Kenya

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua impeached

On Tuesday, members of the National Assembly voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a precedent-setting move under the 2010 Constitution. Two hundred and eighty-two members voted in favour of the motion. Forty-four members voted against the motion, and one member abstained from voting. The mover of the motion MP for Kibwezi West Constituency, Mwengi Mutuse, needs 233 members (two-thirds) to support the motion as per the requirements of the Constitution. The impeachment motion was followed by a long day of debate, and the Deputy President came up to defend himself on the 11 charges levelled against him. The Speaker of the National Assembly, after the vote, is required to inform the Speaker of the Senate within two days of the motion to impeach the Deputy President. Once the Speaker of the Senate acknowledges the Notice of Impeachment, they shall have seven days to convene the Senate meeting to discuss the charges against the Deputy President. Gachagua’s fate now rests in the House of Senate. 

(The Daily Nation)

Uganda 

DP’s legal advisor quits over NRM deal

Erias Nalukoola, the longest-serving legal advisor to the Democratic Party (DP), has resigned from his position. He based his resignation on the controversial cooperation agreement between the DP and the National Resistance Movement. He claims that the agreement was done without the consent or knowledge of the party’s governing organs, raising concerns as to the ethics and procedure of the agreement. In his resignation letter, he further states that the failure of the Party’s  Secretary-General to convene a National Council Meeting as demanded by the members of the Party, has severely undermined the party’s democratic processes and the voices of our constitution. Nalukoola’s resignation comes amidst ongoing internal disputes within DP following the July 2022 cooperation agreement with the ruling NRM. The agreement included provisions for DP’s support of the NRM government in Parliament on various matters, including procedural motions and governance agendas. 

(The Independent)

Tanzania

No funding, no project implementation, Nchimbi tells councils

CCM Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Emmanuel Nchimbi has directed district councils across the country not to implement projects that have not been assigned funding in the budget. He insisted on this position, stating that the party would continue advising the government on holding embezzlers accountable, including civil servants who tend to divert public funds to their own pockets. This sentiment arose following a complaint made by a trader overpayment of TZS 38 million for services he had rendered to the Meat Council that had not been made since the year 2012. Dr. Nchimbi stated that the Meat Council has 30 days to make the payment and that a follow-up on this matter shall be made to ensure that the Council fulfils its responsibilities. Dr. Nchimbi has also come out to encourage members of the community to register to vote for the upcoming local elections on 27th November 2024 and ensure that they vote for leaders with integrity. 

(The National Daily News)

Rwanda 

10 officials resign over misappropriated health insurance funds

Ten officials from Musebeya Sector in Nyamagabe District on Tuesday submitted their letters of resignation amidst allegations of misappropriation of about RWF 3,000,000 allocated for Community-Based Health Insurance, commonly known as Mutuelle de Santé. The resignation seems to have been prompted by a meeting on September 3, 2024, where the officials were questioned on the shortcomings of the misappropriation of the funds. The Mayor of Nyamagabe stated that they could not confirm the resignation of eight of the officials, as they requested the suspension of duties for an unspecified period, while two officials formally resigned.  They have further stated that measures have been taken to look into replacing the two officials who have resigned to ensure minimal interruption of service delivery. The public is, however, encouraged to remain engaged in the payment of Mutuelle funds and is assured that the government is committed to ensuring effective service delivery and intolerant of such interruptions. 

(The New Times)

Ethiopia

Ethiopian foreign minister Taye Atske Selassie appointed as new president 

The two houses of the Ethiopian Parliament on Monday appointed Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selassie as the new President. The appointment followed the end-of-term of the current President, Zahle-Work Zewde, after six years of service as the country’s Head of State. Selassie is the fifth President of Ethiopia since the country adopted its current constitution in 1995, and he is eligible to serve a maximum of two six-year terms. 

(The New Times)

Somalia

Global assistance must continue to assist in strengthening country’s human rights institutions, say UN experts

Somalia is demonstrating resilience in persistence in security and Human rights matters. However, there is a need for greater international support, especially with climate change and natural disasters compounding suffering and violation of rights. Further, the conflict between Al-Shabaab and the Somali authorities, with the support of allied regional and international forces, continues to have a devastating impact on civilians while deadly inter-clan conflicts over access to natural resources and political power also continue exposing civilians to increasing violence and displacement. There is deep concern that patterns of human rights violations persist unabated, particularly concerning the rights of women and children, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, people of minority clans and other vulnerable groups. Further, human rights groups are calling on the government to take concrete measures to ensure their protection.

(UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner)