Opposition leader Besigye have been under house-arrest since Election Day; giving more legitimacy to his cause by every moment; while the government can’t give real reason for the continued arrest!

Road Block at Kasangati 22.02.2016

Today I am writing out of my mind, as the was reported that the MPs in Parliament wanted reasons for keeping Dr. Kizza Besigye under siege with the heavy police brigade in Kasangati, Wakiso District. Something they been up to since 18th February, not that he has not been house-arrested before, that has occurred before, just as the travels and detentions at Naggalama Police Station and Kiira Road Police Station, is seemingly normal for the Presidential Candidate. And for a Presidential Candidate the close relationship with the men of law should not be there.

In his defense he is a politician, an opposition leader and the ghost of democratic leadership in Uganda, which is big thing for the men of law in Uganda. As the Police is a useful tool of the NRM-Regime and their tireless behavior to discredit the opposition. As they have created laws to get legitimacy for their actions as they have done tirelessly for attempting to stop opposition parties from organizing themselves. This done by the most biased law ever Public Order Management Act (POMA), IGP Kale Kayihura, CP Fred Enaga and all other Police Officers knows this law better then receipt’s for G-Nut sauces.

The continuation of the House-Arrest that lasted since mid-February without any charges or warrants, other than the preventative-arrest because if he is released; the country will go into chaos and contagious violence of near Armageddon proportion. As he does not have a tank, mambas, army and militias ready to re-create the massacre of Luweero again, the issue with that is that he is a peaceful politician with peaceful agenda, also talking about a peaceful transition and government that supposed to be accountable and the be transparent. While the ruling regime uses the army to suppress the people, police-force to detain people before trial and without charges, police-force who takes and detain people human rights activists and so. So the NRM-Regime and the government institutions are the ones who use the laws and order to keep everybody under their oppressive regime, while the NRM can do as they please and the opposition get detained or arrested for trying to their political work. Because the NRM has the Executive and he runs the place, so the other just should just kneel to throne.

M7 2016 Post Interview quote

Well, that is not a representative government right now. That is why the public is morning. Many might not be able to home today, because they couldn’t afford not to lose their jobs or would risk it by staying home. But the boycott can be important as the public performance of the black clothes or blue clothes as a sign of solidarity. But this here is not about that, still it is important to look at. This is a reaction to the unfree and house-arrested Dr. Kizza Besigye.

He has been house-arrested since 18th February, even been back and fourth since the 15th February, when he tried to get to have a Makerere rally and was taken back from Wandegeya roundabout. Then detained and then taken home. So he has only been really out of his home, when he went to All Saints for service, he has not voted in the local elections and been a citizen for the last 22 days, or even more. As the times he has tried to go out even to shop he has been arrested and detained at Naggalama Police Station. Before the Police took him home for more house-arrest, as that is their business at the moment.

This endless house-arrest is a meager display and arrogance of the ruling party, the Executive and the security forces who is in his hands. Besigye is under house-arrest for one simple reason: Legitimacy. The word who kills Museveni right now. No matter how the court case is going. How many people getting detained to hide the actual result, how many witnesses get missing, how many documents get forged to fit the announcement of Badru Kiggundu of 20th February; as the display of the government funds used to re-elect Museveni, the way the bribery and corrupt officials given voters money to sway their minds. This here is taking the vitality of the regimes new term and tenure. As the silence on the streets and the nearly warrior speech of NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba right after the announcement! That should be visible sign as the only ones celebrated been Uganda Media Centre, Kiira Motors Company and the paid Youths who made a tiny made up victory rally in Kampala. Certainty is that simple reason for Dr. Kizza Besigye continuation of house arrest is Legitimacy.

EU Out of Politics Pre-Election Period

Legitimacy and legit assurance and trust come with validity of the support of your citizens and population. That you do not get with guns, arms and rigging government institutions. But that is not easy for President Museveni to see right now, as it is not “Who” but “What” for him while he talking to his best fans, instead for the cows of Mbarara.

There been demonstrations in the diaspora like in Boston, U.S. and London, U.K. but not openly in Uganda, as in Uganda the Army, Military Police and Police has been heavy deployed. The people trying to access Besigye’s home has been either sent away, stopped on one of the three main roadblocks from Kampala, or if they got close been detained the DPC Kawalya or DPC Kasangati, and then sent to Kasangati Police Station. While using around USh8m daily to make sure that the presidential candidate, so he does not make a fuzz. With 22 days detained by close calculation means the government of Uganda has spent on keeping Besigye under siege a total 22 days x 8M = 172m. And the total amount of Police Officers on the detail is 150. So the Uganda Police Force sees the pride in keeping him inside his gates and in his home in Kasangati. If not, they are wasting a lot of manpower and resources to keep him there.

That the People and Citizens have not done more can be questioned, as they really showed up at every step of his campaign trail from November until the last day before Election Day. Since then the mourning and sadness has attended the land, while the government and security forces has gone into state of emergency. As the state has deployed the army and police to intimidate the public!

Ugandan Election 2016 Grieving

So long as Kasangati and the home of Dr. Kizza Besigye is besieged by the police under order from up-high and the Executive; as he knows what torn and scars to his reputation it is to have him around and know that he does not have support that Besigye have! That FDC could not file a petition that was why I first suspected why he was house-arrested and detained. Now over a week later and still behind the Police siege; the Police siege is so great that the Police invades the homes of his neighbor’s homes to go to the toilet, as the police officers after so long has still no mobile-toilet or anything of sanitary facilities. Therefore they have done it around the house, before the ones got fined for doing so. This proves the disregard of the public and how the people who happen to live around him now, get the issues with police. As the reports of people struggling to visit neighbors and move around the area, as the police check everybody.

With that in mind, people should know by addition to the Besigye home under siege, the people around also besieged and even “invaded” by the Police. That says how far this guy’s goes with efforts and reasons. As still days upon days an opposition leader is behind siege and not allowed to live normally because of his wish to create change and another type of government. That is the “sin” Besigye has done and why he is behind the siege. While the world is forgetting and the people seem to forget that they supported him during the pre-election period and just wanted be part of rallies, and not create the change. If not the fear of the Police and Army with their ability of create violence to citizens and detaining people. Now it is so strong that they do it because the government spread massive amounts of fear. I think is the fear and the mourning, not because they don’t believe in the change and the wish of changing government that actually represent them and not representing Museveni. As it does now!

So Uganda should #FreeTheVote #FreeBesigye and Kigwa Leero! The long staying and prolonged house-arrest does not make sense, but to validate the legitimacy of Besigye and proving as Gen. Muntu and others said it was a Coup d’état on the 20th February as the army was heavy deployed and police in the streets, not celebrating crowds for yet another term for President Museveni. Peace!

Press Release: Chadian CSOs urge citizens to be “Whistle-Citizen” in demonstration against re-election of President Idriss Deby in the up-coming election (09.03.2016)

Tchad CSO

Press Release No 003 / BC / 2016″whistle citizen”
Your “citizen” whistle whistle for the end of bad governance and whistle at the beginning of the rotation for the reorganization of the Republican and democratic values in Chad. On the eve of a fateful day that marks the official launch of the operation of the citizen and civic concept of “whistle citizen”, The “I whistle, so I’m alternating”, The Coalition enough is enough, camojet, Grail-Chad as well as all other platforms sisters of the interior and the diaspora call all citizens of Chad with liberty, of social peace, of the Republican and democratic values to participate massively to this action A citizen who is in this day of 10 March 2015, to whistle for 15 minutes starting from 5 Hours 30 minutes and 15 minutes in the evening from 21 hours.

By making this gesture citizen, you’re whistling the end injustice, impunity, nepotism, cronyism, favoritism, corruption, of your misery, your daily suffering to get your next meal, bribery, embezzlement of Public Funds, the freezing of integration to the public service, censorship and Wild Mills, communications, social networks by the government in complicity with the mobile phone companies, short of bad governance which you asphyxiation and a whistle and thus for the alternation In 2016.

Whistle

In Active citizen who wants to contribute to the real change in your country, so you’re the referee central of democratic game for the grand championship of alternation, Edition 2016. A gesture so simple but who gives a strong message to the actors of political life Of your country which must take into account your deepest aspirations for a rotation this year. The change, it is now and the main actor unavoidable, it’s you.

The whistle citizen that’s out the hardship, abuse, violations, the exclusion of all kinds and the harmful effects of democratic decline by the blast, whistling. The Breath Liberator of internal pain, the whistle which becomes voice, the voice of freedom who will be born of your courage! The Whistle, it is simply the citizen who referee, it is the people who referee. With your “whistle citizen”, You’re whistling the end of 25 years of governance at trial and error and a whistle and the beginning of the alternation in 2016.

With your “whistle citizen”, Express your anger from your home, without taking the risk of making you molestation, as you have done so well during the day “Villes Mortes” of 24 February 2016, away from your killers armed with your money against you , to kill you! With your “whistle citizen” you just bring your tear gas citizen which allows you to fizzle out, to stifle a system already dying who you asphyxiation.

With your “whistle citizen” you become the referee central of alternation in 2016! Beyond a one-time event, as a citizen in a country where no choice do you is given to get out and walk peacefully in order to express yourself, you have to make this valuable concept of “whistle citizen” that allows you to express yourself freely when There is need for it and the way you want.

Has your ” Whistles citizens ” For tomorrow, 10 March 2016, from 5 Hours 30 minutes to 5 hours of 45 and 21 hours to 21 hours 15 minutes. This is the 15 times two sequences that are 30 minutes for a start! Be the main actor of change and don’t stay on the sidelines of this beautiful story takes shape for the well-being of all and all. The Alternation you suck inevitably, it’s your precious breath that you use for whistling in your “whistle citizen” everywhere and every time that need to be.
Done at n ‘ Djamena, on 9 March 2016
The spokesperson
Mrs Narmadji Celine

The Police say the Boycott from “FDC is Illegal!” The Police use their holy grail POMA, and that some actually stay home in solidarity with Besigye today; Actual shop-keepers get arrested for closing their store in Rukungiri today!

Lumumba Block C 10.03.2016

Today it is first Thursday when many people stay home in solidarity to Dr. Kizza Besigye’s house arrest and the stealing of the votes on 18th Feburary 2016. The Police can’t handle that people are staying home and not talking. They can’t gather evidence and find out who really is opposition to harass. Therefore the CP of the Police said this to the media! And he had to use Public Order Management Act (POMA) the bill who is more used in Uganda then the Constitution to give the Police right to whatever they want.

“These demonstrations are deemed illegal because they are not authorized by Police as required under the Public Order Management Act, due to the potential of culminating into riots across the city; including arson, looting of properties, destruction and vandalism, and violent clashes between Police and rock throwing protesters. It is on record during the last such unlawful protests that several businesses reported damage, buildings destroyed, vehicles vandalized and injuries sustained,” says Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson” (Afunah, 2016).

That not going to work is illegal and not authorized from the Police is amazing. That the Police can state that you are making arson and potentially destroying property by not going to work is flamboyant at best.

Take look here:

Eyewitness: “Time check. 9:00 am I am at home i mean staying at home. The thought rung in my mind..go out and access the situation and find out the public response towards call for stay at home. Here i took a 5 minute walk to Kitintale taxi stage. This is one of the busiest stages in Kampala”

And if the police has issues with black or blue t-shirts while walking to work, it proves their partisanship and really, really foolish to demolish this way of showing their agony in public. The Police might not gotten a petition or form filled in with the planned demonstration, but the issue is that if they had filled it in, they would not been accepted. They have themselves aggressively preventative arrests of FDC and GO-Forward activists/officials/agents. Therefore the initial activities from the Police is not giving justice, but securing the Presidency and the elite of NRM. Not caring about democratic actions as they have sieged the home of Dr. Kizza Besigye since before the Election Day, the way the Police has attacked the Najjankumbi Headquarter have been raided twice. So if the Police expected that the FDC would comply with their rules now, it would be strange as they themselves has no regards for laws or regulations as they attack the FDC and Go-Forward by any means since the 18th of February.

The Demonstration of the FDC and their supporters is peaceful defiance and defying the institutions and businesses that supply funding to the NRM-Regime. They do not say that people should stay home if they fear of losing their job! It is a demonstration of character as they will defy the regime by peaceful means. The destruction and vandalism is more the way of the Police and Army as they hurt and kill. While the FDC want to wear a shirt and stop using MTN. If that is hard for Police to understand, I understand that as they have shown that they only understand violence, as they create it or harass the public. The Police cannot harass the public if they stay in their own home. They are allowed not to listen to Bebe Cool or Dr. Jose Chameleone or anybody else who supported President Museveni during his campaigning. They can listen to Bobi Wine or Lucky Dube if they want to, with that should cause tension. As much as staying home is a way of showing disaffection, if you couldn’t do that; than the public could do that through clothing as a sign of defying the regime; both of them are is soft and peaceful ways of demonstrations, not making the violence and creating vandalism.

So Uganda Police I do not know what you do in your homes if that is violent or vandalism, but that is up to you, and if the public is wearing something dangerous by wearing blue or black. Than you should start to wear that yourself since the Police are often the most dangerous, as you throw tear-gas, live-bullets and other aggressive behavior towards the people. And telling people that they are breaking the “Public Order” by staying home or even wearing some other clothing is just unserious, even if the FDC and the FDC NEC didn’t send a form displaying the articles and decisions to demonstrate peacefully in the country.

Rukungiri 10.03.2016

The actions of Rukungiri where shops have been closed in solidarity of the FDC and “Free My vote” campaign; the shop owners are now being arrested and detained by the Police;  So the Police have now lawful power to tell if the stores can be open and closed. By the assumption of the public display arresting Mr. Batuma and Mr. Sonko of Sonko Electronics in Rukungiri who has been arrested today after their store been closed. The FDC has been informed that UPF is looking out for business-owners that closed their businesses voluntarily. Is this the proud state of Police and NRM-Regime that you order businesses to be open or be detained by government forces? Is that parts of President Museveni’s pledges and speaking of peace during the pre-election period. As nobody could create violence or unrest in the country as long as he was President, the old man with hat and his security organizations has gone to far, when they take the men who lay down the work in solidarity for a cause and then detaining them, while looking for the other ones.

The people do this without creating any of the violence and vandalism. Even if a government car got burnt by the Electoral Commission offices in Kampala, compared to the violence you created when Dr. Kizza Besigye was crossing town to go to the Makerere rally on the 15th February 2016, this here has been nothing. I am sure the Police will blame it on the opposition, even if it was the Police themselves blazing the car, even if it was just a disgruntled employee of the Electoral Commission, who hadn’t gotten his/hers pay-check.

So if the Police struggle with the sit-home demonstrations and the clothing to show allegiance with opposition, with boycotting NRM and showing public disobedience. That should be allowed and not be questioned. Peace.

Reference:

Afunah, Badru – ‘Police Warns As FDC’s Protests Begin’ (10.03.2016) link: http://news.ugo.co.ug/police-warns-fdcs-protests-begin/

Letter from IGP to Supreme Court: “Re: Alleged Arrest of Witnesses in Election Petition No. 1 of 2016” (09.03.2016)

UPF 09.03.2016

Press Release: UK government to fund the Virunga park hydro-electric network and Congolese electoral process (09.03.2016)

Virunga Sign

The UK Government announced a funding of the hydro-electric network of the Virunga Park and the Congolese electoral process. 

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, March 9, 2016– It is through the UK Minister for Africa at the Department for International Development that the United Kingdom has announced an investment of up to $9 million, in the form of a loan, to the rural electrification programme of Virunga National Park, North Kivu.

The announcement was made at a signing ceremony at Matebe in Rutshuru – the site of a 13MW hydro-power facility constructed with grant funds from the Howard G Buffett Foundation – in the presence of North Kivu’s Vice-Governor, the Provincial Minister for Energy, the Director General of the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), representatives of civil society, private and public sector, and a representative of the British financial development institution (CDC), which is providing the loan with capital made available by the UK Department for International Development.

In his speech, Minister Nick Hurd stressed the impact that the achievement of objective 7 of the sustainable development goals – access to green energy – could have on the lives of the poorest and stressed the UK’s willingness to support it. To this effect he mentioned the “Energy for Africa” campaign, launched by the British Government on 22 October 2015. This campaign aims to speed up access to energy in sub-Saharan Africa and to achieve universal access by 2030.

Congo Headlines Paper

On his visit the Minister also announced additional UK funding of £11.4m for the DRC’s electoral process. Announcing this support, the Minister expressed concerns about the political situation, including the delay in organising the elections within the constitutional deadline. He said during an interview: “We note that deadlines set out in the electoral calendar of February 2015 have been missed. We call on the government, the electoral commission, and all parties to the DRC electoral process to take the necessary steps without further delay to ensure that elections due under the DRC constitution, in particular the presidential and legislative elections, take place as soon as possible”. He also called for respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights to ensure a peaceful political climate.

Resurrection of rebellion surfaces; while now the SUN sets on the NRM-Regime; And the disregard of justice and the Power-Vacuum created by this announcement of election results; creates distance between the Executive and the People!

Kapchorwa March 2016

This here is worrying signs in the times as people have fled their homes in Bundibugyo district, the violence that spark in Kasese, the intimidation in Kaabong amongst the Karamojong. The situation of house arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye, the harassment of FDC officials and the FDC agents detained, and the witnesses of the Go-Forward Group in the same predicament. While the army is still heavy deployed and the police is still in anti-riot gear. The FDC headquarter in Najjankumbi has been raided and staff been detained to take Declaration Results Forms. That is the main reasons for the troubles of Go-Forward and FDC.  

