Illicit plans from the SPLM/A Government after the resignation of Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka!

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The shocking resignation of the Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka from South Sudanese People’s Army (SPLA) and his place as leader of logistics. That his letter has hit the regime hard can be seen without a doubt, as all the other resignation, also shows the lacking loyalty and the proof that that President Salva Kiir Mayardiit has issues with the current state of affairs. Not only with the battlefield against the SPLM-IO and Dr. Riek Machar, but also the political affairs where the men and woman are more fearing the regime, than building a state. Therefore, the citizens are fleeing. So the reports of this sort should terrify anyone who cares for justice and rule of law. This is from a credible source!

A reliable source from NSS in Juba has just informed that after the resignation of Lt. Gen Thomas Cirilo, president Kiir and JCE met in J1 and agreed to dispatch huge security officers into neighboring countries to trace and kidnap Thomas Cirilo plus others who are opposed to his Tribal Government and take them to Juba” (…) “One such team is already disusing with Ugandan security in Serena Hotel possibilities of the security operation. Others had been sent to Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, DRC Congo, Sudan with thousands of dollars to bribe security officials to begin an act of terrorism through abductions, kidnapping and underground security operations. All oppositions should be aware of this plan and take precautions” (…) “Some of these countries have not accepted such offer that may put their country on terrorist list by the International Community. Kiir is desperate to hang on to power by any means through bribery of neighbours. But the fact is that South Sudanese are fade up with Kiir tribal government. Rumors is that many are still planning to quit the government but their pass ports had been confiscated. The Officer whose identity should not be disclosed says they brought enough dollars to give to anyone who will give them reliable information about Thomas and other oppositions” (…) “South Sudanese in US special Equatorians must be informed that all the community tribe leaders are being paid off by S. Sudanese Embassy in United States they become very complicated or trying to hide their corruption as if they are committed church members or to S. Sudanese funerals” (SSUDA, 21.02.2017).

So the South Sudan people and the citizens should be warned by the possible works of the central government in Juba. There are so many things they don’t want the world to know, as the resignations are showing the lacking of structure and the lacking institutions that shows procedure of the works. South Sudan is in fierce battle between two major parties and a government who is filled with war-lords and not with people who works for peace. They want to get rid of their emissaries instead of discussing issues together and finding a consensus.

SPLM/A and SPLM-IO has a vital conflict where the parties are on shaky ground and using military force instead of other means. That is why the civil war, the drought and the concerning famine has been established. As well, as the giant diaspora should display the character and the will of developing the nation. Something that is evident. As the South Sudanese refugees wants to return and build the nation. Therefore, the Republic of South Sudan needs strong international presence and also internal will of creating a society where people can live. This sort of dossiers and sort of intelligence is hurting the state. As the wish of abducting and kidnapping security operations are proving the lacking will of democratic rule and justice for all citizens in South Sudan, and for the South Sudanese.

This is worrying and people should worry that a state in famine and internal crisis, of extreme violence should worry when they use the monies to kidnap their own who is fleeing and resigning from the SPLM/A government. Peace.

South Sudan: “Ref: Closure of Bank accounts and Recovery of Money held by Gen. Thomas Cirillo Swaka and his kin Feuni Cirillo in Kenyan Banks” (10.02.2017)

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Famine Hits Parts Of South Sudan (20.02.2017)

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UN agencies warn that almost 5 million people urgently need food, agriculture and nutrition assistance.

JUBA, South Sudan, February 20, 2017 – War and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan where famine was declared today, three UN agencies warned. A further 1 million people are classified as being on the brink of famine.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) also warned that urgent action is needed to prevent more people from dying of hunger. If sustained and adequate assistance is delivered urgently, the hunger situation can be improved in the coming months and further suffering mitigated.

The total number of food insecure people is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and spread of the food crisis.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released today by the government, the three agencies and other humanitarian partners, 4.9 million people – more than 40 percent of South Sudan’s population – are in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance.

Unimpeded humanitarian access to everyone facing famine, or at risk of famine, is urgently needed to reverse the escalating catastrophe, the UN agencies urged. Further spread of famine can only be prevented if humanitarian assistance is scaled up and reaches the most vulnerable.

Famine is currently affecting parts of Unity State in the northern-central part of the country. A formal famine declaration means people have already started dying of hunger. The situation is the worst hunger catastrophe since fighting erupted more than three years ago.

“Famine has become a tragic reality in parts of South Sudan and our worst fears have been realised. Many families have exhausted every means they have to survive,” said FAO Representative in South Sudan Serge Tissot. “The people are predominantly farmers and war has disrupted agriculture. They’ve lost their livestock, even their farming tools. For months there has been a total reliance on whatever plants they can find and fish they can catch.”

Malnutrition is a major public health emergency, exacerbated by the widespread fighting, displacement, poor access to health services and low coverage of sanitation facilities. The IPC report estimates that 14 of the 23 assessed counties have global acute malnutrition (GAM) at or above the emergency threshold of 15 percent, with some areas as high as 42 percent.

“More than one million children are currently estimated to be acutely malnourished across South Sudan; over a quarter of a million children are already severely malnourished. If we do not reach these children with urgent aid many of them will die,” said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative a.i in South Sudan. “We urge all parties to allow humanitarian organizations unrestricted access to the affected populations, so we can assist the most vulnerable and prevent yet another humanitarian catastrophe.”

“This famine is man-made. WFP and the entire humanitarian community have been trying with all our might to avoid this catastrophe, mounting a humanitarian response of a scale that quite frankly would have seemed impossible three years ago. But we have also warned that there is only so much that humanitarian assistance can achieve in the absence of meaningful peace and security, both for relief workers and the crisis-affected people they serve,” said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma. “We will continue doing everything we possibly can to hold off and reverse the spread of famine.”

Across the country, three years of conflict have severely undermined crop production and rural livelihoods. The upsurge in violence since July 2016 has further devastated food production, including in previously stable areas. Soaring inflation – up to 800 percent year-on-year – and market failure have also hit areas that traditionally rely on markets to meet food needs. Urban populations are also struggling to cope with massive price rises on basic food items.

FAO, UNICEF and WFP, with other partners, have conducted massive relief operations since the conflict began, and intensified those efforts throughout 2016 to mitigate the worst effects of the humanitarian crisis. In Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, among others, the IPC assessment team found that humanitarian relief had lessened the risk of famine there.

FAO has provided emergency livelihood kits to more than 2.3 million people to help them fish or plant vegetables. FAO has also vaccinated more than 6 million livestock such as goats and sheep to prevent further loss.

WFP continues to scale up its support in South Sudan as humanitarian needs increase, and plans to provide food and nutrition assistance to 4.1 million people through the hunger season in South Sudan this year. This includes lifesaving emergency food, cash and nutrition assistance for people displaced and affected by conflict, as well as community-based recovery or resilience programs and school meals.

In 2016, WFP reached a record 4 million people in South Sudan with food assistance — including cash assistance amounting to US$13.8 million, and more than 265,000 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies. It is the largest number of people assisted by WFP in South Sudan since independence, despite problems resulting from the challenging context.

UNICEF aims to treat 207,000 children for severe acute malnutrition in 2017. Working with over 40 partners and in close collaboration with WFP, UNICEF is supporting 620 outpatient therapeutic programme sites and about 50 inpatient therapeutic sites across the country to provide children with urgently needed treatment. Through a rapid response mechanism carried out jointly with WFP, UNICEF continues to reach communities in the most remote locations. These rapid response missions treat thousands of children for malnutrition as well as provide them with immunization services, safe water and sanitation which also prevents recurring malnutrition.

Opinion: SPLM/A government has the wrong priorities with building Ramciel city!

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We can be sure that General Salva Kiir Mayardiit must be proud of the agreement done with the Kingdom of Morocco that has offered a fortune to build the new capital city of Ramciel. This is apparently very important for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) who is already mixed in a dozens of issues. That the movement of Juba capital shouldn’t be the focus, but here is the agreement made earlier in February!

