When did it become okay? That the Politicians of our time are richer than businessmen!

There is no art which one government sooner learns of another than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.” Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

Something is wrong in our day and age. When the Members of Parliament, the politicians and the appointed leadership are richer, than ever before. When the politicians and the ones representing us are richer than the ones building factories and owning businesses. That is just wrong, that is not right. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

The Members of Parliament, the politicians, the councilors and the local government officials wasn’t supposed to be the kingpins and have the biggest mansions. They are supposed to represent us and make sure that society are working for all of us. Maybe with different ideology and party affiliation, but their existence and their livelihood depend on the idea, that they are representing us. The politicians are supposed to be there for us and be there as guards. And if we don’t like they way they are guarding our society, we change them with someone else in the next election. That is how it is supposed to be, right?

However, that is not the case in our day. To many places they are honorable, they are noble, they have more businesses than businessmen, they have more investment too. They are using their connections for government tenders and also trading with State Owned Enterprises (SOE). All of this so they can sponge off the state and secure even more profits on the dime of the citizens. Instead of delivering and representing, they are become traders of faith and billing society too.

That wasn’t the intention. It wasn’t supposed to be rigged elections and fixed results. That makes sense for the leadership not representing the people or delivering. Since they don’t have to, it is just a charade securing the leadership “legitimacy” with an election, but the people didn’t elect them. That was ghosts, bots and algorithms. They have no interests in caring or delivering. Neither has the ones who used a coup to gain power. They fought there for their own will, not depending on the goodwill and trust of the public.

There are so many leaders and MPs, so many parliamentarians who seems more preoccupied with their SUVs, Mansions, Salaries and expense accounts. That they are not considering the troubles of the working people, about the pensioners and the ones unemployed. They are just happy go lucky, that the fortune hit them. The poverty, the lacking services and the misuse of power doesn’t mind them. These people could make it on their own, that is why they are unfortunate. Not that it’s the MPs, the Presidents or the representatives who didn’t see who they represent.

When we forget that they are representing us, they are representing the ideas of our society and the will of change that is needed. There is always need for change and need for productivity. There is always need for service delivery and making sure the government are accountable. However, when the representative is more keen on their own pockets and getting connections to enrich themselves. Then they loose their meaning and their purpose. They are then marionettes for the elites and the corporations. The politicians becomes stooges and relics instead of the representing the people of their constituency.

This has to change, we have to change this, we cannot accept that the MPs, the politicians are taking us for granted and using us for their own gain. They are there to serve, unless they don’t change. We have to serve them, we have to demonstrate and boycott their well-wishers. We cannot just look at these leaders of ours and be happy with it.

If they wont represent us, then we have to get fresh blood. Get people who actually care and give a damn. Because the ones in our time are greedy, selfish loot of people, who needs to recognized and be dealt with, before we are dealt with and we will be left behind. Peace.

Minister Kasaija are borrowing more money, because of a shortfall he say!

Uganda is your country. When you’re writing a story, ask yourself if it is going to build or destroy Uganda. Is it going to bring peace or anarchy?” (…) “I’m advising my good friends of New Vision that for the good of your country, do not publish stories that are not true. My telephone number is known by everyone, call me. If I can’t respond then wait, because I’m also a busy man but I’ll respond. Let me repeat, for the good of your country, please don’t publish false stories” – Matia Kasaija, Minster of Finance.

I know, some people get touchy when stories comes out. Out of the woodworks suddenly the questions arise and people are thinking? Why? Why does the state borrow even more funds, is it needed even? How come the State, who is already borrowing heavy sums of money from all sort of bilateral, multi-national banking institutions suddenly need to borrow money from domestic sources. That question should be asked and need to questioned. Since the reality of the matter, isn’t what it is used to, since this government cannot even explain where the PTA Loans went. It is amazing how things are going, that the State can take up loans like this after already no accountability on the previous ones. The same minister is already questioned for the loans done with PTA loans, who knows what else that has gone missing, as the GAVI and CHOGM Funds of the past suddenly vanished into thin air, hard not imagine that this could happen again.

“Yesterday, Monday 19th February 2018 the New Vision Newspaper front page lead headline stated that Government is borrowing UShs. 700 Billion to pay salaries for public servants. I would like to inform the General Public that this story was an exaggeration of the proposed borrowing that I laid before Parliament. We borrow to a large extent to finance capital development and production. In my letter dated 9th February 2018; I submitted a proposal to Parliament seeking authority from the House, in accordance with the requirements of Article 159 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, to borrow additional Ushs 736 Billion from the domestic financial market to finance the Budget for FY 2017/18” (Uganda Media Centre, 2018).

This money will go to “development and production”. We can wonder where that is, if it is the bills of Gen. Salim Selah hotels as the seedlings delivered by, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) is lack-lustre at best. Who knows where all the pooled monies for NAADS are going, but clearly not all of it is not going to micro-economic benefits for the society.

Shortfall is clearly there and the weak economy, that has been juiced up and run like a drunk seaman. That is why as the last end of bottle of beer is there and the need to go down to the bar and buy more brew on credit. That is the ordeal of the day. It is not a narration by Morgan Freeman and a beautiful tale of forgiveness and hope. No, it is a tragic day of even more debt, this time internally and used by the state. Since they are embezzling and taking away funds from the public. This will create more pressure for liquidity in the banks who borrows to the state, as this is taking from their own reserves to bailout the state. Eventually, the state has to find other funds to pay back the banks.

It doesn’t take a wise to understand, that adding more debt, while growing debt and also paying interests is a vicious cycle. They are recycling loans and adding more interests and more debt to be repaid in due time. We can just pound on that and wonder why the state hasn’t made a budget that is within the reach of the economy, but the government isn’t like that. They are spending money like there are no tomorrow. Having one beer, another one and another one. Now it’s drunk and don’t want to lose the edge, the steam and the good feeling of tipsy. The state doesn’t want to get the hangover and deal with the cure. They just want to shug more bottles and hope no one notice. Peace.

Reference:

Uganda Media Centre – ‘Statement on the proposed government borrowing of UGX 700 billion #UGCabinetResolutions’ (20.02.2018) link: https://ugandamediacentreblog.wordpress.com/2018/02/20/statement-on-the-proposed-government-borrowing-of-ugx-700-billion-ugcabinetresolutions/

U.S. Treasury Report says expanding sanctions could hurt Russia: However Trump is afraid to ruffle their feathers!

Seemingly the United States Department of Treasury has worked on a report that explains the possible impact of the sanctions that the Congress would have put on the Russian Federation. Instead, this will not happen, because the President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. They are afraid of rocking the boat and actually do anything about it. Like they have traded their soul for loyalty to Kremlin, instead of working for the American government. It is seemingly so, since they have not been able to follow the Congress attitude and neither with the general opinion of the people of the United States. Who has loyalty to the republic and not the Russian Federation.

(U) The modifications to Directive 1 made on September 29, 2017 were required Ьу Section 223(Ь) of CAATSA, and as required Ьу that section, took effect on September 29, 2017, the authorized tenor for new debt issued on or after November 28, 2017 is 14 days or less. U.S. persons are therefore prohibited fоr dealing in new debt issued bу, on behalf of, or for the benefit of persons operating in Russia’s financial sector named under Directive 1, their property, or their interests in property if the debt’s maturity period exceeds 14 days. Other tenors apply to debt issued between July 16, 2014 and November 28, 2017. Directive 1 also includes а prohibition on dealing in new equity issued Ьу, on behalf of, or for the benefit of persons operating in Russia’s financial sector named under Directive 1, their property, or their interests in property. This report does not further address the equity prohibitions of Section 242 of CAATSA” (Department of the Treasury, 2018).

Expanding Directive 1 to include dealings in new Russian sovereign debt and the full range of related derivatives would likely raise borrowing costs for Russia; prompt Russian authorities to alter their fiscal and monetary strategies; put downward pressure on Russian economic growth; destabilize financial markets, including Russia’s repurchase market, which is critical for overnight bank funding; increase strain on Russia’s banking sector; and lead to Russian retaliation against U.S. interests” (Department of the Treasury, 2018).

Seemingly after this, the US Senate and House wanted the Russian Federation to feel more effect of the sanctions. The reasons for why you have sanctions in the first place, to hurt the ones sanctioned. If not the sanctions are not working and not stopping the sanctioned individual or company, even nations so they have to change behavior. However, at this stage the United States seems more on the defense. Than actually thinking of hurting the Federation who acted with swift activity in their election.

The United States should act and use tactics that hurt Russia. Especially, since they have used all sort of ploy to manipulate the electorate and elections towards a candidate of their choosing. If that isn’t interfering and insulting to the US. Then nothing is, the US should act upon it and use more sanctions to add more leverage. So that Russian Federation actually acts differently.

It is strange that the United States doesn’t want to use their tools and their tricks to hurt Russia. Especially after what they did in 2016 and what sort of knowledge they do have on the Russian interference. That was the reason why President Barrack Obama in the first place put new sanctions on Russia. Now, President Trump won’t do it and cannot stomach to pursuit the wishes of Congress and actually sanction Russia. That is weird, especially if United States wants leverage over Russian counterparts. That would seem natural. Especially if Trump is the deal-maker he talked about during campaigns, but not shown since.

However, it seems with day after day, that Russians has Trump cornered, since he will never blame or act upon Russia. He will attack anyone else, but not look into what the Russians did with elections. There is to many questions, but if the Americans had a possibility to make a difference and hurt Kremlin. The added sanctions would. Trump seems like indifference and its rare. Peace.

Reference:

Department of the Treasury – ‘(U//FOUO) U.S. Treasury Report on Economic Impact of Russian Sanctions)’ (2018)

Opinion: Jubilee plans to grow the debt even further with a new Eurobond!

The Jubilee and the Uhuru Kenyatta are already in a slippery slope politically and aggressively as a Dictator, who force himself on the public and uses the government institutions to himself. While promising empty promises with the 4 pillar agenda. That his government are planning to grow debt, you can wonder why, since the growing debt makes the state misuse the revenue, as already now the 20%. That is one fifth of the revenue going directly to pay debt. If that isn’t sounding worrying, then the state should find other ways to gain revenue and not take another Eurobond. Especially with the political climate and the Moody’s downgrade, who is a signal to the world that the premiums and points on the dollar will be worse.

However, Kenyatta isn’t pounding on the people. That is why the news of new Eurobond isn’t positive news for the Republic. Just read the report in Bloomberg, before collected information on the growing debt.

The ministry also chose Standard Chartered Bank Plc and Standard Bank Group’s Kenyan unit Stanbic Holdings to help with the sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the appointment hasn’t been made public yet. Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich didn’t answer two calls to his mobile Wednesday, while Treasury Director of Budget Geoffrey Mwau declined to comment when asked about planned sale on Tuesday. The Treasury will seek to raise $1.5 billion to $3 billion in bonds, with a tenor of up 15 years, according to two of the people. JPMorgan, Citigroup, Standard Chartered and Stanbic declined to comment” (Changole & Martin, 2018).

To take the numbers from Focus Economics who said the Public Debt of GDP in 2012 was 42%, the first year of Uhuru Kenyatta it become 44,5%. In 2014 it had been risen to 45,9% and after the first Eurobond, the rising debt in 2015 was 50,4% and in 2016 it became 53,5%. Therefore, the estimates of the new bonds will make it rise in 2018/19 until about 60%. This combined with the state will pay 20% interest of all revenue to the old debt in 2018. Those has also risen from 13,7% in 2012/13. That is why the state is paying more and more back to creditors in interest, than actually serving citizens with needed services.

The Eurobond scandal still looms over Jubilee’s government and remains an unresolved mystery in the Country’s treasury records. Corruption scandals also sift down to the County governments with many county governors performing badly in the last 5 years. Many of these leaders have also been accused of corruption and misappropriation of funds meant for development projects” (Konrad Adenauer Stifung, 2017).

