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  • Congo finally begins mpox vaccinations in a drive to slow outbreaks

    Congo finally begins mpox vaccinations in a drive to slow outbreaks

    Congolese authorities on Saturday began vaccination against mpox, nearly two months after the disease outbreak that spread from Congo to several African countries and beyond was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization.

    The 265,000 doses donated to Congo by the European Union and the U.S. were rolled out in the eastern city of Goma in North Kivu province, where hospitals and health workers have been overstretched, struggling to contain the new and possibly more infectious strain of mpox.

    Congo, with about 30,000 suspected mpox cases and 859 deaths, accounts for more than 80% of all the cases and 99% of all the deaths reported in Africa this year. All of the Central African nation’s 26 provinces have recorded mpox cases.

    Although most mpox infections and deaths recorded in Congo are in children under age 15, the doses being administered are only meant for adults and will be given to at-risk populations and front-line workers, Health Minister Roger Kamba said this week.

    “Strategies have been put in place by the services in order to vaccinate all targeted personnel,” Muboyayi ChikayaI, the minister’s chief of staff, said as he kicked off the vaccination.

    At least 3 million doses of the vaccine approved for use in children are expected from Japan in the coming days, Kamba said.

    Mpox, also known as monkeypox, had been spreading mostly undetected for years in Africa before the disease prompted the 2022 global outbreak that saw wealthy countries quickly respond with vaccines from their stockpiles while Africa received only a few doses despite pleas from its governments.

    However, unlike the global outbreak in 2022 that was overwhelmingly focused in gay and bisexual men, mpox in Africa is now being spread via sexual transmission as well as through close contact among children, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups, Dr. Dimie Ogoina, the chair of WHO’s mpox emergency committee, recently told reporters.

    More than 34,000 suspected cases and 866 deaths from the virus have been recorded across 16 countries in Africa this year. That is a 200% increase compared to the same period last year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

    But access to vaccines remains a challenge.

    The continent of 1.4 billion people has only secured commitment for 5.9 million doses of mpox vaccines, expected to be available from October through December, Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa CDC, told reporters last week. Congo remains a priority, he said.

    At the vaccination drive in Goma, Dr Jean Bruno Kibunda, the WHO representative, warned that North Kivu province is at a risk of a major outbreak due to the “promiscuity observed in the camps” for displaced people, as one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis caused by armed violence unfolds there.

    The news of the vaccination program brought relief among many in Congo, especially in hospitals that had been struggling to manage the outbreak.

    “If everyone could be vaccinated, it would be even better to stop the spread of the disease,” said Dr. Musole Mulambamunva Robert, the medical director of Kavumu Hospital, one of the mpox treatment centers in eastern Congo.

    Eastern Congo has been beset by conflict for years, with more than 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich area near the border with Rwanda. Some have been accused of carrying out mass killings.

  • Cargo airlines leave Kenya fresh produce exporters stranded

    Cargo airlines leave Kenya fresh produce exporters stranded

    Kenya’s fresh produce sub-sector is staring at massive losses at the onset of the peak season, as several international airlines withdraw their freight services from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for “better pay” in other markets ahead of the festive season and lack of a binding agreement for the airlines to serve the local market.

    The situation inflicting the horticultural sector has been compounded by the Red Sea crisis, which has increased the cost of transit through the Egyptian waterway, Suez Canal, by $200 per refrigerated (reef) container, and prolonged the transit period by 10 days as vessels take the longer route through the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to Europe.

    The horticultural sector generated KSh157 billion ($1.21 billion) in export earnings in 2023, according to data from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).

    The Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA), a private sector membership organisation representing the interests of importers and exporters, confirmed the logistics crisis at the airport affecting fresh produce destined for export to the European market and urged the government to act swiftly to alleviate the crisis by allowing temporary permits for freighters to fill the gap, currently estimated at 800 tonnes, and to consider wet leasing of cargo airlines.

    Wet leasing is paying to use an aircraft with crew, fuel and insurance for a short period. “The situation at the JKIA is worse this week. We are over 800 tonnes less than the same week last year,” said Agayo Ogambi, SCEA CEO. “This results in delayed delivery, loss of markets, and affects the shelf life of the products, resulting in huge losses. We are asking the government to consider temporary approval of freighters to fill the gap.”

    We have reliably learnt that key international cargo airlines such as Qatar, Turkish and Magma Aviation, have removed some of their freighters, with CargoluxAirlines International SA, a flag carrier cargo airline of Luxembourg, expected to join the fray on October 4.

    Sources said Qatar Airways removed two freighters carrying flowers from Nairobi to Liege, Belgium, resulting in a 200-tonne drop in capacity, while Turkish Airlines removed one freighter per week from Nairobi to Maastricht, Netherlands, affecting flowers and leading to a further 100 tonnes decline.

    The reduced capacity has translated into increased airfreight costs from $2.3 per kilogramme to between $3.57 and $3.6 per kilogramme.

    Higher demand

    “Yes, it is true Qatar and Turkish Airlines have withdrawn freight services on some routes. I think it has to do with pricing. You know, we are entering the peak season, and some alternative routes could be paying better than us (Kenya),” a clearing agent at the airport who requested not to be named said.

    The management of Qatar and Turkish cargo airlines did not respond to emailed questions at the time of going to the press.

    “Thank you for contacting Qatar Airways Cargo. We have received your enquiry and one of our representatives will contact you shortly,” said Qatar Airways Cargo.

    Calls and text messages to the cellphone of Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Agriculture Paul Rono went unanswered. According to the SCEA, foreign cargo airlines have been enticed by relatively “better” pay for their services in other global jurisdictions because of the increasing activities ahead of the festive season.

    For instance, from Asia to the US, these cargo airlines are getting up to $8 per kilogramme, compared with Kenya, where they are getting $2.5-$2.8 per kilogramme “There is higher demand and higher pay for their services in other global markets.

    “The other reason is that they don’t have a binding agreement to serve Kenya. Most of them are bilateral agreements, which do not bind them to operate here, and so they can leave at their own will. This is a contractual challenge,” Mr Ogambi said.

    Global share of exports

    The logistics crisis facing the fresh produce earmarked for airlifting to the European market through the JKIA has increased the cargo rollovers by 200-300 tonnes, according to the SCEA.

    Kenya’s economy is firmly rooted in agriculture, with horticulture becoming one of the country’s main sources of foreign income by exporting f­lowers to more than 60 countries.

    Kenya’s global share of exports of fruits and vegetables stood at 12 per cent and six percent in 2023 respectively.

    Kenya’s share of global fruit and vegetable production was 0.5 per cent and 0.3 percent respectively in the same period according to data from AFA.

    The major fruits produced in 2023 were bananas (34 per cent), avocado (23 percent), mangoes (16 per cent), oranges (5.8 per cent), and watermelon (five percent). Others were pawpaw, pineapple and lime.

    The top fruit exports in 2023 were avocado, pineapples, mangoes, apples, oranges and raspberries.

    Vegetables produced in the period were tomatoes, cabbages, kales, garden peas, bulb, onions, spinach and French beans.

  • Kampala University campus in Kenya up for sale over $15m debt

    Kampala University campus in Kenya up for sale over $15m debt

    An auctioneer has put up for sale an educational complex in Kajiado County belonging to Kampala International University (KIU) to recover a debt of $15 million owed to mortgage lender Housing Finance.

    Valley Auctioneers on Monday invited bids for the purchase of the complex that sits on a 61.3-acre parcel of land in Kisaju, approximately 1.5 kilometres off the Nairobi-Namanga Highway.

    The incomplete educational complex comprises a four-storey administration block, five five-storey tuition blocks comprising five interconnected blocks, a four-storey library, two kitchen and dining blocks, a five-storey housing block and a hostel block.

    The complex also has a five-storey guest house, a powerhouse, stores block, a security guard block, and a four-bedroom bungalow.

    “All interested purchasers are requested to view and verify the details as the financiers/charges or the auctioneers do not warrant these,” Valley Auctioneers said in a newspaper notice, adding that the sale would be conducted on September 19.

    KIU lost a bid to block the sale of the Kisaju property in April after the Supreme Court dismissed its second appeal in the loan dispute.

