Dr. George Amato, the Institute’s director, also pledged to support training, collaborative research, exchange programmes and equipment for the laboratory.

He was speaking at the weekend during a luncheon hosted in honour of a KWS delegation to the US recently.

The KWS director, Mr Julius Kipng’etich, is leading a delegation of KWS officers to develop partnerships to support the Kenya Wildlife Service Fund as well as raise funds for the planned forensic laboratory to be set up at KWS headquarters in Nairobi.

Once complete, the forensics and molecular biology laboratory is expected to enhance studies in population genetics and reduce poaching activities by providing credible prosecutorial evidence in court. The forensic laboratory will be a state-of-the-art facility and a regional referral centre for molecular diagnostics of wildlife-related crimes.

The KWS delegation is also lobbying US-based wildlife conservation groups and the US Congress on Kenya’s position at the forthcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Dr. Amato noted that KWS had made significant achievements in the last eight years and was proud to partner with it.

In appreciation, the KWS Director noted increased partnership between Kenya and the US, especially with the Institute, had increased tremendously as KWS was keen on using science-based decision making in management.

Mr Kipng’etich also underscored the need for Kenya to be able to prove cases of bush meat trade and identifying contraband wildlife products at the airports and other ports of entry and trace their countries of origin.

The Sackier Institute for Comparative Genomics is the premier American research centre for wildlife conservation genetics, molecular ecology, wildlife forensics, small population biology and training of graduate student. It also holds the world’s largest frozen tissue depository centre.

The luncheon was also attended b Dr. Felicity Arengo, the Associate Director Centre for Biodiversity Research for American Museum, Dr. Mcaloose, Head of Pathology at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

A number of US-based business executives pledged to support the Kenya Wildlife Service Endowment Fund by becoming its ambassadors.

Mr. Michael Emmerman, the managing director of Newbewrger Berman LLC, a major finance and investing company, pledged to support the fund.

Other pledges came from Drew Kellerman Deutscher Bank – African investments, Tom Mims, the CEO of Emerging Africa and Bonnie Wiper, the President of Thinking Animals.

Earlier, the KWS delegation met Mr. Paul Tudor Jones, the CEO of Tudor Investments, who also made a commitment to support wildlife conservation in the Northern Kenya.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

Prof Margret Kamar

The first forum of African Ministers in charge of science, technology and innovation in Nairobi ended with a call by the ministers to increase investment in the sector.

The ministers said, increased investment will strengthen scientific research in Africa at national and regional levels.

Read by Kenya’s Prof Margret Kamar who is in charge of her country’s science and technology docket, the African ministers said time was ripe for the continent to harness science, technology and innovation to solve societal problems such as water, health, energy and agriculture.

They promised to put in place adequate mechanisms that would facilitate knowledge and technology transfer between countries through strengthening regional networks, south to south and north cooperation.

But there were also hard hitting sessions on the failures of Africa in science, technology and innovation.

Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s minister for science and technology said it is a pity that so many years after most of Africa gained independence, many African states have no policy guiding the sector.

“There is experience that use of STI would help Africa gain global respect,” said.

STI, she said, could act as catalyst in creating opportunities for the African youth.

She said as ministers, they must insist and demand governments increased funding for this important sector.

Jean Ping, President of the African Union Commission said through his representative, Erastus Mwencha said science, technology and innovation has the capacity to help AU’s vision of having at least 20 of her 54 members states attain middle income status by 2030 besides boosting the continent’s presence in published journals.

He revealed that at the moment that Africa’s access to university education is just 7 per cent, thanks due insufficient resources and low use of ICT.

Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank urged Africa to make use of science, technology and innovation to explore natural resources to create wealth thereby lessen inequalities in the society.

He said Africa’s reliance on the inherited wealth in oil and natural gas among others has led to conflicts but said science and technology offers Africa the opportunity to create wealth devoid of chaos.

The challenge for Africa however, said Kaberuka, is how to bring her youthful population, estimated to be 200 million aged between 15-24 into economic playground.

According to Kaberuka, although there is massive inflow of the foreign domestic investment into Africa, there is however massive unskilled labour, poor infrastructure.

He said 200 million people in Africa are aged 15-24 years. By 2030, he said, Africa will have world’s leading labour force.

“Africa is in the unique position to reap the demographic dividend….similar to the South East Asia. In the 70s, ASEAN captured this…and demographic dividends contributed up to 45% to the GDPs of the countries in south East Asia.

But investors coming to Africa today are hampered by unskilled manpower and poor infrastructure.

The public sector will never have enough resources to meet the need for STI development.

Quality of education is compromised by the need to meet the need for space for higher education.

But there are continental initiatives to help bridge the gap like the Pan African University.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

Last year, the country, placed 15th among 22 most TB burdened countries in the world, reported 106, 083 new cases due to the disease.

According to Maurice Maina of the USAID, the plan is to develop an online TB reporting system—that is able to tell where the patients are, what medication they are on…how many of those initiated on TB treatment end with resistance form of TB and provide supportive supervision to improve adherence to treatment.

Speaking on the sidelines of a press briefing in Nairobi ahead of the World TB Day set for Saturday, Maina said the plan is to improve governance and accountability in TB programmes besides helping programme implementers be able to know how much resources are used in any district and the impact these resources have. This, he said, will help them match inputs and outputs.

“The system is going to be real-time using online connectivity using mobile phone provider to ensure that patients and health workers at all levels have all the information they need on real-time basis. The provider is yet to be identified as the plan is still being mooted,” he said.

Maina said for ease of operations, the system will be housed at the Division of Tuberculosis and Leprosy in the ministry of Public Health and Sanitation who will be the main driver of the system.

“They will be the ones who will be using the system with the USAID is only developing the system and make it user-friendly, support follow up activities by the ministry of health staff,” he told Africa Science News Service.

According to Maina, the patients will be able to get information on where they can get subsequent diagnosis, treatment and mobile alerts on when to take their medications.

Further, he said patients who experience any side effects on any given medicine will be able to send questions and expect to get advise from experts on what next to do.person is diagnosed with TB they will automatically be put in the system to begin benefiting from the services offered.

The plans by the USAID is testimony of the growing demand for timely information and services by both the patient and the health care provider.

According to Prof Odongo William Okello of the School of Computing, University of Nairobi, there is growing interest and need for more sophisticated health information systems and the call for bringing health care to the patient when and where it is required.

This is creating a growing demand for timely information and services by both the patient and the health care provider.

Statistics show that one in three adults in Kenya carry a mobile phone and the rapid spread of mobile phones, mobile broadband and internet usage at the household level has increased the use of ICT in a number of development programmes including health.

Not to be left behind, the government has introduced use of computers in all health facilities with the hope that the use of the equipment will increase timeliness of reporting and improve patient care.

According to Beth Mugo, minister in charge of Public health and sanitation, the direction that the ministry is taking calls for healthcare workers to be computer literate.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

At a forum that brought together climate scientists from the KMD, community representatives and leaders (including traditional forecasters, religious leaders, chiefs, women leaders, youth leaders and pastoralist and farmer group leaders) ; local government officials (including from the Agriculture, Environment, the provincial administration ,Water, Planning and ASALs), civil society organizations at the community and local levels in Thika, James Muhnidi of the KMD said the situation in the three months appears to be closely related to the devastating drought of 2009.

According to Muhindi, although there was good rainfall the last quarter of 2011 with analysis of the “Short Rains” (October-November-December) 2011 seasonal rainfall indicating that the performance was generally good with all the meteorological stations in Wajir, Lodwar and Mandera recording more than 300 percent of their seasonal (above 75% of the Long-Term Mean (LTM)) rainfall, the pastoralists have however not recovered from the 2009 drought and any rainfall shortfall in the following months will seriously affect them.

Recalling what happened then, communities from NEP said they expect deaths due to starvation, migration in search of pasture and water, conflicts among communities in the province and wildlife human conflicts unless remedial measures are taken.

In 2009, livestock were moved to Lamu, Somalia and few animals that left the province returned. The few that returned came back with diseases.

A combination of drought, high food prices, the lingering effects of post-election violence, a cholera outbreak, and a continued influx of refugees from Somalia left hundreds of thousands of people in the province in need of assistance.

Experts attributed the rise in the shortened cycle of natural disasters to global climate change and environmental degradation.

December, January, February and March have so far been dry. Muhindi said January recorded the highest temperatures in 13 years and some parts of NEP have already started some water stress and reduced pasture.

He urged government agencies not to relax based on the last good rain season last October, November and December warning that pastoralists require two good seasons before they can fully recover.

However, this time round, said Muhinid, pastoralists are likely to be hit with another devastating drought before they are fully recovered.

According to predictions from the global circulations from the Pacific and other factors controlling the weather, the factors indicate the 2009 scenario…meaning that rainfall would be very little. Then rainfall was less than 20%.

The rain is expected on the second week of April and may last barely two weeks to end early May.

Maureen Amabni, Climate and Communication officer, CARE International in Kenya’s Adaptation Learning Programme(ALP) the communities will pick the information and take it down to their communities who will in turn decide what to do with the information.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

The Constitutional Division of the High Court will on Friday March 9, 2012 make a landmark judgment on the suspended Anti-Counterfeit Act of 2008. The outcome of this decision will directly affect access to affordable generic medicines in Kenya.

In 2009, three people living with HIV filed a law suit seeking a determination that the Kenya Anti-Counterfeit Act 2008 is unconstitutional and threatens access to life-saving generic medicines and thus infringes on their right to health. The right to health is now guaranteed by the Constitution of Kenya.

On the day of the ruling, over 100 people living with HIV, health advocacy groups and medical groups will gather outside the courtroom to hear the decision. “This will be a test of the strength of the right to health under the new constitution,” says Allan Maleche, a lawyer with the Kenya Ethical AIDS Legal Network (KELIN).

“The ruling is a matter of life and death for many people whose access to needed generic medicines will be determined by Lady Justice Ngugi’s decision. We hope she will act to uphold our new Constitution and protect access to generic medicines”.

The case is expected to set a precedent not only for Kenya, but other East African countries at a time they are considering a draft law and policy on anti-counterfeiting.

The Kenya Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008was passed by the Kenyan parliament to deal with the problem of counterfeit products in the market. Among other products that the law seeks to regulate is medicines which has raised many problems and concerns.

Since April 2010, the High Court has ruled that the Act should not be interpreted in any way that may interfere with the importation of generic medicines until a constitutional case filed by three activists is fully heard and determined. The main issue is that this law confuses generic medicines with counterfeit medicines.

The civil society have raised a number issues regarding the way counterfeiting is addressed under the Kenya Anti-Counterfeit Act 2008.

They say definition of counterfeiting in the interpretation section is problematic. Even though a clause was added which specifically mentions “medicines”, it is still incomplete (for example, the clause does not include vaccines).

The CSOs say the two distinct issues of patent infringement and counterfeiting are confused even though these are separate and distinct issues. As a result, generic medicines have been confused with counterfeits.

The Act also recognizes intellectual property rights (IPRs) subsisting in other countries. This, say members of the CSOs imposes a duty on Kenyans to abide by IPRs of all other countries in the world even where these have not been registered and hence, recognized in Kenya. This places an undue burden on the Kenyan legal system to enforce and protect IP rights not registered in Kenya.

They say that since IP rights registered in other countries are enforceable in Kenya (even if not registered here), suspected counterfeit goods (including medicines) can be seized under section 34 of the Act.

