Dr Congo: " He isn't very honest but he's obvious at least.....Let it stay forever now "

Human Rights Watch reports

Joseph Kabila Forever: The dangers of an extended presidency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

                                         Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo – Joseph Kabila, the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, faces a historic choice: Does he step down when his constitutionally limited two terms in office come to an end in December 2016, or does he succumb to the delusion of indispensability that is making the rounds in parts of Africa and try to cling to power?

He will try to stay on and he won't succeed. I have no doubt that Kabila is just as deluded as Museveni, Kagame, Mugabe and the latest fool to join that particular club Nkurunziza.

The issue is the subject of intense debate in Congo. When we met with Kabila last week in Kinshasa, he pointed out — correctly — that he has not yet publicly stated his position about what he will do in 2016. “Let’s wait and see what will happen,” he cautioned. But he has done little to stem intense speculation about his possible reluctance to relinquish office.

The reason that he hasn't stated his position is that he intendeds to stand again and publically stating so would effectively end any possibility of that happening. For Kabila to have any hope of a third term a major crisis would need to  unfold that would effectively prevent a general election. The problem is that the DR Congo is an ongoing major crisis and  the Congolese have adapted to that reality.

If Kabila chooses to abide by the constitution, he would become the first Congolese president to step down voluntarily for another elected president — arguably making him the “father of democracy” in Congo. That would be a major step forward for a nation that suffered brutal colonial rule under King Leopold II of Belgium, decades of post-colonial dictatorship under Mobutu Sese Seko, and then years of deadly war in which a constellation of rebel groups and armies from nine African states battled on Congolese soil.

 "... arguably making him the “father of democracy” in Congo."  That is just bloody stupid as Kabila himself points out below the Congolese have a " father of democracy " President Lumumba, he is revered throughout the Congolese community. My daughters are Congolese and consequently I attend the annual Congolese Independence celebrations,  I have never heard Kabila's name mentioned yet every speaker, every year, talks of the father of the DR Congo, Patrice Émery Lumumba .  Lumumba is in many ways Mandela's predecessor, that Kabila might opt for the Museveni, Kagame, Mugabe, Nkurunziza etc. club rather than the Lumumba / Mandela club astonishes me. I guess accepting that your most politically significant act would be to obey the law and stand down is difficult. Lumumba gave his life for the DR Congo.

Kabila came to power in 2001 at the age of 29, following the assassination of his father, Laurent Désiré Kabila. He is not without his accomplishments in office. Under his leadership, Congo has emerged from the dark years of war, and he led a transitional government that in 2006 brought about the country’s first democratic elections in more than 40 years, which he won. With mixed success, he has sought to stabilize the eastern part of the country, which has been plagued by armed groups that continue to kill, rape, and pillage, and he has sought to end the impunity that underwrites these atrocities. His government asked the International Criminal Court to investigate the crimes committed in Congo and has surrendered more suspects to that court than any other government in the world.

Are you taking the piss ? Kabila's accomplishments were all accomplished by the international community, which also explains why they are so limited. "...stabilize the eastern part of the country " Actually the UN funded Africa Brigade.  "... International Criminal Court to investigate the crimes committed in Congo and has surrendered more suspects to that court than any other government in the world."  The price of aid money.

His “zero tolerance” policy toward sexual violence by security forces — announced two days after we encouraged him to take this step at a meeting in the eastern Congolese city of Goma in 2009 — has led to a spate of domestic prosecutions and a notable reduction in complaints about rape by government soldiers. And in late 2013, he succeeded in ridding eastern Congo of the last of a succession of abusive Rwandan-sponsored rebel groups that operated in the region for 15 years.

Excuse me ?

“...equating to 1,150 rapes per day.” and you have convicted six military personnel and this is a success ? It is an appalling failure. "

Yet if Kabila chooses to try to hang on to power, his reputation will be tarnished not only by the failure to respect the unamendable constitutional two-term limit but also by the likelihood of a violent and abusive chain reaction. To envision how a downward spiral of protest and violent repression might unfold in Congo over a disputed extended presidential term, one need look no further than neighboring Burundi, where President Pierre Nkurunziza’s insistence on a constitutionally questionable third term has yielded the deadly suppression of mass protests.

