The National Coffee Act of 2018: A sour cup of Coffee or just another Robusta?

It is hard to see any significant change of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, as the law of 1994 is planned to be repealed, as the Cabinet accepted a new bill yesterday at the State House. Let me explain, It would seem more reasonable, if someone leaked the text of the law, but the short tide bottlenecks of information leaked. That information is showing, that it is more of the same. Just some new buzz-words, to keep the donors buzzing.

Since the UCDA are already in charge of monitoring, pricing and promoting coffee, both internally and externally. They are supposed to help raise the quality of the coffee and educate farmers, both in production of better coffee, but also raise the yields for the cash-crop. The UCDA is rally a state organized body in both education, trade and promoting of coffee. Where all parts of the transaction from the seedlings to the trade of the ready beans has been in connection with the government body.

That is why the Cabinet decision that is released to the public, the one page dossier, as the law and the new provisions aren’t out, but if these footnotes are the realization of the changes from 1994 to become the new law in 2018. There are really just putting in the word sustainable and harmonize the roles of all the roles. Which is fancy lingo, for making sure everyone along the line is taxed and made sure they pay for the government services. Since they are already having the mandate by the law of 1994.

As sub-section 4 in the UCDA Act of 1994 states:

The functions of the authority shall be— to issue certificates in respect of the grade and quantity of coffee; to register in accordance with guidelines issued by the Minister, from time to time, on the advice of the board, all organisations and bodies applying to market coffee; to liaise with the Bank of Uganda in respect of repatriation of foreign exchange obtained from the sale of coffee; to set the quality control standards under which coffee is sold; to certify all coffee exports; to collect, maintain and disseminate statistical data in respect of all aspects of the coffee industry; to advise the Government on the mechanism for determining the minimum price for the sale of coffee; (h) to monitor world market price changes and adjust the minimum price on a day-to-day basis to reflect the changes; (i) to research and make extension arrangements through the Ministry responsible for agriculture or any other organisation established in the country for the purpose; (j) to reconcile coffee subsector policies with the macroeconomic policies of the Government; (k) to liaise with the International Coffee Organisation and be responsible for the administration of the stamps of the organisation; (l) to liaise with other international organisations and promote Uganda’s coffee on the world market; (m) to be responsible for the overall supervision of the coffee subsector, including related industries, and advise the Government on coffee subsector policies; (n) to organise training for technicians, coffee processors and quality controllers” (CHAPTER 325 THE UGANDA COFFEE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACT, 1994).

So when I read from the spreadsheet from the Cabinet meeting at the State House, where the gist is to replace the 325, because they want to development of competitive, equitable and sustainable coffee, promote Coffee research, good Coffee farming practices, domestic coffee consumption and add value to the Coffee. Also, provide the Authority regulate all on-farm and off-farm activities in the Coffee Value Chain, streamline and harmonize the institution in the development of the Coffee Sector and to promote the Coffee sub-sector.

As what I see, the UCDA Act of 1994, not only hold the grabbing hands on all of this, but the mandate of the Authority is already, just not managed well, apparently. If the state cared about the Authority, they wouldn’t lack needed staff, as the Auditor General Report of December 2016, said the staff had 29 open positions, I don’t know if its as bad today, but wouldn’t be shocked if there was openings that the UCDA couldn’t fill, because of lack of funds.

What is striking to me, is that what the Cabinet Meeting of 21st May 2018, is what is in the statute of 1994. It just using a few different words, but if they cared about the UCDA, they would fund it properly and also actually have proper oversight of the operations. As the UCDA has often given away bad seedlings to Coffee farmers, in the same fashion as the Operation Wealth Creations has to its SACCO’s around the Republic. Like the Auditor General report of December 2016 says: “ Failure to plant and maintain coffee seedlings that were distributed and received by the farmers is wastage of Government Funds and eventually leads to failure to achieve planned coffee outputs at national level. Further, beneficiary lists withfarmers that never received inputs may be an indicator of irregular dealings on the part of seedling suppliers” (AG Report on UCDA December 2016, P: 19).

Therefore, the changing of words within the law is not fixing the remedy of the goodwill to generate more coffee and better yields. It is actually giving the king, what the king needs. That is not more fancy lingo, but actually actions and funds, also accountability, so that the farmers and the other part of the coffee production chain. Can all benefit from the Authority. On December 2017, the MoFPED delivered the National Budget Framework, which said this: “Continued implementation of the Coffee 2020 road map aimed at achieving 20million bags of 60Kg each per annum, including supporting research interventions at the National Agricultural Coffee Research Institute (NACORI) to produce high yielding coffee varieties and disease resistant tissue culture plants for coffee as well as development of a National Coffee Bill, 2017 that focuses on developing the entire coffee value chain and enable the country consolidate its dominant position in export earnings and employment” (MoFPED, P: 18, December 2017).

Therefore, the Cabinet meeting has initially decided to follow the guidelines of the National Budget Framework, as it was in December 2017. That is not surprising, but what is weird is the wording and how little change it is from the original law, that they are repealing. Unless, they have some magical formula sprinkled over it, making it a beautiful cake, instead of a boring bun with a little whipped cream. Because that is what it seems.

If you read the objectives of 1994, it doesn’t seem so far away from 2018, does it?

The objectives of the authority shall be— to promote, improve and monitor marketing of coffee with a view to optimising foreign exchange earnings and payments to the farmers; to control the quality of coffee in order to ensure that all coffee exported meets the standards stipulated by the contract between the seller and the buyer; to monitor the price of coffee in order to ensure that no export contract for the sale of coffee is concluded at a price below the minimum price; to develop and promote the coffee and other related industries through research and extension arrangements; to promote the marketing of coffee as a final product; (f) to promote domestic consumption of coffee” (UCDA Act of 1994).

That seems a lot like the spreadsheet of the Cabinet from yesterday, right?

Its only the value chain and add value on the coffee that is very new, but the rest more of the same. I am baffled or even shocked by this. It is like the Cabinet haven’t read the old bill or cared about the provisions there and thought. Maybe we should have better oversight of the Authority, instead they are changing wording and thinking that is magic wand to change the current predicament. If they wanted real change, they would have reformed the organization internally and used the provisions already there. But it is easier to make a leaflet, than change people’s mind and allocate funds.

Good morning and smell the coffee, well, I smell it, but more of the same. Just attached “sustainable” on the package, but taste is the same as yesterday. Peace.

The Spreadsheet of the aka National Coffee Bill of 2018!

Zimbabwe: President Mnangagwa – “Re: Establishment of a Special Anti-Corruption Unit” (21.05.2018)

Opinion: When will the grace period of the Chinese loans end? – While, Kenya and Uganda continues to borrow more!

The Government of Kenya and the Government of Uganda, should both worry about their arrangements and their growing debts, as the non-sustainable rates of debt and higher interests. As the unnatural growth of the national budget, where the lack of revenue is covered with more state debt. To cover both salaries and development projects. All of this has happen over the recent years. As more and more of the yearly budget goes to pay interest on old loans, as the old loans also mature and the rates will become more dire. As the strength of the economy isn’t going in the same rates as the loans. This is in the end a debt trap. A debt trap China has used in other countries.

Sri Lanka is the recent example, which has come into a debt trap, where the Chinese loans has become so dire, become so big and not able to recover. That the collateral for the state was to favorable lease the harbor of Hambantota to the Chinese. They had too, since they couldn’t repay the creditor from Peking. That should be realization from all the others who borrows big and think that the Chinese will not get something valuable back for their funding.

This should be a warning for the Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts, this should be a warning for President Kenyatta and President Museveni. That is if they care about the state resources, about their minerals and about the possible extractions from their republics. If they want to be debt-slaves, or lease away the crown jewels to the Chinese, because they promised favorable debt plans, that in the end put them in juxtaposition, that they cannot come out off; unless they trade away something very valuable. If that would be licenses to drill oil in Turkana or in Bunyoro.

