Zimbabweans mend shabby dollar notes amid economic crisis

A currency trader mends an old and worn 2 dollar bill at a busy market in Harare, in this Monday, Oct, 26, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis. Crisp new notes are not coming into Zimbabwe, so enterprising traders are repairing old ones for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Albert Marombe takes a grimy, tattered $1 note and delicately, expertly glues it back into one piece, holding it up for inspection.

“I don’t care how torn it is. All I want to see is the serial number being visible on both sides,” said Marombe. He’ll sell that shabby $1 note for 80 cents and it will get back into circulation. Many shops will reject it but market traders will take it, although at a reduced value.

A currency trader inspects an old and tattered dollar bill before mending it, at a busy market in Harare, in this Monday, Oct, 26, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Worn out or shredded by rats, $1 notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis. One dollar bills are used by many people to buy their daily bread and other small purchases. Crisp new notes are not coming into Zimbabwe, so enterprising traders are repairing old ones for desperate customers.

Albert Marombe holds up a a grimmy, tattered $20 bill at a busy market in Harare, in this Wednesday, Oct, 21, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Formal businesses reject such notes, forcing people to sell them to traders like Marombe for a fraction of their original value. Informal street markets will usually - with some negotiation - accept the glue-patched notes that Marombe sells for transactions. Zimbabwe’s booming informal economy employs about two-thirds of the population, according to the International Monetary Fund, so there are lots of such dirty dollars in circulation.

A woman walks past a sign placed by currency traders buying old and worn out US dollar bills on the streets in Harare, in this Tuesday, Nov, 3, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The U.S dollar has dominated transactions in Zimbabwe since the country’s hyperinflation soared to more than 5 billion percent and forced the government to abandon the local currency in 2009.

Last year the government re-introduced a Zimbabwe currency and banned foreign currencies for local transactions. Few took heed though and the black market thrived, while the local currency quickly devalued. In March this year, the government relented and unbanned the dollar. Now shortages of small denominations of the dollar are a nightmare.

Currency traders mend old and worn $1 dollar bills at a busy market in Harare, in this Monday, Oct, 26, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The once-prosperous southern African country’s economy is so weak from de-industrialization, low investment, low exports and high debt that it does not generate an adequate inflow of fresh greenbacks needed for its largely dollarized local economy, Harare-based economist John Robertson said.

“If people do have a small denomination in U.S. dollars they don’t want to put those in the bank. They want to keep it to themselves,” said Robertson, explaining that banks generally do not pay account holders in cash.

Albert Marombe shows grimmy, tattered $1 bills at a busy market in Harare, in this Wednesday, Oct, 21, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Larger denominations are too big for many purchases. Traders such as Marombe fill the gap by patching up torn dollar bills of many denominations, but the $1 note is their main business.

“I am here by 6 a.m. daily and leave late … business is good. I am surviving,” said Marombe, popularly called “the money sanitizer” by other market traders.

He said he buys the $1 notes for between 40 cents and 60 cents each, depending on their condition, and sells them at a profit.

Marombe, 38, sold second-hand clothes until six months ago when he saw the opportunity to make money by patching up old dollar bills and selling them at a profit. He’s making enough to support his pregnant wife and two children, including one who is a teenager and writing final year secondary examinations this year.

Currency traders wait for clients on the streets of Harare, in this Tuesday, Oct, 22, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In cities across the country, currency traders line the streets holding wads of both local currency and U.S dollars. The $1 notes that are in good condition go for a 10% premium. Traders said they buy the better-looking notes from retail shop owners and workers and from street vendors who hoard $1 notes paid by purchasers of small items.

The street traders also take larger bills and provide the equivalent amount in smaller denominations for a 10% fee.

A currency trader counts his money while waiting for clients in the middle of a busy road in Harare, in this Tuesday, Nov, 3, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The government says the practice is illegal and the police sometimes raid the currency traders, seizing their precious dollar notes and issuing fines.

But there aren’t many choices for shoppers. If they buy goods at a supermarket that cannot provide change for their purchase, they are given paper coupons to be used at the same supermarket at a later date.

“At times they run out of these coupons so I am forced to take candy,” said Innocent Chirume, outside a supermarket in Harare. “It is very inconveniencing. I can’t take a bus into town using a coupon,” he said.

Albert Marombe holds a grimmy, tattered $20 bill at a busy market in Harare, in this Wednesday, Oct, 21, 2020 photo. Worn out or shredded by rats, one dollar notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis, and enterprising traders are repairing old notes for desperate customers.( AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Banks are encouraging electronic payments for transactions to resolve the problem of small change “given that U.S dollars are not produced in Zimbabwe and are imported at high cost,” Bankers Association of Zimbabwe president Ralph Watungwa said.

Bank customers can exchange soiled notes for “usable” ones, although “the process of exporting the soiled notes and importing fresh ones is a long and costly process” for banks, he said.

The shortage of dollar notes and people’s lack of trust in banks means that many stash their cash at home. This is a boon to currency traders like Marombe.

“One customer came with $100 dollar notes worth $1,000. He was saving for a car but the rats got to the money first,” chuckled Marombe, who said he charged to repair the gnawed notes. “It was a big payday for me!”

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Africa Calling EP4: Nigeria's social media, Angola & Senegal protests, Cameroon anglophone crisis

Africa Calling © RFI

Africa Calling podcast takes a look at the top stories for the week from the African continent, including reports from the field and analysis with regional experts. We’re talking about Nigeria’s anti social media bill, what the African continent would expect from a new US President, protests in Angola and Senegal, as well as what news of a possible Covid-19 vaccine means for Africa. Our correspondent in the Anglophone region of Cameroon speaks to people with mobility issues who have additional hardships.

In Nigeria, an anti social media bill is making headlines again after peaceful police protests, called the anti-SARS protests, turned violent. Some believe social media posts helped foment violence. RFI Hausa @RFI_Ha service Garba Aliyu Zaria speaks about what Hausa listeners say about this issue.

From Angola, protesters came out en masse on November 11th, their independence day, to protest against the government. RFI Lusophone @RFI_Pt service correspondent Francisco Paulo was there to speak to protesters.

How will the Africa continent fare with the new United States President Joe Biden after four years of insults by Donald Trump? Africa Calling speaks with analyst Sebastian Spio-Garbrah of @DaMina_Advisors who takes a peek at what is in store for Africa.

Some Senegalese Muslims came out to protest French President Emmanuel Macron. Correspondent Alpha Jallow was there to explain why people are burning French flags and photos of Macron.

While the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon has gone virtually unnoticed for four years, Anglophones continue to suffer. Correspondent Alphonse Tebeck @alphonse_tebeck in Bamenda speaks to those living with disabilities who are particularly vulnerable when their villages are being attacked.

Alison Hird @alisonsarahird makes the music pick this week with a soulful tune by veteran Angolan protest singer-songwriter Bonga. Starting out in the mid-60s, he used his songwriting as a form of activism, until he had to flee the country. His first album recorded in the Netherlands, Angola 72, is about being proud of being Angolan. Take a listen to “Mona Ki Ngi Xica” which roughly translates as ‘the child I left behind’, putting into words the longing for homeland.

SOURCE: RFI

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

NIGERIA: Government launches “SE4ALL” to control its electricity network

Nigeria now has an online platform to control its power grid. The Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All Grid Platform (SE4ALL) was recently launched by the Nigerian Federal Government.

In Nigeria, the government is moving towards its goal of digitising the electricity sector. On November 10th, 2020, the Federal Government launched the online platform of the Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All Network (SE4ALL). The initiative follows the launch of the Central Data Management System (CDMS) project in this West African country in 2019.

Currently, the SE4ALL web portal has primary data. This includes satellite mapping of 350,000 towns and cities. More than 3,000 agglomerations have also been remotely mapped and more than 2,600,000 buildings identified. SE4ALL also has data on approximately 50,000 km of 33 kV distribution lines; as well as 11 kV lines, which have been tracked across 21 states and the FCT (Federal Capital Territory).

More data is expected to be collected for the online platform soon, given the number of developing electricity projects in the country. The information collected will gradually be provided to the Nigerian government, which aims to provide 30,000 MW of electricity to its people by 2030, of which at least 30% will come from renewable sources. Investors will also use the data provided by the platform. “Data on the power sector is vital for national development as a whole and for the implementation of Nigeria’s electrification plan in particular,” says Birgitt Ory, Germany’s ambassador to Nigeria. The online platform will also remotely monitor the mini-grids across the country to virtually assess their performance using the Application Programming Interface (API).

The European Union (EU) and Germany are supporting the project to digitise the electricity sector in Nigeria. The initiative is part of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP). This is a technical assistance programme co-financed by the European Union and Germany. NESP is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the German cooperation agency, in collaboration with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Energy.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono denied bail in obstruction case

Zimbabwean authorities should stop their relentless victimization of award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and ensure that the charges against him are dropped, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Today in the capital, Harare, magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa denied Chin’ono bail on a charge of defeating or obstructing justice, claiming that the journalist had a “propensity to continue committing offences” if released, according to Doug Coltart, one of the journalist’s lawyers who spoke with CPJ via messaging app, and media reports. The journalist also faces an incitement charge in a separate case. 

“The denial of bail is yet another manifestation of the single-minded persecution of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who has embarrassed the government by exposing corruption allegedly linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. “It is high time that Zimbabwean authorities withdraw both the incitement and obstruction of justice cases against Chin’ono and stop wasting its resources by hounding him any further.”

The bail ruling is the latest incident in weeks of legal developments in the cases against Chin’ono. On September 2, the journalist was released on bail after spending 45 days in pre-trial detention on the incitement charge over a tweet about an anti-corruption protest called by an opposition politician.

But on November 3, he was rearrested for contempt of court in relation to his tweet referencing other judges’ opinions of Zimbabwe’s chief justice, Luke Malaba, which police alleged “impaired the dignity” of Malaba, as CPJ documented at the time.

Chin’ono told CPJ on the day of his rearrest that police had told him he violated his bail conditions, which he claimed was false as he was still allowed to tweet while out on bail, just not to “incite the holding of mass demonstrations” on the social media platform. The day after his rearrest, on November 4, police dropped the contempt of court charge and instead charged him with obstruction of justice, according to a tweet by Coltart. 

According to court documents in the obstruction case, which CPJ reviewed, the new charge is in relation to another of Chin’ono’s tweets in which he wrote that a source within the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) claimed that the state would not oppose bail in a gold smuggling case against Henrietta Rushwayo, president of the Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation and a relative of President Mnangagwa, according to reports. 

According to the court documents, prosecutors claimed that Chin’ono obstructed justice by “jeapordising the integrity” of legal proceedings against him in the incitement case, as well as the legal proceedings against Rushwayo, by tweeting about sources within the NPA. 

This latest charge carries a penalty of up to a year in prison or fine of 1,200 Zimbabwean dollars (US$15), or both, according to the legal code.

Chin’ono has denied all the charges against him in both cases, according to court documents, which CPJ reviewed.

According to Coltart, since November 6 Chin’ono has been held in the overcrowded Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare. Coltart said the defense team would appeal the denial of bail ruling in the High Court and stressed that Chin’ono has never been convicted of a crime. Chin’ono is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing related to the obstruction charge on November 26 and will go on trial for the incitement charge from December 7 to 9, according to the lawyer. 

Government spokesman Nick Mangwana told CPJ via messaging app that the “allegations against Mr Chin’ono are that whilst on bail for an offence, Mr Chin’ono brazenly breached the bail conditions. This includes corruptly establishing lines of informal communication with his prosecuting team. This was not only a breach of bail conditions but a serious subversion of the criminal justice system.” 

He called the claim that the state is targeting Chin’ono over his journalism “false and baseless.” 

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Congo-Kinshasa: DRC - Rumours Abound After Series of Deaths in the President's Entourage

Paul Kagame/Flickr

Rwandan President Paul Kagame meets with President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of the 74th United Nations General Assembly in 2019.

From plane crashes to COVID complications, over twenty of President Tshisekedi's allies died in the course of just one year.

In the course of just one year - from June 2019 to May 2020 - an alarming twenty-plus people in President Félix Tshisekedi's immediate entourage died. These deaths have ignited various conspiracy theories and shine a light on the grim reality of politics in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The series of deaths began in June 2019, five months after Tshisekedi took office, when Monique Kitoko, a 47-year-old official in the president's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UPDS) party, died of a heart attack. Then in October, an Antonov plane carrying members of the presidential staff crashed in Sankuru province.

Since the start of this year, the president has lost several more colleagues to deaths attributed to COVID-19. This list includes at least five advisers - Maitre Jean-Joseph Mukendi Wa Mulumba, Jonas Shamone, Cesar Kalala, Jean Pierre Westhi, and Charles Kilosho - as well as his uncle, Bishop Gérard Mulumba, and another one of his bodyguards. Bishop Mulumba's chief-of-staff Josias Shamuana Mabenga died shortly after too.

The causes of death of some other presidential allies remain unclear. These include: Louis Tshiyombo Kalonji, an adviser to the president; Julio Kapeta, Tshisekedi's cousin; Ekumani Wetshi, assistant director of communication; and Bernard Tshilumba, another bodyguard. Finally, Léon Lukaku, head of counter-espionage in the National Intelligence Agency, was reportedly assassinated in March.

Sparking conspiracy theories

This series of deaths has fanned the flames of suspicion, especially as the deceased were all close to the president and from his home province of Kasaï. As a figure close to the UDPS commented: "The head of state has only lost his closes associates. And, they want us to believe that Mr. Coronavirus is the presumed assassin."

This speculation has been fed by various inconsistencies and rumours. For instance, the death of Gilbert Mundela, an adviser and relative of the president, was attributed to COVID-19 but this was refuted by those close to the deceased, including his mother.

Some have also pointed to allegedly suspicious behaviour or patterns. For example, it has been reported that Defence Minister Aimé Mukena, a close ally of former president Joseph Kabila, was originally scheduled to travel on the plane that crashed in October 2019 but that he changed plans at the last minute. The president of the African Association for Human Rights (ASADHO), Jean-Claude Katende, publicly and cryptically cast doubt on the deaths of Bishop Mulumba and his chief-of-staff too, tweeting: "Anyone who is intelligent can understand."

Others have noted that the string of high-level deaths stopped - with one key exception - after Tshisekedi's then chief-of-staff, Vital Kamerhe, was arrested on charges of embezzling nearly $50 million in April 2020. The one exception was the sudden death of Raphael Yanyi, the judge presiding over Kamerhe's trial. The justice died just two days after the Kamerhe's first hearing in May 2020. It was initially announced that he had died of a heart attack but the autopsy soon revealed that he'd received several blows to the head.

Infighting and rivalries

In June 2020, President Tshisekedi's special advisor in charge of universal health coverage, Roger Kamba, said the high-level deaths would be officially investigated. He explained that the inquiry would "analyse the rumours circulating on social networks reporting repeated deaths by poisoning". Since then, Kamba has refused to provide more specifics and results of the investigation are still pending.

Whether or not there is any truth to the conspiracy theories, however, their spread and the form they have taken reflects the helplessness and anger many people have with Congolese politics. The past decades have been characterised by corruption scandals, patrimonialism and the lack of rule of law. Meanwhile, several elections are widely believed to have been fraudulent.

Following the most recent poll in late-2018, Joseph Kabila finally stepped down amid heavy pressure from both inside and outside the DRC. However, the president of 18 years ensured he could continue to wield significant power even after leaving office. He allegedly manipulated the election to secure victory for Tshisekedi and guaranteed that his own party, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), won a majority in the legislature.

The new president has therefore been constrained by his predecessor since taking office. Tshisekedi has also had to balance interests within his own side. During the 2018 campaign, for instance, Tshisekedi reportedly promised the position of prime minister to fellow opposition leader Vital Kamerhe. On assuming the presidency, however, Tshisekedi realised that he could not fulfil this promise given the FCC's control of the legislature. Instead, he made Kamerhe his chief-of-staff.

In this position, Kamerhe reportedly clashed with other presidential advisers, many of whom were from Tshisekedi's Luba ethnic group. This context has fuelled conspiracy theories about Kamerhe's involvement in the series of deaths.

 Governing in the DRC

Regardless of the cause of the mysterious series of deaths, it is clear that despite Kabila stepping down, Congolese politics remains characterised by clientelism, internal tensions, competing allegiances and mistrust. The difficulty of governing in such a context cannot be overstated, particularly considering the various crises facing the DRC. This includes a mounting death toll in the eastern provinces due to conflict, chronic poverty, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a brutal colonial legacy.

The Congo's entrenched system of patronage and high-level competition further limits the ability to rule effectively. Despite being one of the richest countries in terms of minerals, the population rarely sees this wealth. Rather, in such a clientelist system, access to the state is a highly coveted means of securing resources for personal gain.

Georges Kasongo Kalumba holds a PhD in political science and sociology from the University of Lubumbashi and is a professor at the University of Lubumbashi in Haut-Katanga, DRC. Lisa Jené holds a PhD in political science from Claremont Graduate University and is a consultant in Washington, DC.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Nigeria: UK To Listen To Report On Nigeria's Investigations of Police Brutality

Ayodeji Adegoroye (@ayodeji_dodo)/Twitter

A protester stands atop a police structure in Ikeja, capital of Lagos state, during #EndSARS demonstrations on October 11, 2020. Ayodeji Adegoroye (@ayodeji_dodo)/Twitter

The United Kingdom Government and Parliament, yesterday responded to the #ENDSARS petition by some Nigerians against the federal government, saying it is awaiting the outcome of Nigeria's investigations into reports of police brutality.

This is coming as the Canadian Government has debunked granting asylum to any Nigerian due to the EndSARS protests.

Also, about 32 Nigerians repatriated from Germany yesterday arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos from Dusseldorf Airport.

The deportees, all male arrived the country at 2.30p.m on board a chartered aircraft, Envelope Airline.

Although there were no details about the deportation, but immigration sources said the repatriation was facilitated by the German Embassy and that all the male passengers were deported for various immigration related offences.

With about 219,702 signatures, the petition to UK seeks to implement sanctions against the Nigerian government and officials, over abuse of power by the operatives of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the alleged shooting at protestors calling for SARS disbandment.

Reacting, UK noted that it would not publicly speculate on future sanctions designations but awaits the outcome of the various investigations by the federal government.

The reaction, which came from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, said the government was deeply concerned by violence during recent protests in Nigeria, which tragically claimed lives.

It offered the country's condolences and sympathy to the families of all those affected by the protests and violence.

The full response read: "The UK Government is deeply concerned by violence during recent protests in Nigeria, which tragically claimed lives. Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected.

"The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on October 21, calling for an end to the violence and for the Nigerian Government to urgently investigate reports of brutality by its security forces and hold those responsible to account.

"The Minister for Africa tweeted on October 16, noting the Nigerian people's democratic and peaceful calls for reforms, and again on 21 October, encouraging the Nigerian authorities to restore peace and address concerns over brutality towards civilians. He reiterated these messages when he spoke to Foreign Minister Onyeama on 23 October. The British High Commissioner in Abuja has also raised the protests with representatives of the Nigerian Government and will continue to do so.

"We welcome President Buhari's decision to disband the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry to investigate alleged incidents of brutality by the security services. They must investigate all incidents, including in Lagos, fully. The Minister for Africa tweeted on 29 October stressing the importance of the police and military's cooperation with the panels. He raised this, and the need for the panels to urgently start investigations, when he spoke to the Governor of Lagos on 11 November.

"The UK Government will continue to work with the Nigerian Government and international and civil society partners to support justice, accountability and a more responsive policing model in Nigeria. We will continue to push for the Nigerian security services to uphold human rights and the rule of law, investigate all incidents of brutality, illegal detentions and use of excessive force, and hold those responsible to account.

"On 6 July, the Government established the Global Human Rights sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. In a statement to Parliament, the Foreign Secretary set out in full the scope of the UK's new Global Human Rights sanctions regime. He announced the first tranche of designations, as well as the Government's approach to future designations.

"This sanctions regime will give the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses.

"The sanctions regime is not intended to target individual countries. It will allow for sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities involved in serious human rights violations or abuses around the world.

"We will continue to consider potential designations under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.

"The UK Government will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review."

Meanwhile, Canada has denied granting asylum to some Nigerians linked to the EndSARS protests, clarifying that it does not grant or receive asylum seekers' applications directly from individuals but through authorised second and third parties.

This is coming few days after it was reported that Canada granted asylum to DJ Switch, the #EndSARS protester who streamed live the shooting that happened at Lekki Toll gate in Lagos State.

DJ Switch sought the asylum after several attempts on her life after the killing of peaceful #EndSARS protesters in Lekki.

In a series of tweets yesterday on its official Twitter handle, the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria explained that no one could guarantee approval of immigration applications except Canadian migration officers.

The High Commission, which tweeted @CanHCNigeria, said the notice was important in light of "great interest in Canadian immigration programs" received lately.

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada had in 2018 reported that Nigeria had more pending refugee protection claims in Canada than any other country globally.

The statement titled, 'A message from the Government of Canada', read, "Canadian Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, Consulates-General or Honorary Consulates do not accept refugee applications directly from people.

"Canada works with the United Nations Refugee Agency, other designated referral organisations and private sponsors to identify individuals in need of resettlement, and who are outside their home country.

"You cannot apply directly for resettlement. You must be referred to Canada by a designated referral organisation or a private sponsor.

"No one can guarantee that your immigration application will be fast-tracked or approved. Only a Canadian migration officer can decide if you can come to Canada.

"All the information you need to apply to visit or immigrate to Canada is available free on the official Government of Canada website."

Canada is viewed as a global leader with respect to refugee protection.

It has signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees other human rights instruments which protect refugees.

