Thursday, October 17, 2024

Zimbabwe to compensate white farmers who lost land in seizures 20 years ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe  

Zimbabwe says it will compensate local and foreign white farmers who lost land and property more than 20 years ago in farm seizures meant to redress some of the wrongs of colonialism.

About 4,000 white farmers lost their homes and swathes of land when the Black-majority country’s then-president, Robert Mugabe, launched the often-chaotic redistribution program in 2000, which turned violent at times. Mugabe, who died in 2019, said it was aimed at addressing colonial-era land inequities after the southern African nation gained independence from white minority rule in 1980.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube announced Wednesday at a meeting with diplomats that his government approved 441 applications for compensation worth $351.6 million from local white farmers and 94 applications from foreigners worth $196.6 million, but only 1%, or $3.5 million, will be paid in cash to local farmers who lost land. The balance, Ncube said, will be paid through the issuance of treasury bonds.

Foreigners will receive an initial $20 million to be shared equally among the 94 claimants from Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and several countries in eastern Europe, he said.

White farmers who owned the majority of prime farmland were removed from their farms, often forcibly by violent mobs led by veterans of the country’s 1970s independence war. Some farmers and their workers died or were seriously injured in the violence that included beatings and rape, according to Human Rights Watch.

The seizures badly impacted commercial farming, forcing a country that was a key regional food producer and exporter to rely on assistance from donors. Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector has rebounded in recent years, but recent droughts are now the main challenge.

The compensation for the local farmers is not for the land — which Mugabe’s government said had been seized from Zimbabwe’s Black majority under colonialism — but for infrastructure such as buildings, wells and irrigation equipment. However, foreigners covered under agreements that seek to protect the property of foreign investors will be paid for both the land and the infrastructure.

The payments are expected in the last quarter of 2024, finance minister Ncube said. Zimbabwe has been in talks with creditors, led by the African Development Bank, since 2022 to restructure its $21 billion in debt, with the white farmers’ compensation a sticking point.

In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government signed a compensation deal with the white farmers. Mnangagwa, who took power in 2017 after Mugabe was forced to resign following a popular coup, has sought to engage the white farmers and has even encouraged them to apply for new pieces of land.

All farmland now belongs to the government and those occupying it can only do so under lease. However, in a major policy shift, the government announced plans this month to allow beneficiaries of the reform program to sell the land they gained, but only to “Indigenous Zimbabweans,” a reference to Black Zimbabweans.

The move has attracted widespread criticism, especially because some who were politically connected became owners of multiple farms under the land redistribution that was meant to help the poor, and can now cash in.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

EU, Gulf countries call for immediate ceasefire in Middle East

BRUSSELS, Belgium

The leaders of the European Union (EU) and Gulf countries have expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, calling for an immediate ceasefire, according to a joint statement issued here on Tuesday.

In the statement issued after the first summit between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, they called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and unimpeded humanitarian access to civilian population.

"We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination through the two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, along the 1967 lines," said the statement.

They also said they are "extremely concerned by dangerous escalation in Lebanon" and called for an immediate ceasefire.

"We will work together to promote global and regional security and prosperity, including preventing the emergence and escalation of conflicts and resolving crises by enhancing our dialogue, coordination and engagement," the statement added.

In addition, the two sides agreed to increase trade, investment and economic cooperation, enhance energy cooperation and the fight against climate change and strengthen connectivity between their regions. They plan to step up engagements on development and humanitarian aid.

Moreover, they underscored "the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations."

The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold a summit every two years, with the next scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2026.

Niger drops French place names to honour local heroes

By Paul Njie, NIAMEY Niger

Niger’s military leaders have renamed streets and monuments bearing French names, in the latest move to cut links with the country’s former colonial power.

Djibo Bakary, Niamey's first mayor, was a key figure in the fight for independence which happened in 1960 when Charles de Gaulle was France's president

Avenue Charles de Gaulle in the capital, Niamey, is now Avenue Djibo Bakary in honour of the Nigerien politician who played a key role in the West African country’s struggle for independence.

"Most of our avenues, boulevards and streets... bear names that are simply reminders of the suffering and bullying our people endured during the ordeal of colonisation," said junta spokesman Maj Col Abdramane Amadou.

Niger's relationship with France and other Western allies deteriorated after President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup last year.

Like its military-led neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger has courted Russia for military support as a jihadist insurgency threatens the region - and the three countries have clubbed together to form what they call the Alliance of Sahel States.

Under Bazoum, France had more than 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to help fight jihadist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State. They all withdrew by the end of last year.

A ceremony was held in Niamey on Tuesday to mark the various name changes, including the avenue once named after a French general, as well as a war memorial that was built to remember those who died in World War One and World War Two.

It now pays "homage to all civilian and military victims of colonisation to the present day".

