Category: Africa

Source: APO

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Lawmakers have hailed the late former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Amollo Odinga for his Pan Africanism spirit saying that he was a leader revered across Africa and the whole world.

Odinga died in India on Wednesday, 15 October 2025 after he reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest. 

He was laid to rest on Sunday, 19 October 2025 in his ancestral home in Bondo, near Lake Victoria, Western Kenya.

Members of Parliament paid tribute to Raila Odinga during the plenary sitting on Monday, 20 October 2025.

In his communication, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said that Raila Odinga contributed towards the development and promotion of democracy across Africa.

“He was a true statesman, a Pan Africanist and he was a good friend of Uganda, a good friend of the region and we shall miss him. Our condolences to the people of Kenya, Africa and the world at large,” Tayebwa said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi described Odinga as a political giant who fought for his country’s democracy. 

“Odinga sought to become President of Kenya and it did not happen but his contribution to Kenya’s democracy is indelible. We do sympathise with his family and the people of Kenya”, Ssenyonyi said.

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon.  Nobert Mao applauded Odinga for championing the East African Community integration. 

“Those of you who were here in the previous parliaments, there were two bodies; the Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace and the Parliamentary Network on World Bank. The late Raila Odinga was a key promoter of those bodies,” Mao said.

Tororo District Woman Representative, Hon. Sarah Opendi said that Odinga shaped the politics of Kenya adding that his counsel was valuable to Kenya’s presidents. 

“No president ruled Kenya without engaging with Odinga, little wonder he was commonly referred to as Baba. There is a lot that we can learn from him, there was unity in Kenya, everybody was mourning”, said Opendi.

She added that Odinga will be remembered for advocating for infrastructural development in East Africa, especially the Standard Gauge Railway.

Odinga who died aged 80 was an avid opposition leader, who became Prime Minister in 2008. His political journey saw him form alliances with former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 and incumbent President, William Ruto in 2024. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

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Today, the Council approved conclusions strongly condemning the ongoing conflict in Sudan, that has been causing the loss of thousands of lives and immense hardship for the Sudanese people for more than two years, and poses a serious threat to stability and security across the wider region.

The EU is extremely concerned about the unity, territorial integrity and stability of Sudan, which are at serious risk, with increasing fragmentation along political and ethnic lines further exacerbated by the emergence of parallel governing structures. The EU rejects any attempt to partition Sudan.

The Council conclusions emphasise that the primary responsibility for ending the conflict lies with the leadership of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and those supporting these entities. The EU has defined certain asks to all parties to the conflict. These are as follows:

a) constructive engagement in negotiations towards an immediate ceasefire and in a credible inclusive peace mediation process, leading to a sustained cessation of hostilities;

b) ensuring rapid, unimpeded and sustainable humanitarian access and the protection of civilians across all of Sudan;

c) credible commitments to facilitate a genuinely inclusive, representative and independent civilian governance;

d) restoring and strengthening rule of law, accountability, respect for international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and justice in Sudan.

The EU is ready to increase its engagement with the parties to the conflict, provided there is credible progress towards achieving the EU’s key asks.

As co-chair of the Paris and London conferences for Sudan and its neighbouring countries, the EU has illustrated its commitment to support the people of Sudan and to play an active role in addressing the conflict in a comprehensive way. The EU will remain actively engaged, including at the highest level, and will act with one voice, promoting inclusive formats and ensuring full coordination with relevant like-minded actors. It will continue to employ, and where possible intensify the use of the full range of foreign policy instruments at its disposal – including, where appropriate, targeted restrictive measures – to achieve a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The EU acknowledges the inherent rights of the Sudanese people to freedom, peace, and justice, and reiterates its steadfast commitment to accompanying Sudan in its efforts to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, and to achieve lasting stability, democracy, and sustainable prosperity.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Council of the European Union.

Source: APO

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A UN expert today welcomed the publication of a Guiding Note on Reporting on the Rights and Welfare of Children with Albinism in Africa, a critical tool developed by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) in collaboration with the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. She issued the following statement:

“Children with albinism continue to face systemic discrimination, violence, ritual attacks, and exclusion, particularly in areas of education, healthcare, parental care and protection, social protection, and access to justice among others. We urgently need targeted action to protect and promote their human rights.

The Guiding Note on Reporting on the Rights and Welfare of Children with Albinism in Africa provides key indicators to assist African Union Member States in fulfilling their reporting obligations under the African Children’s Charter, with a specific focus on addressing the peculiar challenges faced by children with albinism. The indicators guide States on which specific areas they should report on in relation to children with albinism when submitting their State Party reports to the ACERWC.