    The university borrowed the loan in 2014 to develop its Kitengela campus but defaulted.  Buoyed by the success of its existing campuses, the university sought to expand into the Kenyan market and acquired the land to construct the Kitengela Campus at an estimated cost of $15 million.

    The loan had a 9.5 percent compounded interest rate from January 2018—which means that KIU is required to repay an excess of $24million.

    KIU first approached Housing Finance for the loan in 2010 and the deal was inked in 2014. The land was charged to the mortgage lender as security for the loan.

    According to KIU, the bank disbursed a loan of $10 million in January 2014, but there was a delay in disbursing the balance of $5 million.

    The university then sued for damages, among other demands and Housing Finance filed a counterclaim, which was upheld by the arbitrator, who ruled in favour of the lender in 2019.

    A subsequent appeal to the High Court was dismissed by Justice Margaret Muigai, forcing KIU to head to the Court of Appeal, but suffered the same fate and, unsatisfied, the university escalated the matter to the Supreme Court.

    In April, a bench of five judges of the Supreme Court dismissed the second appeal, saying there was no constitutional interpretation in the matter to allow the apex court to invoke its jurisdiction and determine the case.

    “This court has consistently held that the mere claim by a party to the effect that its rights were violated by a superior court for whatever reason, does not bring the intended appeal within the purview of Article 163 (4) (a) of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court said.   

    The judges added that the appeal by KIU did not fall within any of the exceptions that would justify the court to assume jurisdiction and deal with the matter.

    “In fact, we are satisfied that, by declining to grant leave to appeal in the circumstances of this case, the Court of Appeal was correctly guided by our decisions,” Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and Justices Mohammed Ibrahim, Smokin Wanjala, Njoki Ndung’u, and Isaac Lenaola said.

    About Kampala International University

    Kampala International University (KIU) is a private, not-for-profit institution based in Uganda. It was established in 2001 and assumed chattered status in 2009.

    In pursuit of the dream to raise the next generation of problem solvers for the East African region and indeed the whole of Africa, the University operates a multi-campus system which consists of two campuses in Uganda (The Main campus in Kampala and the Western Campus in Ishaka-Bushenyi); one other university in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

    The University which started as a typical degree-awarding institution has now grown into the number one Private University in Uganda and is currently ranked 2nd in Uganda and 4th in East Africa according to the latest 2024 Webometric Ranking. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of Africa Universities as well as the Inter University-Council of East Africa. The University offers a variety of programmes in Health Sciences, Science and Technology, Engineering, Business and Management, Law, Humanities and Education.

  • Mombasa port receives its first LNG-powered ship

    Mombasa port receives its first LNG-powered ship

    The first-ever tanker powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) to call on the Mombasa port berthed about two weeks ago, an itinerary revealed, boosting the gateway’s go-green emissions strategy in line with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Marpol Convention).

    Mv Arctic Tern, currently sailing under the flag of Singapore, delivered a consignment of palm oil from Malaysia to Mombasa. The vessel, which was commissioned on March 14, 2024, is 183 metres long and 32 metres wide.

    As emissions regulations become more stringent, many ship owners are turning to alternative fuels to power their vessels, with LNG emerging as a popular choice.

    LNG used to fuel ships is produced from natural gas extracted from underground reserves, including both onshore and offshore gas fields.

    The arrival of Mv Artic Tern is a boost for the Port of Mombasa as it joins other seaports around the world in implementing MARPOL, the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) main convention for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.

    According to Julius Koech, Director of Maritime Safety at the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the use of alternative fuels is part of the maritime and shipping industry’s efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

    “The levels of LNG emissions when burned are significantly low as compared to heavy fuels, which are being used, as it is also an advantage to the ship owner in terms of cost benefits in acquiring fuel,” he said.

    Under the Marpol regulations, all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above that are engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of other parties must have an International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate, issued by the ship’s flag State.

    To obtain the certificate, ships must use low-sulphur fuel oil to meet IMO requirements, while refineries can blend high-sulphur (non-compliant) fuel oil with a low-sulphur fuel oil to produce a compliant one.

    Mr Koech said more LNG-powered vessels are expected to enter the market as more players comply with anti-pollution laws.