I would have thought that Human Rights Watch might have thought about the differences between the DR Congo and Burundi and also have factored in Uganda, Rwanda and Zimbabwe before coming out with idiocies such as this. " one need look no further than neighboring Burundi, ". Epic fail.

In January, when Kabila’s government attempted to change the electoral law to enable extending his time in office, thousands of people took to the streets of Congo’s major cities to protest. Government security forces responded with violence and repression, killing at least 38 protesters in Kinshasa and five in Goma, and jailing — and sometimes beating and torturing — politicians and activists who were seen to challenge the idea of an extended presidency.

Never underestimate the Congolese. Kabila would like another term but he won't get it.

Why might Kabila want to stay past his mandate? Beyond the perks of power, many assume that he fears for himself and his family. For example, in our meeting, he raised the specter of Congo’s first democratically elected leader, Patrice Lumumba, who was executed after an apparently Western-backed coup. “Have I been successful? I don’t know. Lumumba is the real father of democracy, and he was assassinated.”

Moreover, according to political insiders and investigative journalists, the Kabila family has amassed a considerable fortune, which could make them vulnerable to future investigations . Plus, Kabila in 2016 would be only 45 years old; those close to him say he has no desire to leave Congo, but there is no Congolese precedent of a former president assuming an elder statesman role of the sort played by South Africa’s Nelson Mandela or Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo.

Maybe we should establish an island where we can accommodate corrupt political leaders to prevent them inflicting more corruption on the people they are supposed to serve. New Zealand might offer up the Auckland Islands. 

Yet Kabila has little room to maneuver. A broad consensus has emerged in the country that a formal third presidential term is constitutionally impossible, so Congolese speak instead of a possible “glissement” — the use of some pretext to allow the prescribed limits for his second term to “slide.” The pretext might be intensifying armed conflict in the east, making the prospect of genuinely national elections difficult. It might be the seemingly deliberate lack of preparations for elections: little of the budget has been funded, and no steps have been taken to register more than 5 million youth who have come of age since the last national election in 2011. Or it might be the government’s insistence on proceeding with complicated plans to subdivide the country’s 11 provinces into 26 and then hold local and provincial elections before national ones — a sequencing that could lead to significant glissement.

In other word a crisis.. and as I say above when crisis is the norm that isn't going to work.

But it’s hard to imagine how any of these scenarios would buy Kabila more than another year or two in office. That would accomplish little for him, while significantly undermining his interests. Prosecutors, for example, would be far less likely to proceed against a former president who is respected for having reinforced the foundation of Congolese democracy by handing power to a newly elected leader in timely fashion, than one who oversaw intensifying rounds of brutality against a public that seemed clearly to want a constitutionally mandated handover of power. A tumultuous period of repression would also make it less likely that Kabila’s endorsement of a friendly successor would succeed — another option that might help Kabila safeguard his interests.

The Lumumba / Mandela club might just prove to be a better option.

We made these arguments to him directly in our meeting last week, but the president was coy in answering them: “Why are you trying to anticipate what will happen?”

You arrogant bastard. Kabila that is a fair question. A few weeks ago my brother in law and I took my just turned 18 year old daughter to a licensed ( Alcohol serving ) premise for her birthday. She surprised me when she said an African would never do what we were doing. Africans who make it don't according to her bother with those who are still on the road to success. It is an arrogance that would not survive a minute in New Zealand. 

He was more responsive when we stressed the importance of allowing people to protest and criticize the government, especially in an electoral period, though he hedged his commitment to democratic principles: “People want to hold demonstrations and protests, good enough. But if the idea is to go beyond free protests and create mayhem and anarchy, that’s completely unacceptable.” We noted that democracy can be messy yet, short of violence, shouldn’t be equated with anarchy. He let the point hang.

"..He let the point hang. "  No surprises there it occur's to me that another President once pointed out if we don't hang together we will hang apart.

Kabila put a special stress on the need to ensure stability. “The issue in Congo is about stability. Stepping down — anyone can step down.” But, again, it’s far from clear how a contested extension of his term in office coupled with likely protest and repression would contribute to Congo’s stability.

