Another “Last Word of Mwenda”: He belongs now in a den of thieves….

The editor and founder of the Independent Magazine, Andrew Mwenda is back with his articles on social media. Today he published an article called ‘Uganda’s anti corruption pretense’ which I will discuss. Last time I did this was in September and once in March 2021. So, this year I haven’t cared much about his writing. Neither, has he been so controversial either, but he always has a mannerism ,which puts him on my radar.

Mwenda did defend corruption on a TV Program yesterday on NBS Television. Since 2015 he has become a man who defends that and does it wholeheartedly. That’s why I have to address it. Because, someone needs to retort him and it just happens to be me…

“President Yoweri Museveni came to power promising to fight graft. He has presided over the most corrupt government in Uganda’s history. This, in large part, explains why he has lasted longest. This is not a moral judgment on his leadership. I do not think he would (and can) govern Uganda without corruption. It is just a statement of fact. I believe many opposition politicians genuinely believe corruption can be defeated. However, if they came into power, they would be just as corrupt” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

We know that the editor doesn’t believe anyone else can rule in the Republic. He just another pawn of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). His paternalistic way is that everyone in a system just has to get corrupted and continue the what the previous leaders did. Because, nobody has agency or ability to choose themselves… secondly, if life was as tragic as this… than there would never be reform or development. In the way Mwenda looks at things… cars would never have been created and people would still use horses to get from A to B. So, the opposition should get to try and some might get caught in the greed of power, but hopefully some will be morally strong to compete against the greed and easy money.

“There are many sources of legitimacy for governments. However, critical to the legitimacy of the modern state is the ability of the state to provide a large basket of public goods and services to all its citizens. This governance model requires high levels of social organization and lots of money. Poor countries don’t have these two endowments to govern this way. So, they rely on cheaper and affordable strategies of governance – repression and patronage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Mwenda starts his defence of it and does it deliberately…. and it’s not funny anymore. It’s like the poor countries doesn’t have money, but if they have money to pay the patronage and use corrupt methods they are depleting the funds, which could have been spent on the government service. The same government services only the rich countries has and not spend it on vehicles for MPs for instance. Alas, this is an flawed argument, because the incentives is taken away and the poor are just supposed to stay power. In the same manner, which no opposition can ever reform or transform a nation. That’s a lie, because some might fall in the same trap of the past, but others might resolve the issues and find another way to govern. That implies another ending, which repression and patronage doesn’t become the end-game for any government.

“Poor countries of today inherited the ethical and moral architecture of their governance from departing colonial powers and/or as copy and paste values based on “best practice” in rich Western countries. Yet reading the history of the West showed me that these ethical and moral values had not always been the basis of their governance. When still at the same level of per capita spending as us, the state did not provide a large basket of public goods and services to all citizens. Instead, governments in the West managed their societies using similar cheaper and affordable strategies of governance our leaders employ today – repression and patronage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here is what is ironic here… yet, part of it is true too. Yes, the undefined “poor countries” have inherited a state, laws and institutions of which was based on the nations, which held them captive until liberation from the previous colonizes. However, in plenty of these nations, the rulers and the elites have thrived in using the same means, as the colonizer did. They have inherited it and used the same tricks to salvage wealth and create a microscopic local middle-class and wealthy elite. This elite is most likely connected to the political elite. That’s what his neglecting here.. by just saying the leaders employ repression and patronage.

Secondly, in this manner, yes, the West and multi-national organizations have imposed the governance and government policies, which has been strings reflected on the barrier or stipulations of loans. If not these has come as a costs for cheap loans, grants or development funds. These are money and funds the state could have blocked or not taken. Therefore, the state is doing this to cover for own deficits and shortfalls. Third, as a matter of truth here. The leaders and the elites has used the means of the new governance to assault and stop the others in the tracks. Also, issue in new forms of agendas to be the “new breed” of leaders, which has paid of in the West. One man doing so was Museveni and his party. He promised all of this, but instead only paid of the patronage. That shows that it wasn’t his priorities, but he masked it by following “western” objectives to get funds to cover the shortfall of his cronyism. Which is an ideal, that Mwenda masks over with brush of the pen. It is like it’s no need to mention that, but just take it under the rug and forget it about it.

“Poor countries adopted this architecture of governance without the financial and a developed social organization to deliver on it. So, our nations are over developed in functions but under developed in capacity – their reach goes far beyond their grasp. The consequence of this mismatch between ambitions and resources leads inevitably to corruption. Meagre resources are spread too thinly across a large territory that is sparsely populated. Then they are placed into the hands of myriads of state employees with limited skills and oversight to do the job. Corruption and incompetence are inevitable byproducts of this effort” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here again he continues. It is like the states and republics, the former colonies or anyone didn’t have a choice. Yes, there would be reactions and efforts would have been made to change it. We know the former colonizers and the Western powers used all means and ploys to get their favoured leaders in office. Therefore, the will and abilities wasn’t huge.

However… every nation and head of state has choices. Like Museveni could have invested in education, schools and the such. Instead he has decided to spend on huge patronage, cronies and the army. Which isn’t means to an end, but to secure his longevity. The state could have used the resources and decided to spend on education, infrastructure and create policies of which had made thing reform in a positive direction. Nevertheless, when that isn’t the goal, but the end-game has been set-up differently and for only the ones that breathes lives to the rulers. That’s why things are not moving forward, but stagnate. It’s like Mwenda doesn’t want to see that and only wants to defend the corrupt and the ones eating of the plates of others. Instead of sharing the resources they actually have… that’s pathetic.

“Because financial and human resources available cannot deliver the large basket of public goods and services, governments find it cheaper (and affordable) to invest in buying-off elites in the different ethnic or religious communities with patronage. In exchange, these elites create a bridge between the state and their constituents. This forms the basis for the politicization of ethnicity – as ambitious people make moral, cultural and psychological appeals to identity to gain the following of particular constituencies. They leverage this following to gain positions of power and influence; and they sustain these through the distribution of material benefits to their constituents by indulging in activities that are largely corrupt” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here his saying it’s cheaper and easier, which is partly true, but also shows the ideals or the supposed states has given up on their mission. It is like he accept the idea that the state only serves an elite or the patronage of the state. They are accepting to buy up a small patronage, but not use the resources it has to serve it’s citizens. That is devaluing the state and what it could do. This is showing the needs for reform and change things. The government and the state could actually try to serve the communities or the citizens, but the focus isn’t on them, but a chosen few who can get to eat. That is a tragic pattern and prospects for the state.

“At the top corruption is the glue that holds the flabby and heterogenous coalition of powerful religious and ethnic elites together. Then below, corruption is the grease that turns the wheels of the state because public sector employees work in large part because their official incomes are supplemented by unofficial earnings through corruption. Therefore, corruption is the way the system works not the way it fails. By adopting the ethics of a modern state at very low levels of public spending, we have criminalized the very governance strategies that allow our states to function. This conclusion is frustrating but realistic. It means that we need to see corruption not as a problem which we can solve but one we should manage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here is the end to this sad tale of defending corruption. The magical way of building society by stealing, thieving and siphoning funds. The way of taking money and eating of other people’s plate. The state and the elites are allowed to run rampant and only give scraps away to the majority. Because, that keeps the status quo alive and everything dandy for the elites of Mwenda. He lives with the wealthy and hang around the greedy guts… this is maybe why he endures corruption and gets a few kickbacks himself.

The editor and the journalist should think more straight ahead. The patronage, the cronyism and the corruption is only making everything costly. That’s why roads are so expensive to build, so many needs their envelopes and it gets plenty more hurdles to get things done. The state isn’t becoming better, but everyone needs to be greased. That’s not how to build anything and the values of life will go away as well. Since, everyone is down to be bought and possibly corrupted. If Mwenda believes that is how he builds society. He surely belong in a den of thieves.

This pseudo-intellectualism at it’s finest. Some will buy into it, but anyone who can see through it. Will know it is nonsense and deservingly so. Peace.

Opinion: ODM’s audit is only to buy time

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and unofficial Prime Minister Raila Odinga wants suddenly an audit of the COVID-19 Funds and stolen PPE equipment in the Republic. It is really evident that the ODM is doing favours for the state.

These statements are coming from the same guys and semi-government party, who claims to both opposition and a government party. Which is very evident by the recent moves. They have been crying out loud for arrests, demonstration and cried havoc over other scandals. Day-in and day-out.

This time they are just measly saying … let’s someone look into it and hope they spend time doing so. An inquiry and an audit will last until the next election or even after the polls. Kenyatta and Jubilee must be giddy.

Jubilee and the allies must feel relieved. The ODM is cleaning their house and their mess. The dirt is cleaned. They say there is a need for an audit. However, nothing specified and no talk of independent investigation. If it is an in-house investigation. Then, the smaller fish will be catched, while the big-fish will be released. They are the untouchables and the ones who are saved no matter what.

