Tchad: Front pour l’Aternance et la Concorde au Tchad (FACT) – Communique de Presse No. 008 (31.03.2022)

RDC: Centre de Recherche sur l’Environnement, la Democratie et les Droits de l’Homme (CREDDHO) – Declaration de Presse du CREDDHO au sujet de la Resurgence du M23 (31.03.2022)

Ethiopia: Ogaden – ONLF says the Prosperity Party has withdrawn itself from previous agreements…

“Thursday, March 31, 2022 (HOL) – ONLF Deputy Chairman Dahir Mohamed Ali speaking at a meeting in Jigjiga, said that the Ethiopian government has withdrawn from previous agreements between Ethiopia and the ONLF. He said that the relocation of troops and members of the group had not been implemented and that the organization’s offices in most of the Somali regional government had been closed, according to the statement. appointed Vice Chairman of ONLF. He also said that they will never allow the destiny of the people and the interests of the people to be pursued by anyone else” (Somalia Link – ‘ONLF: “We will not allow ourselves to be told that we are in the interest of your people’ 31.03.2022).

We know that during the reign of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali have been tormenting for the people of the Somali Region or the Ogaden in Ethiopia. The Prosperity Party has like it’s predecessor used the authorities and Liyu Police Force to silence dissidents in the region. There haven’t been any openness or peace.

Instead the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and others has been targeted in the Ogaden. The are indications of extra judicial killings, pre-emptive arrests and detaining without trial. That is how the authorities are using their power and take control of the region. A region which has puppets and an imposed leadership over it.

The ONLF and other Somali Region parties haven’t been in the talks or been considered of late. The Congress of Somali Cause (CSC) is also a proof of that. Ogaden isn’t really represented by their own representatives, but instead just cronies of the regime in Addis Ababa. That’s why ONLF can speak out like this.

However, doing that doesn’t come with costs. The ONLF have people arrested and the authorities have blocked rallies. It is not allowed to operate like a party and that’s why it didn’t participate in the recent election. Just like other parties didn’t do as well. So, it is not like ONLF is alone with that. But only showing how the PP is acting and behaving in power. They have no bounds of using it against their dissidents. That’s why the PP and the Federal Government has withdrawn itself from the previous agreements. Since then they have no issues to decree and order the crackdown on ONLF. Instead of actually being in dialogue and trying to find balanced measures, which everyone could live with. 

The Somali Region Local Government is more into getting more influence and riches, than actually serving the communities. That is how they are acting and this is why the voices of the region is silenced on the regular. Peace.

Ukraine: Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Osnat Lubrani (31 March 2022)

Ethiopia: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) – The Oromo Liberation Front statement on the passing away of Former OLF Chairman Mr. Gelasa Dilbo (31.03.2022)

Burkina Faso: Primature – Porte-Parole du Gouvernement – Communique (31.03.2022)

Opinion: Time to sing a distasteful chant to the BBI

The Building Bridges Initiative for National Unity (BBI) which was ushered in after the handshake of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. This made peace between the Jubilee government and the opposition. Which in such a manner has ensured the peaceful existence and the softest term possible for Kenyatta. Kenyatta have practically had total control of Parliament and bought allegiance from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). He even got the Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) and Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka on a “free-transfer” over a plum-job as a Special Envoy to South Sudan.

Therefore, today’s Supreme Court Ruling is the final nail in the coffin. The end-game of a long wasteful saga, which was bound to happen. Ever since early January 2021… this was in the cards and all the pending case was a waste of time.

The BBI was a useful tool for Kenyatta. No matter if it died today and the fate of it is sealed. The political elite project was doomed to fail. Because, it wasn’t done according to law, but instead a popular initiative by two men. That would benefit the political elites and their ambitions.

That has been obvious with the Task-Force and the Reports on the BBI. This wasn’t built for the people or by the people. Neither was this a grass-root initiative of any sort. No, this was a creation made by and created by the two gentlemen in question.

This could have been the big achievement of the second term of Kenyatta. Instead, this is failing brutally and the burial will be disgraceful. The Courts has silenced it and stopped it totally. There is no revival of it now. Not that I think Kenyatta or Odinga cares.

Azimio la Umoja coalition is working hard for the campaigns and looking ahead for the next term. This is on it’s final legs and Odinga will only continue where Kenyatta left off. The scandals, grand corruption and rising debts will be his issues to carry, if he gets elected.

What is striking is that bet on BBI was a total utter failure. The investment and the political capital put into it… have been foolish and in hindsight the two leaders should feel ashamed. These two has built a house on sand and now the waves has taken it.

The BBI wasn’t an honest idea and neither was the back-story. That’s why it was bound to fail. I wrote twice in 2021 that it was on the death-bed and in early 2022 it is pronounced dead. This has been a long time coming, but not shocking. It was actually about time and right before the polls or additional months of campaigning this year.

The ones in the Task-Force, the Members of Parliament and Senators who all stood tall for this… should reconsider the reasons why they did it. Since, it has been taken out of life-support and finally people can prepare for the burial. The two leaders should hire their reverend and church to sings the psalms before the sobbing of lost potential. This is wasting a term on a prestigious project, which was hallow and had no possibility of being revived.

It is just time to sink the casket in the ground, crying out loud and moving on. The leaders should ask the public for forgiveness for the waste or time and resources.

However, the BBI is now finally done and dusted. Kenyatta and Odinga should take accountability for this failure. It is their work and what they focused on. Not like Kenyatta has any sort of good track-record with the Big Four or the Cambridge Analytica promises of 2017. Peace.

The Parliament of Uganda: Press Statement on the deteriorating security situation in Karamoja (31.03.2022)

RDC: Unite des Valeurs – President National Michel Okongo Lomena – Communique de Presse No. 08131 (31.03.2022)

RDC: Province du Nord-Kivu – Territoire du Rutshuru – Communique Officiel No. 5073 (30.03.2022)