Tag: GreatLakesNews

{The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda has denied rumors that the M23 Rebel leader has surrendered himself to Uganda Security Forces.}

He said the leader is in the country to take part in the ongoing peace talks at Muyonyo Hotel in Kampala.

Mr Bertrand Bisimwa and his convoy have already entered Uganda heading for the M23 delegation in Kampala tonight.

Meanwhile, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and UN forces have captured Bunagana town, the main base of the M23 rebel group.

More Congolese are reported to have entered Uganda from Rwanguba, Kabindi, Busanza, Bunagana and Nyarubara since last week.

The M23 launched a rebellion in eastern DR Congo in April 2012. It is made up of army deserters who say they are fighting for the rights of the minority Tutsi ethnic group.

Earlier this week, about 10,000 people fled to Uganda, with about half of them arriving on Wednesday.

There was an exchange of gunfire on Saturday in Kibumba between the Congo army and the rebels forcing the rebels to retreat.

ugo.co.ug

{At least eight people have died and many others injured in an accident early Wednesday morning involving a train and a bus in Nairobi’s Mutindwa area.
Six died on the spot while two others have later succumbed to their injuries, according to the Kenya Red Cross
}

The Kenya Red Cross reports that scores of the injured have been evacuated to Mama Lucy Hospital in neighbouring Kayole.

Daily Nation

{A suspected Al Shabaab terrorist has been arrested by Uganda security services at the border town of Bunagana, according to chimpreports}

Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson, Elly Matte, identified the suspect as Juma Sulaiman, 22. He said the Congolese national, who hails from Bucuro/Bwito, DRC, was apprehended on Tuesday afternoon as he attempted to cross to Congo.

“The suspect was travelling from Tanzania and tried to sneak into DRC through Bunagana without any single travel documents on him. Upon interrogation and physical checks, we discovered he was carrying documents that could link him to Al Shabaab,” said Maate.

Security at the border town remains tight as intelligence agencies maintain thorough screening of immigrants to and from the restive eastern part of DRC. President Yoweri Museveni recently said the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are linked to Al Shabaab terrorists.

It is also widely believed that the two Islamist militias jointly planned the 2010 twin bombings of entertainment centres in Kampala in which over 79 people died.

Matte said Juma was a student at Imamushafi Islamic School in Tanzania between April 2009 and 2012.

The Police officer also revealed that Juma had traversed the neighboring countries of Kenya and Somalia to join Al Shabaab due to his father’s failure to provide him basic necessities.

Source: chimpreports.com

{Dar es Salaam. Tanzania police force is the most corrupt entity among graft-ridden sectors in East African Community member states, according to a new report.}

The police forces across the EAC region took the first five positions as the most bribery prone public outfits, with Tanzania’s law enforcers scoring 72.9 per cent in bribery aggregation followed by Kenya (70.7 per cent), Burundi (64 per cent), Uganda (60 per cent) and Rwanda (54 per cent), according to East Africa Bribery Index (EABI) 2013 released yesterday in Dar es Salaam. The survey, conducted by Transparency International (TI) in collaboration with an NGO called Fordia in carrying out the study in Tanzania, concludes that the Police Force, the Judiciary and the tax collectors took the overall top positions as the most bribery prone.

The police also scored 72.9 per cent as most corrupt in the list of Top Ten most corrupt sectors within the country, followed by Judiciary (38.3 per cent), tax services (36.9 per cent), Others (31.3 per cent), Land Services (26.9 per cent).

However, the police spokesperson, Ms Advera Senso, reacted that though she was not aware of the methodology used in the survey, it was not right to judge a whole institution as there might be some unethical individuals like in other institutions who engage in such misconducts.

She said the survey could also ask whether the people were aware of the laws in which police operate.

{{The Citizen}}

{Despite reported military victories against M23 rebels in the past few days, the DR Congo government risks jeopardizing ongoing regional and international efforts to end the country’s conflict, says the US special envoy Russell Feingold.}

Last week the US envoy was on a regional tour that took him to Kinshasa, Kampala and Kigali. On his way to Washington via Paris, Feingold was asked by RFI if that did not mean the conflict was finally over, to which he simply said. “No…”

“The military solution does not in any way respond to the problems posed by the M23 and the forty or forty-five other armed groups in the region,” said Feingold. “What we need is a peace agreement negotiated with the M23.”

