MAIS UMA FUGA GUEBUZIANA!

Presidente da República extingue Fórum Anti-Corrupção
De acordo com o semanário "Zambeze" de ontem, e Savana de hoje, o presidente da República extinguiu - porque anti-constitucional -, o Fórum Anti-Corrupção,uma estrategia que esta ganhar moda depois da extincao o ano pasado da Alta Autoridade para a Funcao Publica, tambem por suspeita insconstitucionalidade. A ultima decisão do Chefe de Estado foi tomada a 27 de Dezembro, antecipando-se, assim, ao veredicto do Conselho Constitucional. A bancada parlamentar da Renamo-UE havia pedido a declaracao de inconstitucionalidade tanto da Alta Autoridade da Funcao Publica como do Forum Anti-Corrupcao! Esta pois de Parabens a Bancada Parlamentar da Renamo!

ZAMBEZIA: SECTOR AGRICOLA E PRATO FORTE?

Zambézia (DZ) – O sector agrícola é vista como prato forte do governo para o desenvolvimento nacional e da província da Zambézia em particular. As populações não
poupam esforços nesta área. Respondem os apelos para a produção de comida. Mas em
contrapartida, não vê mercado para vender os produtos. Na Zambézia, por exemplo, para
responder a demanda de camponeses, o sector da agricultura possui apenas cerca de cinquenta extensionistas que dão cobro a este sector. Este número não chega a
satisfazer as necessidades dos após campanha. As soluções tardam chegar. Dados em poder do «DZ» extraídos dum estudo realizado recentemente por uma Organização
não governamental (ONG), dá conta que o sector agrário é o menos previlegiado em termos de recursos humanos, contradizendo assim, os tais esforços que o governo diz estar a envidar neste sector. Maior parte dos camponeses segundo o referido
estudo, é assistido pelas ONGs que trabalham neste ramo. E quando os projectos destas organizações terminam, os camponeses também ficam a Deus dará, visto que o grande apoio vem das referidas ONGs. No seu balanaço anual, o governo da Zambézia, na pessoa do respectivo governador Carvalho Muária,reconhece o há défice de
extensionistas no sector agrícola. Segundo Muária, aquele sector não tem conseguido absorver a mão-de-obra dos extensionistas, e quando é assim, de acordo com o governador, a saída viável tem sido das organizações não governamentais. A
fonte, sublinha que é preciso reconhecer o grande esforço que tem vindo a ser empreendido pelas ONGs nesta parcela do país, porque segundo ele, os níveis de produção atingidos nesta campanha agrícola, não só dão mérito ao governo, mas
também as ONGs.
Em termos de área de produção, nesta campanha finda de acordo com Governo da Zambézia aposta na agricultura mas...

NAMACURRA E MACUSE PODERAO DESLIGAR-SE!

As obras de construção de pontes não terminam e os empreiteiros dizem que houve demora na disponibilização de fundos por parte da ANE Zambézia

