Cameroon: OCHA – The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan requires US$ 376 million to support people in need of humanitarian assistance in Cameroon (14.04.2022)

Opinion: Ggoobi is selling a bitter cup of coffee…

The ones that is believing the greatness and the proper means of the Vinci coffee deal signed by the Government of Uganda. They are naive and not seeing what has happened before. This agreement and deals between the investor and the GoU is bad at best. There is no denying in that. This is agreeing with the same investor and company, which was supposed to build the sophisticated Lubowa Specialized Hospital. That is yet to happen and is hard to believe that the same government would trade with the same person in another deal.

That’s why it’s interesting that Frank Tumwebaze was back-tracking. When he was in the room with one of the agreements was signed. While we know that the different ministries and government entities has participated in this.

This follows Parliament’s move to investigate the deal that the government through the Ministry of Finance signed with the company. The agreement in question was signed in February 10, 2022, amending an earlier agreement signed on April 29, 2015, and the accompanying addenda signed on December 21, 2015 and 17 October 2017. The amendment gives Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited a monopoly over the purchase and export of coffee from Ugandan farmers” (Mary Karubaga – ‘Agriculture minister says not a party to Vinci coffee deal’ 13.04.2022, New Vision).

Commenting about the matter on Thursday, Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Ramathan Ggoobi defended the deal as one of the best the country can ever get. “The agreement was signed with Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited to assist in the development of an 80million dollar plant, add value to coffee and export it globally. The agreement was therefore signed following a protracted process of due diligence and feasibility studies,”Ggoobi said. To further defend the agreement, the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary said the deal was cleared by the Attorney General and was subsequently signed within laws governing the country and that none was broken. Explaining about the agreement, Ggoobi explained that the agreement will support government in the realization of its coffee production target from the current 7 million bags per year to 20 million bags by 2030” (Kenneth Kazibwe – ‘Uganda: “It Is the Best Deal Ever” – Finance Ministry Defends Controversial Coffee Agreement’ 14.04.2022, Nilepost/AllAfrica).

After reading this. You would think everything was clear and things was moving. The last piece of information about the movement on the matter. Was that there was a field investigation in March 2020 on the site of the Coffee factory. Alas, there has been little to no movement, except for huge promises and big dreams of achievements.

The Vinci Company have worked with this since they we’re visiting the State House back in January 2014. That is over 8 years of little to no progress. Only more agreements and furthering a paper-trail of it. It is so slow… that it’s hard to believe it’s the best deal a government could have. Neither can the company be so great… when the movements are so slow. The promises of vast production and jobs seems far-fetched. When there is no proof on site and neither in general.

The Vinci Company and it’s Coffee Processing Factory seems to be a dream that won’t come into reality. The Government or the Company doesn’t have the ability to pull it off. This would make sense and be adding value to the coffee beans, which is growing in Uganda. The idea is positive and the amount of bags would make good profits. However, if it is sustainable or have the funds to do so.

You can wonder, if there was any feasibility study or anything else. As there are little to nothing to show for it. Only huge hubris from the government and now from the Ministry of Finance. Which has to 8 years later say it is a grand deal. While nothing can be proven. If it was the best deal ever. Why haven’t Vince Company set up shop long time ago and even built anything? This is going glacier slow and isn’t promising. Neither is the possible stipulations or articles of the hidden agreement. Which should be public. Because, a monopoly of all coffee beans is a bad deal and would possibly stifle the farmers who is selling their coffee-beans. Peace.

Opinion: Patel’s bargain to banish migrants to Rwanda

The UK’s upfront investment of £120 million will fund opportunities for Rwandans and migrants including secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education” (The New Times (Rwanda), 14.04.2022).

The Tories and the United Kingdom government has made arrangements that is beneficial for the UK. The UK is paying the Government of Rwanda to relocate migrants, which would have asylum seekers on a one-way ticket to Kigali. The UK government is paying Rwanda to take care of and be responsible for the ones seeking refuge in the United Kingdom.

This is for London to avoid and be able to re-locate asylum-seekers. They are outsourcing the asylum-seekers and Rwanda is sent their for processing. This means that they will not be on UK territory while waiting their cases. They will be sent and banished from the place they are seeking refuge. That is really a despicable move and the Rwandan government is getting financial benefits of doing this. They are doing UK a service to be more hostile against refugees, asylum-seekers and put up a fortress around the British Islands.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has deliberately signed an agreement, which is according to the sentiments of her government and the “independence” of the United Kingdom. A sort of arrangement that would be harder to justify as a member of the European Union. As they are not only sending people to the first “Third Country” of entry in the EU. However, they are sending them far away to a location, which the asylum seeker didn’t try to get to or wanted to reach.

