Rwanda will be the regional headquarters of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) after President Paul Kagame signed a decree on the establishment of its headquarters in his country. The Wildlife Conservation Society is a non-profit international organization that is responsible for the conservation of wildlife and the management of parks around the world.
WCS’s goal is to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 14 priority regions which are homes to more than 50 percent of the world’s biodiversity. A presidential decree authorizing WCS to have a seat in Rwanda was published in the Official Gazette dated December 31, 2021, a report from Kigali said.
The Wildlife Conservation Society will be licensed to have infrastructure in Rwanda including buildings, land, equipment, offices, laboratories, and other facilities that will assist in fulfilling its obligations under the terms of the agreement signed by both parties.
The agreement also stipulates that the equipment that the WCS will need in its day-to-day work will be eligible for tax exemption and that the Government of Rwanda will make it easier for Visa to have its international staff working in Rwanda. These workers and their families will have the same immunity and opportunity as others on their local level, the report said.
The WCS presence in Rwanda will help in implementing wildlife conservation projects in other countries as to address the impacts of climate change. The organization also carry out research on biodiversity, cross-border conservation and biodiversity activities, and identifies solutions to problems that threaten the natural resources.
A Rwanda cabinet meeting had approved in December last year, the request to nominate Nyungwe National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nyungwe Park is worth US$4.8 billion by its value and feeds 2 of the world’s largest rivers – the Congo and the Nile. It is also the source of at least 70 percent of Rwanda’s freshwater.
The conservation and climate resilient project dubbed “Building Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Variability in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide through Forest and Landscape Restoration” will be implemented around Nyungwe National Park, Volcano National Park, and Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Gishwati-Mukura landscape has already been recognized internationally after being designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve, while Volcano National Park known for its mountain gorillas was designated as biosphere reserve many years ago. - Apolinari Tairo, eTurboNews
FILE - A Total petrol station is seen in Kampala, Uganda, Jan. 28, 2020. A fuel shortage in the country has sent prices skyrocketing.
KAMPALA, UGANDA —
Ugandans were struggling Monday with a fuel shortage that has sent prices skyrocketing, as hundreds of trucks remain stuck in huge tailbacks at the border with Kenya.
Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa said the border delays were caused by a faulty scanner used by custom officials to check vehicles, and "issues regarding COVID-19."
Truck drivers have been complaining of massive queues at Uganda's eastern border as officials carry out mandatory coronavirus testing.
In the western district of Hoima, ironically the area where Uganda discovered large oil deposits earlier this century, a liter of fuel was selling at $3.40 (12,000 Ugandan shillings) — up from $1.13 (4,000 Ugandan shillings) previously.
The pumps had run dry at other petrol stations in the north and west of the landlocked East African country, according to checks by Agence France-Presse.
"I call on the dealers not to use this chance to cheat Ugandans," Nankabirwa said.
"I know we are following a liberalized economy where goods follow market demand to determine prices, but you can't put fuel (up) from 4,000 to 12,000 Ugandan shillings. That is cheating."
Ugandans were also reporting hikes in taxi and bus fares in many parts of the country, which is a net oil importer.
One truck driver, Mohammed Abubaker Kayima, told AFP there were queues of goods vehicles stranded at the Malaba border crossing between Uganda and Kenya.
"There are hundreds of trucks clogged at the border waiting for clearance from customs and COVID-19 task forces," the 57-year-old said. "Some have been there for days." AFP/VOA
The Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, January 17, reaffirmed her willingness to join the East African Community, as negotiations paving way for its admission into the six-member bloc were launched in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
This is after regional leaders last month recommended that the negotiations be undertaken with speed and efficiency.
In Nairobi, according to a statement from the EAC, DR Congo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Apala, said his country was looking forward to increased trade and investment, and strengthened relations with the EAC, adding that her relations with EAC Partner States had largely been at a bilateral level.
Pen’Apala said that DR Congo was keen on cooperating with the EAC for maximum exploitation of both natural and human resources in the region.
As noted, Pen’Apala expressed hope that this would be the last round of negotiations before DR Congo is admitted into the EAC.
10 day window
The Minister said that DR Congo has a big population who can considerably expand the market for the EAC, adding that his country was also in dire need of investors and was therefore offering incentives for entrepreneurs who would like to invest in the country.
The Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers who is also Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC and Regional Development, Adan Mohamed, said that the EAC and DR Congo negotiation teams were expected to conclude their negotiations within 10 days.
Mohamed said that the report of the negotiations would then be presented to the Council which would later submit it to the Summit of EAC Heads of State for consideration.
EAC Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, said: “Once this phase is successfully concluded, it shall pave the way for the accession phase which literally concludes the admission process.”
Pen’Apala noted that DR Congo faces security challenges in the eastern part of the country, and was therefore keen on tackling these challenges together with the EAC.
The Congolese Minister disclosed that his country had embarked on a national programme of reconstruction in various sectors including infrastructure, agriculture, energy and environmental conservation. He said that DR Congo had the world’s second largest natural ecosystem in the Congo Forest and was keen on preserving this system from wanton destruction to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The EAC Summit on December 22, 2021, directed regional ministers to expeditiously undertake negotiations with the DR Congo in accordance with the bloc’s procedures for admission of new members.
The procedure for admission of the DR Congo entails four stages: a verification exercise; negotiations with the country on its admission to the EAC directed by Summit; eventual admission; and the final deposition of the instrument of acceptance of the terms of admission by the country within six months of its admission to the Community.
