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  • Report Pins Zimbabwe on Arms Supply to FDLR Rebels

    {{The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi has released a sensational “intelligence report” by what he calls “rogue agents” claiming that Zimbabwe was supplying arms of war and training bandits to destabilise Rwanda.}}

    The report, which Vavi claimed was meant to discredit him, alleged, without giving evidence, that about 200 people were “undergoing crack commando training in insurgency, intelligence, guerrilla warfare and medic” at an unidentified farm in Bindura.

    It claimed the plot to destabilise Rwanda and other unmentioned South African neighbours was part of a grand plan by the United States through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a non-governmental organisation bankrolled by the US Congress.

    The report further alleged that the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T was also being sponsored by NED.

    Efforts to get a comment from Presidential spokesperson George Charamba were in vain as he was not picking up his mobile phone.

    Media and Information minister Webster Shamu said he could only comment after seeing the report. The report was then emailed to him, but he had not responded by the time of going to print.

    However, this is the first time the sensational claims have been made against Zimbabwe and the report did not categorically specify that the “bandits” were being trained by the government.

    Vavi released the sensational “intelligence report” a day after his suspension by Cosatu’s special central executive committee after a junior employee accused the trade unionist of rape. He admitted to having consensual sex with her. The woman subsequently withdrew a sexual harassment complaint against him.

    The report claims a South African arms dealer, Fana Hlongwane, was working with Zimbabwe Defence Industries chairperson Tshinga Dube to purchase weapons destined for Rwanda.

    “South African arms dealer is Fana Hlongwane and Zimbabwean dealer Colonel Tshinga Dube.

    Conclusive evidence can be obtained regarding all the information that I passed over, but it might take a while, the baseline is what we have is intelligence which is solid but not enough to have a watertight case,” the report claimed.

    However, contacted for comment last night, Dube refuted the allegations.

    “They are liars,” said Dube. “We are not enemies with Rwanda. Maybe they are confusing with DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) because we have supplied weapons to DRC, not rebels. DRC is a legitimate government.”

    He added: “We don’t deal with rebels in any form and we insist on an end user certificate. Hlongwane is a South African businessman and we have no relationship with him. The end user certificate has to be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Defence of a country.”

    The report claimed Rwandan fugitive Protais Mpiranya was responsible for the recruitment of bandits in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Mpiranya is a former commander of the Presidential Guard in Rwanda and is reportedly in Zimbabwe.

    “A group of 200 are undergoing crack commando training in insurgency, intelligence, guerilla warfare and medic in Zimbabwe. The group in Zimbabwe is handled by ex-millitary operatives who had operated in the Congo before and also senior army operatives who are active. They are on a farm in Bindura about 100km from Harare,” reads the report.

    “Is the government of Zimbabwe aware? Yes, they are aware, but not all of them.”
    On allegations of the MDC-T receiving funding from NED, the report claimed: “Morgan Tsvangirai is controlled by the NED and thereby the whole of MDC.”

    The report said: “NED knew Tsvangirai was going to be the Prime Minister one day and together with the USA ‘institutionalised the economy of Zimbabwe’.

    “There are diamonds now, there is also platinum and gold there. They will create a fiefdom, turn the economy into a powerhouse controlled by the USA, above all, they will remove the liberation movement,” the report said.

    MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora rubbished the claim.

    “That is extremely wrong,” said Mwonzora. “That is not true. The MDC-T gets its money from the Treasury in terms of the Political Parties Finances Act by virtue of being represented in Parliament. We are not controlled by NED.”

    The report also claimed that Botswana President Ian Khama and Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga were also in the pocket of NED.

    The report, whose authenticity could not be verified, alleged that Vavi was working with non-governmental organisations to topple the ANC-led government.

    The report further claimed that Vavi was intending to form a political party and was involved in the formation of the Agang South Africa political party along with academic and activist Mamphela Ramphele.

    Among senior ANC leaders mentioned in the report is party deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, former Human Settlements minister Tokyo Sexwale, Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, University of the Free State vice-chancellor Jonathan Jansen, political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki and Mail & Guardian proprietor Trevor Ncube.

    Ncube last night said: “It’s total nonsense.”

