Month: August 2023

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President Saied and PM discuss government’s work, agenda of next Cabinet meeting

President Kais Saied met with Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani at Carthage Palace on Monday afternoon. The meeting discussed the progress of the government’s work over the past few days and the agenda of the next cabinet meeting.

During the meeting, it was stressed that all officials should be held accountable if they violate the duties assigned to them by law. “In addition to the deliberate disruption of a number of projects, even the issuing of a marriage contract or a funeral permit has been reported,” the presidency said in a statement.

The President of the Republic recommended that each minister be held fully accountable for the implementation of the law and that “the administration be cleaned up at all levels of those who have infiltrated it or work for the benefit of retrograde forces that only harm the citizens.”

In this context, the President of the Republic concluded that “today it is no longer acceptable to wait, because it is useless to talk about rights that are hardly enforced.”

On the other hand, the President of the Republic stressed the need to continue joint operations to combat monopolies, illegal speculation and price increases, which cannot go unpunished.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Cargo transport in South needs greater consistency – minister

Angolan minister of Transport Ricardo de Abreu has stressed the need to boost the cargo transport in Southern Corridor in what he described as priority for the sector.

The minister said Monday in Lubango, southern Huila province, that the promotion of this segment will help speed up the diversification of the country’s economy.

Speaking after a meeting with the governor of Huíla, Nuno Mahapi, the minister said in addition to the oil sector, the Southern Corridor has exported the most in terms of volume.

He spoke of the need of greater consistency so that the transport activity has another dimension.

“From what we have seen and heard, from the mineral operators, the numbers can grow significantly. And if that happens, it necessarily has to have another capacity and availability to be able to support this activity”, stressed Ricardo de Abreu.

However, he said that work is being done in a coordinated and inclusive manner in order to respond to the concerns of businessmen.

The Southern Corridor, which crosses the provinces of Namibe, Huíla and Cuando Cubango, has handled over the last six months, via the Port of Namibe, over 600,000 tons of cargo and another 100,000 through the Moçâmedes Railway (CFM).

The minister has been in Lubango to chair the activities to Revive the Transport and Export Process of Iron Ore and Ornamental Stones in Southern Angola.

The forum, running until Wednesday, is designed for companies operating in the Southern Corridor of Angola, especially in the sectors mining, rail-port and logistics transport.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Executive “injects” 153 billion for food production

Finance Ministry announced Monday it has recently made available 153 billion kwanzas for funding the production of food and animal protein, as part of the implementation of the Executive’s Economic Agenda – measures to stimulate the economy and boosting its potential.

In its press note, Ministry of Finance states that a public guarantee was issued for the financing of the 2024 agricultural campaign.

The financier – Angolan Investment Bank (BAI) contributed with the amount of Kz 43 billion, with a maturity of 12 months at an interest rate of 7% per annum.

As part of this process, financial institutions were recapitalised, such as the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC) with the amount of Kz 50 billion, Development Bank of Angola (BDA) Kz 20 billion, Angolan Fund of Venture Capital (FACRA) Kz 5 billion and the same amount for FADA – Agrarian Development Support Fund.

Also according to Ministry of Finance, a budget allocation of Kz 30 billion was made to the Ministry of Agriculture for the acquisition of agricultural inputs to support family farming.

The Ministry of Finance clarifies that the said capitalisations implement the financial support measure for the business sector with a focus on small and medium-sized companies.

The move is meant to speed up and facilitate access to financial resources by private operators with initiatives leading to national economic diversification and strengthening of the country’s food security.

The source said the provision of the financing line contracted to BAI aims to promote the development of national agricultural production, as well as to boost large, medium and small commercial producers.

As for financial resources made available to the BDA, the institution justifies that this reflects the reaffirmation of the Executive’s focus on refocusing the aforementioned bank on the exercise of its function of supporting the promotion of diversification in sectors with high potential to generate dividends on economic growth, creation of jobs and the resilience of the national economy.

At the same time, it ensure the strengthening of national food security, through the operational of Planapesca, Planapecuária and support for initiatives within the scope of agricultural development.

For the financial resources granted to FACRA, Finance clarifies that it aims to support initiatives in the field of food security, through the development of logistical chains to facilitate storage, primary processing, conservation and the disposal of agricultural production centers.

