EP 3 Geopolitical Dynamics in Africa: A Deep Dive I African News Review 🌍

In this episode of African News Review, hosts Adesoji Iginla and Milton Allimadi delved into the complex geopolitical dynamics of Africa as reported in Western media. 

They discussed the implications of Sao Tome and Principe's military agreement with Russia, the military struggles in Mali, the human rights concerns in Kenya, and the potential constitutional changes in Uganda that could affect democratic processes. 

The conversation highlighted the importance of understanding historical contexts and the role of media in shaping narratives about Africa.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to African News Review
02:55  Geopolitical Dynamics in Portuguese-speaking Africa
05:42  Mali's Military Struggles and International Relations
14:29   Kenya's Political Turmoil and Human Rights Concerns
38:26  Sudan's Complex Civil Conflict
48:30  Uganda's Political Maneuvering and Future Elections

Transcript

Adesoji Iginla (00:01.772)
Yeah, good day, good day. Welcome again to African News Review, our weekly conversation in which we take a look at the coverage of Africa in the Western media and deconstructs the story for you. I am your host, Ade Soji Iginla, and with me as usual is a journalist and publisher, Black Star News, comrade Milton Alimadi. Welcome, sir.

Milton Allimadi (00:27.39)
Asante sana.

Adesoji Iginla (00:29.14)
It's been a very interesting week in the Western press as regards Africa. And for our first story today, we'll go to a tiny archipelago, Sao Tome Principe, which sits just at the tip of the Bight of Benin. And for those who are not conversant with Africa, when you look at the armpit, the curve of Africa, it's a tiny little speck of island there.

In fact, it's have a long standing colonial history that goes back to the transatlantic slave trade. In fact, the first plantations were set up by the French on the archipelago. And so our story comes from Radio de Tiverelle. And it reads.

Adesoji Iginla (01:27.554)
How does Portuguese -speaking Africa stand on Russia? Russia has beefed up efforts to build stronger relations with Portuguese -speaking African nations, positioning itself as a military power without a colonial past.

And the key part for the story for me is six of the nine CPLC, that's the community of Portuguese speaking countries, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, South Ome Principe and Equatorial Guinea are on the African continent. Only two of which, Cape Verde and South Ome Principe, condemned Russia's military war of aggression in the United Nations General Assembly resolutions.

Angola and Guinea -Bissau in 2022 condemned Russia's so referendum on the annexation of eastern Ukrainian territories as illegal. The CLC also, while seeking balance, tried for a long time to paper over this rift through organization. now, with this agreement between Moscow and South Tome, the conflict has become clearly visible, said Portuguese South Tome journalist João Carlos.

who reports for Dachavella from Lisbon. This is a very sensitive question for the CPLC, CPLP, whose representatives are always striving for harmony and balance because it clearly shows that there is also tangible conflicts in the Lusophone world beyond cultural and linguistic similarities. Dacosta said Russia's Sautermain military agreement should not be dramatized

and emphasise the need to respect the sovereignty of all CPLP states. I will stop for now. What's your initial take?

Milton Allimadi (03:20.017)
Okay, so I think when you are opening up, you misstated, you said France, I think you meant to say Portugal. Right. Okay, so what happened is that the story is misframed, because the story in itself is a good story. But it's, if you don't frame it in the framework of what's going on between the United States, Russia, Ukraine,

Adesoji Iginla (03:27.362)
Portugal, sorry, sorry.

Adesoji Iginla (03:37.229)
Mm.

Milton Allimadi (03:50.033)
in the world and in Africa. The story has the elements, but it's not well written. It's not, you the pieces are here and there. So, you know, if it had a better editor, it would have been a much more compelling story. They talk about the voting at the UN and another part has not all, you know, well crafted and connected. It's, of course.

Adesoji Iginla (03:51.95)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (04:09.624)
Yes.

Milton Allimadi (04:17.023)
part of the contest between Russia, Ukraine and its ally, the United States, to win global support and in Africa, even a small nation with a population of 200 ,000 is now getting global attention. You see?

Adesoji Iginla (04:43.777)
Okay. Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (04:44.927)
So when you start like that, then people want to know, why is a small nation of 200 ,000 getting global attention? Well, then we'll find out that since the conflict began, both the US and Russia have been trying to get, you know, who's lined up on our side, because it doesn't matter the size of a nation. When you tally it all up, it's a country, you see?

Adesoji Iginla (05:11.084)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (05:11.295)
So you say we have 50 countries on our side. We're not going to say, OK, how many of them? Are 10 of them small? That becomes secondary, you see? Because then you can go on the PR campaign that, we have more countries lined up. So our cause is much more just. That's how the story should have been framed. So now a reader could read it. And at the end, if they're not following the geopolitics, say, wait a minute.

Adesoji Iginla (05:22.19)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (05:40.415)
So why should I care about a country that has population of 200 ,000? It's signing a military pact with Moscow. It's not going to change the balance of power anywhere in the world, right? So the pact itself is not going to shift power, but the political element, the public relations propaganda is the bigger thing.

Adesoji Iginla (05:47.813)
which is not even the size of New York.

Adesoji Iginla (05:55.308)
Mm. Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (06:09.487)
that of course that would be the first line of the explanation. The second line would be okay, which is hinted at actually in the story. Now that one of these countries, you know, have been added on, which one of the other French -speaking countries, I mean sorry, Portuguese -speaking countries, are going to line up and sign, you see? So if it had been framed that way, then it would not have even have to be in

Adesoji Iginla (06:27.682)
Portuguese speaking.

Milton Allimadi (06:37.959)
such a long story, you see? Yeah, it's long because it's not well -crafted and well -connected, but there only two or three interesting elements in a potential story like this. And then, of course, a good editor and writer would say, you know, we see that Russia and Ukraine are competing in other locations in Africa. Then you bring in Mali, then you bring in Sudan.

Adesoji Iginla (07:00.664)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (07:07.463)
you you bring in other African countries, then it would have been a well -framed story. So that would be my comment to this point.

Adesoji Iginla (07:15.232)
Okay, initial thoughts. There's another piece here which might shed more onto the story where it says Portugal's dismay, concern and confusion. Portuguese Foreign Minister Paul Rangel expressed dismay, concern and confusion over this agreement from Portugal and other European states. The next day, Rangel stated the relations between Portugal and South Ome.

and Principe are not affected by this agreement, repeatedly emphasizing that Sautomé -Principé is of course a sovereign state, like you said earlier. Finally, Sautomé and Principe's Prime Minister, Patrice de Vada, himself responded to the controversy. He said,

that his country is an independent sovereign state and will not allow anyone dictate with whom friendship agreements may be concluded. It is true, Sautomae Principe is a sovereign country, but no state in the world should make such far -reaching decisions without consulting its partners, said Raul Cardoso, spokesman for the Sautomae Principe Largest Opposition Party.

We are particularly concerned that the military cooperation is not limited in time," Cardoso told DW. We are also concerned that the agreement was obviously negotiated and signed in back rooms without any discussion with the authorities of our state. Does that...

Milton Allimadi (08:58.083)
And this goes back to once again bad journalism because of course every leader of any country is going to say my country is sorrow. So that cannot be an explanation in and of itself. That's very poor journalism. No, but I'm also putting the onus on the reporter. There's not a single reference to why.

Adesoji Iginla (09:02.094)
You

Adesoji Iginla (09:10.051)
Yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (09:14.84)
So they are hiding their hand, is that what you're saying?

