Continued……Parenti placed Somalia in a broader context, where Western powers deploy troops into African countries not to end crises, but to safeguard resources and avert geopolitical rivalry. The result? African sovereignty is undermined, corporate interests are advanced, and the roots of the crisis remain intact.
Under Donald Trump, US policy toward Somalia took another turn, but remained rooted in militarism and strategic self-interest. Throughout his first term, Trump oversaw troop withdrawals but maintained clandestine drone strikes, with reported civilian casualties. His second term has been characterised by strikes in the Golis mountains while he withdrew developmental and military assistance. These mutually exclusive moves, bombing and militarising but not building, echo the same decades-long pattern.
In Libya, the US-backed NATO intervention in 2011 toppled Gaddafi and unleashed a brutal civil war, armed militias, and slave markets. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cold War-era US operations helped install Mobutu Sese Seko (1930-97), whose decades of kleptocracy devastated the country’s institutions while ensuring access for Western mining interests.
To Africans, the question is: What will it take to end Western interventions in our homeland?
Video credit: @somalicents (IG)
Sources
https://home.uncg.edu/~jwjones/world/readings/Oil_Factor_in_Somalia.html#:~:text=Industry%20sources%20said%20the%20other,Cyprus%2C%20was%20recently%20in%20Somalia.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13523260.2025.2500262#abstract
https://www.redsearoundtable.com/post/trump-s-shifting-policy-on-africa-u-s-airstrikes-in-somalia-and-their-impact-on-the-horn-of-africa
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyv4270gljpo.amp
https://horninstitute.org/trumps-second-term-and-the-u-s-airstrike-surge-in-somalia/
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/11/29/media-erase-nato-role-bringing-slave-markets-libya
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID4641662_code1847536.pdf?abstractid=4641662
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/congo-decolonization
https://adst.org/2016/09/kleptocracy-and-anti-communism-when-mobutu-ruled-zaire/
Under Donald Trump, US policy toward Somalia took another turn, but remained rooted in militarism and strategic self-interest. Throughout his first term, Trump oversaw troop withdrawals but maintained clandestine drone strikes, with reported civilian casualties. His second term has been characterised by strikes in the Golis mountains while he withdrew developmental and military assistance. These mutually exclusive moves, bombing and militarising but not building, echo the same decades-long pattern.
In Libya, the US-backed NATO intervention in 2011 toppled Gaddafi and unleashed a brutal civil war, armed militias, and slave markets. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cold War-era US operations helped install Mobutu Sese Seko (1930-97), whose decades of kleptocracy devastated the country’s institutions while ensuring access for Western mining interests.
To Africans, the question is: What will it take to end Western interventions in our homeland?
Video credit: @somalicents (IG)
Sources
https://home.uncg.edu/~jwjones/world/readings/Oil_Factor_in_Somalia.html#:~:text=Industry%20sources%20said%20the%20other,Cyprus%2C%20was%20recently%20in%20Somalia.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13523260.2025.2500262#abstract
https://www.redsearoundtable.com/post/trump-s-shifting-policy-on-africa-u-s-airstrikes-in-somalia-and-their-impact-on-the-horn-of-africa
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyv4270gljpo.amp
https://horninstitute.org/trumps-second-term-and-the-u-s-airstrike-surge-in-somalia/
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/11/29/media-erase-nato-role-bringing-slave-markets-libya
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID4641662_code1847536.pdf?abstractid=4641662
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/congo-decolonization
https://adst.org/2016/09/kleptocracy-and-anti-communism-when-mobutu-ruled-zaire/
Taylor & Francis
Making peace by fighting war: Competing visions of conflict management and African agency in the “new scramble for Africa”
The article situates the endeavor of conflict resolution in geopolitical changes. It highlights how the post-Cold War norm of negotiated settlements is increasingly challenged both by changes withi...
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ANGER STILL HIGH ONE YEAR AFTER GEN Z ROCKED KENYA
Reports are suggesting up to 16 people were killed in protests across Kenya on Wednesday - with some 400 injured. It’s a bitter irony, as people had come out to remember the 60 people killed in huge protests last year against IMF-backed tax hikes. 25 June was the one-year anniversary of the day protesters in Nairobi stormed the parliament - prompting the security forces to unleash lethal force.
At the latest protest in Nairobi, young Kenyans were also demanding justice for blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, who was recently found dead in his police cell with signs of torture. Marchers demanded the arrest of killer cops, and called for profound changes to the way the country is governed - urging President William Ruto to resign.
African Stream was on the streets to hear Gen Z’s message.
Reports are suggesting up to 16 people were killed in protests across Kenya on Wednesday - with some 400 injured. It’s a bitter irony, as people had come out to remember the 60 people killed in huge protests last year against IMF-backed tax hikes. 25 June was the one-year anniversary of the day protesters in Nairobi stormed the parliament - prompting the security forces to unleash lethal force.
At the latest protest in Nairobi, young Kenyans were also demanding justice for blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, who was recently found dead in his police cell with signs of torture. Marchers demanded the arrest of killer cops, and called for profound changes to the way the country is governed - urging President William Ruto to resign.
African Stream was on the streets to hear Gen Z’s message.
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Continued……. Sources
https://aln.africa/insight/finance-bill-2024-withdrawn/
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/politics/government/rex-masai-other-kenyans-who-died-during-anti-finance-bill-2024-protests-fallen-heroes/ar-AA1HkEgD
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz09l4k4184o
https://aln.africa/insight/finance-bill-2024-withdrawn/
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/politics/government/rex-masai-other-kenyans-who-died-during-anti-finance-bill-2024-protests-fallen-heroes/ar-AA1HkEgD
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz09l4k4184o
ALN | Africa Legal Network
Finance Bill 2024 Withdrawn - ALN
In response to two weeks of widespread anti-tax protests across major towns and cities in Kenya, President William Ruto recently announced, during a press briefing, the withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill, 2024.
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ISRAEL, A HAVEN FOR FLEEING CHILD ABUSERS
By now, you might have seen the video of a Z*onist slamming an Iranian toddler headfirst to the floor. While shocking, the act offers a glimpse into the values of the state of Israel, built on Z*onism, an imperialist ideology.
The latest Western-backed settler-colonial project in West Asia is not only making life difficult for Palestinians but also for Israelis. Paedophiles worldwide have settled in Israel by abusing the Law of Return, which allows any Jew to obtain citizenship.
The Jewish Community Watch says that 32 paedophiles in their database have moved to Israel over the past decade. However, that is just a drop in the ocean. According to an Israeli paedophile monitoring association, tens of thousands of paedophiles operate in Israel every year, leading to about 100,000 victims annually (you can find the report in The Jerusalem Post).
By now, you might have seen the video of a Z*onist slamming an Iranian toddler headfirst to the floor. While shocking, the act offers a glimpse into the values of the state of Israel, built on Z*onism, an imperialist ideology.
The latest Western-backed settler-colonial project in West Asia is not only making life difficult for Palestinians but also for Israelis. Paedophiles worldwide have settled in Israel by abusing the Law of Return, which allows any Jew to obtain citizenship.
The Jewish Community Watch says that 32 paedophiles in their database have moved to Israel over the past decade. However, that is just a drop in the ocean. According to an Israeli paedophile monitoring association, tens of thousands of paedophiles operate in Israel every year, leading to about 100,000 victims annually (you can find the report in The Jerusalem Post).
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Continued……In Israel, nine out of 10 sexual-assault cases are closed without a conviction, according to an annual survey released by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel.
This CBS News investigation from 2020 breaks down the loophole that allows accused and convicted US paedophiles to escape justice by moving to Israel.
Please watch and let us know your thoughts.
Video credit: CBS News
Sources
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/israel-safe-haven-paedophiles-jerusalem-sex-abuse-jewish-community-watch-a7445246.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14845517/Monster-throwing-toddler-admits-wanted-KILL-boy.html
This CBS News investigation from 2020 breaks down the loophole that allows accused and convicted US paedophiles to escape justice by moving to Israel.
Please watch and let us know your thoughts.
Video credit: CBS News
Sources
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/israel-safe-haven-paedophiles-jerusalem-sex-abuse-jewish-community-watch-a7445246.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14845517/Monster-throwing-toddler-admits-wanted-KILL-boy.html
The Independent
Israel becoming 'safe haven for paedophiles,' activists claim
Jewish Community Watch says 32 paedophiles moved from countries around the world to Israel over past decade
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POWER TRIP: WEST FLAUNTS STOLEN AFRICAN CULTURE
As the last spokesperson for the late pan-African Libyan icon Muammar Gaddafi, Moussa Ibrahim (@moussa_ibrahim on X) knows a thing or two about Western meddling. In this video, he explains how Europeans have stripped Africa not only of land and resources, but also of culture. Colonisers violently removed and shipped our artefacts to Western capitals, where they now sit in museums that charge Africans to view what was stolen from them. This cultural displacement was strategic - an exercise of power. By severing us from our past, our future was easier to control. Today, an unconscionable amount of Africa’s cultural heritage remains held abroad, divorced from the communities that gave it meaning.
As the last spokesperson for the late pan-African Libyan icon Muammar Gaddafi, Moussa Ibrahim (@moussa_ibrahim on X) knows a thing or two about Western meddling. In this video, he explains how Europeans have stripped Africa not only of land and resources, but also of culture. Colonisers violently removed and shipped our artefacts to Western capitals, where they now sit in museums that charge Africans to view what was stolen from them. This cultural displacement was strategic - an exercise of power. By severing us from our past, our future was easier to control. Today, an unconscionable amount of Africa’s cultural heritage remains held abroad, divorced from the communities that gave it meaning.
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Continued…….. Ibrahim argues that returning our artefacts is not a bureaucratic puzzle but a moral imperative. By refusing to act, the West reveals that its mindset fundamentally hasn’t changed since colonial times. It’s denying Africans the opportunity to restore a broader cultural ecosystem, to build institutions that reflect African perspectives and to revive languages and stories. Africa is not simply seeking justice but a cultural and political renewal.
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/arts/design/france-museums-africa-savoy-sarr-report.html
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/19/why-reparations-qa
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/arts/design/france-museums-africa-savoy-sarr-report.html
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/19/why-reparations-qa
NY Times
Museums in France Should Return African Treasures, Report Says (Published 2018)
Two academics, in a study commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron, recommended a process for repatriating artifacts if countries asked for them.
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WHY CODESA FAILED THE MAJORITY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Many hail the 1991-92 Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) as a bloodless transition from apartheid to democracy.
However, an audience member in this ‘The Big Debate’ clip argued CODESA entrenched capitalist control and maintained white economic dominance at the expense of authentic economic justice for the majority of Black people.
Many hail the 1991-92 Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) as a bloodless transition from apartheid to democracy.
However, an audience member in this ‘The Big Debate’ clip argued CODESA entrenched capitalist control and maintained white economic dominance at the expense of authentic economic justice for the majority of Black people.
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Continued…….. CODESA negotiated for Black people’s political inclusion in the forms of universal suffrage, a democratic constitution and the abolition of apartheid laws. However, the convention shelved the liberation forces’ economic demands, such as land reform, nationalisation of key industries, and economic indemnities. Under pressure from Western powers and capital markets, the African National Congress (ANC) shelved its socialist-inspired Freedom Charter in favour of neoliberal restructuring.
Therefore, instead of abolishing apartheid’s economic legacy, the 1994 compromise maintained the status quo. The white-owned enterprises continued to occupy land, mines, and banks. The 1996 Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy, crafted in the absence of mass public discussion, prioritised foreign investment and privatisation over redistribution.
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rewarded a small Black elite while poverty, inequality and unemployment continued. For example, European settlers make up less than 8 per cent of the population yet own over 72 per cent of private farmland.
Ex-ANC intelligence chief Ronnie Kasrils has referred to the economic accommodation as ‘the Faustian pact.’ Others, like analyst Patrick Bond, argue that the transition created a de-racialised ‘elite pact’ rather than a people’s economy.
Video credit: @LANDNOLI (X) / ‘The Big Debate,’ @sabcnews
Sources
https://sahistory.org.za/article/convention-democratic-south-africa-codesa
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/24/anc-faustian-pact-mandela-fatal-error
https://www.anc1912.org.za/the-freedom-charter-2/#:~:text=All%20National%20Groups%20Shall%20have,practices%20shall%20be%20set%20aside.
https://www.ilo.org/media/447361/download
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21
https://www.facebook.com/BreakTheSilenceAboutSouthAfrica/posts/pfbid0PJXAdjUbK5ihj6iVvc57Mk2FuvSYK29r9GY5SFwvkHThNzUYJnWGxnzJ9i7WzMycl
https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-great-pretenders-race-and-class-under-anc-rule-9781431430567.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2521486.The_Elite_Transition
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377146465_Neoliberalism_and_the_Downfall_of_the_Growth_Employment_and_Redistribution_GEAR_Strategy_in_South_Africa_Key_Lessons_for_Future_Development_Policies#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20GEAR%20contributed%20to,expense%20of%20the%20poor%20majority
Therefore, instead of abolishing apartheid’s economic legacy, the 1994 compromise maintained the status quo. The white-owned enterprises continued to occupy land, mines, and banks. The 1996 Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy, crafted in the absence of mass public discussion, prioritised foreign investment and privatisation over redistribution.
