The sorry state of the nation of WaBenzi!

You are now entering into an alternative universe, where we have a nation called WaBenzi. Where the elites was eating of the state reserves, where the elite was there because of their connections with the political elite. A political elite made by patronage and nepotism. This political elite was made out a liberation battle done decades ago, either from a foreign force or from some dictator, whose legacy was murder of ethnic groups or even expelling others. The leader on top would be seen as a hero back in the day, but with lingering time, the party (the Movement) and the President would tarnish his own reputation for lingering on.

While that is happening, the written word is losing meaning in WaBenzi. Because the political are afraid of challenging the President and his party. They might have some newspapers, but their circulation isn’t on the basis for anyone outside many urban townships of the nation. Neither is the social media sites. The intelligence that has been leaked, has made the elite to shut-down, arrest and revoke the licenses of these media houses. Therefore, the media is careful and awaiting approval from the elite before publishing. They are careful with how they address the President and his movement. Because they don’t want to question his rule. At least not too much, because they don’t want to suffer. They got families to feed. Even if there is an inflation, even if the economy is in shambles. Even if the rising debt and lack of foreign exchange is hurting the economy.

The patronage is destroying the state, the lack of institutions that is meaningful is shown from anything from SIM-CARDs, or even as foolish as monitoring porn. The boards are busy bodies, while the state is eating the funds for the top-class. The state owned enterprises are giving away tenders to developers without any oversight of the contractors or their delivery. If this get public scrutiny, the President will offer them a new chance after a short suspension. Because someone he knows are eating of this plate.

In WaBenzi, the elite can get away with murders, they can get away with thefts and even land grabbing. As long as the State House is informed, it doesn’t matter if the house is a colonial masterpiece or a grand-farm. Everything can be taken, even evict whole villages for foreign investors, for factories which is promised on the land. The state can take away land for roads and for rail projects, even if the building is only on planning stage and not even the tenders of building it is open to the public. Therefore, if a garden estate for one of the elites is built there instead, it doesn’t matter. The elite of the Movement can do whatever they want.

The people of WaBenzi is so used, they are used that the President can what he wants and say whatever he wants. He can contradict himself, he does that weekly and yearly. If you followed the President. You know he talks against corruption, but let his ministers who is caught in international fraud walk around like nothing happen. The WaBenzi is so used to lied to, that their ignorance and lack of care is natural. They are tired and praying for the ending of the President. Because the President doesn’t plan to leave.

The WaBenzi are used to that the government talk about fair share of resources and development projects, even if the elite in West is getting more, than the Central, Eastern or Northern Regions. The Western has the best schools, the most Cabinet Members and the best infrastructure. The networks of hospitals and other needed government structures are there, but not in the others in that extent. The schools are decapitated, the police stations are unworthy shacks and the government offices for higher officers are looking like mansions for high-end business-men. The mayors and councilors are well-fed, the police-officers are beating on the public to get fed, the school-teachers are having side-jobs or even farming on the side. The civil servants are asking for kick-backs and fill their plate to do their civic duty, because the salary hasn’t risen in decades. If paid on time, it still would barely be enough for the rent of their home.

The hospital are lacking basics, politician of opposition parties are trying now and then to help out. They use their salaries to buy sheets, beds and even medicine. As the national medicine importer and delivery system is understaffed, lack preparation and even the tools to have enough medicine for all institutions. The lack of funding and governance is hurting the hospitals. As they cannot afford to pay their bills, as black-outs and lack of oxygen are common place.

The Electric company is run by private contractors and also private investments from abroad. The development of the energy companies and the plants are all based on either multi-national funding or possible foreign investments. These are done in random, while the different part of the sector is underfunded and also because of the issues from within, is overpriced, hard to get good rates on the electricity and also often blackouts. This hurts the industries, the public, who has to have generators and cannot trust the government run company to deliver enough and stable enough electricity.

The WaBenzi is hurt by the Western, little Elite whose eating of everyone’s plate. They are grabbing it all, while all part of society is hurting. They are not even caring about the Parliament, where the laws are rubber-stamped and secured in favor of the will of the President. The legislation is to favor his agenda and not the good-will of the people. The Elite is more busy securing tenders and their own future, than securing the better institution and society for the public.

