Africa Daily

Tropical Storm Freddy ripped through Mozambique and Malawi killing more than 200 people. Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has called the devastation from the storm a national tragedy. Whereas the storm hit both countries, Malawi and its commercial capital Blantyre have been worst affected. Residents there died in landslides as their homes crumbled into flood waters. So, why has the storm been so devastating? And what lessons can be learned?#AfricaDaily

When Jonathan Paye-Layleh began reporting for the BBC in 1993, Liberia was in the middle of a civil war. Jonathan filed stories from the besieged capital Monrovia, and from areas held by insurgents. Over the following decades, he reported on peace talks, a second civil war and elections. The country has changed immeasurably in the past 30 years. Whereas Liberians still face their problems, the country is now peaceful and people have an eye to the future. As Jonathan retires from journalism, he reflects on the progress Liberia has made since his first report in 1993. #AfricaDaily

“The more money you have, the more of a man you are. The more power you have, physical strength, political power. It’s all about dominating. We need to change this narrative because that’s not what makes a man” In this episode, Mpho Lakaje visits three fathers across Johannesburg in an attempt to understand what it takes to be a solid father. He sits down with Tumelo Mpanza, who is raising his son as a single parent. He speaks to Onkgopotse Motlhanke who has to juggle between running a business, being a father of two girls and a husband. He then ends his mini city tour at Craig Wilkinson’s office to discuss issues relating to fatherlessness. These conversations were inspired by a study released last month. It shows that paternity leave has quadrupled in Africa in recent times. This means, more men are now empowered to help look after their newly born babies.

“I have a home now. A second home. In the United States I didn’t feel like I had a home but I feel like Ghana is a safe place to live. They treat you like a human being over there.”At the beginning of this month, a special ceremony took place in Washington DC – when two of the last three remaining survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre - Viola Ford Fletcher, now 108, and her younger brother Hughes Van Ellis, 102 - were both given Ghanaian citizenship. During the massacre a white mob destroyed and looted a rich black neighbourhood in Oklahoma, USA - known as ‘Black Wall Street’ – killing hundreds of people. News of the event was buried, and for decades it was hidden from history, but the siblings have been part of the process of remembering – speaking to Congress to mark the centenary of the event. The citizenship was offered to them by President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2021 when they fulfilled their lifelong dream of visiting Africa.Now both say they feel grateful to have a safe ‘home’ to turn to.Akwasi Sarpong speaks to them and their grandson Ike for Africa Daily.

Africa’s biggest and most respected film festival - the biannual FESPACO recently took place in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou. Films from across the continent were screened and there was strong competition for the festival’s top prize- the coveted Golden Stallion of Yennenga. Burkina Faso has been dealing with a decade long insurgency and around 40% of the country is no longer controlled by the government. Jihadist attacks continue to increase with dozens of civilians and soldiers killed every week. Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes. Africa Daily’s Akwasi Sarpong spoke to award winning Burkinabe film director Apolline Traore about why she believes cinema can bring hope to her country.

On Thursday, a draft law was tabled in the Ugandan parliament which would criminalise anyone identifying as LGBTQ+. If passed the law could mean ten years in jail for people who say they are gay. The bill also threatens landlords who rent premises to gay people with a prison sentence. It is the latest sign of rising homophobia in a country where homosexual acts are already illegal. So, what would life look like for LGBTQ+ people in Uganda? And why are some politicians so keen to pass the new law? #Africa Daily

On the 5th of February this year, the who’s who of the global music industry gathered at a venue in Los Angeles, for the 65th Grammy Awards ceremony. Among those in attendance were three South African musicians, Wouter Kellerman, Nomcebo Zikode and Zakes Banwtini. They were nominated in the Best Global Music Performance category, along with several other artists. Surprise! Surprise! Their song, Bayethe, bagged the award. As they touched down at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, they were received by hundreds of jubilant music lovers who waved their South African flags. That’s the power of music. It unites, lifts spirits and evokes feelings of patriotism especially when a nation is going through economic challenges. Presenter: @mpholakaje Guests: @nomcebozikode, @wouterkellerman and @zakesbanwinisa

The internet is becoming a more important part of life. Not only are people using it to communicate and search for information, but also to earn money. But not everyone is online. More than 2.7 billion people around the world are without regular internet access. In most countries – and here on the continent – women are making less use of the internet than men. There are many reasons behind this, from internet access and affordability, to a lack of privacy and safety online. So, what can be done to help level the playing field? And how can we get more women into the digital economy? #AfricaDaily

Countless reports by the United Nations, Amnesty International and human rights groups have detailed allegations of inhumane conditions inside Egypt’s prison cells. The government refutes the claims, saying they’re politically motivated and based on fake accounts. But it’s also refused to give numbers for the amount of people locked up. It’s now opened some new ‘correctional and rehabilitation complexes’ to house political prisoners amongst others. It says they have state of the art technology, including high tech cameras. Mpho Lakaje hears about life in prison from a young man who was imprisoned as a teenager after he was arrested during the 2013 anti-government protests, and from a human rights lawyer who says the new prisons won’t improve the situation.

Think of the Seychelles and what springs to mind? White sandy beaches, coral reefs, 5 star resorts, nature reserves? What you probably don’t think of is heroin ghettos; shattered lives; mothers burying their sons. 10% of the Seychellois population uses heroin - the highest per capita usage in the world. So what’s being done – and will the government’s ‘War on Drugs’ help or harm? Akwasi Sarpong speaks to a former heroin user, Joseph Fady Banane – known as Fady – who’s put together a documentary for BBC Africa Eye investigating the issue called 'Seychelles, Heroin and me'. Find it on the BBC News Africa YouTube page.