President Museveni letter to Kwagalana Group: “Re: Appreciation” (29.04.2018)

Opinion: Mzee cannot handle real coverage of himself!

Well, again the lectures has to start, as the man whose says he is about free press and democracy, he has to call in a meeting to lecture them how to cover him. Not to attend a meeting of sorts, where the standing of the nation, no no, that is another bargain for another day. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, will tell stories of bravery from 1986 and beyond. He will express discontent, where his own words are taken out of proportion, because his erratic mind and his stances is changing with the wind. It would have been better to just drop a report and show the reality, however, the President wants positive spin ala Softpower or Chimpreports and so on. He doesn’t want media who questions and finds faults. Because the President is never wrong, everyone else is!

“President Yoweri Museveni has summoned all media owners and managers in Uganda for a meeting at State House Entebbe. The meeting was confirmed by the presidency in a brief message to journalists. “HE the President is due to meet media owners and managers today at Entebbe State House,” reads a message from Museveni’s press handlers. Accordingly, the agenda of the meeting is not yet clear, but inside sources hint on the fact that Museveni wants to dissuade the media from fanning conflicts between him and religious leaders as well as request for better coverage regarding the rampant cases of kidnap in the country” (Moses Namayo – ‘Museveni summons media owners’ 11.05.2018, Nilepost.co.ug).

Museveni has had a hard time with the media, he has closed radios, bullied newspapers and editors. That is why some of the most prominent reporters and notable writers are still in exile, not in Uganda anymore. Because they cannot stay there in fright of the penalties their writings will have. Everyone is supposed to praise every word coming out of the President mouth. Even when he is one week saying the priest and clergy are good folks, next week bashing them for connecting with politics and thirdly wondering why the clergy is silent doing nothing during the celebration of the martyrs?

That is just how the days goes by, and he expect everyone to tune into his message and his deluded beliefs. As he is the master and chief, the mastermind and the inventor of liberation, even as he keeps the whole republic as hostages to his rule. That is the magician who thinks he tricks everyone, but only tricks himself. President Museveni isn’t that bright or that smart, even the street smart, non-educated and the villager can see through it. That is why his own party officials was rebuked recently in Rukungiri.

So, don’t expect the fountain of honour to be regarding the media. It is all about himself and his agenda. That he needs to massage the message. There aren’t anything new, just that they need guidance to follow his memo and not think for themselves. That is the patriotic stance of the republic, to be on guard and follow the leader. If you don’t then your rights can be revoked. Peace.

RDC: APRODEC asbl – “Note Technique – Exigences Preliminaires Necessaires pour la reussite de l’Audit du Fichier Electoral en RDC” (10.05.2018)

The Patel Dam burst: Government neglect as the owner allowed to build an illegal dam!

Whats the saddest about the tragedy in Solai, Nakuru County in Kenya, it is that it could have been avoided, but the common greed is the reason for the fatal dam. That it burst and hit the village. This is where the owner of the farm had put up an illegal dam called the Patel Dam, which was not legally built or constructed. It had already leaked before, but not burst. Therefore, the uncertainty was there, but nothing happen.

That the owners of the Patel Dam should answer for their illegal construction of the dam. Where the forces of water shredded lives, lives that could have had a longer life, if it hadn’t been for the greed of the Patel Coffee Estate Limited. That did this for the benefit of better farming, but dodged the law and built a dam. So that the harvest could be good. Build a cheap dam of sand and rock. Even forgetting a vital principal of having concrete as foundation of it. So that the dam has strength to oppose the currents of the water. Instead, the poor construction burst and took dozens of lives. Innocent lives who couldn’t be prepared for this. Even if there was leaks before, no one would have considered that the construction of it was this weak. That the owners had considered the possibility of it bursting. 

The land was bought and renamed by the current owner, the old name was Milton Siding. That the building of this dam should have caused a stir by the Local Government in Nakuru. The Governor of Nakuru at the time, should have sanctioned the farm as the reports of the building should have been reported to his desk. The Police and the authorities should have inspected it and questioned its papers. Not to allow this sort of installation, unless he had permits and solid foundations for building it. This isn’t a tool-shack or a mere extension of a house. This is a major construction that has to follow certain technical specificity. Even the Kenyan government hire wrong people and building bad constructions, that has happen at ports and even bridges. Therefore, they should be careful to let private farmers and enterprises building dams like this.

That is why this is neglect by the government, the local government and the contractors, finally also the owners. All of them has failed the people of Solai, the Nakuru County Local Government should step-up and take blame, as they should seen this coming. They without actions, has given consent to the farm and its owner to do it. After getting knowledge of the construction, they should have informed needed authorities to stop the building of it, until the proper legal paperwork and shown the plan to safety standards. So that the public shouldn’t fear of what happen yesterday on the 9^th May 2018.

The public shouldn’t be responsible for what owners tend to do on their land, they should trust that the owner has legal ability and has hired people with technical expertise to do this. Especially a project like this, building a dam and making sure the waters are steady. However, that didn’t happen here, as the foundation was built on the wrong premise. Cheap construction not built for securing the water. That is why it burst. The contractors, the owners and local government should have answers. Come up with reasons and answer in court for the deaths of innocent civilians. They are innocent people who got caught in the greed of the farmer.

That is the sad thing, that the farmer didn’t build a proper dam. He built a cheap one, that instead of thinking of consequences, only thought of profits. That is the sad reality and the authorities, should really be shaken, as they could let this happen on their watch. They are also responsible, since they didn’t take action and sanction the owner of the estate. That would have been the right thing and gotten the owner to strengthen the dam. However, that is just 20/20 and we know that didn’t happen.

We know how serious the burst is at it affected 2500 people and 500 families, as well as over 40 people are officially announced dead. All of them is too many, when this could have been avoided. They died over state neglect and lack of oversight. Peace.

Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Youth League – Uganda Chapter: “Youth League decries USA’s Diplomatic Overtones on Peace Process” (09.05.2018)

KRC/CCCC: SGR Operation ‘Secrecy Agreement’ is a disgusting way of muffling the employees!

You know that Kenya Railways Corporation sucks, you know that the Standard Gauge Railways project is fatigued. As the circulations of the Secrecy Agreement that all employees has to sign onto. Which states that the employees cannot tell the truth about the operations or the works of the corporation.

They expect all employees to be strictly confidential about all matters connected with the SGR and the Kenya Railways Corporation. You are not allowed “to record, store copy any information or violating the SGR Operations”. Therefore, the SGR and Corporation are clearly muffling its staff. This includes “participating in negative articles, writings or videoes or photoes on social media or Facebook or Youtube and etc. that involving SGR Operation”. So when the company goes this far, it says how dire the operations are, they cannot be golden, but instead grim.

This is happening after the state orders all Containers from Mombasa to be put on the SGR and also pushing for the public to use the rails. However, it is still not profitable. As the project has been costly and also embarrassing as the grace period for the loans are soon hitting the government. Meaning, the huge loans for the infrastructure investment comes to roost. Therefore, the needs for revenue is even more important. To patch the hurt, before moving on to other projects.

That is why these sort of leaks and showing how far the Company takes it. Shows how bleak the situation is. When they have to muffle and silence the employees. Since the Secrecy Agreement has Chinese signs on them, it could be given by the tendered company, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which have the 4 extensions tenders to the previous built railway from Mombasa to Nairobi. Therefore, this could be the direct interference of the contractor CCCC, that would explain why the agreement wrote Youtube as Yutube. Because, that is a site that is banned in China. So, if the CCCC employees wouldn’t know about it and its spelling it would make sense.

Because if the employee was to break the agreement, they would meet the SGR discipline, whatever that means. If that would be termination or put on leave, its hard to know, since their protocols are not out and the KRC/CCCC are not that open on this matter. I am sure they didn’t want the Contracts into the public sphere anyway. Since this is disgusting silencing of the workers and taking away their rights as citizens. This is all communications outside the operations is not allowed. This is not about keeping away company secrets, but keep negative social media impact of the company. However, now that the agreement is out.

I can assure the negative articles will come, not only that the state has order transports of containers directly, that its not profitable and not a wholesome company, instead its a mismanaged State Operated Enterprise (SoE). Surely, the Kenyans should feel betrayed, as they are silenced by outside forces, who are building railways in their republic. The CCCC is acting as kings and they are the servants on the spot. Not allowed to talk or express opinions, just work on the clock and shut-up. That is initially what the contract is saying. Peace.

Opinion: No Electoral Reforms are the remedy ZANU-PF needs now, but not what Zimbabwe needs!

We knew that it would come to this, as the Zimbabwe Parliament had the tabled amendments to secure more transparency and secure the electoral process in the in-coming elections. The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) would muster resistance against that. Because that would shoulder more open and transparent effort for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which is an electoral body appointed by the ruling regime and they want to deliver for the ruling regime. That is why there is need for electoral reforms, that the regime has no interests in changing. All of that will weaken the party even more.

That is why the 8^th May Plenary Sessions with the Amendments from Hon. Gonse of the Electoral Law was important. Even as the Zanu-PF was working hard against it. That is why the end-game was postponing a clear vote on the amendments and sending it to the Committee for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. As a way of shelving the ideas and putting it to the side. Because Zanu-PF cannot reform itself. That can only happen if Gen. Chiwenga orders the army to switch the leadership again.

We know that the Minister Ziyambi fears electoral reforms, that was evident with the statement like this:

“However, I reject the submission that we replace Section 157 of the Act. It proves an unwelcome burden on the Electoral Court to disqualify from future elections candidates alleged to have committed electoral malpractices. The Electoral Court, Hon. Members, is not a criminal court. If you want to disqualify me or perhaps Hon. Gonese to withstand from future elections on the basis of mere allegations, it is better for that issue to be adjudicated by the criminal courts and not the Electoral Court. Let the convicting court make the decision on the basis of facts before it” (Hon. Ziambi, 08.05.2018).

We see the significant differences with the opposition as Hon. Gonse answered this:

“Electoral court may disqualify persons responsible for electoral malpractices and it is very clear, we are saying if a person who is either a candidate or an agent of a candidate or an office bearer of a political party is convicted by any court, we are not talking of allegations here. We are talking of a person who has been convicted. We want to deal with the culture of impunity. People have been doing it and they have been repeating it knowing that no drastic consequences will befall them. We want to ensure that if people are aware that if they do any of these things, if they engage in violence for example or any other malpractice, whether it is bribery, intimidation and so on, they know that the consequences are so drastic and again, the Electoral Court is now given sufficient power to decide which are the more grave offences” (Hon. Gonse, 08.05.2018).

That is the major reason for why there are no wishes or changes of Electoral Laws before the Elections that is coming up. Because Zanu-PF have no interests in changing this. They fine the way it is. Zanu-PF can live with it, they can rig it and secure it for the Zanu-PF Politburo. Because at this point, the election is all in favor of Zanu-PF, even if they are not as organized as they thought they were. They are a bit shaky after the hectic and shambolic primaries. However, they will pull out all the guns to secure the Lascoste and the new elite another term in office. Legitimize it and eat of the plate a little while longer.

But they will not change laws few months ahead of the elections, take away the mandate of ZEC and give way to opposition voices now. They are slowly preparing for another term, this time not by the military, but by the ballots. Even if they are rigged and fixed to be altered to the narrative the Zanu-PF needs. As Mnangagwa lies to make beautiful puff-pieces in the Herald. The reality, is they are gearing up for another show-down and will not accept any interference in it. That is why the Amendments are sent to Committee, the Zanu-PF cannot change now, they are on the way to another term. A term they will get into no matter what it costs, as they are doling out SUVs, paying of people and securing loyalty in and outside the country. Peace.

Uganda: Ebola in DRC – Ministry of Health Issues prevention guidelines (10.05.2018)

SPLM-IO: “Statement from the Press Statement on the Civil War in South Sudan” (10.05.2018)

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 18^th 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