Tag: GreatLakesNews

{The body of the main opposition leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo Etienne Tshisekedi is expected in the capital Kinshasa this weekend.}

His party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) said on Monday that his body will be repatriated from Brussels in Belgium where he died last Wednesday.

“The body of President Tshisekedi could be repatriated to Kinshasa earliest by Friday,” Valentin Mubake, one of the leaders of the party in charge of the funeral said.

“After the arrival of the body, the final programme for the funeral will be known” and may take place on Sunday, Mubake added.

The DRC government created a commission last week to plan a dignified funeral in coordination with the family and the UDPS party.

“A commission is working hard at the Ministry of the Interior for a funeral worthy of a former prime minister and former deputy speaker of the National Assembly in the person of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi,” spokesperson for the DRC government, Lambert Mende told AFP last Friday.

84-year-old Tshisekedi left Congo for medical check-up in Brussels where he died.

He left during ongoing negotiations on the establishment of a peaceful transition of power after a series of crisis caused by the continuous hold of power by Joseph Kabila.

Kabila’s term expired on December 20, 2016, but remains in office as president pending an election to appoint his successor.

Source:Africa News

{After denying countless times that they cannot borrow against future oil revenues, the government at long last has admitted staking the country’s oil as a “guarantee” for receiving the first batch of loan from China’s EXIM Bank for the much hyped Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.}

Details available to Sunday Monitor indicate that Attorney General William Byaruhanga gave a no objection to ministry of Finance, the principal signatory to the loans, arguing that “nothing prohibits the government from using oil revenues directly as guarantee for the payment of loan for the SGR project.”

Mr Byaruhanga, in a correspondence dated September 29, 2016, to the Finance ministry and also copied to President Museveni and Solicitor General Francis Atoke, further indicated that “accordingly, it shall be prudent to ensure that under the loan agreement the commencement of the payment period is explicitly tied to the commencement of production –in order to mitigate the risk of the government being found in default in the event that production does not start within the projected period.”

No objection response
The no-objection legal opinion was in response to a correspondence dated September 5 from Finance minister Matia Kasaija seeking advice on how to proceed on getting money from EXIM Bank to jump-start construction of the first phase of the SGR project running from Malaba to Kampala (273km) pegged to a cost of $2.8b (Shs8 trillion).

The Attorney General, citing legal provisions that authorise government to raise loans from any source, however reiterated, as advised earlier by the former ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary Kabagambe Kaliisa in a correspondence dated September 26, that availability of oil revenues shall be dependent on the commencement of oil production.

Commencement of oil production, Mr Kaliisa in his correspondence also advised, shall be dependent on the completion of the crude oil export pipeline and the Greenfield oil refinery.

“The completion schedule for the pipeline and refinery projects is/shall be largely outside the control of government (and in the hands of the international oil companies and other private players.”

The entire SGR project is estimated to cost $12.8b (Shs45 trillion), according to a report released this week by Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure. The multi-billion dollar railway line was agreed to in 2011 by regional leaders dubbed as a Coalition of the Willing, who included President Museveni, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and South Sudan’s Salva Kiir.

Although conceived under the East African Community, but with Tanzania excluded at the time, the plan was to have the railway run from Mombasa port to Kigali via Kampala with a connecting line to Juba.

Preparations for construction of the first (eastern) route running from Malaba to Kampala, whose tender for construction was awarded to China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) in 2014 after a questionable protracted procurement, is ongoing with acquiring the proposed right of way.

Plans and studies, are ongoing as well on the western route from Kampala to Ntungamo District at the border with Rwanda and the northern route from Tororo to Packwach en route to South Sudan.

The SGR coordinator, Mr Kasingye Kyamugambi, however, told this newspaper yesterday that it is premature to reach conclusion that the entire project will cost $12.8b as the parliamentary committee put it.

“That was a planning figure that we had to give to government so that various preparations can be made,” Mr Kyamugambi argued. “But before feasibility and engineering studies on both the western and northern routes are completed and their reports assessed, one cannot come out and rush with figures like that; the cost could be actually much lower.”

The SGR is just one of the ambitious infrastructural projects the government is pursuing with “cheap” or “soft” funding (loans) from EXIM Bank so far to a tune of Shs7.5 trillion, according to Finance ministry records.

