AFRICA – KMAUPDATES

May312020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

AFRICA: Gunmen kill 20 at cattle market’ in Kompienga, Burkina Faso.

At least 20 people have been killed in eastern Burkina Faso when gunmen stormed a cattle market, reports say. Gunmen on motorbikes fired into the crowded market in Kompienga town in the middle of the day on Saturday, eyewitnesses were quoted as saying by local media. It is unclear who was behind the attack. Burkina Faso has seen a sharp rise in jihadist violence and inter-communal clashes in recent months. The violence has forced hundreds of thousand of people to flee their homes. On Friday at least 15 people were killed when suspected Islamist militants attacked a convoy of traders in the north, near the border with Mali. The government blamed the attack on "terrorists", a phrase usually used to the al-Qaeda and Islamic State-linked jihadists Burkina Faso has been battl...

May312020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

EAST AFRICA: Kenya, Uganda scramble to clear Malaba border crisis.

AFRICA, COVID-19, EAST AFRICA, KENYA, UGANDA

Despite an agreement arrived at on Wednesday by government officials from Kenya and Uganda on the process of Covid-19 testing for truckers at the common border, an association for Kenyan truck drivers on Thursday advised its members to suspend services until both governments address stigma and harassment. Secretary-general of the Kenyan truckers union Nicholas Mbugua said on Thursday: “There is no safety agreement between Kenya and Uganda and yet drivers are being coerced by police officers to cross over to Uganda. We demand to be guaranteed the safety of our drivers in Uganda.” Speaking at the union’s offices in Mlolongo, Mr Mbugua said the drivers were tired of ‘’unbearable humiliation drivers were subjected to in Uganda”. The truckers had blocked the Kenyan side of the border ...

May312020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

UGANDA: Police operations director AIGP Asuman Mugenyi quits.

AFRICA, FEATURE STORIES, UGANDA, Uganda Police Force

The director of Operations Services in the Police Force, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asuman Mugenyi has officially quit the institution he has served for over 32 years. AIGP Mugenyi served his last day in police uniform on Friday, May 29 and has since handed over to his deputy Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP) John Nuwagiira. Although earlier reports indicated that AIGP Mugenyi had been suspended and others claiming he had been fired, police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, clarified that he had served his contract. “He simply observed his contract to the end,” said the Police spokesperson.Mr Mugenyi becomes the fifth AIGP to quit the institution in the last three years. Two months ago, AIGP Steven Kasiima, who was director traffic and road safety was forced ou...

May312020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

AFRICA: Rwanda confirms first COVID-19 death.

AFRICA, COVID-19, HEALTH, RWANDA

KIGALI — Rwanda has on Saturday May 31 recorded the first coronavirus death. The country’s Ministry of Health says the deceased is a 65-year old truck driver who was residing in a neighbouring country. “After seriously falling ill, the patient decided to return to his home country,” the ministry wrote without specifying the country. “He received intensive care treatment at a specialized COVID-19 facility but unfortunately passed away due to severe respiratory complications,” Rwanda’s Ministry of Health wrote As of May 30, 2020, the coronavirus tally of confirmed cases in Rwanda stands at 359 of which 250 have fully recovered and discharged from the hospital. The active cases according to latest update stand at 108. So far Rwanda has eased a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown, ...

May312020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

CORONAVIRUS: Uganda registers highest single-day COVID-19 cases.

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, HEALTH, UGANDA

KAMPALA – Uganda has on Saturday, May 30 recorded 84 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number the country has registered in a single day. This brings the total confirmed cases now to 413. According to the ministry of health, 52 new cases are truck drivers of whom 50 arrived from South Sudan via Elegu, while 2 arrived from Kenya via Busia. “32 of the new confirmed cases are contacts to previously confirmed cases. All were under quarantine at the time of test,” said the ministry. The ministry says that samples from Points of Entry tested were 1,477 and those from alerts and contacts were 358. “Total samples tested today: 1,835.” The ministry also revealed that total recoveries are now 72. Additionally, 51 positive foreign truck drivers were handed over to their country of or...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Parliament passes a Bill regulating mobile money

AFRICA

Kampala, Uganda --- On 29th May 2020, the Parliament of Uganda passed the National Payment Systems Bill, 2019, that will among others regulate and provide for the safety and efficiency of payment systems and issuance of electronic money. The Bill presented to the House by State Minister for Finance, Hon. David Bahati on Thursday, 14th November 20l9 seeks to create a comprehensive payment system law in Uganda. According to a report on the Bill by the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the absence of a national payment systems law has created uncertainty in the market regarding licensing of payment systems service providers who are not financial institutions. These include among others telecom companies providing mobile money services as well as mobile applica...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT THIS WEEK

