Opinion: Archbishop Ssemogerere forgot certain parables…

“The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”” (NIV – Matthew 19:16-24).

I just had to drop this passage from the book of Matthew as I read the quotes from the Archbishop of Kampala Diocese, Paul Ssemogerere. Certainly, the sermon which the archbishop spoke during yesterday service wasn’t biblical. Especially, not the bible verses I know. Neither the principals of the Saviour or Jesus Christ himself for that matter.

The Archbishop is more into the pastropeneur and being business savvy, than actually using the bible as it is.

Just read this two quotes, which is so telling…

“God will not entertain the poor in heaven. You will not go there. I will also stand at the entrance to stop you from going there. We have misunderstood the gospel. Being poor should not be misinterpreted to be without money” (…) “God will say I created you with eyes, the brain, and gave you life, and you die poor?!. You will perish in hell. We should work hard. Let’s not sleep and be idle” – Archbishop of Kampala Diocese, Paul Ssemogerere (Samuel Muhimba – ‘“The poor will not go to heaven”- Archbishop Ssemogerere’ 15.08.2023).

When you read Matthew chapter 19 and read the quotes of the Archbishop…. You see the fault-lines very easily. There is no denying that these cannot co-exist. While there are other parts of the scripture the contest the message of the Archbishop as well.

“Those who trust in their riches will fall,

but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf” (NIV – Proverbs 11:29).

“The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (NIV – Luke 12:12-21).

When you see the two parables and the proverb. You see where the Archbishop left things out. Where he didn’t follow scripture or even the words of Jesus Christ. As a teacher himself and Christian leader. He should set the example and live accordingly. His message are more on the levels of politicians and not of scripture. The bible is clear and I only shown small passages from the New International Version. Which isn’t really cutting it, but proving my point.

The Archbishop is telling porkies. He should be better than that… maybe I am expecting too much. However, he should know better. Not only as a man, but as a servant of God. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni is repeating the oppressive means of Obote II

The man who promised a “fundamental change” and be a different from the ones before him. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni promised a lot, but however these days it shows no difference between him and the second Dr. Milton Obote II regime. He is using the same means against opposition and activists.

The abduction and suddenly detaining of Nicholas Opiyo yesterday proved it. As he was taken by law enforcement in plain clothers from a restaurant in Kamwokya. Later it was reported that he was at the Central Investigation Division (CID) at Kireka. However, they have suddenly charged him with money laundering and such. That is just an easy way freeze accounts and find excuses to have behind bars.

It wasn’t only Opiyo who was abducted yesterday. His team was also taken-in. These was Simon Peter Esomu and Anthony Odur. Which shows that anyone can be taken by the state operatives for no apparent reasons these days.

There been reports of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaders and candidates who has been taken and in-custody without any warrants. The National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters have been attacked by soldiers as they were preparing for rallies. They were wearing red and posters of Bobi Wine. That was enough to get either brutally hurt by them or arrested to unknown locations.

These days the regime doesn’t have the State Research Bureau (SRB) which was a torture dome and where people was taken too. Today the Internal Security Organization (ISO), Chieftain of Military Intelligence (CMI) and other outfits are using not only CID Kireka, but also ungazetted safe-houses for the ones that is abducted by the state. This sort of operation have gone on for long and court cases proved it. However, the election is only showing the lack of space for opposition in the Republic.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is acting like Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) under Dr. Milton Obote II did to the Democratic Party in the 1980s. Where MPs was arrested, gerrymandering and abduction of people. There is no difference there. Only new names and parties, but the parties are clearly acting alike.

Now the green of the DP isn’t the deadly sin, but wearing the red or blue is the problem. If you are associated with NUP or FDC you can expect legal trouble. You can get abducted for weeks without warrants or charges. The people who is abducted is able to get access to get attorneys, neither are they freed after 48 hours without a trial. They are just keeping them indefinitely and hoping nobody is blowing the whistle on the injustice.

The NRM is repeating the ills of the previous regimes. They are using the military, expanded the Presidential Entourage and finding new measures to suppress the public. The President is blaming the victims and using words that even Obote did in 1983.

Where Obote said: “It is convenient for them to make allegations in order to hide the effect of losing support and the lack of policies to put to the electorate” (Leon Dash – ‘Violence Poisons Political Process Within Uganda’ 01.12.1983, Washington Post).

