KENYA

Mithika Linturi under siege as motion on kicking him out approved

The Impeachment motion against Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi was approved 149 to 36, paving the way for the Select Committee to investigate the three allegations against the CS on the saga of substandard fertiliser under a government subsidy. The relative ease with which the motion sailed through put doubt on the Kenya Kwanza Alliance’s much-vaunted “tyranny of numbers” in the National Assembly. President Ruto’s lieutenants faced a humiliating defeat on the floor of the House as their quest to raise preliminary objections on technical grounds to forestall the process fell flat on its face.

(Business Daily)

TANZANIA

Experts to develop new macroeconomic policy framework

The President’s Office Planning Commission has introduced an economic advisory team that will work for the next three months to develop the new Macroeconomic Policy Framework.

The team was unveiled by the President’s Office Planning Commission Executive Secretary, Mr Lawrence Mafuru, at a public lecture held in Dar es Salaam recently. The National Macroeconomic Policy System, established on April 25, 2024, aims to improve the management of the national economy by setting parameters, goals, and new strategies to be used by different actors, including decision-makers and sector implementers in a planned and coordinated way. “This work comes almost 20 years since the last Macroeconomic Policy Framework of 2005/06 – 2007/08 was created, and is envisioned to be a new stepping stone for sustainable economic growth in Tanzania in line with the Vision 2050 that is currently under development.

(Daily News)

UGANDA

Bobi Wine asks West to sanction Museveni, Muhoozi

The president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, has implored the West to place a coterie of senior government officials, including President Museveni, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, on the sanctions list. He made the comments during a news conference at the NUP party offices in Kampala yesterday where he accused the officials of participating in egregious human rights abuses and corruption. The officials are accused of stealing thousands of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable communities in Karamoja.

(Monitor)

RWANDA

UK begins detaining migrants set to be deported to Rwanda

British authorities have started to detain migrants in preparation for them to be sent to Rwanda in the next nine to 11 weeks, the government said on Wednesday, laying the groundwork for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s flagship immigration policy. A law to pave the way for sending asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrived in Britain without permission was approved by parliament in April, and Sunak wants the first flights to take off in July. More than 7,500 migrants have arrived in England on small boats from France so far this year, and the government says the policy will deter people from making dangerous journeys across the Channel. Five people died trying to make the crossing last week.

(Reuters)

ETHIOPIA

EU restricts Ethiopians’ visas in repatriation row

The European Union (EU) says it will restrict visa provisions for Ethiopian nationals because of the lack of cooperation from the government to take back citizens who overstay illegally. In a statement released on Monday, the EU Council said it would no longer issue multiple entry visas to Ethiopians. It added that it would also stop waiving the visa fee for Ethiopian holders of diplomatic and service passports.

(BBC)

ERITREA

Dialogue on integration of national values on the legal system

The Ministry of Justice convened a dialogue under the theme “Values and Justice” with the aim of integrating Eritrean values with the legal framework. The focus of the discussion was on Eritrean values, while also taking into account the domestic, African and global experiences and providing careful consideration to the seamless integration of these values into the legal framework, as part of the Ministry of Justice’s legal reform for sustainable development. At the forum, extensive discussions were conducted on the processes to reform and improve Eritrea’s legal system in terms of sustainable development, national values that could support the improvement of the country’s legal system, and characteristics identified during the armed struggle for independence. Discussions also covered African values and future prospects, Eritrean values in terms of African values and justice, as well as reflecting national values in the Eritrean legal framework for sustainable development.

(Shabait)

SUDAN

UN set to halt South Sudan food delivery on fuel crisis

More than 60,000 people are in dire need of food in South Sudan as delivery of aid has been suspended due to fuel shortages, the UN’s humanitarian agency has said. It says the suspension of food delivery comes as the UN “runs low on fuel” following the decision in February by the government to impose levies on the supplies imported by UN agencies, diplomatic missions and international organisations. Last week the government assured the UN that its agencies would be exempted from the taxes, but there has been no action taken so far. The number of people affected will increase to 145,000 by the end of May if the government does not remove the taxes imposed on UN and international NGOs, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned on Monday. Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan appealed for the urgent removal of the taxes and charges according to the agreement between the government, the UN and NGOs so that they could “continue to support people who are in need”.

(BBC)