Press Release: IMF Staff Completes Review Mission to Rwanda (05.04.2016)

Rwanda Francs

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 5, 2016 –  An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Laure Redifer, visited Kigali from March 22–April 5, 2016 to carry out discussions with the Rwandan authorities on the fifth review of their economic and financial program supported by the IMF’s Policy Support Instrument (PSI)[1], and to reach understandings on economic policies that could be supported under the IMF’s Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF).[2]
Ms. Redifer issued the following statement at the end of the visit:

“The IMF team reached staff-level agreement with the authorities, subject to approval by IMF Management and the Executive Board, on policies that could support completion of the fifth review of Rwanda’s PSI-supported program, as well as a new agreement on an 18-month arrangement under the Fund’s SCF. The Executive Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 2016.

Rwanda’s economic performance in 2015 remained robust, with GDP growth of 6.9 percent. Growth in 2015 was buoyed by strong construction and services activity, with agriculture and manufacturing also performing well. Consumer price inflation remained contained, averaging 2.5 percent for the year, though it increased in the second half of 2015 due to higher food prices and administrative price increases. In February 2016, prices were 4.4 percent higher than a year before.

“However, new challenges emerged over the course of 2015 as a result of global developments. Lower prices and demand for Rwanda’s minerals almost halved the country’s mineral exports, leading to a significant loss of export revenue. This was exacerbated by lower-than-projected inflows of private capital and remittances, which together led to downward pressure on the Rwandan franc and foreign exchange reserves.
“Despite these developments, macroeconomic policy performance through end-December 2015 remained in line with program objectives. Most quantitative targets were met, and were supported by structural reforms, notably changes to boost domestic revenue collection, reduce liquidity overhangs, strengthen financial market supervision and functioning, and improve domestic revenue collection. Planned measures to revise the law for property taxes and improve the timeliness of public reporting on budget execution are taking somewhat longer than originally anticipated.  

“Over the medium term, growth prospects remain in line with Rwanda’s high potential, and the mission welcomes ongoing initiatives to promote export diversification and encourage local production of what Rwanda currently imports, in order to improve Rwanda’s resilience to external shocks. These policies will, however, take time.  In the near term, more immediate measures are needed to deflate external pressures and stem the drop in foreign exchange reserves. The mission welcomes, therefore, the authorities’ commitment to implement more cautious monetary policy and postpone some non-priority public spending to help dampen still-strong demand for imports. Allowing the exchange rate to continue to adjust as necessary will be critical in this regard. The mission expects that successful implementation of these policies will maintain economic growth at around 6 percent, while keeping inflation below 5 percent.

“The mission commends the authorities for decisive economic policies aimed at safeguarding external sustainability and reinforcing Rwanda’s long-term development potential. The mission also welcomes the authorities’ ambitious program of supporting forward-looking policy reforms aimed at strengthening the efficiency of public spending; and improving tax compliance.

“The mission met with Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Honorable Ambassador Claver Gatete, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda Honorable John Rwangombwa, Minister of Trade and Industry Honorable François Kanimba, and other senior government officials, private sector representatives, and development partners. The mission thanks the authorities and other interlocutors for the open, fruitful and collaborative discussions.”

[1] Rwanda’s PSI was approved by the IMF Executive Board on December 2, 2013 (see Press Release No.13/483). The PSI is an instrument of the IMF designed for countries that do not need balance of payments financial support. The PSI helps countries design effective economic programs that, once approved by the IMF’s Executive Board, signal to donors, multilateral development banks, and markets the Fund’s endorsement of a member’s policies. Details of Rwanda’s current PSI are available atimf.org/rwanda.

[2] The SCF supports low-income countries that have reached broadly sustainable macroeconomic positions, but may experience short-term financing needs, including those caused by shocks. The SCF supports countries’ economic programs aimed at restoring a sustainable macroeconomic position consistent with strong and durable growth and poverty reduction. (see imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/scf.htm).

ANC Veteran Cheryl Carolus calls for Zuma to step down (Youtube-Clip)

“JOHANNESBURG, 7 April 2016 – ANC veteran Cheryl Carolus has added her voice to calls for President Jacob Zuma to go. She spoke to eNCA’s Iman Rappetti on Wednesday” (eNCA, 2016).

“Uganda sacrificing civil liberties for the sake of stability” says US envoy (Youtube-Clip) & Ofwono Opondo responds!

