Liberia: President Weah has forgotten why he rules the Republic!

Monrovia, 7th June 2019
Monrovia 7th June 2019

Those that constantly insulting the President, I want to be clear; after this, there will be no citizens in this country, I can defy you that will ever insult the President and think you will walk on the streets freely” George Weah on the eve before the demonstrations today.

Well, the Presidency of George Weah only started on the 22nd January 2018. It is only a year and half since gotten into power. Therefore, this has not been a long time for a man to let his power go to his head. However, that has apparently happen for the former giant footballer and Ball D’or Winner. His might has blurred his vision.

Why do I say that? Well, the man whose the Executive and Head of State has dimmed the hopes of possible changes of rule. As he is just like many others in the past. Since he has blocked all social media in Liberia, as the people were planning to demonstrate against the state after grand corruption scandals, called #SavetheState demos. This was scheduled today. So, to stop this from happening in Monrovia. The President blocked WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and other pages. Therefore, the citizens whose online today is using VPN to get Online and circumvent the acts of the state.

Since Weah has taken over, there are over a hundred million United States Dollars which has been siphoned away from the state coffers. The value of the currency has fallen swiftly, while the common commodities has escalated, therefore, the public is getting strained, while the elite and politicians are eating of wealth of the state.

Surely, the government should feel the power of the people, as they are governing on the behalf of the people. They wouldn’t have an office or be representatives, if it wasn’t for the people. The President and his cabinet, are there because the citizens needs proper representations. Therefore, the needs of the people and the will of the people should be respected.

Weah has forgotten these principals. Several of the ones organizing has gotten either their houses raided by the authorities or leaders arrested. Therefore, with these actions the Weah Administration is showing their lack of understanding and value of freedom of speech. Not only blocking the social media to stop the public from spreading information, but also going after the ones organizing the demonstration. Shows how he blesses a tyranny in Liberia.

Weah has gone after Council of Patriots and the Save the State Movement whose really have pissed him off. He was expecting more praise and glory in his role as President. Not being questioned for his role in eating of the public and trying to get away with it. That has backfired and the public wants answers.

Clearly, the President and his authorities have forgotten their role. That is why they put up roadblocks and coming with intimidation before the demonstrations. Instead of understanding them and actually deliver what they are asking for. The President should answer the questions of the missing funds and the rising inflation. Instead, his trying to use the pressure of the state to silence his critics.

We are seeing a side of Weah, which is weird, but shows again what power does to someone. Weah’s been eaten all up by it and lost himself in it. There is no return, unless he trying get redemption, but don’t anticipate it. His quotes on the eve before the demonstrations shows his heart and spirit. Peace.

RDC: Observatoire de la depense Publique (ODE) – Communique de Presse – Les Nominations a la GECAMINES: Le Choix de la Continuite et de la Mauvaise Gouvernance (06.06.2019)

ANC: Statement of Officials of the African National Congress regarding urgent Economic Priorities facing South Africa (06.06.2019)

Burundi: OLUCOME – Communique de Presse – Portant sur le Project de Budget General de l’Etat de l’Exercice 2019/2020 au fisc Exagere vis-a-vis de la Population tres Pauvre (05.06.2019)

IMF: South Sudan is in a deep economic crisis!

The International Monetary Fund has today released their press release on the economic and financial crisis, which is there. The IMF is really stating the facts, the dire needs of the state and the need for reform. Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) really has a lot of work to fix this. South Sudan needs peace to fix this and not more civil war. However, what the IMF is stating is really vital to fix the economy.

The Republic of South Sudan needs some serious revamp of the economy when the IMF state it like this. Clearly, the government has more than enough on its plate, but they surely has to focus to get this in order. That shows the pressure on the state to get it fixed.

Take a look!

South Sudan is in a deep economic crisis. Economic conditions have deteriorated rapidly since the beginning of the civil conflict in late 2013. Real GDP is estimated to have declined by 2.4 percent in 2017/18 adding to a cumulated decline of about 24 percent in the last three years. Overall, real disposable income (adjusted for terms of trade) is estimated to have declined by about 70 percent since independence in 2011, contributing to an increase in poverty headcount ratio from 50 percent in 2012 to about 82 percent in 2016” (…) “Fiscal policy has been weakened by the loss of fiscal discipline, deteriorating public financial management, and contracting of non-transparent oil advances, which have increased corruption vulnerabilities” (…) “The banking sector is yet to recover from the adverse effects of the civil conflict, high inflation and strong currency depreciation. Consequently, many domestic banks are heavily undercapitalized and face rising non-performing loans” (International Monetary Fund – ‘IMF Country Report No. 19/153 REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN 2019 ARTICLE IV CONSULTATION—PRESS RELEASE; STAFF REPORT; AND STATEMENT BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN’ 04.06.2019).

