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Magufulis 24km wall helps curb theft of Tanzania's gemstones, revenue up. Via @Osuta_Yusuf. The government of Tanzania says revenue from its rare gemstones, Tanzanite, has risen four-fold for the first quarter of this year as against same time last year. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told lawmakers on Wednesday that Tanzania earned over $316,000 from the minerals and the government puts its down to having curbed theft. The president last week inaugurated a 24km wall around mines in the country’s north as part of efforts to curb the theft and attendant loss of revenue from the mineral. The mines in Mirerrani produce the rare blue violet Tanzanite gemstones. John Pombe Magufuli ordered the military in September 2017 to build the wall which is estimated to have cost the government $3.5m. The blue-violet tanzanite gemstone is found only in the East African nation, the country is one of the region’s biggest economies only ranking behind Ethiopia and Kenya. Smuggling of minerals is a headache that most countries are struggling with. The move comes months after the president ordered renegotiation of mining concessions with multinational companies. Magufuli is reputed for his anti-corruption stance which has led to the firing of top government officials. Opposition, rights groups and the church have, however, decried what they say are dictatorial tendencies of the president who took over in 2015.

Magufulis 24km wall helps curb theft of Tanzania's gemstones, revenue up . Via @Osuta_Yusuf. The government of Tanzania says revenue from its rare gemstones, Tanzanite, has risen four-fold for the first quarter of this year as against same time last year. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told lawmakers on Wednesday that Tanzania earned over $316,000 from the minerals and the government puts its down to having curbed theft. The president last week inaugurated a 24km wall around mines in the country’s north as part of efforts to curb the theft and attendant loss of revenue from the mineral. The mines in Mirerrani produce the rare blue violet Tanzanite gemstones. John Pombe Magufuli ordered the military in September 2017 to build the wall which is estimated to have cost the government $3.5m. The blue-violet tanzanite gemstone is found only in the East African nation, the country is one of the region’s biggest economies only ranking behind Ethiopia and Kenya. Smuggling...

Swaziland marks 50 years of independence amid chaotic protests. 14 April 2018. Via @Osuta_Yusuf. Police fired rubber bullets at protesters in Swaziland on Friday while they marched against worsening living conditions and the cost of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the absolute monarchy. More than 2 000 people took to the streets to take part in a rare demonstration organised by Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) in the administrative capital Mbabane. One protester was injured in the thigh when police fired rubber bullets at the crowd angered by celebrations marking independence from Britain in 1968 that coincide with the birthday of King Mswati III. Police tussled with protesters, some of whom burnt tyres and blocked roads, as they made their way to the prime minister’s office to deliver a petition. Some marchers attempted to tear down the gates at the PM’s office and force their way inside but were blocked by police. Regional media have claimed that Swaziland’s government had purchased a fleet of luxury BMWs for the occasion, something that officials have denied. The Times of Swaziland daily reported that chief justice Bheki Maphalala had instructed judges to contribute at least $165 each to the festivities. “Our hospitals have run out of medicine. Of course, ordinary citizens can’t afford to go to Asia or Europe to get proper medical care,” said TUCOSWA official Muzi Mhlanga. “Authorities have instructed the pensions fund and the provident fund to contribute millions of our hard-earned money to fund the celebrations.” TUCOSWA said that civil servants would receive no pay hike to meet the increasing cost of living while senior ministers received increases of almost one third. Friday’s march was significant for Swaziland where dissent is stifled and mass protests are rare. King Mswati III took the throne of the tiny southern African kingdom in April 1986 and has ruled for more than 31 years.

Swaziland marks 50 years of independence amid chaotic protests . 14 April 2018. Via @Osuta_Yusuf Police fired rubber bullets at protesters in Swaziland on Friday while they marched against worsening living conditions and the cost of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the absolute monarchy. More than 2 000 people took to the streets to take part in a rare demonstration organised by Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) in the administrative capital Mbabane. One protester was injured in the thigh when police fired rubber bullets at the crowd angered by celebrations marking independence from Britain in 1968 that coincide with the birthday of King Mswati III. Police tussled with protesters, some of whom burnt tyres and blocked roads, as they made their way to the prime minister’s office to deliver a petition. Some marchers attempted to tear down the gates at the PM’s office and force their way inside but were blocked by police. Regional media have claimed t...

