Bad Roads: The new tourist experience!

For us, a bad road is cause for complaining. But for people in affluent societies who have never experienced getting stuck on a bad road, pushing a car from a ditch can be part of tourism experience,”Henry Okello Oryem before Foreign Affairs Committee (14.01.2020).

Who knew? Why wasn’t this thought of before?

I think Okello Oryem has found the Holy Grail of Tourism. Maybe, he needs to consult the State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda. His Miss Curvy Uganda is clearly not cutting it. Neither, does Yeezy’s sneakers nor the trips with Zari or Fabiola. It all doesn’t cut it. Showing of the national parks and the beautiful sights. No, the Ministry should show the bad backroads of Amuriat, Kaabong or anywhere else the state has forgotten to invest in roads.

If it is the middle of Bunyoro, Busoga or Karamoja. Who cares, the cars get stuck and only military vehicles can pass. If luck a 4 wheel-drive of Land Cruiser might make you pass. If not, get a safari fixed Land Rover Defender to pass the bad roads in West Nile or even Toro might fancy someone.

Why has the President always praised his road building? Why has he always proclaimed the steady progress of good roads and better Public Private Partnership Programme of building roads in rural Uganda? Shouldn’t he disband the thing? Ensure all roads suck, so that every tourist and everyone passing Uganda would feel the badness?

Getting stuck between Mbale to Kampala, when going back to the Metropolitan area after seeing Sipi Falls. Don’t get through the Mabira Forest after visiting the Source of the Nile in Jinja. Why not getting stuck around Hoima after seeing Murchinson Falls outside Masindi. That will be such an thrill.

Wasting time as tourist, when your on limited time(!). Trying to see the best things, trying the specialities and the best things the Republic has to offer. And all the SAFARI companies has forgotten the bad rural roads. They have forgotten selling Kampala as “Kampotholo”. They have forgotten sell the driving style to avoid dipping into the potholes. “Drive like a Ugandan By Ugandans” DUBU. Kiwanda and Okello Oryem should be the faces of DUBU. Everyone will forget about BUBU by the next month.

If you seriously think tourists wants to be stuck in traffic jam in Kampala. Be lost in Taxi Park not finding the right taxi or spending fortunes on specials. Your wrong. They neither want to drive on the side-walk, frighten that the boda-boda driver will get their head served as a token of his reckless driving. But, with the minds of Okello Oryem, he might think that is a selling point too.

When, you want to sell things. You want to sell experiences. Not sell your mediocre performance, your lack of good governance and lack of pride in your own government. Because, this government has ruled for over 34 years and still haven’t fixed core issues.

So, now the Minister is praising potholes. Maybe, his mind has a pothole too. It is not cemented and mended correctly. As he wants people to not enjoy the sights of the Republic, but endure the bad state of the roads. Being stuck, getting into jams and struggling from A to B. When your in Rome, you want to see the Vatican. When your in Kampala, you want to see Mengo and the Kasubi Tombs. If that was too hard. People wouldn’t try to go there, but they do, because the roads are good enough.

If the roads to Masindi and Paraa sucked like hell. People would still go to Murchinson Falls. Still, it would make it more hectic and stressful. Because, people want to experience the beauty and greatness of the Republic. Not dilute their time on the road and break their backs. Neither should the locals, the residents, who suffers there every day. Those are the ones whose paying for the lack of care from the government. They are suffering this madness 24/7. The tourist only taste it for a minute and goes. It is not a fairytale nor exiting thing. Instead, its heartbreaking. Because, the public deserve better.

I Pity The Fool” said Mt T. and I pity Henry for this proposal. His constituents deserve, every single citizen deserves better. He now wants the state to promote their lack work and diligence as an experience. Get out of here with that Bullshit. Peace.

Opinion: CS Mwangi Kiunjuri axed today

Well, Mr. Take a Photo of Locust and post on it Social Media, then the professionals at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation statement the other in the media. This is the man who was reshuffled away or axed from the Kenyatta Cabinet on the 14th January 2020. Not that its deserving to sack CS Mwangi Kiunjuri.

But, his a long-term ally of Deputy President William Ruto. A man who help to intimidate witnesses for the ICC case of the ones in power. CS Kiunjuri was first the CS for Devolution and Planning for two years, until he was appointed on the 26th January 2018 as the CS for Agriculture and Irrigation. So, he got close to two years there too, but this time his out and no new deployment.

