Gen. Jeje Odongo

Opinion: Have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lost 160 vehicles in the last few years?

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Gen Jeje Odongo is appearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament to answer different questions raised by the committee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised concern over the poor state of fleet vehicle for transporting dignitaries. According to PS Vincent Bagiire, the Ministry is using old fleet from the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which are “Nolonger fit for purpose” (Parliament of Uganda, 13.01.2022).

When reading this from the Parliament of Uganda handle on Twitter. I was boggled, because it was only last year when the Chinese Ambassador in Uganda handed over 70 vehicles to then Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kuteesa. That happened in the end of March ahead of summits, which was supposed to be held later in the year. The Chinese government spent 5 millions United States Dollars on these SUVs last year.

Therefore, when Gen. Odongo says the Foreign Ministry has “ancient” cars from the CHOGM summit. The state also bought another additional 80 vehicles ahead of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in 2020. Therefore, the Ministry and the state should have vehicles in their car-lot. They have not only bought these 80, but gotten donated another additional 70 cars in the year after.

It seems to be the time to re-issue the statement from the Auditor General Report of 2021:

“Furthermore, I observed that 38 entities (76.0%) out of the 50 entities did not have a specific policy or guidelines on Motor vehicle management to guide the usage and eliminate theft, losses, wastage and misuse of motor vehicles. This was in addition to the absence of a comprehensive standardized fleet management policy of Government. Different aspects of government vehicles management are found in different policies and guidelines cited in various government documents, such as; the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2010, the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2014, and Treasury Instructions, 2017. This affects the entities’ ability to address the unique motor vehicle management challenges which may not be envisaged in the standing Orders and Treasury Instructions” (OAG February 2021).

So, it seems like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no control or policy in concern to their car park. They are one of these entities with no management of the car park. That is very clear by Odongo’s statement. As it is easy to see the Ministry have purchased and gotten donated in total 160 vehicles or cars in the last three years alone. The state and the Ministry be able to keep it up and general up-keep.

Unless, the state has suddenly issued these for others and given them to other state affiliates like appointed district officials or whatnot. That’s how it looks like to me. Because, how do you base you vehicle-park on CHOGM in 2022. When your own Ministry have bought vehicles ahead of the CPC and donated from China the year later?

Are there no accountability for the ministry and could Sam, the man just drive away with all of these to the sun-set and sell them on a car-lot in Mbarara? Because, what happened to all of them or they given to the former Ministers employees at Entebbe International Airport?

Since, cars cannot vanish, unless it is part of a Hollywood script or a car lost at a plot forgotten by the state. In such a manner of which, Mobutu had hidden vehicles and his administration held vehicles in foreign missions, which years later was found in forgotten garage abroad. Therefore, is that the issue of the Ministry in Uganda too?

Because, how do you loose 160 vehicles in the time span of about 3 years? Peace.

The new cabinet isn’t that sharp [Museveni’s most intriguing Minister’s for 2021-26] Part I

When you have 80 Members of Parliament or the ability to appoint 80 people for various of Ministers. You should have a field day in appointing the geniuses and the wise to any of these ministries. There should be a capacity and ability to hand-pick the ones who are fitted to various of ministries. However in 2021 that’s a saga long forgotten.

President Yoweri Tibuhurwa Kaguta Museveni have now released the whole cabinet yesterday. I looked into to the two high profiled roles last night. However, I had a series last term, but doesn’t see it fitting this time to continue with the “Royal Court” series.

It is clear with this Cabinet that the loyalists, the ones who sought and fought for the Age Limit is still getting appointed. The ones who are close and abide the principals of the State House. They are getting rewarded and getting retained. That is clear here and it is visible.

Clearly, Gen. Moses Ali can never do anything wrong. He is just a forever presence. The agreement he made with the National Resistance Movement in 1986 must give Museveni reasons to retaining him. That agreement must give him a office and be viable character in government. In the year of 2021 and beyond.

The former Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga was demoted, but still got an office. She is the First Deputy Prime Minister and will still have some power. Also, be the Minister for East African Community Affairs.

