South Sudan: Even more proof of a deep Warlord mentality from President Kiir!

“But when I watched television after I released them on the same day, I saw them being received on the red carpet by that country and they started talking politics after leaving Juba, so that’s why I regretted for saving their lives,” (…) “The same in 2016, when Machar went to my office with his cooped pistol trying to finish me in the office to declare himself as the president of South Sudan, which he didn’t manage,” (…) “After all when Machar’s bodyguards were completed during J1 fighting, I asked Vice President James wani Igga to offer protection to Machar by covering him with our bodies until we escorted him to his car and we saved him and now Riek is alive. I saved him just like the same way I saved his colleagues who participated with him in a coup attempt in 2013,” – President Salva Mayardiit Kiir (Radio Tamazuj, 24.04.2018).

Well, it is just weeks ago, when we heard that the state paid Gen. Paul Malong 5 million United States Dollars as a bounty on the head of SPLA/M-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar. Therefore, hearing this, you just know how bloodthirsty the regime is. There shouldn’t be any question about it. When the President speaks like this and the revelation of bounty on the head of Machar in 2016. You know what the forces behind it all does.

This just shows again the mentality at the top of the food-chain, that the President has no scruples in detaining or killing off opponents, as he sees himself as a Godly person who saves life, he doesn’t kill them off. That is very insulting and also shows the blatant disregard for other partners in the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), it couldn’t be serious, when one of them is putting bounty on the other. Even if the SPLM/A-IO would be wrong with what it did in 2016, it could been talked or negotiated upon, not trying to pull the trigger. There is no sense of remorse or consideration, just that I saved these lives, because I could have ordered their deaths.

Just as this is happening, the Republic of South Africa is continuing to get new deals with the government of South Sudan. Therefore, the sanctioned army of SPLA are getting not only support from Uganda, but now also the RSA. It states:

“Defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has provided more details on the defence agreement signed with South Sudan in January this year. Responding to a Parliamentary question posed by Sibonakaliso Phillip Mhlongo of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Mapisa-Nqakula on 11 April stated that “according to Article 1 of the MOU, the Parties shall cooperate in the use of defence resource[s] and promote joint research and development, including procurement of defence equipment, promote cooperation in the field of training, promote mutual support by encouraging and facilitating the exchange of defence related information, cooperate in the field of military medical services including the exchange of medical personnel and information regarding military health aspects, encourage the exchange of military personnel visits at all levels and promote sporting and cultural links between the Armed Forces, identify and promote defence related activities, including peace support operations and disaster management which would serve the principles of standardisation and inter-operability, foster cooperation between their respective defence-related industries, and act only in advisory and training capacities and will under no circumstances take part in hostilities or operations of a warlike nature by any armed force of the Republic of South Africa or the Republic of South Sudan, nor any operation of any force concerned with the enforcement or maintenance of peace, internal security or law and order.” (Guy Martin – ‘More detail on SA’s defence agreement with South Sudan’ 24.04.2018, DefenseWeb.co.za).

So the Warlord Kiir got a grand old deal in the midst of sanctions with the RSA. When his saving grace, hasn’t killed off his enemies. That just shows his planning and I doubt that the RSA will only gain peaceful training of the South Sudan counterparts as they are busy in various districts to fight off opposition. Which the SPLA has done for years already. It is not like this MoU between the nations was signed in peace-time, no its in the midst of Civil War and with a President who has no plans of giving way to others.

The Warlord mentality of Kiir Continues, the evidence is in the pudding. There are nothing this man will not do or say, that counter that at the moment! Peace.

South Sudan: Dr. Martin Ella Lomuro appointed as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (23.04.2018)

IEBC: It would not be enough to get rid of Cheech & Chong!

Akombe + Cheech & Chong

Chong: Hey, how much money do we have now?

Cheech: All together?

Chong: Yeah, all together?

Cheech: Let’s see, mmm, uh, oh man! We have 17 million dollars!

Chong: Really?

Cheech: Oh wait, well um, 17, something. Who cares, were rich, man.” (Taken from the Movie – ‘Nice Dreams’ released on 5th June 1981).

Since the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is such under fire, we shouldn’t directly care if Wafula Chebukati remains or even Ezra Chiloba. Because, let’s be clear, after Chickengate and new commissioners didn’t help the state organization whose main responsibility is to secure free and fair elections. It isn’t magic, voodoo or even Kong Fu! It is elections by secret ballot, counting them, transmission of results, verify them and announce them within scope of time that seems fair, where all political stakeholders and all citizens believe the results. Where non.rigging and where the announced result winner cannot be questioned or the legitimacy of the winners feel unjustified.

That is the reality with the leadership of Cheech & Chong, they are playing a blame game, they are shadowing the world and making a mockery of the Electoral Commission. The IEBC are supposed to be the place where integrity and respect of the voters are supposed to be. However, that is not the case. The Akombe Report, all the internal Memos from the shop is showing glaceing ignorance, power-play and disrespect of the population. As they are more involved in high-rating trading with foreign companies, ICT manipulations and questionable transactions. That hasn’t really shown the true character of the Republic, but the will to create a result the Jubilee Party would be proud off.

Therefore, Cheech & Chong, delivered as promised to Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, even the Cambridge Analytica, the Safran/ OT Morpho, Safaricom and the rest of them. All of them did deliver what the Republic’s current incumbent leadership needed. They needed a victory and secure it, so it could be validated as another step in a democratic direction without to much post-election violence. They made that and twin-combo of nocturnal numb-shocks and hob-stoppers didn’t stop the crisis from within. As resignations and inner-works fatigue, as it hurts to play with fire, within time you going to get burned, if not like the brothers-in-charge, stoned.

Cheech & Chong is known for firing up their spliffs, to light up some jazz-tobacco and make smooth jazz through the night. The same was anticipated now, that they was supposed to gaslight it all, let the people forget the farce and let it go. However, the internal issues are rising, because the IEBC are filled with smoke and no-one wants to scream fire. They are playing to see who can survive, but that shouldn’t be the scenario. Because that is just a Public Relations game. Instead of fixing the mismanagement, the business-aspect of the Commission and the external push from key political stakeholders. The IEBC will be ready to rig for them again, because that is the mandate in their eyes. Not to deliver legit results for the public, but for the political and ruling elite. The rest can just drown in the smoke from Cheech & Chong.

This isn’t funny, Cheech & Chong is, but they are now being used as public pawns, so people can cheer on either or, but initial problem is the organization and the fake mandate it runs on. Its a car running on empty and still your thinking the RAV4 can win Formula One. Lewis Hamilton would grin and ride in amp speed away. While the duo Cheech & Chong would lie to public and say they had a winning chance. When they started the engine and lack of gas, would never ever have a chance against Hamilton, because it was never meant to be. Peace.

NUSOJ: Journalists’ union accuses Somali Ministry of Information for faking sincerity to resolve journalists’ safety crisis (23.04.2018)

The Akombe Report is damaging: But the IEBC already lacked integrity!

The whole 2017 has been tarnishing and disgraceful for the public trust in the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC), even with the changes of Commissioners after the eye-opening Chickengate, the Public Body still continued with their ill-deceiving affairs, that leads to rigging and questionable electoral malpractice. That again, shows that the ones elected by this organization wasn’t that just. We knew there was issues when Rosely Akombe resigned, but her final report is telling. I am taking what I see as important. Therefore, all of it will not be included. But, what I see as a gist for the 8th August and 26th October Presidential Elections 2017. Which, is in itself botched already, but this report put the nail in the coffin!

On Page 7: “If the Commission retains the mandate to register voters, then the system for registration of voters must be completely overhauled with the responsibility for the register falling squarely under the Elections Operations directorate and not ICT. The over-reliance on Safran/ OT Morpho has to be addressed with full ownership of critical functions on the register being in the hands of Commission staff, not contractors” (Akombe 2017:P7).

On Page 20: “Even if the Commission had the complete details of deaths, it does not have a procedure for removal of the persons from the register of voters. This essentially meant that according to the KPMG audit report, there were potentially over a million deceased persons in the register of voters. Given that there were other means of identifying voters beyond beometrics (alpha numeric search) there is a high likelihood of “deceased” persons voting in the 2017 election. This would be the case especially in places with exceptionally high voter turn-out” (Akombe 2017:P20).

