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FIFA.La Fifa honore Mandela avec «Instant Madiba»


Le président de la Fifa -fédération internationale de football association, Sepp Blatter honore Mandela au Mondial des clubs qui se joue au Maroc. «L’instant Madiba», c’est le nom donné par Blatter à ce moment qui aura lieu avant chaque match avec une minute d’applaudissements pour Mandela. La compétition durera dix jours, du 11 au 21 décembre. 

UMUCO NYARWANDA. Indyoheshabirayi ( Igice cya gatanu)/ Padiri KAGAME Alegisi

 Mgr Alexis Kagame.
        Padiri Kagame Alegisi


UMUVUGO III 

Majoro ayaka Abasilimu; na bo bayirega Abanyamishanana; hanyuma Ildefonsi Mutembe ayiranga kwa Bitugangando, mu Nyakibanda.

Uganda. The President

H. E. Yoweri K. Museveni

H. E. Yoweri K. Museveni - President of Uganda - State House Uganda
President of Uganda
H. E. Yoweri K. Museveni
He came to power after a successful five year guerrilla struggle. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has now been President of Uganda for 26 years. He has stood for democratic elections four times and won and he is still going strong.
Museveni was born in Ntungamo in south-western Uganda in 1944 to Amos Kaguta, a cattle keeper. His mother was According to his own testimony in his book “sowing the Mustard Seed”; he was given the name Museveni in honor of the ‘Seventh Regiment of the King's African Rifles, the British colonial army in which many Ugandans served during World War II. At the time of his birth, many of them were returning home.

RDC.LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE DU NORD-KIVU DÉNONCE L’ENTRÉE DE 200 MILITAIRES OUGANDAIS EN TERRITOIRE DE BENI


La société civile du Nord-Kivu fait état d’une incursion de 200 militaires de l’armée ougandaise dans la chefferie de Watalanga, en territoire de Beni.

DC.LE M23 SUR LES TRACES DU RCD ET DU CNDP !


Kanda ku ishusho uyongere
Les pourparlers entamés à Kampala entre le M23 et Kinshasa ont pris fin jeudi à Nairobi. Accueillie à Kinshasa comme une victoire et la fin d’un cauchemar, la conclusion de ces négociations qui ont pris plus de temps que prévu, est assortie de trois documents dont deux déclarations des belligérants et un communiqué conjoint CIRGL-SADC, deux organisations sous régionales qui se sont  impliquées activement pour le retour de la paix en RDC et dans les Grands Lacs. Mais, à la lecture attentive desdits documents, d’aucuns restent sceptiques quant à l’avenir. Raison : dans le fond, le M23 est sur les traces du RCD et du CNDP.

RDCongo. Kampala : c’est fini !


Le M23 confirme sa renonciation à la lutte armée et met ses combattants   à la disposition du Gouvernement pour leur démobilisation et réinsertion sociale
* Pour part, l’Exécutif congolais prend acte de la déclaration des rebelles  et promet de n’accorder l’amnistie qu’à ceux qui ne sont pas coupables
des crimes de guerre ou crimes contre l’humanité
* Les présidents en exercice de la CIRGL et de la SADC ont pris acte des déclarations de deux parties qui mettent ainsi fin aux pourparlers de Kampala

RWANDA.Rwandan Opposition figure Ingabire Sentenced To 15 Years In Jail

Rwanda’s Supreme Court on Friday sentenced opposition figure Victoire Ingabire to 15 years in jail on appeal, increasing her prison term from eight years for conspiring against the authorities.

Victoire Ingabire is led to the Rwandan High Court as the fourth week of her trial begins in Kigali, Rwanda on September 12, 2011 - Copyright : AFP/File
Victoire Ingabire is led to the Rwandan High Court as the fourth week of her trial begins in Kigali, Rwanda on September 12, 2011 – Copyright : AFP/File

RDC.TROIS DOCUMENTS CONSACRENT LE CERTIFICAT DE DÉCÈS DU M23

Pourparlers de Kampala clos à Nairobi

Finis les inquiétudes, le suspense et rebondissements liés à l’aventure guerrière du M23. Le dernier épisode des pourparlers engagés à Kampala entre cette force négative et le gouvernement a été écrit le 12 décembre à Nairobi. Cela en marge des festivités marquant les 50 ans d’indépendance du Kenya. Signés séparément par le M23, Kinshasa et les deux organisations sous régionales concernées- la CIRGL et la  SADC, trois documents ont consacré le certificat de décès du groupe armé soutenu naguère par le duo Kigali-Kampala.

