Wetangula, Mudavadi seeks to solidify support among western Kenya voters (Youtube-Clip)

“Western Kenya has been keen on getting its share of the pie in as far as occupancy at state house is concerned…and keen to fly that flag from the region drawing the interests of Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula and anc Leader Musalia Mudavadi…however reports of cord wooing Mudavadi into the fold appears to have sent Wetangula, himself a co-principal, into panic…while insiders told Citizen Tv the talks are infact near completion, Wetangula would dismiss such reports…instead, urging Mudavadi to back his bid…but leaders from the area hold a different view—calling upon them to join hands and work together instead of against each other” (Kenya Citizen TV, 2016)

Mamdani: South Sudan power-sharing deal will not work (Youtube-Clip)

“The South Sudan crisis may have touched the nerve of a region so prone to violence but finding solutions for it has now become the native task of both leaders and scholars alike. Renowned scholar Mahmood Mamdani this afternoon sought to profile the conflict and suggests ideas on how it could be ended” (NTV Uganda, 2016)

The Heat: South Sudan in crisis Pt 1,2 & 3 (Youtube-Clip)

Part II:

Part III:

South Sudan Opposition responds to John Kerry’s comments (Youtube-Clip)

“South Sudan’s main opposition party has been reacting to comments made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the crisis in the country. On one hand, the party has welcome Kerry saying a third force needs to be deployed to Juba to ensure peace. President Salva Kiir has been against that move. But on the other hand, the opposition party’s criticised Kerry’s decision not to push Riek Machar’s return to office. Kerry made the comments in Kenya following a meeting of East African foreign ministers” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

Major General (retired) Patrick Cammaert of The Netherlands to lead an independent Special Investigation into the violence in Juba (23.08.2016)

UN House Juba

The Special Investigation team will undertake a field visit to Juba to interview the relevant interlocutors.

NEW YORK, United States of America, August 23, 2016 – The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Major General (retired) Patrick Cammaert of The Netherlands to lead an independent Special Investigation into the violence in Juba, South Sudan, in July 2016, and the response of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The investigation will review reports of incidents of attacks on civilians and cases of sexual violence that occurred within or in the vicinity of the UN House Protection of Civilians (POC) sites in Juba. It will also determine the actions of UNMISS and whether the Mission responded appropriately to prevent these incidents and protect civilians within its resources and capabilities at the time. In addition, the investigation will review the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Terrain Hotel and assess the Mission’s response.

The Special Investigation team will undertake a field visit to Juba to interview the relevant interlocutors. A final report will be presented to the Secretary-General within one month, the findings of which will be made public.

Major General (retired) Cammaert recently led a HQ-Board of Inquiry on the circumstances of the clashes that occurred in the UNMISS Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, South Sudan, on 17-18 February 2016. He previously had a distinguished military career in both The Netherlands with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the United Nations, including as Force Commander in United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), as Military Advisor to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), and as General Officer Commanding the Eastern Division in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

Opinion: The U.S. we’re hoodwinked by Kenyan Government on Dadaab; If not it looks like it!

Dadaab Refugee Camp

The Jubilee Government and their leadership have conned themselves from a giant heist today. The heist includes innocent civilians who fled civil wars and disasters in their home country either in South Sudan, Ethiopia or Somalia for safety in Kenya. The reality is that these refugees are pawns in the money game made-up by the Kenyan Government under the lead of CS Interior Joseph Nkaissery who used his powers to succumb the West with their ideals and wishing for the bail-out they needed.

The Dadaab Refuguee Complex we’re a pawn on the chess-set in the fitted schedule of the Government. Therefore the debt-rising government of Kenya just needed to schedule a closure of the settlement to spread fear of their hospitality. With the sense of national security that they could sell to own citizens and also the international community; the news of the closure just happen about the time the European Union we’re triggering negotiations with Turkey about the immigrations and transport of refugees from the Greek Islands toward the Turkish hinterland. This is the kind of cash-flow that Deputy President William Ruto wanted to taste and also President Uhuru Kenyatta. They got their loyal man CS Nkaissery to speak their peace and pay respects to the Somalian Authorities with threats of serving them the fleeing population back to the shores of Mogadishu. Take a look!

Joint Communique from Kenya and Somalia:

“H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held bilateral talks at State House Nairobi on Tuesday, 7th June, 2016. The meeting reviewed a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues in particular peace, security and stability in Somalia, repatriation of refugees from Dadaab and economic cooperation” (Full Joint Communique from Kenya & Somalia ‘On Dadaab’, 2016).

Update from Ministry of Interior:

“For reasons of pressing national security that speak to the safety of Kenyans in context of terrorist and criminal activities, the Government of the Republic of Kenya has commenced that exercise of closing Dadaab Refugee Complex. The refugees will be repatriated to their countries of origin or to third party countries for resettlement” (…) “What is worse is that Kenyans have to pay for the water while refugees get it for free, not to mention the enormous economic cost to businesses in Kenya furthered by the use of the camps as smuggling centres for contraband goods. Refugee camps have become centres for poaching human trafficking and proliferation of illicit weapons which compromises Kenya’s international security rating” (…) “Finally, government shall be putting out a timetable for the execution of the representation process once the Taskforce presents in report, which should be ready by or before 31st May” (Kenya Ministry of Interior, 2016)

From the US to Kenya:

“WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, August 23, 2016 – Today, Secretary of State John Kerry announced in Nairobi that the United States is providing more than $146 million in additional U.S. humanitarian assistance to support refugees, voluntary returnees, and drought victims in Kenya and Somalia. This new funding includes a significant new contribution of more than $59 million for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to protect and assist refugees in Kenya, and support voluntary refugee returns to Somalia. In addition, the funding includes new humanitarian assistance of more than $87 million in food and non-food support for refugees and drought victims in Kenya and Somalia. This announcement brings the total of U.S. humanitarian assistance in Kenya and Somalia to nearly $265 million in fiscal year 2016” (…) “The funding announced today will support UNHCR and other international humanitarian organizations as they provide for basic survival of thousands of vulnerable people and durable solutions for refugees, and as they help assist with efforts to improve conditions for return inside Somalia. This contribution is available to support UNHCR’s enhanced plan for the voluntary return and reintegration of Somali refugees from the Dadaab camps and to ensure that any returns that take place from Kenya are truly voluntary, safe and dignified, consistent with international law, and within the framework of the Tripartite Agreement among UNHCR, Kenya and Somalia” (U.S. Department of State, 2016).

