Russian Probe: Manafort Finally on Trial!

Finally, the long awaited trial for the former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort, this happen today on the 31^st July 2018. There will be a long time before anything is settled in Court. However, what we will know is the evidence value and the witness testimony for what Manafort has done before becoming Campaign Manager and also while being it for President Donald J. Trump.

We know there are dozens of counts of conspiracy, money laundering and tax evasion, which Manafort have to answer, as well as being a Foreign Agent without being Registered. This here will all come to light. Today, he was denied the will to turn-over the Pre-Trial Detention Order, which the Court of Columbia District dismissed. So, even as the Grand Jury released their opening statement today, the political asset of Trump lost in Court again.

Now the realities of his business, his wealth and his connections will all come to light, the dark shadow world of foreign influence and use of Ukraine connections will the headlines, but also show the ones who are in his network. Therefore, the plea deal of Richard Gates will be telling, as the former associate and partner. All the other government witnesses will swear affidavits, that could hurt him even more.

Therefore, the coming days, the reality of the world of Manafort will be offered to the world. Explaining the accounts, the companies and the networks he has created for himself. Also lack of taxation and the other questionable behavior from the political operative, who has used his skills and made a life sponging on others.

Who knows what will be the reality and what sort of play the defense of Manafort will use and who they will sell out. As these charges, mountain of evidence and witnesses will tell stories that Manafort doesn’t want in the spotlight.

We will just know, but now the first piece of the puzzle within the Russian Probe has started. Alex Van Der Zwaan have already been in jail awaiting trial too. Therefore, the case is progressing and the future indictments will show. Nothing will stop this, as long as the Special Counsel is collecting evidence and making the case solid.

Manafort are in loads of trouble, whatever Mueller has in his net and awaiting to put out of his chest is hard to know. Certainly, this is not something can be anticipated, as there will be daily games of spinning it and making sure the hot water is getting lukewarm. Peace.

Opinion: ZEC busy cooking and ZANU-PF winning, while they are warning the Opposition!

Not, that I am in any doubt of the results, seemingly the announced winners of Members of Parliament are mostly Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), whose has slammed these elections. Therefore, if the MP elections are a warning of what to come, than the ruling regime are getting the Executive like it has since 1980. However, there indications of other results and for the Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance (MDC-Alliance) Nelson Chamisa. That is why the government have issued an order, that the public are not allowed to announce results.

That way this is done now, is to force people to accept the results from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the appointed men from Zanu-PF. That being people loyal to the cause and maybe even Operation Restore Legacy, therefore, the cause might be to re-elect and make sure President Emmerson Mnangagwa is legitimate. I have already questioned the long awaited result, as it was officially to announced on the 4^th August 2018. FIVE Whole days from the polls, which is amazingly long in the life of a politician and longer for major Presidential Candidates. It is like slow boiling it and hoping you don’t burn the stew.

Why I am extra worry, when the government sponsored and run newspaper print this today:

“GOVERNMENT has warned political parties and individuals to desist from the unlawful announcement of results of yesterday’s 2018 harmonised election results as this is a serious offence and they risks arrest. This was said by Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Dr Obert Mpofu this evening. Dr Mpofu’s pronouncement comes after MDC Alliance principals Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti turned to social media and press conferences to announce that they have won the elections. Section 66A of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) outlaws the unofficial or false announcement of poll results. Announcements of official results are a prerogative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission” (The Herald, 31.07.2018).

It is like the ZEC and ZANU-PF doesn’t under stand this, as they have blocked the V11 Forms to be published today, showing the official results from the polling stations. This to make sure the citizens can crunch the numbers together with civil society organizations and opposition parties can go through the counted ballots. It doesn’t help that the Police are sending water-canons to Morgan Tsvangirai House in Harare. This is all just suspicious and also divert the attention from the reality on the ground.

The lateness and distorted way of announcing the results are not making it better. There are questions opening up, I am still boggled that the ZEC used another voter roll, than the ones they delivered to the parties before the elections. It is like they have hidden something from them. To ensure their final verdict for announcement. If they had done it all within the bounds, it wouldn’t be questionable and would be fair. Instead, all the issues are weird, as the ZEC are continuing pushing numbers that are fitting the ZANU-PF. Seemingly, like always they are getting most seats and positions, just like under the Goblin.

The only difference, is some of the names and that MDC are getting some pieces… but not anything substantial. Just like Mugabe’s new party – NPF got one MP as well, because why not, right?

