Kibaki, the gentleman refuses salary raise!

 President Mwai Kibaki has refused to accept a salary raise by members of parliament recently., “He said he had turned down the offer because there are other priority projects in need of urgent funding”.

MPs had decided last week to raise “his basic pay and allowances from $26,000 a month to more than $44,000.”

The Kenyan public in had criticised the move because they argue that the raise was wrong when 60% of the Kenyan people of 32m live under the poverty line managing their lives on one dollar a day.

When Mr Kibaki took over power in 2002 he promised to end corruption and improve the Kenyan people’s living standards. He faces re-election next year. 

While rejecting the raise, he thank MPs for their concern but told them, “I have taken note of the decision reached and weighed its implications under the current economic conditions prevailing in the country, and do hereby turn down the offer. It is imperative that remuneration due to public officers be a true reflection of the economic and social times of the nation.”

We think this was a good example by the president to those MPs who were planning to raise their own salaries if the president had accepted the money.

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no

source.bbc

Botswana’s bushmen win their case against the government!

<The leader of the Bushmen! 

Botswana’s government has accepted the defeat  in court, a defeat that saw the bushmen win the case they brought against the government, after they were moved from their land.

“The San people won a landmark case that they had been wrongly evicted from land roamed by them for thousands of years.”

It is good for them that the government did not appeal the case. “A statement from the president’s office said the government accepted it acted illegally cutting their water supplies.”

After the victory in court last week, “the Bushmen have said they will return to their desert homeland, four years after more than 1,000 were driven out. The bushmen are the oldest people in Sub-Saharan Africa and the case was the longest and most expensive in Botswana’s history.”

Many governments in Africa do not normally accept to be defeated by the local people. The way the government of Botswana has behaved, after the ruling is very exemplary, and should be emulated by other African countries. 

Related story:

• Botswana’s Bushmen may not return to their land!

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no

source.bbc

News in Brief

China 

The Six-nation talks has resumed in China. Topic: North Korea’s nuclear programme.

Indonesia

An earthquake in Indonesia has killed seven people, injuring over 100 others. The earthquake occured in Sumatra island.

Kenya 

Kenya Postal service has distributed over 1 million tourism stamps to its 500 outlets countrywide.

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no 

Source.nation.ke

Ceasefire extended between Museveni’s government and LRA!

<Lord Resistance Army!

The Ugandan government and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have agreed to extend a ceasefire for two months.

BBC reports that, “this is the second extension to the truce agreement originally signed by delegates from both parties at peace talks in southern Sudan in August. There is a new air of optimism at these negotiations which have been plagued by deadlock, walk-outs and slow progress.”

President Museveni.

Museveni has always refused to talk to the rebels. Now he has realised time has come to save Ugandan people from more suffering. The war has been going on for 20 years claiming  many lives. 1.5 million people have been displaced since the conflict started.

“Under the original agreement, the LRA had been given until mid-September to assemble at designated points in southern Sudan, in return for a temporary ceasefire by the Ugandan government troops. The rebels missed the deadline, saying the Ugandan army had surrounded the two assembly areas, threatening their fighters.”

The agreement that was reached earlierThe agreement was then extended to December, and the deadline has now been pushed further back until 28 February 2007.

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no

source.bbc

Castro is not dying, US lawmakers told!

US lawmakers who went to Cuba got a message they did not expect – Castro is not dying!

According to BBC, “US delegation chief said he was told Mr Castro would be back, although no details about his health were given. The veteran leader handed over control to his brother Raul in July, when he underwent urgent intestinal surgery.”

US and Europe know well that Castro is sick, and the US send the largest delegation ever to visit teh Island tom find out Castro’s situation. “The US group, the largest of its kind to visit the island since the 1959 revolution, was seeking dialogue. But Jeff Flake, a Republican congressman heading the delegation, said Cuban officials indicated there would be no political and economic changes.”

The process is one very interesting. “The group arrived on Friday and met with Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, Parliamentary Speaker Ricardo Alarcon and Basic Industries Minister Yadira Garcia. They no longer expected to meet acting President Raul Castro before leaving on Sunday.”

Cuban leader is in hospital but still able. “President Castro, 80, has not been seen in public for four months, and few details have emerged on his condition. Mr Flake said: “All the officials have told us that his illness is not cancer, nor is it terminal, and he will be back,” and that, “The envoy added that he had hoped to meet with Raul Castro as part of his fifth trip to the island, but said that would not now happen.”

USA and countries against the Cuban leader would like to see the end of Castro’s leadership. “It seems that the Cuban government may not be ready to say that the new era has begun, and perhaps that meeting would suggest that,” he noted.”

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN

africanpress@chello.no

source.bbc