Adesoji Iginla (09:20.426)
Mm.

Milton Allimadi (09:27.059)
Are they signing this deal? How can you do a news article without answering the why? You know, you have the what, which is the signing. So your job, if you can't figure it out yourself, is to go to people, in fact, the opposition leader might have told him and maybe he didn't include it the article, but if you did ask, then you're not a real journalist. know, the rule of the country is not going to tell you the real reason.

Adesoji Iginla (09:33.24)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (09:46.02)
Why? Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (09:57.247)
The opposition leader, he may have actually told the guy, I would be surprised if he did not, even if they was not asked the question. I'm sure he might have said, I think he's doing this now because of XYZ. So let me speculate. Maybe he does that because now as part of the training, they're going to beef up his own personal security. That could be a possibility.

Adesoji Iginla (10:07.191)
You

Adesoji Iginla (10:24.268)
Okay, okay, yeah.

Milton Allimadi (10:27.347)
which makes give him a stronger hand going forward. I don't know if he's term limited, you know, off the board, I don't know that. If he's not, maybe it's going to boost his persona going into the next election, right? Now we see he has more security.

Adesoji Iginla (10:34.476)
Okay.

Adesoji Iginla (10:41.591)
Okay.

Milton Allimadi (10:45.191)
you know, it has this training, there's an emblem of more stability aligned with a, you know, a former global superpower. All that should have been in this report. So the report is almost like a press release. So and so said this, so and so said this without connecting all of it together. But there's also one possible element. Another possible element is that the

Adesoji Iginla (11:05.224)
Maybe the why.

Milton Allimadi (11:13.875)
the leader of the country is looking to bargain and leverage that agreement and position. Why should I be taking orders or directions from our former colonial exploiter, Portugal? Now, obviously, I'm giving them a reason for them to be kinder.

Adesoji Iginla (11:31.5)
Yeah, Portugal.

Milton Allimadi (11:40.051)
to my government and give me the things I've been asking for for a long time. Because if they don't give it, well, now they see where I'm going. That is not even mentioned in the article, the possibility of that being for bargaining purposes. You see?

Adesoji Iginla (11:55.79)
can I also add that the lead might actually be buried, the wire you're seeking, might actually be buried deep down, because I highlighted this bit. Since 1992, US broadcaster Voice of America has operated a relay station there to broadcast to the entire African continent on shortwave and medium wave. The ideal location of the api api

Milton Allimadi (11:59.955)
Yes.

Adesoji Iginla (12:25.846)
Acapellago makes this possible due to its proximity to major oil exporting nations of Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Angola. Considerations have often been made for years to build a deep sea port for large tankers in the North Sea island of South Tome, which could load crude oil abundant in its natural waters as well as in the waters of neighboring countries.

Could that be the why?

Milton Allimadi (12:59.359)
The why, think in that section just read, the most interesting thing would be the Voice of America broadcast. And that Russia is not going to contest with the US for its right to have that station. So that one, that one I discount.

Adesoji Iginla (13:06.11)
Hahaha!

Adesoji Iginla (13:21.772)
What about sites in Russian today?

Milton Allimadi (13:27.775)
Say that again?

Adesoji Iginla (13:28.898)
What about citing their own station, Russian Today, to broadcast from?

Milton Allimadi (13:33.887)
I don't think they need it because Western America is old school. Russia now does it electronically. There's no need to have like a... In fact, if we are just talking about starting out today, the US wouldn't even need to build that broadcasting thing. In 1992, the technology was very different. So I think the bigger thing is lining up the number of supporters and who is going to be next.

Adesoji Iginla (13:40.195)
Mm.

Adesoji Iginla (13:48.417)
Mmm

Adesoji Iginla (13:51.891)
Okay.

Milton Allimadi (14:00.089)
in these, what do they call it, Lusaphone? Is Portuguese speaking? Right. Yeah. So that's why I sort of discounted the VOA thing. The VOA thing, I think is an old school technology. Nobody wants to invest in that kind of thing right now, since you cannot do it remotely, actually, you know. And also, I discounted the deep

Adesoji Iginla (14:00.174)
Mm.

Lusophone.

Adesoji Iginla (14:12.246)
Okay. Okay.

Adesoji Iginla (14:22.424)
So that's.

Milton Allimadi (14:28.627)
the deep sea thing investment too, because it takes a lot of money. And right now I don't see Russia wanting to put that kind of money in South Tome and Prince Yipet. Right.

Adesoji Iginla (14:28.865)
water.

Adesoji Iginla (14:34.41)
Russia investing in such a thing. Yep. So we'll hold out for the why, eventually to come one day.

Milton Allimadi (14:44.382)
Hmm.

Yeah, but I think we suspect the why. I mean, they're doing a PR campaign. I mean, remember last year, what's her name? The UN ambassador, the US UN ambassador. Yes, traveled to a number of African countries, including even Uganda, to try to get the dictator to line up on the US side. So that campaign has not been over yet. And that in fact, is why even though it's a country of 200K, the US would pay attention to something like that.

Adesoji Iginla (14:53.187)
Mm -hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (14:58.731)
Grimfield.

Adesoji Iginla (15:14.413)
Mm -hmm.

Milton Allimadi (15:17.415)
And I'm sure the State Department might send a short memo to the foreign ministry. We don't understand what's going on here. And remind them of whatever they're getting from the US right now. I don't know what they're getting.

Adesoji Iginla (15:22.446)
What do you do?

Adesoji Iginla (15:31.776)
Hmm. Speaking of getting from the US, we go to Mali for our next story. And,

Adesoji Iginla (15:43.918)
from your favorite newspaper, The New York Times, The Grey Lady as it's called. And it reports assault on Malik capital, Kyo 50 or more. But leaders say little. Days after the West African countries ruling military was ambushed by Islamic rebels, it has sought to hide the true extent of the carnage. The military junta

Milton Allimadi (15:46.535)
Yes.

Adesoji Iginla (16:11.182)
ruling the West African nation of Mali suffered one of his deadly attacks this week as extremists affiliated with al -Qaeda killed at least 50 members of its armed forces in an assault on the capital Bamako. The junta has yet to acknowledge the true toll of the assault which struck two symbolically important military sites and brought an Islamic insurrection that has ravaged much of Mali to its doorstep.

Tuesday's attack sent a direct message to the country's leader, Colonel Asimi Goytar, as a sailor stormed his former military base and set fire to his plane. The Islamic group Jamal Nusrat al -Islamiyya wal -Mumin, or JNIM, which has declared allegiance to al -Qaeda is one of the deadliest extreme organizations in West Africa, claimed the responsibility for the attack the first in Mali since

2016. would let me do this then I'll come to you. Minutes after the attack began, assailants stormed the airport where they set fire to the presidential plane used by Conor Guaita according to photos shared by the extremist group as well as videos posted to social media whose intensity was verified by the Times. Your initial thoughts? I have some misgivings but I'll listen to you first.

Milton Allimadi (17:33.787)
Okay, so the story.

You know, the story, obviously we know why the story has been written. You and I, know why the story has been written. We know why they're focusing on the destruction that the attackers were able to wreak. And we know why they keep emphasizing that the government is not giving this true...

Adesoji Iginla (17:40.792)
No.

Mm -hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (18:08.056)
Picture. Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. Yep.

Milton Allimadi (18:08.276)
the number of casualties may be much much higher, right? They're giving the intricate detail of how close to the seats of power that the attackers were able to infiltrate, coming all the way to the airport, you know, the VIP section of the airport.

