Opinion: A crisis like we’re living through now is exposing the leadership

You can sit back- and enjoy the show. No, you really cannot. There is no enjoyment. Nor relaxing, as the uncertainty is growing. The howling questions of how long will this state last and what measures are truly working.

We have borders closed. Airports shut-down, schools, churches, libraries and bars/restaurant all closed for the moment. There are only the bare minimum and necessities are still open. Hospitals are getting full of people with symptoms, the lack of enough health care workers, ventilators, masks and medicine is happening. Even enough test-kits and whatnot. This is an international problem and not just a problem locally.

The leadership with this sort of affair is exposed. The lack of enough ICU beds and extra ventilators, respirators and everything else shows the lack of investment. Also, that they never thought it could become like this. There was no plan for emergencies of these levels. There was no response team or task force put in place to research this.

The state have in the sunshine days never expected this. Even if there been smaller crisis like the Swine-flu and the SARS. Now COVID-19 or the Coronavirus is exposing the matters. They are showing that the Health Care systems provided wasn’t measured for this. Neither was the will to create enough beds and equipments for a possible outbreak. Now, there is added measures and procurement. Now, other factories are creating the needs, which usually made designer cloths and fabrics. Suddenly are used to fix the issues at hand. That is good business for them, but also a proof of actual leadership.

The things done and measures put are done with good intentions. The social distancing and the washing of hands programs. The solidarity and the asking for time to fix it. However, the states itself. The leadership should ask themselves, why they didn’t deal with it better in the sun, but cries havoc in the rain. There is a need for this hindsight 20/20 and also wondering if they could have invested more and built more robust hospitals.

It is easy to catch the breath for 10 seconds and check if you cough or not like the Taiwanese experts says. It is easy to wash hands and avoid other people. Be one meter away and if you have any symptoms, be home. That is not rocket-science.

However, the barricades at home. Still, should ask the authorities and the state if they could have done more to prevent it. If there was enough warnings and signs to follow. I don’t know, but I am questioning it.

Because, the lack of leadership, the lack of taking responsibility and the adjustment from the state. Shows that some states didn’t take this seriously and therefore, the public will now suffer. Just as they have not put measures or the needed investments from the federal state nor the central government to actually do something.

The ones hit the most is usually the poor, the poorly educated and the ones whose not covered. The ones who doesn’t have a pot to piss in and the ones whose far to reach. The ignorant and the ones with to much to pride to understand the task at hand. These are the ones the state needs to shelter and give direct relief too. Not its easy, it never is and it will cost.

But, if we cannot see redemption for the weakest among us, then who are we then? We are just shallow human beings, never thinking this could strike us too. At one point, it might be a neighbour or a family member. There is no boundaries with a pandemic or a crisis like this. Sooner or later, this bitch hits home.

The only redeeming thing we have then is a cut-throat situation, where the facts remains. The results are already there, we can accept them or be defeated. We can either look into the gist, into the headlines and let it be. We can accept to be muffled and toyed with or we can also question the powers to be. By all means, follow the instructions and show solidarity, but still at the same time wonder if they did enough.

Because, when the days are over and this slows down. When this is under control and the scientists, the doctors and the pharma-industry has fixed this. Then, we can look over the measures, look over the numbers and the statistics. Look over the timeline and ask ourselves. Did the leadership enough. Did the authorities do the right thing. That is what we should ask ourselves.

Last but not least. You really see where the leadership gives a damn, where they are trying to propagandaize this and where they trying to fix it. There is really different realities. There is various of attempts, but also small cover-ups, which will come to light later. Where own personal business, where own personalities has destroyed the effects and the possible changes quickly. Instead tried to downplay the pandemic and acted a fool. The ones paying the cost is the citizens and everyone else involved. They will be remembered for that, as they could see from the outbreak to today. That there were measures to make, but instead they deflected them. That is their legacy.

Leadership of our times is exposed. They could have done, what they precautions they could have done and what they did under the sun. Says a lot, but in the rain it is more important with an umbrella. Now, they are teasing those, but need to get them quickly for all of us. Let’s hope they get enough. Peace.

Opinion: Big-Men’s Medical Tourism is temporary suspended [and their neglect will be obvious]

We have seen over the years, that big-men from developing countries instead of fixing their own health-care system or even supporting the needs of the Ministry of Health. They have at every junction instead used foreign health care and hospitals to salvage the hurt and heal.

Now in this COVID-19 or Coronavirus times, the borders are closed, ending flights between the nations and the quarantine of people crossing borders. The big-men cannot flea their own health care facilities, but instead has to trust them like everyone else. The neglect, the lack of investment and the years of brain-drain has hurt these hospitals and health care facilities.

They have gotten aid, gotten grants and promised to build sustainable health care facilities. However, the big-men have never trusted these ones. Only the ones whose retired and the ones who hasn’t saved up in office. Has in the end of their days and because of lack funds. They have used them and seen the grim state.

Like there been high ranking officials, who suddenly needs care and been brought to the closest hospital after a public function. Usually picked up by a army chopper and flown to the best nearby facility. However, than they have lacked electricity, enough beds, medicines or needed technical apparatus to function. That was okay, when the locals needed it, but when they pop-by than its an outcry. The state cannot even procure enough ambulances and have proper levels of in-need educated professionals in the field.

That is why, this sort of crisis undress the years of neglect, the years of corruption and lack of investment in the field. If they will lack blood, air and other needed things. It will be, because they didn’t care in days of sunshine. Now, that its raining and the roads are getting muddy. Than, the big-men will suffer with the general public.

They are maybe VIPs and have giant convoys. They are maybe paid a fortune for their high office and high ranking in society. However, they have to enter the same facilities, which they didn’t think of or consider. Because, there was always, China, Singapore, France or United States. Where they could go for check-ups and healing. Where they got better treatment and with modern facilities made for patching the hurt.

Now, they cannot go there. They are blocked. They cannot risk to enter there and the borders are closing in. The Big-men doesn’t have the meal-ticket or ability pay an easy way out. Instead, they have to suffer with public.

There is no way out. Just continue, but maybe their eyes will be opened when they will be questioned why they didn’t spend the needed funds in sunshine, but cries out during the rain. They spent on the army, ghosts and side-dishes. Nevertheless, they didn’t care for the health care, for the structures of healing and proper treatment.

Now, they will hold prayer sessions and ask for the Gods to intervene. Instead of using their minds and used their time to invest. They could have invested and could have made a difference. Instead, they got warplanes, got ammunition to start wWrld War III, but cannot have enough beds for a pandemic. Peace.

Finale Stages of the Pre-Election Period; my thoughts on the lost leades of opposition; NRM losing ground; while FDC has the momentum!

When we going into the final stages of the pre-election period. This here has been interesting and will continue to be as the final works of the parties, the electoral commission and the other actors into action in the final phase.

There are two or three missing pieces for me in this time, silent leaders who has been like blown in the wind; they have been cast into shadows and need a strong flash-light to reappear on the surface. If there was like American Milk-Carton they would be “missing”.

First up! I wonder what is up with is the UPC, Uganda People’s Congress, not their sold-out NRM henchman Jimmy Akena, then you are wrong, he doesn’t even have the ability to scrap enough funds to pay up the nomination fees for the parties MPs and LCV men and woman, which should make his father turn in his grave somewhere; together with the pact together with Museveni. But Akena is not the one missing from the political map, the one is Honorable Olara Otunnu, I am not sure if he really is on the campaign trail with Amama Mbabazi as he was loyal and confident in the The Democratic Alliance in September 2015, while Akena was taking down the UPC flag at the compound. There has since then been drama and escalation of political struggle between them, that till this day is not fully resolved because of the arrogance them both. Playing a game between them for the Presidency in the oldest party in the country! What I miss is the wise-man and accurate touch of the political landscape that Hon. Otunnu has been like a shadow. A missing component that could have made a difference for the opposition and showed more progress of the political parties, which he could have been. Please Mr. Hon. Otunnu come back!

Second man that I wonder where is Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party, the whole party sounds like it has dissolved. He is in the same league of Justice Party (JEEMA) leader Asuman Basalirwa is the third leader who is gone in the wind. They are leaf’s that hasn’t surfaced between the bottles of Fanta Berry and Matooki while listening to KFM Radio. They are maybe part of the TDA. Still they are not anywhere in the landscape, they could be eaten by wild lions for what the public interests knows.

Norbert Mao has been visible but not for the right reasons, unlawfully violated by the Police in Acholiland, while campaigning for another candidates in his Democratic Party in the Northern Uganda. Norbert Mao himself will not be voted in for the Gulu Municipality, because of the Electoral Commission want somebody else to represent the DP there, as it is a stronghold of the party. Mao has been loyal towards Mbabazi and the TDA since he arrived there from the wilderness in September in 2015.

Erias Lukwago has not been missing, he has been in the spotlight and together with FDC; here and there ever since the Nomination rally in November in 2015. Hon. Lukwago has been representing Gen. Sejusa at the recent court trail before he was sent to Luzira, he has had issues with the Police in Kampala as he started his campaign for Mayoral position again, as he won it in 2011.

The NRM has continue to ferry and Voter Tourism; NRM could have their own bus-company and ferry people after the election with Ofwono Opondo as the spokesman for the company as they can recharge the Uganda Media Centre and add a Costumer friendly app to tell when the buses are in the district; something they should already operate since November 2015. NRM bus company comes to rescue if need a hitch a bus from Mbarara to Lwengo or to Masindi!

As I am talking about: NRM has paid for their flag-bearers recently they paid UGX 20m each. They have 32178 of them. That is a massive amount of funds. Just to put in perspective the total fee is UGX 643,560bn that the party has splashed out. While the FDC payed the MPs nominations fees of UGX 800m, which tells the difference between the parties.

Mzee has ferried people for weeks on weeks, that has not been the only thing, his fellow loyal companion for ages Hon. Sam Kutesa has tried to pay people 20k each for not showing up for rallies in Sembabule district, as much as that did not work. NRM has also tried stifling Go-Forward rallies with destroying campaign material, paying security detail to shift to NRM, and also trying to pay boda-boda drivers from not doing their job; to get people from the villages to rallies. The same the NRM has done to the FDC in the pre-election period; they can’t help themselves to try to corrupt the whole population, so they can mirror themselves in them. The sad thing for the NRM is that people is not buying into the cheap tricks of the NRM! 

Mzee is losing touch with his people so he had to relaunch his 20 year old autobiography “Sowing the Mustard Seed”. With a second edition; as his YES MEN says is a good idea. The thing it makes it look like is more publicity stunt than coving his achievements, something the original edition did in 1997. In 2016 his legacy is tarnished by the history of corruption, wars, power-struggle inside the NRM and paid cronies instead of bringing development and prosperity to Uganda as he promised after the coup d’état in 1986. This event today was a shallow event. As much as the speech he held the day before at the ‘Tarehe Sita’, one of the memorable days of the victory of the Ugandan armies. There is something missing from Mzee these days, as the spark is gone!

Even Gen. Benon Biraaro of the Farmers Party of Uganda (FPU) has said in the recent day this about Mzee: “I hear Mr Museveni and his NRM have started pledging sanitary pads, hoes and condoms, [but] such pledges cannot transform Ugandans economically”. That tells how spot-on Biraaro is. Biraaro might not be a top-candidate who fights together with big trio. As Mbabazi, Besigye and Museveni, still his words and ideas has tractions and should be listened to, since he speaks with his beating heart and common sense, something that is rare. As a NRA historical he can really dismiss Mzee on the grades of the struggle and reason for why they original fought for in the 1980s. Biraaro deserve credit and has been visible!

NRM the big monster has used it force in words recently spreading fear to the public in a fashion that is outrages. While they are talking and excessive towards the public! This is also manifested with the UPDF getting a bigger space in the pre-election period. The Police have ordered and gotten heavy equipment to make sure of being able to shut-down demonstrations, the post-elections that are expected by Parliament and NRM-Regime, as they have assured by Badru M. Kiggundu has already the election results in his pocket as his pay-rise proves loyalty to the NRM.

There even reports of supposed ferrying of Rwandan nationals to be shipped in on the General Election polling day on the 18th February, as they will vote in Kisoro and other districts close to the border of Rwanda. The need for using funds from the NRM-Regime to get this people to vote for Mzee!

