
Cameroon: Ministry of Post and Telecommunications – Clarifications (10.09.2018)





Today, must been a day that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have suddenly awaited for since writing a letter dated on the 17th July 2017 titled: “Re: Mushrooming Agencies/Authorities” sent to Finance Minister Matia Kasija, to tell this:
“Why, then, should you separate the policy role from the regulation role for the non-commercial bureaucratic portions of the government; Forests, National Parks, Roads, NAADs, etc? Their functions are just two: policy and regulation. There is no business involved. If the Ministries of Works and Finance want to form Road Construction companies that will compete for construction jobs, then it makes sense for those companies to have Boards and Management but not a Board for a unit whose only job is to award contracts using government money” (Museveni, 17.07.2017).
That is why the Press Conference done by Frank Tumwebaze today, was to tell what the giant Cabinet has decided to do on the 10th September 2018. Which is more than one later and also 9 months after the fixed deadline President Museveni gave to Cabinet. Seemingly that haven’t matter. What matters to me, is that they are closing Authorities and such, which is there by law. They are not repealed or gone, as the Cabinet of 80, should be able to figure that out, but certainly they are more preoccupied with doing measures that pleases the President.
I will looking into a few of the Agencies and Commissions that are now in the spotlight, as most of these are parts of laws and are in-forced. Meaning, this laws needs to be repealed or amend them. To take away the legality of having the set commissions and such. This is something the President and the Cabinet should already know, however, this is more a learning sessions of the ones that is mentioned for being reverted into the Ministries of the Republic.
With the likes of Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA), which was commencement on the 26th September 2011. Have the cabinet a plan to repeal the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority Act of 2011? Until then, they cannot discontinue this Authority, right?
The same can be said with Uganda Free Zone Authority (UFZA), which was established because of the Free Zone Act 0f 2014. The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) was established by enactment of the Investment Code Act of 1991. The same can be said that Uganda Export Promotions Board Act of 1996 established the Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB). This is just three acts, which shows there was laws creating these ones, that being URBRA, UFZA, UIA and UEPB. This I did with very little or no research, all of these laws are still in-force, meaning that they have to repeal these to kill of these boards and authorities.
Who knows if it similar with the rest of the Authorities, but if I was working there, I would sue the government as the laws are allowing their existence and their mandate under a minsitry and lawful funds to operate. Therefore, there should be reactions to the Cabinet Resolutions.
At this point, if there is any rule of law and the laws have some value, than the government should work on repealing the Authorities laws and ensure there is no legal ground to keep them alive, if they are a waste of government resources. Until, then, the laws are giving them mandate and also a lawful existence, no matter what the Cabinet enacts or written resolutions. Peace.










With unemployment rates in urban areas, at around 60 percent, a chronic problem, initial charges for uniforms were seen as astronomical.
DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti, September 11, 2018 – THE autocratic regime of President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh has yielded to public pressure to lower the price of uniforms for students at basic education level but this is seen as a smokescreen to divert attention from major issues afflicting the impoverished East African country
Minister of Education, Moustapha Mohamed Mahamoud, announced parents will pay some 2 000 Djibouti Franc (DJF) (equivalent to R171 or US$11,25) down from the initial 3 500 FDJ.
With unemployment rates in urban areas, at around 60 percent, a chronic problem, initial charges for uniforms were seen as astronomical.
Analysts believe the announcement, made on Monday as the students returned for the 2018/19 academic year, is only a ploy by government to deflect scrutiny from inherent failure to make available schools for the youth population as well as rampant drought, inadequate sanitation and food insecurity, all which have prevailed despite massive financial loans running into government coffers.
Critics lay the aforementioned problems on the lavishness of Gueleh, in power since 1999 at the death of his uncle Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had been in power since independence from France in 1977.
His administration is synonymous with brutality against opposition and media and discrimination against persons with disabilities as well as restrictions on unions.
“The announcement of the reduction of uniform prices is all a smokescreen, coming in the criticism of the government’s extravagancy in the face of mounting social challenges,” said political analyst Beran Omar.
Mahamoud meanwhile portrayed the administration as thoughtful of the challenges by the populace.
Mahamoud said uniform prices had been slashed after Guelleh heard the grievances of parents.
“He gave clear instructions in this direction,” the minister said.
However, despite the government’s claimed commitment to education, net student enrollment at the primary level, representing the percentage of children of official school age who are enrolled in primary school, is around 60 percent, according to latest World Bank figures.
The number reveals an even more challenging situation with enrollment rates lower and dropout rates higher for girls, those living in rural areas and those living in poverty.
“Djibouti is not on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals and is at risk of remaining in a low-level equilibrium in terms of both access and quality (education) for years to come,” World Bank stated.
The tiny country of slightly less than 1 million people is also on the throes of an eruption of waterborne diseases and rampant food deficit. It is also enduring the aftermath of the Cyclone Sagar, which ravaged the region in May, with southeastern neighbor, Somalia, the epicentre.
Floods affected at least 15 percent of the capital Djibouti City.
Schools and other social infrastructure have been affected with the total damage estimated at $30 million
Some 20 000 children under the age of five, out of almost 200 000 affected people, are impacted by drought.
Djibouti has one of the world’s highest levels of malnutrition for children, particularly among those under the age of five living in rural areas.









