UNHCR rushing staff, supplies to assist people affected by Cyclone Idai (25.03.2019)

UNHCR efforts demonstrate solidarity with the people of the region who have for decades generously hosted refugees and shared their limited resources with them.

PRETORIA, South Africa, March 25, 2019 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working with governments and humanitarian partners in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi to provide relief to the survivors of the Tropical Cyclone Idai which struck the east coast of southern Africa on 14 and 15 March.

We are sending our emergency response teams – making available our expertise and staff, and aid supplies to assist those affected by the disaster without recent precedent in the region.

UNHCR efforts demonstrate solidarity with the people of the region who have for decades generously hosted refugees and shared their limited resources with them.

Our teams will support the on-going efforts to respond to the urgent life-saving needs of the affected people, including refugees.

We are mobilizing emergency shelter and core relief items from our global stockpiles to assist some 30,000 people in dire need, including affected refugees in Zimbabwe and their host communities, and the local population displaced by the cyclone.

The affected population is in dire need of basic relief supplies, food, health services and shelter. Our relief items will include family tents, shelter plastic tarpaulins, sleeping mats, cooking sets and utensils, Jerry cans, buckets, mosquito nets, solar lamps and soap.

In Mozambique, the most affected country, the government has declared a national emergency as the death toll from the effects of the Cyclone climbs above the reported 242 and is expected to exceed 1,000. The country is currently home to some 25,000 refugees – who have fortunately not been directly affected.

In Zimbabwe, the government has declared a state of disaster, and 104 people are reported to have died as a result of the cyclone. Two districts are reported to have been severely affected, including Chipinge District, host to Tongogara refugee camp. The camp currently has some 13,000 refugees, many of whom have suffered injuries, but no fatalities.

UNHCR is conducting rapid assessments in Tongogara camp to determine the extent of the damage, however, based on available information 2,000 refugee houses, mainly built using mud bricks, were completely or partially damaged. Over 600 latrines have collapsed, and borehole water is feared to be contaminated due to flood waters. There is a real danger of an outbreak of waterborne diseases.

The refugee host communities have also been affected, and it is estimated that 100,000, Zimbabwean residents of Chipinge District, including some 20,000 who live near the refugee camp, are in immediate need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

In Malawi, the government has also declared a state of national disaster, and 84 people are reported to have died. At least 15 districts and two cities have been impacted, with approximately 840,000 people affected nationally by the floods.

About 94,000 people are displaced and sheltering in makeshift sites for internally displaced people. Refugee locations in Malawi were not directly affected.

More than 4,400 Mozambican nationals – including women and children, have been forced to seek safety from the Cyclone’s devastation in Nsanje district, in Malawi. We plan to assist both Mozambican new arrivals and their Malawian hosts.

UNHCR has decades-long experience speedily responding to refugee humanitarian emergencies around the world.

European Commission – Press Release – Brexit Prepardness: EU Completes preparations for possible “no-deal” scenario on 12 April (25.03.2019)

UPF: Police Speaks Out Alleged Attack on Hon. Minister (24.03.2019)

The police at Nagalama are investigating circumstances under which two men dressed in black leather suits and riding a silver grey Suzuki sports motorcycle Reg No.UDL 822A, allegedly trailed, The Hon. Aida Nantaba Erios, The Hon. Minister of State for ICT and Woman Member of Parliament Kayunga District, in a threatening manner over a distance of 40 kms, from Sezibwa bridge up to Nagalama trading centre. It is alleged that two riders today 24th.March 2019 at around 11:00am rode past The Hon. Minsters official vehicle after, made a U-turn, drove back and pulled alongside the roadside market after Sezibwa bridge. One of them came to the stall where she was buying fruits and pretended to seek for the direction to Kabimbiri trading centre . His suspicious conduct prompted her bodyguard to respond and they drove off.

The Hon. Minister upon realizing that she was being trailed, branched and alerted the police at Nagalama, about the suspicious conduct of the riders.

The two  suspicious riders, upon noticing that the Hon. minister had branched and alerted the police at Nagalama , diverted and attempted to escape in the direction of Kimenyede – Mayangayanga Road .

The response teams at Nagalama, pursued them, and after a long chase forced them to abandon their sports motorcycle at Nagojje trading centre, several shots were fired in their direction, to cause them to surrender, but all in vain. In the process, Sebbulime Ronald a resident of Nakabugo Village, Nakabugo Parish, Pakiso Sub County, and Busiro County in Wakiso District was shot dead during the pursuit. The police is still searching the area with canine dogs for the second suspect, who is feared armed and dangerous.

We want to inform the public that The Hon. Minister, despite the scare is very safe and was not attacked at any stage as alleged in the media. Due to the signature technique of attacks from assailants perched on the back of moving motorcycles, the police is taking keen interest, in this investigation, to establish the motive of the suspects. The mobile phone to the deceased, the motorcycle and identification documents recovered are essential leads in our investigation.

CP Enanga Fred

Police Spokesperson

24th March 2019

RDC: Bruno Tshibala lettre de Ministres – “Concerne: Instructions” (22.03.2019)

Opinion: President Pierre is a Waka-Doodle!

Do you have hands? Excellent. That’s a good start. Can you hold a pencil? Great. If you have a sketchbook, open it and start by making a line, a mark, wherever. Doodle”Chris Riddell

President Pierre Nkurunziza is vein soul, a man whose so soft and weak, in such a manner that three school kids got arrested for doodling a little over a picture of him. The Head of State, His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief and ruler of the Republic of Burundi.

Was not only offended, was not only hurt, but got so shocked and insulted by a little doodling on his picture in a class room by three school-girls at the age of 15,16 & 17 years old. That he got the arrested and detained for playing a little with some pencils/crayons on a picture of the President.

If doesn’t sound foolish, sounds like a bad joke, like a kiddish reaction to kids playing nothing does. That the Burundian authorities acts like this to send a message as preventative measure to tell the Republic what to do and not to do. Certainly, the President and his henchmen has gone overboard.

This is far from the worst acts of the sinister CNDD-FDD, whose either detain, kills or gets their enemies into exile. The CNDD-FDD are using violence, intimidation and the state apparatus combined with Imbonerkure, which controls and stops the ones who questions the authority or the legitimacy of it. They will hunt you down, get you violated and get rid of you, if they have too. That is just what the CNDD-FDD has done since 2015. There been countless of victims by this. Therefore, the arrests and sentencing of the three school-girls isn’t directly shocking, but more a stupid move. Showing the disgraceful state of affairs are happening in the Republic.

Pierre Nkurunziza, if he thinks this is the way to show authority and get respect. He is totally wrong. His state is showing no mercy, is showing no humility and certainly no grace. There is no justice in this, they cannot have violated any serious law or code of law, by doodling over the picture of the President. Except for mocking the President and his looks by penning over it.

If they had published it, if they had made a contest or even tried to make a mocking ceremony and officially introduced that. It might had been questionable, but still not serious. This was youths, doing what youth does, they do this over dinosaurs, plants, animals or whatever printed papers in-front of them. That is what they do. Maybe, Pierre haven’t any youths, playing with pencils and crayons all over it. They either make rainbows, unicorns or whatnot, whatever the imagine. In this instance just poking fun at their President.

That Pierre doesn’t understand that, the his henchmen, his YES-MEN and other around doesn’t that. Is beyond me. If that was to set an example. Than it was an example in being STOOOPID, sorry, Stupid.

This was not brilliant, was not wise or even seen as genuine, the judges are fools, tools of oppression over nothing. They didn’t do a crime or even set an example of criminal intent. They were kids doing kids stuff. If not, the state should stop printing pictures of the President. Since, he is holier than God and cannot be used crayons on. That is how DUMB this is.

President Nkurunziza is not the envy of the world. If he would be, he wouldn’t worry about some school-girls doodling over his picture and possible sentence them to 5 years in prison over it. That is just how insane his state is. The message he sends, is that he is a paranoid leader, who needs blind following like a cult-leader, who cannot be touched or done against, unless he let it happen. Surely, no one beats the team he plays, when he plays football. The same in this scenario.

