After many years of instability, the Democratic Republic of Congo is a country struggling to come out of the impasse it has faced for over a decade now. It is arguably the country with the poorest roads infrastructure in Central, East and southern Africa. However it is also the country with highest number of media outlets in the region. - Most of these communication medium are owned by politicians’ majority of them close to the government of the moment. Forceful eviction Unfortunately, when one of those close to power falls out of favor with the regime, their media houses are faced with thorough scrutiny from the State. The latest in chronology is the eviction from its headquarte…

With the General Elections in almost a month time, tension is rising in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Insecurity is rife, abuse by security forces on the population and the media has also become very rampant. The latest case involves a journalist and priest. - Mr. Odon Mwamba Kayembe, a journalist from Grognon a local newspaper in Lubumbashi – DR. Congo – is been held by Special Forces since October 23rd 2011. His offence? An article he was still working on unearthing a prohibited relation between a priest and his parishioner in Lubumbashi. In his quest to get all the facts right, Odon Mwamba contacted some parishioners around a densely populated neighbourhood in a Lubumba…

- By Jerry Nguwa Nairobi, July 13 2009 Less than a week after American president, Barack Obama criticised the Kenyan political leadership over corruption, some concrete evidence have started to emerge here locally. Hapamedia reported yesterday the state of water shortage in Nairobi, the Kenya Minister of Water and Irrigation, Charitu Ngilu has attributed the scarcity on a cartel that is on rampage to make millions to the detriment of the population. Different reports have emerged on the issue. The Nairobi city mayor has told the press that 60 percent of Nairobi water is being used illegally for farming usage in and around the city. He says that the farm owners are connected to some…

- By Jerry Nguwa Nairobi, July 13 2009 News from Brazzaville reaching our desk confirms earlier reports that tension is high in the city following the call by the opposition to boycott the elections results citing foul play by the Government. Congolese went to the polls yesterday. President Sassou Ngu'eso was facing six contenders to his presidency. But before the end of the exercise, the opposition already called for boycott. They cited poor turnout and some malpractices by electoral officials. Foreign observers are also scheduled to call a press conference anytime from now on the same. Never won elections It's important to note that President Ngu'esso has never…

- Being the second largest country in Africa and the richest in Africa in terms of natural resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo is a country with a lot of potentials to be exploited. One of its still virgin unexploited areas is the aviation sector. A short while after its independence, the DRC taken back to dictatorship under the late Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendo wa za banga who gave the management of all companies to unskilled autochthones. This made competitiveness almost impossible in the business arena. Only companies affiliated to the power circle got a chance to invest. This made it impossible to the country to boast a number of airlines responding to international standa…

- On a countless times, African leaders always count on money remitted by their citizens living abroad. Their economies largely depend on that hard earned money to the extent that when the United States of America economy collapsed, all of them nearly went to their knees. The concern here is to know why these people are living outside their respective motherlands first. The African Diaspora is mainly formed of oppressed patriots who fled tyranny in their midst back in Africa . It's a Herculean task, I believe, to identify a single African country that respects democracy prevalence. No matter what it's appellation spells. Hapamedia had run a survey throughout last month to fin…

- Madaraka Day: As we celebrate... By Jerry Nguwa As we all unite to celebrate Madaraka day throughout the country. We seem to have forgotten and bury our differences and feud. This is a way of life that every single Kenyan would wish to witness for the rest of his stay on earth. So many things have happened to this country since it attained self rule from the United Kingdom on that fateful June 1 st 1963. Politicians have come and gone. Political parties like their founders, lived and died but Kenya has remained Kenya . What more do I have to say? You have the all message right on your television, FM radio speakers, computer monitors etc. Kenyans should come together, forget…

- [justify]It not news for many to hear that freedom of expression is inexistent in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One doesn't have to wonder where those opposed to certain issues talk from. It's definitely in the Diaspora. Because of the lack of proper means of communication and a free media platform, Congolese in the DRC are unable to express their opinions for fear of reprisals. Those who dare to do so, mainly live outside the country. Some have created blogs, websites, online radio and stations etc… These citizens know very well that by doing so it's like acquiring a persona non grata status in the DRC. Many who dared to travel back home on family visits saw…

- By Jerry Nguwa Friday, May 15 2009 The unique and rare herbivore specie that lives exclusively in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Okapi is facing a probable extermination threats. The animal which is essentially nocturne is in the list of world protected species since 1933. it lives only in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo due to its equatorial climate. Last week, the head of the Okapi conservancy in the Epulu Park of the DRC told the press that this fauna jewel is facing extermination because of the dangerous increase of poaching cases and deforestation in the park. Hpamedia's Managing Editor, Jerry Nguwa personally witnessed the trade of Okapi…

The Congolese minister for national defense, Charles Mwando Simba and the national army chief of staff, Didier Etumba claim that their lives are in danger amid death threats from some senior officers of the national army accused of funds diversion. - The minister told the UN sponsored Radio Okapi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He alleged that since the implementation of some reforms in regards with the pay of men under the flag, some officers and even juniors are threatening him and the National Army Chief of Staff. The D.R C tops the list of countries with the weakest national army. Having lost all its battles and failed to recapture a single territory lost to insurgents, nothin…