The Act gives the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) broad powers on medicines rather than the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) which should be in charge of combating counterfeit medicines since it has the necessary technical expertise, unlike KRA.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic disease spread through the bite of a sandfly. Visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in 76 countries worldwide. In East Africa, regions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan are particularly affected and causes about 500,000 cases and 50,000 deaths each year.

While the disease can be treated, current treatments are too expensive, difficult to administer, or toxic for widespread use in poor countries. Drug resistance is also a growing problem, particularly in India. Left untreated, VL has a 90% case fatality, and death can come within two years—much more quickly than AIDS.

Furthermore, scientists warn that the geographical range for leishmaniasis is expanding. Spurred on by global warming, mass migration and rapid urbanization, cases are being reported in previously unaffected areas.

Given such challenges, a vaccine is considered essential to control and eliminate the disease.

Visceral leishmaniasis affects vital organs and bone marrow, destroying white and red blood cells. Because VL attacks the immune system, it has been called the parasitic version of HIV/AIDS.

“Visceral leishmaniasis is a persistent and deadly global health problem,” said Steve Reed, IDRI founder and Chief Scientific Officer, who led the over twenty years of preclinical vaccine work. “Our partnership with India will speed the development of an effective vaccine and accelerate control of the disease.”

“With this clinical trial, we hope to launch a new era in the fight against Visceral Leishmaniasis,” said Franco Piazza, Medical Director at IDRI and leader of the vaccine’s clinical development. “For the first time, an advanced vaccine to prevent this devastating disease is being tested in people.”

The IDRI vaccine, known as LEISH–F3 + GLA-SE, is a highly purified, recombinant vaccine. It incorporates two fused Leishmaniaparasite proteins and a powerful adjuvant to stimulate an immune response against the parasite.

The Phase 1 clinical trial will enroll 36 adult volunteers in Washington State. They will be randomly assigned to receive one of three versions of the vaccine, which differ in the amount of adjuvant included. The trial will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of each version.

A second Phase 1 trial will take place in India, where IDRI is transferring its vaccine technology to Gennova Biopharmaceuticals. Last month, Gennova opened a vaccine formulation center that will be producing vaccines for neglected diseases in Pune, India, where the company is based.

In India, VL is known as kala-azar, a Hindi word that means black fever, named after the fever that ravages affected individuals, whose skin becomes dark gray.

“Kala-azar is a significant health problem across northern India and neighboring countries,” said Dr. Sanjay Singh, CEO of Gennova. “Bringing a vaccine to India will not only end deaths and disease, it will also help many of our poorest citizens to lead more productive lives and move out of poverty.”

Beginning later in 2012, the Indian vaccine manufacturer will produce the LEISH-F3 + GLA-SE vaccine. It will be then tested in healthy Indian adults, in collaboration with the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India.

“We are very pleased to be working with IDRI on this vaccine, which is critically important to the many people who suffer from this disease in India as well as to the millions of people who are infected around the world,” said Dr. Shyam Sundar, Professor of Medicine at the University’s Institute of Medical Sciences.

Subsequent clinical trials will involve larger numbers of people who are at high risk of developing VL during their daily lives, because they are frequently bitten by sand flies. Only such large trials, conducted in real-life situations of disease exposure, will determine the full effectiveness of the LEISH-F3 + GLA-SE vaccine.

“Vaccines can do what medicines can’t – prevent the disease from even occurring,” said Dr. N. K. Ganguly, a highly distinguished biotechnology professor and advisor in India, and former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. “Only with an effective vaccine can we expect to control leishmaniasis in South Asia.”

The Phase 1 clinical trials are being funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which also recently announced a global partnership with the World Health Organization and 13 pharmaceutical companies to control or eliminate 10 neglected tropical diseases, including leishmaniasis.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

The event promises to be the largest convergence of dairy stakeholders in Africa bringing together providers of technologies and solution in the dairy industry in the region.

Under the theme African Dairy: Driving competitiveness through technology, the event, according to the Peter Ngaruiya, the Executive Director of the ESADA, “will seek to address key issues that are facing the industry and chart the way forward by providing solutions that are workable for consumers of dairy products and other players in the dairy industry”.

The participants will also discuss on the ways of having the dairy industry play a bigger role in trade and industry development in Africa.

But according to Moses Nyabila, the Regional Director of the East Africa Dairy Development Project of the Heifer International, there are many bottle necks facing dairy processors who trade within the various trading blocks in Africa.

He says the agencies in charge of dairies, they have all erected barriers.

He adds that although they all want the barriers to come down, they however raise them up when products from the neighbouring countries export products across the borders.

“There are issues with the import licensing is still there and makes it hard for products to cross the border. Then there are issues with the standards, and the customs who hold products at the borders for long,” he said.

The dairy sector faces problems both at the products side as well as inputs side all of which do not offer farmers benefits.

Ngaruiya says that over the years, the cost of production has increased, slashing the profit levels that farmers would normally enjoy. “We hope that by understanding new ways of managing costs then farmers would increase their output among other benefits.

In Kenya, livestock producers contribute to 17 per cent to the GDP and generate KSh320 billion annually.

But the sector has suffered somewhat due to reduced effectiveness of extension services, low absorption of modern technologies, limited capital and access to affordable credit.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

A special investigative journalism assignment fully supported by the Taco Kuiper Grant for Investigative Journalism

A new nation has emerged defined by its bustling 10 states Warrap, Lakes, Jonglei, Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, Northern Bah el Ghazal, Unity, Western Bah el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Central Equatoria out to host the world.

A few years ago it wouldn’t have been easy to imagine such a boon amidst the sweltering heat of Southern Sudan and especially its heart in Juba.

Thanks for the vast reserves of oil.

The pull of Juba or is it the Southern Sudanese Pound is exerting a pull on all to the banks of the Nile to get the promise of a better life. It is here in Juba that economic dreams of a better life from home are being nurtured and realized. When South Sudan took its place in the global community of nations, it did so with much aplomb economically. Currently, South Sudan’s Pound (SSP) is the strongest currency in the continent and this explains why all kinds of investors are streaming into this new nation.

The allure of the South Sudanese Pound (currently exchanging at US$1 = 3.50SSP) is hard to resist despite the fact that the new nation lacks basic amenities.

“In the next 20 years, South Sudan will be a booming economy. This is the right time to be here.” Paul Gitahi, Equity Bank South Sudan Executive Director says.

Long before the river port city of Juba, attracted all and sundry, it resembled a typical hinterland Payam (village) with thatched houses all around. “There were only six vehicles in all of Juba.” George Conway, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says.

Today Juba which is the latest capital in the world, brimming with immense bounties is far from the six vehicles on gravel road of six years ago. Like most cities in the world Juba is no exception, it experiences traffic jams at peak hours too on its 67km tarmacked roads out of 350kilometres.

The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya, the eventual peaceful secession referendum and the coming of independence thatched houses are fast disappearing and mansions, maisonettes, villas, flats and multi storeyed buildings are springing up. From one telecommunications tower in the country, there are over 500 today making mobile phone coverage possible to much of the country.

Geographically South Sudan may appear disadvantaged as it is landlocked but this may only be for a time as the new country has much to offer. Daily flights from major world capitals further buttress this belief of a land full of bounties as are the daily long interstate bus rides from the neighbouring countries with skills or wares for sale.

In 2009 SAB Miller became the first multinational manufacturer to venture into South Sudan with the establishment of its subsidiary the $37 million South Sudan Beverages Limited in Juba.

With the coming of independence SAB Miller invested a further $15 million in the Juba facility so as to boost production capacity and meet increasing local demands. In simple parlance business is good to warrant more capital injection.

“Our investment in South Sudan continues to bear fruit due to the country’s improving economic outlook and a continued positive consumer response to our brand portfolio.” Ian Alsworth-Elvey SSBL Managing Director says. “Increasing our brewing capacity takes the business to the next level. Supporting growth in our key mainstream segments and helps us to build market share.”

Demand for White Bull and the locally brewed Nile Special Brand have been the main motivators for the increase in SSBL production. By November this year the Juba facility is expected to increase production to 500,000 hectolitres. SSBL not only produces beer but has also ventured into non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks and bottled water brands.

The fact that South Sudan is still in infancy and is a net importer has proved to be a major challenge to investors. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, South Sudan is a net importing country and its largest trading partners are Uganda, Northern Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia in that order. Uganda’s main export market at present is South Sudan. In 2009 Uganda exported goods worth $184 million.

“The cost of doing business in South Sudan is significantly higher than in other places and part of that is the fact that we have exceptionally higher transport costs from Mombasa port in Kenya. To bring a container from Europe to Mombasa by ship costs about $2000. It then costs you close to $8000 to move it from Mombasa to Juba.” Alsworth-Elvey says.

Providing direct employment to over 300 South Sudan nationals SSBL has endeared itself to the psyche of the new nation. Alsworth-Elvey however sees the cost of doing business in South Sudan changing and the future offering brighter prospects.

“The return of our investment has been successful and we expect to grow. I think the economy of South Sudan has grown and will continue to do so in the next decade. The parliament has passed what I think is the best Investment Promotion Acts in Africa if not the world. It has boosted this with a ministry solely dedicated to investments. This demonstrates the commitment in attracting more investments.” Alsworth-Elvey says.

According to South Sudan’s Vice President Riak Machar, in the next five years, the SPLM government intends to mobilise $500 billion from the private sector to bolster infrastructure development.

In every corner and all buildings in Juba there is a generator not only showcasing the need for urgent investments in electricity generation, transmission and supply but also revealing how Khartoum underdeveloped Juba. The South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) produces 10mega watts daily against a demand of 50MW. Most businesses, government ministries, NGOs generate their own power through acquisition of generators. As it stands now SSEC uses 48,000litres of diesel daily to generate for its customers as the government paves the way for heavier investments in the power sector to bring energy costs to manageable levels. High demand for power in Juba is currently being pushed by the hospitality industry which is placing a huge demand on the national grid. Independent estimates show that South Sudan can harness close to 1400MW along the River Nile.

But as South Sudan seeks to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of development a major set back has already reared its ugly head in the form of the seat of South Sudan’s government. It is now official that the capital Juba will perhaps get a world first as the “metropolis” which had the shortest history as a capital city. This move comes after the new South Sudan cabinet unveiled in late August decided to relocate its capital to Ramciel in the Lakes state after an unending dispute over Juba which apart from being the capital city of South Sudan also serves as the seat of Central Equatoria’s government.

A bitter dispute between the government and the indigenous Juba inhabitants, the Bari community over access to land is what has caused this costly move by the government.

“Juba is like a slum. You have nowhere to build roads. You have to quarrel to get land. Where do you put government institutions and investors? We need a large parcel of land to accommodate development projects.” Barnaba Marial Benjamin, information minister says. “The government has not succeeded to persuade and allay the fears of the local community and so the cabinet decided to relocate the capital to a better area.”

This move by the South Sudan government will no doubt have serious ramifications on the country’s oil dependent economy as it is bound to affect the current infrastructure estimates upwards. It is an open secret that the new nation is which controls 75% of all the oil in Sudan and is wholly dependent on oil which foots 98% of the Juba’s $2.8 billion annual budget.

Competing to get this oil from the ground are China National Oil Petroleum, Malaysian oil giant Petronas, Moldovian oil Company Ascom Group, India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Videsh and Sweden’s Lundin. All these business deals are courtesy of the peace dividends and business confidence pegged on Juba.

RYCE MOTORS: THE KENYA COMPANY THAT DARED

INTERVIEW WITH A.S SELVARAJAH, DIRECTOR, RYCE MOTORS

1. When did Ryce Southern Sudan venture into South Sudan?

SELVARAJAH: We have been doing business for the last 5 years in South Sudan from Nairobi, we are now based in Juba since May 2011. A part of our regional expansion to meet our hinterland customer needs.

