Opinion: Succession when talking about Mzee is nonsense!

“You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

There is an ancient saying that you cannot teach old dogs new tricks, neither can you do with President who has been running a republic since 1986. Therefore, with this in mind, the new comic relief from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is hard for me to take serious. Certainly, with the knowledge of all the men and possibly woman who could have become the leader of the party and the Executive of Uganda.

Still, in 2017, we are at the same crossroads, the same junction and nothing has changed. The partners and participants are practically the same, unless some new cronies and sugar-babies of the Movement comes into the mix. Perhaps, the most stunning fact is that old men like Gen. Otafiire steadily sink the world with his endless wisdom.

It is as if Museveni still is the Shepard and the Ugandan people is helpless sheep needing his guidance. The reality is that the belief that he can do something he has not done is pointless. The only card he has left is to destroy more kingdoms with force and kill more his opposition. If he had proved some sort of democratic figments in his in body, it has surely died with age. As his words are now more important than legislation.

The President handpicked elite and cronies, the suiters and the ones trying to eat while can. As they know not what will happen when their master stop breathing. The plans and the succession plans has not been official or even portrayed, there been rumors of Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, those leaks turned into a besieged offices and depleted staff at Daily Monitor, back-in-the-day.

Still, if he is the viable candidate to takeover and the family dynasty that the President tries to create is hard to know. Since none in public can read the mind of the old man with the hat. So that the “news” that NRM Members of Parliament finally planned to talk about the succession seems far-fetched! Should it been done a decade or two ago, if it was a serious attempt?

He is on his unofficially seventh term as President and leader of the NRM. The founder and current leader of it. Not as he has given in without weapons in the past and instead of dialogue, he still sends Special Force Command or the Flying Squad to doze of possible enemies. Not as if it is an open discussion, more like a ruckus of who can get first to the brown envelopes and get the license to blead the state out of more funds.

Therefore, here I am, and not believing one single bit that President Museveni or the NRM NEC or any other parts of the NRM have the slightest care in mind to change him for somebody else. NRM and the NRM elite needs Museveni and his cronies, the crony system is there because of him. No question and no one with a clear mind would not see that. He gives and takes away as he sees fit. When he needs you he pays you and your extended family, but when your aspirations or goals to become bigger than him. Then you securing that you become a fringe candidate.

Museveni and his family, Museveni as his business partners does not need succession. The ones asking for it now will become renegade NRM MPs and could end up independent in the Parliament, as in the past when MPs has taken a stand towards the NRM NEC or the almighty himself. I doubt there will be change of guards, as there have not been for decades upon decades.

What we can be sure of is that President Museveni and President Mugabe are doing the same thing in their nations, holding the power without hesitation of what will happen when they leave and what sort of power vacuum that will be unleashed. What we do know is that the NRM will use all of their tricks and manipulation, all sort of writings and public display to make this sort thing normal. Peace.

House of Lords leave another Amendment to make Brexit harder for the Tories and PM May!

Today the Conservative Party government under Prime Minister Theresa May got their second amendment added on the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The first one was set on the paradigm of securing the EU Citizens living already in the United Kingdom, so their safety wasn’t a bargain chip for Brexit Secretary David Davis or for Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, when the negotiations with Brussels starts. Surely, today is another blow for the all-controlling, fearing to give any indication of how she wishes the Brexit to go. Since, now it has to be explained in Parliament and become open negotiations in Parliament, before the Brexit becomes a reality. The House of Lords has twice decided to amend the government and give them a harder task to finish the work the majority of people in the United Kingdom wanted in 2016.  Just take a look!

“Parliamentary approval for the outcome of negotiations with the European Union

(1) The Prime Minister may not conclude an agreement with the European Union under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, on the terms of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, without the approval of both Houses of Parliament.

(2) Such approval shall be required before the European Parliament debates and votes on that agreement.

(3) The prior approval of both Houses of Parliament shall also be required in relation to an agreement on the future relationship of the United Kingdom with the European Union.

(4) The prior approval of both Houses of Parliament shall also be required in relation to any decision by the Prime Minister that the United Kingdom shall leave the European Union without an agreement as to the applicable terms.”

The lords had a majority for this amendment that was significant as the ones who was content we’re 366 lords, while the ones voting together with the government we’re 268. The result is massive for the anti-government agenda and making it harder for the Tories to succeed. However, if the Tories government feels betrayed by the Lords, but if they do then their concern of the value of people and transparency isn’t important.

The unelected Lords actually care’s for accountability and transparency as they are appointed by the queen, a state commission or different peerages. Therefore, this is ironic that the men who are appointed care for the vote and open process of Brexit in Parliament. That shows actual the deepness of the institution as PM May would have kept the people in the dark and whatever deal she and her team had gotten from Brussels. She would have thrown around like a medal and an Olympic Gold Medal. Still, she would have done it in all in silence and only done PR stunts when needed.

