Category Archives: Minerals

3 principles for natural resources to become a blessing for development

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From: Yona Maro

Many of the world’s biggest economic success stories have happened in places with few or no natural resources.

This is clearly visible in Asia. Tiny Singapore, without a single natural resource, has transitioned from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the richest. Japan and South Korea rebuilt their war-torn countries and became two of the most advanced economies on the planet through hard work, industrialization and education. China, which used to be a poor country and net oil exporter, is now the world’s second-largest economy and top importer of oil, with 600 million people brought out of poverty in the process. There are success stories on all continents.

On the other hand, countries richer in natural resources have ended up much poorer. Mountainous North Korea has access to mineral wealth that more successful neighbor in the south lacks. In West Africa, oil-rich Equatorial Guinea has a higher gross domestic product than Poland, but the life expectancy of its citizens is 20 years lower than that of the average Pole. If natural wealth alone determined development, the list of winners and losers would have been very different.
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<a href=”https://www.devex.com/news/3-principles-for-natural-resources-to-become-a-blessing-for-development-85065?utm_source=twengagement&utm_medium=twtweet&utm_campaign=twdailypost”>https://www.devex.com/news/3-principles-for-natural-resources-to-become-a-blessing-for-development-85065?utm_source=twengagement&utm_medium=twtweet&utm_campaign=twdailypost</A>

The role of mining in national economies

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From: Yona Maro

This second edition of The role of mining in national economies provides an update on the contribution of mining activities in each of the world’s 214 national economies. The report extends the analysis of that in the first edition to capture the recent downturn in the mineral prices (2010 – 2012) as well providing a deeper understanding of the role of mining in poverty reduction.

A well-founded understanding of the role of mining and metals in each country’s national economy is critical for sound policy development and societal decision-making. Mining’s role in national economies and society in general is a continued area of focus for ICMM.

http://www.icmm.com/document/7950

Minerals and Metals Management 2020: a chemicals management progress report

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From: Yona Maro

This report reviews the commitments that ICMM made in 2009 to the United Nations’ Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM); the progress that ICMM and its members have made toward these commitments; how they plan to fulfill them; and where the mining and metals industry stands with regard to chemicals management.

http://www.icmm.com/document/4243

KENYA: TWO PEOPLE KILLED AND EIGHT MORE HURT IN LIGHTNING INCIDENT IN ONE WEEK

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

RESIDENTS of several villages within Nyatike constituency are still in big shock following a series of incidents in which lightning struck four places and killed two pupils within two days and within a radius of eight kilometers apart.

The residents say they have never experienced similar incidents before and called upon the government to send geological experts to go and examine the ground if there are some hidden minerals on the ground that attract the thunder ball in the area.

The areas involved are those close to the closed down former Macalder and Masara gold mines. The mines which had been closed way back in 1962 had a lot o deposits gold, nickels and cooper. They were closed way back in 1962 before Kenya attained its political independence from Great Britain in 1963 and the former owners and managers packed and went away.

Small scale mining of the precious stones are still going on by small time local miners, though of late some prospectors and mining companies from Europe and South African have invaded the area and formed several mining companies.

The first incident took place early last week at Namba Kodero, Kanyarwanda sub-clan where two pupils aged 9 and 13 were struck dead. The incident came soon on the heels of the victim’s father’s funeral.

The second incident took place at Kongili village in Masara village not far from the defunct Masara gold mine. A woman and her small child were hurt as she was drawing the rains waters during the heavy downpour.

Another serious lightning incident was reported at OSIRI gold mine, which is very close to the defunct, Macalder Goldmine and the other one was near airport at a place called God Kwach. Two men who were taking shelter in a house were hurt. The survived but sustained serious bodily burns which required medical treatment.

THE AREA mp Edick Omondi Anyanga has joined the residents in requesting the government to send geological experts to go and examine the grounds in the area.

One scared resident told this writer Migori that the residents were now living in fear at all the rains which come to them. He said many have deserted their homes and moved to other villages faraway from these areas close to the abandoned gold shafts. They are just figuring it out as to whether it’s a pattern.

Many parts of West Kenya are prone to lightning attack during the short rains which begin early in August and end in December. So far the thunder ball has killed more than 12 people in various places including Nandi, Bungoma, Busia and Ksii,and Bomet regions since the beginning of last month.

Ends

Oil & Mining; Hunger Scorecard;

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From: Yona Maro
Subject: Oil & Mining Countries: Transparency Low Official Impunity High

A survey of public opinion in 22 countries which stake their countries’ economic futures on development of mineral or oil production.
Link:
http://allafrica.com/download/resource/main/main/idatcs/00080431:218c13398d4344cd90df9701ba8e7f5a.pdf

From: Yona Maro
Subject: 2014 Africa Multiple Indicator Scorecard on Hunger and Food Security.

New 2014 Africa Multiple Indicator Scorecard on Hunger and Food Security.

Link:
http://allafrica.com/download/resource/main/main/idatcs/00080509:c4065c285335e1a6173fa8bcceda7b41.pdf

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Zimbabwe’s massive diamond fields discovery to bring billions

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From: Charles Banda

Zimbabwe says it has discovered new diamond fields ‘almost the size of Swaziland’ and expects to realise billions of dollars from mining activities.

The announcement at the weekend came barely a month after companies operating at the Chiadzwa diamond fields, discovered in 2008, said mining operations were becoming unviable

as the alluvial diamond resources were running out.

The Umkondo Basin is a reserved area. It has huge potential of diamond reserves

The more than five companies wanted to be allocated new claims, saying underground mining would be too expensive in a country that is struggling to attract direct foreign investment.

Deputy Mines minister Fred Moyo told state media that the diamond fields located between Manicaland and Masvingo province stretch over 10,000 square kilometres.

He said the government has already begun sourcing funds to kick start operations

“It is a very huge area. So, obviously the whole area cannot contain a large concentration of diamonds, but the fact is there is huge potential,” Moyo said.

“What we need to do is mobilise funds to carry out extensive exploration that will determine the areas profitable to mine.

“We are actually going to use part of our national budget allocation to send our experts to carry out exploration activities in the area.

“The Umkondo Basin is a reserved area. It has huge potential of diamond reserves and as government we need to urgently move in to determine the areas that possess a high concentration of diamonds,” he added.

All the companies that were granted mining licenses at the Chiadzwa diamond fields formed joint ventures with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.

The companies in Marange have been mainly concentrating on alluvial mining, which is easier and less-costly compared to underground mining.

Zimbabwe’s first-ever diamond auction in Belgium got off to a slow start last December with the majority of the 279 723 ct gems being of low quality and not properly cleaned, government said.

The Antwerp auction came three months after the European Union removed sanctions on the southern African country’s state mining company.

The Marange diamond fields, 400 km east of Harare, have been the focus of controversy since 20 000 small-scale miners invaded the area in 2008 before they were forcibly removed by soldiers and police.

Human rights groups say up to 200 people were killed during their removal, charges denied by President Robert Mugabe’s government.

Zimbabwe is believed to hold 25% of the world’s alluvial diamonds.

Read the original article on Theafricareport.com : Zimbabwe’s massive diamond fields discovery to bring billions | Southern Africa

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Kenya: Barrick Gold’s Stock Crushed As Miner Keeps Punishing Shareholders

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From: Judy Miriga

The great economic squeeze are brought by the interference of Corporate special interest monopoly and control. The opportunity for small business is the key to reviving economic growth and stabilizes Government capacity regulation to offer efficient and balanced public service delivery.

This is the way to go people……………….

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com/

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Barrick Gold’s Stock Crushed As Miner Keeps Punishing Shareholders

Investors who bet on the world’s biggest gold miner after its stock got decimated in the first half of 2013 have been given the kind of treatment that shareholders of Barrick Gold ABX -6.81% have gotten accustomed to receiving. Barrick has announced that it is going to dilute shareholders in a big way by selling $3.45 billion of shares for $18.35 each.

Shares of Barrick Gold got crushed in Friday morning trading, tumbling by about 6% to $18.22. The stock drop is coming on the heels of a 5% drop on Thursday, when Barrick announced it would suspend its Pascua-Lama mega gold mine located in the high-altitude Andes on the Argentina-Chile border. Shares of Barrick Gold are now down 48% in 2013.

With one of the biggest share offerings in gold mining history, Barrick is trying to raise enough cash to pay down some $2.6 billion of its $15 billion or so in debt that it has accumulated through reckless spending and acquisitions during the huge run up in the price of gold. While suspending work at Pascua-Lama and dealing with its debt-load might seem like a good idea, shareholders probably remember that the last time Barrick pulled off a big share offering in 2009, it raised about $4 billion by selling shares for $36.95.

Barrick has become the poster child for the gold mining sector, which has punished shareholders more than just about any other industry sector in recent years. These companies have managed to underperform gold both when it rises and when it falls—giving investors little upside in the best of environments and handing them massive losses on the way down. Gold miners have spent $45 billion on projects and acquisitions since 2010, but gold output has actually declined. Much of Barrick’s troubles can be traced to its spending on Pascua-Lama and its acquisition of Equinox Minerals.

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How Gold Miners Became A Terrible Investment Nathan VardiForbes Staff

With the price of gold having fallen in the last year, the economics of many projects in the gold mining sector like Pascua-Lama don’t really work. The costs associated with moving forward in Pascua-Lama were soaring while the price of the commodity was declining. Another way shareholders have been abused: the executives of many gold miners have been paid well even as their companies destroyed shareholder value. At Barrick, former CEO Aaron Regent was paid $12 million, mostly from a severance package after he was fired. The man who was hired to potentially replace Peter Munk at the top of Barrick, former president of Goldman Sachs John Thornton, got an $11.9 million signing bonus.

Uranium Ore Tempts Tanzania to Dig Dangerously

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From: Abdalah Hamis

BY PHILIPP SANDNER

Though many consider the risks incalculable, Tanzania is planning to mine its radioactive uranium. A history of gold mining shows that the country, its people and abundant wildlife stand to gain little from doing so.

Not far from Tanzania’s capital of Dodoma is the rural area of Bahi. The small village in the heart of the country on Africa’s coast, though, is sitting on a proverbial “gold mine,” one that has raised eyebrows at both the national and international levels: uranium. Tanzania has been carrying out exploratory drilling operations for a number of years so that it might soon begin the real business of uranium mining. People who live in Bahia, however, have reacted to the drilling with skepticism.

Anthony Lyamunda wants to protect Tanzanian’s from harm

For Anthony Lyamunda, the local population is not involved as part of the discussion. Lyamunda is the director of the CESOPE, an NGO devoted to empowering local Tanzanians by providing education and information about their legal rights.

“We still don’t know where that money’s supposed to go,” he told DW, adding that he has little hope that much of what will be gained from drilling in the region will end up in the hands of the people living there – particularly given the country’s experience with gold.

“That was a long time ago, when we began mining for gold in Tanzania. Has the land developed in any way since then?” He asked, adding that the general population continues to live in poverty. “What miracle has to happen now for us to finally become rich through uranium mining?”

Incalculable risks

Uranium, a radioactive element, is sought after around the world over. It is used in nuclear medical treatments, is essential for the production of nuclear energy and is also used in nuclear weapons.

Roughly .72 percent of “normal” uranium will be the weapons-grade uranium-235 isotope

Though Tanzania’s government appears determined to take part in the lucrative mining business, German parliamentarian Ute Koczy has called for a worldwide ban of uranium mining. Her party, the Greens, has been promoting an end to nuclear power for decades, saying that nuclear energy carries incalculable risks. In Bahi, Koczy visited exploratory drilling sights back in 2010 and has been following the developments since then.

“My view is that you should not mine uranium, and that you should just leave the material in the soil whenever possible,” she told DW.

Koczy recalled the risks of nuclear energy, pointing to the nuclear reactor catastrophes in Chernobyl and Fukushima. But she also said there were potential safety risks in Tanzania, which are high during the mining of radioactive ore. Uranium’s utility for Tanzania itself is very limited, Koczy said. The German parliamentarian criticized the fact that the large majority of mining licenses have gone to foreign firms, with the public having no oversight as to the profits secured by these companies.

Tanzanian Minister of Energy and Minerals Sospeter Muhongo views the future brightly, though. For workers, safety risks will not be an issue, he said.

“Through the advances made in nuclear technology, we can take care of ourselves and guarantee that people near the mine will not be affected by radioactivity from uranium,” he told DW. He added that Tanzania already has a nuclear regulatory authority in place, the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, which will ensure that international standards are maintained.

Beyond uranium mining, the park has received criticism for elephant poaching and a planned hydroelectric dam

Compromise or carte blanche?

Further south, there are also uranium deposits. There, the majority of the deposits reside in an area unpopulated by humans but well populated by animals. The Selous Game Reserve is one of Africa’s largest contiguous wildlife sanctuaries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet even here, a compromise was made: UNESCO allowed Tanzania to reduce the size of the park in order to preclude illegal mining – and at the same time avoid losing UNESCO World Heritage status.

Christof Schenck considers that the least-bad option. The director of the Frankfurt Zoological Society oversees a project aimed at protecting the park and knows the area well. For Schenk, though, the relatively poor country has a legitimate interest in developing the new source of income, since just a small area of the park is to be affected by it.

But he said he worries whether Tanzania will take the appropriate safety precautions. “How will water sources in the area be affected? And how can you recognize early enough if dangerous materials end up in the environment?” he asked in an interview with DW. In order to avoid large-scale environmental damage, Schenck called for an alarm system that meets international standards – as well as pre-emptive studies.

