Tag: GreatLakesNews

{The team also wants electronic results to be considered while announcing the final outcome.}

Religious leaders want election results for all seats announced at the constituency level to be final to tame rigging.

They also propose the number of IEBC commissioners to be reduced to five, who will work on part time basis.

The leaders working under the auspices of Multi-Sectoral Forum with civil society organisations, drafted two Bills – the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill and Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill – to effect a wide range of changes on electoral reforms before the next polls.

They have presented the Bills and a memorandum to the joint parliamentary select committee that is investigating the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials with a view to sending them home.

“Subject to this Constitution and the provisions of this Act, the announcement by the constituency returning officer of the results shall be final,” the leaders said.

The team also wants electronic results to be considered while announcing the final outcome.

Currently, the presidential results are made final only by the chairman of the electoral commission and the results have to be manual.

The opposition has claimed there were cases in 2007 and 2013 where the results for the presidential vote announced by the commission were different from those by constituency officials.

In case of a presidential election petition, the team has proposed that the time be extended from 14 to 30 days.

The team also wants voter register inspection extended from 14 to 30 days.

{President John Magufuli and other leaders have said that without peace and tranquillity, it would be difficult for the country to develop.}

Speaking at the Heroes Day celebrations held for the first time here, Dr Magufuli, Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein and Retired Union President Ali Hassan Mwinyi underscored the need for peace in the country.

Thousands of Dodoma residents thronged the Mashujaa Grounds in this municipality yesterday to witness the historic day. President Magufuli used the occasion to extol peace virtues, taking time to remind Tanzanians on the importance of maintaining peace.

“Today is an important day to remember our heroes who sacrificed themselves to ensure that this country remains peaceful. As we remember them, we should cherish peace, unity and tranquillity,’’ he stressed.

He said the heroes who died for the country’s cause did not consider their religious or tribal differences, but were moved on by the highest degree of patriotism. “Even if I die today, the most happiness that I will leave this world with is when my country shall remain peaceful,’’ said the president.

Speaking at the celebrations, retired President Ali Hassan Mwinyi asked Tanzanians to put aside every difference and consider peace and love. Mr Mwinyi said what Dr Magufuli told residents at the Mashujaa Grounds was a reality of what he pledged during his presidential campaigns last year.

He asked Tanzanians to pray for him to ensure he succeeded in all endeavours, especially in making sure that the country remains peaceful. His sentiments were echoed by Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein who asked Tanzanians to put into practice what the two leaders had taken time to preach.

“In ensuring that we promote peace for our country, I will work together with President Magufuli to strengthen unity, peace and tranquillity,’’ he said. The ceremony was spiced by ample pomp and colour with members of the uniformed forces mounting a special military drill that attracted attention from members of the public.

People from all works of life started thronging the Mashujaa Grounds as early as 7:00 am. Security was beefed up to ensure that everything was in order.

The celebrations were attended by various national leaders, including Union Vice-President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, First Lady Janeth Magufuli and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson.

Others were Speaker of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, Mr Zubeir Ali Maulid and retired prime ministers Mr Samuel Malecela and Mr Mizengo Pinda.

{The Burundian army Saturday sent two battalions to the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in a takeover, replacing two other battalions that have completed their one-year duty, the Burundian army spokesman has said.}

“Since the beginning of this month, we are sending two battalions made up of 1,700 peacekeepers to the AMISOM and another 200 soldiers at the AMISOM headquarters for the Burundian contingent,” said Burundian Army Spokesman Colonel Gaspard Baratuza.

According to Baratuza, the two battalions that have been sent to Somalia include the 38th and the 39th battalions that are replacing the 32nd and the 33rd battalions.

“Since 2007 when Burundi started sending peacekeepers to Somalia, achievements are numerous. The situation was chaotic in 2007 with Al Shabaab terrorists shooting aircrafts at Mogadishu Airport, but now the traffic is high at the airport, maritime activities are underway and traffic on roads is also normal thanks to efforts of peacekeepers from Burundi and other countries,” said Col Baratuza.

