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

Uganda: UPC Calls for Economic Reforms (05.04.2017)

Parliament Speaker Kadaga recommendation letter to Lwengo District LC to hire a Civil Servant (22.03.2017)

KCCA letter: “Re: Installation of CCTV Cameras and re-organisation of the Boda-Boda Operations in Kampala” (23.03.2017)

Mzee said today: ‘We cannot have famine in Uganda’, well apparently you do!

This morning, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commissioned Dokolo water supply system. (National Water and Sewerage Corporation – NWSC)

Well, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is apparently controlling the weather and steering the sun. However, the President doesn’t have those powers; he could have already built in systems that took care of water in the raining seasons and other irrigation schemes. This is special to hear, since he has been running the Republic for thirty years. That should be well known in the humid climate of Uganda. Well, here are parts of his speech in Dokolo on the International Woman’s Day!

“We cannot have famine in Uganda; that will not happen, even if it means diverting resources from other departments. We will do so although this will stop progress of key projects.” (…) “This little scare is good because it has waked us up to look at irrigation” (…) “As of now I have directed government departments to start working on solar powered pumps for irrigation and we have already experimented in some areas” (AYFAP, 2017).

Because the President Museveni cannot have listen well to Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) who in their February 2017 edition wrote this about Uganda:

During the February to June lean season, very poor households in Moroto and Napak are expected to face food consumption gaps and be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). In these areas, poorly distributed rainfall led to below-average production and very poor households depleted food stocks three months earlier than normal. Many are facing increasing difficulty purchasing sufficient food to meet their basic needs, as food prices are 30-40 percent above average. Food security is expected to improve to Stressed (IPC Phase 2) in July with the green harvest” (…) “Pasture conditions and water resources in the cattle corridor are expected to remain below average through March due to above-average land surface temperatures. Conditions are likely to improve to near normal levels in April, alongside average seasonal rainfall. Conditions will then seasonally decline from June through September. Livestock body conditions and milk productivity are expected to follow the same trend” (FEWS Net, February 2017).

So the international body that follows the possible outbreaks of famine and early warnings is saying continued struggles in Karamoja and the cattle corridor of Isingiro. Even if the President is claiming there shouldn’t be trouble or a crisis. Because Museveni himself saying there cannot be famine in Uganda, still, it is not much his government of three decades has done to curb the problem. His government has not thought of technics of keeping water and irrigate the soil. Not too long ago he spent time and used jerry-cans and bicycle to irrigate the soil, which cannot be the solution for the lack of water in Karamoja or in Isingiro.

Back in 2011 to international media the President seemed to have a plan:
“The Ugandan government, according to Museveni, now plans to “exploit the potential of Karamoja”, a move which is expected to involve offering large tracts of Karamoja land to foreign corporations to grow biofuels, as well as designating more “conservation” and mining areas. This, say critics, will only increase conflict and hunger, force more young people to move into cities, and will destroy a rich way of life that has proved resilient and economically viable” (Vidal, 2011).

So 6 years later and new famine in the Karamoja, the plans of 2011 seems like they are hurting like the critics did say. So, the new plans might cause more havoc on the embattled people of Northern Uganda.

Therefore in his own making he has destroyed the livelihood and other issues in these volatile areas. The ones in Isingiro is different, as the pastoral and the cattle corridor, Seemingly, the Ugandan Republican can have famine, it is just President Museveni and his regime who cannot control or having the mechanism to contain it. They do not have the means or efforts to help the ones in need more than a few PR scoops of trucks and meals.

So President Museveni needs guidance and needs an incentive to earn on it. If so than this problems would be fixed, if there we’re some sort of scam or program that could be used so the people could get something and he could eat of their plate. If so, the irrigation scheme would be in place and the people wouldn’t starve. So please, conning people who cares about the famine in Uganda give a way for the petty thief to steal little some and people can get some. Peace.

Reference:

African Youth Forum against Poverty (AYFAP) – ‘Famine Scare is Good, Says Museveni’ (08.03.2017) link: http://www.ayfapuc.org/index.php/2017/03/08/famine-scare-is-good-says-museveni/

FEWS NET – ‘Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes likely to persist in bimodal areas until June harvest’ (February 2017) link: http://www.fews.net/east-africa/uganda/food-security-outlook/february-2017

Vidal, John – ‘Uganda: nomads face an attack on their way of life’ (27.11.2011) link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/nov/27/uganda-nomad-farmers-climate-change

Uganda: Congratulations Hon. Chris Opoka-Okumu and Farewell Comrade Edward Segganyi (01.03.2017)

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Opinion: EALA Parliamentary Election ended expectedly with massive win for former Movement MPs!

