RDC: Declaration Commune de l’Opposition Congolaise en Rapport Avec l’Audit du Fichier Electoral Conduit Par l’Oif (28.05.2018)

RDC: Declaration Conjointe de New York (25.05.2018)

RDC: CENCO – Appel a la Responsabilite – Point de Presse du Secretariat General de la CENCO sur le Processus Electoral (24.05.2018)

RDC: Ensemble – Le President Declaration sur le Virus Ebola (20.05.2018)

517 Days on Overtime: How come Kabila is still there?

It is weird and sad, that as the days goes, that President Joseph Kabila is still a thing. Let me clear, he is lingering unconstitutionally at his role as the President and without an official mandate. He is squatting at the highest office in the 3rd Republic and the world, just let him get away with it. It is like it easier that way, there is less accountability, less transparency and less proper guidelines of governance, therefore, let him be. So, the world can get the resources and the minerals from the rich country, while the state is piss-poor. Because who needs this stuff through proper procedure, tariffs and through fair trading. No, that is only for theories and not for the reality.

Kabila is still in power and its 19th May 2018. When his final term ended was on the 19th December 2016, which means that there has been 517 days since his term ended. What is more insulting is that he had long grace period before his first election in 2006 and the second in 2011, therefore needed to prepare to leave before the end of his second 5 year term in 2016. However, as we know, that didn’t happen. Therefore, he has been the de facto leader now since 26th January 2001. With two elected terms, but the rest of the time, been ruling with grace. That grace continues, without any hesitation or any significant change.

We have now let a man without any mandate rule for one year, five months and one day. That should be insulting to anyone, to let that happen and get away with it. It is just selfish to think otherwise. Yes, there are other self-serving, self-interested leaders who impose themselves on the their republic. They rig their constitutions, they make the laws of association and electoral malpractice into a profession. While the public await the army and the rigged tallies of their victorious achievement of another term, after paying off cronies and the making the institutions praise the almighty leader. That is happening all around the world, like we are still living in a feudal time and the peasants, just have to follow the anointed kings.

It is not like the two elections for Kabila was marred with issues, but the people and stakeholders had hope, as it was a significant change from the two brutal wars that had been. The government of the 3rd Republic would be different, as there haven’t been any peaceful transition of power. The last time that happen was with Patrice Lumumba and he got assassinated by a foreign force under code-name “Swamp Monster”. So who knows it was the Belgians or the CIA, as they both wanted a puppet to the Republic.

However, lets get back to Kabila, who is not leaving in peace, he isn’t leaving at all. He on his third illegal term, without any elections. Using all tools to stay in power, all insurgency, all massacres in Kasai-Oriental, Kivu’s and all the problems in the Republic. Establishing a hard-line against the real opposition in UNDP, Ensamble and everyone else questioning his powers. Stopping protests and activists from Lucha. Nothing is not touched, even bishops, priests and church protests is shut down with vile force. Nothing is to spare the people, only man who reign in mercy is Kabila. The rest has to bow their knees and hope they are not his prey. Therefore, we all need to pray.

Kabila continues to linger in power, 517 days over his mandate, the MONUSCO, the International Community, still letting him linger, nothing is imposed or taken away. A few sanctions on companies and few of the elites, even the vital minerals are still exported either through the ports or through Rwanda. Just like it has done for years. No-one questioning it, no one wonders where the militias are getting resources to buy arms, but who cares as long as the world can have a fancy smart-phone right?

Kabila just got it made. No one doubt it and steps on his throne. They just let him. The ones that does oppose. Will get the taste of pain, the agony and even stop breathing. That is known, but no one says much or cries havoc. It is just the Democratic Republic of Congo, a place where that is normal. They are our brothers and sisters, but we cannot shield them. We cannot make sure their future is sealed. No, as long as we get the minerals, we don’t mind war-lords, militias and scrupulous killings of civilians. We don’t mind, we get a bargain and the elites of Kinshasa get massive wealth. We are letting the masses starving, and letting the elite “Kabiliaist” eat of everyone’s plate. That is the order of our time.

