Revealing some of the Companies associated with the “Zero Tolerance” Camps at the Southern Border!

You would think that the leadership and boards within miles reach of the United States border to Mexico. Would be careful or even try to avoid that their businesses is connected with the state agencies who are detaining toddlers and kids at random camps. This is done as they are taken from their parents who has fled crisis in their homeland for refuge in the United States. Clearly, the humanitarian response from the United States, is to classify everyone crossing borders as illegals by definition. Every single individual without a visa is a criminal. That is what the Trump Administration has done and with draconian fascist effort, they have taken the kids from the fleeing refugees and asylum seekers.

That is why we have to show the companies behind this. This despicable act is not done without help from companies, who has no heart and soul. Who has no issues with getting the tenders and the government funding for their operations. For them it is big-profits in sheltering kids away from their parents and make cages for the kids. They are making and earning money on the kids whose only sin was crossing the border into the United States. From there are they are pawns and useful tools for the Republican Party to get their votes and laws in other respects. They are criminalizing toddlers and kids, they are detaining and separating them. While this is happening, certain companies are helping the government doing so.

The first company helping out is Accenture, who is the agency the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency is using for hiring new Border Patrol Agents. MVM Inc is used for Operational Support and Microsoft Azure is used for Tech Services. For buses, they are using Trailboss INC. The other key companies involved are General Dynamics owned by Vanguard Group, whose has contracts with the Office for Refugee Settlements. Core Civic is a for profit prison company, who is also invested in this and Texas based company running shelters are Denenburg Development. Also providing detention and care systems are Southwest Key. All of these companies are involved in various ways for the sheltering and camps for kids. They should be remembered for that. The owners and the stakeholders should be ashamed of how they are earning their profits.

They are earning millions of dollars on the suffering of the asylum and refugee families who are separated by the will of the Trump Administration. They are vultures whose sole mission is to earn funds on other people’s tears and sufferings. This should make them ashamed and make them reconsider. Because these companies will be associated with this crimes against humanity. Where parents are not knowing when they are seeing their kids again. These companies are helping the Trump Administration to do these evil deeds.

They should look into what they do and should also stop making it possible. The American consumers and other companies should boycott these. These companies should be put on lists not to interact with. They are helping kids being separated from parents. That is wrong everywhere, except in the crazy minds of the Republican Party. Peace.

2 Weeks 2 Go: Let’s add a Supplementary Schedule No. 3 for the Financial Year 2017/18!

Today, the Parliament approved a Supplementary Schedule No. 3. for the Financial Year of 2017/2018, which is ending in eleven days or 30th June. That means the Parliament approved a new added funds to needed government expenditure and spending between 19th June to 30th June 2018. This means this funds that are approved are supposed to cover until the Financial Year of 2018/2019. That budget wasn’t approved long ago either. Therefore, it is hard to take this sort of business serious.

That the Parliament has accepted a third supplementary schedule for covering expenses until the next Financial Year. This was accepting 377bn shillings or $ 97m United States Dollars. If you shouldn’t question this, then you shouldn’t question anything the state does. Because this is really questionable activity.

How come the need of these amounts of money? Why wasn’t this covered on the Supplementary Schedule No. 2 for the Financial Year? Because if the Ministry of Defense and others who needs the added funds was serious. They would have covered this and made sure to have the funds. This is making the daily supplement 34 billion shillings for whatever purpose they professed. But it is fishy this late to add. Especially this big amount of money. Are they trying to cover the expenses for the recent by-elections?

It is hard to believe the necessity, unless they have trouble with the water at the State House. Needs more Presidential Handshakes and secure other private deals of the President. Because they need to cover 34 billion shillings each day. That should boggle your mind.

This is on top of the 1.3 trillion shillings that was put in the budget. Meaning the 1.3 billion shillings wasn’t enough. They we’re not able to plan the spend of defense in the FY 2017/18. Does that mean the recently established Budget for Financial Year of 2018/19 needs to billions too? Because the state didn’t have the capacity to plan or reconfigure the spending of other sectors?

