KBC Channel 1

Author: Claire Wanja

  • Trade Policy as a Catalyst for Agribusiness Investment in Kenya

    Trade Policy as a Catalyst for Agribusiness Investment in Kenya

    Despite being central to Kenya’s economy and contributing between 22 and 30 percent of the GDP and employing over 40 percent of the population, our Agriculture sector has not fully evolved into a modern value driven agribusiness system capable of driving large scale industrialization and sustained export growth.

    The current structure of the sector reveals both its strengths and its constraints. Kenya produces globally competitive crops and livestock products and has built strong access to European, Middle Eastern and regional African markets. However, much of this output is exported raw or semi-processed, limiting value capture, export earnings and job creation.

    Structural bottlenecks remain significant with more than 90 percent of agriculture being rain-fed, leaving production exposed to droughts and floods. Irrigation potential exceeds 1.3 million acres, yet only a fraction is fully developed. Post-harvest losses in some value chains remain high due to limited cold storage and warehousing. Smallholder farmers dominate production but often lack access to mechanization, affordable finance and structured markets.

    At the same time, Kenya continues to import products such as edible oils and certain dairy derivatives that can be competitively produced and processed locally. This mismatch between domestic production potential and value addition represents one of the country’s clearest industrial opportunities.

    Kenya’s population of over 50 million is growing, while regional integration under AfCFTA and COMESA provides access to a market of more than 1.3 billion and 400 million consumers respectively. Clearly the demand fundamentals are favourable.  With a rising demand for processed foods, dairy products, meat, cereals and packaged goods across Africa presents a strategic opportunity for Kenya to position itself as a regional processing and distribution hub.

    Capturing this opportunity will indeed require deliberate alignment between trade policy and industrial incentives. This shift requires infrastructure, capital and regulatory clarity which the government has been working to get right. As we prepare to host the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO 2026), this conversation takes on even greater urgency.

    On the infrastructure front, progress has been made in terms of investments in roads, rail, port and air facilities. Our Port facilities have been strengthened along logistics corridors, while air cargo capacity supports high-value exports. With nearly 90 percent of electricity generation coming from renewable sources, provision of relative energy stability for processing industries is assured. In addition, Special Economic Zones are offering structured environments for investors seeking serviced land and fiscal incentives.

    However, climate risk still remains a central constraint as recurrent droughts and floods disrupt supply chains and undermine productivity. Building resilience into agribusiness is therefore not optional. Expanding irrigation, strengthening water management, promoting drought-tolerant seed varieties and improving soil management practices will stabilize output and reduce volatility.

    Programmes such as the Kenya Climate-Smart Agriculture Project have demonstrated that improved technologies can raise yields and farmer incomes. Our next step as Government is to scale these interventions commercially. Therefore moving to the next level requires coordinated action. Specifically, irrigation expansion must accelerate, cold-chain and storage systems must be strengthened, processing capacity must be incentivized, and trade facilitation must be streamlined. In all this, climate resilience must be integrated as opposed to treating it as a stand-alone intervention.

    If Kenya succeeds in shifting from raw commodity exports to integrated, value-added and climate-resilient supply chains, it will create jobs in processing, logistics and manufacturing, increase foreign exchange earnings, reduce import dependence and deepen industrial capacity.

    Agribusiness can build Kenya’s  industrial future.

      Regina Ombam is the Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade

     

     

  • El Niño expected later this year, World Meteorological Organisation says

    El Niño expected later this year, World Meteorological Organisation says

    The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) now says the recent weak La Niña event is expected to fade into El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral conditions.

    In a statement, WMO explains that during neutral conditions “there is neither El Niño nor La Niña,” with the neutral conditions expected to last until July when what the world weather body says the conditions will, “swing to a warming El Niño episode later this year.”

    WMO explains that El Niño refers to the periodic large-scale warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, coupled with changes in the tropical atmospheric circulation, including changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. It usually has the opposite effects of La Niña on weather and rainfall patterns.