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rewarded a small Black elite while poverty, inequality and unemployment continued. For example, European settlers make up less than 8 per cent of the population yet own over 72 per cent of private farmland.
Ex-ANC intelligence chief Ronnie Kasrils has referred to the economic accommodation as ‘the Faustian pact.’ Others, like analyst Patrick Bond, argue that the transition created a de-racialised ‘elite pact’ rather than a people’s economy.
Video credit: @LANDNOLI (X) / ‘The Big Debate,’ @sabcnews
Sources
https://sahistory.org.za/article/convention-democratic-south-africa-codesa
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/24/anc-faustian-pact-mandela-fatal-error
https://www.anc1912.org.za/the-freedom-charter-2/#:~:text=All%20National%20Groups%20Shall%20have,practices%20shall%20be%20set%20aside.
https://www.ilo.org/media/447361/download
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-false-claims-white-genocide-south-africa-during-ramaphosa-meeting-2025-05-21
https://www.facebook.com/BreakTheSilenceAboutSouthAfrica/posts/pfbid0PJXAdjUbK5ihj6iVvc57Mk2FuvSYK29r9GY5SFwvkHThNzUYJnWGxnzJ9i7WzMycl
https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-great-pretenders-race-and-class-under-anc-rule-9781431430567.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2521486.The_Elite_Transition
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377146465_Neoliberalism_and_the_Downfall_of_the_Growth_Employment_and_Redistribution_GEAR_Strategy_in_South_Africa_Key_Lessons_for_Future_Development_Policies#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20GEAR%20contributed%20to,expense%20of%20the%20poor%20majority
sahistory.org.za
Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) | South African History Online
On October 25 1991, ninety-two organisations that were united in their opposition to apartheid gathered in Durban to form the Patriotic Front. The Front deliberated over the negotiation process.
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In a stunning turn of events, a left-winger could win the Democratic Party’s ranked-choice primary for mayor of New York, the United States’ largest city, home to 8.48 million people.
Zohran Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani), gained momentum through grassroots organising, viral media, and a platform focused on affordable housing and taxing the wealthy. The 33-year-old outpaced former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, his closest contender, who conceded the race. However, Mamdani did not meet the 50 per cent threshold, which requires a recount of votes in the ranked-choice voting system.
Born in Uganda to decolonial academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven and became a US citizen in 2018. His father chose his middle name, Kwame, in honour of Kwame Nkrumah (1909-72), Ghana’s first prime minister and Pan-African icon.
Zohran Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani), gained momentum through grassroots organising, viral media, and a platform focused on affordable housing and taxing the wealthy. The 33-year-old outpaced former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, his closest contender, who conceded the race. However, Mamdani did not meet the 50 per cent threshold, which requires a recount of votes in the ranked-choice voting system.
Born in Uganda to decolonial academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven and became a US citizen in 2018. His father chose his middle name, Kwame, in honour of Kwame Nkrumah (1909-72), Ghana’s first prime minister and Pan-African icon.
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Continued…….. Mamdani studied Africana Studies at Bowdoin College before working as a foreclosure prevention housing counsellor. Through that experience, he saw that the high cost of housing was the 'consequence of decades of pro-corporate policies,' leading him to win the state assembly seat in 2020.
What helped Mamdani go viral globally was his response during a recent mayoral debate in which he refused to say he'd visit Israel and only acknowledged Israel's right to exist as a country if it provided equal rights. Currently, many human rights groups refer to Israel as an apartheid state.
Mamdani has criticised Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza, condemned Israel's decision to cut electricity to Gaza and has been a longtime supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, drafting a 2023 bill seeking to prohibit New York nonprofits from supporting Israeli settler activity.
His opposition to Israel's policies comes in a city known as the largest home to Jews outside Israel. We will see how that phenomenon will play out in the general election on 4 November.
Sources
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/25/nx-s1-5444846/zohran-mamdani-nyc-mayor-race
https://lovinmalta.com/news/news-international/ugandan-born-muslim-zohran-mamdani-pulls-off-shock-win-in-nyc-mayoral-primary/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/new-york
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Zohran-K-Mamdani
What helped Mamdani go viral globally was his response during a recent mayoral debate in which he refused to say he'd visit Israel and only acknowledged Israel's right to exist as a country if it provided equal rights. Currently, many human rights groups refer to Israel as an apartheid state.
Mamdani has criticised Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza, condemned Israel's decision to cut electricity to Gaza and has been a longtime supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, drafting a 2023 bill seeking to prohibit New York nonprofits from supporting Israeli settler activity.
His opposition to Israel's policies comes in a city known as the largest home to Jews outside Israel. We will see how that phenomenon will play out in the general election on 4 November.
Sources
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/25/nx-s1-5444846/zohran-mamdani-nyc-mayor-race
https://lovinmalta.com/news/news-international/ugandan-born-muslim-zohran-mamdani-pulls-off-shock-win-in-nyc-mayoral-primary/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/new-york
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Zohran-K-Mamdani
NPR
4 things to know about Zohran Mamdani, presumptive Democratic nominee for NYC mayor
Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member and Democratic socialist, came in first in Tuesday's ranked-choice primary. Here's what to know about his policies, personal life and past.
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NATO NABS KENYA
While several African countries, especially those in the Sahel, are breaking away from Western influence and exploring new partnerships—such as Burkina Faso’s potential pivot toward BRICS and rejection of exploitative aid—Kenya, under President William Ruto, has doubled down on its Western alignment. Nowhere is this clearer than in Kenya’s controversial leadership of the US-backed police mission to Haiti.
Despite vocal opposition from Kenyan citizens and widespread calls to decolonise the East African nation, Ruto’s government sent hundreds of Kenyan police officers to Haiti, leading a mission that remains dangerously under-resourced and unable to counter Haiti’s powerful gangs that are reportedly backed by the Haitian bourgeoisie. Critics argue that the government is risking Kenyan lives for a US imperial project, with little to show for it but mounting criticism at home and abroad.
While several African countries, especially those in the Sahel, are breaking away from Western influence and exploring new partnerships—such as Burkina Faso’s potential pivot toward BRICS and rejection of exploitative aid—Kenya, under President William Ruto, has doubled down on its Western alignment. Nowhere is this clearer than in Kenya’s controversial leadership of the US-backed police mission to Haiti.
Despite vocal opposition from Kenyan citizens and widespread calls to decolonise the East African nation, Ruto’s government sent hundreds of Kenyan police officers to Haiti, leading a mission that remains dangerously under-resourced and unable to counter Haiti’s powerful gangs that are reportedly backed by the Haitian bourgeoisie. Critics argue that the government is risking Kenyan lives for a US imperial project, with little to show for it but mounting criticism at home and abroad.
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Continued……Just looking at the anti-police protests in Kenya’s streets these past few weeks indicates the neo-colonial government’s troubles.
Yet, when Ruto realised the US was not a true partner, especially as promised support for the Haiti mission fell short, he attempted to pivot toward China, making a high-profile visit that signalled Nairobi’s search for alternatives and drew condemnation from Washington.
A year ago, we shared this skit asking what Kenya gains and what it loses by siding with the West. Today, that question remains pertinent. Kenya’s new foreign policy, approved in early 2025, claims to safeguard sovereignty and promote prosperity. Still, it remains shaped by the very pressures that have sparked unrest across the continent, namely geopolitical competition and Western economic demands.
As African nations redefine their place in the world, is Kenya being used as a pawn in global power plays? African Stream’s Wambura Mwai, Ahmed Kaballo and Erick Gavala star, respectively, as Kenya, the US-led NATO bloc and the China-Russia axis!
Enjoy the show, and let us know if you think Kenya’s foreign policy is just old actors reading new noscripts.
Sources
https://mfa.go.ke/kenya-celebrates-historic-milestone-cabinet-approval-foreign-policy-2024
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigations/2025/01/13/haiti-depth-why-kenya-led-security-mission-floundering
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/new-contingent-of-kenyan-police-joins-un-backed-mission-to-fight-gangs-in-haiti/articleshow/117990826.cms
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/05/30/rutos-china-pact-sparks-us-ire-kenya-stands-firm-on-defending-sovereignty/
https://www.tuko.co.ke/business-economy/economy/586127-ruto-china-kenya-gain-presidents-second-state-tour-beijing/
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/haiti-kenya-mission-paralyzed/
https://afriquexxi.info/In-Haiti-Kenyan-police-officers-between-anger-and-powerlessness
https://nimd.org/kenyas-2024-unrest-forging-a-new-political-landscape/
https://www.tuko.co.ke/editorial/explainer/589761-trumps-power-what-kenya-stands-lose-severs-ties-nairobi-china-deals/
https://www.citizen.digital/news/us-senate-questions-kenyas-loyalty-after-ruto-china-trip-n362793
https://www.africanews.com/2025/04/23/kenya-president-ruto-arrives-in-china-for-four-day-state-visit/
https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/93478-civil-society-criticizes-police-conduct-threatens-sue-over-haiti-mission
Yet, when Ruto realised the US was not a true partner, especially as promised support for the Haiti mission fell short, he attempted to pivot toward China, making a high-profile visit that signalled Nairobi’s search for alternatives and drew condemnation from Washington.
