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Fresh Dairy has announced a ten percent (10%) Back-to-school discount on its flavoured milk slim pack -12 and 24-pack cartons. Fresh Dairy Flavoured milk is popular for being an on-the-go ready-to-drink snack and offers great refreshment for school time, during and post sports work-out activities.

Marketing Manager Fresh Dairy – Vincent Omoth said, “Fresh Dairy resonates with the costs that revolve around back-to-school season. We have therefore discounted all our flavoured milk – 12 pack cartons by 10%, an offer which is valid for a two months period starting 25th January to 31st March 2024.”

Omoth added that this back-to-school promotion follows the recent introduction of a new flavoured milk slim pack that is easy to hold, sleek and trendy for that pupil or student at school.

Omoth noted that Fresh Dairy’s flavoured milk comes in three (3) amazing flavours – Vanilla, Strawberry and chocolate; offers 2 carton options – 24 and 12 pack cartons and 2 pack sizes – 500ml and 250ml. “I urge parents to stock up Fresh Dairy’s flavoured milk for their children, for that quick refreshment during this back-to-school season,” said Omoth.

Omoth concluded by noting that for order delivery of Fresh Dairy’s flavoured milk, consumers can place orders Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm by simply calling Fresh Dairy’s customer care toll free on 0800 100 020/21 or WhatsApp 0715 744 664.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, John Mulimba, has confirmed that over 290 Ugandans are stranded in India, Egypt, and Myanmar, after being trafficked out of the country.

Mulimba who made the confirmation on the floor of parliament Thursday afternoon said there are fears that some of the victims have been recruited into rebel activities.

The minister said: "The traffickers recruit desperate Ugandans via fictitious Websites. Most victims respond to an online advertisement for highly paying jobs in Thailand and Malaysia.” 

“When they embark on the journeys either by air or by boats via the ports of Mombasa, they are received by traffickers at the designated places. They are then transferred to Myanmar via boats or road to rebel-controlled areas.” 

"Currently, the known records of Ugandans in rebel territories are 30. They are held in 2 camps namely; 16 persons in Bailo compound - Kayin state and 14 in UK Compound.”

“Some of the migrant groups have already submitted approximately 60 Ugandans in need of evacuation and stating that they were unable to meet the conditions set forth by the Egyptian Government.”

“The exact number of Ugandans staying in Egypt is unknown mainly because Ugandans don’t register their presence with the Mission, and secondly, because those who are illegally in the country cannot have their records updated by authorities." 

“Current reports from the Uganda High Commission in New Delhi indicate that they have up to 200 stranded Ugandan ladies mostly victims of human trafficking who want to return home but are unable due to lack of funds to purchase air tickets. The Mission does not have adequate space to accommodate them. They were trafficked under the guise of jobs, which are not there."   

President Yoweri Museveni and the former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the Facilitator of the East African Community (EAC) - led Nairobi Peace Process on Wednesday met at State House in Entebbe, Uganda, to discuss the regional mandate alongside recent developments in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Leaders of the EAC member states are trying everything in their means to end insurgencies in DRC. Recently, the EAC has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability to the eastern region of the DRC.

The EAC Secretary General (Dr.) Peter Mathuki said that the lessons learned from the deployment of the EAC Regional Force (EACRF) present opportunities for the Community to strengthen its role as the primary guarantor of peace and security in the region through the Institutionalisation of the EACRF’s achievements.

The Neycha Accelerator & Fund, a joint initiative by the Biovision Foundation, SHONA, and SHONA Capital supporting agroecological enterprises (AEEs) in Kenya and Uganda, has announced that applications are now open for the second cohort of the program.

Launched in 2023, Neycha provides capacity building, capital, and connections to help growth-oriented AEEs scale their impact and transition food systems towards agroecology.

"Being part of the Neycha program is transformational for our business," said Geoffrey Okoth Yoga, Founder & COO of Papoli Farmers' Limited, a cohort 1 participant from Uganda.

"The training and mentorship so far are helping us strengthen our operations and strategy. It is an eye opener to the applicability of agroecological principles and a reaffirmation that some of what we already do is agroecological, but we aim to do better."

To qualify for cohort 2, businesses must be legally registered in Kenya or Uganda, at least 3 years old, and generating over USD 40,000 in annual revenue. Applicants are assessed for their commitment to integrating agroecological approaches.

“We have made tremendous progress with our first cohort of 20 Agroecology Entrepreneurs (AEEs) from Uganda and Kenya,” said Lucy Asiimwe, Program Manager, SHONA Group.

“We were thrilled with their enthusiasm and response towards improving the practice of agroecology in their business models. We are committed to continuously provide tailored capacity and connections, coupled with access to financing through the Neycha Accelerator & Fund.

Now we are eager to build on this momentum by bringing a new group of dedicated agroecological entrepreneurs into the 2nd cohort of the Neycha program."

Fabio Leippert, Co-Lead Policy & Advocacy at Biovision, said, “We are thrilled to see Neycha performing and advancing. By embarking on a second cohort of enterprises, we hope to further fuel the momentum for a just and sustainable food system transformation through innovative entrepreneurs and businesses in Kenya and Uganda.”

Participants will gain access to expert training, coaching, and mentorship on tailored “Good Business” growth aspects while embedding agroecology principles. They will go through a deep selection process and a thorough Agroecology Assessment to be selected among the 20 AEEs. Following their selection is an intensive training and “Good Business” growth planning process during the boot camp activities, followed by 1 year of mentorship and coaching support.

Capital investment between USD 10,000 and 50,000 in affordable debt financing for AEEs is an integral part of the program. Additional to that are connections to markets, strategic partners, and alternative investors/financiers. Neycha ultimately aims to catalyse the growth of commercially viable, impact-driven agroecological enterprises across East Africa.

“Agroecological enterprises are key to transforming food systems. With Neycha, our goal is to accelerate their growth and impact by addressing key barriers like a lack of finance and business skills,” said SHONA Capital Investment Manager, Daniel Opio.

“By connecting investors, development partners, the government, and of course AEEs themselves, we can help consolidate knowledge and accelerate the transition to sustainable, equitable food systems in the region,” remarked Asiimwe.

How to Apply

Interested agroecological enterprises in Kenya and Uganda can apply through the Neycha website (www.neychaaccelerator.co) before the March, 4^th, 2024 deadline.

The Office of the President of Namibia on Sunday 4 February 2024 announced that President Dr. Hage G. Geingob had died at Lady Pohamba Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment from his medical team.

At his side was his dear wife, Monica Geingos, and his children, the announcement by Dr Nangolo Mbumba, the Acting President of the Republic of Namibia, said.

“His medical team, as I informed the nation only yesterday has been trying its best to ensure that our President recovers. Regrettably, notwithstanding the team’s spirited effort to save his life, sadly, fellow Namibians, President Geingob passed on,” Dr Mbumba.  

Dr Mbumba said, “The Namibian nation has lost a distinguished servant of the people, a liberation struggle icon, the chief architect of our constitution, and the pillar of the Namibian house.”

“At this moment of deepest sorrow, I appeal to the nation to remain calm and collected while the Government attends to all necessary state arrangements, preparations and other protocols. Further announcements in this regard will be made,” he added.

“While keeping the President’s bereaved family, and you, dear fellow Namibians, in our thoughts and prayers, Cabinet will convene with immediate effect in order to make the necessary state arrangements in this regard,” he further added.  

EAC Ministers in charge of Health have endorsed a regional policy framework aimed at promoting antibiotics production and a collaborative mechanism for information exchange in the production and supply of antibiotics across the region.

The 44^th EAC Ordinary Council of Ministers endorsed this framework following multistakeholder consultations at the national and regional level as well as sensitization meetings with senior officials including Permanent Secretaries of Ministries responsible for health and industry. The project engaged over 300 stakeholders from both public and private sectors across the region.

This significant development came to light during a closeout meeting of the EAC-UNCTAD project, "Investment Incentives for Local Production of Essential Antibiotics in East Africa," held in Nairobi in December 2023. The meeting, attended by representatives from the EAC and its Partner States, UNCTAD, GIZ, and GFA Consulting Group, provided a platform to unveil the Council's approval of these essential policy documents.

Since 2019, the EAC Secretariat has collaborated closely with UNCTAD to develop and support the implementation of these critical policy documents. Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana, the Director of Productive Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, emphasized the impact of the approved Policy Framework on Production and Supply of Antibiotics.

"The framework introduces incentives that address current bottlenecks in local antibiotic production, while the cooperation mechanism facilitates regular updates on essential antibiotics facing shortages, supply interruptions, excessive pricing, and other challenges,” he said.

Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, acknowledged UNCTAD's support and highlighted the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry in the region.

Dr. Mukhwana emphasised the urgent need for EAC Partner States to implement policy incentives to attract investments, considering the region's heavy reliance on imported medicines.

Mr. Bruno Casella, UNCTAD’s Senior Economist and Chief of the Intellectual Property Unit commended the project's success and emphasized its alignment with UNCTAD's strategic focus on global research and policy work in pharmaceutical local production and regionalism.

