Opinion: FDC must not destroy itself with a shadow cabinet in Parliament; they must continue the liberation struggle as Besigye are lingering in Luzira!

There are rules and regulations as the 10^th Parliament are starting the Forum for Democratic Change National Executive Committee had talks and a meeting where the FDC top management was certainly discussing its policies and who to challenge for the shadow government, as much as it is to become the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Parliament.

But with the Intimidation, with the detainees, with the Police Force monitoring the Party and the members lingering in prisons and at police post, all the forged up charges against members and leader of party; while still the defiance campaign have been made illegal, but good news to hear that the Forum for Democratic Change Headquarters are not besieged and a crime scene anymore.

The FDC have to make smart and wise decisions, not the ones of Professor Baryamureeba who recently wanted the FDC to be loyal to the Parliament and change tune to make it possible for NRM and the regime to work without fuzz and create havoc. Well, the FDC should not follow men who are loyal to NRM and Museveni, as they are not supposed to follow that party-line as they have already standing legal issues and other aspects of being intimidated and harassing members, even torture of FDC leaders. That should worry the leadership and not silencing them, because that is all that the NRM Regime has right now.

FDC had the votes and the real crowds during the pre-election period and on Election Day for a change of guard and wishing to usher in Dr. Kizza Besigye. That was there, but the Electoral Commission and other forces have done whatever needed to rig and destroy proof of conspiracy of the electoral rigging and sham election. That even now after the EU and other Western Powers accepts, even if they know this.

That certain hardliners will claim that the ones in Parliament from the FDC that goes into the Shadow Government are traitors are understandable, even if they are not so, as in fact they are just doing a duty that are bound by the rules of Parliament. Still, they should have defied this and stay loyal to the President who are detained instead of thinking of their pockets and honors in the chambers; at the same time we cannot expect all lines of a party be such Nobel as the hardest wishes for change that are in the FDC. I am sure that certain parts of the ANC was not happy that after the releasing of Nelson Mandela from prison back in the day, that he went and still negotiated with the ruling regime and the last part of the minority rule in South Africa. I am certain that some of his close allies hated that he did so, but that mended the fences between the old and new, so South Africa had some sorts of softer landing after the election after years of struggle against the Apartheid regime.

Why I am saying this, is because the same will initially happen with certain members of FDC and certain opposition fractions, not talking about the UPC, most of them have already sold the party to National Resistance Movement, after the agreement between Hon. Akena and Museveni. That certain Democratic Party members are also in tail with the NRM are to be seen and should not flabbergast anybody, that independent candidates and MPs are naturally for MPs after this elections, as the independent are often NRM Primaries losers, who run again on their own ticket and was even facilitated by Museveni and the State House.

The FDC should be wise now and not self-destruct as the intimidation and the aggression have been so high. That certain member’s wants glory in parliament is to be understandable, as some wants to eat and are clinging on the Regime and the rules of Parliament instead of direct hardline loyalty!

There will be the ones who are more ideological for the struggle against the aggressor and the ones who eat of the state and take it for it is own gain, not-so-honorable Museveni and his elite. The Police Force are following the FDC and are looking for the men and woman they also can control, as the NRM wants to own the country and have everybody under line and the vision of Museveni. That is known, so if there moles and un-loyal people in the FDC, that should be expected. But we should not quickly drag the FDC who are fighting for the LOP or Shadow Cabinet position as they want to have a position in Parliament and have name in print. People are vain; politicians are even vainer and have more vanity as they want glory and capital.

The FDC should ask them what they want to be, as if they want to recognize the “Elected” Parliament and the “Elected” President. As the members and loyal supporters should ask if they want accept business as usual as they know with that, that the stakes of fortunes of crude oil and other resources will not benefit the Ugandan State, instead the Museveni Elite.

What would be interesting is how Dr. Kizza Besigye would take the persons and feel about the men and woman who accept a shadow government position since he is risking everything; while certain allies of him is in a way showing credibility like EU delegates after the walkout of the Swearing-In. The non-sense of attacking them directly and self-destruction is not advisory; it is more of the long-term process of knowing who is really wanting the democratic change and who wanted quickly to earn bucks on the Political Capital that a man of the stature of Besigye.

That is an important to ask, as the people who votes for a candidate and the ones that candidate endorse, together with the loyalty of party-line and the initially wish of actually making a difference. That is what the FDC have to ask as they, have been through wind and fire during the recent months and days. The Police Force and Army have attacked together with the Judiciary have used all methods to silence and all kind of types of aggression to bring the FDC to their knees. No questions as even FDC leaders been taken without warrants from their own homes into cars and driven from Kampala to Northern towns of Gulu/Lira and so on, in safe-houses to be tortured.

