wfn.org | All Africa News Agency Oct 6 2003 News

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

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AANA Bulletin						Bulletin APTA
  Editor -Elly Wamari						Editor -
Silvie Alemba

AANA BULLETIN No. 39/03 October 6, 2003 (a)

NEWS SECTION

Zuma, Noko Tell Faiths To Adopt Pro-Active Peace Methods

JOHANNESBURG (AANA) October 6 - South African Deputy President, Jacob Zuma, 
has appealed to African religious communities to help governments in the 
quest for permanent peace.

He was speaking at the official opening of the Southern African Inter-Faith 
Conference last Tuesday (September 30).

The conference, which drew more than 60 delegates representing seven major 
religions from 11 southern African countries, is the first regional 
follow-up meeting to last year's Inter-Faith Peace Summit in Africa, 
jointly organised by the Geneva-based Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and 
other faith-based organisations.

Zuma emphasised that governments could not be expected to work alone 
towards establishing peace and stability. "This is a multi-sectoral task, 
requiring every stakeholder within African society".

The religious community, he said, has an even bigger role to play, given 
the fact that they reach millions of people each week.

"You are in a position to spread the message of peace and harmony.  Give 
the victims of violence hope and guide belligerents to realise that it is 
possible to stop war and begin to reconstruct their own lives and their 
countries," said the deputy president.

He made a special appeal to religious leaders to assist in reaching out to 
the leader of Burundi's Party for the Liberation of the Hutu 
People-National Liberation Force (Palipehutu-FNL), Agathon Rwasa, whose 
party has not joined the cease-fire process.

Zuma, facilitator for the talks between Burundi's transitional government 
and Palipehutu-FNL, noted that the days of war in Africa were over. "People 
are learning that they can solve all problems through dialogue," he pointed 
out.

He further appealed to delegates to try and stop political leaders and 
warlords from recruiting children into armed groups.

"You should use your moral and religious influence to stop the pressuring 
of children to take up arms," charged Zuma.

Earlier, LWF General Secretary, Rev Dr Ishmael Noko, who chaired the 
conference, also urged faith groups to seek ways of forging relationships 
with their respective governments to resolve conflicts, make peace and 
contribute to nation building.

He told religious leaders to move away from merely gathering and reacting 
in the context of specific events, and become pro-active through sustained 
dialogue.

"Our practical inter-faith co-operation, which at present is intermittent 
and dictated mostly by external events, could be so much deepened and 
enhanced through dialogue," he stressed.

But, he cautioned, religious leaders should refrain from supporting party 
politics. "There has been a strong tradition of siding with political 
parties during liberation struggles," he said.

"But today, for a religious leader to align himself or herself and their 
institution with one political party among many, compromises one's possible 
role as a mediator in a conflict situation," he continued.

Noko called for the establishment of an official instrument or structure 
through which contact could be maintained between religious communities and 
national governments in the Southern African region.

He underscored the need to have more young people taking leadership in 
inter-faith relations and in "efforts to bring about peaceful change in our 
societies".

Change, he noted, would only "take place through idealism and enthusiasm, 
and idealists are usually young people who are prepared to take risks and 
push beyond boundaries".

"The idealism and enthusiasm of young people can provide energy and quality 
to the process," he added.

He urged the conference participants to recognise the important role of 
media in advocating inter-faith dialogue and giving public witness of 
successful examples of inter-faith co-operation.

But he also cautioned against "making peace for the sake of publicity". The 
best peacemakers, he stressed, "have a passion for anonymity".

He expressed hope that the regional conference would ensure that 
communication would be a core element in the plan of action envisaged from 
the gathering.

Participants in the September 30-October 1 conference at Kempton Park 
Conference Centre included religious leaders from African Traditional 
Religions, Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim faiths.

The theme of the conference was Promoting Peace and Harmony.  It focused on 
the implementation of the visions of last year's Johannesburg Inter-Faith 
Declaration - Embracing the Gift of Peace.

Southern African countries that attended the conference include Angola, 
Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, 
Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. There are also representatives from 
Senegal and Kenya.

Reported by Pauline Mumia
Lutheran World Federation

Africa Gets Three Slots in Latest Cardinal Appointments

NAIROBI (AANA) October 6 -Three African primates are among the 31 new 
cardinals Pope John Paul II appointed on September 28.

