AU condoles with Tanzania following Earthquake (13.09.2016)

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma sends a message of condolence to the Government and people of Tanzania following Saturday’s earthquake.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, September 13, 2016 -The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma sends a message of condolence to the Government and people of Tanzania following Saturday’s earthquake that hit the North – Western part of Tanzania. The earthquake is reported to have claimed 16 lives and injured over 200 people.

“On behalf of the African Union, the AU Commission and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of Tanzania, and particularly to the families of those that lost their loved ones,” she said.

The AU Commission Chairperson further wishes the injured victims a quick recovery and expressed the AU’s solidarity with the victims and the people of Tanzania in these tragic circumstances.

H.E. Benjamin Mpaka Statement at the Extra-Ordinary EAC Heads of State Summit recently (Earlier in September 2016)

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Opinion: I am not worried about the Iphone7; I’m more worried about grander issues!

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I am worried not worried about the new Iphone 7 or its headphone features. That doesn’t get a fig of imagination as the reality is so much deeper than the American Tech Tax Evasion in Ireland as the Multi-Billion dollar profits of Europe doesn’t deserve to pay the Nations that they are trading their goods in. The Apple Company are greedy gutsy and expect me to care about features and design. They deserve discredit for their blatant Sports Direct ways of scrapping paying tax in Europe. Did they call Mike Ashley to get advice on how to solve issues of avoiding being honourable and actually paying tax like ordinary fellows? Than when they have to cough up money after being sued by the Irish Republic then they claim to stop having their business and sacking thousands of people for actually doing what they we’re supposed to do all along. Pay tax on the profits and now trying to scam their way to get rid of taxes. This proves that the Apple Corporation doesn’t have only have a headphone problem, but a heart problem and cynic dissolution dividing themselves from ordinary folk’s ears and minds. Their Apple Geniuses at the stores need to pay tax on their income; the same should the CEO and the Boards for their profits. Maybe time to frame the company to the pedestal of European scams of fraudulent behaviour for their fear of tax from European nations.

Well, there are other issues boggling my mind today as the continuation of oppressive behaviour in Ethiopia as Oromia and Amhara protest been silenced with the army aggressively cracking down and assaulting the population. As the country we’re supposed to celebrate New Year’s, still the internet is blocked in Amhara as the fear of knowledge and intelligence leaking to the world apparently. Still, the Government has blocked the phone lines in the area to. So with mercenaries and Agazi squad assembled in the area with heavy artillery and even bombings proves the extent the Ethiopian Government goes to silence their own population as the American Ally on the Horn of Africa is allowed to act as it please.

Amhara 03.09.2016

Just to give you a moment and to let it sink in: “Secretary of AEUP, Adane Tilahun, in hiding after imminent arrest threat for interviews he gave to VoA”. If an interview get you into such trouble that you have to hide from the authorities than there are showing their no-reason non-sense control of the citizens as they are bombing and assaulting their own. Also, doesn’t want the word the out!

I am worried that people forgetting the violence of Gabon after the rigged election for the second Generation and Second term President Ali Bongo Ondimba; who just “won” with 4000 ballots after the 3 day doctoring of the ballots that gave him 98% votes in his stronghold. I was expecting 100% and a few donkeys on the tally. Jean Ping the former AU man have been tarnished and been demoted, even if he won the election; the Bongo presidency still controls the Authorities and Institutions. That the world doesn’t react to men not stealing a chicken, but a nation; we can be so grand in our ignorance because it is more important that the Iphone 7 can use ordinary Audio Connection and not Apple’s own Headphone system.

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What also worries me is the current state of CORD and Jubilee in Kenya; as the newly united party under the Jubilee Party and their structure together with the workings of the new board for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto can sell their story even if it fiction or reality to the people with their expensive PR campaign of Prado cortege through Nairobi and the Summit of setting the program. As the new pledges and fixing the cartels for Sugar and Coffee and all other industries; end corruption and fix the Mombasa port. But, if they do so doesn’t they recycle the pledges of past, will the Jubilee promise more stadiums and infrastructure projects, like making the grandest airport out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Wonder if that will happen?

What I worried about is the men and woman who will jump ships and what their values of parties really was; let say certain individuals who has been Flagbearers, Senators, Governors and MPs for a dozen of Jubilee parties as there we’re 12 of those bad-boys in the current administration. There will be less tickets as you slash 11 parties… that means that in some districts there will dozen of candidates, new and old who will do whatever to get their seat as there is not enough place in a new structure compete the places in a new National Executive Committee and others.

