EFF Condemns the Arrest of Ugandan Liberation Fighter Bobi Wine (06.01.2020)

Opinion: Why comply? When you get ACCESS:DENIED!

This here should be common knowledge, many anticipated this today, but the brutality of it and the determination to defend shows what extent the state does. The Uganda Police Force and its authorities plan to anyway undermine the efforts of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine to be a viable Presidential Candidate in 2021. This is just like they have done plenty of times with Dr. Kizza Besigye in the past, and for those that forgotten Dr. Paul Ssemogerere. Both of these gentlemen has been through the line of fire and in legal jeopardy because they choose to oppose the incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Now, it just happens to be Bobi Wine.

What we saw today in Kasangati, Wakiso District isn’t a new tactic. It is the same procedure as last year and the decades before. The same old blocking of the venue, the road-blocks, the tear-gas and the live-bullets. The machinery of oppression and the arrests of the high ranking officials of the opposition too. Even the journalists get taken brutally away, whisked away, as the Police Force doesn’t want their injustice broadcast. Still, they will defend their actions and say it was legal to this.

They are using the penal codes, the public order management act and the presidential elections act. All of these have various codes and statutes, used to hurt the civilians, who stands as a candidate and his team. They are inciting violence, not following guidelines of the Electoral Commission, they didn’t write the right signature on the forms, didn’t have enough dots. All of it gets put into a blender, squeezed and then the public is supposed to drink the juice. Its the taste of impunity and its sold regularly in the Republic and its on sale during election season.

What Bobi Wine and his associates are doing is just politicking, trying to configure their plans and organize ahead of 2021 elections. That is apparently an cardinal sin. The pope, the bishops and priests are calling them sinners and they got to ask the heavenly father for forgiveness. Because, the state is unforgiving for their sinner, unless they are anointed and one of their own. Than, you can steal from the offerings and donations. Even impregnate a nun and call it a bloody Sunday.

That is the reality of it all. It is tedious and boring. Its like a repeating drama, which never ends. Like I told previously, the acts of the Police. The movements of prisoners, the attack on civilians, media and whatnot is scheduled programming. Just like NBS Television and NTV Uganda is ready for boosting ratings, as they miss Fabiola on prime-time. That is just the way it is.

We have seen this before, its getting stale and old. Sort of like seeing the face of the President. The youth and positive spirit is sprinting out of our bodies, as the dire expression, the token of impunity get blended to the public, once again. This repetition and reoccurrence is nearly blinding. The empty hope and total destruction of hope. Since, the state, the Police and everyone always get away with it. It is like they never get hurt, bound or even have to answer for their misuse of power and lack of civility. However, the opposition has to act accordingly and follow the codes.

We can all grin and wonder, but this doesn’t cease here. It is only the start of the things ahead of 2021. This is only the beginning. The false start. The buck-shot has already happen. Now the reality hits the fan and it’s not beautiful. Its a disgraceful mix, the sort of upstart fiasco and total flop. Not because of Bobi Wine. He did his thing, but because of the state and their actions towards him. It might seems like he lost today. But actually, the state did. They shown their true heart, yet again and that is obvious.

They got no heart and didn’t have one to begin with. That is why its so easy for them to silence critics and members of the opposition. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Police Statement on Consultative Meetings (06.01.2020)

Opinion: Bobi Wine and associates arrests today, shows it has no value in complying with laws…

“Police spokesman Fred Enanga confirmed that Mr Kyagulanyi and members of his entourage had been arrested. “We are temporarily holding them in our police station. We shall have to release them at some later stage but we are looking at charges of holding an unlawful assembly and disobedience of lawful orders,” (…) ““The meetings are supposed to be in enclosed venues as guided by the Electoral Commission,” Mr Enanga added on Monday” (Derrick Wandera – ‘Bobi Wine transferred to Nagalama Police station’ 06.01.2020, Daily Monitor).

Is there any help in complying with the Public Order and Management Act of 2013 and the Presidential Elections Act of 2005? After today, the whole public and everyone whose a stakeholder should scream: “NO”. No sir, there is no way you can get cleared or fixated without meeting the Police Force and they finding something to pinpoint. Because, that is what they did in concern of the People Power Movement and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine today.

Because the laws itself is screwed that way, they can nearly interpret anything as a Public Meeting, a gathering and then use their authorization to deny the meeting, block the venue and call it unlawful. Since, that is what they do. There is no denying in that either, as that what happens and on a regular basis from the Police Force.

Even one of the laws states this.

Presidential Elections Act of 2005:

“3. Aspirant consultations

(1) An aspirant may consult in preparation for his or her nomination as a presidential candidate within twelve months before the nomination date.

(2) While consulting under subsection (1), a presidential aspirant may—

(a) carry out nation-wide consultations;

(b) prepare his or her manifesto and other campaign materials;

(c) raise funds for his or her campaign through lawful means;

(d) convene meetings of national delegates.

(3) While consulting, the aspirant shall introduce himself or herself to the Commission and notify the relevant local council and the police of the area to which he or she goes” (Presidential Elections Act of 2005).

What you can say about this is that its not specific about what consultations is. That is why the Police Force uses the means and laws of the Penal Code and the POMA. This is why the Police Force uses unlawful assembly and preventative arrests, instead of shielding the venue and actually safeguarding the participants for the Presidential Candidate. It is very rich of the state to do this, but by this point its their modus operandi.

We knew this would happen, this is the sort of things that at this point is written in the stars, that is carved into stone and a natural reflex of the state to flex upon the opposition and use their force to block and stop the activities of them. That is just the way it is. Not that its wise nor brilliant. However, it sends a signal and shows their contempt of assembly and consultations in general. Peace.

Bobi Wine and associates blocked, arrested and stopped from their first consultation meeting

Today, the police arrested Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, Joel Ssenyonyi , Asuman Basalirwa, Latif Ssebagala, Benjamin Katana and Lewis Rubongoya at Kasangati police station. This as the opposition MP, Bobi Wine planned to follow up his first scheduled and announced consultation meetings ahead of his Presidential bid in 2021.

This shows that the notifications, that the letters to both the Police Force and the Parliament is useless. As the tear-gas, the blocked venue in in Gayaza, at the Our Lady of Good church.

If the Police Force, the authorities thinks this is big business, which this is efforts well made. They are very wrong. They are just showing their impunity and their oppressive behaviour. By first mandating the opposition to follow protocol, notify and follow the laws. While doing so, prepare to block the venues, arrest the leaders and stop the meeting from ever happening. That is just wrong.

The Police has said the organizers didn’t secure the security for the participants and also lacking toilets at the location. Nevertheless, the Police had enough security to block of the venue, put roadblocks all-over and arrest the leadership. You go figure, what the priorities where, it wasn’t for the opposition to meet and greet, but it was to detain the leadership and seal off the venue.

The media also got to pay for their monitoring of the unfolding events:

“JUST IN: Police has arrested NBS reporter Edward Kisekka, Radio Simba’s Ssematimba Bwejiire and NTV’s Arnold Sseremba. This as they covered the arrest of presidential hopeful Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi” (NBS Television, 06.01.2020).

What has happen to the politicians they have been detained for a few hours at Kasangati Police Station, but now its reported that they are being moved to Naggalama Police Station for further arrest, where they will be behind bars for longer. Who knows for what charges or for what reason they all got arrested. It will surely be in the bounds of inciting violence or unlawful assembly. We don’t know yet, but this is another misuse of preventative arrests, which have done before by the authorities in concern with opposition leaders and MPs.

All of this happening in Gyaza in Wakiso district isn’t new. That opposition leaders getting detained in Kasangati isn’t new either. This is ordinary, scheduled programming, but the intent is shown and the force of the state is there. That the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their authorities does this. Only further proves, their liberation struggle was for a handpicked few, but not the for public at large. Because, if so, why cannot a man who has followed all procedure get to hold consultation meetings ahead of presidential candidacy in the upcoming election?