2. What was the reason for this move?

SELVARAJAH: I attended the first ever South Sudan Business Development Conference in 2006 in Nairobi and realized the great business opportunities and started to make plans to set up base in Juba. Five years later and the plans have been realised.

3. How have the locals taken to your services considering they just got their independence?

SELVARAJAH: The locals are very happy that we have brought our services to their doorstep and are very welcoming.

4. What have been the challenges so far?

SEELVARAJAH: Sincerely we have no complaints, the only challenge we face is lack of skilled and educated local labour, but we understand why, we have employed five Sudanese already and hope to increase to 50 within one year when we start the After Sales Services. As the country stabilizes it will only grow as the leaders are determined to see it growing.

5. How is the private sector coming up in this new nation?

SELVARAJAH: There are not many Corporate Investors due to the wait and see attitude. However lately this has changed and interest in this country has grown very fast.

6. Have your clients grown with time?

SELVARAJAH: Yes our clientele base is steadily growing, we are happy with the progress being made here in South Sudan and the operational environment. In our case we have both corporate and individual customers. Representatives from a number of Corporates have visited even our showroom exploring the opportunities since independence came to Juba. We look forward to brighter prospects in future.

7. What products do you seek to roll out in future?

SELVARAJAH: Agricultural machinery and implements, Construction machinery, Construction and Water supply projects. Service, repairs and spare parts.

AUTHOR: Wanjohi Kabukuru
URL: http://www.africasia.com/
E-MAIL: wanjohi [at] positiveoutcomes.org

Although there still a lot to be done throughout the continent, a recent article by The Economist (Africa’s hopeful economies: The sun shines bright) was talking about the emergence of Africa’s “Lion Economies.”  However, the global financial crisis which, has crippled the U.S. and EU economies and is threatening global trade and commodity prices, could also derail Africa’s economic prospects and its significant progress to sustainable growth.

With this in mind, in January 2012, the African Union Heads of State and Government will hold their annual summit and focus on the theme of “Boosting Intra-Africa Trade”.  The choice of the theme is both appropriate and timely, given the challenges facing the continents ability to continue to rely on global trade and high commodity prices for growth, and the need to come up with strategies to improve the situation.

On average over the past decade, only about 10 – 13% of African trade is with African nations, whilst 40% of North American trade is with other North American countries, and 63% of trade by countries in Western Europe is with other Western European nations.

To this end, African countries have established the African Union, and created various Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to improve growth through trade.  In this context, the RECs are pursuing integration through free trade, and developing customs unions and a common market.  Eventually, these efforts are expected to converge to an African Common Market (ACM) and an African Economic Community (AEC), whereby economic, fiscal, social and sectoral policies will be continentally uniform.

Pooling economies and markets together through regional integration provides a sufficiently wide economic and market space to make economies of scale possible.  Trade enables countries to specialize and export goods that they can produce cheaply, in exchange for what others can provide at a lower cost.  Trade also provides the material means in terms of capital goods, machinery and raw and semi-finished goods that are critical for growth.  

More importantly, through such an economic marketplace, Africa can strengthen its economic independence and empowerment with respect to the rest of the world.  A united Africa can better negotiate for access to markets (foreign and domestic), commodity prices, foreign investment and technology transfers with its trading partners in the U.S. and the EU. 

Even more importantly, is the ability to negotiate better terms of trade with the BRIC countries, which operate more nationalistically in the global market then the U.S.-EU market economies (negotiating with governments vs. negotiating with corporations).  A generation ago, Brazil, Russia, India and China accounted for just 1% of African trade.  Today they make up 20%, and by 2030 the rate is expected to be 50%.  Therefore, as the BRIC economies go, so will Africa’s economic prosperity – thus enhancing the negotiating needs of the continent vis-à-vis the BRIC countries.

A New Continental FTA –

Therefore, if trade is a vehicle to growth and development, then removing the barriers that inhibit it can only help increase its impact.  In order to address this trend, African leaders are making new commitments to boosting intra-African trade.  

First was the landmark decision by COMESA, EAC (East Africa Community – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) and SADC to establish a single Free Trade Area.  The launch of this tripartite FTA initiative covering 26 African countries (more than half of AU membership) with a combined population of 530 million (57% of Africa’s population) and a total GDP of $630 billion (53% of Africa’s total GDP) has galvanized interest towards a much broader Continental FTA.

It will enlarge markets for goods and services, eliminate the problem of multiple and overlapping memberships, enhance customs cooperation and broader trade facilitation, promote harmonization and coordination of trade instruments and nomenclature, and broader relaxation of restrictions on movement of goods, persons and services.

The collaboration and cooperation of RECs through the Continental FTA should further improve regional infrastructure and consolidate regional markets through improved interconnectivity in all forms of transport and communication as well as promote energy pooling to enhance the regions’ competitiveness.

Export-led Growth Alternatives –

The one lesson from South-East Asia that all developing countries and regions must never forget is that export-led growth will always produce desirable economic benefits.  Focusing on existing areas where the continent has a comparative advantage (fuels, minerals, and even food products) will continue to generate valuable returns to be invested in those areas that need additional financing. 

Table 5: Africa’s world exports and imports: Average trade figures in $US, 1995-2006

 Source: Compiled from UNCTAD Handbook 2008.

Food production in particular (along with beverages, tobacco, and other agricultural products) could be a boondoggle for African countries.  Although the continent as a whole is a food importer (see chart from a recent Issue Paper prepared by the AU Commission for the 2012 AU Summit), Africa has 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land.  With rising populations in Asia, food is becoming more and more valuable, and global food prices and constantly rising.  Africa more than Europe is in need of ‘Common Agricultural Policy’ which puts real focus and energy (meaning financing) behind this potentially very profitable segment of the economy. 

