Tag: GreatLakesNews

{{Wrangles within Chama Cha Mapinduzi have been cited by an international think tank as being among the major threats to the survival of the party.}}

The ruling CCM, one of the few independence era political parties in Africa still in power, is marred by various challenges including graft and bitter infighting pitting several factions within its rank and file that have hugely affected its popularity, says the South African-based think tank.A report published at the weekend by the Institute for Security Studies, which is a regional human security policy think tank, says:

“CCM, like the Africa National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, is one of several liberation parties in Africa that are still in power and, like the ANC, CCM is increasingly facing its greatest opposition from within,” the report, authored by Mashaka Lewela, Research Intern and Emmanuel Kisiangani, Senior Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, says.

In a quick rejoinder, however, the CCM secretary general, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, said yesterday issues raised in the report have are nothing new.

“There is nothing surprising (about the report) considering that these issues have already been discussed extensively in the media, in the academia and in the political circles,” he said when reached by phone.

The report entitled: “Tanzania’s CCM: Is the Benign Hegemony Crumbling?”, says this is the time for the CCM to rejuvenate itself by moving beyond electoral manoeuvres if it is to remain in power and become a real instrument for improving governance.

“Looking at 2015, it is unlikely that the CCM will lose its stranglehold on power, but it is probable that the Opposition will gain statistically,” added the report.

But Mr Kinana said the authors of the report sound like they aren’t sure of what they were talking about.

“They are in fact trying to find answers to their own question,” said the CCM supremo in reference to the title of the report, adding: “I strongly believe that Tanzanians are in a much better position to discuss and evaluate political developments and events in the country than foreigners.”

The report says though substantially fragmented as it comprises 20 different political parties, the Tanzanian opposition has been slowly growing in strength, as witnessed by its performance in the 2010 elections.

“For a party (CCM) whose leadership transition has consistently been seamless, the current perceptions and divisive internal wrangles are threatening its dominance ahead of the 2015 elections – in which President Kikwete will not run again after serving his two-year constitutional terms,” notes the report.

The report adds the President seems to realise the extent of the challenges and the threat they pose to his legacy.

“This explains his attempts to reform and restructure the party,” says the report, adding: “ In 2010 he initiated a CCM sloughing/rebranding drive (kujivua gamba), which entailed the ruling party touring development programmes, while in April 2011 the party asked several of its top brass – including the then secretary general, Yusuf Makamba – to resign voluntarily or face expulsion.”

It notes further that those who resigned were replaced by a set of politicians with a cleaner reputation, although this did not dramatically change the party’s image.

“Interestingly, the majority of CCM supporters seem to remain confident about the party’s fortunes on the basis that it has done better than previous leaderships to improve the economy and living standards of Tanzanians, despite the difficult global economic situation,” says the report.

Reacting to these observations, Mr Kinana dismissed the report’s reflection that CCM was facing more challenges than ever before, noting that the challenges the ruling party faced in the 1995 General Election were much more daunting.

In that year, he said, Mr Augustino Mrema, the then presidential candidate on the NCCR-Mageuzi platform, got bigger percentage of votes than what the Chadema presidential candidate, Dr Willibrod Slaa, bagged in 2010.

He, however acknowledged that the authors were right by pinpointing in their conclusion that factors that were likely to weaken CCM were mostly from within than from outside the party.

Mr Kinana mentioned internal challenges as factionalism, wrangling and alleged corruption, but was vehement that CCM won’t lose in 2015.

He said many of the constituencies which CCM lost to the Opposition in the 2010 elections was a result of the party’s mishandling in choosing candidates and disunity within the party.

CCM held its 8th national congress in Dodoma last month at which President Kikwete was reelected as the party’s national chairman.

The report said mindful of diminishing public approval for the party that has dominated the politics of the Union of Tanganyika (Mainland) and Zanzibar (island), President Kikwete initiated a restructuring process in 2010 that culminated in the recent national congress.

Among those elected were Philip Mangula (vice-chairman mainland) and Dr Ali Mohamed Shein (vice-chairman Zanzibar).

Former East African Legislative Assembly speaker Abdulrahman Kinana was elected secretary general, while former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Asha Migiro became secretary for foreign relations.

CITIZEN

{{Close to six million people have been registered as voters in two weeks according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).}}

A statement from the commission on Monday said the number represented 33 percent of the estimated Kenyan voting population.

Nairobi County leads with the most number of those registered at 632, 145 out of an estimated voting population of about 1.5 million people followed by neighboring Kiambu County with 329, 340 people registered out of 756,773 estimated eligible voters.

Nakuru County comes in third place with 307,687 registered voters.
Counties in Northern Kenya still have low numbers with Marsabit recording the lowest numbers at 14,344; Lamu County with 22,272 out of an estimated voting population of 47,337 while Samburu County has so far registered 34,980.

Wajir County has 56,728 registered while Mandera has achieved 57,534 voters in two weeks.

Other counties with steadily rising numbers include Kakamega with 266,155, Meru which had registered 202,388, Bungoma County with184, 479, Kisii with190,259, Busia, 123, 615 and Siaya County with 178,243.

Tharaka Nithi County has registered 68,889, Baringo 81,768, Machakos 125, 685, Makueni 108,365, Kitui 115,669, Laikipia 65,844, Garissa 54, 838 and Vihiga 91,600.

At the coast Kilifi has recorded 126, 285, Tana River 32,962 while Mombasa has 146,876 out of an estimated half a million voters.

Out of the 22 million eligible voters, IEBC aims to register at least 18 million Kenyans by the end of the 30 day period on December 18.

Meanwhile, Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka who registered on Monday in Tseikuru once again appealed to Kenyans to vote for leaders irrespective of ethnic and political backgrounds in the next elections.

He expressed concern at the manner in which residents in many parts of the country were turning up in small numbers to register barely two weeks before the deadline of the exercise.

The VP made a passionate appeal to all Kenyans to make use of the ongoing biometric voter registration to enlist in large numbers so as to participate in the forthcoming General Election.

He said the biometric voter registration exercise will ensure names of ghost voters do not appear in the register.

Musyoka at the same time directed the department of Registration of
Persons to move with speed and ensure Kenyans over the age of 18 and who have applied for IDs are given within the shortest time possible so that they can participate in voter listing exercise.

“It has become clear that thousands of Kenyans are yet to get IDs especially now that the country is preparing for elections,” he said.

Congolese soldiers took back control of this strategic city of 1 million on Monday, though the rebels who occupied it for two weeks continued to stake out positions just 3 kilometers (1.6 miles) away, threatening to seize it anew if Congo fails to meet their demands.

Crowds cheered the soldiers as they arrived in Goma’s main barracks in trucks, and women rushed forward to kiss the troops. Their return comes 13 days after the city fell to the rebels.

In a worrying sign, however, the M23 rebels remained in tactical positions in the hills nearby, saying they were waiting for the government to respond to their grievances before deciding whether to try to retake the city.

The rebels claim to be fighting for the better implementation of a March 23, 2009, peace accord, which saw them integrated into the national army.

After a nearly two-week occupation, the M23 rebels agreed to leave Goma over the weekend under intense international pressure, including fresh sanctions from the U.N. Security Council.

Their withdrawal was conditional and their commanders initially they would retreat to 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside the city with the caveat that Congo’s government must begin negotiations with them no later than 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

As the deadline expired, journalists saw a column of rebel fighters walking to elevated positions overlooking the city.

Others were building a tent on a western hill. Some in groups of three took positions under trees along the road leading north from Goma.

“We gave Kinshasa a 48-hour deadline, and we are now waiting for these 48 hours to expire,” rebel spokesman Col. Vianney Kazarama said by telephone as the deadline neared.

“You should call Congo and ask them what they plan to do. They have not yet contacted us. And we are waiting to see what happens, before pronouncing ourselves.”

Despite the rebels’ retreat from Goma, which was a pre-requisite set by the Congolese government for negotiations, Congo’s President Joseph Kabila has not yet made clear if the government will engage in talks.