“The ongoing process within the framework of Kampala must be concluded soon, as this could put an end to the fighting, but it needs to be done without granting amnesty to those who have committed serious crimes.”

The US envoy said continuing offensive will “put at risk” the Kampala process, which could eventually lead to M23 disarming completely.

“It also risks jeopardizing the peace initiatives supported by the international community and the African Union,” said Feingold.

“So yes, we have seen that the Congolese soldiers had several successes in recent days, but nevertheless we believe that at present, the [negotiated settlement] will better serve the people of Congo and the region.”

News Of Rwanda

{Regional leaders have commended Kenya for accelerating movement of cargo across the region.}

Speaking on Monday during the 3rd Integration Infrastructure Projects Summit in Kigali, Presidents Yoweri Museveni, Salva Kiir and Paul Kagame noted that cargo from the port of Mombasa was now taking less time to reach their countries.

The leaders said the move by Kenya has reduced the cost of doing business, boosted economic growth and scaled up development in the region.

President Kenyatta said his administration prioritised overcoming the challenges of cargo clearance at the port of Mombasa and transporting it along the northern corridor as part of its contribution to promoting regional trade.

“The initiative has facilitated the movement of goods, people and services and provided the impetus to create jobs and opportunities for our people as well as create greater prosperity,” President Kenyatta said.

He cited the removal of road blocks on highways comprising the transportation routes of cargo destined to countries in the region as part of the wider initiative to curb trade bottlenecks.

President Kenyatta said goods in transit are now weighed only once at the point of loading to hasten cargo movement.

“Cargo loaded at Mombasa is weighed at Mariakani only, while goods loaded at Eldoret are weighed at Malaba only,” the President said.

As a result of the measures put in place by the government, President Kenyatta said the duration between offloading cargo at Mombasa and the cargo reaching Malaba is now eight days only.
{{
NEW RAILWAY LINE}}

The President also revealed that Kenya is implementing the final measures necessary for the construction of a new standard gauge railway line.

“My Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure have recorded significant progress in finalising financing terms as requested by the EXIM Bank of China,” the President said.

President Kenyatta said he looked forward to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new standard gauge railway line in Mombasa in November. (READ: Work on new railway to Uganda and Rwanda to start in November)

He said the modern railway line would connect Mombasa to Kampala, Kigali through to Juba as agreed at the summit.

With a population of 98 million people, President Kenyatta said Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan jointly had the requisite market to enable the region achieve its economic targets.

He affirmed his government’s commitment to work with Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan in steering the projects agreed under the Integrated Infrastructure Initiative.

On the LAPSSET project, President Kenyatta said Kenya has already instituted measures to facilitate its success in close collaboration with the countries involved, adding that all appropriate steps will be taken to ensure there is security, infrastructure and other amenities to enable the project start on time.

{{Daily Nation}}

{ TANZANIA should strive to offer education that prepares job makers instead of producing job seekers, Mr Nimrod Mkono, a CCM member of Parliament, has observed .}

The MP made the observation when he was officiating at the first Form Four graduation ceremony at Serengeti Nuru Secondary School on Friday.

“Education should be for self-reliance and not education for being employed, ” Mr Mkono, who is the MP for Musoma Rural constituency, told hundreds of students at the private school which is located on the outskirts of Mugumu town.

Mr Mkono also called for investment in science subjects, a move which would help the nation achieve Smart Partnership Dialogue goals.

“We need many mathematicians and nowadays technology is everything, ” the lawmaker said. He urged schoolteachers to give science subjects priority in their teaching.

The MP inaugurated a new multimillion-shilling modern girls dormitory at the school, which accommodates both female and male students hailing from Serengeti District and neighbouring districts.

He commended Mr John Ng’oina, a local investor, for setting up the school in the district where most people were yet to realize that education is key to development.

Daily News

{Residents of the flashpoint Abyei region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan were voting on Monday in an unofficial referendum to decide which country they belong to, a move likely to inflame tensions in the war-ravaged region, officials said.}

“The people are voting to choose to join South Sudan or to be part of Sudan,” Rou Manyiel, chairman of the Abyei civil society organisation, told AFP.

