Letter: “Inapproriate Moves”; Report on an Investigation into Allegations of Maladminstration and Corruption in the Procurement of the Riverside Office Park to Accomodate the Head Offices of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (02.10.2013)

Public Protector ZA 2013 P1Public Protector ZA 2013 P2

Press Release: Sarbanes Leads Nearly 100 Members of U.S. Congress in Calling for Hearings on Democracy Reform (21.04.2016)

Wolverine_Vol_3_72_page_2_Capitol_Building_(Earth-90210)
Members Highlight Bills That Would Repair and Restore Our Democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today lead close to 100 Members of Congress in calling on the Committee on House Administration and the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings about reforms that will help restore American democracy and make the voices of everyday Americans heard in Congress.

“The two basic imperatives of a functioning democracy – the right to vote and the right to have your vote mean something – are under assault,” the Members wrote. “Spurred by the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder, partisan operatives in state legislatures are crafting new ways to limit Americans access to the ballot box. At the same time, the corrosive effect of big money on our political system – an effect exacerbated by the Citizens United decision – has left many Americans wondering whether their ballots can ever compete against the power of a privileged few.”

The Members asked the Chairmen of each committee to schedule hearings on the following bills:

  • The Voter Empowerment Act (H.R. 12)
  • The Government By the People Act (H.R. 20)
  • The Democracy for All Amendment (H.J.Res. 22)
  • The Automatic Voter Registration Act (H.R. 2694)
  • The Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 (H.R. 2867)

The letter came shortly after thousands of people from all over the country joined each other on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to call on Congress to fight big money in politics and return to a government of by and for the people.

A full copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Sepp Blatter: “There is a ‘coup d’etat against F…” (Youtube-Clip)

“Ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter tells CNN’s Alex Thomas his exit from soccer body was partly because Americans “try to be the police of the world.” (CNN, 2016).

EU Election Observers reports says the Ugandan Elections of 2016 was: “Consequently, the legal framework contains gaps and ambiguities and therefore, in several instances, falls short of international principles for holding genuine democratic elections”

UGDebate16 Prayer

There been written a lot about the General Elections in Uganda of 2016, myself is guilty for doing so and with that in mind. I have read through the newly released Report of the European Union Election Observers Mission of 2016. That is worthy of taking what I see fit to broadcast and what the Europeans who went quick, took a safari and also spent some time at the Polling Stations. Here is what they said about the elections!

An important factor in what the EU thinks about the General Elections of 2016:

“Vital electoral reforms did not take place prior to the 2016 elections. Proposed amendments to the electoral legislation, compiled under the ‘Uganda Citizens Compact’, aimed at enabling the conduct of democratic elections, including to increase transparency in the appointment of the EC’s members, to restore presidential term limits and to improve parties’ financial accountability, were disregarded by the executive. Consequently, the legal framework contains gaps and ambiguities and therefore, in several instances, falls short of international principles for holding genuine democratic elections” (EU EOM, 2016).

BVVR Uganda 2016

Election Verification of Voters:

“The newly introduced voter registration system improved inclusiveness and accuracy of the voter register (VR). The final VR contained 15.277 million voters. However, establishing the cut-off date of 11 May 2015 for inclusion in the voter register disenfranchised approximately half million potential voters who turned 18 after this date” (EU EOM, 2016).

Lack of Transparency:

While legislation contains provisions on reporting and disclosure of political finance, these are neither followed by parties and candidates, nor enforced by the EC. This lack of transparency weakens the credibility of the elections” (EU EOM, 2016).

FDC 18.02.2016 Besigye Arrested

Maladministration of the vote:

“Voters showed remarkable determination on election day, waiting long hours to cast their ballots. The markedly late arrival of electoral material in certain areas marred an otherwise calm election day. The EC failed to address growing tensions among people deferred from voting. Instead, an imposing presence of police in the vicinity of polling stations was observed. Further shortcomings, such as unsealed ballot boxes in 20 per cent and compromised secrecy of vote in 11 per cent of polling stations visited, were observed by the EU EOM. Positively, party agents and domestic observers were mostly present in polling stations visited by the EU EOM” (EU EOM, 2016).

Talley Centre mishaps:

“In 85 per cent of the District Tally Centres (DTCs) observed, the printed sub-county results, broken down to polling station level, were not handed out or publicised. The Electronic Result and Transmission System, used to transmit the collated results from districts to the EC, did not contain key anti-fraud measures. In several districts, the electronic transfer did not take place; the results were brought to the EC by the district returning officer in person. The final tallying for these districts could not be observed, further undermining the integrity of the process” (EU EOM, 2016).

Kiggundu 19.02.2016

The Badru Kiggundu’s soul:

“The chairperson of the Commission expressed regret that he had nominated an opposition presidential candidate; made public remarks on a candidate’s family member, and on another occasion described him as not “exactly being a fountain of honour” (EU EOM, 2016).

Amama Blocked from enroute Mulagi to Busolwa 11.01.2016

Police intervene in the Election:

“On a number of occasions, opposition candidates, particularly from the FDC and TDA/Go Forward, were denied access to campaign venues, restricting their ability to campaign freely. The EU EOM received reports and observed extensive use of force by police, including teargas and assault rifles, to disperse crowds during Kizza Besigye’s and Amama Mbabazi’s rallies in Bukwo, Kasenge, and Ntungamo, among others.25 On 15 February, police detained Besigye twice, preventing him from addressing scheduled rallies in Central Kampala, and used teargas and live ammunition against his supporters, resulting in one death and several injuries” (EU EOM, 2016).

Government officials intervene in the Election:

The orchestrated use of state resources and personnel for campaign purposes was observed. Government officials took an active role in the NRM campaign, with several Resident District Commissioners and high-ranking security officials openly endorsing the candidacy of President Museveni and the NRM campaign. Thus, candidates’ equality of opportunity was not respected” (EU EOM, 2016).

Bukwo FDC Campaign Trail 060116 P3

Intimidation during the Election:

“In Bukwo district on 6 January, the police dispersed the campaign rally of FDC presidential candidate Besigye in Toriet Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp using teargas and assault rifles. Several senior FDC figures received minor injuries. The police stated that Besigye diverted from his planned route without justification and thus provoked acts of public disorder” (…)”On 25 January, the IGP stated that all critics who are simply ‘political opportunists’ can ‘go hang.’ On 27 January, he was also quoted saying ‘power shall not be handed over to the opposition to destabilise the peace the country has fought for.’ In a press release, the police later claimed that the media had misquoted the IGP” (…)”EU EOM observers received reports of intimidation of opposition and opposition supporters in Amuru, Bujenje, Buliisa, Gulu, Isingiro, Kamwenge, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kiruhura, Kisoro, Lira, Masindi, Mbarara, Moroto, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nwoya, and Wakiso. Intimidation of voters was reported from Kiboga, Lira, Luweero, Moroto, Nakapiripirit and Sembabule districts” (EU EOM, 2016).

M7 16.11.15

Bad rhetoric during the Election:

“On 9 October, the President was quoted as saying that anybody who attempts to oppose him will, ‘Be smashed completely and no trace of his remains will be found on the ground,’ and on 20 December that ‘The thugs who attacked NRM supporters in Ntungamo will pay dearly.’ NRM secretary general Justine Kasule Lumumba was quoted on Radio Simba on 25 January saying, ‘We shall shoot anyone who will come on the streets to demonstrate against vote rigging.’ On 1 February, the deputy RDC in Jinja was quoted saying: ‘Whoever will be found disrupting the February 18 elections in Jinja District will be shot dead.’” (EU EOM, 2016).

Campaign funding disclosure:

“The total amount of money jointly spent by presidential and parliamentary candidates is not independently calculated and verified. According to presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, he funded his three billion UGX campaign from his personal funds and received no donations. Kizza Besigye disclosed that his expenses totalled one billion UGX, of which 96 million UGX were donations. Incumbent president Museveni’s campaign team refused to disclose the amount/value or sources of his campaign funds” (EU EOM, 2016).

Police 29.02.2016 Kasangati

Media Freedom during the Elections:

“The NRM, with more funds at its disposal, admits to frequently using paid-for pseudo-journalism to boost its visibility and enhance the reputation of both the party and its candidates. An edifying example of the system in place occurred in Rwenzori, where 17 outspoken journalists were compelled to attend the President’s briefing in Masindi state lodge. The President not only instructed journalists to campaign for the NRM at grassroots level, but also provided them with financial ‘facilitation’. Consequently, the line between advertisements and editorial content was blurred and the impartiality of information offered to the electorate was eroded” (…)”Hostile statements targeting outlets owned by the country’s largest commercial media house, Nation Media Group (NMG), were repeatedly made by the President and reiterated by the state’s top executives. This reverberated at the local level, with the RDCs and other state actors orchestrating measures that encourage self-censorship on issues that might be perceived as critical to the President or the government. Intimidating phone calls, “guidance meetings” for journalists and editors chaired by the law enforcement bodies, as well as requests to submit the radio’s programming to the RDC or local UCC representative prior to broadcasting were the most wide-spread measures applied to put media under pressure. The EU EOM received reports on such occurrences in 20 districts” (…)”On 24 January the President stated: “Monitor and NTV don’t know that there is a good, they just tell lies…. NTV is an enemy”. The President voiced a similar statement on 31 January. On 29 January the minister of Information and National Guidance: “There is no media house that can take the law in their hands…we definitely shall close them down”. The government/NRM spokesperson criticized media on 1 February. On 9 February owners and editors of all leading media houses were invited to the dinner hosted by the EC and the UCC where all were warned that UCC will “without a hesitation sanction the media outlets” (…)”Media monitoring findings correspond the parties’ and candidates’ assessment of the balance and quality of local radio coverage of their campaign. While 78 per cent of the NRM’s local leadership believes that media featured them fairly, the FDC’s assessment of radio’s impartiality is diametrically opposed, with 78 per cent of local party representatives listing examples of biased coverage. In 21 districts, opposition candidates were denied access to radio broadcasts or stations, and in 32 districts, biased coverage against FDC, Democratic Party (DP) or Go Forward was reported” (EU EOM, 2016).

Kampala 18.02.2016

Election Day:

“In at least four cases, the police used teargas to disperse voters at polling stations. Only shortly before the official closing of the polling stations at 4 PM did the EC chairman announce the three-hour extension of voting in Kampala and Wakiso district. This was poorly communicated to the polling staff in affected areas, and EU EOM observers reported polling stations being closed at first and only after some hesitation did the polling staff improvise and try to re-open voting sites” (…)”Unauthorised persons were present in eight per cent of polling stations observed, and in none of them did the presiding officer requested them to leave. Essential election material was missing in 12 per cent of polling stations observed. Typically, the missing material was seals, but in a small number of cases also ballot boxes, ballot papers in sufficient numbers and the voter register was not available” (…)”In one quarter of the polling stations, observers encountered voters being turned away for not being on the voter register. Such a high percentage of voters not being aware of the location of the polling station indicates the lack of voter information prior to the elections. Only in two per cent of the polling stations visited were voters deprived of voting without lawful grounds” (EU EOM, 2016).

Counting:

“In 37 per cent of polling stations observed, the Presiding Officer had difficulties completing the Declaration of Result Forms (DRF), and in almost half of the polling stations the filling in of the Accountability of Ballot Papers Form proved to be problematic. In 20 per cent of polling stations where closing was observed, the numbers in the DRFs did not reconcile. This can be attributed to malpractice, negligence and/or numerical errors. The latter two were widespread since there were neither provisions nor even proper guidelines on how to conduct the reconciliation at the polling station level. Moreover, after filling in all forms, the safety and integrity of the DRF was not ensured in 30 per cent of polling stations observed, as they were not put into the tamper-proof envelope as prescribed by EC instructions. Intimidation of polling staff during the counting was reported from four polling stations observed by the EU EOM observers. In 93 per cent of polling stations observed at closure, results were not posted outside the polling stations, as required by law. Nevertheless, party agents were given copies of the DRFs in 93 per cent of cases” (EU EOM, 2016).

