While the links between peace and justice were sometimes sensitive and complex, impunity and amnesties for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes were unacceptable, Nicolas Michel, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, said at Headquarters this afternoon.

Speaking at a farewell press conference, Mr. Michel said that, in the past, it had often been assumed that either peace or justice was possible, but not both. Today’s dilemma was not over which to choose, but how to link the two. It was not merely a question of sequencing; justice was among the necessary conditions for a sustainable peace, as in the challenging but true slogan: “No peace without justice”.

It was more a question of balance, he said, noting that warlords sometimes had to be arrested because peace was unachievable while they remained in the picture. At other times they were needed to negotiate a peace agreement — which did not mean they would not eventually end up behind bars. Difficulties arose today around the compatibility of judicial accountability and the mechanisms that could guarantee it with peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. That was particularly visible in the case of Uganda, where Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), had not shown up for the final peace negotiations, because he was not entirely sure he would not be prosecuted.

He said other challenges occurred when the establishment of a judicial mechanism was difficult to reconcile with a search for internal political stability, or when it was linked to conditions for a cessation of hostilities. Such was the deal offered to former Liberian president Charles Taylor with regard to the civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone. Burundi provided another example of the potential tension between mechanisms designed for justice and those supporting truth and reconciliation.

While there was no clear “one-size-fits-all” solution, there were several requirements that should be fulfilled if the right arrangement were to be found, he said. First, the overall objective of sustainable peace should be a priority. Judicial accountability must also be integrated into the design of a peace project from the beginning. Sequencing was likewise important.

Additionally, judicial mechanisms should be understood as independent instruments rather than political tools, and respect for judicial decisions must be ensured, he said. Outreach was also necessary, particularly to include civil society and especially when there was no proximity between the court of justice and the scene of the crime. Domestic capacity must be bolstered while objectivity and impartiality were necessary postures when tribunals were set up. Finally, victims must be protected, as did the fragile culture around the concept of “ending impunity”.

On the last point, he emphasized that, because the culture of ending impunity was new, fragile and still fragmented, there must be progress towards making that culture more universal and ensuring it was perceived as equal for everyone. Faced with a dilemma between justice for everybody and no justice for anyone, the solution was to say “you want to make progress as much as you can; you want to develop that culture with the hope that, down the road, it will be equal for everyone”.

Asked about rumours that political deals could compromise the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he said the main elements for the Tribunal were in place, including the Registrar in The Hague, the Prosecutor and the judges. The Tribunal had not been negatively affected in any way by events in the country. “On the contrary, there was never any talk about the course of action being amended in view of the evolution of the circumstances.”

“The Tribunal will be created, it will be there,” he stressed, pointing out that it was the Secretary-General, not the Security Council, who oversaw the investigation. He would decide how to proceed, in consultation with the Lebanese Government and on the basis of the progress achieved by the investigation and receipt of the necessary funding.

As far as the Tribunal’s funding was concerned, he pointed out that the issue went beyond the case of Lebanon. As subsidiary bodies of the Security Council, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda were funded through assessed contributions. Those in Sierra Leone, Cambodia or Lebanon were funded through voluntary contributions, despite the Secretariat’s position that the formula did not work well. The first year of the Lebanon Tribunal was covered and more funding had been pledged.

Asked whether there would be constraints on the Secretary-General and on the Department of Peacekeeping Operations if President Omer al-Bashir of Sudan were indicted, Mr. Michel said the Organization was going through a learning process and policies must be established and amended on the basis of lessons learned. It was true that, in the past, the United Nations had learned that implementing some of its most vital, mandated activities might require it to be in contact with warlords, for example. In the case of Sudan, the Security Council resolution authorizing the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) had no mandate to arrest anyone in Sudan indicted by the International Criminal Court.

Responding to a question about the International Criminal Court’s work being limited to Africa and being applied selectively, even politically, as a result, he said it was largely thanks to Africa that the Rome Statute had been adopted and the Court set up. A large number of States on that continent had ratified the Statute, and Uganda had submitted its own case to the International Criminal Court, as had the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Looking at the broad picture, the largest number of people convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia were Europeans. Moreover, the judges at the International Criminal Court were eager to demonstrate their independence.

Asked what suggestions he might have for the United Nations on staffing matters, he emphasized that when the Organization had been created, an independent civil service had been envisioned to staff it. To achieve that, the current pension system should be more flexible and conceived for mobility.

Looking back on his time with the United Nations, he said: “Any time we can achieve even an inch in favour of victims or people who are ill-treated on this Earth, it is worth it.”

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Published by API

It is apparent that in as much as Kenya political question is yet to be addressed there are still other structural problems inherent in critical sectors like Education. In a  country where education is revered and respected and only second to religion, It  is apparent that Kenya is in the long haul path to self destruction. A country without a vibrant education is simply dead. A country with an education sector busy churning out useless or fake products is  simply as good as gone bananas.

Unfortunately Kenya is in that spectrum. The frequent school strikes seems to be well  co-ordinated , ill intentioned and in the wrong direction. How come all over sudden students have become such rebellious, nasty, brutal and reckless? Can it be just as a  result of drugs, too much societal demands, political atmosphere, tribalism, confusion or just what is it? Clearly this is a disaster  in the waking!

Some argue that the elimination of caning in schools was the beginning of the end. But then even in the developed countries like USA, Britain, Canada, Australia, New-Zealand , Japan and so on, canning is banned in schools. So what is wrong with Kenya?

Providing solutions to the challenge  will not involve simplistic solutions as the minister of education Hon Professor  Sam Ongeri  and eggheads of the ministry seem to prescribe. The fact is  the youth today are in all forms of self destructive ways like destruction of learning institutions facilities, drugs,  destructive sexual habits , evil materialism, get rich quick habits  and so on. Unfortunately for Kenya the  youth form the bedrock of the country and obviously they are the future presumptive in leadership and safeguarding the existence of the nation.

These are the people who will be leaders and will be running industries for the betterment of Kenya as a country tomorrow. That they can sink that low and with gusto is greatly appalling and worrying. How do you have such destructive elements leading in future. Then the country will be just set ablaze in wholesale scale.

Basically the youth need to be given a and driven through a national strategic plan. An individual strategic plan is the way forward in the sense that our youth need to be  developed to what to become while they are still in school. They need to be re-assured that the nice things they desire in life are attainable and that with a good career planning, modeling, mentorship and involvement in identifying opportunities they can each individually make themselves great. For this to happen though, bad habits like drug abuse need to be fought both aggressively and endlessly.  This cannot be achieved through window dressing methodologies as the relevant ministry and the government is driving to. Task force and inquiries s have just become the convenient way to ease into burying the head on the sand and assume things will simply sort themselves out.

Unless our youth are guided we will breed a distorted and lost  stock who will be unjust, evil, destructive and a quiet senseless. This is the route to an hobbesian state  where life is brutish and short. It is not hard to degenerate into such levels. Our neighbours Somalia sank and sank too low with hopeless bands of destructive youths. With its education system in shambles , unemployment running very high, misdirected political systems, confused systems and a youth desperately  looking for occupation, Somalia is just  a world  eyesore. With the school system in shambles and youth getting bad habits at the stage they are in we are simply making the world more insecure.

To destabilize a country just destabilize the youth. The spillover effect will be felt for generations and Kenya stands on the threshold of failure if the salient problems are not  addressed. It is simply dangerous for the world to let more generations fall into the wrong direction. Insecurity would only rise. After failure witnessed globally we can’t add another basket of rotten tomatoes

It is highly doubtful whether  we have  critically  examined the goal and philosophy of our education and subsequently checked if they are achievable through the current structure, syllabi, calibre of teachers, calibre of leadership we have and the resources. The bottom-line is that our education system is quite discriminative , bereft of ingenuity and totally confused with due regard to modern economic paradigm. It is just an art for art sake kind of operation. We have schools just because it is good to have schools and simply  we  no idea that the education system could be a harbinger to great milestones of achievements in future. No country on earth has achieved success without a robust, well organized, innovative and well-intentioned and positioning education system.

