Essential The Africa the Media Doesn't Tell You About

[Yehuda]

Africa's First Biofuel Flights Take Off in South Africa

29 JULY 2016

History was made in mid-July. Africa's first sustainable biofuel powered flights successfully flew between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The South African Airways (SAA) and Mango Boeing 737-800s used biofuel to power their engines on 15 July 2016. The fuel is made from a tobacco plant cultivated in Limpopo. Under Project Solaris, the plant, also named Solaris, produces small leaves, flowers and seeds which are crushed to extract a vegetable crude oil. It is a nicotine-free, hybridised tobacco plant.

Growing the crops locally had contributed to the country's National Development Plan of economic and rural development, said Musa Zwane, SAA's acting CEO. He also noted that the project had established a regional bio jet fuel supply chain, something of which we could be proud.

Nico Bezuidenhout, Mango CEO, echoed Zwane's pride. "The project also shows how, when various role players come together and collaborate, success is imminent," he said.

Environmental impact

The World Wildlife Fund South Africa (WWF-SA) said the aviation industry was one of the fastest growing sectors but it was also responsible for much of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Biofuels could play a key role in the move of the aviation industry from using hydrocarbon fuels.

"These are fuels manufactured from oils, sugars and biomass from plants, rather than from fossil fuels," the organisation said of biofuels. "Because plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere biofuels typically can reduce the emissions from flights by between 25% and 75%."

It noted a study from the Stockholm Environmental Institute which estimated that "biofuels could feasibly reduce aviation's emissions by as much as 9% between 2020 and 2035, while still being produced in a responsible manner".

While the biofuel industry is tiny at present, concerns have been raised about the land used to harvest these plants, water consumption and other agricultural impacts. WWF-SA and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) are studying the sustainability of biofuel crops.

"This means factoring in the population growth and agricultural demand within the region [since the displacement of food crops has been a key concern of first-generation biofuels], the protection of endangered species and critical ecosystems, and the securing of essential water resources as the climate changes."

Project Solaris has RSB certification.

WWF-SA's James Reeler said: "By using RSB-certified feedstock, SAA has demonstrated its concern with not only reducing its carbon footprint, but also ensuring that the biofuel supply chain reduces other social and environmental risks."

Project Solaris received RSB certification in September 2015 for producing the crop in line with the RSBs global standard. It is a GMO-free plant that yields significant amounts of sustainable oil.

RSB is an independent global multi-stakeholder coalition that works to promote the sustainability of biomaterials. Its certification scheme verifies that biomaterials are ethical, sustainable and credibly sourced.

South Africa.info reporter

Africa's First Biofuel Flights Take Off in South Africa

 

[Poitier]

South Africans Are Leaving Country At Exponential Rates Heading for Australia, U.S. and U.K.
July 29, 2016 | Posted by Ricky Riley
Tagged With: 102793 people, South Africa, South African emigrants, South African emigration, StatsSA data

Data published by StatsSA through its Community Survey 2016, shows how many South Africans emigrated over the past 10 years, between 2000 and 2016.

According to the stats body, the biggest proportion of emigrants over this period left during 2015 – 25.7%. In 2014, the proportion was 11.1%, and in 2013, it was 8.8%. So far in 2016, the proportion of total emigrants over the past 10 years is 9.7%.

City Press put the number of South African emigrants at 102,793 people over the past 10 years.

StatsSA data shows the overseas (non African) destinations of emigrants over the period 2006 to 2016. The highest proportion of emigrants moved to Australia at 26.0% followed by United Kingdom and United States at 25.0% and 13.4% respectively.

Data on emigrants which left the country between 2001 and 2016 show that most emigrants were aged between 25 and 29 years old and left South Africa between 2011 and 2015, with the highest proportion leaving in 2015, StatsSA said.



Gauteng reported the highest proportion of emigrants. The highest proportion of emigrants moved to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Australia. Individuals emigrated for a wide variety of reasons which included employment, study and business.

Migration lawyer Chris Watters told City Press that the findings by StatsSA relating to age correlates with his experience – that the bulk of emigrants are aged between 25 and 39, majority (54%) are male, and most (36%) are from Gauteng.

Migration Network Australia’s Marlene Prentice told the paper that the majority of her clients are white, qualified and skilled.

Read more here.

 

[Poitier]

Kenya Now The Biggest Investor in Other African Countries, Ending South Africa’s Reign
July 30, 2016 | Posted by Kiersten Willis
Tagged With: EAC, east africa investments, intra-Africa fdi projects, kenya FDI, kenya south africa investor, retail businesses in kenya

Nairobi, Kenya – the country’s financial center (Wikipedia)

Kenya overtook South Africa to become the biggest investor in other African countries in terms of the number of projects in 2015.

Kenya invested in 36 projects last year in other parts of the continent against South Africa’s 33, a new study by financial consulting firm Ernst & Young shows.

It noted that most of Kenya’s intra-Africa investments went into countries within the East African Community (EAC).

The study said Kenya’s global ranking as a source of foreign direct investment (FDI) to the African continent also improved strongly to seventh position in 2015 from 13th in 2014.

“Activity was largely concentrated in services, with financial and business services together accounting for nearly 78 percent of FDI projects originating from Kenya,” said the report released Monday.

“Many Kenyan companies are playing the role initially adopted by South Africa’s corporate sector, who were the first to venture outside their home markets,” it adds.

South Africa, however, beat Kenya in terms of the worth of the projects as it had $1.97 billion compared with Kenya’s $99 billion.

In the past decade, Kenyan banks and retail businesses, for example, have ventured into the region, including in the volatile South Sudan and Somalia.



“East Africa is the primary destination for Kenyan investors, in line with overall sub-regional integration plans,” said the study.

It further shows that Africa attracted FDI from a diverse and growing group of investors.

In 2015, the US retained its position as the largest investor on the continent, despite a four per cent fall in FDI projects.

Historical investors, including the UK, France, the UAE and India, expressed renewed interest in Africa.

Other notable investors in Africa were Italy and Luxembourg, which became among the largest 15 investors in 2015.

Overall, intra-African FDI projects rose 2.8 percent in 2015, with capital investment up 6.2 percent.

Read more here.

 

[Red Shield]

South Africans Are Leaving Country At Exponential Rates Heading for Australia, U.S. and U.K.
July 29, 2016 | Posted by Ricky Riley
Tagged With: 102793 people, South Africa, South African emigrants, South African emigration, StatsSA data

Data published by StatsSA through its Community Survey 2016, shows how many South Africans emigrated over the past 10 years, between 2000 and 2016.

According to the stats body, the biggest proportion of emigrants over this period left during 2015 – 25.7%. In 2014, the proportion was 11.1%, and in 2013, it was 8.8%. So far in 2016, the proportion of total emigrants over the past 10 years is 9.7%.

City Press put the number of South African emigrants at 102,793 people over the past 10 years.

StatsSA data shows the overseas (non African) destinations of emigrants over the period 2006 to 2016. The highest proportion of emigrants moved to Australia at 26.0% followed by United Kingdom and United States at 25.0% and 13.4% respectively.

Data on emigrants which left the country between 2001 and 2016 show that most emigrants were aged between 25 and 29 years old and left South Africa between 2011 and 2015, with the highest proportion leaving in 2015, StatsSA said.



Gauteng reported the highest proportion of emigrants. The highest proportion of emigrants moved to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Australia. Individuals emigrated for a wide variety of reasons which included employment, study and business.

Migration lawyer Chris Watters told City Press that the findings by StatsSA relating to age correlates with his experience – that the bulk of emigrants are aged between 25 and 39, majority (54%) are male, and most (36%) are from Gauteng.

Migration Network Australia’s Marlene Prentice told the paper that the majority of her clients are white, qualified and skilled.

Read more here.

Yea back when I followed SA news, this was talked about. Whites are rolling out. Hell they said they were starting to have a tough time getting in to Aus.

They youth ain't tryin to be there when that country finally explodes

 

[Yehuda]

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Tanzania: 4.5 Trillion/ - Transacted in Mobile Finance Services

28 JULY 2016

By Rose Athumani

Tanzania is among few nations in Africa that have made exemplary strides in mobile financial services, currently with 4.5tri/- being transacted using mobile phones each month.

Briefing journalists yesterday during the fourth Annual Mobile360 Africa in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Head of Corporate Communications Mr. Innocent Mungy said currently mobile finance services cover the whole country.

The three day fourth Annual Mobile360 Africa conference which ends today, seeks to discuss barriers and find solutions that will enable the underserved population access to the services.

Mr. Mungy said through mobile money services provided by all telecommunication companies in the country, has been instrumental in bringing financial services closer to the public, especially those living in rural areas and do not have access to banking services.

"A greater number of people are benefitting from the mobile money services, including in purchasing, accessing money in their bank accounts and sending money to loved ones from the comforts of their homes," he explained.

He said using mobile money services also reduces theft, saves time from having to visit and access one bank physically as well as carrying a lot of paper money. The TCRA head of Corporate Communications said the country is also making positive strides in incorporating Information Communication Technology (ICT) to providing various services such as e-education, e-health, e-government and e-commerce.

Citing an example he said in the health sector patients can now receive important information including when to attend the clinic, reminders to take medicines or the type of medicine to take through their mobile phones without having to physically visit the doctor.

He added that the mobile phone is also used by patients to store important information, "for instance patients with high blood pressure can send their readings to their doctor who can then advice on what medicine to take."

Due to the major strides the country is making in ICT, Mr. Mungy said Tanzania is now leading in the East Africa region and the world for having the cheapest internet costs. He said whereas in Tanzania one can buy GB 40 at 50,000/- in the United Kingdom GB 3 is nearly US 1000 dollars, noting that even in Nairobi, Kenya, it is expensive.

"These achievements that Tanzania has recorded are also another reason this meeting is taking place here because as much as we want to learn from them, they also want to learn from us, to understand how we got where we are."

On his part, Tigo Tanzania General Manager Mr. Diego Gutierrez said the telecommunication company has been working round the clock to find different ways to bring services closer to all Tanzanian, especially in rural areas.

Mr. Gutierrez who said Tigo Tanzania has different plans rolling which makes it easier for consumer access the company's services as well as use the service to bring positive change in their lives.

The plans according to Mr. Gutierrez includes bringing low cost smart phones to rural people who cannot afford to buy one at current costs. Meanwhile Ericsson is looking to partner with governments to use ICT to bring positive industrial transformation including increase effectiveness and efficiency.

Speaking to Daily News yesterday Head of Government and Industry Relations, Mr. Shiletsi Makhofane said ICT is one industry that will be a game changer in all industries.

"Today the majority of the focus has always been on one to one connect... however the world is moving fast, past that... we are going further and looking at what can we do with this ICT in making other industries more efficient," he explained.

Areas being targeted by Ericson for transformation using ICT include transport, public safety and security, financial inclusion and energy sectors.

The fourth Annual Mobile360 Africa conference brings together more than 500 telecommunication companies and stakeholders from around the world.

Tanzania: 4.5 Trillion/ - Transacted in Mobile Finance Services

 

[Kitsch]

Meet The 35 Year-Old Entrepreneur Who Owns Nigeria's 2nd Largest Rice Farm

@bdizzle

 

[Fox]

http://allafrica.com/stories/201607120209.html

Nice to know there's some social security in Africa

 

[Yehuda]

Archeologists uncover Cape Verde's lost slave history

By Michelle Cohan and Thomas Page, for CNN
Updated 0945 GMT (1745 HKT) July 27, 2016

(CNN) – Founded by Portuguese colonialists, the island nation of Cape Verde draws its influences from both Africa and Europe. Small, diverse and laid back, the archipelago nonetheless has a dark past.

New finds from archaeologists have brought to light fresh evidence of Cape Verde's role at the center of the transatlantic slave trade.

A pirate's battleground

Cape Verde's oldest city, Cidade Velha (formerly Ribeira Grande) was settled by the Portuguese in 1462. Exploration had found the island -- like the rest of the archipelago -- was completely uninhabited; a blank canvas to build a strategically important gateway between Europe, West Africa and the soon to be 'discovered' Americas.

As a huge wealth creator for the Portuguese, the city naturally came under attack from its rivals, the English and French. Charles Akibode, director of Cape Verde's Institute of Cultural Heritage, claims nations often sent pirates to do their dirty work.

"We know that pirates were like the army of the enemy in order to destroy the economy of the other," he explains. "To attack Cidade Velha [was to intend] to destroy the economy of Portugal."