Thus opening up, via the FACRA line of financing for private projects for the implementation of small industries (equipment) for the improvement of cereals, grains, coffee and cotton in production zones.

Meanwhile, the financial resources made available to FADA aim to support the Community Funds of agricultural cooperatives, which will be operated and made available by FADA under subsidised conditions, namely, at a maximum interest rate of 7% per year

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Seychelles wins 22 medals at Indian Ocean Island Games

Team Seychelles has won 22 medals in total after the second day of the 11th edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games taking place in Madagascar.

After day 2 of the IOIG, Team Seychelles won 10 silver medals and 12 bronze medals.

The Seychelles swimming team won most of the medals for the first two days.

Seychelles first medal came from swimmer Felicity Passon who finished second to win silver in the women’s 200 metre freestyle.

She received her medal from Seychelles’ First Lady Linda Ramkalawan who said: “It was a moment of great emotion for both Felicity and myself. Congratulations to our flag bearer for once again leading the team. We continue to support our athletes in Team Seychelles.”

Passon, the best sportsperson of Seychelles in 2019, won six medals in total. She also won two silver medals in the women’s 50m and 100m butterfly, and a bronze in the 100m backstroke.

She also won medals with the relay women’s 4×100 freestyle, which included Khema Elizabeth, Sofie Frichot, and Aaliyah Palestrini, and the 4×100 mix medley with Adam Moncherry, Simon Bachmann, and Khema Elizabeth.

Another swimmer who won 4 medals was Simon Bachmann. He won silver in 200m freestyle and bronze in 400m freestyle. Bachman was also in the relay men’s 4×100 with Adam Moncherry, Amos Ferley and Nathan Nagapin. The team came out third to win the bronze. He was also part of the mixed medley that won a bronze medal.

Swimmer Adam Moncherry also won an individual silver medal when he finished second in the men’s 50m butterfly. In Handi-Sport swimming, Frederick Gappy won the silver medal in the men’s freestyle 50m.

Seychelles also won medals in judo with Amanda Payet winning silver and Dominic Dugasse getting a bronze medal.

In weightlifting, Rick Confiance grabbed three silver medals in the 73kg class, 121kg in snatch, and 145kg in clean and jerk.

Leeam Robert also won 3 bronze medals in the 61kg category for weightlifting.

In boxing, Shain Boniface in the 67 kg category and Adrian Volcere in the 76 kg reached the finals after winning their semi-final bouts.

Boniface defeated Malagasy Velomarompianoa on points and Volcere by RSC – Referee Stopped Contest – against another Malagasy Eric Mbake.

Two other boxers, Fabio Roselie in 57 kg and William Mohamed lost on points to Reunion and the Comoros respectively.

The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, sent words of congratulations to all the other Seychellois athletes who have clinched medals in various disciplines.

Meanwhile, in the team sports, Seychelles won both first matches in the men’s and women’s volleyball competitions.

The women’s team, who are the defending champions, won its first match 3-0 against the Maldives in group B, while the men’s side defeated Comoros 3-1.

“Congratulations to our Seychelles women’s volleyball team on their win 3-0 against Maldives!,” said Ramkalawan.

He also congratulated the Seychellois judokas and boxers who have qualified for the finals.

“We are proud of your efforts and will keep supporting you all the way! Keep up the team spirit,” said Ramkalawan.”

Seychelles lost in the basketball 3×3; Seychelles 21-17 to Mayotte and the ladies 17-21. In the basketball 5×5, the Seychelles women’s team lost 109-21 against Reunion.

In handball, Seychelles lost 43-13 to Reunion in the men’s competition and also in the women’s event 99-19 against Madagascar.

After the first two days of competition, Seychelles is fifth on the medals table, which is led by Madagascar with 70 medals – 42 gold, 14 silver, and 14 bronze. Reunion is second followed by Mauritius.

In the last competition in Mauritius in 2019, Seychelles finished 4th with 111 medals which included 28 gold medals.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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Seychelles’ Assumption Island: Qatari firm wins bid to develop eco-tourism resort

The Assets Development Company from Qatar has been chosen to build a five-star hotel on Seychelles’ Assumption Island with 50-60 rooms with ecological themes, said Glenny Savy, the chief executive of the Islands Development Company (IDC) on Monday.

Savy made the announcement in a press conference on Monday when giving an update on the company’s long-term development plans.

IDC, a state-owned company, launched an expression of interest in June for the construction of a 10-40 bedroom hotel on Assumption to cater for up to 90 persons for day trips to Aldabra and go back to the island for sleep over.

The expression of interest closed on August 3 and Savy told reporters that “although there had been two requests for information, there has only been one company that had shown interest in going ahead with the development.”

Savy said that since the Assets Management Company is yet to submit its final plans, IDC cannot provide definite figures as to how much it stands to make out of the venture.

Assumption Island, located southwest of Mahe, is part of the Aldabra Group and is managed by the Islands Development Company.

IDC expects to have the plans in three to four months and the hotel should be completed by 2025.

Savy had revealed in a previous interview that it costs the company SCR10 million ($768,000) to maintain Assumption annually.

With the new eco-tourism establishment, the CEO said IDC is expecting to generate revenue that will “help in the upkeep of the island as well as help with running Aldabra. Our main aim was to find an economic activity on the island that could generate some revenue.”

As part of the new project, the company will receive 40 to 60 hectares of Assumption’s 1,100 for the development.

In addition to the eco-tourism establishment, there will also be IDC villas on the island in a bid to allow more Seychellois to visit the island and eventually visit Aldabra.

“We will be selling them amenities such as electricity and sewerage among others to also generate revenue,” said Savy.

“We believe the project will work well on Assumption as it is a small one,” elaborated Savy, adding that there will be no exploitation of the island’s resources as IDC is intent on protecting the environment.

At the time of launching its expression of interest on Assumption, IDC had also launched one for Coetivy.

The development plans on Coetivy will be comprehensive with farms and vanilla production.

However, Savy said that while there had been interest in developing a tourism establishment on the island, there had been hesitation for concrete proposals since the most beautiful part of the island had been leased to another developer.

“The government is in a leasehold agreement with Siva (Chinnakannan Sivasankaran- naturalised Seychellois of Indian origin) who is yet to develop the area,” he said and added that until a decision is taken, IDC will go ahead with its development plans for the islands.

He also confirmed that IDC plans for a small luxury eco-tourism establishment at Grand Barbe on Silhouette, Seychelles’ third largest island, are on track, and construction work should begin towards the end of this year or the beginning of the next.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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Seychelles National Aquaculture Policy updated to attract more investors

The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) has updated its existing aquaculture policies in a bid to attract more investors in the sector especially in fin fish farming, said a top official.

The amendments to the Seychelles National Aquaculture Policy were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday.

They are based on seven key principles – good governance, environmental sustainability, coordinated support for the development of the sector, investment guidelines, marketing, development of human capital, and continuous research and development.

The head of the aquaculture department at SFA, Aubrey Lesperance, told reporters that one amendment is that the authorities are “encouraging big investments in fin fish – species that are found a bit further out at sea for example at around 50km from land and in depths of 100m and deeper.”

In his address at the opening of an aquaculture workshop on Wednesday, the Seychelles’ fisheries minister, Jean-Francois Ferrari, said that with these changes, “it is much more sustainable for holding larger farms and will give us better economic benefits as well as the yield of fish that we may be able to export.”

In 2018, the first Seychelles National Aquaculture Policy 2018-2022 was approved by the Cabinet, and in 2020, the first Aquaculture Regulations were gazetted.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is in the sixth year of using its current policy.

The proposed amendments took into consideration points raised by local partners who attended the workshop last year. They pointed out that they would like to have a specific policy that targets capacity building.

“So we are encouraging everyone not just government to include capacity building and train some youths as well as creating jobs for them in the sector to help diversify the economy,” said Lesperance.

Seychelles has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.4 million square kilometres and fisheries is the second top contributor to its economy.

“I know that on the fishing side, our fishermen are getting older and we are struggling to get them to join the sector, we are now giving the younger generation a new one in aquaculture and there are many scientific aspects to the sector that may interest them,” added Lesperance.

Meanwhile, the authorities are continuing to introduce training programmes to attract the younger generation into the sector.

