Today, we’re diving into the story of a man whose leadership is helping reshape how immigrants engage in American public life — Pious Ali, and the network he founded called AELA, the African Immigrant Elected Leaders of America.

AELA is a national organization that connects and supports African-born elected officials serving in the U.S. It helps them share ideas, mentor one another, and build bridges with other communities — from African Americans to Asian, Caribbean, and Latinx leaders.

Through AELA, Pious Ali is showing that immigrant leadership is not just about representation — it’s about participation, collaboration, and transformation.

And that’s our story for today — Pious Ali, AELA, and the growing impact of immigrant leadership in America.

From Portland, Maine, to cities across the country, immigrant leaders are stepping up, mentoring one another, and building bridges across communities — from African and Caribbean to Asian and Latinx populations, and beyond.

At Amjambo Time, we celebrate these voices, their courage, and their contributions to making democracy stronger, more inclusive, and more representative of everyone.

Thank you for tuning in. I’m Eloge Willy Kaneza.
Keep listening, stay connected, and remember: when immigrant communities rise together, they change the world.

On September 3, the University of Southern Maine launched a new initiative called the Forum on American Democracy. The inaugural keynote speaker was Dr. Eboo Patel, interfaith leader, author, and founder of Interfaith America.

In this episode, we take you inside Hannaford Hall in Portland, where Patel challenged the audience to think of democracy not as something fixed or inherited, but as a living, daily practice. He drew on the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s founders, and thinkers like John Stuart Mill and Martin Luther King Jr., reminding us that the health of democracy depends on how we treat one another across lines of faith, race, and identity.

Stay with us as we share Patel’s vision, and what it means for Maine’s growing, diverse communities.

Today we heard Eboo Patel remind us that democracy is not only about elections or institutions—it’s about the everyday choices we make to respect differences, engage in dialogue, and work together for the common good.

In a state like Maine, where new communities continue to enrich our neighborhoods, Patel’s words carry both a challenge and a promise: diversity can be a source of division, or it can be our greatest strength.

Thank you for tuning in. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share, and join us again for more conversations that matter. And don’t forget to follow Amjambo Africa and Amjambo Time on our social media platforms to stay connected with the stories and voices that shape our community.

Until next time, stay engaged, stay hopeful, and keep building community.

Kaze mu kiganiro "Wiriwe Maine ". Tugaruka kw'ifatwa ry'abantu ( Abimukira) rimaze igihe rivugwa kuva Perezida Donald Trump agarutse ku butegetsi bagirizwa kuba muri Amerika badakwije ivya ngombwa. Muri kino kiganiro tuvuga ku musore w'Umurundi yirukanywe hadakurikijwe amategeko ariko aragarukanwa ku butaka bwa Amerika kubera umunyamategeko wiwe yarurwanye. Umutumire ni Cassius Shirambere yahoze arongoye ishirahamwe ry'Abarundi baba muri Leta ya Maine. Agaruka ku mpanuro zitari nke na cane cane agahamagarira abantu kugira umuco wo kurondera abanyamategeko babunganira. Yaganiriye na mugenzi wacu Bigoro Ernest Ndayisaba. Kino kiganiro mukigezwaho na Eloge Willy Kaneza.

Welcome to Amjambo Time, a show of Amjambo Africa. I’m your host, Eloge Willy Kaneza. Fear divides us. But together, with courage and compassion, we can build a community where everyone belongs.In this episode, we bring you the story of Ifraax Saciid-Ciise, the founder and executive director of Ifka Community Services in Lewiston, Maine. Growing up as an immigrant herself, Ifraax has dedicated her life to helping others navigate the challenges of displacement, integration, and survival in the face of fear.We’ll talk about what it means to live in a climate of distrust, how families are coping, the struggles around youth violence and mental health, and the powerful ways Ifraax and her community are resisting fear with hope.Stay with me - this is Amjambo TimeYou’ve been listening to Amjambo Time. I’m your host, Eloge Willy Kaneza.Ifraax Saciid-Ciise’s story reminds us that fear may divide us, but hope, courage, and compassion can bring us together. In Lewiston, and in every community, the work of building trust and belonging continues ,and it depends on all of us.Thank you for joining me today. To hear more stories that connect, inspire, and inform, be sure to follow Amjambo Time wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, take care — and let’s keep building communities where everyone belongs.

Hello and welcome to Amajmabo Time, the podcast where we share powerful stories of migration, identity, and resilience. I’m your host, Eloge Willy Kaneza.
Today, we bring you a touching story from Portland, Maine .  The book talks about Dutiful to Hooyo by Dr. Abdullahi M. Ahmed.
In Somali, “Hooyo” means “mother,” and in this moving work, Dr. Ahmed honors the strength, love, and sacrifice of Somali mothers everywhere.

Welcome to Amjambo Time, a podcast that brings you stories of resilience, creativity, and connection, from immigrant and refugee communities in Maine, and from voices around the world. I’m your host, Eloge Willy Kaneza.

In today’s episode, I’m honored to speak with acclaimed visual artist Daniel Minter. Through sculpture, painting, and community collaboration, his work carries memory, uplifts identity, and resists silence.

As Daniel says, “When your rights are denied, shout with color.” Together, we explore what it means to create in the face of injustice, to remember where we come from, and to imagine a future where everyone belongs. Let’s get started.

That’s all for this episode of Amjambo Time. A huge thank-you to our guest, Daniel Minter, for reminding us that art can be resistance, that memory is power, and that,as he puts it: “even when our words are silenced, there’s still music, there’s still clay, there’s still color.”

Amjambo Time is produced by me, Eloge Willy Kaneza, for Amjambo Africa. We bring you voices from Maine and beyond, stories that connect communities and cross continents.

Be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Until next time—stay curious, stay connected, and keep listening.

What happens when the President of South Africa sits down with the President of the United States — and the conversation turns unexpectedly toward “white genocide,” land reform, and racial history?

In this episode of Amjambo Time — Shaping the World’s Voices, host Éloge Willy Kaneza explores the controversial May 21 meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Donald Trump at the White House. We revisit what was said, what was implied, and why it matters — not just for U.S.-South Africa relations, but for the entire African continent.

Our guest, Dr. Philip Ademola Olayoku, offers expert insight into the strategic stakes, the media spectacle, and the deeper symbolism of this diplomatic encounter — from trade deals and raw materials to propaganda, race politics, and international image-building.

 Don’t miss this essential episode about power, perception, and Africa’s place in a shifting global order.

In a major diplomatic development, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a declaration of principles in Washington—under the watchful eye of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The agreement, signed on April 25, is being called a milestone toward reviving the stalled peace process.The declaration calls for respect of sovereignty, ending support for armed groups, and finding real solutions for refugees and displaced .Rwanda says it is currently hosting over 100,000 Congolese refugees.But even as the ink dried, the tone was frosty—no handshake between the ministers. Still, both sides acknowledged the significance of the U.S. role. Rwanda’s Olivier Nduhungirehe credited President Trump with shifting the tone of diplomacy, linking peace efforts to economic partnerships and U.S. investment in the region.The deal even includes plans for regional economic cooperation—focused on mining and infrastructure—with U.S. companies expected to play a major role.







Dr. Oluwole Ojawale, a leading peace and conflict scholar, believes there’s a strong chance this U.S.-brokered dialogue could actually lead to a formal peace agreement. According to him, ‘the possibilities are very high—largely because of the standing of the mediator, who carries significant influence on both parties.’With Washington pushing for a regional reset—and the mineral stakes growing by the day—the world is watching to see whether diplomacy will finally triumph over decades of distrust.