Skip to main content

African press review 21 October 2016

The Ugandan High Court frees a treason suspect on bail. Tanzania's governemnt wants the nation's schoolchildren to plant trees. The United Nations' Environment Programme would probably approve, since they're worried about the climatic impact of deforestation. And what does South Africa's new Public Protector stand for?

Advertising

The East African reports that the High Court in Uganda yesterday granted bail to an opposition member of parliament who has been in prison on treason charges.

Michael Kabaziguruka was freed on bail for the shilling equivalent of 1,200 euros in cash and a 30,000-euro bond. Several of the MP's Forum for Democratic Change colleagues, including the party’s president Mugisha Muntu and Kampala’s mayor Erias Lukwago, acted as guarantors for his release.

Kabaziguruka, who was arrested on 8 June, 2016, is facing treason charges along with 22 Ugandan soldiers for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

The trial, before a military court, is due to commence on 8 November.

Kids to plant and nurture trees through school

The East African also reports that Tanzania is going to make tree-planting compulsory for the nation's school students. Starting next year, Tanzania's first-graders will have to show up for the first day of school with a tree seedling. Those moving into secondary school will be expected to bring three seedlings.

Environment Minister January Makamba says the new directive, which is part of government efforts to protect the environment, will apply to both public and private schools and the kids' tree-planting activities will form part of the end-of-school assessment.

The children will be expected to take care of the young trees they plant through their school years. Participation in the programme will become a requirement for the granting of leaving certificates.

Climate change on Mt Kilimanjaro causing drought

As more than one million people face food shortages because of drought in Kenya, the UN's Environment Programme says one of East Africa's most important sources of water is drying up because of the impact of climate change on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Populations and property near Mount Elgon on the Kenya-Uganda border are also being threatened by the impact of climate change.

The UN agency's findings were discussed at a three-day World Mountain Forum in Mbale, Uganda, that ended yesterday.

The UN body has urged the government of Tanzania to initiate large-scale reforestation of Kilimanjaro in an attempt to protect the mountain's water catchment area.

The Nairobi-based environmental agency also calls on Kenya to adopt a “comprehensive climate-change policy.”

The Kenyan and Ugandan governments are to be encouraged to harmonise environmental policies described by the United Nations Environment Programme as disjointed and even contradictory and failing to address climate change, particularly in mountain areas.

War criminal convicted of bribing witnesses

Former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba has been convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of bribing witnesses.

Bemba was found guilty earlier this year of war crimes and crimes against humanity and jailed for 18 years.

Earlier this week he was convicted of corruptly influencing witnesses and falsifying evidence in that trial. Four others, described as Bemba's close aides, were also found guilty.

It is the first such corruption trial in the history of the ICC in the Dutch city of The Hague.

The court heard that Bemba had masterminded a witness corruption network from inside his prison cell during his original trial. His team used secret phones and coded language to bribe, coach and manipulate at least 14 key witnesses who came to give evidence.

Bemba's lawyer Aimé Kilolo was among those convicted.

The sentences will be announced at a later date. The five accused face up to five years in prison or a fine, or both.

Who is Busisiwe Mkhwebane and why is she in the news?

Johannesburg-based paper BusinessDay profiles the country's new public protector, South Africa's ombudsman.

Busisiwe Mkhwebane was moving to mend ties with the government that were ruptured during her predecessor’s term, sources close to the office said yesterday.

Mkhwebane took over the reins at the beginning of this week and has wasted little time turning things around. She has shifted key senior officials close to Thuli Madonsela and asked that the television channels in the office be changed to ANN7, which is owned by the influential Gupta family. She told staff that the office existed to work with government and not to be its enemy.

There is a question mark over the new ombudsman's attitude to the report on interference in state affairs. The report, which centres on President Jacob Zuma’s relationship with the Guptas, was finalised by Thuli Madonsela on her last day. Tomorrow she is expected to file an affidavit responding to Zuma and Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen’s court bid to prevent the report’s release.

Mkhwebane said at a media briefing on Thursday that she was taking advice on the matter and had not yet decided whether she would oppose or agree with the application lodged by the pair. Insiders say she disagrees with some aspects of the report and the way it was finalised.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.