By Paul Ndiho November 16, 2011 Tensions are high in the Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of this month’s presidential election, with several people injured after supporters of the main opposition party clashed with supporters of incumbent President Joseph Kabila, during a rally earlier this month. The national elections are due to be held on 28 November 2011 and will mark only the second time since its independence in 1960 that the DRC will be holding democratic elections. But human rights activists warn that the poll could spark off new violence. Ravina Shamdasani, is the Spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. “We are very worried about security in the upcoming election and this is why we are sounding an alarm bell at this point. To try and prevent the kind of violence that accompanied the previous election in 2006.” Incumbent president Joseph Kabila is favored to be re-elected. But Kabila facing stiff competition from tweleve other candidates Human rights activist Yussa Bunzigiye Prosper, says the opposition is prepared to take their political struggle to the streets. “This time around the guy who is the leading opponent of Kabila has no blood, has no crime on his hands, he has never used army, he has never been a rebel, this guy he has been an advocate of people’s rights and good governors for the past 30 years… he did it during Mobutu time. The only difference is that during Mobutu’s time is he was only advocating. But this time around the world environment is different; he has been given the chance to go to the battle… So what does that mean? It means that when the elections are over and it’s clear that Kabila has rigged the election, Tshisekedi Is going to run a parallel administration from the street.”
The human rights report released this week notes that the situation in the East of the country is of particular concern. Political parties have reportedly been targeted and their members detained, ill-treated and threatened. Most of the violations committed are said to involve elements of the Congolese National Police, or the National Intelligence Services. “We’ve seen people destroy voting cards of citizens of the DRC so that they will not be able to vote. We’ve seen police prevent demonstrations from taking place; prevent press conferences from taking place from opposition political leaders. This has to stop and the Government has to send a clear message that there will be accountability for such violations. According to Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Violations have targeted the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and the Union pour la Nation Congolaise (UNC) parties. President Kabila faces a struggle to hold onto the eastern provinces that sealed his victory in 2006, where voters now blame Kabila for failing to provide peace and security. The Human Rights report calls upon the international community to step up efforts to train security forces and judicial officers, and to promote monitored, free and fair elections. In Katanga Province, Governor Moise Katumbi supports the Kabila government, which he says has made great strides in the troubled east in just one term. “In my view, we need to start a system of rotation. What has ruined Africa today are presidents who want to stay in power indefinitely or politicians or governors who want to stay in office for life. Thankfully, our constitution here only allows for two terms in office.” But human rights activists say that President Kabila has failed to deliver for Congo. “There is no peace in the Kivu region I come from there … One of the biggest challenges Kabila has, is that he has failed to live up to the standards of his father.” Kabila promises that he will improve road infrastructure and higher education. The president’s support base is in the east of the country, where he was born, and an area rich in minerals. Congo has about 4 percent of the world’s copper reserves, about half its cobalt and is the largest supplier of tin ore in Africa.
By Paul Ndiho November 15, 2010 Earlier this year the U.S. Government, in partnership with Century Entrepreneurship Development Agency or CEDA a Ugandan based NGO launched the “Rising Stars Mentoring Program.” The program seeks to empower girls and women to become economically independent and socially responsible. The program enables girls to focus and re-frame their thinking, transform their lives, take charge of their destiny, and improve their communities. VOA’s Paul Ndiho recently spoke to Rehmah Kasule founder of CEDA International. She says Women in Uganda lack confidence, self-belief, negotiating skills, and have limited access to mentors and role models to inspire them.
By Paul Ndiho November 8, 2011 As power cuts persist, many Africans who can’t afford expensive generators or solar panels have resorted to torches made of discarded computer discs, strips of wire and wood to light up their homes. Many homes and businesses are forced to rely on generators for electricity because of the lengthy and frequent power cuts that happen regularly in most African countries. Some areas go for days at a time without electricity. Millions who cannot afford generators use kerosene lamps or candles. In order to solve this problem I have invented a new environmentally friendly source of light, and I’d like to produce it on a large scale to help out struggling families in my country, Uganda, or across the continent.
My home-made torches have become popular with people looking for cheap sources of light. The torches cost between (1-3 US dollars) depending on the configuration of the bulbs. People who have tried it in my rural village in southwestern Uganda say the three-battery kind lasts for a month, and is much cheaper than kerosene lamps. The idea for the torch started as a result of the lengthy and frequent power cuts I experienced when I was in Africa. As a young kid growing I was always bothered by the “frequent power cuts” or “road shading” I decided to apply my simple knowledge of generating more light from my High School science project. Several years later, it became a reality and many people have benefited from this clean source of light. Students in remote villages use the torch to study at night and others use it to see while cooking. At the moment there is no mass production of the torch, but the people I have entrusted with the business of assembling the torch and selling it say they are able to sustain their families and the extra money is spent on taking their kids to school. Environmental experts who have used it say it’s a solution for dealing with the frequent power cuts in most rural communities, it’s a change from the norm, and does not burn fossil fuels. “Africa’s Next Cheap Source of Light” is an alternative source of lighting for poor people; it’s made from recycled products, is affordable and is a ready remedy for Africa’s unreliable electric power delivery.
By Paul Ndiho November 8, 2011 Recently here in Washington Mary Mavanza, manager of the Jane Goodall Institute’s (JGI) TACARE program in Tanzania was recognized as one of six women heroes of global conservation on Capitol Hill, at an event sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, the Alliance for Global Conservation, and the Green Belt Movement. VOA’s Paul Ndiho talked to Mary Mavanza about her role in helping rural women in Tanzania conserve the environment.
Mavanza says that in most sub Saharan African countries, women are the main providers of water, firewood, food, medicine and other basic necessities. And because they are the most directly connected to the environment, women are the most directly affected by environmental degradation.
The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) works in western Tanzania with local communities living near key chimpanzee habitats make a living in ways that do not destroy the forest. The program targets 52 villages that surround Gombe National Park, Masito and Ugalla. VOA’S Paul Ndiho’s talks to Emmanuel Mtiti, director, Gombe Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem Program.
Mtiti says that Jane Goodall Institute also educates local communities about global climate change, and sustainable agriculture practices and livelihoods.
Students from Makerere University faculty of technology test drive an electric car they have built and plan to use the prototype to entice potential investors to start mass production. Like many capital cities, Kampala in Uganda has its share of pollution. A fast growing population and rapid urban development has meant more cars on the road and more fumes in the atmosphere. Environmentalists warn the high level of urban pollution is set to rise, leaving Kampala residents at risk of health problems and adding to the country’s carbon footprint. But all that could change if a group of students from Makerere University in the capital have their way.
They’ve designed their very own version of the electric car, already making waves elsewhere in the world where it’s been touted as the solution to eradicating global car emissions. Appropriately painted green to demonstrate its environmental credentials the Kiira EV can reach speeds of up to 60mph and lasts for three to four hours before it needs to be recharged. It was test driven through to streets of Kampala last week. Jonathan Kasumba, a local resident who turned out to witness the green car’s virgin outing said this is the best thing that has come out of Uganda in a longtime. “To me it is a great achievement, it is something I would personally say, it’s a change to the norm, everybody thinks this is from outside, this is from outside, now they can see, it is coming from within,” The prototype for Kiira EV cost around 35,000 US dollars but engineers say that cost could be bought down to as little as 15,000 US dollars when it is mass produced. Meanwhile, its designers already have their sights set on expanding the brand to include bigger vehicles. Paul Musasizi lead EV kiira engineering team. “You know Uganda is well endowed with solar energy, we would like to tap that and put it into that commuter bus so that is where our energies are focused now that we know we can build a car, that one we have done, that one is history”. The car was assembled by a team of eight engineers, supervised by one of Uganda’s leading professors in electrical engineering and computing, Tickodri Togboa. It was funded mostly by a government grant given to the engineering department to propel technological research over a period of five years. Mukibi Dan, a Ugandan environmental activist says the car represents an important milestone for Uganda, not only demonstrating a level of commitment to top level teaching and design in Kampala but also an assurance that green issues are high on the agenda. “The issues as we talk now is about environmental protection and I think this prototype, being that it is not going to use fossil fuel as it were to be able to move, I think it is an innovation that as a citizen and an environmental activist am proud off,”. The car is yet to be fitted with a speedometer or a system to power its electric windows, but according to students they have already had requests from interested members of the public hoping to buy one when they hit the shops sometime in the future.