“We have a very good partnership with Seychelles Maritime Academy that we want to reinforce and provide them with skills they will need to work on aquaculture farms,” explained Lesperance.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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Mombasa Hospital Blamed For Medical Negligence

A private hospital in Nyali constituency is accused of medical negligence that led to the untimely death of a patient under their care.

Pascaline Nyambeya, daughter of the deceased, says that her mother, Sisirya John was misdiagnosed by the hospital in her 59-day stay.

After the death of the 78-year-old patient, the hospital declined to discharge the body until the medical bill was cleared but civil societies intervened and the body was released.

The family hired a private pathologist who conducted a postmortem on Saturday under the watch of officials from the Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) organization and DCI officers at a funeral home.

‘I urge the government to take action by investigating this hospital because today is the first time I’ve known my mum had cancer but was being treated for other ailments,’ said Nyambeya.

‘When we went to the hospital, they said it was a stroke but she got complications and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). They started saying it was kidney failure, aspiration pneumonia but according to today’s autopsy, for the first time it was revealed that my mum had cancer. I didn’t know that they never told me, she said.

She accuses the hospital of improper administration of treatment to her mum during her stay at the hospital resulting in diagnosis and misdiagnosis.

‘I wish they told me the truth. They told me it’s pneumonia. I wish they told us Mum had terminal cancer,’ said Nyambeya sobbing uncontrollably.

She wants the Kenya Medical Practitioners Council (KMPC) to unravel the mystery of misdiagnosis by doctors.

The hospital was accused of making incessant calls to the daughter to top up the money she had paid as a deposit.

‘Even today they refused to release her medical records to carry out autopsy,’ revealed Nyambeya adding if she knew her mum had cancer, she could have received different treatment.

‘I was very harassed by the hospital for money. I even used to hide in the ward. It has traumatized me a lot,’ she decried.

Rapid Response Officer MUHURI Francis Auma calls for accountability of private hospitals in the country.

‘Her mum’s death was painful under the watch of doctors who are supposed to save lives. We hired a private pathologist who found out that the doctors messed and she died too early because of the negligence of doctors and greed for money,” he said.

Lawyer Concern Citizen Bradley Ouna said they would report the medical negligence case to the Kenya Medical and Dentists Practitioners Council and file an inquest in court.

‘The doctors were treating a condition they were not aware of and they didn’t want to know,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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KCAA Retain Top Position In KECOSO Games

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has retained the championship trophy for the just concluded 42nd edition of Kenya Communications Sports Organization (KECOSO) that was held in Narok County.

The announcement was made by Narok Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech who presided over the colourful closing ceremony at the William Ole Ntimama stadium.

KCAA retained the seat they have held for the last one year after scoring 84 points, followed by Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) which garnered 73 points while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) took position three with 71 points.

Other organizations that participated in the games included the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK), Narok County Government, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and Bunge.

The competitive games saw KCAA lead in swimming, pool and scrabble as CA led in basketball while KPA led in golf, snooker and swimming for persons with disability.

PCK topped in most games; athletics, football, netball and satellite but failed to grab the top position because they did not participate in several other disciplines like dart, basketball, scrabble, snooker, swimming, table tennis, and volleyball.

Koech lauded the organizers for choosing Narok County to hold the games saying the games have boosted trade in the town as well as entertaining the residents.

He observed that the sports were vital for talent building and enhancing cohesion as the participants were from different backgrounds.

KECOSO Secretary General Omole Asiko said the games attracted many spectators who came to be entertained free of charge.

‘We were not charging anything for the residents to watch the games of their choice. The residents were left to enjoy themselves as they keenly followed their best teams,’ he said.

When asked what the requirements for a county to hold such games were, Asiko said the counties only needed to have good facilities that could accommodate over 3, 000 participants and a standard playing field.

However, going forward, the Secretary General revealed that counties would be forced to bid for the games to be held in their counties as the host counties enjoyed massive economic benefits.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Sports Academy To Tap Talent In Marsabit

A plan to start a volleyball sports academy in Marsabit County in an effort to tap talent and enhance physical fitness among the youth has been finalized.

Kenya Volleyball federation Marsabit branch chairman Joseph Katelo has said he would be sponsoring opening of the academy to nurture talent, which abound among the youth in the area.

Speaking during the final match of a three-day Sora-Katelo inter-location volleyball tournament held at the Marsabit Moi girls high school playground, Katelo noted that the academy would be able to engage many youths including students during holidays who idle around and fall into temptations to indulge in drug and substance abuse.

