Tag: GreatLakesNews

{{The US State Department late Tuesday said that Washington is “gravely alarmed” by the speed at which security is deteriorating in the Democratic Republic of Congo.}}

Rebels in the DR Congo seized the key eastern city of Goma amid warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe and reports of killings, abductions, looting and extortion of civilians.

Locals, however, cheered and applauded as rebels drove around downtown Goma after fighters of the M23 movement marched into the city facing little resistance.

“The United States is gravely alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the security situation in eastern DRC,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

“We condemn the renewed military campaign by the M23 rebel group, which is an affront to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC and in violation of international law.”

The United States, Nuland said, calls “for a ceasefire, and for the M23 to return Goma to DRC authorities and pull back to their July positions.”

The rebels have been blamed for hundreds of deaths since they launched their uprising in April. UN experts have accused neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda of backing the M23, a charge both countries deny.

Nuland also called “upon all states to use their influence on the M23 to bring about an immediate end to the hostilities.”

She added: “We believe it is critical that any resolution to the crisis include holding the M23 leadership accountable for their human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law.”

{{The Uganda government has chosen to remain silent amidst reports of UK cutting all its aid to Uganda as President Yoweri Museveni continues his Asian tour.}}

A number of his senior officials are in the tour of the Western part of the country to witness the give-away of Tooro Princess Ruth Komuntale to her American boyfriend Christopher Thomas.

Vice President Edward Sekandi and Prime Minister Patrick Amama Mbabazi were among a powerful delegation of the regime from Kampala at the wedding televised on national broadcast, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation in Fort Portal.

On the eve of this merrymaking, British Broadcasting Corporation and The UK national newspapers including The Guardian and The Telegraph were awash with the news of The UK cutting all financial ties with President Museveni Administration after unearthing fresh evidence of massive misuse of its taxpayers’ funds meant for humanitarian aid.

“Britain has frozen all UK aid spent through the Ugandan government.

This is a result of initial evidence emerging from our ongoing forensic audit of the office of the Prime Minister which indicates aid money may have been misused,” International Development secretary Justine Greening announced on Friday.

“We are extremely concerned by these preliminary findings and we will assess the decision further when we have considered the full findings of the report.

“Unless the government of Uganda can show UK that the taxpayers’ money is going towards helping the poorest people to lift themselves out of poverty, this aid will remain frozen and we will expect repayment and administrative and criminal sanctions,” Greening warned.

The Guardian reports that £98.9 million bilateral aid from Britain to the east African country was to be delivered through different channels including the Ugandan government, the private sector, multilateral bodies and non-governmental organisations.

“In August, DfID froze money to the Ugandan Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) amid reports on funds from several European countries being funnelled into the private bank accounts of the PMO officials. No British money was taken,” The Guardian reports.

No official statement so far has come from the government in line with the latest report of UK aid cut. However, social media and radio political talk shows were filled with a debate on the fresh and harsh move by David Cameroon’s government to isolate the Kampala regime.

Amos Robert queries in his Facebook wall post: “What will now happen to poor folks in the north? But isn’t that the reason The UK has cut off aid? This aid meant for poor folks in the north was ending up in the pockets of officials in Kampala.

“That’s why I don’t understand John Nagenda’s – columnist with the government newspaper, The New Vision – suggestion that cutting off aid will mostly hurt poor Ugandans.

“The government of Uganda only orders inquiry into corruption scandals whenever ‘donors’ cut off or threaten to cut off aid.”

Okwany Jonathan chips, in turn: “That’s the way to go. It’s hard to trust the government now, but they will block direct aid. The government must either act or become a failed State.”

The debate was stormy on Capital Radio’s political talk show – Capital Gang – which hosted leader of Opposition and member of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Nadala Mafabi; ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) deputy party spokesman Ofwono Opondo and lawmakers Chris Baryomunsi (NRM), Abdu Katuntu (FDC) and Wilfred Niwagaba (NRM).

Ofwono Opondo called for a stern action against thieves in public service and be asked to refund the funds they stole, as Mafabi slammed the regime and called on Ugandans to rise up and cast a vote of no confidence when time comes.

“No amount of cure can change the current situation. We call upon Ugandans to turn to FDC for remedy,” Mafabi, who is opposing Mugisha Muntu’s determination to replace Kiiza Besigye, said.

Prime Minister Mbabazi apologised to the Irish government over mismanagement of the donor country’s aid stating that investigations were ongoing to bring all those involved to book.

{{A Kenyan court has dismissed an incitement case against two Members of Parliament.}}

Chief magistrate Waweru Kiarie ruled that the charges preferred against Turkana South MP

Josphat Nanok and his Turkana Central counterpart David Ekwe Ethuro were defective.

On Monday, the two legislators were charged with incitement to violence over the Baragoi killings in which more than 40 policemen died.

However, Mr Nanok and Mr Ethuro did not plead to the charge, claiming it was a violation of their rights and an abuse of the judicial system.

Through lawyers Katwa Kigen and Jotham Arwa, the legislators claimed that the charges raised constitutional issues and asked the magistrate to suspend the plea and refer the matter to the High Court for interpretation.

They termed the proposed charges as invalid, arguing that it was against the doctrine of separation of powers between Parliament and other State organs.

House privilege

The words contained in the charge sheet, they added, were also not clear.

“Parliamentary privileges are meant to facilitate delivery of services to people who elected them and who look up to them to speak on their behalf. You cannot criminally charge MPs for words uttered within the precinct of Parliament,” said Mr Kigen.

According to the charge sheet, Mr Nanok and Mr Ethuro allegedly uttered words implying that it was desirable to bring death or physical injuries to police officers in Suguta Valley in Turkana County.

