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Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • Burundian Anglicans establish safe house for victims of gender based violence

    {[ACNS, by Gavin Drake] The Anglican Church of Burundi has trained 126 people to support victims of gender-based violence. The Church is also establishing a safe house to provide counselling and other forms of specialist help. At an event to mark the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence – which comes to an end on Saturday (10 December), the Archbishop of Burundi, Martin Nyaboho, said that the Church is “more than ever committed to end violence in all its forms.{”}}

    The event was attended by church figures and representatives of the government and other partners. At it, Archbishop Martin said that throughout the province’s 71-year history, it had always acted to fight against human indignity, including gender based violence.

    “We are very happy and thank God for this new step of launching a safe house to help victims of gender based violence”, Archbishop Martin said.

    The Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi joined the Government and other partners on Friday 25th November 2016 to launch a series of activities that will run until 11th December 2016. Present at the ceremonies were Bishops of different Dioceses; representatives of the National Council of Churches; Christian Aid, Norwegian Church Aid and other partners; Civil Society organizations concerned about Gender Based Violence and some victims of GBV.

    The Anglican Church of Burundi has a dedicated co-ordinator of gender-based violence issues, the Revd Jeanne Françoise Ndimubakunzi. She said that the increased willingness of church and community leaders to work together to eradicate violence could lead to a reduction of gender-based violence in the country. “I am very encouraged by the Burundian Government’s new law against violence that came into effect two months ago,” she said. “That law gives us the strength we need to move forward in our advocacy for victims and also to see the eradication of impunity for perpetrators of GBV.”

    As in other parts of the world, the majority of victims of gender-based violence are women; but men are not immune. Across the country, some 20 per cent of gender-based violence cases involve male victims. The province will end its 16 days of activism with a march against gender-based violence in Gitega.

  • DRC police and armed protesters culpable for deadly September protests – CNDH

    {The National Commission of Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (CNDH) in a report at the capital Kinshasa disclosed that the deadly violence that rocked Kinshasa on September were shared between the public authorities and the organizers.}

    On September 19 and 20th, riots erupted in Kinshasa during a demonstration for the opposition party leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, the main opponent in the DRC.

    In a report published on Wednesday, the Congolese CNDH indicates that there was an “effective violation of human rights and violations of the fundamental rights of citizens”.

    The group said there were some unidentified elements of the “police use of force” on demonstrators” and the “organisers” of the event.

    According to the report, 46 people were killed in the violence, a number which differs from the 53 deaths (49 civilians and 4 policemen) given by the United Nations.

    According to the CNDH, the bullets were fired by either “unidentified police officer” or by “demonstrators who had gained access to a stolen weapon” in police stations.

    The Global Centre for Responsibility to Project had warned that there is an increasing risk of deadly political violence as a result of tensions surrounding postponed presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    On September 19, more than 50 civilians were killed during demonstrations and several political opposition offices were burnt down in Kinshasa.

    On October 21, the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC reported that during the protests police and armed forces used “excessive, lethal force” and were responsible for 48 of the resulting deaths.

    President Joseph Kabila’s term is constitutionally mandated to end in 2016, but the government lacks the capacity to complete voter registration and hold the required elections. On 1 September a national dialogue was launched to ensure a peaceful political process, but most opposition groups refused to participate.

    Following the September violence the DRC’s election commission announced a new timetable, indicating local and legislative elections would be held during 2017 while the presidential election would be postponed until 2018.

  • Uganda:Report holds Museveni liable for JSC poor work

    {The JSC receives an average of 10 complaints everyday but sits only twice a month given its part-time nature. Only the chairperson is a full-time employee.}

    A new report has blamed President Museveni for the huge case backlog choking the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) with a staggering 780 complaints reported by court users against judicial officers and only 106 cases having been concluded by the end of 2014/15 financial year.

    The report is titled, “Watching the Watchdog: A critical look into Judicial Service Commission’s complaints handling mechanism.”

    The JSC receives an average of 10 complaints everyday but sits only twice a month given its part-time nature. Only the chairperson is a full-time employee.

    Mr Museveni is also blamed for dragging his feet in respect to appointment of the commission members whenever the term of the outgoing team expires.

    “The delays in appointment of the JSC by the President, lasting up to six months plays a contributory role to undermining the handling of cases and buildup of case backlog. For six months, for instance, the commission’s hands were tied as the President dragged his feet on appointment of a new team to steer the commission while the public continued to send complaints,” the report states.

    This was the case in 2012 when the President appointed the Justice James Ogoola-led commission after a 14- month inexplicable and inexcusable delay. The Ogoola commission is remembered for standing its ground when Mr Museveni, in contravention of the constitutional requirement for then Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki, reappointed him, sparking a deadlock as legislator Gerald Karuhanga petitioned the Constitutional Court. The court ruled Mr Museveni out of order and thwarted Odoki’s return to the office.

    In an interview, in the report, Mr Kagole Kivumbi, the secretary of the commission, reveals how the JSC received funds from the Justice, Law and Order Sector this year to facilitate the hearing of complaints but the money remained idle as the President had not appointed the new commission now led by Justice Benjamin Kabito. Mr Museveni also asked JSC to hike the sitting allowance of the commissioners from Shs140,000 to one million per sitting but, Ms Cissy Kagaba, the ACCU executive director, says: “We seem to be fattening the bull but it is not ploughing more. How does one explain the case backlog staying at unbearable levels despite improved budget allocation and allowances for the commission? Are we getting value for money? No.”

    The commission’s mandate, the report notes, “In practical terms, seems to start and end with the lower judicial officers (grade 2, grade 1 and chief magistrates) to the extent that when it comes to justices of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, the commission has to write to the President calling for a tribunal to start proceedings against the judge.”

    The last time this happened was in the case of now retired High Court judge Anup Choudry Singh when Uganda Law Society petitioned the JSC to retract his appointment over ethical issues during his previous legal practice in the UK.

    The JSC asked the President to take action but the process was thwarted when the Constitutional Court ruled in Singh’s favour. Since then, the report states, “five complaints have been received against High Court judges, one against a Court of Appeal justice and none against Justices of the Supreme Court.”

    While still in Luzira prison this year, Opposition icon, Dr Kizza Besigye of Forum for Democratic Change party, petitioned the JSC to probe and take action against deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma accusing him of bias and playing ball with the ruling NRM party whenever issues concerning him [Besigye] or the Opposition are before him. The commission is yet to publicly comment on the progress of Dr Besigye’s complaint.

    The report also recommends that Uganda adopts the Kenya model and have the Chief Justice included on the JSC, the body charged with recruiting judicial officers and watching over their conduct.

    It also wants the commission to have full time members picked from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs under which it currently falls.

    The report recommends the commission to be run as an independent agency like the Inspectorate of Government and Uganda Human Rights Commission.

    Under Article 146 of the Uganda Constitution, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is constituted by a chairperson and deputy qualified to be a justice of the Supreme Court other than the Chief Justice, deputy Chief Justice and principal judge. It also comprises a nominee from the Public Service Commission, two advocates of not less than 15 years standing nominated by the Uganda Law Society, two non-lawyers from the public and a Justice of the Supreme Court.

    The report jointly published by the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda is pushing for an amendment to this provision to lift the cap and let the Chief Justice, Principal Judge and Court Registrar sit on the JSC.
    Judiciary spokesman Solomon Muyita declined to comment on the report’s recommendations on account that he had not yet read it.

    The JSC of Kenya is constituted by judicial officers, including a Justice of Court of Appeal, Justice of the Supreme Court (president of the court and also Chief Justice), High Court Judge and a chief magistrate.

    State of case backlog at JSC

    Cases brought forward from 2013/14 749

    Cases registered (2014/15) 137

    Cases to dispose (2014/15) 886

    Cases concluded 2014/15 106

    Cases carried forward to 2015/16 78

  • Kenya:Religious leaders call on striking medics to resume work as they dialogue with govt

    {Religious leaders have called on the striking health workers to return to work and save lives as they seek dialogue with the government.}

    Led by Bishop Mark Kariuki, the chairman of the Evangelical Churches of Kenya, the leaders said the health workers should consider calling off the strike to relieve pain and stop deaths of poor Kenyans.

    Bishop Kariuki, who spoke in Nakuru Thursday at Deliverance Church International, said it is wrong for the health issue to be politicised while Kenyans continue suffering.

    “During a strike like this, it’s the poor Kenyans who suffer. The sad bit is whenever there’s an issue like this, it becomes political with both political divides blaming each other,” he said.

    The bishop added that, as religious leaders, they are ready to mediate between the health workers and government in reaching an agreement.

