Kenya: Energy Regulatory Commission – Press Release – “Maximum Retail Pump Prices in Kenya for the Period 15th January 2018 – 14th February 2018” (14.01.2018)

Opinion: Besigye launches ‘Tubalemese Campaign’; What about those unfinished ones and will the public be behind him?

I am not a critic of Dr. Kizza Besigye, I am a supporter and a well-wisher of the cause of the man, who is one of the founding men behind, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and a hardliner against the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni regime. This should be well-known, so before you critique me over this, let it be known. I just want the best for the cause and for the total destruction of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government. That would be golden and the best. To destroy what is there and then rebuild. Since the Ugandan government is rotten to its core and its roots are rotten, because the President want to direct order everything from the State House.

In November 2015 before the General Election of 2016, the then newly elected Presidential Candidate for the FDC, Besigye launched the ‘Defiance Campaign’. A campaign that has been suspended by the authorities, have gotten him house-arrested and also gotten many of his allies detained. This campaign really showed the impunity of the state against the opposition. Also, how much the state uses their resources to take control, instead of actually having a real democracy. The Campaign of Defiance really undressed it once and for all. With all the roadblocks, the closed off stadiums and rallies, all the activity that has been stopped and the live-bullets together with tear-gas. The proof of the impunity can be traced to the Campaign of Defiance, combined with the swearing-in of Besigye as People’s President. As he was taken to Moroto and was charged with treason. A charge he still has to this day and a court case that is still not dismissed.

In May 2017, Besigye launched the ‘My Land My Country’ Campaign against the Constitutional Amendment that was pointed to make it easier for the government to expropriate land for public use or development. A Constitutional Amendment that the President has had a Radio Campaign for late last year, while Besigye himself was blocked from doing similar. This campaign has come on the back-burner as the other Constitutional Amendment and campaigning against that took the most of the energy of the opposition in November and December 2017.

So now in January 2018, the People’s President has launched another Campaign, the Tubalemese, which could be seen as inspiration from the National Super Alliance (NASA) campaigns after the turbulent days after the second presidential election in October 2017. The newly inspired campaign seems like and sounds like what the NASA is doing in Kenya. That meaning FDC is taking advice and following the Odinga paradigm. Since the Besigye plans and former campaigns has not made fruits or made the juice. It has not created a ripple effect. After a while it has died down and nothing sustainable gained.

We cannot see anything significant happen out of the defiance campaign, the momentum and the popularity of Besigye. Didn’t make changes or make it possible for a transition from Museveni. Since the fear of smearing and weapons of the President could hurt the ones who turns against him. Museveni is without mercy and without any of a rebellion. Therefore, as long as the campaigns have been made with half-heartly, he have let them happen and when they are spinning. He uses the police force and the courts to stifle them. That is why its sad to say, at the top of the Defiance campaign, the Besigye leadership and people around him didn’t push it further. They just stopped and let it go.

Besigye lost his traction, the My Land My Country, never really got anywhere and the campaigns haven’t made progress. There been more substance of the giving of foods to Isingiro and other districts, than what the campaign on land could ever gain. The FDC and the newly elected leadership should focus on one campaign, use the newly elected leadership on the front-line together Besigye. Not let him stand there alone in the darkest hour, but support him when the rain start to fall. They are there in the sunshine and when they need his popularity. However, when the darkest hour comes, they flee like insects to find either food or light.

Besigye deserves credit, he deserves support and his persistence and hard-work should be recognized. He has fought for the cause for so long and with such bravado. Not like he has given up or given in. However, Lukwago are there and uses his position. Certain others do to, but there should be more people around to show the respect for the cause. Besigye needs ground support and needs to see the public swing in his favor. The fear of repression has to stop at one point.

If this campaign is no more than a public display and a PR stunt. The public deserves better and Besigye deserves so as well. I want him to succeed. However, so many other campaigns has run into the sand. So much squabble and fighting that has not changed the system or taken away any power for the President.

But we do know if the President and his security agents feels the pressure, the opposition will be arrested on phony charges, his leaders around him too. They will not be allowed to breathe, the Kasangati home will he a prison and he cannot even go out an buy meat at the market. Besigye knows this and the public knows this too. However, if they want Besigye to succeed. They need to stand behind on the barricades, they need to walk with him. Not only in spirit, but in action. Peace.

Kenya: KPLC to Competition Authority – “Re: Abuse of Dominant Position, Monopoly and Buyer Power by KPLC/Fuel Cost Charges (FCC)” (10.01.2018)

Kenyan Government Press Release concerning the EU-EOM Final Report on Fresh Presidential Elections released today (10.01.2018)

Kenya: Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga Press Statement – “Uhuru Personalising the State to Protect Illegitmate Authority” (09.01.2018)

The Uganda Budget Framework Paper for FY2018/19 signals growing debt and steady growth of interest repayments!

