The use of Sports as a Propaganda Tool

Abstract

The problem that was investigated by the current thesis was Mobutu’s motivation for hosting the Rumble in the Jungle in the Congo and the perception this had created in the world press. Although previous scholars have explored the potential reasons why Mobutu decided to use sports as a propaganda tool in his political strategy, some aspects remained underexplored. More analysis was needed to determine what guided Mobutu’s actions when designing this propaganda strategy, and whether these actions were designed for Mobutu’s personal gain as opposed to the benefit of the post-independence Congo. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the ways, in which Mobutu used sports, both the Rumble and football more generally, in post-independence Congo as a propaganda tool for personal gains as opposed to Congo’s interests. The chosen research design for this study was the qualitative case study with thematic analysis. I explored the coverage of his efforts in the world press in order to achieve the purpose of this study. I targeted newspapers (such as France Football, Salongo, and Le Soir, among others) published between 1970 and 1975 when President Mobutu directed significant resources toward sports, as well as the interviews with the key figures from the Rumble in the Jungle event from the movie “When We Were Kings.” This study also explored how and why Mobutu used sports to advance the above two aspects that have not been fully explored in the current research. This helped to gather a greater understanding as to why sports were used as political propaganda. The significance of addressing this problem provided valuable knowledge and insights as to how Mobutu used sports as a powerful propaganda tool for personal gains while risking Congo’s interests. When reviewing the extracts from the newspapers published around the 1974 World Cup, it became clear that they had one thing in common – all displayed significant nationalism and ideology, which were heavily defined by Mobutu. The newspapers held respect for Zaire’s national and cultural heritage through images and headlines, often in line with Mobutu’s speeches or ideologies. The magazines dedicated entire articles to Mobutu, stating that, with thanks to their president, the Zairian team was able to enjoy many privileges as a result of winning the game, thus painting a positive public image. Another source of analysis in this study was the documentary “When We Were Kings which presented a historic overview of the event. Mobutu was strategic in his choice of boxers, choosing two of the best boxers in America and inviting them to fight in Zaire. Unquestionably, Rumble in the Jungle was a political move for Mobutu. Initially, the idea was considered unreasonable and illogical, especially after losing millions during the 1974 World Cup and the short-term planning timescale. Mobutu used his sports activities as a way of mobilizing the masses and spreading his influence further across the continent and as the way the case with Rumble in the Jungle, across the entire world.