Sekatawa claims the Presidential Handshake is Patriotic, I beg to differ!

The Ali Sekatawa, the Uganda Revenue Authority lawyer has this recent week addressed in his own way, the report from the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), that delivered the report on the Presidential Handshake to Parliament. This report spelled out the initial idea and talk of refunding the handshake back to URA, as the monies was commissioned correctly. Certainly, the Lawyer want to defend his responsibility and be part of illegal activity. Therefore, his defense is ridiculous, just take a look!

According to Sekatawa, the committee selectively evaluated evidence leading to wrong conclusions on certain aspects and was populist in certain aspects. He says he is angry with the fact that the MPs and sections of the public are challenging the patriotism he and his colleagues exhibited while arguing the tax dispute against two British firms then involved in Uganda’s oil sector. Sekatawa is also challenging the fact that Parliament went ahead to adopt a report, which was not signed by all the members of the committee that investigated the matter. He is also of the view that Parliament has no authority to call on him and others that benefited from the bonanza to refund it because the money wasn’t given by Parliament” (URN, 2017).

I wonder if doing clerical work as your supposed to do in a government organization, that is collecting taxes is so patriotic. In the mind of Lawyer Sekatawa it apparently is. There are certain aspects that I have to dive in to, as he explanation is weak tea. I cannot let this one fly for the sake of foolishness. If there are someone who defends corruption, it should be the corrupt leader President Museveni. Not one of his cronies inside the URA. URA are working and following provisions delivered by Parliament and the President. They follow the guidelines and regulations of taxation that has been given. The same happen as the paperwork on the Presidential Handshake has leaked. It isn’t a secret, it is in the open.

The lawyer is clearly blind by brown-envelopes filled with money, instead of working as a civil servant. The civil servants are working for the state and are paid for their duty. The duty of working inside their offices and get their designated salaries. They are not supposed be bribed or misuse state funds for their own personal gains. That is what happen in the case of the Tullow-Heritage Oil Tax Case that gave monies to all that we’re a part of the court case. The civil servants that served the state and tried to get the ill-gained funds from the companies that was supposed to be part of the consolidation fund. A fund that are used to pay for government and state projects.

Instead, the government and the URA employees we’re served with a Presidential Handshake, that the state didn’t get it designated funds, but the civil servants who worked the case. Which is a bribe and direct looting of state coffers. It isn’t anything other than thieving, a petty theft and it was sanctioned by all the cronies. Not being patriotic trying to build a state, this was state officials and inner-circle of the state giving themselves a massive pay-raise without any procedure or protocol, feeding of a criminal case and foreign investors. Not trying to build a possible foundation or security of the funds, but dole it out to the willing and the ones who knew about the transactions.

The ones that photo-copied the paperwork, the ones that took the phone-calls, the ones that wrote on the settlement, the ones that argued the case in the United Kingdom and the ones that are loved cronies of Museveni. That isn’t patriotic, that is misusing and breaking down a system for personal gains. You don’t love your nation when you sponge of it, when you eat taxes, instead of using it on schools, health-care and other necessities.

Sekatawa doesn’t love Uganda, he loves the Presidential Handshake, he loves the MONEY. MONEY is what makes his world go-around and pays for his SUV and his mansion. He doesn’t love Uganda, he isn’t loving the Republic or the history. He doesn’t respect it’s constitution and it’s laws, when he defends bribes and corrupt behavior. That he benefited from. That is lie… a damn lie. A big fat LIE.

A Presidential Handshake isn’t patriotic, neither are bribes, they are petty theft of state reserves and state funds, that was supposed to go elsewhere, than into the pockets of ill-informed men and woman who liked to corrupted by the state itself. He needs to figure this out and get his mind out the fat corrupted brown-envelopes, maybe even try to figure out the real value of patriotism. Because this is not! Peace.

Reference:

URN – ‘URA lawyer to sue Parliament over Shs 6bn oil cash bonanza’ (24.06.2017) link: http://observer.ug/news/headlines/53523-ura-lawyer-to-sue-parliament-over-shs-6bn-oil-cash-bonanza.html

The Presidential Handshake Probe recommend the NRM regime to regulate the Presidential Donations!

In Uganda everything in Parliament and legislation are usually connected with the President in someway or another. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are usually involved in any sort acts and government affairs. It is well known that many decisions are taken directly at the State House or at either the NRM National Executive Committee (NEC) and the NRM Caucus. This are all directed by the President and usually contains his vision. So that the Parliament was probing the Presidential Handshake, that was like looking directly into the provisions given by the President. The President who has accepted to give to civil servants and other government officials. So here is the report from Parliament today!

A House committee that inquired into the payment of Shs 6 billion to 42 government officials for winning a tax oil case in London wants the beneficiaries to refund the monies. Parliament’s Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) committee was instructed by Parliament in January this year to investigate the payment of the monies to the officials, said to have participated in the arbitration case between government and Heritage Oil and Gas in a London court” (…) “In its recommendations, the committee has tasked government to come up with a bill within 90 days to regulate and streamline the Presidential donations budget. Parliament last month rejected a Shs 53.8 billion supplementary budget, which included the Shs 6 billion bonus payment to the government officials. The Budget committee, in its report, said the approval of the funds was deferred pending the COSASE probe conclusion” (Parliament Watch Uganda, 21.06.2017).

Clearly, like all things in Parliament and within government in Uganda are coming back to the Okello House, or President Museveni. He is always involved and has made decisions or took charge so it happen. The same happen with the Presidential Handshake, which he gave way to after seeing the letters in the case. That the beneficiaries are claimed to have to refund their money to the state, as it was supposed to be tax to fund the state. The money the state won was not supposed to become individual income for the individuals doing clerical work for Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) or anyone else.

