Kemetian Independence Day Ball 2012--Seven Years On

04/06/2012--CHICAGO--To celebrate seven years of independence and prosperity, Kemetians from around the world gathered in the City of Chicago at the prestigious Ida Noyes Hall for a night of revelry and commemoration. Guests enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of assorted vegetarian dishes and were privy to the company of several Kemetian leaders.

The highlight of the evening was the screening of the documentary short We Are Kemetia, directed, written and produced by Justice Kaitlyn Fryzek of the Supreme Constitutional Court. In the video, Kemetians expressed their hopes for the future and described their fondest memories of working within the nation.

A series of speeches was given to the guests, with His Sovereign Majesty King Adam I welcoming them to the event, and outlining his newly formulated policy stances. Focusing on three major areas: healthcare, education and the media, His Sovereign Majesty explained that in order to build on the success of the past all citizens must take with them a sense of pride in Kemetia and its ideology. The King promised to introduce novel measures, including the provision of healthcare training for taxpayers, book scholarships for the needy and a new media outfit, Kemetian Public Media Productions, to integrate citizen media with the traditional media.

Following the King's speech, Deputy Prime Minister Johansen Amin elucidated the meaning of Kemetia in a world where contact with politicians is minimal at best. During an emotionally charged speech, the Right Honourable Mr. Amin related his experiences with national governments unwilling to listen to anyone other than lobbyists. He suggested that Kemetia should act as a beacon of hope and curative to this situation, providing a safe and secure alternative to mainstream governments by providing quality communication services between all levels of society.

Finally, Member of Parliament James LaRocque ended the speaking section with a message reflecting on his experiences with the Kingdom. Starting with his victory with the Kemetian Farmer Labour Party in the 2011 Elections, the Right Honourable Mr. LaRocque walked the audience through his hopes for the present and future of the nation, explaining the extreme importance of the Kemetian people's multicultural and diverse backgrounds, which draw together many corners of the globe. He also reiterated his desire to plant Trees of Liberty in many parts of the Kingdom to celebrate the spirit of freedom throughout the world which Kemetia represents.

After dessert, a raffle was conducted, with many wonderful prizes being handed out to eager Kemetian citizens and friends. His Sovereign Majesty sincerely thanked all present for attending, as well as those who organized the event, for their continued commitment to the national dream.

The Kemetia Tribune would like to thank all who made the Independence Day Ball 2012 the great success that is was, especially: Deputy Prime Minister Johansen Amin, Justice Kaitlyn Fryzek, Director of Communications Alicia Graf, His Sovereign Majesty King Adam I, Her Ladyship the Baroness River McIntosh, Justice Julia Nee, Chief Justice Nicho Kelly, President of the Electoral Commission Dexter O'Connell, and the Royal Family.

Constitutional Referendum Successful

14/05/2012--CHICAGO--This week, the Government reported that constitutional amendments proposed by the King and his Government had past in a referendum. With a stunning 88% voting for the amendments, His Sovereign Majesty is said to be extremely pleased with the results, according to his advisers.

Key to the latest Government's legislative programme, these amendments radically change the governing structure of Kemetia, and incorporate several long standing traditions into the legal system of the nation. Paring the Constitution down to 22 Articles, they introduce an elected Monarch and unicameral Parliament. Under the new amendments, the Monarch is to be elected every 5 years from amongst the members of the Crown Council, which acts as a check on the Monarchy. Additionally, the term of the Prime Minister is increased from 2 to 3 years, the High Court abolished and the Supreme Constitutional Court reduced to 3 members.

While most citizens were pleased with the constitutional amendments, some quarters were unhappy about the apparent reduction in power of some institutions. "The Monarch has always been an apolitical symbol. Now he might as well be a President" said one individual, who refused to be named. Others are concerned that the removal of seats from the Parliament and the abolition of the High Court represent a threat to democracy. "It's just not fair to those of us who have been fighting for over five years for more say in our government", complained a political adviser to one of the major parties in Parliament.

Nevertheless, government officials are optimistic that the amendments do fashion a more streamlined and manageable governing system and are convinced that they will be applauded as necessary in the long run.

To view the newly amended Constitution, follow this link: http://www.kemetia.freenations.net/home/constitution2012.pdf

King Sends Condolences to the Tongan People

19/03/2012--CHICAGO--In response to the news that Tongan King George Tupou V has passed away, His Sovereign Majesty King Adam I sent this letter to the Tongan Government:

Dear Sir/Madam,

It is with I heavy heart that I learnt of the passing of His Majesty King George Tupou V, and I wish to extend the condolences of the Sovereign Kingdom of Kemetia and her people to your nation and the Royal Family in this difficult time. King George Tupou V's vision and leadership have transformed Tonga into a truly open nation, and have put her people on the path to freedom, justice and democracy. We shall miss him very dearly and hope that his legacy is continued by his successor and brother ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho.

The hearts of every Kemetian go out to our Tongan brethren, and we hope that Tongan-Kemetian relations remain stable and steadfast.

Sincerely Yours,

His Sovereign Majesty King Adam I of Kemetia

Sovereign Kingdom of Kemetia


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UPDATE--His Sovereign Majesty's Letter of Condolence can be viewed on the Tongan Government website here

Website Competition Announced

05/03/2012--CHICAGO--Today, in a conversation with the Tribune, His Sovereign Majesty the King announced that he is launching a bid to find the best web designer in the Kingdom to establish the nation's presence on the net.

"In my White Paper of 7th June, 2010, I outlined my desire to create a strong and effective portal on the web to help our nation grow and succeed. Now, with this incentive based competition, I hope that technically sophisticated Kemetians will be able to help us" said the King this morning from his office.

