IGIHE

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  • U.S. tells citizens in Yemen to leave immediately

    The United States told its citizens in Yemen on Tuesday to leave immediately and ordered the evacuation of non-essential U.S. government staff because of the threat of terrorist attacks.

    The State Department announcement was the latest warning since Washington issued a worldwide travel alert on Friday that prompted the closure of several Western embassies in Yemen and U.S. missions across the Middle East and Africa.

    Based on intelligence including intercepted communication between al Qaeda leaders, Washington has warned of possible attacks in the region.

    Some officials pinpointed Yemen, home to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), one of the most active affiliates of the network established by Osama bin Laden and where the United States uses drones to hunt militants.

    On Tuesday, its latest sortie killed four.

    “The Department urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Yemen and those U.S. citizens currently living in Yemen to depart immediately,” the statement posted on its website said.

    “On August 6, 2013, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from Yemen due to the continued potential for terrorist attacks,” it added.

    Britain said on Tuesday it had withdrawn all staff from its embassy in the capital Sanaa, adding there was “a very high threat of kidnap from armed tribes, criminal and terrorists”.

    Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi criticized the measures but said they would not affect relations with the United States.

    “Unfortunately, these measures, although they are taken to protect their citizens, in reality they serve the goals that the terrorist elements are seeking to achieve,” Qirbi told Reuters.

    “Yemen had taken these threats seriously and had taken all the necessary measures to protect all the foreign missions in the country,” he added.

    Restoring stability in Yemen has become a priority for the United States and its Gulf allies, concerned about al Qaeda militants operating in a country that adjoins top oil export Saudi Arabia and overlooks major shipping lanes.

    Reuters

  • Kiramuruzi Executive Secretary Accused of Beating Cell Official

    {{Reports from Gatsibo district indicate that there is bad blood between the Executive secretary of Kiramuruzi Sector Munyaburanga Joseph and the executive secretary of Gakenke cell Kayumba Charles.}}

    IGIHE has reliably learnt that disagreements between the two officials has reached dangerous levels.

    Recently on July 16, Munyaburanga is alleged to have stormed into Kayumba’s office, grabbed his neck and strangled him demanding that he handsover office Keys orlese he squeezes air out of him.

    Admnistratively the Executive sectrary at Cell level reports to the Executive Secretary at Sector Level but this is not what has reportedly been happening between Munyaburanga and Kayumba.

    For some time the office of Executive Sectrary at Gakenke Cell was vaccant and Uwingabiye Theophila the official incharge of Social Affairs had been the acting Executive Secretary at Gakenke until recently when Kayumba was appointed.

    Kayumba told IGIHE in an exclusive interview that ever since he tookover as Executive Secretary at Gakenke, his boss Munyaburanga continued to only work with Uwingabiye yet she was nolonger the acting Executive Secretary at the Cell.

    “Munyaburanga doesn’t follow the admnistrative bureaucracy. He channels documents to Uwingabiye instead of directly contacting my office. I asked him why he behaves this way and he didn’t answer,” Kayumba explained to IGIHE.

    Kayumba said that Munyaburanga usually sent reports and directives to the Cell Office through Uwingabiye instead of directly channelling them to him—thus most reports from the cell are never signed by Kayumba but Uwingabiye.

    In an attempt to resolve the dispute, Kayumba sought the intervention of Gatsibo District authorities. The two officials were summoned to explain their wrangles on July 15.

    Munyaburanga is said to have told the district pannel on July 15, that Kayumba was habouring Genocide Ideology. However, Kayumba told IGIHE that; “when the district pannel pressed Munyaburanga for evidence, he produced none.”

    Kayumba is said to have asked the pannel to incquire from Munyaburanga why he faults admnistrative procedures and protocol and also undermining his office.

    When contacted to explain why she also undermined her boss, Uwingabiye told IGIHE that she was not authorised to make any comments saying, “I’m not concerned about what happens between Munyaburanga and Kayumba.”

    In the annual performance contracts Munyaburanga awarded Kayumba very low points which Kayumba says was an attempt to influence the District to sack him but instead retained him.

    However, in an exclusive intervew, Munyaburanga told IGIHE that there was no any such dispute with Kayumba and that work was going on well.