We can hear the NRM saying similar these days. They are deflecting and hoping people are forgetting the ones abducted and arrested politically during these times. That would be very convenient for them. As we are following the campaign trail and what’s happening to the main candidates. While the lingering supporters and smaller candidates… can be behind bars without anyone defending them. Some can even be at a safe-house and their families have no clue where they are taken. The ones abducted to unknown locations. Just because the state can do so… Peace.

Opinion: Museveni should use the “No Change” slogan

“Don’t think elections are a mere joke” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (2011)

We know that National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni is preparing and starting his official campaigns. That is why the NRM and the President released their slogan for the 2021 campaign. The President will now sing the songs of “Securing Your Future”. Whatever that means …

Since last time around in 2016 he promised “Steady Progress” which haven’t been delivered. That is why the state is borrowing more and more funds. Is more and more in need of donor funds. The President and the ruling regime knows this, but downplays it. As they are needing funds to just to build and tarmac roads within towns across the Republic.

In 2011 he offered the “Pakalast” or “Until the End”, which was supposed to be a sign that he wanted to reign forever. Which have been proven ever since. There is no end to this rule. It doesn’t matter what happens. He will just reign forever. That is the true.

We could continue to go through the past and slogans. However, the proof is that the man has promised the same before. In 2006, the President came with the slogan of “Prosperity for All”. That is really what is happening in 2021. What he promised as he had his first Multi-Party Election in 2006. The same is being dropped now in 2020.

It is really unique that 15 years after he will promise a similar thing. Hoping people forgetting quick. The President should just go back to the first one he had. That would be sincere and honest. At some point, that should be tagged on his forehead.

The President should just use “No Change” which he used in 1996. When he had the 1996 Election and sort of had NRM Primaries to the National Level. The President and the NRM used scare tactics and blocking Dr. Paul Ssemogerere. Also, did everything he could to associate Ssemogerere with Obote to black-ball him.

However, we are in 2020 and not back-in-the-day. The President have been in power since 1986. It is 34 years in power. When the next term is over it would be 40 years as ruler. That says a lot. This is why we have so much information about what he has done and what he haven’t delivered. He has not delivered the 10 Point Programme. The President haven’t delivered what he has promised, again and again. Always needing more time and more “peace”. There is never enough peace and always a obstacle, which is the reason for non delivery.

That is why he again re-issue the 2006 slogan in 20201. This is promising the same thing as you did 15 years ago. You would think that you had actually made some “steady progress”, but that cannot be true. If it was so. He wouldn’t need to “secure your future”. However, the President needs to talk about the future, since part of him knows he is the past.

The President wants to be relevant. Nevertheless, if he wanted to be honest. He would run with 1996 slogan “No Change”. As that would be sincere campaigning. Since the NRM is delivering no change and no real development. As the government … have been in charge and haven’t done what it’s supposed to do.

Except that it has been a Limited Liability Company for the President and his closest associates for years. That they have succeeded in. However, they haven’t delivered on their promises, which is the reason for their reign. The 27 guns salute cannot save his legacy now. The lingering in power only proves that there will be “No Change” as long as he is in power. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Police Closely Monitoring Consultative Preparations (27.01.2020)

Opinion: Why comply? When you get ACCESS:DENIED!

This here should be common knowledge, many anticipated this today, but the brutality of it and the determination to defend shows what extent the state does. The Uganda Police Force and its authorities plan to anyway undermine the efforts of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine to be a viable Presidential Candidate in 2021. This is just like they have done plenty of times with Dr. Kizza Besigye in the past, and for those that forgotten Dr. Paul Ssemogerere. Both of these gentlemen has been through the line of fire and in legal jeopardy because they choose to oppose the incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Now, it just happens to be Bobi Wine.

What we saw today in Kasangati, Wakiso District isn’t a new tactic. It is the same procedure as last year and the decades before. The same old blocking of the venue, the road-blocks, the tear-gas and the live-bullets. The machinery of oppression and the arrests of the high ranking officials of the opposition too. Even the journalists get taken brutally away, whisked away, as the Police Force doesn’t want their injustice broadcast. Still, they will defend their actions and say it was legal to this.

