Whenever the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) makes the headlines, it appears that the challenges the nation is facing are only multiplying. From the escalating conflict in Eastern DRC to what is being called an attempted coup in Kinshasa the question remains: how will the largest sub-Saharan African nation overcome its complex challenges? Governance. Analysts point to weak and uninspired governance as one of the challenges that perpetuate instability in Africa. In May, six months after his election, President Felix Tshisekedi announced the newly appointed government of the DRC. This government faces the daunting task of confronting the array of conflicts and instability in the country.

Fred Bauma, Senior Fellow and Executive Secretary of Ebuteli, joins Mvemba to discuss the reasons this government took so long to form, the state of governance in DRC, and the expectations of Tshisekedi’s second term in office.

After more than three decades of experience as a media entrepreneur, Claude Grunitzky’s passion for telling the authentic stories of Africans has only expanded. While perceptions and narratives of Africa have slightly shifted, the Western gaze on Africa has not. Limitless Africa is “the podcast that asks the questions that matter to Africa” through speaking with strong voices that promote the future of Africa. Mvemba is joined by Claude Grunitzky, Founder of TRACE and friend of the pod, to discuss asking the right questions about Africa, and limitless answers.

Since 2018, senior leaders from land forces across Africa, the United States, and other partner nations have met to strengthen their relationships, exchange information, and encourage cooperation at the Africa Land Forces Summit (ALFS). This marked the 5th anniversary of the summit, which was hosted in Livingstone, Zambia with the theme “Regional Solutions to Transnational Problems”. 25 different countries were represented in the summit- a growth from the initial 9 that attended the first summit in Nigeria in 2018.

Mvemba is joined by Command Sergeant Major Reese Teakell, US Army Southern European Task Force, and Command Sergeant Jeremiah E. Inman, US Army Europe and Africa, to discuss the highlights and achievements of the partnerships between African and partner nations in security training. They delve into the education programs for non-commissioned officers and the importance of leadership development.

After attaining independence in 1961, the United Republic of Tanzania became instrumental in liberation movements throughout Africa. Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s first president, established the ideology of Ujamaa (African socialism) as Tanzania’s political, social, and economic ideology. At the time of independence, the US established diplomatic ties with Tanzania and Nyerere had a close relationship with President John F. Kennedy. Nyerere stepped down from his presidency in 1985 and subsequent presidents opened Tanzania to become more democratic politically and economically while maintaining a socialist philosophy further strengthening relations with the US. However, the presidency of the late President John Magufuli eroded some of the democratic strides that previous presidents had instilled, straining bilateral relations with the US while strengthening ties with China. Nonetheless, the current administration under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has beckoned on the United States for an improved relationship and deeper bilateral economic ties.

Mvemba is joined by Ambassador Michael Battle, United States Ambassador to Tanzania, to discuss the history and current state of U.S.- Tanzania bilateral relations. Ambassador Battle shares his hopes of transformed US-Tanzania relations from an aid and development assistance model to a trade and investment model.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is not only Senegal’s youngest elected president but also the youngest democratically elected president in Africa. At 44- years old there is a lot of expectation resting on Faye and his mentor Ousmane Sonko as they take the reins after an election run-up that was nothing short of dramatic. Since 2021, protests against former president Macky Sall have left more than 60 people dead and hundreds of political activists jailed. Faye is expected to strengthen the eroded democratic institutions in Senegal that allowed Sall to attempt an unconstitutional bid to sustain his party’s hold on the presidency and that built conditions to repress dissent in the country.

Hawa Ba, Director of Core Partners in Open Society Foundations, joins Mvemba to share her impressions from the tumultuous election. As the only West African country that has not experienced a coup, Senegal is a beacon of hope that alternative forms of power and governance can be achieved through elections.