The death of Moammar Gaddafi, one of Africa’s longest serving rulers, has put a spotlight on other African rulers who have been in power for decades. The way in which Mr. Gaddafi was brought down may have other dictators in sub-Saharan Africa wondering if they also might be the target of revolutionaries. Three of the 10 longest serving rulers in Africa have fallen this year – Ben Ali of Tunisia, who ruled for 23 years, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, in power for 30 years, and Libya’s Col. Moammar Gaddafi who was in power 42-years Now, Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea and Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola take the number one spot as the longest serving Presidents with 32 years of ruling their countries respectively. There are other long serving leaders in Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Uganda, Swaziland and Burkina Fasso. Guinea’s President has been in power for 32 years, after he seized power in a military coup in August of 1979. In November 2009, he was re-elected for a seven-year term, winning over 95% of the vote.
In power for 32 years, Angola’s President Dos Santos assumed the presidency of the mineral-rich country also in 1979, four years into a civil war with UNITA rebels that ended only in 2002. His ruling party won a landslide 2008 victory, leaving rivals in tatters; dos Santos changed the constitution and boosted his powers. Following independence, Robert Mugabe became Zimbabwe’s prime minister in April of 1980. He became president in 1987, an office he still holds today. In February 2009, Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change were forced into a coalition government. Cameroon’s President Biya has been in power for 29 years. He was re-elected by almost 80% of the vote in October 2011 for another seven-year term. A 2008 constitutional amendment removed term limits in Cameroon. The Congo’s president has ruled the West African nation for 26 years. In power all but five of the last 32 years, Sassou Nguesso seized power in a 1979 coup but then lost the country’s first multi-party elections in 1992 to scientist Pascal Lissouba. Nguesso regained the presidency in 1997 after a civil war and was re-elected in 2004 for another seven-year term. Uganda’s General Museveni has been in power now for 26 years. He seized Kampala after a five-year guerrilla war in 1986, and Museveni banned multi-party politics until 1996. Museveni was re-elected 2011 with 68 percent of the vote, and his main rival Kizza Besigye received 26 percent. Analysts watching sub-Saharan Africa say although recent rebellions have so far been limited to North Africa, increasingly there are protests against regimes in other parts of the continent, triggered by economic conditions – high food and fuel prices, poor job opportunities or service delivery. And they say that African leaders could be taking notice of this trend, as in Zambia, where ex-president Rupiah Banda graciously accepted defeat this year and made a voluntary exit from power.
By Paul Ndiho October 25, 2011 Uganda guarantees all children of elementary school age a place in a government-funded school. But the system suffers from inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and the luck of qualified teachers. I sat down with John Wanda a native of Uganda and Co- founder Arlington Academy of Hope outside Washington DC about helping out Children in rural Eastern Uganda reach their full potential.
Joyce Wanda co- founder of Arlington Academy of Hope says that when Arlington Academy of Hope opened in 2004, there was no reliable medical care clinic in the rural Bududa area. Joyce and her Husband John built two-community health centers in the village that provides free medical care, and immunizations. She says that their main goal is to improve the quality of life and transform poor villages into self-sustaining communities.
