Ethiopia: The Federal Government is cracking down on all critical media…

The latest arrest is now Meskerem Abera, the journalist who has also just been abducted at Addis Abeba airport earlier today on the 21^st May 2022. She is following a long line of government critics who has been apprehended, arrested and taken to unknown location. In addition to that, another kidnapping and arrest is of Tadious Tantu as well. Who has been gone missing since yesterday.

This is a grand scale of going after anyone who isn’t following the Federal Government line in the media. That is very obvious, because this a broad-net of journalists taken into custody over the last 48 hours.

Here is some brief reports of others arrested as well.

“The Amhara region based Ashara media outlet announced that police arrested 5 of its staff last night & that it cannot establish their whereabouts today. The five are Kelemu Gelagay, Daniel Mesfin (editors/cameramen), Gashaye Negussie, Getnet Yalew, Habtamu Melese (reporters)” (Zecharias Zelalem, 20.05.2022).

“News has just broken that Solomon Shumiye current affairs talk show host with a decent following on the Gebeyanu YouTube channel, has just been taken into police custody. We’re at about 10 media staffers detained across Ethiopia in just the past 24 hours” (Zecharias Zelalem, 20.05.2022).

Earlier in the month another arrest was also done:

“Journalist Gobeze Sisay accused Ethiopia Government of crackdown on dissent media

✅Gobeze says his arrest is similar to the Tamerat Negera case, where Oromia police censor media, claiming “Oromophobia”

✅Tamera is #Oromo but opposes ethnic-federalism policy of Abiy’s OPP” (Awasa Guardian, 10.05.2022).

We can easily see that this is deliberate acts of silencing everyone and only get out the message of the state. A way of taking away anyone who speaks, thinks or even considers to question Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed Ali and his Prosperity Party. His party and Federal Government is aiming at anyone who blinks their eyes twice and thinks about questioning his actions.

That’s why these mass-arrests are happening. The sudden kidnappings of journalists, activists, civic leaders and advocates are targeted as well. This is all deliberated and by taking out the journalists the media will not report on it and neither will there be a media who questions these violations of people’s rights.

The PM and his party can rule with their tyranny, as there is no voices of reason. There is only incarceration and detention of anyone who dissent. The government is certainly showing it’s vicious side and instead of settling grievances with words. They are instead using it’s authority to silence it’s critics. That is not a shocker, as unity is spread to the sound of guns and ammo. Therefore, it follows a pattern of violence as a means of solidifying power. Peace.

South Africa: Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State – Media Statement (26.01.2021)

Uganda Police Force: Enforcement of the Media Council Guidelines (30.12.2020)

RSA: Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State of Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector Including Organs of State – Media Statement (10.01.2020)

White House ends this year with more chaos and a prolonged shutdown!

If you ever thought Donald J. Trump was a great leaders. Always visit one of his profitable Casinos in Atlantic City, oh wait, they all went bankrupt. Just as that should have been a warning from the king of debt. The art of the Steal, sorry Deal. President Trump is showing his true horrific leadership skills, as the calender year of 2018.

There been people leaving the Cabinet since the appointments, the list is longer than a phone catalogue. Therefore, mentioning all of them… would be so long and futile, that the Trump Administration cannot keep people around or even be a little stable. That is why there has been Three White House Communication Directors. There are soon on the third or the forth Chief of Staff. Who remembers Reince Prebius from the start, right? We know, that Trump is creating a mess, but blaming the people around him.

That is why everyone around is acting, except for Jared Kusner and Ivanka Trump, who is playing Civil Servants, while getting paid. That is what nepotism does. They are advisors who survives, because they are connected by blood, not by skills or paid by lobbyists to get hired in his cabinet. That is why at the current moment this is the titles of plenty people: Acting Director of EPA, Acting Secretary of Defence, Acting Attorney General, Acting Chief of Staff and an Acting Pentagon Secretary.

That is why the White House is in chaos. The government is looking foolish and terrible. That is because the President cannot rule himself out. He just blame others and fires them. If not get other people to fire them for him. Trump has started a trade-wars with tariffs, that is hitting the market. There are even reports of no export of soybeans to China. Which is a key market for this commodity, however, because of the tariff war started with steel and aluminium, are now hurting the market. The Stock Exchange is crashing and getting blown, there is lack of confidence in the markets and the wealthy doesn’t want invest in the erratic market, which the state has created by the trade-wars.

Trump has made this mess, he has closed the government as the Senate and Congress had voted over it. Agreed so, that the civil servants and state officials would get paid. However, the President didn’t care, because he doesn’t want to look weak to Conservative Commentators Ann Coulter, who said he was weak for accepting a deal without funding for a wall. A wall Mexico was supposed to pay for somehow. However, the President expect now the US taxpayers to pay for a fictional wall to serve the Southern Border. Which, no one at the Capitol want to give the old man, whose busy watching Fox & Friend, while he drinks doing Diet Coke and bitch about democrats on Twitter. Such a statesman. Nah, not really, but we all knew that by now.

Lets be clear, the whirlwind the US is in, because their own mistakes. They made the system and crowned this man their President. That he took it for granted and doesn’t serve them. Trump does this because of his ego and mismanaged judgment. The White House Cabinet is crappie, because he appointed them and later fired them. If not they resigned for various reasons, but never for honourable ones. As they should have done it for Charlottesville, Children in Cages and Prisons, Zero Tolerance Policy or even Drone Strikes in Yemen and Somalia without any transparency. However, they leaves for other things, because they want to salvage their legacy. Nevertheless, that train has left that station, as they all was enabling the President to do his despicable acts and policies without anyone stopping him.

President Trump will blame others for the financial crashing by his taxes levies, tariffs, trade-wars and other policies, which is making the world more unstable and lack of good trade. Even if he is supposed to be a genius. Everything he touches because worse. He is revising everything Barrack Obama did, without seeing the consequences or even thinking about who it hits. That is why there are more pain to see. Just as the innocent children are dying behind bars in the United States. That is the President fault, as his policy and his orders made it happen. He is guilty for the dying innocent children. That is the mere reality of what the United States has become.

That the wealthy are feeling a pinch, the elites are getting hurt. As they all had faith in Trump is ironic. As they should have seen it coming. He has been the snake-oil salesman for decades. He is proving that with how he runs the government itself.

The Shutdown of the government is a week old now or about so. Where the Trump is doing it over a fictional wall, a requiem of a racist dream. The President are risking wages, added more cost to the government of fan-fiction from the hyperbole white supremacists and their fear. That is who the man seeks support from, that is what he will be remembered for and also his mismanagement. Because even his close allies are screwing up like Mnuchin and his calls with banks before Christmas Eve. But, they are trying to cover-up for the mad-man in the Oval Office. Who cannot deliver and creating havoc on his own. He doesn’t own up to he, he will just fire the Fed Chairman and have someone acting their too.

That is why the President has an acting cabinet, into the worst Stock Market in ages, where the government is in a Shutdown, which will be long-lasting into January somewhere, maybe longer. Depending on the wall and how hard Trump tantrums will last. However, he will look foolish and he continues to hurt civilians and the ones serving the Republic over a tragic Greek tragedy. Something he wouldn’t get or understand. That is the reality.

US is a laughing stock and made so by the President. Who cannot keep himself coherent for a day. Sooner or later, even more of his decisions will back-fire. We just don’t them yet. But he will not enriching the Republic. No, he is on self-destructive mode and many are awaiting the Robert Mueller Report on the Collusion and Obstruction of Justice made the President. As Individual One will have to answer for his actions, at one point, just not while he is in Office. Peace.

White House Sack-Race Contines: John Kelly ousted, the enabler is now blocked!

John Kelly was hired as new Chief of Staff in the Trump Administration on the 27^th July 2017. He was first the Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, to become the clean-up boy within the Administration. Not that it has worked, as the man couldn’t bring stability or any sort of coherent acts together. More like another enabler of the President. That is who General Kelly will be remembered as now.

There been so many sacked or replaced in the White House since the November 2016, that the Trump Administration has a long sheet getting closer to a pamphlet. That is why this sort of sacking isn’t surprising, as he is supposed to leave by end of the year. That means by 2019, the administration will have their third Chief of Staff.

It was first Reince Priebus and now John Kelly. Whoever takes the post after these two, knows the issues within the Administration and it starts with the head. It is the Commander-In-Chief, the Executive or the President who is wasting people and using them like skittles.

