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Focus on Africa

What do US midterm elections mean for Africa?

Nov 5, 2026 · 23 min

Democrats have won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, securing a congressional majority for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Six candidates of African origin won seats in Congress, including 29-year-old Ethiopian-born Melat Kiros, who becomes the first Gen Z woman elected to the US Congress. The daughter of Tigrayan immigrants, Kiros defeated a 15-term incumbent in the Democratic primary before going on to win the seat. But how does their win shape US foreign policy within the African continent? And Victoria Ama, a Nigerian dancer and contortionist is fusing African traditional dance with ballet. The result is a style that is both visually striking and rooted in African culture. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Albert Kirui, Chiamaka Dike, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Bella Twine Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla