Tag: GreatLakesNews

{Donald Trump’s unlikely election victory has triggered debate on the implications of his presidency on Kenya.}

Throughout his campaigns, Mr Trump rarely mentioned Africa, let alone Kenya. And his foreign policy was all about making America safe by annihilating terrorists especially the Islamic State, terminating a nuclear agreement with Iran, cancelling trade deals and the climate pact as well as ending what he considered President Barack Obama’s weak actions in dealing with America’s enemies abroad.

So should Kenya be worried about a new turn in its relationship with the US?

Mr Ochieng’ Adala, Kenya’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, says it is too early to gauge whether the campaign promises will be turned into policy.

“We have to wait and see but it is a tricky situation and I will not be surprised to see him undo many of the policies started by President Barack Obama,” he said.

In the past decade, Africa has benefitted from America’s favourable development support policy, humanitarian assistance and counter-terrorism measures. The programmes, both during the tenure of President George W Bush and Mr Obama, have seen an improvement in the health sector — particularly targeting HIV/Aids patients, security, governance, agriculture, electricity connection and education, among others.

Since the Bush years, the US has spent about Sh7 trillion ($70 billion) to support anti-HIV programmes under the President Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), a project launched in 2004 to provide anti-retroviral treatment, prevent new infections and support families affected by the Aids scourge in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Kenya, the Obama Administration has over the eight years given about $3.5 billion (Sh350 billion) in health programmes, $393 million (Sh3.93 billion) for governance and $86.3 million (Sh8.63 billion) towards education, according to data from the USAID.

“I do worry about falling support for HIV/Aids. This is still a major challenge for the continent and a cut in funding would be difficult for others other donors to fill,” says Dr Nic Cheeseman, an associate professor of African politics at the University of Oxford.

FINANCIAL PRESSURE

He adds that budgets of other Western donors are under financial pressure and new powers such as China may not be interested in development, security and governance programmes — making US support crucial.

“My sense is that given that Kenya supports US anti-terrorism efforts (in the region), the changes here are likely to be less significant, although in many ways it is of course too early to tell,” said Dr Cheeseman.

Mr Trump’s unpredictability given his lack of political experience makes experts analyse his threats with caution: He may actually not do everything he threatened to do. Yet he appears opposed to these assistance programmes for two reasons: That there is rampant corruption in Africa. And that American people are not benefiting enough.

In 2013, just a year after Mr Obama assumed office for the second term, he announced a massive Sh700 billion Power Africa programme meant to connect 60 million homes to clean energy. Mr Trump criticised this and other policies.

“Every penny of the $7 billion going to Africa as per Obama will be stolen – corruption is rampant!” he wrote in January 2013. And when he declared his candidacy last year, he continued with the criticism.

“Obama is in Africa pledging one billion dollars to help them. How about that money to help America? Trump for Potus (President of the United States),” he tweeted again as President Obama visited Kenya.

This week, an editorial in the Conversation, an online news portal, argued that America’s foreign policy towards Africa has often been influenced partly by the African diaspora in the US.

And because this community hardly helped the Trump campaign, the priority for Africa could slide even further down the list.

“Trump coming on board is an opportunity to re-evaluate our diplomatic approaches because it definitely requires a shift in our foreign policy,” Mr Stephen Tarus, Kenya’s former High Commissioner to Australia told the Nation.

“Trump has appeared to downgrade African countries. That in effect will affect trade with us. It will also affect the support we have received traditionally,” he added.

The former envoy argues it would be wrong for Trump to impose his way of doing things on Africa’s governments especially since the countries here have nascent systems to fight graft.

Trump’s argument, however, may resonate with Americans. In 2015, the US announced $100 million (Sh10 billion) support towards counter-terrorism and border patrol services for Kenya.

RESOLVING DISPUTES

It also pumped $367 million (Sh3.67 billion) in health and population services programmes, $68 million (Sh6.8 billion) in agriculture, $70 million (Sh7 billion) towards humanitarian relief, $20 million (Sh2 billion) in governance, and $18 million (Sh1.8 billion) more towards education.

This year, the US has pumped in $158 million towards health and population services and $3.1million for agriculture. Last week, US ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec announced Sh2.5 billion funding towards strengthening the embattled Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), support for women to contest in elections and fund peace programmes during the electioneering period.

In fact, the US has been the hidden hand behind resolving disputes surrounding the changes in the IEBC, argues Irungu Houghton, the Associate Director for the Kenya Dialogue Project at the Society for International Development, a local non-governmental organisation.

From street protests to forming dialogue teams and the acceptance of the commissioners to resign, the US, the UK and the European Union mission have been pushing buttons.

