Focus on Africa

Mothers in the DRC struggling to raise children fathered and abandoned by UN peacekeepers amid fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Also in the programme: we ask South Africa's minister of police whether he's lost control of the spiralling gang violence in Cape Town. And the rising wave of South Korean culture sweeping across Africa.Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Nyasha Michelle, Bella Hassan Yvette Twagiramariya, Amie Liebowitz Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senior Journalist: Sunita Nahar Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Obase Sam Okoye, a Peace and Conflict Scholar at St Thomas University, delves into the troubling resurgence of polio in Angola, revealing the challenges of vaccination efforts amid misinformation and conflict. He highlights the critical role of local influencers in these campaigns while also discussing the unintended consequences of technologies like Starlink, which militants exploit for improved coordination in the Sahel. The conversation touches on broader implications for public health and the ongoing struggle against diseases in Africa.

Dani Komla Aida, a political analyst and member of the Togolese Civil Society in the diaspora, teams up with Philip Rengens, a law and politics professor at the University of Antwerp, to discuss the recent deadly anti-government protests in Togo. They dissect the unsettling realities of political repression, highlighting the impact of social media amidst government crackdowns. The conversation also draws parallels with Rwanda's political landscape, shedding light on the complexities of dissent and the fight for civil liberties in the region.

Civil organisations in Mozambique say at least 120 children have been kidnapped by insurgents in the north of the country. The Human Rights Watch group warn of a rise in abductions in the country's troubled nothern province of Cabo Delgado. The children are reportedly being used by Al-Shabab, an insurgent group linked to the so-called Islamic State, to transport looted goods, cheap labour and in some cases as child soldiers. We'll hear from someone closely monitoring the kidnappings.Also, are there increased US bombings against targets in Somalia since Donald Trump became president?And we meet Cathy Dreyer, the first female ranger to head up the team at the Kruger National Park in South Africa!Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Alfonso Daniels and Nyasha Michelle Technical Producer: Jack Graysmark Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

People from Kenya’s growing Gen Z movement hold protests demanding justice and police accountability. We ask whether the police is acting on behalf of the Kenyan government. The protests marked the anniversary of last year’s deadly anti-tax demonstrations. Also in the programme: a quarter of a century after their land was seized, a small group of white farmers in Zimbabwe accept a controversial compensation deal from the government.And why food drops in South Sudan conducted by a American company called Fogbow are proving so controversial?Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Bella Hassan, Charles Gitongo and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Gabriel O' Regan Senior Journalist: Sunita Nahar Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

A new bout of intercommunal violence in Chad, has left more than 40 people dead, according to the Chadian Government. This includes women and children. What's behind the recent rise in violence?Also, the border town of Zalambesa re-opened after years of tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Will it stay that way? And we discuss the mixed reviews of Tyler Perry's latest movie, Straw. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Joseph Keen, Nyasha Michelle, Alfonso Daniels and Yvette Twagiramariya Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

More than 200 gunmen on motorbikes recently attacked a Niger army base leaving at least 34 soldiers dead. Meanwhile dozens of civilians were reportedly killed in another attack in the region. Why is western Niger vulnerable to attacks by militant Islamists?Concerns after Sudan orders universities in Khartoum to reopenAnd how Nelson Mandela used sport to help transform South Africa, 30 years on from the Springboks victory in the Rugby World Cup. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers:: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan, and Yvette Twagiramariya in London, with Blessing Aderogba in Lagos Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical producer: Jack Graysmark Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

The South African city of Cape Town is one of the wealthiest cities in Africa, but it's also one of the most unequal. The city has now become the country's gang capital with more than a hundred gangs fighting for control of the lucrative drugs trade. We hear from a local journalist who grew up near one of the most volatile communities in the country, Hanover Park. Also, why the UNESCO protected town of Djenne in Mali is becoming a burden for locals.And the African diaspora community wanting to lay claim to a tiny piece of land, tucked betweeen Sudan and Egypt.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Amie Liebowitz, Yvette Twagiramariya and Nyasha Michelle in London, with Richard Kagoe in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

There is a glimmer of hope that three decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo could end after the government agreed a draft peace deal with Rwanda, a country accused of funding the M23, a group that has taken over some significant towns in the east of DRC. Representatives of the two countries will formally sign the agreement next week. But will this deal brokered by the United States work where others have failed?Also, Egypt scrambles for gas supplies after Israel's oil refineries are struck by Iranian strikes and we examine whether other countries in Africa have been affected too.And a bra-scandal: why female staff members at a university in Nigeria were touching the breasts of students before allowing them to take an exam.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Yvette Twagiramariya, Bella Hassan and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Sunita Nahar Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to bring an end to the wave of killings in Benue state. It's believed that more than 200 people were killed in attacks across various communities. What's behind the increase in violence?Also, a young man from the DRC is on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church. Who was he and what did he do to achieve this?And we discuss the state of the book industry on the continent, following the first ever UNESCO report on the issue, with one of the authors of the report, Elitha van der Sandt and the internationally acclaimed Nigerian author, Lola Shoneyin.Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Sunita Nahar and Wedaeli Chibelushi Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi