Kampala is a political mess: That is not Musisi’s fault!

That the political map and the organization in and around Kampala is frustrating. Is because there is first the Kampala Capital City Authority, who is a legal administration and Executive Director Jennifer Musisi. The Second there is the elected City Hall with the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the Divisions and Wards. Thirdly is the Ministry of Kampala and the State Minister Beti Kamya. Fourthly is the Members of Parliament representing the Capital City itself and the fifth the Presidential Advisor for Kampala Singh Katangole. Plus you have the added interference of the State House and the President, who micro-manage everywhere and especially in the Capital.

When you see this and the stages, you knew Jennifer Musisi had a hard job. Surely it was easier when she and the Minister Frank Tumwebaze impeached the Lord Mayor in 2013. So, they settled the score and one less item to pass through. Because you don’t need to be a wise-guy to understand there are to many cooks and to many procedures to do anything in Kampala.

You don’t only has the elected from the Wards to the Lord Mayor, the ones elected in Parliament with their reasons and wants of change. The KCCA has their jurisdiction, the City Hall has their, the Ministry orders people around and the Presidential advisor says whatever he says to the President, who suddenly intervenes as well. That is why I have always been worried about Kampala.

The hierarchy and the political landmines are everywhere. There are no leeway, as the monitoring and the checks and balances comes into question. The KCCA answers to the Ministry and orders the City Hall. The City Hall is ordered by both the KCCA and Ministry, while the City Hall is trying to have a saying in the KCCA and the Ministry, without getting anywhere. As they are both acting as the City Hall is a symbolic enterprise. Instead of having elected leadership to make changes, the President has appointed the KCCA and the Ministry to try to evaporate the City Hall. To some extent they have managed that.

We know that even the Division Mayors have wondered what their tasks are, as they have little or less to do. As well, as the Lord Mayor are feeling override by the KCCA. The KCCA was established to counter the opposition and get in their way. Combined with the Ministry of Kampala, they are never giving space and when the State House orders the Minister. The whole chaos are happening. Like the kicking out of vendors from Owino Park Yard. This was done by the will of State House on decree by the Minister and met with hostile reception from the Lord Mayor. This is a sign of a messed up system and not of building a better Kampala.

There are too many cooks and for a reason. The President wanted to ensure the value of the elected leadership get as low as possible, while his loyal minions will overcome them. That is seemingly working, but must be tiring and Musisi gave up battling with the Ministry, State House and City Hall. That is unforgiving job, but she carried it and did what the President wanted her to do. The only thing she didn’t manage was to usher Ragga Dee in as Lord Mayor. Peace.

KCCA letter: “Re: Installation of CCTV Cameras and re-organisation of the Boda-Boda Operations in Kampala” (23.03.2017)

Lord Mayor Lukwago appoints members of KCCA Public Accountants Committee (19.12.2016)

KCCA Terminates Philips Contract for Solar Lights (15.09.2016)

Opinion: It’s a House of Cards when it comes to the KCCA and the Elected Kampala Leadership

House of Cards: “a complicated organization or plan that is very weak and can easily be destroyed or easily go wrong” (Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus, Cambridge University Press).

Kampala 22^nd July 2016 is a house of cards. It is evident, it’s in the wind, it’s a maze of joy and crappiness as the President wished it to be. As he let it rots and is a giant toll of unstructured tool of public an institution that doesn’t co-exist or co-operate ordinary as the selected and elected men and woman doesn’t even know their duty or their job. Hard to work when you don’t have a specific workload or deadlines, aye?

There been much speculation between the Chief Executive Jennifer Musisi, Cabinet Minister Betti Kamya, Presidential Advisor Singh Katongole and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. But today more stones started to roll for the already hectic enterprise as NRM like bloated and un-facilitated organizations to represent their past and present achievements.

If you though it was too irrational between the heads on the top it continues to next level. The City of Kampala has 5 Division Mayors who are actually feeling like “Lame Ducks”. Not so strange when Lord Mayor Lukwago is “Ceremonial Mayor”, what should the leader of Nakawa or Kawempe do?

