Opinion: Ssegona’s horrific tales of the usage of bail or the non-use of it!

“You adjourn a bail application. What is so novel in a bail ruling? Someone tells you, I’m going to hear your case, but I’ll hear your bail application two weeks, three weeks away from today. You are defeating the Constitution. Because in the Constitution, everybody is entitled to be free, except where their accuser places on your table justification for restriction. Isn’t that the position of the law? Every innocent person is entitled to freedom. Now, you’re aiding the State to incarcerate somebody who is innocent until two weeks when that person will come to justify his freedom. I think it’s unfair” (…) “Why do you charge a lot of money? Somebody has been arrested. Actually, somebody is a victim. The police arrest people, beat them up, we witnessed it in Kawempe recently. Someone has been boxed by the DPC, he comes to you with a swollen face, you remand him, then when you choose to hear, you ask a lot of money. These ordinary people, they pick on the streets, trying to survive. Why do you make bail so prohibitive?” – Medard Ssegoona MP (03.04.2025).

Justice delayed is injustice served. The state is deliberately using their power and the instruments of state to take away the freedom, liberty and ability to move as civilians. As the state can apprehend, charge and detain people for prolonged time. That’s a common occurrence in the Republic.

It is vital that the August House knows about the practice and get to know the justification of it. As it is in contradiction with the rights of the individuals and the ones criminally penalized without any sentencing. People are kept incommunicado, detained and such without proper trial or even due process. That means they are illegally kept as prisoners and as state property. This should worry the authorities, but in this day and age. They don’t mind at all.

“You get somebody who is battered, who is bleeding, and you remand that person. You do not even instruct prisons, go and keep this person in hospital. Instead, you say, I am remanding somebody to Luzira. You know, just next door in Kenya, Kenyans went and burned their parliament. We do not want to see Ugandans burning our courts. Why? Because once the dignity of the court is questioned and shaken, we are in trouble because somebody who would have taken me to court, will use a panga, will resort to mob justice” (…) “Before you receive information from the Commissioner General, you are the one who remanded these people. You definitely know who you remanded, you know when you required them to come back. How can somebody be in prison for a year without your remand warrant? When people are being committed to the high court for trial, you also have that record because the magistrate who is committing notes on the file” (Ssegoona, 03.04.2025).

This here just states what we have said for a long time. Several of us has called this practice out in the void. There are too many who are penalized and detained without proper trial. Neither is there any evidence or proof of the allegations or charges pinned on the individuals. Therefore, the reality is grim, and this is what the state is willing to do.

This is what the authorities … and the state does to citizens. It is the tools it has and willing to do. Ssegoona MP spoke facts, but don’t the state or the authorities to act upon it. The MP can speak out, but that doesn’t matter for the ones in office. They are serving the President and his inner circle. These people are favoured for acting this way and that’s why the practice is so normalized. Peace.

Ethiopia: Salsay Weyane Tigray – Press Release (03.04.2025)

Burundi: Mouvement pour la Solidarite et la Democratie (M.S.D) & Parti des Patriotes pour le Developpement (PPD-Girijambo) – Press Release (03.04.2025)

RDC: Coalition Nationale pour la Liberation du Congo (CNLC) – Communique Officiel No. 001 – 30 Mars 20204 relatif a la Creation du Mouvement Politico- Militaire “Coalition Nationale pour la Liberation du Congo” CNLC – en sigle (30.03.2025)

South Sudan: A look into the Panel of the Wise member Domitien Ndayizeye

Former Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye are now officially a part of the African Union of Panel of Elders together with the likes of former Vice President of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Kenyan jurist Effie Owuor. The chairman of the panel is Prof Babacar Kante, and the last member is Egyptian Amre Mousa.  The others make a lot of sense, but how is Ndayizeye fit?

Domitien Ndayizeye is maybe the guy that could understand and be closest to get Dr. Riek Machar in South Sudan. A man who was ousted, investigated, charged and been living in danger since left office in 2005. Ndayizeye only hold the President for about 18 months before former “ally” Pierre Nkurunziza was elected in 2005.