Odinga has made a living. ODM is now in the stretch of both angles, even if his close to be a Jubilee-KANU-ODM alliance, if there ever was one. The Jubilee have consolidated around Uhuru Kenyatta. He has distanced the DP and his TangaTanga. They are even crying out loud, the former known looters of the Republic.

Therefore, the whole elite and the ones associated is fine with the thieving. They are just buying time. Instead of direct investigations, indictments and charges on alleged crimes. They are crying for in-house audits, where a committee will look into it and buy the politicians time to bury the theft.

The audit is a fitting tool, where appointed commissioners and handy individuals can get a limited mandate and a scope. Where they possibly can find nothing or even deliver a result when its outdated. That is what usually happens.

This is why the call for a audit is buffoonery. It is playing bamboozle with the public. ODM knows this and Jubilee knows this. Odinga knows this and Kenyatta knows that too.

You can trick the public once, maybe twice, but three times. That is not happening. There been enough scandals without any consequences. This administration have several on their hands and no one has paid a price. An audit of this one will linger on for ages and will loose its steam before a bracelet is even procured.

So, while the stove is sizzling… the heat is on, the state and its allies shifts the show and side-track the conversation. Instead of actually getting a look at the culprits and the ones involved. Getting a committee and gazetted appointments. While the thieves moves on to another government tender, procurement scheme or funds to exploit. Peace.

Kenya: Where everything can get stolen … [by government officials and they can get away with it]

It doesn’t matter if there is unlawful practices with land-grabbing. If there is illegal procurements in the Counties. Funds goes missing. It doesn’t matter if one or two Eurobond scandals appear. Neither, if the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal happened twice. There is always some fishy non-existent corporations who needs a handout, who just happened to be owned by the elite and associates of the state.

This is just how things go. If there is procurement scandal within the Ministry of Health. Buying some phony units, which was supposed to mobile and easy access for the counties. These containers never came there. That isn’t an ancient scandal, but just mere years ago.

In all the years of Uhuru Kenyatta. There been open bazaar of greed. Where all cabinet secretaries, all departments and government enterprises have consistent of scandals and sudden loss of funds. There isn’t much space between or another get exposed. As the daily routine of skimming the state to enriching yourself. Is the sort of protocol for the high ranking officials.

Just like you can create false narratives to import maize and sugar. Hide them, import expensive maize from Mexico and call it a day. That is just what they do. Just like NYS scandal was to create phony companies to give handouts to loyal cadres.

So, when it happen that the news broke of stealing PPE, donations from Jack Ma and that it was sold in secret to Tanzania. You just know someone ate that money. In the middle of an pandemic. Someone still saw it fit to sell needed equipment. Saw the need to enrich themselves on necessary tools to battle the Coronavirus. That is the levels of thieving.

It is not strange that it happens. As they could hide UNGA and toy around the shortage. They could play the public a curse for sugar. The state could suddenly waste vast amounts of loaned funds in the Eurobond 1 and 2. They could create a white elephant with the Standard Gauge Railway and who knows, when it will make a honest profit.

That they stole and sold the donated PPE and COVID-19 equipment. Just show to what extent the officials and civil servants are used too. It is all “our turn to eat”. There is a self-serving appetite for a quick buck. Without consideration of the implications or the set-backs for doing so. It is not like gloves, face-masks and tests-kits are easily accessible for everyone. It costs and the short term gains will soon be spoilt. As the markets for these things aren’t slowing down until the pandemic is under control.

This just shows what sort of thieving there are in the state of Kenya. Everything is up for grabs. It is just about using your opportunity and find the perfect scheme. The state officials paying the right guys, give the sort of middle-men the thumbs up and then monies keep rolling in. Who cares at what cost and what aftermath. They enriched themselves, as people are struggling, the state lacks PPE and test-kits. But who cares, as long as the men of honour gets their well deserved pay-off.

The President knows this and is making his fortunes. The thieving is fine and dandy. He has let his cabinet secretaries and appointed committee leaders off the hook before. He will do it again. There is no permanent damage over this. It will be another scandal and others who are under fire. But he isn’t touched, even as all his minions are doing it and they allowed by him. If they wasn’t allowed, the authorities would be on their doors and be knocking.

Kenyatta knows, but he cannot hide. His allowing the theft and grand corruption. That is his legacy. Peace.

Opinion: We are living in the era of ghosts!

There are no short supplies in ghosts, they been roaming this earth with us earthlings for so long. But in the recent times, they are becoming more ever presence. They are turning up on front-pages, having more rumours about them than the Kardashians and they are eating more then the living.

These ghosts are in every part of lives, every part of government and can suddenly empty all sorts of state reserves. This being tenders for passport paper, for registration of siblings and even death certificates, you got to pay-off some ghosts. That is just the way things are.

These ghosts are hooking themselves up with tenders for constructions of government subsidized infrastructure projects, they are getting tenders for service agreements for any ministry or department. The money for these ghosts ends up in the Cabinet Secretaries hands or in Honourable man leading the show. However, the public will never touch these funds or see the project. They were just something beautiful on paper and promising for the place it would be built. But, that was just a hoax and mirage spread to the public.

They are ever growing these things and sometimes they even get hooked-up with funds from international and bilateral organizations to fill in the gap of funding. This being done in the pretext of supposed needed basic government functions or adjustment of public investment. This being ghost schoolbooks, ghost medicine and ghost vaccines. There are nothing that suddenly will never appear. If this being procurement papers, lack of tenders or even the existence of the companies selling the products. It will all vanish in front of our eyes. Like they never appeared in the first place.

The government might even order ghost cars, ghost roads, ghost railroads, ghost schools, ghost hospitals, ghost seedlings and ghost salaries. There are nothing that cannot be ghosted, even the most life-saving parts of government work. That supposed to save life and secure the citizens can be used as a trick to steal funds. This is just the order of the day.

There are stories from everywhere, it is not even shocking. I am just awaiting ghost toilet-paper, ghost water and ghost liquor to hit the front-pages, because they have forge some other document and ensure they are eating on others people’s dime. That is just the way things are, we are seeing it and millions, upon millions are eating every day. They smile, they grin, they campaign and kiss babies, but when they are in office; they will figure out a way to eat off our plate. That is just the way it is.

It isn’t perfect. It is just a life of ghosting, embezzling, white-collar crime and grand corruption, which we are bit to used too. It isn’t funny, this isn’t Caspar the Friendly Ghost. Neither Ghostbusters 1 or 2 or 3. No, its just our civil servants combined with elected officials taking us for ride. Peace.

Opinion: Oryem should look into how the state coffers is spent…

“Recently government introduced a small amount of money as OTT but everybody went in arms about a small penny. Everybody is complaining and the moment you introduce a small tax, the entire country is in arms and runs to demonstrate. Where do you want government to get money from, Ugandans should get away from the culture of blaming everything on government. If you want better services, someone has to pay for them through taxes. The better schools, hospitals and roads all come because of the taxes you pay” – State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Henry Okello Oryem

Hon. Oryem, the State Minister have defended the government for issuing new taxes and expenses on its citizens. As this is happening, all bigger infrastructure projects are taken with foreign donations or loans. The state is loaning more and more funds, the devolution and the expensive growth of Local Government combined with ever growing State Security or Defence Operations makes the state bloated. Plus you have the open bazaar, grand corruption and lack of service delivery. Therefore, the Minister should be a bit more careful to defend the actions of the state.

Oryem, the National Resistance Movement are more careful to pay off needed people for their loyalty, than actually deliver state functions. That is why the Parliament are steadily occupied with getting new loans for infrastructure or even basic services. There Health Care is depleted and that is why the MPs and VIPs cannot get treatment in the Republic, but have to transfer to India, Kenya or South Africa. That is what the big-men does, because know the Hospitals aren’t all good.

That is why Oryem should be a bit more silent and not expect people to be happy for paying taxes. As the people have to cover, to fix and pay school-fees, pay higher for Mobile Money and spend more on basic commodities. Not like they are getting better services, just more expensive. The state is already mismanaging such vast amounts of money and paying ghosts too. There are teachers who hasn’t been paid for months and using energy on side-projects to make a living. Therefore, the State Minister should look into that. As the budgets are as big as light-bulbs for schools, which was built during the time of Idi Amin. Not like the NRM have used fortunes on keeping the Universal Primary Education a float.

Oryem should look into this and maybe even check more closely how the little taxes is spent in the Republic. Because, the misuse, the corruption and the growing debt is a signal of mismanagement, which again is a reason why people don’t like pay taxes. That is all within reason. The only thing that really working is the monitoring and the facilitation of tear-gas, live-bullets and arresting of opposition politicians. Peace.

Citizen Mwangi: A tale of an activist apparently turned revolutionary!

“DCI DETECTIVES arrest Boniface Mwangi in Nairobi; police accuse activist of organising a revolution against the Jubilee government” (Nation Breaking News, 06.05.2019).

I didn’t know this, Boniface Mwangi might do a lot of things, he might ask a lot of questions and asks a lot of the authorities. He even tries to get people involved in their civic duties and their rights. He might even be brash about it, direct and say it like it is. Sometimes, people have wondered if he has done this as his hustle. However, he seems like a fighter, not for publicity, but for the causes. Even if he has no direct movement behind him or built around him. Which is weird, in the sense, that a man who is a direct threat to the state, doesn’t have a massive grassroots’ organization to beat the system with.

That is why this day is amazing, as he is charged with organizing a revolution. This is not a joke, this is a serious charge, which the Chief Inspector of Police George Muchiri have charged him with and arrested him for today. Therefore, his own livelihood and life as an activist is on hold. They are claiming he wanted to start a revolution that might cause a civil unrest against the Jubilee government.

This is really bloody brilliant, at the time of the Handshake with the fellow “opposition” parties, which has organized the biggest demonstrations to date of late. The ones whose has the OKOA demos and the other rallies Post Fresh Presidential Elections. Still, the ones organizing them is walking free and about, even assigned public official posts. While, Mwangi has just lingered on the internet and also had speech assignments elsewhere. Even taken a recent trip to Zimbabwe, but not caused havoc.

Why are they doing it now? His articles and speaking engagements has been known for long. His Ukweli Party is known and his Pawa254. Still, none of them is powerful or strong. If a man wants to fight corruption and demonstrate against it is a crime. Then, the President and his cronies should watch out, as they are supposed to have a life-style audit and a war-on-corruption. Alas, that is not happening, because we know they will not fight themselves.

What is unique is arresting the on a likelihood of a possible protest or demonstrations, which will cause civic unrest. If someone should be punished for that in rest memory is Raila Odinga and his CORD/NASA who has really sparked civic unrest in the Republic. Alas, his not an activist, but a high ranking official and a man of grace. Therefore, he will not be touched.

Now, three hours after the news was breaking, there now footage of his release from the Central Police Station. As this news was trending, because it is ridiculous to arrest someone, on a charge on something they haven’t committed or done. They are doing it on the basis, that he might spark civil unrest, but the Police by doing this pre-emptive arrests might clinch in the fire to actually pull-it off. Therefore, this what it is called to say, that something might back-fire.

In this case, this shows what sort of legal society, the Kenyan Republic is at this moment. They are suspecting people of actively engaging in activity to topple the government by a revolution. If the authorities or the regime itself isn’t afraid of the public and their opinion. They wouldn’t arrest someone on this lousy goosy basis as it did today. Because, this is just reckless. The hours of arrest and possible intimidation isn’t a winning tactic. Instead of asking the man, why he does what he does, they put him behind bars. That is just mere insult and another injury to someone whose just trying to do his civic duty. To ask the powers to be, that they can be transparent, just and honest. Which they are not, since they are arresting someone, someone they apparently suggest that he has the amplifier to start a revolution. That is really something else.

How blatant and weak is the government, when they arrest someone on suspicions like this? How idiotic and how much do they disregard the civic duty of all citizens, to ensure the checks and balances of government?

Well, this is just stupid and shows how little faith the Jubilee government has in its population. When even a mere activist can be taken into custody without producing evidence nor justifiable means for his arrest. They might be able to trace his TED talks and talks of demonstrations against the mere scale of grand corruption. But don’t anticipate that to spark a revolution, than John Githongo should have been able a long time ago on the same matter. Peace.

Kenya: Petetion to His Excellency the President Uhuru Kenyatta for Expedient and Decisive Action against Grand Corruption (03.11.2016)

A look into how the American and British Companies defied the embargo and UN sanctions against the South African Apartheid Government in the 1970s and 1980s

This here will be about how American and British interest we’re in the draconian Apartheid regime in South Africa in 1970s and 1980s. I been looking into how businesses at the time went through hoops and not caring about the United Nations Sanctions and resolution 418 of 4^th November 1977 states this:

“Determines, having regard to the policies and acts of the South African Government, that the acquisition by South Africa of arms and related material constitutes, a threat to the maintenance of international peace and security; Decides that all States shall cease forthwith  any provisions to South Africa of arms and related materiel of all types, including the sale of transfer of weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, para military police equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, and shall cease as well the provision of all types of equipment and supplies and grants of licensing arrangements for the manufacture of the aforementioned” (UN, 1977).

So with that in mind, we can see how businesses of United States and Britain started and worked as subsidiaries in South Africa during the Apartheid, where the instances of FORD Motors and Leyland Vehicles we’re produced and used by the Police under the worst atrocities of a regime who used their laws, security agencies to harass the majority; while keeping the minority rulers and their economic incentive intact by any means. So that big business and other ones defied the Sanctions and even collaborated with necessary arms, cars and other procurement for the totalitarian state; shows how far the Corporation goes for profit and serve even governments who has no quarrel with prosecuting innocent citizens. Therefore the history of these corporations and their dealings should come to light and be questioned. As business today does the same under regimes that are totalitarian and militaristic with the favor of elite and harassing the opposition. That is why we can see at the tactics of the 1970s and 1980s and see how they might be used today.

So with that introduction take a look at my findings and hope you find it interesting.

How to start the discussion:

“Johannesburg Star (South African daily), Nov. 26, 1977, at 15. See also 1978 Hearings, supra note 13, at 846 (statement of John Gaetsewe, General Secretary of the banned South African Congress of Trade Unions) (“The ending of foreign investment in South Africa … is a means of undermining the power of the apartheid regime. Foreign investment is a pillar of the whole system which maintains the virtual slavery of the Black workers in South Africa.”); Christian Sci. Monitor, Feb. 21, 1984, at 25 (statement by Winnie Mandela, wife of imprisoned African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela)” (Hopkins, 1985).

Some money earned by the SADF at the time:

“According to official SADF accounts, the money that would have been recouped from the sale of ivory would flow back into funding the Unita rebels. However, Breytenbach knew that in the year 1986/1987 alone, the SADF’s assistance to Unita through military intelligence totalled R400 million (ZAR2005=R2,5 billion) and this excluded the supply of almost all Unita’s hardware and fuel. It is therefore unlikely that this was the reason behind the SADF’s interest in ivory smuggling. It is more likely that the potential for self-enrichment that this presented to SADF officers was enormous. General Chris Thirion, Former Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence, agrees and suspects that Savimbi was in fact over-funded at the time” (Van Vuren, 2006).

How much RSA used on Military Equipment during Apartheid in the 1980s:

“According to evidence presented to the UN Security Council arms embargo committee in 1984, out of its annual total arms procurement budget of some R1.62 billion over R900 million was to be spent on arms purchases from overseas” (…)”This R900 million is spent on the procurement of arms directly by the regime from overseas and via the private sector. No official figures are published about how much is actually spent on direct imports of armaments. However, it can be estimated from figures contained in an in-depth survey by the Johannesburg Sunday Times in July 1982 that imports from overseas were 15 per cent of defence spending which then stood at R3,320 million per annum” (AAM, 1985).

How that happen:

“Those breaches of the arms embargo which have been exposed have also revealed the myth of South Africa’s self-sufficiency. Equipment smuggled into South Africa include weapons such as machine guns, rifles and pistols as well as spares and components for them. In a trial at the Old Bailey, London, in October 1982, the Court was informed that South African efforts to produce components for pre-war machine guns had not been successful. This points to the serious deficiencies in the quality and reliability of even minor items manufactured in South Africa” (AAM, 1985).

Export of R.J. Electronics International:

“Britain’s refusal to strictly implement the UN arms embargo and its continuing military collaboration in various fields are not totally surprising since much of this arises out of its traditional relationship with South Africa” (…)”They failed to re-appear in Court on 22 October 1984 and the following weekend gave a press conference. At it, Colonel Botha disclosed that they had operated as undercover agents for five years and “had saved the country at least R5 million on purchases of vital equipment”. Metelerkamp claimed he was only a consultant to Kentron and was the Managing Director of R J Electronics International. However, it emerged that he had been employed by Kentron up to a month prior to his arrest, and R J Electronics International was “a company used to purchase illicit arms” (AAM, 1985).

Other Examples:

“One cargo of FN rifles was initially exported by air to Red Baron Ltd at an address in Zurich before being forwarded to South Africa. This company, however, was not Swiss, but registered in England. Its directors were Mr Trinkler and two others who had also been directors of Kuehne and Nagel in Britain” (…)”The most controversial case was that of the British Aerospace naval reconaissance aircraft, the Coastguarder. In Hay 1984 it was disclosed that British Aerospace had been approached by the South African Government and that initial discussions had taken place concerning the purchase of eight aircraft. These were to replace the Shackleton aircraft which were having to be phased out. The South African authorities had sought to evade the arms embargo by forming a Coastguard service as a civilian authority through which the order for the aircraft would be placed. Repeated efforts to secure from the Government an undertaking that the Coastguarder would not be granted licence for export to South Africa met with the response that “it would not be proper for me to offer a definitive view now on the hypothetical question on the issue of a licence for the export of an aircraft such as the Coastguarder to South Africa” (AAM, 1985).

Shell Corporation working with the Regime:

“The South Africans agreed and supplied a cash advance that allowed the traders to purchase a tanker, shipping company and the required insurance. The tanker docked in Kuwait and filled its tanks with oil owned by Shell. The oil was registered for delivery in France. However, en route to Europe from the Gulf the tanker stopped in Durban and off-loaded almost all of its oil crude oil—almost 180,000 tonnes—with the South Africans paying the difference between the purchase price and the fees it had advanced for the purchase of the tanker. The Salem was then filled up with water in order to create the impression that it was still laden with oil. Off the coast of West Africa (Senegal), at one of the deepest points of the Atlantic, the ship was scuttled and the crew, who were prepared for the evacuation, were conveniently ‘rescued’. They had hoped to make an extra $24 million off the insurance claim for the lost oil. Following investigations by the insurance company the main perpetrators were prosecuted. The biggest loser next to Shell was South Africa, asit agreed to pay the Dutch multinational US$30 million (ZAR2005=R436 million) in an out-of-court settlement. Shell was left to carry a remaining loss of US$20 million. The use of corrupt middlemen had cost South Africa almost half a billion rand. There was no prosecution in South Africa of the officials at the SFF who had authorised South Africa’s procurement of a full tanker of oil from three novice (criminal) entrepreneurs” (Van Vuren, 2006).

British Subsidiaries in South Africa:

“Many of these subsidiaries are British. They include Leyland (Landrovers and Trucks); ICI (through its 40 per cent holding in AECI) (Ammunition and Explosives); Trafalgar House (through Cementation Engineering) (artillery shells); ICL (Computers); GEC including Marconis (Military Communications Equipment); Lontho (aircraft franchises); Plessey (Military Communications Equipment); BP and Shell (oil and other petroleum products for the military and police)” (…)”An impression of the full extent of the role of British subsidiaries in South Africa in undermining the arms embargo can be obtained from studying Appendix C. This is a list of British companies with subsidiaries in South Africa which are also known to be engaged in the manufacture of military and related equipment” (AAM, 1985).

British Mercenaries:

“British mercenaries, some recruited. originally for the forces of the illegal Smith regime, are serving in a number of South African Defence Force units, including the infamous “32 Battallion” operating out of Namibia into Angola. A British mercenary was killed in the South African commando raid on the residence of South African refugees in Maputo, Mozambique, in January 1981” (AAM, 1985).

“British Government policy so far has been to grant permission for Officers to serve in the South African Defence Forces.” (…)”This was explained by Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Heseltine, in a letter to the Rt Hon Denis Healey:

“An Officer is required to resign his commission before joining the forces of a country that does not owe allegiance to the Crown, and if he did not do so then the commission would be removed. As you will appreciate, this is the only power that we can exercise over an officer who has already retired from the Services. Guidance is given to officers about these procedures before they retire, but no specific recommendations are made about which countries’ Armed Forces an officer should join; nor do I believe that it would be right to do so.” (AAM, 1985).

American Businesses under Apartheid:

“Approximately 350 of the most prominent companies in the United States, including more than half of the Fortune 500’s top one hundred firms, operate subsidiaries in South Africa [18]. Another 6000 do business there through sales agents and distributers [19]. The United States holds fifty-seven percent of all foreign holdings on the Johannesburg stock exchange, including gold mines, mining houses, platinum mines, and diamonds [20]. The State Department estimated that U.S. direct investment amounted to $2.3 billion in 1983, down from the $2.8 billion calculated by the South African Institute of Race Relations for 1982 [21]. Other estimates put overall American investment, including loans and gold stocks, at $14 billion [22]” (…)”rcent [25]. U.S. exports to South Africa, however, grew from approximately R1.2 billion in 1979 to R2.7 billion in 1981 [26]. As a result, the United States emerged as the Republic’s largest trading partner [27]. Apart from its quantitative impact, U.S. business investment has a qualitative impact disproportionate to its financial value” (…)”John Purcell of Goodyear concurred, asserting that economic pressures will not encourage nonviolent social change in South Africa; rather, this will be brought about by “economic growth, expanded contact with the outside, and time” ((Hopkins, 1985)

Ford sold cars to the Apartheid regime:

“Ford Directed and Controlled its South African Policies from the United States, Exported Equipment from the United States, and Acted to Circumvent the United States Sanctions Regime: (New York Southern Cout Case, P: 65, 2014)

“Thus, despite the tightening of U.S. trade sanctions in February 1978, Ford U.S. still announced a “large infusion[] of capital into its South African subsidiary. Ford injected $8 million for upkeep and retooling” (New York Southern Court Case, P: 67, 2014).

