Every ones’ eye is on Zimbabwe as it goes to polls on Saturday 29th.
A change is a must. The people of Zimbabwe have suffered too long, it is time that they too must live with dignity.
A rich country in all African standard is at the verge of economic collapse.
A country that was the bread-basket of Africa has to live on food aid, shameful indeed.
According to Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR , Zimbabwe gives the following grim details,
• lowest life expectancy in the world with an average age of 37 years
• over 85% of the population lives in poverty
• worst inflation in the world at over 7000% and rising
• 3.5 million have fled the country and 1000's more flee every week
• Zimbabwe had one of the best health care systems in Africa, now is one of the worst. Only 6 healthcare workers and 1 doctor per 10 000 people
• the government has sanctioned the use of excessive force and torture by the police and military
• innocent men, woman and children are brutalized and tortured by the police on a daily basis
• in May 2005, the government launched operation "drive out trash" resulting in 700,000 people losing their homes and livelihoods
• land redistribution ordered by the government has destroyed Zimbabwe's agricultural commercial sector. Tobacco, Zimbabwe's main export, has fallen from 2 million kilograms per year to 60 thousand in 6 years
• over 7000 people arrested in the past 6 months for not adhering to government controlled prices
• in an effort to take over the mines, the government has arrested 20,000 people since 2006
• 2 million people are venerable to starvation
• international food aid is being distributed by the government to its supporters and punishes supporters of the opposition
It is to the election that everyone is looking up to though there are wide spread rumors that it will be rigged by the ruling party of President Mugabe, 84.
He has led the country since independence and the general feeling among the opposition and the international community is that it is time to pass on the baton.
According to BBC, Mr Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and Mr Makoni, an ex-finance minister and independent candidate, on Thursday issued a joint statement expressing severe concerns about the poll.
If the election is free and fair, it is quite clear that Mugabe may not stand another chance, but it is becoming more and more clear that the strong man of Zimbabwe is not willing to handover the chair of power yet.
Friday, 28 March 2008
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
A new website for the new comers
This is our own! A product of our team work! Nine of us had been putting our minds and hearts together to beat the dead line of the launch of this new website we bad been building. This will be the 'new sensation' in the world of web about London.
This site will give to the new comers such as tourists, foreign students, visitors and immigrants a chance to peep at the interesting things that are going on in the city which are often overlooked by the main websites on London.
We are all so excited about this now project and we hope this will give a glimpse into the other little publicized parts of London.
The whole process is fun but tiring and challenging as we stay in different parts of the city. As the time of launch is drawing nearer we are beginning to breath a sigh of relief, and I hear some of my colleagues say 'oh! we are almost there.'
Visit this site and you can be guide to your visitors in London.
This site will give to the new comers such as tourists, foreign students, visitors and immigrants a chance to peep at the interesting things that are going on in the city which are often overlooked by the main websites on London.
We are all so excited about this now project and we hope this will give a glimpse into the other little publicized parts of London.
The whole process is fun but tiring and challenging as we stay in different parts of the city. As the time of launch is drawing nearer we are beginning to breath a sigh of relief, and I hear some of my colleagues say 'oh! we are almost there.'
Visit this site and you can be guide to your visitors in London.
Saturday, 9 February 2008
A sign of hope for Kenya
The Kenyan economy primarily depends heavily on tourism and exports of horticulture to Europe.
The recent clashes that erupted after the election have put these into trouble.
Tourism brought Kenya a foreign revenue of about $ billion.
The horticulture was sent to Europe by the flights returning after bringing the tourists.
Now with fewer or no tourists coming to Kenya the horticulture products are left to rot in the country.
Around 20,000 people are already laid off since the election violence.
In a high tourist season around 30,000 people visit Kenya. This industry employs half a million people directly and three million indirectly.
Since the violence 20,000 people have already lost their jobs in the tourism sector.
Over a 1000 people lost their lives during the riots after the election in December ’08.
The presence of Former UN secretary General Kofi Annan’s efforts are bearing fruits and that is the only hope for that country.
