Opinion: 10,833 LDUs without pay!

“The LDU is not a new force; they are the reserve of the army. The security guards of the ministries are guarding ministries against break-ins. Terrorists are targeting soft targets, they are not bank robbers” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 15.09.2018).

We already knew in January 2019 that there was no money for the Local Defence Units (LDUs) in the budget year of 2018/19 and certainly not there in the 2019/20. Since today’s news proves this again. This is a re-issue of Crime Preventers Programme and a way to hire idle youth, but not do the due diligence of the actual needs to do it. That’s why the results is armed people with lack of pay, they will do anything to eat.

Look:

The Ministry of Defence has incurred a budgetary shortfall of 130.5 billion shillings as a result of the recruitment of LDU’s. This includes a wage shortfall of 40.9 billion for the 23000 LDU’s incurred in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 financial years(Herbert Zziwa, 12.11.2019).

What does it mean:

This means, when they have an annual wage of Shs.2.4mn. Their wage shortfall, which was 14.9bn in 2018/19 means that 6,208 LDUs out of 10,919 are owed wages. Again, in 2019/20, 10,833 LDUs out of 13,000 recruited in 2019/20 don’t have their wages either. Meaning many armed and well-trained personnel from the UPDF is out awaiting their salaries (Mary Serumaga, 12.11.2019).

We can see by these calculations how it really is. The realities on the ground and the issues at hand. This is a launch to have back-up personnel for an up-coming election. To ensure the public, that they cannot have a popular uprising nor a revolution. Because, the state has enough armed forces to crush it. If it isn’t soldiers, ISO, CMI, Flying Squad, Special Forces Command or the UPDF. They will have something to target you with.

But, they are leaving them high and dry. The State is not properly approaching this. They are not spending the dimes on this as people would see deemed fit. Because, this is trained armed personnel, which can cause havoc, if they decided to do so. Why shouldn’t they? They got guns and knows how to aim!

This was a bad Ad-Hoc decision made in the wake of the violence: But he also did it to ensure up-coming elections, because that is what the President does. President Museveni doesn’t toy around with this. This is carefully estimated to secure his next term and the times ahead. Because, with these gentlemen with arms, he will have another group of armed personnel at his disposal, that can skirmish and get deployed in haste. There is nothing else too it.

His just misusing funds and the trust of people, in manners, which is extraordinary. However, very common here. As this isn’t the first nor the last time, the government lack funds for new projects, new ad-hoc decisions. As it is struggling to pay of gardening hoes from pledges made in 2015. Therefore, don’t expect magic, just more of the same. Peace.

Opinion: Wouldn’t be shocking if their suddenly came a coup d’etat against Talon…

Not that I wish this on Benin nor anywhere else. But when President Patrice Talon is seeking to end the Central African Franc and let the reserves of Benin out of the Banque de France. Expect that Paris, France gets into a stir and a hiccup will end up happening in Cotonou. They can already play the facade of the acts of one-party local elections and dissidents out of that. That a small infringed and demoralized group of activists, military soldiers and a few high ranking officials, suddenly came into play.

That would fit Paris so wisely, as the French doesn’t want to loose their hold on their former colonies. Fracafrique is too important to loose. The French cannot stomach anyone challenging them or even crossing them. That will not happen in 2019. They rather have more power and more friends on the continent, then lose one of them.

Benin’s “new” President Talon will stop the dependency with the French. Where the Republic of Benin can decide more of their own. If the Republic would leave the CFA it would really show force. Now, they are just preparing to withdraw the foreign reserves. That is a hit on the Banque de France. This must hurt the pride of the French and their glorious colonial history, which the CFA is reminder and a relic of.

Talon is daring the powers to be. His powerful in Cotonou, that’s why he could dismiss and stop the opposition from running in the local elections, but he is now going up against the ones whose running the IMF and has leverage in the United Nations and the World Bank. All of these can hurt the economy of Benin.

And if the French continues their exploits, they would use the previous President Thomas Boni Yayi. Who was the President of Benin between 2006 to 2016. Even with his health defects and struggle. He might muster some courage, if he knew that his previous partners of Paris would reinitiate him in power. As he lost to Talon in 2016. All of that wouldn’t be surprising at all.

If not, the French find a collective of “progressive” and “dissidents” who happens to work some mercenaries and they just suddenly takeover the radio, TV and the Parliament. They put road-blocks into the Capital. Therefore, announcing the resignation of Talon and his regime, as they want a democratic government and they are in transition to another one. So, that they as soldiers will bring a fundamental change. But in reality, the new government will continue the CFA and the French influence. They will secure the French industrial exports and everything else. As long, as the elite can shop and do the kneeling in front of the neo-colonial masters of France.

That would be a real life thing and another story in the tale of French dominance on the continent. Peace.

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