List of Nigeria’s 36 States with their Capitals and Current Governors 2020
Public Service and Governance •
source63 governors number state capital current governor 1 abia state umuahia okezie ikpeazu 2 adamawa state yola ahmadu umaru fintiri 3 akwa ibom state uyo udom gabriel emmanuel 4 anambra state awka willie obiano 5 bauchi state bauchi bala abdulkadir mohammed 6 bayelsa state yenagoa henry seriake dickson 7 benue state makurdi samuel ortom 8 borno state maiduguri babagana umara zulum 9 cross river state calabar benedict ayade 10 delta state asaba ifeanyi okowa 11 ebonyi state abakaliki dave umahi 121 https750gistmedia.com.nglist-of-nigerias-36-states-with-their-capitals-and-current-governors1

Kenya, China talk flower tariffs
News & Trends •
source63 kenya has set up a committee to discuss with china on the possibility of easing the east african nations entry into worlds flower market1 if successful this will allow flower growers to tap into the growing chinese market and boost the earnings of the sector as part of the countrys effort to diversify its markets1 we are going to have the first meeting next january with china and we hope to have completed negotiations by the end of february1 our target is to do away with this four per cent tariff to make our products competitive kenyas trade cabinet sectary peter munya said1 in july 2010 china removed tariffs charged on 60 per cent of the goods that it imports from kenya and 32 other developing countries but retained the levy on cut flowers1 beijing and nairobi also signed a memorandum of understating to drive exports of over 40 per cent of kenyas fresh produce to the chinese market that has over 1.3 billion consumers1 currently kenyas cut flowers are sold to a single economic bloc the european union exposing export trade to vulnerabilities1 most kenyan flower reach china via the netherlands-based international flower auction1 however kenya enjoys a duty and quota-free export arrangement in the eu market and also has a duty-free flower arrangement with japan1 in the region it is only ethiopia that enjoys a duty- free flower arrangement with china1 this agreement will facilitate export of agricultural products from kenya to china1 we would love to see more of kenyas products on our shelves guo ce the economic and commercial counsellor at the chinese embassy in kenya said1 for kenyan growers who earned 822.5 million last year this new development is a boon1 last week kenya and china formed a technical work group that will oversee the withdrawal of the four per cent duty on most kenyan exports to china1 currently our flowers are being charged higher taxes in china which makes them uncompetitive. we hope that the government will negotiate favourable trade protocols and agreements with china clement tulezi the chief executive officer of the kenya flower council said1 bobby kamani the managing director of primarosa flowers ltd said the government talks with china were welcome development especially for the flowers sector given the potential it has1 we were in china with government officials and we saw the interest. it was an eye opener for us at the expo because kenyan growers had an unexpected reception in the chinese market1 we got contacts of flower suppliers who have traditional dealt with ecuador and colombia and having an african connection further opens up our access mr kamani said1 he added that primarosa has turned around its business model and now does more than 70 per cent of its sales to individual buyers with 30 per cent sales in auctions a model he believes the chinese market will sustain1 some chinese flower importers have been forced to use a single import and centralised distribution system to lower costs as it allows them to import multiple batches of products at a single time and redistribute them in warehouses scattered across china which also reduces their tax obligations1 the opening up of the chinese market now offers bigger opportunities for kenyan flower farmers and also chinese importers who have over the years developed strong interest in the produce1 chinas jiuye supply chain in guangzhou has emerged as one of the leading contact firms that kenyan flower exporters are using1 we chose to introduce flowers from kenya to china because of the vast number of varieties they grow including some that you cannot find in other regions1 we were also impressed by the length of the flowers vase life said qi bo the director of jiuye supply chain department adding that with a 25 per cent annual increase in demand for the kenyan flowers should see them double imports from nairobi to five million stems by the end of this year1 logistics is however still a challenge since only kenya airways through its code share with china southern airlines flies directly to guangzhou1 the other options are ethiopian airlines flights from addis to shanghai with a two hour transit time while the gulf carriers are costly because of connections1 i havent seen the actual documents signed but we are interested in expanding our footprints in china1

