Opinion: Ace please do tell!

Today, African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Elias “Ace” Magashule was today charged in Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on 21 counts of corruption and other charges. The Secretary General was released on bail.

However, he became really defensive in front of supporters on the outside of the court. He went all in and spoke his peace. Which wasn’t directly good, but is a manner we have seen from others from the party addressing cases like these.

The ANC Secretary General Magashule said he count point out individuals doing the same as him and he could talk about what other comrades was doing. Initially, he stated that he could rat or snitch on party comrades. That says there are more shady deals and corrupt deals, which isn’t investigated or charged. This is what his telling without specifying anything directly.

Still, the idea of the SG doing this says it all. As this is his defence, “I did it, but my associate and comrade did it too”. The kindergarten argument: “everyone else does it too, so it must be okay that I do it as well”. Well, that is not how these things goes.

The ANC have had issues with corruption and misuse of government funds. The leaders of ANC is used to use the offices to gain fortunes. This is well known, but if someone like Ace would tell. It would implicate and be affidavit of possible breaches of law. Which in the end could create more cases of corruption and involve more high ranking officials within the state. That would really damage the ANC, but also show the truth of how the ANC is running the state.

Ace should talk, he should sit down and spell out the ones he has information about. Tell to the Hawks and others. So, they can investigate and stop corrupt behaviour within the state. As the ruling party and as the SG of that party. He should this as a moral obligation and as a service to the Republic.

Instead, I think he does this as a politician to say he can implicate others. So, if you want peace let him be and not sentence him. The ANC don’t want the dirt out and clean the laundry in public. That will be disgraceful and distasteful. Also the horrific who will damage the integrity and the allegiance between comrades within the party.

That might start are race of backstabbing and people getting paranoid over their own acts and business in government. They either just resign or hope the storm will go over. However, we know it is just a dream scenario of Ace to talk. Ace will not say anything or implicate anyone. Because, that takes away his chances of having office again and also getting re-elected in the ANC. He cannot go against the party and point at the individuals he knows has done dirt.

The ANC is knowingly corrupt and has misused their time in office. The ANC has used the state to profit and high ranking officials have earned fortunes on their time in office. Therefore, the ANC SG could in practicality hurt the party very much. However, I doubt he would. He wouldn’t dare and wouldn’t act upon it. Because, he would be alone and a lost soul.

Ace wouldn’t have friends and comrades. Ace wouldn’t be saved or have any safe haven. Ace would only have exile and the rebellion would cost him his whole career. That’s why he will not do it.

However, it would be interesting and would cause a stir if he really did talk. Peace.

South Africa: Economic Freedom Fighters – The EFF calls on all woman who were forcefully sterilised to contact its headquarters (13.11.2020)

Uganda: A halting economy ahead of the polls

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, which is clearly struggling ahead of the polls in January 2021. The NRM cannot run away from the problems, as they have no overhead and isn’t fiscal responsible.

The NRM have already issued a budget of 39 trillion shillings for the Financial Year of 2020/21. They have also issued Supplementary Budgets, which has added more funds. Still, they have not covered the needed funds to expenditure. This is even as the NRM issued a Supplementary Budget three days ahead of this Budget Year and a First Supplementary Budget recently with big confidential expenditures. Therefore, the state has given itself funds and added expenditure apparently without having room to actually spend those. Because if it did.

This wouldn’t be the case:

The crisis has been unleashed by the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Keith Muhakanizi who says where things are heading, government is likely to pay salaries of only civil servants in the State House, Electoral Commission, Public Service and the Ministry for Defense. The other departments will be ruled out as non essential and according to Muhakanizi, most of the servants will be laid off till government recovers from the economic pandemic” (Emmanuel Busingye – ‘Exclusive: Only UPDF, police to receive salary as bankruptcy looms, 12.11.2020, Ekyooto Uganda).

This is being fiscally irresponsible. That the Ministry of Finance has to cut of expenditures and spending on state employees in the middle of a pandemic and an election. No matter when really… it is just wrong. It shows that they are not balancing the budgets. They are not showing responsible action towards revenue versus expenses. The state and the NRM is spending money they don’t have and which is squandered. Because, if they we’re using funds properly and had some sense. They wouldn’t be in this in the first place.

The state would not bank on funds coming from a weakening tax-base, expecting donors to bail them out and in addition expect multi-national organizations (monetary organizations) to give grants or loans. This is what the state has expected, also thought and used wrong projections of revenue. That is why they are here. If they had planned within their means and spending within reason.

