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BBC World Service

Africa Daily has now come to an end. But do listen to Focus on Africa for all the big stories and for the African perspective on major global news. Hosted by Audrey Brown and ready by late afternoon every weekday. Search for Focus on Africa, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Africa Daily

Warning: This podcast includes description of sexual violence. 

“I’ve worked in this situation for more than 25 years. And for me it’s not acceptable to stay in the operating room waiting for patients, and treat them, treat their children and treat their grandchildren. This is not acceptable.”
 
Dr Dennis Mukwege set up the Panzi Clinic in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999. It was initially set up to help women in childbirth, but it quickly changed its focus to treating women raped and brutalised by the different armed groups fighting in the East of the country. It has since treated more than 83,000 survivors of sexual crimes, and in 2018 Dr Mukwege received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
 
And yet, decades on, he says little has changed and the civilian population is still unprotected from the brutality. 
 
Earlier this year the UN’s Monusco peacekeeping force withdrew from South Kivu – where Dr Mukwege’s clinic is based – under pressure from the Congolese government which accuses it of failing to protect civilians. But its planned withdrawal from North Kivu has been postponed due to fears that the Congolese army is unable to fill the vacuum - leaving civilians even more at risk.
 
In this interview with Africa Daily, Dr Mukwege says it’s time the global community stepped in to help – because while civilians suffer, “the wealth of Congo is serving all the world”.

Why aren’t civilians in Eastern DRC being protected?

Ghana: it’s done it again. Leading the way when it comes to showing the continent how to do democracy. On Sunday, ruling party candidate and Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat even before the official result had been declared.

But John Mahama, the country’s next President - who is also a former president – inherits some really tough challenges – especially finding solutions to the country’s economic woes.

Alan Kasujja gets the latest from BBC presenter James Copnall, who’s been speaking to voters in Accra.

Are Ghana’s elections a victory for democracy?

As the holiday season approaches with its parties, dinners and festive gatherings, one trend is emerging: a growing number of people are choosing to celebrate without alcohol. 

The “sober curious” movement is gaining traction, especially among younger generations focused on health and wellness. 

BBC Africa Daily’s Muthoni Muchiri sits down with Ghanaian author and entrepreneur John Asogonnde, who has not only given up alcohol but also built a business around it. 

He’s the founder of Eden Bar, Ghana’s first non-alcoholic bar.

John shares his personal journey, the challenges of going alcohol-free and how his bar has been received in Accra.

Are attitudes towards drinking changing on the continent?

“I’m not sure if Egypt is looking to replace the dollar at the moment. I’m not sure even BRICS wants to do that at the moment” - Wael Gamal, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
 
US president-elect Donald Trump recently threatened BRICS member states with 100% tariffs, should they go against his country’s currency.
 
“We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new BRICS currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US Dollar”, he told his social media followers.
 
He further said, these nations “should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy”.
 
BRICS is an acronym for a bloc of five states, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
 
Founded in 2009, it aims to promote economic co-operation and increase multilateral trade and development among member states.
 
Trump’s remarks come after the bloc welcomed new members including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
 
Presenter: Alan Kasujja
Guests: John Steenhuisen and Wael Gamal

Can the American dollar be replaced with a new currency?

In December 1944, Senegalese troops who fought for France in World War II were killed for demanding the pay and dignity they were promised. 
 
The Thiaroye Massacre, long shrouded in silence, is now officially acknowledged by France, shedding light on a dark chapter of colonial history and its lasting impact on Senegal and beyond.
 
BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Mamadou Faye, based in BBC’s Dakar bureau, about the massacre, the historical context behind the killings and the lasting impact this tragic event has had on Senegal.

Senegal: France finally acknowledges Thiaroye massacre

"It’s not your typical ‘white Christmas’ where you’re sitting around sipping hot cocoa with family. No… it’s back-to-back parties, beach parties, pool parties, concerts featuring global superstars. That's what Detty December is!" 

This festive season, known as Detty December, transforms Lagos and Accra into buzzing hubs of celebration. It’s a time when members of the diaspora, jokingly called IJGBs (I Just Got Back), return home to reconnect with family, indulge in the energy of West Africa, and join the festivities. 

