Kenyan Court Declares Being Housewife a Full-time Payable Job

A Kenyan High Court judge, Teresia Matheka has declared that being a housewife is a full-time job that should attract some form of compensation, according to a report by TopNaija.

A housewife is a woman whose work is running or managing her family’s home—caring for her children; buying, cooking, and storing food for the family; buying goods that the family needs for everyday.

The judge who was presiding over a matrimonial property dispute, said that it is unfair for courts to rule that housewives do not contribute anything to the financial progress of the family.

The complainant is said to be a divorced lady who sought to have their family property sold and the money shared equally between her and her ex-husband.

The Judge stated that housewives should not say they don’t work since they provide services in the home that are otherwise outsourced and paid for. She added that it is unfair to only rely on seen income and the mindset that one has to contribute money to the marriage to find value.

Matheka said; “It is easy for the spouse working away from home and sending money to lay claim to the whole property purchased and developed with that money by the spouse staying at home and taking care of the children and the family. That spouse will be heard to say that the other one was not employed so they contributed nothing.

“Raising children is a full-time job that families pay a person to do. Cooking and cleaning as well. Hence, for a woman in employment who has to balance childbearing and rearing this contribution must be considered.”

The judge also urged her counterparts to consider the 9 months of pregnancy when presiding over cases of matrimonial disputes. She opined that carrying a pregnancy is equivalent to working, noting that some couples have lately resorted to hiring surrogate mothers to bear children for them.

Passing judgement on the case brought before her, Matheka ruled that the property be sold and money shared equally, or one of the spouses buy out the other party by paying half the value of the property that the party is entitled to.

Just In: Rebels killed Chadian President

Chadian President Deby has been reportedly killed in a battle with rebels.

Déby was confirmed dead after sustaining injuries in battle field.

Details of his death are still sketchy.

He was reported dead on Tuesday, a day after he won re-election for a sixth term in office.

The Chadian national army has confirmed his death, saying he died from injuries sustained in a fight with rebels over the weekend.

Deby was said to be commanding his army in the battle against the rebels in the far north.

The Chadian army is currently combating rebel forces who have launched an assault on the capital, N’Djamena.

Déby has been Chad’s president for about 30 years.

More details coming later……

​AFCON 2021: Nigeria Defeats Benin to qualify

The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated the Squirrels of Benin Republic by a lone goal on Saturday to secure their qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Cameroon next year.
The injury time goal by Paul Onuachu at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto Novo, ensured that the three time African champions retained top spot in Group L.
With one match remaining in the qualifiers, Nigeria now has 11 points, followed by Benin Republic with 7 points.
Earlier in the day, a barren draw between Lesotho and Sierra Leone in the group’s other match had already cleared Nigeria’s passage to the tournament.
Nigeria’s final AFCON qualifying match will be against Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos.

CAF had recently increased the number of groups from 4 to 6, meaning the number of teams that will participate in the continental showpiece has increased from 16 to 24.
Of the teams that have qualified for the Mundial, Gambia and Comoros Islands will be making their debut in the competition with Nigeria set to make her 19th appearance at the tournament.

​Repatriation: Cameroon hands over 5,000 Nigerian refugees to Borno Governor

…Returnees being allocated new homes, food, cash  

Cameroonian officials, led by Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji have repatriated and handed over first batch of 5,000 Nigerian refugees  to Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum. 
The hand over took place on Monday, at a brief ceremony in Amchiide, a border community between Nigeria and Cameroon, close to Banki in Bama local government area of Borno central.  

The returnees were part of thousands of Nigerians, mostly from Borno, who since 2014, fled in batches to Minawao camp located in Mokolo, far north region of Cameroon, to escape Boko Haram’s killings. Many Nigerians in uncertain numbers, some accounts saying more than 60,000, fled to the camp from parts of Borno and Adamawa but over the years, the number came down following isolated returns.  

The handover ceremony was attended by top officials from Cameroon, including Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakary and officials of United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR.  

Cameroonian Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji Paul announced that President Paul Biya had approved a big relief package which included food items, mattresses, blankets and other non food items for distribution to all 5,000 returnees as support.  
The Minister commended Governor Zulum for constructing homes were the refugees were to be resettled.  
Governor Zulum had approved funds and supervised the ongoing construction of over 6,000 urban and low-cost resettlement houses sited in Banki, Gwoza, Kondugu, Kaga and different others, with substantial number already completed. Majority of them are used for resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons.  
Zulum, on behalf of Nigeria, thanked Cameroonian President, other officials and host communities, for taking good care of Nigerian refugees in the last six years. The governor appreciated the donation made by President Biya.  
“I wish to sincerely convey our deepest appreciation to the government of Cameroon under the distinguished leadership of President Paul Biya, for the enormous support to my fellow Nigerians who took refuge in the Minawao [refugee] camp. We remain eternally grateful” Zulum said.   
The repatriation was to implement the outcome of a tripartite commission meeting held in Marwa, Cameroon, February 10, 2021, which was attended by officials from Cameroon, the UNHCR and a Nigerian delegation that comprised Governor Zulum and top officials from federal ministries of foreign affairs, humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs as well as Zulum’s special adviser on monitoring and evaluation, who chairs a technical committee on the repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe. 
… Zulum distributes food, cash to returnees  
After receiving the refugees, Governor Zulum in Banki town, flagged-off presentation of food and non food  items to the 5,000 Nigerian. 
Male heads of families were each given N30,000 while each woman was given N10,000 and a fabric. 
The governor showed his sympathy for how they lived as refugees, promising that government was committed to their security, welfare and the creation of enabling environment for them to return to normal life.  
Commissioners for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Engr. Mustapha Gubio, Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, and Former Commissioner of Housing and Energy, Babagana Tijjani Banki were part of Zulum’s delegation.

​World Bank suspends DR Congo school funding over fraud

The World Bank said Monday it was suspending a first tranche of $100 million in a programme to fund free schools in DR Congo over “fraud and corruption” in the country’s education sector.

Directors at the development lender had signed off last year on $800 million of funding for free primary schooling, a flagship project of President Felix Tshisekedi.

But in a report published in November, the DRC’s Inspector General of Finances “revealed a number of shortcomings and alleged cases of fraud and corruption in connection with the use of public funds in the sector, as well as weaknesses in internal controls,” the World Bank said in a statement.

“The disbursement scheduled for December is currently on hold, while the World Bank similarly exercises its own fiduciary responsibility,” the institution added, saying it was “working closely with the Congolese authorities”.

In its report, the IGF said it found fake invoices, lists of teachers stuffed with fake names at non-existent schools, as well as the suspected embezzlement of 63 billion Congolese francs ($31 million).

Trade union sources told AFP that two senior civil servants in the education system singled out by the report, including the head of teachers’ payroll, were in pre-trial detention.

“These two added large numbers of non-teachers to the payroll system on a regular basis,” said Jean-Bosco Puna of the National Catholic Teachers’ Union.

Tshisekedi’s education push saw four million new pupils sign up during the 2019-20 academic year, although the coronavirus pandemic forced a pause in teaching for six months.

Schools and universities had to close for a second time in December after reopening two months before.

The free schools programme was estimated to cost $2.6 billion when it was launched, more than one-third of the DRC’s annual budget for 2021 — even as other public goods like hospitals and roads are lacking.

Most of the DRC’s 87 million people are under the age of 20.

[AFP]

​Algerian president signs new constitution into law

Algeria’s president Friday signed the country’s new constitution into law, his office said, after the document was approved in a November referendum on record low turnout as its leader received treatment abroad for Covid-19.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who returned to Algeria this week after two months in Germany, had promoted the new constitution as the “cornerstone of the new Algeria”, as he sought to turn the page on the long-running Hirak mass protest movement.

But the document received the backing of less than 15 percent of the electorate, in a November vote overshadowed by the novel coronavirus pandemic and following Hirak calls for a boycott.

The Hirak first launched vast street demonstrations in early 2019 to oppose then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office.

Following his resignation that April, the Hirak kept up the pressure to demand a full overhaul of the ruling system in place since the North African country’s 1962 independence from France.

The new constitution was pitched as responding to the demands of the Hirak, but keeps in place Algeria’s presidential regime and expands the powers of the army, a central pillar of the state.

Tebboune, 75, on Thursday approved Algeria’s 2021 budget and is hoping to launch a vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus, using the Sputnik V jab produced by its Russian ally, as early as this month.

[AFP]

​South Africa becomes first African nation to record one million COVID-19 cases

South Africa has become the first African nation to record one million coronavirus cases, according to new data published by the country’s health ministry on Sunday.

Currently suffering a second wave of infections, of which the majority are a new variant of the coronavirus, South Africa is the hardest hit country in Africa, with 1,004,413 infections and 26,735 deaths, the data showed.

As of 1900 GMT, a total 2,658,646 cases were recorded in Africa and 62,649 fatalities, according to an AFP tally.

Last week, South Africa recorded a daily average of 11,700 new infections, up 39 per cent over the previous week.

For three consecutive days, from Wednesday until Friday, the daily number of new cases topped 14,000, but dropped sharply again on Saturday and Sunday.

Authorities are considering reimposing restrictions to rein in the spread of the virus, and president Cyril Ramaphosa could give a television address later this week.

Morocco is the second hardest hit African country, with 432,079 cases and 7,240 deaths, followed by Egypt with 131,315 cases and 7,352 fatalities, Tunisia with 130,230 infections and 4,426 deaths and Ethiopia with 122,413 and 1,901 respectively.

Africa has not been as hard hit by the coronavirus as other regions, such as Europe with more than 25 million infections, the United States with 19.5 million, Latin America and the Caribbean with 15 million, Asia with 13.7 million and the Middle East with close to four million.

[AFP]

2021: Barack Obama Return to Politics, to Run for President in Kenya

In a surprise announcement, former American President Barack Obama has confirmed this morning his candidacy in the 2021 Kenyan presidential campaign.

Son of a Kenyan senior governmental economist, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., the politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 is actually touring Africa to give a series of conferences.

While visiting the Kenyan port city of Mombasa, he was greeted by a large and extremely enthusiastic crowd, loudly cheering and chanting his name.

Mr. Obama drew an almost ecstatic roar from the crowd when he made the announcement that he was returning to politics.

“I’m a bit disgusted with American politics recently while seeing Kenya struggle. I realized I needed to do something to help my Homeland.”

The former U.S. President believes he can help the country overcome its social and economic problems as he did with the U.S.

“I was able to solve the U.S.’ worse economic crisis in its history and put it on the right track until they elected a narcissistic reality TV star. I can certainly help Kenya.”

Mr. Obama announced that he was launching his own political party, the National Democratic Party of Kenya (NDP) and confirmed he was considering negotiations with existing parties to form a coalition.

Kenya is still struggling with social instability, poverty issues, government corruption, and an important water crisis even if it has recently known a few years of economic growth.

Although its economy enjoys the leading position in eastern and central Africa, 39.9% of its population lives below the poverty line, according to the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative.

To make things worse, the country has been struggling with several economic problems recently, the most recent of which is a huge swarm of locust that destroyed swathes of maize, coffee, vegetable, and tea plantations, threatening the country’s food security.

Several experts believe the former American President’s chances of getting elected are extremely good.

Many analysts also note that the actual government will certainly hesitate to forbid his candidacy or trick the election if it takes place under international scrutiny.

The next Presidential election in Kenya is set for October 2021 and candidates have until April 2021 to confirm their candidacy.

Source: https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/barack-obama-announces-intention-to-run-as-president-of-kenya-in-2021/

Investment in Malnutrition Will Get Nigeria Out of Poverty – Expert …..as UNICEF Reaches 1, 239, 802 with Vitamin A in 2 North East States

By Alex Uangbaoje, Yola

An expert on nutrition, Dr. Bamidele Omotola, has revealed that investing in children’s nutrition offers some of the greatest opportunities for social and economic change in Africa.

According to Dr. Omotola, every single dollar invested in reducing stunting among children in Africa, there’s a return on investment of $16 which is capable of bringing Africa and Nigeria in particular out of poverty.

The nutrition Consultant, who stated this in Yola, Adamawa State, on Friday, at a media dialogue on child malnutrition with a theme: “Investing in Child Malnutrition for Future”, added that, about 33 per cent of Nigerians will get out of extreme poverty if the country successfully tackles malnutrition.

“If Nigeria overcomes the menace of malnutrition, 33 per cent of poor people will get out of extreme poverty and give their own children a better chance at life.” Dr. Omotola added.

A report by Brookings Institution had recently said Nigeria has become poverty headquartersb in the world, ahead of India.

He said malnourished children have zero potential to contribute to any country’s economy, adding that, fight against malnutrition has become imperative for Nigeria because any economy where 50 per cent of the children are stunted or wasted is doomed.

The nutrition expert, warned that children with severe form of acute malnutrition has nine fold risk of death compare to well nourished children. He said one in five children with severe acute malnutrition cases would die if treatment is not provided at right time.

He therefore called for investment to ensure food security to end extreme hunger by 2030, the second goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The media dialogue was organized by Child Rights Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supported by the Department for International Development (DFID).

In his presentation, Dr. Martins Jackson, Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, said, UNICEF, has reached, 1, 239, 802 children of age 5-59 months with vitamin A supplement, through the Integrated Basic Nutrition Response to the Humanitarian Crisis in Borno and Yobe including multsectorial pilot (INP+) projects supported by DFID since July 2017 til date.

“195, 000 pregnant women with Iron/Folate supplement, 38,700 children with acute malnutrition admitted for treatment. While 32,300 pregnant women received N5000 monthly and 6,500 community members were reached with Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), activities in pilot LGAs of; Maiduguri Municipal Council, Jere, Konduga, Bayo, Biu, Kwaya Kasu, Shani, Askira Uba and Hawul in Borno state.

“And also Tarmua, Gujba and Nangere in Yobe State respectively.

“DFID contribution, also procured a bit more than 200,000 carton of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) enough to covers 240,000 children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).” Added.