Category Archives: Finance

Tanzania: Sixth Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival

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From: Yona Maro
– – – –

SIXTH JULIUS NYERERE
INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL
9TH – 11TH APRIL 2014

NKRUMAH HALL
UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
YOU ARE WELCOME

Professor Patrick Lumumba’s
Lecture will be on :
REFLECTIONS ON LIBERATING THE
MIND FOR AFRICA’S TRANSFORMATION
09 April 2014 at 11:10 AM

Prof. Herbert Chimhundu’s Lecture will be on:
“GLOBALIZATION AND THE
STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL
SPACE: Proposing an Agency Role
for the African Academy”
11 April 2014 at 9:00 AM

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v3wLnWL72F0/Uz13xOSAucI/AAAAAAAAFi0/iIYlT27jmC0/s1600/poster_02.jpg
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KENYA’S LAVEMP 2 WORLD BANK FUNDED PROJECT TO DELAY FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.

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To: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

By Agwanda Saye.

The second phase of Lake Victoria Environmental Management Programme has been extended by two years by the respective donors according to the project’s National Coordinator Francisca Awuor.

According to Awuor despite many hurdles which they have experienced they have implemented various activities and realized various achievements as the project was suppose to end in June 2003 but has been extended to June 2015.

Speaking after an extension tour with journalists on LVEMP 2 projects within Busia,Siaya,Homa Bay and Migori Counties Awuor added that the donor funded project had a budget of $ 30 million which was to be spent within four years but now six year.

“The good about the project’s four main four components phase: Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Managing Shared Water and Fisheries Resources, Point Source Pollution Control and Prevention, Watershed Management and Project Coordination and Management is that so far we are almost achieving all of them as at now we have absorbed 50.6% but we out to have reached 80% to be allowed to move to the next phase”Awuor added.

Already two hundred and twenty five Community Driven Development groups have benefitted from the fund as kshs.300, 950,021 has been disbursed to them while kshs 359,950 021 is yet to be distributed.

She however added that for efficiency measures LVEMP 2 project doesn’t give each individual group money in full but its broken in phases which commensurate the group’s activities progress.

However she cautions the groups against diversifying the fund’ from their initial intended purpose warning that the groups made an agreement with the Kenya government and any found to squander the fund will face the full force of the law.

So far LVEMP 2 in collaboration with the Kenya Maritime Authority is involved in the removal of Water Hyacinth within both the two counties of Migori and Kisumu.

Awuor further said that kshs 0.5 billion has been set aside for the expansion two sewer treatment plants in both Homa Bay and Kisumu Counties while a new plant is to be constructed within Bomet County.

“The Kisat Sewer treatment plant in Kisumu will cost kshs 110 million while the Homa Bay will be done a cost of kshs 210 million with the construction of a new Sewer plant in Bomet will costing kshs 135 million” Awuor added.

Currently, six water laboratories have been completed within Kisumu and are housed in Kisumu and are housed in one building.

The six water labs will help in monitoring quality and quantity of water whether borehole, spring, ground and spring water as well as industrial and disposal waste.

The Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project phase two (LVEMP-II) is a regional initiative implemented by the five East African Community (EAC) Partner States of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. LVEMP II complements and upscales the LVEMP I activities which ended in December 2005.

LVEMP II is regionally coordinated by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) through its Regional Project Coordination Team (RPCT) based in Kisumu, Kenya. In Tanzania, the project became effective on 20th August 2009, and its implementation covers Lake Victoria Basin Tanzania part in Mara, Mwanza and Kagera Regions, with a total number of 23 districts. The Project is funded by the World Bank, Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Government of Tanzania and Communities. The project, which is multi-sectoral and coordinated by the Ministry of Water, is expected to be implemented for a period of 8 years in two phases, from 2009-2013 and 2013-2017.

The Overall Objective of LVEMP II is to contribute to the achievement of EAC’s vision for the Lake Victoria Basin, which is: “creating a prosperous population living in a healthy and sustainable managed environment and providing equitable opportunities and benefits”

The Project development/global environmental objectives (PDO/GEO) of APL1 are to:

i. improve collaborative management of the trans-boundary natural resources of LVB for the shared benefits of the EAC Partner States; and

ii. reduce environmental stress in targeted pollution hotspots and selected degraded sub-catchments to improve the livelihoods of communities, who depend on the natural resources of LVB

The project has four main components: (i) Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Managing Shared Water and Fisheries Resources; (ii) Point Source Pollution Control and Prevention; (iii) Watershed Management; and (iv) Project Coordination and Management.

ENDS

young East Africa entrepreneurs & scientist business fund support for startup

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From: sebastian marondo

Dear all,

Kindly be informed that, BAIP group seeks to support young businesses and science projects in rapidly growing countries of East Africa and Southeast Asia by combining them with European information technology businesses, scientists and professionals, funding them and investing in their development.

Therefore, BAIP group is inviting East Africa young entrepreneurs and scientists to pitch us their ideas to be selected to participate in the Investment Summit which will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in September 2014.

During the Summit, Entrepreneurs with the best, the most promising ideas with the highest growth potential will be selected and connected with European IT businesses and professionals, business mentors and investors, their know-how, experience and funds in order to turn their ideas and businesses into profitable enterprises.

For more information about BAIP group and the application process, please see the presentation:

http://prezi.com/k3fs9olisecv/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Kindly share this invitation with young entrepreneurs and scientists that could benefit from this program to check the presentation and pitch us their ideas.

Best regards
Sebastian

Kenya: Father Omolo Beste’s Homily on Fourth Sunday of Lent

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From: joachim omolo ouko
Sunday, March 30, 2014

Today is fourth Sunday of Lent. The Lenten campaign theme is Good Governance. First reading is from 1 Samuel 16:1.6.7.10-13, second reading is from St Paul’s letter to Ephesians 5:8-14 and the Gospel from John 9:1-41.The story is about Tswani community who were so excited that with devolved their community would be provided with better service delivery.

They thought the new system would bring leadership closer to the people and that that all be involved in decision-making. Barely a year after the polls, some of the community and village leaders had already clearly put their own interests before those of the community and the villages.

They mismanaged funds allocated to the communities, moved into big expensive houses, bought themselves big cars that cost millions of shillings, furnished their offices with expensive furniture and spent huge sums on entertainment and trips abroad.

The campaign comes at the time Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is due to launch investigations into 30 county governors after receiving complaints of abuse of office and misuse of funds.

It is also at the time the State cannot account for Sh500b, which got lost during the 2011/12 financial year. Taxpayers lost more than Sh300 billion, but the latest estimates indicate the figure could rise to nearly Sh500 billion according to Auditor General Edward Ouko.

Ouko estimates that up to 30 per cent of the Government’s total budget in any financial year is wasted. Last year, Sh338 billion of the total government expenditure for 2011/2012 was unaccounted-for.

The total budget for the 2012/2013 financial year stood at Sh1.45 trillion, of which 30 per cent or Sh483 billion is likely to be misappropriated. Airtime, flowers and tea alone were reported to account for Sh338 billion.

The campaign is also coming at the time several business surveys reveal that business corruption is still widespread and that companies frequently encounter demands for bribes and informal payments to ‘get things done’ in Kenya.

There are also pending corruption cases which include Kenya Pipeline Company since 2008 in oil scam involving privately-owned Triton Oil Company in which the government lost 7.5 billion shillings ($86.7 million).

The other pending cases of corruption include land fraud over a deal worth 283 million shillings ($3.2 million) since March 2010. Currently the Kenyatta government has also been hit by claims of irregularities in the award of the Sh447 billion Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway that critics say has been overpriced by more than Sh120 billion.

