Kenya: Letter from the Office of the President – “Re: Suspending the Operations of the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation & Intention to Deregister the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation” (02.05.2017)

URSB: Press Statement on Provisional Administration of Uganda Telecom Limited (28.04.2017)

Statement of Crisis in Zimbabwe by Citizens of the Republic of Zimbabwe (02.05.2017)

The Wonderful Dictator Museveni says to his starving citizens: “that they are eating their state services!”

A dictator who is elected 5 times. That must be a wonderful dictator. That must be a special one” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Al Jazeera Interview on the Talk to Al Jazeera, 29.04.2017).

First of President Museveni isn’t in his 5th Term, rewriting the history as they have deleted the coup d’etat in 1986 as well, as the period into the first election of 1996. Therefore, he has decade most people tries to forget, where he was “unelected” and power-grabbing. If you then count on the time and such, the right amount of terms would be that he is currently in his 7th !

Well, enough of the sadness of how many terms the 31 year long ruling and wonderful dictator has, today he had to cast his spell on the Labor Day and show his fury of his lazy citizens. Not that he is that hardworking himself, as he eats of the plate himself and empty the state reserves to buy private planes. But that is another discussion!

Therefore, here is the key parts of the speech that is important for me to discuss!

On the issue of the shortage of food in some areas that hit us last season, my advice is to use relief very carefully for two reasons. The first reason is that relief can kuremaza (disorient) our people away from production to, instead, get in the habit of waiting for relief. Secondly, Ugandans should know that when we are eating relief food, we should know that we are chewing a road, a school or a health centre. Therefore, relief should only be for the really unavoidable situations. It should not be used by politicians for cheap popularity or frivolously (let us take the government food since it is available) or even for corruption by government officials (get the food for selling claiming that it is for relief). Finally, I would like to say that work is the only way to get people out of poverty. I, therefore, urge all Ugandans to develop a positive attitude to work. The NRM government will continue to provide an enabling environment for establishing businesses and creation of employment” (Museveni, 2017).

That he has problem that people are asking and needing food relief is beyond me. Secondly calling them disoriented because of the lacking yields, the burning fire of the sun and the result of the El Nino. But that is just me. That the State and Government could have made sure the rainwater was saved and have more structure so they wasn’t starving in the first place. But then again, Mr. President is never at fault, always casting blame on someone else. Therefore, the citizens is to blame for lacking rains and yields, and also lacking government policies and will to implement some sort agency that support the farmers.

The popularity he speaks of it the ones that want the President to act and declare an emergency, as the volatile and dire situation, as so many people in the hurt districts are eating less a meal a day! Still, he claims people are trading and selling the food without giving it away for relief. Like they sometimes do with clothes, the secondhand rule that some is given, but other is traded away for profits on the secondhand markets. If it was so, shouldn’t the president set his standard and authority to stop this men and woman from thieving the food from the ones in need? I guess he is lazy and disoriented, eating of the licensed roads and royalties of oil prospects instead of really feeding the ones in need.

This isn’t about poverty itself, it is the core mismanagement of his 7th term government, the lack of institution and the lack agricultural oversight, as the jerrycans into prosperity is a lie. That the starvation and famine is about attitude and not about lacking government oversight. If it was the latter and not the first, he was to blame; since he is the kingpin on the top and should have acted before the famine occur, but that had happen if he was legitimate leader. Nevertheless, he is self-made, self-righteous, individual who doesn’t care how ruthless and inconsiderate he is. This wasn’t words uttered for the betterment of the Republic of Uganda, it was to wash to hands of his sins and walk away from the problems. That because the famine and the food insecurity was made of lazy Ugandans and not because of drought…

Well, the wonderful dictator has hands in the state reserves and dislike that he cannot expand his ranch as much usual, pay of his daughters travels expenses or Lady Janet luxurious footwear. Who knows where all the confidential funds go, but certainly not drip-drop/bottle irrigation scheme. Certainly, this President isn’t worried about district roads, which is nearly impossible to travel through in Abletong on anywhere else for that matter. So when he says that the public is eating of roads and other infrastructure projects when they are starving during droughts and famines. Shows little mercy, this little despot with no empathy… it is gone with all the souls he has captured and stolen their future from by staying in power, I guess.

That President Museveni trying to put a spell on the people for trying to survive in hard-times, in times of tribulations and drought, as the state as struggling to give them a decent food relief. The man in charge is saying they are the reason for lacking roads and infrastructure projects because of that! Than, he also says the ones who stands firm in Parliament, asking for him to humble himself and stand down. To beg for mercy and help, to gain extra support and tell that he has mismanaged the Republic with a “State of Emergency” proves true leadership. They want their leader to take responsibility!

If he was truly elected 5 times, wouldn’t he offer more to the ones that he needed their support? Alas, it isn’t so, because he knows he rigs and put fear into the public… instead of having their real support and getting their votes. If he had so, he might have showed some flair and said he would help them because it was his duty. Not that the people are eating of the infrastructure budget.

Me translating so anyone really understand what he is understating in his speech today:“You lazy bastards are eating of government money because you are starving, you should be able to dig roots and eat rats, not eat of the state reserves. The sun didn’t burn that hard and you didn’t collect enough water with your bare hands. While I am driving 30 cars convoys and flying overseas to be a VIP. How dare you insult these foreign investors by eating my road money, aye?”. That is what you can take from the speech of this wonderful President and wonderful dictator Museveni! Peace.

Reference:

Museveni, Yoweri Kaguta – ‘SPEECH ON THE OCCASION TO MARK INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY’ (01.05.2017) link: https://www.yowerikmuseveni.com/speech-occasion-mark-international-labour-day

Presidential Handshake: It’s now revealed that the President is trying to pin someone to “fall on one’s sword”!

The continued exhausting of the Presidential handshake shows the true form of the bribe. Even as the President himself, tries to clean his hands and pin-point more people. He still did sanction it directly from the Uganda Revenue Authority and onto the vast civil servants and loyal cronies, as a bribe and brown envelope of joy. Even if the stories keep coming and more people being implicated, the reality is that this shows that the whole system is rotten.

The maladministration and clearly not caring about state reserves comes to the public court. The Public know knows that the President and his State House, are only trying to find a scapegoat and a perfect victim, to save face and look good, without taking down somebody who knows to much. They know that to many people has gotten ill-earned millions in envelopes because of this Presidential Handshake. That the probe would have questions to the President was most likely, and we could anticipate that someone else would fall on their sword. If they will do it voluntarily and might do it with force from the State House.

Oxford Dictionary states about “Fall on one’s sword”:

Assume responsibility or blame on behalf of other people, especially by resigning from a position.

he heroically fell on his sword, insisting that it was his decision’ (Oxford Dictionary).

So when you read part of the piece in the Daily Monitor today, you see how the President tries to wash his hands of sin and put blame on the Ministers and others. So he will talk to the culprit and make sure that he falls on his sword for him.

Museveni pinning people down for the handshake:

Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu,who is leading the inquiry by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises(Cosase), confirmed at a press briefing on Friday that Mr Museveni wants the Committee to ensure that the missing money is accounted for. “The President said he was not aware [that Shs5b is unaccounted for] and he was happy that we were going to follow it up. He reiterated his commitment to accountability and he said any monies spent from the public coffer should be accounted for. He encouraged us to have this money accounted for by the Justice Ministry Accounting Officer [Solicitor General],”Mr Katuntu said. Mr Katuntu revealed that the Solicitor General will be cross-examined again over the whereabouts of the Shs5b before a report is compiled mapping out his fate. During the ingoing inquiry, Mr Atoke failed to give conclusive accountability for the money. During the course of the two meetings, Mr Museveni also singled out former Energy Minister Syda Bbumba for inserting a clause in the Production Sharing Agreement that allowed Tullow a $157m tax waiver for an out of court settlement involving Tullow. The signing of a PSA to exempt Tullow from $157m was done by Ms Bbumba without the knowledge of the President, Mr Katuntu confirmed. “The President said he was not aware of that exemption. The President agreed with us that the exemption was illegal because the then Minister did not have power to exempt payment of tax. We informed the President that we are following up this matter and we will have a conversation with Syda Bbumba,”Mr Katuntu said” (Arinaitwe, 2017).

