Africa Daily

This month marks ten years since the kidnapping of the Chibok girls in north eastern Nigeria when militants abducted nearly 300 girls. Most of the girls have either been freed or escaped but dozens remain unaccounted. In the years since, kidnapping for ransom - for profit- by criminal gangs has also become the norm, even in places like trains or in the capital Abuja, which used to be considered relatively safe.In today’s episode Alan Kasujja speaks to a woman who was kidnapped twice on her way home from work, and hears more about the approach by Nigerian police to kidnappings.Some listeners may find some of the descriptions of kidnapping in this episode distressing.

On the 14th of April 2014, 279 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, in north eastern Nigeria. Since that fateful night some have escaped, many have been rescued but sadly others remain missing. As Nigeria and the community of Chibok mark 10 years since the kidnapping of the girls, the country has seen many more abductions. One estimate suggests more than 4,000 people have been abducted in Nigeria in the past 8 months. So today Alan Kasujja will be looking at how the girls, now women, families and community are getting on. And we hear from the army on what they are doing to find the girls who are still missing.

“The problem is that communities are always excluded when important decisions are taken. Companies impose decisions on communities” – Fana Sibanyoni, a resident of Embalenhle in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province In today’s episode, Mpho Lakaje sits down with Sharon Mbonani and Fana Sibanyoni, the residents of Embalenhle in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. They share their personal stories on how they are affected by air pollution. Their province is known for being home to some of South Africa’s major mines and power stations. This conversation comes after Greenpeace Africa released a report stating that Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa are leading air polluters in Africa. Some of the main culprits include power plants that use fossil fuel for electricity generation, and the results are devastating. The report has revealed that air pollution is responsible for 6.7 million deaths every year on the continent. So, how are the nations mentioned in the study responding to this problem?

Last week, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a national disaster due to a prolonged drought crisis, saying the country needed $2 billion to address hunger. Zimbabwe, once a regional food producer, now grapples with high inflation and scarcity, intensified by climate change-induced droughts. This crisis affects not only food production but also electricity generation, leading to power cuts. And it’s not just Zimbabwe. Neighbouring countries are also struggling, with Zambia and Malawi also declaring drought a national disaster. BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja hears from an impacted farmer in Zambia and hears from the BBC's Shingai Nyoka how people are coping in the region.

Mpho Lakaje shares his recent identity theft experience and the rise of cyber threats in Africa. He visits the police station and talks to another victim and a financial crime investigator. The episode explores the challenges of proving innocence and protecting one's identity from cybercriminals.

This episode contains graphic description of violence. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++“I do not know when I will die maybe it’s today or tomorrow - but I felt if I died without forgiving him the burden would be on my children.” This weekend marks 30 years since the start of the Rwandan genocide. In 100 days, nearly 1 million people were killed based on their ethnicity.At 13 years old, Claudette was attacked with a spear and shot – but somehow survived. Most of her family were less lucky and were killed. And yet she’s taken the remarkable decision of forgiving her attacker. She’s one of a number of people who told her story to BBC reporter Victoria Uwonkunda on a recent visit to the country to mark the anniversary. Victoria was just a year younger, 12 years old, when she herself fled Rwanda and the genocide with her family. She lived as a refugee in the DRC and Kenya before being settled in Norway. She has spoken about her struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.In this episode of Africa, she tells Alan Kasujja about her trip back to her home country – the first since she left – and shares more of Claudette’s story.Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja Reporter: Victoria Uwonkunda @afroscandiTo hear more, listen to Victoria’s full documentary on https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hm1sbt

"It's hard to live in Africa. It's hard to pay your bills. Public transport is hard... And it's hard to run a business in Africa."Alan got a belated Christmas surprise this year – when he found out he’d been named as one of New African Magazine’s list of 100 most influential Africans. He’s in good company… Senegal’s Ousmane Sonko, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and Guinea’s coup leader and president, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, are also on the list. But the list isn’t just about politics: it also gives a nod to changemakers in business, science, sport - and to those working to improve the environment. So in the first in a series of conversations, Alan speaks today to two young, energetic business leaders who are on the list - and are changing how money is used on the continent. Presenter: Alan Kasujja @kasujja Guests: Coura Sene, West Africa Regional director for Wave and Ham Sirunjogi, Co-Founder & CEO of Chipper Cash

South Africa is one of the top wine producers in the world yet, nearly thirty years after the end of apartheid, the industry is still dominated by white-owned wineries. Black-owned brands account for less than 1% of wine sales per litre in South Africa, even though black South Africans make up over 80% of the population.But a determined group of black women wine-makers want to change this. They’ve been supported by a British company ‘On Cloud Wine’ and its owner, Emily Batchelor, who gave them the financial support to export their wines – after many found it difficult to sell it themselves within South Africa But 30 years after apartheid, why are there still so few black women involved in winemaking in South Africa? Guests: Nondumiso Pikashe and Vivian Kleyhans. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje

“Davy became our friend.”Tales of conflict between animals and people are all too common across Africa. People have been cast off their land to make way for wildlife parks for tourists. Animals have attacked humans, poachers kill for tusks and scales, and large animals like elephants trample on crops and destroy them. But today we’re travelling about 200 km west of Nairobi in Kenya to an area called Sachangwan, where a shy elephant managed to charm his way into the hearts of the local community when he wandered into their area as a calf in 2017. Despite him causing some damage, the local people grew fond of him and learnt to live with him – and even gave him the name Davy.But last month the Kenya Wildlife Service finally captured him and moved him to the Aberdare National Park where they say he’ll have the company of other elephants. They also say it’s not a good thing for elephants to live in such close proximity to humans. So on today’s Africa Daily, Muthoni Muchiri asks – how can humans and elephants co-exist for the benefit of both?GUESTS: Joel Too - local pastor Abigael Simaloi Pertet - Co-Existence Project Manager at the Mara Elephant Project

Approximately 26.3 million people in Africa have a form of visual impairment, and it’s estimated that 5.9 million are blind. Blindness in people can occur at birth or later in life, and many people across the continent who are blind face several daily challenges. Amidu Abubakar made history when he became Sierra Leone’s first ever blind law graduate. So what’s it like to study law as a blind person? What changes made it possible for Amidu to reach this dream of studying law? Umaru Fofana, based in Freetown, has been finding out in this episode he guest presented.