The worrying is the escalation with a rebel group official starting to attack President Museveni under their leader “Maii Moto” went and attacked the Police Station in Kapchorwa. Even reported that the “We, Save Uganda Now” (SUN) has taken responsibility for the attack on the 5th March 2016. As even seems to be two battalions and also having UPDF deserters. That is worrying sign, because the UPDF is very professional and well-trained therefore used in operations in Somalia, DRC and Central African Republic. They have even entered South Sudan and reported that certain parts were in Burundi right after the election in 2015. Therefore that UPDF army men leaving the fold and be parts of rebel group, says enough.

Petition 01.03.2016

This election has left lot of stones to turn as the continuation of fraud surface and the ways government has handled the elections and the aftermath. We see now the historical artifact surface after a hampered and rigged election. It is not enough how the announcement of the result happen on the 20th February from the Electoral Commission and the question of the existence of a National Talley Centre. The end game is strange and charade at the Supreme Court.

That a rebellious group as the SUN has surfaced should be worrying with mentality that the NRA came to power, as in previous times the ADF-NALU has made violence in the Rwenzori-Region and the LRA in Northern Uganda. Both of the other groups are now at other places and fought back by the UPDF, still they exist and torment of citizens in Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. They are all reactions to the regime of President Museveni. As the newly formed SUN; that SUN exists and already have created casualties in Kapchorwa. That is not a great look into the start of a new term and sworn-in. knowing that people are starting to use the same format and the same guerrilla and bush-war mentality as you did in the 1980s.

Wandegye Kampala 15.02.2016 FDC P2

It should be worrying already with the men killed after demonstrations, the hurt men after the tear-gas and live-bullets, the detaining and the shunning level playing-field and used the government institutions to achieve yet another “victory”. Not that it is legitimate or correct as the mourning proves and the way people showed up at the rallies of the opposition and the way they was ferried to President Museveni.

There certainly things brewing who is not well established, with the arbitrary laws and creating the Crime Preventers, while mixing the powers of the army and the police in joint operations while carrying out unlawful house-arrests and detaining opposition. It is in this territory that the SUN guerrilla and rebels shows up and shoots up a Police Station in Kapchorwa. Where they pick up guns and kills a police officer. In 1981 the NRA went to Kabamba in Mubende to gain strength and secure guns and ammunition for their bush-war.

Mbarara Buses 12.01.2016

For a man who knows this tactic, for a President, who gained force in this way and created a atmosphere of invisibility and maneuvering between guerrillas and government army, while regenerating public support his cause. That must be a worry for the man who has called the people of Kampala rats for voting opposition, blaming opportunists MPs and claiming that he is the only one who can keep Uganda safe. In that picture with the recent deaths, fleeing people and the tension proves that something has occurred and a mentality has changed. As the UPDF, UPF and other security outfit has more work than claiming the P10 of the FDC is an illegal branch who should be dissolved. As they don’t carry guns or create violence. They should fear the SUN guerrillas and rebels who have been created to work against President Museveni. As much as he should not underestimate them as the President Obote did in his time and how the rippling effect it does have, and knowing the main target is to take out NRM and their President Museveni after 30 years in power.

This here is not a wished picture or something anybody wants to see, as I have before explained the similarities between the election in 1980 and even how Dr. Kizza Besigye has been worked against is similar to then Presidential Candidate in 1996 – Dr. Paul Ssemongerere. There is vicious ways of the government operations and the ways they operate has generate a ghost or a reaction that is not peaceful, even if the main opposition speaks of peaceful dis-obedience, as boycotting and not using NRM infused businesses and tax-collecting companies that gives the regime money to fuel their operations. That is decent way of doing so if they get it deliberately and get the public to eat in and take part of it. As the western nations started to shun products from South Africa when the Apartheid policy surfaced and the oppressive regime was taken the lid of. Then the public started to buy the same products from other sources instead of giving the tax-money to South African and South African producers. That is what FDC and other opposition powers are talking. In the political climate now, that is sustainable, as long as the public actually does it. Citizens who show their disregard of the ruling party and their rich elite who keeps them there; therefore the natural reaction would be to stop using MTN or other big business that serves the government right now.

Enage 02.03.2016

The SUN is another type of reaction and their attempt and even start proves the liability and weakness in the army and the police as they could ambush the Police station. Even Police Spokesmen Fred Enaga claimed they we’re “mastermind” and this is a Police Force who prides themselves in intelligence and gathering information while detaining people preventative arrests and takes them to jail before the actions are done; as they fear people doing crime or creating chaos. As they have done ever since creating the Anti-Besigye Act or the POMA.

The SUN group uses the same device as the NRA did and already cleared one police station in the midst of the heavy deployment of army, roadblocks from central Kampala and out to Kasangati, the UPDF who supposed to keep things tight-knit and together with the police make sure no post-election happens, even as the violence hits Soroti, Kasese, Bundibugyo and now Kapchorwa. This is inflicted and notion of the intent from the government as they secure their own men and the handpicked men of the NRM, as they have ruled without to many questions since 1986. They been backed by the United States, Russia, Libya and other powers to secure a strong army and rebuild the country after bush-war. Now they are returning into the same landscape they fought to get rid of. As the Police standby while lawyers who work on a petition to question the legitimacy of the recent election is getting raided. While the evidence getting lost. This violent disregard of justice and double-standard; can fuel the men of SUN. Not that we want that, but we have to understand that.

FDC HQ 19.02.2016 Police Siege

As the killings and guerrilla warfare is not wished. But it happens when oppressive regimes and totalitarian regimes cremate the skeleton of sham elections, sham government and sham funding of government facilities, the loss of accountability and transparency; where everything is circulated amongst one man and his cadres. We can see that is the exposure and the clarity of the government institutions right now. They are all centered toward the executive and his decisions, as the IGP Kayihura has said he “follow orders” and do that without thinking. While before election Generals of the Army together with MPs said they feared going against the President Museveni. This here was put on wax and said to Daily Monitor. There was even reported that it was fear of defacing campaign-posters of him, as the poster represented the President.

When you are in this state and in the climate between people and leaders, when the MPs, Generals and IGP fear the President and would follow his command as a fear of losing the position he has “given them”. Then can have a deteriorating effect and make people kneel and speak as they want to think like the Executive, instead of building to creating a better government, as that is not important as much as clearing the state. Make sure that the state, parliament and government institutions can surely serve the Executive and not the people. The reason why the election became like it was and the excuses and tragic outcome, as the silence and the meager display of confidence in the regime; with the reaction as people tarnished Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya as he was first to congratulate President Museveni. In this sieging of the people’s will and the open stealing of ballots, has made certain bubbles to burst.

NRA marching to Kampala 1986

As it now seems as certain army deserters actual becomes a part of a guerrilla or militia, even an armed rebel group. That should be worry, even as it is nothing new in the history of Uganda, and the ability of UPDF to shut-down rebellion, though this time they might play it differently and the people might not celebrate the governmental army as before, because of the longevity of the bush-war that created the NRM and the longevity of President Museveni. It would be special if a guerrilla of his own trained deserters would bring him down, as he has never chosen peace or taken defeat as a leader, instead always blamed other people for his failure or opposition for destroying good policies. The SUN might be a little mosquito right now, I am sure Obote at one point didn’t take the runyankore upstart seriously, even if had been defense minister at one point, and been a part of the armed battle together with him battling Idi Amin. He was still sure together with Tanzanian army would be able with UNLA to destroy NRA. Something he didn’t as they could hide easy and move quicker than the government forces while tactically outmaneuver both other rebel forces as Dr. Kayira his Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM) and other ones. So secure the loyalty from the Baganda Kingdom and take Kampala and be sworn-in in 1986. This is something the NRM knows and should worry that they are doing the same as the men they got rid of in 1986, they even seem to have done certain murders that came to the surface in December 2015 by the shores of Lake Victoria, as the Police has not given the public any answers to the crime or given any indication of knowledge on the Christopher Aine case. And the months are rolling and the next swearing in of President Museveni together with his loyal Presidential neighbor’s and President Mugabe, as he will cling to power by any means. That means the army and police will use their guns and the tear-gas, operation to raid opposition offices, even lawyers offices and detain witnesses to keep silence on the electoral fraud that happen on the 18th February 2016.

