Kenya Election: Kenyatta Wins 2nd Term

August 11, 2017

The Kenya election commission has declared that the incumbent President, Uhuru Kenyatta had won a second and final five-year term in the country after this week’s polls.

According to the election commission head, Wafula Chebukati, Kenyatta took 54.27 percent of the vote while the opposition leader, Raila Odinga took 44.74 percent.

Provisional and unverified reporting following Tuesday’s vote had given Kenyatta a wide margin of 54% to 45% with 98% of polling stations reporting. He garnered 54.27% of the final vote; Odinga received 44.74%.

The nation’s top elections official, Wafula Chebukati, said the vote was carried out in a “free, fair and credible manner.”

Odinga, a 72-year-old former political prisoner who has campaigned for the presidency four times, had refused to accept the results, claiming that the vote was hacked.

Speaking before the declaration, Musalia Mudavadi, co-principal of the opposition’s National Super Alliance (NASA), said that they would not be party to the announcement of Kenyatta as president, citing unresolved concerns about the veracity of the electoral process.

“The issues we raised have not been adequately addressed. One can conclude that the Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission were not keen on taking our concerns seriously.”

James Orengo, NASA party chief agent, described the process as a disaster. This has been an entire charade. The judgment is now out there in the court of public opinion.”

Odinga, running as the NASA candidate, told CNN Thursday that he doesn’t “trust” the paper forms from polling stations around the country that officials used to authenticate votes.

Odinga said the forms could have been “manipulated” before being returned to the capital. At a news conference Thursday, members of Odinga’s party gave no evidence to support any claims of election tampering, citing only unnamed sources at the election commission.

Kisumu’s main street “Oginga Odinga street,” named for Raila’s father who acted as the country’s first vice president, was largely deserted on Friday.

In a letter released Friday morning, Chebukati, the chairman of the election commission, rejected the opposition coalition’s evidence of election fraud, calling it “obviously and plainly falsified.”

On Thursday, Chebukati said tampering with the election system “was attempted but did not succeed,” without elaborating further.

Peaceful elections in East Africa’s largest economy would help provide stability to the region but allegations of vote rigging have sparked concern with some Kenyans fearing ethnic clashes similar to those triggered a decade ago.

More than 1,000 died in months of violence and bloodshed after Odinga — who had been defeated by the then-President Mwai Kibaki — claimed the 2007 election had been rigged.

Odinga and his party repeatedly called for calm this week as the final results were compiled.

Extra security forces have been deployed to the streets of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, interior ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka told CNN. Additional police have also been installed at the airport in the western city of Kisumu as a preventative measure.

Nairobi remained quieter than usual after the national holiday on Tuesday. Some businesses were open in the city center but mostly people were remaining indoors; other residents who went to their home villages to vote might also have stayed away.

In Kisumu, a local journalist described the city center as “a ghost town.”

At least two people died in election-related violence after brief protests broke out in several Odinga strongholds — in Nairobi and Kisumu — on Wednesday. The day before, a polling agent from Odinga’s party was killed in a machete attack in Tana River county.

“We do not want to see any violence in Kenya. We know the consequences of what happened in 2008 and we don’t want to see a repeat of that anymore,” Odinga told CNN on Thursday.

“I don’t control anybody. What is happening is that people just want to see justice. We also hope that the security forces are not going to use excessive force.”

Courtesy: CNN.[myad]

Federal Govt Approves Refinancing Of Domestic Debts Through External Borrowing

Greenbarge Reporters

August 11, 2017

The Federal Government has approved the refinancing of part of the country’s domestic debt through external borrowing.
Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, spoke to news men shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday, allayed fears in financial circle, of increased borrowing, saying that instead of borrowing Naira: “we are now borrowing dollars and at a cheaper rate.”
The approval followed a proposal by the Debt Management Office (DMO) for the refinancing of part of the country’s domestic debts, particularly Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs), through the borrowing of $3 billion.
The minister said that the move was informed by the lower US Dollar interest rates in the International Capital Market (ICM), with Nigeria expected to borrow at a rate not higher than 7%.
This was even as issuances of the NTBs in the domestic market are at rates as high as 18.53%, making external borrowing cheaper by about 12%. Analysts agree that the implementation of the refinancing will result in substantial cost savings for the FGN in debt service costs.
They noted that reduction in the cost of borrowing, the $3 billion is expected to be raised for a tenor of up to 15 years, which is very long compared to the maximum tenor of 364 days for NTBs.
“This move will effectively extend the tenor of the government’s debt portfolio. The longer tenor enables the Government to repay at a time when the economy would be stronger and more diversified, to meet the obligations.
“The reduction in the level of the FGN’s borrowing from the domestic market would result in a reduction in domestic interest rates and free up borrowing space in the economy, particularly for private sector borrowers.
“The $3billion from the refinancing will also represent an injection of foreign exchange into the economy which will boost the country’s external reserves.
“The approval of the National Assembly will be obtained for the proposed refinancing before implementation in line with the Debt Management Office, Act 2003.” [myad]

“We’re Not Witch-Hunting,” Osinbajo Begs Army: Inaugurates Panel To Probe Alleged Violation Of Human Rights

Greenbarge Reporters

August 11, 2017

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has assured the Nigerian Army that the idea of probing the human rights violation leveled against its officers fighting Boko Haram war in the North East is not to witch-hunt them but to clear them from such allegation.
Inaugurating the panel, headed by Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Biobele George, the acting President praised the gallantry of the soldiers in the Boko Haram war-front, adding however that the probe would be in their own interest as the allegation of violation of human rights had taken international dimension.
“I would like to use this opportunity to assure the Armed Forces and all of our uniformed forces, that exercises such as this should be regular and would be regular, and must not be seen as a witch hunt and in any way to denigrate the very great work that the Armed Forces and uniformed forces are doing all over the country.”
Professor Osinbajo recalled a series of allegations that had been levelled against security forces by some local and international commentators, saying: “it is our belief that if left unaddressed, these allegations are capable of undermining the good work of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have largely conducted themselves in a disciplined and professional manner.
“Failure to examine some of these allegations will also leave those who may have been victims of such abuses without any recourse to justice.”
He made reference to history, which he said, had reinforced the fact that the failure of the nation’s justice system to adequately respond to crisis had been a recipe for greater conflict.
“It is in the light of the following that I have mandated the panel to focus on the following terms of reference:
· One, to review extant rules of engagement applicable to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the extent of compliance thereto.
· Two, to investigate alleged acts of violation of international humanitarian and human rights law under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the Geneva Conventions Act, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Ratification and Enforcement Act and other relevant laws by the Armed Forces in local conflicts and insurgencies.
· Three, to investigate matters of conducts and discipline in the Armed Forces in local conflicts and insurgencies; to recommend means of preventing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in conflict situations.
· Four, to make further recommendations in line with these terms of reference as may be deemed necessary.”
The acting President contended that it is the responsibility of the Armed Forces and all of those in government to ensure that they interrogate their own activities to meet up with human rights norms and basic rules of decency observed across the world.
Other members of the panel are
a. Major-General Patrick Akem;
b. Mr. Wale Fapohunda;
c. Mrs. Hauwa Ibrahim;
d. Mr. Jibrin Ibrahim;
e. Mr. Abba Ambudashi Ibrahim;
f. Mrs. Ifeoma Nwakama; and
g. Dr. Fatima Alkali to serve as counsel to the Panel.
The Panel also has a secretary from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.[myad]

Experts Appeal To Federal Government To Fund War Against Malnutrition Threatening Over 11 Million Nigerians