The WaBenzi has strict laws on political gatherings, the laws are to secure that no-one will ever have the power or possibly can topple the President. No one should be able to create a protest or demonstrations that could take him down. He has the army and the police on his side. They are keeping people at bay, even invade the Parliament to get his will served. The Courts are listening to him and the orders are happening to his service. Opposition leaders can easily find themselves behind bars, the ones who voices against the Movement will easily get into trouble. That is the state of WaBenzi. Where the thieves and murders walk free and the opposition is the real criminals. Therefore, the trust in the Police and Security Organizations are not there. Because they are misusing their powers to arrest innocent people, activists and youths who are standing up against the President. He cannot manage that.

The government is usually fixing issues that doesn’t matter that much and making sure to make a stamp. Has some sort of campaigns, and making taxes on ordinary stuff, but not making sure the taxation is used properly. That is because the existence of the regime is because they feed the elite. The WaBenzi elite needs the President and the President needs the elite. The chronic patronage and nepotism combined with grand corruption is like daily. The Executives, the funds misused and the mismatch behind the use on programs and what is left to the public is staggering. The President claps his hands and gladly take his percentage of it too.

This is just a story about WaBenzi, how a country became a hostage of an elite that lives on the goodwill of the President. They are there and don’t want change, because they eat. Even if the people starve, even if they cheat on levels of poverty, even if the elite cheats on the amount of people living there and how many projects they have for development. The aid is still coming, the United Nations will still show up and pay for the supper of the poorest of the poor.

While this continues, the liberator who promised to never rig elections. The President has appointed and made sure the Commission who controls the elections are in his favor. The Election Laws are always amended and changed just before. So that the so-called opposition has another disadvantage. Not only that the state is busy giving away gifts to the public during rallies, even busing them to the stages if they have too. Paying off the popular musicians to perform and also pay-off journalists to write favorable coverage. The President is also busy paying the clan-leaders, the religious leadership and even some appointed leadership in the districts. They are getting cars and houses, as a token of their good work and making sure the President is elected again.

The President is also busy using the army and police to harass the opposition in the run-up to the election. Even make them illegal to make a point. The ministers and the Security Organization will defend it as constitutional and say the opposition are making war, not only campaigning. The President will use vile language and say people are fools if they trust anyone else. The Police will bar people, will be more into politics during campaigns, than actually doing police work. The Police will defend their monitoring and the micro-managing of the people. This is all to install fear and secure the President, that people will not really challenge the Presidency.

So after months of campaigning, the elections usually ends with days of tensions. While the Commissions are cooking the numbers, the ballots and the paper-trail, the police is busy chasing the opposition and the civil society. Offices are raided, the media are under attack, the internet is blocked and the observers are watching idly by, while silently saying the process has to move-on and electoral laws can be changed later. It is still progress for society. That WaBenzi had an election, even if it was rigged and the President took total control. He left nothing to coincidence. The public of WaBenzi was props to buy legitimacy for the Presidency, the Commission was another tool and the international observers was there. Just to secure the display of elections was shown. That people could que and wait in line before being registered to vote. Even if there was pre-ticked ballots. Even if the police officers was working and making sure the district got the right result. As the Police arrested people entering or even being party officials registered to be looking over the tally and getting copies from the return officers at the Polling Stations. That doesn’t matter. Because the result has to be in favor of the incumbent President in WaBenzi.

That is just WaBenzi, we are all happy that this what WaBenzi has to offer. This is what the WaBenzi gives of governance, of institutions and of lacking taxation without representation. We are all looking idly by, why the WaBenzi is taken for granted. The President knows this and lives on, happy and ready.

If you demonstrate or try to strike, he will catch and make a treacherous human being, because no one has the power to question the power of the army and the liberation. Even if the liberator only liberated himself and his cronies. The rest has to be hostages in the President’s will and President’s vision. That is the decision of the President, who can get away with anything and no-one cares. Therefore, the nation of WaBenzi is misused and the people are too. Every single day. Peace

Press Statement: Kofi Annan to African leaders: “Leave when your time is up” (19.04.2016)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 19, 2016 – Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan has urged African leaders to leave when their mandated time is up and to avoid excluding opposing voices if elections are to cease contributing to conflicts on the continent.

