Under 40 Years Old: East African MP of the Week.

Proscovia Alengot Oromait 
(born 1 January 1993) is a Ugandan university student and politician.

She is the elected Member of Parliament(MP) for Usuk County, Katakwi District. At age 19, she is the youngest member of parliament in Uganda, and on the African continent.

She was born in Katakwi District on 1 January 1993. Her father, Michael Oromait, served as the MP for the same parliamentary seat before his death on 21 July 2012.

She completed her high school (S6) at St. Kalemba Senior Secondary School in Kayunga District in December 2011. She was admitted toUganda Christian University in Mukono, beginning August 2012, where she currently studies for the degree of Bachelor of Mass Communications.

After her father's death, Alengot Oromait decided to contest the National Resistance Movement primary elections to replace her father, who had served as an Independent. She won the primary and in the general elections in September 2012, she won with 54.2% of the vote. She is expected to juggle her undergraduate studies with her parliamentary duties for the next three years at the minimum.

For More info, follow the link: http://youngestmp.blogspot.ca/2013/06/alengot-oromait.html

Under 40 Years Old: East African MP of the Week.

www.JanuaryMakamba.com

Honorable January Y. Makamba.

Born on 28th of January in 1974,  Mr. January Makamba is a Tanzanian politician, Member of Parliament elected in the Constituency of Bumbuli in the Lushoto district of Tanga.

He is currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Communication, Science and Technology in the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

For more information about his prominent under 40 years old politician, please visit his web site at http://www.januarymakamba.com/mystory.html, and there you will get to know why the residents of Bumbuli chose him to be their representative in the Tanzanian Parliament. 

Every week, we will be providing a profile of an East African Politician who is a Member of Parliament and whose age is Under 40.

Tanzania: Nacogdoches eye doctor traveling to Tanzania to help Albino children

Tanzania:
Nacogdoches eye doctor traveling to Tanzania to help Albino children
NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) -
A Nacogdoches eye doctor will be traveling to Tanzania, Africa next week with Step by Step Missions to give low vision devices to nearly 200 Albino kids.

It's a little known fact that people with albinism have low vision.

"If you're born with albinism, you are visually impaired. Every one of them are. Usually their vision ranges from 2100 to 2400," said Dr. Ashley Risner, an optometrist with the Nacogdoches Eye Associates.

This is one of the reason's why Risner, who specializes in low vision rehabilitation, will be traveling to Tanzania on May 3.

"It's fairly rare in the United States, it's only about 1 in 20,000 people with albinism versus in Tanzania it's 1 in 2,000 people," said Risner.

In Tanzania, people with albinism are considered magical and are hunted by witch doctors and sometimes killed.

"The government has set up these safe houses and homes for the children to go to and a lot of parents give them up because they think that there is something wrong with them," said Risner.

Risner is one of twelve optometrists in the state who works with low vision patients. She will be donating nearly 200 low vision eye kits to kids from age zero to twenty.

"The reason why there is a visual impairment is because the photo receptors, the cells inside the eye into the retina and into the optic nerve and brain, are actually made up of pigment cells. Of course, albinism people have less pigmentation so they have less pigmentation in the eyes so the signal doesn't get through as easily," said Risner.

She will be using her skills and low vision devices, like the dome magnifier, to help albino kids read and write.

"I just saw how it could change someone's life and it does. I see that all the time," said Risner.

This will be Risner's first trip to Africa and she is excited to see the look on the kid's faces when they realize they can finally see.

"I work with that type of patient here in the United States so I wanted to do what I could," said Risner.

She will also be traveling with e3 Partners to Tanzania and says she has received funds for all of the eye kits from donations.

Copyright 2013 KTRE. All rights reserved.

Tanzania: Indian Medicines Impress African Buyers

Tanzania:
Indian Medicines Impress African Buyers


Mumbai, India — THE African drugs buyers are the darling of the sellers at the ongoing Mumbai's pharmaceutical show, as the continent poises to be the leading corridor for the India's medicine export market.

This has been experienced at the ongoing International Exhibition for Pharma and Healthcare (iPHEX) 2013 co-located with Pharma Pro&Pack Expo 2013.The Africans are not only leading the buyers' pact but also have sent a large number of regulators and ministry of health officials to attend the iPHEX 2013 in Mumbai, India.

The 'Daily News' witnessed sellers calling and trying to woo African buyers whether in medicine, healthcare solutions or pharma-manufacturing equipment and technology, more than any other visitors.The sellers, after succeeding to woo an African, the first question is:- Are you from Nigeria... "

According to some participants here, Nigeria is the biggest market as it has lesser stringent regulations and laws on drug registration and good manufacturing practice (GMP) and also huge population.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Prithviraj Chavan, said India is building a huge warehouse in Nigeria to ease businesses and facilitate exports procedures in a bid to boost Delhi's global market share.

"This sector has a huge potential with its export rate currently at 13 US billion dollars... it's expected to double in the next two years," Mr Chavan said during the opening ceremony.

"To further the growth story (Indian) companies should also focus on innovation along with expansion through exports of the generics to make us all-rounder," the Chief Minister said.

To show their seriousness, India pharma-industry will hold an exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria this October that is complete for medicine, manufacturer equipment and related business. Kenya is slated for next year.

"Are you from Nigeria! We have good (pharma) machines ranging from processing plants to solution," a Fabtec International sale Nareej Shukri told this reporter."'Naturally, almost equipment buyers from Africa hail from Nigeria," the salesman said.

Uganda: Group: Sudan army supporting fugitive warlord Kony

Uganda:
Group: Sudan army supporting fugitive warlord Kony


FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2006, file photo, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony answers journalists' questions following a meeting with UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland at Ri-Kwangba in southern Sudan. A report by the watchdog group Resolve on Friday, April 26, 2013, says the fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony recently found safe haven in territory along the Sudan-South Sudan border, controlled by Sudan and that Kony benefits from Sudanese military support.

STUART PRICE, FILE, POOL / AP PHOTO

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/26/3366000/group-sudan-army-supporting-fugitive.html#storylink=cpy

BY RODNEY MUHUMUZA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KAMPALA, Uganda -- The fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony recently found safe haven in territory controlled by Sudan, a watchdog group said Friday, accusing the Sudanese military of offering aid to commanders of the Lord's Resistance Army.

The U.S.-based group Resolve said in a new report that Kony recently directed killings from an enclave protected by the Sudanese military. Until early this year, according to the report, Kony and some of his commanders were operating in Kafia Kingi, a disputed area along the Sudan-South Sudan border where African Union troops tasked with catching Kony don't have access.

"The enclave is currently controlled by Sudan, and numerous eyewitness reports indicate that elements of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Kafia Kingi have actively sheltered senior LRA commanders there and provided them with limited material support," the report said. "According to LRA defectors and other sources, LRA leader Joseph Kony himself first traveled to the Kafia Kingi enclave in 2010. He returned to Kafia Kingi in 2011 and was present there throughout parts of 2012."

In a series of makeshift camps near a Sudanese army barracks, Kony "continued to direct LRA attacks against civilians in neighboring countries and issue new orders for LRA fighters."

The Ugandan military - with support from U.S. military advisers - is the driving force behind the hunt for Kony. Ugandan army spokesman Col. Felix Kulayigye said the report vindicates Uganda's contention that the LRA is a beneficiary of Sudanese support. Ugandan army officials said late last year they believed Kony was hiding in Sudan-controlled territory, although now they believe he has moved elsewhere.

"We always knew Kony was hiding in Kafia Kingi," he said. "The way forward is that no country should be hiding a wanted criminal."

Kony watchdog groups are concerned that Kony can retreat to Kafia Kingi whenever his pursuers get close. Resolve said it has satellite imagery of the now-abandoned camp where Kony was reportedly seen in late 2012. The warlord is no longer believed to be hiding there, the report noted, saying he may have crossed to Central African Republic.

