SPLM/A is now reported to have started Chemical Warfare in the Bieh State!

This is a game-changer as the conflict of South Sudan escalates, it has become less clear of all the actors, as there isn’t only SPLM/A and SPLM-IO, there are more rebels and even more armed deserters who works against the Juba Regime. Therefore, the picture be more distorted, but the similarities between the rebels are that they all work to end the Presidency of Salva Mayardiit Kiir. They are not interested in keeping his regime alive.

So this news are breathtaking:

South Sudanese government has dropped containers of toxic gas on rebel-held areas in Bieh State, a senior rebel military source told the South Sudan News Agency on Saturday. The official who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak said the government used at least three military helicopters to drop the poison gas. “After days of failed attempt to capture our areas in Waat, the genocidal regime in Juba decided to use poisonous gas on our gallant forces and civilians. The gas is suffocating people. People affected by this gas attack are experiencing severe coughing,” the officer told the South Sudan News Agency” (SSNA, 2017).

That the SPLA, the Government forces has now taken it further, there has been earlier reports of sexual assaults, burning of villages and harassment of aid workers. So the situation in the different states is various condition, as the SPLM-IO and the other rebels are continuing to fight the government forces. This makes it harder for the SPLA, as they don’t have one enemy and one rebel outfit, but they have many. Therefore, even as the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) or the Juba Regime tries to kick-off the National Dialogue in the states of Lou Nuer, it is a bit disrespectful that they are delivering church services to the people of Bieh State and Akobo State. THis with the knowledge of the poison gas drops done by the TGoNU army SPLA.

“One senior rebel official in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, told the South Sudan News Agency today that the armed opposition intelligence branches have evidence showing Ugandan government is secretly assisting South Sudanese government in the gas campaign” (SSNA, 2017).

That the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) are helping SPLA/M isn’t new, what is new that the UPDF are helping again the TGoNU, like they did before the newest peace agreement between SPLM/A and SPLM-IO. Certainly, this also shows why Gen. Taban Deng Gai, the Vice President spoke of peace with the President Yoweri Museveni recently. This seems to be fitting together in a glove. As the VP of South Sudan wasn’t travelling to Uganda with peace in mind, but with the intelligence of the help of Ugandan army inside South Sudan, wouldn’t be the first or the last time they are involved.

President Museveni likes to get his army hired for the foreign exchange and the wealth it creates for him, as the loyalty to UPDF is still strong. As the possibility for career inside the army is stil there. But the news that the UPDF are helping SPLA with doing crimes against humanity.

That the reports that the SPLA are together with the UPDF dropping chemical weapons in Bieh State. And certainly the fighting is monitored, but the UNMISS mission is clearly using a scripted language to make sure it doesn’t make headlines:

“Fresh fighting has broken out between government SPLA and opposition forces in a number of locations including Raga in the west of South Sudan, Waat in Jonglei to the east and in the area of Wunkur and Tonga in the northern Upper Nile region” (…) “UNMISS continues to push for access to areas affected by the conflict. Despite the challenges in reaching some parts of the country, the Mission has successfully deployed a number of peacekeeping patrols to deter violence and protect civilians. UNMISS is also monitoring any human rights abuses as a part of its mandate” (UNMISS – ‘Restraint urged on warring parties in South Sudan as violence escalates’ 15.04.2017).

That UNMISS has a mission, but the intelligence of chemical warfare in Bieh State is proving that the SPLA are keeping vital information hidden from the UNMISS. This is happening as the SPLA are fighting on multiple fronts. So the use of stronger force to silence the rebels seem needed and the knowledge of the use of chemical warfare should be put on display for the whole world to see. So that all the lives lost and the innocent dying for the greed of power get their justice proven. Since the SPLA and SPLA/M doesn’t care about now, they use all sorts of methods to stay in power. They even use the vile force of poison to kill civilians and rebels.

That SPLM-IO and other rebels should worry, as the unforgiven SPLA have now started to drop poisons gas on their own civilians as well as the possible rebels. This is proof of the extent that the SPLM/A or the TGoNU do now. That the innocent dies, that the refugees continue to come to the neighbouring countries like Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia. So, the international community should be extra worried, as the new settlement are opened in Uganda and that the vicious attacks in Bieh State.

That chemical warfare are now happening together with the stalemate between the SPLA and all the other rebel factions in the Republic. This is not making a true statement of wishing peace or national dialogue as innocent civilians die in acts against humanity. Peace.  