The renowned international diplomat said that while unconstitutional changes to government on the continent had reduced, exclusionary politics threatened to reverse the gains made.

“I think Africa has done well, by and large the coups have more or less ended, generals are remaining in their barracks, but we are creating situations which may bring them back,” the Nobel laureate said in an interview at the 5th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa (TanaForum.org).

“If a leader doesn’t want to leave office, if a leader stays on for too long, and elections are seen as being gamed to suit a leader and he stays term after term after term, the tendency may be the only way to get him out is through a coup or people taking to the streets”.

“Neither approach can be seen as an alternative to democracy, to elections or to parliamentary rule. Constitutions and the rules of the game have to be respected.”

Annan, the keynote speaker at the forum this year, said winner-take-all approaches to elections on the continent had the effect of leaving out citizens for holding an opposing view, raising tensions around elections.

Annan, who chairs the Africa Progress Panel and the Nelson Mandela-founded The Elders grouping, said he had been the first to tell the African Union not to accept coup leaders among their midst [during an OAU heads of state summit in Lusaka in 2001].

Annan also said that solutions to the problems the continent has must come from within. However, the continent must build up its ability to do so, including in financing its institutions.

“We cannot always pass a hat around and insist we want to be sovereign, we want to be independent. We should lead and get others to support us—that support will be much more forthcoming when they see how serious and committed we are.”

If a leader doesn’t want to leave office, if a leader stays on for too long, and elections are seen as being gamed to suit a leader

The African Union has struggled to get members to pay their dues to allow it run its operations and programmes efficiently, a recurrent theme addressed by leaders at the forum in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar.

Annan said such budgetary concerns were constraining the work of the continent in strengthening stability and required creative ways of resourcing.

“I was happy to hear them [African leaders] say ‘we must be prepared to pay for what we want; we must be prepared to put out our own money on the table and fund issues that are of great importance to us.’”

The forum, now in its fifth year, is an inspiration of the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and is organised by the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University.

An invitation-only event, it is chaired by former Nigeria president Olusegun Obasanjo and seeks to provide a platform for current and former leaders to interact with key stakeholders in an informal setting to tackle contemporary issues facing the continent.

It does not make decisions but is becoming an African ‘brand’ of note where local solutions are innovatively explored as the region seeks to carve out its place in a global security architecture dominated by western and emerging powers.

Leaders and experts at the Tana Forum also noted that the continent was not isolated.

“As Africa faces increasing security challenges, so does the rest of the world. The continent is well placed to provide innovative solutions to these security challenges,” Obasanjo said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and Sudan’s Omar al Bashir were among the heads of state and government present.

Former leaders Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Festus Mogae of Botswana, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Pierre Buyoya of Burundi and Joyce Banda of Malawi were also in attendance.

“I think it is a very good idea that ex-leaders come together with current leaders to share experience and try to talk very frankly about the challenges facing the continent and also about our relations with the international community,” Annan, who was attending the annual forum for the first time, said.

Why are the leaders of our time so hooked-on Power? And some theories for why they don’t leave the Executive Power to somebody else..

We are living in a day and age where leader’s doesn’t leave from their office. You have likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasongo who is making himself ready for another election in his country this year and he has been in power since 1979. You have the likes of President Paul Biya of Cameroon who has been the President since 1982 and was in government since 1970s. In Zimbabwe the President of the day President Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been the Commander in Chief.  And the list goes on.

We have the third term phenomenon of President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda both of them have changed the laws or used Courts to allow them to stay in power. So the leadership roles are sufficient to stay. You have the likes of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who has been in charge since 1986 and stayed ever since, changed laws again and again to linger in power and is rumored to fix the age limit to stay passed his 7^th Term.

