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Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • Former BBA Stars Hint on Marriage

    Former BBA Stars Hint on Marriage

    {{Former Big Brother Africa housemate O’neal has reaffirmed that he racked up a ‘lifetime’ treasure – Tanzanian lass, Feza, during the reality show and has hinted at marriage.}}

    This comes a few weeks after he told journalists in Botswana not to group his union with Feza with failed Big Brother relationships, stressing Feza was his ‘life partner’.

    Feza was recently in Botswana and only left last week with social media buzz swelling that the couple was already engaged.

    Although the club and radio DJ O’neal denied they were already betrothed, he said they were both convinced their union was based on solid foundations and would last the lap.

    He added: “I think I did my best in the game and am actually one of the winners in the game, having met the love of my life. She makes me happy so I don’t think there’s any prize bigger than this.”

    In one of her interviews in Botswana, Feza concurred with her prospective hubby that the union was built on ‘solid foundation’.

    “We are both deeply rooted in God and all decisions are informed by a higher being,” she said.

    While O’neal is thrilled that Feza’s four-year-old son has a strong liking for him, he is a little cautious about how their children would handle the relationship.

    His seven-year-old son is also aware of his relationship.

    “For them, it’s exciting because there is so much excitement, it’s not boring. They are just enjoying the attention. But we have to be able to protect them. They didn’t ask for this. We’ll keep them out of it and handle it as much as possible,” he said.

    Evidently, the two are riding on the crest of a wave of love, at least for now.

    Only time will tell if the relationship is for keeps.

    {DJ O’neal and Feza in Gaborone, Botswana.}

    NMG

  • Kenyan Scientists Say Maggots Could Heal Chronic Wounds

    Kenyan Scientists Say Maggots Could Heal Chronic Wounds

    {{Researchers in Kenya on Thursday said that they are currently conducting studies on how to use insect larvae to treat chronic wounds.}}

    Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Researcher Phoebe Mukiria told journalists in Nairobi that they have identified the larvae of the green bottle fly as the best vehicle.

    “We will complete the proof of principle study that will establish the efficacy of using maggots to clean wounds in three months,” Mukiria said during the Kenya Science Congress.

    The three-day event brought over 200 participants to discuss ways of integrating into daily lives. “Live maggots are introduced into the raw wound to feed on the dead tissue and so as to enable surgeons to conduct further medical procedures,” she said.

    She noted that the maggots take on average 10 days to clean the wounds. “On the other hand, the period for conventional methods vary but could take over four weeks to do the same,” she said.

    Successfully applied

    “The maggots could therefore emerge as one of the most effective method of removing dead tissue from the wounds. We have so far used the larvae on five patients who have shown positive results,” she said.

    The research is joint collaboration of the University of Nairobi, KARI, Slovakia based Comenius University and Tenwek Mission Hospital in Kenya.

    The Research team attained government approval to conduct the investigations for one year. The insects could be used on patients with chronic disease such as diabetes and cancer. She added that wound care is expensive.

    “By using the biological method, the only investment is the production of maggot, ” she said. “However, the eggs which take a short time to hatch, have to be maintained in cool temperature for optimum results,” she said.

    According to Mukiria, the method cannot be used on wounds that are close to major blood vessels. She said that the procedure has already being successfully applied in other parts of the world. “In Europe, it is commonly used to treating animal pets,” she said.

    “Once the method is approved in Kenya, we will also extend the technology to animals,” the KARI official said.

    NMG

  • Uganda to Engage Investors in Mineral Sector

    Uganda to Engage Investors in Mineral Sector

    {{Uganda government has been urged to engage investors in the mineral sector in order to uplift the country’s mining potential. }}

    Uganda has a number of minerals, however; little has been done to fully exploit the country’s potential.

    Speaking at a media briefing to announce the upcoming Mineral Wealth Conference scheduled for between October 1 and 2, in Kampala, Mr Elly Karuhanga, the chairman Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, said Uganda needs to promote the available investment opportunities in the mining and petroleum sectors.

