Category Archives: HEADLINES

Kenya: Migingo Island dispute was subject of a heated debate in Kenyan parliament

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The controversy surrounding the Migingo Island saga resurfaced in Kenya Parliament on Tuesday this week when some MPs accused Kenyan leaders who have visited Uganda recently, at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni, of sabotaging the Kenyan government’s effort to have the matter resolved amicably.

The debate kicked off during question time after the Gwassi MP, John Mbadi, whose constituency together with that of Nyatike, had protested that the government was being insensitivity in protecting its citizens from foreign occupation police forces.

The MP claimed the government was acting irresponsibly by not moving to protect its citizens. ”As per the past provisional agreement, both of the two governments, Kenya and Uganda, were to withdraw their security personnel from the disputed Migingo Island until a solution about the standoff is reached.”

Some MPs were of the opinion that various Kenyan leaders, who have been visiting Uganda in the recent past at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni, were the ones sabotaging Kenya sovereign policy and interfering with its effort to reclaim Migingo Island on the Lake Victoria. These leaders are known to have been lavishly hosted by the Ugandan leader.

The government of Kenya came under scathing criticism for its poor handling of the Migingo saga. The MPs took the Assistant Foreign Minister, Richard Onyonka, to task over the alleged government’s haphazard handling of the Migingo saga that has left Kenyans on Migingo Island at the mercy of the foreign occupation police force.

Onyonka had told the House that the government of Kenya would insist on employing diplomacy instead of confrontational methods of seeking lasting solution to the Migingo dispute.

Imenti Central MP, Gitobu Imanyara, demanded the Minister explain if the leaders who have visited Uganda, discussed the Migingo Island issue while there.

“As a Ministry, we have not received any communication to that effect”, answered Onyonka.

The MPs demanded that the government of Kenya dispatche its own police officers to protect Kenyan within the Island and save them from persistent harassment by foreigners in their own land.

Onyonka further told the House that the joint efforts, by the Kenyan and Ugandan governments, to carry out a survey and fresh demarcation of the island, had flopped after the Ugandan team pulled out.

According to Onyonka, the Ugandan experts excused themselves to go back and seek further instructions, but never returned, forcing the Kenyan team also to suspend the exercise.

The Minister said the two governments have since then agreed that Uganda will host the next round of talks at a convenient time. The Kenya government is still waiting for an invitation.

A number of Kenyan politicians, especially those whose names are frequently being associated with the presidential candidates in the year 2012, have been trooping into Uganda at the invitation of President Museveni. Among the recent VUP to pay a brief visit to Uganda was the retired President Dai el Arap Moi. Such visits have irked the communities living close to the common border of the two countries, particularly the Luos living along the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria, a community which is known to have no love lost for the Ugandan leader.

Others who visited Uganda recently include Gideon Moi and Nuck Salat, both of KANU, Kalonzo Musyoka, the Vice President, William Ruto, the MP for Eldoret North, and Eugene Wamalwa, the MP for Saboti who has already declared his interest in the presidency comes 2012.

This particular community of fishermen has the longest border with Uganda inside Lake Victoria, stretching from Bondo to Muhuru Bay on the Kenya Tanzania border. It is covering over 300 kilometers and the community is the one which has felt the heart of the conflict between Kenya and Uganda.

Museveni, while speaking in Dar Es Salaam, during the height of chaos in Kenya following the disputed presidential election results of December 2007, had referred to the Luos as mad people. He was also the first African Head of state known to have extended words of congratulations, and consequently recognized, President Mwai Kibaki, as the one who was duly elected, contrary to the election victory claimed by the Prime Minister Rala Odinga, himself a Luo tribesman, who was widely believed to have worn the presidential votes. Museveni even offered to reconcile the warring ODM and PNU parties, but his offer was out rightly rejected after he was accused of being a partisan

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: HILARY OCHIENG’ ALILA FROM NDHIWA DISTRICT HAS JOINED THE RACE FOR THE HOMA-BAY COUNTY SENATE SEAT.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

ANOTHER high profile political personality from Ndhiwa district has declared he is interested in the Homa-Bay County Senate seat.

MR Hilary Ochieng’

His name is Hilary Ochieng’ Onyango Alila, the 37 year marketing executive with an international airline currently based in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

He is perhaps the most credible high profile aspirant to have come forward from Ndhiwa district, and declared his interest in the covenanted position within the County recently created under the political dispensation.

Alila now joins the former Kasipul-Kabondo MP, William Oloo Otula, whose campaign for the same seat hit the ground last month. Born in a political family, Hilary is the second son of the late Mr. Nelson Onyango Alila, from Rapedhi area of Kanyikela Location in Nyarongi Division, Ndhiwa district. The late Onyango Alila, a teacher by profession, for many years was the longest serving KNUT South Nyanza branch executive secretary, and had contested Ndhiwa parliamentary seat on two occasions.

In a message sent from his Kampala Office, Mr Alila, who for many years has been an ODM operative in Nairobi, says he represented genuine true reforms and changes, and that the future leadership of this country should be vested in the youths.

Alila received his early education at St Mary’s Primary School, Mosocho, and later at Asego Primary School, before joining the Nairobi school, where he was declared the best students during his years there. He later joined the Kampala International University, and graduated with a bachelor of commerce degree {B.Com}

He later proceeded to an institution in Italy where he studied and obtained a diploma in marketing. He has since served several international airline companies operating in Dubai, before returning to Nairobi, where he joined the Russian National Airline. He is a director of several multinational and local firms in Nairobi; this includs Jaguar FZC and also the Global airline.

Alila says that Homa-Bay country is endowed with a lot of natural resources, such as fish, minerals, fertile and arable land, and needs to be turned around for the benefit of the poverty stricken residents. If elected the Senator in the area, he would mount a protracted fight for poverty eradication, and ensure that the County’s resources are put to proper use.

Alila promised that his campaign for the Homa-Bay seat would soon hit the ground, and appealed to the youth in the area to work for a change in political leadership, in line with the rapidly changing pattern of world politics.

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Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

EAC & EC: THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY IS READY TO RESUME AND CONCLUDE EPAS TALKS WITH EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging fro the Northern Tanzanian city of Arusha says the East African Community announced last week that it was ready to resume negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreement {EPAs} with European Commission and conclude the deal within one year.

The latest development comes in the wake of the failure by the EAC countries to organize a joint EAC-EC-EPA Ministerial meeting to reach an agreement by the end of September.

The EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment {SCTIF}, further adopted a draft road map for the negotiation, according to a statement from the EAC secretariat {details of the road map were, however, not released}.

Trade Ministers from the five member countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi converged in Arusha two weeks ago where they signed the report of the Sectoral Council to raise the funds within the scope of time given.

The Council further directed the EAC Secretariat to convene an experts meeting in January 2011 to prepare a budget ahead of the comprehensive EPA negotiations.

Following the June impasse, the Council again directed the secretariats ensure that it develops the draft into the full a comprehensive negotiations road map to be shared with the EC. The road map should clearly indicate the member countries priorities respectively.

Experts say. a duration of one year compares with the previous four months thru November. It is enough time to enable member countries to meet their dues in readiness for the signing.