The current web presence, which has stagnated for several months, is considered poor by international standards. While the King has talked often in the past about a reboot, little has ever come of these statements due to other more pressing issues within the Kingdom.

The King told us what he wanted from a website and how he envisioned its coordination with government authorities. "We need to create a viable and healthy website for the Kingdom that will allow citizens and the government to communicate, while also facilitating discussion amongst the citizens themselves."


"I deem it appropriate that a Provisional Committee on Information Technology be established, comprising of experts in the field drawn from the winners of the competition. This committee shall explore and expand the Kingdom’s presence in the areas of website development, telephony, networking, and citizen services (such as personal email boxes). This provisional committee shall pave the way for a Ministry of Information Technology to oversee these areas permanently."


These changes have led some to speculate that services like the Tribune will be unified in one area, which has raised concerns amongst staff about the news outlet's future. However, the Government has assured the Tribune that its publication is safe from cutbacks and reassignments.

His Sovereign Majesty writes letter to the Stephen Lawrence Trust

04/01/2012--His Sovereign Majesty composed a letter to the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust today, on the occasion of the conviction of his murders, 18 years after the event. The text of the letter read:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my profound relief that those responsible for the despicable murder of Stephen Lawrence, 18 years ago, have finally been brought to justice, and that now Mr. Lawrence's family, friends and admirers will be able to start to heal their deep wounds and look to the future. The ambitions of the Stephen Lawrence Trust to strive for social justice and change for the young people of the world are exceedingly noble and make their presence extremely important in the community.

We at the Sovereign Kingdom of Kemetia fully support the work of the Trust, and will be following its work closely to build similar programmes within our own nation and community, to help youth find a path, and to bring to an end the terrible divisions that plague humanity.

With my most warm regards for your charity and the family of Mr. Lawrence,

Sincerely,

His Sovereign Majesty King Adam I of Kemetia,

Sovereign Kingdom of Kemetia

Final Results

Final Results by percentage:

Prime Minister:
Jolyon Lloyd-Davies of the Liberal Party--100%

Advisory Council:
Liberal Party--50%--4 seats
Expansionist Party--12.5%--1 seat
Liberal Socialist Party--12.5%--1 seat
Conservative Party--12.5%--1 seat
Independents--12.5%--1 seat

Senate:
Expansionist Party--51.9%--10 seats
Liberal Party--37%--8 seats
Kemetian Farmer Labor Party--11.1%--2 seats

Election Results Released

06/12/2011--FIRST CITY--Dexter O'Connell, President of the Electoral Commission of Kemetia released the official results from last week's Prime Ministerial and Parliamentary elections. Last Friday, a gathering was held at the Kemetian Embassy, Chicago, attended by members of the Parliament, other officials and friends, who enjoyed canapés and mulled wine while listening to the announcement.

This election season has proven to be most interesting and turbulent, truly changing the face of Kemetian politics and policy. While originally only two parties were confirmed to be in the running for the Senatorial elections, a third declared itself to the Commission only hours before the polls closed, leading to an extension of voting, as well as a new party in the Parliament.

The eight members of the Upper House, the Advisory Council, were all confirmed by the People, although Councilor Lori Ossip of the Conservative Party was rejected by 4% of the vote, and Councilor Ciaran Yeo of the Liberal Party by 7%. Since both these Councilors won over half of the vote, they were confirmed regardless. The new Advisory Council is comprised of Independent Sir Alexander Cole, Ciaran Yeo of the Liberal Party, Johansen Amin of the Expansionist Party, Shawnteal Peery of the Liberal Socialist Party, Lori Ossip of the Conservative Party, Arran Marais-Gilchrist of the Liberal Party, Lachlan Marais-Gilchrist of the Liberal Party and Maksymilian Fus-Mickiewicz of the Liberal Party. The two vacant seats, created by late withdrawal of two candidates, shall be filled at the opening of the Parliamentary session in the new year.

Senatorial elections were hard fought between the incumbent Liberal Party of Prime Minister Jolyon Lloyd-Davies and the new Expansionist Party of Johansen Amin. Additionally, the Kemetian Farmer Labor Party made a strong performance.


In short statements before the announcement of the results, the party leaders reaffirmed and explained more fully their positions. The Liberals continued to run on their platform of past success, basing their claim to power on their exemplary track record and dedication to popular rights, as explained by President of the Electoral Commission Dexter O'Connell, who stood in for Mr. Lloyd-Davies who was unable to attend the event due to duties elsewhere.


Johansen Amin of the Expansionist Party set forth his ideas for governance in a carefully prepared manifesto, which espoused a break from the traditional state-driven principles of the Lloyd-Davies Administration and advocated a system based on true individual rule and belief in sovereignty, focusing on cultural creation and self-determination.


James LaRocque, chairman of the Kemetian Farmer Labor Party, explained to the assembled that the only way to realize true growth of the nation would be to concentrate on the establishment of agrarian credentials for the nation, with an emphasis on green space and farming-based advancement.


The Senatorial elections proved exceedingly surprising for observers, who had expected the Liberals to continue their past victories. In the end, the Expansionist Party came out on top, winning 51.9% of the vote and 10 seats in the Senate, followed by the Liberal Party with 37% and eight seats. The KFLP won only 11.1% of the vote, but still managed to secure 2 seats in Parliament.


Shortly after the announcement, the Expansionists and the KFLP formed a voting bloc within the Senate, and it is expected that a formal announcement of the coalition will be announced shortly.


Even with his defeat in the Senate, Lloyd-Davies still managed to be elected Prime Minister for another 2-year terms, showing continued commitment on the part of the people to the traditional members of the Kemetian political establishment. If Lloyd-Davies serves his term in full, he will have been consistently reelected for 8 years, and become the second longest serving member of the government, after the King himself.


Further charts and data shall be released by the Tribune as they become available.