporting how Italy and France view bicycling as a way of life and all bicyclists are given the right of way on public roads. A societal respect for cycling should be more universally promoted which plays a large part in creating professional cyclists. Best of luck to Pasio In France!