Opinion: EALA Parliamentary Election ended expectedly with massive win for former Movement MPs!

“Politics is like monkeys’ dance, if you do not want the tail of monkeys to touch you, you don’t join their dance” – Fred Mukasa Mbidde

Who thought this would be race for the opposition to get golden tickets to the Star-ship and fly-away to moon? Who thought that the Movement would act like gentlemen and give what is proper to the opposition, than you haven’t followed class or known the Movement’s way of doing business. Surely it was all fixed at the State House, the result was pre-fixed and the time it took in Parliament was made to make the charade look like an open bazaar, when it was a closed session for the chosen few that the kingpin had decided.

The ones winning were these ones:

“Mukasa Fred Mbidde (DP),

Akol Rose Okulu (NRM),

Mathias Kasamba (NRM),

Mary Mugyenyi (NRM),

Paul Musamali Mwasa (NRM),

Dennis Namara (NRM),

George Steven Odongo (NRM),

Christopher Opoka Okumu (UPC),

Suzan Nakawuki (Independent)” (New Vision, 28.02.2017).

The official results and votes don’t really matter, the winners out of the 49 candidates, two who was from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and none of them was elected. Surely, the FDC didn’t trade or give ways to the Movement. Therefore, the sudden resignation of Fred Mukasa Mbidde as Deputy President of Democratic Party (DP) before the EALA elections and he was even parts of the NRM EALA Primary Elections at the State House. Nevertheless, the man who was parts of the party that Museveni once a point in the time wanted to destroy dearly together with the Uganda People’s Congress, he has given one candidate from each party.

So who is this Christopher Opoka Okumu, the Nebbi representative who apparently was good enough for NRM MPs to vote for a another term for the UPC candidate, who wants James Akena to run for President in the next election, though that would alter the paradigm agreement done with Museveni. That is how the UPC-NRM agreement and why the UPC got even cabinet members this go around. Therefore, Museveni offers the UPC another slot in the EALA as thanks.

Dennis Namara is the former NRM Youth Chairman and Presidential Advisor for Youth, George Steven Odongo the former Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Lira, Rosa Akol Okulu, the fomer Minister for Internal Affairs, Mary Mugyenyi, the former MP for Nyabushozi County and former State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mathias Kasamba, the former Kakuuto MP, who lost in the NRM Primary in 2015.

Susan Nakawuki is a former UPC member of EALA, but this time around she went as an Independent candidate this time around. Last time she was representing UPC and as MP for Busiro MP, who even wasn’t believed to be an MP because of her dress-code in 2009, also been in trouble with the law in 2011. So after the issues, she still had capacity to get elected for EALA in 2012. So now she soon starts her second term in EALA as part of the Ugandan Delegation.

So the opposition that isn’t really opposition is the ones that one a slot to the EALA, because the ones been in EALA delegation there, are not rocking the boat or using the title to pressure anything vicious in the East Africa Community (EAC). Therefore, that Mbidde who was part of the celebration of the movement in Masindi and even parts of the Primary in the State House, the other UPC candidates are already spoiled by the wealth of EALA, that they do not want to cut their pay-check and lose their livelihood.

The others are old-timers and former leaders who certainly have traded favours with the president, as some of these lost out at the NRM Primaries in 2015. We the knowledge of the pay-checks coming with the service at the EALA, the price of getting the offer and lose out on being a MP for the NRM. Must seem decent for the loyalist that Museveni can count on to continue his trench-hold on all most of the seats anyway!

Like Nabilah Naggay Sempala wrote on a secret meeting in Parliament:

“The meeting scheduled at Parliamentary building for 10am according to sources at the Government Chief Whip’s office, is to strike a deal with the leaning independent Members of Parliament to vote for all the 6 NRM candidates. The NRM would also in turn vote an independent candidate who is yet to be agreed” (…) “In politics nothing is done until it is done. We need any potential ally at this time to comfortably secure victories today,” a source from NRM said. The independent members are 66 accounting for 16 percent of the total members and bigger than the combined opposition members” (…) “NRM has 6 candidates in the race including former ministers Rose Akol and Mary Mugenyi, former Government Chief Whip’s office Policy Analyst Paul Musamali, former RDC George Innocent Odongo and former NRM National Youth boss Denis Namara” (Nabilah Naggay Sempala, 27.02.2017).