How would those at the Selous Game Park if the waters were radioactive?

In southern Tanzania, the uranium is thick and close to the earth’s surface. That brings yet another danger: A gust of wind can blow uranium dust from surface mining operations and into the surrounding landscape.

For CESOPE director Lyamunda and his organization further north in Bahi, the issue is clear: The best thing would be for Tanzania to desist entirely from mining uranium. His group is not alone in that opinion. At a conference in Tanzania that took place in early October, his call was supported by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and the Germany-based Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

Only by keeping away from the substance altogether, the groups argue, can another risk be avoided: that of uranium falling into the wrong hands and then utilized for the construction of nuclear weapons.

Corruption in the Congo – How China Learnt From the West

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From: Abdalah Hamis

To single out Chinese companies for entering into shady business in the DRC is to miss a fundamental point: Western firms have been at it for centuries, and still are.

Last January I was in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to research Sicomines, China’s controversial $6.5 billion megadeal in which Chinese companies will construct roads, schools and hospitals in exchange for mining and untold billions of dollars worth of copper and cobalt with Congo’s state mining agency.

On a sunny morning in the south-eastern mining city of Lubumbashi, I called a Congolese official to pose some hard questions about the deal – particularly, what happened to the $350 million ‘signing bonus’ that was handed over by the Chinese. But I hardly got a word in before his response betrayed his fear as to the more sensitive concern on his mind: “Is this about COMIDE?”

It wasn’t, of course. But perhaps it should have been, because the corruption scandal that burns hottest among Congolese officials today has nothing to do with the Chinese. In 2009, the International Monetary Fund started a $551 million loan to improve the DRC’s business climate through a series of projects. As a condition of the loan, Congo’s government would have to make all its mining contracts and transactions public.

So it must have come as a surprise to the IMF when Bloomberg revealed the DRC had sold its 25% stake in a copper mining venture called COMIDE SPRL – a trade the Congolese government hadn’t disclosed. The IMF responded to the news by refusing to renew the loan, meaning the DRC will essentially forfeit an incredible $225 million because a few Congolese officials didn’t want the world to know what they were up to.

Learning from the masters

When Westerners try to explain China’s rapid rise in Africa, they often assume that it comes through corruption, secret deals and manipulation. But there is nothing Chinese about COMIDE. Its parent company, Straker International Corp., is based offshore in the British Virgin Islands, and it is primarily owned by the multinational Eurasian Natural Resource Company, headquartered in London and traded on the Kazakhstan stock exchange.

Certainly the circumstances surrounding the Chinese Sicomines deal merit concern too. The DRC’s government doesn’t seem to have conducted any study that estimates the potential value of the minerals buried at the Sicomines site, meaning no-one can predict the eventual profits and what’s truly at stake for the Chinese companies, the Congolese mining company and the Congolese government.

What’s more, a 2011 study by the accountability NGO Global Witness reported that $24 million of that signing bonus was mysteriously diverted into an offshore account in the British Virgin Islands by Sicomines’ Congolese partners. Even in the DRC’s multibillion-dollar mining sector, $24 million is a lot of money to go unaccounted.

But does this then set China’s Congolese ambitions apart from the West’s? Is the $6.5 billion Sicomines deal in fact unprecedented in its lack of transparency and its potential to make its CEOs rich while the Congolese people remain poor?

To single out the Chinese companies as uniquely responsible for entering into shady business in the DRC is to miss a fundamental point: If the Chinese have learned how to leverage power over the Congolese government, they owe the lesson to the rogue businessmen from Western countries that preceded them. .

Two centuries ago it was the Belgians who colonised the Congo, first for its ivory, a trade which would eventually die out along with most of the wild elephants that supplied it. After ivory, it was rubber, transported by Belgian-constructed railroads whose tracks remain embedded in the ground, relics of Congo’s resource-driven history. Then, to build the atomic bombs it would drop on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the United States sourced its uranium from a mine just 100 km southeast of Kolwezi in south-eastern DRC.

Companies from Canada, the UK, South Africa and elsewhere began operating industrial mines. They extracted billions of dollars worth of copper, cobalt, and other minerals. Today, Congo’s mining sector generates 28% of the country’s GDP and is the primary source of income for 16% of the population, according to the World Bank.

In theory, the country should be rich from its vast mineral wealth. But you wouldn’t know it by looking at how most Congolese live. Rural families sleep in huts that flood when it rains. Only 4% have electricity.

Western nations such as the United States tend to claim they have tried to solve the DRC’s problems. But the record shows that for at least the first 30 years following the Congo’s independence they did the opposite, entrenching one of Africa’s most corrupt and violent dictators by supplying him with billons of dollars in aid, weapons and bribes. Mobutu Sese Seko killed his adversaries with impunity and commandeered as much as 40% of Congo’s wealth (between 4 and 8 billion dollars) during his 31-year rule.

In the years since Mobutu’s rein, foreign mining companies have garnered blame for manipulating Congo out of its natural wealth. On at least five occasions in 2009 and 2010, Congo’s state-owned mining companies sold their stakes in mines to offshore companies that immediately re-sold the same stakes for up to five times the price. “Between 2010 and 2012, the DRC lost at least US$1.36 billion in revenues from the underpricing of mining assets that were sold to offshore companies”, claimed a report released earlier this year by an international panel chaired by Kofi Annan.

Looking East

All the while, Congolese eyes are turning toward China in the hopes that the Chinese may usher in prosperity where patrons before it have not. The fact that China succeeded in moving 600 million people out of poverty over the past 35 years is a source of admiration for some Congolese who remain entrenched in it themselves. Many see China as much more welcoming than the US. Twice a week, a line forms outside the Chinese embassy in Kinshasa as Congolese students and businessmen arrive to apply for visas to work or study in China. They say it’s far easier to get a visa there than to the US.

China’s government has consistently reinforced the sentiment that it is eager to help the Congolese people flourish. In his very first trip abroad as China’s leader, Xi Jinping travelled in March 2013 to Tanzania, South Africa and Congo-Brazzaville, where he promised $20 billion in loans for aid to Africa over the next three years. In June, US President Barack Obama followed in the Chinese leader’s footsteps in what was only Obama’s first extended trip to Africa since taking office some four and a half years ago.

The metaphor of America’s lagging commitment to the continent is not lost upon Africans themselves. In a 2009 survey of 250 people in nine African countries, three-quarters said the Chinese way was a ‘very positive’ or ‘somewhat positive’ model of development. When asked which model offers more promise for Africa’s future, the Western or the Chinese one, they overwhelmingly chose the latter.

Chinese investment may not, in fact, radically alter the future of one of the world’s most underdeveloped nations. Unless the DRC’s government collects its fair share from the Sicomines deal and somehow uses that wealth to benefit Congolese society in a way it never has before, China may simply become the latest benefactor in Congo’s long history as a country rich in resources whose neediest citizens will never benefit from them.

But it’s hard to blame the Congolese for hoping China will succeed where the West has failed.

In an office overlooking Kinshasa’s grand Boulevard 30 Jeune, newly repaved and widened by the Chinese under Sicomines, stands Mack Dumba, Congo director of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which works to improve accountability in the global mining sector.

“Why don’t Americans build roads like this anymore?” Dumba asks. “Why don’t the Belgians, that colonised, build roads like this? The Chinese are doing things that no one else will.”

This article was adapted from Jacob Kushner’s new eBook, China’s Congo Plan, now available on iPad, iPhone and Kindle. Kushner’s research was advised by faculty at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

Jacob Kushner is a freelance journalist currently based in Nairobi. He reports on international peacekeeping, foreign aid and development, offshore tax havens, and Chinese mining and other investments in Africa. See more on his blog at http://jacobkushner.com and follow him on twitter @JacobKushner.

Self-reliance should dominate African mineral resources appraisal

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From: Abdalah Hamis

Author: Dr Antipas Massawe (Mining Engineer), Dar es Salaam

Progress in most mineral rich African countries is slow because foreign aid and investments in their mineral resources appraisal and exploitation dominate as main source of seed capital for their development.

By deactivating the important role of self-reliance in the struggle of societies for survival and prosperity in their environments, aid caused most mineral rich African countries to develop chronic dependence on foreign investments in the appraisal and exploitation of their mineral resources.

Domination of foreign investments earns them very little (mostly in the form of taxes and handouts) of the natural capital extracted from their mineral resources, most of which is exported for investing in foreign countries, making the African countries poorer as their non renewable mineral resources diminish.

Exportation of natural capital for just a mere fraction of it (mostly in the form of taxes and handouts), stimulates investments and economic growth in the importing countries at the expense of the same in the exporting mineral rich African countries.

Most of the natural capital generated from the domination of local investments in the appraisal and exploitation of mineral resources in mineral rich African countries would remain for local investing to spur economic growth in African countries instead.

Future GDP (PPP) per capita for 2013, calculated by the International Monetary Fund in International dollars for some of the mineral rich countries where local investments dominate in the appraisal and exploitation of mineral prospects are Australia (6,650), Botswana (17,595), Brazil (17,340), Norway (56,663), Russia (18,670), Libya (14,474) and South Africa (11,750), comparatively high.

For some of the mineral rich countries where foreign investments dominate are Ghana (3,501), Mozambique (1,262), Nigeria (2,883), Tanzania (1,670) and Zambia (1,841), comparatively low.

Unless reversed, the continuing domination of foreign investments in the appraisal of mineral resources which has very minimal contribution of economic growth in mineral rich African countries is going to end up their future generations without much to stand on in their struggle for survival and economic prosperity as their non renewable mineral resources ends up exhausted.

Mineral rich African countries out to overcome chronic dependence on foreign aid in favour of the natural capital inherent in their mineral resources as seed capital in their struggle for survival and economic prosperity by ensuring rights for their appraisal are granted to local joint ventures involving private and public sectors in collaboration with employees (through their social security funds), the three main forces behind economic growth in any country.

The rights would be issued to the local joint ventures on condition that they can only share portion of the same with foreign investors for some of the minority portion of seed capital and expertise involved in the preliminary appraisal to enable attractiveness of the prospects for others to invest in the main portion of the seed capital required to complete their appraisal through Stock markets and banks.

Mineral rich Brazil, Norway and Australia also created own local joint ventures which involve private and public sectors in collaboration with social security funds and awarded them the rights for major mineral prospects appraisal in the countries.

This enabled their own world class exploration and mining companies like the Vale of Brazil, Statoil of Norway and BHP of Australia to evolve and commanding major stakes of global mining industries and contributing significantly and on a very sustainable way in the economic development of their countries.

Starting point in the development of these prosperous mineral rich countries was self-reliance in the appraisal of their mineral resources rather than the foreign aid and investments pursued by most mineral rich African countries in their development Endeavour’s and appraisal of their mineral resources.

When African governments grant foreign companies rights of majority ownership in the appraisal and exploitation of their mineral resources, they have enabled them to use some shares of the rights or the natural capital inherent in the mineral resources as main of the seed capital required to carry out their appraisal and initiation of their exploitation.

If African governments would grant the rights to majority owned local joint ventures involving private and public sectors in collaboration with social security funds, they would enabled them to do the same as the foreign companies are doing, but for the sustainable economic growth of the mineral rich African countries instead.

The local contribution of minority portion of seed capital required to enable majority local ownership in the preliminary appraisal to enable prospects attractiveness for others to invest in the main portion of the seed capital required to complete their appraisal through stock markets and banks is such a small amount the majority involved local joint ventures in big mineral rich African countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and Uganda wouldn’t find difficult to mobilize. Regional collaboration could enable majority involved regional joint ventures in the smallest mineral rich countries like Burundi, Rwanda and Malawi.

For example, local joint ventures involving private and public sectors in collaboration with social security funds in mineral rich African countries wouldn’t counter difficulties in the mobilization of the local contribution of minority portion of seed capital facilitating majority local ownership in the preliminary sinking of one or two boreholes per each oil and natural gas block to enable its attractiveness for the main investing of stock markets and banks to complete its appraisal and initiation of its exploitation.

Majority local ownership of appraised mineral resources enables African mineral rich countries to establish bankable accounts of the natural capital inherent in them and decide when and how to exploit them in view of maximizing their contribution of economic growth in the countries.

The same enables mineral rich African countries to make correct decision not to issue mining licenses or tax exemptions to encourage foreign exploitation of appraised mineral deposits when market demands and prices are not optimal.

Also, it enables them to make correct decision to retain their appraised mineral resources in-situ till market demands and prices become optimal for their exploitation to deliver optimal benefit to the countries.

They could exploit the appraised capital of mineral deposits retained in-situ as collateral in the mobilization of loans for investing in other highly profitable businesses instead.

As the process of loans mobilization and paying back is repeatedly carried out successfully, the countries are enabled to earn total profits which could even exceed the natural capital inherent in their appraised minerals resources retained in-situ, still in their hands.

For example, majority local ownership of the huge uranium resources appraised in some mineral rich African countries would enabled the countries to make correct decision to retain them in-situ for use as collateral in their mobilization of loans for investing in other highly profitable businesses till high levels of efficiency and safety are achieved in the development of technology for uranium mining, processing and nuclear power generation, when African countries would be ready for nuclear power generation and market demand and price are optimal.

Majority local ownership of the mineral resources appraised in all mineral rich African countries would facilitate African collaboration and interdependence in the exploitation of their mineral resources to optimize their contribution of seed capital in the development of individual economies which are well interconnected and interdependent to provide for optimization in the economic growth of all on the continent.

