Press Statement – #Battleground Tshwane: ANC’s violent disruption of the launch of DA’s Mayoral Campaign (24.10.2015)

DA Tshwane P1

Yesterday ANC supporters violently disrupted the DA’s preparation for the launch of the DA’s Tshwane Mayoral Campaign in Solomon Mahlangu Square.

Late in the afternoon ANC supporters physically attacked DA supporters and staff members, who have subsequently been taken to hospital for treatment.

DA Tshwane P2

This grouping had – prior to the attack on the DA – attended a function hosted by the Mayor of Tshwane, who is as a result culpable in these events.

The ANC’s violent actions yesterday are the clearest indication yet that they can lose Tshwane and that the DA can win in next year’s local government election.

DA Tshwane P3

As a result of this violent attack, much of the equipment that was to be used at the launch was destroyed. For practical reasons, we will therefore be launching Solly Msimanga’s Campaign for Mayor of Tshwane on Sunday, 25 October 2015.

DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, DA Gauteng Leader, John Moodey, and DA Candidate for Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, will today brief the media on the details of the violence that took place; the criminal charges and multi-million rand civil actions that we will pursue; the complaint which has been made with the Independent Electoral Commission; and the formal Complaint which has been laid with the Mayor of Tshwane.

DA Tshwane P4

The DA will not be intimidated by the ANC’s violence. We remain steadfast to bring the change that Tshwane so desperately needs.

Press statement: Amama Mbabazi on NRM Delegates Conference & My Wife’s Health

AmamaNRMElection2016

Good Afternoon,

I will not be attending the NRM delegates conference slated for October 30th. Instead I will be focused on preparing for my nomination.

My wife Jacqueline will also not be attending. She is presently unwell and undergoing treatment in the United Kingdom. When I married my wife I made a promise that from that day forth, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both live, I would give her full support. I am her primary helper and so I have taken some time away from campaign activities in order to give her the support she needs. My family and I expect her to make a full recovery soon.

I would like to thank all our family, friends and supporters for their prayers and sympathy. Please know that it means a lot to us at this time.

I encourage all supporters of Go Forward to remain patient and calm as our team prepares us for nomination. I am truly looking forward to launching the campaign, and engaging voters across the country.  

Thank you.

For God and My Country,

Amama Mbabazi

Higher Education Funding: Time for Leadership that Prioritises SA’s Youth – Bokamosa by Mmusi Maimane

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Uganda Release Bond for a FDC Member today (22.10.2015)

Muhamad Ssegirinya Bond Paper 22.10. FDC Member

He was one of the Youth that was adressing the digitalization and still most people having old equipment. So it wouldn’t be for the people. That is why he got jailed. And finally he got released. What a journey and for so long since it happen! This is the justice of the Uganda law system for the moment. Peace! 

EALS/UG/10/15 – Re: Call on Your Excellency to Reign in State Sanctioned Police Brutality that is stiffling the enjoyment of Democratic Rights and Freedoms in Uganda (22.10.2015)

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Reports on the FDC Mobilization rallies in the Eastern Uganda today

FDC Mobilization 21.10.15 Bugiri

Today the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) had planned to have rallies in Bugiri and Tororo. They would also head to Malaba if everything would go after plan. And prepare for the rallies tomorrow.

“We must recognise that us the politicians have been turned into fugitives in our own country and you the ordinary people refugees. We know it and so we must reclaim our dignity. To reclaim our dignity from the oppressor, we must defy him and not comply with the dictator.” – Dr. Kizza Besigye

A thing that the Party also did before travelling to the East they dropped off or filed a case at the High Court against the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General, where the Party is represented by the Senior Council Rwafuzi. The High Court will not hear or listen to the petition made the party on regards to the actions of the Police in the Western Uganda.

Road Block from Police

On the road to Bugiri the Police had again set up metal trenches or teeth to stop cars on the road. Like the Police trashed the cars on the road to Rukungiri on the 10th of October. They had set it up at Nakalama this morning. It was good that the FDC convoy made it through today.

Police in Bugiri 21.10.15

The FDC was to open their Mobilization office in Bugiri town at 11 AM and also meet the locals. Police was around in town, actually in big trucks and heavy weaponry. Supporters and friends of the party attending the opening the venue, but the police was also a part of the opening even though they was not invited. It was open with Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hon. Nandala Mafabi. Also at the venue was Hon. Wafula Ogutu who organized the journey.