So with this in mind that these members we’re mention in regards, plus the amount of fixed movement MPs there wasn’t hard to see how this would go. As well, the ones that one today are proven to be former losers in the Primary, therefore the meetings that was at the State House was making sure the loyal MPs of the past would get a secured livelihood after their days in Parliament. However, there are now also Youth League leader, RDC and Political Analysts that are now paid with a heavy salary in Arusha. You can just know that there have been a trade-off and Museveni offered it for creating no issues during the campaign of 2016. That has been visible as the NRM stalwarts was offered plenty. Expect other NRM former MPs to be hired as Envoys or even Ambassadors to the UAE or any other place with a Mission.

Enough of the mellow yellow brown envelope fellow! Peace.

Kenya: IEBC Update on Preparation for the 2017 General Elections (28.02.2017)

South Sudan: Save the Children strongly condemn the looting of its compound and warehouse in Northern Jonglei (28.02.2017)

February 28, 2017, Juba – Save the Children strongly condemn the looting of is compound and warehouse in Waat former Jonglei State, allegedly by both armed groups and members of the community in the area.

Mr. Peter Walsh the Country Director for Save the Children in South Sudan said, “To be honest this is the most extreme act by the very people we are trying to help, to rob more than 1500 malnourished children of the much needed assistance we have been providing in our feeding centres.” …even the nutrition supplies that are for very sick children were looted, this is totally unacceptable” he added

Save the Children is the only nutrition partner in Waat providing life-saving services to children, an area classified by the recent IPC as phase 4, at the brink of famine. “The looting means right now we can no longer provide life-saving assistance to thousands of acutely malnourished children.” he further said

“We strongly urge the local authority in the area to investigate the incident and ensure that all supplies are returned” Mr. Walsh further stressed

“As we battle to counter the spread of famine declared last week, it is critical that parties to the conflict provide unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected community to avoid famine becoming their death sentence.” He further said

Waat and other parts of former northern Jonglei remained largely peaceful following the outbreak of the conflict in 2013 and thousands of civilians from former Upper Nile, and central Jonglei sought safety in Waat and Akobo. The escalation of conflict in these already vulnerable communities is a big concern for the host community and the Internally Displaced Persons, (IDP) some of them have already been displaced multiple times in the course of the 3 years of conflict.

Insecurity and lack of access have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan where famine was declared on 20 February, and a further one million are on the brink of famine. By the height of the lean season in July, it is expected that some 5.5 million people will be severely food insecure across the country. Since December 2013, about 3.4 million people have been displaced, including nearly 1.9 million people who have been internally displaced and about 1.5 million who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. Humanitarian organizations are urgently appealing for funding to respond to the escalating crisis, with US$1.6 billion required to provide life-saving assistance and protection to some 5.8 million people across South Sudan in 2017.

For further information or to arrange media interviews with Peter Walsh, please contact Emmanuel Kenyi +211 922407209 or Emmanuel.kenyi@savethechildren.org

Somalia: Declaration of National Disaster (28.02.2017)

The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, February 28, 2017 -The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) has declared a National Disaster to deal with the humanitarian emergency in all areas affected by the current drought.

The president has appealed to the International Community to urgently respond to the calamity in order to help families and individuals to recover from the effects of the drought disaster to avoid humanitarian tragedy.

The president is also kindly calling on the Somali business community and Diaspora to participate in the recovery operations efforts in the affected area with the aim to mitigate the impact of drought nationwide.

The president stands ready to receive a continuous briefing on the assessment and response to the emergency.

Humanitarian coordinator calls for urgent access as needs surge in South Sudan (28.02.2017)

Mine tanker om French-Saken og Nordmenns dobbeltmoral!

