Azimio La Umoja Coalition has appointed a five member delegation team led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka to engage in dialogue with their counterparts in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition.

The Musyoka-led team will include Minority Leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi, Malindi MP Amina Mnyanzi, Democratic Action Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa and Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni respectively.

This comes after former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo brokered a pact between President Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga to facilitate a ten-member team to hold talks aimed at ending the social, economic and political situation facing Kenyans.

In a statement, the Opposition Coalition stated that the team will be required to engage in dialogue on four thematic areas which include ways to lower the escalating cost of life and the audit of 2022 presidential elections.

Others include the bipartisan reconstitution of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Inclusivity in national affairs and respect for political parties in line with the Constitution.

“Our position remains that no party to these negotiations can claim a right to determine for the other what to raise and what not to raise. Azimio will respect Kenya Kwanza’s right to bring all its issues to the table. We expect Kenya Kwanza to do the same with our issues,” the statement read.

The President William Ruto bandwagon is yet to appoint a team to represent them in the deliberations aimed at unlocking the stalemate between the two opposing sides with Azimio indicating that the talks should begin tomorrow.

Both sides were required to appoint a five member team; two Members of Parliament, two members from outside Parliament and the leader of the parliamentary leadership. By Irene Mwangi, Capital News

Senegal's state prosecutor Abdou Karim Diop has announced new judicial proceedings against the country's opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who is currently in custody following his arrest on Friday night.  

Sonko was arrested after grabbing the mobile phone of a female law enforcement officer stationed outside his house. 

“He will be sued for calling for insurrection; criminal conspiracy; threatening national security; plotting against the government; maneuvering to compromise public security and create serious political trouble; criminal conspiracy with a terrorist organisation; and theft,” he said in an address to the media. “We should also note that Ousmane Sonko himself admitted violently grabbing the mobile phone of a female gendarme.” 

Speaking from Dakar, FRANCE 24’s Sam Bradpiece said that the announcement was bad news for the opposition leader. 

“Having already been found guilty for defaming a government minister and corrupting the youth earlier this year, he now faces a litany of further charges,” he said. “Ousmane Sonko has been under house arrest since June, and it is unclear if he’ll be transferred to prison any time soon.” Source: France24

DAR ES SALAAM, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) said in its survey released Saturday that the country's central region of Dodoma has the highest deposits of different types of critical minerals.

Maswi Solomon, the geological manager of the GST, said the survey carried out by the state-run GST has shown that Dodoma boasts four critical minerals.

According to the survey undertaken in mainland Tanzania in collaboration with stakeholders, minerals found in the Dodoma region were lithium, chrysoprase, iron, nickel, uranium and gypsum.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing clean energy technologies -- from wind turbines and electricity networks to electric vehicles.

Speaking after the GST official handed over the survey, the Dodoma regional commissioner Rosemary Senyamule said the survey will help the region to promote investment in the mining sector.

One of the roles of the GST is to acquire geoscientific data and information from new areas and mineral prospects to encourage further evaluation by the private sector. - Xinhua

 MLIFE Foundation has picked 15 young Kenyans to join its entrepreneurship and leadership fellowship aimed at equipping them with skills to become NextGen Leaders.

The fellowship dubbed MLOVE is a transformative 12-month experiential leadership program that provides young leaders a vulnerable and safe space to be human, collaborate and partner with others, learn from world-class faculty, and become future leaders and seasoned entrepreneurs.

MLIFE Foundation President and Founder Mwangi Mukami says MLOVE Fellows receive a financial stipend, mentorship and coaching, and other tools they need to ideate, define, and execute a strategy that gives them an advantage in a complex and changing world.

“Sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population globally, with 70 percent of its population under 30. Almost 2/3 of this population are underemployed and from an economically disadvantaged background. It is Africa’s most tremendous potential lying in waste. We build a better world by providing the NextGen leaders with a platform to learn, innovate, and connect with others to realize goals that matter to them,” Mukami noted.

Among the MLOVE Fellows 24 include PHilly Achieng, a passionate journalist and advocate of human rights, Risper Kengere a radical feminist who advocates for gender equality, economic justice and sexual reproductive health, Silvia Wanja a youth empowerment and development specialist, Stacey Wakesho a digital activist representing the queer community,and Tuta Mang’eli a human rights defender in the coast region.

Others include, Tech expert Valary Vusaka, aspiring entrepreneur VIncent Kipkorir Mental Health Advocate Patricia Chebet, social work enthusiast mariam Komora, Human Rights Defender Kelvin Njeri, and psychologist Ismael Michael Kiboro.

“Women represent 60 percent of our fellows, empowering women is essential to the health, economic and social development of families, communities and countries. When women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential,” he explained.

Following the announcement, the cohort will convene at the three day annual leadership conference in Nairobi dubbed “The Future is Human Summit set for July 31 – August 2, 2023.

“During the summit, the MLOVE fellows will be trained on communication skills, leadership and entrepreneurship. However, it does not end there, the 12 month programme will also include one on one coaching sessions, bi weekly mentorship sessions, training on Fundraising among other skills,” said Mwangi Ndegwa MLOVE Programme Director.

“Over 10 entrepreneurs in Africa have benefited from the programme, we have spent about Sh10 million in supporting startups that emanate from the programme. This year, we have also set aside Sh10 Million to fund banable ideas,” Ndegwa added.

Instituted in 2017 as Summer Leaders’ Summit & Retreat, MLOVE is a premier multidisciplinary and multicultural fellowship for under-resourced high-impacting and high-potential NextGen leaders.

Applications for the next class of MLOVE Fellows will be open from January 1 through March 31, 2024. Capital News