African Union-Burundi - Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, Monday paid tribute to the 'unforgettable' actions of the late Special Representative of the African Union (AU) Commission in the country, Mamadou Bah, who died 23 June in a Nairobi, Kenya, hospital. Nkurunziza signed the condolence register, opened at the AU office in Bujumbura, where other local political figures and diplomats have been filing past to pay their last respects to the deceased. 'It is a monument that will remain forever in the hearts of Burundians,' said the country's leader in an emotion-laden voice. 'We worked together during the negotiations for a comprehensive agreement on a cease-fire in the civil war in Burundi and in its implementation,' he said, adding that the diplomat from Guinea 'listened to everyone and gave us a hope of lasting peace.'

In a press release Monday, the United Nations Office in Burundi (BINUB) also mourned and commended the deceased.

'A connoisseur of African geopolitics and outstanding negotiator, Mamadou Bah was the first head of diplomatic mission in Burundi to set up a mechanism for the cease-fire through the deployment of observers and peacekeeping troops,' the statement said.

'Burundians need everything except being plunged back into another war and woe to him who will try to rekindle it,' Bah warned in 2007 with the outspokenness that was his character, said the statement.

Mamadou Bah died at the age of 74 after over a decade of active diplomacy in Burundi and the Great Lakes.
-0- PANA FB/TBM/IBA/CEA/BOS 27June2011
Pana 28/06/2011Uganda wallops Kenya in All-Africa Games qualifying football match

Nairobi, Kenya - The hopes of Kenya Under- 23 football team to qualify for the August All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique went up in flames here Monday when they were thrashed 5-1 by Uganda.

So bad was the humiliation at the Nyayo National Stadium that Football Kenya Limited (FKL) officials, second vice-chairman Erastus Okul, technical committee chairman Hussein Swaleh, and technical director Patrick Naggi were held hostage at the venue by angry fans, who demanded an explanation for the poor show.

Uganda, Kenya's western neighbours, were in a class of their own as they fielded four foreign-based players, plying their trade in Vietnam and one who turns out for Tanzania's Simba Sports Club.

Uganda, better known as Uganda Kobs, took the lead in the 31st minute through two-goal hero Hamisi Kiiza. Kiiiza capitalised on a goalmouth melee to fire home the opener.

Three minutes later, Moses Arita leveled for the hosts after combining well with Paul Were, Humphrey Mieno and Edwin Lavatsa.

Kenya put up a good show in the first half before the defence was ripped apart by the Ugandans in the second half.

Owen Kasule put the visitors in the lead again in the 50th minute from a corner kick that weaved it's way into the goal, as Michael Mutyaba scored the third goal from a spot kick in the 54th minute after Kenya's Eugene Asike was brought down in the box.

Emmanuel Okwi, who plays for Simba Sports Club, made his presence felt, scoring the fourth in the 65th minute after combining well with Moses Oloya Kiiza, while Ugandan League top scorer with 12 goals worsened Kenya's woes, scoring the fifth in the 75th minute and sending the sizeable Ugandan fans on their feet.

The match, initially set for Sunday, was rained off, cancelled and rescheduled for Monday afternoon.

The victory was too bitter a pill to swallow because it came after Sudan pipped Kenya 2-1 in an LG Africa Cup international friendly at the same venue on Saturday.

Kenya coach, Leonard Saleh, accepted blame but was quick to point accusing fingers at Football Kenya Limited.

“Our preparations were inadequate, I assembled a team in 10 days. The Ugandan team had been together longer. There's no way we could have beaten the better team. We need long term preparations for good results,” he said.

His Uganda counterpart Bob Williamson praised his players for the win, saying that the team was well prepared.

He warned Kenya to prepare for a 'massacre' in the return leg in Uganda in a fortnight.

“We're now looking forward to the return match whose the results will be obvious,” said the Scott.

Pana 28/06/2011