    “Moving forward we are going to see these kinds of ships plying the seas because the ambitious plan from the international arena is to decarbonise the shipping industry by 2050,” he said.

    Last year, the Port of Mombasa joined other ports around the world in implementing the new IMO Global Sulphur Cap 2020 rule, which came into force on January 1, 2020.

    The rule requires all seagoing vessels to use of low-sulphur fuel as part of a global effort to reduce air pollution by cutting sulphur oxide emissions.

    Mombasa-based Alba Petroleum and Alfoss Energy Ltd were contracted in December last year to refuel ships docking at the port with products containing 0.5 percent sulphur, compared to the previous limit of 3.5 percent.

    The law affects all ship operators, oil refiners, and bunker suppliers. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships aims to reduce sulphur oxide emissions from ships by 77 percent or about 8.5 million tonnes a year.

  • Kenyan court halts proposed leasing of JKIA to Adani

    Kenyan court halts proposed leasing of JKIA to Adani

    Kenya’s High Court has temporarily suspended the proposed plans to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises.

    In a case certified as urgent by the High Court, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenged the push to take over the running of JKIA by the Indian company for a period of 30 years.

    The two organisations argued that JKIA is a strategic and profitable national asset and the deal is, therefore, irrational and violates the principles of good governance, accountability, transparency, and prudent and responsible use of public money.

    In the deal, the Indian firm would upgrade the airport, including the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal under a 30-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract.

    https://twitter.com/Its_TheWatchman/status/1833454705466347583

    KHRC and LSK, however, argued that Kenya can independently raise the estimated $1.85 billion or Ksh238 billion needed to expand JKIA without leasing the airport for the stated period.Kenya’s High Court has temporarily suspended the proposed plans to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises.

    In a case certified as urgent by the High Court, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenged the push to take over the running of JKIA by the Indian company for a period of 30 years.

    The two organisations argued that JKIA is a strategic and profitable national asset and the deal is, therefore, irrational and violates the principles of good governance, accountability, transparency, and prudent and responsible use of public money.

    In the deal, the Indian firm would upgrade the airport, including the construction of a second runway and a new passenger terminal under a 30-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract.

    KHRC and LSK, however, argued that Kenya can independently raise the estimated $1.85 billion or Ksh238 billion needed to expand JKIA without leasing the airport for the stated period.

    “Thus, the Adani proposal is unaffordable, threatens job losses, exposes the public, is diproportionate to fiscal risk, and offers no value for money to the taxpayer,” lawyer Dudley Ochiel said in the application. 

    High Court judge John Chigiti certified the case as urgent and granted temporary order, suspending the deal pending the determination of the case.

    The judge directed the case to be mentioned on October 8, to get a judgment date.

    Mr Ochiel submitted that the application will be rendered nugatory and moot if KAA and Adani are not stopped from signing the agreement and Adani goes ahead and acquires JKIA.

    The two organisations said they have written unsuccessfully to JKIA, seeking information under Article 35(1) and (3) of the Constitution of Kenya and section 4 of the Access to Information Act.

    It is LSK’s argument that Kenya would surrender the operational and profitable JKIA to Adani for 30 years in exchange for $1.85 billion. 

    “Thus, the proposal would deprive the public of, and transfer to Adani, all the current revenues, receipts, expenditures and other financial transactions over JKIA. Although the project is dubbed a Built Operate Transfer, KAA would be handing over an existing and operational airport to Adani,” Mr Ochiel said. 

    He added that in the end of the 30 years, Adani would, in perpetuity, retain an 18 percent equity stake in the aeronautical business at JKIA. 

    “Thus, after 30 years, Adani would be entitled to an 18 percent concession fee starting at Ksh6 billion and increasing by 10 percent every five years forever. In this way, the Adani proposal violates Article 201(c), demanding that the burden and benefits of using resources and public borrowing be shared equitably between present and future generations,” he said.

    He submitted that under the deal, Adani would acquire nearly 30 acres of unencumbered land next to JKIA for airport property investment and development business.

    Besides, the proposal entitles Adani to operate tax-free for ten years, import labour, and obtain free work visas, thus depriving Kenyan workers of their livelihood, contrary to Articles 26, 41, and 43 of the Constitution.