Kenya Insights

Category: Africa

  • Tanzania Shutsdown Five Hydroelectric Power Stations Due To Oversupply

    Tanzania Shutsdown Five Hydroelectric Power Stations Due To Oversupply

    Authorities in Tanzania have shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid, the country’s prime minister has said.

    Kassim Majaliwa said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, has alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.

    “We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now, “ an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.

    The 2,115 MW Julius Nyerere hydropower dam is said to be almost full with water, following heavy rains that started early this year.

    A current spell of extreme weather has caused at least 58 deaths in Tanzania and devastated other East African nations like Kenya.

    It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.

  • Rwanda Considers Strict Laws On NGOs Spendings

    Rwanda Considers Strict Laws On NGOs Spendings

    Rwanda has proposed a new draft law that is aimed at regulating non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country.

    The bill passed the crucial stage of first reading in parliament on Thursday.

    The draft law is already causing jitters among the opposition and civil societies who think it is aimed at stifling their operations.

    Details of the draft law

    The bill by the Minister in the Office of the President, Judith Uwizeye, has requested NGOs in Rwanda not to spend more than 20 per cent of their budget on operational costs.

    An operating cost is an expense from the daily operations, materials, and other necessary components an organisation uses regularly. Operating costs may include necessary expenses like rent, utilities, payroll, and supplies among others.

    Activists, however, argue that the drafters of the law may not fully understand how NGOs operate, as NGOs typically allocate their budgets based on the demands of their funders.

    The draft law states: “Organisation has an obligation not to exceed 20 per cent of its operating budget in activity programmes that are not in the interest of their beneficiaries.”

    The proposal also aims to avoid scams by some NGOs in the country according to drafters.

    One of the most common forms of NGO scams is misappropriation of funds.

    Fraudulent NGOs often collect donations under the guise of supporting a noble cause but misuse the funds for personal expenses.

    According to the draft law, non-governmental organisations have also been obliged to keep, for at least 10 years, the documents regarding the use of property in the country.

    Once the draft law is approved, the organisations’ action plans and financial reports will be approved by districts and line ministries.

    “An organisation has obligations to submit to the board its activity and financial report for the previous year and the plan of action for the coming year, approved where applicable by the district administration, the line ministry, or any other state organ having responsibilities related to the field of activity of the organisation, within the first three months of the following fiscal year,” reads part of the draft law.

    Germaine Mukabalisa, one of the Rwandan MPs said the new draft law should assure the country of eliminating NGO scammers.

    “We want to hear measures in the draft law against so-called charity organisations which pretend to give money and jobs to needy people but end up disappearing within a few days,” she said.

    On whether the the requirement for NGOs to submit plans and reports to line ministries and districts would eliminate their independence and make them like government organs.

    The minister responded that the obligation is aimed at ensuring NGOs implement their objectives and eliminate NGO scammers.

    “What NGOs are doing to benefit the welfare of people should not be done in disorder. That is why what they do must be in line with what we wish on our list as government, as districts. They must be regulated. That is why the NGOs must submit action plans and sources of finance, and reports which must be monitored and approved. This will help eliminate scammers with empty promises,” she explained.

    The draft law has put NGOs in categories that include NGOs aimed to benefit community development, general public interest, members’ interest based on their particularities, profession-based organisations, sports, games and sport-based entertainment organisations, umbrellas, and forum of umbrellas. Umbrella organisations carrying out related activities may form a forum of umbrella organisations.

    According to the draft law, national non-governmental organisations carrying out related activities may form an umbrella organisation. However, for an umbrella to be accepted, it must be composed of at least 10 organizations.

    Activists worries

    Joseph Ryarasa Nkurunziza, the head of Rwanda Civil Society Platform (RCSP), emphasised the significance of soliciting more inputs from non-state actors.

    “We read that districts and ministries have to approve NGOs’ action plans and budget they spent, to monitor if NGOs accomplished what they pledged. We look forward to hearing more explanation as the committee analyses the draft law to have a common understanding,” he said.

    He said that the budget spending criteria also need further civil society consultations.

    “Administration activities need a budget so that activities reach beneficiaries. Saying we must not exceed 20 per cent of the budget on administration activities might not be possible. For instance, research organisations and others need more than that,” he said.

    According to the law, an organisation intending to spend more than 20 per cent of its operating budget on activity programmes that are not in the interest of its beneficiaries must provide prior justification in writing to the board.

    LandNet Rwanda, a network of local Rwandan organisations and international NGOs which deals with land issues, also wrote to parliament on April 17, asking to reflect the views of NGOs.

    “We observe that there is no policy that guides this draft law which opens room for challenges during its implementation. We recommend putting on hold parliamentary discussions on this law so that relevant authorities develop the policy first,” reads part of the letter.

    The organisation also recommended the establishment of an NGO forum or council that brings together all NGOs registered in Rwanda.

    The bill received 45 votes in a parliament and will now go to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny.

    Additional reporting by The New Times

  • Why Moderna Has Dropped Plans To Construct Vaccine Plant In Kenya

    Why Moderna Has Dropped Plans To Construct Vaccine Plant In Kenya

    American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Moderna has stopped its initial plans to construct a Messenger RNA (mRNA) manufacturing facility in Kenya due to uncertainties regarding the demand for mRNA vaccines in Africa.

    The decline in demand for Covid-19 vaccines since the peak of the pandemic has made the project economically unviable.

    “Moderna has not received any vaccine orders for Africa since 2022 and has faced the cancellation of previous orders, resulting in more than $1 billion in losses and write-downs,” Moderna said in a statement.

    Despite facing significant losses from cancelled orders, the Massachusetts-based company remains committed to ensuring fair access to its coronavirus jab in Africa through its global manufacturing network.

    Additionally, Moderna said that it is actively developing vaccines for diseases like HIV and malaria that disproportionately affect the continent.

    “These initiatives are part of our broader commitment to help address global health challenges through our innovative mRNA technology. However, these investigational vaccines are at an early development stage,” the statement read.

    Moderna believes it is prudent to pause the construction of the Kenyan facility to better align with evolving healthcare needs and vaccine demand in Africa.

    The company acknowledges the support from the US and Kenyan governments and looks forward to future discussions on supporting Kenya’s healthcare system and advancing mRNA vaccines and therapeutics for African needs.

  • Nigerian Actor Junior Pope Dies In Boat Accident

    Nigerian Actor Junior Pope Dies In Boat Accident

    Nollywood actor Junior Pope Odonwodo, popularly known as Jnr Pope has died in a boat accident while traveling to film a movie in Nigeria’s Delta state, his fellow actors have said.

    The film star was earlier reported to have survived the accident when doctors attempted to resuscitate him in a hospital.

    “It’s so so sad that our joy was short lived. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail. We finally lost him,” Emeka Rollas Ejezie, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), posted on Facebook.

    Videos shared on social media showed rescuers carrying the actor, who appeared unconscious, out of River Niger where the incident happened late Wednesday.

    Hours before the accident, the 39-year-old actor had shared a video of him and four others on his Instagram page travelling to the movie location on a boat.

    He was heard expressing concerns about the lack of safety measures and praying for a safe journey.

    Junior Pope has acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies and is best known for playing roles of a criminal, villain, a bodyguard and a hitman.

    Fellow actors have taken to social media to mourn him.

    Nollywood is still reeling from the loss of two other industry stars, John Okafor, better known as Mr Ibu and Amaechi Muonagor.

  • Jacob Zuma Cleared To Run In South Africa’s Election

    Jacob Zuma Cleared To Run In South Africa’s Election

    South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma is free to run in May’s general election after an electoral court overturned a ban on his candidacy.

    Last month the electoral commission barred him over a contempt of court conviction.

    It argued the constitution prevented people from holding public office if convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than 12 months in prison.

    Mr Zuma, 81, has been campaigning for the new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party.

    A former stalwart of the governing African National Congress (ANC), he is a controversial figure and served as president from 2009 until 2018, when he had to step down because of corruption allegations.

    He was sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2021 for failing to testify in a corruption investigation, though he only served three months on health grounds.

    The ruling could have a significant impact on the outcome of next month’s election.

    Mr Zuma is the face of a newly formed MK opposition party, which is named after the ANC’s former military wing.

    The ex-president sees himself as the true heir to the revolutionary roots of ANC, once led by Nelson Mandela.

    Mr Zuma’s court victory means he can now run as the MK’s leading candidate.

    Rather than voting directly for a president, South Africans elect members of the National Assembly. The head of whichever party can muster a majority is likely to become the country’s leader, though it could put forward another candidate.

    The ruling will also be a blow to the ANC, which after 30 years in power, faces a potentially bruising election.

    For the first time since the start of the democratic era in 1994, the ANC’s vote share could fall below 50%, several opinion polls predict.

    The MK party is seen as popular in Mr Zuma’s home region of KwaZulu-Natal.

    (BBC)

  • Rwandan Genocide: A Tragedy That Could Have Been Prevented

    Rwandan Genocide: A Tragedy That Could Have Been Prevented

    On Sunday, Rwanda paid solemn tribute to genocide victims. In accordance with tradition, the country’s President Paul Kagame ignited a memorial flame at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where more than 250,000 victims are thought to be buried, to mark the start of the commemoration ceremonies on April 7 — the day Hutu militants launched the horror massacre against Tutsis in 1994.

    Kagame, together with several other African leaders and other foreign guests, laid wreaths on the mass graves.

    The president also delivered a speech at a 10,000-seat arena in the capital, saying that the international community had “failed all of us” during the genocide.

    “Rwanda was completely humbled by the magnitude of our loss. And the lessons we learned are engraved in blood. […] It was the international community which failed all of us, whether from contempt or cowardice,” Kagame said in Kigali during the commemoration ceremony.

    But what caused this tragedy, and could it have been prevented?

    Causes of Genocide and Its Beginning

    The causes of the genocide were based on the policies of the German and then Belgian colonial rulers, who sought to maintain their power in Rwanda by exacerbating internal contradictions. Belgium initially supported the Tutsi monarchy, then made concessions to the majority Hutus. As a result, in Rwanda, with the support of Belgium, the polarization of the population along ethnic groups finally took shape, and ethnically oriented political parties were formed.

    The trigger for the start of the genocide against the Tutsi was the death of ethnic Hutu Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana, whose plane was shot down by a missile on April 6, 1994. Hutu leaders blamed ethnic Tutsis for the murder and began their extermination the next day. In 100 days, more than 800,000 people were brutally killed, according to the most estimates. The vast majority of the victims were Tutsis, but those Hutus who refused to kill their neighbors also suffered a sad fate.

    These numbers are mind-boggling: murders occurred at an approximate rate of one every 10 seconds.

    The annihilation of the Tutsis was planned over several months: local armed groups were created, mass propaganda was carried out, and machete knives were purchased and distributed to the population. There was no mercy for anyone — neither children nor the elderly, nor pregnant women. People seeking refuge in schools and churches were pelted with grenades and burned alive.

    Local and International Response

    Surprisingly, the governments of UN member countries were more concerned about the fate of their own troops, according to the UN itself. The Security Council only decided to reduce the size of the already poorly staffed UN Mission in Rwanda.

    The UN made these decisions while the force commander of the mission, Romeo Dallaire, saw the atrocities taking place and therefore repeatedly requested logistical support and reinforcements. He also urged to shut down Free Radio and Television of the Thousand Hills, from which the instructions to kill Tutsis were constantly coming.