Mzee doesn’t have appeal as he ones had. That has been seen in the districts as Dr. Kizza Besigye and the FDC Campaign Convoy has made the villages and towns on fire, they have prepared the towns, while the NRM have done the same, but with monies from cronies and hiring people to fix the towns yellow; which is different from the FDC that has been on their own and own machine, as they cleans towns roads and make the venues ready for the People’s President! Something that differs from the NRM; NRM has bought loyalty and only a little part of rallies are die-hards. As the people show-up to see Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool, even the magical Crime Preventers and ferried crowds.

Andrew Mwenda continues to praise Mzee until the bitter end, his own person from the KFM Radio as Radio Host would vomit while reading and listening the words coming out his mouth and articles, he is even published page on page in the New Vision. Tamale Mirundi will both praise Mzee and pull him down, while sounding as a confused hyena until the end of the pre-election period.

NRM is doing what they can to prepare for fear! More fear the better is the tool of the NRM. As Ofwono Opondo is sharing on the Uganda Media Centre; while Gen. Sejusa is imprisoned, Gen Tukumunde and Gen Katumba Wamala is continuing to work as partisan politicians for the NRM, as Gen. Sejusa is not allowed to the same for the FDC! The Same with Gen. Kayihura in the Police Force is working as NRM-Police. Something that should not occur; though it is the modus operandi of the NRM-Regime; their generals can work as they please.

The one thing bothers me, and should bother others who follow’s this pre-elections time. Amama Mbabazi and his Go-Forward Group I must question. Mbabazi is saying to be a NRM-Member still he is an independent Presidential Candidate under his own umbrella. And as a Joint Presidential Candidate for the opposition coalition TDA! If he is a Go-Forward/TDA candidate and being still a part of the ruling party NRM. It is understandable he has ties in the party that he has used his life in. Mbabazi sounds wrong… and make me doubt his will of Going Forward! As he still says he has a foot inside a National Resistance Movement. He can’t be either or!

There will be more interesting things to follow, as the UPDF will drive more through the streets of Kampala as a sign of the election coming near, and the Bush-War general of Museveni, can’t leave the guns to speak for himself, as that is the only tool he knows how to use properly, as he is not a great statesman as he should have been by now! Instead the cronies, militarism, fear, pre-rigging, police shooting and killing, and much more will happen in the coming days. Even with the Electoral Commission, with EOM missions from COMESA, EU, Commonwealth and the EAC. They will not this before after in their reports, as the Government of Uganda has told of the American Embassy as they came with a poll describing the percentage of Mzee lower than Besigye. Peace.

Who is Dr. Tanga Odoi? (Youtube Clip)

Interesting to know when we see how the NRM Primaries is unfolding. He must surely be stressed by how it has happen yesterday and today. Well, he didn’t learn everything that went wrong in 2010, since there has unfolded certain things he wouldn’t want to see here in the 2015. Peace.

Power eats our big-men – The reason for why we need Presidential Term limits

There is for some strange reason a big discussion on the matter. Since some countries have them, some don’t. It is not like every constitution should be written the same with the same accords. In my homeland for instance there is no limit on how long the Prime Minister can sit in power, but that that depends if the people of my country get tired of the PM or the party affiliated with the PM. In bigger countries like the US there is a limit of two terms and only once a President who has broken that rule, was during Second World War and that was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Who had three terms and is the only one well known.

I am sure that Greece would have seemed happy with more often change of leadership. So if they hadn’t sunk that deep with loans and debt. Then it wouldn’t matter how long a regime is in power, if it essentially good, but if it’s not. Then it would be healthy with changes, so that the government recharge and fix the issues of old.  That is for check and balance, also to stop cogging the machine with nepotism and local graft from local councils and smaller government entities.

Now that Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi is following Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Uganda. They have big-men who have been sitting for ages and continue to break a certain switch of leaders. Burundi has just been through a farce of a election that brought their President Pierre Nkurunziza to his third term. Paul Kagame in Rwanda is thinking the same. Paul Biya the President of Cameroon has ruled since 1982 and is still sitting comfortable. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been the president of Equatorial Guinea has been in charge since 1979. Omar Al-Bashir in President of Sudan has been the chief since 1993. Robert Mugabe is the President of Zimbabawe is the big-men of the country since 1987. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President of Uganda has been the head honcho since 1986.

