Opinion: The President is one-emergency-call away to fix Medical Evacuation for the Elites…

““None of us (government officials) is going to die in Mulago because there is no medicine. If there is no medicine, [we] will call the President and he will put [us] on a plane and take us to America. We are not victims of corruption.” IGG Beti Kamya urges civilians to report corruption cases, highlighting their victimhood instead of top government officials” (NTV Uganda, 02.06.2023).

I don’t know about you… but the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya frankness in regard to corruption or mismanagement of funds within the Ministry of Health is telling. The ability to not see how arrogant and entitled she where. Well, that is astonishing.

Kamya has gone far in this world. She has maybe not able to retain her seat as an MP in Parliament. Nevertheless, she has become a Minister for one term and the IGG after that. The President has appointed her and kept her in high regard. If he didn’t consider her or see any value in her loyalty. He would have dumped her as Senior Presidential Advisor or become a Residential District Commander (RDC) in a god-forsaken up-country district, which she would rarely visit and only be there during certain celebrations.

Alas, Kamya isn’t that wise or considerate. She is just showing what we knew, but she is saying the silent part out loud. We know that the “high above” needs a say in most things. Now we know his the ones issuing orders and being the guardian of the Medical Evacuations of Ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs) or the general elite. The ones who get treatment in India, United States of America or somewhere in Europe.

She said his a call away and get them on a plane. The IGG is practically telling the citizens how Oulanyah got the treatment in Seattle. The way we know others has been airlifted to Nairobi or further away too. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) takes care of its own, but doesn’t consider the rest.

We know the President isn’t a call away from the ones who works within the bounds of the gig-economy or the civil servants who can go months without pay. These have to die in the hospitals without additional help. However, if you are a part of the anointed elite and in high regard of the President. Then you can anticipate the services of the Uganda Airlines and get visa’s or medical passes to get treatment in the West. That’s what Kamya is saying she didn’t see anything wrong in it either.

The public shouldn’t be privy to it. We all know it happens, but it shows how bad it is. It isn’t like these things are new in the Republic either. However, it shows how the state has failed its own and how the President has spend on airlifting patients and pay for their services. This just shows how the Ministry of Health isn’t a concern or even a priority. That’s because the ones in-charge and the ones in the elite can easily get away and it’s one call away.

The President can just a word and a nod. Then he will give them a thumbs up and the sick patient is in the air. That’s not how these things are supposed to work. It shows that the elites, the NRM and the President has already given up on getting treatment at home. They are all just eagerly calling the President and getting it resolved. That’s easier than ensuring the proper people working in the fields, logistics around the medicine and the machinery for all sorts of treatment. No, that takes commitment and investment. It is easier to just fix a ride on a plane and call it a night. Peace.

Opinion: Baryomunsi is a sorry excuse of a man…

“As the government, we know what we are supposed to do, whether you post it on social media or not. I will not lose sleep because a picture of a pothole has been posted on social media” (…) “As a government, we wake up and go to the office early because we have to work for the people of Uganda. We know that there are some external activists that pay people to blackmail the government” – The Minister of ICT, Information and National Guidance Chris Baryomunsi (16.05.2023).

The Minister and Member of Parliament Chris Baryomunsi is a government apologist and brands himself like that. I will digress the statement of his with a proverb. Just to show how arrogant this man is:

“To fear the Lord is to hate evil;

    I hate pride and arrogance,

    evil behavior and perverse speech” (Proverbs 8:13).

The bible and wisdom aren’t the calling of the Minister. Anyone who has heard or seen this fella knows that. A man who is willing to digest and sell all sorts of impunity. He has excelled in arrogance and entitlement. That’s why his even saying these words on TV for everyone to hear. That’s why his talking like that on NBS Television.

Therefore Baryomunsi is and his proud of it too. Even if the Lord hates evil, the Minister bashes in it and glorifies it. He has not time or concern with the misgivings of his government. Neither does he want any accountability. This man doesn’t care if people die or is dying. As a leader and representative, he clearly doesn’t value the voices of the people. The people his supposed to represent and act on their behest. Seriously, a disgrace of a man and a sorry excuse of a MP. Even worse as a Minister and Appointed High Ranking Official. No one will be sorry when this man has his demise. Because he didn’t care about people suffering while living the high life.

His pride and arrogance is of another level. It just shows what sort of character he is and what he stands for. It is really tragic that he is like this, but it is the mere reality we live in. Baryomunsi isn’t acting responsible or accountable. Instead, he acts like transparency and accountability isn’t important.

It isn’t blackmail to show the lacking of performance and how the government isn’t acting righteous. The Government of Uganda, which the Minister represents… that’s why his a sorry excuse of man and a representative in general.

Not that Baryomunsi have ever been a likeable character or a man to look up too. His the man that defending the state lack of treatment for cancer patients in 2016. A man who said they were dying anyway. So why be stressed that the cancer machine wasn’t working at the Cancer Centre at Mulago. That’s the sort of fella he is and people should recognize that.

Baryomunsi is the embodiment of pride, arrogance and fraudulent prestige. There is nothing good about him and especially not in the way he behaves in public. He is just epitome of everything wrong with the regime and the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

This man will not like his legacy and neither how he is remembered. That’s all himself to blame and nobody else. Peace.

The Battle of the Keyboards: Three Ministers at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance (!)

Today, the 11^th Parliament has made another addition to the Cabinet. The Cabinet has gotten yet another Minister. It is now stretched from 80 to 81 Ministers. That is outrageous numbers. I had already gone through a few bloated Ministries.