Nine arrested after fatal Nigeria bank robbery, attack. RT @Osuta_Yusuf / Via Osuta Yusuf blog / AFP / REUTERS. 14 April 2018. Nine people have been arrested after 15 people were killed when armed men attacked two banks and a police station in central Nigeria, police said on Friday. The gang struck in broad daylight in a busy commercial district in Offa, Kwara state, on April 6, opening fire indiscriminately as they made off with the looted cash. Federal police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said the arrests were made during “massive raids” in Offa and the southwest, which saw a shoot-out between officers and suspects. Those detained include the alleged mastermind of the attack, he added. Two pistols, ammunition and mobile phones belonging to some of the victims were recovered, he said. Nigeria’s government is facing a number of security threats across the country, including gang violence which has been linked to kidnapping and cattle rustling in northern states.

Nine arrested after fatal Nigeria bank robbery, attack . RT @Osuta_Yusuf / Via Osuta Yusuf blog / AFP / REUTERS. 14 April 2018. Nine people have been arrested after 15 people were killed when armed men attacked two banks and a police station in central Nigeria, police said on Friday. The gang struck in broad daylight in a busy commercial district in Offa, Kwara state, on April 6, opening fire indiscriminately as they made off with the looted cash. Federal police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said the arrests were made during “massive raids” in Offa and the southwest, which saw a shoot-out between officers and suspects. Those detained include the alleged mastermind of the attack, he added. Two pistols, ammunition and mobile phones belonging to some of the victims were recovered, he said. Nigeria’s government is facing a number of security threats across the country, including gang violence which has been linked to kidnapping and cattle rustling in northern states.

Amnesty International lauds strides by Africa to scrap death penalty. 14 April 2018. RT @Osuta_Yusuf. International rights organization, Amnesty International, has hailed the progress made by countries in sub-Saharan Africa to abolish the death penalty as a form of punishment. 20 sub-Saharan countries have since 1981 abolished the death penalty. Guinea in 2017 became the 20th state in the region to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty described the progress made in sub-Saharan Africa as a ‘beacon of hope’. “The progress in sub-Saharan Africa reinforced its position as a beacon of hope for abolition. The leadership of countries in this region gives fresh hope that the abolition of the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is within reach.” Burkina Faso and Chad took steps to repeal the death penalty with new or proposed laws while Kenya abolished the mandatory death penalty for murder. The organization recorded a drop in the number of executing countries across sub-Saharan Africa, from five in 2016 to two in 2017, with only South Sudan and Somalia known to have carried out executions. Nigeria according to the rights group, put to death at least 600 people between 2015 and 2016 with over 2,200 people currently on death row. “People suspected of terrorism are often sentenced to death and that is disturbing. And the work we do is to say that the death penalty is against human rights and that some sentences are degrading and outdated,” Kine Fatim Diop of Amnesty International’s West Africa office told Africanews. Botswana and Sudan resumed executions in 2018, but Amnesty says the move should not overshadow the positive steps being taken by other countries across the region “With governments in the region continuing to take steps to reduce and repeal the death penalty well into 2018, the isolation of the world’s remaining executing countries could not be starker,” Shetty said. The Gambia has also signed an international treaty committing the country not to carry out executions and moving to abolish the death penalty. President Adama Barrow established an official temporary ban on executions in February 2018.

