Tag: GreatLakesNews

{Fighting broke out between supporters of Machar and Kiir}

Kampala- At least five Ugandan businessmen were yesterday evening killed in an ambush following continued clashes between forces loyal to South Sudan President Salva Kiir and those of his deputy Riek Machar.

According to eye witnesses, the incident happened at Aruu junction inside South Sudan at around 4pm on Monday evening.

They said vehicle said to be carrying 10 people was ambushed while coming from Juba to Nimule towards the border point of Elegu.

“We have witnessed five bodies being offloaded out here at Elegu Police Station and the rest of the injured occupants have been rushed to Lacor hospital in Gulu town,” said Moses Okiring together with his colleague Robert Okello who saw the bodies.

“The South Sudanese driver, whose legs were shot and shuttered by the attackers of the ambush was not allowed to cross into Uganda but the business community here had to plead to security officers to allow him be taken to Gulu hospital,” Mr Okiring said.

The better part of yesterday in Juba was dominated by gunfire exchanges between the two rival forces, involving heavy artillery, helicopter gunships, tanks and light weapons.
A source based in Juba who spoke to Daily Monitor, said fighting had resumed at about 8:40am in Jebel, the same area where violence erupted on Sunday.

The clashes that erupted last week, with earlier skirmishes in Wau city have at least left about 270 people dead, mostly fighters.

By press time, yesterday Daily Monitor had not established the number of lives lost in Monday’s violence, but among the dead, reportedly included UN peace keepers from China killed in the fighting.

However, Mr Anthony Adama, the First Secretary at the Ugandan Embassy in Juba, also said about 20 Ugandans had run to the Embassy compound where they have taken refuge. “These also include children and we are trying to get them food,” Mr Adama said.

Foreign Affairs ministry permanent secretary Ambassador James Mugume said government was waiting for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) meeting outcomes before making a decision on whether to repatriate Ugandans trapped in South Sudan.

“The IGAD meeting will consider the situation on the ground in South Sudan and decide the next course of action,” Amb Mugume said.

The message of IGAD’s chairperson Hailemariam Desalegn, contained in a statement released yesterday, indicated that he is deeply disturbed by the fighting and deaths that have occurred as result of the violence.

Mr Hailemariam, the Ethiopia Prime Minister, said: “South Sudan leaders can, and must, demonstrate their determination and ability to rise up to this new challenge immediately.”
He adding that government and the opposition in South Sudan are duty bound to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that are likely to escalate the situation.

“As chairman of IGAD, I would like to call upon all parties to refrain from violence and urgently take all necessary steps to restore peace and stability in the capital and other parts of the country,” the statement read in part.

Yesterday, the United States also demanded an immediate end to renewed fighting in the capital of South Sudan, ordering all non-essential personnel out of the troubled country.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also called for an end to the fighting, while separately demanding that President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Reik Machar do their utmost to control their respective forces.

He also condemned an attack on the UNMISS Compound which he says left two UN peace keepers and one UNMISS staff dead, and other 35 injured.

He asked the UN Security Council to discuss sanctions against South Sudan, including an arms embargo. He also ordered for the fortification of the UN mission House in Juba.
“The members of the Security Council encouraged states in the region to prepare to provide additional troops in the event the Council so decides. In the interim, [the Council] stressed the need for UNMISS to make full use of its authority to use all necessary means to protect civilians,” Ki-moon said.

The UN Secretary General’s remarks came immediately after President Kiir had announced a ceasefire through his spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny.

President Kirr signed off the order directing all commanders of the opposing groups to protect the civilian population and their property and also aordered reduced checkpoints in the capital Juba.

{Following a successful joint operation, the police have seized more than 666 elephant tusks amounting to 4.6bn/- and arrested nine suspects, including two foreigners.}

The two aliens, according to the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Mr Diwani Athumani, are from Guinea and Uganda. He did not, however, reveal their names for fear of jeopardising investigations.

The operation also led to the arrest of 43 illegal immigrants, 18 of who are Congolese, 22 Burundians, two Rwandans and one Kenyan. The operation, according to Mr Athumani, was conducted with Interpol offices in Harare, Zimbabwe (Southern Zone) and in Nairobi, Kenya (Eastern Zone).

Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Mr Athumani said the police task force was formed to carry out a special operation dubbed ‘Usalama III’ that managed to seize the elephant tusks and arrest the suspects as they were planning to escape.

“The countrywide operation was conducted between June 26 and 30 and it involved other officials from various government institutions whereas 26 countries were engaged in a joint operation to crack down poaching and smuggling.

Apart from the elephant tusk suspects, the DCI said that during the same operation, 265 other suspects were nabbed and the trophies seized, which will be used as exhibits in court.

