Category Archives: Security

KENYA: PRESS RELEASE BY THE NYANZA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES LEADERS. January 5, 2017

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from: Bishop Washington Ogonyo
to: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

As church leaders within Nyanza region comprising of 200 churches, we are advocating for peace and tranquility before, during and after this year’s General Election slated for August.

This is because in the absence of peace, nothing good can be witnessed for example businesses may be disrupted, No going to places of worship as well as no proper movement of the people across the various parts of the country hence we are appealing to the Government and the opposition to initiate true dialogue on the matter of amending the current electoral laws which is to benefit all Kenyans.

It is good for both the Government to come up with electoral laws which are accepted across the board.

There should be no such laws seen to be favoring either of the political divide as the Country is approaching this year’s polls.

We are in full agreement with the retired Reverend Timothy Njoya’s sentiment that the religious leaders across the country should act as mediators so as to help in unlocking the current impasse on the issue of electoral laws amendments hence strongly opposed to the recent sentiments of our two brothers Bishop Gerry Kibarabara and Bishop Stephen Ndicho who have openly supported the issue of manual back up in the electoral system.

Retired Reverend Njoya has called on all the religious leaders across the country to help in settling the matter in an amicable way without confusing Kenyans and this should be the best approach on this issue currently at hand.

We appeal to them to rescind such a decision for the sake of the Kenyan people since the duo clergy seems to have taken sides on this matter rather than acting as mediators to help in bringing peace between the two parties which are both the Government and Opposition.

“If you find your two brothers fighting then the best thing for you to do as a church minister is to play a role of mediator and you should not lean on one side to show that you are partisan.”

The move by the Interfaith Council of Kenya is not a healthy one because it seems to be presenting partisanship which as religious leaders is very much opposed to.

The Bible in the Book of Mathew 5:9 says” Blessed are the peace makers because they shall be called sons of God”.

Let the religious leaders to be the salt of the world and not to confuse the world.

Signed by: Arch-Bishop Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede

National Chairman Nyanza Council of Churches Leaders.

Kenya: MONEY LOOTING IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO BLAME FOR SCHOOL UNRESTS

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News Dispatch with Omolo Joachim

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016

Several suggestions have been made to end the burning of schools in Kenya. One particular suggestion is that schools must have a school discipline policy which is developed in consultation with school community members containing four components:

1. The discipline code or school rules

2. Strategies and practices to promote positive student behaviour, including specific strategies to maintain a climate of respect

3. Strategies and practices to recognise and reinforce student achievement

4. Strategies and practices to manage inappropriate student behaviour.

In order to achieve this goal they suggest that the school discipline policy must:

1. be consistent with legislation and reflect government and departmental policy

2. Incorporate the principles of procedural fairness

3. Be developed within a strong student welfare context

4. Reflect the identified needs of the community

5. Outline expected standards of behaviour

6. Define the responsibilities of teachers, students and parents.

The other suggestion is that all students and staff to be treated fairly and with dignity in an environment free from disruption, intimidation, harassment, victimisation and discrimination. To achieve this, all schools are expected to maintain high standards of discipline.

Principals must ensure that students, staff and parent(s) and carer(s) are provided with opportunities to contribute to the development of the policy and that staff are provided with training and development opportunities in behaviour management.

There are some who suggest that students’ welfare, whose function is to ensure that any need arising from the students, is catered for and must be attended to accordingly. The need may arise from lack of school fees or lack of necessities. The welfare must ensure a comfortable environment for the students.

There are others who want schools to be closed immediately to enable stakeholders to investigate possible links among principals, teachers, students, residents, politicians, local suppliers and exam leaks cartels in arson areas.

While others are suggesting that students’ views should be included in key decision making bodies such as the Board of Managements, Parent Teacher Associations and special management committees. In addition, preferred channels of harnessing students’ views included notice boards, prefect body, assemblies, and class meetings.

In Many High schools in Kenya communication is disproportional and unfair as communication was one way- a form of telling and instructing students – rather than encouraging dialogue and open discussion between student and school administrators. Further, communication channels that fostered dialogue and open discussion were unpopular and little used. These included the baraza system, student council, open forums and student parliaments. In other words, student participation in secondary schools is still wanting and needed to be expanded to include issues beyond student welfare issues.

Determine the influence of school location on head teacher management of student welfare services and how home-school partnership of head teacher influences student welfare services and also to establish the extent to which gender, academic qualification, administrative experience and age of the head teacher influence management of students welfare services.

Other Kenyans think that lack of parents support and delayed government funds, which make planning and acquisition of essential materials difficult is to blame. Therefore this commends that the head teachers look for ways of educating the parents on their roles in providing services for their sons and daughters. The government should also to stick to specific time line for disbursing the supporting funds to the schools in order for them to better provide welfare services to the students.

Since high quality teaching staffs are the cornerstone of a successful education system in Kenya, some Kenyans suggest that teachers should be motivated. Although in many schools in Kenya school fee structure includes motivation fees for teachers, in most cases teachers are not motivated. Many studies have associated motivational factors to enhanced job performance, positive work values, high levels of employee motivation, and lower rates turnover and burnout.

While these ideas are good, one thing which is not is about money looting in High schools. According to recent survey by the Auditor General Edward Ouko on financial statements from the Ministry of Education, the Government is losing millions of shillings of capitation funds in public schools through inflated enrollment figures.

Ministry figures indicate that the State remits Sh28 billion annually to all public secondary schools to benefit 2.2 million students. Another Sh14 billion is sent to primary schools to benefit about 10 million children annually. The survey revealed that secondary school heads collect another Sh116.6 billion in school fees from parents annually. This is despite Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich increment of Sh32.7 billion set aside to cater for free day secondary schools. Another Sh14.1 billion, Mr Rotich said, would facilitate free primary education.

The report reveals that 36 schools awarded tenders worth Sh26.1 million through indirect procurement instead of open tendering as required by the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2005. It also indicates that some schools awarded tenders to suppliers who were not vetted by the tender committees. And the queries did not end there. A scrutiny of financial records of 24 schools revealed that funds were transferred from one account to another without requisite authority.