" The issue in Congo is about stability. Stepping down — anyone can step down.” You will. One way or the other.

Kabila has proposed a national dialogue to iron out electoral questions. If he were to state clearly his intention to relinquish office at the appointed time and indicate that the dialogue would discuss only the modalities for the next round of elections consistent with the constitution, Congolese would most likely welcome the opportunity. But in his typically cryptic fashion, he has left people speculating that dialogue might be just another ploy forglissement.

That we left our meeting with Kabila cordially suggests that the arguments we made are not beyond the pale. He listened politely and even joked: “You say ‘father of democracy.’ You’re not the first one to say this and you won’t be the last.” But he gave no indication that he accepted or rejected our suggestions. He simply asked: “As for my future, continue to pray for me.” For the sake of democracy’s future in Congo, we can only hope Kabila understands that his personal interest, not to mention his country’s, lies in accepting, rather than abusively fighting, the limits that the Congolese constitution so clearly impose.

“As for my future, continue to pray for me.” I doubt even God would pray for you. I certainly won't. Mind you I won't pray for anyone. Even myself.

Burundi: More Bat shit crazy and New Zealand is once again chairing the Security Council.

Yet another African President who can't read the writing on the wall and thinks the presidency is a job for life.

 

Burundi: Power and opposition committed to continue dialogue despite differences

July 16, 2015 1:26 (Last updated July 16, 2015 1:30)

AA / Bujumbura / Jean Bosco / Rénovat Ndabashinze

After two days of consultations, conducted under the aegis of the new mediator of the crisis in Burundi, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the Burundian parties agreed Wednesday to continue the dialogue that no compromise has yet been reached on the issue of the controversial third term of Pierre Nkurunziza.

That would have to be the stupidest mediator appointment in the history of stupid mediator appointments. A bit like putting a rabbit in charge of a lettuce patch.

In it, the author says, back in 1986: "The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power."

And who wrote it? The current president, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in the job for 25 years

The presidential camp, always hostile to the idea of ​​further postpone the date of the presidential elections (as advocated by the East African Community (EAC)), proposed to resume dialogue after the elections.

So the Presidents plan is to discuss with the opposition his third term in office after the election that he will corruptly win giving him a third term in office. Bat shit crazy springs to mind.

 "The government agrees on the principle of dialogue, but now the urgency is to organize the presidential election to avoid an institutional vacuum," said Alain-Aimé plenary Nyamitwe, Burundian Minister External relations.

You couldn't make this shit up nobody would believe you. 

Ugandan President had presented a set of proposals capable of resolving the crisis in the country since April 26, when the Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza was invested by its candidate in the next presidential party, ruled unconstitutional by a candidacy civil society and the opposition.

Only Museveni could achieve a set of " proposals capable of resolving " such a crisis... even Rwanda's Kagame has recognised that you need to actually change the constitution first.   

One of the opposition leaders told Anadolu on condition of anonymity that "Yoweri Museveni, in particular, proposed the opposition to go to the presidential elections, to accept the results, let Nkurunziza still govern the country for two years with a transitional parliament and a national unity government even organize elections at the end of this period. "

Hilarious..the election hasn't actually happened yet but the result is clearly in and Nkurunziza has won.

A scenario that excludes the presidential clan. Willy Nyamitwe, Nkurunziza adviser, in charge of communication, notes in this in a press statement that "it is inconceivable that Burundi has already held elections in 2005 and 2010 to return to a transitional government, we are agree to a national unity government after the elections, and this is also recommended by our Constitution, "he has said Wednesday.

Coast of civil society is a mixture of satisfaction and anxiety prevailing at the corresponding Anadolu, present at the plenary meeting thereof held on Wednesday. 

If you can figure out what that means you are doing better than me although my guess is nothing at all.

Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, president of the association for human rights and the protection of detained persons (APRODH) said rather "reassured" about the outcome of the dialogue.

On the side of the opposition, Charles Nditije, the Coalition of Independents "Amizero y'Abarundi" (Hope Burundians), also said "confident".

