United Kingdom: Johnny Mercer MP – Open Letter (06.09.2022)

Ethiopia: Maternal & Child Health Coordination Team of Tigray Regional State letter to GAVI and the Vaccine Alliance directorate office – Ethiopia’s Tigray ongoing war and Siege (06.09.2022)

Opinion: Truss can swiftly turn into the albatross

Today it’s official that there is new leader of the Conservative Party (Tories) and a Prime Minister. She happens to be the Member of Parliament of Norfolk since 2010, Elizabeth Truss. Truss inherits a shackled state of affairs, economic hardships and rising inflation. As the PM she has to steer the internal conniving within the party and outside pressure as well.

Truss is inheriting a state of friction. Years of mismanagement and bloated arrogance. The Tories have run on austerity for the welfare programs and the NHS. While giving tax-levies to the wealthy. The Tories have run on prestigious campaigns like Brexit, which has only worsened the financial distress of the Kingdom.

Truss is taking over right after the era of Boris Johnson. Just like Boris Johnson took over for Theresa May. Things are slowly reformed or backtracked. Truss has hurdles a head. The cost of living is rising. The inflation is costing and the affects of Brexit is hurting the nation. There are not only the downturn of the COVID-19 Lockdowns, but also the Brexit itself.

That’s why you know will struggle ahead… and Truss will not have many moments to change it. She has herself voted against climate change, welfare benefits and other positive changes for the future. Truss have always voted for reducing the tax rate on corporations. Liz has voted in favour of stronger enforcement of immigration rules and stricter asylum system. She has voted for the GPs so they can buy services on behalf of their services. Truss has also voted for the referendum on UK’s membership in the EU, also directly against the UK membership in the EU; in the same vein voted against EU Integration and voted against EU nationals rights to remain in the UK. I have found these voting patterns on TheyWorkForYou.com and you can find even more information there.

It is telling what sort of political belief she has, as she had the years from David Cameron (2010-2016), Theresa May (2016-2019) to Boris Johnson (2019-2022). Truss have been a minister and held various of offices since then. It is not like she’s rookie or a new person. She will continue where Boris left off. This isn’t a clean slate and expect well known faces to return to cabinet. There haven’t been a new election or primaries to change the composition of the Parliament. The Tory MPs remains the same and some will not show up. However, many will accept a new role under the leadership of Truss. Though they are as idle or as incompetent as they were under May or Johnson. That will not change overnight…

What is striking with the financial distress, cost of living crisis and energy shortage. The new PM is having issues from the on-set. That is just telling what sort of hectic mess Boris is leaving behind. The landscape is in ruins and the Tories has created this. Now a new Tory is supposed to fix it. However, she has still the same sort of people to align with. It isn’t like she has new faces or people with new energy. No, she has to revitalize the government and it’s policies with the same sort of supporting cabinet.

Truss is the 4th PM within 6 years. That is not a long time serve or to make a difference. To takeover from Johnson is just even more striking. The fallacies are endless. We don’t know how much his populism and elitism has destroyed over the years. Neither do we know, if Truss will continue his hardline and reckless behaviour in office. Truss has to be different, because she inherits a mess.

Truss isn’t getting the golden goose or the massive load of victories. No, Truss can become the albatross of the government. She can become the heavy weight and possibly the handicap of it. Instead of being a superior or a respected leader. She is the last one before a new round of snap elections. Since she knows that she more legitimacy and backing than what she has now.

Truss was able to conquer the internal battle to become PM. However, she haven’t won the hearts and the minds of the people. Neither has the Tories shown any redemption for their actions. No, they have just changed faces and the head of state.

If her history serves her right. We will see quick releases and backtracking them. Especially, if the policy backfires and doesn’t sound popular. Truss will have to dance on the knives edge and won’t have wiggle room. Yes, Boris was able to get away with things for far to long. Though I doubt she will have the same options or possibilities in office. They will quickly turn on her like they did with Theresa May.

This here will be a race and from now on… Truss cannot loose and if she does. There will be severe consequences. In such a manner, that she would regret even fighting for the office. No one wants to become an albatross, but Truss could suddenly find herself being one. Peace.

Kenya: Elections Observation Group (ELOG) – Press Release (06.09.2022)

Burkina Faso: Ministere de l’Adminstration Territoriale de la Decentralisation et de la Securite – Region du Sahel – Gouvernorat de Dori – Communique de Monsieur le Gouverneur de la Region Sahel (05.09.2022)

Opinion: Immorality and immortality will follow the 11th Parliament… [The Nyege Nyege ban]

Parliament has stopped the ‘Nyege Nyege’ festival, an annual social event scheduled to take place next week in Jinja. Tororo Woman MP Hon Sarah Opendi says the event is a breeding ground for sexual immorality” (Parliament of Uganda, 05.09.2022).

