South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Uganda on Monday for a two-day working visit.

He was invited by his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni.

The purpose of Ramaphosa’s visit is to strengthen the excellent bilateral relations between their two countries and discuss regional security and stability, including the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

South Africa is one of the fastest-growing sources of foreign direct investment for Uganda and also a destination for many Ugandan-trained doctors.

In February last year, President Museveni visited South Africa on a trip that was dominated by discussions on investment and stability in the DRC.

During his visit, Museveni said they would work together with South Africa to solve the security problem in eastern DRC involving the M23 rebel and Allied Democratic Forces groups.

He also said that DRC President Felix Tshisekedi should not work with foreigners (Western countries) and their backers, whom he called traitors. He has also been against the deployment of UN forces in eastern DRC.

Two separate military missions have attempted to support the Congolese forces without success.

Last year, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), of which the DRC is a member, approved a military mission for eastern Congo to help the country address instability and tackle the M23 rebel group, which has grown more formidable, commanding a great deal of firepower and skill, and other armed groups.

The troops from SAMIDRC, who include forces from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania, have an offensive mandate to support Congo's army fight rebel groups.

The South African government, which forms the core of the mission, has deployed 2,900 soldiers in a push to support the DRC’s forces against the armed groups.

The South African military already said that two of its soldiers had been killed and three wounded by a mortar bomb that landed inside a military base. ByHamza Kyeyune, Anadolu Agency

By JAMES MAUNDU

It’s at the beginning of the long rain season in Kenya which goes on from March to May. While Kenyans celebrate when it rains as this means they will plant and harvest, so far the floods from the rains have caused 13 deaths, displaced 4000 households and killed 339 livestock.

The areas hardest hit by the floods are Marsabit, Turkana, Tana River, Garissa, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu, Meru, Kisumu, Nairobi and Kitui.

The Authorities have issued advisories as the rain continues. Kenya Red Cross reports that in total 20,000 households may be affected. In the City of Nairobi, those living in slums are mostly affected, like the Kibra, Kware, Viwandani, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Mukuru kwa Reuben as the infrastructure gets damaged.

By IEA Correspondent

It’s a few decades long since it happened but the Rwandan Government is still hunting for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity.

H.E Joseph Rutabana the Rwandan High Commissioner to Uganda has said that the Rwandan Government is still hunting for those who were behind genocide in 1994 and Rwanda will seek for their extradition.

This year, Rwanda is hosting 30^th commemoration of the genocide which took place from April 7^th to April 15^th 1994 claiming over million lives. According to reports from Rwanda, those who were killed cam mainly from Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa tribes.

Uganda has established memorial sites at Ggolo, Mpigi and Lambu District where at least 10,983 victims of the genocide were buried. When the killing stopped, Rwanda established Gacaca Courts which has tried over one million perpetrators of the genocide. Gacaca Court process was seen by many as fair.

More perpetrators were tried in the Hague, the UK and Australia. However, the prosecution is not over as Rwanda is keen to see more prosecuted for their roles during genocide.

IEA Correspondent

"The fish in the river are gone"- Fishing communities devastated by El Nino-induced drought, as Zimbabwe joins Malawi and Zambia in declaring a state of disaster, and ActionAid urges emergency action 

Over 20 million people in Southern Africa are facing a severe food security crisis due to the El Nino-induced drought. Affecting crop and livestock production as well as water availability in the region, according to a report by UNOCHA, the region is faced with a food insecurity crisis that threatens the health and well-being of millions, particularly young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. 

On 3 April 2024, Zimbabwe declared the drought a state of disaster and appealed for $2 billion to tackle hunger. The country joins Zambia and Malawi in declaring the drought a state of disaster. 

ActionAid is calling for urgent action to address the crisis, including providing food assistance and supporting alternative income generation activities.   

"The drought situation is dire and exposes millions of already vulnerable groups particularly women and young people to hunger. The declaration of disaster in the three countries opens avenues for humanitarian organisations to intervene, and we must coordinate our efforts to ensure timely humanitarian assistance reaches those who need it the most," said Esther Sharara, ActionAid's Regional Humanitarian Advisor in Southern Africa. 

Low rainfall across the region has resulted in reduced water levels in local fishing areas, significantly decreasing fish populations and making it increasingly difficult for fishers to catch enough to feed their families and earn a living. 

According to the Zambezi River Authority, the water level recorded at Victoria Falls during the third week of March 2024 was 75 percent less than the same period last year. 

In Sesheke District, Zambia, where ActionAid supports fisherwomen, there are concerns about rising poverty as the main source of their livelihood, the Zambezi River, has reduced fish output compared to previous years because of the drought.    

Juliet Kamwi, a local fisherwoman in Sesheke echoed the sentiments of many as she reflected on the drastic changes that have befallen her community.  

"The fish in the river are gone, everything has changed. We used to rely on the river to support our families, and to send our children to school. But now life has become uncertain. We don't know how we will survive." 

The dwindling fish stocks come at a time when food insecurity is already on the rise due to crop failures caused by the drought.  

"These fishing communities rely heavily on fish for both food and income. While immediate food relief is crucial, there is a need to invest in long-term solutions that ensure the sustainability of their livelihoods," said Jovina Nawenzake, Interim Executive Director at ActionAid Zambia. 

Already battling high costs of living in the region, this situation is pushing communities deeper into poverty and hunger. Urgent humanitarian response is required to avert a crisis.