    He denied reports that he strangled Kayumba in attempt to dislodge him from Cell office after the district refused to sack him despite poor marks appended to his performance; “I didn’t strangle him and I cannot do such a thing,” he said.

    Gatisbo district mayor Ruboneza Ambroise confirmed to IGIHE that he was aware of the dispute between Munyaburanga and Kayumba and that a commission had been instituted to investigate the matter.

    The mayor also said that there was no evidence that Munyaburanga had strangled Kayumba.

    Ruboneza also accused Kayumba of not appearing in office and that’s why Munyaburanga channels reports through Uwingabiye that is always present at the Cell office.

    However, Residents at Gakenke told IGIHE that Kayumba is always availbale at the office but the working relationship between him and Munyaburanga was not good.

    They also said, that whenever, Kayumba is not at the office, he provides them with a date when he would be available for them.

    anthere@igihe.rw

  • 2 Men Arrested over Grenade Attack are FDLR Rebels

    {{Two men are being held in connection with the recent grenade attack at Nyabugogo that killed 3 people and injuring over 32 others.}}

    The suspects currently held at Kicukiro Police station have been identified as Ntakirutimana Jean de Dieu aka “Rafiki” from Rusizi district and Mugabonake Jean de Dieu from Bugesera district.

    The two alleged that the grenades they blew off at Nyabugogo were given to them by one Col. Bizimana Enock aka Matovu a member of the FDLR rebel group currently based in Eastern DRCongo.

    The suspects who recently returned from DRCongo jungles, have also been members of FDLR rebel group. They said that Bizimana sent the grenades to them through someone from DRCongo.

    ACP Theos Badege the Rwanda national Police spokesperson told media that the two were arrested at the border attempting to cross into DRCongo adding that more other suspects are also in detention.

    Ntakirutimana confessed to Police that he indeed blew off the grenade at Nyabugogo.

    However, his collegue Mugabonake denied any involvement saying he was arrested by police in Bugesera while he was riding his bicycle and claimed he didn’t know Ntakirutimana until recently when he met him in detention.

    According to Police Mugabonake offered accomodation to Ntakirutimana after he had returned from DRCongo.

    Ntakirutimana said he left Rwanda when he was 4years and was later recruited into the ranks of FDLR.

    Ntakirutimana is married to Mugabonake’s sister.

    When Ntakirutimana was preparing to return to Rwanda from DRCongo, he said he was briefed by the FDLR that he would later be sent grenades while in Rwanda.

    Thus while in Rwanda at Bugesera, Mugabonake is said to have taken Ntakirutimana around Kigali and other places that would be targeted.

  • Bugesera to Host ICT Camp for Rwandan Female Secondary School Students

    {{Camp TechKobwa an ICT camp for Rwandan secondary school students is being organised by volunteers from the Peace Corps, Girls In ICT Rwanda and kLab. }}

    The camp will run from the 5th to the 9th of August 2013 and will be held at Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in Gashora Sector/ Bugasera District.

    The camp will host 48 female students from different secondary schools in Rwanda.

    The volunteers, led by Lyla Fujiwara,a Peace Corps volunteer and Computer Science Teacher at Gashora Girls Academy, were inspired by Rwanda’s resilient and ever growing energy for information technology and communications.

    The purpose of Camp TechKobwa is to provide the students with unhindered access to computers in order to develop skills and creativity in using technology as well as to inspire them as the next generation of Rwandan technology entrepreneurs.

    The camp will encourage the young women to become active citizens by building their self-esteem and confidence, and empower them to start computer and media clubs with their ICT teachers upon return to their schools.

    In partnership between Girls in ICT Rwanda, kLab, and the Peace Corps, Camp TechKobwa is an ideal way to offer adolescent girls self-development opportunities in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

    During the camp, different role models for students have been invited. On Wednesday there will be a Women in the Media panel and on Thursday there will be a Women in Tech panel.The camp is completely free of charge to every participant.

    This was made possible through the work of the volunteers from as well as financial support from the Peace Corps and the Ministry of Youth & ICT. www.techkobwa.org
    Members of the press are invited to attend the closing ceremony of the camp that will take place at 13h00 on Friday the 9th of August 2013.

  • Two held over illegal businesses

    Celestine Muvuzankwaya and Theogene Ndahiro, both resident of Masoro sector of Rulindo District were apprehended on Saturday in connection with illegal trade.

    Muvuzankwaya is said to have been stealing coltan from Rutongo mines while is charged with distilling and selling illegal brew in the area.

    Muvuzankwaya, who was on the list of mineral smugglers in the district, was found with six kilogrammes of coltan while Ndahiro was found with 460 litres of illegal brew, at the time of their arrest.

    This is the second time in just less than a month Ndahiro is arrested over drug related crimes. On July 13, he was arrested with 440 litres of illegal brew.

    Fighting drug abuse, which is reported high among the youth, is one of the Rwanda National Police priorities.

    The duo was apprehended in a police targeted operation conducted in the ewe hours of Saturday to crackdown on wrongdoers.

    Jean Paul Musoni, a security guard at Rutongo mines told police that Muvuzankwaya, who is currently detained at Murambi Police Station, is part of the group that has been stealing the lucrative stones from the site since 2009.
    Chief Supt. Francis Gahima, the Northern Region Spokesperson, warned that “police will not relent” until those involved in “any illegal act” are arrested.

    “The country’s future will be in jeopardy, if the youth, future leaders, become slaves of drugs, which lure them into other criminal acts like theft, assault and defilement,” Chief Supt. Gahima noted.

    “But Rwandans have responded positively towards such unwanted acts in our societies, giving us information on people who destabilize the peace and security in communities,” he added.

    “We need the public’s continued cooperation to secure our communities,” he reiterated.

    RNP

  • Somali gov’t Urged to take over Kismayo

    The summit of regional heads of state from the African countries with troops in Somalia has directed that the Somali Federal Government should take over control of Kismayo.

    The decision came at the end of a Friday meeting for AMISOM troops-contributing countries meant to harmonize the ongoing approach in building a peaceful Somalia.

    The heads of state who met in Kampala included Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni,Uhuru Kenyatta, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, and Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

    The summit was preceded by a meeting of regional ministers of foreign affairs and defence and high-level officials from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Uganda.

    Present were Fawzia Adam, the Somali deputy Prime Minister; Hassan Darar Houfaneh, the defence minister of Djibouti; Gabriel Nizigama, the Burundian minister of public security and Andrew Bangali the AU permanent representative for Sierra Leone.

    The summit resolved that in accordance with the Provisional Federal Constitution of Somalia, the control of the Kismayo seaport and airport should be handed over to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).

    Minister Fawzia said that the Federal Government is in talks with the various political groups in Kismayo. And that a lasting solution in Kismayo requires the establishment of government institutions with the help and support of AMISOM.

    The summit pledged that the region will support Somalia to establish its authority in the Jubba Regions especially its control of state-owned federal infrastructure including the seaport and airport.

    They also said that in line with UN Security Council resolutions, the ban on the exportation of charcoal should be adhered to and all militias should be integrated into the Somalia National Security Forces except those associated with the Al Shabaab .

    The summit also said that the UN Security Council resolution which sets February 28, 2014 as the deadline for implementing the AMISOM peace enforcement mandate is premature and uncalled for. That this would undo the hard-won gains on the ground.

    NV

  • China & India Scramble for Business in Africa

    {{Throughout Africa – at building sites, on the street, and at ports and airports – the Chinese presence is growing.}}

    Competing for a slice of the wealth along with traditional stakeholders are new ones such as Brazil and South Korea – and India, China’s neighbour.

    India suffered a humiliating military defeat at the hands of China in 1962 and has been wary of its intentions.

    The long-standing border dispute has been a major sticking point for the two countries.

    With demand for resources to fuel both their growing economies rising, the contest between the two giants is playing out in different parts of the world.

    The main campus of Nairobi University is one such place.

    In a corner here, workers from the China Wu Yi company are working to build a futuristic 21-storey tower, complete with lecture halls, for up to 3,000 students and a helipad.

    “Once it is completed in two years, this building will be one of the tallest structure around,” says Prof Sa Dequan, head of the university’s Chinese language and cultural teaching centre.