I am pleased to hear that all are " reassured " and " confident ". I am not.


" In scenes reminiscent of Rwanda's 1994 genocide in which at least 800,000 people (mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutu) were killed, Burundian Tutsi refugees say local security forces have prevented a massacre after they dispersed members of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the country's ruling party, who had threatened to kill them in their refugee camp, IBTimes UK has learned.

Burundi: Scenes of violent clashes between police and protesters in Bujumbura
Under Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza's CNDD-FDD party umbrella, the Imbonerakure (the Kirundi word for "those that see far") have been waging a campaign of intimidation and violence to help Nkurunziza win a controversial third term in the 26 June elections."

This is a very volatile situation..

"The findings made ​​in the presence of the facilitator provide a solid foundation on which we can resume dialogue which had been suspended moult times in the past," he said, recalling that two UN facilitators were dispatched to Burundi since the outbreak of this crisis, before being disqualified, respectively, the power and the opposition.


In other words they don't give a shit about the UN and international opinion is irrelevant. The irony from a New Zealand perspective being that we currently chair the Security Council. The last time we ( New Zealand ) chaired the Security Council the Rwandan genocide occurred and despite our best efforts the Security Council refused to act. I hope someone is awake in New York.

Since his arrival on Tuesday, Burundi, Yoweri Museveni, was, by turns, talks with Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, representatives of opposition parties, the presidential party and movement, civil society, different faiths and with media and former Heads of State.

Museveni has failed to bring about a resolution.


" Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has left crisis talks between Burundi's rival political factions without a deal, but last-ditch efforts to end months of violence continue. "

Following these exchanges, the Ugandan president proposed Wednesday during a plenary session in Bujumbura, the various parties to immediately put around the negotiating table to find a compromise.

"Dialogue must resume immediately, under the facilitation of my defense minister" for his part urged the Ugandan mediator, announcing that it was his defense minister Crispus Kiyonga expected in Bujumbura on Thursday, which will relay the in the dialogue.

Museveni is no fool. He knows that there will be no glory for him here and has opted to get out of " Dodge ".

More than 100 people have been killed since the party in power has formalized Nkurunziza's candidacy in the presidential election of 2015, according to the main advocacy group Human Rights and Detained Persons.

Meeting on 6 July in Dar Essalalm, the Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) had asked to postpone the presidential "in order to give time to the new Ombudsman, Yoweri Museveni, to conduct a dialogue with various parties ". The government then announced the postponement of the presidential election on July 15 to 21.

Watch this space.

Uganda: " Are we trigger happy ? Russian roulette in the waiting room "

New Vision reports

Police to recruit over 5,000

The Uganda Police Force is to recruit 5,000 officers in a one-week exercise  starting September 1. 

The Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, said the recruitment drive is to bolster the Force to ensure effective policing of the 2016 general elections. 

It is hard to comment on this without knowing the size of the Ugandan Police Force ( UPF ) but the New Zealand police force has about 8000 officers for a population of a bit over four million extrapolating that figure out the Ugandan police force for a population of about 35 million would be about 70,000 officers, I suspect it is far higher. By New Zealand standards this is a huge increase in man power. If as Commander Kaweesi says this is to police a general election then the legitimacy of the Museveni regime has some serious question marks.

“The last elections were marred with incidents of violence. And recently we have got information that the opposition with some civil society organizations are plotting to block the general elections through violence. The recruitment will enable us counter all those threats,” Kaweesi explained. 

Violence is something the UPF seems to specialise in, from the Guardian. 


" The worst part of John's life is the punishment meted out to him and his friends by the very people whose duty it is to protect them. They are accused of being criminals and chokora (scavengers), and beaten. "They cane us, the police. Big boys cane us. They use sticks and they [punch] us," says John, who is about 15. This usually happens at weekends, he says. "

The Kampala Police chief made the revelation at the passing out of a total of 1,000 crime preventers from areas of Mukono, Kira Division, Nagalama, Jinja Road Police Station and Kira Road Police Station who had gathered at Kira Road Police Station play grounds on Sunday. 