What we are lacking in , is  not unusual in Kenya or third world for that matter. Whereas countries like Japan and Singapore have systematically used their education systems  to push their countries to the top of competitive and productive  edge ours is a system of just churning human resources who are robotically bound to follow confused very elementary orders in industry, politics, business, social engagements and in a nutshell  a system of producing un-competitive and un-innovative products.

In addition how would you expect the school system to perform yet other than the economic woes afflicting teachers there are problems with societal malfunctioning. Parents have just left the role of moulding their children just to teachers yet the same parents are busy spoiling their kids to be useless brats. The same teachers cannot even met the simplest of disciplinary measures to students without incurring the wrath of the largely irresponsible parents. In addition, a country in perpetual economic woes leaves the parents with no time to look after their kids as they  are r busy looking for means of economic survival  and economic gain. The burdensome and disoriented education curriculum is just the right seed to inject madness to the young minds in an atmosphere full of r evil forces. And when this is happening ofcourse at the highest level there is simply no leadership in various sectors . This is also in a country where job creation is only found in campaign manifestoes and the youth only look to a future full of mirage of promises and perpetual lies.

Then isn’t the current mess as a result of a conglomeration of factors and a natural response to the chaos prevailing all over the place and in the country! Who is then surprised that our education system is simply in shambles? Unless somebody with some Utopian fantastical mind!

Written by Harrison  Mwirigi  Ikunda, Nairobi. Kenya.

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Published by African Press International - API

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai today signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis.

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Forwarded to API by Leo Odera Omolo

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API

It has emerged that Raila has been ranked a top performer in government. Has someone paid somebody to trick out the results? Is the move putting Raila top, a way to sway investors from the west to invest in the country? Did any money change hands in form of bribes? These are questions that observers are now looking for answers for in order to settle down on the who really is the good performer. (API)

By Samuel Otieno

Kenyans perceive Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the highest performer in government, a new opinion poll shows.

Raila is ahead of President Kibaki and the entire government.

Raila got approval ratings of 75 per cent, followed by Kibaki at 68 per cent and the government at 65 per cent, an opinion poll released on Friday by the Steadman Group shows.

The level of support for the national accord has grown in the last three months by 78 per cent, with many saying they support the power-sharing deal.

“There is goodwill among Kenyans on the success of the Grand Coalition,” said Dr Tom Wolf, Steadman’s Head of Research. Predictably, most ratings for the president came from Central and Eastern provinces and for Raila came from Nyanza and Western provinces.

Most Kenyans still think ODM is the most popular political party.

Fifty percent of the respondents support amnesty for perpetrators of post-election violence. But majority of people in Central and Eastern provinces want perpetrators of violence punished, said Wolf.

Respondents at the same time expressed confidence in the media and the Speaker of the National Assembly as the most trusted institutions, while the least trusted are the Electoral Commission of Kenya and the police.

Out of the 2012 people interviewed, 39 per cent said they want the resettlement of IDP’s prioritised, while 32 per cent want constitutional reforms.

The research was conducted between July 6 and July 11.

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API/Standard.ke

The story posted on your website on the above subject is malicious, full of lies and lacks merit.

I am willing to prove to that the story is false.  I am the Mr. Kilonzo referred in the story.  I am still married to Stella and we are happilly raising our two boys (I am the father of the one born in 2007 and we have another.  I know I am the father 100%.  I don’t know who the reporter is but he appears to have a personal agenda. 

 You can criticize Stella’s work but you should not make personal and so malicious.  I think you should not post these kind of baseless and unproved personal attacks unless you have prove. 

I am kindly requesting that you remove this false story from your website.   I am also exploring legal action.  As stated ealier I am willing to prove the story as false and malicious.  You’ve my e-mail.  I can also be reached at (312) 328 - 2247 (8:30am to 5:00pm US central time).

By Mr Kilonzo

Complaining about the facts in the story below: 

 Making questionable appointments

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API

An international research conference on the 1994 Rwandan genocide and reconstruction of knowledge is underway in Kigali, the Rwandan capital; with genocide survivors calling for the transfer to Rwanda of all genocide cases at the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

The three-day conference, which officially opened Wednesday at hotel Novotel in Kigali, is attracting more than 150 scholars and researchers from around the world in different academic disciplines.