The implementation of the EAC Regional Policy Framework and Cooperation Mechanism will necessitate a multisectoral approach, bridging health, trade, industry, and investment. Existing implementation structures at both regional and national levels will be leveraged, but capacity enhancement will be a crucial component of the policy implementation process. The implementation will also require policy and regulatory changes, the introduction of new practices, and rigorous monitoring and reporting.

This milestone marks a significant stride towards strengthening the regional capacity for antibiotics production and supply, with potential far-reaching impacts on public health and economic resilience within the East African Community.

The East African Community (EAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability to the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki said that the lessons learned from the deployment of the EAC Regional Force (EACRF) present opportunities for the Community to strengthen its role as the primary guarantor of peace and security in the region through the Institutionalisation of the EACRF’s achievements.

Dr. Mathuki said that the EAC will seek to strengthen its ability to respond to peace and security challenges of Partner States by the reinforcement of the successes of the regional force through the formulation of appropriate policies, guidelines, frameworks and instruments pegged on best global practices.

“The development of key instruments will further enable the EAC to respond more effectively to regional peace and security challenges through holistic conflict management,” said Dr. Mathuki.

“From this experience, the EAC has proven to be adaptable to handle security challenges and can be relied on as an able partner to respond to complex conflicts affecting the region.

Dr. Mathuki was speaking at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania during the hand-over ceremony of the flag by the EACRF following the end of the peacekeeping mission to DRC on 21st December 2023.

The Secretary General hailed the EACRF members as gallant soldiers who had put their lives on the line for the sake of ordinary East Africans residing in eastern DRC, adding that the peacekeeping mission had been highly successful despite some challenges it faced on the ground.

The EACRF Force Commander, Major General Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu, handed over the flag to the Secretary General.

Speaking at the event, Major. Gen. Kiugu said that the mission had registered various successes key among them the protection of civilians, a core function of the mandate that was achieved through the facilitation of the ceasefire between the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group.

Maj. Gen. Kiugu said that the partial opening of the main supply routes of Goma-Rutshuru, Bunagana-Rutshuru, Sake-Mushake and Sake-Kitchanga-Mweso, enable the free movement of goods and persons.

“Further, EACRF deployment helped defuse direct physical threat to Goma and Sake towns,” said the Force Commander.

“The sum effect of these actions was the gradual return of internally displaced persons to their homes, especially in Sake, Kirolirwe, Kitchanga and Mweso, within Masisi territory and in Kibumba, Rumangabo, Kiwanja and Bunagana in Nyiragongo and Rutshuru territories.

Maj. Gen. Kiugu further said that humanitarian agencies’ activities increased with close collaboration between EACRF and humanitarian organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross/Crescent (ICRC).

“Additionally, EACRF through coordinated Civil-Military Cooperation activities was able to offer limited humanitarian assistance to the local population in their areas of deployment, including medical care and casualty evacuation.

President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), on Friday 2nd February 2024 met the party's parliamentary caucus at State House, Entebbe.

During the meeting, the President and the Members of Parliament discussed the Rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX).

“This subject we are dealing with is a strategic one. If you don't answer strategic answers correctly, you end up with problems and when you answer them correctly, you win,” he said.

Museveni further informed the caucus members that if the government decides to carry out rationalization now, they will save Shs1 trillion a year.

“When we talk of rationalization, we are talking of first of all, doing things which are rational and save money.”

He added that during rationalization, the whole structure of the government should be geared to support the wealth creators, since they are vital in the development of the country.

“This issue of rationalization is a strategic one and the way to handle it is to start by asking the question that Adam Smith answered in 1776 when he wrote a book titled “The source of the wealth of nations”, the question is where does wealth come from? Because there's no way any group of leaders will succeed if they do not answer that question. That is why you find a lot of chaos in so many parts of the world,” the President said.

“Wealth creation is the issue of enabling families and companies as well as individuals to produce goods and services and sell them and do so with “ekibaro”. Now who are these wealth creators? Number one, the commercial farmers, the second are the manufacturers, the third are the service providers and then ICT. So, what do this need? They need peace, the infrastructure (such as the roads, railways, electricity), they also need capital, skills and technical support.”

The President also advised the legislators that if they want to be successful politicians, they must help the people they serve to create wealth through sensitising them to embrace the four sectors of the economy.

The Government Chief Whip and Chairperson of the NRM Parliamentary caucus, Denis Hamson Obua, said as a caucus they support the rationalization of government agencies and public expenditure through the enactment of legislation in Parliament, sector by sector.

During the same meeting, Bukoto South MP, Twaha Kagabo, who belongs to the opposition-National Unity Platform (NUP), committed himself to work with the ruling party for the betterment of the people he serves.