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Youths from across the country have urged government to waive off taxes on youth enterprises that have been earmarked to benefit from the Parish Development Model (PDM).

The youths made this call during a plenary meeting of the Fifth National Youth Parliament where they observed that the PDM  design as it currently appears may not benefit them if they are to compete with other established enterprises.

“I am a farmer but you find the taxes on inputs are the same for us as the other established farmers. We would request that taxes are reduced for the youth,” said Jackline Namutebi from central region.

Demos Pariyo Agamba  from West Nile said many youth enterprises had collapsed because of high taxes which he said were discouraging. ”Do you know how many youth projects have died? We need a fair tax policy to protect youth enterprises,” said Agamba.

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Saturday, 6th August 2022, commissioned the newly constructed administration block of the North East Regional Coordinating Council, in Nalerigu, as part of the working visit of the North East Region.

The administration block of the North East Regional Co-ordinating Council is amongst six new administration structures being constructed for the six newly created Regions, and the second to be completed for use, after the commissioning in September 2021 of the administration block for the North East Regional Coordinating Council.

The administration complex was constructed at a cost of seventeen million, six hundred and forty-seven thousand, five hundred and forty-three cedis, and seventeen pesewas (GH¢17,647,543.17). It will house all the departments of the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council and other Institutions to ensure effective and efficient administration of the Region.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Akufo-Addo stated that the creation of the new regions “will bring government closer to the people, and also accelerate the process of social and economic progress in the various regions.”

He noted, however, that “we can’t build the regions without creating the institutions that will make regional development a success, and that is what we have begun to do with this building.”

President Akufo-Addo continued, “The Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralisation, Hon. Daniel Botwe was the very Minister who saw to the regional reconstruction, and that is why he has now been given the added responsibility of making sure that the decentralization exercise, the devolution that we have seen in the administration of our state, becomes firm and on the ground.”

Around one million species are facing extinction, according to a report from IPBES, an independent intergovernmental science and policy body supported by the UN.

It may be surprising to learn that even giraffes, parrots, and oak trees are included in the list of threatened species, as well as cacti and seaweed.

Seaweed is one of the planet’s great survivors, and relatives of some modern-day seaweed can be traced back some 1.6 billion years. Seaweed plays a vital role in marine ecosystems, providing habitats and food for marine lifeforms, while large varieties – such as kelp – act as underwater nurseries for fish. However, mechanical dredging, rising sea temperatures and the building of coastal infrastructure are contributing to the decline of the species.

The world’s trees are threatened by various sources, including logging, deforestation for industry and agriculture, firewood for heating and cooking, and climate-related threats such as wildfires.
It has been estimated that 31 per cent of the world’s 430 types of oak are threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. And 41 per cent are of “conservation concern”, mainly due to deforestation for agriculture and fuel for cooking.

Giraffes are targeted for their meat, and suffer from the degradation of their habitat due to unsustainable wood harvesting, and increased demand for agricultural land; it’s estimated there are only around 600 West African giraffes left in the wild.

Catastrophic results for humanity

The current biodiversity crisis will be exacerbated, with catastrophic results for humanity, unless humans interact with nature in a more sustainable way, according to UN experts. 
“The IPBES report makes it abundantly clear that wild species are an indispensable source of food, shelter and income for hundreds of millions around the world,” says Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

“Sustainable use is when biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are maintained while contributing to human well-being. By continuing to use these resources unsustainably, we are not just risking the loss and damage of these species’ populations; we are affecting our own health and well-being and that of the next generation.

Indigenous knowledge

The report illustrates the importance of indigenous people being able to secure tenure rights over their land, as they have long understood the value of wild species and have learned how to use them sustainably. 

Examples of the kinds of transformative changes that are needed to reduce biodiversity loss, include an equitable distribution of costs and benefits, changes in social values, and effective governance systems.

Currently, governments around the world spend more than $500 billion every year in ways that harm biodiversity to support industries like fossil fuels, agriculture, and fisheries. Experts say these funds should be repurposed to incentivize regenerative agriculture, sustainable food systems, and nature-positive innovations.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI sent a congratulatory message to president of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, on the occasion of his country’s National Day.