The conference, organized by the Rwandan Anti-Genocide Commission, is also being attended by various senior Rwandan government officials and security officers from the police and the military.

The Rwandan minister of sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza, who presided over the opening ceremony, called on the international community to apprehend all genocide suspects still at large across the world. He noted that the genocide ideology is a dangerous disease that must not be allowed to take root anywhere in the world and; “This will effectively be up rooted if all genocide fugitives still at large around the world should be arrested and while giving no room to genocide apologists and sympathizers.”

The president of the Rwanda Genocide Survivors’ Association, Theodore Simburudari, said for true justice and reconciliation to prevail, all genocide suspects should be tried in Rwanda from where they committed their crimes during the 1994 genocide. He stressed that all genocide survivors approve the government’s request to transfer all genocide suspects and cases at the ICTR to Rwanda. He urged that due to comprehensive judicial reforms by the government, there are all necessary conditions for free and fair trials of all the various categories of genocide cases.

“Since the genocide was committed here, all trials should therefore be held here for true justice and reconciliation,” Simburudari urged, calling for a survivors fund with the United Nations and countries like Britain, Belgium, Italy and the United States making mandatory contributions because the genocide happened and over one million people were killed under their watch.

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API/APA

Lesotho’s ever-sparkling musician, Bhudaza, says his dearest personal project is to set up an arts and music learning institution that will train artists throughout the country.

He made the statement in an exclusive interview with APA on Thursday in Maseru.

Bhudaza’s career, which is blessed with harsh luck and miracles from Sunday school as demonstrated in the soundtracks of his two albums issued in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

In the 2008 holiday season he will be performing here at home and in the neighboring South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Atlanta and Washington D.C. in the United States.

His latest production on the market is Mohokare, which hit the shelves in November 2006.

Most of his songs focus on AIDS awareness among youth and adults, as well as migrant workers and with emphasis on Lesotho mineworkers in the Republic of South Africa, where they are regarded as hopeless population even though they work to help their families back home,” he said.

Bhudaza said his biggest achievement since he became a musicina is to have been awarded the ’Multi platinum” status on his debut recording and double gold on his second.

“ I am also proud that I got recognition by the former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan when I performed to welcome him here at home in 2002,” he added.

He said is boasting to have accompanied King Letsie III, Lesotho’s head of State to Expo 2000 in Hanova in 2000. Furthermore, he has created the Bhujazz Music PTY (ltd), which is the record label and music production house.

However, he says obstacles that are facing artists in their quest for promotion in Lesotho are piracy, political constraints, lack of professionalism to most of the locals regarding showbiz and local artists being undermined by promoters.

Discography of the artist

Bhudaza says he managed to start his own group, Bhudaza and Friends in 2001, but he reached a peak in 2003 when he recorded his first album titled “Bo-Mapefane” that sold 215 000 copies, which made 4 platinums.

It was followed by Mohokare in 2006, which is still on the market.

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API/APA

Lesotho King Letsie III, on Thursday commissioned Former Deputy Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, ’Matlotliso Ntoane, as the country’s new High Commissioner to South Africa.

The King urged the new High Commissioner to help maintain the long standing bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries with loyalty and deligence.

Accepting the assignment, Ntoane pledged to carry out her duties with dedication and as assigned.

Ntoane was born on May 12, 1966 and joined the public service in 1989, where she worked in various ministries including Health, Local Government and Public Service.

She chaired the Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) Board for six years, and also represented Lesotho government in Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) and on the board of the Imperial fleet services.

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API/APA

Unknown gunmen tossed a hand grenade at a cinema in the central Somali town of Galkayo on Monday night, killing two people and wounding seven others, officials and eyewitnesses said.

“Two men were sighted standing outside the cinema for nearly half an hour as viewers were trooping to the cinema, then one of them tossed a hand grenade to the entrance of the cinema. The explosion killed two men and wounded seven others,” said Muse Farah Damal, an eyewitness.

The regional police chief, Abdirahman Aded Gelle said the police helped to take the wounded to the main hospital in the town and the culprits escaped but “we are after them”.

Meanwhile, two huge explosions rocked parts of the Somali capital early on Tuesday at a time when hundreds of government soldiers cordoned off the road between the airport and the presidential place as President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was supposed to use the road on his return from Djibouti where he met with the UN Security Council.