Kenya’s Permanent Secretary to the East African Community Affairs Ministry David Nalo was last week quoted by the EASTAFRICA as saying “his decision now opens anew era of serious engagement. It is estimated that this will require about one year from now.”

It is a race to raise required funds, the secretariat says it had mobilized usd.3.4 million from the Swedish international Development Agency to facilitate the comprehensive negotiations for a period ending June 2012, with first disbursement to be made by this month.

He SIDA funding has four main inputs, namely, capacity building for defining ,Trade negotiations, Meeting and Sessions,Technical and sensitization and public awareness on EPA

ends

KENYA & HOLLAND: THE NETHERLANDS HIGH COMMISSIONER TO KENYA PUSHES FOR WITNESS PROTECTION AHEAD OF ICC PROSECUTION.

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By Dickens Wasonga

The Dutch ambassador to Kenya Laetitia Van Den Assum wants the government to set up a fully fledged witness protection act to ensure security of the ICC witnesses.

She said with the continued threats on the witnesses, justice may not be achieved by the victims of the 2007/2008 post election violence.

The ambassador briefing the media.

She lamented that without the body, some witnesses may not be ready to provide vital information that may aid the ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in his investigations.

The ambassador pointed out that her government will not relent in pushing the Kenyan administration to set up the body since it is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of the post election violence are brought to book.

She said her office together with the human rights organizations will push the government to initiate the body so as to restore confidence amongst the ICC witnesses.

“My office jointly with the human rights bodies in this country will continue pressing on the government to set up a witness protection act to ensure witnesses safety,” she said.

The ambassador who was addressing over 200 victims of the post election violence from Western and Nyanza provinces in Kisumu said Kenya can only move forward if justice is attained thus need to protect witnesses.

She assured the victims of the violence that it is only a matter of time and they realize justice.

“A country that wants to move forward must take care of its victims,” she said adding that it is important for Kenya to address past injustices so as to restore sanity in the country.

She also denied allegations that her government was denying a group of lawyers visas to travel to The Hague.

She said Netherlands government will allow any Kenyan willing to fly to The Hague without discrimination.

“We shall give an equal opportunity to anybody willing to travel to The Hague whether from the prosecution side or the defendant side to give their side of the story,” she said.

During the visit, the ambassador was flanked by Nyanza/Western civil society organization network coordinator Betty Okero and the coordinator for citizens against violence Sana Olang’.

The duo called on the government to set up a local tribunal to address the plight of the post election violence victims who suffered as a result of police brutality.

They said most victims of the post poll violence in the region suffered as a result of police shootings thus need to address their predicament.

Some of the victims of post election violence who met the ambassador in Kisumu on Wednesday.

Olang’ cited that if the system is not set up, then they will file a suit against the state in court early next Month.

He pointed out that police are government agents adding that the government must explain their involvement in the post election violence.

Ends…

KENYA: THOUSANDS OF KENYAN POLICE OFFICERS ARE STILL NOT HOUSED ADEQUATELY.

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By Dickens Wasonga

An acute housing shortage has rocked the Kenya police force. According to Kenya’s commissioner of police, Mr. Mathews Itere, at least 33,000 regular police officers serving in the force are not adequately housed. He further disclosed that about 25,000 officers from the administration police were also not housed.

But the police boss was quick to point out that the government was committed to addressing the issue of housing which has been a challenge to the force for a long time.

Addressing the press in Kisumu, after conducting a tour of ongoing police projects in Nyanza province, Itere confirmed that the government has allocated close to Ksh.2b, which will go towards building new houses and buying several others already built to adequately house the officers.

”We are using the funds to put up new houses for the officers and we are also buying the already constructed ones to house them and we hope to fully address the issue of housing in the next five years.” he said.

In the area, the housing project is on going at the Kondele police station where close to 200 officers will be accommodated. The same is going on at the Oyugis police station in Rachuonyo district amongst several others.

The construction of the provincial police headquarters, which began two years ago in Kisumu, is almost complete.

The former building, which used to house the provincial officer in charge of criminal investigations department, was gutted by a mysterious fire which led to the loss of crucial documents, including investigation files used to by the police in the investigations of the murder of former foreign affairs minister, the late Robert Ouko.

The commissioner said police reforms were on course and efforts to weed out corrupt elements within its ranks was on top gear. He said integrity in the force can not be compromised but also noted that it was important to improve the lot of those serving in the force by looking into their welfare and ensuring they are well paid.

The officers will get a 25 per cent salary increment and a similar hike on allowances next year. Police officers and their families will also be covered comprehensively by the beginning of the year 2010.

Itere assured the country that they are fully prepared to handle crime during this festive season.

ENDS.

Uganda & Norway: The two countries are in agreement to sink USD Billions on SMEs

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

THE high business mortality rates amongst small-and- medium enterprises (SMEs) could be checked if individual entrepreneurs pooled savings and investments, Juma Kisaame, the dfcu Bank managing director, has advised.

Kisaame and Kjell endorse the new $10m credit facility agreement in Kampala last week

Kisaame, an expert on SME financing, said many of the problems that plague SMEs could be addressed by what he called the “economies of association.”

“When you come together, you do not only pool funds, but you also pool skills, competencies and talents, which give the group advantages such as access to credit, discounts, better supplier terms and better interest rates,” he said.

He noted that working as a group enhances accountability and governance, which are key to the survival of businesses.

Kisaame was speaking last week at the signing of a $10m (about sh22b) credit line between dfcu Bank and the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (NORFUND).

The eight-year facility is aimed at strengthening the bank’s ability to fund long-term projects like commercial mortgages, home loans, leases and SME loans.

It brings to $16m the total credit extended to the bank by NORFUND.

Roland Kjell, the NORFUND managing director, said the funding allows dfcu to make the much-needed intervention in supporting SMEs with affordable access to medium to long-term credit.

“Supporting entrepreneurial individuals or entities to create sustainable business, translates into ripple effects such as savings mobilisation, job-creation and value-addition, which is the only way of stimulating business growth and sustainable development,” he said.

Kisaame said SMEs presented an incredible growth opportunity for the bank.

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Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda: The population of Mountain Gorillas up in Ugand and Rwanda by 26 percent

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo,

THE population of the endangered Mountain gorillas in Virunga Massif has increased by 26.3% over the last seven years, the government owned NEWVISION daily has reported this morning.

A statement from the wildlife agencies of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, shows that the current gorilla population in Virunga is estimated at 480, up from 380 individuals.

Virunga Massif comprises of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Parc National des Virunga in DR Congo. Gorillas are also found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

According to the statement, the annual growth rate of the gorilla population, estimated at 3.7%, matched that of the human population in Uganda.

“The analysis of a census conducted in March and April in the Virunga Massif confirms a 26.3 % increase in the population of mountain gorillas, Gorilla beringei beringei, in this area over the last seven years, with a 3.7 % annual growth rate,” said the agencies.

The census team encountered a total of 480 mountain gorillas in 36 groups and 14 solitary silverback males in the Virunga Massif. Of the 480 gorillas, 352 (73%) were habituated (349 in groups and three solitary males), while 128 were unhabituated (117 in groups and 11 solitary males).

The census was conducted by six teams of 72 people from Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda, who trekked over 1,000km through the range, documenting fresh signs of mountain gorilla groups.