You can wonder why the JP Morgan who was implicated in the first Eurobonds want to repeat a corrupt saga again and take responsibility for making the Jubilee able to eat directly from loans they have provided. So even as the elections of September 2017, the government still couldn’t verify the usage of the previous Eurobond. Therefore, the International Banks and Bilateral Monetary Organizations shouldn’t help this government, as they have triggered straight looting of the state. If it wasn’t so, then the state should have the invoices and proof of the used funds from the other loans. However, that is day dreaming and possibly dropped into the artificial dam around the home of Deputy President William Ruto.

For now, we can question the Kenyatta and the Jubilee government will to take up new loans. Because this will add debt, growing rates and because of the political climate, the cost of the loans and the interests rates. The presidency and the analysts at the Ministry of Finance should care and be worried, but I think they are eating of the plate too. So they don’t care about the next term or the future. Since they are making it worse for the coming generations to repay debts and they mature, and the state are losing points on the dollar. Because of the ruthless actions of the Jubilee against the opposition. That will also cost citizens, since they are now paying more for the second Eurobonds. Peace.

Reference:

Changole, Adelaide & Martin, Matthew – ‘Kenya to Pick Citi, JPMorgan to Advise on Eurobond Sale’ (07.02.2018) link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-07/kenya-is-said-to-pick-citi-jpmorgan-to-advise-on-eurobond-sale

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung – ‘Reporting on Kenyan General Election 2017: A month to the polls’ (August, 2017)

Opinion: OPM “Ghosting” Refugees are following a long-history of “ghosts” from the Ministry!

I wish I could make this up, but there are to coincidences that just doesn’t happen, that the Prime Minister of Uganda Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi meets on the 2nd February 2018 and just mere days after the sources are revealing to the Daily Monitor about Ghost Refugees. Because the PM went into agreement of monitoring and scaling the Refugees after UNHCR standards.

As the official note of the meeting said:

Rugunda said the Government is committed to the noble cause of supporting refugees in the country, adding that government has agreed to embrace the UNHCR registration system to enhance its work in the refugee settlement areas. “Government has accepted to use the UNHCR system of registration for refugees to enable proper identification of refugees which will enable us to serve them better. The system will also enable collection of reliable data and records of refugees,” Rugunda said.” (OPM, 2018).

It is just so fitting that it happens just day before these ghosts was revealed on the 5th February:

Our sources said a number of spot-checks were made to test the accuracy of the refugee numbers that have been reported. Daily Monitor understands that one spot-check was conducted in Kampala. When the more than 26,000 refugees, who were purportedly receiving provisions were asked to physically turn up and collect their share, only about 7,000 showed up, suggesting that about 19,000 were “ghosts” whose monies and other resources had been pocketed by some individuals in OPM. The sources also pointed to collusion between OPM officials and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to steal the monies and other resources meant for refugees” (Serunjogi, 2018).

That means the UNHCR and OPM had no problem to fix funding for 19,000 ghosts in their systems. This meaning both the government and the UN Body in Uganda used the Refugee crisis to eat the money. They was initially eating on the people fleeing civil war in South Sudan and Internal Conflict (silent war) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These individuals needs shelter and support until they can return home to their war-torn regions.

This means that the fleeing people are used in schemes to gain fortunes. You have merchants of death, selling weapons to warlords. Then you have boosters of the aid-industry to create crisis to get careers by the misfortune of people. This is what the latter did, made fortunes and crimes against refugees for their own benefit. It’s sick and disgusting.

The OPM and the Ugandan authorities accepted the UNHCR methods days ahead, but their where people on the inside of UNHCR who accepted ghosts. However, the OPM have had similar scandals with cars, civil servants, teachers, schools, “air supply” and students. All of the been ghosting and even phantom projects, which only exists on paper, but not in reality. This is scandals only going back to 2012, 2013 and thereabouts. It isn’t ancient or back to the stone-age. The OPM is known for this and has done it under the PM Mbabazi and now under PM Dr. Rugunda. Different childhood friend, but the same narrative.

Therefore, it’s nothing new that the OPM are ghosting in Uganda, it is just demeaning and disgraceful that they do this to refugees. And on the payment of foreign donors and after pleas of pledges during the Refugee Summit last year. Where Museveni felt they should get funds for local development too, not only benefit the refugees. When that sentiment is clear, showing that ghosts are made to benefit the locals and not only the refugees. The leaders are eating on the misfortune of the fleeing individuals.

That should be sickening. Clearly its not for the OPM and UNHCR. Peace.

Reference:

OPM – ‘UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES VISITS UGANDA’ (02.02.2018) link. http://opm.go.ug/2018/02/02/united-nations-high-commissioner-for-refugees-visits-uganda/

Sserunjogi, Eriasa Mukiibi – ‘OPM hit by refugee corruption scandal’ (05.02.2018) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/OPM-hit-refugee-corruption-scandal-/688334-4291600-13m30m6z/index.html

Philippines: DILG’s directive of creating a BIT registry will make it harder for the Barangay’s officials to eat the money!

President Duterte’s unwavering political resolve to defeat corruption and bring about positive change makes our efforts all worthwhile” – Carlos Dominguez III

On the 14th May 2018, the Barangay and Sangguniang Elections are scheduled to take place in the Philippines. Therefore the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) are preparing elections. This is the local elections for the local government, meaning wards and municipalities are preparing for the coming elections, where mayors, councilors and governors are elected. Therefore, this is vital for the local democracy and the city halls. Also for the parties and the citizens as a whole to see the state of affairs and the leadership. If they need renewal of the incumbents or need new blood to generate change. If the citizens locally can change out the old and get fresh eyes to local questions and budgets. To secure better service delivery.

The good news from the Central Government and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are preparing this for the election and future leadership of the Local Government:

As part of the DILG’s preparations for the forthcoming Barangay Elections this May, DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo Ano is directing all incumbent punong barangays to conduct an inventory of barangay financial records and properties under their custody from the start of their term of office up to the present” (…) “Ano issued the directive this early to ensure smooth and systematic transition from the outgoing barangay officials to the incoming newly elected or re-elected barangay officials come June 30” (…) “This is also part of our efforts to sustain transparent and accountable local governance at the barangay level and to further ensure that all concerned barangay officials exercise due diligence in using barangay funds and properties,” he said” (…) “Under the directive, a Barangay Inventory Team (BIT) shall be created in each barangay to be chaired by the punong barangay. Its members shall include at least two kagawads, a barangay secretary, a barangay treasurer, a bookkeeper or city or municipal representative, and at least two civil society organization (CSO) representatives, preferably from a faith-based organization or members of the Barangay Development Council” (…) “Part of the functions of the BIT is to ensure the completeness of all barangay properties, financial records and documents (BPFRDs). BPFRDs include legislative and administrative records, transcript or minutes of meetings, list and status of complaints filed before the Lupong Tagapamayapa, updated registry of barangay inhabitants, list or inventory of current local or international development assisted projects, and all other documents containing barangay transactions” (DILG, 2018).

So this directive made by Minister Eduardo Ano is clearly setting up guidelines and the protocols to secure the funds of the Local Government. The new officials will have to keep the books and records of spending or financial transactions. This so the local officials cannot embezzle and misuse the public funds. This is yet another measure to stop corrupt behavior by President Rodrigo Duterte who has already established an Anti-Corruption Commission or the Philippines Truth Commission (PTC) in October 2017. The Philippines already have the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS), who was established in 2003 to also combat corruption, but this is made strictly for the ill-behavior in the Department of Finance. You also have the Office of the Ombudsman who has a mandate, which is specified to this: “The Ombudsman shall give priority to complaints filed against high ranking government officials and/or those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties (Sec. 15, R.A. No. 6770)” (Ombudsman.gov.ph – about us – Mandate). Final institution to look into the Finances and Assets of the Government concerning corruption is the Commission of Audit, the Komisyon ng Pangsuri. Which is also mandated to examine, audit and settle all accounts of the government. Check if the local authorities are following procedure or if they have overpaid for their services.

So Ano with the directive with Local BIT within every Barangay plus the already sufficient monitoring agents of RIPS, Ombudsman, COA and PTC. There should be such amount of measures to stop graft, corruption and kickbacks. Even if someone will always try to use their power for favors, build the most fantastic house in field outside of town or just making sure Mayor can use the ATM at the City Hall more than anyone else. Now they have the BIT to make sure the jobs of COA, Ombudsman and PTC is easier. Since the Barangay has to make sure their portfolio and their assets are verified before a transition. The local government has to deliver stocks, accounts and the lists of properties. To prove what they do have and not hide funds away from the Central Government. Clearly, this is a trick to make sure the Public Officials doesn’t misuse or hide information, values that the tax-payer pays for or even funds that embezzled from the public coffers.

