Africa Today

A new draft constitution for Tunisia, drawn up by a committee especially picked by President Kais Saied. Also, we'll return to Sudan where 3 more people have been killed in latest protests. And the Residents Presidents discuss the Commonwealth. Much more on those and other stories in this podcast.

Reports from Sudan say as least six people have been shot dead and a large number injured by the security forces during pro-democracy protests in the capital, Khartoum. A Nigerian who has been deported back to his home country from the UK says he fears for his life because he is gay. And we have reaction from a former fan of American singer-songwriter R Kelly, on giving up his music after his conviction and 30-year sentence for sexual abuse.

South Africa's energy giant has increased scheduled power cuts – or load shedding - to avoid a catastrophic grid collapse. Pay talks are continuing with striking workers, but there is growing frustration across the country over the daily blackouts. The second day of protests in Ghana passes off peacefully as demonstrators march by the president's office. And Ghanaian and Nigerian men and women are among those due to be deported from the UK as British authorities enforce their immigration policies.

Tensions continue to rise between Ethiopia and Sudan, as the latter recalls its ambassador. Also, the United Nations becomes the latest body to call for an independent inquiry over Morocco migrant deaths  at  the Spanish enclave of Melilla. Plus, Sierra Leone reacts to the US Supreme court banning abortion. And much more in this. podcast.

South African police investigate the mysterious deaths of twenty two young people in a bar in the city of East London. Also, Nigeria's Zamfara state tells residents to take up arms against kidnap gangs and violent attacks, but how will it work? And after the U.S Supreme Court's decision to overturn its own landmark ruling in 'Roe v Wade', should Africa care? Plus much more in this podcast.

Commonwealth heads of state and government begin two days of talks in Rwanda. Big issues on the table including trade, climate change, and even food on your table.  Bola Mosuro will be telling us more from Kigali. Also, we will also be hearing from South Africa, where the so-called dirty fuel, King Coal is enjoying a rare bonanza. That and other stories in this podcast.

A much anticipated report on corruption is out in South Africa.  The Zondo Report  criticises the African National Congress for creating an environment that enabled corruption and wide scale looting under former President Jacob Zuma. Also, an urgent appeal to the international comunity over the famine in Somalia. Those stories and more on Africa Today.

The Russian Ministry of Defence says at least forty-two African mercenaries have been killed in Ukraine, but what do we know so far? Also, why is Burkina Faso's army conducting an eight-hour military exercise in the capital, Ouagadougou? How often does this happen and are residents aware of what's going on? That and much more in the podcast.

Dozens of civilians were killed in the attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia region.

Belgium returns a tooth belonging to the Congolese independence hero, Patrice Lumumba, more than 60 years after his brutal murder. Also, one of Sierra Leone's most popular musicians has his dreadlocks shaved by the police - the Inspector General defends the action. And the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) has opened in Kigali. Focus on Africa's Bola Mosuro is there.

South Africa considers importing crude oil from Russia. The country's Energy Minister says Russian oil is not on the sanctions list. Also, the Democratic Republic of Congo says it's suspending all trade agreements with Rwanda.  They say it's because  Rwanda is supporting the M23 rebels which further exaccerbates levels of violence in the Eastern DRC.  Kigali denies this claim. Plus more...

The UGTT union called for the public sector strike to protest President Saied's policies.

The Tanzanian government says the relocation is necessary to protect wildlife

The UK insists first flight will go ahead despite individual legal challenges

Appeal court judges in London have refused to stop a British government flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda from the UK. The first flight is expected to leave for Kigali on Tuesday. The M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo claim to have captured the border town of Bunagana near Uganda. A spokesperson for the Ugandan Defence Force (UPDF) says many Congolese soldiers have retreated and handed themselves over to the Ugandan army. And Malawi's government responds to a BBC investigation that found children were exploited to feature in racist Chinese-produced videos.

We hear the latest on clashes between police and the Maasai community in Tanzania. And what's happening to residents still displaced by the floods in Durban, South Africa? Has local government done enough to help them? We'll hear from the Deputy Mayor.

Medical charity MSF says thousands in Ethiopia face starvation

Former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu will lead Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) into next year's general elections after a landslide victory in the party primary. A study has found that the popular social media app TikTok is 'fuelling hate speech' ahead of Kenya's August polls. And the Belgian king returns a famous looted mask to DR Congo, but there is no apology for his country's brutal rule during the colonial era.

Atul and Rajesh Gupta face fraud and money-laundering charges in South Africa.

A curfew has been imposed in the Nigerian town of Owo in Ondo state following the massacre of dozens of people during Sunday Mass at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church. We hear from the Pan South African Language Board in Cape Town, following widespread fury as Irish airline RyanAir orders South African passport holders to prove they can speak Afrikaans before they can fly. And Mali's military rulers express disappointment after the regional body, Ecowas, fails to lift economic sanctions.

Lagos moves to crush over 2000 motorbikes seized during the enforcement of a ban on motorcycle taxis; we look at the environmental impact of this operation. Also in the pod: An increase in suicide cases among Kenyan police forces triggers fresh awareness around the importance of mental health; Chadian leaders ask for international help in dealing with a growing food insecurity in the country; And we talk to a Nigerian entrepreneur who's recently travelled from London to Lagos by motorbike.

