Uganda Rural Community Support USA

Three West African states, forming the Senegal
River Basin Development Authority, have agreed to speed up studies and
funding to improve transportation along the Senegal River.

That decision Saturday was perhaps foremost among others made at the
closed-door meeting in Bamako of the authority by the leaders of Mali,
Mauritania and Senegal, members of the body.

One project consist of developing river transport between the
northern Senegalese coastal city of Saint-Louis and the inland Malian
town of Kayes, some 550 kilometres to the south-east.

The presidents also decided to prepare and implement an integrated
regional water supply and agricultural development plan. This will be
expected to improve living conditions for residents and improve the
environment in this semi-desert area.

They also decided to launch the second phase of studies to develop
potential resources of the Senegal River Basin. In this regard, the
three states will formulate a communication policy designed to allow for
a greater involvement and empowerment of local communities in the
identification of regional infrastructural programmes.

Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare said at the opening of the summit
that the subregional body needed to intensify its on-going structural
reforms, in which 28 of the 94 member-staff have been laid off. He urged
his peers to accelerate navigational projects along the river.

Leadership on this and other task now falls on President Maouya Ould
Sid’Ahmed Taya of Mauritania who was elected chairman of the Dakar-based
body.

The Conference also elected the Malian Minister of Economy, Planning
and African Integration as chairman of the authority’s Council of
Ministers.

The Senegalese Union of Information and
Communication Practitioners, or Synpics, has decided to set up a council
to enforce a journalist code of ethics.

The decision taken Saturday in Dakar came at the end of a seminar
organized in collaboration with the International Federation of
Journalists, the Senegalese News Agency reported.

The agency said that the council would ensure that Senegalese
journalists complied with the generally established moral standards and
professional code of ethics as adapted in the Press Law of Senegal. The
Council will be composed of 13 members: Four from the union, three from
the Association of Managers of Public and Private Media Organizations
and representatives of the various bodies such as the Bar Association,
Magistrates’ Union, Academics’ Union, Human Rights Associations,
Consumer Bodies.

A consignment of food intended for displaced people is
reported to have been seized by security personnel in Tubmanburg, Bomi
County. The consignment included ninety seven bags of Bulgar wheat and
twenty eight cartons of oil.

It was supplied by the World Food Program (WFP) for internally displaced
people in Tewor District, Grand Cape Mount County. Bomi County Assistant
Superintendent said the food was seized by some unidentified soldiers en
route to Bomi County. Mr. Joseph Holmes said the action by the soldiers has
deprived thousands of displaced people of much needed food. Mr. Holmes said
this recent supply of food by the WFP is the first in eight months.

> A world health official says it was time that physicians’ assistants
are re-assigned to health facilities in rural Liberia. Dr. Tabeh Freeman
believes re-assigning physicians’ assistants will help to promote health
care delivery throughout the country. Dr. Freeman said though most pre-war
health facilities in rural Liberia are not operating, health workers were
still in the country. Dr. Freeman is Emergency and Humanitarian Action
Advisor to the World Health Organization. He was speaking at a five-day
conference for physician assistants. The conference is reviewing activities
of physicians’ assistants.

> Distribution of resettlement kits to returning displaced persons
continued in five communities in Bomi County. The kits contained basic
building materials and farming tools. The returnees are expected to also be
given food rations. The exercise is a pilot project by the Liberia Refugee
Repatriation, Resettlement Commission, the United Nations and the Liberia
National Red Cross. The project is intended to encourage displaced persons
to return to their pre-war communities. The distribution of the kits is
being carried out in Klay, Gui Town, Sass Town, Beh Town and Jenneh. The
project was launched a week ago in Grand Cape Mount County.

> Fear of explosives is hampering farming activities in Gbarma District,
Lofa County. A relief worker in the district said more than three
explosions have occurred in two weeks in the area. Siafa Konneh said the
first explosion injured a boy while burning a farm. He said these
explosions are causing farmers to fear going into the bush to engage in
farming. Armed Forces of Liberia Commander in lower Lofa has confirmed the
reports. The AFL Commander is however advising farmers to keep a distance
after setting their farms on fire.