These Division Mayors who feels like extras in Kampala are: Kasirye Nganda (Makindye), Ronald Balimwezo (Nakawa), Joyce Ssebugwawo (Rubaga), Emmanuel Sserunjogi (Kawempe) and Charles Musoke Sserunjogi (Kampala Central). These five Divisions Mayors seems to not have any powers, just the way the Lord Mayor feels and feels overruled by the Executive Director of KCCA and the Cabinet Minister. So when you have Three leaders over you and you are supposed to run it isn’t much left. Not like Dr. Jennifer Musisi is interested in giving way to Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, why should she give ways to authority’s legal and operative management of Kampala to the elected leaders in the Divisions?

This is a “House of Cards” for the Authorities as the divided and unsecure placement of the different government bodies and institutions, the Local Councilor’s in the Divisions must have less to do when even their Mayors are complaining about their ability to authorities anything in their constituency as Mayors. When already Lord Mayor has complained about his position and his role in the hierarchy of Kampala; how wouldn’t anybody under him feel?

The system is set-up for the fixed unelected men and woman of KCCA to overrule the Divisions and City Hall as the Chief Executive Musisi can just sweet talk with the Cabinet Minister Kamya as she did with Hon. Frank Tumwebaze. So for her it is nothing new and the Institutions are there, but the how operative are they really, that should be questioned and secondly; which ones does the President wish to work? Because he wants to silence the Opposition of Kampala and make them look bad. So they might picks his leaders instead of their own. Peace.

Kampala’s renegade Police shuts down Lukwago speech of awareness

Today I will talk about the Kampala Capital City Authoriy and Kampala Metropolitian Police… they doesn’t have it easy, because they have a painful history with a Mr. Erias Lukwago, he happen to be loved by the people. That kind of people is not the Police or the leaders of KCCA who is chosen by the NRM. Erias Lukwago is far from NRM and is a strong supporter and ally of Dr. Kizza Besigye and the FDC, even if he has been affiliated with Democratic Party (DP). Norbert Mao is now a part of Go-Forward Umbrella, so surely DP is not a strong unit. That is why that Erias Lukwago goes independent and the DP need a new candidate to run for the Mayor in Kampala. Let’s take a look what the Police done today in the Central Business District of Kampala. Take a look!

Erias Lukwago message this morning:

“There’s a Luganda adage that ”Bwekataligilya elibiika amasumba”; literary meaning that if a chicken survives the claws and talons of hawks or other predators, there are high prospects that it will lay golden eggs. Kindly be part of a memorable occasion today at Nakasero Market Park yard at 2:00pm as we unveil the golden egg (vision) for the transformation of Kampala. I strongly believe that it’s only a shared vision, rather than personal whims, that will transform Kampala into a modern capital city we all crave for. Hope to see you there”.

UPF bans the incumbent Lord Mayor of Kampala Erias Lukwago from having a 2nd Inaguraral rally in Nakasero claiming the venue is for small the rally and will disprut the trading at the Nakasero Market. It would also be inconvenient for the traffic passing by and should look for another venue to have the rally. Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said: “We have been informed that he intends to hold a rally at Nakasero market but it is illegal and will not be permitted. The venue is not suitable because it is a market in the city centre that attracts many people, which would paralyze business,”He also said: “the youth to desist from participating in the unlawful rally saying those arrested will be taken to the court of law”.

Even if the Police suspend the rally at Nakasero Market Park Yard the Erias Lukwago went there anyway despite to block this rally. There were also plans of Mulwana Team to escort them and support Erias Lukwago during his rally there. Today was the day that Erias Lukwago was supposed to introduce his manifesto for the 2016 Mayoral Election.

I am sure that Erias Lukwago is struggling because he is now running independently, but has support of the Forum for Democratic Change as becoming Mayor of Kampala again.

But the new Democratic Party Mayoral Candidate Issa Kikungwe launched his own campaign today as well, but that wasn’t stopped by the Police like Erias Lukwago rally, the Candidate Kikungwe held a rally in Kawempe.

While this has happen Daniel Kazibe known as Ragga Dee who has been voted to be the NRM Mayoral Candidate of Kampala has said this:

“am not pleased with how Bebe Cool has handled issues regarding the artist’s money from the President as some of the fellow artists on that project are still claiming for their shares. Have you accounted how much funds Bebe Cool spent for his wife’s maternity fees last week and he is currently in South Africa shooting a video? Bebe Cool should responsibly come out and account for the shares to his fellow artists because it’s officially confirmed that he received the funds from the president’s office”.

Bebe Cool retorted:

“I wonder why people always try to attack me, Ragga Dee said that I am greedy but the fact is, he is greedier than me. Let him not fool you that it’s him who got the Tubonge project, it’s me. I heard him saying that he took me to State House. I used to go to State House even when I was young and Museveni is like my uncle, so let him stop talking about what he doesn’t know, he may lose the elections”.

Ragge Dee wants to this if he wins the elections:

“I will first give musicians lessons on how to work together for a general cause and promote one love”.

Daniel Kazibe aka Ragga Dee held his first rally in town yesterday without making any fuzz or having any problems with the fuzz. There must be something behind that! Wait, yes it is, he is a NRM guy, and therefore he can as he pleases, while the others have to fight to the same. That is democracy right now in Uganda!

It seems okay for Mr Kikungwe who can hold his rally, because he is seen not as threat to the KCCA and NRM, or am I wrong? Or is it because there is now official not written law that it’s illegal to hold rallies in a Market in Kampala? Can the UPF and Kampala Metropolitan Police; please explain to a brother; why he is not really permitted? Can it be the most used law of 2015; no not the Tax-Evation laws! Nah it’s not cool enough! I am talking about  the POMA, the famous and most used law by IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura! Public Order Management Act, I am sure that used to stop Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago? Because he creates chaos for his popularity in stark contrast to the NRM-Candidate or other Opposition figures. Right? Yes, I am right!

Even Asuman Kiyingi [of the NRM] the State Minister of Works said this during November about the Kampala Mayoral Elections:

“On this one I agree with Ragga Dee. You can’t do a wedding and then go for kwanjula. Or ask a class teacher to become a class prefect. How did we end up with a flag bearer for a position that we were not sure we needed. We should have spared our people the rancour and hussle of primaries if we planned a mayor elected from councillors. Just how far should we go to fix Erias Lukwago?”

For those who wonders why there is not an official endorsed Mayoral Candidate in Kampala from the FDC, that is because they has gone behind Erias Lukwago to show support for his candidature against the powerful NRM-Regime and also thanks for his loyalty towards Dr. Kizza Besigye which Lukwago has been behind since ‘Walk to Work’ riots in Kampala. So the sorry man in this tale is the Mayoral Candidate for FDC Miles Rwamiti Apuuli who will not be a man who you can vote for, since his candidacy has been pulled.

That means that the elections for Mayor will be Daniel Kazibe aka Ragga Dee (NRM), Erias Lukwago (Independent) and Issa Kikungwe (DP). The Police will be against Erias Lukwago which they have proven again, and again! And again, they hate that he stand against the Kampala Metropolitan Police and Kampala Capital City Authority, not to forget Jennifer Musisi thinks it easier to work without the annoying politicians, especially the likes of Lukwago who makes everything hard to put through, I think that is because he is one of them who wishes to have a loyal crony like Daniel Kazibe who can’t even hold his tongue and win a discussion with the numb-nuts of Bebe Cool, who dances like a fool on every stage for Mzee and his NRM. The money is good for them both while Issa and Erias will fight against the musician.

Backup History (recent) on Daniel Kazibe: 

For those of you have forgotten part of his past. Had in 2014 his own Mercedes Benz impounded by the URA (Uganda Revenue Authority), the musician had at that time forgotten to pay tax. Therefore until he could pay the missing funds of Shs. 1,5 Million to pay URA before he get his car back again. Also in 2014 the same Ragga Dee was reported to be part of the campaign for National ID cards and eating a great chunk of that fund, the fund that got missing remember? Well, Ragga Dee who had now eaten a big chunk by the fund for the National ID cards advertisement; which never happened… That is not the end of the eating money from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he was after this supposed to eat more money from it for making a recording which would be used to mesmerized the late Gen. Aronda Nyakarima. How much the whole tale cost the Tax Payer, will hopefully be released or found out. 2014 was a busy year for Daniel Kazibe.

Now we see how the UPF, Kampala Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission work for making the campaign for Erias Lukwago as hard as possible. They are trying to stop it and make it harder than for other candidates trying to become mayor in Kampala. So this will continue because we all know the NRM-Regime and their “Freedom loving” Police, who is not “impartial” or “working against” any opposition member or party in general during these elections. No! No! No! They are not doing that… They are just showing care for the dangers that a rally of an opposition candidate will have at the Central parts of Kampala and will disturb business district of the City. Something that is dangerous to do… Wonder if it would be stopped if it was Daniel having a campaign rally at the same place? I don’t think so. Peace.

Sorrow in Kampala; Trifling police and detaining Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago

Today was the day that Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Act was to be added an to amendment so that the elections of Lord Mayor would happen inside a council instead of polling during general election in 2016. There been more push to let this happen, not everybody agrees with does actions. Therefore we can see that and today the reactions from the NRM-Regime have been off violence. Uganda Police Force has come and first set up roadblocks early this morning in around his area.

Yet reports hours earlier Erias Lukwago says: “he is yet to receive official Electoral Commission on determent of mayoral nominations” and “he vows to proceed”.

This was the beginning of the tale that unfolded today. The loyalist of Dr. Kizza Besigye the opposition candidate Erias Lukwago was first taken by a group of Police taken away into custody. He has been detained without court orders by unknown men. This has been seen by other media who has been close to the house today. A Delta journalist Enock Kugonza has been shot and by the brutal police after the manhandling of Lord Mayor Lukwago. Erias Lukwago was supposed to go Electoral Commission of Uganda to be nominated. The Journalist Kugonza was after the shooting was rushed to Mulago Hospital. Two persons are said to killed by the same shootings.

It wasn’t only the journalist from Delta who got shot, there were two more men and surely more innocent people; who have been hurt during the raid that the police had during the arrest of Erias Lukwago; who is still in custody or detained at an unknown location as we speak. One of the people who also got hurt by the Police today is Councilor Mariam Kizito.

After all of this they all of sudden goes back on their ways and turn to the nominations. The Electoral Commission has later in the day said through Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, that the nominations dates is for Lord Mayor of Kampala is set to be between 16th to 18th November 2015.

There been floating pictures of a person lying lifeless on the ground after being shot. This proves the powers of the Police and also how they justify the use of will to bring down anybody in their way. This must be orders from the higher ends because Erias Lukwago has been issues for the NRM-Regime.

The NRM-Regime fears Erias Lukwago because of his popularity. That popularity comes because the NRM candidates are greedy guts and they seem tired of it. Just look at the reasoning from Frank Tumwebaze the Ministry of Presidency and Kampala Capital City Authority who wrote this in a statement today:

“It is therefore dishonest on the part of my colleagues in the Opposition to state that this was an after-thought following Erias Lukwago’s decision to stand for the Lord Mayor position in Kampala. That is false. Whether Lukwago stands or doesn’t, streamlining the governance framework of Kampala capital city remains our noble duty” (…)”The rationale behind the proposal of changing the mode of election of the lord mayor and all other division mayors, is for purposes of ensuring that the mayor and the deputy remain accountable to the Council that they chair, just like in the case of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament who are elected by Members of Parliament. Besides, the law already vests the same Councils with authority to remove a Lord Mayor or Division Mayor. These Councilors are products of an electoral process conducted from the grassroots. Ugandans do not convene at Parliament to elect a Speaker or Deputy Speaker. Their representatives in form of Members of Parliament elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker” (…)”The amendments therefore, cannot be targeting a man called Erias Lukwago. The law was never made for Him. Erias Lukwago just like any other person is entitled to aspire to become a Lord Mayor. However, what any person aspiring to be lord mayor needs to be reminded about is that he/she is not the primary administrator of the Capital City. The Central Government does so as per the constitution.The Lord Mayor and the council administer it on delegation by the central government. Central Government policy therefore takes precedence. That is why the minister responsible for the capital city is given veto powers under section 79. This is what Erias Lukwago has never appreciated, but its the bitter truth” (Tumwebaze, 16.11.2015 – Press Statement).

When this is happening and Hon. Frank Tumwebaze is trying to explain and use rhetoric to sound wise for the reasoning to take away the rights for people to choose their leader and their mayor, because by his reasoning the council will make a better decision then the actual people. That is because they choose Erias Lukwago and not the man picked by the NRM. Hon. Frank speaks well about laws and constituted rights, while addressing his own position with diligence. While saying the Lord Mayor is not made for Erias Lukwago, that might be true, but your ministry isn’t made up just for yourself or it is Honorable Frank Tumwebaze? You who runs over KCCA as the Minister of Kampala and already edged Erias Lukwago out with giving more powers to Jennifer Musisi who in basis runs the KCCA and does more administrative duties since the Lord Mayor has lost his position.