Tunisian President Kais Saied has sacked dozens of judges accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists. The head of Nigeria's Methodist Church Samuel Kanu Uche who was kidnapped by armed gunmen along with two other priests, describes his ordeal and reveals a ransom of 100m naira ($240,000) was paid to secure their freedom. And Gambian singer Nyancho on his latest album Polisol, and using his music to give recognition to the work police and other security services do.

Lagos' State Commissioner of Transportation explains why the clampdown on the “two-wheel” taxi riders is deemed as necessary, citing surging crime and road accidents. The Rwandan government responds to the recent cross-border tensions between Rwanda and neighbouring DR Congo. And the African Union special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, insists the regional body is taking mediation efforts between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front very seriously.

Despite ongoing cross-border tensions, Rwandan President Paul Kagame held a phone conversation with his Democratic Republic of Congo counterpart Félix Tshisekedi along with the African Union chairman Macky Sall. Can peace be achieved through mediation? We meet the Kenyan teacher who has won an award for his work campaigning against smoking. And two years after the deadline set by the central African country of Chad to eradicate child marriage, how much has changed?

Nigeria's Methodist Church leader Samuel Kanu and two other priests have been kidnapped in the south-east of the country where separatists have been agitating for a breakaway state. The head of Ethiopia's Human Rights Commission Daniel Bekele speaks to the BBC about the thousands of arrests in Amhara and Addis Ababa in recent weeks. A Ghanaian start-up is pushing for greater African representation in cancer research.

The United Nations calls for an emergency meeting after an escalation in fighting.

Eleven newborn babies have died in a hospital fire in the western city of Tivaouane

The Gambian government says it is ready to prosecute former President Yahya Jammeh for what it called "the myriad of crimes" he committed during his rule. It was responding to a report by the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which investigated abuses that took place during his 22 years in power. Plus, the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says it will make all its patented drugs available on a not-for-profit basis to low income countries. And May 25 is Africa Day, set aside to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, which later became the African Union. But do Africans care?

More than 700 people made up of Rwandan former combatants and their families are resettling in the country. Most used to be FDLR ethnic Hutu fighters who have undergone rehabilitation and training. Also, chief virologist, Dr. John Nkengasong, takes on a new role as coordinator of PEPFAR - the US initiative on HIV and Aids - and says he'll still be serving Africa. Plus, floods uproot lives in Ghana's capital with homes swamped by heavy rains.

Authorities in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region say they have arrested more than 4,500 individuals including a former army commander. South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province has been pounded by heavy rains again and hundreds of residents have been evacuated amid fears of renewed flooding. And Ntsika Kota, a pharmacist from Eswatini who only took up writing as a hobby, makes history by becoming the first person from his country to win the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa.

Activities have been taking place in Cameroon to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Day of Unity. But a raging conflict exists between the majority French government and armed English-speaking separatists. Plus, after the Central Bank of Zambia is targeted by hackers seeking a ransom, how resilient are Africa's banking infrastructures? And we have access to one of the hotels preparing to receive failed asylum seekers from the UK, under the controversial UK-Rwanda migrant scheme .

Nigeria's police announce a rare victory in the fight against insecurity, the arrest of prominent criminals linked to kidnapping. Kenya's James Kagambi finally reaches the summit of Mount Everest. And the wife of the missing Ethiopian general, Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, speaks out.

Eradication of Polio in Africa takes a step back as a new case is reported in Mozambique; Officially the second this year. Angola legislates to allow opinion polls ahead of elections, however, it forbids their publication. We find out what Angolans think about this. Also in the pod: The army in South Sudan tells me they are ready to deploy to the Abyei region in an attempt to quell deadly ethnic clashes there And a 22-year-old Eritrean cyclist wins a stage victory at Italy's top cycling competition.

Hopes of finding eight miners trapped more than 700 metres underground in Burkina Faso are fading after rescuers today  found a second  safety chamber empty. We hear the frustrations and despair of some of the men's wives. Also, Nigeria's chief accountant has been arrested in connection with a $190 million dollar fraud case involving money laundering and diversion of funds. And how South Africa is tackling high youth unemployment.

It's a return to Somalia's top job for former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has been elected to lead the country for a second time. Turning waste into cash in Ghana with a new project to monetise cocoa pulp. And the reasoning behind the two leading presidential tickets in Kenya, Raila Odinga and Martha Karua taking on William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua.

We speak to Kenyan nurse, Anna Qabale Duba, who has just won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. Religious leaders in Nigeria have called for calm and tolerance after a woman in Sokoto was killed over alleged blasphemy. And the Tanzanian play ‘Juliana' exploring the early years of the HIV pandemic.

The former police commissioner in the D.R. Congo has been found guilty of the murder of human rights activist Floribert Chebeya, a killing that sparked national outrage. The spokesman of South Africa's ESKOM power utility defends the decision to resume load shedding power cuts. And why one of Tanzania's main opposition parties has deregistered all but one of its own MPs.