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“Politics is like monkeys’ dance, if you do not want the tail of monkeys to touch you, you don’t join their dance”Fred Mukasa Mbidde

Who thought this would be race for the opposition to get golden tickets to the Star-ship and fly-away to moon? Who thought that the Movement would act like gentlemen and give what is proper to the opposition, than you haven’t followed class or known the Movement’s way of doing business. Surely it was all fixed at the State House, the result was pre-fixed and the time it took in Parliament was made to make the charade look like an open bazaar, when it was a closed session for the chosen few that the kingpin had decided.

The ones winning were these ones:

Mukasa Fred Mbidde (DP),

Akol Rose Okulu (NRM),

Mathias Kasamba (NRM),

Mary Mugyenyi (NRM),

Paul Musamali Mwasa (NRM),

Dennis Namara (NRM),

George Steven Odongo (NRM),

Christopher Opoka Okumu (UPC),

Suzan Nakawuki (Independent)” (New Vision, 28.02.2017).

The official results and votes don’t really matter, the winners out of the 49 candidates, two who was from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and none of them was elected. Surely, the FDC didn’t trade or give ways to the Movement. Therefore, the sudden resignation of Fred Mukasa Mbidde as Deputy President of Democratic Party (DP) before the EALA elections and he was even parts of the NRM EALA Primary Elections at the State House. Nevertheless, the man who was parts of the party that Museveni once a point in the time wanted to destroy dearly together with the Uganda People’s Congress, he has given one candidate from each party.

So who is this Christopher Opoka Okumu, the Nebbi representative who apparently was good enough for NRM MPs to vote for a another term for the UPC candidate, who wants James Akena to run for President in the next election, though that would alter the paradigm agreement done with Museveni. That is how the UPC-NRM agreement and why the UPC got even cabinet members this go around. Therefore, Museveni offers the UPC another slot in the EALA as thanks.

Dennis Namara is the former NRM Youth Chairman and Presidential Advisor for Youth, George Steven Odongo the former Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Lira, Rosa Akol Okulu, the fomer Minister for Internal Affairs, Mary Mugyenyi, the former MP for Nyabushozi County and former State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mathias Kasamba, the former Kakuuto MP, who lost in the NRM Primary in 2015.

Susan Nakawuki is a former UPC member of EALA, but this time around she went as an Independent candidate this time around. Last time she was representing UPC and as MP for Busiro MP, who even wasn’t believed to be an MP because of her dress-code in 2009, also been in trouble with the law in 2011. So after the issues, she still had capacity to get elected for EALA in 2012. So now she soon starts her second term in EALA as part of the Ugandan Delegation.

So the opposition that isn’t really opposition is the ones that one a slot to the EALA, because the ones been in EALA delegation there, are not rocking the boat or using the title to pressure anything vicious in the East Africa Community (EAC). Therefore, that Mbidde who was part of the celebration of the movement in Masindi and even parts of the Primary in the State House, the other UPC candidates are already spoiled by the wealth of EALA, that they do not want to cut their pay-check and lose their livelihood.

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The others are old-timers and former leaders who certainly have traded favours with the president, as some of these lost out at the NRM Primaries in 2015. We the knowledge of the pay-checks coming with the service at the EALA, the price of getting the offer and lose out on being a MP for the NRM. Must seem decent for the loyalist that Museveni can count on to continue his trench-hold on all most of the seats anyway!

Like Nabilah Naggay Sempala wrote on a secret meeting in Parliament:

“The meeting scheduled at Parliamentary building for 10am according to sources at the Government Chief Whip’s office, is to strike a deal with the leaning independent Members of Parliament to vote for all the 6 NRM candidates. The NRM would also in turn vote an independent candidate who is yet to be agreed” (…) “In politics nothing is done until it is done. We need any potential ally at this time to comfortably secure victories today,” a source from NRM said. The independent members are 66 accounting for 16 percent of the total members and bigger than the combined opposition members” (…) “NRM has 6 candidates in the race including former ministers Rose Akol and Mary Mugenyi, former Government Chief Whip’s office Policy Analyst Paul Musamali, former RDC George Innocent Odongo and former NRM National Youth boss Denis Namara” (Nabilah Naggay Sempala, 27.02.2017).

So with this in mind that these members we’re mention in regards, plus the amount of fixed movement MPs there wasn’t hard to see how this would go. As well, the ones that one today are proven to be former losers in the Primary, therefore the meetings that was at the State House was making sure the loyal MPs of the past would get a secured livelihood after their days in Parliament. However, there are now also Youth League leader, RDC and Political Analysts that are now paid with a heavy salary in Arusha. You can just know that there have been a trade-off and Museveni offered it for creating no issues during the campaign of 2016. That has been visible as the NRM stalwarts was offered plenty. Expect other NRM former MPs to be hired as Envoys or even Ambassadors to the UAE or any other place with a Mission.

Enough of the mellow yellow brown envelope fellow! Peace.

Uganda: Letter – “FDC appeal to Members to Vote its Two Candidates for EALA” (28.02.2017)

fdc-eala-28-02-2017

Opinion: Markets endangered in Kampala, by Mzee and his cronies!

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“Fury, angst and despair as hundreds are evicted from Park yard market. The once vibrant market is now a sea of rubble. Is it high time such rickety structures left the city center or is KCCA impinging on the core rights of the masses? Only responses in well-written English will be tolerated” (The Kampala Sun, 27.02.2017).

The traditional market of trade between small vendors and their costumer’s are under fire, not really burning, but still they are stopped. Honourable Beti Kamya, the Minister for Kampala has decreed closure of markets and such, as well as KCCA has unleashed a permit that stops others. Therefore two markets are eaten by a pivot from the State with Minister Kamya and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) under the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Musisi, who has taken power over the Owino Market. While both ladies are working against vendors and the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago , who doesn’t believe in this sort of decree without any procedure in either Authority or at the local councils. Therefore the sanctioned rule should go through the Mayor and also the KCCA. Something, the decree didn’t as it was served from the hand of Minister Kamya without any consideration of the rest of the leadership and government structure of the capital of Kampala. That was something that was bound to happen… though the innocent part is he vendors who are under-fire by the State Minister who doesn’t see their turmoil or trouble at all.

“Security has sealed off Nakivubo park-yard market before the ’30 days’ ultimatum given to vendors by Minister Beti Kamya to vacate elapses. Last week, the minister issued a directive ordering vendors at the Park Yard market to vacate citing lack of enough toilets which was a health threat. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said Minister Beti Kamya was ‘just politicking’ over the market since she didn’t have an alternative for the vendors. Some vendors have vowed not to leave the market until they are killed” (NBS Television, 27.02.2017).

“Mayhem masterminded by state agencies!!!! How could Police organise goons to lynch and/or harm KCCA elected leaders and MPS in course of executing our duties in the city centre!?.. Mr. Kayihura and Madam Betty Kamya, what motivated you to put our lives in harm’s way?. Our visit to park yard market was lawful as it was sanctioned by a resolution of the Authority that convened this morning. You invade the market on a Sunday night, cordon off the entire place without a court warrant or hoarding permit from KCCA, and then unleash terror on the business community and learders?. Terrible!!!” (Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, 27.02.2017).

owino-market-feb-2017

Owino Market has been closed because of the issue with DFCU bank that the vendors there in total owns the bank Shs. 4.8bn. Therefore this is a current issue with bankers, but the strange act is that the Police sealed off the market and even destroyed the old vendors’ places, like they want to trade it off and get rid-off the old small-time vendors who have kept stalls there. Today the market was officially sealed off, with the police cars and metal fences by the authorities.

So know we know that the DFCU who just bought Crane Bank after it was under care-taking by the Bank of Uganda. So the funds used to by Crane Bank has to earned back, because DFCU needs profits, as they are even use their newly found wealth to take away the possibility for one of the most popular markets in Kampala. You can wonder who is investing directly and who else has greased the wheels of the minister.

The pictures of football stadium that was planned back in 2013 has resurfaced with pictures of investor together with President Yoweri Museveni that must have sparked the opportunity to pay for the sanction land and given permission to destroy the vendors place to trade goods, which has been a popular market.

If there are other unions of vendors who is struggling with debt like the Owino, expect the bank to erase the place, fill it with investors who knocks on the State House doors and gives permission to crash the place, fill it with fancy malls that won’t be affordable for other than ones on top of Nakasero Hill or Bugolobi, the rest of Kampala cannot afford even soda inside the new furnished extravagant building. The same will happen around this project where the bank DFCU and State has shaken each other’s hand, given envelopes and made sure to get a go ahead.

nakivubo-stadium

Because of this they have even gone further, they we’re given 30 days to vacate the premises on the 7th February 2017 after a decree made by Minister Beti Kamya, so by my rare calculation they should be taken away by the 9th March 2017. So that the State together with the Police was invading the premises last night and this morning; that being 26th and 27th February they did it instead.

So the state of Uganda doesn’t need to be transparent or accountable, as long as they have possible to gain monies into the state coffers and getting vouched from the state house. Rule of law doesn’t matter as long as Mzee says “do it” or “yes”. That what seems to have happen, the vendors and traders loses their ground because of investors has spoken at the state house. Shows the matter of how involved the state house is in all business deals in Uganda. That shows if you have strawmen to send to the state house, the police and the local authorities to work for the corporation. So that the locals or others with “debt” or lacking “titles” can be evicted, that seems like way the legitimize their acts towards the ones who has had the land in the past.

The same happens in Owino or at the Park Yard marked. There are no mercy, only eviction so that a football stadium and other futuristic building appearing there, because President Museveni said it was okay. Peace.

My letter to Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu hope you enjoy your “fake peace”!

FDC SG 10th Parliament

Dear Sir!

Retired Major. General. Mugisha Muntu, the current Party President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), I write you because of the recent revealed letter between you and the Parliament speaker. This is not easy; you seem like a reasonable fellow and a man of honour.

Let me be honest with you, you seem tired of fighting and tired of hitting the wall. You are tired of the struggle and the work of dismantling the Movement. The Movement you once were on the rise in, before you started to build together with others the FDC. The FDC that is today a working machine with a NEC and other bodies that have through preliminary elections and other can bring justice to the ones who are running on FDC tickets.

We know through the grapevine that you we’re the one who was in-charge of reason why the FDC became the shadow government with Leader of Opposition Winnie Kiiza. That is when the party officially went away from the party of defiance and compliance with the ruling regime of the Movement. Mugisha Muntu was in-charge of that as Dr. Kizza Besigye was detained and was not the care-giver or getting to give reason to fight for his cause. This was the FDC abandoning Besigye in jail at Luzira after he had been airlifted and taken violently from Kampala.

Therefore the party sold their legitimacy and the ethical codes for a few silver and “a fake peace”, something Muntu himself could have said. This was an actual peace or token of respect of the party or their struggle during and after the ballot. That the party was under siege and the members were attacked was well-known, that dozens was detained without any warrants or court orders, was publically known. Therefore Moses Byamugyisha used days upon days to get FDC Youth free from illegal detention.

muntu22-02-2017

So that you gave up the struggle and gave a token of honour to the man that stole yet another election. Shows how much you can carry and what that is important. A Fake Peace is your price and your just behaviour. That you can stab the back of many supporters and give in, while many and still people are fighting forged alleged crimes, while you can eat supper and use party organization as you please.

This you did when you after a peaceful recent election all of a sudden sent a letter to the Parliament, which Ingrid Turinawe’s candidature for the EALA slot, was pulled back. Even when the recent election gave her a second place and also given her an opportunity to get nominated further in the Parliament. We don’t know the reasons before he actually tells the world for the sudden act of misbehaviour.

We don’t know why Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu suddenly decided on his own, to disown the FDC Primary EALA elections and pull another party members nomination to Parliament. We don’t know if he has traded with Jimmy Akena of Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Norbert Mao of Democratic Party (DP) or even spoken nicely to Hon. Beti Kamya of Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA), to make sure the parties all get a slot in the EALA Ugandan Delegation in the next term there. If so he should be up-front and told the party organization not deviously send a letter to Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and hope the second nomination get cut in silence.

None of the nominations has happen in silence, neither has the nomination of Ingrid Turinawe, still the way of the wish of taking her chance away is a demonstration of not caring about inner-party elections. Than the Party President should have said from the get-go that the party only have one candidate for the elections! Period, bravo, congrats Florence and the rest good luck hunting after other positions!

That is what you should have done Honourable Muntu, instead you went the back-way and didn’t use proper methods, you have traded or done some backdoor agreements that is not known to anyone, but you and your closest allies. What they we’re and how they came about is for you to know. Even if not so, the act of aggression against Turinawe, is not a good look on him or his ways.

Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, sometimes you sound like reasonable and well-thought true politician with a genuine heart, other times you are dying of ambition and wanting to rule with an iron fist. If you want the people to believe in the first character then they don’t need the giving in to the Movement, like you did with the Shadow Government nonsense, neither do they need the speedy change of heart and trying to disqualify Turinawe. It just seem benign and weak of man of your stature to this. Like a vendetta or a proof of distrust to the Besigye diehards. Who knows your motives if they are brown-envelopes or brownie points with the movement?

You could clarify and in-debt describe your trade or your reason for this act of volatile attempt to silence a fellow FDC member and her chance of a political platform on the outside of the Party Organization? Would you have done the same if it was Hon. Nathan-Nandala Mafabi?

What was your goal, was it create havoc and make sure your fraction get more power inside the party while Besigye is on a trip in Europe? I am wondering if your applying to secure a fake peace not only in the nation, but also inside the party you run.

I am wondering is your goal: to create a unstable peace and make sure there is a fake peace?

Peace!

Best regards.

Writer of MinBane