RDC-Rwanda. Traque irréversible des Fdlr: Il pleut des menaces sur Paul Kagame !






La traque annoncée des Fdlr ainsi que le lancement de la surveillance des frontières grâce aux drones, constituent les plus mauvaises nouvelles qui soient pour le régime autocrate du Rwanda. De la même manière que la Communauté internationale, à travers la Brigade d’intervention de la Monusco, a aidé les Fardc à envoyer le M23 au cimetière de l’histoire, elle s’engage maintenant à en finir avec les Fdlr.
Le commandant de la Brigade d’intervention a annoncé que toutes les opérations de reconnaissance nécessaires ont été préalablement effectuées. Il s’ensuit que très bientôt, les Fdlr comme toutes les autres forces négatives vont appartenir au passé. Entre-temps, le processus de Kampala promet de se conclure de manière satisfaisante pour toutes les parties. La situation globale des Grands Lacs africains va radicalement changer.

Why has Time magazine selected Pope Francis as its Person of the Year 2013?


Picture: Pope Francis

Because, "He really stood out to us as someone who has changed the tone and the perception and the focus of one of the world's largest institutions in an extraordinary way," Nancy Gibbs, the magazine's managing editor told The AP on Wednesday

South Africa.Obama prend la vedette de l'hommage planétaire à Mandela



Le président américain Barack Obama a pris la vedette du dernier hommage rendu mardi à Nelson Mandela, par des dizaines de milliers de Sud-Africains et un parterre sans précédent de grands de ce monde. Le président américain, qui a qualifié le grand disparu de "géant de l'Histoire", n'a pas hésité à fustiger les trop nombreux "dirigeants qui se disent solidaires du combat de Mandela pour la liberté mais ne tolèrent pas l'opposition de leur propre peuple".

RDC-RWANDA.Chasse aux FDLR : La Monusco répond enfin à Kagame



Au nombre des préalables que brandissait le M23 avant de laisser tomber les armes et signer l’Accord de Kampala figurait la neutralisation des rebelles membres des FDLR (Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda). C’était à l’époque où ce mouvement rebelle avait le vent en poupe sur tous les fronts militaires (Kibumba, Kiwandja, Rutshuru, Rumangabo, Bunagana, Chanzu...) et menaçait chaque jour de reprendre la ville de Goma.

La RDC et le Burundi s’engagent de nouveau à neutraliser les rebelles du FNL


Un milicien dans l'Est de la RDC.Un milicien dans l'Est de la RDC.
 La République démocratique du Congo et le Burundi se sont engagés de nouveau à neutraliser les forces négatives dont les rebelles du Front national pour la libération du Burundi (FNL) qui font des incursions en RDC. C’est ce qui ressort du communiqué qui a sanctionné la réunion tripartite entre ces deux pays et le Haut-commissariat des Nations unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) qui s’est clôturée mardi 10 décembre à Kinshasa.
Au cours de cette réunion de deux jours, le ministre de l’Intérieur de la RDC, Richard Muyej et celui du Burundi, Edouard Nduwimana ont renouvelé un engagement pris par leurs pays respectifs le 24 février 2013 en signant l’accord d’Addis-Abeba. Cet accord-cadre, signé par onze pays africains, vise le retour de la paix dans l’Est de la RDC, en proie à des groupes armés nationaux et étrangers.
Les deux parties ont aussi évalué le processus de rapatriement des refugiés Congolais vivant au Burundi, et ceux du Burundi vivant en RDC. Ils comptent redynamiser ce processus.
Le gouvernement congolais devrait prendre les dispositions pour rapatrier dans leurs pays respectifs des immigrés en provenance de la Tanzanie qui sont arrivés clandestinement en RDC.
Les rebelles du FNL sont auteurs d’exaction dans les secteurs d’Uvira et de Fizi dans le Sud de la province du Sud-Kivu, région frontalière au Burundi. Leurs attaques ont causé plusieurs mouvements de la population.
Radio Okapi

RDC.KINSHASA À L’ÉPREUVE DE SON OPINION PUBLIQUE


Plan de partition de la RDC à Kampala

Faire avaler la pullule de la partition subtile de la RDC à une opinion publique hostile à ce plan est le nouveau défi de l’atterrissage des pourparlers de Kampala.  Déterminée à arriver à ses fins, la communauté internationale a ressuscité le programme de redéfinition des frontières africaines, endossé par l’UA en 2007.  Ce détour passe par l’organisation d’un dialogue global au sein de la Conférence internationale sur la région des Grands Lacs (CIRGL). Toutes les stratégies (manip., offres, séduction, etc.) sont mises en place pour convaincre l’opinion congolaise d’accepter le plan de balkanisation concocté à Kampala.
Connaissant la résistance des Congolais contre le plan de dépeçage du pays, les balkanisateurs de l’ex-colonie belge procèdent désormais par la manipulation en vue d’obtenir l’adhésion des populations, notamment de l’Est. Des projets de développement ronflant accompagnés d’un tapage publicitaire de choc, visent à endormir la population. Mais, l’opinion publique, toujours aux aguets, n’attend pas se laisser faire. Un message que Kinshasa doit prendre à juste titre, alors qu’il s’apprête à reprendre le chemin de Kampala.

Uganda. Rwandan Immigrants Dying As Rakai Refuses To Deliver Medical Supplies/Red Pepper



At least 15 children of Rwandan immigrants at Sango bay camp in Rakai district have succumbed to malaria and typhoid since September this year due to lack of medicine.
Sick Returnees stranded at a camp health facilility in Sango Bay
Sick Returnees stranded at a camp health facilility in Sango Bay
There are 4265 immigrants with over 500 children at Sango bay camp who were resettled there by government in August this year following their expulsion from Tanzania.

For all the attention they direct below the belt, most men actually know very little about their penises.

 Here’s the knowledge you need to keep yours healthy, strong, and ready for action, for life.
penis-pix
Fact 1: Smoking can shorten your penis by as much as a centimeter. Erections are all about good blood flow, and lighting up calcifies blood vessels, stifling erectile circulation. So even if you don’t care all that much about your lungs or dying young, spare the little guy.

RDC.Tshisekedi en vedette aux funérailles de Tabu Ley/ Congo News



Etienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba a créé l’événement aux funérailles de Pascal Tabu Ley, le 8 décembre. Le Palais du peuple s’est vidé de toute la multitude venue rendre un dernier hommage au père de la rumba congolaise pour accompagner le cortège de Tshisekedi jusqu’à sa résidence, rue Pétunias, à Limete.

RWANDA.Kagame masque ses problèmes internes/ Le Potentiel

Neutralisation des FDLR

Menacées de neutralisation à l’instar du M23, les FDLR exigent en contrepartie la tenue d’un dialogue inter rwandais sous la médiation de la communauté internationale. Une pilule amère que se refuse d’avaler le régime de Kigali de peur que soient mis à nu ses problèmes internes, notamment la dictature, le monolithisme, l’intolérance et l’hégémonisme ; maux à la base de l’instabilité dans les Grands Lacs.

Ese iyi foto hari icyo ikubwiye?



Iyi foto iri hejuru  ishobora kuba yarafashwe igihe Ingabo za Kagame zari hafi kugera i Kinshasa mu ntambara ya mbere ya RDcongo 1996-1997. Mandela ariho ashaka uko abarwana barekera aho kumena amaraso bagasangira ubutegetsi n'ibibukomokaho! Reba neza usesengure utekereze uko buri wese muri aba batatu yari amerewe mu mutima we.
1. Mobutu
2. Kabila
3. Madiba

DESARMEMENT DES GROUPES ARMES ETRANGERS: Les FDLR posent des conditions



Kagame rejette et exige plutôt le retour des réfugiés Tutsi au Nord-Kivu ainsi que la sécurisation des Rwandophones.
Les Hutu rwandais des FDLR ont réagi à l’appel que la Monusco leur a lancé pour leur désarmement volontaire avant d’y être contraints par la force. C’est par leur secrétaire exécutif, le colonel Butsimuzi qu’ils ont saisi l’Onu. Ils acceptent de désarmer mais sous conditions. Ils exigent l’ouverture des négociations avec le régime de Paul Kagame sous forme d’un dialogue interwandais.