“The US government has played a discreet role in helping resolve tensions over the IEBC and the NGO sector as well as funding countering violent extremism. It is unclear whether this will continue in this form or at all. US government assistance could become increasingly based on American economic self-interest,” Mr Irungu said.

“We can expect it (Trump’s foreign policy) to be more self-interested, isolationist and disinterested in global democratic governance and development. Progress on climate change, women’s rights, agriculture and trade subsidies and HIV/Aids may stall or reverse altogether,” Mr Irungu told the Nation.

Mr Trump could terminate all that, including the five-year visa programme given to Kenyans last year. The long pending push for direct flights to the US from Nairobi could also be affected. But experts think his advisers will first weigh the consequences of those decisions.

“I don’t think Trump will implement all the things he has said but there is a real possibility that development assistance for Africa will be impacted especially if pegged on his stand against corruption and misrule,” said Mr George Mucee, immigration consultant and project leader at Fragomen Kenya.

“On counter terrorism I believe he will continue supporting Africa and Kenya because terrorism is the number one problem facing USA and failure to stand with us on that would boomerang on them.”

{Former first lady Mama Anna Mkapa, yesterday received the international ‘Order of the Smile’ Award, making her the second winner of the prize in Africa in the past 50 years after former South African President, the late Nelson Mandela.}

Mzee Mandela scooped the same award which is given to individuals for their exemplary contribution towards fighting for the rights of children, seven years ago. Originated in Poland 50 years ago, former first lady Anna Mkapa was honoured for her tireless efforts to help the disadvantaged Tanzanian children, particularly orphans.

Through the organisation of the Equal Opportunities for All Trust Foundation (EOTF), the former first lady played a major role in ensuring that vulnerable children go to school and access other rights including education.

For instance, in Kibaha District, Coast Region, the foundation established the Kibaha Children Village Centre which accommodates marginalised children.

Handing over the award at the EOTF head office, Polish Minister for Children Affairs, Mr Marek Michalak, said the award committee arrived at the decision that this year’s award deserved to go to the former Tanzanian first lady.

Managing Director of the EOTF, Mr Steven Matee, said through the EOTF, several disadvantaged youth were supported in providing them with education and many of them currently have become professionals such as lawyers, doctors and so on.

“For the former first lady to get this award, it is an honour to our country in the globe,” he said. Receiving the award, Mama Mkapa said the award was not only for her but also for the contributions from her husband, former President Benjamin Mkapa and the staff of EOTF.

She also noted that the activities of the foundation were mainly enabled by the country’s policies about the right of the children. “I see this award as a catalyst towards protecting more the rights of children,” she said.

Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Sihaba Nkinga, said it was a great respect to the country for the former first lady to scoop the award. She said efforts shown by Ms Anna Mkapa were in line with the country’s policy and law protecting the rights of children.

{(CNN)Members of the UN Security Council are slated to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday amid mounting international concern about increased violence and political unrest in the troubled Central African nation.}

President Joseph Kabila’s two terms in office are due to end December 19. But it remains unclear whether he will step down then and, if so, who might take charge.
Members of a UN-backed group agreed last month to push back elections originally due in November to April 2018, but the process has been criticized for not legitimately involving opposition, as virtually all opposition parties boycotted the process.
In the course of a four-day trip, the UNSC delegates are expected to visit Beni, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the capital, Kinshasa. The final day will be spent in Luanda, in neighboring Angola.

International rights group Human Rights Watch told the UNSC delegates in a letter Wednesday that their visit came at a “critical moment” for the country.
“If President Joseph Kabila stays in power beyond the end of his constitutionally mandated two-term limit on December 19, with no clear commitments on if and when he will step down, there is a real risk that protests will erupt, security forces will respond with excessive force, and the country could descend into widespread violence and chaos, with potentially volatile repercussions across the region,” the letter said.

{{Peacekeepers injured}}

HRW urged the UN to take steps to avert the potential crisis, including denouncing political repression and other serious human rights violations; urging Kabila to stand down as mandated or, if not, to declare a date before the end of 2017 by which he will leave; and imposing sanctions on security and government officials responsible for abuses.

It also called in the letter to ensure plans are in place to protect civilians, activists, journalists and politicians who may be at risk. It recommended the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo deploy greater numbers of peacekeepers to areas where political violence might break out, including Kinshasa.
A peacekeeping force has been present in the country for more than 15 years, especially in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has faced recurrent waves of conflict.

Kabila succeeded his father, Laurent Kabila, after his assassination in 2001. The central African nation hasn’t had a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence in 1960.