AFRICA

Sunday, 31 May 2020 – On Tuesday, the National Council of Provinces will hold its first virtual sitting to consider the 2020 Division of Revenue Bill. The Bill provides for equitable division of funds raised nationally among the national, provincial and local spheres of government for a particular financial year. Minister of Finance Mr Tito Mboweni tabled the Bill, when he delivered the 2020 Budget Speech to Parliament in February, and it was passed by the National Assembly on 18 March. On Thursday, the Women’s Charter Review Sessions move to the Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality in the Northern Cape. The sessions are being held to assess progress in implementing the 1994 Women’s Charter for Effective Equality. Sessions are planned for all five Northern Cape District Municip...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – South Sudan: Another Vice-president tests positive for COVID-19

AFRICA

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN --- South Sudan’s Vice President James Wani Igga has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Igga becomes the third Vice President to contract the contagious disease in a span of two weeks, or at least go public about the status. Igga, Vice President in charge of the economic cluster, announced his test result while speaking on state television in Juba on Saturday. James Wani Igga, South Sudan Vice President in charge of the economic cluster “My samples were taken for testing some few days ago and today it has been found positive,” Igga said. Last Wednesday, Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi also revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19. A fortnight ago, Vice President Riek Machar and his wife Angelina Teny also confirmed that thei...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

The “High 5s”: A strategic vision and results that are transforming Africa

AFRICA

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 31, 2020/ -- For the past ten years, Africa has recorded some of the world’s strongest rates of economic growth. At the same time, many African economies continue to function at well below their full potential. Structural transformation is needed to create more jobs, reduce poverty and accomplish sustainable development objectives. The African Development Bank’s High 5 priority areas are intended to support African countries’ achievement of the SDGS. They are: Feed Africa; Light up Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa. Atta Abdul, Fatima-Zahra, Shuaibu, and Daniel are the faces of a continent that is being transformed. By betting on Africa’s youth, the Bank is banking on the future t...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: International Organization for Migration (IOM), European Union (EU) Bolster Response to Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Returning Migrants Across West and Central Africa

AFRICA

DAKAR, Senegal, May 31, 2020/ -- The suspension of “non-essential activities” to limit the spread of COVID-19 in West and Central Africa has had a heavy socio-economic impact on some 34,000 returning migrants. Many already have set up microbusinesses as part of their reintegration assistance under the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration. To measure the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on returning migrants assisted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa launched a needs assessment survey in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, and Senegal – with a sample of 100 returnees in each country. The data gathered reveal that 89 per cent of beneficiaries reported their f...

May312020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

AMISOM condemns abduction and killing of health workers and a civilian at Gololey Health Facility in Balcad District

AFRICA

Mogadishu, 31st May, 2020 - The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) condemns the abduction and deliberate killing of seven health workers and a civilian at a local health centre in Gololey village in the Balcad District of HirShabelle State on May 28, 2020. According to local reports, at about 13:00hrs on May 27, 2020, armed men in military uniform abducted seven health workers and a civilian from Gololey Health Facility. Eight bullet-ridden bodies were subsequently thrown on the main road in the area the following day. As Somalia continues to face the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic, health workers continue to provide much needed quality health care. They are putting their lives on the line to save others in very difficult circumstances. “I am shocked by the senseless...

May302020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

EAST AFRICA: Kenya records one of the highest single-day COVID-19 cases, numbers stand at 1888.

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19, HEALTH, KENYA

NAIROBI — Kenya’s Health Minister Dr Rashid Aman has confirmed that 143 more individuals had tested positive for COVID-19 after 2,959 samples were tested within the last 24 hours. Aman stated that the total number of COVID-19 individuals in the country stood at 1888. All the 143 cases are Kenyans, with the youngest patient being one month and the oldest being 88 years old Aman further stated that 26 individuals from hospitals around the county had been discharged, bringing the total number of those who had recovered to 464. At the same time, the ministry recorded the loss of a 59-year-old, bringing the total number of those who had succumbed to 63. The Health CAS further insisted that Kenyans should continue to follow measures that have been set by the government including;...

May302020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

UGANDA: Busia Municipality MP detained for defying Covid-19 directives

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19, UGANDA

Busia Municipality MP, Mr Godfrey Macho has been arrested on allegations of defying directives on the prevention of coronavirus pandemic and inciting violence. Mr Godfrey Macho was allegedly found on Saturday mobilising a section of traders to go and open their shops and stalls in Busia market contrary to the directives issued by the district taskforce on coronavirus and president Museveni. The Bukedi Regional Police Commander (RPC) Mr Julius Caesar Tusingwire said the lawmaker is currently detained at Tororo Central Police station. “We arrested him for organising a section of traders to forcefully open shops and stalls in the market, something which jeopardises the fight against coronavirus in the district,” he said. The market was closed in March this year by the Busia Distr...