- By Jerry Nguwa Friday, May 15 2009 The much awaited sentencing of Kenya 's Aristocrat Tom Cholmondley to 8 months in jail, Kenyans have expressed mixed reactions. Some of them have accused the justice system of being too lenient to the descendant of British settler Lord Delamere. Others said that he was spared thanks to his wealth. Tom was arrested in 2006 for having shot dead a poacher named Robert Njoya in his Soysambu ranch along the Nairobi – Nakuru highway. Unfortunately this was not the first person he killed in his ranch. He shot and killed a Kenya Wildlife Services ranger sometimes back. Robert Njoya and his colleagues used to set traps in the vast Soysambu ran…

- By Jerry Nguwa May 06 2009 Reports from the UN sponsored Radio Okapi states that a brother to renegade general Nkunda has been arrested alongside two other CNDP senior officers with an important load of weapons and ammunition. Since the feud between Laurent Nkunda and his then chief of staff Bosco Ntaganda a few months before the joint operation by DR Congo and Rwanda to oust the CNDP and FDLR, it was clear to everyone that the CNDP was not answering to a single Duce. Some militants loyal to Bosco Ntaganda joined the DRC and Rwanda in fighting the Hutus and some of theirs answering to Laurent Nkunda. Some of Nkunda's followers crossed to Uganda and the rest vanished in the de…

The DR Congo has banned French international radio broadcaster - Radio France International (RFI) from operating. The ban follows alleged continuous broadcast of 'provocative statements' against the government, Congolese officials say. It affects mainly the Oriental Province's Ituri. - The Congolese Intelligence Service carried out the operation following public complaint by the Congolese Minister for Communication who is also the government spokesman, Lambert Mende Omalanga. The minister threatened to shut down RFI in the entire DRC if the French broadcaster continued to air what he called “provocative statements”. The minister claimed that some programmed air…

- By Jerry Nguwa May 1 2009 As the media fraternity is supposed to celebrate its freedom. In some parts of the world it is worthwhile to celebrate but in other parts journalists together with their audience should instead take the opportunity gather and analyse the state of the said freedom. Many countries in Africa and Asia fall in the latter part of the world. Being a Congolese citizen living in Kenya , put me in a better position to talk about freedom of the press. I am from a country where freedom of the press exists only in books published outside the country. It would be a surprise if I told the world that 90% of media outlet in the DR Congo is owned by president Kabila and his…

- By Jerry Nguwa May 1 2009 As we all gathered to celebrate the world's freedom of the press here in Kenya , we media practitioners have another reason to rejoice. It is the confidence that the people of Kenya have given us. Though we are among the most trusted institutions in the country, we also have to admit that we are the worst enemy of this great African country. With the rise of technology means of reaching the people, it is quiet difficult to distinguish journalists from quacks. We widely contributed to the killings that brought our beloved and Dear country down at the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008. We are the one that published and broadcasted hatred messag…

- Since the crisis between Joseph Kabila and the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Vital Kamerhe came in the limelight, a lot has been done in the country. Contrary to the proclamation of the respect of human rights, the Congolese executive arm of power has engaged itself in total war with the media, human rights activists and whoever opposes the regime. Since the “invitation” of Rwandans troops by Joseph Kabila for a joint military operation against FDLR and Laurent Nkunda, a large number of people have been killed kidnapped, and banned from travelling outside the country. The latest occurrence is the shutting down of the Kinshasa based television station CANAL KIN TELE…

- Since mid January 2009, Burundi has expelled around 5000 foreigners Hapamedia has learnt from a United Nations source. The Burundian government blames foreigners of not having legal residence papers and also of being responsible for the majority of the crimes cases witnessed in the country. The foreigners expelled are mainly from DR Congo, Rwandans, Tanzanians, Ugandans, and Senegalese. Many of those expelled had already acquired Burundians papers or possessed United Nations High Commission for Refugee's mandate. The Burundians tore all of documents presented to them by foreigners before gathering them in a stadium and loading them into Lorries that drove them to the nearest…

- Dual citizenship is still a very hot issue to tackle in by the political leadership in Africa . A lot of African countries had initiated the talks just to drop them later. One would just wonder what is wrong with someone holding two passports. African countries have sometimes found themselves in very difficult situation in when it comes to allow or not allow dual citizenship and even go to the extent of breaching their own laws. In some of the occasions, States are the one in need of individuals shared between two countries and in other occasions it individuals who are in great need of serving their motherland. portsmen are most of the times the ones that states beg to come back after h…

- Uganda is the kind of countries that will expel their own citizens for the sake of protecting investors and their assets. An investment advisor to President Museveni cum businessman, Mr. Patrick Bitature has warned on the danger of accommodating professional security guards without formal employment in the country. Bitature who is also the Chairman of the Uganda Investment Authority is concerned with the wave of returning Ugandan guards who have served in Iraq . He fears that, if not given meaningful employment the country might experience the most daring robberies in the country. Uganda is one country where international security companies have recruited extensively. Ugandan serv…

