AMISOM Acting Force Commander Concludes Tour of Kismayo, Dobley and Bilis Qoqani In Sector 2

AMISOM 32

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) acting Force Commander  Major General Mohamedesha Zeyinu has concluded an extensive tour of Sector 2, where he commended troops for their remarkable work in securing Somalia.

Maj-Gen. Mohamedesha visited troops in Dhobley, Bilis Qoqani and Kismayo to assess the situation on the ground, get apprised on security concerns, address administrative issues and the challenges facing the forces.

Addressing troops drawn from the Burundi National Defence Forces, Kenya Defence Forces and the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, the acting Force Commander said the secret in defeating Al Shabaab lay in planning and building close working relationship with the local community.

“The reason why we should build a strong relationship with the population is clear. If we handle the population well, they will be a good source of information and they will share the information with us. The more the population approaches us, the more the enemy will be isolated from the population. We will build a strong relation not only to benefit the population but ourselves”, the acting Force Commander said.

During the visit Maj-Gen Mohamedesha visited the Somali National Army (SNA)  training camp and said AMISOM would  support the force by offering them more training opportunities.

He noted that SNA forces were drawn from local communities and had a better understanding of the situation on the ground than their AMISOM counterparts. He encouraged closer working relationships between them and AMISOM troops.

‘’The other issue is about SNA, SNA Forces have an advantage as their understanding the area of operation well. They know the enemy and tactics, they know the terrain and moreover they know the culture and the norms of the society better than AMISOM Forces. Because of these capabilities we need to work closely with SNA so that we can differentiate, Isolate and decisively fight with Al shabaab”, Maj-Gen Mohamedesha added.

The acting Force Commander also met with Interim Jubba Administration President, Ahmed Mohamed Islam. The two discussed  ways of dealing with Al Shabaab to liberate the little pockets still under the control of the terror group.

Uganda State House says its broke, asks parliament for Shs70Bn (Youtube-Clip)

“Parliament has learnt that State House is broke with little or no money to manage the travels of the president, four months to the close of the 2015/2016 financial year. State House is asking for 70 billion shillings as a supplementary budget to fund the the presidency. State House comptroller Lucy Nakyobe who is the accounting officer informed the parliamentary budget committee that the funds budgeted to be used up to June this were spent by the President during the presidential campaigns” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

NRM National Campaign Taskforce Payment Voucher - Daily Allowance NR2

NRM National Campaign Taskforce Payment Voucher - Daily Allowance

Newspapers Same Scandal Uganda

Well, more to come on the spent monies. There will surely be reports proving the total spending on the Campaign by the President. Peace.

(In Pictures) Besigye had A Mid-Night Stroll in Kasangati tonight and also his statement on the continued House-Arrest; My second take on IGP Kayihura who lied to the Public on Besigye’s dire situation!

02.04. 2016 Besigye P1

Dr. Kizza Besigye Statement after midnight at Kasangati:

“IGP Kayihura once again deceived Ugandans today that I’d been freed. It was fools day anyway!!! I took the pictures here after midnight- on 2nd April 2016. It terrible to have a leader of a police force that breaks the law routinely and willfully; that seems to enjoy telling lies; and that has no regard for the opinion of others!”

02.04. 2016 Besigye P2

And here his last released picture to the Public from Kasangati:

Kasangati 02.04.2016 Police

FDC Statement on it earlier in the day on the 1st  of April 2016:

“What was an open secret that Mr. kale Kayihura had instructed his policemen to move away from Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home has now turned into a fat lie, the Uganda Police Force has actually multiplied in number”.

