RegionWeek 8th Edition

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JUNE 1ST 2019 JUNE 8th 2019

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SPORT CAF President Ahmad Ahmad arrested in France over corruption allegations

SPORT Gianni Infantino re-elected as FIFA President

TECHNEWS Huawei in a deal with Russian telecoms firm MTS to develop 5G

COVER STORY

Key points from Museveni’s State of the Nation Address.

On june 06, 2019, the president of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, hold a keynote address of the State of the nation where he is expected to address various topics ranging from security, economic issues to the border row issue between Uganda and Rwanda. Burundi has been represented by the Senate president, Reverien Ndikuriyo.

P. O4 The United Nations to cut down 1000 AMISOM troops.

P. O5 Swiss court suspends IAAF testosterone rules over Semenya

P. 07 Mama Maria Nyerere hospitalised in Dar es Salaam after falling ill in Uganda

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also being repaired.

‘Uganda’s tourism’ The president of Uganda has touted Uganda’s tourism revenue as the important asset that the Ugandan economy is thriving on.

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“Tourism has increasingly become important to Uganda’s economy. It is a driving force in propelling economic growth and continues to be the leading foreign exchange earner for Uganda generating US$1.45 bn foreign exchange earnings in 2017”, Museveni said.

Key points from Museveni’s State of the Nation Address. work”, Museveni said.

On June 06, 2019, the ‘Corruption’ president of Uganda, Museveni in his fight against corrupYoweri Kaguta Museveni, tion and corrupt officials, he insisted that his administration will not tolerhold a keynote address ate any case of corruption. of the State of the “In this regard, the Government imnation where he is plemented the Transparency, Accountability, and Anti-Corruption expected to address (TAAC) component in NUSAF II (Northvarious topics ranging ern Uganda Social Action Fund) by from security, economic engaging citizens in monitoring Govissues to the border row ernment programs”, Museveni said. issue between Uganda and Rwanda. Burundi has been represented Museveni stated that corruption by the Senate president, in Uganda is his number one enemy in his administration. “The Reverien Ndikuriyo.

Uganda’s constitution obliges the President to deliver to the Parliament “an address on the state of the nation”.

The protruding issue that Museveni touched on was the issue of border row with Rwanda and the trade embargo.

Here are some key points so far from the Museveni’s State of the Nation address as the president is getting ready for his much-contested stand for re-election in 2021.

‘Transport’ Museveni said that his country aims to boost the transport issue in this landlocked country.

“The 400km equivalent of roads will be upgraded to bitumen standard; 332.4km equivalent rehabilitated/ reconstructed and 58 bridges constructed on the national road net-

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tempo of Uganda’s development is, however, interfered with by the action of corrupt public servants and political actors. That is why corruption is now public enemy number 1”, he added

“Prevention of corruption has been enhanced by increasing citizen participation in the monitoring of Government programs and encouraging citizens to report cases related to abuse of public funds”, Museveni said.

‘Public infrastructures’ Museveni touched on the development and maintenance of the public infrastructures. He said that the ‘government continues to fast track developments around the standard gauge railway. The government has already acquired land and affected people have been compensated’.

He added that the old railway line is

‘Uganda’s minerals’ Museveni praised Uganda over its development despite not using its minerals in developmental projects for the best of Ugandans.

“Uganda is the only country in African which has registered the highest economic growth without minerals and oil. We’ve minerals but we haven’t started using them”, Museveni said. Museveni stated that if Uganda could use all of its minerals, his country could go ‘nuclear’ like other nuclear-powered countries.

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At the right time, we shall have to go to nuclear. We have a lot of uranium and a Canadian company wanted to export it but I said “No, I am not a fool.”, Museveni boasted.

‘Traveling abroad’ Among topics that Museveni spoke about, the issue of traveling for Ugandans has been brought up in the State of the nation address.

“Ugandans like traveling.

Each year, they were donating US$450million to other countries through foreign travel. Besides, there was a lot of inconvenience to traveling Ugandans by not having direct flights and even being charged discriminatively airfares”, Museveni said.

