Government of Uganda (GoU), World Food Programme (WFP) investigate Super Cereal issue in Karamoja (19.03.2019)

The Ministry of Health received an alert through its surveillance teams on the ground in Karamoja about suspected food poisoning and began investigations.

KAMPALA, Uganda, March 19, 2019 – The Government of Uganda and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are investigating whether there is a connection between recent illnesses reported in two districts in Karamoja and Super Cereal, a fortified blended food distributed by WFP for prevention of malnutrition.

On Tuesday, 12th, 2019, the Ministry of Health received an alert through its surveillance teams on the ground in Karamoja about suspected food poisoning and began investigations.

Some 262 people have been affected since 12 March with symptoms of mental confusion, vomiting, headache, high fever and abdominal pain. A total of 252 of those were discharged following successful treatment at health facilities in Amudat and Napak. No new admissions have been reported since Monday 18 March.

Seventy-seven of the 262 people were admitted in Alakas, Lokales and Karita health centres in Amudat district while 185 were admitted in Lotome, Lorengechora, Kangole and Apeitolim health centres and Matany Hospital in Napak district. The admissions took place between 12th and 16th of March.

There are unverified reports of three deaths, one of them at Matany Hospital, Napak District and other two in the communities. One male passed away in Lorengechora,Lookit village, Napak district and another female in Amuna village in Karita Sub County, Amudat district. All the deaths took place on 16th of March, 2019. The Government’s investigative team are in the communities to verify the two none facility deaths.

Samples of Super Cereal stocks and water were taken from the affected areas including blood, vomitus and urine from patients and are currently being analyzed at the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory and the Central Public Health Laboratory. Food samples have been sent to a laboratory in Mombasa, Intertek Kenya LTD and another in Johannesburg Intertek Testing Services, S.A. LTD, for further analysis. Preliminary results of the Government investigation are expected in the next 24 hours. While results from abroad are expected within the next 5 to 7 days.

The Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mr. John Byabagambi, the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Country Director of WFP, Mr. El Khidir Daloum, and officials of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards visited the affected villages, in Amudat and Napak district on Monday 18 March, and spoke to the affected people and health workers. The team found that the problem remains localized in only two of the eight districts of Karamoja.

Investigating teams from the Ministry of Health and WFP food technologists remain on the ground carrying out surveillance and epidemiological mapping to establish the associated factors and possible causes of this recent illness.

On Friday 15 March, WFP, working with the Government, ordered the immediate suspension of Super Cereal distributions in Karamoja and the refugee hosting districts where it’s distributed. This is as a precautionary measure until investigations are concluded. WFP is working with district authorities to retrieve all Super Cereal stocks from health centres and communities.

An intensive communications campaign is ongoing, advising people not to consume SuperCereal until further notice. Communities have been advised to observe proper hygiene and sanitation, for example through handwashing with soap and drinking boiled water.

Working through Government health systems, WFP has provided Super Cereal in Uganda for more than 10 years. The current coverage of Super Cereal is at 252 locations in Karamoja in addition to many sites across the 13 refugee hosting districts. Refugees receive Super Cereal in the general food basket.

Super Cereal is also distributed in many countries and has a robust record of fighting malnutrition and protecting pregnant or nursing women against malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of their child’s life. Super Cereal undergoes all the verifications of quality control before being distributed. No previous complaints have been reported about the product in Uganda.

Super Cereal is a key component in WFP’s support to the Government’s nutrition programmes that aim to prevent stunting or life-threatening malnutrition.

The goal of The United Nations World Food Programme is saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP supports governments and works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.

The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Karamoja affairs and WFP commit to conclude all investigations and share results with the public.

We appeal for calmness as investigations are going on and request the communities to report any suspected illness to the nearest health facility or call our toll free line 080010006.

WFP stops distributing blended food in Uganda as people fall sick in Karamoja (16.03.2019)

USA: Senators Warner, Feinstein, Menendez & Reed letter to DNI Coats and IG Atkinson asking for a review of White House security clearance policies (08.03.2019)

White House Sack-Race Continues: Bill Shine, apparently stopped shining!

Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government”Milton Friedman

This White House and Trump Administration have a special place when concerning to its Communication Directors. Because during the tenure of President Donald J. Trump, there have officially been today 5 Communication Directors. That is impressive, concerning that the President only have been in power since January 2017.

