Not Just Observers Ep3: Does AI Really Benefit the Public? | Sovereignty | Strangers x Philani Mdingi [Tech4Good]

Dr Jane Munga on DPI, Geopolitics, and the India AI Summit

Is there a "Third Way" for African technology that avoids the binary choice between the US and China? In the wake of the 2026 India AI Impact Summit, I sit down with Africa Tech Policy expert, Dr Jane Munga, Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to unpack the shifting power structures of the global digital economy. This episode explores why the future of African sovereignty isn't found in a software stack, but also in the strength of our institutions.

Who Governs Africa's Waters? Maritime Security & BBNJ Explained

In this episode of StrangersX, Zainab Taonga Chirwa speaks with maritime security researcher David Willima from the Institute for Security Studies. We discuss how Africa’s coastal cities are facing growing insecurity, the opportunities and challenges in the blue economy, and how the BBNJ Treaty intersects with African sovereignty and digital infrastructure.

One Zambia, One Nation: Tribalism is Not a Campaign Strategy

Zambia is a country of many peoples, languages, and histories. That diversity is often described as our strength. However, it also places a responsibility on how we speak about one another, especially in moments of political competition.In this episode of StrangersX, Zainab Taonga Chirwa sits down with writer, communications specialist, and journalist Moono Chungu for a reflective conversation on identity, belonging, and national cohesion in Zambia.Drawing on her work and her public writing during the last election cycle, Moono reflects on why ethnic identity should never be treated as a campaign strategy, how political language shapes democratic culture, and what the phrase “One Zambia, One Nation” asks of leaders and citizens alike.This is not a partisan discussion, nor a debate about policies or personalities. It is a conversation about people, and about how we live together in difference, how trust is built or broken through language, and what it takes to hold a plural nation together beyond slogans.This episode opens a short StrangersX series reflecting on Zambia’s recent constitutional moment, beginning with democratic culture, belonging, and responsibility.

Not Just Observers Ep3: Does AI Really Benefit the Public? | Sovereignty | Strangers x Philani Mdingi [Tech4Good]

What does it mean to build artificial intelligence that genuinely serves the public good and who gets to decide? In this episode, I sit down with Philani Mdingi, Executive Director of Tech for Good and a seasoned technology leader known for delivering mission-aligned digital solutions for civil society and philanthropic networks. We explore the civic potential and political risks of AI in African contexts, and ask whether the current trajectories of innovation are truly aligned with public interest. Drawing from his experience leading digital security and tech strategy at global human rights organisations, Philani reflects on how African actors can shape AI systems that empower rather than exclude and why protecting digital infrastructure is foundational to democratic participation.

Ep 2: The New Scramble – How Africa’s Minerals Became the Frontline of the AI War | DRC-Rwanda Deal

The U.S.-brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda isn’t just about ending war, it’s about gaining access to the critical minerals that power artificial intelligence. From cobalt and coltan to lithium and gold, Africa’s mineral wealth has become the battlefield in a global race between China, the U.S., Europe, and tech giants like Tesla and Nvidia.In this episode of Not Just Observers, Zainab Taonga Chirwa breaks down the truth behind the June 2025 DRC-Rwanda "peace" deal. Why cobalt is the new oil in the AI economy? How African countries like Zimbabwe and the DRC are negotiating for sovereignty. The rise of Africa’s AI infrastructure, including Africa’s first Nvidia-backed AI factory. How civil society can drive "mineral diplomacy from below"This isn’t just a geopolitical drama, it’s a call to rethink African agency, technology, and justice.Subscribe for more episodes exploring tech, power, and policy from an African perspective.Dive deeper on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-1652... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFZ4MmljMzlWX3V6YWxIVm9iWlFxWnhEclZVZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuWVR1TGRzMl9mYzdYRHhsM2R0LUZvMmg3RWJTTV94eXZoVkkyd1UwZnFZVlFyVWV5Yy1faE1NR0NhR0Y0UFB0aDNLOVVHOXFFZ0J5bXA3aGdhb21leEZockNCSmdiOUluRnd0ZW9nSHR5ZFdQaUtMbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fhome%2Fpost%2Fp-165252738&v=VIKGlN-VVCM] Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Spotify & YouTube: @StrangersX