Greenbarge Reporters

August 11, 2017

Experts and stakeholders have made a collective appeal to the federal government to commit adequate funds to address the growing menace of malnutrition which has so far affected over 11 million Nigerians
They insisted that the best way to avert the danger posed by malnutrition is for the country to fund projects targeted at treating the millions of children stunted by malnutrition and create adequate awareness campaigns to prevent the menace.
Speaking at a one-day symposium on ‘malnutrition, child development and the media,’ organised by the Media Centre Against Child Malnutrition (MeCAM), project manager at the Civil Society on Scaling Up Nutrition Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Sunday Okoronkwo, said that the country currently does not have proper funding to address the problem.
He warned that figures such as 11 million Nigerian children being stunted may be a poor representation of the reality.
Okoronkwo, who stood in for CS-SUNN project director, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka, lamented that the country’s $912 million action plan on nutrition for the years 2014 through 2019 remains largely unfunded, with Nigeria’s $100 million counterpart funding of the policy hardly making it into the annual budgets.
According to him, the country’s 2017 budget has no provision for the plan which expires in 2019.
Speaking on ‘Dealing with nutritional Fads and Fallacies,’ chairman of CHRI, Dr. Aminu Garba called for declaration of emergency on malnutrition.
He advocated for sustained media engagement, among other steps, to address the many fallacies around the question of nutrition.
Garba stressed the need to debunk cultural claims that giving new born colostrum exposes him to witchcraft or that children and women should not eat meat or take adequate milk.
The national coordinator of MeCAM Nigeria, Remmy Nweke, said that the organisation evolved from the unique need for the media to respond to the national emergency on malnutrition.
He insisted that government’s funding to combat malnutrition is not “commensurate” to the volume and potential consequences of the unfolding crisis.
Representatives of other important stakeholders at the event are top pro-nutrition civil society groups, including Community Health and Research Initiative (CHRI), Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network Nigeria and Global Alliance on Improved Nutrition (GAIN).[myad]

Nigeria Army Boss Puts Economic Impact Of Boko Haram In North East At $9 Billion.

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has said that the economic impact of Boko Haram activities in the North East is estimated at $9 billion (N274.5 billion).
Buratai, who was represented by Major General, Peter Dauke, General Officer Commanding 81 division Lagos, spoke at the first annual conference of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), today, Thursday, in Lagios.
The Chief of Army’s paper is titled Counter: Insurgency and Role of the Nigerian Army in Creating Conducive Environment For Nigeria`s Economic Development.
General Buratai said that of the total amount, Borno had the highest impact of $5.9 billion (N180 billion).
He said that loss of agricultural production in the North East caused by Boko Haram activities was $3.5 billion (N107 billion).
The army chief said that Borno had 95 per cent of the 400,000 houses damaged by Boko Haram.
According to him, the restructuring of the army’s operations in the zone in 2015 yielded fruitful results.
“This restructuring changed the counter insurgency strategies by adopting aggressive posture, effective command and control, efficient use of weapon and logistics with particular attention to welfare of the troops.”
Buratai said that the new strategy led to the recapturing of territories occupied by the insurgents, rescue of about 300,000 hostages.
“Furthermore, not less than 1,009 Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered voluntarily, while 1,140 others have been arrested and another 1,500 confirmed boko haram terrorists are under investigation.”
He stated that with improved security, the Borno Adamawa and Yobe governments had embarked on reconstruction of damaged schools, bridges, hospitals and other critical infrastructure aimed at recreating socio-economic activities of the areas.
Buratai said that in keeping with its constitutional mandate of defending the nation, the army would ensure that the right atmosphere to promote economic development was maintained in the country. [myad]

Ex Anambra Gov, Peter Obi On How Nigeria Can Get Out Of Recession

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

Former Governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi has identified three things that the Federal Government must vigorously pursued if Nigeria must get out of economic recession.
Mr Obi was a Guest Speaker at the 1st Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) held on Thursday at Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja in Lagos.

Speaking on the theme “Sustaining growth through diversification of the economy”, he contended that Nigerian economy is already diversified.

Buttressing this, the former Governor said the non-oil sector is contributing about 80% to the nation’s GDP, noting that the tragedy is that the oil sector however accounts for 90% of our foreign exchange earnings.

He listed three ways to put the economy back on the path of growth.
According to him, government must as a matter of urgency embark on aggressive savings, diversification of the economy towards manufacturing and lastly investment in developmental education.

“Our economy is fully diversified because the non-oil sector is actually contributing about 80 per cent to our GDP today.

“But the tragedy of our economy is that 90 per cent of our export revenue is derived from just one sector – oil”.

“Diversifying our economy through manufacturing and investment in education is what we require today to turn around our economy.

“And by aggressive savings we’ll be able to get the resources to bring about micro economic stability to the country, defend our currency and be able to attract FDI and portfolio investments and unlock the resources to invest in our deteriorated infrastructure,” Obi, who described himself as a trader and businessman said.

Another Guest Speaker and Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Mr Bayo Onanuga, charged GOCOP to come up with code of conduct for online media practitioners.

He also charged the leadership of the Guild to pursue capacity building for members through workshops and seminars to broaden their knowledge.

