Besigye and the FDC met the hostile Police Force in Ngora, Teso Sub-Region!

That the National Resistance Movement and the Uganda Police Force have an issue with Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and their leader Dr. Kizza Besigye. Therefore, he has a track-record for being detained and spent days in countless of prisons while awaiting charges. However, the persistence of courage and certainty of trying is there. So after months of turmoil and trouble, the FDC and Besigye we’re planning to hold some rallies and meeting in Teso Sub-County and in Soroti. That was clearly violating the rules and public engagement that the NRM Regime couldn’t handle.

The we’re even gun-fire and tear-gas today at Ngora Town, as the FDC Woman Sarah Eperu we’re swiftly detained at the Central Police Station in Soroti. The convoy of FDC cars into the rallies was also stopped on the highway as they had plans and rallies to hold in the region.

The Police reacted to Journalists Ronald Odongo and George Emuron:

However, East Kyoga Regional Police Commander Francis Tumwesigye says police was not informed about the planned celebrations” (Uganda Radio Network, 25.03.2017). So the Police used the Public Order Management Act (POMA) or the ABA (Anti-Besigye Act) to aggressively block and stop the rallies. This in a district where the Police Force cannot contain ordinary violence as the spiral of murder and killings have certainly hit the district of Francis Tumwesigye, who should have enforced more of the personnel to solve the murders, than throwing tear-gas and shooting bullets in the crowds flocking around Besigye.

Interfering with the Police Work:

Given the intricate link between businesspeople, politicians and gun related crime in the region, senior police officer Obura told this newspaper that: “Investigations get complicated. My appeal is that police should be allowed to do its job, to investigate cases to the best of [its] ability with utmost independence. When politicians interfere they make our work difficult.” (…) “One District Police Commander who was transferred to northern Uganda told this newspaper on condition of anonymity that he had been relocated because he refused to “budge to the interests of those Teso mafias. You don’t do as they say they mess you up, they set you up as they did with Mr Okello Obura” (Okuda, 2017).

So it is the Teso Mafia that makes it impossible for the Police to solve the crimes and the killings, that initially makes the Police Commander forced to prove his capacity by shutting down political meetings and rallies of the FDC. Shows lacks of integrity and of the ability to serve the community when they work in silence on murders, but can easily throw tear-gas in Ngora.

Like Komuge village in Teso:

Yet in its remoteness, Komuge buries the ignoble secrets of a village consumed by the toxic tales of extra-judicial killings, lawlessness and impunity stringed to political and military heavyweights powerful enough to cover their tracks or frustrate prosecution even of incarcerated suspects.  Human rights activists that raise an alarm are targeted, forcing some to flee the locale, while police officers investigating the cases find themselves momentarily transferred or prosecuted for alleged command lapses whenever they close in on those implicated” (Okuda, 2017).

So you can wonder if the Police are unwilling or transpiring with the criminals in Teso and Teso Sub-Region, as the Mafia or Criminal enterprise can control society and kill of the ones questioning or owning the resources the powerful men wants. Therefore, the Police Force is merely a safeguard for the citizens.

It’s weird that the FDC has to have these issues to have rallies and also commemorate a former MP Phillip Ekemu in Ngora, as the convoy of FDC was stopped before doing so today on the highway towards it. So now Besigye convoy we’re able to celebrate the memory of the deceased MP, but not able to hold rallies in Ngora, as the local police force had to use tear-gas.

Besigye had planned to hold massive rallies in Teso Sub-region this week but the police warned him to abort his intentions, assuring him that such rallies would be handled as illegal assemblies” (Grejeen News Uganda, 25.03.2017). So the Soroti and Teso Sub-region handled it as illegal assemblies, as expected, as the Police Force have to handle this as criminal, but cannot handle murder investigations. The killings and extra-judicial murders should be focused as people are dying.

The FDC and Besigye had planned rallies for Katakwi district tomorrow. Certainly, these will also be meet with hostile meeting the Police. Just as the tear-gas who appeared today in Ngora in the Teso Sub-Region. This is just really a proof of the non-democratic environment in Uganda, when the FDC cannot even hold rallies and public meetings, as the NRM can travel as they please. Something they really do. Peace.

Reference:

Okuda, Ivan – ‘ No end in sight for Teso killings as govt folds arms’ (23.03.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/No-end-in-sight-for-Teso-killings-as-govt-folds-arms/688342-3863190-4dbeh5/index.html

Okuda, Ivan – ‘Hitmen invade Teso, kill and torture with impunity’ (17.03.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Hitmen-invade-Teso–kill-and-torture-with-impunity-/688334-3852750-f5xp20/index.html

Opinion: Museveni says “not the time for talk about succession”, well I didn’t expect so!

The President since 1986 doesn’t seem to care about succession, that isn’t surprising. President Museveni haven’t left anyone to take over, he have even stopped the ones with ambition from getting roles inside the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Therefore, the lacking protocol and procedure of the party, a party created by him and for him. Clearly, the laws that has been amended so that the President could lawfully run again and again. So what he said to the press yesterday is not shocking!

I teach [but not] about those things like age limit and I don’t know what – all those small topics of yours. I talk about the future of Africa. What should be done, not who. Because for you, you spend all the time on the who, the who, the who. For me, my issue is [the] what. So, because the age limit is; you are talking about the who now. NRM is not an anarchy group. Right now, am concentrating on alleviating poverty. That is my mission now. After poverty then we shall talk about those other topics that you are interested in. Right now, we are implementing our manifesto. When we were campaigning, we presented our manifesto. Succession was not part of what we presented to the electorate. That is not to say it is not important, but the right time has not yet come. We shall talk about it when the time is right.” – President Museveni told journalists at Kawumu State Lodge in Luweero district yesterday” (The Observer, 22.03.2017).

Succession is only right when the time is right, you can wonder if that time ever will come for the rebel and the former freedom fighter. It is not like there been any steps in the last decade that Museveni ever wanted to give way for someone else. Museveni doesn’t want to give in or thinking of a future without being President. The Regime is built around him and his decisions, therefore, Museveni wants to be the man to go instead of institutions. The Ministries and the Government have been put-on hold if he doesn’t or anyone he has gotten anointed.

With this in mind, the NRM are built around him and the same is the State. That this is not accountability or transparent is evident. That the President has kept it all close to himself, that the NRM are addicted and needs Museveni is like the plants needs water and sun to grow. In the same regard does the party and the state now Museveni. Not that it is healthy position since it is based on the individual and not the institutions or laws. That is the weakness of the NRM party and the NRM regime, the junta, the illegitimate rule under the 31 year long Presidency of Musveni.

Not like he would give in and give up his life, his legacy is already outlived and the use of force against opponents and the ones questioning him is certainly evident of his lacking bones for real-democracy. Even if he spoke of that in the Bush, the one today would vomit of the words he said in the 1980s and early 1990s. One of the men who was the future African leaders, who traded their promise into greed and power, instead of governance and institutions. Therefore, the state is based around his individual powers, instead of what it is supposed to be.

The Patronage, the clientele and elite is all circling him and the State House, to make sure of the funds and license to operate. The others have to be silenced and not speak against the master. President Museveni decides and if you don’t like it, than you better accept it anyway. Now, it is time to eradicate poverty, even has he had the decades before to finish his project. Still, he has to fight the same fight he did in the first days he left the bush with UNLA, UPM and the NRA. Nothing new and it must be horrific to know that the State is in the same or worse state since your rule. That must the pride of the old man, that the individual reason and the man who created this way of systems are him. He will blame anyone else and their loyal subjects. Still, deep in his heart, he knows that its his own making.

President Museveni doesn’t won’t anyone else to rule, not in the NRM that was built around him. President Museveni doesn’t won’t anyone else to reside in the Okello House and be the Commander-in-Chief and Executive in Uganda. The both roles belongs to him and succession isn’t key. The door will only open, when he dies. By that time, the ones trying to isn’t his business, since he is dead.

President Museveni will not step down and has no plan to do so. Because he doesn’t have the heart, he doesn’t have the ability and doesn’t seem to care about his legacy, or the state that will be left behind when he is really gone.

His time to leave office is only when his pump stops beating, until rest assured, every excuse made under the moon and stars will be used. An if you thought he would stay on the farm to irrigate with jerrycans into oblivion, you are clearly wrong. He just needs to be office a few more days and months, to be sure to take every dime he can. Peace.

Uganda: There has been no notice issued of a Curfew in Kampala (21.03.2017)

Opinion: Museveni’s response to Kaweesi’s assassination is horrendous, typical blame-game and pure retaliation with force!

