




Uganda: CSBAG – “Reducing Wastage and Curbing Inefficiences to Finance our Priorities for the FY 2017/2018 (09.04.2017)




















There are something serious malfunctioning in the National Resistance Movement (NRM), their whole operation and their idea of Government. The reason why is a Minister is now caught in the mix, though strange that he is in hot-water. Why do I say that? Since this is the government that has sanctioned the Presidential Handshake, the billing of profits from the Tax Case with Tullow Oil. So for me this is weird, that this one get illegal, while the other get rubber-stamped by the same government. Like a rabbit isn’t a rabbit, that these two is two of a kind. Take a quick look!
“Days after the story of this accusation went public, police on Saturday arrested and detained three people including a State Minister, for allegedly receiving a Shs30 million bribe from the businessman” (…) “The police this afternoon arrested Hon. Herbert Kabafunzaki, the state minister for labour, employment and industrial relations who is also the MP Rukiga County in Kabale district. He is arrested together with Mr Brian Mugabo, a clearing agent. He was allegedly soliciting a bribe from the proprietor of Aya Group,” Mr Kayima said in a statement” (Monitor Team, 2017).
Can someone please tell me difference between Aya Group and Tullow Oil, certainly different types of businesses and also reach. That Tullow Oil got middlemen inside the Uganda Revenue Authority and got accepted through all forms of government before the corrupt arrangement of the Presidential Handshake, but why doesn’t Hon. Kabafunzaki get off the hook, when half of the civil service and the leadership involved in the handshake gets to kiss ass. There are something unjust about the whole case.
“When contacted to confirm or deny president Museveni’s involvement in the arrest of the minister, Senior Presidential Press Secretary Don Wanyama said: “When the President said this is Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo this is what he meant. The message is clear, the fight against corruption has been taken to a new high and there are no sacred cows. Once you’re involved, you’ll be arrested irrespective of position. Corrupt government officials have been put on notice.” (Monitor Team, 2017).
It is ironic and strange to see the President involved in it and taking a strong stance on it, as he government and his officials are let’s say bluntly very corrupt. His former cronies like Gen. Jim Muhwezi and Amama Mbabazi was often on the list of most corrupt men in East Africa. Therefore, these words coming from Okello House is not really trustworthy, as the big business and decisions comes from the State House before they are sanctioned. So if the grand-corruption is appearing, than the President has said “Okay” and signed the agreement.
When we see stuff like this now, we know that if there are grand corruption or corrupt behavior it is either sanctioned by the State House or not accepted by the NRM cronies. Therefore, if they are arrested it is to make the world believe that the institutions works against this sort of economic transgression in society. For people like me this is not believable, that the NRM Regime cares, as the corruption scandals and the people walking free in mansions bigger than malls. So why should we mind?
Well, as long as the Presidential Handshakes are accepted and a way of giving illegal bonuses, which is a sort of corruption and eating of the state coffers. Why should this 30m shillings be an issue? Peace.
Reference:
Monitor Team – ‘Sex scandal adds twist to Minister Kabafunzaki’s arrest’ (08.04.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Minister-Kabafunzai-arrested-taking-30M-bribe/688334-3882728-lr2slwz/index.html

“In Federalist Papers No. 22, Alexander Hamilton seemed to anticipate the modern day Republican party, writing of the concept of a supermajority, “(I)ts real operation is to embarrass the administration, to destroy the energy of government and to substitute the pleasure, caprice or artifices of an insignificant, turbulent or corrupt junta, to the regular deliberations and decisions of a respectable majority.” (Jones, 2009).
As of today we know that Mitch McConnell and other Republicans do not value their own internal laws for bi-partisanship, neither the value of a silent minority when creating laws. That can be said in the days after the Senate used the ‘Nuclear Option’ to circumvent and have a second vote to secure the newly made nominee for the Supreme Court Judge Neil Gorsuch appointed by them. Even as the Democrats had earlier filibuster move and blocked the appointment. Just as the Republican Party did for a year, when the then elected President Barrack Obama, nominated Merrick Garland for the same slot in the Supreme Court.
This here is pivotal to the ideas of the Senate, as the Republicans clearly now proves that the laws are only mattering when they are in opposition, because when they get in power they will use it to silent the opposition. The reality is that the Democratic Party, is losing more ground quicker than they could anticipate. The Senate are now filled with corporate stooges who could not care about the laws and the true conservative measures, as the filibuster might have stopped processes, but has been there as a safeguard against regulations who might hurt the Republic. That is something the Republicans should care about, but apparently they are hooked on power.
“The filibuster, long seen by its proponents as a necessary check on power and by its critics as a frustrating waste of time, has been around since the mid-19th century. A filibuster simply allows the minority political party to choose to endlessly debate a bill, stalling — and sometimes preventing — an actual vote. The word comes from the Dutch term vrijbuiter (pirate), in addition to the Spanish word filibustero (freebooting). The origins of filibuster use trace back to ancient Rome, and the practice has been common in several other countries including England and Australia. In the U.S., the tactic became known as a label for a Senator who held his colleagues hostage by overtalking legislation” (…) “The first filibuster in U.S. Senate history began on March 5, 1841, over the issue of the firing of Senate printers, and lasted six days. Ever since, politicians have loved filibusters or hated them — depending which side of the fight they were on. Proponents argue the filibuster protects the right to free speech and prevents the Senate majority from steamrolling the minority, thus ensuring that critical legislation gets a sufficient airing before being pushed through. Others contend the practice has gotten out of hand, leaving bills gridlocked in an oft-feuding Senate and stalling important votes for purely partisan gain. Peter Fenn, GOP consultant and former Senate aide, called filibusters the “tyranny of the minority.” (Oloffson, 2009).
The reality of what they have done is that after the first vote on the 4th April voted a majority Republicans to hold an Executive Session to consider Gorsuch as Supreme Court Judge. Than the Senate tried to fill in a clout on the 6th April 2017, but that got rejected by the minority after the filibuster rule. Therefore, Majority leader McConnell came with the good idea of using the Reed Rule and overrule the Filibuster through reconsidering the motion and change the rules on how many that needs to vote “yay” to win legislation victory in the senate. So late after a long debate on the 6th April, the Senate got the amount of votes to get the “On the Cloture Motion” that gave way for the majority in the Senate. So with the new rules, yesterday with 54 Yay over 45 Nay, the victory of the Republicans and the Trump nominee for the Court.
GovTrack explains it perfectly: “A vote on cloture is a vote to limit further debate and move to an up-or-down vote, in other words to prevent a filibuster. With only 55 votes in favor, 5 short of the 60 required, the Democrats blocked cloture so that they could filibuster the nomination. Following this vote, in Senate vote #109, the rule for cloture on Supreme Court nominations was changed to a simple majority. In Senate vote #110, the cloture vote was retaken under the new rules and with 55 votes again, 4 more than was needed on the second attempt, cloture was approved and further debate was limited. Gorsuch was confirmed in the final vote the following day” (GovTrack, 2017).
So with this change, the Majority knows totally control the Senate as the Filibuster is now gone away. It is ironic that the Republicans voting for this week, has as a minority proclaimed their love for the filibuster rule and it value in the Senate. So when themselves needs to circumvent it, it was easy to vote and change so their man could have a slot in the court. But they could use the same rule to stop laws and nominations from Obama.

A few recent times the Republican’s have filibuster themselves:
In 2013: “Ted Cruz called in the doctor to knock down ObamaCare — Dr. Seuss, that is.
The Republican senator from Texas recited Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham” during a wide-ranging, 21- hour quasi-filibuster to blast the health-care law” (Miller, 2013).
In 2012: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) wants to change the filibuster rule in the Senate because Republicans have been abusing it. He pointed out in Politico this September, “Since Democrats took control of the Senate in 2006, Republicans have mounted 380 filibusters. This far exceeds anything we’ve seen before in the Senate. By comparison, in Lyndon B. Johnson’s six years as Senate majority leader, he faced just one filibuster.” (…) “But Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claims that the 60 supermajority vote rule is ordinary procedure. McConnell huffed at Reid’s filibuster reform, “What these Democrats have in mind is a fundamental change to the way the Senate operates.” (Jones, 2012).
In 2010: “Senate Republicans proved their fortitude today when they voted to filibuster the Zadroga bill, the measure to provide health insurance to 9/11 workers. The measure failed by a vote of 57-42. Under the leadership of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Republicans vowed to filibuster any legislation introduced in the Senate until a settlement is reached on the Bush tax cuts and federal funding” (Clabough, 2010).
So there is a precedence and a history of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to use the filibuster on his own grounds and stop the Democratic Party from getting through legislation, as much as 380 times at least since 2006 alone. So it is not like the Republican Party doesn’t know how obstructive they have been in opposition. Nevertheless, when they got in power they used the tools possible to not respect the way the Democratic Majority Leader Reid did, but instead overrule the filibuster to get in the Trump nominee. The Nobel men of the Republican party who, has said they care about the sacred laws of the Senate, we’re lying all these years. Since the minute they get into power and get majority inside the Senate, they use the clouts and the roads not used. To make sure their will get passed. No bi-partisanship, but instead close the gate and says “our will rule them all”.
The Republican Party and their Senate leader will surely be remembered for their ill-will and take control of the Senate, rewrite the rules for their donors and their corporate partners, instead of serving the public will. The Republican Party and their leader can be remembered for not caring that they we’re ones using a 200 year old rule for their benefit, but when they entered the gates as majority. They couldn’t care less. Peace.
Reference:
Clabough, Raven – ‘Republican Filibuster Blocks 9/11 Bill’ (09.12.2010) link: https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/3577-republican-filibuster-blocks-9-11-bill
Miller, S.A. – ‘Cruz reads ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ in marathon filibuster’ (23.09.2013) link: http://nypost.com/2013/09/25/cruz-vows-to-speak-till-he-cant-against-obamacare/
Jones, Sarah – ‘Since Democrats took control of the Senate in 2006, Republicans Have Mounted 380 Filibusters’ (09.12.2009) link: http://www.politicususa.com/2012/12/09/block-blame-successful-republican-filibuster-strategy.html
GovTrack – ‘Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States’ (06.04.2017) link: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/115-2017/s105?utm_campaign=govtrack_feed&utm_source=govtrack/feed&utm_medium=rss
Oloffson, Kristi – ‘A BRIEF HISTORY OF Filibusters’ (02.11.2009) link: http://content.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1933802,00.html

That Glenn Beck doesn’t view his fellow employees political affiliation is now a fact after the controversy hitting his station and media company “the Blaze” where the most popular feature on the news corporation was Tomi Lahren. Tomi Lahren for her ending speeches in her shows went viral, as she spoke against Beyonce dancing for Black Lives Matters in the middle of the Superbowl. Calling out Barrack Obama every-time he went against conservative values. That was the idea of Tomi Lahrens’s show on the Blaze.
So when Tomi Lahren went on the View and proved her opinion on abortion, that she couldn’t see how the government could control her body and her rights as woman. That was enough for Glenn Beck and the Blaze. So they first suspended her from her role and now later fired her. The Blaze has then taken away their most known character and spokesperson, as who else is there? We know about Tomi Lahren because of her controversial clips on Youtube, as they have spread viral and even been used as pattern to discuss the different views from the Democrats to the Republican party outlook on the world.
That the Blaze wants to become a Fox News with Glenn Beck in-charge should be a well-known fact, anything else would be lie. The Blaze wants to be in between Breitbart, Infowars and the Fox News, in the Republican sphere of media houses, that spreads their ideas on the current news. So that the sacked anchor of the Blaze, are now officially suing the Blaze for the damages done by ending her works there.
How the Blaze was started:
“Conservative Fox News host Glenn Beck, a frequent critic of the mainstream news media, has launched his own news site, The Blaze. The site appears to be modeled after The Huffington Post and not surprisingly, features stories with a conservative bent about some of Beck’s favorite issues, such as faith, terrorism, the imam behind the planned Islamic community center in New York City and Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday” (Matt DeLong – ‘Glenn Beck launches conservative news site The Blaze’ 31.08.2010- link: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/08/glenn-beck-launches-conservati.html).
So as part of the case between the parties that was delivered yesterday to Dallas County district court, this information strikes out for me: “Moreover, Defendants knew that Plaintiff had expressed her personal view in this regard several times previously and they never took any issue with it. A few days later, however, Plaintiff was contacted by TBI’s Human Resources Director/Supervisor and advised that she was suspended indefinitely and that she need not return to TBI’s office(s), all because of her pro-choice opinions expressed on The View. Plaintiff was understandably disappointed, saddened, and in shock for being suspended for freely expressing her opinions, which certainly reconcile with what is the law of the land in the United States i.e., a woman’s constitutional right to choose and in no way inconsistent with any of Plaintiff’s obligations under the Employment Contract” (Dallas County District Court Document 07.04.2017). So if this is true, than Glenn Beck the owner of the Blaze knew that she had this personal view. If so why would he fire her for something already known by the media company? Did they hire her only for her pretty face and her ability to read the teleprompter?

That the Blaze also known about what capacity for their hiring of Tomi Lahren is clear and that she could be on shows, as she was becoming bigger than Glenn Beck, must have hurt the proud owner. He has now kicked someone out in the same manner as himself was sacked by Fox News. So that Glenn Beck addressed her harshly on Twitter and had issues with her stance was clear, as Beck knows that the viewers on channel and media house is over 87% Conservative values, therefore they will not be in favor of planned parenthood or the possibility of abortion. Therefore, this revelation inside the court document also says something: “Meanwhile, as Plaintiff heeded the unlawful admonitions, Beck and others within TBI embarked on a public smear campaign attacking Plaintiff and chastising her political views and opinions in a clear attempt to embarrass, humiliate, and undermine Plaintiff’s reach to her audience on social media and elsewhere. Beck and others associated with TBI have continued to knowingly, intentionally, and/or consciously attack Plaintiff in wrongful retaliation for Plaintiff having expressed her personal viewpoint on a public television show” (Dallas County District Court Document 07.04.2017). So that Beck went personally aggressive in defense to secure his viewers and prove the different views of the corporation compared to Tomi Lahren, while she was the new target and claimed to be indigenous with her behavior on the View. Therefore, Beck was right in his acts on social media against her, as she wasn’t really acting on corporate policy anyway.
“Plaintiff seeks a judicial declaration, inter alia, of the following, to-wit: (i) that Defendants wrongfully terminated Plaintiff without cause; (ii) that Defendants have, in multiple ways, materially breached and anticipatorily repudiated the parties’ Employment Contract; (iii) as a result of Defendants’ material breaches of the Employment Contract, Plaintiff is fully excused from further performance; (iv) Plaintiff is entitled to complete rescission of the Employment Contract and a return to the status quo ex-ante; (v) Plaintiff is not bound or restricted in any way from pursuing alternative employment that competes directly with Defendants; (vi) Plaintiff is entitled to express her salient views on the propriety of Defendants and particularly Beck’s misconduct, which should be exposed for what it is; (vii) Defendants should be enjoined and required to pay Plaintiff under the Employment Contract the agreed upon amounts for the duration of the term set forth in the Employment Contract and (viii) even assuming arguendo that Plaintiff signed an NDA, which is denied, she is not restrained in any way by any NDA under principles of contract law because, in the absence of any new consideration allegedly signed post-employment, the NDA, if any, is nudum pactum. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 37.004 (Vernon Supp. 2014)” (Dallas County District Court, 07.04.2017).
So if Tomi Lahren is right, than the Blaze has used her fame and newfound place in spectrum of popular culture, though not for all the reasons she wishes and expressions, as the Blaze wanted to control and have her views controlled. That is why the sacking proves how fickle and little space there are inside Beck’s own media house. As the Conservative and the Republican views are all controlling and no questions to the paradigms that has founded the company.
Tomi Lahren has been useful to the Blaze, as the Republic Media and the spreading the narratives needed for the conquest of the minds. However, the pride of Glenn Beck got to him and he cannot understand outside his bubble sees the reality. That Lahren has become bigger than him and he cannot contain him. It is like The Game got enormous and took more space than 50 Cent anticipated inside the G Unit Records, therefore he got kicked out. The similar effects of this, as The Game talked well about Jadakiss and Nas. Just like Lahren spoke well of abortions, instead of being against Pro-Choice as she was supposed to be.

Glenn Beck might have 10 million viewers and have traction, as the radio programs and the media in general have lots of viewers. That the agreement between Tomi Lahren and The Blaze from 2015 only can use this provision to fire her: “11. Suspension/Termination of Employment: TBI has the right to suspend or terminate (or suspend then subsequently terminate) Employee’s employment to end this agreement” (…) “(vi) conduct or involvement in a situation that brings Employee into public disrespect, offends the community or any group thereof; or embarrasses or reflects unfavorably on TBI’s reputation; (vii) Employee’s repeated failure to comply with the reasonable directions of senior management; (viii) an event of “Force Majeure” (as such term is understood in the entertainment industry), however, in the event of Force Majeure, TBI shall only have the right to suspend Employee and if such suspension exceeds three (3) consecutive weeks Employee shall have the right to terminate this agreement; or (ix) if TBI discontinues operations” (The Blaze Agreement with Tomi Lahren 09.09.2015).