They are using the penal codes, the public order management act and the presidential elections act. All of these have various codes and statutes, used to hurt the civilians, who stands as a candidate and his team. They are inciting violence, not following guidelines of the Electoral Commission, they didn’t write the right signature on the forms, didn’t have enough dots. All of it gets put into a blender, squeezed and then the public is supposed to drink the juice. Its the taste of impunity and its sold regularly in the Republic and its on sale during election season.

What Bobi Wine and his associates are doing is just politicking, trying to configure their plans and organize ahead of 2021 elections. That is apparently an cardinal sin. The pope, the bishops and priests are calling them sinners and they got to ask the heavenly father for forgiveness. Because, the state is unforgiving for their sinner, unless they are anointed and one of their own. Than, you can steal from the offerings and donations. Even impregnate a nun and call it a bloody Sunday.

That is the reality of it all. It is tedious and boring. Its like a repeating drama, which never ends. Like I told previously, the acts of the Police. The movements of prisoners, the attack on civilians, media and whatnot is scheduled programming. Just like NBS Television and NTV Uganda is ready for boosting ratings, as they miss Fabiola on prime-time. That is just the way it is.

We have seen this before, its getting stale and old. Sort of like seeing the face of the President. The youth and positive spirit is sprinting out of our bodies, as the dire expression, the token of impunity get blended to the public, once again. This repetition and reoccurrence is nearly blinding. The empty hope and total destruction of hope. Since, the state, the Police and everyone always get away with it. It is like they never get hurt, bound or even have to answer for their misuse of power and lack of civility. However, the opposition has to act accordingly and follow the codes.

We can all grin and wonder, but this doesn’t cease here. It is only the start of the things ahead of 2021. This is only the beginning. The false start. The buck-shot has already happen. Now the reality hits the fan and it’s not beautiful. Its a disgraceful mix, the sort of upstart fiasco and total flop. Not because of Bobi Wine. He did his thing, but because of the state and their actions towards him. It might seems like he lost today. But actually, the state did. They shown their true heart, yet again and that is obvious.

They got no heart and didn’t have one to begin with. That is why its so easy for them to silence critics and members of the opposition. Peace.

President Museveni says: “he can get rid of Parliament,” so he wants to rule by military decree, then.

““Between 1971 and 1979 (Idi Amin dictatorship – Ed), there was no parliament…Don’t think that you are in heaven; do what took you there. You should know where the power of that parliament comes from… in fact, I can do away with that parliament,” Museveni, also a retired army general, is quoted to have said. “And we brought it [parliament] back, so do whatever you are doing knowing…” Museveni reportedly said” (Sadab Kitatta Kaaya – ‘Museveni: I can do away with parliament’ 05.09.2018, link: https://www.observer.ug/news/headlines/58601-museveni-i-can-do-away-with-parliament).

President Museveni have told the Members of Parliament, that he can abolish the Parliament, if he wants too. Museveni said on the 27^th August 2018 at Entebbe State House to the National Resistance Movement Caucus, that he can get rid of the Parliament and be the sole confined power in the Republic. He has said he can take it away and rule supreme.

If you thought that the man wasn’t serious, it took ages before ushered in Multi-Party elections, he took power in 1986, but the first election with that was in 2006. Therefore, he shown in the past, he only does “democratic” incentives, when he really has too. Not on his own merry, but by default.

Now, he says he can bring back military decrees and rule from up high, without any consideration of representatives of the people or MPs. As they are just questioning his reasoning and use of the military. This being in Arua and with the tortured MPs in question. That is why he is like this now. He wants to rule over the people without question, because he owns it.

In the same regard, people should stop paying taxes to him. Since he eats it anyways and shouldn’t care for paying OTT, VAT or anything as long as he don’t want to represent other than himself. He wants to be the kingpin, the almighty, who rules without questions. That is who is now. There isn’t anything he wants to control and if you question the military, than he brings the guns and suppress those ideas. That is why the Presidential Guards are in Kamwokya after arresting Bobi Wine. Because, he needs his sharp-shooters to send the message. That no one else has the power he does, because of the weapons, not because he has the support of the people in general.