    Vavi said through his lawyers that Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini had been distributing the so-called intelligence report to Cosatu leaders, who were to attend the special central executive committee meeting on Wednesday.

    Vavi yesterday said he decided to challenge his suspension because Dlamini and other leaders who pushed for his removal were prejudiced. — Additional reporting from M&G.

    Source: {Newsday}

  • Rwanda Launches First Water Ambulance on Lake Kivu

    {{The Minister of Health Dr. Agnes Binagwaho accompanied by the Governor of the Western Province Celestin Kabahizi and officials from the Ministry of health and districts bordering Lake Kivu, has launched the water ambulance in the Lake Kivu at Karongi District}}.

    Until April, 2013, the Lake Kivu did not have any means of transportation for emergency situations such as critically ill patients or prenatal emergencies.

    Due to the efforts of the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of health, the Lake Kivu has their first water ambulance.

    The Boat worth Frw300,000,000 with the capacity of transporting 6 patients in emergency situations, it has 3 water ambulance pilots and 2 emergency care nurses.

    The ambulance has the speed of 60 km per hour. This mode of transportation will help expedite travel from Iwawa, Bugarura and Nkombe islands in the Lake Kivu for referral to Kibuye, Gisenyi, Kibogora, Kirinda, Mugonero, Gihundwe, district hospitals.

    The water ambulance will save thousands of lives and reduce infant and maternal mortality.

    The Minister of health said the water ambulance comes in the fulfillment of the promise made by H.E the President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame. Dr. Binagwaho requested the beneficiaries to rationally use the ambulance.

    “This water ambulance will help patients and pregnant mothers as well as victims of water accidents to quickly and timely access health services. “ Said Minister Binagwaho. She added that the transport is free of charge for patients who are subscribed to the Mutuelle de santé (the community health insurance scheme).

    Nyiraneza Chantal, a resident in Karongi district said, “ I am happy of this water ambulance as it is a solution for mothers and children who live near the Lake Kivu or in its island as we will access easily health services.”

    Ntakuvuganeza Thomas the head of Cyimbili Health Centre in Rutsiro district said that he is very satisfied with this water ambulance as before it was difficult to help pregnant mothers or other critically sick persons who live in islands in the Lake Kivu to be rescued and now they are saved in less than 30 minutes and referred to hospitals bordering the Lake Kivu.

    The water ambulance will serve Karongi, Rusizi, Rubavu, Nyamasheke and Rutsiro Districts in the Western Province.

  • German & Rwanda Police Forces to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

    The Vice President of the Federal Criminal Police of German, Prof. Stock Jurgen said police forces around the globe should strengthen their cooperation to leave no room for criminals, who commit offences in one country and hide in another.

    Prof. Stock made the call on Thursday while visiting Rwanda National Police. The visit, his first in the country, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two forces.

    “We are all facing same threats from the criminals around the global such as terrorism, drug traffickers and phenomena of cybercrime; so we have to stand together,” he stated.

    “Criminals should have no place to hide around the world. We have to work together to bring them to justice,” he added.

    “The Germany justice took action and we were able to arrest some of the Rwandan Genocide fugitives and…and there is close cooperation between German police and the Rwandan prosecution and Ministry of justice,” Prof. Stock explained.

    He commended Rwanda National Police for the strides taken in the last 13 years of existence and for being a professional force that gained confidence from those it’s mandated to serve.

    “We are impressed by the level of security on streets, homes. We are interested to learn the community policing approach; it’s an example of fighting crimes like domestic violence. It is a successful story here in Rwanda and it should be embraced by other forces,” he reiterated.

    He pledged continued support to Rwanda National Police.

    “We will be your ambassadors in policing, not only in German but also around the whole of Europe,” The Germany government and police in particular has been supporting Rwanda National in various policing fields, including training, forensics, supporting female peacekeepers and financed the construction of the Peace Support Operation training centre at the Police Training School in Gishari, for pre-deployment purposes.

    The German Ambassador to Rwanda, Peter Fahrenholz said Rwanda and its police’s success story, especially in fighting corruption should be a lesson to other countries.

    “It is important to have a well functioning force that protects human rights, and this is what I found in Rwanda,” Fahrenholz observed.

