Sudan has announced that China will explore for oil and gas in the Red Sea, Sinnar, and West Kordofan.

China is the largest foreign investor in Sudan, which hosts China’s biggest investment in the African continent. Last week President Omer al-Bashir and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a bilateral strategic partnership, including an agreement for production of natural gas in Sinnar State.

Sudanese oil and gas minister Mohamed Zayed Awad confirmed that China had agreed to embark on new oil explorations and to expand its oil operations in Sudan.

“China will start gas production in zone 15 in the Red Sea, in zone 4, known as Baleela field, and zone 6 north of Heglig in West Kordofan State, as well as zone 8 in Souki in the east of Sinnar State,” the minister said upon the return of a Sudanese delegation led by President al-Bashir from a visit to Peking.

Gas production ushers in a new stage in the development of oil industry in the Sudan. Explorations confirmed presence of gas in many areas, particularly zones 8 and 15 in the Sinnar and Red Seas States, respectively.

Last March al-Bashir announced that gas production in zone 8 in Souki, Sinnar State, would start soon.

In 2009, Sudan announced that oil production from “Tawakul” well in Sinnar had started, with an output of 3.7 million cubic feet of condensed gas per day. It estimated the overall reserve of the zone at 25 billion cubic feet.

The official Sudan news agency (SUNA) quoted the oil minister as saying that China had agreed to apply the associated gas technology (APG) in enhancing gasoline production, power generation, producing cooking gas, and modernizing the oil sector.

The minister affirmed that the state-owned oil company, Sudapet, had finalized the economic feasibility studies for the said zones. He expects the new agreements to boost oil and gas production.

Noting that extracted oil constitutes only 12% of the discovered quantities, the minister said the Sudanese presidency had set up a special committee to drive investment in solar energy, wind energy and other sources of new and renewable energy.

Thanks to the joint training program with China, he said, the oil sector is now 95% run by local talent.

He praised the role played by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in all stages, from exploration to production and from crude oil transportation and exportation to building the necessary support facilities, such as the processing centers in Heglig and Jabalain, pipelines, export terminals, the Khartoum Refinery, and the social services.

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President Yoweri Museveni and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed to push for United Nations Security Council reforms saying the issue is critical for transparency.

“The fact that we were able to agree on cooperation with regard to issues in the international arena in particular achieving UN Security Council reform is extremely critical for Japan which is seeking UN Security Council reform,” Prime Minister Abe said during a jointly held press conference.

President Museveni agreed, emphasizing that the present refugee and migrant crisis from Africa and Middle East to Europe is partly caused by a few people monopolizing decision making for the whole world.

“We totally agree with Japan that it’s not in order to have a small group of countries monopolizing decision making for the whole world.  The present chaos in the world is partly caused by that mistake. If you see the Middle Eastern people and Africans invading Europe as refugees….these are products of mistakes made by some actors who are responsible for these mistakes. That huge human suffering….these mistakes must be stopped by collective wisdom,” he said.

President Museveni said Africa is insisting on reform of the United Nations Security Council and also having equal rights. “Japan with the other members of the Group of four have slightly different position when it comes ‘not on whether but on how’.  Therefore I benefit a lot when I come here and discuss with the prime minister to get the logic of the G4. We shall continue to exchange views on thes processes,” he said.

The President, who is on a four day official visit to Japan and is accompanied by the First Lady Janet Museveni, thanked the Prime Minister for the invitation and sympathized with the people of Japan over the floods that hit their country.

“I thank you for inviting me and my delegation to Japan. I am very sorry about floods that have hit your country and extend our sympathies to the people of Japan,” he said.

Museveni hailed the government of Japan for the support to Uganda over the years since 1966 especially in the area of infrastructure development.

He said Japan has done good work in Uganda in the field of electricity, the new bridge across the River Nile, rehabilitation of some hospitals, infrastructure of roads in Kampala and also rehabilitation of northern Uganda after the insurgency.

He commended them to supporting rice projects through developing new variety of rice.

“We are grateful to these contributions. I would like to encourage Japanese companies to come and invest in Africa. It is the best win-win approach. When those companies make money we also make money, they create jobs and produce products everybody gains,” he said.

The President said in the last 300 or so years when capitalism started developing, one of the crisis of capitalism was shortage of markets, mainly because of the depression in 1929.

“Even some of the recent crisis in global economy is over issue of markets. Africa is a huge continent with a growing population. Once it has transformed to middle class society, it will enhance consumption not only for our benefit but for benefit of the whole world. When you buy what I produce you are supporting me. When I buy what you are producing am supporting you. Therefore assisting Africa to enhance its purchasing power is not only in the interest Africa but in the interest of the whole world,” he said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his heartfelt welcome to President Museveni for the six visits to Japan.

“Museveni is the dean of Africa and an old friend of Japan. Under his leadership, Uganda has achieved and enjoyed successive economic growth since 1990s. Uganda has been contributing to the peace and security of EAC and in this regard, I pay my respect,” he said.

Prime Minister Shinzo said he was extremely pleased that they held fruitful discussions and exchanged views with President Museveni and also issued joint statement for the first time.

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President Yoweri Museveni and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are holding talks focus on various development projects supported by Japan in Uganda.

Japan is pivotal in supporting governments “Prosperity for All” programme through improving the rural transport network to boost the volume of trading activities between the East African countries.

It is also supporting the construction of the new Nile Bridge at Jinja, a key infrastructure project which will inter-connect roads to neighboring countries such as Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Rwanda.

