<(By Mohammed Legally-Cole)

Honourable Crispin Grey-Johnson, Gambia’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in a press briefing this on Saturday 26^th January 2008 dilated on his recent trip to Spain within the context of the problem of illegal migration and other matters. It could be recalled that a lot of West Africans are trying to get into Europe in search of greener pasture and the closest point of entry is Spain, especially the Canary Islands which are not far from the African coast.

The journey has hazards. A lot of them lose their lives on the way – and those who do not lose their lives and succeed in getting across, they constitute for us a loss, in the sense that these are able- bodied people who could contribute in agriculture, industry and in other forms of economic activity. It is lost to the European economy, and is a loss to the country and more-so to the African Continent.In the past, Europeans have insisted on the sub-Saharan Africa and to us Gambia Government in helping them identify illegal immigrants from our countries with the view of having them returned. As a government, we looked at the replication of all of these and we thought perhaps that was not the best way to handle the issue – one, if you do bring them back, there is no guarantee that they are going to stay. In fact, it is the case that most of them are willing to go back through this dreadful journey across the high-seas to the Canary Islands. And for those who stayed, you have not solve their problems because they will still remain unemployed or severely under- employed. So we thought the best strategy would be to address the root causes that lead to them wanting to go away, which is developmental. So rather than going out there and bring them back, let us bring them back with a package that could help them settle down in jobs and become productive citizens to the country and useful individuals to themselves and their families.So we have discussed this strategy with the Spanish Government and they agreed that it makes sense and perhaps we should from now on approach the issue from that perspective. That is the context within which this visit was undertaken. We took Secretaries of State and their colleagues from the key sectors of the economy, Agriculture, Trade, Industry and Employment, Youth and Sports, Interior, which is at the core of the problem. We discussed not only what they had undertaken to help us attack the problem, that is the old money, there has been an amount of 8 million Euros that had been put aside for assistance in training our youths in building skill centers, in creating jobs to also help us increase our capacity to monitor and patrol our boarders.Over and above that, we wanted to open doors to get Spanish investors to come and invest in Agriculture and Tourism sector of The Gambia. A lot of the Gambians, who go to work in Spain, do so in Agriculture. So if those guys who own the farms come to Gambia and help us develop our Agriculture here so these people would stay and work here in their own country. So we discussed that and there are good prospects for investment in Agriculture from Spain.We also talked about Tourism. Tourism is an area of immense advantage for The Gambia. And Spain is also a big tourist destination. They have huge capacities there in the tourism sector. We discussed with them the need for them to support our drive to attract not only tourists but also investors in the tourism sector. We also secured from the private sector an undertaking to create a forum for us to go and meet potential investors and talk to them and bring them over to invest.

We were also able to speak with them and get them to agree to support youth and sports. So they will help us set up two academies, one for football, and one for basket ball and they will also put a lot of money, something like half a million Euros into women’s programmes, directed to the programmes of the Women’s Bureau.

Honourable SOS Grey-Johnson also spoke on his recently trip to attend the Ecowas meeting which was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This is what he has to say:

The Ecowas summit looked at some of the regional issues, and especially our strategies for the forthcoming African Union Commission elections. As you know we have a candidate who is an incumbent, in the person of Mrs. Julia Joiner, which was one of our primary objectives in attending, to make sure we secure continuous support for her. That was one of the issues we were concentrating on. Of course, there were other house keeping matters, the programs of these specialized institutions and the like.Commenting on Gambia’s relations with Ghana and also on the reports that Ecowas has set up a commission to look into the matter regarding the 44 dead bodies of supposed Ghanaians found here in The Gambia, SOS Grey-Johnson elaborated that this is a situation that has unfortunately developed or deteriorated to a certain degree. It is even assuming some political dimensions. We decided that it would best to now invite third parties to come and look at it because the country think it is necessary for independent credible bodies and institutions to come and pronounce on it. It is a matter that we think has been exaggerated out of all proportions. As you know we found 8 bodies in The Gambia, people say that they are Ghanaians. You cannot even authenticate whether they are, because nobody was able to identify them. But the way some people have picked it up is not only 8 people were found dead here. The earlier reports I saw mentioned 40 then went up to 47. Then I heard 50, 55 and now is over 60. We want to put this behind us. We therefore engaged the government of Ghana to turn over to people who will look at it objectively and make a pronouncement on it, and they agreed. So we met them at emergence of the Ecowas meeting, to this the Ecowas and UN had been invited to come and we have agreed on how to proceed. From now on it is in their own hands. Following the Banjul meeting between Senegal and The Gambia, it was reported that last December the vice president of The Gambia and the prime minister of Senegal were supposed to meet in a joint ministerial meeting which would be followed by a summit of the two heads of state, Hon. Grey-Johnson said that this meeting should have taken place December 2007 or late last November 2007, but around the time we were planning for it, there was a change of cabinet in Senegal, a new Prime Minister and there was a small cabinet reshuffle. So we proposed to give them time to settle down, then we would pick up from there. We are working right now on it. We hope that maybe by next month we will be able to have a meeting in Dakar.We are also trying to prepare for the visit to Banjul of President Wade that will have to be after we have a joint consultative committee meeting that would probably take place towards the end of March.