That is why his axed. The man of the Maize, Sugar, Rice, Tea and Coffee Cartels. As his helped them and been a cushion for them. Ensured their enrichment over the farmers, while they use the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to give favourable deals between traders over farmers. Therefore, the cartels and inside trading benefits the traders, not the farmers.

That is why the golfer, the long time MP and CS didn’t do his work properly. He surely has enrichen himself as an MP. As he got over 700 million shillings over the years in Parliament. While, he has gotten connections with Ruto and others. His been part of dam scandals and others, where he surely gotten something sweet.

With the two years as CS of Agriculture, he most likely found some ways to his pockets too. That is why he will miss the bargain of being there. As he could ensure the rotting cereals, while importing UNGA, Sugar and whatnot else for the benefit of the cartels. Since, the pricing of the state would maybe not be beneficial of the ones there.

Now, the man has fallen, but not expect changes in the Ministry. That’s a fools hope at this point. There was no big change in Bett and will be little or nothing with the next. Only a new face and soon new scandals involving farming goods. Just await a sugar, tea, coffee or such scandal in a few months time. It is inevitable.

Kiunjuri might be a useless minister, but he knew how to keep the cartels mobilized and secure them funds. So, that they could oil the political machinery in parliament and the patrons of the industries. That is what it does and will continue. There are two many big-men eating of this plate to stop it. It is too much at stake, that is why the DCI and whatnot else doesn’t investigate it. They just let it go.

Now, Kiunjuri is let go. It is not a sad day, maybe for the Cartels, but they will get a new puppet under a new name and flag. This revolution will not be televised, but experienced in homes across the Republic. As the Maize, Sugar, Coffee, Tea and Rice will be used as a tool by the cartels, as there is no interest stopping them.

Not under Kiunjuri, not under Bett and whatever the new CS is. It will not happen, only go skin-deep if only so. Peace.

RDC: Communiqué officiel relatif à la déclaration des bases taxables des concessionnaires ordinaires pour l’exercice 2020 (14.01.2020)

Malawi Law Society letter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau – Re: On Alleged Attempts to Bribe Judicial Officers in the Constitutional Reference Case Number 1 of 2019 (13.01.2020)

Brexit: PM Boris Johnson letter to Nicola Sturgeon MSP (14.01.2020)

Opinion: OTT Tax on Data Bundles is like a dual-VAT

“URA Commissioner General Doris Akol told the Finance Committee of Parliament chaired by Henry Musasizi that the controversial OTT Tax will be charged directly on data instead of mobile money to curb the evasion” (NBS Television, 14.01.2020).

I wonder if Doris Akol has thought this through or is winging it? As she see the losses and lack of results, revenue or tax base with the 200 shillings of doom. The whole OTT Tax is to expensive for the public daily. Now, she wants to move it and indirectly tax it instead.

Surely, they will get revenue, but this will make it more expensive to buy data-bundles for the customers and make the packages more viable. VPN and similar networks to circumvent the usage and payments of the daily OTT Tax have beaten the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). That is why URA does this now.

It is a sign of defiance and civil disobedience. They are trying to patch the hurt. But will this succeed? Will more try to only load data through Wi-Fi networks and wireless networks in general. Not load so much data on the go. Because, people are smart and tries to undercut extra taxes. Especially, when on the data is already paid VAT and the Mobile Company pay their taxes on the profits too.

Therefore, URA and Akol seems fishing. They will raise revenue, but also make the data bundles more expensive and with that stop plenty of people from buying bigger data bundles for surfing online on your smart-phone.

That is just the mere reality. It is a sign, yet again that the OTT is a failed project, who didn’t hit the targets and wasn’t measured right. If it was, the aim and the bargain wouldn’t be like this. That is not happening.

This method is a clever way of adding the costs of data, while charging for service not necessarily used. The OTT Services, which is the reason for why these are charged. Because, the data could be used for other things and therefore, is violating its attempt to make it costly for certain usage on online.

This is again, pushing one story, pushing one tax and trying to tax the public by any means. When the hook doesn’t work, they use the crook. Instead of doing directly, they want to do it indirectly and initially in some way adding a separate VAT on data-bundles masked as OTT Tax. That is really it.

We all know this, URA verify it today. That the only things certain in life is death and taxes. Thanks Akol for reminding us. Peace.

UNHCR seeks international solidarity for refugees and hosts in Sudan (14.01.2020)

Sudan has a long history of hosting refugees and asylum seekers but also struggles with its own internal displacement.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2020 –This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for increased support for Sudan with the launch of a new funding appeal that seeks US$477 million to help over 900,000 refugees in the country together with nearly a quarter million of their Sudanese hosts in the coming year.