Amnesty International lauds strides by Africa to scrap death penalty . 14 April 2018. RT @Osuta_Yusuf International rights organization, Amnesty International, has hailed the progress made by countries in sub-Saharan Africa to abolish the death penalty as a form of punishment. 20 sub-Saharan countries have since 1981 abolished the death penalty. Guinea in 2017 became the 20th state in the region to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty described the progress made in sub-Saharan Africa as a ‘beacon of hope’. “The progress in sub-Saharan Africa reinforced its position as a beacon of hope for abolition. The leadership of countries in this region gives fresh hope that the abolition of the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is within reach.” Burkina Faso and Chad took steps to repeal the death penalty with new or proposed laws while Kenya abolished the mandatory death penalty for murder. The organization recorded a dro...

SOUTH AFRICA LAYS WINNIE MANDELA TO REST. 14 April 2018. Via REUTERS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Africa lays to rest anti-apartheid icon and Nelson Mandela’s former wife Winnie Mandela with full state honours at a stadium funeral in Soweto on Saturday. Tens of thousands of mourners burst into loud cheers as the casket carrying her remains was wheeled into the stadium, less than two kilometres from her home. The casket draped with the multi-coloured South African flag was placed in the middle of the 37,500-seater stadium in front of a stage, decked in white and yellow flowers. Mourners dressed in the colours of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), as well those of the radical opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), sang “there’s no-one like Winnie”, an adapted popular liberation struggle song. The ceremony concludes 10 days of national mourning during which time thousands of South Africans have paid tribute to the “Mother of the Nation” at her Soweto home and elsewhere. Winnie Mandela, who died in Johannesburg aged 81 on April 2 after a long illness, has been celebrated for helping keep Nelson Mandela’s dream of a non-racial South Africa alive while he was behind bars for 27 years. “She was one of the most profound leaders of the ANC,” said 53-year-old mourner Brian Magqaza. “She fought from beginning to the end. Go well Mama.” EFF supporter Mufunwa Muhadi, 31, said “Mama fought for our freedom. It is important to honour her and continue the fight”. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, who took office two months ago, is leading the mourners at the pre-burial service in Soweto’s Orlando stadium. Former South African presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki are also attending the funeral. Mourners booed when the presence of scandal-tainted Zuma was publicly acknowledged. Foreign dignitaries at the funeral include the leaders of Namibia, Swaziland and the Republic of Congo, as well as American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson. “She is truly the mother of South Africa,” Jackson told journalists on Friday. The township of Soweto is hugely symbolic in South Africa as it became a crucible of black resistance against white minority rule, which ended with elections in 1994. Winnie Mandela’s husband became the first black president of democratic South Africa, but she refused to follow many other struggle-era politicians who moved from townships like Soweto to formerly white-only suburbs after the end of apartheid. Instead she remained embedded in the community where she met Nelson Mandela at a bus stop in 1957. After the formal service, Winnie Mandela’s body will be buried 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Soweto, at a privately run graveyard in Johannesburg’s upmarket Fourways suburb where two of her great-grand children are also buried. The funeral closes the final chapter in the history of a woman who was exalted for her fearless defiance of apartheid rule but also implicated in violence and corruption in later life. In 1991, she was convicted for kidnapping and being an accessory in the assault of a 14-year-old boy and was more generally accused of overseeing violence in black townships. In 2003 she was found guilty of fraud. But her controversial reputation has been largely brushed aside in the wake of her death with tributes to her bravery, independence and integrity dominating public commemorations. The United Nations staged a special memorial sitting at its New York headquarters on Friday to mark her passing. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described her as “an international symbol of resistance”. South Africa’s communications minister Nomvula Mokonyane told AFP that Winnie should not only be remembered for “mistakes or the casualties of the struggle”. In old age, Winnie Mandela emerged as a respected elder who was feted as a living reminder of her late husband — and of the long and celebrated struggle against apartheid. Most of her 38-year marriage to Nelson was spent apart, leaving her to raise their two daughters alone as she kept his political dream alive. But when Nelson Mandela died in 2013, it emerged he had left Winnie nothing in his will. On Saturday, a 21-gun salute will be fired and a full honour guard is expected to escort Winnie’s remains to her final resting place.

SOUTH AFRICA LAYS WINNIE MANDELA TO REST. 14 April 2018. Via REUTERS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Africa lays to rest anti-apartheid icon and Nelson Mandela’s former wife Winnie Mandela with full state honours at a stadium funeral in Soweto on Saturday. Tens of thousands of mourners burst into loud cheers as the casket carrying her remains was wheeled into the stadium, less than two kilometres from her home. The casket draped with the multi-coloured South African flag was placed in the middle of the 37,500-seater stadium in front of a stage, decked in white and yellow flowers. Mourners dressed in the colours of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), as well those of the radical opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), sang “there’s no-one like Winnie”, an adapted popular liberation struggle song. The ceremony concludes 10 days of national mourning du...

6 Simple Things Every Men Could Do To Win Her Heart. I share this for those in LOVE. 13 April 2018. Let’s be honest here. Women tend to be more emotional than men. And that’s just general knowledge at this point. When in relationships, it’s the women who tend to attach a lot of emotions to simple gestures and words. Men don’t typically get emotionally attached to things – and that can often be a source of potential conflict between the two genders. When a girl thinks that something is a big deal, and a man doesn’t, then she might believe that he’s just not as into the relationship as she is. And that’s why the both of you need to always be operating on the same emotional wavelength in your relationship. You just have to understand that you need to put in the extra effort as the man in your relationship. You need to be the one who tries to meet her halfway. You need to understand her needs and you really need to try your best to meet them. If not, then you risk eventually losing her in the long run and you definitely don’t want that. And don’t worry. You don’t have to be doing any grand gestures like you see in those romantic comedies that she forces you to watch. You don’t even have to be breaking your bank account to prove your love for her. All it really takes is consistency and stability – and these are things that you can accomplish by doing little gestures every day. You just have to make sure that you practice good habits in a relationship. And over time, these little efforts that you put into your love are going to pay off big time. You just have to be able to trust in the grind of love – trust the process. Love is continually built every day that you’re together and you can’t afford to take it for granted if you don’t want to lose it. So if you’re feeling a little lost and misguided, don’t worry. That is exactly what this article is for. Sometimes, romanticism and intimacy doesn’t come as naturally to some men as it does to others. And it’s always okay to turn to the internet for a little help. The fact that you’re here reading this now is a good sign. It shows initiative. It shows your willingness to learn. So here are a few things that you really need to keep in mind if you want to win over her heart every single day: 1. Be as sweet and as charming as possible to the important people in her life. You are an important person to her. But she also has other people in her life who are important to her. And it’s very important to her that the people who are closest to her heart are actually able to get along. So always try to make an effort to be sweet and kind to the people she loves the most. Show her that you are willing to do your part to integrate yourself into her world. 2. Always try to pay attention to the details. The devil is in the details, as they say. Always make sure to take notice of the little things – because even though they might seem like nothing to you, they mean a lot to her. For instance, if she changes her hair style, take notice of it. Compliment her on it. It’s going to go a long way. 3. Check up on her whenever you’ve been apart for a substantial period of time. Let her know that you’re thinking of her even when you’re not together. It’s going to make her feel extra good and special inside to know that she has a man who is always thinking of her. Show her that she is important to you by letting her know that she is always on your mind. 4. Show her your gratitude for the things that she does for you and the relationship. Always make her feel like she adds value to your life. Never let her efforts go unnoticed. Show her that you appreciate her presence in your life and that you don’t take anything that she does for granted. Show her that you don’t take this relationship for granted. 5. Always reassure her that you have her back. Let her know that she can always count on you to be there for her whenever she needs you. Give her the courage to take a few risks in life because she can be secure in the knowledge that you will be there to catch her if she falls. 6. Give her the absolute warmest smile whenever you see her. A smile can go a really long way in winning over a girl’s heart. With a genuinely warm smile, you are telling her that you are able to find happiness and comfort in her presence. You are letting her know that her mere existence in your life is enough to bring you joy and contentment. So smile at her whenever you can. Bring positivity into her life the same way that she does with yours. Talk to me

