Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

World Health Organization confirms second Ebola case in DRC and fears 17 more

{The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a second case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and suspects 17 others.}

On Friday the WHO reported that one person in the DRC had died from the virus.

The WHO said they are attempting to trace 125 other people thought to be linked to Ebola cases in the outbreak.

Ebola is a deadly hemorrhagic fever that occasionally jumps to humans from animals, including bats and monkeys.

The last outbreak of Ebola in DRC was in 2014 when the country recorded several dozen cases, but WHO has warned that the deadly virus could resurface at any time as it can linger in the eyes, central nervous system and bodily fluids of some survivors.

The 2014 outbreak in DRC was unconnected to the epidemic in West Africa, which killed thousands and became the worst Ebola outbreak on record.

An experimental vaccine was recently developed that WHO says could be used in emergencies.

Source:ITV

May 15, 2017
Museveni: ‘We need a consensus on Burundi’

{President Yoweri Museveni says he will highlight the issue of a joint move to Burundi by the lead facilitator and mediator in an effort to urge all stakeholders to engage in dialogue, to the EAC heads of state at the upcoming summit.}

“We need a consensus on Burundi as a region,” he said.

“When I take up the chair of EAC at the next summit, I will raise this issue so that we can have a decision.

“We should never neglect any opportunity for dialogue. We need to ease tensions with regional players,” said Museveni.

He made these remarks while meeting France’s Director for Africa and Indian Ocean Remi Marechau and its envoy to the Great Lakes region Ambassador Sophie Makame who were accompanied by Uganda’s Ambassador to France Nimisha Madhivani at his residence at the Taj Hotel, St. James Court in London.

President Museveni was in London to attend the International Conference on Somalia.

A mediator in the Burundi peace process, the Ugandan leader will assume the EAC chairmanship at the next summit.

On her part, Ambassador Makame said the facilitation of the peace process needs to be given more support and that they want to see a gesture to open up to dialogue by all stakeholders.

There has been a growing concern over the political situation in Burundi, the lack of progress in implementing resolution 2303 (2016) and the lack of engagement by the Government of Burundi, thus the need to involve the regional leaders.

Presidents of the six countries making up the East African Community will gather for the 18th EAC Ordinary Heads of State Summit meeting in Arusha this May.

They are: Summit Chair, President John Magufuli (Tanzania), President Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Pierre Nkurunziza (Burundi) and for the first time, Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

Source:The New Vision

May 15, 2017
Uganda: Kaweesi death: Police officers arrested over torturing suspects

{Two senior police officers, a sergeant and a constable have been arrested on the orders of Police chief, Gen Kale Kayihura, over accusations of torturing Kamwenge Mayor, Godfrey Byamukama and other suspects in the killing of police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi.}

Mr Asan Kasingye, the police spokesperson, on Friday identified the arrested officers as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Munanura, ASP Fred Tumuhirwe, Sgt Tumukunde and Constable Ronnie Byenkya.

“Our officers who inflicted injuries on Mr Byamukama have been arrested and placed under investigations by our Professional Standards Unit,” Mr Kasingye told Sunday Monitor. He also confirmed that investigations were continuing as he sought to distance the police force from the torture accusations.

Police said Mr Byamukama was arrested on April 5 by police from the Ministry of Lands office along Parliament Avenue. Mr Kasingye said after the arrest, two police officers and the suspect got involved in the scuffle on the way to notorious Nalufenya in Jinja District.

Opposition leaders and sections of the public have christened Nalufenya as “a torture chamber”.

The scuffle is said to have arose after Mr Byamukama realised he was not being taken to Naguru Police headquarters as earlier informed at the time of his arrest.
“The suspect sustained superficial injuries in the process which were aggravated by his medical conditions which we cannot divulge,” Mr Kasingye said.

Kaweesi was killed on March 17 alongside his driver Godfrey Wambewo and bodyguard Kenneth Erau at Kulambiro about 200 metres away from his home.
After the trio’s murder, security agencies including, Flying Squad Unit, Crime Intelligence, CID and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence launched the hunt for the killers.

