Opinion: Post Supreme Court ruling – The International Elections Observer’s statements show their blatant disregard of the public will concerning the Kenyan Presidential Election 2017!

I just have to this, it is sad but I have to. After the Supreme Court nullified the elections and the world had told Raila Odinga, no problem that you lose, just give up and let the Jubilee win. That is initially what Kenyan Press and what the international election observers said, as they praise the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said the process was adorable and they wished it that it was their own baby. However, today it is verified by the judgement by Supreme Court of Kenya, which the Presidential Election has to be done again within 60 days. This is baffling considering the praise and the international words to National Super Alliance (NASA). That is why I have to show some quotes from these statements and report, so that the 20/20 hindsight can show their disregard of the public will and justice for each and single ballot. This cannot be dismissed, since this is also public and the organizations wants to be friendly with Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee. Look!

IGAD: “IGAD EOM has observed the process of the opening of polling stations, the tallying and counting at the same polling stations of the presidential vote. Based on what it has been able to observe, the IGAD EOM preliminary conclusion is that the general elections were conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and transparent manner and in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kenya. IGAD calls on all political parties and candidates to respect the will of the people of Kenya and to refrain from any act that might be of disruptive nature to the peace and stability of the country” (IGAD ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION – TO THE GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA – 9th August 2017, Nairobi, Kenya).

EAC: “The EAC Observer Mission would like to congratulate the people of Kenya for conducting a peaceful electoral process thus far. The Mission commends the IEBC for their professional conduct and the security agencies for ensuring that overall law and order prevailed throughout the electoral process observed. The Mission is gratified to see that isolated incidents and late opening of stations in some areas did not overshadow the peaceful conduct of the elections. As we are releasing this statement, collation and transmission of results is still ongoing in some parts of the country. The Mission hopes that the same atmosphere will prevail during the remaining stages of the electoral process” (THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION TO THE 8 AUGUST 2017 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, 10.08.2017).

Carter Center: “While the Kenyan people have spoken at the ballot box, the electoral process is still ongoing as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) continues to tabulate and finalize results. Until official results are announced, it is critical that all parties and candidates refrain from making declarations about the results” (…) “In light of these problems, the IEBC issued a statement on Aug. 9 calling for patience while the tallying process continued. In addition, the IEBC stated that the presidential results reported on the website were unofficial – the official results are those tallied at the constituencies. Citing complaints about the electronic results transmission system and other problems, opposition candidate Raila Odinga said that the tally of results at the national tally center was not legitimate and that he would not accept unsubstantiated results. Coupled with the trouble experienced in data transmission, these statements resulted in increased tension among his supporters and created concerns about a threat of violence in some areas of the country” (…) “The IEBC’s tabulation process, if fully implemented, allows for a high level of transparency and accountability. The IEBC should continue to collect and publish results transparently until the process is concluded, so that the overall integrity of the process can be verified. In addition, all parties and their agents should enjoy full access to the IEBC’s tallying processes at all levels so that any discrepancies can be reviewed and discovered” (Carter Center Preliminary Statement on the 2017 Kenyan Election, 10.08.2017).

These are some of the statements in the aftermath of 8th August 2017, after the polls and beginning of the counting. The striking similarities is evident and that the Election Observers, if they we’re either IGAD, EAC or Carter Center (USA), they saw most of the same and that they didn’t want to touch the hot-potato. They kept silent and instead praised the peace, but not the initial transparency. They did not entail the real issues of counting and tally process, which now been seen as so fraudulent, that the Supreme Court has nullified the IEBC process. With that in mind. Reading these statements today shows the placed arrogance and election tourism done by observers. Instead of writing this, they should have water-skiing in Mombasa or gone hiking at Mount Kenya. This here is insulting now. That IGAD commends the IEBC, that means that IGAD will proclaim anyone, as long as it is member state. EAC will do the same and without any doubt. Carter Center will stand by the process, because the belief in it, even when in doubt. That because the Carter Center rather stop violence, than getting justice served, therefore addressing Odinga directly in their statement.

