Somalia: Jubaland Council of Elders letter to Ambassador James Swan (10.08.2019)

Somalia: Jubaland Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission letter to Ambassador James Swan (10.08.2019)

Opinion: Will the 64th CPC have a similar aftermath as the CHOGM in 2007?

Now that there is a month or so away from the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Kampala. When the 500 delegates from all the Commonwealth member states are coming to the Republic of Uganda. To be part of conference and work for a week.

By all means, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its handlers see this a opportunity to spread the good news, to show the grand side of the Republic and its nation. However, why I am writing is that I fear this will be another Commonwealth scandal.

Last time was the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Kampala a few days in November 2007. Which in retrospect was a graft-party for the Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, also Foreign Minister Sam Kuteesa. Who all were implicated in millions of dollars gone missing on tenders and spending on the CHOGM conference that year.

As we know that the same people and organizers were around. The same people running the ministries and having vital roles. We know, that the NRM and its high ranking officials might see a new opportunity to eat. Don’t be shocked if the CPC becomes a modern day CHOGM. It is 12 years apart, but the same President and his party at the helm.

I would not be shocked if the Office of the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Foreign Minister Sam Kuteesa, Gen. Salim Selah and someone implicated in the State House would suddenly misuse allocated funds, which Keith Muhakanizi can explain nor anyone else. They will vanish in a tender, fake tent or even some VIP cars whose never gotten imported through a shell-company owned by high ranking officials. The IGG, Auditor General or Attorney General can implicate any of them, as they cannot find the paperwork, which also happen to go missing. As the state prosecutors doesn’t have enough evidence to produce a case against them. Don’t be shocked, it is just business as usual.

This is just me thinking loud. I wouldn’t be shocked or surprised if the CHOGM scandal in a new version for the CPC would happen. If it appear for us in late 2019 or in 2020 as the revision of budgets, the value of money reports and whatnot. They will reveal that some company, which happens to be in connection with high ranking officials, suddenly have vanished government funds.

Let’s wait and see. I hope I am wrong, but don’t be surprised if suddenly we have modern day version of CHOGM scandal. Don’t be amazed if the 46th CPC suddenly turned into a goldmine for the big-men at the NRM. Peace.

RDC: Lucha & Diamnt Noir – Informations Importantes sur la Suite de la Campagne #StopEbola (10.08.2019)

Centre for Legal Aid letter to Commissioner General of Uganda Prison Service – “Re: Complaint of Improper Conduct and Abuse of Power by your Officers in charge of Luzira Women & Upper Prison and your Officers in charge of Public Relations (09.08.2019)

SADC: Message of Condolence by the SADC Chairperson following Deadly Fire after a Tanker Accident in Morogoro, Tanzania that has claimed lives and injured many people (10.08.2019)

UN Experts report that War-Lord Hemeti of RSF sells weapons to the CAR!

The now deputy of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) Mohammed Hamdan Dagolo aka Hemiti or Hemmeti, who shows that his continues to finesse funds with illegal and illicit arms trade to the Central African Republic (CAR). Not just to anyone there as well, he has sold arms and equipment to the FPRC (The Popular Front for the Rebirth of CAR) and UPC (Union for Peace in CAR).

This means that Hemeti has no problem to sell weapons to other armed groups across the Sahel region or even greater Africa. As long as he earns on others misfortune. Don’t believe that a man like this beliefs in peace and such. He is only in it for the long-con and the wealth. That is why the recent news of trading weapons to the CAR.

This shows that his a warlord, that the International Community has embraced with the acknowledgement of the TMC and the whole Post Al-Bashir paradigm. While he does what he did as an enforcer for Al-Bashir, but also does it with more power behind now. As he is a high ranking commander and also state official, not only a militia leader, who does the bidding of the central government. That is worrying, as his now implicated in illicit arms trade.

FPRC and UPC have continued to acquire weapons, ammunition and pickup vehicles from and/or through Sudanese territory, with the complicity of elements from the Rapid Support Force, which is led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagolo, alias “Hemmeti” (…) “As detailed in annex 4.6, between January and May 2019, new pickup trucks were purchased in Nyala, the Sudan. Vehicles belonging to FPRC and RPRC, some featuring mounted machine guns, were observed in Birao, Bria, Ndélé and Kaga-Bandoro. In January 2019, the Panel observed a strengthened military capacity in Birao, which coincided with tensions between FPRC and RPRC and with the positioning of a reported 60 vehicles and armed Rapid Support Force elements on the Sudanese side of the border” (…) “In late March, 18 FPRC elements, including “Generals” Adoum Kanton, Fadoul Bashar and Kader, travelling in pickup trucks between Nyala, the Sudan and Birao, Central African Republic, were arrested by Sudanese military intelligence in possession of weapons, ammunition and military uniforms purchased in Nyala. Abdoulaye Hissène reportedly purchased at least four of those loaded vehicles (see annex 4.6). On 8 April, Bashar Fadoul, who had been released immediately by the Sudanese military intelligence, and “General” Kingar reportedly returned to Nyala, where they purchased 20 boxes of 7.62×39 mm ammunition and 50 AK-type assault rifles from Rapid Support Force elements” (…) “In early February, immediately after the negotiations in Khartoum, a UPC trafficker also transported 500 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, AK-type assault rifles and ammunition, which he had ordered from individuals in Chad and picked up in Ndélé (see annex 4.7). The trafficker declared that the weaponry was needed to attack MINUSCA armoured personnel carriers in the event of a new military operation. In April 2019, that same trafficker reportedly purchased 260 grenades and grenade launchers in Chad (see annex 4.7). Similar types of grenades have been observed in the Central African Republic since 2010” (UNSC, 2019).

This here says it all. It cannot be understated. That the leadership of Khartoum, the RSF and Hemeti is now officially trading illicit arms and does it without any concern of the people in the Central African Republic. That is the sort of leader Hemeti is.

His actions and decisions to do this, to give the armed groups in CAR the ability to attack the peacekeepers of MINUSCA. That they are getting greater gear, more advanced weaponry, but also the ability to prolong their warfare. This is what the Sudanese government is sponsoring, they are earning fortunes on. Even as there is a arm-embargo with the peace-deal. That didn’t matter, because, the merchants of death doesn’t care. Peace.

Reference:

(United Nations Security Council – ‘Letter dated 30 July 2019 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to resolution 2454 (2019) addressed to the President of the Security Council’ 30.07.2019).

Joint Press Release – Weekly Travel Advisory on Ebola Viruse Disease in Uganda (08.08.2019)

Zimbabwe: The MOPO Act to limit demonstrations and give more power to the Police!

Yesterday, there was reports that the marathon sessions in Parliament, which was summoned by the President Emmerson Mnangagwa was for pushing for several new laws. One of these is the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPO Act), which is clearly made to ensure less demonstrations, less activity of the industrial actions of the Unions and even activists in general.

Veritas did in their Bill Watch Number 24, show parts of the Constitutional rights of the Citizens. Which will be compromised by the MOPO Act.

Veritas stated this: “ Section 58(1) guarantees to everyone the freedoms of assembly and association:

Every person has the right to freedom of assembly and association, and the right not to assemble or associate with others.”

Section 59, more specifically, gives a right to demonstrate:

Every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.” (Veritas – ‘The Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill : Is it Constitutional?’ 02.05.2019).

When seeing that, you know that the Rights are supposed to upheld by the state and the authorities, however, the state will in regard of the new act. Certainly, stop the public from having a right assemble or demonstrate. The new dispensation is clearly old wine in new skins. Since, it is more oppressive behaviour from the ZANU-PF. They are afraid of the voice of the people, therefore, they have to make laws, that outlaws more of the supposed freedoms they are supposed to have.

In MOPO Act Part II Section 5 (1) any organization has to appoint one man in-charge of the demonstration and also a deputy. These has to negotiate and consult with the authorities, the local police to get allowed to demonstrate. As long as they not breaching the peace.

In Section 7 (1) the organizers have to write and notify the authorities within 7 days ahead for a demonstration, where it will happen and at what time. Also, the organizers have to notify the authorities 5 days ahead of a public meeting too.

To continue the control of the state, Section 7 (2):

The convening notice shall contain at least the following information—

(a) the name, address and telephone or cellphone and electronic mail numbers,

if any, of the convener and his or her deputy;

(b) the name of the organisation on whose behalf the gathering is convened

or, if it is not so convened, a statement that it is convened by the convener;

(c) the purpose of the gathering;

(d) the time, duration and date of the gathering;

(e) the place where the gathering is to be held;

(f) the anticipated number of participants” (MOPO Act, 2019).

Let’s be clear about this, for any organization, any political party or any CSO to know all of this in advance is hard. That they can know the time, ask for a favourable route in any town, city or municipality is fine. But, to ask and know the anticipated participants, that’s really too much to ask for. Since, the state cannot even know how the inflation is running, how can they anticipate the amount of people showing up to a public meeting, rally and a demonstration.

The state also limits the rights of gatherings/demonstrations at public spaces, as done in Section 10:

Gatherings in vicinity of Parliament, courts and protected places

(1) Subject to subsection (2), all gatherings within a radius of—

(a) twenty metres of the vicinity of the Parliament;

(b) one hundred metres of the vicinity of the Supreme Court, the High Court, a Magistrates Court or any other court;

(c) one hundred metres of any protected place or area declared as such in terms of the Protected Areas and Places Act [Chapter 11:12]; are prohibited” (MOPO Act, 2019).

They are clearly afraid of the previous years of demonstrations for political prisoners at the Rotten Row and elsewhere. As the state has used ways of arresting opposition activists and leaders. Since that is happening, the state now want them to be further away to not disturb the peace.

What is really a police state part of this act. Isn’t really about the limitations on the demonstrations, public gatherings or the public meetings. However, the extensions of the opportunity for police search is that. There is no-one that cannot be stopped or checked by the police. That is initiating a Police state, whether you like it or not.

As it is stated in the Section 16:

Powers of stopping and searching

(1) A police officer may stop and, without warrant—

(a) search any person, vehicle or vessel entering or leaving Zimbabwe and

any person in or upon such vehicle or vessel; and

(b) seize any thing;

in circumstances where there are reasonable grounds for believing that the search or

seizure is necessary in the interests of public safety, public order or public health or

for the prevention, investigation or detection of a criminal offence.” (MOPO Act, 2019).

This is really a proof of what their aim is, to give more power to the local police. They can now accept any public gatherings or say that an organizer didn’t follow the needed instructions before they were notified. If not, they didn’t deliver the needed estimates or ensure that the roads for demonstrations to be safe enough. They can clearly do this and this laws make this possible, because of the rate of information and time. Shows, that sudden will to demonstrate isn’t allowed. Than, your automatically breaching the peace, by doing your civic duty and what is constitutional right actually.

Now, as people are crossing, driving or entering Zimbabwe, the Police can now also stop you without warrants. Your a suspect until your proven guilty. The state can search any person and their belongings without any court order. That is a police state. The Zanu-PF have given all power to the Police force, by entering the Republic.

This is clearly not a joke, this an act the President wanted to enact and got fixed during this week. Surely, he got his will. He given more power to his authorities and less to his citizens. This is the new dispensation. Peace.

The Family of late Ziggy Wine: Press Release – False Investigation Report by Uganda Police and some Media Companies (10.08.2019)