“The United States Ambassador to Uganda has raised concern that government appears to be sacrificing the civil liberties of citizens rights at the altar of maintaining stability. Ambassador Deborah Malac who was addressing students from higher institutions of learning here in Kampala says the poor organization of the elections and detention of opposition politicians has dented Uganda’s democratic credentials. Herbert Zziwa has the details of that report” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

RESPONSE TO US AMBASSODOR MS. DEBORAH MALAC
7th April 2016

The Uganda Government notes and takes strong exception to the continued unfair criticisms about its elections and human rights records by the US Ambassador Ms. Deborah Malac. We would like to briefly respond as follows;
The U.S. Government sponsored an election observer team under the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy (EISD) in Africa, through the International Republican Institute (IRI) Washington D.C. This was led by former Zambian President Rupiah Banda, which issued a report giving credit to Uganda’s just concluded elections. We would like to advise Ambassador Deborah Malac to carefully read that report. Unless she is giving it a vote of no confidence, then she is at liberty to keep referring to and relying on the partisan and very shallow EU report.
lt is strange that Ambassador Malac doesn’t refer to the report her government commissioned. Secondly, she doesn’t acknowledge that late delivery of ballot materials was in only two out of 112 districts in Uganda. These were isolated incidents and indeed time was extended and all voters who wished to vote did cast their votes, and those votes were counted, tallied and added to final results.

Since the publication of the Uganda Presidential Election results, none of the observer groups has come with credible evidence to challenge the results posted by Electoral Commission. We therefore wish to ask them to either adduce evidence or keep their peace for good. Otherwise, we know that some groups in the US and EU, including diplomats accredited to Uganda, funded and are still funding opposition elements in Uganda to cause government change outside the constitutional framework but are disappointed this hasn’t been successful as yet.
The U.S., which uses raw power to project its influence and interests around the world, is the least competent to ask other nations for democratic accountability. Uganda’s democracy is progressing well and we are satisfied with both the pace and achievements registered so far.

Ofwono Opondo
Government Spokesperson

Nkandlagate: the movie (Youtube-Clip)

“The saga of pres Jacob Zuma’s private home at Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and his subsequent court case in the Constitutional Court where he was found to have “failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land…” (HC Vijoen, 2016).

Don Museveni says that he “promise to kill if you, if you attempt anything in his playground”; Don Museveni have a grand racket, so respect the Don, the Almighty Godfather of Uganda!

Mueveni Bundibugyo Pre-Campaign 2016 Gun

““[Opposition] MPs who will want to work, we shall work with them on development issues but if they want to protest, we shall refuse,” (…)”If you want to protest, go to your home, or to a playground and do everything you want… but don’t attempt playing in my garden. I can kill you,”President Yoweri Museveni on the 4th of April 2016.

You cannot imprison your challengers and then masquerade around as having won the election”Dr. Kizza Besigye.

As you see Mr. Museveni, the Executive, the man who have run Uganda since 1986 have yet again spoken his words on democratic behavior and activities as Uganda is his playground and non-other can act or play there. That is what he is saying. President Museveni is the only one who has a saying in Uganda. In a republic of Uganda that got estimated 39 Million citizens. In my view President Museveni is not acting as an Executive, but as a gangster. Let me explain that later.

kyankwanzi 2015

We know that he is the only man of that 39 Million with a vision. He proves that again with saying that protest against him is futile and uncanny. Also as the news today that the 6 persons chaining themselves in the streets of Kampala. So for setting themselves in chains in the recent days seemed to be a criminal act and now sent to Luzira Prison as common criminals. Somewhere is President Museveni and so proud. Don Musveni in action!

He must be proud of the revelation of the audacity of the Police yesterday shooting live bullets at the future of Uganda at the established and well-thought of University of Makerere. Where the students we’re demonstrating because of sudden hiking of tuition fees. So the Anti-Riot Police and their mambas entered campus and created havoc. As we have seen in the recent months. No dialogue or trying to negotiate, you go in with weapons and kills to shut down opposition. Don Museveni prefers once in a mock execution to set the standard and get the oppostion in line with the message. If they continue then he will bring vendetta to them.

museveni and his gun

That is also the words of their leader, the Executive. Its playground and his rules, nobody else then President Museveni is right to play. He is the kingpin, the kingmaker, the Grand Puba, the chief and commander that are righteous to stage any kind of action in his playground.  

And then the fellow and opposition Dr. Kizza Besigye trying to act on his playground, and have the audacity to say that President Museveni is not the righteous kingpin is a violation of the ruling regime. Nobody can question the Executive on his playground. Museveni initially saying that the FDC are foolish! FDC should not act upon the NRM-Regime. If they still do then they knew that by his words, they would face the guns and ammunition and get taken away.

President Museveni is not only like a bush-war general, he is now acting like a gangster. First the government is acting with guns and gangs where open aggression against its people without court. It is decisions taken in mysterious and devious ways, the same ways as the NRM-Regime is only accountable to themselves and not the public. The Racketeering is solving the democratic insufficiency in the country by the guns and gangs installed by the NRM and the Kingpin, the Don Museveni on the top. That is by that Racket he controls and the Playground he doesn’t care about the victory was maybe even meant for somebody else, as his guns controls through his gang UPF and UPDF. They follow the Don and his rules.

EC 22.02.2015 Guarded Heavy

Mzee is a gangster, not a statesmen and not a parliamentarian as the rules only applies when it not comes against him. The laws and regulates towards everybody else of the 39 million of the country, as his racket can break down any opposition and use weapons though all the gangs he has made. The intelligence and spokespersons is just to have a façade and look legit. While the tax-payers, bank of Uganda, budget deficit and other issues is because of the price of keeping up the racket and continue with the racketeering.

That is why the troubling concern with the people who have understood that the Ruling Party and the Don Museveni is not really a civil servant, but a gangster. That is what really Dr. Kizza Besigye understood in 1999 wrote this in a letter to the NRM when he left.

Dr. Kizza Besigye

Besigye could easilly see what kind gangster he was:  

“The Movement caucus acted very much like an organ of a ruling party. All ministers (except Paul Ssemogerere who later resigned from government) were members. The hand-picked group, and the Movement caucus after it, both undermined the principles of the Movement and the law. The Constituent Assembly was negatively influenced by executive appointments. In the middle of the CA proceedings, a cabinet reshuffle saw Speciosa Kazibwe elevated to the vice presidency, Kintu Musoke to premier and several other delegates appointed to ministerial posts. Many others were appointed to be directors of parastatal companies. It is my opinion that after these actions, some CA delegates took positions believed to attract the favourable attention of the executive” (Dr. Kizza Besigye, Letter in 1999).

The Don Museveni had handpicked the members and the caucuses that fitted the ruling party and the executive, himself and the people he could trust. They would all be in favor of him as he gives those positions and therefore naturally get loyalty, as a Don needs loyal men in his gang to control his racket. If that means making programs that his handpicked elite and cronies can eat from if it is GAVI-Funds, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), SACCO’s, Youth Livelihood Program (YLP) or the 10 Point Program. These programs get international organization and donor countries positive for dazzling monies to the regime. The Don skims that on the top buy airplane, cars, cows, businesses and land for himself. The Don also makes sure the rest of his family owns businesses and land so they can live in wealth; as they all should live comfortable because of his racket.    

Muhoozi Museveni

The Gangster who orders his gangs and set-up minor groups controlled by family-members and his closes associates that he can trust. Like the clearest example the UPDF Special Force Command or the Flying Squad that is under the Caporegime of Brigadier Muhoozi for instance. Or the newest of his gangs called the Uganda Police Force National Youth Crime Preventers Forum (NCPF) run by caporegime of Blaise Kamugisha the former head of the NRM chapter of Makerere. Another caporegime is Gen. Katumba Wamala who runs the UPDF for his Don. Not to forget the Capo for the Uganda Police Force IGP Kale Kayihura. All of these are just small pieces of the whole position in the racket of the Don Museveni!

That is why his racket answers with violence if it doesn’t work his way and why he has looted the DRC for own gains, why he has tried to get other bosses and Dons around him. So he can have loyal support from Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and also in Kenya, where he supports President Kenyatta, he didn’t “install” President Nkurunziza, but he helps him when he can. He does the same thing with the President Kiir of South Sudan, henceforth part of his racket was there for months without a mandate to secure that his fellow Don was in good hands, also during the last-period of the pre-election period Sudanese troops was to secure the safety for securing the continuation of the racket and the underbosses in the departments and the caporegimes all over the Ugandan nations.

Because the Kasese and Bundibugyo have dined the racket and taken in other political parties and shunned the NRM-Mob, the Don Museveni therefore his Capo’s got sent to clear away the people playing in his playground as the gangster he is, he had to answer with violence against the once taking away the his ground and area, which belongs the Don and nobody else. If they try then they deserve to be hit and violent takeover if necessary to prove that it belongs to the NRM.

UPDF Rwenzori

That is why the Don has decided to do this:

“UPDF has today launched a two months operation dubbed Operation Usalama Rwenzori to hunt killers” (O6.04.2016).

Capos and Underbosses might not deliver to the Don, therefore when the orders are not followed or the creeds he has written to them. When they don’t do what he says or get to ambitious then the get rid of them. Not just sack you, but put you into oblivion until they get back and his ring; if they don’t then they are stifled or put on close monitoring by ones of his capos as gangs take them in now and.  If he sees threats and worries then he takes them out like he has done with enemies in his past.