Canada was the first country to set out guidelines for considering the refugee claims of women, and has taken an active role globally in the resettlement of refugees through both government and private sponsorship programmes.

The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, explained that there are two ways to make an asylum claim in Canada: (1) At an official Port of Entry, or (2) inside Canada at the office of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Rwandan Genocide Suspect Kabuga Pleads Not Guilty Before UN Court

 Félicien Kabuga appeared, for the first time, before the UN court in The Netherlands, on November 11, where he was informed of his rights, before hearing all the charges brought against him. 

Lawyer, Emmanuel Altit, asked the court to consider his client's "non-response as a plea of not guilty". 

Prosecutors are still investigating Kabuga's genocide related case and they need at least six more months to gather more evidence. 

He is charged with genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, and extermination and persecution as crimes against humanity, all committed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which left as many as 800,000 Tutsi men, women, and children dead.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Rwanda Appoints Former Head of Credit Suisse To Turn Country into Financial Hub

 

A Franco-Ivorian banker Tidjane Thiam is expected to jet in to the Rwandan Capital, Kigali to embark on an aggressive assignment of leading a team of well selected experts that should turn Rwanda into an impeccable global financial hub.

Tidjane  is taking up his appointment as chairman of the board of Rwanda Finance Limited, the government agency responsible for the development and promotion of the Kigali International Financial Center (KIFC).

He  is a former head of Credit Suisse. His appointment was announced after a cabinet meeting of Wednesday November 12 chaired by President Paul Kagame.

The Board of directors for Rwanda Finance Limited include;  Tidjane Thiam   (chairman), Jacob Diko Mukete (Vice Chairperson), Liban Soleman ABDI (member), Louise Kayonga (member), Alice Ntamitondero (member), Umulinga Karangwa (member) and Julien Kavaruganda (member).

It should be remembered that on February 7^th, Mr Tidjane resigned from his duties as CEO of the Swiss banking group, Tidjane was first reported to the board of directors of the French luxury holding company Kering, before talking about him again.

After his hasty departure from Credit Suisse bank, Tidjane Thiam confirmed his African ambition.

Cameroonian-born Diko Jacob Mukete

The expert in governance, economic and financial reforms was also appointed Wednesday November 11 as Vice Chairperson of the board of Rwanda Finance Limited.

Before this appointment, Mr Mukete served as Country Representative of the African Development Bank in Rwanda. “Rwanda is a great country with great people. When you look at what they have been able to achieve over the last 17 years from ashes of the Genocide…there are very few countries in the world which have been able to show the kind of resilience…” Mr Mukete said in an interview after his tour on duty at the the AfDB-Rwanda.

He and the other members will have to bring their experience and insights to the Rwanda Finance Limited which has its work already cut out: turning Rwanda into a financial hub.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Kenyan president tells Chinese builder to divert $600m motorway to save sacred fig tree

A rally took place to protect the tree on 31 October (From the Twitter feed of Kenyan environmental campaigner, Elizabeth Wathuti)

Campaigners declared victory yesterday after Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta decreed that a century-old fig tree in the capital Nairobi must not be moved, as was planned, to make way for the $600m elevated Nairobi Expressway now under construction.

City residents are concerned at the number of trees being felled for the 27-km tolled highway linking Nairobi’s downtown to Kenyatta International Airport, which is being financed and built by China Roads and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). 

Tall as a four-story building, and considered sacred by Kenya’s largest ethnic group, the Kikuyu, the tree on Waiyaki Way was to be uprooted and moved to make way for a pillar supporting the elevated road.

But when the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced that plan on 1 October, a protest movement began among people angry at the disappearance of green spaces in the city, and the tree became a beacon of their concern.

A rally took place to protect the tree on 31 October.

Yesterday, Major General Mohammed Badi, director general of Nairobi Metropolitan Services, called a press conference to relay the presidential decree ordering the tree to be left alone, and to announce the creation of more green spaces.

“We have plans in place to create new neighbourhood parks within our residential estates for the community to enjoy recreational spaces close to their homes,” he said.

With the decree, CRBC and the Kenya National Highways Authority have agreed to reroute the road, reports Reuters.

“This particular fig tree is just a symbol of the bigger picture of what we are asking for, we want a green and clean city, and clean Kenya,” said Kenyan environmental campaigner, Elizabeth Wathuti.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

At least 14 soldiers killed in Burkina Faso ambush

Government calls on populations to work together to put end to terrorism which claimed over 1,600 people since 2015

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso 

At least 14 soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in an ambush against a military convoy in Burkina Faso, the government said late Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday along the Tinakof-Beldiabe road in Burkina Faso's northern province of Oudalan.

"A unit of the Tin-Akoff military detachment in the province of Oudalan, Sahel region fell into an ambush on Wednesday perpetrated by a group of terrorists, killing 14 and eight wounded, three of whom were serious," Communication Minister Remis Dandjinou said.

He said defense and security forces engaged in search operations to track down the perpetrators of the attack.

A security source who requested anonymity told Anadolu Agency that the Burkinabe army has "neutralize at least nine suspected terrorists."

Dandjinou called on the populations to work together to put an end to terrorism which, according to a report published in August by the Economic and Social Council (CES) of Burkina Faso, has already killed more than 1,600 people since 2015.

The attack is the third recorded in the Sahel and north-central Burkina Faso since the start of the electoral campaign on Oct. 31.

"I have decided to suspend the activities of my campaign for 48 hours, following the terrorist attack on Tin-Akoff which caused the death of several soldiers [...] Strength and honor to our national army resolutely committed to defending the Fatherland," President Roch Kabore tweeted early Friday.