This means the state needs the 1,677 billion shillings on the Defense in this Financial Year. That should also show how much of the state spends on this.

But I feel I am naive if these Number 3 funds getting used for food and other needed equipment for the military. Would be less shocked if it went to a By-Election or even bill collectors, that are knocking on the State House doors. Since they have been waiting for their invoice to be accepted and get a payout on the outstanding debt of the state towards them.

This here is just weird adding a supplementary funds just mere two weeks before the Financial Year end. That would be like adding more funds for Christmas Bonus just mere last Sunday before Christmas Eve. That is what they are doing. It is weird and cannot stop saying it. Peace.

Brexit dividend is hogwash at its best!

We know that Prime Minister Theresa May and the Conservative Party wants the best outlook and the favorable view of the withdrawal from the European Union. However, their whole flawed negotiations and the parameter of agreements shows their neglect, more than winning when concerning the days after being a Member State within the EU. That is all forgotten, this has been shown with the dreamland approach to the Customs Union, Migrations and the trade agreements in general. The lack of policies and openness makes the uncertainty even more dire.

It is like the Tories plans to wing it and fix it after the Titanic hit the iceberg. Hope they can save the passengers and the ones on board without having a general plan for any sort of evacuation or sinking itself. That is evident as every day has gone from the ballots cast at the referendum. They haven’t shown signs of certainty or anything really, that is why Businesses has warned the government, businesses have moved to Dublin or even Germany. Manufacturing businesses started to move to other EU Countries, even Land Rover being produced in Eastern Europe to secure the tariffs to the EU Common Market. If that isn’t dire, the loss of jobs and therefore, also the revenue of the production. Will hit the government. But they don’t want to talk about that.

That is why the Tories and PM May is speaking positive about the Brexit Dividend, as the lack of paying to EU projects and EU organizations will save the government so much money, as they are maybe even forgetting the money that is going to EU sponsored infrastructure projects and educations sector. However, that is maybe not in May’s calculation. Who knows at this point right? It is all spinning the wheel and hoping no-one looks into it.

The Tories should be horrified of the situation they have put businesses in, the population and the uncertainty of what they are getting out of it. There so many warning signs, and so much business already moving and sparking messages that they are planning to do so. Because they are worried about capital, tariffs and also their possible transfer of goods between the UK and the rest of EU. None of this is certain. Maybe the UK get less free-market, but also less open borders when concerning people. But the reaction from the EU will be less friendly trading partner and that will hit the banks and corporations. The City of London might lose it power in Europe, as that moves to Frankfurt and even Dublin. That must hurt the pride of UK. The sun isn’t setting on an empire, but a sinking ship.

A sinking ship they themselves put on fire and saying everything is fine and dandy. The UK has played themselves for fools and now only getting uncertainty. That is what outsiders are seeing and weird that the UK are accepting this. They are going to get hurt by the Brexit, whether they like it or not. There isn’t any signs that shows otherwise. As the ramification on production, industry and businesses, the ones generating revenue are under fire and the bonfires are not put out. Instead, the Tories are hoping no one notice.

Theresa May might promise more to the problematic NHS, but then the taxes has to grow, the people will be more taxed. As the revenue from the corporations and businesses will go down. As the Customs Union, the issues of lack of trading policies and the reaction of becoming third country and trade as that. Will not make the change friction-less, but instead hurt the economy and the windfall be costly for the population.

Therefore, the UK should be wiser, but not anticipate it. The Tories are busy scheming and lying, trying to configure components and trying to foolishly spin the reality. Without showing the reality, that is why the leaks of possible damage of the Brexit took so long. The Department tried to keep them to themselves, because they knew these numbers would hurt the cause. That is why David Davis and others in the Tories wanted to keep all information to not show the reality to the public. Because they knew that this was an issue and would likely make the citizens afraid of leaving.

