Opinion: EU Envoy Schmidt are speaking like an NRM apologist similar to Ofwono Opondo over Besigye’s 2016 Election defiance!

I feel sorry for European Union Envoy Kristian Schmidt who are now sounding like a National Resistance Movement (NRM) apologist, instead of an independent spirit and understanding of the short-falls of the NRM Regime. He seems to been misunderstanding what happen during the General Election 2016. Surely, he wants the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Dr. Kizza Besigye, to say it just water under bridge and let it go. Since the Supreme Court followed the orders of the 31 Years and counting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. First introduce some of the beautiful words of Ofwono Opondo, before the Kristian Schmidt’s foolish interview with Daily Monitor, before enlightening fellow European of his ignorance or forgetting the blatant impunity towards Besigye and FDC in and around the General Election 2016. Since he has forgotten while drinking Nile Brew in the Embassy and going on Safaries with his dignitaries. Surely, Schmidt must feel good about himself!

““In this election, Besigye gained 1.5 million votes compared to two million votes he got in 2011 while Museveni’s gain was a paltry 500,000. To the NRM strategists, this is the most shocking, indeed worrying trend, and having located the cause as being our messaging, strategy, campaign style, internal laxity, occasioned fraud and widespread bickering. We shall not blame anybody else except ourselves. Actually, to be frank, we were almost swept away by our collective failure to robustly respond to the Opposition demagoguery on issues of youth unemployment, despair among the urban population, poor and yet expensive public service delivery and bad public relations, especially to distribution of soft campaign cash that often got stolen along the way among other issues. This, to the Besigye camp, should give hope that with better strategic organisation, not only falsehoods, they can in the future topple NRM through the ballot instead of being bad losers” (…) ““The claims of rigging, especially at the last minute through alleged intimidation of candidates’ agents, ballot stuffing, falsification or alteration of results on tally and declaration sheets and at announcements are perturbing and incredibly unbelievable. These could pass as truth if the peddlers could at least adduce some verifiable evidence from eyewitnesses and documents in their possession that differ from those of the EC, which ought to be available from the multiple sources, including the media that observed these elections” (Opondo, 2016).

So when a NRM spokesperson and Uganda Media Centre director had to come in defense of his master. In the aftermath and with the current illegitimate government. Who has no problems in misusing the government funds and had no problem rigging the election in their favor. As the FDC had massive scores of leaders behind bars, had people with Declarations Forms from Polling Stations at Gun-Point, had their Headquarter barricaded and sealed off, Besigye was under house-arrest and the story goes on. Not an adventure, but a true theft a nation. Still Schmidt says this to the FDC and former Presidential Candidate:

“He added: “That is of course an issue that is dividing but I think it would have been good to come together and discuss. It has not happened and election reforms seem to be not going forward.” (…) “The law of Uganda is what it is: the conditions of petitions are what they are, and for a petition to be successful you have to do a lot of homework. Under your Constitution I believe you have little time, 10 days. I know one of the recommendations of the Supreme Court is to extend that time which I believe makes sense.” (…) “ He said “I think if Dr Besigye was convinced before elections that he would not be happy with the outcomes and the process, he should have been the one to petition. He should have prepared for that but he decided before that he was not going to and under the rule of law.” (Musisi, 2017).

EU Envoy to Uganda Kristian Schmidt, I know you visited him while on undetermined house-arrest. Since the Police Force had been stationed in Kasangati, Wakiso for so long days before the election and until May 2016. When he was able to escape and have his own swearing-in ceremony, before air-lifted to Moroto, where the state charged him with Treason charges. Which he still carries today, he is an arch-criminal and seen as an enemy of the state. Than after all of this, you talk about rule of law, justice and courts. Like Dr. Kizza Besigye haven’t had his time in court, haven’t been detained on more occasions than ordinary thief, even more than average murderers in the Republic.

So, the FDC was unable to counter with a petition, Amama Mbabazi was the only one able to fill in a form or petition. Because FDC has done so after General Election 2011. So it is like the EU Envoy for Uganda Schmidt is not in concern anymore of all the breaches that happen to Besigye. Like the whole House-Arrest period, the whole part of the general assault on the rule of law considering the elections and polls. The self sufficient pre-ticket ballots and Badru Kiggundu’s own special math-class. The statistics and the vicious attempt of forging the whole election in favor of President Museveni.

It like he wants the one on Treason Charges since May 2016, since the coup d’etat in February 20^th 2016, when the Electoral Commission announced the result. That as the whole NRM and state organization was behind the whole ordeal. Even the European Election Observation Mission and the Commonwealth Election Observation Mission was explaining the massive flaws of the General Election. Still, the EU Envoy want Besigye just to let it go.

Let’s take his first reasoning, since it is shows his true passion, the Danish dignitary: “Now if this was in any other democracy, like in some European countries, it would be unacceptable that the Opposition party does not then recognise the winner of the elections” (Musisi, 2017). If this was an election in Europe, all of these ploys of the NRM wouldn’t have happen. Not normally, that the army is used to intimidate, that local leaders are paid-off with new cars, that ballot are pre-ticket ballots and all powers to be to silence the FDC. Together with the obvious rigging and mismatch of acts in favor of Museveni. If this would not have happen in a European elections and EU Envoy to Uganda knows this. That why it is remarkable that he says about Besigye.

Besigye knows better and the Ugandan people knows so. They are not fools, even if Schmidt is sounding like Ofwono Opondo and has taken lectures from Andrew Mwenda. He surely has hanged in the same bars in Kampala as these two. To sound so blatant ignorant and so forgetful. Peace.

Reference:

Opondo, Ofwono – ‘The media shouldn’t parrot Opposition false claims’ (28.03.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Media-parrot-Opposition-false-claims/-/689364/3135890/-/2m2g7v/-/index.html

Musisi, Fredric – ‘Besigye refusal to recognise government not helpful – EU envoy’ (09.07.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Besigye-refusal-recognise-government-not-helpful-EU-envoy/688334-4006606-er8gyr/index.html

Mzee have finally wiped out the opposition as he promised after the announced victory!

“I will wipe out the opposition completely in the next 5 years. NRM is going to be stronger” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Let be clear, right after announced victory from the Electoral Commission and Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu, President Museveni said that he would wipe out the opposition and he has done it with passion and certainly soon done it as his duty. In a way to make sure that the Multi-Party system in the Nation is a flop.

The opportunities and the silver coined framed opposition figures in the Forum for Democratic Change are joining forces in the Shadow Cabinet to gain some estimated figures from the coffers of Parliament and play the parliamentary pawns that Mzee needs this term.

While the Uganda People’s Congress are busy trading their soul with NRM, as they are getting two slots in the 81 size cabinet of 2016-2021. The rest of UPC under Olara Otunnu are distancing and in general might even create another branch, and party that becomes a new profile, since they don’t want to be part of the NRM and Obote’s son selling of inheritance to Mzee.

Uganda Federal Alliance have also sold their fortunes for a Cabinet position and is therefore silenced by the Mzee, as she the leader of the party want to serve him and also be a part of his established court.

The hardliners of FDC are either lingering in jail, detained, house-arrested or kidnapped by security forces as the rest of the party are playing hide-and-seek close to Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala. So the party of FDC is even into the half who wants to continue the defiance of Dr. Kizza Besigye, and the ones that are settling for the silver-coins with the lingering blood on it.

The Grand question is: where is the Conservative Party of Ken Lukayamuzi? They are not to be seen, JEEMA are they still out there? Justice Forum and their men who even have been besieged by the Police during the days of officiating Mzee; the smaller parties are totally silent or at a non-approach. Democratic Party and Norbert Mao have addressed concern and the initial connection with the shoot-out in Gulu, while that was not true and government made conspiracy, and with the newly dispatched Amama Mbabazi, the party should be stronger, though their lingering nothingness, proves that the ability that Mzee have had since leaving for his swearing in,

The Police Force monitoring and detaining, silencing and attacking the opposition, together with trading with weaker minded opposition have made the stalemate livable, as the mentor and ticking problem of Besigye, is going from court to court, and addressing charges after charges and even treason, as IGP Kayihura are paying criminals to be witnesses and uses all means, and even most brain-dead police officers to lie in court; like he did in Kasangati Court of late; when the justice had to listen to the testimony of the Police Officer who was a former colonel, but never been to the army. So the truth is that, as long as he doesn’t have a voice, the men are walking around unsure of how behave towards the oppressive and militarized government of National Resistance Movement.

All of the Opposition parties are toothless right now, the Human Rights Organizations of Kampala are raided and nothing happens. People and activist are kidnapped, soldiers are being shot and killed in made up conspiracies, while colonels and sergeants are detained as well. The paranoia of the state combined with the militarized politics and police force are taken freedoms and taken all parts of the state. The Opposition is on life support… Who is out there to save it, as the big man Dr. Kizza Besigye is away and nobody else have the legitimacy or the charisma to fight the powers with peaceful means while Mzee uses every tactic in the book to destroy and conquer them. Something he has been successful with ever since election and the reaping results are happening now, as he 10^th Parliament are soon in function and the government are soon departing into brown envelopes, as business is back to normal after a hectic year. 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

“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!

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”.

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.

Free Uganda Statement on the Youth Revolt now underway in Uganda, led by the CHAIN-WARRIORS (31.03.2016)

Ugandan People Power Revolution in the making. The nation’s Patriotic Youth are leading the way. Freedom is the ultimate Destination.

Free Uganda applauds the courageous Ugandan youths who have today, 31st March 2016 launched the equivalent of the 1980 attack on Kabamba barracks by a small group of NRA guerrillas.

The difference is that this extremely symbolic action by the revolutionary youths of Uganda was entirely peaceful – CHAINING THEMSELVES TO POLES IN STRATEGIC AREAS OF KAMPALA CITY, as hundreds of chanting and singing citizens cheered them on.

The CHAIN WARRIORS have opened one of the most effective pathways to the liberation of Uganda, and they must be applauded for their determination and courage, in the face of brutal police arrests and torture.

Going forward in this Struggle, all creative means of defiance will be deployed by the People Power Patriots, but the Ugandan nation must prepared to confront the extreme and nakedly savage brutality by the Museveni / Muhoozi / Kayihura axis.

It is vital that the People of Uganda, while pursuing the freedom goal through peaceful and non-violent means, acknowledge the need to be open-minded about the possible use of ALL NECESSARY MEANS, and begin to build the necessary capacity for any such eventuality.

This call for preparedness to use ALL NECESSARY MEANS to secure the People’s Freedom and resist mass murder on the part of the Museveni / Muhoozi / Kayihura axis, is directed mainly at our brothers and sisters who are already armed and trained in the use of violent means, i.e those in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Service and the country’s Security Services.

If Ugandans are to achieve the Burkina-Style liberation, which was initiated and overwhelmingly actualised by unarmed and peaceful citizens, those progressive and patriotic brothers and sisters in the armed services must be prepared to intervene on the side of the masses, when Museveni, his son Muhoozi and the rogue police general Kale Kayihura begin to commit mass murder of unarmed civilians or when pro-Museveni sections of the armed services chose to carry out a palace coup, as was the case in Burkina Faso, when the presidential guard attempted to reverse the People’s victory by carrying out a palace coup supported by the deposed president.

This foresight and visionary reflection on how things may go wrong in the course of the People’s liberation struggle is of vital importance to the success of the patriotic mission now underway in Uganda.

It is not good enough for the People to sacrifice their lives through peaceful struggle, only for their victory to be blunted or snatched away by the very illegitimate and criminal outfit that has imposed itself on the nation.

Where necessary, even the civilian population that is now involved in peaceful and non-violent defiance, must be prepared to use ALL NECESSARY MEANS should the evolving developments necessitate that course of action.

So, as the People Power Struggle picks momentum and becomes visible on the streets of Uganda’s capital and elsewhere across the country, it would be of strategic importance for the progressive forces in the liberation struggle not to rule out any RADICAL SOLUTIONS, IN THE FACE OF MUSEVENI’S, MUHOOZI’s and KAYIHURA’s EXTREME VIOLENCE, BRUTALITY and REPRESSION.

The Free Uganda (FU) view on the way forward for the Freedom Struggle is that Ugandan people must be prepared for any eventuality and all the patriotic forces in the country should empower themselves and the masses in ways that will be effective enough to overpower the reactionary terror machine currently assembled by Yoweri Museveni.

The Freedom Struggle is on!

Written by Dr. Vincent Magombe, Secretary Free Uganda Leadership Committee and Press Secretary FU – 31/03/2016

“The media shouldn’t parrot Opposition false claims” – Ofwono Opondo; I beg to differ and address his claims; and discuss he defense for the so-called Election Victory of his beloved NRM!

“If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it” – Mark Twain

When we speak of Ugandan election it is not often Mark Twain comes to mind, but he should be spoken about like folklore and around the bonfires and around the charcoal since it exactly what happen. Mr. Opondo has yet again come to the defense of his party and his master. Last time I addressed him on the 1^st February 2016, when he attacked the Media and the FDC. He does the same thing again, now in another manner, but still needs to comment and arguments need to be sealed and show how the misleading words of the NRM spokesman are. If these arguments from the NRM spokesman are true, then I say that the voting done in the Presidential and Members of Parliament Elections in mid-February wouldn’t make a difference, since the NRM just let the citizens do it. But we would hope the value of the votes mattered more right?

“I take issue broadly with the Ugandan media’s coverage of election campaigns and results so far. It surprises me that more than a month after the public declaration, official release and gazzettment of the election results by Electoral Commission (EC) the mainstream media of radios, television stations and newspapers continue to parrot the false and absurd claims by Dr Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) that he was ‘robbed’ of victory at the last minute by the NRM in connivance with the Electoral Commission and other State organs. FDC lost 17 of its 35 MPs in the 9th Parliament, and the party hasn’t made any gains at all!” (Opondo, 2016).

Well, the reason why everybody can claim what surprises you Mr. Opondo is that the men and woman with the Candidates Declarations Forms from the Polling stations from other parties have been detained, the amount of polling stations counted in the official announcement and results are small, the pre-ticked ballots evidence have been massive, even polling officials have had ballot-boxes pre-made before the Election Day; therefore with the massive amounts of the rigging the claims that surprises you shouldn’t Mr. Opondo, but I know you would say anything that your master command you to. As you are not allowed to think on your own right Mr. Opondo? I know that hurts, but by now it must be facts. If a rigged elections and the results from the elections is seen as verified then the might be a loss for the FDC, but even though they might not have lost, since there was no crowds celebrating your grand victory and the country was mourning while the soldiers was heavy deployed and the army was standing around Namboole Stadium and the Electoral Commission Headquarter unto the time for petition the elections on the 1^st of March. So your victory can’t be that big when you need all security organizations, the army and the police at standby, if the public wanted your victory they would catch chicken thieves and not having Dr. Kizza Besigye under house-arrest ever since the day before the Election Day.