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is more focused on putting blame on anyone else than himself, yesterday as the family and friends we’re mourning the killed police officers and driver. Instead of coming with a speech of solace and care for the deceased, care about the loss of life and show some integrity as the President. Instead, the man of 3 decades tried to pin the assassination on all other institutions and on all other leaders who has failed, but not him. The outtake of the speech and message is under neath!

President Museveni message at the house of Kaweesi yesterday:

Now these criminals have shifted to methods of using motorcycles. They are doing this because the boda bodas are many and they think they can hide. We have arrested some of these criminals and others are still at large. I want to tell these criminals that we shall get you. We shall kill you or capture you. But if they don’t want to die, let them surrender. I want to assure Ugandans that this is a cowardly crude act that we shall defeat. These criminals are going to die because they’re killing our people, young people who we are using to build institutions. The second group are the public servants. I have had a hard time explaining our priorities as a country to this fraction of the population because their commitment is to themselves alone. Projects like the installation of security cameras on roads have been stalling because of misplaced priorities into salary increments and such. As a result we now have idiots getting away with murder and instilling unnecessary fear in our people. This is putting undue pressure on our security agencies who are working under very strenuous circumstances in cases like these. This must stop. The third group is the Police and other security agencies. There is a growing concern of infiltration in these organs. Stories of leaking information, intimidating and even sometimes killing witnesses are coming to me. This is undermining our strong relations with the wanainchi who now don’t want to work with our security organs. I would like to caution that you young people in these agencies are letting yourselves down” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – 19.03.2017).

That there are problematic crime and violence is not something to hide, that their killings and murders happening in Uganda, as the Teso killings and others are being uncovered, as there been reports of criminals interfering in the Police Force. That should be priority of the President to change leadership and stop the groups creating violence and killings. Not just blame them when on of the men in-charge, the AIGP Kaweesi was brutally murders 100 meters away from his own home.

That the President Museveni says this murders put fears into people, the same levels as the killings of Police Force during the rallies at the election, the post-election killings in Bundibugyo or Kasese. Therefore, there are instances where the Police Force could have shown the ability of transparency and justice. Instead, the republic are now filled with uncertainty if they can trust the police as the 3rd in command of the Police could even be touched and fall.

That President Museveni talks about avenging the murder on a wake, is spineless and shows his fatigue as a leader, instead of begging for mercy and asking forgiveness as the man in charge and the man who played a vital part in the AIGP life. He stood there blaming the Police Command and blaming civil servants. Not a second he cared about the family or the deceased legacy.

President Museveni was more concerned with putting blame on the ones that we’re around him. Not trying to be the one in charge. Since everyone is else is at fault. So now the IGP Kale Kayihura has work to do, as the President has designated that all issues is in his shop! However, this is more systematic than that when the third in command of the Police is gunned down with his loyal men on an early Friday morning.

Still, the President ungrateful and unforgiving puts blame on the ones he can and says he has done enough. AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi was a loyal Police Commander and one who worked tirelessly for the regime, still his own legacy will be tarnished by the acts of his fellow commanders. Kaweesi, did his duty to suppress people and work under IGP Kayihura. What President Museveni didn’t do in speech on the wake of Kaweesi, was to let the man rest in respect and let the fellow men who fall, fall in grace for their duty. Instead, the Commander-in-Chief is more working for his own goodwill, than caring for the ones who lost their lives. Peace.

Opinion: Why was the Police blocking Besigye from the Requiem Mass At Rubaga Cathedral?

I am sometimes boggled by the disregard for justice that are in Uganda, that the Opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) that had been to Nakawa Court to prove that he had not fled the country, while his long-term pending treason charge case continues unto the heart of President Yoweri Museveni stops beating, that is my guess by now.

Still, Besigye could not be part of the Requiem Mass at Rubaga Cathedral, as the dignitaries and mourning family was gathered to remember the assassinated Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi. This was a mass in celebration for the life that the AIGP did have before the fatal mourning this Friday.

Though as the state did attend the Police Officer and Guard in Amuria district:

Internal Affairs Minister, General Haji Abubaker Jeje Odongo has arrived at the burial of Corporal Kenneth Erau who will be laid to rest today in Orungo sub-county in Amuria district” (87.7 Baba FM, 20.03.2017).

IGP Kale Kayihura and the NRM regime must be insane to stop him, but let all the others attend the mass. That just shows the, not pardon me, the tyranny and the standard of oppression the NRM are doing on the daily basis to the ones questioning the legitimacy of the NRM. That they cannot have the stomach and the ability to let him take part of state mourning of a fallen comrade in the Police. The man who has spent the most time in prison and been detained by all of the politicians combined in the republic. So, if somebody should be parts of the mass, it was him!

