Kenya: Energy Regulatory Commission – Statement on Reported Boycott, Intimidation, and Economic Sabotage by a Selection of Petroleum Re-Sellers (05.09.2018)

South Africa: Home Affairs Sets Dates for Hearings on Gupta Naturalisation (05.09.2018)

 

 

The committee visited the office on Friday last week and raised concerns around reported security challenges around the centre.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 5, 2018 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has set aside three days to hold the investigation into the process followed in the naturalisation of the Gupta family. The committee has concluded the initial phase of the inquiry (collection of all relevant information) and has identified gaps which need to be clarified by certain people to assist the committee to arrive at a conclusion. The investigation will be held from Wednesday to Friday next week.

The committee has resolved to call the following people to give evidence before the committee:

The MEC for the North West Department of Education and Sports Development
The Head of Department of the North West Department of Education and Sports Development
Former DG Mkhuseli Apleni
Mr GC Christians (Former DHA employee)
Minister Malusi Gigaba

Any addition to the list will be determined by what information is received from the initial hearings.

The committee considers it a must for the identified individuals to attend the hearings and will request the Speaker to summon those that are not prepared to appear. “This matter has been in the public domain without resolution for too long. The committee is thus intending to bring this matter to finality,” said Mr Hlomani Chauke, the Chairperson of the Committee.

Meanwhile, the committee has resolved to move the meeting with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Tshwane Metro Police on the criminality happening around the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Office, because on one hand the SAPS and Tshwane Metro Police did not send a representative to the urgently called meeting. On the other hand, the Department of Home Affairs did not seem prepared and willing to take responsibility.

The committee visited the office on Friday last week and raised concerns around reported security challenges around the centre. “The main reason the committee called the urgent meeting was to afford all role players the platform to find solutions to the security concerns. It is in this context disappointing that the matter was not ventilated,” Mr Chauke said.

Despite this unfortunate occurrence, the committee has committed itself to finding workable solutions to these concerns. It is in this context that the committee rescheduled the meeting to Tuesday next week and will invite the Ministers of Home Affairs and Police, the MMC for Community Safety (City of Tshwane), National Police Commissioner and the Tshwane Chief of Metro Police.

EFF Statement on Second Quarter Economic Decline and Recession (04.09.2018)

Kenya: Minister of Energy and Petroleum CS Kamau – “Re: Computation of Value Added Tax on Regulated Petroleum Pump Prices Exclusive of Levies” (04.09.2018)

Kenya: The Judiciary – Memo on ‘Robing in Court’ (29.08.2018)

Kenya: Energy Regulatory Commission – Addendum to the Maximum Retail Petroleum Pump Prices Released on 14th August 2018 (01.09.2018)

Kenya Revenue Authority: Value Added Tax Charge on Petroleum Products (01.09.2018)

Kenya: DPP’s Press Statement on Investigations into the Allegations of Misappropriation of Public Funds through Mismanagement of Fuel Consumption (31.08.2018)

Kenya: DPP’s Press Statement on Investigations into the Allegation of Irregular Purchase of Maize by Officials of the National Cereals and Produce Board from Traders (30.08.2018)

Kenyatta’s Legacy will not be his fight against corruption: But the staggering growth of it!

I have issues with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Corruption. He has talked so long about battling it. However, nothing of substance happens. There are some political arsonists who is taken out, now and then. But the systems is more of the same. There are parts of judiciary and parts of government that are supposed to work directly against Corruption. Neither does them seem very interested to touch the high-ranking ones and their connected elites. Which eats of the embezzlement, graft, kick-backs and money laundering. This is done at a scale, which isn’t funny.

Why I don’t believe the President isn’t only because of NYS Scandal 1.0 and 2.0, the Ministry of Health tricks, land-grabbing by random individuals within the government or the Eurobond. But because of the report alone, which stated in June 2018, that Kenyatta’s government since 2013 until 2018 the rate of corruption had grown with 240%. That is why I doubt that this man, who is in his second term and final. Really cares about the fight on Corruption. He can lie to Western Media and the BBC. But the reality is that his government is rampant with Grand Corruption and we know it.

Some key quotes from yesterday:

It is something I am committed to do. It is what I want my legacy to be—the fight against corruption, and transparency, and to ensure that the nation’s resources are used in the manner it should be” (…) “As a government, as an individual, I am committed to this fight. This is an animal, this beast of corruption, is an animal that we intend to slay. What is remaining now is for our independent judiciary to do its job, and give justice for and on behalf of the people of Kenya” (…) “We can even go back to my grandfather, great grandfather. . . What we own, and what we have is known to the public. If there is an instance where someone can say what we have done is not legitimate, say it, and we are ready to face any court” – In an exclusive interview with the BBC Hard Talk’s Zeinab Badawi, President Uhuru Kenyatta” (Patrick Lang’at – ‘Kenyatta: Lifestyle audit can go back to my great grandfather’ 29.08.2018 link: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Uhuru-Kenyatta-on-Lifestyle-audit/4552908-4734014-143fnxi/index.html).

I have hard time believing this will be his legacy, the fight against corruption. Especially with his track-record. He is more likely about to tarnish the stability of the Kenyan Shilling and add enough debt to the Chinese. So, they have to trade away vital Mombasa Port or even rent away the whole Standard Gauge Way. As the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is made for that sort of transactions. That is if he is careful with his outstanding debts, as the state officials are eating more and more of the tab. This while the president claims to fight the rampant grand corruption.

He is maybe playing like a big-shot on BBC. However, when he comes home, it is back to our time to eat. He can be the king and the fighter abroad, but when he comes home. He will stay cool, only take out the ones who are in his way or to prove to point. The rest will get away with the evident thieving and grand corruption. That is to be expected, the ones who is charged is political motivated and done to take down, the previous power or the ones the Jubilee doesn’t need.

If this was his legacy, all the governing bodies wouldn’t have become worse in his time, but had stopped growing since Kibaki. Alas. That isn’t the case. Peace.