Adesoji Iginla (18:25.25)
get you.

Milton Allimadi (18:34.163)
damaging all these planes. This is a country that does not have a lot of planes, first of all, right? They're doing that because obviously Mali has changed its relationship with the former imperial power, France, and also by extension with the United States. So basically the story is look how ineffective their defense

Adesoji Iginla (18:39.192)
Choo choo choo choo.

Adesoji Iginla (18:58.316)
vulnerable you are.

Milton Allimadi (19:01.135)
system and capabilities are and that is why the attackers are able to inflict this kind of damage and it's quite serious if somebody is able to come to your national airport right that is almost like coming to your state house

Adesoji Iginla (19:03.948)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (19:21.474)
Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (19:22.353)
right, where the president resides or going to the parliament where the legislation, the legislative resides, right. So yes, if relations with Mali were not, had not been severed with France and I was not strained with the United States, the story would not have this tone, right. It would have not have this tone.

This tone is almost like, look how relatively efficient the insurgents are, and look how relatively inefficient the government that kicked us out are. So the implication is that they made a mistake to have kicked out the French and the United States influence. And that's what the story is all about. Otherwise, they wouldn't care a hoot.

about some attack in an African country. There's no shortage of attacks for this amount of print and this amount of detail, the various people being quoted, whether it's on the record or anonymous. I think the person quoted on the record is actually the one who was in exile, But yeah, so that's my take on the story.

Adesoji Iginla (20:23.774)
to have extended this amount of print.

Adesoji Iginla (20:41.72)
Mm -hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (20:45.654)
Okay, so one final part, which might actually add to what you're alluding

Milton Allimadi (20:51.219)
But there's

Adesoji Iginla (20:55.094)
Okay, so turning their back on traditional allies like France and the United States, they have instead brought drones from Turkey and contracted with Russia's Wagner group to send mercenaries to fight the rebels. But so far, the military has struggled to contain the Islamic expansion, Annali said. In his statement on Wednesday, the extremist group said that it had killed hundreds of Malian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries, which the Times could not confirm.

Milton Allimadi (21:00.543)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (21:06.697)
There you go.

Adesoji Iginla (21:24.974)
The Islamic insurgency which began in 2012 has been concentrated in northern and central Mali, while militants have been moving southwards towards the capital since 2022 carrying out dozens of attacks in neighboring region. USAID.

Milton Allimadi (21:42.769)
Okay, so first of all, so we get to the meat of the story, which I read addressed in terms of the contestation between the US and France on the one hand and Russia on the other hand, which is why, as I said, the first article was not well done to not make these connections with what's happening in other parts of the continent.

Adesoji Iginla (21:55.022)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (22:09.669)
malpractice in journalism. So now here we are told that the analyst said their capacity, their military capabilities have been eroded. But the analyst was not asked or did not say whether it had been any better when the United States and France were allied with

Adesoji Iginla (22:12.472)
you

Adesoji Iginla (22:21.292)
Yep.

Adesoji Iginla (22:31.096)
the United States.

Adesoji Iginla (22:38.785)
Molly.

Milton Allimadi (22:39.379)
with Mali. And also this is not the first time. And I don't remember when, and I think we could easily look at that there's been an attack on the capital. So now, but the story is giving the impression that aha, now they're the capital, which is the seat of government. So they are sort of stirring up that panic as well, right? Within the country and from outside.

observers, who say, see what happens when you kick out France and the United States, that's what you get. Yeah. So I think it would have been journalistically responsible for the writers, the reporters to mention the, I don't know, and I don't know whether this is the third or the fourth, you know, time there's been an attack on the Capitol. But

I won't even bother doing it, but anybody who's listening or watching can Google it. Is this the first time on the attack on the Capitol by insurgents? And the answer is of course, no. I don't remember the dates, but I followed news so close that I know this is not the first time. So not to mention that is also journalistically dishonest. Because obviously, if you have insurgents attack Abuja tomorrow, the capital of Nigeria.

Adesoji Iginla (23:48.246)
Hmm. Yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (24:05.09)
Yeah, Nigeria.

Milton Allimadi (24:07.229)
That would be a major story. Every angle, from every angle and perspective would be a major story. But if it's happened in the past, yes, it's still a major story, but it has a different dimension now, you see? And that, of course, is a general reader would not know that and would not see this. It would just be like, wow, now? And in fact, I think the article mentions,

Adesoji Iginla (24:10.702)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (24:31.476)
this happened

Milton Allimadi (24:34.845)
bringing something to the doorsteps, like bringing the war to the doorsteps. That would be a true sentence if this was the first time, but unfortunately it's not. So you see that deception that's led by. Okay, so now, well, okay.

Adesoji Iginla (24:41.733)
You

Adesoji Iginla (24:51.032)
What about the regional situation? Does the regional situation play into the article which is avoided in writing this piece?

Milton Allimadi (25:02.171)
Okay, well, there two points that I wanted to make, which is, and it's actually, all right, so they talk about, you know, killed many soldiers, including Wagner mercenaries. That, course, is a big interest to the United States, right? That, look at the Russians sustaining all these massive losses in Africa.

Adesoji Iginla (25:19.414)
mass nerves.

Milton Allimadi (25:32.211)
but it's also a big interest to somebody else, which of course is Ukraine. So now, how have we quickly forgotten that just recently we were being told that Ukraine is sharing or collaborating in intelligence with these insurgents? So why is this not mentioned in the article? Just think about that.

Adesoji Iginla (25:38.734)
Mmm.

Adesoji Iginla (25:59.062)
Hmm. Yep.

Milton Allimadi (26:01.695)
It could be true that indeed they're able to inflict that these kind of casualties. In fact, the intelligence has now been so improved that they're able to infiltrate, you know, in the capital, even though this is not the first time, but it's the first time I think. I think they even mentioned it somewhere since 2016 or something that they've come this far. But

If it's true that Ukraine is enhancing these capabilities, should that not be the headline of the article and the lead? And then of course, it would be a major problem. How can somebody who's been funded to the tune of tens of billions of US taxpayer money, taking that same money to enhance terrorism in Africa?

Adesoji Iginla (27:01.27)
hmm interesting that's an interesting angle

Milton Allimadi (27:02.793)
Think about that. So this could actually be the real story that of course the New York Times will never do because if they choose to do this, you know, this is big but very small.

It's very small, but if you turn the lead upside down, that's what you get. Burning. wow, they even burnt the engine of the presidential plane. Wow. Is that really big up?

their story than the fact that US taxpayer money might actually be facilitating that. But the good thing is the Neon Times does not monopolize media anymore. An African journalist who is in the region or in Mali who's listening to us have this discussion.

Adesoji Iginla (27:44.28)
terrorism.

Milton Allimadi (28:05.065)
could go ahead and have the conversation with the Himalayan authorities and see if there's any evidence in fact that in fact, because of its hostility to Russia and Wagner, that Ukraine in fact is enhancing.

Adesoji Iginla (28:14.584)
corroborates that position.

Milton Allimadi (28:24.125)
the capabilities, the military and intelligence capabilities of these insurgents. Now that would be a major story. And if you confirm that story, the Guardian might do it, Al Jazeera might do it, but the usual suspects, I doubt, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, the New York Times. And that really brings you back at the end of the day to...

Adesoji Iginla (28:43.81)
We're not ready.

