A Besigye Entanglement: The deception of 2015 resurfaces to praise Mzee

Today, Don Wanyama the Senior Press Secretary for the President. Who was hired directly from the Daily Monitor to serve the President. Now, his using a old video that was shared on WhatsApp before the Tarehe Sita celebration in 2015. It is a 1:05 video clip, which is edited to fit a narrative.

That the National Resistance Movement is using a doctored clip from 2015, which was used to booster the President in 2020 before the 2021. They are using the Besigye clip and a few wordings. As they wouldn’t use the whole clip. Because, Dr. Kizza Besigye wasn’t praising him senselessly, but instead was speaking the truths about it all. Which is something he has done all along.

That is why I will drop further parts of the interview from 2015. These quotations are really saying it all. We all know what he will say, but it still shows the sinister side of the “strategic thinking”, which is what the Don wanted to sell the crowds today. However, if he gave them the whole view. It would be more painful and not such a fake puff piece.

Here’s some of the quotes:

they were moved by his leadership and articulation of problems that our country was going through and what kind of remedies the country could have after the Idi Amin war.” (…) “one of the most eloquent, articulate leaders of that period in terms of painting a new picture of Uganda should be and that is what enthused us; that is what rallied us behind his leadership. And so we viewed him with a lot of respect and even love” (Besigye, January 2015)

It doesn’t matter whether the strategy is wrong, but nonetheless, he has one (strategy) in pursues. As we realise now he is on a totally wrong trajectory, a disastrous one in fact; but nonetheless, he has one he is pursuing it whether wrong or right” (Besigye, January 2015).

Museveni builds a plan (it doesn’t matter whether it’s right or wrong plan) and works hard and focuses on it aggressively everyday. Part of the reason Museveni is still here is because many of our people are not focussed; today he is pursuing one plan and tomorrow pursuing another plan, not following particular path of a plan leading to a particular path and avoiding all sorts of distractions. As you go on that plan, there will be all sorts of distractions; many of our people when a distraction comes, they leave their plan and first pursue the distraction and by the time he comes back, another distraction has arrived” (Besigye, January 2015).

I think those statements says it all about it. They are directly saying what is special and unique about Museveni. About his “strategies” and “strategic thinking”. A sort of leadership that Don Wanyama wouldn’t sell as Rollexes in Wandegeya, Kampala. It wouldn’t be edible and would lack the eggs. It would be part of it, but not the whole deal. You might even miss the red onions, as Museveni would have to many distractions. While you ordered your rollex to eat.

Therefore, the NRM are trying hard. They are working on overtime trying to sell Museveni. Using his old arch-enemy Besigye even. Ronald Muhinda addressed this clip on the 11th February 2019 on Facebook. The video and interview was originally uploaded by blogger Martha Leah Nangalama. So, her means as a government critic has been used as propaganda before and now again.

The NRM cannot help themselves and that’s why I got disturb the peace. In such a manner, where it all get to the court and you for yourself can see the deception made by the Don. Because, he would never use the rest of the interview. Because, that would damage the purpose and the cause. Peace.

‘Yellow Influencers’ Get a Food-Drive!

Last year in 2019, there was reports of a new Social Media Task Force for the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which had up to that point hired 49 people. The NRM already had their Social Media Activists (SOMA). So, they had two units work in co-ordination with each other. This is all attempts to steer the narrative and control the air-waves. Not new in that regard, but using modern methods to hit the public with information.

Just like all the other entities, which are government friendly press like the New Vision Group. The UBC, Government Citizen Interaction Centre (GCIC) and Uganda Media Centre to name a few.

In these COVID-19 lockdown times. The NRM together with the leader of the pack of the NRM Social Media Task Force, Duncan Abigaba have shown that they are feeding 245 bloggers. This is done through the kindness of Muhoozi Kainerubaga or the friends of him. They call them “Yellow influencers or bloggers” because that paint the picture. Even the blogger of Ashburg Katto is in the mix, so it seems its not far from the prison-cell to eating of the hand of the system.

These people will be instrumental to get the right vision ahead of the General Election of 2021. This is why they are even now doing deliveries and feeding them food. They are getting serviced by the state for a purpose. Because, these influencers can sway public opinion on social media and various of platforms. That is why Promoter Baalam and the Social Media Task Force of Abigaba is involved in this.

This is ensuring loyalty, as the payment of some rice and other foods during the pandemic. Will remind these Yellow Influencers whose their friends. They got to eat in the midst of it all, because hey are useful right now and in the future. Their platforms on the various of social media will be vital.