RWANDA.Les rebelles hutus rwandais « disposés à déposer les armes à une condition »


                                       Murwanashyaka Ignace
Les rebelles hutus rwandais des Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) affirment être « disposés à déposer les armes à une condition ». « Nous sommes disposés à déposer les armes à une condition. Le +dialogue avec le gouvernement de Kigali+ est la seule voie pour obtenir une paix durable au Rwanda en particulier et dans la région des Grands Lacs africains en général », déclarent-ils.

'I cannot imagine my life without the example of Madiba': Emotional Obama leads world's tributes British Prime Minister David Cameron said a 'great light has gone out in the world' President Obama held a press conference praising Madiba's life saying how he counted him as a personal inspiration 'He achieved more than could be expected for any man and today he's gone home' Obama didn't meet with Mandela when he went to South Africa in June because of the leader's poor health but did meet with Mandela's relatives Former Presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton also gave their condolences Celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Bill Gates and Mike Tyson marked Mandela's passing Bono wrote a tribute on Time magazine's website, saying Mandela was a 'compromiser without being compromised'

President Barack Obama paid an emotional tribute to his personal hero Nelson Mandela tonight, saying he could not imagine life without the former South African President.
Speaking shortly after the death of the civil rights leader was announced, Mr Obama said now is the time for people to pause and honor the fact 'that Nelson Mandela lived.
He said: 'Like so many around the globe, I cannot fully imagine my life without the example that Nelson Mandela set.'
'He no longer belongs to us - he belongs to the ages,' Mr Obama said from the White House briefing room. 
Scroll down for video
Mourning Madiba: President Barack Obama was one of the first world leaders to make a statement following Nelson Mandela's death
Mourning Madiba: President Barack Obama was one of the first world leaders to make a statement following Nelson Mandela's death

Umuco Nyarwanda. INDYOHESHABIRAYI( Igice cya kane )/ Padiri Kagame Alegisi

Mgr Alexis Kagame.
              Padiri Kagame Alegisi

UMUVUGO II
Ingurube ikangaranya abashumba bo mu Muhozi

135        Igumya gusemeka ubukungu
               Ibura ukwo irambya birayigora
               Ishaka ubwihina birayumya:
               Nuko igangara ukwo yahagaze.
               Mu nda hibyara amahane
140         Buba uruvuyange birahoga!
              Ibiyoka byibuka kwigorora
              Abantu bose bavuza induru,
              Abararirizi ni bwo babyutse,
              Babazanya iyo ntare iroha urwunge
145        Ngo : "Irarohera epfo iyo mu gishanga!
              Kandi ubanza atari isanzwe:
              Iyo rwabwiga ifite ijwi rindi,
              Riruta ay'intare zo mu Rwanda!
             Murabe maso itamara ibintu!
150       Abafite inka ariko murite hanze:
             Yabatsembaho ayo matungo
             Ejo mwarundurwa n'ubutindi
             Ubwo mudatunze ya nka y'ubu Bita "

             Indyohesha-birayi!"

Biracyaza

Nkusi Joseph
shikamaye.blogspot.fr

Afrika y'Epfo: Umukambwe Nelson Mandela yitabye Imana afite imyaka 95.

                                                         Nyakwigendera Nelson Mandela
Umukuru w'igihugu cy'Afrika y'Epfo Jacob Zuma yatangarije abaturage b'Afrika y'Epfo, ko igihugu cyabo kibuze umwana wacyo w'Imena. Akimara gutangaza ayo magambo yuzuye akababaro, ibinyamakuru byinshi byo hirya no hino ku isi byasamiye iyi nkuru hejuru, maze byandika bivuga ibigwi bya Nyakwigendera.