The visit of UN emergency relief co-ordinator , John Holmes, to some of the key flashpoint areas of violence will bring a sigh of relief to may who are starving.
The recent clashes that erupted after the election have put these into trouble.
Tourism brought Kenya a foreign revenue of about $ billion.
The horticulture was sent to Europe by the flights returning after bringing the tourists.
Now with fewer or no tourists coming to Kenya the horticulture products are left to rot in the country.
Around 20,000 people are already laid off since the election violence.
In a high tourist season around 30,000 people visit Kenya. This industry employs half a million people directly and three million indirectly.
Since the violence 20,000 people have already lost their jobs in the tourism sector.
Over a 1000 people lost their lives during the riots after the election in December ’08.
The presence of Former UN secretary General Kofi Annan’s efforts are bearing fruits and that is the only hope for that country.
The visit of UN emergency relief co-ordinator , John Holmes, to some of the key flashpoint areas of violence will bring a sigh of relief to may who are starving.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Signs of hope for Kenya
A sigh of relief is seen in the willingness of the Kenyan government to set up an official investigation into allegations of election fraud in last month's disputed poll.
A three month period is given for the enquiry but the panel is yet to be agreed. It is a move in the right direction.
The Ugandan efforts seem to have contributed to this decision as the announcement was made by the Ugandan presidential spokesman.
Former UN chief Kofi Annan is also in Kenya, trying to mediate in the crisis.
The opposition claims it was cheated of victory and its protests have led to the deaths of more than 650 people and the unrest is still far from over.
The police action is increasingly being questioned. The police is accused of shooting dead protesters.
The killings have sparked outrage across the country.
On Thursday, human rights activist Okia Omtata chained himself to the barriers of the Nairobi police headquarters and, as bystanders watched, clutched a rosary chanting: "You are killing people in this country”.
Rape is on the rise in Kenya, troubled by violence which followed December's disputed elections. Rape is used as a weapon by the warring fraction.
Every day women turn up at the doors of Nairobi's hospitals and clinics telling the same story.
It is truly sad to see that in this modern times a well established country is allowed to be torn apart because of the selfish interests of politicians.
A three month period is given for the enquiry but the panel is yet to be agreed. It is a move in the right direction.
The Ugandan efforts seem to have contributed to this decision as the announcement was made by the Ugandan presidential spokesman.
Former UN chief Kofi Annan is also in Kenya, trying to mediate in the crisis.
The opposition claims it was cheated of victory and its protests have led to the deaths of more than 650 people and the unrest is still far from over.
The police action is increasingly being questioned. The police is accused of shooting dead protesters.
The killings have sparked outrage across the country.
On Thursday, human rights activist Okia Omtata chained himself to the barriers of the Nairobi police headquarters and, as bystanders watched, clutched a rosary chanting: "You are killing people in this country”.
Rape is on the rise in Kenya, troubled by violence which followed December's disputed elections. Rape is used as a weapon by the warring fraction.
Every day women turn up at the doors of Nairobi's hospitals and clinics telling the same story.
It is truly sad to see that in this modern times a well established country is allowed to be torn apart because of the selfish interests of politicians.
Monday, 21 January 2008
UK wants India to play a major role in the global scene
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday announced support for India's candidature for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, saying there have to be more representatives of the new global order.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi he said, “'I am pleased to announce that we support the membership of India in the United Nations Security Council and reforms of the Security Council for the future.'
It is quite fitting that India is given this opportunity to be in the Security Council. India is the biggest democracy in the world, it is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and in a way India can represent the Third World concerns.
Mr. Brown’s suggestion is a recognition of India’s growing position in the global scene.
He said India could make a contribution on issues like the environment, counter terrorism, and social justice and that should be "recognised in the reform of all our international institutions".
Today the world cannot ignore India. In addition to its growing economic strength one should take note of the fact that India has lived largely at peace with itself as a functioning democracy, since gaining independence.
Mr. Brown is proposing to spent £10 billion on commercial deals.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi he said, “'I am pleased to announce that we support the membership of India in the United Nations Security Council and reforms of the Security Council for the future.'
