


Kenya: IEBC Update on Preparation for the 2017 General Elections (28.02.2017)







February 28, 2017, Juba – Save the Children strongly condemn the looting of is compound and warehouse in Waat former Jonglei State, allegedly by both armed groups and members of the community in the area.
Mr. Peter Walsh the Country Director for Save the Children in South Sudan said, “To be honest this is the most extreme act by the very people we are trying to help, to rob more than 1500 malnourished children of the much needed assistance we have been providing in our feeding centres.” …even the nutrition supplies that are for very sick children were looted, this is totally unacceptable” he added
Save the Children is the only nutrition partner in Waat providing life-saving services to children, an area classified by the recent IPC as phase 4, at the brink of famine. “The looting means right now we can no longer provide life-saving assistance to thousands of acutely malnourished children.” he further said
“We strongly urge the local authority in the area to investigate the incident and ensure that all supplies are returned” Mr. Walsh further stressed
“As we battle to counter the spread of famine declared last week, it is critical that parties to the conflict provide unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected community to avoid famine becoming their death sentence.” He further said
Waat and other parts of former northern Jonglei remained largely peaceful following the outbreak of the conflict in 2013 and thousands of civilians from former Upper Nile, and central Jonglei sought safety in Waat and Akobo. The escalation of conflict in these already vulnerable communities is a big concern for the host community and the Internally Displaced Persons, (IDP) some of them have already been displaced multiple times in the course of the 3 years of conflict.
Insecurity and lack of access have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan where famine was declared on 20 February, and a further one million are on the brink of famine. By the height of the lean season in July, it is expected that some 5.5 million people will be severely food insecure across the country. Since December 2013, about 3.4 million people have been displaced, including nearly 1.9 million people who have been internally displaced and about 1.5 million who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. Humanitarian organizations are urgently appealing for funding to respond to the escalating crisis, with US$1.6 billion required to provide life-saving assistance and protection to some 5.8 million people across South Sudan in 2017.
For further information or to arrange media interviews with Peter Walsh, please contact Emmanuel Kenyi +211 922407209 or Emmanuel.kenyi@savethechildren.org

The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, February 28, 2017 -The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) has declared a National Disaster to deal with the humanitarian emergency in all areas affected by the current drought.
The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.
The president is also kindly calling on the Somali business community and Diaspora to participate in the recovery operations efforts in the affected area with the aim to mitigate the impact of drought nationwide.
The president stands ready to receive a continuous briefing on the assessment and response to the emergency.



“Fury, angst and despair as hundreds are evicted from Park yard market. The once vibrant market is now a sea of rubble. Is it high time such rickety structures left the city center or is KCCA impinging on the core rights of the masses? Only responses in well-written English will be tolerated” (The Kampala Sun, 27.02.2017).
The traditional market of trade between small vendors and their costumer’s are under fire, not really burning, but still they are stopped. Honourable Beti Kamya, the Minister for Kampala has decreed closure of markets and such, as well as KCCA has unleashed a permit that stops others. Therefore two markets are eaten by a pivot from the State with Minister Kamya and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) under the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Musisi, who has taken power over the Owino Market. While both ladies are working against vendors and the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago , who doesn’t believe in this sort of decree without any procedure in either Authority or at the local councils. Therefore the sanctioned rule should go through the Mayor and also the KCCA. Something, the decree didn’t as it was served from the hand of Minister Kamya without any consideration of the rest of the leadership and government structure of the capital of Kampala. That was something that was bound to happen… though the innocent part is he vendors who are under-fire by the State Minister who doesn’t see their turmoil or trouble at all.
“Security has sealed off Nakivubo park-yard market before the ’30 days’ ultimatum given to vendors by Minister Beti Kamya to vacate elapses. Last week, the minister issued a directive ordering vendors at the Park Yard market to vacate citing lack of enough toilets which was a health threat. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said Minister Beti Kamya was ‘just politicking’ over the market since she didn’t have an alternative for the vendors. Some vendors have vowed not to leave the market until they are killed” (NBS Television, 27.02.2017).
“Mayhem masterminded by state agencies!!!! How could Police organise goons to lynch and/or harm KCCA elected leaders and MPS in course of executing our duties in the city centre!?.. Mr. Kayihura and Madam Betty Kamya, what motivated you to put our lives in harm’s way?. Our visit to park yard market was lawful as it was sanctioned by a resolution of the Authority that convened this morning. You invade the market on a Sunday night, cordon off the entire place without a court warrant or hoarding permit from KCCA, and then unleash terror on the business community and learders?. Terrible!!!” (Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, 27.02.2017).

Owino Market has been closed because of the issue with DFCU bank that the vendors there in total owns the bank Shs. 4.8bn. Therefore this is a current issue with bankers, but the strange act is that the Police sealed off the market and even destroyed the old vendors’ places, like they want to trade it off and get rid-off the old small-time vendors who have kept stalls there. Today the market was officially sealed off, with the police cars and metal fences by the authorities.
So know we know that the DFCU who just bought Crane Bank after it was under care-taking by the Bank of Uganda. So the funds used to by Crane Bank has to earned back, because DFCU needs profits, as they are even use their newly found wealth to take away the possibility for one of the most popular markets in Kampala. You can wonder who is investing directly and who else has greased the wheels of the minister.
The pictures of football stadium that was planned back in 2013 has resurfaced with pictures of investor together with President Yoweri Museveni that must have sparked the opportunity to pay for the sanction land and given permission to destroy the vendors place to trade goods, which has been a popular market.
If there are other unions of vendors who is struggling with debt like the Owino, expect the bank to erase the place, fill it with investors who knocks on the State House doors and gives permission to crash the place, fill it with fancy malls that won’t be affordable for other than ones on top of Nakasero Hill or Bugolobi, the rest of Kampala cannot afford even soda inside the new furnished extravagant building. The same will happen around this project where the bank DFCU and State has shaken each other’s hand, given envelopes and made sure to get a go ahead.

Because of this they have even gone further, they we’re given 30 days to vacate the premises on the 7th February 2017 after a decree made by Minister Beti Kamya, so by my rare calculation they should be taken away by the 9th March 2017. So that the State together with the Police was invading the premises last night and this morning; that being 26th and 27th February they did it instead.
So the state of Uganda doesn’t need to be transparent or accountable, as long as they have possible to gain monies into the state coffers and getting vouched from the state house. Rule of law doesn’t matter as long as Mzee says “do it” or “yes”. That what seems to have happen, the vendors and traders loses their ground because of investors has spoken at the state house. Shows the matter of how involved the state house is in all business deals in Uganda. That shows if you have strawmen to send to the state house, the police and the local authorities to work for the corporation. So that the locals or others with “debt” or lacking “titles” can be evicted, that seems like way the legitimize their acts towards the ones who has had the land in the past.
The same happens in Owino or at the Park Yard marked. There are no mercy, only eviction so that a football stadium and other futuristic building appearing there, because President Museveni said it was okay. Peace.





The President of Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe, the man who is in the psalms, who was written to stay as a leader and even be voted on after death, that is if Grace Mugabe, the first lady gets her wish. The Zanu-PF which was created by him as he mended to parties together when he got rid of a rival; so many forgets the past history of how ZANU became Zanu-PF. The Patriotic Front was sucked into the merger for the political ambition of President Mugabe, as he swallowed and got rid of Joshua Nkomo. Nkomo also lost his party as it became one party Zanu-PF.
Therefore listening to the President and leader of decades upon decades Mugabe had to say this on his 93rd birthday:
“PRESIDENT Mugabe has warned ambitious lieutenants in his party who are angling to succeed him to stop fanning divisions, saying he will not be pressured into appointing his successor” (…) “He slammed succession-driven factional divisions in Zanu-PF, called for unity in the ruling party, and reaffirmed his position that whoever would succeed him was going to be chosen by the people through an election” (Gono, Mukarati & Tshuma, 2017).
The man who will run and continue to be the kingpin, the grand master of Zimbabwe, President Mugabe will not leave the republic and the reign before his last breath. The lasting regime and the will to stay is not only for his benefit, but for his closest allies and elite. The ones who drives flash cars in Harare, who owns the banks and export resources to abroad, also the ones who sells special-made cakes, lays chips and all sort of imported goods. That is who keeps breathing air into the Zanu-PF regime and Mugabe’s continues reign.
The ones who thinks this isn’t eating he system, isn’t costing the republics coffers, the possibility for good governance and accountability are not there with a man who rules and give the rules, without following any common-sense himself. A man has used any trick possible in the book and use all sort force to gain his will.
Are now imposing him and continuing his ill-will reign with the force of his army and sometimes like in the past mercenaries or paid forces from North Korea even. Because Mugabe doesn’t believe in democracy, but in his power to reign by all means!
Also, so his family can benefit and earns wealth on his reign. The Mugabe clan must surely have become rich from all of these years. If not why would he not step down and give way for somebody else? That is because he knows that all that is created around him and his family de facto disappears the day he leaves. However, the Mugabe name will tarnish history of a liberator turned Orwellian master. Nobody foresaw the transformation, but over time he has showed more and more traits of a scrupulous leader who use any means to stay and to forge the power around him. Therefore, the ones near him and the first lady are loyal fellows with no spine. If they had spine they would be beaten by the Police in protest, getting produced in courts or starving, even lacking civil service salaries. That is the means of lacking of governance and institutions as it all is and has been all Mugabe.
So there is no surprise, that the future casket President and the one ruling into death. So why be subtle about it. That is not the need of the Mugabe regime now. They are beating civilians, detaining civilian activists and silencing the opposition. Therefore, they feel invisible to anyone who thinks they can bring down President Mugabe. Peace.
Reference:
Gono, Vincent, Mukarati, Levi & Tshuma Nduduzo – ‘NO PRESSURE ON SUCCESSOR: President speaks on party divisions, bond notes’ (26.02.2017) link: http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/no-pressure-on-successor-president-speaks-on-party-divisions-bond-notes/