Museveni said that his countries used cash to acquire the national carrier in order to facilitate the transport. He promised that other national carriers will be coming in July-September. “Since banks were wasting our time, we paid cash. Two air-crafts, bombardiers, are ready here and another two will come in the month of July and September 2019. These will be for regional travels”, Museveni said.

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The United Nations to cut down 1000 AMISOM troops.

SPORT

The United Nations Security Council decided on Friday, May 31, to cut 1,000 troops from a regional peacekeeping force in Somalia.

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Renewing its authorization of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for one year ahead of national elections in 2020, the Security Council decided to maintain deployment and reduce uniformed personnel by 1,000 in line with the existing plan to gradually transfer such responsibilities to Somali security forces,” UN officials said in a statement..

Despite the rises of AL Shabaab militants, the UN proceeded to vote for another drawdown of 1000 troops.

The council voted unanimously to draw down the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) but left the door open for the council to revisit that decision if violence worsens, the Somali magazine reported .

The recent 1000 AMISOM troops drawdown affected only Burundian troops , even after much debate between Gitega and the UN&AU. Troops contributing countries have been urging the United Nations and the Africam Union to be cautious over these measures of troops draw-down because it may affect the security of the remaining AMISOM personnel in Somalia.

Burundi protested the move to draw down its 1000 troops. Uganda joined the chorus in protesting this

UN-led troops draw-down in Somalia, threatening to pull out all of Uganda troops from Somalia.

The United Nations will gradually draw down troops from AMISOM. The UN projects that by 2020, Somalia may be ready to safeguard its country from any attacks of the Al Shabaab militants.

However, the Troop-contributing countries(TCCs) have argued that Somalia is still not ready for this tremendous task.

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The Ugandan UPDF told New Vision that ‘although the troop-contributing countries (TCCs) started the draw-down last year, the assessment on the ground is that the Somali National Army is yet to gain the needed capability to deal with al-Shabaab’ AMISOM was established in 2007 and includes troops from Burundi , Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda deployed in south and central Somalia.

CAF President Ahmad Ahmad arrested in France over corruption allegations The president of the Confederation of African Footbal (CAF) Ahmad Ahmad was reportedly arrested over corruption on Thursday 6 June 2019 in the morning at a hotel in France where he was staying for the Fifa congress.

CAF President Ahmad Ahmad has allegedly been arrested by French police at the Berri Hotel in Paris, where he was about attending the Fifa congress, which brought about Gianni Infantino’s re-election as President of FIFA governing body .

Jeune afrique reported on Thursday morning that Ahmad had been escorted from the Berri Hotel by officials from France’s central office for combating corruption and financial and tax crimes (OCLCIFF).

“According to our information, the President of the African Football Confederation (CAF) Ahmad Ahmad was arrested Thursday morning in a hotel in Paris, where he was staying to attend the Congress of FIFA,” Jeune Africa wrote on their official website.

The arrest of Ahmad has reportedly been made due to the President misusing funds of approximately $830,000 after ordering sports equipment via a French intermediary company called Tactical Steel rather than directly from manufacturers and at inflated prices.

Ahmad had previously denied the accusations,

claiming all the decisions were made “collegially” and that the process was “transparent”.

Investigations are underway FIFA has confirmed that the CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad, is being questioned by French authorities over corruption allegations, following reports of his arrest at his hotel in Paris on Thursday morning.

World football’s governing body also suggested its ethics committee has been investigating allegations made against Ahmad.

“FIFA is unaware of the details surrounding this investigation and is therefore not in a position to make any comment on it specifically,” FIFA said in a statement.

“FIFA is asking the French authorities for any information that might be relevant to investigations taking place within its Ethics Committee.”

Ahmad, a former Malagasy cabinet minister, had been reported last month to FIFA’s ethics committee for alleged corruption and sexual harassment by CAF general secretary Amr Fahmy , who was then fired.

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Gianni Infantino re-elected as FIFA President

Gianni Infantino has been re-elected as president of football’s world governing body Fifa for a second term.

