Opinion: If you cannot manage it in 5, you will not manage it in 7

Today Pastor Martin Ssempa wrote a piece for the Daily Monitor called ‘Why MPs need seven-year term to serve the country’. This is happening as the Constitutional Amendment is up for prolonging and making the Parliamentary Terms longer from the current 5 years to 7 years.

His arguments are artificial at best. They are the supposed sugar-coated flattery attempt to seal the deal on a third date. This isn’t the sort of arguments that hold any water in true argument.

The Members of Parliament have 5 years and its been a prefixed time for years. He uses the costs for running and the debt the MPs are getting for running their campaigns. So, it is a better investment for them, if they get 7 years instead of 5 years. He also says its a better investment to let them ride the same paid vehicle they are getting for that long instead of the now 5 years.

There are more simple way of stopping those expenses, right?

The first you can do. Is to revise the laws and make it less expensive to run as a candidate. The current MPs can ensure the costs of being an MP goes down. Have less allowances and have less perks. The MPs can usher in legislation that stops the commercialization of politics and the campaigns. Alas, that isn’t even in consideration in his argument. Which shows how flawed it is. When there are dire and very easy steps to undermine the costs for the taxpayer and for the state in concern with the MPs.

That would be cheaper for the citizens or taxpayers by the blink of an eye. If the MPs had less allowances, perks and other stipulated pay-incentives, which they happen to have today. The argument he has… they will be even more paid and have more time to settle in and get accustomed with wealth the office provides. A pastor is maybe not the ones to talk about greed, but that is “virtue” in the circles of power an influence. Therefore, the ability to stay longer. Might even trigger more entitlement and a more will to find new measures to enrich themselves. Not the opposite…

He also speaks of training and the time to serve. However, even the most seasoned and the ones who has been on several terms as a legislator or an MP. Haven’t necessarily done much in their time in office. This is not discussed in his piece. Neither the service delivery in general. Just the blunt idea that if given time. The ones becoming MPs will turn into seasoned Statesmen. If it was so… then the ones being in office since the early 1990s and early 2000s would have a better track-record and would be known for their legislation. Alas, that isn’t always the case and therefore… his idea is flawed.

The final stroke of genius is the biblical aspect of 7 years instead of 5 years. My counter to that. If you need two more years than what they have already had. Why do they need that and why couldn’t it suffice to do something earlier? Are the five first years barren years with no results and suddenly a yield comes in the magical sixth year before they campaign again on the seventh?

Well, this wasn’t cutting it for me. There was no substantial reason for me. Only a change of this kind will make the ones going for a monetary gain even more hardened. As they will benefit even more and they cannot be voted out. These will linger for longer time and their scandals might even be forgotten between elections. It is made for a one party control state. To keep their loyalist MPs and have their way. This isn’t to secure accountability or transparency, but give them a longer time to earn on their role as a representative.

The Pastor isn’t giving a remedy or a flair of hope. No, his polishing a path with good intent straight to hell. This here will not bring any of the good spirited intentions he might have. 7 years will only prolong the agony and the possible misuse of office. This here will not be for better educating or creating more profound knowledge of developing the state. The end-game is a grift and a hustle. Not a joyful ride to development and better institutions. That will be a lie and we’re not eating it. Peace.

The 10th Parliament: The Patrons of Greed!

“Ugandan taxpayers to spend Shs 197.8m annually on social media tax and data bundles for Members of Parliament. Parliament will provide at least 5GB monthly data bundles at Shs 30,000 and Shs 6,000 monthly Over the Top (OTT) tax for the 458 legislators” (Kampala Dispatch, 16.05.2019).

Well, so there we have it. Yesterday is yet another party in the 10^th Parliament of Uganda. Where the Members of Parliament indulges themselves with funds on the taxpayers dime. Instead of serving the public with working services, they are more afraid of their own pocket, in the limited time they are in office and in the capacity of MP. Therefore, they have to ensure, that all things are covered for the bottomless years in Parliament.

The MPs are already tax-exemption for their salaries, so that the pay they are getting for being in office is already non-taxed. With this in mind, they are earning about $8,715 monthly, this without the various allowances.