> Mandingoes who fled Lofa County to Guinea during the civil war are
reportedly afraid to return home. Mandingoes fear growing ethnic tension
between Lormas and them. Mandingoes Chief Varley Kamara of Zorzor said
relations between the two tribes has not improved. He said despite a
reconciliation meeting in Bokeza hosted by Internal Affairs Ministry
authorities, the two tribes are not getting along. The Mandingoes are being
refused resettlement by Lormas. The situation has gotten so bad, Mr. Kamara
said, that Lorma girls married to Mandingo men are being rejected by their
parents.

> Local human rights organizations are to assist Liberian Government
investigate reports of forced labour in south-eastern Liberia. The Center
for Law and Human Rights Education and the National Human Rights Commission
are to assist the Justice Ministry in the investigation. Acting Minister of
Justice told journalists human rights activist Kofi Woods had alleged force
labour was taking place in south-eastern Liberia. Mr. Theophilus Gould said
government is concerned about Mr. Wood’s allegation noting the constitution
forbids slavery and forced labour. He said Mr. Woods who is Catholic
Justice and Peace Commission Director has also been contacted to help with
the investigations.

> American First Lady Hilary Clinton has promised to attend the
dedication of a children’s village in Liberia later this year. An
Information Ministry statement said Mrs. Clinton gave the First Lady Jewel
Taylor the assurance during a White House meeting. The children’s village
is being undertaken by “War Child” an international charity. Mrs. Clinton
is also reported to have praised the holding of the Chicago conference to
reconcile Liberians. At the same time, the head of the Liberian community
in the American Capital, Washington D.C., is urging Liberians in the United
States to respect the choice of the electorate in electing President
Charles Taylor. John Lloyd, spoke at a reception in honour of Information
Minister Joe Mulbah.

> The Ministry of Information says five independent radio stations have
agreed to give two hours of air time monthly to government. The Ministry
said the agreement followed a meeting between it and the stations. Stations
named by the Ministry include Radio Veritas, STAR radio, Radio Monrovia,
Radio Hope and Radio Liberty. The Ministry quoted Acting Minister J. Milton
Teahjay as saying government must evolve a new partnership with the media
to promote development and reconstruction. Mr. Teahjay said it was the
first time government and the private media have reached a consensus on an
issue without “acrimony.”

> Nimba County citizens have agreed to undertake the rehabilitation of
health and education institutions in the county. The citizens agreed that
to raise funds for the project every hut in the county must pay five
Liberian dollars. A county development council has been set up to monitor
the implementation of the projects. The council is headed by the county
project planner and includes two representatives from each districts.

> The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is calling for solidarity among
Liberian journalists. PUL President Abraham Massalley said a problem for
one journalist or media institution must claim the attention of all. He
said a strong bond of unity amongst journalists and media institutions
could achieve a lot. Mr. Massalley said the PUL in its efforts to foster
international ties is now a member of the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ is an International Association of Journalists
that advocates the rights and protection of journalists worldwide. The PUL
President was speaking at program marking the Ninth anniversary of the
News, a local newspaper. Former Police Director Brownie Samukai served as
keynote speaker at the program. He urged Liberian journalists to remain
committed to duty despite the harsh economic and political realities in the
country.

NOTE FOR EDITORS: Star Radio is staffed by Liberian journalists and
managed by the Swiss NGO Fondation Hirondelle with financing from the U.S.
Agency for International Development through the International Foundation
for Election Systems. Non commercial redistribution is allowed, providing
that the source is quoted and no editing other than reformatting is made.

Widespread voter apathy characterised
Saturdays National Assembly elections in Nigeria as the military
government entered its last stages of its transition to democratic rule
in Africa’s most populous nation.

It was still unclear if the opposition calls for a boycott of the
polls fuelled voter cynicism. The measure taken by pro-democracy groups
to persuade voters to stay home followed the controversial adoption,
last week, of military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha as the consensual
presidential candidate for the five registered political parties.

In Lagos, the nation’s commercial centre where an 11-hour restriction
of movement of the public was in force for Saturday’s polls, voter
turnout was particularly low. Youths turned open spaces into soccer
fields.

“We expect more people to turn up,” an electoral officer said at the
1004 civil servants’ estate in the city of six million people.

However, less than 20 voters had cast their ballots by midday out of
more than 2,006 registered voters at the polling centre.

Following the massive security arrangement enforced by the Lagos
Police Command in the aftermath of a suspected bomb blast that killed at
least four people Wednesday, the atmosphere was generally peaceful in
the city.

But unknown persons lit bonfires on the major Ikorodu Road and duel
carriageway, causing traffic diversions.

Reports from other parts of the country, including the middle belt
states of Benue and Plateau also spoke of low voter turnouts. Similar
reports were received from the western states of Osun and Ogun, two
potential flash points between pro and anti government supporters.

A recent clash in the western city of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital
between these two groups resulted in at least three deaths.

>From the nation’s capital Abuja, voting was peaceful but marked by
low turnout.

The federal capital minister, Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni — after visiting
polling centres in Kwali, Wagwalada, Kuje and Abuja Central Area
Councils — said, “I thought I would see a large turnout of people, but
what I saw was far below the expected number.”

At least 2,000 candidates from the five registered political are
vying for the 109 senate and 360 house of representative seats in the
national assembly. Results are not expected until early next week.

Under Abacha transition programme to a democracy, scheduled to end
Oct. 1, his failure to declare whether or not he intends to transform
himself to a civilian president by that date has heightened political
suspense in this restive nation.

The chairman of the National Electoral
Commission of Nigeria, Sumner Dagogo-Jack, says he is unaware of last
week’s adoption of military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha by the five political
parties as their sole candidate for the Aug. 1 presidential election.

“I am not aware of that and as far as I am concerned there will be an
election on August one,” Dagogo-Jack told journalists in Abuja late
Saturday after monitoring the National Assembly polls in the northern
city of Makudi.

It had been widely speculated that a referendum would be held in
place of the August presidential elections following the parties’
adoption of Abacha.

Meanwhile, Nigerians were Sunday expecting initial results from the
polls which were marked by apathy and general low voter turn out.

While the opposition pro-democracy groups are claiming this as a
victory, following their call for a national boycott by the polls,
Dagogo-Jack said it was still too early to draw conclusions.

The polls were generally peaceful but a number of government
officials have conceded that the turn out was lower than expected.
Electoral officials were still collecting results from various centres
Sunday.

Necon, the electoral commission, has said that results of the contest
for the 360 house of Assembly seats are to be announced on the spot.
However, the results of polls for the 109 Senators of the 36 states and
the federal capital, Abuja, will be released by the Resident Electoral
Commissioners.

Meanwhile, reports from the southwestern state of Ekiti said some
10,000 prospective voters boycotted polls in protest of the government’s
relocation of a local council headquarters in the area.

It was also reported that a detachment of anti-riot police was
deployed to disperse angry youths who disrupted polling in the mid-
western city of Warri. The town was scene of bloody clashes in 1997
between neighbouring ethnic groups, contesting the relocation of a local
council headquarters.

Another report from Osun State, in the west, said the death toll from
Thursday bomb explosion at Ile Ife had risen to seven by Saturday. A
police spokesman confirmed the figure from the incident, part of a
series of blasts in the country since 1996.

Another explosion killed at least four people Tuesday in Lagos, the
nation’s economic hub.

Osun state has been witnessing sporadic clashes between neighbouring
Ife and moderates communities but the state government said Thursday’s
explosion had nothing to do with that crisis.

Saturday’s assembly polls are to be followed Aug.1 by the crucial
government and presidential elections under Abacha’s plan to restore
democracy to Nigeria, slated for Oct 1.

Critics have denounced Abacha’s programme as a charade.

Contrary to Press reports in some Indian newspapers and
looming uncertainty, the Tri-Nation tourney between India, Kenya and
Bangladesh is on, Sharad Ghai, the [Kenya] Cricket Committee chairman
has confirmed.

Ghai said “following Press reports and rumours of cancellation of the
tournament, I phoned the Indian Cricket Board president, Raj Singh, who
confirmed the tour was on.”.

I am sure there must have been something in the pipeline regarding
cancellation, nevertheless, it’s good news that the tour is on and the
efforts which are being and have been put in by Kenya boys in training
have not gone to waste.

In the preliminary rounds Kenya will play in Hydrabad, Banglore,
Madras, and Gwalior. After playing India and Bangladesh twice each,
Kenya will have the rare opportunity of playing at the Eden Gardens,
Calcutta if they reach final.

