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  • S.Sudan Leader Says Impunity on Corruption Crimes is Over

    {{South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit reiterated in a speech delivered in the second commemoration of the independence day that his government will no more tolerate corruption and vowed to persecute people involved in such crimes.}}

    “As I stated before, I state it again now and will continue to say it…corruption will not be tolerated. Those implicated will be taken before the court of law”, Kiir said defying high ranking officials in the government and the ruling SPLM who criticised the suspension of two ministers over charges of corruption saying it was politically motivated.

    Kiir went further to say that “the days when mistakes were being committed with impunity are gone. During our transitional period, obtaining independence was our priority. Now that we are a free nation, our fight against corruption shall not be confined at the national level only, but will extend to the states, counties and anywhere that there is public spending”.

    Many times in his speech, Kiir reaffirmed he is the president of South Sudan, reminding he has the responsibility to ensure that public funds are used to develop the new nation and provides services to the citizens and to achieve social justice.

    The celebration of the second anniversary was attended by four presidents including the “Chief Guest” Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, of Botswana, Paul Kagame, of Rwanda; and Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, of Somalia. Also were present, the Ethiopian deputy prime minister Demeke Makonen, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission Erastus Mwencha, and Thabo Mbeki, Chairperson of the African Union High Implementation Panel.

    Alluding to the criticism emanating from activists and human rights organizations, Kiir was keen to say that several bills on human rights, freedom of expression, right of access to information, the media authority and the information and broadcasting are currently in the reading stages and will be enacted soon.

    The South Sudanese president further said “troubled by the alarming crime rate” in the cities, stressing on the need to impose more discipline among the organized forces ” we must reflect on how we can change the situation”, he said.

    He nonetheless underlined that huge efforts has been made to professionalize and reorganize the security forces, including the SPLA, national security and police services.

    He admitted that services have been poor in the past year citing education, health, security and water among others and promised to work hard to change the conditions.

    “These scenarios must change. As your President, I promise you that we will work tirelessly to change them”, he told the thousands of the people who gathered at the Mausoleum to celebrate the country’s second anniversary.

    Kiir said that the living conditions of the people need to be improved, pointing out that many citizens hardly afford a meal every day. He also underlined the difficult conditions of the SPLA soldiers saying their salary cannot meet their needs.

    Regarding the normalisation process with the Sudan, Kiir repeated the commitment of his government to the implementation of cooperation agreements and the implementation matrix. “This is the only way to ensure the viability of the two states”, he added.

    But he called on the Sudanese government to work with Juba to fully and unconditionally implement those agreements and to reach an agreement over the “final status for Abyei”. He further said “this issue cannot pend indefinitely”.

    ST

  • How to Plant Bananas in Dry Season

    {{Erratic weather due to change in climatic conditions is making it hard for farmers to know when to plant. }}

    But some Banana famers in the region advise that if one wants to plant bananas can go ahead and do so despite the dry spell using corms as planting material and not suckers.

    since corms are small, they are placed in a hole and covered with soil unlike suckers.

    After planting, the soil should be watered immediately. However, later, the top two inches of the soil should be left to dry before watering the corm as it is rooting.

    But keeping the soil consistently wet should be avoided as it is likely to cause rotting.

    As the corm grows slowly, rains will eventually find it there and it would sprout into a healthy banana plant.

    When banana corms are used as planting materials, the first bunch is usually big compared to those on plants that grow from a sucker.

    Besides the bunch being big, the fingers are big too, which is an advantage to commercial banana farmers as big bunches with big fingers fetch high prices.

    Farmers should ensure the weeds in their plantations are controlled and the number of suckers reduced to lessen competition among plants for soil nutrients.

    Mulching should also be done to keep moisture in the soil without forgetting to control pests and diseases.

  • SA Cabinet Reshuffle Seen as Zuma’s Political Survival

    {{South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma should have put good governance above “cronyism”, and sacked underperforming ministers in his Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, the DA said.}}

    “The reality is that this Cabinet reshuffle by President Zuma proves that he is more interested in his political survival than ensuring that good governance is his top priority,” Democratic Alliance Parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said in a statement.

    “This is symbolic of a President who lacks the leadership needed to deliver on his government’s promises,” she said.

    Zuma axed three ministers in the reshuffle – Communications Minister Dina Pule, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi.

    Mazibuko said the DA welcomed Pule’s removal.

    However, it saw little sense in axing Sexwale while Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson and Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu remained.

    “This should have been an opportunity for the President of the Republic to stamp out poor governance, which has been the mainstay of his administration, and replace all poor performing ministers with competent and dedicated individuals,” she said.

    “Instead, President Zuma seems determined to keep in the executive ministers who should have got the sack some time ago.”

    Mazibuko said the DA remained determined to move a motion of no confidence in Zuma, and said the problem remained at the top.

    ‘Forces of change’

    On Tuesday afternoon, Zuma said ANC MP Connie September would take over the portfolio of human settlements from Sexwale.