The MPs have a Free State funeral all covered by the state. They have free suits and tailor-made clothes. They have eating allowances, town-allowances, consolidation fee, committee sitting fees, housing sitting fees, town running allowances, free lunch, social security, and so on. The ways of eating, as an MP is boundless, a boundless empty pit.

These 458 MPs just have to eat like there is no tomorrow. They are planning to get fat. These people are now mushrooming all sort of expenses and putting it on the state. I am sure by next year, the significant others expenses are covered by the state, the side dishes and the remittance to relatives is paid in full. Because, there are endless roads for these people to get the state to fill the blanks.

This will be their legacy, that they were eating on an empty plate, a state which by all means take up loans to build and run the Republic. If not await donors to be able to pledge for basics of the state, in that one, the MPs are preoccupied with their own earnings than actually serving the public. Certainly, the financial system isn’t that great, but they are becoming a huge burden on state, by definition and by their own making, as they are piling on demands, which the state has to comply with.

That is why they are the Patrons of Greed. The ones who has no other way to sustain themselves, than eating the meat of the dying carcass, that as what these people does, while in power. No bounds, no stop and no plans to settle for less. Only to get more and more without any considerations of the implications. That is what the Parliament and the MPs are doing. Peace.

40% Chance of Greed around Nile Avenue

“Members of Parliament have increased their allowances by 39 per cent and that of parliamentary staff by 15 per cent, citing rising costs of living.” (Yasiin Mugerwa – ‘MPs raise their allowances by 40%’ 26.04.2019, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/MPs-raise-their-allowances-40-/688334-5088588-jg82dn/index.html)

There are a big chance you can meet some Very Important People (VIP) or Members of Parliament if you may. They are so special and unique, that they should have high over heels raise. Even when the budgets are already in deficit and every project between here and the moon is paid either on loans, domestic or from international entities.

Still this MPs can afford to give themselves favourable treatment, huge salaries, entitlements and pay, as the government institutions, civil servants lack salaries and general upkeep is on the down-low. Even with all that, it is still cool to get a raise.

The lawmakers who themselves secure a hefty portion of the spoils, while not delivering anything substantial to the citizens who they are supposed to govern over. No they are just hassle and a hefty mess. The MPs doesn’t have to bother with them, unless it is an election and they have to smooch the crowds.

If you believed they had the best interest of the people at heart. They would be more than content with their earnings. Alas, they are greedy and expect to be royal kings, just like the Executive, the President who lives lavish and large on the state. They are just learning from the top and he accepts this. As he knows they can be bought to follow his guidelines and his rule.

The National Resistance Movement, the ruling party are clearly showing their motives for ruling. It is eating, and eating by any means. Not sparing the cost or the thought of the price of it. It is all okay and nothing is to huge. Its cool, it is grand and surely the people can cough up the dough, because they deserve it.

This are the men, the people who are ruling, the ones who doesn’t care or just exposes their narrow-minded approach to life. Not considering the implications, the price or the deficit, not thinking of the loans, nor the possible overspending of the state. No, just thinking about your own pocket and move-on.

From now on. If you’re a teacher, the word MP equals to Greed. Even Greedy guts or buffoons, whose only sole purpose is to eat and blindly following the submissions of Bosco. Peace.

Opinion: Mzee, its your system that let the Minister’s sleep!

“Do not blame people and their attitudes: the problem is not corruption or greed, the problem is the system that pushes you to be corrupt. The solution is not, “Main Street, not Wall Street,” but to change the system where Main Street cannot function without Wall Street.” – Slavoj Zizek

That this is an issue now isn’t strange. The National Resistance Movement have run the Republic since 1986. The growing amount of cronies, corruption and filled with useful idiots around the President. The President are clearly acting out. The NRM knows this, because they have made the entitlement, the ones who are eating, but not talented or anything. They are appointed, not on merit, but by either family or loyalty. That is why the Ministers and Presidential Advisors are like they are.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni knows this perfectly well. He could have sacked all of them. The growing level of the Cabinet, which is about 81 Ministers in total and 146 Presidential Advisors. They can all chill-out, as they can rarely be changed or even sacked. Cannot remember that in a long while. If something is happening, there are some minor changes or they end up in the NRM Party Organizations, like Dr. Tanga Odoi ended up with NRM Electoral Commission for the Primary Elections. That is how the NRM does and the President knows. Therefore, there are no need to overwork or do to much. Because, there are no sanctions or such. Since they are all secured and eating as they are in office under this President.