I will go over key points of the National Budget Framework Paper of Financial Year 2018/19 – FY 2022-23, that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development released at the end of last year on December 2017. MoFPED or Minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja must surely flatter himself with this release. As the numbers and troubles ahead has to be meet with swift action. That the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni should answer for the consequences their economic policies has affected the financial stability and fiscal responsibility.

On page seven of the paper, it was said this:

i) Low revenue to GDP ratio, poor planning and budgeting due to non-adherence to Sector Investment Plans and increasing trends in supplementary pressures; ii) Lack of inter and intra sectoral coordination and increased cost of public administration resulting from creation of Authorities, Universities, Districts and related Administrative Units. iii) Accumulation of domestic arrears, arising majorly from court awards and delayed payment to the private sector that supply Government; and, iv) Low budget absorption especially for infrastructure projects resulting from delayed acquisition of right of way for projects and lengthy procurement processes” (MoFPED, P: 7, 2017).

If this isn’t signs of trouble ahead and lack of control of the economy, nothing is. When the government has trouble paying their dues, when they cannot absorb needed budgeted funds and also create longer procurement processes, while there is poor planning and lack of cooperation between different parts of the government and institutions. Therefore, the basic cost of developing projects and day-to-day services will be more costly, while the misuse of funds will grow. That is not the good steady progress, the ruling government promised in recent elections or anytime else for that matter in the reign of Museveni.

As the scale of debt has been on the rise of different years. The paper is clearly signaling bad news as well: “Amortization of external debt is projected at US$ 236.5 million, equivalent to Shs 894 billion in FY2018/19, which is relatively high compared to past levels because of repayment of the PTA loan. Thereafter, external debt amortization is projected to reduce to US$ 131.8 million in FY 2019/20” (…) “Government‟s interest payments are projected at Shs 2,701 billion in FY2018/19, of which Shs 2,279 billion is interest on domestic securities (Treasury bills and bonds) and the rest is interest on external debt. Interest payments constitute 9.8 percent of total resources available for spending next financial year. The figure is projected to rise to Shs. 2,788 billion in FY 2020/21 and will amount to Shs. 3084 billion during FY2021/22. A great percentage of interest payments about 84 percent is domestic interest payments which partly reflects high cost of domestic borrowing” (…) “Total government expenditure and net lending (excluding debt refinancing) will amount to Shs 22,520 billion in FY2018/19 and further increase to Shs 25,059 billion in FY2019/20. The bulk of this expenditure (10.5percent) is largely on account of increase in development spending arising from the scale up of public investments by Government. However, moving forward the implementation of the infrastructure projects will be more gradual to ensure consistency with the requirements to meet the EAMU convergence criteria. Recurrent expenditure is projected to increase by Shs. 166 billion during FY 2018/19 mainly driven by an increase in domestic interest payments” (MoFPED, P: 13, 2017).

That this combined with the early signs of worrying of procurement process, bad collective effort of ministries and also growing debt. None of this is a well-made government to secure services and institutions to serve the public. Clearly, there are other outlines and worries, since none of the early pages of the paper are too hopeful. These numbers has been shown before, but the MoFPED are really not hiding the fact, that the growing debt and services of it is taking a bulk of the budget this year.

As in previous years, the State House and Office of the President are getting big chunks of the budget. In the coming financial year the State House total budgeted funds are in the massive amount of UGX. 265,342 billion shillings and the Office of the President gets the amount of UGX. 56,436 billion shillings.

Will look more into that, when I get the hold of the Budget Framework paper directly made for that part of government. Since it is always showing some inspiring expenditure, if it is expensive water or spending on bad seeds for Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). That depends on what excuse the President and NRM needs to overspend on the majesty for life.

More will come later. Peace.

NASA Statement: Public Statement on National Conversation Call by Section of the Business and Religious Community (21.12.2017)

American Company (Harris Media) peddling dangerous propaganda in the recent elections in Kenya!

Privacy International Reported through their investigations that a Texas based Harris Media LLC, who made web-pages the “The Real Raila” and “Uhuru for Us”, which both targeted not only the National Super Alliance Presidential Candidate Raila Odinga, but also addressed deep issues with tribal affairs. Which a foreign entity should use as a tactic or even think about using in a political atmosphere. Where there has been violence because of tribal tensions as late as 2008. Clearly, there we’re international companies involved the 2017 elections, not only Harris Media, but also Cambridge Analytica, who both worked for the Jubilee Party and for Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Therefore, all of the companies that has been hired in, has mostly worked to benefit the cause of the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and his party. The same did also OT Morpho, a french company delivering the KIEMS system to the IEBC.

