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East Africa

Photo Courtesy KDRTV

 

Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga’s cousin Jalango Midiwo has failed to accept defeat after loosing to ODM nominations to incumbent MP Elisha Odhiambo. 

While speaking on Friday April 15, Midiwo petitioned the ODM National Elections Board to redo the nominations, claiming that the process was unfair.

He noted that nomination kits came late and were not installed properly in some polling stations.

“The kits arrived at the polling station late, some of the kits in my stronghold were not configured,” Midiwo said as quoted by The Star Newspaper. 

Midiwo also saw malice in the way the personnel in charge of the nominations were identified, claiming that the majority of them were allies of his opponent.

“All the clerks in gem were teachers, teachers whom we know, and they are allied to the outgoing MP Elisha Odhiambo, we wonder how the clerks were arrived at and even the returning officer is a well-known friend of the outgoing MP,” Midiwo alleged.

Elisha Odhiambo received 7,405 votes in the nomination to become the Orange party’s contender for the Gem parliamentary seat, while Raila Odinga’s cousin received 6,383.

Jalango Midiwo is brother to the late Jakoyo Midiwo. By Ezra Nyakundi, KDRTV

John Magufuli. The efforts to “demagufulify” Tanzania are continuing, but these have to grapple with obstacles at every turn and accept these as part of the legacy of the departed leader that will die very hard. PHOTO | FILE

The efforts to “demagufulify” Tanzania are continuing, but, as I expected, these have to grapple with obstacles at every turn and accept these as part of the legacy of the departed leader that will die very hard.

That is the way the cookie crumbles, and to expect anything less would be to engage in daydreaming.

See, for five years and some, John Magufuli ran the country like it was his personal fiefdom. He beat “his” party — for which he had absolutely no respect — into submission, rewrote its governance rules, put at its helm his appointed hatchet men and made it do his bidding, all in the space of five years.

He handpicked minions and gave them responsibilities they could not qualify for, flouted every rule in the book and these rendered his people dizzy with the incalculable powers they now wielded.

Mere mortals, most with pedestrian abilities at best, these individuals grew fangs, scales, claws and talons overnight, went around harassing people, organising gender-based violence and leading raiding parties on people’s property.

They did this with such impunity that one was made to wonder if the president — who was known to have a soft spot with for his lads — really knew what they were up to and whether, if he knew, he even cared. 

The perennial excuse that “the man was good but his advisers were bad” cannot stand scrutiny when used about this man.

Several times, after swearing in the people he had appointed to go harass his country men and women, all he told them was “don’t forget you have those hours you can detain people without trial”. It is safe to assume that he knew what they were doing and did not give a hoot how far they went.

We have in our midst people who will feel that they have been shoved away from their dirty manger by the death of Magufuli, and they do not know how to reinvent themselves so as to be accepted as honourable members of society.

I believe some of them might as well come out, dust themselves up and start behaving like ordinary citizens, and contribute to the building of their nation.

But some of them are beyond local repair, having gone overboard in the exactions that they meted out to the people of this country. Some of them were involved in the thievery that went on all along the time that Magufuli was sitting at the top of the food chain.

A lot of them went much further and earlier, back in the day when the man who would become president was still doing his shenanigans in the construction industry.

These were the boys who were with him during his heyday of building roads and bridges, a lot of them sub-standard, the era of appropriating government houses and giving them out free.

Later came the days of land grabbing in all the provinces and the days of so-called “plea-bargaining,” a device put in place for him, by lawyers, to extort and shake down people who might have had issues with law enforcement and were desperate to buy their freedom. The catalogue is too long, the people involved in this chicanery too many.

So they will balk at any and every attempt to put the record straight, and will advance the same tired excuses we are always hearing, like respect for dead people, letting “bygones be bygones,” and concentrating on “going forward” lame excuse by people who do not want to look their past in the face.