It is about the time Labour secretary Kazungu Kambi was forced to suspend a Sh5.03 billion project by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to build infrastructure works in Nairobi’s Tassia Estate.

China Jiangxi International was awarded the Hazina Trade Center contract at a cost of Shs 6.7 billion despite a lower bid of Shs 5.9 billion by China Wu Yi, another Chinese company. The award of the tender raised eyebrows before Atwoli blew the whistle on the Shs 5 billion sewerage and road pavement scam.

Kenyans are also losing more than Sh1.8 billion annually in salary payments to ghost workers in the Civil Service. According to recent revelation the government flushes Sh150 million monthly in salaries for workers who are non-existent, dead, retired or sacked – but are still retained in the State payroll – hence ballooning Kenya’s public wage bill.

Kenya’s public sector wage bill currently stands at Sh458.7 billion, which is equivalent to 12.2 per cent of GDP. The amount is almost equal to the Sh470.8 billion the Kenya Revenue Authority collected in the six months to December 2013; and almost half of the expected total revenue of Sh973.5 billion targeted to be collected by June this year.

It explains why Kenya’s debt load crossed the 50 per cent of GDP mark late last year to stand at Sh2.11 trillion or 57 per cent of GDP by end of December 2013. Unless Kenya puts a tight lid on its debt load by fighting against corruption its economy will not be on a steady growth path.

Fiscal discipline will break down and disrupt provision of public services if the wage bill growth is left unchecked. The country’s image abroad is already at stake following the failure by the Treasury to allocate Sh679 million to cater for subscription fees to international bodies.

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: BRITISH MULTI-NATIONAL TEA COMPANIES HAVE DONE WELL BY PHASING OUT EXPATRIATE MANAGERS AND REPLACING THEM WITH LOCAL AFRICANS.

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Industrial feature By Leo Odera Omolo

It is indeed encouraging that the government of Kenya welcomes and encourage both foreign and local investors wiling to invest their money in the agro – based and manufacturing sectors, therefore the time is ripe for the government to set up certain conditions which must be met by the investors willing to invest their money in this country. The time is ripe for the government to set up certain conditions and terms conducive to employment regulations and rules before their investments kick off.

As for now, the multinational Tea companies operating in Kericho and Nandi Hills regions are the ones which have set up good examples by way of making sure that senior management positions are in the hands highly skilled and semi skilled in indigenous Kenya Africans.

The British multinational tea manufacturing companies, like the uniliver (formerly Brooke Band Tea) in Kericho, and the Finlays tea and Flowers in Kericho, and the Finlays tea and Flowers, also operating in Kericho and bomet counties have engaged the highly trained local personnel . The two terms even have promoted to high and middle management positions, some of them trained on-the-jobs.

The same could be said of Eastern Province tea company which own chains of tea plantations and processing factories in Nandi Hills, Kericho and Sotik Highland and Kibabet tea companies in Sotik region of Kericho county.

In most of the above multinational tea companies nearly all the top managers, engineers, doctors, Chief Accountants, Financial Directors positions, are held by indigenous Africans with the exception of the positions involving foreigners who are specilaized on highly technical work.

These British multinational tea Multinational companies had introduced a crush training program immediately after Kenya attained political independence in 1963. They embarked in phasing out foreign expatriate managers, technician artisans. The two expatriate who stayed on their jobs were compelled to train Africans to understudy the expatriate previously employed on lucrative and plum jobs and replaced Them with the local personnel.

What is happening in the tea industry is reflecting the true picture of job creation in a country like kenya where unemployment situation has reached as alarming proportion. It has at large become the source of rising crime waves. The government policy on job creation and employment regulation in Kenya not exceptional. This is something which is happening every where on the globe.

Certain conditions must be set up for the purpose of scrutinizing rogue investors who discriminate and enslave the locals in their establishment.

In this context, I am referring to the pathetic employment conditions in the sugar mills especially where he investors use local African workers like slaves, petty casuals without approximant letters and term and conditions of services etc.

I have in mind the five sugar companies owned by Indian investors.

To be specific and more clear ,the sugar companies owned by Indians include West Kenya and Butali sugar companies which are based in kakamega county ,while Sukari industries is located in Homa – Bay County , Kibos sugar and Allied industries based in Kisumu county and the latest is the Trans – mara sugar company based in Narok County Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries is situated in Kisumu County with the latest and the newest sugar mill being the Trans-Mara sugar Company in NAROK county

In all the five sugar mills the investors have embarked in engaging foreign expatriate workers with impunity. The Investors in the sugar mills have engaged the largest number of expatriates workers to the chagrins of locals. These expatriate workers, most of them imported from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are semi-illiterate. Expatriate workers from India. Pakistan and Bangladesh are the ones who are running petty jobs such as time-keeper, junior clerks, cane yard clerks and top jobs from the top and down to messenger and … even cooks for making Indian dishes for the top Indian top managers

The whole set up looked like the modern day apartheid racial segregation in an independent Kenya .some of the positions held by the expartriates involved simple clerical jobs which the forum four school learners cam even perform better than semi-literate expatriates.

African workers are kept in the periphery. While working only as subordinate and manual workers, but with no letter of appointment. In the case of those local comparison to what their expatriate counterparts earns, some of the mills produced negligible tons of sugar per day but have employed close to 200 expatriates compare with the Mumias ugar company which turns the highest amounts of sugar per day, is the highest in the country, at 96000 tons per day . But the mill is managed exclusively and efficiently by the local African Manager from the top to the down trodden office messengers and sweepers

Since the terms of its former contracted management of Booker Agricultural international expired two decades ago and the expatriate left the have turned the company around from the the profit losses to a vibrant facility that is a profit making it rather shameful for Kenya, a country which has been independent for 50 years and has trained and truned out thousands of highly skilled personnel, to make the dumping for illiterate and oldest Indian workers who cannot be employed even in their own country .These undesirable Indian expatriate workers have flooded our sugar sub sector of the economy.

The majority of Indian expatriate workers were told they cannot be subjected to the mandatory safety deduction such as NSSF al NHIF as are allowed to export their package back home to their families .Why should the key a government allow the kind of modern day slavery where in citizens are being subjected to discrimination on few opportunities that are available.

END.

Eastern Africa: The fast emerging oil and gas frontier region

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

5th Eastern Africa Oil, Gas-LNG & Energy Conference – 28 – 30 April 2014, Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

Eastern Africa: The fast emerging oil and gas frontier region

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 27, 2014/ — With a 35+year track record in and on Africa, Global Pacific & Partners (http://www.glopac-partners.com) hosts this landmark meeting on Eastern Africa. Now in its 5th year, Global Pacific & Partners invites you to this annual event held in Nairobi, Kenya, providing unrivalled new insights into the upstream opportunities, open acreage, bid rounds, new ventures, oil/gas investments, key upstream players, and corporate/government strategies in this vast region of fifteen countries covering onshore and offshore potential, from Eritrea to South Africa, including across the Mascerene islands.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/easternlogo.png

Download the program: http://www.apo-mail.org/140327prog.pdf

Registration: http://www.apo-mail.org/140327reg.pdf

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/eastern-africa-2013-conference-02.jpg

About “Global Pacific & Partners: Clubs and Networks”: http://www.apo-mail.org/140324net.pdf

Over 350 senior executives attended the Conference in 2013, with 36 exhibitors.