So with this in mind, I will discuss it today. It is not a new phenomenon or a new change of guards. There are always leaders who linger and overstay their time in power. As President Juvénal Habyarimana of Rwanda took power with a coup d’état in 1973 and was in power until his plane got shot down in 1994. Just like the overthrow of first President Patrice Lumumba of Democratic Republic of Congo in 1965, who by foreign powers supposed to install Mobutu Seko Seko Kuku Ngebendu Wa Za Banga who was born Joseph-Desire Mobutu who was the President of DRC from 1965 until 1997. So there are leaders of the past who has not left office and is now long gone.

The issue with this is the way we build society around people instead of institutions and government structures. The Structures of government is kept weak and is not strong with procedure and predicated work for the civil service. That is why the leaders can linger and the way they keep it is fueling resources away from the government structures and institutions, keeping the progress weak and keeping the circle around them tight knit. Instead of having inner-circles with wits, knowledge and people who wants to succeed in their field; the leaders around the president is instead hungry men and woman who works for more and better civil service for the citizens.

That is because the leaders who circle all of government around themselves are not interested in great policies or deliver the promised pledges to the communities since then they have to give away power. When a leader tries to strengthen the power all around themselves then the necessary leadership is not about the government, but about the person who rules. The ruler set the standard ,not the laws of the state or the laws of the Parliament. As the Executive can fix the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, can rig the Constitution and make draconian laws that issues more help for the Executive; instead of the Constitution and the Parliament representing the citizens and for the citizens it becomes for the Executive.

That is why the Executive or the Ruler, the President doesn’t want to leave power since the whole state is built around the one person. The One Person who has in his image or her image built the government around themselves. And when they have it all for themselves they don’t have to fight for anything else then themselves. That is what matters, if he schools is depleting, health care is non-functioning, roads have bigger potholes then the ones on the moon, the government loans are worse than the subprime-mortgage and so on. That doesn’t matter because the situations doesn’t hit the Executive, because the government funds goes directly to him instead of the ministries, departments and sections of government than really-really need it!

The Power that starts with personal movement of fights and liberation, the ones that are personalized towards the one man who saved them all and then doesn’t leave is that the EGO and used to be center of attention. To have the voice of being right, so they can’t do things wrong in their own mind as they risk to lose their wealth and strength if they are out of office.

Some of these leaders have lived on the strength of the loyalty to foreign powers as they need their alliance in a region to secure peace in the neighbor country or during the cold war as the Americans did whatever they could to control the world and not lose nations to the Soviet communism. Therefore they fall of Said Barre of Somalia and the struggles of the Ethiopian Dirg of the 1970s. As the Cold War complex policies dissolved and built governments with influence of American and Russian strengths of the time. Take the example of President Mengistu Hailemariam who kept the Power from 1974 – 1991 with the Soviet influx and the Communist agenda that made the result of Somalia invasion with support of the Americans in 1977. So he himself had taken power in 1969 in Somalia the army fueled government of Said Barre as his power-play internally to keep the power together with the back and forth from the leadership at the time led to his fall, as he also had long-term squabble with Ogaden and Ethiopian neighbor after the tried invasion there. This the fall after 20 years might be because he circulated all power amongst himself and not in the powers of structures and department to delegate the powers.

That is the problem with the leaders who get fueled with power. They circulate all power and decisions are under the Executive. So with this in mind instead of building institutions and government structures, they build the armies and police force to enforce the Power of the Executive, not only to enforce national security, but to secure the Power of the Executive. Therefore the first to get payment are the armies and police officers before the teachers and other civil servants.

The Rulers and the Executives keeps the ignorant yes-men around them to secure that they don’t get to opportunist or wanting to get the Executive position. Therefore they elite around the Ruler get lots of perks, tax-exemptions, cars, housing and servants while the rest of the country can’t afford that. Unless it is foreign investors in businesses owned by the Party Elite or the Government elite that belongs to the inner-circle of the Executive; as the license and openings happens on the watch of the Executive and the Power not the legal justice system or the society binding corporate bondage towards the procedures of setting up business in the country. So the way the Executive get drunk on power is set on the fact that they having everything at nearly no cost.