That he now wants to talk like Amin and act like him, rule on military decree, shows how he lack fundamental understanding of all branches of state and how he wants to stifle it. He only opened up for things when it was beneficial, but now he wants to abolish it and take it away. He will soon wish back to Resistance Councils and the Movement System instead of the Multi-Party model, as that way he can monitor and control it in-house. That is who he is. However, will the people accept that in 2018?

This is not the same people as in 1986 or in 1996. This are doing this to people who never seen or touched the bush-war, the post-generation of that. He speaks of as it was his gift to give back parliament, soon he does the same with the kingdoms and whatever else he returned. As the pawns on his chess-set, as long as anyone obey it cool, but when they question him; your out of line!

Therefore, we now see how belittling and how hungry for the power the old man has. That he will even go to the levels of the ones he overthrow, just to prove a point. He already use the tactics of military courts, soldiers against civilians and torture like the ones before him. Now he wants to copy their military decree too. Soon there is no difference between him and the ones he liberated people from, its just like a mere façade and not reality. As he himself is as vindictive and horrific as them. Only he had more time using harm against people, then they ever could. Peace.

Opinion: Bobi Wine have more coming for him in 2018, than Museveni ever did in 1980!

Well, I wasn’t even born in 1980, I came into this blue-plant in 1985, the year before the final coup d’etat of 1986. Therefore, I am not supposed to be the guy who writes this. Because reading and hearing the hearsay from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and NRM apologist who says Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine haven’t done enough or have the capabilities to become President. However, they forget a dozens of things with their own master.

It was okay, that he was a part of Milton Obote government, a Defense Minister in the Military Council before starting his own party the Uganda People’s Movement (UPM). The establishment of this was just in the months before the 1980 election. That party tanked in the General Elections of 1980. An election that Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) won and Obote got his second term. Even the Democratic Party under Chairman Dr. Paul Ssemogerere satirized Museveni, that the UPM leaders could join the DP, if they we’re not able to trust the ability of their own party. Therefore, Museveni wasn’t always the most eligible himself.

President Museveni lost his seat to Democratic Party MP candidate Sam Kuteesa. Which today is his Foreign Minister. That shows how times are changing, but also that the NRM shouldn’t underestimate Bobi Wine. Bobi Wine have already won one election. That is more than Musveni ever did, before he did a coup d’etat.

The ones saying he doesn’t have the ability, who really believed in Museveni in 1980? After everyone saw how the Uganda People’s Congress rigged the elections and secured majority. Just like Museveni have done again and again since they took power. Therefore, his lack of promise and misuse of power, are seen as he made no significant change on this manner. More of the same really.

I am sure most of the UPC leaders and DP leaders in 1980 would say that Museveni was just an opportunistic and finding his way to power. If they believed so, they were right. The UPM, now NRM promised and pledged many things, but have offered militarism and not the offering of a promising democracy. As they are using same tactics as the previous regimes to control and intimidate the population.

That Bobi Wine has promise is clear, people wouldn’t create riots for someone, if he wasn’t inspiring them. Kyagulanyi have shown character and given a clear message, that the People’s Power is the strongest and deserves to be listening to, as well as there is time to topple the President, whose has overstayed and acting as tyrant. That is why people are saying he has no message beyond this. But the same people said the same about Dr. Kizza Besigye too. Who they also said could never become a President like Museveni.

Everyone who challenges the President, doesn’t have it in them. But even Ssemogerere mocked Museveni and his leaders in 1980 before he went to Bush for the Second time. Museveni could never win in a fair fight by the ballot. That is why he has rigged himself and his party in ever since.

That is why NRM people are talking trash about Bobi Wine, because they are forgetting how dire straits and weak Museveni was before the 1986. Not like he was the kingpin or had it in him. Not until he consolidated and secured Libyan arms, before he made a deal with Gen. Moses Ali and outplayed the Nairobi Talks of 1985, before he brought down Tito Okello. All of that is forgotten. These people thinks he was the golden mind to rule forever. That was not the deal in 1980s, but has become so.

I am starting to have more and more faith in Bobi Wine, as his strength and his will, is there. He has still a lot to learn, but who doesn’t?

Museveni has learned with time and used his position to trick and manipulate the power. That is why people don’t think others can rule. However, that is not true, that is a trick and a lie. Besigye, Mbabazi or Kyagulanyi could have capabilities to reign as well. Therefore, the NRM has to make sure people thinks otherwise. Because no one isn’t supposed to challenge him. That is a cardinal sin in the NRM.

So, it is time to put some faith into Bobi Wine and not believe in the men and woman, who says the only leader who can rule the Republic is the tyrant, the President and for life ruler Museveni. Peace.

Otafiire is wrong on Museveni: He will not leave by the ballot, but when he dies!

“President Museveni will only go when you stop voting him not shouting. Nobody will shout Museveni out of office. The only way that you can remove Museveni from office is when you stop voting him” says Maj.Gen. Kahinda Otafiire in Ibanda” (Daily Monitor, 31.08.2018).

This is not a positive message, because there are really no narrative in this manner and with the times that can be like this. If President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had shown any signs of giving way or even planning succession, the words of an election would have sounded real. However, for someone saying that knows perfectly well how the President is, Otafiire knows his words isn’t true.

Otafiire says Museveni will only leave if he voted out of office! How is that even possible? The Presidential Elections are filled with intimidation, rigging and securing the President by any means. There are no math, no possibility that Museveni will ever run a free and fair election. He will not let the people decide, he has already made his decision and the result is well-known, year in advance. Museveni has run the Republic since 1986.

He lost an election in 1980 and have never lost one since, the first one in 1996 and since then had total control. There haven’t been much change or significant changes since Multi-Party Elections happened in 2006. Which was something Museveni was against, he wanted everything in-house and under his umbrella. That is something he still wants and therefore, wants everyone to get people who will follow his guidelines and his vision from the State House. That is why he is saying people are misguided and wrong, when they pick leaders that he cannot order directly around.

Otafiire knows all this and has to change the narrative, because any government who meets to much internal pressure will fall. You are able to detain people, but not have the power to arrest the whole population. You might have the ability to torture the leaders and key activists, but you cannot torture all people. You cannot kill all opposition or everyone standing in the way of the King, but you can take out the chosen few who challenge the leadership. That is all well-known things for Otafiire. That is what the NRM has done since inception in the 1980s. One-by-One as it has been needed. The difference, is that now the news isn’t only in print, but the words and reactions from the oppression hits the web in minutes.

NO ELECTION will ever change the throne. That is not how to dismantle the rule of Museveni, if so, then there would have been a possibility in 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. Neither of them, there was any chances for anyone else to win. Even as the decades has gone and the time of liberation has shown to be the same as the tyrants before. Museveni was supposed to bring progress, but bringing more regress.

Otafiire knows, this the people should know too, as the military and army are in the streets. Because Museveni and NRM doesn’t have the love of the people, if they did, why do they need to guard the streets? They should secure the sovereign state’s borders and not occupy their own territory. That is what Museveni does and Otafiire knows that too.

Otafiire might have a blurred vision or is so loyal, that he have to spin it. Since he wouldn’t be relevant or even have Cabinet Post. If it wasn’t for the brownie points he has already scored with the President, he wouldn’t be there today.

The NRM apologists can lie to the public, but some of us has to address it, because we knows better. Peace.

Museveni acts more and more like Obote II: A Bush-War Wasted! Part II

As the time is going and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are just acting like the predecessors. This is making the supposed Bush-War in the 1980s pointless. As the President promised changes from the ones ruling before him. The NRM was supposed to be the golden age and greatness of the Republic. He come with pledges of respecting the peasants and create a democracy, instead it is the same type of tyranny of the past. There is now no difference between Museveni and Obote II. These regimes are acting the same and similar towards the opposition and media. Even American Journalists got two nights detained in the 1980s. Now the same is happening to local journalists in and around the Arua By-Election.

What I will now show, two stories or reports from the Obote II regime. Which shows similar resembles with today. All of the actions of the current day towards the Members of Parliament, are like of the previous President, these being Mubarak Munyagwa, Robert Kyagulanyi, Francis Zaake, Kassiano Wadri, Gerald Karuhanga and Paul Mwiru. All of these are now in the dire straits, they are in the midst of oppression, torture and detention, either with at Military Barracks or unknown locations. Therefore, there are two many similarities with Obote.