Its like 120 personalities on Social Media and about 120 bloggers, which is getting this treatment. This means these people are included and selected out, because of their writing and their content. This is because Duncan handpicked them and know what their up too.

That is what is striking is the amount of effort and to show their names on social media. These is our folks and comrades. Just go into Duncan Abigaba page on Facebook and the whole list will appear. It expose the ninjas writing and working directly for the NRM.

The Yellow Influencers if you may. The friends of Muhoozi is allowed to give these foods without any reinforcement of police nor any meetings with authorities. Because, they are working in-directly for the efforts for the state. This is partisan politics at its best. That information is being dropped on the day the UPF disclaim everything about Zaake whose healing after torture. That is the sort of state the Republic is in.

Where Yellow Influencers can get a food-drive by the Son-of-the-President. But opposition doing the same to his constituents are healing in the hospital after meeting the authorities. That is the double standard and the realities on the ground.

That Baalam and Abigaba is above Zaake is now clear as day. That the Yellow Influencers are important is clear too. They will be a tool into the elections and the campaigns, spreading the message of the “Yellow Bastard”. Peace.

NRM plans to get activated online: A Company of paid Social Media Activists!

That’s the whole point of good propaganda. You want to create a slogan that nobody’s going to be against, and everybody’s going to be for. Nobody knows what it means, because it doesn’t mean anything.”Noam Chomsky

The National Resistance Movement is steadily preparing for 2021. By every initiated move, they are trying to make it feel relevant and have a message to sell. It is not enough to have the Uganda Media Centre, Uganda Broadcasting Company, New Vision Media House, Government Citizen Interaction Centre or even the Ministry of ICT, whose all trying to peddle the message and image of the NRM.

Still, these are not enough. That is why the NRM have gotten a NRM Social Media Activists (SOMA). If this wasn’t enough, the NRM had already hired about 59 people for a Social Media Task Force run by Duncan Abigaba. Where one part of the team had specialists serving various of social media sites, while the same task force had hired 14 people to run the program on Twitter. This was leaked in August 2018. So, the team has been in play a while, but who knows how operative or even successful it is.

Yesterday, there is a new revelation. Not with a significant new change, but certainly a continuation of the building a digital task force and spin machine for the world wide web. Where they hope to spin enough and overlook enough to get the people to catch their bait. Either by the hook or by the crook. That is just what the NRM does.

The news yesterday, was that the NRM plans to hire a 100 Social Media Activists for all the republics regions, to represent all of them and spread the message. This is certainly a progression to the ones working for Abigaba who was hired last year for his Task Force. These will maybe fall in under his mission and umbrella. To ensure, that the NRM are acting correctly and getting the right image online.

We can clearly see t that Bosco, Mr. Sunday, Yoseri or Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are active online. Even if he has proclaimed there is only rumours and waste of time on Social Media. He himself is there and claimed to be biggest, most followed Ugandan on Twitter. Surely, there is a lot of paid bots on his followers page. Trust me on that one.

However, this is just a sign of the Don Wanyama’s, the Andrew Mwenda’s and whatnot of direct supporters, even Morrison Rwakakamba or whoever else spreading the words of old man with the hat. They will be now repeated a lot more and the self praise will hit levels that not even Soft Power and Sarah Kagingo would manage. That is what the NRM is preparing. They need the loyalists, the ones praising every move the His Excellency is doing. That is just the way it is.

If this is continued of the Task Force of last year, if it is hiring the ones in NRM SOMA. Surely, they will sooner or later, kick and scream because the NRM cannot manage to pay their salaries. They are there for a payday, not because they believe in the vision of the old man. They are not volunteers, but paid activists. Just like the ones paid to demonstrate before too. Staged nightmares waiting to appear. Peace.

Uganda: MoH Press release on the death at Naguru Hospital due to Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (24.08.2018)

The Presidential Handshake lives on!

You would think certain scandals and certain ways of thieving the public funds would be died down. The stories would end and the beneficiary of these scandals want it to go away, as it taints their legacy and remaining words about their time as Public Officials, as Clerics and Civil Servants within the State. However, in the matter of the Presidential Handshake, this whole thing just getting more legs and doesn’t die. It is like the President is proud of his bribing ways and proving a point today.

As the NBS TV reports:

“The High Court in Kampala has issued an interim order stopping the Inspector General of Government (IGG) from investigating and forcing beneficiaries of the 6 billion shillings presidential handshake to refund the money” (…) “The public officials had received the money as a token for their role in the 400-million-dollar Heritage Oil arbitration case which Uganda won” (NBS Television, 13.07.2018).