Burundi is among the main contributors of troops in AMISOM.

Since December 2007, the east African nation has deployed six rotating battalions in Somalia.

Earlier in June, the Burundian government said that the European Union’s decision to cut funding for the AMISOM was unfair.

The EU in April announced it would cut by 20 percent its financial support to AMISOM due to competing priorities in Africa and the world in general.

Burundian External Relations and International Cooperation Minister, Alain Aime Nyamitwe, said the funding cut was unfair and would destabilize AMISOM while the AU peacekeepers were fighting terrorism. Enditem

{The country has been getting raw deal.}

Kenya does not really reap the fruits of East Africa Community, it would appear.

The bloc made up of five nations has been on the brink of open derision with Kenya being on the receiving end.

The community was supposed to have the members ease trade and other benefits among them. A closer look at it shows that Kenya, despite bending backwards to accommodate others, has been receiving a raw deal in return.

The latest in a string of bad treatment in the Community is by Tanzania who has refused to sign the crucial Economic Partnership Agreement.

Under the trade deal, the European Union (EU) would be granted unlimited market access to Kenya and the region for the next two and half decades. The East African nations will also enjoy the exemption from the 8 -12 per cent taxes while selling goods to the EU market. Should the deal flop, these taxes will hurt Kenyan exports by making them uncompetitive.

{{SPELL DOOM}}

A failure will also hurt one of Kenya’s engines of economic growth; agriculture. Close to 90 per cent of the country’s exports to the EU are agricultural, agro-processed and manufactured products.

The scenario might also spell doom to more than 600,000 workers, mainly on the flower farms and fresh foods producers.

Kenya is the only country among the East African partners who does not enjoy the least developed country status hence has to depend on the agreement or risk the preferential treatment in the lucrative EU market. Least developed countries access the market without the need for a special agreement. According to news reports, Tanzania officials cited Brexit as the reason for not signing.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of East African Community, Labour and Social Protection, Phyllis Kandie, said the deal would still be signed.

“The deadline for signing the agreement is October 1, 2016. We are still within the deadline and we are talking with a view of having all partner states sign before then,” she said.

But Kenya’s bad treatment in the hands of Tanzania is not a new phenomenon. In early 2015, tourist operators from both countries were caught up in supremacy wars after Kenya had denied Tanzania tour operators access to Kenya towns. While Tanzanians enjoyed unfettered access to Kenyan towns, Tanzania had refused Kenyans past the borders.

Tanzania has also refused to join the single East Africa Visa that allows tourists coming to the region to visit all sites of their choice without unnecessary paperwork in each country.

{{ONE DESTINATION}}

Kenya Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Jacinta Nzioka-Mbithi noted that the East Africa Tourism Visa protocol had been agreed on by member states in East Africa several years ago.

“While it will be great for all EAC members to be part of the visa protocol in order to make joint marketing more effective, a lot has already been achieved with Rwanda and Uganda providing a diversified offering to the international traveller,” she said.

Mrs Mbithi said the need for several destination packages is growing hence joint promotions for EA as one destination.

“Being the regional hub, many tourists come into the region through Kenya, hence Kenya will always benefit. However, more can be achieved through repositioning Kenya in the region and ensuring fair stake by all members. The big brother is not applicable anymore as our neighbours are now grown up,” she said.

Tanzania tends to lean towards Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in its dealing giving EAC its back.

CS Kandie sought to downplay the underlying issues within the community.

“There are challenges of this nature that afflict any regional economic bloc but generally the EAC is doing well with a growth rate of 6 per cent,” she said.

But perhaps the biggest betrayal is the Oil Pipeline deal when Uganda overlooked the more viable root through Kenya and opted for Tanzania.

Kenya was left reeling after a proposed Hoima-Turkana to Lamu and opted for Hoima-Tanga route.

“As the biggest regional economy we have financial institutions like Kenya Commercial and Equity Banks and other businesses well established in all these countries. Kenya has a lot more to lose were the community to collapse,” said a government official who sought anonymity.