A total of Sh15.7 million in four schools was transferred irregularly as at June 30, 2014. A review of the position in March, 2015 revealed that some schools had refunded Sh13.7 million to the original accounts, leaving an outstanding amount of Sh1.9 million.

In most cases school bursars are the beneficiaries. You get a bursar earning ksh 30,000 and he or she is able to build decent house, taking his children to academy schools from baby class to high school. Ministry of education auditors are part of the system, unless private auditors are involved.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
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Twitter-@omolobeste

 

Africa: Reports of Mass Graves and Serious Human Rights Abuses in Burundi

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Press Statement
Mark C. Toner
Deputy Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 19, 2016

The United States is deeply alarmed by reports, including those from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, of serious human rights violations and abuses in Burundi, including eyewitness reports of mass graves, a sharp increase in alleged enforced disappearances and torture, and reports of sexual violence by security forces.

These and other reports further underscore the urgent need for the Government of Burundi to allow for the immediate full deployment and unimpeded access of African Union human rights observers to investigate these allegations. It is imperative that the Government of Burundi remove all bureaucratic and practical roadblocks it has used to prevent the AU human rights and military observers from fulfilling their mandate for the past six months to investigate reports of violence committed by any side in the conflict.

We call upon the Government of Burundi to permit an immediate, impartial investigation into these recent allegations and to hold accountable all those found responsible for crimes. The United States remains concerned about Burundi’s ongoing political and humanitarian crisis and the resulting suffering it has brought to the people of Burundi. We once again call on all parties to reject unlawful violence, and reiterate that the only way to resolve the crisis gripping the country is for all parties to agree promptly to engage in internationally-mediated, inclusive dialogue without preconditions.
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AFRICAN LEADERS BEHAVE THE SAME LIKE NKURUNZIZA

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From: Joachim Omolo Ouko
News Dispatch with Omolo Joachim
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015

Concerns have been raised on whether Burundi could be helped never to go to dark ages marked with violence, killings, intimidations, tortures among other human rights abuses. The answer to these concerns is simple, African leaders cannot assist because they behave the same.

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni who was sent by East African communities to broker peace and reconciliation himself changed the constitution to enable him run for third term. Rwanda is the same. Kenya is no difference, so does Tanzania.

At least 50,000 refugees are living on the shore of Lake Tangyanika in rough conditions after fleeing the political crisis in Burundi. More than 105,000 Burundians have fled the country, with 70,000 crossing into Tanzania alone, since the political crisis began in Burundi. Around 26,300 Burundians have entered Rwanda, most of whom are now living in the Mahama refugee camp.

According to activists, at least 20 people have been killed in clashes with police. The government has repeatedly disputed allegations of heavy-handed tactics. But the ongoing crisis has prompted an exodus across the border.

Polling has just ended after a night of gunfire and explosions that claimed two lives in the capital Bujumbura. President Nkurunziza iwho has forced his way to run for a third term despite a limit of two terms in the constitution is going to be declared the president, so what?

Even if the US State Department has joined critics saying the disputed presidential election lacks credibility and will discredit the government, do they care? Most African leaders are not there for the people but for their own benefits, that is why they don’t care whether people are dying or suffering.

The US said it would review all aspects of its partnership with the east African country including imposing visa restrictions on those it said were responsible for promoting instability. But do they care even if the president’s office describes the latest protests as terrorist acts intended to disrupt the election.

In Burundi we are dealing with rebel leader-turned president, who claims to be born-again Christian, former sports teacher whose father was killed in ethnic violence in 1972. The African Union (AU) did not send observers – the first time it has taken such a stance against a member state, not because they are against Nkurunziza’s decision to run for the third time but because of the blame from foreign communities.

The European Union has expressed a similar view, and has cut some aid to Burundi to show its anger with Mr Nkurunziza. Most African nations still rely on European, US, World Bank, IMF and other foreign aids, so they cannot contradict them.

The other thing in Burundi is to do with tribe. Tensions between Burundi’s ethnic Hutu majority – comprising some 85 percent of the 10.5 million population- and the country’s Tutsi minority have flared up regularly since independence from Belgium in 1962.

Mr Nkurunziza led a Hutu rebel group fighting the Tutsi-dominated army until a peace deal led to him becoming president in 2005. The Constitutional Court has backed his argument that his first term in office did not count towards the two-term limit, as he was elected by MPs.

Burundi is not alone. In Nigeria it has been called the election that still “haunts” Nigeria to this day. Popular businessman Moshood Abiola officially garnered 58.3 percent of the vote, against his closest contender Bashir Tofa with 41.7 percent, in what was called Nigeria’s most democratic election since independence:

For the first time, a southerner was able to gain broad popular support from all corners of the country. But soon after the results were announced, the military regime in power, led by Ibrahim Babangida, simply annulled the results – end of story.

Nigerians were appalled, taking to the streets in protest. Babangida had to resign, and in the uncertainty following, General Sani Abacha took power – leading to the most brutal and repressive chapter in Nigeria’s history.

Similar story is in Uganda. Long-serving president Yoweri Museveni was up against opposition leader Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). But in the run up to the election, Besigye was arrested and charged with treason both in civilian and military courts, allegedly for his “anti-government” activities while in exile in the preceding years. He was also charged with rape, of the daughter of a friend.

Besigye protesters believed (and court proceedings later suggested) the charges were fabricated to stop Besigye from challenging Museveni. When it appeared that Besigye and his twenty-two co-defendants in the treason case might be released on bail by the civilian court, the government prosecutor, in an apparent attempt to prevent Besigye’s candidacy, then brought terrorism charges against him.

On the day of their bail hearing, a group of heavily armed goons were lurking around the court, ready to detain the group as soon as they were released on bail. The judge presiding did grant them bail, but the defendants declared to remain in Luzira Prison, instead of risking detention– incredibly, prison was a better deal than going free.

In the end, the legal charges, counter-charges, appeals, and dramatic court decisions made it impossible for anything like a level playing field to be possible, and Besigye ended up spending almost as many days in court as on the campaign trail. Museveni ended up winning with 59 percent of the vote.