Now that within 60 days before next Presidential polls, the Election Observers better stay home, their legitimacy is also shattered. Not only the IEBC, but also IGAD, EAC and Carter Center, better be home and not away. They have no insights or understanding of the fraud and the rigging. If not they looked the other way and praised the elections for peace, but not for procedure or justice. That is devastating, but also the mere fact. The days ahead and the new plans to hold elections will come. There will be some foreign election observer’s mission, but they have to be honest and not lie like last time. We cannot handle to see that again. You can lie once, and get away with it. However, not twice, because then it is a pattern and your devious ways are displayed. Peace.

Rwanda: The FDU-INKINGI Strongly Condemns the Inhuman and Degrading Treatment of Detainees in Rubavu Detention Centre (30.08.2017)

Rwanda: Former Presidential Candidate Diana Rwigara and her family detained on an unknown location!

If you did not know, if you are real opposition to President Paul Kagame, you might be hunted, starve in jail or end up poisoned in the diaspora. This is evident in the past and now again in the present. In Rwanda, standing against the one man with heart, brain and control, Kagame, means losing it all or being left out from society. It is as if you are condemning yourself to treason and assault of your rights.

The newest candidate, who was a real opposition, bold enough to stand as a candidate on her own merit and independence was Diane Shima Rwigara. Her candidacy was by the Electoral Commission denied and revoked. She was under house arrest before and after the election; this has now ended, but not in positive way.

If you would think a person, getting 98% of the votes would feel like Teflon and feel on top of the world. Instead, he knows these numbers are not real and has to intimidate the ones who stands against him.

Now, there are reports from friends of the former Presidential Candidate Rwigara, that she are detained on an unknown place together with the family. The police on the other hand are saying: “The romour that is currently circulating that Diane Rwigara has been arrested is not true (1)” (…) “What is true is that police has conducted a search at her family residence as part of preliminary investigations (2)” (Rwanda Police, 30.08.2017). This here is ordinary, that the Police is deflecting the truth and trying to shield their activity against opposition. That is why Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza is behind bars on treason for trying to stand as opposition candidate against Kagame. Therefore, it is not like it new territory for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (PRF) and their head-honcho to push the boundaries of justice.

Therefore, to be honest, I do not have faith in the Rwandan Police to treat her fairly or with swift justification, since they have transgressed against dozens since 1994. The RPF and their squads know exactly what to do, to silence and making someone stop. The Police said their where raiding the home of Rwigara for charges of tax evasion and other trying to justify their breaking and entering. Still, the facts remain that the former candidate are now missing.

The truth tellers is not hired by the Police, neither by the authorities who are trying to deflect their activity and their misbehavior! This is not new and as long as Kagame is running the show, things will not be changing. Since he cannot stomach anyone standing against him, unless they are puppets for the mere show. To say something else at this point is ridiculous!

We can hope she reappear and the transgression against her will and her family will stop, but the authorities of Rwanda are without mercy. They will not do this unless they think they can intimidate her to silence. That is their end-game, to silence and stop the opponent to work against the almighty ruler Kagame. Peace.

Rwanda: FDU-Inkingi statement – “Election results in Rwanda mark the darkest day for Rwandans” (06.08.2017)

Rwanda: Statement by Presidential Candidate Frank Habineza, after the Presidential Elections, held on 4th August 2017 (05.08.2017)

Opinion: President Kagame won with 98.66%, just like his predecessors Kayibanda and Habyarimana!

Its been 17 years of RPF rule and will be 7 more years with President Paul Kagame. The ones that thought differently has lived under a rock and thought the whole world would stop spinning. The world stop and the hearts would stop pumping if there was a different result at this point. This was massaged and made ready for the world. The whole campaign and the race to the polls. You don’t manage a race of significance and get 98% by coincidence, that is measured and made sure off. Just like the Presidents before him.

Incumbent President Paul Kagame took a major early lead in Friday’s presidential polls with 5,433,890 votes (98.66 per cent) of the total votes counted by 12:30am. By press time (around 1am), the National Electoral Commission had managed to count about 80 per cent of the votes cast (5,498,414 votes) from 1,732 polling stations. There were 2,340 polling stations across the country. Independent candidate Phillippe Mpayimana was in a distant second having just garnered 39,620 votes (about 0.72 per cent). Frank Habineza, of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, trailed with a measly 24,904 votes, which is 0.45 per cent of the votes counted” (Mwai, 2017).

Because if looks into the Rwandan election history, it is not like the history isn’t telling of similar elections like the one seen this week. Not like the Republic of Rwanda has different results. If you go back to voting on the monarchy in September 25th 1961, if the Kingdom should be preserved it got 78,5%. So the people abolished it 1961 and the other ballot if the King Kigeri V to remain king or had to abdicate, the result that day was 79,60 % who voted him to become a civilian. So even in the 1960s the now Republic voted in high numbers for one thing.

The President George Kayibanda was voted for in 1965 election and he was elected unopposed with 100% support. The same happen in 1969. When Kayibanda was reelected. Then again it took sometime before the next election.

In an unopposed election of President Juvenal Habyarimana in the 24th December 1978, where he got 98,99 %. Again on the 19th December 1983 he got reelected and was unopposed who got 99,97%. The third election with President Habyarimana, again went unopposed on the 19th December 1988, that time he got 99,98%.

After that, there been lots of issues and the civil war, that ended in genocide in 1994. When the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), who became the leading party Rwanda Patriotic Front. In the first Presidential election after the genocide, it was in 2003, when President Paul Kagame got 95,05%. So 7 years later in 2010, the incumbent President got 93,08%.

Now in 2017 and unleashing yet another term for the Rwandan President, who follows his predecessors. The ones that was overthrown and killed. These took so much control that they created a violent legacy. Certainly, President Kagame doesn’t want that, but he is following the footsteps of the leaders in the past. Nothing with is different from them, just another name and another time, but with the same controlling state and dark secrets. Kagame got this year 98,66% in the Presidential Election in 2017. Which, is very much alike like Habyarimana, who was shot down while flying in the 1990s. While the death of Kayibanda is still unknown. Therefore, if Kagame follows his predecessors it will end in genocide and a horrible assassination.

Not that we wish that, but the history repeats itself, as seen with the election and state control of society. As well, as internal affairs are controlled from the state. To way that even banished the World Bank from studying the poverty and analyze it to create programs to fight it. This was because the Rwandan state wanted to control the numbers and make sure the propaganda was fitting the vision of Kagame. Therefore, nothing is surprising.

That Kagame got 98% in the election was waited, just like the generations in the past expected Habyarimana and Kayibanda to win with overwhelming numbers. It is all repeating itself and going in circles. To overlook that is to be blind and trying to overshadow the history, which is the propaganda of the state. But that is to be expected. Peace.

Reference:

African Elections – ‘Elections in Rwanda’ link: http://africanelections.tripod.com/rw.html

Mwai, Collins – ‘Kagame wins presidential poll’ (05.08.2017) link: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/217433/

Opinion: President Kagame was predetermined to win; there were no other outcome!

Let us be honest for minute, let us be clear, there are not any misunderstanding. However, anyone else on the Presidential Ballot in Rwanda is there for show. It is there so the play of “democracy” and “secret ballots” can be put in order and fix a new “term” to President Paul Kagame. He knows this and those who know the Republic knows this.

It is not like the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the former Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) came into Rwandan history with glory and peace. They went in at its dire worst and broke peace through bullets and harsh killing sprees. They did so while the airplane of former President fell down from the sky and no-one has taken responsibility for it. Until this day, decades later. There is a grim darkness overshadowing the rule of Kagame.

Former associates and generals who has fled has died of poison and been assassinated. This while reports and opposition are lingering in jails or detained. The real-opposition had better be in Exile like Moise Katumbi of Democratic Republic of Congo. Since Kagame does the same and claim “treason” to stand against him. If not he leaks sensitive information, discredit their candidacy and let the Electoral Commission not accept their candidacy at all. Diane Rwigara got this treatment; surely, Victorie Ingabire Umuhoza already knows the price of standing-up against the big-man and commander-in-chief.

So with this in mind, with the real opposition either in exile, house-arrest or prison. You know the fellas on the ballot together with Kagame are stooges and people trusted by him. If not they would not be there. He would have flogged them and harassed them. Their families might even grieve before the treason trials begins. It is fake and flawed, there aren’t any sort of digression or concern of how foul play it is. Even if Kagame says, “Rwandese decides their future now”. Well, to counter what you say, I say, “you already decided their future”.

At this moment the election is a façade and a farce at the same time. It is play for the gallery and trying to create an image that President Kagame, that he is universally loved and cherished by all citizens in Rwanda! Like that is even possible. Surely, many has earned fortunes on the illegal mining and rebel activity in the DRC. That has had proxy wars there and exported minerals in quantities that we cannot imagine. However, this what keeps the RPF a float and pays for the master to have TED talks and look brilliant in the West.

The elections and campaigning might be peaceful, but the total control from Kagame should scare you. He controls everything and his army has it tight-knit. Just like the results of today’s exercise will be around 90% to 95%, the others are just cast for play. To make it seem like they had a chance, when everyone knows there is only one winner and one leader, that is Kagame.

So today, is nothing more but a façade, a shell and forgery of what could have been! It is nice that is peaceful and no-one get hurt. It is great that the polling stations are in order and electoral officials are keeping things humming. The result is nevertheless predestined to be in favor of Kagame and the RPF. To say something else and you have not followed class of 94’ and the whole RPA insurgency. Peace.

Uganda: Major National Review Recommends Ways of Ending Hunger in Uganda (27.07.2017)

FAO issues alert over third consecutive failed rainy season, worsening hunger in East Africa (14.07.2017)

Number of people needing humanitarian assistance on the rise.

ROME, Italy, July 14, 2017 – Poor rains across East Africa have worsened hunger and left crops scorched, pastures dry and thousands of livestock dead – according to an alert released today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The most affected areas, which received less than half of their normal seasonal rainfall, are central and southern Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Kenya, northern Tanzania and northeastern and southwestern Uganda.

The alert issued by FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) warns that the third consecutive failed rainy season has seriously eroded families’ resilience, and urgent and effective livelihood support is required.

“This is the third season in a row that families have had to endure failed rains – they are simply running out of ways to cope,” said FAO’s Director of Emergencies Dominique Burgeon. “Support is needed now before the situation rapidly deteriorates further.”

Increasing humanitarian need

The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in the five aforementioned countries, currently estimated at about 16 million, has increased by about 30 percent since late 2016. In Somalia, almost half of the total population is food insecure. Timely humanitarian assistance has averted famine so far but must be sustained. Conditions across the region are expected to further deteriorate in the coming months with the onset of the dry season and an anticipated early start of the lean season.

The food security situation for pastoralists is of particular concern, in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, where animal mortality rates are high and milk production from the surviving animals has declined sharply with negative consequences on food security and nutrition.

“When we know how critical milk is for the healthy development of children aged under five, and the irreversible damage its lack can create, it is evident that supporting pastoralists going through this drought is essential,” said Burgeon.

Livestock prices have plummeted because of poor animal body conditions and this, coupled with soaring cereal prices, has severely constrained pastoralists’ access to food.  Rangeland and livestock conditions are expected to further deteriorate at least until the next rainy season starts in October.

Poor crop prospects

In several cropping areas across the region, poor rains have caused sharp reductions in planting, and wilting of crops currently being harvested. Despite some late rainfall in May, damage to crops is irreversible.

In addition, fall armyworm, which has caused extensive damage to maize crops in southern Africa, has spread to the east and has worsened the situation. In Kenya, the pest has so far affected about 200 000 hectares of crops, and in Uganda more than half the country’s 111 districts are affected.

In Somalia there are unfavourable prospects for this year’s main gu crops, after the gu rains were late with poor rainfall and erratic distribution over most areas of the country. In the Lower Shabelle region, the main maize producing area, seasonal rainfall was about 50 percent below- average and drought conditions are currently affecting up to 85 percent of the cropland.

In Ethiopia, unfavourable belg rains in southern cropping areas are likely to result in localized cereal production shortfalls. Drought is also affecting yields in Kenya’s central, southeastern and coastal areas. In Tanzania, unfavourable rains are likely to result in localized cereal production shortfalls in northern and central areas, while in Uganda there are unfavourable production prospects are unfavourable for first season crops in the southwestern and northern districts.

Cereal prices are surging, driven by reduced supplies and concerns over the performance of current-season crops. Prices in May were at record to near-record levels in most markets and up to double their year-earlier levels.