On Tuesday, a homemade bomb in Goma, south of Beni, killed a Congolese girl and injured 32 UN peacekeepers, as well as two Congolese civilians, the United Nations said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

{{Bloody protests}}

In September, at least 53 people died when political demonstrations turned violent, including 48 people who were killed by Congolese security services, according to a UN report last month. Four police officers were killed by unknown hands, it said.
Opponents of the government had taken to the streets to protest the national electoral commission’s failure to announce a timetable for the presidential election, which had been due to take place in November.

Opposition leader Martin Fayulu called on the government to abide by the constitution and for Kabila to step down on December 19.

But Lambert Mende Omalanga, minister of communication, told CNN that Kabila “will step down only when a new president is elected,” adding, “I don’t think it is something credible. We are meeting in a national dialogue in order to organize free and fair elections.”

{Police in Kasese District are investigating a case in which a teacher was hired to sit Senior Four exams on behalf of a student.}

Police in Kasese District are investigating a case in which a teacher was hired to sit Senior Four exams on behalf of a student.

The impersonator was on Monday caught red-handed doing a Senior Four exam at Merry land Modern secondary school in Rukooki ward, Kasese Municipality.

The presence of the suspect, dressed in school uniform in the examination room created animosity among students who accordingly alerted the Uneb supervisor.

Rwenzori East Region police spokesperson Mansur Suwedi confirmed to Daily Monitor on Wednesday that they are holding three suspects. “It is true we caught a primary school teacher doing an agriculture examination paper at Merry Land Modern SS on behalf of someone, we have exhibited her Identity card and the paper she was doing,” Mr Suwedi said.

On further investigations and interrogation by the police, the suspect, a resident of Mbunga village in Kilembe Sub-county was found doing exams in the names of Macklin Mbabazi, a student in that school.

Other suspects include the school head teacher and the father of the suspect Mr Suwedi said that the head teacher is believed to have hired the suspect to sit exams for her daughter.

In her statement recorded at police, the key suspect said she was promised Shs500, 000. Mr Suwedi said the suspect will be charged with impersonation while two others will be charged with conspiracy.

{{Consequences}}

Any person who with intent to impersonate, presents or attempts to present himself or herself in the place of an enrolled candidate commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding Shs50,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.

{A traffic police officer and an Embu county government revenue officer are being held at an Embu police station, after they were arrested by Ethics and anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials while soliciting for bribe from motorists.}

The police constable together with the county employee were part of a team of about five policemen who were manning a road block along the busy Embu- Nairobi highway.

The EACC officials who were acting on a tip-off from motorists had laid a trap and had issued some motorists some treated money, thereby seizing the unsuspecting policeman as he received the money.

They then pounced on the policeman together with the revenue collector.

A motorist who witnessed the noon drama said the other police officers abandoned the road block and fled on foot.

They were however not taken to court as the Embu law courts was not sitting.
Embu West OCPD Francis Sang confirmed the arrest, adding that EACC and the police department had been monitoring the road block following numerous complaints.
He said they would also target matatu operators who give bribes.

Mr Sang, however did not confirm the amount of money found in possession of the two suspects.

A police source at the traffic department said the two were found with treated money that had been issued to the motorists who had complained of being asked for bribes.

{Rukwa Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Zelothe Steven Zelothe, has directed the Sumbawanga Officer Commanding District (OCD), Mr Mashenene Mayila, to set up a special room where negligent and defiant civil servants will be locked up for 48 hours.}

Mr Zelothe issued the order here yesterday on his second day surprise visit to Sumbawanga Bus Terminal insisting that he will never tolerate negligent, lazy, defiant and corrupt civil servants. He added that their days are numbered.

At the bus terminal the RC was irked by the foul smell and filthy environment that posed a health risk to the passengers. “I don’t want to hear people complainingabout filth at the main bus stand. This should be the last time.

“I will never hesitate to take to task any negligent , indolent, defiant and corrupt civil servants,” he said.

The RC, therefore, directed the Sumbawanga OCD to make sure that the room was set up for such civil servants because they have the power of holding them for 48 hours.

He, however, ordered four municipal officials who spent the night in lawful custody to supervise the cleanliness exercise at the main bus terminal before they were set free.

A day before he made a surprise visit at the bus terminal and directed the Sumbawanga District Commissioner (DC), Mr Halfani Haule, to arrest and remand four municipal servants for 24 hours for their failure to supervise and maintain cleanliness in their respective areas.

The RC was troubled to see the toilet pits at the main bus terminal flooded with human waste. Reports had it that the main bus terminal, that is right at the heart of Sumbawanga Town, was stinking.

Waste remained uncollected for weeks and caused discomfort to passengers and other users. The civil servants who were remanded for more than 24 hours included Sumbawanga Municipal Environment Officer , Mr Hamid Masare.