The agreement between the nations:

“South Sudan and Morocco have signed four partnership agreements and five Memoranda of Understanding covering areas of health, education, mining and infrastructural development.

The deals include an agreement on the building of the South Sudan Capital in Ramciel which cabinet approved shortly after independence in 2011.

The agreements were on:

  • General Operation
  • The building of the Capital Ramciel
  • Promotion and protection of investment
  • Avoidance of double taxation and prevention of physical invasion with respect to taxes and income. The documents were signed by ministers from both countries in the presence of President Salva Kiir and King Mohamed VI” (Radio Miraya, 02.02.2017).

So the Kiir Government and Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) has focused on the wrong things these days, as even court justices, ministers and others are deflecting, as the fighting with rebels and other fractions are weakening the central leadership. So the news of this is absolutely bonkers:

“President Kiir appointed FVP Gen. Taban Deng Gai to head the Ramciel city project committee. The project is scheduled to start before May. Taban Deng Gai has been winning the trust of his career mate, His Excellency President Kiir” (South Sudan News, 17.02.2017).

So the man who took the place of Dr. Riek Machar who is fighting the SPLM/A government with his SPLM-IO fraction, the reality is that the Central Government is so fixated on the Ramciel building that they have continued to work on it:

“The order also named Nhial Deng Nhial, senior presidential advisor and special envoy for diplomatic affairs, as deputy chairperson of the committee. The committee members include the presidential advisor on legal affairs and constitutional development, Lawrence Korbandy, minister of finance, Stephen Dhieu Dau, minister in the office of the president, Mayiik Ayii Deng and minister of petroleum, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth” (South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, 19.02.2017).

So that President Kiir is using time forming a working committee to work on building a new capital, instead of securing peace and shielding the citizens. The government is not using funds or securing the inflation, they are not making sure the people who go without water, food or shelter. Instead they are fixated on building a new town to have the main buildings. A new administrational seat instead of the one they have had for a long time. So they are creating a new administrative seat, so they might have a commercial seat and the administrative in the South Sudan. Still, the issue is that nation is grappling with such giant issues that should not contain city or town building at the moment.

With over a million citizens abroad, with drought, with lack of food and armed battles with rebellion, as well as problems of raping soldiers and such, the administrative seat of government, should be the least of concern. The problem of getting petroleum export and pipelines sufficiently works, so the petro-dollars come’s safe in the state coffers too.

In 2011: “MP Andrew Acijok told Good News Radio that legislators representing Greater Yirol met on Saturday and they raised concerns about the governor’s appointment. He said an appointee from Greater Yirol would be more familiar with the background of the new capital and would be of greater assistance to the committee. Mr. Acijok stated that the communities around Ramciel have given the land for the development of the new South Sudan capital for free. Mr. Acijok said traditional songs show that Ramciel had local residents for close to two centuries. He added that Ramciel natives offered the land to Dr. John Garang be used by the national government. On September 2, 2011, South Sudanese ministers designated Ramciel as the site for a planned capital city. The place, an open space in Lakes state, is considered the geographic centre of South Sudan” (Catholic Radio Network, 14.09.2011).

So the modernization should be more than enough to focus on and to secure the current capital. Because the other dire issues and unfixed problems in the domain. All the people that are in the limbo, that is in refugee camps in Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya. That the spies of South Sudan are following into these camps and nations to pick-out the rebels inside the neighbour nations. This been told by resigned officials that they even went this far. So the missing South Sudanese could easily been taken by South Sudanese officials and their friends in EAC nations. When we know that the United Nations blue-helmets, MONUSCO could safely transfer SPLM-IO into the republic of Sudan and to Khartoum during the month of July, 2017.