The police in Uganda get playgrounds ? Again from the Guardian


" We eat leftovers. I don't sleep very well – it's not very comfortable. We live badly," he says, before huddling together with about 30 children on a shop verandah, opposite a nightclub. "

Batshit crazy ? Cops get playgrounds and kids get... well apart from beatings from the police it would seem nothing.

Kaweesi also noted that there is a group of people led by Kampala Retired Bishop Zac Niringiye planning to disrupt peace in the city in a demonstration dubbed ‘Walk To Freedom’. 

" Walk To Freedom " Is it possible that Zac Niringiye is making a point ? Is it conceivable that Commander Kaweesi and the UPF has totally missed the point ? Yup.

“A move to block the general elections is fighting the constitution, something our job does not allow, so we have to be prepared. 

Really ? Ignoring the constitution doesn't seem to bother your elected representatives.


" A couple of points, one has to wounder why there was no quorum given this was an issue that is supported by all peoples on the African continent. Clearly Ugandan Parliamentarians can read even if their Speaker can't count. The other point that should be made is why President Museveni signed this bill into law if the President of Uganda has such a disregard for the constitution Uganda has some very dark days ahead."

We allowed the opposition leaders and civil society organizations to go round the country over the electoral reforms; they are now planning to misuse that liberty to cause unrest. We are ready to suppress them, the way we did in their first attempts,” he said. 

The UPF allowed people to exercise their democratic rights but an election is happening next year so those rights are now proscribed. 

He said the recruitment will also help reduce rampant incidents of crime in the country and improve police to population ratio. 

A ratio I would like to know but can't find.

“We hope that the recruitment will help plug the attrition in the police force which stands at over 1000 annually as a result of death, retirement, desertion and dismissal of personnel,” he said. 

Hang on. " 1,000 crime preventers " just passed out according to this article and 1000 leave per year, it would seem Uganda is increasing its police numbers by far more than the attrition rate. Why ?

Kaweesi said the applicants must be Ugandan citizens with the minimum qualification of Senior Six or its equivalent. 

Additionally, they must not have a criminal record and be ready to work long hours. 

Guess I am not going to qualify as a Ugandan police officer.

“Application in triplicate filled in own handwriting and accompanied by photocopies of academic transcripts and certificates, curriculum vitae, three recent passport size photographs and recommendation letters from LC1, LC2, LC3 and RDC should be brought in person at the recruitment centers,” he said.

I am screwed my handwriting might get me past the first hurdle but I have never met any of the LC's and I have no friends at the RDC. 


He called upon the interested candidates to obtain application forms from secretaries to district service commissions or the public service commission adding that they should also fill in the Uganda Police recruitment bio-data forms from the offices of the district commanders. 

The regional centers are the Police Training School Kibuli, regional Police headquarters at Jinja, Wakiso, Masaka, Mpigi, Moroto, Gulu, Arua, Hoima, Fort Portal, Masaka, Mbarara, Mbale and Soroti.

Police states scare the shit out of me.

Uganda: " Interlocked through a missing piece "

The Monitor ( Uganda ) reports

Court quashes anti-gays law

One of the pro-gay petitioners Andrew Mwenda (L), renowned anti-gay activist Pastor Martin Ssempa (R) and others after the ruling at the Constitutional Court yesterday. PHOTO by Faiswal Kasirye 

KAMPALA. 

The Constitutional Court yesterday nullified the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 for having been passed by Parliament without the required quorum of at least one third of all legislators.

In a unanimous ruling, the panel of five justices blamed the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga for acting illegally by abdicating her constitutional responsibility of ascertaining whether there was quorum in the House before the Bill was passed into law.

Rebecca Kadaga is a bloody idiot at best. In 2012, again reported in The Monitor she came out with the following. 

“I was surprised when colleagues came and thanked me saying that’s what they have always wanted to say but they had never gotten the courage to. That when it came to me that I had spoken for the whole of Africa, for the Arab world and Asians,” she said.

If she wants to ally Uganda with the brutal theocratic regimes of the Arab world and progressive Asian states such as North Korea both of which inflict appalling brutality upon their citizens her revival in 2012 of this idiocy was the right move.