    “As a church, we have mediated during such matters in the past including the teachers’ strike and a solution arrived at. We are ready (to intervene) but before negotiations commence, health workers should be in their work [places] to save lives,” he said.

    The call comes five days after the health workers went on strike demanding pay increment, promotions and better working conditions among other demands.

    MASSIVE CORRUPTION

    The bishop pointed out at recent scandals at the Ministry of Health which he blamed for the suffering of Kenyans.

    “We have seen massive alleged corruption in the Ministry of Health and that money can be used to pay for doctors and nurses if well utilised,” said Bishop Kariuki.

    He also warned Kenyans that corruption is evil and should be fought by all.

    The clergymen also called on leaders, both in the government and the opposition, to play a role in finding a solution to the stalemate.

    “I would urge the health workers to consider the value of life which is more than money. We understand their sacrifices and that they may not get (all) what are asking for but they should embrace whatever the government offers in order to save lives,” said the church’s national youth co-ordinator Rev Daniel Gichana.

    They were speaking during the third day of a five-day ‘Raise your game’ conference that attracted more than 1,500 youth from various parts of the country.

    The conference seeks to enlighten the youth on matters of academics, relationships and entrepreneurship.

    Bishop Mark Kariuki, chairman of the Evangelical Churches of Kenya. He has called on striking health workers to return to work and save lives as they seek dialogue with the government.

  • Dar wins 3 new cement investors

    {Tanzania will soon see her cement production capacity surging to over 17 million tonnes, thanks to three new companies that have requested to invest in the country’s cement sector.}

    The three companies plan to inject up to 20tri/- in production of cement in the next few years. Launching the Industrial Exhibitions at the Mwalimu Nyerere Trade Fair (DITF) grounds along Kilwa Road in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Mr Charles Mwijage, named the new entrants in the cement sector as EAM, Mamba and Sungura companies.

    He said EAM Company has asked to have its three million tonnes cement plant in Tanga Region. “But the investors say they are capable of producing up to seven million tonnes should the government agree on their two conditions,” said the minister.

    “Their first condition is for the government to allow them to export their product … my ministry has nodded to this condition,” revealed the minister, noting, however, that he cannot reveal the second condition, which he said, “I have forwarded to my boss, the president.”

    The minister was optimistic that the government was serious in establishing an industrial economy, the reason it invites more investors in the country. Mr Mwijage further said that Mamba and Sungura companies have also expressed interest to invest in the country, hinting that negotiations between the government and the two prospective investors were on progress.

    Other players already in the country’s cement sector are Twiga, Simba, Tembo, Nyati and Carmel whose combined production capacity stands at 10.3 million tonnes, implying that the current manufacturers, which are not producing to their installed capacities, if combined with EAM’s capacity of seven million tonnes, will reach over 17 million tonnes.

    Mtwara-based Dangote Cement Company is another investor whose operations have been recently halted over alleged technical hitches. With three million tonnes, Dangote, according to the minister, has the highest production capacity in the country.

    There are still uncertainties surrounding the Dangote Cement company over its current decision to suspend operations, with sources hinting that the investor was in a dispute with the government over operational costs.

    However, the government has repeatedly insisted that it was not in conflict whatsoever with the Mtwara based cement manufacturer. Mr Mwijage said yesterday that the country has installed capacity of producing 10.3 million tonnes of cement, with only seven million tonnes capacity being utilised.

    The country’s highest cement demand, according to the minister, is 10.3 million tonnes.

  • Museveni defends attack on Rwenzururu palace

    {President Museveni on Monday is reported to have defended the military assault on the Rwenzori Kingdom’s Buhikira Palace that left 116 people dead.}

    President Museveni on Monday is reported to have defended the military assault on the Rwenzori Kingdom’s Buhikira Palace that left 116 people dead.
    Sources who attended a high level military meeting on Monday reveal that the country’s Commander-in-Chief maintained that the Rwenzururu King, Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, rejected repeated calls to disband his royal guards.

    Mr Museveni is quoted as having told UPDF High Command members who sat for the better part of the day at State House Entebbe that King Mumbere rejected orders to disarm, disband and surrender the royal guards, thus justifying the assault on the palace last Sunday, November 27.

    Yesterday, army spokesman, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda confirmed that the High Command meeting convened on Monday but declined to say what was discussed.

    “I am not a member of the High Command and I am afraid I will not discuss what they discussed. Yes, the High Command sat but I am not privy to the discussions they had,” Lt Col Ankunda said.

