East Africa

East Africa

Details: East Africa; 09 December 2022; 739

Ecowas secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria. China will begin building the new Ecowas headquarters in Abuja, which it says is a donation of friendship. PHOTO | MOHAMMED MOMOH | NMG

What you need to know:

Beijing has already built the headquarters of the African Union (AU) and several institutional buildings across Africa, including the parliament building in Harare, Zimbabwe.
China is also building Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters expected to be completed early next year.
The communist country has also engaged in a number of projects in solar, wind and other clean energy sources, including the Kafue Lower Gorge Power Station in Zambia.

China will soon begin building the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in Abuja, Nigeria, to the tune of $32 million, entrenching Beijing's influence on regional blocs on the continent.

The Chinese have already broken ground for the head offices of the Ecowas secretariat, which China says is a "donation of friendship".

Beijing has already built the headquarters of the African Union (AU) and several institutional buildings across Africa, including the parliament building in Harare, Zimbabwe.

In January 2012, African heads of state and governments met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to commission a new $200 million 12-storey secretariat donated by China to serve as the organisation’s headquarters.

CDC headquarters

China is also building Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters expected to be completed early next year.

Apart from cash gifts and aid to Africa and its blocs, China also built the $140 million Zimbabwe parliament which was commissioned in July 2022.

In what it calls “strengthening friendship, solidarity and cooperation for a new era of common development’’ with Africa, China, aside from loans, has doled out various forms of financial assistance and made donations to cushion the continent against effects of health-related crises.

According to China's Foreign Affairs ministry, Beijing had delivered over $3 billion out of the $10 billion of credit facilities pledged to African financial institutions, and nearly $2.5 billion in loans were channelled to Africa’s priority programmes.

The ministry added that China’s import of African goods within seven months reached $70.6 billion.

In a publication released on September 19, 2022, the ministry said Chinese companies have invested $2.17 billion in Africa and “we are prepared to, through the IMF’s two trusts, re-channel 10 billion US dollars of its SDR to Africa, and encourage the IMF to direct China’s contributions to Africa”.

Vaccines

It said China has provided 189 million doses of vaccines to 27 African countries and a joint production of vaccines in Africa now has an annual capacity of about 400 million doses.

The communist country has also engaged in a number of projects in solar, wind and other clean energy sources, including the Kafue Lower Gorge Power Station in Zambia.

"In countries including Botswana and Burkina Faso, we are carrying out South-South cooperation for addressing climate change.

"In Seychelles, we are building a low-carbon demonstration zone. In Madagascar and Mozambique, we have supported their response to hurricanes, and helped enhance capacity for disaster preparedness and relief,’’ the Chinese ministry reported.

China has also started assisting Africa in accessing international diplomatic facilities, including the support to AU in joining the G20, and supporting Uganda in hosting a successful high-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The construction of the Ecowas new secretariat by China is just one of the projects meant to assist Africa, having watched the West African bloc struggle with inadequate facilities at its headquarters in Maitama district of Abuja.

Ground-breaking ceremony

At least three West African leaders — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his counterparts from Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone — as well as the president of the Ecowas Commission Omar Alieu Touray and Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun, presided over the ground-breaking ceremony.

According to the host, President Buhari, the building, which should be completed in 26 months, will house the three major Ecowas Institutions — the Ecowas Commission, the Community Court of Justice and the Parliament.

“We have waited for this day since 10th of July 2019 when Ecowas and the People's Republic of China signed an implementation agreement for this diplomatic gift to the West African states.

“The new complex [will] represent the unity and brotherhood of the member-states, as well as signify a re-commitment to progress and regional integration. It will be our home and a regional rallying point,” President Buhari said.

The new Ecowas secretariat is being built by Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation.

“To sponsor and construct the new Ecowas headquarters is a vivid reflection of China’s support to the work of Ecowas as well as the traditional friendship between China and the West African countries,” said the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun. By MOHAMMED MOMOH, NMG

Details: East Africa; 09 December 2022; 714

Fighting between rival army groups in remote areas of South Sudan's Upper Nile State has spread into a camp housing people displaced by the violence, religious leaders said Thursday.