Now that Honorable Syda Bbumba is the one to blame now, not the ones applying for it or the ones who gained the ill-willed state coffer monies. Not long ago, it was revealed to come from the wrong account, directly from URA and not State House. Now it is a Minister Bbumba who acted without consistent legal procedure, nor talked with the authorities before the money went on its merry. Certainly the other part of what happen this mid-week reveals certain aspects worth noting!

Asking for favors:

According to our sources, as soon as the president ended his testimony, some MPs took turns to speak privately with him. According to multiple sources familiar with the Entebbe meeting, Katuntu effectively contained the MPs during the committee’s official business session at State House but when that ended, MPs went on rampage. “After the meeting, the president invited us for a group photo and this is when the MPs started [whispering],” said an MP who attended the meeting. This MP singled out Beatrice Anywar (Kitgum Municipality), Hood Katuramu (PWDs Western) and Vincent Woboya (Budadiri East) as some of the MPs that approached Museveni with requests for favours. This was after they saw the committee vice chairperson Anita Among whisper to Museveni. Anywar reportedly invited the president to attend her thanksgiving next month in Kitgum. “She has not been attending the committee meetings. In fact, we didn’t go with her on [Wednesday]. I think her coming on the second day was purposely to see Museveni, not [to be part of] the probe,” one MP said” (Kaaya, 2017).

So the system is rigged and he isn’t only looking for someone to take the blame for the Presidential Handshake, he also sees who are loyal to him if they get favors. Similar to the Handshake. They wants and requests favors from the President, because he has done so in the past. And most likely do it again, that is the way he keeps the cronyism alive and the Movement booming. If he stops paying and delivering brown-envelopes to political affiliates he will lose his base and his MP’s. But because of this Presidential Handshake he has to play smart and look like he cares about fighting corruption, even though his State House is thriving on it.

That this would take such long time isn’t surprising as they are trying to find one who can take the blame, without to much cost and lose of face value to the hierarchy and the State House. Nevertheless, the bribe is still a bribe, even if they try to color it differently, there isn’t a gray-area to put it into. The reality is still the same. That certain elements now this week ask for favors from the President proves the handouts and the handshakes are a systemic and institutionalized affairs at the State House.

The issue with the Presidential Handshake is more of a gimmick as the state tries to find the one who will take the charge and eat, so that the President can say: “See there my Ugandan people, I work against corruption”. But the next day, another MP will pop by Entebbe or Nakasero and ask for favor, an envelope or even a handshake. So that they can be bought into submission, which is the given state and the system that President Museveni believes in. Peace.

Reference:

Arinaitwe, Solomon – ‘Museveni pins SG Atooke over oil cash’ (01.05.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-pins-SG-Atooke-over-oil-cash/688334-3909560-g9wigk/index.html

Kaaya, Sadab Kitatta – ‘Oil cash probe MPs beg from Museveni’ (01.05.2017) link:http://observer.ug/news/headlines/52653-oil-cash-probe-mps-beg-from-museveni.html

Oxford Dictionary – ‘fall on one’s sword’ link:https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fall_on_one’s_sword

RDC: ACO – “Concerne: Suspension provisoire du vos fonctions” (29.04.2017)

Cold War Document: “Urgent Note from W. Paszkowski on Conversation with Viktor Bakin, Counselor of the Soviet Embassy in Warsaw” (15.04.1971)

Opinion: Can someone please teach Mr. Manoah Esipisu the inner-works of the constitution?

Part 1—Principles and Structure of the National Executive 129. (1) Executive authority derives from the people of Kenya and shall be exercised in accordance with this Constitution. (2) Executive authority shall be exercised in a manner compatible with the principle of service to the people of Kenya, and for their well being and benefit. 130. (1) The national executive of the Republic comprises the President, the Deputy President and the rest of the Cabinet. (2) The composition of the national executive shall reflect the regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya” (Kenya Constitution 2010).

It is weird, I am not supposed to do this but I have, I have to tarnish the State House spokesperson Manoah Episisu again. I wished he still worked for the Kenya Defense Force (KDF), then he spoke about missiles and Somali pirates, it is bit more technical and legislation, apparently, when speaking out the chambers of the head of state. Still, the man has the capacity to not think of the words he saying. He is not Sean Spicer, but the brightest goblin walking the streets, he is not. So, if I was President Kenyatta, I would consider to appoint another brother or someone with more flair. Because this attack from the State House towards the National Super Alliance (NASA) is just pure nonsense. Take a look!

Decisions taken and announced at polling centres, as you saw, were allowed to stand. While on the political front, let me comment briefly on stories that have been doing the rounds, peddled by opposition figures – and may I say that these stories are peddled by people who should know better – that somehow they will enact constitutional changes within 90 days of taking office to create three jobs. Making constitutional changes that require a referendum will simply not take three months. It will take years. And considering how citizens have rejected MPs and Governors that they don’t believe have used their resources prudently, they are unlikely ever to agree to spend billions of shillings to create jobs for the three men promised phantom ones. You know, people have agreed to take Jobs that don’t exist … so, one of the opposition leaders was saying in a media interview that the first job for the team will be to use billions of shillings to change the constitution so the three phantom jobs can be legitimised” (State House Kenya, – MBS Manoah Esipisu, 30.04.2017).

What he is discussing the NASA deal between the NASA flagbearer’s who made a coalition to overrun the re-election of the Jubilee Alliance Party and the ruling regime. This coalition agreement between the NASA is put in this way: Raila Odinga as the President, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the Deputy President. Under them is Musalia Mudavadi as Premier Cabinet Secretary, as well as Moses Wetan’gula as Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretary and Isaac Rutto as Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretary. Therefore because of the roles as Premier Cabinet Secretary and two Deputy Cabinet Secretaries, that the spokesperson of the State House claims is breaking the law. Let’s look a bit more into the constitution:

152. (1) The Cabinet consists of—

(a) the President;

(b) the Deputy President;

(c) the Attorney-General; and

(d) not fewer than fourteen and not more than twenty-two

Cabinet Secretaries” (Kenya Constitution, 2010).

So if the ones under neath the President and Deputy President in a NASA coalition cabinet, with the agreed secretaries already, they can either hire 11 more cabinet secretaries or 19 for that matter. I don’t know what the State House Spokesperson read or understood the legality, but the law is clear and the NASA coalition is not breaking the law. They are making a new understanding of the cabinet, but not in a way that counter the ability to appoint them in this way or in other if they wanting to.

So the Constitution also states this also from section 152:

(2) The President shall nominate and, with the approval of the

National Assembly, appoint Cabinet Secretaries.

(3) A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament” (Kenya Constitution 2010).

So if, the spokesperson had known the constitution, he would know that Raila Odinga, if winning the coming election in August 2017. Than he could appoint his fellow coalition leaders into the cabinet. So they could become Cabinet Secretaries, as they are in the way of the leadership of the NASA. Therefore, by that reasoning alone it is not a violation.

Secondly, Jubilee and the President Uhuru Kenyatta said:

While they are lying to each other about Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister’s positions which is not in the Constitution, we in the Jubilee Party are committed to entrenching democracy to develop the country,” (PSCU, 2017).

I hate to repeat, but the man who is running the nation and the Republic of Kenya for near end of a Presidential Term, should have the capacity to understand the ones underneath the Deputy President are appointed as Cabinet Secretaries. So they are part of the 14 appointed cabinet secretaries or even up to 22. So the man who has appointed his share of Cabinet Secretaries and ruled the Nation should know this part of the Constitution. Apparently, he is himself misunderstanding the law. To make sure the coalition looks foolish and himself trying to look wise. Instead he looks ignorant of the laws that guides his government.

Time for both the President and the State House Spokesperson to study their constitution before teaching the NASA Coalition on their Flagbearer’s, the President and Deputy President; also their Premier Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretaries. Time to man up and read the Constitution and they might know the parts before August 2017 and not just misuse it during the campaigns. Peace.

Reference:

Kenya Constitution 2010

PSCU – ‘President Kenyatta dismisses NASA line-up as ‘jobs for the boys’ (27.04.2017) link: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2017/04/president-kenyatta-dismisses-nasa-line-jobs-boys/

Opinion: Trump’s proposed Tax Reform is made for the wealthy and no-one else!

It is hard to take the “2017 Tax Reform for Economic Growth and American Jobs” that was released on 26th April 2017, a one page leaflet of wishes. This is shorter than most of the restaurant and they usually doesn’t have that many dishes to serve their clientele. Still, the Trump Administration and their “Treasury Secretary Steve Mnushin set out a test for tax reform that, “there will be no absolute tax cut for the upper class.” (Richard E. Neal – ‘President Trump’s Tax Proposal Another Broken Promise to the Middle Class’ – 26.04.2017). Still, with the first prospect of the wish-list of the Trump Administration is to give the rich less taxes.

An on a one-page wish-list you don’t really have the space or the care for describing the results, I look forward to read the CBO report on the proposed tax cuts. Since this should have some sort of implications, not only let the Manhattan elite afford yet another cabin in the Aspen or trip to Formula One in Monaco. They are speaking of easing the tax-codes and provide tax-relief for American families, without giving any specific detail into what that might be. I am sure the tickets of travel and the indispensable Secret Service guards to the golfing-weekends at the Mar-A-Lago in Florida has more explained reports, than these quick promises to the American families.

They are putting new brackets for the American families, also doubling deductions from the taxes and promise relief, without saying what this means, or if the families really get any serious cuts. While the Business get a shaved business tax rate from 35% to 15 %. One time tax on the Business Ownership abroad, to make sure the funds comes back into the United States. Last is to eliminate the tax breaks for special interest. So the last one, is to significantly add some tax back in the Internal Revenue Service.

So the little plan they have is to either cut and reform it minimally, while giving tax breaks to bigger corporations and the wealthy. The ones who already have the money and earns the profits, get to pay less, while the ones who needs or could have need of serious reform doesn’t get it. The ones earning on this wish-list is the Wall Street connected individuals, the Multi-National Corporations and the Limited Liability Companies (LLC). This sort of tax reform is made for the richest, not for the working class or the average voters who voted for the current President.

This is just another proof, that the President Trump isn’t there to drain the swamp or even trying to stop the major corporate takeover of Washington D.C. and the Capitol Hill. He is more of the same, just infused with less coded language and straight-face doubling down on the foreplay for the business executives. There isn’t anything in the works that proves that President Trump want to care about environment or health of his population over the profits of Goldman Sachs, Merrill-Lynch or any other significant private sector business operative like Exxon-Mobile. All of them will get the blessings and their days in the sunshine. As long as their Manchurian Candidate Trump are in office.

There aren’t anything that proves otherwise, his Executive Orders has been for easement of the businesses, not for the well-being of the population nor environment. The lacking care of the citizens and only caring for corporate citizens will clearly alter the pledges and promises. Certainly, the ones who voted for him should feel betrayed. The corporate greed in the United States is endless, as all the lobbyists, the paid senators, paid representatives and other legislators in Washington D.C. follows their donors more than the public. Just look at Ted Cruz record of praising the Mercer family and their values. Than you get a prime time example and all of the Republicans working for the Koch Brothers will.

The same is now happening from the oval office, with no restraint or any care of the consequence, if they fail or bitterly accept the truth. Doubt it, as they will double down and say it is for the common core, while the true tax cuts is for big-business and multi-national corporations who will have a surge of profits. The supposed trickling down theory will be put into play, while more of the monies will go into the pockets of the wealthy and the difference between the richest and poorest will grow even more. The lack of care from the state combined with the massive wealth, will really also destroy the society and make the ones left behind even feel more vulnerable, but that is not a concern the Trump Administration has. They only care for the billionaires and millionaires, not the ones living on food-stamps or on government subsidizes, as this government would easily have axed all of that.

I look forward to see the estimates from a real tax-plan from the Trump Administration, one with the implication and proposed reaction to the taxes and cuts. If the Trump Administration after these sort of cuts ever compare themselves to previous administrations and their cuts. They should be careful, as this will spike the deficit and the borrowing will grow enormously, into amounts that make the Democratic government look careful and fiscal sound. But it is only the Republican Presidents and Governments who is allowed to act as drunk dogs and then complain when the democrats doesn’t serve them at the last call. Certainly, this is the prospect of this sort of acts. This will not be for the American families, neither for the middle-class, this tax cuts are for the business owners and the wealthy who pockets dozens of millions on this without any consideration on fiscal funding of the budget, nor the expenses running the current government. But hey, Trump wants to downgrade the American economy and also weaken the dollar, so this might be one of the many ways he tries to do it. Kudos! Peace.

VII Session Extraordinaire du CEEAC – Communique Finale du Conseil des Ministres (29.04.2017)