    Sexwale was said to be part of the “Forces of Change” which resisted Zuma’s re-election as African National Congress president at the party’s elective conference in Mangaung last year.

    At the conference, Sexwale lost his bid for the position of ANC deputy president and his seat on the party’s national executive committee.

    Zuma said Lechesa Tsenoli, who was deputy minister of land reform, would take over from Baloyi as minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister. His deputy would be Andries Nel, the former deputy minister of justice.

    Baloyi, who has been an MP since 1999, had been moved to co-operative governance from his position as public service and administration minister in Zuma’s 2011 reshuffle.

    Zuma also announced that Yunus Carrim, who was co-operative governance deputy minister, would replace Pule as communications minister.

    Pule has been embroiled in a battle with the Sunday Times about reported accusations that she gave tenders to a boyfriend, meddled in tender processes, and interfered in the appointment of officials to the boards of state-owned enterprises.

    Zuma said Ben Martins, who has been transport minister for just over a year, would swap portfolios with Energy Minister Dipuo Peters.

    He also announced the appointment of John Jeffery as justice and constitutional development deputy minister; Michael Masutha as science and technology deputy minister and Pamela Tshwete as deputy minister of rural development and land reform.

    – SAPA

  • Nigeria Clubs Suspended over Goals Scandal

    {{In Nigeria, four clubs involved in two play-off matches that ended 79-0 and 67-0 respectively – a total of 146 goals – have been suspended in Nigeria.}}

    Plateau United Feeders were 79-0 victors over Akurba FC while Police Machine FC demolished Bubayaro FC 67-0.

    “It is unacceptable – a scandal of huge proportions,” said Muke Umeh, chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Organising Committee.

    “The teams are suspended indefinitely, pending further sanctions.”

    Plateau United Feeders and Police Machine went into the matches level on points, with promotion to the lowest tier of the Nationwide League Division at stake.

    Feeders scored 72 of their goals in the second half, while Police Machine reportedly scored 61 times after the break in their game.

    The results meant that Plateau edged above Police Machine on goal difference.

    Umeh added: “We will investigate this matter thoroughly and get to the bottom of it.”

    The NFF’s director of competitions, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, gave assurances that the Organising Committee would hand out severe sanctions on all persons and institutions indicted by the investigation.

    “The teams involved, their players and officials, match officials, coordinator and anyone found to have played some role in this despicable matter would be severely dealt with,” Sanusi said.

    agencies

  • Opposition rejects Egypt’s transition plan

    Egypt’s main coalition, which backed the military ouster of Mohamed Morsi, denounced on Tuesday a roadmap granting the interim president extensive powers ahead of new elections, further complicating a bloody transition to civilian rule.

    In the restive Sinai peninsula, two people were killed early Wednesday when militants struck several police and army positions with mortar rounds and rocket propelled grenades.

    The fresh violence came less than a day after interim President Adly Mansour laid out a timetable for elections by early next year and appointed a new prime minister and vice president.

    The vice president, Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, was one of Morsi’s most ardent opponents.

    The National Salvation Front (NSF), the main coalition that called for Morsi’s resignation, announced “its rejection of the constitutional decree,” in a statement.

    The coalition, which was led by ElBaradei before Morsi’s overthrow, will seek amendments to the decree, it added, without specifying the offending clauses.

    Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, which insists on the ousted president’s reinstatement, has also rejected the interim charter and timetable.

    wirestory

  • Senegal Court Urged to Confiscate Habre’s properties

    {{Chad’s Justice minister has urged the special court trying Hissene Habré in Dakar to catalogue and confiscate the former leader’s properties.}}

    Mr Jean-Bernard Padaré on Tuesday said Chad was taking similar action with the view to selling the properties and compensating the dictator’s victims.

    According to the Chadian government estimates, Mr Padaré explained, Mr Habré fled with seven billion CFA francs in 1990 (about $3.5 million).

    Witnesses said the the former leader arrived with the money in Dakar on board Chad’s presidential jet, which he was forced to return.

    Mr Padré further told Radio France that at the time of his ouster, Mr Habré cleared money from the local banks and deposited most of it abroad.

    Quoting an ad hoc investigation commission, Mr Padaré said Mr Habré’s wealth in Chad alone was worth more than $10 million.

    “We are confident that he owns huge real estate properties in Dakar and has bought shares in a string of businesses across the globe,” the minister continued.

    He appealed to the judges of the special court in Dakar to help recover the properties.

    {agencies}

  • Kagame Attends 2nd Independence Anniversary of South Sudan

    {{President Paul Kagame today attended celebrations of the 2nd Anniversary of South Sudan’s Independence held at Freedom Square, resting place of Dr. John Garang founder of Sudan People Liberation Army to whom many attribute Sudan’s Liberation. }}

    Speaking alongside invited heads of states, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud of Somalia, President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana, President Kagame began by congratulating the people of Sudan on their liberation:

    “We recall with you the long and protracted struggle for freedom, sovereignty, self-determination and dignity. We salute your efforts and assure you that the Rwandan people stand with you in this arduous task of nation building.”