The knowledge of all of this, the dying need for food for so many with the drought, the instability of the arms and battles between forces, as the government army and rebels are trying to controls areas. The government should use the manpower and the arms to secure the population and not to use time to build a new capital. That is waste of the Kingdom of Morocco donor aid and also the spent man-hours that the South Sudanese authorities shouldn’t need to use. The building of the Ramciel instead of Juba is misusing the capacity and the structures that already there. Instead of building stronger institutions and using the time to focus on needed restructuring and negotiating peace with rebels. The Government are getting busy on a project instead of trying to build a lasting peace.

The South Sudanese authorities and government should focus on building the nation, building the institutions, building the legal framework and the civil society, instead their focusing on building a town and city. That is not a key issue or pressing demand; the demand is to show up and be there for the citizens that fleeing violence, killing and lacking shelter. Even lacks peaceful villages to grow food and sell it on the market. Now, it is time for something else than fancy projects, but instead being there for the people. Peace.

Opinion: KANU might be steering wildfire between the camps of Ruto and Kenyatta!

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The new-born fresh party Jubilee Party and their marketing team has open wound after the signalled agreement between Kenya African National Union (KANU) party that even President Uhuru Kenyatta was the chairman of at one point. This is the party that is now lead by the son of former President Daniel Arap Moi, which is still not pivotal and important in the political landscape. So Gideon Moi and Nick Salat fate is in the hands of who they are vouching for.

Gideon Moi is living his father’s name his and his reputation, as the KANU still has suction. Therefore the meeting in Kabarak between Kenyatta and Moi, shows the fragmented and the way of buying in deals to hopefully gain a bigger piece of the pie in the coming election. So for Jubilee to have a wider and broader base, they are even trading ministerial posts to KANU ministers as well, as the ones who are stalwart candidates in the Jubilee, as the coalition went from a dozen parties into one. Certainly some must feel left behind in the trade-off as the KANU will gain more power with little effort, as Kenyatta sold some slots to Gideon Moi and Nick Salat.

Even Kenyatta wrote this himself on his position in April 2012: “I also made it clear to the KANU NEC that it is my desire to seek elective office in the coming general election. As a result, and in compliance with the new Constitution and the Political Parties Act that no State officer can hold a party position, I will, therefore, not seek any position in Kanu. It is thus incumbent upon the Secretary-General, as mandated by the NEC meeting at Naivasha last December, to ensure that Kenya’s mother party complies. I have twice called the National Delegates Conference, but called them off because of sideshows instigated by the Secretary-General, who has been an obstacle to the process of compliance. He must understand that his or others’ ambition in the party can only be achieved if the party complies with the law” (Kenyatta, 12.04.2012).

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So he is well aware of the party and their stakeholders, as he knows the legal terms of the party and their ways of dealing with candidates, as he himself was MP in the KANU party. Deputy President William Ruto must feel the challenge of his future, when the presence of the KANU clan arrives to the plate. Some thought that Gideon Moi was going to NASA, but that was certainly only to scare Kenyatta from having the Rift Valley voters in the bag. A certainty of this is needed for a second term of the Jubilee Alliance Party.

The questions remain if the Jubilee really tried to get Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the NASA/Cord still haven’t picked their Presidential Flag-Bearer, and wants to stop the progress of the opposition. We have also heard rumors that the Jubilee Alliance party have tried to drag in the Amani National Congress (ANC) Musalia Mudavadi to the National Party. So you know that Jubilee will offer anything to stop the alliance and the coalition of the opposition.

Jubilee under Kenyatta and Ruto has been through storms, created massive frauds and stolen funds like none before, as well as the state borrowed more funds to fix the budgets. Therefore the Kenyan state isn’t as strong as it should be. Also, they we’re also supporting the Presidential bid of Museveni, without getting his nod to build petroleum pipeline from Lake Albert basin to Lamu port. So the Kenyan government has also suffered their big risks without getting rewards.

So now the old dynasties are resurfacing with the Kenyatta and Moi collaborations. We can now see the DP Ruto is shadowed by the KANU ministers and candidates. William Ruto, the stubborn leader will not say this himself, but he should not like after the sealed agreement between 13 parties, that a fourteenth gets the front-seat without the negotiations. That must hurt the pride of the former leader of United Republican Party (URP). However, Ruto must feel a sting in his pride when knowing that Kenyatta went to trade favours with former President Moi.

That the Kabarak meetings were occurring and Jubilee trading places to safely securing votes of some districts before August. This even comes from the reliable blogger Robert Alai Onyango: “Jubilee scheming to replace Ruto with Gideon Moi. Moi has instructed Gideon Moi to do all he can to stop Ruto. Mama Ngina also met Moi to find ways of stopping Ruto. The politics is getting interesting and might see some realignments” (…) “But the schemers really fear that Ruto’s fight-back might be ruthless. Ruto’s camp not happy. Things are thick!!!” (Robert Alai Onyango, 19.02.2017).

So if this is true, the issues between the Ruto and Kenyatta will surface, as well as the mediator Moi will tangle in-between. Certainly the trade-off between Jubilee and Daniel Arap Moi servers them both; Ruto if he wants to keep his friendship and has put his all in the Jubilee, has to live in the midst of the Kenyatta and Moi dynasty. Ruto can still be power player and will be inside the midst of ruling regime. Jubilee are running and they cannot all of sudden change his position, but for 2022 there now will be a KANU leader wanting to throw shade, as Kenyatta second term would be over. Even as NASA/Cord tries to intervene and tries to challenge, you can put doubt, when Gideon has tried the waters and still played the cards for Jubilee.

Kenyatta Ruto Madaraka Day 2016

As Gideon wrote in January 2017: “However, the remarks made by Hon. Nick Salat, the Secretary General of KANU today at the Bomas of Kenya are his personal sentiments and do not reflect in any way the position of the party on the matter of an election coalition at this juncture” (…) “KANU policies and decisions are guided by the party’s constitution which stipulates that such a decision must first be discussed by the supreme decision making organ of the party, the National Delegates Conference (NDC) upon a resolution” (KANU, 11.01.2017).

Still we can now know that Daniel Arap Moi still has suction and still will use his political game-plan to still have his family in power, by any means and by supporting the family that gave him power as well. So the Kenyan politics is still filled with the men and woman, of the ones that was involved in the liberation of state from United Kingdom. Therefore we are speaking about Kenyatta and Moi, while Odinga is side-lined by the KANU yet again, just like his father back-in-day. Peace.

South Sudan: Resignation letter from Brig. Gen. Henry Oyay Nyago, Director for Military Justice in SPLA, Juba (18.02.2017)

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Kenya: Misleading Media Reports on Regulatory Tool for Curbing Counterfeit Devices on Mobile Networks (18.02.2017)

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FAO reports on the souring food prices in the East African Countries!

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“In pastoral areas of Kenya, Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia, the widespread drought had a severe impact on pasture and water availability, and prices of livestock sharply decreased in recent months to very low levels, as livestock body conditions dramatically deteriorated. In these areas, the resulting sharp decline of terms of trade for pastoralists is severely constraining food access for large numbers of households” (FAO, P: 10, 2017).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has this month released a report that assessed the prices and the issues concerning food prices in the nations around the world. This is the droughts, lack of rain and the problems occurring after the El Nino that hit the African continent. Therefore, the sad reality with the influx of issues and variables, the food markets in different nations has hit a snag and they have gone up. At levels that are worrying, as the markets they haven’t had the same rise in added income compared to the prices of staple foods. This hits the poorest the most and gives them a harder day to day, as their added prices makes the cost of living even more turbulent and hazardous than it already is.

Like the Maize and Beans prices in Kenya:

“Maize prices increased in January by 9-14 percent in most monitored markets, as the output of the short rains harvest, currently underway in eastern and coastal lowlands, was sharply reduced due to insufficient rainfall. Prices of maize in January were 20-30 percent higher than 12 months earlier in several markets, also as a result of a below-average long rains harvest, recently completed in high potential western areas of the Rift Valley. Sustained imports from neighbouring Uganda contained the increased in maize prices. In drought affected coastal counties, sharper year-on-year price increases are recorded, and in December 2016 prices of maize in Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Taraka Nithi and Embu counties were up to 40 percent higher than a year earlier. Prices of beans are also at high levels and in January they were up to 40 percent higher than their year-earlier levels. Most pastoral areas were affected by drought, and prices of livestock declined in recent months as animal body conditions deteriorated. For instance, in Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa and Tana River counties, prices of goats in December 2016 were 15-30 percent lower than 12 months earlier” (FAO, P: 3, 2017).

That the prices of maize had added about 20-30 percent in a year time is worrying for the region, as the Kenyan market and the current state before the elections. The Kenyan state is borrowing at a steady haste for bigger infrastructure investments, but isn’t using funds to secure the agricultural output. This is lacking initiative or use of government subsidises to secure enough production, as much as there are droughts that has hit areas, where the prices has risen as a cause of lacking output or none as the climate has deteriorating the soil. That not only Maize has risen on higher prices, also the hiking of prices of beans shows the incapacity of agricultural output in general and also securing cheap government imports.

Like the prices of Maize and Sorghum in Somalia:

“Prices of locally-produced maize and sorghum continued to soar in January as the output of the 2016/17 secondary deyr harvest was affected by a severe drought and is estimated at 25 percent of last five-year average. In Mogadishu, prices of coarse grains increased up to 35 percent. In most markets of key maize producing region of Lower Shabelle, maize prices surged in January by 32-41 percent. Overall, prices of coarse grains in January in key markets of central and southern Somalia were up to twice their levels of 12 months earlier. Prices are likely to further escalate in the coming months, as an earlier than usual stock depletion will be compounded by concerns over the performance of the 2017 gu harvest. In pastoral areas, drought caused shortages of grazing resources, with deterioration of livestock body conditions. Livestock prices sharply declined in recent months, especially in the south, and are at very low levels, up to 60 percent lower than 12 months earlier. As a result of declining livestock prices and increasing cereal prices, terms of trade for pastoralists sharply deteriorated over the last 12 months. The equivalent in maize of a medium size goat declined in Buale market from 114 kg January 2016 to just 30 kg in January 2017. The severe drought has also caused a sharp decline in milk production and surge in milk prices” (FAO, P: 5, 2017).

So Somalia who has just gone through an election, has had a heavy affected by the drought, as the grains and food production has been hit by it. As proven with the rising food prices in Mogadishu and the prices has doubled in Central and Southern Somalia, in only a year! That proves the dire food situation, as the fierce internal fighting, the federation food production combined with the military fighting together with a drought has the food markets and food productions. Therefore the citizens and farmers are the losers, as they cannot have peaceful production, lacking rains and also insecurity of their own safety. All these things combined with the uncertainty of the electorate and the new administration. The steady rise of food prices has surely hit a population that did not need another crisis.

Rising prices in South Sudan:

“In the capital, Juba, prices of sorghum and maize declined in January by 6 and 10 percent, respectively, partly as a result of the harvesting of 2016 second season crops in southern bi-modal rainfall areas, which improved the domestic supply situation. Prices of other staples, wheat flour, cassava and groundnuts, followed similar patterns. In markets located in central and northern uni-modal rainfall areas, prices of sorghum increased by 15-20 percent in December 2016 and January 2017, after having declined in previous months with the harvesting of 2016 crops. In January, food prices in nominal terms were between 2 and 4 times above their levels in January last year, due to insecurity, a tight supply situation, hyperinflation and a significant depreciation of the local currency” (FAO, P: 5, 2017).

In South Sudan the new crisis of internal battles hit, even after the long term peace-agreement was fresh and the battles that started in July 2016. The continued escalation has hit the country. South Sudan administration has been busy fighting the SPLM-IO. The SPLM-IO has also been busier fighting the SPLA/M. Therefore the engagement with trying to get people to live in peace and fresh produce to happen in the country has stopped. That together with the civil war the agricultural output has been lost with the fleeing civilians and burning villages. Therefore in this current state, the food prices rise as the lacking food stocks of internal produced are dwindling, as the state needs more import of foreign food. Not only the inflation rates of the currency, the food production has been unstable. Therefore the rising prices and the armed situation create the rise of food prices. So the stability of the nation will also secure the currency and also the agricultural output, as of now is more or less in need of food aid because of the current in-fighting and lack of government oversight. This is unhealthy and makes even the security of food into a limbo.

