The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
They're building it now
Essential The Africa the Media Doesn't Tell You About
- Thread starter TommyHilltrigga
- Start date
They're building it now
Thats good to hear. Do you have any updates because I'm interested.
The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
Not off by hand. Should be some on the African Development Bank website. They need more money probably so...China or European bond buyers
Kenya, Tanzania remove trade restrictions
MONDAY, JULY 24, 2017
Nairobi — Tanzania and Kenya have held successful talks that will see the lifting of restrictions on imports from either country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, announced the decision in Nairobi yesterday following discussions between President John Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.
As a result, Kenya will lift the ban on wheat flour and gas imports from Tanzania, which, in turn, will remove restrictions on milk and cigarettes from Kenya.
Additionally, the two countries will form a standing joint technical committee to address various issues.
Diplomatic and trade relations between Kenya and Tanzania had been strained for some time, with both imposing tit-for-tat bans on each other's exports.
The ban on Tanzania's imports was ostensibly attributed to safety and quality concerns, and Tanzania reciprocated by slapping a ban on Kenyan tyres, margarine and fermented milk.
Tanzania also banned overland transport of maize from Zambia into Kenya, which is experiencing one of the severest shortages of the staple.
The trade tiff is strange, given the huge volumes of goods flowing between the two countries and the potential harm that trade disputes could cause.
Industry, Trade and Investment Permanent Secretary Adolf Mkenda had a few weeks ago said no action had been forthcoming from Nairobi since February and June when the two countries agreed that the ban be lifted.
Kenya argued that wheat imports from Tanzania were outside the common external tariff benchmarks to allow free entry into the country.
But Prof Mkenda accused Kenya of bad faith, breaching agreements between the two countries and ignoring directives from the EAC secretariat.
"Tanzania will not sit idly as its traders are denied entry into Kenya for no good reason. This will not happen.
"We are weighing all our options and they are several, which I may not want to state," the PS told The Citizen in an interview on July 14.
Towards the end of June, Dar expressed its disappointment over Nairobi's refusal to allow Tanzanian exporters to transport cooking gas to Kenya through Kenya-Tanzania land borders.
Prof Mkenda said Kenya's decision was against East Africa Community protocol and an agreement reached between the two countries after Kenya imposed a ban on the importation of cooking gas from Tanzania on May 18, 2017.
Kenya imposed the ban despite the fact that it was decided during the meeting held on June 2, 2017, that Kenya should lift its restrictions in adherence to the EAC protocol.
By that time, Prof Mkenda added, the government had already registered its complaints to the Kenyan counterpart and was contemplating its next course of action.
Apart from imposing a ban on importation of cooking gas through the two countries' borders, the Kenyan government also imposed a ban on the importation of wheat, something Prof Mkenda said was against EAC trade regulations.
The ban caught most dealers who rely on cooking gas from Tanzania unawares and most said they had no prior knowledge of the plan.
Kenya, Tanzania remove trade restrictions
MONDAY, JULY 24, 2017
Nairobi — Tanzania and Kenya have held successful talks that will see the lifting of restrictions on imports from either country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, announced the decision in Nairobi yesterday following discussions between President John Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.
As a result, Kenya will lift the ban on wheat flour and gas imports from Tanzania, which, in turn, will remove restrictions on milk and cigarettes from Kenya.
Additionally, the two countries will form a standing joint technical committee to address various issues.
Diplomatic and trade relations between Kenya and Tanzania had been strained for some time, with both imposing tit-for-tat bans on each other's exports.
The ban on Tanzania's imports was ostensibly attributed to safety and quality concerns, and Tanzania reciprocated by slapping a ban on Kenyan tyres, margarine and fermented milk.
Tanzania also banned overland transport of maize from Zambia into Kenya, which is experiencing one of the severest shortages of the staple.
The trade tiff is strange, given the huge volumes of goods flowing between the two countries and the potential harm that trade disputes could cause.
Industry, Trade and Investment Permanent Secretary Adolf Mkenda had a few weeks ago said no action had been forthcoming from Nairobi since February and June when the two countries agreed that the ban be lifted.
Kenya argued that wheat imports from Tanzania were outside the common external tariff benchmarks to allow free entry into the country.
But Prof Mkenda accused Kenya of bad faith, breaching agreements between the two countries and ignoring directives from the EAC secretariat.
"Tanzania will not sit idly as its traders are denied entry into Kenya for no good reason. This will not happen.
"We are weighing all our options and they are several, which I may not want to state," the PS told The Citizen in an interview on July 14.