According to the Public Finance Management Act, money in the fund will be invested in accordance with the petroleum revenue investment policy issued by the Finance minister after consultation with the Secretary to the Treasury, and on the advice of the Investment Advisory Committee. The members of the Investment Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the minister after approved by Parliament.

{The government will not relent in its efforts to eradicate drug and drug use in the coastal region, Deputy President William Ruto said on Sunday.}

Speaking after attending mass at the Holy Ghost Cathedral Catholic Church, Mr Ruto expressed concern over high number of youths succumbing to drug addiction.

“You should pray for those indulging in this illegal business to change their way of lives and stop destroying our young people here (Mombasa),” he added.

Acknowledging that the government was facing challenges in fighting the drug menace, Mr Ruto asked Christians to join hands in the fight against the vice to save the youths.

The DP’s statements follow the extradition of four suspected drug barons to the United States to face trafficking charges.

Joint investigations between Kenyan police and Drug Enforcement Administration led to the arrest of Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, Gulam Hussein, Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami and Baktash Akasha Abdalla.

{{PRAY FOR IEBC}}

At the same time, he urged Christians to offer ‘special prayers’ to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials to conduct free, fair and credible polls on August 8.

“All of us as Kenyans require the space and chance to exercise our constitutional rights to vote for whoever we want without being coerced or intimidated through unorthodox means to vote otherwise,” he said.

The DP noted that security had improved in the coastal region which had come under terror attacks due to intensified surveillance by security forces within and without the borders.

“We must pay homage to our security forces for ensuring peace and tranquility prevail not only in Mombasa and its environs but the entire country and within our borders,” he said.

According to him, even after this year’s elections and its outcome, Kenyans would still remain peaceful.

{{DOCTORS’ STRIKE}}

In his sermon, the presiding Priest John Correa challenged the government to resolve the doctors’ strike impasse saying most Kenyans were suffering due to lack of health services.

“Whether we are leaders, politicians, government and priests we should work in solidarity to break the impasse and bring back healthcare services to public hospitals,” he pleaded.

He also urged Catholic faithful to donate foodstuff to help residents suffering in drought and famine hit counties across the country.

{The Burundian government intends to set up an investment bank for the youth, the First Burundi Vice-President told journalists.}

In an attempt to promote development and to avert Burundi’s looming youth crisis, President Nkurunziza has announced plans to set up an investment bank that will provide loans to young people.

Burundi’s First Vice-President, Gaston Sindimwo told journalists on 3 February that that bank will soon open its doors. It is part of the Government’s policy to promote youth development. “A team of experts are studying its establishment,” he says. Sindimwo also noted that Burundi’s youth have been used to promote violence in the past.

He called on young people to form youth associations in order to work together. “The bank will provide loans only to development projects of youth associations,” he said.

The bank executives will analyze the projects presented by youth associations in order to finance them according to their credibility.

“This bank will allow young people to carry out their development projects. This is good news for us young people, “says Eric Hakizimana, a member of the youth association Action for Peace and Development. However, he doubts about the criteria that will be considered to grant loans to those youth associations

According to the Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Burundi, ISTEEBU, young people aged between 18 and 35 represent 52% of Burundi’s population.

Burundi is facing a huge youth unemployment problem. 52.5% of young people are unemployed, according to the survey conducted by two local NGOs, ADISCO and REJA, in November 2016.

Source:Iwacu

{Major Denis Girenge, the commander of the Kenya Defence Forces camp at Kulbiyow that was attacked by Al-Shabaab on January 27 has for the first time given a blow-by-blow account of the battle against the estimated 1,000 militants. }

The major, whose narrative was backed by footage shot by a drone that the military showed to the Sunday Nation, said a day earlier he received a call from an officer based at the Hulugho camp manned by KDF soldiers, who reported strange movements about 12km away that they suspected were Al-Shabaab militants.

“We concluded that they were planning to attack either my camp or Hulugho because from that point, we were 14km away while Hulugho was 18 kilometres away,” said Major Girenge.

He added: “I decided to send out a patrol at night, 5km north of my position so that they could spot an enemy approaching.

“At 6 pm I called my men and briefed them. We reconfigured our defence to replace the men who had gone out.”

At 3am one of the sentries informed him about some movements, like a heavy vehicle was moving.

Major Girenge estimated it was 8km away.

“After some minutes the movement stopped and there was none at all. We decided we should call surveillance guys.