Even with knowing that, we let it go and let it be. Because that pain and agony isn’t ours. But we let him stay and use his force, to generate wealth for our tech-companies, but he get to decide the fate of his civilians. However, he does that without a mandate, without a transparent leadership and without the needed accountability, that would lead into a better future. Because it is all in his decrees and his allies that matters. Not what is for the better future, but enrich his pockets. That narrative in our world, never gets old.

What is insulting is that he thinks he can get away with it. That he don’t think he got to pay for being in-charge over it and not trying make a difference.

Kabila is lingering and no-one is batting an eye. He is far from the only one. I know that, but still, that should not be forgotten. That he is now 517 days on overtime, that isn’t just awaiting CENI to push an election. That is postponing so he can loot a bit more and hope people forget about this. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni has to assign the RDCs new tasks if he see them as irrelevant!

You budget for it. Have like one hour of abusing Museveni and then spend the other hours giving news and educating people. It’s also a problem of RDCs; they are turning out to be to not such a useful group”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Lango Sub-Region on the 25th April 2018.

It was through the Local Government Act 1997, the Residential District Commissioners became a thing. Where the specification for their role is set, as they are appointed person with their duties in the districts. The law is saying, that the person is not only representing the President in the District, but also monitoring the District Chairman. Help to coordinate the district administration, advice the chairperson, if this is plans and programs, also inspect local government works. Therefore, the perimeter of the workload is put in that. Other than notify other government leaders and make sure the reports from the district. Then the works of the RDC isn’t put in stone. Not if this the final law and the one that is making the reason for the appointments of the RDCs.

President Yoweri Museveni blasts Resident district commissioners (RDC’s) saying they are becoming irrelevant. The president who is yet to meet District leaders from Lango sub region said RDC are not doing enough to implement gov’t plans as he tasked the technical staffs in the Army to explain the gap in operation wealth creation in the region” (NBS Television, 25.04.2018).

Therefore, I have to beg President Museveni a favor, if they are becoming an irrelevant group in the district. Then, it is time to amend the Local Government Act of 1997. That was a law made 11 years after the takeover in 1986. If not, he do one thing more, but first his own self-praise of the law back-in-day. 

What is interesting that you said this on the 10th October 1998:

For the first time in our electoral history many losers admitted defeat outright and congratulated those who had defeated them. In the past only victory was admissible. Admission of defeat was a giant step forward in the internalisation of the norms of democracy. With the election of local governments, devolution has truly come of its own. I appeal to all the elected local government and the district civil service officials to study and internalise the Local Government Act 1997. The wheels of local governance will move much move smoothly and quickly if those in charge are well acquainted with the law governing local governments” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘Museveni outlines achievements’ 10.10.1998).

This is just two decades ago! When he told that everyone shou read and understand the law. The law of 1997, that perfectly states this part, which I will quote. That the RDCs can: “(e) carry out such other functions as may be assigned by the President or prescribed by Parliament” (Local Government Act, 1997). So if, the President see the RDCs are irrelevant, then he have to assign them differently. Something he has power to and the law also states. That is if the President remembers the law he signed 21 years ago.

If, the President sees it fit, he can assign other tasks than monitoring, inspect and advice District Chairman and Government programs in the district. That is very vague… so the steps of the works of the RDCs are to less extent, except if they have a lot of notifications to the Auditor General, Inspector General and the other Ministries to comply with Government Policy.

It isn’t that hard, if the President sees it fit, he can send a letter to all RDCs and assign them new tasks. If that is working directly with SACCO’s Operation Wealth Creations, Universal Primary Education or even just the Police Force’s Fika Salama campaign. All he have to do, is to write that letter or order a decree. Then they have to comply with the assignment.

