JUBA – South Sudan government is ready for graduation of the first batch of unified forces in Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal regions next week, the country’s presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak Manimeh, who is also the head of the National Transitional Committee (NTC), said Friday.

This comes less than a week after the government graduated over 21,000 peace soldiers comprising army, police, and officers of the prison service, national security offices, and civil defense.

More than 53,000 unified forces are expected to graduate this year and will take part in national security, police, prison services, and even wildlife services.

The goal is to graduate 83,000 as enshrined in the 2018 peace deal.

Speaking during a press conference in Juba on Friday, Gatluak said forces in Torit in Eastern Equatoria will be graduated together with forces in the Upper and Bahr el Ghazal regions.

“We are going to graduate forces presence in Torit Town in Eastern Equatoria, military camp in the Upper Nile, Bahr el Ghazal and Unity State next week,” Gatluak said at Friday’s press conference.

“As preparation to graduate forces in unity state, the forces have been a move from Kaljak to Bentiu town for graduation and they are now in Bentiu.”

Gatluak disclosed that after graduation, phase two will commence.

“The forces will be graduated and we begin phase two, all forces in Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazel and Upper Nile will get into training centers,” he said.

“If we deploy the unified forces, the problem in South Sudan will be resolved because when we have one army working for national interest, they will resolve the issues of proliferation of the arms.”

He said the unified forces will take charge of security across the country.

“They will address the border issues and also problems such as cattle raiding and others that need coordination with civil authorities.” - Sudans Post

ZIMBABWE and China are working together on a capacity building initiative and cooperation in the civil aviation sector.

This comes as the country is upgrading its aviation industry to improve traffic control, ground support equipment, air traffic management and secondary radar surveillance.

The partnership between the two countries in the aviation industry has been set in motion through a 20-day capacity building seminar underway in Harare.

“We need to remain up to date in term of activities we must undertake at international level in terms safety and security of our airspace. We have upgraded our airports. China facilitated a loan for RGMI expansion due for completion in 2023. A number of airlines are now looking for us because of the standards we have set, said Theodius Chinyanga, Permanent Secretary-Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.

Meanwhile, Airports Company of Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer Mr Tawanda Gusha took the opportunity to give an update on the ongoing Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport upgrading project in which AVIC is also a partner.

“We have done significant work on the superstructure and the contractor is finishing work in the interior building such as installation of electrical mechanical equipment. We are waiting for passenger facilitation equipment and aircraft equipment that we have ordered. So basically we are at 75 percent complete,” he said.

AVIC International is one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, supplying more than 130 aircraft to over thirty countries including Nepal, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Brazil.

Their engagement with Zimbabwe’s aviation authorities is also meant to enhance capabilities of airline safety management and air traffic control. By John Nhandara, ZBC

The Buganda Road Magistrate's court has declined the state's request to issue criminal summons against Dr Kizza Besigye.

Besigye is jointly charged with former Rubaga South Constituency parliamentary candidate Samuel Lubega Mukaaku over offences stemming from their June 14, 2022 protest against the skyrocketing prices of commodities in the country.

They are accused of staging an assembly at Kikuubo Shauriyako parish in Kampala central division where they allegedly made statements indicating that it would be desirable to demonstrate, which was an act calculated to cause damage and destruction of property. Today Friday, the court presided over by grade one magistrate, Asuman Muhumuza was expected to be updated on the progress of the case by the prosecutors, but Besigye failed to turn up.

State prosecutor Ivan Kyazze asked court to issue criminal summons against Besigye. He told the court that they had come with part of the evidence they intend to rely on to prosecute both Besigye and Mukaku.

Among the evidence which has been shared with Besigye's lawyers is a charge sheet,  statements from 11 witnesses majority of whom are police officers, his vehicle profile, and a search certificate.

Besigye's lawyers led by Samuel Muyizzi Mulindwa, told court that their client was in Ntungamo district, western Uganda to attend the burial of the former minister of Cooperatives Yonasani Kanyomozi who died on Sunday last week.

According to Muyizzi, Besigye sought advice on whether to attend court or the burial since they were all happening on the same day. Muyizzi says that he advised Besigye to attend the burial, arguing that he had information that the case was not going to proceed today since the prosecutors had not shared the evidence they intend to rely on in the case.

Magistrate Muhumuza accepted Muyizzi's submission saying it was satisfactory and accordingly declined to grant the request by the prosecution to issue a criminal summons. 

Muhumuza also noted that if Besigye had been present in court, he would have dismissed the charges against him and Mukaaku. He said that in the previous court session, he directed the prosecutors to share with the defense lawyers the evidence they intend to rely on but since then they have not complied with his directive. Muhumuza adjourned the case to October 24. By URN/The Observer

The Kisumu County Government has protested the travel advisory issued by the US Embassy to its citizens over the likelihood of the violence in the lakeside city after the Supreme Court ruling slated for Monday.

John Oywa, who is in charge of the public information and communication in the county, said in a statement Friday that Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration does not expect any form of violence whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court on the August 9 Presidential Elections results.

“As much as we acknowledge the Country’s concern on the safety of its citizens, we take exceptional concern at the tone of the memo which singles out Kisumu and suggests that the City could witness violence after the 5th September Supreme court ruling on the Presidential election petition,” Oywa said on the security alert issued Thursday.

He reiterated that Kisumu is a “multiracial and multi-ethnic peaceful community that cares deeply for each other’s welfare, including our American sisters and brothers.”

Oywa called on the residents to remain calm regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling.

“The County leadership urge the people of Kisumu, especially the youth, to remain peaceful as has been the case in the past few years,” he said.

In its advisory, the US Government announced it had imposed movement restrictions on its personnel in Kisumu as a precautionary measure, arguing that Kenya has occasionally experienced post-election violence during election cycles.

“Election-related demonstrations and rallies regularly take place after elections, at times blocking key intersections and causing traffic jams,” the advisory read in part.

The Embassy warned that the protests could turn violent at times, necessitating police intervention, and urged its citizens to remain vigilant as Kenyans await the final ruling from the country’s apex court. 

As part of the safety precautions, the US Embassy advised its citizens to avoid crowds, review their personal security plans and beware of their surroundings.

On August 3, the Embassy issued a similar travel advisory urging American citizens to avoid traveling to Kisumu before the now concluded General Election.

While a section of Kenyans and leaders have protested the earlier travel advisory, the US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, said the advisory was in the best interest of the US and its investments.

“What we do is to look into the safety and security of Embassy personnel as well as US citizens in any country where the US operates,” Whiteman said Tuesday when she made her first tour outside Nairobi to visit US Embassy staff heading critical US programs and investments in the lakeside city of Kisumu. By Bruhan Makong, Capital News