In Kenya President Mwai Kibaki was facing tough competition from opposition leader Raila Odinga, with initial results showing that the opposition party had taken the majority of seats in the National Assembly.

While parliamentary results were forthcoming, it wasn’t the case for the presidential results. Three days after the election, President Kibaki suddenly and inexplicably received a massive boost in the tally, with the numbers ostensibly coming from his “strongholds” – but which observers say was marred by ballot stuffing and outright fraud.

The Electoral Commission of Kenya announced Kibaki as the winner, leading to his hurried swearing in at dusk at State House in Nairobi. The country swiftly descended into deadly political violence that killed over 1,000 and displaced 600,000, and eventually Odinga joined Kibaki in a coalition government as Prime Minister to end the violence.

In Zimbabwe the story is even scary. President Robert Mugabe was facing his toughest challenge yet, as the country’s economic situation was dire – inflation was averaging 165,000% and the economy had shrunk 40 percent since 2000.

Voting day itself was generally peaceful, but as initial reports of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) taking the lead began coming in, confusion set in, and a recount was ordered in 23 constituencies. More than a month went by before an official result was announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, indicating Tsvangirai won with 47.9 percent of the vote, and Mugabe came second at 43.2 percent, necessitating a run-off.

The period between the first and second votes was marked by systematic violence, intimidation and brutalisation of voters perceived to be MDC supporters, and just days to the run-off, Tsvangirai announced he was withdrawing from the run-off, describing it as a “violent sham” and saying that his supporters risked being killed if they voted for him.

Although Tsvangirai’s name remained on the ballot, Mugabe (obviously) won the second round as the only candidate. Tsvangirai later joined the government as Prime Minister in a Government of National Unity.

In DRC the story is similar. The 2011 election was the second since the official end of the Second Congo War in 2003, but it was marred by widespread fraud in the electoral roll and in vote tallying. One survey showed hundreds of thousands of ghost voters in the form of duplicate names in the register.

Some duplicates could be attributable to technical glitches, but tampering was a more likely explanation due to the scale. In several of the Congolese provinces, the double entries were equivalent to more than 12 percent of voters; the margin of error for duplicates on similar databases used in Western and some Asian elections is less than 1 percent.

And in the tallying, some constituencies in Katanga province “reported impossibly high rates of 99 to 100 percent voter turnout with all, or nearly all, votes going to incumbent President Joseph Kabila”, while in Kinshasa, where opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi enjoyed strong support, results from nearly 2,000 polling station stations were simply “lost” – roughly a fifth of the city’s total. In the end, Kabila officially won the poll with 49 percent of votes cast, against Tshisekedi’s 32 percent.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Fencing kenya-somalia border WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY AND TIME.

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Writes Bob Aeum-Tidi.

ORANGE Democratic Movement officials in Nyanza have faulted the jubilee government plan to fence the entire 750 kilometers porous Kenya-Somalia borderline as a waste of money, energy and time. Instead the government should withdraw thousands of KDF soldiers currently idling inside Somalia and re-deploy them along the two countries common international border to curb the frequent intrusion nd incursion by Al-Shabaab jithadist terrorists.

MIgori County branch chairman ODM Eng Philip Makabong’o said to be spending millions of taxpayers money fencing the borderline the government will not be able to build iron sheet roof on the top of the fence to deter terrorists from jumping over. He said the plan could be another Anglo Leasing scam in which someone somewhere wants to ripoff millions of shillings from the government and must be stopped at once.

Makabong’o advised President Uhuru Kenyatta to make the entire North Eastern Provence of Kenya inaccessible to foreigners by way of declaring a state of emergency and impose dusk to dawn curfew in the region.

Under the state of emergency all he people of Somali origins Aden Duale the leader of the majority in the National Assembly should be compelled to wear a special identification tugs. This measure should include the Somalis who are Kenya citizens and non-citizens alike.
The residents of the region have no cooperated fully with the government I its efforts tl eradicate terrorism and banditry in the region.

“Our soldiers serving as peace keepers in Somalia should be recalled home and re-deployed along the Kenya-Somalia border to help the battle hardened Kenya police in keeping an eye non the border to stop any intruders. Somali refugees living in Dadab Refugees camp and other refugees camp in Kenya should be asked to go back home. There is no point for one to live in another country as a refugee for over twenty years. It makes no sense. These people should be repatriated across the border to their country.

Akabong’o said, although the concerted efforts by President enyatta to stamp out terrorism on Kenya solid ground should be appreciated by all and sundry, Somalis leader who are holding key government position In the Kenya government appeared to be giving only lip services, but nothing tangible to bring the endless massacre of Kenyan people to an end.

Makabong’o scathingly attacked the DP William Ruto who he said of late has made it a point to call the name of CORD leader Raila Odinga whenever he opened up. “uto is using aila’s name derogatively as a punching box in his political war with his detractors and steady rising numbers of his opponents in the Rift Valley, This must stop. Moreover Ruto is not of Rala’s caliber either politically or academically snd even status wise in the society.

BY calling names of innocent people in public everywhere he going, this unbecoming behavior will not propel him to the presidency“, said Makabong’o. He told Dn Ruto to emulate his political mentor, the retired President Daniel Moi who served Kenya diligently as the Vice President and was always at peace with everybody until he succeeded his boss the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta without offending any body. He should take a critical note from the famous Swahili proverbs of ‘Haraka Haina Baraka”

“Ke nya is not running away. The country will be here for another hundreds of years to come, and if the DP play his card peacefully and strategically nothing will stop him from being the future President of Kenya.” said Makabong’o adding that ODM official and followers are under strict instruction not touse provocative words or comments against Ke nyan leaders fro other competing parties and to exercise respect to all.