I thought that the President didn’t care about and only hired empty suits, the long arm of cronyism and make sure the patronage got enough slots, that was why the President had appointed these people. Because their role and lawful position in government is vague. Therefore, he got one thing to do. Assign them more tasks. Peace.

Communique of the Double Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) – (24.04.2018)

Mzee promises millions of shillings to athletes, but keep general upkeep? Nah, not important!

He then asked he president to stop funding wells and toilets and use the money to buy grain. (Because really, how can you use a toilet if you never eat?)” William Kamkwamba

Well, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has started to promise things again, like he does now and then. It is a habit, he has done this for over three decades, to keep up with all his pledges. We would need a wall in a library and dozens of reports to check if he kept his promises. Many would be lacking, but that is for another day. Today, he was celebrating after returning from London and the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM). He has always liked to bask in glory on those occasions, because it is all talk and no need to play or pay. Now, he has returned and promised something again. Therefore, I wonder, how come the state has money to pay lavish salaries for athletes, but cannot hire needed civil servants?

Priorities, the state got none? Is that what Mr. President is saying? I understand he wants to celebrate, but has the ones in past gotten their perks? The Olympic winners of the past? Have they gotten their check and built their house, even finish building the stadiums in their names? After my calculations, there are many who is left behind. Just like so many other projects under Museveni. Because it is fun while cooking and eating. But very, very boring to clean up the mess and paying the farmer too.

First, the recent news of lack of funds:

The Ministry of Public Service had earlier directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that filling of structures should be done in a phased manner subject to availability of funds. “I further emphasised in the Second Budget Call Circular (2nd BCC) dated February 15, 2018, that wage allocation for 2018/10 was only for staff in posts and no funds have been provided for recruitment,” Mr Muhakanizi states” (…) “Mr Muhakanizi’s order comes after Parliament’s Public Accounts (Local Government) Committee report on the 2015/2016 findings of the Auditor General pointed out that of the 77,713 posts that are established in the local governments, 23,093 are vacant, implying that nearly 30 per cent of the jobs are not filled” (Arinaitwe, 2018).

Second, the sudden announcement that there are funds available:

I made a promise that whoever wins a gold medal at an international or continental competition would get a monthly salary of Shs5 million, a silver Shs3 million and Shs1 million for bronze. The five medalists today will get onto the payroll. I have also been told of some arrears to other athletes, they will be cleared. Likewise, I will build a house for Cheptegei and Chesang who won gold medals, like I have done for previous gold medalists” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 22.04.2018).

Maybe, I am stupid or maybe the system is foolish. Because how come there is no funds for paying the teachers, hiring principals and other needed civil servants in the government, but the Ministry of Sports and Education has capacity to dole out millions to several individuals. So the sudden victories are important, than the future generations own lessons in school. All Ugandans should get the memo. That the victories done on the Commonwealth Games are more vital to the Republic, than studying or even getting educated. If you want to secure a decent pay and salary in Uganda. You got to start running and the government will find you money.

However, if you need administrators, secretaries, teachers, principals or whatever else, there is lacking off in the districts, at schools and at hospitals. You can linger unemployed and even with the education to go into the field of expertise, the state cannot find funds for you. But if you had run on dilapidated stadiums and run around pot-holes, gotten a chance to be picked up by Uganda Athletics Federation. Than you have hope for a decent salary and a future. Unless, you get picked in NRM Primary and rig yourself into Parliament. For that matter, get a name grand enough to become a Regional District Commander (RDC), then you get a salary and also a house.

If you are just a commoner applying for job, it will not be easy, even if the government institutions hasn’t hired what they need and lack to fill the positions, because of lacking funds. Trust me, if you get into the field and get a medal. You will secure your future. That is the promise. But remember, Museveni, as always promise a lot, but don’t keep it. Just like he has done to previous winner and gold medalists.

So in reality don’t expect anything, you should be worried about those promises. When the President cannot even have the needed funds for needed civil servants within his own government. The signs of problems and lacking structure should be there. The gravitas of nonsense should strike you. But someone will buy into the soft-words, but others will be. I have a way out, but that is not certain.

