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Faith Murunga, a petitioner who claimed she went to Saudi Arabia as a house help and was burnt with hot water by her employer. [Courtesy, Standard]

Some of the news that made headlines this year were the viral videos of Africans sleeping in the streets of Canada. As the authorities in Canada faced a backlash from some quarters for neglecting the foreigners, they came out to defend themselves, saying that they were overwhelmed and that millions of dollars were required to accommodate them in hotels before they were regularised. Of course, everything had to be done fast to get rid of the public shame.

Meanwhile, in Kenya opinion was divided with some people saying that the suffering out there was only for a short while, and that it was a matter of time before the foreigners were fully absorbed and given the requisite documents for them to start working. Some Kenyans actually envied them and observed that it was better to suffer in the streets of Canada than in Kenya with current skyrocketing cost of living.

Travel agents have also come to the spotlight for ripping off unsuspecting Kenyans and promising them a rosy life in foreign countries only to abandon them in their hour of need. But what really makes some Kenyans to sell their properties and spend their hard-earned savings to pay questionable travel agents sometimes even more than Sh500,000?  

Is it the fixed mindset that one can only make it and prosper in a foreign country as opposed to their own? And if that is the case, then why is it that many foreigners are flocking to African countries in search of opportunities? Cases abound of individuals who visited Africa as tourists but after they saw the many opportunities available and the lower cost of living compared to their own countries, they went back, sold everything under their names, and relocated to Africa to start a new life.

As Kenyans complain of high taxation here, the situation is not any different in some of the Western countries that we fancy. Granted, the standard of living may be better there, but it doesn't come cheap. The only difference may be due to the fact that in most of the developed countries, the leaders are held accountable for their actions and the level of corruption is relatively lower compared to our country. What stops Kenyans from holding their leaders accountable and demanding better services? 

According to a recent report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, an immigration advocacy group, the rate of immigrants leaving Canada hit a two-decade high in 2019.

While the numbers went down during the pandemic lockdowns, Statistics Canada data shows it is once again rising. For instance, in the first six months of 2023, some 42,000 individuals departed Canada, adding to 93,818 people who left in 2022 and 85,927 exits in 2021. Immigrants blame the skyrocketing housing costs as the biggest reason for their decision to consider a new country.

It has been reported that some of the Africans who move to foreign countries are not well prepared for what awaits them on the other side. The culture shock, climate change, and high expectations from their relatives back home have caused some to develop mental health problems like depression. Some have even ended up taking their own lives. 

Stories abound of how some relatives of hard-working Kenyans in the diaspora squandered finances remitted to them to help them buy or develop properties. When they finally come home, they are shocked to find that they have been duped and that there's nothing to their name. 

So, as we usher in 2024, those who plan to relocate need to first assess the situation and decide whether it is worth it. And for those who are already in foreign countries, is it time for them to bring back the expertise and experience they have gained over the years for the betterment of our country? African problems can only be solved by Africans. By Albert Omuko, The Standard

Tanzania’s mega development project, Julius Nyerere Dam, which is being constructed by a consortium of two Egyptian companies, is set to start power generation in mid-February, said Ahmed El-Sewedy, the CEO of El-Sewedy Electric, one of the consortium partners.

A still photo of construction works of Tanzania s Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Project (JNHPP) taken from a video published by the Egyptian Cabinet on Sunday. 

The dam is now 94 percent complete and undergoing testing, El-Sewedy said at a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to follow up on the project, according to a cabinet statement.

El-Sewedy revealed that work is currently underway to establish an industrial zone over an area of 2.5 million square metres in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.

During the meeting, Madbouly reiterated that the project reflects Egypt’s keenness to cooperate with Africa in implementing development projects.

The dam, with a length of 1,025 metres and a storage capacity of about 34 billion cubic metres of water – is aimed at doubling Tanzania's energy production, controlling floods, and improving agriculture.

The $2.9 billion dam, referred to as the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Project (JNHPP), is expected to solve the country's electricity shortage problem by securing clean power to more than 60 million Tanzanians as well as controlling water flow during flooding.

The JNHPP has been under construction since 2019 and is expected to produce 5,920 GWh of power annually when completed.

The energy generated will be transmitted at a voltage of 400 kilovolts to a substation, where it will be integrated into the national electricity grid.

The project is being implemented through a joint venture of two Egyptian companies: the state-owned Arab Contractors Company and the privately owned El-Sewedy Electric.