ENDS

Still No Christmas in Laos:

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From: Dan Wooding

Friday, December 26, 2014

Still No Christmas in Laos:
State Sponsored Persecution Directed Against Lao Hmong Believers, Political Dissidents Increases

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

WASHINGTON, DC (ANS) — On Christmas Day, 2014, the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) has raised concern about the increased persecution of minority Christian, Animist and independent Buddhist believers in Laos at the hands of military and security forces of Laos and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

They say that religious freedom and human rights violations have dramatically increased under the Hanoi-backed, one-party communist government in Laos, especially against various Laotian and Hmong minority groups, including religious believers and political dissidents.

read full article:
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2014/s14120103.htm

Africa: Christmas Day Attack in Somalia

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From: U.S. Department of State
Press Statement
Marie Harf
Deputy Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 26, 2014

The United States strongly condemns the December 25 attack targeting African Union forces in Mogadishu. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the military and civilian personnel who were killed in this cowardly terrorist act. These individuals sacrificed their lives in an effort to bring lasting peace and stability to Somalia. Our support for the people of Somalia, the African Union Mission in Somalia, and Somali government forces in their efforts to defeat al-Shabaab will not waver.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

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Trading Away from Conflict: Using Trade to Increase Resilience in Fragile States

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From: Yona Maro

While economic growth in developing countries over the last ten years has lifted more people out of poverty than in any previous time, more than one billion people still live in countries affected by violent conflict. Conflict weakens governance, undermines economic development and threatens both national and regional stability. Trade shocks, in particular, can have widely varying impacts on conflict. This report sets out to empirically test these linkages between trade shocks and conflict via cross-country and intra-country analysis. On the basis of the analysis, it offers trade-related policy directions to reduce this risk in fragile economies. The results provide convincing evidence that trade and trade policy have a large impact on the risk and intensity of conflict. This report is composed of three main chapters.
Link:

<a href=”https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/20713/931230PUB0Box30UBLIC009781464803086.pdf?sequence=1″>https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/20713/931230PUB0Box30UBLIC009781464803086.pdf?sequence=1</a>

KENYA: GOVERNMENT REQUESTED TO TO INSTRUCT KWA TO CONDUCT MASS CULLING OF HIPPOS

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NYATIKE MP PLEADS WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE HIPPOS POPULATION IN LAKE VICTORIA.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A member of parliament has appealed to the central government of Kenya to instruct the Kenya Wildlife Service’s {KWS to conduct what he termed as mass culling of Hippo population in Lake Victoria in order to reduce the numerous attacks by these beasts which have resulted in the deaths of fishermen.

Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga Also decried of the increased population of the dreaded Nile Crocodile in River Kuja, which has become dangerous to the people and their livestock.

The MP comment came in the wake of report that a 28 old fisherman was killed by a rogue bull of hippo.The incident occurred near Muhuru Bay.The 28 year old man whose name was given as Kennedy had gone fishing with a companion when the beast attacked and hit their fishing boat and overturned throwing the two into the deep side of the water, His companion swam to the safety, while Kennedy was thrown into the water and the beast bite him savagely killing him instantly.

His badly mutilated body was later retrieved. There has been several incidents along the shoreline of the lake which have all resulted in deaths caused by hippos stretching from Sindo beach in Suba South constituency following an alarming increased in hippo’s population. The situation now calls for mass culling in order to reduce the population of these dangerous beasts .Hippos are also destructive in a way destroying food crops causing hunger and famine to the communities living along the lake shorelines.

In another unrelated incident a woman was devoured by the Nile crocodile in River Kuja near wath Ong’er trading in north Kadem location also in Migori County.

The MP pleaded with the government to come to the rescue his constituents before more people are killed by These dangerous creature. In the case of crocodile attack the body of the woman a mother of three who had gone to the to wash her clothes in the river was retrieved after three days of search, but thebeast had cut her body into two halves and the reptiles had already swallowed the other half.

ENDS

KENYA: WHY KURIA WILL GO FREE OVER HATE SPEECH

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from: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 14

Joan from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste what do you say about Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria. He has been taken to court over hate speech via social media. Do you think the government will succeed in controlling social media because I believe it is not only Kuria who has been accused there are many people using social media for propaganda.”

Thank you for this important question Joan. Although the Kenyan government has said it will be monitoring users of social media and taking action against anyone found inciting violence or using hateful or ethnic language, controlling social media is one of the toughest missions the government can tame.

Much of the ‘violence’ shifted to the online space, especially Facebook and Twitter following the post-election violence in 2007/08. In November 2012 alone, 28 per cent of a sample of 792 online statements contained one or more examples of “dangerous speech” – a term contain direct threats.

According to Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, the investigating cases, collecting evidence and prosecuting offenders requires both legislation and technology that are not yet available in Kenya.

His suggestion that the police might now need a dedicated “cyber crime unit” to monitor social media can also not be possible. One challenge has also been the reluctance of judges to accept electronic evidence in court, and some cases have been dismissed as a result.

There is a need to amend Kenyan law to be in tandem with technology to enable admission of electronic evidence. As per now it very difficult to monitor and collect evidence on social media, this is because the authors of such stories in most cases are anonymous and post hate messages from discrete sources.

Examining the content of internet posts suggested that a lot of these conversations you are seeing on social media are not really hate speech if you apply the law. That is why going after everyone who posts threatening messages is almost impossible. You cannot even remove them.

But even if police were to be to investigate what is written on social media, they are not always going to be there to investigate every small conversation that turns abusive. You should also know Joan that the current climate favors hate speech because Kenya is struggling with many problems at the same time.

While Innocent Kenyans have been killed, the government is only dealing with the interests of members of their own ethnic group. This creates a situation where people find themselves in a difficult situation they then become responsive to propaganda.

It explains why the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, which was set up in 2008 as an independent institution to prevent a repetition of the post electoral riots, has not been able to stop propaganda and hate speech on social media.

Again Joan, you should also know that it is not only on social media that propaganda and hate speech are being used. You are ware that since the Lamu attacks, hate leaflets have been distributed warning specific ethnic groups to leave the area, with the latest one in Naivasha.

Just yesterday two bloggers have been accused of calling for the killing of Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, triggering fierce debate, with the House demanding their prosecution. Mr Omar had raised the matter, saying that Willy Omosa and Mugo Wa Wairimu had posted messages on social media calling for his killing in a way similar to that of controversial Muslim cleric Sheikh Abubakar Sharrif alias Makaburi.

