Tag: GreatLakesNews

{A study by two international oil firms, warning of a possible delay in the completion of an oil pipeline, was at the centre of talks between Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Yoweri Museveni at State House, Nairobi, on Monday.
}

Sources within the Energy sector said that Tullow Oil plc and China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) had a carried out research, whose findings warned Uganda against going ahead with its plan to construct the Northern Pipeline from Hoima through Lokichar to the Lamu Port.

It was understood that two firms, working together with French oil company Total, warned that Uganda’s plans to start extracting crude oil for export in 2018 could be delayed if it goes ahead with the Kenya deal.

Monday, President Museveni and his delegation presented the findings of the research to the Kenyan team led by President Kenyatta to justify Kampala’s recent decision to shift its focus to Tanzania, a route, which is much longer than the Kenyan option.

PROTRACTED DISPUTES

Sources said the study warned that Kenya has had a history of protracted land compensations, which would delay the construction of the pipeline from Lokichar to Lamu.

“Uganda’s concern was that research by Tullow and CNOOC suggested that land compensation could be major factor in delaying the construction of the northern pipeline,” said a source who attended the meeting.

The study pointed to the bitter disputes involved in the acquisition of land for the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-EthiopiaTransport (Lapsset) and in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

This, they warned, could also lead to higher costs because landowners were known to drive the prices high ahead of projects.

In its presentation, Uganda also referred to the findings in the study, indicating that the area along the proposed pipeline route does not have well-developed roads and that this could hinder construction.

The study had also stated that the Lamu Port was yet to be built and warned that it might not be completed by 2018, when Uganda will be ready to start exporting its crude oil.

As an alternative, it proposed that Uganda enter into a deal with Tanzania, whose Tanga Port only requires only a few adjustments and will be ready to start receiving crude oil.

“They said that the Lamu Port needs to be built and this could delay,” said the source.

On Monday, however, Kenya gave Uganda its commitments that the issues of protracted land compensation would not delay the pipeline and cited the SGR, whose construction is on course after land owners were compensated. Kenya also stated that the construction of roads along the Lapsset route was on course.

“We are making commitments knowing that we will keep them. For instance, the Lamu Port will be completed by 2018, which is within Uganda’s oil export projections,” the Kenyan delegation said.

A source said that Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter told the meeting that land compensation was not the problem.

“We know what to do and its pricing on the Kenyan side will be dealt with,” Mr Keter is said to have told the meeting.

PIPELINE SECURITY

The delegation also assured Uganda that once the construction of the pipeline was completed, the Kenya Government would secure it. The team pointed to the security of the oil pipeline from Mombasa to Eldoret.

“As for terror attacks, adequate steps have been taken and by the way, the threat exists in all the three East African countries,” the Energy CS was quoted to have said.

At the end of the meeting, a communique signed by Mr Keter and his Ugandan counterpart, Ms Irene Muloni, said there had been “fruitful” discussions on the pipeline project. But Ugandan and Kenyan energy officials made presentations with differing implications on each route.

“The two leaders agreed to meet after two weeks in Kampala to allow their technical officials to harmonies their presentations,” the statement said. The talks will be preceded by a meeting of the two teams established yesterday, which will meet next week to work on the issues in question.

This, the statement said, should focus on a “least-cost option for a regional integrated pipeline”, which will also be determined by the “viability of the Ports of Lamu, Mombasa and Tanga as export options.”

Energy experts must also determine the oil reserves in the two countries and “address the constructability issues along all routes — existing and planned infrastructure, terrain and elevations.”

In February 2014, Uganda signed a deal with Total SA, a subsidiary of the French firm, Tullow and CNOOC on plans for a refinery and an oil pipeline.

AGREEMENT

The Ugandan Energy ministry at the time said the agreement was a guideline on how the oil produced would be used or marketed. But it was also meant to address constant disagreements between the government and the oil companies on the usage of produced oil.

This MoU required the three companies to establish a refinery, but the Ugandan Government was tasked to choose the possible route of the pipeline through neighbouring countries, which would be least costly to the oil firms.

The East African Community member countries were subsequently invited to buy stakes in the proposed refinery, seen then as a future solution to the region having to import expensive oil products.

Kenya and Uganda had also in 2013 reached an MoU to have a pipeline run from Uganda to Lamu with an extension to Juba in South Sudan.

