Africa Today

Thirty-six members of Uganda’s opposition Forum for Democratic Change Katonga party - or FDC Katonga – were recently arrested in Kenya and taken back home to face terrorism charges. A party spokesperson insists they have done nothing wrong. So why were they in Kenya, and why have the Ugandan authorities detained them? Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez has competed at the Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant. A few online comments have called her participation irresponsible. What are the risks to performing in elite sport with a baby on the way? And it is almost a year since Nigeria’s flag designer died but he has still not been buried. Why has there been no action on plans for a state funeral?Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Rob Wilson, Yvette Twagiramariya and Joseph Keen in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Ethiopia became the third African economy in 3 years to default on its government debt. To get IMF's fiscal support, it has had to lower the worth of its currency, making the Birr fall by 30% against the US dollar.We hear about the continued suffering with malnutrition of children in Katsina northern NigeriaAnd how did Senegal get its largest national park removed from the UN’s list of World Heritage in Danger list?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers:  Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Patricia Whitehorne, Sunita Nahar and Yvette Twagiramariya in London. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

A large group of Libyans have been charged with visa violations after being arrested by South African police at an illegal military training camp. But how did the site, in Mpumalanga province, go undetected?African leaders have signed up to the first pan-African human rights legislation to address the unique challenges faced by persons with disabilities. Zambian musician John Chiti who was born with albinism and is visually impaired, says it means governments can now be held to account. And how the war in Sudan is destroying the country's ancient archaeological legacy, through the mass looting and destruction of historical and important artefacts.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Rob Wilson and Joseph Keen in London; Frenny Jowi and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Technical Producer: Jonny Hall Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice MuthengiShow less

he Olympics opening ceremony expected to get under way in Paris today. Audiences from all over the world are expected to watch.How can Nigeria solve its oil theft problem?And what is causing Namibia's housing crisis, and could mushrooms provide the answer?Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke, Rob Wilson and Patricia Whitehorne in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical producer: Nick Randell Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

The international watchdog, Amnesty International, is calling for a nationwide arms embargo on Sudan after its investigation found that a constant flow of weapons is fuelling the devastating war. But how can the supply of arms be stopped?For the first time, sub Saharan Africa has seen a dramatic drop in new HIV infections compared to the rest of the world, so what is driving that success?And we hear from Gofa in southern Ethiopia, where there are fears that the death toll will continue to rise following the deadly landslides.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Sunita Nahar and Yvette Twagiramariya in London; Frenny Jowi in Nairobi Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Dozens arrested in Uganda for involvement in banned anti-corruption protests. President Yoweri Museveni had warned before the event that protesters were "playing with fire".Sierra Leone jails 11 people over an alleged coup attempt, who are they and are all the cases concluded? ?And we meet Gabriella Ghermandi, the Ethiopian ethno-musicologist who is all for women’s empowerment Presenter: Charles GitongaProducers :Joseph Keen, Victor Sylver, Rob Wilson, Yvette Twagiramariya, Bella Hassan and Nyasha Michelle all in London. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Philip Bull Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

Zambia’s President Hakinde Hichilema has fired the entire board of the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission after allegations that certain officials on the body tasked with fighting corruption, were taking bribes. The accusations have been strongly denied, but a former chairman says the board needs to be reformed.Ethiopia has seen a surge in kidnappings for ransom in recent years and the country’s largest region, Oromia, is one of the worst affected. Who are the groups behind the abductions and what are their motives?And how can artisanal and informal mining in sub-Saharan Africa be made safer?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Nyasha Michelle in London; Blessing Aderogba in Lagos; and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

Angola's new law with lengthy prison sentences for vandalism. Who are the real targets-criminals or the opposition?Can Zambia stop boys from being abducted to undergo circumcision? And is China muscling in on Nigeria's potentially lucrative car market?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Patricia Whitehorne, Bella Hassan and Yvette Twagiramariya in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Craig Kingham Editors :Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

Early findings into why a school building in Nigeria's Plateau state collapsed killing more than 20 children, have revealed many shortcomings. But the tragedy was one of more than 20 reported cases in the past few months. How can rules and regulations be tightened to prevent building collapses?Sierra Leone is considering dropping jury trials. What are the arguments for and against the proposed change to the justice system?And we meet Cindy Ngamba, one of the first people to compete for an Olympic medal in boxing as part of the refugee team. How did she become interested in the sport?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Nyasha Michelle, Sunita Nahar, Victor Sylver and Claudia Efemini in London. Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Technical Producer: Ricardo McCarthy Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

South Africa’s parliament reopens after landmark elections that lead to the formation of a government of national unity after the governing ANC lost its majority. We talk to international co-operation minister, Ronald Lamola. Is the ANC buying time or wasting time? Somalia imposes a 5 percent tax on digital transactions sparking causing a public outcry And why is Turkey boosting cooperation with Niger? Prsenter : Audrey Brown Producers :Bella Hassan, Joseph Keen and Sunita Nahar in London and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Technical Producer: Jonny Hall Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga. Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

The manager of a coffee farmers's co-operative says small scale farmers in Africa are concerned that they may soon be unable to sell their produce to Europe because of the impact of the European Union's deforestation regulations.New information about the largest rainforest in Southern Africa raises questions about discovery - is it just a foreign concept? And, two decades after his country's capital was conquered by Italy, Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila became the first black African to win Olympic gold, running barefoot in Rome.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Joseph Keen and Sunita Nahar in London, and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi. Technical producer: Jonny Hall Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard.Show less

Is the role of the church in Kenyan politics changing? We hear the perspective of a senior member of the umbrella group- the National Council of Churches of Kenya Why has Chadian President Mahamat Deby cancelled an official visit to Paris scheduled for this week?We talk to the founder of a beauty pageant in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, a place with a reputation for danger.

Zimbabwe's President Emerson Mnangagwa has announced public hearings into the mass killings of Zimbabwe's Ndebele people 40 years ago. The president says the hearings will be a mechanism to bring healing and national cohesion. But a survivor of the massacre of opposition supporters, tells us he does not trust the process.Also, why are major gas companies threatening to pull out of South Africa? And Zambia has spent millions of dollars on hiring new teachers and making primary and secondary education free, but the policy has also worsened class overcrowding.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Rob Wilson and Joseph Keen in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical producer: Craig Kingham Senior Journalist: Paul Bakibinga Editors : Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard.

Nigerian authorities guilty of violating protesters rights during mass demonstrations against police brutality, known as #EndSars, in 2020. Why hasn't police behaviour changed?Can Africa's booming population be harnessed?And can anyone stand in the way of another presidential term for Rwanda's  Paul Kagame?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Nyasha Michelle and Joseph Keen in London. Technical producer. Philip Bull Senior Journalist: Paul Bakibinga Editors : Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard.

More than half the population in Sudan - nearly 26 million people - face acute hunger as the ongoing war hinders agricultural production. The UN agency for Food and Agriculture (FAO) says it is trying to provide seed to farmers to help grow food.Who are Nigeria's ghost workers who are costing the economy millions of dollars? And will a new government plan succeed in exposing them and crackdown on the problem?And a Congolese entomologist says protein-rich insects are the food of the future.Presenter :Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan in London, Frenny Jowi in Nairobi and Blessing Aderogba in Lagos. Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

All through Ghana civil servants have been on strike following the government's failure to honour a pledge to raise their pay. Can their grievances be addressed?We meet a doctor who carries out operations to reverse female genital mutilation.And why are Somalis being forced to remove bodies from a graveyard in Mogadishu?Presenter :Audrey Brown Producers: Joseph Keen, Patricia Whitehorne and Bella Hassan in London. Frenny Jowi and Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

Refugees and migrants taking land routes across Africa to get to the Mediterranean and Europe, face extreme violence, abuse and exploitation, with far more believed to be dying there than at sea, a UN-backed report says. Plus, why is Tanzania struggling with a huge shortage of university professors? And how the Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay made history at the gruelling Tour de France.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Joseph Keen, Bella Hassan, and Nyasha Michelle in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

The West African regional grouping Ecowas has warned that it risks disintegration and worsened insecurity after Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed a breakaway confederation. Can the three landlocked countries go it alone?Can your social media presence be inherited after you die?And a new look at how electronic waste can be recycled in GhanaPresenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Joseph Keen, Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya and Nyasha Michelle in London. Susan Gachuhi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Burkina Faso's military is facing increased pressure after reports of a recent spate of  the deadly attacks of soldiers by jihadist fighters.  The Junta government lead by Ibrahim Traore ,has kept mum about this incidents.Why are soldiers deserting the army in the Democratic Republic of Congo? 25 soldiers have been sentenced to death for running away from battle with the M23 militia group.And members of Kenya’s LGBTQ community call for greater freedoms Presenter:Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Nyasha Michelle, Claudia Efemini and Joseph Keen in London. Susan Gachuhi in Nairobi Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Technical Producer: Craig Kingham Editors:Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

Africa's youngest nation, South Sudan will head to the polls this December, but critics say they are disappointed with the government’s lack of preparedness.  These elections will be the first ever conducted in the country since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.  However, several conditions listed in a peace agreement, drawn up in September 2018, have not yet been met.  Is the country ready?Also, what's causing the Gen Z inspired protests in Kenya to continue, despite some concessions by the president?And we learn more about the allegations that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is defending senior officials accused of corruption.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers Kaine Pieri,  Bella Hassan, Joseph Keen and Sunita Nahar in London and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Senior Producer Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Craig Kingham. Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard.