May 24, 2023

Richie Spice Live Concert To Boost Tourism In Kisumu

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has expressed support for the Jamaican Reggae superstar Richie Spice’s live concert in the lakeside city describing it as an opportunity to advertise and market Kisumu County as a tourism destination.

Richell Bonner, better known as Richie Spice is expected to stage a first-time historic performance at the Mamboleo Showground in Kisumu on Sunday, May 28 as he visits the county for the first time.

Prof. Nyong’o affirmed that preparations were in top gear and his administration is ready to welcome the Jamaican artist for a mega live performance in the lakeside city.

‘Hosting the celebrity would heighten the exposure of Kisumu to the world,’ Prof. Nyong’o acknowledged while assuring that, ‘for the love of reggae fans in Kisumu and its environs, Richie Spice will be accorded a VIP reception and treatment by the County Government of Kisumu.’

The concert, Nyong’o said, could be the right platform for promoting Kisumu as a tourism destination and unlocking the region as an entertainment hub that is rich with diverse cultural activities.

‘We are geared to distinctively transforming the great County of Kisumu into a thriving entertainment destination that attracts visitors from around the world,’ the county boss said during a press briefing on Wednesday as a build-up to the anticipated concert.

Spice and his crew, the Governor noted, will land at the Kisumu International Airport on May 28, at 9.25 AM for a tour of the lakeside scenic sites before heading to the evening show.

‘While in Kisumu, Spice will get an opportunity to have a taste of our special fresh fish known as ngege (tilapia) from Lake Victoria and enjoy a lakeside nature tour as we showcase the best of our great County of Kisumu to the world,’ said Prof. Nyong’o.

The County Department of Trade, Tourism, Industry and Marketing partnered with the Ziva Empire event organizers to produce the Kisumu show where regular tickets are going for Sh500 and Sh2000 for VIPs.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Tourism Farida Salim said the concert will also feature local artists to promote talent and expose them to the world.

The County Security officials have assured of heightened surveillance and traffic management in the area to make sure that nothing goes wrong during the visit by the ‘Gideon Boot’ hit singer.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 24, 2023

TAAG, GOL sign a cargo transport agreement

Angola Airways and the Brazilian company GOL signed an agreement for the transport of cargo among the African, South American and European continents

In its press note, TAAG states that the agreement succeeds the codeshare protocol (passenger transport by connection between different companies), signed last April.

This agreement provides for the transportation of small and medium size cargo goods, express mail, among other orders, among Africa, Europe and Latin America, from Luanda (Angola) and São Paulo (Brazil).

Under the agreement, TAAG will cover destinations in Africa, such as Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé, Namibia, Nigeria and Kenya.

GOL will share TAAG cargo on the European continent, in countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the Americas (Brazil and Cuba).

According to the document, one of TAAG’s objectives is to increase the volume of cargo transported annually, reinforcing the company’s attractiveness for attracting new customers and contracts.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

May 24, 2023

Angola reports Kz 14.90 bln surplus in exports, imports

Angola’s trade balance recorded a surplus of Kz 14.90 billion in 2022, with an increase of 7.59% compared to 2021 results.

Final results of external trade calculated in 2022 indicate a positive annual rate of 9.91% for exports and 14.42% for imports, compared to the same period of the previous year.

The country put at 13. 8 billion kwanzas the balance in 2021.

According to the publication released by National Institute of Statistics (INE), Angola’s main partners in exports in 2022, were China (43.70%), India (10.24%), France (7.25%), the Netherlands (6.83%) and Spain (4.43%).

To those countries, Angola exported various products, with stress to mineral fuels (94.92%), pearls, stones and precious metals (3.97%).

In terms of imports, Angola bought goods and services from China (16.02%), Portugal (10.77%), South Korea (9.24%), the Netherlands (6.84%) and India (6.10%).

From those countries, Angola acquired various products such as mineral fuels (22.42%), machines and appliances (with 18.57%), food (with 12.24%), chemicals (9.35%), vehicles and other means of transport (9.03%).

In the African continent, the main export partners were South Africa (47.01%), Malawi (13.58%), DRC (12.75%), São Tomé and Príncipe (5. 04%) and Togo (4.39%).

The Imports occurred from South Africa (54.65%), Togo (12.82%), Namibia (7.17%), Morocco (6.43%) and Egypt (3.07%).

During the year 2022, according to the classification by major economic categories (CGCE), the goods that had the greatest share in total exports were fuels and lubricants (94.45%),

industrial supplies not specified in other categories (4.95%).

Meanwhile, in the total value of imports, the most outstanding were industrial supplies not specified in other categories (23.59%), fuels and lubricants (22.31%) capital goods, except transport equipment, accessories, food products and drinks.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

May 24, 2023

Women’s Football Club Risks Exclusion Over Financial Challenges

A top-ranking and fast-rising women’s soccer club in remote Garashi Ward of Kilifi County risks being excluded from next season’s Federation of Kenya Football (FKF) Coast Regional League due to a lack of funds.