Have in mind Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Muammar Gadaffi in Libya. All of them had a hard fall during the Arab Spring. So during a short period of time these long times serving rulers was ousted by the public or militias in their countries. And those people mentioned that has been sitting since 1979 to now should have them in mind. They could be next.

Its reasons like this big-men why countries and constitutions, law and rule of laws should fix the longevity for the leaders of the countries. Even if some countries has benefited from leaders sitting long. There have been many who show other tales. That their starting and dealing with matters. Making sure that the countries are progressing, but the issue with all men, power can eat you and when it’s at your grasp you don’t want to leave it. The power corrupt and make sure your family eats and friends to. An leave the matters and supposed people your supposed to serve. That makes the basic issue of leaders who becomes the proof of states where there is “taxation without representation”. They goes from being heroes and big-men with legacy into Machiavellian and Orwellian monsters that swallows the governments, states and organizations. That evaporates and follows the pinpoints from the leaders, but not actual procedures or democratic values. Transparency does matters, checks and balance of information from the regimes dies down especially if it pokes at the government. Ethics of codes of conduct matters for the ruling party, but for the opposition is otherwise since they will be thrown into shackles and dungeons for standing up against the regimes.

There is a reason why media has to be strong against this leaders and big-men. Why term limits is a good thing? It’s because power corrupt and eat men. When you first get a spoon of the sweets they want the champagne and cocktails in the statehouses. While many of the big-men don’t strengthen the basic institutions and ministries of the countries they are in charge of. Instead they put more money into the security and armies, but not too strong because then they are worried that their general’s would make a coup d’etat, especially since some of them took power by the gun themselves. So they usually promise grand changes and grace periods where the institutions left soiling by former leaders. While they does certain things and necessary by them, if so only what needed and supported through aid or donor money they might do something more with this.

While these leaders also often toiled with multilateral organization that put strains on the economic freedoms and loans that funds the countries. The forced moves of liberate institutions instead of strengthen the powers of the nations. Free market thinking that has weakened the economies then making them stronger. So that they import more then they export. Produce simple raw material or farm products and import finished sophisticated products that give the budgets negatives for the countries and also a reason why the countries end up with loaning more money from the multilateral organization. Because of this the big-men make shady deals with international donor countries and producers that lead to more corruption. Their zealous and loyalist under-leaders get cuts and that happens as long as they follow the party lines. The sellers from abroad couldn’t care less because usually they get overpaid for the product and there wasn’t a fair process of the sale. So if there is a transparent overlook of the sale and ordering of the products to the country it wouldn’t have gotten a green light.

This thing grows and grows until it hit either the moon or the sun. The terms are what people looking at. Then you could have discussed and talked more directly about the countries that don’t have it. There isn’t like universal rules to how the constitutions should be and what countries should have in it. There is other ways around that countries has to follow the international agreements, resolutions, charters and convents they have to follow and make amendments to their existing laws. But that is whole other matter. The term limit question is more about the ethical place and trust in the big-men that is either elected or taken power on their own. And if you have issues with leaders taking power on their own, there is a slim chance of them actually caring about rule of law. Instead even if they say something they will turn against close to date of the final period of terms. Just like Yoweri Museveni did in Uganda, Pierre Nkurunziza did in Burundi, Paul Kagame in Rwanda and Joseph Kabila in Democratic Republic in Congo (DRC). They all did a turn-around in limited time right before the end of the official second term. So they could fix the laws and get an official third term.

We the people and the citizens care about our big-men and nations, about the institutions that are made to be around us and supposed to support us. As we want good leaders that actually lead and make changes, and structures to secure their people. Instead when their reign for so long that their stealing of wealth, lands and positions for loyalist can be vial and hurting the country, instead of reaching and making the place better. This could be less of a viable possibility if there were structures and codes into place that pushed leaders to leave behind a legacy and go off in grace instead of sitting into the man with a scythe coming and taking their souls to eternal rest.

If society fears that leaders will lead into nepotism, graft, corruption and other evils of long term stand still of leaders and philosophy. The journey that the political climate needs is sufficient tools to stand in rainy days and in glorious ones. Also proper training to lead the next generations into a secure place and leave a foundation that can bring something positive for the people and the nations as whole.