(DZ) – A via que liga a sede do distrito de Namacurra e o posto administrativo de Macuse na Zambézia, poderá ficar interrompida a qualquer hora, se as chuvas
continuarem a cair nos próximos dias nesta província. Tudo deve-se a não conclusão da reabilitação da estrada que liga aquela sede do distrito e posto de Macuse,
considerado celeiro do distrito. O empreiteiro encarregue nas obras, atira a toalha ao chão e diz que não pode fazer nada porque a Administração Nacional de Estradas
(ANE), não disponibilizou o dinheiro a tempo para que as obras fossem concluídas no período estipulado, razão pela qual, até alguns trabalhadores da empresa VER
Construções, abraçam com a falta de salários. As fontes dizem que não sabem quando é que as obras naquele troço terminam. Mas reconhecem que nos próximos dias espera-se uma situação gritante se continuar a chover nesta região do país. Por outro lado, afirmam que a grande dificuldade que encarram para não conclusão daquelas obras é a
falta de material, tal como cimento e pedra, material vital para o acabamento das pontecas e aquidutos.
Enquanto o empreiteiro lança a culpa para a ANE como sendo o principal responsável pela demora nas obras devido a não disponibilização de fundos, os transportadores semicolectivos, não olham em mais ninguém se não o governo por esta morosidade toda. Os semi-colectivos afirmam que não é fácil ir a Macuse na época chovosa, porque a estrada não oferece segurança, devido ao estado em que se encontra. Também
sustentam as suas afirmações alegando que os desvios feitos pela empresa construtora só dão riscos de vida aos passageiros. As pontecas dos desvios são um autêntico perigo até para os ciclistas. Alguns destes desvios que o «DZ» teve a ocasião de
ver in-loco, com certeza constituem um perigo aos utentes da via. Na época chuvosa de facto haverá crise para se chegar a Namacurra ou Macuse.
Entretanto no meio destas lamentações todas, o administrador daquele distrito, Pedro Sapange, já disse que fez tudo diante das Obras Públicas, mas até hoje a situação
permanece assim. Sapange, tal como outros tantos que usam aquele troço,
choram mas ninguém lhes dá ouvidos.
Soubemos do administrador distrital que na recente Sessão Ordinária do governo provincial, portanto a última do já findo 2007, esta questão foi apresentada diante da directora das Obras Públicas e Habitação, Francisca Muluana, que simplemente, pautou por não dizer Para cumprir o dever patriótico.

OIL PRICE AT RECORD $100

Oil price at record $100 a barrel

Oil prices have doubled from $50 a barrel in January 2007
Oil has traded at $100 a barrel for the first time.
Violence in Nigeria, Algeria and Pakistan, the weak US dollar and the threat of cold weather have all raised prices after the new year break.

Light sweet crude rose $4.02 to $100 a barrel in New York, prompting a drop in shares and a surge in gold prices.

There are concerns that the high price of oil will stoke inflation at a time when many central banks are trying to cut interest rates to stimulate growth.

US shares had already been hit on Wednesday by figures showing that the manufacturing sector was contracting.

The entire focus on $100 oil is frivolous

Tim Evans, Citigroup Futures Research


Oil industry in figures
Key events in oil's climb

After oil broke the $100 barrel they fell further, with the Dow Jones closing down 1.7% or 220.9 points at 13044.0.

"All of the factors that pushed us above $80 are now moving us higher," said Peter Beutel at Cameron Hanover in Connecticut.

"Until we get more supply or demand starts to take a hit, there is no reason we can't see any number."

Low volumes

But some analysts played down the relevance of passing the $100 mark.

"The entire focus on $100 oil is frivolous," said Tim Evans at Citigroup Futures Research in New York.

"It is not a magic number. It doesn't suddenly make this a fundamentally strong market."

Trading volumes were about half of their usual levels as traders returned from their new year breaks, which may have exaggerated the effect of speculative transactions, analysts said.

"I would imagine the speculators are the biggest drivers today," said Phil Flynn from Alaron Trading in Chicago.


$100 is just the beginning

Zachary Oxman, Wisdom Financial

The oil-producers' cartel Opec has also blamed speculators for the high price of crude and said that there is plenty of the fuel in the market to meet demand.

President Bush has said he would not be drawing on the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to try to bring down prices.

"This president will not use the SPR to manipulate (oil prices)," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

"Doing a temporary release of the SPR is not going to change prices very much."

Moving on up?

There are those who believe that oil prices can rise significantly higher.

While daily price rises have been blamed on unrest in oil-supplying countries such as Nigeria, an underlying and significant factor has been an increase in demand from China and India.

"$100 is just the beginning," said Zachary Oxman, senior trader at Wisdom Financial in California.

"This is kicking off what you are going to see this year. There will be huge moves up in gold and huge moves up in crude."

Central banks such as the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve are worried that rising oil prices will prevent them cutting interest rates.

Expensive oil increases inflation, which makes it more difficult to make the rate cuts that the central banks may have to implement to boost growth.

IN BBC

Ethnicity in Kenya

Kenyan party to defy protest ban

Mr Odinga has called for a million-strong protest
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has insisted a banned mass march will go ahead in Nairobi on Thursday despite pleas for post-election unrest to stop.
Refusing to accept defeat to Mwai Kibaki in the 27 December presidential election, Mr Odinga's party boycotted crisis talks with the new president.