The White House and President today accepted the resignation of Bill Shine as the Communication Director and Assistance to the President. He is following suit of Hope Hicks, Anthony Scaramucci, Sean Spicer and Michael Dubke. All of these has at one point been in this role and served the President.

Scaramucci still have the record in this Presidency as 10 days being at the helm. While Shine gotten a longer time in the role, than Hicks, but that is just about 20 days more. As Hicks got 225 days and Shine got about 246 days. We can all say that is short time to anything significant anywhere. Not that Scaramucci or Spicer even made an impact, except for jokes on SNL, Late Night with Stephen Colbert and Daily Show with Trevor Noah. They have made major impact there, but not elsewhere, even if they are pundits now.

So, Bill Shine is the 5th Communication Director, whose been in this White House. Barrack Obama also had 5 Communication Director, but that was during his two 4 year terms. That shows more consistency, because that has been lacking with this administration. Not that there is anywhere or anything that is consistent with Trump, except for lies, deception and acts of contempt of the office his carrying.

That is why, the act of having people about 200 days in their office, shows how little time or ability the President have to keep his staff. Even if Shine is becoming part of the Re-Election Team for Trump for 2020, as a Senior Adviser there. He is still leaving and ensuring the President needs to hire his sixth communication director.

That what this President do and does. Shine isn’t shining anymore, even he was the favourable pick. As he has the statute of a man, that the President looks for, someone that sexual harass woman, just like the President does.

President Trump, good luck finding someone good now. As we see, the appointment of someone by you, will not last long. It will be short stint and your reputation will be gone. Therefore, not that attractive place to work. Unless your a hack or someone who has already been disgraced by their actions in the past. That is why Shine was fitting as the fifth. Now, who will be the sixth? Peace.

U.S. House Judiciary Committee starts a Massive Probe into Trump & his associates!

See, ya are what ya are in this world. That’s either one of two things: Either you’re somebody, or you ain’t nobody”.- Frank Lucas

Today is a really special day in Trump World, as the U.S. House Judiciary Committee has sent letters and requested documents into the investigation in President Trump and his associates. No, I am not releasing a list of family and friends of the U.S. President today. No, this is a magnificent list of the ones that has up to 18th March 2019 to deliver documents to the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives. So, that they can pursuit their investigation into the possible collusion and electoral violations done by the Trump Administration and Campaign Team. That is why 81 individuals/organizations been hit with this.

This is a rare day, when so many people in and around the President have been hit with the letters and document requests, that digs into the financial contributions, financial ties with Russia, with all communications of such and so on. It is really digging deep.

As the Document Request states:
“Please produce the documents set forth in Schedule A, provided, however, that in order to
facilitate production of documents on an expedited basis, you may limit your production at this time to documents you furnished at any time after November 8, 2016 to: (a) the Special Counsel’s Office established by Department of Justice Order No. 3915-2017 (May 17, 2017); (b) the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY”); (c) any other federal or state regulatory and/or law enforcement agency; (d) any congressional committee; or (e) in civil or other litigation. This includes but is not limited to documents that were voluntarily provided, produced under compulsion, or seized. Instructions for producing documents appear in Schedule B, and definitions appear in Schedule C” (Document Request – Schedule A, 04.03.2019).

The various people and organization get various of different arraigned questions to produce set of documents, depending on their closeness to the President and the known meetings between the Trump Campaign/Organization/Transition and Presidency in regard to the Russians. That is why, today is a real special day. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee are asking for all of this. They are really showing what the Republican Party and the ones henchmen of the President didn’t do before the Mid-Terms, as they shut this down, prematurely out of own interests. One man should be happy he isn’t on the list today and that is Devin Nunes. His only guy missing.

Here is the list of people under investigation by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee:

Alan Garten, Alexander Nix, Allen Weisselberg, American Media Inc, Anatoli Samochornov, Andrew Intrater, Annie Donaldson, Brad Parscale, Brittany Kaiser, Cambridge Analytica, Carter Page, Columbus Nova, Concord Management and Consulting, Corey Lewandowski, David Pecker, Department of Justice, Don McGahn, Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, Donald Trump Jr., Dylan Howard, Eric Trump, Erik Prince, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Felix Sater, Flynn Intel Group, General Services Administration, George Nader, George Papadopoulos, Hope Hicks, Irakly Kaveladze, Jared Kushner, Jason Maloni, Jay Sekulow, Jeff Sessions, Jerome Corsi, John Szobocsan, Julian Assange, Julian David Wheatland, Keith Davidson, KT McFarland, Mark Corallo, Matt Tait, Matthew Calamari, Michael Caputo, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Michael Flynn Jr, Paul Erickson, Paul Manafort, Peter Smith (Estate), Randy Credico, Reince Priebus, Rhona Graff, Rinat Akhmetshin, Rob Goldstone, Roger Stone, Ronald Lieberman, Sam Nunberg, SCL Group Limited, Sean Spicer, Sheri Dillon, Stefan Passantino, Steve Bannon, Ted Malloch, The White House, Trump Campaign, Trump Foundation, Trump Organization, Trump Transition, Viktor Vekselberg, Wikileaks, 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee, Christopher Bancroft Burnham, Frontier Services Group, J.D. Gordon, Kushner Companies, NRA, Rick Gates, Tom Barrack, Tom Bossert and Tony Fabrizio.

All of them are implicated or has information on the matter at hand. The FBI, DoJ and other government organizations are just to facilitate the investigation as they have various connected investigations going on through the Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the case in Southern District of New York (SDNY). However, that will not stop the U.S. House Judiciary from gathering intelligence and information about the possible obstruction of justice, Russian interference and so-on.

They are really starting a massive probe, that will span and really gather information at a level, the Presidency and his associates didn’t envision at this point. All of this people have to follow the guidelines and produce it. Therefore, the coming weeks will be interesting, as also to see if they all are interesting in complying and following the guidelines.

Because, the Committee and the U.S. Representatives will be awaiting answers. The public will see, if they are complying or stalling for time. Since, this is the start of a serious probe, where the Judiciary Committee have already gathered information, but wants more. As it was to dig deep into the organizations and people around Trump. To ensure the state have good actors and also people who are following the codes of conduct, not to talk about following the rules of law.

It is not a good day to be Gangster in Government. Since, the NY Gang is really under scrutiny now and the world is watching. With anticipation, with what they will do with the Trump associates and in the President Trump himself. As the people around are getting indicted and catching felony charges. Falling like flies and now, yet another broad probe is hitting the NY Gang. Surely, they cannot catch a break. Peace.

U.S. House Intel, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Reform Committee leaders send joint letter to White House and US State Department requesting document on communications between Trump and Putin (04.03.2019)

Nepotism103: Cutting Corners to keep the Family Close [Kushner-Ivanka Edition]

Well, over the recent day, there been news of a John Kelly of last year trying to stop the White House from giving Security Clearance to Jared Kushner, surely there would be speculations into the wife as well, Ivanka Trump, who is the daughter of the President, both who are in informal or non-specific roles in the Trump Administration. They are there, but not really there. Which makes the whole arrangement more hectic.

However, ever since winning the election, these two, the power-couple behind the President. Has lingered around him. Not that they have any expertise or knowledge in public administration. No, they are just relatives of the President and therefore, trusted counsel. They are not what you say, career civil servants nor been ideological driven to get the position they are in. It is not because of their education or their profession, they have no experience and no merits to prove their value. Therefore, only the blood-line and the relations are the reasons.

That is why it is even more striking, that the power-couple behind the President are under fire today again. Because of an issue that lasted so long. They went so long without proper security clearances. It is now proven that the President demanded the son-in-law to get the Top Secret Security Clearance, even if he could be compromised, lied about foreign communications and other forms, which is used to prove scrutiny and eligibility for security clearances in the White House. The same was done by his wife Ivanka, as she also had revise her forms and information to the officials for Security Clearance.

These two wouldn’t have gotten away with it, if they weren’t related with the President. The White House has already been in a hot mess of the Security Clearances, as there been plenty with interim security clearances and not gotten properly integrated and following protocol, as the staff is supposed to be clear and trustworthy of such. As they are keeping state secrets and ensuring the safety of the Republic. However, instead there been plenty of questionable behaviour and connections, that even the ones who was already flagged and in question got appointed with the likes of Gen. Michael Flynn.