Wife(y) Janet Museveni retains her control of the Ministry of Education and Sports. We know it is buy peace in the Middle East. Oh wait, it is to give her a Gucci bag and call it a day. This is her slush-fund and we are not seeing teachers or lectures getting a better life in their profession.

Then we have the return of Jim Muhwezi. His a forever stagnate fellow within the NRM. His gotten the Minister, Office of the President of Security. A man who was sacked several of time. The ex-Spy have gotten into scandals and been part of grand corruptions cases. This man is as corrupt as it gets and he will eat this term.

The former Secretary General of NRM, Justine Kasule Lumumba have now gotten appointed as Minister in Charge of General Duties/ Office of the Prime Minister. This is a smaller role and sort of unofficial “spokesperson” for the government and will not handle anything serious. Not like the previous person there had a lot of things to do.

Then you have Thomas Tayebwa, who has been an MP since 2016. Other roles than in Parliament is the Director of Cholmat Investments. His appointed as the Government Chief Whip. Last year he got known on social media for beating a UMEME staffer. Who happened to work on a line or transmission, which was illegally connected to the MPs house. Therefore, Tayebwa MP have some answers to give and not only ask forgiveness after. Especially, if the praise of Don Wanyama is true. That Thomas is a Christian and being generous. He should have shown that generosity towards the contracted worker of the UMEME. Not only show up at public functions and showing his giving hands.

Frank Tumwebaze MP had to be retained. He has had several of Ministries and he gets another one now. His a loyal man and was elected without any polls. As he was a unopposed MP in the General Election of 2021. This man is the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. He will have three Minister of State underneath him. This is giving him vast power…

In no surprise Matia Kasaija is retained as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). He surely must have a strong grip on the Ministry and the President trust him blindly on this. Since he has had this for years and continues to stay in office.

For some strange reason, which I cannot phantom. Gen. Jeje Odongo is becoming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Somewhere is Sam Kuteesa laughing and wonder what happened to him. That the sanctions on his corrupt ass finally hit home and took away one pay-check from all the others his getting. Gen. Odongo is the most defensive minister that’s appointed. His so defensive and willing to defend the indefensible. That this man will blame the pen, but not the ones shooting the bullets. He will dismiss the ones writing about extra-judicial killings, but defend the ones shooting the innocent civilian. That is the sort of man Odongo is and expect that in his work this term.

This is enough for now. There will be a follow up. There is enough characters to make your mind implode on the spot. The Cabinet of 2021-26 will not generate greatness …. It is there to serve Museveni and that’s it. These folks are there because of their loyalty and they will follow him until he pushes them overboard. That’s why people get used and dropped like nothing. Expect someone to cry havoc in the coming days. It is inevitable. Peace.

PS: Part II is on its way, but will dig for every soul mentioned … just like always.

A NGO Crackdown: 10,000 invalid by the NGO Bureau!

Today, the Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo dropped an list of certified and verified NON-Governmental Organizations in the Republic of Uganda. The whole list was dropped together with the Press Release. Also, a moment of presser, which addressed the same numbers and information.

Clearly, this is important, as there are plenty of folks now, who has to deliver, register and quickly get verified. If not, if the state take them to court and punish them for organizing illegal activity through an non-registered entity. They might get high fines, be incarcerated or if they continue to violate the law. The NGO and the felon will be fined with a huge sum every single day until it ceases to operate.

“However, upon verification of the 14,207 registered NGOs since 1989, as at 7th August 2019, it was noted that only 3,810 NGOs (27%) had valid permits while 10,397 (73%) had invalid permits” (Odongo, 13.11.2019).

“All NGOs which do not appear on the validated register should not operate. Stakeholders especially the District and Sub-county NGO Monitoring Committees, Financial Intelligence Authority, Uganda Police Force, Banks, Hotels and other actors should cross check the status of any NGO with the register on the website or with the NGO Bureau to ensure that such NGOs do not operate in any part of the country or transact with their institutions” (Odongo, 13.11.2019).

NGO Act (2016) 40 Offence and Penalties:

“(1) An organisation or a person commits an offence who-

(a) on being required to do so, fails or refuses to produce to the Bureau a certificate, permit, constitution, charter or other relevant document or information for the purpose of this act;

(b) knowingly gives false or incomplete information for the purpose of obtaining a permit or other requirement;

(c) operates contrary to the conditions or directions specified in its permit; or

(d) engages in activity that is prohibited by this ACT.