“We had tried to call the locals to ask if they had spotted anything but none of their phones were going through,” he said.

The surveillance team at Hulugho dispatched Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, better known as drones, for the surveillance mission.

The drones were airborne within 10 minutes and from his command centre at the camp, the Major was monitoring images relayed from the skies.

“At around 3.30am I saw a sizable group in a bush, about 80 guys and it’s like they were receiving a briefing. We got the grid and laid our weapons including mortars and hit the place,” said Major Girenge.

THE ATTACK
It disrupted their meeting and they all rose and started running towards the camp.

“We were about 4km away. We could see them from the drone images.

“We kept on hitting but the group kept on increasing and we established that many other people had crept in, in groups during the day and were hiding in the bushes,” added Major Girenge.

At that point he called his commander in Manda and informed him that the numbers of the attackers was increasing by the minute despite the relentless firing.

The group then stopped at a village called Bulaqoqon, which is about 1.5 kilometres from the camp, and started marching towards the camp after about 10 minutes.

“At this point their number was a thousand plus. But before they began moving again, they all bowed to the ground and started praying.

“We could see all that from the drone. We hit them at that point and they started moving,” Major Girenge said.

By 5.15am the group was 800 metres away from the camp’s first line of defence positions.

“I ordered my men to open their small arms, and start hitting them. All this time they had not fired back. Until about 5.45am they fired the first shot.

“So I reported to CO (commanding officer) that we have established contact. My commander told me he has already scrambled aircrafts and they would be taking off,” said the major.

He went on: “The battle was on and everybody was busy. One soldier called me on radio and his exact words were Afande iko VBIEDs zinakuja, (Sir there are Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices approaching).”

A VBIED is simply a bomb on wheels.

“I told him to engage 84 mm calibre weapon which we use to destroy heavy vehicles. He fired and it exploded outside.

“The explosion was so massive and that changed the scenario. It created a gap and suicide bombers followed,” said Major Girenge.

The explosion created a massive impact because fragments were felt in a radius of 200 meters.

FAKE PHOTOS
Another two VBIEDS approached the camp but they never penetrated the defence lines after they were taken out by high calibre weapons.

“The explosion was massive and I believe that is what led to the number of casualties we sustained,” added Major Girenge.

Sitting on a bench outside his ward at the Defence Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi, he continued to narrate the events without batting an eyelid.

The battle-hardened soldier has fought in Somalia starting with his time at the rank of Captain.

He was in Kismayu in 2012 and the company he was leading had also taken Fafadun from Al-Shabaab in the same year.

Col Kenneth Mungai answers questions during an interview with Nation at Defence Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi on February 4, 2017. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
At 6.15am one of the pilots called him to say that he was getting into the aircraft and would be overhead in 30 minutes.

“At 7;45 am I heard the first choppers overhead. By 7am all guns were silent and I could hear a few remnants shouting as they pulled their bodies and run away.

“I called Army operations to say firing had ceased and we are consolidating and asked choppers to come in and help casualties,” added Mjr Girenge.

By 9am rescue helicopters had come and I was among the first to be airlifted.

He sustained gunshot wounds on his left arm, legs and lower abdomen.

Asked about the contradicting reports that the camp was overrun, the major burst out in laughter.

“I was at the camp until the last minute. If it was overrun I would not be here right now talking to you. I would be somewhere dead.

“We defended the camp to the last minute. It is Al-shabaab who ran away,” he said.

Regarding images posted by Al-Shabaab terrorist and their sympathisers, showing burning military tanks, he added.

“There were no tanks at Kolbiywo so those images are from somewhere else. They left immediately the aircrafts started firing.

“If anybody would have withdrawn from that camp, it would have fallen. We would be having a different story today.

“The only people who were out are those who were on patrol. I have since established they are well,” said Mjr Girenge.

STILL ALIVE
There were also claims that the command had fallen and the commanding officer either dead or taken prisoner by Shabaab.

He said: “I am the OC (Officer Commanding) and so claims that I died, that I went with Shabaab should not even be considered. I am right here.”

The Major, together with another officer of equal rank, and three Captains, commanded a total of 250 soldiers at the camp.

The core unit, comprised of the C-Company of the 15 KR based at Mariakani.

Other supporting units were Battery Pac Howitzer (artillery battery that specialises in heavy weapons), Section mortars and Engineers.

The team was deployed to Somalia on December 28, last year.