Milton Allimadi (28:52.625)
And whereas the book is not right in front of me now, the book that you know I've been reading, I think I have it. In fact, it's too far away. I can see it, but I can't grab it. If you have your copy, you can hold it up to the reader's manufacturing consent.

Adesoji Iginla (28:59.01)
Manufacturing content.

Adesoji Iginla (29:04.013)
Manufacture. My copy is actually behind me as well.

Milton Allimadi (29:11.401)
Chapter, chapter two discusses that, right? Where you have the US supporting at that time El Salvador and Guatemala. So all the negative attributes in those countries were diminished, right? The death squads, they were killing.

Adesoji Iginla (29:18.722)
Hmm, yep.

Milton Allimadi (29:40.379)
thousands of people, tens of thousands of people. And yet, if it was reported, then Congress would have cut off aid, you see. So they were always massaging, massaging, massaging, including the New York Times. And Chomsky and Herman, Edward Herman, detail it very clearly in that book, Manufacturing Consent. Then Chomsky and Herman compare how the Times was covering Nicaragua.

Adesoji Iginla (29:48.546)
Hmm

Adesoji Iginla (29:56.75)
Yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (30:00.096)
attorney consent.

Milton Allimadi (30:09.799)
Right? Very hostile coverage. And of course, it was not as bloody as what was going on in Guatemala and El Salvador. But those were client states. El Salvador and Guatemala. And Nicaragua had overthrown Somoza, who used to run a client state in Nicaragua. Right? So you see how the politics also conditions.

Adesoji Iginla (30:10.498)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (30:26.658)
was not.

Adesoji Iginla (30:32.142)
States.

Milton Allimadi (30:39.271)
you know, what is purported to be journalism. Why is that a major story? Think about it. Even if they were just sending them stamps, nobody mails letters anymore, right? So stamps is not even a good example. If they were, I don't know, even they were sending them even chewing gum, right? Maybe these insurgents just like chewing gum. And if that was the only thing that Ukraine was giving them.

Adesoji Iginla (30:52.77)
Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (31:09.011)
That would still be a major news story. Why are you giving them anything, period, right? So we are not talking chewing gum. We are talking potential intelligence. I've not even seen a follower to refute the allegations made. Would that not be a big story? How can you claim that Ukraine supported by tens of billions of dollars in US tax money?

Adesoji Iginla (31:30.22)
That should be.

Milton Allimadi (31:38.607)
is in any way or form supporting these insurgents, that the U .S. was very recently, until Cape Town, by these countries engaged in fighting. So in other words, you're almost indirectly fighting the U .S.

Adesoji Iginla (31:41.966)
Abiding and abetting. Terrorism.

Milton Allimadi (31:58.025)
So I want you in Ukraine, Zelensky, to deny it that this is preposterous. Ukraine would never do such a thing like that. This is a slanderous story, you know, by the incompetent Mali authorities, you know. Have we heard that statement? No. So that tells me that there's something there. There's smoke, there's fire somewhere. So now...

Adesoji Iginla (32:08.344)
You

Adesoji Iginla (32:15.52)
No, no, no, no.

Adesoji Iginla (32:21.154)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (32:25.55)
And that comes from R

Milton Allimadi (32:27.069)
By going that, so this becomes the focus because you read it psychologically to you the big story in Mali is now, wow, they're all the way in the capital, right? Instead of, wow, how could Ukraine be doing this outrageous thing? You see how spin works, right? That is manufacturing consent because now the manufacture consent is focusing on the attack.

Adesoji Iginla (32:40.91)
How did it get?

Adesoji Iginla (32:49.762)
You

Milton Allimadi (32:57.819)
on the airport and whether the authorities are suppressing the death count. Yes, it's not good to suppress the death count. It's not good. But there's a bigger story, which is what I'm saying right now. If those allegations made by the MAD authorities a few weeks ago were correct.

Adesoji Iginla (33:16.046)
So which means material resources are funneled, maybe not directly, intently by... Yeah. You okay?

Milton Allimadi (33:23.037)
And we don't know that. We don't know that. But the silence makes me worry that there could be substantial support. You see? And the absence of a very strong denial, that also concerns me.

Adesoji Iginla (33:32.29)
But would that be, would that be encouraged?

Adesoji Iginla (33:39.96)
So do you think the United States would surreptitiously

Milton Allimadi (33:45.491)
This is you call inconvenient truth. Let's go back to Libya just for a second. Remember at one point, and I've discussed this of course with you.

Adesoji Iginla (33:49.537)
Okay.

Milton Allimadi (33:57.247)
the US supporting the insurgents fighting to overthrow Qadhafi, 2010, 11, right?

Adesoji Iginla (34:03.277)
Hmm. Yep.

Adesoji Iginla (34:07.566)
2011, 2011.

Milton Allimadi (34:10.663)
And then it turns out that these US, NATO, Western supporting insurgents are targeting to kill Libyans who look like you and I in the city of Tawaga. And people who have forgotten this story, please Google Tawaga, T -A -W -A -R -G -A. Sometimes spelled T -A -W -A -R -G -H -A, but Tawaga.

Adesoji Iginla (34:20.941)
You're not.

Milton Allimadi (34:39.485)
which was a city inhabited almost exclusively by Libyans that look like you and I. So when the US, NATO, Western banking surgeons got to that city, they just started killing indiscriminate people that look like you and I. And they bound to their homes and on the buildings they wrote, referring to themselves as brigade to stop

slaves, black slaves, writing that on the wall.

Not a wink of this story in the New York Times, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, all the usual suspects. The Wall Street Journal did the story and we had been writing about it because it was widely available. It was just being suppressed. You know, I don't have a correspondent on the ground in Libya, but I was following what's going on on social media and on the internet.

Adesoji Iginla (35:39.042)
Wall Street Journal.

Milton Allimadi (35:46.385)
And the information was there. They were even posting the photos and the images and the videos. Wall Street Journal reporter Sam Dagger went to Tawanga and saw it with his eyes and wrote a couple of articles. So he broke away from the usual suspects. He's one of them, one of the major Western media network. But to him said, no, we cannot suppress something like this.

Why was it suppressed? Because it was an inconvenient truth. Because the question would be then, especially in the United States by the African -Americans constituency, wait a minute, we have a black president and these are the insurgents that we are supporting and look at what they're doing to people that look like us here as African -Americans? No, no, no, no. That would have caused them to even reconsider, right?

Adesoji Iginla (36:42.807)
You

Milton Allimadi (36:42.931)
continuing to support that insurgency. And that is why the decision was made to suppress that story. The Wall Street Journal broke away from the pack and they did that story. So I'm hoping once again, if this story about the allegations made by the amount of authorities about Ukraine support is true, I'm hoping one of the major media networks once again says, this is not the right thing to do, break away from the pack.

Adesoji Iginla (36:45.355)
insurgent yet.

Adesoji Iginla (37:04.046)
We'll break away.

Adesoji Iginla (37:08.62)
Mmm.

Milton Allimadi (37:08.785)
and really tell us the truth. And then one final point on that issue. As you know, it's in my book, the introduction of manufacturing hate. We wrote an editorial on Black Star News. I forget what page it's on. And we put the phone number of the managing editor and publisher at the New York Times. We told readers, call and ask them why are they not writing about Tawaga?

We put the number for the White House, called the White House and asked the presidency. We put the number for the State Department, called the State Department. We put the number for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Called that number. The National Urban League, which is the other major civil rights organization, we put that number.