What is really funny is however the fools stupidity. The Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament either can't count or is unaware of constitutional niceties such as having a quorum. Given the function of parliamentary speakers she should resign or be sacked. I doubt many governing parties in parliamentary democracies would tolerate such incompetence on the part of the speaker.   

The court panel was led by acting deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma. The other members were Justices Augustine Nshimye, Eldad Mwangusya, Solomy Balungi Bossa and Rubby Aweri Opio.

The judges held that at least three people, including Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, alerted Ms Kadaga about the lack of quorum in the House at the time of passing the Bill but she ignored their warning and went ahead to preside over the proceedings to pass the law on December 20, last year.

A couple of points, one has to wounder why there was no quorum given this was an issue that is supported by all peoples on the African continent. Clearly Ugandan Parliamentarians can read even if their Speaker can't count. The other point that should be made is why President Museveni signed this bill into law if the President of Uganda has such a disregard for the constitution Uganda has some very dark days ahead.

To that effect, the justices observed that such an illegality by the Speaker of Parliament once brought to the attention of the court, cannot be overlooked.

“Rule 23 of Parliamentary Rules of Procedure requires the Speaker of Parliament even without being prompted by someone else, to ensure that quorum exists. We note that the Speaker was prompted three times that there was no quorum in the House, including the Prime minister, but ignored the same,” the judges ruled.

“We uphold that the act of the 9th Parliament in enacting the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law without quorum is inconsistent with articles 88, 94 of the Constitution and Rule 23 of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure. We come to a conclusion that she (Ms Kadaga) acted illegally and failure to obey the law makes the Act null and void,” the judges further stated.

A speaker who ignores the law. Just too funny for words. What I like most about this judgement is the demonstration of judicial independence. It may be that the Ugandan Judiciary is all that is preventing the emergence of another regime run by megalomaniacs such as Kim Jong Un.

The court also ordered the Attorney General, who represented the government as the respondent in this matter, to pay 50 per cent of the legal costs the pro-gay activists used in their petition. Shortly after the ruling, pro-gay activists jumped in joy and jubilated over the victory.

And for the moment that is where they should leave it. Don't get me wrong on this, gay, lesbian and transgender members of a community should have total equality with the heterosexual community, the court has given both time and space, Uganda has been given a get out of gaol card with the international community. Let this play out, it will probably die.

City advocate John Francis Onyango, one of the lawyers who represented the pro-gay activists, described the ruling as a landmark decision and said it was victory for the rule of law.

“This is a victory for the rule of law and it’s an indictment on Parliament on the way it conducts its proceedings. The Speaker of Parliament is expected to know not only the Rules of Procedure in Parliament but also the legal requirements,” said Mr Onyango

“She cannot impose certain rules and leave out others as she wants. It is not about what she wants but what the law wants.”

Yup. Rebecca Kadaga is a joke. We have them as well and some of them are gay and just as stupid as Kadaga.

" A couple of observations. Chauvel and Idiot / Savant are both grandstanding the legislation has been sitting on the Ugandan Parliaments inbox for ages. The Speaker who is a silly bitch picked it up and then went further and deeply offended the Canadian’s who suggested it was a bad idea. Incidently the bill as it now stands does not proscribe the death penalty  it has been reduced to life in prison not much of a improvement. Ugandan President Museveni has made it very clear Uganda won’t be dictated to on this issue by the West and in the same breath said it was not a legislative priority. I think that it is safe to say Uganda has taken the view that aid money is more important than homophobic legislative stupidity."

I was wrong. but not completely. In other words just let this go for a while. Let the rest of the world work quietly in the background ( and maybe send Kadaga on a state visit to North Korea ) Behind all this stupidity is the American " Christian " Right, the Republican wankers who are advocating for Israel murdering Palestinian kids in much the same way their predecessors went on crusades against Muslims and ironically killed six million Jews in their Nazi guise.    

The Attorney General, represented by State Attorney Patricia Muteesi, had argued that the petitioners did not present evidence to prove that there was no quorum in the House on December 20, 2013, when the Bill was passed.