Egypt, Eurasian in free trade talks
News & Trends •
source63 egypt and the eurasian economic union eaeu are going to hold the first round of negotiations on trade agreement in mid- january in cairo1 the document was signed by egypts minister of trade and industry amr nassar and minister for trade of the eurasian economic commission veronika nikishina1 the egyptian minister noted that this agreement came as a result of president abdel fatah al-sisis visit to russia in october where he agreed with chairman of the eurasian economic commission tigran sargsyan on speeding up the negotiations related to the free trade between both sides1 according to nassar both sides agreed to hold a joint business forum during the first half of 2019 to boost the economic and trade partnership between businessmen of both sides and stressed on the necessity to complete a free trade agreement between egypt and the unions countries in 20191 nassar said that the document targets to generate continued talks and negotiations about the bilateral economic and international cooperation between both sides and to enhance the economic and trade relationship as well as the liberalization of trade between them through the establishment of a long-term and stable institutional legal framework1 he explained that agreement will contribute to the enhancement and development of the joint relations between egypt and the eurasian countries including russia belarus kazakhstan armenia and kyrgyzstan1 the minister pointed out that egypt is a major hub for the unions exports to various african and arab markets and other economic blocswith which egypt has free trade agreements1 they had signed a framework document for negotiations on the free trade agreement1 trade exchange between egypt and eurasian union countries hit 6.78 billion in 2017 in which 6.24 billion represented egypts imports and 544.7 million went for exports according to the minister1 nassar said that this agreement is expected to raise the trade volume between both sides to reach 15.7 billion and to upgrade egypts exports to the unions countries to 1.9 billion1 the minister referred that the most important egyptian exports to eurasian countries are agricultural commodities machinery equipment and pharmaceutical products while the main imports to egypt include wheat minerals chemical products plastic products cars and tractors1 he reiterated the need to encourage the business community and industrial companies from the eurasian countries to increase their investments in egypt during the coming period especially in light of the egyptian governments adoption of a number of mega projects including the new administrative capital projectthe development project of the suez canal and the russian industrial zone in egypt1 nassar also emphasized the importance of the role played by the private sector in enhancing trade and investment relations between egypt and the unions countries1 for her part nikishina said that egypt is one of the most important markets in the middle east and africa and is a focal point for the transit of the products of the union countries to african countries1 she pointed out that the next phase will witness more cooperation between the two sides especially after the signing of the free trade agreement which will make a quantum leap in the level of trade and economic relations between egypt and the eurasian union1 the eurasian countries also represent a distinct window for egyptian exports in north and central asia as well as europe1

AU mulls integrated market from January
News & Trends •
source63 mr. albert muchanga the trade commissioner of african union au has said the continent was set to initiate integrated market starting from january1 they signed the agreement during the 10th extraordinary summit of the au assembly of heads of state and government which was held on march 2018 in kigali rwanda1 a year after the signing the african union is becoming fervent that signatories with the remaining 10 african countries to ratify the agreement he pointed out1 only 12 of the 22 countries have so far ratified the agreement commissioner muchanga told ena and hastened to say but we are confident that we should be able to reach the 221 so we are confident that by february 2019 we are going to have the 22 ratifications and now we are also undertaking preparatory activities he pointed out1 negotiations in schedules of tariff concessions and trade in goods schedules of specific commitment in trade and establishment of the digit payment proceedings are still taking place he added1 when the agreement comes into force one month later we will be able to start trading under the new regime so that is very good progress and we are encouraged muchanga said1 no fewer than 50 african countries have signed the african continental free trade area afcfta1 the integrated market will attract large investment from the rest of the world create employment opportunities and minimize migration he elaborated1 asked about its significance to economic transformation commissioner muchanga said colonization had fragmented african economy and stressed1 and with small market it was very difficult to industrialize now we are creating a larger market space and with that now we are really to bring in large economy which is more viable to industrialize he noted1 to ensure intra-africa trade he emphasized that countries need to start harmonizing policies and regulations in line with the agreement1 when we develop the internal market i think the message that comes out clear is that africa is better forward instead of remaining with small and fragmented markets he pointed out1 according to studies some countries may lose revenues in the short-term as a result of liberalization however all countries will benefit in the long-term he articulated1 he urged the au member states to spearhead the negotiations instead of the commission1 africa is trying to create an integrated market he said and noted we need each and every african union member state to sign and ratify the agreement so that we have an integrated market1

2019: Obasanjo endorses Atiku, says I have forgiven him
News & Trends •
source63 whenever or wherever you might have offended me as a christian who asks for gods forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis i forgive and i sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you2 obviously you have mended fences with the party and fully reconciled with the party2 he said that atiku had re positioned himself enough to now enjoy his support in the next election adding that atiku is the the next president of nigeria1 read full text below1 let me start by congratulating president-to-be atiku abubakar for his success at the recent pdp primary and i took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here1 yes when it started it was meant for atiku to succeed obasanjo. in the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today let me say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of atiku1 and in all honesty my former vice-president has re-discovered and re-positioned himself. as i have repeatedly said it is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you did against the party the government and the country1 i took the stand i had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited in the position you found yourself1 i strongly believe that i was right. it was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take such a position1 from what transpired in the last couple of hours or so you have shown remorse you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable1 former president olusegun obasanjo has officially endorsed former vice president atiku abubakar to run for the presidency of nigeria come 20191 obasanjo said that he was giving his blessings to atiku because he atiku had re-discovered and re-positioned himselfand as such had earned his obasanjos forgiveness1 obasanjo disclosed this while briefing newsmen after a meeting with atiku leaders of the peoples democratic party pdp and others key stakeholders in his country home in abeokuta1 there are still areas nationally and internationally where you have to mend fences and make amends. you will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out by the opposition. but i am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill with remorse and contrite heart the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared. and if there is anything i can do and you want me to do in that respect i will1 i am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary and by putting lessons learned by you to work you will get the understanding cooperation support and mandate all at the national level1 with nigerians voting for you it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence. it will be with the hope or assurance of a paul on the road to damascus conversion. after all change and conversion are of man. i believe that with a contrite heart change is possible in everybodys life and situation1 for me relatively and of all the aspirants in the pdp you have the widest and greatest exposure experience outreach and possibly the best machinery and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead through. from what i personally know of you you have capacity to perform better than the incumbent. you surely understand the economy better you have business experience which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs1 you have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs. you are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways. as pastor bakare one-time running mate of the incumbent president said you are a wazobia man. and that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism1 as you know along the road to where you are today many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard. on your behalf i thank them all. may their coast continue to be expanded. and when you become nigerian president which insha-allah you will be remember what we did together in government we ran an administration by nigerians for all nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship friendship or kith and kin. although some time and ground hav1 please uphold truth integrity principles morality and fight corruption crimes and insurgency. the fundamental law of the land our constitution must be scrupulously defended. i make one demand and one demand on you today i need you to say before god and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding all the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency1 constitutionalism popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half years. they will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility oneness and faith in the survival of all against none1 the fundamentals for our development economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure. remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women1 all the authorities involved with the preparation all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free fair and credible1 once again congratulations and i wish you well. my distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill thank you for making this happen. i will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take nigeria to the level god has created it to be autopilot level1 thats why today you are the presidential candidate of the party. in addition to appreciating all that the party has done for you may i advise you to work together with all those who contested for the partys flag with you as a team for your campaign1

Australia to join race for Africa
News & Trends •
source63 australia is seeking to join china uk and europe in the race to increase business footprints in africa1 the countrys new position is aided by a new look foreign policy that emphasises partnerships with mutual benefits1 australia recently held an africa week in perth where it announced that it will push for mining trade education and cultural exchanges and technological advancement programmes in the coming years1 with the usa uk china and india all making huge financial offers for projects australia is touting joint ventures1 to begin with it intends to share its technology with african countries that have mineral resources1 the mining sector it is argued holds the key for important technological developments for instance renewable energy battery storage and communication technologies all rely on a robust mining sector to provide the raw materials1 we are hoping to create greater economic and social opportunities for african countries and the people living in them1 these opportunities can be made easier and more accessible through the increased access to technology that the world is creating said western australias mineral minister bill johnson1