One fact must be accepted that both the Twitter and Facebook episodes mark what appears to be a shift in online culture, not only in Kenya but global. Globally, throughout the Web’s history, a certain amount of bad behavior has come to be expected, be it intentionally provocative online trolling or earnest hatred spewed more freely because of the ability to do so anonymously.

Hate speech online can be understood as antisocial oratory that is intended to encourage persecution against people because of their race, color, religion, ethnic group, or nationality, and has a substantial likelihood of causing harm.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

KENYA: POLITICIANS IN URIRIRI TOLD NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE POLICE WORK

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\URIRI SUB-COUNTY COMMISSIONER PLEADS WITH POLITICIANS TO STOP PROTECTING HARD-CORE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The government efforts to stamp out thuggery in Uriri sub – county in Migori is being derailed by politicians who preening themselves and requesting the arresting authorities and courts to have the suspects released from the lawful custody before suspected criminals are punished for their crimes .

Uriri sub – county commissioner George Kibet Lagat has expressed concern saying that each time the Aps working the in area nabbed a suspect criminal and handed them to the police to prosecuted the politicians intervene by pleading with the arresting authority to released the suspect .This has made the work of the police in the area difficult and thwarted his concerted efforts to get rid of rampant waves of crime in the sub – county .

The politician, said Lagat include the unnamed MPS and MCAS. These Leaders Should allow the police to do their job. We are here to serve citizens of the area and ensure they live in peace and their lives and properties protected , we therefore need the co-operation of all the local politicians and community leaders .

The suspect criminals who earned their freedom after the intervention of t he politicians usually come back home and continue with their criminal activities while bragging of being untouchable because o f their god fathers .This must stop .The police and courts must be free to discharge their lawful duties.

Lagat cited the example of a hard-core criminal who is a suspect in several cases of burglaries,house breaking assault, robberies and other serious crimes who was recently nabbed by he APS AT Rapogi center and handed over to the police ,but ws quickly released after unnamed senior politician phoned to th arresting authority before the man could be taken to the court in Migori to answer numerous criminal charges.

The commissioner says the politician have their role to play in the society while the local administration and the police plays pivotal role in protecting citizens and their properties and as such should be left alone to carry out their work.

ENDS

HORRIBLE SEXUAL RITUALS IN MALAWI

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from: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

About 500 bishops from around the continent are set to converge in Harare on November 28 for a two-day annual bishop’s conference meant to tackle women and child abuse cases in Africa. Last year it was reported that a young girl from Malawi by the name Grace went under horrible sexual ritual.

She learned she’d be going to a camp with her friends, she was thrilled. Every girl around her age in her southern Malawi village would attend the rite of passage. When she got she was told she is to sleep with a man and get rid of child ‘dust.’ If you don’t do it, your body will get diseased”, she was warned.

A demonstration involved one girl lying down, with one of the older women on top. “You should be dancing and have a man on top of you, making him happy,” she was told. At age 10, Grace was being taught how to have sex.

Like the other girls in the village, Grace had been sent to camp with her family’s blessings. This is because everyone makes sure their child goes to initiation ceremony because you will not be accepted in the community.

The Education Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malawi has released figures indicating that more than 27,000 girls dropped out of primary school in the country between 2010 and 2013 due to early marriages.

The Commission warned that unless the trend is reversed, Malawi would not achieve the Millennium Development Goal on universal primary education by the end of 2015. It went further to say that child marriage remains one of the main obstacles to education for young girls in Malawi where many girls are married before they are 18 years old.

The country’s official minimum marriage age is 15 years. The Education Commission has called upon faith-based communities and traditional leaders to join it in its campaign to have the minimum age raised to 18 years.

The conference which will be mainly made up of apostolic bishops will be held at Belvedere Teacher’s College and is also set to tackle child marriage problems in the region. Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president Johannes Ndanga, who is co-ordinating the conference, said the gathering will educate and conscientise the bishops on human rights abuses.

The conference that ends on November 29 will be attended by a number of both apostolic and non-apostolic bishops from Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, among other countries. Zimbabwe is adjudged one of the 41 countries in the world with an unacceptable rate of child marriages.

According to a 2012 report based on data collected by UNFPA during the years 2000 to 2011, the country’s prevalence of child marriage, was at 31percent, and was among 41 nations with the highest rates of child marriages.

Zimbabwe sits at number 39. This comes amid fears that if child marriages were not curbed through legislative measures, the figures could escalate with girls continuing to be deprived of their childhood.

Another 2012 United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report states that if child marriage was not outlawed by countries practising it by 2030, the number of child brides would grow from 14,2 million girls in 2010 to 15,1 million girls in 2030.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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KENYA: SHOULD UHURU KENYATTA’S MILITARY ATTIRE WORRY US ALL?

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From: Juma Mzuri

Recently, the President of the Republic Of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, has been seen adorned in military attire at least twice this year. This has created a lot of frenzy from several quarters with some supporting this move with others opposing it. The first time he was seen wearing the military attire was in early September this year when he proceeded for a military function at Archer’s Post in Samburu. The second time was in mid-October 2014 when he officiated the Kenya Defense Forces Day at the Nakuru Military Academy in Lanet, Nakuru. Unlike the former Presidents’ Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Arap Moi who adorned ceremonial military attires, Uhuru Kenyatta wore jungle-green military attire during the military function in Samburu and also appeared in navy fatigues during the KDF Day in Nakuru.

Those who support the president’s ‘new’ look argue that (among other reasons) there is nothing wrong with the president wearing the military attires. They label it as ‘military swag’ and applaud how ‘cool’ and ‘fresh’ he looks in the attire. However, those who oppose the move argue that (among other reasons) the president is trying to roll back the country into military dictatorship; and they further argue that it represents a failed or (soon to be) militarized nation, a dictator, or even an attempt by the president to camouflage the numerous failures and challenges that his government is facing when implementing government and public policy. However, both camps (those opposing and supporting the president in military attire) agree that it is a propagandist move or a move intended to appraise Uhuru’s status through public relations resulting from the buzz the whole scenario generates.