This agreement remained unattended until last year, when the two leaders met in Nairobi for the Northern Corridor Transport Projects talks, where the leaders agreed that the pipeline through.

{Governor Samuel Ragwa on Monday pleaded with the court to spare him a six-month jail term after he was found guilty of contempt.}

Returning to court 10 days after he was found guilty, Mr Ragwa said he was “extremely remorseful and apologetic” after a judge found him guilty of disobeying orders to reinstate the County Secretary, Dr Fredrick Njeru Kamunde.

Through his lawyer Murango Mwenda, Mr Ragwa told Mr Justice Byram Ongaya he had already reinstated Dr Kamunde to his job in line with the orders given by the court. He said he never intended to disobey the court or undermine its dignity or authority.

“The Governor regrets the turn of events; he says he is extremely remorseful and will request that the court take his apologies,” said Mr Mwenda.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court found Mr Ragwa guilty of disobeying orders restraining him from sacking Dr Kamunde.

The governor had written a letter lifting Dr Kamunde’s suspension on March 14 and directed that he be allocated a suitable car, the lawyer said.

He also directed that Dr Kamunde be paid his salary arrears.

Mr Mwenda argued that the Governor has humbled himself, apologised and corrected his mistake and should be spared jail term.

But the application was opposed by Dr Kamunde’s lawyer, Mr Munyori Karanja, who argued that Dr Kamunde was yet to be reallocated a car and his guards had not been paid their salaries, for which the judge gave a March 30 ultimatum.

“Because of the Governor’s conduct, we pray that he be jailed,” the lawyer argued.

Mr Karanja told the court that the governor has continued to disobey court orders and should be punished until he fully complied.

He added that, despite there being court orders, the governor has continued to frustrate Dr Kamunde.

“There is no evidence of frustration of the petitioner by the Governor; he will be given full support to work as County Secretary,” said Mr Mwenda.

Mr Justice Ongaya ordered the Governor and Dr Kamunde to return to the court to confirm full compliance of his orders.

{President John Magufuli has urged owners of firearms countrywide to verify their weapons as the police force moves to curb crime by ensuring that licensed guns do not fall in the hands of criminals.}

Dr Magufuli hailed the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Paul Makonda and the police for initiating the exercise in the city, a statement issued yesterday by the Directorate of Presidential Communications stated.

The president was the first person to verify his weapons at the State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday during an exercise supervised by the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Simon Sirro.

Last week, Mr Makonda directed that all legally-owned firearms in the city should be verified. At the event, Dr Magufuli presented his pistol and a shotgun to the police for verification.

“I urge the police to intensify the fight against crime to do away with the vice in the city. However, I should register my concern on the other hand that it’s a shame for an armed police officer to allow the weapons to be snatched by bandits,” he remarked.

During the occasion, Mr Sirro thanked President Magufuli for supporting the exercise, noting that the police force was well prepared to ensure the initiative is conducted effectively.

In another development, Dr Magufuli has urged all parties involved in the tug-of-war in the election for Dar es Salaam mayor slated for today to accept the results and move ahead to serve the people.

{Congo voted Sunday under a nationwide media blackout, in a tense ballot expected to see President Denis Sassou Nguesso prolong his 32-year rule over the oil-rich but impoverished nation.}

On the eve of voting, Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou ordered a 48-hour communications blackout, instructing telecoms firms to block all telephone, Internet and SMS services for “reasons of security and national safety”.

Polls had been due to open at 7:00am (0600 GMT), but in most polling stations visited by AFP they opened an hour late. By the middle of the day voting was going smoothly. The polls will close at 6:00pm (1700 GMT). “There were some delays but it is improving. Things are going calmly,” said Eric Katolo, head of an 18-person observer mission from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

Sassou Nguesso himself voted in central Brazzaville late morning.

In Poto-Poto, in the city centre, dozens of youths took advantage of a traffic ban to play football in the street. There was a visible police presence, notably at checkpoints monitoring vehicles allowed on the road, but nothing overwhelming.

In the run-down Makelekele district in the south of the capital, few hid opposition to the incumbent president. “He won’t get 10 votes here,” said Raymond, a 56-year-old builder.

In the northern Ouenze neighbourhood, where support for the president is high, locals said they wanted “stability,” and “peace,” two watchwords of Sassou Nguesso’s re-election campaign.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS BANNED

With all telecommunications banned, it was impossible to obtain information on what was going on outside the capital.

A government source told AFP the shutdown was intended to stop any “illegal” publication of the results.

Tensions have been running high in Congo since an October referendum when voters agreed changes to the constitution that removed a two-term limit, allowing 72-year-old former paratrooper colonel Sassou Nguesso to run in the election.

The vote also removed a 70-year age limit for the presidency that could have forced one of Africa’s five longest-serving leaders to step down.

The changes were approved in a referendum by 94.3 percent, dubbed “a constitutional coup” by the opposition. Even before the vote, protests erupted which left several people dead.

Sassou Nguesso has said he has no doubt he will beat his eight rivals, describing election day as a “penalty kick and then victory”.
On Friday, five rival presidential contenders — including former military chief Jean-Marie Mokoko — signed an agreement to back the strongest candidate among them in the event of a second round vote.

While the Republic of Congo saw “robust growth” of five percent over five years through to 2014, with oil and timber providing its main revenues, the country remains in dire straits.

Unemployment hit 34 percent in 2013, the last data available, and stood at 60 percent for 15- to 24-year-olds. The IMF fears “domestic instability” without progress in the battle to eliminate poverty.

{Kenya will try to convince Ugandan oil producers one more time to consider routing a pipeline through the country as opposed to Tanzania.}

On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta will host his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Nairobi, and officials from oil companies at the centre of the pipeline debate have been invited to the meeting.

On Sunday, State House confirmed the two leaders will discuss the construction of the Uganda-Kenya pipeline, whose plan has been thrown off course after Tanzania entered the fray.

The meeting appears to be a response to Tanzania’s announcement last week that the pipeline from Uganda to Tanga, which is supported by oil extraction in Uganda, will be constructed from August.

“Uganda’s oil producers — Irish company Tullow Oil, French company Total and China’s CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Company) — have also been invited to the meeting, which will be held at State House, Nairobi,” said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu.

“In the construction of the pipeline, Kenya favours the ‘northern route’, through Lokichar, because, as part of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport project, it would transform infrastructure and the way of life of the people in the towns and counties across its path,” he added.

The pipeline’s proposed route was agreed on in August last year, when President Kenyatta visited Kampala.

Once complete, it would move oil from Hoima in western Uganda to Lamu, through Lokichar in Turkana County, where Kenya has also discovered oil.

At the time, the two countries issued a joint statement saying the construction of the pipeline would be speeded up to tap into imminent oil revenues.

{National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso has now claimed that Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto used millions of public funds allocated to the Bomet County government to fund his elaborate campaigns for Kanu in the just concluded Kericho senate by-election.}

Speaking at the Kericho Teachers Training College on Saturday during celebrations for newly-elected Jubilee Sebator Aaron Cheruiyot, Dr Laboso said Governor Ruto will be made to account for any lost funds.

“There is no money left in Bomet for development since the governor used all the money we had in the Kericho campaigns.

“We will look into this matter and ensure that accountability is upheld.

“Public money must be used in a prudent manner as envisaged by the law,” said Dr Laboso.

Governor Ruto was at the forefront of the campaigns for the Kanu candidate Paul Sang who lost to Mr Cheruiyot.

On Saturday, Dr Laboso expressed confidence that the Bomet governor would be voted out of office in the 2017 General Elections, echoing sentiments by Deputy President William Ruto, who also attended the Saturday celebrations, that Jubilee would spare no efforts to win back Bomet County.

Governor Ruto fell out with the DP after he left the Jubilee stable and founded his party known as the Mashinani Development Party of Kenya on which he is expected to seek re-election in 2017.

Konoin MP Sammy Koech regretted that Bomet had been named the third most corrupt county in Kenya and called for more to be done to fight the vice, which he claimed had led to wastage of public resources in Bomet County.

{Former President Jakaya Kikwete and current Chairman of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) will hand over the party’s chairmanship to President John Magufuli in June.}

Addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam, CCM Secretary General Abdulrahman Kinana said President Magufuli has accepted the responsibility. “CCM has a culture of handing over the party’s chairmanship to the next elected President… this is not in the party’s constitution but it is a culture that has been formed within the party”, he explained.

Mr Kinana explained further that former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, handed over the position to former President Benjamin Mkapa in 1995, who in turn handed it over to Mr Kikwete in 2006.

