“As the new legislators of the 10th Parliament settle in, the Parliamentary Commission is ensuring that they have all the tools of trade to effectively do their work. During the ongoing second round of orientation for the legislators, the role of caucuses took centre stage. Experts addressing the MPs warned that caucusing could erode the independence of the Legislature. But as Maurice Ochol reports, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga gave assurance that the 10th Parliament will not compromise on the sepration of powers in the three arms of government – the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary” (NTV Uganda, 2016).
Tag: Democratic Party
Agreeing with Besigye and it feels good; though sadden by the wisdom Hon. Kiiza…

Eh! It feels good to have same opinion as the incarcerated Presidential Candidate of the Forum for Democratic Change Dr. Kizza Besigye, he have lately been able to drop a few words to the public from his jail cell in Luzira Maximum Prison, this happens as the FDC scrambles for etiquette and justify their place in the 10th Parliament.
First he will address the Shadow Cabinet, and say similar words to my own. Though he is the freedom fighter and proves that with his words, as he knows the caliber of oppression the regime have and the legitimacy the Shadow Cabinet does. Take a quick look!
First Point – Shadow Cabinet!
On the Shadow Cabinet:
“I do not think MPs should be reduced to fighting for small positions in Parliament. What we need to be fighting for is different. We need to struggle to strengthen our position on the ground and form structures like the Power 10 we used in elections to develop capacity to take on the regime that we know has lost credibility. In Parliament, they are just there to make numbers they can’t change anything President Museveni wants whether in Opposition or not,” (…) “We can’t allow positions in Parliament that mean nothing to cause rifts yet we have much to do,” (…)“I have spent much of my youthful age in the struggle, now I am over 60 years, I am not growing younger. What is remaining is that we must fight to the end whoever dies, others will continue. We can’t hold on any more until we get peace, justice, freedom and equality before the law,” – Dr. Kizza Besigye (Rumanzi, Perez – ‘Nothing to fight for in Parliament, says Besigye’ 26.06.2016 – Daily Monitor).

What Winnie Kiiza has said of late on the Shadow Cabinet:
“… Many people look at Opposition as enemies of the state … people don’t want to associate with us in the Opposition … In multiparty dispensation, opposition parties are supposed to guide and check government, Ugandans should know that at the time we are taking on leadership, as opposition we are facing tough times, so let’s join hands for a better Uganda” Hon Winnie Kiiza (Leader of Opposition).
When you the incarcerated Besigye, the leader who have been able to unify the opposition and also being the man who made progress on the frontline and talked about the real change in the country, to create accountability and democratic values, that Hon. Kiiza who are part of his party is first throwing him under the bus and dodging the entangled issue. While she is defending the righteous ways of being a opposition leader in Parliament, also giving up the principals and all the oppression for quick silver and made-believe possibilities, if not the sealing of the Ministry of Education and Sports after the swearing in Janet Museveni, if the NRM regime and ruling party where democratic then the Ministry would be allowed to use phones and not run under the strict control of the First Lady of Uganda. And this is the regime that LoP is serving and not giving way for liberation and freedom from the Police State under the NRM. That is something she cannot run away from, but easy to attack Besigye while he is behind bars and not visible, but he is the epitome of everything the regime is not. That is also what the issue and the reason why Hon. Kiiza have to defend her place in the Parliament…