    Despite Dallaire’s efforts, all his requests were left unanswered. Nevertheless, his troops managed to save about 30,000 Tutsis.

    The Flame of Remembrance that was lit, will burn for the next 100 days in commemoration of those lost.

    Paul Rusesabagina, who was a hotel manager in the capital Kigali, also made a significant contribution to saving the Tutsis. Using his influence and connections, he was able to shelter 1,268 Tutsis at his hotel.

    As for the international community, only on May 17, a month and a half after the massacre began, the UN Security Council decided to send a contingent to Rwanda. The troops arrived at site only at the beginning of August.

    However, by then it was all over thanks to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) led by Kagame. After forcing the 40,000-man Hutu army out of Rwanda, the RPF advanced and took control of the country.

    In July 1994, although Kagame de-facto gained supreme power in the country, he chose to announce the creation of a coalition government including both Hutus and Tutsis, as envisaged in the 1993 Arusha peace accords. Pasteur Bizimungu, a representative of the “moderate Hutus” became president, and Kagame himself became vice-president and minister of defense.

    It’s worth noting that later, Kofi Annan, who was back then the UN Secretary General, also blamed the global community for the lack of response.

    “We must all acknowledge our responsibility for not having done more to prevent or stop the genocide. Neither the United Nations Secretariat, nor the Security Council nor Member States in general, nor the international media, paid enough attention to the gathering signs of disaster. Still less did we take timely action,” Annan said in a speechmarking the 10th anniversary of the genocide.

    French Role in the Massacre

    In 2021, a special commission led by French historian Vincent Duclert released its report on the role of Paris in events in Rwanda during the period of the Tutsi genocide and on the eve of it.

    The report, presented to French President Emmanuel Macron, noted that France did not pay attention to the preparations for the genocide in Rwanda, and in this sense bears significant responsibility for what happened. During a May 2021 visit to Rwanda, Macron formally asked for forgiveness from the people of that country for Paris’s failure to prevent the catastrophe.

    In 1994, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was created in Tanzania under the auspices of the UN to prosecute those responsible for crimes in Rwanda, which existed until December 31, 2015. During its work, the tribunal considered the cases of 93 accused.

    One of the criminals, Fulgence Kayishema, a police inspector of the Kivumu commune who ordered the killing of 2,000 Tutsi men, women and children, was recently brought to justice after more than 20 years on the run.

    Last June, former Rwandan military police officer Philippe Hategekimana was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity by a Paris court and got a life sentence.

    Despite the imprisonment of some participants in the genocide, the search for other perpetrators continues. Last summer, Rwanda asked Malawi to help find 55 genocide suspects who are currently hiding in the southern African nation.

  • Zimbabwe Launches New Gold-Backed Currency ZiG To Replace Dollar

    Zimbabwe Launches New Gold-Backed Currency ZiG To Replace Dollar

    Zimbabwe has introduced a new gold-backed currency called Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) to replace it’s battered Zimbabwe dollar.

    It is the latest attempt to stabilise an economy that has lurched from crisis to crisis for the past 25 years.

    Unveiling the new notes, central bank governor John Mushayavanhu said the ZiG would be structured, and set at a market-determined exchange rate.

    The ZiG replaces a Zimbabwean dollar, the RTGS, that had lost three-quarters of its value so far this year.

    Annual inflation in March reached 55% – a seven-month high.

    Zimbabweans have 21 days to exchange old, inflation-hit notes for the new currency.

    However, the US dollar, which accounts for 85% of transactions, will remain legal tender and most people are likely to continue to prefer this.

    The new ZiG banknotes come in denominations of between 1 and 200.

    Coins will also be introduced to overcome the shortage of US coins, which has seen people receive change in sweets, small chocolates and pens.

    Mushayavanhu said the new currency was being rolled out with immediate effect and banks must convert current Zimbabwe dollar balances to the ZiG.

    He committed to ensuring that the amount of local currency in circulation was backed by equivalent value in precious minerals – mainly gold – or foreign exchange, in order to prevent the currency losing value like its predecessors.

    Zimbabweans have a historic mistrust of the central bank, dating back to 2008, when it was printing Z$10tn notes while inflation had run out of control.

    It then abolished its own currency and for many years only used foreign banknotes such as the US dollar and the South African rand.

    In late 2016, the body introduced a new currency called the bond note that was backed by the US dollar loan facility. The then-central bank governor John Mangudya vowed it would remain on a par with the US dollar. But the bond note crashed when the government began printing excess money.

    Promises have now been made by the central bank’s new governor that overprinting will not be allowed to happen again.

    But public reaction on Friday to the latest currency reveal has been subdued.

    “We now end up in the same place where we started – where assurances are being given to the market that the government will live within its means,” economist Godfrey Kanyenze told the BBC.

    “The political culture has not changed – the critical point is discipline on the part of the authorities.”

    The announcement of the new currency comes as the country is grappling with the effects of a serious drought, which has destroyed half of the country’s crop of the staple food, maize.

    – BBC

  • How AI Failure At Abuja Airport Aided Kenyan Binance Executive Escape From Nigeria

    How AI Failure At Abuja Airport Aided Kenyan Binance Executive Escape From Nigeria

    While the controversy over the recent embarrassing escape from custody of an executive of the cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla in Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport rages on, key players across the country’s aviation sector have described the development as confirmation of the lack of synergy amongst security agents at the airports.

    Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa, was reported to have fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport through the Abuja airport to escape trial and prosecution. He holds both UK and Kenyan citizenship.

    Many stakeholders who reacted to the news condemned the lapses in Nigeria’s security system and intelligence which they argued made it seamless for the Binance official from perfecting his escape.

    Reports from Nigerian publication citing anonymous source, queried how a passenger could go through many uniformed personnel at the airport to not only process his papers but comfortably travel through the airport unnoticed.

    Commenting on the controversy, the Chief Executive Officer at Selective Security International Ltd, a private firm, Mr Ayo Obilana described the escape of the Binance executive as unacceptable.

    According to Obilana: “I rate the efficiency of the securitymen in charge of airport immigration and state security as unacceptably poor on controversial escape of Mr Anjarwala if he passed through them.

    “It’s not about porosity this time but about human error and failure which definitely points in one direction of either systemic failure or compromise. I believe his name should have been put on watchlist in the data base of the two security agencies. There are other possibilities, however, the matter should be thoroughly investigated and thereafter, the tasking authorities should take appropriate steps for redress or mitigation. I hope the airport has a functional CCTV system and if it has, the fugitive’s movements through the airport can be easily tracked including those who aided his escape.”

    Equally, the Managing Director of another security agency, Centurion Security Services and a onetime military commandant of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu, retired, likened the escape of the Binance official to what happened with the escape of the now known popular underwear bomber, Farouk Abdulmutalab through the Lagos airport in 2009.

    His words “Security begins with intelligence which is more than 60% of the Airport Security Defence Layers. If they get intelligence early and it is appropriately shared, what we saw happened last week would not have happened. What happened last week with the escaped man is not different from what happened with the Abdulmutalab escape in December 25, 2009 even when the father warned the National Intelligence Agent and the US Embassy about the irregular behaviour of his son.

    While arguing that the airline that boarded the Binance official can only be blamed if it was informed earlier that the man was on the watch list or no-fly list.

    “The airport government security agencies on the Aviation Security Defence Layers too appeared not to have any information about the man. What I can tell you from the experience of the Abdulmutalab case and his escape through the Avsec Defence Layers is the disconnect between the government security agencies in their line of duties. Starting with the intelligent agency to the border security agencies which include the immigration, DSS, Avsec/Airlines through the NCAA, etc.”

    Other stakeholders who spoke on the controversy further took a swipe at the crop of security personnel manning the different airports who they accused of just sitting at their duty posts idly.

    “Our airports are the only airports where security personnel sit instead of on their feet moving around. The Binance official can still come back to Nigeria and make another return same way as he escaped without being detected. The level of corruption in the airport security system particularly with immigration and State security protocols is unimaginable.

    The key players also faulted the type of multiple security checks at the international airports which they said does not exist at any known airport in the world. “What obtains at our international airports is indeed shameful and some of us have tirelessly and repeatedly pointed same out to the tasking authority for corrective action but to no avail.”

  • Somalia Expels Ethiopian Ambassador Amid Somaliland Feud

    Somalia Expels Ethiopian Ambassador Amid Somaliland Feud

    Somalia has expelled the Ethiopian ambassador from the country and ordered the closure of two consulates.

    It accused Ethiopia of infringing on Somalia’s “sovereignty and internal affairs”.

    Somalia also recalled its ambassador from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for “comprehensive consultations”.

    Ethiopia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nebiyu Tedla told Reuters news agency the government did not have information on the matter.

    The expulsion highlights an escalation in diplomatic tensions in the region following land-locked Ethiopia’s port deal with the self-declared republic of Somaliland earlier this year.

    Its independence has not been internationally recognised and Somalia condemned the deal as an attack on its sovereignty.

    In January, Ethiopia signed a deal with Somaliland to lease a 20km (12 miles) strip of coastline, so it could build a navy base.

    The deal is not legally binding, though it is seen as a statement of intent and can lead to a treaty imposing obligations on those parties who have signed.

    In exchange, Ethiopia reportedly told Somaliland it would offer it possible recognition in the future – which angered Somalia.

    Somaliland seceded from Somalia more than 30 years ago, but is not recognised by the African Union (AU) or the UN as an independent state.

    Following this deal, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched a diplomatic campaign and travelled to Eritrea and Egypt- two countries with fraught relations with Ethiopia.

    Somalia demanded a public reversal of the deal by Ethiopia but this has not happened.

    Somalia has described the deal as an act of aggression, adding that it was an “impediment to… peace and stability”.

    Earlier this week Ethiopian delegates met officials from the semi-autonomous Somali province of Puntland, which has difficult relations with the central government.

    This year Puntland said it would operate as a functionally independent state amid a dispute over Somali constitutional changes.

    The two Ethiopian consulates that Somalia has ordered to close are in Hargeisa and Garowe, the capitals of Somaliland and Puntland, respectively.

    The prospect of armed clashes between the two countries seems unlikely at this point. Ethiopia is one of the countries contributing soldiers to an AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia, which complicates the situation.

    There are already concerns that the Islamist group al-Shabab might be using tensions between the two countries to recruit fighters and increase security threats.

    Escalations in the row between Somalia and Ethiopia could only worsen that.

    A letter from Somalia’s Foreign Minister that expels Ethiopian Ambassador to Somalia, Mukhtar Mohamed Ware, and the closure of two consulates in the country.

    (Reuters)

  • South African Footballer Luke Fleurs Shot Dead In Car Hijacking

    South African Footballer Luke Fleurs Shot Dead In Car Hijacking

    South African footballer Luke Fleurs has been shot dead in a car hijacking, his team says.

    The shooting took place at a petrol station on Wednesday night in the Johannesburg suburb of Florida.

    The 24-year-old was waiting to be attended to when he was approached by unknown gunmen, who ordered him to get out of the vehicle.

    One of the suspects fled the scene with Fleurs’ car after the shooting.

    “The suspects pointed [at] him with a firearm and took him out of his vehicle, then shot him once on the upper body,” Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo told local media.

    His team, Kaizer Chiefs, says the death was “tragic”.

    It said police were handling the matter and further details would be communicated in due course.

    Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa said he was “saddened that yet another life has been cut short due to violent crime”.

    Defender Fleurs joined Kaizer Chiefs last year. He previously played for SuperSport United.

    On its website, Kaizer Chiefs describes Fleurs as a “classy defender” with “great technical abilities”.

    He began his career in 2013 in the Ubuntu Cape Town Academy, according to local media.

  • Senegal’s Popular Opposition Figure Ousmane Sonko Is Named Prime Minister In New Government

    Senegal’s Popular Opposition Figure Ousmane Sonko Is Named Prime Minister In New Government

    Senegal’s popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko was named as the prime minister in the new government on Tuesday, hours after his key ally was sworn in as president.

    Sonko, 49, has inspired Senegalese youth frustrated with widespread unemployment and corruption among the ruling elite. A former tax inspector, like the president, he has promised to deliver greater transparency and sovereignty for Senegal.

    As in other former French colonies in West Africa, sentiment is turning against France, often seen use its ties to enrich itself at the expense of Africans.

    The new president, Bassirou Diomaye, Faye was little known until Sonko named him to run in his place, and was catapulted to victory in the election held last month.

    Sonko was barred from running due to a prior conviction. Supporters maintain that his legal troubles were aimed at keeping him out of the presidential race.

  • Big Nyash: Authority Blame Big Buttocks For Causing Road Accidents In Ghana

    Big Nyash: Authority Blame Big Buttocks For Causing Road Accidents In Ghana

    Pearl Adusu Sateckla, Ghana’s Public Relations Manager for the Road Safety Authority, claimed that a significant number of accidents involving men stem from a distraction termed “Big Nyash.”

    During an interview on Citi FM’s Auto Show on March 28, Sateckla explained that men in Ghana often lose focus while driving due to their fascination with women who possess large buttocks.

    She emphasized that this distraction leads to a lack of concentration contributing to the high accident rates among men.

    She also acknowledged that while occasional instances of distraction by “Big Nyash” might occur among women as well, men generally exhibit higher rates of inattentiveness on the road.

    Sateckla’s remarks quickly sparked reactions on social media with users expressing a mix of amusement and skepticism.

    No study

    In response, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) clarified that it is yet to conduct a study specifically on the impact of women’s buttocks on driver inattentiveness.

    NRSA says Sateckla’s assertion was only based on feedback from some road users, including drivers and global examples.

    “While the authority confirms that distracted driving or driver inattentiveness constitutes a major threat to road traffic crashes, the authority has yet to conduct a specific study on ‘women buttocks’ as a source of driver inattentiveness except for the feedback from other road users, including drivers and global examples,” the authority said in the statement.

  • Boost For Raila As Executive Council Resolves The Next AUC Chair Must Be From East Africa

    Boost For Raila As Executive Council Resolves The Next AUC Chair Must Be From East Africa

    The stars continue to align with Azimio La Umoja coalition leader Raila Odinga with the African Union’s Executive Council resolving that the next chairperson of the African Union Commission will likely come from Eastern Africa.

    This comes at a time when Kenya has embarked on a shuttle diplomacy mission across the continent to lobby support for Raila.

    Mr. Odinga is set to become the official candidate for the East African Community for the position of the African Union Commission chairperson after Kenya formally submitted his name to the EAC secretariat for endorsement.

    EAC secretariat secretary-general Peter Mathuki, in a letter to member states on March 21, 2024, said that it had received an official communication from the Kenyan government, informing members of the candidature of Odinga for the AUC chairperson position.

    Mathuki also noted that the government of Kenya had asked the eight EAC member-states to endorse and support the Azimio leader as the region’s candidate for the position.

    “The Republic of Kenya has officially communicated to the EAC secretary-general of their candidature for the position of the chairperson of the African Union Commission and further proposed the candidature of Raila Amolo Odinga, former Prime Minister for the position of the chairperson of AUC,” Mathuki said.

    “The purpose of this letter therefore, is to inform you of this development and urge partners to mobilise support for the candidature of Raila Odinga given his immense experience in leadership and understanding of issues affecting our continent,” he added.

    The EAC is made up of at least eight members, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Odinga was the inaugural AU high representative for infrastructure development, a position he held until February 2023. The election of the chairperson, AUC will be held in February 2025.

    The letter by Mathuku now means that should the eight-member states endorse Odinga, then the ODM leader could be a step closer to succeeding outgoing AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.

    Odinga had in early March received a boost to his candidature after the AU Permanent Representatives Committee proposed changes reserving the AUC chairperson position to the East African region.

    Rwanda President Paul Kagame has publicly announced his support for Raila Odinga in the race for African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship. Photo, Pool.

    Odinga has also secured support from regional heads of states including Uganda’s Museveni who vowed to propose his name in the continental house.

    Eastern Africa AUC decision

    The decision to front Eastern Africa candidate was arrived at after the conclusion of the Executive Council Ministerial meeting which decided on the rotation of elective posts of senior leadership of the AU Commission, to ensure all five regions have a fair chance.

    So far, two candidates from Eastern Africa have expressed interest in the seat, including Kenya’s Opposition leader Raila Odinga, and Somalia’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzia Adam.

    On the other hand, the Nothern region is to submit candidates for the position of deputy chairperson.

    To ensure gender parity in the exercise, both regions are allowed to submit male and female candidates, should a man be elected as chairperson then the deputy post will be held by a woman, and vice versa.

    The Western, Central, and Southern regions are open to submitting candidates for the remaining six commissioners’ positions.

    The senior leadership of the African Union is usually elected to serve for a four-year term, with the option for re-election.

    Since the transition of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the AU in 2002, the Commission has conducted five elections.

    The first Commission served from 2003 to 2008 and the current fifth Commission was elected in 2021 and is due to complete its term in 2025.

    A High-level panel of Eminent Africans will oversee the pre-selection assessment process and candidates’ shortlisting before the February 2025 elections.

  • Tanzanian Tycoon Awarded Tender To Build New Airport Terminal

    Tanzanian Tycoon Awarded Tender To Build New Airport Terminal

    Taifa Mining & Civils Limited, a construction company owned by Tanzanian business tycoon Rostam Azizi, has won a contract to build a new passenger terminal building at Mwanza airport.

    The Class 1 civil contractor, which was formerly known as Caspian Limited, signed a deal for the project with the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) on Thursday this week.

    Rostam’s company has been given 10 months to complete the work.

    Taifa is best known as one of Tanzania’s largest mining contractors, specialised in site construction, contract mining and mine rehabilitation.

    The company last year acquired 50% of Petra Diamonds’ stake in Tanzania’s Williamson Diamond Mine for $15 million.

    Taifa has been working as mining contractor at the diamond mine for over 20 years and has also been involved in various construction projects in Tanzania

    TAA Director General Mussa Mbura said Mwanza will have an international airport come September next year when construction of the terminal building is completed.

    In 2019, then President John Magufuli issued controversial instructions to Mwanza regional authorities to immediately build a passenger terminal building at Mwanza airport using the force account system.

    Force account is a process where construction work is carried out by a public department by using it’s personnel and equipment or in collaboration with any public or private entity.

    Following the presidential instructions, Mwanza regional authorities strangely began construction of the airport building without involving the competent authority — the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA).

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    Construction of the terminal building has since turned out to be one of the country’s most costly do-overs.

    The project was unsurprisingly hit by cost overruns, schedule delays and design flaws as Mwanza regional authorities lacked competence in airport infrastructure construction.

    The project was initially expected to cost around TZS 4 billion and be completed within 12 months

    But budget spending ballooned to over TZS 13 billion, while construction work is yet to be completed 5 years down the line.

    An inspection of the project by the Transport Ministry uncovered serious design flaws and sub-standard work that woefully fell short of international standards.

    President Samia Suluhu Hassan intervened by ordering Mwanza authorities to hand over the airport construction project to the real experts — TAA.

    Recently-appointed Mwanza Regional Commissioner Amos Makalla ridiculed the unfinished airport terminal building constructed by his predecessors by comparing it to a “supermarket” as he handed over the project to TAA.

    Some members of parliament advised the government to fix the regulatory overlap and confusion on jurisdiction over airport construction, saying TAA should be given sole mandate as the competent authority in such projects across the country.

    The Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) has also been issuing tenders for construction of airport terminal buildings in the country, adding more complexity to an already confusing situation.

    TANROADS and some of its officials had gained an outsized influence during Magufuli’s administration, who was a former Minister for Works, by being given authority to oversee projects that were beyond their traditional mandate and jurisdiction.

  • AfDB Debars Chinese Firm Over Uganda Road Project Fraud

    AfDB Debars Chinese Firm Over Uganda Road Project Fraud

    The African Development Bank Group, on 28 March 2024, announces the conclusion of a negotiated settlement agreement with China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited, thus putting an end to sanctions proceedings for a fraudulent practice against China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited. Pursuant to the negotiated settlement agreement, China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited, registered in China, will be debarred for a period of 12 months, effective 28 March 2024.

    An investigation conducted by the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank Group, established that China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited engaged in a fraudulent practice when it failed to disclose the use of a commission agent while submitting a bid in the context of a tender for the procurement of civil works for upgrading of Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu to bituminous standard, a component of the Road Sector Support Project in Uganda.

    The Road Sector Support Project is aimed at improving road access to socio-economic activities and quality of transport services levels in south-western and eastern parts of Uganda by upgrading the Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu and Bumbobi-Lwakhakha roads from gravel to bitumen standard thereby contributing to improved standard of living of the beneficiaries; supporting the tourism industry; and promoting regional integration and cross border trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

    During the debarment period, China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited and specified affiliates will be ineligible to participate in Bank Group-financed activities.

    China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited will be required to cooperate with the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption and with law enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities of African Development Bank Member Countries in their investigative functions. At the expiry of the debarment period, China Henan International Cooperation Group Company Limited will only be eligible to resume participation in African Development Bank Group-financed activities after it implements an integrity compliance program consistent with the Bank’s guidelines.

    The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank Group is responsible for preventing, deterring and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud and other sanctionable practices in Bank Group-financed operations.

  • From Being Locked Up To Being The President: How Did Bassirou Diomaye Faye A Husband To Two Make It

    From Being Locked Up To Being The President: How Did Bassirou Diomaye Faye A Husband To Two Make It

    Just a few months ago, the man set to be Senegal’s next president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, was sitting in a prison cell, a relatively unknown figure outside his opposition party Pastef.

    Everything changed for him when the party’s firebrand leader, Ousmane Sonko, who was also detained, was charged with insurrection in July and barred from running in elections to succeed President Macky Sall.

    That cleared the way for Faye to emerge from the shadow of his former boss and eventually from prison, take over the race and on Monday – the day of his 44th birthday – emerge as victor after his opponent conceded defeat.

    It was an unlikely climb to the top for an unlikely national figurehead. Faye was a tax inspector before he became Sonko’s trusted lieutenant and Pastef’s secretary general.

    Where Sonko is charismatic, with a verve that has attracted thousands of country’s jobless youths to his anti-establishment movement, Faye cuts an austere figure.

    Sonko’s endorsement of his former deputy in the run-up to Sunday’s delayed election was crucial, but a little short on rabble-rousing emotion.

    “My choice of Diomaye is not a choice from the heart, but from reason. I chose him because he meets the criteria that I have defined. He is competent and has attended the most prestigious school in Senegal,” Sonko said in a video message.

    President-elect Diomaye Faye and his spouse(s), Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye

    ‘HE IS MORE HONEST THAN ME‘

    “No one can say he is not honest. I would even say that he is more honest than me. I entrust the project into his hands,” Sonko said.