The Presidents who are drunk on Power have centralized all powers around them and not the government structures and the decrees and the policies are made to keep them in power; not to build a grand state who offers their citizens what they need. Therefore the laws becomes for the MPs and the Elite that fuel the money and Power towards the President, then the President delivering to the People.

The remains of Mobutu’s Palce

So with the Inner-circle finding ways to support the President instead of serving the citizens as a government is supposed to do. Why are the Executive and rules high-on-power you asked?

That is because all of the Power, all of the resources and all of the goodwill of the nation is determined by the Executive. As the Power is resumed and determined by the Executive there is hard to leave that, as the knowledge of the system given to coming new leader can take away what the Executive already have built around itself. Therefore the security of having the power instead of giving it the next; that is why the lingering Executives and Presidents are like alcoholics!

Let me explain why the similarities are there. An Alcoholic has the hunger and need for another drink and beer. They do whatever they can to get another drink and beer, at all means and steal if they have to get that fizz. So the Alcoholic is so used to the alcohol that the feel of it weaken and needs much of it to feel it. The Alcoholic just need another brew and another brew. And never stops taking in the alcohol. In the beginning the alcoholic never think that they would end being so, and the same with power-hungry individual. It just became a habit. The alcoholic needs the alcohol, just as the Executive is drunk on power and needs some more drinks. The Executive gotten so used to and the habit of getting their will and generating the funds out of the governmental funds; so if they don’t get more the donor-funds or the Bretton-Woods Loans to their nations then they feel something is missing. They need the spotlight to be the king of the nation and the supreme ruler.

So the drunkenness and needed attention, the needed judgement and decision rate from the Executive that lingers in powers while they build the government system around themselves and weakens the people around them. So they are more needed and so that ambition gets squirrelled around them. There can only be one vision, one leader and one nation under God. That is the usual factor and the events that unfold as the dissidents and opposition get harsh treatment without any cost spared. Something that happens because they crossed the territory of the Executive and the rules of set-up by the President and the predicated actions are seen as violations of laws and constitution; that apparently been rigged in favor of current leader. Therefore another bottle of beer for the President as the sufficient drunkenness of power is staggering. Suddenly change would be hard and taken with haste. Because the drunken leaders will with force and madness go all-inn if they all of sudden loose it, they will be become bush-warriors or stealing elections to continue their Presidency. As we have seen through 2015 and 2016 that is how far these leaders goes to get the shot of power and not stop drinking from the fountain of government power. Peace.  

Press Release (Adm72/01): The Electoral Commission regrets the delays of voting in Kampala today (18.02.2016)

“Uganda: A New Dawn Is Upon Us” (TV Commercial from Go-Forward/TDA); With thoughts on the TVC’s of Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and Amama Mbabazi

Is this the way to sway votes or just a cheap trick to play with your mind and gain empathy towards the end of the general election from Go-Forward/TDA frontman Amama Mbabazi? I am just asking because I got far from all the answers. Because it is just interesting! To take a distance from a totally different man and his campaign TVC Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party in the U.S.A. While saying so, let take a look:

They both play with you heart and mind. Not just showing numbers and such. They are both respectable, but which tells the story the best and using the TVC best, is it Amama or Berne? But just put it up a bit, to make your mind boggle a bit. Let’s take a look at Ted Cruz of the Republican Parties new TV ad: 

And this here is totally different. It plays more on him as politician then the two above and is less heart into it. That is why you are more moved by the Amama Message and Bernie then by Cruz. Because it is instinct. A politican either shows what he will do, what the ideas of his political message or dropping bombs on his peers and “enemies”. As Trump would do in his, he will make somebody “enemies” because it is an thing to sell, instead of selling a program. Bernie is selling social programs for society and doing it with tact and finness. Something missing from Ted Cruz. Amama has it and shows the spirit of his program, but miss the final touch that Bernie has. That is my opinion! What is yours? Peace.

Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on “Empowerment of Woman and the silencing of guns in Africa” (Youtube-Clip)

“African Union chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says that should the violence in Burundi persist, the continental bloc can still deploy peacekeepers to Burundi” (SABC, 2016).

Press Release: CCEDU – Preventing Electoral Violence A Civic Responsibility for All (06.01.2015)

The Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) applauds the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda for adding his voice on the campaign for a peaceful, free and fair 2016 general election through his Press Statement dated 5th January 2016 (titled, “Maintaining peace, unity and security during and after elections”).

CCEDU has noted with concern that electoral violence remains a serious threat to the February 18th 2016 elections as evidenced by some of the incidents that have so far happened during the on-going political campaigns (recent clashes between candidates’ supporters in Ntungamo and Gulu). These cases of election-related violence continue to create a sense of terror and uncertainly among voters. And should such incidents of violence increase, questions on whether Uganda is capable of holding free, fair, peaceful and representative elections will inevitably emerge.

There is also worry that millions of nervous Ugandan voters could stay away from voting due to fear of violent attacks, threats or politically motivated intimidation.

CCEDU therefore calls upon parties and candidates to desist from acts that could orchestrate unnecessary anxiety and violence during the campaigning and voting period. Election stakeholders including the Uganda Police Force must demonstrate professionalism and impartiality in maintaining electoral security during this period. The Electoral Commission must dispense its mandate in a balanced and professional manner, calling each of the candidates and stakeholders to fully account for their actions/inactions.

CCEDU urges all political parties and candidates to desist from mobilising youth groups and militias to fuel fears or actualities of electoral violence. In the same breath, CCEDU calls upon government to seriously rethink its decision to utilise informal outfits including: ‘crime preventers’, ‘polling detectives’ for the purpose of providing election related security as this could further raise anxiety and possibly invite conflict, violence and chaos in the country. Ugandans have the right to vote in peace and all stakeholders are duty bound to take all necessary measures as provided in our laws to defend and protect that right.

Electoral violence and partisanship of institutions that should otherwise be guarantors of a free electoral environment are an obvious disincentive to participation in elections for both voters and those who wish to offer leadership. Ultimately, this undermines every effort at building a truly democratic country based on the supremacy of the people choosing their leaders. It also weakens state and non-state institutions that scrutinize elections, and hurt the legitimacy of the government of the day.

It is therefore, important that as the Prime Minister rightly points to opposition players in the election, government should equally urge its institutions to ensure utmost impartiality by working strictly within the ambits of the law. Local, regional and international institutions should therefore intensify working towards (timely) prevention of electoral violence ahead of the February 2016 general election in Uganda.

Dr. Kizza Besigye: Hon. Jimmy Akena will have betrayed his father (Youtube-Clip)

CP Fred Enanga on the Security Agencies creating Coordination Centres before the Elections in Uganda (Youtube-Clip)

“In related development, a contingent of over 40 units involving the police army, prisons and other sister security organs have been formed in the grater 27 regions across the country to ensure are free and secure campaigning trail. The group according to the police publicists will work in close collaboration with internal security organizations, area RDC’S regional police commanders and divisional police commanders respectively. The deployment according to police comes at are time when intelligence reports have received imformation on how a click of rowdy Ugandans are threatening to attack village and the remote districts across the country” (WBS TV)

NRM Election Poster for General Election 2016 with Rihanna going for Woman Empowerment in Uganda..

Is Uganda the same as Barbados?

Or is this the trick to get the disgraced Brenda Nabukenya into the fold again?

What kind of mess is this!

Ri-Ri! Rihanna?

SOS, indeed?

Somebody is really UNFAITHFUL and have POUR IT UP?

Is the NRM thinking BITCH WHERE IS MY MONEY?

She can’t be the ONLY GIRL in the WORLD and finally NRM thinking that WE FOUND LOVE?

NRM proves that it can be a RUDE BOY and we LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE?

NRM we know how you RUN THIS TOWN!

NRM, there must be a MAN DOWN!

NRM, CAN’T REMEMBER TO FORGET  YOU right?

NRM, WHAT NOW?

And last does the NRM election for the 2016 need an Umbrella Ella Ella?

(and I am a T.I. fan so don’t hate that I showed this one after my colorful comments)

Peace!