
Kenya: CS James Macharia – Press Release – Car Free Days in the City of Nairobi (30.01.2019)





The Somali people in the Somali regional state(Ogaden) have a legal right to manage their political affairs and full self-rule upheld both by the Ethiopian constitution and international law. The most fundamental tenet of these entitlements is the right to choose their own leaders. Furthermore, Premier Abiy has promised to all peoples in Ethiopia to respect their democratic rights and open the political space.
ONLF calls for both the ruling party and the federal government to respect the wishes and dignity of the Somali people and desist from any acts that could jeopardise the stability and the wellbeing of the Somali regional state and the people.
Any political differences shall be resolved in a transparent manners where all stakeholders are consulted.
ONLF is committed to peace and democratic governance in the Somali state and Ethiopia in general and calls upon all stakeholders to adhere to the same principles.
Finally, ONLF calls upon the ruling party in the Somali state to resolve any difference internally in an amicable and transparent manner.
ONLF
23/01/2019


“Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.” – Thucydides
The march 9th 2018 handshake between Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta, which cleared the air between the National Super Alliance (NASA) and government party Jubilee. This has ensured the parties act together and working towards common goals. Therefore, in some regards the handshake has been positive and ensured the political agenda has moved further.
However, the handshake has also rocked with the need of elections and questioning the Fresh Presidential Elections of 2017. Which have had enough of irregularities in that one. Certainly, the population had deserved the truth about the rigging, but the handshake has blown that away. As the state got cleared by making Building Bridges Initiative.
Therefore, instead of fixing the irregularities and showing good governance. The Jubilee government has made the debt grow, signed shady deals without transparency concerning infrastructure deals with China and also Grand Corruption is daily-life government business. That is why the two recent pieces in both the The Star and Daily Nation, which shows the forgetfulness and how the elite looks at itself.
First:
“A group of elders has proposed a holiday on March 9 for celebrations of the peace Kenya experienced following the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange party leader Raila Odinga. In a statement on Friday, Elders Association of Kenya noted that the day should be remembered for years to come” (Sam Kiplagat – ‘Elders call for holiday to celebrate Uhuru-Raila pact’ 12.01.2019, Daily Nation).
Second:
“Members of the Former Parliamentarians Association accused the politicians of disrespecting the President and opposing the handshake that has brought peace and tranquility in the country. “We demand respect for the President and the presidency, because they are a symbol of national unity and nationhood,” group chairman and former Gatanga MP Humphrey Njuguna said” (Julius Otieno – ‘Don’t disrespect Uhuru, critics told’ 12.01.2019, The Star).
That someone wants to make a handshake a holiday is just facade. It is not cool, as it is making the business of the Building Bridges Initiative, much bigger than it really is. This is making so called legacy out of Kenyatta. Instead of looking at the financial mess and the cycle of debt, the grand corruptions. The elites and the politicians wants to remember the Kenyatta legacy to be this. It is noble of them, but not righteous.
The second one states that people shouldn’t disrespect the President because he deserves to be a symbol of national unity. It is in the same regard as the holiday for the handshake. This is putting it further. As the battle for the legacy of Kenyatta is coming back. We are supposed to celebrate the handshake like the genius move it is supposed to be. That the Kenyatta action of reconcile with Odinga. Like it is the best agreement ever made in the Republic. That is how it seems from these folks, since it needs a Holiday and a symbol of National Unity.
Let me be clear, that these people are really putting so much into the handshake. That soon, they are asking for building statutes, writing hymns and own ministries in government. As the Building Bridges Initiative should be given the praise of the moon, the sun and be the beacon, the guiding star for all hope. That is how it sounds.
Lets also be clear, President Kenyatta gets disrespect after how he acts and the words he uses. When he lectures kids for protesting, when he sends army to kill civilians demonstrating in Kisumu or Kibira in Nairobi after the Fresh Presidential Elections. That is what he will be remembered for. He will be remembered for his foul language and his speeches in Turkana. Kenyatta will be remembered for the Eurobond, NYS Scandals, Maize Scandals and NHIF, and so on. These are the ones that will be remembered. Because that shown the governance and acts of government.
So, if the President wants to be remembered for something, than he should act upon it. It is disrespectful to expect respect from people. When the President acts like a overlord. He should show his true face and act like an Executive. This president is busy with PR Schemes instead of giving proper government services. That is what he will be remembered for, because the PR will go away, but what they really did will stick.
Kenyatta will be disrespected, if he acts disrespectful, if he acts with the cartels or with the elites and not serve the public. That is how he will be remembered. Not if he shook Odinga’s hand, because its not like anyone made anything out of 2008 Kibaki/Odinga Coalition Government. However, important that was at the time and how much dire need there was for a peace agreement.
That is why, the ones running wild on the Handshake. Should cool down, before giving the mantle and the praise for the Building Bridges Initiative. Maybe first remember the ones that initially changed the landscape, to where it is today. The importance of the power-sharing agreement made with mediation of Kofi Annan back-in-the-day. This should maybe be celebrated, but that is for me to as outside looking in. However, everyone is stuck on the new handshake. That is built on even more shaky ground, than the power-sharing deal.
That is why, I react and wrote this piece. Because I don’t get it, unless, all of these gentlemen tries to get political mileage and get some credits their way. Than it would all make sense. Peace.