    Mr Don Wanyama, the senior Presidential press secretary, told Daily Monitor: “The High Command is a military meeting and if they think there is anything the media needs to know, they will let you know.”
    The manner in which the army and police are believed to have carried out the attack continues to inspire demands for an inquiry into what is now being labelled a massacre.

    Kasese District representatives in Parliament, regime opponents, local and international human rights agencies, and civil society are also pushing for the officer(s) who commanded the onslaught in which the palace was set on fire to face the law.

    Even in security circles suggestions of disquiet at the Kasese killings have been seen. Senior presidential advisor on security in Buganda, Brig. Kasirye Ggwanga, last week observed that Brig. Peter Elwelu, the highest-ranking officer visible on the ground during the palace raid will not escape justice.
    “He committed murder against unarmed civilians. What they did was dehumanising! That man is in trouble, he cannot escape this. He will be tried one day. The evidence is overwhelming. He will be tried for this criminally reckless conduct,” Brig. Ggwanga told Sunday Monitor.

    Saying that the army institution has been embarrassed, the brigadier also agreed with retired army commander, Maj. Gen Mugisha Muntu (now Opposition leader), and others who have said that the overwhelming force and disproportionate firepower deployed in the attack, resulting in the bloodbath, was not necessary.
    Other tactical options, including laying siege on the palace, would have achieved the desired effect of neutralising the situation at a much lower cost to human life, Brig Ggwanga observed.

    With Kasese still reeling from the carnage amid calls for an inquiry, even as a parliamentary committee has been asked to report on the killings, the search for closure has also begun at the highest levels of government.
    Mr Museveni is reported to have promised to call a meeting with elders of the Abasiita clan of Rwenzururu Kingdom, saying he shares ethnic linkages with them and will embrace dialogue to find a lasting solution to the long-running crisis in the Rwenzori sub-region.

    In the meantime, Mr Museveni maintained that Rwenzururu King Mumbere must be tried in court.
    The king, who is facing murder charges in connection with the unrelated death of a policeman, is currently jailed in Kirinya Prison, Jinja. He will be returned to court for mention of his case on December 13. Charges preferred relate to the death of police constable Godfrey Kasimba on March 24, 2016.

    Last evening, Rwenzururu Kingdom Spokesman Clarence Bwambale said the President only called King Mumbere to issue an ultimatum of “hours”, insisting that there was no attempt at “convincing” him to disband the royal guards.
    “What I can only tell you is that the President called the king giving him hours to have handed in the royal guards, not convincing him per se. He called giving him instructions of one hour, two hours. There was no element of convincing, “Mr Bwambale said.

    Rwenzururu Kingdom officials are expected to convene a press briefing today to respond to what the government has been saying in relation to the palace attack, according to Mr Bwambale.
    Separately, at the Monday meeting, Mr Museveni warned of what he is reported to have said was “corruption and infiltration” in the army, referencing the multi-billion arms procurement scandal which has rocked the UPDF with a top general named.

    Lt Col Ankunda declined commenting on the President’s warning about corruption in the UPDF, only saying that “joint investigation” by the UPDF and police into the procurement scandal are ongoing.
    Army Chief of Staff (Land Forces), Brig Leopold Kyanda, has been named as a person of interest in this scandal in which a Polish company is believed to have been conned of more than Shs2 billion by army officers who promised to help the company secure a deal to supply arms to UPDF.

    Brig Kyanda and the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, who is part of the cross-sector security team investigating the scandal, are said to also have attended Monday’s High Command meeting.

  • Kenya:Medics’ strike enters fourth day as Nakuru county government moves to avert crisis

    {Over 200 newly recruited health workers in Nakuru are expected to report to work today after the county government made good its threat to employ new staff to take up various roles in its county facilities in the wake of the ongoing strike.}

    The new recruits gathered at the Nakuru county headquarters on Wednesday to collect their deployment letters following a recruitment exercise meant to replace striking nurses.

    The letters were issued out as the county health chief officer Dr Samuel Mwaura threatened to strike off the names of the striking health workers from the payroll if they don’t return to work immediately.

    “We have successfully concluded the process of recruitment of new health workers. It’s a continuous process and we will eventually have to do away with the striking workers who are not sure of what they want,” said Dr Mwaura said yesterday.

    According to county health executive officer Dr Kabii Mungai, the health department has already selected 140 nurses, 25 Lab technicians, 17 pharmacists and 5 health recording clerks to Nakuru Level five hospital and health centres in Lanet, Bondeni and Mirugi Kariuki areas and the letters were ready for collection.