Key Focus:

– Upstream opportunities

– Open acreage

– Bid rounds

– New ventures

– Oil/gas investments

– Key upstream players

– Corporate/government strategies

Senior-Level Presentations from:

– Africa Oil Corp

– Anadarko Petroleum

– BGP

– CGG

– Discover Exploration Limited

– Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos, EP

– Geological Survey Department, Malawi

– Ministry of Energy, Kenya

– Ministere des Hydrocarbures, Kinshasa

– Ministere des Mines et des Hydrocarbures, Madagascar

– Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources, Rwanda

– Ophir Energy

– PetroSeychelles

– Petroleum Exploration & Production Department, Uganda

– Salama Fikira

– Shell Exploration

– SPETC Advisory

– Soma Oil & Gas

– Somali Petroleum Corporation

– South Atlantic Petroleum

– Taipan Resources

– T5 Oil & Gas Ltd

– Tullow Oil

– Vanoil Energy

The 5th Eastern Africa – Strategy Briefing presented by their Chairman, Dr Duncan Clarke, is held prior to the conference, on Monday 28th April, and will provide key insights on the corporate upstream oil and gas game, governments, state oil firms, and licensing strategies.

Key Focus:

– Eastern Africa’s corporate E&P players

– Acreage, assets, strategies and investments

– Minnows, Independents, Super Majors

– Onshore/Offshore: Sudan to South Africa

– Foreign State Oil Companies

Following the 5th Eastern Africa Oil, Gas/LNG & Energy we will celebrate the 62nd PetroAfricanus Dinner to be held on 29th April.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Global Pacific & Partners.

Note for the Press:

For further information, please contact Global Pacific & Partners:

Babette van Gessel
Tel: +31 70 324 61 54
@: babette@glopac.com

Sonika Greyvenstein
Tel: +27 11 880 70 52
@: sonika@glopac-partners.com

SOURCE
Global Pacific & Partners

KENYA: MUTUNGA DIDN’T MEAN WHAT HE SAID ABOUT WITCH DOCTOR

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

Maurice from Kisumu County would like to know my opinion on Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga’s remarks that even witch doctors could help them resolve their disputes without taking each other to the overburdened courts.

My opinion Maurice is that Mutunga did not mean what he said. He was just trying expressing the fact that some cases can be resolved from outside and need not to be taken to court. He said people should stop saying “I’ll see you in court”, and entering a long and costly process, when they could first seek help from churches, mosques, elders or neighbours.

He was just trying to send a message across when he said that even in Kutui, where he comes from, he has told people they can go to the witch doctors to solve issues. The reaction of some people to my opinion is in contemporary world people view witchcraft as something evil and potentially harmful to people.

It is, therefore, no surprise that such a word came from a recognized and respected personality like Dr Willy Mutunga. This is particularly given that most witches are done at night making use of ordinary animals like hyenas, big dogs, mongooses, owls, snakes or lightning birds. They have the skill to tame these animals and hide them at the back of their huts.

This type of witches is common in Kitui where Mutunga comes from, which is why to my opinion he was prompted to use this example. Those days many people believed and in fact their problems were solved.

Those were days that witches were active and their practices included sending snakes to bite their victims or lightning to strike them down. They could also collect the victim’s hair, nail clippings or any article of clothing worn by the victim to cast a spell on it that will harm or kill their victims.

The idea of life-force goes hand in hand with that of limited cosmic good. For example, when people are not prosperous or when their goods are limited, they will argue that someone has taken their life-force.

People would also go to witchdoctors for consultation and to protect themselves against witchcraft. The main aim of the witchdoctor is more to protect than to attack. The diviners use a set of stones, shells and engraved stones which they carry in a small skin bag.

These they throw on the ground, and the pattern in which they fall reveals the answer of their ancestors to their client’s enquiries. Enquiries may relate to the nature and causes of sickness, the reason for a death, the whereabouts of missing stock or any baffling situation or a desire to know something about the future.

In Uganda for example, some women are reported to have been directed by witch doctors to collect body fluids like urine and menstrual blood among others to keep their errant husbands on check.

Under the guise of needing an urgent solution to a cheating husband, women from Katwe, Makindye and Wakaliga where women go to the shrines to seek advice from traditional medicine women.

After consultation women believe if their husbands tried to sleep with another woman, he would smell like faeces, which would turn that woman off. This they believe is a cheaper way of avoiding going to court to seek a divorce case.

That visit cost them sh25,000, cheaper than court case. After preparing food and you are ready to serve him, the woman goes outside and squat to urinate. The directive by the witch is that you make sure you get the first drop of your urine and put it in a cup or tin.

The directive is that when the woman is serving the husband she is to pour it in his soup and juice. As she is doing that she says: “the way this urine has pained me, is the same way you should feel pain when you intend to cheat on me.’ When you do that, you will come back and tell me”.

Bottom of Form

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 – Lake Turkana Wind Power: US $870m Financing Agreements Get Signed as Biggest Clean Power Energy Project in Africa

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

US $870m Financing Agreements Get Signed as Biggest Clean Power Energy Project in Africa

Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s biggest Wind Power Project reaches key milestone

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, March 24, 2014/ — The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (http://ltwp.co.ke) meant to add an existing 300MW of reliable, low cost wind energy to the national grid of Kenya reached a critical milestone following the signing of the financial agreements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/harith-1.png

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=735 (Tshepo Mahloele, CEO of Harith General Partners)

The signing of the over US $870m financing agreements represents a major breakthrough to actualizing the biggest clean power energy project in Africa, spanning years of negotiations and fundraising, says Tshepo Mahloele, CEO of Harith General Partners (http://www.harith.co.za).

The project will be financed with a mixture of equity, mezzanine debt and senior debt.

The Lake Turkana Wind Power project is the first of its kind in East Africa and will be the largest wind project on the continent to date, says Mahloele. The Project will benefit Kenya, and specifically the Turkana area where unemployment is high, with jobs, economic development and, most importantly, electricity which is a vital element in any economy.

LTWP has signed a 20 year Power Purchase Agreement with the government of Kenya through its electricity entity, Kenya Power.

The parties at the signing ceremony were represented by lead developer and independent power producer, Aldwych, which is majority owned by the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF). LTWP is primarily responsible for the financing, construction and operation of the wind farm and comprise a grouping of investors and lenders with extensive financial and technical capabilities and experience on the African continent. They include FMO, Vestas, Finnfund, IFU and a strong local sponsor KP&P on the equity side. The syndicate of banks is led by the African Development Bank and comprises Standard Bank, Nedbank, EIB, DEG and Proparco.

The project will be located on one of the best sites for a wind farm in the world. Not only are the wind speeds exceptionally high but the wind is only from one direction, is not seasonal, and is low in turbulence. The project site is situated on the southeast border of Lake Turkana between two high ranging mountains in the Turkana Corridor where a low level jet stream originating in the Indian Ocean creates favourable wind conditions.

Mahloele says the LTWP will essentially assist diversify Kenya’s energy mix and reduce the country’s reliance on power production from oil and diesel power generators. The Kenya government will save millions per year on importing fuel. The LTWP tax contribution to Kenya alone will be approximately $27m annually and $548m over the life of the investment.

Mahloele says the combination of international financial and technical expertise has ensured that the project is structured in a bankable and sustainable form in accordance with international standards.

This project also forms part of Harith’s commitment to the United States backed Power Plan announced last year by the US President Barack Obama to bring more than 10 000 MW of electricity to sub Saharan Africa. Through Power Africa, Harith has committed $70m for wind energy in Kenya and $500m across the African power sector through a new fund.

