Campaign Poster Paranoia

NRM - Go Forward 13.12.15

These election posters are both creating dismay and irregularities in this election period. The ongoing issues of the ruling-party have with the opposition. It is understandable that the Electoral Commission does do much about it. Since they are in bed with the ruling-party even if they are saying otherwise… Last piece of the puzzle is the Police that often help with the ruin of the opposition posters. So the opposition is alone fighting this, and final point is that the Presidential Posters are untouchable. That means if they have taken a spot on a wall or a dry-wall they have to stay there until end of times. Because the Police and Electoral Commission command the people to let it stays so. Let’s take look at recent movement on the ground concerning campaign posters in Uganda.

Recently there been issued statements by the Minister of Kampala Affairs Frank Tumwebaze that there is set fees for campaign posters in Kampala. This by all means is foolish idea and new way of grabbing money out of the pockets of candidates for Local Council members, Members of Parliament and Presidential Candidates. So there would be a giant pool of monies coming KCCA ways.

There have been all through the campaign and presidential campaigns people shunning, destroying or pinning over each others posters in the towns and villages where the campaigning goes on. Especially from NRM who has done deliberate actions against the Go-Forward Presidential Candidate Amama Mbabazi. Where they have either destroyed the posters like in Mbarara, Ntungamo or other places utterly displaced them. The pictures from the campaign trail shows it; at the same time the NRM posters are hanging like the holy father is hanging on the wall. Well, that is just plain foolish actions from the NRM and their police. Not unexpected. Here is some previous and recent attempts of foolishness from the same people!

Amama NRM 25.11.15

In June 2015 CP Fred Enanga said:

“The president is the fountain of honour and he enjoys absolute immunity for whatever actions and enjoys structural advantages. You cannot just pull down his pictures under whatever circumstances” (…)”But even then, he has not come out to make such pronouncement (that he will run in the 2016 presidential elections),” (Tumwine, 2015).

In Mbale in October 2015 this happen:

““We are following up on the owners. We are going to drag them to court for littering the town and the clock tower,” Mr Wambedde charged” (…)”He said it costs the municipality Shs20m to renovate the clock tower and littering it with campaign posters would cost more money to restore its face” (Namono, 2015).

25th November 2015 statement from Electoral Commission on Election Posters:

“The Commission warns the general public, candidates, their agents and supporters, that a person who malicious defaces or removes or tears any election poster of any nominated candidate commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment”.

The last one was written and published by Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, that means that the Police and NRM supporters are to blame and liable for convictions for destroying and pinning over election posters of Amama Mbabazi, if your words actually means something right? Wonder why the Police doesn’t address themselves or they collect the NRM supporters who conduct this affairs. I wonder why, wait, they are loyal cronies of the regime and henceforth is free by law, or am I wrong? I don’t know, but that is what it seems by the minute, because Mr. Kiggundu hasn’t done anything in all the actions of destroying or pinning over posters across the country all of December. That means his words from November doesn’t comply to them apparently (it’s not stated by their words by the nature of their actions).

Honest NRM Poster 2015

A viral NRM Poster taking off:

“A honest political campaign poster of a Ugandan man who is seeking for a public office has gone viral and has got people talking on social media” (…)”An aspirant for Kisementi Municipality identified as Eric Mununuzi’s campaign poster has been making rounds on social media as he reportedly decided to tell the electorate the simple truth” (Nigeria News, 2015).

In Kayungu Hospital 18th December 2015:

“Dr.Kakooza on Wednesday blocked the district NRM publicity secretary Mutwalid Kizza from pinning Museveni’s campaign posters, saying the posters will damage walls during time of removal after campaigns” (…)”I got this job on merit and I am ready to be sacked for doing what I am supposed to do and if that one happens, I will go and work elsewhere in the world because I hold an international degree in human medicine and surgery,”(…) “Kakooza told New Vision when asked whether he does not fear to be sacked from the job” (Election.co.ug, 2015).

