In a significant move for climate justice and information integrity across Africa, the Magamba Network has proudly launched UKWELI, a groundbreaking, African-led resource designed to counter the rapidly escalating threat of climate disinformation.
Unveiled on December 10th via a virtual webinar, UKWELI—meaning "truth" in Swahili—is not a traditional report, but a dynamic, practical toolbox. It is specifically tailored for frontline communicators, journalists, community leaders, and policymakers across the continent.
The goal is to equip them with the essential skills needed to fight back against the "torrent of deliberate lies" about climate change that the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) warns is "accelerating the crisis, turning it into a catastrophe.”
The urgency for UKWELI is underscored by Magamba Network's research, which reveals that climate falsehoods in Africa are not random "noise," but an organized and financed "weapon." This disinformation is actively pushed by powerful entities, including fossil fuel interests, Big Tech, political actors, and foreign lobbyists. The purpose of these falsehoods is clear: to stall climate action, distort public debate, and undermine the resilience of African communities.
“Our African information ecosystem is being polluted by the same people polluting our air, our lands and our rivers,” said Samm Farai Monro, Magamba Network Creative Director.
“UKWELI gives us the tools to fight back against these disinformation strategies... so that we leapfrog to a people-powered, clean energy future.”
The launch aligns with a pivotal moment at the recent COP30 summit, where Information Integrity officially took centre stage. Governments acknowledged that the fight against climate disinformation is now inseparable from the fight for climate justice. This commitment was formally recognized in the landmark Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, signed by over fifteen countries.
Magamba’s own preceding effort, the "Log Off the Lies" campaign launched in October 2025, has already exposed coordinated networks spreading climate falsehoods across Africa, cementing UKWELI’s role as a critical next step in defending the truth.
UKWELI stands out as a user-ready guide created for Africa, by Africans. It is uniquely grounded in Indigenous knowledge and lived African experiences, reflecting the continent’s distinct information landscape. Its content was shaped through the insights of climate researchers, storytellers, technologists, and grassroots communities to ensure maximum relevance and impact.