UK firm gets nod for $2b Kenyan dam
News & Trends •
source63 british firm has received the nod to commence work on the 2 billion contract to construct the high grand falls dam in kenya1 kenyas public procurement administrative review board a state agency that handles disputes arising from government tendering upheld an earlier decision for firm that won the contract1 the dam on river tana straddling kitui and tharaka nithi counties is part of the lamu port and south sudan-ethiopia transport corridor lapsset projects1 the national irrigation board which was the procuring entity on behalf of the kenyan government was directed to conclude the tendering process within 30 days by carrying out the technical and financial evaluation of the bidders1 paul gicheru the pprb chairman ruled that the government had no legal basis to cancel the tender or delay its award to the british firm1 the pprb board had earlier heard and determined the dispute in favour of the british construction firm on july 4 and was hearing its appeal after the irrigation board disregarded its ruling and cancelled the tender1 the project will begin after the national treasury agrees with the contractor on the implementation timelines projected at six years1 london-based gbm engineering consortium won the tender in a process featuring seven international construction firms five of them chinese for a fund design build own operate and transfer contract1 the next phase will be land acquisition1 the high grand falls dam was conceived in 2009 as part of an ambitious effort to build 1000 water reservoirs across the country and boost irrigation-based farming1 the project is projected to cover 165 square kilometres and the dam will hold 5.6 billion cubic metres of water and add 700mw to the national power grid1 while at least 45000 households will be displaced the project is expected to provide water for irrigation of more than 250000 hectares of land in kitui garissa and tana river counties and help address the perennial flooding menace in the coast region1 it will be the largest water storage facility in the country with a holding capacity of 5.6 billion cubic metres said water cabinet secretary simon chelugui1 the benefit to the region is enormous first it will form a large man-made lake where fishing and tourism activities can be introduced1 kenya will not be required to mobilise any resources for the project as the contractor will operate the dam after construction for 20 years before handing it over to the government1

Core investors unsettle Nigeria Air
News & Trends •
source63 the last minute pull out of core investors forced nigeria to suspend the establishment of a national carrier nigeria air information and culture minister lai mohammed has disclosed1 he noted however that the project was still on course but that the federal government was trying to now get a better funding structure for the project and provide the enabling environment1 a government will take a holistic view of any intended project and if the understanding of government at the beginning that the project will either be self-financing or would be financed by her investors and it turns out that such a project can no longer be financed by investors either because they are not forthcoming or that such venture can no longer be viable the government this administration would do a rethink1 now the business of government in business is to provide enabling environment and it is not to become the sole source of finance the sole source of funding and in addition it is much more than funding in trying to get our national carrier1 we also need to look at the thinker aspect overall the federal government believes that this thing should be stepped down now till we get a better funding structure but a situation where this kind of thing would be funded by government it cant do it1 muhammed also dismissed insinuations that the minister of state aviation senator hadi sirika did not carry the federal executive council fec along in the entire process adding that if things did not work out as planned the minister should not be blamed1 it doesnt mean that you see you could start a project with a lot of assurances from many quarters and then at the critical point in time those assurances might not materialize so it does not mean that he didnt carry us along from the beginning from the start the federal executive council fec was privy to everything so if anything happened in between i cannot blame the honourable minister for aviation for that1 the minister however gave the assurance that other projects on the aviation roadmap geared towards repositioning the aviation sector including airport concession mro aircraft leasing company among others would be looked into to see if they could still be executed1 i think what we should do is to look at each of these other projects in their own merits and individually and look at whether they can still be executed but i dont think the government should be condemned or criticized if it decides to step down a particular project1 he said in lagos that the decision became necessary because the federal government resolved not to finance the project alone1 i think that four years in the life of any country is a short time this is a work in progress it does not mean that we have completely abandoned or ended it he added1 in the meantime the central bank of nigeria cbn on wednesday gave a notification to revoke the operating licences of 182 other financial institutions in the country1 according to the list released by the regulator on wednesday 154 of the affected institutions are microfinance banks six are primary mortgage banks while the remaining 22 are finance companies1 the cbn said 62 of the microfinance banks had already closed shop 74 became insolvent 12 were terminally distressed while six voluntarily liquidated1 the cbn listed the primary mortgage banks for revocation as accord savings and loans limited in lagos that failed to recapitalise and ahocol savings and loans limited in anambra state government-owned that closed shop1 other mortgage banks for revocation are trans atlantic savings and loans limited in bayelsa state government-owned that became insolvent royal savings and loans limited in delta state that also closed shop amex savings and loans limited in lagos that failed to recapitalise and supreme savings and loans limited also in lagos that closed shop1 the cbn disclosed that eight finance companies voluntary liquidated 13 failed to recapitalise while one became insolvent1 according to the apex bank the affected institutions are from different states of the federation1 i think it is in the overall interest of the country that we dont embark on a project which has not been well thought out or a project that would probably have to been abandoned midway1