Masaka Talley Center 19.02.2016

Tallying:

“The ban on social media on mobile devices was not lifted for four consecutive days. The overall environment created by state actors during the final stages of the tallying of results curbed voters’ right to access to information as called for in Uganda’s international and regional commitments” (…)”Further constrains on the public’s access to information originated from the EC’s statement de facto prohibiting media to publicise results announced at the polling stations. Such live reports on results by polling station is a habitual and defining feature of Ugandan media’s election coverage as it enables each voter to independently verify the results in his or her polling station. With the FDC’s leadership being detained, the police surrounding Mbabazi’s home, and with critical media being effectively silenced, the EC held a monopoly over both the content of electoral results information and the pace of its disclosure” (EU EOM, 2016). “The results, however, did not contain data from 1,787 polling stations, affecting 43 districts, eight of them strongly” (EU EOM, 2016). The EC eventually updated the final result on 22 February, adding the results from 1,658 polling stations. The EC also nullified results from 129 polling stations in 34 districts due to various malpractices, including disruptions during voting and the number of votes cast exceeding 100 per cent of registered voters. However, the list of affected polling stations was not published, thus compromising the EC’s accountability” (…)”These were Jinja with 388 polling stations (PS) out of 399 missing, Rukungiri with 273 PS out of 276 missing, Kyenjojo with 277 PS out of 337 missing, Kabale 190 PS out of 478, Kampala with 162 PS out of 1,338, Wakiso 119 PS out of 1,359, Isingiro with 88 PS out of 385, and Ntungamo with 78 PS out of 432 missing. These eight districts account for 1,575 or 88.5 per cent of the missing PS” (EU EOM, 2016).

M7 2016 Post Interview quote

It is good to see that the Elections Observers is saying the same as so many other people have said about it. This here counters the words of Andrew Mwenda, Ofwono Opondo and President Museveni. The words that should stick to into President Museveni mind is this:

“Consequently, the legal framework contains gaps and ambiguities and therefore, in several instances, falls short of international principles for holding genuine democratic elections”.

Because he said this after the elections was over: “am glad that my people here have seen the mistake of listening to foreign meddlers.” (…) “If the international community has lost confidence in us, it is a compliment and it means we are right”.

So in his mind because the European Union now saying he is wrong and that the framework is co-operative with free and fair elections; then in the mind of President Museveni means we’re right. The President Museveni has now “won” the 7th Term and is ready for his 31 years of power. He is double the age of average aged Ugandan. So there is something missing and wished for. Therefore the ending of the tension and the presence of security outfits in nearby area. The Army and Police Force is close by and the ones that keep him in Power. Not the loyalty of the people or the legitimacy of the way he became the incumbent again! Peace.

Mou EOM GoU 2015

P.S. Mr. Eduard Kukan I will be honest I had little faith in you and your mission as the fraudulent and praising foreign missions to express faith in the government they are funding through donor-aid and direct-budget funds. Therefore I thought that you would naturally say it was free and fair without hesitation. Because you went from Slovakia to go on Safari, drink some sodas and have matooki and be merry. But I am glad you did your job well, not because of your view, but because of sense observations and reports been told. That seems genuine as your concern for the maladministration and fraudulent elections you observed.

Reference:

European Union Election Observation Mission – ‘Uganda Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council Elections, 18 February 2016’ (April 2016)

Letter – Re: Impassioned Plea from Oakbay Employees – Please Save Our Jobs (20.04.2016)

Oakbay Employee Letter 20.04.2016

How Kenyan Churches were “sold” to the rich but corrupt politicians (Youtube-Clip)

The Anti-Gay bill will only resurface in Parliament when the NRM-Regime needs to cover-up all their other neglected issues.