Ms Muteesi argued that they should have presented the register for MPs who attended the proceedings that day or a video footage to show that indeed the quorum was less than two-thirds majority. 

However, the ruling does not mean that the court nullified the content or substance of the law. The court nullified the law purely on procedural grounds because it was passed without a quorum as required by the rules.

The court recognised just how fucking stupid this law was and gave everyone a second chance. Sorry just about everyone Speaker Rebecca Kadaga really needs to go.

The Bill can be easily returned to Parliament and passed again, this time with the required quorum of at least 125 out of the 365 MPs in the House. 

This petition involved a group of pro-gay activists who sued the government challenging the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law for lack of quorum.

Really, just fucking think about that statement. This is far more and far more important than that. Human rights can be demolished ? This law failed because a parliamentary quorum couldn't be achieved the author of this is not asking the questions that need to be asked. 

They include; Prof Joe Oloka-Onyango, MP Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, journalist Andrew Mwenda, Prof Morris Latigo, Dr Paul Nsubuga Ssemugoma, Jacqueline Kasha Nabagesera, Julian Pepe Onziema, and Frank Mugisha, in March this year.

The other petitioners include the indigenous civil society organisations; Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum and the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development.

President Museveni on February 24 publically assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in a ceremony that was broadcast live on television. 

According to the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014, a person who purports to contract a marriage with another person of the same sex, commits the offence of homosexuality and is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for life.

Museveni did something I am guessing goat farming is not working out so well.

The passing of the anti-gay law attracted a lot of criticism from Western countries, with some cutting aid to Uganda on grounds that criminalising same sex relationships promotes stigma and discrimination against homosexuals. It equally drew widespread support among the local population which is opposed to homosexuality.

Uganda: " From the dole queue to the regiment a profession in a flash "

The Guardian reports

Five things they tell you about refugees that aren't true

New research from Oxford University contradicts popular assumptions about refugees' dependency and economic status

Congolese Refugees

Existing approaches to refugee assistance simply aren't working. That's the top line from our report, Refugee Economies: Rethinking Popular Assumptions, published for World Refugee Day today.

Hard to disagree with that. The problem I have is that assistance is not done on an equitable basis by the international community, by that I mean for example New Zealand my country and one of the richest nations on earth manage to re home some 750 refugees a year. The UN thinks that is a reasonable contribution and inline with the per capita efforts of other first world nations.

" More than 30,000 people have fled their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and crossed into neighbouring Uganda after a rebel group that had been hiding out in eastern Congo attacked a town.

Reuters  gives an update: 

The Uganda Red Cross Society said 66,000 Congolese refugees have so far crossed into the east African country since the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) started attacking the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo town of Kamangu on Thursday."

I think that any rational person would say that New Zealand is in a far better economic position than Uganda  when it comes to supporting refugees. New Zealand could take 7500 annually and with a population of four million plus we wouldn't really notice them. I suspect we could if we got organised and thought about ways and means we could actually manage 75,000 per year. Or put another way 750 refugees a year is a bloody pathetic effort. 

Around the world, crises in Syria, Central African Republic and South Sudan continue to increase the number of displaced people inside and outside international borders. More than two-thirds of refugees are in protracted exile for at least five years, often in closed camps and without the right to work or move freely.

Most are in exile awaiting a return home or resettlement for about 18 years.

" The average length of stay in these states of virtual limbo is now approaching 20 years, up from an average of nine years in the early 1990s. Thus not only is a greater percentage of the world’s refugees in protracted exile than before but these situations are lasting longer."

Current approaches often fail to recognise that refugees have skills, talents and aspirations. Despite the constraints placed on people, vibrant economic systems often thrive below the radar, whether in the formal or informal economy.

That is so true. In my experience it is usually the informal economy, barter is an effective means of exchanging products and services and avoids the tax system. New Zealand is rather good in my opinion at integration, mind you we are hardly challenging ourselves with a refugee quota of 750 people.

In Uganda, where we've done our initial research, refugee policies are by no means perfect. But, unlike many other host states, it has a self-reliance strategy and allows refugees the right to work. We surveyed 1,600 refugees in Kampala and two rural refugee settlements to understand refugees' economic lives, including their engagement with the private sector and the ways in which they use technology. Our results challenge five myths about refugees.