A UK exhibition highlights Egyptian contribution to the discovery of Tutankhamon's tomb. The self-styled Islamic State claims it has executed a number of Christians in northern Nigeria. And a group of women working in South African vineyards call for a ban on harmful pesticides.

The wife of one of eight mineworkers trapped for three weeks in Burkina Faso speaks of her ordeal and trying to find out information about the rescue operation. Zambia reaches a deal with the mining giant Vedanta over a key copper mine. And the new novel taking up the story of indentured Indian labourers in 19th Century South Africa.

The fuel prices emergency is hitting households across the continent, from Egypt to Tanzania, Uganda to Nigeria and South Africa. The airline industry has also been affected. So what can government's do? Also, in Somalia, dozens of candidates have registered for the presidential race in six days. We hear who's challenging the incumbent, Farmajo. Plus, how South African singer, Nomfundo Moh, has made it big in the world of music.

As the number of Covid cases rise in parts of Africa, Dr Ayoade Alakija, from the African Union vaccine delivery programme, says African leaders are missing some procedural steps in the fight against the virus. Plus, a Muslim cleric refuses to leave jail in Kenya, despite being acquitted of terrorism charges, for fear of his life. And retired South Africa World Cup-winning rugby legend, Tendai Mtawarira, on his new role as Unicef's regional ambassador for Eastern and Southern Africa.

After being postponed for more than a year, a date has finally been set for a presidential election in Somalia. Members from both chambers of parliament will vote on 15 May. Six midwives have gone on trial in Senegal over the death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child. And music from Bih Stico, the Cameroonian nurse who juggles her professional career with her passion for singing.

During a recent trip to Nigeria as part of a traditional Ramadan tour, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised the governor of Borno States for his work in fighting terrorism. Also in the pod: at least ten Burundian soldiers are killed in Somalia during an AMISOM mission; And why are internet shutdowns so common in Africa?

There's been a major attack on an ATMIS forces base in Somalia. Al Shabab militants have claimed responsibility, and there are fears about the death toll. The UN Secretary General speaks after visiting camps in Nigeria's Borno state housing hundreds of thousands of victims displaced by Boko Haram and Islamist insurgent attacks. Meanwhile,  one NGO decries the closure of camps which have left IDPs in unsafe and vulnerable conditions. Mali's military leader announces they're cutting ties with France accusing the French of flagrant security violations. Plus, how 16 months of civil war in Tigray in northern Ethiopia and turbulence in other regions have affected press freedom in the country.

President Kenyatta announces a 12 % boost to minimum wages; we ask our experts if it will be enough to shield workers from the spiralling cost of living. Also in the pod: Tunisia's controversial President Saied moves to create a group of interests that will radically rewrite the constitution of the country; And the daughter of jailed Rwandan politician Paul Rusesabagina, for whom a campaign has just started in the US, says her father has suffered a stroke

A  damning report alleges that ex South African President Jacob Zuma put interests of his corrupt associates ahead of those of his country. Also, why have a group of Turkish nationals who've been running a high performing high school in Liberia been expelled from the country? And Kenya bids farewell to its third president Mwai Kibaki at a State funeral in Nairobi.

The Nigerian senate passes a bill seeking to outlaw the payment of ransoms for kidnap victims. We ask one of the Senators supporting the bill why he thinks it's the right thing to do. Also in the pod: Kenya reaches an agreement to release more fuel reserves to end the current shortages; How a ban on palm oil exports from the world's largest producer, Indonesia, will impact the Ugandan economy heavily reliant on its import; We speak to a Ghanaian conservationist saving the lives of the slender-snouted crocodile, and in South Sudan, the two main parties blame each other for fresh violence erupting in the country.

Today: Mounting concerns about the rise in police brutality and disappearances in Kenya. Also, a BBC investigation uncovers the ugly and dangerous side of Egypt's beauty industry. (Image: Kenyan activists protest against police brutality in Nairobi. Credit: EPA)

The world's richest person, South African born Elon Musk, has acquired the social media platform in a $44bn deal. What will his takeover of Twitter mean for users and freedom of speech on the site? Plus, following the deaths of at least 100 people from an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in Nigeria's Imo State, environmental groups allege hundreds of dangerous operations exist and some even with the collusion of security services. And Africans in a camp at Calais in northern France, fear what a new Nationalities and Borders Bill in the UK could mean and are concerned about the prospect of being deported to Rwanda.

Authorities in Imo State say victims of a fire that engulfed an illegal oil refinery on Friday will be given a mass burial because of the difficulties in recognising the charred bodies. Also in the programme: The WHO announced a fresh outbreak of Ebola in a populated city of the Democratic Republic of Congo; And we hear how Yoruba communities in southeast Nigeria marked the death of one of Nigeria's most pre-eminent monarchs - The Alaafin of Oyo kingdom.

The former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who ended four decades of one-party rule, has died at the age of 90. Those who knew him pay tribute and reflect on his legacy. Plus Google's super powerful undersea internet cable has reached Lagos. And today is #Earth Day. The theme is ‘Invest in our Planet' and a climate change activist in Uganda tells us what that means to him.