We are seeing now what is at stake for the government in Juba to fix and ensure that they get to stabilize the economy, as well as finalizing the peace-agreements. So, that the public get enough peace to get the banking sector working, the financial markets running and possibly stop the economic crisis. Which has only been made worse by high inflation, strong currency depreciation and grand corruption. All of this has to get in order and get corporate governance, and financial statutes to safeguard the economy.

This will not happen over night, but the IMF is really warning in their press release and in their staff report. I just showed the gist of it. But it wasn’t positive.

To end with a few final statements from the Executive Board Assessment: “Directors observed, however, that the country is facing a deep economic and humanitarian crisis, and underscored the importance of decisively implementing key reforms to restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen economic buffers, improve governance, and rebuild credibility with the international community” (IMF, 04.06.2019). Peace.

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Hatua 254 Open letter to the World Bank: “Re: Citizens of Kenya Protest Letter on KSH 75 Billion Loan to the Government of Kenya” (03.06.2019)

 

Opinion: The OWC is a total failure, no regional coordinators can save it!

Well, it had to come to this, that the President Yoweri Kagtua Museveni knows that the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) infused Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) is failing. As the previously Parliament Report has said too. That is why its ironic that the President is using more and more funds on promoting it. Because, it is clearly failing because of lack of implementation and coordination.

The OWC is run by his Gen. Salim Selah and his associates are eating of this plate. That is well-known. To say otherwise is to be blind to the fact and the usage of this is to gain more funds out the state coffers. It isn’t only to supposedly elevate the rural farmers and their cash-crops. Because, if it was so, the OWC would have worked already.

The OWC with a few coordinators will only be more patronage. As the OWC which is run by the army, should gotten help and implementation from the Residential District Commanders. As their duty is to progress the works of the government, which happens to be the OWC, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Savings and Credit Co-Operative Society (SACCOs), Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), Northern Uganda Resilience Initiative (NURI) and whatever else the President see fit.

We can act a fool and celebrate that a few more brothers get a job, but the reality it is a shit-show and the results are in the pudding. We can act like its a good idea, but it seems only to fix more cronies of the President, than actually make a difference. If it had, the OWC and the other funding schemes would work for the public.

We know already the OWC is not able to find the right seedlings, deliver them on time or to the proper district. Therefore, the spending on the OWC is already exaggerated and excessive. That is why the act of getting coordinators is more a front, than actually changing it. If the OWC was serious, the OWC organization would have implemented some of the advice giving in the Parliament Report of 2018. However, that never appeared, because than the President have to discredit Salim Selah and that’s not happening.

The reality is that the OWC cannot be fixed, not because its impossible. But as long as these power structures are there, it will most likely amount to nothing. Since that is how it is. President Museveni knows this and is the aide in charge for keeping it. He knows that these coordinators will not amount to much. Just like the RDCs are not acting up as per request of the President, if they have even gotten the memo from him. They will be blasted in a campaign rally and used as pawns in need.

It is weird that the OWC are in thes issues, that funds getting missed, lack of coordination and logistics, that such a vital part of National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government Programme. This programme is the promoted and favourable theme for the campaigns done in all of May 2019. That is why the programme should be the perfect window of what the NRM has done in power. Instead, the programme shows the lack of governance and the misuse of state funds. The NRM should focus on something they have actually achieved and made changes with. As they are amending and twisting the OWC to make it seem successful, even when it isn’t.

The President should look to other ways if his serious about reforms, about progress or wanting to make a difference. But this scheme isn’t for that, it is to enriching his cronies and ensuring that the patronage has an avenue for wealth. If it was differently, than the state would have made sufficient changes to actually get the farmers to yield more out of their investments. Alas, that is not happening.

No coordinators will make the needed push for the OWC. The OWC will be messed up as long as the patronage gets to control it, the coordinators is just an extended hand to be fed by it. Not make work. Peace.

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