Second Point – Deputy Justice Steven Kavuma:
Points taken from the letter to Stephen Kavuma:
“LETTER FROM LUZIRA PRISON: Dr. Kizza Besigye of the FDC has petitioned the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to investigate the suitability of Justice Steven Kavuma as a justice of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court. In a June 16 letter from Luzira prison, BESIGYE alleges that Justice Kavuma is close to the Executive and that instead of doing judicial work in line with the oath he took, he is allegedly doing the bidding of President Museveni, the appointing authority. In a five-page letter, BESIGYE alleges improper conduct, abuse of office, neglect of duty and maladministration by Justice Kavuma which he says should be investigated and appropriate action taken against him. The core mandate of the JSC is to recruit and discipline errant judicial officers. “The conduct of Mr Steven Kavuma, over the years since he joined the #UGANDAJUDICIARY was initially frequently suspicious, then later frequently outrageous and currently, predominantly improper to point of going against the oaths and the standards expected of such a judicial officer,” Dr Kizza Besigye” (Forum for Democratic Change, 27.06.2016).
The point is valid as Stephen Kavuma has done more to show loyalty to Museveni and NRM than keeping up with unlawful practice. The Justice been more entangled into the works of conducting the orders from above and prove that he justify the truths of the NRM Regime, and the Police State under control of the above high. Together with the Uganda Police going against the opposition and being a tool to control the dissidents instead of stopping criminal activity, also bribing people to be witness and create fake affidavits to secure the rulings in favor of the ruling regime, instead of justice; and it is in this regard that Besigye also write to the Justice Kavuma, it is not a personal vendetta, more of a justified question, as the judge went directly and at one point made FDC party illegal; something that the justice shouldn’t do as a respectable state, as the Defiance shouldn’t be an issue in the nation of Resistance.
So I say this, and for those that are surprised by the assessment, I agree with both pieces and opinions from Dr. Kizza Besigye. His words on LoP and Shadow Cabinet, is similar to the ones I have addressed, they must surely be hurtful for Hon. Kiiza and Gen. Mugisha Muntu, as the proof in the words are addressing the reality on the ground, the same I have written in the recent months.

The same feeling about the Judge and his activity that is more about personal attitude and serves the Mzee instead of being a man of justice, a judge who respect the law and does not serve the Executive, but the laws and regulatory of the state.
There is more to come, as the court-rooms and litigations will continue to be given to Dr. Kizza Besigye and Forum for Democratic Change, while the ruling regime does what it can to take down the opposition and doing that with the main competitor as Besigye are usually silenced by the prison cell and by the alleged crimes put on the politician.
And Mzee must be happy that he can create fuzz between the Muntu-FDC and the Besigye-FDC, as he also did with the UPC-Otunnu and UPC-Akena. Just think about that for a minute, and say I am wrong? Peace.
Hillary Clinton got paid millions of dollars only to speak in 2014 and 2015!

This has been used as a tool for both Republic Presumptive Presidential Nominee Donald Trump and also by fellow Party mate and contender Bernie Sanders. Both of them have question Hillary Rodham Clinton’s role as Politician when she has had these paid obligations towards companies. The Same have Donald Trump as I have written about before, as I wrote on the 19th May 2016, that his financial disclosure papers showed the estimated earnings on that was $1,000,000 in 2015, alone. So that Donald Trump have had speeches and earned money on it, sets the standard for the discussion, as he have attacked her constantly. But now there have been released Democratic National Committee (DNC) papers as the Guccifer leaks. They are showing certainty and documents of the past Hillary Clinton and also certain other disputed content on the Democratic Presidential Candidate.
I do this because I have addressed Donald Trump, with care and caution, been honest that I dislike his candidacy and his whole arrangements of xenophobia, fear of immigrants, his lies and his whole right-wing adjusted campaign that eats on fear instead of policy, the same as the ones that one the Brexit, the fear of Polish immigrants instead of thinking to what extent a transitional government and an exit could mean for the United Kingdom, the same ignorance and belittling campaigning is happening from Donald Trump. While this is being said, I am addressing Hillary Clinton today with her facts and not Trumps fictions as the reality of the paperwork and the extent of monies that are proved. Still not the rhetoric or the words of these speeches, but surely the importance is not in the words, but in following the money.

In 2014 alone she have official spoken to 45 associations, companies or LLC that she got paid for doing so. The close estimation in total is around $10.000.000 on the engagements that she had, the most ordinary pay for the speeches was $225.5000. So her earnings on speaking is for some of us astronomical. And could be questioned! The certain companies must have heard some positive words and words of honor as she spoke to the crowds of the GE, A&E Television Networks, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, Xerox Corporation, Let’s Talk Entertainment Inc., twice for tinePublic Inc., twice for Innovation Arts and Entertainment, Corning Incorporated, Ameriprise, Cisco, Deutsche Bank AG, twice for Salesforce.com and Qualcomm Incorporated, and so many more! These are just a few of the companies that paid her in 2014. The massive amount of them and that certain companies had her twice in the year.
In 2015, she had less of speaking engagements only 6 in total and with 5 associations, companies or LLC. They paid in total $1.475.000. These companies we’re twice tinePublic Inc., Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Watermark’s Silicon Valley Conference for Women, EBay Inc. and American Camping Association. These proves together with the year before that the one that really supports the Clinton’s and Hillary is the tinePublic Inc. The company is known for this: “Oprah Winfrey: tinePublic Inc. is the market leader in producing high profile events and conferences across North America” (Woodlawn Post Canada, 28.11.2012). So they are surely paying to create events with Hillary Clinton as well, it seems.