The last census, conducted in 2006, estimated the gorilla population at 340 in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

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KENYA: CASES OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE STILL HIGH IN NYANZA PROVINCE

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By Dickens Wasonga.

Nyanza province is still leading in the country over matters relating to gender based violence. According to studies carried out in the recent past by civil society groups working to stop violence against women in the province, the region came first as the worst hit on such issues.

According to the deputy executive director of Kenya Female Advisory Organization [KEFEADO], Ms Easter Achien’g, Nyanza continues to record worrying trends of violence meted against women which in most cases have led to the death of the victims.

Speaking to the press in her Kisumu office yesterday the director said her organization which spearheads gender activism for prevention of violence against women has now embarked on aggressive awareness creation and social education campaigns that will boost the capacity of women to report such cases when it happens and ensure justice is delivered.

Easter Achieng, the deputy director flanked by Hellen Otieno of Gender Development project during the press briefing.

The director at the same time chided a move by the Kenyan police to create reporting desks manned by female police officers arguing that the move was cosmetic and has failed to encourage women violated to report such incidents because harassment is still practiced.

”Most women who report cases of violence which includes rape are treated rudely and humiliated at the police stations and having desks manned by police women does not help much. We need to see the police getting fully interested in prosecuting the culprits.” She said.

Ms Achien’g disclosed that in just one month, over four cases of violence relating to gender were reported in Kisumu’s Nyalenda slums where victims were murdered in cold blood.

In one of the cases a man reportedly killed his wife and proceeded to hack to death their three children in what the police in the area described as a worrying trend now taking root in most sprawling slums of the lake side city.

The activist said it was sad that up to 90 per cent of such cases go unreported because the society’s socio-cultural beliefs view wife beating and battering as normal practices.They only realize it was wrong when the victims are killed.

”We live in a society where the community still believe wife beating is normal. Most of our women also were brought up to be submissive to an extent that even when they are abused, they do not wish to reported the abusers to the authorities. This is wrong and we have began educating them to realize they have rights which nobody should violate including their spouse” said Achien’g.

During the post election violence which rocked the East African nation in 2008 after the general elections
whose results,several women were killed,scores raped by different gangs and a brutal force who took advantage of the skirmishes to mete out violence against the weaker sex.

Many of the cases were reported to the police but non has been prosecuted, at least in Kisumu, which was amongst the worst hit spots by the skirmishes.

Towards elimination of further violation of the women rights,her organization together with other partners has launched a 16 days of gender activism to stop violence against women in the province dubbed ”WE CAN CAMPAIGN”.

According to the crusader, the ‘We can campaign’ which for their group stands for ”We Can End All Forms of Violence Against Women” is a campaign which is meant to help individual men and women to carry out self analysis,reflect and discard attitudes which promote violence against women with a view of making the other members of the society aware of the short term and long term impacts of such acts of violence on those on the receiving end.

She said the campaign and the 16 days of gender activism is a very important period for ending all forms of violence against women and is piloted in five re4gions in the country namely Nairobi,Rift Valley, Central,Western and Nyanza with KEFEADO being the focal point in the region.

In the worst hit Nyanza, KEFEADO has undertaken activities as from last week and will hold a learning platform for 60 different partners representing different regions in Kenya on December 9th at the Kisumu Museum grounds.

She asked members of parliament to allocate money from the devolved funds to help build safe centers which will accommodate victims of gender based violence in all the major urban centers in the country.

ENDS.

Kenya: Plan is a foot to get rid of the menace caused by water hyacinth in Lake Victoria

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town

A plan, to have the menace water hyacinth in Lake Victoria mechanically cleared, has been envisaged. It would be undertaken by experts from Israel and South Africa.

The by product of the dreadful weeds, which has been hampering fishing and navigation facilities in the lake, would be used to produce biogas.

This was disclosed by an executive of the Microsoft Computer International, Dr. Mark Matunga, last Sunday when he addressed the congregation at the Deliverance Church in Oyugis town.

The 36 year old computer genius, Dr. Matunga, is among the dozen or so aspirants who have already declared their interest in the covenant position of Homa-Bay County governor.

He told the faithful that Lake Victoria is a big asset for the people of the region, therefore its environmental degradation would affect hundred of thousands of residents of the Homa-Bay country and other communities living within its basin. Efforts must be made to ensure its environments are protected.

Dr.Matunga disclosed that during his many trips abroad to Africa and elsewhere he had met a group of experts who are willing to have the water hyacinth removed from the lake’s shoreline. The removal work would be mechanized and would cost the Kenya government or the residents nothing.

This is because he attached a lot of value to Lake Victoria and its economic resources. “The lake”, he added, “is the mainstay of the region’s economy. It is the sole livelihood for fishermen and those involved in fish trade. The previous efforts to have the hyacinth mechanically cleared from the lake had failed even by introduction weevils”.

Homa-Bay County has the longer shoreline in eastern coast of Nyanza gulf {Kivirondo Gulf}, stretching from Kohbuya Nyakwere in East Karachuonyo Location, covering Central and West Karachuonyo, Kochia Homa-Bay Lambwe, Mbita and winding up in Gwassi.

He showered a lot of praise on the late Tom Mboya, who died in the hails of bullets from an assassin’s gun in a Nairobi street in 1969, saying “the former Planning and Development Minister was a visionary leader. His legacy are still being seen visibly everywhere forty years down the line after his death”.

Dr Matunga cited President Barack Obama of the United States, whose late father, Barrack Hussein Obama Snr, was among those young Kenyans who benefited from a student airlift, which was Mboya’s brainchild, and is now sitting on the chair of power, presiding over one of the most powerful nations on earth. He urged modern day politicians and leaders to emulate Mboya unselfish-lessens, dedication, dynamism and political magnanimity, which has made some of his work still very visible everywhere in the country. Mboya meant well for Kenya and its people.

Talking about the future of Homa-Bay County Dr.Matunga reiterated that the newly created County would need men and women of high integrity and ability to perform and tom deliver .It will not be the resting place for recycled, retired and tired deadwoods because the challenges ahead are so great.

It covered a much wider region whose population is still reeling in abject poverty, and concerted effort must be made on poverty eradication. The available resources within the country must be put into good use.

The budget allocation for the County from the Central government would not be sufficient to help it fund its functions, therefore additional fund would be required. But it will be the duty of its leaders to find out where they could source additional funds. This is the reason that the position of the government must be held by someone who has both the national and international outlook. Such a person would be in a position to go out there and negotiate with donors and international financial agencies for extra money.

But if the electorate can elect a tired retired politicians or ex-civil servants, the region would be doomed. These important positions in the country also need an administrator par excellence and genius manager, he said.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: THE NEWLY CREATED EXTRA PARLIAMENTARY SEAT IN KASIPUL-KABONDO IS LIKELY TO IGNITE INTER-CLAN RIVALRIES AND DISCONTENT OVER THE NAMES.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town.

The recent announcement by the disbanded Interim Independent Boundary Commission, led by Andrew Ligale, that it has sub-divided the densely populated Kasipul-Kabondo constituency into two parliamentary electoral areas, has been welcome with enthusiasm by the residents of the region.