In this message, HM the King sends His best wishes for good health and happiness to Ouattara, and for the well-being and prosperity to the Ivorian people.

The Sovereign also welcomes the age-old ties of brotherhood and solidarity that underpin the excellent Morocco-Ivorian cooperation.

His Majesty the King said: “I assure you, in this regard, of my firm determination to pursue our joint action, with a view to strengthening our bilateral strategic partnership and contributing to the building of a united and prosperous Africa,”.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged 350 newly hired seafarers to be good brand ambassadors of the Kenyan nation saying their conduct will determine the demand for Kenyan maritime professionals by international shipping lines.

“To the new recruits that we are commissioning today, let me remind you that you sail out as our ambassadors. How many more Kenyans are recruited in the future will, to a large extent, depend on the image of Kenya you project abroad,” the President said.

The Head of State spoke on Wednesday at the Kenya Maritime Academy in Mombasa County during the flag off ceremony of 350 young Kenyan seafarers recently recruited by Atlanta based Celebrity Cruises.

The President recalled with nostalgia the good old days when Kenya used to be the leading regional source market for seafarers, serving major shipping lines across the world.

“I remember the many Kenyans who used to come here with good money after serving abroad. We wish you the very best as you embark on your new career.

“We recall that in the early 70s we used to have more than 10,000 seafarers as a country, and these were men and women who actually breathed life not only to Mombasa but to many other towns in our country.”

“But because of mismanagement of the sector this was reduced to almost nothing,” President Kenyatta said as he thanked Celebrity Cruises and other shipping for continuing to offer young Kenyan seafarers employment opportunities on their vessels.

“I want to begin, in particular, to thank the Mediterranean Shipping Company MSC. Because they came in as our very first partners and as General (Rtd) Mwathethe said, you took some of our young men and women, both of whom I had the pleasure of launching, who have proven to be very successful,” President Kenyatta said.

He thanked Kenya’s blue economy office led by General (Rtd) Samson Mwathethe and State House Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for policy and strategy Mrs Ruth Kagia for steering the restoration of the seafaring profession.

“I want to recognize the works that have been done by both the ministry in charge of maritime and a special vote of thanks to Retired General Samson Mwathethe and Madam Ruth Kagia who for the last five years have really been struggling to see how we can restore some of that lost glory,” the President said.

Earlier, President Kenyatta, who was on a day-long working tour of Mombasa County commissioned several infrastructural projects among them the new Ksh 4.5 billion Makupa Bridge, the offshore Kipevu Oil Terminal and the Liwatoni Fisheries Complex.

Parliament has recommended the investigation of the former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Beti Kamya and Finance Minister, Hon. Matia Kasaija for their role in the shs10.6 billion land compensation.

The House chaired by Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among on Thursday, 04 August 2022 adopted the report of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) which called for the investigation.

Four land owners including Stephen Nagenda, the late Kosia Rwabukurukuru, Geoffrey Mugisha, and Nantalia Namuli were compensated for their land in different parts of the country.

The committee in its report states that although the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) was the one supposed to request for the supplementary, the then Hon.  Beti Kamya initiated the supplementary without the knowledge of the Commission.

The committee found that after it was approved and disbursed, the supplementary was however, full of controversies as it emerged that ghost claimants were paid.

One of the cases is that of Nantalia Namuli who was meant to get shs2.3 billion for her land in Kagadi, but the committee found out that she was not the owner of the land and that a law firm, Lubega and Buzibira Co. Advocates who represented her, benefited from the compensation of  Shs2.3 billion through a one Warren Mwesigye.

The committee report faults Kamya and Kasaija for their roles in releasing the supplementary.

On his part, Kasaija admitted to the committee that the right procedure in securing the supplementary was not followed and that his staff should not have entertained the supplementary.

The report also implicates the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Patrick Ocailap who admitted before the committee that he authorized the payment without due diligence.

The African Union (AU) and the Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa (COMESA), today officially launched their joint election observation mission to the upcoming General Elections in Kenya. The Joint Mission is led by former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, supported by former Minister of Health and Social Development of Seychelles, Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd, a Member of the COMESA Committee of Elders.