I call on all African Union Member States to integrate these indicators into their reporting frameworks and to take concrete steps to implement the recommendations. It is only through sustained commitment and collaboration that we will be able to eliminate the barriers faced by children with albinism and uphold their rights to non-discrimination, life, survival and development, and full inclusion and participation in society.

The Guiding Note is also a critical tool for other stakeholders such as children, NHRIs, and CSOs in their alternative or complementary reports to the Committee. It also serves as an important advocacy tool for all stakeholders. This Guiding Note is a testament to the power of partnership between regional and international mechanisms on issues of Children with Albinism and beyond.

Let us seize this opportunity to transform the lives of children with albinism across Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: APO

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Minister of Religious Endowments (Awqaf), Dr. Usama Al-Azhari.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the meeting reviewed several key files pertaining to the Ministry’s work. The President followed-up on progress of the ministry’s religious outreach efforts, emphasizing the importance of continuing efforts to protect and prevent the spread of extremist thought, while promoting correct values.

In this regard, President El-Sisi gave directives to continue efforts toward improving the conditions of imams, preachers, and religious educators, and to further enhance training and qualification programs in alignment with the latest relevant systems and methodologies. The President emphasized the need to confront religious extremism in all its forms and counter negative values and behaviors.

Moreover, the President followed-up on the latest developments of the “Correct Your Concepts” awareness initiative, which is a cornerstone of the Ministry’s strategy to build enlightened religious and societal awareness. The Minister of Religious Endowments pointed out that the ministry has recently launched an educational program for children for the current year (2025-2026), with the participation of 20,880 mosques across the country, as part of the initiative. This initiative aligns with the ministry’s scientific, religious, and educational role, and its ongoing efforts to instill religious, moral, and national values in the younger generation and build a balanced Egyptian character based on religious principles. President El-Sisi confirmed the necessity to provide children and youth with correct religious knowledge and instilling in them values of moderation and pride in national identity.

The meeting also discussed ways to maximize the benefits from the assets of the Egyptian Awqaf Authority, including identifying promising investment opportunities that could be leveraged to achieve further goals through more efficient and effective management of these assets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Source: APO

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The Committee on Education and Sports is expected to present a report to Parliament within two weeks, on two petitions on disparity in teachers’ pay. The petitions were brought before Parliament by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) and the Uganda Technical and Vocational Trainers’ Union (UTVTU).

While chairing the House on Monday, 20 October 2025, the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa said the petitions were received by the Speaker, Anita Among on Wednesday, 08 October 2025.
“The teachers petitioned Parliament and the Speaker invoked her authority under Rule 31(7) of our Rules of Procedure where she referred the petitions to the committee,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa’s communication followed renewed concerns by Members of Parliament about the effect of the industrial action by arts teachers on learners in public schools across the county.

Tororo District Woman Representative, Hon. Sarah Opendi said students are in a critical school term where they need attention and reiterated the call to address the pay disparities between science and arts teachers expeditiously.

“It is very sad to see children loitering in villages rather than being in school. Even when the industrial action was called off, the motivation of arts teachers to teach is not there. Children in private schools are studying yet those in public schools are not learning,” Opendi said.

Hon. Joseph Ssewungu (NUP, Kalungu West County) expressed concern over the expected performance of students in final exams like the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) without sufficient attention from teachers in subjects like English and Social Studies.

“UNEB sets exams depending on the syllabus and curriculum that has been given to the children. Primary seven candidates have not been studying but will be graded after PLE.  Parents work hard to pay fees but their children are not studying; this matter must be addressed urgently,”  Ssewungu said.

He added that children are fending for themselves by studying educational material printed in daily newspapers which he said is not sufficient.

“This challenge should be solved once and for all. The same issue came up in the Ninth Parliament and it was resolved that teachers’ pay would be increased in a phased manner. We can adopt the same approach,” Ssewungu added.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi made a proposal for the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to avail supplementary funding to solve the matter.

“The Minister of Finance can commit that he will bring a supplementary schedule because there are several supplementary schedules brought here every financial year. The point is that government should give the teachers some kind of commitment,” Ssenyonyi said.

The Deputy Speaker guided that the Finance Minister could only give such a commitment after interfacing with the committee handling the petitions of the teachers’ unions.

“The committee is going to meet the Ministries of Education, Public Service and Finance. Rule 86(4) of our Rules of Procedure is clear on anticipation; that a matter that is before a Committee cannot be discussed in the House,” Tayebwa said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.