    According to Faye’s biography on his campaign website, he was often the top of his class growing up. He graduated from high school on Senegal’s southern coast in 2000, then studied law and got a master’s degree from Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University.

    In 2004, the devout Muslim passed the competitive entrance exam to Senegal’s National School of Administration which trains the former French colony’s top civil servants, where he specialised as a tax inspector.

    He was arrested in April 2023, a few months before Sonko was also held, and charged with contempt of court and defaming magistrates, charges Faye had denied. Crucially, unlike Sonko, he was not barred from running in elections.

    Convinced that Sonko’s detention and the banning of Pastef were part of a ploy by Sall’s government to eliminate strong rivals from the election – all accusations rejected by the government – several party members including Faye put their names forward.

    Faye eventually made the cut while still in prison, despite a late challenge from ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba to have his candidacy rejected by the Constitutional Council.

    A coalition of more than 100 parties, and some political heavyweights including former prime minister Aminata Toure, joined Faye’s campaign under the banner “Doimaye mooy Sonko”, which in the local wolof language means “Diomaye is Sonko.”

    Thanks to a general amnesty law passed shortly before the vote to ease political tensions, Sonko and Faye left their prison cells in Dakar earlier this month, accompanied by thousands of supporters who danced and chanted through the night.

    Both hit the campaign trail, crisscrossing the country and drawing thousands to their rallies and caravans.

    Sidy Lamine Badji, a 36-year-old part-time driver who voted for Faye on Sunday, rejected criticism that the candidate who lost a municipal election in his home town in 2022 was inexperienced in government affairs.

    “This is false. He has dignity. I believe in his promise and that he will not betray us,” Badji said, his voice choking.

    Faye has declined to say what role Sonko might play in any future government, and has insisted he will be his own man.

    “Why do we want to focus on just one person in a government when I have a coalition that includes more than 120 people?” he said, brushing off concerns held by some voters that if he won, the country would end up with two men who believe they are president.

    “In a presidential election, only one person is elected in the end, and it’s he who is the president of the republic,” Faye said.-Reuters.

  • Detained Binance Executive Escapes From Custody In Nigeria Using Kenyan Passport

    Detained Binance Executive Escapes From Custody In Nigeria Using Kenyan Passport

    Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance director for West & East Africa and one of the firm’s two executives detained in Nigeria over tax evasion charges has escaped custody.

    According to reports from Nigerian media, the 38-year-old Briton, who also holds Kenyan citizenship, disappeared on Friday, March 22nd. Anjarwalla was allegedly allowed to leave the Abuja guest house, where he and a colleague were being held, for Ramadan prayers. Authorities believe he used this opportunity to escape.

    Guards on duty reportedly escorted Anjarwalla to a nearby mosque, adhering to religious customs during the holy month. However, the executive vanished during this brief outing.

    An Immigration source claims Anjarwalla used a Kenyan passport to flee the country on a Middle Eastern airline. Authorities are currently investigating how he obtained this passport, as he reportedly had only a British passport upon his arrest.

    This escape raises questions about security protocols at the detention facility and the potential involvement of the guards. The Nigerian government is likely to face heightened scrutiny as they work to recapture Anjarwalla and determine how he managed to escape.

    Why the Binance executives got arrested

    Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, and Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan, flew to Nigeria following the country’s decision to ban several cryptocurrency trading websites and were detained on arrival on Feb. 26.

    The two were caught up in a crackdown following a period during which several cryptocurrency websites emerged as platforms of choice for trading the Nigerian currency, as the country battles chronic dollar shortages.

    A criminal charge was filed against the two executives before a Magistrate Court in Abuja. On 28 February 2024, the court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an order to remand the duo for 14 days. The court also ordered Binance to provide the Nigerian government with the data/information of Nigerians trading on its platform.

    Following Binance’s refusal to comply with the order, the court extended the remand of the officials for an additional 14 days to prevent them from tampering with evidence. The court then adjourned the case till 4 April 2024.

    Also on 22 March, the Nigerian government approached the Federal High Court in Abuja and slammed another four-count charge on Binance Holdings Limited, Mr Anjarwalla and Mr Gambaryan, accusing them of offering services to subscribers on their platform while failing to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to pay all relevant taxes administered by the Service and in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as Amended).

    The defendants were also accused of offering taxable services to subscribers on their trading platform while failing to issue invoices to those subscribers to determine and pay their value-added taxes and, in so doing, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S.29 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as amended).

    Count Three of the charges accused the three defendants of offering services to subscribers on their Binance trading platform for the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies and the remittance and transfer of those assets while failing to deduct the necessary Value Added Taxes arising from their operations and thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

    The last count of the charges wants the defendants punished for allegedly aiding and abetting subscribers on their Binance trading platform to unlawfully refuse to pay taxes or neglect to pay those taxes and, in so doing, committing an offence contrary to and punishable under the provisions of S.94 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended).

    The company announced early this month that it was stopping all transactions and trading in Nigeria’s naira currency after March 8.

    (Additional reporting by agencies)

  • Ethiopian Bank Glitch Let Customers Withdraw Millions They Didn’t Hold In Their Accounts

    Ethiopian Bank Glitch Let Customers Withdraw Millions They Didn’t Hold In Their Accounts

    Over the weekend, Ethiopia’s biggest commercial bank witnessed a “systems glitch” which allowed customers to withdraw millions. The bank has since released a statement saying that there was no cyber attack and its security has not been compromised as it scrambles to recoup the large sums of money withdrawn.

    What happened?

    On Saturday (Mar 16) morning, customers of the state-owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) discovered that they were able to withdraw more cash than what was in their account.

    This, as expected, led to a frenzy. According to reports, most of the money that was withdrawn during the glitch was by university students as news spread quickly via phone calls and text messages.

    A student in western Ethiopia told the BBC that long lines formed outside campus ATMs and people kept withdrawing money till police officers arrived and stopped them.

    The “systems glitch” lasted for hours and more than $100 million was withdrawn or transferred to other banks, according to local media reports.

    Bank responds 

    During a press conference, on Monday (Mar 18), CBE president Abe Sano said over 490,000 “unhealthy and illegal” banking transactions were made and processed.

    However, he did not confirm the amount of money withdrawn but said that the loss incurred was small compared to the bank’s total assets.

    Meanwhile, a report by Fortune citing sources said around 66,000 transactions took place during the glitch and suggested that as much as six billion birr or ($105 million) was withdrawn.

    Sano also clarified that the bank’s cyber security has not been compromised and that the customers’ money is safe.

    “There have been attempted cyber attacks but the bank’s cyber security was not compromised,” the CBE president told the press in the capital city of Addis Ababa.

    According to the CBE president, the glitch occurred while they were working to improve their banking system and the problem was attributed to a “missing code”. They also suspended their service at the time in a bid to prevent additional loss, said Sano.

    The CBE president said that an investigation into the transactions is underway and customers who have made “high transactions” have been reported to the authorities. Meanwhile, universities have released statements asking students to return the money which did not belong to them.

    The CBE president assured that returning the money would not be charged with a criminal offence.

    (With inputs from agencies)

  • Crypto Scandal: Kenyan Amongst Binance Executives Detained In Nigeria

    Crypto Scandal: Kenyan Amongst Binance Executives Detained In Nigeria

    When two executives from Binance arrived in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, to meet with the government over the role of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange in the country’s foreign exchange crisis, they were carrying only hand luggage, expecting to stay a few days.

    The first meeting on Feb. 26 started off neutral, the second took a hostile turn. The executives were escorted to their hotel, made to pack up their belongings and moved to a guesthouse, where their passports were taken.

    Against the backdrop of their detention, Nigeria is currently grappling with one of its most severe economic downturns in years, sparked by a sharp rise in inflation. The surge in prices is largely attributed to monetary strategies that have significantly devalued the currency. The naira has reached a historic low against the dollar. As a consequence, widespread discontent and demonstrations have erupted throughout the nation.

    In the midst of economic uncertainty, a growing number of Nigerians have embraced cryptocurrency as an alternative financial option. Recent statistics from Chainalysisreveal that Nigeria ranks second globally in crypto adoption, trailing only behind India.

    The exchange rate on Binance and other platforms, which reflect a parallel black market rate, continued to deviate from the official rate, which has been gradually depreciated.

    Nigeria has accused Binance of crashing the nation’s currency through rate manipulation for profit. The country is seeking a US$10 billion penalty from the company for processing $26 billion of untraceable funds in the country, according to reports.

    The two Binance executives who came to meet Nigerian officials remain detained, without being charged with any crimes.

    Both U.S. and U.K. authorities have been alerted of the detainment. Tigran Gambaryan, who lives in the U.S., is Head of Finance Crime Compliance for the Binance Security and Investigations Team. He also worked as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service for over a decade until September 2021.

    The other executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Regional Manager of Africa, is a dual British-Kenyan citizen.

    On Feb. 28, the executive’s lawyers were told they would be held for two weeks while investigations took place. Both were taken to a medical center on March 4, and Anjarwalla was reportedly feeling unwell, according to family members. He refused to have tests without a foreign representative, fearing the results would be manipulated.

    Anjarwalla and Gambaryan’s next hearing — which was postponed until March 13 — failed to secure their release. While it didn’t explicitly extend the order allowing their detainment, they will remain in jail until an additional hearing on March 20, which gives Nigerian authorities more time to respond to the arguments of the Binance executives’ lawyers.

    Their families anxiously await their return. “I’ve been trying very hard to keep up the hope and stay optimistic,” Elahe Anjarwalla, Nadeem’s wife said while speaking to the media from Nairobi. “But it’s now day 18, it definitely does seem like it’s getting harder.”

    Binance has given few details publicly. “While it is inappropriate for us to comment on the substance of the claims at this time, we can say that we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to bring Nadeem and Tigran back home safely to their families,” a Binance spokesperson told Consortium of journalists in statement. “We trust there will be a swift resolution to this matter.”

    But the Nigerian government doesn’t seem to be backing down. They are now asking Binance for information regarding its top 100 users in the country and transaction history spanning the last six months, according to reports.

    Anjarwalla said she has been chasing the British authorities, and that Wednesday was the first day they had called her “unprompted.”

    For now, Anjarwalla can only wait, and hope that her husband returns home in time for her son’s first birthday next week. “I’m anxiously hoping and praying that Nadeem will make it back in time for that,” she said.

  • Niger’s Junta Ends Military Cooperation With The US

    Niger’s Junta Ends Military Cooperation With The US

    Niger’s junta announced Saturday it canceled a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the US.

    “The government of Niger, considering the aspirations and interests of its people, responsibly decides to denounce with immediate effect the agreement” that permitted US military personnel and civilian employees from the American Department of Defense on Niger’s territory, Nigerien government spokesman Amadou Abdramane said in a statement on national television.

    The move follows a visit to Niamey earlier this week by a delegation of senior US military officials led by Under Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee.

    Abdramane accused US officials of not following diplomatic protocol and not informing Niger about the composition of the delegation.

    He added that Niger regretted the “intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right of choosing their partners and partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism.”

    Following the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum last July, the junta demanded the withdrawal of French troops.

    But the US maintained a drone base in Agadez in the north with 1,000 troops.

    Abdramane said the government considers illegal the presence of US troops on Niger’s territory because “it was not democratically approved and imposes unfavorable conditions on Niger, particularly in terms of lack of transparency on military activities.”

    Niger’s military also canceled two security and defense partnerships with the EU last year.

    Last December, the West African country and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen defense cooperation.

    During the previous governments in Niger, US troops trained Nigerien forces in counterterrorism.