My letter to President Museveni on the recent polls and actions during the general election 2016

UPM Poster

19th February 2016, Oslo

Dear His Excellency (H.E.) President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni!

I write to you in this moment as you are in the midst of another turmoil called Ugandan elections. I know you are trying to ensure your kind of peace and your kind of democracy. Though we are many who disagree at what levels of freedom and validity of your concern of the ballots that the people of Uganda has casted during the last 48 hours in the country.

As you was the man who went to the bush for rigging after the 1980s. When the political platform Uganda Patriotic Movement which you founded Mr. President; was shattered in a well manufactured election by President Obote and his cronies. The same you are delivering today. The different are the amount of people, electronics, cellphones, parties, candidates, districts, cars and strength of the army. As you have seen the different the country is since you seized power in 1986.

You have gotten a Police Force and Special Force Command who kills and destroys; and in the end, doesn’t give assurance of safety; as the “mambas” and tear-gas thunder through streets; as they demolish and kills the democratic values the country supposed to have.

Museveni Butiaba 07112015

You as commander-in-chief and a fellow army-man even before the polls, in the weeks before pictures of you shooting rifles and later calling out that you was the only one who could keep Uganda safe; doesn’t speak of integrity of the laws and systems you put in place or the governmental structure you have been in charge of; if the legacy of your rule is that you couldn’t let anybody else become President in the country and have the ability to control the army. As if you have secrets in the army you don’t want the society to know.

Mr. President your continuation of detaining opposition leaders, presidential candidates, human-rights-activists, journalists and such does not speak of the free society for the peasants you wanted to liberate in the 1980s. It seems more like the society you wanted to free, have you now made in the same image as the your predecessors did. It does not speak of freedom or liberty seeing army men walking down with AK47 in broad-day light and taking ballot-boxes His Excellency! That sounds more like a totalitarian state and a police state. What was the hurry of the Special Forces Command the other day, when they had to take control of Nakasero Hospital on the day of polls?

Milton Obote_pic

Mr. President you did not only go to the bush for fighting against the vote-rigging regime of Obote, you went to war because of the knowledge of the Northern control or the Acholi in the army; this was even proved by Professor Gingyera-Pinycwa at Makerere in 1988. You have during your time turned the Government Officials, Army and Police into a Ankoli or Western-Ugandan people in the institutions, and the people connected to you Mr. President. You have made the state in the image of Obote!

Mr. President you have a flash car, flash air-plane, big-farm, own businesses, your brother Salim Selah own businesses, your daughter owns businesses and the Museveni family is interconnected in higher parts of life, the same as the cronies of the Obote, difference is that your family has been living for decades on the laurels of you His Excellency!

I beg you too see your ways and think about the values you talked about while being in the bush and the peoples who died for the reasons that the peasants deserved a government who truly represent them and tried to build society together with them. At some point you did, you even by narrow escape and people believed in you; the reforms and constitution and laws was positive. The reaction was that the country got more donor funding and strengthening of the army. Also a better relationship with the countries around as Idi Amin and Obote had offended Tanzania and neighbors.

Old Taxi Park 16.02.2016

The then peasants are now grown people and know all of your terms, known your rhetoric and how you have changed. Mr. President you have had the chance of going with glory, but your lingering into power has proven to be one of your sticking points, even if that beats your own words that was: “The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people, but leaders who want to overstay in power”. Today you are in a elections that if you wins you will start your official 5th Term, though I am coining it your 7th. I am sure you will disagree with me there Mr. President, but I have issues with taking away your first decade in power.

Mr. President I know it is much to ask as your wasn’t officially elected in 1986 and as if you get men to cook the ballots to fit you now; to think about what made you go to the bush in 1980, and what made the start of February 7th and 8th with the battle of Kakamba School and taking the town of Kiboga Town to take some guns for the guerilla warfare. This here should make you think of the progression and the state of affairs, as the army, elections rigging and governmental institutions are placed and made for you instead of the peasants you was out to liberate.

Uganda EC Wall

The lives that have died during the polls and during the pre-elections period should be a reminder of the way you have made the state of affairs right now. Mr. President you have done everything in your power to let out information by stopping mobile-money and social media; even if your own media-houses spread information through them. As you also will try to remember the opposition men and woman who has been hurt and gone by your army and police. Mr. President you serve your opposition as much as your own yellow brigade of yes-men even the people of Elegu close to South Sudan as much as the men in Kisoro close to Rwanda, the people of Bududa district; the people of Mbale and Tororo district and even in Kawempe, Kampala. Peasants and blue-collar men deserve security and not having “mambas” driving around making kids and parents afraid to buy splash at the Muhindi store down the street. The helicopter shouldn’t wake people up and look for people with pre-ticket ballot papers for you who hasn’t been counted. Mr. President! This here is your people and the people who at one point trusted you and thought you wanted them well. The times have change and the opposition should be given a chance as you were given. Mr. President you have represented them for ages, but you do not own the country or the people; I am sure Paul Ssemogerere would like to ask how you rigged the 1996 election. Those years nobody can’t take back, but at the same time; Uganda and Government of Uganda deserves a future!

NRM Muhanga Museum 4.1.2016 P3

Mr. President, as it seems by the rallies and the will of the people, you should give them a chance to have a positive change. Give the peasants and the people what is theirs. Their will and ballots, their representatives and their lives that has been altered by your orders and the way you have used government funds to get tear-gas and bullets, instead of medicines for hospitals and wages for teachers. You know this Mr. President and don’t think of it or haven’t been advised about it. Times for that to change as the people should be behind their President and be sure that the government entities as Army and Police working and hurting them now.

Mr. President the Army and Police is issuing and making violence against the people and not securing their homes as they are securing your power. That is not what 1986 was about. You know that Mr. President, the constitution of 1995 was not about your staying in power for life Mr. President. Mr. President this cannot be what legacy you want to live behind. You might write two editions of Sowing the Mustard Seed, but it is the people like me, who either build reputations or destroys it; As the truth of the different times of your regime Mr. President, the times has changed since 1986 and 2016. 30 years of power should be enough for any man. Mr. President do you remember the smile on the face of President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania when he gave-way to the new President of Tanzania? That is something that also could been you and the people would have remembered the big-man who had it in him to step-down and let new blood control the country. Mr. President I never expect you or any of your men to read my letter. Though I hope that somebody tells you the sentiment and the care; the concern of the state of affairs, the violence, the unnecessary deaths and the careless attacks on democratic values from the government entities.

Best Regards
The Writer of Minbane.

TDA: EC Result does not represent the will of the people (19.02.2016)

TDA Adress

The results of the presidential elections  currently being released in Uganda by the Electoral Commission do not represent the will of the people of Uganda: the election has been badly rigged by Museveni. Evidence of stuffed ballot boxes is rampant; the state closed down social media to curtail information on the rigging; delay in opening up polling stations denied millions of voters access to ballot boxes; and security forces are ready to crash any protest to the abuse of the Democratic process.

Ugandans are resolved to resist the illegal and illegitimate stay in office by Museveni and the NRM regime. We call upon all democratic forces the world over to stand in solidarity with us and to resist any temptation to lend credibility to this shameful abuse of human rights by the Museveni government. Let the international observers take note that it is the truth that Ugandans expect from them not artificial and hypocritical cleansing of this gross abuse of the Democratic process.

We call upon all people of faith to pray for Uganda at this difficult time.

Bishop David Zac NIRINGIYE
Formerly, Assistant Bishop of Kampala Dioces
Church of Uganda

Currently Director
The Democratic Alliance (TDA) SECRETARIAT

CEON U – Prelimenary Statement on 2016 General Elections (19.02.2016)

CEON-U 19.02. P1CEON-U 19.02. P2CEON-U 19.02. P3CEON-U 19.02. P4CEON-U 19.02. P5

Dr. Kizza Besigye arrested for the third time in two days; FDC HQ under siege; Mbabazi under house arrest; Demonstrations in Kampala; The regime going into panic mode!

Andre Kaweesi FDC HQ 19.02.2016

We can forget to validate the tallying that comes from Namboole today as Badru Kiggundu talks about the final fixed result on Saturday or Sunday. As the Electoral Commission is working under fire from Mzee, as he can’t live with the will people, therefore he is still enforcing militarization of politics as the Police and Army is busy detaining Dr. Kizza Besigye and other FDC “big-men” while sieging FDC HQ and sieging Hon. Amama Mbabazi house.

While the disturbing relentlessness of releasing numbers from the Electoral Commission and also losing of declarations forms in certain districts, and that tally numbers coming from places where the votes hasn’t even been casted. While the Police and army spreading fear in the public while the EC is cooking the numbers to fix the NRM. We know what you do and while your sweeting in the offices and wonder how you will switch the tallies and how many votes you have to pre-tick ballots or calling them.

FDC HQ 19.02.2016 Police Siege

Forum for Democratic Change under siege today:

As Dr. Kizza Besigye is set under house arrest today following the findings of a pre-ticking operations for President Museveni, something nobody should find as they are close knit and tightly incorporated with government facilities and organizations as the Police and NRM-Regime knows all about it.

Today the continuation of Police Force is working against the FDC as they have put the FDC headquarter in Najjanankumbi under siege and even raided the offices as the FDC has put up another Talley Center as the official ones was giving out numbers to sustain President Museveni and stifling votes. Something the Police could not handle at this present state of affairs. The leading operator is Andrew Felix Kaweesi from the Police.

