Author: Publisher

UN Head of South Sudan Mission Quitting in July

{{Hilde Johnson, the head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has officially announced she is leaving the world’s youngest nation in July this year.}}

The special representative of the secretary-general disclosed this at a meeting with president Salva Kiir on Friday.

“I informed the president that by Independence Day in July, I will have completed my three years as special representative, which is much more than usual for an SRSG in a peacekeeping mission of this nature, and in particular also with the crisis that we’ve gone through”, Johnson said in a statement.

“I informed the president that I have come to the end of my term and I will be departing South Sudan”, she further added.

Johnson’s surprise decision comes just days after the UN Security Council (UNSC) extended its South Sudan mission mandate with focus on civilian protection, the need to address security and the humanitarian situation worsened by the political crisis in the young nation.

The UNSC, in a resolution issued onTuesday, extended the mission’s mandate until 30 November 2014, and authorised it to use “all necessary means” to protect civilians, monitor and investigate human rights, create the conditions for delivery of humanitarian assistance, and support the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

The UNMISS boss, however, said she discussed with president Kiir the mission’s new mandate passed by the Security Council on Tuesday, while informing the South Sudanese leader about UNSC members’ decision to pass the course for the resolution.

Members of the UNSC, Johnson stressed, consulted and informed the South Sudan’s foreign affairs ministry on several occasions prior to the resolution issued this week.

sudantribune

May 30, 2014
Zanzibar Transit Center for Illegal Timber

{{A senior Zanzibar government official has said the island state is increasingly becoming a transit point for timber illegally harvested on Mainland Tanzania.}}

“When I look through my small window in my small office overlooking the sea I always see several vessels ferrying timber from the Mainland,” said Dr Bakari Asseid, the deputy principal secretary in the Zanzibar Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

He was speaking at a two-day 2nd East Africa Timber Trade Stakeholders’ Forum on Coordinating Solutions to the Illegal and Unsustainable Timber Trade in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique which ended yesterday.

“Zanzibar does not have that many trees but the pace at which the Islands are exporting timber are alarming,” Dr Asseid told the forum jointly organized by the WWF’s Coastal East Africa Global Initiative (WWF-CEAGI), TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, and the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF).

“At one time Kenya was the leading exporter of cloves while the country doesn’t grow a single clove tree. Cloves are grown in Zanzibar. And now I can predict that Zanzibar is soon going to be a major exporter of timber while the Island has not forestry reserves worth exporting,” he said.

He said most of the timber that was being exported through Zanzibar was illegally harvested in mainland Tanzania. The President of Tanzania Forest Industries Federation, Mr Ben Sulus, told local media at the forum that there were more than 50 illegal ports along the Mtwara and Lindi regions coastal line used for exporting illegally harvested timber.

NMG

May 30, 2014
Court Allows Impeachment of EALA Speaker

{{The East African Court of Justice yesterday declined to stop the impeachment of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) Speaker, Ms Margaret Nantongo Zziwa.}}

The court ruled that the legislators’ move to throw her out of office did not infringe on the treaty that established the East African Community (EAC).

According to the court, the details filed were not good enough to stop the process. But Mbidde Foundation Limited of Uganda and Ms Zziwa can still seek an injunction, according to Principal Judge Jean-Bosco Butasi, if they can produce sufficient evidence to merit stopping the move against the Speaker.

Represented by Mr Fred Mukasa Mbidde and Jet Mwebaze, the applicants also sought an order stopping Eala from conducting any investigation into the matter pending the hearing and determination of the main case.

But the court yesterday rejected the applicants’ claims that presenting the petition to the Assembly constituted an infringement of the EAC Treaty. The Principal Judge said in the ruling at the EACJ’s new chambers: “Those Rules of Procedure were promulgated under Articles 49 (2) and 60 of the Treaty. No material was availed to this Court as would suggest that the Rules per se infringe Treaty provisions.”

He added: “At this stage, we find that the presentation of the petition to the House was in compliance with Rules duly promulgated under the EAC Treaty and, therefore, in compliance with the Treaty.”

Secondly, he said, the removal of the Speaker of the Assembly was a function of Eala as provided by Article 53 of the Treaty with the procedure for such removal detailed in Rule 9 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

He went on to say that Article 49 (2) (g) of the EAC Treaty does not mandate the regional Parliament to formulate its own rules of procedure as well as those which pertain to its committees, of which, the Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges is one such committee.

Justice Butasi defended the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, stressing that the perceived bias on the Committee as was neither frivolous nor vexatious, adding that the material produced in Court by the Respondents “does not prima facie demostrate an act of Treaty infringement such as would invoke the provisions of Article 30 (1) of the Treaty.

