Opinion: The PFT of Besigye doesn’t seem well-planned…

It is not the first time that Dr. Kizza Besigye and his allies in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have worked alone and without much outside support. However, the establishment of the People’s Front for Transition (PFT) isn’t build on a strong foundation. At least not in concern with other opposition allies.

This week it is clear that Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Democratic Party (DP) isn’t really involved as it was stated in the launch. Where some fractions of the parties was part of it. There was one piece of UPC members and the DP Block. Those have been dismissed by the parties itself.

As well, as the spats and dismissals from the National Unity Platform (NUP) which would be the most important ally at this stage and time. The NUP is the biggest opposition party and has a similar agenda, as the FDC. They are maybe different in the manner of which they operate. Still, the objective and the end-game is about the same. NUP and FDC both works for a peaceful transition from dictator Museveni.

That Besigye have the best intentions and will with the upstart of PFT. I have no doubt in my mind and with his experience of doing this. I know that he wants to succeed and wants to assemble a collective for change. He doesn’t want people to give up and stop the cause. A cause, which he has dedicated his whole career too.

The PFT has been painful from the start. There is usually growing pains of an organization, but this is just hectic from the early beginning. You can wonder how this was communicated and organized. Since everyone in and around is either distancing itself from it or they are minor fractions participating, except for the main party FDC.

This means that except for the FDC. Justice Forum (JEEMA), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and People’s Progressive Party (PPP). There isn’t much great support in the opposition for it. There is no joint effort here and there is nothing pushing it together. Because, the launch made it believe to be bigger.

The JEEMA, SDP and PPP isn’t parties of which has big significance. They are JEEMA and PPP have one MP each and that’s about it. The SDP was part of DP Block and seems like the Michael Mabikke’s briefcase party. Therefore, the strenght of the pressure group or coalition is on thin-ice.

It is not like it’s a big unite and brigade. Yes, they are collective, but not a sort of unifying you would need. The PFT is weak because of this. When the DP and UPC also reacts like they do. Then you know that the PFT wasn’t launched in order to have them sufficiently participating in it. Like there wasn’t meetings, consultations or even gatherings to make it happen. Therefore, it wasn’t only NUP who ditched out of it. Nearly nobody joined and the ones who did… well … they have to move mountains with their bare hands.

The PFT needs a boost and Besigye needs to consult with the others. That is if it has a mission and goal to be strong functioning unit of the opposition. Clearly, there has been an aftermath that the PFT didn’t want. This is just jaded and not how it supposed to look. Peace.

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: Forum condemns political violence (15.10.2021)

Opinion: Another failure called Huduma Namba

The high court in Kenya declared that the rollout of Huduma Namba is illegal. The government of Kenya failed to undertake a Data Protection Impact Assessment before rolling out the digital ID system as required by Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019” (Unwanted Witness, 14.10.2021).

The Jubilee government and President Uhuru Kenyatta have failed again. This isn’t the first case of government policies not being legally rolled-out. The same happened to Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), minimum taxes, the lack of appointing judges, illegal operation of Nairobi Metropolitan Service and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAS). All of these policies and government work has been dismissed in the Courts. So, this government haven’t a good track-record.

So, not shocking…

The government will appeal the high court ruling that invalidated Huduma namba rollout. Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i argued that the court verdict was based on the wrong interpretation of the essence and practical intentions of Huduma Namba” (Iftiin FM Kenya, 15.10.2021).

The Jubilee really wants this to happen. As the roll-out has so far reached 11.2 million Huduma Numba Cards been processed, only 6.5 million cards collected. This means a bit over half of the cards has been picked by the citizens. The 2019 law is clearly not legal and the usage of it is questionable at best.

Only 6.5 million Huduma Namba cards collected from the 11.2 million processed, gov’t Spokesman Cyrus Oguna says distribution ongoing” (Radio Citizens, 13.10.2021).

Huduma Numba is a restrictive and was done with a foreign entity called Mastercard, which described it like this: “Nairobi, Kenya – February 7, 2017 – Mastercard commits to supporting the roll-out of the Huduma Card in Kenya as the technology partner of choice for the local government organisation. The secure payment solution supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 that calls for reforms in public services to enhance accountability, transparency and efficient service delivery, with focus on developing a cashless economy” (Mastercard, 2017).