Its creation, however, has caused inter-clans conflict of interests, which could easily spark off heated political agitation if a solution cannot be found as quickly as possible.

The sub-division, however, was long over due. It is indeed, a blessing in disguise for the residents of this agriculturally rich region, which now fall under the newly created County of Homa-Bay.

What is likely to ignite heated political agitation is the realignment of the two constituency’s boundaries. This could raise the political temperature in the area if not resolved amicably.

The other contentious issue is the name of the new constituency. Those living in the eastern part of the constituency want the constituency to be called Kabondo constituency. But this proposal has sparked heated debate. The majority want the name Sipul to be retained in all the two constituencies. And that the new constituency to be called Kasipul-Kabondo East while the other be called Kasipul-Kabondo West.

The reason why this line of argument carries some weight with it, is the inclusion of the three major administrative locations into the new constituency. In this region, the locations and sub -locations bear the names of clans and sub-clans.

The sub-division has slashed a big chunk of locations in East Kasipul and grouped them together with six or so locations in Kabondo Division within Rachuonyo South district in Homa-Bay County.

The three locations are namely Kokwanyo, Kakelo and Kojwach. These are the locations which have now been grouped together with the six locations in Kabondo Division. This is what is giving credence to the insistence, by the majority of residents of the two constituencies, that the name Sipul be retained in both of them to justify renaming the two constituencies as Kasipul-Kabondo-East and Kasipul Kabondo West.

The residents are arguing that the name Sipul is their symbol of unity as it carries the sacred name of their great ancestor Sipul son of Rachuonyo.

The Rachuonyo South district has the best arable land. It is capable of producing pineapples, fruits of all kinds, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, coffee and tea, ground-nuts, sorghum millets and finger millets.

The area has reliable distribution of rainfall throughout the year. The region is suitable for the rearing of graded dairy animals, but the majority of residents still prefer keeping the native and little valued zebu cattle instead of the full scale introduction of graded dairy cows.

The region’s major commercial town, which is Oyugis, has the potential market for fresh milk. But as for now residents consume close to 3,000 liters of milk per day in Oyugis town and its environs. Most of the milk is imported from Kericho and Bureti districts in the Rift Valley Province and some part of the neighboring Kitutu Chache constituency.

There are other markets and trading centers such as Chabera, Nyapalo, Kadongo, Ringa, Ober- -all located beside the main Sondu-Oyugis road.

Kasipul-Kabondo has some of the best established primary and secondary schools. This massive development in educational facilities could rightly be attributed to the late Ex-Senior Chief Gideon Magak, who ruled the region with an iron fist between 1927 and 1954. The chief, whose rule was full of draconian policy, had introduced forced education for both boys and girls and encouraged families to take their children to schools – – some of whom he personally paid school fees for from his own pocket.

Magak died in 1962. After his retirement from the chieftainship, he served as a member of the African District Council {ADC} and at times served as its vice chairman. He left a legacy of well developed education infrastructure. It was he who established Oriang’ D.E.B, Wang’apala D.E.B, Ober D.E.B, Agoro-Sare D.E.B, Saye D.E.B and Nyang’ioela D.E.B. Most of these schools are now some of the best secondary and high schools in Southern Nyanza and this is the legacy which Ex-Senior Chief Gideon Magaka left behind.

Another name worth mentioning in connection with rapid development in agriculture of tea is the former cabinet Minister in the post-independence government led by the late President Jomo Kenyatta, the late Hon Samuel Onyango Ayodo, who ceaselessly preached the gospel of hard work.

Ayodo was first elected to the Colonial Legislative Council for Southern Nyanza constituency in 1959 when he was plucked out of Kisii High School, where he was a teacher, by the late Tom Mboya. He went on to become the first MP for Kasipul- Kabondo in 1963.

Thereafter, while serving in the post independence cabinet as the minister for local Government, and later Tourism and Wildlife, Ayodo launched the campaign for a change in the farming pattern, urging peasant farmers to change to new methods of farming and better crop husbandry. At the same time he lost no chance in publicly denouncing laziness and idleness. This campaign has produced good results, and this is why farming in Kabondo and some parts of Kasipul have moved up a notch higher in comparison to other neighboring Luo-Nyanza locations.

The region is producing thousands of tones of sweet potatoes which is minting million of shillings when exported to bigger towns and urban centers. It is also producing a lot of pineapples, particularly in Kabondo Division, making it feasible for the investment in fruit manufacturing and processing plants in the area.

Although the weather is the same and soil conditions are similar to the neighboring district, there is some element of laxity and idleness on the part of the residents of this region in ushering changes from the old system of farming to new methods and technology. Of course, someone somewhere should appear in the picture and launch a spirited campaign for such changes.

Also there is an ardent need for the residents in collaboration with the police and administrative authorities to stamp out lawlessness and thuggeries around Oyugis Town and its environs, which is the most worrying point for traders and business people. Insecurity around Oyugis Town has reached an alarming proportion.

The new constituency would now be neighboring Mugirango West to the east, Nyakach to the north across Sondu-Miriu River, Karachuonyo to the West, Rangwe to the South, Kitutu Chache to the South West and Kasipul Kabondo West to the west.

The constituency is served by Ahero-Oyugis and Kisii highway, and another all weather Murrum road that links Oyugis Town to Kosele District headquarters and eventually to Kendu-Bay Town.

The administrative headquarters is located at Kosele Market and stands right on the boundary of the two Rachuonyo districts, while Oyugis Town is the major commercial center in the region.

Despite the fact that the Andrew Ligale IIBC has been disbanded before officially publishing the names of the new 89 parliamentary constituencies in the government official gazette of the new constituency, the campaign by those who want to become the area MP has began in earnest.

Names of the potential contestants are already being floated here and there. Leading the pack is Dr. Kambona Oyugi, who works with USAID in Nairobi, and who hails from Ober-Mikaye Kakelo. These are some of the parts of East Kasipul which are grouped together with the Kabondo locations to form the new constituency.

The US trained top agronomist, was last weekend, spotted presiding in four different fund raising meeting on Sunday, while in a group of supporters.

He had shared one platform with a Nairobi based business tycoon, Hebert Ojwang’, who hails from Kakangutu in east Kabondo. The populist politician-cum-businessman was once the PA to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Ojwang’ is well known for his oratory skils. He is expected to give other aspirants for the same seat a run for their money.

Other names being fronted around include that of Prof O. Muga, the DVC of the Great Lakes University, based in Kisumu City. Muga is a former director of medical services and only joined the teaching fraternity after his retirement from the public service. Prof. Muga too, like Dr Kambona Oyugi, hails from Kakelo Dudi in East Kasipul.

Another potential aspirant is young beautiful wit and attractive woman, Mrs Eve Obara, who is the CEO for the Kenya Literature Bureau in Nairobi. Mrs Obara is said to be so popular with women and youth that if she chose to stand, that would cause havoc to other aspirants.

Another name which is being floated around is that of Dr. Tom Ayodo, of Maseno University. He is the younger brother of the late Minister, Sam Onyango Ayodo, the family name that has since become permanently associated with Politics.

Prof.Keya who works with FAO in Rome is also another name being mentioned.

None of those whose names are mentioned above has confirmed that he or she would be in the race except Dr. Kambona Oyugi and Hebert Ojwang’.

It is expected that other names of potential contestants will spring up as the time goes on and the general election draws nearer,

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: KISUMU HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION.

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By Dickens Wasonga.

The member states of the African Union have been asked to ensure Africa’s regional strategy on disaster risk reduction endorsed at a ministerial meeting early this year in Nairobi is fully implemented in the next three years.

Speaking during the official opening of an International Conference on Community based disaster risk reduction and Climate change adaptation in Kisumu City, Mr Almami Dampha of the African Union’s Commission on Environment and Natural Resources said most developing countries still lack the capacity in terms of institutions at the country levels that would help in reducing the risk of disasters,hence the need to fully adopt and implement the strategy.

Mr Dampha pointed out that although the AU was fully committed to ensuring resources are mobilized and partnerships with various donor agencies are built to help boost the capacity of the members sates in terms of disaster risk reduction , it is up to such countries and their communities to be more prepared to mitigate disasters arising mainly from climate change.

He said this can only be possible if such countries and their communities have timely and relevant information of predictions about the impending disasters before they struck adding that climate change has further complicated disaster management agenda in Africa.

Dampha advised African governments to strive to strengthen capacities of such institutions where they already exists to be able to accurately predict disasters and give early warnings so that communities can easily develop management and coping mechanisms.

He a observed that coordination,information sharing and dissemination was also a great challenge for most countries as resources mobilized by different organizations at the country level are not put together.

”We have realized that most countries lack capacities in terms of institutions,awareness creation, information sharing and dissemination is poor while coordination is almost lacking. There are a lot of players but no body knows what others are also implementing.We therefore recommend that these resources be put together for ease of coordination” he said.

The three days conference aims to address integrated approaches to community- based disaster management strategies and promote sustainable development.

It is also expected to discuss challenges associated with capacity development that would ensure effective strategies for coping with climate variability and adaptation of vulnerable communities to climate change.

Addressing participants at the same function , the Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet said the issues of Disaster Risk Reduction{DRR} in the country is taken seriously at sectoral levels.

Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet

The Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet addressing the participants at the Kisumu conference. He also officially opened the three day workshop.

He hinted that the government in partnership with various organizations like the Red Cross has developed a number of policies to address challenges emanating from Disaster Risk Reduction in the East African Nation which was hit by terrorists whom bombed the country’s capital in 1998.

Kenya’s response to disaster was put to test when fire gutted the Down town branch of the Nakumatt holdings in Narobi which saw several people lose their lives and scores injured. The Elnino phenomenon of the 1998 also impacted negatively on the country’s economy.

Like in most developing countries, Kenya’s agricultural activities have been disrupted in the past leading to destruction of crops ,death of livestock and several families being displaced due to floods.

Communities mainly from the Northern part of the country for example, who keep livestock have also been the worst hit during dry spell like Elnina.

In the words of the Red Cross boss such disasters 90 per cent of which are natural and weather and climate related have led to food scarcity, out brake of diseases and loss of many lives in the country.

Mr. Gullet added that the government and other major stakeholders in the DRR program are working together in addressing the challenges even at the community levels in the entire country.

The Director of Kenya Meteorological Department Dr. Joseph Mukabana said climate change is very serious at community level because of vulnerability.

The conference which has been organized by IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Center {ICPAC] will provide a forum for exchange of knowledge and information among indigenous communities,policy makers and scientists on disaster risk reduction from all over Africa.

ENDS

KENYA: HOMA-BAY COUNTY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS THE DUMPING GROUND FOR RETIREES BUT NEED CREDIBLE AND ENERGETIC YOUNG TECHNOCRATS TO MAKE IT A VIBRANT FACILITY.

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Report by Leo Odera Omolo in Oyugis Town.

The newly created Homa-Bay County should not be turned into a dumping ground for retirees and deadwoods who have already been kicked out of public and private sectors.

“The new County is endowed with a lot of natural resources, which can make it one of the richest in the Republic if proper people are put in the right places in connection with its governance.”

The above remarks were made at the week end by Dr. Mark Matunga, an executive with the Microsoft Computer International, when he addressed a fund raising meeting in aid of Kasipul-Kabondo students who are studying for degree courses at Kampala International University and other institutions of higher learning in Uganda. The students numbering about 130 had called for Harambee to enable them off-set their fees in arrears at those institutions.

A total of Kshs 525,000 was raised by Dr. Matunga, who stood as the chief guest on behalf of the invited Guest of honor, Mr. Fidel Raila Odinga, made a personal donation of Kshs 50,000 and Mr Fidel Raila Odinga sent a cheque for Kshs 50,000. The students themselves had raised Kshs 240,000 at their various activities. Kasipul-Kabondo MP Oyugi Maguwanga sent Kshs 20,000.

Other donors were Dr. Onyango, who is a senior lecturer at the Kampala International University, who gave 10,000, Dr Kambona Oyugi, of the USAID, 10,000, Maseno University students, 10,000, Nairobi University, 10,000, Egerton University, 10,000, Mrs Eve Obara, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Literature Bureau, gave 5000.

Those in attendance at the function Included the former Kasipul- Kabondo MP, William Oloo Otula, Tom Okong’o, of Central Kabondo Ward in Rachuonyo County Council, several civic leaders, DO In-charge of Oyugis and others.

Dr.Matunga said that when he is elected the governor of Homa-Bay County he would establish a vibrant Education Fund, which will be disbursing money to the needy students, and all those with ambition of furthering their knowledge.

He said the new constitution dispensation has given every Kenyans an opportunity to acquire more knowledge. It has created Counties where the local residents would be able to run their own affairs. The funding of Counties, to enable them to function well and cater for the residents, would need credible people who could look for resources from outside. It also will be the duty of the County governor and his team to organise how to generate revenue from internal sources of the resources. The people in the top position must be credible and well known, both locally and internationally, so that they could access financial and development funds both internally and externally.

“A heavy task lies ahead and this task does not required retired and tired politicians and ex-civil servants, but people with fresh ideas who could brain-storm and workout for plans and strategies for the new County to enable it prosper,” said Dr. Matunda.

He advised his audience to confront those aspiring for the various positions of governance in the Homa-Bay County with tough questions about their past track records and what they have been doing for the community.

He advised the youth to engage themselves in gainful occupations, and to work hard and prepared themselves for the future leadership. He decried the culture of handout, which he said is promoting laxity and idleness

He explained how he had personally initiated the construction of a new road network on Mfangano Island, his rural home, and another Kshs 2 billion involving the electricity supplies, which is generated by a powerful engine, though he had worked for only five years since his return home from the US five years ago.

ENDS

Uganda: 120 Ugandan girls traumatized after forced circumcision in Sabiny

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

SOME cried. Some were confused. Others still traumatised, while many were left speechless.They looked on in disbelief as a local female surgeon tried in vain thrice, probably using a very blunt knife, to cut off a girl’s clitoris.

Sabiny girls during the Wednesday night circumcision ritual in Bukwo district.

She then asked for another, similarly blunt knife and to make it work, applied extra force, going back and forth, the way a saw cuts into timber. The girl struggled not to show fear and to contain her trembling, which is culturally unacceptable and would have attracted scorn and ridicule from the attentive crowd.

As blood gushed from her private parts, the crowd urged the girls: “Be strong! You are almost done! Remain calm!”,the semi official newspaper, the NEWVISION has reported this morning.

People stood on hills; others climbed trees and some pitched camp on roof tops of huts to catch a glimpse of the ritual.

A white lady in the crowd was so shaken, she said later that she wished she could have saved the girl from the severe pain and embarrassment.

Once cut, the girl was pushed aside, like a slaughtered chicken, her legs put together as if to stifle the pain and another descended upon.

Yet, when Saturday Vision interviewed her, she said she was happy and excited. But her facial muscles reflected the pain buried inside her, away from society. “I am happy I have become a woman by being circumcised. I will be able to do what other cut women do. I will now be able to climb into the granary or milk cows, which I was not allowed to do till now,” Alice Chemutai said.

She had a blanket wrapped around her waist.

Eight girls cut with two knives

Then seven other girls – one by one, wrapped in dirty blankets and strewn all over a compound hosting two huts, were circumcised. The circumciser would first throw fine millet flour into their private parts to reduce friction and wetness.

She used the same knife to cut each of them. The knife was not sterilized, exposing all of them to the risk of the deadly HIV.

The cuts lasted close to 50 seconds. As the mutilated girls lay helpless, an old woman, threw millet flour over them to appease the spirits and ordered them to kneel so that the blood could pour out.

Most of the girls were barely in their early twenties but someone in the crowd said they were all married. “Girls here marry by their 15th birthdays,” he said.

A few minutes later, the girls were told to march into a hut where they would spend the next three weeks healing from the mutilation. But they did not march; they staggered.

The eight are part of over 120 girls who have been mutilated in Sebei region since the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) season kicked off in Sebei in eastern Uganda.

According to information compiled by local authorities, the girls hail from the districts of Bukwo and Kween. Kapchorwa district has not registered any case.

According to Alfred Ayebwa, the LC1 chairman for Kapkorosia village, over 50 girls were mutilated in Kabei and Kortuk sub-counties, 20 in Chesower sub-county, and 34 in Chekwasta sub-county. Another 16 were mutilated in Suam sub-county.

Bukwo vice-chairman John Chelangat said the mutilation was done between midnight and two in the morning, behind closed doors.

“This is due to fear of the new law that calls for the ban on FGM and gives harsh penalties to anybody participating in FGM or withholds any information about it,” he said

No sensitisation about the new law

The Government passed a law prohibiting FGM in December 2009 but nobody in the FGM areas seems to care.

According to Chelangat, no sensitisation has been done to educate the people about the new law because there are no funds to do it.

The United Nations allocated about $300,000 (about sh600m) for FGM activities but, to-date, people on the ground report no sensitisation activities.

The national gender officer for the UN Fund for Population Activities, Brenda Malinga, said some of the money has been used at the national level to get the law working and the rest was supposed to be disbursed to the districts in November for sensitisation about the law.

She says last year, focus was mainly on enactment and enforcement of legislation against FGM.

“We have been supporting training on community dialogue for FGM abandonment in Amudat, Bukwo and Kapchorwa. We also simplified the new law for them.”

But when Saturday Vision visited FGM districts, no impact was seen. And the FGM season started in July 2010.

Women who usually do the cutting are complaining that FGM activists promised them compensation for income lost but up to now, nothing has been done.

“We shall continue cutting girls because this is where we get our income. They have also not sensitized us and we do not know what is in the law,” said Sunday Kokop, the surgeon in Suam-sub-county. According to the law, aggravated FGM gets life imprisonment.

This is when death occurs or where the victim is disabled or is infected with HIV. It is also aggravated FGM where the offender is a parent, guardian or person with control over the victim, or where the act is done by a health worker.

Others who engage in FGM shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 10 years.

The problem

The lack of sensitisation about the law can be blamed on factors like lack of a radio especially in Bukwo district to carry the message, low levels of education and high levels of poverty.

Alex Cherop, 34, of Chesimat village in Kortek sub-county, said nobody has ever told them to abandon FGM. They hear about a campaign in Kapchorwa but do not know how it fits in their culture and customs.

According to the Sabiny, a girl is circumcised to initiate her into adulthood. The clitoris is cut out to interfere with a woman’s arousal process.

Saturday Vision established that over 220 girls were mutilated in Amudat district between July and September this year. According to the LC5 chief of Amudat, Pauline Isura, the girls were mutilated in the remote sub-counties of Loro and Karitek, on the Uganda-Kenya border, which is difficult to reach.

“We do not have logistics to facilitate us to reach there. There were also some girls who crossed to their kin in Pokot north in Kenya to get mutilated,” Isura adds.

Why is there no action taken against perpetrators?

Local leaders are reluctant to swing into action because, according to Chelangat, they may lose votes.

The police are also unable to arrest the culprits because, according to the Bukwo district Police chief, James Wamwenyerere, they do not have transport.

“We lack transport and most of the places are vast and hilly for us to reach.”

The Police chief said he had the names and location of the girls who were to be mutilated on December 2, but they did nothing due to lack of transport.

The DPC, however, says they have managed to arrest about four girls who were mutilated in Chesower sub-county and five of their parents. They are in custody.

But recently, when they arrested three girls in Binyinya, Kween district over FGM, court acquitted them because the girls refused to name the people who mutilated them. They told the magistrate that they mutilated themselves.

When the local surgeon, who had been arrested by police was paraded in court for identification, the girls said they did not know her. The case was dismissed.

However, Beatrice Chelangat, the executive director of the Reproductive Educative and Community Health Project, says investigations are going on.

Ends

UGANDA: MUSEVENI’S NRM PARTY GIVES REBEL CANDIDATES TWO WEEKS TO SURRENDER OR QUIT

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

THE NRM-leaning independent candidates have been given two weeks to negotiate with the party and stand down for the official flag-bearers,the government owned NEWVISION reported today

“For the next two weeks, we are going to engage in intense dialogue to resolve the independents problem…. the point is that we are dividing the vote and giving opportunity to the minority to seize one or two elective offices,” the NRM secretary general, Amama Mbabazi, announced yesterday.

Mbabazi announces the deadline for independents. Right is former NRM electoral commission official Lydia Wanyoto

Mbabazi told journalists at the NRM Secretariat in Kampala that “In the unlikely event that we don’t resolve the issue, the NRM will have no choice but to go out to campaign for itself and those who are its flag bearers, he added.

Mbabazi, however, acknowledged that some of the independent candidates have genuine issues which they expressed by registering as independent candidates.

“Some had reason to be dissatisfied and they took the decision to be independent. This is an obvious issue that the NRM must address and we find solutions even if it wasn’t for elections. We will continue to find solutions for our in-house problems,” stated Mbabazi.

Though Mbabazi noted that individuals have a right to register and stand on their own merit, he cautioned that they must know that they are dividing the Party vote and giving opportunity to the minority to be voted for.

The debate of independent candidates has of recent dominated the Party meetings including the caucus.

The NRM scrapped the electoral colleges in selecting candidates to avoid the problem of members resorting to standing as independent candidates. But the problem still persisted.

Most independent candidates however insist that they still love the party and will support President Yoweri Museveni in the 2011 general elections.