Police arrested Hassan Tumusiime and Abubaker Ntende who reportedly revealed that Byamukama, who turned out to be Kamwenge Town Council mayor, was one of the masterminds of the trio’s killing.

However, Mr Byamukama was not among the 13 wounded suspects arraigned before court on April 21. It turned out that Mr Byamukama had been whisked to Nakasero Hospital by his tormentors upon realising his condition was fast deteriorating.

Without explaining why authorities at Nalufenya accepted to receive a wounded suspect, Mr Kasingye noted in his statement issued to media on Friday that; “Police has given Mr Byamukama the best medical care possible at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala. He has been discharged and will be getting periodic reviews at the same facility.”

Mr Byamukama’s distressing state was exposed after his council members visited him at the hospital and witnessed the magnitude of torture that had been inflicted on him at Nalufenya high profile detention facility. Sources also indicated that IGP had ordered an investigation into allegations of torture at Nalufenya facility.

A police source told Sunday Monitor that two other Flying Squared Unite (FSU) spies were also arrested but were not mentioned by police authorities since they are civilians. They were arrested over unrelated crimes.

Police authorities at Naguru police headquarters arrested Corporal Karim Bamugireku for selling police ammunitions at Shs500,000.

Police sources intimated that Cpl Bamugireku contacted a resident of Naguru Hill and notified him how he had bullets and that he could sell to him at a cheaper price.

A source said the resident alerted the police that asked him to proceed with the transaction and Cpl Bamugireku was intercepted with exhibits of Shs50,000 notes which had been already photocopied by the police.

Mr Moses Bango, who is in charge of Anti-Narcotics Unit at Kabalye Police Station was arrested on Thursday for allegedly stealing narcotic exhibits valued at Shs10 million. According to police sources, Mr Bango had hidden the drugs in his packets and lock up.

Source:Daily Monitor

May 15, 2017
Kenya:DP William Ruto tells off Nasa leaders on cost of living

{The Jubilee government has hit out at the opposition for their criticism over the high cost of living.}

The Deputy President William Ruto said the National Super Alliance (Nasa) leaders had no agenda for the country but were busy propagating lies instead of selling their manifestos.

Speaking at Amtalla Stadium in Kimilili Town, Bungoma County, on Sunday after issuing certificates to the party’s nominees for the August 8 General Election, Mr Ruto called on Kenyans to elect Jubilee leaders, saying they had a proper agenda and strategies for Kenyans.

“The opposition outfit Nasa leaders are happy when Kenyans are suffering in order for them to pick issues to hit the government with,” said Mr Ruto. “What is happening is because of bad weather.

{{Skyrocketing prices }}

“Last year, farmers didn’t harvest enough maize. This has led to the skyrocketing prices of basic goods. But we are on top of things.”

He said that fast arrival of the cargo ship carrying 300,000 sacks imported maize from Mexico should not raise an alarm as the government was proactive in alleviating Kenya’s pain.

“The Opposition leaders are questioning why a ship with maize arrived earlier than expected,” said Mr Ruto. “They want the food to delay so that Kenyans can continue suffering.

“Ours is to ensure that Kenyans get food on time. We won’t be perturbed by their noise. Ours is to ensure that Kenyans no longer continue to suffer.”

{{Importation of maize }}

The DP said importation of maize was not unique to the Jubilee administration as past regimes did the same to cushion Kenyans from hunger.

Mr Ruto added that, over the recent years, Kenya has faced prolonged dry spells that necessitated importation of maize.

He cited 2008, 2009 and 2011 as years when the government imported maize to curb food shortage.

“We are importing enough maize and sugar,” said Mr Ruto. “In one week, we will be having these commodities, which will eventually save Kenyans.

“We don’t want foreign maize and sugar to flood this country so that our farmers can later suffer but just to ensure that we save Kenyans during the few months.”

{{Highest harvest }}

Mr Ruto added that the Jubilee administration was committed to ensuring to the growth of the agricultural sector as it is the backbone of the economy.

He said in 2015 Kenya had the highest maize harvest since Independence, recording 42.5 million bags of maize, and attributed that to giving more focus to the sector.

The DP reiterated that the Jubilee government will scrap all the fees in secondary school from Form One to Four starting next year.

