TheNewsGuru

Tag: East Africa

  • High Commission denies targeted killing of Nigerians in Kenya

    High Commission denies targeted killing of Nigerians in Kenya

    The Nigeria High Commission in Kenya has denied a media report alleging the targeting and killing of Nigerians in the East African country.

    In a statement issued in Nairobi on Saturday, the Commission described the story as a concoction replete with falsehood.

    It urged the public to refrain from interfacing with faceless groups or individuals who invest shamelessly in propagating irritants injurious to the cordial diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Kenya.

    It also urged Nigerians in Kenya to go about their activities within the provisions of the laws of the host country.

    The High Commission added that it remained resolute in executing its responsibilities and functions with every sense of professionalism and patriotism to Nigeria and to Nigerians.

    Also Read

    Have the Hustlers Finally Ousted Kenya’s Dynasties?; By Azu Ishiekwene

    “A parody news item released by an online platform on Aug. 31 and captioned `Nigerians in Kenya have raised alarm over targeted killings…is a concoction replete with falsehood and unfounded allegations.

    “The Nigerian High Commission in Kenya is not irked by the falsehood and frivolous allegations and will continue to conduct its statutory obligations on behalf of Nigeria and Nigerians in Kenya.

    “The High Commission, in line with statutory obligations, is devoted to the proper treatment of Nigerian nationals in Kenya and acts expeditiously on their behalf.

    “Contrary to claims of extrajudicial killings of Nigerians in Kenya by police operatives, there is no such incident. Rather, Nigerians have been supported where necessary to engage the host authorities in line with local laws,’’ it stated.

    The High Commission stated also that a syndicate of bad elements was out to tarnish its image.

    “The High Commission is aware of a syndicate which desires to tarnish its purposeful engagements and successes.

    “Members of the syndicate, who have been beneficiaries of the service excellence of the High Commission, have consistently failed in their efforts to riot and unleash mayhem on the High Commission and its personnel.

    “Their schemes include phony online videos, unsubstantiated petitions and threats to officials of the Mission, and campaigns to close the High Commission and create a diplomatic row with the host government.

    “The issue of concern in the parody news publication is the abduction of a Nigerian national on July 26 July.

    “This is a sensitive subject of on-going engagement between the Nigeria High Commission and the Kenyan authorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, is also regularly updated on the matter,’’ it added.

    It stated also that as part of measures taken to ascertain the whereabouts of the Nigerian national, the High Commission made publications in the print and electronic media in Kenya.

    “The case is still being investigated and officials of the High Commission have sustained the requisite engagement with the host authorities and continue to do so.

    “It is shameful that some devious elements have sought to garner favour through the misfortune of others,” it stressed.

  • UBA Foundation takes its Read Africa Initiative to Kenya

    The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, the UBA Foundation, continued on its quest to educate and empower African youths as it visited Our Lady of Mercy Girls Secondary School in Nairobi to donate over 500 copies of the book The Fishermen(by Chigozie Obioma), under the UBA Foundation’s Read Africa Initiative.

    The initiative which was launched in 2011 with the aim of encouraging students to improve their vocabulary and communication skills through reading, has been changing the lives of African students across the continent for six years.

    Through the initiative, the UBA Foundation is helping rekindle the dwindling reading culture amongst African youths as they pursue their education. Over a hundred thousand books and educational materials have been donated to various schools across Africa as UBA Foundation continues to traverse the continent, contributing positively to the development of African youths.

    This week, the foundation visited Emma High School in Kampala, Uganda with its Read Africa initiative before going to Kenya to read to the students at Our Lady of our Mercy School. The High school for girls which was founded in 2008 by Mrs Angwenyi with just 32 girls has grown into a student body of over 500 with donations from both private individuals and the Kenyan Ministry of Education. The school started off with girls who were very under priviledged and living in conditions that were not conducive to education. Less than a decade later, some of these students have gone on to Universities to pursue their dreams.

    Present at the drive were the CEO of the UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, UBA Kenya MD/CEO Isaac Mwige, the school principle Mrs Angwenyi and the students who got an opportunity to interact and read with the UBA Executives, sharing their future aspirations and ambitions as they engaged Executives in a Q& A session.

    Atta, told the students that the UBA Foundation was committed to uplifting the lives of the societies within which they operated by creating dynamic educational platforms for future generations on the continent. She also encouraged the students to read voraciously. “The pursuit of knowledge should be a lifelong activity that starts at a very young age. You should read all types of books so that you can explore and shape your own narrative,” she said.

    UBA Managing Director Mwige further encouraged the students to cultivate an interest in reading not just the academic text books but also material outside of their course work in order to acquire knowledge. “Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face,” he added.

    The Principal of Our Lady of Mercy Girls Secondary School Mrs. Angwenyi thanked the UBA Foundation for their contribution and said that it was very timely as the school is currently placing emphasis on the value of reading not just to prepare for exams but reading to prepare for life. ‘What UBA Foundation has brought to you today is worth more than money. The drive today will ensure that you all understand that reading is an essential part of living’ she said.

    The Kenyan Ministry of Education’s Chief Education Officer who was also present applauded the initiative saying: ’books allow us to expand our minds and enables us to keep abreast in all fields of human endeavor. The Students of Our Lady of our Mercy will benefit greatly from reading the books donated by UBA Foundation today’

    The UBA foundation donated books to the school library of Our Lady of Mercy and funding to pay for the accommodation of ten girls at the school dormitory.

    United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank, is committed to being a socially responsible company and role model for all businesses in Africa. UBA understands that there is a need for a social contract between the bank, the communities in which it operates, and its people. To this end, in 2006, UBA became the first bank in Nigeria to institute a foundation, the UBA Foundation. As the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the UBA Group, UBA Foundation is committed to the socio-economic betterment of communities across the African continent focusing on development in the areas of Environment, Education, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects.