Qatar reaffirmed its commitment to playing an active international role and continuing its mediation efforts, which have contributed, through its UN-sponsored hosting of meetings of special envoys on Afghanistan and priority working groups, to strengthening international consensus on key issues by providing an inclusive platform for dialogue and coordination. The statement emphasized Qatar’s firm belief that constructive dialogue is the best path toward achieving peace.
This came in the statement delivered by Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva, Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi, during the enhanced interactive dialogue on Afghanistan as part of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Al Suwaidi said the occasion reflects efforts to build practical and effective dialogue between the Afghan caretaker government and the international community to meet humanitarian and development needs, contribute to stability, and create conditions that enable Afghanistan to achieve internal peace, strengthen good-neighborly relations, fully reintegrate into the international community, and fulfill its international commitments.
She noted that Afghanistan faces complex challenges that directly affect the promotion and protection of human rights, including the economic crisis, unemployment, rising humanitarian needs, recurring climate disturbances, widespread poverty, and food insecurity, in addition to the continuation of sanctions and asset freezes and the return of millions of refugees to the country.
Acting Charge d’Affaires stressed that Afghanistan is going through a delicate phase that requires a balanced collective approach toward the situation in the country, combining urgent humanitarian response with responsible political engagement in order to meet the Afghan people’s aspirations for security, stability and development.
The State of Qatar reiterated its firm and supportive stance on the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan, and the right of its fraternal people to live in dignity, security and stability, and rejected any form of interference in its internal affairs, voicing deep concern over the continuation of the war and the accompanying crimes and grave human rights violations, which have led to the loss of thousands of Sudanese lives and property and the displacement of millions of them, in addition to the unprecedented destruction of infrastructure.
This came in a statement by the State of Qatar, delivered by Second Secretary at the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Sheikh Sultan bin Khalid Al-Thani, during his participation in the enhanced interactive dialogue on Sudan, within the framework of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
He said that the fraternal Sudanese people can no longer bear to wait any longer for a solution, and that urgent action is necessary to put an end to this war. There is no way to do this except by conducting a comprehensive and rational dialogue to reach an agreement that restores security and stability to Sudan and spares it further destruction and division.
He emphasized that the State of Qatar, since the beginning of the crisis, has been keen to provide all forms of support and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people in this critical humanitarian situation. He noted that, in continuation of these efforts, on Feb. 9, a convoy of medical grants provided by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) in cooperation with the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) was sent to provide urgent needs of emergency and life-saving medicines, in addition to other batches to follow, with the number of beneficiaries estimated at half a million people in 12 Sudanese states.
He urged the international community to redouble its efforts and provide more support to the Sudanese, stressing the importance of facilitating unhindered access for humanitarian aid to those affected.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has instituted the probe related to the Exercise MOSI III Will of Peace (“the exercise”) and has appointed an investigative panel to be led by Justice B.M. Ngoepe as the Chairperson of the panel. Justice Ngoepe will be assisted by Justice K. Satchwell, Justice M.M. Leeuw and R. Adm (JG) P.T. Duze. The Panel will report directly to the President.
The instituting of the panel relates to the failure to heed the instruction by the President that the navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran must no longer participate in the Chinese-led Exercise Will of Peace 2026 that took place in South African waters.
The relocation of the inquiry from the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans to the Presidency is to ensure an independent and timeous probe. The President is, in terms of section 202(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force.
The Panel will investigate and make recommendations in relation to the circumstances surrounding the exercise, the factors that may have contributed to the failure to observe the President’s order, person or person’s responsible and the consequences to follow.
The Panel will have the power to summon any member of the defence force and/or public service it needs, and to request for all documents, including classified documents, to fulfil its mandate.
President Ramaphosa has directed that the Panel must finish its work and report to the President within one (1) calendar month of its establishment.
The President may, on compelling cause shown, extend the period of the Panel’s proceedings. Due to national security considerations the work of the Panel will be confidential.
President Ramaphosa may on the recommendation of the Panel and the Minister decide to publicise or not to publicise all or any portion of the outcomes of the Panel’s investigation.