Anti Gay Front Page Uganda

Let me ride on the Western Hemisphere for it’s care for the LGBT people in Uganda while letting all kind of other oppressive behaviour happen without any cost or any repercussion. I am sorry to all you western government officials that support the LGBT case. They are all people equal under God. Just as you and me. I have nothing against the LGBT cause or that the LGBT men and woman deserves to screw they want to screw. But distinguish that from the matter at hand. I will discuss the real Equal freedom and justice; that means a governing system that is for Besigye or Mwenda; not just for Mwenda and Opondo, but not for Turinawe.

So let me address you clearly as the National Resistance Movement and their ruling regime under President Museveni have become more and more draconian. The rules of law have lesser value as the regime is more inherent corrupted with the arms, tear-gas and anti-riot Police then actual democratic values. So when you have a system where the Militarized Police Force, Militarized Politics and Army Programs into the Civil Society then the guns are controlling all parts of arenas that the society should lead. So that the Western Hemisphere and international community turns a blind eye to that proves the double standard.

Mueveni Bundibugyo Pre-Campaign 2016 Gun

That there is an problem with “the Prohibition of Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill” – 29th October 2014”. Certainly it must be because the United States can have states like Virgina and such with equally astonishing laws, but not duplicated the heat or massive creations of unlawful bashing. So there are issues with these laws as the LGBT is in this narrative a minority in Uganda. A minority of many, but why complain and make issues with that one minority when the general population is oppressed by a militarized regime? Is that because the NRA of USA is so powerful that a gun-loving president (Former NRA turned NRM) in Africa is cool and flashing AK-47 in Rwenzori is amazing, but him creating bad laws against a minority is overboard.

Chris Baryomunsi Quote Daily Monitor

That a country of 39 million citizens had one Cobalt 60 Teletheraphy Machine at Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) broke down at Mulaga Hospital Kampala two weeks ago or so. While there about 17,000 Cancer sick that need treatment, but there none for them in the country. The international world isn’t doing much. Instead the rich Aga Khan and his Aga Khan Hospital offers 400 patients treatment in Nairobi, Kenya, so there are no opportunity in Uganda. That does not create a stir, which is another minority of people who are sick and in dire need of treatment. That is the same country that has mismanaged international funding to the health care through the Global Funds has been squandered away. The same health care system has X-Ray Machine broken down in Butabika Hospital and other meagre resources and machines at Hospitals that are decaying around the country. So it is okay that President Museveni and the NRM neglect the sick and dying.

Tororo FDC 19.01.2016 School P2 Paya

The same with up-country Primary Schools where the walls are thin and rain-water flows in and the bricks are shredded. Where the payments of teachers are always late and underfunded as the rate has not gone up for years even with the steady levels of the neglect while the donor-funding and programs towards schools since UPE launch that was ushered in 1996. But the now steady report of dwindling county schools and the standard of facilities seem to be planned. As it is district by district, not a one place issue and more broad issue amongst the country. This is just an issue that matters for the kid’s education and their platform for their future. But the Western media and the Western donors will not put this on blast.

Jinja Police 10915

That the Police Force is so involved into politics embedded in the ways that they follows the oppositions, close down their consultations meetings and rallies. The Police Force follows and tag’s the opposition leaders. The Police Force detains opposition members and stop opposition celebrations even when the opposition complies with draconian laws of the state. That is not an issue that creates havoc. This oppressive behaviour from the Police Force towards the Opposition can happen without any clear questions or stop of funding them from abroad.

So the issues are bigger then the “Anti-Gay” bill as the nation is built around the President and his elite. This happens while the rest of people might get detained without questions and without charges. Therefore I feel it is wrong that the international organizations and international media focus alone on this issue. As that is a drop in the sea. The Corruption, the bribes, the embezzlement and the ruin of government institutions should be more in focus and sustain a healthy living for the citizens. The framework of the lawful society is far away. With the current Police State and the current arrest of democracy is more haste to fix.

EU Out of Politics Pre-Election Period

To reinstate the issue of the bill from 2014 is to deflect the grand issues and the mortality of the current affairs. The ways that people are muffled and silenced in general should be more worrying. The way the army and Police are used as strict tools of oppression and the Parliament writing off more and more money to them instead of being representatives of the citizens. That is where the focus should be. Especially since the donor-funding is 20% of the direct donor budget funding of Government of Uganda. That the NRM will spend on the State House, the farm of the President, new Private Plane and cars, not on the services of government that is expected.

