FDC Campaign Trail Update – 25.12.15 still in Yumbe

25 Dec 2015 FDC Message

Dear friends,

We have decided to postpone Yumbe program tomorrow, we will spend the day in Moyo and share the joy that Christmas brings with the good people here, among the activities we are doing is attending church, visiting friends and getting to know more people here. Enjoy your Christmas and the blessings brings

Merry Christmas.#Wesige Besigye

Message from Dr. Kizza Besigye yesterday:

Dear friends,

As we join together to celebrate this special season of goodwill, let our thoughts reach out to those at home and abroad who may be facing difficult times this Christmas.

Let us hope for peace and harmony for next year and beyond.

I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year that can deliver all your promises. Next year is a year of alot of expectations and dreams.

For God and my country.

 

Press Release: The African Union welcomes the Imminent Commencent of the Inter-Burundian Dialogue (25.12.2015)

StampBurundi

The AU reiterates its call on the Burundian Government to urgently consent to the deployment of the planned African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi

Addis Ababa, 25 December 2015: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, continues to closely follow the situation in Burundi and efforts aimed at finding an early and peaceful solution to the current crisis.

In this context, she welcomes the resumption of the inter-Burundian dialogue in Entebbe, Uganda, on 28 December 2015, under the auspices of His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni. She calls on all the Burundian stakeholders to extend full cooperation to the Mediation and to place the interest of their country and its people above any other consideration. She reiterates that only a genuine and truly inclusive dialogue will enable the Burundian stakeholders to overcome the current challenges.

As a follow-up to the communiqué adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), at its 565th meeting held on 17 December 2015, regarding notably the deployment of an African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi (MAPROBU), the Chairperson of the Commission has written to His Excellency President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, to seek the consent of the Burundian Government for the early deployment of MAPROBU and the effective implementation of its mandate. In that letter, Dr. Dlamini Zuma stressed that the AU has no other agenda than to assist the Government and people of Burundi at their hour of need, consistent with its commitment to promote African solutions to African problems. She expressed the AU’s readiness to rapidly initiate discussions with the Government of Burundi to devise the best ways and means of facilitating the deployment of the Mission, in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.

The Chairperson of the Commission has also written to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, to convey the PSC call for full UN support, including the authorization of a support package funded by assessed contributions, to enable the rapid and effective deployment of the envisaged Mission, on the basis of the expressed consent of the Government of Burundi.

The Chairperson of the Commission underlines that the deployment of MAPROBU and the effective implementation of its mandate will greatly help in defusing the current tension and reducing the level of violence. This, in turn, will facilitate the ongoing efforts to promote dialogue spearheaded by H.E. President Yoweri Museveni, on behalf of the Region.

As directed by the PSC, the Commission is taking steps to finalize the Concept of Operation and other planning documents for MAPROBU, to facilitate the early deployment of the Mission, on the basis of the expressed consent of the Government of Burundi.

Akena Ready to Step Down For Olara Otunnu (Youtube-clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKo_p_VgEkE

“Akena says he is willing to talk to Olara Otunnu to fix a day for elections. Akena accuses Otunnu of failing to manage UPC Party affairs.Those backing Akena’s Reign threw him a suprise party to show their gratitude for his contribution towards the party” (NBS TV, 2015).

Police fire teargas to disperse Besigye supporters in Amuru (Youtube-Clip)

“Police fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse a crowd that had gathered for a planned rally by FDC Presidential candidate Kizza Besigye in Atiak, Amuru district on Wednesday night. Besigye accused the Police of high handedness in handling the matter” (NTV-Uganda, 2015).

Press Release: El Nino impact in Eastern Africa continues to require highest level of investment in preparedness and response (23.12.2015)

IGAD El Nino 23.12.15

Police tried to arrest an FDC supporter in Elegu Border Post…

Elagu Border Post Arrests FDC Supporter 24.12.15 P1

Today is the day where the Police again show their true color. In the border town of Elegu, the motorcycle driver was supposedly driving reckless and vile or as they claimed: “for dangerously riding a motorcycle”. But in all intentions was arrested for being a FDC-supporter and taken across town.

Elegu Border Post Arrests FDC Supporter 24.12.15 P2

Because they didn’t have any evidence or could charge the man they let him go! But this proves that the IGP Kale Kayihura and his police force are imbedded with the NRM. Peace.   

