IGIHE

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  • Process Begins to Vet Somalia’s Entry into EAC

    Process Begins to Vet Somalia’s Entry into EAC

    {{Somalia’s Request to Join the East African Community will be scruitinised by bloc members. Somalia requested to Join EAC in February 2012.}}

    Bloc members have agreed to setup a verification committee aimed at analysing whether Somalia fulfils the requirements to join EAC.

    Last week, a Council of Ministers met in Arusha and approved the committee and directed partner states to nominate three members that would travel to Somalia in December to assess the requirements as stipulated in the EAC Treaty.

    The vetting process will take over seven months, according to a subsequent communiqué from the meeting. The list of experts to participate in the exercise will be submitted by October 31.

    The process will take into account the country profile and the level of compatibility with the EAC community stages of development in trade liberalisation and development, cooperation in investments and industrial development.

    Other areas to be scrutinised include whether the conflict-torn nation has a well functioning monetary policy among other indicators.

  • ‘Artificial nose’ sniffs out Blood-Poisoning Threat

    ‘Artificial nose’ sniffs out Blood-Poisoning Threat

    {{An “artificial nose” capable of detecting the odor from germs that lead to blood poisoning could help save many lives and reduce medical costs, a conference heard on Sunday.}}

    Scientists who developed the “nose” said it can show within 24 hours whether a patient’s blood has bacteria that cause sepsis, a gain of up to two days over conventional methods.

    “The current technology involves incubating blood samples in containers for 24-48 hours just to see if bacteria are present,” said James Carey, a researcher at the National University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

    “It takes another step and 24 hours or more to identify the kind of bacteria in order to select the right antibiotic to treat the patient. By then, the patient may be experiencing organ damage, or may be dead from sepsis.”

    Unveiled at a conference in Indianapolis of the American Chemical Society, the “nose” entails a palm-sized plastic bottle filled with a liquid nutrient that helps bacteria to grow.

    Attached to the inside of the bottle is a small array of chemical dots that change color in reaction to the odors released by the telltale bacteria.

    The new device can identify eight of the commonest disease-causing bacteria, Carey said in a press release issued by the American Chemical Society.

    The device builds on a prototype developed a couple of years ago at the University of Illinois. The earlier model used lab dishes and a solid nutrient material to feed the bugs, which took longer and was less sensitive, the press release said.

    Other work in an “artificial nose” has yielded prototypes that can detect forms of cancer in a patient’s breath, and the presence of certain kinds of explosives.

    Blood poisoning kills more than a quarter of a million people each year in the United States alone and inflicts treatment costs of more than $20 billion (15 billion euros) annually, according to figures cited in the presentation.

    The device “can be used almost anywhere in the world for a very low cost and minimal training,” said Carey.

    AFP

  • UN course kicks off at Peacekeeping training Centre

    UN course kicks off at Peacekeeping training Centre

    {{Fifty two police officers from the eight Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) member countries on Monday started a two weeks United Nations Police Officers Course (UNPOC) at the Peacekeeping Training Centre in Gishari, Rwamagana District.}}

    The course is dubbed “Turning Professional Police Officers into Competent Peace Keepers.”

    Deputy Inspector of Police (DIGP) in Charge of Operations, Dan Munyuza, while officially opening the course, asked participants to take it “serious,” adding that they are gates to restoring peace in needy countries.

    He described them as ambassadors of peace and said that such a course is vital if they are to accomplish their duties effectively.

    “Rwanda having been affected by serious conflict that resulted in one of the most horrendous genocide in the world, is committed to do all in its ability to ensure such atrocities not to happen elsewhere. This partly explains why, to date, Rwanda remains one of the largest contributors to peace mission globally,” said DIGP Munyuza.

    He thanked EASFCOM for choosing Rwanda to conduct the course.

    The officers are from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti, and the host Rwanda.

    Superintendent Wanderi Mwangi, the Training and Evaluation Officer at the EASFCOM- Police Component, commended the government of Rwanda and Rwanda National Police in particular for its efforts in restoring peace worldwide.

    Wanderi urged trainees to make good use of this opportunity so as to acquire skills and knowledge required of them to professionally serve to the required standard.

    The Course will tackle theory and practical exercises, challenges in mission areas and techniques of overcoming them.

