In Uganda, the geopolitical rivalry between the West on one hand, and Russia plus China on the other, is threatening to spill full-blown into the media if recent reports are anything to go by.
For decades, it has always been known that the geopolitics is mostly related to access to Uganda’s natural resources, but now, recent developments indicate that it has been elevated to influence politics and the economy through the media strategies.
A few days ago, an online publication called West Africa Weekly outed a story exposing how the US embassy in Uganda funded a clandestine foreign interference program targeting East African journalists.
The story, which has not been officially refuted by the organizers African Institute for Investigative Journalism (AIIJ), reports that several journalists were taken to a secret location around greater Kampala between May 19 and May 23 and trained on countering ‘Russian propaganda and disinformation’ under the theme “Understanding and Countering Russian Propaganda and Disinformation in Uganda.”
In the geopolitics language, such maneuvers are often referred to as Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) activities. During the program, Solomon Serwanjja, the AIIJ executive director, presented a paper on his experience on Russian propaganda and disinformation in newsrooms.
Meanwhile, his deputy, Raymond Mujuni, seized the occasion to define Russian propaganda and disinformation and how it manifests. Meanwhile, Haggai Matsiko, the head of investigations at Agora, gave a historical context of Russian ‘propaganda and disinformation’ and its manifestation in Africa.
Finally, media scholar Dr Prever Mukasa examined the impact of Russian disinformation in Ugandan media by analyzing how Russia is carrying out a disinformation campaign in Uganda and its impact.
At the program, some of the non-Ugandan speakers and facilitators at the week-long event included Ellen B Masi, the public affairs counsellor at the US embassy Uganda, research fellow at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Mark Duerksen, director at the International Republic Institute Caitlin Dearing Scott, and Anna Reismann, the country director at Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
Some of the topics and themes of the workshop included the historical context of Russian propaganda as well as the manifestation of Russian disinformation and propaganda in Africa.
CONTEXT
Recently, there have been simmering tensions between the Ugandan government and several top Western diplomats over ‘interference’ in Ugandan affairs. At the centre of this is Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defense forces (CDF), who has clashed with a number of envoys, including the US ambassador William Popp and his German counterpart Mathias Schauer.
Late last year, the Ugandan government, through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), deported three workers of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on propaganda and espionage suspicions.
They reportedly entered Uganda on tourist and student visas but ended up on the payroll. Before their deportation, the trio was fined $650 each. According to the West Africa Weekly, “the ‘training’ was highly secretive and had a clear political agenda – to get participants into a habit of labelling any deviation from the preferred American narrative as ‘Russian disinformation’.
“Participants were warned not to reveal anything discussed during the sessions, and all mobile phones and devices were “monitored with gadgets” to make sure that no videos or recordings were captured,” claims the report.
In fact, one of the participants revealed that they were warned to not in any way disclose the information or what happened at the training.
“Some of us were promised goodies and that we will be given trips to the US soon,” revealed the participant.
The sessions, according to the West Africa Weekly, focused heavily on Russian news platform RT and how to identify and oppose its narratives in Africa. According to David Hundeyin, the West Africa Weekly editor-in-chief, the repeated use of secretive ‘media trainings’ by Western embassies is raising concerns across the continent about foreign control of African narratives.
Laying credence to this notion, it is intriguing that Serwanjja did not mention or share any information about the event as he normally does on his social media handles.
The West Africa Weekly concludes by noting that while benignly presented, these programs are actually about shaping what African journalists are allowed to believe and report.
This is why Ugandans MUST concentrate on UNITY to stop Rwandese Museveni to have control of their land & govern properly!
The West needs natural resources from Africa…, but has no power to force Africans to ensure they are well governed, well served! When Africa is well governed, the West will be happy doing normal business with Africa!
Does Africa want China, Russia to be in control of the continent & own natural ressources, then stop the West from doing business with the continent?
China & Russia already control huge Africa land riches & serve their people, while Africans get poorer & are migrating to the West, right?
The West has been fighting Russia for decades and decades because of the might of Russia and its dominance. This is the reason they are even heavily arming Ukraine. Please Africa do not get caught up in their fights they do not concern us.
Solomon Sserwanja and his colleagues should read up the effects of taking part in these CIA info operations. Journalism should be fact-driven NOT narrative-driven. This explains the tilt in narrative on the Observer and Monitor when reporting this war (Russia-NATO/EU war in Ukraine)
Some of these CIA “foot soldiers” in the info war end up paying a price:
– Some of the journalists who pushed the CIA narrative that overthrew the Iranian PM in 1953 (because he had refused to give away the oil) had to flee the country when tables turned in 1979 and they were exposed.
– The BBC and Reuters are still defending themselves since 2017 when they were exposed as having taken money from the UK govt to write hit pieces against Russia in the 70s.
– Judith Miller, who pushed the Iraq WMD narrative in the New York Times retired in disgrace after being inevitably exposed.
The West is scared of Russia. They arm Ukraine, do not blame them for killing the Russians but when Russia retaliates hell breaks out and still accuse Russia of attacking Ukraine and not wanting to end the war. How do you end a war by giving the other side heavy artillery. See their hatred of Russia. That is the situation same as Palestine and Israel. So be aware of what you want to get involved in.
The phrase ” Russian propaganda and disinformation” is a cold war phrase by the West from the time of the former Soviet Union. The Soviet Union is no more, but the West has continued to spread Russiophobia, to get support for it’s geopolitical interests because of the war in Ukraine. Africans should not be duped.
Marc Mae, understood.
But Russia only wants to control Africa natural ressources because it will give it the power to kick the West our of Africa, then Africans will get poorer, knowing Russia isn’t concerned about how Africans live, but just wants to control/own the continent riches!
See, Putin has made himself the only ruler; the last opposer died in prison, right?
Africa, please, don’t let China & Russia sing you to sleep while doing everything to own Africa!
Lysol,
All Putin wants is to make Africans side with him to help own Africa natural ressources! Before Putin began the war in Ukraine, the West didn’t get at him even when he was trying by all means to insult, accuse… the West for this & that!
Putin has made himself lifetime ruler, Russia is family business, Russians his slaves, has enssured there is no opposition to him; even opposers living outside Russia are poisoned, killed, those in Russian prisons die without explanation & he celebrates their death openly!
Akol,
What are the sources of your assertions? Russia has more natural resources than any other country on earth! Actually that is one reason the West is waging war with it, as it does with any country with significant natural resources.
They are the largest exporters of wheat (WFP), largest exporters of timber, largest exporters of energy (OPEC). They have the largest gold deposits, largest diamond deposits & very large deposits rare earth metals. Ask yourself, why would he want Africa’s non-existent resources?
Before the Russia-EU/NATO war in Ukraine, the West sponsored the Chechen rebellion in Russia, expanded NATO against promises not to do so, bombed Yugoslavia (Russia’s ally) so your assertions that before the war the West had nothing on him are stiped in abject ignorance.
Russians are his slaves: According to Levada, a western-funded polling agency in Russia, Putin is the most popular politician in the country with over 60% approval rating.
Please educate yourself with facts before coming in public to spew ignorance
Lady Akot!
How is Macron doing, that clown?
What is more inhuman is that heartless African rulers & so called educated aren’t concerned about poverty of +70% Africans & all they do is blame the West for no reason, while helping China, Russia own/exploite Africa land ressources, thus make Africa more danger face to climate change!
Worse, instead of helping African population to ensure real governance, so called educated who live well aren’t aware educated Africans are migrating to the West to ensure their familes have a future!