Donation Amount. Min £2

East Africa

  

The British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) has defended its use of white phosphorus during military drills in Kenya, clarifying that it is only used under strict safety precautions 

The chemical is used for night illumination during training but has been a cause of concern to environmentalists and pastoralist communities in Laikipia and Samburu counties.

Though its use is not banned, as a weapon, it can cause fire to rain down on targets, inflicting indiscriminate damage, and international laws require that it should not be used in areas occupied by civilians.

Mr Lorishio Kuri, a herdsman from Losesia village in Samburu East sub-county, recently told the Nation that he fears that it might cause a hazardous effect on his livestock.

“I hear there is a dangerous chemical being used by British soldiers. Our fear is that the chemical might find its way to our livestock watering points or it can be washed to our grazing fields, Mr Kuri said. 

 
 

Globally, the use of white phosphorus raised concerns at the height of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Russian soldiers of using the chemical weapon on civilians.

But Batuk’s community and media liaison officer, Adrian Weale, told journalists on Monday that Kenyans residing in areas bordering training grounds have nothing to fear because all the required safety standards have been put in place.

“We do train with it when conditions allow. If it is very dry and windy, we do not use it because it can start a fire. In terms of its environmental impact, it is no different from other high explosives used by other militaries across the world,” Major Weale said. 

About 3,000 British soldiers visit Kenya every year for training, with exercises taking place in the Lolldaiga Conservancy in Laikipia County and Archers Post in Samburu County.

Major Weale said residents who neighbour Archer’s Post, where soldiers conduct their training with live ammunition, should not be terrified because they conduct thorough surveillance before and after their exercises. 

“We have nothing to hide because we do not have any secrecy or sinister [motive]. We come here to train jointly with our KDF partners. We try to minimise negative impact to the environment by using simulation as much as possible. When things go wrong, we clean up ourselves

Major Weale spoke at Lolldaiga Conservancy, where British soldiers demonstrated to the media how they conduct their training in partnership with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Community members living around the Lolldaiga Conservancy have in the past one year been embroiled in a legal tussle with Batuk over a fire sparked during military training exercises that destroyed more than 10,000 acres of land. 

A liaison committee was formed by the Kenyan and United Kingdom governments and allowed community members to seek compensation over the fire that occurred in March 2021.

Aggrieved locals should channel their grievances to the liaison committee accordingly, Major Weale advised.

Speaking to the Nation recently, the UK High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, said the partnership between the two countries is intended to empower the local community economically. 

“Apart from their usual training, partnership with the local community is the heart of what Batuk do. We engage in community-based projects like supporting education, infrastructure, environment and health,” Ms Marriott said during her tour to Nanyuki.

Since the Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in 2016, Batuk has contributed over Sh5.8 billion to the local economy.

The British soldiers’ training base in Nanyuki offers permanent employment to over 550 Kenyans, while about 1,500 are casual employees.

“We have over the years had a good relationship with the local community in Nanyuki and vice versa. Batuk is a great investment to the local community and the love is felt both ways,” she said.  By Mwangi Ndirangu & James Murimi, NMG

  • A photo of Billionaire Bill Gates boarding a plane in the US at a past event. CAL AIRSERVICE
 
  • American Philanthropist Bill Gates arrived in Kenya on Tuesday, November 15 morning ahead of his anticipated engagement with various delegations across the country.

    According to reports, Gates will engage national and county government officials over various projects he is undertaking in the country.

    During his visit, the billionaire will focus on climate change initiatives in the country with a particular focus on farmers. 

    Gates is scheduled to have an extensive tour of Makueni county later, on Tuesday, November 15, where he will meet with select farmers from Kathonzweni and governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

    An image of the University of Nairobi (UoN) towers in Nairobi County.
    An image of the University of Nairobi (UoN) towers in Nairobi County. KENYANS.CO.KE

    In the lower Eastern county, the philanthropist behind Microsoft will also visit the Kathonzweni health centre. At the health facility, he will also engage will various health workers in talks.