For others, they just saw the president ‘dressed in military uniform’. It was no big fete…

Nevertheless, should the decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta to adorn authentic military fatigues be a reason to worry or to make us to have sleepless nights? Is it true that he is trying to turn Kenya into a militarized nation with the recent two public stunts that he pulled by adorning military attire?

First, let us revisit the Supreme Law and what it says about the relationship between the president’s office and that of the military. According to article 131(1) (c) of the Kenyan Constitution, the president is the Commander-In-Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces. His roles as the Commander In Chief are outlined in Section 9 of the Kenya Defense Forces Act, and which are to appoint the Chief of the Defense Forces, Vice Chief of the Defense Forces and the three Service Commanders; and to be responsible for the organization and command of the Defense Forces.

Therefore, the president is not part of the military personnel. He or she is the civilian head responsible for the Defense Forces in terms of organization (structuring and management) and command (giving official authoritative orders). In terms of organization, he acts as the chair of the National Security Council that exercises supervisory control over the national security organs (Article 240). Nevertheless, the law is obscure on whether the president should dress in military attire as part of his duty as Commander-in-Chief.

In my view, the decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta to adorn military fatigues is just a PR move. It is no secret that the Jubilee government is a poorly performing government and it has tried all means, some dubious and foolhardy, in order to regain, retain and maintain public confidence and to also appear ahead as popular in opinion polls. The jubilee government is led by words without action. Thus, the means of persuasion like propaganda, public relations, social media, mainstream media and photo shopping come in handy to propel the exact image they want to feed to the citizens. The buzz created on social media and mainstream media after when the president adorns the jungle-green military attire is sure proof of the how desperate this government is at attention-seeking. It should not alarm us all.

Before, we have seen laws in parliament by the Executive that tried to politicize the military by having internal deployment of KDF done by the Executive without parliamentary approval. Fortunately, parliament rejected this proposal. Therefore, in view of such moves, let’s stay alert to prevent the president from negating the rule of law and the constitution in attempts to plunge this country into retrogression (dictatorship, militarization, etc). Otherwise, his decision to adorn military attire is just pure PR.

(View the original article here
<a href-“http://epikkenyan.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/should-uhuru-kenyattas-military-attire-worry-us-all/”>http://epikkenyan.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/should-uhuru-kenyattas-military-attire-worry-us-all/</a>

Press Releases: ISIL’s Dehumanization of Women and Girls

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From: U.S. Department of State
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 14, 2014

Just days after we saw the best of humanity when Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, we again confront the worst of inhumanity in ISIL. No one needed a reminder of ISIL’s depravity and evil. But now we have the latest example.

ISIL now proudly takes credit for the abduction, enslavement, rape, forced marriage, and sale of several thousand Yezidi and other minority women and girls—some as young as 12 years old. Just as despicably, ISIL rationalizes its abhorrent treatment of these women and girls by claiming it is somehow sanctioned by religion. Wrong. Dead wrong.

ISIL does not represent Islam and Islam does not condone or honor such depravity. In fact, these actions are a reminder that ISIL is an enemy of Islam. The international community and religious leaders of all faiths have strongly and repeatedly condemned ISIL’s horrific acts; we urge them to reiterate their commitment by condemning in the strongest possible terms the commodification of women and children as spoils of war, including through their subjection to horrific physical and sexual violence, intimidation, and deprivation of liberty.

These acts transgress all definitions of human dignity and those individuals responsible must be identified and held fully accountable. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Cathy Russell said it best: “Such viciousness against innocents exposes ISIL’s blatant rejection of the most basic progress we have made as a community of nations and the universal values that bind civilization.” The United States will not stand by as ISIL uses fear, violence and oppression to achieve its goals.

To stop ISIL’s campaign of terror and horror against the Syrian and Iraqi people, we remain steadfast in our efforts to lead the international coalition to degrade and defeat ISIL. The United States will keep tracking ISIL’s abduction, enslavement, sale, rape, forced marriage, and abuse of women and girls. We will keep working with the new Government of Iraq to respond to ISIL’s brutality against women and girls from all communities in Iraq, including vulnerable minority populations.
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vil Men, Evil Agendas!

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From: ‘frank patrick materu’

GEOENGINEERING (Global Weather Modification) is threatening all life on earth.

Geoengineers deny having deployed aerosol programs for years, yet they are currently proposing to spray 10-20 million tons of aluminum oxide other toxic chemicals into our sky annually as stated in numerous geoengineering documents. Lab tests have disclosed extremely high levels of these metals in ground, water, rain and atmospheric tests worldwide. Blood and urine tests reveal alarming levels of aluminum, barium, strontium, cadmium, and other chemicals known to cause high blood pressure, cancer, asthma, Alzheimers, heart, kidney and liver damage, osteoporosis, chronic inflammation, headaches, skin disorders, severe lung, spleen and intestinal diseases, immune system decline, blurred vision, intense ringing in ears, muscle weakness, hear loss, etc. NO purpose justifies these consequences.

Chemtrials are we the experiment? What do you think about this?

Frank Materu

Geoengineering Affects You and Your Loved Ones

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Geoengineering Affects You and Your Loved Ones
documenting the chemtrail-geoengineering coverup
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One of 300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls shares story of her dramatic escape

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From: ‘frank patrick materu’

Escaped from Boko Haram
On Friday, September 26, 2014 11:41 AM, “ANS@ wrote:
ASSIST News Service (ANS) – PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net — E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Thursday, September 25, 2014

One of 300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls shares story of her dramatic escape

By Mark Ellis

Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS) — She was only 18, a high school senior, when she was awakened from her school dormitory at 11:34 p.m. by the sounds of gunfire. The terror group Boko Haram had overrun Chibok and was headed for her school.

“I called my father and he said we should not go anywhere,” says Saa, a pseudonym used for her protection. “He said we should gather ourselves together and pray so God will help us.” Saa is a Christian and her father is the pastor of Nigeria Church of the Brethren.

Her riveting testimony was given at a September 19th forum hosted by the Hudson Institute and supported by the Jubilee Campaign for religious freedom.

When Boko Haram entered the school on the evening of April 14th, the teachers and staff had already fled. When the gun-toting extremists entered her dorm room, Saa didn’t realize at first it was Boko Haram – but that soon became clear.