Of course, there are those who genuinely thought Magufuli was for the good of this country because “he fought corruption” and stopped the “exploitation by imperialists,” to which I say, “fiddlesticks!”

We may soon know about the man’s so-called integrity, but I doubt the credentials of anyone fighting corruption who starts by killing the media and parliament.

Once you do that, how do you go about fighting graft, unless it is in the same way that he managed to “defeat Covid?” Prayer and fasting?

At some stage we will have to deal with a new culture introduced into our politic — assassination.

A couple of people have been mentioned as victims of assassination, real people who were known to the public, and who have disappeared without a trace!

While I may not be allowed to surmise that Magufuli killed them — at least they were known to disagree with him — but it is my duty as a public servant to say they have disappeared and their whereabouts are not known, and this happened on Magufuli’s watch.

Another one, lucky to be still around, had 16 bullets pumped into him, and now walks with a bad limp and a bullet still in his body as a souvenir!

Now, the media spaces which Magufuli forcibly closed down without using any recognised legal mechanism are reopening, thanks to President Samia Suluhu.

Those who may have been involved in the excesses for which some of us accuse Magufuli should feel free to come forward and answer our charges and press their case as to why we should treat this man as a great man.

Shouting down people who are asking legit questions will not cut ice. By Jenerali Ulimwengu, The East African

Jenerali Ulimwengu is now on YouTube via jeneralionline tv. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CS Monica Juma: Fuel subsidy to continue, new prices won’t shock you

Acting Petroleum Cabinet Secretary (CS) Monica Juma has assured Kenyans that the Government will continue paying subsidies to oil marketing companies.

This, she says, will ensure Kenyans are cushioned against high fuel costs.

Her assurance comes on the back of speculation that the State was contemplating discontinuing the fuel stabilisation programme over its alleged unsustainability. 

The Government currently owes the oil marketing companies Shs 14.52 billion under the fuel stabilisation kitty.

In absence of the subsidies, projections indicated that motorists would pay as high as Shs 175 for a litre of petrol and Shs 160 for a litre of diesel.

 

Currently in Nairobi, a litre of petrol retails at Shs 134.72, diesel goes for Shs 115.6 and kerosene Shs 103.54.

CS Juma, in an address to journalists at Kawi House in Nairobi on Thursday, April 14, said the Government is working on administrative and logistical processes to dispatch the subsidy arrears to the oil marketers.

The government has paid oil marketers up to Shs 34.64 billion in fuel subsidy since April last year. The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) will announce its monthly review of the fuel prices later today (Thursday, April 14).

With CS Juma’s assurance on fuel stabilisation fund, the prices, even if they’d rise, the review won’t subject Kenyans to shock.

The minister projected that the fuel crisis will be resolved in 72 hours’ time from Thursday, April 14. By Brian Okoth, The Standard

  • File photo of British soldiers during their past military drill FILE/Photo Courtesy  
  • British soldiers accused of starting a bushfire in a village in Nanyuki, Laikipia County will now face charges after they lost their diplomatic immunity against lawsuits in Kenya.

    The British soldiers were accused of starting a wildfire at Lolldaiga Hills Ranch, a 49,000 acre sanctuary where they train, risking the lives of over 1,000 locals in March 2021.

    In a landmark ruling delivered on Wednesday, April 13, High Court Judge Antonina Bore argued that the United Kingdom government waived diplomatic immunity to legal action through an agreement that was signed in 2015.

    An undated photo of a signpost showing the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) located in Nanyuki
    A photo of a signpost showing the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) located in Nanyuki.
    FACEBOOK-BRITISH ARMY
     

    The Judge noted that as a unit of the British Army, BATUK has no legal entity separate from the UK government.

    "It is evident that Kenya would have jurisdiction for civil claims and liabilities arising from activities in its territory under the agreement while the UK would have jurisdiction for civil claims and liabilities arising from activities in its territory," Justice Bore stated. 

