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Weekly anb01095.txt #9

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 09-01-2003      PART #5/9
* Ethiopia. Importing oil from Sudan - Ethiopia is to import oil from Sudan which could save the country up to US $7 million per year, the Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise has announced. The imports -- which should help reduce the massive cost of oil imports to the country -- are expected to start this month. Some 50 percent of Ethiopia's export earnings are spent on serving the nation's demands from fuel. The Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise is the only organisation that supplies oil in Ethiopia, storing the oil in Djibouti. General Manager Yigzaw Mekonnen said the country must to look at diversifying from relying on a single port like Djibouti. Ethiopia used to operate its own refinery in Eritrea but both countries have been at loggerheads since their two-year border war which flared up in 1998. Some 85 percent of Ethiopia's demand for benzene will be imported from Sudan. Mekonnen announced that Ethiopia would begin importing 10,000 mt of benzene monthly and 120,000 mt annually from its neighbour. A further 3,000 mt of diesel fuel each month will be shipped in, the petroleum official said. The diesel fuel import is expected to cover about 20 percent of the country's consumption. (IRIN, Kenya, 7 January 2003)
* Ethiopia. Drought cuts coffee crop - 7 January: Drought could see Ethiopian coffee production could fall by 30%, undermining the country's main cash crop on which almost 15 million people depend. "In coffee producing areas in western, southwestern and eastern parts of the country, the coffee harvest is estimated to have declined by 30% in 2002/03 due to drought," the US Famine Early Warning System Network (Fewsnet) said. The report follows estimates by a leading Ethiopian academic showing the country has lost $300m in export revenues over the last two years because of a international slump in coffee prices. Ethiopia normally produces about 300,000 tonnes of coffee, about half of which is consumed domestically. As Africa's third largest coffee exporter behind Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda, Ethiopia had raised its coffee exports by 14% in the year ending June 2002 to 129,095 tonnes worth $184.1m. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 7 January 2003)
* Gabon. Economies - Le Gabon a décidé, à la demande du FMI, de réduire les indemnités de fonction des ministres, parlementaires et présidents des hautes institutions de l'Etat, a annoncé le 3 janvier le chef de l'Etat gabonais. Les militaires, les fonctionnaires et autres agents de l'Etat ne sont pas concernés par la mesure, indique l'agence PANA. Les personnalités concernées par la réduction font partie, selon toute vraisemblance, des 2% du personnel de l'administration publique, reconnus par les statistiques du ministère du Plan comme étant les détenteurs de 80% de la masse salariale du pays. - D'autre part, selon le journal pro-gouvernemental L'Union, le président Bongo a également annoncé qu'il allait "prendre des mesures impopulaires vis-à-vis des partis qui n'ont aucune représentativité sur l'échiquier national et local", indiquant qu'il pensait réduire le nombre de formations politiques "sans réelle assise". Le Gabon compte environ 36 partis avec moins de huit représentants au Parlement. L'opposition a déjà réagi, estimant que le président violait ainsi la Constitution. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 4 janvier 2003)
* Gabon. Résultats des élections locales - Selon les résultats provisoires des élections locales du 29 décembre, publiés par le ministre de l'Intérieur le 6 janvier, le Parti démocratique gabonais (PDG, au pouvoir) remporte les élections locales à Libreville, dans une moindre mesure à Port Gentil (la capitale économique), et dans la plupart des localités à l'intérieur du pays. La publication de ces résultats étant faite par circonscription, il est difficile à l'heure actuelle de déterminer le taux de participation qui constitue, aux yeux des observateurs, l'un des enjeux de ce scrutin. Selon la loi électorale, les résultats définitifs sont publiés par la Cour constitutionnelle. (PANA, Sénégal, 6 janvier 2003)
* Gabon. Prolifération des sectes - Des intellectuels gabonais partent en guerre contre la prolifération des sectes dans leur pays. En tout, 1.100 groupes "religieux" y sont actuellement recensés, un record pour une population estimée à moins de 1,2 million d'habitants. Ces intellectuels viennent de créer une organisation pour lutter contre ce phénomène: le "Collectif de défense et de formation individuelle" (CDFI). Selon ses initiateurs, "n'importe qui peut se proclamer pasteur" au Gabon. Ces groupes se multiplient sous l'influence des milieux des Etats-Unis, du Brésil et du Nigeria. Les sectes promettent des prodiges, mais brisent les familles et prélèvent des sommes d'argent considérables à leurs fidèles. Selon Steve Deh, cofondateur du CDFI, "il faut éduquer les Gabonais à la vigilance, au discernement et à la critique". (DIA, Kinshasa, 8 janvier 2003)
* Ghana. Ghana battles with Telekom Malaysia - 6 January: The authorities in Ghana are locked in a bitter dispute with Telekom Malaysia (TM), which promised to modernise and improve the African country's crumbling telephone network. Telekom Malaysia poured millions of dollars into Ghana Telecom after it was privatised and tripled the number of Ghana's telephone lines. But a currency devaluation and a change of government in Ghana means that TM is now facing losses of $100m. The end result is that TM has sued the Ghanaian government, with the case now awaiting international arbitration. TM paid $38m for a 30% stake in Ghana Telecom when it was privatised in 1997. As part of the deal, TM was awarded the management of the company and promised to install 40,000 landlines by 2002. At the beginning of 2000, TM then paid up half of a pledged $100m to purchase a further 15% stake in the African company. But that same year, TM's management of Ghana Telecom became a thorny issue in the election. And, when president John Kufuor came to power, he showed a new hostility to TM. TM is now demanding back its latest investment, and insists there is still hope of reaching an amicable agreement. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 6 January 2003)
* Kenya. Life without Moi - 30 December: The young man at the Kenya Airways counter at Mombasa airport seems quite friendly. With a smile, he lets my Somali colleague carry his huge radio set onto the plane. I am leaving behind a town nursing a massive hangover and in a deep slumber after the opposition's clean sweep in the 28 December poll. It's a rather jerky flight from Mombasa to Nairobi -- but my thoughts are elsewhere. At 27,000 ft above sea level, I can pretend to have a bird's eye view of this nation, which is on the verge of re-inventing itself. A young, handsome man who promised so much, lost because he was in the wrong party. On the way to State House is a rather old man who was reduced to a wheelchair in the final days of the run-up to the election by a freak car accident. Both men represent what's old and what's new in Kenya -- the old repackaged as the new and the truly new tainted by a horrible past. In the shadows, a man destined for his rocking chair at his home in the Rift Valley. Three men making history in their own way -- Uhuru Kenyatta conceding defeat; Mwai Kibaki taking over majestically; and Daniel Toroitich arap Moi stepping down almost gracefully. - Touchdown. Moi's official portrait still stares down coldly in the arrival section. A chatty taxi driver rambles on about the Rainbow Coalition's victory and what a great future Kenya now has. Amazingly, other motorists on Uhuru Highway seem more composed than usual. But in that period, Nairobi has managed to shed its old Moi image and embrace a new, gentle Kibaki face. As they now say here -- everything is possible without Moi. (BBC News, UK, 30 December 2002)
* Kenya. New leader announces his government - 3 January: The new Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki, has announced his new government after being sworn in earlier this week. The new cabinet includes three women ministers. He was the candidate of a coalition of opposition parties and had to balance their demands for jobs in appointing his new team. (Parliamentary election results -- Narc: 125 seats; Kanu: 64 seats; Other parties: 21 seats. Presidential elections -- Kibaki: 62.2% of the vote; Kenyatta: 31.3% Ford's Simeon Nyachae was credited with 6% of the vote). David Mwiraria is appointed as the new finance minister, with the key job of restoring relations with the International Monetary Fund, which were suspended in 2000 over corruption allegations. Kalonzo Musyoka, who defected from former ruling party Kanu just before the elections, is the new foreign minister. Lawyer Michael Wamalwa is named vice-president. Earlier, the electoral commission announced the definitive election results, giving Mr Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) a commanding majority in parliament. Narc has 125 seats in the new parliament, while the party of outgoing President Daniel arap Moi, Kanu, gets only 64 seats. It took the commission several days to collect results from all 18,366 polling stations, many of which were in isolated areas. The Ford party came third in the 27 December general elections, with 14 seats in parliament, while four small parties won the remaining seven seats. In spite of the enthusiasm generated by the polls, which saw the demise of Kanu after nearly 40 years in power, turnout was lower than expected. Just under 56% of registered voters cast their ballot, compared to 69% in the 1997 election. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 3 January 2003)
