NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo presents a platform for attracting investments and sharing knowledge that could stimulate Africa's growth, a Kenyan official has said.
Patrick Nyangweso, the chief executive officer of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), a trade lobby, said the expo is significant to African economies amid their quest for new markets, capital flows, and innovations from China to revitalize key sectors like manufacturing, agro-processing, and digital economy.
The third edition of the expo, under the theme "Common Development for a Shared Future," will run from June 29 to July 2 in central China's Hunan Province. First launched in 2019, it is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries.
"The expo will be an opportunity for us to learn about product development as Kenyan businesses," Nyangweso told Xinhua during an interview on the sidelines of a promotional forum for the expo held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on May 11.
In attendance at the forum is a high-profile delegation from Yiyang City in Hunan Province. Yang Zhihua, the deputy mayor of Yiyang, said the expo, which will feature seminars, matchmaking negotiations, and outdoor commodity pavilions, will culminate with the release of the inaugural China-Africa trade index.
The expo will be an opportunity for Kenyan entrepreneurs to network with their Chinese counterparts, and exchange ideas and best practices that are crucial to fueling the growth of local start-ups, Nyangweso said.
Nyangweso, who will lead a group of Kenyan entrepreneurs to the expo, said African countries will acquire knowledge on establishing industrial parks, cottage industries, and packaging of products to meet international standards.
In addition, the expo presents an opportunity for Kenya and other African countries to gain insight into digitizing their businesses, upgrading workforce skills, and accelerating value addition to boost the competitiveness of agricultural products in the overseas markets, Nyangweso added.
He also disclosed that the KNCCI plans to open an office in Hunan Province this year to facilitate interaction between its members with Chinese entrepreneurs and investors. - Xinhua
A private security guard working with Capital Guards and Patrol has shot dead his colleague under unclear circumstances.
Peter Ochoroi, 26, allegedly shot dead in the forehead his colleague, John Mujumbi, 25, also working with the same security company on Saturday at about 12.30 pm in Kalule Zone, Lukuli parish in Makindye Division in Kampala.
According to police, at the time of the shooting, Mujumbi was stationed at IDAK Apartments in Konge as part of his security duties. Police says the two individuals had been sharing a rented room provided by their company and were armed with SAR semi-automatic rifles, each loaded with five rounds of ammunition.
Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire says the two guards were engaged in an argument conducted in a language they did not understand and shortly thereafter, a gunshot was heard originating from the same room.
Police recovered the two rifles, two small magazines, capable of holding five rounds each, and two sets of company uniforms were found in the room. Ochoroi is reportedly on the run.
The incident comes just 24 hours after a Ivan Wabwire, the police constable on Friday at about 12.30 pm shot and killed Uttam Bhandari an Indian national and moneylender inside Rajja Chambers along Parliament Avenue in Kampala following a disagreement over a loan repayment.
Last week on Saturday, popular vlogger Tusubira Ibrahim alias Isma Olaxess was killed after being shot at least 8 times by yet-to-be-identified gunmen just days after an army bodyguard Pte Wilson Sabiiti killed his boss and state minister for Labour Charles Engola after an argument over allowances.
ANOTHER GUARD SHOT DEAD
In a related development, Ben Amaku, a security guard attached to Security Group Africa (SGA) was also on Saturday shot dead by unknown people in Arua city, northern Uganda.
The incident happened on Saturday at Novafinia medical center located along Rhinocamp Road in Baruku central cell. Amaku had been deployed to guard the medical center when unknown assailants shot him.
According to some eyewitnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity, three men wearing face masks entered the facility and switched off the lights. This attracted the attention of the security guard who was then shot by one of the assailants.
Muhammed Bayo, the LC I chairperson of Baruku central cell in Arua central division says that the assailants who are three in number came to the facility under the guise of visiting a patient.
Over the past two weeks, security agencies in Arua have been battling with a new wave of armed robberies. On May 1, three suspected criminal gangs attacked Premier Betting Center along Transport Road in Arua central division at around 11:40 pm and turned off the lights, and made off with an unspecified amount of money.
Last month, an unidentified armed robber attacked Champion Betting Center along the Arua-Pakwach highway in Nsambia, Awindiri ward and robbed an unspecified amount of money, and shot one person Collins Adule who is still recovering from gunshot wounds. - URN/The Observer
Fans follow action from the stands during the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on May 13, 2023.
Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
What you need to know:
The fans, young and old, started thronging Kenya’s sports cathedral as early as 8am for what has been described as “Hustlers” Kip Keino Classic after traders were allowed into the arena to sell their wares for free
It’s the national champions Peter Mwangi (shot put) and Isaac Kirwa (long jump) who warmed up the 60,000-seater arena with victories in their respective events
Kirwa, the 2018 champion, scaled to season best of 7.34m to win men's long jump, and also set a new championship record
Fans from all walks of life, in different shades of colours are streaming into the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani for this year’s Absa Kip Keino Classic that is underway.
The fans, young and old, started thronging Kenya’s sports cathedral as early as 8am for what has been described as “Hustlers” Kip Keino Classic after traders were allowed into the arena to sell their wares for free.
It’s the national champions Peter Mwangi (shot put) and Isaac Kirwa (long jump) who warmed up the 60,000-seater arena with victories in their respective events.
Kirwa, the 2018 national champion, scaled to season best of 7.34m to win men's long jump, and also set a new championship record.
Kirwa beat Edwin Kimutai in 7.28m as Bismarck Korir managed 7.23m for third.
Mwangi, the 2018 and 2022 shot put champion, hauled 16.25 metres to win, beating the 2019 national champion Benson Maina, who managed 15.86m. Fredrick Kiprop Chumba settled third with 15.30m.
Mwangi’s victory comes almost two weeks after he won the sixth leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meet in 15.71m at the Nyayo National Stadium. The events were the first on card. By Ayumba Ayodi, NMG
The casket containing former minister Charles Okello Engola's body is seen under a tent at his ancestral home village in Iceme Sub County, Oyam District, ahead of burial on May 13, 2023. PHOTO/CHARITY AKULLO
What you need to know:
Lango leaders also asked government to address salary disparities among civil servants.
Lango diocesan Bishop Rt Rev Alfred Olwa has called for reconciliation between the families of late Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo and that of his killer, Pte Wilson Sabiiti.
Early this week, leaders of Otikokin Clan where the former minister Engola belonged had asked for what they described as “blood compensation” from Pte Sabiiti’s family.
But on Saturday, Anglican Bishop Olwa said the family in Oyam should simply forgive the family in Tooro, and allow God to provide justice, noting that “it is God who looks after the widows and the orphans.”
“To my brothers of Otikokin clan, we need to focus on reconciliation. Let us not have hatred towards those who might have wronged us. I am appealing to you to follow the example of Christ,” he said at the burial of the former Oyam North MP at Awangi Village, Iceme Sub County in Oyam District.
“As we continue to seek justice for Macodwogo, let us remember that vengeance belongs to God and He will repay. We must resist the urge for revenge or to take matters in our hands,” he told thousands of mourners.
Earlier, the deceased’s son Samuel Okello Engola Junior had informed mourners that his family forgave Pvt Sabiiti who fatally shot their father before killing himself on May 2.
Speaking at the same event, Northern Uganda Bishop Emeritus Rt Rev Nelson Onono-Onweng called on government to urgently end rampant killings committed with impunity by members of armed forces.
Dila Benson, the Oyam LC5 chairman, urged government to expedite investigation into the brutal murder of Engola.
“What is the motive of shooting our own son [with] 28 bullets? They had planned and murdered him in cold blood?” he remarked.
According to him, political leaders from Lango held a regional council sitting in honour of Macodwogo on Thursday and agreed to push for a posthumous promotion for Engola to the rank of brigadier general, from lieutenant colonel which he retired.
“Two, the councils resolved and requested the government to upgrade our health centre IVs in northern Uganda to a hospital status,” he added.
Leaders also demanded that the government should address the issue of salary disparities among civil servants, which has continuously led to loss of lives.
“An incident where a whole minister was shot dead by his bodyguard calls for an immediate intervention from government to retool, reorganize and put a check on its salary structures,” Andrew Awany, the vice chairperson of Uganda Local Government Association and also Kole District chairman, said.
Vice President Jessica Alupo was the chief mourner at the function where he represented President Museveni. By Charity Akullo & Bill Oketch, Daily Monitor
South Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday, launched two cassava crop varieties.
It said that the two cassava crop varieties were imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Andrea Heath, deputy head of the ICRC Delegation in South Sudan, said the Mayombe and Sawasawa that were resistant to cassava mosaic disease and streak virus would improve food productivity, thus helping mitigate chronic hunger.
“Cassava is a crucial component of household food security in many communities in South Sudan, and it continues to grow in importance.
“It is affected by various diseases like cassava mosaic disease, brown streak virus, in addition to poor agricultural practices severely undermining production,’’ Heath said during the certification ceremony in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
More than 7.7 million people or two-thirds of the population in South Sudan are facing a crisis or worse levels of hunger. In addition, 1.4 million children under five years of age were facing acute malnutrition, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
In 2019, the ICRC imported these resistant varieties from the DRC and also introduced them in the Central Africa Republic.
Heath said that the two cassava varieties had proven great success, in terms of improving food productivity and keeping the virus at bay after being piloted in Eastern Equatoria and Western Equatoria states, both in South Sudan.
Loro George Leju Lugor, director-general for research, training and extension service in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said they were now planning to hand out these new varieties to specific farmers in selected parts of the country.
George Tadu, director- general of research in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said cassava remained an important food crop in most parts of the Equatoria region, where cassava roots and leaves were widely eaten.
“Cassava mosaic disease is common in all of the cassava growing areas, and it is really a problem.
“Cassava streak virus was identified in Western Equatoria state since 2006, it is a much more serious disease than cassava mosaic, and these varieties if released will help increase the farmers’ resilience to disease pressure,’’ Tadu said.
He added that these new high-yielding cassava varieties would improve food and income security for farmers in cassava-growing areas.
“We also want to train people who are involved in cassava multiplication, train farm monitors, extension workers to do rapid multiplication of these varieties.
Also,we want to disseminate and adapt these cassava mosaic resistant varieties in major parts of the country,’’ Tadu said.
Cassava is a major source of food for more than 200 million people in Africa.
It is also the second most important major source of carbohydrates in Sub-Saharan Africa, and about 40 per cent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa depends on cassava.
Simon Duku, lecturer in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Juba, said South Sudan needed to intensify agricultural research activities in order to find a variety of crops that could adapt to different climatic conditions.
“We still don’t have clear crop varieties that are adapted to our climate, so we really need to do a lot of research work to adapt some varieties to some specific regions in South Sudan.
“We know the challenges of food insecurity that we are encountering; I actually encourage such kinds of activities,’’ he said. (Xinhua/NAN)
Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.
To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854. If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.
We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.
