Opinion: Kenyatta’s outburst in Turkana County isn’t worthy of any President, Uhuru should apologize to the people of Turkana!

“My concern is not leadership… My concern is to initiate projects that will change the lives of Kenyans… If you think you can threaten me, look for someone else. I will seek votes from you like any other person… whether you vote for us or not. It will not be the end of the world”Uhuru Kenyatta in Turkana in 8th March rally there!

That the current President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Alliance Party who is starting the rallies for the General Election of August 2017. The President was in Turkana County as the man with the plan, but suddenly as the Governor Josephat Nanok addressed the government and their ways of taking funds from the County. This is county that has about a 1 million citizens, maybe not Kalenjin or Kikuyu, but still Kenyan citizens. So Kenyatta still represent these people if he likes it or not. The Elmoro and other pastoral tribes still deserve his service delivery.

As the press release after the visit of the county was even saying this:

“President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised Turkana Governor Joseph Nanok, saying the arid county had little to show for more than Kshs 40 billion of devolved funds disbursed over the last four years. President Kenyatta said the ODM-led county was a shameful example of poor service delivery to Kenyans” (President.go.ke, 2017).

So that he in heated words to the public in Turkana had to even dismiss the governor and his opposition party. That shows that he forget his own place as his government hasn’t really showed that much acts or delivery to the Council of Governors who has even address the lack of funds. Therefore, that his address of Turkana Governor Nanok is weak tea.

That the Turkana people deserved better from their President, is without a doubt. It is the governors wish and will to get more for his county, as much the President wants more his nation when he do deals with foreign nations. Therefore, Kenyatta had to a few years back defended the sugar-agreement with Uganda. Surely, people have forgotten that trade and border trade with Uganda. Still, the Turkana County Governor is only defending his own record and his own county. The President is allowed to do the same, but for someone who is now rallying for his second term, these sort of words sounds out of bounds.

That President Kenyatta attacks a ODM Governor with this sorts of outburst and claims, as well as saying that the citizens and voters of Turkana doesn’t matter is special. Kenyatta saying he doesn’t need Turkana people and the Elmoro, is really disturbing, as he surely would need their resources and oil. The Kenyan government would and should support the county, not only for industry, but for their pastoralism and safety. These sorts of border communities have often been neglected, but now with the Tullow Oil fields. It suddenly matters.

Kenyatta should be on the market and prove his character, which he can provide and make sure the governance of the nation is at a better stat, but with the current fate of strikes in an election year, with the growing state debt and the corruption scandals, clearly is evident of mismanagement. So that Kenyatta feels attacked and under fire isn’t strange, but his baseless wounded soul would redeem himself if he actually took charge and fixed it. Since he is in the midst of the government that has created the environment it is in. Therefore, Turkana County Governor might hit a nerve, that went into his spine and therefore he retaliated.

Kenyatta doesn’t want to be weak, even has the turmoil and the election year isn’t going smoothly. President Kenyatta should take credit where it is due, but not scold governors as the peril and the issues of government is created from the top. If there issues with governance in Turkana, it could easily stem for the brazen disregard of governance from the Central Government, which means that Kenyatta and his administration has collectively created the problems.

Lodwar should be more important for Uhuru Kenyatta as his father Jomo Kenyatta was illegal detained there by the British Colonial Authorities, still he now doesn’t need the locals and the pastoral people. The other major town in the county is NGO capital of Loki or Lokichogio. The other important place in the county is Kakuma Refugee Camp, one of camps that the government plans to shut-down together with Dadaab.

So Kenyatta should act wiser and be more Statesman, instead he uses wild-words and allegations that could easily backfire, as I didn’t need much thinking before addressing him without force or write to anything personal about the honourable President. With that in mind, the President shouldn’t need to personally address the Turkana as unnecessary voters in coming elections, because of what their governor did say. The President should just dismiss the Governor, not dismiss a whole county and region. He should apologize about that and should also show that his emotions went running out of fashion. Then if he wants to say something about the governor and his speech, do that with honour of the elected he is in and with understanding the position the President puts him in.

President Kenyatta lost it and therefore it has been addressed. Time to man up and carry it as a man. Confess and deliver the truth, not play for the gallery, but be there for all the people. Turkana County and their people deserve it, so does the rest of Kenya. Peace.

Reference:

President.go.ke – ‘President Kenyatta censures Turkana Governor for lack of development’ (08.03.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/03/08/president-kenyatta-censures-turkana-governor-for-lack-of-development/

Opinion: ICJ supports the renewed notification from RSA gov. to stay within the ICC!

Certainly, there have been blowing a wind of dismay towards the International Criminal Court; the reasons are not subtle, but understandable by the men and woman fearing for their future. The ICC has for some reasons been finding lots of criminal activity and leaders misusing their powers to create crimes against humanity on the African continent. While the same ICC has not used their powers and laws on certain other questionable wars and legality behind the support of internal wars elsewhere. Therefore, the totalitarian and the lingering presidents that fear their respect and legacy, as they could be taken to court for their acts while being Presidents!

