Opinion: CSO’s Paper to IGAD HLRF is revealing!

There were many insights and deep stuff in the CSO Report to IGAD, which has been written and submitted to Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), has put their stakeholders, and their pride into trying to forge a peace, even after the peace agreement of 2015 has been shot into tatters recently. The IGAD are clearly on a mission to sustain their place and their negotiations with the parties in South Sudan. As the conflict and battles within becomes more dire, when the consequences of not doing it, is more life in danger and a more uncertain future for the republic. Clearly, all parties knows what at stake, as the IGAD have proven not to be to impartial, as well as the foreign intervention from Uganda, has been in favor of the SPLM-IG, clearly, there are many more obstacles to fix before the due date of the newly proposed peace mediation. That is why the paper from the CSO is revealing, especially, the part if IGAD fail, which I think it will do, as long as people are sidestepping the SPLM-IO and the newly created militias and opposition forces. Look at their take if the IGAD fails, which is such a dossier.

“IGAD faces a daunting task in securing a political settlement through the HLRF process. Not only must it contend with the fracturing of armed groups and the proliferation of new political formations, but divisions among IGAD member states themselves undermine the diplomatic leverage that mediators have at their disposal. From the very start of the conflict, it has been clear that the four frontline states of Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda are essential to the solution of the conflict in South Sudan. Only they can offer the incentives and disincentives that are needed to bring the various factions together behind the terms of a political settlement. To date, the vested interests of some political elites in the region have prevented IGAD from mounting a united response. The next few months will show whether the situation in South Sudan has reached a point at which it poses such a serious threat to regional peace and stability that the region is forced to respond accordingly, or whether IGAD’s ability to respond will once again be undermined by narrowly defined state or personal interests” (CSO Paper, September 2017).

“If the HLRF process fails, the IGAD region must accept that it is unable to resolve the crisis in South Sudan and hand over responsibility for the mediation effort to the AU. The four frontline states can still engage in the context of an AU-led mediation, but they should not be able to dominate the process and use it as a forum to promote their own narrowly defined interests. The AU should start preparing itself now by developing a political strategy for a possible AU-led mediation effort. This strategy should go beyond any eminent personalities that may be appointed to lead the process to consider how the AU approach would differ from that of IGAD. In addition, IGAD and the AU should make clear to the warring parties that if they fail to agree on a political settlement in the context of the HLRF, IGAD and the AU will request that punitive measures be imposed on parties who undermine the process. Such punitive measures are long past due and are the only means to communicate to the leadership on all sides of the political divide that the African region will no longer allow the people of South Sudan and the region to be held hostage to their leaders’ pursuit of power” (CSO Paper, September 2017).

It is really telling how they are explaining in these passages, the reality of the daunting task ahead, as the SPLM/A and SPLM-IO are the key component to the crisis and stalemate, but this in effect has created many more enemies of both. The former SPLM/A and SPLM-IO who has become their own parties and their militias, are within all reason making the road-map for peace more hectic. As there isn’t just two leaders who wants to be supreme. But a dozens who wants to topple them both, by all means and with full force. This should not overshadow the need for diplomatic and negotiations between SPLM/A and SPLM-IO, neither stop the SPLM/A reunification project, even how flawed both has been.

The marginalized and silenced parts of the discussions, the rebellions against both parties, should be looked at if the IGAD HLRF Process is a honest one. If the IGAD approach should bear fruits, the SPLM-IO ghost is haunting the process and the dialogue. As well as all the former generals who has created their own outfits, who needs to included, unless they want to create a new fragile peace. That could blow up any second after the ink has run dry. Peace.

Reference:

CIVIL SOCIETY OPTIONS PAPER ON THE IGAD HIGH-LEVEL REVITALIZATION FORUM (September 2017)

 

Communiqué of the 720th meeting of the PSC, at the ministerial level, on the situation in South Sudan (20.09.2017)

NASA Letter to IEBC: “Re: Election Date” (21.09.2017)

Opinion: Kenyatta claims SCOK ruling is a ‘Judiciary’ Coup, I beg to differ!

The incumbent continues to be a bitter man, a very bitter man. Certainly, the hours of ruling didn’t help his mind or his spirit. Since the ruling was known on 1st September 2017, the explanation from the Supreme Court has not landed well with him. Uhuru Kenyatta is mad and his logic is bonkers. Therefore, I first shows his quotes and after that, briefly comment on it.

What happened is a judicial coup,” President Kenyatta said. “We have a constitution which has placed the interests of wananchi far above those of individuals; we have a constitution which has curtailed the powers of the Presidency, so that the will and wishes of the citizens would be respected,” said the President” (…) “In a democratic and free nation, where citizens’ rights are to be respected, we are now being told their will doesn’t matter; … wananchi who thought that the constitution guarantees their sovereign will are being told it doesn’t matter; it’s only few individuals who can decide for the 45 million people who their leaders can be,” said the President” (…) “As Kenyans, we have witnessed what has never happened in any democratic country in the world. We thought we were instilling democracy as a result  of our new constitution; we were entrenching devolution to ensure equity in the disbursement of national resources so that no Kenyan is left behind,” said the President” (Kenyatta, 2017).

