Buckingham Palace has announced that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 has died. Prince Charles is now the King. She died at Balmoral in Scotland where Doctors had put her under medical supervision.
The Queen died at the age of 96. She was the longest-serving monarch in British history. Her son Prince Charles has now become the King through hereditary monarch laws.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth became Queen while she was in Kenya; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth 11 on June 2, 1952 aged 25.
The Uganda Police on Tuesday evening announced that they had apprehended the prime suspect in a case of aggravated robbery where USD 429, 000 was stolen from the home of South Sudanese national Jacob Arok in Kampala.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Uganda Police said they were hunting Kampala socialite Charles Olim, also known as Sipapa, for the robbery in the Bunga suburb of Kampala in which the thugs made off with U.S. Dollars, phones, computers, and television among other items on 28 August.
Some of the loot was later recovered by the police at the home of Olim and his wife and four workers were detained to help with investigations.
The Kampala Metropolitan Area deputy Police spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Luke Owoyesigyire, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that they had apprehended the suspect Olim but refused to divulge how he was nabbed, saying the police will issue a statement later.
“He was arrested and we have him in our custody at the Central Police Station in Kampala,” he said. “We will issue a statement with all the details of the arrest and we are not looking for more accused persons in this case.”
On Tuesday night, the Uganda Police spokesperson, Fren Enanga, announced that Olim had been captured.
“We wish to inform the public that the Directorate of Crime Intelligence has arrested, one Olimu Charles Sipapa, who was on the Police wanted list, for an alleged Aggravated Robbery, which occurred at the home of Jacob Arok, in Kawuku-Bunga, on the night of 28.08.2022,” he said. “Arrangements are in place to hand him over to the CID task team at Kampala Metropolitan Police, for further interview and court action.”
“This now brings the number of suspects arrested to five and any new developments shall be communicated accordingly,” he added. - Radio Tamazuj
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is pushing for free media in the country as a good warning tool for future breaches in peace and security.
The Mission is supposed to prepare the ground for Somalia’s own security and other institutions to run the country from end of next year. But the Mission’s officials say free and independent media can help point out weaknesses that would otherwise boil to a full blown conflict.
“Media professionals have always played an important role in early warning, crisis response and post-conflict interventions. They can effectively contribute to conflict prevention, management and resolution,” Fiona Lortan, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) in Somalia, told a forum in Mogadishu on Monday.
And according to ATMIS, having free media in Somalia is part of a wider continental policy of ‘silencing the guns’, a vision where civil wars and other forms of violence are to end. Ms Lortan says African countries like Somalia should implement the policy by ensuring political commitment to eradicate triggers of conflict
“This places governance at the heart of efforts to address and end conflicts on the continent, and therefore also places the right to information and freedom of expression at the heart of peace and security efforts,” Ms Lortan added.
She spoke as Somalia’s journalists adopted a National Action Plan to push for safety of media workers and tame what they called the culture of intimidation and different forms of violence targeting journalists.
The Plan, a product of a three-day forum organised by the National Union for Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and supported by ATMIS and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a platform where the government, media outlets, journalists and other stakeholders commit to media freedom and protection of journalists.
Somalia is still the worst country in the region to work as a journalist, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). But journalists are often threatened by both government operatives and members of the terrorist group al-Shabaab, which ATMIS has been fighting for the last 13 years (initially known as the African Union Mission in Somalia [Amisom]).
NUSOJ said the Plan will help reduce incidents of attacks on journalists and improve working environment especially for female reporters.
“Our drive for safe journalism is action oriented, journalists-centred, conscious of local realities and conforms to global standards, while also fulfilling international obligations in defending media freedom,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary-General of NUSOJ.
“Women journalists have unique safety concerns that need to be addressed if the goal of a peaceful Somalia in which all citizens enjoy their rights without obstruction, and without the risk of retribution is to be met,” he added.
The three-day forum heard of a poor working environment for journalists, harassment, physical harm, hacking, blackmailing and intimidation journalists in Somalia face.
Ms Amal Hassan, a female journalist working in Mogadishu, told of how female are especially harassed while covering events like demonstrations or even speaking to sources.
“As women, we need to perform our work freely without discrimination, just like our male counterparts,” she told the gathering whose speakers also included representatives from the UNESCO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
UNESCO's Regional Communication and Information Advisor, Misako Ito, said media freedom safety can indicate how a country runs by rule of law.
"The safety of journalists and the issue of impunity require a solution that is of much greater impact, and able to bring different stakeholders with different expertise, resources, network and interest to put a positive change."
In spite of the dangers they face, Somali journalists hope the new government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud can remedy their situation.
Somalia Federal Minister for Internal Security, Dr Mohamed Ahmed Sheikh Ali told the forum the government will respect freedom of speech.
“Media freedom is key to a Somalia that is at peace,” he said.
“Our constitution guarantees media freedom and right to expression and safety. Citizens have the right to express their opinions, and to do so responsibly,” said Dr Mohamed.
The Plan will require legal remedies but will also mean stakeholders must address physical protection of journalists, mental health care, technological awareness and policies to address gender-based violence. By Aggrey Mutambo, Daily Nation
The victims were about to be shipped out of the country when they were rescued
In Summary
•The trio are currently in custody at Muthaiga police station being processed for arraignment.
•The victims are in protective custody as detectives continue with their documentation.
Three suspects have been arrested and 18 human trafficking victims rescued by detectives from Transnational Organized Crimes Unit.
They had been harboured at a house in Athi River.
The suspects are Abdullahi Hussein Mohamed, 32, Hassan Ibrahim Godana, 35 and Chari Dulacha, 40.
Directorate of Criminal Investigation boss George Kinoti said the 18 were about to be shipped out of the country when the detectives rescued them, following intelligence leads.
The rescue of the victims and subsequent arrest of the suspects comes in the wake of increased cases of mistreatment of migrant workers in the gulf.
“Job seekers are advised to be wary of unscrupulous employment agents who are not recognized by the government but end up sneaking out immigrants without proper documentation,” Kinoti said.
The trio are currently in custody at Muthaiga police station being processed for arraignment.
The victims are in protective custody as detectives continue with their documentation. By Purity Wangui, The Star
NAIROBI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's incoming President William Ruto said Monday his administration will prioritize economic turnaround, peace, reconciliation, and cohesion once he is sworn into office next week.
Ruto in a televised address to the nation soon after the Supreme Court declared he was validly elected as Kenya's fifth president, pledged to transform the economy, ensure growth was shared evenly, and unite the country after a fractious campaign season.
"The journey for transforming this country's economy and open opportunities for everyone regardless of ethnic origin, creed, gender, and political persuasion has begun," Ruto remarked in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Ruto, who turns 56 years old on December 21, 2022, was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman on Aug. 15, after garnering 7.17 million or 50.49 percent of 14.1 million votes cast during the Aug. 9 polls.
His closest rival in the race and veteran opposition leader, Raila Odinga garnered 6.9 million or 48.85 percent of votes cast but disputed Ruto's victory citing electoral malpractices.
Odinga and a host of civil society activists later filed a petition at the Supreme Court to overturn Ruto's victory but the seven bench judges of the apex court in their ruling on Monday dismissed the consolidated petitions, citing a lack of tangible evidence.
By upholding Ruto as validly elected fifth Kenyan President, the apex court paved way for his swearing-in after one week as stipulated in the country's constitution.
Ruto who made history by becoming Kenyan President in his first attempt vowed to reach out to political competitors to build a united, prosperous, and democratic country.
"Now that the lengthy protracted electoral cycle has come to an end, I will extend a hand of friendship to my worthy competitors to build a society of hope, opportunity, and progress," said Ruto.
He pledged to build on the legacy of his predecessor, the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta besides ensuring that other national leaders are accorded respect and protection in their retirement.
In addition, Ruto said his administration will respect the rule of law, nurture political pluralism, and ensure independent institutions are adequately funded and shielded from meddling by the executive arm of government.
He said that during his hundred days in office, he will implement an ambitious framework to tackle youth unemployment and ease inflationary pressures on households.
Ruto takes over the reins of power at a time when Kenyans are reeling from an economic downturn linked to a prolonged drought, pandemic-related disruptions, and the Ukraine crisis. - Xinhua
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