Ghana closes 400 Nigerian businesses
News & Trends •
source63 more than 400 businesses owned by nigerians have been closed by authorities in ghana sparking a protest by owners who have issued a week ultimatum within which to resolve the surrounding the maltreatment of nigerian business community in ghana1 the national association of nigerian traders nants have written a petition to president muhammadu buhari and the economic community of west african states ecowas on the issue1 the association gave a one-week ultimatum to the commission to intervene in the matter warning that the association would occupy the ecowas premises if the situation in ghana was not addressed1 in their protest march to the ecowas secretariat on monday in abuja the traders urged the commission to intervene to stop the alleged victimisation of nigerian business men and women in ghana1 according to some local media reports on tuesday the president of nant mr. ken ukaoha stated that the development has reached a point where the ghanaian parliament has passed a legislation to make the business environment hostile to foreign investors1 he said that the ecowas president jean-claude brou had been petitioned over the development1 this is a save our soul call and the urgency of this protest is to inform you of the state of fear uncertainty and insecurity that nigerian traders are currently subjected to in the hands of the government and people of ghana in different cities under the coordination of ghana investment promotion centre and ministry of trade and industry ukaoha said1 according to him the members of the association have been shut out of their business premises in pursuance of the eviction order dated july 27 2018 demanding that we must have 1m as minimum foreign investment capital to do business in ghana1

African multi-millionaires hit 7,100
News & Trends •
source63 there are 7100 multi-millionaires living in africa each with net assets of 10 million or more1 afrasia bank wealth report 2018 says that total private wealth held in africa is also expected to rise by 34 per cent over the next 10 years reaching 3.1 trillion by the end of 20271 we expect mauritius ghana rwanda and uganda to be the strongest performing wealth markets in africa during this period with 90 per cent to 150 per cent growth rates1 our projections for ethiopia mozambique zambia kenya botswana and namibia are also relatively solid 50 per cent to 80 per cent growth rates the report said1 tanzania south africa angola morocco egypt ivory coast and nigeria however have less favourable forecasts albeit positive at between 10 and 30 per cent mostly due to policy and economic factors that are seeing high net worth individuals hold back investments within these countries1 the african luxury sector generated about 6 billion in revenue in 2017 mainly through the purchase of luxury cars clothing and accessories watches private jets yachts and luxury hotels and lodges1 it rated rwanda and uganda as countries in east africa that are leading spots for wealth growth in africa1 the countries are projected to have some of the strongest performing wealth markets in africa in the next 10 years1 the analysis indicates that wealth held in africa has risen by 13 per cent in the past decade and by 3 per cent over the past year with mauritius topping the performing individual markets1 in terms of wealth growth in the past decade in east africa rwanda led the region with 74 per cent rate followed by kenya at 73 per cent then tanzania at 66 per cent and uganda at 56 per cent1 as at the end of 2017 kenya topped the region with the highest wealth that are held by individuals at 104 billion followed by tanzania and ethiopia at 60 billion1 there are over 320 centi-millionaires each with net assets of 100 million or more and 24 billionaires each with net assets of 1 billion or more1 the new report also shows that the average african individual has net assets of 2000 with more than 148000 high net worth individuals hnwis living in africa each with net assets of 1 million or more1 a large portion of luxury sector revenue in africa comes from luxury hotels and lodges with south africa being the main tourist destination1 in terms of wealthiest city in east africa nairobi beat its regional peers holding more than 54 billion of private wealth held by the high net worth individuals1 dar es salaam was second in the region at 25 billion followed by kampala at 16 billion and mombasa at 8 billion1 on the continent johannesburg topped at 276 billion followed by cairo at 140 billion then lagos at 108 billion and durban at 55 billion1 the major south african destinations for wealthy people are kruger national park cape town umhlanga and franschhoek1 in the rest of the continent major destinations included mauritius seychelles marrakech and casablanca in morocco cairo and sharm el sheikh in egypt serengeti in tanzania the masai mara game reserve in kenya livingstone falls in zambia and the okavango swamps in botswana1 in april the knight franks wealth report showed that kenya had created 180 new dollar millionaires last year growing the number of persons with a net worth of over 5 million to 12901 out of the 1290 dollar millionaires 90 were worth 50 million with less 10 individuals estimated to have a net worth of over 500 million1 over the same period 40 tanzanians entered the club of dollar millionaires worth over 5 million pushing the countries total to 2501 within the continent south africa tops in having the wealthiest individuals holding 722 billion followed by egypt at 330 billion and nigeria at 253 billion1