The Sudan Refugee Response Plan, launched in Khartoum this morning, foresees humanitarian activities by UNHCR with over 30 other partners.

Sudan has a long history of hosting refugees and asylum seekers but also struggles with its own internal displacement, while facing a severe economic crisis. Our call comes at a time when the country is going through a historical political transition, and requires international solidarity to achieve peace and stability.

The largest group of refugees hosted in Sudan are South Sudanese with some 840,000 seeking shelter in the country since 2013. Resources are also needed for other refugees from nine countries who have sought safety from violence and persecution.

In the meantime, Sudan also continues to receive new refugees. In Darfur, an ongoing influx of CAR refugees into remote parts of South and Central Darfur States has seen the number of refugees swell from just over 5,000 to nearly 17,000 in three months since September 2019.

Refugees in Sudan live in over 130 locations across the country’s 18 States. About 70 per cent live outside of camps in villages, towns and settlements. The majority of refugees and asylum-seekers in Sudan face high levels of poverty, limited access to livelihood opportunities, and are hosted in some of the poorest regions of the country, where host communities are also struggling.

While refugees often benefit from generous support provided by host communities, the ongoing economic crisis in Sudan has exacerbated the situation as local resources remain scarce.

UNHCR is also part of inter-agency humanitarian efforts to assist some 1.9 million internally displaced people inside Sudan, leading on protection and working on displaced peoples’ rights, emergency shelter and relief distributions. Since last year, the transitional government has facilitated the delivery of aid to areas which were out of reach to humanitarians previously including in parts of South Kordofan and Blue Nile and Darfur’s Jebel Marra.

Years of conflict and unrest have also displaced more than 600,000 Sudanese as refugees in neighbouring countries – including over 300,000 refugees from Darfur in in eastern Chad. Since a Tripartite Agreement between the Government of Sudan, Chad and UNHCR signed in May 2017, nearly 4,000 Sudanese refugees have chosen to return home. More are expected to return this year.

In 2019, UNHCR operation in Sudan remained one of the most under resourced with only 32 per cent funds being available out of the needed US$269 million.

Zimbabwe: Citizens’ Manifesto – As we enter 2020, Citizens’ Manifesto Reterates Calls for Comprehensive Socio-economic and Political Reforms (14.01.2020)

Kenya: ANC – Steering Committee on Implementation of BBI Task Force Report (13.01.2020)

Opinion: Museveni ask his new ministers to desist from himself…

I call upon all ministers and public servants to desist from engaging in any form of corruption. Corruption by any government officials is a great betrayal to Ugandans who are desperately yearning for service delivery. I implore the general public to embrace this fight and report the crooked officials with evidence, as opposed to rumours and we will take action” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 13.01.2020).

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President since 1986, whose now richer than God, but came into power with little or nothing. Therefore, he knows what he did to get there. He knows the implicated scandals, the grand corruption and often noticed missing funds in the headlines in the Republic.

That is why these sorts of desisting from corruption Telling the Ministers and the Public from stopping it. Meaning it should stop and get all evidence on plenty of high ranking officials in this government. Get the evidence of state owned enterprises and authorities. There are plenty of officials who would easily be implicated and connected with government tenders and whatnot.

There is enough ghosts, over-inflated state contracts and some-what. Therefore, days like today. Feels futile. The state has created a lot of mechanisms, a lot of organizations fighting corruption. Still, the big-men, the men sanctioned by the State House and the secretive investment deals are overshadowing the supposed battle against corruption.

When there is lack of transparency from the top. There will be less from the bottom too. There is no reason for changes, when everyone is eating and the ones with influence of the State House. They got an ability to get kickbacks, suits, graft and so-on. This is not news, but a reality.

The NRA historicals can steal land, take property and easily, therefore have other perks too. The NRM knows this and let them go. If your big enough and has the blessing, you can eat UNRA funds, eat NSSF funds and GAVI Funds with no costs or damages. You get to build a mansion and own business, on stolen funds.

That is why statements like today is worthless. Not believable. He has the Public Procurement And Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and Auditor General (AG). Nevertheless, the big-fish is not getting caught. You have the Police Force and the Judiciary too. Still, all of these cooks cannot make a decent meal. Its a bland mix of watery soup, not even a good broth.

That is why President Museveni. We have to see you fight yourself. Not walk, not talk, but battle your own shadow and that’s not happening. Because, your not a cartoon character, but a self-styled President for Life. Peace.