“The Chain yourself movement is ongoing and here is a video from today. Courtsey of The Insider (a news website in Uganda)” (Martha Leah Nangalama, 2016).
Tag: 2016 General Election Uganda
Dr. Kizza Besigye released from Bond from Naggalama P.S. for “Unlawful Procession” in Kampala today (05.04.2016)

“Just released from Naggalama Police Station. I was Charged with Unlawful Procession! I left home with one vehicle and never disembarked” – Dr. Kizza Besigye
I have to ask; Where is Wangegeya Police Station, Mr. Officer? I think you guys arrest and detained wrong person as Dr. Col. Kiiza Besigye must be an interesting character! The same UPF Police Officer also wrote “Prossession” when tthe right word is “Procession” as Dr. Kizza Besigye is quoted with as well. Well, what else can you expect from a Police Officer who clervly just follows orders and does not think for himself. As the Naggalama Police Station is an ordinary place for Dr. Kizza Besigye to spend his time in. Must be weird for the Officer to write a bond as he is not used to either. IT wasn’t done during the routinly activities after the Presidential Elections. So why now ,Mr. Officer? With the current and adherent stay from hours during day eating dinner there and then going back to rest in home. Something Besigye did many days during the late February, but does this look like a organized procession?

No, it doesn’t look like a planned event! But the NRM can’t help themselves.

This is an organized one right? Why wasn’t any of them in detained? Well, wait there where more people praying at Watoto;then in the streets of Kampala at this moment of celebrations for the NRM in Kampala. My bad Mr. Officer. Forgive this is the almighty N-R-M. No-Rescue-Me. Not-Repeat-Me. Nonsense-Raised-Me. And so on.
Dr. Kizza Besigye can show up in Wandegeya Police Station close to Makerere University. I am surely he will struggle to pass without making an illegal pocession through Central Kampala. As was the issue before the grand Election Day, but the NRM have forgotten that piece of intelligence together with their ability to write correctly.
I rest my case. Peace.
Besigye had planned to participate at the Prayers at the FDC HQ in Najjankumbi by the Calvary; As praying is a tool of ‘Evil’ for the NRM-Regime; Dr. Kizza Besigye detained before the prayer and taken from Kiira Road P.S. to Naggalama Police Station to be detained!

Today the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) had yet another planned Tuesday Prayers at their headquarters all over the country. This is the continuation of the boycott that has been going on from the Political Party since the Announcement of the Result from the Electoral Commission and Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu. So today was the first day that Dr. Kizza Besigye has driven out of his home since he went to All Saints, when he was detained straight after Service.

While at the FDC Headquarter the Police have sieged the building and discontinued the planned prayers. Journalist from the area has been whisked away as the Police do not want this to be reported in the spirit of the new Kampala Metropolitan Police chief Andrew Felix Kaweesi.

FDC reported:
“Many are gathered at our HQ, waiting for Dr. Kizza Besigye to arrive. The police has stopped him from proceeding and journalists denied the right to do their work. Police is armed to the teeth, beating up people” (Forum for Democratic Change, 05.04.2016).

FDC’s Presidential Candidate’s Dr. Besigye car was towed away by insecurity police. This is a photo taken by Besigye’s in the car .Now at Yusuf Lule road. Meanwhile the FDC prayer has been disrupted by the same Uganda police.

Dr. Kizza Besigye while being towed:
“Scared regime!! We couldn’t be allowed to get to Fdc Hqs for prayers. Now being towed to… I don’t know where!”
As the day went ahead and the Prayer was stopped and the Police had stopped the FDC convoy at Kalerwe and they planned to drive over Mulago to Central Kampala and the FDC Headquarter. But the Police towed his car and detained Dr. Kizza Besigye at the Kiira Road Police Station.

MP-elect Francis Mwijuke statement:
“We were towed together with the president of the people Dr. Kizza Besigye and taken to Kiira rd police station. We were led to the DPCs office. Two minutes later we were asked to get out and board a police van. When we reached at the van UP 4860, only Dr. Was forced into the van and driven away. Meanwhile there was an van UP 4861 which police surrounded to confuse the journalists and the public. Later the journalists followed the second van and then we were release” (Francis Mwijuke, 05.04.2016).

Certain FDC Officials are now traversing to Kasangati, others plans to see at Naggalama Police Station where Dr. Kizza Besigye have been detained before. As the Uganda Police Force continues to display arrogance towards the opposition party and destroy their peaceful prayers. The final news is that Besigye is detained at Naggalama Police Station in Mukono.

