The Africa Program
The Africa Program delivers unfiltered and insightful conversations about politics, art, economics, and security across the African continent. Hosted by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, the show features dialogue with changemakers, thinkers, writers, and leaders from Africa and beyond. Each episode aims to provide context, challenge assumptions, and offer clarity on key issues shaping the continent. Listeners can expect sharp analysis and unapologetic truths from a seasoned storyteller and analyst.
Episodes
The DRC Beyond Mining with Eric Mboma
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is often viewed through the lens of conflict, humanitarian crisis, and critical minerals. Yet with more than 100 million people, vast agricultural potential, significant natural resources, and a largely informal economy, the DRC presents a much broader economic story.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Eric Mboma, a
A Lifetime of U.S.-Africa Relations with Ambassador Andrew Young
The relationship between the United States and Africa has been shaped by the Cold War, decolonization, the civil rights movement, economic interests, and generations of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet despite decades of engagement, the United States has struggled to build the kind of consistent strategic partnerships with African countries that it maintains elsewhere in the world.In thi
Mobutu Sese Seko's Legacy Three Decades Later with Nzanga Mobutu
Few African leaders continue to inspire as much debate as Mobutu Sese Seko. Nearly three decades after his death, his legacy remains deeply contested, raising enduring questions about history, memory, nationalism, and the future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Nzanga Mobutu, son of the late Congolese president
Why Africa’s World Cup Success Is About More Than Football
The FIFA World Cup is more than the world’s biggest sporting event. It is also a stage where history, politics, and national identity converge. For Africa, the tournament has reflected decades of struggle for recognition, representation, and respect on the global stage.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with independent researcher Afolabi Adekaiyaoja about
Rethinking Africa Europe Relations in a Fractured World
Africa and Europe share a long and complicated history. From colonial rule to post independence cooperation, the relationship has never been static. Today it is being reshaped by migration politics, supply chain pressures, rising populism, and intensifying global competition.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Alex Vines of the European Council on Forei
Bob Marley, Rambo, Tupac and the Politics of Youth in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is often remembered for its brutal civil war and the Ebola crisis. But beneath those defining chapters lies a deeper story, one about youth, power, and the long struggle for dignity.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with award-winning author Marc Sommers about his book We the Young Fighters: Pop Culture, Terror, and War in Sierra Leone. Their
Ben Affleck on Development Aid, Philanthropy, Advocacy, and Congo
Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is often defined by conflict, instability, and one of the world’s longest running wars. But beyond those headlines lies a different story, one about resilience, local innovation, and communities working to build their own future.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Ben Affleck, co-founder of the Eastern Congo Init
Trade Not Aid Is the Wrong Debate for Africa
Africa is often framed through the lens of aid, but in an era of global competition over critical minerals, infrastructure, and markets, the debate over “trade not aid” misses a larger point.In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Daniele Nyirandutiye, partner at Desmos Capital Partners and former USAID mission director in Uganda, about how development assi
When Sanctions Replace Strategy in U.S. Africa Policy
Sanctions have become a default instrument of foreign policy. From Sudan and Zimbabwe to Russia, Cuba, and Iran, they are often the first response to crisis. But do sanctions actually change behavior, or do they simply signal that something has been done?In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Brad Brooks-Rubin, partner at Arc Torus and former senior adviso
What’s Blinking on Africa’s Dashboard in a New Global Era
Africa is at the center of global competition, but also at a pivotal moment in its own transformation. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele is joined by Fonteh Akum, Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies, to examine the major trends shaping Africa’s future as the world enters a new year.Drawing on a continent-wide perspective, Akum outlines what i
Journalism, Identity, and the Politics of Africa Coverage
Covering Africa is never just about reporting events—it is about history, context, power, and perspective. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with award-winning journalist and author Michela Wrong, whose reporting and books have shaped global understanding of Africa for more than three decades.Wrong reflects on her path into Africa reporting, from Reuters p
Why Military Coups Still Resonate Across Africa with Judd Devermont
Coups have shaped African politics since independence, and they are once again at the center of the continent’s political debate. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele is joined by Judd Devermont, former senior director for African affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, to examine why coups continue to resonate with African publics and why they so often fail
Wind Turbines for Peace with Karana Olivier
Across West Africa, millions of people live without stable electricity—especially in regions facing conflict, drought, and state neglect. In this episode, Karana Olivier, founder of KOC Bridges, joins Mvemba Phezo Dizolele to explain how simple, locally built wind turbines are helping communities generate not just energy, but also cooperation, agency, and resilience.Karana describes his unique app
The Rise of Cybercrime and the Need for Digital Literacy in Africa
Africa’s rapid entry into the digital age brings unprecedented opportunity—and unprecedented risk. Digital futurist and AI thought leader Nicky Verd joins Mvemba Phezo Dizolele to discuss the continent’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the rise of AI-driven scams, and why digital ignorance may be one of Africa’s most dangerous threats.Verd explains how cybercriminals exploit gaps in awareness, how
Building and Losing Africa’s Voice in Washington
For more than 50 years, Melvin Foote has been one of the most influential advocates shaping U.S.–Africa policy. From his early Peace Corps service in Ethiopia and Eritrea to founding the Constituency for Africa, Foote helped mobilize support for AGOA, advance anti-apartheid activism, and build crucial bridges between African Americans, African immigrants, and U.S. policymakers.In this conversation
Digital Governance in Rwanda: A Conversation with Irembo CEO Israel Bimpe
In this episode of The Africa Program, host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Israel Bimpe, Chief Executive Officer of Irembo, about Rwanda’s innovative approach to digitizing public services and the broader implications for governance and service delivery across Africa. Drawing on Irembo’s decade-long evolution, Bimpe explains how the platform has transformed citizen interactions with government—
Death Is Our Business: John Lechner on Mercenaries, Wagner, and Africa’s Security Future
In this episode of The Africa Program, host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with journalist and researcher John Lechner—author of Death Is Our Business—about the rise of private military companies in Africa and the evolution of Russia’s Wagner Group. Drawing on years of fieldwork in the Central African Republic, Mali, and across the Sahel, Lechner explains how Wagner blends state interests, private a
Young, Ready, Excluded? The State of Youth and Governance in Africa
In this episode of The Africa Program, host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Cynthia Chigwenya, former African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace, about the realities facing Africa’s young majority and the governance structures that shape their lives. Drawing on her experience in regional institutions and youth movements, Chigwenya explains how unemployment, the digital divide, and inherited coloni
Inside “The Second Emancipation” with Howard French
In this episode of The Africa Program, host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with author and journalist Howard French about his new book The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide. Drawing on Nkrumah’s journey from colonial Ghana to the Black intellectual circles of 1930s America and postwar London, French traces how these experiences shaped Nkrumah’s vision of
Introducing The Africa Program
Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Insightful.Welcome to The Africa Program, your essential podcast for fearless conversations and sharp analysis on everything Africa. Tune in for thought-provoking dialogue with changemakers, thinkers, writers, and leaders from Africa and beyond. Whether you're seeking context, challenge, or clarity, The Africa Program delivers unfiltered insights and unapologetic tru
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