On Sunday, government spokesman Lambert Mende said the president would listen to M23’s grievances and then give them an answer.

As the rebels’ deadline neared Monday, Mende said he had nothing new to say on the matter. Later, in a government communique, Mende said Congo “congratulates itself on the departure of M23 from the city of Goma this weekend and is happy to confirm the enthusiasm with which the population of this town greeted (the security forces) who came to secure the city.”

Congo’s Interior Minister Richard Muyej, speaking to reporters in Goma, said that they are working hard to fill the power vacuum that was left by the rebels’ departure.

“We shall work very hard to re-establish the authority of the state as fast as possible,” Muyej said.

Residents whose lives were upended two weeks ago when rebels invaded the town on Nov. 20 tried their best to go about their lives. Most shops had re-opened, despite uncertainty about the coming hours.

AP

{{The EAC Secretariat and Norway in Nairobi, Kenya signed a financial grant agreement worth US $5.3 million for the period 2012 -2014.}}

The funds, disbursed through the EAC’s basket fund mechanism known as the Partnership Fund, will support initiatives to enhance regional integration and socio-economic development of the EAC.

Specifically, the funds will be used to support the implementation of the EAC Development Strategy and provide technical assistance to the Community.

Furthermore, the grant will support institutional and human resource capacity building for the EAC and support key studies required to support regional integration as well as implementation of the study findings.

According to the agreement, an initial disbursement of US $1.8 million will now be made by Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Norway is one of the founding members and a contributor to the EAC Partnership Fund.

Also present at the signing ceremony was the head of the resource mobilization unit at the EAC, Dr. James Njagu.

{{Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania have told off the United Nations over its failure to stop the M23 rebels from capturing the town of Goma in eastern DR Congo.}}

The two leaders, according to the sources that attended the closed summit of International Conference for Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) that took place last week in Kampala, told the UN under Secretary for Field Support, Ms Susana Malccora, in the meeting that the region was disappointed with the UN mission in DR Congo.

Mr Kikwete told Ms Malccora that the regional efforts to form an international neutral force for DR Congo was as a result of frustration caused by the UN’s failure to stop different rebel groups operating in eastern DR Congo.
The UN operates the biggest mission in DR Congo with 17,000 peacekeepers and an annual budget of over $1 billion but critics say the peacekeepers have failed to protect civilians.

Despite this big budget and force, the rebels have continued to operate in the region and hundreds of civilians have been displaced as a result of fighting.

Mr Kikwete reportedly told the meeting that the UN acts “faster and efficiently” when there are crises in parts of the world like Europe but is “slow” when it comes to Africa.

“Go and tell your office that we are frustrated and disappointed with the UN missions in this region. The UN was in Rwanda when the genocide took place. They have been operating in DR Congo since 1960s but nothing has changed. Go and tell them that this is Kikwete’s message,” he told Ms Malccora.

Mr Kikwete, who is known to be non-combative in such meetings like his Ugandan and Rwandan counterparts, was described by sources as “passionate and argumentative”.
After Mr Kikwete’s presentation, Mr Museveni told the meeting that he had had a meeting with Ms Malccora on Friday night and registered the same frustration. “By the way, there are things I told her last night which you haven’t told her,” Mr Museveni reportedly told Mr Kikwete.

In response, Ms Malccora said the UN mandate does not allow the peacekeepers to engage the rebels and contributing countries will pull out if the mandate is changed to peace enforcement.

But Mr Museveni reportedly said, “let them withdraw” and pledged he would deploy UPDF as long as they are funded.
The M23 rebels captured Goma, the North Kivu provincial capital last week but have pledged to withdraw after holding talks with President Museveni in Kampala.

Other presidents who attended the meeting were Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and DR Congo’s Joseph Kabila. Mr Paul Kagame, who has been accused by the UN of supporting M23 did not attend and was represented by his Foreign Affairs minister, Ms Louis Mwishikiwabo.

NMG

{{The East African Community (EAC) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Cooperation (Usaid), Thursday launched a software platform for customs and transit data exchange, management and reporting.}}

The Revenue Authorities Digital Data Exchange (RADDEx 2.0) allows for real time-transmission of customs document to authorised public and private sector users at key border posts and cities across the EAC partner states.

A statement issued here jointly by EAC and Usaid said the improved software system would reduce time and cost of transiting borders, an anomaly which has frustrated efficient movement of people and goods in the region.

“RADDEx 2.0 saves businesses and governments’ time and money by shortening cargo processing times and reducing the number of officials needed to process cargo”, the statement added.

Some of the largest non-tariff barriers to trade and cost to businesses in East Africa are delays at border crossings. Trucks waiting for goods to be cleared on both sides of a border can result in significant costs to the shipper.

Difficulties at the border include inefficient paperwork processes, lack of advance notification of goods, fraudulent declarations and lack of efficient information exchange between regional revenue authorities.

The Usaid EA-funded Corridor Diagnostic Study (CDS) estimated the cost of border delays for 40-foot container trucks.Based on that estimate and the number of trucks that pass through the Malaba border post between Kenya and Uganda, RADDEx could save businesses that use the Malaba border approximately $50 million each year.

In his remarks at the launch, the EAC director of Customs Kenneth Bagamuhunda stated: “RADDEx 2.0 offers a secure information bridge that allows authorised users to access crucial customs declaration information that speeds the transit of goods across the borders”.

He said the system would be owned, operated and maintained by revenue authorities of East Africa. It has been developed by EAC and the national revenue authorities.

{{In Kenya, a man left neighbours in shock after he killed his wife and ate some of her body parts before a mob lynched him at Wendiga village in Kieni West on Wednesday night.}}

Morris Gituma Mutegi, 23, was said to have also forced his two-and-a-half-year-old son to drink his mother’s blood in the bizarre incident.

Mutegi, who was a farmhand, allegedly got into a fight with his wife Caroline Gatwiri, 22, at 11pm, and was seen by his employer Anne Wangeci chasing her in the compound.

Wangeci raised the alarm but by the time neighbours responded Gatwiri had been killed by the husband who was wielding a sword and a spear.

Nyeri OCPD Kirunya Limbitu said Gituma and his wife hailed from Kandungu village in Gitije Meru South.

Police officers at the scene said that Gatwiri’s head had been severed from her body and smashed using a stone.

Pieces of her skull and jawbone were still at the scene in the morning, but police later took them away.

Mr Solomon Mwangi, a son of Ms Wangeci, said Mutegi killed his wife a few metres from his mother’s house before dragging the body to his small house and mutilating it.

“He killed his wife near my mother’s house, around midnight. He then went to the house and fetched his son and forced him to drink his mother’s blood, but as he dragged the body back to his house we managed to grab the child. He was armed with a sword and a spear and we were afraid of going near him,” said Mr Mwangi.

Police said Mutegi ate the body parts of his wife including her heart, liver, face and brains.

According to Mr Mwangi when the neighbours who eventually numbered 200 subdued Mutegi, they tied him up to a fence post using a rope and beat him up.

“We had tied him up using a rope onto a post, but he was very very wild,” added Mr Mwangi.

The wife had arrived at the home in the evening from Meru, with Mutegi picking her from Mweiga town a few kilometres from the home.

He even took his son to meet his employer, telling Ms Wangeci that his wife was resting in the house after the long journey.

On Thursday morning, the couple’s child still had his mother’s blood smeared all over his face.

He was placed under Ms Wangeci’s care, with police from Mweiga police station saying he would later be handed over to the children’s officer in Nyeri.

Mutegi was described by his employer as having never had a quarrel with anyone since he was employed to look after her cattle in March of this year.

“He never raised his voice, not even to a child. He had even brought his son to meet me in the evening after picking his wife from Mweiga and all appeared well at that time,” said Ms Wangeci.

Neighbours milled around the home, many still in disbelief over the nights events.

NMG