    Additionally, Gates is expected to engage university students at the University of Nairobi (UoN) in a hybrid conference to be moderated by former Citizen TV journalist Uduak Amimo on Thursday, November 17.

    Discussions will revolve around climate change and food security.

    "The hybrid event will include a live audience of 500 students from universities in Nairobi and a virtual audience of students from universities across the continent. 

    "The 60-minute moderated town hall format will focus on the challenges and opportunities in food security and climate adaptation in Africa," UoN stated.

    Gates' visit to Kenya came barely days after announcing Ksh170 billion in funding for climate change programs in Africa. 

    Kenyan farmers were selected to benefit from the funding which will be used to develop technologies that can help farmers predict weather patterns.

    "Additional investments included in the commitment announced will support the development of new applications of digital technologies to ensure smallholder farmers can anticipate and respond to climate threats.

    "This includes an innovative weather intelligence platform developed through a new partnership between the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and TomorrowNow, which provides climate-smart agriculture strategies to farmers in East Africa via text messages," Gate Foundation announced.

    An image of philanthropist Bill Gates at a past event.
    An image of philanthropist Bill Gates at a past event. WIRED
     
 

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Tharaka ward representative Muthengi Ndagara have asked the government to offer adequate compensation to people likely to be affected by the proposed Sh425 billion High Grand Falls Dam, which will be the largest project in Kenya after the standard gauge railway (SGR).

It is among six projects to be undertaken under Kenya’s and the UK’s new strategic partnership mainly targeting the agriculture and energy sectors.  

But speaking yesterday during a funeral ceremony in Itunguni village, Tseikuru sub-county, the leaders dismissed plans to relocate people to a settlement scheme. 

Mr Musyoka said though he supports the project, which is part of the Sh1.5 trillion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor projects, the affected residents must be given adequate compensation.

“People must be given adequate monetary compensation so that they can choose where to resettle and not be forced into a settlement scheme,” said Mr Musyoka. 

The two leaders said there was a proposal to settle people relocated from Gakombe in Tharaka ward to neighbouring Meru National Park and insisted that they will not allow such a move.

Mr Ndagara said the Tharaka community in Tharaka Nithi and Kitui counties will be the most affected by the project, with at least six locations in Tharaka constituency – Gituma, Maragwa, Kirukuma, Kamwathu, Kamarandi and Marimanti – to be completely or partially swallowed by water.

“If people must be relocated to allow construction of the dam, they must be handled with dignity and paid enough money that will help them settle in other places comfortably and not be forced to a settlement scheme inside Meru National Park,” Mr Ndagara said.

The leaders said there must be enough public participation so that locals who are against the project can be convinced of its importance.

Mr Ndagara said it would be inhuman for residents to be forced out of their ancestral land by the government in order to construct the dam. 

Sh500 billion

The government of the United Kingdom recently agreed to finance the dam as one of six Sh500 billion projects to be undertaken under a new Kenya-UK strategic partnership mainly targeting the agriculture and energy sectors.

Work on the dam will start in 2024 and will take between three and five years. Some 400,000 hectares are targeted for irrigation and the dam will generate 1,000MW of electricity.

A feasibility study conducted in 2012 by the Tana and Athi River Development Authority (TARDA) indicated that at least 4,500 households would be affected in Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Kitui counties.

Tharaka Nithi leaders, led by Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara, have demanded a fresh feasibility study in order to capture every detail.

Mr Murugara said many things had changed since 2012 and the data was not reliable, especially for adequate compensation.

“We are demanding monetary compensation and a fresh feasibility study must be conducted,” said Mr Murugara in an interview with the Nation.Africa last week. By Alex Njeru, NMG
 

 

Ugandan fugitive warlord Joseph Kony in 2006. [Photo courtesy]

The US through the War Crimes Rewards Program has issued a USD5 million (SSP3 billion) bounty on any information that will lead to the arrest of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony.

JUBA — The US through the War Crimes Rewards Program has issued a USD5 million (SSP3 billion) bounty on any information that will lead to the arrest of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. 