The United Kingdom citizens should ask for openness and transparency, as the state have tried to not show the reality for months and since the referendum. That shouldn’t be the state of affairs, and that is why the uncertainty is there. Combined with the lack clear policies and willingness to show what sort of exit the UK wants. As they have moved back- and fourth. There been so much squabble and internal issues within the Tories alone. That the Brexiteers and the Remainers have made the negotiations and the EU uncertain of what the UK really wants. The EU have clear guidelines, but the UK want to make their own. Which will be impossible.

This saga is far from over, but the Tories will continue to spin, but not be caught in the hype. The losers are the public and the citizens, as the uncertainty only makes businesses and the manufacturing companies more certain of moving across the borders to safety. The Brexit Dividend is a forgery and will not become a reality. Only May and her Brexiteers believes that. Peace.

#UGBudget18: Museveni – Was this a budget speech?

I don’t know where start or where to finish. As I am not a tool of propaganda and here to make the President look like super-star with a brilliant mind. Warning the media, banning Police Bond for Killers and all other spats of nonsense, which has nothing to do with the budget. It is just like he has defend himself. As President, he even attacked MPs and their attitude. They were ATMs to their voters, something he is and been called himself. He even recently tried to bribe his MP into position in Rukungiri. So that the President has short-term memory is evident.

You know he is in self-hostile territory, when one of the biggest donors and on of the biggest media owners Aga Khan gets a warning. Surely, the President cannot handle journalism and only care about praise. He cannot manage that people are looking into the growing debt. As this budget alone is 10 trillion back-pay of loans of the 32 trillions spent. While there is shortfall and growing deficit and the donor funds are still dwindling. Therefore, the need for loans to cover the shortfall is needed. So what the President is creating is a debt-trap. He can say he managed that since he used 27 guns, but different to blow former-leadership into oblivion and actually being able to repay your debt.

I am just awaiting the salute and the simple minded changes he is progressing into middle-income country, as the President is showing less intent of doing anything. He just talking about nothing and everything. Quoting the bible and acting holier than the pope, while warning everyone else. Not that it is securing anything. He will secure it all, as he is the man who has the answers. If this is getting boring, is that he has done this for 32 years and counting. And has not changed, other than his face and tenure of hair on his head.

It is like he doesn’t care and just say whatever that is on his mind. No one will fact-check or really check the relevance, because why mind. Its a deluded old man, who has been so long in power, that the ones going against are either in jail or possibly monitored by the sleeping police officers his been talking about. He is again blaming the mindset of Ugandans. Because there is never his fault. He has just been running the enclave and people gotten lazy, awaiting handouts. Not like he has delivered any of his pledges, built institutions or prosperous organizations for the citizens. That is just his lack of mindset and work ethic.

Therefore, there is no need to really dig deep into the speech. It is mere facade, a mere forged mirage of utter nonsense. A speech rampant of lies and warnings. If your a journalist or MP, you should feel offended. Because he expect to be praised, while your supposed to carry the nonsense from him.

The saddest part is that he takes no responsibility, that he has no accountability or no common sense. That this man just continuing to utter these words, like a word-salad of mockery of intelligence. While expecting that the spinning-machine of his party, his spokespersons and friendly media will make him look a giant. They will eat the crap out of it and make it look like gold, but its only fools gold. Not worth the bling its made off, better to buy a Rollex in Wandegeya, it will at least fill your tummy for a moment. Because the fools gold will be worthless and just ready for the bin.

President Museveni has no cards to play or nothing to say that changes the narrative. Only 1986ing the world and hoping he can get away with it. However, the debt trap should worry him. Nevertheless, it is the next generation that will pay-back it and he will be dead by then. Peace.

KCC dispute: GÉCAMINES reaches an agreement with KATANGA GROUP, and defines with GLENCORE the foundations for a new win-win partnership (13.06.2018)

LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 13, 2018 – On 12 June 2018, GÉCAMINES (www.Gecamines.cd), together with its subsidiary SOCIÉTÉ IMMOBILIÈRE DU CONGO (“SIMCO”), entered into with KATANGA MINING LIMITED and some of its affiliated companies (the “KATANGA GROUP”) as well as their joint company KAMOTO COPPER COMPANY (“KCC”), a settlement agreement (the “Agreement”).