“Ford support was significant: “[B]etween 1973 and 1977 [Ford] sold 128 cars and 683 trucks directly to the South African Ministry of Defense and 646 cars and 1,473 trucks to the South African police. Ford sold at least 1,582 F series U.S.-origin trucks to the police” (…)”Despite the prohibitions, Ford continued to supply vehicles to the South African security forces with the purpose of facilitating apartheid crimes. Ford denied that its continued sales to the South African security forces ran counter to the U.S. prohibitions, on the basis that the vehicles did not contain parts or technical data of U.S. origin” (…)”Notably, into the 1980s, Ford sold vehicles that did not need to be “converted” by the apartheid government for military or police use but were already specialized before leaving the plant in South Africa” (…)”Ford built a limited number of XR6 model Cortinas known as “interceptors” that were sold almost exclusively to the police. The XR6 was special because it had three Weber model double carburetors, as opposed to all other Cortinas that had only one double carburetor” (…)”Ford knew that the normal market for these vehicles was the security forces. The vehicles were deliberately pre-equipped with armor and military fixtures and designed for easy modification by the security forces to add additional defensive and offensive features” (…)”By making profits which they knew could only come from their encouragement of the security forces’ illicit operations through the sale of vehicles, parts, designs, and services, Ford acquired a stake in the criminal enterprise that was the apartheid regime” (New York Southern Case, P: 71-77, 2014).

Leyland under Apartheid:

“The British government now virtually owns British Leyland and therefore controls the company’s operations in South Africa. Yet it has done little in practice to press for the rights of black workers to organize through trade unions, or for the recognition of the unions for collective bargaining purposes” (…)”The South African “branch” is Leyland’s biggest operation in the world outside of the U.K. At present it is the 8^th largest car manufacturer (holding approximately 5% of the market) and the 7^th largest commercial vehicle manufacturer (holding approximately 5,5% of the market) in South Africa. Despite the depressed condition of the South African Market it sold 1959 vehicles in January-February of 1977 alone” (…)”B.L.S.A. has massive contracts with the South African state. It is one of the chief suppliers of the South African Defense Force, providing not only trucks and landrovers (which form the backbone of anti-guerrilla operations) but also armored personnel carriers. Of course, the figures for these contracts are never made public” (…)”For example, in June 1976 it was announced that B.L.S.A. had won a £1.9millon order for 250 trucks from the Cape Provincial Authority” (…)”As Leyland itself have argued , It “must conform, it not entirely” to South African government and established wishes” (Coventry Anti-Apartheid, 1977).

This here is not easy to finish up as the implications of this deals and arrangement used to support a government that oppressed and detained the majority. This Apartheid government did it all openly and with a clear message that the white minority should rule, while the rest should serve them.

In that context these businesses earned good amount of cash and profits for their stakeholders and their shareholders. While their products and procured services by the state we’re used to oppress majority of people in South Africa. We can surely see the amount of money and how this have affected the society and given way for the government of the time to continue with the process of detaining and harassing the majority of South Africans. This could not have happen if there wasn’t a helping hand from businesses and their subsidiaries. This here is just a brief look into it.

Certainly this should be studied even more and become clear evidence of how heartbreaking it is to know how certain businesses and people owning them will profit on suffering of fellow human beings. That is why I myself shed a light on it, to show the extent of disobedience of the UN Resolution and also what these corporations does in regimes that harassing and oppressing fellow citizens for their background, creed, tribe etc. It’s just ghastly and makes my tummy vomit. But that is just me, hope you got some indication of how they did their business and served the Apartheid government. Peace.

Reference:

Anti-Apartheid Movement – ‘How Britian Arms Apartheid – A memorandum for presentation to her Majesty’s Government’ (1985)

Coventry Anti-Apartheid Movement – ‘Leyland in Britain and in South Africa’ (1977)

Hopkins, Sheila M. – ‘AN ANALYSIS OF U.S.-SOUTH AFRICAN RELATIONS IN THE 1980s: HAS ENGAGEMENT BEEN CONSTRUCTIVE?’ (1985) – Journal of Comparative Business and Capital Market Law 7 (1985) 89-115, North Holland

United States, New York Southern Court: Case 1:02-md-01499-SAS Document 280-1 Filed 08/08/14

Van Vuren, Hennie – ‘Apartheid grand corruption – Assessing the scale of crimes of profit from 1976 to 1994’ (2006)

PLO Lumumba – “We are Co-Authors of our misfortune”

Interesting, right? Enlightenment, right?

Peace!