{Leaders of several opposition political parties invited to the CCM National Congress here have applauded the party for building a good tradition of leadership succession.}

The ruling party’s National Congress convened in Dodoma yesterday to vote for President John Magufuli, who was endorsed by the National Executive Committee (NEC). He emerged victorious with a total of 2,398 votes.

Two leaders of opposition parties spoke on behalf of other opposition political parties who attended the congress. National Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) Chairman Augustine Mrema said CCM will remain strong because of well-organised leadership.

He applauded Dr Magufuli for appointing him new Chairman of Tanzania National Parole Board, saying he was a leader who did not consider religion or political ideologies in his choice of various functionaries.

“I would like to use this opportunity to assure the head of state that I will not let him down, I will attend to my duties diligently,” Mr Mrema pledged. National United Democratic Party (UDP) Chairman John Cheyo said it was very difficult to remove CCM from power, pointing out that it was a very strong and more organised outfit compared to other political parties in the country.

According to Mr Cheyo, CCM will remain strong for a long time because of solidarity among its members.

He commended President Magufuli for recording good performance in the past eight months that he has been in power. “I would like to advise my fellow opposition leaders to learn to appreciate; some people are challenging Dr Magufuli’s good job; that is unfair,” he noted.

Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo) leader, Mr Zitto Kabwe, wrote in his Facebook wall that CCM has managed to maintain its record of handing over leadership to each other. He said other political parties in the country and abroad must learn from CCM’s tradition.

Meanwhile, two former CCM members who had defected to the opposition returned to the ruling party yesterday. Mr Mgana Msindai, who defected to Chadema last year was welcomed again yesterday.

He asked CCM members to forgive him and allow him to rejoin the party. “CCM is my home. I would like to ask for your forgiveness. CCM belongs to me. I consider it to me my mother and my father,” Mr Msindai pleaded.

Former Kishapu MP, Mr Fred Mpendazoe, said he has decided to return to CCM after measuring the advantages and disadvantages of staying out of the ruling party. “I have gained nothing from the opposition. There is nothing outside there. I am back to CCM.

I am happy with President Magufuli’s leadership,” said Mr Mpendazoe. Mr Mpendazoe quit CCM to join the opposition in 2010. Announcing his decision to jump ship at the Information Centre (Maelezo) auditorium in Dar es Salaam, Mr Mpendazoe said he had reached the decision after considering a number of factors.

He said he strongly felt he no longer had confidence in the party on whose ticket he entered Parliament for the first time following the 2005 general election.

{Floribert Kambale Safari didn’t spend long in the hands of his kidnappers, but he still feels he’s a captive to the debt owed to those who paid his ransom.}

Kidnapping for cash is a growing threat in the part of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where Safari, a 54-year-old subsistence farmer, lives.

People from all walks of life, including civil servants, priests and imams, have fallen victim to the crime wave in a southeastern region of North Kivu province.

The state has a limited presence in this part of the country, where dozens of armed groups have been active for years and humanitarian conditions are among the worst in the world.

Insecurity runs so high that aid agencies regularly suspend their operations.

With little to fear from the police, the kidnapping gangs are able to operate with impunity.

Sitting outside his small tin-roofed home in the under-developed area of Kayna, in North Kivu’s Lubero territory, Safari recounted how one night early in May, three hooded men snatched him from a shed in his field.

The kidnappers at first asked for the equivalent of $1,500 (1,400 euros) as a ransom, but ended up accepting the $500 that Safari’s family managed to scrape together.

{{‘A new plague’}}

In the provincial capital Goma, North Kivu Governor Julien Paluku seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the situation.

“We’re witnessing a new plague… this is a new business,” he said.

“We’re currently studying how to end to this.”

In Kayna, as in most of the vast central African country, there is no running water, no electricity and practically no tarred roads. The few masonry buildings are in bad shape and appear to date from Belgian colonial times, before 1960.

Since he was freed on May 13, Safari has not dared return to his banana plantation for fear of being abducted again by the same kidnappers.