It is quite fitting that India is given this opportunity to be in the Security Council. India is the biggest democracy in the world, it is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and in a way India can represent the Third World concerns.
Mr. Brown’s suggestion is a recognition of India’s growing position in the global scene.
He said India could make a contribution on issues like the environment, counter terrorism, and social justice and that should be "recognised in the reform of all our international institutions".
Today the world cannot ignore India. In addition to its growing economic strength one should take note of the fact that India has lived largely at peace with itself as a functioning democracy, since gaining independence.
Mr. Brown is proposing to spent £10 billion on commercial deals.
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Kenya: the human tragedy continues
As the Kenyan parliament meets for their first session the defeated opposition is trying to disrupt their meeting by sitting on the government benches.
The opposition party of Raila Odinga Orange Democratic Movement became the largest party in parliament, though it does not have an absolute majority.
The defeat of Mr. Odinga’s party is blamed on the election fraud.
About 250,000 people also fled or were driven from their homes in a country once seen as a beacon of relative stability in East Africa.
Mr Odinga's ODM is planning another three days of consecutive mass rallies around Kenya this week, beginning on Wednesday to bring president Kibaki to his knees.
Up to 500,000 people in Kenya will need humanitarian assistance in the weeks ahead if the country's political crisis intensifies, the UN has warned.
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 255,000 had been forced from their homes and that malnutrition was now a growing risk.
Talks conducted by Ghanaian President John Kufuor to end Kenya's political crisis have broken down, opposition and government sources have said.
Mr Kufuor had been hoping to broker a deal between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga after last month's disputed elections.
About 600 people have died in unrest which followed the poll.
It is the earnest hope of anyone that the opposing political parties will come in terms for the same of the people and the future of the nation.
The opposition party of Raila Odinga Orange Democratic Movement became the largest party in parliament, though it does not have an absolute majority.
The defeat of Mr. Odinga’s party is blamed on the election fraud.
About 250,000 people also fled or were driven from their homes in a country once seen as a beacon of relative stability in East Africa.
Mr Odinga's ODM is planning another three days of consecutive mass rallies around Kenya this week, beginning on Wednesday to bring president Kibaki to his knees.
Up to 500,000 people in Kenya will need humanitarian assistance in the weeks ahead if the country's political crisis intensifies, the UN has warned.
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 255,000 had been forced from their homes and that malnutrition was now a growing risk.
Talks conducted by Ghanaian President John Kufuor to end Kenya's political crisis have broken down, opposition and government sources have said.
Mr Kufuor had been hoping to broker a deal between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga after last month's disputed elections.
About 600 people have died in unrest which followed the poll.
It is the earnest hope of anyone that the opposing political parties will come in terms for the same of the people and the future of the nation.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Kenya: It is time for Reconciliation
It is sad and it is a shame what has happened in a so called ‘African success story’ country Kenya. In this modern times an election to be rigged, admitted even by the EU observes, is unacceptable.
Why not find a solution at least now? Mistakes have been made, but try to correct it. Innocent lives have been lost try to stop losing more lives.
The newly appointed cabinet of Kenya is causing further problem. Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) (the opposition) has said that it does not recognize the new cabinet announced on Tuesday by Mr Kibaki, the president.
It is truly the hope anyone who has been witnessing the crisis that the effort made by Mr Kufuor, president of Ghana who also heads the African Union will bear some fruit.
He met President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Let’s hope at least this will bring some sense into the politicians.
Why not find a solution at least now? Mistakes have been made, but try to correct it. Innocent lives have been lost try to stop losing more lives.
The newly appointed cabinet of Kenya is causing further problem. Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) (the opposition) has said that it does not recognize the new cabinet announced on Tuesday by Mr Kibaki, the president.
It is truly the hope anyone who has been witnessing the crisis that the effort made by Mr Kufuor, president of Ghana who also heads the African Union will bear some fruit.
He met President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Let’s hope at least this will bring some sense into the politicians.
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