Focus on Africa

There are fears that the mass starvation cult in Kenya is still active after the discovery of new bodies in fresh graves near the site of the Shakahola forest massacre. So far, eleven people have been arrested in connection with these new exhumations. We hear from a Rapid Response Officer, working with a human rights organisation, who has been helping people track down missing relatives.Why are African students ending up on the battlefields of Ukraine after applying to study in Russia?And France returns the remains of a Malagasy king who was beheaded during the colonial era. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Alfonso Daniels, Tanya Hines, and Nyasha Michelle in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical Producer: Pat Sissons Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

UN says a record number of aid workers were killed in 2024. Most in Gaza but dozens also in Sudan, South Sudan, and Nigeria Why is sub-Saharan Africa facing a shortage of child eye doctors? We meet one of the only paediatric opthalmologists in Burkina Faso And we meet Gelda Waterboer the Namibian teacher who has gone viral with a classroom song about sexual consent Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Priya Sippy, Stefania Okereke, Yvette Twagiramariya and Alfonso Daniels in London with Ayuba Iliya in Lagos Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

Japan has pledged to work more closely with African countries at global summit on economic development. How can Africa benefit from stronger ties with Japan?The former prime minister of Chad is facing a 20-year prison term after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and having incited a massacre. Who is Succès Masra and what sparked the intercommunal violence that led to the charges against him?And did you know there are four distinct species of the African giraffe? We find out why that discovery is important for conservation.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Sunita Nahar, Nyasha Michelle and Stefania Okereke Technical Producer: Pat Sissons Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

Uganda agrees a deal with the United States to take in failed asylum seekers provided they are not minors or people with criminal recordsHow does Zambia plan to tackle a gold rush that turned violent?And why are gulper sharks under threat off the coast of Somalia’s Puntland statePresenter Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefania Okereke and Priya Sippy in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical producer: Philip Bull Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi are our editors. I'm Audrey Brown. We'll talk again next time.

Two prominent journalists in Ethiopia, Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, have been missing for more than a week after being abducted by what reports say, were men wearing masks and military uniforms. There has been no news about their whereabouts but their disappearances have raised concerns about a crackdown on media freedom in the country. Aid agencies warn that a surge in the number of people with the respiratory illness diphtheria is becoming 'the most urgent and dangerous threat' to public health in Somalia. Why are cases of the disease increasing?And how the conflict on the ground in Sudan is affecting migratory birds in the sky.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Nyasha Michelle in London. Richard Kagoe in Nairobi Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

M23 rebels say they will not return to peace talks in Doha unless the DRC government agrees to its demands. Are the talks dead in the water?Could climate change be creating child brides in Malawi?And we learn about the role of matrilineal leadership in everyday Ghana.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Priya Sippy and Stefania Okereke in London Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Maryam Abdalla, Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.

South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa has launched a national dialogue called “uniting voices, shaping the nation". It's an ambitious plan to confront its most pressing challenges and unite a nation still wrestling with the legacy of apartheid, deep inequality, and mounting political tension. Critics say it's been rushed. So, will it work? Also, the Ugandan ex-military men arrested for allegedly wanting to fight in the Russian-Ukraine conflictAnd the African Union backs a campaign to end the use of a 16th-century map in favour of one that more accurately displays the size of the continent. We'll hear from someone campaigning for change.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Mark Wilberforce and Nyasha Michelle in London. Charles Gitonga and Jewel Kiriungi in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Pat Sissons Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Maryam Abdalla and Reza Asadi

The US government has approved a $346m arms deal with Nigeria which would include munitions, precision bombs and precision rockets. What is behind the change in a decade-long US policy about selling certain kinds of weapons to Nigeria?The mining of gold has been a key factor of Sudan's economy, and now it is a major source of funding of the two-year civil war. We look back at its history in Sudan, and how the war is driving demand.And one year on since Ghana's parliament passed its landmark Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act, which was hailed as a victory for women's rights, how have things changed?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Nyasha Michelle and Stefania Okereke in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senior Journalist: Patricia Whitehorne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

There's been outrage in The Gambia following the death of a one-month-old baby girl. Reports suggest she was a victim of female genital mutilation (FGM). Although FGM is outlawed in the country, it's a deeply rooted cultural practice that authorities are battling. Three women have been arrested in connection with the incident.Also, France's president Emmanuel Macron acknowledges France used "repressive violence" against Cameroonians during and after colonial rule.And how did a Martian meteorite from Niger end up at an auction?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Makuochi Okafor in Lagos. Bella Hassan and Tom Kavanagh in London Technical Producer: Gabriel O'Regan Senior Journalist: Yvette Twagiramariya Editors: Alice Muthengi and Maryam Abdalla

The ongoing war in Sudan and limited access to humanitarian aid has led to starvation amongst those left behind. The United Nations says children are being "reduced to skin and bones."  We'll hear from people within the country.  Also, are Kenya's dreams of becoming a footballing superpower in jeopardy? And how are young African scientists using Charles Darwin’s historical voyage to protect species on the continent?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Patricia Whitehorne and Stefania Okereke in London.  Jewel Kiriungi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Yvette Twagiramariya Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi