Good People,
People must stand up and demand Kagame, Museveni and M23 to be sent to ICC Hague and be charged so peace, unity and cooperation for mutual good of all is re-energized for the good of all and in pursuite for happiness in the Great Lakes of East Africa.
War is dangerous and it destroys peoples livelihood, not only for the survival of the Congo State or Africa, but also to peace and unity needed to spur progressive development throughout Africa and the world. War in Congo affects its regional good neighborliness as well as the whole of Africa. War therefore suppresses development and promotes poverty, killings, pain and sufferings. War also contributes to environmental pollution that affects climatic conditions and destroys nature.
Over the years, combatants supporting Kabila's Congo government include the armed forces of Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Chad. On the opposing side they form alliances for Rwanda and Uganda. Common denominator is the Corrupt Trading system of theft that are done unscrupulously and why warfare is engineered to spreading out across borders to fear and problems, so people have no time to focus and address problem that hinder sustainable Business Trading. The competing interests of Special Business Interest then find room to engage in exploiting the country's considerable mineral wealth.
Observation on the past conflict in Central Africa:
Some Central African rulers (e.g. Mobutu until 1997) and some insurgents (Kabila in the 1970s and 1980s, Savimbi in Angola) are warlords whose private armies are financed by the smuggling of diamonds and other minerals. Currently, Ugandans export Congolese diamonds while Zimbabwe barters military support of Kabila for a stake in the copper and cobalt industry of Katanga (in the southeast, bordering Zambia and Angola).
Consolidating moves to Address Present Problems:
US Secretary John Kerry and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon must work legal strategy that urgently clarify its mission and conclusively, resolve the war to avoid its escalating into the kind of disaster never witnessed in before and keep off M23 from illegal and unconstitutional occupation of Congo Land.
We are aware that, part of MONUSCO, is part of the existing U.N. peacekeeping mission with 20,000 personnel that are spread across the vast central African state, and the brigade is made up of contingents from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi.
On the streets of Goma, Congo people demand for immediate answers to stop illegal occupation of their land by M23 who are Tutsis of Kagame tribe and who Kagame use to intimidate and terrorize Congo. They made Goma their trading hub on Lake Kivu, where Rwanda and Uganda enjoy the illegal business of stealing from Congo resources, and therefore, many people are angry that the existing UN mission are not doing enough to drive out M23 from illegal occupation of Congo Land and protect them from the insurgency of M23 invasions and terrorism from the Organized Militia groups that prey on civilians, raping, looting and killing people.
NGOs have written reports and Rights groups point to a number of massacres and abuses of civilians in eastern Congo over the last decade even though armed U.N. peacekeepers were in nearby bases. When well-armed fighters from a Militia Group known as M23 swept into Goma past U.N. troops, there was no resistance to stop them. M23 eventually temporarily withdrew under international pressure, but re-grouped for new attacks on Congo.
According the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navy Pillay, "The leaders of the M23 figure among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations in the DR Congo; many of them have track records including allegations of involvement in mass rape, and are responsible for massacres with the recruitment and use of children labor at war."
Since the author and creator of M23 rebellion, Mr. Ntaganda Bosco is currently at the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted for war crimes, It is just right that M23 be dismantled and demolished completely with its members jointly charged at the ICC Hague.
The international community must take a conclusive action against Rwanda and, to save Congo from more killings, Land Grabbing, plundering of Congo's Natural Resources, Peace must prevail in the region, those who stole their wealth must return what they stole; and that peace and unity be restored in Congo for the Congo people to begin to engage with its neighbors in cooperating over Mutual partnership that benefit all for the good of all and without expounding the problem.
Business of Land Grabbing, hooliganism, theft and terrorism through politics of corruption and impunity; the reason why Congo is suffering, must be put to a stopped. Law and Order must be instituted for sustainable business to take effect. Those who engage in this type of business have run out of ideas and it is time they must begin to rethink how things can be done in a more sober manner.
Congo conflict spills over into Rwanda
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KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Fighting from the war in eastern Congo that pits U.N. and Congolese forces against rebels spilled over into Rwanda on Thursday when 10 shells landed in a Rwandan border town and a nearby village, killing at least one person, authorities said.
Rwanda, which the U.N. accuses of backing the rebels in the neighboring nation of Congo, blamed the Congolese military for the shelling of its territory, saying it was done with the intention of dragging them into the conflict.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said a projectile fired by Congolese forces at 9:45 a.m. killed a woman and seriously injured her 2-month old baby in a market in Rubavu town, located 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Congolese border.
"We have remained restrained for as long as we can but this provocation can no longer be tolerated. We have the capacity to determine who fired at us and will not hesitate to defend our territory. Rwanda has a responsibility to protect its population," Mushikiwabo said. She said a second projectile landed at 11:20 a.m. in Rubavu, injuring one person, and that eight landed at nearby Busasamana village 10 minutes later.
Goma, a city of 1 million located on the Rwandan border, briefly fell to the M23 rebels last year, whose ranks are swollen with undercover Rwandan soldiers, according to repeated reports by the United Nations Group of Experts. The soldiers from Rwanda join the M23 in small groups, hiking across footpaths into Congo. Rwanda has also supplied them with arms and sophisticated equipment, including night vision goggles, the report said.
Meanwhile, combat continued in eastern Congo on Thursday, and Congolese Minister of Information Lambert Mende confirmed that two shells had landed in two separate neighborhoods in the provincial capital of Goma overnight, killing one person and wounding eight.
That brings to 13 the number of people killed in Goma by shelling from rebel positions north of the city in just over a week, ever since the Congolese army backed by United Nations troops went on the offensive against the M23 rebels.
Paluku Kavunga, a resident of Goma, said he had seen the latest victim of the shelling: "I saw the body torn into pieces of a boy who was 16 years old and who was killed last night," he said. "This morning I heard another two detonations not far from Goma and I also saw four helicopters from the United Nations who were flying over the city of Goma."
The fighting in recent days has been among the most intense in the past year, and comes after the United Nations Security Council in March authorized the creation of a special intervention brigade which, unlike the other 17,000 peacekeepers stationed in this vast nation, have a mandate allowing them to go on the offensive against the M23 rebel group. The brigade, made up of soldiers from Tanzania and South Africa, was created in the wake of the criticism following the fall of Goma to the rebels last year.
Reached by telephone, M23 President Bertrand Bisimwa said that the fighting had lasted until 11 p.m. on Wednesday, and resumed at 4 a.m. Thursday. He said the U.N. troops are mixed in with the Congolese soldiers.
"The Congolese and the U.N. attacked us with their infantry, with their combat tanks and with their heavy weapons," he said. "They are mixed in together. On the front line you can see them together. We especially see the U.N. soldiers in the tanks."
Pikkie Greeff, the national secretary of the South African National Defense Union, a military union which represents some of the soldiers fighting in Congo, said that South African Special Forces snipers have been "taking out" rebels manning machine gun posts, barriers and other positions. He also said the South African and Tanzanian troops are launching attacks from the air and hitting the rebels with artillery shells. As the fight intensifies "the possibilities of casualties are very high ... and we see the possibility that soldiers might die in combat," he said.
Congo, a nation the size of Western Europe, has been in a perpetual state of crisis for almost two decades. Even before the creation of the M23 in 2012, its forest-covered hills were crawling with other rebel groups, ethnic militias and renegade units of the regular army. The latest flare-up is causing people to flee from the very refugee camps that became their temporary homes in previous conflicts.
"Things are really bad when people are being forced to run away from displacement camps," said Frances Charles, the Goma-based advocacy director for international aid group World Vision, who was reached by telephone. "The DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) level of emergency is so much worse than anywhere else. What we now take as 'normal' would be considered a catastrophe anywhere else. For us a good day is, for another country, the biggest catastrophe they have ever seen."
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Jason Straziuso contributed from Nairobi, Kenya. Associated Press writers Rukmini Callimachi in Dakar, Senegal, Rodney Muhumuza in Johannesburg and Peter J. Spielmann in New York also contributed to this report.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
EAC leaders commission Berth 19 at Mombasa Port
President Kenyatta receives Rwanda President Paul Kagame when the latter arrived at the Kenya Ports Authority, Mombasa for the commissioning of Berth 19 August 28, 2013. PSCU
In Summary
Berth 19
President Kenyatta has led regional leaders in commissioning berth 19 at the Mombasa Port.
The President said the government was determined to ensure port operations run smoothly.
"We are looking for efficiency in order to reduce trade barriers and to improve opportunities for our country," said President Kenyatta Wednesday.
"This port is critical to our region's development and commissioning of Berth 19 represents the pragmatic aspects of my government's commitment. It is my Government's manifest intention to turn the Port of Mombasa into the largest, busiest and most business-friendly sea-port on the East African coast," he said.
He said the Port that is the gateway to the region demands higher standards of integrity, efficiency, discipline and accountability to consolidate its role in the transport logistics chain of road and rail systems.
"We have no option. This is the call of our time. We are the custodians of the Gateway to East Africa. Our regional brothers and sisters depend on us to ensure that they never fall in want or suffer unnecessary inconvenience owing to inefficiency or corruption at this Port," President Kenyatta said.
UPGRADE ROAD AND RAIL LINKS
He said that the government was determined to upgrade road and rail links with neighbouring countries, starting with the building of a standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Malaba in order to increase rail freight from the current four per cent to at least 50pc in the next few years.
President Kenyatta receives Uganda President Yoweri Museveni when the latter arrived at the Kenya Ports Authority, Mombasa for the commissioning of Berth 19 August 28, 2013. PSCU
The colourful event was attended by Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame (Rwanda).
President Museveni, who is the chairman of the East African Community, said the Port was critical in assisting producers of goods and services in the region to access local and international markets.
He challenged regional states to unite in a bid to create a bigger market for regional products and services as well as consolidate their bargaining power with major global economies and trading blocs.
He praised President Kenyatta's efforts to remove non-tariff barriers such as roadblocks and corruption resulting in faster movement of goods, people and services between Kenya and Uganda.
President Kagame said improvements at the Port would foster trade and investment in the East African region.
The 240-metre long new berth is expected to boost container handling operations and increase capacity at the Port.
The commissioning of the berth was part of activities of a two-day infrastructure conference in Mombasa.
The Summit is a follow-up of the 1st Conference held in Uganda in June, 2013 and aims at taming spiralling business costs and concerns over huge projects lagging behind schedule.
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Uhuru to open infrastructure summit in Mombasa
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Joy for Mombasa as new-look port opens
(3L-R): Presidents Museveni, Paul Kagame and Uhuru Kenyatta flanked by other officials during the commissioning of Berth No 19 at Mombasa Port yesterday. PPU PHOTO
In Summary
- The port currently has a capacity to handle 250,000 20-foot containers a year. The new berth, the deepest and widest yet, will increase this by 200,000 to 450,000 a year — just a half of regional demand of 900,000 containers.
- The government is committed to the Lamu Port-South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset), which will accelerate social and economic development of the region.
- On the Lapsset corridor, he assured the governments of Ethiopia and South Sudan that his government was committed to the project that would accelerate social and economic development of the region.
The port of Mombasa has consolidated its position as the region's largest with the opening of a new berth for ships.
The commissioning of berth number 19 in a ceremony attended by three East African presidents will see Mombasa nearly double its cargo handling capacity.
"Receiving, processing and transporting cargo to customers in a timely fashion is a critical indicator of the port's productivity," President Kenyatta said in the company of his colleagues Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi did not attend. The two also skipped a June summit in Entebbe. South Sudan, which did not attend the earlier meeting, was represented by a minister Wednesday.
The port currently has a capacity to handle 250,000 20-foot containers a year. The new berth, the deepest and widest yet, will increase this by 200,000 to 450,000 a year — just a half of regional demand of 900,000 containers.
"Obviously, we still have some way to go," President Kenyatta said.
The new $66.7 million (Sh6bn) berth is 240 metres long and is the deepest on the East African seaboard.
The Head of State called upon the Kenya Ports Authority management to ensure an efficient and effective management that satisfies the needs of the fast changing and increasing clientele.
Non-tariff barriers
"We have no option. This is the call of our time. We are the custodians of the Gateway to East Africa. Our regional brothers and sisters depend on us to ensure that they never fall in want or suffer unnecessary inconvenience owing to inefficiency or corruption at this port," he said.
Presidents Museveni and Kagame welcomed the improvements at Mombasa, which handles most of the import and export trade for the two landlocked countries.
President Kagame thanked President Kenyatta's government for "hitting the ground running" by working to improve infrastructure and reducing non-tariff barriers on trade in the region.
President Kenyatta said his government was determined to upgrade road and rail links with neighbouring countries, starting with the building of a standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Malaba.
This will increase rail freight from the current four per cent to at least 50 per cent in the next few years.
"This port is critical to our region's development and commissioning of Berth 19 represents the pragmatic aspects of my government's commitment," the President said.
The government is committed to the Lamu Port-South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset), which will accelerate social and economic development of the region.
A second container terminal is also being developed, accompanied by a bypass, to relieve the Likoni Channel of traffic and ease movement of goods between Kenya and Tanzania.
GENERATE EMPLOYMENT
The bypass, he added, will traverse Dongo Kundu, where a Special Economic Zone is proposed, to attract business to the Port and generate employment locally.
The President said apart from infrastructure development, his government will hasten removal of barriers that increase the cost of business.
The Head of State added that Information Technology at the Port of Mombasa and along the Northern Corridor is being upgraded to provide seamless, user-friendly interfaces between government authorities and other stakeholders.
He noted that dividends of an increasingly peaceful and stable Somalia had significantly reduced piracy in the Indian Ocean resulting in international business communities' confidence to trade with the region.
On the Lapsset corridor, he assured the governments of Ethiopia and South Sudan that his government was committed to the project that would accelerate social and economic development of the region.
"My government undertook to deepen Kenya's economic ties with our neighbours in South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia by taking deliberate steps to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers while encouraging greater collaboration of our regional partners," he said.
In his speech flavoured with bouquets and barbs, Mr Museveni criticised African countries for lacking the sense of business and wealth, thus impoverishing a continent with superpower potential.
He challenged farmers and industrialists to take advantage of the expanded port to produce more and exploit the regional market.
With a larger East African joint market, President Museveni added, the region would have the clout to dictate terms to foreign investors to open up their manufacturing firms locally.
According to him, Japan sells millions of vehicles to the region but none of the countries have an assembly factory whereas in China, the same country (Japan) has more than 20 assembly factories.
CREATE BIGGER MARKET
President Museveni, the current chairman of the East African Community, challenged regional states to unite in a bid to create a bigger market for products and services as well as consolidate their bargaining power with major global economies and trading blocs.
President Kagame said the commissioning of the new berth will serve the people of Rwanda "who do business here through exportation and importation of goods."
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Thursday, August 29, 2013
Burundi and South Sudan join new EAC partnership
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. FILE | AFRICA REVIEW
In Summary
- Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete did not attend the summit. When contacted, his spokesman Salva Rweyemama told the Nation that the Tanzanian leader was not invited to the Mombasa meeting.
Three regional presidents Wednesday sanctioned ambitious plans to fast-track East African political federation and complete key infrastructure projects.
Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Rwanda's Paul Kagame also approved the inclusion of Burundi and South Sudan in the new multi-lateral partnership.