– on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Cholera cases in Southern Africa region have risen by over seven times in the first six weeks of 2026 compared with the same period the year before due to severe flooding triggered by cyclones, infrastructure damage and inadequate water and sanitation among displaced populations, an analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows.
A total of 4320 cases and 56 deaths were reported between 1 January and 15 February 2026 in five Southern African countries, up from 586 cases and 11 deaths in the same period in 2025. The increase contrasts with a general decline in cases across the continent, which reported a drop of 47% and 59% respectively compared with 2025 and 2024.
A total of 13 countries in the African region are currently reporting cholera outbreaks. In Southern Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are reporting cases. Since 2023, Southern Africa has been the dominant cholera hotspot in the continent, with major outbreaks during the 2023—2024 cyclone season. So far this year, Mozambique accounts for 90% of cholera cases in Southern Africa. The country has experienced intense flooding which has affected more than 700 000 people.
Southern Africa is experiencing an active cyclone season which usually runs from January to April. Above-average rains continue in cyclone-prone areas. Twenty-seven high-risk zones have been identified in five countries, with vulnerabilities including poor water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, as well as recurrent cholera outbreaks.
“The sharp rise in cholera cases in Southern Africa is a clear reminder of how climate-related shocks are intensifying public health risks,” said Dr Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Emergencies Director at the WHO Regional Office for Africa. “We’re working closely with national authorities to provide emergency health assistance while strengthening preparedness and resilience of our health systems to better protect communities from the growing impact of climate-linked shocks.”
According to the WHO analysis, Southern Africa faces a critical period between March and August, with a projected 12 000 to 22 000 additional cholera cases under the most probable scenarios. Multiple factors are contributing to the cholera outbreaks in Southern Africa: tropical cyclones; flooding that has affected Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia; conflict and population displacement; and inadequate urban water supply systems.
WHO and partners are supporting the ongoing emergency response, including delivering cholera and other essential health supplies, strengthening health response coordination and improving disease surveillance and prevention measures.
A rapid scale-up of public health measures, including cholera vaccination, disease surveillance and improvement of water and sanitation services is crucial to protect the health of populations and avert a deterioration of the situation. Most people with cholera have mild or moderate diarrhoea and can be treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS). However, the disease can progress rapidly, so starting treatment quickly is vital to save lives. Patients with severe disease need intravenous fluids, ORS and antibiotics.
Cholera is a global public health threat and indicates inequity and lack of social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene is essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.
The Ministry of Health, through the Directorate of Preventive Services and the Environmental Health and Sanitation Section, has successfully strengthened Tanzania’s ability to detect and prevent waterborne health threats at community level and designated Points of Entry (PoEs).
Contaminated water can silently fuel outbreaks, disrupt trade, and put thousands of lives at risk. In Morogoro, 37 frontline Environmental Health Officers are now better equipped to prevent and control those threats.
The training, held at the Edema Conference Centre in Morogoro Municipal Council, the three day training brought together 37 Environmental Health Officers from 6regions and 28 POEs from Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
The initiative addressed critical gaps identified in Tanzania’s Joint External Evaluation (2024), in practical skills among Environmental Health Officers in water testing and risk assessment. Through hands-on sessions, participants were trained in water sampling, testing, and interpretation using DelAgua water testing kits. The program supports the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and reinforces Tanzania’s compliance with International Health Regulations (2005) as amended in 2014, 2022 and 2024.
A Ministry of Health representative noted: “Thetraining of Environment Health Officers from both Mainland and Zanzibar in water quality monitoring will enable the country to effectively conduct water quality surveillance at points of entry. This capacity is essential for designated points of entry and newly authorized ports to carry out ship inspections and issue sanitation certificates, thereby strengthening our national public health security.”
A representative from the World Health Organization added:
“Safe water is a cornerstone of health security. By equipping frontline officers with the right tools and skills, Tanzania is investing in prevention and protecting communities, safeguarding travelers, and strengthening national resilience.”