This regime doesn’t have the courage or the ability to give any way or show mercy on anyone, except for the ones loyal to the President. The rest are in the wind without any safe land to land on. I don’t know who gave this order if it was UPF Kayihura, CID, Special Force Command, Gen. Salim Selah or President Museveni himself. Still, it seem like a foolish betray of justice and rule of law to stop, yet again the opposition leader to be in church. They have detained him for going to church in All Saints after the election in 2016. This is in the same alley. So the UPF and the Security Organizations of Uganda has nowadays no quarrel to challenge the idea of what is justice and the injustice. Peace.

Statement by the European Union and its Member States present in Uganda on the situation in Kasese District (16.03.2017)

Opinion: Why hasn’t there been any real investigation into the #KaseseAttacks?

There has now gone months since the Uganda People’s Defence Force, Special Forces Command and the Police Force on the 27th November 2016 has skirmishes inside the Buhikira Royal Palace in Kasese. This we’re done again as the authorities have done in the past in Rwenzori and Rwenzori sub-region, as they have made the Rwenzururu Kingdom and their Ombusinga Bwa Rwenzururu Charles Wesley Mumbere a guerrilla leader for a unknown militia called the ‘stronghearted’ or the Kirumiramutima. If these allegation we’re true and the government had real investigation to all the acclaimed issues since 2014, than they would have charged someone before blasting and killing so many Royal Guards in November 2016.

The whole last skirmish was dim of justice and real security operation as the Brigadier Peter Elewu and Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba cavalry ran into the compound and did their disgraceful acts of vile violence and human rights violations. They killed and burned down the palace, they put graves with no names days after and wouldn’t let the families see the deceased, and they left behind trials of misconduct. Such, acts of killings that the world only see’s in time of war or even a civil-war. The state organizations and their security organizations are secretly about their acts.

If the State had been serious they hadn’t made the ones who were the targets of the gunfire and the burning the ones lingering in jail in and around Jinja. The same happen to the remaining royal guards also detained there. There wasn’t much grace or glory, as the king was at one point out for under an hour time before getting back inside prison. On the second time now he is exile in Kampala as the government doesn’t let him out of control and travel to his kingdom.

While this has happen the M23 has crossed from Ugandan territory to the Democratic Republic of Congo, as they have left the barracks and they have even been caught few of them in the Kasese District and Mbarara Region. There are prospects that could easily fix into a conspiracy as the insurgency and attacks on Rwenzururu Kingdom could be seen as shadow game for the release of the M23.

So, with the rumours that haven’t been verified as well, was French speaking army men at the Buhikira Royal Palace in Kasese. What are more worrying are the open questions, as of the verified numbers of dead between the army and police force. That was in the days after skirmishes. They we’re really not making sense as the amounts of dead after it all. With the loss of lives to all the royal guards, unknown civilians, police officers and so on. The State Figures still doesn’t make sense with the reports and spokespersons release in the army and police in the early days after.

The need for an investigation is clearly there, the army, police force and security organizations who acted vile in Kasese. The Rwenzururu Kingdom have been violated, the Rwenzori and Rwenzori Sub-Region has been used as a boxing bag by the NRM government. No visits from the President, the mediators or even the IGP Kale Kayihura have stopped it. As the army intervention have still let the government killings continue, as the post-election violence was created from the Special Force Command, maybe M23 and other operatives in the UPDF. That can be said, as their no clear investigation or intelligence that can be truthful, as the government tries to silence the truth. Their cherry of innocence is long good. If the NRM government really cared about their victims they wouldn’t defend the culprits, but the victims, the unknown and the unnamed dead who was assaulted and lost their life to early, as so many of the Royal Guards has done during the last year in the Rwenzururu kingdom. Peace.

Opinion: Succession when talking about Mzee is nonsense!

“You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

There is an ancient saying that you cannot teach old dogs new tricks, neither can you do with President who has been running a republic since 1986. Therefore, with this in mind, the new comic relief from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is hard for me to take serious. Certainly, with the knowledge of all the men and possibly woman who could have become the leader of the party and the Executive of Uganda.

Still, in 2017, we are at the same crossroads, the same junction and nothing has changed. The partners and participants are practically the same, unless some new cronies and sugar-babies of the Movement comes into the mix. Perhaps, the most stunning fact is that old men like Gen. Otafiire steadily sink the world with his endless wisdom.

It is as if Museveni still is the Shepard and the Ugandan people is helpless sheep needing his guidance. The reality is that the belief that he can do something he has not done is pointless. The only card he has left is to destroy more kingdoms with force and kill more his opposition. If he had proved some sort of democratic figments in his in body, it has surely died with age. As his words are now more important than legislation.

The President handpicked elite and cronies, the suiters and the ones trying to eat while can. As they know not what will happen when their master stop breathing. The plans and the succession plans has not been official or even portrayed, there been rumors of Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, those leaks turned into a besieged offices and depleted staff at Daily Monitor, back-in-the-day.

Still, if he is the viable candidate to takeover and the family dynasty that the President tries to create is hard to know. Since none in public can read the mind of the old man with the hat. So that the “news” that NRM Members of Parliament finally planned to talk about the succession seems far-fetched! Should it been done a decade or two ago, if it was a serious attempt?

He is on his unofficially seventh term as President and leader of the NRM. The founder and current leader of it. Not as he has given in without weapons in the past and instead of dialogue, he still sends Special Force Command or the Flying Squad to doze of possible enemies. Not as if it is an open discussion, more like a ruckus of who can get first to the brown envelopes and get the license to blead the state out of more funds.

Therefore, here I am, and not believing one single bit that President Museveni or the NRM NEC or any other parts of the NRM have the slightest care in mind to change him for somebody else. NRM and the NRM elite needs Museveni and his cronies, the crony system is there because of him. No question and no one with a clear mind would not see that. He gives and takes away as he sees fit. When he needs you he pays you and your extended family, but when your aspirations or goals to become bigger than him. Then you securing that you become a fringe candidate.

Museveni and his family, Museveni as his business partners does not need succession. The ones asking for it now will become renegade NRM MPs and could end up independent in the Parliament, as in the past when MPs has taken a stand towards the NRM NEC or the almighty himself. I doubt there will be change of guards, as there have not been for decades upon decades.

What we can be sure of is that President Museveni and President Mugabe are doing the same thing in their nations, holding the power without hesitation of what will happen when they leave and what sort of power vacuum that will be unleashed. What we do know is that the NRM will use all of their tricks and manipulation, all sort of writings and public display to make this sort thing normal. Peace.

Opinion: Uganda government doesn’t need a Presidential Handshake Committee, it needs a strong IGG, PPDA and AG!

In this times and days with the Oil Cash Probe, there are talking of making more government bodies, instead of using the legal authorities and institutions that is already there. We can that as the stalwart organization that even signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Public Procurement And Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of Attorney General (OAG) and the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) on the 25th January 2017 as these offices wanted to collectively investigate the corrupt and ill behaviour in government.

Justice Irene Mulyagonja Kakooza, the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) is part of the agreement, still the mission of the IGG is this:

“The Inspectorate of Government is an independent institution charged with the responsibility of eliminating corruption, abuse of authority and of public office. The powers as enshrined in the Constitution and IG Act include to; investigate or cause investigation, arrest or cause arrest, prosecute or cause prosecution, make orders and give directions during investigations; access and search – enter and inspect premises or property or search a person or bank account or safe deposit box among others” (IGG).

So when the IGG has this mandate, should determine the procedures and the abilities to the institution and the legal authority to look into corruption inside the government organizations. Therefore it is worrying when the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) and the Minister Matia Kasaija who had to say this about the Presidential Handshake!

“Kasaija also proposed guidance on presidential favours and donations, saying there should be a system to ensure that the president’s directive does not break the law” (…) “We need to develop a system that can quickly tell the authoriser that one; you are authorising this money it is in accordance with the law. Being busy, and I have to sign almost 100 documents per day that could be a problem. You might find something has escaped [through unchecked]. On presidential favours and donations, I think also there should be a system when the president orders me or directs me particularly to pay, there should be a system that verifies that what the president has asked doesn’t break the law. Maybe it can be instituted on his own side before he writes to me, but I doubt if he has that kind of system. [His directives shouldn’t] break the law and that it is in order according to government policies and practices”, Kasaija said.

So with the recent financial laws there still needs amendments and need more structures as the Public Finance Bill of 2015 Act and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) of 2015, these bills and acts has set the financial regulation, also opened the financial systems for less accountability, therefore the idea from the Daily Monitor editor is fine idea, but shouldn’t be needed!

