East Africa

East Africa

Details: Julius Mbaluto; East Africa; 20 July 2022; 505

Running mates Rigathi Gachagua and Martha Karua shake hands as journalist Nimrod Tabu looks on.[Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Photo Courtesy Standard

The differences were as stark as the running mates and their principals as the much-awaited running mates debate started.

Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua took on each other on the relationship a president and their deputy should have, showing stark differences in the manner they plan to engage with their prospective bosses - Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, respectively

While Ms Karua, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya deputy presidential running mate, maintained the need to be submissive, Mr Gachagua of United Democratic Alliance, said there was space for a “strong” deputy president.

The two, touted as abrasive politicians, were asked what kind of DP they would be in the government that takes over after the August 9 elections in light of the strained relations between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto, characterised by frequent public spats. By Brian Otieno, The Standard

Details: Julius Mbaluto; East Africa; 20 July 2022; 475

President Yoweri Museveni has returned the Mining and Minerals Bill, 2021 to parliament for reconsideration.

The bill which seeks to improve mining and mineral administration and business processes, and promote value addition to minerals was passed by parliament on February 17 and sent to the president for assent. But today, the speaker of parliament Anita Among informed parliament that the president had returned the bill for reconsideration.

In a letter dated June 18, 2022, Museveni advised parliament to delete clause 8 on the definition of large-scale mining, because it defines large-scale mining to mean, international mining of minerals in a mechanized operation involving excavation of a large surface pit or underground openings.

The definition also limits large-scale mining to operations with a production value exceeding 1 million tonnes. He says that if the current definition is maintained, it has an effect on excluding projects like Kilembe mines, Makuutu rare earths, Rubanda and Mukono iron ore which are complex and capital intensive but may not meet the annual production exceeding 1 million tonnes.

Museveni also advised that clause 33 on the establishment of a tribunal to deal with appeals against the decision of the minister should be substituted with an appeal being made to the High court within 30-days of receipt of the decision. He says that the establishment of a tribunal contradicts the ongoing process of rationalization and merging of agencies.

The president states that the High court has unlimited jurisdiction in all matters and has strengthened to improve delivery of justice. He emphasizes that the High court is empowered to handle grievances under the bill.

Among directed the environment and natural resources committee of parliament to handle the named clauses expeditiously. However, Wilfred Niwagaba, the Ndorwa East MP and shadow attorney general raised concern that he had received information that the committee on natural resources has already processed the issues raised by the president even before the formal reference by the speaker.

He said that it would be important for the committee to interface with technocrats from the ministry of energy and mineral resources considering that the issues raised by the president are technical.

The bill establishes the Uganda National Mining Company which is to manage the government’s commercial holding and participating interests in mineral agreements. It mandates the company to hold 15 per cent free equity in all large and medium mining ventures and also have the right to pay up to 20 per cent extra shares in the mining ventures at the commercial rate.

The bill provides that local governments shall receive reports and plans of the companies operating in their jurisdiction every six months. This is aimed at curing the defect where the non-involvement of local governments in mining operations has made it difficult for districts, sub-counties and landowners to assess the expected royalties from within their boundaries.

The bill requires applicants for exploration licences to provide a statement with proposals in regard to employment and training of Ugandans, a training plan to that effect and a budget while applying for the license. It is envisioned that the training should result in a succession plan for minimizing dependence on expatriates in favour of skills developed through this training, among others. - URN/The Observer

Details: Julius Mbaluto; East Africa; 19 July 2022; 492

IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati (left), Vice chairperson Juliana Cherera (centre) and Commissioner Francis Wanderi at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi on June 2, 2022 during the Presidential registration process. IEBC has sent a team to Greece to witness printing of ballot papers.

Representatives of Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition flag-bearer Raila Odinga flew to Greece last night to inspect the printing of presidential ballot papers.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said voters should expect images of running mates on the ballot in the August 9 polls.

IEBC vice chairperson Juliana Cherera said the commission granted all the four presidential candidates a chance to volunteer representatives to accompany its commissioners to Europe for the inspection.

Roots Party’s George Wajackoyah and Agano’s David Waihiga Mwaure did not, however, assign agents to accompany IEBC officials in the trip.

Visa delays

“Commissioners Boya Molu, Francis Wanderi and I, will lead the IEBC delegation to Greece and we shall be accompanied by representatives from Kenya Kwanza and Azimio,” Ms Cherera said.

The officials will visit Inform Lykos (Hellas) S.A. company, which was contracted to undertake the ballot printing.

Azimio sent lawyer Velma Maumo and veteran journalist Ben Agina while Kenya Kwanza declined to divulge the names of its representatives.

“We have nominated two representatives for the trip. As for the names, I will give you later,” United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Veronica Maina told the Nation.

Read:World’s watching, say envoys in call for a free and fair poll

Ms Cherera said the team was to leave for Greece last Friday but couldn’t due to visa delays.

Mr Odinga’s chief agent Saitabao Ole Kanchory said yesterday that Azimio representatives had been given a checklist of the things to monitor, including security features on the ballot papers and whether the photos of the running mate had been printed as per a High Court order.

The court had ruled that images of presidential and gubernatorial running mates be included on the ballot paper, following a successful petition by lawyer Mugambi Imanyara.

Conduct due diligence

However, Ms Cherera yesterday said the Commission had complied with the ruling.

“We did this a long time as per the ruling,” she said.

Mr Kanchory said Azimio representatives will be in Greece to conduct due diligence.

“Whether IEBC has complied with the order of the court to put the running mate’s pictures on the ballot. That is important to us,” he said.

“We also want to know what security features those ballot papers have as well as the deficit; the ballot papers ready and the ones yet to be printed. We have done a checklist for them,” he added. By Justus Ochieng', Daily Nation

Details: Julius Mbaluto; East Africa; 19 July 2022; 495

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) on Friday approved $73.5 million to finance a program that will boost Tanzania’s food production by a million tonnes in three years.

The Tanzania Agricultural Inputs Support Project, spanning September 2022-June 2025, was designed under the Bank Group’s African Emergency Food Production Facility (https://bit.ly/3OgTbX8) to tackle a potential food crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. It seeks to strengthen the country’s capacity to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat and edible oil production by 2030.

This approval comprises a $2.5 million grant from the resources of the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional window, and a $71 million loan. The Bank’s contribution represents 87.3% of the project’s total cost, estimated at $84.07 million. The Tanzanian government will provide the balance of $11 million.

The funds will help strengthen the supply of improved wheat, sunflower, and rice seeds that are climate resilient; ensure fertilizer availability and affordability; and support policies that improve the regulatory environment for the rapid uptake of certified seeds and fertilizers. Overall, the program will bolster the national production of wheat, sunflower and rice to mitigate food security risks and climate-induced stresses.

The project aligns with Tanzania’s Development Plan to boost agricultural production, enhance incomes, create employment, and diversify products

“The Russia-Ukraine conflict, combined with the impacts from Covid-19, climate change, and resultant high prices for fuel and fertilizer, has an adverse impact on poverty and food insecurity. Increases in the cost of edible oils, rice and wheat will affect all households, but hit the poorest most severely,” said Nnenna Nwabufo, the Bank’s Director General for East Africa.

Tanzania imports more than 90% of its wheat, 67% of which comes from Russia and Ukraine, 47% of vegetable oils from the two countries, and about 25% of fertilizer from Russia.

Recent estimates show that the combined food, fuel, and fertilizer shocks will lead to an additional 1.2 million people falling below the poverty line. The fertilizer shock is most detrimental for poorer rural households, which rely more heavily on agriculture for their income and spend a larger share of their income on food.

The projected additional production will directly benefit 1.2 million households. Other beneficiaries will include 1,000 small and medium-scale seed producers and agro-dealers and 10,000 unemployed young women and men through jobs in the wheat, sunflower and fertilizer value chains.

Under the project, land under wheat production will increase from 100,000 ha to 400,000 ha by 2025. Yields of wheat, sunflower and rice will double through the use of improved climate-resilient seeds.

Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, said the project aligns with Tanzania’s Development Plan to boost agricultural production, enhance incomes, create employment, and diversify products.

Approved by the Bank Group’s Board of Directors on 20 May, the African Emergency Food Production Facility (https://bit.ly/3RF137L) will provide 20 million African smallholder farmers with certified seeds and increase access to agricultural fertilizers and enable them to rapidly produce 38 million tons of food. This will result in a $12 billion increase in food production in just two years. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Details: Julius Mbaluto; East Africa; 19 July 2022; 495

President Uhuru Kenyatta during the virtual launch of the Kenya Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) Self-Starter by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization FILE

A United Nations (UN) expert has hailed the African Court on Human and People’s Rights decision for its landmark ruling against the Kenyan government.

The independent UN human rights expert on Monday, July 18, felicitated a decision by the African Court, to award reparations to the Ogiek indigenous peoples, for the harm they suffered due to “injustices and discrimination.”

The historic ruling comes after the Court issued a landmark judgment on May 26, 2017, finding that the government of Kenya violated the Ogiek's right to life, property, natural resources, development, religion, and culture under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Entrance to United Nations offices in Nairobi. TWITTER UNITED NATIONS

The Court ordered the government of Kenya to pay compensation of Ksh57,850,000 for material prejudice for loss of property and natural resources.

Further, the government was ordered to pay Ksh100 million for moral prejudice suffered by the Ogiek peoples, “due to violations of the right to non-discrimination, religion, culture and development”, according to a statement issued by the UN human rights office.

According to the Court, the government was also ordered to offer non-monetary reparations, such as restitution of Ogiek ancestral lands and full recognition of the Ogiek as indigenous peoples.

The Kenyan government was also ordered to carry out delimitation, demarcation, and titling in order to protect Ogiek property rights relating to the occupation, use, and enjoyment of the Mau Forest and its resources.

The Court ordered Kenya to take the necessary legislative, administrative, and other steps to recognise, respect, and protect the Ogiek's right to be consulted on development, conservation, and investment projects in their ancestral lands.

“This judgment and award of reparations mark another important step in the struggle of the Ogiek for recognition and protection of their rights to ancestral land in the Mau Forest and implementation of the 2017 judgment of the African Court,” the independent UN rights expert Francisco Calí Tzay, stated.

“I welcome this unprecedented ruling for reparations and acknowledge that the decision sends a strong signal for the protection of the land and cultural rights of the Ogiek in Kenya, and for indigenous peoples’ rights in Africa and around the world,” he added.

United Nations Tower in New York City.

UNITED NATIONS

Cal Tzay, based on the mandate's long-standing engagement in the promotion and protection of Ogiek rights, provided expert testimony to the Court in the landmark case.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples further challenged the Kenyan government to respect the Court's decision and swiftly implement this judgment and the court's 2017 ruling. By Mumbi Mutuko, Kenyans.co.ke