Under the terms of the Agreement, the following goals and results are targeted, among others:

  • KCC’s net equity will be restored in accordance with applicable laws ;
  • KCC’s indebtedness towards the GLENCORE group will be reduced from 9 billion USD down to 3.45 billion USD as at 1 January 2018;
  • Interest rates applicable on intra-group loans are revised and shall no longer exceed 6% per year;
  • On the basis of KCC’s current business plan, as early as the 2019 fiscal year, GÉCAMINES will start, for the first time, receiving dividends, which assessed cumulated amount should exceed 2 billion USD over the next ten years;
  • The profits will allow for the payment of corporate taxes being likely to significantly contribute to the replenishment the Congolese State’s treasury;
  • A better valuation, in the future, of GÉCAMINES’ contribution of the copper and cobalt deposits to the partnership through a significant increase of the amount per ton of the pas de porte, from 35 USD to 110 USD, and which can reach 170 USD in certain scenarios;
  • A significant increase of the valuation of GÉCAMINES’ ownership in KCC, which value was until then nil due to the high level of indebtedness of the company;
  • The waiver by KCC to the benefit of the JORC certified reserves amounting to 3,992,185 tCu and 205,629 tCo (the “Reserves”), releasing GÉCAMINES from its obligation to deliver the Reserves or, failing that, to pay a counter-value of a maximum amount of 285 million USD;
  • The payment by the KATANGA GROUP of a settlement indemnity (150 million USD) in favor GÉCAMINES; and
  • The withdrawal by GÉCAMINES and SIMCO, at closing, from the judicial proceeding initiated before the Commercial Court of Kolwezi on 20 April 2018.

GÉCAMINES welcomes the outcome of the discussions with the KATANGA GROUP and its majority shareholder GLENCORE PLC, and the new foundations now set for the partnership, with a view to an effective sharing of wealth, with immediate financial benefits for all the stakeholders, and in particular the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the affected communities. GÉCAMINES hopes that upcoming negotiations with other partners and companies will be conducted in a similar open and respectful climate, and will reach the same satisfactory outcome.

Brexit: House of Commons – Consideration of Lords Amendments – “The Unity Amendment”

Brexit: The UK will get a HARD Border with the EU!

The European Union has a rebuttal to the United Kingdom’s technical note on the Temporary Customs Arrangement with the EU, that they published on the 7th June 2018. Again, there are questionable things with the UK arrangement. As they are not properly prepared or have solutions to the new status of the Kingdom. That is weird that after so long working on leaving the EU, the UK still have no clue or at least delivering hackwork to the negotiating partner.

That is why some parts of the Technical Note from EU that was published today is critiquing the UK. They are really leaving nothing behind. Everything is criticized, they did this on the 8th June 2018 and published it today on the 11th June 2018. So the EU didn’t wait long to answer the UK.

What the UK lacks in their note is to explain this parts to the EU:

Customs

Duties, VAT and excise, trade policy, governance

Regulatory [no UK proposal]”

That the UK and the Tories have no explanation concerning the duties, VAT, excise, trade policy or even governance of the Customs Unions between them. That the duties of goods, the lack of explaining the VAT arrangement and general trade policy. This is all about how the UK as a third-party state to the EU will comply with the standards and also how they will tax the goods. How the labeling and the checking of the goods between the EU and the UK. That is the governance that is not explained. They have been working on this months and still have no clear indication of how the UK plans to this and what they are wanting to see.

There is no regulation or regulatory explanation of it. That is a real surprise, as this is tale of how the goods and the movement of products are supposed to adjust the new border requirement. The Customs will then follow standards and protocol of the papers, licenses and the general checks of the goods. The added duties, VAT and excise taxes as well. It is weird that the negotiating team of the UK haven’t delivered.

The EU Note is specific in the nature that the EU decision-making autonomy in Trade Policy and also Full EU Supervision and enforcement mechanisms, this means the UK has to follow both parts of the Trade Policy from the EU. That is if they want their goods to be fairly crossing into the Customs Union and the regulations they are following it. It is interesting and weird that the UK have no proposal for the regulatory devices of the customs arrangement between them. If that isn’t a failure, than nothing is.

The key ending of the arrangement from the technical note is this: “Does not cover regulatory controls, leading to a hard border”. So the softness of the UK will not have affect, the effect of the withdrawal will be hard, the price of leaving the Union will be hard. The border are most likely hard, as the proposals are either non-existing or not following the needs of the EU. This is something the negotiating team of UK should know. They cannot have the same arrangement as they have today, because they are not an member(wrote that a few times now, but it seem to be consistent with the nonsense the London offices gives to the world).

That is the impact the UK has to await themselves. Even Michel Barnier stated this on the 8th of June:

In all the UK papers that we have been receiving until now – which I read carefully with my team – there has been a request to maintain the status quo, a form of continuity, which is paradoxical seeing as the country decided itself to leave the European Union. The United Kingdom seems to want to maintain the benefits of the current relationship, while leaving the EU regulatory, supervision, and application framework. When we respond to UK leaders saying that these benefits are not accessible outside the EU system – because of their decision – some people in the UK try to blame us for the consequences of this. I simply want to say that we will not be swayed, I will not be swayed, by this blame game” (Press statement by Michel Barnier following this week’s round of negotiations, 08.06.2018).

The UK have stop sending their hob-knobs across Calais and send someone with a little common sense. They must be embarrassed, the people of United Kingdom should be shocked and in awe. Because their politicians are continuing to their future and their opportunities for a ride. The Tories Government should deliver safe customs union and policies, which fit with their new role with the EU. Instead, they are thinking it be worked out in the near future. United Kingdom and their businesses should worry about this, hard border because of laziness and lack of delivery to the negotiating team.

The only one losing big is the UK and not the EU. The EU are asking for certain things from the UK. Which the UK doesn’t even have and that puts the EU into a positions, where they have to make a HARD BORDER. Because their rules will not be changed by a outside entity like the UK. Peace.

A new look into how the poorest is hit by new Social Media Tax!

Twaweza statistics published on Twitter 8th June 2018

Again, there is proof that the Parliamentary Report on the Exercise Duty Bill Amendment of 2018 was not accurate and not directed to its citizens. I have already questioned it and the lack of due diligence as the 9 page report. The report are directly saying the tax rise and reasons for issuing it. Therefore, I will again show the lowest levels civil servants. They are on salaries, not hawking for money or getting random paychecks. So their estimations are possible to do. The street hustlers will struggle with this. Even the lowest paying civil servants will as well.

By the time of November 2017, the lowest paid salaries for certain government employees are yearly about 250,000 shillings likes the U8 Local Government Workers. Others are the likes of U7 Primary School Teachers about 380,000 shillings. For the U8 Monthly salary about 20,000 shillings and the U7 Monthly salary about 31,000 shillings.

When knowing the lowest have 20k shillings to spend and the lowest teachers about 31k shillings. Because Twaweza has made a reasonable stat on the airtime spending plus the new tax. Everyone will be added 6k shillings. That means the one who has lost the most is the poorest who has about 14k before paying for airtime even. The next lowest is down to 25k and that is before airtime on the cell-phone. If you don’t like the numbers and the costs, no one should because this is huge added tax. An as long you can use and have it installed on your device, the state will take 200,- shillings per day.

All of the numbers I use is from Twaweza statistics. If you 9,900 on Airtime a month, the total cost a month on a phone cost 15,900. That is near the whole salary of the U8 and near half of the U7. Both showing that this is something they cannot afford to do. The ordinary rural spending about 7,900 shillings on airtime and total cost 13,900. even with that the rest of the salary for U8 in rural areas will be about 6,100 shillings. That cannot be enough to sustain their daily lives? It works for the teachers, even if it rough for the U7 who has 17,100 shillings left on their salary. This is just one of the new taxes, not on all the rest of the new issued too. Which all will hit the public differently.