* Kenya. Mwai Kibaki président - M. Mwai Kibaki, qui a recueilli 63% des suffrages dès le premier tour de l'élection présidentielle du 27 décembre (contre 31% à Uhuru Kenyatta, le candidat de la KANU), a prêté serment le 30 décembre devant des centaines de milliers de sympathisants (plus d'un million selon la police) qui s'étaient réunis dans le grand parc Uhuru de Nairobi. Son prédécesseur Daniel arap Moi a été hué. M. Kibaki s'est engagé à éradiquer la corruption, tout en écartant une "chasse aux sorcières". Son parti dispose d'une majorité absolue au Parlement, avec 125 sièges sur 210. Le 3 janvier, il a présenté son nouveau gouvernement, qui compte nombre de ministres ayant déjà occupé de hautes fonctions sous l'ère Moi. Un des premiers engagements de Kibaki est de finaliser la réforme de la Constitution, bloquée par Moi. Le texte, qui prévoit une révision radicale du pouvoir exécutif et judiciaire, est presque prêt. D'autre part, conformément à ses promesses électorales, M. Kibaki a rendu l'éducation primaire gratuite et obligatoire. Il a également révélé que les bailleurs de fonds, qui avaient suspendu leur assistance au Kenya depuis une décennie, ont signalé leur intention de reprendre cette assistance. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 6 janvier 2003)
* Kenya. Scores dead in street clashes - 6 January: At least 22 people have been killed in clashes in Kenya between members of the banned Mungiki sect and public service minibus touts over the control of routes. The violence broke after the sect followers invaded several houses in Nakuru town, about 200 kilometres of the capital, Nairobi. The attackers started slashing people indiscriminately, killing 15 people and injuring 20 others, some of whom are in critical condition. This is not the first time the sect has been engaged in battles with touts, who accuse the sect of running protection rackets and demanding money from minibus operators. The latest outbreak of violence follows last week's clashes in which six people are believed to have been killed by the sect. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 6 January 2003)
* Kenya. Kenyans rush to take up free primary education - There was hope, confusion and despair in Kenya's primary schools on 6 January when pupils were admitted free for the first time under a campaign pledge by the new President Mwai Kibaki. In one incident, angry parents previously unable to afford fees tried to enrol their children at a school near Kibera, Nairobi's largest slum, then threatened to set the principal's office on fire when told there was no more room. School officials took down names for enrolment next year to placate them. "The government declaration that primary education is free and compulsory does not help us when it has not made preparations for its implementation," said Andrew Otieno Oyawo, 36, who was trying to enrol his son. Mr Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition won a landslide in December's elections, sweeping the ruling party from power after 39 years. The education minister, George Saitoti, said the state would meet all costs, save for buying uniforms. (The Guardian, UK, 7 January 2003)
* Kenya. Attaques de conducteurs de minibus - Depuis le dimanche 5 janvier, des affrontements pour le contrôle de routes dans le centre du Kenya ont fait douze morts, a-t-on appris de sources officielles kényanes. Les violences ont débuté lorsque des membres de la secte Mungiki, déclarée hors-la-loi depuis le mois de mars, ont attaqué dimanche des conducteurs de minibus dans la ville de Nakuru, à environ 135 km au nord-ouest de Nairobi. Les assaillants ont tué 9 personnes. La police, elle, a abattu deux membres de la secte. Une douzième victime a été recensée lundi après une attaque d'autres conducteurs de minibus dans la ville de Muranga, à 60 km au nord de Nairobi. Les minibus sont le principal moyen de transport au Kenya. Par le passé, les membres de la secte Mungiki ont affronté les propriétaires de ces camionnettes pour le contrôle des arrêts de bus, et donc des routes, dans de nombreuses villes kényanes. Une opération de police a conduit à l'arrestation de 38 membres de la secte, a indiqué lundi le ministre de la Sécurité nationale. (AP, 7 janvier 2003) 

Weekly anb0109.txt - #5/9