Patrolled by some 4,000 Ethiopian-led UN peacekeepers, the area is home to the settled Ngok Dinka, closely connected to South Sudan, as well the semi-nomadic Arab Misseriya, who traditionally move back and forth from Sudan grazing their cattle.

Only the Ngok Dinka are voting in the referendum — although organisers insist it is open to all — and the Misseriya have already angrily said they will not recognise the results of any unilateral poll.

Abyei was meant to vote on whether to be part of Sudan or South Sudan in January 2011 — the same day Juba voted overwhelmingly to split from the north — as part of the 2005 peace deal which ended Sudan’s civil war.

That referendum was repeatedly stalled, and Sudanese troops stormed the enclave in May 2011 forcing over 100,000 to flee southwards, leaving a year later after international pressure.

Ngok Dinka leaders last week said they would press ahead with their own vote.

However, the United Nations and AU have warned that any such unilateral move could inflame tensions in the oil-producing zone and risk destabilising the uneasy peace between the longtime foes.

“There are long queues of people, but things are peaceful and calm,” Manyiel added, a senior Ngok Dinka community leader. “They began to vote on Sunday and they will finish voting on Tuesday, the third day.”

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir met last week with his southern counterpart Salva Kiir amid pressure to settle Abyei’s future — one of the most important and sensitive issues left unresolved since Juba broke free two years ago — but despite calling talks “fruitful” no breakthrough deal was made.

An AFP photographer in Abyei said long lines of residents were lining up to cast their vote, with ballot papers marked with two symbols to chose from: a pair of clasped hands symbolising a vote to be part of Sudan, and a single hand if people want to join South Sudan.

Abyei, once oil-rich but with production now tailing off, is a key area of emotional and symbolic significance for both the fledgling South and the rump state of Sudan.

On Sunday, the African Union accused the Sudan government of preventing an AU delegation from visiting Abyei, accusing Khartoum of blocking it “for contrived security reasons”.

Last week Misseriya leader Mukhtar Babo Nimir told AFP his people had the option of also holding their own unilateral referendum if, as they have now done, the rival Ngok Dinka hold their own ballot.

Sudan and South Sudan clashed heavily last year along their un-demarcated border, after furious rows over oil.

International pressure eventually reined the two sides back in, with leaders signing a raft of deals, most of which however are yet to be implemented.

When South Sudan split away, it took with it oil fields accounting for 75 percent of the reserves — with production totalling some 470,000 barrels per day — that Sudan used to call its own.

Landlocked South Sudan complained that the north was demanding too much to use its pipelines and port facilities, and the shutdown cost both countries billions of dollars.

AFP

{Facing criticism from judges and defence teams including lawyers in the two Kenya cases, the ICC prosecutor is set to adopt new investigation strategies that will enable it present watertight cases before the trial judges.
}

The main highlights of the new strategy include early preparation for cases, scrutiny of evidence by intermediaries and the security of investigators and witnesses.

According to the plan seen by the Nation on Sunday, the Office the Prosecutor (OTP) says it will also expand and diversify its collection of evidence as well as increase its number of investigators.

This, they say, will lead to the collection of more evidence.

The strategy is informed by the desire by the ICC judges, who in their decisions, have often asked the prosecutor’s office to submit a substantial range of evidence in their cases.

The judges have faulted the OTP over investigations and warned against too much reliance on intermediaries.

Lawyers for President Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and former Kass FM presenter Joshua arap Sang have been scathing in their attacks against Ms Fatou Bensouda over investigations with Mr Ruto’s defence lawyer Karim Khan blaming former prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo for shoddy investigations that he referred to as “elemental shambles.”

He said due to the poor foundation he started, the Kenyan cases would die due to lack of evidence and selection of the accused persons.

President Kenyatta has also moved to have the ICC case against him stopped citing “serious, sustained and wide-ranging abuse on the process of the court carried out by” three witnesses against him in collaboration with the court’s investigators.

His lawyers, led by Queen’s Counsel Stephen Kay, say they have “extensive evidence” that the witness worked with investigators, described as an intermediary, to intimidate and interfere with potential defence witnesses.

To avoid the criticism, Ms Bensouda’s new strategy states in part: “Given the expectation from the judges to receive cases which are trial-ready at the time of the confirmation hearing and with more substantiated evidence, the office is adapting its prosecution strategy accordingly.”

Daily Nation