Opinion: Is this the end of the prohibition era for marijuana…?

“The Justice Department today released the following statement from spokesman Anthony Coley regarding the President’s proclamation granting a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who have committed, or been convicted of, the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, as currently codified at 21 U.S.C. 844 and as previously codified elsewhere in the U.S. Code, or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1): “The Justice Department will expeditiously administer the President’s proclamation, which pardons individuals who engaged in simple possession of marijuana, restoring political, civil, and other rights to those convicted of that offense. In coming days, the Office of the Pardon Attorney will begin implementing a process to provide impacted individuals with certificates of pardon. “Also, in accordance with the President’s directive, Justice Department officials will work with our colleagues at the Department of Health and Human Services as they launch a scientific review of how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.”” (Justice Department – ‘Justice Department Statement on President’s Announcements Regarding Simple Possession of Marijuana’ 06.10.2022).

Things are moving and we should expect things to change with time. The pardons of possession of marijuana are only the beginning. The rescheduling of marijuana is really a beginning for Federal Law Enforcement to see it differently.

This move is most likely in the realm of legalizing and ending the prohibition of the substance. Marijuana goes into the legal position of alcohol and tobacco. We shouldn’t be shocked by this. Because this is creating not only new support for the President. Biden is becoming a hero for doing this federally if he pursuits it. However, time will tell if the Federal Government does more.

Now, the Federal Government is on the one of legalizing. That means the trading, the usage and everything in connection to the substance will be regulated, which means a new tax-base. That can mean the state will find new ways to monetize and ensure growing revenue from marijuana products. It won’t only be the sale of blunts, the chronic and others, but also medicinal marijuana. That’s where this is going.

If this goes like the most liberals want. This could be sold side-by-side of tobacco. It could be like prepared smokes or blunts of marijuana in the stores. That would be taxed and be a big business. It would be no difference from tobacco or alcohol. This will affect society, but that does all the things mentioned.

The pardons is only the beginning this will challenge the ones who calls it a “gateway” drug. It will also be a battleground points of the Republic Party. Alas, they are one the wrong side of the popularity here. The ganja, the chronic and everything associated with it is very popular. It is a substance that the United States population is ready for and to make acceptable with other recreative activities like drinking and smoking. It just follows that one and seems to be getting the acceptance of it.

The smell of weed will now be familiarized and the possession of it too. There will less fear and sooner or later it’s a accepted business and taxed too. It will benefit the Republic monetarily. Though we cannot know the consequences of it or how it will change society. It is a watershed moment yesterday. The announcement wasn’t expected and certainly there will be ramifications to this.

Time will tell… time will tell… but it’s only the beginning. Peace.

Niger: Ministere de la Defense Nationale – Forces Armees Nigeriennes – Etat-Major des Armees – Bulletin des Operations No. 0026 (06.10.2022)

Opinion: Biden up on a high…

‘Cause I got high, because I got high

Because I got high”Afroman – ‘Because I got high’ (2000)

As I’ve said before, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.

Today, I’m taking steps to end our failed approach. Allow me to lay them out.

First: I’m pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden.

Second: I’m calling on governors to pardon simple state marijuana possession offenses. Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely for possessing marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.

Third: We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl. It makes no sense. I’m asking Secretary Becerra and the Attorney General to initiate the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law. I’d also like to note that as federal and state regulations change, we still need important limitations on trafficking, marketing, and underage sales of marijuana. Sending people to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that is legal in many states. That’s before you address the clear racial disparities around prosecution and conviction. Today, we begin to right these wrongs” (Biden, 06.10.2022).

President Joe Biden has come with a real surprise to many today. He has finally stopped the drug-war on marijuana, which has been failed by the authorities and the government as a whole. His a man who has fought for these strict rules and legislation in the past. So, when it was his turn to be in the highest office, suddenly things has changed. There must be a reason for it and sooner or later this will be part of society at large.

With these pardons and the planned evaluation of marijuana. Expect it to be soon taxed federally like alcohol or in the realm of that. President Biden really came with shocker and it was a blunt out of nowhere.

This sort of war has lasted for ages and been a concern for several of administrations. It has been a battle it cannot compete with. That’s why the states like California has sort of made legal medicinal marijuana and such. Now, there can be expectation of more and positively in the ways of liberal Netherlands on that matter. Because, the pardoning and possible changes of law will be a game-changer. It can also free state authorities resources to look at bad law-offenders and not only capture people with possession of marijuana.

Certainly this move will be popular ahead of the midterms. It will also be a vital legislation ahead of the polls. He would have this one and the student debt forgiveness. He is following to actually do favourable acts in office. The Office of President has delivered here and showed finesse. The democratic party can get a boost over this and show it’s a total difference than the Republican party. This was shown with the student debt forgiveness and now with the marijuana legislation.

President Biden has come out of left-field here. There will be pushback here, but this is a piece of legislation that will be popular. This has been asked by progressives for a long time and the authorities has nothing to show from it. Only a lot of misdemeanours and possession cases, but not the cartels or the ones behind the export. With the changes… this can be a legal industry. Just like the alcohol industry could be legal after the prohibition era. The “Speakeasies” has turned into pubs and saloons again.

Time has to tell really how this will be played out. Marijuana might turn into the new tobacco and become part of that industry in the future. Biden has open up the flood-gates here. I don’t know how this will be played out. However, he will gain popularity and the Democratic Party will score brownie-points ahead of the midterms. There will be ramifications doing this and especially when he decided to pull this one off.

Now the Democrats can get high… Peace.

Opinion: Wetangula has outwitted the Azimio

The Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Alliance must feel the fall. They went into the elections and campaigns with their heads high. It was anticipated to be slow train coming and new reform under the Presidency of Raila Odinga. All of that was a house of cards and been spoilt milk. There is no return and the Azimio has been crushed.

The Kenya Kwanza Alliance has certainly been able to gain the majority in both houses in the National Assembly. This being in the House and in the Senate. While it has a hold of the Judiciary and the Presidency under William Ruto. The tides of security and dynasties seems to be over. The ones who was close to Odinga and Kenyatta has lost out. While the ones who dared to align with Ruto has sway and influence.

That is real change of guards and shows how conning Ruto is. He has ensured the safety and paid-off political parties to give him a majority. There was several of parties which changed alliance the moment he was announced the victor. This together with binding the “independent” MPs has all given him way. That got to sting for Azimio, but we Azimio would have tried to do same. Because, who don’t want a majority and a hold of the National Assembly?

Today, because of the clever wheeler-dealing ways of Ruto. Speaker Moses Wetangula could announce and declare the KKA as the majority. Meaning the Azimio is the official minority in the Parliament. They are the ones who are the opposition and the ones who are not part of the government majority. That’s really a telling sign. It marks an end of the campaigns of the 2022 election season and the beginning of the business of the House.

Wetangula’s announcement has ruffled some feathers, but he has the surety of the technicalities and the numbers to do so. That is hurting the pride of the Azimio who thought the they had come to a feast in the House. However, they are instead being sidelined and caught of guard. It is like they winged the whole enterprise and thought they could just walk in unprepared.

The Speaker has just ensured the gravitas of the parties he represents. His appointment and such will surely be remembered. Not only for this, but for he will operate as Speaker under this Ruto term.

Some states this a revenge for the February 2018 ousting him as the Minority Leader of the Senate, when the NASA coalition removed him with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) own senator James Orengo. Therefore, Wetangula could hold grudges, but his loyalty is also to KKA, which is the coalition he ran with in the previous election.

The Speaker has returned the favour, but also been able to do so, thanks to the “free-transfers” from Azimio. That’s why the KKA has enough MPs and the numbers to do so. Even if several of the MPs either was initially independent or part of Azimio. However, the KKA has the upper-hand here and the Azimio team lacks a strategy.

The Azimio has done one thing wrong, which its repeating itself with. Azimio looks like it’s running on vibes, but the KKA is well-prepared and has a plan. That plan is executed and makes it easy for the Speaker to announce it.

Wetangula is already showing his resolute ideas and how he will handle his role. As speaker we should expect more like this. However, it is now official that Azimio has been outflanked everywhere it matters since the polls. Peace.

Sudan: Forces of Freedom and Change – Sudan’s Re-Election to the Human Rights Council must be rejected (06.10.2022)

The next elections for membership of the Human Rights Council are scheduled to take place in the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 11 October to decide which member states will sit on the Council for the next 3 year (2023-2025) membership term.

Sudan is standing for re-election despite a military junta taking over power in a coup on 25 October 2021.

Sudan was first elected to the Human Rights Council in October 2019 after the glorious December Revolution and the formation of the civilian-led government led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. However, Sudan was suspended from the African Union after its current unconstitutional regime abrogated the Constitutional Document of August 2019 and toppled the civilian-led government on 25 October 2021, thereby halting the democratic transition and reversing the progress that had been achieved. Despite suspending Sudan and condemning the military coup, the African Union has failed to withdraw its endorsement for Sudan’s re-election and Sudan is still included on the African Group’s “closed slate” of candidates for the African region, which means that there are the same number of candidates as there are seats. Hence Sudan will not face any competition from other African candidates for re-election.

The criteria for Council membership are set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 3 April 2006. Article 8 of this Resolution states that “when electing members of the Council, Member States shall take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary pledges and commitments made thereto”. Article 9 of this Resolution states that “members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights and fully cooperate with the Council”.

Far from promoting and protecting human rights, Sudan’s current unconstitutional regime has continuously and systematically violated the human rights of its citizens since 25 October 2021. For example, it has committed serious human rights violations against peaceful protestors, routinely using live ammunition. Around 120 peaceful protesters have been killed and thousands more injured. Insecurity, killings, human rights violations and hate speech have increased in Darfur, the Two Areas and eastern Sudan without any effective response from the de facto authorities. Human rights defenders and journalists have been harassed and women protestors have been raped. There have also been arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detentions and enforced disappearances as well as extended internet shutdowns.

There is still no agreement on a clear plan for Sudan to transit out of the current chaotic situation and return to civilian democratic rule, with a government that commands broad popular support. On the contrary, the military junta has been facilitating the return of political Islamists from the terrorist regime of Omer al Bashir. The junta’s representatives in the Council have refused to condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Moreover, the economic and social rights of Sudanese citizens have suffered severely as a result of the accelerating economic crisis since the coup, resulting in a sharp decline in living standards and rapidly increasing food insecurity.

We would therefore call on all UN member states to refrain from voting for Sudan by leaving the ballot blank and only voting for candidates who meet the criteria outlined in the Human Rights Council’s founding resolution 60/521. If Sudan fails to get a simple majority of votes (97) in the secret ballot election, its candidacy will be rejected, Given the regime’s track record of grave human rights violations, Sudan’s re-election for another three years, in current circumstances, would undermine the integrity and credibility of the Human Rights Council, would be a travesty of human rights values and would be a betrayal of the aspirations of the Sudanese people for freedom, peace and justice.

External Relations and Communications Committee – Forces of Freedom and Change

6 October 2022

Kenya: Speaker Moses Wetangula announces the Allegations of coercion (06.05.2022)

My considered determination on the matter raised is as follows-

Allegations of coercion

1)THAT, the consideration of the various allegations of coercion and duress at the time of entering into coalition agreements and any appropriate remedy for the same lies outside the authority of the Speaker.

The place of Members of UDM, PAA, MCCP & MDG

2)THAT, In my considered opinion, it would be imprudent to treat the 14 Members elected to the House under the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), Maendeleo Chap Chap Party (MCCP) and the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) as part of a coalition that they have expressly distanced both themselves and their parties from. I am therefore persuaded that the 14 members and their parties are part of the Kenya Kwanza Coalition. This, in my view, would be fair and in accord with previous rulings by my predecessors on related matters.

3)THAT, With the 14 Members, the membership of the Kenya Kwanza Coalition stands at 179 Members while the membership of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party stands at 157 Members. This, by implication, indicates that the Kenya Kwanza Coalition is the Majority Party and the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is the Minority Party in this House. Entities entitled to appoint the Leader of the Majority Party

4)THAT, the Kenya Kwanza Coalition is entitled to appoint the Leader of the Majority Party while the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is entitled to appoint the Leader of the Minority Party; Leadership of the Majority Party

5)THAT, with regard to the Majority Party—

(a)The Member for Kikuyu Constituency, the Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah is the Leader of the Majority Party;

(b)The Member for Kilifi North, the Hon. Owen Baya is the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party;(c)The Member for South Mugirango, the Hon. Silvanus Osoro is the Majority Party Whip; and

(d)The Member for Marsabit County, the Hon. Naomi Jillo Waqo is the Deputy Majority Whip.

Leadership of the Minority Party

6)THAT, with regard to the Minority Party—

(a)The Member for Ugunja, the Hon. Opiyo Wandayi is the Leader of the Minority Party;

(b)The Member for Kathiani, the Hon. Robert Mbui is the Deputy Leader of the Minority Party;

(c)The Member for Suna East, the Hon. Junet Mohamed is the Minority Party Whip; and

(d)Nominated Member, the Hon. Sabina Chege is the Deputy Minority Whip.

The letters from the Secretary General of Jubilee Party

7)THAT, our rules of procedure have placed a certain expectation on the manner of transmission of information relating to the leadership in the House. Only Members of this House can communicate with the Speaker on House leadership matters. In this regard, the letters from the Secretary General of Jubilee Party conveying the Party’s leadership to the Speaker fall short of the expectations of the House and will therefore not be considered any further.

Malawi: Forum for National Development – Call to Investigate Messers Shyley Kondowe and Admson Mkandawire on Suspicion of Financial Crimes, Money Laundering and Corruption (06.10.2022)

Burkina Faso: Declaration de la Coordonnatrice Humanitaire sur la Situation au Burkina Faso (06.10.2022)

Burkina Faso: Ministere de l’Economie des Finances et de la Prospective – Communique du Minstere de l’Economie, des Finances et de la Prospective (06.10.2022)

Somaliland: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation – Statement on Somaliland’s Presidential Election (06.10.2022)