The image of charismatic pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist Thomas Sankara replaces that of a French explorer

Charles de Gaulle was a soldier and politician who formed a French government in exile during World War Two when the Nazi German forces overran France. He became leader of the Free French Forces.

Many Africans in French colonies volunteered to fight for the Free French Forces, though many were also drafted into service.

About 400,000 came from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, and more than 70,000 from Senegal and other sub-Saharan colonies. They took part in the Allies' landings in the south of France in August 1944, which were crucial to ousting the Nazis from the area.

In fact as part of a reappraisal of its colonial past, France began to rename some of its streets and squares after African World War Two heroes four years ago.

Another place to have been given a facelift in Niamey is a stone monument that had an engraving of French colonial officer and explorer Parfait-Louis Monteil. He had travelled from Senegal in 1890 across West Africa, writing a book about his two-year journey.

His image has now been replaced by a plaque with a portrait of Burkina Faso's iconic revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara, a charismatic pan-Africanist who was assassinated in 1987.

During his time in power, he adopted an anti-imperialist foreign policy that challenged the dominance of France, which retained huge influence in many of its former colonies in Africa.

Another significant name change is Niamey's Place de La Francophonie, named after the group of French-speaking states.

Instead it will be known as Place de l'Alliance des Etats du Sahel, after the country's new confederation with Burkina Faso and Mali.

Mozambique’s ruling party candidate poised for presidential victory

MAPUTO, Mozambique 

Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate of Mozambique’s ruling party, is comfortably leading the vote count in nine of the country's provinces and appears set to become the country’s next president. His closest challenger was running a distant second Wednesday as vote counting from last week’s election continued.

Preliminary results from Wednesday’s election announced so far show Chapo leading with over 50% of the vote in nine of Mozambique’s 11 provinces.

In the capital, Maputo, Chapo is ahead with over 53 percent, followed by independent candidate Venancio Mondlane at just under 34 percent.

Chapo has led at every polling station counted, according to the chairperson of the Maputo Provincial Election Commission, Lucilia Sitoe.

She said, “Daniel Franscisco Chapo, 656,056, which corresponds to 68.02. Venancio Antion Bila Mondlane, 260,792, which corresponds to 27.04%.”

The two other presidential candidates, Ossufo Momade of the opposition Renamo party, polled 9.6% of the vote in Maputo, followed by Lutero Simango of Mozambique Democratic Movement, MDM with 2.86%.

A similar scenario is also occurring in the central province of Zambezia, traditionally an opposition stronghold. There, Chapo is leading with 73%, with Mondlane a distant second with 14.7%.

In Sofala province, another longtime opposition stronghold, Chapo held 65% of the vote.

Turnout in Wednesday’s election was relatively low, less than 50%. According to data shared by electoral bodies, close to 9 million of Mozambique’s 17 million registered voters did not vote.

In the northern province of Nampula, the largest constituency in the country, more than 2 million voters stayed home and tens of thousands cast blank ballots – a common form of protest in Mozambique, showing dissatisfaction with all the candidates.

The numbers were similar in Zambezia, the country’s second-largest constituency.

In Cabo Delgado province, plagued by an insurgency by Islamist militants for several years, 925,000 people did not vote, 35,000 cast blank ballots and another 18,000 votes were spoiled.

The chairman of Mozambique’s national elections commission vowed that every ballot cast will be counted.

He said, “Every vote will be counted definitely, we are ready for that. The counting system is participatory because all the political parties are represented at polling stations so every vote will count and we just hope for the best.”

Final results are expected in about two weeks. Independent political analyst Dercio Alfazema said the next president faces high expectations from the public.

“Our expectations are number one, is to be well governed, so we have a challenge to obtain a better result, the people want the end of corruption, we are looking for more security, we are looking for more health service and the quality of education, the extension of the services such as infrastructure. We also have the problem of terrorism in the north, the kidnappings; the young people are looking for jobs and some opportunities,” said Alfazema.

The president-elect will be sworn into office in January, when current President Filipe Nyusi, who is barred by the constitution from running again, steps down at the end of his second five-year term.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 17/10/2024

 




Fuel tanker accident kills at least 147 in Nigeria

JIGAWA, Nigeria 

A fuel tanker overturned late on Tuesday in Nigeria's northern state of Jigawa after the driver lost control of the vehicle, spilling petrol which exploded and killed at least 147 people, police and state emergency services said on Wednesday.

The accident is one of the worst in recent times in Africa's most populous nation, which is battling with widespread security threats and a cost of living crisis.

Haruna Mairiga, head of Jigawa state emergency services, put the death toll from the accident at 147.

Local police spokesperson Lawan Shiisu Adam said the tanker was travelling from the ancient city of Kano to Yobe State in the north, when the driver lost control near Majia town in Taura local government area, about 530 kilometers (330 miles) north of the capital Abuja, causing it to overturn and spill fuel.