Elagu Border Post Arrests FDC Supporter 24.12.15 P3

The People’s President campaign rally in Atiak today!

Atiak Amuru 24.12.15 FDC

Yesterday the Police of Amuru went on frontal attack the FDC campaign team and their venue in Atiak. Today the FDC team went back to the venue and they held a peaceful presidential campaign rally. On the same spot as the Police scattered the people and used tear-gas and bullet into the crowds. Dr. Kizza Besigye returns and shows that he will not give for the cause of change, yet again the NRM-Regime and their police has used violence instead of democratic means to defy their opposition. Peace.

Atiak Amuru 24.12.15 FDC P2

Besigye comments on on Atiak skirmishes with police (Youtube-Clip)

Atiak 23.12.15

Atiak in Amuru was a war zone yesterday evening. Some of the lethal apparatus used can be seen here. Defiance all the way. Besigye has revisited this place today morning to check on the victims of state brutality.

The spirit of Defiance has led Besigye back to Atiak in Amuru district this morning where he was teargased along his supporters who had gathered to see him as he drove to Adjumani. Time check 8:00am (as many of u still enjoyed your beds) and Besigye was already addressing the victims of state repression! He is now on the way back to Adjumani. True commander never leaves the injured unattended to.

Besigye said “Don’t fear those police and their guns. Those guns will never defeat people power. If you are determined, you can even overrun that police station and force them to surrender”.

On Social media a witness said this about yesterdays actions in Atiak:

Heavily armed Police lawlessly dispursed hundreds of KB suporters in Atiak, who where standing by the road side junction waving at KB as his convoy were heading to Adjumani. A big shame to Amuru DPC, Ahimbisime whom I saw firing dozens of live bullets at civilians and several cannistars of tear gas that spreaded at a square of over 1KM.

Peace

Press Release: EU Statement on growing tension ahead of the Uganda February 2016 Elections (23.12.2015)

Ntungamo 13.12.15

The European Union notes with concern the increased tension in campaigning ahead of the February 2016 elections.

The European Union calls for all parties to exercise restraint, ensuring a climate conducive to peaceful, transparent and credible elections. In view of the recent cases of violence and counter violence, the EU invites in particular the Electoral Commission and the Ugandan Police Force to treat all occuring incidents with impartiality and neutrality, and to ensure a level playing field for all candidates allowing them to campaign without interference.

On the invitation of the Government of Uganda, an EU Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) will delpoy to Uganda on 28th December. The EU EOM will closely observe the election campaign and the role of law enforcement bodies.

Press Release: Ethiopia arrests journalist after channel reports on protests (22.12.2015)

Ethiopia

Nairobi, December 22, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Ethiopia to release news anchor Fikadu Mirkana. Fikadu, who works for the state-run broadcaster Oromia Radio and TV, was arrested at his Addis Ababa home on Saturday morning, according to news reports.

CPJ could not determine the reason for Fikadu’s arrest. It comes as Oromia Radio and TV has, in recent weeks, covered protests against a plan to expand the Ethiopian capital, in a move that campaigners say would displace hundreds of thousands of farmers, according to news reports. Dozens of protesters have been killed during clashes with police during the unrest in the regional state of Oromia, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

“Journalists have a vital role to play in ensuring the flow of information, both from the Ethiopian government and also, critically, from those who will be affected by its decisions,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Sue Valentine in New York. “We call on authorities to release Fikadu Mirkana immediately.”

It is not clear where Fikadu is being held and neither his family nor his lawyers have been allowed access to him, an Addis Ababa-based journalist, who has spoken with Fikadu’s family and who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told CPJ.

The Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa and the Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request for details about Fikadu’s arrest.

In recent weeks, the Ethiopian government has used anti-terror rhetoric against campaigners, with the communications minister, Getachew Reda, branding them “terrorists” and “demonic,” according to a column by Awol Allo, a fellow in human rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science, published Saturday on Al-Jazeera‘s website. This language usually presages a crackdown on dissenters, the column said. Protests in Oromia, a region that stretches across central Ethiopia and is home to a third of the country’s population, have affected at least 30 towns and prompted the arrest of more than 500 people since mid-November, according to news reports.

Ethiopia is the third largest jailer of journalists on the African continent, with at least 10 behind bars on December 1, CPJ’s 2015 prison census shows.