Towards the end of June, Dar expressed its disappointment over Nairobi's refusal to allow Tanzanian exporters to transport cooking gas to Kenya through Kenya-Tanzania land borders.
Prof Mkenda said Kenya's decision was against East Africa Community protocol and an agreement reached between the two countries after Kenya imposed a ban on the importation of cooking gas from Tanzania on May 18, 2017.
Kenya imposed the ban despite the fact that it was decided during the meeting held on June 2, 2017, that Kenya should lift its restrictions in adherence to the EAC protocol.
By that time, Prof Mkenda added, the government had already registered its complaints to the Kenyan counterpart and was contemplating its next course of action.
Apart from imposing a ban on importation of cooking gas through the two countries' borders, the Kenyan government also imposed a ban on the importation of wheat, something Prof Mkenda said was against EAC trade regulations.
The ban caught most dealers who rely on cooking gas from Tanzania unawares and most said they had no prior knowledge of the plan.
Kenya, Tanzania remove trade restrictions
The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
that twitter link is formated weird
Ethiopia-Djibouti railway to start commercial operations in October: minister
25 July 2017
ADDIS ABABA Ethiopia (Xinhua) -- The Chinese built 756 km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti will start commercial operations in October, said the Ethiopian transportation minister on Thursday.
Speaking to Xinhua, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transportation, said the rail project is a showcase of China’s support for Ethiopia’s efforts to transform its economy through infrastructural development.
Shide says Ethiopia is currently doing test runs on the railway and is finalizing preparations to form a joint venture company with Djibouti to manage it.
“We hope the rail project will facilitate expansion of industrial manufacturing and boost Ethiopia’s competitiveness by significantly cutting time needed for Ethiopia’s exports to reach Djibouti port,” he added.
The electrified rail line is expected to cut transportation time needed for goods to reach Djibouti port from the Ethiopian hinterland and vice versa from at least two days to 10 hours.
The rail line will also provide a passenger service, with an average speed of 120 km per hour and a single coach holding 118 passengers at a time.
The first 320 km of the rail project from Sebeta to Mieso was carried out by China Rail Engineering Corporation while the remaining 436 km from Mieso to Djibouti port section was built by China Railway Group.
Ethiopia-Djibouti railway to start commercial operations in October: minister
25 July 2017
ADDIS ABABA Ethiopia (Xinhua) -- The Chinese built 756 km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti will start commercial operations in October, said the Ethiopian transportation minister on Thursday.
Speaking to Xinhua, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transportation, said the rail project is a showcase of China’s support for Ethiopia’s efforts to transform its economy through infrastructural development.
Shide says Ethiopia is currently doing test runs on the railway and is finalizing preparations to form a joint venture company with Djibouti to manage it.
“We hope the rail project will facilitate expansion of industrial manufacturing and boost Ethiopia’s competitiveness by significantly cutting time needed for Ethiopia’s exports to reach Djibouti port,” he added.
The electrified rail line is expected to cut transportation time needed for goods to reach Djibouti port from the Ethiopian hinterland and vice versa from at least two days to 10 hours.
The rail line will also provide a passenger service, with an average speed of 120 km per hour and a single coach holding 118 passengers at a time.
The first 320 km of the rail project from Sebeta to Mieso was carried out by China Rail Engineering Corporation while the remaining 436 km from Mieso to Djibouti port section was built by China Railway Group.
Ethiopia-Djibouti railway to start commercial operations in October: minister
Ethiopia opens new South Sudanese refugee camp to ease congestion
Ismail Akwei | 27 JULY 12:26
Another refugee camp has been opened in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region for the increasing number of South Sudanese refugees in the country.
The opening of the camp, announced by the regional authorities, is aimed at easing the overpopulated Sherkole camp.
Bordered by South Sudan on the north, the region host majority of the over 200,000 South Sudanese refugees who are still trooping in due to the ongoing conflict in the world’s newest country.
The Sherkole refugee camp which was built about 20 years ago hosting thousands of refugees from South Sudan.
Other refugee camps are in Mao-Komo special woreda, Tongo, Tsore among others.
Ethiopia welcomes the largest number of refugees in Africa.
South Sudanese started fleeing their country after President Salva Kiir accused his former vice-president, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup in December 2013, triggering a wave of violence.
Millions have been displaced and thousands killed.
Ethiopia opens new South Sudanese refugee camp to ease congestion
Ismail Akwei | 27 JULY 12:26
Another refugee camp has been opened in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region for the increasing number of South Sudanese refugees in the country.
The opening of the camp, announced by the regional authorities, is aimed at easing the overpopulated Sherkole camp.
