Africa Daily

BBC World Service

4.1 (8)
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.

1 DAY AGO

How I became me: Ethiopia’s trailblazing Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi

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 only woman in her class, defending human rights, being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and what shaped her vision of justice.

19 min
2 DAYS AGO

How I became me: Dr Aminata Toure, Senegal’s ‘ambitious’ former PM

‘‘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 their lives. In the first interview of this special series, Alan speaks to former Senegalese Prime Minister Dr Aminata Toure. As she pursued her education in France and the USA, Aminata was clear in her mind what she wanted to do: champion human and women’s rights. Her work on reproductive health in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and later with the United Nations would help her prepare a set of priorities for when her opportunity would come to serve in the government. But it wasn’t all work and she loved football and judo - interests her mother worried would stop her from finding a husband.

19 min
3 DAYS AGO

How a 20-Year-Old South African became the world’s youngest MasterChef

“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 meal celebrating African flavours with a modern twist – and she responded by reimagining her mother’s favourite dish. Her reward? The R1 million grand prize (about $55,000). For Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks with Bridget about her journey, her love for food, and how she’s a better cook than her Mum.

20 min
4 DAYS AGO

How will homeless people in South Africa spend Christmas?

“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 parks, restaurants, bars and affordable accommodation. Sadly though, not everyone is walking around the streets of the coastal city with a broad smile on their face. Today Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje visits Durban and meets people who’ve been homeless for years due to various reasons, including joblessness and family disputes. So, how are people in such situations spending Christmas?

17 min
20 DEC

How did ‘The Lion King’ musician ascend from rags to riches?

In today’s episode, our presenter Alan Kasujja meets South African musician and writer Lebohang Morakeat. 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 red carpets of the world. “I’m born into the most racially divided society in the world, South Africa. I’m born into apartheid. That means, I don’t know what it is like to be in a ‘multiracial environment’ until I get to America”, he tells our presenter.

22 min
19 DEC

How are African countries viewing Assad’s fall?

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 militants returning home, and heightened instability are all major concerns. To unpack how this may reshape North and West Africa, Alan Kasujja is joined by experts Beverley Ochieng and Rabeb Aloui.

20 min
18 DEC

Is CCTV making Mogadishu safer?

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 businessmen, leaving the business community feeling very vulnerable and unsure whether to leave the cameras up or take them down. One told Africa Daily he feels like he’s trapped between two ‘flames’: al-Shabab on the one side, and the government on the other. But Mohamed Ahmed Diriye, who’s in charge of security for the government in Mogadishu, says the use of cameras has led to a reduction in bombings, and that the government is deploying more security forces to try to reassure the business community. Producer: Mohamed Gabobe

15 min
17 DEC

How did the woman once described as Africa’s richest woman become so wealthy?

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 calling for her to be arrested. Her critics say she’s used her position and influence to enrich herself. She says all accusations against her are politically motivated by the government that followed her father. In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Isabel Dos Santos about the allegations against her and how she became so wealthy.

26 min

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Alan Kasujja

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4.1

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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.