Obote

Somewhere is Dr. Milton Obote shaking his head together with Yusuf Lule and Dr. Paolo Muwanga who did their business at one point of time in the Ugandan history. Now, this period will be historical for the disarray and measly display of arrogance from the NRM-Regime while the nature of business is shaping the results with the iron-fists, instead of democratic means or justice, as the concern of rule of law does not care for anything else the rule of power. The answer to this is the resurrecting of ghosts of the Ugandan history. Guerrilla and rebels to the government and their ruling; that it happens now show how deep down and little regard the government has for the people. That the Government of Uganda, President Museveni has made the people his enemy and created a big vacuum as the people feels betrayed by their Executive, this has led to people and UPDF deserters to start a rebellion and a guerrilla under the name “We, Save Uganda Now” (SUN). And the violence has been released unto police men in Kapchorwa days ago, as the Police and army, together with other political forces has created similar outcomes in Bundibugyo and Kasese. To many dies for too little as the Executive continues to suppress his own people and take them for granted. Peace.

Press Release: “Sub: Acquisition of 39% additional equity stake in DHG Phase Two Mauritius, Owning Style Industries Limited, Kenya (09.03.2016)

Kenya 0903 P1Kenya 0903 P2

A look into the fear-mongering in modern day politics; while showing politicians who believed in building inclusive and unified nations; as a counter to the fear-mongering politicians!

Cartoon-immigration-26-728

This here is not easy write as it is such a fearful debate; I will discuss the matter of fear in politics. I have taken it in pieces here and there because the militarization is a distinguished part of politics these days as they have always been. Military and armies have always been influential of how the political movement has been and how the structure of power has been established. But today I will not discuss the militarization of politics that I can do another day. Certainly I will discuss it more closely as it is ever present in politics. While today the main topic is the other part of politics who is the rhetoric of spreading fear about foreign influence, immigrations or the foreign people in the country! While I will counter them with leaders who wanted to build countries, and this in countries with many tribes and creeds as they have to work together to build the nations; these are the men I look up to, not the ones who spread fear, as that is the simplest and easiest tool to get the masses behind without showing a proper political policies or framework that can define a parties groundwork or ideology as the one goal is to do something fruitful as a politician.

History Immigration

FEAR and fear is a tool that many politicians use all over the globe. Usefully to gain political advantage and create a platform for their framework or even just cease the power the politicians wish to achieve. This piece will not be about Donald Trump even if he thrives on racial hatred and fear of the non-American value without being able to say what that is, which is from an outsider laughable, as it usually is the once spreading the fear use one Markie technic. He will still have a space as he is so visible by doing it and how he uses that technic.  

The first Markie technic from the politicians is finding the enemy, or if has to create the enemy. Usually a foreign forces, foreign people or foreign investments, as all of them will create a unstable environment and that these people, investors will take away the freedom and liberty, even steal the jobs that are there. This technic is used because the politician initially doesn’t have a political framework or policy on how to create the space of economic sense to find other solutions to make the laws, policies or the country’s budget to make a difference.

This will be most often by the biggest group of the people, neither the elite nor the educated; instead the majorities who have less education and more blue-collar work or industrial workers and the men and woman from both smaller towns and rural areas; as the capitals and central regions usually are more open and have more open approached to people and are more liberal in general. As the rural and smaller towns are further away therefore the people usually doesn’t get the same level of information as the central regions. Even in the digital age and watching TV and tabloid news gives the masses quick-feeding news instead of the deep diving information. This leads the masses and population into the levels of not checking the information or questioning the forces who spread certain information to the people.

UKIP Poster

Farage of UKIP has unemployment of British people because of immigration, and Romanians are the greatest criminals in the UK:

The fear they spread is like that East-European people are stealing the jobs in the United Kingdom as the party of United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage fears portrayed in his owns words: “I would rather we had communities that were rather more united and we had a situation where young unemployed British people had a realistic chance of getting a job, so yes I do think the social side of this matters more than the pure market economics” (Wintour, 2014). He also said this in 2013: “There have been an astounding 28,000 arrests in the Metropolitan Police area of Romanians in the last five years alone…92 per cent of ATM crime in the capital is already being committed by Romanian gangs” (Worral, 2013). This here is just typical living on fear as the place will only stay united if the British people is employed and chance of getting a job. That is not because of the market economics, but because of other reasons, that is typical rhetoric of men who thrive on fear, as he did the year before. As he then blamed Romanians for thieving as the Police had not the statics or proof of this number. It is as this is simply a matter that cannot be pure market economics. This proves the levels of fear that UKIP spreads with their words. Let me show you other people doing the same.

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Wilders of the PVV believes the Western hemisphere will not survive with the influence of Islam:

As in Netherlands the level of fear spreading and finding the once creating issues there in words of Geert Wilders of his Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) who has built a career on thriving the fear of foreign faiths and beliefs as his own exclusive piece he stated this: “Islam is an existential threat to our Western freedoms and our Judeo-Christian civilization. It also threatens the Atlantic partnership between America and Western Europe. It is our duty to limit this threat. It is our mission as patriots to protect our nations. The first measure we must take to stop Islam, reduce the risk of terrorism and save our civilization, is to stop all immigration from Islamic countries. It is a matter of survival” (Wilders, 2016). He proves his fear here that the level of problems coming to Europe through the Islamic faith is survival and if we don’t succumb to it we will be killed. This is demonetization of something else they yourself as it easier then unifying the countries and citizens. As the faiths are dangerous in his opinion as he does not have a framework or structure to regenerate or rejuvenate anything. Therefore he uses Islamic faith as a tool to spread fear for it as the immigration and immigrants from the countries of this faith is dangerous. That is rhetoric suited in the fear based policies.

Front National France

Le Pen’s National Front fears a barbaric invasion of France:

In France you have Marine Le Pen of the National Front who has as her father lived on the fear in the French population and thriving on it as well. She has said this: “Migrants are now wandering in our neighborhoods, around the train stations or in the slums, the cause for France of immense security and public hygiene problems” (…)“In the coming years, we could be in the presence of the invasions that were lived through in the Fourth Century,” said Ms. Le Pen, referring to the Barbarian invasions of Western Europe” (Nossiter, 2015). She proves the level of fear as the immigrants even invading the country and create hygiene problems. This sound more like of a past parties that nobody really want to be associated with. Let me give you an example: “In 1935, Dr. J. Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda, made the unconsciously sardonic statement, “National Socialism has simplified thinking for the German nation and brought it back to its earlier and primitive form” (Krzesinski, 1945). It is nearly the same the fear level of Le Pen as the fear of the nation back to the primitive aggression of the barbarian invasion will come back, if they don’t take care of the society.

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Siv Jensen of Norway does not want to the state of Malmø to Norway:

There leaders like this in Norway as well, take for example Siv Jensen of Fremskrittspartiet (The Progressive Party) who said this in 2013: ”If we permit this, Oslo and other Norwegian cities may approach the state of Malmö [Sweden], where emergency service personnel do not dare to enter certain parts of the city, and where Sharia law has entirely taken over. That is the reality in Sweden; we are not attempting to scaremonger” (Alm, 2013). She proves that ability as the counterparts in Europe to put Islamic people and their faith in one basket and expect everybody to be the same. It’s ironic that she is saying she is not scaremonger, while portraying a bleak picture if we let them come and we will create Malmø in Norway as well. That just proves to what an extent she goes to establish an enemy to generate votes.

Trump Quote

Donald Trump having issues with Mexicans:

Let me take Donald Trump as well, the American who also uses them versus us rhetoric to gain votes. See here: ““When Mexico (meaning the Mexican Government) sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you (pointing to the audience). They’re not sending you (pointing again). They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems to us. They’re bringing drugs.They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people! But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we’re getting. And it only makes common sense. They’re sending us not the right people. It’s coming from more than Mexico. It’s coming from all over South and Latin America, and it’s coming probably from the Middle East. But we don’t know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don’t know what’s happening. And it’s got to stop and it’s got to stop fast.” (…)”The Mexican Government wants an open border as long as it’s a ONE WAY open border into the United States. Not only are they killing us at the border, but they are killing us on trade … and the country of Mexico is making billions of dollars in doing so” (Walker, 2015). This here proves the fear mongering technic of Trump as he has nothing else, as the Mexicans are the issue, they creates the bad business and trade, they bring the wrong people to the United States and so on. This here is just like the right-wing politician who uses this level of fear to generate votes. He thrive on it and get the afraid white votes in United States, as they can’t check if this is true or not.

Now I want to go to something positive as the ones above has just spread the words of fear and that the world we are living is going to hell if we let our neighbors and refugees get a place to stay our whole system will collapse and Armageddon will come quicker than a Mel Gibson racist rant. This here is one part of the politicians that are out there and they are gaining and getting crowds; people are following it and respecting them. As fearful it is. But let me prove the different men and woman who creates unity and implement proper politics and framework, not FEAR as the only tool to build support. The healthy political venue and also show how to respect and create peace In between people and tribes.

