New Africa show to premiere on RT

RT is launching a new show, ‘Lumumba’s Africa’, which will delve into past and present issues affecting the continent. Filmed in Kenya, the program will air globally on RT, starting on October 3.  

Hosted by Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba – a celebrated scholar, author, and former director of Kenya’s Anti-Corruption Commission and the Kenya School of Law – the show will spotlight Pan-Africanism and the pursuit of African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges.   

“The history of Africa has always been told by others, and when one looks at the media, one sees a very negative depiction of Africa,” Prof. Lumumba said, commenting on the significance of his new role. “Via this platform that we’ll have through RT, we have an opportunity to showcase Africa that is not heaven, but it is not hell. My motivation with this show is to demonstrate that Africans are a people with a history, we are people with a purpose, we are people with conviction.” 

‘Lumumba’s Africa’ will explore various themes relevant to modern Africa: why certain economies on the continent succeed while others falter, the roots of conflicts and their lasting impact, and the enduring influence of colonialism on Africa’s progress. The show will pose critical questions, and will ask if colonialism has been truly eradicated, or if its remnants continue to hinder Africa’s future.   

“Professor Lumumba is recognized and respected across all of Africa,” said Anna Belkina, RT’s deputy editor-in-chief. “We are excited to bring Professor Lumumba’s unique and compelling perspective to RT’s audiences worldwide, and with it to continue debunking colonialist narratives about Africa that remain pervasive in the Western mainstream media.” 

Lumumba joins a prestigious list of RT hosts, past and present, including former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, late broadcasting legend Larry King, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Pulitzer Prize winner and Emmy-nominated journalist Chris Hedges, and former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, among others. 

On October 3, the professor will be featured in two episodes of ‘Lumumba’s Africa’, where he will delve into key issues affecting the future of the continent. Lumumba will talk about the relevance of Pan-Africanism in the modern era during the first episode, ‘Panafricanism – is it still relevant?’ The second episode, ‘Common African currency’, will be followed by a discussion on how a unified African currency could help combat economic manipulation and international financial fraud. 

‘Lumumba’s Africa’ will air weekly on RT, beginning October 3 at 12:30 UTC, and will also be available on rt.com. In addition to the English-language RT International channel, the show will be broadcast in French and Arabic.