So if these MPs and whatever position in the Jubilee who shuttle over to the Cord, than what is the difference and what is the key aspect of the Cord if they take in everybody who isn’t “good” enough for Jubilee and their new tickets. An if so, they should already have older or new blood through the parties of Cord that doesn’t need the high-blooded and thinking of their own ticket than about the general clue to why there are politicians. To represent the constituencies an citizens where they need support. If MPs and such are opposition are easily leaving Cord for Jubilee, why we’re they in opposition was they there because they didn’t have credit or ability to be part of current government until now? We should just worry about the values of these politicians and their wish for making a difference and even create a better future for their children’s children. Not to talk about making clearance and making sure that the debt cycle of Kenya doesn’t go over hurdle of the future ability to pay the rates and bills instead of building projects and salaries.

Robert Mugabe

I am worried about the state of affairs in Zimbabwe as the government doesn’t have cash, the banks are empty of Rands and Dollars. The bond notes are coming with future debt while the Zanu-PF elite are riding expensive SUVs through streets where people are begging to take out the savings from the banks. Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe are threating the demonstrations with “enough is enough” while the Courts are allowing it. The same Police and Anti-Riot Police commanders that have thrown tear-gas and brutality against citizens are still getting the same treatment as the other civil servants. The Police are now not getting a raise, not getting salary on time and also the same struggle as the nurses, soldiers and everybody else as the budget deficit is growing bigger and bigger. Since also the Finance Minister recently painted the grim picture and with the oppressive behavior from the Central Government has lost touch totally with their own citizens and their view of righteous and just actions from the ones that are facilitating businesses and safety.

I am worried about the silence on the crisis in Burundi, as the CNDD-FD youth group ‘Imbonerakure’ has apparently raped over a 150 girls in the recent days. This is happening as after the start of the third term for Pierre Nkurunziza as the President. With that in mind the assassinations and killings of opposition, military leaders and police officers proves that the AU/EAC based dialogue is pointless as the parties are silenced by the regime and the ones aggressively retaliating makes the civilians in the cross firing fleeing to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

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Well, I am also worried!  Even Rwanda have been connected to groups violating the government and to a point of coup plot against the CNDD-FD regime; not strange as the High-Coltan exporter Rwanda are stealing Coltan from DRC and exporting better quality and levels of resources than their mines and mountains doesn’t have. Still, the world isn’t worried about the absence of justice in Beni, DRC and the RDC issues of thieving with guerrillas Nord (North) Kivu and the areas around. Paul Kagame likes to eat on stealing and killing as he has done all through his Presidency, still nobody questions him and let him by high quality weapons without any problems.

I am worried about the current instability of Juba, the PoC and United Nations actions in South Sudan. The Troika looks like three stooges who doesn’t cover their actions and expect warriors to be peace-loving drones as the riches get by the gun and not by dialogue. The Government of National Unity (TGoNU) that has installed Gen. Taban Deng Gai from the SPLM-IO and the SPLM-IG President Salva Kiir. The battles in Western Bahr El Ghazal State in the town of Wau; this proves the battles between the different fractions.

That the former Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar are back to heal in Khartoum where he was loyal before, while the SPLA where fighting Khartoum to get freedom from the Sudan Government under President Omar Al-Bashir. So the iconic leader of South Sudan seems lost, while Gen. Taban Deng Gai hasn’t had the control of the opposition even as the TGoNU have been able to get a battalion from SPLM-IO to Juba because of his appointment. The worrying is that both TGoNU and US spokesmen saying Machar doesn’t having any rights to get back to Power and be underling under President Kiir. That he giant level of fleeing citizens to Uganda and the little bound monies to camps in Northern Uganda proves the UNICEF and underfunding of the United Nation Refugee Agency that are running the refugee camps together with the NRM regime of Uganda. This show’s level of internal problems in South Sudan affects the Ugandan politics and funding.

This is just some of the things that go to through my mind. So I am not worried about the headphones of the Iphone7 and their technical changes from the last edition. There are bigger questions and more hard questions to ask about the world. Like why are the world still taking the so-called Presidential-Candidate Donald Trump serious when he recycling his lies to an extent that if you took the account of monies the Apple Corporation didn’t pay tax in Europe, the amount of lies that we’re not questioned by journalist towards Trump would be practically the same. Enough for now! Peace.

African Union Special Representative urges continued assistance for Somalia’s security forces

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Mogadishu, 29 August 2016 – The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, on Monday urged international partners to increase their support to the Somali National Army (SNA), describing the fight against militant insurgency by Al-Shabaab as at a “critical stage.”

Speaking at the conclusion of a six-day meeting of Force Commanders of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the SNA, Ambassador Madeira said a needs assessment task undertaken by both AMISOM and the Somalia National Army (SNA) was complete.

