US: State Department plan shelving Special Envoys to the Great Lakes, South Sudan and Sudan!

The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as part of the Trump Administration has clearly been working hard. Since the revamp of the Department of State, the Secretary has letter explaining cuts in the Department to the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations at the United States Congress, Bob Corker. The United States government has clearly shifted their foreign policy and care for former allies. Their engagement are moving, but not as ready-made policy!

Tillerson wrote in his letter about this shift in African diplomacy or foreign relations:

The titles for following positions will be removed and the functions and staff assumed by the Bureau of African Affairs (AF):

U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa & Democratic Republic of Congo. The Special Envoy position currently is organized in AF, however the authorized staff positions and associated funding are currently in the Office of the Secretary and will be reprogrammed to AF. This will involve realigning 4 positions and $957,000 in support costs within D&CP from the Office of the Secretary to the Bureau of African Affairs (AF).

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan. This will involve realigning 6 positions and $4,408,000 in support costs within D&CP from the Office of the Secretary to the Bureau of African Affairs (AF). We intend to request that Congress repeal the statutory provision for this special envoy position, since a deputy assistant secretary in AF already fulfills the responsibilities” (Rex Tillerson to Bob Corker on ‘Special Envoys and Special Representatives’).

So the Department of State will remove the Special Envoys to the Great Lakes and Democratic Republic Congo, also to the Sudan and South Sudan. These are all nations where the United States has been involved and been important part of the development. Their sanctions and acts within these republics has been vital. That is why the opposition in the DRC has asked for stronger sanctions and travel bans on the Kabila government.

The others are the South Sudan, where the US are parts of the Troika, who is also major donors to the South Sudanese government. The newly independent republic, that got massive help from the Americans for their independence from Khartoum and Sudan. The Sudan has also been important for the Americans as they have tried to solve the crisis in Darfur and it has also worked well with them for their oil. The reasons for why usually the Americans has involved itself in foreign countries.

The US now clearly doesn’t see the value in Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and the other countries of Great Lakes. These are now undervalued, as the Special Envoys and their functions are now moved to others. The African Affairs staff gets more functions, as the Special Envoys will not create relationship it used to have.

The Envoy will have the same close work with Burundi, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. All of these Republic will not be represented in a fashion that the United States has done before. This proves that the American government doesn’t care about the state of affairs or wanting to engage in the conflicts, the internal problems and the totalitarian governments. The US neglects its place and purpose in these republics.

So when the United States comes to the crisis in South Sudan and other places. They will not have the same connections or understanding of the republics. This will second-sourced information, instead of getting it directly.

The United States are downgrading their diplomatic leadership to all these nations, as the Special Envoys will be shelved by the force of the State Department. The Americans are clearly not caring or bothered by the conflict, the refugee crisis or the oppressive behavior against opposition. The United States are now distant and not engaged there. They will be far away and only there when it fits their interests. Peace.

Rumors: President Kabila plans to hold Presidential Elections in 2019 or 2020!

President Joseph Kabila Kabange who has been president since 21st January 2001. Kabila has been elected twice and last in December 2011, also his term ended in November 2016. The Democratic Republic of Congo government has now been 252 days since the last date of the term. There was supposed to be an election, but that never happen.

President Kabila has been registered twice, the United Kingdom and other states has supported aid and donor funds to the Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (CENI) who has also postponed the elections. Kabila has used any sort of problem and militias for his own gain. Even the rebels who are using force to export minerals for weapons, these are bloody cobalt and rare earth minerals.

The Kabila government are afraid of stepping down because of the businesses it owns. The family who are entailed in all sorts of schemes and has made a vast fortune. Kabila doesn’t want it to be taken away and also lose it all. So many other Presidents who has stepped down has lost their fortunes and businesses as the power will go away.

There are reports that Kabila the CENI planning the new date for the election in April 2019, the other estimates are already put into April 2020. The Congolese Authorities are really planning to let the Kabila government be on at least be 833 days of overtime, if the polls are on 1st April 2019. But if it is on the 1st April 2020, the 1199 days overtime are really extreme.

The President is clearly long over his mandate, just like he waited from 2001 to 2006, before he was elected into his first term. So it is not like the President or CENI really cares about the citizens or their rights to be represented by their elected official. Right now, they are hostages to the authorities being in the hands of Kabila. Without an election or polls, without any succession, without honoring the CENCO Agreement of 31st December 2016. The CENCO agreement that states the DRC government was supposed to organize an election during the 2017. An install a new government before 31st December 2017.

The Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Democratie (PPRD), the ruling party of the President, are clearly not interested holding the election in 2017, as the President hasn’t signed the CENCO agreement. Therefore, the President will use anyway possible to postpone the election. Kabila wil not hold the election this year. The rumors of either 2019 or 2020 seems likely. It will be like the President get two free terms without elections, as it was with “first” term from 2001 to 2006. Instead, he got elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2011. So the term ended on 20th December 2016.

Still, President Kabila are not elected anymore, he is using the military and the government to his personal gain, instead of being a representative of the people. He is sole president, who should not have the office and has no rights to it. The Congolese people deserves better and also he has no rights to stay over 1199 days without being elected. Peace.

Burundi – CNARED-Giriteka: “Declaration du CNARED a L’Occasion du 17 eme ANNIVERSAIRE de la Signature de l’Accord d’Arusha” (28.08.2017)

Burundi: “Object: Demande de Dissolution du Parti MSD” (22.08.2017)

RDC – Communique du Rassemblement (21.08.2017)

Burundi: CNARED-GIRITEKA – Communique de Presse (17.08.2017)

Burundi: Communique de Presse No. 18/Olucome/08/2017 – Portant Sur la Priere Interconfessionelle Organisee par le Parti au Pouvoir CNDD-FDD (17.08.2017)

Opinion: Akena are officially a NRM-Stooge, as he was heckled defending the Land Amendment!