Bangaldesh had defeated Kenya in the final of the Mini World Cup in
Kuala Lumpur but during last year’s Tri-Nation tournament in Nairobi,
Kenya outplayed Bangladesh. I will not be surprised to see Indians
hunting for all sorts of records against the two teams recently elevated
to the one-day status.

After recent disastrous performances Kenyans must do well. This time
around, they will be watched by millions in 115 countries through live
television coverage of the day/night matches.

Although the Kenyan preparations are hampered by being without a
professional coach, the boys are sparing no efforts in training with
local Ramesh Bhalla. Why the KCA has failed to acquire a professional
coach is beyond me.

The selectors will be meeting soon to name the final 14-man touring
squad. This is not as difficult as choosing the 11-man team on the day
of the math.

Meantime the Kenya Cricket Umpires Association (KCUA) celebrated
their 40th anniversary with a dinner and awards presentation last night
at the Minar, Yaya Centre. Over the years the association has done well
and produced some first class umpires.

They had their fair share of criticism. Officiating and judging is

not as easy as in international matches where umpires have aid from the
camera. Even with this aid, international umpires make blunders as have
been seen on live coverage.

The error of judgments are hardly followed…simply taken as human
error. Here, sadly, umpires’ mistakes are taken as sins and remembered
for a long time. Instead of encouraging the very few available umpires
local fans and players tend to condemn them and even call them by names.

There are some “experts” who think they are better situated, for
example at the square-leg boundar, to make a better and correct judgment
than the umpires.

Let us all encourage our umpires now that we have one-day status and
let the national cricket body make efforts to see some of our umpires
officiate international matches. If this is done, more and more will be
encouraged to take up officiating.

At the moment there are only 20 or so active umpires. Despite this,
the KCUA provides umpires to even division two matches. They have done a
commendable job.

Last week I talked about the rivalry between the NPCA boss Sukhbans
Singh and Cricket Committee chairman Sharad Ghai. I understand the two
met at a table, not in the ring, and have sorted out their differences.

Peace at last and peace with honour!

Finally, the doyen of Kenya Cricket, Jasmer Singh who has served for
more than 25 years in various capacities, is about to pull a cat out of
the bag. I happen to know what it is, but I will not tell you now. Have
patience!

Zimbabwean soccer league champions Dynamos
will be looking to in-form play-maker Tauya Murewa for inspiration
Sunday in their African Champions League second round, first leg match

against Ferroviaro of Mozambique at the national sports stadium in
Harare.

The Zimbabwean champions, who since independence in 1980 have
agonisingly failed to transform their dominance on the domestic scene to
the continental stage, are hard pressed to beat the Mozambicans and take
a healthy lead into the second leg scheduled for Maputo in two weeks.

Dynamos coach Sunday Marimo, who has guided the “glamour boys” to 11
league championships since 1980, cannot pin his hopes for a turning
point in his team’s quest for continental glory on any man other than
the sleek striker, Murewa.

Murewa is in top shape and if he re-produces the same form that saw
him illuminate the National Sports Stadium on April 19, with his
intelligent runs in Zimbabwe’s Cosafa Castle Cup match against Namibia,
he will no doubt carry through Marimo’s hopes.

Murewa’s ability to take on defenders, waltz past them with ease as
if they did not exist and create chances for other strikers are
qualities every coach wishes to have of his forwards. Besides Murewa,
Marimo can also count on tireless team Captain Memory Mucherahowa to
pull the strings in midfield, utility player Claudius Zviripayi and
Bheki Mlotshwa to help Murewa upfront and hard-man Kaitano Tembo to
stabilise the defence.

However, Ferroviaro are no push overs. Their impressive run in the
1997 tournament is ample evidence of their abilities.

They eliminated Cameroon’s Unisport to qualify for the league phase
of the competition where they shocked Egyptian champions Zamalek in a 2-
0 victory and Goldfields of Ghana 1-0.

Ferroviaro boast seven national team players: goalkeeper Luis Dias,
defenders Tomas Inguane and Pinto Barros, midfielders Paulito and Danito
and strikers Jorge Vulande and Eurico Jone.

Their coach Arnaldo Salvado was in charge of the Mozambique national
team at this year’s African Nations Cup in Burkina Faso.

