Daybreak Africa - VOA Africa Voice of America (VOA)

On Daybreak Africa: A civil society coalition is warning Nigerian authorities not to allow the United States and France to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea countries. Plus, USAID launches a $6M program for climate resilience efforts in Kenya. A civil society coalition is warning Zimbabwe’s parliament begins nationwide consultations about abolishing the death penalty. A Sierra Leone opposition member of parliament promises a monthly press conference to hold the government accountable. A Malawi judge drops corruption charges against Vice President Saulos Chilima. There are six months left before the U.S. presidential race between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump. For this and more tune to Daybreak Africa!

The United States Agency for International Development this week launched a $6 million program to support small businesses and financial institutions in northern Kenya that are looking to implement climate-smart practices and enhance their resilience to climate-related challenges. The region suffers from recurring droughts; when it does rain, it often floods, causing people to lose their livelihoods. Mohammed Yusuf reports on the USAID program goals.

Zimbabwean parliament has started nationwide consultations after the southern African nation's government recommended abolition of death penalty to conform with international standards. Columbus Mavhunga joins the public hearing in Bindura, about 90 kilometers northeast of Harare, where human rights advocates are happy with the decision to end capital punishment, but Zimbabweans want it to stay on the books in this crime-riddled nation.

In Sierra Leone, the leader of the opposition in parliament is promising a monthly press conference to hold the government accountable for its actions. Abdulai Kargbo also denies accusations from a section of the All People's Congress (APC) support base that the leadership appears to have been bribed. This, they say, is the reason why APC leaders have been quiet despite the challenges facing the country. The criticism comes as local media reports Sierra Leone faces rising inflation and cost of living, including a recent electricity crisis in the capital, Freetown. Parliamentarian Abdulai Kargbo tells VOA's Peter Clottey, the opposition in parliament will keep fighting to ensure transparency in government and for better living standards.

A Malawi judge has dropped corruption charges against Vice President Saulos Chilima. According to Reuters, the judge did so because the Director of Public Prosecutions filed a notice to discontinue. Chilima was arrested in 2022 after the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau accused him of corruption involving two British companies. President Lazarus Chakwera later stripped the vice president of some of his constitutional duties. Chilima’s party spokesperson told VOA, they were based on an incomplete report and therefore politically motivated. Malawi information Minister Moses Kunkuyu tells VOA’s James Butty, the motion to discontinue the case is rooted in the Malawi constitution, and its merits will be taken up by the legal affairs committee of the Malawi parliament.

On Daybreak Africa: Tanzania breathe a sigh of relief as the threat of Tropical Cyclone Hidaya decreases. Plus, Chadians are voting today for president amid numerous challenges, including security in the Sahel region. The only female candidate in today’s Chad election hopes the vote will usher in a federal system of government. Togo’s ruling party wins a majority of parliamentary seats in Togo’s April 29th elections. South Africa’s ruling ANC reportedly postpones a disciplinary hearing for former President Jacob Zuma. pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the United States stand their ground. For this and more tune to Daybreak Africa!