Category: Rubrique

{{The governors of border provinces of the States of the Economic Community of Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) have decided to keep open 24 hours the borders between the DRC and Burundi.}}

The decision became effective from June 8 it was the last weekend at the third meeting on border security of member countries of the CEPGL in Bujumbura.

Marcellin Cishambo the Governor of South Kivu said opening of the boundaries would restrict illegal immigration between the two countries.

“We have resolved to think quickly on the erection of new border crossings because infiltrators never pass through the natural boundary.”

He said the border is porous, particularly along River Ruzizi, can be crossed either by swimming or by jumping from one stone to another or outright to the canoe.

Open borders and increased border crossings will control the flow and thus increase safety, the governor added.

“Absence of well-known border crossings pose problems of infiltration, and contrary to what people think, it’s not DR-Congo that complains of infiltration people coming from neighboring countries, but it’s more the Burundi who complains of infiltration of the FNL who are here,” he said.

{{The Federal Republic of Nigeria has appointed an envoy to the East African Community.

The Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Republic of Tanzania presented to the EAC Secretary General a letter of accreditation as his country’s envoy to the Community.}}

HE Dr. Ishaya Samaila Majanbu presented his letter of accreditation to Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera at a brief ceremony held at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, where the High Commissioner declared that the Federal Republic of Nigeria was happy to identify with the EAC.

HE Dr. Majanbu lauded the progress registered by the Community since its revival, saying it was an inspiration for the other regional economic communities on the African continent.

He spoke of the need to encourage deeper integration through increased business exchanges and expressed his country’s readiness to share experiences with the EAC for the mutual benefit of the two.

Amb. Sezibera on his part conveyed the EAC’s condolences to the Nigerian people following the tragic air crash that occurred in Lagos last Sunday claiming more than 150 lives.

The Secretary General welcomed the move to enhance cooperation between the EAC and Nigeria, noting that the latter would provide especially valuable lessons for the bloc in its quest to become a single state, citing the fact that Nigeria is one of the few federal states on the continent.

He also observed that the bloc, which has recorded significant oil finds in recent times, would harness this newly enhanced relationship to pick lessons from Nigeria with regard to exploitation and management of petroleum resources.

{{A Ugandan woman Margaret Zziwa (above) is the new Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly with its headquarters in Arusha Tanzania.}}

Zziwa beat her Ugandan rival in a hotly contested race which went in a second round to get a winner.

Zziwa beat her sole rival Dora Byamukama. Both Zziwa and Byamukama belong to the Uganda ruling party NRM.

In the first round Byamukama got 18 votes while Margaret Zziwa 27. The winner had to obtain about 30 votes which is two-thirds of the members.

Before the voting exercise, Byamukama was seen as a front runner for speaker job.

{{Two Ugandan women are today contesting for the position of the SPEAKER of the third East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). }}

The Members are Hon Dora Byamukama (Uganda) and Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa (Uganda). A new speaker shall be elected following the end of tenure of Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi.

According to the Rules of Procedure (rule 7) of the Assembly on election of Speaker, the Members shall directly elect the Speaker by secret ballot from among their number on rotational basis.

Once elected and sworn in, the Speaker who shall serve for a period of five years, shall proceed to administer oath to the Members.

All Partner States are entitled to nine Members totalling 45. The 7 ex-officio Members include the 5 Ministers- in- charge of the EAC Affairs from the respective Partner States, the Secretary General and the Counsel to the Community.

All Partner States have recently finalised the elections of Members with twenty of the current Members returning to the august House. Rwanda returned eight of Members while United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya returned one Member each from the 2nd Assembly. Uganda on its part voted in 6 Members of the out-going Assembly. The Assembly thus has thirty two new faces.

The Members from Burundi are Hon Emerence Bucumi, Hon Hafsa Mossi, Hon Isabelle Ndahayo, Hon Leonce Ndarubagiye and Hon Dr. Martin Nduwimana. Others are Hon Emmanuel Nengo, Hon Jeremie Ngendakumana, Hon Frederic Ngenzebuhoro and Hon Yves Nsabimana.

The Republic of Kenya is represented by Hon Nancy Abisai, Hon Abubakar Zein Abubakar, Hon Sarah Bonaya, Hon Peter Mathuki, Hon Mumbi Ngaru, Hon Saole Ole Nkanae, Hon Abubakar Ogle, Hon Joseph Kiangoi and Hon Judith Pareno.