Mr Athumani further reported that law enforcers managed to seize various illicit drugs, including heroin (18 grammes), marijuana (398.6 kilogrammes), khat (30 kilogrammes) as well as 12 firearms and 104 rounds of ammunition.

{Uganda people’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has said it has no intention of deploying in South Sudan following fresh fights in the yoUganda people’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has said it has no intention of deploying in South Sudan following fresh fights in the youngest East African country.}

The army spokesperson Lt Col Paddy Ankunda told Daily Monitor“ Do not speculate. I have told you that the UPDF is not deploying in South Sudan.”

Earlier in the day, Col Ankunda tweeted saying: “Let me be clear: UPDF has not deployed in South Sudan. We do not have even a single soldier in Juba.”

His remarks come after speculations that the Uganda was likely to deploy its forces in South Sudan to contain the situation like the case was in December 2013 when fights broke out between government army and rebels forces led by vice president Riek Machar who had been sacked.

In a televised interview on Aljazeera, the S. Sudanese minister for Information, Michael Makuei Lueth flanked by minister for Mining, Taban Deng Gai called for a ceasefire.

Fresh clashes which broke out on Friday between government forces royal to President Kiir and those loyal to Machar have so far left 270 people feared dead and hundreds displaced.

“It is our country, why should we live in chaos every now and then. We believe everybody who is rational in this country will abide by the orders of the President and a cease fire will be respected,” Mr Lueth said.

“All of you have observed that President Salva Kiir is in total control and the people of this country are backing him.The officers should implement the orders of the Commander in Chief,” he added.ungest East African country.

{South Sudan has seen more fighting than peace since independence in July 2011.}

President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on his South Sudan counterpart to restore calm even after renewed heavy fighting erupted again in Juba on Sunday as former rebels and government soldiers exchanged fire two days after gun battles left around 150 fighters dead.

In a statement by State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, Mr Kenyatta had already reached out to President Salva Kiir over the matter.

Mr Kenyatta said it was with ‘profound regret that we have observed the renewed fighting unravel in South Sudan.’

“This is truly a very sad and difficult time for our neighbour. We join the region, and the global community, in calling for a cessation to these brutal actions that endanger the lives of ordinary citizens,” President Kenyatta said.

“We hope stability will soon be restored for the sake of the people of South Sudan, whose freedom was so painfully won,” he added.

Mr Esipisu said the president had urged Mr Kiir, first Vice President Dr Riek Machar and Vice President James Wani Igga to play the leadership roles the people of South Sudan expect them to.

“President Kenyatta urges President Kiir, First Vice President Machar and Vice President Wani to urgently move heavy weaponry and huge contingents of soldiers out of civilian spaces of the capital Juba,” Mr Esipisu said.

Kenya Airways announced it had suspended to Juba, South Sudan’s capital, due to security concerns following the renewed fighting.

“Gunshots, heavily armed exchange UN House area once again; going on now since approx. 0825 (0525 GMT),” the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Twitter on Sunday.

The UN House camp, close to where both former rebels and government soldiers are camped at the foot of a mountain to the west of the city, is home to roughly 28,000 people previously uprooted by the war.

The violence comes a day after the world’s youngest country marked its fifth independence anniversary, and is a fresh blow to a peace deal that has failed to end the civil war that broke out in December 2013.

City residents in the area of the camp began fleeing their homes as the UN reported the use of mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and “heavy ground assault weaponry”. A helicopter gunship was also reported above Juba.

A steady stream of fearful civilians, clutching children and possessions, was seen heading for the refuge of another UN base close to the city’s airport.

A spokesman for former rebel leader turned vice president Riek Machar blamed government troops for the latest fighting.

“Our forces have been attacked at Jebel base,” said James Gatdet Dak, who claimed the attack had been repulsed. “We hope it will not escalate,” he said.

The outbreak of fighting on Sunday morning was the first since Friday when brief, but heavy exchanges of fire left an estimated 150 soldiers dead on both sides.
There were no details of casualties from Sunday’s shooting.

South Sudan has seen more fighting than peace since independence in July 2011, with civil war breaking out December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.

An August 2015 peace deal was supposed to end the conflict but observers say the peace process has stalled while fighting has continued despite the establishment of a unity government.

This week’s clashes are the first between the army and former rebels in the capital — where the war broke out — since both established positions there in April as part of the peace agreement.

In a statement the UN Security Council said the recent fighting showed a “lack of serious commitment” to peace on the part of Kiir, Machar and their supporters.

Tens of thousands have died in more than two years of civil war, close to three million have been forced from their homes and nearly five million survive on emergency food rations.