    This, he said, would attract local and foreign investors in the sector.
    The conference, which is expected to run under the theme: ‘Investing in Uganda’s Flourishing Mining Industry’, will relay available mining opportunities in Uganda, identify gaps and devise means of narrowing such gaps.

    Uganda’s mining sector has been boosted with the recent discovery of oil deposits in western and North West parts of Uganda including Hoima among other areas.

    The government also focused on reviving the Kilembe Copper Mines in Kasese, after it recently handed a Chinese firm with a 25 year concession.

  • Kenyans Record Least Users of US Dollars in East Africa

    Kenyans Record Least Users of US Dollars in East Africa

    {{Kenya records the lowest proportion of transactions conducted in dollars — technically referred to as dollarisation — among East African states.}}

    The phenomenon of dollarisation implies that people tend to use the US dollar or other hard currency as units of account, medium of exchange and store of value undermining the usefulness of domestic currency.

    The higher the dollarisation, the lower the ability of the central bank to transmit policy through manipulating the domestic currency supply and demand.

    A report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows that dollarisation in Kenya stands at 10.8 per cent against Tanzania’s 20.3%, Uganda’s 21.8% and Rwanda’s 20%.

    The standard measure of dollarisation is foreign currency deposits as a proportion of money supply.

    {{Differentiating factor}}

    The key differentiating factor is that Kenya has a relatively higher macroeconomic stability seen in better implementation of fiscal and monetary policies, the IMF notes in the staff working paper titled The Monetary Transmission Mechanism in the Tropics: A Narrative Approach.

    The four countries have, however, made substantial progress in the past decade in terms of reducing dollarisation of their economies, which shows the extent to which they have confidence in the ability of domestic currencies to maintain their value.

    On the whole, the IMF says that East African countries have higher levels of dollarisation than the average for emerging markets, indicating the level of confidence that users of the domestic currencies have in forex.

    The IMF says that monetary authorities in East Africa intervene in foreign exchange not only to smooth fluctuations but also to stem an increase in dollarisation and inflation.

    “The authorities generally state that interventions are aimed only at smoothing fluctuations and building up foreign currency buffers.

    Other concerns may at times be involved, including that rapid nominal depreciation will cause inflation or increase dollarisation,” said the IMF report.

    Pantaleo Kessy, an economist at the Monetary and Financial Affairs Department in the (Central) Bank of Tanzania, agrees dollarisation has been a point of concern due to the credibility questions it raises on the domestic currency.

    NMG

  • Kikwete Chairs AU Environment Meeting

    Kikwete Chairs AU Environment Meeting

    {{Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete on Tuesday chaired his first meeting as the chairman of the African Union Heads of State and Government on Climate Change.}}

    The meeting was held at the AU’s Permanent Mission to the UN here, where the continental body has an observer status and was attended by Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Deselengy and ministers from six other countries — members of the committee.

    The countries include Uganda, Algeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Mauritius and Congo-Brazzaville.

    The meeting sought to find a common stand among African countries on a global environmental meeting to be held in Poland later this year.

    President Kikwete, who is in the US to attend the 68th General Assembly meeting of the UN, was elected to chair the AU committee early this year after the position remained vacant following the death of former Ethiopian Premier, Meles Zenawi, in September last year.

    Meanwhile, President Kikwete has said there are plans to restructure the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited to increase efficiency in power supply in the country.

    Speaking at a meeting with the delegation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) here on Wednesday he said the aim of his government was to increase electricity supply to reach 30% of the population by 2015.

    Currently about 21% of Tanzania access electricity, up from only about 10% in 2005, President Kikwete told the delegation headed by MCC chief executive officer, Daniel W Yohannes. MCC offered Tanzania a grant of $698 million (Sh1.1 billion) for funding various infrastructure projects like electricity, roads, water and airports.