Rising prices of Maize in Uganda:

“Prices of maize followed a sustained upward trend in recent months, increasing in all monitored markets by 33-58 percent between August and December 2016. Subsequently, prices followed mixed trends in January, declining in the capital, Kampala, as the second season harvest increased supplies, remaining firm in Lira market, located in a major cereal producing area, and continuing to increase in Busia, a key cross-border hub with Kenya. Overall, maize prices in January were up to 75 percent higher than a year earlier and at near-record to record levels, as the upward pressure exerted on prices by a reduced second season harvest, affected by poor rainfall in southeastern parts bordering lake Victoria, was compounded by a reduced first season harvest gathered last June/July and by sustained export demand from neighbouring countries, mainly Kenya and South Sudan. In Kampala, prices of beans and cassava flour, important staples, are also at high levels, and in January they were about 25 percent higher than 12 months earlier” (FAO, P: 6, 2017).

Ugandan government has already showed lacking instruments to the current drought and the lesser output during the election and campaigning of the current leadership. This is proven now with the monetary issues that are in dire straight in republic. The proof of the rising prices as the export of maize and others to South Sudan, as the added refugees who also needs foods and are also supported aided food. The government needs to secure added food production and development of bigger yields of the staple foods. That the food prices have sky-rocketed as the region has all been hit in corridors and districts where the dried lands have killed of livestock and others. Government has showed lacking oversight and mechanism from the government has not helped the dry-lands and the aftermath. Because of this with the added strains of a cash-strapped government after a heavy-burden state after elections, has not stagnated or had initiatives to stop the growing prices of food.

Maize prices are rising also in Tanzania:

“Prices of maize continued to increase in January in all monitored markets, as production prospects for the vuli harvest, currently underway in northern and eastern bi-modal rainfall areas, are unfavourable due to poor and erratic rainfall. Further support to prices was provided by concerns over the performance of the msimu harvest, to be gathered from May in central and southern uni-modal rainfall areas, as early-season dryness affected planting operations and crop establishment. Prices of maize in January were almost twice their year-earlier levels in Arusha, located in the northeast, while they were about 25 percent higher than in January 2016 in Dar Es Salaam, the largest urban centre” (FAO, P: 6, 2017).

That President Magufuli and his party like to be the example of the East Africa. Here the Tanzanian government are delivering the same sort of levels of rising prices. The maize prices are affected by drought and the Tanzanian government also have had to take in the refugees from other nations of late. This together with the less rainfall has pushed the prices on maize in Tanzania. Certainly the prices that doubled shows signs of lacking agricultural output and less yields as the rains and drought has happen during the last 12 month.

The numbers of rising food prices together with the lacking yields shows the worrying signs of lesser rain and longer dry seasons. This all hurt the citizens and the customers in the central regions or in urban areas who buys the foods from the agricultural districts, as much as the violence and the crisis in South Sudan and long term effects of the civil war in Somalia. This happens after the drought and other political issues, together with little efforts to add the yields, shows in the rising prices of staple foods. So now the people have to pay more for the same food they would have bought last year, in some places not only 20% added, but up to double or tripled. This is certainly added strains on the personal economy of the citizens in these nations. Peace.

Reference:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – ‘Food Price Monitoring and Analysis – Bulletin’ (14.02.2017)

Kenya: Potential U.S. Military sale to Kenya in support of the fight against terrorism (18.02.2017)

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South Sudan: Col. LLB Khalid Ono Loki resigns from SPLA – “There may be times when are powerless to prevent injustice but here must never be a time when we fail to protest” (17.02.2017)

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