Kenya

Kenya braces for fresh protests despite President Ruto tax climbdown

Kenyan police put up roadblocks on streets leading to the state house on Thursday as some protesters vowed to “occupy State House” despite the president’s climbdown on proposed tax hikes that sparked a week of demonstrations.

It was not clear how far protesters would be mollified by President William Ruto’s Wednesday decision to withdraw the finance bill a day after clashes killed at least 23 people and saw parliament being stormed briefly.

Ruto is grappling with the most serious crisis of his two-year-old presidency as the youth-led protest movement has grown rapidly from online condemnations of the tax hikes into mass rallies demanding a political overhaul.

(The Star)

Tanzania

Tanzania scoops UN award on digitilising public services

Government’s efforts to digitalise services in public institutions have earned global recognition, with the United Nations (UN) Public Service Forum 2024 awarding the country for initiating e-Mrejesho platform under the e-Government Authority (e-GA).

Tanzania was among the only two African countries awarded on Wednesday during the forum, the other being South Africa.

The three-day annual forum, which was held in Songdo-Incheon, west of Seoul in the Republic of Korea, from Monday concluded yesterday with 72 UN Member States attending.

A total of 15 local governments and public institutions from around the world were honored with the United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA).

(Daily News)

Uganda

Museveni warns civil servants on corruption

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged public servants to eradicate corruption and cease working in cliques, emphasising that these vices hinder citizen inclusiveness in policy implementation and thereby impede economic growth.

Museveni stressed that no state or country can develop, grow, or transform without the stabilising influence of the security sector. These remarks were made at the 13th Africa Public Service Day 2024 held at Kololo Independence Ceremonial Grounds that were presided over by Vice President Jessica Alupo

He challenged public servants to deepen their roots and achieve more in service delivery, emphasising the need to eliminate corruption, increase and accelerate the speed of service delivery at the grassroots level, and build partnerships with stakeholders worldwide.

(The Independent)

Rwanda

The rise of new foreign affairs minister Olivier Nduhungirehe

Amb Olivier Nduhungirehe, 49, who was until then Rwanda’s envoy to The Netherlands, posted on X to “express my deep gratitude” to President Paul Kagame “for the trust placed in me to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda.”

Amb Nduhungirehe noted that he committed to use his diplomatic and political experience, “as well as my energy to strengthen Rwanda’s bilateral and multilateral relations, building on the tremendous achievements of his predecessor, Dr Vincent Biruta, and “of the whole @RwandaMFA family.”

Nduhungirehe had a telephone call with his Tanzanian counterpart January Makamba on Thursday, June 13, in which the latter congratulated him on being entrusted by President Kagame for “this important role” as well as committed to work closely together to strengthen relations between “our friendly countries.”

(The New Times)

Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers Approves Draft Bills, Policies

In a wide-ranging session held today, Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has approved bills and policies aimed at reforming various sectors of the country’s economy and governance.

The council, in its 37th ordinary session held today greenlit a new Animal Health and Welfare Proclamation, designed to boost Ethiopia’s international livestock trade by implementing stricter health monitoring and disease control measures.

Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement that the draft bill is prepared to identify the overall resources of livestock, protect livestock health and safety as well as preventing the transmissions of diseases from animal to human and human to animal.