The US ambassador to Nairobi has urged the two to sit down and talk.

More than 300 people have been killed and at least 70,000 driven from their homes across Kenya since Sunday.

Both sides have hardened their positions ahead of the planned mass rally, the BBC's Grant Ferrett reports from Nairobi.
[Africans] can no longer be comprehensively fooled or dictated to

Mark Doyle
BBC world affairs correspondent


Back to the tribalism debate
Rwanda fears propel West
Shock and fear after attack

And hopes of outside mediation are fading with news that a visit by African Union leader John Kufuor to Nairobi is unlikely to happen, our correspondent adds.

Mr Odinga said the rally would send a peaceful message to supporters opposition.

Vice-President Moody Awori urged him to accept defeat and call off the protest.

"Please do not risk the lives of Kenyans, encouraging a large crowd of people coming in Nairobi on a working day," he said, speaking to reporters.

Riot police blocked opposition supporters trying to break out of slum areas to reach the city centre earlier in the week.

'Genocide'

Supporters of Mr Odinga and President Kibaki have accused each other of genocide.


See Kenya's ethnic divisions by province
Mr Kibaki had invited all newly elected members of parliament to an urgent meeting at state house.

But instead of attending, Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement MPs held a news conference to again urge Mr Kibaki to leave office.

MASS RALLY PLANS

Raila Odinga has called for a 1m-strong march in Nairobi
Marchers aim to rally in Uhuru (Freedom) Park, focus of pro-democracy protests in 1990s
The government is banning all public rallies in the immediate aftermath of the election

"How could we attend?" ODM secretary general Anyang Nyongo was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. "He is not a president but a usurper. It is genocide because police are killing people."

Mr Odinga himself said there could be no "dialogue with a thief", referring to the alleged vote-rigging which returned Mr Kibaki to office.

Speaking on behalf of the government, Lands Minister Kivutha Kibwana accused the ODM of planning, funding and rehearsing "genocide and ethnic cleansing" before the election.

The mutual accusation of genocide is a dangerous escalation of the rhetoric at a time of heightened tension, our correspondent notes.

'Two patriots'

Mr Kufuor, president of Ghana, had been expected to arrive on Thursday but a senior Kenyan government minister said on Wednesday the visit would not take place.


Finance Minister Amos Kimunya told the BBC the visit was not going ahead because there was no need for international mediation in a "Kenyan situation".


Human life is more important than leadership

Musyoka, Nairobi
BBC News website reader


Have your say
Kenya economy under threat

The comments are contrary to statements from Mr Kufuor's office that Mr Kibaki has invited him to Kenya.

Michael Ranneberger, the US ambassador, told the BBC World Service that Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga had to work together to bring peace to Kenya, even if the election result was still being contested.

"This is a time when two of the greatest Kenyan patriots - the president and Raila Odinga - need to step forward and work out a practical way forward in the interests of the Kenyan people," he said.

Samuel Kivuitu, head of Kenya's election commission, told the BBC's Network Africa programme that he could not say for sure if Mr Kibaki had won fairly until he was shown the original records.

"I don't know until I see the records - the original records - which I can't see unless the court authorises it - if we can get authority from law allowing us to check whether these figures are correct, we'll do so," he said.

The full devastation and horror of this week's unrest emerged on Wednesday as journalists visited the charred slums of Nairobi and areas of western Kenya which saw tribal violence.

Fear in the night

The BBC's Karen Allen walked through the smouldering embers of the wooden church on the outskirts of Eldoret, in the Rift Valley, where some 30 people were burnt alive.


People have been trying to identify dead relations in a Kisumu morgue

The people sheltering there were members of President Kibaki's own community but other groups were also targeted.

Political rivalries have exposed ethnic tensions these past few days and communities that once lived side by side now torn apart, our correspondent says.

Patrick Nongyez of the local Red Cross said he had never seen anything like the church attack in Kenya.

As dusk fell, hundreds of people were preparing to sleep at the main police station for security.
In