Mahloele says the investment is the result of the forward thinking and planning on the part of the Kenyan leadership who had undertaken comprehensive power sector reforms over the past decade.

In Kenya, electricity is mainly generated from hydro, thermal and geothermal sources. Wind generation accounts for less than six megawatts of the installed capacity. Currently, hydro power comprises over 52 percent of the installed capacity in Kenya and is sourced from various stations managed by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).

It is our assertion that the Lake Turkana Wind Project will greatly reduce Kenya’s over reliance on hydropower which is playing a critical role in ensuring security of electricity supply but is however vulnerable to periodic draught seasons, says Mahloele.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Harith General Partners (Pty) Ltd.

For more information contact: Pule Molebeledi Investor Relations and Communications Executive, Harith General Partners +27 11 384 4002 or Pule.Molebeledi@harith.co.za

About Harith General Partners

Harith General Partners (http://www.harith.co.za) is the leading Pan-African fund manager for infrastructure development across the continent. Based in South Africa, Harith manages Africa’s first and only 15-year infrastructure fund, the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) and also owns London based asset manager Frontier Markets Fund Manager Limited (FMFML). FMFML has USD1.1bn asset under management and manages two funds: The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF); and GuarantCo. The PAIDF US $630m fund is invested in a number of major projects in diversified sectors such as energy, transport and information, communication and telecommunications. http://www.harith.co.za

SOURCE
Harith General Partners (Pty) Ltd

Statement by Public Protector After Probe into Cost of South African President’s Nkandla Home Upgrade

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From: Yona Maro

52-page statement by Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela during a media briefing to release the report on an investigation into allegations of impropriety and unethical conduct relating to the installation and implementation of security measures by the Department of Public Works at and in respect of the private residence of President Jacob Zuma at Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

Link:
http://allafrica.com/download/resource/main/main/idatcs/00081056:f0817998cba3445cf0a5115362f29f47.pdf
.pdf – 823.64 KB

—

Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

Why foreign aid fails – and how to really help Africa

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From: Yona Maro

The idea that large donations can remedy poverty has dominated the theory of economic development — and the thinking in many international aid agencies and governments — since the 1950s. And how have the results been? Not so good, actually. Millions have moved out of abject poverty around the world over the past six decades, but that has had little to do with foreign aid. Rather, it is due to economic growth in countries in Asia which received little aid. The World Bank has calculated that between 1981 and 2010, the number of poor people in the world fell by about 700 million — and that in China over the same period, the number of poor people fell by 627 million.

In the meantime, more than a quarter of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa are poorer now than in 1960 — with no sign that foreign aid, however substantive, will end poverty there. Last year, perhaps the most striking illustration came from Liberia, which has received massive amounts of aid for a decade. In 2011, according to the OECD, official development aid to Liberia totalled $765 million, and made up 73 per cent of its gross national income. The sum was even larger in 2010. But last year every one of the 25,000 students who took the exam to enter the University of Liberia failed. All of the aid is still failing to provide a decent education to Liberians.

Link:
http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9121361/why-aid-fails/

Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

HOW CHINESE FIRMS ARE USED BY JUBILEE MAFIAS TO STEAL TAX PAYERS MONEY

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Jacob from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste I agree with your recent article that President Uhuru cannot do away with cartels of corruption in his Jubilee government and that corruption is in every government sector, from bottom to the top.

Father it is very sad that Sh3.9 billion used by NHIF to build a multi-storey car park at Upper Hill in Nairobi cannot be justified according to report by Auditor-General Edward Ouko. The audit also questions a decision by NSSF to invest more than Sh1.1 billion of workers’ money in public forests, which are gazetted areas, and which cannot be owned or developed. This is terrible.

Even though during the National Dialogue Conference on the rising wage bill last week, President Uhuru criticised NSSF’s investment policy, there is nothing much he can do to recover the stolen money”.

I am glad you have realized this Jacob. President Uhuru cannot do away with cartels of corruption in his Jubilee government because these are powerful brokers targeting multi-billion shilling government tenders.

These are the same “mafia style operators” who were involved in the multi-billion shilling Anglo-Leasing scandal, whose debt the national Treasury has not recovered since it was exposed in 2002.

These mafias are known. Even Jubilee leaders close to Uhuru have admitted they cannot be exposed publicly because they are individuals well known by Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto “since they are hiding under government skirts”.

It explains why, even thoug the President and his deputy were given seven days to name these people who have perfected the art of corruption through successive governments but has since never exposed them.

These are the same mafias who are behind the standard gauge railway project scandal, laptops among other tenders.

That is also why the directives by the Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko that former Cabinet minister Amos Kimunya is prosecuted over alleged abuse of office and fraudulent disposal and acquisition of public property means nothing.

The charges are in connection with a 25 acre piece of public land in Njambini, Nyandarua County that was part of a 75-acre plot reserved by the Agriculture ministry for a potato seed multiplication project.

Kimunya, while Lands minister during President Mwai Kibaki’s government, caused part of the land to be allocated to Midlands, a company in which he was a director and shareholder, without the consent of the Agriculture ministry.

Kimunya held various ministerial posts during the 10 years of Kibaki presidency with scandals but Kibaki never laid hands on him. He started as Land minister before moving to Finance, Trade and finally Transport, all with scandals.

Even after Kimunya was defeated by his former ally Samuel Gichigi in the March 2013 elections after which he retired to a quiet private life, Kimunya is still powerful and close ally to Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kimunya is aware of this that is why when he was forced to cut short his appearance before the Public Investments Committee after was declared a hostile witness while testifying on the standard gauge railway project, Uhuru never mentioned anything about him.

It explains further, why in 2008 when Parliament passed a vote of no confidence against Kimunya while he was serving as Finance minister over the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel, now Laico Regency, instead Kibaki reinstated him, this time as minister for trade.

Kimunya then criticized the Parliamentary Finance committee over the Grand Regency report, accusing the MPs of focusing on his character instead of proving that there was corruption. It was alleged that Kibaki new about the sale of the Hotel since he was part of it.

That is also why as Finance minister, when Kimunya was involved in controversies over the Safaricom privatisation and the De la Rue currency printing contract, Kibaki could not sack him, and instead he kept silence about the issue.

While in 2010, when MPs accused Kimunya, while Transport minister, of making appointments from one community only at the Kenya Ports Authority, in August 2012 when he became entangled in the cancellation of a Sh55 billion tender for the construction of a new terminal at the JKIA, he was untouchable.

Even after the Public Procurement and Oversight Authority later declared Kimunya’s actions regarding the airport tender illegal, Kibaki could not take any action against him. Instead the PPOA reinstated the Chinese firm that was originally awarded the tender.

The same powerful mafias have now hijacked the National Social Security Fund’s (NSSF) two housing upgrade projects worth Sh12 billion in Nairobi, leading to award of the contracts to a Chinese firm.

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

Africa’s Willing Taxpayers Thwarted by Opaque Tax Systems, Corruption

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From: Yona Maro

Afrobarometer survey data, covering 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa reveal widespread citizen commitment to the principle of taxation and to taking responsibility – by paying their taxes – for national development. But taxation systems across the continent remain opaque to large majorities. Most find it difficult to know what they owe, and the public is even more in the dark when it comes to understanding how tax revenues are actually used by governments. Moreover, perceived corruption among tax authorities remains significant, and evidence suggests these perceptions undermine public commitment to the integrity of the tax system and increase the likelihood of non-compliance.
link:
http://allafrica.com/download/resource/main/main/idatcs/00080971:c99eb6b369b03c20dde4210a867c6c05.pdf

—
Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

KENYANS MUST SUPPORT PRESIDENT KENYATTA’S EFFORT TO REDUCE HUGE WAGE BILL.