“In this election, Besigye gained 1.5 million votes compared to two million votes he got in 2011 while Museveni’s gain was a paltry 500,000. To the NRM strategists, this is the most shocking, indeed worrying trend, and having located the cause as being our messaging, strategy, campaign style, internal laxity, occasioned fraud and widespread bickering. We shall not blame anybody else except ourselves. Actually, to be frank, we were almost swept away by our collective failure to robustly respond to the Opposition demagoguery on issues of youth unemployment, despair among the urban population, poor and yet expensive public service delivery and bad public relations, especially to distribution of soft campaign cash that often got stolen along the way among other issues. This, to the Besigye camp, should give hope that with better strategic organisation, not only falsehoods, they can in the future topple NRM through the ballot instead of being bad losers” (Opondo, 2016).

Well, the NRM Task Force and Campaign Team have used large war-chest and monies on the election, ferrying more voters than ever in history. The cause doesn’t seem important as the recycling pledges from the leader of NRM and the President. There been internal problems that are visible ever since the Executive decided to cut ties with Amama Mbabazi. With that the Party has struggled through a strange internal election called the NRM-Primaries, and even in the end payed to have the losing incumbent as “NRM Independent” in the General Election. You can claim stolen campaign funds while you have scandals of money from the Bank of Uganda used for campaign, getting money from the Government of Kenya and giving away UGX 250k to every village in the last days before the Presidential Poll on the 18^th February. If the FDC came with only “Falsehood” and still feeling the need to defend the ballots, the ballot and pre-ticked ballots and the statistically strange results of 100% for the NRM candidate at certain polling stations. There are too many issues from the Election Day and the late release of Election Material in Wakiso and Kampala while the Kaabong Town and Lira Town could vote from the early morning on the Election Day seems like rigging to me, as the EC Headquarter are just besides the Polling Stations in Kampala and Wakiso. So Mr. Opondo the deal with feeling bad about losing is that there to many factors in the pot to make a to tasty stew for the matooki, it is not just beans, it is leafs, onions, spices and water mixing well to feed the pundits and commentators with enough to question the elections. If the FDC could topple the NRM, then the NRM should not worry about defending all the Electoral Malpractices during the Election and Pre-Election Period proves the problems that the NRM Spokesman struggles with. That must be the reason why he had to defend yet again the Election Announcement and Declaration. But Mr. Opondo does not have the heart to discuss that and suggest the issues since that really weakens the argument he needs to justify the so-called “win”.

“The claims of rigging, especially at the last minute through alleged intimidation of candidates’ agents, ballot stuffing, falsification or alteration of results on tally and declaration sheets and at announcements are perturbing and incredibly unbelievable. These could pass as truth if the peddlers could at least adduce some verifiable evidence from eyewitnesses and documents in their possession that differ from those of the EC, which ought to be available from the multiple sources, including the media that observed these elections” (Opondo, 2016).

Mr. Opondo, when you got footage, got reports of officials, even police officers having ballots, when you got so many FDC officials and Go-Forward Officials detained, is not “incredible unbelievable”; that sad thing Mr. Opondo is that it is true, if not the FDC would might have had the opportunity to file a petition of this fraudulent Election you claim to valid. The Police have rounded up and taken amounts of opposition officials in jail and at gun-point. I know that you don’t believe that Mr. Opondo, that is because you’re sitting safe in your home and reading while “sighing” and “cursing”. Mr. Opondo I know you wish your party and leadership that pays you creates a “fairytale”, but without your knowledge apparently the Party you’re speaking for and working hard to defend has become the Orwellian. The Election Observers and Monitoring Teams have come with both good and bad. Even said that the Electoral Commission didn’t reform as asked to do after the General Election 2011, the CCEDU and CEON-U were not taken in or even gotten a place in the Petition. Commonwealh was not giving a good preliminary statement; the COMESA/EAC/AU gave a counter-statement that was positive; while the European Union also asked questions; as much as the American Mission in Kampala has also asked for the copies of the forms, with the Electoral Commission complying to the request proving that there are questions to be asked! That is something you don’t even bother to think about, Mr Opondo? Or is that reasoning blowing your mind and boggles the brain-cell that operates your reasoning?

“But, it appears the candidates, observers and media did a shoddy job and are now embarrassed that they cannot provide any credible documentary evidence of fraud hence the generalised allegations of cheating and unfairness. The local media in particular, appear to have been overtaken by the early rumblings in the campaigns perhaps by the way Mbabazi was hounded out of NRM secretary general position and the subsequent obstruction of his initial consultations outside NRM party rules by the police. Unfortunately, Mbabazi’s would-be most loyal and vocal supporter, his wife Jacqueline has been reported indisposed throughout the campaigns and, we wish her steady recovery.  The media silence has left Besigye to make bogus claims, thereby inadvertently lending false credence that indeed he was cheated and fanned public anxiety. Surely, the Uganda media can do much better” (Opondo, 2016).

The Embarrassing part Mr. Opondo with all the knowledge you still attack the opposition who has been detained and struggled. While the NRM has had police by their side, the NRM have ordered the Police and even used them to silence the Media. And when you as a spokesman uses the end of statement implying them to tell the story as you do; you wonder why people are claiming what they do? If it was “Bogus Claims” from the FDC wouldn’t you just let the FDC come with a Petition with the Declaration Forms and witnesses instead of doing what you did? The only good thing you did during the whole statement was to defend the election and attack the FDC. And as a NRM Spokesperson you’re supposed to speak up for the Party, so if you did anything else Mr. Opondo you would do a crappy job, but defending this in this display and rhetoric is not winning or defining the opposition or the announcement of the result.

The reason Mr. Opondo why I have not discussed the numbers and percentage of this election, as that is not necessary as your constant attack on the media. Because of it was fair and the justification of the victory was unnecessary your piece would have made more sense. This was not a piece of clear message and clarifying the victory, more a meager display of trying to defend the election and the winning result. Mr. Opondo if it was a clear victory wouldn’t he be happy people around the streets of Kampala and all over the country? As it has been in the early history of your beloved NRM-Election?

The silence of the media is because of the mourning and understanding of their audience and have followed the UGPetition16 and the actions around that; the other issue is that the NRM have attacked the media from pre-election period, the police has shot a journalist in the head, detained a dozen, confiscated the equipment, taken broadcaster of air, shut of the transmitters of radios, closed stations when opposition leaders comes to scheduled programming, gotten NTV banned from the campaign trail and so on. The NRM is responsible for the climate that the media is in, the censoring and silence is made by the irresponsible and irrational leadership of the NRM and their Executive. But Mr. Opondo could never say that because he has to praise and kiss the Executive ass right?

I think that is enough for tonight. The reasoning from Mr. Opondo is yet again missing and his analysis written by a blind mind, but a hungry tummy as he wants a bigger paycheck; just like Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu got before the Election. Peace.

Reference:

Opondo, Ofwono – ‘The media shouldn’t parrot Opposition false claims’ (28.03.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Media-parrot-Opposition-false-claims/-/689364/3135890/-/2m2g7v/-/index.html

Letter from IGP to Supreme Court: “Re: Alleged Arrest of Witnesses in Election Petition No. 1 of 2016” (09.03.2016)

Harassment of the opposition: Offices of two of the lawyer’s was raided last night; they just happen to work on the Mbabazi Presidential Election petition in the Supreme Court; while witnesses who saw the electoral fraud get’s detained!

This here is not a beautiful view and a wonderful story of how a the oppressor change their ways, it is more of the same, as the NRM-Regime and undercover Police, or under Police supervision has raided two of the lawyers of Go-Forward Presidential Candidate Amama Mbabzi during the night.

The lawyers who has been attacked during the evening, lost their documents and their computers was Muhammad Mbaabzi and Fred Muwema, the ironic part is during the morning hours the media was arriving hours before the Police came back to the scene. After a long while they have sealed of the offices and the laywers are not allowed to enter into their own offices. As they are working on the Presidential Candidate Petition on the election fraud of Presidential Election during February!

This here is the continuation of violence against the opposition and their freedoms as they try to get rid of evidence showing the electoral fraud, as they have taken FDC officials and FDC agents with Declaration Results Forms from the polling stations, now they take the offices of the lawyers as a continuation of the oppressive methods of the ruling regime. Here are today reports and they are bleak!

“Mbabazi lawyer Basalirwa: “We’re taking a constitutional path by going to court, unlike Museveni who went to the bush” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016).

Statement by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago on today’s actions:

“My colleague in the profession and a personal friend, Muhammad Mbabazi, requested me to pass by their chambers this morning to share with them the relevant evidence in my possession regarding the impugned sham election. I was, however, treated to a rude shock to find their entire firm in disarray as unknown assailants ransacked it last night. Surprisingly, the security agencies had not cordoned off the scene of crime, neither were they deployed in the vicinity yet Wandegeya Police station is a stone throw distance away. This strange conduct of police, who, ironically, pitched camp at the residence of the Dr. Besigye ostensibly to ward off crime, renders credence to the school of thought that the police are culpable. God save this country”

Daily Monitor reports:

“The offices, one on Acacia Avenue in quiet and leafy Kololo and the other on Buganda Road in Kampala, were reportedly broken into at about 3am” (…)”Mr Mbabazi said the police should explain what exactly happened at his office. “The police were seen to have come here. They came, they broke [in and] they took away whatever they took. So I report to whom? They should be the ones to come and tell me ‘we came in, we didn’t find you then we broke in’,” said Mr Mbabazi during a televised interview an hour ago. At the time of filing this story, the police had not yet established the circumstances under which the office was broken into, despite it having private guards” (…)”Mr Patrick Onyango the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson when reached for a comment, said: “We have sent our officers to establish what exactly happened. I cannot comment on that matter before I get a report.” (…)”According to one man who claims to have witnessed the incident, about 30 people were involved in the break in. “They were about 30. It is those who were in plain-clothes who entered; the [uniformed] police watched from the sidelines,” the man claimed. The burglars reportedly came with a ladder, which they placed by the perimeter wall to climb over the wall” (Wesonga & Kato, 2016).

Another laywer got a break in:

“FULL STORY: “The police were seen to have come here. They came, they broke in, and took away whatever they took. So I report to whom? They should be the ones to come and tell me ‘we came in, we didn’t find you then we broke in’.” According to Mr Asuman Basalirwa, another of Mr Mbabazi’s lawyers, the team spent much of Tuesday receiving witnesses they will call upon to testify for the Amama Mbabazi petition against the election of President Museveni (Daily Monitor, 2016).

Unconfirmed but believable reports:

“Personnel of SPC Security told Mbabazi that around 3am, about 30 uniformed policemen raided the offices. Their plainclothed colleagues broke in and took computers and documents. The alarm went off and the SPC Security Quick Reaction Force soon arrived. They were arrested, badly beaten up and are now hospitalized”

The other break-in:

URN: “Fred Muwema Kololo offices sealed off after early Wednesday morning break-in. Muwema’s office is located in Kololo, Acacia Avenue, opposite Metropolitan Hotel. Muwema is one of the lawyers handing the presidential elections petition filed by Amama Mbabazi challenging the results of the February 18, 2016 elections” (URN, 2016).

“Fred Muwema, also Mbabazi lawyer had his office broken into. No one allowed in as they wait for police to get here” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

 “Fred Muwema arrives at crime scene where his law offices were broken into” (88.2 Sanyu FM, 2016).

“Police continue investigations on Muwema law offices break in, senior partner confirms several PCs were stolen” (88.2 Sanyu FM, 2016).

Arrested witnesses of Electoral Malpractices:

“Basalirwa said yesterday that at least 12 witnesses, who had travelled from five Busoga districts, were arrested as they arrived for a meeting at Mbabazi’s Kololo residence” (…)”When they arrived, police officers came and asked them where they were going, and when they mentioned that they were witnesses in Mbabazi’s petition, they were bundled onto a police patrol truck and a Super Custom and driven to Kireka [Special Investigations Department headquarters],” Basalirwa told The Observer yesterday” (…)”We reported last week [that] six polling agents were intercepted on February 29; they were polling agents from Nabweru and Kakiri in Wakiso district, and were heading to Kololo [Mbabazi’s residence] in a Toyota Noah registration number UAP 710N and in possession of original declaration of results [DR] forms. They have since gone missing, and the DR forms which were part of the evidence for the election petition are also missing,” Nakaweesi said” (…)”Such acts are meant to destroy credible evidence that supports the petition and also intimidate witnesses and other conscious citizens who want to submit such evidence,” Nakaweesi said”  (Kaaya, 2016).

I think the stories speak for themselves as the lawyers who works for Amama Mbabazi are stifled by Police and the men honoring the President as he does what he can to dissolve rule of law in the name of Museveni, as he is the law and the ruler, allowed to do as he please while the other people have to obey him. As it seems, Amama Mbabazi continues to work against the machine of ruling party. With taking the witnesses to prison while now raiding the lawyer’s offices and then sealing them off. This is a sad day, see how far the government has sinks in respecting other people and even the men who works for obeying the laws and defend the rule of law.

This is a way of the ruling party to dissolve the petition and spread fear, as they are known for and this is a continuation of it. Peace. 

Reference:

Kaaya, Sadab Kitatta – ‘Arrested Mbabazi witnesses in Jinja’ (09.03.2016) link: http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/43002-arrested-mbabazi-witnesses-in-jinja

Wesonga, Nelson & Kato, Joseph – ‘Burglars break into Mbabazi’s lawyers office’ (09.03.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Offices-of-Mbabzi-s-lawyers-broken-into/-/688334/3109066/-/34o1ae/-/index.html

The Police shows their arrogance toward the FDC; the Police said they had the ability to fill in the Petition!

Well I will start with a quote from the Uganda Police Spokesman as it says it all! Read what he is saying: “Confining Dr. Kizza Besigye could not prevent FDC from filling a petition if they wished so” – CP Fred Enaga (Kampala Dispatch, 02.03.2016) to the press on the 2^nd March 2016.

The days on end with house-arrest, the days on end with detaining at Naggalama Police Station and Kira Road Police Station for going out his home, and that is not preventing him filling a petition? Mr. Fred Enaga is you listening to your own reasoning?

You guys in the Police have done everything in your power to destroy the ability for the FDC to fill a petition. You have guarded the FDC Headquarter at Najjankumbi, attacked and arrested FDC staff at one point. You have stopped FDC Officials and FDC agents who had the Declaration Results Forms. So you could get the DR forms and save face for the mismanagement of the Electoral Commission during the days after the Election Day and the tallying.

If it is arresting continuously FDC agents and men who have evidence of rigging; if that is not stifling the works on gathering evidence to file a petition, than your stupid or ignorant Mr. Enaga. But you’re just saying the words IGP Kale Kayihura want you to say.  You are just proving that the Police is one of the tools to demolish the opposition; as that is the wish of President Museveni.

If not stopping Journalist around Kasangati to report the movement of your police force is not stifling the world to know your mental violence against Dr. Kizza Besigye. Than I don’t know what freedom is?

A little example to you Mr. Enaga:

Mr. Enaga, I hope you get house-arrest, get your people who work for you perpetrated by men of law, and stifle your every movement. Take your car away from you while you go to church. Get your credited police force to get tear-gas into the offices where you work and get men with riot-gear to detain you. Guard the building you work at and not give your ability to work. I will execute this orders to this to you because I have: “intelligence that you’re terrorizing your own citizens and planning to persecute innocent people and hurting them with mambas in the street and house-arresting people without charges”.

