Developing nations to name two candidates for WBNigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo are set to be nominated to lead the World Bank, sources with knowledge of emerging market efforts to find candidates said on Tuesday.

The candidacies of Okonjo-Iweala and Ocampo, who have credentials as both economists and diplomats and according to sources the respective backing of Brazil and South Africa, pose a challenge to the United States, whose hold on the top post has never been contested. But with its majority of votes and the expected support of European countries, the United States is still likely to ensure that another American will succeed Robert Zoellick, who plans to step down when his term expires at the end of June.

Washington has held the presidency since the Bank’s founding after World War Two, while a European has always led the International Monetary Fund. It has yet to publicly identify a nominee to succeed Zoellick.EAC gears up for assembly elections As the second term of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) comes to an end, national parliaments are busy preparing to elect new members to occupy the next regional Assembly. The current members’ term is expected to expire on June 5, 2012.

Each member state will be required to nominate nine MPs for the 52-member assembly. For each representative, the five-year term is renewable once, while the post of speaker is only one term, and rotated among member countries.In Rwanda, representatives are selected from various political parties, National Youth Council, and National women’s Council as well as from disabled groups. EALA is the legislative organ of the East African Community (EAC) established under article 9 of the treaty establishing the bloc.

The Director of Communication and Public Outreach in Rwanda’s Parliament, Augustin Habimana, said that although the exact date for the election is not yet established, preparations were underway.DRC probes human rights violationsJust a week after Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga became the first suspect to be convicted by the International Criminal Court; Kinshasa finds itself facing charges of serious human rights violations, including killings, disappearances and arbitrary detentions committed by security forces during last year’s presidential and legislative elections.

An observer report on the 2011 elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), released on Tuesday, documents the killing of at least 33 people by security forces in Kinshasa, the capital, between 26 November and 25 December, as well as the wounding of 83 others, most of them by bullets.

In addition, 16 people remain unaccounted for and 265 people were arrested, many of them saying they were arbitrarily detained and tortured while in confinement. The report states that the investigations indicated that no foreign forces were involved in the violence, contrary to speculation in the international media.Three-yr old dies after drinking illicit brew A three-year old girl from Gicumbi District, Byumba Sector in Gacurabwenge Cell, was this Wednesday pronounced dead after drinking illicit brew commonly known as Kanyanga. The victim and her five-year old sister drank the dangerous brew at a neighbour’s home.

The neighbour allegedly deals in Kanyanga, which is outlawed in the country. Coming home in the evening, the neighbour found the two children lying on the ground outside her house and sent an alarm which attracted their mother who rushed to try and save them. Unfortunately, one of the infants passed away on the way to the hospital but the older one survived.

A medical report from Byumba Hospital where a post-mortem exam was taken, confirmed that the child died of alcohol intoxication. The neighbour was held as a suspect. She admits her role in selling the illicit brew but denies any allegations that she deliberately gave the neighbour’s children any.  Prime Minister visits Nyabarongo hydro-electric power plant Prime Minister, Dr Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, has said that the construction of Nyabarongo hydro-electric power plant must meet its deadline. The construction, which started in 2009, is expected to be completed by April 2014.

It is estimated that upon completion, the plant, which is set to generate 28 Megawatts, will cost US$108 million. Early this week, Habumuremyi, together with several government officials, visited the site as part of efforts to ensure activities are completed on time.

He also noted that the contractors and the local government must ensure that local residents benefit from the project. The Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Local government to tackle the issue of environmental protection along the power plant site. ICTR hands over Kayishema’s filesThe International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Thursday, handed over Fulgence Kayishema’s file to the Rwandan Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga. The tribunal ruled that upon arrest, Kayishema should be returned to Rwanda to face trial. The suspect is the former head of the judicial police in the then Kibuye prefecture.

According to the ICTR indictment, Kayishema is accused of four counts of Genocide, extermination as a crime against humanity, conspiracy in Genocide and conspiracy in committing Genocide. Last year, the ICTR referred the first suspect, Jean Uwinkindi, to Rwanda for trial and the prosecution has been battling with finalising the process of his transfer to Kigali. Gov’t takes on DN Int’l case People who bought houses from the embattled debt ridden DN International’s Hill View Estates may have reason to smile following a directive from the office of the Prime Minister instructing the Ministry of Justice and the Rwanda Development Board to protect them.

Hill View Estate was constructed with a loan from Fina Bank Rwanda. However, the developer failed to pay back as agreed in the contract, compelling the bank to start procedures to auction the houses.

This led to the arrest of the Chief Executive Officer of DN International, Nathan Lloyd, who was later released under unclear circumstances. He later fled the country. DN International owes Fina Bank Rwf415 million. The Gasabo-based estate, which has 28 housing units, cost a total of over Rwf 800 million.