Well, here is a key piece of knowledge from the briefing written by the International Commission of Jurist (ICJ) that was dropped this March, in the same amount of days that the Republic of South Africa has released their Withdrawal of the Withdrawal from the ICC and the Rome Statute. Therefore, the ICC can be rest assured that the South African republic will not leave now.

ICJ Reasoning for problems with ICC:

While there are no doubt many serious situations that have so far escaped the Prosecutor’s purview, it is important to note that because the ICC functions within the jurisdictional limits of the Rome Statute, it cannot assume jurisdiction and commence investigations in respect of States that are not parties to the Rome Statute or nationals of such States. As noted above, in such situations, it is up to the Security Council, to decide whether to refer a situation to the Prosecutor, who will then decide whether to prosecute. The powers of the Security Council, including those concerning the use of the veto when referring situations to the ICC for investigation, also require reconsideration and reform. Efforts toward reconsideration and reform could be led by South Africa and other African States” (…) “The ICJ notes that most African States that are parties to the Rome Statute appear to remain committed to the Court. It is significant that the newly installed President of Gambia has decided to withdraw the notice of withdrawal that was issued by his predecessor” (ICJ, P: 8-9, 2017).

Recommendation of the ICJ:

“Honourable Parliamentarians should ensure that:

  1. The Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act Repeal Bill [B23-2016] should not be passed;
  2. South Africa should remain a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
  3. South Africa should engage, where appropriate with other African States, in actively pursuing appropriate reforms within the Assembly of State Parties, with a view to making the ICC more effective in advancing the objectives of international justice.
  4. South Africa should actively encourage other African states to put in place legislation required to empower domestic courts with the ability to try genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  5. South Africa should continue to work constructively with civil society on the advancement of international criminal justice” (ICJ, P: 10, 2017).

Still it is good to see the ICJ support the Republic of South Africa will to stay within the Rome Statute and the ICC. Even as they did have questions towards the African leaders and States, as the ICC has not acted towards the United States or United Kingdom for their ill-will wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So the good news is that the Republic of South Africa still is a member of the ICC, but there is a will to leave there. That will not dwindle away, as the staunch controversy towards the ICC does not go away with a briefing like this or the ways the image of ICC is seen on the continent. That does not leave with the Gambian and South Africa now returning, or not leaving at all. This shows the problems that the leadership has with the court and their legal battles on the continent. That will not be diffused, even as this is good news for those who want to believe in International justice.

Still, there are enough issues that the ICC has to work-on and show less bias in the pursuit of criminal offenders to give the people on the continent faith in their judgement. Peace.

Reference:

International Commission Jurist (ICJ) – ‘South Africa should not withdraw from the International Criminal Court’ (March 2017)

South Africa: Withdrawal of Notification of Withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (07.03.2017)

Kenya: Letter – “Re: Investigations into the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation” (01.04.2017)

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Opinion: DP Ruto misplace the NASA’s will to seek power as he thinks it automatically Jubilee’s to keep!

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If the Deputy President William Ruto was surer of proof of leading and delivering results in the Jubilee government, except if the Jubilee government would see their share of international loans to fill the fiscal funding of the running expenses. Because very few of the promises in the last election has been uphold as the doctors are on strike, running scandals of corruption and issues with the army in Somalia. It is not like the government looks like a well-run machine without any defaults.

Therefore his retort of the news of the official launch of NASA says a lot of the man:

“He said that unlike the Jubilee Party, which he said is keen on developing the country and had the interests of Kenyans at heart, Nasa is only keen on sharing positions” (…) “The difference between Jubilee and the opposition is as clear as day and night. While Jubilee is for [the] development of the country, our competitors are only good [at] empty rhetoric and organising demonstrations,” he said” (Barasa, 2017).

So the reality of the matter is that CORD or NASA has demonstrated and heavy, but it wouldn’t be needed if the Kenyan Government or the Jubilee had showed other ways of expressing their dialogue. This coming from a government official, that needed guards, so they could close the session of amending the electoral laws before this coming election.

DP Ruto is forgetting how he came to power together with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Instead he has to shuffle dirt on the NASA alliance, because he knows that if you just start to dig the surface of the achievement under the Jubilee Alliance you will find skeletons of cartels, mafia and even deep big-corruption. That is been showed too often, that even ghost companies cleaning the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is an ordinary scandal and not shocking. It would be shocking if the existence of all corporations and agreements between the state and private was actually clean.

There are too many players feeding of the state funds and the borrowed fiscal cash during the Jubilee government. That is well-known and should be that easy to state, but it is it. Like a fish out of water to say it is differently. The Jubilee have thrived on the funds and even groomed the businesses owned by government officials. They haven’t been building stronger institutions, but instead looked for ways to elevate funds out of state coffers. To find honest working key state officials is close to finding penguins in Eldoret or Mombasa. Good luck on your duck-hunt!

That Deputy President Ruto has grievances with Cord/NASA is understandable as they have demonstrated and swayed government on the IEBC and other positions. That must hurt the pride of the head honcho of the prominence of Ruto. Ruto cannot hold his own mantle and shed light on the promises of 2013 as that would hit the people of the significant lacking deliverance of his alliance and parties. The only thing they have done is to keep the upkeep of the alliance and not done anything close to their mountains of promises.

Therefore he has to sigh the utter words of the only point of NASA is the dream of “Power”, the power and reign that is kept by his people, that Power that Ruto and his cliché want to keep by any means. Therefore throwing shade from the glorious place and from the high-power place seems a bit of a stretch. If it was a CSO or a think-tank addressing it, it would be more significant and more of honest approach, but seems Jubilee and NASA are two of the same coin. The one running the ship and the other hoping to take over!

Seems a bit wrong that the Deputy President William Ruto fears the NASA and their only wish is the reach of power, not to govern or do better job than the Jubilee. As Jubilee we’re supposed to do a better job than Mwai Kibaki, therefore the trying of Cord last time was weaken by circumstances.

Therefore, Ruto and his comrades better smarten up, they are high up in the sky and could easily be taken down. Though by they having power they can lose an election if the Cord/NASA shed real lights on the matter and on the scandals. That they go all out and share the information and paperwork on the issues. If so the Jubilee better think twice before they blink twice. Since Deputy Ruto in power should fiercely shed lights on what he has achieved.

So instead of giving blame to NASA, Ruto should show the perspective of their work instead of telling of CORD/NASA before they even said ‘hello’. The reality of the matter and of the justification is not there, as the man targeting the alliance, NASA, shouldn’t be the focus of Jubilee. Jubilee should be better, but you cannot expect anything else. Since the Jubilee has more focused on eating, than actually delivering! Peace.

Reference:

Barasa, Lucas  -‘DP Ruto says Nasa leaders only interested in political power’ (22.02.2017) link: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/Ruto-dismisses-Nasa-pact/1064-3823544-k2ke5m/index.html

Kenya: NASA Confidential – “NASA Presidential Candidate 2017” (22.02.2017)

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Breaking News: Competition Commission reaches settlement with Citibank N.A. for colluding (20.02.2017)

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Today, the Competition Commission has filed with the Competition Tribunal, a settlement agreement reached with Citibank N.A. for being part of the forex trading cartel.

The Commission found that from at least 2007, Citibank N.A. and its competitors had a general agreement to collude on prices for bids, offers and bid-offer spreads for the spot trades in relation to currency trading involving US Dollar/Rand currency pair. Further, the Commission found that Citibank N.A. and its competitors manipulated the price of bids and offers through agreements to refrain from trading and creating fictitious bids and offers at particular times.

Citibank N.A. will pay an administrative penalty of R69 500 860 (Sixty Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Rands). This figure does not exceed 10% of Citibank N.A.’s annual turnover in the Republic of South Africa. Citibank N.A. undertook to cooperate with the Commission and avail witnesses to assist the prosecution of the other banks that colluded in this matter.

On 15 February 2017, the Competition Commission referred a collusion case to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution against Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, BNP Paribas, JP Morgan Chase & Co, JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A, Investec Ltd, Standard New York Securities Inc., HSBC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Credit Suisse Group; Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd, Commerzbank AG; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Nomura International Plc., Macquarie Bank Limited, Citibank N.A., ABSA Bank Limited (ABSA), Barclays Capital Inc, Barclays Bank plc (Respondents).

“This settlement was done to encourage speedy settlement and full disclosure to strengthen the evidence for prosecution of the other banks,” said the Commissioner, Tembinkosi Bonakele.

Ends.

For more information or for media enquiries, please contact:
Sipho Ngwema, Head of Communications
012 394 3493/ 078 048 1213/ SiphoN@compcom.co.za

Black First Land First march to the South African Reserve Bank (19.02.2017)

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Public Protector’s preliminary report found that ABSA illegally benefited from apartheid cash injections from the South African Reserve Bank.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 19, 2017 – On Friday, the Black First Land First (BLF) movement marched to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) (APO.af/JsJaEi) to demand that the institution act on the Public Protector’s preliminary report which found that ABSA illegally benefited from apartheid cash injections from the SARB.

BLF joined the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) recently in a march to ABSA headquarters (APO.af/Y21xVq) to demand that #ABSAmustPay. The Public Protector, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, found that ABSA should pay R3.2 billion.

BLF said they wanted the SARB to take seriously and act on findings of the CIEX report, which investigated money stolen during the late stages of institutionalised apartheid. The report found that R26 billion could be immediately recoverable.

The aim of the march was to also implore the SARB to punish corrupt banks, ABSA, Standard Bank and Investec, which the Competition Commission found (APO.af/VsZ1A9) had manipulated and fixed the rand/dollar price.