Opinion: I thought South Sudan would be broke much sooner!

It isn’t strange that the Republic of South Sudan has run out of money before? That this was only about time before this could happen. Before all the Reserves of South Sudanese Pound had left the Central Bank in Juba. Why is that natural? Maybe because of the constant civil war, the famine that is arising, the lack of produce and the lack of institutions. It is all effecting the economy, while the NGOs and Multi-Nationals are doing what they can to cover the basics, while the state is using the taxed funds and earnings of the crude-oil to secure ammunition and weapons from shady sources. This is happening while the United States has issued sanctions and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda has promised weapons. Therefore the recent reports kinda fit a narrative, where the reasons for the bankrupt state is very evident. But I will come into that after the reports are mentioned.

First the RSS broke:

President Kiir says the value of the pound also keeps on deteriorating and these facts have made South Sudan a “laughing stock” in the world. He said the leaders of the country have to think of ways to increase production so as to retain the currency’s value. “That [attempted] forceful taking of power has brought us now to this stage where we have no money in our bank, we have nothing and so we have become a laughing stock worldwide,” he said during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Minister of Finance, Salvatore Garang Mabiordit” (Eye Radio – ‘Gov’t is broke – Kiir’ 14.03.2018).

Secondly The Sentry reported: “One key document, part of a collection of material provided to The Sentry by an anonymous source, appears to be an internal log kept by South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mining detailing security-related payments made by Nilepet. The document titled, “Security Expenses Summary from Nilepet as from March 2014 to Date” (“the Summary”) lists a total of 84 transactions spanning a 15-month period beginning in March 2014 and ending in June 2015. In total, the document lists over $80 million in payments to politicians, military officials, government agencies, and private companies, many of which include captions that describe activities directly linked to the government’s war effort. Other documents reviewed by The Sentry include copies of correspondence that describe the petroleum ministry’s provision of fuel and other supplies to Padang Dinka militia groups” (The Sentry – ‘Fueling Atrocities – Oil and War in South Sudan’ March 2018).

And the Radio Tamazuj reported: “South Sudan’s government has awarded a major contract worth over $130 million to a private company to support military logistics operations, according to a document seen by Radio Tamazuj. The document bearing the signature of the country’s first vice president, Taban Deng Gai, said Tonga Investments Ltd has been given firm offers from the ministry of defense to supply food stuffs, assorted army uniforms, boots, vehicles and fuel to the army worth $134,703, 606.7. The document dated 7 March indicated that the Tonga Investments Ltd had identified Cyproil Trading Ltd based in Uganda as one of the willing and potential financiers with payments expected to be made by lifting of crude oil” (Radio Tamazuj – ‘Govt awards a major military supply contract worth over $130 million’ 12.03.2018).

So as seen there are clearly money to be spent, but they are not spent on salaries for teachers, for building roads, not even keep the central administration. But it is either squandered away on high-ranking politicians, which is the cronies and part of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) or the SPLM/A-IG and SPLM/A-IO – Deng fraction. Since the state is initially run by them and by the decrees of the President. The Parliament isn’t really functioning, therefore, the last word always falls of the President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who do whatever he please and uses whatever tactic he sees fit. If it is continuing issuing skirmishes or fixing deals with UPDF. Who knows how the army get all their gear, but clearly the SPLA has connections.

The government is able to spend the money on guns, ammo and other luxurious things. It is known that the South Sudanese elite owns posh homes in Nairobi. We can just guess where else they have homes and has stash funds from the looting of the state. Not like the state needs the funds to build stuff and take care of the state. There are dozens of Multi-National Organizations who are ready and who also pays taxes to be there. There are also smaller NGOs that offers support for the basic parts of government structure. So not like the TGoNU needs to consider that. They have it already, but built on donor funding and also run on donor funding. Therefore, very easy for the war-lords, the tribal chiefs and the cronies of Kiir to eat the cash of the state.

I am not surprised at all, I just thought it would happen quicker or by some other means. That it would be crack with arrangements of crude-oil pipeline and the rates paid to Khartoum. If not the Northern Corridor Project within the East African Community. Or even the start of paying the project funds for the new capital Ramciel. Even if the state even would pay some respects to the importance of New Site. But I doubt that.

While the insurgence, while the opposition have made alliances and actually made themselves deals within, as the SPLA/M-IG are trying to settle with SPLA/M-IO and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) comes into effect. As the High-Level Revitalization Forum of the Intergovernmental Authority (IGAD) hasn’t bear any fruits. Since the ARCISS is officially dead, even if the International Community is trying to bring it back from its grave. While the War-lords continue.