And it isn’t pure and true leadership if they aren’t coping with the ability of leaving the power. They know that and we the people know this. When that happens we see the issues translate into situations that nobody really wants to see. Like the failed Coup d’etat in Burundi in 2015 and the violence that has surged since. Then the failings of the ‘Walk to Work’ protest after the 2011 elections in Uganda. That only led to few fallen activists for the cause, but lead to now initial change. Also the reactions in the DRC after lawfully allowing it’s president a third term, this made people react and the #Telema uprising happened as a aftermath. This because the leaders don’t accept their reach and doesn’t step down in time, instead tries to sit until the chair is breaking. And in due time they will fall out of the chair, it’s just about how they will land and which legacy they want to leave behind.

I am Sure Honorable Mister Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe could have been a real gentleman and been in the league of freedom fighters who fought a just cause against oppression of a foreign power. He could have been seen as that if he stepped down in proper time and given security to the country. Instead he has let the economy run loose, people fleeing the country, rigging elections, letting special army and police trained by North Koreans go into villages before elections and spread fear amongst the citizens. If he had stopped before turning into a villain, he could have been seen as hero. Something that would been worthy actually of how he fought with the comrades against a far-away rulers to secure peaceful nationhood to Zimbabwe together with Joshua Nkomo. Today he will not only be remembered only for the Lancaster House Agreement! But for all of the other madness that has happen after.

The same will happen with these other leaders who might have done great things. And they have made a difference. They have made some kind of changes and progress in their countries. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda has made progress in Uganda. Even by sitting very-very long in the chair of power. After uncertainties of the 80s he has with the Movement system made the land peaceful and that has made gains in the aspect of food productions. Even with help of neighbors and the U.S. sent LRA on the run to C.A.R. where he is trying to get them again. Though with lingering into power it’s now taking a toll on the budgets, inflation levels, value of the currency and the enormous level of spending to local councils since there is new district every 5 years or so.

I could go on about every leader I have mentioned and what has happen because of their steadiness of power. How that effects and what that has led to in the countries that their leading, still. Similarities are still that the countries don’t earn much on having the same leaders reigning for many terms. Because the countries getting sucked into the system and patrons of the big-man instead of build functioning institutions and ministries to really developing the countries.

And let this be clear, I don’t want the systems of the West unto these countries that is not what I am implying. The simple thing I am pounding on is how it will be healthy for a nation to have leaders and their big-men for too long. I doubt if it is healthy. The same with MPS and Ministers, they all will eat too much and become fat, instead of serving the people. The same happens with the grand big-man; therefore the change of leadership is an essential feature to society and government.

Therefore what I am initially implying is that no matter what kind of society the human soul and body will be eaten by the power. That’s simple reason is that this is a universal issue, the location and countries could be a mayor in my town for the matter or the leader of European Union, the secondly it could be a president in South America or Asia. This is a phenomenon that is everywhere if the big-man has the possibility. Let me take a few more honorable mentions:

• Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus since 1994.
• Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov has been the president of Turkmenistan since 1985.
• Nursultan Nazarbayev has been the president of Kazahstan since 1989.
• Issas Afweki has been been the president of Eritrea since 1991.
• Emomali Rahmon has been the president of Tajikistan since 1992.
• Hun Sen has been the president of Cambodia since 1985.

So thanks for reading. Hope it was worth it and that this wasn’t as long as the tenure of certain big-men. Peace.

Picturesque: Mbabazi and Rugunda enjoying the Cranes against the Black Stars

When the Ghana Black Stars played the Uganda Cranes today in Kampala. This match was at Nambole Stadium. It isn’t special or significant that politicians and other ‘big men’ shows up at events like this. On the other hand nobody else expected this. Was the view of the former PM Amama Mbabazi and the newly appointed PM Ruhakana Rugunda. They we’re sitting and enjoying the match. This must make the boss, the Mzee extremly pleased where his sitting. You know I didn’t mean the last remark. But this picture is telling that the tales that is coming and going towards Mbabazi can’t be correct. Some games are coming and going. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose, just like the Black Stars and the Cranes. Now let’s see where this takes us. Peace.