Adam said that villagers attempted to scoop petrol from the spillage, resulting in a fire that engulfed the area, reportedly leading to many deaths.

Adam added that 50 others were wounded and have been taken to local hospitals, in Ringim and Hadejia towns where they were being treated.

A mass burial was held for the dead on Wednesday, Mairiga said.

Many roads in Nigeria are poorly maintained and riven with potholes, causing accidents that claim dozens of lives every year.

Last month, at least 48 people were killed in north-central Nigeria when a fuel tanker exploded after colliding with another truck carrying travellers and cattle, trapping other vehicles as well in the blaze.

Kenya's deputy president pleads not guilty in Senate impeachment trial

NAIROBI,  Kenya 

Kenya's Vice President has two days to convince senators and save his position.

Rigathi Gachagua who faces impeachment, pleaded not guilty in a senate hearing Wednesday (Oct. 16) to all allegations including corruption, inciting ethnic divisions and support for historic anti-government protests.

Gachagua’s legal team have Wednesday (Oct. 16) and Thursday (Oct. 17) to cross-examine witnesses, and the senate will vote Thursday evening.

Court rulings this week allowed the parliament and senate to proceed with the impeachment debate, despite concerns over irregularities raised by the deputy president’s lawyers.

The 59-year-old politician has called the allegations politically motivated.

Supporters of his and opponents clashed in early October at public forums over the impeachment motion against him, which was introduced in parliament by the ruling alliance.

The case highlights the friction between Gachagua and President William Ruto — something that Ruto once vowed to avoid after his past troubled relationship as deputy to Kenya’s previous president, Uhuru Kenyatta.

Gachagua could be the first sitting deputy president impeached in Kenya's history.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Senegal, Uganda and DR Congo seal TotalEnergies CAF AFCON places, Sudan sink Ghana

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

DR Congo, Uganda and Senegal secured their spots at the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after important wins in their qualifying matches on Tuesday.

Tanzania 0-2 DR Congo

DR Congo continued their perfect run in Group H with a commanding 2-0 win over Tanzania at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium that helped them seal their place at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON in Morocco.

After a goalless first half, Meschack Elia broke the deadlock in the 87th minute with a composed finish following Nathanaël Mbuku’s assist.

Elia doubled the lead in the 93rd minute, securing all three points for the Leopards, who now sit at the top of the group with 12 points, having won all four of their matches.

The victory means the Leopards have secured their place at the tournament in Morocco as they are guaranteed one of the two slots from the group.

Tanzania remains second with four points but faces a tough challenge to qualify with Guinea and Ethiopia trailing closely behind.

Malawi 0-1 Senegal: Mane’s late winner

Senegal left it late to secure a 1-0 victory over Malawi, courtesy of a stoppage-time free-kick from Sadio Mane that helped them to grab a ticket to the tournament to be played in Morocco.

The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mane’s 96th-minute strike gave the Teranga Lions all three points, moving them level with Burkina Faso at the top of Group L, both on 10 points.

The result of the match means both Senegal and Burkina Faso cannot be overtaken by their group opponents. 

Malawi remains winless in the group and sits bottom with no points after four matches.

Sudan 2-0 Ghana: Abdelrahman and Al Tash sink Black Stars

Sudan breathed new life into their AFCON qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Ghana in Group F.

Ahmed Al Tash put Sudan ahead in the 62nd minute, with Mohamed Abdelrahman doubling the lead in the 65th minute.

The win moves Sudan to second place in the group with 7 points, while Ghana's qualification hopes are in jeopardy as they sit in third place with 2 points.

South Sudan 1-2 Uganda: Own goal hands Uganda the win

Uganda edged South Sudan 2-1 in Group K, with an own goal from Alfred Leku proving decisive.

Denis Omedi gave the Cranes an early lead in the 15th minute, only for Yohanna Juma to equalize for South Sudan in the 21st minute with a stunning strike.

Uganda capitalized on a defensive mix-up in the 66th minute, with Leku’s own goal giving the Cranes their third win of the campaign.

Uganda now tops the group with 10 points, while South Sudan remains bottom with 0 points from four games.

Chad 0-1 Zambia: Musonda strikes as Zambia marches On

Zambia secured a crucial 1-0 win over Chad in Group G, with Kennedy Musonda scoring the game’s only goal in the 70th minute.

Despite a penalty save from Toaster Nsabata in the 85th minute to deny Chad a late equalizer, Chipolopolo held firm to clinch all three points. 

Zambia now sits second in the group with seven points, while Chad remains winless and at the bottom of the table with two points.

Lesotho 0-2 Gabon: Babicka and Effaghe on Target

Gabon moved up to second in Group B after a 2-0 win over Lesotho.