My take on it: 

IGP Kale Kayihura of the Ugandan Police Force might have had the ability to fool some people. But the pictures and the manifestation of the Police Officer talking in the phone while monitoring Dr. Kizza Besigey should be send a clear message, while they talked about the leaving the premises of Besigye’s gate and compound; they still have the metal-teeth and the Police Officers squatting in reach of the gate and still having the ability to check-in everybody who enters and leaves his home. So Practically the House Arrest never stopped and the illegal detention and unlawful detaining of the FDC Presidential Candidate and the man who never had the ability to really content the result of the February 2016 Presidential Elections have been sufficed to his own gates and home without being the ordinary man who can walk to work or even go out to buy his food. This has been going for over 40 days, since straight before the Election Day on the 18th February. So you know that the Police Force is still besieging the Compound at Kasangati.

Truly and clearly the IGP Kayihura lied and tried to deceive so that his master and the Government could work in Peace and hopefully without issues from the outside world; as even the U.S. Mission talked about progressing toward democratic elections in recent statement. I am paraphrasing the U.S. Mission, but that is in general what the army ally wrote as the Post-Election Period is going away and “ordinary” State of Affairs resumes before the swearing-in and the 10th Parliament sessions starts. As paraphrasing is not good enough here is actually the main quote in my opinon from the United States Embassy that is worth noticing.

Kasangati 02.04.2016 Police P2

Here what the U.S. Mission in Kampala says in their Statement to the Public:

“The U.S. Embassy notes today’s Supreme Court ruling affirming the results of Uganda’s February 18 presidential vote that saw President Yoweri Museveni re-elected to his fifth term. We encourage all Ugandans to respect the Court’s decision, and express their views in a peaceful manner” (U.S. Embassy of Kampala, 31.03.2016).

Certainly one thing is clear. The House Arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye never happen and the orders from above would not let that happen, as he is the epitome of everything President Museveni is not, a legitimate leader compared to Executive; who have to House Arrest his main opponents. Peace.

Besigye reacts to Police Withdrawal from His Home (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoMAmglRhnI

Former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has reacted to Gen Kale Kayihura’s decision to remove the police from his home saying he is not excited at all with police decision. The FDC leader insists police was at his home illegally and that he finds no reason to celebrate their withdrawal. NBS Richard Olwenyi was with Kiiza Besigye at his Kasangati home at the time the police chief Kale Kaihura made the pronouncement. The news of his freedom reached him at around midday when he was meeting a delegation of interparty youth league who had paid him a visit to express their sympathy with the four times presidential candidate who has been under house arrest for 40 days. In the middle of the meeting, besigye’s cell phone rang, he picked and was informed about the directive to have him freed but he showed not excitement and instead quarreled. Many would think this was good news but the suggestion from his face, depicted he received news that spoiled his day. The continued detention of Besigye according to government was the fear the FDC leader was plotting to mobilize his supporters to engage in violent protest just after the just concluded elections to over throw the government of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Besigye wondered why the police chief Kaiyhura now says he has withdrawn forces from his residence yet he has been denying he was under house arrest” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016).

Burundian Police Officer shoots with a AK-47 at a Demonstrator (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB2XLp7L01w

This can’t be justice! This is just wrong. At every action, it is usually a reaction; But going to the step of killing a demonstrator while you are a Police Officer; is using the state-violence and killings that are totally wrong as the civilian are not allowed to do violence. Violence is never the answer for creating a profonud peace between different groups in society; while the state have some rights in keeping the border and the country peaceful with the means of organized violence through ordinary police procedure and a national army .

Still, this killing proves how easy it is for the CNDD-FDD and President Nkurunziza to kill the opposition. So the men and woman who is not in favor of the Government of Burundi right now is in danger. Watching  clips like this shows the dangerous situation in Burundi. Also it gives way to understand why so many Burundians have fled to the countries around and their dire situation.

All this happens because ONE man don’t want to step down and give other people the possibility to be the Executive in Burundi, President Nkurunziza have the blood of the demonstrators on his hands and that can not be washed away. That is staines that are stuck between his fingers, even if he never have pulled a trigger after the Presidential Election in 2015. Peace.

CEON-U: Post election Press release (01.04.2016)

CCEDU Topowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2016

The post election season has been characterised by tension arising from the house arrest of lead opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, a court case by former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi and filing court petitions for MP, L.C and municipal elections.