The city was destroyed on seven occasions, says Akibode, but such was the wealth of the place that it was rebuilt, time and again.

Some clear vestiges of the city's slave past still remain: balconies from which owners would negotiate prices for human property, or the city's imposing fort. Others are more subtle, lying underground.

Beneath the surface

Using eighteenth century maps, archaeologists are busy unearthing these chapters of Cape Verde's past. So far they've discovering marble from Italy, limestone from neighboring Maio Island and tiles in Islamic styles.

"The remnants of the Grao Parara and the Maranhao company are still here -- it handled slave trade and business with the African coast," says Jailson Monteiro, an archaeologist from the Instituto do Patrimonio Cultural.

"To the east we have the home of an army colonel. There is a Jesuit school to the west. There are many structures to be found."

A team from the University of Cambridge in the UK have recently uncovered the first church to be built by Europeans in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"It may be hard to understand why the church was built here," says Monterio. "It's built right on the shore. The water flows right through here."

Like many other structures in the city, the church was rebuilt multiple times -- in this case mainly due to rainwater damage.

Meanwhile, off the coast lie multiple untouched shipwrecks, evidence of a transitional moment in Cape Verde's history, when the slave trade declined and the archipelago was forced to repurpose itself, becoming a port of call for whalers and ships on transatlantic journeys.

There's a wealth of artifacts to explore, but Cape Verde is not a rich nation. Compounding the issue is the problem that many sites on land are privately owned, and permissions are not always straightforward.

"Excavation requires a lot of funding," admits Monteiro, who hopes money can be found for further discoveries.

"We already have some idea of what is here. What we don't know is the scale and magnitude of it."

Archeologists uncover Cape Verde's lost slave history

 

[Yehuda]

Tanzania: Mega 60 Trillion/ - Gas Plant Set for Lindi

2 AUGUST 2016

Photo: Mscalora /Wikpedia

By Bernard Lugongo

The Minister for Energy and Minerals, Professor Sospeter Muhongo, revealed yesterday that the government will invest at least 30 billion USD (over 60 trillion/-) for the construction of a gas processing plant in Lindi Region.

He said the government is already embarking on the grand plan and that Lindi residents and Tanzanians in general should expect economic revolution in few years to come. Prof Muhongo was speaking during the official launch of the Nanenane exhibitions at Ngongo grounds in Lindi municipality.

"I would like to ensure Lindi residents and Tanzanians in general that our economy is going to grow at a high speed, we are going to invest at least 30bn USD in the construction of gas processing plant," he said.

However, the minister asked the public to remain calm as the government continues to set plans for the grand project. He said the project is likely to take many years because it needs huge amount of money, high skilled and experienced personnel as well as good supervision.

Prof Muhongo said the government will be required to construct about 200 kilometres of gas pipes from the sea to the plant. "This is not an easy job; it will take some years. We are supposed to bring the gas from the sea. It is between 100 and 200 kilometres.

Therefore, we are supposed to construct a gas pipe line from the plant to sea," he said. According to the minister, upon completion of the project, the government will be able to process gas and thus boost the country's economy.

"I can tell you today that in the few coming years, Lindi and Mtwara will be the country's economic hub. All investors are eying at Lindi and Mtwara because of gas and other resources," he said. Prof Muhongo urged Lindi residents to be ready for big investments in the few coming years.

"I am asking you to get ready for the economic revolution. You must be ready to exploit opportunities. This is your time," he told them. He said the project is likely to take up to 40 months.

On the proposed fertiliser plant, the minister said the government is planning to build the plant at Kilwa in Lindi Region. He said the project has been estimated set to cost 1.9 billion USD upon completion, adding that it will provide employment to more than 5,000 Tanzanians.

"The fertiliser plant will employ more than 5,000 Tanzanians.

It is also set to produce at least 3850 tonnes of fertiliser per day," Prof Muhongo reported. He said the project will be implemented through the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) by Minjingu Company and Germany, Pakistan and Denmark-based companies.

"I would like to ask you to be patient. Good things are coming, everything will be ok. let us set strategies on how to utilise these opportunities," he said. The project is also expected to increase earnings for the government through consumption of natural gas while at the same time provide opportunities to improve such sectors as health, aviation, sea ports among others.