It is like the whole charade was mocked by the legendary report calling it an ‘error’ but not a crime. To give away public funds to civil servants and public officials, as a handshake after winning a court case. It is like the state doesn’t care about their lack of transparency, as long as the cronies are funded.

My favourite quotes from the report published in May 2017 says:

“This “handshake” expenditure was not budgeted URA activity and therefore, a diversion of the UGX 6 Billion without lawful authority was contrary to the PFMA” (…) “H.E. The President’s approval of this “handshake” was bonafide. However, it was an error of judgement” (…) “That all funds paid out of URA account to the beneficiaries of the “handshake” should be refunded” (…) “The Executive should come up with a Bill within 90 days to regulate and streamline the Presidential Donations Budget” (COSASE, P: 45, 2017).

After my calculation were all well beyong 90 days and nothing fruitful has happen, except now the High Court are saying the non-budgeted and the error of judgement by the President is “okay”. They don’t even have to refund, while there is no bill to regulate or streamline any Presidential Donations Budget, because who would dare to cross the authority of the State House and President at this point of time. No one with a clear mind, who will not end up in prison or lose his or her livelihood.

This is a proof of how little power the Parliament have in the current state, as they cannot even look into or question the Presidential Handshake. They cannot even check into the sudden gifts and donations made by the President. Which is a substantial part of the State House yearly budget.

This isn’t funny, this is a mockery of all the ones paying added taxes and paying for state services, as they are being hold in contempt, where a certain amount of big-men and cronies within the state can eat directly of it, without any consequence. Who knows what else the President misuse funds on, right now? Peace.

Reference:

The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (Cosase) – ‘Report of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (COSASE) on the Investigations into the Circumstances under which the reward of UGX 6 BN was given to 42 Public Officers who participated in the Heritage Oil and Gas Arbitration Case’ (May, 2017)

Makerere University letter to all MAK students on tomorrow’s strike (15.04.2018)

Opinion: Is ‘Project Muhoozi’ resurfacing?

I beg to question, what is so special about Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba? What is so unique and such leadership skills he has that should make Youths and Ugandan citizens interested in this man? There are dozens of younger leaders within the Republic, which has more swagger, more profound qualities of leadership and has a positive public standing. None of the above is key features with this man.

The only thing and the only reason this is a piece and the reason why I write this. Because suddenly the Sunday Vision has a main story, that the Youths wants this man. I have a hard time believing it. At this point if it was Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine or even of the other renegade Members of Parliament. Has bigger standing in the public, than the son of the current President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. That Muhoozi is famous and known, is not strange, he is part of the leadership and is a Presidential Advisor. He is also a former leader of the Special Forces Command. Therefore, he has been in key roles on occasions and also gotten military training and teachings in specialized school in the United States. So it is not like he has no skills, but being a profound leader of the Republic. He is not and has no entitlement to be.

Even if the President of current believes so and trying to make it seem so. But that is only in his delusional mind. The makeshift of trying to forge a scheme to prepare next elections for Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is insane, but also shows the lack of understanding of certain key elements that are lingering in the public. The people are already tired of the father and his rule, why would they trust the son to be better or be less of crook in charge? It’s true they are two different persons and theoretically be totally different. However, he has been within the reach of power all his life, seen how his father has maneuvered and acted. Without a doubt, the son will do the same as father. Treat the Republic as he playground and crush the ones who stands in his way. He has already on few occasions proven the quality of SFC and used it even to exile the Rwenzururu King to the Baganda.

Therefore, I doubt people want a man like this, the only reason for his rise and his position, is not for his brilliance, not for his street-smarts or his public persona. Do he really have one worth considering? Even certain NRM historicals has more of a public standing and deeper roots in society, than the son of Yoweri. Let’s be clear. The youths who made this show, we’re most likely paid for it and their gear was made by the Museveni family themselves. To try to make it look like there are people who wants him.

The only time Muhoozi mattered a lot was back in 2013, when Gen. David Sejusa or Tinyefuza who dropped a few dossiers too Red Pepper and Daily Monitor, which initially was closed and suspended by authorities within May 2013. Part of the Second Letter from the General was this, which is striking in itself: “Of course it takes the lead off the can and its not only bad for the boy but actually dangerous to that ambition. Thats the truth. But of course its like the “tower of babel” you wonder if they they understand even what they are saying.( A distinction should be made between Muhozi the man and Muhozi the UPDF officer. I personally would never for even a second discuss the affairs of that young man as a person, for it would be wrong and unacceptable. But then once you make him a general in the army, he ceases to be a private person in that regard and must pass certain scrutiny. )” (General David Sejusa, May 2013).