Sudan has consistently denied charges it supports Kony, a warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Kony's LRA, which originated in Uganda in the 1980s as a popular tribal uprising against the government, has become notorious for recruiting children as fighters and forcing girls to be sex slaves. Military pressure forced the LRA out of Uganda in 2005, and the rebels scattered across parts of central Africa. LRA fighters are now believed to be operating mainly in the jungles of Congo and Central African Republic.

Ugandan Brig. Dick Olum, the top commander of African forces hunting for Kony, recently said he believed Kony had crossed to Central African Republic, where last month rebels deposed a president and expressed hostility toward foreign troops operating in the country. The lack of cooperation from the new government there forced the African Union to suspend military operations against Kony, who over the years has taken advantage of porous borders and weak governments to regroup.

The LRA is vastly diminished from previous years, and its forces now don't exceed 500, according Brig. Olum. Many of Kony's fighters have defected in the past year, and some of his top lieutenants have been captured or killed in combat. Last year an LRA commander believed to be Kony's military strategist was seized by Ugandan troops.

Sudan's support for Kony threatens progress made against the LRA, said the new report by Resolve.

"Unless addressed, it will also enable LRA leaders to outlast current counter-LRA operations," the report said. "Though international diplomats and military officials working to stop LRA attacks privately acknowledge recent LRA movement in Kafia Kingi, they have not adopted realistic strategies to prevent further support from Sudan to Kony's forces."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/26/3366000/group-sudan-army-supporting-fugitive.html#storylink=cpy

Uganda: MTN Uganda successfully launches LTE network in Uganda, making it one of the first in the region

Uganda: MTN Uganda successfully launches LTE network in Uganda, making it one of the first in the region MTN yesterday became the first mobile operator in Uganda, and one of the very first in the region, to successfully launch a long-term evolution (LTE) network. LTE is the latest technology in the world with the fastest Internet speeds of up to 100Mbps, giving customers the most seamless experience in data services. Popularly known as 4G, LTE is a ‘standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for data terminals and mobile phones’. LTE data networks provide mobile ultra-broadband Internet access. “We are happy to claim another first in Uganda with this momentous announcement, as MTN Uganda successfully launches its LTE network, offering world-class Internet services to our customers. What is even more pleasing is that we've done this ahead of many other advanced economies around the world,” says Ernst Fonternel, MTN Uganda’s Chief Marketing Officer. The launch of LTE represents a major stride in mobile connectivity capabilities in Uganda. The service offers almost triple the speed of any existing mobile connection available commercially in Uganda and in the region. “This launch further emphasises MTN’s commitment to not just transforming its own network, but also the businesses of its corporate and SME customers, while contributing positively to the overall development of the ICT sector in Uganda,” Fonternel adds. For the customer, this means you can download large files in no time, stream music videos and HD movies without buffering, and upload pictures without delay. These services will significantly transform the way you interact with the world. “The higher LTE speeds will give our customers lower latency, which translates into a much more stable user experience. The technology’s impressive speeds create endless possibilities for the user, including instantaneous music and picture downloads,” says Fonternel. “Our challenge isn't keeping ahead of the other operators. It’s keeping ahead of the tidal wave of data demand both in our country and in the region. Last year, we launched our 21.6Mbps data network, and last month we rolled out our 42Mbps data network, and now LTE. In all these innovations, we have been the first, and our intention is to continue pushing boundaries so that our customers enjoy world-class Internet.” MTN’s LTE service will initially be available in greater Kampala, with other towns to follow in the near future. There are currently 20 locations that have been fully integrated onto the LTE network. Furthermore, LTE-capable dongles will be on sale at selected MTN outlets. Fonternel says the commercial launch of LTE is part of a bigger network transformation plan that MTN has been undertaking over the past few years in order to give its customers world-class services. Over the last two years, MTN has made major investments in its data infrastructure in Uganda, expanded the mobile distribution foot print, and greatly enhanced the mobile core, radio capacity and network infrastructure. MTN Uganda launched the first mobile money service in Uganda with tremendous success. It was recently ranked second in the worldwide sample for the number of active mobile money accounts as per GSM Association’s 2012 Survey. MTN Uganda was also recently named Uganda’s Number 1 Leading Superbrand, and was voted as the Best Mobile Telephone Service Provider of the Year in the Uganda Responsible Investment Awards 2013. MTN was voted for by the people of Uganda in appreciation and recognition of its contribution towards the promotion of international best practices and standards. “MTN’s vision is to lead the delivery of a bold, new digital world to our customers. MTN Uganda is embracing this vision through constant enhancements to our data network to deliver world-class Internet and make our customers’ lives a whole lot brighter,” says Fonternel. Since MTN was launched in Uganda in 1998, it has made major investments in the country. In 2012 alone, its capex investments exceeded $80 million. This investment was mainly in expanding the network infrastructure to support the mobile subscriber growth as well as the rollout of new, innovative products and digital solutions. MTN Uganda plans to invest an additional $70 million in 2013 towards further infrastructure development. “In terms of network infrastructure, MTN Uganda has deployed 2 800km of fibre backbones achieved with multiple layers and rings to protect customer experience across all national regions and provide dedicated business solutions to SMEs and corporate enterprises. Another 400km of fibre is currently under deployment between Mutundwe, in Kampala, and Kyenjojo district, in Western Uganda, and should be completed within the coming months,” says Rami Farah, MTN Uganda’s Chief Technical Officer. Furthermore, MTN Uganda extended the fibre network backbone and built five regional switching centres in the East, West, North and Central regions. MTN also built a fibre-optic cable through Tanzania into Rwanda, providing an alternative data capacity route through Katuna into Uganda. MTN Uganda has, over the last six months, rolled out approximately 100 new base transmission sites to new coverage areas while commissioning another batch of capacity sites to enhance the quality of network services. MTN Uganda currently has more than 1 100 network sites across all regions in Uganda. “The continuous capex investment by MTN is aimed at providing our customers with the best possible user experience across the country. We would like to ensure consistent and reliable network quality for all existing customers and also to enable many more new customers to enjoy the best of what mobile technology has to offer,” concludes Farah. - Issued by MTN Group Corporate Affairs MTN Uganda Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading telecommunications firm in the country. Visit MTN Uganda at www.mtn.co.ug andwww.facebook.com/mtnug. MTN Group Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN”. As of 31 March 2013, MTN recorded 195.4 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. Visit MTN at www.mtn.com, www.mtnbusiness.com and www.mtnmmo.com, and for football fans www.mtnfootball.com. Editorial contacts MTN Justina Ntabgoba ntabgoj@mtn.co.ug