    The World Weather body’s Global Producing Centres forecasts indicate a 60% chance of ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) neutral conditions, when there is neither El Niño nor La Niña between March and May 2026, rising to a 70% chance during April to June.

    “The WMO community will be carefully monitoring conditions in the coming months to inform decision-making,”said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, and added, “The most recent El Niño, in 2023-24, was one of the five strongest on record and it played a role in the record global temperatures we saw in 2024,”.

    The Secretary General further noted that forecasts for El Niño and La Niña help in averting millions of dollars in economic losses and are essential planning tools for climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy and water management.

    “They are also a key part of the climate intelligence provided by WMO to support humanitarian operations and disaster risk management, and thus save lives,” she said.

    The head of the WMO said the naturally occurring large-scale climate events such as El Niño and La Niña are taking place in the broader context due to human-induced climate change, “which is increasing global temperatures in the long-term, exacerbating extreme weather and climate events, and impacting seasonal rainfall and temperature patterns,” said Celeste Saulo in the statement.

    She noted that in order to provide a more comprehensive climate outlook, the WMO also issues regular Global Seasonal Climate Updates (GSCU) that take into account the influence of key climate variability patterns, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Southern Annular Mode or the Indian Ocean Dipole.

    The updates also monitor the global and regional anomalies of surface temperature and precipitation and their evolution over the upcoming season.

  • Kenyan Prof Muigua joins Asian International Arbitration Centre Court

    Kenyan Prof Muigua joins Asian International Arbitration Centre Court

    A Kenyan law scholar, Environmental Consultant, and mediator, Prof. Kariuki Muigua, has been named as a member of the inaugural Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) Court of Arbitration.

    Prof Muigua, a Chartered arbitrator, joins the recently established AIAC Court of Arbitration (AIAC Court), which seeks to elevate the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution globally from its seat in Malaysia.

    The inaugural AIAC Court comprises a diverse panel of Court Members with extensive and renowned international and domestic ADR experience. The Court Members will assume an instrumental role in reinforcing the AIAC’s stature and contribute to the overall effectiveness of the AIAC Court.

    Speaking when he confirmed his appointment to the 25 Member AIAC Court, Prof Muigua disclosed that a Communique from AIAC noted that the inaugural AIAC Court of Arbitration (AIAC Court) has been established to fulfil the mandate of delivering neutral, independent and efficient world-class alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”) services.

    “My appointment to the AIAC Court is an honour to the people of Kenya as it recognises our national alternative dispute resolution aspirations, which I cherish,” Prof Muigua said. He added, “As an AIAC Court Member, I will strive to further entrench and reinforce Justice systems that promote Economic advancement through International Commercial Arbitration principles.”

    According to the communique from the AIAC, pursuant to the formalisation of the Second Supplementary Agreement to the Host Country Agreement on 24th December 2025 between the Government of Malaysia and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO), the inaugural AIAC Court of Arbitration (AIAC Court) has been established to honour the mandate pivotal in delivering neutral, independent and efficient world-class alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”) services.

    The AIAC Court is constituted in tandem with the enforcement of the Arbitration (Amendment) Act 2024, the Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication (Amendment) Act 2024, Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication (Amendment) Regulations 2025, and the AIAC Suite of Rules 2026, which came into force on 1st January 2026.

  • Beyond the Summit: Africa’s Water Moment and the Limits of Policy Without Implementation

    Beyond the Summit: Africa’s Water Moment and the Limits of Policy Without Implementation

    Every year, African leaders gather under the banner of the African Union to define priorities that will shape the continent’s future. The African Union’s 2026 Theme of the Year, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” signals an important shift.

    It reflects a growing recognition that Africa’s development future depends not only on political stability but on how effectively the continent manages its natural resources.

    The Water Challenge and Its Wider Implications

    Water is one of Africa’s most abundant yet unevenly distributed resources. The continent holds significant freshwater reserves, including major river basins and groundwater systems, yet millions still lack reliable access.

    According to the World Bank, roughly 400 million people in Sub Saharan Africa lack access to basic drinking water services, while sanitation gaps remain even wider. At the same time, the UN World Water Development Report warns that global water demand could exceed supply by up to 40 percent by 2030, with climate change intensifying pressure on vulnerable regions.