In a statement through their Twitter account, US said that the fugitive was wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“Joseph Kony is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. No information is too small- help get him arrested!” the War Crimes Rewards Program said in the tweet.

 

He is the founder of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a Christian fundamentalist organization, designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Peacekeepers, the European Union and various other governments.

Considered as one of the most wanted warlords in Africa, he is accused of ordering for the abduction of children to become child soldiers and sex slaves. 

It is estimated that through LRA, 66,000 children were abducted to become soldiers, and 2 million people were displaced internally from 1986 to 2009 by his forces.

The end of Joseph Kony’s LRA in Uganda 

Since the Juba peace talks in 2006, LRA stopped operating in Uganda and the rebel army is said to have reduced in size to around 100 soldiers, from a high of 3,000.

Uganda and the US had stopped the hunt for Kony since he was no longer a security threat to Uganda. However, the US seems to have revived the hunt for Kony, who is believed to be hiding either in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), or South Sudan. 

Kony’s primary aim was to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s Ugandan government and establish a theocratic state based on the dominion theology. Source Sudan Post

US identifies three terror suspects. [Fathiya Noor, Standard]

The United States has identified three suspected Al Shabaab terrorists.

However, the US embassy in Kenya says the three; Mahad Karate, Jehad Mostafa, and Ahmed Diriye are still at large.

In a statement made on Monday, November 14 afternoon in Nairobi, the US has also offered a Sh 1.2 billion [$10 million] reward to persons with information on their whereabouts. 

““To our Kenyan and regional partners, the United States is offering reward money for information that will lead to the identification and disruption of Al-Shabaab’s revenue sources and funding. This is huge information on Al-Shabaab’s exploitation of local natural resources and financial donors and facilitators,” an official at the US embassy said.

According to the US, the trio who are leaders of the terror group are responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Kenya, Somalia, and other neighbouring countries.

The attacks have led to the loss of lives in hundreds. 

“We know that Al-Shabaab receives money through a plethora of illegal activities that go on around the world to fund their operations and to fund the killing of hundreds of civilians every year,” he added.

The informants are urged to submit the information through Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp to +254-71-87-12-366 (Kenya) or +252-68-43-43-308 (Somalia).  

The US embassy in Kenya has also promised to protect individuals who give information that will lead to the arrest of the three suspects. By Winfrey Owino, The Standard

About IEA Media Ltd

Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.

To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854.
If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.

We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.

Get in touch

Our Offices

London, UK
+44 7886 544135
editor (@) informereastafrica.com
Slough, UK
+44 7957 636854
info (@) informereastafrica.com

Latest News

Gachagua’s advice to Samidoh as he joins engagement forum with Kenyans in the US

Gachagua’s advice to...

DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua and Musician Samidoh Muchoki Former Deputy President Rigathi Gach...

‘I felt I was being gaslit’ – the landlord who helped Rayner Winn and Moth

‘I felt I was being...

‘I felt I was being gaslit’ – the landlord who helped Rayner Winn and Moth In 2018, the illustrated...

Karua: I am not going for anything less than the presidency

Karua: I am not goin...

People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua addressing Kenyans in the diaspora at Seattle, USA on...

Chinese firm to upgrade key road linking central and northern Uganda

Chinese firm to upgr...

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has launched the upgrade of an 87.6-kilometer road, including the...

For Advertisement

Big Reach

Informer East Africa is one platform for all people. It is a platform where you find so many professionals under one umbrella serving the African communities together.

Very Flexible

We exist to inform you, hear from you and connect you with what is happening around you. We do this professionally and timely as we endeavour to capture all that you should never miss. Informer East Africa is simply news for right now and the future.

Quality News

We only bring to you news that is verified, checked and follows strict journalistic guidelines and standards. We believe in 1. Objective coverage, 2. Impartiality and 3. Fair play.

Banner & Video Ads

A banner & video advertisement from our sponsors will show up every once in a while. It keeps us and our writers coffee replenished.