African press review 27 March 2013

In Kenya the size of a snake has been greatly exaggerated. Uganda is under pressure to give more to fighting HIV/Aids. Its police face investigation over an attack on Besigye's car. Malawai's Banda praises Botswana. Turkey's Gul praises Cameroon.

A cleric in Kenya has criticised the media over reports that a snake almost attacked president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta when he worshipped at a church in Mombasa.

According to the Nairobi-based Daily Nation, Bishop Mary Kagendo Francis of the Kisima cha Neema cha Mwana wa Daudi church also denied reports that the snake was shot dead by presidential guards after it attempted to attack the Jubilee leader.

The prelate said she learned of the snake story through the media and after enquiry discovered that it was only a small green mamba which was killed by a young boy using a stick.

Wikipedia says the green mamba is "especially venomous", adding that the mortality rate from untreated bites is unknown but is thought to be very high.

Bishop Kagendo blamed the local media for creating a political storm out of a small incident, adding that sighting of wild animals at the garden where her church is situated is common.

She added that her church attracts huge crowds, forcing them to worship outdoors where interacting with wild animals is inevitable.

The cleric also downplayed claims that the snake could have been sent by Uhuru’s political enemies or that witchcraft was involved.

She vowed to take unspecified action against those she accused of spreading “alarmist falsehoods”.

Regional paper the East African reports that Uganda is facing fresh pressure to increase HIV/Aids funding in the coming fiscal year beginning in July, this to finance plans to increase the number of patients under antiretroviral therapy and cut new infections.

The Ugandan government’s draft 2013/2014 budget has allocated 35 million euros to enrol a further 100,000 HIV positive people in the antiretroviral scheme.

Activists say the money allocated is not sufficient to meet treatment needs.

Fewer than 70 per cent of those in need of treatment are currently on retrovirals.

The main story in Uganda's Daily Monitor is headlined, "Magistrate orders Criminal Investigations Department to probe police over attack on opposition members."

The small print explains that a senior magistrate has asked the CID to investigate charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, assault and malicious damage to property filed against six senior police officers by a pressure group over attack on Kizza Besigye, the former leader of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change.

The magistrate also asked the CID to establish the names of officers who were at the scene, who actually damaged the property in question - Besigye’s car -, who executed the matter and any other necessary information to enable court to proceed with the issuance of summons in this matter.

She has given the investigating officer a fortnight to conclude inquiries and compile a report.

In Botswana the Daily News reports that visiting Malawi President Joyce Banda says Botswana is a model case in the utilisation of its natural resources for the benefit of its people.

Banda said Botswana’s success is the result of sound economic management and robust people-driven policies.

She praised Botswana for transforming itself from one of the world’s poorest countries at independence to a middle-income country with a per capita Gross Domestic Product of nearly 9,000 euros.

Banda said Botswana proves that, with sound policies, transparent and accountable institutions and democratic principles, it is possible to achieve sustainable economic growth.

Yesterday Botswana, Namibia and Malawi signed a cooperation agreement aimed at bringing the three nations out of poverty.

In Cameroon the Tribune reports on the second day of President Paul Biya's four-day state visit to Turkey, the first ever such visit by a Cameroonian head of state.

Turkish president Abdullah Gul praised Cameroon, saying trade between the two nations had increased by 75 per cent over the past two years and expressing the hope that bilateral trade could reach 500 million euros per annum over the next few years.

President Biya continues his visit today by travelling to the Turkish economic capital, Istanbul.