James Bamford skriver dette i artikkleN ‘Raiders of the Congo’ i GQ Magasin den 7. November 2012

“Moral er forsvaret for de forbrytelser som er gjort”– Helge Krog

“Kunne jeg gått tilbake åtte år, så hadde jeg gjort absolutt alt jeg kunne for å ha kjøpt Joshua fri. Det er det første vi skulle ha prøvd. Så har det bare ballet på seg og nå er vi avhengig av en diplomatisk løsning” – Kari Hilde French (Præsttun, 2017)

Moralen i historien som vi blir lært i norske medier er solid og klar. Der til og med moren til Joshua French i intervju uten å blunke sier at hun skulle ønsket at hun hadde betalt statelige ansatte penger for å frigjøre sønnen. Dette hadde hun ønsket at hun hadde brøte med alle kjerneverdier fordi hennes sønn skal kunne gjøre akkurat som han vil. Det er slik det kan tolkes. At familien French og slike som han kan reise til utlandet, leke soldater og ta med seg våpen fra Uganda.

“I de første meldingene fra Kongo ble det hevdet at Moland og French var leiesoldater, tilknyttet selskapet Special Intervention Group (SIG). VG omtalte dette allerede 13. mai, dagen etter pågripelsen ble kjent. Det private sikkerhets- og livvaktselskapet SIG var godt kjent i Norge, etter at det høsten 2007 kom fram at Politiets Sikkerhetstjeneste etterforsket selskapet for mulige krigsforbrytelser i Irak” (…) “Under VGs første besøk i Kisangani fikk vi tilgang til deler av militærtribunalets etterforskningsmateriale. Dette skjedde etter en dialog med sjefetterforsker Roger Wavara, som viste det fram for å underbygge mistanken mot nordmennene. Blant dette materialet var to visittkort fra SIG. Det ene bar navnet Tjostolv Moland, oppført som ”Security Consultant” i SIG. Det andre bar navnet John Hunt, oppført som ”Chief Operation Officer” i SIG. På kortet stod samme adresse til SIG Uganda som vi hadde funnet i vervebrosjyren fra 2008. VGs team i Oslo kontaktet Friksen for å konfrontere ham med visittkortene. Han hevdet Moland flere år tilbake hadde fått et standardkort som mange som hadde ønsket å knytte seg til SIG hadde fått. John Hunt ville han ikke si noe om, ei heller Mike Callan. Han avviste igjen at det hadde vært noe samarbeid mellom SIG og de fengslede nordmennene i Kongo” (…) “Under arbeidet med denne saken søkte VG i de to ulike våpenregistrene i Uganda for å undersøke om riflen beslaglagt i Uganda eller pumpehaglen de ble tatt med i Kongo var lovlig registrert – slik Moland og French hadde hevdet overfor flere norske medier. VG søkte på deres ekte navn, på deres dekknavn, og på kombinasjoner av disse. Men ingen av våpnene var oppført i registrene” (Johsen, Riseth & Hopperstad, 2009).

Hvis du lurer på om SIG var bare oppsspinn så kunne man lese i en dansk avis i 2008 dette om selskapet: “Otte danskere har arbejdet som livvagter- og lejesoldater i det borgerkrigshærgede land Uganda. Flere har været gennem danske kurser” (…) ” det borgerkrigshærgede nordlige Uganda har otte danskere arbejdet for det norske sikkerhedsfirma SIG-Protection – som arbejder i gråzonen mellem lejesoldater og livvagter” (…) “»Hvis vi bliver skudt på, så skyder selvfølgelig igen. Vi skal beskytte vores kunder,« siger direktør Torgeir Friksen til Nyhedsavisen” (Fogt, 2008).

Så SIG hadde norske og danske livvakter og leiesoldater. Blant disse to nordmenns om var plutselig på oppdrag i den Demokratiske Republikken i Kongo. Selskapet SIG er idag nedlagt fordi de ikke hadde lisens til drift i Uganda og deres lyssky virksomhet var kritikkverdig også i hjemlandet til de som drev selskapet. Derfor ville de slutte med sin virksomhet, ettersom Politiet i Norge og også i Uganda visste om dette. Ettersom i VGs egen etterforskning snakket de da med IGP Kale Kayihura, som er øverste kommanderende for Politiet i Uganda.