I do not feel for sorry for any individual getting fired. They knew what they went into. They wanted power and get appointed to high offices. By a nonchalant and self-serving man, who has no care for anyone else, than himself. Just like is now hiring a former Fox News Hostess as the UN Ambassador after Nikki Haley. So, if he would hire someone from there wouldn’t be surprising at this point. He is having more of a game-show approach, than finding people out of merit for the positions. Even Ivanka or Kushner could get this one as he wants to keep the state in the family.

We know also now thanks to his statements what sort of man, Kelly really is, this was reported by Paul Waldman: “What all this adds up to is the insistence that immigrants are not us, and that they will never become truly American. Kelly might or might not be aware that it is precisely how his Irish ancestors were portrayed a century and a half ago, as uneducated brutes who brought nothing but crime and violence to America. Kelly is also of Italian descent; his maternal grandfather “never spoke a word of English and made his living peddling a fruit cart in East Boston,” according to an article last month in Politico. Yet he seems to have turned out okay” (…) “Finally, we should understand that while Kelly’s rhetoric might not be as inflammatory as that of the president, he has essentially the same perspective, and that perspective is now being put into action through the administration’s policies” (Paul Waldman – ‘The Plum Line – John Kelly’s terrible immigration lies’ 11.05.2018, link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/05/11/john-kellys-terrible-immigration-lies/?utm_term=.de15880d97b1).

Kelly is just following a long line of people who has shown their vicious side in the White House. Not that it is something new, but this Administration is really getting it out of people. If you want to loose your respect and people acknowledging you. Than, you are enabler who take a job at this White House. Trump will use you and take your pledges. There will be nothing left to remember or redeem, as your legacy will be stained. Just like Kelly has.

Not only has he been the General that kept Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility open and working directly to undermine the efforts of Obama to close it. He was the General in-charge of it. Therefore, we should understand, why he is such an ignorant man, whose preferences politically would be aligned with Trump. Just saying it more calmly, but having the same meaning.

We also saw his bad judgment when he described and lied about Frederica Wilson, which he did in October 2017, as he said this about her:

“And a congresswoman stood up, and in the long tradition of empty barrels making the most noise, stood up there and all of that and talked about how she was instrumental in getting the funding for that building, and how she took care of her constituents because she got the money, and she just called up President Obama, and on that phone call he gave the money — the $20 million — to build the building. And she sat down, and we were stunned. Stunned that she had done it. Even for someone that is that empty a barrel, we were stunned” – John Kelly (Ledyard King – ‘Video debunks John Kelly’s claim that Frederica Wilson took credit for FBI building funds’ 20.10.2017, link: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/10/20/chief-staff-kelly-falsely-accuses-rep-wilson-taking-credit-funding-fbi-building/784456001/).

So with him saying that about Congresswoman Wilson, the further reporting from Ledyard King states: “A video of the ceremony released Friday by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel shows that Wilson never took credit for getting the money, which was appropriated before she came to office. To the contrary, she gives a speech praising the FBI and the dead agents for which the building is named. She does take credit for, at the request of the FBI, rushing through in four weeks the naming of the building for the agents in time for the dedication ceremony: Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove” (Ledyard King – ‘Video debunks John Kelly’s claim that Frederica Wilson took credit for FBI building funds’ 20.10.2017, link: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/10/20/chief-staff-kelly-falsely-accuses-rep-wilson-taking-credit-funding-fbi-building/784456001/ ).

So, we see what the Oval Office and the President does to a man. He makes them little and disgraceful, lying and not apologizing for it. He went out and attacked Wilson, but he didn’t cover his story. As it wasn’t true, he did that with an open critic of the President. As a token of loyalty attacking her, but not with truth, but empty rhetoric. Just like his boss.

Who is up next, to take the job and become another piranha for Trump? Someone who doesn’t care about their legacy and want to show their true despicable attitude for a moment of power. Because, clearly, that is what this administration does to people. It is just inevitable.

John Kelly has proven that, he was supposed to be the adult in the room, instead he was the enabler of all the madness, the insincerity and deception done by this Administration. He didn’t soften or make things better, he didn’t make it worse either. It was just more of the same, the same rhetoric, the same policies and actions, which everyone see.