    NMG

  • 2 Dead as DRC Troops, Rebels Clash

    2 Dead as DRC Troops, Rebels Clash

    {{Fighting among rebels and government troops left at least two dead on Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ending a short lull in violence as negotiations continue between the two sides.}}

    The clashes in the town of Kahunga, north of the provincial capital of Goma, were the first since UN peacekeeping troops and government soldiers forced rebels from the M23 movement to retreat on 30 August.

    Two rebel fighters were killed and a government soldier injured during a firefight that lasted just 20 minutes, said Prosper Basse, spokesperson for the UN brigade charged with “neutralising” the rebels.

    “The situation is calm once again,” Basse said, an assertion backed up by anonymous army and rebel sources.

    The M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa said six government soldiers had been killed, and blamed Kinshasa for trying to “undermine” peace talks by attacking his men – accusations denied by a government spokesman, who said the rebels had attacked an army base.

    Talks between the Congolese government and the rebels have stalled since they began on 10 September in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, aimed at ending a recent upsurge in fighting in the resource-rich east.

    The M23 was founded by former rebels who were incorporated into the Congolese army under a 2009 peace deal.

    Complaining the deal was never fully implemented, they mutinied in April 2012, turning their guns on their former comrades and launching the latest rebellion to ravage DRC’s mineral-rich east.

    – AFP

  • Interpol issues ‘White Widow’ alert at Kenya’s request

    Interpol issues ‘White Widow’ alert at Kenya’s request

    {{Interpol on Thursday issued an arrest notice on behalf of Kenyan authorities for Samantha Lewthwaite, the fugitive Briton whom news media have dubbed the “white widow.”}}

    Lewthwaite – a 29-year-old Muslim convert whose first husband was one of the suicide bombers in the 2005 attack on the London transit system that killed 52 commuters – is wanted by Kenyan authorities over alleged involvement in a plot to bomb holiday resorts there.

    Social media reports that a white female was leading last week’s terrorist attack on an upscale Nairobi shopping mall – followed by comments from Kenya’s foreign minister that a British woman had been involved – led some British broadcasters and newspapers to link Lewthwaite to the recent attack on the Westgate mall, despite the lack of hard evidence that she was involved.

    The Interpol notice made no mention of Westgate, however, saying that Lewthwaite is wanted on charges of possessing explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony in December 2011.

    African authorities have linked her to other attacks as well – again, without presenting evidence of her involvement. She is believed to have been questioned by police once but was not taken into custody.

    She originally criticized her late husband – Jermaine Lindsay – for taking part in the transit attacks, but later apparently embraced the jihadi cause.

    She told The Sun newspaper in September 2005 that her husband had fallen under the influence of radical mosques.

    “How these people could have turned him and poisoned his mind is dreadful,” the newspaper quoted her as saying. “He was an innocent, naive and simple man. I suppose he must have been an ideal candidate.

    “He was so angry when he saw Muslim civilians being killed on the streets of Iraq, Bosnia, Palestine and Israel – and always said it was the innocent who suffered.”

    (AP)

  • Oil Well Discovered in Northern Kenya

    Oil Well Discovered in Northern Kenya

    {{Tullow Oil plc (“Tullow”) announced on Thursday that the Ekales-1 wildcat, located in Block 13T in Northern Kenya, has made a new oil discovery.}}

    Results of drilling, wire line logs and samples of reservoir fluid indicate a potential net oil pay in the Auwerwer and Upper Lokone sandstone reservoirs of between 60 and 100 metres.

    Future flow testing aims to confirm productivity from these zones.

    “This is the fourth consecutive wildcat discovery, in the first oil basin opened in Northern Kenya, since our drilling commenced in 2012,” said Tullow in its website.