- Its now obvious that Human Rights activists operating in Kenya are living in fear after the open day assassination of OSACR FOUNDATION officials at the beginning of the month. This trend of threats to their lives is not new to Kenyans. The immediate former chairman of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Maina Kiai also complained about threat to his life and no one took it seriously. The latest victim after the broaday light killing of Oscar and Paul Oulu, is Kamanda Mucheke, a programme manager for the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights (KNCHR, governmental), has just left the country to go to Switzerland after the European Union (EU) accepted to find him safe haven to protect him…

- The young democracy of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been put on test. The national assembly is now supposed to show the really meaning of democracy that spells in the country's name. Having been elected on an Alliance of Presidential Majority's (AMP) ticket, the speaker of the national assembly is under pressure to resign. The many calls for his resignation come amid loud complaints of the President decision to allow the joint military operation by the Congolese and Rwandese armies to flash out the FDLR (Rwandese rebels) without consulting the legislative arm of power. Vital Kamerhe who had campaigned enormously for Joseph kabila's during the last general election…

- There are allegations that the second largest airport in Tanzania (Kilimanjaro International airport – KIA) better known as the “Gateway to Africa 's wildlife” can be operated by any middle class African as long as they can raise a 1000 USD. While in Kenya the controversy surrounding the lease of the Old Embakasi airport quoting millions is hitting headlines, on the other side of the national limes Tanzanian are waking up in shock after learning that the KIA is been leased to private investors KADCO for a mere 1000 USD (One thousands dollars) per year. The airport that handles numerous international airlines is believed to serve over 500.000 passengers per year…

- Despite the presence of many countries's warship in the Gulf of Aden, pirates have seized another ship off somalia coast. This latest development has come amid reports that are somehow implicating the Government of Somaliland a break off the main Somalia. It's believed that the Somaliland government sponsors pirates to hijack ships along their coast to get attention and recognition from the international community and most probably get empowered to curb the piracy wave. Pirates have seized a Greek-owned cargo ship off the coast of Somalia, Greek officials say. The Titan, with 24 crew members on board, was seized on Thursday night, Greece's merchant marine ministry said. Th…

- A video clip of a masked man firing a surface-to-air missile is currently circulating in Mogadishu. The video reportedly opens with an Arabic text saying Islamic fighters were responsible for a March 9 plane attack - the day of the Entebbe crash - but it does not name Uganda. It is believed that the Ilyushin-76 plane that crashed at Entebbe Airport a fortnight ago, might have been hit by an Al-Qaida missile. Villagers who saw the plane going down confirmed to reporters on the accident's scene that the plane was indeed in fire when going down. Mr Yevgeniy Zakharov the owner of the ill fated plane told a russian news agency after spending five days in Uganda that evidences on the scen…

Kenyans are to be heavily taxed as part of government moves to absorb the shocks of the global financial crisis. The government has also decided to seriously reduce its national expenditure. - AfricaNews correspondent said under the new tax regime even unemployed Kenyans are to pay tax. However, the call for taxing Members of Parliament hit a dead end last week when they asked that their salaries be increased before being taxed. Another strategy being used by the government is the raising of the tax rate on second hand clothes commonly known as “mitumba.” Our correspondent said it is the easiest way to ensure that “even people on informal employment are taxed to maximiz…

- There is saying in Congo (Dem. Rep.) that goes by . It can be literally translated to English by . This on my own understanding means that a better a way to extinguish fire is to use fire. This might sound a bit awkward though it doesn’t apply in all aspects of life. In some aspects it does. We can take an illustration of the war situation in Congo and Somali. In the Congo situation there is only one way out of the chaos is to fight. To fight all those who feel agitated to stay in peaceful and stable country. I remember sometimes back, the Ituri region (North eastern Congolese region) was burning because two communities felt that they couldn’t stay toge…

If I woke up one of these mornings and find myself in Robert Mugabe's skin, I would first of all split myself into two different people. The first would be an energetic and ambitious young Mugabe exiled in Ghana with patriotism filling my head and pouring out of my ears. The second would be a defiant, arrogant and desperately praying to God to allow my death in power. - As the first Mugabe, I would teach my students the values of dignity in life. I would also wake up in the morning listening to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the happenings of my first love South Rhodesia. I would avoid promising heaven and earth to my dear Ghanaian lover. As the second Mugabe, I would…

- I believe human nature is the weakest of all God’s creatures . It sounds weird for many of us but that is the sad truth. Look at it this way, a cow can not change it diet from herbs to flesh. Unless scientists prove me wrong. But human beings can easily become cannibals in a matter of seconds. That being so, we see our politicians metamorphosing themselves by embracing the first comer with a good offer regardless of their political agendas and opinions. Unlike African politicians, their counterpart in the west still have a little of dignity by respecting and sticking to their policies. The last such a case has been seen in France during the second round of presidential elections when…