The NAN MD assured that his organisation would collaborate with GOCOP in generating contents, not only text but videos and photographs.

On his part, the keynote speaker, Prof Akinyemi Onigbinde, posited that we need to restructure the polity before talking about diversification of the economy.

“Let me say this, and it is with all sense of responsibility, that the proponents of this ‘diversification’ theory, with respect to the chronically ill Nigeria economy, are not being honest.

“Indeed, I dare say they are being mischievous, just as they insist on playing Nero as our Rome prepares to go up in flames. Truth is, for Nigeria, it may well be one-minute to midnight, if we continue to ignore the ‘first principle’ in nation-building.

“So, what is responsible for Nigeria’s arrested development, to put it in a counter thesis to GOCOP request: Nigeria economy cannot enjoy a sustainable growth and neither can it be diversified because there is even no basis for economic growth.

“As I had earlier suggested, what economy are we to diversify? And As I had also insisted on, there can be no economy to be diversified, hence there will be no growth as to speak of ‘sustainable growth.’

“But let us, however, say that Nigeria will continue to remain in a state of suspended animation, economically, so long as some sections of the Nigerian nation space feel short-changed by the Nigeria political economy, due, largely, to the operations of present structure of the Nigerian state.

“Truth is, so long as the centre holds a ‘veto power’ over the economic activities of Nigeria so-called federating units, so long will Nigeria manifest destiny remain dormant,” Prof Onigbinde said.

Representatives of GOCOP key partners like FRSC, Mobil, NLNG, EFCC delivered goodwill messages calling for sustained relationship while the GOC 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General PJ Dauke, presented paper on counter-insurgency.

At the end of the one-day conference, the newly elected Executive Committee of GOCOP was inaugurated under the leadership of Mr Dotun Oladipo, Publisher, The Eagle Online.[myad]

Osinbajo Disagrees With Term ‘Nigerian Factor’ As Excuse For Failure

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo would not buy the idea of ‘Nigerian factor’ whenever things go wrong, saying it is an excuse for failure.
“Excuses won’t work here…it is called the Nigerian factor, or some say exceptionalism, or the acceptance of failure before you even start, is certainly not tenable any more.”
Professor Osinbajo who spoke in Abuja today, Thursday, at a retreat for ministers and other top government officials,
stressed: “we simply have to accept that there is nothing Nigerian about failure, because as we know in our personal lives, failure and success are commodities on offer to everyone all over the world and every individual and every country makes a choice of which to buy and I will say on our behalf that we will choose success.”
The Acting President insisted that the challenge has to do with the discipline not to be unreasonable in the set targets and objectives.
“There should be the discipline of attending the labs diligently and accepting to be locked in a room for as long as it takes to iron out what it is that needs to be done.
He called on the participants to do what they need to do to make sure that they see through the labs and that they have to identify specific areas where they will do this labs.
“We must see to it that this works.”[myad]

Nigeria’ll Work With International Seabed Authority To Enjoy Benefit Of Deep Sea Mining – Peterside

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said that Nigeria will work with the International Seabed Authority (ISBA) to enjoy the benefit of the deep sea mining.
Peterside, who spoke at the opening of the 23rd Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISBA) in Kingston, Jamaica, said that there is need for Nigeria to work more closely with the ISBA in the area of seabed resources exploration.
He commended ISBA for encouraging optimal utilization of seabed resources among maritime stakeholders even as he solicited for assistance in the area of capacity building to survey deep sea and establish data base of mineral resources for the benefit of mankind.
He said that Nigeria is currently developing policies that will aid the harnessing of seabed resources, adding: “the federal ministry of Transportation is developing a country’s economy policy and strategy which will incorporate the sustainable development of the country’s deep seabed resources.”
Peterside said that at the moment, the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic office has been undertaking hydrographic survey and charting of the maritime area.
He added that Nigerian Navy is also effectively enforcing the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea and other relevant international maritime instruments to which Nigeria is a party. [myad]

North Korea’s Military Describes Trump’s Threat As ‘Load Of Nonsense’

