Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed a law Saturday that nullifies a sea access deal signed by Ethiopia and Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.
He signed the law in the national capital of Mogadishu, flanked by the Speaker of the Somali Senate Abdi Hash, and Lower House Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur.
“With the support of our lawmakers & our people, this law is an illustration of our commitment to safeguard our unity, sovereignty & territorial integrity as per international law,” Mohamud wrote on X.
Information Minister Daud Aweis said the law represents the official stance of Mogadishu and “acts as a strong deterrent against any trespassing on Somali territory.”
Suldan I. Mohamed, a political analyst, told Anadolu the signing signifies a strong response from Somali lawmakers and the government.
“Somaliland legally is part of Somalia under international & national law,” he said. “The law provides President Hassan with diplomatic ammunition on the international stage, shutting doors on the deal.”
Somalia declared the deal “illegitimate” and called for an international emergency meeting.
The deal was signed Monday, granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea.
Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991.
In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.
Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade. By Mohamed Dhaysane, Anadolu Agency
French President Emmanuel Macron has just appointed 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal as France’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday.
This move is aimed at Macron’s second term ahead of the European Parliament elections.
Although the appointment does not imply a major political shift, it signifies Macron’s intent to move beyond last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms, aiming to enhance his centrist party’s prospects in the upcoming EU ballot in June.
Opinion polls indicate Macron’s camp is trailing the far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by approximately eight to 10 percentage points.
Attal, a close ally of Macron, gained prominence as the government spokesman during the COVID pandemic. He is set to replace the outgoing Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
Attal, among the country’s most popular politicians in recent polls, has earned a reputation as a skilled minister comfortable in various media formats.
Macron, concluding 2023, had previously announced his intention to unveil new political initiatives.
What Macron said
In his message to Attal, Macron said,
“I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced”.
Attal will be France’s youngest Prime Minister and the first to be openly gay. Also, he and Macron have a combined age just below that of Joe Biden, who is running for a second mandate in this year’s U.S. presidential election.
Macron has struggled to deal with a more turbulent parliament since losing his absolute majority shortly after being re-elected in 2022.
About Gabriel Attal
Gabriel Attal, born on March 16, 1989, is a French politician affiliated with the Renaissance Party, currently serving as Prime Minister since January 9, 2024. He has a diverse background, studied law, and engaged in political activism from a young age.
Attal’s career includes roles such as advisor to the Minister of Health and Member of the French National Assembly. Notably, he became the spokesperson for La République En Marche! in 2018 and later held ministerial positions.
On October 16, 2018, at 29, Attal became the youngest member of a government in the Fifth Republic as Secrétaire d’État.
He later served as Minister of Public Action and Accounts and Minister of National Education and Youth.
Following Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne’s resignation, Attal, at 34, assumed the role of France’s youngest and first openly gay leader on January 9, 2024.
Despite his political success, Attal has faced online hate speech due to his identity, including antisemitic and homophobic attacks. By Ngozi Ekugo, Nairametrics
National and extra county schools in Central Kenya reported exemplary performance in last year’s KCSE examinations, even as day schools posted improved results.
In Meru, Nkubu Boys, Meru School and Igembe Boys were among the schools that recorded good grades.
Nkubu principal, Stephen Munyiri, and other staff were happy after three students got grade A and 19 others recorded A-, ensuring a mean of 8.4.
Out of the 397 candidates, 361 scored c+ and above, which Dr Munyiri attributed to commitment by teachers and a disciplined group of students.
“That has enabled us to have a 91.69 per cent transition to university. We are a very happy community,” he said.
At Igembe Boys, the principal, Lawrence Mutembei, said the school got a mean grade of 8.81, with 277 students, out of 280 candidates, set to join university.
“Once again our learners have done well and fulfilled their dreams and ours to see them excel,” he said.
Mwenda Rutere, the head teacher at the Meru School, and his staff were a joyous group after 22 students got grade A. The school recorded a mean of 8.9.
“We did a lot of preparations, and both the teachers and students worked together to achieve the common goal of doing their best,” he said.
Mariri Day School in Laare, Igembe North, surprised many with four students getting A-.
In Tharaka-Nithi County, Mercy Mutheu of Chuka Girls’ High School attained grade A, while six of her classmates had A-.
The principal, Joan Muthomi, expressed happiness that all the 270 candidates managed good grades and will be proceeding to university to pursue their dream careers.
Cynthia Rugendo credited her grade A- to hard work and good work from the teachers, who she said were always available.
“My parents were working hard to raise fees, so I was not going to let them down,” she said.
At Ikuu, more than 20 students had A-, with the principal, Joseph Mbae, saying they were yet to get all the results by yesterday afternoon.
At the Kiriani Boys’ High School in Maara Sub-County, three students got A-.
In Nyeri, Kagumo Boys recorded a mean grade of 9.306 points, with at least 21 students attaining A grade while 88 got A- out of a class of 396 candidates.
The chief principal, Silas Murigi, attributed the good grades to discipline and hard work. “The class was dedicated and I have never experienced any indiscipline incidents,” said Dr Murigi.
Murigi said the teachers supported the students to revise and engage in group discussions. In 2022, the school had a mean grade of 9.58 with a class of 391 candidates.
Mt Kenya Region Teachers Service Commission Director Elijah Omwenga termed the results encouraging.
Nanyuki Boys’ High School in Laikipia County also posted impressive results. Chief principal, Solomon Kipkoech, said the school produced 15 candidates who scored A grade, while 286 achieved C+ and above, securing direct entry into universities.
“We have witnessed a positive trajectory in all aspects of our school, and we are excelling in academics. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students and the support we receive from our staff and parents,” he said.
The results are an improvement from 2022 when only four students attained grade A. The mean score improved from 8.890 to 8.897.
Kipkoech added that the school’s consistent excellence has made it one of the most sought-after national schools.
“Nanyuki was the second most preferred school in the country this year, following Kabianga High. We had approximately 158,000 (KCPE) candidates selecting our school. However, due to our limited capacity of 500 students, we were unable to accommodate all of them,” he said.
In Murang’a, Murang’a High, Mugoiri and Njiri Boys reported good grades.
At Mary Leakey Girls in Kiambu, the principal, Beth Githaiga, said five students scored grade A-, with a mean of 7.1. - The Standard
[Reports by Purity Mwangi, Phares Mutembei, Amos Kiarie and Boniface Gikandi]
A photo collage of President William Ruto and the NSSF headquarters in Nairobi. WILLIAM RUTO/ NSSF Copied to clipboard
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has disputed reports alleging that the monthly deductions by Kenyan employers would increase from Ksh1,080 to Ksh2,160.
The reports alleged that the government would start effecting the new deductions, targeting workers earning a monthly salary above Ksh36,000 in January 2024.
Further, the reports alleged that the monthly contributions would increase annually until the fifth year.
"If you earn more than Ksh36,000 per month. Gross, your NSSF deduction is about to go up from Ksh1,080 per month to Ksh2,160 in Year 2 which begins this month. The deductions will increase each year till year 5," the reports which have since been flagged as false indicated.
NSSF
NSSF, however, clarified the issue, assuring Kenyans that no communication has been made about the new rates.
"Please be guided that this is misleading. NSSF has not communicated any deduction progression based on the new rates," NSSF stated.
"We shall provide official communication regarding NSSF reductions. Employers and members shall be guided accordingly when the progression period falls due."
President William Ruto's administration has been eyeing to create a culture of savings to create long-term investment and subsequently boost the country's growth.
Through NSSF contributions, the government is eyeing to raise over a trillion from the NSSF by 2027.
Currently, NSSF collects approximately Ksh4 billion monthly from the registered members. This translates to an annual collection of Ksh48 billion.
Previously, the Fund would collect an average of Ksh14 billion yearly, indicating a significant rise in revenue collection.
President Ruto's administration is also seeking to grow the number of registered members from the current 2.9 million to over 18.3 million Kenyans working in both the formal and informal sectors. By Brian Kimani, Kenyans.co.ke
Parents in Masita Village, Siaya County were arrested on Monday after beating their daughter to death.
The 11-year-old girl had allegedly stolen Ksh 200 belonging to the father.
According to reports, a confrontation ensued at their home, with the parents questioning the child, who failed to confess.
The parents then beat the child, ostensibly to instill discipline and force a confession out of their daughter.
The girl, who had stolen the money, sustained major injuries and was rushed to Bondo Sub-county Hospital.
The nurse assigned to her reported multiple bruises on the child's body, who was unconscious at the time of the examination.
The doctors hurriedly rushed to attend to her and unfortunately, pronounced her dead.
The body was transferred to the Bondo sub-county hospital mortuary for an autopsy, as investigations on the exact happenings leading to her death started.
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.
