Yesterday June 11, the East African member countries presented their 2026/27 budget to their respective assemblies. The summary is as follows: • Kenya (KES 4.8 trillion) ≈ $37.06 billion • Tanzania (TZS 62.3 trillion) ≈ $24 billion • Uganda (UGX 84.3 trillion) ≈ $22 billion • Rwanda (RWF 7,796billion) ≈ $5.3 billion • Burundi (unknown) Meanwhile, South Sudan presented a SSP 11.335 trillion (~$2.4 billion) budget estimates to economic cluster of the cabinet. Again we are really behind in catching up with the rest of the countries when it comes to fiscal discipline. The presentation of the budget on time is a constitutional obligation which we have not been respecting for many years. This exercise does not entirely depend on the Minister for Finance and Planning, so the frequent changes in the personalities in that docket is not an excuse for this fiscal indiscipline. We must improve.

Hon. Stephen Lowesio (RIP) and I are alumni of the same university in Kenya. When our company was awarded a mineral exploration concession in Kapoeta East county in late 2021, he played a key role in introducing us to the community and get their acceptance to carry out our exploration program. When he became a commissioner, he continued giving support and encouraging us to do our best because he knew the benefits mining activities would bring to his people. We had our last meeting last Friday in Kapoeta town where we were discussing a very crucial step in our project in Kapoeta East. Steve was a trained lawyer and an advocate of the high court of Kenya. He sacrificed a lucrative potential in private legal practice to serve in the public sector where he would helped his community and the country better. His life was taken just because of pointless dispute that can easily be resolved through dialogue and other administrative channels. You will forever remain in our hearts and we shall never forget to carry on with all that you wanted done for the community, that is the only way we shall remember you and appreciate your good intentions for your people. My deepest condolences to his immediate family, the entire Toposa community and the legal fraternity.

The primary reason for issuing business permits is to regulate them, revenue generation is secondary. Business permit charges should not be exorbitant to discourage business operations. South Sudan should put a leash on these uncountable levels of government and their institutions that are competing to tax just one business and entity.

Flying over the section of the Kidepo Valley between the Imehejek range and the Kimatong Mountain is therapeutic. South Sudan is beautiful.

The protocol people did well here. I like this picture. Photo credit. PPU

IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TREATING PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY BASED ON THEIR PASSPORTS 😂😂😂😂😂

Visit any trendy coffee shop in Juba and look at the kind of people around, or visit those upscale clubs, restaurants and see the kind of revellers enjoying their time. Is there some sort of inequality creeping in into our society or is it just a matter of lifestyle choices?

After Dr. John Garang died in that mysterious helicopter crash after the CPA, many South Sudanese leaders who didn’t go to the bush with other colleagues, those who were actively imbedded with the enemy in Khartoum or working against the SPLA in the comfort of their homes in foreign capital flocked back to Southern Sudan, with their excuses being that what kept them away was that they didn’t agree with Dr. Garang’s leadership, but not the course of the Southerners and the marginalized Sudanese. They are vey happy that the liberators abandoned the promises they used to tell us about what would happen in our independent country, all the roads, schools, hospitals, the use of oil revenues to spur economic growth through mechanized agriculture. We are in the same boat together, all being unpatriotic, those who sacrificed their lives, ready to die for a course and survived, and those for their known reasons were unable to join the movement, but instead sabotaged course of the liberation struggle.

Sadly the event commemorating the 43rd SPLA Day has been hijacked by the party, the SPLM. I would have loved the Military had taken over the organization of this event. Why would the CDF speak first before the party’s SG on SPLA Day?