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

Kim Jong-un of North Korea with military chiefs and top government officials

North Korea’s military has described President Donald Trump’s threat warning of fire and fury as “load of nonsense.”
In a statement today, Thursday, through the Korean Central News Agency, a state-run media outlet, General Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the Korean People’s Army, said Trump’s comments fail to grasp the ongoing situation. The statement referred the American President as a “guy bereft of reason. He is extremely getting on the nerves of the country’s army.
“Only absolute force can work on him,” the statement reads.
It said that the country is still examining a possible strike on waters near Guam to signal a crucial warning to the U.S.
North Korea had earlier, in response to Trump’s remarks, that it was considering a strike on the U.S. territory in the western Pacific that would create “an enveloping fire.” Guam is home to a key Air Force base.
The statement said that the country will be “closely watching the speech and behavior of the U.S.
Speaking from Bedminster, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Trump used strong language to caution North Korea against making any further threats against the U.S.
“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening — beyond a normal statement — and as I said, they will be met with fire, fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before,” Trump said, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis added to the increasingly heated rhetoric, urging North Korea’s leader to “take heed” of the United Nations Security Council’s “unified voice,” referring to recent sanctions issued against the nation. Mattis also called for the country to “cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people.”
Members of the U.S. intelligence community believe that North Korea’s nuclear capabilities may be more advanced than initially thought and the country might have developed the technology to miniaturize a nuclear warhead so it can be placed inside an intercontinental ballistic missile, a U.S. official told ABC News on Tuesday. The Washington Post first reported the news, citing a July 28 report by the Defense Intelligence Agency about North Korea’s capabilities.[myad]

Crisis Engulfs Yobe PDP As Makarfi’s Faction Defies Court’s Order

Greenbarge Reporters

August 10, 2017

Deep crisis has engulfed the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State, making nonsense of the euphoria that greeted the emergence of Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic caretaker chairman of the party.
The crisis is said to be festering on the strength of of Makarfi’s loyalists’ claim that orders are now being churned out from Abuja.
The chairman’s loyalists are believed to be defying a court ruling which restrained the caretaker committee from recognizing any other exco other than the one led by Alhaji Gana Lawan.
Information reaching us from Yobe state said that, ahead of the Special Convention of the PDP, the High Court of Justice in Damaturu has issued an order restraining the National Caretaker Committee Chairman and others from recognizing Alhaji Sani Inwa Nguru as state chairman of the party.
Ruling on the suit which has Alhaji Gana Lawan and 26 others as plaintiffs, Justice U.Z Muhammed said: “It is hereby ordered the 1st defendant. respondent, any other than the applicants is/are hereby restrained from parading himself /themselves as chairman or state executive committee of PDP in Yobe State pending the determination of the plaintiff/applicants motion on notice .
The defenders/respondents in the case are Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP; the chairman PDP caretaker Committee, the Inspector General of police,Chairman of INEC and Director General of SSS/DSS.
The judge also ordered that “The 2nd -6th defendants (Makarfi and the party and others) are restrained from recognizing or dealing with other person (s) other than the plaintiffs/applicants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”
Also, the judge ordered that “The 1st defendant/respondent is ordered to suspend all activities as chairman of PDP in Yobe and Status quo be maintained pending the determination of the motion on notice.”
The new crisis could have been avoided if Makarfii had acted on an earlier petition which had earlier been written to him, titled: “complaint regarding and request for the immediate correction of the looming impertinence and impunity on our prestigious polity.”
The petition, written by Alhaji Lawan Gana Karasuwa as state chairman, referred to the subject of the state party exco. It informed Makarfi of how the Gana led exco emerged through due process . It recalled the appointment of a 9-man caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party’s Yobe state chapter.
The approval was through then national secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo, on April 18th 2016
Also, the petition stated that in accordance with the party’s constitution, the PDP NWC appointed an 11man committee to conduct congresses for 3 adhoc ward delegates,Ward LGA and State in Yobe State and same was communicated to the Yobe State chapter of the party by the National Organizing Secretary(Abubakar Mustapha on 29th April 2016).
They argued that the process was duly followed to produce and exco with a tenure 2016 to 2020.In effect, informed Makarfi that they are the duly elected Exco of the PDP in Yobe.
But events of recent weeks indicate that Makarfi’s loyalist with external encouragement are determined to subvert due process, a development that has unsettled the PDP in the state.
It is on record that since the Supreme Court affirmed Makarfi as national caretaker Committee chairman of PDP, factional crisis in some states has lingered.[myad]

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