
South Sudan: Humanitarian Coordinator condemns killing of three aid workers (30.10.2019)







The political landscape and the appointed leadership of Kampala is hectic. That is too be very frank. As someone who has seen this evolve over time. The amount leaders are staggering. Both with leaders in Wards, Divisions and district mayors combined with the City Hall. However, there is also the Kampala Capital City Authority too. So, there are so many heads and so little fish to fry.
Now, today there is reports from NBS Television about this:
“President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially appointed local Artiste Catherine Kusasira as presidential advisor on Kampala Affairs. Under this role, Catherine Kusasira will be charge of coordinating the young NRM recruits in the slum dwellings. Another local artist Mark Bugembe known by his stage name Buchaman was considered for the position of presidential envoy on Ghetto affairs” (NBS Television, 26.10.2019).
All of this is happening because of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and his support by youths and ghettos in- and around Kampala. However, doesn’t the President know how many people he have around him involved in the political landscape in the capital already?
First start with KCCA Executive Director Jamil Ssenyonjo, his just been there since January 2019. So, in the span of things his still fresh. You have also Ministry of Kampala and the State Minister Beti Kamya. Than, you have the elected Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and lastly by not least, Presidential Advisor for Kampala Singh Katangole. Not to forget the seven MPs representing the city at the Parliament too. Therefore, there is not a lack of cooks, but maybe lack of prep to make it fine-dining.
Since, now the President is adding a sixth and possible seventh avenue of leadership and roles attached to Kampala. This being the Presidential Advisor on Kampala Affairs, Cathrine Kusasira. By my count, which might be off, she would be the 164 Presidential Advisor, the President has appointed and if Bugembe gets appointed it would be 165 of them. But that is just the tally at the State House.
What is more vital is that Kampala will have at least one more person in the central leadership keeping posted and involving itself in direct operations. That is what the Kusasira will most likely do. In whatever capacity and together with Ssenyonjo and Kamya, even pop-by Lukwago.
One dude that should be hurt by this is Katangole, who has maybe to young starlets taking his spot. They are watering down his efforts or whatever his doing at his day-job. Because, they will fight with him and stand-by the President as newly appointed leaders. Surely, that must hurt the old man and his cause. Whatever that might be, because its not like Mr. Katangole has made anything relevant for months.
What we do see, is that the President prepares for 2021 and acts swiftly with appointing people like this. If Bobi Wine was a fisherman, he would have fetched one them fisherman at Lake Victoria. However, his an artist and therefore, the remedy is another artist.
Well, he must really think the idle and disorderly of Kampala is ignorant and stupid. When he thinks this trick will change their minds about his rule. This isn’t the way, because they are tired of his ways. Putting Bebe Cool at a Ministry wouldn’t make a difference either. Only show how his trying populism and thinking he can counter the uprising with decoys. But that is what this looks like.
This is just another crony and another cook in the midst of things in Kampala. Oh Golly, let see how this goes. Peace.





The following is the text of a Troika Statement on the Formation of South Sudan’s Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 22, 2019 – South Sudan faces a critical moment in the journey toward a peaceful and prosperous future. There are now less than four weeks for political leaders to form a transitional government as they committed to in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway (the Troika) have consistently welcomed assurances by the parties to implement the agreement and meet its deadlines, and hoped that recent meetings between South Sudan’s leadership show a renewed spirit of cooperation. We commend the actions of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to broker the agreement and maintain momentum and take hope from the continued reduction in overall violence in South Sudan.
For too long, conflict has been waged at the expense of South Sudan’s most vulnerable and continues to exacerbate humanitarian needs. We encourage the parties, especially the current government, to take concrete steps to build trust through enhanced cooperation. With the November 12 deadline looming, extended from May, much more needs to be done urgently to ensure the success of the transitional government. Progress would help maintain the confidence of all the parties and the international community, demonstrate that the parties have the political will to work together during the transitional period, and provide the opportunity for the international community to engage productively with an inclusive, new government.
We welcome the discussions of IGAD countries in Addis Ababa last week; the region and the international community’s investment and engagement in a peaceful South Sudan remains important. The Troika will continue to stand with and support the people of South Sudan, who want and deserve peace and a government that protects its people. We urge the South Sudanese parties to meet the November 12 deadline to form a transitional government that will enable the conditions for a constructive relationship during the next phase of South Sudan’s peace process. We encourage South Sudanese leaders to build on momentum generated by the ongoing UNSC visit to South Sudan to accelerate such progress.

The South Sudanese rebels of Thomas Cirillo Swaka of National Salvation Front (NAS), Gen. Paul Malong of South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) and Gen. Pagan Amum of Real-Sudanese People Liberation Movement (R-SPLM) through a press release made by Amsterdam & Partners LLP revealed that they had retained the company.
I don’t know if the lawyers and representatives knows who they represent, as the statement is directly putting all blame for all the issues in South Sudan on President Salva Kiir. Surely, parts of the problems is his fault, but not all of them. Certainly, there are more actors and more heads involved, which these gentlemen knows. Because, they know they have history with the government and what it has done over the years.
Like for instance Gen. Paul Malong, who is known for: “Malong served as Chief of General Staff of the SPLA from April 23, 2014, to May 2017. In his former position as the Chief of General Staff, he expanded or extended the conflict in South Sudan through breaches of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and breaches of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS). As of early August 2016, Malong reportedly directed efforts to kill South Sudanese opposition leader Riek Machar. Malong, knowingly countermanding President Salva Kiir’s orders, ordered the 10 July 2016 tank, helicopter gunship, and infantry assaults on Machar’s residence and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO)’s “Jebel” base. Malong personally oversaw efforts from SPLA headquarters to intercept Machar. As of early August 2016, Malong wanted the SPLA to attack Machar’s suspected position immediately and informed SPLA commanders that Machar was not to be taken alive. In addition, in early 2016 information indicates that Malong ordered SPLA units to prevent the transport of humanitarian supplies across the Nile River, where tens of thousands of civilians were facing hunger, claiming that food aid would be diverted from civilians to militia groups. As a result of Malong’s orders, food supplies were blocked from crossing the Nile for at least two weeks” (United Nations Security Council – Paul Malong).
Then you have Thomas Cirillo, who has done this: “To bolster positions in areas under their influence, NAS and affiliated armed groups/elements resorted to violence to compel civilian cooperation and to prevent communities from supporting the local administration. To this end, they engaged in targeted killings, including through beheading, as a deliberate strategy to terrorize local populations. SPLA-IO (RM) elements employed similar tactics to dissuade civilians from supporting NAS and affiliated armed groups/elements” (…) “In addition to the 50 civilians killed by organized armed opposition groups during clashes between September and December 2018, HRD documented 11 victims of targeted killings. In these cases, the victims were male and were killed after being captured at checkpoints, while traveling to farms or markets, or as they were returning to their villages. According to eyewitnesses and family members of the victims, most were killed while travelling without the alleged “authorization” delivered by these armed groups and were suspected of providing information or other support to the Government” (UNMISS – ‘CONFLICT-RELATED VIOLATIONS AND ABUSES IN CENTRAL EQUATORIA – September 2018—April 2019 (3 July 2019)).
Then there is the final man, Gen. Pagan Amum: “(SBU) Manoa claimed that the NCP wants Pagan Amum to be Minister of Cabinet Affairs in order to weaken the SPLM. He pointed out that although the NCP considers Amum to be pro-unity, originally Pagan Amum began his political activity as a member of “Anyanya-2,” a southern separatist movement in Khartoum” (Cablegate: Splm Ministers Sworn in, Pagan Amum Is Minister of Cabinet, 27.12.2007). “Cde Pagan, you would wish me dead as I am the only person who could expose you as a former terrorist (Hostage taker for ransom) and a communist who is hypocritically in bed with USA establishment. Cde Pagan, you also know that I am aware that Sudan Communist Party had recalled back all their card holding members including you. Of course no body knows other than me that you have been both running SPLM and Sudan Communist Party offices in Havanna – Cuba all the years you have been there. Beside the above, the most serious fundamental difference between me and you is that you believe in New Sudan and I am a simple Southern Sudanese Nationalist who fought hard and sacrificed my life for people of Southern Sudan to exercise the Right of Self Determination. In the last INC meeting, I proposed frankly to the INC in your presence the need to abolish the position of a Secretary General in the SPLM because I clearly detected Stalinism rapidly sprouting in you and must be nipped in the bud before it is too late. Cde Pagan, you positively identified the leadership inheritance syndrome in the Chairman and took advantage of it” (Aleu Ayieny Ale – You Remind Me Comrade Pagan, 06.07.2015).
Surely, Robert Amsterdam, the attorney retained should know this. That even as they are in opposition. They are not the cleanest crew. These are not the angels on the side-lines, which he can white-wash and prepare to walk in the halls of fame. This are warlords, these are people with a reputation and history, which cannot be forgotten. No matter how bad the government is too. Because, they have to answer for their own misgivings and trouble created, in civil war, during cease-fire and so-on.
Even if Amsterdam says this: “The people of South Sudan have been subjected to a series of systemic human rights violations by the current administration and its security services for years; something which the new nation may not recover from for a whole generation or more,” said Robert Amsterdam” (…)“According to Mr. Amsterdam, “to date, no justice has been delivered to the many victims of this long-running conflict, which we argue was instigated by Mr. Salva Kiir himself in December 2013.” (Amsterdam, 21.10.2019). Which is true in a way, he should know whom he represents, and what they have done in power. As well as in opposition and they continue to do so. These people are not peace speaking monks, but generals, soldiers and warriors in a long-term battle. Therefore, he should know that the stories might be twisted to fit their prerogative. Peace.