Mbabazi on Tuesday held a meeting with NRM MPs where he reportedly tried to convince the independents to step down.

A source that attended the Tuesday meeting said Mbabazi expressed concern over the dangers independents are likely to pose to the Party during the 2011 general elections.

Independents reportedly rejected the proposal to step down, saying the party primary elections were marred by malpractice, and their petitions were never given due attention by the Party electoral commission.

“They refused even when the secretary general tried to convince them that they were dividing the party votes. They said the president had promised to meet them before nominations but the meeting did not take place,” the source told the Newvision.

Out of the 75 NRM MPs who lost in the primaries, 52 have been nominated as independents.

Kabarole Woman MP, Margaret Muhanga, who was nominated on an independent ticket reportedly, said independents do not hate the party. She said they registered as independents because their petitions were not properly handled and the elections were not free and fair.

Over 600 petitions were filed with the NRM Electoral Commission after the primaries. On November 18, fresh NRM Party primaries were held in the disputed areas and right flag bearers were announced.

However many of the petitioners felt their grievances were not “properly” handled by the commission and vowed to stand as independents.

During the nominations for the 2011 general elections, many NRM members who failed in the party primaries defied their party and sought nomination as independent parliamentary candidates.

Caucus treasurer, David Bahati, said that during the NRM caucus meeting, members discussed strategies for the coming campaigns and how to dialogue with independents.

Talking on phone from Kibuku, water state minister, Jennifer Namuyangu, vowed not to step down for her rival Saleh Kamba, saying ‘he is a self imposed flag bearer’.

“Step down for who? Let them (NRM) first show me the real flag bearer. I am the flag bearer of the people they deleted from the register,” Namuyangu said.

The caucus resolved that Mbabazi holds another meeting with the independents to iron out the matter.

Last week, Party spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said independents should return their party cards and hand over party offices. However, Ofwono also acknowledged that in some areas, the Party primaries were not fairly conducted.

In Kanungu district, Geoffrey Tumwebaze, the LC3 boss, returned his party card to NRM and stood as independent for the district LC5 chairmanship. This was after he was defeated by Josephine Kasya.

Yesterday Mbabazi denied knowledge of any coalition of the NRM leaning independent candidates countrywide to campaign for themselves.

He said that some of the independents may not be genuine. “A strong NRM supporter to divide the strength of their party? Would they be ready to take responsibility for that kind of outcome?” Mbabazi mused.

Mbabazi said that the NRM is the only party that has fielded candidates in all the constituencies and new candidates alone are 140. He said that the old candidates are 97. He said that of the NRM candidates running against the District woman MP, only 32 are incumbent and the 80 are new entrants. He boasted that in Kanungu alone, only the NRM had 59 candidates’ at all elective levels unopposed.

He admitted that there were shortcomings in conducting the NRM primaries, but attributed it to them being a new thing in the country.

“The NRM primaries were the first in the history of Uganda to be held on the basis of adult suffrage, and therefore it was a new experience to us,” Mbabazi said.

Ends

Uganda: Cost of treatment for Ugandan living with HIV/Aids too expensive to meet

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

UGANDA will find it increasingly difficult to provide antiretroviral treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS, the Director General of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Dr. Kihumuro Apuuli, has said.

He said Uganda was getting new HIV infections yet the people on the ARVs live longer and continue to be many.

He said by the end of 2009, a total of 1.2 million Ugandans were living with HIV, with 124,000 new infections reported.

“In terms of halting new infections, we are not doing enough.

I think the availability of drugs has changed people’s perception and their (sexual) behaviour becomes worse and worse,” Kihumuro said.

He said Uganda’s HIV prevalence had stagnated among adults aged between 15 and 49 years.

Kihumuro noted that 540,000 adults and children in Uganda are in need of ARVs, but only 237,800 have access to them.

“The lifetime cost of someone on ARVs in Uganda today is sh25 million, while to monitor people on ARVs today for life costs over sh5 trillion. Sustainability is going to be a problem,” Kihumuro added.

He was addressing journalists yesterday ahead of World AIDS Day today.

In Uganda, the national commemoration of the day will take place at Kitebi Primary School playground in Kampala. The celebrations will begin with a parade from Katwe, a Kampala suburb.

Dr. Stephen Watiti of Mildmay Centre, which provides paediatric HIV services, said many people living with HIV in Uganda were not able to access treatment.

“It is a black mark on our country,” he said in a telephone interview.

Many of the HIV-infected Ugandans, he added were not sick-looking. However, they contribute to the infections because they are sexually active. People, he said, should be encouraged to go for testing to know their sero-status.

He said in rural areas, most health centre IVs are not well-equipped to operate as ART centres.

A guardian to an HIV-positive orphan from Masindi said drugs were available at The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) only on appointment. Otherwise the patients are referred to the major hospitals.

“When there are no drugs in the hospital, we are advised to buy, yet sometimes money is not readily available,” Birungi said.

Watiti said at Mildmay, it costs sh70,000 to treat a child admitted at the centre, with sh30,000 going towards the purchase of ARVs.

Kihumuro’s concerns are echoed by the American Institute of Health on Africa, which released a report on Monday.

The report showed that the number of people infected with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to outstrip available resources for treatment by 2020.

This will force African nations to make difficult choices about how to allocate inadequate supplies of lifesaving antiretroviral drugs, the report read.

It called for renewed emphasis on reducing the rate of new infections, promoting more efficient models of care, and encouraging shared responsibility between African nations and the US for treatment and prevention efforts, which could greatly improve prospects for 2020 and beyond.

Prof. David Serwadda, the co-chairman of the US-Africa committee on Envisioning a Strategy to Prepare for the Long-Term Burden of HIV/AIDS, said: “Already in Uganda and a few other nations, we don’t have enough health care workers or ARVs to meet demand. Health centres are increasingly turning away patients who need drugs to survive.”

Serwadda added that there was an urgent need for African countries and the US to share responsibility and initiate systematic planning for the future.

“If we don’t act to prevent new infections, we will witness an exponential increase in deaths and orphaned children in sub-Saharan Africa in just a couple of decades,” he said.

Ends

Uganda: HIV/Aids epidemic on in the increase at Kisenyi fish landin beaches near Entebe

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

THE HIV prevalence rate at Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe is 28.2%, while that of other landing sites in Wakiso and Masaka is at 30%, Dr. Ponsiano Kaleebu, the director of the Medical Research Council, has said.

Kaleebu, who observed that the prevalence rate at landing site was higher than the national rate of 6.4%, urged communities living around lakes to embrace preventive methods to combat the spread of the virus.

Addressing residents of Kasenyi on Monday, Kaleebu said the use of condoms should be enhanced and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission should also be emphasised by sensitising pregnant women.

This was during celebrations to mark World AIDS Day.

“Why should there be more transmission of HIV to unborn babies when we know how to prevent it?” Kaaleebu asked.

He said for the two and years the Medical Research Council had been working various landing sites, they had discovered that fishermen feared drowning at the lake more than acquiring HIV.

“I came across many who reasoned that once the boat capsizes you die instantly, while with HIV you may live for years. So according to them, it is not a worrying situation,” he revealed.