Self-reliance can and should be enabled to dominate mineral resources appraisal on the African continent because it contributes sustainable economic development for it when foreign domination does the same for non African economies instead in a process which makes the continent poorer as the extraction of its non renewable mineral resources which contributes little economic development to the continent depletes them.

MP and governor linked to poaching; China & Oil

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From: Judy Miriga

Good People !!!!

People must go and demand for the Report Card for Public Service delivery with Responsibility and Integrity where all elected leaders with public servant employee must be in compliant as a requirement. It is time for a re-call to those who have failed to measure with the Reform Accord Agreement Mandate.

Gluttonies’breeds chronic passion for adamant corruption and impunity and unless it is forced to stop, it continues to shift gears like what can be seen by NHIF with Professor Anyang Nyongo…………It is important that people establish the truth about Clinix which now has turned to Merridian. It could be possible that, public money and funds are in a flight to unknown destination; most likely the Chinese who claim ownership of Kenya, could be enjoying and swimming in the public funds.

On Checks and Balances, things might change for better. Demand for Integrity, Transparency and Accountability must be exercised thus:

1) Is someone trying to use public money to pay debts incurred for campaign funds?

2) Kenya people have a right to know what is going on with their public resources, funding, facilities and utilities and they must protest to demand for accountability for the same.

3) They must demand about why and how Migingo is in control by the Uganda Government and why the Uganda flag is hoist on the land of Migingo? People must demand for immediate removal of Uganda Police from Migingo Island

4) People must demand to know full report of the Agenda for meeting in Uganda between President Museveni, Raila and Uhuru so to ascertain they are not short-changed and as well they should be informed why Museveni had central interest for controlling Kenya while public interest is undermined

5) People must demand reason why Museveni asked Uhuru Administration to Annex Kismayu to be shared between Somalia and Uganda interest

6) Taxpayer money is used for travelling to China, people need to know if it is for the interest of Kenyans or for special interest

7) Why teachers and nurses have not been paid to-date

8) Why No action or step-down from elected Members with Government employees who are suspects or were found to have a case, have not been relieved from public service to allow thorough investigations and why cases of NHIF have not been brought to justice

9) Why Syokimau cases have not been formalized and compensations made

10) Why Calvin Burgess on Siaya Dominion is still a breach of public interest and people who were forced out of their homes have not been resettled

11) Why people are homeless and landless from being forced out of their land from Land Grabbing and IDPs have not been resettled

12) Why the budget doesn’t seem to balance with budget speech in real life

13) Why there is no running water in the homes and power is sky-rocketing above public means

14) Why Unga with other basic needs have become unaffordable and too expensive beyond means for survival

15) Why only one Unit of Police from one tribe should head the airport

16) Why employment is done under Tribal discrimination

17) Why there are no creation of jobs but growing number of Rebel Groups and thugs are causing terror with threats in the country

18) Why illegal practices like poaching, Gold, Titanium, Diamond with other rare minerals resources from Kenya with the neighboring countries like Congo and Tanzania for example; to pass through illegality with full knowledge aided by politicians; is allowed to go on, while people are mercilessly killed, slaughtered, massacred and are forced out of their dwelling places to face terror, is unacceptable.

19) Why Government system is falling apart and is completely disfunctioning, yet, Government employees are enriching themselves and money is not going to the public coffers

20) Why Politicians have ganged up and are in a conspiracy to continue to defraud the people People must call for a MASS MOVEMENT to demonstrate country-wide against injustices that continue to befall Kenyans from both the former and the present Government so all must be forced for immediate recall with accountability so to recover stolen public wealth and engage responsible leaders with integrity to lead Kenya.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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MP and governor linked to poaching

PHOTO | GIDEON MAUNDU A KWS ranger arranges some of the 775 pieces of ivory tusks which were netted in a container by KRA officers at a private godown in Jomvu on July 3, 2013. The ivory, worth Sh29 million, was in transit to Malaysia from Uganda. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By PATRICK MAYOYO pmayoyo@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted Tuesday, August 13 2013 at 23:30

In Summary

KWS and police say they are investigating the reports linking the three to the illegal ivory trade

Two influential Coast businessmen, a central Kenya MP and a Rift Valley governor have been linked to the runaway poaching and ivory smuggling in the country.

Police officers, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Revenue Authority officials conversant with ongoing investigations said they were pursuing leads linking the three individuals to the illegal ivory trade. (READ: China reiterates pledge to end ivory smuggling)

The three are reportedly part of an international ivory smuggling ring operating in the country. They have been linked to a container full of ivory intercepted at the port of Mombasa last month.

Detectives also discovered that ivory stolen from Mombasa State House was among that in the intercepted container.

On Tuesday, another container full of ivory was intercepted in Singapore and is being shipped back to Mombasa where it reportedly originated. (READ: Kenya a ‘major route for ivory smugglers’)

Police spokesperson Zipporah Mboroki promised to give a detailed statement on investigations into ivory smuggling after getting a briefing from officers handling the case at Mombasa port.

According to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), international organised crime syndicates are behind the killing of elephants and rhinos in Kenya and other African countries.

Cites says the gangs use the latest technology and have collaborators among local communities and security agencies.

Investigations have revealed that the international ring has devised ingenious ways of transporting their loot to evade detection by security agencies.

Their tricks include declaring containers ferrying the smuggled ivory as carrying either timber, fruits, electronics, tyres or other assorted goods. Most of the ivory intercepted in Asia is being traced to the ports of Dar-es-Salaam and Mombasa.

Wildlife experts and research scientists estimate that two elephants are killed per day — the highest number in recent times.

The statistics have sparked outrage among wildlife conservationists and raised fears the animals could become extinct.

KWS says there has been an upsurge in poaching in the last five years with more than 360 elephants killed last year compared to only 45 in 2007.

A recent census revealed that the country’s 35,000 elephant population had suffered a 14 per cent decline due to poaching and drought.

Clinic named in NHIF scam sues for Sh800m

PHOTO | FILE The National Hospital Insurance Fund building in Nairobi. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By PAUL JUMA pjuma@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted Tuesday, August 13 2013 at 23:30

In Summary

Medical centre says NHIF made it appear as having received money fraudulently

A medical clinic adversely named in the National Hospital Insurance Fund scandal has sued the agency for close to Sh1 billion.

Meridian Medical Centre filed the suit at the High Court in Nairobi, accusing the health insurer of breach of contract and reputation damage.

Meridian, which runs clinics in major towns, was among medical service providers the NHIF contracted to provide services to its members under the social health insurance scheme.

MPs raised questions about the NHIF’s decision to award contracts for treatment of civil servants under the new scheme to companies that lacked facilities in rural areas. They cited Meridian Medical Centre and Clinix.

The fund cancelled the contracts.

The clinic’s chief executive officer, Dr Peter Wambugu, said the decision by NHIF caused the publication of numerous media reports portraying the clinic as having received money from the NHIF fraudulently, that it was involved in unethical practices and that its centres were sub-standard, unregulated and uninspected.

“This façade has damaged our brand and I state herein that none of these allegations are true,” Dr Wambugu has stated in a witness statement filed in court.

The manner in which the NHIF conducted the termination caused the clinic’s reputation to be vilified in the eyes of the public, hence it was entitled to compensation for loss of business reputation and credibility, said the CEO.

The medical company wants the court to order the health insurer to pay it damages totalling to Sh814,830,341 with interest plus an unspecified amount in general damages for loss of reputation.

Court nod for KRA’s Sh127m tax demand

PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | FILE Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters at Times Tower in Nairobi. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION REPORTER

Posted Tuesday, August 13 2013 at 23:30

A judge on Tuesday declined to stop the taxman from demanding Sh127 million from a pharmaceutical company.

Mr Justice David Majanja described as an abuse of the court process a constitutional petition by Beta Healthcare opposing the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) tax demand.

The firm had filed the suit at the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court.

The company, which had lost a case in which it sought similar relief at the court’s Judicial Review Division, claimed in the new suit its rights and freedoms had been violated.

It filed the constitutional petition also at the Court of Appeal to try and overturn the initial High Court ruling, a matter which is still pending.

Justice Majanja said the firm was wrong in asking the High Court to deal with issues pending before the Court of Appeal.

“These proceedings are an abuse of the court process. They are hereby dismissed with costs to the respondents,” he said. He gave Beta Health 14 days to appeal.

Ivory seized in Singapore on way back

PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA Mombasa Port employees arrange some of the 638 pieces of elephant tusks for weighing after they were impounded in January. Conservationists have raised alarm over the surge in poaching. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION CORRESPONDENT

Posted Tuesday, August 13 2013 at 23:30

A container suspected to be loaded with ivory is on its way to Mombasa after being seized in Singapore, the Kenya Wildlife Service has revealed.

The cargo, which was exported through the port of Mombasa last month, was intercepted in the Far East port courtesy of the cooperation between Kenyan security and their international counterparts, Mr Arthur Tuda, a KWS director, said.

“The container was among those seized earlier and returned to Kenya. But somehow, it had disappeared. Through our efforts and our foreign security colleagues, we intercepted it and as I speak, it is expected at Mombasa port any time,” he said.

Unconfirmed information from port sources said the container could arrive tomorrow although it was not clear which ship would bring it. Mr Tuda declined to give more information.

Poachers killed

Late July and this month, two containers of ivory were seized at the port destined for Malaysia. Several other suspected containers are still being sought, according to Kenya Revenue Authority

(KRA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and KWS sources.

The KWS director said this month alone, two poachers and two KWS rangers had been gunned down as the war on poaching intensifies.

“Two of our officers including a constable and an inspector were shot dead by poachers within Kipini Conservancy area in Tana Delta as they pursued armed thugs,” he said.

China set to be world’s biggest net oil importer

PHOTO | MARK RALSTON Goods are delivered to a store in Beijing, China. The country is the biggest consumer of energy globally and is set to beat US to the top in oil imports. AFP

By AFP

Tuesday, August 13 2013 at 16:53

In Summary

Graph on EIA website shows Asian country’s net imports steadily rising, with those of the US falling

BEIJING

China is set to overtake the United States as the world’s largest net oil importer from October, according to US figures, due to a combination of rising Chinese demand and increased US production.

Next year, China’s net oil imports will exceed those of the United States on an annual basis and the gap between them will continue to widen, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

China is already the biggest energy user in the world and the second-largest oil consumer after the United States.

Chinese demand

The shift has been driven by steady growth in Chinese demand, increased oil production in the United States, and stagnant or weakening demand in the United States market, the EIA said in a report.

A graph on the EIA’s website shows China’s net imports steadily rising, with those of the US falling at a faster rate, and says the crossover point comes in two months’ time.

Growing petroleum production in the US has been largely driven by the increasing use of sometimes controversial hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking.

The technique uses huge amounts of pressurised water mixed with chemicals to crack open rock and release oil and natural gas, making the exploitation of vast shale hydrocarbon reserves economically viable.

It is changing the world’s energy market but it has been banned in other countries such as France due to environmental concerns.

US annual oil output is expected to rise 28 percent between 2011 and 2014 to nearly 13 million barrels per day, while Chinese production is forecast to grow by six per cent over the period, and will stand at just a third of US production in 2014, the EIA said.

Meanwhile, China’s liquid fuel use will increase 13 per cent over the period to more than 11 million barrels per day while United States demand hovers close to 18.7 million barrels per day.

That is below the United States’ peak consumption level of 20.8 million barrels per day in 2005, the EIA added.

China imported 26.11 million tonnes (186.5 million barrels) of crude oil last month and its exports were a mere 0.17 million tonnes, according to official Beijing figures.

The Asian country’s ascendence to the top of the world’s net oil import rankings will have profound impact, an article carried by the China Business News said on Monday.

“China and the US will no longer be pure competitors in the energy sector — China is likely to import energy in bulk from the US,” wrote commentator Li Dongchao.

Balala asked Sh80m bribe to buy house, Cortec says

Analysts have warned that Mr Balala’s action to revoke mining licences of the affected firms may cause a stand-off between the government and investors in the industry, thereby derailing activity in the mining sector. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI |FILE NATION MEDIA GROUP

By IMMACULATE KARAMBU ikarambu@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted Friday, August 9 2013 at 20:02

In Summary

Through Mr Jacob Juma, Cortec Mining Kenya country boss, firm claims Secretary demanded the cash in exchange for the firm keeping its licence
A company whose licence was cancelled on Monday has sensationally accused Mining Secretary Najib Balala of demanding Sh80 million bribe in exchange for the firm keeping its permit.

In a letter dated July 29, this year, written by Cortec Mining Kenya to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of Kenya, the firm accuses Mr Balala of demanding the money to aid him buy a house to replace his Karen one which he is said to have sold to raise funds for campaign during the last General Election.

“On July 8, Mr Juma drove into Mr Balala’s house at 7:30pm where he found Mr Balala waiting for him as per the appointment through the commissioner of mines. At the said meeting, Mr Balala confirmed to our Jacob Juma, our Kenyan country director, that he required Sh80 million from Cortec Mining Limited to buy a house for he had sold his house in Karen to raise funds for campaign in the just concluded elections,” read part of the letter signed by Cortec managing director David Anderson.

Cortec Mining Kenya has been exploring minerals in Mrima Hills, Kwale County.

Jacob Juma is the controversial businessman associated with Erad Limited, a company that is currently held in a court battle with the National Cereals and Produce Board over a Sh600 million debt. Mr Juma has a substantive shareholding in Cortec Mining Kenya through the company’s two holding firms.