Later as the escalating offences of the FDC, as they question the numbers coming from the Electoral Commission at this point; the siege of the offices is not enough. As the Youth of the area start to demonstrate as of the siege of the FDC Offices closure; this leads into the police shooting live bullets and tear-gas towards the demonstrating youth. They even used a helicopter to throw tear-gas into the compound of the FDC office. (That is some Hollywood kind of actions that would make  Michael Bay proud – Mr. Kale Kayihura!).

Entebbe Road Kampala 19.02.2016. Demonstrations

The Demonstrating Youth also stood and carried out the demonstrations on the Entebbe Road in Kampala as the youth doesn’t accept the siege of the FDC HQ. Police’s Director of Human Resource Development Andrew Felix Kaweesi says they are there to ensure FDC does not announce illegal election results. As the Police is shutting down the demonstrations they has also help from the Army. The Military Police is also at the spot drilling the bullets and tear-gas at the FDC HQ as the siege is continuing.

And yet again Dr. Kizza Besigye was arrested at the FDC Headquarter and taken to an unknown location again. Together with Dr. Besigye the other main FDC figures being arrested by the Police today are Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Ingrid Turinawe and Wasswa Birigwa. They have been arrested for keeping a parallel Tally Center! The UPF and IGP Kayihura can you do this?

A local station, 107.9 FM, reported at 1:43 p.m. that Besigye and another FDC official, Joyce Ssebugwawo, had been taken away in a car by police (Kampala Express, 19.02.2016).

Crowds in protest: students gathered at Makerere University in Kampala demonstrating against the arrest of opposition leader Kizza Besigye (Al Jazeera English, 19.02.2016). Eye witness account:

“Plumes of thick black smoke spiral into the air and the crowds start to run. Some are dressed in sleeveless red university graduation gowns, others carry leafy tree branches to symbolise a past war. They are not all students, but they do all want the same thing: to see President Yoweri Museveni relinquish power to Kizza Besigye” . 

There is also reported demonstrations in Mengo and in Kisenyi in Kampala. The Police is shutting it down with tear-gas and bullets, as the public throws stones at the Police (93.3. KFM Radio, 19.02.2016). There been also reported shots fired in Katwe and Kololo and petty vile photoes from the streets are coming in social media. That I don’t have the stomach to deliver.. as the Live bullets and tear-gas hurt the public!

Kampala 19.02.2016

The latest news broadcast by 93.3 KFM at 3:03 p.m. spoke of “a lot of rampage” at Kasangati and Kawempe although the Kiseka Market area had calmed down a little by 3:00 p.m., with all the shops closed (Kampala Express, 19.02.2016).  In Kiseka Market the Police has shot two people and the picture is spreading online as the victims lay on the streets. a sad sign of the violence of the state and the regime!

Also ordinary people are taken to be detained as they are in the area and demonstrate to the regimes shut-down of the FDC party officials and its headquarter. This here can only be under order of Mzee.

Mbabazi House 19.02.2016

Go-Forward Group:

As other opposition leaders usually is safe. Hon. Amama Mbabazi house is set under house arrest as his home is sieged by the Uganda Police Force and the Army as he is such and threat to the ruling regime. It seems… As that happens at the same time some Polling Agents storms his house demanding pay for guarding his votes!

Amama Mbabazi wrote this:

“This afternoon, police vehicle with Field Formation Unit officers arresting anyone that was outside my gate. They were also accompanied by military police. I am yet to find out why” (Mbabazi, 19.02.2016).

Gaba Kampala 19.02.2016 P1

Continue of Voting in Kampala: 

In Kampala where certain voting has restarted today after the delays of material yesterday as for instance in Gaba, where the demonstrations and anger towards the Polling station occurred. The voters who are named in the Category S-Z are not allowed to vote at the polling stations. (Me asking, so they are the already pre-ticked ballots then?).

At Ggaba Trading Centre the polling station opened today as well because of yesterday’s delays. While this happen though. The Polling station got material, but not the voting material for presidential elections.

In other parts of the Country:

Masaka Talley Center 19.02.2016

In Masaka the Police have started to have heavy deployment around the Talley Center of the town. In Kasese the police has shot tear-gas into the Talley center in the town.

In Nebbi where President Museveni is busy supervising the distribution of Hoes to the public as a appreciations of the voting yesterday. So subtle Mr. President!

Suspicious of rigging, here is reasons why:

In Rubavu in Western Uganda, a government official was caught with pre-ticked ballots for President Museveni. While in Bundibugyo where the presiding officers of the elections and their declarations forms goes missing (The Observer, 19.02.2016). In Bulambuli the results from 6 Polling Stations, Returning Officers claim the Declarations Forms was stolen from the Polling Officers yesterday (The Observer, 19.02.2016). In Sembabule where at certain polling stations yesterday there wasn’t even voting yet, as “at Kirama, Ntusi Primary School, Kazooma A, Lwemibu, Mageege Kinoni all had result 4 tallying even tho they didn’t vote yesterday” (The Obsever, 19.02.2016).