    President Kagame emphasized the role of independence as an opportunity for further regional and continental integration calling for a united way forward:

    “The independence of South Sudan is bound to contribute to peace, security and development in the region and Africa as a whole. We all understand that our destiny as Africans is tied together and the future of our continent will be assured by the way we closely work and even think together to advance and protect our common interests.”

    Quoting President Salva Kiir who during last year’s independence celebrations said “we know that no matter how long the night is, morning will always come,” President Kagame pointed to the shared history between both Rwanda and South Sudan:

    “Rwandans do not only share with the people of South Sudan a history of struggle for liberation as well as a vision of greater freedom and prosperity for our peoples.”

    The ceremony ended with an address by President Salva Kiir who expressed that despite the long road ahead, the determination of the people of Sudan will prevail:

    “It is because of the citizens of South Sudan that we achieved freedom. With determination and commitment, we can be successful in reaching our goal of self reliance.”

  • Snowden accepts Venezuelan offer

    {{NSA leaker Edward Snowden accepted Venezuela’s offer of political asylum, according to a posting Tuesday on the Twitter account of a Russian lawmaker with close ties to the Kremlin. However, the tweet disappeared a few minutes later.}}

    It was not possible to immediately reach Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee who has acted as an unofficial point-man for the Kremlin on the Snowden affair.

    Snowden, who revealed details of a U.S. intelligence program to monitor Internet activity, came to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on June 23 and was believed to be headed for Cuba.

    But he did not board that flight and has not seen publicly since. He is widely believed to still be in the airport’s transit zone.

    Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said Saturday his country hadn’t yet been in contact with Snowden, who has been unable to travel further because the U.S. annulled his passport.

    For Snowden to leave for South America, he would need for Venezuela to issue him travel documents and he would need to find a way to get there. The only direct commercial flight from Moscow goes to Havana, Cuba.

    The Moscow-Havana flight goes over Europe and the U.S., which could cause complications.

    Some European countries refused to allow Bolivian President Evo Morales to fly through their airspace on his way home from Moscow last week because of suspicions that Snowden was on his plane.

    The presidents of Bolivia and Nicaragua also said over the weekend that Snowden was welcome in their countries.

    {wirestory}

  • Africa, Asia, Latin America Ministers to Develop New Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences

    A high-level workshop on a new “Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology in Africa” began July 8 in the Ethiopian capital.

    The three-day event organized by the World Bank and the Government of Ethiopia connects Ministers of Education and Training from nine African countries with a wide range of experts from Brazil, China, India and Korea.

    Ministers from Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan and Tanzania are here to seek systematic collaboration on one of Africa’s greatest challenges—meeting today’s rising demand for cutting-edge, market-relevant skills in a number of rapidly expanding industries.

    “Out of this workshop, I hope we can come up with some very strong and practical recommendations to strengthen the collaboration between partner countries and African countries to strengthen the contributions of technical and higher education institutions in the economic development of our nations,” said H.E. Ato Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

    “The Indian private education sector would be willing to participate in this partnership provided that there is a conducive regulatory environment that makes investment in education a financially viable proposition,” said Shobha Ghosh, Senior Director, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce. “Africa can leverage the experience of India, particularly in engineering, science and technology.”

    The World Bank has carried out intensive consultations with several African countries on the proposed partnership with selected emerging economies who are already directly contributing to African’s development as investors.

    Many African countries expressed strong interest in the idea.

    “Africa is rising. To realize this exciting prospect, the continent needs to invest in skills and higher education, especially science and technology,” said Ritva Reinikka, Director for Human Development in Africa at the World Bank.

    “Higher education needs to be much more responsive to the needs of the private sector and I think that a partnership with emerging countries is a step in the right direction.”

  • 3 Detained in Connection with Trafficking Illegal Drugs

    {{Police in Gatsibo has detained three suspects arrested in connection with posesion and trafficking of illegal drugs including gin and local brew.}}

    The suspects transporting their cargo 42 cartons of Suzie Waragi and 20litres of Kanyanga, were stopped and arrested at Ndatemwa, Kiziguro in Gatsibo district during wee hours of the night.

    They were travelling in a Toyota Hiace Car Registration Number RAB 093 N with illegal drugs valued at Frw 1.2 Million.

    The source of the illegal drugs was traced to Matimba in Nyagatare district and the final destination was in Gatsibo district where distribution was intended within sectors including; Rugarama, Remera, Kiziguro and Kiramuruzi.

    The suspects are currently being held at Kiramuruzi Police including; Mayigudu Anastase, Birarobyimana Jean de Dieu, Mukakabando Fortune (from Gasange sector).