    "The allegation in the petition is that British soldiers caused a huge fire in the military training grounds in Lolldaiga, which is in Kenya. Kenya, therefore, has jurisdiction."

    The judgment explained that the British soldiers are required to be sensitive to the traditions, customs, and culture of the people.

    "In the court's view this clause anticipated the kind of claim brought by the petitioners," concluded Justice Bore.

    The Judge ordered that The African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action (ACCPA) and the local people must now go through a dispute resolution process in a bid to agree on terms with the UK government.

    The case was filed by ACCPA against BATUK seeking compensation and reparations noting that the fire was caused by British soldiers.

    However, BATUK denied being behind the fire and maintained that its soldiers were protected from prosecution by diplomatic immunity. 

    UK government on the other hand, has not issued a statement following the landmark ruling. By GEOFFREY LUTTA , Kenyans.co.ke

The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, the Most Rev  Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, delivers his Easter message in Namirembe, Kampala on April 13, 2022. PHOTO /FRANK BAGUMA

What you need to know:

  • For almost a year now, Ugandans have suffered high commodity prices despite most of them not working during the two-year Covid-19 induced lockdown.

The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, has appealed to the government to intervene and save Ugandans from the burden of skyrocketing commodity prices.  While delivering this year’s Easter message yesterday at his residence in Namirembe, Kampala, Archbishop Kaziimba said some Ugandans have resorted to stealing to make ends meet while others are committing murder. 


He, however, urged Ugandans to desist from evil acts and be hopeful beyond affliction as they celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  “I feel pain in my heart because of the increasing commodity prices, like fuel and food. Some people have gone to the extent of stealing and killing others like it has been the case in Kyengera Town Council. I appeal to government to intervene.  It is a challenging situation but believe and trust in the Lord. Repent and look for better ways of making money,” he said.

For almost a year now, Ugandans have suffered high commodity prices despite most of them not working during the two-year Covid-19 induced lockdown.
Early this month, Members of Parliament rejected a statement  by Minister of State for Trade,  Ms Harriet Ntabazi, on skyrocketing commodity prices, saying  it fell short of providing immediate interventions.


During plenary sitting on April 11, Ms Ntabazi said to address the escalating prices of laundry bar soap, cooking oil and sugar, government plans to expand the production of crude palm oil in Buvuma, Kalangala, Bundibugyo, greater Masaka and other areas. The minister blamed the high prices on the Ukraine-Russia war which she said has created a shortage of supply of inputs more especially raw materials of some of the goods produced in Uganda. 

On the issue of high fuel prices, the minister said the Petroleum Supply Act 2003, mandates the Minister of Energy to intervene but was quick to add that the prices in Uganda were fair compared to other East African countries. Ms Ntabazi said in Kenya, a litre of fuel has gone up to Shs 6,800 while in Tanzania it is sold at Shs 6,000. Currently, a litre of petrol is trading at Shs 5,230 at many fuel stations.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Kaziimba also congratulated the dioceses of Kumi, Nebbi, Mbale, and Northern Uganda upon getting new bishops.  He appealed to the church leadership to always ensure peaceful transition of power. The archbishop also prayed for families that have lost their loved ones, including that of the former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah. He also called upon Ugandans to pray for the restoration of peace in war-torn countries such as Ukraine.  

Regarding Covid-19, the archbishop emphasised the importance of observing standard operating procedures, including proper wearing of masks and use of sanitisers. 
Archbishop Kaziimba advised families to take care of their children, especially during holidays, and refrain from domestic violence.
 DON'T MISS: More solutions required to stem rising prices


“Parents don’t look at children as a burden, but take care of them and ensure they stay safe during holidays. Avoid domestic violence. I have heard that even husbands, especially of economically empowered women, suffer from violence,”  he said.  The archbishop wished all Ugandans a blessed Holy Week and glorious Easter.  This year’s Easter will be observed on Sunday, April 17. By JANE NAFULA , Daily Monitor

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