Kenya, Interpol to tackle organised crime
News & Trends •
source63 in an effort to comprehensively tackle transnational organised crime kenya has resolved to collaborate with the international criminal police organization interpol1 this cabinet secretary for interior dr. fred matiangi said in nairobi during a meeting with interpol secretary general jrgen stock that kenya desire to collaborate with the worlds largest international police organization to build an unassailable cyber environment ahead of the launch of the national integrated identity management system niims1 he reiterated president uhuru kenyattas support to interpol as kenya seeks to root out all criminal networks which pose serious threats to national and international security1 were aware that cybercrime is real in this digital era but we are taking all measures to remain ahead of the criminals dr. matiangi said and exuded confidence that the data which will be collected during the upcoming digital registration exercise will be secured1 the cabinet secretary also revealed that kenya is working with various anti-money laundering agencies across the globe to identify sources and destinations of proceeds of crime1 most economic crimes are linked to fraudulent travel papers but we are relentless in this fight. apart from streamlining our immigration laws were also in hot pursuit of wanted fugitives to bring them to justice in line with the international criminal law he added1 meanwhile stock recognized kenya as an important partner in the global regime against terrorism and transnational organized crime and said interpol will step up its contribution in this drive in terms of skills and resources1 he disclosed that a mega-project that will serve as one of interpols global early warning systems is underway in nairobi1 kenya hosts the interpol bureau for eastern africa which covers 13 countries and the project will expand africas technical ability to counter major security threats1

Sex, homosexuality stall MTNs music festival
News & Trends •
source63 ugandas nyege nyege international music and arts festival sponsored by telecom giant mtn has been banned because of scheduled open sex noise homosexuality lgbti1 mtn nyege nyege will not be accepted it will not take place. i wanted nyege nyege cancelled last year but they escaped ugandas minister of ethics and integrity mr. simon lokodo warned1 the three-day festival slated to begin on thursday sept. 6 has been banned lokodo announced1 lokodo said the government had information that open sex noise homosexuality lgbti will be part of the nyege nyege1 this ugly thing called mtn nyege nyege is not taking place this year1 we have already evaluated how much losses will come. we shall save the image of this country but not allow this to take place for the two days and one night he said1 this years festival is sponsored by telecom firm mtn. last year bell lager the first ugandan brewed beer by uganda breweries limited sponsored the event1 let foreigners not come to uganda for sex. if you are coming for sexual reasons worse still homosexuality and lgbtq stay away1 there will be nudity and sexuality done at any time of the hour. there will be open sex1 the very name of the festival is provocative. it means sex sex or urge for sex. we have been informed its taking place near owen falls dam. this brings uncertainty and fear1 this is close to devil worshipping and not acceptable1 mr lokodo said he has written to the police to stop the event from taking place1 the festival had attracted over 300 artists from over 30 countries1 the venue was set on a six-acre forest on the banks of the river nile a kilometre away from the source of the river and jinja town1 the activity will be covered by alcohol and music. there will be drugs toxicants not accepted by this country1

Zimbabwe: opposition Chamisa says won presidential election
News & Trends •
source63 zimbabwes main opposition leader nelson chamisa said on thursday that he had won the presidential election and president emmerson mnangagwa knew he had lost otherwise the results would have been announced by now1 in his first public appearance since the vote on monday chamisa leader of the opposition movement for democratic change mdc urged his supporters to be calm and await massive celebrations for his victory1 chamisa said he could not give any figures because he would be breaking the law1

Museveni runs again after 32 years in office
News & Trends •
source63 ugandas constitutional court has removed the 75-year-old age cap allowing president yoweri museveni now 73 to run again as president1 the president has already spent 32 years in office and he is seeking a sixth term1 the court delivered its ruling on the consolidated presidential age limit petition at the high court in mbale on thursday1 the three main issues the court was to rule on were the lifting of the age caps extension of the term of parliament and the raid on the house last year1 in the verdict the five-judge bench by a majority of 4-1 upheld the removal of the 75-year age cap that allows president yoweri museveni1 the court unanimously rejected the extension of the tenure of the presidency and parliament from five to seven years1 it stated that it was unconstitutional to amend the law without subjecting it to a referendum. this means that elections are due in 20211 on the raid by security operatives who evicted mainly opposition mps from parliament during the age limit bill debate last year the judges said the conduct of lawmakers necessitated some intervention but condemned the handling of the incident by police1