Four-year-old Mekatilili Queens FC, which was promoted to the regional league after its sterling performance in the 2020/2021 Kilifi County League season, is now appealing to well-wishers to support it financially to help it achieve its dream of advancing to the top leagues in the country.

Team Manager Alpha Safari Kassim says the team requires transport facilities and financial resources to pay allowances to players and the technical team in order to effectively participate in the league that is set to begin in a few weeks’ time.

Speaking to Kenya News Agency in Malindi town Tuesday, Kassim said that the club was planning to start an agribusiness project to raise funds and liberate it from overreliance on well-wishers, who he said had become increasingly difficult to get.

‘The club is doing extremely well in the region, but it lacks a stable financial base to fund its operations,’ he said while asking donors to come to its aid and provide a vehicle for the team to be able to honour fixtures.

According to the FKF Table, the team emerged second in its first stab at the Regional League, and with the right support, it has a great potential of advancing to the Super and Premier Leagues in the coming years, Kassim said.

He appealed to the Kilifi County Government to support sporting activities in the county by constructing stadia and other sports facilities in order to tap the immense sporting potential among local youths and fight vices such as teenage pregnancies and drug and substance abuse.

‘Our players are within the age bracket of between 18 and 35 years, which is the most vulnerable stage of influence into drug and substance abuse and alcoholism,’ he said.

Kassim lamented that despite the team performing extraordinarily in the county and regional leagues, ‘we have not received any support from local politicians or even the county government, and this has adversely affected the young and potential team’.

The club Matron Ms. Rose Zawadi, echoed Kassim’s sentiments, adding that the players needed money to purchase vital items such as sanitary towels while in the camp.

She said that failure to meet the girls’ needs could force them to leave the camp in search of alternatives like ‘sponsors’ who lure them into illicit sexual activities in exchange for money.

Mekatilili Queens FC was formed in the year 2019 in Garashi Ward, but due to a lack of female players and political goodwill then, it had to partner with players from Marafa Ward.

The team was enlisted in the Kilifi County FKF league and clinched the 2020/2021 county league title and booked a spot in the Regional League, where it emerged second in the 2021/2022 season.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 24, 2023

Opening Of Kenya-Somalia Border To End Contraband Smuggling

North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno has assured the citizens that the government’s plan to reopen Kenya-Somalia border points will help a great deal in countering the smuggling of contraband goods into the country.

Speaking after meeting Garissa County peace elders, the Regional Commissioner said that opening the borders would trigger the rise of businesses, which would improve the livelihood of the people by broadening their sources of wealth and money.

‘We believe that with the opening of the borders, people will do genuine businesses, which will help us tackle insecurity issues arising from contraband goods,’ Otieno said.

‘I am urging our business people who are patriotic Kenyans to wait for the reopening of the borders so that as they do genuine businesses, the government can also benefit from the revenue collected, which will come back to the people in the form of development projects,’ he added.

Mzee Dubat Amey said that the opening of the borders would bring wealth and stability to the nearby counties from exports and imports from both countries.

‘With established customs offices at the borders, people will no longer need to use panya routes when bringing in goods because they have already met the required regulations. We will support the government as the elders because we are the government’s foot soldiers,’ Amey said.

Otieno also had discussions with the peace elders on ways of ending inter-clan conflicts that have been experienced in times of drought, tackling land disputes, and combating drug abuse.

‘Peace elders are a key pillar in ensuring peace and stability in our villages. They will take action and report to authorities anything that they put at risk the security of this area,’ Otieno said.

‘The elders have assured us that they will work closely with the government in safeguarding the northeastern region,’ he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 24, 2023

Italy stresses Angola’s role in promotion of peace in Africa

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella considered Angola “a promoter of peace and stability on the African continent”.

The Italian Head of State was speaking to the press on Wednesday in Rome, at the end of the meeting with the Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço.

The statesman underlined that there is a common will to cooperate against wars, within the UN framework.

“We are aware of your role in some peace initiatives”, said the Italian leader, Sergio Mattarella, who asked his Angolan counterpart João Lourenço to evaluate the situation in the Great Lakes region and in Sudan.

“It was very interesting, he went on, to listen to his indications. He also spoke of the need for increasing growing collaboration between Angola and the European Union.

On the occasion, the Italian statesman said that the private meeting was also under analysis of Italy’s commitment to exert pressure within the Union so that collaboration with Angola grows.

Flanked by his Angolan counterpart, President Sergio Mattarella stressed that the two States are against wars in the world and, in particular, the one of “Russia and Ukraine”.

He called for international collaboration, respect for all States, their independence, sovereignty and increasing collaboration under the banner of multilateralism.

The Angolan President, João Lourenço, arrived Tuesday in Rome, capital of Italy, for a two-day state visit.

Angolan Head of State is visiting Italy at the invitation of President Sergio Mattarella, who paid his official visit to Angola in February 2019.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)