The Citizen Election Observers Network- Uganda (CEON-U) is concerned that the continued house arrest of the lead opposition candidate infringes on his right to freedom according to article 23 of the constitution.

In article 43 of the constitution: (I) In the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed in this Chapter, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.

(2) Public interest under this article shall not permit-

(a) political persecution;

(b) detention without trial;

(c) any limitation of the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed by this Chapter beyond what is acceptable and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society, or what is provided in this Constitution.

NBS Besigye 16.02.2016

Section 24 of the police act gives the police a right to arrest someone if he is a threat to public security, but CEON-U demands that police produces evidence that makes Besigye a threat to public security, otherwise will his arrest be indefinite.

In a multiparty system, opposition parties should not be viewed as enemies of the state, but rather as groups that provide alternative Government programmes.

As part of a process of increasing citizen participation in Uganda’s electoral process, CEON-U recently carried out an opinion survey on the recently concluded general elections.

The survey was meant to expose electoral irregularities so as to provide a premise on how to better organise elections in Uganda.

EC 22.02.2015 Guarded Heavy

Consequently;  8 CEON-U managers visited areas where there is conflict, court petitions and requests for vote recounts to establish the causes of the disputed elections. The team visited Tororo, Gulu, Kotido, Butambala, Serere, Jinja, Mayuge, Iganga, Mukono, Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntungamo. The managers worked closely with our long-term observers who are natives of the constituencies and the districts which they observed, before, during and are observing after elections. CEON-U held focus group discussions with members of the community, local council leaders, opinion leaders and voters from all political parties in the districts.

CEON-U also met district police officials, district returning officers, registrars in courts of law and victims of electoral violence.

Oulanyah House 20.02.2016

Findings:

Generally, the presidential and parliamentary elections were peaceful, but the period leading up to the election day was volatile in all the districts visited. In Mayuge for instance a man died under unclear circumstances. He was a supporter of Robert Ntende, an independent candidate. He is said to have been killed by supporters of Idi Isabirye.

In Iganga at Idudi supporters of NRM and FDC clashed on the eve of elections over voter bribery. The NRM MP was giving out cash to voters who alerted FDC supporters. FDC supporters reacted by blocking the NRM from giving out money, the NRM called a NAADS soldier to rescue them. He came and shot dead a 25-year-old man and the crowd became more rowdy. And the soldier continued firing live bullets. In the process of the scuffle, a woman was shot through the arm and an s.3 student was shot through the neck. Both these people were not involved in the scuffle but had gone to the trading centre to buy food. This shooting took place at 8:00pm. (attached are the pictures of the victims of the shootings).

The way results were tabulated and announced at the district provided a sharp contrast with what the locals had gathered from the polling stations. This happened for all the elections, presidential, parliamentary, district council and municipal elections.

NRM UPC Arua 16.11.15

There are mainly two known political parties, the NRM and FDC; even though Uganda has 10 political parties. UPC which was once a known party is almost non-existent.

In a strong multi-party dispensation system people are given an opportunity to have divergent views on handling issues of governance. A weak political party system promotes a one party system of governance which impedes institutional growth.

The management of electoral processes by some of the district returning officials was poor.

A case in point is Jinja: When it came to the L.C.3 election of Walukuba West Parish B;

The LC 3 election had five candidates Joseph Bateganya Atumika, Bisusa Amisi Kafuko, Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda, Mande Milton and Mbulugu Emmanuel.

On Election day the ballot papers that were supplied to the polling stations had wrong names. Mande Milton was called Mande Milton Kirunda. Also party symbols were mixed up between the NRM candidate and FDC candidate. This was sufficient ground for the election to have been cancelled. However, even when the Jinja district returning officer, Ambrose Mwaita was notified about the anomaly he told the candidate Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda that electoral commission Jinja was not going to do anything about this case. A case has been filed against the electoral commission in Jinja court by Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda.

There are several other electoral disputes that have been filed in courts of law in the various districts. In Omoro Constituency there is a Petition: Simon Toolit Vs Oulanyah Jacob was logged in on March 24 2016. Simon Tollit is suing the Incumbent Oulanyah Jacob and EC over election mal practice. These included ballot boxes being kept away in a saloon, EC tampering with DR forms, EC using a Different format of the District DR Form to declare results among other things.

Anti Riot Police 30.01.2016 Before FDC Campaign Kabale

Intimidation and Violence:

In Katawi, Amuria, Bukedea and Serere there were cases of intimidation and violence. The community claimed they were beaten by militia groups and crime preventers and were warned against voting an opposition party into power. ( attached is a picture of the people who gave confessions during a focus group discussion)

In Mukono the parliamentary campaigns were characterised by violence and chaos. According to the electoral commission, Fatuma Ndisaba’s supporters used to beat up Betty Nambooze’s supporters during campaigns. There was also the problem of candidates campaigning beyond the stipulated for campaign time and supporters clashing after the campaigns.

Badru EC

Recommendations:

 The military should be restrained from participating in elections, because elections are volatile in nature. Electoral commission should improve its image by investigating and eventually laying off district returning officers who are said to have altered DR forms and extorted money from candidates who wanted to be announced winners.   All political parties should be treated equally and respectfully by the Government in power.  The Government should seriously consider the electoral reforms that civil society presented last year. Presiding officers and polling assistants should be better remunerated to prevent them from being compromised during elections.  Management of elections is not a single days event. Planning and training of officials, desk officers, middle level managers, desk officers, heads of departments on the process of elections should start the second month after the general elections. Training presiding and polling officials should be done a month to the elections to minimise errors on the DR forms.

Ugandan Election 2016 Grieving

Conclusion:

The democratic path is a long bumpy one, despite the many electoral irregularities that marred the recently concluded elections, the gains made over the last 30 years cannot just be thrown away. We need more concerted effort to promote true democratic ideals.

For more information about CEON-U contact Dr Martin Mwondha on 0788929052 or email omwondha662@yahoo.com visit our website at http://www.ceonu.or.ug (CEON – Uganda) – Towards 2016: Conducting a Unified, Comprehensive and effective election Observation Mission in Uganda. You can also visit the FHRI offices in Nsambya.

Free Uganda statement in support of the YOUTH WARRIORS who are spreading the message of Revolution and mobilizing the masses for the Freedom Struggle (01.04.2016)

Museveni Idi Amin

Ugandans will not allow Museveni to impose himself on the country using NRM cadre judges, and the savage barbarism of Kayihura//Muhoozi killer-torture squads. The nation’s patriotic youths are igniting the fire of Revolution that will spread across the land in the coming months.

Uganda’s Revolutionary youth are leading the Struggle for Freedom, and their message of DEFIANCE is spreading like fire across the Motherland.

As the ‘CHAIN’ WARRIORS’ were successfully highlighting the state of terror in the country, by chaining themselves in strategic areas of the capital city, Music Superstars, like Eddy Kenzo, Bobi Wine, etc, were making their contribution by using their performances as a launch pad for mobilising the masses.

Free Uganda thanks these patriotic youth for paving the way for the evolving struggle. We applaud their courage and determination in the face of intense brutality and repression from the Museveni / Muhoozi / Kayihura negative forces.

Fellow Liberation Struggle Patriots of the young generation – the CHAIN WARRIORS, the MUSIC WARRIORS, the STREET WARRIORS, the CITY WARRIORS, the VILLAGE WARRIORS, etc, your noble stand against injustice and Museveni’s terrorism is inspiring millions of our citizens and preparing the country for the final show-down in the People’s Struggle for freedom and democracy.

Demonstrator Kampala 31.03.2016

A lot more is to come in the days and months ahead, and Despot Yoweri Museveni must know that the Ugandan People will not rest until he is squarely defeated in his attempt to illegitimately hold onto power after what was the MOST RIGGED ELECTIONS ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

Never mind what some NRM CADRE JUSTICES say, in such incredible shameless support for the Despot, Ugandan People are not going to allow the Museveni Family apparatus to continue forcefully imposing itself on the country. Ugandans will not allow Museveni to hang around state house for what are purely egoistical and self-fulfilling motivations.

Museveni must understand that this time round Ugandans are not going to play any SOFTLY-SOFTLY GAMES with him.

The liberty, democracy, happiness and ‘Museveni-less’ future they seek is not negotiable.

Ugandans have decided to move on without Museveni, and it shall be so, whether the despot wants it or not.

And, for God and Country, every means permissible by the Constitution of Uganda will be deployed to achieve the desired outcome.

Issued by Dr Vincent Magombe, Secretary FreeUganda Leadership Committee and Press Secretary FU.

On the orders of the sudden change of guards from the Calvary to leave the home of the People’s President in Kasangati; Let be clear the message of IGP Kayihura is not doing this out of goodwill; the Police leaves because Mzee thinks he is safe

Kayihura Mentoring Service

IGP Kale Kayihura: “We shall not allow Kizza Besigye to continue violating the law. We shall watch his conduct to ensure people and property aren’t in danger. We are extending a token of goodwill but we expect him to respect the law”. He also said: “he has instructed Kasangati Police Station DPC to withdraw deployment outside Dr Kizza Besigye’s home as they maintain close monitoring of his movements to ensure people’s safety”. He said this today at a Press Conference at Nguru, the Police Headquarters.

Daudi Mpaka Kasangati Court 18.03.2016

This was supposed to happen at the Kasangati Magistrate Court earlier today:

High Court judge Justice Elizabeth Kabanda is expected to rule on the matter in which the DPP is challenging Kasangati grade one magistrate’s decision of continuing with the hearing of Kizza Besigye’s case challenging unlawful incarceration at his home.

While that was supposed to happen this morning after over 40 days without charges or warrant the IGP Kayihura has ordered the Police to leave the property of Dr. Kizza Besiyge.

Kasangati 20.02.2016

Let’s be clear on the matter, it is not good-will, it happens the day after the petition and the “official” post-election period is over. Because now the judiciary and the Electoral Commission is scotch free by law. Therefore the “threat” of Dr. Kizza Besigye and his FDC is gone in the matter of the law and the Elections laws of the country.

IGP Kayihura says it is goodwill that they leave, be clear it is not and they have been squatting in an unlawful action against a presidential candidate and besieged his legal political party. Now it’s supposed to be ordered by him to the local District Police Commander James Kawalya of Kasangati. They have been there for 41 days!

How is it to violating the law to defy the regime who detain you without reason while preaching and executing orders who resists common sense, as the ruling party is following a Resistance Movement, but cannot handle Defiance; that must be a lie as the defying the matters is clearly resisting and being of resistance towards what was then an oppressive regime of Obote. They did their resistance against that and took power. So it is foolish to stumble over the rhetoric of defiance campaign as the defying of the regime who can’t stand by their unlawful actions and their draconian laws.

Kizza Besigye 23.02.2016

During the 41 days, twice the IGP Kayihura has gone out with statements and press releases and claimed he was not to be under house-arrest, but with the orders today he establishing precedence as they have closed his area and his movement. They have taken him lots of time to be detained at different Police Stations and sleeping at night in his home, before the Police-Van stopped coming in the mornings at his home.

The Police have detained people trying to visit him, not letting FDC officials getting to his home and conduct party meetings, they have roadblocks and even squatted at neighbors’ homes since the Police never established mobile-toilets to the Police-Officers who besieged his home.

So the whole ordeal is messed up and the UPF, IGP Kayihura and the NRM-Regime do this like amateurs and like fools. They whined-up the Electoral Process, the people who got ecstatic and think that there will be changes, but that is not the fate of the people, as the NRM-Regime had it all already decided for them.

