Fahmida Choonara | fchoonara@radioislam.co.za
25 April 2023 | 13:45 CAT
2 min read

Photo Credit: WORDCRAFTBYANNISA

Thandi Smith, Head of Programmes at Media Monitoring, joined Radio Islam International to discuss events in the African continent.

Focusing on positive news, Smith spoke on the Kenyan athlete Kelvin Kiptum, who she says has not received the attention he deserves after he came in second to breaking the London Marathon record and the fastest time of the course. She added that his achievement should be celebrated amid the negative stories, especially by African media.

On the Sudan conflict, Thandi says that only 2% of regular internet access is available, which she says is concerning, especially in a conflict situation. She says that more attention should be paid as this would mean the right to access information was taken away.

“Something we should be paying far more attention to when talking about and covering issues of conflict is the problem of accessing news and information, and because we predominantly access our new information via the internet these days, I don’t think we get upset enough when that specific right to access to information is taken away.”

She added that the more profound issues were being swept under the carpet as foreign media focused on evacuating citizens when more international pressure should be placed on the rights being usurped and violated.

Speaking on Uganda’s controversial LGBTQ Bill, Smith said that an interesting step taken by President Museveni was returning the Bill, which many saw as a favourable move, but it seems that the Bill’s corrective measures are being relooked into.

She said that other African countries should institute more pressure, and the media has missed the opportunity to get involved in and expose the “Draconian laws” being passed by some governments.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Habib Bobat in Sabahul Muslim here