It wouldn’t be cracking like this. However, the state usually have cracks and is broke after elections. Not in the middle of it. As the state needs funds to campaign and pay off political affiliates. They will give away cars, t-shirts and other things to the general public. Also, ensuring pastors, chiefs and leaders across the Republic campaigns for the President. That all costs and usually makes the campaigns expensive and breaks the bank.

This is irresponsible behaviour of the state. They are misusing their powers and their mandate. As they are anticipating people to work, but for no salary. As the state is not paying it out on time. When people have bills and need their salaries to survive. It is a dire need and the cash grabs of the cronies is eating the funds, which is needed for public servants like teachers etc. These are the ones left behind.

The NRM cannot act like its “Securing Your Future” or delivering “Steady Progress” when it cannot even carry its own expenses at times like these. Peace.

Cote d’Ivoire: Communique du PDCI-RDA (11.11.2020)

Burkina Faso: Ministere de la Communication et des Relations avec le Parlement – Cabinet – Communique (12.11.2020)

If Kenyatta is like Moses: I wonder who is Joshua, the man who entered the Promised Land?

Like Moses in the Bible who sat at the top of Mt Nebo and saw the future that the people of Israel were about to cross into the promised land, I too have seen our future. That journey has commenced with the release of the Building Bridges Initiative report. More importantly, let us engage in positive discourse (on BBI) with a view to effecting far-reaching change” – President Uhuru Kenyatta – State of the Nation Address (12.11.2020).

In today’s State of the Nation Address, President Uhuru Kenyatta dropped a gem of a political allegory. Which means that the President is only allowed to look into the Promised Land and never enter it.

With this in mind calling himself Moses seems like an easy choice of biblical heroes. Moses seems like a wise-guy and a man of leadership. However, his choices of leadership was the reason why he never was allowed to enter Canaan or the Promised Land. This is why Moses could only gaze over the land from the mountain top, as Joshua and the other leaders could enter it.

Moses was barred to enter the Promise Land because he didn’t trust the Lord and he also disobeyed him. Therefore, it is weird that Kenyatta want to be him. Maybe he doesn’t know the whole tale. There are heroic parts of the leadership of Moses, but plenty of things, which was reasons for God not allow him to enter the Promised Land.

It is like he says Moses saw the future, but forgets he died quickly after that. 30 days later Joshua and the his leadership entered it. So, it seems a bit weird that you want to be the one looking at a dream and not the one entering it. Especially, if you want to succeed and actually implement the BBI.

For me it seems like someone else is supposed to finish this. It isn’t Kenyatta’s job, as he has sinned and disobeyed the Lord. Which is the reason for him to see the implementation of the BBI. It has to be a Joshua who walks in the Promised Land. He will do what Kenyatta never was able to do.

The BBI journey isn’t a 40 year long travel in the wilderness and the desert. However, it has been a time consuming effort since the Fresh Presidential Elections and the the Presidential Handshake. That has bought both Kenyatta and Odinga time.

For a President to chose this allegory and biblical story. It really questions his vision for this thing. Does he think he dies in his own tale and someone else catch-up where he left off? Because, the BBI is a journey like the ones entering promised land. This means, in this story that Kenyatta will never see it and someone else will finish it.

That is why I bugging about who is Joshua? His the leader God hand-picked to enter the Promised Land. The future, which Kenyatta has seen and is barred from entering, because of his sins and not trusting the Lord.

Kenyatta should really address this. Unless, he just want to sound like a Visionary. Continuing where Odinga left off, promising Canaan like he did in the previous election. A promise that he left behind for the BBI. Which is ironic that the same promise is used by Kenyatta now years later, but with an implication of the story. If he wants to follow it biblically.

I personally think that he would prefer that this does not happen to him. Since, that implies a tragic end-game for Kenyatta. I don’t want that for anyone, but when you pick a bible story and a hero. At least do your research. So, that you don’t end up with questions like these.

Being like Moses seeing into future sounds aspiring, but the rest of the story puts that into jeopardy. I don’t Kenyatta thought that far.

So, who is Joshua? I need to know! Peace.

Zimbabwe: Press Statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet (12.11.2020)

Mali: Communique de Presse Conjoint – SYLMAT, SNAC, SYNTRACT & CS-ADR (12.11.2020)

Ethiopia: UNHCR – Over 11,000 asylum seekers flee Ethiopia across border to Sudan (12.11.2020)

Ethiopia: Urgent Call and Appeal for Peace in Ethiopia from Citizens of the Horn of Africa (11.11.2020)