“The next step requires concrete operational commitments, logistical commitments and intelligence gathering commitments. It is something that cannot be done by SNA alone, AMISOM or development partners alone. It is something that can be effectively and successfully done with convergence and concurrence of all the three stakeholders,” Ambassador Madeira observed.

Madeira said following the assessment task a committee would soon be established to determine the requirements of training camps to be set under the Guulwade Plan, launched by the Somali Ministry of Defence, which outlines the SNA’s arms and equipment needs for effective joint operations with AMISOM. Under the plan, a total of 10,900 SNA troops, comprising units from the regions, would receive support from international partners for participation in joint operations with AMISOM.

The conference was attended by the AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh; SNA Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Aden Ahmed; SNA Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Brig. Gen. Ali Bashi, UN representatives and other senior AMISOM and SNA officers.

“We have been planning and preparing to ascertain the conditions for execution of offensives to disrupt, degrade and deny Al-Shabaab their freedom of movement and access to safe havens across Somalia,” Gen. Soubagleh noted.

Speaking on behalf of his troops, the SNA Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Brig. Gen. Ali Bashi promised its full participation in joint operations.

“We take AMISOM as a reliable partner. We will improve the way in which we coordinate. We will build the level of trust and build further on the meetings that we have had by meeting more regularly at all levels,” Brig Bashi added.

The meeting was meant to foster cordial working relations between the officers and enhance collaboration in operations against Al-Shabaab.

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on the situation in Burundi (25.08.2016)

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Adama Dieng, expressed his concern at inflammatory statements by public officials that could constitute incitement to violence including, most recently, by a senior official of the ruling CNDD-FDD political party.

NEW YORK, United States of America, August 25, 2016 – The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed his concern at inflammatory statements by public officials that could constitute incitement to violence including, most recently, by a senior official of the ruling CNDD-FDD political party.
In a statement on 16 August 2016 that was published on the CNDD-FDD website, Pascal Nyabenda, who was at the time President of the CNDD-FDD party and President of the National Assembly, suggested that the genocide in Rwanda was a fabrication of the international community, (“montages genocidaires contre le Gouvernement dit Hutu de Kigali”) that was used to remove the Hutu government that was in place at the time.
“This irresponsible statement could be interpreted as genocide denial”, Mr. Dieng said, “and has the potential to inflame ethnic tensions, both within Burundi and outside its borders”.  At the 20 August meeting of the party, a new head of the CNDD-FDD was appointed but Mr. Nyabenda continues in his role as President of the National Assembly.

The situation in Burundi continues to be marred by instability and reports of serious human rights violations, including allegations of extra-judicial killings, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention of members of the opposition, civil society and those suspected of opposing the Government. Human rights defenders and journalists are among the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled the country since April 2015.

In its concluding observations, issued on 11 August 2016 following a special report submitted at the request of the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT), the Committee’s international experts expressed deep concern over the hundreds of reports of torture received and called for investigations into all cases of killings, enforced disappearances and other violence motivated by the ethnic origin of the victim. The Committee urged the Burundian Government to refrain from making any public statements that could exacerbate ethnic tensions or incite violence or hatred and to ensure that public and law enforcement officials do not accept or tolerate such acts by other groups.

Special Adviser Dieng also raised concern that the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD party, known as the Imbonerakure, continues to be associated with human rights abuses and is reported to have threatened ethnic violence. He noted that the Minister of the Interior of Burundi had confirmed that the Imbonakure formed part of the national security strategy, as the CAT also pointed out in its concluding observations.

Special Adviser Dieng reminded the Government of Burundi of its obligation to protect its populations, regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliation, and to refrain from any action or discourse that could inflame ethnic tensions. He highlighted the importance of countering such messages with alternative speech to foster unity rather than further entrench divisions,  and called on all parties to prioritize inclusive dialogue to bring about an end to the protracted crisis.

The Secretary-General is disappointed that the Sudanese parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the Two Areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan States (18.08.2016)

Unbroken Conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Sudan.

EL FASHER, Sudan, August 18, 2016 – The Secretary-General is disappointed that the Sudanese parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the Two Areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan States, during the last round of negotiations from 9 to 14 August 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Secretary-General strongly urges all the parties to resume negotiations, abide by the Roadmap Agreement, and refrain from any attempt to escalate the conflict in Darfur and the Two Areas. He reiterates that there can be no lasting alternative to a negotiated settlement and stresses that a cessation of hostilities is the first, indispensable step towards achieving this goal.

The Secretary-General appreciates the vital role played by the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), the African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and his Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan to bring about a lasting peace in Sudan.

Press Statement: Nine Ugandan soldiers serving under AMISOM sentenced to prison for misconduct (16.08.2016)

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Mogadishu, August 16, 2016Nine Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have been sentenced to prison for misconduct.