    In this context, the AU’s focus on water is more than symbolic. It represents a broader transition from political themes toward development driven priorities. For decades, Africa’s policy conversations have rightly emphasized peace as a foundation for progress. But the reality emerging across the continent suggests a complementary truth: without development, peace itself becomes fragile.

    Youth protests across regions increasingly reflect frustrations over livelihoods, infrastructure, and opportunity rather than purely political grievances. The nexus between peace and development is shifting, and Africa’s policy agenda must shift with it, yet the significance of AU themes often remains confined to conference halls.

    Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Reality

    For many Africans, continental meetings feel distant, highly diplomatic spaces dominated by heads of state, foreign affairs ministries, regional institutions, and development partners. While resolutions shape policy direction, the connection between those decisions and everyday life is not always visible.

    This disconnect is striking when viewed against the lived reality of African integration. Across borders, communities already cooperate in ways policy frameworks are still trying to formalize. Traders move goods daily between neighboring countries. Patients cross borders to access healthcare. Students attend schools in communities on the other side of national boundaries. In many border regions, people do not experience borders as barriers but as administrative lines that sit alongside shared culture, family ties, and economic necessity.

    Agenda 2063 speaks of “The Africa We Want,” but the success of that vision depends on whether it becomes tangible at community level. Integration cannot exist only in protocols. It must exist in roads that function, border procedures that enable trade, payment systems that work, and services that are accessible regardless of nationality within a region.

    Key Role of the Private Sector and Implementation Players

    Political agreements establish the way, but businesses make integration tangible. Infrastructure corridors unlock logistics resources. Harmonized border systems provide access to agricultural trade and financial integration lowers burdens for small traders. When governments create the enabling environment, business translates policy into jobs and economic activity.

    The opportunity is significant. Consider food systems. Countries such as Djibouti import the majority of their food supply, while others in the region produce agricultural surpluses. Efficient trade corridors linking production zones to consumption markets could reduce import dependence, stabilize prices, and support farmers.

    The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the policy lever for this transformation, and is set to remove 30 million Africans from extreme poverty by 2035, but to do this, logistics companies, financial institutions, technology vendors, and thousands of small businesses must be involved.

    Equally important is empowering informal traders, who already drive a substantial share of intra African trade. Simplified customs procedures, interoperable payment systems, and infrastructure at border markets could convert existing activity into formal growth without disrupting livelihoods.

    Making Policies Relevant: Inclusion and Communication

    Broadening participation in continental processes therefore becomes essential. AU meetings cannot remain spaces where Africa discusses Africa in the absence of Africans beyond government. Private sector actors, youth innovators, local traders, diaspora investors, and civil society are not peripheral stakeholders. They are implementation partners.

    Communication also matters. The challenge is not simply visibility but relevance. Citizens engage when policies change their daily experience. When crossing a border becomes easier. When water systems function. When regional trade lowers the price of food. When integration reduces friction rather than adding bureaucracy.

    The Africa We Want must move beyond aspiration into convenience. This requires a more comprehensive approach from continental institutions working alongside Regional Economic Communities. Policy must be explained in practical terms. Implementation must prioritize user experience. Measurement of success must include how ordinary Africans interact with regional systems, not only the number of agreements signed.

    Water, the AU’s 2026 focus, illustrates this principle clearly. Access to water is not only a technical issue. It shapes health, agriculture, energy, urbanization, and gender equality. It determines whether communities can build livelihoods. Addressing water therefore offers an opportunity to demonstrate how continental priorities can deliver visible impact.

    The broader message is simple but urgent.

    The Africa We Want cannot be built in boardrooms alone. It must be built by Africans in markets, farms, startups, ports, classrooms, and border towns. It must include those on the continent and those in the diaspora. It must treat businesses as partners, communities as stakeholders, and citizens as co-creators.

    Africa has never lacked vision. What it now needs is participation at scale. If continental meetings succeed in opening their processes to implementation actors and focusing on practical outcomes, they can become more than diplomatic milestones. They can become platforms that accelerate everyday integration. Summits should set direction. People must drive delivery.