Now the COSASE wants the state to restrict the Presidential Donations and the monies the President suddenly dole away. So they can monitor his giving ways and his use of state funds. Clearly this will put measures to follow the President and his acts. Certainly, he would not like this, because this could show some transparency and show where the funds the President are free to give-away. This is not something that seem like President Museveni doesn’t want to follow. Since if so, he is showing real governance and open government. He prefers running in backdoor agreements and brown envelopes to get legislation through the Parliament. If the Presidential donations are monitored, than the clear corrupt behavior will be in the open and COSASE would have a field day on the actions of the State House. Certainly, the 90 days will not be met and not be followed.

If so, than it will be water-downed legislation, which doesn’t have the power to question his authority. Just like the monitoring and probing into the Presidential Handshake. The Report today proved how little they can vindicate, and even show who is to blame. As the recommendation for regulation of the Presidential Donations will certainly not be something President Museveni would prefer. Peace.

10th Parliament MPs is extra greedy as they are eating another Shs. 100m. each!

You know there is something special, you know there is something out of bound and something compelling, when the Members of Parliament (MPs) who has no quarrels with eating without taxation, without thinking of their salaries compered to the ones who they represent. The constituency of the MP must feel betrayed as their allowances and their benefits are enormous, to say it at least, they are gigantic! But take a look at the latest big payment for the MPs!

Parliament — MPs are smiling all the way to the bank after the government authorised the release of an extra Shs45b to Parliament, with each of the 449 lawmakers set to get an additional Shs100m, ostensibly to buy cars for constituency travels” (…) “In a June 13 letter titled: ‘Additional cash limit of Shs45.8b for the Parliamentary Commission’, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, the Secretary to the Treasury, authorised Ms Jane Kibirige, the Clerk to Parliament, to spend the cash as part of non-wage recurrent budget in the fourth quarter of the Financial Year 2016/2017. The clearance comes barely two weeks to the end of the Financial Year” (Arinaitwe & Manzil, 2017).

So the Members of Parliament are clearly getting another pay-day without passing to much legislation or any sort of consideration of the proposed budget or pledges they had for the financial year 2017/2018. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the NRM Caucus have clearly made together with the Parliamentary Commission to make a new pay-day for the MPs, yet again!

The National Resistance Movement and their MPs clearly like to get extra brown-envelopes without any considerations of the state of the budget or the way the funds are raised. It is not shocking, it seems like an ordinary event at this point. Not like it is the first time, the MPs uses their Noble place in the august house to enrich themselves and add cost to the state. Therefore, the added debt and interest payments should be feared by the MPs. Instead, they are adding debt and creating more interest without concern of the citizens.

The citizens are going to pay extra for this, they are the ones that are ripped off at broad-daylight. They are eating directly of the state reserve and does it with impunity. Also worth noticing, President Museveni is not sanctioning against it, since he can do as pleases. Since he is eating directly and misuse s it whenever he wants. Peace.

Reference:

Arinaitwe, Solomon & Manzil, Ibrahim – ‘Uganda: MPs Get Extra Shs100 Million Each for Cars’ (17.06.2017) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201706190735.html?utm_campaign=allafrica%3Ainternal&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=promote%3Aaans%3Aabafbt

Opinion: Jubilee and President Kenyatta hires Cambridge Analytica to ‘Big Data’ massage their Campaign message!

Today there we’re revealed that the International ‘Big Data’ Company Cambridge Analytica, the offspring of Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL), who has appeared and even had now Presidential Adviser Steve Bannon on their board. This company is famous for using their techniques to manipulate and make sure the message of the Trump campaign got spread to the masses. This through the big data collection and through the algorithms that the social media sites produces. So that the election cycle can produce stories and messages, that are positive in favor of the ones that are trying to get elected and are the clients of the Cambridge Analytica or SCL.

Therefore, the news of Jubilee Alliance Party, that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto hired the company to alter the big data traffic in Kenya. Proves that they will use any method, except the righteous ones to win. Because Jubilee knows they are trading in shallow waters, with a IEBC, rising food prices and inflation, together with missed promises from the last campaign. Therefore, the Jubilee are now sticking to the expensive tricks of the trade from the United Kingdom and United States. Certainly, the chicken-gate will not be replicated, but might tried to be deflected as people are not finding out about quick enough. Take a look!

Big Data on the Kenyan Election:

According to sources in the Office of the President cited by The Star newspaper, the Jubilee coalition contracted Cambridge Analytica, which “uses data to change audience behaviour” (…) “Based on a Guardian expose, The Star newspaper writes that in the Kenyan context, Cambridge Analytica is expected “to pay Facebook and other third-party data companies for information about Kenya’s undecided voters whom it will then bombard with social media posts and adverts” (…) “Cambridge Analytica, which has already dispatched a small team to Kenya, will work alongside BTP Advisers. The latter has already commenced campaign planning” (Buchanan, 2017).

Methods:

Cambridge Analytica has marketed itself as classifying voters using five personality traits known as OCEAN — Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism — the same model used by University of Cambridge researchers for in-house, non-commercial research. The question of whether OCEAN made a difference in the presidential election remains unanswered. Some have argued that big data analytics is a magic bullet for drilling into the psychology of individual voters; others are more skeptical. The predictive power of Facebook likes is not in dispute. A 2013 study by three of Kogan’s former colleagues at the University of Cambridge showed that likes alone could predict race with 95 percent accuracy and political party with 85 percent accuracy. Less clear is their power as a tool for targeted persuasion; Cambridge Analytica has claimed that OCEAN scores can be used to drive voter and consumer behavior through “microtargeting,” meaning narrowly tailored messages. Nix has said that neurotic voters tend to be moved by “rational and fear-based” arguments, while introverted, agreeable voters are more susceptible to “tradition and habits and family and community.” (Schwartz, 2017).

We don’t consider ourselves a ‘big data’ company, we are a data analytics company. Many organization out there want to serve as the database of record for their clients. We aim to be the layer on top of that, which provides our clients with actionable insights – essentially acting as the brain behind the decision-making process. We’ve come a long way, but there is still a lot of work to be done on the side of automation. Campaigns move so quickly that often it’s difficult to keep up. The more automation we can bring to the process outside of the campaign HQ will greatly increase our speed in delivering insights to the decision makers” (Patterson, 2017).

Privacy International on CA:

It’s one thing to profile people, and another to say that because of that profiling you are able to effectively change behaviour on a mass scale. Cambridge Analytica clearly does the former, but only claims (!) to succeed in the latter. Even before the company was in the news, their methods raised a lot of eyebrows amongst experts on data-driven campaigning, with one consultant claiming that “everyone universally agrees that their sales operation is better than their fulfilment product” (Kaltheuner, 2017).

So even if Privacy International are saying that the CA are not as all powerful as they claim they are. This might be relief, even if the idea of all power Big Data collective and possible manipulation of electoral process. This being the sales pitch of the CA and SCL. That the company will micro-targeting the Kenyan electorate with big data and five personality traits on their OCEAN program. We can officially question their motives and if the Jubilee will believe in it. If so, they are smug and thinking they can rig the whole spectrum news and sharing of information ahead of the last months of campaigning. They can certainly need to circle their message and deliver on inflation and on the food prices.

“‘The impressive bit,’ says Nix, is to expand the findings from those who took the personality tests to the entire American electorate of 230 million. They can do this because Cambridge Analytica also has ‘4,000–5,000 data points’ — pieces of information — on every single adult in the US. This can be anything from age, gender and ethnicity to what magazines they buy, which TV programmes they watch, the food they eat, the cars they drive, even the golf clubs they belong to. This is indeed impressive — and a little bit creepy. Regardless, the data is for sale; Cambridge Analytica take it and (they have persuaded their clients) spin it into gold. There are two assumptions: first that people who buy the same things and have the same habits — the same ‘data points’ — have similar personalities; secondly that your personality will help predict, say, whether you go for Coke or Pepsi, Clinton or Trump. ‘Behaviour is driven by personality,’ Nix said” (…) “A Republican data scientist for a rival firm said he did not use psychographics. ‘If you get a voter on the phone, why are you asking them what their favourite ice cream is or what their favourite colour is — why don’t you just ask them who they’re going to vote for?’ He added: ‘They’ve got a smooth-talking Brit wearing Savile Row suits who gives you a great pitch and wows you a little bit; they’ve got a great PR operation, but with psychographic profiling, there’s nothing there. They’re really, really smart people. It’s like they’re a bunch of board-certified doctors who decided to make a lot more money selling snake oil’” (Wood, 2016).

So, if this is true, than President Kenyatta has bought into the CA tricks and that people believes in the companies sales pitch. Something that cannot claim at this point. If so, wouldn’t more people be direct afraid, also PI for instance who is always talking about the possibility of what CA is promising. Therefore, the British sales pitch is bought by the Jubilee, but the public should be aware of the misuse of funds to pay the foreign political data enterprise, who clearly see a naive bunch of Kenyans. Kenyans who has money to spend on something cannot be proven. President Kenyatta and DP Ruto really wants to make sure they win, even if they micro-targeting the public.

Therefore, this will really see more marketing stunts and more that fits the paradigm of the OCEAN quizzes that deliver the target CA sets for Jubilee. CA has said they we’re behind the Trump victory, but there many counterclaims, even some who questions investors of SLC and CA. Even some thinks the Mercer family is behind it and therefore, first supported Cruz campaign, than later Trump. Which the CA did! So they wasn’t as perfect and brilliant since they didn’t help Cruz much.

So we can hope they can promise the same stats and the same services to Kenyatta and Ruto. After looking into it, the matter seem less powerful, but in the future some companies might have the power to really manipulate the electorate. Something, the CA doesn’t have yet, but the fear of might overpower the crowds. Since, this sort of tactic is not yet proven. Even if CA says so, but that is their sales pitch that clearly got Jubilee tricked as well. Peace.

Reference:

Buchanan, Elsa – ‘How Kenya’s Jubilee party is using UK ‘big data’ firm linked to Trump and Brexit victories’ (10.05.2017) link:http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-kenyas-jubilee-party-using-uk-big-data-firm-linked-trump-brexit-victories-1620923

Kaltheuner, Frederike – ‘Cambridge Analytica Explained: Data and Elections’ (13.03.2017) link: https://www.privacyinternational.org/node/1440

Patterson, Dan – ‘Cambridge Analytica: The future of political data is in the enterprise’ (13.03.2017) link: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/cambridge-analytica-the-future-of-political-data-is-in-the-enterprise/

Schwartz, Mattathias – ‘FACEBOOK FAILED TO PROTECT 30 MILLION USERS FROM HAVING THEIR DATA HARVESTED BY TRUMP CAMPAIGN AFFILIATE’ (30.03.2017) link: https://theintercept.com/2017/03/30/facebook-failed-to-protect-30-million-users-from-having-their-data-harvested-by-trump-campaign-affiliate/

Wood, Paul – ‘The British data-crunchers who say they helped Donald Trump to win’ (03.12.2016) link: https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/the-british-data-crunchers-who-say-they-helped-donald-trump-to-win/

Ugandan economy could get Oil-Shocks due to external factors, recent BoU report claims!