The Tories should respect the amendments as they are done with good intentions, and these are put in order so that the Brexit will happen with thorough procedures and institutionalized precautions that give less harm to the citizens and businesses. Since the effects and the actual price for the loss of EU Membership will come into the spotlight. As much as the benefits of being a Member State also get lost on the way and the new forged agreements and such has to be put in order, as the states might be separated the initial thought is that they still trade and has connections. Though not on the same legal grounds or on the near the level they have today.

Brexit will be hard, how hard none can really know as the EU might prove their point with this one, as it hasn’t happen before in the Union. Still, if they want to save face and not get more nations questioning the acts of the Union towards a former Member State. Peace.

Government of Jersey: New Agreement paves way for return of stolen assets to Kenya (07.03.2017)

Opinion: The Tories lost in the House of Lords and has to build the Brexit negotiation on shaky grounds!

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The Tories, the Conservative Party Government run by Prime Minister Theresa May lost out in voting in the House of Lords, as the bill will continue with amended text that the Lords voted on. This is the proof of some humanity in the British people, not just scare-mongering people who fear the immigrants and the newly settled people from Central Europe. Therefore, the election is a proof that the Tories negotiation team with Brexit Minister David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson cannot use citizens who has immigrated to the United Kingdoms as pawns in the negotiations with Brussels and the European Union.

The Tories negotiations team have now a harder task as they cannot use the EU citizens in the United Kingdom as a bargain chip for the UK citizens inside the European Union. There are more than enough things to figure out as the businesses and movement of people has to resolved, what sort of status the UK citizens and UK government will towards the European Union. As the Member State privileges goes away when the membership is terminated. That has many implications that are still unknown as this sort of negotiations isn’t something that occur on regular basis. Therefore, the statement of voting this amendment to the law clearly violates parts of the idea for the Brexiteers!

“Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town moved amendment 9B, in clause 1, page 1, line 3, at end to insert: “( ) Within three months of exercising the power under section 1(1), Ministers of the Crown must bring forward proposals to ensure that citizens of another European Union or European Economic Area country and their family members, who are legally resident in the United Kingdom on the day on which this Act is passed, continue to be treated in the same way with regards to their EU derived-rights and, in the case of residency, their potential to acquire such rights in the future.” (United Kingdom – House of Lords, 2017).

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This is hit in the nuggets for those who thought that United Kingdom Independence Party and other Brexiteers could get a field day without any consequence. By all means there will be a different atmosphere not only as an outsider to the Union, but also inside the British Isle’s like what about Northern Ireland and Scotland, Wales and Jersey will be there as they are so integrated that cannot leave the building. But Scotland and Northern Ireland are a different tango, as Scotland might have second referendum on freedom from London and Newcastle, while Northern Ireland even get own internal issues combined with the free-movement to the Irish Republic as well.

There are enough of issues ahead for the Tories as PM May doesn’t want to left with the short-end and nothing to show for it. She might get quick trade deals with New Zealand, South Africa and other dignitaries, but the Union trading is surely important now and will be in the future. The British Pound and the inflation will also be hold barren by the equation of possible business and how the financial tools of the United Kingdom looks after the Membership is terminated.

That can also be said by the citizen’s possible movement and the other aspect of government that might be altered by the end of membership. This will create another Europe, where UK is close, but still further away than today. The Brussels and their Member States might retaliate, but they should just show the way of decency as the whole world will see how the EU is tackling it. The way African Union tackled the Kingdom of Morocco left the Union and came back.

So here we are where the United Kingdom Government or the Tories has to make the best out of the House of the Lords decision to amend the withdrawal as the days before the Theresa May starts the process of revoking the membership. This will be rough and the agreements, the rhetoric and the slander will be at all-time high as the uncertainty along the way will be unbearable. The European states and the United Kingdom would like to have decent deal and reasonable end to the affair. What we can wonder if the UK and Brussels will cope with trying to think about the future and not just present runs of elections an popularity today, as this withdrawal will put in order the way it works to walk-away from Brussels paradigm, as it has only really been put in order how to become a Member State and what the State has to do to become a Member.

Let the tricky days come. Peace.

Reference:

United Kingdom – House of Lords – ‘European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill’ (01.03.2017) links: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/lords/lords-divisions/?date=2017-Mar-01&itemId=1&session=2016-May-18

Somalia: Declaration of National Disaster (28.02.2017)

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The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, February 28, 2017 -The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) has declared a National Disaster to deal with the humanitarian emergency in all areas affected by the current drought.

The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.

The president is also kindly calling on the Somali business community and Diaspora to participate in the recovery operations efforts in the affected area with the aim to mitigate the impact of drought nationwide.

The president stands ready to receive a continuous briefing on the assessment and response to the emergency.

Somalia: Drought Emergency Response (27.02.2017)

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Footage: Olara Otunnu speech on Ugandans forgetting history as it is “living in the moment” (25.02.2017)

Stephen Kinnock MP letter to Lord Bew on ‘Vote Leave’ media campaign called ‘BeLeave’ (14.02.2017)

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Cyprus: Statement Regarding the Deposition of Prime Minister Guardian767 (21.02.2017)

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UN allocates $21 million to help thousands in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan (20.02.2017)

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