The project – fully financed by the Tanzanian government – is providing work to 8,000 Tanzanians, 1,000 Egyptians, and other foreign workers, according to Egyptian officials.

The JNHPP dates back to August 2017, when Tanzania announced bids for the construction of the dam, which were later won by the Egyptian consortium. Ahram Online

A photo of Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wote Paul Kariuki

Bishop Paul Kariuki of the Catholic Diocese in Wote has banned all priests under his leadership from blessing same-sex marriages a week after Pope Francis directed priests worldwide to do the same.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the bishop gave a justification as to why he will not align with the Pope's directive holding that blessing such unions would set a dangerous precedent which he described as unacceptable. 

"I hereby prohibit all priests in the Catholic Diocese of Wote from blessing couples in irregular situations or same-sex sex-couples," he stated.

He further gave his interpretation of the Bible which he claimed states that each person is given the right to judge what is right in God's word. According to him, this meant that church leaders were not obligated to follow the Pope's directive blindly.

Bishop Kariuki further averred that from Pope Francis' directive, it was unclear what was going to be blessed.

The man of cloth further directed the priests under his leadership to lead individuals planning same-sex marriages to repent and believe in the gospel. 

"When a sinner repents, he changes his or her mind about sin, the saviour, and salvation. This is exactly what these couples, like any other Christian, should look for in the blessings," he stated.

He added that blessing same-sex couples contradicts the scripture and supports what he described as the "ungodly gender ideology".

Bishop Kariuki called for all churches to reject the proposal and uphold the traditional Catholic teachings that call for marriage between man and woman.

Kariuki is among the various Kenyan religious leaders who have opposed the directive from Pope Francis with some arguing that blessing same-sex marriages goes against African traditions. 

Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo on Sunday directed leaders in the archdiocese of Nairobi not to bless same-sex marriages.

"The word of God also strongly condemns such unions. The African cultural traditions equally detest it as it is dearly against transmission of life," he stated.

The declaration made by the Pope last week has elicited mixed reactions among the Christian community in Kenya and globally. By Maureen Njeri, Kenyans.co.ke 

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group’s commander was responsible for 2 attacks in western Uganda this month that killed 13 people.

Uganda’s defence forces said they killed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group’s commander responsible for two attacks in western Uganda that killed 13 people this month.

In a statement, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deputy spokesperson Col. Deo Akiiki said the commander, identified as Musa Kamusi, was responsible for the Dec. 18 and Dec. 26 attacks in which 13 people lost their lives, adding that he was killed inside Kibale National Park on Wednesday.

An operation is underway to apprehend the assailants who have been terrorizing civilians in Kamwenge, western Uganda. The army is recruiting personnel from local defense units to reinforce security in the area.

ADF rebels are accused of having massacred thousands of civilians in DR Congo in recent years and of carrying out attacks on Ugandan soil. In October, two tourists, a British man and a South African woman on their honeymoon, as well as their guide, were killed while on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the west of the country. Anadolu Agency

 

Two individuals involved in an accident along the accident Gudule road have died, police said.

The incident occurred on Christmas Eve when two motorcycles collided at around 711 roads in Gudule.

Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin, police spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday the two were admitted to the hospital and later passed away.

“Yesterday [Sunday] we had an accident where we lost two people on 711 roads in Gudule and some minor cases of the Boda-Boda and we are still on the street making sure the boys especially the kids who move on the road celebrate Christmas peacefully,” said Justin.

Ge. Justin pointed out that the police have recorded no serious crime during the Christmas celebrations in the state. He added that the reports from Juba and states indicated that the celebrations went on peacefully without threats to lives and property.

“The Christmas was very fine and this time of course we made a good deployment of our forces all over in the town and the churches and celebration places and so on. Generally, the situation was very good,” said Gen. Justin.

He commended the residents for cooperating with security personnel operating in the states.

On 22 December, the joint security forces collected over 4,000 firearms during a search operation in Juba. The weapons collected include 12.7MM Anti-Aircraft, PKMs, RPGs, AKM-47, G3s, Pistols, Crude Guns like Machetes, Bows and Arrows, Pangas and Machetes.

Additionally, the Joint Security Forces also seized expensive communications technologies including GPS maps and drone sniper rifles, from an unidentified group of people renting an apartment building in Juba. - Radio Tamazuj

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