Ministers from the three countries will meet in Kampala next month and agree on a roadmap by September 15, and prepare a zero draft of the federal constitution by October 15, the leaders said in a joint communique.
The statement was issued after the three leaders held a closed-door meeting. President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir were represented by their ministers for Foreign Affairs, and Works and Transport, respectively.
Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete did not attend the summit. When contacted, his spokesman Salva Rweyemama told the Nation that the Tanzanian leader was not invited to the Mombasa meeting.
"You now need to find out from the organisers why Tanzania was left out. We were also not invited to a similar meeting in Uganda attended by the same leaders." Efforts to get a comment from the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit were unsuccessful.
The three Presidents also said construction of the Mombasa-Nairobi segment of the new standard-gauge railway line would start by November. The entire project— to Kampala and Kigali— will be completed by March 2018.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda agree joint visa to promote tourism
Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have agreed to have a joint tourist visa to attract more visitors to the countries, Commerce and Tourism Principal Secretary Mohamed Ibrahim said August 29, 2013. FILE
In Summary
- Commerce and Tourism PS Mohamed Ibrahim visa will facilitate and ease international arrivals to partner states.
- Dr Ibrahim: As an East Africa regional air travel hub, Kenya has embarked on an expansion process of its key airports.
- Kenya Utalii College principal Kenneth Ombongi has been elected the UNWTO Vice President of the Affiliate Members Board in charge of Africa region
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Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have agreed to have a joint tourist visa to attract more visitors to the countries, a principal secretary has said.
Mohamed Ibrahim of Commerce and Tourism said the visa is to facilitate and ease international arrivals to partner states.
"To promote regional tourism, the partner states further agreed to allow their people to use national identity cards while crossing respective borders and air travel within the states," Dr Ibrahim said.
Addressing a World Tourism Organisation General Assembly in Zimbabwe, Dr Ibrahim said in a speech made available to the Nation that national borders should not be barriers to tourism growth.
Dr Ibrahim said as an East Africa regional air travel hub, Kenya has embarked on an expansion process of its key airports.
"We believe our success in this effort will spur tourism growth in Kenya and within the region," Dr Ibrahim said.
DISRUPT TRAVEL
He regretted that a recent fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport disrupted travel within the region but the situation has been contained.
"We thank the international community for the support given to Kenya during the affected period and particularly East Africa Community partner states for availing their airports for use," Dr Ibrahim said.
Dr Ibrahim said Kenyan infrastructure support facilities are being improved to enhance road travel and that the country's inbound and outbound road travel has increased significantly.
"Cruise tourism has improved as a result of regional concerted peace efforts in Somalia. We congratulate Somalia Government for prioritizing tourism and urge United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) family to support Somalia tourism," he said.
In anticipation of further growth in cruise tourism, the PS said Kenya has prioritised expansion and modernization of its ports and support facilities.
He urged UNWTO countries to prioritise peace building efforts for tourism growth.
VICTORY AND HONOUR
Meanwhile, Kenya Utalii College principal Kenneth Ombongi has been elected the UNWTO Vice President of the Affiliate Members Board in charge of Africa region.
The election took place at the Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the Committee of Affiliate Members held at the Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe.
East Community, Commerce and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie congratulated Dr Ombongi for his appointment.
"I am delighted that a Kenyan has been elected the Vice-President of UNWTO. It is a statement of how highly the continent regards those who manage the tourism sector in Kenya. We heartily congratulate Dr Ombongi for the victory and the honour bestowed to our country through his election," Ms Kandie said.
After his election, Dr Ombongi said: "This election is a victory for my motherland, Kenya. It is, equally, a reward for the Kenya Utalii College, the first hotel school in Africa, which has continually, consistently and successfully trained personnel for the global hospitality and tourism sector for over 46 years."
In his position, Dr Ombongi will be able to lobby for more support for African institutions and organisations which are affiliate members of the UNWTO.
The UNWTO has more than 400 affiliate members and 340 took part in the election.
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