Presidential spokesperson Husein Mohamed Mohamud said the president reached his palace safely.

The spokesperson for the African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu, Brigye Bahuko said the troops carried out a mine clearing operation on the road the president was supposed to use.

“The explosions you heard this morning were two of improvised explosive devices planted on the road near the airport and our troops detonated them,” he said.

In a separate incident, heavily armed Islamic insurgents launched an attack late on Monday night at a government military base south of Baidoa.

“The insurgents attacked at Manas military base 30 km south of Baidoa and briefly took the control of the base,” said Madey Nur Garas, a local resident.

The insurgents spokesperson, Abdirahin Issa Adow said: “Our troops launched an attack on this military base and briefly held it, killing several government soldiers and confiscated weapons and ammunition.”

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API/APA

Bergen’s favourite soccer team Brann, was beaten soundly by Molde on Wednesday. Brann, who won the league championship last year, have now been knocked out of this year’s Football Cup.

Brann’s Jan Gunnar Sollie in red dueling with Molde’s Magne Hoseth. PHOTO: SCANPIX Â

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Molde have been doing well recently. In their latest league match, they won 5 goals to 1, against the Oslo team VĂĄlerenga. The recent glut of goals contrasts with early in the soccer season, when Molde opened with three matches that ended in no-score draws.

“We’ve been working hard, and as long as we are creating scoring opportunities, we don’t have to worry. We’re scoring eight goals from ten chances at goal. At the beginning it was the other way round,” says Molde trainer Kjell Evret to television station TV 2 Zebra.

After their defeat, Brann next have to face Latvian Ventspils, in the first round of the UEFA Champions League.

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API/Aftenposteneng

 

 

Navanethem Pillay is shown at a UN news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in this 2003 file photo. Despite U.S. concerns, the former South African judge, is expected to be the next UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. (Keystone/Sandro Campardo/Associated Press)UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday named South African judge Navanethem Pillay as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a post vacated by Canadian Louise Arbour last month.

Pillay has served as a judge at the International Criminal Court in the Hague since 2003.

Before that, she was the presiding judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In that role, she was known for highlighting the seriousness of gender-based crimes during the 1994 killings of an estimated 800,000 Rwandans.

As a lawyer in South Africa, Pillay defended anti-apartheid activists and championed their right to legal assistance.

The U.S. is said to have had some concerns about her appointment due to her pro-choice view on abortion, but UN officials said there is little chance she will be rejected.

The UN General Assembly plans to meet on Monday to discuss confirmation of Pillay’s appointment.

Her critics have also questioned whether she will publicly shame governments over human rights abuses, such as Zimbabwe, especially if it conflicts with South Africa’s position as a close ally.

Arbour, whose four-year term as human rights chief ended on June 30, was known for being outspoken. The former Supreme Court justice faced a backlash after taking a strong position against Israel during its bombing raids on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

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API/CBS

By  Macharia Gaithoe - mail the author

 

Posted Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 08:49

In Summary

Kajwang antics, Defends self against accusations over improper issuance of work permits

 

I LAUGHED TO TEARS WATCHING on TV last week Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’ display his talents as a comic.

The minister had called a press conference to defend himself against allegations of impropriety in the issuing of work permits and citizenship papers, but no hard questions were asked because he had everyone, among the assembled journalists rolling with laughter.

Clearly, if those agitating for his removal as a minister are successful, Mr Kajwang’ will have no trouble getting a slot as TV comedian.

The eternal Ojwang’ is getting on in years and the most obvious successor is idling his natural talents away in politics while he would be much more useful getting the whole nation laughing.

You just have to see the range of facial expressions, the variety of accents and the jokes delivered with aplomb and precision to recognise a star in the making.

If Mr Kajwang’ opts to do a Kimunya and step aside – not resign, mind you – pending investigations into whatever crime he is accused of, the entertainment world beckons.

Since it is unlikely he will go back to his former profession as a lawyer, I would imagine rival TV stations, particularly those that are in serious need of developing original content and get us away from mind-numbing Mexican soaps and outdated American sitcoms, bidding for his services.