Utalii 1 Etoile du Sahel 0. Kenya’s Utalii FC scored a lone
goal to beat the visting Etoile du Sahel FC of Tunisia 1- 0 in the third
round, first leg tie of the Africa Champions League at Afraha Stadium,
Nakuru yesterday.

Following their slim win, the pressure will now be on Utalii when the
two sides clash in the return match in two week’s time in Tunisia.

The home team was greatly disadvantaged by the absence of dependable
midfielder John “Mo” Muiruri who was ruled out after receiving two
yellow cards against Medlow Megbi of Eritrea and during the return match
against El Merreikh FC of Sudan.

In the fifth minute Utalii nearly took the lead when James Nandwa
moved dangerously into the box but shot wide.

A minute before the breather Utalii squandered another chance when
well-positioned Jones Onchera shot wide with goal keeper Essalhi
Radhouwe well beaten.

Ten minutes into the second half, former Harambee Stars striker
Elkana Swaka put his side on the winning trail when he capitalised on a
defensive lapse by Etoile to stab home a simple goal past the stranded
goalkeeper.

In the 72nd minute second half substitute Seif Mutie missed golden
chance when he outplayed two defenders but his feeble shot was cleared
by a defender.

Etoile’s Boukadida Mounir, Menezes Clyton, Chouchane Farid were
yellow carded for rough play while Utalii’s Sylvanus Otema was also
given a yellow card for a harsh tackle ben Younis.

In the second half Utalii introduced Ahamed Yusuf for Islama
Mohammed, Seif Muitie for Elkana Swaka, while Etiole brought in Jellasi
Riadh for Ghodbaro Kais and Dzaziri Zied for Trabelesi Farouk .

Speaking after the match Utalii coach was disappointed by the reults
saying: “The boys simply did not play according to my instructions.”

On Wednesday this week, President Mugabe took the
opportunity of the late Herald editor’s death to attack what he said
were unpatriotic black journalists working for privately-owned papers,
especially those which, he said, were white-owned.

He chided them in particular for writing negatively about the land
issue, saying that they were yearning for a return to colonial rule, and
stated that they attacked the government for taking away land held by
white commercial farmers.

He wondered aloud whether a genuine son of the soil could do this all
for 30 pieces of silver, and drew parallels with the press in Britain,
which, he said, would always support its government. He also attacked
the press for failing to write about gays, who he repeated, as he
graphically took governor David Karimanzira’s arm, “were worse than
beasts.”

Basically there is nothing new about the attacks made by the
president. He and others have made them before in different fora. But
what we are observing is that the president is becoming ever more
desperate, seizing any gathering whose attendance is more than three in
number, to attack those who he believes are responsible for his rapidly
waning political fortunes. Even funerals are not spared.

This is immoral, cheap, and totally unacceptable. Blacks being used
by whites for 30 pieces of silver-and yet he is quite happy to take
money from the Tiny Rowlands of this world, the biggest colonisers of
the country. And would His Excellency care to present even one article
written by the people he attacks saying that the government is no good
for taking land for resettlement? All that we have done is to highlight
the weaknesses and the resultant negative effects on the economy as a
result of the manner in which government intended to carry out the
resettlement exercise. No one in their right mind would oppose the need
for land distribution in principle.

So anyone who points out salient factors such as these is branded as
a traitor. One day it is Morgan Tsvangirai, tomorrow it is the churches,

the next day it is black journalists who are being paid by whites to
write stories attacking government. Even his own cabinet ministers are
not safe from attack-for failing to defend the indefensible.

Coming to the president’s point about British journalists standing by
their government, as opposed to local journalists out to trash the
state, we would refer His Excellency to something that the dance hall
youths of today call “positive feedback”-giving what you get. You treat
people like dirt, and they treat you like dirt. You show them respect
and dignity, and their treatment is reciprocal.

And while the president is drawing parallels with the British press,
we would just ask how many times the president has availed himself to
local journalists, particularly those in the privately-owned media. Yet
the moment he steps off the plane in London, Bonn or Paris-and even here
in Harare-foreign journalists are entertained expansively without the
indignity of submitting questions in advance, waiting patiently for
months or years on end, and even then failing to secure an interview.
Local black journalists literally have to run after him at the airport,
or wherever else he appears in public. Quite a number of journalists
worth their salt are just not prepared be subjected to such treatment.
Mr Mugabe’s overseas counterparts do not treat their journalists in such
a fashion, and this probably explains what the president says is their
loyalty to their government.

Respect is earned, not demanded.

Last week, The Standard reported that the minister of higher
education and technology and Zvimba North MP, Ignatius Chombo, and
Mashonaland West’s governor, Peter Chanetsa, are actively enrolling
students to Chinhoyi Technical Teachers College and Chinhoyi Hospital.

It is now an operational requirement that all student nurses and
student teachers enrolling at Chinhoyi Hospital and Chinhoyi Technical
College, respectively, must have been born in, and be residents of,
Mashonaland West Province.

Such parochialism or regionalism, coming from, and being practised by
two men holding national positions, represent a dangerous and
retrogressive development.

The two institutions were established and continue to be sustained by
taxes painfully extracted from all Zimbabweans, with proportionately
very little coming out of Mashonaland West province. Ordinary
Zimbabweans from the rest of the country, especially outside Harare and
the remainder of the Mashonaland provinces, must surely feel betrayed,
insulted, robbed and cheated.

Chinhoyi Hospital and Chinhoyi Technical Teachers College are
national assets collectively owned by all Zimbabweans. As such, these
national assets must be at the disposal of and for the benefit of all
Zimbabweans.

No individual, however high or mighty, must be allowed to peddle
regional or parochial agenda utilising national resources.

Not long ago, the public ignored the hardworking Chegutu MP, Charles
Ndlo-vu, when he raised alarm at the rise of regionalism in Mashonaland
West province. The public can now continue to ignore, at a high price,
this growing primitive peril in Mashonaland West.

President Mugabe must also take note of these developments in his
home province, by people very close to him and executing this negative
destructive agenda in his name.

Not only is this development supposed to be contrary to the
principles of his own party, Zanu PF, but such shameful and blatant
discrimination on the basis of regionalism and place of birth is
eloquently unconstitutional. It is a grim and eloquent reminder of how
millions of innocent individuals were brutally slaughtered by the
promoters of such negative ideologies over 50 years ago. Chombo is known
to proclaim, to friend and foe alike, his closeness to Mugabe, pointing
to his key role in organising the President’s wedding a couple of years
ago. In the context of the current succession debate, the public must
take note of Chombo’s reckoning.

Sadly, this whole saga may turn out to be the tip of an iceberg. It
may well be a symptom of a vast, more sinister and subterranean
parochial agenda.

The public must now demand to know how scholarships to study abroad
are allocated in the ministry of higher education and technology. If the
minister’s mentality and general disposition is so regional and
parochial where higher education in Mashonaland West is concerned, what
chance do students from Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands, and Matabeleland
provinces stand to be considered for overseas scholarships?

We do not claim to know the criteria used by the minister to allocate

scholarships, but if developments in Mashonaland West are anything to go
by, the public must demand and force Chombo to release a list of all
students, past and present, studying on government scholarships
overseas-we may be in for shocking revelations. Students from other
provinces are clearly vulnerable at the hands of Chombo and Chanetsa in
Mashonaland West province. Decent people in public positions of power do
not exploit the vulnerable for kicks. The logic of common morality is
inexorable.

But if developments in Mashonaland West are not nipped in the bud,
the closing moments of the Mugabe regime can only be tearful. This is
not an irresponsible alarmism. The fresh lessons of the ethnic cleansing
and genocide exercises in the new republics of the former Soviet bloc,
the traumatic memories and experiences of the Biafra War and the carnage
in Africa’s Great Lakes region, had small beginnings equivalent to
developments in Masho-naland West, but the subsequent maturation was
death and total destruction.

Nations must, and should, derive strength from diversity.

Developments in Mashonaland West province must constitute an
unequivocal instruction to the people of Zimbabwe to demand that people
of a blatantly parochial or regional orientation must not be allowed to
hold public office.

Parliament and cabinet must demand an explanation from Chombo and
Chanetsa. They must account for their regionalistic tendencies.

Over the past few troubled weeks, Mugabe announced that he was to
embark on a witch-hunting exercise in his own party.

Need he look any further than his own backyard? As he dawdles towards
the sunset of his life, it’s not too late for a positive parting shot.