“We want our children to learn,” said Mr Ruto. “We will not experience any more dropouts in our schools.

“We want to see an educated society. Lack of money will no longer be a hindrance to proper education.”

{{Don’t gamble }}

Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa asked Bungoma County residents to vote in the Jubilee leaders, whom he said are committed to ensure that Kenyans live a better life.

“Don’t listen to the Opposition; they will mislead you,” said Mr Wamalwa. “Trust in the government of the day, which is Jubilee. Don’t gamble.”

Governor Ken Lusaka called on Bungoma residents to re-elect him so that he can finish the projects he started.

“The Opposition should not capitalise on the small problems as their agenda projects,” said Mr Lusaka.

Also present were Members of Parliament Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) and John Waluke (Sirisia), as well as Woman Representatives Reginalda Wanyonyi (Bungoma), Janet Nangabo (Trans Nzoia) and Rachel Shebesh (Nairobi).

Source:Daily nation

May 15, 2017
Tanzania:Karatu school bus crash survivors flown to Iowa

{Finally, the only three survivors of last week’s school bus accident that claimed 35 lives were yesterday flown to the United States for specialised medical attention.}

The DC 8 plane courtesy of the Samaritan Purse airlifted the school children to Sioux City, Iowa State, according to Singida North Member of Parliament (CCM) Lazaro Nyalandu who coordinated the transfer.

The Lucky Vincent pupils had been admitted to Mount Meru Hospital here since the grisly road accident occurred on May 6.

At the US, the survivors will get further treatment and surgical services under the Mercy Hospitals. Upon landing in North Carolina, the children will be airlifted by an Air-Ambulance from the STEMM organisation to Sioux City, in Iowa state where they are to be admitted to Mercy System hospital.

Organized by Siouxland Tanzania Educational and Medical Ministries (STEMM), the DC 8 plane was acquired from the ‘Samaritan Purse,’ an organization run by the family of famous Gospel Preacher, Billy Graham.

The DC 8 Plane flew from the North Carolina airbase on Friday and landed at Kilimanjaro International Airport on Saturday night. The large aircraft features section of adjusted bunkers to support the badly injured pupils.

The three pupils who are on their way to the United States include Doreen Mshana aged 13, from Olasiti area, Sadia Ismail Awadh aged 11 and Wilson Geoffrey Tarimo (11), both residents of Kwa-Mrombo.

They are accompanied by their respective mothers, a Surgeon from Mount Meru Hospital, Dr Elias Mashalla and a medical attendant, Simphorosa Silalye.

Seven medical missionaries working with STEMM offered to airlift the three pupils from Mount Meru Hospital for referral treatment at Mercy Medical Hospital in America.

When the accident occurred at Rhotia Hill on May 6, the foreign doctors led by Dr Steve Meyer, on their way from Ngorongoro, were the first to arrive at the scene of the crash and helped to rescue the victims.

They later offered to refer the kids to advanced treatments abroad.

Source:Daily News

May 15, 2017
High cost of training medical doctors worry MPs

{The parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and National Patrimony has expressed concern over high cost of medical courses at the University of Rwanda (UR). }

The annual fees for medical students at UR stand at Rwf 900,000 per student but the Ministry of Education plans to raise the fees.

As the Ministry of Education presented the draft budget of 2017/2018 yesterday, MP Mporanyi Theobald wondered why the cost of medical courses is always high.

“This is where education gets jeopardized at secondary schools and university.You say the cost of Rwf 900,000 required for medical courses has risen. How many have capacity to pay the fees? How can the country be assured that medical students will continue with studies if the cost of learning is increased?” he questioned.

He explained that a research carried out on the issue established that stakeholders unveiled that the learning at Rwf 900,000 is expensive.

The president of the Standing Committee on Finance and National Patrimony, Mukayuhi Rwaka Constance wondered whether the matter won’t push students abandon medical courses yet they are essential in the country.

“Won’t it discourage students planning to pursue such medical courses to abandon them joining other departments? Have you analyzed such issues? I think we need doctors because the existing number is inadequate,” she said.

The Ministry of education attributed the rise of tuition fees to required materials, location of and time taken to equip medical doctors with skills.