Bordered by South Sudan on the north, the region host majority of the over 200,000 South Sudanese refugees who are still trooping in due to the ongoing conflict in the world’s newest country.
The Sherkole refugee camp which was built about 20 years ago hosting thousands of refugees from South Sudan.
Other refugee camps are in Mao-Komo special woreda, Tongo, Tsore among others.
Ethiopia welcomes the largest number of refugees in Africa.
South Sudanese started fleeing their country after President Salva Kiir accused his former vice-president, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup in December 2013, triggering a wave of violence.
Millions have been displaced and thousands killed.
Ethiopia opens new South Sudanese refugee camp to ease congestion
The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
Ethiopia opens new South Sudanese refugee camp to ease congestion
Ismail Akwei | 27 JULY 12:26
Another refugee camp has been opened in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region for the increasing number of South Sudanese refugees in the country.
The opening of the camp, announced by the regional authorities, is aimed at easing the overpopulated Sherkole camp.
Bordered by South Sudan on the north, the region host majority of the over 200,000 South Sudanese refugees who are still trooping in due to the ongoing conflict in the world’s newest country.
The Sherkole refugee camp which was built about 20 years ago hosting thousands of refugees from South Sudan.
Other refugee camps are in Mao-Komo special woreda, Tongo, Tsore among others.
Ethiopia welcomes the largest number of refugees in Africa.
South Sudanese started fleeing their country after President Salva Kiir accused his former vice-president, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup in December 2013, triggering a wave of violence.
Millions have been displaced and thousands killed.
Ethiopia opens new South Sudanese refugee camp to ease congestion
Sad. South Sudan will be a mess for decades
China opens first chamber of commerce in Ivory Coast
AFRICA | Monday 31 July 2017 - 9:55pm
IVORY COAST – China, Ivory Coast's third biggest trading partner, has opened its first chamber of commerce in the country, its embassy announced Monday in Abidjan.
It will house some 40 separate businesses involved in a range of projects, from supplying drinking water to Abidjan, to the expansion of the city's port and the construction of the stadium at Ebimpe, near Abidjan.
Other projects include the hydroelectric dam at Soubre, a gigantic project costing some 504 million euros ($600 million), built by China which also financed over 85 percent of it.
Ivory Coast's trade minister Souleymane Diarrassouba hailed the exponential growth of trade between the two countries "... making China the number one supplier and third biggest trading partner" for the west African nation.
Trade between the two countries had increased by 800 percent between 2014 and 2016, he added.
AFP
China opens first chamber of commerce in Ivory Coast
AFRICA | Monday 31 July 2017 - 9:55pm
IVORY COAST – China, Ivory Coast's third biggest trading partner, has opened its first chamber of commerce in the country, its embassy announced Monday in Abidjan.
It will house some 40 separate businesses involved in a range of projects, from supplying drinking water to Abidjan, to the expansion of the city's port and the construction of the stadium at Ebimpe, near Abidjan.
Other projects include the hydroelectric dam at Soubre, a gigantic project costing some 504 million euros ($600 million), built by China which also financed over 85 percent of it.
Ivory Coast's trade minister Souleymane Diarrassouba hailed the exponential growth of trade between the two countries "... making China the number one supplier and third biggest trading partner" for the west African nation.
Trade between the two countries had increased by 800 percent between 2014 and 2016, he added.
AFP
China opens first chamber of commerce in Ivory Coast
Frangala
All Star
Kenyan election IT head Chris Msando found dead
Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionChris Msando said the electronic voting system he had helped develop could not be hacked
The man in charge of Kenya's computerised voting system has been found dead just days before the 8 August elections.
Chris Msando, an electoral commission IT manager, had gone missing on Friday.
"There was no doubt he was tortured and murdered," said the commission's chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.
Tension is high as the presidential election is expected to be a close race between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and long-time opponent Raila Odinga.
Image copyrightEPA
Image captionSome fear that the elections could descend into violence
Mr Chebukati, chair of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), said: "In our mind as a commission, the only issue is who killed him and why, and that is the question that must be answered."
Mr Chebukati demanded that the government provide security for all of his staff. He is now being protected around-the-clock, local media report, with six more police officers assigned to protect him from Monday.
Kenyan newspaper The Star reports that Mr Msando's body was found with one arm missing.
Shock and disgust
dikkens Olewe, BBC News, Nairobi
Today was supposed to big a day for Chris Msando - he was to oversee the public testing of the voting system, which has been vaunted by the IEBC as key to eliminate vote rigging and to deliver a credible election.
The Kenya Integrated Electoral Management System (KIEMS) will be used to identify voters and transmit results.