With that in mind, the FDC have to ask how much and who will stand by and be the ones that want to collaborate with the Regime that does that to fellow brothers and sisters. That the regime has uses tear-gas and guns against citizens, and the ones that arrest demonstrators instead of letting them demonstrate against the regime peacefully, something they should not be allowed to do. Therefore the questions are open and should be asked. What kind of party does FDC want to be? Certainly not sell their soul and party as Hon. Akena did during the Pre-Election Period. Since their “Presidential Candidate” and the ones Sworn-In before the Treason Charge is lingering now in Luzira, while the FDC NEC is playing shadows games that Museveni will enjoy.

The only one winning on the political inner-battle is not Besigye, is not the voters who voted for Besigye and the FDC. The ones that wins on internal battle of the Party is the NRM and their Museveni. Just as he did with UPC between Akena and Otunnu, as he has earned on the weakness of DP and their leaders endorsement of Mbabazi, Hon. Mao. There are too many Opposition parties and leaders who haven’t matched the Machiavellian and Orwellian leader of Museveni. Only one seems to have the stamina and diligence and that is Besigye. He is not totally perfect, he is human and has his weakness, still all his hardliner and ethical standpoints are there and components are there now and he seems to be the only one. As he have fought and fought ever since leaving the NRM.

Now is the time for FDC to decide on ONE primary question; either they are legitimizing the NRM and Museveni with his 10^th Parliament with his selected candidates; if not doing so, they should defy the Parliament and the rules; show that they are really the ones who have the legitimacy of the people and does not need the stolen government funds that Museveni will spoil to the ones who are dancing to his tune. Peace.    

The Cavalry tortured of FDC Vice Chairperson of the FDC Youth League; she survived but is still in critical state!

Today is a sad day; because of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their Government are using their Police Force to brutally destroy opposition. That Police Force are using all tactics to dismantle the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the words of the President Museveni, that he wanted to crash and even crush the Opposition, are now in full effect; without no mercy and the Police Officers are doing their job. The job of crashing the Opposition with all kind of methods and no care for their lives. 

It is not easy writing about this, as this could have been me or you. We all who stand against tyranny and fight injustice can get into the hands of Police State and get punished for speaking out our mind. Therefore it is saddening me, to see the pictures and the story that fellow comrade Ingrid Turinawe describes and writes today. As I will show; this is heartbreaking and sad. The brutality and bestiality from the Authorities that not only mentally, but also with chemicals destroys a fellow human beings life, because of her political affiliation, she wasn’t a criminal or a terrorist, she was an active member of the FDC in Uganda. That was it! That should not be a reason to get this treatment, none should get this treatment, she is an innocent citizen who cares about politics and get hurt for life for doing so. The Destruction of this life lays in the tarnished legacy of President Museveni and by orders of IGP Kale Kayihura, hope these people will hunt your sleep and mind. As they are just like you, with a heart and mind; they will be the reminder of how you ate the whole state and now is punishing the ones who is not affiliated with the NRM. That is not “Rule of Law” or Justice for that matter.

Before I get to preachy; let Ingrid Turinawe tell the story:

“Kakayi Zeridah is the FDC vice chair person of the Youth league. Arrested in Kampala on 11th May, driven to unknown places, injected with chemicals that made her unconscious! Today, I visited ZERIDA, her story is so shocking! After a whole week of terrible torture! In an isolated hut, (read safe house in Gulu) she was driven and abandoned for dead on the road side at the bridge – River ASWA boarder of PADER and Gulu. Good Samaritans rescued her, before they called Kampala family who went to pick her. She has an injured back, she cannot walk on her own. She needs prayers. Listening to Zerida z story, you really thank God that she is alive! Unbelievable! Can’t imagine these things can even happen in our motherland!” (Ingrid Turinawe, 21.05.2016).

That’s enough for now. Peace.

The adventures towards the polls 18th February; how the last days might go

We are in time and days where the government will be questioned for all their actions and all their misbehaviour towards its citizens. Not anymore that it is some foreign NGOs who complain first, no it’s public and opposition that discuss it in viral formats online. That makes the government and its regime look weak since they can’t spin those stories.

It is truly special times in the Pearl of Africa, voter tourism will be the new word of 2016 unless Mun G or Radio & Weasel makes up a new word for catching babes in Kabalagala. Until then remember the magic word of VOTER TOURISM. If you don’t know what that is about, that is about Mzee, the ruling president of 30 years who wants to have big crowds, but not pulling them. So to get that he pays attendance, gives them food and t-shirts, pay for rental of buses and get them to the campaign venues. Just like certain corporations does with foreigners when they travel in packs to National Parks to see the wild animals, they get that while the local public get to hear the recycled pledges of the old man with the hat. And for a free t-shirt, food and transport, it might be worth it, to listen to the old man for two hours… and that ladies and gentleman is Voter Tourism. Ferrying of voters and ferrying of crowds. A beautiful industry co-owned and run by the ruling NRM Campaign machine and Mike Sebalu. He must be so proud.

Other activity that doesn’t stop during these elections times is either the blatant attack on media and journalist. Like throwing cameras, shooting them, banishing them, getting them to delete pictures and get media houses to shun campaigns or campaign trails. The NRM have been vocal against radio stations for hosting Dr. Kizza Besigye and Mbabazi have seen their issues with Radio stations. NTV has also had issues early for not showing favourable pictures from the campaign. They we’re even detained together with Daily Monitor at some point. Now the barrier has been broken and the NTV cannot follow the campaign trail of Mzee anymore. Also if Mbabazi is at a radio stations like in Karamoja he couldn’t attend the radio station, other places they have shut of the transmitter after the airing of Mbabazi. The media and journalist have had hard treatment and been costly to follow the campaign trail, with the ones being in the middle of melee like the journalist covering the first planned campaign rally for Erias Lukwago in Kampala was actually shot, but not killed. There been violence in Northern region against Mbabazi and Besigye convoys as they have also hit against media. I assume that this will not stop without a big bang, like the Ntungamo clashes. It has be in those levels if there will be a total shut down.

Well, when we speak of violence we do not speak about specialized in failure like Arsene Wenger, sorry, I am not supposed to speak about football, and the man who said that was sacked for the second time in that club, so Mourinho is really the special one or the sacked one. Let me get back on the campaign trail. Violence isn’t coming from one man or one party. It usual contributed to the acts of the Police who interfere as NRM Police force, and not a political partisan unit, that was even seen in the primaries in Northern Region where fully uniformed police officer voted. So there traits are there and the IGP Kayihura was on second delegates conference in Kololo to vote for Mzee sole candidacy project, as he does, he just follows orders.

The violence of Ntungamo is the epitome of the violence during the campaign trail. There been violence pre-campaign trail when the opposition tried to hold meetings and get delegates to come forward as the police couldn’t accept this. They went fully fledge armoured with tear-gas and guns against people with not even a blade. As they we’re petty criminals instead of bank-thieves. The irony of that is that certain Police has during the campaign trail actually robbed a bank and is now jailed by the government. So there been actions from certain police and police interference into politics. Just like before the presidential campaign trail when IGP Kayihura told the world about the journalistic integrity, this was before his men was undressing opposition woman on the way to Rukungiri. Well, the Police have interfered though silent before Papal visit. It was so scary peace, a unusual peace. Now that the Pope is only sharing the #VoteSevo poster on some roundabouts around in the country; the police have after he left started with ordinary actions towards anybody else then NRM. We can see that they jails people for talking about partial voting, human rights activist for talking about human rights in up-country, detain people for pinning over NRM posters, while the Police help pinning up NRM posters, the police tear-gas late venues, they shut down hospitals for opposition leaders to see, the schools guarded, so guarded that the police stations or post are empty when the Mbabazi or Besigye is in the area. The proud police is busy containing the elements of opposition and even majors are shutting down opposition office in districts! The Police and army are busy being loyal to the NRM-Regime.

While this is happening the opposition have been busy at the #UGDebate16 while Mzee was moving his mouth and brain in the districts, because he couldn’t discuss his policies or be questioned by either TV moderator or fellow Presidential Candidate, that is because Mzee is Carte blanche from those events, even if it is the first of its kind in Uganda. That is why Mbabazi was sounding like NRM spokesman. Something that has continued ever since for some strange reason!

Mbabazi is curious pickle in the mix right now. He is neither nakati nor posho. He seems to want to be both at the same time. He can’t decide on the matter. Mbabazi is running as independent candidate with an independent mandate, in a independent party in a an independent coalition called the Democratic Coalition. The one coalition where Uganda People’s Congress went out off, and also Forum for Democratic Change went out of when Amama Mbabazi became their joint Presidential Candidate; the independent candidate Amama Mababazi; who still sees himself as part of NRM and as a NRM member is an independent presidential candidate. That is hard matrix of thought and also hard equation, even a PHD in math can’t get the numbers to be correct. There is a mix of check and balance that doesn’t add up. Mbabazi is political schizophrenic and can’t be both NRM and Opposition, though he struggles with that… Seems like he want to be friend of Mzee still, even if his friend Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda has taken over his place in NRM-Regime, that must be sad sight.