    The County Public Service Board went ahead to recruit nurses and other health workers as the county public health sector remained paralysed for six days.

    The new recruits are expected to report to work starting today after being deployed to various parts of the county.

    The recruitment was announced by a team from the county government at the county commissioner’s office where the county administration said the newly recruited health workers will be provided tight security.

    The county government said it intends to deploy more than 300 health workers in a move to reopen four county hospitals in the county. Dr Mungai said the county feared that the ongoing strike may to take longer time before the solution is found, necessitating what he termed as prompt action.

    “The number of health workers recruited has met the target which the county had set and will be signing a seven months employment contract,” he said.

    Dr Mwaura said the new workers will be paid from the emergency fund set aside specifically for emergencies. “Constitutionally, we are allowed to access the emergency funds in our budget and this will therefore be used to clear the salaries starting December since the workers will be working to save lives,” he said.

    On Tuesday after attending a consultative meeting at the county commissioner’s office, he said the intention was to get the county’s health sector operational this week.

    “We want to ensure that at least every sub county has an operational health centre in order to reduce the negative effects of the ongoing strike,” the county health executive officer had stated.

    At Tuesday’s consultative meeting with the county security team led by the county commissioner Mr Joshua Nkanatha, it was decided that the new workers would work under tight security following threats from union officials.

    “We understand that there are some health workers who are willing to work but are fearing intimidation from their colleagues and that is why we have decided to engage the security team to protect them and the hospital equipment,” said the county health executive officer.

    {{POLICE TO PROTECT STAFF}}

    According to Mr Nkanatha, police officers will be deployed to the various health centres to protect the staff willing to work.

    The decision to recruit the new workers to fill positions of striking nurses was reached on Friday after the striking nurses snubbed a meeting convened by a special taskforce formed by Governor Kinuthia Mbugua to address their grievances.

    The county public service board resolved to employ qualified nurses, lab technicians and clinical officers on a seven months contract basis. Qualified persons were asked to immediately drop their applications at the county headquarters.

    More than 1,200 Nakuru nurses in the county are now on their 7th day of strike, protesting delayed promotions and poor working conditions in county health facilities. The situation in the county has been complicated by striking doctors.

    Dr Kabii said the county government embarked on the recruitment exercise as the last resort after the efforts to reach the union officials hit a dead end.

    According to the county health official, the county had already sorted the issues with its health workers regarding promotion two weeks ago hence they had no reason not to report to work

    In Nyandarua, the county government went ahead to shortlist past applicants for various positions in its health department on Tuesday and instructed they avail themselves for interviews.

    Those short-listed were requested to report for interview on the date and time indicated against their names at the Office of Nyandarua County Public Service Board in Ol-Kalou town, according to a public notice put up by the county government.

    “All persons who applied for the various jobs in the Department of Health Services in the County Government of Nyandarua are requested to check in the County Website to see whether they have been short-listed,” the notice read.

  • Tanzania, Malawi plan meeting to strengthen ties

    {Tanzania and Malawi expect to hold a meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation early next year in a deliberate move to cement relationship between the two neighbouring nations.}

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation said in a statement in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the envisaged conference will bring together experts from two sides to deliberate on various issues of cooperation.

    The gathering, according to the statement, will also allow experts to deliberate on the challenges facing the bilateral cooperation as well as ponder on the new areas that the two countries seek to forge cooperation for mutual benefits.

    “The experts will also come up with new areas of cooperation and set strategies of implementing joint projects that will be agreed upon,” said the ministry, noting that participants attending the meeting will as well discuss joint cooperation in business and investment, transport, energy, tourism and security.

    Meanwhile, the ministry has trashed media reports suggesting that the border dispute between Tanzania and Malawi over Lake Nyasa were presently under the handling of international arbitrators. A section of media had reported that Tanzania-Malawi border dispute over the lake has recently landed at the United Nations (UN).

    The government through the statement clarified that the dispute was at the time being handled by the panel of retired leaders from Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC).

    The panel of mediators is led by former president of Mozambique Joachim Chisano with assistance from former presidents of Botswana and South Africa, Mr Festus Mogae and Thabo Mbeki, respectively.

    The panel formed by the Forum for Former African Heads of State and Government was tasked to examine various evidences that Tanzania and Malawi had submitted over the disputed Africa’s third biggest lake.

