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African press review 10 April 2013

Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing-in ceremony is the main topic in many African newspapers today, as the new Kenyan president took the reins of power with a pledge for an all-inclusive government.

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Kenya's Daily Nation reports that the fourth president pledged to end the cycle of violence in the country and deal with the tensions brought about by land disputes, create jobs and end insecurity.

The newspaper also reports that 12 presidents and heads of government from Africa attended the very festive ceremony, along with guests from China and India

The Nairobi-based Standard focuses on Deputy President William Ruto and his inaugural speech, in which he reiterated the Jubilee coalition’s pledge to unite Kenyans after months of political tensions and divisions.

Ruto assured the country and the world that the new government would begin work immediately to build bridges between those who voted for them and those who voted for rival coalitions, dispelling fears of a big divide.

But amidst all of the festivities and hopeful promises, Uganda's Daily Monitor describes a ceremony under heavy military security and reminds its readers that Ruto, like Kenyatta, faces trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for crimes against humanity over their alleged role in planning 2007-2008 post-election violence.

As the Kenyan presidential races ends, another one begins, but in Madagascar this time, as reports the local newspaper L’Express de Madagascar.

Three candidates - Hajo Andrianainarivelo, Jean Lahiniriko and Rolland Ratsiraka - filed their candidacy papers for the upcoming presidential race yesterday, during what the paper refers to as a very animated opening day at the Special Electoral Court, in the Malagasy capitol city of Antananarivo.

The candidacies are no surprise, adds the paper, as 30 candidates have already declared their intentions and some have already run a presidential race in the past. The final list of candidates will be known by 3 May at the latest and the first round of the elections held on 24 July.

The Zambian Government is discussing with Chinese companies to help revitalise the country’s railway infrastructure, reports the Governement owned newspapers, the Zambian Daily Mail.

Zambian Transport Minister Christopher Yaluma has annnounced that China Railway Construction Company (CRC) and China Railway Engineering Company are willing to assist the country construct and rehabilitate its railway infrastructure, reports the newspaper.

The People’s Republic of China sponsored the initial construction of the Zambian railway nertwork in the 1970s, specifically to eliminate the country’s economic dependence on Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa.

The Angola Press Agency reports at least nine dead and four missing following heavy rain that hit the capitol Luanda and its outskirts on Saturday morning.

According to the agency, an alarming 3,372 people have been affected by the rains throughout this year alone, mainly in the south-eastern Kuando-Kubango province. The rain also destroyed 89 residences, five churches, as well as 22 other structures throughout the region.

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