Peace.

Reference:

Arinaitwe, Solomon – ‘Uganda: Govt Stops Public Service Recruitment’ (19.04.2018) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201804190159.html

Opinion: The EU is too late to the Party, when they are now asking for Electoral Reforms in Uganda!

It feels deliberate, that Eduardo Kukan dropped a statement on the 8th March 2018 as the General Election in Uganda was in February 2016. That is two years after, this is the Follow-Up Mission to the Electoral Observation Mission, that is long finished and didn’t deliver anything of significance. The whole thing ended up being a charade and mockery of the principals the EU is supposed to stand for. The rigging, the spending and buying votes, the inside deals and pre-ticked ballots should all say that the re-election to a fifth official term and unofficially 7th shouldn’t be legitimized by any entity. This is the same fellas that left Kololo, because the President’s stance on the ICC. Like they didn’t know?

So, we are in March 2018 and its two years and a month since the entered the port and all of the containers are left, all produce is eaten, all parts of the products is sold, stolen or gone. Therefore, there is very little to regard about the process. Very little the EU can do, because they are beholden to the man they validated. They validated the Supreme Court ruling, they validated the Mbabazi petition, they accepted the stolen votes from Besigye and the obvious lies of the Kiggundu Electoral Commission in favor of Museveni.

The EU should have pushed for the reforms in 1995-1996 if they we’re serious. While the President still looked like he cared a little bit and was a donor-friendly guy, now he despise anyone questioning him and his authority. He is always right, and the rest of you is wrong or can be bought. That is President Museveni now. They could have had a short in 2000-2001, even 2005-2006. Even as the term-limits was deposed at the time. When the true reality was that Museveni had no place of really retiring and spend time with his cows. The EU could have pushed for reforms in 2010-2011, even as the Walk to Work demonstrations (W2W) and the Activists 4 Change (A4C) who both challenged the Presidency. Clearly, the EU could have done more as an outside entity, if they cared about the Electoral Reforms.

So now, that the last election went through, the syncopates, the technocrats and cronies of Museveni is elected, appointed as advisors and whatnot. The EU is asking and begging for changes, since suddenly now is the time. Like Museveni would care about the plight of the Follow-Up Mission in 2018, when he just gotten his carrot in December 2017, the Life Presidency. Did the EU miss that charade? Did they sleep in Brussels and eating Belgian waffles? That is how it seems to me.

That the President that has centralized most of the power around him and his State House would now care about the EU, is to say bluntly naive. That the EU comes with recommendations now will not be listened too. Unless, they are dropping bunch of external funds and juicing the rabbit a little bit. Because Museveni is eating, his cronies is too and there is nothing you can tell him.

So when the EU stated this on the 8th of March 2018, its not hard to understand, why it is like this: “ The EU EFM has been heartened to find that the recommendations of the EU EOM have been disseminated across several institutions of State and that many interlocutors were familiar with the content of the recommendations. While there has been virtually no progress on implementation of the recommendations to date, awareness of proposals, and the grounds thereof, is a crucial first step in the achievement of the recommendations. Similarly, there is widespread awareness of the directives of the Supreme Court” (Eduardo Kukan – ‘EU Election Follow-up Mission to Uganda urges Authorities to take positive steps to improve electoral process’ 08.03.2018).

Like did you think the man, that has been running since a coup in 1986 would give in and change to a more democratic structure, the one who house-arrest his biggest threat without any jurisdiction or right by laws? Do you think the man who has all the state coffers, has all the bidders at his feet, will finally give way to your advice? Do you think the man who has used the guns to silence opposition and does it will kind of acronyms too.

I hate to say it to you Kukan, but your late to the party. The party-goers have left, they have their whiskey, their Waragin, their vodka and their Nile Brew, but are not interested in your anecdotes. They would have mattered some time ago, when the fire was burning, when Usher and Radio & Weasel was banging on the stereo. But now, the party has died down, the only left is the straws and the memories of the late night charade.