    “German remains committed to the development of Rwanda to become a middle income country,” he added.

    They also visited Kigali Forensic Laboratory (KFL), the anti-GBV block and Isange One-Stop Centre, a medical wing situated at the police hospital to offer free-medical, psychological and legal services to GBV victims.

    The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana thanked the German Federal Police for its efforts to arrest Genocide fugitives and members of the DRC-based terrorist group, FDRL.

    “We are seeing a booming cooperation. Your coming here is not only for your police; it’s a way of uniting police forces for the safer world,” the IGP said.

    Source:RNP

  • Citizens Arrest Woman With Cannabis

    {{Passengers at Nyabugogo bus terminal in Nyarugenge District, on Wednesday intercepted a woman after they found her with 20 kilogrammes of cannabis.}}

    The brave passengers apprehended Fatuma Uwamahoro red-handed with the illegal drug and handed her over to the police in the area.

    She is currently held at Muhima Police Station as investigations continue to arrest all those that are part of her illegal act.

    Uwamahoro, who confessed to the crime, said she was lured into the illegal business by a man she identified only as Shyaka.

    Apparently, she said, she had got the 20 kilogrammes of cannabis from him in Muhanga, which she was meant to sell in Kigali.

    She described Shyaka, who is still at large, as renowned drug dealer, who traffics the illegal plant into the country from other neighbouring states.

    The Central region police spokesperson, Senior Supt. Urbain Mwiseneza thanked the passengers for their brave act.

    “Together, we will give no space to such illegal acts, which affects the safety of our country,” he stated.

    Under article 594 of the penal code, any person, who unlawfully makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs within the country, is liable to a sentence of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf5 million.

    Source: {RNP}

  • Kenyan in Moscow hat-trick Delight

    {{Kenyan Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi cemented his status at the greatest steeplechaser of his generation by emulating his countryman Moses Kiptanui and securing a hat-trick of World titles with yet another supreme competitive performance.}}

    For much of 2013 he had to play second fiddle to his countryman, the 18-year-old rising star Conseslus Kipruto.

    Yet when it mattered most, once again, it was the veteran Kemboi who delivered the goods to triumph in this battle between young and old. Once more Kemboi was king.

    It was a ruthless display by the 31-year-old, who secured not only his third straight gold but also plundered a remarkable sixth successive steeplechase World medal after winning silvers in the 2003, 2005 and 2007 editions.

    Kipruto, who had boasted a two out of two winning record against his fabled countryman this season prior to today, had to concede defeat with the silver medal today, but surely his day will come.

    Back in bronze for a second successive World Championships was French athlete Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad who enjoyed another consistent championship performance.

    When the gun went for the start of the race many eyes in the stadium were fixed on an absorbing men’s High Jump competition rather than the 15 finalists in the steeplechase. The main protagonists all raced to the front Kenyans with Kipruto making a move to the head of the field.

    With a familiar forward-leaning style the teenager looks a little awkward when running and he passed the 1km mark in 2:45.96 from his countryman Paul Kipsiele Koech, the third fastest man in history, who so rarely has been given the chance to show his ability on the championship stage.

    The fourth Kenyan Abel Mutai, the Olympic bronze medallist was also prominent as was Uganda’s Jacob Araptany and Evan Jager of the USA.

    {CapitalFM}

  • UN Says Polio outbreak in Somalia Worse

    {{Aid workers in war-torn Somalia are struggling to contain a dangerous outbreak of the crippling polio virus, with rampant insecurity hampering efforts, the United Nations said Friday.}}

    Six years after the Horn of Africa nation was declared free of the virus, at least 105 cases have been confirmed in Somalia, the “worst outbreak in the world in a non-endemic country,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.

    “The polio outbreak plaguing Somalia has spread despite significant efforts to curb the disease,” OCHA added.

    While some four million people have been vaccinated, getting drugs to more than 600,000 children in southern and central Somalia — areas partly under control of the Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab, who block vaccination efforts — is “extremely challenging”, it added.

    “The inability to fully access these areas constitute a major threat to the control of the outbreak,” the statement read, warning that “Somalia remains one of the most difficult and dangerous environments in the world for aid workers.”

    While over 100 cases of children have been recorded, “the fact that this number of children show symptoms of paralysis means that there are probably thousands more with the virus, who do not have symptoms, but are capable of spreading it,” OCHA added.

    Around 10 cases have also been reported in northeastern Kenya, which hosts almost half a million Somali refugees in sprawling camps.

    In Somalia, while the bulk of cases are in the southern and central regions, the outbreak has also spread to self-declared independent Somaliland in the northwest.

    Polio is spread by person-to-person contact, exacerbated by poor sanitation and a lack of clean water.

    Multiple armies are fighting for control of southern Somalia, including rival warlords, Islamist extremists and a rag-tag national army backed by a 17,700-strong African Union force.

    Aid workers report growing attacks on their staff.

    {Nation}

  • Sudan Says Floods Situation Doesn’t Amount to “Disaster”

    {{The Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil Elaraby called on member states to provide urgent humanitarian relief to the victims of floods and heavy rainfall that hit large parts of Sudan this month.}}

    in a statement issued Thursday, Elaraby appealed to Arab countries and their affiliated organizations as well as the local NGOs to send aid on a rush basis to the Sudanese government to help it provide the basic needs of more than 150,000 people affected by the floods which led to mass displacement and destruction of more than 26,000 homes.

    Elaraby said that the Arab League will continue to be in touch with Khartoum to get updates on items it needs to deal with the floods and the resulting humanitarian crisis.

    Yesterday, Kuwait joined a string of countries which announced that it will dispatch $2.5 million in relief supplies to Sudan as decided by cabinet meeting.

    “The decision was taken after assessing hard conditions of the brotherly Sudanese people, as a result of the floods and heavy rains that inflicted extensive losses,” the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in told Kuwait’s official news agency (KUNA on Wednesday.

    “The cabinet has instructed Kuwait Red Crescent Society to coordinate with the Foreign Ministry to secure the relief supplies as soon as possible,” Kuna reported.

    So far the United States, Japan, Qatar, Egypt and Ethiopia have sent aid to Sudan though more help is believed to be needed.

    On Thursday, the Sudanese interior minister Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid told reporters that his ministry’s figures show that 53 people were killed, 77 inured, 40,578 families affected, 20,207 homes completely collapsed and 21,999 partially damaged, 3,000 heads of livestock perished and 251 public buildings were impacted that were primarily schools.

    But the minister insisted that the losses so far do not warrant declaring Sudan a “disaster area” which would potentially help solicit more external aid and stressed that the situation is under control.

    Hamid added that the Nile river levels at the Murgan station in Khartoum registered 17.4 meters.

    The governor of Khartoum state Abdel-Rahman al-Khidir today disclosed his state was hit by 2 billion cubic meters of water stressing that it could have inflicted significant damage if it wasn’t for the existing drainage points.

    Sudan’s chief weather forecaster warned on Thursday that more floods should be expected in the coming days.

    “According to our information there is heavy rain in Ethiopia, and we expect flooding in the coming days,” Abdallah Khiar told reporters according tto Agence France Presse (AFP) .

    Rains in Ethiopia feed into the Blue Nile river which runs to Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.

    He called on imams to urge citizens and young people to contribute to discharging water in residential neighborhoods and contribute to the fund established by the state to support those affected.

    Al-Khidir hailed the role of national organizations, particularly the Red Crescent, saying it is playing an active role in correlation with the state to account for those affected and help in delivering aid to them.

    The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Thursday that it launched an emergency appeal for 918,554 Swiss francs ($983,670) to help 35,000 people in Khartoum and River Nile states..

    Eight states in Sudan have been hit by flooding triggered by heavy rains that started in early August, damaging schools, health clinics, shops, markets and sanitation facilities, IFRC said.

    “The hardest hit areas include the states of Khartoum, Gezira, Northern and River Nile,” the IFRC added.

    “Some displaced families, mostly women and children, are camping along the tarmac road, others have found shelter staying with relatives who have homes on higher ground,” the group added.