They are Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie of Lagos, Nigeria; Archbishop 
Gabriel Zubeir Wako of Khartoum, Sudan; and Archbishop Peter Kodwo Appiah 
Turkson of Cape Coast, Ghana.

The others are from Canada, Australia, Scotland, Mexico, India, Brazil, 
Guatemala, Spain, France, Croatia, Vietnam, Hungry, Japan, Italy, United 
States of America, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Czech Republic.  The 
biggest numbers came from Italy (6) and France (3).

Speaking at the Vatican City during the occasion, the Pope implored: "Let 
us entrust the newly elected to the Holy Virgin, invoking her maternal 
protection on them and their respective tasks in the vineyard of the Lord."

The latest appointees have brought the total number of cardinals to 195 
world-wide.

The Pope at the same time announced that he would hold a prayer session 
with the cardinals on October 21.

The Catholic pontiff, currently suffering from poor health, is scheduled to 
mark his 25th anniversary of his creation as Pope, on October 22.

Cardinals are central in the Catholic faith because they are entrusted with 
the election of popes. They form the College of Cardinals, under which a 
new pope is elected.

According to requirements, cardinals participating in the election of the 
Pope must not be more than 80 years to qualify to enter into the conclave, 
where papal elections are usually held.

The late Kenyan cardinal, Maurice Michael Otunga, for example, participated 
in the elections of both the late Pope Paul VI, and the incumbent, Pope 
John Paul II.

Approached for comment on the widely held notion that the next Pope could 
come from a developing country, and in particular, Africa, a source from 
the Catholic Church noted: "Such school of thought is not far-fetched."

He continued: " It could happen as it did when the current Pope John Paul 
II was elected to the seat.... He comes from Poland and before him, Italy 
had dominated the seat. His appointment broke this monotony."

Reported by Osman Njuguna

Firm Begins Manufacture Of Unique Anti-Malaria Bed Nets

ARUSHA (AANA) October 6 - A-Z Textile Mills in Arusha, Tanzania, early last 
month began producing an innovative Japanese product with the potential of 
saving millions of people from malaria.

Known as "long-lasting insecticidal nets", the new product is a powerful 
weapon for fighting malaria, which kills more than one million people 
annually, most of them children under the age of five.

UNICEF, WHO and the Acumen Fund, jointly announced the breakthrough on 
September 26.

In a press release, the three organisations said that the transfer of the 
Japanese technology to an African manufacturer was made possible by an 
international public-private partnership aimed at reducing malaria deaths.

This is the first time the nets are being manufactured in Africa.

"The use of long-lasting nets brings us to a crucial point in the war 
against malaria," said UNICEF Executive Director, Carol Bellamy.

"If we can get these kinds of nets into the homes of the people who need 
them most, we can take a huge stride toward stopping a disease that kills 
3,000 children every day," she added.

The new technology extends the efficacy of insecticidal bed nets from about 
one year to more than four years without being retreated.

Ordinary nets need to be treated with insecticides at least once a year to 
remain effective, a requirement which has been difficult to achieve, in 
part due to cost.

Previously, the long-lasting nets were only manufactured in East Asia. 
Producing the nets in Africa increases their availability to the people 
most affected by malaria, and strengthens the development of the industry 
in Africa.

In addition to the human toll, malaria costs Africa US$ 10 to US$ 12 
billion annually in lost Gross Domestic product (GDP).

"If health and development are truly global priorities, then it is 
essential that we reduce the number of malaria deaths," said Dr Lee 
Jong-wook, Director-General of WHO.

"Insecticidal nets stop the malaria-carrying mosquitoes from biting, and 
act as a chemical death trap for them. Properly used, they can cut malaria 
morbidity by at least 50 percent and child deaths due to malaria by 20 
percent," pointed out the WHO boss.

The Acumen Fund is a New York-based non-profit organisation that invests 
philanthropic resources in innovative social enterprises, with a primary 
goal of social change.

Reported by Henry Neondo

Plans Are Underway To Enable Kenyan Inmates To Also Vote

NAIROBI (AANA) October 6 - Prisoners in Kenya might vote during the 2007 
general elections, if proposals contained in a draft constitution are 
implemented.

The Institute for Education in Democracy (IED), with the aid of Kenya 
National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), is set to conduct civic 
education among the inmates.