The other piece of hardships is the accidents of Go-Forward convoy, the deflections of his MPs and candidates, the little piece of men who turns over to him. The way it seems to many NRM moles in the Go-Forward camp, while he has been trying to capture big-fish from NRM without succeeding. Even if certain members leave in the villages there is many big-men and Woman MPs who has left his fold and regretting standing by him on nominations day. Something that hasn’t happen in the same fashion for Dr. Kizza Besigye during the campaign trail; the trying of fetching the NRM Primaries losers; who also was already MPs and Ministers proved to be meagre failure for the Go-Forward. So that he still get crowds and people behind him is good, but not in the extent of Besigye.

NRM have continued to trail and travel around the country. With their Voter Tourism, paying people to show up and using government institutions and facilities, also travel methods to show the beauty of their campaign. NRM have also used a fortune on the campaign compared to the opposition. The report that came in January showed the massive amount of war-chest that the President has. Hiring also and paying in towns that they didn’t have rallies so that the boda-boda drivers and other local’s transporters would be able to be used by Go-Forward or FDC in the area.

Fear-mongering rhetoric comes from the NRM-regime and their cronies, not only Mzee, but their spokesmen and loyal party officials. That is either Police or Secretary General, even members and former members, talking coup d’état or vote rigging. Even shooting and killing the opposition if they feel the election was stolen away from them. IGP Kayihura wanting to arm his Crime Preventers to secure the NRM-Regime, while one of the Generals says to the media that he will not turn down and give away power if they lose the elections. Proves that the fear they are spreading to the public is staggering. Mzee has told for long he is the only one who create and keep peace within the army and to the public, Mzee has said he still isn’t done with his project; the one is his been doing for 30 years. While this is doing so the Police and Electoral Commission will go after the FDC for using the Defiance, while the Police are detaining and blocking them from travelling on while they are campaigning. So it is some kind of justice happening, but only against opposition, while supporting NRM. Who knew?

NRM has been campaigning under the #VoteSevo or #SteadyProgress, while the Opposition has gone after this ones at every turn, especially when showing the schools and other government institutions who has deteriorating during his three decade tenure. Like Aswa bridges and Abim Hospital, that has been the epitome of the neglect of the government to serve the people. While NRM have come with the same pledges and same kind of attitude as they have done in two last campaigns. So people are tired of it, even in the place called Isigniro the people was so tired that they left in the middle of the speech of Mzee, that must hurt him, the ones left behind was crime preventers and paid crowd, the locals left the venue when they heard enough of the same kind of empty promises. As the rest of public is, not everybody, but a big bunch seems to be; since the crowds for Besigye isn’t going down and Mbabazi get decent crowds, and the two other ones doesn’t pay them to attend or use the tool called: Voter Tourism.

The initial scare is the coming rigging and the partiality of the Electoral Commission as the chief got a heavy pay check to stay as boss. Loyalty pays when it comes to Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu. He has gotten ballot-papers from South Africa, biometric-machines and promised to have enough people to make impartial voting process happen. As well as COMESA and the EU have sent monitors, the Commonwealth was monitoring the last election, not that; that made a difference. It was more we can now show after the rigging that the election was filled with malfunctions during counting, fraud and also buying voters as they did in the General Election 2011. Why should not Mzee use the same tricks now? If the NRM Primaries are a story of what can come then there will be a “Circus” as Kahinda Otafiire said then. As the pre-ticked ballots, stuffed ballot-boxes, MPs and winners in prison while the results coming, as the candidates comes into the tally offices and takes the register and the ballot-papers. This happen so that the NRM-EC couldn’t validate the result from the area. They we’re also using security officers by the polling station to make the voters afraid and scare them to vote for their candidate, so democratic of those NRM big-men who used this tactic.

While the reports of further deployment of troops in Kampala of 5000 soldiers to secure the peace of the election, or to shut down if the people reacted to the result and claim the rigging for the NRM-Regime, as they have done before, last time was in 2011. Something they want to be sure about. The General Katumba Wamala has said that the army will take control if the people are not accepting the result; I know I am paraphrasing, but that is initially what he meant. It is similar to the NRM-Regimes scary rhetoric, but he got the guns to blast Kampala into oblivion.