    It will handle key issues such as the back ground of the African Union, the dynamics of peace keeping operations and the expected conduct, as well as discipline of a United Nations/ African Union Officer.

    source: RNP

  • Zanzibaris Claim to be Sidelined in Dar es Salaam

    Zanzibaris Claim to be Sidelined in Dar es Salaam

    {{A section of Zanzibaris living in Tanzania Mainland are worried of being side-lined in the constitutional making process, demanding that their status be categorically stated in the Supreme Law.}}

    They want to be recognised as a special group, with citizenship rights for both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

    They claimed Zanzibar origin although they have lived in the Mainland for over 40 years. They said they were being side-lined when it comes to acquiring resident identification for Zanzibari (ZanID) or a passport in the Mainland.

    Speaking during a symposium on the Draft Constitution and the future of Zanzibaris living in the Mainland, one of the speakers, Mr Saleh Al Miskiry, said the Draft was silent on their status and that they were worried about how the new Mother Law will identify them.

    He said people of Zanzibari origin in the Mainland were currently estimated at a million in number.

    Mr Ibrahim Gulam, another descent of Zanzibar said the Draft makes him feel like he does belong anywhere.

    He said after living in the Mainland for several years, still he cannot possess a passport or a ZanID. “We feel neglected. The Draft Constitution is silent about us, and therefore we are suggesting that our status be clearly stated in the new Constitution,” he opined.

    The symposium also supported the formation of a three-tier government system saying it would be a solution to the on-going problems and challenges facing the Union.

    {NMG}

  • Delegates Convene in Nairobi to Deliberate Youth Unemployment

    Delegates Convene in Nairobi to Deliberate Youth Unemployment

    {{Over 100 participants are meeting in Nairobi to share experiences on how to reduce youth unemployment in East Africa.}}

    Drawn from government ministries, employers and workers’ organisations, the private sector, local and international non governmental organisations, business development services (BDS) providers and youth organisations, participants are meeting under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to share experiences on creating opportunities for income generation, job creation and unleashing the potential of young men and women, a statement said.

    With the global youth population reaching an historical high of 1.5 billion, economies worldwide are increasingly unable to provide young people with jobs.

    The situation has reached critical proportions in developing countries where 1.3 billion young people reside, with youth employment growing by only 0.2 per cent over the past decade. Meanwhile the global youth population grew at a rate of 10.5 percent.

    About 40 participants from Tanzania are participating in the meeting which started yesterday and ends tomorrow.

    The forum, which is one of the efforts to arrest the growing youth unemployment in the region, is a joint effort by ILO’s “Youth Entrepreneurship Facility (ILO/YEF)” programme, the Africa Commission and the Youth Employment Network (YEN).

    “The meeting will also be used as an opportunity to showcase and disseminate some of the main results achieved by the project so far, facilitating policy dialogue by regional level stakeholders based on some of the key results and initiatives that can be taken forward to support holistic programmes to support and engage young people through employment,” the statement released by the ILO Dar es Salaam office noted.

    This occasion is designed for stakeholders to learn and share experiences in youth entrepreneurship in East Africa and beyond, the statement added. While there is a growing gap between the number of youth seeking employment and the opportunities available to them, there is also a growing recognition of the need to support and invest in young people as key resource in socio-economic development, the statement noted.

    {agencies}

  • Cash-Strapped Malawi Will Struggle to Replace Saintfiet

    Cash-Strapped Malawi Will Struggle to Replace Saintfiet

    {{Football Associaton of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu has admitted his organisation does not have the money to hire another expatriate coach immediately.}}

    He also confirmed the deal with Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, who began work on a voluntary basis in July, has ended.

    Nyamilandu says Saintfiet’s agreement with the Flames finished ended after the 2-0 defeat in Calabar on Saturday.

    “For now I am not too sure whether we will be able to afford and expatriate coach or whether we will be able to find a capable local coach,” Nyamilandu told media.

    “We do not have the money now and what would determine the outcome is how much money we have.

    “The money that is available is currently being used to pay former national coach Kinnah Phiri and his team.

    “The rest of the funding for the national team for this year has been exhausted so we can not afford now to hire a national coach or let alone hire interim coaches.”

    Nyamilandu and FAM have time to find the money to hire a new coach with the next competitive football not scheduled to take place until 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begin in November next year.