While the lowest estimated usage now is the ones that spend 3,700 shillings on airtime, will totally pay 9,700 shillings. That is still a major part of salaries and nearly no use of the phone. The payment goes all to the Social Media Tax and not onto using the phone itself. They are overly taxing the public, the poorest will have to delete social media and save the money. Because they cannot afford to spend close to 10,000 shillings a month and close 120,000 shillings a year on being on WhatsApp, Facebook and Viber.

It is like the National Resistance Movement (NRM) don’t want to show their retrogressive attitude to the public. Where they are attacking the poorest in the rural areas.

This is all boggling me, that this sort of idea wasn’t put in the report and wasn’t considered. If the report and Members of Parliament cared, they would have considered the implications on the poorests. Even the lack-luster salaries of the U7 and U8, which will be severely hit by this.

Is this what Museveni’s revolution was all about eating of the peasants and taking their spoils, while taxing their leftovers and enriching themselves? Was that what the Bush-War was all about?

Take public for granted, keeping them poor and when the debt hit the fan. Make sure the poorest get doubled taxed. Peace.

Under the Jubilee: The Corruption has grown with 240%!

If you ever wondered why I am never shocked by bribes, graft or grand corruption scandals in Kenya. That is because that is Modus Operandi of the Jubilee government. It is their bread and butter, it is the beer for the alcoholics. Nothing of that is shocking, it is expected. That the State Enterprises, the National Budgets and the other parts of government is used by the civil servants, the appointed leadership and the cabinet itself to enrich themselves. That is done instead of delivering services and government policies to the public. This is thieving and stealing from the public and what they are supposed to get from the government.

Here is the key part of the article in quote, where the stat comes from:

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho has admitted in a sworn affidavit that corruption in Kenya has grown by a massive 240 per cent over the past five years. In the affidavit dated June 8, the PS listed a number of corruption cases that cost tax payers billions of shillings as a result of flawed procurement processes alone since the Jubilee administration took office in 2013.The affidavit is in response to a decision by the Employment and Labour Relations court to set aside government’s decision to suspend all heads of procurement and accounting units in ministries, departments, agencies and state corporations” (Wanjala, 2018).

The number Kibicho is witnessing to the Court is worrying that means that it has more than doubled, it is nearly 2,5 times higher than in 2013. If that isn’t a horrific escalation of misuse, maladministration and of corrupt behavior. Then nothing is and this is really, really making things worse. It is systemic and epidemic. The Jubilee is misusing their power to enrich themselves. Kenyatta and Ruto knows this, the whole State House and everyone in Parliament is in on it. They are scheming differently to ensure their ill-gained goods and services, instead of serving the public. All of them are a part of it and making sure it continues. This isn’t just NYS Scandal 1.0 and 2.0, but it is all the rest. This is every single part of government and every State Enterprise. Every single one of them are doing it and partly part of the growing corruption scandals. The root is rotten and the state is filled with people taking advantage of the situation.

The way to redeem it is to rebuild and make sure there is a legitimate government, a government representing the people, as they wished, not a computer generated President and his cabinet. This is a government created with forgery and faking PR Stunts, which borrows, steals and are indifferent to the public needs. The next generation will pay the cost for this thieving of public resources. This is sad and terrifying.

That Kenyatta and Ruto doesn’t care is evident as they are busy eating. Eating today and tomorrow. There is no return. No return from this, unless people actually acts towards their government and asks them for redemption. They are taken for granted and are misused on a daily basis. That is what the State House and government does to them. Get wealth on being in public office and spending time getting rich. Not building state institutions or better delivery of state services to the public. Peace.

Reference:

Wanjala, Emmanuel – ‘Corruption has grown 240% over 5 years – PS Kibicho’ (09.06.2018) link: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/06/09/corruption-has-grown-240-over-5-years-ps-kibicho_c1770543

Fresh UN Report: Illigal Gold Smuggling from the DRC to Uganda!

