This week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said genocide had been committed in Darfur by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

“The African National Congress right now is at a crossroads and that crossroads is as a result of one, the electoral performance in 2024 and two, some of the challenges that the country is facing” – Jamie Mighti, South African political commentator

Over the past five years Ghana has seen a wave of Africans from the diaspora returning to their ancestral land. That’s because of initiatives like ‘The Year of Return’ which the government launched in 2019.

Former president Nana Akufo Addo said “we believe we have a responsibility to extend a hand of welcome” and that ‘The Year of Return’ had been a “great success”.

But this movement isn’t without controversy. While diasporans celebrate newfound opportunities and belonging, many local communities feel excluded from the economic benefits.

BBC Africa Daily’s Alan Kasujja spoke to Ghanaian Culture Journalist Emmanuel Olele as well as Annabelle McKenzie, the Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat, an initiative of the Ghana Tourism Authority.

2024 was a phenomenal year for women’s sport in Kenya. Amongst other achievements, women athletes won three of Kenya’s four gold medals at the Paris Olympics; in November, Kenyan women were first, second and third in the New York City Marathon; and on the very last day of 2024, double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet smashed the women’s 5000 metre record with an incredible time of 13 minutes and 24 seconds.

And yet the biggest news story about a sportswoman in Kenya last year was when Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei was set on fire by her former boyfriend, dying days later.

The brutal tragedy shone a light on the gender-based violence some female athletes face – and the risks they face. Success and talent can make them targets for predatory men, while low levels of education and exposure to male coaches at a young age can leave them isolated and vulnerable.

Today on Africa Daily Peter Musembi speaks to Elizabeth Keitany, appointed as the executive in charge of safeguarding for Athletics Kenya this year, as well as former Olympic champion Nancy Chebet, one of the very few women who’ve made the transition from athlete to coach.

Tsitsi Dangarembga is a critically acclaimed Zimbabwean writer.

In today's Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja speaks to Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong Akinboboye.

She campaigns for a better understanding of mental health in Cameroon.

She founded two NGOs, Positive Youths Africa which is based on encouraging positive mental health for young people and Afrogiveness which uses art therapy, amongst other methods, to help survivors of conflict and discrimination.

Her work has reached an estimated 100,000 people.

These include victims of the Boko Haram insurgency which has spilled over from Nigeria into Cameroon and the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon between English and French-speaking parts of the country.

Yesterday Alan and his BBC colleagues from South, East and West Africa gathered for a reminder of the big stories of 2024 – and to discuss how they’d shaped the continent.

NOTE: Since the recording of this discussion the estimate for the number of dead in Mozambique has risen to 278 (source: local NGOs via Integrity Magazine).

Which news stories have stuck with you over the last year?

"The power of live entertainment is unmatched."

In today’s podcast, we explore the vibrant culture of African festivals and their growing impact on the continent's economy and global influence. Events like Flytime Fest in Lagos and Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar draw thousands of visitors annually, fuelling tourism, hospitality, and cultural exchange.

But what does it take to organise a music festival?

Alan Kasujja speaks to Keke Hammond, Chief Operating Officer of Flytime Fest, and Journey Ramadhan, Managing Director of Sauti Za Busara.

What and who made you the person you are today? It’s a big question and the answer is different for us all.