Daniel Massamba Meboya

  Rubaya mining site - Photo courtesy of GettyImages RUBAYA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO — Julien Kakesa is 51 years old, but in the serrated hills of the Masisi Territory, age is measured not in years, but in the amount of red earth one has moved by hand. For Julien, a father of five, every gram of coltan extracted from the slopes of Rubaya is a bitter paradox: he handles the minerals that power the world’s high-tech future, yet he lives in a primitive, terrifying past. Since 2014, Julien has toiled in this global hub, a site responsible for nearly 30% of the world’s coltan. While tech giants in San Francisco and Seoul thrive on this ore, Julien’s reality is defined by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, illegal extraction, and the constant threat of the earth swallowing him whole. "I hardly make ends meet with my small family," Julien says, his voice raspy from a decade of inhaling mineral dust. "I know I am giving all I can to help exploit minerals worth a fortun...

Participants at the Workshop (Photo: Daniel M Meboya) The African Union Commission, through the Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security (OSE-WPS), on 27 June 2025, successfully concluded a three-day high-level workshop designed to revitalize how Africa monitors and implements its Women, Peace and Security (WPS) commitments through the Continental Results Framework (CRF). Held under the theme “Reinvigorating WPS Monitoring through the Continental Results Framework and Strengthening Research for Women, Peace and Security in Africa,” the workshop took place at a pivotal moment as the continent prepares to commemorate the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325—a historic declaration affirming the central role of women in peace and security processes. In her opening remarks, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, reaffirmed AU’s strong commitment to the WPS agenda. She underscored the importance of inclusive leadershi...

Drawing picture source: VectorStock   By Daniel Massamba Meboya International Strategic Communication Expert   Introduction: Why We Still Get Communication So Wrong Despite the enormous technological advancements, instant messaging apps, countless meetings, and global interconnectedness, communication remains one of the most persistent challenges organizations face today. And not just small ones—this communication deficit cripples international institutions, private conglomerates, and humanitarian agencies alike. After over 35 years working in strategic communication and public diplomacy for major institutions such as the United States Information Agency, the United Nations, and a spectrum of global NGOs, I’ve seen one truth repeated in almost every organizational collapse, misalignment, or inefficiency: communication is often treated as an afterthought rather than a strategic priority . Failing to embed it at the core of leadership, operations, and culture is not ju...

  Bujumbura, 22 August 2024 – In the Great Lakes Region increasingly defined by prolonged conflict and insecurity, the inaugural Regional Forum on Women, Peace and Security kicked off in the Burundian capital city, Bujumbura, in the presence of H.E. Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi, Ms. Fatou Dieng Thiam, Representative of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General, Amb. João Samuel Caholo, Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Ms. Liberata Mulamula, a Tanzanian diplomat presently serving as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and ex-First Executive Secretary of the ICGLR, among others.  Ms. Bineta Diop, Special Envoy to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, attended and addressed participants virtually. Organized under the theme: under the theme ; “Promoting the regional agenda for Peace, Security and Economi...

    Kampala, 9 August 2023 – Mediavision Academy in partnership with Uganda National Commission for UNESCO kicked off a 12-week online training in filmmaking fundamentals for culture.  The training that aims at promoting and protecting cultural Diversity particularly the development of Film and Audio-Visual sector, brings together 200 participants from all parts of Uganda. Robert Nkambo, director at Mediavision Academy and one of the facilitators of the training, expresses his satisfaction at the end of the orientation session: “Empowering young people with knowledge and skills in filmmaking and content creation/development will help them become better stewards of our culture.” UNESCO's support for this training project comes at a very crucial moment as the debate on the creation of multimedia content, its dissemination and sharing is now the framework for the Uganda Communications Commission, which is the government regula...

Kampala, 4 August - Sixty-three days have elapsed since Uganda Film Festival (UFF) marked its special 10th anniversary held at the Uganda Institute of Communication and Technology in Nakawa, Kampala in June 2023 with the generous support of its partners and sponsors. For Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) represented by its acting Executive Director, Irene Kaggwa, the timing was appropriate to say ‘Thank You’ to all its stakeholders that contributed towards the success of the special 10th Edition of the Uganda Film Festival Awards Gala Night 2023. Hence the organization of the UFF 2023 Sponsors’ Appreciation Breakfast organized on 4 August 2023 at UCC House Bugolobi in Kampala. Irene Kaggwa reaffirmed the need for enhanced collaboration and synergy among all stakeholders to close the country’s multimedia infrastructure gap so that the audio-visual sector can successfully meet the international standard. Guests invited to the breakfast included Philip Luswata, a lecture...