Kenya: “Re: Doctors Return to Work Formula and the Increased Allowances” (21.03.2017)

The United States and WFP Support Food-Insecure Populations in Sudan and South Sudan (20.03.2017)

The United States continues to be a long-standing partner and the largest single donor to WFP in Sudan, contributing nearly US$1 billion to WFP Sudan’s operations since 2012.

JUBA, South Sudan, March 20, 2017 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), today welcomed the second of two recent shipments carrying urgently required food assistance for Sudan and South Sudan.

The ships, Maritime Faith and Liberty Grace, docked in Port Sudan and discharged over 47,880 metric tons of sorghum, over 20,000 metric tons of which will be transported through Sudan into South Sudan. In March and April, WFP will receive additional ships carrying 47,500 metric tons of sorghum, more than 5,000 metric tons of lentils and nearly 1,700 metric tons of vegetable oil. The commodities on these ships, also donated by the United States, will feed South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Sudan.

“This food assistance comes at a critical time when continued conflict has resulted in life-threatening hunger in Sudan and famine in South Sudan. The United States and WFP are pleased to be working with the government of Sudan to ensure safe and secure transport of the majority of this assistance to South Sudan,” said US Chargé d’Affaires Steven Koutsis. “We hope to overcome obstacles that impede timely delivery of urgently needed food assistance and urge all parties to allow food and other humanitarian aid to reach those who need it the most.”

The United States continues to be a long-standing partner and the largest single donor to WFP in Sudan, contributing nearly US$1 billion to WFP Sudan’s operations since 2012. These contributions of cash and commodities, including U.S.-grown sorghum, lentils, and vegetable oil, donated by the American people, has enabled WFP to provide critical food assistance to severely food-insecure populations in Sudan in a timely and professional manner.

“WFP is grateful to the United States and the American people for their continued support to our operations,” said WFP Sudan Representative Matthew Hollingworth. “The arrival of these two ships could not have been more timely, given the situation in both Sudan and South Sudan. This again proves the generosity of the U.S. Government and its people, who have always been willing to extend a helping hand to those in need of assistance.”

In 2017, WFP plans to assist more than 4 million vulnerable people in Sudan—IDPs, refugees, climate-affected populations, and host communities—through a range of activities, including emergency food aid, cash-based transfers, nutritional support, and resilience-building activities to help communities become independent.

Statement of IGAD Council of Ministers’ Consultation on the Current Situation in the Region (17.03.2017)

Opinion: Austin Powers aka BoJo trying to be jolly in Uganda and Kenya!

There is one of these lost stories that deserves to questioned, as the United Kingdom who are toiled in issues on their own continent, with trade and with borders are suddenly sending their Secretary of State Boris Johnson, the former columnist who hasn’t written much of any good about these nations he is visiting. The visit is coming in the same weeks as the Brexit is a hot potato and the United Kingdom needs secure partners for their economic activity.

So the United Kingdom suddenly sending their Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth Affairs Johnson to Uganda and Kenya, seems to be more an internal needed boost for the United Kingdom, as they need to know that they have trading partners when the article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty get notified. The negotiations and the unknown agreement with European Unions, leaves lot of trade and transactions in the wind. Therefore, the need to diversify and get new connections is more important.

That UK have a long history on the continent and has done despicable things is well-known, that they have gone in only in the interest of the ones in Oxford Street, London or even business in Belfast over the ones in real need in the Protectorates or Colonies. So the United Kingdom Government have most of the time been more reassuring for the ones on the British Isles over the ones in the colonies. Her Majesties civil servants have served London and than offered a token of goodwill if needed be.

Therefore reading this of the visit seems like to good to be true!

Boris Johnson, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth Affairs, called on me yesterday at State House, Entebbe. Our discussion focused on regional security, especially the situation in Somalia. We also discussed trade and investment between our two countries” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 16.03.2017).

NAIROBI, 17 March 2017 (PSCU) – President Uhuru Kenyatta this evening held talks with UK Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary Boris Johnson who paid him a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi. President Kenyatta and the British Foreign Secretary discussed promotion of industry and manufacturing. They also exchanged views on the strengthening of trade between Kenya and Britain as well as with the rest of the Commonwealth countries” (Uhuru Kenyatta, 17.03.2017).

First, that Boris Johnson isn’t caring much about the regional troubles, unless it bring work to Birmingham, Swindon or to Yorkshire. If the trade is being done and export from Kenya and Uganda, it is the British Exporters earning the major coins, not the Kenyan producer or the Uganda merchant. The needed tax-base has to be settled in the United Kingdom.

Secondly, the Commonwealth idea is to keep the sphere of the former colonies in a circle where the British and United Kingdom interest get traction and creates development on models where the British manufacturing and technology get traded to them. So that the former colonies get more ideal production from the Leyland and Vauxhall of today. Not buy Fiat or even Tesla. Buy British and serve British values and than if your a good boy, you get British direct aid.

Third, it is connected, but the uncertain future of trade within the European Union, makes the UK so edgy that they have to forge close relationship to make sure they have more open markets to have their bazaar and also sell their repacked tea.

So do I believe he was just visiting in goodwill and care of the Commonwealth nations, no! I do believe he came to be able to have strengthening the markets and get better surplus of funds with the counterparts of Uganda and Kenya. This because he knows that he doesn’t have to dole out much funds or follow heavy institutional policies to get it implemented. Therefore, he traveled here and tried to forge it even more. Peace.

Kenya: Statement on the Latest Attacks in Baringo County (15.03.2017)

Kenya: Report says that Safaricom is a helpful hand in the breaches of incepting intelligence for the Security Organization!

The international Non-Government Organization Privacy International dropped another gem today with a report on the surveillance and on how the Kenyan Authorities get their ability to get intelligence and how they use the communications platforms to get knowledge. The worrying way is how the Safaricom and the Kenyan Authorities together spies on the population.

This report through different methods and also interviews, as much as people who have worked on the inside has told stories how the Security organization has used the giant Kenyan Telecommunication Company Safaricom. All should be done with court orders, still there are proof now of internal squabble inside Safaricom where there are even undercover agents inside the company. Take a look at key points of the report!

Court order to require Intelligence:

“In practice, if not in law, Kenya’s surveillance regime appears bifurcated. The NIS intercepts both communication content and acquires call data records without warrants to gather intelligence and prevent crime, and police agencies acquire communications data with warrants to prepare criminal cases. If it’s ‘just’ for intelligence, explained one police ATPU investigator, then warrants are not sought: “For the sake of investigations, the DCI [Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer] attached to Safaricom will just give [it to] you… When you take someone to court, you have to make it proper now.” Safaricom stated to PI that they “only provide information as required by courts…and upon receipt of relevant court orders.” (Privacy International, P: 16, 2017).

Internet Providers and NIS:

“One internet service provider recalled the difference between his experiences with the police and with the NIS: “A [police] agency comes to me, and they give me the Occurrence Book (OB) number of the case they are investigating…. The NIS has unfettered access to data.” The NIS simply contacted this operator for the data it required. “They will say ‘give us [data for] whenever X calls Y over this time period’, for example…In instances involving terrorism, no warrants are produced. We have to comply or there is the threat that our licenses [will] be revoked.” A Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) officer confirmed his account: “they’ll get their license revoked [if they do not comply]… If I were them, I’d comply too” (Privacy International, P: 17, 2017).

Safaricom CID Connection:

“The major telecommunications providers have at least one law enforcement liaison, a police officer of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) on secondment. This analysis focuses on Safaricom, by far Kenya’s most popular mobile service provider with over 60% of the market share. At Safaricom, around ten CID officers sit on one floor of the Safaricom central bloc. They provide information to all police branches” (Privacy International, P: 20, 2017).

“The reported presence of NIS officers undercover in Safaricom and possibly other telecommunication network operators presents serious concerns as to whether any civilian authority or mechanism would be able to effectively oversee the process of communications interception. “The way we know they are here is that they’ll be present, seconded from somewhere else, but then suddenly they’ll disappear,” explained one CA employee. “And then you hear your colleagues saying ‘didn’t you know, that guy was NIS?’ They keep very much to themselves. You’ll even find your boss some time suspecting you of being NIS.” According to sources, by building rapport with civilian officers, NIS are able to informally access communications data. “Of course [the NIS officer in Safaricom] will liaise with the Safaricom engineer… Once there is information that he needs, or that our office needs, he gets in, he talks to the engineer, he is given access,” explained a current NIS officer. “Because in Safaricom, every time you log into the database to check for a certain number, you have to put your code there. … It depends on the rapport he has with the engineers…. They trust him.” (Privacy International, P: 21, 2017).

