NASA Co-Principals Statement: Meeting Between Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta at Harambee House (09.03.2018)

South Sudan: Suspension of Radio Miraya 101 FM Operations (09.03.2018)

Kenya: Kenyatta & Odinga Agreement – “Building Bridges to a New Kenyan Nation” (09.03.2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Strikes Again: Delayed February 2018 Salaries in Various Counties!

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto must be so proud of what they have done. Made themselves so wealthy, that the public servants cannot eat or live on their salaries, while the state is growing their debt. It is really amazing how painful reading the letters and Internal Memo’s explaining the civil servants that they have to be patience, while knowing that Kenyatta and Ruto is eating of it all. That is despicable and disgraceful, they are representing them and their goodwill, still they are not caring about their fate.

You know that the Kenyan State is broke when Internal Memo from Kericho County letter to their civil servants on 6th March is asking them to patience, as the County cannot pay out the February Salary, as the month has gone and the County doesn’t have the funds to pay it out. In Busia County, the Internal Memo came on 5th March, where the National Treasury was mentioned and also asked the staff to be patience. On the 1st March in Taita Taveta, the Internal Memo stated the salaries would be paid out when the county received the funds. Meaning the civil servants has to wait longer for their February salary. In the County of Kilfi on the 28th February, that the state planned to pay out the funds this week, but that apparently didn’t happen. As the Counties hasn’t gotten the needed funds to pay remittance or the salaries to their workers. This is just the ones that gone public. It proves the problems that is self-created by the government. They are eating the state and the public servants are suffering now because of it.

Council of Governors stated this today: “The little disbursements we have received so far have been utilized to pay salaries and other recurrent expenditures. As it stands, the County Governments are stuck with huge pending bills running to the tune of about Kshs. 99 billion” (Council of Governors, 08..03.2018). So the Counties are left behind because of the ill-spending of the Central Government, are not able to follow their obligations. These obligations are the trusts and the civil servants working for the state in the counties. This is just showing how disregarded the public in the eyes of the Central Government. How little they matter, as they are getting more wealthy, owning more land and bigger businesses, while the ordinary person working as a civil servants cannot even get their salary paid out on time. Certainly, that salary is not even a one-tenth percentage of the wealth generated by the President or his deputy. They are living like kings, while the people are their loyal subjects.

Certainly, the Central Government are lacking planning and accountability, as they are able to grow the debt, not add enough allocated funds and also not gain enough revenue to run the state. As they are eating and not considering the implications of their actions. This is hurting innocent Kenyans, who are working in the public service, and not private. The private ones would eat and get paid, but the civil servants has to wait to be paid in full. That is weak tea, that is not how its supposed to be. But it is proving how little the Central Government care. How little Kenyatta and Ruto cares about their own working citizens, who are supposed to help to serve the cause of the state and their services to the people. These are the first ones that supposed to be paid, not the new Chief Administrative Secretary and all the other new cabinet positions.

They on the top will not be left behind, only the commoners, only the citizens can be left behind, as long as the elite, the political dynasties and the cartels are paid. The rest can starve, lack water in drought and die because the state didn’t invest in the health care. While the President and Deputy got bigger estates, nicer cars and bigger holding companies, because that is just fair game. Peace .

Opinion: Now Kenya is broke, you go figure!

This is not shocking or making people awe, as the Minister of Finance Henry Rotich said the state has run out of the money. The same state that has made new positions in the cabinet, the same state has built the Standard Gauge Railway, the same state that has lost NYS Funds, lost Funds from State Owned Enterprises and so on. The same state that made the President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto vastly rich, Ritchie Rich Rich, or even Iron Man aka Tony Stark wealthy.

Kenyatta’s own companies with new expensive and big projects even building a new township in Nairobi, while Ruto continues to expand his estates, his businesses too. Both of them are wealthy and getting richer by the minute. While the state is getting more debt, getting more broke and they cannot answer for the usage of money. How convenient that the ones leading the government is having more money, while the state reserves are empty?

This same government has added debt, used on Eurobond and unleashing a second. They are really using the system, finding ways of printing money without thinking of the consequences. It is weird that a government who recently took up a new debt of 200 billion still has a deficit of 279 billion, which means the shortfall of cash without Eurobond 2.0; the state would miss about 479 billion. All of this is nightmare, but a nightmare created by the gentlemen mentioned. They knew all of this, they overspent and misused funds during the 2017 campaigns, they expanded their businesses and they spoilt the system. They we’re out of pocket, but continue to blead the economy even so.