“This culture is continuing and former President Kikwete has decided to hand over the chairmanship to President Magufuli, who has accepted. My work is to prepare the party’s national congress for this purpose,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, CCM has commended President John Magufuli for directing new regional commissioners to ensure youth in their regions spend most of their time working instead of playing pool.

Speaking in his new capacity as CCM spokesperson, Mr Christopher Ole Sendeka said the president’s directives aim at maximising the country’s human resources as well as impacting responsibility among all Tanzanians.

Earlier, Mr Kinana introduced Mr Ole Sendeka to the press as new CCM spokesperson — to assist the party’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Nape Nnauye, who also doubles as Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports.

Mr Kinana said Mr Nnauye would continue with his capacity as the party’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary until the National Executive Committee (NEC) decides otherwise. Mr Ole Sendeka said Dr Magufuli had once again shown that many of the Tanzanians who voted for him in last year’s general election, made the right choice.

“CCM, whose manifesto President Magufuli is implementing, has every reason to hail his leadership. We believe that under his leadership, Tanzania will make major strides in development,” he explained.

He said under President Magufuli’s motto ‘Hapa Kazi Tu’, the country has witnessed sweeping changes, including curbing government expenditures and control of corruption that have resulted in increase of revenue collection in the shortest time possible. “Increased revenue collection has seen enhanced government’s effort in providing improved service to the public.

We have seen steps taken against public servants whose service has been tainted and others arraigned… all these steps are within the law and good governance,” Mr Ole Sendeka noted.

The new CCM spokesperson castigated those misleading the public that what President Magufuli is doing amounts to dictatorship and inhumanity, stressing that CCM directed the sitting president, through the party’s manifesto, to restore discipline and accountability within the public service sector.

Recently, when swearing in new Regional Commissioners, President Magufuli issued directives to the holders of the post to make sure ghost workers in their regions are eliminated from payrolls within 15 days.

He said the same should be done also in various government institutions by ministers and heads of institutions. The president also directed the regional commissioners to ensure people in their regions, especially the youth, engage in development activities instead of wasting time at the pool tables.

{Telephone, internet and SMS services shut down for 48 hours for “reasons of security” as Congo heads to the polls.}

Congo is holding its elections under a media blackout and the tense vote is expected to see President Denis Sassou Nguesso prolong his 32-year rule over the oil-rich but poor nation.

Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou wrote to telecommunication companies urging them to shut off telephone, internet and SMS services for 48 hours for “reasons of security and national safety”.

A government source told AFP news agency the shutdown was intended to stop any “illegal” publication of the results of Sunday’s elections.

Tensions have been running high in Congo since October, when a public referendum backed removing a two-term limit that would have kept 72-year-old former paratrooper colonel Sassou Ngeusso from power.

The vote also removed a 70-year age limit for the presidency that could have forced one of Africa’s five longest-serving leaders to step down.

The changes were approved in a referendum by 94.3 percent – dubbed “a constitutional coup” by the opposition – and protests erupted in the run-up to the vote that left several people dead.

The incumbent president has said he has no doubt he will beat his eight rivals, describing election day as a “penalty kick and then victory”.

On Friday, five rival presidential contenders – including former military chief Jean-Marie Mokoko – signed an agreement to back the strongest candidate among them in the event of a second-round vote.

‘Fears of instability’

While the Republic of Congo saw “robust growth” of five percent over five years through to 2014, with oil and timber providing its main revenues, the country remains in dire straits.

“[Congo] continues to suffer from high rates of poverty and inequality, large infrastructure gaps, and important development challenges,” a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released in July 2015 said.

Unemployment hit 34 percent in 2013, the last data available, and stood at 60 percent for 15- to 24-year-olds.

The IMF fears “domestic instability” without progress in the battle to eliminate poverty.

“We’re really disappointed about what’s happening in Congo,” said 20-year-old student Yette. “Most young people have diplomas but no work.”

Sassou Nguesso admits there is a problem but has told voters he needs more time.

His new election platform underlines government efforts in education while noting that “60 percent of graduates without work” qualified at the country’s sole university.

“Seven years were insufficient to fully make these solutions operational … which is why we need to continue the country’s modernisation and industrialisation,” reads the new platform.

Sassou Nguesso served as president from 1979 to 1992 and returned to power in 1997 following a civil war.

He won two successive mandates in 2002 and 2009, but both tallies were contested by opposition parties.