Tanzania Nyerere

As one of greatest statesmen ever (in my opinon) wrote about unity for his fellow countrymen in Tanzania in 1967:

“A truly. socialist state is one in which all people are workers and in which neither capitalism nor feudalism exists. It does not have two classes of people, a lower class composed of people who work for their living, and an upper class of people who live on the work of others. In a really socialist country no person exploits another; everyone who is physically able to work does so; every worker obtains a just return for the labour he performs; and the incomes derived from different types of work are not grossly divergent. In a socialist country, the only people who live on the work of others, and who have the right to be dependent upon their fellows, are small children, people who are too old to support themselves, the crippled, and those whom the state at any one time cannot provide with an opportunity to work for their living” (…)”The development of a country is brought about by people, not by money. Money, and the wealth it represents, is the result and not the basis of development. The four prerequisites of development are different; they are (i) People; (ii) Land; (iii) Good Policies; (iv) Good Leadership. Our country has more than ten million people1 and is are; is more than 362,000 square miles” (Nyerere, 1967).  This man shows the real material and values of somebody uniting the people even if he does not even want the nation into classes, some people might see it socialism and Marxism. And the maxim does not need be in that way to become peaceful or uniting. Let me take a man who speaks peace between people and not having socialist feeling, still proving the possibility of unification between people.

Kaunda Book

How Dr. Kenneth Kaunda united the tribes of Zambia:

“Interviewer: United 72 tribes together was a major challenge. How did you manage, as the First President of Zambia, to overcome such thing?” His answer: It was very important and a difficult situation for us as a country. We still had our small tribes and we still did not know what was coming ahead of us. We had to build all this up into ‘One Zambia, One Nation’.  Living this slogan is not just something that was talked about, but something that Zambians believed in, and they began living and behaving in the spirit of unity as quoted in the slogan” (Winne, 2015). His other important question: “As the First President, you have implemented humanism and nationalisation of the economy. What were the main reasons for doing so?” His answer to the question: “Humanism formed a basis to guide everything that was done or implemented in the country. Moreover, the economy has to be nationalised to help raise the standards of living for the poverty stricken people” (…)”At the time, there was racial segregation and the challenge was to tackle this situation. It was important for people to understand that it was not their colour that mattered, but rather the behaviour of the person. As such, humanism became important and it helped us overcome racial segregation.  The concept of humanism meant that all human being lived united according to how God wants them to live” (Winne, 2015). Dr. Kenneth Kaunda does something important and says that the value is the people of all the tribes belongs to the country and pride in the idea of one Zambia. Not segregating, that was the matter with humanism and let the people be united. It proves the greatness in believing in that if people unify they will be stronger.

Tradeau Poster

Let me take the new Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau who speaks totally different on cultural differences than other in western hemisphere:

“Canadians have proven that a nation can be strong not in spite of our differences but because of them, and we all have a responsibility to be custodians of this country’s character. Canada’s success is rooted in its unique approach to liberty through inclusive diversity. While we have built vital institutions like the Charter, sustaining this liberty requires continued political leadership” (Liberal, 2015). He believes that the diversity through liberty is a reason for success for Canada, while his counterparts in Europe fear the diversity and sure the world will fall into abyss, he differ; as he continues on his victory speech: “To her I say this: you and your fellow citizens have chosen a new government, a government that believes deeply in the diversity of our country. We know in our bones that Canada was built by people from all corners of the world who worship every faith, who belong to every culture, who speak every language” (…)”We believe in our hearts that this country’s unique diversity is a blessing bestowed upon us by previous generations of Canadians, Canadians who stared down prejudice and fought discrimination in all its forms. We know that our enviable, inclusive society didn’t happen by accident and won’t continue without effort. I have always known this; Canadians know it too. If not, I might have spoken earlier this evening and given a very different speech” (Trudeau, 2015). He proves his faith in the diversity and how that built the country and an inclusive society. The positive belief that people of all kinds can build a society together; as the Canadians can and that all of them can build the country no matter creed, language or faith that is telling that nobody is enemies of the idea of Canada. That is a strong unifying message!

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Another hero with a unifying message to his people was first ANC President in South Africa, Nelson Mandela on his inauguration on the 10th May 1994:

“That spiritual and physical oneness we all share with this common homeland explains the depth of the pain we all carried in our hearts as we saw our country tear itself apart in a terrible conflict, and as we saw it spurned, outlawed and isolated by the peoples of the world, precisely because it has become the universal base of the pernicious ideology and practice of racism and racial oppression” (…)”We trust that you will continue to stand by us as we tackle the challenges of building peace, prosperity, non-sexism, non-racialism and democracy” (…)”We deeply appreciate the role that the masses of our people and their political mass democratic, religious, women, youth, business, traditional and other leaders have played to bring about this conclusion. Not least among them is my Second Deputy President, the Honourable F.W. de Klerk” (…)”We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination” (…)”We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the million of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world” (…)”We are both humbled and elevated by the honour and privilege that you, the people of South Africa, have bestowed on us, as the first President of a united, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist government” (…)”We understand it still that there is no easy road to freedom” (…)”We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success” (…)”We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world” (Mandela, 1994). He has faith that the white and blacks could build a country on a road to freedom, as a united people, not that it would be easy, still wanted the country to be a rainbow nation and let everybody walk with dignity. Mandela does not make anybody enemies, but says the people and the government must be united for a reconciliation and building the nation, as a united people. That gives not only a certain people the responsibility, but both people and government. Also that he earlier says that not only the former ethnic difference has to be changed, but also the economic bondage and other discrimination, therefore he sees the whole society.

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Afterthought:

I wanted to show the difference between those who spreads fear and the ones who see multiculturalism as the fear levels certain politicians are sending is just horrific. They disrespect the intelligence of the audience and society. Not to talk about the long living history of different people living in the same area, different religions in the same dominion and so on.

I hate the way the fear of other people being used and the way it supposed to destroy the nations and governments, the reason for unemployment and so on. The fear is just a given from this men and woman because they don’t have a political framework or political policy worth listening to. The people don’t need to look at the basic parts of their plans. They can see that the ideal that they carry is a fairytale story, instead of building nations and a legacy that they really will be remembered by.

While the once had a faith the people of the country and their support too actually to address the way ahead, instead of finding an enemy and creating a problem to fight together. That proves certainty of leadership, instead of making up and saying that people are coming to steal, invades or take the jobs; because the men who say that the people could unite and become one has tried to generate positive development and made history by doing so. Even though the Canadian Prime Minister has just recent one the campaign in 2015, so he needs some time. While Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda did their countries, good, still Nyerere and Kaunda also made wrong decisions, but their initial try and their vision has created peace between the tribes and made the country envisioned in the idea of Zambia and United Republic of Tanzania. That shows the great work of these men and their level of starting to build a state. That does not come easy.

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I will another day look into the way certain government uses militarism to generate fear in the population, as this is the fear of an invisible enemy or an enemy amongst the citizens. That the citizens should be aware and that the unity will be gone if they get to be a part of the people and united together. As differs from the people who tries to build their nations, or even believe that the multiculturalism is a reason why the country is succeeding as the Canadian PM says. I am sure if we had an discussion between Trudeau and the Wilders it would be heated, even with Le Pen and Trudeau would make a general fight of ethics and how to make society great. As Le Pen and Wilders has another view and uses the fear to generate votes in their countries. While Trudeau salutes multiculturalism. Donald Trump even massively lives and thrives on throwing immigrants under the bridge, while he marries immigrants (that is a side-note check that fact yourself).

That is enough for today. Remember we are as strong as our friendships, as we united against hatred and those who create fear. We the rest who really see through their shenanigans and racist behavior, even pro-nationalism men and woman who address fellow human beings as lesser people, should think more through their words. As we all have the same needs and needs the same kind of childhood, livelihood, education and life. The difference is the staple-food, the environment and so on. So that they establish the other people as significant different is just ignorance and also wrong. As the thing you can learn from other cultures can enrichen your life and your thoughts as the world really get smaller and at the same time more complex. But the men and woman who speaks fear and thrive on it does not have the interest for that. I would doubt that.

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Last thought, a reason why the fear-mongers get a big space in society:

I am one of them who stand by the men and woman who believes in multiculturalism and also in the possibility of unity and unifying the countries. Not that is easy, but the constant dialogue and the continuation to listen, and come to a consensus can bring hope between all groups of society instead of looking for enemies or blaming other people in society. As the other people looks for and can’t find a way to build or rebuild society, they find immigrants and Islamic faithful as the men and woman that creates the social issues, not the basic wrongs in government or free-market thinking, even in post-modern Europe, but that is not a question for now. This here is something that should be considered; as there might be a vacuum of power and levels of from central government and the citizens, and that is why this politicians who spreads fear get a the giant microphone and place in society, instead of the people who has certainty thoughts and ideals to build peace together and not creating fear of each other in society! Peace.