The path already taken is clearly not the way of it, the elites around Kiir is eating. The men and clan’s men around having a field day, emptying the state, while the international community footing the bills for the rest. He is able to get guns, get equipment and get ammunition to continue this civil-war. At this point, he will not give in, unless he has secured power. He has fought for so long, that he will not give-way to anyone. The same with Dr. Riek Machar. He will neither step-down and give way. The people leaving SPLA/M-IO to different groups within SSOA should be sign enough too.

While the state is openly an open bazaar for Kiir to eat. Nothing is left untouched and not taken. If there is a cookie, if there is a piece of sugar and even just feeling of breadcrumbs. It going to be taken. Nothing is left behind. Because every penny is needed in the battle for supremacy. I am just waiting for the day he calls President Museveni and he sends a brigade or two. If the oil-money and funds will be sent his way. Peace.

Kenya Police Service: “Ref: JKIA Police Station OB NO. 35 of 26/2/2018 – Notice Compelling Attendance to Police Station under Section 52 of the National Police Service Act of 2011” (13.03.2018)

Media Council of Kenya: Summoning of the Sunday Standard Journalist by Aiport Police Vincent Achuka Ordered before Airport Police Boss over Alleged Security Breach (14.03.2018)

South Sudan: Republican Order no. 01/2018 for the Relieve of the Chief of State Protocol and Acting Chief Administratior in the Office of the President (12.03.2018)

Kenya Red Cross Society Supports Asylum Seekers from Ethiopia, Currently Being Hosted in Moyale (12.03.2018)

Container Freight Stations Associations of Kenya – “Re: Movement of Nominated Containers to CFS’s” (02.03.2018)

Kenya: Sen. S. Amos Wako Press Statement on the National Dialogue (12.03.2018)

NASA: Statement of the People’s Assembly Organizing Committee on the Memorandum Signed by H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E. Raila Odinga (13.02.2018)

CEPO: Key Compromises Needed for Reach Peace Deal in South Sudan (11.03.2018)

Ethiopia: Yesterday, a motorcycle accident became a Massacre in Moyale!

The Command Post Secretariat posted after the massacre, that the foreign terrorist came into Moyale and the Aghazi “mistakenly” killed officially nine people, but some reports are saying over 20 people. Also dozens more hurt with wounds after the military attacked the town.

The start of the killings started like this:

A resident of Moyale town, who is a social worker and community monitor with Danish Refuge Council, told me that the incident occurred when two motorcycles collided on the highway and the two young men riding them started exchanging strong words that turned into a fight and people in the area gathered. Then soldiers in a military vehicle passing through started shooting indiscriminately” (Arefaynie Fantahun, Addis Journal, 10.03.2018).

So a small incident like that started and gave way for a massacre, shows how the State of Emergency is used to take down civilians. These people wasn’t demonstrating, they wasn’t working as a part of the Oromo Protests, these was not Queerroo. They we’re just civilians gathering around two motorcycles. Which shouldn’t be a crime, which shouldn’t be a reason for dying. It shows the mentality of the Woyane, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the EPRDF. They cannot run away from the innocent lives taken on their watch.

Yesterday, is another proof of the ill-will of the government, the acts of oppression and dismissal of liberty, as it is dangerous to even gather around a motorcycle accident. Then the Command Post says they does that by a mistake. That is a disgrace to all the lives lost, you don’t shot and kill someone by rare luck or by mistake. Especially not well-trained military soldiers like the Aghazi Squad. The Woyane knows this, all people knows this.

Because a good soldier knows how to carry the weapon, how much force it takes to pull the trigger and aim. How to use the weapon to make sure his enemy goes down. That is natural and not something that happens on dumb luck. That is disrespectful to the ones killed. That the EPRDF and the Command Post is saying it was an accident. Yes, the two motorcycles hitting each other, that was an accident, but what happen after was a military maneuver that aimed to get rid of the people. Woyane knows this and they have ordered this. Now the TPLF and EPRDF has to take responsibility for the killings.

[Wazema Alerts] The Oromo People Democratic Organization (Oromo People’s Democratic Organization) announced that it has killed nine innocent people in the town of Moyale in Oromia region. He expressed his sadness” (Wazema Radio, 10.03.2018).

Clearly this is a sign of the how far the TPLF and Woyane will go. In Oromia and Amhara, you cannot even have a motorcycle accident without having a military skirmish and killings. It is insane, but also the sad reality of the Central Government and the State of Emergency. We could anticipate this, but the worst really happen. The Aghazi did their thing and the innocent died, the people got hurt and families lost their loved ones. Because the government wants to prove their power and their authority. Peace.