  Published by API africanpress@getmail.no 

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – Africa’s leaders gathering in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, from Thursday (today) should go back home with a sense of urgency after deliberating on industrialization of the continent, according to a senior UN official attending the summit.

Kandeh Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said the urgency was about transforming and diversifying African economies on one hand and on the other for the leaders to be ambitious to see their countries doing higher value production instead of exporting raw commodities. “At the moment Africa’s industrialization is progressing slowly, to put it at best. As an industrial producer Africa is really marginal. It is almost irrelevant in global market,” Yumkella told PANA in an exclusive interview on the eve of the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).

Currently, Africa contributes less than 1 per cent of global manufacturing value added. Of the total merchandise trade in the world 75 per cent is manufactured products and Africa’s contribution to this is just 2 per cent. Yumkella is due to address the Summit whose theme is “Industrial Development of Africa”. He believes that African governments have a big role to play because not everything can be done by the private sector to bring about industrialization.

“We were made to believe in the 1980s that government has no role; everything will be done by the private sector. That is true in a country where there is already a private sector. “In some of the poor African countries you can count the number of big companies. Maybe there are only five of them. The rest of the people are in the so-called informal sector – millions of them. “There is nothing in the middle. What I call the missing middle. So, government has a key role to play (and make sure there are) stable policies, good incentives, and also infrastructure.”

However, Yumkella agrees that governments cannot immediately put infrastructure all over the country because they don’t even have the resources. He said: “To finance Africa’s industrialization we really do need major reforms in the financial sector of Africa itself, to deepen financial sector reform, and to see that capitalization of banks is big enough to be ready to finance development projects, whether in agribusiness or in manufacturing that are more medium and long-term types of investment. “Definitely, we need international partnerships. But for these investments to flow, naturally there are some basic, fundamental conditions. Stability matters as well as good political and corporate governance.”

African cannot go it alone to industrialization without entering partnerships with industrialized regions of the world. The key for Africa to enter profitable partnerships should start with preparation of good investment packages for other regions to see it as profitable. In today’s globalisation capital has been flowing to different regions and the main driver is that business wants to make profit, business wants security of investment.
On this, Yumkella advises that African countries must be investment friendly. “That is the key challenge we face, but, definitely partnerships are important,” he said.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.PANA

Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi, who is the modern day standard bearer of Pan-Arabism, has threatened to abandon Africa to its fate if the continent’s leaders who meet today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia again reject his proposals for closer unity.

And as the African helmsmen gather today with sideline meetings with other world leaders and representatives of international agencies, the issue of electoral credibility in Nigeria and Kenya will surface, authoritative diplomatic sources say. Kenya is presently enmeshed in violence engendered by a disputed December 2007 election said to have been won by incumbent President Mwai Kibaki. Last year’s presidential polls in Nigeria is also being contested by some opposition figures at the electoral tribunal.

Worried that the Kenyan crisis might degenerate to a full blown civil war, the House of Representatives yesterday passed a motion urging the Federal Government to begin evacuating Nigerians from the East African country. Gadaffi who spoke ahead of the African Union (AU) yesterday summit warned that he would turn his back on the continent if its leaders throw out his proposals for stronger integration. He blamed the governments of English-speaking African states with the exception of Nigeria for blocking the proposal on behalf of “colonial interests.”

“If unity is not achieved, then Libya will turn its back on Africa and re-orient its foreign policy in other directions, Euro-Mediterranean or Arabo-Mediterranean,” he told a news conference on the eve of his departure for the summit. According to Gadaffi, Libya is also prepared to move its investments in African countries, which he said totalled more than five billion dollars, to Arab and Mediterranean states. “The Addis Ababa summit must mark a decisive step in the establishment of African unity,” he said. “Anyone who blocks the unity project is part of a conspiracy to sell Africa to the highest bidder. “Libya will not be party to the betrayal of the continent and will expose whoever is behind it.”

Gadaffi has been involved in intensive lobbying in the run-up to this year’s summit after he failed to win support for his proposals for a federal African government among the AU’s 53-member states at its summit in Ghana in July 2007. In less than a week, he has received about 10 African leaders at his Tripoli residence in a bid to win their support for his unity project. “The African Union commission is a dead letter without any powers and ought to be replaced by an executive cabinet,” Gadaffi said. Despite his opposition to the continental union’s current administrative set-up, Gadaffi said Libya’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs, Ali Triki, would be a candidate to replace the AU commission’s outgoing chief Alpha Omar Konare at the summit.