However, as the Commissions Issue Paper points out, the continents infrastructure and logistic shortcomings make all efforts to increase trade (export or intra-African) very expensive and uncompetitive.  In particular, because of infrastructure bottleneck (roads, ports, telecommunications, and storage) transport costs are 63% higher in African countries compared with the average in developed countries (and constitute 14% of the value exported in African countries, against 8.6% in developed countries).

Furthermore, delays at African customs are, on average, longer than in the rest of the world: 12 days in Sub-Saharan countries compared with 7 days in Latin America, less than 6 days in Central and East Asia, and slightly more than 4 days in Central and East Europe.  These delays add a tremendous cost to importers and exporters, and they increase the transaction costs of trading among African countries.  Each transport day lost due to customs and related problems are equivalent to additional tax.  In addition, delays and complicated procedures related to insuring goods and customs guarantee requirements raise the cost of exporting from Africa and compromise the continent’s competitiveness.  For food and agricultural (perishable) goods, such delays can be devastating – leading to the complete loss of entire shipments.

The Road Ahead –

For Africa, it often seems that the obstacles outweigh the potential for sustainable poverty alleviation and continuing economic growth.  The current situation is hanging in the balance, especially after the global financial crisis and the recent political upheaval in the north (see Arab Spring). 

But, incrementally, it appears that the leaders of the African Union are fully aware of the way forward; a Continental FTA that focuses on Intra-African trade.  The road (for regional integration) is long and hard, but if the AU can ‘build it’ then goods will come and go, and trade could do for Africa what it has done for South and East Asia.

AUTHOR: Nasos Mihalakas
URL: http://mihalakas.wordpress.com and http://chinatrade.foreignpolicyblogs.com/
E-MAIL: nasos.mihalakas [at] gmail.com

They are the most secretive and presently are in the first line defense in the Kenya’s war on Al Shabaab.

Little is known about them and their work. Within the Kenyan Defense Forces (Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy) establishment, their real work is not even spoken in whispers. Today we can reveal that it is the official government policy not to publicly acknowledge their work.

Their official name is Kenya Army Paratroopers. You will only see them during the national pass out parades. Within the army they are just known as the ‘green berets’ or the ‘paras’ thanks to their unique paratrooper wings insignia.

Ulinzi House (Kenya’s Department of Defense –DOD- headquarters) is shy to admit that the Kenya Army Paratroop Battalion is her premier and elite Special Forces unit. All of the records denoting their work and missions are classified.

The closest the public came to know their significance was during the abortive 1982 Coup plot against Kenya’s second president Daniel Moi’s administration by the Non-commissioned Officers of the Kenya Air Force (KAF). The Paras commandos and the Presidential Escort regiment of GSU’s Recce Company were the ones who escorted Moi back to Nairobi from the Rift Valley. The second time was during independent Kenya’s second transition. President Kibaki’s first Aide de Camp was an officer from the Paras.

Seeking for information on them is an uphill task. Former and current commandos who have served in the Paras battalion are extremely friendly and courteous but they reveal nothing about their work.

The much that DOD reveals is the vision, mission and role of this battalion. Nothing else. And these for a keen military watcher are quite telling.

Their mission is “to execute airborne operations in order to counter both external and internal threats.” This is closely followed by their vision which is to “have an airborne unit deeply rooted in professionalism and certain of its ability to fight, win land battles and execute airborne operations.”

However their real work comes out in their role which is summed up in one sentence “to conduct airborne operations and special operations in both conventional and unconventional warfare.” The key words here are their capability to conduct ‘conventional and unconventional warfare’.

Though for many years the Kenyan military have been ridiculed as too soft and combat shy rotting in the barracks at the expense of tax payers money, the veracity of these claims cannot be verified. Much of the information the Kenyan intelligence community has on the country’s possible threats and opportunities is obtained by the paras.

Interestingly while the entire battalion is a special operations and warfare brigade there exists within its ranks a mega secretive division referred to as “D Company 20 Paratrooper Commandos”. These are the cream of the army and its dare devil entity. In most of the world’s directories on Special Forces across the world, their listing appears in only a few. Actually the General Service Unit (GSU) of the Kenya Police is much more known that the ‘D’ Company. And this explains how secretive the Paras are. Apparently they thrive best in their covert nature.

The ‘D’ Company of the 20th Paratrooper Commandos are a complete replica of celebrated British crack unit the Special Air Service (SAS). Actually their training manuals are almost similar. The Kenyan paras are fashioned in the same lines as their British counterparts. Both simulated and actual training for the paras is conducted in Kenya and in UK, Israel and USA. The Kenyan paras train alongside their comrades in arms of the British Army’s SAS, Sayaret Matkal of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and US Rangers. A critical component of their training is ‘thinking like terrorists and would be assassins’. It is an involving process and life changing experience before one becomes a Para. Among their key strengths and competencies is fluency in multilingualism, counter and anti terrorism activities, urban, desert, mountain and bush combat. They can also operate heavy artillery and light infantry weaponry.

These are not all; the Paras are masters of disguise, deceit, sabotage and are well versed in special weapons, martial arts, pugilism and hand to hand battle. The Paras are also excellent intelligence operatives and form the cream of the largely unknown Military Intelligence Corps (MIC) and provide the bulk of staff manning the cadres at the surreptitious Kenya National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and sometimes share critical HUMINT (human intelligence) and ELINT (Electronic intelligence) dossiers with the country’s supreme intelligence agency the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS). The most interesting bit about the Paras is that they are avid readers and keep track on the latest societal trends. Before embarking on any mission, the ‘green berets’ are briefed on all possible scenarios to expect and equipped for the same.

To adorn the ‘green beret’ paratrooper commando insignia is no easy task. Only the exceedingly intelligent make it. To be admitted to the paras is a tedious process with a higher security clearance and thorough vetting process undertaken to eliminate all possible doubts and compromise possibilities. Extreme physical and mental tests are carried out on would be candidates before they are admitted to the Paras. These are followed up by highly involving IQ tests.