So if you have forgotten the whole thing, this is even as revealing of the long-term plan of it all: “The government’s anger was prompted by a story in the paper said to reveal details of a plan by senior officials to assassinate rivals opposed to a scheme by President Yoweri Museveni to arrange for his son to succeed him in office. By exposing deep rifts within the ruling establishment, the paper has shaken Uganda’s political establishment to the core. The Monitor quoted extensively from a letter by a senior intelligence officer, General David Sejusa, calling for an investigation into claims that the government is planning to target opponents of the so-called “Muhoozi Project,” an alleged plan to pave the way for 39-year-old Brigadier Kainerugaba Muhoozi (pictured left), commander of an elite army unit, to take over the presidency. The state-owned Uganda Communications Commission (which controls licensing) warned radio stations that they would be shut down for airing the story of Gen. Sejusa’s letter” (Batanda, 2013).

Now in the 2017, the state and agencies are clearly preparing something again. Since they even uses their Newspaper to prop up the son. The son whose supposed to have no ambition and not wanting to become President(he said that earlier this year, not that anyone believed the man). Now, there are Youth prepared for seeing him in. It just happens as the lifting of the age limit is prepared for his father. Just so perfectly and the timing so striking.

That the Muhoozi Project surfaces like an old fish. The old fish is now stinking up the place with the family succession, to a man with no merit or finesse in public. There isn’t anything that could be said about Muhoozi that gives way to say, he should be our next leader. Other than he is the son of previous one. Like that is good fix, just look at the Democratic Republic of Congo and Joseph Kabila. He is such a lovely fellow and statesmen, who has no trouble killing and creating insurgency to stay in power. Not like we need another country with that issue, just because Muhoozi is following the bloodline of Museveni.

I would not be surprised if the 2013 Project came to life and lit up the place. Put some petrol into the steamy age-limit debates and just proves the entitlement of the Museveni-Clan. Since he own the removal of the Age Limit from the Constitution. Clearly, he doesn’t give a fig about how people sees him or his rule anymore. He just wants to rule and if that meaning to secure his family set, when he is left. Then be it. But Muhoozi is a non-character and nobody who seems like a candidate for leadership. He is just there because of his father. There aren’t anything of his persona that says, well, he could be “good one” even. He just have too, since he is already there.

All of that is nonsense and I had to bring up the May 2013 drama around Red Pepper, Daily Monitor and Gen. Sejusa, because it was said to be “Project Museveni” by the government back-then. Clearly, they we’re lying. But that is not so weird too. It is not strange that Museveni wants his son to someday take his place, but that doesn’t mean he has a right to do so. There are enough men and woman who has more public standing, natural leaders or even has the public persona that can be trusted compared to him.

With time there will not be less of leaders and people who could contest for the role, enough people with leadership experience and public standing to take the place of Museveni. There are so many who could and who deserves to try. The Project Muhoozi is back in full steam, by the demands of the old man, not because the people really want him. It is just propaganda by the state who wants people to believe so. Peace.

Reference:

Batanda, Jackee – ‘A leak in high places puts Ugandans on edge’ (22.05.2013) link: http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/22/a-leak-in-high-places-puts-ugandans-on-edge/

Uganda: Letter – “Re: Heightened Index of Suspicion for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Your District” (21.08.2017)

The Presidential Handshake report doesn’t say much, but it was a clear “error” by Museveni!

I finally got the whole COSASE report of the Presidential Handshake, what has been reported on my blog or page, has been comments of it. This time it would be direct quotes from the report that was put forward in Parliament from the Parliamentary Committee. That the President had an “error” was been weak, the whole ordeal was a bribe and the Committee didn’t have the courage to say so. Even as the position of every one was spelled out in the Report. Every single person paid out bribe was spelled out and the whole part of the allocation was broth to the daylight. Not that the insights was saying much new. But it still, shows how the President is controlling the Parliament and the use of funds. Since he was shocked of certain acts and that he was making it bonafide, but it wasn’t so. This story has been written back- and fourth.

Before more comments, let’s look at quotes from the report!

