

South Sudan: Twic Mayardit – “Subject: objection into forceful recruitment of enrolment to the armed service in Twic State” (26.01.2019)





Vaccination began in Yambio, Gbudue State, but health workers in Tombura, Yei and Nimule as well as the capital city, Juba, will also be offered the vaccine.
YAMBIO, South Sudan, January 28, 2019 – The Ministry of Health of South Sudan, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, today started vaccinating health workers and other front-line responders against Ebola as part of preparedness measures to fight the spread of the disease.
Vaccination began in Yambio, Gbudue State, but health workers in Tombura, Yei and Nimule as well as the capital city, Juba, will also be offered the vaccine. These are high-risk areas bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), now experiencing its tenth outbreak of Ebola. The outbreak began 1 August 2018. Neighbouring countries have not reported any cases of Ebola, but preparedness is crucial.
As part of these preparedness activities, South Sudan received 2 160 doses of the Ebola vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV) from Merck, the vaccine developer. The vaccine offers protection against the Zaire strain of the virus, which is the one affecting DRC at present.
“It is absolutely vital that we are prepared for any potential case of Ebola spreading beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “WHO is investing a huge amount of resources into preventing Ebola from spreading outside DRC and helping governments ramp up their readiness to respond should any country have a positive case of Ebola.”
Vaccination is one of a raft of preparedness measures South Sudan is putting into place. WHO has deployed more than 30 staff members to support these activities.
In particular, WHO has helped train 60 health workers in good clinical practice principles and protocol procedures to administer the yet-to-be-licensed Ebola vaccine. To detect any travellers entering the country who may be infected with the virus, the Ministry of Health, with the support of its partners, has established 17 screening points. Nearly 1 million people have been screened to date.
WHO is also supporting engagement with communities, active surveillance for the disease at the community and health facility levels, strengthening capacity for infection prevention and control and case management, and supporting dissemination of Ebola information through the media. Local laboratory capacity to test samples taken from people suspected of having Ebola is also being strengthened. Protective gear for responders has been stockpiled in a dedicated warehouse.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in addition to its work making the Ebola vaccine stockpile available, is providing US$2 million to support the WHO’s vaccination efforts in countries neighbouring the DRC, including South Sudan.
“Although research is ongoing, the evidence so far suggests the Ebola vaccine is a highly effective tool to help stop epidemics and can be used to prevent this national outbreak from becoming a regional one,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi. “Vaccinating front-line workers and health workers in South Sudan border regions will be crucial: an outbreak in South Sudan would be deeply concerning.”
Uganda began vaccinating its front-line workers in November 2018. So far, more than 2 600 health workers in eight high-risk districts have been immunized. In DRC, more than 66 000 people have been vaccinated – more than 21,000 of them are health and other front-line workers. Rwanda also plans to vaccinate its front-line responders.
The yet-to-be-licensed rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine has been shown to be highly protective against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus in a major trial. Though not yet commercially licensed, the vaccine is being provided under what is known as “compassionate use” in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in North Kivu province of DRC as part of recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization. This vaccine was also used in the Ebola outbreak in Equateur province of DRC in May–July 2018.

That David Bahati had to speak out on the rise of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Liberation Day/ NRM Day on the 26th January 2019 in Kabale. He like so many other NRM apologists and such is attacking Bobi Wine and message. They are doing the same to Bobi Wine, as the NRM has done for two decades against Dr. Kizza Besigye. Therefore, this is not a new trick.
He is in a long line of people mocking, judging and saying Bobi Wine doesn’t have it in him. Now, Bahati is telling the youth to shun and not join in. Like the NRM have delivered to the youth or even give what they need for their future. The NRM government haven’t delivered to the youth. That is well-known. Bahati should know this and really should been more apologetic about this.
Take a look:
“Bahati was speaking at the 33 NRM anniversary celebrations in Ndorwa West Kabale district on January 26. Specifically, he told them to shun the People Power group, headed by Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. “People Power is a minority in Kabale and if you choose to join them, you will be choosing a short term strategy,” he said” (…) ““Do not be diverted by self-seekers,” he told them” (Nakabuye, 2019).
What is really rich about this statement from the minister from the NRM, who is saying choosing Bobi Wine is a short-term strategy and calling him a self-seeker. This is happening on the same day, the President himself in his speech:
“I treat Uganda as if I was running my own family. I tell my children the truth, I can’t plan carefully for my family and plan carelessly for the rest of Uganda” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 26.01.2019).
When speaking of self-seeking, if you treat the Republic like family and run it like your own family. Than I understand, why Sam Kuteesa is around, why Janet Museveni is there, why such and such is working as Permanent Secretaries, which is all family members or kin. Because, the President is a self-seeking and hires his own family, making the government into family matters. That is not by default, but by choice.
Therefore, Bahati, telling Bobi Wine is a self-seeking individual at this point is rich. Especially, when it is known, that the boss of Bahati uses the Bank of Uganda as personal account and uses state funds as he sees fit. That is self-seeking and to own agenda, not for the betterment of the Republic. This is well-known and not rumours. Therefore, the Minister needs to pick other words.
Also, if they are speaking like this. That means they fear the ideals, the message and the position Bobi Wine has put himself into. Just like they feared and wondered how to contain Besigye. It is the same thing, but they are picking on him. Because, they need to put his mantle, while they are initially marketing his prospects even more. Peace.
Reference:
Sheila Nakabuye – ‘Minister Bahati tells youths to shun Bobi Wine’ 27.01.2019, Nile Post News, link: https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/01/27/minister-bahati-tells-youths-to-shun-bobi-wine/




Clearly, the President and his cronies. Will celebrate, they will make it really festive, in yet another of supremacy, where they are residing in power and has the control of the Republic. But not let the President speech nor his tales fool you. The public is still under siege from him and his vision. His people are silencing and control the political sphere.
Therefore, I cannot look at this day and celebrate. Because there is plenty who has suffered, who has gotten ill and who is exile because of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). The NRM, the National Resistance Army (NRA) that took power in 1986 and beyond. Have clearly focused their vision, kept a tight rope and is already preparing for 2020/21 General Elections. Just like in previous times.
That is why the slogans, the heavy measure of accomplishments and the steady progress is coming out. When really, the NRM and the cronies are finding new ways of control. New IDs, new deportations of the Telecom Managers, banning clothing of opposition wear, new laws to restrict musical performance and continue the usage of Public Order Management Act or the Penal Code to assault the freedom of the dissidents.
That is why even NBS Frontline has lost a vital voice in Mira Matembe and others, whose been forced out. Just like the Radios whose been suspended for having Kizza Besigye on or even Bobi Wine. Where even his most recent singles has been banned from being played. Also his concerts has been cancelled for various of reasons, even run-away brides can apparently stop a show.
With this in mind, the NRM are working on overtime to finds way to silence, and still keep the Multi-Party Democracy alive. Because they need that to still be viable to donors. They still need to sugar-coat the reality to make it look real.
There will always be bottlenecks, always be things they are working on. Even if it is the same issues as in the last decade. The NRM and the President always needs more time to fix it. Even if he has had 33 years of fixing the issues. Who knows where the money or time goes, but certainly not to whatever he has promised or planned to do. Because, there are not enough funds for upkeep or the cronies to ever be satisfied.
The NRM and the liberation are at this point, not for the peasants, not for the citizens, but only for the 27 Guns. It is only for the little clique, the little brigade of close associates who stood by and who are related to the President. Because that is the way it is. To say something at this point is a bit of stretch. Since, if you try to challenge or even question the people in power. You get into trouble, get arrested, charged for inciting violence, tortured or charged with treason.
The NRM are using all tools at their disposal. All tricks of the book to cover over the reality. To show another story, than what it is. Since, they got to make themselves heroes. Liberators, which they were at one point, but ever since they have grabbed everything and embezzled the rest. Who knows, how this will end. Certainly, not as glorious as it started, because the roots are rotten and lack of bearing fruits.
Instead of ushering a stable peace, it will usher in uncertainty when the Bush Generation is gone. Sooner or later they will vanish to, because of ageing and natural deaths.
Therefore on this liberation day, it is just for the few to feel liberated. The bleak, but true picture of what has transpired. Since, you can fool it for a while, give hope for the next, but by the end of it all. The true acts of deception and lies comes to surface and you cannot hide from the fact. That this regime uses the army, the authorities and everything of the state disposal to take care of its own and let the rest succumb to luck to succeed. Peace.