The objectives of the Mission are to assess the conduct of the 2022 General Elections as part of the AU-COMESA broad mandates to promote democracy and democratic elections in Africa in line with their overall vision of a peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa.

Speaking at the launch of the Mission, President Koroma stated that the mandate of the joint AU-COMESA Election Observer Mission is an independent, objective, and impartial assessment of the electoral process in accordance with the provisions of the international standards and principles which the two organizations have committed to.

He emphasized that, “As Short-Term Observers you have a demanding task ahead of you and I hope that this three-day briefing programme will enrich your understanding of the context of the elections”, President Koroma added that, “The Mission will demonstrate the two organizations’ joint efforts to promote peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible elections that will strengthen Kenya’s democratic process.” 

In her remarks, Ambassador Lloyd, who is the deputy leader of the Joint Mission, said the launch demonstrates the importance of the 9 August elections,” which is not just recognized by COMESA and the AU but also by the broader international community as evident in the record number of former presidents leading the observer missions.”

The mission which was launched on 4th August 2022, was followed by a three-day orientation and briefing exercise for the observers.

The AU and COMESA began joint engagements in Kenya’s electoral process in May 2022, with the deployment of a high-level pre-election assessment mission to assess the preparedness and the context in which the elections will take place. A joint Election Experts’ Mission began in June and a Long-Term Election Observation Mission followed in the month of July 2022.

The President welcomed Sheikh Majid Al Mualla on his official visit to Seychelles and expressed his hope that it serves to pave new avenues develop new partnerships and reinforce cooperation in the field of aviation and tourism.

“Thank you for your service to Seychelles over the years, Emirates has been one of our number one faithful partners and we look forward to enhancing the relations” said President Ramkalawan.

During their discussion the President and Sheikh Majid Al Mualla exchanged views on several ideas of the way forward and propositions to enhance relations.

Speaking to the local press after his courtesy call on the President, Sheikh Majid Al Mualla expressed appreciation with the Government for the continuous support.

“Seychelles is one of the first destinations to re-open during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we appreciate the very good support we received. We are committed to this market, we have been in Seychelles for 20 years, with double daily flights and we look forward to broadening and increasing our partnership and operation,” he said.

Other members of the delegation of the Emirates Group included Manager Indian Ocean Islands, Mr. Oomar Ramtoola, andCountry Manager Seychelles, Mrs. Denise Prea.

Emirates airline has been flying to Seychelles since January 2004 and employs more than 100 Seychellois airline professionals.

Incoming US Ambassador to Kenya Margaret Whitman on Friday evening expressed confidence that the August 9th general elections will be free and fair.

Speaking when she presented her credentials to President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ambassador Whitman said Kenya will also have a peaceful transition.

“…I have no doubt Kenya will showcase for the world what free and fair election looks like and how peaceful transitions work,” the new Ambassador to Kenya said.

Ambassador Whitman pledged to use her experience to increase bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries, noting that Kenya is a dynamic economic engine and technology leader in East Africa.

“Before I left Washington, President Biden reminded me that one quarter of the world’s population will reside in Africa by 2050. Pointing to Kenya’s leadership on the continent and beyond, President Biden asked me to use every tool at my disposal to deepen ties between our great nations,” she said.

During the brief ceremony at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta also received credentials from incoming ambassadors Sebastian Groth of Germany, Kamal Gubara Mohamed of the Sudan and Bacha Debele Buta of Ethiopia.

The new German Ambassador to Kenya said his country has been a close and committed partner of Kenya for decades and he is determined to develop that cooperation further.

On their part, the new Ethiopian and Sudanese Ambassadors pledged to work hard to ensure they succeed in enhancing the robust multifaceted diplomatic relations between Kenya and their respective countries.

Receiving the credentials from the new envoys, President Kenyatta
assured them of his support as they embark on their tour of duty in the country.

At a separate function at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta handed over title deeds to five East African countries that were allocated land at the Naivasha Special Economic Zone. The five countries were Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

Present were Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb. Raychelle Omamo and Principal Secretary Amb. Macharia Kamau among others.