Kampala Police Spokesperson Onyango Said: “Besigye defied orders, charged at Wandegeya police station with participating in unlawful procession”.
Let me explain:
So for those who don’t know the coded langauge of the Uganda Police the people who turned up to finally see Dr. Kizza Besigye and followed him by their own will. Made a Procession that was not seeked for; as the Police Force need to award the Opposition Party and Opposition Officials for the planned activities that any other then NRM have to follow under the Public Order Management Act (POMA); who nicely been dubbed the Anti-Besigye-Act (ABA); so if Besigye to be allowed riding down to central Kampala and go to his office he has to file papers to allow his movement. If not the Police will through tear-gas, storm the Najjankumbi Headquarters of the FDC in the name of that draconian law!

So as I expect and what we thought the Police would do when he entered out the home; Dr. Kizza Besigye would enter into pastures where he is well known in the Police Stations of Kiira and Naggalama, as the NRM-Regime keep him under surveillance and want to stop him from doing political work and drain his spirit. While he is strong keeps pushing the peaceful actions against the regime that uses tear-gas and preventative arrest of him and others to keep the opposition on leach. Peace.
More people demonstrate in Kampala City Center where they chain themselves!

As the IGP Kayihura and James Kawalya the DPC Kasangati who does not release the House Arrested Opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye; who is still under the same treatment as it has been since mid-February.
That is the reason why men is chaining themselves as a message to the government that they have put their leader in chains as his home becoming a prison in Kasangati. The IGP Kale Kayihura can play the international media, but he cannot play the local community and the Political Party who knows the situation with their leader. This is Youth on their own addressing it peacefully and showing disgust, most importantly disregard for the Authorities who detain and arrested their leader without a charge for over 40 days and they feel wronged. This can’t be seen any longer as one proud man who stood against the Police and the Government. Now there more people and they are showing their stance with silent protest against it. Not hurting anybody, except the pride of the Government as this is open demonstration is showing it all. Peace.
Police still deployed at Besigye’s home despite despite order to withdraw (Youtube-Clip)
“in spite of Gen. Kale Kayihura’s directive, the police are still deployed at Dr. Kizza Be-sigye’s home. Kasangati DPC James Kawalya said he was yet to receive an official or-der to withdraw. Besigye’s lawyer David Mpanga said they will continue to pursue the case requesting the police to leave his client’s home” (NTV Uganda, 2016).
Uganda State House says its broke, asks parliament for Shs70Bn (Youtube-Clip)
“Parliament has learnt that State House is broke with little or no money to manage the travels of the president, four months to the close of the 2015/2016 financial year. State House is asking for 70 billion shillings as a supplementary budget to fund the the presidency. State House comptroller Lucy Nakyobe who is the accounting officer informed the parliamentary budget committee that the funds budgeted to be used up to June this were spent by the President during the presidential campaigns” (NTV Uganda, 2016).



Well, more to come on the spent monies. There will surely be reports proving the total spending on the Campaign by the President. Peace.
(In Pictures) Besigye had A Mid-Night Stroll in Kasangati tonight and also his statement on the continued House-Arrest; My second take on IGP Kayihura who lied to the Public on Besigye’s dire situation!

Dr. Kizza Besigye Statement after midnight at Kasangati:
“IGP Kayihura once again deceived Ugandans today that I’d been freed. It was fools day anyway!!! I took the pictures here after midnight- on 2nd April 2016. It terrible to have a leader of a police force that breaks the law routinely and willfully; that seems to enjoy telling lies; and that has no regard for the opinion of others!”

And here his last released picture to the Public from Kasangati:

FDC Statement on it earlier in the day on the 1st of April 2016:
“What was an open secret that Mr. kale Kayihura had instructed his policemen to move away from Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home has now turned into a fat lie, the Uganda Police Force has actually multiplied in number”.
My take on it:
IGP Kale Kayihura of the Ugandan Police Force might have had the ability to fool some people. But the pictures and the manifestation of the Police Officer talking in the phone while monitoring Dr. Kizza Besigey should be send a clear message, while they talked about the leaving the premises of Besigye’s gate and compound; they still have the metal-teeth and the Police Officers squatting in reach of the gate and still having the ability to check-in everybody who enters and leaves his home. So Practically the House Arrest never stopped and the illegal detention and unlawful detaining of the FDC Presidential Candidate and the man who never had the ability to really content the result of the February 2016 Presidential Elections have been sufficed to his own gates and home without being the ordinary man who can walk to work or even go out to buy his food. This has been going for over 40 days, since straight before the Election Day on the 18th February. So you know that the Police Force is still besieging the Compound at Kasangati.
Truly and clearly the IGP Kayihura lied and tried to deceive so that his master and the Government could work in Peace and hopefully without issues from the outside world; as even the U.S. Mission talked about progressing toward democratic elections in recent statement. I am paraphrasing the U.S. Mission, but that is in general what the army ally wrote as the Post-Election Period is going away and “ordinary” State of Affairs resumes before the swearing-in and the 10th Parliament sessions starts. As paraphrasing is not good enough here is actually the main quote in my opinon from the United States Embassy that is worth noticing.

Here what the U.S. Mission in Kampala says in their Statement to the Public:
“The U.S. Embassy notes today’s Supreme Court ruling affirming the results of Uganda’s February 18 presidential vote that saw President Yoweri Museveni re-elected to his fifth term. We encourage all Ugandans to respect the Court’s decision, and express their views in a peaceful manner” (U.S. Embassy of Kampala, 31.03.2016).
Certainly one thing is clear. The House Arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye never happen and the orders from above would not let that happen, as he is the epitome of everything President Museveni is not, a legitimate leader compared to Executive; who have to House Arrest his main opponents. Peace.
Besigye reacts to Police Withdrawal from His Home (Youtube-Clip)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoMAmglRhnI
“Former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has reacted to Gen Kale Kayihura’s decision to remove the police from his home saying he is not excited at all with police decision. The FDC leader insists police was at his home illegally and that he finds no reason to celebrate their withdrawal. NBS Richard Olwenyi was with Kiiza Besigye at his Kasangati home at the time the police chief Kale Kaihura made the pronouncement. The news of his freedom reached him at around midday when he was meeting a delegation of interparty youth league who had paid him a visit to express their sympathy with the four times presidential candidate who has been under house arrest for 40 days. In the middle of the meeting, besigye’s cell phone rang, he picked and was informed about the directive to have him freed but he showed not excitement and instead quarreled. Many would think this was good news but the suggestion from his face, depicted he received news that spoiled his day. The continued detention of Besigye according to government was the fear the FDC leader was plotting to mobilize his supporters to engage in violent protest just after the just concluded elections to over throw the government of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Besigye wondered why the police chief Kaiyhura now says he has withdrawn forces from his residence yet he has been denying he was under house arrest” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016).
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Official Communication on the Petition Verdict of yesterday (31.01.2016)

CEON-U: Post election Press release (01.04.2016)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2016
The post election season has been characterised by tension arising from the house arrest of lead opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, a court case by former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi and filing court petitions for MP, L.C and municipal elections.
The Citizen Election Observers Network- Uganda (CEON-U) is concerned that the continued house arrest of the lead opposition candidate infringes on his right to freedom according to article 23 of the constitution.
In article 43 of the constitution: (I) In the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed in this Chapter, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.
(2) Public interest under this article shall not permit-
(a) political persecution;
(b) detention without trial;
(c) any limitation of the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed by this Chapter beyond what is acceptable and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society, or what is provided in this Constitution.

Section 24 of the police act gives the police a right to arrest someone if he is a threat to public security, but CEON-U demands that police produces evidence that makes Besigye a threat to public security, otherwise will his arrest be indefinite.
In a multiparty system, opposition parties should not be viewed as enemies of the state, but rather as groups that provide alternative Government programmes.
As part of a process of increasing citizen participation in Uganda’s electoral process, CEON-U recently carried out an opinion survey on the recently concluded general elections.
The survey was meant to expose electoral irregularities so as to provide a premise on how to better organise elections in Uganda.

Consequently; 8 CEON-U managers visited areas where there is conflict, court petitions and requests for vote recounts to establish the causes of the disputed elections. The team visited Tororo, Gulu, Kotido, Butambala, Serere, Jinja, Mayuge, Iganga, Mukono, Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntungamo. The managers worked closely with our long-term observers who are natives of the constituencies and the districts which they observed, before, during and are observing after elections. CEON-U held focus group discussions with members of the community, local council leaders, opinion leaders and voters from all political parties in the districts.
CEON-U also met district police officials, district returning officers, registrars in courts of law and victims of electoral violence.

Findings:
Generally, the presidential and parliamentary elections were peaceful, but the period leading up to the election day was volatile in all the districts visited. In Mayuge for instance a man died under unclear circumstances. He was a supporter of Robert Ntende, an independent candidate. He is said to have been killed by supporters of Idi Isabirye.
In Iganga at Idudi supporters of NRM and FDC clashed on the eve of elections over voter bribery. The NRM MP was giving out cash to voters who alerted FDC supporters. FDC supporters reacted by blocking the NRM from giving out money, the NRM called a NAADS soldier to rescue them. He came and shot dead a 25-year-old man and the crowd became more rowdy. And the soldier continued firing live bullets. In the process of the scuffle, a woman was shot through the arm and an s.3 student was shot through the neck. Both these people were not involved in the scuffle but had gone to the trading centre to buy food. This shooting took place at 8:00pm. (attached are the pictures of the victims of the shootings).
The way results were tabulated and announced at the district provided a sharp contrast with what the locals had gathered from the polling stations. This happened for all the elections, presidential, parliamentary, district council and municipal elections.

There are mainly two known political parties, the NRM and FDC; even though Uganda has 10 political parties. UPC which was once a known party is almost non-existent.
In a strong multi-party dispensation system people are given an opportunity to have divergent views on handling issues of governance. A weak political party system promotes a one party system of governance which impedes institutional growth.
The management of electoral processes by some of the district returning officials was poor.
A case in point is Jinja: When it came to the L.C.3 election of Walukuba West Parish B;
The LC 3 election had five candidates Joseph Bateganya Atumika, Bisusa Amisi Kafuko, Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda, Mande Milton and Mbulugu Emmanuel.
On Election day the ballot papers that were supplied to the polling stations had wrong names. Mande Milton was called Mande Milton Kirunda. Also party symbols were mixed up between the NRM candidate and FDC candidate. This was sufficient ground for the election to have been cancelled. However, even when the Jinja district returning officer, Ambrose Mwaita was notified about the anomaly he told the candidate Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda that electoral commission Jinja was not going to do anything about this case. A case has been filed against the electoral commission in Jinja court by Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda.
There are several other electoral disputes that have been filed in courts of law in the various districts. In Omoro Constituency there is a Petition: Simon Toolit Vs Oulanyah Jacob was logged in on March 24 2016. Simon Tollit is suing the Incumbent Oulanyah Jacob and EC over election mal practice. These included ballot boxes being kept away in a saloon, EC tampering with DR forms, EC using a Different format of the District DR Form to declare results among other things.

Intimidation and Violence:
In Katawi, Amuria, Bukedea and Serere there were cases of intimidation and violence. The community claimed they were beaten by militia groups and crime preventers and were warned against voting an opposition party into power. ( attached is a picture of the people who gave confessions during a focus group discussion)
In Mukono the parliamentary campaigns were characterised by violence and chaos. According to the electoral commission, Fatuma Ndisaba’s supporters used to beat up Betty Nambooze’s supporters during campaigns. There was also the problem of candidates campaigning beyond the stipulated for campaign time and supporters clashing after the campaigns.

Recommendations:
The military should be restrained from participating in elections, because elections are volatile in nature. Electoral commission should improve its image by investigating and eventually laying off district returning officers who are said to have altered DR forms and extorted money from candidates who wanted to be announced winners. All political parties should be treated equally and respectfully by the Government in power. The Government should seriously consider the electoral reforms that civil society presented last year. Presiding officers and polling assistants should be better remunerated to prevent them from being compromised during elections. Management of elections is not a single days event. Planning and training of officials, desk officers, middle level managers, desk officers, heads of departments on the process of elections should start the second month after the general elections. Training presiding and polling officials should be done a month to the elections to minimise errors on the DR forms.

Conclusion:
The democratic path is a long bumpy one, despite the many electoral irregularities that marred the recently concluded elections, the gains made over the last 30 years cannot just be thrown away. We need more concerted effort to promote true democratic ideals.
For more information about CEON-U contact Dr Martin Mwondha on 0788929052 or email omwondha662@yahoo.com visit our website at http://www.ceonu.or.ug (CEON – Uganda) – Towards 2016: Conducting a Unified, Comprehensive and effective election Observation Mission in Uganda. You can also visit the FHRI offices in Nsambya.

