The Role of Media in Shaping Public Opinion

In times of political and military conflict, propaganda becomes an essential tool for governments to control public perception. Across the African continent, state-sponsored narratives often manipulate the masses through strategic media campaigns. Governments frequently recruit influencers, journalists, and public figures to advance their agendas. This phenomenon has been observed globally, with celebrities endorsing political and social causes, such as (add celebrity names who supported vaccination campaigns) or Gabrielle Union’s advocacy on gender identity issues concerning her transgender child.

In 2025, as Pan-Africanist ideals gain traction and Western influence over African political thought declines, external actors seeking to sway public opinion have resorted to infiltration tactics. With Africans becoming more skeptical of traditional Western-backed narratives, foreign interests now employ pseudo Pan-African activists and media platforms to disseminate their propaganda. This strategy mirrors historical cases such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson’s alignment with the U.S. government to control Black political movements (add source here).

The Battle for Goma and the Role of African Stream

The recent conflict in Goma, which saw the Congolese rebel group M23 clash with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), has brought these dynamics to light. One media outlet that has raised suspicions over its alignment with Western interests and the Congolese government is African Stream.

Ahmed Kaballo A Western backed media pundit who makes a living of sharing views on Africa to mainstream Western Media

Founded by Ahmed Kaballo, African Stream initially gained a reputation as a revolutionary media platform, particularly after facing social media bans. However, recent events have exposed significant biases in its coverage of the M23 conflict.

Instead of providing balanced reporting, African Stream has consistently framed M23 as a Rwandan-backed group, reinforcing narratives pushed by Congolese state media and Western powers. Its reports have accused M23 of rape, murder, and war crimes, despite the lack of verified evidence. When public discourse began acknowledging that M23 fighters were largely Congolese citizens fighting for their sovereignty, African Stream subtly shifted its rhetoric—yet continued to emphasize Rwanda’s alleged involvement in every post.

However, the platform took its propaganda to the next level when they thought they could deceive Africans by comparing Paul Kagame to the murderous King Leopold and referring to him as THE KING LEOPOLD OF 2024. When Paul Kagame has been the safe haven to over 100,000 refugees that fled the murderous ways of Tshisekedi. This is why African people are calling out the platform on twitter. Here are some comments they have received on their posts from Africans around the world.

The tactic of selective reporting—where events are framed in a way that connects M23’s actions to Rwanda while ignoring atrocities committed by the Congolese government—suggests a deliberate agenda. Rather than outright fabricating stories, propaganda outlets like African Stream manipulate public perception by selectively presenting information that aligns with their sponsors’ interests.

Suspicious Ties and Strategic Omissions

African Stream’s failure to report on key aspects of the Goma conflict further raises questions about its affiliations. The platform has:

  1. Ignored FARDC’s atrocities – It has avoided coverage of the Congolese military’s violence against civilians, including reports of mass killings.
  2. Refused to report on South African casualties – Despite official statements from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, which confirmed that FARDC, not M23, was responsible for the deaths of SANDF soldiers, African Stream remained silent on the matter.
  3. Downplayed Rwanda’s rebuttals – The platform has deliberately omitted Paul Kagame’s responses to accusations against Rwanda.
  4. Refused to cover M23’s battlefield successes – When M23 defeated Romanian mercenaries hired by the Congolese government, African Stream failed to acknowledge or report the event.

Additionally, African Stream has attempted to paint Rwanda as a Western proxy, despite overwhelming evidence suggesting that the United Nations (UNESCO) and Western-backed forces are directly supporting the Congolese government against M23. This contradiction further suggests that African Stream’s narratives are carefully curated to align with the Congolese government’s propaganda.

In fact, Paul Kagame has been very helpful to the refugees of the Congo, by housing over a 100,000 of them after being displaced by the Congolese government.

The video below shows refugees from Congo in Rwanda celebrating the liberation of Goma.

The Danger of Manufactured Narratives

The core objective of African Stream’s reporting appears to be the vilification of Rwanda and its leadership, particularly President Paul Kagame. By amplifying misleading narratives, African Stream is laying the groundwork for potential Western invasion of Rwanda via the DRC, similar to how propaganda was used to justify U.S.-led interventions in Iraq (with false claims about weapons of mass destruction) and Libya (leading to the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi).

This serves as a warning to Pan-Africanists and Africans worldwide: not all media that claims to be “for Africa” is truly working in Africa’s interest. The case of African Stream demonstrates how even seemingly independent outlets can be co-opted by state actors and external forces to push an agenda that ultimately harms African sovereignty.

As tensions in the DRC continue, it is crucial for Africans to critically assess the sources of their information and remain vigilant against those who masquerade as champions of the continent while serving foreign interests.

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