That just doesn’t make sense.

That’s why the authorities says things like these: “They should have requested for security of their participants which they have not done – Edson Muhangi, Kasangati DPC on why Bobi Wine’s consultative meeting has been blocked” (NTV Uganda, 06.01.2020).

When a man has done everything in advance and the authorities knows about it. Why not offer security? You got manpower to detain, block and put up roadblocks. In regards to not being informed or not having capacity to secure the venue. If the authorities really minded it. They would have all resources to secure them and the public to participate. However, they were predetermined to seal it off and arrest the opposition leaders. Which isn’t shocking, but yet another story in how the Police Force and the government handles opposition in the Republic at the stage. Peace.

Authorities go cuckoo for Chaka Chaka

It is the last day of 2019. Instead of falling asleep to the diversionary speech or New Years Message of the President. The Republic is under fire for its action towards the big South African Artist Chaka Chaka, whose was supposed to headline the ‘Enkuuka’ Concert at Mengo in honour of Kabaka Mutebi II of Baganda Kingdom. However, that was not to happen. As the Authorities wants to spread a message, that the ones showing Bobi Wine love. Will be meet with hostile actions when they arrive in Uganda.

Clearly, the Uganda Police Force and the Immigration Enforcement trying to deflect the reason for it. As we all can easily glean through the substance of the matter. This is not happening to the artists willingly showing up and taking snaps with the President. However, it happens with someone who has mentioned Bobi Wine in favourable fashion. That is why she got into trouble. Everything else is yet another propaganda assault from the authorities.

Take a look:

This is to inform the public that a security task team in close coordination with immigration officials has this afternoon escorted Ms Mhinga Yvonne, popularly known as Chaka Chaka to Entebbe International Airport, where she boarded her next immediate flight to South Africa, via Kigali” (…) “She was advised together with her promoters to apply for a working visa and avoid the pretence of being an ordinary visitor. The ordinary visa cannot enable her to perform in any income-generating activity within the country” – CP Fred Enanga (31.12.2019).

Revelers gather in Mengo to usher in 2020. Yvonne Chaka Chaka was meant to be headlining the annual ‘Enkuuka’ concert but unfortunately she was deported earlier due to lack of a working permit, police said” (NBS Television, 31.12.2019).

After all of this, the singer claims everything is well with her in taped video leaked online without saying her location. What we do know is that this has taken away the headliner of a New Years Concert. Most likely because of the fear of her showing Bobi Wine more love. Since that is embarrassing for the authorities. However, with the blocking of her to even be on the stage. They have embarrassed themselves, because the President is naked.

The advisors, the handlers of the President is all going cuckoo over this. They are eating their own insane idea. It is the worst sort of idea for a meal, worse then whatever make-believe meat plate some vegans are eating. This is so disgusting, that they cannot really justify it, but they have to eat it still. If they think it is brilliant. Than, if they have had some wisdom, they would revoke this order and fix it. Even damage the hurt.

Instead, they want to tell the whole continent of Africa. The whole world, how afraid Museveni is of the influence of Bobi Wine. That they are willing to be so stupid…. So stupid, that most toddlers would sound like Einstein in these matters.

If the Ugandan authorities wanted to look Pan-African and non-sectarianism, than they wouldn’t have done this. Alas, they want only praise of their master and everyone else supposed to do so. That’s why Chacka Chaka got deported and ordered so.

This how you “go cuckoo over cocoa puffs” or the new Ugandan edition: Go cuckoo over Chaka Chaka. Peace.

Opinion: The ones on the bus always dismiss Besigye

Besigye was relevant then because he came from the NRM with some people and indeed it happened. On the percentage of opposition then, Besigye came with an addition, but is he still able to add more support, NO, he does not have the capacity”Charles Rwomushana

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its shadow backers will always dismiss Dr. Kizza Besigye and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). If this is the “independent” MP Mohammed Nsereko or political analyst Charles Rwomushana. Even the ilk of Andrew Mwenda, Bebe Cool and all the others will all throw shade at Besigye, like its their meal ticket.