“Executive practice could repeat its departure from known policy and established procedure, since Uganda is teeming with vampires constantly plotting to exploit a generous ruler who is too busy to study every case in detail. Why not develop a hi-tech gadget to aid the President?

The Concept: A piece of digital hardware on which the President’s cash handouts over the last 10 years are listed, indicating those that have and have not been fulfilled.

Filed, too, are the implied (financial) numbers computed from the current national Budget.

Filed, too, is a map of the citizens’ socio-economic condition.

Filed also are a range of constitutional alarm and barrier-wall features.

Applying the latest algorithmic wizardry, installed software would rapidly survey the data and resolve whether a cash handout the President had just announced was fair, legal and viable. (Voice recognition technology is of course on board.)

Linked to State House, Parliament, Finance and the Auditor General, when the gadget clears or blocks a presidential gift (wherever he announces it), the signal is instantly fired to those destinations” (Tacca, 2017).

So the Daily Monitor wants a direct digital archive of the Presidential Handshakes and instant check-up of the funds. The Oil Cash Probe has revealed lots of inaccurate practices of payments and bonuses to civil servants. Certainly, Presidential Handshake Committee would be nice idea, but isn’t there enough institutions and enough government bodies to fill the void.

That the Inspectorate General Kakooza should have an idea and should fill her mission of the government body she has been running since 2012. There is also the PPDA and their Executive Director Cornelia.K. Sabiiti should use their mandates to stop the corrupt behaviour of government officials and civil servants. Either when it comes through the mandate of the IGG or the PPDA, they are both looking over the government institutions and their use of the public coffers. Why should it then be needed for a separate unit who looks into the handshakes at the State House, unless the President was opting for creating laws accepting the presidential bonuses at any given time for any given work for the government.

A PHC over a IGG, PPDA and Attorney General, is just confusing the mandates, the legal authorities and also, the meaning of what is actual just behaviour. MoFPED has proven they do not have the capacity or the will to show their true records, if so the IGG and other agencies of the state would have found out about the transgression and the will of doling out oil cash willy-nilly. Therefore, to create another unit to counter this specific way of misusing funds seems far-fetched, shows really the weakness of the leadership and the will to question the legality of maladministration. However, if you get even more hands into the cookie-jar, than there are less will to investigate, as the hopes that you are next up to get a free cookie. That is how this seems.

IG Kakooza, should have the focus and the mandate to investigate the Oil Cash probe, unless the Attorney General William Byaruhanga has taken the case or said his authority will investigate the ill-intent themselves, instead of the IGG. So there should be enough hands, and bodies to make sure the breaches of trust and breaking of laws should be taken through tough and just action. That shouldn’t be too hard when all of this already created to be safeguards of society and of the laws. Still, when men of the nations doesn’t trust this and needs to make specific committees for certain types of maladministration, than you know there is weakness of leadership and lack of will to fight the misuse of power. Might even be fear to question the old man with the hat. Because if you do so, you might lose your job and you might not be hired again. Peace.

Reference:

The Inspectorate of Government – ‘mandate’ link: https://www.igg.go.ug/about/mandate/

Tacca, Alan – ‘And now… a Presidential Handshake Control Unit!’ (12.03.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/689364-3845488-t492pv/index.html

The Observer – ‘Oil probe: MPs query double payment to US-based law firm’ (12.03.2017) link: http://observer.ug/news/headlines/51726-oil-probe-mps-query-double-payment-to-us-based-law-firm.html

Opinion: Democratic Party and Uganda People’s Congress turns more and more into NRM-Lite!

Akena M7

“Power is a curious thing. Who lives, Who dies. Power resides where men believe it resides. It is a trick, A shadow on the wall.”  ― Lord Varys (Game of Thrones).

Adjective: Denoting a low-fat or low-sugar version of a manufactured food or drink product” (…) “Origin: 1950s: a commercial respelling of light, light” (Oxford Dictionary – Lite).

This here isn’t something based on evidence, but more a genuine feeling I have is not only one I share, but many others. There is something at stake and someone who has agreed the negotiations so these so-called opposition parties isn’t really so. That is why the Uganda People Congress has some MPs in the Cabinet and the same with Democratic Party. The same can be said that both of these parties, still have slots or parts of the delegations to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Arusha.