Surprise, surprise the Bank of Uganda (BoU) has made a working paper on the possible consequences of the oil price, the oil exports and the oil imports on the Ugandan economy. This didn’t exceed my expectation of a report or paper, but said enough to clearly anticipate changes in the economy with the coming export. Even as the BoU called the domestic oil production in embryonic stages, which means the real impact will come when it is closer petroleum production the GDP and CPI feel more impact of the oil prices and the volumes exported from the Lake Albert Basin.

That the Ugandan State and the Republic of Uganda, should know that the fresh foreign exchange and currency into the economy, as the domestic parts of petroleum is not having big impact on the economy! Still, the export can change it as the oil prices and change the consumer price index for instance. Take a look!

One such shock that is a source of major concern and risks to monetary policy-making in Uganda is the oil shock. To our knowledge, the effects of oil shocks in Uganda, to date, have not yet been analyzed. The objective of this paper therefore, is to analyze the nature and importance of oil shocks to Uganda’s economy in a dynamic framework” (Nyanzi & Bwire, P: 4, 2017).

According to the Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (2012), oil provides about 10 percent of Uganda’s energy requirements – the rest is sourced from the small and underdeveloped and unreliable electricity sub-sector and the cheap biomass energy. The oil sector was also deregulated in 1994, under the broad structural reforms implemented by the Government of Uganda, which effectively eliminated oil prices subsidies. Uganda is endowed with commercially-viable oil reserves, but domestic oil production is in embryonic stages. Consequently, all of the oil-energy needs of the country are satisfied by imports” (Nyanzi & Bwire, P: 8, 2017).

The results of the variance decomposition in regard to oil shock are not entirely unexpected, given the structure of Uganda’s economy. Oil and its products constitute 8 percent of total intermediate consumption and 10 percent of energy requirements. In addition, oil is crucial to electricity supply in Uganda because hydro-electricity is unreliable and insufficient. This implies little or no substitutability of oil with hydro-electric energy in production in case of adverse oil shock, which could justify the long-run 20 percent variance in output due to oil shocks. Regarding consumer prices, the small percentage of variance in consumer prices due to oil shocks is justified by the small weight of oil in the CPI basket. Oil constitutes about 1 percent in the 2009/10 rebased CPI basket, of which 0.8 percent is oil for personal transportation and 0.2 percent a source of liquefied energy at home. These numbers are not surprising given that over 75 percent of the population live in rural areas and depend mainly on wood and charcoal as a source of energy, and that rates of car ownership are generally low. Moreover, the main source of short-run volatility in the Uganda CPI is weather-related factors affecting food prices. This leaves the bulk of fluctuations in the core consumer prices (Comprising over 80 percent) explained by demand” (Nyanzi & Bwire, P: 18, 2017).

Oil shocks are transmitted through the supply channel, as a shock that increases the international price of oil leads to opposite movements in real output and consumer prices in Uganda” (Nyanzi & Bwire, P: 19, 2017).

It is hard to say how it could impact and how the petroleum production and exports will change the economy, how the prices and the inflation, as the measure of how much the price of the crude-oil will be at the given time. That the government has secret agreements with oil companies and also agreements with other to build the crude-oil pipeline that goes to Tanzania. Therefore, the reaction in the economy is not yet known, but with the background and knowledge of the how it is now. Most likely a real output and change in consumer prices in Uganda.

That will be an oil-shock no-one can be prepared for. Unless the Government and Parliament created legislation and policies who might soften the change of the economy. Therefore, with this in mind, the National Resistance Movement, the State House and the President Museveni have work to do. That is if they consider the implication the petroleum production and exports will have on inflation, currency value and consumer prices index as well. This report should open some eyes into it, but it should not be surprising. Peace.

Reference:

Nyanzi, Sulaiman & Bwire, Thomas – ‘Working Paper No. 04/2017 – The Macroeconomic responses to Petro Shocks for Uganda’ (May, 2017)

Presidential Handshake: It’s now revealed that the President is trying to pin someone to “fall on one’s sword”!

The continued exhausting of the Presidential handshake shows the true form of the bribe. Even as the President himself, tries to clean his hands and pin-point more people. He still did sanction it directly from the Uganda Revenue Authority and onto the vast civil servants and loyal cronies, as a bribe and brown envelope of joy. Even if the stories keep coming and more people being implicated, the reality is that this shows that the whole system is rotten.

The maladministration and clearly not caring about state reserves comes to the public court. The Public know knows that the President and his State House, are only trying to find a scapegoat and a perfect victim, to save face and look good, without taking down somebody who knows to much. They know that to many people has gotten ill-earned millions in envelopes because of this Presidential Handshake. That the probe would have questions to the President was most likely, and we could anticipate that someone else would fall on their sword. If they will do it voluntarily and might do it with force from the State House.

Oxford Dictionary states about “Fall on one’s sword”:

Assume responsibility or blame on behalf of other people, especially by resigning from a position.

he heroically fell on his sword, insisting that it was his decision’ (Oxford Dictionary).

So when you read part of the piece in the Daily Monitor today, you see how the President tries to wash his hands of sin and put blame on the Ministers and others. So he will talk to the culprit and make sure that he falls on his sword for him.

Museveni pinning people down for the handshake:

Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu,who is leading the inquiry by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises(Cosase), confirmed at a press briefing on Friday that Mr Museveni wants the Committee to ensure that the missing money is accounted for. “The President said he was not aware [that Shs5b is unaccounted for] and he was happy that we were going to follow it up. He reiterated his commitment to accountability and he said any monies spent from the public coffer should be accounted for. He encouraged us to have this money accounted for by the Justice Ministry Accounting Officer [Solicitor General],”Mr Katuntu said. Mr Katuntu revealed that the Solicitor General will be cross-examined again over the whereabouts of the Shs5b before a report is compiled mapping out his fate. During the ingoing inquiry, Mr Atoke failed to give conclusive accountability for the money. During the course of the two meetings, Mr Museveni also singled out former Energy Minister Syda Bbumba for inserting a clause in the Production Sharing Agreement that allowed Tullow a $157m tax waiver for an out of court settlement involving Tullow. The signing of a PSA to exempt Tullow from $157m was done by Ms Bbumba without the knowledge of the President, Mr Katuntu confirmed. “The President said he was not aware of that exemption. The President agreed with us that the exemption was illegal because the then Minister did not have power to exempt payment of tax. We informed the President that we are following up this matter and we will have a conversation with Syda Bbumba,”Mr Katuntu said” (Arinaitwe, 2017).

Now that Honorable Syda Bbumba is the one to blame now, not the ones applying for it or the ones who gained the ill-willed state coffer monies. Not long ago, it was revealed to come from the wrong account, directly from URA and not State House. Now it is a Minister Bbumba who acted without consistent legal procedure, nor talked with the authorities before the money went on its merry. Certainly the other part of what happen this mid-week reveals certain aspects worth noting!

Asking for favors:

According to our sources, as soon as the president ended his testimony, some MPs took turns to speak privately with him. According to multiple sources familiar with the Entebbe meeting, Katuntu effectively contained the MPs during the committee’s official business session at State House but when that ended, MPs went on rampage. “After the meeting, the president invited us for a group photo and this is when the MPs started [whispering],” said an MP who attended the meeting. This MP singled out Beatrice Anywar (Kitgum Municipality), Hood Katuramu (PWDs Western) and Vincent Woboya (Budadiri East) as some of the MPs that approached Museveni with requests for favours. This was after they saw the committee vice chairperson Anita Among whisper to Museveni. Anywar reportedly invited the president to attend her thanksgiving next month in Kitgum. “She has not been attending the committee meetings. In fact, we didn’t go with her on [Wednesday]. I think her coming on the second day was purposely to see Museveni, not [to be part of] the probe,” one MP said” (Kaaya, 2017).

So the system is rigged and he isn’t only looking for someone to take the blame for the Presidential Handshake, he also sees who are loyal to him if they get favors. Similar to the Handshake. They wants and requests favors from the President, because he has done so in the past. And most likely do it again, that is the way he keeps the cronyism alive and the Movement booming. If he stops paying and delivering brown-envelopes to political affiliates he will lose his base and his MP’s. But because of this Presidential Handshake he has to play smart and look like he cares about fighting corruption, even though his State House is thriving on it.

That this would take such long time isn’t surprising as they are trying to find one who can take the blame, without to much cost and lose of face value to the hierarchy and the State House. Nevertheless, the bribe is still a bribe, even if they try to color it differently, there isn’t a gray-area to put it into. The reality is still the same. That certain elements now this week ask for favors from the President proves the handouts and the handshakes are a systemic and institutionalized affairs at the State House.

The issue with the Presidential Handshake is more of a gimmick as the state tries to find the one who will take the charge and eat, so that the President can say: “See there my Ugandan people, I work against corruption”. But the next day, another MP will pop by Entebbe or Nakasero and ask for favor, an envelope or even a handshake. So that they can be bought into submission, which is the given state and the system that President Museveni believes in. Peace.

Reference:

Arinaitwe, Solomon – ‘Museveni pins SG Atooke over oil cash’ (01.05.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-pins-SG-Atooke-over-oil-cash/688334-3909560-g9wigk/index.html

Kaaya, Sadab Kitatta – ‘Oil cash probe MPs beg from Museveni’ (01.05.2017) link:http://observer.ug/news/headlines/52653-oil-cash-probe-mps-beg-from-museveni.html

Oxford Dictionary – ‘fall on one’s sword’ link:https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fall_on_one’s_sword

Opinion: Can someone please teach Mr. Manoah Esipisu the inner-works of the constitution?

Part 1—Principles and Structure of the National Executive 129. (1) Executive authority derives from the people of Kenya and shall be exercised in accordance with this Constitution. (2) Executive authority shall be exercised in a manner compatible with the principle of service to the people of Kenya, and for their well being and benefit. 130. (1) The national executive of the Republic comprises the President, the Deputy President and the rest of the Cabinet. (2) The composition of the national executive shall reflect the regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya” (Kenya Constitution 2010).

It is weird, I am not supposed to do this but I have, I have to tarnish the State House spokesperson Manoah Episisu again. I wished he still worked for the Kenya Defense Force (KDF), then he spoke about missiles and Somali pirates, it is bit more technical and legislation, apparently, when speaking out the chambers of the head of state. Still, the man has the capacity to not think of the words he saying. He is not Sean Spicer, but the brightest goblin walking the streets, he is not. So, if I was President Kenyatta, I would consider to appoint another brother or someone with more flair. Because this attack from the State House towards the National Super Alliance (NASA) is just pure nonsense. Take a look!

Decisions taken and announced at polling centres, as you saw, were allowed to stand. While on the political front, let me comment briefly on stories that have been doing the rounds, peddled by opposition figures – and may I say that these stories are peddled by people who should know better – that somehow they will enact constitutional changes within 90 days of taking office to create three jobs. Making constitutional changes that require a referendum will simply not take three months. It will take years. And considering how citizens have rejected MPs and Governors that they don’t believe have used their resources prudently, they are unlikely ever to agree to spend billions of shillings to create jobs for the three men promised phantom ones. You know, people have agreed to take Jobs that don’t exist … so, one of the opposition leaders was saying in a media interview that the first job for the team will be to use billions of shillings to change the constitution so the three phantom jobs can be legitimised” (State House Kenya, – MBS Manoah Esipisu, 30.04.2017).