Happy SPLA Day. The mutiny on 16 May 1983 in Bor led to a gruesome liberation struggle for 21 years, with millions of lives lost that eventually led to the birth of this great nation of the Republic of South Sudan. Even though you are no longer being paid proportionally by the independent nation you helped birthed, there are no regrets about the sacrifices made. For those who actively participated in various battles and military campaigns during the liberation struggle and survived the war and now in key leadership positions in this government, kindly use today to reflect on the path the country has taken and ask yourself if this is what we fought for by just continuing the maiming, killing, displacement of our own people? We fought against the marginalization of the South by various Khartoum-based regimes, are we reflecting justice, equality and prosperity for all in our independent Republic? We need to remember the we have no another country other than this nation. Let’s dignify the lives of our citizens serving in various armed forces by giving them decent salaries, build them barracks with good housing for themselves and their families, provide them access to education and proper military training, and above all let’s pacify the country so that we stop fighting ourselves. SPLA Oyeeeee

🚨 WATCH: Chairman @SenatorTimScott leads the Senate Banking Committee in a historic markup of the CLARITY Act, legislation to establish clear rules of the road for digital assets. x.com/i/broadcasts/1yKAPMDMz…

Look out for Global Magnitsky Sanctions under the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Governor Ohisa, Ecobank CESA Discuss Financial Inclusion and Liquidity Concerns boss.gov.ss/governor-ohisa-e…

This is one of the best Biographies I have ever read. I have kept the book for the last 10 years and I read it once every year. The story of Ted Turner and how he founded CNN is a must read for every entrepreneur. Rest in Peace Ted.

If the government is serious about attracting US mining companies to invest in our mining sector, first begin by issuing the US Geological Survey or any other US entity that can do the same job, the “integrated systematic mapping and geological survey of the potential mineralized parts of the country contract.” The cost is known and the US government will not refuse if approached. Bill Gates’ backed @KoBold_Metals is doing wonders in Burundi, DRC, and Zambia on similar projects. This is achievable but those in decision making will have to be willing to be guided accordingly even by those in the private sector. Above all, our fidelity to the mining Act, 2012, and Mineral Titles Regulations 2015 should be beyond doubt. We have to position our country as a favorable mining jurisdiction to attract quality investors from the US and other Western countries.

This week, we have seen the East African nations of Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya coming together to woo @AlikoDangote ‘s refinery to set up shop at the Indian Ocean Coast a refinery that will tap into the Ugandan crude oil fields in Hoima district which will be transported to the export terminal at Tanga via the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). South Sudan and Ethiopia must tap into the already producing oil fields in Upper Nile state to set up a refinery and construct the road linking the two countries. The current fuel crisis occasioned by the war in Iran is a wake-up call to the realities of relying on imported refined petroleum products when we should have in-country refineries especially for oil-producing countries like South Sudan. Prime Minister @AbiyAhmedAli is a pragmatic leader, I believe he will cease the occasion to make things happen. South Sudan on the other hand very much needs electricity supply from the GERD to power the oilfields and the entire Upper Nile region. These are mutually beneficial projects for both countries.

Majority of foreigners in Juba no longer drive because of harassment by traffic police officers who swarm roads, streets and even nooks in the estates. Some have resorted to paying for tinted windows for their vehicles so that are not easily identified from a far (the light-skinned South Sudanese are also victims of this identification from the lightness of one’s skin) and stopped. No serious investor would take this country seriously if driving yourself amounts to constant harassment on the roads. These acts might be termed as trivial but they have negative consequences for the overall outlook of the country. The number of traffic officers deployed on the streets should be reduced, not every road or street should have the traffic officers. They no longer care about managing the traffic flow, instead they are fixated on compliance, not traffic offenses or enforcement of safety measures.

Ramaphosa and Kikwete seek Kiir's attention africaintelligence.com/easte…

Easter break companion.

The scarcity of the South Sudan Pound (liquidity crisis) has caused inadvertent gold trading problems in Greater Kapoeta. There is now abundant artisanal gold in the hands of local miners and traders with no buyers. The trade is usually done in SSP ( the locals have no use for USD). Unfortunately, there are no major banks in Kapoeta town, the regional capital, to supply the LCY. This is beside the perennial scarcity of the SSP even in the capital city of Juba. Just to let you know, the gold prices in this area are always near international market prices, not favorable for those looking for big margins. Will this scarcity of the SSP impact the gold prices in the local economy now that the rainy season has set in where artisanal gold production usually ramp up? Time will tell.