Reference:

SSNA – ‘South Sudan drops poisonous gas on rebel-held territories’ (15.04.2017) link: http://www.southsudannewsagency.com/index.php/2017/04/15/south-sudan-drops-poisonous-gas-rebel-held-territories/

Easter Message of Hope to the People of South Sudan (15.04.2017)

South Sudan: Humanitarian Coordinator Condemns Horrific Killing of Aid Workers in Wau (15.04.2017)

Juba, 15 April 2017: The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Eugene Owusu, has expressed shock and outrage after being informed of the killing of three workers involved in the delivery of vital food aid in Wau, less than one week after he called for an end to all attacks against aid workers in South Sudan. “Just last week, I appealed for an end to the targeting of innocent people in this conflict,” said Mr. Owusu. “And yet yesterday I learned that three porters were heinously killed while making their way to a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in the midst of security operations in Wau town on 10 April. I am appalled by this abhorrent act and demand an urgent investigation to identify those who are responsible and bring them to account.”

The deaths bring the number of aid workers killed in South Sudan to 82. Fourteen aid
workers have already been killed in 2017, compared to 24 in all of 2016. “There are no words left to explain the level of frustration and outrage I feel regarding the continued attacks against humanitarians in South Sudan who are simply trying to help the civilians who are suffering as a result of this conflict,” said Mr. Owusu. “I join WFP in sending my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the three brave men who lost their lives this week in the service of the vulnerable people in this country.”

Separately, 60 humanitarian workers have had to relocate from multiple locations in Jonglei yesterday and today – including Waat and Walgak – due to intensified conflict in the area. Early indications are that the civilian population is also fleeing, though the number of people displaced has been unable to be verified due to the highly fluid situation.

“I call on the parties to the conflict to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and ensure the proportionality of their actions,” said Mr. Owusu. “I am deeply disappointed that, despite the assurances that we have received and the commitments that have been made, humanitarians are again having to relocate, and civilians again being uprooted, in an area where needs were already high.”

Across South Sudan, humanitarian needs continue to rise, while the operating environment is becoming increasingly dangerous and difficult. In March alone, 79 humanitarian access incidents were reported.

SPLM-IO: THe Continued Terrorism of the Juba Regime (11.04.2017)

South Sudan: Note to Correspondents on the situation in Wau (10.04.2017)

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been informed that a number of government SPLA soldiers were killed in an ambush on Sunday to the south of the town of Wau in the north-west of the country.

JUBA, South Sudan, April 10, 2017 – The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been informed that a number of government SPLA soldiers were killed in an ambush on Sunday to the south of the town of Wau in the north-west of the country.

Fighting then spread to Wau. The Mission mounted two patrols into Wau on Monday and said it had observed the bodies of 16 civilians in a hospital. There were ten people who had been injured. Additional patrols are planned for Tuesday. Eighty-four people have arrived at the UNMISS POC site, while an influx of at least 3,000 people at a Catholic church in the town, mostly women and children, has been reported.

The fighting follows the movement of SPLA troops, tanks and equipment towards the south-western part of Wau late last week

Kenya: Operational Update: KDF Engages and Successfully Destroys Al Shabaab Terrrorists’ Camp (10.04.2017)

Kenya: EACC investigation into Gov. Hassan Joho and Tom Mboya Primary School verifying his education!

Answer from the School to EACC:

 

Communiqué of the Consultative Meeting of IGAD Member States on the Current Drought Situation in the Region (31.03.2017)

MBS Espisu defends Secretaries role at rallies; Is the Secretaries role to be loyal to the President or to the People?

It isn’t everyday there is election and that the Spokesperson for the Presidency of Kenya are benign and default by the values of governance and who the government are. Therefore, the defense from the spokesperson proves how little they care for accountability and transparency, as the Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries takes parts of Election Rallies in Kenya, as the Jubilee Government doesn’t care about their neglect of opposition and that they are supposed to represent all Kenyans, not just the voters of the Jubilee Party. But hey! Manoah Esipisu the spokesperson is clearly seeking a pay-rise and bonuses for his loyalty to Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto.

The Kenyan Public Service Act of 2015 says this in the Subsection 8 (1A and 1B):

“Transparency and provision to the public of timely accurate information

(1) A public officer shall not—

(a) give information that the public officer knows or ought to know to be inaccurate; or

(b) unduly delay the provision of any information where required to provide that information” (Laws of Kenya, 2015).