Cortec Mining Kenya is owned 70 per cent by Pacific Wildcat Resources, a publicly listed company at the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and 30 per cent by Sterling Securities, a firm registered in the United Kingdom.

On Monday, Mr Balala revoked mining licences of 42 companies on grounds that they were irregularly issued, setting the stage for possible court battles with the affected investors.

Cortec Mining Kenya, the company that is licensed to mine the over $100 billion Niobium and rare earth metal deposits at Mrima Hills in Kwale, South Coast was among the companies whose licences were cancelled.

The government, through the spokesperson of the Presidency Manoah Esipisu requested for about three days to investigate the allegations before issuing an official statement.

Meanwhile, an insider of the EACC told the Saturday Nation that the Cortec letter was indeed received at the antigraft body on July 29, and that investigations were underway, although the commission’s spokesperson noted that he could not confirm the issue yesterday being a public holiday.

In its letter, Cortec managing director David Anderson also said that the company officials met with Justin Muturi, the speaker of the National Assembly where they complained of the Sh80 million bribe demands from Mr Balala and requested him to address the matter though the responsible parliamentary committee.

National Assembly

“On the July 16, we had dinner with the speaker of the National Assembly at the Thai restaurant at the New Stanley Hotel and complained of the Sh80 million bribery demand by the mining minister and requested him to intervene in this bribery demand through the house parliamentary committee that deals with mining,” said Mr Anderson in the letter.

While canceling the 42 licences on Monday, Mr Balala also directed mining companies to give a 21-day notice to his ministry before making any public announcement on findings, in a bid to control a situation where such information may cause a rally in their share valuation at the respective bourses they are listed.

On the day Cortec announced its valuation of the rare earth metal resources at the Mrima Hills late last month, Pacific Wildcat Resources’ share which trades at the Toronto Stock Exchange gained 28 per cent.

The Pacific Wildcat Share was suspended from trading on Tuesday at the request of the company and resumed trading on Thursday where it shed 59 per cent of its value following news of licence cancellation.

Besides the bribe allegations, Cortec Mining Kenya has accused Mr Balala of having interest in awarding the mining licence for rare earth metals and niobium to Chinese investors.

In an earlier telephone interview with the Nation, Mr Balala admitted that he indeed travelled to China and met Chinese investors but dismissed the allegation that he was fronting for the investors.

“Yes I was in China recently and the president will be in China next week. Chinese are investors like any other and they have a right to do business in the country,” he said.

Though found in other countries, the market for rare earth metals, that are used in manufacturing electronic gadgets such as smartphones is about 90 per cent controlled by China.

Stand-off

Analysts have warned that Mr Balala’s action to revoke mining licences of the affected firms may cause a stand-off between the government and investors in the industry, thereby derailing activity in the mining sector.

The Kenya Chamber of Mines on Tuesday, through its chairman Adiel Gitari said that Mr Balala’s action went against the spirit of collaboration between the government and industry players.

Kenya: Balala revokes 31 mining licences PLUS …

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From: Judy Miriga

Good People !

There are bright future for Kenya with a good number of job creation if only they follow and stick with the law as per the Constitutional Reform that respect and value public mandate, and honor Human Rights and through putting their leaders on checks.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Balala: Mining Bill ready

Published on Aug 6, 2013
http://www.nation.co.ke

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Speaking at a press briefing in his office, Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said the new Mining Bill, which was at the cabinet level would help streamline the mining industry saying all companies would get equal treatment by paying a flat rate in license fees and mining royalties, measures he said could earn the government over Sh10 billion immediately the measures were put in place. He also revoked 31 mining licences issued by the mining ministry between January and May this year saying they were issued in unclear circumstances. At the same time, the government has formed a taskforce to look into issuance of over 500 licences to mining companies since 2003, amidst reports that some were mere briefcase entities engaging in speculation and had no capacity to conduct commercial exploitation. Mr Balala said preliminary investigations indicated that only 20 out of the 500 companies were credible, with others out to make profits through speculation and hoarding of mineral resources, and making super profits by only paying a pittance to government by operating under the cover of export subsidies and other forms of preferential treatment.

Africa’s richest Aliko Dangote to visit Kenya over suspension of mining licenses

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Last Modified: 07 Aug 2013 23:39
Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote could be coming to Kenya to discuss with government on matters touching on the suspension of mining licenses. The businessman, one of the richest Africans was initially expected today but rescheduled due to the shut down of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport due to an inferno
Balala revokes mining licenses

Published on Aug 5, 2013
In a move set to streamline Kenya’s mining sector, Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has revoked all licenses issued from January to August 2013 to mining companies across the country. Balala says the decision was arrived at as a number of the licenses issued did not follow the ‘set parameters’ of the ministry. The Cabinet Secretary further announced the review in royalties to be charged on various minerals. The move to revoke the licenses is estimated to affect over 31 companies. NTV’s Aby Agina has the details.

Parliament recess

Published on Aug 6, 2013
No description available.

Balala revokes 31 mining licences

Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has revoked 31 mining licences issued between January and May 2013, saying they were issued under unclear circumstances.
Posted Monday, August 5 2013 at 13:28

Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has revoked 31 mining licences issued between January and May 2013, saying they were issued under unclear circumstances.

At the same time, the government has formed a taskforce to look into issuance of licences to mining companies, that will scrutinize among other things, the companies’ capacity to undertake mining activities and generate tax revenue.

Mr Balala said out of 500 mining licenses issued within that period, only 20 were held by credible companies, while others were held by “briefcase’ companies that are in the business of speculating and hoarding of the mineral resource.

MPs probe Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital’s deals with Chinese companies

Updated Wednesday, August 7th 2013 at 19:25 GMT +3
By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

KENYA: Members of Parliament put Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) on the spot after it emerged the facility signed a memorandum of Sh17 billion with two Chinese firms.

The hospital signed a deal to engage China Aerospace Construction Group to carry out upgrading and expansion of the facility on October 2012. However, this year on May 3, the country’s second biggest referral hospital entered into another deal with China Wu Yi for the same project, without cancelling the first one.

The hospital admitted that they engaged a South African firm, TECMED in May 2012, but stopped any further engagement with it after Chinese government offered to finance the multi-billion shilling project on condition that only Chinese firms are considered for the contract.

Although the tender has not been awarded, MPs have expressed concern that the project may be derailed as it emerged that the earlier memorandum was binding. The MoU with China Aerospace is said to be having a clause that says, “MTRH does not engage with any other firm”.

The legislators want to establish if the hospital sidestepped the first company and is now favouring China Wu Yi, and whether the MoU with China Aerospace won’t return to haunt the project.

Another concern is why seven senior officials accepted a seven-day trip to China facilitated by China Wu Yi, a month after signing the memorandum yet they had not engaged further China Aerospace eight months after signing an MoU.

Delay

“We want to know under what circumstances MTRH signed a memorandum with the two companies. This may end up pitting the firms against each other and may cause unnecessary delay,” Health committee chair Rachel Nyamai said.

The committee yesterday ordered the management of MTRH hospital to furnish MPs with details of the two memoranda.

The legislators put hospital CEO John Kibosia to task to explain the status of the project given the existence of the two memoranda.

The MPs wondered why the CEO led management team to China last month on an all-expense-paid trip.

“The committee may consider this trip as a bribe,” Dr Nyamai said before ordering Dr Kibosia to return to the committee on Tuesday next week.

Embakasi North MP John Gakuya also wanted the hospital boss to explain why they had technically knocked out some companies, especially those from Spain that had expressed interest in the project.

The delegation to China included Dr Kibosia, Deputy Director Finance and Administration Agunda Ochanda, Deputy Director Francis Ogaro, Radiology and Imaging Head Of Department Ezekiel Chemulwo, hospital engineer Joseph Atogo, HOD Laboratory Services Florence Tum and Project co-ordinator Silas Tum.

Dr Kibosia defended the July 1 to 9 trip, saying it was part of due diligence in determining capacities of the companies that responded to the proposal. “The visit to China was to help the hospital carry out due diligence and make evaluations of Chinese medical equipment manufacturers. The visit was also meant to enrich our conceptual requirements of a modern referral hospital,” he told the MPs.

Tanzanian President ready to retaliate if Attacked in DR Congo

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from: Tracy John

By Gasasira,Sweden

Ever since the Tanzanian President urged countries in the great lakes region to enter talks with their opposition as the only way of finding everlasting peace in the great lakes region. President Kagame responded in wildly way of declaring war at a neighbouring country Tanzania .

This was due to the remarks which president Jakaya Kikwete repeatedly made questioning reasons as why countries which have continued to support M23 rebels and at the same time forcing president Joseph Kabila of DR Congo to enter into peace talks with the notorious armed group M23 yet they have also failed to held peace talks of armed groups in their own countries and among those he sighted President Kagame who has continued involving himself in DR Congo internal politics yet he has also chronologically failed to negotiate with his own armed group, credible opposition, suffocating free media and lack of freedom of expression in his own country yet he tries to style himself as a saint and a liberator than an autocratic leader.

This prompted president Kagame to make different ruthless public remarks full of war mongering and attacking president Kikwete . It’s in this regard that president Kikwete also in return responded to President Kagame’s war mongering by warning him that his country is ready to defend her self using all possible means to give him a lesson he will never forget in his life if at all he dares to attack Tanzania or her Special Forces under the UN Intervention Forces in DR Congo .

Our Sources also reveals that the Tanzanian forces are on high alert due to intelligence information which confirms that Rwanda is in it’s last preparation of carrying out isolative counter attacks on Tanzanian Special Forces which are under the UN Intervention Forces in DR Congo. Reliable Intelligence sources within President Kagame Intelligence Services reveals to Umuvugizi that the war mongering President Kagame has of recently been repeatedly making in his different public remarks where none apart from vowing to target the Tanzanian forces among the UN Forces in the neighbouring DR Congo which were given mandate by the UN Security Council in her resolution 2028 which created and gave directives UN intervention Forces to work with the existing UN peace Keeping Forces together with the National Forces “FARDC” to save millions of innocent civilians who have been repeatedly cleansed and displaced to neighbouring countries by president Kagame’s proxy rebel group M23 which acts as his bridge to Plunder DR Congo wealth mineral Resources .

Tanzania: Dar to trace cash lost in smuggling of minerals

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From: Abdalah Hamis

Tanzania has launched an investigation to trace millions of dollars lost through smuggling of minerals out of the country.

The move is the latest in a string of attempts by the government to track down a group of international smugglers who have been exporting minerals to overseas markets in China, Italy, Vietnam and Europe.

Senior government officials said that more than Tsh13 billion ($8 million) in cash and commodities has so far been confiscated from mineral smugglers after state security agencies intercepted them.

Government statistics released last week show that the country loses Tsh2.2 billion ($1.36 million) every month on illegal export of minerals.

Minister for Energy and Minerals Sospeter Muhongo said the key points of smuggling have been identified as the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) in Kilimanjaro and Mwanza airport. He said the government is investigating several people behind the syndicate who have been working with “rogue” airport officials.

The mining sector contributes at least 4.6 per cent to the Tanzanian economy.

Eliakim Maswi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, said the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) was working with police and the Tanzania Mineral Audit Agency (TMAA) to dismantle the syndicate and bring the crooks to book.

“Once smuggled out, the thieves either sell the minerals in the blackmarket overseas or attempt to integrate it into the legitimate commodity trade,” said Mr Maswi. “Smuggled minerals are becoming hard to trace.”

In February this year, authorities confiscated a consignment of tantalite worth $10 million belonging to a Rwandan company, exposing a web of theft and corruption involving officials of key agencies and departments in Tanzania’s government working in cahoots with cross-border criminals.

READ: Consignment theft exposes rot at Dar port

The investigations showed that officers from Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS), TRA, TMAA and the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) were involved in the theft from the port of Dar es Salaam.

The government has also arrested some Chinese nationals who were smuggling minerals from the Lake Zone mining area to the port of Dar es Salaam using land transport.

The Mining Act of 2010 stipulates that an individual mineral smuggler is liable for a fine of Tsh10 million ($6,250) or three years in jail, whereas a company must pay a Tsh50 million ($31,250) penalty.

Weak penalties

“Such penalties are no deterrent to people who make hundreds of thousands of dollars through smuggling activities,” said Charles Ole Ngereza, a mining industry analyst.

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Dar-to-trace-cash-lost-in-smuggling-of-minerals-/-/2558/1906952/-/y6gj5w/-/index.html

Tanzania: The untold story of Mtwara gas riots

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From: Abdalah Hamis

On 22 May, 2013 protests and street battles erupted in the southern Tanzanian region of Mtwara in response to the government’s handling of mineral resource wealth and the contracts it has signed with various international actors.

The army and police were sent to quell the unrest, using teargas and live rounds, in the main southern town of Mtwara and in Mikindani, a smaller town around ten kilometres away in which at least three people died.

Government and state-friendly media sources have typically portrayed the events as thoughtless violence and wanton criminality. However, this detracts from a widespread and more urgent malaise about how the government has handled the discovery of natural resources.

The ‘hidden agenda’ against the south

Until recently, the Mtwara region, on the border with Mozambique and looking across the Indian Ocean, did not receive much attention from the media, multinational corporations or the government. The region had been best known for its Makonde wood carvings, its cashew nuts, and little else, and was often perceived as somewhat traditional or backward.

It is common for Tanzanians from other parts of the country to refer to those from the south – which conventionally means the Ruvuma, Lindi, and Mtwara regions – as washamba, which can be literally translated as ‘farmers’ but is often used as a pejorative term more accurately translated as ‘hicks’ or ‘peasants’.

