IGIHE

Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • SPLA Denies Allegations of Killing Foreigners Hosting Nuers

    SPLA Denies Allegations of Killing Foreigners Hosting Nuers

    {{The South Sudanese army (SPLA) has described allegations its forces killed foreign nationals harbouring members of the Nuer tribe, the country’s second largest ethnic group, as “unfounded”.}}

    The allegations emerged in the wake of Wednesday’s outbreak of violence at Geida, a military barracks south-west of the capital, Juba, following a dispute among soldiers over salary payments.

    “What happened yesterday (Wednesday) as I have said before was limited to shooting between limited individual soldiers in a limited place. It did not go beyond the military barracks.

    So it is not correct that some soldiers went out to hunt from members of [the] Nuer [group] and killed foreign nationals,” said Malaak Ayuen, the army’s head of information and public relations, told reporters on Thursday, adding the claims were unacceptable propaganda”.

    Ayuen said the army regretted the sporadic shooting which later followed overnight on Wednesday, saying some of the gunshots heard were in fact the denotation of unexploded ordinances, while he described another similar incident in Thongpiny as an alleged misunderstanding between security forces.

    However, in a series of interviews with Sudan Tribune on Thursday, residents said that more than 12 civilians, including a six-year-old boy, were shot dead in both accidental and targeted killings during the skirmishes that occurred around the military facility.

    The clashes were reportedly triggered when the army’s payment committee restricted payments to its actively serving members present on duty, excluding those who fled to UN camps for safety reasons in mid-December last year after political tensions erupted in violence.

    It’s alleged the soldiers, branded deserters by the army, turned violent after becoming angry over salary their arrears.

    Three civilians were shot dead by soldiers at Nyakuron, a residential neighbourhood close to the barracks, which witnessed the genesis of the mid-December outbreak of conflict.

    “Two government soldiers in full military attires with guns came to the compound and demanded they be shown where Nuer lives. It [was] like they knew that some Nuer were living in this compound, but we all kept quiet. We did not talk, but they kept asking, ‘Where is the Nuer [that] lives here?’

    They kept asking, then one Ethiopian national, a man, also living in the same compound, replied that the Nuer residents had gone away two days ago.

    They accused him of lying and immediately shot him dead and then went into the house where two Nuer members were reportedly hiding and shot them dead,” an eyewitness told media.

    {sudantribune}

  • Kenyan Debut Novel Gets Rave Reviews in the US

    Kenyan Debut Novel Gets Rave Reviews in the US

    ‘Dust’, the debut novel by Kenyan author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, is being hailed by reviewers in the United States as an “astonishing” and “dazzling” work.

    A featured review in the March 2 New York Times edition says readers of Ms Owuor’s story “will find the entirety of human experience — tears, bloodshed, lust, love — in staggering proportions.”

    The Washington Post noted last month that while “few American readers have heard of this 45-year-old author before, that must change.” Ms Owuor, the Post’s reviewer comments, “demonstrates extraordinary talent and range in these pages.”

    Sunday New York Times reviewer Taiye Selasi, herself the author of an acclaimed novel about Ghana, further advises that ‘Dust’ is “not just for Afrophiles. It is for bibliophiles.”

    ‘Dust’ is a fictionalised account of Kenya’s history, as experienced through Ms Owuor’s imagined Oganda family. The book is likely to prove controversial in Kenya because of the author’s unsparing account of the nation’s failures and tragedies.

    “The novel concerns itself with that country’s blood-soaked history — from the Mau Mau uprisings of the early 1950s to the political assassination of [nationalist Tom Mboya in] 1969 to the post-election violence of 2007,” Ms Selasi writes in her Times review.

    Inventive prose

    But the author’s inventive prose enraptures readers despite the novel’s emotionally wrenching storyline, reviewers agree, with Ms Selasi hailing “the magic Owuor has made of the classic nation-at-war novel.”

    “The richness of the plot alone will challenge a lazy reader,” Ms Selasi adds. “But the visceral lusciousness of the prose will thrill a lover of language.”

    “Ultimately,” she continues. “the disjointed prose mirrors brilliantly the fragmented nature of both memory-keeping and nation-building.”

    The Washington Post’s reviewer, Ron Charles, offers a similar appraisal of the challenges and rewards of Ms Owuor’s writing.