So today revelation isn’t a new thing, but what is new is that they are directly using spiteful means to boost Kenyatta. This is devious and devilish to use the tactics that the pages of Harris Media did. Harris Media has represented Ted Cruz, Benjamin Nethanyahu and Rand Paul. They themselves call their methods: “We pride ourselves on creativity, innovation, and client service. We have a creative in-house team of graphic designers, web developers, and video editors. Our team has overseen multi-million dollar digital advertising budgets and will work with you to deliver the most targeted, innovative, and creative online strategy that fits with your goals. We believe every client deserves a unique digital strategy that is tailored with their specific needs in mind” (Harris Media, link: https://www.harrismediallc.com/our-work/).

Just to show what the Uhuru for Us is, let me take a few pieces:

On Facebook page 21st October it said this: “Kenya is a democratic nation where our citizens exercise their god given right to vote on who should lead our country. Raila Odinga is the greatest threat to our democracy!” (Uhuru for Us, 21.10.2017). On the 20th October 2017: “Exercise your right to vote and make your voices heard! They are trying to steal our democracy. They are even talking about splitting up Kenya and stealing our country. Ensure this doesn’t happen! Get all your friends fired up and ready to vote for Uhuru! He is the only leader who can keep Kenya growing, keep Kenya united, and keep Kenya peaceful!” (Uhuru for Us, 20.10.2017). On the 17th October 2017: “Do you believe in Uhuru’s peace as opposed to Raila’s violence? Do you believe in Uhuru’s progress as opposed to Raila’s backwardness? Do you believe in Uhuru’s unity as opposed to Raila’s divisiveness? If you are voting for peace, progress and unity with Uhuru pledge your vote today!” (Uhuru for Us, 17.10.2017).

This are some of what they did during the elections to sway people. Calling Raila evil and despicable things in favor of Kenyatta. The ironies into that is that Kenyatta has used the police and military, who actually killed numerous of people right before and during the campaigns. Even right before polls, there been big extra-judicial killings. Therefore, this campaigns are trying to target the opposition in a manner that they can question the ruling party.

That the Harris Media as a provider and a targeting campaigns are going this far in their propaganda shows the levels of little integrity. The American Media and Political Lobbying Firm are clearly using their methods to tarnish the opposition. They do it by all means and with no favors. There is no justification. Just spreading fear and more fear for the purpose of re-electing Kenyatta.

The elections this year has already been put in question and viably so. There is enough issues within the IEBC to start counting the doubts of a real counting of the votes on the 8th August and 26th October 2017. Harris Media and Cambridge Analytica worked really well to fix the message that Kenyatta wanted and to make Odinga look even worse.

Privacy International stated this about their work: “Three Harris Media staff, including Josh Canter, its vice president for content production, an account director, and a designer worked on The Real Raila site, authoring blog content, mostly republishing lightly-sourced characterisations of Odinga as a dangerous, racist xenophobe with promoting his tribe and family as his primary political aim. The Uhuru For Us Twitter account still appears linked to a Harris Media email address. Created in March 2017, its first follower was Kenyatta’s Digital Media Strategist” (Privacy International, 13.12.2017).

The American Business and Media Corporation was certainly peddling propaganda in favor of Kenyatta, that is shown just by one page on Facebook. Kenyatta paid these foreigners to serve his purpose, even if it created a more hostile environment. This also proves that American interests has been involved in keeping Kenyatta as a President. That is foreign interference from the United States in the Kenyan election. Certainly like they are looking into the involvement of Russians in their own, this would be the same sort of methods done in Kenya by them.

That Harris Media has been peddling this sort of content and put adverts in favor, that diminished the reputation of Odinga and his NASA. Shows that they we’re already invested in the Kenyan government and the current leadership, that is why they also got to hire certain companies to send their message. Kenyatta knew this all along, the same must been known by the American Ambassador Bob Godec. That has known about the communications done by Harris in favor of Kenyatta. Clearly, the Godec paradigm is to let Jubilee and Kenyatta continue to rule.

We can certainly question all of the American involvement as the Harris Media did their part in creating the separated nation as it was shown on the Jamhuri Day of 2017. This is as a results of the two previous presidential elections this year and non has ended well. The involvement of all of these companies should be litigated and be subpoenas to get intelligence on their direct involvement in the elections. Not that Kenyatta want to do that, because that weakens him even more. He is already fragile and not having the proper support anyway. He needed to cheat to win and that is proven. Peace.

Igara East By-Election Results (14.12.2017)

NASA Statement on the The People’s Assembly (14.12.2017)