There rumours of more ballot-papers coming in the once who came to Entebbe on 28th January 2016, there rumoured that their will come a second batch ballot-papers from the Island state of Seychelles or Mauritius on the 4th February, to deliver and be able to pre-ticket them before arriving in Uganda, to secure the NRM and their men their seats in Parliament. We would not be surprised if this would happen, they have done something like this before.

The next days will be more police around the opposition rallies, they will block the people and be rowdy as the tension and fear of losing grips will take its toll on the police. While the NRM will portray the perfect picture and look beautiful towards the Election Observation Missions from COMESA and EU, while they will do the opposite to the opposition. Tear-gas venues, block venues, stop processions in towns, stop pinning up poster or detaining people for pinning posters or affiliated with the opposition. We will see more radios losing their transmitters, TV stations taking down content questioning the regime as the NBS Sunset did recently questioning the IGP Kayihura, TV-Stations being banished from the NRM or talked about in a vicious way. TV-Stations will either lose their licences or transmitter for having Mbabazi or Besigye, even if they have messages that are negative on the governance levels of NRM. If the NRM-Regime could they would have shut me down… but that is another story.

We will see coming and coming general election that will be questionable, the cringes to power… they will not let it go easy, President Museveni feels he owns the people and the country, even if the people doesn’t feel the same, as seen in Kiruhura district yesterday, his home area was totally blue and no people ferried there. As the FDC doesn’t have the budget of NRM or War-chest of the long-serving president. That will continue until the people goes to the polls. People will try to be bought before going into the voting booth, villages will be visited by NRM millionaires and billionaires who will lose their wealth if the NRM loses their power; so the way to keep their riches is to pay the locals to vote for NRM candidates and sole candidate Mzee. We will see and hear about giving goats, cows and gasoline to boda-boda drivers, as they will give away soap and other merchandize in town-centres from Tororo to Lira. We just know they will go to any measure to secure the power yet again.

So if there will be some other stories then the ones I accessing is because the Orwellian monster will not turn overnight, especially when they have built the King Kong monster over 30 years. So it is a giant who makes the Presidential Palace at Nakasero and Entebbe Statehouse wealth looks tiny. We can’t expect anything else, therefore FDC have to continue with defiance, and the opposition have to stay strong, because the Police have already funds for the post-election violence, and the UPDF is starting to prepare their security of the NRM-regime force of keeping power. So there is little to see unless the people goes back instead of reacting and then goes back to the villages to feed their families. We can hope for something else, but the fear to lose life for the power and seeing how it has turned; an also become after the people demonstrated in 201 P1. So there will be issues in the coming days and the police will show its flex and the army is starting deployment. This here  is not looking positive with the knowledge how this regime is keeping power and wanting to reign as long as possible.Peace.

Go-Forward met blocked venues and agressive Police in Apac today

Go-Forward we’re going to have campaign rally in Apac an on Boma Ground in the town. That wasn’t the case today because the governmental forces and NRM Police force decided they we’re not fit to do so.

There is a rift between Mzee and Amama Mbabazi, and the fear that the NRM militia called the UPF is spreading in this election comes to fruition in Apac again today. They have had issues in Northern Uganda where the Police forces have been violent and aggressive.

He and his Go-Forward convoy had plans to visit certain places on the way to Apac today. They we’re not allowed by the police. Amama Mbabazi was first locked out of the mass graves in Barlonyo. Later he and his convoy we’re supposed to visit the destroyed Aswa bridge, but we’re not allowed to go there either. As expected the local referral Hospital in Apac was also shut down by the local police in Apac! That must been from orders up high.

Later in the day the Go-Forward Presidential Candidate went to Boma Ground in Apac, where the Police blocked the stadium for the candidate. The Police dispersed the public before the rally. Then the Go-Forward convoy had their rally instead at Divine FM (Radio) in Apac.

Then again the Police attacks and looks like fools in the Northern Uganda. The District Police Commander Alfonse Ojangole has gotten orders to do this in his area. His leadership is direct orders and eats what IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura says, as he follows orders from up high from Mzee. That is what this is, chain-of-command!

So now Amama Mbabazi, his supporters and his convoy get to feel the wrath of Mzee, as Dr. Kizza Besigye has done in the past. I am surely Amama Mbabazi have more respect for the hardships the People’s President been through, only after this short time period. But the police is still trifling and unjust, they don’t do this to Mzee, but he is the ones that give the orders and pay the Police Force. Peace.

P.S: Thank you! the Government of the Netherlands to support the Apac police! So they can abolish democratic movement in Uganda and opposition presidential candidates. You be proud of your aid donation to the “democratic” NRM-Regime! Be proud! And thanks for your support!