On Saturday, the head of the Ugandan army’s ground forces threatened to attack the city of Bunia in eastern DR Congo if “all forces” did not surrender their arms “within 24 hours.”

In a post on X, Lt. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba - who is also the son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni - claimed he had his father’s authority to make the threat, and stated he would not issue any further comments.

Kainerugaba known for his provocative remarks on social media, made unverified allegations that members of the Bahima ethnic group were being k*lled in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning, “That’s a very dangerous situation for those attacking my people. No one on this earth can k*ll my people and think they will not suffer for it.”

Kainerugaba’s comments sparked concerns about a potential escalation of the violence in DRC between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese forces.

A 2024 UN report raised the alarm over Uganda’s involvement in the conflict in eastern Congo.

Continued……. It said Kampala had, since 2022, been allowing M23 to use its territory for troop movements and supply lines, pointing to Ugandan complicity in destabilising the DRC.

Since late 2023, Ugandan military intelligence reportedly coordinated directly with M23 forces in Bunagana, providing essential logistics and transport support.

M23 military chief Sultani Makenga, who is under UN travel restrictions, visited Uganda for meetings in 2023, suggesting deeper ties. Additionally, the UN highlighted Uganda’s backing of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a political umbrella for M23.

Kainerugaba has also openly supported Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. In 2022, he described the M23 as “brothers of ours” fighting for the rights of Tutsis in Congo. Despite increasing evidence of Rwanda and Uganda’s involvement, both countries have denied providing direct support for, or harbouring, M23 fighters.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-military-chief-threatens-attack-eastern-congo-town-bunia-2025-02-15/?taid=67b0eb47e6d2760001470aeb&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-president-apologises-sons-tweets-invading-kenya-2022-10-05/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgmj00zjrpo?at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_origin=BBCAfrica&at_link_type=web_link&at_format=image&at_medium=social&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_link_id=CDB05812-EB80-11EF-A73F-C658329CA122&at_ptr_name=twitter

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-provided-support-m23-rebels-congo-un-report-says-2024-07-08

‘ORIGINAL SIN’ AGAINST AFRICANS: COLONIAL LAND GRABS

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa says the colonial land grab by European settlers in Africa is the original sin committed against our people.

In an address to parliament on 13 February, he noted that many of the social and economic problems affecting his country - and Africa more widely - can be linked to the violent land dispossessions committed by Europeans as they invaded the continent, starting in the 15th century.

Ramaphosa also pointed out that the colonial settlers not only forcibly remove Black people from their land but also created laws that made it impossible for Africans to own land or property on their continent. Because key economic activities are tied to land or property ownership, these laws subsequently locked Africans out of the economic sphere, resulting in millions being trapped in poverty, even decades after their countries attained flag independence.

Continued……. Ramaphosa’s comments come in the wake of a public spat between his government and the Trump administration over a law he signed in January in an attempt to redress land-ownership inequalities that stem from South Africa’s apartheid-era. Trump has cut US financial support to South Africa’s health budget and has offered refugee status to Afrikaners - White South Africans of mostly Dutch descent he claims are being persecuted by Ramaphosa’s government.

Afrikaners own the majority of the country’s land despite accounting for less than 8% of the population.

Credit: SABC News

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

Continued……The compensation programme has caused mixed reactions across Zimbabwe and beyond. Several political figures, such as South Africa’s Julius Malema - leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party - say the exercise is tantamount to capitulating to the West’s bullying. Others are more sympathetic, arguing the government could hardly act otherwise after over two decades of Western sanctions that have wounded the economy and forced millions of citizens to leave the country.

Sources:

https://www.zimfa.gov.zw/index.php/bippas/list-of-ratified-bippas
https://x.com/Sophie_Mokoena
https://x.com/zimlive/status/1889558258672660669
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/UCM/ReportHRC48/States/submission-zimbabwe.docx
https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwe-to-pay-displaced-foreign-white-farmers/7972468.html

SOUTH AFRICA RULING PARTY STANDS UP TO TRUMP ‘MADNESS’

South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has added its voice to the standoff between its government and the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Addressing a recent political gathering in the country’s North West province, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile on X) urged citizens to unite behind their government in the face of what he described as ‘Trump’s madness.’ Mbalula echoed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s words that South Africa will not accept being bullied by the United States.

Mbalula’s comments follow Trump’s 7 February decision to sign an executive order cutting aid to South Africa over a newly signed law allowing South Africa to seize privately owned land for public purposes or when it would be in the public interest (sometimes without compensation). The law aims to redress land inequalities originating from the country’s apartheid era.

Continued……Trump claims the law targets white South Africans who, more than 30 years after apartheid’s fall, still own more than 70 per cent of the country’s farming land despite accounting for less than 8 per cent of the population.

Apart from cutting the aid that made up 17 per cent of South Africa’s HIV budget, Trump has also offered refugee status to white South Africans, who he says are victims of ‘government-sponsored race-based discrimination.’

Video credit: @NewsLiveSA (X)

Sources:

https://x.com/newslivesa/status/1890769423209844906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1890769423209844906%7Ctwgr%5Eb4c2eadc608445a9304c586b2a46c72753020675%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewslivesa.co.za%2Fmbalula-combat-trumps-madness-now%2F

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/5/is-south-africa-confiscating-land-targeting-some-groups-as-trump-claims

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250204-unreliable-partner-s-africa-s-hiv-clinics-scramble-over-us-aid-freeze

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/trump-punishing-south-africa-afrikaners-give-refugee-status-118600319

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa

TONI MORRISON: YOUR QUESTION IS POWERFULLY RACIST!

Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning African novelist Toni Morrison would have turned 94 today. Born on 18 February in 1931, she was a monumental figure in the world of literature. Her works are rich with themes of identity, race and the human experience - and have resonated deeply with readers around the globe. Her storytelling is thought-provoking and weaves tales that challenge societal norms. 

If you’ve never read her books, this short clip might inspire you. Morrison’s poise, authority and articulacy are on display as she halts her interviewer in her tracks to call out the implicit racism of the question put to her - namely, why doesn’t Morrison write about White characters?  The interviewer is left stunned by her answer. 

Video Credit: ThePostArchive

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

ANOTHER HERO EXECUTED BY THE BRITISH

The execution of Kenyan freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi occurred 68 years ago today. He led the Mau Mau uprising against British colonial rule in Kenya. Dedan was captured in 1956 and hanged on 18 February 1957.

Almost seven decades later, his grave’s whereabouts remain a mystery. It’s rumoured the British buried him at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, but efforts to have the body exhumed have had no luck. His hanging symbolised the brutal repression of the independence movement and galvanised support for the struggle against colonialism. 

This revolutionary elder was born into a poor family on 31 October 1920, in Thege village near Nyeri in central Kenya. Known for his brilliance as a child, Kimathi’s school records show he stood out in English and poetry and was a debating society member. Kimathi was one of thousands who joined the independence movement in 1951 and rose to become a key figure in the fight against imperialism.

Continued……. The Kenya Land and Freedom Army which he led came to be known colloquially as Mau Mau - short for ‘Mzungu Arudi Ulaya, Mwafrika Apate Uhuru.’ That is Swahili for ‘Let the foreigner go back to Europe, so the Africans can regain independence.’

African Stream’s Wambura Mwai walks us through the life and legacy of Dedan Kimathi, highlighting why his name is one to remember. 

Continue to rest in peace, comrade!

Source:

https://www.dw.com/en/dedan-kimathi-kenyas-heroic-freedom-fighter/a-56974835

WHAT USAID FUND CUT MEANS FOR AFRICA

Donald Trump’s decision to halt USAID funding has sparked mixed reactions - particularly in Africa, where the agency has long been a key player in foreign aid. Critics argue that USAID primarily serves US interests rather than genuinely promoting African development, often acting as a tool for economic and political control. Aid has perpetuated dependency rather than self-sufficiency, which is intentional. This also applies more broadly to US-funded institutions such as the IMF and their influence in shaping African economies. These entities dismantle public infrastructure while USAID funds selective projects that align with US geopolitical goals and undermine African governments that are not alined to US interests.

Continued……The agency’s history of backing dictatorial regimes and funding media outlets that shape narratives favourable to the US also raises concerns about neocolonial control.

With the closure of USAID likely to weaken America’s influence in Africa, some see it as an opportunity for African nations to develop more independent economic, media and governance structures. However, there is uncertainty over whether the US will adopt more ‘direct’ means to maintain its global influence.

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

THE ‘UNITED STATES OF ISRAEL’ CONGRESS

This eye-opening clip begs the question: Who does the US Congress serve, and whose interests does it protect?

TikTok content creator @Jenbunny (TikTok) shared a video of the US Congress’ Bannon Office Building, wittily calling it ‘The United States of Israel Congress’ given that its halls are littered with Israeli flags and banners.

The settler-colonial state of Israel has received more funding from the US than any other country since World War II. And, since 7 October alone, the US has provided at least $17.9 billion in military assistance to Israel, funding the onslaught of Palestinians in Gaza, which the Lancet medical journal estimates had k*lled 186,000 as of July 2024.

Continued……US politicians, on the other hand—unsurprisingly—are also funded by the powerful pro-Israel lobby group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), whose campaigns have helped seat and unseat US politicians based on their allyship (or lack thereof) with Israel. 

Video credit: @jenbunny (TikTok)


Sources:

https://www.ajc.org/news/what-every-american-should-know-about-us-aid-to-israel

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/american-israel-public-affairs-cmte/summary?id=D000046963

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-military-aid-does-the-us-give-to-israel/

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241104-us-election-how-aipac-shapes-american-politics

Continued….. Here’s the catch: The resolution is non-binding, meaning it has no enforcement power. But it still has faced pushback in sectors of the bloc, with EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica arguing cancellation of the mineral supply deal would be unproductive. A quiet admission that Europe needs Rwanda as a middleman for plundering Congolese minerals.

It should come as no surprise that more than 40 per cent of Rwanda’s budget comes from foreign aid.

Continued….. Signed between Rwanda and the EU in February 2024 to ensure a sustainable supply of raw materials, the deal has drawn criticism amidst the DRC accusing Rwanda of looting its resources, costing Kinshasa about $1 billion annually. Meanwhile, European companies like Israeli-owned Swiss multinational Glencore continue to profit, as initiatives like the International Tin Supply Chain Initiative, meant to ensure conflict-free minerals, indirectly aid Rwandan companies, according to NGO Global Witness.

Between 1998 and 2010, the three-decade-long Western-backed war over natural resources k*lled about 6 million Congolese. As of 2024, the conflict had internally displaced about 7 million people. M23’s recent surge in seizing territories in eastern DRC has displaced more than 700,000 Congolese since January, according to the UN.

Sources
News
https://www.arise.tv/eu-parliament-urges-suspension-of-rwanda-aid-over-m23-rebel-ties/

EU Med Commissioner opposed
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/politics/government/eu-official-warns-against-suspending-rwanda-minerals-deal-over-dr-congo-allegations/ar-AA1z2bqx

Rwanda looting DRC
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/5/2/blood-minerals-what-are-the-hidden-costs-of-the-eu-rwanda-supply-deal
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/rwanda-s-mineral-trade-at-risk-as-international-ngos-push-eu-to-withdraw-agreement/ar-AA1yrGmy

Glencore in DRC
https://archive.ph/IegJT

ITSCI aiding looting
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/natural-resource-governance/itsci-laundromat/#resource-library

DRC poverty
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview

EU countries in ITSCI
https://www.itsci.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/iTSCi-Booklet-2016-.pdf

Congolese death toll
https://www.caritas.org/2010/02/six-million-dead-in-congos-war

Congolese internally displaced
https://crisisresponse.iom.int/response/democratic-republic-congo-crisis-response-plan-2025

Displaced since January 2025
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/un-experts-call-urgent-humanitarian-relief-and-political-solution-protect

Rwanda budget
https://issafrica.org/iss-today/could-fdi-be-rwandas-lifeline-as-donors-pull-the-plug

THE REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF DREADLOCKS

On this day, the British colonial state executed one of Kenya’s greatest freedom fighters, but his revolutionary spirit lived on - even in his hair. Dedan Kimathi’s dreadlocks were more than a hairstyle, they were a statement of defiance, a rejection of colonial domination and a symbol of African identity.

Today, dreadlocks are a common sight - in our homes, schools and places of work and worship.

It wasn’t always this way, and it took persistence and patience to mainstream an authentic African hairstyle. Stigma around dreadlocks was informed by colonialism, and its effects were felt decades after independence. It took commitment to African identity to reclaim what was once demonised.

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