Speaker Anitah Among on Nyege Nyege:

We are talking about morality of this country; we are talking about our children. You are trying to promote tourism at the expense of our children? We are not going to allow this function to take part” (Parliament of Uganda, 05.09.2022).

Hon. Akello Rose Lilly the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity has informed the house that they had given the following conditions if the event is to happen.

▶️ Children below 18 shouldn’t attend

▶️ Nobody should go to that event naked” (Parliament Watch, 05.09.2022).

You thought the games of late Reverend Simon Lokodo is over. In 2022 the late one has been revived and his sort of play gets a renaissance. The 11th Parliament just mere days ahead is banning and blocking a popular music-festival in Jinja. The first since the COVID lockdowns and the supposed 7th Edition of it.

Alas, the reasoning for the banning is striking. They are claiming it to be immoral. A morality is a hard standard to set and even to define. Because, what is morally right or wrong?

The Police Act has the rights to regulate assemblies, as gatherings or processions in concern to music festivals. They are regulating the festival in the accordance and only stopping it if its disturbing the peace. It is the Inspector General’s role to write the person who organize the event and a notice to prohibit the convening of the assembly aka music festival. That’s what is stated in the Police Act.

With this in mind… is the Parliament even morally objective or the right persons to ban this event? Because, it isn’t like there isn’t questionable characters, immoral people there or people who used illegal means to get into office. Like are we supposed to forget how MPs are rigging primary elections, paying-off opposition candidates and using the authorities to intimidate the voters to vote on them. That’s morally questionable actions, which have been supported or benefited the ones in question. Secondly, many MPs have been in martial troubles, side-dishes and corruption scandals themselves. So, some of these people shouldn’t lecture others on how to be righteous. When their whole private affairs are questionable and their working career is known for alleged criminal behaviour. That in addition to the regime and how the state operates in concern to the citizens, which can also be seen as immoral. Because, who has the rights and liberties to suspend other people opportunities and rights at any given moment. Yes, the MPs and the majority party does that on a regular too.

That’s why when I hear there is moral objections to the Nyege Nyege festival from the MPs and the Parliament. The Parliament and the MPs should ask themselves if they can fit into the same program. If they can be vindicated from questioning of their moral and righteous actions. Yes, there been questionable acts done at Nyege Nyege and sexual activity, which are a part of a music scene. That is clear, but these MPs have also their sins to atonement for too. This is why they shouldn’t be so high and mighty. They are not priests, pastors or reverends for that matter. The MPs are representatives of the people and they should represent them all. Not only like Mama Janet and try to be morally superior, when she’s clearly not…

Well, the MPs and the Parliament is playing a high stakes game here. Yes, what is the threshold for nudity and when is a person naked? Is it a fashion statement? Is that differentiated between the genders? Because naked is subjective at one point. Yes, some fashionable attires especially for musicians is very revealing. When is it nude and when is it cloth? I don’t have the answer, but when the MPs are setting a standard. They better be equipped to have reasons for it. Especially, since this is a moral concern and not a legal one. There is no law here about it.

The reasons for banning people under 18 years is fine. Parents should be parenting and kids shouldn’t be part of all sorts of music festivals. That is sensible and have nothing to add here.

However, the precedence here is striking. The idea of banning it so few days ahead. As the organizers have booked the artists, gotten the stages and the pre-planned the festival from all sorts of logistical standpoints. The Parliament is legit destroying it and their financial muscles to sustain. They are practically “killing” it and doing it without a warning.

Seriously, the MPs have to answer for their own moral judgments and they better be pure. They better be like saints and act holier than thou. Because, if they can do this all of a sudden. They should have a clean slate and not a single issue. Their hands should be clean and never ever breached what was morally right. Especially, if that’s the grounds for banning a music-festival like Nyege Nyege. Peace.

Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) – Press Statement on the 2022 General Elections and the Outcome of the Election Petition at the Supreme Court of Kenya (06.09.2022)

Ethiopia: Eritrean Bright Future Movement – Press Release (05.09.2022)

Burkina Faso: SCPA Kam & Some – Communique (05.09.2022)

Ethiopia: Afar Pastoralist Development Association (APDA) – 43,000 people displaced/dispersed from the horror of war needing urgent assistance (04.09.2022)