Libya’s long time leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed today by NTC fighters he once scorned as “rats”, cornered, beaten and then shot in the head after his chaotic capture by fighters who overran his last redoubt on Thursday in his hometown of Sirte. Two months after Western-backed rebels ended 42 years of eccentric, often bloody, one-man rule by capturing the capital Tripoli, his death and the fall of the final bastion ended a nervous hiatus for the new interim government, which is now set to declare formal “liberation” with a timetable for elections. But confusion over Gaddafi’s death was a reminder of the challenge for Libyans to now summon order out of the armed chaos that is the legacy of eight months of grinding conflict. The killing or capture of senior aides, including possibly two sons, as an armored convoy braved NATO air strikes in a desperate bid to break out of Sirte, may ease fears of diehards regrouping elsewhere – though cell phone video, apparently of Gaddafi alive and being beaten, may inflame his sympathizers. Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, reading what he said was a post-mortem report, said Gaddafi was unhealed unresisting from a “sewage pipe”. He was then shot in the arm – it was not clear by whom – and then put in a truck, which was “caught in crossfire” as it ferried the 69-year-old to hospital. “He was hit by a bullet in the head,” Jibril said, adding it was unclear which side had fired the fatal shot. The body, bloodied, half naked, Gaddafi’s trademark long curls hanging limp around a rarely seen bald spot, was delivered, a prize of war, to Misrata, the city west of Sirte whose siege and months of suffering at the hands of Gaddafi’s artillery and sniper made it a symbol of the rebel cause. Here is a look back at the life of Libya’s strongman Muammar Gaddafi.
In February, peaceful protests against the rule of Muammar Gaddafi were met with violence by the regime. Six months later, Gaddaffi, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders is a fugitive– looking increasingly like other ousted autocratic leaders of the Arab Spring. Here is a look back at Gaddafi’s 42 years in power. Muammar Gaddafi was born in 1942 in the coastal area of Sirte to nomadic parents. He went to school at Sebha, then to Benghazi University to study geography, but he dropped out to join the army. Gaddafi debuted on the world stage in September 1969 when he led junior army officers in toppling King Idris in a bloodless military coup. The aging king had ruled the former Italian colony since gaining its independence 1951. Gaddafi oversaw the rapid development of his poverty-stricken country, formulating his “Third Universal Theory,” a middle road between communism and capitalism. One of his first tasks was to build up the armed forces, but he also spent billions of dollars of oil income on improving living standards, making him popular with the poor. Inspired by Arab nationalist sentiments, Gaddafi abandoned ties with Western powers and pursued the aim of uniting Arab countries. He instigated the Arab Federation with Syria and Egypt in April 1971, which soon crumbled in argument and recrimination. Gaddafi’s relations with the West, in particular the United States, became increasingly strained during the early 1980’s. He denied involvement in bankrolling hijackings, assassinations and revolutions while insisting on his right to support national liberation movements. Accusations that Gaddafi sent agents to blow up a Berlin club frequented by United States marines in 1986 led to U.S. airstrikes on Tripoli and Benghazi just days later. Gaddafi’s home in the Aziziya barracks was attacked and his adopted daughter killed. Gaddafi designed a political system of local congresses, where people were allowed to air their views and appoint representatives to the General People’s Congress. In theory, the People’s Congresses hold legislative and executive power but critics dismiss them as dedicated to maintaining power and wealth in the hands of Gaddafi and his family. Gaddafi has poured money into giant projects such as the Great Man-Made River, a vast network of underground pipes that pump water from desert wells to coastal communities. The project, which Gaddafi has described as the eighth wonder of the world, is estimated to have cost 20 billion dollars. United Nations Security Council sanctions, imposed in 1992 and strengthened in 1993, crippled Libya’s economy, but did not appear to dampen Gaddafi’s revolutionary spirit and his anti-capitalist, anti-Western rhetoric. Former South African President Nelson Mandela played a key role in persuading Gaddafi to surrender two Libyan nationals suspected of involvement in the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people. Libya subsequently agreed to accept civil responsibility for both the Lockerbie bombing and the bombing of a French UTA airliner over Niger in 1989– and to pay compensation to relatives of the victims. Gaddafi caught the world by surprise in December 2003 when Tripoli announced it would abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs and agreed to short-notice checks of its nuclear sites by U.N. nuclear inspectors. The announcement drew swift praise from