Others were Katandala Ward Executive Officer, Mr Charles Kalulunga; Sumbawanga Municipal Health Officer at Katandala Ward, Mr Edes Kakusa and Katandala local government officer, Ms Maria Ntara.

After he heard complaints from main bus stand users who echoed their sentiments, Mr Zelothe directed the acting Sumbawanga Municipal Director (MED) , Mr Saad Mtambule to ensure that the bus terminal is clean.

{Beni – An influential mayor in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has suggested political leaders in the country may have been involved in a string of recent massacres in the unstable region.}

Between 700 and 1 300 people have been killed, mostly hacked to death, in attacks in the troubled area around the town of Beni, in North Kivu province, since October 2014.

Bwanakawa Nyonyi, the mayor of Beni, said in an interview with AFP that “it is possible that there are Congolese political hands behind the phenomenon” of recent violence.

Congolese officials have blamed the attacks on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group of rebels dominated by puritanical Ugandan Muslims.

“Why and how is a Ugandan rebel group able to kill, with impunity, Congolese citizens regardless of age, sex, profession or religion? That’s the question that everyone is asking,” said Nyonyi.

Several experts have published reports suggesting that the ADF has benefitted from local support – notably from elements within the Congolese army.

Initial massacre

Nyonyi described the ADF as a “nebulous mosaic” responsible for the “suffering of the population”.

He added that the group only began to pose a problem to the region from July 2011, just ahead of the bitterly contested November 2011 election which President Joseph Kabila won amid accusations of irregularities.

Fears of violence run deep in Beni, a town of 800 000 people.

Fifty-one people were killed in the town on August 13, a gruesome slaying that touched off mass protests against the central government in Kinshasa.

Little more than a week later, two more people were hacked to death in Beni near the site of the initial massacre. Rebels were blamed once again.

Last week, six civilians were hacked to death in the region, according to local officials who blamed the ADF.

Formed by the elusive militant Jamil Mukulu in 1989 and initially focused on overthrowing Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the ADF absorbed other rebel groups into its ranks and started carrying out attacks in 1995.

Gradually pushed westwards by the Ugandan army, the ADF relocated much of its activities to the DRC.

{New York, United States of America, November 9, 2016/APO/ — The United Nations envoy on conflict prevention has said that the international community and the Government of Burundi would find a common ground for implementing the Security Council resolution that proposes the deployment of unarmed UN police officers through continued dialogue.}

“Our discussions were constructive and I’m confident that with continuous engagement and political will, we will find common ground as a basis for moving forward with the implementation of the resolution,” said Jamal Benomar, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General for Conflict Prevention, after he briefed the 15-member Council yesterday on his recent visit to Burundi.

The Council dispatched him to consult with officials in Burundi to find a way forward on all issues related to peace and security and UN activities in the country, after the Government earlier rejected the Council resolution on establishing a police officers’ component there and amid reports that it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Council Resolution 2303, adopted on 29 July 2016, authorized up to 228 UN individual police officers for the component, to be deployed in the capital, Bujumbura, and throughout Burundi, for one year.

Also through the resolution adopted by 11 votes in favour to none against with four abstentions (Angola, China, Egypt, Venezuela), the Council expressed “its intention to pursue targeted measures against all actors, inside and outside Burundi, who threaten the peace and security of Burundi.”

In yesterday’s briefing, Mr. Benomar told the Council that he had held the various meetings with the Government and other stakeholders there, as well as with former President Benjamin Mkapa, the facilitator of the East African Community (EAC)-led dialogue, in Dar es Salaam.

“I told the Council that I listened carefully to the views and concerns of the Burundian Government in respect to resolution 2303, particularly regarding the proposed deployment of unarmed UN police officers,” Mr. Benomar said.

“I told the Council that I believe we need a new compact between the Government of Burundi and the international community, with both sides engaging in a constructive effort to promote peace and stability, in full respect of Burundi’s sovereignty,” he added.

Noting that the Burundian people are suffering the economic and humanitarian consequences of this situation, the special adviser said that the UN is seeking to increase its efforts to meet the needs of the population.

“But in order to address the many implications of this crisis in the long-term, its root causes must be tackled – a Burundian-led political process and a genuine and inclusive dialogue are urgently needed,” he stressed.

“I look forward to continued engagement with the Burundian Government and other stakeholders in order to reach consensus on the steps needed to move the country forward,” he added.

The United Nations works with Burundi, including through the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), an intergovernmental advisory body that supports peace efforts in countries emerging from conflict.

Burundi was thrown into fresh crisis more than a year ago when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term that he went on to win. To date, it has been reported that hundreds of people have been killed, more than 250,000 have fled the nation, and thousands more have been arrested and possibly subjected to human rights violations.

Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations (UN).