Over the years, Detty December has grown into a global phenomenon, celebrated for its electric vibe and unforgettable memories. 

However with inflation rising and living costs soaring, how will 2024's Detty December unfold- will locals feel excluded, or can they benefit from the boom in tourism? 

Alan Kasujja explores the energy, culture, and questions surrounding this year’s festivities with guests Michael Sonariwo, Akosua Shirley, and Jola Ayeye.

What’s fuelling this year's Detty December in Ghana and Nigeria despite tough times?

Isabel Dos Santos is the eldest daughter Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, the former president of Angola and she was once described as one of the richest women in Africa- with an estimated fortune of $2 billion. 

But over the last four years her life has changed dramatically. She’s faced lawsuits, her assets have been frozen in several countries and in 2022 global police agency Interpol issued a red notice calling for her to be arrested.
 
Her critics say she’s used her position and influence to enrich herself.

She says all accusations against her are politically motivated by the government that followed her father.
 
In today’s Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Isabel Dos Santos about the allegations against her and how she became so wealthy.

How did the woman once described as Africa’s richest woman become so wealthy?

For more than a year the Somali government has been using security cameras as a key part of its strategy for countering the violence of the Islamist group al-Shabab within the capital city.
 
Many businesses installed CCTV as requested and according to many residents it has had a positive impact on crime and in making people feel safer.
 
But, in response, al-Shabab has shot dead a number of businessmen, leaving the business community feeling very vulnerable and unsure whether to leave the cameras up or take them down.
 
One told Africa Daily he feels like he’s trapped between two ‘flames’: al-Shabab on the one side, and the government on the other.
 
But Mohamed Ahmed Diriye, who’s in charge of security for the government in Mogadishu, says the use of cameras has led to a reduction in bombings, and that the government is deploying more security forces to try to reassure the business community.

Producer: Mohamed Gabobe

Is CCTV making Mogadishu safer?

After 50 years of Assad family rule, Syrians are celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad after rebel forces captured Damascus. 

But his fall isn’t just Syria’s story - it’s one with global implications. In Africa, countries that rely on Russian paramilitary support from groups like Wagner, also known as the African Corps, are bracing for potential impacts. Disrupted security alliances, risks of militants returning home, and heightened instability are all major concerns. 

To unpack how this may reshape North and West Africa, Alan Kasujja is joined by experts Beverley Ochieng and Rabeb Aloui.

How are African countries viewing Assad’s fall?

In today’s episode, our presenter Alan Kasujja meets South African musician and writer Lebohang Morake. 

Popularly known as Lebo M, he co-wrote and sang the music for the Disney movie The Lion King back in 1994.
 
30 years later he is doing the same for the prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, he was in London to attend the film’s premiere. 
 
He talks to Alan about how he went from the slums of Soweto to the red carpets of the world.
 
“I’m born into the most racially divided society in the world, South Africa. I’m born into apartheid. That means, I don’t know what it is like to be in a ‘multiracial environment’ until I get to America”, he tells our presenter.

How did ‘The Lion King’ musician ascend from rags to riches?

“It could not by itself stop the advance of M23 without a strong Congolese army. And my sense is that it was not SADC that failed, but the Congolese army that failed.”
 
Since December 2023, troops from SADC - the Southern African Development Community - have been taking part in a mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo tasked with supporting the Congolese army and protecting civilians and infrastructure. They included soldiers from Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa.

But then in January, rebels from the M23 group made lightning advances across the region – taking key towns including the capital Goma. A number of SADC troops were killed in the fighting. 

And last week, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced a ‘phased withdrawal’.

So is this a sign that the mission has failed? And what will it mean for the government and people of the DRC? 

Presenter: Alan @kasujja
Guests: Rear Admiral (JG) Prince Tshabalala, Thierry Bashala (businessman) and Dr. Claude Kabemba, the CEO of Southern Africa Resource Watch.

Why is SADC withdrawing its troops from the DRC?

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