Africa Daily

On Wednesday 24 August, Angola will head to the polls.The two frontrunners are current president, João Lourenço, from the MPLA, who will be seeking his second term in office and Adalberto Costa Júnior, representing the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).These two groups have had a rivalry that has dominated Angola’s politics since independence in 1975 and battled for power during a civil war that ended in 2002.While it’s been the MPLA in power for nearly half a century, political analysts say that this will be the country’s closest election to date, with Angola’s young population looking for change. So what’s at stake in this year’s election? Alan Kasujja speaks to journalist Israel Campos and Claudio Silva, a political commentator in the capital Luanda.

A recent survey of more than 4,500 young people in Africa, aged 18-24, found more than half of them are thinking about emigrating in the next few years.Many participants said they believed that because of the lack of opportunities, they could only improve their lives by leaving the continent. Others cited security and poor healthcare as reasons for wanting to move abroad. So, on a recent trip to his home country of Uganda, Alan Kasujja sat down with a group of young people at the Uganda Christian University, just outside of the capital Kampala to see if they too felt the same way.

Last week, the Sierra Leone government introduced two new laws that have been hailed by some NGOs as ' the most progressive land reform laws in the world'. These new laws will give communities the power to block mining, farming and industrial projects on their land, restrict the amount of years companies can lease land for and will ban industrial development in ecologically sensitive areas. Currently over 20% of Sierra Leone's land is leased to foreign businesses for mining, large-scale agriculture and other development ventures – leading to protests against some projects in recent years. However, some members of the business community have voiced concern about the new laws, saying that it could put off foreign investors. Presenter: Alan Kasujja (@kasujja)

In recent years Uganda has made great progress in treating patients with kidney failure. They can now receive dialysis at several hospitals, which can sustain their health for many years. But for those who need a kidney transplant, they have no option but to travel overseas. Doctors at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala have been working to make transplants possible on Ugandan soil. But with no legal framework for organ donation in place, changing the law is also part of their plans. #AfricaDaily

Kenya’s electoral commission has named William Ruto as the winner of last weeks presidential election. However, four of the seven commissioners have refused to back the result. And Raila Odinga, Mr Ruto’s challenger for the top job, has rejected the result. He says he will challenge the election in the courts. So, what will happen next? And what does it mean for Kenyans?#AfricaDaily

Zama Zamas are young, mostly illegal miners who are taking advantage of the mining industry in South Africa. They have been in the news recently after being linked to a series of violent crimes. On yesterday’s episode, Mpho Lakaje heard about the gang rape of eight women near Johannesburg, which the Zama Zamas have been linked to. He also heard that this is not the first such violence they have been accused of. On today’s episode, Mpho hears from South Africa’s National Police Commisioner to hear what can be done about the situation. And with many Zama Zamas reportedly coming from neighbouring Lesotho, he hears from the communications minister and asks whether they can help South Africa with a solution.#AfricaDaily

The term Zama Zama is a slang word in isiZulu, one of South Africa's official languages and loosely translates to ‘someone who is trying’ or a ‘hustler’. They are young miners, largely illegal, who take advantage of the lucrative mining industry in South Africa. They are back in the news after a gang rape of eight women near Johannesburg. The women had been shooting a music video at an abandoned mine, when they were attacked by a group of men, both locals and police say are the Zama Zamas. So who are these people who are striking fear in many communities in South Africa? Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje has been speaking to Frans Baleni, a former Secretary General of the National Union of Mineworkers with extensive knowledge on the Zama Zamas. He also heard a personal account from a victim and local councillor, Kenny Moeng on how communities are coping.

Kenya’s presidential election has been dominating the headlines this week. And while we still don’t know there results, there’s still plenty to talk about. The Kenyan constitution gives all citizens living overseas the right to vote in elections. This year their options have been expanded, with embassies in 12 countries opening their doors for people to cast ballots. But that has still meant long and expensive journeys for people wanting to cast a ballot. And although around four million Kenyans live overseas, only around then thousand were registered to vote. So, is Kenya leading the way on diaspora voting? Or does more need to be done? #AfricaDaily

With a population of 15 million, Lagos is the biggest city on the continent. But by the end of the century, it’s predicted to become the most populous city in the world. And it isn’t the only rapidly growing city in Africa. It’s predicted that by the turn of the century, Africa will be home to 13 out of the 20 biggest cities. And many of these will be megacities - urban centres with a population of more than 10 million people. But what will life be like in these places? And can we cope with such rapid urban growth?#AfricaDaily

Two of East Africa’s big countries and economies have voiced ambitious plans to get in on the electric vehicles revolution. Only last week Kenya Power announced it’s investing in a network of charging stations for electric vehicles across the country. In a recent interview with Africa Daily, Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni revealed his country had started to assemble their own electric vehicles to reduce their reliance on imported fuel. But despite these plans, a few challenges remain, for example Africa has some of the world's most unreliable and expensive electricity, and charging infrastructure remains scarce. So how ready is East Africa for the transition from diesel fuelled cars to electric vehicles? And how long might it take to get there – are we talking decades? Victoria Uwonkunda speaks to Peter Mwangangi, BBC business reporter in Nairobi, Edna Odhiambo, a climate change lawyer and Moses Nderitu, the Chief Revenue Officer for BasiGo, a Kenyan e-mobility start-up to find out.