They might leave him for now, but don’t be surprised if he leaves his compound that the monitoring of his movement will leave him the opportunity to yet again visit and be detained at Naggalama Police Station or Kiira Road Police Station, even if he is extra lucky get a arrested and taken to Kampala Central Police Station, he knows the cell of every station because of the special place in the heart of Mzee.

Kiira Road Police 15.02.2016 FDC

What they fear is that he can ignite the people and no matter how much the army or the Police try to control them, they cannot shut it down when it becomes like his Nomination rally in November 2015. So they have not kept him under house-arrest since mid-February out of good heart or of the best of the country, but for the best of the Executive and for him to dissolve the will of the people as the monument of the opposition have been under siege and not really had the freedom or liberty to be an ordinary human being.

So IGP Kayihura, you can stick your “Goodwill” up your blindly following the Executives behind and take that arrogant mentality somewhere it is fitting. Because you have told fairytales and told nonsense for so long that the goodwill you speak of, is not a true assessment; for the simple matter you have no charge or warrant, taken the freedom of a presidential candidate and taken it away with force and made his home a prison.

Also the blatant disregard done by the Kasangati Magistrate Court and the judges who has used Pro-Bono, Waiting days and then send the matter to the High Court without the judgement been done there either. Therefore the matter of illegal house-arrest was today been set to determine at the Court again. While the IGP Kayihura orders might inflict and gives “freedom” under “monitoring” Police proves that he is still seen as a “criminal” by the NRM-Regime. Because a free-man and ordinary citizen would not be monitored and followed by the security organization. That is something that IGP Kayihura and the NRM have totally forgotten. But hey they don’t believe in the will of their people, only of the one man with a vision; the old man with a hat who has the only vision that matters and the orders that IGP Kayihura follows blindly.

This also happen at Kasangati today!

As this has been said there been a meeting with Youth Leaders at the home of Kizza Besigye.

Kasangati 01.04.2016

Think that is enough. Peace.

The Grand display of Celebration for NRM in Kampala after the dismissal of Election Petition and in general validating of the election in favor of Mzee

NBS Celebration 31.03.2016

“NRM supporters in Mukono celebrated President Museveni’s victory in the Amama Mbabazi petition which was dismissed today by the Supreme Court “(NBS TV Uganda, 2016).

Today there was the Supreme Court ruling that dissmisal of the Election Petition number one, and therefore there was all of a sudden a giant celebration, so big that we can forget the Nomination Day in Kampala; when Dr. Kizza Besigye was sitting on the chair between Central Kampala to the Stadium where he had the first rally of the pre-election period and Presidential Campaign. Here is two pictures show’s the” massive” grand celebration for the NRM and the President Museveni re-election in Kampala!

Kampala NRM Celebration 31.03.2016 P1

How the NRM got the crowd today:

The National Resistance Movement – NRM hired boda boda riders and skate boys to hold stage-managed celebrations in Kampala, amid heavy police deployment. The public ignored them, which is a huge political statement indicating the unpopularity of President Museveni’s electoral and court victory among Ugandans”.

Kampala NRM Celebration 31.03.2016 P2

Somewhere sits Dr. Kizza Besigye, wait, he sits in house-arrest in Kasangati and laughs at the meager display from the NRM-Regime. He should have a laugh at this, because this proves his rhetoric and arguments earlier today. Peace.

4 MPs ejected from the house for disrupting President Kenyatta’s state of the nation address (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBb9-lJmeH0

“The country has been taken aback after a section of members of parliament cast the integrity of Kenya’s law making institution into disrepute , briefly disrupting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s state of the nation address. National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ekwee Ethuro were forced to invoke house standing orders to eject errant ODM MPs who frantically interrupted the President’s speech with loud whistle blows and heckling. Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi and Homa Bay senator Moses Kajwang were forcefully ejected from the joint session of parliament after they resisted orders from the respective speakers. Chemutai Goin witnessed the unusual events in parliament that also saw four other opposition MPs ejected” (K24TV, 2016)