These regions are not particularly well connected to the rest of the country, especially owing to the fact that the main trunk road south from Dar es Salaam remains tantalizingly unfinished – in spite of a promise made at independence in 1961 that the road would be completed quickly.

Many view this physical detachment as symbol of southern dislocation from the broader history of Tanzania, and some contend it is the result of deliberate ostracism by central government.

Some have argued that this marginalisation has an historical precedent, a ‘hidden agenda’ against the south that apparently followed the Maji Maji rebellion against German colonial rule (1905-7).

The south has also been a testing ground for various government policies, perhaps most infamously the disastrous Groundnut Scheme under British colonial rule during the late-1940s and early-1950s, but also the violent means used to forcibly resettle millions as part of socialist villagisation during the 1970s. Interestingly, some of these means – especially the burning of properties and crops – have effectively been replicated to deal with the recent unrest.

The rise of the south?

Since 2005, however, and especially in the last couple of years, far more interest has been paid to the region in light of massive offshore natural gas discoveries. Now more than ever, southern Tanzania (and particularly Mtwara town) is in the process of being dragged into the global capitalist economy – notwithstanding the infamous Groundnut Scheme.

During long periods of living and working within the region between 2006 and 2010 – initially with an NGO, then later when conducting and completing PhD fieldwork – Mtwara did not seem to be a part of the world wrought with tension nor did it display obvious signs of potential unrest. Apart from a few isolated protests at cashew nut subsidies and a lack of government support for farmers (not least regarding the provision of fertilisers), the Mtwara region was largely peaceful as well as extremely poor.

During the eight weeks I spent in various places up and down the coast of the Mtwara and Lindi regions last summer, it became clear that half a century of continuous rule by the CCM party (‘The Party of the Revolution’) has generated a palpable sense of frustration.

This must have been coupled with widely held perceptions that natural gas revenues would either be squandered, benefit other countries or regions of Tanzania, or both. While it may be the case that critical views had been articulated in the past, there seemed to be a clear shift in many of the perspectives offered – resentment towards the authority of the government crystallised around perceptions of what might happen to the newfound natural gas wealth.

Political pluralism and opposing government

But this hostility should not be looked at in isolation from broader political processes. It needs to be understood in the context of the arrival of seemingly viable political alternatives to the CCM in the form of two opposing political parties: CHADEMA (‘The Party of Democracy and Development’) and the CUF (Civic United Front).

The former tends to garner support from the increasingly vocal and politically significant younger generation across the country, selling the ideology of ‘People Power’, while the latter garners a fair degree of support in coastal areas, including the islands of Zanzibar.

A younger generation of educated, tech-savvy Tanzanians is emerging and their knowledge and understanding of the Arab Spring has engendered a great deal of hope for political change across the country (similar views were voiced in Arusha and Moshi in the north, as well as in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam), whether peaceful or through force.

The burgeoning youth population has been emboldened to speak more freely given the emergence of such opposition political forces. Anecdotally, there also seems to be increased political engagement, as reflected by the numbers of people who watch and listen to parliamentary discussions across urban Tanzania.

At an All Parliamentary Party Group (APPG) meeting on Tanzania (co-chaired by the APPG on extractive industries) held at the Houses of Parliament in London on 13 March, a lot of back slapping went on between the Head of Political Risk at BG Group (a British natural gas company), a retired advisor from the UK Department for International Development who works on extractive industries, and the Tanzanian High Commissioner in London, who at least presented some nuance in his understanding of the delicacy of the situation in Mtwara and the necessity to manage expectations.

The only vaguely dissenting voice came from a researcher for the NGO Tearfund, who highlighted that it is necessary to engender genuine engagement with local populations when organising natural resource extraction.

However, when asked about the nature of the supposedly ‘broad-based’ consultation, few detailed responses were forthcoming from the panel, possibly reflecting the fact that key powerbrokers in the process of natural resource extraction were ignorant of the increasing sense of frustration at a lack of popular engagement. This has been latched onto by opposition political parties in Tanzania.

These opposition parties are gaining traction in calling for greater transparency over the contracts that the government has signed with natural resource extraction companies.

There are further demands for the publication of all of the contracts signed with foreign governments, especially regarding the construction of the pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam that is to be funded with a discounted loan from the Chinese government.

In spite of the fact that the conditions for unrest have been palpable in Mtwara for some time and that smaller skirmishes have taken place over the past year, the government has perhaps done more to fan the flames than to extinguish them in the past six months or so.

As recently as 21 May, a visibly angered President Jakaya Kikwete pronounced on national television that Tanzania’s natural resources are there for the benefit of all Tanzanians. This is a message that he repeated on 23 May following major unrest in Mtwara and Mikindani, and has become a narrative repeated ad infinitum since.

Unrest in Mtwara

In most of the media sources that reported the developing situation in Mtwara (few and far between), there has been a regular suggestion that the unrest was caused by the content of the Energy and Minerals budget delivered by Minister of Energy and Minerals, Sospeter Muhongo.

The budget confirmed the construction of a pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam/Bagamoyo – funded again by a low-cost loan secured from the Chinese government – thus creating industrial jobs in processing the gas outside the Mtwara region.

In the same parliamentary session, Muhogo also announced that around 0.3% of the revenues from natural gas sales would remain in Mtwara, alongside enhanced social service provision and the largely empty promises of Corporate Social Responsibility.

This announcement is seen to have sparked the violent unrest in spite of the fact that public television networks mysteriously went off air in the Mtwara region that afternoon, and remained unavailable for the duration of the budget announcement.

Nevertheless, pay-per-view channels allowed some in Mtwara town to view the proceedings, leading to outrage and violence, with government offices and some of the houses of their staff burnt to the ground.

The protestors then set up road blocks and fought running battles with the army and police on the streets of Mtwara and Mikindani.

There have also been reports that a journalist was attacked and his house burnt down because he failed to accurately report the level of discontent in the region. In response to the violence, riot police and soldiers used tear gas in an attempt to disperse crowds.

But while the budget announcement might have effectively ‘lit the blue torch paper’, it has been clear that something of this nature has been on the cards for some time, and is an indication of the failure to manage expectations surrounding the natural resource discoveries coupled with an existing perception of a ‘hidden agenda’ against Mtwara.

Whether such an agenda exists is secondary to the perception it does, and this should have been considered in all dealings. The most sceptical analysis might point to the failure to learn key lessons from the Niger Delta in spite of a rhetorical claim to have done so.

Some media sources (perhaps those most closely aligned to the government) claim that there is some mkono was nje (‘outside hand’) aiming to create tension and that it stems from Western governments in light of Chinese involvement.

However, this seems to belie the fact that the companies working on gas extraction in Mtwara are predominantly from Europe and North America such as BG Group (UK), Statoil (Norway), ExxonMobil (US), Ophir (UK).

Brazilian company Petrobras – an increasingly significant global actor – is also involved, while the only major and publicised Chinese involvement is the aforementioned low cost loan for the construction of the controversial pipeline.

Spreading such thinly-veiled rumours is perhaps a diversionary tactic to absolve the Tanzanian government of the burden of responsibility, which would make sense in light of how excessive the response of the police and the army seems to have been.

While there has been relative silence over the outcome of the unrest, reliable sources in Mikindani have referred to at least three deaths in the town, all at the hand of violence perpetrated by the police, whilst official pronouncements maintain that there has only been one death – that of a woman who was seven months pregnant in Mtwara.

It is likely that the number of deaths and injuries is far higher than has currently been suggested while many remain in police custody, being fed by family members outside jail so that they do not become severely malnourished. Furthermore, the army and police seem to have arbitrarily destroyed several houses, businesses, and therefore livelihoods, as part of a supposed search for protestors.

Placing unrest in the historical context

Both the unrest itself and the responses to it are perhaps indicative of a broader political shift across Tanzania, which some on Twitter are referring to as a change from subjects to citizens.

However, this situation must also be framed within the specific historical experiences of southern Tanzania. From the colonial groundnut scheme of the 1940s and 1950s, via the government mandated resettlement scheme (villagisation) during the 1970s, it has often been the case that southern Tanzanians have only experienced political engagement as subjects of policies and projects imposed and rarely discussed.

It seems clear that the government has responded with a clear show of strength to guarantee future security for gas and oil extraction companies working in the region and to attempt to curtail potential protests. Unfortunately, it is likely that this unrest will lead to a far greater militarisation of gas extraction, exacerbating and clarifying the already vast inequalities surrounding natural resource extraction.

Calm was largely restored within a couple of days but it can perhaps be argued that the conditions for unrest were already in place before the latest incarnation of change imposed by central government on an apparently placid population.

The region has witnessed levels of violence previously unseen in Mtwara, perhaps outside some of the most nefarious policies employed during villagisation.

In overlooking the specific historical experiences of the Mtwara region, coupled with the contemporary political context and the lack of genuine engagement with people through broad-based consultation, the risk of such outcomes in the future remain.

While fears of a ‘new Niger Delta’ amongst Mtwarans, gas company employees at various levels, and many other interested parties in the region might be scaremongering, it is now a much clearer possibility and one that must be avoided at all costs.

http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=56502

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USA: Gasland 2

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Oscar-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox is teaming up with MoveOn members to screen his new documentary Gasland Part II—a jaw-dropping exposé of the fracking industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the truth about fracking and join the national movement that’s fighting back. You’ll need HBO—or a friend with HBO—to host. Can you host a Gasland Part II Movie Party in Dayton on Sunday, July 14?
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291160&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=1

Dear MoveOn member,

Imagine being able to light your city tap water on fire.

That’s a reality right now in communities across the country as the fossil fuel industry pushes our country into an all-out—and dangerous—”fracking” boom.1

Want to learn more about fracking and how to stop it? We’ve teamed up with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox for a fun, informative, and sobering nationwide event to watch his new HBO documentary Gasland Part II on Sunday, July 14, and you can have a front row seat—in your own living room!

Fracking for gas and oil has been linked to water so contaminated that it catches fire, illness in residential neighborhoods, unusual earthquakes, dead livestock, and tanking property values. And the methane released by fracking is a far more potent global warming gas than carbon dioxide.2

The hopeful news is that MoveOn members are fighting back—and Gasland Part II gives us a powerful new weapon to grow our grassroots movement. That’s why hundreds of MoveOn members are signing up to host a Gasland Part II Movie Party on Sunday, July 14.

Hosting a movie screening is easy and very rewarding. We’ll provide a host guide with special materials, we’ll help you recruit MoveOn members in your area to attend, and we’ll invite you to join director Josh Fox and thousands of other MoveOn members for a special briefing after we view the film together. Because the film is only available right now on HBO, you’ll need an HBO subscription—or a friend with HBO—to host a movie night. If you don’t have HBO, we may be able to match you up with a MoveOn member near you who does.

Will you sign up to host a Gasland Part II Movie Party in Dayton on Sunday, July 14?
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291160&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=2

No, I don’t have HBO, and I’m not sure I have a friend who does.
http://www.moveon.org/gasland2/?id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=3

Like Josh’s first film, which made “fracking” a household word, Gasland Part II is catalyzing a movement—and if enough of our friends, families, and neighbors work together, we can build the large-scale movement we need to stop fracking. Since the original Gasland debuted in 2010, dozens of cities, towns, and counties—from Pittsburgh, PA to Mora County, NM—have passed local bans on fracking, and MoveOn members in 30 states have launched campaigns to stop this dangerous new form of fossil fuel extraction.3

Gasland Part II is only available on HBO right now, so if you’d like to host but don’t have a subscription, ask your friends or family members who might have HBO to team up with you. If you do have HBO, sign up to help MoveOn members near you have the opportunity to watch this amazing film

I had the opportunity to preview the film, and it gave me the chills. I grew up—and my mom still lives—just a few miles from the largest urban oil field in the country, in Los Angeles, where fracking is happening right now. Neighbors suspect that high rates of cancer are linked to toxic chemicals used in fracking—and they’re organizing to stop the fracking from continuing.4

Earlier this week, in his first speech on climate change, President Obama stuck his neck out to reduce carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, and MoveOn members have applauded him for that. But he also doubled down on propping up the oil and gas industries, even though scientists have shown that extracting and burning gas and oil could be far worse for the climate than coal.5

Banning fracking is the next frontier in the movement to protect our communities and our kids from climate change—and MoveOn members, with Josh Fox, are leading the way.

When people find out the truth about fracking, they rise up to stop it. The MoveOn community of 8 million members has the power to spread the truth, and organize to win.

Visit here to host a Gasland Part II Movie Party on Sunday, July 14.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291160&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=6

Thanks for all you do,

–Victoria, Manny, Bobby, Rosy, and the rest of the team

P.S. Check out the trailer for Gasland Part II here: http://vimeo.com/69061416

Sources:

1. “Fracking’s coming boom,” Salon, April 24, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291186&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=7
2. “Drillers Silence Fracking Claims With Sealed Settlements,” Bloomberg Businessweek, June 6, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=290800&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=9

“Campaign to Ban Fracking Heats Up,” Culver City Patch, May 17, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=290822&id=&t=10&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=10

“More Evidence Shows Drilling Causes Earthquakes,” Bloomberg Businessweek, April 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=290821&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=11

“The Fracturing of Pennsylvania,” The New York Times, November 17, 2011http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291187&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=12

“Methane Losses Stir Debate on Natural Gas,” The New York Times, April 12, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291188&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=13

3. “NY Local Fracking Bans Upheld By Appeals Court,” Huffington Post, May 2, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291189&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix&t=14

4. Ibid., Culver City Patch

5. Ibid., The New York Times

MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way.

