Brexit: It is imploding in front of our eyes!

Not that I had faith in the Tories anyways, since they have been bickering back and forth. There haven’t been any leadership or stability since the election, they have to beg Belfast for help from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). To even have a chance to still be in office. Therefore, the steady and stabile, has become unsteady and wiggling.

Now today, the head of the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) resigned, Mr. David Davis, who has never serious taken this. He has jumped around as if rabbit hoped that nothing hit the fan. It is not as if I liked the man, but certainly, if there ever was a lazy minister in charge, it was this man.

Seemingly, it was all talk and no play. Davis and Johnson never seemed ready for the task of leading the negotiations, neither anyone else from United Kingdom. That is why we are here two years after, still talking practical matters like Customs Union, borders with Ireland and trade in general with the EU after leaving the membership.

If they had been serious, as the European Union has shown, the character of the needs and wishes would have been carved in stone. So that EU and UK could be certain about where this goes. Not as if the deal was set in the sky, but the red-lines of EU are made within reason of the state being outside the EU and being a third party. Something, the UK never seems to understand or unwilling to understand.

That Prime Minister Theresa May have her work cut of out is clear. Boris Johnson and the other Brexiteers are in it to win it, no matter the cause. The ERG are clearly in it to make it more difficult, as well as the Remainers in the camp too. Nothing like a shadow boxing match until the finish line.

That the recent chequers dilemma is showing-up, is just another twist and turns, where the circling around basics never ends. The Brexit is already are farce without any consideration of the implications. The narratives can be spinning, but the groundwork was never there, if it was, the public is not aware. It is not like the Tories or the HM Government have been transparent.

It is like they want the public to walk in darkness and don’t know what hit them when the light is turned on. Certainly, that was a good look for Davis, but for the United Kingdom it was shambles. There are nothing in the woodworks that seems to enlighten public.

His resignation is just a sign of more trouble ahead, not security or knowingly where this goes. There are enough hurdles and passages, enough things to fix and negotiate over, where the Remainers and Brexiteers will fight over, without any of them thinking what the EU might will say. Because this is two parties trying to come to an agreement, on structure and how to leave. This is not just the Tories doing as they please; they have to deliver accordingly to protocol as well.

This will be bloody, this will not stop and that it still is at this stage after two years, says something about the lack of ethics and courage from the Tories. Peace.

South Sudan: SSOA Press Release on The Entebbe Proposal Governance (09.07.2018)

Brexit: DExEU Minister David Davis resignation letter (09.07.2018)

Opinion: A Pointless Exercise called the Local Councilor Elections!

Why? Simple reason, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their prepared victory of most councils. They are not even given the opposition the chance to field candidates in every village. Not strange as the ruling regime is banning political rallies and without connection to the Election Road Maps, the Police will track them down and arrest them. The level playing-field is non existing. Therefore, I am not looking forward to the 10th July 2018.

It is the first time since 2001, that the Local Councilor Elections are appearing, but it is mere facade of local elections. Where the big-men passing through villages in SUVs and the state will later deliver bicycles. Also, where the NRM are doling out 900 million shillings to the candidates, as they are preparing to rig and pay the villagers for their votes. Some reports that the NRM are spending 11.8 Billion Shillings on this election. While the number of 900m has come up, some more reasonable number is the 100k shillings for each flag-bearer. That is more,mere shillings for the opportunity to have the local cronies on their side. So that there will be no shock, that the NRM are the winner and no one else can topple them. That is because no else has the opportunity or the time to field candidates.

Just to top this off, just as the madness is like this, there are 3,800 villages without elections for some reason. Maybe the Electoral Commission couldn’t calculate them. Maybe the NRM couldn’t handpick the candidates there. Who knows why, but that says something about the importance of this election. When your nearly losing 4,000 villages. You know it is kind of pointless exercise.

There are reasons for why it isn’t hold for 17 years, it has always been economy, even as the NRM has gone broke for any Presidential and Parliamentary Elections since the start of the millennium.

If this was real sincere from the regime, they would have opened it more up and not just suddenly said: “there are elections”. It is just last week: “10th July 2018” become a public holiday, so that people can go to vote and not work. However, if they are even interested as there are so many uncontested constituencies.

These Local Councilor Elections are already managed, people doesn’t really need to care. Why should they? Not like the NRM really wanted this to happen or have been concerned about this. This is really not important at this stage, when it has taken 17 years to happen. Not like the Movement System matters or even the modernization of that.

That is why I haven’t addressed this before, they are pointless and the NRM has proven that themselves. It is a play for facade, a mere mirage in the desert. There are nothing else, the NRM knows that, the people knows that.

When 10th July hits the clock, sleep longer, drink a cup of tea and take it easy. No need to go to vote. There are no need, the NRM are winning anyway. Stay home, even just visit friends and relatives.

This is pointless exercise. Take it easy and forget about it. When the residents around ask you, why your not going to the polling station, just answer: “the NRM doesn’t really care about this, why should I? Why should you? The NRM are winning anyway. Let’s take another cup of tea and enjoy the day”.

Peace.

DP Ruto is a lot of smoke, but no fire!

DP Ruto: “The president and I have said that we will do our part in the fight on corruption. We have allocated resources to the agencies and added more people to these agencies” #DPRutoOnNTV” (NTV Kenya, 08.07.2018).

This here will be a short one. The Jubilee Government is all PR and no flair, they continue to borrow, become more and more colonized by the Chinese because of that. The Jubilee continues to steal land, state businesses and misuse funds, but nothing happens of significant change. The growth in Corruption is so steady, that its just tragic. That all the growing loans are killing the state, little by little.

Therefore, the speeches and ceremonies, the opening of commissions is more a flash in darkness, than significant change, as the state and the high-ranking officials walks away with wealth. They do so because of their allegiance to the state party. Even Orange Democratic Movement isn’t real opposition, as they are compromised by the agreement made by Raila Odinga, who is now a Senior Official representing Kenya, even in India.

That is why the words of William Ruto is pointless, the sugar-scandals, the biggest elephant of all – the Standard Gauge Railway project, the NYS Scandals and so many others, it isn’t funny. Their trickling down tear-drops, that turns into the ocean of despair. It is tragic how the funds are misused, how the state lack of governance and the oversight are taking for ride, while the elites, the ones connected to the party are all finding ways to eat on the government pay. They are just toying around with people’s future and day-to-day. They are mocking the state, taking land, taking tenders and misusing the trust of the people.

The circle of theft is happening again, and again, as the world keeps turning. That DP Ruto are saying these nice words on TV. Like he really fight it, the man, the hustle, the one who owns media houses, a village and different houses on various plots, different companies and even helicopters, the man on a decent paycheck, but not in the league of this. The man that donates nearly every weekend millions to good projects as he talks beautifully in churches. Clearly, the man has vast wealth created by meager millions, where he owns billions upon billions.

That is why he is all talk and no action. Which is understandable, as he will himself need to show his sudden progression and richness that he made out of nothing.

DP Ruto, do yourself and show the reality, not the fantasy, you might be saying the right words in some sense. But we know what is behind the facade. Peace.

South Sudan: The Entebbe Meeting yesterday, did nothing official transpired? – No Official Communique!

I wonder what really came out of the Entebbe State House meeting between President Salva Kiir Mayardit, SPLM-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday.

Why I wonder? There a no communique, no report or nothing official signed by the gentlemen who had photo-ops and more possible PR stunts from the State House. Because, there has been recently one Khartoum Declaration on the 27th June 2018 between these gentlemen and also the ‘Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Responsibility Sharing’ from the 5th July 2018, also from Khartoum. Not to forget the 25th June 2018 ‘Points of Framework Agreement’, which was also signed. They we’re built on the same premise and continues the pathway of the IGAD and stakeholders to find a middle-ground for ceasing of fire between them. That as well, as the need for peace to resume the production of petroleum. Certainly, by all of this the Republic of Sudan is getting a higher stake and more control of the oil-rich fields of South Sudan. Which is weird, as the independence was supposed to get control of that from Khartoum. That is why the whole month of smiles and holding hands seems strange from the points of independence, but also how to be sovereign from Khartoum for the Juba Administration.

Maybe, that is the reason for nothing coming from the continuation of dialogue between the parties, between the rebels and the government. They have all been together, followed the High-Level Revitalized Forum (HLRF) Negotiations, which was based by the IGAD and trying to figure out how to get relief and find ways to bring life back to the ‘Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan’ agreed upon in 17th August 2015. This agreement and the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), haven’t brought stability and just made sure the War-Lords has gone back to the fields shooting at each other, instead of finding reasonable ways of governing.

