The 200 Shillings of Doom: Millionaire MPs complain about possibly paying 400 shillings daily for OTT Access!

It is a disgrace, the best paid representatives with all sorts of benefits, even not even taxed for their salaries, these Members of the Parliament (MPs). That these MPS are complaining about the OTT Tax. These MPs who are earning approximately earning about 26,000,000 Ugandan Shillings ($6,852) monthly. MPs are complaining that they have pay 400 shillings a daily. Because they have to pay OTT on their personal Cellphone and also on their Ipads. So lets say a month is 30 days we add that with 400 shillings (Ipad + Cellphone) that is total 12,000 shillings ($ 3.1). That is why it is insulting, that ones earning giant fortunes are complaining about paying possible for one more gadget. This is a tax they enacted in Parliament not long ago. They should have the courage and the funds to pay this sums, but seemingly that is too much for them. How about the people then, who doesn’t earns millions of shillings a month?

Parliament has clarified that members of parliament can access free Social Media services on their IPADs only when transacting parliament business. The Principal information officer at Parliament Moses Bwalatum, says according to the contract signed between Parliament and the Ipad Service providers, legislators can only use them for the legislative roles unless the contract are reviewed. This means that legislators have to pay OTT tax on their personal phone to access the other social media platforms” (NBS Television, 14.09.2018).

They should be capable to spend these meager sums of money. As the MPs should be able to pay 3 US Dollars a month for the OTT on both Cellphone and Ipad, as they are earning close to 6800 US Dollars. It is insane, that they whose earning such fortunes in a country, where civil servants aren’t earning that much. They are high-ranking and huge salaries which should cover everything, especially another 200 shillings, which is apparently to much for these rich MPs.

That the MPs cannot manage to spend a total of 3 dollars a month on OTT Taxes are insane, when they are earning over 6000 dollars a month, are they that lavish on their side-dishes, that they cannot mange to pay this? But they said the ordinary citizens and that this would not discriminate people, as this was a luxury. Is this now a luxury that the millionaire MPs cannot manage?

Are 400 shillings a day to much to ask for the ones who are already tax-exempt on their salary? Are you that greedy? 

Seriously, the MPs who enacted the OTT Tax should be able to pay for it, just like everyone else. They are having a giant salaries, housing, cars and whatnots covered. They are surely able to do this, but are stubborn and greedy, as sleazy salesmen, they expect to be…

They are certainly not showing confidence, but a more a mockery of the people. Since they have wealth and the general public doesn’t. Peace.

Somalia: Puntland Press Statement on Jalam – Harfo Road Project (13.09.2018)

SSOA: The Revitalized Peace Agreement is Unsustainable for South Sudan (13.09.2018)

Russian Probe: Manafort plea guilty!

Just as you thought this couldn’t get better for the United States Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Today, the former Trump Campaign Manager and long time lobbyist and political operative have now pleaded guilty today. He is in a long line of former Campaign workers and also Trump Associates who has pleaded guilty and begun to co-operate with the Russian Probe.

Paul Manafort are following Gen. Michael Flynn, George Papadopolous, Richard Gates and Michael Cohen. Therefore, many of the ones involved in the Trump Campaign have now said their was guilty of crimes of various sorts. George Papadopolous and Alex Van Der Zwaan have both served time or even serving it, as Manafort is the only one, who is already been charged on several counts.

Now, we have these people all pleaded guilty and their roles was Trump’s Personal Lawyer, Top Campaign Aide and former Campaign Manager. This is clearly a giant signal to the ones saying, yet again there was no collusion or nothing criminal done by the Trump Campaign. As yet another big-shot , have pleaded guilty. It is a big list, when Manafort, Flynn, Papadopolous, Gates and Cohen.

What the documents are saying today, are that Manafort plea agreement, which says he was guilty of Conspiracy against the United States, violation of Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and second charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice by tampering with witnesses. These criminal charges was waivered because of the plea agreement. What is added injury, but also done to show cooperation, is that he had forfeiture assets and real-estate, as the state has taken this from him.

We knew that Gates would drop the needle and show the background for the business operation and the Foreign Agent work of the Manafort. We can wonder what Flynn has delivered to the state and produced to them, what Papadopolous has done as well. As well, as Cohen whose cooperating too will surely add more flesh to the bones.