Now, that the 2021 elections are up on the horizon. The People Power Movement is growing and the anxious, passengers on the bus are awaiting their destination. The NRM are trying not only to deflect harm at Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, but also the relentless and never ending story of fight against dictatorship Besigye.

It is like people are complaining that Besigye is not stopping. But, has his battles been won? Has his struggle finished? No, Museveni is still there and bus is still knocking everyone else on the way. One of them is Besigye. That is why the enriched and the ones closely associated with the bus is bitching about Besigye. Like they cannot see, that their should focus on Museveni and how he plays the game of chess. They are his pawns and they accept that fate.

It wouldn’t be shocking if former Presidential Press Secretary Tamale Mirundi was still getting pay-checks from the State House, as his day-in and day-out in NBS Television talking non-stop ill of the opposition. As his wearing yellow. We see you, we have seen you and its obvious.

That Charles is aiming Besigye isn’t shocking, his done this for years. The same with Nsereko who wants to be relevant too and in that regard. Doing the bidding of the bus, while acting like a renegade, which his really not. If he was, he wouldn’t be in the good graces and be able to rotate like he does.

Therefore, this is the first of plenty of shots ahead of 2021. The aim is to weaken the opposition. Is to put sour taste between Bobi Wine and Besigye. To make the enemies, so that they are fighting each other, instead of finding avenues for a peaceful transition of power. Not, that Museveni will let them or give way. Nowhere is there any visible signs.

So, the ones driving the bus is telling the direction and guiding the ones there. They are passengers, whose grateful to participate and be there. Since it is like that, they have to show tokens of loyalty and say these things about Besigye. Because that cleans the hands of the driver and his ills get forgotten. As everyone is discussing why Besigye is still around and his motivations. While everyone is forgetting, the same machinery, the same state of affairs and control over everything is still there.

Not Besigye have won yet, not like the FDC has fulfilled its mission nor its reason for being founded. The issues are still there. It has just moved for over 2 decades and still have to ignite a flame. Not that its easier now, as there are new faces, there are new platforms, but the aim should still be same.

That is why people are blaming and aiming at Besigye. His the easy target. Not like these people are afraid of Nobert Mao or Mugisha Muntu. Both of them are to pragmatic to even spark any fire. That is why they either aim at Besigye or at Bobi Wine. Because, they can awake the people and get them woke. Peace.

Opinion: Long live the ironies, but most likely, long live the foolishness

There is something about tyranny and dictatorships, where the Dictator can travel around like a King. Have his court and his jesters on tour, he can hold a campaign rally, some sort of public function without notifying the authorities or even get the approval to do so. That is because his the Fountain of Honour, the Head of State and the President.

In this regard, all through the 2019. The President and his team was for long a part of the Operation Wealth Creation Tour, where he travelled and held rallies. Also held a Radio Tour and others ones too. Hard to remember them all, but it all legal, because its the President and his court doing so.

During the last two weeks, we got to see that Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine planned and notified the Electoral Commission of planned consultation meetings in consideration of being an Presidential Candidate in the 2021 elections.

I find it very special, that the People Power Movement and everyone else has to follow guidelines and follow codes to be able to assemble, meet and hold consultation meetings. When you consider how easy and non bother it is for the President. Because, the implications for the President, should be the same as for any other aspiring candidate for the same role. There shouldn’t be one whose allowed to sing songs on bridges, while the other cannot even put up a speakers and microphones to do a gig. However, we all know there is a double standard, but this sets it in print.

That Bobi Wine and the PPM is limited in their actions, just like the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Dr. Kizza Besigye been in the past, even Amama Mbabazi and Go Forward was stifled before the 2016 elections. With this in mind, it follows a pattern, but the restrictions and the limitations put on Bobi Wine isn’t fair.