What is some other Presidential candidates up to?

“Presidential candidate Abed Bwanika has been intercepted at Mutukula border by Ugandan security while trying to sneak into Tanzania. He is now being driven back to Kampala, reports indicates” (Red Pepper, 19.02.2016).

Latest on Dr. Kizza Besigye:

He has yet again been sent home to his home in Kasangati by the Police. Right now this is unconfirmed. Have no information on the other “big-men” and detained FDC Officials or public around Kampala that the Police has taken in today. While this reports has been taken back. He is not yet home. Dr. Kizza Besigye and the other FDC Officials are detained in Nagalama Police Station as we speak! He was never home in Kasangati after taken from FDC Headquarter. Winnie Byanyima confirms that he is detained together with the other FDC officials, and not yet escorted home!

I think this is enough for now. More to come as the events unfolding in amp speed right now! There is certainty that the NRM-Regime works hard to suppress the will of the people and the change of power as the siege of opposition is a proof of! There is vicious attempts to destroy democratic values again from the authorities and doesn’t seem to seek the truth. The Police, Military Police and the Army is deployed heavy and guns around as the fear and tension is sky high. Peace.

Press Release: Ugandan radio host arrested mid-broadcast by the Uganda Police (17.02.2016)

Radio North FM

Kampala [bmc]-February 17, 2016 – Ugandan authorities should immediately drop all charges against radio journalist Richard Mungu Jakican, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Police entered the studios of the privately owned station Radio North FM in the northern Ugandan city of Lira the night of February 13 and arrested Jakican in the middle of his talk radio show, according to press accounts and the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, an advocacy group. Police also detained seven politicians who were discussing a recent presidential debate on the show, the group said.

CPJ has documented a worsening pattern of harassment and intimidation of journalists in Uganda as presidential elections scheduled to take place February 18 approach. In recent days, the government has deployed military troops throughout urban centers, an act which some opposition candidates have criticized as intended to intimidate voters,according to reports. President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers, is seeking to extend his 30-year stay in power.

“Pulling a journalist and his guests away from the microphone in the middle of a radio show is shocking, crude censorship,” said CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney in New York. “All charges against Richard Mungu Jakican should be dropped immediately, and President Museveni should ensure that all voices can be heard in this campaign.”

Prosecutors initially charged Jakican, who is also the news editor of the station, with malicious damage to property after police claimed he and the politicians he hosted had defaced Museveni’s re-election posters during a break in the show. The charges were later amended to aiding and abetting a crime, an apparent reference to the damaged posters, and he was released on February 17 on bail of 200,000 Ugandan shillings (US$60).

Haruna Kanaabi, executive director of the Independent Media Council, an associationof journalists that campaigns for self-regulation of the media in Uganda, told CPJ he had conducted multiple interviews with colleagues of the journalist and found that there was no indication that any posters were defaced either by him or the politicians he hosted on his show.

Authorities have previously singled out radio stations, a particularly influential medium in rural Uganda, for unwelcome attention in the presidential campaign. On January 20, another station, Endigyito FM, was closed down after it hosted one of the opposition candidates, Amama Mbabazi. It remains closed.

Contact:

Kerry Paterson
Africa Research Associate
+1 212-300-9031
Email: kpaterson@cpj.org

Peter Nkanga
West Africa Representative
Email: pnkanga@cpj.org

Second report as the first polls close in Uganda; with more tear gas; some demonstrations and other poll stations postponed; Dr. Kizza Besigye arrested yet AGAIN and more!

Kampala 18.02.2016

As the day has gone and some first results is coming. I will not comment on them now, as they are not as interesting as the reactions and violations of democratic values and vile display of disgrace of the public will from the authorities and the ruling party in Uganda.

As the Uganda Communication Commission together with Electoral Commission banned Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook, even mobile-money transfers services. As this could give biased news and dangerous bribing of voters, as the voters has not been bribed during the pre-election period at all. Well, the public found other ways of finding the social media and avoid the issue with Uganda Telecom (UTL/Mango), MTN and Airtel. As they download different VPN services on their phone and still got in to the social media outlets. The actual numbers of downloads this day was staggering 1,432,653. By my reckoning also the apparent ghost that will also in total vote in the election when the tally is done.

VPN 18.02.2016 P2

At one point of the day the Special Forces Command took control of Nakasero Referal Hospital as it had a technical and importance for the authorities as the Presidential guards needed to secure the premises.

In Gaba a suburb of Kampala the public first waited for hours. This happen:

“In Gaba at St Dennis church a full box was brought with ballot papers already ticked in favor of the incumbent who triggered a riot by locals. Military, Police and black mamba security in tinted cars without number-plate were seen patrolling the place. Voting has ended”. As well as the actions contained this as well: “The voters set fire on all the ballots boxes brought”.