Mid last year, a verification team was deployed in the country and it submitted its report to the Council of Ministers last December. What follows now includes: negotiations at senior, PS and ministerial levels between January and February.
The next step will be the consideration of the negotiations report by the extraordinary Council of Ministers, by March.
If all goes according to plan, next will be the consideration of the recommendations of Council and decision on admission of DR Congo into the EAC by the Extra Ordinary Summit, by April 11, 2022.
So far, the EAC has undertaken seven out of the 10 agreed steps towards the admission of the DR Congo into the bloc.
Mathuki noted that DR Congo’s intention to join the Community is not by default as the vast country shares borders with five EAC Partner States – Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.
Leading the negotiation teams is Dr. Alice Yalla for EAC and Prof. Serge Tshibangu Kabeya for DR Congo.
The role of the negotiations with the DR Congo is to establish its readiness to comply with the set six criteria as stipulated under the EAC Treaty and the bloc’s procedure for admission. The six criteria include: acceptance of the Community as set out in the Treaty; adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice; potential contribution to the strengthening of integration within the region; geographical proximity to and inter-dependence between the foreign country and partner states; establishment and maintenance of a market driven economy; and social and economic policies being compatible with those of the bloc.
The negotiations will also take into account the country profile of the DR Congo and establish, among others, its level of compatibility with the EAC's stages of development in trade liberalization and development; co-operation in investment and industrial development; coordination in monetary and financial matters; development of infrastructure and services; development of human resources; and the development of agriculture and natural resources.
The whole process started when Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on June 8, 2019, wrote to the then EAC Chairperson, President Paul Kagame, expressing his country’s wish to be a member of the regional bloc.
By DR Congo joining the six-member bloc, it is expected to bolster the bloc’s economic potential through various ways including opening the corridor from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, as well as North to South, hence expanding the economic potential of the region. - James Karuhanga, The New Times
Heavily armed police officers on Monday night stormed businessman Jimi Wanjigi's Westlands offices.
The police raided the offices around 9: 30 pm and as per CCTV images, they were still at the premises as of 10:30 pm.
His Lawyer Willis Otieno has confirmed the raid.
Comedian Eric Omondi who was in a meeting with Wanjigi at the offices at the time of the raid said the officers were from the elite group flying squad.
"Flying squad wako kwa gate na sisi tuko ndani meeting( Fly squad are at the gate and we are inside holding a meeting," he wrote on his social media handle.
The office hosts official activities of Kwacha Group of companies and is located off General Mathenge Road in Parklands.
It also coordinates Wanjigi's campaign activities. The businessman is eyeing the presidency.
The tycoon was reportedly holed up in his office together with his son during the raid.
Armed police officers at businessman Jimi Wanjigi's Westland offices. Image:COURTESY
A section of Kenyans took to social media to protest the raiding terming it unconstitutional and inhuman.
Lawyer Ahmmednasir Abdullahi condemned the police for the incident and called on the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to follow proper channels when pursuing suspects.
Ahmednasir linked Wanjigi's woes to his presidential ambitions saying he is being harassed to back down in his bid to dislodge ODM leader Raila Odinga as the Orange party's flagbearer.
"It's very obvious that Jimi Wanjigi is being harassed by the police in order to allow Hon Raila to have a free run in the ODM Presidential nominations," he said.
Lawyer Miguna Miguna also weighed in on the developments and said: "If you want to arrest anyone, attend at their homes during day time and serve them with a warrant of arrest. Don't attack in darkness in civilian clothes".
The raid comes years after the police raided his home in Muthaiga in October 2017 in a dramatic incident that saw the ODM leader Raila and his allies pitch a tent at the home the whole night.
The raid saw five AK 47 guns and hundreds of bullets recovered. Attempts by police to arrest the billionaire that night failed as police could not locate him in his house.
The billionaire had been accused of smuggling guns into the country with accomplices. By Bosco Marita, The Star
ODM leader Raila Odinga when he acknowledged greetings from the people of Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County on January 10, 2021. Image:RAILA ODINGA/TWITTER
ODM boss Raila Odinga has once again hit out against Deputy President William Ruto's hustler campaigns, saying he is determined to agitate for class war.
The former prime minister said the best way to empower the poor is by providing opportunities and not fighting the rich.
"In an economy, there will always be the rich and the poor, but you don't deprive the rich to give the poor," Raila said.
He went on: "..but what this one (Ruto) is doing is purely agitating for class war."
The DP has been insisting that the country is ripe for a radical shift in its economic management saying the bottom-up model is the best remedy to empower the poor.
He has trashed the current system which he has termed as a trickle-down economic model that he argues has only enriched a few Kenyans.
The ODM boss said his government, under the Azimio La Umoja, will create opportunities for the poor to create wealth and broaden the middle-income bracket.
"The Azimio journey is on to unite the country and bring all Kenyans together," he said.
The ex-PM spoke on Monday in Naivasha after a meeting with nearly 30 governors supporting his Azimio La Umoja movement.
He said his administration will seek to strengthen devolution and push for the establishment of industries in every sub-county.
"We will have one sub-county, one industry, one product to spur the country's industrialization," he said.
During the meeting, Raila asked governors to spearhead the ongoing mass voter registration in their regions which started on Monday.
"Today is a very important day because the exercise for voter registration has started, let us go down there and mobilize our young people to register to participate in the most important election in our history," he said. Edited by D Tarus/By James Mbaka, The Star
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