So if used the Force Majeure suspension and termination, you can wonder what sort of legal language the Blaze lawyers will use to extract the cause of the termination of Tomi Lahren. Since the suspension of her seems more like personal vendetta from Beck. Like he could see his possible excuse to fire her. Since his own position as the main host on the Blaze. Certainly, the company would know about this since Beck was the founder of it and surely would feel considered to be ‘the man’.
It seems that Tomi Lahren has a case, not that I agree with the news and opinions she has spread as an employee at the Blaze. Still, as a person she deserves to be treated rightfully by her employer. So hope she wins over the Blaze and Glenn Beck. So Beck can show the world some needed humility, and than we can wonder where Lahren is trying to get a job. Since she with her statement on the View played a little liberal view in United States, so if it is MSNBC or anywhere else, can soon be found out. Peace.

There are these days when you wonder how little margin of error the citizens of Uganda can have, before they become the enemy of the state. The National Resistance Movement, with the President Yoweri Museveni and the First Lady Janet Museveni, who happens now to Minister for Educations and Sports, who was elected by the people or selected on merits, but she was hired because she married the President. Have not clearly liked the questioning her powers and her reach. Janet Museveni have not taken it easy that a Research Fellow and Lecturer at Makerere University has questioned her acts in government.
That Dr. Stella Nyanzi is a fierce critic and doesn’t hold barren of how criticism is well-known, she know also the possible consequence as her own pen has already told that she expected this outcome. That she would be detained and might even lose her. She has right to fear this as she has risked it all against the NRM Regime who does not care about democratic values and rights, as long as the Museveni’s has all power.
Therefore, the NRM are using the policing and the law-system to order and strike at the visible dissidents, therefore we have seen other FDC sympathizers and leaders either behind bars or put through fraudulent court cases. So it is not like Dr. Nyanzi is the first one to be touched by the regimes long arms of force and vicious attempts to silence opposition voices. This is more the pattern of President Museveni and his Police than anything else.
That Mrs Museveni is thin-skinned, is most likely true, she feels entitled to not be questioned or be spoken against. Therefore, when she entered the Ministry after the election she took control of it with the Police Force and cleared the ones phones and communications materials. To make sure no-one would leak or spread anything that wasn’t in-line with ideas. So when a small citizen who happens to work inside her Ministry questions her efforts or even care of pledges of the husband. Than she felt hurt and wanted to retaliate. That has now been done, the forgiveness of the masters and the chiefs wasn’t sincere. Not that ones that has followed the Museveni’s believed the interview on NTV with Sheila Nduhukire.
So that Dr. Stella Nyanzi has to counts on her for her expression and words online, while Chris Obore uses the words against critics, but does not get any problems, proves that the laws are not equal in Uganda. If your a NRM member and leader you can say whatever, but if you question the Leopards Anus, you will be bitten.
The NRM illegitimate rule is proven with acts like this, as they cannot even handle criticism on social media, they cannot manage that a Makerere lecturer can deliver pads to fellow girls at the schools, while the President and his regime cannot manage to uphold their pledges. They we’re just bait to the poor in the districts and up-country, as they would believe they even would get funding for Malwa groups. Oh golly, the promises of an international airport in Gulu. Look forward to see that surface in my lifetime. Please Mr. President promise world peace on your next time for pre-ticked ballots and probable statistics exercise only possible in elections rigging.
So that Mrs. Janet Museveni, the First Lady being hurt by the questioning of her powers and her position, show how little these two as a couple care for democratic values or freedom of expression. That they cannot even manage a fellow citizens with a colorful language expressing her views on the lacking governance from the NRM. Not like Chris Obore or Ofwono Opondo is writing with a soft pen against the FDC or anyone else who questions the NRM. But they are loyalists to the Movement and can get away with murder. Just like NRM tries to get away with murder if they have too, and they do that once in while. Sadly not in every blue-moon.
There lacking care of governance and transparency is apparent as night from day. The irrational NRM will continue with their pending obnoxious belief in their right to rule without any consideration of other views or beliefs. That is why Dr. Stella Nyanzi is behind bars, because the Museveni cannot handled to questioned or be revealed for their lacking service delivery. Peace.