A year ago, we shared this skit asking what Kenya gains and what it loses by siding with the West. Today, that question remains pertinent. Kenya’s new foreign policy, approved in early 2025, claims to safeguard sovereignty and promote prosperity. Still, it remains shaped by the very pressures that have sparked unrest across the continent, namely geopolitical competition and Western economic demands.
As African nations redefine their place in the world, is Kenya being used as a pawn in global power plays? African Stream’s Wambura Mwai, Ahmed Kaballo and Erick Gavala star, respectively, as Kenya, the US-led NATO bloc and the China-Russia axis!
Enjoy the show, and let us know if you think Kenya’s foreign policy is just old actors reading new noscripts.
Sources
https://mfa.go.ke/kenya-celebrates-historic-milestone-cabinet-approval-foreign-policy-2024
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigations/2025/01/13/haiti-depth-why-kenya-led-security-mission-floundering
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/new-contingent-of-kenyan-police-joins-un-backed-mission-to-fight-gangs-in-haiti/articleshow/117990826.cms
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/05/30/rutos-china-pact-sparks-us-ire-kenya-stands-firm-on-defending-sovereignty/
https://www.tuko.co.ke/business-economy/economy/586127-ruto-china-kenya-gain-presidents-second-state-tour-beijing/
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/haiti-kenya-mission-paralyzed/
https://afriquexxi.info/In-Haiti-Kenyan-police-officers-between-anger-and-powerlessness
https://nimd.org/kenyas-2024-unrest-forging-a-new-political-landscape/
https://www.tuko.co.ke/editorial/explainer/589761-trumps-power-what-kenya-stands-lose-severs-ties-nairobi-china-deals/
https://www.citizen.digital/news/us-senate-questions-kenyas-loyalty-after-ruto-china-trip-n362793
https://www.africanews.com/2025/04/23/kenya-president-ruto-arrives-in-china-for-four-day-state-visit/
https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/93478-civil-society-criticizes-police-conduct-threatens-sue-over-haiti-mission
The Times of India
New contingent of Kenyan police joins UN-backed mission to fight gangs in Haiti - The Times of India
Rest of World News: A fourth contingent of 200 Kenyan police arrived in Haiti to help fight violent gangs, joining over 600 others. Despite the US freezing $13.3 million
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NGO IMPERIALISM: TOOLS OF REGIME CHANGE
On 27 December 2023, African Stream published this video about NGOs and humanitarian organisations working to destabilise countries and overthrow governments that do not align with US foreign policy.
Now, in 2025, this topic is as important as ever, given that more has come to light regarding the nefarious activities of organisations, such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID came under public scrutiny in February 2025 when US Congressman Scott Perry publicly accused the government agency of funneling money to t*rrorist organisations, such as B*ko Haram, Al-Q*eda and the so-called ‘Islamic State.’
On 27 December 2023, African Stream published this video about NGOs and humanitarian organisations working to destabilise countries and overthrow governments that do not align with US foreign policy.
Now, in 2025, this topic is as important as ever, given that more has come to light regarding the nefarious activities of organisations, such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID came under public scrutiny in February 2025 when US Congressman Scott Perry publicly accused the government agency of funneling money to t*rrorist organisations, such as B*ko Haram, Al-Q*eda and the so-called ‘Islamic State.’
