Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans and waved flags as they marched down Kinshasa's streets on Sunday, calling for President Joseph Kabila to resign after his term ends in late December.

Addressing tens of thousands of protesters, opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi said the electoral commission needed to be convened by September 19, the "first red line, which must not be crossed."

"The electoral body must be convened for the presidential election. If it is not, high treason will be proved in the person of Mr. Kabila, who will take responsibility for the misery of the Congolese people," said the 83-year-old leader.

Presidential polls are due to take place in November, but Kabila's government has said logistical problems may delay the vote.

In May, Congo's Constitutional Court ruled Kabila could remain in office in caretaker capacity beyond the end of his mandate. The ruling sparked fears that Kabila could try to extend his rule by a third term.

Tshesekedi credited with uniting opposition

Kabila, 45, took over as president of the country of 71 million people after his father was assassinated in 2001. He won a 2011 election against Tshisekedi, which critics say was marred by fraudulent practices.

Earlier this week Tshisekedi returned from Europe, where he had been undergoing medical treatment for two years. An immensely popular figure, he rose to prominence in the 1980s as a strong critic of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Today, Tshesekedi is credited with uniting the voice of the opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tshisekedi has also demanded an end to "arbitrary judicial cases" against opposition leaders like Moise Katumbi, who was sentenced in absentia to three years in jail for property fraud, making him ineligible to contest the upcoming presidential poll.

mg/cmk (AFP, Reuters)

When stroke victims are treated within the first four hours of an attack, they are more likely to recover completely or to face only limited disability. A new brain stroke unit in Cairo is designed to quickly treat more patients, but operating this unit will take the work of highly trained and skilled Egyptian healthcare professionals.

Located at the Kasr El Ainy hospital, this unit will play a vital role in improving health in the city, given that stroke is the  second leading cause of death in Egypt  and a major cause of disability globally –  particularly in developing countries such as Egypt .

GE Healthcare, which is equipping the unit with dozens of advanced respiratory care and patient monitoring devices, also is providing crucial training regarding the operation of this equipment to doctors, technicians, nurses and biomedical professionals. This will help optimize use of the new technologies and build local capabilities and know-how among Egyptian healthcare professionals.

With the average treatment cost of stroke reaching EGP 40,000; the newly launched brain stroke unit at Kasr El Ainy Hospital is one of the largest free-public units to serve a wide range of stroke patients across the Middle East.  The new unit will have 34 beds serving approximately 50,000 stroke patients .

With the combination of expert tools, advanced data delivered by this technology, and integrated training, GE Healthcare is helping to ensure that the brain stroke unit operates at the highest levels of clinical excellence.

GE provided 32 CARESCAPE B650 monitors, two B40i monitors and two Clinical Information Center (CIC) Pro patient monitors, in addition to (15) CARESCAPE R860 ventilators, which combine the latest technologies in respiratory care and patient monitoring with expert tools to help doctors provide tailored therapy for their patients. Additionally, GE's portfolio of patient monitoring solutions provided to Kasr El Ainy Hospital deliver advanced data needed for timely decision-making that can help doctors and clinicians reach the highest levels of clinical excellence.

Tamer Said, Regional Leader for GE Healthcare for North East Africa said: "We are proud to be working with Kasr El Ainy Hospital to provide technologies that can help reduce the mortality and disability rates of patients in Egypt. By providing our latest technologies to the hospital and training to healthcare professionals to use them, we are strengthening our longstanding relationship with the hospital and supporting their vision to make impact in the community."

The brain stroke unit is the latest example of GE's broad-based commitment to work with all its customers in Egypt to grow the technical, leadership and innovation skills and capabilities of employees and customers. Through trainings and workshops GE is helping Egyptians at many points in their careers to build their careers. This work also is developing the sophistication and competence of Egyptian industry, from energy and transportation to aviation and healthcare.

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Today, more than 14,400 GE Healthcare technologies are deployed across hospitals and clinics in Egypt.

This article first appeared on GE Hewar blog.

To wash your hands, to prepare food for dinner, to quench your thirst … they all take clean water. These and other crucial uses of drinking water are why the Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant in Algeria was this month honored with an international development award.

Algerian Energy Company, which owns the Hamma plant, was presented with the 2016 Impact Award in the Critical Infrastructure category by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation(OPIC), the U.S. government's development finance institution.

The plant – which was majority financed by GE and uses advanced GE reverse osmosis seawater desalination technology – first began supplying clean drinking water to hundreds of thousands of families in and around the capital city of Algiers in 2008.