The bloodshed has killed an unknown number of people while rape, murder and kidnapping have been reported as the conflict intensifies.

Father Paolino Tipo Deng, a Comboni missionary priest and chairman of Upper Nile Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation, urged warring parties to embrace peace and dialogue in a bid to restore stability.

“We condemn and reject such senseless and unnecessary war among people of one nation who are supposed to be living in peace and harmony, collaborating together for their good,” Deng told Anadolu Agency in the nation’s capital of Juba. “We urge the warring parties to a cease-fire and stop blood-shedding.”

The conflict erupted in August between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-opposition (SPLA-IO) faction, led by Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, and the Agwelek militia force under Gen. Johnson Olony.

The conflict later on expanded to members of the Nuer and Shiluk communities. The root cause of the conflict concerns land.

Deng urged the government to intervene and stop the conflict which has resulted in the deaths of civilians and displacement of thousands from their homelands.

“We call on the president, first vice president and all peace partners to take immediate action to stop the fighting and open up their hearts in a sincere dialogue to address the root causes of this conflict,” said Deng.

The abduction of women and children and the destruction of properties and livelihoods have also been reported.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, is alarmed by the escalating conflict which has displaced at least 20,000 people, some of them forced to flee for their lives up to four times as the conflict rages. At least 3,000 have already fled to neighboring Sudan, further intensifying South Sudan’s refugee crisis, the largest in Africa.

The armed conflict erupted in the village of Tonga on August 15. Violence has since spread further to northern parts of the states of Jonglei and Unity. It is currently advancing in the Upper Nile’s Fashoda county and is threatening the town of Kodok.

“Desperation is rising, and more people are fleeing as conflict intensifies,” said UNHCR’s Representative in South Sudan, Arafat Jamal. “Civilians are under attack in this ruthless conflict; we must ensure their protection.”

Women and children and others at high risk make up the majority of those displaced. Some elderly people or those with disabilities, have been unable to flee and are compelled to hide in bushes and along the White Nile River during attacks.

Fleeing civilians are visibly traumatized and report killings, injuries, gender-based violence, abductions, extortion, looting and burning of properties. Many have lost their homes and have been separated from their families.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has directed the Chief of Defense Forces, Santino Deng Wol, to deploy unified forces to conflict-affected areas in the Upper Nile state. - Benjamin Takpiny, Anadolu Agency

Details: East Africa; 07 December 2022; 788

Azimio coalition party leader Raila Odinga has arrived at the historic Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi for a public consultative forum. The meeting, according to Mr Odinga, is a coming together of Kenyans to share views on the state of affairs in the country. The meeting, according to Mr Odinga, is a coming together of Kenyans to share views on the state of affairs in the country.

Azimio coalition party leader Raila Odinga has arrived at the historic Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi for a public consultative forum.

The meeting, according to Mr Odinga, is a coming together of Kenyans to share views on the state of affairs in the country.

He's accompanied by other Azimio leaders including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Wycliffe Oparanya, Eugene Wamalwa and Edwin Sifuna among others

The consultative forum made 12 key resolutions to address the challenges facing Kenyans.

The leaders resolved that the William Ruto-led administration should be pressured to institute measures to reduce the cost of basic commodities, particularly by restoring subsidies of maize flour, fuel, school fees and electricity beginning January 2023, “failure to which Kenyans will be free to take such steps as they may deem fit to ease the burden of the yoke upon their shoulders”.

They said the government should also restore the school fees subsidy that saw the Education ministry reduce fees in all secondary schools and special needs schools.

They said that President Ruto should understand that “while his fortunes may have changed for the better”, for a majority of parents if not all, the economic situation has become worse or remained the same.

He's accompanied by other Azimio leaders including Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Wycliffe Oparanya, Eugene Wamalwa and Edwin Sifuna among others

The consultative forum made 12 key resolutions to address the challenges facing Kenyans.

They said the government should also restore the school fees subsidy that saw the Education ministry reduce fees in all secondary schools and special needs schools.