Adesoji Iginla (37:37.944)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (37:49.87)
of people yeah.

Milton Allimadi (38:00.607)
The next day after we published that editorial, we could not access our website on three days. I explained it in my book. And we were told by our provider, Network Solutions, that there's a technical glitch. On the third night, you know, sometimes you wake up, something is telling you, no, I woke up around 4 a I called them again because they work 24 -7.

Adesoji Iginla (38:06.232)
you

Adesoji Iginla (38:28.525)
Mmm.

Milton Allimadi (38:28.775)
And this time I got the names of everybody I spoke with. And then I told them when they said technical, I said, I don't believe you. Are you telling me that all the thousands of websites that you guys host, all of them are not able to access their website for three days because of technical problems? No, I don't believe you. Went back to bed, woke up a couple of hours later. Now, lo and behold, we can access our website.

Adesoji Iginla (38:54.53)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (38:54.767)
Lo and behold, that editorial had been deleted. Think about that. Think about that. Black Star is not a mega company, but even though we are a small website, we had that story. And that was so inconvenient to the agenda, which was to overthrow and eliminate Gaddafi.

Adesoji Iginla (39:03.053)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (39:24.278)
Naffi,

Milton Allimadi (39:24.851)
They could not afford to have, even though it's now just a small website, for this to spread around. And now you have Wall Street Journal also writing about it. Yep. So they don't play games when it goes to the stories they want to suppress. And I hope this is not what we're seeing in Mali.

Adesoji Iginla (39:45.187)
Speaking of suppression, we go to Kenya. Kenya too has been in the news with suppression of anti -government protesters. This next story comes from The Guardian, the UK Guardian, and it's titled Missing Kenyan Anti -Government Protester Resurface as Police Chief Appears in Court. Anger has been growing at Police Chief Gilbert Massingeni.

after abductions of Jamil and Alam Longtin and Bob Miyagi. Three Kenyans who were abducted last month after taking part in an anti -government protest have resurfaced amid anger directed at a police chief who belatedly honoured a court sermon in relation to the disappearance after they were found. The three went missing on 19th of August after being taken away by police, by people alleged to be police.

The brothers were abducted in the afternoon after they left their house while a Yagi was ejected from a bus by Max Man that night and put in another vehicle. Their disappearance followed a deadly anti -government protest that lasted nearly two months in which dozens went missing. The matter caught national attention after the acting police acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masigunni snubbed court summons to answer questions about their whereabouts.

Last Friday, after Massingheni had failed to honor the summons seven times, a judge ordered him to serve six months in prison for contempt of court, suspending the sentence for seven days to give him another chance to appear before the court. On Friday, Massingheni made a last -minute appearance and apologized for his absence, thus avoiding the conviction. We believe the man's release was intended to provide immediate grounds

for Massingeli to challenge the conviction, Colonel Odua of Kenya's Human Rights Commission told Agent France Press.

Adesoji Iginla (41:53.782)
What is going on in Kenya?

Milton Allimadi (41:56.521)
Okay.

So William Ruto is between a rock and a hard place, right? Because he was feted at the White House, right? So he was recognized.

Adesoji Iginla (42:03.37)
You

Adesoji Iginla (42:13.516)
something to be cheered so.

Milton Allimadi (42:15.047)
sat in the big chair, even as a junior guest.

is brought into the club, right? Special membership. You know how, and you know, reminds me during apartheid, they had a very strict color band, as you know, right? At the height of the racist apartheid regime in South Africa. And at the same time, they were very hurt.

Adesoji Iginla (42:23.48)
Yes.

Adesoji Iginla (42:32.226)
Ha

Adesoji Iginla (42:39.074)
Mm.

Milton Allimadi (42:50.533)
and concerned by the global isolation in sports and entertainment and then later on in business, right? By the global community because of apartheid. And they would invite black entertainers. I don't remember the names of the ones who refused. know the ones that, who went rather. I know the ones who rejected even a large sums of money like

Ali, know, people like Arthur Ashe, know, you know, tried to get them to go offering millions of dollars. They rejected. But some went and they pay you their money. And they were given what they call the status of being an honorable white person, because otherwise you would not be allowed.

Adesoji Iginla (43:47.916)
within

Milton Allimadi (43:48.137)
to land and go through the same airport and all that, you would not be allowed to stay in those hotels. So they waived off your blackness officially for the duration of your stay. Yeah, so the black artist, you know, paid all this money and for two weeks, I say he was there for two weeks, he was an honorary white. Think about that. You took the money.

Adesoji Iginla (43:51.149)
Hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (44:00.8)
of this day.

Adesoji Iginla (44:09.964)
had the luxury of being a white.

Milton Allimadi (44:17.223)
and you're accepted to be an R .A. when you know you're not white, but it shows you, you your mindset. All right, so now coming back to Ruto. Ruto was invited to that club.

Adesoji Iginla (44:21.496)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (44:32.275)
I don't know whether he thinks he's honorable, whatever now, right? But he cannot behave the same way as, you know, the pre -White House Ruto. Otherwise, of course, your membership would be quickly revoked. So he has to, so had it been the old school Ruto back in the day, we would not be talking about these three individuals. We talk about the corpses probably, right?

Adesoji Iginla (45:01.207)
Mmm.

Milton Allimadi (45:02.811)
or found in sacks. So that helped the change in the dynamics and Ruto wanting to be a part of this club now. And then number two, of course, it changed that what helped was the mobilization and organization of the youth, the activists.

Once these guys went missing, the word went out very quickly. had press conferences. They publicized it, you know, nationally and internationally. I was aware of this case from that day. You know, I had heard of it. Obviously, I've been think of many other issues and all that. So it wasn't like on top of my mind. But the fact that I remember it just shows you how effective the organization and the reaction was. And then the final point, of course.

Adesoji Iginla (45:39.96)
Okay.

Adesoji Iginla (45:47.021)
Mm.

Milton Allimadi (45:55.505)
is that these are the kind of things that really give you a chill, right? Because it's comparable to what the apartheid regime did with people like Steve Biko just kidnapped that. And we don't know what happened. They're not yet articulated, but I understand they're going to be speaking more through the lawyers who are.

Adesoji Iginla (46:05.214)
Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (46:18.043)
involved in trying to publicize their kidnapping. So we'll hear more. But kidnapping, this is like the old school Chile back in the day, know, Argentina back in the day, you know, the abduction of people on the streets, Uganda is doing that a lot right now as well, especially young people that are suspected of supporting Bobby Wine and the National Unity platform.

Adesoji Iginla (46:28.876)
Augusto Pinochet.

Milton Allimadi (46:46.847)
disappearances used to be very common when Idi Amin was running Uganda. So it really brings back to many Africans very bad memories, you Because you know it could happen to anyone and the only crime was being vocal during the protest against the tax hike, you see. Yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (46:50.508)
was in power.

Adesoji Iginla (47:10.06)
And what would you say the people on the ground should continue doing in terms of highlighting the situation within Kenya? Should it? Okay.

Milton Allimadi (47:23.137)
no, they should be very organized and they should change, exchange a lot of ideas. So for example, I think I told you this, I haven't seen many of the Nigerian groups because maybe I'm linked into their network, but I see a lot of the Kenyan discussion with social media when they have the,

Adesoji Iginla (47:37.582)
conversant with them.

Milton Allimadi (47:48.827)
ex -formerly Twitter. Sometimes I join in just to listen. I text in some suggestions. I text in suggestions for how they should work closer with young people in Uganda. And if I see any Nigerians or Cameroon, of course, I would join in as well and listen. And that's one of the blessings of these social media platforms, to give us the capability of...

Adesoji Iginla (47:55.469)
Mm.

Adesoji Iginla (48:13.644)
media.

Milton Allimadi (48:17.095)
you know, really connecting our conversations and our struggles, you know.

Adesoji Iginla (48:22.476)
Yes, speaking of connecting, we're going to Sudan and we're going with the paper, the money paper as it's called, the Financial Times. And its story is very interesting. It says Russians and Ukrainians are helping train same side in Sudan's war. Intelligence officers say retired pilots from Ukraine and snipers from Russia.

are both working with Sudanese armed forces. And it goes further, Russian and Ukrainian forces fighters whose countries are locked in a full scale war have both been helping to train the same side in Sudan's civil conflict, according to senior military intelligence officials from the states. Retired pilots from Ukraine and snipers from Russia are both working with the Sudanese armed forces of de facto president General Abdel Fattah Bohan.

Adding to the complex web of external actors involved in the brutal 17 -month war, the arrivals, the rapid support forces of the warlord, Mohammed Hamdan Daghalu, known as Hamedi, has in turn been accused of deploying mercenaries from a number of countries in the region such as Chad, Sempera, African Republic and Libya. While Russia have been trying to establish a strong presence in Sudan, that's participation of ex -servicemen from Ukraine,

underscores how the conflict has attracted profiteers, mercenaries, and foreign powers, all looking to capitalize on the upheaval of financial gain or geopolitical advantage. Countries are competing, now referring to Sudan's situation, are competing for supplies of resources. Sudan is one of Africa's top gold producers and access to a long stretch of Red Sea coastline, where the likes of Iran and Russia are keen

to establish a foothold.

Milton Allimadi (50:22.995)
Yeah. So the interesting thing with this, of course, is, know, at one point Russia was actually training the other side in Ukraine. It was training the rapid support force. So now it's switched now they're on the same side, supporting the military government while they're fighting their own war back in Europe.

Adesoji Iginla (50:32.599)
Yep.

Adesoji Iginla (50:44.14)
You

Adesoji Iginla (50:53.162)
Exactly. Exactly.

Milton Allimadi (50:53.513)
you know, on the battlefield. You know, politics doesn't get any more interesting and preposterous than this. I mean, of course, to me, the saddest thing is that once again, exactly, once again, you know, the innocent people are the guinea pigs of the struggle and experimentations. As...

Adesoji Iginla (50:58.953)
Interesting.

Adesoji Iginla (51:06.441)
they're fighting on the continent.

Adesoji Iginla (51:15.074)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (51:22.032)
There's a very funny interview by Nyerere. I forget the title of the interview. But the interviewer, and I'm saying this because I strongly recommend it, Nyerere always drops a lot of wisdom. He's an Indian journalist. It was from a long time ago in the 80s. His name is Saeed.

think it's S -A -E -D or S -A -E -E -D. And then the last name is Nakvi, N -A -Q -V -I. So if you put Said Nakvi interview with Julius Nyerere, interview will come up. And he said, Said was trying to, they were talking about the African, know, parable when elephants fight the grass.

suffers and was saying so I remember you said this at one of the I think it was either the non -aligned conference or maybe commonwealth I think it was commonwealth conference and Yere was laughing and said yeah yeah yeah he said but Lee Kuan Yew who was the prime minister of Singapore was a brilliant guy and he said something even funnier he said Lee Kuan Yew said no

You said in the case of elephants, even when they make love, the grass suffers as well. And it's completely true, right? So now in Sudan, Ukraine, and Russia who are fighting in Europe, now they're, you know, quote unquote, making love in African Sudan, at least in Sudan. At the same time, the Sudanese people are still suffering.

Adesoji Iginla (52:47.17)
Not... both so far.

Adesoji Iginla (52:59.682)
at home.

Adesoji Iginla (53:04.502)
in Sudan.

And the sun.

Adesoji Iginla (53:11.874)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (53:13.277)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's quite, you know, it's very sad. We're in a predicament, right?

Adesoji Iginla (53:17.966)
I mean, it's one of the reasons why I actually picked the story. It's the mind boggled. It's, you see this kind of...

Milton Allimadi (53:23.421)
Yeah. No, but it tells you human nature and politics. At the end of the day, they're not very serious. They can switch sides like that. It's about where do our interests align? Here, our interests align, we'll be on the same page. Meanwhile, we are issuing orders back at home, go kill.

Adesoji Iginla (53:42.005)
la hmm

Milton Allimadi (53:52.721)
Ukrainian troops over there or go kill Russian troops over there or go kill Ukrainian civilians over there. Yes, go kill Russians over there. You know the cynicism of so -called leaders right and politicians It's just you know, it should not surprise anyone anymore when you see something like this, Yeah, this is the best example of how they play

with other people's human lives.

Adesoji Iginla (54:25.72)
Mm -hmm

Milton Allimadi (54:29.427)
No, really. I mean, that to me is like you don't see any other explanation. The human lives, we are the expendables. We are the expendables. And then, of course, in the case of Ukraine, there's that other dynamic as well. You really want

To what extent they want to continue with this war? To what extent they want to try to negotiate a peace deal, ceasefire, end of the war? And to what extent that is being overwhelmed by outside powers, including the United States, right? Because the US and Russia, they have their own. Clash.

Adesoji Iginla (55:16.782)
Thank you for

Milton Allimadi (55:17.647)
And now, you know, Ukraine could be used as the vehicle, you know, to advance that proxy war. So you have proxy wars in Europe, and then you have proxy wars in Africa being backed by the people who are involved in the proxy wars in Europe. It doesn't get any crazier.

Adesoji Iginla (55:30.411)
in Africa.

Adesoji Iginla (55:38.966)
You

Adesoji Iginla (55:45.403)
God. Well, speaking of.

Milton Allimadi (55:47.569)
Yeah, but I think one of the good things where I love having this conversation, is because we help our people to connect all these things, you know. And the more knowledge you have, the more you're able to protect yourself.

Adesoji Iginla (55:56.067)
Mmm.

Adesoji Iginla (56:02.808)
mean mentally and mentally and second.

Milton Allimadi (56:07.549)
No, even literally, physically as well.

Adesoji Iginla (56:10.86)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And before I go to the next story, have you heard about African stream being banned from social media platforms?

Milton Allimadi (56:22.749)
Yes, yeah, in fact there was a clip I think.

Secretary Blinken making a statement.

Adesoji Iginla (56:29.054)
Blink it.

So as a journalist, what was your thought?

Milton Allimadi (56:36.051)
My thought is that if it's true that they're taking any financing from the Russian state, then that is incorrect. And I'll tell you one incident. I used to appear very regularly on RT. Yes, which is Russian TV because I saw the lineup of speakers and I like the fact that, yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (56:43.852)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (56:55.2)
Adesoji Iginla (57:00.856)
So you were a former comrade.

Milton Allimadi (57:04.656)
I could speak truth to power, see openly. And I was under the impression that yes, they allow people to speak unedited. So it's fine. I mean, if I can speak unedited, it's fine. I'm not being paid, right? I'm just picking up, making an appearance as an analyst, not being compensated. I know a lot of these guys who appear on...

Adesoji Iginla (57:07.648)
Okay. Okay.

Adesoji Iginla (57:16.355)
Mm -hmm.

Adesoji Iginla (57:20.734)
Yep.

Milton Allimadi (57:27.904)
even Western news programs, know, some are compensated, know, consultants or what have you, right? So, so no problem.

Adesoji Iginla (57:34.988)
Hold up, hold it up. When what does the issue of compensation, what does it bring into the relationship?

Milton Allimadi (57:43.811)
you're compromised. I mean, you can't be critical of who is cutting your check. You know, if somebody is cutting my check, I don't expect to, you know, you may even self -censor because you presume you want that check to continue coming. You see? So even though the instructions are not written out, you know, you have to be crazy to be financed. And then you're biting the hand that is feeding you. So that's why I said, you know, I say that's wrong.

Adesoji Iginla (57:44.928)
Okay, okay. Just to be sure. Just to be sure. Okay, okay.

Adesoji Iginla (57:53.602)
to bite the finger that way.

Adesoji Iginla (58:03.426)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (58:09.4)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (58:12.467)
But in my case, I was not being financed, but I used to appear, would talk about, mostly they would bring me to discuss conflict on the continent, in Africa. And then occasionally they would bring me to discuss issues affecting, you know, the black community here in the United States. So I don't remember the exact details, but I spoke on some issue. I think it maybe was about police brutality.

Adesoji Iginla (58:20.514)
Yep.

Adesoji Iginla (58:41.955)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (58:43.911)
And I didn't see, normally I see the interview, normally it's broadcast live anyway, right? And then later I see the recording there. So this was apparently recorded, it was not broadcast live. So I thought, okay, I wonder why, but maybe they want to broadcast it on a special time, a different day. And then one day I'm watching RT and it was a program.

Adesoji Iginla (58:50.558)
Mm. Mm.

Milton Allimadi (59:14.375)
And I forget the slant, but the slant was sort of hostile to Obama. And let me speculate a little. Maybe they were saying he's not doing enough on police brutality or something. It's possible that was the slant. But as I sit here today, years later, I'm not sure. So I'm watching it. And then at one point, they splice in that segment that included me.

Adesoji Iginla (59:26.296)
Okay.

Milton Allimadi (59:42.577)
So now it looks like I was directly criticizing Obama, which is not true. I never brought up his name in my interview. was just, you know, maybe I was saying, you know, some police commanders or, you know, I'm not doing enough or what have you. The two had no connection at all. But when it was weaved into the same program.

From that day onward, I never appeared again on RT because now I could not trust them anymore. I was not comfortable with what they did with my journal, which was unfortunate because every live interview I've seen prominent people, including brothers and sisters in this country who are critical of the system, who come and they speak freely, unedited. So when that happened to me, I realized...

how you need to be very careful in what you get yourself involved in. I should have asked why is this not being done live, you see? Why is it being recorded? I never bothered to ask that because I could not, the last thing in my mind, could I speculate that it was going to be weaved into a narrative that had a slant that of course, I was a very big supporter.

Adesoji Iginla (01:00:52.47)
And when are you gonna -

Adesoji Iginla (01:00:58.434)
Mm

Adesoji Iginla (01:01:03.0)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:01:08.893)
you know, of Obama, as people know, it's really supporting. I did not support the Libyan intervention. And I made that very clear as well, as you know, in my book. But the way that interview was spliced and used, that's when I drew the line from then on. And since then, I've never again appeared. And now that's why I bring you back to, you know, it's very, I know our media outlets,

Adesoji Iginla (01:01:16.174)
Hmm. Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (01:01:37.263)
lack funding and that's always a perennial problem. With funding we can produce stellar journalism but my suggestion is avoid government funding to anybody who wants to operate you know a serious media outlet because then it makes it easy for them to undermine you.

Adesoji Iginla (01:01:40.718)
Problem, yep, yep.

Adesoji Iginla (01:02:01.71)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:02:02.015)
Because you know already, they don't want critical independent journalism. I just gave you the example of my own website being shut for three days, because I dare to take a contrarian position on the Libyan war, and particularly on the ethnic cleansing of Black people in Libya, in Tawaga, which of course, as you saw,

Years later, after the so -called liberators took power, destroyed Libya, at one point we started hearing stories of Africans being put on slave auction boards. Think about it. These are the consequences of something that could have been stopped had they taken seriously. Had they said, we are supporting these guys who are doing these kind of deeds in Tawaga?

No. But anyway, by that time it's too late. You've already boarded the same ship heading to harbor and you can say, let me off this boat. That ship is what destroyed Libya.

Adesoji Iginla (01:03:07.054)
Sure.

Adesoji Iginla (01:03:15.131)
Speaking of boarding ships, the final story comes from the green country of Uganda. And it's titled, and it's from the German outlet, Deutsche Welle. Uganda, who will vote for future presidents? Uganda is considering denying citizens the chance to vote for their presidents. We tentative plans to have lawmakers elect the president instead.

Critics argue this will only extend President Museveni's hold on power, as the grand old man did. For decades, Ugandans have elected their presidents to universal suffrage, which gives all Adolf citizens the right to vote. However, there are discussions within Uganda and ruling national resistance movement, NRM, about proposing a bill to amend the country's constitution and adopt a parliamentary system of government.

Milton Allimadi (01:03:51.774)
Yes.

Adesoji Iginla (01:04:13.006)
If such an amendment is passed, Ugandans will no longer vote directly for their president. Instead, the party with majority of lawmakers in the over 500 seats parliament would elect the chief of the heads of state. Before you speak, I would like to bring it back to the ongoing political situation in the United States. Again,

Check your voters registration. Check your voters registration. Check your voters registration. If the election is close to still, it will be thrown to the House. Depending on the number of representatives in the House, they will get to elect the President. Over to you.

Milton Allimadi (01:05:02.247)
Okay, great. So,

Milton Allimadi (01:05:06.974)
Obviously, this is another ploy by Africa's one of Africa's worst dictators ever, who has been in power for 38 years now, whom I sincerely believe really was a CIA asset, you know, was meaning is, you know, so when I say was meaning even before he became the ruler of Uganda.

Adesoji Iginla (01:05:09.304)
You

Adesoji Iginla (01:05:25.76)
was or is.

Okay, okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mm.

Milton Allimadi (01:05:38.335)
So that's what I, that's the way I should characterize it. Even before he seized power, was a CIA asset. And that is why he has been shielded for such a long time, because he has been useful for imperialism. And that's always, you know, every one of that.

Adesoji Iginla (01:05:48.493)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:05:57.321)
Paul Beer, he's an asset, right, of the West. The other guy, Iquatorra O 'Ghene, Guema, he's an asset.

Adesoji Iginla (01:06:03.348)
Basogo. Basogo. Yeah.

Milton Allimadi (01:06:09.855)
Campauri was an asset, killed. Sankara, there's no coincidence, Sankara, three years, he's dead. The guy who kills him is there for 27. Lumumba, six months, he's dead. The guy who killed him was there, Mobutu, for 37 years. So now in Uganda, we have somebody who's been there for 38 years.

Adesoji Iginla (01:06:12.366)
Mm

Sankara. E yadema.

Adesoji Iginla (01:06:28.6)
or Bluetooth.

30 -something years.

Milton Allimadi (01:06:39.167)
Why should it be exceptional? Why should he not be an asset? You see, that's the logic that I use. How can somebody who's committed so much human rights abuses in Uganda still be in power today? Many times worse than Idi Amin. So if Idi Amin was a problem, how is this guy not a problem? A guy who invaded Rwanda in 1990 exacerbated the ethnic tensions.

Adesoji Iginla (01:07:06.934)
Let's see.

Milton Allimadi (01:07:09.599)
which had somewhat been managed, but was still very much present in Rwanda. He exacerbated it by invading in October, 1990. 1994, the presidential plane is shot down during that fight, which has been going on for four years now. Boom, all hell breaks loose. Yet he has never even been held to account for that.

for setting the long fuse, which fuse burned for four years and then ignited that explosion. Invaded Congo multiple times to plant their resources. Estimates of people killed seven million in Congo. Never been held to account. Congo took him to the International Court of Justice. The court awarded $10 billion.

for their killings and the destruction based on that invasion and occupation. They went over it for many years. I think eventually it was reduced to $500 billion, but still a very serious indictment. Uganda's now started paying that money to Congo for their crimes. So Congo took the same set of facts to the ICC, right?

Adesoji Iginla (01:08:30.435)
dance.

Milton Allimadi (01:08:36.564)
And the Congo, of course, is confident. We already won the civil part, the ICJ, the World Court.

Adesoji Iginla (01:08:40.927)
aspect of it.

Milton Allimadi (01:08:46.619)
At the ICC, at that time, the prosecutor Moreno Ocampo and Museveni, they have this very corrupt deal. I think Museveni says, I'll help you go after Joseph Cohen. So they indict Cohen, blah, blah, blah, all this PR. But at the same time, and this is a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, never got the play that it deserved. It was June 8th.

Milton Allimadi (01:09:17.046)
2006. I believe that's the date of the article. The article said, fellow prosecutors at the ICC were alarmed by the fact that prosecutor Ocampo, the chief prosecutor, is taking a photo op with Museven. And why? Because they said, based on the allegations that Congo has brought, Museven himself could be indicted. So why you posing for a photo with him?

Adesoji Iginla (01:09:42.818)
Wait.

Milton Allimadi (01:09:44.703)
And the same article said Musaba, and he picked up the phone and called Kofi Annan, who was the UN Secretary General this time, and asked him to block that criminal investigation. And Annan said, I don't have the power to block it. It's in the article. But somebody with the power blocked it, because there's no reason why you can win $10 billion based on the same facts and not get indicted on the criminal aspect.

which of course would issue an arrest warrant. So I've always speculated that the United States block that. And for in return, he became even a much more embedded stooge of US imperialism in the region. And he's fighting ways to keep his longevity. So the Constitution had time limits.

Adesoji Iginla (01:10:24.055)
indictments.

Milton Allimadi (01:10:41.823)
Two times as president, he removed that using the members of parliament that he bribes that are from his party. It had age limits of 75. He removed that in 2018 because now he's turning 76, right, at that time. So he could run, he removed that. This is another one of those schemes because the corrupt members of parliament that belong to his party, of course, would elect him as president.

Adesoji Iginla (01:11:10.402)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:11:10.579)
But here's the good thing.

You cannot make a process just disappear at the ICC. By blocking it doesn't mean you disappear. I'm actually hoping in the interest of justice that that investigation is unblocked and allowed to proceed because based on the same set of facts, the Congolese paid a high price.

for all that suffering, destruction and death. So if he's not indicted for his crimes in Uganda, let him pay the price for what he ordered his soldiers to do in the Congo. And then I don't think you'll hear any more talk of having parliament, a head like president, because he would be sitting with, what's the guy from Liberia again? Taylor. Yeah, you would be sitting somewhere with Taylor.

Adesoji Iginla (01:12:07.208)
Ciao Stelo!

Charles Taylor is in a British jail here drinking tea

Milton Allimadi (01:12:12.767)
Yes, you should go there. They can chat about the past experience in power. So that's my reaction to that nonsense. It's just another ploy for this guy to extend himself. He does not want to face accountability for all the crimes he's committed since 1986.

Adesoji Iginla (01:12:21.464)
Wow.

Adesoji Iginla (01:12:38.732)
Yes, and on that very thoughtful note, we've come to the end of this week's African News Review. Again, if you're joining us for the first time, do like, share and subscribe. We're seeking to grow the numbers and yes, a friend brings a friend. Because the more we're informed,

the better we are much more aware of what is going on around us. Again, most of what happens in Africa has historical context. And lacking that historical insight, one would think whatever transpired today only started yesterday. And it is important to look at events in the Western press through the lens of history. And...

Milton Allimadi (01:13:20.947)
Yep.

Milton Allimadi (01:13:32.287)
Absolutely.

Adesoji Iginla (01:13:33.662)
I am appreciative of Dr. Comrade, soon to become Dr. Milton Alimadi for coming through. And any famous last words?

Milton Allimadi (01:13:44.211)
Yes. Yes, I do have one final word on the issue of African stream. I think that let that be a lesson to all that we need to fund our media outlets. We really do. We should not dependent on anyone, whether it's the US, Britain, France, Russia, China.

Adesoji Iginla (01:14:03.587)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:14:13.471)
No. And we have financing. We have money individually. Let's come together as a collective. Even a dollar here, $10 there, 50 there, 20 there. It all adds up. We'll be able to produce stellar journalism. But we need to protect ourselves from China. We will.

Adesoji Iginla (01:14:22.912)
Even a dollar, a dollar, two dollars, three. Yeah.

Adesoji Iginla (01:14:43.181)
Mm

Milton Allimadi (01:14:43.465)
Russia, we will. The United States, we will. So that all of them will respect us on our terms. We don't have to say, let me run to Russia because the US is being so bad to me. So it can counter it because that comes with a price too, as you know. let me run to China because the US has been bad to me. let me run back to the US because China is now.

pulling some of these loans off. We can't operate like these people. We really can't. So those are my final words. Otherwise, halleluta continuo.

Adesoji Iginla (01:15:16.515)
Mm.

Adesoji Iginla (01:15:21.582)
I also like to add on the subject of financing media. In 2021, Susan Williams' book, White Malleys, she also documents the fact that there was a magazine called The Black Ophiuchus that had African writers in, you know, I don't want to mention names, you know, because that was funded by the company in Langley. And

Milton Allimadi (01:15:37.531)
Hmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:15:48.263)
Right. And the writers probably didn't know. You see?

Adesoji Iginla (01:15:50.987)
Exactly, they didn't know. That's the thing. They didn't know.

Milton Allimadi (01:15:53.769)
They just see a nice outlet for them to get the views to lift Africa consciousness, you see? And that makes my point, which you are making now again, too. It is imperative that we finance media outlets. Media, as we were saying before the show, is much more important, even than weapons. Because once...

Adesoji Iginla (01:15:59.467)
Yes.

Adesoji Iginla (01:16:05.291)
Exactly.

Adesoji Iginla (01:16:17.571)
Mmm.

Milton Allimadi (01:16:18.779)
Our people's consciousness is lifted. They can liberate themselves in any which way. You see? Even if you give people weapons, they don't even know what they want. know, that may not even be the approach you need. You know, you could organize on the streets if their minds are correct. You see? So let's start with the mind. Let's fund our media outlets and we can do it. We can do it.

Adesoji Iginla (01:16:33.966)
true true win minds yeah win minds yeah win

Adesoji Iginla (01:16:47.382)
I would leave it on that very happy note and yeah, thank you everyone for coming and again do like, share and subscribe. Until next week, is good night and God bless.