The use of Safaricom and the surveillance shows the problematic relationship between the government and the private telecom company. That the State Security Agents are not using warrants getting intelligence and private intercepts online shows how little the value of the citizens are. When the government security agents can breach public space without court orders and when they have undercover agents inside the biggest telecom in Kenya, shows how they breach the public sphere to get access and intelligence from the inside. This is a worrying side. Peace.

Reference:

Privacy International – ‘Track, Capture, Kill: Inside Communications Surveillance and Counterterrorism in Kenya’ (15.03.2017)

Kenya: Re: Clarification on Disbursements to the County Government of Mombasa (13.03.2017)

Kenya: Return to Work Formula (RTWF) – Agreement between the GoK and KMPDU (14.03.2017)

Opinion: Ruto and Kenyatta should have hiked on the Ferry from Mtongwe; They we’re lost at sea throwing shade at Joho in his backyard!

“Governor Joho and Governor Kingi are all about talk and no action. They have offered nothing new. They have nothing to show for all the money they have been given to invest on your behalf. Only talk”Uhuru Kenyatta (GoK, 2017).

“It is a sad thing to have leaders who don’t understand…don’t play with me….Mombasa is for everyone,” (…) “Why follow me? Why should we follow each other? I am not his wife,” (…) “Clean the city. Do your job, don’t follow us. If he plays with us we will flog him” – Uhuru Kenyatta (Otieno, 2017).

Well, today the Jubilee Alliance Party leadership and the ruling regime with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto had a rally in Mtongwe Ferry Launch. There also Orange Democratic Movement leader and Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho. This was not accepted as they even had to attack him at the rally. This seem like the tactic from the Jubilee this go around. In Turkana County the Jubilee leaders personally attacked Josephat Nanok.

Now, they are trying to attack Honourable Governor Joho by all means was the key figure and the one they had prepared to make like fool. They even used his willingness to pop-by the rallies in his backyard. This is for now and has been his stronghold. This is the man who was elected with a grand majority in 2013 and the Jubilee wants to unsettle his position. That has been in the works for months as CS Joseph Nkaissery have tried to take his gun, bodyguards and detaining him because they could on the last go around.

Governor Joho has been in the spotlight in the same reasons as Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago in Kampala; he is an opposition leader in a big and important county. Lukwago is the elected leadership of Kampala; the same is Joho of Mombasa County. It seems like what the National Resistance Movement (NRM) does to Lukwago, the same is the Jubilee doing to Joho. It is like machoism without anything to win for the ruling regime.

That Kenyatta and Ruto need to show strength and leadership, that is natural as they want to be looked as saviours and statesmen. Still, the acts of Kenyatta in Turkana and now in Mombasa are differing for the vision or wished perception any civil leader wants. That Jubilee has the upper-hand before this election. However, these sort of attempts to benign them, instead they belittle themselves and their own achievements.

Kenyatta and Ruto, should be grown men who could show of their own achievements, Jubilee has nearly ended their first term. Therefore, they should have enough facts to not bend into fiction. Where the Jubilee government claims that none of the governors in the counties they are visiting is delivering. Still, the government themselves has grand corruption and big scandals in their years in office.

So it not like Jubilee government have delivered the policies or the service delivery they promised in office. Kenyatta and Ruto should have offered a token of goodwill to the governors in Turkana and in Mombasa; instead they act like big-men who stand above them. They are right now higher in the hierarchy, but still they should be able to cross political affiliation. That is something that is hard for the President and his Deputy. They are in the backyards of Nanok and Joho, but there they had to act with vile attempt glory. Instead of showing grace and being statesmen, that is too far and too much to wish for.

If they cannot show grace and some tact, what is to expect of the rest of months ahead, the Turkana and Mombasa rallies proves the reality of their visions of themselves. Where they are acting as they are above Joho and as previous rally above Nanok. Certainly this is not the impression the ruling regime wanted to give. Peace.

Reference:

GoK – ‘President raps Coast ODM governors as “all talk and no action” as he wraps tour’ (13.03.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/03/13/president-raps-up-coast-odm-governors-as-all-talk-and-no-action-as-he-wraps-tour/

Otieno, Brian – ‘[AUDIO] Stop following me like I’m your wife, Uhuru tells Joho at Mtongwe ferry launch’ (13.03.2017) link: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/03/13/audio-stop-following-me-like-im-your-wife-uhuru-tells-joho-at-mtongwe_c1523952

Full version: Joho blocked from attending President’s event (Youtube-Clip)