London and Washington and virtually ending Libya’s international isolation. British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Gaddafi in Tripoli in March 2004 and over the next two years the United States ended a broad trade embargo, removed Libya from a list of state sponsors of terrorism and resumed full diplomatic relations. In 2006, Gaddafi made international headlines, the United States re-establish full diplomatic ties with Libya because Gaddafi had abandoned his nuclear weapons programs and helped in the campaign against terrorism. In April 2009, Gaddafi’s fourth eldest son Mutassim made an official visit to the U.S. State Department as Libya’s National Security Adviser and was met by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In 2009, African heads of state as the new Chairman of the African Union, replacing Tanzanian President, elected Gaddafi Jakaya Kikwete. In June 2009, Gaddafi made his first trip to Italy, Libya’s former colonial ruler. Wearing a picture of hanged resistance hero Omar Al-Mukhtar pinned to his military uniform, Gaddafi was welcomed by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and given a red carpet reception. He returned to Italy the following month to attend a G8 Summit in his role as African Union chairman- there he also met U.S. President Barack Obama. The return to Libya of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, who was released from jail in Scotland for health reasons in August 2009, was welcomed with celebrations. Gaddafi’s second eldest son, Saif al-Islam, accompanied al-Megrahi back to Libya and state television showed coverage of the Libyan leader greeting the former intelligence agent later that evening. In September 2009, Gaddafi marked the 40th anniversary of his leadership with six days of festivities designed to show that the long-isolated oil exporter was again open for international business after years of heavy sanctions. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was guest of honor at a military parade held to kick off the celebrations. Later that month, in his first visit to the U.S. since taking power, Gaddafi addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In his speech, Gaddafi accused major powers on the U.N.’s Security Council of betraying the principles of the U.N. charter and condemned the veto power held by the five permanent members of the Council. The advent of the “Arab Spring” which saw autocratic rulers toppled in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt in early 2011 encouraged a popular revolt against Gaddafi’s four decades in power. Gaddafi’s violent crackdown on dissent sparked a civil war, prompting the Arab League to call for a United Nations no-fly zone over Libya. On March 17th the U.N. Security Council voted to authorize a no-fly zone and “all necessary measures” to protect civilians against Gaddafi’s forces. Two days later a five-country coalition made up of the United States, France, Britain, Canada and Italy, launched air strikes on Libya in a joint operation called “Odyssey Dawn”. On June 27, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Gaddafi, his son Seif al-Islam, and the head of Libyan intelligence, Abdullah al-Senussi, for atrocities committed during a violent uprising that began mid-February. In spite of the rebellion, NATO air strikes and the defection of some of his closest aides, Muammar Gaddafi has remained defiant and there was no shortage of fighters willing to claim they saw Gaddafi, who long vowed to die in battle, cringing below ground, like Saddam eight years ago, and pleading for his life. One description, pieced together from various sources, suggests Gaddafi tried to break out of his final redoubt at dawn in a convoy of vehicles after weeks of dogged resistance. However, he was stopped by a French air strike and captured, possibly some hours later, after gun battles with NTC fighters who found him hiding in drainage ditch. NATO said its warplanes fired on a convoy near Sirte about 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT), striking two military vehicles in the group, but could not confirm that Gaddafi had been a passenger.
In Africa, more than 70% of the population earns their livelihood through farming. Most of these are small scale farmers who may need help and solutions from the feed industry. U.S.-based Novus International is a global developer of animal health and nutrition programs, and is working in some African countries. One of Novus International’s goals in Africa is to provide farmers with accessible feeding solutions for livestock such as poultry, cattle, and pigs. Thad Simons, President and CEO, says it’s critical that Novus empowers African farmers to build their feeding and animal care capacity. “Certainly having a reference lab in Kenya will be very important for the whole development of the live stock industry. So we’ve actually worked with small scale farmers, changed some packaging sizes to address the needs of the small scale farmers; we’re also working, starting to work, with an organization in Kenya that’s going to set up small veterinary clinics across the country so we can start making sure that our products and technologies can reach the small scale farmers.”