FDC in Bugiri 21.10.15

At 3 PM the FDC continued in Tororo and had a massive rally in town. Where the FDC was planned to open the District Office today, the FDC had a convoy into town. Even Hon. Nandala Mafabi was walking in front together with the police in to town. The public really showed up some party members saying up that hundreds had showed up to lift up the event. It occurred at the Children’s Park. After what it seems and reports there has been a uplifting event and positivity not a town sieged by the Police, people harassed or tear-gassed. Congratulations to the UPF and the local DPC, also in general the Police for acting civilian in Tororo. About time! They we’re only allowed to be in town for an hour! They let them in after opening the roadblocks into town.

Nandala Mafabi walking into Tororo 21.10.15

But not all police in the country was like this. On the road from Tororo to Malaba Dr. Kizza Besigye was stopped and wanted to pull him out of his car. The Police didn’t pull him out, because he didn’t comply too and the good thing that it didn’t happen. The Police had set up a road block as they had done in other roads today. The other was there was Hon. Nandala Mafabi, Wafula Ogutu, Godfrey Ekanya, Nasser Mudibole, Wanaha Kevinha and Sadiq Amin. So there was a lot of witnesses at the ground and at the road block.

On the road for more rallies and in Iganga where the local people wanted to show appreciation for the FDC Flag-bearer while driving through on the road to Kampala. The Police have actually thrown tear-gas into the public who was passing by and watching the FDC convey! This was about an hour ago!

Uganda Police 21.10.15

So the Police actually had the ability to act a bit civilized today. This is the even if the police did block the towns that were already mentioned in the writings from the party and it’s the flag-bearer. So the public knew about the planned and times at the venues in both Bugiri and Tororo. They showed heart and stopped. Even took part of the Bugiri opening in the Mobilization office there. As they also stopped the convoy into the Tororo and Nandala Mafabi walked in-front of the convoy into town today together with the Police and the local public. There will be more security checkpoints from the Police in the next days. Hope that the incident in Iganga doesn’t become the norm as they have been in recent weeks and months. There been enough harassment and issues from the Police towards the opposition parties and even in the NRM primaries that isn’t looking good.  We can hope that the Police might have some sense and show the public the right to mobilize for somebody else the Mzee and his loyal cronies in the NRM. Peace!

FDC informs on the Public Rallies in the Eastern Uganda in Bugiri and Tororo tomorrow

FDC Mobilisation Program

I wish to inform Ugandans and all democratic forces that our planned political mobilization activities in Eastern Uganda start today.

We will hold a rally in Bugiri town, Taxi Park at 11am and thereafter head to Tororo to address a rally at Children’s Park at 3pm.

As a registered political party, FDC is legally mandated to mobilise without restrictions. Therefore, in line with our party elections road map, we commit to move to Eastern Uganda to recruit, mobilize, interact and galvanise our supporters to regain their power and invoke their self belief to pursue and achieve our goal of political change.

I urge the security agencies to cooperate with us by shifting away from being hostile, confrontational, militant and aggressive towards the opposition to a professional force as enshrined in our constitution.

Kizza Besigye.
FDC Presidential Flag Bearer

Uganda – TIC letter: Urgent Call for National Dialogue before 2016 General Election (20.10.2015)

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Bank of Uganda’s Monetary Policy Statement for October 2015 (20.10.2015)

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Press Release: USAID Partnership cuts Maternal Mortality in half in target facilities (19.10.2015)

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MEXICO CITY – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners released a new report today showing an almost 50 percent reduction in maternal deaths in target facilities in Uganda and Zambia. Equally as unprecedented as the reductions in mortality, these results were achieved in just two and a half years.

The Saving Mothers, Giving Life Mid-Initiative report, released at the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Mexico City, demonstrates the impact of a public-private partnership led by the U.S. government that includes the Ugandan and Zambian governments, Merck for Mothers, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mother Counts, and Project C.U.R.E.

The results of the report include dramatic progress in just the first half of the initiative:

Maternal mortality fell by 53 percent in target facilities in Zambia and by 45 percent in Uganda.
Zambia saw an 81 percent increase in the number of women receiving treatment to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS to their infants.The number of women giving birth in a facility rose by 30 percent in Uganda and by 43 percent in Zambia. A 29% and 37% decline in perinatal mortality and stillbirths in Zambia, respectively.
Saving Mothers, Giving Life makes high-quality, safe childbirth services available and accessible to women and their newborns by focusing on labor, delivery and the first 48 hours of postpartum when most maternal deaths and half of newborn deaths occur. The initiative addresses the critical delays that cause maternal deaths: delays in seeking services, reaching services, and receiving quality services. Saving Mothers, Giving Life applies a district wide approach by linking communities to all facilities in target districts.

Due to the unprecedented success of this partnership, Saving Mothers, Giving Lives is expanding to 16 new districts in Zambia and Uganda and one state in Nigeria. The model can help achieve the global vision of ending preventable child and maternal deaths.