They have had her four times in 2014 and 2015. While the other are banks, associations, medial and pharmaceuticals, Internet Companies and other bigger companies that want their profession in a grand standing with the establish politician.
What is special from the Financial Tax Returns from Hillary Clinton is the first cash at hand in the JP Morgan Custody Account where it’s disclosed $5.000.000 – $25.000.000. Because that is fortune for ordinary folks, and even more for seasoned politician, proves that the years of being in the limelight have made the Clinton’s wealthy (Public Finance Disclosure Report, 2015).
Next time I will look into the donors that funded the Clinton Foundation and the once who have given the most to the Foundation. This is the second part of leak for my part, as there is extensive material and documents in the file that Guccifer 2.0. opened to the public. Peace.
Reference:
Executive Branch Personal Public Finance Disclose Report (15.05.2015) – Hillary Clinton.
History repeats itself: King Mutesa II and the KY traded his inheritance with Milton Obote; does his son, Hon. Akena sell the same inheritance of the UPC, when he goes into government with Museveni and his NRM?

“I can confirm that we are in talks whereby the core UPC minimum agenda that addresses key issues like health, education and agriculture will guide all engagements over the next 5 years. As UPC we firmly believe in the need for a peaceful transition cannot exclude Museveni, and therefore any meaningful transition cannot exclude him and NRM from this transition,” says James Akena
Just as mid-November 2015, there was speculation of a convenient marriage between National Resistance Movement and the Uganda People’s Congress, during the Campaign before the General Election of 2016 and as a preparation before the 10th Parliament. The Parties have stalled before as the founder and first Prime Minister Milton Obote, didn’t have many kind words for now President Museveni, as his son James Akena, the now President of UPC have traded for brown envelopes of shillings and longevity. He was tired of running in the wilderness, while the NRM continue to have the finger in every pocket and he wanted to be able to get something extra. So as Mid-June 2016 and the new Cabinet, even UPC MPs was elected into the 81 large Cabinet as a token of the Memorandum of Understanding between Akena and Museveni. Something Obote back in the day would have slapped.

This is what Dr. Olara Otunnu has said about the marriage recently:
“They are his weapons of choice to destabilise UPC” (…) ”This is not an alliance between UPC and President Museveni but an alliance between masqueraders Jimmy Akena, Betty Amongi and Museveni” (…) “It is inconceivable that UPC would go to bed with President Museveni. It hasn’t happened and it will not happen. Never” (Atukunda, 2016).
Planned cooperation since 2011, apparently:
“President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday this week held a meeting with NRM leaders from Lango sub region who were aggrieved with the appointment of 2 UPC members in the new cabinet, leaving out party members who sacrifice a lot for the ruling party. The President told the group: “I know you honourable are wondering why I picked some people out of the family (NRM) to the cabinet. I am only sorry that I did not tell you people earlier, but I have been in clandestine relationship with them (UPC) since 2011,” Museveni told the NRM members according to sources who attended the meeting” (Sewakilyanga, 2016).

So with this in mind, that Dr. Olara Otunnu has talked long time about Museveni moles in the UPC Party and with the knowledge of the UPC-NRM alliance. There are certainly that the UPC are no on the short side of the stick, as they are not the ruling party as they once we’re when father of James Akena was running the country under the UPC-Banner after independence and traded for loyal support Baganda together with the UPC-KY marriage. This was in the 1960s, but the way the party folded and lost relevance, as the resurrected Conservative Party, have never been able to take the place in the political spectrum as the Kabaka Yekka once had, as Dr. Milton Obote abolished the kingdom and also lost his place Prime Minister, before the Coup d’état against him as well, that ushers in the Dictator Idi Amin. That also opens for the surge and military operations together with Tanzanian troops to invade and set in place for a second term for President Obote. That also gives now President Museveni, a place in his cabinet, before he goes to the bush to bring down Obote. So with all the blood and tears, it is weird that the man that had the ability to bring down the father. The man who got rid of the father and run the country, are now collaborating with peaceful with his son James “Jimmy” Akena who runs his father’s party and from his father’s foundation, Milton Obote Foundation and headquarter in Uganda House.

With this quick recap of history and neglect, it is just weird that UPC who swallowed KY with ease and tried to silence the Central Kingdom of Uganda, Baganda and Mengo circuit of Kampala, still they are now forging a similar trade, as a minor agreement with NRM for their own goodwill, to be a loyal partner with NRM instead of working on their own.
So with all of this in mind, let us take a look at the 1960s struggle between convenient marriage then between Kabaka Yekka and the Uganda People’s Congress, then between the King Mutesa II and Dr. Milton Obote as they we’re going together in the first election to gain traction in the newly made Parliament and also force way for the first PM Obote, whom later would force the Baganda and king in Exile, as he wanted to centralize all power in the Executive and not have to tangle with royals or kingdoms, as he abolished it. But before that and while in the beginning, he had a cordial agreement who both parties earned on and gain majority in Parliament, as they could get a grander place then the Democratic Party of the day. Take a look!

First Report on the KY-UPC Alliance:
“According to the terms of the KY-UPC alliance, UPC leader Milton Obote became Uganda’s first post-independence Prime Minister in a coalition government with KY, while the Kabaka of Buganda, Mutesa II, was named Uganda’s ceremonial president by constitutional amendment in 1963.25 From independence in October 1962 to June 1966, however, the UPC-KY alliance disintegrated as the UPC expanded and aggressively centralized the powers of the federal government, showing little sympathy for Baganda nationalism or the rights of Uganda’s kingdom governments. Indeed, the UPC repeatedly attacked KY as a “tribal” party that was unable to meet the nation-building challenges that Uganda faced after independence” (Scott, 2006).
Report from March 1962:
“Buganda and its king, the Kabaka, have been especially reluctant to cooperate with the rest of the country in its evolution towards a more centralized form of government. On the last day of 1960 it went so far as to declare its independence from the rest of Uganda” (…)”The UPC on the other hand is determined to get into power, and many of their political maneuvers have a reckless flavour to them. Obote is unkindly reported to be willing to sell his soul to become the first Prime Minister of Independent Uganda. Some observers feel that his compromise with the Kabaka was just that. Buganda has quite a history of broken agreements, and the big question today is how far they will honour their word to support the UPC. The Kabaka, affectionately known around here as King Freddie, is the dominant figure in Buganda. A shrewd politician, he has a remarkable ability, no doubt inherited from his illustrious forbears, of playing one side off against each other (and often winning)” (…)”The Buganda-UPC coalition had fielded a new but all but unbeatable party calling itself Kabaka Yekka (Kabaka Only). There were high spirits in the UPC Camp, while the DP was exhibiting a stiff upper lip. Both sides claimed to be able to form for a national government even if they got less than half of the seats in the Lukiko” (Wright, 1962)
“In forty-eight hours the outcome was clear. As one newspaper summarized it:
The Result as always in Buganda when the Kingdom’s status and identity seems to be threatened, was a solid closing of the ranks and yet another demonstration that, as far as the vast mass of Buganda are concerned, nationalism ends at the kingdom boundaries” (…) “soon after we talked to Basil Bataringaya, the DP’s able Secretary-General who was in charge of the campaign” (…) “He was by no means pessimistic, however, about the DP’s future. He felt it had picked up much ground outside of Buganda at the expense of the UPC since last election. He was also sure that UPC’s marriage of convenience with Kabaka Yekka would work to its disadvantage outside Buganda where most tribesmen are intensely suspicious of the Baganda” (Wright, 1962).

This is what Mrs. Winklmaier wrote on the 6th May of 1962:
“The Election results turned out as we expected. 21 seats of the National Assembly go to Buganda. They are elected indirectly through the Lukiko (Buganda Government) That means “Kabaka Yekka” (Nur der Kabaka) The other 61 seats are elected through the people outside of Buganda in a secret election. 37 seats went to UPC (Uganda Peoples Congress) and 24 seats to DP (Democratic Party). The Democratic Party is made up of the last Government. Then there are still 9 more seats, which are elected by the new Government. UPC is more or less a communist party. I cannot understand that UPC and Kabaka Yekka went together in a coalition. I don’t think that the Bugandas are aware of the consequences yet. [ The names of these two parties alone made it clear to me, that they cannot work together.] We are acquainted with both, our new Prime Minister, Mr. Milton Obote, as well as the former DP Prime Minister, Mr. Benedicto Kiwanuka. We are also acquainted with other Ministers of the New Government. One certainly cannot say that these are incompetent people – quite to the contrary. Moskau has a very good hand and in fact understands to fish for the best” (Winklmaier, 2008).
I think that says enough and gives you’re ideas on my perspective on the matter and also see the similarties, between KY and UPC of back then and today, today it is UPC who is ones that is trading it all for the little coins in NRM cabinet, while KY traded their legitimacy together with the ambitious Obote to control the new Parliament and Cabinet, as the independent country and new government loomed the nation. Today the UPC is one of the old parties, still their weakness is so obvious as the internal conflict between Otunnu-UPC and Akena-UPC continues, while the UPC now is really embedded, as proven with the ministerial position to two party cadets, the wife of Akena and also another family member of the Obote clan in the Cabinet.

Just the proof the issues with the alliance, not only Otunnu who has issues with it, there are more men who disagree with Hon. Akena trade off. Peter Walubiri says this: “Museveni gave Akena money and soldiers and they hijacked the electoral process. He wants to take over our party but he will not succeed,” (…) “We [UPC] have not got any ministers, people can leave the party anytime they want and those too have left. We are going to expel them” (…) “Everyone supporting Akena is no longer UPC, but Movement. Those that want to eat are the ones going to Museveni” (…) “Justice Musota decided that Otunnu is still president until fresh elections are held, Akena has never been UPC president. They hijacked the electoral process” (Mayemba, 2016).
So the convenient marriage between the parties might end up with fractioned party, even more fractioned and create more fracas between Otunnu, Akena and the ones that despise the agreement made between NRM-UPC. As there was surely some who disagreed back in the day with UPC-KY agreement, though with the time, their voices have been silent or haven’t surfaced. the UPC are surely only helping Museveni and not their own cause, one can wonder how much the trade for the agreement and what cost it has for Museveni, as he get his former nemesis son James Akena on his side, with ding-ling little coins and a ministerial position, but not any real power. While the UPC continues to wrangle and in-fighting that even the agreement creates more fire, and the hut is on fire, and the whole village sees it. Akena can claim there are no fire in the hut, but the villagers see it and feels the smoke in their lungs. With this in mind, the Akena-UPC are no marginalize the UPC even more, even if he thinks he is getting a good deal, he is not. The only one earning on it is Museveni, as he get UPC embedded and under his control, while he gives away to measly cabinet position. That is for him, nothing and also scrap-metal as they are meagre seats and not pivotal in government as it is not Education, Defence or Foreign Affairs, but Fisheries and other smaller ministries that doesn’t have power or reach to create havoc. Peace.
Reference:
Atukunda, Rogers – ‘POLITICS Otunnu calls Amongi a mole, Akena fights Bbosa’ (20.06.2016) link: http://www.theinsider.ug/otunnu-calls-amongi-a-mole-akena-fights-bbosa/
Mayemba, Abubaker – ‘We shall expel Akena group for joining Museveni – Walubiri’ (20.06.2016) link: http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/44903-we-shall-expel-akena-group-for-joining-museveni-walubiri
Sewakilyanga, Ivan – ‘I started working with Obote’s son in 2011 Museveni (17.06.2016) link: http://mycampusjuice.com/2016/06/17/i-started-working-with-obotes-son-in-2011-museveni/
Scott, James Peter – ‘Re-examining Uganda’s 1966 Crisis: The Uganda People’s Congress and the Congo Rebellion’ (2006) – University of Victoria, Canada
Winklmaier, Sonja – ‘Letters From Sonja: The Unlikely UPC – Kabaka Yekka Union’ (21.05.2008) link: http://www.ugpulse.com/people/letters-from-sonja-the-unlikely-upc-kabaka-yekka-union/405/ug.aspx
Wright, Ian Michael – Received letter 10.03.1962: Letter to Nolte, Richard H. – ‘Politics in Uganda I: The hoe and The Chair’ (10.03.1962) – Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA), New York, USA
GOP In A Bind On Unpopular Side Of Gun Debate | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC (Youtube-Clip)
“Rachel Maddow notes that Republicans are having a difficult time maintaining their political stance against regulating guns when such a huge number of Americans, including now some Fox News hosts, support at least some measure of new regulation” (MSNBC, 2016)
Owen Jones meets Michael Moore | ‘Trump is like the sound of dying dinosaurs’ (Youtube-Clip)
“With the release of his new documentary, ‘Where to Invade Next’, director Michael Moore tells me that a vote for Brexit would be like asking for relegation from the Premier League. We also chatted about Donald Trump’s chances of becoming the next American President, whether Bernie Sanders should carry on fighting Hillary Clinton and why Moore believes Tony Blair is more responsible for the Iraq war than George W. Bush” (Owen Jones, 2016)
DP Press Statement: ” If Ugandans expected something different from business as usual they were badly disappointed” (07.06.2016)