The Applicants had argued that if the interim order to stop the impeachment of the Speaker was not granted, she and Mbidde Foundation Limited would suffer “irreparable damages which will not be compensated.”

They also added that the political career of Ms Zziwa and the smooth running of Eala would be affected. They submitted that there was a prima facie case to be determined by the Court and asked the EACJ to grant the order sought with costs.

But the Court said it was not satisfied that Mbidde Foundation demostrated any injury it is likely to suffer, referring to an affidavit of one Moses Kyeyune Mukasa to the effect that the organisation wanted to protect Uganda’s rotational interest in the office of the Speaker as well as the rights of the incumbent Speaker.

“But this does not provide material that demonstrated the injury that party is likely to suffer if the injunction is refused,” the ruling stressed.

NMG

May 30, 2014
Youth Conference on Freedom of Expression in EAC

{{The Youth organization for Human Rights Promotion and Development (AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA) with the support of GIZ will host a Youth Conference on Freedom of Expression in the East African Community in Kigali Hilltop Hotel from 2nd to 5th June 2014 with 30 participants from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi.}}

The Conference will be held under the theme,”Your opinion matters. Make your voice heard!”,

The conference’s purpose is to create dialogue and shed light on how freedom of expression is perceived within the East African Community.

Participants will exchange about ways to overcome challenges and learn from the experience of those from other countries.

They will look in depth at freedom of speech, the right to seek, receive and impart information and the right to hold opinion without interference, in the framework of respective legal context.

Professional trainers will run workshops on debate, CINEDUC (educational approach using film) and forum theatre to incite discussions.

Theatre is a powerful way to work with sensitive issues. It engages emotions of both, actors and audience. Thereby actors verbally and non-verbally are able to express their views.

Equally the audience has the opportunity to examine and voice their own ideas. This process stimulates reflection on opinions and strengthens dialogue.

AJPRODHO intends to teach youth to understand their rights and to use these skills in their own lives to become advocates in their own communities.

On Thursday June 5th 2014, a debate with participants from government, civil society, youth representatives and media will take place from 9 a.m. to 12.30 a.m.

Participants will debate how youth can engage in an open dialogue with government representatives to participate in the development of their countries.

This meeting will spur exchange of visions and practices across the East African Community.

May 30, 2014
Tanzanian Witchdoctor Jailed for Conning Nairobi Woman

{{A self-proclaimed witchdoctor from Tanzania and his accomplice will serve three years in jail for defrauding a Nairobi resident of Sh9 million with the promise of riches.}}

Amos Chipeta and Peter Mwami will be repatriated back to their country after completing their sentences, for lying that they would multiply their client’s money.

Senior Principal Magistrate Lucy Mbugua handed them the jail term after they were found guilty of defrauding Catherine Njeri of the colossal sum of money.

The prosecutor informed the court that Chipeta and Mwami, between August and December 2012, obtained Sh9 million from Njeri at their premises along Juja Road by saying that the money would multiply to Sh50 million after three months and quadruple in six months.

The witchdoctors also promised Njeri that they would use magic powers to enable her become rich. The court heard that after handing over the cash to the witchdoctors, they gave her a box, which she was instructed not to open before three months were over.

When the period ended, Njeri opened the box only to find it stuffed with pieces of papers rather than the cash promised by the witchdoctor.

{{Â Tanzania national Amos Chipeta (left) and Peter Mwami at the Milimani Law Courts
}}

May 30, 2014
Trade Part of Solution to Conflicts in Great Lakes Region

{{Peace and security cannot be sustainable unless it goes hand in hand with development.}}

This was the shared understanding by delegates at a 3-day joint meet on the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for DR Congo and the Great Lakes Region.

Officiating at the launch of the joint meeting Finance Minister Claver Gatete noted that fostering peace and stability within the region required facilitating cross border investments especially in infrastructure such as roads, electricity, border markets, abattoirs and many more to facilitate cross border trade.

“We cannot simply wait for peace and security deliberations. We need to set in motion development initiatives that help our citizens.

There is a lot of informal trade going on at borders which if strategic investments are made could be valuable to our citizens,” Minister Gatete said.

The role of the private sector is vital in the development of cross border trade facilitation.

However governments need to provide conducive business environment through setting up political risk guarantees, identifying projects and providing incentives.

UN Resident coordinator Lamin Manneh noted that the UN Secretary General’s Peace and Security Cooperation Framework offered the best opportunity for durable peace and security in the DRC and the wider Great Lakes Region.

Rwanda has reiterated its commitment to nurturing sustainable peace in the Great Lakes Region, without which the inclusive growth, poverty reduction and transformational aspirations of all the countries in the region cannot be achieved.