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Commentary by Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The move made by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto by voluntarily offering 20 per cent of their monthly salary reduction in order to relieve the country out of overburdening huge wage bill is a good gesture should be appreciate by all Kenyans of goodwill.

However, it must be taken into account that the President at a personal level is not feeling the heat of the current skyrocketing inflationary situation, which has pushed the prices of the basic commodities beyond the reach of many Kenyan families.

As the sojourner of the of prestigious State House, the President and his family are enjoying free supply of rations free medical facilities and free education of his siblings, all the bills footed by the state unlike thousands of the ordinary Kenyans who can now hardly afford to put their food on the table.

Nevertheless, it is my passionate appeal to him, to consider the options of abolishing so many money guzzling commissions, though all this would require political will. This would require the backing of both the Senate and Parliament.

The government should draft and introduce radical surgery involving a major constitutional amendment abolishing nomination seats in parliament and the national assembly as well as the luxury of nominated MCAs. With the present 290 parliamentary electoral constituencies, 47 Senate representatives and 47 women and as such the electorate in this country are well represented in all important legislative organs. In this context the only essential groups that need special representation and perhaps a few nominations are those people with physical disabilities. The huge wage bill which Kenya is currently under the obligation to meet the payment is the civil servants

It is also time the for the new constitution had explicitly abolished under the devolution processes.

It is worth for Kenyans to remember that during his election campaign for his re-election to his second term, the former President Mwai Kibaki made a big political blunder by dishing out the “political districts”, the erratic move which had seen New administrative districts recklessly being created in some areas which were previously administered by the locations administrative chiefs being promoted made district. Some of the Kibaki districts should be scrapped and revert to their former areas of jurisdiction. The creation of the new districts had inflated the pay bill for civil servants by nearly 35 per cent.

As a resident of Nyanza Province I can offer the example of old Migori district in the greater Southern Nyanza. Migori, which is now a County has new eight districts. There used to be only four, which include Kuria, Rongo and Migori. But today there are eight administrative district, which included, Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, Suna East, Suna West and Nyaike plus the two Kuria East and Kuria West. In all these new districts there are D.Cs, Dos and Chiefs and their assistants. What a crazy kind administrative arrangement is this?

Members of the Provincial Administration are redundant and idle and should either be redeployed into other government Ministries or be sent home with immediate effect.

His EXCELLENCY President Kenyatta should make a bold step and brig the Administration Police and the regular police under one command of the Inspector General of Police instead of maintaining the APs as different entity and yet they are supposed to be offering the same service.

At the same time the government should cut down unnecessary seminars, workshops and conferences at all levels of the national government and the counties. Uncalled for foreign trips, which of late have become a burden to Kenya taxpayers should be discouraged. And also non-performing Cabinet Secretaries, particularly those whose ministries are reportedly bedeviled with corruptions should be axed immediately.

Cabinet Secretaries should attend the meetings of both Senate and Parliament and be always available to answer the members questions. A certain category of public servants working for the Counties should be on secondment from the national government allowing the Counties to recruit only the lower cadres of workers for their purpose of maintaining efficiency in service delivery by the county governments. I am sure President Kenyatta meant well for the down trodden Kenya and he should also instruct his aides to be mindful of other Kenyans who are wallowing in abject poverty.

Ends

Signed by Leo Odera Omolo.

About the author: He.Is a retired veteran journalist who comments occasionally on topical issues.

KENYA: NYANDO MP SELLS HIS LAND FOR KSHS 800m to Madam R Enterprises FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.

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To: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

By Our Investigative Reporter

Nyando MP Fred Outa who is at the centre of the storm loudly supporting the controversial Solid Waste Management is to sell to Madam R the company which was awarded the multi-billion Solid Waste Management his land at Namba Okan at a cost of kshs 800 million hence his strong agitation for Madam R.

The area MPs ;John Olago Aluoch, Aduma Owuor and himself have so far been enjoined in the case as interested parties together with six Ward Reps;the ever hungry Prisca Auma Misachi, Yona Maina Koko ,Jane Omollo and the fatherless “Banian” Aslam Khan.

Outr has of late locked horns with Kisumu Governor Jack ranguma who has so far disowned the tender award vowing that he will fight the Governor to the full until he achieves his desire of selling the land to Madam enterprises.

All those who are enjoined in the petition have been promised good cash rewards if the tender will finally be awarded to the said company.

The MPs have been promised kshs 10million each while the Ward Reps are to take home kshs 5million each.

“I am surprised that our leaders can stoop this low and be bribed and okay such a project just because one of their own is to sell his land to the Company and they share the loot from the tax payers money from Kisumu” lamented aConty Rep who was approached to be a friend of the Court but declined.

So far no Environmental Impact Assessment report has been conducted and submitted to the National Environment Management Authority, lead agencies like Kisumu Civil Aviation Authority, Water Resource Management Authority and Kisumu County on the said land the MP is selling.

Ranguma has vowed that the project will only take place over his dead vowing that the award of the tender was un procedural.

This comes at a time Kisumu High Court ordered the Kisumu County Government to respond to a petition filed by businessman Erick Okeyo regarding the controversial solid waste management project.

High Court Judge Aggrey Muchelule has given the lawyers representing the County government (Wasuna Advocates) three days to file a response against the allegations made by the petitioner.

Okeyo through his lawyer Charles Njuguna wants the county government compelled to produce certified copies of the advertisements for invitation to tender, the valuation report of the tenders, and proof of public participation in the process.

Muchelule ordered lawyers representing both parties to move with speed because the matter is of public interest since it involves huge amount of money and must be expedited as soon as possible.

However Advocate Yogo representing Madam R enterprises which was allegedly offered the Sh. 18 billion tender maintained that no tender was signed and that the county government has not spent any money on the project.

KENYA: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOZENS OF MOI ERA MADE LUO MILLIONAIRES ?

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ASK Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City

THE six million question currently being asked by many people in this City and its environs is the whereabouts of the several dozens of Moi-made Luo millionaires who were created by the regime of the retired President DanieL Arap Moi before his regime was hounded out of the office in 2002.

The Moi made millionaires were individual professionals, business tycoons, politicians and KANU operatives who were then the ones calling shots inside Luo-Nyanza. The majority of them have died mysteriously leaving behind huge bank debts said to have overburden their families.

Only a few are still surviving, who have kept very low profiles. Leading the pack was Kassim G Owango, an economist who had established an enterprising land valuers business enterprises in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumuj, John Linus Aluoch, joel Nyaseme, Hezekiah Nelson Oyugi,Isaack Omolo-Okero, Okumu Aroko, Eng. Maxwell Otieno Odongo, Sam Okello, Edwin Ochieng” Yinda, Tom Okello Obondo Dalmas Otieno.Peter Castro Oloo Aringo, Ouma Okendo, Orwenjo-Umidha, Mijoma a trade unionist, Arap Onyango, David , Paul Demaco GogoDavid Okiki Amayo, Hertbert Ojwang”,Tom Okello Obondo ,Okumu Aroko, W. Onyango Ayoki, Eng.Phillip Okoth Okundi, Z\blon Owigo Olang and other political luminaries of the KANU regime under Moi.

Some of the Moi-Made millionaires traversed the full length and width of Luo-Nyanza dishing our hefty donations toward many socio-economic projects, while at the same time delivering Moi hefty personal donations.