Kukan, you should have acted swiftly, you should have cared about the implications, but your entity and others validated Museveni. Just like you have done in the past. You let him of the hook and this here, will be a stain, but not something that covers the obvious. The theft of February 2016. That you accepted and did for selfish reasons beyond me.

You could have, you should have, but you never did. Peace.

Is the UAE using DP World Ports Deals to get diplomatic leverage now?

The Dubai based port and container company, that has catched a lot of flack within this week. Both with their devious deal, that the Federal Republic of Somalia dismissed, after Somaliland, Ethiopia and DP World went into a co-venture over the Berbera Port. If that isn’t enough internal and diplomatic squabble, nothing is. As the United Arab Emirates are even trying influence more politicians over deal on the Horn of Africa. As they have already had the power to get a 30 year deal in Somaliland.

However, that deal has been under fire and people have wondered if the Mogadishu government has accepted it or done so with a favor. Since, this is still a government facility and important hub. That other nations like Ethiopia would like to have their stake in. Secondly, DP World has already another agreement on the horn in the port of Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT). That deal was done in 2006 and got binned by the government of Djibouti late February. So, the 30 year deal in Djibouti has already gone south and if the UAE government business want to interfere on the horn, they still have leverage in Somaliland. Where similar deal was made and the same concession of the port. Therefore, in the similar time-span and leadership, you can wonder if the Somaliland leadership signed similar agreement as the Djibouti counterparts, who has now canceled it there.

As that is happening, there is news of building and operating a Banana Port in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the agreements and the plans between Kabila’s government and DP World is appearing. Where the state will generate development and roads into the interior from the port, so the state can ensure the port that gets the containers and exports into the DRC. This is a big deal with amazing amount of funds going both to the Kabila cronies and the spending from DP World to upgrade the port there.

Since the writings notes of the 21st February 2018 Council of Ministers said about it:

The 5 texts on the Construction of the Banana Deep Water Port (the Proclamation of Harmonization of Views on the Contract Clauses of the Collaboration Agreement and the Shareholders’ Pact) and the Collective Agreement on Delegation of Service Public: the draft decree approving the Banana Deep Water Port Construction Agreement, the Muanda-Banana Estate Industrial Estate Decree and the Shareholder Corporation’s Shareholder Agreement. Banana Deep Water Port), the Council decided to visualize the project at its next meeting prior to any final decision on it” (COMPTE RENDU DE LA 8 ème REUNION ORDINAIRE DU CONSEIL DES MINISTRES, 21.02.2018).

Therefore, the DRC Government is planning to finalize an agreement with DP World, who has already had questionable agreements in Somaliland and Djibouti. This is not also to extend the arm of the company, but also give the UAE more involvement on the continent. As they have already ports agreement in Senegal and Somaliland, as they lost the one in Djibouti. Therefore, this would be possible now in the DRC.

We can now, see the diplomatic arm and business goes hand in hand, this through the port and UAE are using means of giant sums of infrastructure building, to get the government happy and ready to sign over their port control to the company, who happens to be state-run. This gives Dubai more power and also more control over the container business and handling of goods in these countries. As well, as the questionable dealings, are gaining the political elites, but not giving back to the community as a whole.

We can just wonder if this is a useful tool for Dubai and UAE to gain more political leverage in and around on the African continent, clearly it is working and getting reactions. We have to see if the Federal Government of Somalia, will do more than just canceling and dismissing the tripart agreement between Somaliland, Ethiopia and DP World. Just have to see how this can affect the relationship between FSG, Somaliland and DP World. Also, if the DP World really making itself ready to takeover the Banana Port. They are clearly, making influences and throwing money around to gain important infrastructures, like the ports. So, they can have leverage when concerning political games like in the Qatar Crisis. Peace.