Since the discovery of natural gas in Tanzania, the economy has witnessed tremendous growth, with 70 per cent of power generation coming from gas, which is currently serving more than 30 industries in Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania: Mega 60 Trillion/ - Gas Plant Set for Lindi

 

[Yehuda]

African Water Facility: Boosting Hydropower and Irrigation in Tanzania

4 AUGUST 2016

Photo: Studio Pietrangeli
Multinational Ruzizi HPP - Burundi. Ruzizi III consists of the construction of a 147 MW Hydropower Plant on the Ruzizi river bordering DRC and Rwanda. It will be developed as a Public Private Partnership, through a concession provided to a private investor to develop, build, operate, and maintain the plant. Ruzizi III would be the third hydropower development on the river following Ruzizi I ("RI" - 29.8 MW) and Ruzizi II ("RII" - 43.8 MW).

Tanzania is expected to benefit from a boost in hydropower generation and irrigation development thanks to a new study financed by the African Water Facility (AWF). This €2-million grant will help the government of Tanzania launch the pre-feasibility study of a multipurpose dam, irrigation and hydropower project in Kikonge (southwest).

A comprehensive approach. The study will cover the irrigation scheme, agro-business development, the dam and its reservoir and the associated hydropower plant and the high voltage transmission line. In addition, this study will also encompass water supply to local communities, local electricity supply through a mini hydro-power plant, fishing activities, tourism development and other uses of water for activities in the reservoir area (navigation, transport and water for mining).

A huge increase in hydropower generation. When completed, the 300-MW multipurpose dam, which is the main outcome of the studies, will result in a 53% increase of the country’s hydropower capacity. With an annual hydropower generation of 1,300 GWh by 2025, the dam will address Tanzania’s long-standing shortage of power supply. The country’s hydropower plants of the run-of-the-river type are highly vulnerable to seasonal variations and drastic variations of water availability as a consequence of climate change. In October 2015, most of the hydropower plants, representing 35% of the country total generating capacity, had been switched off due to the low water levels following an extended period without rain. With its storage reservoir of 6 billion m3capacity, the dam will allow a stable supply of energy throughout the year.

Improved agriculture. The expected dam on the Ruhuhu River will also improve availability of water resources for irrigation and associated activities in the area. With a projected irrigation scheme of 4,000 hectares by 2020 (as against a current mere 50 ha of irrigated lands), the dam will boost agricultural productivity and provide additional revenues to local farmers and populations. In this southwestern region of Tanzania, close to the shores of the Lake Nyasa, crop production is currently dominated by rain-fed systems leaving the irrigation potential marginally tapped. While agriculture is the basis of Tanzanian economy (27% of the national GDP), its development is hampered by its dependence on unreliable and irregular weather conditions. Irrigation has therefore been identified as a key priority for Tanzania, which has huge potential for irrigated agriculture with its numerous rivers, lakes and underground water resources.

Climate change impacts. The investment project resulting from the feasibility studies will also help improve the resilience to climate change. Regulating the flow of the Ruhuhu River will allow water to be available throughout the year instead of depending on the rain season inflows. It will also reduce the impacts and damages of floods on infrastructures and economic activities, with positive impacts on the ecological features of the shores of the Lake Nyasa.

Project details. The total cost of the Kikonge Multipurpose Dam, Irrigation and Hydropower Project pre-feasibility study is estimated at €2.5 million. The AWF will fund the project to the tune of €2 million, with contributions from the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility and the government of €0.3 million and €0.2 million respectively. The project duration is estimated at 22 months.


African Water Facility: Boosting Hydropower and Irrigation in Tanzania

 

[Scientific Playa]

Fadumo Dayib A Former Refugee From Somalia To Run As First Female President

Fadumo Dayib was once a Somali refugee. A Harvard graduate and mother, she now lives a comfortable life in Finland. Despite the overwhelming odds, she is running as Somalia’s first female president.

Fadumo Dayib is trying to do something no one has ever done before. Despite overwhelming odds, she is vying to become Somalia’s first female president. Those long odds have a lot to do with her own story. She has been a refugee for most of her life. Despite not learning how to read until she was 14 years old, she now has a master’s degree from Harvard in public administration and is working on a Ph.D. But in a country with a dismal human rights record and a long history of oppression against women, running for the highest public office in the land comes with risks. Fadumo Dayib joins now. Welcome to the program.