Chip in.
https://civic.moveon.org/donatec4/creditcard.html?cpn_id=457&id=70552-21095459-WVWlpix

Africa & USA: Oxfam’s to-Do List for President Obama’s Africa Trip

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From: Yona Maro

PRESS RELEASE

Oxfam is urging President Obama and African leaders to make bold commitments to help transform African institutions into models of transparency and accountability over the next decade as billions of dollars in aid flows and oil, gas and mining revenues pour into the continent, affecting millions of lives.

With the President and First Lady Michelle Obama scheduled to travel to Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania over the next few days, the time is now to address the continent’s continued economic development, said Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America.

“President Obama got it right in Accra in 2009 when he said Africa’s future lies with Africa’s institutions. Now it’s time for the President to help Africa realize its full potential by investing directly in local governments and citizens, helping to increase transparency of budgets, extractive industry revenues, and tax systems for governments,” said Offenheiser.

Extracting resources – and billions

Over the next decade, more than $1 trillion in natural resources will be extracted from the African continent. Currently, Africa exports more than $300 billion a year in oil, gas and mineral exports–more than four times the amount of aid the continent receives. But that money is not building roads, schools and hospitals for Africa’s people. In fact, booming extractives industries often lead to more poverty and powerlessness. The people of Kedougou, Senegal, for instance, live atop a large scale gold-mining operation. But despite the riches found in their soil, none of it has been returned to their community. Many have lost access to the agricultural land that sustained their families, and many others did not even receive adequate compensation when they were forced off their lands without consultation.

The resource curse

Millions of people living near oil and mining sites, like those in Kedougou, struggle to survive on less than $2 a day. Instead of opportunity, this resource curse delivers environmental damage, loss of land and human rights abuses.

“I urge President Obama to shine a bright light on the current lack of transparency and accountability that perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality in developing African nations,” said Offenheiser. “Tell your African counterparts to work to increase transparency in their budgets. Open payments from oil and mining companies to the light of transparency. Give African citizens knowledge about revenues from oil and mining companies. Let those citizens decide how to put their money to work for their own futures–let them claim their rights and fight for their own development.”

Lead by example

It’s time to lead by example, continued Offenheiser.

“President Obama should publicly announce when his own administration will release US government aid data, setting a tone on institutional transparency. As one of the largest aid donors in the world, the United States shouldn’t be one of the least transparent.”

Souleymane Zeba, West Africa Regional Director of Oxfam, added, “The resources generated by extractives industries should be helping local communities build resilience against climate and food security shocks, particularly in the Sahel where recurrent food crises are epidemic.”

Feed the Future

Offenheiser sees even greater potential for agriculture in Africa, with the right investments.

“The President’s Feed the Future Initiative recognizes the central role that agriculture can play in driving economic growth and poverty reduction, but initiatives like the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which promote private sector investment in select African countries, must not distract from badly needed development aid to this critical sector,” said Offenheiser. “The President must address legitimate concerns raised by civil society organizations about this initiative.”

In South Africa, Oxfam urges President Obama’s continued support for community-led accountability mechanisms.

“President Obama’s support for our HIV/AIDS response has been immensely important for South Africa’s continued efforts to realize the ambitions of a democratic, people-centered South Africa,” said Allan Moolman, Oxfam’s Country Director in South Africa.

http://obamaafricatrip2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/oxfams-to-do-list-for-president-obamas.html
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http://obamaafricatrip2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/oxfams-to-do-list-for-president-obamas.html

TANZANIA AND RUSSIA WILL SOON BE EMBROILED IN MAJOR LEGAL TUSSLES THROUGH COURT OVER DISPUTED URANIUM MINING IN MKUNJU RIVER MINING FIELDS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Tanzania and Russia may soon face each other in court in ne of the toughest legal battle against a Russian firm in a multimillion dollar engaged in the business of mining uranium over tax evasion.

Information emerging from Dar Es Salaam says that state is demanding nearly USD 206 million, which is equivalent to Tshs 329 billion taxes from the Russian firm ,Rosatom disputes the taxes invoices.JSC Atomredmetzoloi {ARMTZ} OF Russia in relation to its Mkunju River Uranium mines that the state owned mining arm of Russia’s nuclear watchdog

As a result the ARMZ, Uranium Holdings through its lawyer FB Attornery has filed a case before the Tax Appeal Tribunal of Tanzania to challenge the tax claim.

Gandasiosus Ishengoma also a lawyer confirmed last week that the ARMZ has challenge the state over its claim and filed a case through theTax Apeal Tribunal.

The Energy and Mineral Minister Prof. Sospeter Muhongo was quote by a source in Dar Es Salaam as saying that the Tshs 329.01 billion {205.80 million tax had originated from MkunjuRiver uranium mining.

TAnzania law was enacted in 2011 in order to close loophole in a tax holiday incentive because that allowed foreign firms to operate tax-free for first five years.

He same law stipulates that any foreign firm operating in the country must pay capital gain tax, when it changes to a third party.

Mantra Tanzania Ltd the former owners of Mkunju River uranium mine in December 2010 cedeed the project operations to AMZ after the firm had acquired the percentage. Mantra Resources of Australia For Tshs .1.667.1 billion USD.O43.8 million..

And immediately after the transactions, the state through the Tanzania Revenue Authority [TRA] issued invoices demanding that ARMTZ settles Tshs 327.7 million out of the total USD 9.8 in stamp duty.The sum is quoted as being equavalent to 43 per cent of the current Tazania’s health and social welfare budget of Tshs 753.85 billion..

Observers and watchers of Tanzania-Rusia relations have maintained that the tax battle between the two countries could create bad blood between the two business partners.

In April last year Tanzania licensed ARMTZ RANIUM Holding to establish the first uranium mines in Mkunju River which is located in the south of the country.

This licence is the first to be issued by Tanzania and the newly enacted mining laws.

Ends

THE MUGO REPORT: MAY 2013

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From: Mugo Muchiri
Los Angeles, CA
June 1, 2013

THE MUGO REPORT – May 2013

Q: Good morning Bwana Mugo, nice to see you. Another month gone by, can you believe this?

Mugo: Good morning ndugu and asante. Yep, as they say in the song, ‘life is a-fleeting!” Tell me about your clan, how are they doing?

Q: Actually pretty good, considering. I’ve been trying to sell them on the turmeric tip we talked about last time. Asked them if they can ‘kusindikisha’ me. Well, we’ll see how that goes. Any tip for this month?

Mugo: Ground spices in cooking. When I saute my food, I use a combination of turmeric, fennel, cumin, coriander, mixed in a 1:4:2:3 ratio respectively. Try using a teaspoon in either ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil when sauteing. This is a secret of Maharishi Ayurveda, India’s ancient system of developing and maintaining perfect health as revived by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 80s. You’ll notice that Kenyan Indians use plenty of spices in their cooking. Infact the curries which are a hallmark of their cuisine have found great favor with many a Kenyan urbanite.

Q: Share with us the benefits of cooking with spices?

Mugo: They’re wide-ranging. Turmeric is considered a liver detoxifier, is known to tame high cholestrol levels, boost immunity and aid skin complexion so that you can, according to Mulu Mutisya, ‘ng’alang’ala like a tomato.’ Both turmeric and cumin are antioxidants, meaning they scavenge free radicals in the system. Fennel of course is excellent for good digestion, while coriander acts as a blood purifier. Used together, an immune system-boosting synergy is further created. This, in Maharishi Ayurveda, contributes to balancing the doshas that underlie one’s constitution.

Q: Sawa. Let’s turn our eyes now on Kenya this past month of May and do some reviewing.

Mugo: Am ready when you are.

GOVERNANCE & DEMOCRACY

Q: Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Simiyu Khaemba was unhappy with the revenue collection from markets, PSVs etc. One of his first acts upon assuming office was to dismiss the officials responsible for collections. The very next day, revenues went up from SHS 200,000 to SHS 1,000,000 a day, representing a 500% increase. Why do we still have our hats on?

Mugo: It’s a great start. You have drama, you have impact…….I mean these pistons are not waiting for a committee, they’re firing on all cylinders! What I worry about though is consistency. Reform is a journey. We don’t need one-hit wonders. It’s the sustainability that’s key. I just loved reading that story! If this is what ugatuzi or devolution is all about, then let the inspiration spreads to other counties.

Q: Let’s talk a little about democracy and free speech. I’m concerned about what I see as a creeping tendency to stifle free expression among, surprisingly, reasonably well-educated Kenyans? And here’s exhibit A to prove my point: I love following Professor Mutua Makau, the famous Nation newspaper columnist who does a weekly piece there and is, very notably, dean of SUNY Buffalo School of Law. What concerns me is the manner in which the guy gets slaughtered by his readers, judging from their comments. I mean, it’s not just swipes, it’s a freeking bloodbath! Are your eyes seeing the same thing as me?

Mugo: Well first of all, like you, I admire Makau. His voice is singularly unique. Where many vacillate on modes of expression, lucidity has found a home in his pen. In Makau World, boldness and incisiveness runneth over, spontaneously oozing wits in his writings. But his most prized possession in his arsenal, if you asked me, is his love of country so vividly discernible from every piece he crafts. These attributes haven’t stopped many of his readers from spitting venom at him when their views are divergent. Their level of rage and detestation has a personal element that’s clearly uncalled for and quite disturbing. Is it not possible to disagree without being disagreeable? I think the answer should be ‘yes,’ if education works.

AFRICA AND THE ICC

Q: Sawa. I’ve noticed that the closer we get to the trial dates of President Uhuru Kenyatta and deputy President William Ruto at the Hague, the more the flurry of activities to either delay, derail or even stop the judicial proceedings from commencing. First we heard submissions at the United Nations in New York by both Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Macharia Kamau, and his deputy, Koki Muli. Notably, African Heads of States just concluded their annual summit in Addis Ababa with a resolution to request a referal of the cases back to Kenya. What do you make of these moves?

Mugo: 1133 Kenyans were viciously killed simply because someone’s tribal arithmetic didn’t tally the way they thought it should. Someone needs to answer for that!!!!!

Of the 600,000 Kenyans displaced from their homes, many continue to languish in IDP camps. I actually saw a good number of them when I visited the Nakuru Pipeline IDP camp last December. Someone needs to answer for that!!!!!

There was a rapefest, burnings, forced circumcisions and just about everything that would describe a Hell on earth. Someone needs to answer for that!!!!

The Head of State must comport him or herself as the embodiment of the collective consciousness of his or her nation, and not one of an elitist subset. To me, the AU Heads of States resolution is a lagging indicator of an Africa that’s sick to her core, where food is regarded as poison, and poison as food. We need a savior and thank God we have one in Ms. Fatou Bensouda. The Jesus’ and Mohameds of their day led tortured lives precisely because tough medicine rarely finds a welcoming ingester. Appreciations and worldwide acclaim become latter-day developments.

Now Uhuru and Ruto have multiply attested to their innocence and must be so considered before their trials. Many Kenyans believe them. Moreover, they themselves have repeated many times ‘Shetani atashindwa.’ So why all the behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent them from giving Kenyans and the world an opportunity to prove their innocence? Why scuttle a process whose benefit to their co-presidency would essentially be of a liberative nature?

Or is this to continue being an Africa where the champion swimmer tells everyone that winning the race is a foregone conclusion, but alas his coterie of trainers and aides does everything to prevent him from even nearing the water’s edge?

And another curiosity: one of the two guys judged centrally responsible for the mayhem gets what? A retirement gift of a brand new SHS 500 million home exclusively funded by the taxpayers. Never mind that he has several palatial homes in Muthaiga, or that his land holdings put him at the second or third largest landowner in Kenya, a country where more than 60% of its population lives on less than one and a half dollars a day! Perhaps an appropriate gift should have been a tour of future digs at Kamiti, a la Emperor of China.

CHALLENGES

Q: Nimesikia hiyo mambo. The ICC is obviously a very emotive issue and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more as the trial comes closer. I’d like us to step aside for a moment and look at some challenges and opportunities for Kenya this past month.

Poaching continues to be an ever-growing menace in Kenya. Here are some statistics:

– October 2012 – Hong Kong Customs seizes 4 tons of ivory tusks; value $3.4million

– November 2012 – Dubai, UAE seizes 215 ivory tusks; value $4million

– Jan 2013 – Hong Kong Customs seizes 779 ivory tusks

– May 2013 – Dubai Customs seizes 259 tusks

– May 2013 – Hong Kong Customs seizes 113 tusks; value $400,000

Meanwhile, Liu Guangyuan issues a statement on March 12, 2013 ‘educating’ Kenyans that concerns about China’s involvement in illegal ivory are unfair and misinformed. Ati they send text messages to all Chinese tourists to Kenya “not to engage in the ivory trade,” ati “harmony between nature and humankind is the most important component of Chinese civilization,” ati “China put the African elephant on the list of first-class wildlife species under special state protection,” ati China’s only current stockpile is 62 tons of non-poached ivory. Please bwana Mugo, help me out here!

Mugo: My honest opinion: it’s sweet BULLSHIT! There’s no doubt that the Chinese are a great people with an awesome heritage and great talent. It is that part of Civilization that gave the world the art of papermaking, gunpowder, printing and the compass (used, amongst other things, for navigability). But there’s another side to the Chinese persona that can be raw, vicious, calculating and unrelenting. It has a ravenous appetite that stops at nothing to get its fill: from big ticket items like African minerals and oil; to extorting trade secrets from US China-domiciled research center; to military intelligence garnered through cyber snooping. Even comparatively smaller menu items like shark fins are not spared.