Africa’s demand for food is expected to increase exponentially this century, and the continent may soon need twice the amount of food it produces today. Novus CEO Simons says the company attempts to gear its products towards the needs of the farmer. “We have local companies that are representing us in the market but we want to have a technical person there, either a veterinarian or animal nutritionist that really can understand what the local farmers’ needs are, what are the local conditions, what are they actually experiencing in terms of access to raw materials, to grains, to what needs to go into the animals feeds and how we can help them to use our solutions and our technologies in the best ways that suits them.” Bayella Thiam, Africa director at Novus, says high-quality research can help turn subsistence farming into income-generating enterprises. “I think one of the key points is that we cannot deal with agribusiness or livestock without thinking about the small scale farmers. So our solution today is built for commercial guys around the world. In Africa, the large part is small scale farmers. That means we need to think about the packaging the message in small size.” Thiam also says that there is a need to write the brochures in their local language so that farmers can understand what they need to know. Analysts say improving small scale agriculture is fundamental to the economic growth of emerging markets, and access to affordable livestock inputs and technologies is essential.
Uganda’s coffee earnings have risen 63 percent in the last year, with harvests boosted by good weather. The East African nation, which cultivates primarily Robusta coffee, is one of Africa’s leading exporters of coffee and its earnings are a key revenue source. Uganda’s Coffee Development Authority, UCDA, reports the country earned over 400 million dollars between October 2010 and August of this year, nearly doubling earnings from the same period of 2009. The government-run agency says the surge in earnings is due to good weather and the rise in coffee prices on global market. Over 300 thousand bags of coffee were shipped from Uganda in August, bringing total bean exports this season to close to 3 million bags.
David Barry is with Kyagalanyi coffee exporters. “I think the weather conditions have been generally favorable but quite interestingly they have prompted a fly crop (secondary crop) in certain growing areas we had not factored in our numbers, the prices have indeed been very good on the world market, coffee prices for both Arabica and Robusta have increased tremendously, so the income for the Ugandan farmer has in real terms doubled over the last twelve to eighteen months”. Southern Uganda accounts for nearly half of the country’s total coffee production. Next year, Uganda will distribute coffee to farmers who may want to experiment with new varieties that can withstand drought. Angelo Mukasa, is with the Kyagalanyi coffee research centre in central Uganda. He says the centre provides assistance to Uganda’s coffee farmers, who are now harvesting this year’s crop: ” We have at least three thousand registered farmers. We extend to them good agricultural practices and of course the good husbandry for coffee and also for post harvest handling the quality is good enough, so that ensures that we get a better market for our produce,” Charles Mubiru is a coffee farmer in the Kayunga district. He says small Ugandan coffee farmers are still struggling: “Coffee farming has improved greatly and the returns are good. Except that I think there is capacity to produce more, the problem is the taxes on farm inputs. We have pests that destroy our coffee crops, but there are no pesticides to treat our crops. We plead with the government to reduce taxes on farm inputs, so many people would love to grow coffee.” Two years ago, Uganda launched the first coffee packaging factory in Africa which processes the beans for export. Uganda’s long time leader General Museveni notes that the processing plant brings more money to farmers. The same kilograms from which you are getting one dollar as beans, once it is processed this way — roasting and grinding — then the price of the same coffee goes up from one dollar to fifteen dollars. That is why I have been telling my European friends that we are the donors; we are the ones donating to you,” However, some Ugandan farmers worry that they will remain at the mercy of the middle-men. “We are hoping that they would be decent enough to share the additional profits with us, because if they come here they will see the high quality of coffee we have, if we get the benefits of the improved price, it will motivate us to improve the quality of our coffee so that they (roasters) fetch better profits in the market,” Analysts say Uganda is among the top largest coffee producers in the world and could become be the largest producer in East Africa.
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