Who knows what the end-game of these massive loans are and if the Presidents and their parties plans to repay them. Or hope that the next generation will try to invent new way of generating money. If so, then they are saved by rare luck and not by planning ahead. These loans are big and taking bigger and bigger slices of the GDP. They are going far beyond the levels of revenue and possible future forecast of funds. Therefore, the loans can only at this point benefit the ones giving them. They will get the repayments and the interests. If they don’t get that, they will take collateral and take other state entities to get their values back. The Chinese are doing that in Sri Lanka, they could easily do that with Kenya and Uganda too. They are in for the taking and ready to muscled out.

The Chinese doesn’t play and doesn’t play with money, they will recollect and they will recover the funds spent. As they are not playing games, they are really investing and hoping to get paid-in-full. They are waiting for the numbers to go from red to black. They don’t expect to loose, and if they do. They will figure other ways to collect the lost.

President Kenyatta and President Museveni should know this, but I doubt they are thinking in this direction right now. They are eating and not caring, but their states and their economist should worry. As the growing debts has a backside, not only the interests and the lack of development it creates, as they have to find bigger revenue to cover the debt and the mature loans, as they have to settle old affairs and such. They don’t go away or get deleted over nothing. They got to take charge and find a way to solve it.

The Chinese will take advantage if they start to default, if they struggle to pay, which could come, if the loans and the negative spiral of lack of revenue continues. That is if the state doesn’t find ways to repay. Than, the Chinese might take a port, might take state owned enterprise, but surely they will be paid-in-full. Peace.

Opinion: Is the launch of Somali Shillings (SOS) – A IMF sponsored Bond-Notes?

“S-O-S, please someone help me

It’s not healthy for me to feel this

Y-O-U are making this hard”Rihanna on ‘SOS’ released 14. February 2006

This is what it seems like, it doesn’t seem like economic viable effort or worth enterprise, when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs to loan and get donor aid valued $41 million United States Dollars, it seems more like quick rich scheme, than anything else. Borrowing funds to print currency never seems like a good idea, especially when the state has itself 300 external stakeholders keeping this in order and fragile alliances all over. You can wonder who will benefit from the Somali Shillings (SoS).

Out of the measure of doing so, 26 million will go to procurement and printing the shillings, the 4 denominations they are put in. This all is done in measure against counterfeit, but nearly none of the loaned or donor-funded money will go to that, only 0.06 million US Dollars. Meaning a measly and insignificant amount money will actually go to stop the counterfeit currency floating around.

That is why I am suspicious, if they are just thinking of printing them, and dropping them in the markets in Mogadishu, how will this benefit the citizens and the Federal Republic itself?

Because it seems like another piece of Bond-Notes, where the funding of the enterprise is bound on foreign currency and foreign bound loans, which makes it an extra debt on the state. As the IMF is co-sponsor and the one behind the enterprise, they are securing as a foreign entity, the national and federal currency. Which happens to be SOS. All of that should send the smoke-signals and the tapping on the floor. Send the signal “SOS”.

Because they state: “This letter provides IMF staff’s assessment on the readiness of the Central Bank of Somalia (CBS) to issue a new national currency under Phase I which will be limited to exchanging the counterfeit Somali shilling notes currently in circulation with new currency” (IMF, 11.05.2018). That is why I question it too, since so little of the funding for the project goes to counterfeit operations, will it be successful? Do they think the magic wand of new paper-money will compensate for the one that is counterfeit right now? How will they go about the exchange from old to new, and will they do that with all currency or will they accept the old-counterfeit to get rid off all fake currency floating around?

Seemingly, it seems like borrowing more money, to print a new line of SOS, which is an SOS to the world. Also, where the IMF needs a huge sum of money, to procure and print them, while the state only get scraps and no direct plan to really eradicate the counterfeits. Because they are only putting up a Counterfeiting Framework, but not initially working against it. Meaning, it is just borrowing and printing new shillings, without any purpose of actually combatting the problem itself. Which is rare thing to do.

Let see how this goes, but I hope this is not a IMF sponsored Bond-Notes project, because that is how it seems like, borrowing funds and donor funding to get new currency floating. Not a good idea, more issues as I see it. That is just me though. Peace

The World Bank commends the rising taxes in Uganda!

Yep, the biggest bank and the Bretton Woods Organization called the World Bank has commended the works of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his plans for added taxes. That comes from the similar institution like International Monetary Fund, that ordered Uganda to follow the Structural Adjustment Plan (SAP), therefore, the IMF that fixed more privatization without lacking investments. Are now okaying a higher rising taxes on the Republic’s citizens. This is done, while the economy is not strengthen, but with added external and internal loans. Therefore, the rise of GDP and use of loans, as well as repayments on those loans will sooner or later hurt the economy. Even with the rise of taxes. This will be start of vicious cycle where the state is issuing loans and taxes, while the revenue is used to repay loans, not development. It is basically. But before I go into the deep of the part of the troubling take from the World Bank. Let me just show you quickly the result of the SAP and their advice there.

The studies also make it clear that for SAP-type policies to have a chance of success, certain preconditions are necessary. The public sector had certain social responsibilities that the current framework has pushed it out of but without “a proper handing over” to the private sector. The assumption and hope were that the market would fill the gap left by the retreating state. Clearly this has not happened. There is therefore need for Government either to retain certain key social sectors, or only hand them over to the private sector only when the latter is ready to effectively take them over. Clearly non-profit making aspects of social responsibility cannot and do not get taken over by the private sector. For poverty to be reduced there are certain social responsibilities or even whole sectors that can only effectively be handled by the public sector. Welfare systems and subsidies to farmers in the developed world attest to the need for the retention of these key areas by the public sector. Therefore a policy that proscribes such a hand-over must also ensure that it is done in a verifiable manner so that the private sector can be held to account. Civil society has in the past tried to fill the gap but this has been done in an ad hoc manner” (Kevin Akoyi Makokha – ‘STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PARTICIPATORY REVIEW INITIATIVE (SAPRI) – UGANDA COUNTRY REPORT: A synthesis of the Four SAPRI Studies’ September 2001).

So, when the last system from the World Bank and IMF was introduced the system and the government wasn’t ready to privatize, however, that didn’t stop them or the government to do so. Especially since the funds and loans at the time came with the hitch of doing so. Therefore, the troubles with the privatization and the lacking oversight is also partly because of these programs subsidized by these organizations. That is why the World Bank and IMF should be more careful professing what sort of thing would be genuine and sincere, since they have messed up before. It isn’t only the State House who has messed up, he has gotten help and followed the procedures of these mechanisms. If not, he wouldn’t be able to eat such vast amounts of donor funding in the past. This is well-known, but the lack of oversight, is because of the will of wanting to have control and a say in everything. That is why the letter from the President to Minister of Finance, is the reason for the new levied taxes. So, if you wonder why I have distrust to the World Bank and IMF, it is because of their history and that the public is paying for it, because their impact on the governments for the reasons. That these states should be guinea-pigs for the economy belief of trickling down economics, even as the results has begged differ if it really drips back into the system again. Which it doesn’t because the ones that gets a lot want to keep it and get some more. No dole it out to anyone they can find.

Here is what the World Bank stated today: “In the special section of the Update, the report analyses how Uganda could raise more domestic revenues to support its development. Uganda’s tax system is one of the most modern in the region, but revenue collections, at 14 percent of GDP, are low, and way below its tax potential. Tax avoidance and evasion, partly resulting from generous tax exemptions to investors, weak tax administration, and a large informal sector (now at 80 percent), pose challenges to increasing revenues. Up to 5 percent of GDP is lost annually in tax leakages. Personal income tax contributes roughly 18 percent of GDP compared to up to 40 percent in developed countries. VAT collections amount to 4 percent of GDP, but would rise to 6 percent if there were no exemptions. The report suggests that Uganda could widen its tax base by tapping into areas that are outside the tax net; applying tax instruments correctly and fairly; improving efficiency, transparency and accountability in tax administration; and delivering better public services” (World Bank – ‘Improving Taxation to Finance Uganda’s Development’ 15.05.2018).