Kampala June 7, 2016.
The long awaited cabinet list is finally out. If Ugandans expected something different from business as usual they were badly disappointed. True to its dominant nature of putting partisan loyalty above the public spirit and competence, the cabinet is another dose of more of the same. Apart from the laudable gesture of retiring those who were long overdue for retirement like Henry Kajura, Tarsis Kabwegyere and Dr. Nyiira, the cabinet doesn’t represent any change in political path. The tendency to entrench family rule and hegemony in our polity is still visible no matter the efforts to disguise it.
To the politically gullible, the inclusion of some members of opposition parties in the cabinet may appear to represent a spirit of inclusion. However to the adept and keen observers, the inclusion of people like Betty Amongi (UPC), Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi (DP) and Beti Kamya (UFA) in the cabinet is nothing but despicable tokenism and falls far short of any expectation Ugandans may have had that following a disputed election marred with unprecedented rigging and post election brutality and continued repression, an inclusive government based on a consensus reached through a national dialogue process. In a dialogue process, the direction of the country would be negotiated. We reject tokenism because it simply means trading a few crumbs for a fair share of the loaf of political power. As the Igbo of Nigeria say “No one gets a mouthful of food by picking between another person’s teeth”.

Uganda is a country that is deeply divided and hurting. The nation is badly in need of healing. Museveni’s one man rule ensures that no alternative voice will be heard in cabinet, parliament, the judiciary or even the streets. In terms of democracy, Uganda in the next five years will be nothing more than a political graveyard.
We therefore denounce the new cabinet as yet another lever in Museveni’s power arsenal. Museveni and his cabal are presiding over a malevolent and capricious state capture which is clearly seen in the tyranny of the majority in parliament, the elevation of so called cadre judges in the judiciary and the suppression of civil dissent. This cabinet therefore doesn’t represent a new direction. You cannot make an omelette by shuffling around rotten eggs.

On the State of the Nation Address delivered on 31 May, 2016, we await the National Budget. That is when we will give a comprehensive response. But we have something to say in the meantime. As expected the address skirted around the issue of governance without acknowledging the political logjam we have in Uganda today with an illegitimate government in place led by a person whose victory will continue to be questioned for ages. With characteristic arrogance Mr. Museveni declared, “Having followed closely world and historical events over the last 50 years, I am not aware of any society anywhere in the world that is more democratic than Uganda as far as the forms and structures of democracy are concerned….Democracy is one area where we do not need aid”. We note that this is a qualified statement. It is an admission that Uganda Is democratic only in form. In essence and substance Uganda is a totalitarian state.
The heart of the address was the economy. Mr. Museveni assured Ugandans that by 2020, that is in four years time, Uganda will be a middle income country. This may be an impressive jargon but let’s unpack it. That term is based on the so called Atlas Method that the World Bank uses to rank the economy of countries. Low Income countries where Uganda falls have a Gross National Income per capita of US$1,045 or less. Middle income countries have a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of between US$1,045 and US$12,736. (Of course middle income countries are further subdivided into lower middle income and upper middle income countries. Lower middle income countries have a GNI per capita of between US$1,046 – US$4,125. Upper middle income countries have a GNI per capita of US$4,126 – 12,735). High income countries have a Gross National Income per capita above US$12,735.