Certainly, while the President is building his own town on someone else’s money, and Ruto is getting bigger and grander estates. While the state is suffering, someone should connect the dots, the Kenya government isn’t broke, but it is juicing up ventures on the outside of the government services. That is why the sudden deficit and why the state suddenly ran out of money. It isn’t rocket-science to put two and two together. It is only the naïve who thinks otherwise.

While that is happening, more part of the state is drained by illegal tenders, misuse of funds in the fashion of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), as the Public Protectorate has looked into their wastage of public funds into companies like UAP Life Assurance Ltd, Britiam Life Assurance Company and Pioneer Assurance Ltd. All of them got the basis of 800 million shillings in their tenders, the wastage on these schemes are enormous. Seemingly, no place in the state of affairs, where money isn’t gone, embezzled or sort of fraud away from the possible spending on supposed government services. This bidding was done without following procedure and neither tenders public by either the accounting officers or the CEO of NHIF who certainly found it possible to spend it this way.

When you know, that is just one of the ministries, one of the public funds and one of the state service providers, you can imagine if they are doing similar acts in other places. Like the scandals surrounding NYS, where corporations and businesses never seen before and again, got tenders with ownership within the ones who allocated the funds. It is seemingly something like this again. The Jubilee cannot help themselves; they are eating of the public plate.

That is why the state has a deficit, that is why the government broke, Kenyatta and Ruto is busy eating, while the public is footing their bills. They are all laughing and giggling, while the other parts are scrapping whatever they have to pay for the services that state is supposed to provide. Peace.

Kenya: W.E.C. Lines Internal Memo – “Re: SGR” (03.03.2018)

Jubilee strikes again: This time it’s 40 Billion shillings unaccounted for!

It is weird that this isn’t making bigger headlines, that people are not shocked and in dismay. When you hear the number, you will be shocked. Not that this is the first scandal and the first time the Kenyan Government has ripped and run. That is part of their Modus Operandi, the day to day work of the Jubilee Administration, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, they are known for this, isn’t anywhere or within any part of the government that wasn’t eaten by the cronies and by the Presidency itself.

That is why, when I read 40 Billion Shillings are unaccounted for by the Auditor General Robert Auko, in his newest report on government expenditure for 2015/2016. That is the same amount of $ 395 million US dollar. You got a lot of money, when you misspending these vast amounts of money. This isn’t just a small fry, a banana or even bicycle. The Jubilee Administration has squandered away a vast fortune, that they cannot prove where they spent.

40 Billions, 40 Billion Kenyan Shillings, that is enough money to pay the salaries for 88,000 teachers for year. Nearly 90,000 teachers could get their salaries and put money into society through legal means and needs. Instead, the state has misspent and misused such a vast amount of money, that the State should have a hard time explaining it. This proves that the Jubilee is looting, they are thieving and they are not delivering services to the public. They cannot be able to do so, when they are apparently not proving the spending of over 395,000,000 US Dollars. That is really amazing!

The coming revelations out of this will be charades, secret accounts, uncertain spending, missing invoices, funds from public companies, ghosts and all of the other tools of misusing funds. You have create fake businesses, accounts and also transmit funds between two accounts. The money has to be moved from the taxpayers or the donors account into an unknown place. Kenyatta and Ruto knows this, they have made ways to make it possible.

The excuses and the manufactured stories will come, the possible ways and people will have to address this. In all the different departments, in all the state owned enterprises and other government funds. The Jubilee cannot explain a hidden budget, a confidential budget even, like that isn’t strange, that the lack of transparency is gift for the cartels, the President and his cronies. It is a reason why Kenyatta and Ruto can buy the media, own so much more land and businesses. It is a reason they can invest and get more wealth, because their racket of taking money from the state pays for the private investments.

It fits perfectly well, with the new mansions, with the new ownership of businesses and the land they have acquired. They have gotten rich very quick, they have risen through the ranks while the state has dozens upon dozens of scandals. This is just a continuation of the NYS and all the others ones. Therefore, the ones who knows these people, know that the Jubilee loot the state for their own personal gain. They eat of the government plate and delivers only the breadcrumbs.

You do not lose 395 Million US Dollars, you spend them and misuse them. They are not lost in an envelope, they are not lost in the mail and not just left in a cupboard. They are spent on posh cars, mansions, foreign trips and all other luxurious items a person can have. Jubilee could have spent it on people, on service delivery, instead they made the money vanish into the hands of themselves and their cronies.

To believe something else is naive, as the Jubilee are looting and doing it without any bustle, it is their hustle. Peace.

South Sudan: The Launch of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) – (01.03.2018)

Kenya: Press Statement on the Proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill by Hon William Kassait Kamket (28.02.2.018)

Nearly two-thirds of the population in South Sudan at risk of rising hunger (26.02.2018)

Sustained assistance and access critical to prevent hunger reaching its highest level ever.