The training combined practical demonstrations, group discussions, and drills simulations, culminating in an evaluation to document lessons learned and next steps. Trained officers will now conduct routine water inspections more effectively in high-risk councils and Points of Entry, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and enhancing public health protection.
Communities, travellers, PoE staff, and surrounding areas will benefit from this improved capacity, with reduced risks of waterborne diseases which include cholera and stronger public health protection. Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO remains committed to strengthening frontline capacity and ensuring safe drinking water for all Tanzanians.
– on behalf of World Health Organization – United Republic of Tanzania.
O Governo de Cabo Verde recebeu, esta quarta-feira, 25 de fevereiro, uma delegação da International Boxing Association (IBA), chefiada pelo seu Secretário-Geral, Chris Roberts, que se encontra no país em visita de trabalho, a convite do Ministro da Juventude e Desporto, Carlos do Canto Monteiro.
A deslocação da IBA teve como principal objetivo conhecer, no terreno, as políticas públicas e as apostas estratégicas do Executivo para o desenvolvimento do boxe em Cabo Verde, bem como acompanhar os projetos em curso da Federação Cabo-verdiana de Boxe e avaliar a realidade atual da modalidade no país.
Recebida pelo Ministro Carlos Monteiro, no Palácio do Governo, a delegação da IBA – composta por quatro membros – esteve igualmente acompanhada pelo Presidente da Federação Cabo-verdiana de Boxe, Manuel Monteiro.
Durante o encontro, foram discutidos dois pontos centrais: a possibilidade de Cabo Verde acolher o Campeonato Africano de Boxe 2026 e a manifestação de interesse do país em sediar a Confederação Africana de Boxe.
Esta primeira visita oficial da IBA ao arquipélago representa um sinal de reconhecimento do trabalho desenvolvido no setor e constitui uma oportunidade estratégica para o reforço da cooperação institucional e para a consolidação e projeção internacional do boxe cabo-verdiano.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has instituted the probe related to the Exercise MOSI III Will of Peace (“the exercise”) and has appointed an investigative panel to be led by Justice B.M. Ngoepe as the Chairperson of the panel. Justice Ngoepe will be assisted by Justice K. Satchwell, Justice M.M. Leeuw and R. Adm (JG) P.T. Duze. The Panel will report directly to the President.
The instituting of the panel relates to the failure to heed the instruction by the President that the navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran must no longer participate in the Chinese-led Exercise Will of Peace 2026 that took place in South African waters.
The relocation of the inquiry from the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans to the Presidency is to ensure an independent and timeous probe. The President is, in terms of section 202(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force.
The Panel will investigate and make recommendations in relation to the circumstances surrounding the exercise, the factors that may have contributed to the failure to observe the President’s order, person or person’s responsible and the consequences to follow.
The Panel will have the power to summon any member of the defence force and/or public service it needs, and to request for all documents, including classified documents, to fulfil its mandate.
President Ramaphosa has directed that the Panel must finish its work and report to the President within one (1) calendar month of its establishment.
The President may, on compelling cause shown, extend the period of the Panel’s proceedings. Due to national security considerations the work of the Panel will be confidential.
President Ramaphosa may on the recommendation of the Panel and the Minister decide to publicise or not to publicise all or any portion of the outcomes of the Panel’s investigation.
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President media@presidency.gov.za
The Government of Angola launched a subnational polio vaccination campaign in the municipality of Namacunde, Cunene Province, running from 24 to 27 February 2026, across 13 municipalities of 4 provinces bordering the Republic of Namibia. The initiative is carried out in synchronization with Namibia, aiming to interrupt poliovirus circulation and protect all children at risk.
The campaign targets 230.000 children under 10 years of age, using the nOPV2 vaccine, which protects against type 2 poliovirus variants. The main strategy is door-to-door vaccination, ensuring wide coverage and reducing the risk of unvaccinated children in hard-to-reach areas.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior Angolan authorities and a Namibian delegation, reflecting the shared commitment to eliminate polio in the region. Since 2025, Angola has reported 39 confirmed cases of type 2 poliovirus. While previous campaigns have significantly reduced transmission, the virus continues to circulate. The detection of a genetically linked variant in Kavango East, Namibia, underscored the need for a coordinated, cross-border response.
Speaking at the event, WHO Representative in Angola, Dr. Indrajit Hazarika, emphasized that “as long as polio exists anywhere in the world, no country is truly safe,” calling for collective mobilization to ensure no child is left unvaccinated. He reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to support the Angolan Government in strengthening routine immunization, epidemiological surveillance, and community engagement.
The Minister of Health highlighted that the campaign reinforces Angola’s unwavering commitment to polio eradication and child protection. “Each dose administered is a step towards a polio-free future. Every vaccinated child is a victory,” she said, urging families to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure adherence to the routine immunization schedule.
The campaign will cover municipalities in Cunene, Cuando, Cubango, and Namibe Provinces, strategically located along the border. A total of 1,709 health workers are involved, including vaccinators, registrars, social mobilizers, logistics personnel, health promotion staff, and data managers. The effort also engages local authorities, security forces, community leaders, churches, and international partners.
WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, the Gates Foundation, and Rotary International continue to provide essential technical and financial support to the national response. However, as authorities stressed, the campaign’s success depends primarily on active community participation.
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause permanent paralysis. Vaccination remains the simplest, safest, and most effective means of prevention. With this synchronized campaign, Angola and Namibia are taking a decisive step to protect their children and move closer to the complete elimination of polio in the region.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Angola.
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (BAD) (www.AfDB.org) e o Instituto Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (IITA) assinaram um acordo de subvenção no valor de 16,61 milhões de dólares para lançar a terceira fase do Programa de Tecnologias para a Transformação Agrícola Africana (TAAT-III), com o objetivo de expandir a produção alimentar resiliente às alterações climáticas em todo o continente.
O acordo, assinado na quarta-feira em Abuja, reforça o compromisso comum de modernizar a agricultura africana através da expansão de tecnologias comprovadas, do fortalecimento dos sistemas de sementes e da expansão das parcerias entre instituições de investigação, governos e atores do setor privado.
Desde o seu lançamento em 2018, o TAAT tornou-se uma das plataformas mais eficazes e transformadoras de África para a inovação agrícola, alcançando quase 25 milhões de agricultores e aumentando a produtividade dos principais produtos básicos.
A iniciativa expandiu práticas agrícolas resilientes às alterações climáticas em mais de 35 milhões de hectares.
Trabalhando em estreita colaboração com o Grupo Consultivo de Centros Internacionais de Investigação Agrícola (CGIAR) e parceiros nacionais e regionais, o TAAT aumentou o rendimento das colheitas em até 69% e gerou mais de 4 mil milhões de dólares em valor adicionado ao setor agrícola. Países como o Sudão, Etiópia, Zâmbia, Zimbabué e Nigéria registaram ganhos notáveis na produtividade dos produtos alimentares básicos e na resiliência aos choques climáticos.
A Nigéria tem sido um dos principais beneficiários das iniciativas do TAAT. No âmbito do seu Compacto do Trigo, os agricultores que adotaram variedades melhoradas resistentes ao calor mais do que duplicaram os rendimentos, passando de 1,7 toneladas por hectare para 3,5 toneladas por hectare. As avaliações do sistema de sementes apoiadas pelo programa também ajudaram a enquadrar as reformas nacionais para expandir o acesso a sementes certificadas e resistentes às alterações climáticas.
Ao discursar na cerimónia de assinatura, Abdul Kamara, diretor-geral do Departamento Nacional da Nigéria do Grupo Banco, disse que a nova fase vai centrar-se na ampliação da inovação mais rapidamente: “O TAAT-III reforça o compromisso do Banco em garantir que tecnologias agrícolas comprovadas e resistentes às alterações climáticas cheguem aos agricultores mais rapidamente e em escala. Esta fase reforça os sistemas que proporcionam inovação, ajudando os países a aumentar a produtividade, melhorar a resiliência e alinhar os esforços de transformação agrícola com as quatro novas áreas de ênfase do Banco, denominadas os Quatro Pontos Cardeais ».
