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The government has disbursed Sh2.1 billion for the Inua Jamii social protection program amid a transition to an e-wallet system earmarked for completion on February 28.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection said Sh2,089,844,000 will cater for Inua Jamii beneficiaries alongside the Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE) for January 2024.

In a statement on Wednesday, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs Joseph Motari, said the government released an additional Sh5,930,000 for NICHE beneficiaries.

Motari said the payment to beneficiaries commences on February 7, 2024.

“Following a presidential directive, Inua Jamii beneficiaries will be receiving their stipends through M-pesa. This will start with orphans and vulnerable children and persons with severe disabilities caregivers,” Motari said.

The PS urged caregivers to register beneficiaries for M-pesa payments through dial *222# using their registered M-Pesa phone numbers.

He said the government will make all payments under the program through M-pesa after February 29.

“These beneficiaries will receive their payments through bank accounts for the last time this month and are urged to enroll for M-pesa payments, to ensure continued receipt of Inua Jamii stipends,” the PS stated.

Only 207,000 beneficiaries had enrolled for M-pesa payments when the government paid December stipends, Motari noted. By Sharon Resian, Capital News

Image by Katrina Bailey
 
Mowlid Hassan (left) and Abdimalik Shuriye (right) pose at the Somali Student Association spring kickoff event on Jan. 29.
 

University of Minnesota students reflect on concerns of safety and peace as tensions rise between Somalia and Ethiopia. 

Tensions between the two countries rose after Somaliland, a neighboring territory, signed an agreement with Ethiopia to lease a part of its coastline to the landlocked nation for the next 50 years. East African University students voiced concerns about how the tensions are impacting themselves, their friends and family. 

Somaliland was a former British colony until 1960 when it joined Somalia. It was an unstable union between the two and in 1991, Somaliland broke away with intentions to become an independent, sovereign nation and started a civil war. 

Some University students have family and friends in Somalia affected by these conflicts, making this subject personal. 

Mowlid Hassan, the committee chair of the Somali Student Association, is worried about his family’s safety. His uncle lived in Las Ahanov, Somalia, one of the regions where the conflict started before moving south to Bohol, where his dad lives. 

“It’s affecting me in the sense of thinking about my family’s safety,” Hassan said. “Hopefully things get better.” 

Freda Payne, the co-president of the African Student Association, said her friends are worried about being perceived the wrong way. Payne has friends from both Ethiopia and Somalia and is worried about how the conflict could create tensions here. 

“It’s not affecting them day-to-day but it’s like, if they consider going back to their own countries they’re more worried of how they’re going to be perceived by others,” Payne said. 

For Ethiopia, the agreement is vital to its economic stability because it is a landlocked nation and gives them access to the ocean. In return, Somaliland hopes Ethiopia will recognize them as a sovereign state, not just a separate region in Somalia. 

Abdimalik Shuriye, the board historian of the Somali Student Association at the University, said protests are happening in all three areas because of sovereignty disputes and lack of communication. 

“It would be like if another country was dealing with Minnesota instead of dealing with the United States,” Shuriye said. 

President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said this agreement bypasses their federal government and threatens their nation’s integrity, reported Al Jazeera news

Mohamud said Somalia is prepared to go to war with Ethiopia and has declared the agreement void, reported The Guardian. Ethiopia and Somalia have had ongoing tensions after their conflict in 1977-78 about a disputed region. 

Hassan points out the majority of Somalia’s population is young and feeling the effects of the past generation’s actions. 

“Most of the Somalis on Earth are younger than the age of 30, meaning they didn’t even know the start of the civil war,” Hassan said. “It’s something that affects them that the past generation has done.” 

It is unlikely Somalia will initiate an attack, though the agreement could increase longstanding tensions, according to The Guardian. East African students hope the two nations will focus on peace moving forward. 

“People need to focus on peace,” Shuriye said. “I feel like it’s just gonna hopefully all come out peacefully.” By Katrina Bailey & Alexandria DeYoe, Minnesota Daily

The African Development Bank (AfDB) will provide $540 million in support to Nigeria for agricultural development.

AfDB spokesperson Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka said in a press release that the bank will allocate the funds to seven states to initiate the development of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs).

Oyelaran-Oyeyinka noted that the SAPZs project aims to transform rural areas into economic hubs by harnessing their commercial agriculture and food processing potential.

Noting that the primary objective of the AfDB is to support inclusive and sustainable agricultural-industrial development in Nigeria, Oyelaran-Oyeyinka said the funding will assist the country in combating food insecurity. *Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul, Anadolu Agency

Al-Burhan (R) in a meeting with the military command in Omdurman on February 7, 2024

February 8, 2024 (OMDURMAN) – Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, head of the Transitional Sovereign Council and the army commander in chief, visited the Omdurman military command on Wednesday evening to assess ongoing operations.

During his visit, al-Burhan met with Lieutenant General Yasir al-Atta, a member of the ruling Sovereign Council and his military assistant as well as the command members. 

A statement released early Thursday morning confirmed that al-Burhan received updates from the Mobile Command on operational progress. He also toured military and civilian sites and interacted with citizens.

Al-Burhan emphasized the Armed Forces’ dedication to supporting families of fallen soldiers, missing individuals, and injured personnel, both military and civilian, said the military media. 

He declared the unity of the armed forces and the people in “eradicating the rebel militia and its mercenaries.” 

The military media, also, released a silent video showing al-Burhan meeting senior military officials.

This visit comes as preparations intensify for new military actions in Khartoum State.

Sudanese forces have recently regained control of Omdurman, though elements of the Rapid Support Forces remain entrenched in the besieged radio and television building. (ST)

Kevin Kinyanjui Kangethe who allegedly killed a girlfriend in the US is handcuffed at a Milimani court on January 31, 2024. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Kevin Kang’ethe, the man accused of murdering his girlfriend and later dumping her body in a car at an airport in Boston, US, has escaped from Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi under unclear circumstances.

 Police say Kang’ethe who was to be extradited to the U.S. to face first-degree murder charges escaped custody on Wednesday, February 7 at around 7:30 pm and later managed to jump onto a waiting matatu. 

“He was talking to his lawyer at the station and within a few minutes, managed to escape by boarding a matatu that had parked at the stage meters away from the police station entry,” a junior officer at the station revealed to The Standard.

The incident has been confirmed by Nairobi Police boss Adamson Bungei who also visited the station and ordered the arrest of the four officers who were on duty when the incident occurred. 

“We have the four officers in custody plus the suspect’s lawyer; we will brief the press later today on the developments,” Bungei stated.

Kang’ethe who had been on the run for three months before his arrest, was held at the station awaiting a ruling on whether Kenya will extradite him to the US to face the murder charges of Margaret Mbitu who was brutally killed on October 31, 2023.  By Mate Tongola and Kamore Maina , The Standard

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