Kaleebu noted that the way the fishermen live exposes them to a higher risk of acquiring the disease.

He explained that the fishermen spend months away on different islands and engage in sex with different women.

“A fisherman once told me they have to compete with army men for sex workers who frequent the landing site,” Kaleebu said.

The chairman of Kasenyi landing site, Haji Abdul Mbabali, said the sex trade was common in the area.

As part of the celebrations, researchers, who included donors from Ireland, visited the fishing village of Lwanjaba, where they launched a latrine project and planted trees.

Fishermen also got free HIV testing and counselling.

Ends

KENYA: KSHS 240 MILLION FOR HIV/AIDS ELIMINATION BETWEEN MOTHER TO CHILD IN KENYA

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By Agwanda Powerman

A three year campaign to virtually eliminate transmission of HIV from mother to child estimated to cost Sh. 240 million has been launched in Kisumu.

Minister for public health and sanitation Beth Mugo says the new programme dubbed Kata Shauri Tulinde Kizazi will create awareness about interventions for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV.

Mugo says the initiative being spearheaded by her ministry and UNICEF will also advocate for male involvement in HIV testing and supporting uptake of services.

The minister says that it is estimated that about 100,000 HIV positive women get pregnant in the country annually resulting to between 30,000 to 50,000 infants getting infected with HIV.

The minister further says that according to latest estimates, there are about 2.5 million children living with HIV globally of whom 117,000 are in Kenya.

She says that it is notable that most HIV infections in children occur among HIV positive pregnant mothers who do not attend antenatal clinic at all.

Mugo says that by focusing on the elimination of the transmission, the government can reduce the current rate of pediatric HIV infections of 10-15 percent by 50 percent by the end of the year.

Kata Shauri initiative will increase the uptake of services for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV and save mothers and children.

The campaign will be addressing stigma, misconceptions about risks and benefits of breastfeeding, availability and cost of services to disclosure of HIV status to partners.

Ends.

KENYA: NYANZA POSTAL WORKERS TO GO ON STRIKE

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By Agwanda Powerman

Over 600 employees of Postal Corporation of Kenya in Nyanza province downed their tools and paralyzed activities citing low salaries and poor management.

The deputy secretary general of communication workers union Ishmael Noo says the government has frustrated efforts to have their salaries improved by dragging negotiations.

Noo says reports he received confirmed that no work is going in all the corporation offices across the province.

He says the 2 percent increment that was offered to them by the government is an insult considering the demand they tabled during negotiation.

He says the decision to strike was prompted by the government’s laxity to negotiate better terms of employment and it is justified after they issued a strike notice two months ago.

Some employees who marched along the streets of Kisumu town also took issue with the managing director Hussein Ali whom they accused of doing little to improve their welfare.

They vowed to petition communications minister to compel him to replace Ali and other senior managers whom they have accused of incompetence.

Noo confirmed that the strike is nationwide and the 4,250 work force of the giant corporation will only return to work if the issues are addressed.

ENDS.

Uganda & Italy: Italian oil giant Eni is still interested in having stake in the Ugandan oil fields

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

ITALIAN oil giant, Eni Spa, is still interested in venturing into Uganda’s oil fields, stiffening competition in the nascent oil and gas industry.

Experts predict this will offer strong investment opportunity for the industry.

The Milan and New York listed firm is expecting to meet President Yoweri Museveni to restore their interest to play a significant role in the development of the oil sector in Uganda.

“Your request to seek appointment to see His Excellency was forwarded to me by his principal private secretary to coordinate the meeting,” Hilary Onek, the energy minister, stated in a letter dated November 10.

T

Scaroni’s Eni is still interested and hopes to be linked to the president by Onek

he letter was addressed to Paolo Scaroni, the Eni Spa chief executive officer, but also copied to the principal private secretary to the President and Eng. Claudio De Scalzi, the Eni chief operating officer.

“I have now requested H.E to meet you any day at his convenience and will communicate to you after confirmation from his office,” the minister’s letter added.

“I am glad that you have continued to show interest in our country,” Onek stated.

This will not be the first time this major integrated energy company is expressing desire to participate in Uganda’s oil and gas industry.

The Rome headquartered company was the first to enter into a sales and purchase agreement for the acquisition of Heritage’s 50% interest in blocks 1 and 3A at $1.35b.

However, Eni had to legally “withdraw” from the transaction after another UK firm, Tullow, a 50% co-owner of the blocks, pre-empted the deal, which was perceived in some quarters to send a contradictory message.

Eni’s desire to re-engage Uganda comes at a time when Tullow is embroiled in $404m tax dispute with Uganda.

Uganda blames Tullow for paying Heritage $1.5b without approving its consent.

The Government has not renewed Tullow’s recently expired licence for block 3A.

Eni’s interest, however, is not limited to this block, but also to any other unlicensed exploration blocks competent authorities see as fitting their hydrocarbons development intentions.

Uganda’s oil and gas operations are moving into the development and production stages, which require the necessary risk capital, access to project finance and long-term investment.

Power generation and transmission facilities may cost $300m, oil processing and transportation equipment $1.5b, refinery development $2b, further drilling $200m and expanded storage and pipeline infrastructure $4b.

Uganda wants to license several oil firms to avoid a monopoly.

The firms must also support the Government’s development strategies, including early commercialisation of the oil resources, value-addition and training of Ugandans in oil-related activities and processing.

This calls for a strong operating experience in refining and pipeline development, which, experts say, Eni has developed over the years.

Uganda has confirmed significant oil reserves in the Lake Albert basin.

It is estimated that the basin has 2.5 billion barrels of commercially-viable crude oil. Oil production at peak will produce around 200,000 to 300,000 barrels of oil per day.

At the current prices of about $72 per barrel, Uganda could earn about $2.5b in oil revenues alone that could equal the current government revenues.

Already, the country is in the process of soliciting investors to build a refinery and associated pipelines in efforts to add-value and create jobs opportunities.

Uganda: Americans want value addition to Uganda’s oil Resources

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

THE US has applauded Uganda’s stance to build a refinery in efforts aimed at benefiting from the commercially-confirmed crude oil.

“Value-added production, such as refining, produces jobs and infrastructure that wouldn’t exist if Uganda only piped out its crude,” Jerry Lanier, the US envoy, said.

“While economic realities and market scale coupled with political imperatives will determine the final balance of how production occurs, this stand will ensure that Uganda gets some additional benefits from its oil.” This was in a speech read by Donald Cordell, the commercial and economic officer, at a three-day energy governance and capacity initiative conference in Entebbe recently.

The remarks come at a time when Uganda has decided to ensure that a local refinery to process 150,000-200,000 barrels of oil per day should be built in Hoima after studies confirmed the viability of the project.

This will ensure that jobs are created for Ugandans and local energy demand, like petrol, kerosene and diesel, are met rather than exporting it to Mombasa, which the relatively small oil companies are advocating for.

However, the US ambassador pointed out that the Government must ensure that the collected revenues are used to transform Uganda’s economy and encourage broad-based investment.

“Invest in energy infrastructure so businesses do not have to pay exorbitant power tariffs.

“Educate your people so businesses will hire Ugandans not only to do physical labour, but also as engineers, scientists, managers and other high-value jobs.”

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