Africa Daily

In April the UK government announced that they had signed a deal that would see asylum seekers to the UK processed instead in Rwanda, some 6,500km away. This caused outrage, with rights groups and campaigners calling the deal cruel, saying the asylum seekers who come to the UK have already faced gruelling and treacherous journeys and shouldn’t be sent to another country for their papers to be processed. The British government argued that the plan was designed to deter people-trafficking. Rwanda said every single asylum seeker would be welcomed and get full protection under Rwandan law. But days before the first flights were due to take off from the UK, charities supporting the migrants took the British government to the courts. However they were unsuccessful as both the High Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that government's first flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda can go ahead on June 14 as planned. So with so much happening with this UK-Rwanda asylum deal, Alan Kasujja sets out to understand why this plan is so controversial. Host: Alan Kasujja Guests: Anne Soy – BBC Africa Senior Correspondent and Daniel Kyereko, Lecturer on Migration at the University of York in the UK

WARNING: Some might find the language in this episode upsetting. In February 2020 a video of African children speaking Chinese went viral. In the clip, the children are seen cheering and dancing while repeating words from an unseen male voice in the background. Some of the language used in that viral video are offensive and derogatory. In the short clip, the children, all dressed in similar red costumes with a white dragon on the front pocket, are heard saying in Chinese “I’m a black devil, and my IQ is low”. The video and words the children were made to say sparked outrage around the world. Over the past few years, video sharing platforms have exploded in popularity. And on Chinese social media, it’s become big business. An industry has developed around personalised video greetings, which can cost between $10 and $70. A BBC investigation has found out how African children are exploited in these videos. Alan Kasujja speaks to BBC Africa Eye reporter, Runako Celina, who’s been part of the team investigating this booming industry. Host: Alan Kasujja (@kasujja) Guest: Runako Celina: @RunakoCelina)

Funerals have begun for some of the forty people killed after armed men burst into a Catholic church in the town of Owo in the South West of Nigeria – shooting anyone who moved, and setting off explosives. The town’s medical facility has been overwhelmed with casualties – many of whom had been shot. The authorities say they suspect the extremist group Islamic State West Africa Province carried out the attack. If confirmed, it would be the first attack by the IS-linked militants in southern Nigeria - signifying an expansion of its violence. But questions are being asked about why armed men could so brazenly attack a church in the very middle of a town, and then apparently just melt away like ‘ghosts’. Africa Daily hears the stories of those who lived through the attack – and asks, if such an horrific attack can take place in an area that’s previously been relatively safe, is there anywhere in Nigeria that’s not impacted by violence and insecurity?

Earlier this week, two brothers - Atul and Rajesh - were arrested in Dubai.For years the businessmen’s close relationship with politicians in South Africa has caused controversy.And they have been accused of allegedly bribing officials to secure lucrative state contracts during the rule of former President Zuma.The Gupta’s have always denied any wrongdoing.But South Africa is now seeking to extradite them to face charges of corruption.So, what does it all mean for South Africa…and the politicians who are reported to have been close to the brothers?#AfricaDaily

With a population of at least 20 million residents and with close to no proper city planning, Lagos is often plagued with intense traffic jams and locals often turn to commercial motorbike taxis, known locally as okada, or its 2-wheeled equivalent, keke, to get around quickly. But now due to what Lagos authorities are calling safety concerns, Nigeria’s largest city has yet again banned the okadas and kekes. This latest move to ban okadas came after the lynching of a man by suspected riders in the upmarket Lekki neighbourhood. The incident took place last month and sparked outrage.While the ban has been welcomed by some who agree with the Lagos authorities that the riders drive dangerously, others say okadas offer faster and often cheaper means of transportation around the city. So in a heavily populated city like this, will Lagos manage without its okadas?Alan Kasujja speaks to the BBC’s Olivia Ndubuisi who lives and works in Lagos about what’s it like living in the city and how this ban will affect locals.

Monkeypox was first detected in Nigeria and the DRC in the 1970s. Since then there’ve been a number of cases in West African countries including Cameroon, the Central Africa Republic and Sierra Leone – but it hasn’t been a problem for much of the rest of the continent – and compared to major killers like malaria, HIV and TB, very few people actually die from it. And yet the World Health Organisation says African countries should be on alert - and prepare their response to it. So why is it a priority now? Is it just because people in western nations have been affected? Or is it really a new global threat? Alan Kasujja looks at the issue for Africa Daily.

“Great plan on paper. Poor implementation. I wish things could get better… I remember when I was growing up my Grandfather used to work for the railways corporation and it was prestigious to work for the railways. He would work across Kenya, go to Tanzania and that’s not possible now.” In 2004, an East African Community Summit announced a plan to invest in and integrate railway lines and services across the region. It followed years of under investment which had led to the near collapse of most railway services by the 1990s – and was meant to see existing infrastructure in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda upgraded and then extended into neighbouring countries. Some of the work has happened – mostly paid for using Chinese loans. But as that source of funding has dried up and concern has increased about the countries’ abilities to pay back the money, other projects have fallen by the wayside. So should we be optimistic or pessimistic when it comes to hopes for railway services across East Africa?For Africa Daily, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Masanja Kadogosa, Director General of Tanzania Railway Corporation and BBC Business’s Peter Mwangangi.Presenter: Mpho Lakaje (@mpholakaje)

There have been a series of suicides in the Kenyan police force in the last year - at the rate of at least one or two each month. And last month, Kenya’s Inspector General of Police announced that nearly 2,000 officers weren’t fit for service – due to issues with their mental health. That's 2,000 officers who carry guns. So how can the police service tackle these issues – for the welfare of its officers, and the safety of the public?Africa Daily speaks to the widow of a police officer who took his own life - as well as a psychologist and human rights worker. Presenter: Ferdinand Omondi (@FerdyOmondi)

Since 2014, Malawi has suffered a wave of assaults against people with albinism. In that time more than 40 people with the condition have been murdered. In many of the cases, these killings are motivated by the baseless belief that the body parts bring wealth and luck. Just this week, twelve people, including a priest, a hospital worker and a police officer, appeared in court for the murder of a man with albinism. So how can people with albinism ever feel safe? Africa Daily speaks to two people living with the condition in Malawi. Presenter: Alan Kasujja (@kasujja)

Niger is reported to be building a drone base and taking delivery of Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey. The pilotless aircraft were used to great effect by Ukraine in the weeks after Russia invaded. And Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the drones will “increase the military and security capacity” of Niger. Niger is often listed among the very poorest countries in the world and is dealing with multiple threats from militant groups along its borders with Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. So, how exactly might drones help in the fight? #AfricaDailyHost: Alan Kasujja (@kasujja) Reporting: Beverly Ochieng (@BeverlyOchieng)