Dersom man er leiesoldat og livvakt, i et selskap uten lisens i utlandet, tar med seg våpen over grensen mellom Uganda og Kongo. Da er du ikke der på safari, ei heller så veldig uskyldig. Dette bør vites. Jeg legger bare frem disse gamle bevisene for å vise hvorfor dette er dobbeltmoral. Det er moralsk ukorrekt å ønske Joshua French hjem. Da bør alle som har drept for penger løslates i Norge, siden Joshua French kan bli benådet for sin forbrytelse, hvorfor kan ikke dette skje med de som gjør det her i Norge? Er han så spesiell siden han var med på kriminelle handlinger i Kongo? Står nordmenn over Kongolesisk lovgivning?

Dette stod i Sunday Monitor i Uganda den 7. Oktober 2009:

“It’s true the owner of Back Packers rang me one evening that he had got some security “I went there and he informed me that he had heard about two Norwegians arrested in DR Congo. He said the two had been his clients and after he got the news of their arrest, he checked in their room,” Gen. Kayihura narrated” (…) “He led me to the room and we found an assortment of military fatigues and one sophisticated rifle. They had different types of military uniform including the Monuc (UN peacekeeping outfit in DR Congo) uniform. “I wondered how they managed to smuggle in military things into the country and even how they smuggled them to Back Packers yet the place is guarded by security,” Maj. Gen. Kayihura told Sunday Monitor at his office, adding that “since the matter had issues to deal with military hardware, I handed the matter to CMI for further investigations. information he wanted to share with me,” Maj. Gen. Kayihura told Sunday Monitor” (…) “Definitely it’s an issue that also puzzles us but we are investigating. They did commit any crime while in Kampala but definitely if they came back, we would have arrested them and interrogated them.” (…) “Maj. Gen. Kayihura said that the two are said to have planned to start a security firm here but that he did not, as the authoriser of private firms, receive their application” (Obore & Izama, 2009).

I 2009 sa kommandøren av politiet i Uganda Gen. Kale Kayihura at han ville ha avhørt de for deres selskap alene uten lisens i landet der han er politisjef. Så det viser at French har ikke bare brutt loven i Kongo, men også i Uganda. Likevel, skal vi alle bare være positive til den tidligere leiesoldaten fordi moren vil ha våres sympati. Han har etter mest sannsynligvis brutt lover i Kongo også i Uganda. Er det greit?

La meg være litt breial: Hvis to kongolesisk personer hadde vært med i et dansk livvakt og sikkerhetsselskap. Der de hadde bedret lyssky virksomhet og øvd med våpen, uten lisens i Danmark for så å komme over med Color Line til Norge. Hvor da de plutselig på oppdrag dreper den norske sjåføren på vei mot Oslo, ikke så langt unna Arendal ved Harebakken. Da ville det ikke blitt aktuelt å frigjøre eller vise ydmykhet etter 8 år for drapet på den norske sjåføren. Etter endt rettssak ville disse måtte sone sin straff og følge de rettslige vederlag som er pålagt enn. Uansett om moren hadde flyttet til nærmeste by der person var fengslet. Det norske folket ville ikke hatt sympati og ettergitt. De ville heller ikke godtatt om moren hadde prøvd å betale den norske stat penger for å frigi sin sønn. Dette ville bli sett som fornærmelse mot den norske stat.

Men siden Joshua French er i fengsel i Kinshasa, i Kongo, så er både korrupsjon og drap greit. I alle fall hvis norsk media tar pulsen. Så lenge en ikke dreper som leiesoldat innen norsk territorium. Man kan være nordmenn i utlandet å være kriminell og drepe, men da skal man skape nok sympati, få hjelp av Rune Edvardsen og plutselig er de en helgener. Selv om man var leiesoldat og livvakt i et selskap uten lisens, med våpen som ikke var registret i Uganda eller Kongo. Der en var på oppdrag nær Kisangani uten direkte bekreftelse på hvem de var eller på  hvordan oppdrag de hadde. Dette er alt greit i Norge virker det som!