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Continued ……. Aid organisations are generally thought of as good endeavours. Humanity in action, as it were. However, dig a little deeper, and it soon becomes clear that the primary purpose of some NGOs and humanitarian groups operating worldwide today is not to help people. Instead, it’s political, as they are tools of regime change to protect Western interests.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKefOY_3IQ0
https://www.aei.org/events/enterprise-driven-development-a-conversation-with-us-agency-for-international-development-administrator-mark-green
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKefOY_3IQ0
https://www.aei.org/events/enterprise-driven-development-a-conversation-with-us-agency-for-international-development-administrator-mark-green
YouTube
'USAID funded Al-Qaeda, Taliban, ISIS…': US Congressman Scott Perry drops bombshell at House hearing
A U.S Congressman, Scott Perry, has accused the U.S.Agency for International Development (USAID) of funding terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made these claims on Thursday during the…
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DJIBOUTI INDEPENDENCE DAY
Djibouti, formerly known as French Somaliland and then as the French Territory of the Afars and Issas, gained independence 48 years ago today after decades of colonial rule.
The region, historically known as the Land of Punt, had been crucial for trade and attracted the attention of foreign powers.
France established a foothold in the late 19th century and maintained control until the country gained independence.
A series of referenda and political tensions between different ethnic groups marked the path to freedom. Finally, in 1977, Djibouti voted overwhelmingly to break away from France.
Djibouti, formerly known as French Somaliland and then as the French Territory of the Afars and Issas, gained independence 48 years ago today after decades of colonial rule.
The region, historically known as the Land of Punt, had been crucial for trade and attracted the attention of foreign powers.
France established a foothold in the late 19th century and maintained control until the country gained independence.
A series of referenda and political tensions between different ethnic groups marked the path to freedom. Finally, in 1977, Djibouti voted overwhelmingly to break away from France.
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Continued…….. Hassan Gouled Aptidon (1916-2006), born to Issa nomads, became the country’s first president and ruled until 1999 as an ally of France.
Despite its independence, foreign military bases occupy Djibouti, including those of the United States, France, Italy, Japan and China. It also hosts the highest number of French troops outside France, numbering 1,450 in 2019, according to the Swedish Defence Research Institute.
When Africans finally kick out foreign occupiers, Djibouti will be able to celebrate true independence, free from foreign domination and in complete control over its land.
Sources
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/hassan-gouled-aptidon-1916-2006
https://en.majalla.com/node/288091/politics/why-do-so-many-foreign-powers-have-military-bases-djibouti?utm_source=
Despite its independence, foreign military bases occupy Djibouti, including those of the United States, France, Italy, Japan and China. It also hosts the highest number of French troops outside France, numbering 1,450 in 2019, according to the Swedish Defence Research Institute.
When Africans finally kick out foreign occupiers, Djibouti will be able to celebrate true independence, free from foreign domination and in complete control over its land.
Sources
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/hassan-gouled-aptidon-1916-2006
https://en.majalla.com/node/288091/politics/why-do-so-many-foreign-powers-have-military-bases-djibouti?utm_source=
BlackPast.org
Hassan Gouled Aptidon (1916-2006)
Hassan Gouled Aptidon was the first President of Djibouti. He was born to Issa nomads at Garissa near the port of Zeila in French Somaliland on October 15, 1916. At the age of 14, he left home and traveled to Djibouti the largest city in the colony of French…
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WHY THE CONGO’S LIBERATION MATTERS TO ALL AFRICANS
Africa’s revolutionary giants of old clearly understood that the liberation of our continent is inseparable from that of the Congo. As Kwame Nkrumah (1909-72) - Ghana’s founding father and the visionary behind the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) - famously stated: ‘The Congo is the heart of Africa, any wound inflicted upon the Congo is a wound to the whole of Africa.’ In this video, African Stream’s @sannario_ breaks down why Nkurumah’s words were not merely for poetic effect, but expressed a profound political and strategic insight that we must heed today.
Africa’s revolutionary giants of old clearly understood that the liberation of our continent is inseparable from that of the Congo. As Kwame Nkrumah (1909-72) - Ghana’s founding father and the visionary behind the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) - famously stated: ‘The Congo is the heart of Africa, any wound inflicted upon the Congo is a wound to the whole of Africa.’ In this video, African Stream’s @sannario_ breaks down why Nkurumah’s words were not merely for poetic effect, but expressed a profound political and strategic insight that we must heed today.