Oxford dictionary explains a coup as a: “A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government” (Oxford Dictionaries – ‘Coup’). To put into the judicial coup, would mean that the Judiciary took power away from government. The Supreme Court of Kenya never took anything away in their ruling, they followed the laws, the constitution and the electoral legislation that was not kept by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. This is why the Supreme Court Justices could vote in favor of Kenyatta and the IEBC.

Therefore, this was not a coup, if the SCOK did a coup in Kenya, it would mean the CJ Maraga or any other ones voting on nullification of the Presidential Election of 8th August 2017, they didn’t take power themselves. The SCOK just put the check-in balances and justice for the ballots. The announcement of the results and verification of it. That is why the coup is nonsense, since the Court Justices didn’t take power, they just suspended the power of Kenyatta and stopped his second term. They just put the incumbent in a limbo. Something he certainly don’t like.

It is weird that he tries to defend the Constitution and talks of a few people’s individuals rights countering the value of 45 millions citizens. What is strange about this, is he saying that Kenyatta own value is higher, than the ones of the legal scholars who wants the elected people and representatives actually being elected by the 45 millions, not rigged in without evidence. Clearly, the President believes that the laws has lesser values because of the people, but the laws are made so the rules are the same for all citizens. That implicates that the IEBC has to make sure all citizens votes are counted and announced after the law. Something that apparently didn’t happen in the recent election. The reason for the mad attacks on the judiciary and not the IEBC. It impress me, the continuation from Kenyatta!

It wasn’t the Supreme Court that decided for the Kenyan people, neither did Jubilee, it was the rigging of the IEBC, that decided for the Kenyans. They made sure through their shady work and little evidence of following the Electoral Laws, was the reason for the judgment. Kenyatta, should respect it and not call it coup. Neither say the judges are a little group who acts against the people. They are safeguarding the people, because the ones who should feel tricked is the people. They went innocently to the polling stations and their incumbent President would easily have continued with a forged and rigged result. That is the will of the people, that they are listen to and not be cheated. It is a sad sight, that the President continue to pound on the people who are safeguarding the laws. The ones who respects and honors the laws, that is made in his August House, the National Assembly or the Parliament. Peace.

Reference:

Kenyatta, Uhuru – ‘Supreme Court ruling a set back to democratic ideals, says President Kenyatta’ (21.09.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/09/21/supreme-court-ruling-a-set-back-to-democratic-ideals-says-president-kenyatta/

IEBC: Update on Preparations for the Fresh Presidential Election (21.09.2017)

Safran/OT-Morpho Letter to IEBC on 18th September 2017: “Subject: KIEMS Security Edit” (18.09.2017)

Kenya: Letter from Waikwa & Company Advoctes to Judicial Service Commission – “Re: Petition by Martin Wambugu Ngunjiri Against Hon. David K. Maraga” (20.09.2017)

NASA: ODM Confidential letter to NASA Strategic Team – “Ref: Possible Compromise of Election Statagem (2017)” (19.09.2017)

WHO and partners respond to flood crises in the former Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile States of South Sudan (19.09.2017)

As part of the health cluster response, WHO delivered lifesaving medical supplies to the communities affected by the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, September 19, 2017 – The World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and partners are scaling up the emergency response in the flood affected areas of Aweil West and Aweil North Counties of former Norther Bahr el Ghazal State, and Maban County of former Upper Nile State.

As part of the health cluster response, WHO delivered lifesaving medical supplies to the communities affected by the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding. The lifesaving health supplies will benefit 10 000 people living in areas deeply affected by the heavy rainfall in parts Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile States of South Sudan for the next three months.

The supplies include 10 basic unit kits and 10 pneumonia kits for management of common illness. The supplies were deployed along with Medical Mobile Team (MMT) to support other health partners in management of common illnesses to reduce excess mortality and morbidity and build the capacity of partners in early case detection of outbreak prone diseases.“Building the capacity of partners, increasing human resource and medical supplies are vital in such acute emergencies since it increases access to quality health care services to the affected population” said Mr Evans Liyosi, WHO Representative a.i to South Sudan.

According to the State Ministry of Health, it is estimated that over 119 000 people have been affected due to flooding triggered by the heavy rainfall in 11 payams of Aweil North and Aweil West of former Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. More flooding also caused some deaths and injuries and has deeply affected the daily lives of over 650 households in eight villages of Bunj payam, Maban County, Upper Nile State.

The risk of water-borne disease in the wake of the floods is real; a cholera epidemic has already affected thousands of people, causing over 355 reported deaths said Dr Allan Mpairwe, WHO Health Security and Emergency Officer. We have to act very fast to avoid the spread of water-borne diseases and the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, Dr Mpairwe underscored.
The floods have also destroyed roads, schools, homes, crops and vegetables all over the affected areas. This means the situation will get worse, with more people needing temporary housing and urgent humanitarian help.

WHO will continue to strengthen its humanitarian support in coordination with the Ministry of Health and partners to save the lives of the vulnerable community, Mr Liyosi added.

Kenya: SC. MBS. Fred Ojiambo Statement regarding the current attacks on the Independence of the Judiciary (19.09.2017)