As he should have in all fairness, been able to do exactly what the President did during his Operation Wealth Creation tour, which was direct campaigning on the slogans of the 2016 elections. When that was allowed and accepted by the state, the same state should make it possible for Bobi Wine to do the same. That is as if there was level playing field for candidates, which by the regulations and orders by the Police and Electoral Commission, proves its not.

Not like the President nor his crew had any idea who would show up and how many for the rallies during 2019. They gathered a lot of people, hired buses and hoped to have propaganda shots, but they didn’t have an estimate or afterthought of how big things would be. Alas, that Bobi Wine and his team has to know and say whose possible is really concerning, because that is limiting his approach and also his possibilities to reach out.

If the President and his cronies this is well handled, well, I hate to break it to you. Its not, not the slightest. It is weak and a continued double standard, hypocrisy at the highest order. Most likely by the blessing from the orders from above. Alas, he knows and the ones giving the instructions to People Power knows.

Not like this is shocking, it is a pattern and showing the intent to stifle and put hurdles for the rising star. They want to stop the momentum and contain it. They want to ensure that the authorities are there and that they can handle it. They want to have the information and the intel to ensure, that the they can prolong the reign and secure the prospects of another rigged elections.

Because, if it was free and fair, why where there ever any issues with the gatherings nor the rallies of the President? There should have been, why no tear-gas? Why no-one arrested and taken into prison for inciting violence? Why were there ever anyone taken or house-arrested for preventative reasons?

Well, that because the President, everything goes and everything is cool. The rest has to beg to grab a microphone and say some words of wisdom. That’s just how things are in the Republic. Peace.

Opinion: Anticipating a rocky road for Bobi Wine

It is not that I wish anyone ill, I don’t, but knowing how the “orders from above” works and seen how the opposition has been treated over the years. I just know how this will play out. Even as the People Power Movement (PPM) and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine MP plans to hold his consultations in 2020. It will not be without any hurdles.

There will be consequences, just like him jumping on campaign trails and joining forces with other opposition activists for the various by-elections during the 2018 and 2019. That is just the way it is.

The first and foremost. The PPM and Bobi Wine will be served with new criminal charges, if this is “inciting violence”, “unlawful assembly” and so-on. It will catch on and they will also told that they didn’t file the paperwork accordingly to the Public Order Management Act and surely pinned with some charges from the Penal Code. That just happens.

Secondly, the security outfits will monitor, block venues, follow the convoy of Bobi Wine. They will seal of hotels, they will detain activists and local organizers. They will ensure that the radio stations are losing their licenses and so-on. That just happens.

If the PPM and Bobi Wine still try to access the venues and such, there will be live-bullets, arrests and people hurt. There will a bath of tear-gas on the public, there will be road-blocks and will be damage of property.

The Police Force will say the supporters are rowdy, are hoodlums and thugs, while it was the police and armed state officers who fired the first bullet and tear-gas at the venue. The state will say the PPM didn’t act correct according to codes, even if they have negotiated for months for the stadium and whatnot in whatever county they were visiting.

In this manner, the Presidential Consultations, the meeting of locals and such will be with fury. It will be testy and will not be easy. If you thought Amama Mbabazi and Dr. Kizza Besigye have had it hard. The upstart and the rising star Bobi Wine will feel it too. There will be abducted mobilizers and stories of impunity within the range of the consultation season.

If not, the state has had a change of heart, which I doubt. It wouldn’t be shocking if the state tried to pull-off house-arrest and “preventative arrest” of Bobi Wine and close associates. Since, that way they can contain him in Wakiso district.

This state will use all means, because the old man doesn’t feel the love anymore, people are tired of him. That is why they use all means. To think otherwise is naïve, after seeing other campaigns and election cycles under Museveni.

We just know and will not be shocked, because this is scheduled programming. Peace.

Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine letter to the Electoral Commission – Re: Notice of Intention to Conduct Consultations (03.12.2019)