Harvard Kennedy School Mid-Career/Mason Fellow Fadumo Dayib, will graduate in May. She is a Somalian refugee who left her country in the 90s during civil war to live in Finland. As an adult, she worked for the UN, and after leaving HKS, she plans to run for president of Somalia in 2016. She is pictured outside Harvard Kennedy School. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer

Harvard Kennedy School Mid-Career/Mason Fellow Fadumo Dayib, will graduate in May. She is a Somalian refugee who left her country in the 90s during civil war to live in Finland. As an adult, she worked for the UN, and after leaving HKS, she plans to run for president of Somalia in 2016. She is pictured outside Harvard Kennedy School. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer

FADUMO DAYIB: Thank you very much, Naijapals
NPR: Why do you want to do this?
DAYIB: Because I see what I’m doing as a moral obligation and a civic duty towards my country. I’ve watched for almost 26 years, hoping for a competent leadership to come that can bring us all back. There’s 1.5 million Somalis in the diaspora, 1.2 million internally displaced inside the country. And they’re all yearning to have a dignified existence to go back.
NPR: What is life like – if you are a child in Somalia right now, what does your future hold? What is day to day life like?
DAYIB: It’s very bleak. If I speak about a child in Somalia who wakes up and might be in an internally displaced camp, this is a child who sees violence because majority of the women and children also get raped. They, you know, experience attacks by al-Shabab. And of the 12 million Somalis that I spoke about, 75 percent are under the age of 30. Of that, 68 percent are unemployed. That’s why they end up either joining piracy or joining al-Shabab, or going on to migrate and dying on their way to the West.

NPR You are currently living in Finland. You went there with your siblings when you were just a teenager. Can you retrace that journey for me? Why Finland?
DAYIB: I was born to two parents – illiterate Somali parents – in a place called Thika, Kenya, but never took citizenship. And in 1989, my family was forcefully deported to Somalia. And so when the civil war broke out, I was actually a refugee inside Somalia. My mother had to stay back, and so I was tasked with the responsibility of taking my two younger siblings out of the country. When we were on transit in Moscow, because of a Russian man who had worked in Somalia with the Russian army – helped us to get a day visa. And that is how we got into Moscow. And from Moscow, the nearest destination was Helsinki. And we’ve been here ever since. Finland gave us sanctuary. It gave me an education. As you mentioned, I’d only started reading and writing at the age of 14. But when I came to this country, they didn’t give up on me. I had a bachelor’s in nursing, got two master’s from Finland. In addition to the one from Harvard, I have three master’s and now currently doing my Ph.D. So Finland gave me the skills that I want to take back to my country.

 

[Scientific Playa]

something different ....

Sh20m jackpot winner turns away estranged wife - PHOTOS

Sh20m jackpot winner turns away estranged wife
The woman came knocking 10 years after leaving gambler Joseph Onywere in a dispute over money.



WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3 2016

Joseph Onywera, 62, a farmer in Kapiyo in Kano who won Sh20 million in June from Betway Company after he correctly predicted the outcome of 13 football matches in the English Premier League, inspects construction work on his house. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The gambling addict has been living with his son. His first wife, Truphena, died in 1996. The second wife, Ms Anyango, left him in 2010 following a disagreement over money.
• Visiting his newly fenced off and gated compound, over 10 construction workers are busy, some putting up a three bedroomed house while others are constructing pit latrines.
• There has been a national craze for betting that although has made some people like Mr Onywera millionaires, it has also led to family break ups and deaths due to lose of money.

By ANITA CHEPKOECH

A Sh20 million jackpot winner refused to welcome back his estranged wife who had returned to him after she heard of his extraordinary luck.

Joseph Onywera, 62, a farmer in Kapiyo in Kano, Kisumu County, won the colossal amount in early June from Betway Company after he correctly predicted the outcome of 13 football matches in the English Premier League.

The gambling addict has been living with his son. His first wife, Truphena, died in 1996. His second wife, Ms Anyango, left him in 2010 following a disagreement over money.

But hardly a month after he hit the jackpot, she came back knocking.