“The Arab states have been deprived of this position for some four decades though they represent two-thirds of the continent and contribute 60 per cent of the African Union’s budget,” he said. “If this situation persists, it will be tantamount to racism against Arabs.” In nearly four decades in power, Gadaffi made some sharp about-turns in foreign policy. A staunch Arab nationalist when he seized power in 1969, he gradually grew disillusioned with the Arab League and sought to expand Libyan influence in Africa, particularly West Africa and the Sahel, instead.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.The Guardian:Nigeria

From: voiceofdiaspora@gmail.com

January 31, 2008

The Tinderet MP has also been involved in many other economic crimes, including most prominently the total enervation and subsequent collapse of the Kenya National Assurance Company. A search at the Ministry of Lands indicated that Mr. Henry Kosgey, the Tinderet MP and Allan Kosgey, his son, own Tinderet Development Trust, 97 hectares of Siret Farm which transferred as a “gift” to Tinderet Development Trust Company, in 1995. Henry Kosgey was among the corrupt directors accused of planning to strip Kakuzi of its prime assets leaving them with a shell company that was unlikely to survive the increasing competitive pressure in the global tea market. Since news of the controversial sale reached the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Kakuzi shares have stalled in value, managing only to move low volumes as investors factor in the loss of Siret which was considered the jewel in the company’s crown. Siret accounts for 40 per cent of Kakuzi’s earnings from tea. The minority shareholders say the Siret sale mirrors previous questionable decisions and transactions including the sale of Mitchell Cotts House for Sh40 million in 2004, the uprooting of mature coffee at Garton plantation and the hiving off of 97 hectares of Siret Farm which transferred as a “gift” to Tinderet Development Trust Company, owned by the area MP legislator Henry Kosgey, in 1995. This has made Kosgey a very wealthy man in Kenya and hence very dangerous as we explain below.

The ODM Militiamen and Hit squad under the command of Henry Kosgey

We have reliably learnt that a simmering mistrust and suspicion has rocked the ODM party since the last elections, burst into the open recently with dirty cyber wars and an abortive boardroom coup to take over the party chairmanship from Henry Kosgey. Mr. Raila Odinga has asked individuals who are not ready to work with others to quit, deepening the anxiety engulfing the party. “He who does not want to be with the rest of us should walk out,” There will be no short cuts in the party,” Raila declared without elaborating. Raila also ruled out consensus as the way. Said he: “We cannot follow the consensus path because it would mean that our supporters will abandon us and loose faith in our ability to deliver”. The general argument was that chairman Kosgey had been unable to contain the party MPs as a block, with looming defection and Cabinet posts that were being offered by PNU prior to the election of the House Speaker.

It is also instrumental that as ODM chairman and very vocal as seen on TV, he was not elected to represent the party in the ongoing talks with PNU. Kosgey read he was being pushed away, was a marked man and was going to be relegated to the corridors of back bench and would eventually become irrelevant. Kosgey took this as a personal affront and wanted to deliver the ultimate gift to his masters, that of acceptability and achievement of results. This was important to him because he risked being prosecuted over this mega corruption, if was not protected by the ODM machinery. Kosgey could not accept this and he had to redeem his position.

Here below, follows a series of events that led to the ultimate assassination of the MP elect as authored by Henry Kosgey.

In Kenya Daily Nation Newspaper Henry Kosgey said: ‘I have spies in the entire ODM organ stretching from North Eastern to Siaya in Nyanza Province and the party should be prepared for a real fight’. Henry Kosgey is the man charged by ODM with the responsibility of managing the ODM militiamen. Back in December 2007, the People Foundation operatives brought to the attention of the general public the undeniable fact that Raila and ODM were building clandestine army of militiamen. One wing of the ODM clandestine army of militiamen doubles for “hecklers. One other highly secretive wing of the ODM clandestine army of militiamen is charged with the mandate of selectively eliminating certain personalities that exhibit some lack of loyalty to the Raila Odinga, Party Chairman and the ODM party in general. The spies that Henry Kosgey was referring to are the ODM hitmen-squad, which is managed single handedly by him. Reliable sources seem to indicate that Henry Kosgey knows how orders were issued for the recent elimination of the two honorable members of parliament.

Henry Kosgey has not been known to be man that has feeling of humanity at all. He has consistently exhibited behavior that defies all common decency. Back in 1980s he systematically rendered thousands of Kenyans jobless by deliberately taking the Kenyan National Assurance to its knees.