If mayors or Barangay officials has misused funds and cannot account for the funds before the election. There are several bodies that can investigate it and if it is big enough, the Department of Finance might send others too. What this is a sign off, is that the Philippines are trying to tackle the amounts of corruption and known behavior it has had in the past and present. So that all the different parts of the government has to use even more effort to be able to get away with corruption. That the state now even makes list of inventory, funds and assets in general at the Barangay level. Proves the will of combating it and using stronger means stop it. It isn’t just words, since it is done right before elections. Therefore, the bragging lists and the possible truths of stocks can come forward. Because if the Barangay officials lie and someone else get elected. Finds nothing in the account. Clearly, its starting to report the previous local official to either of the bodies fighting corruption. So that the Barangay can get back the funds and assets the previous ones took from the state. Peace.

Reference:

DILG – ‘Año to brgy chiefs: Prepare inventory for turnover to next brgy officials’ (08.02.2018) link: http://www.dilg.gov.ph/news/Ao-to-brgy-chiefs-Prepare-inventory-for-turnover-to-next-brgy-officials/NC-2018-1017

DR Congo: Call for an International Donor Conference (09.02.2018)

By Samy Badibanga, former Prime Minister of DRC.

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 9, 2018 – The political conundrum of the elections has blinded us all: the emergency in DR Congo is political as much as it is human and humanitarian. Of course, everything must be done so that the Congolese people can choose their leaders at the end of 2018. But, at the beginning of 2018, the top priority is to protect the lives of 13 million people threatened by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Kasai, Kivu, Tanganyika and other provinces of the Congo. And this requires an International Donor Conference in order to raise the $1.68 billion for the United Nations humanitarian response plan for the Congo.

This crisis kills every passing second. It kills women, children, and men who have fled the violence, hidden in the forest or even further away, and have nothing left when they return. This disaster could soon claim between one and two million lives if humanitarian aid is not funded. These dizzying figures are a poor reflection of the reality of a child or a woman taking their last breath. Not killed by violence, but by famine or disease.

The Congo crisis has been neglected. Today, it is the largest humanitarian crisis on the planet, and it is also the least funded, despite being classified at the maximum level of humanitarian emergency by the United Nations. The conflict between the Pygmies and Bantu in Tanganyika alone has already displaced 500,000 people – as many as the Rohingya crisis in Burma. According to UNOCHA, as well as those in Tanganyika, there are 1.5 million displaced in Kasai and more than 950,000 in Kivu and other provinces, making a total of 4.35 million people. In Uganda, 238,000 Congolese have sought shelter to escape the violence in Kivu, and a thousand more arrive each week. 7,000 people have taken refuge in Burundi and 33,000 in Angola, to name but a few. In fact, the total population displacement in the Congo today comes to more than that in Syria, Iraq and Yemen combined. How many of these 4.35 million displaced people are joining the migration routes from the Horn of Africa to the Libyan slave camps?

Whilst the conflict born in Kasai in August 2016 has killed 5,000 people so far, two million more could die of hunger. These populations survived the conflict, and returned at the end of the violence only to be unable to find food, water, toilets, clothes, roofs or shelter, work or school or any public services, and finding in their place villages burned to the ground, health centres looted, roads destroyed, agricultural plantations ravaged and cholera?

This is the plea for help from the churches where people are taking refuge that we have been proclaiming since the beginning of November 2017 on behalf of the Hope coordination, led by Cardinal Mosengwo for the Catholic Church and the Rev. Bokundoa, President of the Protestant Church, to the United Nations, the European Union, France and the entire international community. It is on behalf of this wounded, violated, displaced and abandoned population that we are calling for the urgent organisation of an International Donor Conference.

