Police officers with sniffer dogs enter Prime Minister Raila Odinga's office September 20, 2011 as massive police operation was launched after an unexploded grenade was found nearby. Photo/WILLIAM OERI/DAILY NATION
A massive police operation was launched on Tuesday after an unexploded grenade was found near Prime Minister Raila Odinga's office.
Police cordoned off the area and swept the Shell and BP House including the basement with the help of sniffer dogs. Mr Odinga and staff members were evacuated after the alarm was raised.
A plumber doing repairs on the drainage system of the building found the object, a hand grenade, in the rubble yard. The yard is at the rear entrance, southern side of the building and usually collects construction debris from the building.
Police deputy spokesman Charles Owino later told reporters that the object had been taken to the Defence headquarters for examination.
Mr Odinga's office on Harambee Avenue, is located across a busy street from that of President Kibaki. Source: Daily Nation/ Posted September 20, 2011/ Reported by Aggrey Mutambo
South Sudan's President Salvar Kiir greets his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete recently. File Photo/State House
South Sudan may not be joining the East African Community (EAC) anytime soon, it has now emerged.
The EAC leadership has been waiting for Africa’s newest country to re-apply to join the regional bloc after becoming independent on July 9 and even went an extra mile to put on hold Khartoum’s application pending Juba’s acceptance.
Even though Juba is eager to sign on, a string of challenges associated with the country’s infancy have overshadowed the process.
The country is struggling to improve its fledgling economy that relies heavily on imports from Uganda and Kenya, raising fears that it could turn into a dumping ground for products from the two countries once it joins the regional bloc.
“Our economy is still weak, and for the time being we don’t have products for export,” Mr Lual, the chairperson of the country’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs and International Relations committee, said.
“But countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are ahead of us. Their products will flood our market,” he said.
But the new government, challenged by institutionalised corruption and ethnic rivalries, is struggling to provide basic services to a people who have waited for so long for them and whose expectations exceed the ability of the government to deliver.
“As people of Africa — and we consider the people of EAC as our brothers in Africa — I believe any decision our government is going to take will put the priority on our people getting benefits,” he said. Source: Daily Nation, posted September 17, 2011/ Reported by MACHEL AMOS, Nation Correspondent in Juba