The 69th FIFA Congress held on Wednesday, 5 June 2019 in Paris, France by acclamation, confirmed Giovanni Vincenzo “Gianni” Infantino as the president of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) for another four years.

All the 211 member associations in unison voted the Swiss – Italian without opposition.

Infantino, the 9th president in the history of the organization will serve his second term as the President until 2023.

The 49-year old S was first elected to replace Sepp Blatter at an Extraordinary Congress in February 2016 In his closing speech, an emotional Infantino thanked the delegates from FIFA’s 211 member associations for their support and promised he would “not stand still” but would continue to develop the game and “defend football”.

‘In just over three years, this organization went from being toxic, almost criminal, to being what it should be: an institution that develops football. This new FIFA has a mission and a plan for it, which is why the next four years have, in fact, already started: we have laid solid building blocks for the future.’ Gianni Infantino remarked.

One of Infantino’s main influences so far during his FIFA presidency is the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams , which will begin in 2026, and he says his priorities would be the creation of more youth competitions, a continued push on

women’s football and more investment in technology.

Meanwhile, the supreme legislative body of FIFA approved the Activity report and financial statements for 2018, as well as the detailed budget for 2020, which includes USD 810 million allocated to investments in football.

Infantino’s first term Since taking over FIFA at a point of corruption and scandal, Infantino believes he has changed the perception of the organisation for the better in his first term.

He said: “Well the last three years and four months have certainly not been perfect. I have made mistakes certainly and I try to improve and do this better but today on an election day nobody talks about crisis.

“Nobody talks about rebuilding FIFA from scratch. Nobody talks about scandals. Nobody talks about corruption.

“This organisation went from being toxic, almost criminal to what it should be, an organisation that develops football, an organisation that cares about football.

“We have transformed it into a new FIFA, an organisation which is synonymous with credibility, trust, integrity, equality, human rights.”

The 70th FIFA Congress will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in May 2020.

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Swiss court suspends IAAF testosterone rules over Semenya

Switzerland court has temporarily announced to suspend the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules that oblige athletes to lower their testosterone levels in order to compete in certain events.

The AAIF rules for athletes to lower testosterone levels applied to South Africa double Olympic champion, Caster Semenya.

The AAIF rules were “discriminatory” but they were later found “necessary” to ensure fairness in women’s athletics according to Judges at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Swiss Federal Tribunal spokesman Peter Josi said on Monday, 3 June 2019, that the court had issued a “super-provisional order,” barring the application of the rules introduced by AAIF (the International Association of Athletics Federations) until hearing AAIF’s further reactions.

Semenya last week announced that she plans to appeal to Switzerland’s highest court.

“I am thankful to the Swiss judges for this decision,” She said in a statement.

“I hope that following my appeal I will once again be able to run free,” she added.

Semenya lawyer Gregg Nott reportedly said, “It is fantastic news.”

“She can run the races that she was told that she cannot run,” he added The AAIF rules require

women with higher than normal male hormone levels (hyperandrogenism), to artificially lower the amount of testosterone in their bodies if they are to compete in races over distances of 400m to the mile.

The AAIF rules had been also applied to the two women who finished behind Semenya in the 800m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba and Kenya’s Margaret Wambui.

The IAAF said it had “received no information from the Swiss Federal Court so we cannot comment at this stage.”

The court is due in the coming weeks to issue another decision on whether to extend the suspension.

Semenya’s Swiss lawyer, Dorothee Schramm said, “This is an important case that will have fundamental implications for the human rights of female athletes.”

Semenya, the South African who won the women’s 800 meters at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, had planned to compete at the rarely-run distance of 2,000 meters at a meeting slated on 11 June 2019 in Montreuil in the Paris.

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TECHNEWS

Huawei in a deal with Russian telecoms firm MTS to develop 5G Huawei, the Chinese technology company considered a security threat by the US government, has signed a deal with Russian telecoms firm MTS to develop a 5G network in Russia over the next year.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of a three-day meeting between Chinese head of state, Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The deal will see “the development of 5G technologies and the pilot launch of fifth-generation networks in 20192020”, MTS said in a statement on Wednesday 5 June 2019.

The above-mentioned agreement comes as some Western countries, led by the US, have blocked the Chinese firm on concerns it poses a national security threat throughout its products.

Huawei chairman Guo Ping said he was “very happy” with the agreement “in an area of strategic importance like 5G”.

“We will strengthen our mutual support on key issues,” Xi said at a Moscow meeting with Russia head of state, Putin;calling him, his “close friend”. He stated that the two had met nearly 30 times over the past six years. The trip is Xi’s eighth to Russia since 2012.

“5G is ON,” a statement read on Huawei official website.

“5G development is accelerating at speeds beyond imagination leading global operators are developing 5G commercial deployment faster than ever.

“The industry is already prepared for various fields including 5G standards products, termi-

NEWS

Uhuru Kenyata reappoints Dr. Njoroge as Kenya Central Bank governor Kenya head of state, Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Dr Patrick Njoroge as governor of Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) for a second and final fouryear term.

nals, security, and business.

“We will work closely with our customers and partners to grasp 5G innovation opportunities and jointly usher in a new era of 5G.” Huawei in turmoil over security threat Huawei has been in turmoil since May, when the Trump administration banned US companies from selling high-tech equipment to Huawei over suspicions it was spying for Beijing.

Experts say the US decision, which is to come into force within three months, threatens the survival of the company, which is highly dependent on US chips for its phones.

Several companies have already parted out themselves from

The reappointment of Dr. Patrick Njoroge was announced by Kenya head of state, Uhuru Kenyatta through a special gazette noticed on May 24, 2019, but issued on Thursday, 6 June 2019 in the morning. It will be effective from June 18, 2019.

“In exercise of the powers conferred to me by section 13 (2) of the Central Bank of Kenya Act, I Uhuru Kenyatta President and Commander of the Republic of Kenya Defence Forces reappoint Patrick Ngugi Njoroge to be the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya for a period of four years with effect from the 11th June 2019,” said President Kenyatta.

Dr Njoroge was appointed as CBK governor for the first time on June 26, 2015 and his four-year renewable term was set to end on June 19 this year.

The 58 years old, will now serve as CBK governor for the second time until June 2023.

Apart from Dr. Njoroge,Uhuru Kenyatta also re-appointed CBK deputy governor, Sheila M’Mbijjewe and CBK board chairman Mohammed Nyaoga

Huawei, including Google, which decided to block business with the Chinese tech giant , Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software, and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing after US president blacklisted it.

The US move to blacklist Huawei could have far-reaching consequences.

It will hurt Huawei, the world’s second largest smartphone maker, as it gets half of the chips it uses from US suppliers.

Meanwhile, according to analysts, US companies could lose a key customer and the development of 5G could suffer given Huawei is such an important player in its development. for another 4-year term.

The appointment of Dr Njoroge as CBK governor has spawned the emergence of a new order for financial institutions in Kenya.

Under his reign, inflation has largely remained under check averaging at 6.2 percent over the period within the government’s target band of 2.5 percent -7.5 percent.

The shilling has also remained fairly stable at an average of Sh101.97 to the US dollar over the period. The CBK governor has rejected claims that the Kenyan shilling is over-valued maintaining that its value is only dependent on the forces of demand and supply.

Under Dr Njoroge’s leading of CBK, various banks in Kenya have given credit to small businesses with the enactment of a law that limits lending rates to not more than four percentage points above the Central Bank Rate.

According to CBK data, private sector credit grew by 4.9 percent in the 12 months to April, compared to 4.3 percent in March.

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Mama Maria Nyerere hospitalised in Dar es Salaam after falling ill in Uganda The wife of former president of Tanzania and indipendence hero, Mama Maria Nyerere had arrived in Dar es Salaam Tanzania and was taken to hospital after falling ill in Uganda.

Mama Maria Nyerere (88) fell ill while attending the Uganda Martyrs celebrations last weekend.

Mama Maria Nyerere’s son told media that the Tanzania Independence hero’s widow returned from Kampala-Uganda on Wednesday afternoon, June 5, 2019 and was taken straight to a hospital in Dar es Salaam for further medical checkup.

Her son said that two doctors from Tanzania took over her treatment in Uganda before allowing her to travel back to Tanzania.

“As we are talking now, she has arrived in Dar es Salaam, and according to recommendations from doctors, we direct her to the hospital for further checkups and treatment before taking any decisions,” said Mr. Makongoro Nyerere.

Mama Nyerere was in Uganda as a pilgrim to take part in the commemoration of Uganda Martyrs when she suddenly fell ill.

President Yoweri Museveni was forced to skip the Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo to visit Mama Nyerere at a hospital in Kampala.

Media in Uganda reported Mama Nyerere has been travelling to Namugon-

go to celebrate Martyrs Day for 13 consecutive years.

About the Uganda Martyrs The Uganda Martyrs are a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887.

They were killed on orders of Mwanga II, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court.

The episode also occurred against the backdrop of the “Scramble for Africa” – the invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers.A few years after, the English Church Missionary Society used the deaths to enlist wider public support for the British acquisition of Uganda for the Empire.

The Catholic Church beatified the 22 Catholic martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them in 1964.

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ECONOMY

Burundi may be refunded expenses of the 20th COMESA summit preparations.

After discussions with the new COMESA secretary, Burundi is still hoping to get reimbursed the money Burundi governement used in the failed 20th COMESA summit which was scheduled to take place in Burundi, Bujumbura, but later rescheduled to Zambian capital, Lusaka.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has pledged to discuss with the Burundian authorities how to “reimburse” the costs incurred by Burundi in the preparations for the 20th Summit of Heads of State and This organization, The meeting with the new COMESA secretary Chileshe Kapwepwe was scheduled in Bujumbura on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, with the Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ezekiel Nibigira.

With his Burundian colleague in charge of trade, Mr.Jean-Marie Niyokindi, Minister Nibigira held a press briefing, after a hearing with COMESA Secretary-General, Zambian Chileshe Kapwepwe, in ” courtesy visit “to the Burundian authorities since her appointment to this office in July 2018 in Lusaka, Zambia, on the 20th anniversary of this organization held in the Zambian capital.

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Joint meeting between COMESA SG @ChilesheKCOMESA and Burundi ministers; Ezechiel Nibigira (foreign affairs), Jean Marie Niyokindi (Trade) and PS, Finance today in Bujumbura.

Implementation of regional integration programmes in #Burundi on the agenda @MAEBurundi @MinCommerce pic. twitter.com/RqhcAnef31 — COMESA Secretariat (@comesa_ lusaka) June 4, 2019 On May 19, 2018, while the Burundian authorities had “invested a lot” in the preparations for the 20th Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held on June 1, 2018 in Bujumbura (the economic capital of Burundi), the former COMESA Secretary-General Sindiso Ngwenya announced that the summit was being relocated from Bujumbura to Lusaka.

The Burundian authorities had called the decision “unfair” before claiming “compensation” for all the expenses incurred.

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However, since its election in July 2018, the new Secretary General of COMESA has exchanged with the Burundian authorities on this question and promised “to put it, body and soul, so that Burundi can regain its rights,” said Minister Nibigira.

Burundi, he added, appreciates the fact that Ms. Kapwepwe “worked diligently” to finally resolve this issue.

Minister Nibigira was pleased to note that the Secretary General of COMESA pointed out that she had been accompanied by a technical team in Bujumbura to work on this issue “so that all those who have

committed money for the organization of this summit which was scheduled for June 2018 in Bujumbura, be regularized, “he said.

On her stay in Burundi scheduled for June 3 to June 5, 2019, Ms. Kapwepwe was preceded in this working visit by her technical team.

RegionWEEK is a Weekly News Briefing about Brurundi and East Africa.

Publisher: RegionWeek Ltd Editor in chief: Fabrice Iranzi Head of Africa Bureau: John Nshimirimana 11, Avenue du Gouvernement, Rohero Bujumbura-Burundi Tél: +257 79 43 28 86 P.O Box 6402 Bujumbura