Rwanda Accuses DR Congo Of Abandoning Peace Deal

By

-

January 20, 2023

Rwanda on Thursday accused Kinshasa of abandoning a deal aimed at bringing peace to DR Congo’s volatile east as tensions spiral between the neighbours.

Fighting persists in eastern DRC between Congolese troops and rebels from the M23 group, despite declarations of a ceasefire and troop withdrawals.

The DRC — along with the United States and several European countries — has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the Tutsi-led rebels, although Kigali denies the charge.

Talks between the DRC and Rwanda in the Angolan capital Luanda unlocked a truce agreement in November.

But, citing ongoing violence, DRC Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula on Wednesday accused the M23 and the Rwandan government of “once more failing to uphold their commitments”.

He vowed that DRC would “safeguard its territorial integrity” and warned “all means” would be deployed to that end.

Rwanda on Thursday said the statement amounted to a threat and accused DRC of seeking “to exit” the agreements made in Luanda and also Nairobi.

“Attempts by the DRC to sabotage or abandon these regional agreements can only be seen as a choice to perpetuate conflict and insecurity,” Kigali said in a statement.

Kigali has repeatedly accused Kinshasa of colluding with the FDLR — a former Rwandan Hutu rebel group based in the DRC.

Scores of armed groups roam the east of the mineral-rich DRC, many of them a legacy of two regional wars at the end of the 20th century that claimed millions of lives.

The M23 first rose to prominence in 2012 and resumed fighting in late 2021 — claiming that the DRC had failed to honour a pledge to integrate them into the army, among other grievances.

Uber Resumes In Tanzania After Nine-Month Suspension

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Ride-hailing giant Uber has resumed its services in Tanzania after a nine-month suspension that was caused by government’s regulatory changes.

It suspended services in the country last April after the regulator capped commissions that Uber charges its drivers at 15% from the previous 33%.

Uber had argued that the changes would dent its earnings.

Talks held in December saw the regulator increase the commissions to 25%.

“We are excited to kick-off the year on such a positive note by re-entering the Tanzanian market,” Uber said in a statement.

One Uber driver told the BBC that the new rates would lead to an increase in their income.

Users in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam said the return of Uber will give them more options.

First Cases Of Super Gonorrhea Identified In The U.S.

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Public health officials say they have found two cases of gonorrhoea that appear to have reduced susceptibility to every kind of antibiotic available to treat them.

It’s the first time strains of gonorrhoea this resistant to antibiotics have been identified in the United States.

Increased sexual activity during the pandemic, coupled with fewer people getting routine health screenings, supercharged the spread of sexually transmitted infections around the world.

Those infections, including gonorrhoea, are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics available to treat them, a problem that is becoming a dire threat to public health.

Globally, infections that are resistant to antibiotics kill approximately 700,000 people each year. That number is expected to rise to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 if steps aren’t taken to stop the spread of resistant organisms.

Experts say it was never a question of if this highly resistant gonorrhoea strain would reach the US, but when.

“The concern is that this particular strain has been circulating around the world, so it was only a matter of time before it would hit the US,” says Dr Jeffrey Klausner, a clinical professor of public health at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.

“It’s a reminder that gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant, increasingly hard to treat. We don’t have any new antibiotics. We haven’t had new antibiotics to treat gonorrhoea for years and we really need a different treatment strategy,” said Klausner, who sits on the CDC workgroup for gonorrhoea treatment.

Gonorrhea is sexually transmitted, and one of the most commonly diagnosed infections in the US. It is caused by the bacteria Niesseria gonorrhoeae, which can infect the mucous membranes in the genitals, rectum, throat and eyes.

People can be infected without having symptoms. Left untreated, the infection can cause pelvic pain and infertility in women and blindness in newborns.

In addition to reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone, the strains of gonorrhoea identified in Massachusetts also showed reduced susceptibility to cefixime and azithromycin; the strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin, penicillin and tetracycline, according to a clinical alert sent to physicians by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The MDPH says it hasn’t yet found any connection between the two cases.

In 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended giving a double dose of the antibiotic ceftriaxone in an effort to overcome the bacteria’s building resistance to this antibiotic, and that seems to have worked in these cases, but that antibiotic is the last line of defence against this infection, and experts say a new approach is needed.

Klausner is hoping to win FDA approval for a test that would tailor antibiotic treatment to the genetic susceptibilities of the particular strain of gonorrhoea that is infecting a person. This is called resistance-guided treatment, and Klausner says it works for HIV, TB and some other hospital-acquired infections, but it’s never really been tried for gonorrhoea.

This strain of gonorrhoea has been previously seen in Asia-Pacific countries and in the United Kingdom, but not in the US. A genetic marker common to these two Massachusetts residents was also previously seen in a case in Nevada, though that strain retained sensitivity to at least one class of antibiotics.

The first symptoms of gonorrhoea are often painful urination, abdominal or pelvic pain, increased vaginal discharge, or bleeding between periods, but many infections are asymptomatic, according to the CDC, making routine screenings important for catching the infection.

‘I’m Innocent’ – Australian Olympic Track Star Bol Fails Drugs Test

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Australian Olympic track star Peter Bol said he was innocent and “in total shock” Friday after being provisionally suspended for failing an out-of-competition drugs test.

The 800-metre runner, who narrowly missed bronze when he finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics behind Kenyan winner Emmanuel Korir, returned a positive result on January 10.

Athletics Australia chief Peter Bromley said Bol’s A sample showed an Adverse Analytical Finding for performance-enhancing Erythropoietin Receptor Agonists (EPO).

The test was carried out in October.

“It is critically important to convey with the strongest conviction that I am innocent and have not taken this substance as I am accused,” the Sudan-born Bol, a silver medallist at last year’s Commonwealth Games, said on social media

The 28-year-old said he was in “total shock” when told that a urine sample had returned a positive test.

“To be clear, I have NEVER purchased, researched, possessed, administered, or used synthetic EPO or any other prohibited substance.”

Bromley said Bol can have a second, B sample analysed to reconfirm the initial result.

“There are procedural fairness and investigative considerations that constrain how much we can say,” he said.

“And at this point it would be inappropriate for Athletics Australia or anyone else to speculate about the specific details or pre-empt any outcome.

“However, what we can say is that learning about this adverse analytical finding was both extremely concerning and completely out of the blue.”

Under the provisional suspension, Bol is not allowed to train or compete at a national, state or club level.

CS Machogu: 173,345 KCSE Candidates Qualify For University Placement

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

A total of 173,345 students qualified for university placement after taking the 2022 KCSE exam.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced the results on Friday, stating that 881,416 candidates took the national exams.

“The number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of Grade C+ and above has risen to 173,345 (19.03%) in the year 2022 KCSE Examination compared to 145,776 (17.55%) in 2021,” Machogu said.

In the 2022 KCSE Examination, 1,146 (0.13%) candidates scored an overall Grade A, compared to 1,138 (0.14%) candidates in 2021.

The number of candidates with a D+ and above in the 2022 KCSE Examination is 522,588 (59.14%), up from 442,251 (53.29%) in 2021.

Despite the increased number of candidates, Machogu noted that 30,822 (3.49%) received an average grade of E in 2022, compared to 46,151 (5.56%) in 2021.

“This clearly leads us to conclude that most of the candidates scored grades of higher quality,” Machogu said.

“Most significantly, all the remaining candidates are legible to join TVET institutions, Teacher Training Colleges, Medical Training Colleges and other tertiary learning institutions for various courses,” he added.

Candidates have been told to go to their respective examination centres to pick up their results. Individual candidate results can also be obtained by sending an SMS to 20076 with the candidate’s index number followed by the initials “KCSE”.

2022 KCSE Results: 522,588 Candidates Scored Grade D+ And Above

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Ezekiel Machogu, Cabinet Secretary for Education, has officially released the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results, which he claims show an improvement over last year.

Machogu announced the results at the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) headquarters in Nairobi on Friday, noting that 173,345 of the 881,416 candidates who took the 2022 KCSE exam received the minimum university entry grade of C+ or higher, compared to 145,776 in 2021.

According to the Education CS, 1,146 candidates got an A in 2022, compared to 1,138 in 2021.

A total of 522,588 candidates scored grade D+ and above in the 2022 KCSE exam.

The CS also noted that the number of candidates who scored an E on the 2022 KCSE exam dropped significantly, from 46,151 in 2021 to 30,822 in 2022.

“Encouragingly, the number of candidates obtaining a mean grade of E in 2022 declined significantly to 30,822 (3.49%) despite the increase in candidature, compared with 46,151 (5.56%) in 2021. This clearly leads us to conclude that most of the candidates scored grades of higher quality,” said the CS.

“Most significantly, all the remaining candidates are legible to join TVET institutions, Teacher Training Colleges, Medical 24 Training Colleges and other tertiary learning institutions for various courses,” he added.

In the 2022 KCSE exam, 190 candidates with special needs scored a C+ and above overall grade.

In terms of subject performance, the CS stated that 17 subjects improved compared to 11 in 2021, while four subjects showed no significant improvement this year.

"Male candidates performed remarkably better than female candidates" – CS Machogu
.
.#kcse #uzalendonews pic.twitter.com/K7cJ9drRYR
— Uzalendo News (@UzalendoNews_KE) January 20, 2023

Jesse Lingard Says He Turned To Alcohol Whilst At Man Utd

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Nottingham Forest’s Jesse Lingard says he turned to drink “to try and take the pain away,” as he struggled to deal with his career at Manchester United.

Lingard, 30, joined the club aged seven and made over 230 senior appearances but fell out of first-team favour before signing for Forest in July 2022.

Speaking on The Diary Of A CEO podcast, he recalled the “abuse” from fans and his treatment at Old Trafford.

“I needed something to try and take the pain away,” he said.

“And put me at ease somehow. I was drinking before bed, having a nightcap.

“I look back now and think, ‘what was I doing that for?’ I was trying to forget what was going on. But it makes it 10 times worse.”

The England international also spoke about his mother’s battle with depression, which resulted in him caring for his younger siblings Jasper and Daisy-Boo, when she was admitted to hospital for treatment in 2019.

“The depression was so bad she couldn’t really cope any more and she needed to go away and get help,” he added.

“But leaving me with my little sister who was 11 at the time, and my little brother who was 15, for me, I was still going through my own things as well.

“So I wasn’t really the big brother they wanted at the time. I just wasn’t there mentally.”

The attacking midfielder said he confided in the then-United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about the abuse from the supporters and personal issues he was experiencing. He said Solskjaer “helped” during a difficult time in his career.

“To be abused like that tipped it,” Lingard said. “I didn’t want to be on the pitch, I didn’t want to play.

“I didn’t want to quit football. I never would have quit football, but I needed a break.

“We kept it close-knit, but even just to have Ole say, ‘how is your mum? How is she doing?’ helped to let people know what I was going through.”

‘Happiness is more important for me’

After 22 years at Old Trafford, Lingard joined Forest on a free transfer.

He made 22 appearances for United in his last season, but only four of those were starts.

“People probably thought I was happy to leave, but I needed to leave,” he said. “I wasn’t playing.

“I got offered a contract, but what’s the point? I wasn’t going to play. Yeah, it’s the biggest club in the world, but happiness is more important for me.”

Speaking about why he chose to sign for Steve Cooper’s Forest over West Ham – with whom he had previously enjoyed a successful loan period – he said: “I think they showed the love. They showed the willingness and the hunger to want me.

“Things broke down at West Ham, which I can’t get into too much, but Nottingham showed the love a lot more than West Ham.

“Nottingham were like we love you, we want you, the manager will come to your house, the owner wants to fly you to Greece to sign the deal.

“For me it was a new challenge, a different challenge. Newly-promoted team and all I’ve known is United all my life.”

But it was the manner in which he left United that disappointed him and his family the most.

“I didn’t really get a send-off,” reflected Lingard. “I had been there that long and think I deserved one.

“I had been there all my life and I know everyone in the club from the staff to the kit men to the dinner ladies. That had been my life.”