Jennifer Musisi said this in January:

The Journalist asked: “You were accused of kicking out the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago from office”; she answered: “Lukwago was a problem to us. We spent a lot of money and time undoing his wrongs. He took us to court when we tried to re-build the Wandegeya Market and the New Park. There has been a lot of development in KCCA during the last two years of his absence from office. We are now focused on the things we are supposed to do” (Etukuri & Waiswa, 2015).

When we see that the Lord Mayor elected in 2011 has been absent and Jennifer Musisi gets her will. IGP Kale Kayihura has never liked the brother so his goons and violent police has today battled yet innocent people and shot, even killed bystanders in the siege of Lukwago’s home. The Police men proves that their not to protect and serve. It is not the police who is catching the bad guys, it’s the police who is acting as the bad guys. The people has to scatter when the police arrives, because they will only create violence and be arrested, detain people without court order and paperwork. Preventive Arrest that is being used like it’s the sweetest dream of the NRM-Regime to harass their opposition members in the country. As we have again seen manifest today.

But where are the Police hiding Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, even if hasn’t had the seat for over 48 months, he was still elected to it by last election in 2011. So if that was a valid election leading to the 9^th Parliament, he should be sitting and have the chair until 18^th of February. I am sure Jennifer Musisi would continue to work without his involvement and also Frank Tumwebaze who seem like the arch-crony of the NRM-Regime. It’s like his loyalty is deeper then kin. So that the violence and harassment happening on his watch is not being discussed or addressed, but the way that the opposition is voicing their matters are being said by him to be distasteful. What is really distasteful Hon. Frank Tumwebaze is the simplistic and violent arrest of Erias Lukwago and your measly way of just about 3 months before the General elections; you want to change and amend the law. So that you’re sure that you get the right candidate to be your puppet, Frankie isn’t that right?

Your fear for the people is proven with the violence and killings. The way the Police has to siege and drag the elected Lord Mayor Lukwago from his own home without any court orders and detain at an unknown location. Last time he was taken to custody by the Police was 31^st of October. So he hasn’t had many days in freedom. This proves the fear that the NRM and the Government has for this man. That is why they have wished to switch and amend laws so they can pick whom they like, instead of having faith in the people. Even if they choose to rig those elections, still they can’t be able to rig it all, therefore Kampala slipped through their finger and he won on the last go around. Erias Lukwago seems to be one of the guys that the NRM-Regime fear, not because of the powers he has, but the legitimacy that he has, and the one NRM certain lacks. They run the government and has overtaken the Kampala administration and crushed the elected political system of the city, to empower a ministry of Kampala and it’s Kampala Capitol City Authority, instead of building transparent and accountable City Hall. That is what people like the elected Erias Lukwago works for, and that in starch contrast with the realities on the ground and in the city, as the Parliament proves with every new move they have.

I just wonder, have the Police read “the still in force of colonial law” called Criminal Procedure Code Act of 1950 and section:  “17. Detention of persons arrested without warrant:  When any person has been taken into custody without a warrant for an offence other than murder, treason or rape, the officer in charge of the police station to which the person is brought may in any case and shall, if it does not appear practicable to bring the person before an appropriate magistrate’s court within twenty-four hours after he or she was so taken into custody, inquire into the case, and, unless the offence appears to the officer to be of a serious nature, release the person on his or her executing a bond, with or without sureties, for a reasonable amount to appear before a magistrate’s court at a time and place to be named in the bond; but where any person is retained in custody, he or she shall be brought before a magistrate’s court as soon as practicable”. This law is still in effect so how can you break it so often Mr. Kayihura?  

Now the police and IGP Kale Kayihura men show the violence in action. The world sees it and should question it. They are blasting a gay-law, but not saying anything about the violent Police and it’s shooting on innocent people and bystanders. Uganda Police Force is for the NRM-Regime and not the citizens. They does not create order, they create disorder. They do not protect their people, they protect the regime. They do not serve the people, they serve the regime. That is why Preventative Arrest is such a usual move by these men and without court orders. Yet again, I hope to hear reports that the elected Lord Mayor will come to surface again soon and be back in shape for new nomination date that the Electoral Commission. Stay strong Lord Mayor, we support you and your cause. Continue to work as you do. One day there might be justice in Kampotholo. Peace.

Reference:

Etukuri, Charles & Waiswa, Juilet – ‘Kampala is better now without Lukwago’ (27.01.2015) link: http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/670298–kampala-is-better-now-without-lukwago.html