Kenya: Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology – Media Clarification (25.04.2019)

Zimbabwe: Community Water Alliance letter to Dr. John Mangudya – “Re: Citizens Request for a Consistent Supply of Foreign Currency for Water Treatment Chemicals” (23.04.2019)

Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL): New owner, clearly disconnected

Since March 2017, the Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) have been struggling, it started even before then, but at that time. The state started to intervene, by the next month in April 2017. The state had already put the company under provincial ownership. Meaning, that the state took it over and has tried to find new ownership of this company. Something it hasn’t succeeded in. This all happened because of the Libyan crisis in 2011 and the frozen accounts of Libya Post Telecommunications & IT Company (LPTIC), which had a majority ownership in the UTL until that point. However, they didn’t get all out before March 2017. Even as there was a set-up a new board in the Company in fall of 2016. Even, with all of this, the UTL continues to live, but by mere state injections and not because it is viable for business.

Even after a year in May 2018, the Cabinet announced that they were looking for new owners, alas, meaning that the state wouldn’t have the major stake in the company. Why I am saying all this? Well, the news this week that Minister Evelyn Anite and government sources states this:

The source added that the government had created incentives to make the company more attractive. They include managing the backbone, wiping all the liabilities off the balance sheet, and that the government would take responsibility for the pension liability of more than Shs 30 billion to former UTL employees. Other liabilities that the government would take care of include the regulator’s fees and taxes. “All these wipe off the balance sheet and handed it [UTL] to you, clearly you can start from a clean slate.” the source said” (URN – ‘Gov’t offers to pay Shs 500bn UTL liabilities’ 20.04.2019, link: https://observer.ug/news/headlines/60467-gov-t-offers-to-pay-shs-500bn-utl-liabilities).

With this in mind, the state would clean the slate of the company, an embattled one who is fighting in a competitive market. Where it is directly competing against the mighty MTN and Airtel. Therefore, the UTL needs an decent upgrade, as it has been in a stalemate for years now. Where the lack of investment in the company and the debt it have already.

We can clearly see that the company is not so viable. The lack of interest and value is shown as the President even needed to direct the state ministries to use the UTL Internet Services and mobile phone services by a letter in January 2018. That is why, a year after that, the government sources are trying to connect it even more and juice it up. Even if it has little to offer.

The UTL doesn’t look solid or offering something of strong value for a buyer. As it has a strong competition and they are on point when concerning the telecom infrastructure, which the UTL haven’t the ability to afford to do or invest in. Therefore, the next owner has to pick up, where the Libyan owners left off. Since, the state haven’t done anything else, than keeping it alive. Peace.

Opinion: Al-Bashir had the “State Reserves” at his Palace!

I’m laughing straight to the bank with this

(Ha, ha ha ha ha ha, ha, ha ha ha ha ha)” 50 Cent . ‘Straight to the Bank’ (Released: 26.06.2009)

Now were in the days of Post Al-Bashir in the Republic of Sudan. Where the public and revolution continues, even as the Transitional Council are continuing their rule. Two days ago his fate is getting sealed and detained at the Kober Maximum Prison. That the man of 30 years in power is now undergoing investigation by the same authorities that he controlled for so long. This must be a turn of events no-one expected. Certainly, the previous dictator didn’t anticipate this, because why else. Would he have such vast amounts of cash in his Presidential Palace.

Not that I am shocked that from the same authority, that made it illegal to have cash-in-your-home, the mastermind behind that policy and that state of emergency law had millions upon millions in his own estate/palace. Therefore, it is vindication, that the state get these funds returned from a President for Life. Whose got cut short by a military coup d’etat and later detained. Which is in the end, meaning he is losing all his privileges and entitlements. Now, the authorities are emptying his palace and while doing so, they found a treasure chest with massive amounts of cash.

As reported by Dabanga:

In a statement, the Senior Public Prosecutor Mutasim Mahmoud announced the seizure of $351 million, €6,7 million, and SDG 5 billion ($105 million*) at the residence of deposed President Omar Al Bashir. Mahmoud confirmed that the cash is secure within the vaults of the Bank of Sudan, and that charges will be investigated against former President Al Bashir under the foreign exchange law and money laundering” (Dabanga – ‘Sudan authorities seize Al Bashir cash stash’ 19.04.2019).

We can now see, in a Republic, which was in a fiscal jeopardy, in a state of lacking foreign currency and hyper-inflation. Where the prices of bread and others needed commodities where rising. In this manner, the findings are really showing the selfish and the abundantly clear memo of what sort of leader Al-Bashir was. As he could own the State Reserves or even the total Foreign Exchange, he could have on his own spiced up the whole economy. He could have infused the funds and helped to stop the fiscal instability of the Republic. Instead his greed and his vicious heart didn’t want to give way.

That a dictator of 30 years are capable of doing this, while the common man is struggling to buy bread. Shows what sort of leadership it was in the Republic. They really started the demonstrations in the middle of December 2018, because of tiredness of the dictatorship. Which went from weeks of protests into a sit-in demonstrations at the Army Headquarters. That turned into a revolution that ended this, but they are still working to dismantling the military dictatorship of Al-Bashir; As they are working on the transition to a civilian government.

As we see with the massive amounts cash been stored in the palace of the President. It shows his intent and his actions as a President. That he had the ability to have a personal bank in his home. He didn’t need to go to the bank or even have a bank-account. Al-Bashir had enough to travel to or to live lavish until infinity. Peace.

Tanzania: Blocked IMF Report, because of negative projections!

President Joseph Pombe Magufuli isn’t the sort of guy, that handles critics or opposition well. He is the sort of guy that needs all praise and benefits of a doubt. Therefore, the latest move is in a long line of questionable behaviour from his party, his apparatus and his administration to stifle voices of another opinion.

The Tanzanian government under Magufuli is a paranoid and wavy state. Where everything hangs by a thread, if your in the good graces of the President or not. If your not or if you questions him. He will take your license, suspend your newspaper or even detain you for a various reasons. That is the state of affairs. So, that the President and his people have blocked an unfavourable report from the International Monetary Fund isn’t surprising, it is more of the same.

This is from the same man, that has arrested MPs for speaking ill of him. This is from the same man, that didn’t like articles written the The Citizen to later suspend that too. Therefore, when someone dares to question his ways and orders, he will strike with fury. That is the man, the governs and leads the Republic.

Here is some pieces of information, that might be the reason why the Article IV Report of the IMF was blocked from publishing. With the Press Release of the block from IMF, before a Stratfor explanation and projections of the World Bank.

IMF Press Release:

On March 18, 2019, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund concluded the consideration of the 2019 Article IV Consultation with the United Republic of Tanzania” (…) “The authorities have not consented to publication of the staff report or the related press release” (IMF – ‘Statement on the 2019 Article IV Consultation with the United Republic of Tanzania Staff Report’ 17.04.2019).

Stratfor explanation:

What Happened: An apparently leaked report by the International Monetary Fund contains criticism of the Tanzanian government’s interventionist economic policies and noted that they are hurting the country’s investment climate, Bloomberg reported April 18. The Tanzanian government subsequently decided to block the report’s release. Why It Matters: The report will likely serve as an alarming sign for international investors who already have been concerned that the Tanzanian government is targeting foreign multinational companies” (Stratfor – ‘Tanzania: IMF Report Criticizes Government Measures’ 19.04.2019).

World Bank Context:

Economic performance in 2018 was mixed, while inflation remains low and stable. The National Bureau of Statistics did not release any quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) data for 2018, pending completion of a rebasing exercise. However, available data suggest signs of softening of the growth momentum” (World Bank in Tanzania – Context, 01.04.2019).

We can clearly see why the President didn’t want this to get released, also that his administration would further hit their goals, when concerning their economic forecast. This is damaging the image and also the confidence in the financial system. The IMF would have told a story that the administration didn’t want to hear or listen too.

That is why it hasn’t been released, because the President who wants all positive and praise. Cannot manage an independent entity from the outside coming with a message or projection, which isn’t fitting the narrative of the CCM. At this point, that is the message I get out of it.

Magufuli and the Tanzanian Administration could have turned the projections and the forecast. They have the ability to create stability and trust in the financial system. However, they are instead stonewalling and continuing on this path. They are not creating confidence of the acts of the government from the outside. It is backfiring instead, but this is from the administration that has to verify and give a stamp of approval to release statistics.

Therefore, we know how far this administration goes. Now, they are even stopping Article IV Report from being released. That is a sign of weakness in the economy. Peace.

Uganda: Anti-Corruption Unit – Request for Your Intervention in the Delayed Confirmation of Officers in Acting Capacity and Irregular Recruitment of Inspectorate Officers into the Inspectorate of Government (20.03.2019)

Russian Probe: House Democrats Letter to Attorney General William Barr on the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Report (11.04.2019)

Brexit: European Council – Legal Acts – Subject: EUROPEAN COUNCIL DECISION taken in agreement With the United Kingdom extending the period under Article 50(3)TEU (11.04.2019)

Report to the Media on Status of the Revival of Uganda Airlines (10.04.2019)

Brexit: European Council (Article 50) on 10 April 2019 – Draft Conclusions (09.04.2019)