The Committee was informed by the management team of URA led by the Commissioner General that before the final arbitration ruling, the Uganda Government team briefed Cabinet on the 19th of November 2014 on the progress of the HOGL arbitration and H.E. the President promised to reward the team if they won the case” (…) “The Final Award on the merits of the arbitration was delivered on the 24th February, 2015 wherein the full panel of three Arbiters agreed in favour of Uganda Government and dismissed the entire claim of HOGL and awarded USD 4,083,840 in cost. The then Attorney General Hon. Fred Ruhindi on the 13th April 2015 (App. B1) wrote to H.E. the President reminding him of his promise to reward the team and requested him to consider a reward for noble team. He also attached a list of 24 proposed beneficiary” (…) “The Committee was informed that the Attorney General further led the Government team to meet H.E. the President at his country home in Rwakitura on the 17th May 2015 where the victory in the Heritage arbitration case was among other things discussed. That the H.E. The President thanked the team and directed the Commissioner General of URA to propose an appropriate reward for the team. H.E. The President also guided that the other Public Officers who had tremendously Contributed to the success of the case but had not been included on the first list generated by the Attorney General be included too” (COSASE, P: 8-9. 2017).

As a follow up to the H.E. the President’s letter of 16th November, 2015, the Commissioner General of URA wrote to the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to Treasury (PS/TS) in a letter dated 11th December, 2015 (App. B6) requesting him to formally designate her as accounting Officer through whom the reward would be paid and to formally requisition for the UGX 6,000,000,000 (Uganda Shillings Six Billions Only)” (…) “The Commissioner General, as advised and in a letter dated 5th May 2016 (App. B8) sought authority from the Hon. Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to reallocate UGX. 6 Billion (Uganda Shillings Six Billion Only) from URA Tax Refund Account to URA Expenditure Account so that the 42 Public Officers could be paid and suggested that a supplementary to URA for that amount to be considered and handled by the Hon. Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The Hon. Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development did not grant this authority. However, by letter dated 19th October, 2016 (App. B10) he requested the Auditor General to issue an audit warrant for UGX 6 Billion” (COSASE, P: 10-11, 2017).

The Committee reviewed the budget for Financial Year 2016/2017, which was approved by the Board and subsequently appropriated by Parliament for URA activities and the UGX 6 Billion “handshake” was not budget for. The Committee further received evidence from the Board of URA to the effect that such money had not been provided for and they were hearing of that expenditure for the first time” (COSASE, P: 29, 2017).

The Committee observers therefore:

1. That it is true that USD 157 Million, which would have accrued as part of the Capital Gain Tax, was waived.

2. The contention arose out of a clause in the PSA which provided for waiver of tax signed by the then minister Hon. Syda Bbumba.

3. That the dispute would not have arisen if the PSA did not have a waiver of tax.

4. The then Ministry of Energy, Hon. Syda Bbumba, did not have authority to waive tax in that transaction and her auction of not having read the agreement before signing was irregular.

5. All the then Ministry of Energy who signed PSAs with similar clause acted ultra vires the law” (COSASE, P: 44, 2017).

Conclusion:

This “handshake” expenditure was not budgeted URA activity and therefore, a diversion of the UGX 6 Billion without lawful authority was contrary to the PFMA” (…) “H.E. The President’s approval of this “handshake” was bonafide. However, it was an error of judgement” (…) “That all funds paid out of URA account to the beneficiaries of the “handshake” should be refunded” (…) “The Executive should come up with a Bill within 90 days to regulate and streamline the Presidential Donations Budget” (COSASE, P: 45, 2017).

The Presidential Handshake has clearly showed the proof of how a visit at the Presidents farm in 2015 can lead-up to. President Museveni offered honorarium and bonuses to all the staff in the Tullow/Heritage Oil Tax Case, so all their work would benefit them. Without having it in budgets, without any votes or any sort of procedural activity, therefore it was an illegal allocation. That the Uganda Revenue Authority did allocations without proper actions, that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Ministry of Energy all actors did wrong in this scenario. They misused the tax to their own benefit and the President allowed it to happen. Therefore, it is weird that the only thing the Committee concludes with a new legislation to stop it. Secondly, also refunds of the benefits for the civil servants and the NRM cronies. That the act was done without lawful authority, but that was well-known and not rocket science. IT was clear misuse of government funds to give someone an extra payday, which wasn’t allocated or had the proper legal stamp. Therefore, a clear bribe… not solicited funds which the state should pay their civil servants. Peace.

Reference:

The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (Cosase) – ‘Report of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (COSASE) on the Investigations into the Circumstances under which the reward of UGX 6 BN was given to 42 Public Officers who participated in the Heritage Oil and Gas Arbitration Case’ (May, 2017)

%d bloggers like this: