Rwanda: P5 Press Release – Rwandan Opposition Shocked by the Mysterious Disappearence from Maximum Security Prison of the 1st Vice President of FDU- Inkingi Boniface Twagirimana (16.10.2018)

MISA Zimbabwe: Private Media barred from covering Commission of Inquiry Hearing (16.10.2018)

World Health Organization calls crisis meeting over deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo (16.10.2018)

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called an Emergency Committee meeting on the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has already claimed around 130 lives.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 16, 2018 – The WHO has assessed the national and regional risk of the current Ebola outbreak in DRC as “very high,” although the global risk remains low and, so far, the UN’s health watchdog has not called for any trade or travel restrictions to be imposed.

The Emergency Committee, scheduled for Wednesday at WHO headquarters in Geneva, will decide whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and what recommendations should be made to manage the spread of the disease.

This outbreak, the tenth to hit the DRC over the last four decades, was declared in North Kivu Province on 1 August, this year and, based on the worsening security situation in and around the city of Beni, WHO elevated the risk from “high” to “very high” on 28 September.

The agency identified 39 new confirmed cases were reported between 1 and 11 October, 32 of which are from Beni.

The DRC Ministry of Health, WHO and other partners have been responding to the outbreak with teams on the ground, but WHO has warned that continuing insecurity severely affects both civilians and frontline workers, forcing the suspension of the response for several days in late September, and raising the risk that the virus will continue to spread.

More than 20 civilians in Beni were killed in the incident that provoked the suspension, which came on the heels of multiple attacks in previous weeks. It’s estimated by the UN that more than a million civilians under threat from armed groups, are internally-displaced in North Kivu; around 500,000 this year alone. The eastern region is close to the border with Uganda, and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that one month after the beginning of the school year, 80 per cent of school-aged children have returned to school in Beni and Mabalako health zones, the two epicentres of the Ebola outbreak.  UNICEF has identified more than 1,500 schools in the areas affected by the epidemic.

Burundi: OLUCOME – Termes de References de la Reunion de Reflexion sur la Contribution de la Societe Civile lors des Consultations preves a l’Occasion de Dialogue Inter Burundais pervue a Arusha (15.08.2018)

Kampala is a political mess: That is not Musisi’s fault!

That the political map and the organization in and around Kampala is frustrating. Is because there is first the Kampala Capital City Authority, who is a legal administration and Executive Director Jennifer Musisi. The Second there is the elected City Hall with the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the Divisions and Wards. Thirdly is the Ministry of Kampala and the State Minister Beti Kamya. Fourthly is the Members of Parliament representing the Capital City itself and the fifth the Presidential Advisor for Kampala Singh Katangole. Plus you have the added interference of the State House and the President, who micro-manage everywhere and especially in the Capital.

When you see this and the stages, you knew Jennifer Musisi had a hard job. Surely it was easier when she and the Minister Frank Tumwebaze impeached the Lord Mayor in 2013. So, they settled the score and one less item to pass through. Because you don’t need to be a wise-guy to understand there are to many cooks and to many procedures to do anything in Kampala.

You don’t only has the elected from the Wards to the Lord Mayor, the ones elected in Parliament with their reasons and wants of change. The KCCA has their jurisdiction, the City Hall has their, the Ministry orders people around and the Presidential advisor says whatever he says to the President, who suddenly intervenes as well. That is why I have always been worried about Kampala.

The hierarchy and the political landmines are everywhere. There are no leeway, as the monitoring and the checks and balances comes into question. The KCCA answers to the Ministry and orders the City Hall. The City Hall is ordered by both the KCCA and Ministry, while the City Hall is trying to have a saying in the KCCA and the Ministry, without getting anywhere. As they are both acting as the City Hall is a symbolic enterprise. Instead of having elected leadership to make changes, the President has appointed the KCCA and the Ministry to try to evaporate the City Hall. To some extent they have managed that.

We know that even the Division Mayors have wondered what their tasks are, as they have little or less to do. As well, as the Lord Mayor are feeling override by the KCCA. The KCCA was established to counter the opposition and get in their way. Combined with the Ministry of Kampala, they are never giving space and when the State House orders the Minister. The whole chaos are happening. Like the kicking out of vendors from Owino Park Yard. This was done by the will of State House on decree by the Minister and met with hostile reception from the Lord Mayor. This is a sign of a messed up system and not of building a better Kampala.

There are too many cooks and for a reason. The President wanted to ensure the value of the elected leadership get as low as possible, while his loyal minions will overcome them. That is seemingly working, but must be tiring and Musisi gave up battling with the Ministry, State House and City Hall. That is unforgiving job, but she carried it and did what the President wanted her to do. The only thing she didn’t manage was to usher Ragga Dee in as Lord Mayor. Peace.

KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi Resignation Letter to President Museveni (15.10.2018)

Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine: Statement About Our Kyarenga Concert (15.10.2018)

15th October, 2018

Last night I returned to Uganda after a very successful trip in Nairobi – Kenya. I am very grateful to Kenya for the warm brotherly welcome. Later, I will send out a special message of thanks to the people of Kenya and specific individuals who made our visit memorable.

I know that many of our friends are anxious about the status of our KYARENGA concert which stands scheduled for this Saturday. 20th October.