    China Wu Yi was helped by the Chinese government to gain access to Kenya, but now it is handling 18 projects here.

    Not long ago, it completed a section of the eight-lane, 50km Thika Superhighway, described as Kenya’s pride.

    This kind of push by the Chinese government, say Indians, is helping their neighbour to steal a march on them.

    “Indians have been in Kenya and this continent for more than 200 years. Why have they not developed the industry like the Chinese have done in the last 10 to 15 years?” asks Kenyan-born businessman Muljibhai Pindolia, who is of Indian descent.

    He says the reason lies with the active involvement of Beijing. “With our own resources, we cannot develop the way those with government support can.”

    India’s $65bn (£44bn) of trade with Africa is dwarfed by China’s $200bn.

    Chinese companies are active across the continent with big infrastructure projects, including ports, railways and sports stadiums.

    By contrast, Indian initiatives are led by individual companies looking to expand in sectors such as telecoms, agriculture, the automotive industry and education.

    “Indian companies do the risk assessment in a more systematic manner whereas the Chinese just jump upon the work and they do it very fast. And they get the result,” says Manoj Gupta, head of Indian multinational Jindal Steel and Power in Mozambique.

    {{Fighting for resources}}

    With its abundance of coal and new gas finds, Mozambique is attracting global attention.

    “We have China and India fighting for resources in Africa,” says economist Joaquim Tobias Dai.

    “Civil construction by the Chinese, access to coal by Indians – and now gas. The Chinese want to go for gas, but Indians want to go for gas as well.

    “This kind of competition is good for us.”

    Like China, India organises summits to engage Africa. Deals worth millions have been discussed, but implementation is poor.

    “India’s story is a private entrepreneurship story,” says TCA Ranganathan, chairman of the Export Import Bank of India, which funds Indian companies investing in Africa.

    “If they want to go into Africa, I will help them.”

    At one such summit, Ethiopian Industry Minister Tadesse Haile says: “I urge Indian financial institutions to support Indian businesses as other countries like China are doing.”

    Meanwhile, China insists it is looking at a wholesome, reciprocal relationship.

    “We need resources, but we can work together to find more resources. Indian people, Kenyan people and Chinese people can work together,” says Prof Sa.

    In Nairobi, Xia Lu, of Kenya China Travels and Tours, says: “The number of Chinese tourists coming to Africa is growing by 45 per cent each year.”

    But the Chinese presence has also raised questions.

    “The Chinese come with their own people, leaving the locals in the lurch,” a man outside a Nairobi office complains.

    Asked about such concerns, Xiong Kaihua, of China Wu Yi, insists his company has hired locals to do the work, although he does not know how other companies behave.

    {{African growth}}

    Yet tensions between Chinese and locals have not gone away.

    “We have seen in Tanzania illegal immigrants from China being deported back. We have seen that in Ghana too,” says Nairobi journalist Mark Kapchanga, who also writes for Chinese publications.

    Nairobi-based analyst Anil Bhandari says the African pie is too big for anyone to fret about.

    “Most African countries are growing at 7 per cent to 9 per cent. Players like India, China, Brazil, European countries have a role to play.”

    As the debate about what works in Africa goes on, Africans say what matters to them is that they get the best of both worlds in the quest for development, and what outsiders are quibbling over is immaterial.

    -BBC.

  • Ghana’s $1 billion eurobond cash set to arrive on August 7

    {{Ghana Government is set to receive the euro bond cash of one billion dollars on August 7 2013.}}

    It follows a successful bond sale which was over subscribed.

    “The cash comes in nine days from the deal. The deal was done on the 25 [July, 2013] and per the deal which is Trade day plus nine working days, it then falls on 7 August, Deputy Finance Minister Kweku Ricketts Hagan said on Multi-TV and Joy FM’s news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday.

    With a ten year, grace period, the bond will mature on August 7, 2023, he added.

    With recent comments about a broke economy, Ricketts said the over subscription of the bond is a testament of the investor confidence in Ghana’s economy.

    Out of the 1 billion dollars raised, 300 million dollars is expected to be used for the refinancing of expensive domestic debt.

    250 million will also be used to retire part of the 750 million dollars euro bond which was floated in 2007.

    Ricketts Hagan stated that 300 million dollars will also be invested in capital projects- projects which are self financing.

    Whilst conceding that the economy had challenges with deficits and an 8 billion shortfall in budget, he is convinced the initiatives to which the 1 billion dollars euro bond will be used for will bring the deficit down and bridge the gap in the budget.

    But Dr Mark Asibey, Member of Parliament for New Juabeng said the timing of the floatation of the bond is wrong.

    He said at a time when government’s budget deficit is skyrocketing, with an increasing unsustainable debt portfolio it was always evident that Ghana will pay a higher interest on the bond

    He said the over subscription of the Eurobond does not necessarily indicate confidence in the country’s economy.

    Asibey indicated that the true test of the confidence in the company is the interest slapped on the bond.

    According to him, Nigeria floated the same 1 billion dollar bond but paid 6.5 per cent interest when Ghana is paying 7.8 per cent on the same amount of bond floated.

    He said government should look within, improve upon its address system and widen the tax net, and cut down on frivolous spending instead of floating bonds.

    Having already gone in for the bond, Asibey admonished the government to put the cash into good use.

    {myjoyonline}

  • SPLM to investigate former vice-president

    {{South Sudan’s ruling Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) will investigate the conduct of the country’s former vice-president and a deputy chairperson of the party, Riek Machar Teny, for allegedly using public media to discredit the government and announcing his presidential ambition.}}

    “The leadership and the entire membership of the SPLM believe the former vice president went off track. He did not show respect and adherence to the guiding principles of the party. He did not completely follow basic rules and regulations.

    He ignored the existence of these rules and went off track to not only criticize the president but used wrong channels to air out his personal opinions”, a senior official said Sunday.

    The official, who occupies a key position at the national secretariat, said SPLM members were shocked to read statements coming out from the deputy chairperson.

    “Comrade Riek Machar is the senior member of the leadership council. He is not just a member of the national Political Bureau but he is the deputy chairperson. He was also the vice-president for eight years, which means he was the chief execute administrator,” he said, adding; “in fact Kiir president delegated to him all the powers to run the government during the interim period (of the CPA implementation)”.

    “He was the one in charge of everything. Now it was surprising seeing him coming out to blame President Salva Kiir. This was wrong”, he stressed.

    These statements comes less than 24 hours following a warning message Machar issued through a local radio in Bentiu against any unilateral move to dismiss him of the ruling party. He told Naath FM on Friday that such measure could lead to chaos and instability in the country.

    Machar reiterated further his criticism to Salva Kiir pointed out that recent decisions to dissolve the cabinet or suspending SPLM secretary general among others are taken without consulting the party leadership.

    President Salva Kiir once again on Saturday during a meeting with the SPLM caucus in the parliament criticized those who challenge his leadership and added they have quit the party and form their own organization.

    {agencies}

  • Saudi Arabia blocks Bashir’s plane

    {{Saudi Arabia has denied permission for a plane carrying Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir to cross its airspace for the swearing-in of the new Iranian president.}}

    “The Saudi authorities refused to give the plane carrying President Bashir permission to cross their airspace,” Emad Sayed Ahmed, the presidential press secretary, told the media on Sunday.

    Ahmed said Bashir was not flying in his normal presidential aircraft but was using a plane rented from a Saudi company.

    The Sudanese leader was travelling to attend Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s swearing-in before the Iranian parliament.

    Ten leaders from around the region, including the prime minister of close Iranian ally Syria, had been due to attend Sunday’s parliamentary session, Iranian reports said.

    Ahmed said that when Bashir’s plane entered Saudi airspace, the pilot informed authorities that it had approval “and that it was carrying President Bashir”.

    “But they said the plane didn’t have permission,” forcing it to return to Khartoum, he said.

    The Hague-based International Criminal Court in 2009 and 2010 issued two warrants against Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.

    Khartoum’s links with Iran came under scrutiny after Bashir’s regime accused Israel of an October 23 strike against the Yarmouk military factory in the capital, which led to speculation that Iranian weapons were stored or manufactured there.

    Israel refused all comment on Sudan’s accusation about the factory blast.

    Source: AFP