Kabore called on citizens "to pray for all the victims of terrorism, and in particular our valiant sons engaged on the front line."

Burkina Faso is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections later this month, but the presence of militant groups has disrupted voter registration in some parts of the country and could prevent people from casting ballots on the day.

A controversial new law passed by parliament in August – stating that votes will be counted irrespective of people’s ability to access polling stations on Nov. 22 – is also triggering fears of widespread disenfranchisement in already marginalized areas, according to The New Humanitarian.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

At least 74 migrants killed in shipwreck off Libya coast - UN

 

Life jackets litter a beach near the Libyan port of al-Khums as a rescue worker speaks with a survivor from a shipwreck.

At least 74 migrants died in a shipwreck on Thursday off the coast of Khums, Libya, the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

"The boat was reported to be carrying over 120 people, among them women and children. Forty-seven survivors have been brought to shore by the coast guard and fishermen and 31 bodies have been retrieved while the search for victims continues," the IOM said Thursday in a statement.

IOM says that since Tuesday at least 19 people, including two children drowned after two boats capsized in the Central Mediterranean, while NGO Open Arms rescued more than 200 people in three operations.

"The mounting loss of life in the Mediterranean is a manifestation of the inability of States to take decisive action to redeploy much needed, dedicated Search and Rescue capacity in the deadliest sea-crossing in the world," IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda said in the statement.

"We have long called for a change in the evidently unworkable approach to Libya and the Mediterranean, including ending returns to the country and establishing a clear disembarkation mechanism followed by solidarity from other states. Thousands of vulnerable people continue to pay the price for inaction both at sea and on land."

In October, at least 140 migrants drowned off the coast of Senegal in what the IOM described as the deadliest shipwreck this year.

The boat carrying about 200 people set sail for Spain's Canary Islands when it caught fire a few hours after departing the coastal town of Mbour in western Senegal, before capsizing near Saint-Louis, on the country's northwest coast, the UN migration agency said at the time.

According to IOM, in 2020 at least 900 people have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach European shores, some due to delays in rescue.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

EU agrees to buy 300 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine

 The European Union has formally authorized a fourth contract with the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and their German lab partner BioNTech to procure up to 300 million doses of their candidate coronavirus vaccine, should it be proven to be safe and effective against the virus. 

"In the wake of Monday's promising announcement by BioNTech and Pfizer on the prospects for their vaccine, I'm very happy to announce today's agreement ... to purchase 300 million doses," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on Wednesday.

Pfizer announced Monday that an early look at data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective -- a much better than expected efficacy if the trend continues.

The company's CEO's Albert Bourla called it "the greatest medical advance" in the last 100 years.

According to BioNTech, the EU contract will guarantee the supply of 200 million doses, with an option to procure an additional 100 million doses. The pharmaceutical company says it expects deliveries to begin by the end of 2020, pending approval of the vaccine by the European Medical Agency. 

"As a company founded in the heart of Europe, we are looking forward to supplying millions of people upon regulatory approval," BioNTech's CEO Ugur Sahin said in a statement Wednesday. 

"Our aim is to develop a safe and effective vaccine to contribute to bringing this pandemic to an end. Only through joint efforts will we be able to do so," Sahin added. 

The vaccine uses never-before-approved technology called messenger RNA, or mRNA, to spark an immune response in people who are vaccinated.

On Tuesday, Sahin said on a call with reporters that said BioNTech's goal, in cooperation with Pfizer, is to ramp up production of their vaccine candidate in the hopes of manufacture up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021, if it receives authorization.

BioNTech and Pfizer plan to ask the US Food and Drug Administration to authorize emergency use of the vaccine, with that request coming perhaps as early as next week, he said.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

In Kenya, a Cherished Fig Tree Gets a Reprieve

The 100-year-old tree, slated for removal to make room for a new expressway, will be preserved following a backlash from environmentalists concerned about shrinking green spaces in Nairobi.

Demonstrators turned out last month in Nairobi to protest the Kenyan government’s plan to remove the fig tree.Credit...

A beloved fig tree in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, will live to see another day — and, possibly, another century.

On Wednesday, the head of the Nairobi metropolitan area said the 100-year-old fig tree that was slated for removal to make way for a new expressway would not only be saved but also preserved as a national symbol of environmental conservation.

The announcement was a victory for both environmentalists and cultural leaders in Kenya who denounced the efforts to cut or relocate the fig tree, which many communities consider sacred. Some experts had doubted that the ancient tree, which is four stories high, would have survived being uprooted and moved.

“Whatever development that is going to happen here will not touch this tree,” Maj. Gen. Mohammed Badi, the director general of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, said during a visit to the fig tree in the bustling commercial district of Westlands.

Mr. Badi said he had instructed city officials to fence off the tree and beautify the area so that the city’s residents could enjoy the space. He also signed a declaration that adopted the tree “as a beacon of Kenya’s cultural and ecological heritage” and as a symbol of “Nairobi’s commitment to environmental conservation.”

The authorities announced in October that they planned to uproot the tree to make way for the construction of the Nairobi Expressway, a four-lane highway funded and built by China. The 17-mile highway, which is set for completion in 2022, is aimed at reducing traffic in the heart of Nairobi and is expected to create thousands of jobs.

But from the outset, the project drew criticism from environmental groups who said the effects on air quality and green spaces had not been taken into account. Even though Nairobi is popularly known as the “Green City in the Sun,” parks, forests and gardens have been dwindling in the city in recent years because of commercial and infrastructural development.