(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seventy two currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding fifteen currency points for each day during which the offence continues after conviction” (NGO Act, 2016).

This means the convicted fellow, who operates without lawful certification from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) could face fines up to 1,4m Shillings or USD$378, or 72 Currency Points (20,000 shillings). A daily fine could be 400k shillings or USD$108, which is a staggering amount of money.

Well, with that in mind. The NGO Bureau better expect that the Executive Directors or the General Secretaries of various of NGOs has to deliver more documentation and get the ability to get verified. To ensure the down-time and the suspension of activity won’t last to long. If not, they have to become local CBOs, which has other regulations and laws, where the local district and officials there verify and certify any organization. This is something the NGOs whose now illegally operating have to consider.

We can see by the list of organizations verified. It was plenty of national, lots of internationally bound and whose supported from the international community. The NGOs whose big enough and have the capacity was able to be verified by the NGO Bureau. The others whose too small or far from the capital have struggled to secure the certification to do so. The NGO Bureau should also ensure the education of the society and the civil society, which this entails. This is stopping the operation of possible 10,000 organizations. Who now have to do the whole ordeal to be legally operational. Because, if they follow the advice of the honourable minister, then they will cease to operate. But what they should do, if they are viable and working organizations. They would go out there tomorrow and seek documentation, follow the guidelines and work towards getting certified by the NGO Bureau.

That is it folks, but certainly many has maybe just few pieces missing. Others has more work to do. To prove and following the NGO Act of 2016. Whatever it might be, but it got to be something. Peace.

Aidah Nantaba MP: Withdrawal Form from Murder case (09.09.2019)

Opinion: Jeje Odongo and the NRM is afraid of Defiance!

Not that this is news, but last go-around in the General Election of 2016. The Authorities sealed off all activities of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and even barred it from entering its own headquarters. They even took a lot of printed materials and arrested several. Even put the defiant leader Dr. Kizza Besigye behind house-arrest for God-Knows how long without charges, warrants or a proper Court Order. This was all because of DEFIANCE.

Now, as the People’s Government and People Power Movement have joined forces to dismantle the regime. They are hurrified and need remedy. That is why the Minister of Internal Affairs Jeje Odongo have summoned all leaders of Security Organizations like ISO, UPF, UPDF, Veteran Affairs, Prisons and Attorney General to a meeting of the National Security Council discussing the matter of DEFIANCE.

This is very ironic that the NSC has to discuss this, seemingly they all are part of the Resistance or the Resistance Movement. It is such a special narrative, that keeps on giving. That the NRM are struggling to cope with the public or even especially the opposition openly being in defiance of them. They want to delegitimize the state and its activities, also block and boycott. That is what being defiant means. Certainly, this is hitting the strain, that the People Power and People’s Government have decided that this is the way. Not that its easy, but surely the State trying figure it out now.

This is a real spark and proving how powerful the acts are, especially if they are joined by all walks of life. If the public really riot, demonstrate and not caring about the tear-gas, road-blocks and the danger it causes, by assaulting the privilege and the armed regime. Because, by standing up it, it will cost, a lot and many will spend time behind bars. Even sadly loss of life, because the authorities of these regimes uses bullets to intimidate and make a point. The ones on the frontline will be touched, whether they like it or not.

So, if this DEFIANCE is real, it has to be materialized, into a collective effort. A journey of oppression, which in the end will hurt the authorities and the state. In a way, where they cannot return. That the NSC speaks of it, only proves the power of it. If it is really used as intended. Because, it doesn’t help if Bobi Wine or Besigye is defiant against the state alone, there need to be a uprising of epic proportions to shake society to its core. To make Bosco aka Jajja aka Museveni loose his cool. He has to see a revolution that will make him naked. Which will make the guns, the mambas, the tear-gas and all the things that keeps the balance out of order.

Until then, there will only be more bloodshed, more land-grabbing, more corrupt behaviour, not to talk about empty propaganda to make the Fountain of Honour look like Angel, while we know he is the devil. Peace.

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