The permanent secretary in MINEDUC, Samuel Mulindwa has said that the price was established following a study adding that the cost is the same like in other countries in the region.

May 14, 2017
Abandoned properties to be auctioned

{Idle properties abandoned by developers and or owners are set to be auctioned, a decision to go into effect by August 2017. The Ministry of Justice revealed this on Thursday during a consultative meeting with district committees recently assigned to manage abandoned properties. }

The move follows countrywide census which established that some abandoned properties are not used until they become mere residuals.

“We are fast tracking implementation of the decision not later than August 2017. These properties include old houses or pieces of land with no buildings.Their value will be assessed before being auctioned. Buyers will be required to raise buildings complying with the master plan,” said MINIJUST director in charge of abandoned properties, Musabire Jean Damascène.

Members of the committee in charge of managing abandoned properties have been urged to be watchful to maximize benefits because such properties may become dens of people threatening security in some cases.

The country has registered 1145 properties abandoned by owners comprising of 466 houses, 24 land units reserved for construction activities, 555 pieces of arable land, 18 farm lands and 88 forest patches.

Only 118(10.30%) of the above properties are rented with some in Kigali city and tea plantations in Gicumbi district among others.

Commenting on 10.30% of used among 1145 abandonedproperties, the Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye said the percentage is not critical because most of used properties are located in the city.

“I would like to let you know that 10% of such properties are located in cities while 90%is used for growing maize, sweet potatoes and banana plantations. In fact they are properties people decline to buy,” he said.

Minister Busingye requested people from rural areas to make census and register such abandoned properties to facilitate follow up to avoid conflicts in the future.

Movable or immobile properties are classified as abandoned in case owners passed away without lawful heirs or being outside the country for various reasons without delegating a custodian.

The law No. 39/2015 of 22/08/2015 abandoned property stipulates that such properties have to be managed by the government represented by the Ministry of Justice until rightful owners are identified.

The law also indicates that MINIJUST can propose a custodian or heir after confirmation from village advisory committee where the property is located.

Abandoned properties become government assets in case no one rightfully claims ownership.

A total of 14 abandoned properties have been handed back to rightful owners in Gasabo district and 5 others in Nyarugenge district.

May 13, 2017
Lions face same extinct threats as Ice Age cats – study

{Two big cats – the African lion and the Sunda clouded leopard – are most at risk from extinction caused by loss of prey, according to a new analysis.}

Lack of food was a factor in why seven big cats, including sabre-toothed tigers, went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age, say scientists.

The trend is continuing, threatening a range of modern big cats, they warn.
If the prey of big cats continues to decline it will add to other pressures such as habitat loss, a study found.

Dr Chris Sandom from the University of Sussex said: “I think it adds an extra pressure for these animals. They are already suffering quite heavily from other conflicts with humans.”

He said the lesson from the past was that even if Ice Age big cats had survived conflicts with humans and the changing climate, they would not have had much left to eat.

“We’re in a continued decline of big, exciting animals,” he added. “These charismatic predators are facing this consistent threat that started in the Ice Age and continues to this day and we need to turn that trend around.”

The research, led by scientists at Sussex and Oxford universities, looked at the causes of extinction in seven big cats – four different types of sabre-toothed cats, the cave and American lions, and the American cheetah.

They found that if the animals had survived until modern times they would have lost the majority of their prey, partly due to human influences.

The researchers then turned their attention to modern big cats, and the status of their prey.

If all the prey species currently considered at risk were to go extinct, then the lions of East Africa and the clouded leopards of Indo-Malaya would be in a similar position to their Ice Age relatives, say the scientists.

The same would apply to some populations of tiger, leopard and cheetah.

Prof David Macdonald, Director of the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, said: “The Churchillian aphorism that those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it was painfully in mind when we saw how many of the prey of lions and East Africa and of clouded leopards in Indo-Malaya look set to go down the same drain down which their counterparts in other regions have already been flushed.”

The Sunda clouded leopard is a medium-sized wild cat found in forests of the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

The study is published in the journal Ecography.