"The Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant is critical to the people of our country," said Ahcene Ouzane, general manager of Algerian Energy Company. "Drought and extreme high demand for water forced our residents and businesses into frequent water rationing. The plant now provides a simple and economic solution that guarantees ongoing access to fresh water for Algerians."

OPIC's Impact Awards, now in its third year, recognize exceptional achievement in international private-sector development. Judges consider other criteria including the project's positive development impact and its ability to meet OPIC's high standards covering the environment and human rights, including worker's rights.

The plant produces 200,000 cubic meters/day (53 million gallons/day) of clean drinking water. The largest desalination plant in Africa at the time it was built, the Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant was the first reverse osmosis desalination plant in Africa to be funded by public and private investment. GE also was awarded a 25-year contract to operate and maintain the plant.

Algerian Energy Company (AEC) is a joint-venture owned equally by Sonatrach and Sonelgaz, responsible for the promotion of strategic scale with national and international partnerships in the energy sector. AEC is responsible for 13 seawater desalination stations including 11 in operation to achieve the capacity of 2.1 million m3/day, and the acquisition of interests in three power plants with 2,375 MWh in scope.

This version of the article first appeared on GE Hewar Blog

Tanzania is expected to benefit from a boost in hydropower generation and irrigation development thanks to a new study financed by the African Water Facility (AWF). This €2-million grant will help the government of Tanzania launch the pre-feasibility study of a multipurpose dam, irrigation and hydropower project in Kikonge (southwest).

A comprehensive approach. The study will cover the irrigation scheme, agro-business development, the dam and its reservoir and the associated hydropower plant and the high voltage transmission line. In addition, this study will also encompass water supply to local communities, local electricity supply through a mini hydro-power plant, fishing activities, tourism development and other uses of water for activities in the reservoir area (navigation, transport and water for mining).

A huge increase in hydropower generation. When completed, the 300-MW multipurpose dam, which is the main outcome of the studies, will result in a 53% increase of the country’s hydropower capacity. With an annual hydropower generation of 1,300 GWh by 2025, the dam will address Tanzania’s long-standing shortage of power supply. The country’s hydropower plants of the run-of-the-river type are highly vulnerable to seasonal variations and drastic variations of water availability as a consequence of climate change. In October 2015, most of the hydropower plants, representing 35% of the country total generating capacity, had been switched off due to the low water levels following an extended period without rain. With its storage reservoir of 6 billion m³capacity, the dam will allow a stable supply of energy throughout the year.

Improved agriculture. The expected dam on the Ruhuhu River will also improve availability of water resources for irrigation and associated activities in the area. With a projected irrigation scheme of 4,000 hectares by 2020 (as against a current mere 50 ha of irrigated lands), the dam will boost agricultural productivity and provide additional revenues to local farmers and populations. In this southwestern region of Tanzania, close to the shores of the Lake Nyasa, crop production is currently dominated by rain-fed systems leaving the irrigation potential marginally tapped. While agriculture is the basis of Tanzanian economy (27% of the national GDP), its development is hampered by its dependence on unreliable and irregular weather conditions. Irrigation has therefore been identified as a key priority for Tanzania, which has huge potential for irrigated agriculture with its numerous rivers, lakes and underground water resources.

Climate change impacts. The investment project resulting from the feasibility studies will also help improve the resilience to climate change. Regulating the flow of the Ruhuhu River will allow water to be available throughout the year instead of depending on the rain season inflows. It will also reduce the impacts and damages of floods on infrastructures and economic activities, with positive impacts on the ecological features of the shores of the Lake Nyasa.

Project details. The total cost of the Kikonge Multipurpose Dam, Irrigation and Hydropower Project pre-feasibility study is estimated at €2.5 million. The AWF will fund the project to the tune of €2 million, with contributions from the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility and the government of €0.3 million and €0.2 million respectively. The project duration is estimated at 22 months.

The African Development Bank's Agriculture and Agro-industry Department (OSAN) in conjunction with the Ministry for the Promotion of Youth, Youth Employment, and Civic Engagement of Côte d'Ivoire held a workshop at the Bank in Abidjan on 8 July to reflect on the imperatives for the successful implementation of ENABLE Youth-Cote d'Ivoire (CI).