JUBA, South Sudan, February 26, 2018 -More than 7 million people in South Sudan – almost two-thirds of the population – could become severely food insecure in the coming months without sustained humanitarian assistance and access, three United Nations agencies warned today.

If this happens, this will be the highest ever number of food insecure people in South Sudan. The period of greatest risk will be the lean season, between May and July. Particularly at risk are 155,000 people, including 29,000 children, who could suffer from the most extreme levels of hunger.

In January, 5.3 million people, or nearly half of the population, were already struggling to find enough food each day and were in “crisis” or “emergency” levels of food insecurity (IPC Phases 3 and 4), according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released today.

This represents a 40 percent increase in the number of severely food insecure people compared to January 2017.

The report comes one year after famine was declared in parts of South Sudan in February 2017.

Improved access and a massive humanitarian response succeeded in containing and averting famine later last year. Despite this, the food insecurity outlook has never been so dire as it is now.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn that progress made to prevent people from dying of hunger could be undone, and more people than ever could be pushed into severe hunger and famine-like conditions during May-July unless assistance and access are maintained.

“The situation is extremely fragile, and we are close to seeing another famine. The projections are stark. If we ignore them, we’ll be faced with a growing tragedy. If farmers receive support to resume their livelihoods, we will see a rapid improvement in the country’s food security situation due to increased local production,” said Serge Tissot, FAO Representative in South Sudan.

A growing tragedy that must not be ignored

Overall hunger levels have risen due to protracted conflict that led to reduced food production and constantly disrupted livelihoods. This was further exacerbated by economic collapse, which impacted markets and trade, making them unable to compensate for the decrease in local food production.

Prolonged dry spells, flooding and continued pest infestation, such as Fall Armyworm, have also had a damaging impact.

“The situation is deteriorating with each year of conflict as more people lose the little they had. We are alarmed as the lean season when the harvest runs out is expected to start this year much earlier than usual,” said Adnan Khan, WFP Representative and Country Director. “Unless we can pre-position assistance rather than mount a more costly response during the rains, more families will struggle to survive.”

In areas like Unity, Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Central Equatoria, riddled by reoccurring outbreaks of violent conflict and displacement, the proportion of people suffering from extreme food insecurity ranges from 52 to 62 percent – more than half the states’ combined population. The number is expected to keep increasing unless people find the means to receive, produce or buy their own food.

Mapping hunger – projections for the first half of 2018

  • February-April 2018:  6.3 million people in IPC Phases 3 (“Crisis”), 4 (“Emergency”) and 5 (Catastrophe). This includes 50,000 people in IPC Phase 5.
  • May-July 2018: 7.1 million people in IPC Phases 3, 4 and 5. This includes 155,000 people in IPC Phase 5.

1.3 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition

Conflict and worsening hunger have led to already soaring rates of malnutrition. Without assistance, as of May, more than 1.3 million children under five will be at risk of acute malnutrition.

Malnutrition rates are set to rise once the rainy season starts in April. Once this happens, many communities will become isolated and unable to reach medical services. The rains will make the country’s dirt roads unusable, and it will become more and more difficult to deliver supplies to medical centres.

“We are preparing for rates of severe malnutrition among children never before seen in this country,” said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF’s Representative in South Sudan. “Without an urgent response and access to those most in need, many children will die. We cannot allow that to happen.”

Of particular concern are the areas around Leer, Mayendit, Longochuk and Renk where children under five face extremely critical levels of malnutrition.

Response to date

Last year, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and their partners rolled out their largest ever aid campaign, saving lives and containing famine. In 2017, agency partners conducted more than 135 rapid humanitarian missions to the most hard-to-reach areas, providing life-saving assistance to over 1.8 million people.

FAO provided 5 million people – many in difficult-to-reach or conflict-affected areas – with seeds and tools for planting, and fishing kits in 2017. FAO has also vaccinated more than 6.1 million livestock to keep animals alive and healthy. This has been vital as most of the population rely on livestock for their survival.

UNICEF and partners admitted some 208,000 children with severe acute malnutrition in 2017 and plan to reach 215,000 this year. Together with WFP, UNICEF took part in 51 rapid response missions in 2017 to reach communities cut off from regular aid assistance. The Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) will remain a key means of accessing conflict-affected communities in the coming months.

At the peak of its response this year, WFP aims to reach 4.4 million people with life-saving food and nutrition assistance. WFP is pre-positioning food in areas likely to be cut off during the rainy season, so people will not go hungry. WFP plans to pre-position 140,000 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies – 20 percent more than in 2017 – in more than 50 locations across the country.