Gaba Kampala 18.02.2016 P1

Even early in the day there we’re little or no voting material in vast amounts of polling stations in Wakiso District and Kampala Capital City as the Electoral Commission hadn’t delivered the ballots-papers to the stations. As people came early as the voting starting 07.00 and was to end with the new time 16.00 but with the late arrival nearly at 13.00 or 14.00 even as late as 14.54 that gave the long waiting ques simmering anger at the incompetence or deliberate plunder of time of the people in the area. Even the with the UCC and Telecom bans the Electoral Commission wanted people on Social Media around 14.00 to tell that the Polling stations in the affected areas would be officially open to 19.00 as the people should be able to do their civic duty.

Gaba Kampala 18.02.2016 P2

In Kajanisi, Kampala a Police Officer was arrested and taken away as he held over 600 ballots-papers pre-ticket for the NRM and President Museveni.  Radio One report that Kajjansi B health center polling station in Kampala closed after 3 boxes with pre-ticked ballots in favor of President Museveni and Peter Sematimba were found in a car. Live Bullets in Namuwongo Taking Place. Police and Military Have Intimidated Voters hence forcing them NOT to cast their votes, remember, voting had just begun late at 2:03pm

As of Makindye:

“9:18PM Voting at 22 polling stations in Makindye affected by late delivery of voting materials postponed till tomorrow: Electoral Commission” (NBS TV, 18.02.2016).

In Fort Portal:

“At public library polling station in south division, Fort Portal, 450 ballot papers were received yet the number of registered voters is 429, an excess of 21 ballots. And yet Nyakagongo parish Headquarters in East division received less ballot papers than the number of registered voters. They received 10 booklets some containing 46 ballots, some 50 and others 49 instead of all containing 50 each booklet. There was a total of 500 ballot papers. They have 471 registered voters. They started voting at 7:15am Report: Scovia Atuhaire & Felix Basiime (Daily Monitor, 18.02.2016).

In Masaka:

“Polling agents in Kizungu, Masaka Sports Club have confirmed to Kampala FM that they were not given basins where voters will tick from. This has therefore delayed the voting process since they (agents) too can not afford buying basins” (Kampala FM, 18.02.2016).

More about elections in Masaka:

“‎Unindentified people have been with fifty Museveni pre-ticked ballot papers at Kaboyo Primary school polling station in Lwengo. The voters who were present at the polling station did not allow police to take the culprits and instead resorted to caining them. They were later on told to go back home and the pre ticked ballots were burnt”.

Kaabong 18.02.2016

In Karamoja:

“Karamojong tribeswoman casts her ballot at a polling station during the presidential elections in Kaabong in Karamoja region”.

Koboko 18.02.2016 Evelyn Anite Voting

In Koboko:

“NRM’s Evelyn Anite slips her ballot paper into the ballot box in Koboko Municipality in northern Uganda”.

Early in Apac Town today:

“Voting in Apac town area commenced by 07.10 am. Most polling stations have not had chaos yet, as they voted, Police are all round in Polling stations. Most of the busiest business centers are closed. The number of people in town has also gone down and a few petty businesses are going on” (Rupiny Newspaper, 18.02.2016).

In Arua:

“Last evening, 170 polling officials in River Oli Division in Arua district threatened to boycott work unless Electoral Commission increases their allowances. They include polling assistants and presiding officers. Geoffrey Drani, one of the affected presiding officers, told URN during their recruitment Electoral Commission promised to pay presiding officers Shillings 60,000 and 40,000 for polling assistants. He however, says they were shocked yesterday to receive appointment letters showing that they will receive Shillings 20, 000 each day. According to Drani, as a result, they have declined to sign the appointment letters until Electoral Commission increases the money”.

In Abletong:

“No incident has been registered while in Alebtong, Amolatar, Otuke and part of Lira districts by 9:00am the voting have not started despite the fact that many electorate turned up to cast to their votes.  “You cast you votes and you come back and continue with your business,” said Betty Akello shorting after voting at VH primary school polling station. Patrick Okello of Omoro Sub County in Alebtong said at Onyeroiye polling station business is going on well and the turned up was overwhelming. “We think the turned up will be 80% because people are voting seriously,” he said” (Rupiny Newspaper, 18.02.2016).

In Kween:

“Elections of the MP kween district have been postponed until further notice reason the symbols for the candidates didn’t match instead vice versa I mean interchanged for FDC was in independent and for independent in that of FDC”.

In Yumbe:

The Woman Parliamentary MP Vote for Yumbe was cancelled today! (88.7 Arua ONE FM, 18.02.2016).

Kahinda Otafiire

In Ruhinda:

If you ever thought Kahinda Otafiire would go away silent as the audio-tape of his bribing tactics as he tried to buy the seat from his opponent that beat him in the NRM Primaries during 2015. 2016, has not been his year and continues as he has been jailed today as he has been distributing bribes of UGX 20k to voters in Mitooma (theInsider.ug, 18.02.2016). Doesn’t seem that the UCC bribe act with stopping mobile-money service stopped Otafiire from acting up! (I was not supposed to write that or think that, my bad!).

In Kiruhura:

“The shame of Kiruhura, after yesterday all night harassment, detention and forceful eviction of opposition supporters in Kiruhura. Today what we are witnessing is, because of fear instilled on our supporters by the security and armed militias last night, they have stayed away from the polling stations”.

Tororo 18.02.2016

In Tororo:

“Police was forced to fire teargas to disperse hundreds of Apollo Yeri Ofwono’s supporters who had threatened to set a blaze the home of the prime minister of Iteso cultural union Paul Sande Emolot in Tororo municipality. Ofwono’s supporters raided Emolot’s home on suspicion that it was used to bribe residents to vote for the incumbent Member of Parliament Sanjay Tanna” (New Vision, 18.02.2016).

FDC 18.02.2016 Besigye Arrested

Later in the day Dr. Kizza Besigye arrested:

“Besigye was arrested when he joined his supporters and they stormed a house in Naguru, a Kampala upscale suburb arguing that there is alleged vote rigging taking place”. Kizza Besigye have after the arrest by the Police in Naguru, been taken to Kasangati Police Station. That is currently detained.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=735G3bn3AFI

“Video footage of an FDC raid on a reported safe house in Naguru being used to allegedly tick ballot papers led by Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye in which he was also later arrested for trespassing” (NBS TV Uganda, 18.02.2016).

Shawn Mabiru says this about the detaining of Besigye:

“He was in his home district where he voted when he got information that there was an illegal tally centre manned by the NRM and police” (…)”He walked in and saw them pre-ticking ballot papers. They arrested him and took him to an unknown place”.

UPF 18.02.2016 Press Statement Tallying

In Lira yesterday:

“Lira Magistrate Court today released on Court bail seven people who were arrested over the weekend on allegation of defacing posters belonging to NRM Presidential Candidate Yoweri Museveni. Willy Omodo Omodo the GO Forward Candidate for Oyam North MP, Ibrahim Olong who is contesting for Lira Municipality Mayor and Abura James Walter Youth Councillor for Lira Municipality. Others are Mungu Richard Jakisa the News Editor at Radio North, Otim Innocent , Tile David and Patrick Awongo (Radio Wa 89.8 FM, 17.02.2016).

In Kihihi yesterday:

There was reports that the locals “delivered” and got a 100 Rwandan nationals ferried to vote in the election the 18th had come to Kihihi district to vote for President Museveni. They all stayed in Kihihi Police Station. As they wanted them to ship them home and let Ugandans vote in their election.

In Kayunga County yesterday as the government was kind yesterday:

“Kayunga District distributed more 66 heifers worth 102 million shillings to farmers under the Luwero Rwenzori Development Programme” (17.02.2016); the Government all of sudden share their funds just the day before the election, nothing suspicious about that at all…

Tally Error:

Nakasongola:

The magic is that President Museveni has gotten over 3000 votes while the original papers from the Electoral Commission are saying the total voters are 2098!

Rushere Primary School:

The tally shows another magical result for President Museveni he got 760 votes, Kizza Besigye 2 votes. The magical part is that the School and Polling station has 437 votes!

Fear level at certain places:

As the results are pouring in and the tallies are counted. The Army is deploying heavy forces in Luwero and Nakaseke!

AmamaNRMElection2016

Amama Mbabazi message during the elections today:

“I ask all voters in this election to keep vigilant and report any suspicious incident. I would like to thank the team from Karamoja that is vigilant and have reported the following anomalies. In Abim district, the District Registrar is withdrawing a Presidential booklet (50 ballots) from each polling station and taking to unknown destination claiming that some polling stations were in short supply/under served. We question this logic because it is not only President being voted for today but all Members of Parliament as well. There are 60 polling stations in Abim and this amounts to 3000 votes being taken away. South of Amudat in a place called Karita subcounty, our agents with polling agent letters and supervisors have been chased away by Crime Preventers who are armed. Tell us what is happening at your polling station” (Mbabazi, 18.02.2016).

There will come more in the coming days as the ministers, local council men and all the elections results will come and people will react to the new 10th Parliament and who will become the new president in Uganda, as the results hopefully get rid of President Museveni as his rigging time should be over and let the people’s will shine. Peace.

CEON-U: “Preliminary Findings on Opening and Set-up Process” (18.02.2016)

CEON U 18.02. P1CEON U 18.02. P2

As the canisters of tear-gas lays in the street; remembering the day I first felt the fear of speaking against Mzee; I Still have hope for political change in Uganda!

Entebbe 11.02.2016 FDC Campaign Rally

“I will not say the fact that there are no European Union observers at an election means that it will not be fair and free” – Olesegun Obasanjo

In the midst of and in the end of the pre-election period 2016; the town of Kampala went into turmoil. The Military Police and ordinary Police went into a violent streak. That manifested itself at Jinja Road which turned into a war-zone like scenario; as in the aftermath the blood of the hurt and the diseased. Visible was the empty shells, the dust and dirt, even metal-boxes as murals of the tear-gas.

As the Police used force and hurt people to the extent that some blood touched the scorched earth and dust; the people in the area scattering in fear while the police continue to push them away as the resilience to the violence committed by the state. The sounds of bullets and metal hits the ground makes the tarmac shake. People we’re running; mixed sounds of shoes knocking grounds while the sounds of gas flowing into the air as the area goes from being casual to pink.

Wandegye Kampala 15.02.2016 FDC P2

This is the signs and scenes of the 15th February in Kampala. The reactions and chaos as the Police went into the procession of Forum for Democratic Change to the planned rally at Wandegye and Makerere. So the continuation of violence from the state security outfits as the military, the police and the military police; as they have been tools in the machine hurting the public as they want to greet the opposition leaders in the sub-counties, towns and districts. There been steady violence against from the Police as the execution of the Public Order Management Act is more used then paper-towels at the Police Headquarters in Kampala. The sadness is all the hurt people and shot people during the pre-election period.

The reason why I got into Ugandan Politics was because I became a board-member or council member in a project supporting and building a library in the town Uvira in Southern Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Later I became an exchange student to Uganda. Where I read the Daily Monitor and the New Vision Daily; that together with the books I had read about the adventures of UPDF in DRC, I was still ignorant about the politics there. But the moment after staying in Uganda for month changed it for me.

Mbale Gas-Station

What changed me:

I was on the way with a group going for a training conference in Mbale. On the way we stopped at a Total or any gas-station. While the Hiace we’re getting fuel. I was looking around the area as I lived in Kampala was curious about the environment. This was on the road and no big place. We had passed Mabira forest, but were not too far on the road to the bigger Eastern town. As I was looking it was this GIANT ad for NEW VISON. And saying something similar to this: “‘I am the only one with a vision” and “Publishing the Vision every day”. When I saw that and hadn’t thought well about it. I asked polity with a grin: “Are they serious, only one man with a vision?” The little moment of silence before he answered me: “You can say that, but I can’t; and please not speak about it”. That ate me and made me wonder; why we couldn’t speak about the wonders of the” man with a vision” in public by a gas-station. And why he wouldn’t’ say anything and asked me to not speak about it. On the broad daylight without anybody near us; hours later on the same day we would be stopped by Police and had to convoy to nearest police station; reason missing valid insurance card in the window. The same brother who wouldn’t want to speak about politics gave the Police men some money because of the hunger of the Police men. The first introduction to the bribery culture of East Africa! This day was an eye opener for me. How he could not speak his mind and question the one man with the vision that The New Vision printed his Vision every single day. I started to questioned the vision that they printed every single day.

Mbarara Police 02.02.2016 FDC Campaign Convoy

The election violence in Uganda is massive and has been in all corners of Uganda. In Kabale, Soroti, Jinja, Maska, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Bukwo and so on. More than twice in Kampala as when Hon. Erias Lukwago started his campaign the Police shot a Journalist when he was planning to campaign. Later was the election violence ushered in by the Police before FDC campaign convoy could come to Makerere Rally on 15th February. The was violence at Jinja Road and at Wandegeya as they demonstrated that Dr. Kizza Besigye wasn’t allowed to campaign there. There been so many times during the calendar-year as the consultation meetings and also campaign rallies has been shut down by the Police and Army. Even campaign venues has been closed for the opposition leaders, while days before been open for NRM and President Museveni as Makerere, Kyambogo and Lira where opposition leaders at one point was not allowed to take part.

There is so many malfunctions and hurt people by the way the government security outfits has hurt both emotionally and bodily hurt that they have inflicted during the recent time. As the canisters and the left clothes is still lying in the corners of the streets. As they did in days after the Rukungiri where the FDC cars was demolished and the police shredded a woman’s respect.

The bullets and the tear-gas towards the general public is not an security issue, but an democracy issue, freedom of speech issue, and issue of trust between the public and the security organs. As the Electoral Commission is not trusted as the high payed leadership prays on the loyalty towards the regime. The NRM electoral Commission is highly flawed and the reactions to the primaries has been burning offices and membership cards, that was even happening in Nakawa Division as the Police turned against the happy celebrating people looking forward to be parts of Besigye’s rally that day. The result of the tear-gas and dispersing of the public instead of proving any steady progress! So the certified message is the tarnishing the venues of opposition while the ruling party keeps up as business as usual.

steve-biko-quotes-5

As my brother told me that day, that I should be silent and not talk about; I feel it still is the same and the reports make it feel the same; as the opposition has not the same rights as the ruling party. The violence ensures the fear and insecurity of a volatile state instead of bringing the positive changes the government might already have brought. Without the Police State and the Militarization of the Politics it might even brought in other type of investments that could have raised the economic climate in the country. As the export of natural resources and natural products instead of finished products and industry; as the assembled industry happens in other parts of the world, it could been in Uganda if the Government tried to pull that in and facilitate it or even used stronger Co-Operations between farmers to bring educating to earn more and yield better quality agricultural output instead of ending struggling to get the maize and matooke to the market. That is not bringing the men with cash-money in (to invest).

Certainly the fear and semi-democratic environment isn’t making the bargain, the talk I had with my brother; I am sure people are still having today even in the midst of the polls that starts in hours-time. As the conversation stays put in my mind and still eats my heart out. The issue of not letting the truth out or speaking their mind out; as the people has to stay put and silent as the ruling regime does as it please. Only giving away money to the villagers in pre-elections period to buy the votes, but when the ballots are gone, the representatives are long gone and forgotten the promises like old-sweethearts who never got the ring. The same seem to be with the talk of choice of the people and the right to speak your mind.

NRM UPF 07.01.16 Mbale Clock Tower

My brother and the conversation is why I am focused on Uganda Politics, as I can’t help that he didn’t have the ability to even comment the “only one man with a vision” paradigm in the country. The canisters and the shattered metal should not be stories. The blood and the toil of the people should not be story of the elections. The story shouldn’t be sad as the violence and spoken fear from the ruling party as they have the only man who can control the army and run the government; as the opposition doesn’t have the manpower to do so; which is lie the ruling party lives on. The ruling party uses security outfits to hurt the public and blame the opposition parties for their activities to deflect the issues of the campaign. Christopher Aine the diseased security agent for Hon. Amama Mbabazi the now opposition leader is the epitome and manifestation of government violence against civilians together with the one that lost his life on the streets of Kampala on the 15th February. Two people who have lost their life for a struggle that is far from over. The Democratic values is rendered down by time and cronies that has spoiled the potential as the movement system turned into the big-man system built with the head-of-state deciding it all; while giving when needed and taken the rest for himself or to his loyal fellows. This here together with the semi-autonomous and militarized politics as there so many former military men in the parliament the public knows the value of the elected or hand-picked men from on top is on the scale they can follow the chain-of-command instead of delivering the pledges and governmental service they deserves.

As it ate my heart out when my brother said he couldn’t talk about it years ago. It hurts to see the same state of affairs and struggles still, and it continues. It is time to let it pass and move to the next level of democratic values; and also good governance with state institutions serving the public instead of making the government officials fat and rich. That is not why the state and government exists; they exist because they supposed to serve the public, not for the governmental officials to take the money supposed to go. The same with the Security Organization as the Police and the Army, they follow the orders up high instead of serving the people and generating peace. As we saw on 15th February Kampala the Military Police didn’t secure the public, but made the citizen in fear and hurting them instead. That is the hurting to hear again and again, as the day is different, the place is different, but the opposition party and supporters are the ones in the cross-fire getting hurt for supporting the leaders of opposition instead of the old-man with the hat.

I never want to hear in any state that you can’t comment towards a ruling party, when that happens I know something is wrong. And knowing it still is like that with the canisters in the streets, the burned yellow membership cards in the bins and the people getting healed after police violence. The families losing their loved ones during the calendar year should not only vote, but only mourn the loss of the valuable people who was a part of the struggle to gain true freedom and respect for the people; as they now are now in invisible chains as the government keeps them tight knit in fear and in a police state using the militarized politics that ate my heart that day and haven’t let go. As I also understand is that the people who has lost their family members because of political affiliation; I understand if they don’t want to do their civic duty, still we all should and shall not forget the people who died for the cause. As we should not forget the people who are jailed and detained for following a political belief that counter the ruling-party and the NRM-Regime. And it wont until change that gives progression and let the accountability; the true transparency and let the will of the people shine as the template of the representatives that deserve to work-hard to be there for the citizens. Something that not been important, what has been is to be loyal to cadre-line and to Mzee! Peace.

Uganda opposition accuses government of fear tactics ahead of elections (Youtube-Clip)

“Campaigns have finished in Uganda ahead of the Presidential election on Thursday.The main opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, says the vote will be neither free, nor fair.Besigye is mounting his fourth challenge against President Yoweri Museveni, who’s been in power for thirty years.Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb reports over increasing fears that the government is using intimidation tactics” (Al-Jazeera, 2016).

Press Statement: Uganda Law Society extends its best wishes to all Ugandans who on the 18th February 2016 will go to the polls! (17.02.2016)

ULS Press Release 17.02.2016