Once one has been admitted to the Paras, the hardest and harshest training system ever subjected to a human being begins. It’s almost like torture and the drill sergeants know no other way other than the contents prescribed in training manuals. Personnel admitted in the Paras specialize in mountain warfare operations at high altitudes terrains and exposed to the tough skills of climbing and cold weather survival.

Other than mountain warfare they are also drilled in vehicle insertion techniques, motor vehicle maintenance and mechanics.

But the real nitty gritty of the paras is airborne warfare. Their training involves the ever risky airborne insertion from both fixed wing aircraft and choppers. To this end the paras not only rely on the army’s airborne unit the 50th Air Cavalry Battalion but also the Kenya Air Force.

Indeed high and low altitude parachute infiltration is the main credo of the ‘green berets’. The three main forms of parachute deep cover infiltration are must training for all personnel in the battalion. These are static line parachuting, high altitude low opening (HALO) and high altitude high opening (HAHO). Both HALO and HAHO drops and insertions are enormously dangerous and always run the risk of enemy detection and contact with ‘objective’.

All Paras are bound by the Official Secrets Act, small wonder they reveal nothing about themselves and confirm nothing even when confronted by facts. But while DOD may refute many of the facts of the paras Wikipedia the world’s online encyclopedia notes about them: “D Company of the 20 Parachute Company is the only sub unit in Kenya that performs high risk tasks such as Recce, ambushes, raids, and high risk infiltration on any task. Within the Company is a troop of 4+20 persons who perform the most dangerous duties of all.”

This is the much that the online chronicle reveals of this battalion which is headquartered in the Kenyan military town of Gilgil with outposts in several other military bases across the republic.

They are inconspicuous from others in the army. Their berets are green in colour. Unsentimental and hard-boiled commandos, well versed in all forms of warfare.

INSIDE THE GSU

Little is known about them.

The much that the general public knows about them is that they are the painful answer to civil disturbance and the quelling of riots by university students, unruly political mobs and communal skirmishes.

Tonnes of flak have been pummeled at them by human rights activists’ accusing them of gross human rights abuses. That notwithstanding they have also been blamed of high-handedness and excessive use of force when dealing with the general public. But perhaps their darkest hour came in 1975, when populist politician, JM Kariuki was assassinated. Media reports and witness accounts reveal that the then GSU Commandant Ben Gethi was the last person to be seen with JM alive.

This has been the public perception of the General Service Unit (GSU). Whom the press always refers to as “dreaded”. They are truly ‘terror’. The mere mention of the word GSU among many Kenyans normally sends shivers of fear and trepidation.

Just why are they feared? Is it because of their no-nonsense approach to civil disorder? Or their dispassionate adherence to their commands? This could be, but the reality is that the Kenyan and by extension the Eastern African public has never really known, let alone appreciates what the GSU is all about. A major reason why this is so is because, the Kenya government rarely comments on her activities and operations.

And today the secrets are out.

GSU is a specialized unit of the Kenya Police Service that is eternally on standby. Within the Kenya’s security establishment GSU’s real significance is a tightly kept secret. While few in Kenya know of the other side of the GSU, the certainty is that this unique outfit of the Kenya Police is actually acclaimed worldwide and listed in numerous almanacs of “Special Forces” among them the “Global Special Operations Forces Directory.” But even then very little is written or officially acknowledged about this division and her numerous exploits are virtually unknown to Kenyans.

Interestingly the GSU has been a subject that has attracted the interest of quite an array of scholars for some time now. Way back in 1992, the GSU was a theme that had intrigued security scholars in the continent. In his paper Civil-Military Relations in Post Independent Africa published in the South African Defense Review of 1992, Dr Simon Baynham fervently argued that “Kenya’s paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU),” was “built up by President Moi to break the monopoly of the regular armed services.”

This assertion came soon after Africa’s foremost scholar on military affairs Dr Samuel Decalo had contended that the GSU was “capable of defeating the entire army by itself.”

These two viewpoints by imminent scholars are indeed the pointer to what the GSU is all about. While the GSU has performed numerous proxy activities, and classified and unclassified operations both in Kenya and within the East, Central and Horn of Africa regions, it only acknowledges three of them. These are, the 1961 Zanzibar Uprising, where GSU were “for the first time deployed outside Kenya… to Zanzibar to quell civil disturbances that had claimed about 90 lives.” It took the GSU “only two days to restore normalcy.” The second operation that GSU admits is the 1963 – 1969 Secessionist Shifta War, which degenerated into a guerrilla war within Kenya’s Northern Frontier Districts. To this day the legend of the GSU is known across the NFD up to Mogadishu. The final one is the gallant role played by this regiment during the abortive 1982 Coup attempt orchestrated by renegade Kenya Air Force personnel and several activists. Though little light has been shed on the GSU and the 1982 Coup attempt, Professor Herb Howe in his paper “African Private Security” published in Conflict Trends gives a glimpse:

“Insecure rulers have parallel forces for several purposes. Firstly, they protect the ruler against domestic unrest, especially coup attempts: for example, Kenya’s GSU stopped the attempted takeover by the air force in 1982. Their well-armed presence supposedly lessens actual coup attempts.”

Investigations of GSU’s operations now reveal that unbeknown to the general public is the fact that GSU is not just a formation like any other within the Kenya Police Service. The GSU is a specific unit of commandos in the same leagues as the famed British Special Air Services (SAS), US’ Delta Force, France’s EPIGN and celebrated ultra secret Israeli commandos, the Sayeret Matkal, who rescued more than 100 Air France passengers in “Operation Thunderbolt” at Entebbe, Uganda. Put it simply, the ultimate war machines.

