20110407 – Kenya is among countries where major money laundering is prevalent, mainly from proceeds of piracy and other crimes. A US Government 2010 report says Kenya launders more than $100 million (Kshs.8.3 billion) a year.

Besides piracy-related funds, corruption, smuggling, drugs trafficking and casinos help to clean up money. The US and UK are on the list too, but this is attributed to their huge economies where financial institutions are accustomed to large transactions.

Kenya it susceptible to the illegal deals as it is the financial and trade centre of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

The findings in the “International Narcotics Control Strategy Report – Money Laundering and Financial Crimes” were initially revealed in 2009 but the current report shows the crimes continued unabated.

There is also insufficient political will to address these crimes. The Kenya Government did not report any money laundering or terrorist financing arrests, prosecutions or convictions from 2007 through 2010,” reads part of the report.

Other African countries listed in the report include Somalia, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Zimbabwe.

The report further talks of a rife black market for smuggled goods in Kenya, which serves as transit for Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, northern Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan.

Money laundering in Kenya is further complicated by unregulated informal networks of the Somali hawala cash remittance system.

20110407 - Kenya is set to benefit from a multi-billion shillings budget the United States has planned for fighting drug trafficking. The US$4 million (Kshs.332 million) is to be released this year and 2012.

At the same time, US Drug Enforcement Agency is set to establish a permanent office in Nairobi to help choke local cocaine and heroin trafficking routes. The plans are contained in this year’s International Narcotics Control Strategy report prepared by the US Government.

Similar grant
Kenya missed out on a similar grant to countries faced with the drug menace last year. It comes at a time Kenya Police has intensified the war against the illegal trade, but amid pressure by powerful barons to backtrack on their investigations.

The US report was presented to the Congress in March and released at the weekend. The decision is informed by the fact that drugs passing through Kenya are consumed in the US.

Police seized 102kg of heroin worth Kshs.200 million in Mombasa two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, a court in Nairobi has declined to grant bail to six people charged with trafficking in 102kg of heroin. Nairobi chief magistrate Gilbert Mutembei gave the ruling yesterday after the suspected traffickers had sought to be released on bail pending the hearing and determination of their case.

The six are Kenyans Joash Omondi, Hassan Ibrahim and Yusuf Hassan, Iranians Ali Mohamad and Abdul Baasit and Pakistani Khan Mohamad. They are all denied the charges.

The Iranians are further charged with being in the country illegally, failing to report at any immigration office upon arrival to register as foreigners and being in possession of invalid travel documents.

Mr Ibrahim and Mr Hassan are separately charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. They were arrested on March 24th at Shanzu in Mombasa allegedly with the consignment of the drugs camouflaged as dog food. Later, they were flown to Nairobi to face charges.

The magistrate ruled that he found the offence preferred against the accused to be serious, considering the penalty it carries if they are found guilty.

Ms Sumayya Hassan Athman is the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Corporation of Kenya.

She has held the position in an acting capacity since September 2010 after former managing director Mwenda Nyagah left.

Ms Sumayya has been with the state-owned corporationfor the past seven years having joined in 2004 as a company secretary / legal manager before rising to the position of deputy managing director in 2007.

Among her areas of focus will be to advance an active oil and gas exploration programme and spearhead the firm's participation in addressing infrastructure woes facing the petroleum sub-sector.

This is via development of national petroleum distribution system including the offshore storage facilities.

20110406 - Kenyan Adnan Zahir Amin has been appointed Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

A statement from the Foreign ministry said that Mr Amin was elected by more than two thirds of the votes cast, obtaining 76 votes against 36 votes by the other candidate Pedro Marin, a former Spanish Secretary of State for Energy during election held at the 5th Preparatory Commission of Irena on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

20110406
SW Radio Africa (London)

Pro-democracy activists in Zimbabwe have launched an investigation into reports that an arms shipment destined for the Zimbabwe Defences Forces (ZDF) docked in Beira on Sunday.

20110405
IRIN

Dakar — The news of a ceasefire in Côte d’Ivoire comes as a relief to Abiba, but her concern remains how to find infant formula for her four-week-old twins; she is not eating and drinking enough to produce breast milk, and shops have been closed for days amid fierce fighting in the main city, Abidjan.

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rfi

Two generals close to Laurent Gbagbo were Tuesday holding talks to work out the conditions under which he could surrender, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said. UN officials confirm that Gbagbo is ready to throw in the towel.

20110405
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

In the last two months, the world has witnessed the rapid escalation of a campaign to unseat the regime led by Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

20110406
reuters

Abuja — The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has accused President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of applying undue pressure on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega.

20110406
reuters

PARIS (Reuters) - The only thing left to discuss with Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo is his departure, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Wednesday.

20110406
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - The United Nations and France say Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo is on the point of ceding power to his presidential rival, whose forces are reported to have driven him into a bunker under his presidential residence.

20110406
reuters

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - The head of Libya's rebel army has accused NATO of being too slow to order air strikes to protect civilians, allowing Muammar Gaddafi's forces to slaughter the people of the besieged city of Misrata.

20110406
reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur's most powerful rebel group has suspended meetings with Sudan's government at peace talks in Qatar in protest at Khartoum's plan to hold a referendum in the war-torn region, the group's chief negotiator said on Tuesday.

20110406
reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Two people were killed in an attack on a car near Port Sudan on Tuesday, which police suggested was a missile fired from the sea, while state media and a regional government official blamed a foreign aircraft.

20110406
reuters

TUNIS (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi shelled the besieged city of Misrata for much of Tuesday and two people were killed in the attacks, rebels said.

20110406
reuters

TUNIS (Reuters) - Italy and Tunisia signed an accord on Tuesday to stem a wave of illegal migrants arriving in Italy from North Africa.

20110406
reuters

YAOUNDE (Reuters) - Former Central African Republic (CAR) president and runner-up in a January presidential poll Ange Felix Patasse has died in a hospital in Douala, Cameroon at the age of 74, Cameroon state radio said on Tuesday.

20110406
reuters

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria is concerned by a noticeably increased al Qaeda presence in neighbouring Libya and worried militant groups could lay their hands on weapons circulating in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.

20110406
reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan backed the country's embattled polls chief on Tuesday, saying he had been left with no option but to postpone general elections after voting materials failed to arrive on time.

20110404
allafrica

United Nations helicopter gunships on Monday fired on two military camps, the presidential palace and the home of outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo in Cote d'Ivoire's main city Abidjan, news reports said.