Even without waiting for the National Budget we can say for certain that the absurd proclamation that Uganda will be a middle income country by 2020 is a political hoax smacking of deception and gimmickry. With a balance of trade of minus US$164.6 million, global business confidence of only 54 percent, military expenditure of US$340 million, inflation of over 6 percent and growth at only less than 4 percent, Uganda’s ambition of attaining middle income status under the current NRM economic framework is a pathetic pipe dream that no one can take seriously. This is coupled with an unsustainably high external debt of over 14 Trillion Uganda shillings which costs Uganda a lot of money to service. Then there is the lack of fiscal discipline, high military expenditure, unattractive wages that fuel brain drain, high unemployment of over 60 percent and the run away corruption. This is what constitutes the hemorrhage that Museveni dwelt on during his dull and unimaginative address to a demoralized nation. It is this hemorrhage that is responsible for the heavy tax burden under which Ugandans agonize. What the Uganda Revenue Authority is attempting to do is thus akin to a person collecting water using a basket. Unless the leakages are plugged the whole thing is an exercise in futility. The strategy of fighting corruption using the methods he used to fight indiscipline in the army will not work against corruption. It will be like treating a cancer using Vaseline. While indiscipline in the army is not profitable, corruption has grown into an institutionalized and highly profitable activity. Museveni will not win the war against corruption unless he becomes born again and offer leadership by example. You cannot exhort your flock to drink water while you gorge yourself on wine! Sooner or later the flock will follow your bad example. Therefore the fight against corruption requires a level of moral authority that Museveni lacks. He cannot point out the splinter in the eyes of his followers because he has a log in his eyes. As I have stated before, fish rots from the head. Today, I wish to advise Museveni that when you are sweeping a staircase you start from the top. Let him start from himself and those closest to him then move downwards. Fighting corruption is the one thing in which the bottom up approach cannot work because the bottlenecks in the war against corruption are in the top of the table.
Fortunately, for Ugandans there is a political party called the DP which shuns corruption, violence, dictatorship and militarism. We shall continue to illuminate our political space with viable alternative policies that shall be cogently presented in all platforms. Our impact shall not depend on our numbers but rather by the superior quality of our ideas and the firm foundation on which we stand.
We call upon Ugandans not to lose hope. We shall work hand in hand with other democracy seeking forces in our motherland to see that the NRM, like all totalitarian regimes that have persecuted and oppressed people throughout the ages, ends up in the dustbin of history. We will continue to speak out without fear or favor against all ills that afflict our country and continue to keep hope alive that we shall overcome. The darkest part of the night is just before dawn. Let that hope for a better future keep us focused on the tasks of the present.
Hon. Norbert Mao
President
FDC Letter to the 10th Parliament Speaker Hon. Kadaga – “Re: Appointment of Oppostion Leadership in the 10th Parliament (06.06.2016)

My 2 cents on this sad, sad letter from the Forum for Democratic Change National Executive Committee:
FDC NEC is fiddling while Rome burns..
Cry havoc, did you win or lose the General Election of 2016 Hon. rt. Gen. Mugisha Muntu? What point and what kind of envelope changed your mind? What is the point of the asking for International Audit, when you ask for the Leader of Opposition? Doesn’t that counter the uncertain peace that you stated after the Election Day in late February after the first siege of the FDC Headquarter, have you lost faith in ability to change the Political Landscape in Uganda? Have you given up Hon. Rt. Gen. Mugisha Muntu? Do you think this can implicate the lingering former Presidential Candidate, who sworn himself in, in presence of others in the FDC leadership in the day before President Museveni swore his oath. What will it mean to him and his case for disobedience or defying the ruling regime, when you accept with your actions and the actions of FDC NEC to take their minority and Opposition posistions in the 10th Parliament. Have you taken that into accuout, or was it all a charade from you? Peace.
Opinion: The silent Mbabazi deflect from his Go-Forward to the DP!

