In this episode of The Long Form, I sit down with legendary journalist and thinker Charles Onyango-Obbo, a pioneer of East African journalism and a man whose career has intersected with some of the region’s most defining moments.

We talk about his frontline coverage of the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the 1990s civil war, the political legacy of President Paul Kagame, the uncertain transition in Uganda after Museveni, and which war-torn states—Somalia, DRC, South Sudan, Burundi—might surprise us in the next 15 years.

Charles also reflects on media, memory, and mortality: Can great journalism still thrive in the age of short attention spans? Would he change anything? And what gives him hope — or fear — about the future of East Africa?

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About Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya:

The Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya is a weekly podcast intent on keeping you up to date with current affairs in Rwanda. The topics discussed range from politics, business, sports to entertainment.

If you want to share your thoughts on the topics I discuss use the hashtag #LongFormRw on Twitter and follow us on Twitter and Instagram on our handle @TheLongFormRw

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