    Source: {Sudantribune}

  • Kenya Fuel Prices Rise

    {{Kenyans will pay more for fuel after the energy regulator raised retail petrol, diesel and kerosene prices following increased global oil prices, higher import cost and the inclusion of rail levy.}}

    The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Wednesday directed the price of petrol to be increased by Shs803 [Ksh2.74] per litre to Shs3,277 [Ksh112.26] and that of diesel by Shs46.3 [Ksh1.58] to Shs3,070 [Ksh104.44] per litre in Nairobi.

    The prices of kerosene in the City have increased 5.5 per cent to Shs2,450 [Kshh83.93] per litre.

    This is likely to pile pressure on poor households who mostly use kerosene for lighting and cooking.

    The new prices will took effect on yesterday, and will be in force for a month.

    This is the second time in four months that motorists are paying more for fuel.

    In a statement on Wednesday, the regulator attributed the hike in fuel price to rising global oil prices, higher import cost and the inclusion of the 1.5% Railway Development Levy introduced by the government in June.

    Though the import cost for petrol fell marginally by 1%, this did not stop its prices from increasing due to the rail levy.

    {NMG}

  • South African & Namibian Port Authorities Sign MoU

    {{South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Namibian Port Authority (Namport) to share technical expertise and help develop competitiveness of trade in the region.

    The MoU is the second agreement TNPA has signed with ports in Southern and Eastern Africa following its MoU with the Maputo Port Development Corporation in June 2013.}}

    Tau Morwe, chief executive of TNPA said, “Given the strategic similarities of our respective ports from a geographic perspective and the proximity to industrial zones we recognise the importance of improving our relationship and collaboration.”

    The collaboration is expected to result in the sharing of maritime experiences and exchange of technical expertise in relation to port management, port operations, port environment and security as well as training of employees, TNPA said.

    Information sharing will include policies on a wide range of topics such as infrastructure development, improving the port environment and commercial waterfront development which will help enhance trade and maritime services, the authority added.

    Bisey Uirab, chief executive of Namport said the agreement will also contribute to the competitiveness of the SADC region’s trade through the efficient, reliable and cost-effective supply of port service.

    Regional integration is in line with Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy which calls for a review of the state-owned entity’s role in the development of the East-West logistics corridor.

    Morwe said, “We believe that in a spirit of co-operation we can be exponentially more efficient and play a key role in lifting intra-regional trade within the SADC region from its current level of 12%.

    “What we can achieve remains to be seen, but we should aspire to achieve the figures of other leading regional economic communities such as those of Asia and Europe where intra-regional trade is in the region of 60%.”

    Morwe added, “In reality, it means that Namport can access the capacity and expertise of TNPA at a lower cost than that of European or Eastern ports.

    For example, the Maritime School of Excellence, a leader in marine training on the continent, is available for technical and maritime training as is our port planning and engineering expertise and Safety, Health and Quality (SHEQ) expertise.”

  • Scandal as Botswana deports 90-year-old Zim man

    {{The Botswana government on Thursday defended its decision to deport an ailing 90-year-old Zimbabwean man who is believed to have lived in the country for seven decades.}}

    Facing public outcry over the deportation, Labour and Home Affairs Minister Edwin Batshu told parliament that illegal immigrant Alfred Khumalo had asked to be sent home because he was “sleeping rough”.

    Immigration officials found Khumalo earlier this month at a hospital in Botswana’s central region, where he was receiving treatment, reportedly for a stroke.

    The minister said the nonagenarian told officials that he was from Kevi village in Zimbabwe and had relatives in Botswana.

    “He had a clear mind of his birth place and lineage. He had no means of support and was sleeping rough and living hard,” said Batshu.

    But eyewitnesses told local media that the frail old man put up resistance as he was bundled into a deportation van.

    The authorities said they had no evidence how long Khumalo had been in the country and that there were no records of any application for citizenship.

    Diamond-rich Botswana has seen an influx of immigrants, most recently in the wake of Zimbabwe’s political crisis, which began a decade ago.

    Botswana has some of the strictest immigration regulations in southern Africa.

    Relations between the Botswana government and Zimbabwe have also not been good in recent years.

    Following President Robert Mugabe’s resounding electoral victory this month, his Botswana counterpart Ian Khama was the first to call for an “audit” of the results arising from opposition protests.

    NMG