    The Kenyan winner of the Caine Prize in 2003 “has constructed a book that gradually teaches you how to read it,” the Post suggests. “Let the sensuous language of Dust wash over you with the assurance that its fragmentary scenes and allusive references will be visited again and gradually brought into clearer focus.”

    Not every review of ‘Dust’, published in the US by Knopf, a leading New York publishing house, has been entirely positive.

    A commentator on National Public Radio observes that every character in the novel “is given such ample room to wax philosophic on lofty concepts like nothingness and the idea of Kenya that it’s a struggle to actually get to know them.”

    But this reviewer, too, was swept away by Ms Owuor’s writing.

    “Her prose can be inventive, even breathtaking, turning phrases or fusing unexpected words in ways that confound and inspire.”

  • Kenya, Sudan Match off in Venue Row

    Kenya, Sudan Match off in Venue Row

    {{A friendly between Kenya and Sudan has been called off following a row over the venue and timing of the match}}.

    The match, which was originally to be played in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, was later switched to El Fasher in the volatile region of Darfur.

    The game had been pushed back a day to Thursday after the late arrival of the Kenya squad on Tuesday night.

    But Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials said they were not aware of the change of venue and could not risk the safety of the players.

    Instead of travelling to play in the conflict-hit Darfur region, FKF officials have ordered the team to return home.

    “FKF will not allow our players to be subjected to situations where their security will be at risk.

    “We have a responsibility… hence our decision to instruct the team to return home without kicking a ball in Sudan,” FKF chairman Sam Nyamweya said in a statement.

    Kenya beat Sudan 2-0 in the final of the Cecafa Senior Challenge in Nairobi last December.

    Kenya had called up four foreign-based players for the match, including Inter Milan midfielder McDonald Mariga and skipper Victor Wanyama from English Premier League side Southampton.

    BBC

  • Tanzania Concerned over Powers of Zanzibar President

    Tanzania Concerned over Powers of Zanzibar President

    {{The Tanzanian government has admitted that some of the agreements that formed the basis of the 10th amendment of the Zanzibar constitution contravene the Union Constitution.}}

    The Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union affairs, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, said when briefing journalists on preparations for the 50th Union anniversary celebrations that some provisions in Zanzibar’s constitution were out of sync with the Union supreme law.

    She said the Zanzibar constitution would have to be amended to harmonise it with the Union statutes once the new constitution was in place.

    Ms Hassan said among the provisions in the Zanzibar constitution that contradicted the Union supreme law was the one empowering the Isles president to create administrative areas.

    She added that the Union Constitution clearly stated that this is the sole preserve of the Union President.

    She said another contentious provision is the one empowering the Zanzibar president to command an army and other security organs. But the Union Constitution states that the Union President is the Commander-in-Chief of defence and security forces.

    However, Ms Hassan said all security agencies in Zanzibar were under a special department.

    She said land ownership was also a contentious issue, noting that there was a need to allow people from Tanzania Mainland to own land in Zanzibar.

    “There are many Zanzibaris who own land here in Tanzania Mainland, but people from the mainland cannot own land in Zanzibar, and this is according to the law,” Ms Hassan said.

    The minister added that poor knowledge on union matters, lack of funds and delay in implementing various programmes were among the main challenges the union was facing.

    NMG

  • KQ Suspends Services on Nairobi- Eldoret route

    KQ Suspends Services on Nairobi- Eldoret route

    {{Kenya Airways has announced withdrawal of services from the Nairobi- Eldoret route from April 1 this year. }}

    Through a communication, the airline urged guests with existing bookings for travel on the cancelled Nairobi- Eldoret route f to contact Jambo Jet for further assistance.

    “Options are available to provide guests affected by the network change with alternatives, including a full refund.”

    {Standard}

  • Understanding Plant Breeding

    Understanding Plant Breeding

    {{For thousands of years, farmers, herdsmen and poultry keepers have been selectively breeding their plants, animals and poultry to improve desirable traits, develop specific characteristics or maintain certain genes.}}

    It was somehow a trial and error process since the actual mechanisms governing inheritance were unknown and knowledge of these genetic mechanisms finally came as a result of careful laboratory breeding experiments carried out over the last two centuries.

    By the 1890s, the invention of better microscopes allowed biologists to discover the basic facts of cell division and sexual reproduction.

    The focus of genetics research then shifted to understanding what really happens in the transmission of hereditary traits from parents to their offspring.

    {{Particular patterns}}

    A number of hypotheses were suggested to explain heredity, but Fr Gregor Johann Mendel, a monk, who was an Austrian by nationality but born in Germany, was the only one who got it more or less right.

    He became known as the founder of the new science of genetics, where he demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in cowpeas follow particular patterns. This is now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance.

    He discovered that certain properties, which he called particles, existed in the cowpea. His ideas had been published in 1866 but largely went unrecognised until the 1900s, which was long after his death.

    Fr Mendel spent his life doing basic genetics research and teaching mathematics, physics and Greek in Brno, now in what is known as Czech Republic.

    The profound significance of Mendel’s work where he carried out some cross-pollination was not recognised until the 20th century, when the independent rediscovery of these laws initiated the modern science of genetics.

    {first published in Newvision}

  • Kenya Considering Deploying Soldiers to South Sudan

    Kenya Considering Deploying Soldiers to South Sudan

    {{East African states are considering sending troops into South Sudan to help enforce a ceasefire deal between government forces and rebels, a regional bloc said, amid persistent accusations by both sides that the other is breaking the truce. }}

    The IGAD grouping, which is mediating peace talks between the two sides, said in a statement it was discussing a “protection and stabilization force” with the African Union and United Nations.

    The statement gave no details on the size or mandate of any force but said it would be part of a mechanism to monitor a cessation of hostilities the warring factions agreed on January 23.

    South Sudan’s neighbours are wary of getting sucked into the violence but are frustrated by the continued fighting, and worry the unrest may escalate into a broader regional conflict.

    Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi have shown a willingness to contribute soldiers to the force, South Sudanese officials in Ethiopia told Reuters.

    All except Rwanda already provide forces to the 22,000-strong African peacekeeping force in Somalia battling al Qaeda-linked militants.

    Rwanda has sent peacekeepers to the Sudanese region of Darfur and Central African Republic.

    {standard}

  • Sudan Denies kKnowledge of Arms Shipment Seized by Israel

    Sudan Denies kKnowledge of Arms Shipment Seized by Israel

    {{A senior official at Sudan’s ministry of foreign affairs said his country has nothing to do with the arms shipment that Israel claimed it seized in the Red Sea off the Sudanese coast.}}

    The senior official, who preferred to stay anonymous, told media that Sudan has absolutely nothing to do with this debate, accusing Israel of spreading “lies” in order to preempt unknown action it secretly plans to carry out.

    Israel said on Wednesday it seized a vessel carrying advanced Iranian weapons made in Syria that was heading towards Gaza.

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Panamanian-flagged vessel was boarded by Israeli naval commandos in the Red Sea off the coast of Sudan.

    The spokesperson of the IDF, Afikhai Adrei, said they had tracked the weapons for several months as they were flown from Damascus to Tehran and then taken to a port in southern Iran.

    He said they found M-302 surface-to-surface missiles that were flown to Iran before being loaded onto the ship, pointing the vessel sailed out of Iran’s Bandar Abas sea port through Iraq and was heading to Sudan’s sea port of Port Sudan before being intercepted by an Israeli special unit of navy commandos in the regional waters between Sudan and Eritrea.

    Aderi added the vessel was being towed to the Israeli port of Eilat, a journey which would take several more days, where the 17-member crew will be questioned and the weapons unloaded, pointing the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz personally oversaw the operation.

    The United States also announced that the interception of this ship was a product of joint cooperation between Washington and Tel Aviv.

    “Throughout this time our intelligence and military activities were closely coordinated with our Israeli counterparts who ultimately chose to take the lead in interdicting this shipment of illicit arms,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said today.

    “We will continue to stand up to Iran’s support for destabilizing activities in the region in coordination with our partners and allies,” he added.

    It is widely believed that Israel carried out at least two airstrikes in eastern Sudan in 2009 and 2011 against targets involved in arms smuggling.

    In October 2012 Sudan accused Israel of being behind air strikes that targeted Al-Yarmouk arms factory in Khartoum.

    {sudantribune}

  • Nairobi Residents Walk to Work

    Nairobi Residents Walk to Work

    {{Public Service Vehicle operators in Mount Kenya and Nairobi have warned of a nationwide strike should the Nairobi County government fail to reduce the high levies.}}

    The matatu operators also accused Dr Evans Kidero of betrayal by failing to honour a gentleman’s agreement he had with the players on Monday during a meeting in his office.