AI Report 1983:

“According to Amnesty International’s information, most people arrested in 1981 on grounds of national security, were arrested by the army. Same arrests appear to have been arbitrary or indiscriminate, but the majority were apparently directed at particular individuals. Most people arrested by the army were taken to army barracks and detained there, contrary to the law. Many were held for weeks or months. In very few cases were people known to have been transferred without delay to police custody. Detentions in military barracks were not recorded for police or legal purposes, and were not officially acknowledged. Such detainees had no legal protection in practice and the courts had no effective jurisdiction over them. In time, many of the detainees who survived were released or transferred to police custody, but it appears that torture was systematic, and many of those in military custody “disappeared” or were known to have died, particularly at Makindye and Kireka barrack” (Amnesty – ‘Memorandum to the Government of Uganda on Anmnesty International mission to Uganda in January 1982 and further exchanges between the government and Amnesty International’ April 1983)

One Story:

“Those suspected of supporting the guerrillas were viciously hounded. Mr Mukasa’s wife was beheaded by government soldiers in 1981 and his brother was shot dead. After two years in exile near London, Mr Mukasa returned to Uganda only to be arrested by Obote’s security service which mistook him – Mr Mukasa says – for Godfrey Binaisa who had been president for a short period between Amin and Obote. Mr Mukasa still bears scars from the torture sessions in the Nile Hotel. His interrogators dripped burning plastic down his right leg to make him talk. Not surprisingly, he has not been back to the hotel since. “The Nile Hotel was a slaughterhouse”, I was later told by Brigadier Jim Muhwezi who, as head of internal security, now has an office in the adjacent conference centre. “A number of my friends were interned and died there. It’s hard to believe the beautiful gardens were once littered with bodies.”” (David Orr – ‘KAMPALA DAYS; Ghosts that lurk in shadows of hotel’s gory past’ 20.05.1996 link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/kampala-days-ghosts-that-lurk-in-shadows-of-hotels-gory-past-1348320.html).

As we see the similarities between the past and present. We see that the Bush-War is wasted, the freedom fighter is taking away people’s freedom. The liberation, wasn’t really liberating. The Orwellian nightmare is in the Republic. Museveni does whatever it takes stay in power. No torturing, harassing and charging fellow MPs with treason. All deliberately to send a message and intimidate the public. This is what Museveni has done since 1986. Now it is just appearing before our eyes.

President Museveni are now acting like Obote II towards the public, sending mambas, soldiers and police to intimidate the public. They are killing civilians and detaining civilians on military barracks. No matter who you are in the republic, Museveni can take you down and make sure your begging for mercy. If your killed by his Soldiers or his Presidential Guards, it will not have any consequences, they can do whoever and get rid of whoever. It doesn’t cost anything, for the President it is just collateral damage for the cause. The cause, which is just staying in power.

That is the reality. Nothing else. There is no difference between Obote II and Museveni. Peace.

Museveni acts more and more like Obote II: A Bush-War Wasted!

With the recent by-elections in Rukungiri, Bugiri and now in Arua. There been so much election violence and even killings in all three. There been enough of the army and mambas in the street, to intimidate the public. While the army and police are busy arresting opposition leaders and also activists. Therefore, the levels of arrests are over dozens, scores and in such levels that it has to hit about 20 and above to be right. This is what happens under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. He is acting like President Milton Obote did in the 1980s. The second term of Obote was filled with arbitrary arrests, violence, torture and killings by the authorities. Now in the 2018, the Museveni regime is acting like them.

In 1982:

“The President allows a legal opposition party (the Democratic Party), and Obote seems to be trying to make parliamentary government work. However, opposition MPs for a time were arrested and detained. In a new-year amnesty, Obote allowed four MP detainees to be released; some 1,000 other detainees were released recently as well. The MPs, who had been accused of ‘‘connection with acts of violence,” were received personally by Obote” (John Worrall – ‘Uganda registers modest gains under Obote’ 04.01.1982 link: https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0104/010442.html).

In 1983:

“Obote, moreover, has denied that any civilian detainees are being kept in military barracks. Yet he has not allowed officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross to inspect the suspected military barracks. “There are no detainees in military barracks,” Obote said in an interview. “There are no detainees who are tortured or murdered or killed in any way in government custody.” A 1982 report by the human rights group Amnesty International and a U.S. State Deparment report released earlier this year support allegations of civilian detentions, widespread abuses of human rights and killings carried out by soldiers in the military barracks. Well-informed western diplomats, one Ugandan government official who declined to be identified and political opposition leader Ssemogerere said abuses directed at civilian detainees is continuing in the Army’s barracks” (Leon Dash – ‘Brutality Marks Army’s Conduct in Uganda’ 29.11.1983, link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/11/29/brutality-marks-armys-conduct-in-uganda/342af52f-fbdc-4491-a399-208124c677db/?utm_term=.a95022d4262a).