Earlier this year there we’re reports that, all of sudden M23 soldiers had left the barracks in Uganda and crossed the borders again into Democratic Republic of Congo. With that the Congolese authorities and Ugandan Authorities showing lacking concern of the ex-militants, that apparently is still rebels and militants attacking civilians and army in North Kivu. This with the knowledge of the former Gen. Sultani Makenga who left his house as well, as most of the soldiers fled the barracks too. This is a return of violence and killings in DRC, in time for a needed crisis for President Joseph Kabila.
Here are recent reports on their struggle and hazardous behaviour in Congo. M23 continues where they left-off when they had come to Uganda as relieved rebels and promised to leave their past behind. Still, the UPDF kept them in barracks and in a military facility. So you could wonder how these former rebels should get another career when the armed militants got possibility of army training as they we’re pardoned by the Ugandan Government or a sort of amnesty if they left the militia. Still, they apparently had the ability to flee for the Congolese soil and create havoc again in Nord-Kivu.
“North Kivu / Goma: 12 M23 Rebels were killed, 68 captured and 39 rendered in a violent confrontation between the congolese army and the rebels m23 from Wednesday to Thursday, 23 February 2017 in the group Of busanza in rutshuru territory in the province of north kivu in the east of the #DRC” (100 Citoyens journalistes de RD Congo, 24.02.2017)
Official Reports:
“The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army has killed at least 16 former members of a rebel group after they re-entered the country’s east, the military’s spokesperson said Thursday. Fighting near Rutshuru began on Wednesday and by Thursday the army had captured 68 former M23 rebels and 39 others surrendered, said Major Ndjike Kaiko. “We are tracking the fleeing M23 fighters who are seeking to infiltrate Kinyandoni and into the Virunga National Park,” he said” (The Great Lakes Post, 24.02.2016).

M23 wants ransom from DRC Government:
“M23: $ 1 million to liberate the colonel of Georgia on 27 January, two combat helicopters of the congolese army were crashing at a hundred miles of Goma (North Kivu) doing three wounded and 4 missing. Three members of the first aircraft manufacturing (Russian) turned out to be also of Russian nationality. Initially the authorities in the drc explained that a first aircraft that was flying at low altitude would have hit the trees and would therefore be accidentally crushed. The second helicopter launched in search of the first, flying too low, would have crashed in turn… really out of luck! Some observers were amazed that these “accidents” in series occurred in a border area where m23 rebels are known to be present. In fact, we learn these last few hours, that the M23 seeks $ 1 million in exchange for the release of one of the two pilots. The man whose identity has been disclosed would respond to the identity of soso osurauli. Ex Colonel “retired” since 10 years of the Georgian armed forces, it would have taken from service in 2014 for the benefit of the armed forces of the DRC. Thus, it appears that the two aircraft were very likely to be slaughtered and not victims of the bad weather. Since Mid-January reports of a significant incursion of rebels of the March 23 movement from Uganda. Monuc during a press conference reported Wednesday, 22 February, what followed “with an extreme attention” the evolution of the situation” (Congo Intelligence, 23.02.2017).
M23 fleeing to Kisoro:
“Images-videos and photos of 56 M23 who fled the fighting of the hill Songo for finding refuge in Kisoro, Uganda reveal the reality of this armed group. The FARDC have managed to capture 20 during the fighting which started on Monday 20 February until Thursday, 23 February 2017 and which proves the superiority of the FARDC on this rebel movement. The first reports of war we brought back by our colleague auster malivika speak volumes. The Rebels sitting on the floor in Kisoro, Uganda supervised by Ugandan officers. On the field of battle in the DRC, a corpse swaddled in a plastic bag and the traces of leakage through the grouping Busanza” (Magloire Paluku, RadioKivu1, 25.02.2017)
Militants from Uganda in RDC:
“Kambale Musubao Blaise is an avid militant of the MSR / G7. During the last visit of the CENI vice-president to Beni, he allegedly stigmatized the harassment that the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) is applying at the border of the Rwenzori group with Uganda against Congolese people in that neighboring country who would like to be enrolled. Since the outbreak of massacres of civilians in the Beni region in October 2014, several Congolese have sought refuge on the Ugandan side of the border. Mr. Kambale had to raise this issue publicly during the meeting that the vice president of the CENI held with the authorities of the place in the multipurpose room of the Hotel Beni. Which now draws him any kind of boredom from the executioners of his community” (BLO, 2017).
As you can see the M23 continues in Nord-Kivu and create the armed acts against civilians and army. Where they can and still cause problems as they force themselves on innocent and the army themselves. So, M23 doesn’t have a plan of peace, but of control with fear and weapons. As MONUSCO and FARDC doesn’t stop them totally, as they fled again! You can also wonder what the UPDF does as they come from Uganda and is still close on their border and the ones taken by the army in Uganda is small contingent of the ones that left the barracks earlier this year with Gen. Sultani Makenga. There are so many questions, but certain reasons for the acts of brutality and killing. So that President Kabila can continue to reign without any mandate. Peace.
Reference:
BLO – ‘Alerte! Kambale Musubao Blaise en danger à Beni’ (26.02.2017) link: http://benilubero.com/alerte-kambale-musubao-blaise-en-danger-a-beni/