Rwanda’s representatives to the Assembly are Hon Christophe bazivamo, Hon Patricia Hajabakiga, Hon Abdulkarim harelimana, Hon Jacqueline Muhongayire, Hon Dr. James ndahiro, Hon Straton Ndikuryayo, Hon Valerie Nyirahabineza, Hon Dr Odette Nyiramilimo and Hon Pierre celesitin Rwigema.

United Republic of Tanzania on its part has Hon Shy-Rose Bhanji, Hon Adam Kimbisa, Hon Angela Kizigha, Hon Bernard Murunya, Hon Abdullah Mwinyi, Hon Dr. Perprtua Nderakindo, Hon Makongoro Nyerere, Hon Issa Taslima and Hon Mariam Ussi Yahya.

Uganda has Hon Dora Byamukama, Hon Dan Kidega, Hon Fred Mbidde Mukasa, Hon Bernard Mulengani, Hon Susan Nakawuki, Hon Chris Opoka-Okumu, Hon Mike Sebalu, Hon Nusura Tiperu and Hon Margaret Zziwa.

The list is completed by the EAC Ministers, the Secretary General of the EAC and the Counsel to the Community who are the Assembly’s ex-officio Members.

At its last day of Sitting on May 31, 2012, EALA adopted seven reports of the Standing Committees of the House cover the period July 2007 –June 2012. The Reports comprehensively inform the Assembly of the activities, programmes and projects carried out.

The Assembly also paid tribute to outgoing Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi for the excellent, focused dedicated and determined leadership exhibited during his tenure as Speaker.

The Motion moved by Hon Patricia Hajabakiga wished the outgoing Speaker good health and a fruitful political career ahead and it received overwhelming support as tributes flowed freely.

{{Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo has warned against reckless interference by non-state actors in the region.}}

“We will not fall for all these provocations and so-called leaked reports designed to inflame tension and create conflict. Far from it. Rwanda and the DRC have been working even closer than before to resolve the situation in DRC.”

Minister Mushikiwabo said that the government was aware of a new fundraising effort by Human Rights Watch who are planning to release another batch of recycled rumours designed to implicate Rwanda, and warned that the region is not a playground for non-state actors to play politics or raise money while fomenting violence and human suffering.

“Who benefits from continued instability in the eastern DRC? Not the Rwandan people, not the Congolese people. The primary beneficiaries are the FDLR terrorists who feast on insecurity.

But unaccountable actors like Human Rights Watch also profit from this by raising millions of dollars through the dissemination of simplistic reports based on the same old unverified reports and lies.”

The Government of Rwanda warned Human Rights Watch and other non-state actors in the region against conduct that can result in human suffering, including more than one hundred women who have been raped by FDLR and other rebels who have taken advantage of the insecurity breach.

“The irresponsible words of lobbies like Human Rights Watch are no less dangerous than bullets or machetes. We read today in the Guardian newspaper of killings and the disfigurement of dead bodies.

Rwanda knows these tell-tale signs too well. These are the same forces who killed over one million people in Rwanda in 1994. We know their modus operandi. Their actions today carry a chilling ring of familiarity.”

Minister Mushikiwabo said that the government of Rwanda understands that the stakes are too high for the region.

That is why she has requested Roger Meece, UN Special Representative to the DRC to come to Kigali to explain why MONUSCO is spreading false rumours aimed at aggravating the volatile situation in Eastern DRC, undermining ongoing collaboration between Rwanda and DRC governments to manage insecurity and shelter refugees fleeing the conflict.

“We are not involved in internal DRC political or military affairs. Allegations to the contrary have no basis in fact. Even the source of this week’s rumours has backed off them, admitting there is no evidence for any involvement by the Rwandan Government.”

{{A Rwandan legislator Juliana Kantengwa has been elected the Fourth Vice-President of The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) based in South Africa.}}

Hon. Kantengwa beat other contenders to take the post to represent the Eastern African Region, a Kenya Member of Parliament with 89 votes over 59.

Rwanda’s high commissioner to South Africa, Vincent Karega, said Madame Kantengwa’s vote reflects the trust Rwanda has won overtime among countries.

Together, other five Members will form the Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament, during its Third Parliament, which will extend for a period of three years.