Than you can try to do police work and speak your mind to the public. I am sure you couldn’t even put a parking ticket in Kasangati, which was the official excuse for detaining Ingrid Turinawe of FDC and NBS reporter Remmy Bhati who was on Live-TV yesterday.

I do not really wish you this treatment Mr. Enaga; the treatment your Police Force has been doing to the FDC has gone through. For the simple reason: I don’t wish any men or woman go through the hardships that the FDC are and the life that Dr. Kizza Besigye has right now. Mr. Enaga, you sound like fool and act like a fool. Please look at yourself and your police force, be proud of your nonsense. Peace.

Remmy Bahati Speaks On Her Ordeal With The Police (Youtube-Clip)

“Remmy Bahati, the second NBS journalist who was arrested while reporting live outside Kizza Besigye’s residence, spoke to the Morning Breeze crew on her experience with the police after her arrest. A traumatic experience but a highlight in her career” (NBS TV Uganda, 02.03.2016).

My thoughts:

It is hard to listen to her and hear what she went through in the car. Remmy Bahati and what they did in the car was sad to hear. The issue is also about Press Freedom and that Andrew Felix Kaweesi telling at Kasangati Police Station to not tell the Dr. Kizza Besigye or following what happens around his home there. That says how much they are trying to stop media and the press to be around Dr. Kizza Besigye. She had an appointment to get there, but she was not allowed in. She questioned that Andrew Mwenda could enter yesterday without an appoinment, but not her! The irony! It was DPC Kasangati who ordered the arrest of her yesterday, DPC James Kawalya! 

I feel sorry about Remmy Bahati and I am glad she is telling the story of how the Police have harassed her and without charges. This here will always torment the regime that are now. Because the issue of not caring about the journalists or about the justice. Here is the example for inciting fear and unjustifying their actions towards her. This here is just sad that the Government of Uganda and that the Police of Uganda did. Peace. 

Deadline day for petition deliverance for the ones the opposition to counter the Electoral Commission final result the 20th February; Journalist and Turinawe arrested at Kasangati today; while Mwenda and Dr. Kigozi enters the Compound and FDC Officials not allowed in!

Early in the morning today there was reported that Independent Magazine editor and owner Andrew Mwenda entered and was allowed to enter Dr. Kizza Besigye home and discuss with him. The high work ethic of Andrew Felix Kaweesi and DPC Kasangati of James Kawwyla is busy arresting and sending people away from the area and usually not letting people in. IGP Kale Kayihura must find some well spoken word of wisdom must come soon, as the journalist detained and the amount of FDC agents and mobilisers are piling up into the deadline. While CP Fred Enaga can’t keep up with actions from his peers, the Police Force is acting as a tormentor of the people and opposition; not preserving the peace of the people. As much as the army is still staying in the streets of Kampala and other places on deployment to secure that Regime lives on in a tense state and not in a peaceful harmony between government and its people.   

Another report is that the money-man during the elections that had a son running as a Western Youth MP Gen. Tukumunde was either hurt by a canister of tear-gas or a bullet; the demonstrations against the result of the Western Youth MP.  Even the Police and Army entered the venue of the 800 youths voting for their representative of their region.

While also journalist are sitting and waiting at Kololo to see the opposition delivers the petitions at Supreme Court. They are waiting for the lawyers of the opposition to come with the petitions.

On Facebook after visiting Dr. Kizza Besigye:

“Today I visited Dr. Besigye at his home in Kasangati. I did this after reading his Facebook post where he said he felt like becoming a real terrorist. Seeing his dilemma, I understand this sentiment even though I do not agree with it. We held very fruitful discussions on the present and future of Uganda. Even though we disagree on how to promote democratic reform, I have no doubt that he is genuinely convinced that he is working for the good of our country” (…)”But as an old man I told Dr. Besigye that truth is never objective but subjective; it is plural and not singular. We will never resolve the truth of who won the last presidential election but we can begin a dialogue on how to build a better future for our country. I hope all sides to the Uganda political debate see the need to work together rather than to work against each other. Hate will not bring us deliverance but destruction” (…)”If both sides cannot accommodate each other through compromise, there will be no winners. And Uganda will lose. Besigye represents a large disgruntled voter segment. We cannot afford to dismiss their disenchantment. Museveni represents an even larger voter segment. We cannot ignore their views. The challenge is how to create a common ground” (Andrew Mwenda, 01.03.2016).

Mugisha Muntu says: “Police was suggesting to send in their own representative. That is the level of arrogance we are dealing with”.

The FDC said this:

“We are now heading to Kasangati to meet Kizza Besigye and come up with a conclusive decision” (…)”We are operating under very hostile conditions. Our candidate has been arrested 8 times in 10 days” (NBS TV, 01.03.2016).

Continued House-Arrest:

“Our reporter Bahati Remmy in Kasangati says Police is still deployed outside Kizza Besigye’s home” (NBS TV Uganda, 01.03.2016).

As the media is following the Kasangati, the one journalist detained and taken cameras from yesterday Abubaker Muwonge, was supposed to get back his gear today; instead he will not get for some reason from the Police.

FDC not allowed to have a meeting with Besigye:

“Party officials allowed to meet with Besigye. Only if they leave their cars at this cross section” (Nduhukire, 01.03.0216).

As the NBS TV follows the situation at Kasangati and the FDC meeting at the place today; the NBS Journalist Remmy Bhati has been beaten up by the Police and manhandled by the police.

NBS TV on it themselves:

“BREAKING: Our reporter Bahati Remmy arrested by police live on air in Kasangati” (NBS TV Uganda, 01.03.2016).

On the FDC that had to leave their cars and supposed to be allowed in, that changed by the minute as the Police has changed their minds.

Ingrid Turinawe said this hours before press conference and the arrival at Kasangati:

“All earlier efforts, engagements and attempts to have Dr. Besigye freed by police remain imposible. The deadline for presidential elections court petition is today. FDC NEC meets today at Najjanankumbi. We still wait for Dr. Besigye to attend this meeting. He is expected to give direction and his views about the matter. We still keep the hope and patience despite dictator provocation. In case police block him again from attending or arrests him again… The party will communicate to Ugandans the next course of action” (Turinawe, 01.03.2016).

On the FDC:

“HAPPENING: Mugisha Muntu and other FDC members blocked from accessing Kizza Besigye” (NBS TV Uganda, 01.03.2016).

The FDC Report on the matter:

“This is the current situation at Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home. The NEC has been told to leave its cars on the junction to Dr. Besigye’s road to the home. Heavy police present that outnumbers everybody else” (Forum for Democratic Change, 01.03.2016).

Also happening the FDC Secretary for Mobilisation Ingrid Turinawe together with a journalist has been arrested and is driven away to a unknown destination. As NTV describes it: “Ingrid Turinawe and a journalist have been held and detained in this van here in Kasangati” (NTV Uganda, 01.03.2016).

As the event’s unravel on the gates of Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home and FDC Officials are not allowed to enter to finish the petition to have the ability to deliver it to the Supreme Court in time. While that is happening, Dr. Maggie Kigozi has arrived at Kasangati. Gen. Mugisha Muntu and the FDC official’s plea with the Police enter the compound, as Andrew Mwenda could enter without any fuzz. Do you also see the double standard of the loyalist of Museveni and the others?

From Parliament:

MP Odo Tayebwa: “I am not in the mood to attend this plenary session, Mugisha Muntu has been denied access to Dr. Kizza Besigye”. Also: “MP Odo Tayebwa asks for leave from parliament, saying he is not in the mood to attend the session because of what is happening in Kasangati”. Proves his manner to justice, props to Tayebwa!

While the FDC Officials was not allowed to enter his home, the Dr. Maggie Kigozi and the Woman’s Situation Room have been allowed to enter and discuss matters with Dr. Kizza Besigye, while the time is ticking to the end of deadline day. As this is a sending that has come to stall the time until the Supreme Court closes.

Hon. Ofwono Opondo are not for press freedom anymore:

“Media Outlets that are gonna be hacked by me are: New Vision, ChimpReports and Bukedde. HACKING in Progress. Thanks”, what pissed on his bonfire today?

While the actions and sieging of Kasangati continues. There was movement and people arriving at the Supreme Court. Here is the report:

“Vex Kingo ”Absolute Ambulera Govrnorment chairman as he claims has just arrived at Supreme Court Kololo to file his petitition.in brief he wants all recently concluded Presidential and Parliamentary Election be nullified because they were not carried out in accordance with eletral laws. VEX Kingo is known to be a political dramatist. But his arrived helped journalists break the boredom as the result of long day waiting for election petitioners”.

Yet more information about the Road-Blocks towards Kasangati:

“We are dealing with very unique and challenging times. A major route from Kiira-Matugga has been cut off. That means that many people are blocked and cut off to other destinations including Kasangati, a very sad state of affairs” (Forum for Democratic Change, 01.03.2016).

After the time and closure of the Supreme Court the Amama Mbabazi legal team came. They came at 17.05 when the time for addressing the court with petition was original time was set for 17.00. So that the Supreme Court. Registrar says he’ll accept their petition after 17h. That is big-men of the court. The Lawyer Severino Twinobusingye was the one representing Amama Mbabazi and was the one who was able to deliver a petiton from the oppostion to counter the result of the election and final annoucement.

From the FDC:

“We have failed to file an electoral petition today. We shall announce our next best steps on Wednesday 2nd March, 2016 at 11:00 EAT”.

There will come more as the story unravels. Here is what has happen this morning and the day is far from over and the Police and Government of Uganda. Will not let this one go, they do what they can to hold their hands over the opposition and with force at moment. Everything to stifle their chances to deliver the petitions while using unlawful methods as they have done since pre-election period. It is systematically from the Police and the Security Outfits in a display of arrogance and betrayal of freedom for the ballot or the FDC as civilized party during election time. This here is all nonsense and innocent journalist getting beating and arrested is just a manifestation of the militarized politics under President Museveni. Peace.