The soldiers were found guilty of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency of the UPDF, contrary to section 124 of the UPDF Act. The nine were part of a group of soldiers implicated in a fuel racket that was busted by AMISOM officials in June.

The UPDF Divisional Court Martial sitting in Mogadishu, yesterday, handed sentences ranging from one year to three years after finding the soldiers, who included both senior and junior ranking officers, guilty of misconduct and violating the rules and regulations of peacekeeping.

The sentences were read to the soldiers by the Chairman of the Court Martial, Brig. Gen. Dick Olum, who warned that UPDF will not tolerate any incident of misconduct among its officers serving in peacekeeping missions.

“The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt. The accused persons are hereby convicted of the charges against them and this conviction is given under my hand and seal this 15th day of August 2016. You are convicted as charged,” Gen. Olum told the soldiers.

In addition to imprisonment at Luzira prison, Uganda, three of the soldiers were dismissed with disgrace from the army. It means that they will leave the army without any benefits, unlike many of their colleagues who have served the Mission with diligence and upheld high standards of discipline as required by the Ugandan government.

Those convicted are: Maj. Sulait, 50, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment and dismissed with disgrace from the UPDF; Maj. Kundu Weyaula, one year and demoted to the rank of Captain; Warrant Officer II Kakooza Mathew, 18 months imprisonment; Staff Sergeant Abwot Richard, 18 months in prison and demoted to Sergeant, and Cpl. Sekandi Ronald was handed a two-year prison term and also dismissed with disgrace from the army.

Others are Lance Corporals Kasule Budala and Atugiriire Dennis, both sentenced to 18 months in prison and demoted to the rank of Private; Private Tibaijuka Expedito, two years imprisonment and dismissed with disgrace and Private Mwanja Noah, 18 months in prison.

Prior to the sentencing, the Judge Advocate, Maj. Harry Lully Lulecera, informed the court that the charges were within the ambit of the UPDF Act, adding that the Court Martial had the powers to sentence the accused soldiers. However, the Defence counsel Lt. Lilian Tugume, pleaded for a lighter sentence on the grounds that all the nine were first time offenders and had shown remorse.

Gen. Olum defended the penalties, saying the soldiers had not only damaged the image of the UPDF and AMISOM but had also endangered the lives of others.

“The sentence that military courts give out to soldiers who have committed a crime is a deterrent sentence. It is a sentence that sends out a message to the rest of military personnel whether back at home or in any other mission out of the country. It is a message that goes out to soldiers and officers of the UPDF that if you commit an offence, you will face the law and face it very harshly,” Gen. Olum said.

Both Major Saifu and Weyaula were stripped of their ranks and together with the rest of the convicts, will stay in custody until they return to Uganda to begin serving jail terms.

The nine are part of 18 soldiers who were earlier arraigned before the same court for selling fuel belonging to the Mission. They were charged after five soldiers were arrested in June, in connection with the illicit sale of fuel in a scam involving civilians in Mogadishu.

However, out of the 18, two pleaded guilty and were immediately charged, six were acquitted and one turned into a state witness, leaving the nine, who had denied any wrongdoing, to face trial.

The Divisional Court Martial is constituted by the UPDF high command and is charged with the trial of cases of misconduct committed by soldiers serving in missions out of the country.

Mawan Muortat speaks on UN’s depolyment of 4000 troops to South Sudan (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f84daSN3jMU

Press Statement: Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces expresses confidence in Somalia’s stabilisation efforts, urges the media to focus on success stories (14.08.2016)

Gen Katumba Wamala

Kampala, 14 August – Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Katumba Wamala, has expressed confidence in Somalia’s stabilization efforts.

General Wamala described the African Union Mission in Somalia as one of the continent’s success stories, saying it actualises the African dream of having African solutions to African problems.

He was speaking in Kampala, Uganda, last week, where he officially closed a 4-day AU-UN Mandatory Media and Communication Trainer of Trainers (TOT) course. The course was attended by military and police public communication officers from the Troop and Police Contributing Countries to AMISOM, Somali National Army and Somali Police Force.

“We need to aggressively communicate where Somalia was before the war and where it is now. We need to aggressively communicate the positive developments taking place in Somalia” General Wamala challenged the media, during his address to participants at the TOT course.

The training was organized by United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) Training Unit in-conjunction with AMISOM Public Information Unit through the AU-UN Information Support Team (AU-UN IST).

The aim of the TOT is to increase the pool of trainers for the media and communication component of the AU/UN Mandatory pre-deployment training.

Troop Contributing Countries (TCC’s) comprise Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Burundi. Police Contributing Countries (PCC’s), on the other hand, consist of Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana.

Egypt EOV to the UNSC explain why they did abstain from voting on the Resultion 2304 (2016)

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