“They said if we shouted or tried to run away they would kill us. We didn’t know what to do. We were scared. A girl showed them where we kept our food, because it was a boarding school. They packed the food on large trucks and all the property. They gathered us near the gates and started bombing the school,” she recounts.

The girls were herded under a large tree and then loaded into trucks. “They said if we didn’t want to go they will kill us,” Saa says.

Three girls would not fit on the trucks and the jihadists questioned them about their faith. An intense verbal altercation erupted between the jihadists over whether to free or kill the three. One of them felt strongly any non-Muslim should die.

MORE
http://blog.godreports.com/2014/09/one-of-300-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolgirls-shares-story-of-her-dramatic-escape/

Share See all ASSIST News articles at www.assistnews.net

Mark Ellis is a senior correspondent for ASSIST News Service and the founder of www.Godreports.com. He is available to speak to groups about the plight of the church in restricted countries, to share stories and testimonies from the mission field, and to preach the gospel.
mark@Godreports.com

MALAWI: OPERATION M’CHOTSA-MBAVA; A CLEAR SIGN OF NICOLAS DAUSI’S INCOMPETENCY AS NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE BUREAU DIRECTOR

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From: Charles Banda

By John Kathumba

I read an Editorial two days ago here on Malawian Watchdog where the Editorial Team was calling for the firing of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) top spy Nicolas Dausi accusing him of incompetency. I criticized them and accused them of being jealousy of Dausi but now, I agree with them that Dausi is a total embarrassment to the Malawi nation as he has indeed literally failed to successfully lead (NIB) to discharge its duties in complementing the efforts of the Malawi Police to tighten security in the country.

Here is my argument, the total collapse of security in this country, where thieves even dared to launch a robbery at Malawi Vice President’s resident in Blantyre, has forced President Peter Mutharika to secretly declare a state of emergency where Soldiers from the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) are conducting what they have dubbed as Operation Mchotsa Mbava, raiding our cities, Market centers, drinking joints, holding people hostage, and in the process bundling some of them into police Custody.

For starters, it is not the duty of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to be meddling in the internal Affairs for this job, according to the Constitution of Malawi, is required to be done by the Malawi Police.

According to our Constitution, MDF’s job is to protect the territorial integrity of our country and NOT getting involved in the Police’s job.

Now, If you are of the view that Muntharika has not secretly declared a State of Emergency, then, what is this we are witnessing where Soldiers from MDF are harassing, beating, arresting people from drinking joints and our markets in the name of Operation Mchotsa-Mbava? Is Mutharika trying to tell us that the Malawi Police has failed to do its constitutional job?

I personally was at Chilinde in Lilongwe yesterday—they found me in a pub when I was having hard drinks after a hard day—they accused all of us who were in the pub as thieves, some escaped out of fear but some of us failed. We were rounded up and bundled into their Vehicle for Police Custody. If it was not for my friend who went to the Police Station in Kawale to pay K5, 000 for my release, I would have spent a night in that stinking Police Cell.

The unfortunate part of it was that they simply collected the money and have me released without any documentation whatsoever, Is this not day light robbery by our security organs?

If you ask me, I will tell you that I am blaming Nicolas Dausi for my harassment. What kind of intelligence is this where you arrest citizens found in drinking joints, markets e.t.c. How do you tell this person is a thief?

I have a strong opinion that Mutharika has indeed lost confidence in Dausi’s headed NIB and in a desperate attempt, he just ordered the Army to launch an Assault and Harassment on the citizens of this country. This should not be accepted by ALL civilized people.

NATIONAL INTELLEGENCE BUREAUE is an important security organ in the country. For starters, It is top level intelligence that led to the killing of top terrorist Osama Bin Laden by the US. It is top level intelligence that helps countries to be safe.

You don’t just pick every jim and jack to head such an important department. The end result is what we are witnessing today, where fire is the order of the day in our Markets, National Ware-Houses including armed robberies in our banks and other places not forgetting robbery in high protected areas like the Vice President’s resident.

For the good of this country, President Mutharika must FIRE Nicolas Dausi. Achoke, Achoke, Achoke!

KENYA: THE GOONS WHO DISRUPTED NYONGO AND RANGUMA MEETING IN KISUMU HAD LINKS WITH MEN IN BLACK SUITS AT KASARANI.

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Reports  By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu CITY

The hired political goons who disrupted an important consultative meeting  between the Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o and a group of MPS IN Kisumu on Tuesday this week were not strangers, but common  characters who are well known to the MPS.

These were the youths who some of the MPS have used before to intimidate or harass their political opponents before. Some of the youths were the same goons who four months ago violently disrupted the ODM elections meeting at Kasarani Sports Complex in Nairobi and forced it to be postponed indefinitely.

Prof.Nyong’o was accompanied by MPS Fred Outa {Nyando}, Aduma Owuor {Nyakach}John Olago Aluoch {Kisumu WestT},MRS Rose Nyamunga {Women Rep}, Deputy KisumuI governor Ruth Odinga. Nyong’o reported that two other MPS who were not in attendance had sent their apology. They includeed James Onyango Koyoo {Muhoroni}, SHAKEEL ahmed SHABBIR {Ksumu TOWN east} and  Ken Obura {Kisumu Central]

According to sources in this lakeside city Senator Nyong’o and the four MPS who attended the disrupted meeting were treated with a dose of their own medicine, and as such should not blame som one else for the shameful act carried out on them.  It was further alleged that some of the MPS were the same people who had contributed immensely in facilitating the traveling logistics for the goons to attend the Nairobi meeting. It only occurred that while ejecting Nyong’o and the MPS out of the meeting, this time around the goons were dressed in their normal attired and not their dreaded “black suits”.

The group was led by the ODM activist Austine Oduor, alias Makamu who is always a frequent visitor at the home of the ODM supremo Raila Odinga’s Kisumu Milimani house. The same man was positively identified as one of the men in  “Black Suits”  at the Kasarani venue of the aborted ODM elections..

