In January 2024, Ethiopia made history as the first country in the world to ban the import of petrol and diesel vehicles, aiming to tackle fuel dependence and pollution. A year on, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming a common sight in the capital Addis Ababa, but the country still faces major hurdles. There are issues around the high costs of the electric vehicles, limited charging stations, and a shortage of repair services. Despite these challenges, the government is determined to push forward, with plans to import 500,000 EVs by 2030. Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC correspondent Kalkidan Yibeltal and Hilina Legesse, VP of Ethiopia’s first EV manufacturer, Dodai.

“What makes this case more than difficult, what makes this case bitterly sad and bitterly frustrating, is that this didn’t have to happen” – Odette Geldenhuys, South African lawyer. In the mid 1990s, the South African government set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It was aimed at looking into human rights violations and to promote dialogue between victims and perpetrators of political violence. At the end of its work in 2003, the commission recommended that 300 cases needed to be prosecuted, but this did not happen. Now, 25 families of those who lost their loved ones during apartheid, have taken president Cyril Ramaphosa to court, urging him to look into these cases. They allege that there were no prosecutions because there was political interference. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Buyisiwe Njoko, Yasmin Sooka, Odette Geldenhuys

There are now many more stock markets in Africa than there were forty years ago. Ethiopia is the latest country to join the club after re-starting its stock market this month. But what role do they play in the economy of our countries, and how exactly do they work? The companies, the shareholders, the risks and the rewards are all explained as we look into whether stock markets are an engine of economic growth on the African continent. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje Guests: Abena Amoah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange and Japhet Imhanzenobe, financial lecturer at the Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria.

Joseph Nganga, Special Envoy for Mission 300, discusses the urgent need for electricity in Africa where 600 million live without power. He highlights the transformative impact of energy on rural businesses, featuring Mama Shaban, a food kiosk owner who thrived after gaining access to electricity. The ambitious Mission 300 aims to connect 300 million people by 2030, focusing on clean energy solutions and the role of private sector collaboration. Nganga emphasizes tackling challenges through distributed renewable energy to drive economic growth and uplift communities.

US President Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office raises pressing questions about how his policies will impact Africa. From trade and aid to health programs and climate policies, Trump’s first term saw cuts to foreign aid, shifts in trade priorities and the controversial Prosper Africa initiative. With his withdrawal from the WHO and the Paris Agreement, there are growing concerns about how these decisions will affect Africa’s health systems and climate change efforts. Africa Daily's Mpho Lakaje speaks with the BBC’s Samuel Lando in Nairobi and the BBC’s reporter in Abuja, Chris Ewokor to explore the potential ripple effects of Trump’s re-election on the continent.

Minnesota is home to the largest Somali community in the United States, but for many Somali refugees finding stability and employment has been a struggle.So Mariam Mohamed, a Somali woman living in Minnesota, co-founded Hoyo in 2015. It’s a business that provides empowerment and jobs to refugee women through the shared tradition of making sambusas, a popular Somali delicacy. This savoury snack has now become a hit in school cafeterias across the state. In today's episode, Alan Kasujja speaks to Mariam Mohamed and Hoyo co-founder Ghita Worcester about how sambusas have become a source of pride for Somali families and a culinary discovery for Minnesotans.

Today Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje sits down with firebrand South African politician Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). They discuss a variety of topics ranging from the party’s ideology, its policy on immigration to its stance on nation building. The EFF lost its position as South Africa’s third biggest political party, following the May 2024 election. “There was a phenomenon that arose in South Africa of MK (Umkhonto Wesizwe Party) which we underestimated and never thought would have the impact it did”, Mr. Malema says of his party’s election performance. He also opens up about the recent departures of key EFF leaders, including the party’s co-founder and deputy president Floyd Shivambu.

Robert Katende is a man with a mission to use chess to bring about social change. In his home country of Uganda he works with thousands of disadvantaged children, those with disabilities, and even prisoners, to use chess as a means to provide useful skills for life. He’s even had his story portrayed in a film made by Disney, the 'Queen of Katwe'. Alan Kasujja talks to Robert to hear how this ancient game can be a catalyst for changing lives. Guests: Robert Katende and ‘Coach’ Julius

“She was buried in the same place where she was murdered, at the field in the crops.” Today on the podcast we hear about the life and death of Swedish-Somali journalist Amun Abdullahi Mohamed, who also worked to advocate for the advancement of women in Somalia. She was shot multiple times in the head by gunmen as she walked to her sorghum and watermelon farm in a rural part of Somalia, 40 kilometres from Mogadishu. She’d moved back to Somalia after years of threats and intimidation in Sweden because of her investigation into Al Shabaab’s recruitment of Somali youths in Stockholm in 2009. Presenter: Alan @Kasujja Guests: Abdulaziz Ahmed, Amun’s husband, and Abdalle Mumin, secretary general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate Producer: Layla Mahmood

In Lagos, some tenants are starting the year with a harsh ultimatum; pay double your rent or move out. With inflation at 34.8% and housing already consuming up to 60% of household income, many are struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, landlords report 80% of their tenants are defaulting and investors are abandoning the buy-to-let market due to poor returns. What’s driving this rental crisis and how is it impacting everyday Nigerians? BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to BBC journalist Bisi Adebayo who’s been following the story and Deyo, a tenant in Lagos navigating the fallout first hand.