    Austine Opata is Head of Communications at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

  • Renaissance Dialogue on Water and Sanitation in Africa: Turning Commitments into Accountability

    Renaissance Dialogue on Water and Sanitation in Africa: Turning Commitments into Accountability

    Held alongside the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, the Renaissance Dialogue on Water and Sanitation in Africa convened in Dakar as an African-led platform for reflection, strategic alignment, and collective action.

    The Dialogue was facilitated by African Renaissance Trust as a space grounded in African priorities, realities, and leadership. 

     Inspired by the intellectual and political legacy of Cheikh Anta Diop, the Dialogue contributed to continental efforts to accelerate universal access to water and sanitation, recognized as fundamental human rights and as critical foundations for public health, social justice, gender equality, climate resilience, and sustainable development. 

    From the outset, the Dialogue was guided by a clear conviction articulated by the Director of African Renaissance Trust: 

    Africa must be a voice, not a statistic. 

    A defining moment for Africa 

    Despite sustained national and continental efforts, the scale of the challenge remains stark. Hundreds of millions of Africans still lack access to safe drinking water and safely managed sanitation services. The burden continues to fall disproportionately on women and girls, rural populations, persons with disabilities, and communities living in fragile and climate-vulnerable contexts. 

    Beyond the figures, these gaps translate into lost educational opportunities, preventable diseases, reduced productivity, and violations of human dignity. As emphasized throughout the Dialogue, statistics alone do not tell Africa’s story; and they must not determine Africa’s future. 

    The Director of African Renaissance Trust underscored that Africa cannot continue to be defined by indicators and deficits. The continent must speak for itself, set its priorities, and shape solutions rooted in its own realities. In this spirit, the Dialogue posed a central and urgent question: 

    How can political commitments on water and sanitation be translated into concrete, measurable, and lasting results for African communities? 

    A dialogue anchored in parliamentary leadership and local realities 

    Designed to move beyond declarations, the Dialogue placed delivery, accountability, and citizen impact at the centre of discussions. Exchanges highlighted the pivotal role of parliamentarians as agents of change, positioned at the intersection of legislation, budget oversight, and representation of citizens’ lived realities. 

    Participants emphasized that parliamentary responsibility extends far beyond the adoption of laws. It includes: 

    • strengthening legislative frameworks in the public interest, 
    • overseeing budget allocation and execution, 
    • conducting field missions to verify whether investments translate into tangible improvements in access to water and sanitation, 
    • and ensuring transparency and follow-up long after budgets are approved. 

    Several parliamentarians shared concrete territorial experiences, including densely populated constituencies where access to potable water remains critically low despite existing policies and available budgetary information. These testimonies reinforced a shared understanding: policy success must ultimately be measured at the community level. 

    Inclusion, participation, and governance reform 

    The Dialogue placed strong emphasis on citizen participation and inclusive governance as essential levers for sustainable water and sanitation systems. Speakers stressed that effective water governance cannot be achieved without: 

    • active parliamentary engagement, 
    • meaningful community participation, 
    • and the full inclusion of women, youth, and marginalized groups in decision-making processes. 

    Discussions highlighted the GEYSI approach (Gender Equality, Youth and Social Inclusion) promoted by African Renaissance as an operational framework for embedding inclusion throughout the policy cycle; from design and budgeting to implementation and monitoring. Aligned with African Union priorities, GEYSI was presented as a practical tool to bridge the persistent gap between political commitments and lived realities. 

    A complementary executive perspective 

    The Dialogue also benefited from the perspective of the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation of the Republic of Kenya, Eng. Eric Muriithi Mugaa, who underscored the urgency of action in a context where most Africans still lack access to safely managed sanitation. 

    He stressed that these figures represent real lives, particularly women, youth, persons with disabilities, and communities facing compounded vulnerabilities due to climate change and fragility. The Minister reaffirmed the indispensable role of parliamentarians as legislators, budget overseers, and direct representatives of citizens. Parliamentary leadership, he noted, is essential to ensure that water and sanitation budgets are not only allocated, but effectively disbursed, monitored, and translated into equitable outcomes on the ground. 

    He further welcomed the GEYSI approach as a governance framework capable of operationalizing inclusion and accountability across the entire water and sanitation policy cycle. 

     From national action to continental coherence 

    Discussions converged on the need for a multi-level parliamentary strategy articulated across: 

    • National level: strengthening parliamentary oversight, reducing territorial inequalities, and prioritizing water and sanitation in national budgets. 
    • African Union level: harmonizing legislation, reinforcing accountability mechanisms, and fostering inter-parliamentary cooperation. 
    • Continental level: positioning water as a pillar of peace, development, and African sovereignty, while strengthening parliamentary water diplomacy. 

    Participants also highlighted the importance of enhanced coordination between parliaments, civil society, and executive institutions—particularly in integrated water resources management, territorial planning, and climate adaptation. 

     The Dakar Consensus: a shared African roadmap 

    A key outcome of the Dialogue was the articulation of collective commitments, referred to as the Dakar Consensus, reflecting a shared African vision for water and sanitation governance. These commitments include: 

    • institutionalizing a permanent African framework for parliamentary and citizen coordination, 
    • formalizing political commitment through a shared African declaration on water and sanitation, 
    • strengthening parliamentary leadership through dedicated networks, 
    • mobilizing sustainable and equitable resources focused on vulnerable territories, 
    • reinforcing accountability through citizen-led monitoring mechanisms, 
    • measuring and comparing progress using harmonized indicators, 
    • and projecting a unified African voice in global water and climate forums, supported by systematic post-conference follow-up. 

    A shared conviction 

    The Renaissance Dialogue reaffirmed a powerful collective conviction: 

    Africa has the leadership, the frameworks, and the capacity to deliver, provided accountability remains central. 

    By anchoring water and sanitation governance in parliamentary leadership, citizen participation, and inclusive systems, the Dialogue marked a strategic shift from fragmented initiatives toward coherent, accountable, and people-centred action, ensuring that commitments made at continental and global levels translate into tangible improvements in the daily lives of African communities. 

     By, Mylande Edoun ODJO,  African Renaissance Trust 

  • Christmas day crash claims three on Kericho–Nakuru Highway

    Christmas day crash claims three on Kericho–Nakuru Highway

    Three people lost their lives while four others sustained serious injuries following a fatal road accident involving a Toyota Probox and a heavy commercial trailer near Kedowa Trading Centre along the Kericho–Nakuru Highway early on Christmas day.

    Police confirmed that the crash occurred at around 3.00 a.m. when the Probox, which was heading towards Londiani, collided head-on with an oncoming trailer travelling towards Kericho town.

    The impact of the collision was severe, resulting in the instant death of three occupants of the Probox.

    Kericho County Police Commander James Ngetich said preliminary investigations indicate that the Probox driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer into the opposite lane and collide with the trailer.

    “Initial assessments suggest the Probox encroached onto the oncoming lane, leading to the head-on collision. Three occupants died on the spot, while four others sustained critical injuries,” said Ngetich.

    Emergency response teams arrived at the scene and rushed the injured to Londiani Sub-County Hospital for first aid.

    Due to the severity of their injuries and limited capacity at the facility, the victims were later referred to Kericho County Referral Hospital for specialized treatment.

    Police are investigating the possibility of driver impairment, following reports from witnesses and the trailer driver who claimed the Probox had been swerving moments before the crash.

    Commander Ngetich noted that forensic and toxicology tests will be conducted to establish the exact cause of the accident and determine responsibility.

    Traffic police secured the scene as recovery operations continued into the morning hours, causing temporary traffic slowdowns along the busy highway, a key transport corridor linking the South Rift and western Kenya.

    The tragedy has once again highlighted road safety concerns during the festive season, a period characterized by increased travel and heightened accident risks.

    Authorities have since intensified patrols and enforcement operations along major highways to curb reckless driving.

    Commander Ngetich urged motorists to exercise caution, observe traffic regulations and avoid risky behavior on the roads.

