Opinion: The BBI gets a second life

Who know that Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta would be such good friends and able to enhance their friendship to this level. Now, its officially gazetted on the 10th January 2020 that the Taskforce for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). It has delivered a report, but not amount to much. It’s a dream for some, but nothing has gone anywhere.

The BBI seems like buying Kenyatta and Odinga time. We can wonder for what, but its not to implement anything. It is to secure the shaky Jubilee Alliance and Party. Which is already at war with itself these days. Even if it two years to the next election and no end-game in sight. Except for whose next to eat.

The BBI seems like a forged declaration of promises, dream and ending the stalemate between the two. Why I have little faith in it?

Well, Odinga promised Canaan and the promised land. He ditched that for the BBI. Where he stopped addressing the flaws of the Fresh Presidential Elections and the Courts justifications for those. As they were able to nullify the first ones.

Still, with this deal. He sealed the Presidency and this term. He gave way. Uhuru has paid scraps for a friendly opposition and making National Super Alliance (NASA) fragile. The ODM reign supreme, while the others has gotten little or none. Like Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has gotten some leafs, but the other principals has been ditched in the fire-sale.

Now, William Ruto and the TangaTanga feels betrayed, as they getting the same attacks, the same treatment as NASA did earlier. The supposed friends and allies of Kenyatta. Still, Kenyatta now values more the BBI, than the previous partners. Who knows why, but the same actions happens now and lack of respect.

It is like BBI is a shield of salvation for the ODM, but it ended the mission. The BBI Report and the Second Round. Is just validating that, as the promises was never kept. Not like the Jubilee are keeping theirs with their ghost projects, grand corruption and dysfunctional Big Four. It all seems like cooked campaigning by Cambridge Analytica, instead of the realpolitik from the Executive and the Cabinet Secretaries.

BBI is a smokescreen and at the same redeeming for the two who did the handshake. The BBI is just buying time. There is no proof of anything. Its all talk and no play. Empty promises and false hope. When you have already sold that before, either as Jubilee or as NASA. The deal is already set in motion.

The Blowing the Budget Initiative (BBI), that’s what it is. If not its the Big-Big Insult (BBI). Peace.

Guinee: Front National pour la Defense de la Constitution – Point-Info de Mi-Journee No. 01 (13.01.2020)

Cote d’Ivoire: Lettre de President Ouattara – Objet: M. Guillaume Soro – Violation des droits et libertes fondsmentaus (11.01.2020)

South Sudan: Rome Declaration on the Peace Process in the South Sudan (12.01.2020)

Memo to Andrew Mwenda: If I am not your side, I’m an extremist then?

I know, I looked up to guys like you, Andrew Mwenda. Back in the day, I would have eaten your words. But with time, I have given up addressing you. Ironically, I do it today, because I got too. 

Your memo: “Memo to People Power: temumanyiira” dated 11th January 2020. Says everything people need to know about you. There are only bones, but no meat anymore. Its all ballistics and flair, but no sense.

He has sympathy, whatever that means, maybe his thoughts and prayers as the police arrests, tear-gas and blocking the People Power from holding Consultative Meetings. His calling them a cult with a cult-leader and calling their supporters intolerant extremists. That shows, his arrogance towards the ones supporting an political alternative to President Museveni and National Resistance Movement (NRM).

What is rare is how the memo is set-up, as it is addressing a statement that was supposed to a quote from Mr. Mwenda. Instead of addressing it with some sense, he attacks the them. He could have said it was false and asked for taking it down. Instead, he went on a minor rant towards the People Power.

Its funny that he ended the memo with this: “If you are desperate for my endorsement, I urge you to cultivate liberal democratic values of tolerance, respect for opposing views and reliable on verifiable facts to inform your opinions” (Mwenda, 11.01.2020).

Andrew, its really rich talking about tolerance and respect of other views. When your saying they are before this: “I have little respect for this cult, especially given its intolerance” and also “Neither do I think People Power can command a large following of Ugandans given its radical extremism” (Mwenda, 11.01.2020).

When you say this about them and claim this about People Power, but asking for tolerance and respect of opposing views. That doesn’t make sense, as your opposing their views and addressing them as radical extremist. Because, Mwenda your calling them out and then asking them to be something fitting you.

The ones who dropped the quote was wrong and misguided. But not like President Museveni and NRM haven’t dropped false propaganda and narratives to the public over the years. Not like you haven’t changed or gone to far either. You call anyone whose not associated with Museveni as extremists and radicals.

They are maybe not your kind, Mr. Mwenda, but do you understand; Why they might see themselves as freedom fighters?  They want to free themselves from the dictatorship. Which is evident by the actions done to them. They cannot even organize without meeting the police or getting arrested.

So, Mr. Mwenda, I would be radical or extremist in your eyes. Because, I am on the other side of the fence. I’m not fancying Museveni nor his kind. As I want to see people really liberated and have real freedom. Not being told by authorities and “high above” what to do. Therefore, your address is extreme in itself.

I wish the old you would see what your saying now. The youngster in you would not spoken like this. Neither will I today, even as disagree with NRM and everything it does. I would still let it speak, but I would not be in your manner. Because, if I am not better than you. Then I am just like you. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Constitutional Amendment No. 2 is a ballad of love to the President

Too much power in one mans hands

Is dangerous

She has never tasted freedom

And all the things

We take for granted

Then she looked at me and said

Son, Is this the end of our suffering?”Lucky Dube – ‘Is This Freedom?’ from ‘Soul Taker’ released: 2001.

The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and President Emmerson Mnangagwa is planning to control more and consolidate more power in the Head of State and the party itself, as they have gazetted the Constitutional Amendment No. 2. It is really a sad reading, as the intent is clear. To give even more power to the President.

They want the President to appoint the two Vice-Presidents and not have a “running mate” in the elections. That the Vice-President will be chosen by the President and appointed by him. Taking away the need for a VP in the elections. Also, giving the authority and the team around more directly taken from the President.

Just like the President can with the change of another clause, be able to appoint 7 Ministers outside of the Parliament, instead of 5, which is limited today. Making more way for possible cronies and loyalists from the outside.

Also, giving the President the authority to appoint vacant judges without public interview procedure. Even if he has to this through Judicial Service Commission (JSC), it still not stopping him from having more power and getting his people easily appointed without the public mechanisms, which was there before.

By just seeing these provisions or clauses in the Constitutional Amendment No. 2. says a lot about what the President and his men wants. This is to consolidate more power to the President and give him power to whose succeeding him and whose his “mates”. This is one more step for a one-man show.

I don’t even need to study the Amendment hard. The focus is clear. Give more power, get more cronies and ensure the judicial appointments are hand-picked by the President. There is nothing else too it.

So, if the Parliament votes this in, then they are all loyal minions of the President and wants to give him power. Because, they hope in the end, they will be compensated for doing so. If they go against him here, he will surely make these people suffer some way or another. Don’t expect him to give them peace of mind, if they don’t give him this.

The public should be worried about clauses in the Constitution, because it gives the President extended powers. It gives him more freedom and liberty to hire his people. He has less public scrutiny. That is a worrying sign. Not like the ZANU-PF is really tested in Parliament, but there was provisions showing something to the public before they we’re appointed.

I cannot see any provision made for the betterment of the Republic, only to empower the President. Nothing else. Peace.

Opinion: Ruto, Raila didn’t destroy Jubilee, Jubilee will do that on its own..

Deputy President William Ruto now claims that Raila Odinga destroyed the Jubilee party, the coalition party created before the election in 2017 and the direct coalition between TNA and URP in 2013. However, that is far from the truth.

Who Ruto should first blame is that Cambridge Analytica apparently didn’t do all their jobs, make the manifestos, the party structure and fix the bugs within the party before the 2017 elections. Also, the lack of structure from the previous one. If someone from the outside like Raila can destroy a party by a handshake and phony taskforce with the BBI. Than, the Party clearly is built on sand and not on mountain soil.

Not, that I trust Ruto a little second, a minute or an hour to tell the truth. There are a few ghosts projects, lack of stadiums and non-action in concern of the Big-Four. Which is enough grounds for me to not trust his words. However, he is still the second in command. His still powerful and has his hands in things.

What is bugging me out, why go after Raila? Is it because he knows it futile and lackluster to go after Uhuru Kenyatta? Because it takes two to tango. It takes two individuals to make a handshake. If not your handshaking yourself and that is a sad vision. Like agreeing with yourself and thinking your spouse will think the same without mentioning the paradigm shift. This is how it seems like, the DP is in hot-water, instead of blaming the ones with Executive and Head of State. He goes for the man semi-government position and blasting him.

Ruto knows this, his a seasoned politician, a conning one at that. His not the Mr. Lova-Lova and the packs of candy crushers. No, his a man who uses the force of his position and trying to configure the best deals out of things. It wouldn’t be Ruto if so.

Somewhere in Ruo’s head, Raila is living debt-free and playing around. His a mystique and mesmerizing character who toys with all of his emotions. Ruto should feel humiliated by Kenyatta and his camp in Jubilee. That they let his men fall and himself gets touched by the state. He should go to the state house and talk. Instead of throwing shade at Raila.

This just make the whole concept and the whole idea of Jubilee, look like a cook-up from Cambridge Analytica and future progress from Emerdata. If they will hire the same guys to reconfigure the party again.

Who knows, but DP Ruto seems fishing and out of bound. The destruction of Jubilee, will come from within itself. It doesn’t need help from Raila and BBI. Even if BBI is screwed way of giving relevance to the ODM and Odinga himself. Still, its just benign and beneath his office. Though that is not new in his regard. Peace.

RDC: Declaration du Bureau Politique du Courant des Democrates Renovateurs “CDER” En Sigle (11.01.2020)

Guinee: Front National pour la Defense de la Constitution (FNDC) – Communique No. 045 (11.01.2020)

Cameroon: African Bar Association letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson – The Injustice in Southern Cameroun (10.01.2020)