Thursday, October 1, 2009

What's Going on in Africa Today??

Somalia: Bitter Fighting Continues in Kismayu Town
Kismayu — Bitter fighting between forces loyal to Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen and Hizbul Islam is continuing in the port town of Kismayu in southern Somalia, witnesses and officials told Shabelle radio on Thursday.Reports from the town say that fighting is very heavy and both sides are exchanging heavy weapon fire in the war, which has affected all movement of traffic, people and business in the town.Residents said that the sound of gunfire could be heard in the neighborhood of Iskuraran, where rival fighters are using different weapons in the clash.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010290.html

Kikwete: African Leaders Must Create Right Climate for Business
African leaders "have a duty to create the right climate for business" in Africa, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said September 28 in Washington. Kikwete spelled out five key sectors for business investment across Africa: infrastructure, the lack of which is strangling economic development across the region, he said; agriculture and agribusiness; natural resource development; tourism; and financial services, where a broader array of banking tools and programs is needed to help fuel long-term economic growth. The media have not been very helpful, Kikwete said, as Africa makes its case as a great place for investment opportunities and business. "Sometimes I read what they say about us and wonder." http://allafrica.com/stories/200909300795.html

Kenya: International Court to Handle Kenya Post-Election Violence
Those most responsible for last year's post-election violence in Kenya may now be punished by the International Criminal Court, after Kenya missed a deadline to address the issue. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the court, said in a statement Wednesday that his court will now step in to help Kenya address the post-election violence of early 2008. In the statement, he said the International Criminal Court would prosecute those most responsible, and other perpetrators would be subject to "national accountability proceedings as defined by the Kenyan Parliament, such as a Special Tribunal."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/09/30/kenya.election.icc/index.html

Sudan: Peacekeeper Killed in Darfur Ambush
A Nigerian peacekeeper has been killed in an ambush in Sudan's western Darfur region, an official with the joint United Nations and African Union force (Unamid) has said.Kemal Saiki, the chief of communications of Unamid, said on Tuesday that two other soldiers were wounded in the attack which occurred a day earlier."There was a Unamid military and police convoy escorting civilians back to our camp in El Geneina [capital of West Darfur district]. They were attacked by a group of unidentified men," Saiki said."They [the attackers] opened fire, apparently with no warning ..."
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/09/200992975043393744.html

Kenyan Anti-Corruption Chief Quits
The head of Kenya's anti-corruption commission has resigned following weeks of public protests and a parliamentary vote against his reappointment. Aaron Ringera said that he and one of his deputy directors had stepped down on Wednesday because of the "national storm" stirred up after he was returned to the post by Mwai Kibaki, the president, in August."We have given the fight against corruption our all, we could not have done better," Ringera said. The reappointment of Ringera drew fire from ordinary Kenyans, anti-corruption activists and religious leaders who pointed to the failure of the commission to conclude even one case of high-level corruption on his watch. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/09/2009930172145480512.html