South Sudan: European Union Delegation & EU Heads of Mission in Juba issued a statement on reports of sexual violence on women and girls in the Bentiu area (03.12.2018)

DP Ruto’s Hustlers Ambition is revealed!

It’s the Hustler’s Ambition, close your eyes, listen see my vision

Mossberg pumping, shotgun dumping

The drama means nothing, it’s part of the game

Catch me in the coupe switching lanes or in the jeweler switching chains” – 50 Cent on ‘Hustlers Ambition’ (Get Rich or Die Tryin’ O.S.T. – 11.10.2005).

Yesterday in a Speech the Deputy President William Ruto came out of his shell, proving his ambition to retain power in the next election. He will not be a back-burner to Gideon Moi or anyone else pushing for their ambition to takeover after Uhuru Kenyatta. Ruto thinks it is his. For someone, always telling people not to be politicking and work for development. Which I always found foolish from a politician to say.

Ruto are now coming out with his Hustlers Ambition, he wants to be the king and not his sidekick. The DP are saying that he eyes the throne. Therefore, he is not just planning to build more of his empire. The empire owning media houses, real estate and businesses. That is what the DP has done in power, while the state is getting more indebted and more corrupt. This has clearly been beneficial for the DP and the cronies for the Jubilee Party. Therefore, certainly the DP want to be running the gravy train as the Hustler. Which he is known for, that is why he has built his fancy paradise village with the vast fortunes he has created. That is why he wants to continue in the upper echelon. Because, he knows he will not step down.

As he said himself, yesterday:

I will run over whoever will stand on my way” (…) “If you try to stop the government’s work, I will deal with you. Jubilee’s priority is construction of roads, ensuring electricity connection, among others. Other things will follow at the right time” – Deputy President William Ruto (Justus Wanga – ‘I’ll run over anyone in my way, warns William Ruto’ 02.12.2018, link: https://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/I-ll-run-over-anyone-in-my-way–warns-William-Ruto/1064-4877568-xaorjtz/index.html

We know see that he eyes the throne. He wants to be the man, the one people look-up too and be the one that people see as significant. Not the one that is in the second in command. Which he apparently is, but cannot accept. He is the second in command, not the first. DP is the DP, he is not His Excellency President. It is hard to be the second fiddle for so long and in this second term of the President. He has to prove even more, as he wants to step up and takeover from Uhuru. However, it is not everyone who looks up to Ruto, as they know the shady record of him.

The Deputy is a deputy for a reason, he was needed to form an alliance and have a bigger audience, as they forged a partnership. This has not been without cost… Now he has to prove himself and tell that he will not stop his way. That he will run the show and become the next in line. Peace.

Press Statement by H.E. Raila Odinga: MPs’ Pay Demand Amounts to Grand Larceny and Impunity (02.12.2018)

UNMISS condemns brutal sexual assaults on women and girls near Bentiu (02.12.2018)

South Sudan: CTSAMVM Report Number 2 to 2nd CTSAMVM Board Covering Period from 12 Sep- 29. Nov 2018 (28.11.2018)

South Sudan: SSOA names its Chairman for the next six months (01.12.2018)

UNHCR statement on the refugee response programme in Uganda (30.11.2018)

The UN Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS) audit report into UNHCR’s Uganda operation, released this week, contains findings that show clear gaps and weaknesses in risk management in a number of areas during the period between July 2016 and December 2017. The audit followed the massive influx of refugees from South Sudan in 2016 – mid 2017, when UNHCR’s staffing capacity in key functions and in remote locations was very low, followed by a rapidly expanded operation in the second half of 2017 with many new staff and partners.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is in the business of saving lives and protecting people. Maintaining the trust and confidence of our donors and of the general public is of utmost importance to us. A number of internal reviews and technical oversight missions had identified risky areas in the operation during 2017. UNHCR worked closely with the OIOS auditors, who came to Uganda in February 2017, identifying issues and providing information that was used in the audit. We have accepted the recommendations of the OIOS auditors and have been working to address them well before this report was issued on 27 November, including in conjunction with Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister.

