Opinion: Parasites and lies, a walk against himself…

“I have never stolen anything from anybody. And I am also not a poor man” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4^th December 2019

Today, was the official walk against Corruption in Kampala, as the President, the Anti-Corruption Unit at the State House and all other governing parties involved muster up a decent crowd of paid participants, staff and whatnot, security guards and whoever they could find. To walk a distance in the midst of Kampala.

At one point, the guards and security told pieces of the march to slow down, because it couldn’t walk faster than the President. Even as he went to Kololo, he still went at a rate, that was to slow too many. This walk will not change anything. It is a PR Stunt, which will not gain anything fruitful. It is more public wastage in order of looking sincere, which it is not and will never, be.

“It is a moral problem because you make yourself a parasite. Corrupt people are parasites because they get wealth which they did not earn, because they think that God does not see the bad things they do. In the last 60 years, I have been watching and I have not seen these corrupt people being successful sustainably” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4th December 2019

With this in mind, the President is truthfully telling the world that his rich. His vastly rich, Ritchie Rich, rich actually. However, the President doesn’t tell how he got there. It was not like he had wealth and assets going into the role of the Presidency. Not like he had estates, businesses and ranches going in. No, he was an impoverished former Minister, who had gotten grants by mercy of Nyerere and who was hired by Obote II. That is who he was until 1986. Therefore, his wealth has come with power and with incentives given to him over time, also boosting his accounts and also his cronies.

Secondly, if it is a moral problem, then its engraved into this administration. If corrupt people are insects and parasites, there is surely a lot of them in his cabinet, in his offices and around his closest associates. Himself is a parasite then. Because, he haven’t gained wealth on innovation, marketing or basic business models, but by being in-office and getting bargain by kickbacks and inside deals.

Last, but not last. We can say you Mr. President has been successful, gaining more and more power, more and more money and depleting the state, little by little. To a point, where nothing isn’t up for grabs, where secret deals inside the State House decides, if they are staying or going. The Presidential Handshakes and whatnot is the ones crediting to you. That is why walking today is obnoxious and outrageous. Only naïve and dumbfounded people believes this PR Stunt.

The man cannot fight himself. He will not tarnish his own creation and destroy what he keeps him there. Therefore, this is charade, packed as a rally and a march against something. But in the end, it will only further show the rot, the plight and the suffering the actions made by this cause. Peace.

Follow the Code: A secret walk against corruption

“On 4th December, 2019, H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda will lead the walk code named Anti- corruption walk. The walk is aimed at intensifying the fight against corruption. The walk will start from Constitutional Square to Kololo and a number of people are expected to participate in this walk” (Uganda Police Force – ‘TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION WALK ON 4/12/2019’ 03.12.2019).

Merriam Webster states that a code name means: “a designation having a coded and usually secret meaning” (“Code name.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/code%20name). With this in mind, I never believed that His Excellency or the President is serious about this.

This is the President whose have had issues with demonstrations, protests and rebellion. Therefore, his not the man whose walking against anything. He was a rebel at one point, but that was for his own cause. That is why his stayed in power since 1986 and never left.

With that in mind, the man whose known for having someone close to his office or cabinet connected in some corruption every single year. It is seemingly happening, there are like those proverbs in the papers saying: “Missing Funds”, “Unaccounted Donor Grants”, “Fake Corporations/Products”, “Ghost Employees” and so-on. Even knowledge of kickbacks, secret agreements between the President and Foreign Investors. That is just happens on the regular.

That’s why the President has created dozens of agencies supposed to have the ability to monitor the state organizations, businesses and tenders. This being the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority(PPDA), Anti-Corruption Unit – State House or even the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). All of these are supposed to combat the ill called corruption. Still, these are not able to do so, neither are the Judiciary nor the Law Enforcement they are working in tandem with.

That is why the walk is even more ridiculous, as if it’s not the man whose the V.I.P or the Fountain of Honour, whose often involved or accepts the corruption. That being some road-scandal, illegal tender nor the Presidential Handshake. Neither some procurement for some government agency played around with to ensure someone got greased.

So, this walk against corruption. The man whose behind the grand-corruption and his party is usually connected directly in these operations. That is why tomorrows walk is walking against itself. This is like the man who makes everyone sick, suddenly will drop the cure. The man who drops bombs over a nation, suddenly calls and walks for peace. It doesn’t work. That isn’t real!

Unless, the old man with the hat starts to shadow boxing himself, knock himself out and suddenly understand that his the problem. Not that it will happen. This is a PR stunt and nothing else. The NRM MPs, the ones who wants to show loyalty will show up. But everyone knows the state who does this on the regular. Will not stop doing it. That is why Total had secret talks in the State House with the President just this week.

We cannot expect anyone than the small-fry gets charged and taken into custody. The ones who are the big-fish will not touched, unless they have fallen out with Jajja. Peace.

Bosco’s fight against Corruption gets old real quick!

“The educated ones leave, the ones with the potential to right the wrongs. They leave the weak behind. The tyrants continue to reign because the weak cannot resist. Do you not see that it is a cycle? Who will break that cycle?” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

There is something about a man who has run the Republic since 1986. The Republic which is now made in image and with his institutions, with his appointed men and woman. Where his cronies, businesses, lobbyist and friendly voices are living close connected. It is in a Republic with various of bodies working on Corruption and ensuring a legal remedy against it. However, none of them is able, none of them has capacity to follow the Ministries, the Cabinet, the Members of Parliament, the Government Organizations or the Bank of Uganda for that matter. They are all falling short, as the corruption scandals are in all corners of the state and still, the President says he has new remedies to ancient problem of eating on people’s dime without a recite.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has had the opportunity since 1986 to fix this. That is if he really cared about it . Mzee would have done with already, but he doesn’t. Because, he knows the eating of his cronies and himself is rampant. That is why he even sanctioned, the Presidential Handshake and other deals behind the scenes at the State House. That is the way to do business, that is why the Attorney General, Inspector General of Governor, PPDA or the Police Force for that matter. Cannot touch the corrupt souls, because they can walk. Abraham Byandala walking free after ripping away money from UNRA like M&Ms wutg the Mukono-Katosi Road Scam. While the Courts couldn’t find significant evidence and had let him go. Therefore, believing that the President cares about fighting corruption isfar fetch. If he cares he has to capture himself first and we know that is a fish he doesn’t want to fry.

“On Monday December 10th, I will announce new measures and the direction we shall take in our renewed fight against corruption. That said, there is corruption in Uganda. It stems from the colonial times. However, when we undertook the liberation struggle of this country, there were more pressing problems than corruption” (…) “However, corruption will now be defeated. The corrupt civil servants have exposed themselves. The population is angry with them. Also, we now have more educated young people. The pool from which to pick their replacements has grown. The problem now is the law manipulated by corrupt civil servants. We now need quicker methods of accountability to deal with the corrupt. I have the political will but I do not want to deal with them outside the law. There must also be a reflection on the morals of our young people. When setting up the Uganda Revenue Authority, we carefully identified young people to work there. But now, URA has kawunkumi (weevils). We need to deal with it” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 04.12.2018).

To believe the President now is naive, as the deals and arrangement that matters are done behind closed doors. The same is done with the Oil Refinery, Petroleum Pipeline, the licensing for oil exploitation and so on. These are major deals and been postponed. It is already a tax case concerning the oil industry that unleashed the Presidential Handshake. There are already other major donor scandals, not only the recent UNHCR and OPM, who has messed up the allocated aid money, there been the GAVI-FUNDS and CHOGM Funds. There are so many corruption scandals, that the National Resistance Movement, has always found a short-cut to eat of the public plate.

Not only when building road, building buildings, but everywhere. Ghosts of all kinds, expenditure that cannot be found or plans that are only made in the thin air, but would never ever exist. That is the manner of how the NRM and the President are eating on people’s dime. They are not accountable, neither really transparent. That is why there are leaks and documents surfacing proving the ills of society and the misuse of money. Which again and again show the Top Officials and ordered from High Above, who steer the money in their way. They are securing their cut and then the businesses can set-up shop or get the land for a factory, hunting ground or some sort of project. While the people are becoming landless and Internally displaced People in some NGOs Camp. That is how the government have fixed the matters and it happens, again and again.

That is why I have little or no faith in the President and his battle against corruption. If he was serious, he would hurt himself, even go after the likes of Amama Mbabazi, Jim Muhwezi, Salim Selah or Sam Kuteesa, but they are untouchables. Just like the Master himself. Peace.

Uganda: The Judiciary – Courts will follow the law on matters of bail – Chief Justice (15.06.2018)

Opinion: Museveni, how many agencies do you need to battle corruption?

Museveni buying shoes in Wandegeya, 02.06.2017.

I wonder how many types of government institutions does President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni needs to investigate, report and check-upon one the White Collar Crime called Corruption. I am boggled if this has even passed his mind. Because you have the Uganda Police Force, Public Procurement And Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of Attorney General (OAG) and Inspectorate of Government (IGG). All of these institutions should be capable of battling this issue.

Therefore, I know the National Resistance Movement (NRM) are out of touch and not in order. When he is extending and mushrooming the state even more. The President has clearly lost his touch. How many agencies does the President needs to combat corruption?

“President Museveni made the announcement during his 2018 State of the Nation address to parliament in Kampala today. The unit will be led by Mr. James Tweheyo, Ms. Martha Asiimwe and Sister Akiror. President Museveni said the members of the unit have been directed to provide their phone numbers to the public. The public will be encouraged to report any corruption cases that come to their attention to the unit. While making the announcement, President Museveni turned on the office of the IGG and accused it of incompetence” (Agaba, 2018)

That this new Unit, the Corruption Committee will be another one. Even as the PPDA has mandate concerning procurement of the state and review it. The IGG are reporting and looking into the state resources and use of funds. The Attorney General are also overlooking and another branch who is fixated on usage of state resources and funds. The Police Force against indict, prosecute and make sure the prosecution of the people caught up in corruption. Therefore, to extend into a Corruption Committee is obnoxious. This is in the same regard as last years proposal of Presidential Handshake Committee, this is just make provisions to legalize it and clean-the-slate as you may.

That this Unit is cronies and other people close to the President. This is handpicked personnel and not hardliners. They will follow the lead of the President. I doubt they will dig any deeper, than any of the organizations that is there. If you already have the UPF, PPDA, IGG and OAG, what is the need for a separate committee? Except for adding a few more paychecks to some lovable cronies. It is amazing and foolish.

If the President thinks he is fooling anyone. That is just mere ignorant people who are already far up his leopards anus. Because we all know, this is just fooling the public. If you already have all the other government bodies, why are you extending yet another hand? Are you trying to make the state like Octopuses and have dozens of legs on a giant head. The head being the President and the rest being his loyal minions, which is the legs. That is how it is perceived.

I do not buy it that the Republic needs another body to fight corruption. If the will for fighting it was there. Then the state would have used one of the several bodies it already has. Now it is just extending another branch and another leg on the octopus. Thinking no one will mind.

Here ye, here ye, yo you fool, you are just a tool and this is not cool. I thought Mr. President that you learned this school. Peace.

Reference:

Agaba, Tabitha – ‘Museveni Names New Anti-Corruption Unit, Bashes IGG for Incompetence’ (06.06.2018) link: http://nilepost.co.ug/2018/06/06/museveni-names-new-anti-corruption-unit-bashes-igg-for-incompetence/

Dr. Kizza Besigye: the President, Uganda never had!

Today is the 62^nd Birthday of the founder of Forum for Democratic Change and the predecessor Reform Agenda. Before he became the biggest voice against the National Resistance Movement (NRM), he had joined the Bush War in 1982 and became Minister of Interior at the age of 29 years old in 1986. He has since his fallout with the regime, been a strong and hardworking voice in the midst of trouble since 1999. Because he hasn’t feared the regime, but been a voice of reason in the midst of trouble. Never giving in or giving way, but tried within reasonable doubt to make changes. 

When he wrote the piece ‘ An Insider’s View of How the NRM Lost the Broad Base’ in 1999, which he wrote this: “All in all, when I reflect on the Movement philosophy and governance, I can conclude that the Movement has been manipulated by those seeking to gain or retain political power, in the same way that political parties in Uganda were manipulated. Evidently, the results of this manipulation are also the same, to wit: Factionalism, loss of faith in the system, corruption, insecurity and abuse of human rights, economic distortions and eventually decline. So, whether it’s political parties or Movement, the real problem is dishonest, opportunistic and undemocratic leadership operating in a weak institutional framework and a weak civil society which cannot control them. I have shown that over the years the “Movement System” has been defined in the law in a certain way, but the leaders have chosen to act in a difficult way. This is dishonest and opportunistic leadership. I have also shown how changes have been made to the Movement agenda, and other important decisions have been made outside the Movement structures” (Besigye, 1999).

Why do I post this part today, because it seems important to remember, that he has been on the barricades for decades, that he has stood in the good fight for the rights and rule of law. He has been charged with treason steadily since 2001. It isn’t without a reason, that Besigye is the biggest enemy of Museveni. The reason why he has a record-breaking amount of time spent behind bars, house arrested and abducted by the government. The Police Force knows his home and his gate to Kasangati, Wakiso, better than they know the Police Force Headquarters at Naguru in Kampala. Because, that is partly true. This is not how it supposed to be as a politician, not supposed to be jailbird, but a man of policy and possible programs leading to better tomorrow.

You know that Besigye is powerful politician, who you should respect for his vision and his stamina. When the dictatorship makes the Public Order Manage Act, which is nicknamed the Anti-Besigye-Act. That one was made to give the Police possibility to monitor all political activity and have reasons for arbitrary arrests of the man. This was made to make sure the FDC and other opposition parties didn’t act with disobedience or unlawful assembly. That is something that have been made because of the activities of the FDC and Besigye. NRM wouldn’t have enacted this sort of law, if they didn’t fear Besigye at one point. If they didn’t fear his rallies of demonstrations, the Walk to Work and others. That they had to stop him and house arrest him, as he rallied behind the Defiance Campaign of 2015 and 2016. Even if it didn’t change it all, he still have to show up in Court for what he did. That means, the regime fears his activity and his message.