The problem with Africans in general, and Kenyans in particular is our short memories and blind trust that makes us so amenable to be taken advantage of. If you ‘escort’ an ailing heart for an operation in South Africa with $5000, then ALL GLORY to you.

WANANCHI WENZANGU, AMKENI!!! MUSIKUBALI KUFUMBWA MACHO. Wake up to the fact that if nothing is done now, if the status quo prevails, in as short a time as 10 years, we’ll have no elephants and rhinos remaining to roam our continent – a large transfer of living wealth from Africa to the dead wealth Ornament rooms across South East Asia.

Mozambique which was awash with rhinos a few decades ago now has only one or two in the whole country which are encouraged to ‘get going’ to increase numbers. Ati text messages. How come the US or European embassies don’t send text messages to their visiting countrymen and women?

Fortunately, we’re seeing signs of movement in the right direction. Just today, we’re learning that 32 senior KWS personnel have been sent home pending investigations to finger the culprits vis-à-vis the high-level collusion of poachers with senior ranks at the organization.

William Kiprono, the KWS Director needs to be singled out for special mention. He’s working with another noted Kenyan – Inspector General Kimaiyo – to remove Somali herders who’ve leased large tracts of land in Taita-Taveta obstensibly for their commercial livestock endeavors (to fatten their herds). But poachers masquerading as herders have used this cover to visit havoc of elephant and rhino stocks. ALL KENYANS MUST JOIN HANDS WITH THESE SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO TURN THE TIDE ON A CALAMITY THAT HAS REACHED TRULY EPIC PROPOTIONS.

Even then, one has to realize that Kiprono and Kimaiyo’s combined efforts could not have been as bold or even evocative of hope were they launched outside the context of a reformist agenda that propelled the new Jubilee government to office. My wish is for the President to be focused on this issue and to be unrelenting in his behind and sometimes not-so-behind-the-scenes support for wildlife protection.

OPPORTUNITIES

Q: Asante. I think we should wrap this up now. But not before pointing out at least one area of Opportunity for Kenyans.

Mugo: I am impressed by K-Rep bank and its ‘Maji ni Maisha (Water is Life) project. The company has partnered with the World Bank and European Union to expand access to water in communities that suffer perennial water shortages. Reports have it that about 220,000 Kenyans have already benefited from these types of water projects. K-Rep provides 80% of funds while the communities – through funds such as CDF – come up with 20%. Where viability and sustainability are shown, the World Bank can provide up to 40% subsidies. This is a pick-up type story. You feel good because you know the right thing is being down by your fellow wananchi.

Just in closing, I urge any Kenyan of repute and influence to take 30 minutes to study the concept of Volunteerism as seen through the prism of TEACH FOR AMERICA. I say this because I’m really concerned about the demands of more and more money from so many sectors of the economy. To name a few, the JUDICIARY (can you believe this nonsense of wanting to spend 300 million to buy a new plane so Judges can be flown to remote parts???), the TRANSITION AUTHORITY, the LEGISLATURE, now TEACHERS all want more mullah.

Let’s explore how we can include the Youth on a volunteer basis in the development of our nation. It’s not a freebie. They would get vouchers for work done – whether it’s tree planting, lake cleaning (hyacinth in Lake Victoria), agriculture, etc. – which are redeemable as tuition payment at qualifying universities or tertiary institutions. Or perhaps redeemable through food via the National Cereals and Produce Board. Everything doesn’t need to be monetized.

Q: Haya ndugu, kwaheri. Mpaka next month na Asante for your participation.

Rwanda & USA: Paul Kagame: I asked America to kill Congo rebel leader with drone

Leave a reply

from: Judy Miriga

Good People,

All these information are clear indication that Kagame is fully involved in distabilization of DRC through M23. Kagame must be taken to task at the ICC Hague as He has a case to answer.

Why would Kagame as America to kill Congo rebel leader ?

Is it for cover up??? Does Kagame know something he does not want the world to know…..???

Push for the truth people…….There is more here and it is unacceptable……

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

http://financialservices.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=333875

JEB HENSARLING, TX , CHAIRMAN

United States House of Representatives

Committee on Financial Services 2129 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MAXINE WATERS, CA, RANKING MEMBER

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Members of the Committee on Financial Services
From: FSC Majority Committee Staff
Date: May 16, 2013
Subject: May 21, 2013, Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee Hearing on “The Unintended Consequences of Dodd-Frank’s Conflict Minerals Provision”.

The Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade will hold a hearing on “The Unintended Consequences of Dodd-Frank’s Conflict Minerals Provision” at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building. This will be a one-panel hearing with the following witnesses:

• David Aronson, Freelance Writer, Editor of www.congoresources.org

• Mvemba Dizolele, Peter Duignan Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution

• Rick Goss, Senior Vice President of Environment and Sustainability, Information Technology Industry Council

• Sophia Pickles, Policy Advisor, Global Witness

Background

Ever since it gained its independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been in a state of civil war. In 2000, the United Nations Group of Experts linked the Congolese civil war to the mineral trade. Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold—which are used to manufacture everyday goods such as pens, USB drives, buttons, and food containers—are mined in areas of the eastern DRC that the Congolese army and armed militias are fighting to control. The factions use proceeds from mineral sales to buy weapons. Some have argued that banning the use of minerals mined in or near the DRC or discouraging companies from using such minerals by “naming and shaming” them might deny rebel militias a source of funding and end the conflict.

Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 111-203) is one such effort to discourage companies from using minerals mined in the DRC. Section 1502 requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to promulgate rules for public companies requiring them to disclose their use of minerals that originated in the DRC, which Section 1502 defines to be “conflict minerals.” Public companies must comply with Section 1502’s disclosure requirements when these minerals are necessary to the functionality or production of a product. If companies cannot verify that the minerals they use did not originate in the DRC, Section 1502 requires them to (1) exercise due diligence on the source and chain of custody of these minerals; (2) hire an independent third party to audit the due diligence measures; and (3) report to the SEC on the due diligence measures they undertook and their auditor’s assessment of those measures.

Hearing:

Hearing entitled “The Unintended Consequences of Dodd-Frank’s Conflict Minerals Provision”
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:00 PM in 2128 Rayburn HOB
Monetary Policy and Trade

Witness List

Mr. David Aronson, Freelance Writer, Editor of www.congoresources.org

Mr. Mvemba Dizolele, Peter Duignan Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution

Mr. Rick Goss, Senior Vice President of Environment and Sustainability, Information Technology Industry Council

Ms. Sophia Pickles, Policy Advisor, Global Witness

$625,000 Worth Gold Shipment Got Lost At Miami Airport
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-MUreAjFx0
Published on May 17, 2013

A shipment of gold valued at $625,000 vanished in a suspected heist after arriving in Miami on an American Airlines flight, authorities announced Thursday.

A police report says the gold, which arrived in a box, was brought on the flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador to the Miami International Airport early Tuesday, WSVN reports.

The plane’s cargo was unloaded by five crew members, but the box containing the gold disappeared after apparently being loaded onto a motorized luggage cart or tug, the report said.

The cart was found in front of a gate of the same terminal were the flight from Ecuador was unloaded, about an hour after workers emptied the cargo hold, but without the box containing the gold.

The police incident report did not say who owned the gold or what its final destination was and an American Airlines security official at the airport declined to comment to Reuters on the case, saying only that it was being investigated by the FBI.

“The FBI is aware of the situation,” FBI spokesman Michael Leverock told Reuters in an email.

Miami International serves as a major trans-shipment point for large quantities of gold produced in South America and exported primarily to Switzerland for refining.

The city has seen the trans-shipment of gold rise sharply in recent years as investors have turned to gold and its price has risen.

Gold is Miami’s No. 1 import valued at almost $8 billion last year, mostly from Mexico and Colombia, and almost all destined for Switzerland, according to World City, a Miami-based publication that tracks trade data.

And Now This ………

Paul Kagame: I asked America to kill Congo rebel leader with drone

In an exclusive interview with Chris McGreal in Kigali, Rwanda’s president denies backing an accused Congolese war criminal and says challenge to senior US official proves his innocence

Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, has rejected accusations from Washington that he was supporting a rebel leader and accused war criminal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by challenging a senior US official to send a drone to kill the wanted man.

In an interview with the Observer Magazine, Kagame said that on a visit to Washington in March he came under pressure from the US assistant secretary of state for Africa, Johnnie Carson, to arrest Bosco Ntaganda, leader of the M23 rebels, who was wanted by the international criminal court (ICC). The US administration was increasing pressure on Kagame following a UN report claiming to have uncovered evidence showing that the Rwandan military provided weapons and other support to Ntaganda, whose forces briefly seized control of the region’s main city, Goma.

“I told him: ‘Assistant secretary of state, you support [the UN peacekeeping force] in the Congo. Such a big force, so much money. Have you failed to use that force to arrest whoever you want to arrest in Congo? Now you are turning to me, you are turning to Rwanda?'” he said. “I said that, since you are used to sending drones and gunning people down, why don’t you send a drone and get rid of him and stop this nonsense? And he just laughed. I told him: ‘I’m serious’.”

Kagame said that, after he returned to Rwanda, Carson kept up the pressure with a letter demanding that he act against Ntaganda. Days later, the M23 leader appeared at the US embassy in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, saying that he wanted to surrender to the ICC. He was transferred to The Hague. The Rwandan leadership denies any prior knowledge of Ntaganda’s decision to hand himself over. It suggests he was facing a rebellion within M23 and feared for his safety.

But Kagame’s confrontation with Carson reflects how much relationships with even close allies have deteriorated over allegations that Rwanda continues to play a part in the bloodletting in Congo. The US and Britain, Rwanda’s largest bilateral aid donors, withheld financial assistance, as did the EU, prompting accusations of betrayal by Rwandan officials. The political impact added impetus to a government campaign to condition the population to become more self-reliant.

Kagame is angered by the moves and criticisms of his human rights record in Rwanda, including allegations that he blocks opponents by misusing laws banning hate speech to accuse them of promoting genocide and suppresses press criticism. The Rwandan president is also embittered that countries, led by the US and UK, that blocked intervention to stop the 1994 genocide, and France which sided with the Hutu extremist regime that led the killings, are now judging him on human rights.

“We don’t live our lives or we don’t deal with our affairs more from the dictates from outside than from the dictates of our own situation and conditions,” Kagame said. “The outside viewpoint, sometimes you don’t know what it is. It keeps changing. They tell you they want you to respect this or fight this and you are doing it and they say you’re not doing it the right way. They keep shifting goalposts and interpreting things about us or what we are doing to suit the moment.”

He is agitated about what he sees as Rwanda being held responsible for all the ills of Congo, when Kigali’s military intervention began in 1996 to clear out Hutu extremists using UN-funded refugee camps for raids to murder Tutsis. Kagame said that Rwanda was not responsible for the situation after decades of western colonisation and backing for the Mobutu dictatorship.

The Rwandan leader denies supporting M23 and said he has been falsely accused because Congo’s president, Joseph Kabila, needs someone to blame because his army cannot fight. “To defeat these fellows doesn’t take bravery because they don’t go to fight. They just hear bullets and are on the loose running anywhere, looting, raping and doing anything. That’s what happened,” he said.

“President Kabila and the government had made statements about how this issue is going to be contained. They had to look for an explanation for how they were being defeated. They said we are not fighting [Ntaganda], we’re actually fighting Rwanda.”

— On Wed, 5/22/13, Lutgard Kokulinda Kagaruki wrote:
From: Lutgard Kokulinda Kagaruki
Subject: Paul Kagame: I asked America to kill Congo rebel leader with drone
Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 1:27 AM

I Liked this one most; “We don’t live our lives or we don’t deal with our affairs more from the dictates from outside than from the dictates of our own situation and conditions,” Kagame said. “The outside viewpoint, sometimes you don’t know what it is. It keeps changing. They tell you they want you to respect this or fight this and you are doing it and they say you’re not doing it the right way. They keep shifting goalposts and interpreting things about us or what we are doing to suit the moment.” LKK

On Wed, May 22, 2013 at 1:37 AM, Nyoni Magoha wrote:

Saturday 18 May 2013 Chris MacGreal in Kigali

In an exclusive interview with Chris McGreal in Kigali, Rwanda’s president denies backing an accused Congolese war criminal and says challenge to senior US official proves his innocence

Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, has rejected accusations from Washington that he was supporting a rebel leader and accused war criminal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by challenging a senior US official to send a drone to kill the wanted man.

In an interview with the Observer Magazine, Kagame said that on a visit to Washington in March he came under pressure from the US assistant secretary of state for Africa, Johnnie Carson, to arrest Bosco Ntaganda, leader of the M23 rebels, who was wanted by the international criminal court (ICC). The US administration was increasing pressure on Kagame following a UN report claiming to have uncovered evidence showing that the Rwandan military provided weapons and other support to Ntaganda, whose forces briefly seized control of the region’s main city, Goma.

“I told him: ‘Assistant secretary of state, you support [the UN peacekeeping force] in the Congo. Such a big force, so much money. Have you failed to use that force to arrest whoever you want to arrest in Congo? Now you are turning to me, you are turning to Rwanda?'” he said. “I said that, since you are used to sending drones and gunning people down, why don’t you send a drone and get rid of him and stop this nonsense? And he just laughed. I told him: ‘I’m serious’.”

Kagame said that, after he returned to Rwanda, Carson kept up the pressure with a letter demanding that he act against Ntaganda. Days later, the M23 leader appeared at the US embassy in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, saying that he wanted to surrender to the ICC. He was transferred to The Hague. The Rwandan leadership denies any prior knowledge of Ntaganda’s decision to hand himself over. It suggests he was facing a rebellion within M23 and feared for his safety.

But Kagame’s confrontation with Carson reflects how much relationships with even close allies have deteriorated over allegations that Rwanda continues to play a part in the bloodletting in Congo. The US and Britain, Rwanda’s largest bilateral aid donors, withheld financial assistance, as did the EU, prompting accusations of betrayal by Rwandan officials. The political impact added impetus to a government campaign to condition the population to become more self-reliant.

Kagame is angered by the moves and criticisms of his human rights record in Rwanda, including allegations that he blocks opponents by misusing laws banning hate speech to accuse them of promoting genocide and suppresses press criticism. The Rwandan president is also embittered that countries, led by the US and UK, that blocked intervention to stop the 1994 genocide, and France which sided with the Hutu extremist regime that led the killings, are now judging him on human rights.

“We don’t live our lives or we don’t deal with our affairs more from the dictates from outside than from the dictates of our own situation and conditions,” Kagame said. “The outside viewpoint, sometimes you don’t know what it is. It keeps changing. They tell you they want you to respect this or fight this and you are doing it and they say you’re not doing it the right way. They keep shifting goalposts and interpreting things about us or what we are doing to suit the moment.”

He is agitated about what he sees as Rwanda being held responsible for all the ills of Congo, when Kigali’s military intervention began in 1996 to clear out Hutu extremists using UN-funded refugee camps for raids to murder Tutsis. Kagame said that Rwanda was not responsible for the situation after decades of western colonisation and backing for the Mobutu dictatorship.

The Rwandan leader denies supporting M23 and said he has been falsely accused because Congo’s president, Joseph Kabila, needs someone to blame because his army cannot fight. “To defeat these fellows doesn’t take bravery because they don’t go to fight. They just hear bullets and are on the loose running anywhere, looting, raping and doing anything. That’s what happened,” he said.

“President Kabila and the government had made statements about how this issue is going to be contained. They had to look for an explanation for how they were being defeated. They said we are not fighting [Ntaganda], we’re actually fighting Rwanda.”

Source: The Guardian (UK)

U.S. SEC requires company disclosures on use of DR Congo minerals

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday approved a rule that would require public companies to disclose information on the use of minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Under the rule, public companies would have to disclose annually their tracing of the minerals back to the sources if they use in their products the designated minerals from the DRC and neighboring countries, where armed groups have profited much from mining minerals used in electronics, jewelry and other goods… (view news)

US Cuts Military Aid to Rwanda Over Support to Rebels in DR Congo

The United States has cut its military aid to Rwanda, citing concerns that the government in Kigali is supporting rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S. State Department said Saturday it had evidence that Rwanda is helping Congolese rebel groups, including M23. It said it will withhold $200,000 of aid pledged to help a military training agency. The Rwandan government has repeatedly denied helping the rebels. Washington’s move comes a week after the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC agreed to the deployment of an international force to fight the rebellion in eastern Congo and to patrol their … (view news)

M23 Political Leader Bertrand Bisimwa’s letter to Ban Ki Moon
mai23

Bunagana, May 22nd 2013

Réf : 027/Prés-M23/2013

RE: Actual situation in the Eastern part of DRC

To the UN Secretary General
New York

Your Excellency,

We are once again honored to write to you about the situation that is taking place in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The military operations which are taking over in the surrounding of Goma are a result of Congolese army working together with his allies FDLR and MAI-MAI armed groups attacking the M23 positions from Monday 20th may, 2013 at 4:30 am.

We would like to see this military hostilities being stopped on both sides as it appears in our letter of 1st May, 2013 addressed to his Excellency MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of the Republic of Uganda, Mediator of the Kampala peace talks and President of ICGLR, requesting for bilateral cease fire as shows our attached letter. Unfortunately the DRC government consider the Kampala negotiations as an opportunity for a delay, in order to obtain the UN resolution for a militarist option.

We again express our political will to have a bilateral cease fire agreement to bring peace to our people and allow the political dialogue to take over. We want this framework to deal with root causes of this conflict rather than a simple treatment of symptoms as it was recommended by H.E OLOUSSEGUN OBASANJO your Special Envoy in this very matter in the year 2008 – 2009.

We stay convinced that war will never bring sustainable peace in the DRC and want to assure you, that we believe that, the presence of the UN Mission in DRC remains an opportunity in our quest for peace .

Hoping that our correspondence will take your attention, we thank you anticipatively.

Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
– Permanent Members of the Security Council
– President of the African Union
– Heads of State of the CIRGL
– Embassies

M23 Leader Bertrand Bisimwa’s letter to Mary ROBINSON
mai23

Bunagana, May 22nd, 2013
Réf : 026/PRES-M23/2013

To the attention of Her Excellency Mary ROBINSON,
UN Secretary General Special Envoy in the Great Lakes Region

Re: Actual situation in the Eastern of DRC

Your Excellency,

We are once again honored to write to you about the situation that is taking place in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The military operations which are taking over in the surrounding of Goma are a result of Congolese army working together with his allies FDLR and MAI-MAI armed groups attacking the M23 positions from Monday 20th may, 2013 at 4:30 am.

This situation is disturbing the political peace process which was proned by the framework agreement of Addis Ababa of February 24th 2013, the true way for solution in the DRC crisis and even complicates the Kampala negotiations in which we did and do still build our hope.

We would like to see this military hostilities being stopped on both sides as it appears in our letter of 1st May, 2013 addressed to his Excellency MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of the Republic of Uganda, Mediator of the Kampala peace talks and President of ICGLR, requesting for bilateral cease fire between us and the Government of the DRC.

Unfortunately the DRC government consider the Kampala negotiations as an opportunity for a delay, in order to obtain the UN resolution for a militarist option.

We remain believing that war will never bring sustainable peace in the DRC.

We highly thank you, Excellency, as you endeavour to bring peace in our region through the political solution rather than war.

Hoping that our correspondence will take your attention, we thank you anticipatively.

Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
– UN Secretary General
– Permanent Members of the Security Council
– President of the African Union
– Heads of State of the CIRGL
– Embassies

M23 letter To Yoweri Museveni Kaguta President of Uganda
mai23

Bunagana, May 1st, 2013
Réf : 021/Prés-M23/2013

To His Excellency YOWERI MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of Republic of Uganda,

Chairman of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region “ICGLR” and Mediator of the negotiations between the DRC government and M23

Re: Ceasefire Agreement

Your Excellency, Mr President,

We, at M23, are honored to inform you that we still have hope in peace through the negotiations taking place in Kampala.

Since December, 2012 on the request of the international community represented by the International Conference of Great Lakes Region, we submitted ourselves to all requests from the ICGLR, for instance we withdrew from Goma while we were militarily stronger than the DRC Army and we signed the unilateral ceasefire while the DRC government refused to do so. We maintained our military positions as it was requested and we humbly accepted all the demands which allowed the progress in the negotiations today, it’s during the Kampala negotiations period that the DRC government went to the UN seeking for the resolution 2098.

At this moment while we are still in negotiations, the DRC Army in coalition with the FDLR have left their positions, crossed over and took our positions in Mabenga. Others came from Tongo through the Virunga national Park where they are preparing to attack ours positions in Rutshuru territory.

In Kanyarutshina, the DRC Army in coalition with MONUSCO peace keepers took our positions, which consequently shows that the DRC government is preparing war against us. This is why we at M23, are requesting to the DRC government to sign the ceasefire agreement and to release all our members kept in prison in Kinshasa as a proof of willingness to pursue with negotiations.

We are convinced that the ceasefire agreement will bring in the end of the war and allow peaceful negotiations to take place.

We believe that the efforts made by the mediator and the ICGLR would not be taken in vain by the DRC government and we thank you for all.

Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
– Heads of States of ICGLR;
– His Excellence The Facilitator of Talks between M23 and The DRC’s Government;

GOMA – RDC : Une tragédie à l’horizon
mai23

Des soldats de parade, aussi remarquables les jours de défilé qu’inaptes sous le feu.

They look like soldiers on parade, but useless under fire Qu’il s’agisse d’une escarmouche due à des raisons plus ou moins futiles -la gestion d’une source-, ou d’un accrochage plus sérieux qui pourrait mettre fin à cinq mois d’une trêve de facto, les combats qui ont opposée hier les soldats du M23 aux troupes gouvernementales et aux rebelles hutu rwandais des FDLR, leurs alliés, autour de l’abreuvoir de Mutaho -à une dizaine de kilomètres de Goma, dans l’Est de la RDC- préfigurent certainement une partie du scénario pour les semaines à venir.

Lorsque la Brigade d’intervention de la MONUSCO, mise en place par la résolution 2098 du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU pour « neutraliser » les forces de l’Armée Révolutionnaire Congolaise, branche militaire du M23, sera prête à agir, il suffira un épisode déclencheur comme celui de Mutaho -une offensive conjointe FARDC-FDLR contre les positions de l’ARC et la riposte, quoique contenue, de cette dernière- pour susciter l’intervention sur le terrain de la nouvelle unité spéciale onusienne sous commandement d’un général tanzanien. Celle-ci ne se limitera pas, par conséquent, à exercer une fonction de dissuasion mais se déploiera en ordre de combat face aux troupes du général Sultani Makenga, chef militaire du M23.

Dans cette perspective d’« affrontement final » contre la « révolution congolaise » du M23, se consomme tristement la dérive des Nations Unies qui abdiquent leur rôle fondateur de partenariat mondial pour la paix pour se muer en force d’agression contre toute forme de résistance au nouvel ordre planétaire établi par les grandes puissances. Un ordre qui exige un pouvoir faible et prédateur en RDC avec Joseph Kabila à la tête de l’Etat et qui sera à tout prix défendu, même au risque d’embraser à nouveau la sous région. Ainsi, l’alliance qui se profile dans les collines et les jungles du Kivu entre Casques Blues, FARDC et FDLR signe -dans la collusion théoriquement contre nature entre une mission de paix devenue mission de guerre et des forces génocidaires- l’arrêt de mort de l’ONU en tant que régulateur impartial des conflits et la perte définitive de sa légitimation en tant qu’agent de paix.

Mais les événements de Mutaho nous apprennent une deuxième leçon. La provocation orchestrée par Kabila à la veille de la visite du Secrétaire général des NU à Kinshasa montre jusqu’à quel point le locataire du Palais de la Nation se sent conforté par ses parrains internationaux. Ceux-ci feront probablement mine de critiquer son inaction face aux engagements pris dans l’accord-cadre d’Addis-Abeba. Mais ils sont en réalité les derniers à être intéressés à un véritable processus de réformes en RDC, qui dote par exemple ce géant d’Afrique centrale d’une armée en mesure de faire respecter sa souveraineté nationale et d’un pouvoir capable d’en assurer le développement et de garantir le bien être de ses populations.

Pourtant, et avant qu’il ne soit pas trop tard, il faut au moins que les Etats de la sous région prennent la mesure des conséquences de l’intervention de la Brigade onusienne. Car tous ne resteront pas les bras croisés devant le nettoyage ethnique et l’extermination des communautés banyarwanda dans le Nord Kivu.

Luigi Elongui

Translated in English:

Whether it’s a skirmish due to reasons more or less trivial-managing a source-or a more serious clash that could end in five months a de facto truce, fighting who opposed yesterday soldiers M23 government troops and Rwandan Hutu FDLR rebels, allies around the trough Mutaho to ten kilometers from Goma, in eastern DRC, certainly foreshadow some scenario for the coming weeks.

When the Intervention Brigade of MONUSCO, established by resolution 2098 of the Security Council of the UN to “neutralize” the forces of the Congolese Revolutionary Army, the military wing of the M23 will be ready to act, simply a trigger episode like Mutaho-joint FARDC-FDLR offensive against the positions of the CRA and the response, although contained, this latest addition to spark action on the ground of the new UN special unit under the command of a Tanzanian general. This will not be limited, therefore, to exert a deterrent but will deploy in battle order against the troops of General Sultani Makenga military leader M23.

In this perspective of “final battle” against the “Congolese revolution” of the M23, is sadly consumes drift UN abdicate their role founder of Global Partnership for Peace to turn into an aggressive force against any form of resistance the new world order established by the great powers. An order requiring low power and predator in the DRC with Joseph Kabila as head of state and will be defended at any cost, even at the risk of flare again the subregion. Thus, the alliance looming in the hills and jungles of Kivu between Helmets Blues, FARDC and FDLR sign-in collusion against theoretically kind between a peacekeeping mission to become war-forces genocidal death sentence UN as an impartial regulator of conflict and the final loss of its legitimacy as an agent of peace.

But the events of Mutaho we learn a second lesson. Provocation orchestrated by Kabila on the eve of the visit of the UN Secretary General in Kinshasa shows how much the tenant of the Palace of the Nation feels buoyed by its international sponsors. They probably do mine to criticize his inaction on commitments made in the framework agreement in Addis Ababa. But in reality they are the last to be interested in a genuine process of reform in the DRC, which endows eg the giant Central African army in a position to enforce its national sovereignty and a power capable of ensure the development and ensure the welfare of its people.

Yet, before it is too late, we need at least the countries of the sub region are measuring the impact of the intervention of the UN Brigade. Because all will not stand idly by ethnic cleansing and extermination of Banyarwanda in North Kivu communities.