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Continued…….. Sources
https://discoveryalert.com.au/news/natural-resources-democratic-republic-congo-2025/
https://www.statista.com/topics/13440/mining-industry-in-the-dr-congo/
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/democratic-republic-congo-mining-and-minerals
https://techcultureafrica.com/congo-kinshasa
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/beyond-critical-minerals-capitalizing-on-the-drcs-vast-opportunities/
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-eyes-us-minerals-deal-by-end-june-ft-reports-2025-05-25/
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-democratic-republic-congo
https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a73abc0c-d975-4d5e-90d2-5729e4a4a420/content
https://www.sipri.org/publications/2011/sipri-policy-papers/conflict-minerals-democratic-republic-congo-aligning-trade-and-security-interventions
https://panzifoundation.org/conflict-minerals-and-sexual-violence-in-the-drc/
https://african.business/2023/07/energy-resources/scepticism-over-grand-inga-dam-revival
https://africa-energy-portal.org/news/world-bank-targets-80b-africas-mega-inga-dam
https://debtjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-colonial-roots-of-global-south-debt.pdf
https://discoveryalert.com.au/news/natural-resources-democratic-republic-congo-2025/
https://www.statista.com/topics/13440/mining-industry-in-the-dr-congo/
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/democratic-republic-congo-mining-and-minerals
https://techcultureafrica.com/congo-kinshasa
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/beyond-critical-minerals-capitalizing-on-the-drcs-vast-opportunities/
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-eyes-us-minerals-deal-by-end-june-ft-reports-2025-05-25/
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-democratic-republic-congo
https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a73abc0c-d975-4d5e-90d2-5729e4a4a420/content
https://www.sipri.org/publications/2011/sipri-policy-papers/conflict-minerals-democratic-republic-congo-aligning-trade-and-security-interventions
https://panzifoundation.org/conflict-minerals-and-sexual-violence-in-the-drc/
https://african.business/2023/07/energy-resources/scepticism-over-grand-inga-dam-revival
https://africa-energy-portal.org/news/world-bank-targets-80b-africas-mega-inga-dam
https://debtjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-colonial-roots-of-global-south-debt.pdf
Discovery Alert
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s $24 Trillion Natural Resource Treasure
Discover the Democratic Republic of Congo's wealth of natural resources, from cobalt and diamonds to vast hydropower potential.
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LIFE IN SUDAN UNDER RSF OCCUPATION
Sudan's devastating proxy war is now well into its third year. It’s easy to become desensitised to the grim statistics on casualties, hunger and displacement after so much time. But it’s vital to keep reminding ourselves and the world that real people are enduring unimaginable suffering. The UN calls the Sudanese people’s plight the world's ‘worst humanitarian crisis' of the 21st century.
In this video, we speak to Sidgi Kaballo, a member of the Central Committee of the Sudanese Communist Party, who holds dual citizenship in Sudan and the United Kingdom. He chose to remain in Sudan when the war erupted in April 2023. His son, African Stream's Editor-in-Chief, Ahmed Kaballo, had arranged for his safe evacuation from the country through the British Foreign Office. Yet Sidgi declined, staying for another seven and a half months amid the deadly chaos.
Sudan's devastating proxy war is now well into its third year. It’s easy to become desensitised to the grim statistics on casualties, hunger and displacement after so much time. But it’s vital to keep reminding ourselves and the world that real people are enduring unimaginable suffering. The UN calls the Sudanese people’s plight the world's ‘worst humanitarian crisis' of the 21st century.
In this video, we speak to Sidgi Kaballo, a member of the Central Committee of the Sudanese Communist Party, who holds dual citizenship in Sudan and the United Kingdom. He chose to remain in Sudan when the war erupted in April 2023. His son, African Stream's Editor-in-Chief, Ahmed Kaballo, had arranged for his safe evacuation from the country through the British Foreign Office. Yet Sidgi declined, staying for another seven and a half months amid the deadly chaos.
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Continued……. Asked why he made that choice, Sidgi, also an economist and academic, explains that he felt his duty to his fellow Sudanese was best fulfilled by staying inside the country. He provides a chilling first-hand account of life under the Emirati-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) occupation, describing it as ‘hell’ - with rampant looting, vandalism and severe shortages of food, water and medicine.
Yet, despite the horror, Sidgi also reminisces about the communal spirit that defines Sudanese society. He recalls a pharmacist who set up a medicine station outside his home to care for those in need until supplies ran out. It was one of many such acts of solidarity.
As the conflict grinds on, we must remember that behind the headlines is a human dimension to Sudan's crisis. We mustn't lose sight of the suffering of millions of real men, women and children.
Yet, despite the horror, Sidgi also reminisces about the communal spirit that defines Sudanese society. He recalls a pharmacist who set up a medicine station outside his home to care for those in need until supplies ran out. It was one of many such acts of solidarity.
As the conflict grinds on, we must remember that behind the headlines is a human dimension to Sudan's crisis. We mustn't lose sight of the suffering of millions of real men, women and children.
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