THE kisumu debacle has however, caused a lot of embarrassment to the County governor Jack Ranguma who has since came out in full force and distanced himself from the shameful act. The governor maintained that he had no prior knowledge to the shameful action of the goon s  and tendered his sincere apology to Senator Nyong’o. Ranguma, however, insisted that he had already tendered his sincere apology to Senator Nyong’o, But to apology to make to the ODM as a party because he is also a member of the same.  But he insisted that he had no apology to make to the ODM as party because he was also a member of the same party. .

From the look of things it appeared as if a group of Kisumu MCAS who are not comfortable with the new law that has made the Senators to become the chairmen of their County Development Boards respectively, which was recently constituted after President Kenyatta had assented to the County Government Amendment Act{2014} and were not happy that their MPS never put up spirited opposition to the Bill when it was introduced in parliament for debate before being passed into the new law.

The goons had hurled unprintable insults to Sen Nyong’o and the MPS before the police were summoned by Ranguma to come and disperse them. The goons cited some MPS as being jubilee moles in ODM and accused them of conspiring with the national government with intention of scuttling the devolution.

The controversial CDB has prompted the governors through their association to move to court challenging the legality ofth nre law arguing that  it is intended to deprive them the executive powers in their respective COUNTIES.

ENDS

Rwanda: Kagame’s former top security officer arrested

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From: Tracy John

Rwanda’s army arrested a high ranking army officer and former head of the Republican Guard, a highly trained elite force that guards President Paul Kagame.

Col Tom Byabagamba was arrested on Saturday, August 24. According to Rwanda’s defence and Military spokesperson,Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita, the officer is suspected of committing “crimes against state security”.

Col Byabagamba’s arrest brings to three the number of army officers detained by security services in week. The army arrested and detained Brig. Frank Rusagara and Captain David Kabuye, who recently retired from the army on Monday and Wednesday respectively.

Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita told The NewTimes, a local pro government newspaper that Col Byabagamba was arrested as part of investigations into the case involving Brig Rusagara and Capt Kabuye.

Brig Gen Nzabamwita said Brig Rusagara and Capt Kabuye were held in connection with State security offences.

Col Byabagambi was removed as head of the Republican guard in 2011 and taken to RDF to head the anti-terrorism docket.

Rusagara was retired from the army in October last year and also served as Rwanda’s Defence Attaché to the United Kingdom.

Before his UK posting, Brig Gen Rusagara served as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence as well as the head of Nyakinama Military College. Capt Kabuye is a businessman and married to Rose Kabuye, former director of State Protocol.

President Kagame has said in the past that army officers get arrested because the army in Rwanda does not tolerate indiscipline.

However, Kagame’s critics in exile have accused the President of “purging” whoever has divergent views from the President and his inner circle. Colonel Byabagamba is married to Mary Baine, former Rwanda Revenue Authority boss.

<a href=”http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/World/Kagame-s-former-top-security-officer-arrested/-/688340/2431760/-/m4frb7z/-/index.html”>http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/World/Kagame-s-former-top-security-officer-arrested/-/688340/2431760/-/m4frb7z/-/index.html</a>

SOMALIA: UNDERSTANDING MANDERA CONFLICT

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014

The inter-clan conflict in Mandera did not start yesterday. It has been going on since independence. In 1980s former president Moi thought it was due to boundary demarcation. He then though by curving Mandera Central constituency out from the then larger Mandera East following devastating clan clashes between Murrule and Garre clans in early 1980’s was going to solve the problem.

The fact that Mandera Triangle region comprises of the Gedo region in Somalia, the Doolow region in Ethiopia, and the Mandera district in Kenya, can explain why the conflict. The social groups involved include the major Somali and bilingual Somali- Oromo clans of the Gabaweyn (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia), the Degodia (Kenya and Ethiopia), the Murrule (Kenya), the Marehan (Somalia), and the Garre (Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia), as well as the other Somali- and Oromo-speaking clans.

These groups, who together form the populations of Mandera, Doolow and Gedo districts, are closely linked by geography and a shared social system, by religious and clan ties, and by commercial links and interests that stretch deep into the border areas of the three countries and beyond.

That explains why, with Mandera Central constituency formed, the issue of political representation was solved but another problem was born. There emerged growing hatred and suspicion between the two clans.

During Moi regime more than 330 people were killed according to the Truth commission. Survivors, testifying before the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission at its hearings in Mandera Town, said scores of people were also raped and maimed during the 1982 security operation.

They were rounded up by security officers hunting down bandits, beaten and some shot dead as they attempted to escape. Up to now the government of Kenya has never addressed the issue, this make the Mandera residents to believe they are not part of the government. In fact the entire Northern Kenya feels the same.

The truth however,  is that over the years, Kenyan government has ignored Kenyan people from the North Eastern. The government has treated these people as second class citizens and used draconian law that has seen thousands dead, thousands widowed and thousands left orphans.

Moi in particular used them as tools for winning elections.  The Kenyan government has neglected them apparently because the natives have been ‘forced’ to be Kenyans. Given brief background above, the government of Kenya believes the people of North Eastern were made to join Kenya without their consent because when the Kenya government waged what is called the bandit or shift war in 1963 majority of the people of N.E province could have been happy to be allowed to join their brothers and sisters in Somalia.

Since then Northern Kenya has always been associated with suffering, poverty, starvation and lack of infrastructure. The residents of this area have time and again said that they are not part of Kenya and believe that the government has forgotten them.

Currently, northern Kenya is facing a major drought after rains failed with locals starving and relying on food aid from a broad, particularly from USA. Kenyan government is not interested in giving food aid other than using them as a tool for elections.

When the foreign food delays residents are forced to eat wild fruits which are poisonous, they boil these fruits for hours to remove the poison before they consume it. The food shortage has reached alarming levels to the extent that children cannot go to school. School feeding programmes are not adequate to feed the very hungry children.

Furthermore, Mandera County is awash with guns due to its proximity to Somalia, where al Shabaab has been fighting to topple the government, and Ethiopia, where the armed Oromo Liberation Front has made incursions into the country. Garre, a cushitic people is found in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. They are estimated to be 700,000 persons living in Kenya.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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