Editor,

I really enjoyed reading James Munyaneza’s opinion that appeared in your newspaper with the title: "When African media partake in anti-Africa cause”. I agree with him that the Media in Africa has a big role of informing the world about Africa, not the Western media or other peoples’.

This said, I think African media outlets should strive to tell the world the truth on Africa and I think the media in the West and elsewhere should strive to cooperate with reporters and media outlets based on the African continent when they decide to tell African stories.

However, there is need for stronger, more professional, and more independent African media outlets and professionals in order to reverse the current situation.

There is also need for a more media-friendly environment for the press in terms of freedom of speech. Otherwise, the West will continue to misrepresent Africa and of course report on Africa in their interests.

We should not be surprised when African issues are misrepresented in Western media, we should instead be surprised when Western media break stories that are so critical for Africans when the African media hesitate to tell them.

Eugene Kwibuka,
Carleton University,
Ottawa, Canada.

Email: kwirwa@gmail.com