The Pan-African Parliament was established in March 2004, by Article 17 of The Constitutive Act of the African Union, as one of the nine Organs provided for, in the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community signed in Abuja, Nigeria, in 1991.

{{The Government of Rwanda has rubbished accusations in a UN Report that its forces are involved in the ongoing war in the neighbouring vast DRCongo.}}

Louise Mushikiwabo, the minister of foreign affairs and the government spokesperson said, “Rwanda has no hand in war in Eastern DRC that has been ongoing for several weeks.

It is a naked lie. Ever since the war broke out, Rwanda has been interested in strengthening cooperation with DRC.

Instead the UN has been insisting on simple problems rather than the major causes of the conflict in the Great Lakes region”.

UN has failed to fulfill its mandate considering the tragic history the region has experienced.

Mushikiwabo refuted allegations that M23 fighters received training inside Rwanda.

The UN had alleged that it has evidence that a rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being fuelled by recruits and support from neighbouring Rwanda.

An internal UN report cited defecting soldiers, who claimed they had been trained in Rwanda under the pretext of joining the army, before being sent over the border to fight.

The report claims the deserters were Rwandan nationals, recruited in Rwanda under the pretext of joining the Rwandan military alleging that they were given weapons and training, and were then sent into DR Congo.

{{Sudan President Omar El Bashir has ruled out holding a summit meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan before security dossiers between the two countries are tackled and common understandings are reached.}}

The head of government negotiation team Idriss Mohammed Abdulgadir announced the readiness of the delegation to embark on negotiations on the pending issues on Tuesday.

He pointed out in an interview with Sudan Radio on Saturday 26 May to the discussion of the main points which come at the top of the negotiation table.

He stressed the importance of deciding upon the security dossier and the related arrangements first, indicating that the political, security and military committee headed by the Minister of Defense Lt. General Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein will look into the issues of security dossier in an accurate manner in order to decide upon them and finally settle them in order to move to other dossiers.

Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Rahmtallah Osman Ahmed ruled out holding of a summit between President Al-Bashir and President Salva Kiir before understandings are reached on the contentious issues particularly the security dossier.

{{Internally displaced Congolese refugees have begun receiving their food assistance from the Congolese government. The distribution began at Mugunga 3, at the outskirts of Goma on Sunday.}}

The relief assistance is expected to benefit about 36,000 displaced Congolese that fled fighting between rebel factions and the FARDC in the territory of Masisi in North Kivu.

Supplied items including hundreds of tons of food and non-food items for IDPs living in the seven sites identified in North Kivu will cater for 3225 displaced families.

“We agree to humanitarian assistance, but we want peace to return to our villages,” said some of the beneficiaries.

Congolese government Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and National Solidarity, Charles Nawej Mundele says that government policy is not to maintain the displaced in camps.

“There was the water problem that arose including the problem of hygiene latrines, there are food problems. The ultimate goal is to help all our people to regain their places of origin. We have it all: the government will assist all displaced people.”

{{Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to face questioning as soon as mid-June when he loses his immunity a month after his successor Francois Hollande officially assumes office today.}}

Hollande is swon in today as new President of Republic of France.

The most immediately dangerous case for Sarkozy involves a series of overlapping inquiries surrounding illegal campaign financing by L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman.

Magistrates are investigating claims that Bettencourt’s staff handed over envelopes stuffed with cash to Sarkozy aides to finance his 2007 campaign, with her former book-keeper testifying to one 50,000 euro ($65,000) donation.

However, Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing. But the conviction last year of his predecessor Jacques Chirac on graft charges has shown that French courts are now willing to go after former leaders.

“In the past the kind of behaviour that Nicolas Sarkozy is accused of was very common, but the courts did not launch prosecutions,” said Philippe Braud, a political analyst at the Paris-based Centre for Political Studies.

Under France’s electoral code, individual election campaign contributions may not exceed 4,600 euros.

Claims were also made during the campaign that former Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi’s regime financed Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign to the tune of 50 million euros, but no investigation is known to have been opened.

However, Sarkozy has denounced that claim as “grotesque” and said he will sue French media website Mediapart over the reports.

Also in more serious but harder to prove allegations, magistrates are probing whether a 2002 Karachi bombing that killed 11 French engineers was revenge for the cancellation of bribes secretly promised to Pakistani officials.