6 Simple Things Every Men Could Do To Win Her Heart . I share this for those in LOVE. 13 April 2018. Let’s be honest here. Women tend to be more emotional than men. And that’s just general knowledge at this point. When in relationships, it’s the women who tend to attach a lot of emotions to simple gestures and words. Men don’t typically get emotionally attached to things – and that can often be a source of potential conflict between the two genders. When a girl thinks that something is a big deal, and a man doesn’t, then she might believe that he’s just not as into the relationship as she is. And that’s why the both of you need to always be operating on the same emotional wavelength in your relationship. You just have to understand that you need to put in the extra effort as the man in your relationship. You need to be the one who tries to meet her halfway. You need to understand her needs and you really need to try your best to meet them....

Musevenis assistant loses Shs450 million in bogus gold deal. KAMPALA- Detectives have arrested the former National Resistance Movement Kampala City mayoral aspirant on allegations of conning a Senior Presidential Assistant in Charge of Diaspora Issues of over Shs450 million in a fake gold deal. Muhammad Kasule, the proprietor of Blue Diamond Corporation, allegedly conned Ms Florence Kiremerwa and her US business partner, Mr Richard Richards, of the said money after promising to deliver to them two kilogrammes of gold. Mr Vicent Ssekatte, the spokesman of police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, confirmed the arrest of Kasule. “A complaint was made to us and we have arrested Kasule on charges of obtaining money by false pretence and uttering false documents and forgery,” Mr Ssekatte said on Tuesday. It is alleged that Kasule promised Ms Kiremerwa and Mr Richards to sell them gold at US$50,000 (Shs150m) mid last year. Mr Richards, reportedly wired US$48,000 (Shs175 million) to Ms Kiremerwa’s bank account. She also reportedly transferred the money to Kasule’s account in KCB main branch in Kampala City. Mr Ssekatte said Kasule didn’t deliver the gold. “He told Richards to travel back to US and convinced him that he would send the consignment. When Richards went back to the US, Kasule started dealing with him directly,” he said. The suspect allegedly told Mr Richards that he had 50 kgms of gold in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and then demanded $107,759 (Shs 394 million). The suspect is said to have sent him documents to prove that the gold was available. Mr Richards reportedly wired the money to the suspect’s bank account. After getting the money, Kasule allegedly stopped communicating to Mr Richards. Ms Kiremerwa detected the scam and reported to police. According to police, the mobile phone numbers that the suspect had given to his victims were found out to belong to other people. They tracked one line which led them to a one Edson Kasyata, who denied any dealings with the suspect. Kasule’s company was also found to be unregistered. Mr Ssekatte said on verification, the documents he gave to the victims were also found out to be forged. “For more than nine months he has been in hiding. Detectives have been looking for him until they got a tip off and arrested him on Monday,” he said. Recently, the police warned foreigners who travel to Uganda to buy gold of conmen after an increase in scams reported to the police. The police said most of victims are from Middle East, Europe and the US. abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

Musevenis assistant loses Shs450 million in bogus gold deal . KAMPALA- Detectives have arrested the former National Resistance Movement Kampala City mayoral aspirant on allegations of conning a Senior Presidential Assistant in Charge of Diaspora Issues of over Shs450 million in a fake gold deal. Muhammad Kasule, the proprietor of Blue Diamond Corporation, allegedly conned Ms Florence Kiremerwa and her US business partner, Mr Richard Richards, of the said money after promising to deliver to them two kilogrammes of gold. Mr Vicent Ssekatte, the spokesman of police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, confirmed the arrest of Kasule. “A complaint was made to us and we have arrested Kasule on charges of obtaining money by false pretence and uttering false documents and forgery,” Mr Ssekatte said on Tuesday. It is alleged that Kasule promised Ms Kiremerwa and Mr Richards to sell them gold at US$50,000 (Shs150m) mid last year. Mr Richards, reportedly wired US$48,000 (Shs17...