Now, the Ministry of Information Communication Technology and National Guidance. Which already had veteran politician Chris Baryomunsi and former FDC veteran Owek. Joyce Ssebugwawo.

That was announced on the 8^th June 2021 and now on the 14^th June 2021 they have added another 3^rd Minister. This is the former Kasese Muncipality Mayor Godfrey Baluku Kabbyanga. That’s happening after the Kasese Region felt left out with all the other appointments. Therefore, everyone is involved will have their time to shine, but wonder what they will do.

The Ministry have had two Ministers recently. They had a Minister and a “deputy” or “junior” minister. Now, they have a double of that and they have the same title as well.

The Ministry has the agencies of Uganda Broadcasting Company (UBC), Vision Group, National Information Technology Authority (NITA); Posta Uganda, Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), Uganda Media Centre, Government Citizens Interaction Center (GCIC) and Uganda Institute of Information & Communications Technology (UICT).

In addition the Ministry have the Media Council and the ICT and National Guidance Sector Working Group.

So, we can see how the Ministry has been spawned out. What it is really telling too. Is how much agencies it does have. There are seemingly a need for two similar organizations like Uganda Media Centre and the GCIC who are both doing the same. They could have easily become one unit.

Just like NITA is there to coordinate and regulate Information Technology. While UCC is there to regulate the Communications sector. These two are working in the same lane and could easily been merged.

Just like this Ministry needs now three ministers to have oversight over this. That is because of regional representation. Which shows that appointment isn’t to make this Ministry any better, but to have another person at that office. His just a lucky loser getting hand-picked.

It is clearly more important to have more people appointed than them actually having a mandate to do anything. The third and last one here will be a fish out of water. Unless, his participating at meetings and parts of directorates, which the two other doesn’t value.

There will be battles over the keyboards and who gets to publish what. They will be busy-bodies who does little, but will fight for relevance in the term to come. Peace.

Press Release by the Secretary to the Authority National Drug Authority: Clarification on Drugs Recalled by National Drug Authority (13.12.2019)

The State of Health service delivery and financing: CSO perspectives (17.03.2019)

Uganda: Ministry of Health – Press Release – Government launches the Health Sector Integrated Refugee Response Plan (2019-2024) – (25.01.2019)

Ministry of Health Statement to Parliament on Cholera Outbreak in Kampala City, 9th January 2019 (09.01.2019)

Uganda: Ministry of Health – Press Release – Cholera Outbreak in Kampala (11.01.2019)

Hoima Regional Referal Hospital Director Dr. Peter Mukobi letter to LCI Hoima Muncipality Chairman Mohammed Kyimba: “Request to Provide a Written Explaination on the Allegations Against Hoima RRH” (16.11.2018)

Rotten roots: MPs Medical Tourism are needed, because Health Ministers flee to do it too!

“We have specialists to handle the cases the Members of Parliament that went abroad. We are not shamed about our hospitals, we have all requirements for specialised treatment of the MPs that left” – Ruth Aceng (04.09.2018).

Today, the Uganda Media Centre, State Minister of Helath Ruth Aceng, Minister for Housing Hon. Chris Baryomunsi and Gen. Elly Tumwiine has done their best to defend the state defense to the media. However, their defense of the state of Health Care needs to be dismissed. The other of the spin of what happened in Arua in August has to stop. As there are no one looking into the death and the tortured individuals, more spinning the blame on the civilians and not on the ones shooting live-bullets.

While that is a case, the Members of Parliament Hon. Francis Zaake and Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine left the Republic for medical treatment in both United States and India. However, this is not new. Earlier this year Betty Nambooze after the Age Limit ruckus has had medical treatment in India. She is not alone. As I will show.

From the Ministry of Health Alone in 2017:

The State minister for Primary Health Care, Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu because of food-poisoning last year, couldn’t get treatment in Uganda, so she flown to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. While Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the State Minister of Health left Uganda for her knee surgery in India.

Former MPs Died in 2017:

Last year, Annie Logiel MP for Moroto headed to Denmark for treatment for her brain tumor, but did not survive. In the same year, William Bejikukye Zinkuratire, who was poisoned after he was sworn-in as MP, later getting treatment several times in India, but as he got final treatment in Uganda, finally succumbed to the illness. Former MP Issa Kikungwe died last year of a brain-tumor, as medical team at Mulago couldn’t save him.

In 2018:

Earlier this year, former MP Ruth Alinyikira Owagage was to get life needed treatment at the Jinja Hospital. However, the lack of oxygen and treatment let her die at the premises.

So, when I hear Ruth Aceng and others saying the Health Care have the ability to treat Bobi Wine and Zaake. I have my doubts, as the State Minister’s of Health went abroad for their treatments last year. The Presidents daughters have traveled abroad to give birth even. Therefore, when the National Resistance Movement (NRM) says everything is fine and dandy. Why did the State Ministers for Health travel themselves for treatment last year? Shouldn’t they be the firsts to use the services they represents?

This is like the brewer not drinking the own made drink, but instead buys Coca-Cola. Your supposed to be proud of what you produce and sell, not the ones you buy wholesale. That is what the State Minister of Health is doing. They are not proud of their service delivery, when your traveling abroad yourself for medical healthcare. That is what they have done. That is why Aceng isn’t the right voice to defend it. She has traveled herself, if someone should understand Zaake and Bobi Wine, it her. Instead she is all defensive. Peace.