Kerry Kenyatta

So the initial plan payed off for the Kenyan Government that they made sure to get extra funds using the Dadaab Refugee Complex and supposedly close it. Well, that doesn’t have to happen if you give us some more donor-aid or general agreement for funding it. Then we can walk away from it. That is how it looks like as the closure of Dadaab happens as the UNHCR and voluntary return of refugees. This is seems like a scheme for me. Not a legit action from the Government of Kenya. They did it when the refugee transports and the negotiations in Europe happen and the Kenyans thought! Why can’t we do the same?

Seemingly with time the U.S. Government knows the issues on the Horn of Africa and in East Africa, as they are allies with Ugandan counterparts, Ethiopian counterparts and also the Kenyans. All of them are involved in the AMISOM mission in Somalia. So the liability of making it more fragile will make it not feasible for the economic development projects from United States to the area if the place turns into shambles. The stability is needed and the Dadaab isn’t a hotbed, but is giant fatigue on the NGOs and the Governments as they are not temporary housing anymore. It’s been static for decades now and the Kenyan wants to get their rewards for their humanitarian activity. So why not the extra donations from the American Government as the looming election and the other prospects as the U.S. Government want to be in peace and diplomatic to the Kenyans.

The Kenyan Government felt the pressure of the International Community as they planned to close the Dadaab. The Multi-National Organizations that are supporting the Camp would be frustrated as much as all the people who wouldn’t have a place to go to or secure future. The mentality of the government proves to what level they will use leverage to gain capital and the fiscal funds. While shipping the rest of the billing are going on the USAID and UNHCR. Peace.

Reference:

U.S. Department of State – ‘Additional Funding for Kenya and Somalia’ (23.08.2016)

Kenya Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government – ‘GOVERNMENT STATEMENT AND UPDATE  ON THE REPARATION OF REFUGEES AND SCHEDULED CLOSURE  OF DADAAB REFUGEE CAMP’  (11.05.2016)

Full Joint Communique Republic of Kenya and Federal Republic of Somalia ‘on Dadaab’ (09.06.2016)

 

Former Vice President Riek Machar flees to Sudan (Youtube-Clip)

“Sudan’s government has now confirmed receiving South Sudan’s former vice president Riek Machar, on what they described as humanitarian grounds. According to a statement from Sudan’s government spokesman, Machar is in need of urgent medical attention. His health condition is however said to be stable. Officials say Machar will get full medical supervision while in Khartoum. He is expected to leave the country for a destination of his choice to complete his medical treatment. The United nations had last week confirmed having helped evacuate Machar from a region within the DR Congo, near the border with South Sudan. There was however confusion about his whereabouts, after authorities in DR Congo denied the UN claims that Machar was in their hands” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

UNMISS release the estimated civilians or “Protection of Civilians” seeking safety at “PoC Sites” in South Sudan (22.08.2016)

UNMISS 22.08.2016

Hundreds of Children recruited by Armed Groups in South Sudan, as Violations against Women and Children Increase (19.08.2016)

South Kordofan Sudan

An estimated 16,000 children have been recruited by armed groups and armed forces since the crisis in South Sudan first began in December 2013.

NEW YORK, United States of America, August 19, 2016 -More than 650 children have been recruited into armed groups in South Sudan since the beginning of this year, UNICEF said today. Fearful that renewed conflict could put tens of thousands of children at ever greater risk, UNICEF called for an immediate end to recruitment and the unconditional release of all children by armed actors.

An estimated 16,000 children have been recruited by armed groups and armed forces since the crisis in South Sudan first began in December 2013. UNICEF said children continue to be recruited and used by armed groups and forces despite widespread political commitment to end the practice. “The dream we all shared for the children of this young country has become a nightmare,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth, speaking from Nairobi following a trip to Bentiu and Juba in South Sudan. “At this precarious stage in South Sudan’s short history, UNICEF fears that a further spike in child recruitment could be imminent.”

In 2015 UNICEF oversaw the release of 1,775 former child soldiers in what was one of the largest demobilizations of children ever. Renewed fighting and recruitment in South Sudan risks undermining much of this progress.

UNICEF also highlighted increased grave violations in the world’s youngest country, noting that gender-based violence, already pervasive, has greatly intensified during the current crisis.

“Children continue to endure horrific ordeals,” said Forsyth. “Recent reports point to widespread sexual violence against girls and women. The systematic use of rape, sexual exploitation and abduction as a weapon of war in South Sudan must cease, together with the impunity for all perpetrators.”

UNICEF noted that unconditional access for all humanitarian interventions in Juba and all other parts of the country is urgently needed so as to provide support, protection, and assistance to children and women across the country.“Without a fully operational humanitarian sector, the consequences for children and their families will be catastrophic,” said Forsyth.

Press Release: Update on the Press Conference of the Legitimate FVP Dr. Riek Machar (18.08.2016)

SPLM-IO 18.08.2016