May 30, 2014
More Ministries Shown Clean in Audit Report

{{The number of government institutions that received a clean audit report in the 2012/13 Auditor Report has increased. For the first time, all ministries, provinces and some government agencies received a clean audit report. }}

Presenting his findings to the joint parliamentary seating on Monday afternoon, Obadiah Biraro, the Auditor General noted that the number of clean audits had increased to 32% compared to 28% in 2011/12 financial year.

Biraro acknowledged the contribution of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning through vigorous capacity building accorded to internal auditors.

“Issues of professional accounting and compliance to the principles of the organic law regarding public finance have tremendously improved,” Biraro told parliamentarians.

According to Government’s Accountant General, Patrick Shyaka the improvements are attributed to training that focuses on areas of weakness, strengthening financial reporting, increasing awareness of the auditor general recommendations and implementing penalties.

“We realized that in addition to providing general Public financial management training a focused training was crucial to address weaknesses. We also strengthened financial reporting aspect and implemented penalties such as freezing budgets to encourage compliance with procedure,” Shyaka said.

However as the Auditor General indicated, a lot remains to be worked on. For example in the latest report, expenses that lacked official justification and wasteful expenditures amounted to over Rfw 3 billion in the 2012/13 financial year.

“I believe we have made substantial achievement but that does not mean we are done yet. A lot has to be improved on,” Shyaka pointed out.

Every year, the Auditor General, in line with article 184 of the constitution, submits to both chambers of parliament, prior to the commencement of the session devoted to the examination of the budget of the following year, a complete report on the state’s financial statements for the previous year.

May 30, 2014
Will Smith Drops out of Movie ‘Brilliance’

{{Will Smith has reportedly dropped out of upcoming sci-fi movie Brilliance.

The Men In Black actor was due to star in the big screen adaptation of Marcus Sakey’s novel but had to pull out for scheduling reasons, reported Deadline.

Production on the project is due to start in the summer, but it seems the timing didn’t work for Will.

The film, which will be directed by Julius Onah and has a screenplay penned by David Koepp, is set in a world where people are born with extraordinary abilities, and are known as “brilliants”.

One federal agent uses his hunting gifts to hunt down a terrorist, another “brilliant”, who plans to start a civil war.

Noomi Rapace is tipped to co-star in the film. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo actress has apparently been in negotiations about a role.}}

May 30, 2014
UN Wants Wider Use of Drones

{{UN peacekeeping missions should deploy more drones and state-of the art technology to become more effective, limit boots on the ground and keep aid workers safer, their chief said on Thursday.}}

On the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, staff paid tribute to more than 3 000 peacekeepers who have died since 1948, including 106 last year, and to those still serving on the frontline.

The head of UN peacekeeping, Herve Ladsous, said that a peacekeeper died on average once every three days in 2013, and that technology needs to be upgraded to assist a record number of UN boots on the ground.

The Security Council last month approved a new mission in the Central African Republic and in December voted to send an extra 5 500 soldiers to war-torn South Sudan.

“Clearly we cannot continue to afford to work with 20th century tools in the 21st century,” Ladsous told reporters in New York.

He said drones had already helped in the Democratic Republic of Congo and could be vital in improving humanitarian access.

“They [convoys] can use the images of the machines to make sure they are not going to be attacked or hijacked on the way. That, I think, is a very significant development,” Ladsous said.

“We do need them [drones] in countries like Mali, like Central African Republic and clearly in South Sudan it would be my desire that we might deploy them,” he said.

Surveillance drones could replace some military observers and make a big difference.

wirestory

May 30, 2014
Man Sentenced to 4years in Jail over Slavery

{{A court in Niger has sentenced a man to four years in jail in the country’s first prosecution for slavery, a magistrate said on Thursday.}}

The 63-year old man had taken a woman as his fifth wife against local law and had subjected her to slavery, the magistrate added, requesting anonymity.

Niger ranks number 28 out of 160 in the 2013 United Nations global slavery index with up to 130,000 people trapped in modern slavery. Mostly women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation, domestic work and forced labour, the index says.

Elhadji Djadi Raazikou, who has been in detention since 2010, was arrested after a local anti-slavery organisation, Timidria, alerted the authorities.

Raazikou, already married to four wives, was accused of buying a young girl for 200,000 CFA francs ($420) and putting her to work for one of his wives.

He later took her as a fifth wife while she continued to work for him as a domestic servant.

Realising he had fallen foul of local Islamic law that allows a man to marry up to four wives so long as he treats them all equitably, Raazikou had tried to divorce one of the others, the court in Birnin Konni in southwest Niger, heard on Tuesday.

He admitted the slavery charge but having already served four years in detention, he is expected to be released at the end of this month, the magistrate said.

May 30, 2014