There been new reports on the gold smuggling to Uganda from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, it needs more reporting, as this illegal trading and looting of mineral resources from the Republic needs to be put a spotlight on. As this trade is feeding illegitimate government and militias whose using force against innocent civilians and citizens in general. This report that is reported in the report from the Group of Experts are expelling a deep, but also a volatile story of how they are transporting and getting the illegal gold into the market.

We can wonder if this gold enters the Gen. Salim Selah owned African Gold Refinery Limited in Entebbe, before flying away into the World Market through the brokers and traders there. We can question that, as the government on both sides of the border is accepting this. They are both earning on this and not registering it. Therefore, the location of extraction is kept secret, while the production and the paperwork is kept under the radar. That is why the consumer cannot know under what condition the gold came from and that is worrying. The smuggling, the lack of paperwork and forging of documents shows they are really pushing the boundaries to get into the global markets.

Also, this shows how blatant disregard for maladministration, they have done deliberately and not cared about the public.

Smugglers used the road to Mahagi, where they travelled either by motorbike, taxi or even truck. At the border with Uganda, when they were eventually checked, they bribed customs officials on the Congolese side. All of the Group’s informants on this issue confirmed that, in Goli, on the Ugandan side of the border, they were not asked to present papers or explain the origin of gold that they carried. Mahagi is a long-established hub of the smuggling route” (P: 22)

Two brokers told the Group that they mainly carried gold from mining sites in Kawa and Monbgwalu in Djugu territory. When they arrived in Goli, they would meet with a broker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who would accompany them to sell to Kampala-based dealers. One of the brokers told the Group that, until February 2018, he travelled to Kampala every two weeks with about 3 kilograms of gold (approximately $132,000) 20 per trip” (P: 22-23).

The Group confirmed that, in Entebbe Airport, companies sell empty seats. As previously documented, empty seats are used by smugglers to transport gold concealed in hand luggage. Two individuals associated with the gold sector in Kampala, one Kampala-based gold broker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one migration officer stationed at the airport in Entebbe told the Group that, despite the official claim that minerals cannot leave the country without proper paperwork, gold smugglers continue to travel either without documentation or with forged documents. The migration officer and the broker told the Group that the owners of gold being trafficked do not travel themselves but use couriers who fly to Dubai to deliver the gold to buyers there. The two sources added that couriers can operate easily because they bribe customs and security officers at Entebbe airport” (…) “Two Ugandan nationals working for two airlines operating from Entebbe informed the Group that they are not requested to check gold in hand luggage. In the course of its current mandate, the Group held discussions with senior officials of eight airlines operating in and out of the Great Lakes region, who said that their primary role in checking passengers was to make sure no one was carrying anything that could jeopardize the security of the plane, a policy focusing almost entirely on weapons and explosives. The Group is of the view that gold transported on commercial aeroplanes should not be banned as it represents a key form of export for responsible artisanal and small-scale mining activity that observes the requisite due diligence guidelines. However, there is a need to address the loopholes related to the illegal transportation of gold carried in hand luggage on commercial aeroplanes” (P: 24, 2018).

Clearly, the illegal trade of gold should be looked into and be a worry for the international community, as the is funding militias and illegal activity within the DRC. This should not be overlooked, the clear indication of smuggling gold and also not registering the conflict minerals. Therefore, this is sophisticated and using all means to bribe lower level civil servants on both sides, to secure the trade of this can go-on. Both republic’s can do something about this, if they cared or had incentive to do so. However, they seem pretty fine and dandy with this activity. As the state and the close connected activity with the elites who are sponging the funds made from it.

That is why even President Museveni was there for the opening of the Gold Refinery in Entebbe. That shows that the Republic have no trouble with illegal smuggling of gold from the DRC. Peace.

Reference:

United Nations Security Council – ‘ Final report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’ (04.06.2018).