So if the Parliament of Uganda under Rebecca Kadaga puts this up again, then it’s in a way to put all the issues to the side. To give space for the NRM to work with that in silence as the bill will create havoc, but give way for all the activity of the government. So you have been warned of the non-sense and should look at the major issues that make a difference for all of society, not just a minority. Peace.

Statement on the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2016 Provision Exempting Members of Parliament from Paying Taxes on their Emoluments (18.04.2016)

Statement on Income Tax UgandaStatement on Income Tax Uganda P2

Press Statement: Kofi Annan to African leaders: “Leave when your time is up” (19.04.2016)

Kofi press release

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 19, 2016 Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan has urged African leaders to leave when their mandated time is up and to avoid excluding opposing voices if elections are to cease contributing to conflicts on the continent.

The renowned international diplomat said that while unconstitutional changes to government on the continent had reduced, exclusionary politics threatened to reverse the gains made.

“I think Africa has done well, by and large the coups have more or less ended, generals are remaining in their barracks, but we are creating situations which may bring them back,” the Nobel laureate said in an interview at the 5th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa (TanaForum.org).

“If a leader doesn’t want to leave office, if a leader stays on for too long, and elections are seen as being gamed to suit a leader and he stays term after term after term, the tendency may be the only way to get him out is through a coup or people taking to the streets”.

“Neither approach can be seen as an alternative to democracy, to elections or to parliamentary rule. Constitutions and the rules of the game have to be respected.”

Annan, the keynote speaker at the forum this year, said winner-take-all approaches to elections on the continent had the effect of leaving out citizens for holding an opposing view, raising tensions around elections.

Annan, who chairs the Africa Progress Panel and the Nelson Mandela-founded The Elders grouping, said he had been the first to tell the African Union not to accept coup leaders among their midst [during an OAU heads of state summit in Lusaka in 2001].

Annan also said that solutions to the problems the continent has must come from within. However, the continent must build up its ability to do so, including in financing its institutions.

“We cannot always pass a hat around and insist we want to be sovereign, we want to be independent. We should lead and get others to support us—that support will be much more forthcoming when they see how serious and committed we are.”

If a leader doesn’t want to leave office, if a leader stays on for too long, and elections are seen as being gamed to suit a leader

The African Union has struggled to get members to pay their dues to allow it run its operations and programmes efficiently, a recurrent theme addressed by leaders at the forum in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar.

Annan said such budgetary concerns were constraining the work of the continent in strengthening stability and required creative ways of resourcing.

“I was happy to hear them [African leaders] say ‘we must be prepared to pay for what we want; we must be prepared to put out our own money on the table and fund issues that are of great importance to us.’”

The forum, now in its fifth year, is an inspiration of the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and is organised by the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University.

An invitation-only event, it is chaired by former Nigeria president Olusegun Obasanjo and seeks to provide a platform for current and former leaders to interact with key stakeholders in an informal setting to tackle contemporary issues facing the continent.

It does not make decisions but is becoming an African ‘brand’ of note where local solutions are innovatively explored as the region seeks to carve out its place in a global security architecture dominated by western and emerging powers.

Leaders and experts at the Tana Forum also noted that the continent was not isolated.

“As Africa faces increasing security challenges, so does the rest of the world. The continent is well placed to provide innovative solutions to these security challenges,” Obasanjo said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and Sudan’s Omar al Bashir were among the heads of state and government present.

Former leaders Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Festus Mogae of Botswana, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Pierre Buyoya of Burundi and Joyce Banda of Malawi were also in attendance.

“I think it is a very good idea that ex-leaders come together with current leaders to share experience and try to talk very frankly about the challenges facing the continent and also about our relations with the international community,” Annan, who was attending the annual forum for the first time, said.

Tsvangirai lambasts Mugabe for Zimbabwe’s situation (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUUp1BiBiBI