So, here they are speaking of cashless society and that’s a banking services. While the same card is supposed to enhance the public services too. That is two different types of customer-bases and should be separated. This is not good for the data collected for the state and can be used by the Mastercard company.

The Huduma Namba card had to be used to access any sort of government service. If you need a passport, marriage license, driving license, register to vote, paying taxes, register a phone number, open a bank account, register company or organization, benefit from a government scheme, enrol to public educational facility, register a motor vehicle and other public services. This shows how the card was the identification every citizen needed. They were forced to have this card, as they wouldn’t have access or ability to get help from the government.

The state should just scrap this one and be careful with the data collected. Also, ensure Mastercard does the right thing and hopefully it isn’t in a loophole of technical data storage. As the international card company cannot have this massive power and monopoly on all customer data. Which they are getting with this Huduma Numba scheme.

A card that opens all the gates of government, but also to create a cashless society. That says it all about the different plans from Jubille and what Mastercard wants out of it. This is two very different plans and it should have been stopped before the citizens was signing up. They were forced … and had no other option. Because, if they didn’t sign-up they would loose out and wouldn’t have access to government entities and schemes. That should worry everyone.

Alas, we know this isn’t over and will be prolonged as the state will appeal the verdict. While the courts should also consider compensation for the burden and time the citizens had to use to get the card. Mastercard should also state what sort of arrangement they have with the Ministry of Interior and how they dissolve this agreement. Peace.

Sudan: Are we soon seeing a revised TMC? Since Hamdok was asked to dissolve his cabinet

October 15, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok has rejected a request by the leader of the military component to dissolve the FFC-majority cabinet and to appoint a new government they support. The Head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan flanked with his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo aka ’Hemetti” met with Hamdok on Thursday to discuss the ongoing political crisis in the country. Multiple sources confirmed to the Sudan Tribune that the head of the Sovereign Council and his deputy requested Hamdok to dissolve his cabinet and to replace it with another government involving the political groups that plan for a protest on Saturday” (Sudan Tribune – ‘Sudan’s Hamdok rejects Burhan’s request to dissolve government’ 15.10.2021).

Be aware, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the henchmen of President Omar Al-Bashir is still willing to ruin the whole revolution. The TMC and it’s army commanders wants takeover everything in bloodless coup d’etat. That wouldn’t be shocking, as the few technocrats and civilians in the Sovereign Council is already under pressure.

The Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) gave way to early after the revolution and this is why they are paying a huge price now. The Sudanese people are not trusting the military commanders within the Sovereign Council. That is understandable, as the ones from the TMC haven’t worked hard or tried to regain trust of a civilian rule. The TMC cannot even work close or have the ability to resolve things with the FFC members within the Council. That says everything at this point.

We are now seeing that the President Al-Burhan and Hemiti is scheming to topple and overthrow the current transitional government. This will not solve the political crisis, but clearly ensure the TMC even more power than they already have. As they are the majority of the Sovereign Council and the civilians was a clear minority. Alas, the Generals wants a bigger cut and more power to silence the critics and the running riots, which could spark a second revolution as well.

That is what Al-Burhan and Hemiti fears. They fear the people will come with another popular uprising. As their popularity is close to zero and the people doesn’t trust them either. Why should they? Not like they have delivered or shown to be on course to any sort of election to civilian rule? They want to be an imposed junta on the people.

Now, that they tried to yesterday to dissolve the Sovereign Council. That we can take as an assault on the transition and the means to an end, which is to have all power in their hands. Al-Burhan and Hemiti would gain even more. That is the reality here and that shouldn’t be brushed under the rug. Don’t expect these men to give other opportunities. That would only be a smokescreen and for publicity sake. Peace.

South Sudan: Gumna Shabab – Press Statement (15.10.2021)

RDC: Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICN) & Parc National des Virunga – Communique de Presse (15.10.2021)

RDC: Lamuka – Declaration Politique sur le Processus de Designation des Animateurs de la CENI (15.10.2021)

South Sudan: South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) letter to President Salva Kiir Mayardit (14.10.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) – The Government of Dr. Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party are Responsible for continued Cold Blood Murders of Oromo Civilians in East Wallaga – Oromia (15.10.2021)

Ethiopia: Open letter from Tigray National Political Parties Forum [Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT), National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) and Tigray Independence Party (TIP)] – Response to President Biden’s Executive Order and EU’s Move for Action (15.10.2021)