Though lately, the GSU has started recruiting women into its ranks, it has always been a male dominated squad, owing to the rigours undergone during training and work related demands. Of all her 13 commanders since inception none has been a woman and two of their chief commandos have risen to become Police Commissioners. The late Ben Gethi and the current chief Mathew Iteere.

It is instructive to note that immediately Major General Hussein Ali took over as Commissioner of Police, he deployed officers drawn from the GSU as Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPDs) and even into the crack criminal bursting squad of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) the “Flying Squad” across the republic, to stem the rising tide of crime that was slowly creeping into the country. The success rate is plain for all to see today small wonder Kenya was recently upgraded by the UN and granted “B” status in the same leagues as Vienna, Geneva and Rome. Whenever crime levels soar, the police always falls back on the GSU to contain emerging criminal trends.

According to the Kenya Police Service the general objectives of the GSU are “to deal with matters pertaining to internal security across the republic; to be a reserve force to deal with special operations and civil disorder and to be an operational force that is not intended for use of a permanent static nature.”

GSU’s beginnings date back in time. The creation of the GSU was mooted during Kenya’s independence struggle. Faced with heavy casualties within the British Army ranks, the colonial government sought to minimize her losses significantly and at the same time come up with a fighting unit that would achieve results. This is how the GSU was conceived, borne and specially nurtured and trained in 1948. At that time it was referred to as the Regular Police Reserve or the Emergency Company. Its scope of operations at that time involved curtailing the rapid expansion of Elijah Masinde’s Dini Ya Musambwa in Pokot counties in the expansive Rift Valley Province. However its main challenge was to deal with the highly advanced bush and non-conventional guerrilla war tactics of the Mau Mau freedom fighters.

Come 1953 and the “Emergency Company” became the GSU, a name retained to this day. This is a highly armed; hard-nosed trained and well equipped fighting force. Another surreptitious aspect of the GSU is that it is an all rounder fighting force, capable of waging war on all fronts, namely air, land and water. However GSU’s specialty is as it was originally intended; non conventional war in extreme conditions. GSU is a fighting unit well drilled in infiltration, subterfuge, intelligence, operating behind enemy lines, martial arts, air borne surveillance, amphibious engagement and anti terrorism.

In 1957, as the Mau Mau war was approaching its zenith, the GSU became a fully fledged formation, within the police establishment. Its first commandant who is credited with making it what it is today was Superintendent of Police (SP) S.G Thompson. By 1963, Africanisation of the top portfolios began and by 1967 all company and platoon commanders were black Kenyans.

Training of GSU recruits is a strenuous and back breaking regime of some 10 months at the GSU Training School (Embakassi), and the hardy GSU Field Training School, Magadi in the Rift Valley. Very few make it through the arduous training process. Only the toughest, bravest and the best survive. Actually, the GSU is not only structured in the same lines as the British famed Special Air Services (SAS) and the Special Boat Services (SBS), it is an exact replica of the two. The other notable exception is that the GSU and especially, the elite Ruiru based “Recce Company” is a combination of both with hybrid training from Tel Aviv, London and Washington. The Recce Company from where Presidential Guards are drawn, are not only trained in Kenya, but they also undergo extensive overseas training, at UK’s SAS and SBS facilities and further get drills with Israeli’s covert Sayeret Matkal. With units spread across the republic, GSU forces are self-contained, operate in the field and are provided with their personal equipment, transportation vehicles, and top-of the range communication systems. GSU commandos are experts in all manner of weapons, demolition, sabotage, evacuation, sniping, reconnaissance, surveillance, VIP Protection, bomb disposal, Counter terrorism, night combat, desert warfare, urban warfare, infiltration, mountain warfare, amphibious engagements and survival techniques in enemy territory.

Small wonder you see them at key security installations, like State Houses, Embassies and High Commissions and guarding ‘high value assets’ like visiting dignitaries (President Barak Obama when he visited Kenya as a senator, Hillary Clinton and presidents) and the De La Rue premises.

But perhaps the best kept secret of the GSU is that it only recruits the best. Brilliant intelligence operatives, marksmen, Information Technology wizards and highly motivated individuals are the stuff that straddles the various companies within the GSU fraternity. In some instances, the GSU sometimes loans her operatives to the intelligence services, for delicate and furtive clandestine operations. According to the South African based Security watch think tank the Institute of Security Studies (ISS):

“The GSU acts as the uniformed paramilitary cousin of the security and intelligence units. The GSU handles violent crime, outbreaks of communal violence, and demonstrations. Since 2003, the GSU also has had certain counterterrorism functions, including patrolling around Kenya’s international airports. The General Service Unit (GSU) is a mobile police force that is separately organized from the rest of the Kenya Police. It is a paramilitary police force used for the apprehension of dangerous, syndicated, or armed criminals. The GSU force is equipped with radio communication devices, radar, and computers.”

While the Country Studies Program of the US Library of Congress contends that the GSU is made up of “5,000 strong soldiers” and is equipped with “12 boats, an air wing of seven light, fixed-wing aircraft and three helicopters, and eight armored cars” the reality is that the strength of the GSU and her subsequent fire power, training methods and arsenal are tightly kept secrets only known to a few within the police establishment.

Surprisingly, unlike many other “Special Forces”, in the world which have chest-thumping mottos, the GSU’s one is the best known and humble Kenya Police motto, “Utumishi Kwa Wote” (Service to all). Sadly the nature of their work forbids much to be known about them, yet their zeal and specific operations over the years are tales of heroic exploits in harsh terrains.

In the current Kenyan military incursion into Somalia against Al Shabaab (said to have links with Al Qaeda) the paras and GSU commandos are in the frontlines, with Lieutenant Colonel John Maison Nkoimo (an army paratrooper) as commander of the Southern sector.

AUTHOR: Wanjohi Kabukuru
URL: http://www.africasia.com/
E-MAIL: wanjohi [at] positiveoutcomes.org