Other had become excessively arrogant and bullies to an extent that anyone who crossed swords with them were in for hot soup. The group polarized The region and even made the D.C.s who were serving in the various administrative district in Nyanza wetting on their trousers on simple phone calls from the men

However, only a few of these Moi’s men made it to the August House inspire having made numerous attempt to garner votes in heavily funded election campaign in various parliamentary constituencies. These were John Linus Aluoch {Rongo}, DalmasandDalmas Otieno.Otieno{Rongo}, Tom Okello Obondo Ndhiwa}, Ot. Edwin Ochieng’Yinda{Alego-Usonga}, David Okiki Amayo{Karachuonyo}, W. Onyango-Ayok,Okumu Aroko {Kisumu Rural} JOHN henry Okwanyo {Karachuonyo} {Karachuonyo Peter Clever Otieno Nyakiamo {Mbita}, Wyciffe Onyango Ayoki [Kisumu Rural}, Sam Odoyo {Nyakach}.Eng Philip Okoth Okundui

Our research has revealed that out of dozens of the Moi-Made Luo millionaires who are still thriving in active business are quite a few. The Moi|s men who had the easiest access to the State House were treated by so many lucrative government tenders,in some cases with payments in advance before the work is done and completed contrary to the government procurement regulations.They were known to be dishing out in return colossal amount of money earned from these contract back to the KANU campaign kitty each tie the election were called.

Those whose businesses are known to be still thriving on and enterprising include Paul D. whom is the CEO Sifa Insurance, Peter Nyakiamo who is a retired CEO of the Barclays Bank of Kenya, Edwin Ochieng’Yinda who is a business magnate in the coastal city of Mombasa and perhaps one of the wealthiest Luo,Eng Philip Okundi whose Asego Investment business flagship is running and managing enterprising Cotton Ginneries, real estates and other businesses. Orwenjo Umidha, the former Siaya mayor who is running real estate businesses in Siaya town, and perhaps controlling had of the business premises in that town.Herbert Ojwang” who is running and owning several businesses in Nairobi and Kabondio-Kasipul as well as in Kisumu.including road transport. Zablon Owigo Olang/ is also reported to be still in business.

Reports emerging fro Siaya say Mijoma died about ten years ago a pauper, the same could be said of the late Mathews Ogutu the former Tourism Minister,the late Ouma Okendo the generous man from Uyoms died while living moderately and an average rural life. Henry Okwanyof9rer Minister for Water Development left behind a well organised family who included the County Commissioner for Pokot Peter Okwanyo and a large family ,living well in hid Migori home, and the same could be said of Samson Odoyo a humble man and forme Nyakach Mp. His son Peter Odoyo served in the Raila -Moi meger government ads an Assistant Minister for Foregn Affairs and he is still an active ODM politician though of limited influence in Nyakach.the former long-serving Minister for Power and Communication is living comfortably in his palatial Ulumbi-Gem rural home, The rest either died in mystery or perished while wallowing in abject poverty

Those Moi”s men who made into parliament only succeeded in their ambition after defecting to the either the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s Ford Kenya, Rala ODM dinga’s LDP and ODM , but not on a KANU ticket.

NEAR INSOLVENT RAILA’S MOLASSES COMPANY REPORTED IN A SECRET DEAL WITH KIBIOS SUGAR FACTORY AND PLANNING TO ACQUIRE MIWANI SUGAR MILL.

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By a Special Correspondent In Kisumu City

INFORMATION emerging from corporate sources within Kisumu cIty say Raila Odinga’s company, the Spectre international has entered into a secret deal with the Kibios Sugar and Allied Industries and swabbed shares.

The Spectre International is the Odinga’s business flagship, which is currently managing the Kisumu Molasses plant, which is located at Otonglo Market in the outskirt of Kisumu City.

The information about the possible move by the two companies to collaborate and forming a consortium company has been in the public domain ever since last December when Raila made a surprise visit to the Kibos sugar factory, which is located at kibos town . Raila’s visit to the plant was immediately followed by the official tour of the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix koskei

Management of the kibos Sugar Companies are reported to have cooffed out substantial amount of money to the tune of Kshs 80 million, which they gave to the financially strapped Kisumu Molasses plant to enable it to clear the backlog of its workers salaries running to four months in arrears which prompted the stoppage of production at the plant when the workers went on strike and demanded that they be paid their salary in arrears amounting to Kshs 40 million. The Molasses plant had an accumulated unpaid power bill of the same amount.

Before the alleged deal the KPLC, the electricity providing firm had disconnected its power to the plant.

Other sources have confided to us, the the Spectre international and the kibios Sugar company are in the process of forming a consortium company, and once the arrangement is compete, the consortium would make a bid for the ACQUISITION OF THE RUB-DOWN Miwani Sugar mill, which is currently under the official receivership. Miwani together with the Muhoroni Sugar Mill were placed under what the then Minister for Agriclture Chria n Obure described as the “Protective receivership”. The two companies were placed under the joint official receivership management in 2001. But their status has remained unchanged and the same ever since 2001 with no signs in sight as to when the receivership would be lifted. Several firms and groups of official receivership management have been in place ever since, but no solution.

Miwani Mills {1985} together with Nzoia, Chemelil, sonySugar and Muhoroni Sugar Company are the five public owned sugar factories due for privatization.

The Kisumu Molasses of late to have been starved for molasses, a by product of sugar which it needed for making ethanol spirit. This is caused by the fact that most of the sugar factories in Western Kenya have established their own distilleries and as such can no longer adequately supply the Kisumu based plant with sufficient raw materials. The Molasses firm recently said it was exploring the possibility of turning into Sorghum millets for raw material and was heard urging local farmers to grow more millets.

The Raila company suffered a big blow and major set back following the the departure of Dr Evans Odhiambo Kidero from the helm of Mumias Sugar Mill where he was the managing director. It was Kidero who had kept the Kisumu Molasses plant running to its full capacity with the steady supplies of molasses, an arrangement which has since ceased to be in place as the company has already established its own ethanol distilling wing.Kidero is the governor of Nairobi County, the position which he won on an ODM ticket.

On Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries, the sugar processing factory was established without its own nucleus estate farm, and depended entirely the large and small scale sugar cane farmers from the nearby Kano plains, South Nandi and Kericho districts for supplies.

Miwani Sugar Mill, however, has its own nucleus estate farm measuring about 10,000 nacres, which has been laying fallow ever since the company went bust in 2001.

This farm has been the subject of high profile legal tussles in court, which has seen two senior judiciary officials comprising of a resident magistrate and a judge being removed from the bench and loosing their job as a cartel of Indian business men and farmers in Kisumu and Kibos made futile attempt to have the Miwani sugar cane farm grabbed from the backdoor. The exercise has degenerate a lot of controversies even involving some un named LUO MPS and cabinet ministers in the 10th parliament and became the “Milking Cow” in which some of them made of with palatial houses in their rural home corruptively constructed with the materials allegedly donated by unscrupulous Indian business tycoons who made all the tricks in the books in the vain attempt to secure the ownership of the Miwani farm.

The reported deal is said to have received the blessing of the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Koskei, an a top government officials whose interests in the deal is said to be through proxies.

However, the alleged plan to acquire the Miwani sugar Mills by Raila and business associates is likely to degenerate a lot of controversies because it may earn vehement opposition from the resident of the nearby Kano plains who for a long time have laid the claims that the farm happened to be their ancestral land, and as such they stand to be consulted as stakeholders in any deal and transaction.