Lingard has made 14 appearances for Forest this season, with the club 13th in the Premier League with 20 points.

Asked if he had lost respect for United over time, Lingard said: “Probably, yeah. No balance, no structure, people doing what they want. It was like a free for all.

“They are so behind with everything. You see (Manchester) City’s facilities, Tottenham’s facilities. People are miles ahead. Even on the social side of things.”

Health CS Nakhumicha Hosts Kisii And Nyamira Leaders, Discusses Health Issues

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

Susan Nakhumicha, the Health Cabinet Secretary, on Thursday hosted leaders from Kisii and Nyamira counties at Afya House.

Led by Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu and the Ministry of Health team, they discussed the key health concerns for the 2 counties and delved into a collaborative approach to solving the same.

“Particular areas of focus include the renewal of the UHC workers’ contracts and the improvement of health infrastructure in both Kisii and Nyamira Counties,” the CS said.

PSC Announces EACC Chairperson Vacancy

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

The Public Service Commission (PSC) on Friday announced a vacancy for the position of Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The announcement comes after Archbishop Eliud Wabukala retired on Tuesday after serving a six-year term.

“Pursuant to Sections 10(1) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission ( Amendment) Act, 2011 ( Amended 2015), the Public Service Commission hereby invited applications from suitably qualified Kenyans for the position of Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption,” read the notice.

“All applications should reach the PSC on or before February 2, by 5 pm.”

For applicants, a degree from a Kenyan-accredited institution is required, as well as at least fifteen (15) years of knowledge and experience in one of the following areas: law, public administration, leadership, economics, social studies, audit, accounting, fraud investigation, public relations and media, religious studies, or philosophy.

They must also have a distinguished career in their field and meet the requirements of the Constitution’s Chapter Six.

The EACC Chairperson will be appointed for a single six-year term and will not be eligible for re-appointment. They will work part-time and receive allowances as determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Candidates should submit their applications manually or online, along with current clearances from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (Police Clearance Certificate), a Registered Credit Reference Bureau, and a Printed Online Self-Declaration Application Acknowledgement Receipt or a Self-Declaration Form duly stamped by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

For manual applications, candidates should submit them in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Application for Chairperson, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission” and addressed to the Secretary/CEO of the Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30095 – 00100, Nairobi.”

Online applications can be sent to chaireacc2023@publicservice.go.ke.

President Ruto Makes New Appointments To State Corporations

By

John Mutiso

-

January 20, 2023

President William Ruto has announced new appointments to key positions in various state corporations.

Through a gazette notice dated January 20, 2023, Abdi Bare Duale was appointed Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited. The prior appointment of David Azangu Ngaira has been revoked.

Charles Githinji has also been appointed to lead the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. As a result of this appointment, James Mandere Rogers Atebe’s previous appointment has been cancelled.

Sophy Nekoye Waliaula has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Board.

Fatma Bakari Barayan has been appointed Non-Executive Chairperson of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Board, while Phillip Mong’ony has been named Chairperson of the State Corporations Advisory Committee.

Each new appointment is for a three-year term beginning January 20, 2023.

In addition, President Ruto appointed Surum Ipato Korema to chair the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board in an effort to address the problem of female genital mutilation in Kenya. The six-year appointment, which begins on January 20, 2023, replaces Agnes Mantaine Pareiyo.

The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, has also announced the appointment of five new members to the Kenya Ports Authority Board of Directors. Musa Osman, Emmanuel Kibet, Caroline Njoki Maina, Consolata Lusweti, and Lucas Maitha will take office on January 23, 2023, for a three-year term.

Previous appointments of Lydia Yator, Stephen Gichuhi Gichohi, Conrad Thorpe, Farida Abdalla Sud, and Nilfat Kassim Ali have been revoked.

Susan Wafula, Cabinet Secretary for Health, in another notice has revoked the appointments of Paul Magutu Njaria, Dorcas Wanjiru Ngechu, John Munguti Kisengi, Miriam Wairimu Ndirangu, Stephens Ogutu Oyaya, and Diana Marion to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. This revocation will become effective on January 20, 2023.