On Page 29: “I will always remember 8 August 2017 at about 8:30 pm when the display of results stopped and neither out staff nor Safran could explain to us what had happened. The display resumed about 3 hours later with the margin of difference between the leading candidates almost constant for the rest of the results transmission process. It is such situations that will forever leave questions in my mind of what actually happened 8 August. In the absence of an audit done by the Commission (although the Plenary had approved it), it becomes difficult to debunk myths of serious anomalies in management of the electronic transmission of results during the 2017 elections. Chairman Chebukati raised his own concerns on ICT issues in the annexed herewith” (Akombe 2017:P29).

These are just some of the statements, the situation with the servers, with the leaks to National Super Alliance (NASA) was only talked about in passing. They did in memo’s discuss the apparent issues of Chairman Chebukati logging in 90,000 and the issuing of non-gazzeted polling stations. Still, these issues wasn’t directly touched by Akombe Report. Maybe, the deep dive wasn’t in her will, when she was ending. As she was already directing the trouble of contractors and their ICT control. That would mean not only Safran/OT Morpho, but also Cambridge Analytica. Which also should be looked into.

The whole procurement of Ballot Papers, the building of the KIEMS, the BVR Machines, the Satellite Phones and the Servers of the IEBC, should be investigated together with the Voter Registers that wasn’t made correctly by the KPMG before the Presidential Elections in 2017. The IEBC has been mismanaged in favor of the ruling elite. They got the results they wanted, with the cost of the integrity of the IEBC and the Electoral Commission.

There is no question, there are two many loopholes and questionable activity during the elections and after. The IEBC as it is today, is untrustworthy and a political hackwork of the current administration. Peace.

Opinion: All these handshakes, what is Odinga up-too?

The dream of Canaan is long gone, that went with the first handshake and agreement between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. That is known, as the legitimacy of the Jubilee Government came with that, the National Super Alliance (NASA) has started to fracture and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has aligned itself with the regime. Therefore, the problems of the 2017 elections are dwindling away. Even if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is in tatters right now. Just like it was in- and around the Chickengate sackings.

Odinga has now been with Daniel Arap Moi, Gideon Moi, he has been with Sonko, Kuria, Kabogo, and been with Mwai Kibaki. All shaking hands and talking. These talks are for the benefit of himself, just like the Parliament and its sessions is planning a huge retirement package for Odinga. Certainly, his price was to get something out of it all. Even if the system is collapsed, the system was made to rig the elite and make sure the political dynasties lives-on. Odinga didn’t trade that away, that is why Kenyatta is confident and Ruto is giddy.

That Wetan’gula, Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka are trying to find relevance and better tenants to live under. Since Odinga betrayed them, but they betrayed him too. So in that instance they are equals. Therefore, blaming Odinga in that regard is benign. However, that Odinga continues to visit big-men and talk. Shows that something is up. He wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t something in it for him and his party.

I would be naive to think otherwise. To think that he didn’t have all these meetings for a reason. If he didn’t have them, he could just be chilling in his home and drink tea. But he isn’t doing that, he traveling and make sure for progression of the agreement and with the stakeholders he need. That is how it seems.

What I am thinking, what is his end-game? What is the reason behind it all? What does Odinga get out of it, except for good-press? I wonder what is behind the headlines and the so-called talks with these big-men. Because he cannot just do it without any reason. Odinga is smarter than that.

He tricked us all in believing in Canaan. He had me routing for him and his resistance, I was cheering for the defying of the rigged system, the mismanagement and looting of the current administration. That he could be answer against them and greet the people in the promised land of Canaan. Instead, he gave up, and his fellow Co-Principals did the same.

That is why I am a bit indifferent to his actions now, Baba did himself good, but didn’t change the paradigm or the systemic problems with that handshake. It is still much the same. The underlining issues are still underneath the surface. That will not change or go away with a sudden agreement between two prominent gentlemen.

However, I wonder and I don’t have the answer. What does Odinga get out of all these handshakes and what is purpose, other than some PR scoops? Peace.

IEBC – Media Update (20.04.2018)

South Sudan: Gen. Paul Malong Message – “Re: Condolanences” (20.04.2018)

South Sudan: President Salva Kiir Mayardiit Condolances Message for Gen. James Ajongo (20.04.2018)

South Sudan United Front: Notice to Public and International Community (18.04.2018)