Why do I start with that enacted law of Public Service, since the Manoah Esipisu, feels like it is okay that the ones in Public Office, as Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries attending the Election rallies, as they are still giving away information that counters with the Public Service Act of 2015, would that be justified by the Spokesperson of the State House. Please take a look at his genius reasoning!

Public servants participating in politics

Second, Let me respond to your questions on whether public servants are playing politics by speaking at public barazas or interacting with citizens and talking about the direction our country is heading. First, public servants, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior staff cadre have a duty of accountability to the Kenyan people. They have to account on the progress the administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta has made since taking office; they have to account for the trillions of shillings in taxes collected from the Kenyan people and invested in infrastructure development and other services; and they have to account for the confidence invested in them by the Kenyan people. Why are they supporting the President and the Jubilee administration, some of you have asked? Because they are accountable to the President who appointed them in the first place, and whose vision of service to the Kenyan people it is their duty to operationalise. And why would they appear to be directly campaigning for the President? No, they are not campaigning. They are merely describing the investments made under President Kenyatta and the impact thereof, and why therefore it is important for the President to be re-elected to continue with the task of transforming Kenya. For us, it is really a question of accountability. It is precisely because public officers are speaking more that the country acknowledges that Kenya is irreversibly transforming” (President.co.ke, 2017).

I agree with the State House Spokesperson that the Cabinet and Principal Secretaries has to account to the citizens. That is necessary and is expected. Therefore, they have other duties than standing on stage and promoting their jobs, instead of working tireless for the citizens. It is hard to say they are not campaigning, when they are taking parts and participating at the rallies. Are the appointed secretaries fish out of water? Since they are swimming in the sea, but not feeling the water. That is the reasoning of the Spokesperson, wouldn’t they defend Kenyatta and Ruto on the podium in Eldoret, Nakuru or Thika.

The disrespectful idea that they first have to be accountable for the President and therefore has to show up at rallies, is what he said at one point. A point he used before “no, they are not campaigning”, still they are firstly representing the people, secondly their appointed by the President. The President is also representing people and gotten his place because of the citizens. So they are all not really playing their parts, as secretaries as they supposed to be there as civil servants and not as subjects under the President.

As the Constitution of Kenya of 2010 Stems for Section 152. (3) says: “A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament”. With this statement in the law, means that the Cabinet Secretaries nomination as all a favor of their merits and their judgment in their field. If they we’re qualified, the President wouldn’t appoint the person. Therefore, the decision to take part of the rallies, show they are more loyal to the President, than to the Kenyan people.

Because if they take part of Jubilee Rallies only and not even parts of Cord/NASA rallies, than their respect as representing all citizens of Kenya is gone, than they are just loyal subjects to Kenyatta who appointed them. Is the message the Kenyan voters needs to know months ahead of the coming elections? That they are not obligated to inform the Cord/NASA electorate, only the Jubilee? Isn’t that the mere effort and effect of having the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries attending rallies, to show flex and have the strength that the opposition parties doesn’t have?

I have to ask a very stupid question to the Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, who pays the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries? Is the President and his Political Party or is it the State Coffers and the tax-payers monies? Since the initial loyalty shouldn’t be to only the man who saw faith in you, but also to where the paycheck comes from. The Secretaries are paid by the guidelines of Public Service, means they are serving the public first with needed services. They are not existing because Kenyatta needs people to greet and pose with at Voi, Kitui or Lodwar. That could happen, but shouldn’t be their sole mission as public servants.

That the Secretaries has a mission to the state, as effect of the works of the ministries, because of that be accountable to the citizens, is clear-cut, since they represent the people in the works and their efforts at their respected fields. Still, they shouldn’t be participating in partisan rallies for either the ones seeking re-election or the ones trying to force them out.

So I cannot support the efforts made by MBS Manoah Esipisu, who serves Kenyatta diligently, but does not serve his purpose as civil servant. Esipisu shows loyalty to Kenyatta, before the best of knowledge to the Kenyan people. Peace.

Reference:

President.go. – ‘Spokesperson’s Weekly Briefing, Eldoret State Lodge, 2nd April 2017’ (02.04.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/04/02/spokespersons-weekly-briefing-eldoret-state-lodge-2nd-april-2017/

Laws of Kenya – ‘PUBLIC SERVICE (VALUES AND PRINCIPLES) ACT’ – No.1A of 2015

 

 

South Sudan: SPLM-IO statement on the meeting between Dr. Riek Machar and Festus Mogae (01.04.2017)