Reliable sources informed the People Foundation, Inc that 52% of all the ODM/NARC elected MPs have been opposed to the stance taken by its presidential candidate following the conclusion of the Dec 2007 general election. The 52% MPs inclined more towards collaborating with the government in serving the people of Kenya irrespective of the political divide. However, the likes of Henry Kosgey, William Ruto, Anyang Nyongo, Najib Balala, James Orengo, Musalia Mudavadi etc are committed to defying the sacred wishes of the common mwanannchi, and have resulted to a strategy of eliminating all the MPs that are opposed to their selfish course.

In the East African Standard dated 11 January 2008; ODM Party chairman, Mr. Henry Kosgey, said that ODM would invoke the Political Parties Act and declare such MPs defectors who should seek re-election. “We will ensure we hold a by-election to replace the defectors because they will have shifted their loyalty to another party,” added Kosgey. Further, Henry Kosgey was heard off the camera saying that assassination of such MPs would be one of the options. Further, in the Saturday, January 19, 2008: Kosgey told reporters “we (ODM) will use each and every means to bring down Kibaki’s government and ensure none of ODM MPs defect.”

An MP from ODM said he had been approached twice to take the Agriculture docket. The MP, who sought anonymity, claimed that a Cabinet minister was behind the alleged scheme. Kosgey also alleged that PNU ministers had approached several ODM MPs. “But we caution our MPs to reject the moves because they are likely to push them out of Parliament and pave way for by-elections,” he added. “We are intact and we are not going to allow any of our members to join the PNU Cabinet,” said Kosgey. Kosgey said on camera, such MPs would have to face the ballot, but in private his put his plan in motion on how to eliminate them. Reliable sources indicate that the late Were had confirmed to a top PNU Minister of his willingness to defect to the Government in exchange for an Assistant Minister post. Please note the Westlands MP Hon. Fred Gumo is said to have been privy to and mentored the talks.

Similarly, a recent revolt within ODM seemed to be taking a tragic turn. Authoritative sources indicate that a group of about seven of the ‘moderates’ who have been talking to PNU ‘moderates’ were about to issue a statement this week asking Raila to accept to go to court so that the violence must stop. ODM diehards dubbed this group traitor who has been promised Ministerial posts. Apparently, Late Hon. Were was one of the ‘traitors’. On the day the Speaker was elected, while Kenyans were busy glued to their TV’s watching the event live, a number of sideshows were going on. The Government side had managed to poach a small number o f ODM MP’s and were expecting a razor thin margin of victory. That is why the PNU+ was confident speaker Kaparo would be re-elected.

Intelligent source has confirmed that Were was among those who had been ‘poached’ by the Government. This was achieved through a prominent Luhya MP who spent long hours with Hon. Were in the days shortly before Parliament opened. Money is understood to have changed hands, and promises of a ‘big seat’. Hon. Were was seen as a good collaborator because, as a Nairobi MP and former councillor, he had the ability and good chance to chance influence the forthcoming mayoral elections. His grassroots influence is considerable and he was also viewed as man of sound judgement that could help the Government of the day bridge the political divide and build long lasting relationships with various elected leaders.

The strategically seated diminutive George Khaniri was carefully monitoring every ODM vote, and Were’s ‘betrayal’ was duly noted by him. Khaniri was entrusted with this job since he is a diehard loyalist of Raila, having been given an ODM certificate inspite of losing the nomination. Khaniri reported Were’s vote to Henry Kosgey, and the implications of his plans of co-operation with the Government now became obvious. In the final round voting for the Speaker, Hon. Were went ahead and voted for Kaparo, unaware that the ballot was not so secret after all.

This supposed ‘betrayal’ led to his death.

As we woke up today to the death of another ODM MP, in quite obvious circumstances,; Henry Kosgey was caught sowing wild oats; we were all shocked to learn Henry Kosgey’s comments that the death Ainamoi MP was political. This is obviously meant to disinform the public, divert attention from his heinous crimes and justify cause of more bloodshed in Kenya.

Actually, Henry Kosgey and ODM will always be remembered for its murderous atrocities and ethnic cleansing, brutality inflicted on innocent Kenyans in their own country, worst than the atrocities they faced from the British

Indeed, Henry Kosgey has lived up to his commitment by eliminating two ODM MPs already. We are concerned that Henry Kosgey will continue to hide under the guise of the escalating violence and systematically rob our beloved country of leaders that have the interest of Kenyans at heart. We are therefore recommending immediate apprehension of Henry Kosgey. We are asking the Chief of police to act swiftly and apprehend charge this warlord called Henry Kosgey immediately. If the Police chief will not act as required; the People Foundation will place charges against the conspirators and perpetrators of these killings.

END.

Written By:George Kithuka  

Situation under control, assures President Kibaki

Written By:PPS   ,