You know that the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) are losing its value, when the leader of the Party is heckled in Lira. This is after the proposed agreement between UPC and National Resistance Movement, that have led to UPC Ministers in the growing cabinet of the 10th Parliament. Where even the wife Betty Amogi proposing and working for the constitutional amendment, who gives the state easier access to land. Because of this, UPC Leader Jimmy Akena has tried to promote the Land Amendment, but wasn’t meet with love.

As Mr Akena was trying to explain the merits of the amendment, hundreds of people who felt the area legislator was not making sense in his presentation shouted him down. “If we do not want to listen, I can sit down. I will sit but you give me this one minute…If you ignore [to understand] what is existing, you are not going to help yourselves,” Mr Akena said. The former Otuke District councillor, Ms Dina Bua, said it was “useless” to give Mr Akena more opportunity to talk about land matters. Mr Akena said: “I have heard somebody saying that this law is not relevant. This is the law of the land today.” (Oketch, 2017).

This here is the proof of the fall of the UPC. When Akena, the leader who ousted Olara Otunnu, are now heckled in Lira. Certainly, he sees now how the people understand the newly proposed law. That will make the land more accessible for the government to takeover. Akena are now really a stooge of the NRM. He is under the umbrella of UPC, but that is just convenient. Still, his acts and his words could have been ordered and sanctioned by Museveni.

There is now no difference between the NRM and UPC now, I called them a few months ago NRM-Lite, but that was to soft. They are far-stretched organization connected with the NRM and following the NRM way right now. Sounding and acting alike, there is not really different between Akena and Museveni, the only difference are the NRM are running it all from the State House. Akena are now trying to show his loyalty and making sure NRM see the need for him. Peace.

Reference:

Oketch, Bill – ‘MP Akena booed during debate on land amendment bill’ (14.07.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/MP-Akena-debate-land-amendment-bill-Lango-Obote/688334-4056988-9ieqj1/index.html

President Yoweri Museveni Age Con-undrum!

It is strange how this becomes a thing, how these sort of things suddenly means so much. That is because someone loves to rewrite history and also his own. Since the Age Limit of the Presidential Candidate is fixed in the 1995 Constitution and Article 102(b). Which states the age that a President can have when running. For the old liberation hero, or liberator are trying to liberate himself from his past and his age. So he can run without amending the constitution, even if he has already pigeon-holding it.

Article 102 states: “A person is not qualified for election as President unless that person is—

(a) a citizen of Uganda by birth;

(b) not less than thirty-five years and not more than seventy-five years of age; and

(c) a person qualified to be a member of Parliament” (Constitution of 1995).

So in Mbarara, St Luke Kinoni Church of Uganda, the archives there are settling that Yoweri Museveni was baptized on the 3rd August 1947. In the first edition of the Mustard Seed he himself remembers: “The third childhood memory I retain was when we were baptised, along with Mzee Amosi Kaguta and Esteeri Kokundeka, on the 3rd of August 1947, at Kikoni Rwampara. By that time, I was almost three years” (Yoweri Museveni, Sowing the Mustard Seed, 1997). If his memory is correct when writing in 1996/1997, then he would be born about 1944 and would be 73 years old in 2017.

Well, there are documents proving it difficult to know his age. He got married on the 25th August 1973 at Christ Church at Turnham Green in London. Where he married his wife Janet Museveni. At this document. At this document he was an Army Officer and bachelor at the age of 27 years. That means he was born in 1946. This would mean that with this document and some easy calculation, say that the President is 71 years old.

The the latest official document is the birth certificate of Mohoozi Kainerubaga Tubuhaburwa who was born on the 24th April 1974, where Yoweri Museveni was the father and the mistress Hope Rwaheru. At this document it said his birthplace was Tare, Rwanda, but also said he was 30 years old. Another different was his occupation, he was an Operative in the Uganda State Research Bureau. This means again he was born in 1944. To settle him again to be 73 years old.

So there is a few lies somewhere as the documentation of his life is seemingly showing different ages and times. So he is twice said to be born around 1944, while his marriage certificate from United Kingdom says something else. What is inspiring is that on 25th August 1973 in the United Kingdom as he got married to Janet he was 27 years old, but by the birth of his son Muhoozi, he became 30 years old at the Loitokitok General Hospital, Coast Province in the Republic of Kenya, on the 24th April 1974. All of this is inspiring how the President could be 27 years old in United Kingdom and in Kenya, in the year after become 30 years of age. Also, either he was an operative at the Uganda State Research Bureau or he was Army Officer. This again proves how the records are differing in quick phase.

His documentation even says he was born in Tare, Rwanda, so if it wasn’t for the coup d’etat and the bush-war. Than he would have been dismissed for his birthplace, but none will challenge him on that. Then again to be running for 2021. He would no matter how you see it be older than 75 years, by both admissions. Since you have to add the years in-between 2016-2021. So with being either 71 or 73. Means you will add 4 years to the tally. It means if he was 71 years old, means he is 75 years old in 2021 and the other 77 years old. Which means he is to old to run!

But it is allowed to question the paperwork and difference in it, as it is in such short time, such massive differences! Peace.

Rwanda: FDU-Inkingi statement – “Election results in Rwanda mark the darkest day for Rwandans” (06.08.2017)