That is why he should be celebrated. Besigye deserves to be celebrated, a President that Uganda never had. He is not alone in this fashion, for me Paul Ssemogerere and Olara Otunnu could also been people who deserves to be in that bracket of people, who never got reign. Musveni destroyed their chances, but today I am praising Besigye. For his resilience, his fighting spirit and his voice in darkness. Many would have bow down and give-up after being detained, cars destroyed, house raided, house-arrested and charged with treason. Others would have given-up and left for exile forever. He went into exile, but came back. He has run as a challenger in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. His fight is not over, his campaigns are still on.

Besigye deserves credit for the message of hope and change, the message of values and governance of the government. That has been eaten by the Movement and the Presidency of Museveni.

I will finish with Besigye’s own words written in October 2017: “We live in a country that is controlled by guns since independence no leader has ever handed over power to another peacefully. So we are hostages of those who have guns. Mr. Museveni came to power 32 years old using guns, he has kept power largely using those guns. Now he is in the process of changing our 1995 Constitution, to remove the last check which is the age limit, having removed term limits in 2005. If the age limit is removed then he becomes a life president and this process continues” (Dr. Kizza Besigye, 03.10.2017).

BTW: Happy Birthday, Alutia Continua!

Peace.

Opinion: Todwong is right on the money!

There been many voices saying the same thing as Deputy Secretary of National Resistance Movement Richard Todwong. Not that they have been listen to or neither acted upon. Because the state sanction the nepotism, the family affairs of Museveni and his elite. That Todwong is still a part of, as he is a crony within the system. It is splendid that he says these things, but that the NRM and Museveni is most unlikely, the rampant corruption and ghosts, are evident even with the refugees and the other beneficiary structures surrounding this administration. Therefore, it is nice to hear in the ears, but has a hard time believe that the NRM will change, when Museveni is still the Kingpin on top!

“However, Todwong shocked the house when he turned guns on his own party, lamenting that they are responsible for a litany of issues that have gone wrong. “We also need to manage greed, during the debate of a transition, those in leadership position may want to collect as much as possible because they don’t see themselves coming back to power. That kind of greed, insensitivity to national issues makes people disgusted to those in government,” Todwong commenced his speech. “Corruption, greed nepotism are things that are making Ugandans more disgusted in the leadership of our party in government. I have to be honest because my church told me to, I have told this to the president,” he added” (…) “The former member of parliament lashed out at government officials for what he termed as “theft with impunity” and misuse of public resources, saying they are the reason the NRM will soon be pushed out to the streets. “If we can’t restrain or control our greed in how we use public resource, how we steal with impunity, then Ugandans will push us out of power. The hills of Kampala are expanding with buildings but schools and hospitals are shrinking, so where do people get this money from?” Toswong posed. “And the owners of these structures are commissioners, permanent secretaries, ministers and directors, people are disgusted,” he added” (Nelson Bwire Kapo – ‘We are stealing the country’s resources with impunity, people are disgusted- NRM’s Todwong’ 06.04.2018, NilePost.Co.Ug).

It is refreshing to hear it, but the state has made their ways, but they are not significant. Whatever regulations the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), Bank of Uganda (BoU), Attorney General (AG), Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) and The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) is clearly not sufficient. They are still able to get away with murder and see the paychecks go into thin air. Therefore, when you have all of these and nothing happens. You can wonder why they are going to work everyday and if they are really doing anything.

There are so many busy bodies and such, that the rampant corruption should be impossible, as well as the Uganda Police Force and the Courts, should sanction investigations and have cases that logs the corruption cases in the state. However, that seems like a far-fetched scenario where the beneficiary are the ones on top. While all the institutions and the government bodies are fleeing their responsibilities, because if they act upon their mandate. They will naturally hurt allies and friendly cronies of the Kingpin. Because a state with that many different bodies involved, should have capacity to stop. Unless they are all there to collect salaries, smile and move-on.

The Presidential Handshake and the tokens of gifts for the vote to abolish the Age Limit, shows how open the corruption is and how little it matters. Since the big-men are eating and the President wants it this way. Therefore, a nice gathering of thoughts of Todwong, but will the NRM act upon it? Nah, they have already dozens of institutions and mandates to hunt them down. Nevertheless, they don’t, because that might implicate the Kingpin and they don’t want to do that! Peace.

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