What he is discussing the NASA deal between the NASA flagbearer’s who made a coalition to overrun the re-election of the Jubilee Alliance Party and the ruling regime. This coalition agreement between the NASA is put in this way: Raila Odinga as the President, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the Deputy President. Under them is Musalia Mudavadi as Premier Cabinet Secretary, as well as Moses Wetan’gula as Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretary and Isaac Rutto as Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretary. Therefore because of the roles as Premier Cabinet Secretary and two Deputy Cabinet Secretaries, that the spokesperson of the State House claims is breaking the law. Let’s look a bit more into the constitution:

152. (1) The Cabinet consists of—

(a) the President;

(b) the Deputy President;

(c) the Attorney-General; and

(d) not fewer than fourteen and not more than twenty-two

Cabinet Secretaries” (Kenya Constitution, 2010).

So if the ones under neath the President and Deputy President in a NASA coalition cabinet, with the agreed secretaries already, they can either hire 11 more cabinet secretaries or 19 for that matter. I don’t know what the State House Spokesperson read or understood the legality, but the law is clear and the NASA coalition is not breaking the law. They are making a new understanding of the cabinet, but not in a way that counter the ability to appoint them in this way or in other if they wanting to.

So the Constitution also states this also from section 152:

(2) The President shall nominate and, with the approval of the

National Assembly, appoint Cabinet Secretaries.

(3) A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament” (Kenya Constitution 2010).

So if, the spokesperson had known the constitution, he would know that Raila Odinga, if winning the coming election in August 2017. Than he could appoint his fellow coalition leaders into the cabinet. So they could become Cabinet Secretaries, as they are in the way of the leadership of the NASA. Therefore, by that reasoning alone it is not a violation.

Secondly, Jubilee and the President Uhuru Kenyatta said:

While they are lying to each other about Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister’s positions which is not in the Constitution, we in the Jubilee Party are committed to entrenching democracy to develop the country,” (PSCU, 2017).

I hate to repeat, but the man who is running the nation and the Republic of Kenya for near end of a Presidential Term, should have the capacity to understand the ones underneath the Deputy President are appointed as Cabinet Secretaries. So they are part of the 14 appointed cabinet secretaries or even up to 22. So the man who has appointed his share of Cabinet Secretaries and ruled the Nation should know this part of the Constitution. Apparently, he is himself misunderstanding the law. To make sure the coalition looks foolish and himself trying to look wise. Instead he looks ignorant of the laws that guides his government.

Time for both the President and the State House Spokesperson to study their constitution before teaching the NASA Coalition on their Flagbearer’s, the President and Deputy President; also their Premier Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Premier Cabinet Secretaries. Time to man up and read the Constitution and they might know the parts before August 2017 and not just misuse it during the campaigns. Peace.

Reference:

Kenya Constitution 2010

PSCU – ‘President Kenyatta dismisses NASA line-up as ‘jobs for the boys’ (27.04.2017) link: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2017/04/president-kenyatta-dismisses-nasa-line-jobs-boys/

Szlavik represents a Shady Company of Men: Polishing the image of Nkurunziza and Museveni!

Joseph Szlavik and his lobby firm in Washington D.C. are using his close-connected network in the Senate and the House, to trade secrets and interference of knowledge from not so favorable sources. The Scribe Strategies and Advisors are have certainly no scruples in their dealings. As the vast funding from Republic’s and their leadership. Proves that he can bought by anyone who opens their check-book. There is no story he cannot open and abuse, to make sure that his company earns fortunes.

Therefore, be aware that certain connected journalists has been touched by this lobbyist like the Sioban O’Grady, who has had interviews interconnected on several occasions during the last year. As well as Kevin Kelley in Daily Nation, who has been used as tools for the agenda of the Lobbying firm.

Promotes the cause of CNDD-FDD:

This lobbying company has a long history in Burundi, as they have wanted to retain the company as far back on 12 December 2005, when Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation Antoinette Batungbwira wrote a credible praise and wanted to extend their work together.

The government of Burundi, had the funds and the ability to push their agenda in Washington D.C. during the 2015-2016 as their noble lobbyist Joseph Szlavik, signed his earnings to the proper American authorities. On 10th November 2015, the CNDD-FDD paid the lobbyist $ 59,980.00, as he was also paid on the 5th February 2016 $ 60,000.00 and on 25th April 2016 $ 92,230.00. Also, his fees continued as on the 8th August 2016 got $ 90,000.00 and 19th December 2016 the total salary $ 60,000.00.

The lobbyist has during the 2 year period earned astonishing $ 362,000.00!

The CNDD-FDD could afford to pay a man to spread their message and play after their tune in the congress and senate! This shows the power of the monies, as the lobbyist himself explained his position and what he did to earn this amount of money: “Registrant (Scribe Strategies & Advisors) counseled and advised the Government of Burundi on U.S. Policy and informed congressional and executive branch officials and staff and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on development in Burundi, and promoted relations between the United States and Burundi. Registrant provided public relations support and strategies to the Government of Burundi” (13.04.2017 – NSD/FARA Registration Unit).

Registrant (Scribe Strategies & Advisors) arranged for Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe to speak at the Atlantic Council on June 22, 2015 and on the VOA’s “Straight Talk Africa” on June 23, 2015, and Newsmax TV on June 24, 2015, about recent political developments in Burundi; arranged for presidential spokesman Willy Nyamitwe to speak to the Atlantic Council on January 22, 2016, and on the VOA’s “Straight Talk Africa” on January 20, 2016, and on France24 TV on January 21, 2016, all of the topic of the recent developments in Burundi” (03.03.2016 – NSD/FARA Registration Unit).