What we have seen and read is yet another step of nepotism. Where the President has resident and ruled in favour of his family and his closest kin over the Republic. Where the President are ordering for his own sake and not for the safety of the Republic. That is why Security Clearance given to Jared Kushner is done in spite of the laws. The same can be said about the position and abilities Ivanka has too in the White House. They are there because of the President and nothing else.

This is what Tin-Pot dictators does. This is what autocrats and tyrants do, because they doesn’t trust anyone else than family. This is like the mafia and crime-families, this is not actions made by government or public administrations, which are taken serious. They would hire and appoint people of expertise and merits in the fields. Not hire family members and give them ultimate security clearances without having an official office or position in the Cabinet.

Instead, they are two internal satellites within the West Wing. Doing whatever they like, as their mission, their value to staff is bound by family loyalty and not by any ordinary function. They are not afraid of being fired or retired. The family will always take care of them. They are as thick as thieves and maybe they are. Since the investigations are following them and they have to answer for the public for the orders and the appointment of themselves. Since, it is a public administration and not a Sopranos. Feel me?

Kushner, explain yourself, why you revised your documents a million times, John Kelly didn’t advance you and later you still got clearance! Explain, also Mr. President explain that and why Ivanka got a vital role, when none is doing anything significant. Peace.

Opinion: The Cohen Testimony proves that the GOP will shield Trump at any cost!

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.”Herbert Spencer

The Michael Cohen testimony today to the Congress is only proving one vital thing. That the Republican Party and the Republican National Congress (RNC) will do whatever to defend him and to make Cohen look like a villain on his own. That the man who was working for the President for 10 years. He knew the President and was his personal attorney.

Cohen surely knows the secret behind the scenes deals made by the Trump Organization and the Trump Campaign, as he even was the Vice-Chair of Financial Committee of the RNC. Therefore, what the GOP is doing today is shielding the President at any cost.

There are no hard-hitting questions from the GOP. The GOP is only using bait-lines for the Breitbart, Fox News and even InfoWars. That is what the GOP have become, they are not trying to dig into what Cohen knows. Which is weird, seeing how the GOP used hours upon hours putting Hillary Clinton under fire and questioning her. That for selective committee hearing and checking her actions in the past as Secretary or State and elsewhere. Therefore, the acts of the GOP is really foolish.

If the GOP thinks this is wise, they are playing the short-con. They are accepting the crimes of the possible President. They are not looking into the information that Cohen has on Trump or any of his associates. Even as they are afraid of the reality to hit the fan or getting to deep. Because, that make their base smile and giddy. But they are not the party of patriots and neither of loyalty to the Republic.

Everything Cohen has does is now put under fire and that is natural. Not because he is a felon, but because his paper trail and his documents are now evidence under investigations under the Southern District of New York and also by the Special Counsel. Therefore, this can also shed light on what Trump has done and not in concern of “catch and release” stories, also the the trade deals with the Moscow Tower and other connections to Kremlin. As today, there even stated that Trump had Russian Mobster Felix Sater on his own floor of the Trump Tower. Even having the office, which Cohen used to have. Therefore, it is interesting that the law and order party of the GOP has nothing to say about that.

That is because they are shielding their President by any means. This is what we have learned today. Instead of finding the truth, seeking the truth or even ask the hard questions, they are on a own duck-hunt. They are playing Nintendo with the public and hoping they won’t catch their game. They have used their time and this hearing for something useful. To gain interesting information, but then they would possibly hurt their President. However, that doesn’t matter to them. That they would only do, if there was a Bill Clinton or a Democratic Party elected one. They would never dare to cross and show true honour.

Instead, they are letting this go. Wasting time and playing the short-con. They are not gaining new information or even showing some effort for an investigation. Because the GOP have a heart in it, when they can do it to the other party, apparently. But not when its about their own. They just have to blind sheep following their leader and use the same rhetoric.

It is weak tea, really, really weak tea. Peace.

USA: OMB – Statement of Administration Policy: H.J. Res. 46, Terminating the National Emergency Declared by the President on the Southern Border (26.02.2019)

USA: House Committee on Armed Services letter to Acting Secretary of Defence Shanahan on use of DoD funds to build a Wall on the Southern Border (25.02.2019)