May302020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

UGANDA: RDC detained for attempting to rape a student

AFRICA, CRIME, UGANDA

KAABONG – Shock has gripped the security operatives in Kaabong district after the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Augustine Modo was arrested for allegedly trying to rape a senior four candidate in Kaabong cattle market. The incident that took place on Friday, May 29 has left the general public wondering what had gone wrong with representative of the President. Mr. Modo was rescued by police from angry boys who had attempted to beat him up after allegedly getting him red handed trying to rape the girl. The District Police Commander (DPC) Mr. Gerald Gubiri when contacted referred our reporter to the police spokesperson Fred Enanga saying the issues are sensitive since it touches the high profile person. “Am not allowed to speak to the media please spare me, but...

May302020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

UGANDA: High Court judge dismisses allegations that his car knocked the fallen traffic officer

AFRICA, CRIME, UGANDA

KAMPALA – High Court Judge Jesse Byaruhanga Rugyema whose vehicle is suspected to have knocked down a traffic officer has trashed the allegations. Announcing his death, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said PC Innocent Ayesigye was knocked on May 24, 2020, at Namanve along Kampala-Jinja highway and on May 26. Now, in a statement, Byaruhanga has revealed that on his way from Zana to Mukono, he was in the company of his wife and bodyguard but as he approached Namanve, there was a traffic officer riding a motorcycle in front of him. “Upon approaching Namanve SGA motor vehicle inspection facility about 200 metres from a road CCTV camera, i saw an incoming motor vehicle from Mukono side being driven at a very high speed knock the traffic officer who was on the ...

May302020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Be innovative, Speaker advises Cavendish graduates

AFRICA

KAMPALA, UGANDA --- The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has urged graduates of Cavendish University Uganda to be more innovative and work on improving import substitution.Kadaga, who was officiating at the university’s 9th graduation ceremony held at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, appealed to graduates to think outside the box and be more innovative as they have been given a chance to graduate unlike their colleagues. “Certainly today is the new normal. When I arrived I felt the absence of the big numbers of graduands, their parents, flower sellers and the inevitable photographers that would have been at this graduation,” she said adding that “You that are here have qualified yourselves for greater things; you need to work towards adding value.”The university’s 1st virtual graduati...

May302020 by Ronald KabuubiNo Comments

AMISOM statement on a document circulating in the media

AFRICA

Mogadishu, 30 May 2020—The African Union Mission in Somalia’s attention has been drawn to a document circulating in the media dated 26 May 2020 on AMISOM. The document makes numerous unfounded allegations against AMISOM leadership and the Federal Government of Somalia. It is full of inconsistencies, generalizations, innuendoes and biased toxic personal opinion. The AMISOM that is described in the document does not fit the reality of the AMISOM currently operating in Somalia under the leadership of Ambassador Francisco Madeira. AMISOM rejects these allegations as they distort and misrepresent the mission, its work, its leadership and its achievements. There is no lack of leadership in AMISOM. AMISOM is managed by a senior Mission Leadership Team which sees to it that AMISOM’s ...

May302020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Zimbabwe: No parent should worry about a child getting an avoidable disease

AFRICA

HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 30, 2020/ -- The following opinion piece was written by Melanie Robinson, UK Ambassador to Zimbabwe and published in the local private-owned Sunday newspaper - The Standard. "When my daughter was six weeks old, she was exposed to measles. I was in the UK at the time, where coverage rates for routine childhood vaccinations like measles and polio are high. Still, not everyone follows Public Health England advice to get their child immunised against these debilitating and sometimes fatal diseases. Too young for her first vaccination, my child was exposed to measles through another child whose parents had decided not to get their child immunised". "My fear was compounded by the memory of a school friend. She caught measles aged 1 - not in the UK, I should add. That...

May302020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus: African innovators join the fight against COVID-19

AFRICA

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), May 30, 2020/ -- On an overcast morning on the outskirts of the Kenyan city of Kisumu, which perches on the edge of Lake Victoria, a queue of commuters receives a spritz of hand sanitizer before boarding a minibus taxi, known locally as a matatu, to head into town. As soon as they’ve taken their seats, they pull out their phones and punch their contact details into a passenger manifest and make a cashless payment for their trip, all via a free app called mSafari. This new innovation, launched in late March, provides crucial contact tracing data to the Kenyan Ministry of Health as the country moves to curb the spread of COVID-19. “The virus doesn’t move, people move,” said Ronald Osumba, a Kenyan entrepreneur whose company iGovAfrica created mSaf...

May302020 by Ronald KabuubiNo Comments

SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT: AD HOC COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON NOTES EXPIRY OF ITS LIFESPAN

AFRICA

Cape Town, Parliament, 30 May 2020 – The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation Amending Section 25 of the Constitution notes that the deadline for the committee to complete its work is the end of May 2020. The committee last week indicated that it would approach the Speaker of the National Assembly requesting an extension of its mandate, as it has been unable to complete its work. The committee has already visited several provinces for public hearings, but could not finalise its work due to the national lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Yesterday, the National Assembly Programme Committee also noted that the Ad Hoc committee’s term is due to expire and said that the National Assembly would need to extend it. The programming committee not...