That’s why it’s weird seeing him here. Yes, Ndayizeye was able to hold peace talks with Agathon Rwasa and others. He was able to get FDD into office and gave them enough space to takeover the whole government. This man was the guy behind and opening up the gates of the tyranny of CNDD-FDD. He opened up the doors in Burundi and the CNDD-FDD has never let go.

That man is now supposed to talk sense into President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Like the SPLM-IG or SPLM-IO should get wise or wisdom from his just weird. I cannot not grasp that. Maybe I am biased, but this man hasn’t ever been able to build himself up after being tarnished and destroyed by the current regime in Burundi.

He has visited Juba before to discuss the elections there, but we know that those talks went nowhere. Just like all the other mediation efforts has also stifled. So, we cannot understand how this panel would make a difference now… I’m maybe cautious and cynical, but this decision rest on SPLM-IG and J1. They have to decide the steps ahead, as they have the instruments of the state.

I just don’t get what Ndayizeye what his doing in this panel and what sort of insights he has. Maybe this is his day-job and getting work in this manner. The African Union has hired and contracts with him. Therefore, they can give him the checks he needs. It is not like his political life in Burundi is worth anything at the moment. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Comrade Bombshell fears for his life after asking people to rise uprise against the state

“Good morning, I have just received intelligence to the effect that Emmerson has instructed members of the Special Air Services to hunt and kill me, he must know that I am not a coward and what he wishes on me is what he will face himself. We will deal with him together with his corrupt cabal starting with Tagwirei, Scott, Wicknell, Sean ,Emmerson Junior, Collins, Mutsvangwa, Mudha, Garwe and Paradza. We have an efficient mechanism to deal with them, its now war and no retreat no surrender” (Blessed Geza, 02.04.2025).

“Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, has labeled war veteran Blessed Runesu Geza, also known as Comrade Bombshell, as a “delusional liberation war mistake.”” (Pindula, 02.04.2025).

War Veteran and Comrade Blessed Geza is now concerned about his life, as their intelligence that the authorities and the state wants to end his life. That happens as he called for an uprising on the 31st of March 2025 – the 31M Movement. A movement that didn’t materialize but spread fear in the eyes of the state.

Still his voice and his signal has caused havoc for the state. As the state ahead of the date was in a hectic mess. The state was afraid and tense ahead of the demonstrations and uprisings. Alas, that didn’t become a big uprising or massive demonstrations, as his call wasn’t adhered too.

We know Geza is giving the ZANU-PF sleepless nights. They are haunted by the idea and what he says. That’s why there were memos and notices in advance of March 31 saying people should be aware and there were several types of weaponry that you shouldn’t use, which in addition had catapults too. So, we know the authorities was afraid of ordinary modern weapons and going medieval too.

The people stayed away in fear of their own lives. It was better to stay away and be silent than risking their lives on the streets. They knew it would be dangerous to really show up. That’s why the few who showed up got arrested. In Harare alone, there was 95 individuals who was arrested and gotten conspiratorial charges pinned on them. That’s why it was dangerous for them to do this, and they still did.

Geza is an insider, and this is squabble internally in the ZANU-PF. This is themselves doing it and they are dealing with it. It is happening because of the 2030 drive of the ZANU-PF to prolong the reign of Mnangagwa. Meanwhile, Geza is supposed to support Gen. Chiwenga rise to power. Therefore, his uprising would be for Chiwenga to takeover from Mnangagwa. Alas, this is an internal power struggle, which is why people won’t risk their lives over it. People got burned on the streets for toppling Mugabe and getting Mnangagwa after that.

There are speculations that Blessed Geza was in Harare on Monday, he was together with Chiwenga at Rotten Row and seeing how things went down. If that is true… than things are really boiling from within. It is a powerplay and people are using each other to get ahead internally. We cannot know if this true, but its compelling that this sort of narrative is in the public eye.