Activists also lamented the felling of dozens of trees along the highway’s route and filed a case against the environmental regulator for approving the project. Kenyan law would normally require the suspension of the project pending a court decision, but construction has continued.

Environmentalists on Wednesday welcomed the decision to save the fig tree but called for more action to save green spaces across the capital.

“The move by the National Metropolitan Services is very welcome and a good starting point for us to converse around ethical development and investments in Kenya,” George Mwangala, the East Africa lead for Purpose Climate Lab, a social impact agency that has opposed the expressway’s construction, said in a statement.

But, he added, “we have to ensure nature and our lived environments coexist and complement infrastructure development at all levels.”

Wanjira Mathai, the daughter of the late environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, said she welcomed the decision to save the tree.

“With what we now know about the role of green spaces and trees in keeping cities livable, we should work to ensure that Nairobi’s development is green and inclusive,” Ms. Mathai, chairwoman of the Wangari Maathai Foundation, said in an interview.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

After 26-year-long manhunt, Rwanda genocide ‘financier’ goes to UN tribunal at The Hague

Felicien Kabuga allegedly imported hundreds of thousands of machetes into Rwanda in the run up to the 1994 genocide

 

A handout photo released on May 16, 2020, by the UN shows Felicien Kabuga, one of the last key fugitives wanted over the 1994 Rwandan genocide [AFP]

The man known as the ‘Eichmann of Africa’ faces his first pre-trial hearing in The Hague on Wednesday.

Felicien Kabuga used to be one of the richest men in Rwanda and is the suspected financier and mastermind of the country’s 1994 genocide. 

In May, French police tracked him down to a flat in the commune of Asnières-Sur-Seine outside Paris, ending a transcontinental 26-year-long manhunt for Africa’s most wanted man. 

Mr Kabuga is accused of several crimes against humanity - including genocide, complicity in genocide and incitement to commit genocide - for having helped create a militia group and using his radio company, Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Colline (RTLMC), to incite people to murder. He denies the charges. 

He allegedly imported hundreds of thousands of machetes into Rwanda that were doled out to the Interahamwe, an extremist Hutu militia accused of overseeing much of the slaughter. As the genocide began, Interahamwe militiamen were transported from killing site to killing site in RTLMC's vehicles and were even given uniforms, investigators say.

Mr Kabuga's radio provided the soundtrack of the genocide, urging Hutus to hunt down and kill the Tutsi “inyenzi”, or cockroaches.

“The graves are only half full,” the station’s presenters were heard to warn. “We must complete the task.”

After spending most of this year in a French prison, Mr Kabuga was transferred to a detention centre in The Hague.

A French court initially ruled that he could be turned over to United Nations custody in Arusha, Tanzania, where the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda took place. However, Mr Kabuga’s lawyers successfully argued that he should stay in a detention centre in The Hague for now because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

His lawyers will be asked to update the tribunal on Wednesday on how their preparations for trial were proceeding, said Tanzanian Judge Iain Bonomy. Mr Kabuga could appear in a courtroom in The Hague or via videolink from his detention centre, he added.

Mr Kabuga — aged 84 according to the arrest warrant, even though he says he is 87 — has been on the run using false passports and identities for almost three decades. For some time, he was protected by powerful individuals in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

A Kenyan journalist, William Gichuki, tried to help the FBI track him down and came close to finding him in 2003. But Mr Gichuki was shot dead and his body was disfigured by acid before the FBI could act on the information.  

The UN says 800,000 people - mostly ethnic Tutsis - died during the Rwanda genocide, which lasted 100 days starting in April 1994.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Kenya commissions railway facility to boost ease of doing business

 

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta commissions newly acquired Diesel Multiple Units for the country’s revamped commuter rail system. (Photo Courtesy: Kenya Railways)

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday officially commissioned the country’s revamped commuter rail system in efforts to decongest traffic in the capital, Nairobi.

The system, which will also feature a new light cargo handling facility, was built to improve the ease of doing business in the country, particularly for small scale traders.

“We are also talking about the ease of doing business by our small traders they are our biggest employers and we need to ensure that they are treated fairly, and they are facilitated just like all others are,” President Kenyatta said while commissioning the project.

President Kenyatta unveils a commemorative plaque to officially commission the Nairobi Central Railway Station Refurbished under the Modernization Program of the Nairobi Commuter Rail Service. | #NairobiCommuterRail pic.twitter.com/MuYI6v1sLt

— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) November 10, 2020

Kenya’s finance minister Ukur Yatani echoed the president’s comments saying the facility will allow traders to access their goods in Nairobi instead of traveling all the way to the port city of Mombasa as had been the case.

“This initiative coupled with One Stop Border Post (OSBP) has improved the flow and efficiency of goods and services across our borders, with considerable savings to traders,” Yatani said.

He added traders will access their imported goods at the facility without intervention of clearing agents and other intermediaries to reduce the bureaucracy and lower the cost of handling imported goods.

“…we have been closely engaging the traders with a view to solving issues around the importation of their goods. Key amongst them, has been delays in cargo clearance for most traders who import through consolidators,” Yatani noted.

Kenyatta also directed the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) to levy a uniform charge on imported goods irrespective of their size to all businesses.

Small-scale traders, especially those who trade in used clothes, have previously complained of the high cost of doing business due to high taxation rates despite the small volume of goods they handle.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Ethiopian government troops seize airport in Tigray as refugees flee to Sudan

Tigrayan troops were forced to surrender after government forces took control of Humera Airport, near the Sudanese border.

