Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of condolence to his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni, upon the death of Internal Affairs Minister General Aronda Nyakairima.

“To my brother @KagutaMuseveni may God comfort you as Uganda mourns the death of wazir General Aronda Nyakairima” Kenyatta wrote in a tweet earlier today.

Gen Nyakairima 56, died of heart attack in Dubai while returning from official duty in South Korea.

Gen Nyakairima joined Museveni’s National Resistance Army in 1982, after completing his studies at Makerere University. He has served the army in various capacities, rising up to becoming the Chief of Defence Forces, the highest ranking officer of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF).

In a related development Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has also mourned the later Gen Nyakairima, saying: “General Aronda Nyakairima, who also served the country as Chief of Defence Forces was a dedicated servant of the people of Uganda and his death is a huge and tragic loss to the country,” Dr Rugunda said in a statement.

In the statement Dr Rugunda added: “we extend our deep condolences to the family and friends of General Aronda during this most trying period and pray that the Almighty comforts them.”

The premier also said the government had set up a task force led by Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga to coordinate all matters related to the death of Gen Aronda Nyakairima, before revealing that a team of pathologists would be sent to Dubai to assist with the post mortem.

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Uganda’s Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Aronda Nyakairima has  died.

He has died of cardiac arrest on a plane from korea to Dubai.

According to the Director of Immigration at the ministry of Internal Affairs Geoffrey Sasaga, Gen. Aronda had travelled on official duty and was in a health condition.

The ministry of Internal Affairs also announced on the social media networks his death but said details would follow later.

“We regret to announce the death of Gen. Aronda Nyakairima who has been Minister of Internal Affairs” reads the statement from the Internal Affairs Ministry.

According to the Twitter handle of Special Forces Command (SFC) Commander, Brig. Muuhoozi Kainerugaba he said “I am extremely saddened at the untimely passing of our long time commander and leader, General Aronda Nyakairima. RIP.”

Whos is Gen. Aronda Nyakairima

According to Wikipedia,  He served in the army before joining Cabinet of Uganda as Minister of Internal Affairs in 2013. Previously he was Chief of Defense Forces, the highest military rank in the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF). And it is under him as CDF that Uganda was pacified of internal wars and the last being the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) of Joseph Kony.

Nyakairima was born July 7, 1959 in Rukungiri District. He attended Kitgum High School in Kitgum District. He joined Makerere University in 1978, graduating in 1981, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in political science. He attended the Basic Officers Course in 1989, after the NRA had captured power in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. He later attended a course in Strategic Studies at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, USA. He also has further military qualifications from the Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo.

He joined the National Resistance Army in 1982, soon after leaving Makerere. After the NRA captured power, he worked as an intelligence officer in the Ugandan military. He later was appointed Assistant Director in the Directorate of Military Intelligence in the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF).

He was then transferred to the Presidential Protection Unit as an Intelligence Officer. From there, he served as the Commanding Officer of the Armored Brigade before his appointment as Commander of the UPDF in 2003. He has represented the UPDF in theUgandan Parliament since 1996.

In October 2010, General Nyakairima was inducted into the International Hall of Fame at the Lewis and Clark Centre at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States of America, for attaining the highest position in the military of his country.

Nyakairima, a 1993 graduate of Fort Leavenworth, was inducted together with General Eui Don Wang of South Korea, a 1986 graduate of the command college, and Major General Richard Rhys Jones of New Zealand, a 1992 graduate.

Nyakairmina was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Internal Affairs on May 23, 2013. Gen. Katumba Wamala was appointed to replace him as Chief of Defence Forces on the same day.

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The Irish government has released 900,000 Euros to feed school-going children in Karamoja and for South Sudan refugees in northern Uganda.

According to the Irish Embassy in Uganda, half of the money that is channeled through the United Nations World food Programme (WFP) will cater for 100,000 Karamojong children, while the other half will help about 150,000 South Sudan refugees living in transit centres and settlements.

Currently, Uganda hosts its biggest ever number of refugees, estimated at about 500.000, seventy per cent of who are supported by the WFP.

WFP will use the committed funds to buy food for use in its shool meals and refugee assistance programmes, including beans and maize grains grown locally in Uganda from small-scale farmer groups. These initiatives are expected to increase school enrolment, retention and completion rates in Karamoja, and to improve nutrition for the refugees in West Nile.

“School feeding is one of the ways WFP is working with the Government to fill food gaps among the most vulnerable households,” said WFP’s Michael Dunford said, adding: “The Programme also encourages children to enroll and stay in school, and therefore invest in their futures.”

The Irish Ambassador to Uganda Donal Cronin noted that his country usually responds to the critical humanitarian needs of vulnerable people and societies.

“Ireland has a strong tradition of generously responding to people in need. Now that the food security situation in Karamoja is at a critical point at this time, and the number of refugees is high, Irish Aid and the Irish Embassy are pleased to be able to respond to this urgent need in partnership with WFP and the Government of Uganda,” Amb Cronin said.

He added: “In our valued partnership with the Government of Uganda this support is a strong to our other areas of development assistance in Uganda in social protection, HIV and AIDS, education and good governance sectors.”

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The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) has pledged further educational funding of up to £50,000 over the next 12 months in order to sustain a high level of skills across the global industry.

Around 276 beneficiaries globally have benefited from the Educational Support Fund (ESF) with awards totalling around £750,000. The funding relies entirely on donations from the support of SUT’s individual and corporate members.

The ESF offers sponsorship awards to high-calibre undergraduate and postgraduate students, either starting or continuing a degree which embraces at least one relevant component area of subsea/offshore engineering, marine science, or underwater technology.

Mark Richardson, Apache North Sea’s projects group manager, is a former beneficiary of the funding and believes he would not be where he is without the support of the ESF.

He said: “After leaving the military, I was uncertain about what my next step would be. The funding was invaluable to me advancing with offshore engineering at university. It proved the launch pad for my career, opened so many doors and I would recommend anyone with an interest in the industry to apply.

“I am a great supporter of using my own knowledge and experience in mentoring young people and the SUT is doing a fantastic job re-investing in the next generation.”

Aligned with Offshore Europe’s theme of ‘How to Inspire the Next Generation’, the grants are open to any student, irrespective of age or nationality, for study at any course in the world which is approved by the society. The SUT also encourages entry into the industry at a younger age, with school lectures which are delivered from primary stage through to secondary level.

Stephen Hall, Head International & Strategic Partnerships, National Oceanography Centre, and chair of SUT’s education and training committee said: “We are committed to maintaining high standards in underwater technology and marine science. To sustain the specialised skills needed for this sector, we need to maintain and increase the level of support that will attract the most talented students from around the world. These high-calibre students have a passion to learn and we need to help them realise their fullest potential.”

Mr Hall added: “We also encourage continuous development of skills through a range of training and awareness courses; our Subsea Awareness Course has gained a glowing reputation for its content and delivery around the world.”

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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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