Another place, another time and someone who has in the past shown the will to use force to grab was dually elected in May 2016. This happen mere years after he brought himself to power by a bloodless coup in early May 1999. That man is the current President Col. Azali Assoumani. It was his second term he won in 2016, as it was his island turn to have the President. As the Moheli and Anjouan used to rotate. We shall all remember that th 2016 Election was filled with irregularities, as well as use of military as the preliminary results was announced, as there was reports of stuffed ballots boxes and therefore, the result that gave Assoumani a win. Might have been rigged in his favor. However, that didn’t matter and life moved on.
That is why I will first show, the key pieces of articles from the 2001 constitution, the ones that was in effect until July 2018. When the new amendments of Assoumani comes in effect and changes the paradigm of law for Presidential terms and rotation between the Islands in the Union.
The 2001 Constitution of Comoros stated this before the referendum in article 13:
“The presidency shall rotate among the islands. The President and the Vice Presidents shall be elected by direct universal suffrage under a system of majority voting in two rounds for a term of five years, subject to the rotation. A primary shall be held in the island concerned and only the three candidates which have received the highest numbers of votes cast may stand in the presidential election. In no case may the presidential primary be held on two successive occasions on the same island” (Constitution 2001, Article 13).
As President Assoumani have revised the Constitution in 2018, there was one article he might have broken, which is third section of Article 42, that states:
“No amendment procedure shall be initiated or continued where the integrity of the national territory, the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders or the autonomy of its islands is placed in jeopardy” (Constitution 2001, Article 42).
Therefore, the President from 2016 and the one ruling after a bloodless coup from 1999 to 2006. Have used his powers, to an extent that puts the autonomy of its islands is placed in jeopardy. When I say that, is because he has rewritten article 13, which was for not favoring ones island and ensuring representation at the highest office from each island at each turn. So, that all of the three under two decades has had their leader and the primary elections on their island. However, that will not be case now, as Assoumani have ensured himself two more terms and possibly a total of 15 years. Meaning that his rule could be as far as 2031 (2021 & 2026 elections).
We should not be shocked this, because when someone has used force and military to gain power like the colonel did in the past. He will misuse power again to grab it and control it. That should not shock anyone. This years 30th July 2018 referendum was clearly a fixed election to gain all control, as there was also a clause to scrap the representation of one Vice-President from each island. As the President doesn’t wants to have check-and-balances, but all control at his finger-tips. That is why he is ordering arrests of dissidents like ex-VP Jaffar Ahmed Said Hassani and ex-President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi. That is to really settle the score and ensure himself more power. Because the President knows he plays with a striking force against those other island and their autonomy in the Union with his referendum.
That is shown by this recent actions, as he undermines the Union and secures himself power, as a result, the Comore Grande gets to keep the Presidency and also the power, while the two other islands are stalwarts and awaiting their turn. As there might not be none, as the President might have a new referendum, when it is close to the end of his third term. Because he did it now in the midst of his second term and “elected” one. But, by then he might have gotten an even more stronger grip and centralized, even more power, as he has had the time to do so, and ensured all his dissidents are either in prison or in exile.
We have all seen this story before, but its now happening in the Union of Comoros. Peace.