Contacted by an SMS message through his mobile phone one of the top managers at Kibos Sugar Compay A senior manager at the Spectre Internationl is Odinga’s younger sister Ruth Adhiambo Oginga who could not be reached for her immediate comment. However a senior manager at the kibis sugar plant a Mr Raju promised that he would get in touch with this writer later as he was busy, but never came back on line.

Meanwhile ,apparently being aware of the secret deal by Raila and his Indians business associates, a section of leaders from the Nyanza sugar belt have raised objection against it and accused the jubilee government of plotting to ground the country’s economy through selling the public owned sugar companies to foreign and local investors without adequately consulting the local stakeholders.

Speaking during a fundraising meeting at the Koru Girls secondary School, which was conducted by the Nairobi governor Dr. Evans Kidero, the leaders accused the Jubilee government of failing to sustain the locaL sugar companies in the country to make them unviable and then privatize by selling them to their foreign and locally based business partners.

Apparently aware of the planned Raila deal with is Indian partners the leaders included the area MP James Onyango koyoo, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo,Julius Melly {Tinderet} and Senator James IOrengo [Siaya} vowed they would push for the sale of sustainable sugar companies to County governments within which they are situated. Miwani, Muhoroni and Chemelil are all located in the Nyanza sugar belt region of Kisumu County, while SonySugar is situated in Migori County and Nzoia sugar Company is in Bungma County. All are currently experiencing financial constraints due to illegal importation of sugar into the country from foreign sources, which has created a huge stockpiles of unsold made sugar by the facturies worth millions of shillings.

Meanwhile contacted for his comment about the alleged deal with Raila firm, a senior manager at the KibosSugar Company Mr. Raju promise to get in touch with this writer, but never came back, though he had indicated that he would do so. On the side of the Spectre Internatinal, the top manager there is Ms REuth Adhiambo Odinga, the younger sister to Raila who is also the deputy governor of the Kisumu County who could not be traced for her immediate comment

ENDS

Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President (WAS SPEECH BY AKI Chair, Kampala, ON 19TH FE.2014)

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From: Shem Ochuodho

Friends,

Some of you will be aware that H.E. the President recently addressed Kenyan Diaspora in Kampala. Below, we are delighted to share with you summary of his remarks in Kampala from the Presidential Press Unit (PSCU). We appreciate H.E.’s apparent prioritization of Diaspora.

We were much delighted to have been represented as Diaspora, especially KDA, by the very able Chair of AKIU (Association of Kenyans in Uganda), Nd Isaiah Kojwang’, who by virtue of his office, also dubs in as Co-Convenor of KDA. Thanks, Nd Koji for highlighting most of the key issues so dear to the Diaspora.

Attached is copy of the full remarks by Nd Isaiah, shared with permission.

Asante na kind regards,
Shem

——– Original message ——–
From: PSCU Kenya
Date: 19/02/2014 22:52 (GMT+03:00)
Subject: Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President

Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President
By Kobia Mwirichia

Kampala February 19, 2014 (PSCU) – The Government is developing instruments of engagement to bolster relationship with the Kenyan Diaspora to enable them invest in key projects in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured.

President Kenyatta said Kenyan Diaspora is considered the single biggest asset outside the country for the developmental roles they played through remittances.

The President spoke Wednesday night at a Kampala hotel when he met Kenyans living and working in Uganda. He said Kenyan Diaspora was the central pillar in the country’s foreign policy.

“You are the single largest contributor to the country’s development agenda through remittances and the face of Kenya in enhancing relations with the host countries. We as Government will continue to engage with you,” the President told Kenyan Diaspora.

The President, who is in Kampala for the Northern Corridor Integration projects 4th Tripartite Summit, said the instruments of engagement being put in place will enable the Diaspora to participate in Key projects in roads and the energy sectors.

On the issue of Kenyans living abroad participating in the electoral process, the President affirmed that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is putting in place mechanisms to register all Kenyans including those in the Diaspora to enable them participate in the 2017 general elections.

President Kenyatta said registration of voters will be a continuous exercise to ensure that all Kenyans on attainment of 18 years are registered as voters to enable them exercise their democratic rights to elect leaders of their choice.

He said the Government has made great strides in the last nine months in the removal of non-tariff barriers and other obstacles that increased cost of doing business in the country.

“We prioritised removal of delays in cargo clearance at the port of Mombasa and the challenges of transporting it along the northern corridor as part of our contribution to promoting regional trade,” President Kenyatta said.

The President allayed fears that the coming together of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan in infrastructure development would hurt the East Africa integration.

He said all the five East African Community member States are committed to integration and are focused in the objective of uniting the region for prosperity.

“We want a one united East Africa as unity is strength. Through integration, EA will be a giant among countries of the world,” the President added.

The President said the four countries came together to address their common unique needs and their unity is therefore in any way meant to isolate Tanzania and Burundi or undermine the EAC integration process.

Fielding questions from the Kenyans, President Kenyatta assured IDPs in Uganda that the Government will facilitate them to return home and restart their lives.

He said, “The Ministry of devolution is working with the National Treasury to set aside funds in the next financial year to incorporate IDPS in Uganda in the resettlement programme”.

He thanked the government of Uganda for hosting Kenyans displaced by the 2007 post-election violence for the last six years.

The chairman of the Association of Kenyans Living in Uganda Mr. Isaac Kojwang thanked the President for pushing forward the EAC agenda and fast-tracking the integration agenda.

Ends…

On Monday, 3 March 2014, 13:27, Isaiah Kojwang wrote:

Dear Daktari,

Attached is the speech I made when Kenyans in Uganda hosted President Uhuru Kenyatta at the Kampala Serena Conference Centre.

I’m glad to say that The President and The Cabinet Secretary, Foreign affairs and International Trade took issues raised in the speech seriously and responded to most of them directly, and asking his (President’s) minders to make sure different issues belonging to various Ministries back home be raised with the relevant PSs and CSs. You have probably heard him already raising the IEBC and EAC issues which we presented, among several others. In Kampala, it became almost like a panel discussion with H.E responding to nearly every question raised and allowing his entourage to make comments where relevant.

We’ll talk soon.

Regards.

Isaiah Omondi Kojwang
Holiday Express Hotel
P.O Box 9923,Kampala, UGANDA
Tel.+256 312 262858/9, +256 414 253451/5
Fax.+256 414 252665
Cel.+256 772 669218.
Alt. email: ikojwang@holidayexpresshotel.com
Web: http://www.holidayexpresshotel.com/

International Debt Statistics 2014

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From: Yona Maro

International Debt Statistics (IDS) 2014 is a continuation of the World Bank’s publications Global Development Finance, Volume II (1997 through 2009) and the earlier World Debt Tables (1973 through 1996). IDS 2014 provides statistical tables showing the external debt of 128 developing countries that report public and publicly guaranteed external debt to the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System (DRS). It also includes tables of key debt ratios for individual reporting countries and the composition of external debt stocks and flows for individual reporting countries and regional and income groups along with some graphical presentations. IDS 2014 draws on a database maintained by the World Bank External Debt (WBXD) system. Longer time series and more detailed data are available from the World Bank open databases, which contain more than 200 time series indicators, covering the years 1970 to 2012 for most reporting countries, and pipeline data for scheduled debt service payments on existing commitments to 2019. International Debt Statistics 2014 is unique in its coverage of the important trends and issues fundamental to the financing of the developing world.