There is people who works hard as they are members and working for the NRM. But they are not yet made or trusted. So it takes a confirmed from a consigliere or a capo to be put in well-made position. As the Capos/Generals decide the faith of the members who is just associates until they are inside the elite and in the NRC CEC and inner-circle of the NRM Mafia to be trusted with the information and creeds from the Don Museveni. As he has trust issues and likes that the youth struggle to get jobs as he prefers to eat alone. The NRM Members who is not yet made, have to cugine and deliver to prove to administration and CEC that they are worthy of a better position and get jobs in the racket. If a cugine sees the possibility the member does what he can to give tribute the closest caporegime or the nearest wiseguy to be made and be a gangster like the Don.

That is why the Capos and soldiers take down the journalist and media. The reason behind that is that he is a Don. Where he are calling them enemies of the state and of him, that is something he does as a Don. Call the State Organs to fix the issues and get them to be mouthpieces to control the messages that is spread in the newspapers and TV channels. The ones that speak out of term are speaking of violence against him. That violent is in his mind as nobody can play in his playground or be able to run anything in his area. The Don is the only can run it. Don Museveni the Don of Uganda and the Godfather of Uganda. Peace.

Reference:

Rumanzi, Perez – ‘Museveni vows to crush protesters’ (04.04.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-vows-crush-protesters/-/688334/3144726/-/ysnu5w/-/index.html

President Zuma’s son speaks out (Youtube-Clip)

JOHANNESBURG, 6 April 2016Edward Zuma says there’s a conspiracy to remove the president and takes aim at ANC veterans, Trevor Manuel and Ahmed Kathrada, describing them as puppets of white monopoly capital” (eNCA, 2016).

#PanamaPapers: A little reflection on the reason why these operation exisist and thrieving on the Fortunate

285de-corruption-cartoons-from-india-8

For those who have been surprised by the recent allegation and findings in the #Panama Papers that incites lots of politicians, the general elites and businessmen connected close to the governments. The money always talks, the money always moves and by any means possible.

For the wealthy and close connected they have the ability to forge networks and find businesses that earns coins on helping to move that money. But that is not for the ordinary people, as we pay a fortune to use RIA or Western Union to move between usually loved ones. But the Panama Papers are for whole other ordeal.

BVI Tax Evation

This here is for Tax Aviation’s and getting rid of extra burdens on the solid amount money they have gained. The persons and companies are set-up Shell-Companies to stack up money in British Virgin Island (BVI), Panama or Luxemburg. As this places doesn’t have that many inhabitance or sheep to earn money on, they earn tiny percentage on being “big-banks” for all kind of operations, while securing that the companies and persons involved can keep it discreet and silence. Until cover-ups like the recent ones shows the true color of the amount of money, that are dished away. The money that are stashed-away is millions upon millions of American Dollars; dipped away in a treasury chests that most economies would dream of having in circulation!

That should not be surprising as all of well-known government leaders are setting up and making it possible to have sophisticated economic systems that cross-borders for the benefit of trade; while these are used to ship the money from the places that have initially no taxes and programs that made up to build societies. This is also the places where they can have it without any concern, except some extra sunshine and a family resort at the beach, though I would not consider that in Luxemburg, unless suits and gas-stations are your thing.

bankers-dont-go-to-jail

The business-men and government officials, even relatives usually walks around with that without problems for decades as the banks, and the legal advocates set-up this fixed businesses to secure the fueling of their money. The worst thing is the loopholes and the ways that this decisive methods to undermine the local public to create and secure more funds for already wealthy clients. Where the bank as HSBC and lawyers of Mossack Fonseca divided fees to pocket the money that the client needed to send away from the shores and country-sides; where the money was raised and earned. While getting away from local agony of having fortunes and paying taxes on the high-incomes earned to the local communities.

If you we’re shocked of the values and the persons that was involved in the scandal of late, I wasn’t as the government officials, presidents sons and daughters; kin and other close connections have always gained extra through the cronyism or nepotism have been a thing since the Roman Empire, and does not stop any time soon. That the President Museveni of Uganda owns businesses and would have dashed a fortune for his grandchildren in an tax-haven through multiplied shell-companies. The same would not also be surprising on the Kenyan President Kenyatta who recently brought Sameer Diary and Livestock Limited who sells ‘Fresh Diary’ in Uganda through his company Brookeside. Surely his kins and family have some money abroad to secure in dire times might come. The same is certainly with President Kagame, who even been seen during the scandal that RPF-Elite men have been insiders in the scandal, as President Kagame have control and ease over it; surely he would skim over the top and gain some extra funds as the Executive. Similar is it in Democratic Republic of Congo where President Kabila sister is central profile in the scandal and shows how the monies and funds appear in tax-havens as she owns businesses and also the centralized economy around nepotistic and cronyism. Something that should not  be shocking for anyone.

