Somalia: Jubaland Council of Elders letter to Ambassador James Swan (10.08.2019)

Somalia: Jubaland Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission letter to Ambassador James Swan (10.08.2019)

Somalia: Statement on the IGAD Pre-Election Mission to Jubaland (08.08.2019)

Somalia: Abdizarak Fartaag letter to President Trump (06.08.2019)

Kenya: Notice of Motion – Kenya-somalia Maritime Boundary Dispute Resolution (06.08.2019)

Somalia: Press Statement on Jubbaland Elections (06.08.2019)

The crazy and mandatory exercise called the Huduma Bill of 2019!

Here we are, at this moment and time, where the Jubilee government, where the Kenyatta administration has no issues to launch a bill so draconian. That the state are forgetting their role for the citizens in their drive to pursuit the registration of all with Huduma Numba.

As the bill states: “AN ACT of Parliament to establish the National Integrated Identity Management System; to promote efficient delivery of public services; to consolidate and harmonise the law on registration of persons;to facilitate assigning of Huduma Namba and issuance of identity documents;to facilitate registration of births and deaths;and for connected purposes” (The Huduma Bill, 2019).

This sounds legit, but at the same time, the registration for these reasons should already be in other parts of the legislation. Not for a NIMS or Huduma Namba but for a commercial ideal, which is an agreement between Mastercard and the Government of Kenya.

As explained here: “Nairobi, Kenya – February 7, 2017 – Mastercard commits to supporting the roll-out of the Huduma Card in Kenya as the technology partner of choice for the local government organisation. The secure payment solution supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 that calls for reforms in public services to enhance accountability, transparency and efficient service delivery, with focus on developing a cashless economy. The Huduma Card is a prepaid card with chip and PIN technology that will connect all Kenyans to the formal financial sector by providing a secure, reliable and flexible payment option. The Huduma Card, powered by Mastercard, is currently being issued by Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), Equity Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), with no bank charges being allocated to citizens when registering for the smart card” (Mastercard, 2017).

Clearly, this should be a voluntary exercise, as the commercial aspect of this shouldn’t make this mandatory. However, with this law, they are really showing no regard for the public. As they are not asking people to accept a commercial agreement with Mastercard, but doing it mandatory.

As stated in the law here:

8.(1) Every resident individual shall have a mandatory obligation to present theHudumaNambain order to—

(a)be issued with a passport;

(b)apply for a driving licence;

(c)register a mobile phone number;

(d)register as a voter;

(e)pay taxes;

(f)transaction the financial markets;

(g)open a bank account;

(h)register a company or a public benefit organisation;

(i)transfer or make any dealings in land;

(j)register for electricity connection;

(k)access universal health care services;

(l)benefit from the government housing scheme;

(m)register a marriage;

(n)enrol into a public educational facility;

(o)access social protection services;

(p)register or transfer a motor vehicle; or

(q)any other specified public service” (The Huduma Bill, 2019).

As you see from this, most of the state services are bound by having the Huduma Numba and the Mastercard connected to it. If you don’t have it, you are not getting access to government services. They have even more of them too, even passports:

(2)The requirements for applying or replacing a Passport are—

(a) Huduma Namba;and

(b)prescribed fee” (The Huduma Bill, 2019)

So, by this state, even passing by a road-block, the Police Officers needs to see your Huduma Numba to let you pass by. To prove that your not a felon, but an innocent citizen.

To top this off, the legislators plans to sanctions the ones who doesn’t want to comply to this: “48.A person who carries out or permits the carrying out of any transaction specified in section 8 without a Huduma Namba commits an offence” (The Huduma Bill, 2019).

It is actually an felony to not comply with previous part of law. They are not only stopping people from getting government services if they don’t have the Huduma Numba and Card made by the Mastercard, but also making it a felony not to register it properly.

The giant lie of this bill, is this sentence in the ending of it:

The Bill does not limit any fundamental right or freedoms” (The Huduma Bill, 2019).