Kelly cannot run away from it, he can hope people forget, but not bank on it. Peace.

Memo to self.

This is an important briefing. Not that it is a dire need or has any direct consequences. Nevertheless, for whatever reason in this world. Don’t let other people think for you. God gave you a mind, so please for the love of God. Use it.

There are enough people out there, which will explain and tell how you need to think or what you need to buy. But be yourself. Think out and pan out your own way. Reason yourself and think. Don’t just buy what other people are writing, what other people are saying. Be critical.

Don’t buy into everything I write. It is sometimes terribly wrong or have bad sources. Sometimes even I am more biased than any other brother on planet earth. So, please use your mind. Ask yourself, is this right? Is this thought justified? Are these conclusions any good? Are these sources viable?

I ask myself that all the time, I get tricked and write false. I admit that, because I have too. I am just a man and cannot always be right. Just ask my wife. She will tell you, that I am often wrong.

So please, I ask you. Only once. Always think for yourself. Check out more sources, ask more questions about the topic. Is this brother, right or wrong?

If you do that, your are taking one step in making the world a better place. Not just accepting the powers, the articles and the ones producing content. You are using your mind and thinking, what if this is wrong? What if this is right?

We need those questions. I ask them all the time. I am not just accepting things. That is why my opinion pieces are filled with questions to the ones in power. That is why my pieces and letters are filled with facts, but also just bothering to ask the executives and ministers what need to be said. Someone has to ask. It just happens to be me, but it could have been you instead. Peace.

RSA: Media Statement on the Report by Mandy Wiener: “How Gigaba Ignored a Legal Opinion on Challenging the Guptas’ Citizenship” (17.10.2018)

While indicted, Zuma still get’s paid in full!

There are something seriously wrong, as the State Capture Commission is on the works and the African National Congress (ANC) are slowing the process, as the Gupta businesses, the direct state corruption and all the back-logs of cases against the former South African President continues. This case has prolonged and pushed back, as the indictment of the previous President took so many years.

That is why Jacob G. Zuma are now in trouble, but the state is not clearing the shop. They are not going hard on the evidence or anything seemingly, as Zuma didn’t do this business and transactions alone. Zuma did it with the help of ANC as well. To enrich himself and his family, use the foreign investors family and state owned enterprises as vaults of funds to spend.

Zuma and his works for years are in the Courts combined with certain corruption scandals, but not all of them. We can wonder who will be implicated and whose family members that will be touched. As the Republic of South Africa and ANC should want to move-on, but they still need clarity of the crimes and the stolen funds. As the long time misuse of government funds is known, the amounts of scandals and possible embezzlement should clearly cost for the former President.

However, just as the Commission is doing its work, they are giving the bonafide thief a pension of 3 millions a year. We can just wonder what kind of spell Zuma has done to the ANC. As they accepted his business and his toying around with government funds. That was accepted, the ANC Executive Committee and others didn’t stop it. They didn’t silence it, Zuma and his associates was allowed to do so. Even as the ‘No Confidence’ votes came to the National Assembly, but the ANC stayed loyal for so long.

Therefore, the latest movement of giving him a pension is an insult, as the investigations, as the State Capture and the Corruption Cases are unfolding. The Previous President should be prosecuted and answer for what he did, together with his associates, even if that hit the core of ANC. That is if the ANC cares about justice and rule of law. They can answer as, we know Zuma wasn’t alone and they shielded him, because they all earned on these transactions. The Gupta, The Nkandla and the Arms Trade are all in same fashion. Zuma is the head, but the ANC accepted it and used the Ministries to vouch for him.

They are now even paying him fortunes for his retirement, as Zuma are now answering for his crimes. He has to be sentenced and in bracelets. For now he is free, but hopefully Zuma will pay for his actions. As he stole from the state coffers and made himself a village. That is a crime and the ANC should also take responsibility. It is the time to do so, Zuma is the head, but the party was behind him. They kept him and accepted his actions.

Zuma is a corrupt politician and was known for being so, still the ANC promoted his leadership and his actions. That shall be remembered. He deserves a trial and answer for what he did, but not alone, the rest of his associates should do to. Peace.

EFF Statement on Second Quarter Economic Decline and Recession (04.09.2018)