    “A single lapse in judgment can have irreversible consequences. Drivers must take responsibility for their actions to protect lives,” he warned.

    Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.

  • Mijikenda Kaya elders disown planned Coastal unity meeting

    Mijikenda Kaya elders disown planned Coastal unity meeting

    Mijikenda Kaya Elders have disowned the planned Coastal meeting scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) at the former Cabinet Minister Ronald Ngalla’s home in Vishakani Kaloleni in Kilifi County.

    The Elders termed the meeting illegal with ill motives organized by few politicians out to seek personal gains and urged residents not to attend it.

    The Mijikenda Kaya elders led by the Coordinator Tsuma Nzai Kombe, Naomi Cidi Kumbatha, together with Kaya elders from all Mijikenda sub tribes despite being Christmas day converged at Kaya Fungo in Kaloleni Giriama and conducted rituals before announcing that they did not recognize the planned meeting.

    They said they cannot support such a meeting that has not involved all local leaders and the Mijikenda elders.

    The Late Ronald Ngalla they said received blessings from Kaya Fungo and rose to the ranks to become a powerful Minister and for leaders to start the Coastal unity Drive they ought to begin at Kaya fungo not at the grave site of the former Minister.

    Kombe said they would not allow the meeting to take place at the Ngalla family’s home and asked the family members to dismiss it too as it would not happen.

    Kombe said they will send youths to make sure no meeting take place as elders are opposed to it and it cannot happen.

    Naomi Cidi Kumbatha a vocal coastal leader who was also present to support the Kaya elders said they cannot allow a few individuals to take advantage of the Coastal people by calling for unity without involving the local leaders.

    She said they are against the meeting as even the Kaloleni MP who is from the area was not invited or involved in the meeting.

    Erick Mzungu a Kaya elder from Ribe they are opposed to the meeting because it was illegal and meant to serve the interests of just a few individuals.

    Charo Mwagaha a Kaya Elder from Kaya Fungo said the meeting has not blessings of Kaya elders so its illegal until the leaders first visit the Kaya together with all local leaders and rituals are made for the process to be okay.

    He said they condemn the planned meeting and will not allow it to happen without their involvement.

    Nguma Charo who represents youth said those who organized the meeting at Ronald Ngalla Memorial home have a secret agenda that will not benefit the Coastal people but their own personal gains.

    He wondered how comes over the years such leaders call for unity drive when its near the General Elections meaning that it was only a move to use the people to get into power.

    Charo said they will not allow the meeting to happen and advised the organizers to call it off immediately as it has no blessings of the elders.

  • Mudavadi to grace the 46th Logooli Cultural Festival

    Mudavadi to grace the 46th Logooli Cultural Festival

    Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi will on Friday grace the 46th annual Logooli cultural festival, amid calls to embrace changing dynamics of the digital era.

    The Prime CS urged the community to stay woke, saying that things are moving fast in this digital era so they should be able to integrate new aspects that blend with the existing system.

    “I am impressed that the committee put special consideration in bringing the youth on board. These are the young and fresh restive minds and talent.” Mudavadi said at the meeting with the organizing committee.

    Mudavadi made the remarks when he inspected the venue of the festival, which will be held at Mbale grounds, Vihiga County after receiving a brief from the event’s planning committee.

    “We should always be prepared to infuse the new and fresh blood. We either adapt to the changes around us or risk losing touch with the youth.” he added.

    This year’s preparations have gone a notch higher and attracted a series of events that have been running all through the week including exhibitions, football matches, children’s sessions, drama and creative arts.

    This with an aim to enrich the main day when thousands of natives and friends of the Maragoli’s gather at Mbale Municipal grounds for the climax of the festival.

    “46 years is a big achievement. As we reflect on the past years, we also have to think of the years to come. When the youth understand that these festivals have deeper and stronger roots, then we are on the correct path.” noted Mudavadi.

    “We all need to appreciate that we are standing on the shoulders of our fore fathers who thought through this cultural event with a mind of uniting us as a people using culture,” he added.

    This year’s festivals are being held under the theme “UVWAMI NI MIANDU” loosely translated to mean leadership is wealth.

    The organizers said it is a theme that will resonate well with the younger generation preparing for various positions of leadership within the society and beyond.

    It is borrowing from last year’s theme “KOMENYA M’BUGWI” (Living in New Lands), that focused on adapting and thriving in new territories while honoring your ancestral roots, celebrating Maragoli heritage, identity, and community.

    “Tomorrow’s event will be big. I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone who will have an opportunity to attend this prestigious festival where we will learn a lot from our elders on leadership, how leadership is nurtured, how it is progressive, what responsibilities come with leadership at various levels and what are the consequences when one abuses the roles of the leadership bestowed upon him/her.” Mudavadi explained.

    Cultural festivals allow communities to showcase their diverse traditions and culture, and their heritage passed down generations.

    At 46, the Logooli cultural festival is headed towards celebrating its first semicentennial of existence or its Golden Jubilee at 50 years soon.

  • Algerian law declares France’s colonisation a crime

    Algerian law declares France’s colonisation a crime

    Algeria’s parliament has unanimously passed a law declaring France’s colonisation of the North African state a crime, and demanding an apology and reparations.

    The law also criminalises the glorification of colonialism, state-run TV reports.

    The vote is the latest sign of increasingly strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, with some observers saying they are at their lowest since Algeria gained independence 63 years ago.

    France’s colonisation of Algeria between 1830 and 1962 was marked by mass killings, large-scale deportations and ended in a bloody war of independence. Algeria says the war killed 1.5 million people, while French historians put the death toll much lower.

    France’s President Emmanuel Macron has previously acknowledged the colonisation of Algeria was a “crime against humanity” but has not offered an apology.

    Lawmakers wore scarves in the colours of the national flag and chanted “long live Algeria” as they applauded the bill’s passage through parliament, AFP news agency reports.

    It says the legislation states that France has “legal responsibility” for the “tragedies it caused”, and “full and fair” compensation was an “inalienable right of the Algerian state and people”.

    France has not yet commented on the vote.

    It comes at a time of growing pressure on Western powers to offer reparations for slavery and colonialism, and to return looted artefacts still kept in their museums.

    Algerian lawmakers have been demanding that France return a 16th Century bronze canon, known as Baba Merzoug, meaning “Blessed Father”, that was regarded as the protector of Algiers, now Algeria’s capital.

    French forces captured the city in 1830, on their third attempt, and removed the cannon – which is now in the port city of Brest in north-western France.

    In 2020, France returned the remains of 24 Algerian fighters who were killed resisting French colonial forces in the 19th Century.

    Last month, Algeria hosted a conference of African states to push for justice and reparations.

    Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said that a legal framework would ensure that restitution was neither regarded as “a gift nor a favour”.

    Diplomatic relations between between Algeria and France soured last year, when Macron announced France was recognising Moroccan sovereignty of Western Sahara and backed a plan for limited autonomy for the disputed territory.

    Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front in Western Sahara and is seen as its main ally.

    French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal was then arrested at Algiers airport in and jailed for five years, before being pardoned by Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune last month.

    Prosecutors said he had undermined national security for making remarks that questioned Algeria’s borders.

  • Bomb blast in packed Nigerian mosque kills five

    Bomb blast in packed Nigerian mosque kills five

    At least five people have been killed in a bomb explosion in a packed mosque in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno state, a police spokesman has said.

    Nahum Daso told local media another 35 people were injured in the blast in the Gamboru market of Maiduguri, the state capital, during evening prayers.

    Unverified footage on social media appears to show the aftermath of the explosion, with people stood in a market area with dust particles in the air.

    No group has admitted carrying out the attack, but militants have previously targeted mosques and crowded places in the area with suicide attacks and improvised explosive devices (IED).

    Maiduguri has been central to an insurgency by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province.

    Military operations by Boko Haram to create an Islamic caliphate in Borno state began in 2009.

    Security measures against the group have failed to prevent sporadic attacks against civilians in north-east Nigeria.