This investigation has peeled the onion, piece by piece. That is why finally Manafort has pleaded guilty too. He knows that there would be more damage in the next trial after the first one, where he found guilty of certain charges already. Therefore, accepting it now before the speedy trial, he is ensuring less jail time and cooperating. But that is also showing a pattern, where we can wonder what is next and what he gives up to get this. We can all assess that there are higher ranking individual that Mueller is getting evidence and tying in all collected all the dots.

Mueller knows more than we do and that is why he is covering the net around the Trump Campaign and making sure every fish is catched and even the big-fish too.

The race to the President continues, but the Witches are apparently everywhere, since they are all getting plea agreements. Peace.

Solicitor General letter to UNRA: Sector Support Project v RSSVP Lot 1 – Civil Works for Upgrading of Rukungiri Kihihi-Ishasha / Kanungu Road (78,5km) to Bituminous Standard (14.09.2018)

Somalia’s destiny lies in the hands of the people, highlights outgoing UN envoy (14.09.2018)

Despite remarkable achievements in Somalia in the recent past, structural challenges remain and continue to undermine the country’s security and political stability, the United Nations envoy for the country has warned.

DAKAR, Senegal, September 14, 2018 – Briefing the Security Council for the last time in his capacity as UN Special Representative for Somalia, Michael Keating called on all Somalis to draw strength from the positive transformations going on inside the country and work collectively for the common good.

“The future of Somalia is in the hands of the Somalis,” he declared.

In particular, Mr. Keating – who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) – urged unity among political leaders.

“The more [they] show unity, the greater the opportunity, and the responsibility, of international partners to invest in all parts of the country and its leadership,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr. Keating highlighted four key concerns the country’s leaders need to address, and issues that the international community should keep focusing on.

These include the threat posed by the Al Shabaab and other extremist groups; the risk of political differences overshadowing progress in legislative, reform and security areas; fragmentation within the international community; and the danger of a humanitarian “catastrophe”, especially with most of the population already living in precarious circumstances due to climate change and other vulnerabilities.

“Future crises will result from the combination of climate related shocks; armed conflict provoked by Al Shabaab and unresolved grievances; competition over natural resources; and systemic marginalization of certain groups,” warned Mr. Keating. He underscored the need to reduce the vulnerability faced by ordinary Somalis, through job creation and smart investments that safeguard natural resources and help unlock the enormous economic potential of the country.

Besides political will, Mr. Keating underscored, success will depend on leaders from the political, business and traditional spheres “working together for the common good, leveraging the country’s potential wealth to transform prospects for people – especially the young.”

On 1 October, Nicholas Haysom will replace Mr. Keating as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and the head of UNSOM. Mr. Keating was appointed the top UN official in the Horn of Africa nation in November 2015.

Women have brought ‘important voices’ to Somali politics

Alongside Mr. Keating, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of the UN gender equality and empowerment agency for women and girls (UN Women) highlighted the “once-in-a-generation opportunity” that Somalia currently has to establish lasting peace, and gender equality.

She commended the nation for improving representation of women in public office, illustrated by the “jump” in women’s representation in parliamentary elections from 14 to nearly 25 per cent of seats in the most recent elections.

This progress, she underscored, has brought many “important voices” to Somali politics.

She said it had brought to the centre “the fight to end child marriage, end female genital mutilation (FGM), and change laws that discriminate against women,” noting that the participation of women will be further boosted if more leaders, especially clan leaders, embrace gender equality and support women.

She also called on the international community and the Security Council to support Somalia’s federal and provincial authorities, advance gender equality, act strongly against sexual and gender-based violence, advocate for meaningful participation and recognition of women in all sectors, and support women’s groups in the country.

“Women’s organizations in Somalia are organized. They are dedicated to their country: they are activists, advocates, entrepreneurs, professionals, and patriots,” said Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka, noting that as the country prepares to confront the challenges in the days ahead, “women will make the difference.”

The Chairperson of the Commission welcomes the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (13.09.2018)

President Kenyatta promise more austerity measures!

The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have today pushed for a lower VAT on Petroleum, not showing why it gets cuts in half, but still will charge the public more in taxes. While state is promising more cuts in all arms of government. This from a government that has borrowed more spent more and been more corrupt, than any other I can think off. The Jubilee government have a ten-fold of corruption scandals since its inception. Therefore, if the government would clear its yearly shortfall quickly, the embezzlement, frauds and tender scandals has to stop. Also, the open looting by the high-ranking officials and their cronies, which for some reasons skates by, while the funds are running short. That why it is further insult to injury of the public, that the Wealthy President and his rich cronies are asking for a sacrifice. How could he?

Here is his statement:

“Fellow Kenyans, I have spent the last few days listening to a wide cross-section of views. It is clear that you are all troubled by the effect of the rise in the prices of petroleum products, and its impact on the cost of living. I have heard and understood your concerns, which is why I have proposed, as part of my memorandum, to cut VAT on petroleum products by 50% — from 16% to 8%. Should Parliament accept this proposal, the price of super petrol will drop from KSh 127 to about KSh 118, and the price of diesel will drop from KSh 115 to about KSh 107. Just as business owners took the new VAT rate as an opportunity to increase the cost of goods and services, I expect them not to take advantage of weary citizens, and to lower their prices commensurately and without delay. But we still face a financing gap. This measure will not suffice to balance our budget, as required by law. Therefore I have also proposed wide-ranging cuts in spending as well as austerity measures across all arms of government. The cuts target less essential spending, such as hospitality, foreign and domestic travel, training and seminars, and similar categories. These budget cuts ask of us in government that we tighten our belts. It also ensures that the sacrifices made by tax-compliant Kenyans are matched by discipline from all of us in the public service” (Uhuru Kenyatta – ‘STATEMENT BY HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES, UHURU KENYATTA C.G.H., ON FINANCE BILL 2018/2019 ON 14TH SEPTEMBER, 2018’ (14.09.2018).

This here shows how he thinks and manoeuvre, instead of thinking directly how the elites, the cronies and the central leadership to pay for the shortfall, the added debt and growing corruption will cost the public and not them. The austerity and the lack of service providing, even salaries and lack of needed services will come with time. As the defaulting debt and the restructuring that is programmed through the IMF will hurt the communities.

Kenyatta knows this, but trying to deflect and finds ways to smoothing the hurt, but not initially changing the paradigm. The reality is that the state are struggling financially, have over-borrowed and secured massive debts, it now has to pay with interests, while also swiftly embezzled funds to the high-ranking elites, which are not paying for the short-fall, but the tab is put on the public instead. That is the insane reality and the swindle of the century.

There are usually two sides to ever story, and two side to every coin, but the man who has both created it the issue, are now trying to find ways to billing the debt on the public, without taking direct responsibility or going after the ones who created this in the first place. They are off the hook and off the books. While the public will be left with the costly back-payment and figuring out to pay it back. Day-by-day. Peace.

Parliament of Uganda: Clarification on OTT Tax remarks attributed to Hon. Kaps Hassan Fungaroo (14.09.2018)

Zimbabwe: Harare suburbs rocked by “double punch” of cholera and typhoid (14.09.2018)

Red Cross volunteers are providing water treatment, tracking and referral services, and are going door-to-door to provide families in high risk areas with information about cholera prevention.

HARARE, Zimbabwe, September 14, 2018 – More than 1,000 Red Cross volunteers are fanning out through the suburbs of Zimbabwe’s capital in a bid to contain a deadly cholera outbreak.

The outbreak, which started on 5 September, has killed 25 people in the Harare suburbs of Budiriro and Glenview. About 3,000 cases have been reported, and the Zimbabwe Red Cross is concerned that the outbreak could spread quickly to other parts of the country. Indeed, sporadic cases have already been reported in four other provinces.

Maxwell Phiri, Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Red Cross, said:

“The situation is incredibly complex. Most of the areas affected have already been dealing with an outbreak of typhoid. So, this is a double punch for them, and it shows the weakness of water systems even here in the capital.

“There is also a lot of movement of people between Harare and rural areas, and we’re very worried this could drive a very rapid spread of the disease.”

Red Cross volunteers are providing water treatment, tracking and referral services, and are going door-to-door to provide families in high risk areas with information about cholera prevention. A further 500 volunteers in Midlands, Manicaland, Masvingo and Mashonaland Central provinces have been activated in an effort to halt the spread.

“Cholera remains a major issue across Africa – yet, it is completely preventable,” says Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré, Regional Director for the International Federation of the Red Cross. “Providing access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation and ensuring communities have the tools and information to prevent its spread will be critical to saving countless more lives.”

This is the second major cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe within a decade. In 2008, one of the worst cholera outbreaks to hit the country infected more than 100,000 people and claimed more than 4,000 lives.