    Mt Kenya Matatu Owners Association Chairman Mr Michael Kariuki and his Nairobi Metropolitan PSV Saccos Union counterpart Mr Peter Kige warned that travellers could be forced to walk to work in the coming days if the Nairobi county government does not agree to negotiate with the operators to arrive at a more reasonable parking levies.

    “The governor has betrayed us but we will still seek to dialogue with him but should that fail then we may hold a nationwide strike beginning tomorrow (today),” cautioned Mr Kariuki.

    However, the Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero said he was willing to negotiate with striking matatu operators over the parking fees, but vehicles blocking roads must first be removed.

    Nairobi commuters were Wednesday morning forced to walk to town, after the matatu operators blocked Thika road near Pangani footbridge with stones to protest the high levies.

    The matatu operators also blocked Jogoo, Ngong, Langata, Donholm and Mombasa roads, with police clearing some of the roads later in the morning.

    {Levies too High}

    Speaking Wednesday during a press conference at a Nairobi hotel while flanked by over 20 leaders from more than 100 matatu Saccos, Mr Kariuki said they were not opposed to any new levies but were against them being too high.

    He also said the operators were “not yet on strike” but were on “a peaceful protest” adding that a nationwide strike would be the last option but “we do not want to get there as everybody will suffer”.

    Mr Kariuki said the operators, despite being key players in the Nairobi County economy, were not consulted when the new levies were being decided yet the constitution demands so.

    He added that the operators met the Governor on Monday and agreed they pay an interim levy but that was contravened later by the county government.

    A 14-seater matatu is currently being charged Sh5,000 up from Sh2,200, while one with a capacity of 42 passengers which was previously paying Sh3,000 is now being charged Sh8,000. A PSV with a capacity of 45 passengers is now being charged Sh10, 000.

    “On Monday, we agreed with the Governor that we pay an interim fee of Sh3, 650 for a 14-seater, Sh4, 500 for a 42 seater and Sh7, 250 for a 45-seater as we awaited further negotiations but we were disappointed that an official at the county government offices declined to accept the agreed payments,” said Mr Kariuki.

    “We have cheques worth Sh10 million from our Saccos which was supposed to be paid but that official declined to accept them demanding we pay the new levies,” he added.

    Commonly known as season tickets, the levies are paid monthly and each matatu issued with a sticker indicating payment has been done.

  • Mercedes & Infiniti Planning To Develop Cars Together

    Mercedes & Infiniti Planning To Develop Cars Together

    {{Daimler’s & Mercedes and Nissan’s Infiniti plan to pool development of compact cars to cut costs, expand the German carmaker’s North American production and broaden the Infiniti lineup, people familiar with the matter said.}}

    The outline deal, which reinforces Daimler’s relationship with the Renault-Nissan alliance, will see Nissan build the next-generation Mercedes GLA sport utility vehicle and related models in Mexico alongside all-new cars for its own Infiniti brand, said the sources, who asked not to be identified.

    The plans are due to be presented to the Daimler board for approval as soon as April, the sources said, with the first jointly manufactured vehicles expected in late 2017.

    Daimler and Nissan have said they are looking to increase cooperation in smaller premium cars, but neither carmaker would confirm the Mexico production plan on Tuesday.

    The companies have yet to reach a “joint formal decision”, Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen said in an interview at the Geneva auto show.

    “But Mexico does have a lot going for it,” he added, including tariff-free exports to the U.S. and Europe.

    Mercedes, Nissan and alliance partner Renault have shared engines, plants and vehicle architectures for small cars and vans since Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn announced a broad-based partnership in 2010, underpinned by token reciprocal shareholdings.

    The latest agreement will help Infiniti to fill a big gap at the bottom end of its model range with a new SUV, sedan and coupe built with the same parts and architecture as successors to the Mercedes A- and B-Class, GLA and CLA, the sources said.

    In return, Daimler gets a first North American production site for its front-wheel drive “MFA” architecture, development savings and economies of scale – in a vehicle category where it has struggled in the past with low profitability.

    Such a deal could make good sense for both partners, said Ronald Harbour, an automotive consultant with Oliver Wyman.

    “For Mercedes it would allow them to get into that market without having to invest massive capital.”

    The new Mercedes and Infiniti models will be built at Nissan’s Aguacalientes 2 plant northeast of Guadalajara, opened in November with an initial production capacity of 175,000 vehicles, the sources said.

    {wirestory}