Financiado pelo Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento, a janela de empréstimos concessionais do Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento, o TAAT-III consolidará os ganhos anteriores, introduzindo um modelo de funcionamento mais sustentável e impulsionado pelo setor privado. A iniciativa visa reforçar os sistemas de distribuição de sementes e tecnologia, aprofundar as parcerias com governos e empresas agrícolas e expandir as ferramentas digitais, incluindo os seus catá.s eletrónicos de tecnologia e plataformas de monitorização em tempo real, para acelerar a implementação de soluções de alto impacto.
Simeon Ehui, diretor-geral do IITA, observou: “O TAAT-III permite-nos aprofundar a implementação de soluções baseadas na ciência que melhoram o rendimento e os meios de subsistência dos agricultores. Trabalhando com o Banco e os nossos parceiros, estamos a expandir tecnologias que tornam os sistemas alimentares africanos mais resilientes e competitivos”.
O TAAT teve um papel de destaque no apoio ao Mecanismo Africano de Produção Alimentar de Emergência do Grupo Banco, ajudando os países a implementar rapidamente sementes e tecnologias melhoradas para estabilizar o abastecimento alimentar durante as recentes perturbações globais. A terceira fase do programa visa integrar estas inovações nas estratégias nacionais de investimento agrícola a longo prazo.
Espera-se que o TAAT-III alcance mais 14 milhões de agricultores em 37 países de baixo rendimento e vulneráveis servidos pelo Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento, a janela de financiamento concessional do Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contacto para os media:
Nkiruka Ugoh
Departamento Nacional do BAD na Nigéria,
media@afdb.org
Sobre o Grupo do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento é a principal instituição financeira de desenvolvimento em África. Inclui três entidades distintas: o Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (AfDB), o Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento (ADF) e o Fundo Fiduciário da Nigéria (NTF). Presente no terreno em 41 países africanos, com uma representação externa no Japão, o Banco contribui para o desenvolvimento económico e o progresso social dos seus 54 Estados-membros. Mais informações em www.AfDB.org/pt
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ambrose Kolawole Dada, Research Assistant, Media and Communication, Nelson Mandela University
In a widely viewed YouTube sermon called 3 Types of Keys, a preacher, dressed in a sky blue Italian suit, holds a microphone and speaks with great assurance about spiritual matters. Prophet Shepherd Bushiri is telling his audience that their financial struggles are not accidental.
He warns that business, marriage or social standing can easily crumble if believers don’t pay their tithes to the church every month – 10% of their earnings. This message is not presented as advice, but as divine instruction.
Bushiri is one of the most influential and controversial Pentecostal prophets to emerge from southern Africa in the digital age. As journalist Pumza Fihlani writes:
This is a man who says he has cured people of HIV, made the blind see, changed the fortunes of the impoverished and, on at least one occasion, appeared to walk on air.
The growth of African evangelical movements has often been associated with self-styled pastors taking advantage of Africans who are already vulnerable. Their lives are characterised by socioeconomic failures of government, inadequate healthcare systems, beliefs in supernatural forces, and corruption-driven inequalities.
In recent years, Bushiri has been involved in a series of legal battles – including charges of financial crimes and sexual assault – leading to his exit from South Africa to Malawi, where he was born.
His sermons continue to reach masses of worshippers online, with 794,000 subscribers on YouTube alone at the time of writing. He says he has two million registered congregants today.
As media and communication scholars who are interested in religious communication, we analysed what his sermons can tell us about why his online presence is so successful.
We found that, like other rhetoric (persuasive language, for example by politicians or advertisers), his YouTube sermons are carefully framed narratives that promote ideas about faith, authority and prosperity. They strengthen the pastor’s personal influence over his audience and, at the same time, build his brand.
Who is Shepherd Bushiri?
Bushiri – called Major 1 by his followers – is the founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church. He rose to prominence in the 2010s through TV broadcasts and social media (he has 5.8 million followers on Facebook alone), presenting himself as a prophet with supernatural insight.