Ville det vært greit om Kongolesiske leiesoldater/sikkerhetsvakter for ett ulisensiert Dansk selskap hadde gjort oppdrag i Norge, uten rett og lov til dette. For deretter å drepe eller gjøre straffbare handlinger. For deretter få Kongolesiske styresmakter til ønske overflytting av de dømte personene og forvente at disse ville være frie-mennesker i Kongo. Ville ikke dette ødelegge hvor forståelse av hva som er rett. De gjorde en straffbar handling i Norge og når de kommer til Kongo så er de fri?

Ville vi godtatt og klappet i hendene, ønsket dette og latt dette skje uten å stille spørsmål. Det er både krenkende og usaklig at en ikke anser den selvstendige republikken som en rettslig stat som har sin rett til å dømme French og andre som misbruker sitt besøk innen sine grenser. Det samme ville vi spørre oss om det samme hadde skjedd her.

Derfor er det begredelig dobbeltmoralen og ønske om å frigjøre han etter den dommen han fikk. Ettersom han kobling til firma som drev med leiesoldater/sikkerhetsvakter i Uganda, der også Dansker var med på virksomheten. At nordmenn tror at de kan bedrive slik virksomhet i utlandet og komme unna er ubegripelig. Å at familie og venner vil bruke media for å få sympati. Der en tilslutt også sier i 2017 år etter en var dømt for udåden. At en ønsket at kjøpe seg fri fra mord og få frihet etter å tatt liv. Det er det moren til French sa og at ‘ballet på seg’ så nå må hun ‘diplomatisk løsning’. Dette er provoserende!

Det er dobbeltmoralen, at hun har rett til å frigjøre sin sønn som har gjort en forbrytelse, at hun skal betale for drapet på sjåføren, mens han hadde ulovlig våpen, for et uregistrert sikkerhetsselskap som hadde krysset grensen på et oppdrag der en ender opp med drap. Dette skal hun ha retten til å kjøpe seg fri fra og bruke norsk diplomati for å frigjøre sønnen.

Hvis Kongolesiske myndigheter hadde prøvd samme her, så ville ikke det blitt noe sympati eller hjelp. Det ville gått på verdigheten løs til vår stat og vår ide om vår rettstat. Om det som har mistet sin sønn eller datter, ettersom de kongolesiske leiesoldater gjorde ved Arendal. Bare tenk på det og da tenk om det forsatt er rett med benåding av French. Ville vi benådet en drapsdømt leiesoldat i Norge fra Kongo? Ville vi virkelig det?

Referense:

Obore, Chris & Izama, Angelo – ‘Uganda: Mercenaries Set Up Base in Kampala’ (07.10.2009) link: http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Defence_Arms_13/Uganda-Mercenaries-Set-Up-Base-in-Kampala.shtml

Johnsen, Nils, Riseth, Kim & Hopperstad, Morten –  SKUP Prisen ‘Kongo-fangenes hemmelige sikkerhetsselskap’ (2009) VG.

Fogt, Lars – ‘Danske lejesoldater slås i Uganda’ (27.07.2008) link: https://www.avisen.dk/danske-lejesoldater-slaas-i-uganda_13238.aspx

Præsttun, Christine – ‘Jeg angrer på at vi ikke kjøpte Joshua fri’ (24.02.2017) link: https://www.nrk.no/urix/kari-hilde-french_-_-jeg-angrer-pa-at-jeg-ikke-kjopte-joshua-fri-1.13397287

Uganda: Letter – “FDC appeal to Members to Vote its Two Candidates for EALA” (28.02.2017)

Opinion: Markets endangered in Kampala, by Mzee and his cronies!

“Fury, angst and despair as hundreds are evicted from Park yard market. The once vibrant market is now a sea of rubble. Is it high time such rickety structures left the city center or is KCCA impinging on the core rights of the masses? Only responses in well-written English will be tolerated” (The Kampala Sun, 27.02.2017).

The traditional market of trade between small vendors and their costumer’s are under fire, not really burning, but still they are stopped. Honourable Beti Kamya, the Minister for Kampala has decreed closure of markets and such, as well as KCCA has unleashed a permit that stops others. Therefore two markets are eaten by a pivot from the State with Minister Kamya and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) under the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Musisi, who has taken power over the Owino Market. While both ladies are working against vendors and the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago , who doesn’t believe in this sort of decree without any procedure in either Authority or at the local councils. Therefore the sanctioned rule should go through the Mayor and also the KCCA. Something, the decree didn’t as it was served from the hand of Minister Kamya without any consideration of the rest of the leadership and government structure of the capital of Kampala. That was something that was bound to happen… though the innocent part is he vendors who are under-fire by the State Minister who doesn’t see their turmoil or trouble at all.

“Security has sealed off Nakivubo park-yard market before the ’30 days’ ultimatum given to vendors by Minister Beti Kamya to vacate elapses. Last week, the minister issued a directive ordering vendors at the Park Yard market to vacate citing lack of enough toilets which was a health threat. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said Minister Beti Kamya was ‘just politicking’ over the market since she didn’t have an alternative for the vendors. Some vendors have vowed not to leave the market until they are killed” (NBS Television, 27.02.2017).

“Mayhem masterminded by state agencies!!!! How could Police organise goons to lynch and/or harm KCCA elected leaders and MPS in course of executing our duties in the city centre!?.. Mr. Kayihura and Madam Betty Kamya, what motivated you to put our lives in harm’s way?. Our visit to park yard market was lawful as it was sanctioned by a resolution of the Authority that convened this morning. You invade the market on a Sunday night, cordon off the entire place without a court warrant or hoarding permit from KCCA, and then unleash terror on the business community and learders?. Terrible!!!” (Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, 27.02.2017).

Owino Market has been closed because of the issue with DFCU bank that the vendors there in total owns the bank Shs. 4.8bn. Therefore this is a current issue with bankers, but the strange act is that the Police sealed off the market and even destroyed the old vendors’ places, like they want to trade it off and get rid-off the old small-time vendors who have kept stalls there. Today the market was officially sealed off, with the police cars and metal fences by the authorities.

So know we know that the DFCU who just bought Crane Bank after it was under care-taking by the Bank of Uganda. So the funds used to by Crane Bank has to earned back, because DFCU needs profits, as they are even use their newly found wealth to take away the possibility for one of the most popular markets in Kampala. You can wonder who is investing directly and who else has greased the wheels of the minister.

The pictures of football stadium that was planned back in 2013 has resurfaced with pictures of investor together with President Yoweri Museveni that must have sparked the opportunity to pay for the sanction land and given permission to destroy the vendors place to trade goods, which has been a popular market.

If there are other unions of vendors who is struggling with debt like the Owino, expect the bank to erase the place, fill it with investors who knocks on the State House doors and gives permission to crash the place, fill it with fancy malls that won’t be affordable for other than ones on top of Nakasero Hill or Bugolobi, the rest of Kampala cannot afford even soda inside the new furnished extravagant building. The same will happen around this project where the bank DFCU and State has shaken each other’s hand, given envelopes and made sure to get a go ahead.

Because of this they have even gone further, they we’re given 30 days to vacate the premises on the 7^th February 2017 after a decree made by Minister Beti Kamya, so by my rare calculation they should be taken away by the 9^th March 2017. So that the State together with the Police was invading the premises last night and this morning; that being 26^th and 27^th February they did it instead.

So the state of Uganda doesn’t need to be transparent or accountable, as long as they have possible to gain monies into the state coffers and getting vouched from the state house. Rule of law doesn’t matter as long as Mzee says “do it” or “yes”. That what seems to have happen, the vendors and traders loses their ground because of investors has spoken at the state house. Shows the matter of how involved the state house is in all business deals in Uganda. That shows if you have strawmen to send to the state house, the police and the local authorities to work for the corporation. So that the locals or others with “debt” or lacking “titles” can be evicted, that seems like way the legitimize their acts towards the ones who has had the land in the past.

The same happens in Owino or at the Park Yard marked. There are no mercy, only eviction so that a football stadium and other futuristic building appearing there, because President Museveni said it was okay. Peace.

Joint Communique between the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Uganda issued at the Conclusion of the State visit to the United Republic of Tanzania by His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni President of the Republic of Uganda (26.02.2017)

Somalia: Drought Emergency Response (27.02.2017)