    Saintfiet’s assistants Eddington Ng’onamo and Patrick Mabedi are also looking for new jobs following the loss to the Super Eagles.

    Former national coach Phirri, his assistant Young Chimodzi and technical director Jack Chamangwana are all still employed as development coaches under contracts with the Malwi government.

    The government decided to redeploy the trio rather than sack them and so have to pay damages and have contracts until May 2014.

    {agencies}

  • Thugs Gang Rape Woman, Hack Guard to Death in Nairobi

    Thugs Gang Rape Woman, Hack Guard to Death in Nairobi

    {{A 21-year-old woman was gang raped and a watchman killed on Monday night in an attack at a compound in Nairobi’s Ruai estate.}}

    The gang of four had scaled a wall and entered the compound before breaking into the house where they raped the woman.

    Police said the gang hacked to death the guard after he tried to raise alarm as they left.

    According to Kayole Police boss Samuel Mukinda, the gang’s motive was to rob from the family.

    “We are yet to arrest the attackers but we are pursuing them,” said Mukinda.

    The thugs are reported to have stolen few household goods and money before escaping.

    The body of the guard was later taken to the mortuary.

    {standard}

  • Inquiry Urged into 1961 Death of UN Chief

    Inquiry Urged into 1961 Death of UN Chief

    {{Investigators have called on the UN to reopen an inquiry into the 1961 death of Dag Hammarskjold, the then UN chief, citing “persuasive evidence” that his aircraft was shot down.}}

    The inquiry on Monday called on the US National Security Agency (NSA) to release cockpit recordings from the time to confirm whether a mercenary fighter jet may have shot down the aircraft.

    Hammarskjold, the UN’s second secretary-general, died in mysterious circumstances in September 1961 while on a peace mission to the newly independent Congo, when his plane crashed shortly before it was scheduled to land at the Ndola airport in Zambia [then Northern Rhodesia].

    The mineral-rich province of Katanga was at the time fighting to secede from Congo, with the backing of the West and their commercial interests in the region.

    “There is persuasive evidence that the aircraft was subjected to some form of attack or threat as it circled to land at Ndola,” said the 61-page report released in The Hague by a privately appointed commission consisting of prominent international judges and diplomats.

    {agencies}

  • African Bank Invests in Power Projects

    African Bank Invests in Power Projects

    {{The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has invested US$700mn this year for financing power assets in Nigeria.}}

    The bank is also looking to put US$2bn into power projects across the continent in the next three years.

    The bank’s chief executive officer, Phillips Oduoza, told Reuters that he expected the bank to grow loans by around 14 per cent in the next six months, as it had done in the last six months.

    “We have been financing different parts of the power sector in Nigeria, both for generation and distribution. We are looking to invest immensely in the country and across Africa in the next three years,” Oduoza said.

    Of the US$2bn, he said around US$1.2bn, will be earmarked for Nigeria, which is suffering massive power shortages.

    The state-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria has been broken up into 11 generation companies and six distribution companies, all being sold separately to private consortia.

    {agencies}

  • Nigerian Anglican Archbishop Kidnapped – Police

    Nigerian Anglican Archbishop Kidnapped – Police

    {{Nigeria’s second-highest ranking Anglican archbishop was kidnapped at the weekend outside the southern oil city of Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, a police spokeswoman said on Monday.}}

    “Archbishop Ignatius Kattey was kidnapped along with his wife around Eleme (outside Port Harcourt) at about 10:45 pm (2145 GMT) on Friday,” spokeswoman Angela Agabe told AFP.

    “His wife was later abandoned in the bush by their abductors.”

    A national spokesman of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, Foluso Taiwo, confirmed the abduction to, but said the circumstances surrounding the incident were sketchy.

    Kattey is the dean of archbishops of the Anglican communion in Nigeria, ranking him second to the primate of the Anglican Church in the country, said Taiwo.

    The cleric is archbishop of the Niger Delta province, he added.

    Kidnapping for ransom occurs regularly in the southern oil-producing Niger Delta region, though authorities rarely admit to making payments.

    The victims are often released unharmed after the payment of a ransom.

    Last year, the mother of Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was kidnapped in the same Delta region. She was later released unharmed.

    In the north of the country however, Islamist extremists have killed a number of their hostages.

    {agencies}