By Mark Oloo (Nairobi) – Kenya could soon be one of the pioneer countries in sub Saharan Africa to enact legislation limiting green house gas emissions. Yesterday, parliament passed a motion seeking to compel the Government to ratify tight regulations on air pollution in the East African country. The motion, sponsored by Chachu Ganya, an MP, seeks to among other things raise levies on fuel to discourage use of private cars. If passed, it will also push for the introduction of electric trains deemed more environment-friendly to offer public transport. Africa countries have been hard hit by climate change effects... Continue Reading
By Nawa Mutumweno – With power deficits hitting many countries in the region and beyond, a number of projects are springing up locally and across frontiers to alleviate the problem which has a devastating effect on development. One massive project that cuts across frontiers is the ZIZABONA project involving Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia with strides currently at environmental impact assessment (EIA) level. The project, an acronym for the four countries, is a $225 million transmission project that will develop new transmission lines to link the four neighbouring countries. Committed to the success of the project are the Zimbabwe Electricity... Continue Reading
KIGALI – Rwandan President Paul Kagame celebrated an overwhelming election victory by dancing with thousands of supporters early Tuesday, after opposition parties were banned from the vote and some Rwandans said they were forced to cast ballots for him. The country’s election commission said preliminary results indicated Kagame would win more than 90 percent of Monday’s vote. While Kagame faced three opponents on the ballot, analysts said none of the three presented any real competition. Human rights groups and other critics also had decried the arrest of several opposition figures in the lead-up to Monday’s election, and noted that several... Continue Reading
By Novell Zwange – “Imagine a place filled with stories, eroded by history and time. Imagine everyone leaving, then trickling back.This place is johannesburg. It is a place too many of you know only peripherally. We look at her from afar, with disdain. But there is beauty in the cracks on the walls and triumph in the spirit of the people who are there, there despite the warts.” These were the bold words inscribed at the Push & Pull of the Urban Giant, a photography exhibition by Dan Rosenthal which opened at the Alliance Française in Johannesburg last night. Dan’s... Continue Reading
By Godfrey Marawanyika – HARARE — Zimbabwe on Wednesday held the first sale of diamonds from its Marange fields since international regulators partially lifted a ban imposed after the military violently seized control of the mines. About 900,000 carats valued at about 72 million US dollars were on sale, according to Abbey Chikane, the monitor from the international Kimberley Process which is charged with preventing trade in “blood diamonds”. Buyers from the United States, Israel, Russia, Lebanon and India were at the auction at Harare’s airport, some with pilots waiting to jet them out of the country afterwards. “Indeed it... Continue Reading
