‘Missing’ Yar’Adua appears

Yar’Adua has made his first public appearance in two weeks ending public speculations and fears about his deteriorating health conditions. He presided over the swearing-in of new military chiefs in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. The leader of the oil rich country was in Saudi Arabia for treatment.President Yar’Adua sacked a high-ranking government official who had been linked with the rumours. Secretary to the Government of the Federation Baba Gana Kingibe was removed and replaced by former Defence Minister Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, it was announced by e-mail, reported the BBC. Already, political scientists are worried about the president’s continued ill-health because to them it poses a problem for Nigeria’s constitution. If he were to step down, or die, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the country’s southern Delta region, must replace him. This sharply contradicts the ruling People’s Democratic Party’s own formula for sharing power among the country’s regions, which stipulates that the president must be a northerner. It is rumoured that the president was going to step down because of his ill-health and Mr Kingibe would step in as a kind of “puppet-master” Vice-President, BBC stated.Mr Kingibe, from Borno state in north-west Nigeria, was the vice-presidential running mate in the 1993 elections, annulled by former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida. He was also Minister for the Interior under Mr Babangida’s successor General Sani Abacha.It was during this time that Shehu Yar’Adua, the current president’s brother, was imprisoned. Shehu Yar’Adua, a former vice-president, died in jail.

Zimbabwean woman wins US title

Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the United States had their career breakthrough on Sunday when they won their fourth women’s doubles Grand Slam title at the US Open. The top seeds beat Lisa Raymond of the US and Australian Samantha Stosur 6-3 7-6 (8-6) for their first US Open win.Black had already teamed up with India’s Leander Paes to win the mixed doubles, when she beat Huber and Briton Jamie Murray in the final. She told the BBC: “For Liezel, playing that match against her the other day was one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played. So I really wanted to win it for her.” Huber, born in South Africa but a US citizen since 2007, said: “I don’t know whether to sing the anthem, cartwheel or just encourage you all to vote.” She added: “I am just the proudest American right now.”

Famous Uganda king buried

A state funeral was held on Sunday for one of Uganda’s traditional kings, who died last week of throat cancer at age 87. A public holiday was observed ahead of his burial. President Museveni, whose government is covering the cost of the funeral, was among those attending near Busoga’s main town, Jinja.Henry Wako Muloki ruled over Busoga, one of Uganda’s five kingdoms. People in the Ugandan town of Jinja were in a sombre mood ahead of the late king’s state funeral. Locals described the king as a man who talked to young and old, and the most unifying factor in the region. Busoga region has generally supported Museveni in recent elections, BBC correspondents say. In the 1980s, the king helped mobilize his people to block fighters loyal to rebel priestess Alice Lakwena from marching on the capital, Kampala. On Sunday, a five-hour requiem service was held for the deceased king in Jinja, the New Vision newspaper reported.

Biography
Muloki has been the oldest living King in Uganda. He has been sick for a number of years. He was in Italy twice, India and a number of Uganda hospitals. According to the Monitor newspaper, Martin Musumba, who served as Muloki’s prime minister for over six years, said it was the first recorded death in office of a sitting Kyabazinga (king). Musumba said the Kingdom’s laws require that the sitting prime minister, Wilson Muwereza and the head of the 11 royal chiefs who head clan lines will run the kingdom and manage the process of electing a new Kyabazinga within a period of 60 to 90 days. He lost his kingdom in 1961 to Sir Wilberforce Nadiope who was helped to gain the rein by Uganda’s then Prime Minister Milton Obote. However in 1966, Obote disbanded traditional institutions in the country. He imprisoned many kings and most royal families fled to exile.

Education and work
The late Muloki attended King’s College Budo from where he joined Makerere University where he obtained a degree in agriculture in 1946. He worked in the civil service for a long time. He was at the Civil Aviation Authority up to 1965. He was also the Uganda manager of the East African Airways up to 1968. In 1970, he went to the UK and worked there until 1974 when he returned to head the Soroti Flying School. He was also the board chairman of the Uganda Airlines from 1980 to 1985. Muloki was friendly to all other kings and chiefs. He was the late King Mutesa’s best man at his wedding and vice versa. He was apolitical and well liked by politicians especially president Museveni who paid most of his medical bills.