The saddest part is that, this a re-occurrent issue, which several of other school-children and youths gotten in legal trouble for doing. There was plenty of cases on this in 2016 and it has been revamped this week. Where even two pupils from 2016, was detained as reported until 2018. However, I don’t know if they are still behind bars.

If it takes such a small measure to insult you as a Head of State. You shouldn’t be one. Your not that bright, not that great or not that holy, to not ever get insulted or offended by what people do. What people say, write or doodle. Sooner or later someone will do something, but if you don’t like it. You just pay it no mind and move-on to more important questions. Like how to get all regions food secure, how secure imports of vital products, how to get the economy stable for the 2020 elections and so on.

Not ensuring that three school-girls or youths are arrested for doodling. That is just silly, really really silly. Peace.

Brexit: Working Document – European Council (Article 50) meeting (21 March 2019) – Draft conclusion (21.03.2019)

Brexit: TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady letter to Prime Minister Theresa May (21.03.2019)

Kenya: Thirdway Alliance – State of the Nation: Is the Starvation Experienced in 12 Counties Really Caused by Drought and Famine, Or is in Fact Caused by Failed Leadership and Theft of Public Money? (21.03.2019)

Brexit: Theresa May’s Lackluster Presser!

I agree. I am on your side. It is now time for MPs to decide” – Theresa May, 20th March 2019

The end of the saga is supposed to be on the 29th March 2019. Nothing is keeping up to phase, as the Prime Minister is scrambling for more time to push down the throats of the Members in Parliament, the Withdrawal Agreement, which they have already voted down twice. Alas, she still wants to buy time. This after using two years negotiating a terrible deal and a abysmal legacy of her time in office.

What we can say today, is that Prime Minster Theresa May went total Jose Mourinho, blaming the captain, the club, the sports director, the referee and the even the grass. The wind, the ball and the possible rain-fall. That is what she did today. This will not be on better the terms between her or the Parliament itself. The European Commission leaders have already told that they will not accept an extension, unless it is prospects of a deal accepted by the Parliament. Alas, that is not the case at this moment. Because, the deal are so terrible, not the Tories nor the Opposition wants to eat it. It is not edible, still in her pride. The PM is blaming them for voting it down, twice today.

So far Parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. All MPs have been willing to say is what they do not want” – Theresa May (today).

Calling it politics and in-fighting, when her party and her secretaries haven’t delivered a single outstanding offer, other than empty promises and pledges since the revoking of article 50 and securing the pastures of a non-member state in the European Union. They have just been dandy and walking softly in Brussels, while talking pleasant in London. That is just what they have done.

Now, the PM looks tired, late and on overtime already, with no where to hide or go. The Parliament are not accepting it. The Speaker have spoken too. The rules of engagement is really showing there is little room for success. Clearly, sleepwalking to “No-Deal” and WTO rules, which would be costly, squeezing the economy and the imports, also harden the border movement will be the possible future. But that is something the Tories doesn’t want to tell or say.

Other than, well we can manage that too. You’ll see, it is all scaremongering and nonsense, saying it will be damaging. Nah, it is just hearsay, even if Calais and others has shown signs of the new protocol of export and importing through our ports. Well, that will not hurt us all.

So, instead of showing some finesse and that she had resolved anything. The PM just blamed everyone else. Not taking blame or seeing what she has done wrong herself. Instead, blaming the MPs and looking foolish again.

If, the Brexit could become more abysmal, more disgraceful or more distasteful. This was it, where the culprit, the leader, the one whose supposed to lead and fix it. Has given up and trying to still sell a tragic deal, on the sake of her ego and pride. Not for the betterment of the United Kingdom. Just to save her own skin. It looks unwise, it looks dumb.

Time to show some flex and character. Instead, it was more blame-game. Peace.

Brexit: Prime Minister Theresa May letter to President of European Council Donald Tusk (20.03.2019)