The Local Defence Unit that was proposed last year, are by all definition a sort of Ad-Hoc decision, which is made on the spot without considering the implications it has. To explain Ad-Hoc, let me take a definition from Merriam-Webster: “for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application” (Merriam-Webster – ‘Ad Hoc’).
Why do I say that the LDUs are Ad Hoc, because they came after a series of assassinations of high-ranking officials in both the police, MPs and others. Who has been sought after and taken down during last year.
That is why the President in September 2018 said this:
“The LDU is not a new force; they are the reserve of the army. The security guards of the ministries are guarding ministries against break-ins. Terrorists are targeting soft targets, they are not bank robbers” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 15.09.2018).
We can it is just a quick dip and decision made without any proper due diligence or consideration of why it is needed. More another force to quell the public and have more people with guns in close proximity of power, as the need for sudden reinforcement came during last year.
That is why the news from Daily Monitor is very compelling:
“The Defence ministry does not have the Shs9.25 billion needed to cater for Local Defence Unit (LDUs) salaries, the State Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Mr Bright Rwamirama, has said. “We have a shortfall,” Mr Rwamirama told the House Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs in Kampala yesterday. “An additional wage allocation of Shs9.2 billion is required up to the end of 2018/2019 financial year to cater for this category,” Mr Rwamirama said. Last year, Chief of Defence Forces David Muhoozi told the committee that the monthly stipend for each recruit is Shs200,000. It is not clear if Shs9.25b includes arrears. According to Mr Rwamirama, the recruits are still undergoing training” (Wesonga, 2019).
What is also special in consideration, when coming to the army in the Republic is that it is, usually one of the biggest posts on the budget! The UPDF is that, maybe except for the State House and the Office of the Prime Minister, that get funds upon funds for their activities. When, even much of the supplementary parts also goes to the Uganda People’s Defence Force. That is if you have followed this. Therefore, if there was somewhere that is well funded and should have capacity for a shortfall of cash. It should be one of the places where the most funds are put, right?
With this in mind, the LDUs should have something to eat out of the huge plate of the UPDF. Unless, they are made for ghosts and feed the invisible creatures they are. Because nothing seems right about this. Just another trick to put more weapons on the streets and intimidate even more. Not an AD Hoc decision to secure or salvage anything. Sort of like the promise of sharpshooters on the back of the convoys of MPs and VIPs. Because that would also solve their fear and lessen the violence.
You can really tell by the comments in the Daily Monitor piece, that this is all made because the President ordered so, without any prior suggestions or securing information on how to do it. It is really some hectic and rampage activity, that only shows that the “Only Man With A Vision” is losing his steps. He is going more erratic and less sense. If he had sense, he would have consulted the generals and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) to ensure the funds and possibility of finding funds for this policy. Alas, that was not the case. The state is starting something, without proper plan, execution or even funds. They are walking in blind, hoping to get a vision and find the way in the utter darkness, without a flash-light or anything to enhance the vision. That is what the state is doing, in the matter of the LDUs and it shows. Peace.
Reference:
Nelson Wesonga – ‘No money for LDUs- minister’ 24.01.2019, link: https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/No-money-LDUs–minister/688334-4949198-e55kwx/index.html








UNMISS promptly informed the South Sudan National Police Service of the incident.
JUBA, South Sudan, January 21, 2019 – During a security incident at a base operated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in the capital Juba on Saturday, two civilian contractors were shot by a peacekeeper and died as a result of their injuries.
UNMISS promptly informed the South Sudan National Police Service of the incident. The Mission is taking steps to establish the facts of the incident that occurred at Durupi and has convened a review team comprised of representatives from UNMISS force, police and security services.
UNMISS deeply regrets the loss of life and is providing support to the families of the two men who died.