“Many of my ministers are sleeping. They are selfish and only think about themselves. Ugandans know how to listen if they are told the right things, that is how we managed to build the Movement by learning and listening to others” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while addressing investors during the sixth Presidential Investors Round Table (PIRT) at State House on the 8^th February 2019 (Misairi Thembo Kahungu – ‘Museveni: My ministers are selfish, sleep on job’ 08.02.2019, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni—My-ministers-selfish–sleep-job/688334-4971964-60mn1qz/index.html).

There are reasons why they are sleeping. There are Ministers for small or minor Ministries with Micro-Budgets, where they have a lax mandate or not even enough Principal Secretaries or Organization that matters to fulfil the work they need. The Ministries are inter-connected and doesn’t have the funding or the manpower. As there are so many Auditor General reports, where the open post of lacked hired staff comes up, again and again.

There are so many systemic defects, but surely that is done deliberate by the President. As he offers the most funds to the Ministry of Defence, State House, Office of the Prime Minister and so on. The others are getting less, as well, as the amounts of funds that goes to pay back loans that the state has collected. This is known, as the deficit are filled not with donor funds, but loans, which they are now paying more and more by every year.

The President can complain about his Ministers. But he appointed them and trusted them. He has made their positions and made them responsible. They are supposed to answer to him and follow the mandate the government have given them. The possibilities to do so, are made by the budget and funds given. Also, the strategic and willing to let them develop it. However, the President usually goes for quick fixes and not for long-term planning, as his erratic micro-management style. That is well-known. As well, as the President always blame others, but take all CREDIT.

Therefore, this President is not someone who will stay behind his people, but push them to the crocodiles, if they are not doing their thing or if they become to ambitious. Certainly, the President can complain, if they don’t do enough. He should sanction the ones or give them a carrot to act. Peace.

Tanzania: Ministry of Health letter to USAID – “Re: Cancellation of Broadcasting of Radio and TV Sports for Family Planning” (19.09.2018)

Is President Magufuli afraid of statistics now?

The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and President John Pombe Magufuli who has done his to silence critics, media and opposition politicians. Now, he is starting to control the Education Sector or the Higher Education, as the ones doing surveys and research now with the amendment of the Written Laws and the Principal Acts, Amendment 31. which will stop you from publish any data without permission. Secondly, the same folks cannot publish the data- or statistics even if it truthful, when it differs with the official government data. Therefore, the truth always has to be similar to the government and not be separated from that.

The CCM and Magufuli must be afraid of what the NGOs and Higher Education are doing, as they want the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has to decide if their survey or study is even truthful compared to the numbers they have crunched. They are not accepting the works or the analysis of others. As they might find out that the beans-production isn’t as good as the CCM wants or even the inflation in the coastal region compared to Moshi.

That the ones publishing a statistics or data without the permission from the NBS will get a possible fine of 10 million shillings. They are really afraid of the statistics that doesn’t fit the narrative of CCM. They are already afraid of the Social Media, the bloggers and the newspapers, they have suspended people for writing songs and politicians for calling Magufuli a dictator. He really has to take the pulse on everything.

This shows how bad and how weak the President is. He cannot even trust the educational or the ones surveying the land, as they will belittle his ego and his reputation. He has to be the grandest man ever residing in Tanzania. Magufuli has to be praised and loved like a genius. Even if he is far from it. Is he afraid of academic researchers?

Have they shaded him so much, that the lack of economic progress or even keeping up with his own pledges, become so bad he has to secure the data the Higher Education and the NGOs are creating? Unless, they fit the narrative of the CCM?

That is what I am getting out of this. The Tanzanian government are afraid of researchers, NGOs and the educational surveys, that might find results that doesn’t fit the President and his party. That is why he has to say: “no, you cannot publish that”. That is what he is up too, because he cannot have statistics showing the reality, he needs numbers that are fitting him. Good to know how tin-skinned the man is. Peace.

President Magufuli how thin-skinned are you?