“I saw her come into my compound and I wondered. She had told me to my face that she would only return after I die. So I told her to go away since I am still alive,” said Mr Onywera.

ANOTHER WOMAN

The Arsenal and Gor Mahia fan believes the woman, who is said to be married to a Tanzanian in Isebania, must have come back just because fortune had knocked at his door.

“Ever since she left, several incidents have happened that would attract her attention. My mother died but she did not turn up for her burial. My father also died and I had an accident, but she did not bother to check on us,” said the composed gambler.

He is looking forward to marrying another woman, who, he said, stuck with him during his days of hardship.

“I am a humble rice and tomato farmer. A certain woman who respected and loved me when all I had was farming will be the one to live with me in this permanent house,” he said with a tone of finality.

Visiting his newly fenced-off and gated compound, one can see over 10 construction workers busy, some putting up a three-bedroom house while others are constructing pit latrines.

The mud-walled house from where he spoke to the Nation was also freshly built to keep him from the old one, whose walls had begun to fall off.

TOTAL TRANSFORMATION

There is total transformation, almost overnight, for a man who could not have imagined he would one day afford a car.

Mr Onywere is not only the latest millionaire in the vicinity but practically a “private developer” as some of his village mates call him.

He has bought two plots and is planning to develop an old one in the heart of the lakeside town of Kisumu.

He has also ordered a pickup truck and a canter lorry which will help him deliver farm produce to the market as well as run other businesses on the side.

He said friends and relatives who had long forgotten about him in his simple life have returned.

A number of people queued up in his house with all sorts of pleas, ranging from requests for school fees to calls for him to give to a church construction project.

“I am a good man. I have helped in several constructions in the church and assisted a number of my relatives and friends to build good houses and pay fees for their children,” he said.

Joseph Onywera, 62, a farmer in Kapiyo in Kano, who won Sh20 million in June from Betway Company after he correctly predicted the outcome of 13 football matches in the English Premier League, showing how he bets on July 21, 2016. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP


NO EXCITEMENT

But how come the father of nine, who dropped out of school in Standard Three in 1967, did not jump for joy when he received that envied call that he had hit the jackpot for that week?

“This is not the first price that would make my heart stop with joy. I started gambling over 15 years ago and although the amounts were not as huge as this, I have gotten over the excitement,” he said.

He said at one time, when he was a driver delivering fish from Kisumu to Nairobi, he would visit casinos, where he realized he had a silver spoon at it.

At one time in 1998 he borrowed Sh30 for fare, but ended up using it to bet in the streets. After earning the first Sh2,200 from his first attempt, he could not go home. He tried it 10 more times at different outlets until he went home with Sh15,000. He could not believe his eyes.

In fact, when the good news about the Betway jackpot came, he said, he was very sick and had hardly any money left for treatment, because he had used up Sh25,000 in his M-Shwari account to bet that week.

Mr Onywera keeps records of his betting like an accountant.

In a square ruled exercise book, he writes dates, the type of bets and the company, whether Betway, Sportpesa, Betin or M-Cheza, and his prediction. When his guess is right, he ticks it, and when the game does not end as he foretells, he crosses it.

BONUSES

He says he uses not less than Sh2,000 daily from which he makes small wins and earns bonuses.

Of the Sh20 million he won in June, Sh200,000 was left in his Betway account so he can continue betting.

But he cannot use the money to gamble on other betting platforms.

“A times I am too tired or sick to watch a game but I still predict. In fact with the jackpot, I did not make it to watch most matches,” he said.

There is a growing national craze for betting that, although it has made some people like Mr Onywera millionaires, it has also led to family breakups and deaths because of money lost to gambling.

Some university students are known to plough money meant for their education into gambling, and most of them lose it and end up misery.

The trend has caught the eyes of lawmakers, who now want the industry regulated.

Already, MPs have formed a committee to investigate the phenomenal growth in gambling in the country, co-chaired by Majority Leader Aden Duale and Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo.

The 11-member team is expected to table a report in 14 days on its findings and recommendations on how to regulate the industry.

