Africa Straight Talk

South Africa has major problems ranging from failed post-Apartheid land reforms to racial inequality to rampant corruption. But none of them, it seems, is larger than having a near-naked indigenous king who grows and smoked dagga, as marijuana is know down there.

The new season of Africa Straight Talk begins with at tribute to three recently departed African men who loved and believed in Africa. South African Arch. Desmond Tutu, Kenyan paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey, and trailblazing, Academy Award-winning actor, Sidney Poitier, showed their love for Africa in their own special ways. The episode ends with yet another … Continue reading Episode 83: Honoring Arch. Desmond Tutu, Richard Leakey, and Sidney Poitier for their service to Africa

In this last episode of the year, we look back at how Africa coped with a difficult 2021. We also revisited some of the amazing guests we had here on Africa Straight Talk. As we complete our second year of podcasting, we’d like to thank you, our dear listeners, for bringing us this far. You … Continue reading Episode 82 — Africa in 2021: Even with Omicron variant, we’re still resilient

Having failed to create “one nation under God” to match the words of their country’s Pledge of Allegiance, U.S. Evangelicals are trying create it in Africa by sponsoring anti-LGBTQ laws. We speak with two U.S.-based Ghanaians — Arthur Musah, and Kwesi Wilson — about how lawmakers in Ghana are taking cues from American Evangelicals to … Continue reading Episode 81: U.S. Evangelicals trying to create ‘one [homophobic] nation under God’ in Ghana

African countries will suffer the worst consequences of climate change, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at the continent’s negotiators at the COP26 talks in Glasgow. Their strategy seem to be stretching their hands out for billions of dollars in handouts as compensation for wealthy countries role on climate change. What Africa needs … Continue reading Episode 80: Africa will be most affected by climate change, but negotiators show no urgency at COP26

If you thought former U.S. President Donald Trump — the wannabe despot — was crazy when he sided with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after the murder of journalist Jamal Kashoggi, you haven’t met David ole Sankok. On a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the Kenyan lawmaker said women from his country have been … Continue reading Episode 79: By calling abused workers prostitutes, David ole Sankok has justified Saudi enslavement and murder of Kenyans

The Gusii highlands of southwestern Kenya are a Paradise. But as in any Paradise, there is a snake: Ignorance mixed with religious extremism, which have led to savage murders and lynchings of hundreds of people — mostly elderly women — on suspicion of practicing witchcraft. Following the recent murder of four people, Africa Straight Talk … Continue reading Episode 78: Hunting ‘witches’ in Kisii is an ugly blemish on a Kenyan Paradise

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists recently released a list of 35 current and former world leaders who have been using offshore accounts to evade taxes. Representing Africa are Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, and Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of Congo. Do Africans care?

Every year, the United Nations General Assembly presents an opportunity for Africa’s leaders to embarrass themselves on the international stage. During this year’s assembly, which took part in New York recently, it was Namibian President Hage Geingob’s turn to show the world how unbelievably naive our leaders are. Geingob used the term “vaccine Apartheid” to … Continue reading Episose 76: Is ‘vaccine Apartheid’ to blame for Africa’s pitiful inoculation rates?

We look at why African governments stand by and do nothing when their citizens get abused, tortured, and murdered abroad. In the past two years, for example, at least 89 Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia have died under suspicious circumstances. Many were domestic workers, whose bodies had clear signs of torture. What is really going … Continue reading Episode 75: Why Saudis continue to murder Kenyan immigrant workers