Uganda is bloody amazing. I am not as readers will be aware a great fan of  Ugandan President Museveni but I take my hat off to Uganda and the efforts made by Uganda to deal with the flood of refugees that have engulfed Uganda. 

"These are refugees who... have lost touch with their countries of origin. Naturalization of these cases is one possible solution and discussions are underway in this direction," he said. "The naturalization of these refugees will mean their stay in Uganda will not be illegal. They will be Ugandans who are entitled to live and work in Uganda and have a productive life." 

Uganda has hundreds of thousands of refugees, we can give Uganda human rights shit for many reasons and we should.... but and it is not a small but, Uganda has taken the record for batting well above its weight on the refugee issue and puts the West to shame. Batting above our weight is something New Zealand takes pride in. Maybe Wellington should be talking to Kampala because this issue is far more important than a security council seat or for that matter rugby. Being the greatest rugby nation in the world is cool, it is a great aspiration, I support it. It is also utterly unimportant if New Zealand wants to remain relevant, lets bat above our weight on really important issues. Life is such an issue. 

1) Refugees are economically isolated

Refugee economies are part of complex systems that go beyond their communities and the boundaries of particular settlements. Refugees trade across nationality groups and across international borders. Maize grown in settlements is exported across borders to neighbouring countries. Congolese jewellery and textiles are imported from as far as India and China. Somali shops import tuna from Thailand, via the Middle East and Kenya.

Mustaqbal is an African funds transfer service. If you are sending money internationally well these guys kill all the others for honesty and competitiveness. Yup refugee communities got very sick of the thieving bastards such as Western Union and the 60% plus commission rates they charge.

2) Refugees are a burden on host states

Refugees make active contributions to the host economy. Many Ugandan business people acknowledge relying upon the presence of refugees. One fruit farmer told us: "It is hard to imagine Kyangwali's economy without the refugees' presence." Refugees buy and sell goods and services from and to Ugandan nationals. Many also create job opportunities for others, including by employing Ugandan nationals. In Kampala, 21% of the refugees surveyed employ others, and of those, 40% employ Ugandans.

Refugees are motivated. My kids have all been refugees in Kampala at different times, but of my four daughters two are at school ( and demanding I help them get after school and holiday work ) the other two are in tertiary education and have part time jobs. Or to put it another way the NZ Government is already getting a tax payment from two of my girls and by the end of this year I rather think all will pay some tax. Think about it... 160 years of collective productivity.

3) Refugees are economically homogenous

Although there are a range of traditional income-generating activities such as farming in rural areas and running shops and restaurants, we found huge diversity. In the settlements, we found Congolese cinemas, a Somali computer games parlour using recycled consoles and televisions and innovative businesses in areas such as transportation and maize milling that have scaled and often employ others. Even among farmers, income levels vary massively, with huge deviation around the mean of $29 per month.

To be honest I don't know what the point of the above paragraph is. Yes I understand that people find different places in the economic life of a nation but I fail to see that any nation would pigeon hole all refugees into the same economic positions. 

4) Refugees are technology illiterate

Many refugees use technology, including mobile phones and the internet, for income-generating activities, often at higher levels than the national population. In Kampala, 96% use mobile phones and 30% use them for money transfers as part of their primary livelihood strategy. Many refugees also adapt their own appropriate technologies, engaging in forms of "bottom-up innovation", often recycling whatever is available to create an entrepreneurial opportunity.

I am reasonably capable. My 16 year old daughter who I have had for three years longer than her three sisters just looks at me with great pity in her eyes and takes whatever technology I have and explains how it works.

5) Refugees are dependent on humanitarian assistance

Refugees are far from uniformly dependent on international assistance. Nearly all – 99% – of rural refugee households said they had at least some form of independent income-generating activity. When they were asked what kind of assistance they wanted, financial assistance did not come out top. Instead, opportunities for autonomy – including education, business training and resettlement – were valued highly.

They want what we have. I can see nothing wrong with that.

Hat Tip Rosebell"s Blog