 

[Poitier]

Anger and apathy behind South Africa's shock local election results


Many black urban voters are fed up with the ruling ANC, but distrustful of opposition Democratic Alliance – and so stayed away from polling stations



Opposition Democratic Alliance party leader, Mmusi Maimane, addressing a march through downtown Johannesburg. Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA
Sisonke Msimang

@sisonkemsimang
Friday 5 August 201614.39 EDT

South Africans have stunned the African National Congress (ANC) in local government elections by handing significant gains to the opposition, but it is clear from the low turnout in crucial areas that these elections are less about voting for the Democratic Alliance (DA) than about taking a stand against the ruling party.

With the final results yet to be tallied, the DA has declared victory in the Nelson Mandela Bay region and looks as though it may take over in the metropolitan areas that include Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria.

It seems that black urban voters in particular – fed up with the ruling party and particularly the president Jacob Zuma, but distrustful of an opposition considered to represent the interests of a small and predominantly white minority – simply stayed away.

Despite being led by Mmusi Maimane, a young black man from Soweto, the DA has struggled to shake off its historical ties to the apartheid system.

“Many people who are disappointed by the ANC nevertheless cannot bring themselves to vote for a party that they perceive to be dominated by white people,” said Shireen Hassim, professor of politics at the University of the Witwatersrand.

She said voters did not trust the more radical Economic Freedom Fighters, which they feel is irresponsible. “In that context they stay away from the polls and let the chips fall where they may,” Hassim added. “I think this trend started in the 2014 election, which explains the lower voter turnout.”

The choice to stay away was not confined to urban settings. In the town of Vuwani in the Limpopo province, which saw schools burned down in anti-government protests in June, only 1,600 people out of a total of 44,000 registered voters turned out to cast their ballots.

Despite this virtual boycott, the ANC secured a win in the area – but the complaint will have registered. ANC leaders have been “taken aback by lower than expected turnouts in areas that were their traditional strongholds,” said respected South African journalist Ranjeni Munusamy.

Opposition parties are bullish as the results trickle in, and voters are celebrating the opportunity to put the politicians on notice.

Despite this, it is important not to underestimate the ruling party. The ANC continues to have a strong historical connection to the majority of black South Africans and to hold a special place in their hearts.

Opposition parties do not have the benefit of this history, nor will they necessarily be provided the time, space and goodwill the ANC has enjoyed.

National elections in 2019 are still very much the ANC’s for the taking, not only in rural areas where the party’s support has remained relatively consistent – but in urban areas as well.

If the ANC acts against the corruption-tainted Zuma in the coming weeks, black urban voters will almost certainly return to the fold. If not, this election shows that the goodwill will not last forever.

South Africa's local election shock down to anger and apathy

 

[Yehuda]

^ What's the word on Julius Malema's party

 

[Yehuda]

Sh126b joint Kenya-Ethiopia power line begins

By Lee Mwiti
Updated Thu, August 4th 2016 at 00:00 GMT +3

Kenya Power and Lightning Company [KPLC] personnel works on an electricity line at Tetu in Nyeri. Kenya and Ethiopia have started the construction of a Sh126 billion power line that will run between the two countries. (PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/ STANDARD)

Kenya and Ethiopia have started the construction of a Sh126 billion power line that will run between the two countries.

The 1,045 kilometre line will have a transmitting capacity of 2,000MW and is expected to be completed by December 2018. Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) said of the 1,045 km power line, 600km will be in Kenya, while 445 will be in Ethiopia.

The line will traverse Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia, Nyandarua and Nakuru counties. Chinese construction firm, China Electric Power Equipment Technology (CET), will be erecting the power line that is financed by the African Development Bank (ADB).

“The major costs will be financed by our development partners, while we will be financing local costs such as compensating land owners and sourcing for local labour,” explained Ketraco.

In May this year, when Ketraco CEO Ferdinand Barasa first announced plans for the power line, he confirmed that his corporation was working with the National Land Commission to ensure land compensations were completed on time.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the project was done at Wolayta Sodo construction site, about 425km south of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Abba.

READ MORE: Chief in Migori arrested for theft of electricity cables

Once the line enters Kenya, other regional countries such as South Sudan and Uganda are expected to connect their national grids to new power line. While Ethiopia expects to boost its foreign currency reserves by selling power, Kenya wants to drive industrial growth with additional supplies.

Sh126b joint Kenya-Ethiopia power line begins