Later 1983:

“Soon after Obote’s inauguration speech, civil war erupted when two groups of his political competitors, both of whom charged Obote with fraudulently winning the December 1980 election, retired to the countryside surrounding this capital of Kampala and began waging a guerrilla war. The Army has recently managed to put the insurgents on the run, but political assassinations and the detention without trial of nonviolent politicial critics of the government have escalated as the war has died down. On Oct. 25 unknown gunmen abducted Mary Luswata, the chairman of Obote’s Uganda People’s Congress party in a district 80 miles from here, plus three members of the party’s youth wing and three party supporters. They were found shot to death two days later nearby” (Leon Dash – ‘Violence Poisons Political Process Within Uganda’ 01.12.1983, link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/12/01/violence-poisons-political-process-within-uganda/1d4a504d-d186-4100-ba19-971dbaa4c577/?utm_term=.321bf5362f86).

Militarism under both rulers:

“Although a small incident, (and indeed much larger incidents might have been cited), it has all the ingredients of militarism. “We fought for you” singles oult the “military” contribution to liberation to the denigration of all other kinds of contribution (including political) which people made towards the downfall of Obote’s dictatorship. It also becomes a “license” in the hands of the men in uniform to treat “you civilians” with derision and contempt. Although NRA’s record, compared to the that of Obote’s UNLA, has been generally impressive, this was so as long as they were in the bush, and did not enjoy “state power”. Now that they enjoy state power, their “militarism” is coming to the surface. Earlier in the same week that the above incident happened at Walukuba, soldiers burst into the house of the editor of the Weekly Topic (a paper that is critically sympathetic to Museveni), and searched his house, as also the office of his brother, a former Member of Parliament. Later they arrested a few people in the area who previously had UPC connections. All this was done without informing the Resistance Councils of the area, thus undermining their authority and relevance in matters of “high security”. When criticized, the NRA is consistently defended by Museveni on the same grounds that “they fought for you”. It is clear that Museveni derives his legitimacy and authority more from his army than from the political efforts of “the civilians”. The RCs with all their weaknesses analysed earlier, are nonetheless never likely, under Museveni, to acquire political control over the army, and hence militarism is likely to remain, as under Obote, the hallmark of Museveni’s regime” (Yash Tandon – ‘Elements of Continuity and Change Between Obote and Museveni: Some Lessons from Obote’s Rule for Musevents Government’ 01.01.1987, link: https://escholarship.org/content/qt667686n5/qt667686n5.pdf).

We can see now, that the ones that President Museveni overthrow for the betterment of the republic, he has become alike. He might not have arrested 1000 opposition leaders at the same time, but over the years he has detained, arrested and charged more than I can count. He has done the same during the recent days and even within this year. The NRM are acting as the previous leadership did. They are torturing opposition MPs, they are arresting them and also showing violence towards the public.

Right now, there are more and more similarities between Obote II and Museveni of now. The 1980s Uganda and current Uganda isn’t that much different. Only, that the public have smart-phones and the reports are spread without the central government control like in the 1980s. That is why we will know quicker and the reports will make sense. This is information sharing the authorities cannot control. That is why we knew of the violence in Rukungiri, Bugiri and in Arua.

Museveni’s ways of control is looking more like Obote… therefore, the bush-war is more and more pointless. As he is acting like the ones he overthrow. Not only overstaying and being an arrogant prick, but also being reckless, relentless and destroying people’s lives to stay in power. Using state sponsored violence to control the public.

The Ugandan people deserves better, all the lives lost are now just pawns in the eyes of the ones who had hope in the 1980s for something better for their kids. They fought and celebrated the fall of Obote II, but instead they got someone who was as brutal as him. Using the same force and same methods to stay in power.

It isn’t beautiful, not planned to be. It is just a cynics way of staying in power. Peace.