Reference:

Alm, Christina – ‘Siv Jensen of the Norwegian Progress Party – embattled and popular’ (06.06.2013) link: http://www.d-intl.com/2013/06/06/siv-jensen-of-the-norwegian-progress-party-embattled-and-popular/

Krzesinski, Andrew J. – ‘NATIONAL CULTURES, NAZISM AND THE CHURCH’ (1945) – . Rare Books and Manuscripts. Book 17 link: http://digital.kenyon.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=rarebooks

Liberal – ‘Statement by Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau on the anniversary of multiculturalism’ (07.10.2015) link: https://www.liberal.ca/statement-by-liberal-party-of-canada-leader-justin-trudeau-on-the-anniversary-of-multiculturalism/

Mandela, Nelson – ‘Nelson Mandela at his inauguration as President of South Africa, Pretoria’ (10.05.1994) link: http://mandela.gov.za/mandela_speeches/1994/940510_inauguration.htm

Nossiter, Adam – ‘For Marine Le Pen, Migration Is a Ready-Made Issue’ (05.10.2015) link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/world/europe/for-marine-le-pen-migration-is-a-ready-made-issue.html?_r=0

Nyerere, Julius – ‘The Arusha Declaration’ (05.02.1967) link: https://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/nyerere/1967/arusha-declaration.htm

Trudea, Justin – ‘Victory Speech’ (20.10.2015) link: http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/justin-trudeau-for-the-record-we-beat-fear-with-hope/

Walker, Hunter – ‘Donald Trump just released an epic statement raging against Mexican immigrants and ‘disease’ (06.07.2015) link: http://uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trumps-epic-statement-on-mexico-2015-7?r=US&IR=T

Wintour, Patrick – ‘Nigel Farage: Ukip wants five-year ban on immigrants settling in UK’ (07.01.2014) link:  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/07/ukip-ban-immigrants-nigel-farage

Winne – ‘Zambia: Interview with Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’  (14.04.2015) link: http://www.winne.com/zm/interviews/dr-kenneth-kaunda

Wilders, Geert – ‘EXCLUSIVE – Geert Wilders: Stopping Islamic Immigration Is a Matter of Survival’ (09.02.2016) link: http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/02/09/stopping-islamic-immigration-is-a-matter-of-survival/

Worrall, Patrick – ‘FactCheck: Nigel Farage’s Ukip conference speech’ (20.09.2013) link: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-nigel-farages-ukip-conference-speech/15888

Civil Society Statement on the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: “Uganda’s Rise – Our Responsibility!” (07.03.2016)

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A look into the recent events in Mozambique; as Renamo can’t accept Frelimo’s grip of power; while MDM stays in the shadow; the citizens and the army needs answers while refugees flee to Malawi from the violence; President Nyusi have a job to do!

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Here I will go through the days and happenings between the Frelimo (Mozambique Liberation Front) and the Renamo (Mozambique National Resistance). This here will show the actual struggle between them as it where, day by day from the 3rd February to the 6th of March. There been a lot of actions. This is not something new as the two groups have fought against each other. They had signed a general peace agreement in Rome back in the day 4th October 1992. There been flaring clashes between the government forces under orders from Frelimo and the opposition Renamo. Even as there been steady cease-fires and battles between them, even in 2013 and the last one in October in 2014! As the last one left it peacefully enough to have campaign time during the late months of 2014. So hat President Filipe Nyuse could be sworn-in on 15th January 2015. So the flaring clashes and skirmishes between them started late 2015. But I have put the latest ones to prove that this seems more likely to systematically and that the parties involved in doing it to their own gain. As the people of Mozambique is the ones that loose on the instability and unsure environment. That cannot be seen as positive view on the latest expansion of the actions. What worries me is the Government of Mozambique claiming that it is ordinary migration that is the reason for the fleeing people from the country to Malawi, while the reports from Malawi proves the sinister and violent aggression they have seen and felt from both Frelimo and Renamo. Take a look!

Nyusi Mozambique

On the 3rd February:

“President Filipe Nyusi declared on 3 February that the heroes who fell in the struggle to liberate the country from Portuguese colonial rule “do not signify only the past, but also the present, and they will signify the future – the future that we are all building” (…)”The future that Mozambicans are building, the President said, should reflect the efforts and sacrifices made by the country’s heroes during the liberation war. He stressed that the goal of the country’s heroes, was not merely to throw out the Portuguese colonialists, but to ensure independence in the economic as well as the political sphere” (…)“While the people still do not have drinking water, electricity, sufficient schools and hospitals, we still have not competed the mission for which our heroes fell”, he declared. “This is a moment for reflection, for commitment to the development of Mozambique” (AIM, 2016).

On the 5th February:

“Six Renamo gunmen shot a community leader, Cipriano Sineque, and his son in Bebedo, Nhamatanda, Sofala, on 5 February. The head of the Bebedo locality, Bernabe Ndapitaia, who accompanied the wounded men to the Beira hospital, said that Renamo is targeting traditional chiefs and community leaders, in an attempt to weaken these authorities. This was the fourth such incident in the area. “All the community leaders in that area no longer sleep at home, because they are afraid the Renamo men will come after them”, said Ndapitaia. “The Renamo men have drawn up a list of their victims”. “Fear has spread through the area”, he added” (Hanlon, 2016).

2013-06_Mozambique-Renamo

On the 9th February:

“The Mozambican police force has promised to block any attempt by opposition movement Renamo to install checkpoints on the country’s main highways, in what Renamo is billing as an effort to protect its members from kidnap and assassination attempts” (…)”Horacio Calavete, a Renamo official in Beira, the capital of central province Sofala, told reporters on Monday 8 February that Renamo would set up road blocks at “strategic points” on the north-south EN1 highway, and the east-west EN6 that runs between Beira and the Zimbabwean border in the province of Manica” (…)”The alleged incident is the latest in a series of claims and counter-claims from both Renamo and the Frelimo-led government that each side is attacking individuals on the other side” (Zitamar, 2016).

On the 10th February:

“Asked whether South Africa would play a role in the political crisis in Mozambique, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, reportedly said that there had been no official request for South Africa to get involved. If such a request were to be made, the cabinet would first consult with the Mozambican government, she told the African News Agency during a visit to Maputo on Wednesday 10 February. ‘Mozambique has an elected government,’ she is quoted as saying” (Louw-Vaudran, 2016).

Afonso Dhlakama Campaign rally

On the 11th February:

“Five cars were fired upon on Mozambique’s main north-south highway north of the River Save today, a police spokeswoman said, blaming gunmen from opposition movement Renamo for the attacks which killed no one but left three people injured” (…)”The stretch of road where the attacks took place, between the River Save and the town of Muxungue, was the scene of repeated Renamo attacks on vehicles in 2013 and 2014, before a cease-fire was agreed in September 2014 to allow Renamo to take part in elections the following month” (Zitamar, 2016).

On the 12th February:

“The Mozambican police force has promised to block any attempt by opposition movement Renamo to install checkpoints on the country’s main highways, in what Renamo is billing as an effort to protect its members from kidnap and assassination attempts” (…)”Speaking in the capital Maputo today, police spokesman Inacio Dina told journalists any Renamo checkpoints would be illegal, and the police “will use the legitimate means it has in its mandate to restore order.”(ExxAfrica, 2016).

Renamo Ambush

On the 13th February:

“Afonso Dhlakama, leader of Mozambique’s former rebel movement Renamo, says President Jacob Zuma is favourably disposed towards mediating in the conflict between Renamo and the Mozambican government” (…)”Dhlakama nonetheless insisted that Renamo had sent a letter to Zuma via the South African High Commission in Maputo and had received an encouraging response” (ANA, 2016).

On the 14th February:

“Renamo returned to war with attacks Thursday and Friday on the N1, the main north-south road, in Sofala province. Eight cars were shot at; six people were injured but there were no fatalities” (…)”Renamo secretary general Manuel Bissopo was seriously injured and his bodyguard killed in a drive-by shooting in Beira on Wednesday 20 January. Dhlakama’s convoy was shot at on 12 and 25 September last year” (Hanlon, 2016).

Mozambique Renamo

On the 15th February:

“Policy makers increased the rate by 100 basis points to 10.75 percent, the Maputo-based institution said in an e-mailed statement on Monday” (…)“The Bank of Mozambique’s Monetary Policy Committee assessed the recent developments in the international economic context, in which the slowdown of the economic activity of developed economies, emerging markets and the Southern African Development Community region stands out,” it said. “The deceleration of the Chinese economy and the persistent decline in commodity prices are the main risk factors in the international context, with probable impacts on global growth, in a context that’s still characterized by the persistent strengthening of the U.S. dollar.” (McDonald, 2016).

On the 16th February:

“Gunmen of the former rebel movement Renamo murdered an official of the ruling Frelimo Party in Nhamatanda district, in the central Mozambican province of Sofala on Monday morning, according to a report in Tuesday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”” (…)”The Nhamatanda district administrator, Boavida Manuel, told reporters that Silva was murdered at his home shortly after midnight by a group of six Renamo gunmen. His wife, 47 year old Dorca Benjamin, was seriously injured, and is currently under medical care in Beira Central Hospital” (AllAfrica, 2016).

On the 17th February:

“The state-owned Radio Mozambique reported that the clash happened when a Renamo armed group attacked a road block early Wednesday on a tertiary road in Gorongosa district, central Mozambican province of Sofala” (…)“In an exchange of fire, a policeman was killed and a Renamo fighter also died”, said Manuel Camachu, administrator of the area, adding that the fighting lasted for 30 minutes and the Renamo men fled to the bush. Gorongosa used to be Renamo’s stronghold during the ended civil war Renamo waged against the Frelimo-led government” (News Ghana, 2016).

On the 18th February:

“At the opening session of the third ordinary session of Parliament, the parliamentary leader of Frelimo (Mozambique Liberation Front) called for negotiations and her colleague from Renamo (Mozambique National Resistance) said that her party is prepared to talk, but questioned the good faith of the other party” (…)“As for the negotiations or dialogue for peace, Renamo is ready,” said Ivone Soares, while adding that agreements signed in the past have not been implemented and questioning guarantees that “future commitments will be honoured in the spirit and in the letter” (…)“The country is experiencing a climate of tension created by Renamo, endangering development,” said Talapa, who expressed regret over the “incendiary and totally irresponsible speeches” being delivered in parliament, and for incitements to “civil disobedience, divisiveness, tribalism and war as means of coming to power” (…)”The MDM (Democratic Movement of Mozambique), the third-largest parliamentary force, also addressed the political and military crisis, arguing that “Mozambicans do not deserve another war” nor more violations of human rights and an autocratic state” (…) “This endemic violence must stop and give way to constructive dialogue”, Lutero Simango, parliamentary leader of the MDM, said, adding that “peace is not a matter of a party or two,” but “a national imperative” that must be everyone’s agenda” (Lusa, 2016).

Mozambique Liberation

On the 19th February:

“MARGARIDA TALAPA, Head of the Parliamentary Group of the ruling FRELIMO Party says the dissidents have caused tensions in the SADC country” (…)”Ms TALAPA says such people also understand perfectly well dialogue is the best option for obtaining effective peace in MOZAMBIQUE; but the supposedly reasonable wing of RENAMO is made up of cowards” (…)”She has further called on RENAMO to comply with the agreement on a cessation of military hostilities, which it signed on FIVE SEPTEMBER 2014, and call on its operatives to hand over their weapons” (…)”She claims the ruling party manipulates the defence and security forces, and attacks RENAMO forces which are awaiting reintegration” (Saba, 2016).

On the 20th February:

“Authorities in Mozambique are disputing reports that over 6,000 refugees in Malawi are fleeing skirmishes in the northern part of the Mozambique between Frelimo and Renamo” (…)”BBC on Friday quoted the Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi as saying there was no war in the country warranting the fleeing of some people, described asylum seeker in Malawi as a normal migration” (…)”Refugees interview by the BBC said they fled Frelimo brutality. Some woman claimed they were raped by government soldiers as punishment for “shielding” Renamo rebels” (Khamula, 2016).

On the 21st February:

“More than 6,000 Mozambicans have fled to neighboring Malawi since mid-December to escape clashes between government forces and armed militants of the main opposition party Renamo, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency” (…)”The number of people fleeing Mozambique has been increasing because of the clashes between Renamo and government forces,” Ghelli said. “The asylum seekers told us this.” (Odziwa, 2016).

Mozambique soldiers vs Renamo

On the 22nd February:

“The man, Domingos Jose, is a major in the Renamo militia, who was demobilized in 1994, after the end of the war of destabilization. His arrest is further evidence that Renamo is attempting to recall men who were supposed to have returned to civilian life 22 years ago” (…)”According to a report in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, Jose was one of a group of five Renamo gunmen, armed with AK-47 assault rifles, who attacked the police post in an abortive attempt to seize the weapons it contained” (AllAfrica, 2016).

On the 23rd February:

“Gunmen of the Mozambican revel movement Renamo injured two policemen in an ambush on Saturday in the Mutamba region of Barue district, in the central province of Manica” (…)”The Manica provincial police commander, Armando Mude, confirmed that two policemen were slightly injured in the ambush which occurred at about 12.00” (…)”Mude said that after this incident calm returned to Mutamba. He dismissed the Renamo ambush as mere banditry, and insisted that security along the road is guaranteed” (AIM, 2016).

MDM Campaign Mozambique

On the 26th February:

“President Filipe Nyusi today reiterated his willingness to dialogue “without preconditions” with the largest opposition party in Mozambique, Renamo, appealing “to all of Mozambique’s friends” not to encourage the use of weapons” (…)”We reiterate our openness to dialogue without preconditions,” said the head of State of Mozambique, speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Police Academy of Sciences (ACIPOL) in Maputo” (…)”Mozambique is experiencing a situation of political uncertainty for several months and the leader of Renamo threatens to seize power in six northern and central provinces of the country, where the opposition movement claims victory in the general elections of October 2014” (…)”The President Filipe Nyusi has reiterated ihis willingness  to meet with the leader of Renamo, but Afonso Dhlakama believes that there is nothing to talk about,  Frelimo having rejected in parliament the timely revision of the Constitution  to give legal cover to the new administrative regions claimed by the opposition and says that dialogue will only resume after the seizure of power in the centre and north of the country” (Lusa, 2016).

On the 1st March:

“Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the Mozambican rebel movement Renamo, has declared that any dialogue with the government is dependent on Renamo first taking power in the six central and northern provinces which it claims (Manica, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia, Nampula and Niassa)” (…)”Dhlakama’s position is contained in a statement published in the Renamo information bulletin, which declares “Renamo is willing to hold a dialogue with Frelimo, but demands in the first place the governance of the six provinces where it won the elections. Hence any dialogue in the future should occur when Renamo is effectively governing in those provinces” (…)”As for mediators, the government has repeatedly said it sees no need for foreign mediators in a dispute between Mozambicans. At Renamo’s insistence, a group of Mozambican mediators took part in the dialogue between the government and Renamo that ran from April 2013 to August 2015, when Dhlakama unilaterally suspended it” (AIM, 2016).

1st March 2016 Renamo

Reports of actions on the 3rd March:

“Mozambique’s state media on Thursday reported that a group of armed men from the main opposition Renamo attacked four civilian vehicles on Thursday morning in the central Mozambican province of Sofala, resulting in a few injuries” (…)”Radio Mozambique spoke to the administrator of Muxungue, Domingos Fernando, who confirmed the attack on four vehicle” (…)”But he said the fourth vehicle, which was heading to the northern city of Nampula was attacked at 7 O’ Clock in the morning” (Coastweek, 2016).

“Parliamentary deputies from Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party on Thursday urged the Attorney-General’s Office to investigate crimes committed by the rebel movement Renamo, and suggested that Renamo could be outlawed as a political party” (…)”This is the only case in the world where there is a party which is in parliament and at the same time waging war in the bush”, said Frelimo spokesperson Edmundo-Galiza Matos Junior, speaking in the second day of a debate with the government on the politico-military tensions in the country”.(…)“It is time for the Attorney-General to analyse seriously the legality of Renamo in the light of the Constitution and the Penal Code, which were passed here with Renamo voting in favour”, he declared” (…)“Is Renamo a political party or a group of armed men who loot the goods of the people – in short armed bandits?”, asked Lucinda Malema, while Lutse Rumeia said “Renamo should have been banned a long time ago. It’s no more than a gang of terrorists and bandits” (…)“Emdio Xavier added a demand that the government should suspend all payments to Renamo. AS a parliamentary party, Renamo receives a monthly state subsidy in proportion to the number of seats it holds” (AllAfrica, 2016).

On 4th March:

“The Mozambican government has deployed about 2,000 soldiers to the opposition’s Gorongosa District stronghold, the media reported” (…)”The deployment, the Moçambique para todos newspaper said, was being seen as targeting the Gorongosa hill, believed to be the hideout of the main opposition Renamo leader, Mr Afonso Dhlakama” (…)”According to Mr Dhlakama, the Mozambican government had ignored calls for dialogue with the opposition, but President Filipe Nyusi insists he would settle for nothing short of direct talks with the opposition leader” (Viera, 2016).

University Eduardo Mondlane.img_assist_custom-442x318

On 5th March:

“Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi has sent a letter to Afonso Dhlakama, the leader of the country’s main opposition party and rebel militia, inviting him to urgent talks on how to restore peace to the country” (…) ”Renamo said in a statement on Friday that Dhlakama is available for talks with the Frelimo government, while condemning an alleged build-up of 4,500 troops from Mozambique’s military and police forces in preparation for a military “mega-offensive” in the central Mozambican provinces of Manica and Sofala. Daily newspaper CanalMoz said on Thursday the government has sent around 2,000 troops to Gorongosa, the district within Sofala where Dhlakama is currently based” (…)”According to a statement released late on Friday, 4 March by the President’s office, Nyusi has appointed a team of three including Jacinto Veloso, a veteran of the war of liberation and a former head of intelligence and state security, to prepare the meeting between Nyusi and Dhlakama” (Zitamar, 2016).

On the 6th March:

“Gunmen of the Mozambican rebel movement Renamo on Saturday morning opened fire on a bus in the central province of Manica, killing two people and injuring a further eight” (…)”The ambush took place in the Honde area, in Barue district, on the main road from the provincial capital, Chimoio, to Tete, and on to Malawi and Zambia” (…)”Addressing a press conference in Chimoio, the Manica provincial police commander, Armando Canheze, said that because the ambush took place near a position of the defence and security forces, police were able to reach the scene before the attackers had an opportunity to loot the bus” (AllAfrica, 2016).

Afterthought:

(From what I found) Numbers
Deaths 4
Injured 21
Total 25

This numbers are surely small and might be even bigger as some reports are vague about the amount of people injured at an attack from Renamo as the score is not set. Also the witness report from the people of Malawi does not specify the actual numbers that has been hit. The numbers I have contained is the numbers that are specific in the reports I have collected.  So my numbers can only give an indication and not be the actual number of people hurt/injured or dead by the Renamo, army or the police in these skirmishes.

What is very obvious is that Renamo men work in one way and have two main tactics. Going in 6 man groups to houses of governmental leaders or Frelimo leaders to injure or kill them a as a tactically spreading fear, also ambushing main roads to make daily-life into a dangerous journey and show the weakness of the government forces.

What is also very clear is that Frelimo have not delivered everything promised earlier for certain reasons, as the army and police work against the Renamo, and who answered who on at this stage is hard to say. As the 1992 peace agreement promised either guerrillas or armies to become political actors, so both Frelimo and Renamo have arms and now how to use arms. Though at any point Frelimo always have the upper-hand as a government entity and the rule of power. As this also open the questions if they as a longstanding ruling party have used the government facilities, institutions, funds and armies to secure the role of government, yet again as they have been the main party since in independence in Mozambique. And because of this divide a newly formed party has surfaced called MDM (Democratic Movement of Mozambique) they can bring some form civility between Frelimo and Renamo as they have both new and old wounds.

The most astonishing thing for me is that the government and the President Nyusi together with fellow party fellows claiming that the people fleeing the skirmishes and battles between the government forces and the Renamo army is ordinary migration. When the amount of the people who flees at once it is not ordinary migration, as the 6,000 people deserves better and be taken serious by a President, not only by the authorities of Malawi, but also the Mozambique government as they have been responsible for this people and still are as they are initially their citizens and had homes in districts close to Malawi and areas that was under control of Renamo. Renamo is responsible as well, as they are part of parliament and lawful created party who supposed to generate peace after recent agreements, but this here seem like a long-serving power-struggle that seems to last a bit longer.

The once that is hurt is not the elite of Renamo and Frelimo, but the stakes of Mozambique’s citizens and their businesses. The altercations and implications of this can weaken the economy and not get the best deals as certain business and operations will shun the country as they will not be associated with the armies and violence. But it is never easy to say and predict, but the parties of Renamo and Frelimo; need to get a genuine peace-deal and a agreement that actually stick since they have gone back and forth; and doesn’t seem to stop unless their leaders dies. That is the President Nyusi and Afonso Dhlakama! I don’t wish anybody death, but seem that none of them will ever back-down and the President Nyusi will not give in, as the ruling party will stay there by any means, the same for Renamo’s leader Dhlakama. Even if Dhlakama want to have mediation with ANCs leader and South African President Zuma does not validate the ambushes and trying to attempt killings at government officials. To an outsider does sound like mixed messages. While progression from Nyusi is not strengthen him or his government; as the weaken routes and heavy deployment does on escalate the battles between the parties and their armed armies as they currently fight for supremacy and legitimacy. I feel sorry for the once that are in the middle the battles between the parties and the citizens who are targeted by the armies or used for political gain. Peace.

Reference:

AIM – ‘Dhlakama puts conditions on dialogue’ (01.03.2016) link: http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/03/dhlakama-puts-conditions-on-dialogue/

AIM – ‘Renamo gunmen ambush police in Barue’ (23.02.2016) link: http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/02/renamo-gunmen-ambush-police-in-barue/

AIM – ‘President Nyusi lays wreath at Heroes’ Monument’ (04.02.2016) link: http://www.manicapost.com/president-nyusi-lays-wreath-at-heroes-monument/

AllAfrica – ‘Mozambique: Frelimo Deputies Suggest Outlawing Renamo’ (03.03.2016) link:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201603040268.html

AllAfrica – ‘Mozambique: Renamo Major Captured’ (22.02.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602230158.html

AllAfrica – ‘Mozambique: Renamo Murders Frelimo Official in Sofala’ (16.02.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602170089.html

AllAfrica – ‘Mozambique: Renamo Gunmen Murder Two in Attack On Bus’ (06.03.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201603060317.html

Africa News Agency – ‘Renamo leader wants Zuma to mediate in Mozambique’ (13.02.2016) link: https://www.enca.com/africa/renamo-leader-wants-zuma-mediate

Coastweek – ‘Armed Renamo men said to attack vehicles in central Mozambique’ (05.03.2016) link: http://www.coastweek.com/3907-Armed-Renamo-men-reportedly-attack-vehicles-in-central-Mozambique.htm

ExxAfrica – ‘MOZAMBIQUE POLICE VOW TO BLOCK RENAMO CHECKPOINT PLAN’ (12.02.2016) link: http://www.exxafrica.com/mozambique-police-vow-to-block-renamo-checkpoint-plan/

Hanlon, Joseph – ‘Mozambique: Back to War – New Renamo Attacks On N1’ (14.02.2016) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602140334.html

Khamula, Owen – ‘Mozambique disown refugees in Malawi’ (20.02.2016) link: http://www.nyasatimes.com/2016/02/20/mozambique-disowns-refugees-in-malawi/

Louw-Vaudran – ‘Mozambique’s success story under threat’ (19.02.2016) link: https://www.issafrica.org/iss-today/mozambiques-success-story-under-threat

Lusa – ‘Mozambican PR reiterates readiness to dialogue “without preconditions” with  Renamo’ (26.02.2016) link: http://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambican-pr-reiterates-readiness-to-dialogue-without-preconditions-with-renamo/

Lusa – ‘Frelimo and Renamo blame each other for instability in Mozambique’ (18.02.2016) link: http://clubofmozambique.com/news/frelimo-and-renamo-blame-each-other-for-instability-in-mozambique/

McDonald – Daniel – ‘Mozambique Raises Interest Rates as Inflation Pressures Mount’ (15.02.2016) link: http://www.dailynewsx.com/news/business-news/mozambique-raises-interest-rates-as-inflation-pressures-mount-27281.html

News Ghana – ‘Two die in clashes in central Mozambique’ (17.02.2016) link: http://www.newsghana.com.gh/two-die-in-clashes-in-central-mozambique/

Odziwa, James – ‘HAS SENT AN INFLUX OF REFUGEES INTO MALAWI’ (21.02.2016) link: http://www.maravipost.com/life-and-style/badnews/10508-clashes-between-mozambican-government-forces-and-renamo-in-tete-has-sent-an-influx-of-refugees-into-malawi.html

Saba – ‘MP ACCUSES RENAMO LAWMAKERS OF CONDONING ARMED VIOLENCE’ (19.02.2016) link: http://www.sabaorg.com/mp-accuses-renamo-lawmakers-of-condoning-armed-violence/

Viera, Arnaldo – ‘Mozambican government deploys troops ‘to hunt’ for opposition leader’ (04.03.2016) link: http://www.africareview.com/News/Mozambican-government-deploys-troop-to-opposition-stronghold/-/979180/3103114/-/1261vys/-/index.html

Zitamar – ‘Renamo accused of attacking cars on Mozambique highway’ (11.02.2016) link: http://zitamar.com/renamo-accused-of-attacking-cars-on-mozambique-highway/

Zitamar – ‘ozambique police vow to block Renamo checkpoint plan’ (09.02.2016) link: http://zitamar.com/mozambique-police-vow-to-block-renamo-checkpoint-plan/

Zitamar – ‘Nyusi invites Dhlakama for Mozambique peace talks’ (05.03.2016) link: http://zitamar.com/nyusi-invites-dhlakama-mozambique-peace-talks/