Source:BBC

May 12, 2017
Polish tourist’s death in Egypt ‘may be linked to trafficking’

{Officials in Poland say a Polish tourist who died in an Egyptian resort last month may have been a victim of human trafficking and organised crime.}

The Polish tourist, named in media reports as Magdalena Zuk, travelled alone to the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam at the end of April.

Days later, she plunged to her death from a hospital window.

Egyptian security sources and medical staff say the 27-year-old woman took her own life.

There has been speculation the woman was the victim of a sexual assault by hotel staff, but Egyptian security sources have denied that she was drugged and raped.

However, Polish investigators say they are following several lines of inquiry, including forced prostitution, human trafficking and people smuggling.

{{Erratic behaviour}}

Local media report that the young woman arrived in the resort, some 750km (450 miles) south of Cairo, on 25 April, and was planning to spend a week there.

But for reasons unknown her plans changed, and she tried to fly home from the local airport, but was not allowed on the plane because she was acting strangely.

She was taken to hospital, from where CCTV footage has emerged apparently showing her acting erratically and being restrained by two men.

Hospital manager Mohamed Sami Gomaa told the privately-run CBC channel she tried to throw herself from a window several times.

Staff say she was later tied to a bed, but managed to escape, attack a nurse and jump from the building.

Mr Gomaa also said no rape check had been carried out because she had not made a complaint.

The Polish foreign ministry has said it is the responsibility of the Egyptian authorities to clarify the circumstances of the death.

Source:BBC

May 12, 2017
US security chiefs target Russian antivirus company

{Six intelligence officials express ‘concern’ over Moscow-based internet security firm Kaspersky Labs.}

Top US intelligence chiefs on Thursday publicly expressed doubts about the global cyber-security firm Kaspersky Labs because of its roots in Russia.

Six leading intelligence officials told a Senate hearing on external threats to the United States of their concerns over the firm’s broad presence, without specifying any particular threat.

Asked if he was aware of a security threat tied to Kaspersky software, Federal Bureau of Investigation acting director Andrew McCabe replied: “We are very concerned about it and we are focused on it very closely.”

Defense Intelligence Agency director Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart said his agency is avoiding the company’s products.

“There is, as well as I know, no Kaspersky software on our networks,” he said, adding that the agency’s private sector contractors are also steering clear.

The allegations against Kaspersky come amid heightened US concerns over Russian hacking after what intelligence chiefs say was a significant effort directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interfere with last year’s election.

President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor Michael Flynn is under investigation for his links to Russia, which include being paid $11,250 to speak at a Kaspersky function.

Also indicating their concerns in brief were the heads of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and the director of National Intelligence.

“I am personally aware and involved as director of the National Security Agency in the Kaspersky Lab issue,” NSA head Mike Rogers said.

Kaspersky was founded in Moscow in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky, a computer engineer who served in the Russian military.

The company quickly expanded to a global presence, with 3,600 employees, 400 million users of its software, and revenue of some $620m in 2015, according to its website.

Its antivirus programmes regularly rank in the top five of such software for personal and business computers.

But US officials have expressed doubts over its recruitment of some staff with alleged links to Russian defence and intelligence bodies.

Some worry it might offer Russian intelligence a secret backdoor into users’ computers. US officials are particularly worried that foreign hackers could penetrate US infrastructure via suspect software and malware.

Kaspersky denied having ties to any government.

“The company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyber espionage efforts,” it said in a statement on Thursday.

“Kaspersky Lab believes it is completely unacceptable that the company is being unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations.”

Commenting on Reddit, Eugene Kaspersky also said his company had no links to the Russian government, offering to testify in the Senate.

“I respectfully disagree with their opinion, and I’m very sorry these gentlemen can’t use the best software on the market because of political reasons,” he said, referring to the intelligence chiefs.

Sean Kanuck, a former CIA officer who was the first US national intelligence officer for cyber issues, said the worries about Kaspersky have mainly come from US lawmakers who don’t understand that it gets paid by companies and US government agencies to have “front-door” access to their systems.

“That means that any Congressional questions about ‘back doors’ in Kaspersky products reflect a certain naivete, because many of Kaspersky’s clients are intentionally paying for full-content monitoring on their networks.”

Source:Al Jazeera

May 12, 2017