Therefore, the World Bank likes the idea of adding more tax on the Mobile Money transactions and the movement of digital cash, as well as on Airtime and other needed things. The ones that hasn’t a bank-account or the ability to fund or even try to get a loans from the banking system. Are okayed by the World Bank as possible targets for taxes. This isn’t transparent, but making it more expensive to be poor, as the rates to transmit and the use mobile money will come. The companies whose use this method will bill the users, they will not take the hit. The same with all the traders and the importers of all the other items that was on the lists of the newly taxed items.

I doubt these new taxes will do any good, it will just be more funds for the elites, the NRM and the President to eat. They are not delivering government services with the trillions of shillings they are using now. They are billing up to their asses and spending rampant, without having the revenue. That is why the rising debts are there. Instead of living frugal and thinking of the future, the NRM and President Museveni are eating like there is no tomorrow!

State House, the President and the Cabinet are eating heavy, they are not delivering, they have no plans to do so. If so, they give locally when needed, but the lack of transparency and accountability, is the reason for missing funds. Recently even the documents from the GAVI Funds was taken from the Ministry of Health. Therefore, a government who cannot be trusted with funds giving donations to help the sick, how can we believe the tax put on Mobile Money will go to roads or teachers?

I doubt that, I am not that naive, this NRM has proven for 32 years, that they are eating and not caring. The World Bank can commend and praise. While I condemn, until they prove that they money are delivered to the schools, that the teachers have their salaries and the civil servants are properly paid. Not just hiring some random Cubans to fix the issues for a short time. That is not how to build a national health care system. That is how to mock the ones you already have. Peace.

NYS Scandal 2.0: The Jubilee government never fails!

Today’s news that the National Youth Service (NYS) is hit with another wastage and corruption scandal is like having the issues of 2015/2016, all over again. The Jubilee Government shows they are all talk about corruption, but their institutions and government are not doing anything about it. Seemingly, similar fashion of siphoning funds continues. That is why now two years after the previous scandal in the same government organization, the same sort of affair is exposed.

The new one is with a new Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia and a new NYS Director Richard Ndubai, they are both doing the same biding as the ones in the past. The same sort of tricks and issues, that are really just showing the indifference in eating the public’s money. This while doing favors and dropping funds on ghosts and cronies. Who knows where the monies has ended, but it has not done what it was supposed to do. Therefore, the new brigade of leaders, are doing exactly the same as the ones in the first term of Jubilee. This is carrying on tradition!

It is a tradition to finds methods of thieving public funds, as the lack of oversight and governance is built in within the system. You have agencies and legal organizations whose supposed to look into this, but they are not really interested into investigating their own. Unless, they are slapping a minor fine on people who has stolen billions. They are thieving billions, while paying a minor fine of a one million or two. Therefore, the crime is paying-off the elites, they don’t have to mind, because they won’t suffer anyway. They get away with it and smiles to the bank.

That is why the Jubilee are in the midst of another NYS Scandal, this time 2.0. They are on another level, this time with tenders, which was served with ghosts. In the last go around it was fictitious companies and projects connected to the Director who got cash. Who wonders who earned on the fake tenders this time. Someone had to earn fortunes for doing nothing, while the state piled monies into their accounts. It most have been great days to sell nothing and getting millions into the accounts.

NYS Scandal 2.0. was anticipated, the grand corruption are following Kenyatta and his government. That is maybe why he asked people to donate to Red Cross recently, because he knew giving money to his government, someone he knows will eat it. It will not help the public. It will only help the elite and the ones in close connection to the any given ministry.

There isn’t anything positive to take from this, but just proving the impunity of the state. When they can just ditch all guidelines and steal directly from state organization. They do it without any scruples and thinking, no one will mind, no one will say anything and they know it will cost very little. The price to pay for doing it is minimal and nearly none. When you take billions, you pay a meager million. That is profitable. To say otherwise is naive. To be blind to the fact, that being corrupt is grand business, it is enriching and who cares of the consequences.