Details: East Africa; 07 December 2022; 678

President Museveni

President Museveni yesterday said all government departments will purchase electric buses as one of the ways to reduce costs associated with high fuel prices.

He said when fuel prices went up due to a war in Ukraine, Ugandans begged him to subsidise fuel and consumables such as food, something he could not do.

“I don’t agree with subsidising fuel for driving to night clubs. People kept on pressuring me that Kenya had subsidised. If Kenya did, I wish them good luck. The only thing I can accept to subsidise is fertilisers, not consumables,” Mr Museveni said.

President Museveni, who was speaking yesterday during the 3rd Bi-Annual Presidential CEO Forum at Chobe Safari Lodge in Karuma, Kiryandongo District, said as one of the ways to avoid high prices of fuel, he advised people to substitute diesel and petroleum vehicles with the electric ones but that the process is slow.

“Kira motor boss called for take-off agreements to promote E-mobility and this is going to be done. As a result, all government departments will buy electric buses and I encourage Uganda Development Bank (UDB) to give cheap loans to all Ugandans who want to buy electric motorcycles,” Mr Museveni said.

His revelation followed a request from the chief executive officer of Kira Motors Corporation, Mr Paul Musasizi, who asked the government to sign the take-off agreements.

Mr Musasizi also asked the government to give tax holidays to all people dealing in equipment of electric cars.

“Over 2.5 million people use public means to Kampala Metropolitan areas. If the UDB can give transport associations cheap loan to purchase only 2,000 buses, Kampala would be a better place,” Mr Musasizi said.

President Museveni directed the Ministry of Technology to set up an institute that will train people who will maintain electric cars.

He also said all people dealing in electric cars should be given tax holidays.

Meanwhile, President Museveni listed a number of business stimulus his government had been able to achieve such as peace health, education.

He said his government is now working on improving transport networks by ensuring that all districts are given enough money to work on their roads.

He added that the government is renovating railway transport as one of the means of reducing cost of cargo transport.

“Apart from road transport, I want put to emphasis railway and water transport. You can avoid road transport, which is expensive. We are going to renovate Kampala-Mbale-Soroti-Pakwachi railway” Mr Museveni said.

He also said they are working on reducing the power tariffs, something he said will also stimulate businesses. By Damali Mukhaye, Daily Monitor

Details: East Africa; 07 December 2022; 663

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino during a past political rally FILE

Embakasi Member of Parliament Babu Owino on Wednesday, December 7, put President William Ruto on the spot over unmet promises.

While addressing a public rally at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, the lawmaker told a charged crowd that Ruto rose into power by outrightly lying to Kenyans.

With his first 100 days in office lapsing, Owino argued that Ruto was yet to fulfil any of many pledges he made.

A file image of President William Ruto FILE

“Ruto lied to Kenyans that he will lower the prize of maize flour in first 100 days yet it has gone up,” Babu Owino lamented.

Ruto on September 13, had asked Kenyans to give him one week to lower maize flour price.

“We start the journey of reforming the agriculture sector next week so as to lower the cost of living in Kenya,” Ruto spoke back then.

Babu Owino further argued that Ruto had promised Kenyans free airtime something that was not actualized.

In the run up to the polls on June 29, while on the campaign trail, Ruto promised Kenyans, “You will no longer require airtime bundles; phone calls will be free in my government.”

The parliamentarian further faulted the president for giving Kenyans Hustler Fund loan instead of grant as earlier promised.

“Ruto promised Kenyans a grant but instead offered them a loan, I urge everyone to apply the loan and not pay.”

“There is no jail that accommodate every Kenyan if they default on payments,” Babu Owino told a charged crowd.

The MP further accused William Ruto of sabotaging the economy by banning clubs and Kazi Mtaani.

Babu warned Kenyans to prepare for tough times ahead as the country was heading to autocratic rule.

“We have dictatorship now in the country because the president has already captured the Judiciary, National Assembly and the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecutions,” the MP warned Kenyans.

A collage of ODM supporters in Kamukunji Nairobi, with Azimio Party leader Raila Odinga. By Kioko Nyamasyo, KENYANS.CO.KE