Like in many other African countries, Kenyan prisoners do not vote, since 
the constitution does not provide for that.

Kenya's prisoner population ranges between 30,000 to 40,000 inmates, with 
Kamiti Maximum Prison in Nairobi, Shimo la Tewa Prison in the coastal city 
of Mombasa, and Kodiaga Prison in Western Kenya, holding an average of 
2,000 to 3,000 inmates at any given time.

These numbers are quite tempting for any potential political candidate, in 
terms of votes.

During a recent training session for prison staff expected to supervise 
voting by prisoners, Maina Kiai, chairman of Kenyan National Commission on 
Human Rights (KNCHR), raised some critical logistical issues.

"Can we, therefore, rule out the possibility that a sitting minister, whose 
constituency has such a prison, will have a priority in terms of access to 
the prisoners? If an inmate is imprisoned away from his (or her) polling 
station, will he (or she) need to register afresh? Will prisons be polling 
stations, or will mobile stations be used?" he posed.

According to Ms Koki Muli, the Executive Director IED, such logistical 
problems are surmountable. "The Electoral Commission will set the 
parameters on the conducting of the whole process, right from registration 
to actual election activities," she said.

IED has already carried out a needs assessment at Naivasha prison, about 85 
kilometres from Nairobi. The reason for their choice was the fact that the 
length of sentences served at the prison ranged between seven years to life.

"Since the inmates are going to be trained as peer trainers, it is 
important that those trained be people who will ensure sustainability of 
the project," said Ms Muli.

If logistics allow, prisons will be used as polling stations, with prison 
officers assisting the election officials.

The officer in charge of the Naivasha prison, Ben Njoga, stated that 
participation of inmates in governance will assist them in preparing for 
their eventual reintegration into their communities.

At the seminar held in Nakuru town between September 19 and 21, about 190 
kilometres from Nairobi, Alice Nderitu, Public Relations Officer of KNCHR, 
said that like all the other rights, the inmates' right to vote will come 
with responsibilities.

Ground rules, she said, will be in place for candidates and inmates, with 
reprimands for irregular behaviour.

"If the logistics work out, the whole process will be very smooth because a 
controlled environment is easier [to manage] since all the voters will be 
in one place," she added.

Supporting the proposal, Commissioner Jack Tumwa of the Electoral 
Commission of Kenya (ECK) said: "We want as many Kenyans as possible to 
vote - prisoners, people working in foreign countries and even patients in 
hospitals. With the legal backing of Parliament, the inmates should be able 
to vote soon."

If the constitution is amended, Kenya will be the only other country in 
Africa, after South Africa, where inmates are allowed to vote.

Reported by Margaret Nyingi

Activists Demand Nothing Short Of Righteous Leadership

LAGOS (AANA) October 6 - The clamour for good governance in Nigeria is 
intensifying, with various groups emerging to enlist support for "more 
competent and honest leaders" in the country.

The latest group is known as Forum for Righteousness in Governance, made up 
of Christian professionals, politicians and church leaders.

The mission of the forum, according to a handbook released by its planning 
committee, is to transform the country into a nation where "the resources 
God has endowed us with will be enjoyed by all through enthronement of 
capable and righteous leaders, irrespective of their denomination or church".

Although the country is blessed with abundant resources, the forum 
expressed concern that the larger population was wallowing in abject poverty.

"A few have monopolised its wealth and the rest could do nothing. This is 
the implication of unrighteous leadership, hence the dire need for 
righteous leadership to rescue our nation from the current unpleasant 
situation," the group stated.

One of the group's leaders, a former Commissioner for Education in Lagos 
State, Prof Idowu Sobowale, urged Christians to show more interest in 
politics ahead of the next general elections, scheduled for 2007.

"We need to work together as a group to enthrone righteousness in this 
country instead of complaining from the sideline," Prof Sobowale stated.

Although Nigeria, which is almost evenly divided between Christians and 
Muslims, is presently headed by a Christian president along with other 
professed Christians at various levels, many have expressed concern about 
various unwholesome practices in government quarters.

"Too many people are masquerading as Christians. We need more righteous 
people in government, who are able to match their performance with their 
faith," said Richard Akinola, Chairman of Centre for Free Speech, a 
non-governmental organisation.

Reported by Lekan Otufodunrin

Church Warns Government Against More Fuel Price Hikes

LAGOS (AANA) October 6 - Amid  fresh speculation about fuel price increase 
in Nigeria, the Anglican community here has advised the government against 
any further fuel hike inorder to avoid a possible nation-wide strike, which 
could worsen the country's economic situation.

In the last one week, most parts of the country, including Lagos, the 
economic capital, have been experiencing fuel shortage, with filling 
stations selling at prices above normal.

The government has not been forthcoming on the cause of the shortage, but 
sources have hinted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has 
been importing less fuel than required for local consumption.

The importation has been occasioned by the shut-down of the local refinery.

The National Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican 
Communion), in a message to the nation after deliberations on the state of 
the nation at a recent meeting, said instead of increasing fuel prices, the 
government should ensure that petroleum companies complied with the 
recently fixed rates.

The message was signed by the head of the Anglican community in Nigeria, 
Archbishop Peter Akinola.

Although Nigeria is a major world oil producing nation, most parts of the 
country have continued to experience fuel scarcity, with pump prices rising 
almost every two years.

A recent hike lead to a nation-wide strike organised by the Nigeria Labour 
Congress (NLC). The strike lasted for about a week before a compromise was 
struck with the union leaders.

President Olusegun Obasanjo has however maintained that the pump prices of 
fuel must be increased further to make up for present government needs.

Despite shortage of fuel, some people still indulged in smuggling of the 
products across the country's borders, with the connivance of security 
agents and government officials.

Condemning this activity, the church leaders said: "We therefore call on 
all those involved in these deals to desist from such actions that create 
suffering for the poor ones in the society. The bad economic situation in 
the country does not augur well for our nascent democracy, which requires 
peace and stability."

Reported by Lekan Otufodunrin

Concerns Raised As Foreign Chains Outdo Local Retailers

KAMPALA (AANA) October 6 - The proverb that grasses suffer when two 
elephants fight typifies how a fight between South African and Kenyan 
supermarkets for Ugandan consumers is leading to collapse of indigenous 
outlets.

The South African Metro, with its sidekicks - Lucky 7 and Kwiksave - are 
taking over Ugandan market. Customer base has reached 700,000 a week.

Shoprite is also making its presence felt. Having opened up a US$ 7 million 
investment in 2000, it is putting up a US$ 13 million affair and plans to 
invest a further US$ 40 million.

A rising middle-class, good business prospects and an open-door economic 
policy has allowed Kenyan supermarket, Uchumi, to gain foothold.

It is receiving 35,000 customers a week, which is not a bad start. 
Nakumatt, another successful chain store in Kenya, is also eyeing the 
Ugandan market.

Their arrival is bad news for local supermarkets that had mushroomed, and 
had reached 118 in Kampala alone.

Star Supermarket, with its several branches, collapsed under a pile of 
debts, followed by Cash and Carry, Shoppers Paradise, and Ugantico.

Apparently, the local supermarkets could not match the financial, technical 
and strategic marketing techniques of the foreign ones.

Shoplifters proved burdensome, as locals could not install anti-shoplifting 
equipment, which foreign rivals found easy to do.

Instead, their employees irritated customers because of the way they would 
follow shoppers to every shelf, leaving an impression that customers were 
thieves.

It is no wonder that the coming of exotic supermarkets to Uganda is good 
news for many shoppers.

"If we continue with this exponential growth in the next ten years, we 
shall be close to US shopping standards," says D. Porter, General Manager 
of Garden City shopping centre.

Yet their match into Uganda has unnerved many who are concerned that 
Ugandan retailers are running out of business.

"It would be tragic if liberalisation spells an end to Ugandan retailers," 
notes Yona Kanyomozi, a member of East African Legislative Assembly.

Complaints have also been louder about how the supermarkets are not buying 
local produce.	Shoprite purchases chicken from South Africa, yet there is 
a 24 million chicken local production, that can ensure that each Ugandan 
has a chicken.

However, the foreign-owned supermarkets are increasingly becoming sensitive 
to local sensibilities, and some have responded by buying local products.

Shoprite now buys some chicken from Ugachick and its vegetables are bought 
from the St Balikuddembe Market, the largest market in Uganda.

Uchumi is also following suit. Recently, a farmer supplied 300kg of 
tomatoes, which they sorted out and bought 180 kg. The fortune he got out 
of the deal was probably the best he has ever received.

However, there is little capacity from Ugandan farmers. Henry Buwule, 
project co-ordinator of Farmers Empowerment through Agricultural Services 
said Shoprite once contracted a mushroom farmer who could only satisfy an 
eighth of the demand.

  His concern is that Ugandan farmers need a better capacity to produce more.

There are worries about the implications of South African supermarkets 
victory on the East African market.

It is apparent that South African chains are taking over many industries, 
and there is growing calls for a review of strategies.

Some business analysts see that the impending arrival of East African 
Customs Union may provide relief to the concerned.

Reported by Crespo Sebunya

AIDS Information Kit For FBOs To Be Ready December

NAIROBI (AANA) October 6 - An HIV/AIDS information kit for faith based 
organisations (FBOs), being produced jointly by the World Conference on 
Religions for Peace (WCRP), UNICEF and UNAIDS, will be ready by the end of 
this year.

This was revealed recently by the WCRP's director of Program on Children, 
James Cairns, as he spoke during the launch of a joint WCRP-UNICEF report, 
which established, among other things, that majority of FBOs in Africa were 
playing a crucial role in supporting children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

The information kit will be an outcome of a call made last year by 
religious leaders in Africa, for a resource material to assist FBOs in 
caring for children orphaned by or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.

The request was placed during a historic African Religious Leaders Assembly 
on Children and HIV/AIDS, convened here by WCRP.

According to a joint UNICEF-WCRP-UNAIDS statement, "the action kit is being 
developed through a wide-ranging process of consultation with and field 
testing by religious leaders in Africa and elsewhere".

The kit, which is expected to be comprehensive and therefore applicable to 
a wide variety of community  settings, "will enable religious leaders to 
further engage their communities and better equip them to respond to the 
various issues arising from the pandemic".

"The key to its usefulness and success will be local communities adapting 
it to complement their specific teachings or religious texts," adds the 
statement.

The resource document will be ready for release in December, and will be 
available in English and French.

Reported by Elly Wamari

TRANSITION

Acclaimed Journalist And Human Rights Champion Dies

HARARE (AANA) October 6 - Joe Molefi, a renowned veteran journalist and 
former Director of the Ecumenical Documentation and Information Centre in 
Southern Africa (EDICISA), is dead. He met his death in Lesotho on 
September 29, aged 73.

As a great champion of human rights, Joe leaves behind a legacy of having 
perfected the use of media in peace building, sustainable development, 
promotion of human rights and good governance.

After his basic education in South Africa, Joe's character as a human 
rights champion began showing during his time at Wits University, where he 
became a member of the Defiance of Unjust Laws Campaign.  That was in 1952.

His active participation in the campaign cost him a medical studies degree 
he was pursuing.

 From 1952 onwards Joe started his media career as a co-editor of Mafube, a 
political journal of Mafri News Service.

This was disrupted when between 1956 and 1961, Joe, together with 29 other 
members of the African National Congress, South African Trade Union 
Movement, and the South African Communist Party, was charged with treason.

After the treason trial, in which all the accused where found not guilty, 
Joe went into exile in Lesotho, where he stayed with his family until his 
death.

It was during his stay in Lesotho that he entered journalism in earnest, 
moved by the desire to develop a career in the challenging profession.	His 
ambition was to become an active observer and interpreter of events in 
Southern Africa. This, he did achieve.

He established himself as a most reliable correspondent of major media news 
agencies such as the Associated Press, and The World News and Post 
newspapers, both of Johannesburg.

He also corresponded for the Argus Africa News Services, British 
Broadcasting Corporation, The World Service, Reuters, Radio France 
International, The Irish Times and the Africa Report Magazine.

 From 1961 to 1963, together with a colleague, Nana Mahomo, he operated a 
London-based publication called Crisis and Change, which reviewed political 
events in South Africa.

He at one time also worked for the Lesotho National Development Corporation 
(LNDC) as Public Relations Officer, and Radio Lesotho as director of news 
division.

 From August 1990 to December 1993, Joe worked as the director of EDICISA. 
He came to the organisation with a vast experience on media issues in 
Southern Africa, and it was through his commitment, dedication and hard 
work that made EDICISA what it is today - a leading ecumenical news agency 
in Southern Africa.

Reported by Tendai Chikuku
EDICISA News