Because you get rich doing practically nothing, you can sit in the shade of the sun, build mansions, own SUVs and go to expensive shopping-malls, while the rest is slumming. Since you are eating and can enjoy the spoils of the state, as you are feeding ghosts and non-existing ideas. That is fating your pockets. That is why you don’t have to care and worry, you will get paid anyway, while the supposed activity is never happening. Peace.

Opinion: Why is PM May deliberately stupid?

Today on the 13th May 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May wrote an article on Facebook called: ‘Trust me, I’ll take back control — but I’ll need your help’. This is an article on her defense on her and her parties stance on Brexit, as it is supposed to address the lacking framework for the negotiations with the European Union, as the United Kingdom is withdrawing their membership. However, she must think the electorate of United Kingdom are a bunch of fools.

Since she wrote first this: “We will leave the Single Market because staying in the Single Market means continued free movement of people, but we will maintain the strongest possible trading partnership with our European neighbours and create new trade deals around the world ensuring that we seize the opportunities to build an economy that works for everyone”. Than to continue the hogwash, she wrote this: “And we will leave the Customs Union so we can establish our own independent trade policy and negotiate trade deals in our interests. I have proposed different options for a new customs arrangement with the EU and the government will continue to develop them during the negotiations”. Later, the final nail in coffin of nonsense, she wrote this: “This means there can be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, or between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. We will uphold the Belfast Agreement in full – and we will ensure the constitutional and economic integrity of the whole United Kingdom. Second, any agreements must create as little friction as possible for trade to protect the jobs that rely on speedy and integrated supply chains. These are a valued part of our economy, particularly for our manufacturing regions”.

So the takeout of this masterpiece of nonsense, was that the United Kingdom with the Tories at the helm, will leave the Single Market and the Customs Union, while trying to get friction-less trade. I hate to say it, but that will be impossible. As the standards for trading with the EU isn’t like that and they will not configure the whole system to fit the hands of May. She might think she is the wisest of them all and the Princess all of Europe looks up-too. However, she and Her Majesty’s Government have to follow guidelines. That is within reason of everyone else and all the other member states of the Union.

If the UK leaves the Single Market and Customs Union with the EU, they will be a significant less important trading-partner by default. They will have to have a hard-border, tariffs and check-points of delivery of the product in and between the British isles. I know that the Tories will say this is not true, but if making themselves a Third-Party State to the European Union, means the trading agreements will be as hectic as they are for Zimbabwe or any other random partner trading with the EU. It will be friction, there will be tariffs and will be checks of goods. The borders and movement of funds will be costly, as the third-party nation will not have advances and securities directly with the EU. That is why the standards and the tariffs are there. Because the EU will secure trading directly with other partners and within the Union. The ones who has already signed-off to be part of the Single-Market and its business model.

Theresa May should understand that with the disconnect from both entities within the EU, there will not be possible of a stop of goods and services. The trading agreements with the EU might help, but that will be new negotiations and also suspend possible trading that exists today. Because the EU cannot have similar standards as today with a Third Party State.

That is why I think May is deliberately stupid, as she should know better. She thinks she can mix sewage and water in the same pipes, not thinking someone will catch cholera. But that is what she does. She promise golden roads to heaven, but she should have idea what the proposals really means. As an outsider, I can say that I think, she is acting like a fool, and she takes the British for a ride. Unless, that is what the Kingdom likes to played around like pawns, while the Tories play power games with them. Because that is how it seems. As the deadline for withdrawal is there… getting closer and the Tories are looking more depleted, than anyone should think was possible. Peace.

Opinion: It is rich to hear that Kenyatta wants to fight corruption!

Its weird, it’s rarely a week goes by without any sort of cronyism, any sort of scandal or anyone are eating of the public plate. Still, the President proclaims his fight against corruption and corrupt civil servants. He has hired corrupt men; he has hired corrupted individuals to all sorts of positions. To say otherwise, is to look behind their history and their acts. The Members of Parliament, the Local Government and the Governors are all in on it. In some way or another. The system is built to be corrupt, to be friendly envelopes for services rendered.

Therefore, it’s a broken record when Uhuru Kenyatta again yesterday proclaims, that he will fight corruption! How? What will you do? When all the kings men around are eating and misusing their positions to gain personal gain. When the Deputy President is known for being the hustler and the one who eats everything in sight!

That is why its rich coming from Kenyatta that he will fight this, as his party is eating of the spoils, the growing levels of debt and the lack of oversight. Where all parts of government are used to favour his elite and cartels, where the consumers and citizens are paying the price. That is the reality of it all. And the circle of evil exploits continues.

Don’t be shocked if a Cabinet Secretary, if someone involved in State Owned Enterprises is thieving, getting kickbacks and not have done proper procurement, even bought it from ghost shell companies. Don’t worry it happens all the time, the Big 4 Agenda is built for that, the whole Cabinet is made for looting. They are not there to serve you, they are computer generated elections, though sophisticated rigging. Therefore, the public service, the true governance and the real representations are happening elsewhere.

Kenyatta knows this, that why he said to dozens of people during the campaigns, I don’t even need your votes, that is because he knew, that the system would rig him in. The people are just pawns that he uses when needed, the rest of the time he serves the cartels and their wishes. That is why the prices are going up, the inflation of core prices rising, while the state is adding more debt. Therefore, the next generation will pay for the reckless spending by his administration. However, then he is out of office and he will not pay it no mind.

Kenyatta can say he wants to fight corruption, however, it is not believable, it’s a lie and he knows it. He can say otherwise, but the proofs are in the inaction and the appointments that he has. There isn’t any proof of significant changes, only more dire consequences of lack-luster government oversight. No-one in the right mind can say it fantastic, because the results comes steadily.

The time will tell, but I am not buying the hype, the generated message of fighting something, I am sure of more ghost-projects, ghost-businesses and ghost employees on the payrolls. Not of better governance and oversight. That belief has vanished. Kenyatta has disappointed the first term and surely after these horrendous elections, will disappoint again. Peace.

Opinion: Is Collymore the only person who can run Safaricom?

That Bob Collymore has no returned to Safaricom is a sign of the state of affairs, the man whose through 2016 got the dirty laundry in the streets for everyone to see. That Safaricom and Vodaphone takes him back. Shows that the company is so big, it doesn’t care about public perception or their ordeal of the last two years. As they can get scratch free from the dirt and thinks people forget. Collymore is a shady character and runs a dirty business. However, it is profitable, that is why the leadership above him keeps him. They want the easy money and wants to run the market of telecom’s in Kenya. That is what Safaricom does so well.

That Collymore was directly involved in the General Elections, that his misuse of the company within the Results Transmissions, that doesn’t matter now. That the Safaricom used their backbone to support the Jubilee, by canceling and stopping the M-Pesa Paybill to the National Super Alliance (NASA). Shows the lack of tolerance and their political stance. They did that with passion, while fixing and making sure the fraud of an election went through with their back-channels with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, also with Cambridge Analytica and whatever else that was needed to secure the results into the famous undisclosed server. Collymore did this and fixed that with IEBC, while stopping the cash-flow to NASA. A clear indication of his works. That was the year after the damaging internal report from KPMG.

The KPMG agreement showed how the Safaricom misused their place, their tenders and the procurement of installations of 4G, M-Pesa software and direct dealing with third-parties. This was done in a fashion where the leadership was eating of the top and putting the bills on the consumers. At a rate that was insane. That the 18th February 2016 KPMG Report should mean the end of a career for a leader and CEO like Collymore. But Vodaphone doesn’t give a rats ass. They don’t care as long as their profits are souring in Kenya. They are oblivious and nurturing their pockets, nothing else matters. Even if they are within the pockets of cartels, election-rigging and midst of public outrage. As long as the pockets are filled with shillings, they don’t mind. They can still be proud-cock and be chiefs.

That Safaricom paid of the local-media houses with ad-revenue, that they used their place to keep themselves on top. That doesn’t matter, because the results are blindly positive, even if everyone know knows that the company is run like the mafia. Controlling everything it can, not only selling Mobil-Data, Mobile-Money and Communications, but they are also a FinTech company that has the information on the public that other doesn’t. Who knows how they are using that and misusing that to gain even more profits. When Facebook does it? Why shouldn’t Safaricom too?

That Collymore should be gone, that is the reality, there should be someone who could muster trust and show that its a decent company, not a pillar of power in Kenyan Politics. Which it has become and where it muster all capabilities with the funds to slash stories in the media and also to be directly involved in Results Transmission during the General Elections. Therefore, the importance of the company is beyond communications between the citizens and their data. But also the perception of the trust between them.

Collymore is now the epitome of what is wrong with businesses in Kenya. He is the significant prospect of someone who misuses his position for monetary gain. Instead of being there for just simple services and leave the office in the night. He has directed the company in the midst of public space, making sure his stories are portrayed and cleaning the dirt of his hands. Even if it doesn’t go off, it won’t, not this way.

So Vodaphone, I have one important question:

Where the no-one else on planet earth that have the capabilities to run Safaricom?

Seemingly there should be, but your still behind the man that are really involved in shady deals for you. Taking the dirt and eating it, so that the stakeholders can eat the profits without any questionable

The NRM Way is Corruption, so please don’t be shocked when they do it!

You should never be shocked if a National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament (MP) or Historicals are caught eating of the public plate. No matter who it is, they are acting as they are entitled to this. They are entitled not pay rent, they are entitled to grab land and entitled to get kickbacks on government contracts. This is the system the NRM has built. To say otherwise is naive. This is the continuation of the “pay-to-play” system that Amama Mbabazi was known for. How do you think him and Gilbert Bukenya made their wealth?

They did not sell Nile Brew on the streets of Kampala, no these two used their positions to eat and therefore was synonymous with the word corruption, at one point they could have their face in the dictionary as they we’re always connected with some sham transaction. The same can be said the Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa, who always has some shady business deal or arrangement to make sure his pockets are fat. When the new generation of NRM MPs see how the old-guard did it. They want to be in on it. That is natural.

So when Betty Amongi does what she does, she has learned from her peers. Not that is right or by law, but by the activity of the party. The same can be said by Evelyn Anite, whose also has some shady deals now. Both of these are just the newest crop, in addition to the ones who has already played these games. I am just waiting for Frank Tumwebaze to have some sort deal with the Telecoms, so that he could earn something on the side with this Sim-Card Saga of his. That would have made sense and also within reason.

And we know the likes Jim Muhwezi and others has made enough fortunes, big enough homes, that is why the house of Gen. Elly Tumwine, whose trying to outshine the Gbadolite, the house of former Dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Therefore, the NRM elite has money, while the government lacks it and borrows to keep the cash flow going. If not, they are begging for handouts to secure government projects. This is happening while the elite is finding all kinds of tricks to find new money.

These are MPs with a lavish pay, secured pay for cars and housing, these are MPs whose already getting well-fed on the government tab. So they shouldn’t need to do shady backroom deals, but still they do, because the ones with much, always wants a little bit more. The rich wants to get richer. That is also natural, but they are feeding themselves on a rotten root and hoping the tree will bear fruits next season. Which is impossible, as they are killing off the tree, instead of nurturing it and making sure it can last.

The NRM eating like there is no tomorrow, it isn’t only the President. The State House and the PM. They are the main beneficiaries, but the MPs want their part of the pot of gold. That is why we see Presidential Handshakes, bribes, kickbacks, graft, land-grabs and whatnot. They all want their slice, because they want to be like the previous NRM ministers who did the same. They are NRM and therefore entitled to eat. That is the system. Not a beautiful masterpiece, but when the predecessors did it, why can’t they?

I am not saying it is justified, but I understand why it happens, why they are acting like this. Because they want their loot and their fortunes. If not they wouldn’t run as MPs or part of the elites. This is the way to get it. Not by hard work or dedication, no by association and by office. That is how this system work. This is 32 years down the road, and nothing has changed…

So please don’t be shocked, its put into play long time ago. That is why even Mwenda was bitching about this a decade ago, before his “independent” magazine launch. Peace.