A similar electronic system that was used in the 2013 election failed spectacularly, leading to manual counting of votes which some have argued allowed for voter manipulation.
Mr Msando had only been on the job for two months, having taken over after his predecessor was suspended for refusing to cooperate with an audit firm which was cleaning the voters' register.
His death will do little to assuage growing concerns about the IEBC's election preparedness and questions about its credibility.
On Twitter, his name and #RIPMsando are trending, with many expressing shock and disgust at what to them looks like a targeted elimination.
This news also comes at a time when the government has denied allegations by opposition parties that it is planning to deploy the military to swing the election to its favour.
With only a week to the election, this is no doubt another testing time for Kenya and it can only emerge from this tense moment by holding credible elections and arresting and prosecuting Mr Msando's killers.
The main opposition National Super Alliance, which Mr Odinga is representing, said the "heinous murder" was an attempt to "drive a dagger in the heart" of the upcoming election.
It said the killers wanted to send a "chilling message that they will stop at nothing to ensure the outcome they desire".
Some fear there could be violent clashes between rival supporters after the election result is announced, with the losers refusing to accept defeat.
However, few expect the type of violence which killed more than 1,200 people in ethnic, post-election violence 10 years ago.
Following the clashes, the International Criminal Court charged President Kenyatta and his deputy with instigating violence, but the charges have since been dropped due to a lack of evidence.
The government has denied ICC accusations that its witnesses had been intimidated to prevent them from testifying.
- 31 July 2017
- From the sectionAfrica
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Image captionChris Msando said the electronic voting system he had helped develop could not be hacked
The man in charge of Kenya's computerised voting system has been found dead just days before the 8 August elections.
Chris Msando, an electoral commission IT manager, had gone missing on Friday.
"There was no doubt he was tortured and murdered," said the commission's chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.
Tension is high as the presidential election is expected to be a close race between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and long-time opponent Raila Odinga.
- Africa Live: More on this and other stories
- Eight things about Kenya's elections
- Uhuru Kenyatta: The 'digital president'
Image captionSome fear that the elections could descend into violence
Mr Chebukati, chair of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), said: "In our mind as a commission, the only issue is who killed him and why, and that is the question that must be answered."
Mr Chebukati demanded that the government provide security for all of his staff. He is now being protected around-the-clock, local media report, with six more police officers assigned to protect him from Monday.
Kenyan newspaper The Star reports that Mr Msando's body was found with one arm missing.
Shock and disgust
dikkens Olewe, BBC News, Nairobi
Today was supposed to big a day for Chris Msando - he was to oversee the public testing of the voting system, which has been vaunted by the IEBC as key to eliminate vote rigging and to deliver a credible election.
The Kenya Integrated Electoral Management System (KIEMS) will be used to identify voters and transmit results.
A similar electronic system that was used in the 2013 election failed spectacularly, leading to manual counting of votes which some have argued allowed for voter manipulation.
Mr Msando had only been on the job for two months, having taken over after his predecessor was suspended for refusing to cooperate with an audit firm which was cleaning the voters' register.
His death will do little to assuage growing concerns about the IEBC's election preparedness and questions about its credibility.
On Twitter, his name and #RIPMsando are trending, with many expressing shock and disgust at what to them looks like a targeted elimination.
This news also comes at a time when the government has denied allegations by opposition parties that it is planning to deploy the military to swing the election to its favour.
With only a week to the election, this is no doubt another testing time for Kenya and it can only emerge from this tense moment by holding credible elections and arresting and prosecuting Mr Msando's killers.
The main opposition National Super Alliance, which Mr Odinga is representing, said the "heinous murder" was an attempt to "drive a dagger in the heart" of the upcoming election.
It said the killers wanted to send a "chilling message that they will stop at nothing to ensure the outcome they desire".
Some fear there could be violent clashes between rival supporters after the election result is announced, with the losers refusing to accept defeat.
However, few expect the type of violence which killed more than 1,200 people in ethnic, post-election violence 10 years ago.
Following the clashes, the International Criminal Court charged President Kenyatta and his deputy with instigating violence, but the charges have since been dropped due to a lack of evidence.
The government has denied ICC accusations that its witnesses had been intimidated to prevent them from testifying.
Frangala
All Star
^ Some fishy stuff going on in Kenya
Red Shield
Global Domination
Yeah that's real fishy
thernbroom
Superstar
Heading back to farm in Uganda at the end of the month 
Fresh mango trees , pineapple trees and even coffee straight from the farm
Fresh mango trees , pineapple trees and even coffee straight from the farm