Early this morning the 19th December 2015:

“Kayunga Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr.Francis Kakooza Arrested For Blocking The Pinning Of Museveni Campaign Posters on the Hospital Walls”.

Amama 17.11.15 Poster

Afterthought:

There is reasonable ways of seeing this. Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) feels the need to levy laws to regain more money from the Local Candidates, Mayoral candidates, Members of Parliament and Presidential Candidates to pay for the service of having the ability to put up posters in and around Kampala City. I want to wish Frank Tumbewaze a Grinchy moment and wish to serve his greed. Even if it is Jennifer Musisi who thinks that this is the way to be able to gain the money they need to fuel the rail-service that they just opened in town, or maybe I am wrong. I am sure it is to keep the town in order or clean… no then I am talking about somebody else.

This poster thing has been an issue through the whole election period. It’s like a constant feature in the actions of especially NRM supporters and DPC who displays their lack of moral standing and ethics towards other parties. They are solely behind most of the destruction and malicious actions towards the others party’s posters in towns, cities and villages. Like the pictures of torn posters of the Go-Forward/TDA U from NRM, either destroyed or pinned over with a poster off Mzee. So there are issues there.

The other issue is that people fear taking down campaign posters of the Mzee or the NRM presidential candidate. Therefore earlier in the election before the Road Map was even started and the opposition rallies was bombarded by the Police, a police officers and military men was open to media telling they feared both the president and taking down campaign material. Therefore I am sure your still seeing campaign posters from 2010 and 2005 still hanging on walls around the country, not only the new for 2015. That’s because for the fear of taking it down for the repercussion as an act against His Excellency President Museveni.

This comes with the actions towards opposition parties posters proves that in this simple and easy step proves by all means that there is not a level playing field in this elections. When one poster has the ground and can be pinned over the opposition, even by police officers, while the same police guarding and supervising the NRM supporters or Crime Preventers to destroy campaign posters of the opposition, proves the malice that are from the governing party and the NRM-Regime.

The Mbale Clock Tower is a landmark, I understand that, that isn’t a political move, but more a placement of wrong material, and there are more fitting walls in Mbale. That is something the local politicians and national politicians should keep to make sure of the state of the town.

Kayunga Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Frank Kakooza has said no to all of the opposition candidates to put up campaign posters inside the Hospital. He was afraid of the dry-walls and also of the effect it might have on the patience of the hospital. There might also be the thing of how it will be perceived if there election material in a state institution, even if there is often NRM material in the Police stations, because we all seen their allegiance to the government and regime, there hasn’t been visible touches of that in health institutions. Still, since he has stood up against pinning NRM and Mzee Campaign posters in the Hospital. He said he feared of sacking and today that happen. The Superintendent did it for the best of the Hospital and not to be in the way of the NRM-Regime. That doesn’t seem to matter since he didn’t facilitate to hang up NRM campaign poster in the facility.

The Election Poster saga will continue and will not stop. As long as we have the NRM-Regime because they will keep their nest and power; showing that by keeping up the work and also posters in the towns. So this here will be discussed during this period until February 2016 and should be after. It is just about a certain point of showing your ways towards the ones who is not in your party. NRM can run it like they do and they have to give way for the opposition. Not like they have acted in this election. That is not acceptable. Peace.

Reference:

Election.co.ug – ‘NRM supporters force posters into hospital’ (18.12.2015) link: http://www.elections.co.ug/new-vision/election/1413694/kayunga-hospital-boss-nrm-leaders-clash-museveni-posters

Nigeria News – ‘Controversial Campaign Poster In Uganda Currently Trending Online (Photos)’ (12.11.2015) link: http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/africa/440589-controversial-campaign-poster-in-uganda-currently-trending-online-photos.html

Namono, Caroline – ‘Mbale council pulls down campaign posters’ (24.10.2015) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Mbale-council-pulls-down-campaign-posters/-/859108/2926806/-/m8vt1g/-/index.html

Tumwine, Albert – ‘We cannot pull down Museveni posters- Police’ (16.07.2015) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/We-cannot-pull-down-Museveni-posters–Police/-/688334/2753854/-/lr6i1x/-/index.html

Ungovernable city of Kampala

KCCA at work

There must some hardships in the leadership structure in Kampala. On the 3rd of December 2015, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda had the brilliant idea and hired Mr. Singh Katongole as his advisor on Kampala affairs.