He added that the tapping of talent which abounds in local youth would also help in addressing the problem of lack of employment, with those gifted being assisted to pursue career and occupation in the sport.

Katelo said the effort is also aimed at assisting in shielding girls from being subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) that occurs during the holidays, adding that the formation of volleyball clubs within the sub-county will be ideal to cater for youths that are out of school.

‘Compared to other sports, volleyball not been accorded good attention and that is why we want to support in the tapping of the ability that abounds in our male and female youth’ he said, adding that Sora Katelo Foundation and Strengthening Pastoralists Actions for Change and Empowerment (SPACE) organizations would be instrumental in the establishment of the much desired academy.

The crowd-arousing finals saw Qachacha Senior beat Police Lines team 3-0 to win the Soral Katelo inter-location volleyball tournament for Marsabit Central sub-county organized by the local volleyball federation branch.

The winners got away with ‘gold’ medals for every player, a trophy, and a Sh15,000 gift.

Police lines managed ‘silver’ medals for each player, a trophy and Sh10,000.

Karare team was the runners-up and was given Sh5,000, a trophy, and ‘bronze’ medals.

The tournament attracted 12 teams which benefited from a volleyball net and a mikasa ball each from the Sora Katelo Foundation.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Vandalism To Blame For Water Shortage In Kwale

Some of the residents who spoke with KNA said there had not been a water supply within the subcounty and its outlying areas in the last two weeks.

Those interviewed expressed concern about the water shortage, saying that the situation could result in an outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and others if something was not done urgently by the relevant authorities.

Alfred Masha, a resident of Kinango town, said that the situation had forced many people to depend mostly on those selling water through water tankers, handcart and donkey-drawn cart vendors.

Masha says this has resulted in an increase in the price of water due to the vendors noting that a 20-litre jerry can of water now costs Sh 60 as against Sh30 they used to buy it.

Kwale Water and Sewerage Company Ltd. (KWAWASCO) says water problems experienced in Kinango were mainly due to vandalism.

KWAWASCO Managing Director (MD) Eric Parmet confirmed the water crisis and attributed the situation to vandalism of critical water infrastructure in the area and road construction activities.

Mr. Parmet urged the public to use water sparingly as KWAWASCO works to tackle the water shortage that has left taps running dry.

He expressed concern about the spate of vandalism to water infrastructure in the area saying it was affecting the supply of water in some parts of the sub county.

Parmet has pleaded with the communities to assist in reporting the culprits who vandalise water infrastructure.

He attributed the perennial water scarcity in the county to the activities of pipeline vandals, noting that the water company would ensure that there is constant water supply in the region and that the vandalised pipes are replaced.

He lamented that acts of vandalism often lead to financial losses for the water company and are disruptive to the process of ensuring adequate water supply.

The water official said efforts are being made to see that the problem does not linger for too long as engineers are on ground working to rectify the faults.

‘We are aware of the scarcity being experienced and we are not complacent but trying to resolve the situation and actually, we have mobilised a water police unit to fight vandalism in the area,’ he said.

He said that the water company was currently finding ways of resolving the water scarcity with relevant authorities and called on the residents to be patient as water would soon be available.

‘Wanton acts of pipeline and metre vandalism in Kinango have put intense pressure on supplies and we urge the public to use the precious commodity sparingly,’ he said.

He went further: ‘we would also like to remind everyone that the safety of the water infrastructure is the responsibility of all of us. So let’s report any culprits to the nearest police station, local administration, or local KWAWASCO office’.

He appealed to residents of the affected areas to be patient, as the production and distribution of water would commence in earnest.

Kwale Deputy Governor (DG) Chirema Kombo has asked the water company to come up with a long-lasting solution of the water shortage problem facing Kinango and several other areas of the coastal county.

DG Kombo however, assured that the county government, through the Water Services department, will come up with mechanisms to identify and solve the challenges contributing to water supply shortages across the county.

‘Actually, after health services, reliable water provision is among the other key priorities of the devolved government,’ he said.

Kombo has urged community members to report any acts of vandalism, adding that water tankers have been deployed to the affected areas until supplies are restored

Source: Kenya News Agency