Africa 54 - Aug 5, 2021

You are watching Africa 54, your daily news and feature magazine-style program, from the Voice of America. Host Esther Githui-Ewart and a team of correspondents zero in on the big stories making news on the continent and around the world with context and analysis. Top Stories: The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Powers, on a visit to Sudan and Ethiopia, has starkly contrasted the trajectory of the two countries, saying Sudan is on a fragile path to democracy, while Ethiopia is mired in conflict and facing famine. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar has been ousted as head of his party and its armed forces. The party’s military wing said Machar was removed following a three-day gathering of senior SPLM/A-IO leaders in the country’s far north. A UN World Health Organization (WHO) report has revealed that hundreds of health workers and patients have been killed or injured in the last few years. Soraya Ali reports. The COVID-19 pandemic's impact has led to cuts in foreign aid from donors like Britain, which this month slashed its aid budget by $5.5 billion, hitting those on the ground in Africa. The funding loss is felt in Burkina Faso where it could possibly shut down a group that helps thousands of gender-based-violence and rape survivors. Henry Wilkins reports from Kaya, Burkina Faso. INTERVIEW: ZAMBIA-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE-BANDA – Peter Clottey / Andyford mayele, PAC Presidential Candidate In Zambia, the presidential candidate for the opposition People's Alliance for Change (PAC) says a majority of voters are against incumbent President Edgar Lungu and his governing Patriotic Front. He also predicts none of the 16 candidates will meet the 50 percent plus one vote, the threshold needed to be declared winner of the presidential election.VOA's Peter Clottey, who is on a special assignment in Zambia, sat down with PAC presidential candidate Andyford Mayele Banda in the capital, Lusaka. In Zambia, the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) says incumbent President Edgar Lungu has provided leadership, kept his promises to Zambians and deserves another five-year term. It says the incumbent president's key campaign pledge to citizens is his commitment to the continuation of his good works, the country's unity and prosperity. This, despite criticism that he has failed to resolve the myriad of challenges the country face. Antonio Mwanza is the media director of the Zambian ruling PF. He tells VOA's Peter Clottey that the president's election prospects are good. Changing face of the American electorate has evolved. During the 2020 election, Asian Americans made their voices heard. #Ethiopia #SouthSudan #COVID19 #Zambia #WHO