“Goebbels was in favor of free speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If you’re really in favor of free speech, then you’re in favor of freedom of speech for precisely the views you despise. Otherwise, you’re not in favor of free speech.” – Noam Chomsky

President John Pombe Magufuli have now asked and an inquiry into the popularity of you as President. This was made by Twaweza in 2018, to show how his popularity have gone. Because of the reaction from the public. The results from the survey was negative going from in the 96% favorable in the 2016, but in 2018 it is down to 55%. So he had lost over 41% ratings as proven by their survey.

That is clearly insulting to the big-man and his thin-skinned ways, if your write articles questioning him. Expect your paper to closed, if your blogger expect to pay and ask for license. Therefore, the crack-down is continuing, even surveys done by NGOs and others are now under-fire. Radios closed, Musicians have been detained and fined for their message in their music. All voices under Magufuli is under question. He cannot manage anything else than praise.

I think early in his Presidency, everyone praised the Bulldozer, the man with plan and without any scruples. That has been proven, as papers, bloggers and radios has closed or lost license because of him. If they did say or write anything, they would end up in trouble. Even opposition MPs have been behind bars because of him.

That is maybe why the President is losing favor, maybe that is why people wasn’t celebrating the Union Day this 26^th April 2018. Magufuli ordered the military in the streets of the bigger cities as a showdown of his power. The President has clearly forgotten why he had popularity.

It is because he did the right thing, not all praising him and his actions, but seemingly for the betterment of Tanzania. That is why people loved his ways and his activity as the President. With time he has taken everything personal and also taken action against critics and closing the public space, also ability for them say out in various media houses and platforms.

Magufuli should listen to the likes of Chomsky, maybe then he would understand why I call him thin-skinned. The Tanzanian President cannot stomach criticism. That is proven with his action. He is a whiny little bitch, with lack of character and lack of leadership. If he had been a good leader, he would have listen learned something, not just directing and micro-managing. However, that is something he cannot carry. That is why he is losing popularity.

Because, why is it a problem to get the knowledge of losing popularity Mr. President?

Maybe, you should think of your ways, that people wasn’t celebrating Union Day should be worry itself. Because of your actions. It is time rekindle yourself and maybe even envision yourself in another spotlight.

You should take it and carry it. But your not, because your whining and attacking the free speech. Peace.

RDC: Communique de Presse (09.07.2018)

RDC: CLC – Le Peuple Congolais Revendique Haut et Fort son Droit a des Elections Credibles (07.07.2018)

 

Human Rights council discusses situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (05.07.2018)

The committee appealed to government, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders and community organisations to join hands against this scourge that is plaguing our society.

PRETORIA, South Africa, July 5, 2018 – The committee was made aware of the weaknesses and strengths within Sapo and the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) before this process was implemented. Because weaknesses in the implementation of the payment process are now becoming manifest, the committee wants to revisit the roadmap that Sapo presented to the committee and to hear about the progress Sapo has made in its checklist for disbursements.

Such weaknesses include, among other things, long queues, stampedes in post offices, the inability of staff to cope with large numbers of people and the unavailability of enough cash in most areas. This is why the committee wants to understand how far both entities are in working together to ensure that grants are disseminated successfully in future.

The committee has also urged Sassa to improve the way it communicates with South Africans and to do so timeously, particularly when challenges are anticipated. The committee urges Sassa to ensure that frontline staff dealing directly with the public are kind and courteous.

The committee also believes that Sassa should consider alternative ways of using a pin number to access the social grants. It has transpired through provincial reports that a lot of grant beneficiaries, particularly the elderly, easily forget their pin numbers and there was no support system, as had been promised before implementation.

The scourge of sexual assault on children was also before the committee at today’s meeting. Some of the Chapter 9 institutions attending the meeting suggested that poor coordination is failing these vulnerable groups. The committee resolved to ask the Minister of Social Development to take up the matter with the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Leader of Government Business. This serious social challenge requires a response from government, particularly from within the Department of Social Development, which should champion this response.

The committee also sent sincere condolences to all families whose loved ones passed away as a result of a sexual assault. The committee appealed to government, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders and community organisations to join hands against this scourge that is plaguing our society.