#AskMuseveni 12.12.15

 

On the #AskMuseveni press conference 12th December he said this about Kampala:

“You ‘Kampalanians’ might not know all this because you are here in Kampala with your NGOs”.

Kampala 1960s

This city got the status of that in 1962. Kampala City has 57 Slum settlements and divided into 5 Divisions which are Central, Kawempe, Nakawa, Lubaga and Makindye. The main structures of the City are KCCA or the Kampala Capital City Authority. This lead by the Lord Mayor and the Executive Director; the Lord Mayor is elected by the people on a secret ballot while the Executive Director is appointed by the President; and that means that two of the leaders of the KCCA is one part a representative directly of the public and the other given the powers from the President to oversee the representative from the public; which if you wonder is the Lord Mayor. A third head chief of the City is the Ministry of Kampala Affairs and also the same person who is Ministry of the Presidency.

This isn’t a play that has always been in action. There was long run by the KCC, before the KCCA Act of 2010 came into effect. That was because the NRM-Regime feared their losing powers on the electorate powers and control of the Capital. Therefore they had to rejuvenate the system from Parliament and control the city of Kampala more directly from the Parliament. This has been done since the election from 2011. This was with the steady case of impeachment and dismissal of Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago in November of 2013. The issue was that the Lord Mayor wanted to hire certain people to do check and balance. This starting in 2012 with this: “Kampala City council Authority Councilors have asked the Authority’s executive Director to willingly resign before she is forcefully pushed out following a public report by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago exposing irregular recruitment of unqualified staff, who were in turn, paid hefty overtime allowances exceeding their salaries”.

Frank Tumwebaze

This led to a following powers struggle between Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago versus Executive Director Jennifer Musisi. And this also showed that the Minster of Kampala Affairs Frank Tumwebaze can take decisions and impeach the Lord Mayor, and also Executive Director under the direction of the President. Also get the through the Parliament the reshuffle of the KCCA instead of the men that the Lord Mayor wish to have to oversee the administration of the City as the Lord Mayor did under the KCC. But this working method doesn’t work smooth enough for the President of Uganda.

Lukwago-Eria

The Lord Mayor and the Executive Director the test accountability from the Public Accountability Council (PAC) and the Attorney General who runs the committee and reads the reports who is sent from the Minister of Kampala Affairs for review; this review is taken into consideration and in the 2013 case lead to the fall of the elected Lord Mayor of 2011.

Jennifer Musisi

This proven power of the Ministry of Kampala and the Executive Director, both handpicked men by the President. That is not the deal with the Lord Mayor. So that this is not enough to make sure that the NRM has true control of the still new KCCA, the five divisions and all the slums of the Kampala City. Under the five Divisions there is Urban Councils who also have leaders to keep under the leach of the divisions and the KCCA.

Even with the KCCA it’s still to be governed by the Central Government, the law says so, therefore the president does what he does best hire his people who are loyal to him in positions, both the Minster and Executive Director are loyal people of Mzee. The newly appointed advisor is seen as the same. The only issue is the Lord Mayor who has been an opposition candidate and not one of the handpicked men. That is why Kampala City hasn’t had an official Lord Mayor since 2013, after a year-long power struggle with the Executive director, that was rubberstamped by Minister of Kampala Affairs, before settled by the Chief of Justice and Attorney General. That ended in 29. November 2013 when a meeting complied of a certain level of councilors and 29 of them voted against the Lord Mayors position. He lost his seat and power by wishing to employ men he believed would serve the city well, instead got sacked by the Central Government, by the mouthpiece of Frank Tumwebaze and Jennifer Musisi who finally got rid of the people’s candidate to the authority running the city. So since then Frank and Jennifer has together run the city’s administration and put Lukwago in the cold. After this now Mzee has decided to put on more man into the fold.  