What we do know is that James Akena, the newly concurred leader of UPC could easily do some trade-off with NRM in 2015. That isn’t just mere speculation as his party did decent and there haven’t been any controversy or lashing out from NRM MPs towards the UPC in ages. Secondly, the DP has become the good DPs and the ones that even are parts of NRM Celebrations. There is something up with these two parties, just like Uganda Federal Alliance and Beti Kamya all of a sudden is a bigger support of the NRM government than the former NRM historical’s and the NRM hardliners.

The President and his NRM CEC must see their State House visits as a blessed and ease ways of figuring out how to undress the opposition and how to deal with them. All needs a meal-ticket, the question is who will give in to the regime and at what cost. Therefore, the arrangement and the deals behind the close doors show the conning way of the illegitimate regime who uses all sorts of methods to undermine the opposition. The FDC has clearly given in too, in my book, with even becoming the shadow-government in Parliament. Something the FDC NEC shouldn’t have considered and agreed upon, because when NRM together with the President agreed to get a UPC minister and DP minister, it would be hard to have shadow-government with members from these parties. That would be rare and weird to explain.

DP Mao

We can even wonder if Norbert Mao even cared of losing his slot as Member of Parliament in the 10th Parliament, as the DP was behind Amama Mbabazi Presidential Candidate through the The Democratic Alliance (TDA). Why I say that now? Since he is snickering and defending the NRM on NBSFrontline, attacking Lord Mayor Lukwago and the FDC when he can, just as we would expect Akena, since he has been bought sometime during the 2015. The price and the value of the UPC is for him and his closest allies to know.

DP’s Mao on the other hand is worrying, that Fred Mukasa Mbidde went so easily and elected into the EALA, also how little care the DP has given to the DP Cabinet Member Florence Nakiwala. Who could have thought the party would trade these folks that easily? That without any worry and without care has let it go, that they have set the standard of being a mediocre party who has no courage and no fighting spirit.

Maybe, Mao has gotten tired of fighting as the campaign he himself has a Presidential Candidate was sour, it wasn’t a joyful journey as the promises and the ride against the police force wasn’t ideal. Therefore, the battle even for his own MPs place got lost and as a leader who isn’t in Parliament, while the ones in Parliament are getting cosy with the NRM. That might be why Mao is complied with the forged friendships and trading in Parliament, to make sure they can gain the most. Still, the value and integrity of DP is dwindling, with every forged agreement with NRM makes them more and more alike, less different.

The NRM regime and NRM caucus in Parliament is adding DP and UPC, they are just turning into branches of the regime instead of being rooted on their own and on their own framework. It is just like Mao and Akena, just shift-bosses instead of being their own factory leaders. They work less for their own product and delivery, more and more to please the Executive through agreements and negotiations.

That is why the NRM has swallowed their paths and the lacking spine of DP and UPC has given way for this. Therefore, the current affairs and state makes them like a light version of the NRM. For this reason DP = NRM Lite and UPC = NRM Lite. Both parties are old and have a long history; they were established long before NRM, still the abolishment from Obote, made the other obsolete. So Museveni’s trick of being in the shadows of these parties before and after the parties, this is essentially killing of the multi-party system. That the NRM are tarnishing the DP and UPC to becoming NRM knocks-offs.

NRM UPC Arua 16.11.15

All of this is mere speculation, but still, there aren’t any official agreements in public between UPC and DP towards to the NRM, but their friendliness and co-operations are evident of certain negotiated deals. You will not hear Akena or the UPC complain about the NRM, just like Mao suddenly defends on national TV their position towards NRM and attacks Lukwago. There is just some uncertainty of how and what they have done behind closed doors. Beyond a shadow of a doubt some worrying signs that can and should be questioned, especially not accept as the acceptance of these parties to the NRM gives way to establish deep concerns of the value of opposition at all in Uganda. Since the DP and UPC have been thresholds for such, now it is FDC, even with a FDC NEC who doesn’t concern their legitimising the Parliament.

We all should ask and question the recent efforts from DP and UPC as legitimate opposition, even as parties without connections or how possibly they have accepted agreements with Movement. This surpass the judgement and the recognition of their existence, it is more the mere fact of lacking attention to transparency and accountability, as they are giving way to a regime who certainly does not care about procedures or acts or rule of law. The parties are therefore giving the Movement acceptance and are silently supporting their rule with these sorts of acts. Certainly, something the founders of these parties would turn in their graves and wanted to resurrect to adjust the malfunctions of these parties. Peace.