Finally the former Prime Minister and former leader of the newly formed Political Group Go-Forward have been discontinued, as the work to create a own political party are too much work, and has he gotten allies in Democratic Party; which have been DP leader Norbert Mao, who won’t even be in Parliament after he was rejected before the campaign period in November 2015.
So now finally there are news from Amama Mbabazi, the former loyalist and close ally of President Museveni. He have taken another twist and added himself to the Democratic Party (DP), the party must be jolly as they have taken in one of the biggest catches from the NRM in recent history.

Well, the DP didn’t have much traction in the general election, in the DP Press Statement on 31st May 2016:
“The Democratic Party would wish to implore the President and his handlers to cease the opportunity the “State of the Nation” address is offering as it can be the beginning of a journey towards a national consensus that will surely offer the President a new face and possibly acquire a Statesman stature. He can do away with the now more pronounced stature of an inconsiderate, unaccommodative African strongman, feared and loathed by his people but scorned and laughed at by foreigners” (…)”There is need to find middle ground with those who politically disagree with the President and more importantly, let the Museveni government drop it’s trumped up charges against the former Presidential Candidate and unconditionally release him from prison. Let the President address himself to a peaceful change of government and acknowledge that the time is now for the country to focus on the succession process from his Presidency to another. Let him assure the nation and the new Parliament that he is not about to embark on efforts to tinker with provisions of the constitution that bar him from contesting in another election. Let Mr. Museveni take political responsibility for the 4 trillion shillings lost in sham road construction undertakings that have been happening under his watch. We believe that this is the gist of the State of our Nation” (Democratic Party Uganda, 31.05.2016).

With this kind of moves and statements together with deflection from his own Go-Forward to the DP, the party can officiate a new period as the new term happens now. Even with fewer candidates and honorable men in Parliament, as there are only key strongholds where the councilors of DP are residing still, therefore you have seen surge to FDC and still kept close by NRM who pays villages for their votes in the elections. That is proven, so the DP have caught Mbabazi, but will he easily work under Mao, who is the leader of the DP and have been for a while now?
The DP Dr. Paul Ssemogerere was the recent leader from the party with major traction countrywide, even the threat let Museveni promise Universal Primary Eduction (UPE) at one point to gain more votes during the 1996 election. There was a surge when Norbert Mao also hit the trail as a Presidential Candidate before the 2011 election, but still, it wasn’t really happening then, as the rigged election and the Walk to Work demonstrations proved there was a wish for change, but it didn’t deliver that.
Now we are in 2016, there just been held a fraudulent election where Amama Mbabazi went as Independent and started his Go-Forward Group and went under the The Democratic Alliance umbrella of dozen smaller political parties in opposition, that we’re DP, JEEMA and others, as UPC and FDC went out of it at one point. So it wasn’t all opposition who was a part of the coalition.

Norbert Mao must be happy today as he will have somebody that can stand the ground against the NRM in his party, somebody who knows all about the maneuvers of President Museveni and his NRM-O. That must be a brilliant gift to the DP, as the DP need some fresh blood and stronger leadership if they want to be a serious party in coming elections, as Go-Forward was a one-man leadership and therefore unless many was bought, if they wasn’t paid they wouldn’t show-up, just as the Security Outfit of Mbabazi who went to NRM when the NRM-O offered money to them.
So it is good day for DP, who has kind of lost Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who went independent in Kampala and they had their own DP Candidate in that election and he and the NRM singer didn’t reach Lukwago in the Mayoral election. With that in mind, the DP need players like Mbabazi to reach something, as the FDC NEC and FDC leadership is well-known, but that is not the case in the matter of DP anymore, as much as the other of Akena and the UPC, is similar. The old parties that have lost traction and needs a change, this might be what the DP needs, what do you think? Peace.