Promote the cause of the NRM:

The Government of Uganda and their Foreign Affairs has used the same man to pursuit their agenda in Washington D.C. as they paid the man on the 5th May 2016 $ 62,500.00. In 2015 they also paid him well for the help of spreading the message of Foreign Minster Kuteesa on the 24th June 2015 paid $ 55,200.00, also $ 69,800.00 on 7th August 2015 and on 9th December 2015 $ 64,535.11. The Government of Uganda totally paid the amount $ 250,000.00 to the lobbyist over 2 years!

Registrant (Scribe Strategies & Advisors) arranged for Foreign Minister Sam Kuteesa to appear on Voice of America program. “Straight Talk Africa” September 16, 2015; the topic was Kutesa’s tenure as President of the United States General Assembly; also arranged for Kutesa to speak at the Atlantic Council on September 15, 2015, on the same topic” (03.03.2016 – NSD/FARA Registration Unit).

That the company uses their reach and their messages as back in day, in 2015, when Scribe Strategies and Advisors, they used Kevin J. Kelley to write a piece in the Daily Nation:

Mr Szlavik noted that his firm did have a contract about 10 years ago to lobby for Uganda in the US. In accordance with that deal, Mr Szlavik explained, Scribe sought to persuade the Bush administration to list the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Alliance of Democratic Forces as terrorist organisations. The US does designate the LRA and ADF in that way” (…) “Earlier this year, Mr Szlavik added, he discussed with Uganda’s ambassador in Washington the possibility of Scribe again doing lobbying work for Uganda in the United States. But no agreement has been made, Mr Szlavik said. “There’s no contract, no numbers, no payment,” he declared” (Kelley, 2015).

There should be discussion and counsel going on as just a brief month after the interview and article in the Daily Nation, the company earned about $ 60,000 paid by the Ugandan government. So the company knew all about it in 2015, but wanted to spin the news and their role.

The Company was more upfront about their role in spinning the news for Burundi, as the Scribe Lobbying firm in 2015, addressed matters close to the heart of government of Burundi and again, they used their fellow journalist in the Daily Nation:

The allegations by Joseph Szlavik, head of Scribe Strategies & Advisors, followed reports of fighting between government troops and an unidentified armed group near Burundi’s border with Rwanda” (…) “Mr Szlavik noted in an interview with the Nation that the Burundian leader’s right to run for re-election had been affirmed in May by the country’s Constitutional Court” (…) “Western powers call for respect for the rule of law, and this was the ruling by the Constitutional Court of Burundi,” Mr Szlavik said” (Kelley, 2015).

So Szlavik, the man paid by the Government was clearly knowingly keeping it cool with Burundian authorities, not only spreading their agenda, but also their motives to keep power. Using the tools of legislation and not addressing the grievances of the people demonstrating at the time. Therefore, showing that the ones feeding him was more important than actual justice. That they also, this used the fellow friend in the Daily Nation, show’s how systematic the Scribe Strategies and Advisors work in the East African region.

This is just a quick look into the matter and not really digging deep into the polishing tricks of the company and their employees, as their staff and connections into the House and Senate in the United States was massive. The role to play and their reasoning as the paychecks from CNDD-FDD and NRM comes, they easily comply with the methods and needs from Bujumbura and Kampala. With no care of the implications and ramifications to the innocent in Burundi nor Uganda. Certainly, this is blood-money and I hope they are cursed. Peace.

Reference:

Kelley, Kevin J. – ‘US lobbying firm denies Uganda is currently a client’ (01.04.2015) link:http://www.africareview.com/news/US-lobbying-firm-denies-Uganda-is-currently-a-client/979180-2672786-3ti6at/index.html

Kelley, Kevin J. – ‘Burundi claims Rwanda aiding rebels’ (13.07.2015)

Trick or Treat: Presidential Handshake gone wrong!

Today, is a day that doesn’t stop to startle, the day doesn’t stop giving. The reports from the Republic are a bit to much. Still, the continued probe into the 6 billion Ugandan shillings has continued. I would never believe it would amount to anything. For the first time in a while, the President has said he did a mistake, but it wasn’t I did something wrong with the State Resources and the Taxes. No I took the money from the wrong account and then gave it away to the civil servants and movement cronies. Take a look!

Shs. 6 Billion was a mistake and the President want to give a refund!

President Yoweri Museveni has told the Members of Parliament investigating the Shs 6bn Presidential Handshake that he is ready to refund the money” (…) “The president was quoted as saying his original thinking was to “say thank you to our patriotic civil servants who against all odds managed to make us get what was due to us from the known international giants.” The president added that the flouting the rules by the government officials was not his making, although he agreed to take responsibility on their behalf and make sure the money is returned from where it was picked” (…) “It was unanimously agreed during the committee session at State House that picking the presidential handshake money from the Uganda Revenue Authority was a mistake. The money should have been sourced from State House budget that caters for all expenses of the President” (…) “We realized it was wrong for the presidential handshake (Shs 6bn) to come from URA instead of State House or President’s office,” another source who attended the session said” (NTV Newsnight, 26.04.2017).

The Movement and the government leader, the executive and the President are clearly trying to clean his hands. Since it was from the wrong accounts, that the Presidential Handshake was taken from the Uganda Revenue Authority, as they we’re the receiving end of the tax-case with the Heritage and Tullow Oil Corporation. These case and probe the republic have been through and through, even Andrew Mwenda defended the handshake.

What is sad and supposed to be the saving grace for the President, that if he gave the civil servants and the ones involved in it and getting compensated for their work. The handshake was by his purpose just a fair gift for the work. As the ones in URA working copying paper and picking up the phone in the office for the state. So even if they mask the audit of the budget as of where the money came from, the civil servants still get their monies.

If the money we’re directed from the State House or from URA, it is still from the State Coffers, the only difference is the ending numbers on the slips. That it really wasn’t his making, but we have seen the letter that was accepted and the citizens seen the acts. If not they have read the lines and comments of the Handshake.