One of the flagship programs of OSAN'S Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa 2016-2025, ENABLE Youth seeks to train the next generation of agriculture entrepreneurs, or "agripreneurs". The program, which is part of the AfDB's wider Jobs for Youth Program, seeks to build the capacity of young graduates between the ages of 18-35 to start businesses along the 18 priority value chains identified in the Feed Africa strategy.

The Bank will work in close collaboration with the Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research to place young graduates in incubation centers where they will received skills training on the priority value chains. The graduates will then be provided with assistance in developing bankable business plans and obtaining financing to launch their enterprises.

To further contribute to the success of the agripreneurs, the Bank will concomitantly work with its regional member countries to foster an enabling environment that clarifies land tenure, facilitates market access, creates incentives, eases regulations, and improves access to credit. In view of the 30 regional member countries, including Côte D'Ivoire, who have already expressed interest in the program, ENABLE Youth will seek to create 300,000 agricultural enterprises and 1.5 million jobs for youths across Africa over the next five years.

The workshop, attended by over 70 participants from Côte d'Ivoire's public and private sectors, civil society organizations, university and research centers, as well as various Bank departments, sought to build momentum and crystallize stakeholder ownership of ENABLE Youth-CI. The workshop included presentations, speeches and panel discussions.

Prominent businessman and philanthropist Mustafa Sabodo has pledged to inject a staggering 5 billion US dollars (about 10.9 trillion/-) in massive investments for the designated capital city of Dodoma.

On the other hand, the senior citizen, has said he had halted financial support to opposition Chadema and NCCR-Mageuzi, “thanks to impressive performance by President John Magufuli during his eight months in office”.

“The long-term benefits of transferring the capital to Dodoma are immense and no one should put down such efforts,” the senior citizen said yesterday at his home in an exclusive interview he granted to ‘Daily News’ and its Kiswahili sister paper “Habari Leo.”

He added; “By announcing that he will have all government offices shifted to Dodoma during his tenure in power, President John Magufuli has shown commitment to fulfill the idea initiated by the founding father of Tanzania the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere”.

The businessman explained that the funds in question will be used to set up industries to produce wines and cassava starch, setting up of schools and other facilities, stressing that the funds are available in his foreign sources.

“I will as well persuade owners of the well-known Apollo Hospital in India to set up a modern facility in Dodoma to provide high quality medical services in the designated capital,” he explained. The idea to shift the capital city from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma was initiated by Mwalimu Nyerere, who established the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in 1973 to spearhead the process. President Magufuli recently expressed his commitment to relocate to Dodoma before the end of his five-year term.

The Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, also confirmed that he would move to the new capital by September, directing all ministers to do the same.”Successive leaders after Nyerere tried to accomplish the scheme with little success until President Magufuli came.

In my view, the envisaged relocation to the designated capital should be referred to as Magufuli or Dodoma Declaration,” the businessman-cum-philanthropist remarked. Mr Sabodo said he will engage President Magufuli through the Chief Secretary, Ambassador John Kijazi, on implementation of the grand plan where he plans to appoint a person to oversee dishing of the billions for investments.

“The commercial capital of Dar es Salaam is currently over populated; it is my dream to see Dodoma developed and spread to as far as Manyoni, Mpwapwa and Kondoa. However concrete actions must be made to have this dream realised,” he observed.

The senior citizen spoke highly of President Magufuli on curbing corruption and waste of public funds, stating that the pledge to move to Dodoma was a challenge that the president was obliged to accomplish.

“I salute President Magufuli for his efforts and I will write an open letter to him — to congratulate him. I have been a critic of corruption because it denies people equality in the society and this is the root cause of underdevelopment,” he stated.

Regarding financial support to opposition parties, Mr Sabodo said he provided the funds to support the parties to fight ills in the country at that time but now he sees no need since President Magufuli is on the right track.

“I will not provide funds to the opposition parties anymore since Dr Magufuli is doing a good job for the country,” he noted. Mr Sabodo said as well he was writing books on anti-corruption to be dedicated to the late leaders of liberation struggles in Africa namely Mwalimu Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela of Ghana and South Africa, respectively.

The books to be titled; “Corruption D.C, National and International Corruption,” will be distributed to all member states of the African Union (AU). Mr Sabodo was born in Lindi, Tanzania, to parents of Indian descent.

He is an economist, consultant in international debt-finance, philanthropist and a businessman. He has business interests in India, France, Kenya, Sudan and Zimbabwe. The Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation National Lottery was the brainchild of Mzee Sabodo, who donated 800m/ towards a project that established the lottery.