lukwago-musisi

The new position Presidential Advisor for Kampala affairs Mr. Singh Katongole, I am sure himself wonder what and where he is in between the other leaders of the City. There is clear that on top of the pyramid is Mzee, then it’s the minister, third it’s either the Lord Mayor or Executive director depending on who is in office at this point. Though firstly on third level the Lord Mayor by law is the one conveying the ordinary use of KCCA and with administrative help and then fourth placed leader is the Executive Director. The issue and question in mind. Is the advisor on his own island or is he on the same level and an informer to the president on the Kampala affairs? Or has the position powers that succeed the Lord Mayor or Executive Director? Does that position even contain keeping the Minister of Kampala Affairs in order and comply too the wishes of the President? Where does the person’s leadership ability and limit go?

Old Taxi Park

If you haven’t got it yet; the Executive director and Minister of Kampala Affairs is a way of securing NRM men to control a city and area where the NRM doesn’t have power. In this way a third leader will strain the relationship with the opposition candidate and elected Lord Mayor by the citizen’s secret ballot instead of the appointed men from the presidency. This here is proof yet again how the regime fears the people’s choices for their own leaders. That is why they prefer sole-candidacies and single-handed flag-bearers. Because of this leadership style from the president, he can’t handle seeing that the people want other people then the ones he controls over and their actions. That is why he has made the system and administration swallow for Kampala, so that the powers of the elected official has less to say and can easily be “sacked” by the council with the charge of the courts together with the Minister of Kampala Affairs filing in the case-work. That is why I have to question the need for one more man? When you can already by biased paperwork file papers in order together with the Attorney General send it to court and also get the councils verdict; by that get rid of the Lord Mayor or suspend his powers as so.

kampala road work

Why does the President need a fourth leader in a way for Kampala? The city is so ungovernable that the Lord Mayor needs three over him to able to administer the city well? Executive Director is a vital piece of the newly founded KCCA and supposed it seems to be the in between central government and local government leader, but isn’t that what the Lord Mayor already is or supposed to be? So the Executive Director seems as an addition to cut down the control of the Lord Mayor, because the Minister of Kampala Affairs can’t exhausts the reasons for taking control, he can put it to the Executive Director as he did in 2013. But in that sense, what advice does the new Presidential Advisor do? Does he send the letter to the Attorney General instead of the Minister? I just wonder where the newly appointed person comes into the equation. For the moment the position is an added X with any substance and I can’t figure the place on an organizational map. At this point I wonder if Mzee even can find him there, since he didn’t knew that the Uganda Cranes where a national team and not playing in the Uganda Premier League. Things are not easy for him always and finding him an office and place him on chart to explain his value will not easy. The position is surely just given to person who got it, not that person had to write a letter and give the CV to president, Mzee already had the person in mind hopefully when he appointed him. What is big the question that nobody else have bothered to ask!

What in the hell does Kampala need four entitled leaders like Lord Mayor, Executive Director, Presidential Advisor on Kampala Affairs and Minister on Kampala Affairs? And what is the newest recruit supposed to do in his office other than vacate a chair and surf the web on a laptop? Since the person who is now recruited can lean on the KCCA, their underlings, the Minsitry of the City and courts to do his job it seems; should the person just chill and go to local eatery an take a chai and some matooke? Peace.

Side-note – Even back in the day they we’re missing funds:

Mengo Hospital needs funds

It’s Official: Kahinda Otafiire is now a Independent Candidate for MP in Ruhinda Constituency

Kahinda Otafiire 2016-2021 Election Poster

Kahinda Otafiire the loyalist NRM, the bush-hero who lost in the NRM Primary Election recently. We all know he lost to a brother who was jailed. As many other losers he petitioned his case to Dr. Tanga Odoi and his NRM Electoral Commission without luck. He then described the whole “Primary Election as a Circus”. So now he has finally taken the last straw.

He has taken an official decision to go independent, even if his felly Yellow members in his constituency was tired of his life-long leadership. Now it is full-circle he has sided himself with other sore losers of the NRM Primaries and gone solo or Independent. Even if he has always been a NRM, he can’t be officially affiliated since he doesn’t go on their ticket or are their flag-bearer.

He will fight the one he has already lost to and other candidates from other parties. I am sure if he loses than also in 2016. He will claim misconduct and that he was unjustly treated by the Electoral Commission and that it was rigged in favor of one of the other candidates. That the tally center was controlled by fellow people who worked against him; and that ended in him not becoming an MP in the 10th Parliament. Peace.  

Press Release: Suspension of Campaign Meetings for Parliamentary Elections from 15th to 23rd December 2015 (15.12.2015)

EC Press Release 15.12.15

Olara Otunnu: “I am UPC Party Leader, Akena is an Impostor” (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqvGwBCma3I

“Following the court’s ruling that disregarded Jimmy Akena as UPC Party leader, Otunnu has called a press conference where he announce himself as party president though his term in office has expired.
Otunnu has also pointed accusing fingers at President Museveni and Kale Kayihura. He claims these two are keeping Akena in office by offering protection” (NBS TV, 2015).

DPC Tubonane warned about traffic to get rid of the rally in the town today for Dr. Besigye in Hapuyo in Kyegegwa district (and didn’t succeed!)

Kizza Besigye 14.12.15

I haven’t written much about the FDC rallies and People’s President Journey through the election even if he has gone from crowd to crowds in any district. He has come in by-passing because of the main events. Even if I am genuine admire of his politics and his swagger in public eye.  That’s because it been peaceful. Though the crowds and speeches deserves coverage, though my last piece was about his visit to Abim Hospital that also made the government look naked. A real power move by the Presidential Candidate; if not for that piece he has not been in main focus because Musveni and Mbabazi campaign trail has made more fuzz or more noise. Though it might not be as fruitful I still have felt the importance of it, even if it isn’t justified with the momentum that Dr. Kizza Besigye have for the moment.

DPC 14.12.15 FDC P1

Today I will talk about one report and what happen in Hapuyo Trading Center in Kyegegwa district where the District Police Commander Joel Tubonane claimed to the public and organizers that the venue and rally was disturbing the Trading Center and wanted the rally out of the road. He commanded them to stop the rally. The people answered him with chasing him away. So that Dr. Kizza Besigye holds his rally in Hapuyo. The ironic part of the statement of the DPC was that there were no visible cars in the road or traffic to interfere with the rally in the town.

The great issue about this is that FDC has given the Electoral Commission and Uganda Police Force its Campaign rallies plan and harmonized it after the laws that they have at their disposal, this has given way for the FDC to have rallies in the areas as they have accepted by the EC and UPF. Which should in effect give way for the FDC to do as they have already complied to the law to have these events, this is also into the famous Elections Roads Map that is the guideline that IGP Kale Kayihura spends time dreaming about when he crashes a event claiming it is not entitle in it It seems that the DPC Tubonane has the same ability, though not the same power or man-power in his district to do something about it. If he did he would violate the words of his boss and make him a hypocrite; that wouldn’t be surprising looking at the outcome of Amama Mbabazi rally in Ntungamo yesterday. That is in the same Election Road Map. I wrote about it yesterday, will not spend more on it, until the numbers and actual violence get more painted on the canvas I can’t describe it no more. Though I will say yesterday was unjustified actions from the NRM, period.