Kenya: You have disgraced Kenya, Muigai tells ICC prosecutor

Kenya:
You have disgraced Kenya, Muigai tells ICC prosecutor

BY OLIVER MATHENGE


THE government has been allowed to make a comprehensive response to ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's claims. Bensouda claimed that Kenya has not been co-operating with her office.

On Wednesday, the Trial Chamber V asked the government to make its application and gave the parties to the two Kenyan cases 14 days to respond to the submissions once the filing is done.

"Given the desirability of fully understanding the status of cooperation between organs of the court and the Government of Kenya, the chamber considers it appropriate to grant leave to the Government of Kenya to file observations on this issue and, further, to accept the submissions in the application," the judges said in their decision.

The judges also shortened the time the prosecution, victims and the accused can respond to the Kenya government application to 14 days and vice-versa.

"Due to the need to ensure any outstanding cooperation concerns are addressed in an expeditious manner, the chamber considers it appropriate to set a shortened time frame of 14 days for submission of any such responses," the judges said.

Attorney General Githu Muigai wrote to the court complaining that Bensouda has disgraced the Kenyan government by repeatedly claiming it is not cooperating fully with her office.

Githu cited recent comments by Bensouda that part of the reason she dropped the case against former Cabinet Secretary Francis Muthaura was lack of cooperation from the Kenyan government.

He wants all parties in the two Kenyan cases ordered to file on record their complaints against the Kenyan state so that it can respond and put matters straight.

“The Government of Kenya disapproves of any attempt by the Prosecutor of the ICC to excuse evidential gaps or difficulties in her case as being attributable to action or inaction by the Government of Kenya,” he said.