The President, who is on a four-day working visit was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs Janet Kataha Museveni and was received on arrival at Haneda International Airport by Uganda’s Ambassador to Japan Betty Akech,  her deputy Edith Namutebi, and ministers Okello Oryem (state for foreign affairs), Matia Kasaija (finance), and John Byabagambi (works).

The Musevenis will also meet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace.

The President will also meet with key business executives, the Japan-AU Parliamentary League Members of Parliament and with a delegation from the Japan External Trade Organization led by its Chairman Hiroyuki Ishige.

He will also meet the President of Japan Oil, Gas & Metal National Cooperation Hirobiki Kawano before meeting and witnessing the signing of a loan agreement with Japan Bank of International Cooperation.

The Prime Minister will later host President Museveni to a dinner before the two leaders address a joint press conference at the Prime Minister’s residence.

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The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has told the government and the Electoral Commission (EC) to put to a halt the emergence of militia groups in the country, saying they could lead to violence during the 2016 elections.

Addressing journalists during the weekly press briefing today in Kampala, the party spokesperson Micheal Orach Osinde, who referred to the militia groups as ‘violence perpetrators’ said that government and other stakeholders need to rein in the militias early in a bid to curtail violence.

Recently a Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs Major Roland Kakooza Mutale and embattled Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago declared that they had recruited scores of youth to safeguard their political interests during the election period.

Maj Mutale claims his group of about 600 that are being trained in Luweero will ‘protect NRM votes in the 2016 elections’, while Lukwago says his Solida group is to counter the activities of Mutale’s ‘vigilantes’.

“UPC calls upon all opposition political parties and all security agencies to investigate the threats by Kakooza Mutale and other pressure groups,” Osinde said.

He stressed that militia groups do not care about the lives and property of Ugandans, citing incidents in 2011 where lives and property were lost.

“EC is looking on, once a threat is declared, there is no way a sane government can leave it, unless they are part of it,” he added.

The UPC spokesperson further advised the EC and Uganda Human Right Commission to carry out civic education to sensitize the public about the dangers of subscribing to militia groups.

“They should come out and do civic education, voter education is different from civic education,” asserted Osinde.

He also noted that the Electoral Commission should plan for  auditable procedures so that it deters fraud, to ensure transparency and inclusive participation in next year’s elections.

“EC must develop codes of conduct that establish parameters for appropriate standards of behavior during this period of to mitigate latent conflicts,” he said.

Previously, several stakeholders including internal affairs minister Aronda Nyakairima, EC boss Eng Badru Kiggundu and the police have castigated the training of militia groups, saying the outfits are illegal and will not be tolerated. Indeed, reports indicate that police has summoned Maj Mutale and Lukwago, but it is not yet clear whether the two have answered the summonses.

Meanwhile, the UPC has expressed discontent with The Democratic Alliance for ‘dealing’ with Ambassador Olara Otunnu, who the party accuses of masquerading as its representative.

According to UPC Administrative Secretary Higenyi Kamba, Ottunu has on many occasions introduced himself as UPC party president ‘yet he is not’.

“I lodged a complaint to TDA criticizing why they worked with Otunnu; I informed them that Akena is the new UPC president,” Kamba said adding: “the EC does not recognize Otunnu.”

And weighing in on the issue, Osinde said that Otunnu and his cabinet are in TDA as individual members and they don’t represent the aspirations of UPC. “Otunnu can be in TDA as a prominent person but not as UPC president,” Osinde said and added: “They don’t choose for us, it is really why we opted out of the alliance.”

He also revealed that the party was considering taking legal action against Otunnu and his cabinet.

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Retired Colonel Kiiza Besigye has this afternoon been nominated to run on The Democratic Alliance platform during the forthcoming 2016 presidential elections.

Dr Besigye became the flag bearer for Forum for Democratic Change after defeating his party President Major General Mugisha Muntu at a delegates conference held at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium Nambole, last week.

Clad in a black suit, a flamboyant Besigye today arrived at the TDA offices in Naguru accompanied by supporters who were chanting anti- Museveni slogans, while praising him as the ‘true freedom fighter’.

FDC president Maj Gen Muntu, Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, party Electoral Commission boss Dan Mugarura; Mobilisation Secretary Ingrid Turinawe and Shadow Finance Minister Geoffrey Ekanya also accompanied Besigye.

Dr Besigye, who presented his nomination papers to the TDA Chairman Okello Okello, pledged his commitment towards constitutional and electoral reforms in the country.

“We are committed to working together to save Ugandans from the desperate situation that they find themselves in,” said Besigye, adding that he would respect the outcome of the selection process of the alliance.

“If I am not the favourite candidate I will rally my support and that of FDC as a party behind whoever TDA successfully selects,” said Besigye.

Further, Dr Besigye lamented that there has been no peaceful hand over of power but rather ‘rigged and violent elections which must be stopped’.

“Mbabazi is being initiated into the kind of situation those of us who oppose President Museveni go through,” Dr Besigye said of Mbabazi’s consultative meeting in the eastern town of Soroti, where those gathered for his address were sprayed with teargas by police this afternoon.

In response Okello Okello welcomed Besigye’s decision to seek the TDA ticket and informed him that his nomination papers are going to be forwarded to the selection committee, which will decide the joint flag bearer by consensus.

On his part the FDC party President expressed gratitude at Dr Besigye’s nomination and hoped the TDA selection committee will choose his party candidate.

And, asked about Amama Mbabazi’s Soroti debacle earlier this afternoon, Muntu said Museveni ‘runs this country like his home’.

“The Museveni team are scared and will always make mistakes but it is upon us organize ourselves to make Uganda a better place to be,” Maj Gen Muntu added.

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