African press review 27 June 2012

Who could be obstructing the inquiry into the helicopter crash in which a Kenyan minister died? Why can't an injured Kenyan worker get hold of his arm? Or has he already go it, after all? Why are 400,000 Ugandans going to have to move? What's Zuma planning for the SA economy? And beware of the elephants on Zambia's roads.

The Standard in Kenya reports that the family of the late internal security minister George Saitoti has protested over the slow pace of investigations into the helicopter crash that killed Saitoti and five others earlier this month.

The family claims that someone, unnamed by the Nairobi newspaper, is issuing instructions to the team constituted to investigate the crash.

Through the family lawyer, who yesterday accompanied some members of the team headed by an appeal court judge to the site of the crash in Ngong, relatives said the person issuing the orders does not want the truth to be known.

The lawyer said he does not understand why the team has yet to start work, several days after it was sworn in. He noted that crucial evidence at the crash site is deteriorating.

The Kenyan Daily Nation says that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta has denied holding talks on a possible alliance with Musalia Mudavadi.

This is the first time Kenyatta has spoken publicly about his political relationship with Mudavadi.

Kenyatta on Monday criticised Mudavadi supporters in the United Democratic Forum for claiming that the two leaders were in talks on a joint ticket in the coming elections.

Kenyatta says he has held no such talks with Mudavadi, who is the United Democratic Forum’s presidential candidate.

The same Daily Nation carries a remarkable story under the headline "Bizarre twist in man’s bid to bury arm".

David Sanguli, a 38-year-old father of four, lost his arm on 7 May 2007, in a workplace accident.

His limb was taken to the mortuary by police in the course of their investigations.

The injured man won the equivalent of 13,000 euros in court last year from his employer. His lawyer pocketed 8,000 euros

Now the hospital, which has kept the severed limb for five years, is asking for the shilling equivalent of 5,000 euros - the full balance of his court award - in mortuary fees before it can release the arm for burial.

Contacted by The Daily Nation, the hospital administrator claimed that Sanguli collected his arm “months ago” after the dispute was resolved.

The Disaster Preparedness Ministry in Uganda is warning that more mudslides could be experienced countrywide with more heavy rain anticipated in coming days.

According to the Daily Monitor, officials from the prime minister's office said they were carrying out an assessment to ascertain the potential risk in the Rwenzori Mountain range, particularly around Kabale. The government says it now plans to relocate more than 400,000 people from the Mount Elgon region.

In South Africa the financial daily BusinessDay reports on yesterday's opening of the ANC's policy conference in Midrand, Johannesburg.

The paper says that President Jacob Zuma set out his case for what he called the African National Congress’s "second transition" yesterday, telling the party’s policy meeting it was time for a "radical" shift in approach to transform the economy.

The draft policy document has become a rallying call in the ANC’s succession battles, with those opposed to Zuma’s reelection as president of the party criticising its Marxist language and lack of content. If it is rejected by the conference, say analysts, Zuma could face a tough campaigning period ahead of the party’s elective conference in December.

Some within the ANC’s are seeking drastic changes to the social and economic landscape, through moves such as the seizure of mines and the expropriation of white-owned farm land.

Blaming the compromises made during the negotiations for democracy in the 1990s, Zuma admitted the ANC had failed to meet the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Zuma defended the ANC’s record in government, saying the party could not be blamed for the slow pace of social development.

The Post in Zambia reports that 16 passengers escaped unhurt after the bus they were travelling in hit an elephant.

The driver of the mangled Toyota Hiace minibus, which is currently parked at the Livingstone Central Police Station, is alleged to have been speeding. The elephant left the scene of the accident before the police arrived.

I can only hope he (or she) is in better shape than the minibus.