PDP members sue Adeleke over certificate
News & Trends •
source63 the plaintiffs are also asking the court to grant an order restraining the pdp from presenting adelekes name to the independent national electoral commission inec for the september 22nd governorship poll2 the members are seeking that the court grant an interim order to set aside results of the governorship election that produced adeleke2 when the case came up for mention on wednesday july 25 the counsel for the applicants mr. mathew ayandokun prayed the court for an interim order setting aside the election of adeleke1 he also asked the court to stop the inec from accepting his nomination as the partys flag bearer1 ayandokun after the court hearing told journalists that his clients were challenging adeleke in court because he does not possess and has not produced his school leaving certificate1 the osun pdps governorship candidate sen. ademola adeleke has been dragged to court by some aggrieved members of the party for alleged non-possession of primary school certificate1 biri-omoni while addressing journalists insisted that his client has a certificate1 he added that it will be proper for him and his client to be put on notice and served with the necessary papers before coming to court1 justice david oladimeji adjourned ruling on the application till thursday july 261 adeleke a lawmaker representing osun west district in the national assembly during the primary held on saturday july 21 polled a total of 1569 votes to beat his closest rival dr akin ogunbiyi who scored 1562 votes1 adelekes lawyer mr. edmond biri-omoni however debunked the allegations1

Police arrest 117 killer suspects in Zamfara
News & Trends •
source63 the police have confirmed the arrest of 117 persons suspected to be connected with the recent killings in parts of zamfara state1 according to him the suspects were arrested during a raid carried out by the special tactical squad of the inspector general of police igp in conjunction with the command tactical team on thursday which lasted for several hours1 he also noted that the command tactical team arrested 72 suspected bandits who specialize in using unregistered motorcycles to ferry kidnapped victims to their hideouts while 73 unregistered motorcycles were recovered from them1 the command therefore warned all criminals at large to repent and surrender their arms to the police or face dire consequences when they are caught1 the zamfara state police public relations officer mr mohammed shehu said in a statement that the killings are in gusau shinkafi local government areas and other parts of the state1 this comes days after bandits stormed the villages on motorbikes shooting sporadically at residents and carting away their livestock1 one of the villagers said 30 people were killed across the villages during the attacks although the police authorities insisted that only three people died1 however the repeated attacks on communities have left residents in perpetual fear and anxiety1 they have therefore called on the federal government to be more proactive in securing their lives and property and also stop the repeated killings stemming from herdsmen-farmers clashes1 it also enjoined members of the public to sustain their cooperation by providing timelyuseful information to the police on criminal activities1

eSwatini gets EUs $44m loan
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source63 the kingdom of eswatini former swaziland and a small landlocked monarchy in southern africa has received a loan of 44 million from the european investment bank eib1 the money which will be directed towards funding an agricultural project was presented by a delegation from eib which was led by head of division africa public sector diederick zambon1 it was received by finance minister martin dlamini at his offices1 also to witness the presentation was economic planning and development minister prince hlangusemphi who said this will finance the third phase of the lower usuthu smallholder irrigation project lusip iii1 the country known for its wilderness reserves and festivals showcasing traditional swazi culture was presented the money on thursday1 lusip is a poverty alleviation initiative situated in the lowveld vegetation region of eswatini1 it is project aims to benefit 4 600 households 34 000 people through transforming subsistence farmers into commercial farmers of irrigated lands producing cash and food crops1 in its first phase the project has constructed dams and a tertiary distribution system to irrigate the first 6 500 hectares1 in phase ii the water delivery system was extended by 36km and there was construction of a tertiary distribution system to irrigate a further 5000 hectares of crops1 the prince said this project will benefit about 2259 homesteads 59 per cent of which are led by women by completion of an off-river storage reservoir to impound 155 million cubic metres of water harvested from wet season flood flows in the usuthu river1