They allegedly uttered the words on November 15 within Parliament buildings in Nairobi “jointly with others not before court.”

They were released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 each.

NMG

{{In Kenya, voter registration exercise for the March 4, 2013 general election was kicked off by President Mwai Kibaki who registered on Monday.}}

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is counting on cutting-edge technology to prepare a new and more accurate voter’s roll.

With memories of the botched disputed 2007 election still fresh, IEBC is approaching the voter registration knowing full well that a botched voter registration process could have negative consequences for the credibility of the coming election.

The registration will be a test for an electoral body still struggling to demonstrate integrity and competence, having just bungled the original plan to procure biometric voter registration equipment under circumstances that forced the Cabinet to move in to save the situation.

The stakes are especially high for IEBC because it is more or less boxed in by a constitutional provision which says that the election must be held in March 2013.

In just a month, IEBC must put in place a system that will capture and store voter information at the same time making sure that the register is secure and without errors.

The technology will identify voters by name, age, photograph and fingerprints.

The registration kit consists of a lap top, a finger print scanner and a printer. And each unit will have an external drive for data storage, a long lasting battery for power where electricity is vulnerable and a weather proof case to protect delicate electronics.

Registering 20 million voters in two months is going to be a massive exercise that will test IEBC’s competence and efficiency in major ways.

Kicking off the exercise, President Kibaki issued a stern warning to those who want to disrupt voter registration that they will be dealt with firmly.

The preparations will in 103 days culminate in the election of a President, governors, senators, MPs, women representatives and county representatives. It will be the first under the new constitution.

Registration is on-going in all constituencies and will end on December 18.

{Nation Media}

{{The Uganda government has blamed the escalation of fighting in eastern Congo on a leaked U.N. report that accused it and Rwanda of supporting Congolese rebels.}}

Uganda’s Junior Foreign Affairs Minister Asuman Kiyingi said his government had been forced to retreat from its mediating role.

“Uganda was mediating in this conflict … and we had managed to restrain M23,” Minister Kiyingi said Tuesday.

{{Three Kenyan soldiers in plainclothes were shot dead by assailants in Garissa on Monday while changing a flat tyre at a car garage.}}

The attack on the soldiers came a day after a bomb was thrown at a moving vehicle in Nairobi killing 10 people.

And the British High Commission in Nairobi on Monday advised its citizens to exercise extreme caution and avoid any gatherings in Eastleigh.

” On Sunday 18 November 2012 a grenade was thrown at a bus near to St Teresa’s church on First Avenue in Eastleigh, Nairobi. Casualties have been reported.

The attack has been followed by violent clashes. You should exercise extreme caution and avoid any gatherings in this area,” the high commission advised its citizens.

{{Tanzania has turned down a request by the United Nations in Tanzania to pay for a $10 million five-year rent for an office building for UN agencies, saying a poor country like Tanzania can’t afford the amount.}}

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr Ramadhani Khijjah, said in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the amount was enough to build permanent offices for the UN agencies operating in Tanzania.

It is the government that pays rent for UN offices.

Mr. Ramadhani was reacting to queries on the outcome of weeklong investigations by a local newspaper (The Citizen) that the Finance ministry was in the process of paying US$10million five-year rent for an office building for the UN agencies that does not meet the UN’s minimum operations security standards (MOSS).

“With US$10Million, you can put up a new building that meets UN standards. Besides, this amount is too huge compared to the market price of between $14 and $18 per square metre,” said a member of the Ministerial Tender Board of the ministry of Finance.

Industry sources said the rent of $10million works to $50 per square metres, which is $30 more than the market price at Masaki and Oysterbay, adding that the government was paying $19 per square metres at International House where some of the UN offices are currently accommodated.

{{At least seven people were killed Sunday when an explosive detonated in a mini-bus in Nairobi, sparking fears of a fresh terrorist attack.}}

Several other people were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals, following the explosion in the Eastleigh estate on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that at least 15 casualties have been transferred to the referral Kenyatta National Hospital.

The explosion in the mini-bus was caused when an attacker hurled a grenade in the ‘matatu’ vehicle, witnesses said.

The attack was near St Teresa’s Catholic Church. Eastleigh is inhabited mainly by Kenyans of Somali origin or Somalis.

Kenyan police have been struggling to maintain calm after violence erupted with people of Somali region being targeted.

The Kenyan capital has been a target for terrorist attacks since the Kenyan army rolled into neighbouring Somalia for a military operation against Al-Qaeda-allied Al-Shabaab militants.

The coastal city of Mombasa has also not been spared, with a grenade attack last Friday seriously wounding four people.

{{Congolese media has reported that the M23 Rebels in DRC have called for immidiate talks with DRC government In a statement released Sunday.}}

In the statement, the rebels demanded for cessation of hostilities and direct negotiations in 24 hours.

“These negotiations must involve particular Congolese opposition, civil society and the diaspora.

They also demand the demilitarization of the city of Goma and its airport, controlled by the loyalist army supported by MONUSCO, and the reopening of the border Bunagana,” said the statement.

Meanwhile, Vital Kamhere the former president of the DRC’s National Assembly (2007 -2009) has told government to silence guns and talk to M23 rebels.

The rebels are currently said to have advanced into Goma city.its fall to the rebels is a major achievement to the rebels.

“It’s time to silence the guns and talk with the rebels in order to avoid the repetition of history,” Kamhere said Sunday.

In a press statement on the security situation in the eastern DRC, Vital Kamhere considered that the army was “infiltrated” the Congolese soldiers are dying on the front “for nothing.”