This report is an indispensable resource for governments, economists, investors, financial consultants, academics, bankers, and the entire development community. In addition, International Debt Statistics will showcase the broader spectrum of debt data collected and compiled by the World Bank. These include the high frequency, quarterly external debt database (QEDS) and the quarterly public sector database (QPSD) developed in partnership with the International Monetary Fund and launched by the World Bank.
Link
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/17048/9781464800511.pdf?sequence=1

Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

Tigo pioneers world’s first mobile money transfer with currency conversion with service between Rwanda and Tanzania

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Tigo pioneers world’s first mobile money transfer with currency conversion with service between Rwanda and Tanzania

The new service allows Tigo subscribers in Tanzania to send money from their Tigo Pesa accounts to Tigo Cash subscribers in Rwanda and vice versa

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, February 24, 2014/ — Tigo (http://www.tigo.co.tz), a subsidiary of the international telecommunications and media company Millicom (Stockholmsbörsen: MIC), a leader in thirteen markets across Africa and Latin America, today announced the launch of a pioneering cross-border Mobile Money remittance service between Tanzania and Rwanda.

Logo Tigo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/tigo-1.jpg

The service was launched simultaneously in Kigali and Dar-es-Salaam in the presence of Rwandan High Commissioner in Tanzania Dr Ben Rugangazi, High Commissioner of Tanzania in Rwanda HE Francis Mwaipaja and Rwanda Finance Minister Honourable Claver who undertook the first mobile money transactions between the two countries.

The new service allows Tigo subscribers in Tanzania to send money from their Tigo Pesa accounts to Tigo Cash subscribers in Rwanda and vice versa. The system integrates currency conversion, whereby money is sent in either Tanzania Shillings or Rwandan Francs and delivered already converted into in the currency of the recipient’s country.

This, according to Tigo Tanzania General Manager Diego Gutierrez, is the first product of its kind in the world that allows dual currency international mobile wallet to mobile wallet transfers with currency conversion included.

Once the remittance is received, customers can use the funds to access all the services and benefits that Tigo Mobile Financial Services offer. These include airtime top ups, payments for water, electricity, TV and transportation, transfers to bank accounts, cash withdrawals at any Tigo agent across the country, and convenient transfers to other mobile money users.

To send money from Tigo Pesa (Tanzania) to Tigo Cash (Rwanda) users, customers should dial *150*90# while those in Rwanda remitting to Tanzania should dial *200*7#. This service can be used from any Tigo mobile phone. Customers in their respective countries will receive their money immediately in their routine currency.

To register for Tigo Pesa or Tigo Cash, customers can visit any agent in Tanzania or Rwanda respectively. Registration is free of charge; customers only need to present their ID.

According to Gutierrez, “This new product will save customers’ time and money. International senders currently have to go to a money changer to exchange Rwanda Francs to dollars and then bring those dollars to remittance companies to send. They can now send money directly from their phone.”

Mr Gutierrez continued: “We are delighted to give our customers the possibilities to make payments to fellow East Africans. Thanks to a stable and state-of-the-art technology, users in Rwanda are able to send money to their families, friends and to their business partners across the border alike.”

Tongai Maramba, the General Manager of Tigo Rwanda said: “We are pleased to offer Tigo Cash customers the ability to send and receive international transfers directly via their phones. It is an added convenience that they can receive directly as Rwandan Francs because the traditional money transfer companies mostly deliver only dollars. This product enables consumers not to worry about exchanging money.”

Murenzi Abdallah, a transporter working with a Kigali based transport and logistics company on the route Dar-es-Salaam-Kigali-Goma expressed: “I am excited about the opportunity to receive money directly on my mobile while in Tanzania. My life will be a lot easier in terms of making different tax payments at border posts and other needs on my long and difficult journeys.”

Millicom offers Mobile Financial Services in Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, DRC, Chad, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Senegal and Paraguay and will extend its offering to more services and into more markets over time.

The new service will particularly benefit the businesses with cross-border trade, diaspora families, truck drivers, importers and exporters from both countries. Tanzania is Rwanda’s second most important trading partner. In 2013, Rwanda imports from Tanzania amounted to 80,883,702 US dollars while Tanzania received imports valued at 231,695,265 US dollars from Rwanda the same year.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Tigo Tanzania.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND IMAGES OF THE EVENTS AND MR ABDALLAH :

Tigo Tanzania
John Wanyancha
Corporate Communications Manager
+255 65 812 3089
John.Wanyancha@tigo.co.tz

Tigo Rwanda
Pierre Kayitana
Public Relations Manager
+250 72 212 3113
Pierre.kayitana@tigo.co.rw

SOURCE
Tigo Tanzania

KENYA: IN NYANZA TENSION IS BREWING OVER REGISTRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED TO FOR THE GOVERNMENT STIPEND

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.Writes Leo Odera Omolo

TENSION is brewing in various parts of LUO-NYANZA over the classification of the categories of aged, poor people who should benefit from the billions of shillings recently set aside by president Uhuru Kenyatta to benefit old and poor people.

The scheme is causing ripples and discontent that some of the local administrators were deliberately misinterpreting the scheme to suit their own selfish interests. Other unconfirmed allegations are that the Chiefs and their assistants were favoring their friends and relatives making it nightmarish for those who wanted to be registered as the beneficiaries of the scheme.

In many districts, the registration went on smoothly the whole of last week with hundreds of aged and poor running up to be registered.

Things did not work well, however. The exercise did not go well in Awendo and Uriri districts, Migori County. Hundreds of elderly people who turned up at Ayego Chiefs camp in North Kanyamkago location, Migori County encountered a lot of difficulties in having their names registered as the beneficiaries of the government stipend money.

The elders who gathered there were told that before they could dream of getting paid any money, officials from the Ministry of Social Services based in MIGORI D.C.’s office would visit their homesteads on very special missions to assess their poverty status. And that those found to be in extremely poor and having no houses and farms would automatically be the beneficiaries of the scheme.

However, from the looks of things on the ground, the government, particularly the Office of the President in Nairobib should come out with a comprehensive statement clarifying the details of the scheme explaining the categories of those old people who qualified for the stipend.

At the Rinya Chiefs Camp in Sakwa East Location also in Migori County a heated argument and exchange of harsh words ensued between Chief Ezra Odondi and his assistant Poul Ogweno and an enlightened elder called Henry Oguta Ouma, aged 80 and retired former police office who inquired as to why the names of only 65 people have been registered in the whole location with the population in excess of 15,000 people.

The exercise, Mzee Ouma said, locks out over 3,0000 older people who would miss the chances of enjoying the government stipend money. The two administrators were accompanied by an official from the social services department stationed at the Rongo D>C’s office who appeared not to be conversant with the government policy and rule governing the scheme for the aged people, people with disability and orphans

Failure by the official to give the proper and satisfactory explanation sparked off discontent and tension among the elders who left the venue while cursing corruption as the source of problem.

Mzee Ouma appealed to the area MP to convene an urgent meeting and explain to the public about the classic qualification for anyone to benefit to benefit from the government stipend for old people.

In other regions, old people were simply required to hand the photocopies of their national identity cards and leave everything to be sorted out by the officials.

Mzee Ouma later told the administrators that he would personally lead a delegation to petition President Kenyatta and sought for proper interpretation of the scheme.

Other unconfirmed reports reaching us say some officials were asking for bribe money form the poor old people so that they could have their names included in the scheme, while in other areas other were favoring their relatives and friends.

Reached on phone Uriri D.C George Kibet Lagat assured members of the public that who qualified for the stipend would get their money without any hunch or discrimination

ENDS