 

Refugees are fleeing the Tigray region and crossing the border into neighbouring Sudan

The Ethiopian military has seized an airport in the northern Tigray region where fighting against local leaders has led to dozens of refugees fleeing to neighbouring Sudan, according to reports.

Tigrayan forces surrendered after government troops took control of Humera Airport, state TV claimed on Tuesday.

Federal soldiers also captured a road that connects the town of Humera to the Sudanese border, the Fana broadcaster stated.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has vowed his military will bring a quick end to the fighting in the region along with the removal of its leadership, which his government sees as illegal.

The African Union is calling for an immediate ceasefire.

 

Tensions have been building between the Tigray region (pictured) and Ethiopia's central government

 The week-long conflict has resulted in at least 30 armed Ethiopian troops from the region and "large numbers of refugees" crossing the border into Sudan, the state-run SUNA news agency said.

At least six people have died and 60 have been injured, according to Doctors Without Borders, but local media claims that dozens more have been killed.

Authorities in Al Qadarif, Sudan, have started preparing to build a refugee camp for fleeing Ethiopians.

The international community has warned of civil war in the region, which has more than nine million people, and a major humanitarian crisis if tensions are not addressed.

Meanwhile Mr Abiy has continued to defy international calls for peace in the region.

His spokeswoman Billene Seyoum said on Tuesday: "There is no rebuffing of anyone by the prime minister.

"He had acknowledged and given gratitude for the concerns shown.

"Nevertheless, Ethiopia is a sovereign nation and its government will ultimately make decisions in the long-term interest of the country and its people."

Mr Abiy, who belongs to Ethiopia's largest ethnic group - the Oromos - was given a Nobel Peace Prize after taking power in 2018 for calming tensions with neighbouring Eritrea.

But his sweeping reforms have left the Tigrayans - who live in the north of the country near the border - marginalised.

 

Humera Airport and a nearby road have been seized by federal troops

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) dominated national politics for more than 30 years, but now governs its own people - separately to the federal administration.

Mr Abiy is already reported to have launched 10 airstrikes in Tigray.

With the internet largely blacked out and transport links blockaded, the region has been isolated from the rest of the world since it held elections against the will of the government in September.

Each side blames the other for sparking the conflict.

Mr Abiy claims tensions heightened after Tigrayan forces attacked a government military based in the region.

 

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.

Fleeing Tanzanian Former MP Godbless Lema Freed By Police In Kenya

 

Former Tanzanian MP Godbless Lema (right) with his lawyer George Wajackoya (left) with an unidentified an in the middle when the former legislator addressed a press conference at Kajiado Police Station on November 9, 2020.

 

Fiery Tanzanian politician Godbless Lema, who was arrested in Kenya while fleeing persecution has been freed.

Lema, a former MP for Arusha, fled with his wife and three children but was arrested by police officers in Bisil on the Nairobi-Namanga road. He was later handed over to authorities in Kajiado Police Station.

His lawyer George Wajackoyah protested his detention, saying Kenya was going against the international convention that requires protection for anyone fleeing his country for fear of political persecution.

“Kenya has the obligation to protect him, he should not have arrested at all,” Wajackoyah told reporters at Kajiado Police Station when the former MP was freed.

He said, “we have been in contact with the US Embassy in Dar Es Salaam and they want to know if we have reached the UNHCR offices.”

The former MP on his part told reporters that he fled his country on learning that there was a plot to assassinate him.

“I could not take such reports jokingly because I have lost a lot of friends and others are still missing. I knew they will kill me and that is why I fled with my wife and three children who are already in Nairobi,” he said, “let it be known that I am not fleeing hunger from my country. I am also not looking for a job. I am running to save my life.”

There has been a crackdown on Opposition leaders since President John Magufuli won the second term, trouncing his challenger Tundu Lissu who accused him of vote rigging.

Earlier Monday, Amnesty International had urged Kenyan authorities not to deport the former Tanzanian Opposition Member of Parliament.

Kenya’s Amnesty Executive Director Houghton Irungu said the alleged planned move by the Kenyan authorities would violate the principle of non-refoulment, an international principle also subscribed by Kenya, that prohibits a country from turning away people at the border or returning them to a country where they would be at risk of persecution or danger.

Lema, who has been critical of Magufuli’s administration, was on Sunday arrested by police in Kajiado after crossing the border alongside his wife and three children. His family was later freed.

Lema and his family crossed from Tanzania through the Namanga border and were arrested immediately after the Tanzanian authorities notified their Kenyan counterparts.

The former MP had reportedly declined to hand over his passport to Tanzanian immigration officials.

Irungu noted that deporting Lema back to Tanzania where he risks facing serious human rights violations, would amount to “a human rights violation” and challenged the Kenyan government to protect and provide him with sanctuary.

“We call on the Kenyan government to process Godbless Lema and his family’s quest for asylum per its obligations to the Refugee Convention, O.A.U Convention on Refugees and the Refugee Act 2006,” he said.

Irungu said since Kenya is a state party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1969 O.A.U Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, “anyone seeking asylum must be allowed into Kenya, whether the entry is by legal or illegal means,”.

He added that Lema has the right to have his application heard and considered for refugee status.

“He also has the right to remain in Kenya until a final decision has been made on his case and the procedural right to appeal as provided in law,” he said.

There has been a crackdown on opposition leaders following President Magufuli’s re-election in a landslide victory questioned by his critics led by his main challenger Tundu Lissu who lost.

Lema was among three opposition leaders who were released last week when they were arrested for mobilising demonstrations to demand fresh elections.

Thanks for reading. Follow the page and Share it.