The humanitarian crisis takes place alongside an economic one with the currency collapsing and inflation spiralling out of control.The country’s mainstay oil industry is in tatters and regional towns have been razed.

{The Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, said yesterday that the government has opened doors for both local and foreign investors to share experience and boost investments in the country.}

The Premier was speaking during the launching of the Tanzania- India Business Forum, which aimed at promoting partnerships to accelerate investment and trade between the two countries.

He said Tanzania invites investors in plantations and food processing industries. The forum brought together 50 big investors from India and Tanzanian businessmen. The Indian investors arrived in the country on Saturday with Prime Minister Modi.

“We have opened doors for both local and international investors. Indian investors are warmly invited to invest in various areas in the country,” he said. He mentioned some potential areas for investment as industries, infrastructure, tourism, mining and agriculture.

According to Mr Majaliwa, promotion of industries will boost agriculture production in the country since Tanzanian farmers will be able to enjoy reliable market for agriculture products.

“It is obvious that the revival and growth of industries will promote agriculture and boost economic growth for both the government and farmers,” said Mr Majaliwa. He assured his audience that the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) was so far performing well in its role as a one-stop-centre for investors.

“Officials from the Ministry for Industry and Trade, Business Registration and Licensing Agency (BRELA) and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) are all available at TIC’s head offices. They are stationed there to offer quick services to both local and international investors”, he stated.

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Industries, Mr Charles Mwijage, said the government was doing everything in its power to learn from successful countries, mentioning India and Vietnam as among successful countries that could help Tanzania to prosper.

He noted that India has managed to boost its economy by establishing small industries, which increased manufacturing of various products.“India has developed its economy through small industries. They are now exporting various products because of small industries.

Tanzania is keen to learn from India and other countries in this,” he said. According to Mr Mwijage, India has a total of 51 million industries, adding that small-scale industries in India contribute 38 per cent of GDP to the Indian economy, noting that Tanzania has so far got at least 40,000 industries.

“The small-scale industry is a key to India’s growth and alleviation of poverty and unemployment in the country.

Tanzania is also focusing on improving its economy by promoting small-scale industries,” noted Mr Mwijage. He noted further that 45 per cent of Indian exported products are produced from small-scale industries.

Mr Mwijage said Indian investors had expressed their readiness to generate electricity in various areas of the country without connecting them to the national grid with the purpose of serving the people who live in remote areas.“The Indians are ready to generate power in remote areas such as islands in Indian Ocean and Lakes. These are areas that are not connected to the national grid,” added Mr Mwijage.

The Managing Director of Tanzania Building Works Limited (TBWL), Mr Mohd Noray, said Tanzania was among peaceful African countries, calling on foreign investors to feel comfortable and safe to establish investment projects in the country. Kagera Sugar Limited Managing Director Seif Ali Seif said the opening of doors for both local and foreign investors will boost local production and increase employment to Tanzanians.

“We are supporting the government’s initiative to revive industries and invite investors to establish new industries, this will cut down the importation of products and exportation of raw materials,” he said.

The President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI), Mr Harshavardhan Neotia, noted that trade between Tanzania and India was on the right track, urging traders from both countries to utilise the available opportunities.

Tanzania is now a preferred destination for foreign investment in Africa and is by far the top destination for investors in the East African Community (EAC) region. According to World Investment Report 2015, Tanzania leads the EAC region in investment inflows after receiving foreign direct investments worth 2.146 billion US dollars in 2014.

It was trailed by Uganda, which registered investments worth 1.147bn US dollars and Kenya, which received 989 million US dollars in foreign direct investments.

According to the World Investment Report 2014, Tanzania recorded the highest Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), in 2013 within the East African Community (EAC). Tanzania’s inflows stood at 1.872bn US dollars followed by Uganda at 1.146 billion US dollars and Ethiopia at 953 million US dollars.

{After a year of uncertainty since protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term in office began, the East African Community has now declared Burundi safe to host its activities.}

The EAC suspended its activities in Bujumbura in the run-up to the June 2015 elections at the height of protests by activists who insisted that Nkurunziza’s candidacy violated the Constitution, even though the country’s highest court had cleared him to run for the presidency.

Last week, an EAC security mission comprising representatives from the other four partner states was in Burundi for four days to assess the situation. The team released a report showing that they were satisfied that the security in Burundi “is satisfactory for continuation of activities with minimal risk to staff and delegates.”

The mission comprised the assistant director in Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EAC, Aman Mwatonoka, Uganda’s director of strategic intelligence at the military headquarters, Lt-Col David Lumumba, advisor on EAC Affairs in Burundi’s Ministry of Public Security, Emmanuel Niyonizigiye, and the director of political affairs in Kenya’s State Department for EAC Ministry, David Njoka.