Official KDF reports shows 21 personnel died.

The initial report said nine KDF personnel were killed and the senior medical officer at the military hospital Col (Dr) Kenneth Mungai said 12 others died while undergoing treatment.

He added: “We received 44 personnel with injuries. Most of them were bullet injuries. We have since discharged 20 of them. So we still have others in hospital. Most of them required surgery.”

Major Girenge dismissed the Al-Shabaab propaganda figure of more than 50 dead as the usual terrorists’ trick of “blowing things out of proportion”.

Major Girenge is ready to go back to Somalia after leaving hospital.

The narrative given to the Sunday Nation was backed by drone footage that the military said gave a true picture of the events.

Major Girenge came back with a souvenir that will forever remind him of the war.

It is his smart phone with a bullet hole right through the middle.

Corporal Amani Ramadhan, another battle hardened soldier saw four of his men go down.

He was the section commander and in charge at the first line of defence.

“We were well prepared, the defence was organised. This was not a surprise because we had information. In terms of equipment we were prepared,” said Corporal Ramadhan.

RELENTLESS SOLDIERS
When the first VBIED arrived at 6am, he ordered the men under his command to shoot the driver.

“The aim was to kill the driver and unfortunately we were not able to. After two minutes there was a heavy and loud explosion and it suddenly became dark like the night.

“All trees around were uprooted. I was only 30 metres away. I think I was the first victim. I lost a finger,” he said.

He, however, continued fighting along with a colleague he identifies as Sergeant Asiz, who was firing using a mounted machine gun.

“He told me he had fired the last bullet in the belt. I gave him another belt. He was shot as he loaded it. But he stood up and went on.

“He fired again before he was shot thrice. Then Corporal Mwakio was using an M4 and I told him to drop it and take over at the machine gun. He spotted another VBIED,” said Cpl Ramadhan.

He went on: “I told him to shoot the driver because if they came closer we would die. He shot the target and it exploded at a good distance. There was a third VBIED and it took another direction.”

Unfortunately Corporal Mwakio was also shot thrice and fell.

Two men were left with him Private Nguyo and Corporal Ouma who from their positions they were not able to take the machine gun.

They also died in battle.

As the Corporal lay still injured, he saw Al-shabaab fighters load bodies of their dead fighters on two lorries.

He estimates more than 200 bodies were loaded on trucks.

“At no time was the camp overran. They ran away. If it was overran then we would not be here. Rescue aircraft were able to land. To me in my estimate we killed over 200.”

“The bodies were piled until the lorries were full. Those are the only ones I saw but there were other,” said Corporal Ramadhan.

{The army yesterday said the military chief of the Congolese rebels of M23 has disappeared from his secret base in Kampala where he had been guarded by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).}

Brig Richard Karemire, the army spokesperson told Daily Monitor that Brig Sultan Makenga disappeared on January 14.

“We don’t have him. He went missing,” Brig Karemire said.

However he did not explain how the rebel leader who had been under UPDF guard escaped from them.

He said the UPDF guards were meant to protect him from harm, but not “denying him freedom of movement”.

This explanation is surprising as it does not answer how the UPDF was protecting Makenga from harm if they could not account for his movements to the extent that he even disappeared without the knowledge of those guarding him.

The Congolese army on Tuesday said an armed group suspected to be M23 had entered DR Congo and captured four crew members of a crashed military helicopter in the eastern part of the country.

The M23 rebels have been living in Bihanga army barracks in Ibanda District after suffering defeat by the Congolese and UN troops in 2013.

However their leader Makenga was relocated to a secret place in Kampala where he had been under UPDF control until January 14 when he escaped from the “protection ring.”

General Leon Mushale, the Congolese operational commander in North Kivu Province, told journalists in Goma on Tuesday that the crew members had been handed over to Makenga who is said to have escaped from Uganda back to DR Congo.

The return of the former M23 combatants may see resurgence of fighting in the eastern DR Congo which had displaced thousands of people.

Congolese opposition politicians have accused the government of exaggerating the revival of M23 rebel group in order to deflect attention from President Joseph Kabila, who remains in power after his official tenure elapsed.

Sources say there is a rift within M23 and one group has gone to DR Congo.

{{Statement}}

Two weeks ago, Uganda government issued a statement, saying that M23 rebels who had been cantoned at Bihanga Military Training School had been quietly escaping.