Well, if you cannot access any of the government functions or get the needed services because of not having the Huduma Namba and Huduma Card, than your kind of limiting the fundamental rights or freedoms. The liberty of the person is taken away, as they got to do this. This is taking away people’s freedom, to put them into a government scheme, as they have signed off together with Mastercard. They could have done this with VISA and it would have been the same issue, even for Gods sake, American Express.

So, when CS Fred Matiang’i wrote that this bill doesn’t limit any fundamental righ or freedoms of its citizens. I believe he was high or drunk, because he couldn’t write that with a clear mind. Unless, his heartless and doesn’t understand the basic components of the bill. You don’t need to be a legal scholar to get the gist here. Peace.

Kenya: Executive Office of the President – Head of Public Service – OP/CAB/18/19/10A – Re: Budget Alignment Process for Financial Year FY 19/20 (23.07.2019)

AEOG Statement on ELOG’s Preliminary Report of the Punguza Mizigo Initiative Supporters Verification Exercise (25.07.2019)

Opinion: CS Rotrich is the fall-guy for the Jubilee right now!

If your believing that Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji and the Director of Criminal Investigation George Kinoti is going to finish the investigation in the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandal. As of today, the DPP launched arrests of several of high ranking officials including the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Henry Rotrich. However, I am not convinced they will see this through, because if they do. They will go to the heart of the government and these fellas don’t want to do that!

The Jubilee Government is one of the most corrupt governments in living memory, they have been feeding all sorts of cartels and rigged themselves into power. That is why the whole Press Conference now, seems like a play for the facade and not for the results. Not, that I don’t want the men and woman who are corrupt behind bars. I do, they still the public’s money and eat of the plate of all the citizens without any consequences. In this case, it seems more like all the smoke and no fire.

There is a fire initially, as there are two ghost dams and the state paid for them through a illegal tender process and payouts, which the state cannot establish where it went. Even if there is guesses of the final destination. That is still not touched and won’t be unless there is a miracle. Not like the Finance Minister and all the other parties involved worked on this silence without getting clear guidance and telling the high above about it. That would be foolish to think otherwise, that the Deputy President and President didn’t know. This was well established projects with beneficiaries and had directed overpriced structure to benefit the masterminds on the top.

Therefore, that Haji and other busy bodies, that usually tend to make a stand. Does it again, is to show some flair and tenacity in the spectrum of the world. That the War on Corruption is real and that they will not stop. However, they will stop and suddenly, evidence will vanish, affidavits will be dismissed and the Courts will not have enough to build a case or even prosecute anyone. If we have seen that before? Yes! Will it happen in this case? Most likely. Why? Because, these men is part of elite, the tribe that always win, even when they loose their able to strike a win. That is just what they do.

We can act like it isn’t like this. We can act like this is a victory against corruption. When it really isn’t, yes it has created headlines and even will make a cabinet reshuffle to take the seat of Rotrich. His just the current figure to jump on the sword for the high and mighty excellencies whose not touched or even cared for. Even if there is a big chunk of funds that has vanished from planet earth, taken out from a mysterious account and no-one can trace it. Know, that this fella will not be caught, because his untouchable. Kinoti and Haji wouldn’t face that, because then they will sacked and only get a minor commission job after a year of grace.

So, I am cynical, I don’t expect a blast. I don’t expect all this big-men to eat the charges and get into long legal trouble. Even if the DPP dropped several of counts of crimes and broken statutes, the DPP and the DCI needs to have their bases clear and also the thumbs up from the high above. Because, you cannot bring down men-of-honour without the blessing from the top. No, it has to be coordinated and the ones who is in trouble. Will maybe pay a little, but don’t expect it to scratch the surface. As they don’t want to implicate or deliver any information covering the people in the shadow or even the ones who cannot be touched. No, they will not do that, then they would be afraid of their last breath. That is just the way things are. Not beautiful, but greedy suits going into a dangerous path. Unless, the state screws it all up and looses the connecting dots. Which wouldn’t surprise anyone.

Well, so how about that UNGA then, will that CS answer for his misdeeds too or is Rotrich the only fall guy this week? Peace.