That is why the new meetings and the new dialogue is healthy for these leaders, however, you should be skeptical for the timing and the reason. As Sudan is flat-broke and has had both price-hikes and bread-strikes, while South Sudan is tinkering on rising inflation, combined with empty state-coffers. They both does this to get political goodwill and hopefully get new funds to eat. That is what it seems like, also making sure the war-lords can reload before finding time to blast the heads of their enemies. The hardships and these men have usually waited for their enemies to slip, before find new ways of trying to get rid of them.

It is nice that they have all these deals between the last few weeks, but the reality is that there are some underlining concern. It is still just on paper and not in the field. There have already been violations from the armies and militias. There have already been more casualties since the cease-fire of 31st June, into the 1st July 2018.

I am just awaiting it blow, when Kiir or Machar lose face, when one of them find out how the Sudan are using them as pawns to get control of the petroleum industry. Without even taking the territory, he has already gotten the golden egg without producing gold. The Khartoum government should be joyful, they have gotten a bargain and the Juba are being outplayed by their own will to fight each other for supremacy, instead of building a Republic.

Therefore, I am hopeful, but not naive. There are usually something underlining this sort of activity, especially from men like these. These men want power and control, they are not the types willing to give way. They are doing it because they have too or if they are doing it get more donor funds. Certainly, they would not challenge their own role or space without getting a cut.

I don’t believe that, do you?

Peace.

Uganda: Press Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the UN Decision on Regional Service Center Entebbe (07.07.2018)

Ethiopia-Eritrea: PM Abiy talks with President Afwerki in Asmara – One step in the right direction!

Today, is a historical day, in the terms that the Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali visited the Eritrean capital Asmara and had talks with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The last time an Ethiopian delegation was in Asmara must have been before the 2 year between the parties that lasted from May 6th 1998 ended on the 12th December 2000. There been skirmishes and smaller firing between the nations on the borders. As the state hasn’t been as friendly and even had interests of securing a friendship.

Therefore, that the Eritrean delegation was in Addis Ababa in June 2018, was already a show of a new direction, as well as the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Defense Force (EPRDF) was talking about respecting the Algiers Agreement in regards of Eritrea. That has already shown positive directions, as the annexed land and the questionable boarder areas. Would go to their rightful owners and to the ones that has fought bravely for that land.

For now that is just dreams for the Horn of Africa, however, just the pictures of the Ethiopian PM together with the Eritrean President is a good look. Though, this is just the beginning. We should not jump the gun and think this is the end, there will be more twists and turns. As the uncertainty of what the Ethiopian leadership wants, if the Council of Ministers and the Parliament will enact to deliver back Badme and the questionable land back to Eritrea. If both parties will demilitarize this zone, to show as token of peace. Than, we are talking of a real progress between the nations.

That sort of act will not be over just sharing a few cups of tea and enjoy joyful celebration in the streets of Asmara. There needs more dialogue and negotiations, even if the Eritrean has told their stance. However, the Ethiopian also want their bargain. Who knows what that will be and what the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) want, as they would loose the land they started fighting over for over 20 years ago.

These talks today might be positive, the gesture of the PM to travel and meet the President is grand step for normalization of the nations, but until there is respect and works combined towards peace. There is uncertainty, as the military is still on stand-by on both sides.

It is a special occasion today, but I will not celebrate or be to joyful, until real progress is signed and respected by both parties. The PM still have to walk sideways with the TPLF. Who knows how they will react or let this play out. Because I cannot trust the TPLF or their ways, I am also skeptic about Afwerki, as his government is controlled by him and his tyranny. It is not like Eritrea is a peaceful utopia. Than, this would have made sense from the get-go and that the Ethiopian government was a fruitful democracy, which it is not.

There are many hurdles for both parties, but this is a good token of good faith and trying to establish need channels of communications and ways out of a stalemate between the parties. However, the narrow escape isn’t there yet.

But by the ways things are moving, it might be there in the near and not to distant future. Peace.

RDC: CLC – Le Peuple Congolais Revendique Haut et Fort son Droit a des Elections Credibles (07.07.2018)

 

CEPO Statement: Kampala South Sudan Face-to-Face meeting (07.07.2018)