DPC 14.12.15 FDC P2

What happen today was a reaction to the reactionary DPC who thought by his mere presence would dissolve and abolish the planned rally of the FDC. Like on man and his words would do so. He would by that violate the higher powers that have for some reasons allowed them to do it. That’s the like Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu and IGP Kale Kayihura, the last one his boss. Instead of trying to force them away from the trading district he should have facilitated the planned rally. Not that he would do so, they doesn’t feed him like the loyal crony who hired him for the DPC position IGP Kayihura. Therefore his loyalty is to the NRM, even if the Police is supposed to be as the ARMY a units who are not participating in political activities, even if the latter has Parliamentary Members. That is just me commenting on the foolish reasoning of non-partisan army, which the UPDF is not, so why should the UPF not be loyal to their leader IGP Kayihura who gladly takes parts of great NRM events like recent ones on Kololo in November, and then we know that he will not judge against his own. That is why IGP Kayihura uses the Public Order Management Act to justify actions against opposition parties and activities in every turn that the Police throw tear-gas and tear up venues where the FDC and Go-Forward shows up.

This did not happen today, it is just to prove their viciousness. The actions of the normal police activity; it’s a reason why I am so blunt about it. That the DPC Tubonane in Hapuyo Trading Center was acting as the mouthpiece of his peers. And for those who have followed the UPF and their actions it’s like a déjà vu. We have heard it all before and it was expected.

DPC 14.12.15 FDC P3

What was unexpected was the reaction to the Police Commanders wishes of skirmishing the venue and street on his own; because the people reacted to his ways and got him away. That gave way for the FDC to have a rally in the town as planned. Though I wished he walked away freely instead of being chased away. They still proved some humility by not doing anything more. And the DPC Tubonane could have gotten his fellow comrades and retaliated and instead didn’t put up his equipment. That is something we also could have for-seen but that didn’t occur today and we can be happy about that since there been enough innocent people who has been hurt in rallies and consultant meeting in 2015 alone by the powers of UPF.

We could have seen more violence today if the DPC Tubonane had acted against the people who sent him away after threating to close the rally in the trading center. He could have gone and made hazard. Instead nothing happen and silent ordinary rally happen in town where Dr. Kizza Besigye held his speech and travelled on to the next district of the day. We can be happy about that, though sad that the DPC had to go to these ways to prove his power, though he lost it when the people of the town weren’t buying it. We can be grateful for their resilience and really living by the force of defiance against the governmental forces that are holding them in invisible chains, by the long-serving NRM-Regime. Surely not the reports Mzee want to hear in his ear in Saudi Arabia, well, he can’t always be pleased. Peace.

Electoral Commission letter: LEG 75/79/01 – “Re: Alleged Disruption of Candidate Amama Mbabazi rallies by candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Supporters (12.11.2015)

The Electoral Commission 17.11.15

UPC Wrangles Deepen, Bbosa Tells Akena to Vacate the Office (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCKlA6mKs9o

“Bbosa says Akena has never been UPC President therefore he should leave office. However Akena Faction accuse Otunnu and colleagues for clinging into power” (NBS TV 2015).

Press Release: The relaunch of the Lord Mayoral Campaign for Erias Lukwago (07.12.2015)

Lukwago-Eria

I would wish to inform you that following my formal complaint to the Chairman Electoral Commission, regarding the illegal disruption of my campaign program by the Police, a stakeholders’ meeting, involving inter-alia a team of senior police officers led by the Commandant Metropolitan Police Abbas Byakagaba, was conducted today at the office of the Returning Officer Kampala. It was unanimously agreed that I organise the launch of my campaign platform at the Old Taxi Park(Kisansa yard adjacent to Ben Kiwanuka street). Modalities for a peaceful rally at Nakasero Market Yard will be arranged in liaison with the market leadership on a future date.

Old Taxi Park

You’re therefore kindly invited to attend the launch of my campaign platform on Friday 11th December at 2.00pm at theOld Taxi Park Kisansa Yard. Looking forward to seeing you in hordes on that day. #Omuloodi Waali