    The Ekales-1 well is located between the Ngamia-1 and Twiga South-1 oil discoveries and the reservoir properties at this location appear similar to those previously encountered. Once operations have completed the rig will move to drill the exploration prospect Amosing-1 south of Ngamia-1.

    Tullow operates the Ekales-1 well and Africa Oil (50 per cent) has a non-operated interest.

    “Elsewhere in Kenya, the Agete-1 well, also in block 13T, commenced drilling in mid-September and we expect a third rig to be operational in Q4 2013.”

    Angus McCoss, Exploration Director, Tullow Oil plc said “This success at the Ekales-1 wildcat is further evidence of the exceptional oil potential of our East African Rift Basin acreage.

    Having opened the first basin with the Ngamia-1 well last year, we are now increasing the pace of exploration in Kenya aiming for 12 wells over the next 12 months.”

    wirestory

  • British national arrested over Westgate mall attack

    British national arrested over Westgate mall attack

    {{A British national has been arrested in Nairobi over the bloody attack on Westgate shopping mall by armed Islamists, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.}}

    “We can confirm the detention of a British national in Nairobi and we are making contact to offer standard consular assistance,” she told media, without saying if the suspect was a man or a woman.

    British newspapers have speculated that Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the men who bombed the London transport system in 2005, was among the attackers who besieged the Westgate mall in the Kenyan capital.

    Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed told US television on Monday that a British woman was among the attackers, although this contradicted earlier statements from Kenyan officials who said they were all male.

    Lewthwaite, a 29-year-old Muslim convert known as the “White Widow”, has been on the run in East Africa for the last couple of years and is wanted by Kenyan police for alleged involvement in a separate terror plot.

    President Uhuru Kenyatta announced an end to the 80-hour bloodbath in Nairobi late Tuesday, with the loss of 61 civilians and six members of the security forces.

    He said five attackers were killed and 11 suspects detained.

    NMG

  • AU Objects to any Unilateral Actions of Abyei

    AU Objects to any Unilateral Actions of Abyei

    {{The African Union says it objects any unilateral decision by either Sudan or South Sudan to determine the future of Abyei, a border area claimed by both nations.}}

    The African Union Peace and Security Council released a communiqué on Tuesday urging “the two countries not to undertake any unilateral actions concerning Abyei that might impede progress towards the implementations” of the commitments they have made to resolve the dispute.

    Abyei was due to hold a referendum in January 2011 but is was delayed as the two sides could not agree on who should be allowed to participate. Under a proposal put forward by the AU’s special panel on the Sudans a referendum is scheduled to take place in October.

    Also, the two sides disagree on the process to resolve the dispute. Juba wants to prioritise holding the plebiscite to decide the area’s future, whereas Khartoum insists that this cannot happen until interim institutions are created with representatives of the native Dinka Ngok and the Misseriya.

    Frustration on the side of the Dinka Ngok has led to some to call for the self- determination referendum to go-ahead without the involvement or approval of the Sudanese government.

    If the vote were to take place without the Misseriya, the Dinka Ngok would be expected to overwhelmingly opt for Abyei to be transferred back into South Sudan.

    The area was moved into South Kordofan state for administrative by the British over 100 years ago during colonial rule. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement provides it remains part of the Sudan until the organisation of the referendum.

    Tuesday’s meeting called on the presidents of South Sudan and Sudan to expeditiously proceed with the implementation of the Agreement on Temporary Administrative and Security Arrangements for the Abyei Area that was signed on 20 June 2011.

    The continental body calls for facilitation of the rapid and safe return of refugees and displaced persons, assist with the rehabilitation and development of the communities in and adjacent to Abyei, and provide for peaceful migration of nomadic pastoralists during the coming dry season.

    The AU further called for a special partners’ conference to provide assistance to Abyei and that 2% of oil revenues originating from Abyei is used for the development of the area, as per previous agreements.

    The African leaders also reiterated acceptance of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel Proposal (AUHIP) on the final status of Abyei of 21 September 2012.

    ST