There is someone who is shielding Blessed Geza and at the same time causing such ruckus. We cannot know how things are going down, but we do know there will be an aftermath of all of this. ZANU-PF is on alert and Mnangagwa wants to ensure this is crackdown upon. The next step… is unknown and we don’t know how this one will play out. Peace.

South Sudan: Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (IO) – SPLM/A-IO – Postition of SPLM/SPLA-IO on the Ongoing Efforts to De-escalate Tension in the Republic of South Sudan (01.04.2025)

South Sudan: Unity State-Bentiu – IDPCamp – Petiton Letter against the Unilateral House Arrest of the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon (01.04.2025)

Opinion: UPC’s Odur MP spoke facts about the political prosecution

I want to know if there is anyone here who has ever been charged in a criminal offence, among you. None. I guess the answer is no. If the answer is no, the question is, why do you find pleasure in persecuting people? Persecuting, I’ve used that deliberately. Do you understand what it means for someone who is innocent and you even know because the evidence I brought to you and you look at it and you find that there is no serious evidence for the case to proceed to court and you still sanction it and you stand, you keep informing court. Investigations are going on. Do you understand what you have done to that human being?” – Jonathan Odur MP (01.04.2025).

The Erute South Member of Parliament, Jonathan Odur representing Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) dropped some knowledge and begged the state some vital questions. The UPC MP spoke with intent and with a regard for fellow citizens. This is speaking into the void. Not like the state will take it seriously or act upon it. However, the MP brought it to the table and now it is in the public eye.

What the MP spoke about. I have addressed lots of times on my platform. I’m happy to see an MP address the ones in power heads on and without fear. As we know how little mercy or concern of life this government has. We have seen how easily it can apprehend, kidnap, torture and extra judicial kill someone who happens to test them or speak out about them. That’s why this matters, as the drones, the safe-houses and institutionalizing of oppression against civilians continues at a rapid pace.

Just read this!

I’m sure you have seen in the public, some people have rebranded your office instead of being Office of the Director for Public Prosecution, people call it the Office of the Director for Political Prosecution. Because many of the people who are languishing in the jails as a result of political differences, your office, you have allowed your office to be used and it’s not only at the national level, even at lower levels, these are happening. Political differences are now settled in the Office of the Director and you are happy to be able to do that” (…) “Remember, you have come to Parliament to get money which is collected from Ugandans who are taxpayers. How do you then be happy using that same money to persecute them? It becomes difficult for us to say we are increasing money, we are giving more money. What happened then to your professional ethics and conduct? Because you are both lawyers, trained that if the facts are clear and you cannot, if something is yellow, as a lawyer you cannot argue that no, no, it is green” (Odur MP, 01.04.2025).

These stories we have heard and we cannot forget. We know how easily the state security organizations are operating and using their monopoly of force on civilians. That’s why lives are so quickly taken and they can be kept incommunicado. The state don’t mind the misuse of power or the lack due process. No, it thrives on it and don’t mind people kept as criminal before even have built a proper case or gotten a solid verdict or judgement in the courts. No, there is often no sentencing, and always deferring the case to another time. As the state defence and the authorities are “building” case against their victim. Alas, making the civilian a criminal instead of proven being tested for the conspiracy and proving the alleged criminal actions. Nevertheless, the state rather have people behind bars and kept as state property. Because it sends a signal to the citizens and that they have to obey the “correct line”.

That’s why all of this matter. It is so vital what the MP said and the question he asked of it. This is what the opposition should do and on a regular basis. It is truly testing and undressing the government. Odur MP showed the brutal and the sinister state of the authorities of the state. He spoke with compassion and sincerity. Because the MP most likely knows someone or has seen it with his own eyes. As he knows what fate is bestowed on the ones who dares to challenge the masters of the nation. The MP knows what happens to the ones who goes vibrantly and dares to be loudmouth about it. He knows this and that’s why today matters. Peace.

Burma: Statement by the Three Brotherhood Alliance Announcing One Month Unilateral Humanitarian Pause, Refraining from Offensive Operations in Areas of Ongoing Conflict, to Enable Swift and Effective Post-Earthquake Rescue Efforts (01.04.2025)