All numbers and all MPs seems to be fitted for another term of supremacy, this isn’t child’s play. We can just wonder what sort of numbers they are cooking, because the momentum of MDC seems to be scratched away, like it was lie, but these numbers might be lies. Because the ZANU-PF and ZEC are telling only to believe their numbers and only their announcements. Not ask or check others who has crunched the numbers. That is a worrying sign and could show the next level.

The tiredness of ZANU-PF, shouldn’t give them a giant slam and secure the Parliament, however it does. That just doesn’t make sense, neither did the Bond-Notes, but they still gave the public that too.

Let see how this goes, but just hours after the polls and the doubts of just play is in the air and within reason. This just make it all sounds like weird and like we are repeating other hopeful times. Where the hope of rallies and campaigns have been there for the opposition, but when the election comes. All results still fits like a glove for the ZANU-PF. That is how today seems and we have been here before. This isn’t the first nor the last election where this will happen.

ZANU-PF controlled ZEC and didn’t reform electoral laws before the election. This was made to secure their place and their majority. The proof is in the pudding. Just taste the bitter-sweet treat and hope you doesn’t vomit later. Peace.

Zimbabwe: ZESN 2018 Harmonised Election – Preliminary Statement (31.07.2018)

Zimbabwe: Movement for Democratic Change – “Re: Official Statement on Election Results” (31.07.2018)

RSA: EFF Rejects the IMF and its views expressed after its official visit to South Africa (31.07.2018)

CS Najib Balala: Gazettement for the Appointments of Kenya Wildlife Service Board of Trustees (31.07.2018)

 

World Vision Statement Regarding our Past Engagement with Islamic Relief Agency in Sudan (31.07.2018)

World Vision has robust controls and screening processes in place and condemns any diversion of aid funding and strongly condemn any act of terrorism or support for those activities.

RANDBURG, South Africa, July 31, 2018 – World Vision’s work in Sudan is focused on improving the lives of the most vulnerable children. In 2017, our programs reached approximately 674,000 vulnerable people, 70 percent of these were children and women.  The work sub-granted to IRA in 2014 was a very small percentage of our significant program expenditures in Sudan, less than 1% of our total at that time.

In March 2014, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) approved World Vision’s grant proposal that clearly listed Islamic Relief Agency (IRA) as a proposed sub-grantee. At the time of selection, there was no indication that IRA had any possible ties to an alleged terrorist-supporting organisation.

There are several Islamic Relief organisations operating around the world which are not blocked, and when we searched the blocked parties lists for “Islamic Relief” in “Sudan,” the searches produced no results.  That is still true today on the website of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

In May 2014, when WV applied to renew its registration with OFAC as a charity working in Sudan, it identified IRA as a sub-grantee in its application. OFAC approved the renewal in August 2014 without any comments or questions about IRA.

In November 2014, we informed OFAC and USAID that we had concerns about IRA in Sudan possibly being related to certain other organisations with “Islamic Relief” in their names, designated by the US government as organisations allegedly supporting terrorism.  Because of these concerns, we suspended further grant implementation by IRA pending clarification from OFAC.

In January 2015, OFAC responded that IRA in Sudan “appears to be the same entity” as the one on OFAC’s blocked parties list. The sub-grant by then had expired, it was not renewed, and we discontinued any future collaboration with IRA.  At this time, OFAC authorised us to pay IRA $125,000 for the humanitarian work that was verified to have already been completed under the grant.  The payment made to IRA was not a diversion of funds but payment for programming services of confirmed quality.

World Vision took its compliance obligations seriously, but respectfully asked permission to pay IRA money owing for legitimate humanitarian work (salaries, humanitarian aid and supplies for beneficiaries, travel etc.) already incurred. World Vision explained failure to do so could have exposed it to potential legal liability for breach of contract, resulted in the very real chance of Government expulsion from Sudan and as a consequence, the loss of a lifeline for tens of thousands of children and their families.

World Vision has robust controls and screening processes in place and condemns any diversion of aid funding and strongly condemn any act of terrorism or support for those activities.

We have no evidence that any of our funds have been used for anything other than urgent humanitarian work.

RSA: EFF Rejects Patrice Motsepe Coporate Tax Break Proposal (31.07.2018)

RDC: Lucha – Deni de justice sur l’assassinat de Luc Nkulula (31.07.2018)

Burundi: UPD-Zigamibanga – Declaration du 31 Juillet 2018 (31.07.2018)