Underscoring the urgency with which UNHCR was seized with these issues, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, visited Kampala in January 2018 to assess the complex challenges being faced in the refugee response and meet with the government at the highest level. Amongst other measures introduced, he agreed with the Prime Minister to launch the verification exercise into refugee registration data just completed. He also upgraded the leadership of the UNHCR operation to manage these challenges. Various corrective measures have been put in place, supported by a plan for ongoing and future actions. There is continuous follow-up.

Measures we have taken to date include revising or redesigning and rolling out new Standard Operating Procedures for the reception of refugees, their registration, protection, assistance (food, non-food items – core relief supplies) and case management. The complaints and feedback mechanisms for refugees have been strengthened with a new inter-agency call-centre. We have also strengthened staffing in key operations functions, in particular with regard to reinforced capacities in oversight and management. These include the establishment of a senior post in risk management and compliance. Monitoring and reporting functions have additionally been reviewed, revised and enhanced.

In regard to road construction, an investigation is ongoing and we are pursuing a full recovery of funds from any project partners of concern. Allowances paid to civil servants are verified through attendance records and payment to individual bank accounts with overall responsibility lying with the government.

To address concerns about the accuracy of registration data, a countrywide biometric verification exercise of the refugee and asylum-seeker population was conducted between March and October 2018. The Government of Uganda is now committed to using the appropriate tools for continuous registration, which is their responsibility, and to ensuring the integrity of the registration process. The strengthened registration and case management systems will improve service and assistance delivery, including distribution of food. UNHCR is working closely with the Office of the Prime Minister in the roll-out of these new systems and jointly addressing obstacles that emerge in their practical application at field level.

UNHCR has also closely reviewed its monitoring of water delivery trucking in remote refugee settlements. We are doing top-to-bottom reviews of contracts, invoices and delivery verification before proceeding with any payments. Significant progress has been made in reducing water trucking, which is expensive, from 37 per cent in May 2017 to 7 per cent over the course of the year, following completion of several water schemes in Rhino, Imvepi and Palorinya refugee settlements in northern Uganda. With the new measures in place, we expect a further reduction to 5 per cent in December 2018.

The audit recommendations vis-à-vis partnership management, performance monitoring, procurement procedures, non-food item distribution and warehouse management are being addressed and toughened measures have been put in place, including with partner organizations and the Office of the Prime Minister, where these activities are jointly implemented. Progress will be reviewed regularly.

UNHCR has additionally established a high-level dialogue with the Office of the Prime Minister and other government authorities on the audit findings, including regarding recovery of funds as may be needed. Fuel cards and vehicle tracking have been introduced for implementation in 2019. A task force has been set up to review projects implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister. A preliminary report is due in mid-December.

UNHCR is determined to ensure the full integrity of the refugee response in Uganda and is addressing all issues identified in the audit report.

Opinion: Nkurunziza holding the EAC hostage to protocol, as he boycotted the Heads of State!

Today, there was an obvious boycott from the Burundian government in Arusha in Tanzania. As the scheduled 20th Heads of State Summit of the East African Community was about to happen. Pierre Nkurunziza boycotted the day and showed his defiance to the rest of the Community. Who knows why, but maybe he is worried of what would happen there.

This was established in November in 1999 and since then, all the Heads of State has meet for further integration and for the collective missions for the region. The EAC are clearly at a cross-roads, if that is because of Burundi or because of the leadership at the EAC. Since the Chairman at this point is President Yoweri Kaguta Musveni of Uganda. He got the letters earlier in October 2018, that Pierre Nkurunziza wanted the Summit postponed. However, because of scheduling conflicts, the President Uganda counterpart wanted it to happen.

The EAC Press Statement says:

The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Summit of the East African Community Heads of State that was slated for Friday, 30th November, 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in Arusha, Tanzania has been postponed to a later date. Making the announcement at the AICC’s Simba Hall, the Chairperson of the EAC Council, Hon Dr. Kirunda Kivejinja, said that the Summit would not take place due to a lack of quorum caused by the absence of the Republic of Burundi. “According to Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, quorum is made of all Partner States representation which is in consonance with decision making by consensus under Article 12 of the Treaty,” Dr. Kivejinja, who is also Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs” (EAC, 30.11.2018).

So, the Heads of State are postponed and the set date is now 27th December 2018. That means a month time, this time we can wonder if the Burundian will bail again. As the Burundian government are planning to prepare for their 2020 Elections and surely drag-out the dialogue without having all the stakeholders.

This was clearly a message from Nkurunziza. As he fears something brewing and doesn’t want to be humiliated or even pressed by neighbors. As he wants a free way of life time presidency like others. President Nkurunziza was invited and known of the date since October from the Secretariat, therefore, the added letters in November was more a stalling tactic. However, this should backfire, as he will be remembered for ditching the EAC.

The EAC who has monitoring and being the mediator with the dialogue in Burundi. The President should be happy it is these chaps who are doing it. As if it was further outside, they wouldn’t accept the tactics used by the Mpaka and the government involvement with force to block others from being part of it.

This is really a sign, as the others showed up and with credentials and ready to continue the agenda of the EAC. However, as Museveni wrote in his last letter to Nkurunziza: “Some matters on the agenda need to be attended to promptly and let us not be held hostage of the rules of procedure”.

That seems like the plan of Nkurunziza… keep the EAC hostage to procedure. Since, he boycotted or bailed the Heads of State today. That is the memo from Bujumbura. Peace.

EAC Summit: Position Paper of the Republic of Burundi, on the 20th Ordinary Summit of East African Community Head of State (29.11.2018)

Opinion: The sad realities of the Ugandan involvement in South Sudan!

Today, it was two vital reports that came out on the subject. Both was how the National Resistance Movement, the NRM and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his government have been involved in the South Sudan civil war. For me this wasn’t shocking or really news. The reports locally has been there.

That the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) have supported the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) with arms, guns and weapons training. Even in the midst of an United Nations Embargo. Which wasn’t long ago, that the Uganda President promised to continue to supply the South Sudanese counterparts. However, none of that has gotten as a MEMO to the Western partners of Ugandan war-machine. Who has continued to supply them with arms and later on been traded to third parties in South Sudan.

While the guns and arms been flowing, the refugees has seek shelter and relief in Northern Uganda. As the same Western partners has donated funds as the massive refugee flow from across the border. As they are fleeing the conflict and civil war. The same Ugandan government, to trick the numbers and schemes to fund various operations of the state, even buy an expensive plot for a parking lot for the Office of the Prime Minister, has used them. This is the sort of activity happens from the government, who supply arms to the conflict, they are asking the same foreign donors to help with trouble it creates.

The UNCHR has spent a total of $129,9m in 2016 and $210m in 2017 on the Refugee operation in Uganda. This while the Ugandan authorities has ballooned the numbers and added over 300,000 refugees, which was ghosts. Therefore, the UNHCR and OPM had to after the scandal have a registration and verification drive, which also cost the UN Agency money. For instance, the OPM claimed to pay for 72 civil servants working on UNHCR projects and paying them salaries, but there was no clear documentation if they really existed or had a job. There was also procurement done without prior authorization or documents going up to about $34,4m, which was not approved off or cleared by the UNHCR.

When you combine these reports, show how blatant disregard the Ugandan government have, how they are both the mediator, the arms supplier and the refugee relief. While getting both the value for money for the arms, they are getting benefit on the refugees and they are supplying high-ranking government officials because of it. You can clearly get the gist of the operation.

The Ugandan government have been earning and using the conflict to gain monetary gains, in each side of the bargain. By circumventing the arms-embargo, while being a mediator and official “peace-maker” and hosting the refugees from the same conflict. That is really staggering, when your combining all the efforts and tricks done, to get another buck. Earning fortunes on others misfortune. Peace.