Githu said the government has complied with all 37 requests by the prosecutor apart from two—those that relate to the request that the government furnish the court with financial information on the three suspects and statements of the interviews of ten police bosses.

On the financial information, Githu said “Kenya contends that there has to be a court order in place to fulfill this request.” In any case, he added, the pre-trial chamber found out that such a request lacked justification.

On the police interviews, Githu said there was a court order issued on February 1, 2011 prohibiting judge Kalpana Rawal from "taking or recording any evidence from any Kenyan” pursuant to any international criminal court process.

“It cannot be right that a State's internal security is suborned by an outside agency's ill supported allegations of non-cooperation which has the potential to erode national regard for the institutions of government and their compliance with the rule of law,” Githu said.

In her latest filing, Bensouda said the Government of Kenya supported the court order and that the order has remained “despite the repeated requests to the GoK to ask the court to designate judges to hear the case on the merits.”

Muigai said instead of always complaining, Bensouda will do better to report Kenya to the Assembly of State Parties in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statutes.

He nevertheless said Kenya has fully complied with its obligation and handed over state documents and materials. “The provision of such sensitive national security materials to a third- party for use in criminal proceedings is, in the respectful submission of the Kenyan government, an unprecedented act of cooperation with the court and demonstrative of the Republic of Kenya's commitment to and respect for the ICC,” he said.

Rwanda: Rwanda sees heavy demand for debut $400 million Eurobond

Rwanda:
Rwanda sees heavy demand for debut $400 million Eurobond

* Source says order book 7.5 times issue size
* Underlines investor appetite for sub-Saharan African paper

By Tosin Sulaiman;
JOHANNESBURG, April 25 (Reuters) - Rwanda issued a debut $400 million Eurobond in a sale that was heavily oversubscribed, with investor enthusiasm for the fast growing economy trumping misgivings about the modest size of the offering.

The 10-year dollar bond was issued on Thursday with a 6.875 percent yield, a lead banker told Reuters.

That was at the tighter end of Rwanda's final guidance of 6.875-7 percent. One investor source told IFR, a Thomson Reuters news and analysis service, that the order book was $3 billion, or 7.5 times the issue size.

The lead banker, who did not have the precise order book size, said: "It's well oversubscribed as you can imagine."

The issue underlined investor demand for high-yielding but rare sub-Saharan African assets and suggests Eurobonds from other sovereigns planning to come to the market this year, including Kenya and Angola, may be well received.

Investors were also attracted by Rwanda's strongly growing economy, low debt and recent political stability. President Paul Kagame has been praised for leading Rwanda's recovery after the 1994 genocide, although critics say he has an autocratic style.

Economic growth averaged 8.2 percent from 2006 to 2012 and the International Monetary Fund projects growth of 7.6 percent this year. Debt levels are equivalent to 23.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2012. Inflation is in single digits.

But the yield means investors demanded a premium to past African Eurobonds, including Zambia's 2022 bond that is yielding 5.6 percent, and Senegal, whose 2021 bond is currently trading at 5.5 percent.

At less than $500 million, Rwanda's bond was ineligible for JP Morgan's emerging market bond indices that would have automatically triggered demand from index trackers and ensured higher secondary market liquidity.

Some investors were expecting more generous compensation and decided not to participate at the lower yields.

"We just think it's priced to perfection at that level so there's not much room for upside," said Daniel Broby, chief investment officer at Silk Invest.

"Clearly the order book had to be large for them to come in tight on the pricing from their initial indications," he said.

Another investor, who had expected a yield of about 7 percent, said Rwanda had benefited from renewed demand globally for risk this week and a well-run roadshow, in which officials addressed aid cuts.

Donors froze some aid over Rwanda's alleged support for rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Kigali strongly denies.

"They appear to have done a good job on the roadshow ... explaining the dip in aid flows last year and the steps they have taken to address that," said the investor, who declined to be named.

Foreign aid accounts for about 38 percent of the budget and aid suspensions have widened the current account deficit. (Editing by Edmund Blair, Ron Askew)