His ministry expanded rapidly across Africa and among Africans living overseas. Reports claim that Bushiri is one of the richest pastors in Africa. His ministry reflects what has been described as “prophetpreneurship” – the strategic blending of prophecy, charisma and business.
These descriptions raise interesting questions. How are prophetic authority and prosperity communicated to followers? And what role does digital media play in sustaining this influence?
Sermons as communication
To answer these questions, we turned to Bushiri’s YouTube sermons. Video-sharing platforms play a central role in African Christianity today. YouTube has the capacity to boost religious audiences. Sermons are watched on mobile devices, replayed repeatedly and shared across borders, often outside formal church spaces.
Rather than evaluating Bushiri’s teachings as “true” or “false”, our study focused on how his sermons communicate meaning. Sermons function as public communication. Like political speeches or advertising, they’re designed to persuade, inspire and guide behaviour.
We used Critical Discourse Analysis, a research method that examines language to uncover underlying messages about power, authority and values. This was supported by framing theory, which explains how speakers present issues through storylines. A frame is simply the angle through which a message is communicated.
Four dominant themes
The analysis identified four recurring frames in a selection of 10 of Bushiri’s YouTube sermons.
1. Paying to pray
It’s a human aspiration to want to prosper. In Bushiri’s 3 Types of Keys sermon, human prosperity is closely tied to financial giving, emphasising that God requires the “whole tithe”.
South African theologian Mookgo Solomon Kgatle argues this emphasis resembles a money cult. While the Bible has references to tithing, interpretation and context are crucial. When money is a condition for divine favour, faith risks becoming about moneymaking rather than spirituality.
The spirit of God is in your nostrils; if I can breathe on you, you will see the power of God.
This teaching seems rather simplistic, and shifts focus to the self-positioning of Bushiri as a super prophet whose very breath has spiritual power.
Scholars have noted that such practices, common among new prophetic churches, can oversimplify or misrepresent spiritual truths. Despite their emotional appeal, these teachings risk misleading followers by elevating a prophet’s opinion over the scripture and established Christian tradition.
3. Building the brand
Self-branding is common in business, but in religious contexts it can be intensified. Bushiri repeatedly presents himself as a channel of divine blessings, with what he calls his “contract-winning touch”.
He recounts testimonies from international visitors who said, “Papa touched me and the contract came.” He claims that when he touches someone, he leaves a spiritual “substance” on them.
This framing encourages dependency on him. Personal contact is a drawcard for those seeking jobs or “healing” from illness.
4. Media strategy
Digital media has allowed more people to have access to more religious content, but it also raises ethical concerns. Scholars have argued that media-mediated spiritual encounters can blur the line between what’s real and what’s a performance.
In The Perfect Will of God, Bushiri claims that physical distance does not limit spiritual connection. He claims he can anoint people through the screen.
Televised images of new prophet church leaders are often carefully constructed to project success and extraordinary spiritual power, reinforcing their authority. Bushiri, for example, once made headlines for apparently raising a man from the dead.
The role of YouTube
Digital platforms intensify these frames. On YouTube, sermons can be consumed privately, without immediate discussion or challenge from a physical faith community. Emotional moments – prophecies, miracles and dramatic testimonies – are rewarded by likes and comments, and can be enhanced by controversies.
Followers affirm their faith and loyalty in a video’s comments. Over time, this creates a sense of a global spiritual community centred on a single individual.
Digital religion is not only about spreading faith. It is also about expanding influence and, in some cases, monetising belief.
Why this matters
Religion plays a vital role in African societies, offering hope, identity and belonging. But religion, like all forms of communication, is not neutral. It is designed to achieve particular aims. Recognising this does not mean dismissing faith; it means engaging with it critically and responsibly.
For audiences navigating online spaces, learning to recognise persuasive strategies, religious or otherwise, is increasingly important.
Understanding how religious messages are framed can help believers make informed choices and encourage healthier forms of accountability in religious leadership.
– Prophets and profits: the art of the sell in Shepherd Bushiri’s YouTube sermons – https://theconversation.com/prophets-and-profits-the-art-of-the-sell-in-shepherd-bushiris-youtube-sermons-276277
