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TWO TRADITIONAL LEADERS PLEDGE TO FIGHT BLOOD SUCKING CRUSADERS

Paramount Chief NGOLONGOLIWA of the LHOMWE

MALAWI: WITCHCRAFT/NYASA TIMES/18/10/17 SABANews 1

CHIRADZURU – Paramount Chief NGOLONGOLIWA of the LHOMWE in the MULANJE District of Southern MALAWI has pledged to fight suspected witches allegedly sucking the blood of humans in his area.

The traditional leader, also known as the MWENE WA MAMWENE of the MULHAKO WA ALHOMWE grouping, has assured the government and his people village heads will catch the suspects by the end of this OCTOBER.

NYASA TIMES newspaper says he made the remarks at a primary school in CHIRADZURU District, where President PETER MUTHARIKA heard testimonies from some of the blood sucking victims.

The Head of State has warned the suspected vampires to stop terrorising communities, saying village chiefs should help stop the people who are using witchcraft to suck human blood.

The TIMES says he has visited the area after serious reports of a vampire scare in some districts of the southern region, which triggered mob violence and left about SEVEN people dead.

Scared villagers have recently taken the law into their own hands and mobbed people suspected to be members of the vampire crusade since mid-SEPTEMBER.

The publication says beliefs in witchcraft are widespread in Rural MALAWI, ONE of the world’s poorest countries, where many aid agencies and NGOs are working.

It quotes Paramount Chief NGOLONGOLIWA as saying reports of bloodsuckers are not a myth, but real acts of witchcraft by some magicians who want to undermine the powers of traditional leaders.

He says such people can only be dealt with by traditional leaders, because the police do not have the capacity to fight their powers.

Senior Chief MPAMA of CHIRADZURU District has also echoed the same sentiments, saying traditional leaders are now well equipped for the battle against the suspected vampires.

Meanwhile, the MALAWIAN Head of State has pleaded with the people to stay calm, as his government has deployed a number of police officers to protect communities during the widespread bloodsucking scare./Sabanews/cam

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LAWMAKERS ADVISED TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA WITHIN LEGAL CONFINES

ZANZIBAR: CYBER CRIME/DAILY NEWS/18/10/17 SABANews 1

ZANZIBAR CITY – Members of the ZANZIBAR House of Representatives have been advised to avoid abuse of social media and the internet, especially use of emotional and offensive statements.

The DAILY NEWS says officers from the Communications Regulatory Authority have made the call during a seminar on the Cyber Crime Act 2015, learnt about the law before its application extends to the Islands.

The lawmakers have hard why the law was introduced, its challenges in implementation on the Mainland, different types of crimes under the law, and ethical behaviour when online.

ZANZIBAR comprises the INDIAN Ocean islands of ZANZIBAR, or UNGUJA, as well as PEMBA and 48 others, which joined TANGANYIKA in 1964 to form the United Republic of TANZANIA, but is a semi-autonomous territory with its own Parliament and President.

TANZANIA Communications Regulatory Authority Senior Legal Officer PHILIP FILIKUNJOMBE has told the ZANZIBARI lawmakers to observe ethics, even when they are attacked.

He says they should not respond using offensive language because they may also be committing a crime.

TANZANIA National Assembly Speaker ZUBEIR ALI MAULID has told the legislators they need to understand the Cyber Crime Act and communicate the message to their respective constituencies to minimize offences on the fast growing online and social media.

Cyber Crimes are different offences committed online, using the internet through computers, laptops, tablets, internet-enabled televisions, game consoles and smart phones.

The TANZANIA Cyber crimes Act 2015 makes provisions for criminalising offences related to computer systems, although the law already enforced on the Mainland, is not fully operational in ZANZIBAR./Sabanews/cam

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COUNTRY TO USE RENEWABLE ENERGY ONLY BY 2050

TANZANIA: ENERGY/DAILY NEWS/18/10/17 SABANews 1

DAR ES SALAAM – Climate Action Network TANZANIA has carried out a joint study with THREE foreign expert organisations to determine the potential to use renewable energy in the country.

The DAILY NEWS newspaper says researchers have produced a report saying at current trends, all the electricity produced within TANZANIA will come from renewable energy sources by 2050.

It says the study, dubbed 100 Percent Renewable Energy for TANZANIA, has been unveiled in the commercial capital, DAR ES SALAAM.

The report says new renewable energy, including mainly wind, photovoltaic systems, ocean and geothermal energy, will then contribute 75 percent to the total electricity consumed.

Climate Action Network TANZANIA jointly carried out the study with the BREAD FOR THE WORLD, a social services group in MASSACHUSETTS; as well as the WORLD FUTURE COUNCIL and the LILIENSTR INSTITUTE of GERMANY.

The researchers say they have used energy scenario software for the long-term projections and economic parameters developed by the GERMAN Aerospace Centre.

They say almost all renewable energy in TANZANIA is technically and economically possible, a realistic pathway to align with the PARIS Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

JOACHIM FUNFGELT of the GERMAN-based BREAD FOR THE WORLD says with renewable energy, TANZANIA will be able to eradicate poverty and advance itself to become middle-income country./Sabanews/cam

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PRICE OF PETROL INCREASED, STARTING TODAY

MOZAMBIQUE: FUEL/RM/18/10/17 SABANews 1

MAPUTO – The government of MOZAMBIQUE has increased the price of petrol by more than THREE percent, effective from today (WEDNESDAY).

RADIO MOZAMBIQUE says the information is in a press release from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy.

It says ONE litre of petrol has gone up to about 98 US cents from just more than 94, at current exchange rates, which is an increase of THREE-POINT-FOUR percent.

However, the authorities have left the price of diesel is unchanged, at 87 US cents per litre; and the price of domestic cooking gas also remains at 95 cents per kilogram.

MOZAMBIQUE reviews fuel prices every month and alters them whenever the import price, expressed in meticais, changes by more than THREE percent; depending on the world market and the exchange rate against the US dollar./Sabanews/cam

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SADC FIGHTS TO STRENGTHEN RIGHTS OF BLIND CITIZENS

Conference of the blind in Swakopmund, Namibia

SADC: BLINDNESS/NBC/18/10/17 SABANews 1

 SWAKOPMUND – Governments in AFRICA have been encouraged to give more priority to the rights of people living with blindness, to ensure they take part fully in development.

The call has come up in the Western NAMIBIA coastal city of SWAKOPMUND, where campaigners from throughout Southern AFRICA have met this week.

The AFRICAN UNION Southern AFRICA Regional Conference of the Blind provides a platform for blind people to strengthen their fight for equal opportunities.

Conference Chairperson ISHMAEL ZHOU of ZIMBABWE says he hopes the gathering will move AFRICAN governments closer to improving access to education, information, jobs and health care for the visually impaired.

SWAKOPMUND discussions come amid World Health Organization estimates showing the unemployment rate among blind people in developing countries at 90 percent.

A census carried out SIX years ago in NAMIBIA reveals more than 98-THOUSAND people live with disabilities, with 35 percent of them being visually impaired.

Vice President NICKEY IYAMBO, who is a surgeon, says the authorities in NAMIBIA have started a campaign to improve the lives of people who lived with disabilities in exile during the Liberation Struggle.

He says the program is the reason his country has placed the Ministry of Disability Affairs under the Office of the President.

However, the NAMIBIAN Vice President admits there is still a lot to be done, and calls for more partnerships between society and the private sector to improve inclusion of the visually impaired./Sabanews/cam

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MORE SEYCHELLOIS STUDENTS NOW ABLE TO STUDY IN MALAYSIA

SEYCHELLES: EDUCATION/SBC/17/10/17 SABANews 1

VICTORIA – More students in SEYCHELLES can now apply to study in MALAYSIA following the renewal of an agreement between the TWO countries.

SBC News says the accord has been signed by KAMINAL MURRUNDI from the Winning Magnitude Agency of MALAYSIA and the SEYCHELLES Human Resource Development Principal Secretary LINDA BARRALLON as well as Acting CEO NADIA LAURICOURT.

Ms LAURICOURT says the agreement confirms the strong collaboration existing between SEYCHELLES Human Resource Development Agency and the Winning Magnitude Agency of MALAYSIA.

She says she is confident the implementing terms outlined in the deal will serve to improve existing working relationships to ensure it is a long lasting and fruitful one.

The SEYCHELLES national broadcaster says about 100 SEYCHELLOIS students are undertaking studies in different universities across MALAYSIA.

In another development, State House has put up a display of gifts that President DANNY FAURE has been receiving from other heads of state, ambassadors, as well as from other foreign and local dignitaries.

The exhibition, aimed to commemorate his FIRST year in office, also features videos and pictures of President FAURE at work in the communities, visiting families and places of work.

The Secretary of State for Cabinet Affairs, MOHAMED AFIF, has launched the program, saying it is a symbol of transparency in action, showing the people the gifts the Head of State has received on their behalf.

He says President FAURE believes strongly in keeping citizens well informed about the work the government does, while Cabinet decisions are communicated regularly through the media.

Mr AFIF also says government ministries make statements and answer questions in the National Assembly; and the President and his ministers hold regular press conferences.

He says the State has introduced more than 50 items of legislation since 16 OCTOBER 2016, including amendments to the Constitution, bills on the protection of human rights, access to information, employment, combating drug abuse, and on institutions of democracy.

The national broadcaster says different experts and commentators have described the event as historic, since it is the FIRST time in history for SEYCHELLES to organise an exhibition of official gifts to the President./Sabanews/cam