NELSON MANDELA 1918 - 2013: Freedom fighter, prisoner, president, global icon - the world mourns passing of man who freed his country and became an inspiration to billions 'Our nation has lost its greatest son': South African president Jacob Zuma confirmed death in televised address


  • South African President Jacob Zuma confirmed Mandela’s death in a TV address
  • Mr Zuma said: 'Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father’
  • President Obama said: 'I cannot fully imagine my life without the example that Nelson Mandela set'
  • David Cameron said a 'great light has gone out in in the world'
  • Had spent almost three months in hospital with a recurring lung infection
  • He was discharged in September and had been receiving home-based medical attention since then
  • The 20th century icon will be accorded a full state funeral
  • In February 1990 Mandela was released from prison on Robben Island after serving 27 years
  • He became South African President in 1994, a year after winning the Nobel Peace Prize
  • The leader's daughters and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge learned of Mandela's death while attending the UK premier of a film about him
Nelson Mandela has died at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa aged 95.
The icon of the struggle against apartheid died at 12:50pm UK time yesterday surrounded by close family.
Mandela's death came nearly five months after he was admitted to hospital with a lung infection.
Despite being allowed to return home three months ago, South Africa's first black president has not been able to move from a bedroom described as being a 'virtual 24 hour intensive care unit' and has needed a ventilator to breath.
In a televised address, South African president Jacob Zuma confirmed Nelson Mandela has died aged 95
In a televised address, South African president Jacob Zuma confirmed Nelson Mandela has died aged 95
Just before his death: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they arrived Thursday night to the UK premier of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom just before the film's inspiration and subject died at 95
Just before his death: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they arrived Thursday night to the UK premier of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom just before the film's inspiration and subject died at 95
'I cannot fully imagine my life without the example that Nelson Mandela set,' said President Obama at a news conference. The White House said the US president will travel to South Africa to attend Mandela's fuenral
'I cannot fully imagine my life without the example that Nelson Mandela set,' said President Obama at a news conference. The White House said the US president will travel to South Africa to attend Mandela's fuenral
Ominous timing: Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, greets Zindzi Mandela, right, and her sister Zenani, the daughters of former Nelson Mandela at the UK premier
Ominous timing: Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, greets Zindzi Mandela, right, and her sister Zenani, the daughters of former Nelson Mandela at the UK premier. The sisters reportedly only learned of their father's death as they watched the movie about his life
Rumors of Mr Mandela's increasing discomfort started circulating in the early afternoon of yesterday as increasing numbers of Mandela family members arrived at the former president's large Johannesburg home.
South Africa's president Jacob Zuma announced the long-expected death in a special television broadcast last night.
Mr Zuma said: 'Our nation has lost its greatest son.'
'What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.
 
'Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together and it is together that we will bid him farewell.'
The White House said tonight that the president is expected to travel to South Africa for Mandela's state funeral along with other world leaders.
'He achieved more than could be expected for any man and today he's gone home,’ Obama said at a news conference. 'Madiba transformed South Africa and moved all of us- his journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that humans can transform for the better.'
UK Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes to Mandela in that country.
'Nelson Mandela showed us the true meaning of courage, hope, and reconciliation,' Cameron said. 'My heart goes out to his family - and to all in South Africa and around the world whose lives were changed through his courage.'
Although the increasingly frail statesman had been in an out of hospital over the past five years, he was last rushed to hospital on June 8th this year.
He was initially treated for a lung infection, but with three weeks his condition, it was announced, had turned 'critical'.
The South African government has never disclosed the full extent of his illness, but reputable news sources revealed that his liver and kidneys were functioning at just 50 per cent.
South African media reported that he was on ventilation and undergoing regular renal dialysis.
Nelson Mandela was one of the world's most admired and beloved political leaders, an icon of the redemptive power of reconciliation.
The former lawyer spent 27 years in apartheid prisons for his political beliefs before becoming South Africa's first black president.
His critical role in both achieving full democracy in South Africa and then keeping the peace when it arrived in 1994 earned him a Nobel Peace Prize.
But it was the magnanimity he showed his former oppressors - coupled with an intense personal charm - that has earned him admirers all over the globe.
Here UK Prime Minister David Cameron, meets with Mandela in 2006 in Johannesburg
Here UK Prime Minister David Cameron, meets with Mandela in 2006 in Johannesburg. Cameron led the UK tributes to the South African leader Thursday. 'Nelson Mandela showed us the true meaning of courage, hope, and reconciliation,' said the PM
In this 2011 meeting, the first daughters Malia (left) and Sasha (right) join their mother Michelle Obama for a meeting with Mandela
In this 2011 meeting, the first daughters Malia (left) and Sasha (right) join their mother Michelle Obama for a meeting with Mandela
Unforgettable pose: Prime Minister David Cameron meets with Mandela 2008, as the South African leader shoots his famously endearing grin
Unforgettable pose: Prime Minister David Cameron meets with Mandela 2008, as the South African leader shoots his famously endearing grin
Sad day: (L to R) Tony Kgoroge, Naomie Harris, Zindzi Mandela, her sister Zenani, and Idris Elba pose for photographers at the UK Premiere of 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' in London
Sad day: (L to R) Tony Kgoroge, Naomie Harris, Zindzi Mandela, her sister Zenani, and Idris Elba pose for photographers at the UK Premiere of 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' in London. The sisters reportedly learned of their father's death while watching the film
Mandela was himself uneasy with the idea of being an icon and he did not escape criticism as an individual and a politician, though much of it was muted by his status as a unassailable symbol of decency and principle
Mandela was himself uneasy with the idea of being an icon and he did not escape criticism as an individual and a politician, though much of it was muted by his status as a unassailable symbol of decency and principle
Remarkable: His death closed the final chapter in South Africa's struggle to cast off apartheid, leaving the world with indelible memories of a man of astonishing grace and good humor
Remarkable: His death closed the final chapter in South Africa's struggle to cast off apartheid, leaving the world with indelible memories of a man of astonishing grace and good humor
Historic: As South Africa's first black president, the ex-boxer, lawyer and prisoner No. 46664 paved the way to racial reconciliation with well-chosen gestures of forgiveness
Historic: As South Africa's first black president, the ex-boxer, lawyer and prisoner No. 46664 paved the way to racial reconciliation with well-chosen gestures of forgiveness
Nation's greatest son: Nelson Mandela lifts the World Cup trophy in Zurich, Switzerland, after FIFA's executive committee announced that South Africa would host the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament. South Africa's 'Greatest Son' died Thursday at 95
Nation's greatest son: Nelson Mandela lifts the World Cup trophy in Zurich, Switzerland, after FIFA's executive committee announced that South Africa would host the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament. South Africa's 'Greatest Son' died Thursday at 95
Zindzi Mandela the daughter of Nelson Mandela poses for photographers as she arrives to attend the UK premiere of her father's biopic. Reports at the time of his death said his daughter only learned the news while in the theater
Zindzi Mandela the daughter of Nelson Mandela poses for photographers as she arrives to attend the UK premiere of her father's biopic. Reports at the time of his death said his daughter only learned the news while in the theater
An honor: 'It's something that makes me feel really proud that what my family went through and the role my father played has been recognised,' Zindzi said of the film and of meeting the Duke and Duchess
An honor: 'It's something that makes me feel really proud that what my family went through and the role my father played has been recognised,' Zindzi said of the film and of meeting the Duke and Duchess
Nelson Mandela, former South African President, is pictured during a visit by former U.S. president Bill Clinton on July 17, 2012 at his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, on the eve of his 94th birthday
Nelson Mandela, former South African President, is pictured during a visit by former U.S. president Bill Clinton on July 17, 2012 at his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, on the eve of his 94th birthday

PARTING WORDS TO AN HISTORIC LEADER: SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA'S GOODBYE SPEECH TO NELSON MANDELA

'My fellow South Africans, our beloved Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding president of our democratic nation has departed.
'He passed on peacefully in the company of his family around 20.50 on December 5 2013.
'He is now resting. He is now at peace.
'Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father.
'Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.
'His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world.
'His humility, his compassion, and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them we owe a debt of gratitude.
'They have sacrificed much and endured much so that our people could be free.
'Our thoughts are with his wife Mrs Graca Machel, his former wife Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, with his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and the entire family.
'Our thoughts are with his friends, comrades and colleagues who fought alongside Madiba over the course of a lifetime of struggle.
'Our thoughts are with the South African people who today mourn the loss of the one person who, more than any other, came to embody their sense of a common nationhood.
'Our thoughts are with the millions of people across the world who embraced Madiba as their own, and who saw his cause as their cause.
'This is the moment of our deepest sorrow.
'Our nation has lost its greatest son.
'Yet, what made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.
'And in him we saw so much of ourselves.
'Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together, and it is together that we will bid him farewell.
'Our beloved Madiba will be accorded a state funeral.
'I have ordered that all flags of the Republic of South Africa be lowered to half-mast from tomorrow, December 6, and to remain at half-mast until after the funeral.
'As we gather to pay our last respects, let us conduct ourselves with the dignity and respect that Madiba personified.
'Let us be mindful of his wishes and the wishes of his family.
'As we gather, wherever we are in the country and wherever we are in the world, let us recall the values for which Madiba fought.
'Let us reaffirm his vision of a society in which none is exploited, oppressed or dispossessed by another.
'Let us commit ourselves to strive together - sparing neither strength nor courage - to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
'Let us express, each in our own way, the deep gratitude we feel for a life spent in service of the people of this country and in the cause of humanity.
'This is indeed the moment of our deepest sorrow.
'Yet it must also be the moment of our greatest determination.
'A determination to live as Madiba has lived, to strive as Madiba has strived and to not rest until we have realised his vision of a truly united South Africa, a peaceful and prosperous Africa, and a better world.
'We will always love you, Madiba!
'May your soul rest in peace.
'God Bless Africa.
'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.'
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, meets with former South Africa President Nelson Mandela, 94, at his home in Qunu, South Africa last year
Inspiration: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, meets with former South Africa President Nelson Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, last year
Former South African president and ex-leader of African National Congress (ANC) Nelson Mandela with American talkshow host Oprah Winfrey in 2005
Former South African president and ex-leader of African National Congress (ANC) Nelson Mandela with American talkshow host Oprah Winfrey in 2005
A huge state funeral, attended by most world leaders, is expected to be held in the coming days.
Having served just one term as president of South Africa, Mr Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has only rarely been glimpsed in public since then.
 
His last public appearance was at football's 2010 World Cup final when his wife had to support his arm to allow him to wave to the crowd. 
The former South African president with award winning actress, Charlize Theron in South Africa in 2003 after winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the movie Monster
The former South African president with award winning actress, Charlize Theron, in South Africa in 2003 after she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the movie Monster
Famous friends: British supermodel Naomi Campbell and Nelson Mandela when he was still South African president at a Othandweni orphanage in Hillbrow, South Africa, in 2001
Famous friends: British supermodel Naomi Campbell and Nelson Mandela at a Othandweni orphanage in Hillbrow, South Africa, in 2001
Fighting fit: Mandela was tall and slim and enjoyed jogging long before it was trendy
Fighting fit: Mandela was tall and slim and enjoyed jogging long before it was trendy
As well as receiving treatment for prostate cancer, stomach pain and problems with his eyes, Mandela's most persistent medical problems have been respiratory.
He damaged his lungs and contracted tuberculosis while digging in a lime quarry during the 18 years he spent imprisoned on the notorious Robben Island, outside Cape Town.
He has been admitted to hospital numerous times over past decade - and five times since December last year.
He underwent treatment for, among other things, a respiratory disorder, a 'long-standing abdominal complaint', gallstones and, in April this year, for the removal of fluid from his lungs.
Such is Mandela's popularity in South Africa - where he is lionised for his role in healing the country's racial divides - that many public figures have tried to attach themselves to the former African National Congress (ANC) leader's legacy.
Jacob Zuma's decision, last April, to allow himself to be filmed standing next to an unsmiling, expressionless Mandela in hospital drew much adverse comment, including from Mr Mandela's family.
The ANC's main political opposition, the Democratic Alliance, has also been accused of trying to 'hijack' his legacy by highlighting its historical connection to the man most South African refer to by his clan name Madiba.