Now for the second time within two months, there been a cancellation of the East African Community – Heads of State Summit, which was scheduled for the 30th November 2018 and the second one on the 27th December 2018. Now, the EAC Secretariat says its postponed.
The reality is that this bickering, this nail-biting between neighbors aren’t creating a better space for the civilians. This is showing a disregard for the citizens and the region in general. That Bujumbura has trouble with Kigali is clear. Also, that President Paul Kagame this week alone, said Rwanda had problems with two of their neighbors, but not the two other. That means, there are more issues within the EAC, than the EAC and the Heads of State want to play.
President Pierre Nkurunziza needs enemies outside now, since he has soon killed off everyone inside his fiefdom. He wants total control and own his Republic without any oversight or questioning from abroad, that is why he is silencing the media houses and the NGOs in Burundi. The Rwandan counterparts aren’t better, just more diplomatic, but we know the truth. That both regimes are tyrannical and despotic at best. They are not democratic dreams of nations, who cares about the liberty and freedom of their citizens. Therefore, they are both playing high stakes to look good, while making the other the enemy.
This while Tanzania, where the rising repressions are happening too, President John Pombe Magufuli are already getting questioned by all opposition parties and losing aid money. As his oppressive actions, his laws and his attitude towards dissidents. While he has a better relationship with EAC Chairman and figuring out better deals with Kenya.
The EAC Chairman President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are not able to fix the issues between Nkurunziza and Kagame. He just want to look like the giant and the grand-pa everyone is supposed to trust. He speaks with double tongue, as he speaks of dialogue, but torture and arrest his opposition.
The one outside the current squabble and drama between the states are Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who clearly waiting for another big scandal back-home and also a PR Stunt to cover it up. The Kenyan have had trade wars and challenges with both Uganda and Tanzania. But during the last two years, these has been more or less solved. As Kenyatta want to be integrated and get the trade done between the Republics.
Now, as we are soon clocking into 2019. The EAC integration, the EAC as an idea is dwindling in value. As the Heads of State Summits is not valued. The EAC are not able to fix the current headaches or even talk. The Burundian government are fighting it and making the Rwandan counterpart the scare-crow. While not looking into it self and what it does. Because the President and CNDD-FDD are not willing to really support the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, where Museveni also is the sponsor of it.
Not that Kagame mind all of this, even as the Chairman of the African Union (AU). It is like he doesn’t mind, the issues with Burundi. That it doesn’t stress him, as he can do whatever and do PR stunts to make him look good abroad. Even as he is a tyrannical son-of-a-bitch. No one should undermine that fact, only the blind sees it different or the ones bought by his swagger. But I don’t get caught into that mess.
With the years of crisis in Burundi, the lack of new protocol or even measures that matters. The Burundian government have decided to pull further away. Just like they do with international bodies within the Republic. The EAC is just a body who will meddle and Nkurunziza doesn’t want that. He wants to be the overlord. That is why this is happening.
Kagame will try to look innocent, but he is far from it. He has dozens of sins and blood on his hands. Even if he haven’t done anything in this manner, even if he is the guy that has supported militias to attack outside Rwanda in the past. He has the ability, but no proof at this moment. Just a likely figure to act like this and therefore, the CNDD-FDD tries to fool itself to an enemy. While Museveni are not able to configure or even bypass these problems. Without looking like fool, who cannot even get the men to talk and discuss the matters like men. Peace.








Today, there was an obvious boycott from the Burundian government in Arusha in Tanzania. As the scheduled 20th Heads of State Summit of the East African Community was about to happen. Pierre Nkurunziza boycotted the day and showed his defiance to the rest of the Community. Who knows why, but maybe he is worried of what would happen there.
This was established in November in 1999 and since then, all the Heads of State has meet for further integration and for the collective missions for the region. The EAC are clearly at a cross-roads, if that is because of Burundi or because of the leadership at the EAC. Since the Chairman at this point is President Yoweri Kaguta Musveni of Uganda. He got the letters earlier in October 2018, that Pierre Nkurunziza wanted the Summit postponed. However, because of scheduling conflicts, the President Uganda counterpart wanted it to happen.
The EAC Press Statement says:
“The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Summit of the East African Community Heads of State that was slated for Friday, 30th November, 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in Arusha, Tanzania has been postponed to a later date. Making the announcement at the AICC’s Simba Hall, the Chairperson of the EAC Council, Hon Dr. Kirunda Kivejinja, said that the Summit would not take place due to a lack of quorum caused by the absence of the Republic of Burundi. “According to Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, quorum is made of all Partner States representation which is in consonance with decision making by consensus under Article 12 of the Treaty,” Dr. Kivejinja, who is also Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs” (EAC, 30.11.2018).
So, the Heads of State are postponed and the set date is now 27th December 2018. That means a month time, this time we can wonder if the Burundian will bail again. As the Burundian government are planning to prepare for their 2020 Elections and surely drag-out the dialogue without having all the stakeholders.
This was clearly a message from Nkurunziza. As he fears something brewing and doesn’t want to be humiliated or even pressed by neighbors. As he wants a free way of life time presidency like others. President Nkurunziza was invited and known of the date since October from the Secretariat, therefore, the added letters in November was more a stalling tactic. However, this should backfire, as he will be remembered for ditching the EAC.
The EAC who has monitoring and being the mediator with the dialogue in Burundi. The President should be happy it is these chaps who are doing it. As if it was further outside, they wouldn’t accept the tactics used by the Mpaka and the government involvement with force to block others from being part of it.
This is really a sign, as the others showed up and with credentials and ready to continue the agenda of the EAC. However, as Museveni wrote in his last letter to Nkurunziza: “Some matters on the agenda need to be attended to promptly and let us not be held hostage of the rules of procedure”.
That seems like the plan of Nkurunziza… keep the EAC hostage to procedure. Since, he boycotted or bailed the Heads of State today. That is the memo from Bujumbura. Peace.