To a certain point, this statement could be correct. However, it is not always correct that understanding the political development in the Horn of Africa, great lakes and east Africa demands actual presence in the political liberation movements in the bush.
I presume you meant for sure to have some knowledge in the bush by being in touch with such movements in the bush and have access to see their daily lives during the revolution, but only sometimes.
Keeping in touch with any revolution before it came to win the political power and rule the state is very important to follow the development of the free state. People could actually read many books written by eyewitnesses.