To help Mr Kajwang’ realise his true vocation and enrich our lives with laughter, it is necessary that we all support the drive to have him step aside.

I am surprised the Parliament lynch mobs have not moved with as much speed as they did with the no confidence vote on Kimunya. And nor has the Prime minister assembled a Cabinet committee composed of Mr Kajwang’s accusers to investigate the issue.

Perhaps this might be because the evidence against Mr Kajwang’ is very thin indeed. The minister is accused of overturning decisions by his technical staff and granting work permits and citizenship papers to all sorts of applicants.

A few cases have been cited, but what is wrong with issuing work permits to skilled professionals like welders and shop assistants? And we all need some spiritual nourishment, so why deny missionaries the opportunity to minister to Kenyans?

Mr Kajwang’, in any case, did not do his thing in secrecy like Mr Kimunya and company did in selling the Grand Regency Hotel.

He took the appeals presented by those whose applications had been rejected by Immigration department bosses, interviewed the applicants, and overturned the decisions in writing.

Nothing criminal or unprocedural in that, I would say. But still, it is decidedly odd that the minister personally interviewed the applicants, which suggests that he saw them on the side instead of convening a panel to hear the appeals.

MR KAJWANG’, HOWEVER, DEFENDS himself forcefully. He was only exercising the ministerial prerogative. And when he adds that he is actually fighting corruption amongst entrenched cartels in the department that routinely deny work permits to deserving applicants unless bribes are paid, he is likely to earn kudos from long queues of past victims.

If there is something wrong, perhaps we should not so much be looking at what Mr Kajwang’ did, but at the systems which give ministers so much leeway to make solo decisions on such important matters.

It really should not be for one individual to decide who is allowed to acquire a work permit or Kenyan citizenship.

Any such decisions should be made by a panel that looks into all aspects of the case and makes an informed and impartial decision not clouded by the wrong considerations.

Mr Kajwang’ is right to wage war against corrupt cartels in his ministry, but that should be by having the wrongdoers caught and prosecuted rather than by taking over their role. That is where he went wrong.

Whether that is enough to have him hung, drawn and quartered, I just do not know, but it was evident the saga presented him the perfect opportunity to display his talents as a comedian.

And that, for me, is good enough reason for him to step aside permanently from politics and work on the craft where he is a natural and where he can cheer up the whole nation.

The smoking ban was well-intended and should go a long way towards helping many of us conquer that infernal habit.

But it is a measure that is in urgent need of proper interpretation, particularly for the benefit of those who are supposed to enforce it.

The police and Nairobi City Council askaris seem to be taking it as a total ban, and consequently have one into overdrive looking for anyone who dares light up except in the privacy of his home.

The strange thing is that we hardly hear of any of those arrested appearing in court because they find it much easier to pay the instant “fines” demanded by the corrupt custodians of law and order.

Some officers are getting very rich indeed, and mostly because it is so easy to terrorise people on the back of vague restrictions very few understand.

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API/NATION:KE

Uganda\’s Minister of State for Defense, Ruth Nankabirwa, has said that the current troops deployed in war-torn Somalia are not adequate to combat the rising attacks from militants and maintain stability there.

Uganda\’s Minister of State for Defense, Ruth Nankabirwa, has said that the current troops deployed in war-torn Somalia are not adequate to combat the rising attacks from militants and maintain stability there.

Nankabirwa made the observation on Tuesday when she appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs to defend her ministry\’s ministerial policy statement.

She was reacting to the committee\’s queries on the status of the Ugandan peacekeepers deployed in Somalia to protect the transition government in the Horn of Africa state.

Currently, there are 1,500 Ugandan soldiers in that country, a number which is barely enough to stabilise Somalia due to lack of reinforcement of troops from other African countries that had pledged contribution.

She lamented that many other African countries had promised to deploy their troops to the war ravaged country but have not yet honoured that commitment.

The minister revealed that Burundi, which had already sent a battalion to Somalia, was planning to send another contingent, while Nigeria is also expected to send a battalion of its soldiers in the near future.

She implored the African Union to fast track deployment of troops that other nations on the continent have pledged.

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API/APA