UNHCR defines asylum-seekers: “An asylum-seeker is someone whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed. Every year, around one million people seek asylum. National asylum systems are in place to determine who qualifies for international protection. However, during mass movements of refugees, usually as a result of conflict or violence, it is not always possible or necessary to conduct individual interviews with every asylum seeker who crosses a border. These groups are often called ‘prima facie’ refugees” (UNHCR – Asylum-seekers).

This is to send the channel-boat crossing migrants on planes and flights from the United Kingdom. So, that they cannot stay on-site or in the nation until their cases are processed.

Patel says this herself about this effort: This government is delivering the first comprehensive overhaul of the asylum system in decades. At the heart of this approach is fairness. Access to the UK’s asylum system must be based on need, not on the ability to pay people smugglers. The demands on the current system, the cost to the taxpayer, and the flagrant abuses are increasing. The British public have rightly had enough” (Patel, 14.04.2022).

They are not making the system fair, but transferring the asylum-seekers and migrants to another destination. This is a deterrent and a measure of which to scare people from coming. Because, if they come… they will not get into a safe-haven in the United Kingdom, but will instead be at whatever sites and housing, which the Rwandan government is accommodating them with. The UK government knows this and makes the UK less accessible.

The Rwandan government is by doing is a favour and becoming a “modern” Australia. Where the people who is outcast from the UK will come to Rwanda. The asylum-seekers was seeking shelter and a home in the UK. They did not go all the way and try to cross the British Channel to live in the refugee camps of Rwanda or whatnot. Therefore, this is a despicable move and a deliberate act to scare off people. This is showing what sort of solidarity and lack of understanding of the plights of the people fleeing conflict-zones, famine and destruction. Which don’t have the ability or resources to seek visa and stay outside their native countries by regular means. Therefore, the UK is doing this to ensure the asylum-seekers picks other destinations and not travels to the UK. As if they do…

They will take a flight to Kigali and be stuck in East Africa. Which isn’t what they sought after, but what the UK government will do to you. If you dare cross without the right paperwork into the UK. Peace.

Rwanda: Office of the Government Spokesperson – Rwanda-UK Migration and Economic Development Partnership (14.04.2022)

Opinion: The State House is the most vital ministry in the Republic

Again and again, the budgets and the supplementary budgets are revealing what priorities that matters. In the recent release of the 900 billion shillings supplementary budget. The Office of the President is destined to get 168 billion and the Office of the Prime Minister gets an additional 40 billion shilling. While the Ministry of Defence and the National Army is getting 79,2 billion shillings.

That just shows the priority, we know the UPDF is stretched in the Democratic Republic of Congo and suddenly deployed in Karamoja. That got to be paid and the soldiers equipment has to be reimbursed. Therefore, the necessity of added funds there makes sense.

However, the extended and added funds on the Office of the Presidency shows how the State House can mismanage and spend like there is no tomorrow. The President has already a massive budget in the first place and this addition only shows that they cannot manage these vast funds.

They are now claiming these funds will go to scholarships for students, Kiira Motors and whatnot. It is better than other eyars to water-bills and utilities. Still, shouldn’t the Ministry of Transport and Works fund the Kiira Motors? Why is that under the Office of the Presidency? Why is the Office of the Presidency paying scholarship? Shouldn’t scholarship be under the Ministry of Education and Sports? Isn’t that wifey material … and paperwork for her to handle?

That’s why you know these Supplementary Budgets are questionable at best. This is just a measure to ensure the President has more funds for his inner-circle. The lack of oversight is clear. When the Office of the President is paying for such projects and participating in other Ministries work. The Office of the President shouldn’t be entangled into so much of the Ministries of the Government. However, it is and it shows what sort of governing the President does.

This budget is questionable and shows what is priorities. The State House and the Office of the President is getting a huge slice of the cut. That isn’t shocking, but proves what is important and what the state see as important. They rather spend money on the President than on Health Care or any other Ministry, which is lacking or not having proper budgets. That could even be said about Ministry of Education for that matter…

Therefore, President Museveni is the one who gets the funds and get to spend the way he likes. That is the message of this Supplementary Budget. Peace.

Kenya: Social Justice Centres Working Group – Press Statement on the #NJAA Revolution Protests and Arrest of the Kasarani 4 (14.04.2022)

Malaysia: Muda Kenyataan Media – Justice for Bella: Child Abuse Must Never Be Tolerated (14.04.2022)

Niger: Communique du Ministere de l’Interieur et de la Decentralisation (13.04.2022)

Palestine: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates – Press Release (13.04.2022)

United Kingdom: National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) General Secretary Paul Whiteman Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi regarding Michael Fabricant MP’s comments (13.04.2022)