Since 2022, the East Africa Community (EAC) has expanded to include two new partner states, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia, bringing its membership up to eight partner states. Each nation admitted to the bloc brings its own set of challenges but also expands the opportunities and avenues for cooperation in the region. The EAC has been strong in providing economic opportunities to its partner states and the inclusion of DRC and Somalia prospects to acquire greater markets for the trading states and allow the two nations to grow. On the other hand, the EAC grapples with political integration problems as mistrust and tension exist across the borders of member states, weaving a complex web of alliances and political clashes.

Beverly Ochieng, CSIS Senior Associate (Non-Resident), and Pascal Kambale, Human Rights Lawyer, join Mvemba to untangle the issues and opportunities faced by the EAC. As the EAC faces a transition period with its new member states, how can it solidify its leadership and ensure that each partner is held to account?

“Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.” Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian aid non-governmental organization founded by Dr. William B. Walsh in 1958.  Their first operations in Africa began in the mid-1960s in Guinea; and since then, they have reached 13 countries in Africa.  

Project Hope began its work in Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola Epidemic to help combat the outbreak. During this period, the organization recognized the need to increase capacity to improve the health outcomes of women, newborns, and children, which has now become the primary focus of their work in the country. The organization has collaborated with the responsive leadership at the Ministry of Health to lower the rate of maternal mortality from 1360 per 100,000 live births to the current rate of 443. Furthermore, Sierra Leone have developed a 5-point strategy of reducing the maternal mortality rate to less than 300 per 100,000 live births by 2025.  

Mvemba is joined by Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara, the Chief Health Officer at Project HOPE to discuss the current situation, work, and progress made by Project Hope in improving maternal health crisis in Sierra Leone.   

For a brief moment, it appeared as though all attention had shifted to the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), as the tournament gained global attention. The game saw the participation of 24 out of 54 countries in the tournament, hosted by the reigning champions, Côte d’Ivoire, from January to early February 2024.  

The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been hosted in various African nations for over 60 years, with each game surpassing the former. However, AFCON 2023 set a new viewership record of over 2 billion viewers worldwide, making it the most-watched AFCON tournament. Furthermore, the game showcased the abundance of talents present in Africa through the participation of prominent football players such as Victor Osimhen from Nigeria, Achraf Hakimi, from Morocco, Sadio Mane from Senegal, and Mo’ Salah from Egypt, among many others.  

Join Mvemba and Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, Research Analyst at CDD-West Africa, as they discuss the remarkable achievements of AFCON 2023, its impact on Africa and beyond, and the inextricable links between sports and politics.   

Amidst political, economic, and security issues Malians continue to seek justice and reconciliation to restore peace in their country. Since 2012, the Malian government has been engaged in a war against the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MLNA) who intend to secede the Northern region of Mali. Additionally, Mali has experienced 8 attempted coups with 5 of them being successful since its independence in 1960. The turmoil experienced raises questions on how to attain national cohesion and how the Malian government can navigate meeting the plethora of needs that its citizens require. Good governance which is accountable to the people is what Malians are asking for.

Moussa Kondo, Executive Director Sahel Institute, joins Mvemba to share perspectives and insights into the political and economic landscape of Mali. Kondo expertly shares the historical context of the insecurity in Mali and some reflections on how Mali can overcome the challenges it is facing today.

More than 80% of African countries have experienced coups since the 1950s. The occurrence of coups can be seen as a reaction to poor governance that is unresponsive to the needs of the people. Regional and international responses to this “unconstitutional” seizure of power belittles and condescends coup leaders hence ostracizing and condemning already fragile nations without addressing the drivers of coups. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s recent coups culminated with harsh sanctions from the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As a result, the three nations formed a mutual defense pact known as Alliance of Sahel States (AES) on September 16, 2023, then withdrew from ECOWAS on January 28, 2024. ECOWAS is accused of being a hypocritical, distant, and elitist club for privileged diplomats whose hostility to these nations drove them out.

What are the failures of ECOWAS? What lessons can ECOWAS and other regional blocs in Africa learn from this? Mvemba is joined by General Saleh Bala, retired Brigadier General from the Nigerian military and CEO White Ink Consult in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss how to understand the withdrawal of AES and where ECOWAS falls short as a regional bloc.