Even if the President said this should have been expenses directly from him and not from the URA. It is still uncommon and not something that should occur. That the President blames his fellow co-workers and the institutions around him. Presidential Handshake no matter where it comes from is still an act of graft, a bribe or a misuse of government funds. The gift from the President is still brown-envelopes without proper procedure, not basic salaries or natural bonuses. If it was so, then there wouldn’t have been such a probe into the handshake.

An act of corruption if it comes on a unicorn from the State House or from the blessed souls of the Uganda Revenue Authority, doesn’t sanction the act differently. If the letterhead of the bribe to the civil servants for their work, doesn’t salvage the Presidential Handshake. It just shows the disregard President Museveni has. He thinks it would be different it was directly donated from him and if he signs of the same amount to URA from the State House. Surely, that amount must come from the budgeted “confidential” State House funds, as the knowledge of how it is use are only for the President to know.

I can reassure the world that a unicorn was not flying around the Okello House this night and will not happen tomorrow morning either, a bribe is still a bribe. You can try to change the fact, but the money was still transacted without the proper procedure and without the justification. Even if the President says so, it is still misuse of the state coffers and given taxpayers funds to cronies, nothing else! Peace.

Did President Museveni set-up Hon. Kabafunzaki for the three counts of corruption?

It is the responsiblity of every human to know their actions and the consequences of their actions and to ask questions and to question things when they are wrong.”Michael Moore

As it been told by the unraveling stories on the corruption scandal landing our way, is that Herbert Kabafunzaki went into a trap at the Serena Hotel, where everything was prepared, even the camera’s and the media was there at the arrival. As the Police Officers was the closely monitoring if he would eat the monies offered by the Aya Group. What makes me suspicious is two new revealed things, not the three counts but this.

Kabafunzaki charged on three counts of corruption for soliciting a Shs.15M bribe and directly accepting 5M bribe in exchange for clearing Mohammed Hamid from allegations of sexual harassment” (NTV Uganda, 11.04.2017).

So with the knowledge of the counts of corruption put on the State Minister Kabafunzaki, as he is lingering in Luzira Prison. This revelation in New Vision earlier if true, show’s that it is something missing right now: “He was allegedly arrested with an envelope containing the money by a combined team of Special Forces Command and Police at around 3pm” (…) “Hamid said President Yoweri Museveni was informed about the minister’s demand from which Police was tipped” (Lumu & Etukuri, 2017).

Three key aspects here, that should not be put under the rug. That the businessman himself, the one who needed to clear his charges of possible sexual assault tipped of the President. That means that the President himself called the Special Force Command, the group that has been run and become his Maj. Gen. Muhoozi unit inside the army and than also tipping the Police Force. This shows how little institutions and how little care there is inside the Security Organizations. That they follow the orders of the President blindly.

Secondly is that the mixed Special Force Command, army personnel are together with Police while arresting a fellow Minister and State Official. That they are there without warrants and for-warning. Thirdly, which are mysterious, that the Aya Group has the direct-line to the President. Also shows how license and business in general is operated in Uganda. That the foreign investors are directly in the loop of the President!

Counsel Kenneth Muhangi (Kabafunzaki’s lawyer) has presented three sureties as requested by court for Minister Kabafunzaki’s bail application. State prosecutor asks court for stringent bail terms including hefty amounts of money, passport & a land title. State prosecutor also wants Minister Kabafunzaki to report to court weekly if granted bail” (NBS TV Uganda, 11.04.2017).

So the Minister set for Luzira is really in a pickle and has a few hefty nuts to crack. This corruption scandal and Aya Group ordeal will be hard stain to wash off. Hon. Kabafunzaki can clearly look guilty and can be determined after the evidence to set so as well, but the idea that the President knew from Aya Group’s own Hamid, the man paying the bribe. Says something is wrong. Why would the one fixing the bribe and the payment of the Minister keep the President in the loop? Why? Secondly, why aren’t the Aya Group and Mohammed Hamid charged with trying to corrupt a fellow State Official?

His P.A. pleads guilty:

Brian Mugabo, the political assistant to Minister Herbert Kabafunzaki, pleads guilty of the charge of accepting a bribe of Shs5m from AYA brothers, on behalf of the minister and trying to make the minister escape punishment by throwing away the Brown envelop that contained the bribe” (Wesaka, Anthony – Daily Monitor, 11.04.2017).

So that the PA didn’t ask for guidance or even advice before the trial, as the Minister brought his set of lawyers, as the PA did say he was guilty of accomplice from the get-go. Makes the whole events seem stranger. Have the PA already made a plea-deal and made sure his future is set, as he did fix the set-up for the State Minister? Since the Personal Assistant usually keeps the diary and the other needed administrative tasks a Minister needs. Therefore, he knew what was happening at Serena Hotel and who he was meeting.

What still, doesn’t stop pumping in my chest, as the bets are off and the trials are really starting. Why did the Aya Group report to the President Museveni before the arrests and reveal the corrupt behavior of the Minister?

Because the counts shouldn’t only be on the State Minister and his PA, why isn’t their any case against the company who planned to alter the sexual assault case with him. Not that I want this minister free as the tapes and the revealed evidence to the public. There are many lose leads… there are many things leading one direction. But will the State House and the President say why they intervene and make arrangement for this too happen. That is how it looks and it is weird that these conclusions can come. Since a President should have better things to do, than to incriminate a fellow Parliamentarian… Peace.

Reference:

Lumu, David & Etukuri, Charles – ‘Minister Kabafunzaki arrested for soliciting bribe’ (08.04.2017) link: http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1450604/minister-kabafunzaki-arrested-soliciting-bribe