Kenya increases shares in Africa50
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source63 kenya has resolved to increase by 50 per cent its shareholding in africa50 a continental initiative for funding infrastructure development1 kenya which initially had a share capital of 50 million is one of the founder investors in the venture fund which is supported by the african development bank afdb1 he made the announcement at the official opening of the 53rd shareholders meeting of africa50 in nairobi1 kenyatta said that kenya was pleased with the role the fund was playing in the transformation of africa1 kenyatta noted that kenya was particularly pleased that investments by africa50 gave market rate returns1 i am pleased to announce that kenya will double its investment in africa50 to 100 million said kenyatta 1 president uhuru kenyatta of kenya said the countrys shares has been increased to 100 million1 kenyatta observed that africa50s vision is supportive of kenyas big four development agenda which includes universal health care food security affordable housing and enhancing manufacturing to create more jobs1 he observed that infrastructure attracts investment and forms the backbone upon which his administrations big four agenda will be achieved1 infrastructure development is crucial because none of the big four will be achieved without proper infrastructure. it is a key enabler for development said kenyatta1 the chairman of the board of directors of africa50 dr. akinwumi adesina said kenya has achieved tremendous infrastructure development under president kenyatta1 adesina who is also the african development bank president said africa50 provides a new framework to address africas development needs adding that the continent has an infrastructure funding gap of as much as 108 billion1 while praising the growing number of projects financed by africa50 in kenya he underscored the importance of private sector in bridging investment gaps on the continent and challenged africas private sector to set a good example by investing in africa so that other investors from around the world can have the confidence to channel their funds to the continent1

Uganda remains in ICC after quit threats
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source63 uganda has finally decided to remain in the international criminal court after years of threats to withdraw from the hague-based court1 president yoweri museveni had publicly taken exception to the courts indictment of a sitting african head of state1 a uganda parliament statement said kadaga reassured the president of the icc that uganda will not withdraw from the rome statute but will continue working with the icc1 kadaga made the remarks in the netherlands at the commemoration of the 20 years of the rome statute and cleared any doubts as to the ugandan governments commitment to the court1 i also want to reassure you that because of that collaboration we are the first country to issue a reference for arbitration to the icc and we have continued to cooperate to date1 of course we are part of the african union and there have sometimes been difficult situations between the icc and the african union. there are areas of reservations a reference to a february 2017 african union decision to withdraw from the icc1 uganda voted in favour of the withdrawal after a divisive motion sponsored by kenya was debated by the heads of state summit held in addis ababa ethiopia1 ugandas speaker of parliament mrs. rebecca kadaga reaffirmed the governments commitment to the rome statute that established the icc1 kadaga described bashir as an important actor in the region stressing his centrality in prospects for peace in the war-torn and volatile south sudan1 uganda stands for a position where justice is not sacrificed at the altar of peace and peace is not sacrificed at the altar of justice according to kadaga1 during the first inauguration of kenyas president uhuru kenyatta museveni said africa supported the court in the spirit of abhorring impunity but that the court has since lost track and is being used as a tool of foreign domination1 kenyatta and his deputy william ruto became the first-ever sitting heads of government to appear before the court although charges against the duo were later dropped for lack of evidence1 meanwhile burundi and south africa had formally written to the icc seeking withdrawal but are yet to withdraw from the court1 the court has suffered heavy criticism for allegedly only targeting african leaders a claim the icc persistently denies1 the icc has always criticised uganda for warming up to sudanese president omar bashir who is wanted by the court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in darfur1

Rhumba star, Olomide faces arrest
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source63 facing a number of charges in france and zambia congolese rhumba star koffi olomide faces arrest on arrival in zambia on the advice of france1 following the appeal zambian media quoted religious affairs minister godfridah sumaili saying the singer would be arrested upon arrival1 olomide a regular in zambia was due to hold two shows this month1 french ambassador sylvain berger said olomide was facing a number of charges both in zambia and france1 the rhumba maestro is wanted on suspicion of sexually assaulting dancers kidnapping and employing them in france without permit and facilitating their entry and illegal stay1 it is not the first time olomide is finding himself in the eye of a storm in zambia1 he in january 2013 assaulted a zambian photojournalist and had to flee across the border to avoid arrest1 the french embassy in zambia has asked the local authorities to arrest olomide for various allegations1 mapao as his fans fondly refer to him was infamously deported from kenya in july 2016 for kicking one of his dancers at the jomo kenyatta international airport jkia1 the musician spent the night at police cells at the airport before being deported to kinshasa where he was charged with the crime and jailed for three months commuted down from 18 months on president joseph kabilas intervention1 he was however released on bail after five days1 olomide apologised to kenyans for his behaviour1 but even at home the 62-year-old bad boy is never far from controversies. he was in august 2012 given a three-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting his producer. the sentence followed his arrest after fracas at a hotel in kinshasa1 earlier in 2001 security personnel in kinshasa dragged koffi out of his mercedes benz compressor and frog-marched in public after he had defied being flagged down1 he later apologised to the journalist1