Upon return to the country, I had a meeting with our team to evaluate and make final decisions about the concert.

As you are all aware, there have been several hiccups in our preparations. These problems have been caused by the inconsistency and lack of transparency on the part of Uganda Police Force. For the past three weeks, the event organizers have been tossed up and about by the police. Indeed, over three weeks ago, we approached the police and informed them about our intentions to hold the concert as required by law.

We agreed and made payments to the Namboole Stadium management, and made a booking for the 13th of October. That was our initial date of choice for the show. After making a deposit on venue fees, the Managing Director of the stadium called requesting us to change the date because there was going to be a match between Uganda Cranes and Lesotho on the date we had booked. Even when we had already recorded adverts mentioning the 13th, we decided that a game involving our national team was very important and it was fit and proper for us to let them access the stadium. We then agreed with Namboole Management and rescheduled our concert for the 20th of October. We started advertising.

Once again our team went to the Police headquarters in Naguru with a written request for the Police to clear the show and provide security on that day. On arrival, the police officers in charge of recieving and filing letters refused to stamp on it to indicate that it had been recieved. Even when we insisted that we needed this for our records, they persisted. Days went by and when we followed up, the team was advised to meet the Director of Research in the Police about the same!

Our team went ahead with other copies of the letter to the Director of Research (Mr. Ochom) who sent us to the Inspector General of Police. The team went to the IGP’s office and he sent them to his assistant who then sent them to afande Asuman Mugyenyi.

At this point, these guys started speaking a different language.
The team was asked to get written clearance from Namboole stadium first and when they approached the Namboole MD for the letter, he in turn asked them for police clearance!

It is a day later that we saw a letter on social media addressed to us from Namboole saying that the 20th of October was also booked for a wedding. We asked for a copy of the letter if it was legitimate and it was not given to us.

The team also visited the Kampala Metropolitan Police office and the KMP head, Moses Kafeero referred them to his assistant. His assistant told them to go to the Chieftaincy of Military intelligence (CMI) if they wanted any information concerning police clearance of the Kyarenga Concert!

My team went back to the Police headquarters on Friday last week and they were told to go back today at 10am on condition that I appear with them in person. When they told me, I decided to cut short my trip to Kenya to attend this meeting today. To my dismay, when my team reached the Police headquarters this morning, they were told that the IGP was out of town. I resorted to making phone calls to him all day today but the person who picked my calls kept telling me that the IGP was in a meeting at the Police headquarters board room since 8:00am.

We have done everything required of us by law but it is apparent that the people in authority are doing everything possible to frustrate the concert.

As things stand, the concert has been left in balance. A lot of money and time have been spent in advertisements and preparations.

Dear fans and friends, I am not sure when or whether the Kyarenga Concert will happen. But I advise those in authority to desist from these provocations. I am a Ugandan artiste with a legitimate right to stage a concert.

Bobi Wine

Opinion: What is illegal about Patrick Oboi Amuriat?

I just have to ask after the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party President was scheduled to meet with party leadership for an internal meeting with the party leaders of Kasese today. However, he was blocked from entering today and was ordered to travel back to Kampala. The Police arrested him on the spot after blocking the road. Also because of lack of gas, they dropped him off in Fort Portal and further released him.

This is in the same month, the same Party President haven’t been allowed to accessing Kumi, Bukedea and Soroti. Therefore, he will struggle to meet and greet, but also access the party, as is his duty as the Party President.

If the police in these instances are using the Public Order Management Act of 2010 as reference, the law states that the internal gathering to discuss party organization and internal affairs, does not mean it is a public meeting and therefore, does not constitute the use of the law in question. This is in the explanation part of law.

What was happening today and earlier in the month, have been internal party gatherings and functions of the party, to discuss the way forward and how to organize their efforts. This has not been public meeting or rallies. Today was a meeting with local party leadership where the President of Party could also reside to follow.

Clearly, this is problem to the state, since they are now blocking the Party President to do his functions and follow his party. This is part of the paradigm, as the NRM are allowed to everything without any consequences, but the FDC have to be burned. This is yet another prime example of this. Where now Patrick Oboi Amuriat is now paying the price and cannot do his elected job.

What is weirder in this manner, did the police ever do this to Rtd. Gen. Mugisha Muntu? Did they stop him from doing his job and such? They stopped a few rallies in the Ankoli in the running up to the General Election, but at that point, the Police is stopping everything associated with Besigye. However, I cannot remember the Police crashing Muntu’s internal party work or even arresting at the FDC Headquarters, where others was taken away, but not him.

That was a side-note, but shows the difference of leadership and what it cost. It costs for POA to be who is and what he represents. Clearly he is striking a nerve and paying the price. As they are not allowing him to meet his own party leaders in the districts of Kasese, Bukedea, Kumi and Soroti. Who knows, which else districts they will block him from accessing?

Secondly, what is illegal with what POA is doing? To what extent and what rights has the security forces right to do this to him?

Certainly, with the knowledge of this police force and this leadership. This is not the last. Not the final straw. This saga will continue. Peace.

African Union: Peace and Security Council 800th Meeting – Communique on South Sudan (15.10.2018)

Zimbabwe: The statement as given by Hon Monica Mutsvangwa (15.10.2018)