Opinion: Democratic Party and Uganda People’s Congress turns more and more into NRM-Lite!

“Power is a curious thing. Who lives, Who dies. Power resides where men believe it resides. It is a trick, A shadow on the wall.”  ― Lord Varys (Game of Thrones).

“Adjective: Denoting a low-fat or low-sugar version of a manufactured food or drink product” (…) “Origin: 1950s: a commercial respelling of light, light” (Oxford Dictionary – Lite).

This here isn’t something based on evidence, but more a genuine feeling I have is not only one I share, but many others. There is something at stake and someone who has agreed the negotiations so these so-called opposition parties isn’t really so. That is why the Uganda People Congress has some MPs in the Cabinet and the same with Democratic Party. The same can be said that both of these parties, still have slots or parts of the delegations to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Arusha.

What we do know is that James Akena, the newly concurred leader of UPC could easily do some trade-off with NRM in 2015. That isn’t just mere speculation as his party did decent and there haven’t been any controversy or lashing out from NRM MPs towards the UPC in ages. Secondly, the DP has become the good DPs and the ones that even are parts of NRM Celebrations. There is something up with these two parties, just like Uganda Federal Alliance and Beti Kamya all of a sudden is a bigger support of the NRM government than the former NRM historical’s and the NRM hardliners.

The President and his NRM CEC must see their State House visits as a blessed and ease ways of figuring out how to undress the opposition and how to deal with them. All needs a meal-ticket, the question is who will give in to the regime and at what cost. Therefore, the arrangement and the deals behind the close doors show the conning way of the illegitimate regime who uses all sorts of methods to undermine the opposition. The FDC has clearly given in too, in my book, with even becoming the shadow-government in Parliament. Something the FDC NEC shouldn’t have considered and agreed upon, because when NRM together with the President agreed to get a UPC minister and DP minister, it would be hard to have shadow-government with members from these parties. That would be rare and weird to explain.

We can even wonder if Norbert Mao even cared of losing his slot as Member of Parliament in the 10^th Parliament, as the DP was behind Amama Mbabazi Presidential Candidate through the The Democratic Alliance (TDA). Why I say that now? Since he is snickering and defending the NRM on NBSFrontline, attacking Lord Mayor Lukwago and the FDC when he can, just as we would expect Akena, since he has been bought sometime during the 2015. The price and the value of the UPC is for him and his closest allies to know.

DP’s Mao on the other hand is worrying, that Fred Mukasa Mbidde went so easily and elected into the EALA, also how little care the DP has given to the DP Cabinet Member Florence Nakiwala. Who could have thought the party would trade these folks that easily? That without any worry and without care has let it go, that they have set the standard of being a mediocre party who has no courage and no fighting spirit.

Maybe, Mao has gotten tired of fighting as the campaign he himself has a Presidential Candidate was sour, it wasn’t a joyful journey as the promises and the ride against the police force wasn’t ideal. Therefore, the battle even for his own MPs place got lost and as a leader who isn’t in Parliament, while the ones in Parliament are getting cosy with the NRM. That might be why Mao is complied with the forged friendships and trading in Parliament, to make sure they can gain the most. Still, the value and integrity of DP is dwindling, with every forged agreement with NRM makes them more and more alike, less different.

The NRM regime and NRM caucus in Parliament is adding DP and UPC, they are just turning into branches of the regime instead of being rooted on their own and on their own framework. It is just like Mao and Akena, just shift-bosses instead of being their own factory leaders. They work less for their own product and delivery, more and more to please the Executive through agreements and negotiations.

That is why the NRM has swallowed their paths and the lacking spine of DP and UPC has given way for this. Therefore, the current affairs and state makes them like a light version of the NRM. For this reason DP = NRM Lite and UPC = NRM Lite. Both parties are old and have a long history; they were established long before NRM, still the abolishment from Obote, made the other obsolete. So Museveni’s trick of being in the shadows of these parties before and after the parties, this is essentially killing of the multi-party system. That the NRM are tarnishing the DP and UPC to becoming NRM knocks-offs.

All of this is mere speculation, but still, there aren’t any official agreements in public between UPC and DP towards to the NRM, but their friendliness and co-operations are evident of certain negotiated deals. You will not hear Akena or the UPC complain about the NRM, just like Mao suddenly defends on national TV their position towards NRM and attacks Lukwago. There is just some uncertainty of how and what they have done behind closed doors. Beyond a shadow of a doubt some worrying signs that can and should be questioned, especially not accept as the acceptance of these parties to the NRM gives way to establish deep concerns of the value of opposition at all in Uganda. Since the DP and UPC have been thresholds for such, now it is FDC, even with a FDC NEC who doesn’t concern their legitimising the Parliament.

We all should ask and question the recent efforts from DP and UPC as legitimate opposition, even as parties without connections or how possibly they have accepted agreements with Movement. This surpass the judgement and the recognition of their existence, it is more the mere fact of lacking attention to transparency and accountability, as they are giving way to a regime who certainly does not care about procedures or acts or rule of law. The parties are therefore giving the Movement acceptance and are silently supporting their rule with these sorts of acts. Certainly, something the founders of these parties would turn in their graves and wanted to resurrect to adjust the malfunctions of these parties. Peace.

Opinion: Mao disappoints with grandeur…

Well, 20-17 just starts and with a bang, the former honourable Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party doesn’t care anymore about nepotism and autocratic regime, which if President Museveni gives away executive power to his wife Janet or Maj. Gen. Muhoozi that it doesn’t matter!

“The Democratic Party President Norbert Mao says Ugandans are so desperate for change that they no longer care to whom President Museveni hands over power peacefully. According to Mr Mao, just like many Ugandans especially those born after Museveni captured power in 1986; he does not care whether the president hands over peacefully to his son Muhoozi Keinerugaba or wife Janet Kataha Museveni” (Daily Monitor, 2017).

Well, it is understatement that I am confused about the peaceful transition it seems to be only that the business stays in the family. If Mao thinks that the Mafia, the elitism and the gravy eating regime going to drastically change with the wife or son of Museveni, he is sadly wrong. That is by the mere fact of the history in other countries where family members take-over as in Equatorial Guinea, Cuba, Syria and North Korea isn’t actually splendid evidence of totalitarian regimes handing over or coup d’état from family members to become the Executives.

That Norbert Mao wants to give way for another unelected family member to the throne is a mere demonstration of the meagre effort of opposition to the Movement. That he accepts the draconian and all eating Museveni and let his family go forward before the Republic. It’s an insult to all Ugandans. That only the Clan of Museveni is fit to rule the Republic. There we’re a Republic before Museveni and be one after his time. Still, now it seems that Mao is so tired and has so little faith in the Ugandan people, that he gives way to the Museveni clan.

He should care as he should be voice for the ones really wanting change and a peaceful change from the government and regime that only cares about Museveni. So Mao shouldn’t lose faith. Mao should fight with fellow comrades and want a substantial change for the Republic, that doesn’t owe anything to the Museveni clan. Peace.

Reference:

Daily Monitor – ‘I don’t care whether Museveni hands over to son or wife – Mao’ (01.01.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Museveni-hands-son-wife-Mao/688334-3503756-format-xhtml-13ewxl2/index.html

Opinion: Post-Kiggundu – The brutal truth about the new Electoral Commission in Uganda

No matter who get appointed or picked as long as the His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is in charge and the Commander in Chief. So as long as he is there, his decrees and orders will matter. So the results and the final say are in the hands of the President. He will not care what the locals of Karamoja votes or the ones in Mbarara, what matters is what is needed for the Movement and in the end him!

The Electoral Commission under the Dr. Badru Kiggundu has been a useful tool for the regime. He has used all kind of ways to get the results that we’re needed. Also all kind of explanation to avoid the reasoning or even trying to shuffle the defence as the relevant laws to sustain the needed excuse to exhaust the courts. This has been done as the Opposition has questioned the legality and the just behaviour of the Electoral Commission.

The all of sudden 100% in counties, the ghost voters, the unregistered voters showing up and the moving of place of voting for the citizens, the lack of delivery of ballots and equipment to key areas. This has been tactics as well as fixing the elections into the schedule of the Movement. Free and fair was never important for the President as long as his loyal men and woman we’re plated and sent to Parliament. Or his loyal men and woman elected through the Resistance Councils and the Local Government positions as Local Councillors and such.

This will not change as the appropriate men and woman is not in circle of the new Electoral Commission. The cleared name from the President is more loyal men and woman who want to eat of the Presidents hand. They want to eat and are hungry like the rest of the MPs who has cars and no income tax. The same level is what the EC commissioner’s wants and therefore wants to be hired. So they can live in mansions and have government perks that citizens don’t get.

So no matter who is put up in the Movement and who they want to appoint will be working for the President and his elite. The regime will not change their pattern even if Badru Kiggundu is out of the picture. Will just be a new face that will eat the same level of crap.

The reality is that the names put forward now by the President is his loyal cadres, they are not bi-partisan or even becoming of people who the citizens can trust. That is for the same reason as the ones before, they will be the loyalists for the pay-check of the President; they will not be there for people. They are just useful props for the President to get his fake-elections and votes when needed, but not something he cares deeply about. If he did he would have set in place systems where the people wasn’t starving and had water-irrigation to secure the harvest even in dry season. He has 30 years, but hasn’t left much behind because what he has is fragmented and eaten by his ego. Therefore the EC will be marked of his loyalist, not of the ones who is best for nation, but who is the best for the “only man with a vision”. Peace.

Gen. Wamala: UPDF to probe cases of soldiers’ involvement in beating opposition supporters (Youtube-Clip)

“The Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Edward Katumba has asked the Commandant of Military Police to identify his men who beat supporters of FDC’s Dr. Kizza Besigye on the day he was bailed from prison in July. Katumba Wamala says the actions of the officers are in breach of the law. Meanwhile, Parliament’s Defense and Internal Affairs committee today heard that the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD refused Uganda to deploy in South Sudan as part of a peace keeping mission aimed at ending the ongoing fighting there” (NTV Uganda, 2016)

The Calvary in massive debt after the General Election of 2016

Oh Gee, who knew right? Who would have thought that the Uganda Police Force would generate such amount of money trouble that the issue came for the Parliament on the 3^rd of August 2016. Months upon Months after the General Election; the costly re-election of the politicized partisan police gets into fiscal issues. After using live bullet, throwing most of Forum for Democratic Change hardliners and candidates into detentions, house-arrest of Presidential Candidates, using the flying squad for house-calls and even monitoring all kind of political activity. Even with the extra budget for military and Police Force for the Post-Election violence; still the tab for the Police Force under Inspector General Edward Kale Kayihura has overspent the cash-flow of the “ministry”.

Who knew right? With the House-arrest the overflowing of helicopters, mambas, tear-gas and newly brought equipment in the docks of Mombasa days before the polls; the man-hours and the expensive new cars for the District Police Commanders, the tab had to be expensive. The paychecks and the little payment for the providing Crime Preventers who knocked down and supposed to silence opposition also cost a buck or two.

The reasoning for the capital are all there, the reminders of the payments for the service rendered. The validity of using fortunes on keeping Besigye and FDC under siege has had its cost. The report in Parliament today we’re staggering Shs. 91 billion in debt for the Police Force. Because of this IGP Kayihura chickened out of showing up and address the deficiency as the meager violent leader he is.

Not to talk about the man hours and cost for keeping opposition youth behind bars, the escalated kangaroo courts up and the massive overload of petitions for freeing the men and woman who got caught. As the spying police forces together with payments for crime preventers and their training facilities before and during election period. The Uganda Police Force must be so proud of their efforts.

The continuing shipment of political activists and the guarding of public schools and hospitals in the districts also cost money instead of catching thieves and the ones doing corrupt activity. This also put on the tab. So the reasons for the overburden of budget and monies are enormous. The ironic thing is that IGP Kayihura who doesn’t like to be put in questioned or monitored; should have some fiscal sense as the Intelligence gathering apparently doesn’t comply to the ways he spends the fortunes on keeping Besigye at bay in his Kasangati home or making sure that Lukwago doesn’t get to deliver his Election form on time. The jollies of being Police Commander in Uganda, I guess.

The ones that should pay this is the ones that have a hard time understanding the cost of operations of this kind, the man that just orders, but doesn’t deliver. The long living and eternal ruler Museveni who the PC Kayihura follows like a blind dog; time to sell a bunch of goats and cows to Salva Kiir of South Sudan, as Riek Machar just stole a bunch from him; I shouldn’t have said it, they might do it at the end of the day. More likely they find a new way of taking the foreign exchange from Bank of Uganda or even steal more from state coffers as they always do. If they didn’t then it wouldn’t be the NRM-Regime and Museveni way.

Those who we’re surprised and shocked forgot the aggravated actions of the Police Force during the elections as they even had pre-ticked ballots in Police vehicles and at Police Stations. The Police is full-fledged part of the NRM-O at this point of history, their violent right hand to fist the public with their batons and throw tear-gas at them. They are just vicious and brutal. Just like their master Museveni who likes guns and cows, but hate opposition. Peace.  

Kiggunddu faces tough time convincing Uganda Law Society of EC readiness for elections (Youtube-Clip)

“Chairman of the Electoral Commission Dr. Badru Kiggundu had a torrid time during a meeting with members of the Uganda Law Society, the umbrella body of lawyers in the country. During the meeting that focussed on the readiness of the commission to conduct free and fair elections next month, Dr. Kiggundu held his own, insisting that his team was doing everything in its power to deliver a credible election s expected. But as Raymond Mujuni reports, Dr. Kiggundu said the commission would not hesitate to call on the army for help if the need a intervention” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

A walk through the current election time in Uganda 2015

We are coming to the years end. In a little week we will kiss the new-year and touch 2016. What a day that will be! We have seen and felt in 2015 what politics do and does to society in Uganda. This would have sounded differently a few months ago. This is a quick current pre-view and I hope you don’t mind! 

The General Election is set for mid-February that means we have over 50 days still of campaigning. The Campaign rallies will feel a déjà vu at this point and would not be different unless the NRM, FDC or Go-Forward does any major stunt. The minor candidates are dwindling in the wind and are gone as quick as they set of at their nomination day.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission got a heavy pay rise and earns now 35 Million shillings a month. That must be to settle the score for the government and secure the rigging system. We can’t not believe earning all of sudden 29 million more shillings a month comes for free and not with a price. He surely will pay Mzee back.

The IGP Kale Kayihura went into the Ntungamo after the clashes in the town. The reports we’re blaming NRM big-men and Police to taking charge against the Go-Forward Supporters at the venue. Gen. Kayihura has said after “he only went on orders”. We can also see a week or so after there have been arrested many of the leaders and campaign officials for Amama Mbabazi, but none of the NRM men. Later Mzee has promised to pay a sustainable fee to the NRM-Supporters who was hurt, but not the others and it was 1, 5 million shillings each to mend their wounds.

We can also see how the Police get more and more violent on the campaign trail. There been attacks by NRM men towards the FDC convoy when they trailed the north. Deputy Speaker Oulanyah was in charge of the men standing off towards the FDC and their convoy. Nothing has happen ever since that happened. The FDC has had stand-off near Fort Portal and in Gulu with no feedback from Authorities on the matters. The Go-Forward have also had issues in Northern Uganda. The police interfere and also shut down venues as they feel. They are interfering into politics more than the UPDF Members of Parliament do!

On the 29th December a traditional day of rallying the FDC convoy got violent meeting with police while going to Rhino Camp Health Care facility in Madi. The Go-Forward aspirant Bright Muhumuza we’re supposable jailed in Ntungamo for his involvement in the Ntungamo clashes. While this was happen around the NRM who we’re sending men door to door in Kalangala and offering the people 500 meager shillings to shun the rallies of Go-Forward Amama Mbabazi. This is just another day in the democratic nation of Uganda.

An Independent Candidate Elton Joseph Mabirizi was early on the campaign trail taken and kidnaped. He we’re returned after that but his campaign has been silent and not made fuzz since.

We have seen the NRM Primary Elections which have been fraudulent and tragic events, not only for the losers, but for the party in general. Hard to take serious with the magnificent missteps and arrogance not only from Dr. Tanga Odoi and the other men running it. Okay that Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba can be mad and or whatever potion she is on to save face, still the NRM looks weak and foolish. The Unnecessary violence, rigging and bribing makes it looks a picked race from the get-go not a fully-democratic-exercise where the NRM members decided who is their favorite, instead sole candidacy and a few fallen Minsters are the outcome and NRM looks weaker than before, instead of a strong force behind their almighty Mzee.

The Uganda People Congress has had their wrangles before the up-coming general elections. First with the issues within the opposition alliance TDA or The Democratic Alliance! This shows that the TDA-wrangle proved to have split leadership something have been brewing for a while. Ever since Jimmy Akena became the President in the Party in November 2014 there has been issues. This been visible with the former-president Olara A. Otunnu who has led the party for a decade before, the wrangle led to the UPC going out of the TDA alliance as they picked their common presidential candidate and FDC went out of the TDA a little later as well. The UPC went further with their trail in this elections, the new leadership has lost in court and have to give back to Otunnu, even though Akena will reaffirm the party with a new National Council and get his position as president again. This is not the only thing Akena has been doing. They have no Presidential Candidate and pulled out of TDA. Therefore he has gone and done something that would be unheard and should be unheard of since looking at the history of the party, the UPC has gone into alliance and will collaborate with the NRM in the General Election, there been reports of decent pay-off to Akena, and that would surprise me or anybody else for that matter, but the legacy of his father is really vomiting on.

The DP and Norbert Mao have also gone into a strange state. The UPC is two of many parties this time that doesn’t have a presidential candidate. Norbert Mao have been a vital part of the TDA and is as a rare breed, a President of a Party and not officially running for MP in his constituency even if he have been running there since the 90s. There must be somebody grinning in Gulu knowing that UPC and NRM can take the spot. The DP have weaken themselves with the alliance. They need a good result from Go-Forward Presidential Candidate to eat well and see the fruition of the alliance. Neither or they looks stupid with their loss of their main candidate. They have also missed their prime candidate in Kampala Erias Lukwago who have gone independent and is supporting Dr. Kizza Besigye for presidency instead of Mbabazi. Therefore the DP is struggling and will not be seen as a vital part or piece in the election. They will be more a tool in the tool-box for the TDA instead of strong force anywhere.

If we go a bit back in time again, there been steady spread of fear and fear-mongering from Mzee. Something that I have seen all 2015! We can see that with the condition, that he is the only one who can control the UPDF; that is the definition of spreading fear.

There will be more empty promises from the NRM-Regime, be more police interference in the coming elections and after since they have promised much more money since they gotten post-election violence money.

There is too much who is wrong. There might be European Monitoring team of the election period in Uganda, but doesn’t seem to stop the violations from the central government. The only one who let it be peaceful in November was the expected and two-days of papal visit in Kampala and to the martyrs resting place. After that the Police and NRM have gone back to normal. The only one with some peace and only some attention from the Police is the FDC presidential Candidate.

The mayoral candidates of Kampala Erias Lukwago have also met strong opposition from the local community and police in the city. That might happen again. I would not be surprised. It is natural that they support the NRM candidate.  I am sure that the EC and KCCA have a plan to upset and cut the grip on the public that Lord Mayor Lukwago have on Kampala.

We will see more foolishness during election time and until February! The NRM-Regime and their forces can’t help themselves! They have a natural talent to throw BS towards the leaders of opposition. Still waiting to see one of the Presidential Candidate in prison or get preventative-arrest. The interesting thing is how little use there been of Public Order Management Act that been used more than toilet-paper by the Ugandan Police in recent times. We will see how it goes and how they will behave. We will also see how the NRM-Regime will continue to accept the FDC progress and the public acceptance of the Go-Forward campaign. We can’t expect it since it’s against the normalcy of the arrogance of Mzee and his loyal paid-off cronies. Peace!

Police fire teargas to disperse Besigye supporters in Amuru (Youtube-Clip)

“Police fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse a crowd that had gathered for a planned rally by FDC Presidential candidate Kizza Besigye in Atiak, Amuru district on Wednesday night. Besigye accused the Police of high handedness in handling the matter” (NTV-Uganda, 2015).

The People’s President campaign rally in Atiak today!

Yesterday the Police of Amuru went on frontal attack the FDC campaign team and their venue in Atiak. Today the FDC team went back to the venue and they held a peaceful presidential campaign rally. On the same spot as the Police scattered the people and used tear-gas and bullet into the crowds. Dr. Kizza Besigye returns and shows that he will not give for the cause of change, yet again the NRM-Regime and their police has used violence instead of democratic means to defy their opposition. Peace.

Besigye comments on on Atiak skirmishes with police (Youtube-Clip)

Atiak in Amuru was a war zone yesterday evening. Some of the lethal apparatus used can be seen here. Defiance all the way. Besigye has revisited this place today morning to check on the victims of state brutality.

The spirit of Defiance has led Besigye back to Atiak in Amuru district this morning where he was teargased along his supporters who had gathered to see him as he drove to Adjumani. Time check 8:00am (as many of u still enjoyed your beds) and Besigye was already addressing the victims of state repression! He is now on the way back to Adjumani. True commander never leaves the injured unattended to.

Besigye said “Don’t fear those police and their guns. Those guns will never defeat people power. If you are determined, you can even overrun that police station and force them to surrender”.

On Social media a witness said this about yesterdays actions in Atiak:

Heavily armed Police lawlessly dispursed hundreds of KB suporters in‪ Atiak, who where standing by the road side junction waving at KB as his convoy were heading to Adjumani. A big shame to Amuru DPC, Ahimbisime whom I saw firing dozens of live bullets at civilians and several cannistars of tear gas that spreaded at a square of over 1KM.

Peace