On 17 November 2016, the International Conference for the Central African Republic raised $2.2 billion. According to the United Nations, the humanitarian funding needs in the DRC for 2018 amount to $1.68 billion. The Congo, whose population is close to 90 million, twenty times more than the CAR and its 4.59 million people, is in great need of the same level of global solidarity.

Without an International Donor Conference, the United Nations humanitarian response plan for 2018 will not be even half funded. At the end of January 2018, it was 2% financed, and the plight of the people of the Congo forgotten by a planet in crisis. Yet, strong humanitarian action can still save millions of lives and give hope for a new future for the Congolese. By adding emergency aid to action for the post-conflict rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure, it will be possible to envisage progress towards sustainable development goals in a country of nearly 100 million people, where any progress can have a major impact. This is where the International Donor Conference for the Congo, which we call upon the international community to organise as quickly as possible, should lead us.

The DRC crisis can no longer be neglected: goo.gl/QtAawq

Revealed: Brexit Assessment Report has kept people in the dark – No positive results leaving the EU!

This wasn’t surprising since the hidden reports from the Department for Existing the European Union (DexEU), the Secretary David Davis and Prime Minister Theresa May wanted this hidden. Because they knew these numbers and the speculations would stop. I was expecting bad numbers, but these are serious consequences. While the campaigning for leaving seemingly like it was a pick and mix. Now the reality is there. The United Kingdom will loose out and hit the people in real way. The independence might be there, but the economy and the hardships starts when they have left. The Tories must have been worried about it, because they knew about the damage this can cause to the public. The rich will skate off to a tax-haven. If it is the British Virgin Island or Cayman Islands. Who knows, but this has been all hidden because they knew they we’re hurting themselves.

I will take the numbers crushed from Britain Stays, which has analyzed the numbers so they give a meaning. I’m not a grand fan of EU, but I don’t like people are without knowledge of the consequences of their actions. Which the politicians in the UK did to their people when they had their referendum. So the people voted blindly without knowing the possible outcome. The Brexit will cost.

First deal is the famous “No-Deal” will give an 8% lower GDP, a total of 2,800,000 jobs lost and an economy losing 156b pounds. If that isn’t dire a consequence, let me put it in perspective. Since the population numbers of UK of 2016 said there was living in Birmingham (1,200,000), Glasgow (800,000) and Leeds (760,000). So all of these major towns would be ghost-towns with no jobs. That says the possible “No-Deal”, no work for the population of cities or towns of Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds. If that isn’t worrying, and sending you a signal of how bad it is. Then your blind to amount of people hurt by this sort of policy with the EU.

Second deal is the Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, which means being outside the Single Market and Customs Union. It will lower the GDP with 5% and economy will go down with 99b pounds yearly. The job losses here too is significant, the numbers are estimated to be 1,750,000 jobs gone. That is like all people living in Birmingham (1,200,000), Sheffield (518,000) and Hucknall (32,000). So you cannot say this deal is good for the United Kingdom either, its better, but not all roses and candy either.

Third deal is the infamous “Soft Brexit” where the UK will be in the Single Market through the EEA, a place where UK cannot make the rules and have any say within the EU. This will damage the economy too, but less. First it will damage the GDP by 2% and loose 39bn pounds yearly. The amount of job-loss is estimated to be 700,000 jobs. To put it into perspective its the amount of people living in Bristol (617,000) and Burnley (82,000). So the losses aren’t as big, but the estimates and pain of it is still dear. Not even this one is a good idea.

Fourth deal is “Remain”, the one giving up the whole thing and continuing like it is. Where the GDP will remain at the levels it is the day and it will not have any impact on the current work market. No one will lose their jobs and prepare any ghost-towns.

Even me who is not a fan of the EU and the whole ordeal can see easily after the assessment reports that been hidden from the public on purpose. Because this is damaging information. The sort of tales that should shatter the glasses and break the pulse. Will the Tories really hurt the amounts of people combining the cities of Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds. Is that the final destination or will they make it less costly?

These numbers should be carefully understood and put in perspective to prove the danger of Brexit. Not just think that Independence is all cool, but also that it costs. Not just for poorest, but for whole towns and cities. We can ask how much poison is the British people about to take or wanting to take? Peace.