Shavy Babicka opened the scoring in the 55th minute before Rody Effaghe sealed the victory in the 84th minute with a close-range finish. 

The win moves the Panthers to 7 points, while Lesotho remains at the bottom of the group with just one point from four games.

Rwanda calls on foreign troops to reconsider involvement in DRCnflict

By Our Correspondent, KIGALI Rwanda

In an exclusive interview with the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe addressed the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling on foreign countries involved in the conflict to reconsider their presence.

Speaking after the 5th ministerial meeting of the Luanda Process, held in Angola on October 12, 2024, Nduhungirehe urged nations like Burundi, SAMIDRC contingents, and European mercenaries fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) and FDLR rebels to reassess their involvement, warning that their presence violates international law and is exacerbating tensions.

“These foreign forces need to think twice about their involvement in eastern DRC, as they are further inflaming an already tense and dangerous conflict,” Nduhungirehe told RBA. He expressed concern that foreign military intervention, rather than helping to resolve the crisis, is deepening instability in the region.

The minister highlighted that these interventions, often motivated by external interests, are worsening the situation in eastern DRC, where multiple armed groups and foreign actors have long contributed to violence and displacement.

In addition to addressing foreign involvement, Nduhungirehe called on the DRC government to take ownership of the crisis and stop using Rwanda as a scapegoat. He urged Congolese authorities to engage in direct political dialogue with the M23 rebel group and address the root causes of the conflict, including hate speech, historical marginalization, and the persecution of the Congolese Tutsi community.

“The DRC must stop scapegoating Rwanda in international forums and visits. It is essential that they take ownership of this crisis and initiate a direct political dialogue with M23 to resolve the root causes of the conflict,” Nduhungirehe emphasized.

One of the key issues Nduhungirehe raised during the interview was the presence of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group comprising individuals responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. He expressed concern over the FDLR’s integration into the Congolese army, warning that the group continues to spread genocidal ideology in the region.

“The FDLR génocidaires are not only integrated into the Congolese army, but they are also disseminating genocide ideology within the FARDC and across the region,” Nduhungirehe told RBA, calling on the DRC to neutralize the group in good faith.

The minister concluded by reiterating Rwanda’s commitment to supporting efforts for peace, provided that the DRC shows the political will to address the conflict’s underlying causes and act in good faith.

Nduhungirehe’s comments come amid ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC, where foreign interventions have often complicated the path to peace. The Luanda Process continues to serve as a vital platform for regional diplomacy and conflict resolution in the Great Lakes region.

 

Ukraine denies supplying drones to Mali rebels

KYIV, Ukraine

Ukraine has denied allegations that it had supplied drones to rebels fighting against the Malian army and Russia-backed mercenaries.

It comes after Paris-based Le Monde newspaper reported that Ukrainian drones were providing support for the Tuareg rebels “who are benefiting from discreet but decisive support from Kyiv”.

Mali's junta-led government ended a long-running alliance with former colonial power France in 2022 in favour of Russia in a bid to tackle a years-long insurgency in the north.

But it has been unable to quell the unrest and recently suffered heavy losses, alongside its Russian allies.

Mali and its neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, where the military is also in charge, have since accused Kyiv of supporting terrorism in the Sahel after a Ukrainian official said earlier this year that the country had offered support to the rebels.

But on Monday, Ukraine's foreign ministry said in a statement that the country "strongly rejects the accusations that have recently been released by the international media outlets about the alleged involvement of our state in the supply of UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] to the rebels in Mali".

It also denied allegations by Malian and Nigerien officials that Ukraine was arming, providing information and giving "support to the terrorist coalition".

It called for an end to "spreading of the false information that repeats the fake narratives of the aggressor state Russia’s propaganda".

In late July, at least 84 Russia-backed fighters and 47 Malian soldiers were reportedly killed following days of clashes with Tuareg separatist rebels and fighters linked to al-Qaeda at Tinzaouten, in northern Mali.

It was seen as the heaviest-ever African defeat for the Wagner mercenary group, which has since been renamed Corps Africa.

A spokesman for Kyiv’s military intelligence service, Andriy Yusov, then said that the rebels in Mali had “received necessary information” to successfully carry out the attack.

Le Monde newspaper reports that since Yusov’s statement, the Mali rebel commanders “have been forced to reluctantly acknowledge a co-operation they would have preferred to keep secret”.

The paper says that the rebels have admitted having "links" with Kyiv, although "they were not forthcoming about the provenance of their drones”.

Mali cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine in August, in the wake of Yusov's remarks, with a top official accusing Ukraine of violating the country’s sovereignty.

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and has been waging a devastating war since then.

Facing isolation by Western countries because of the war, it has been seeking to gain influence in Africa by establishing political and security links, including in Mali.