    The ministry noted further in its statement that the panel had already met the two sides in Mozambique for preliminary consultation, adding that despite the pending dispute, diplomatic relationship between Tanzania and Malawi remain intact.

    “Diplomatic relations between the two nations have been getting deeper day by day in all spheres of life -economic, political and social,” the ministry said, advising the media houses, public and other stakeholders to seek information from reliable sources instead of disseminating false, malicious and halfcooked news.

  • US envoy hopes for last-minute political deal in DRC

    {KINSHASA, D.R.C. — December 19 marks the end of President Joseph Kabila’s second five-year term in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and many in the country are nervous as the date approaches.}

    Elections were to have been held this year but have not been organized. Kabila now plans to remain in office until polls can be held in 2018. A large opposition coalition known as the Rassemblement views the president’s prolonged second and, under the constitution, final term as a power grab. This group wants him to leave at the end of his mandate, and it calls for elections in 2017.

    The lack of common ground between the parties has observers fearing a repeat of September 19, when a Rassemblement demonstration in Kinshasa descended into violence. The United Nations says security forces killed more than 50 people over two days.

    The U.S. government and others in the international community support the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), the influential body which represents the Catholic Church and has been working to find a compromise.

    Tom Perriello, the U.S. special envoy to the Great Lakes region who was in Kinshasa to meet with Kabila and others, told VOA on Tuesday that “our most urgent message is the absolute importance of full cooperation with the CENCO process run by the Catholic bishops to try to organize a broad consensus among the key stakeholders on how we can move forward. … Even though we’re in the 91st minute of stoppage time, the reality is that there is still a bit of time on the clock here for the sides to come together.”

    Last week, it appeared the church’s efforts had failed when Kabila’s political alliance, the “presidential majority,” walked away from the mediation. But this week, the president reaffirmed his support for the process.

    “It was unfortunate that key members of the majority declared it dead, but perhaps fittingly for the bishops, it was resurrected on the third day and we’re back at it,” Perriello said. “So I think partly as a matter of faith, we are going to continue to support this process in its entirety up until December 19 in the hope that there can be a breakthrough.”

    Blame for both camps

    Perriello said the situation need not have reached this dangerous stage, and that both sides deserved some blame.

    “But we’ve also been very clear publicly and privately with President Kabila that a statement 18 months ago or 12 months ago or six months ago, stating with absolute clarity what remains crystal clear in the constitution, would have been incredibly constructive, de-escalatory and created much more space for dialogue,” he said.

    Early this week, the head of the U.N. mission in the DRC warned of the possibility of a “major outbreak of politically related violence” on December 19. Perriello noted that when there was political violence in Burundi, Washington imposed sanctions on individuals from both the government and opposition.

  • Burundi police are informed about possible terrorist attacks

    {“The police are aware of the possible terrorist attacks these days. Some measures have been taken to strengthen security”, says Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesperson of the police. He says it is not the first time Burundi receives information on terrorist attacks. “Burundi has been receiving information on possible terrorist attacks since 2007 when it started contributing to peacekeeping missions in Somalia”, he says.}

    Since the past few days, some countries have sent out warnings to their citizens living in Burundi. In the statement issued on 4 December, the US Embassy in Burundi continues to alert its nationals living in Burundi of heightened security concerns regarding terror groups that remain actively interested in attacking US and other western and local interests in Burundi.

    “US Embassy Bujumbura has received specific information leading to concerns about the potential activity in early December, including, but not limited to, Bujumbura International Airport and the Kajaga neighborhood in Mutimbuzi Commune of Bujumbura Province, including the associated restaurants and beach resorts”, said the US statement.

    The US Embassy exhorts its citizens to remain vigilant, take appropriate steps to enhance their personal security, avoid large public gathering with no visible security presence, keep their cell phones charged and with them all time and abide by the instructions given by local authorities.

    On 5 December, Burundi Civil Aviation has informed all travelers departing from Bujumbura International Airport that they have to be at the airport at least three hours before the indicated time of departure for security reasons. “Measures have been taken to strengthen security at the airport including other additional security controls” says Emmanuel Habimana,

    Director General of Burundi Civil Aviation Authority.

    Nkurikiye calls on the population to remain vigilant and avoid gathering in public places these days. “The population must inform security forces about any suspicious activity in their areas. The police are comprehensively equipped to intervene any time”, he says.