QUOTES FROM A GREAT MAN: UNFORGETTABLE WORDS SPOKEN BY NELSON MANDELA THAT HELPED TO SHAPE THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

‘What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.’
‘If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite’.
‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear’.
‘Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another’.
‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.’
‘Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.’
‘If I had my time over I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.’
‘There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.’
‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’
‘It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.’
‘For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.’
Widely adored: A 1997 meeting of Mandela and Prime Minister Tony Blair at St Andrews
Widely adored: A 1997 meeting of Mandela and Prime Minister Tony Blair at St Andrews

Family man: He is survived by second wife Machel (right), his daughter Makaziwe by his first marriage, and daughters Zindzi and Zenani by his second
Family man: He is survived by second wife Machel (right), his daughter Makaziwe by his first marriage, and daughters Zindzi and Zenani by his second
Men of dignity: Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama in Cape Town in 1996 Men of dignity: Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama in Cape Town in 1996
Royal welcome: The Queen sits with South African President Nelson Mandela at a state banquet held in the Queen's honour in Cape Town in March 1995 - the first state visit to the country in almost 50 years
Royal welcome: The Queen sits with South African President Nelson Mandela at a state banquet held in the Queen's honour in Cape Town in March 1995 - the first state visit to the country in almost 50 years
Proud: Mandela always wanted to be seen as a man of the people and his 'big tent' approach to reaching out to the common man was widely adored
Proud: Mandela always wanted to be seen as a man of the people and his 'big tent' approach to reaching out to the common man was widely adored
While some political commentators have expressed a fear that Mandela's death could destabilise South Africa by re-opening racial wounds, most South Africans are well used to the idea of his passing.
Indeed, most serious political analysts in the country recognise that Mr Mandela's death is unlikely to create a political shockwave.
More significant, they say, may be the fact that without Mandela's immense moral authority, the ruling ANC party may be more vulnerable to charges of corruption and incompetence.
Mandela, who is generally considered to be 'the father' of modern South Africa, has said that his greatest regret has been his failure to have raised his own children.
He married three times. Two wives remain alive: his ex wife Winnie and Graca Machel. He has three remaining children, another four step children, 17 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
In recent years various family members and friends have argued about how best to maintain his legacy. The disputes are now likely to worsen.
His marriage to Winnie had fallen apart after his release and he was now married to Graca Machel, the widowed former first lady of neighboring Mozambique.
He is survived by Machel; his daughter Makaziwe by his first marriage, and daughters Zindzi and Zenani by his second.

THE ANTI-APARTHEID FIGHTER WHO WENT TO PRISON FOR THE CAUSE

1960 69 peaceful protesters are killed by police in the Sharpeville Massacre; in the aftermath the ANC is banned, prompting Mandela to go into hiding. While in hiding he forms an underground military group with armed resistance

1962 After living on the run for seventeen months he is arrested on August 5 and imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort. On October 25 he is sentenced to five years in prison but again goes on the run

1964 On June 12 Mandela is captured and convicted of sabotage and treason. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 46, initially on Robben island where he would be kept for 18 years

1968 His mother dies and his eldest son is killed in a car crash but he is not allowed to attend either of the funerals

1980 The exiled Oliver Tambo launches an international campaign for the release of his friend

1986 Sanctions against South Africa are tightened, costing millions in revenue

1990 On February 11, Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. He had served the last part of his sentence in Victor Verster Prison in Paarl.

President De Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC and the white National Party begin talks on forming a multi-racial democracy for South Africa.

1991 Mandela becomes President of the ANC. The International Olympic Committee lift a 21-year ban on South African athletes competing in the Olympic Games.

1992 He separates from Winnie Mandela after she is convicted of kidnapping and being an accessory to assault. The following March they divorce.

1993 Nelson Mandela and Mr de Klerk are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

1994 April 26 Free Elections where black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time.

Nelson Mandela runs for President and the ANC win 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly

May Mandela is inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa. He appoints de Klerk as deputy president and forms the racially mixed Government of National Unity.

1995 South Africa hosts the 1995 Rugby World Cup and South Africa wins. Nelson Mandela wears a Springbok shirt when he presents the trophy to Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar. This gesture was seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans.

1998 Marries Graca Machel, the widow of the former president of Mozambique, on his 80th birthday.

1999 Relinquishes presidency in favour of Thabo Mbeki, who was nominated ANC president in 1997.

2001 Nelson Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer

2004 June: Nelson Mandela announced that he would be retiring from public life at the age of 85

2005 His son, Makgatho Mandela died of AIDS

2010 Mandela makes a rare public appearance at the football World Cup in South Africa
2012 An increasingly frail Mandela is admitted to hospital twice in February and December

Source: www.history-timelines.org.uk

 DAILY MAIL