Hard to Hide

What this scandal shows is the amounts and estimates, this is through to major companies who serves this clients that are close by this totalitarian and big-men leaders who have close connected with central industries as they have to be granted and get contracts with government to drill oil, mining or even gain markets in the countries. With that power comes also embezzlement, kick-backs and percentage of the top that get skimmed through the advanced economic products that the blue-collar lawyers and bankers offers; they do that legally, but in a moral grey area as this thieving of government controlled funds in the name of the beneficiary or the shell-company in discreet secrecy. It’s not only dictators and their wives who are into it, I am sure if it wasn’t for the failed ‘Wonga Coup’ Mark Thatcher would still be up to game as the son-fallen from grace and proud family tradition; as even David Cameroon have been put into the mix. There is no shortfall when it comes to greed, and corporate greed never stops.

As the world leaders tries the best to hide their businesses and ownership through shell-companies and strawmen, or getting a cousin to run the business kind of like what Trump does to his son, just a little more subtle.

Human Being

The governments are taking the sides of happy uncles as they all tries to open trades with tax-havens to keep businesses in their countries. The Companies who in many countries are seen as “Legal Person” can own land, own other businesses and be sued. Certainly with that power as stakeholders and shareholders does not care about other things than the bottom-line, they want to sell or sell enough services so that their earning a profit, by any means. That is why big businesses have been taken for tax-evasion in the UK this was Amazon and other online-retailers as they we’re officially legal unit in a tax-haven and not in the United Kingdom, though the products bought on Amazon was sent from a warehouse in UK, and sent to UK houses. The transaction between costumer who got the book from Amazon payed to a British account, but before the cash kissed the taxation to the Government of UK, it was sent to multiply Amazon shell-companies before ending at a Tax-haven. So that the United Kingdom get only pennies in tax compared to the Pound Sterling the UK state was supposed to earn from the Amazon LLC. That is just an example, but still important as a precise maneuvers the companies and international companies do, so they does not pay full-taxes or truthfully through sophisticated economic programs and revisions get the monies through foreign banks and tax-havens with help of legal teams in companies similar to Mossack Fonseca.

Scrooge McDonald

How to set up shop:

The LLC and Shell Companies will be used in market strategies as ghost straw-men for the owners sending monies through networks of intricate syndicates and money-laundering operations; That make Uncle Scrooge or Scrooge McDuck wishing he was a real person and not a cartoon character made up by Carl Barks in 1952; instead he is owning a Oil Company drilling oil in either Kazakhstan, Nigeria or North Dakota. Where he got the proceedings through UBS AG or HBSC; where the profit gets through manufactured holding companies and sent to BVI or Guernsey; where the McDuck Oil Company has headquarter, by official paperwork. That paperwork is written and made by lawful actions through Mossack Fonseca; while most of the Blue-Collar men are working in the unofficial Headquarters in the heart in the City of London or New York. But their taxing is little or near none there, because of McDonald Oil is fixed in Guernsey; Where they only have a Post-Box at the island; which by my reckoning would forward the mail to London or New York as the employees would actually be there.

This is a way of getting the bottom-line and the more of the ends directly to the stakeholders and owners of these companies tries to advance with this opportunities, that we the ordinary citizen, commoner, person or fellow human being would not be offered, since we don’t have the money to fix this or hire these men to forward our money, as we need the cash we have to get a home rent or buy, get food on the plate, pay electricity, airtime, taxes and then trying to get a chocolate bar once in a while. There is where we are. The once who was surprised about these papers have had too much faith in their rich, the elites and the once who has fortunes. They do not want to share that fortune that they have earned on our governments and our consumption; while trying to avoid giving something back to society, and giving the government more funds to develop the society the rich are doing business in. Peace.

Voting to Impeach Zuma Ends In Chaos. Opposition Parties Walks Out Of Parliament (Youtube-Clip)

“Opposition parties walks out of Parliament as the ANC decided to still back Jacob Zuma as President” (My Africa, 2016).

Apology accepted, ANC NWC tells Zuma (Youtube-Clip)

“JOHANNESBURG, 5 April 2016 – The ANC’s extended National Working Committee meeting has resolved to accept the President’s apology. Now it will be up to the party’s branches to either reject or accept this decision” (eNCA, 2016).