Pastor “Mama” Janet Returns: It’s easy to be content when you live lavish…

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni returns with one of her sermons, which in the past was issued mid-week. However, this one came out of nowhere on a Monday. Maybe she had a spiritual awakening during the weekend or felt the need to create headlines. Nevertheless, here we go again.

Like always, I will not publish the whole thing. We don’t have the time or the need. I will take the paragraphs, which I see most fit and discuss them. As they are well deserved. Because, she is the First lady and wannabe Pastor. It cannot just be published and not be addressed in a proper manner. Therefore, we will discuss her latest piece: “The Power of Contentment”.

She starts with:

My dear friends, I would like to share with you my ruminations on the topic of contentment. The scriptures declare in 1 Timothy 6:6, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Does this mean that we should be resigned to our fate in life and not work actively to better our condition? No, far from it! The Bible is clear that God desires for us to prosper and to grow from one level of glory to another. So what does godliness and contentment really mean? I will seek to answer that by looking at the opposite of contentment which is discontentment, or as the Bible puts it: covetousness” (Janet Museveni, 04.04.2022).

Here she is writing like a reverend and not like a state offical. This could be taken out of a lecture of priest and from Sunday School even. The Cambridge dictionary even states the definition of contentment like this: “happiness and satisfaction, often because you have everything you need”. So, that’s where she is going with this and will elaborate.

She will further re-instate the belief with Uganda:

The example that comes to mind is a conversation I had recently with somebody who asked me if I liked travelling and what my favourite destinations are. My response was very clear that I didn’t particularly enjoy travelling outside Uganda and only did so when it was absolutely necessary and in relation to my work. I added that my favourite place on earth is Uganda, and no matter how far I have travelled in the world, there is no place that compares to our homeland, Uganda. Whenever I visit other countries, it reinforces my belief that God gave us the most beautiful place on the earth to call our home. Our climate is ideal, akin to paradise and we do not experience the extremes of heat or cold that other countries experience. Our food is fresh, easily available throughout the year and almost anything can grow in our fertile soils. Our people are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people in the world and foreigners who visit Uganda can attest to this. Uganda is a gift from God, and to whom much is given much is expected (Luke 12:48)” (Janet Museveni, 04.04.2022).

The First Lady is within her right to boost about her county and the natural beauty of it. Uganda is bountiful of natural treasure and a friendly climate as well. Denying that would be foolish. Everyone is usually happy and caring about their homeland. When it comes to nature and climate it is close to tropical paradise. However, the ones running it and being in-charge isn’t making it a paradise. The ruling regime of her husband is the one that makes the nation less friendly and neither the best place in the world. Yes, the nation and the culture of accepting visitors is amazing, but the way of governing is far from good. That’s why calling it paradise… is far from it. Uganda is a great place, by the standard of nature and climate, but not by it’s government.

That’s why the next paragraph in her text is very interesting:

Sadly, I know that my position is not shared by all Ugandans or Africans. I know that Africans are often the ones seeking all means possible to leave their homelands in order to go to other countries where they are often mistreated and face countless challenges and racism. It always breaks my heart when I see the African migrants who are lured with promises of “greener pastures” risking their lives on the high seas only to be put in refugee camps when they arrive at their destinations or meet an even worse fate on the open seas! This is a calamity and shouldn’t be so. Is it possible that our covetousness for what belongs to others is blinding us from seeing the wealth we already possess and working with dedication and diligence to develop what is already ours?” (Janet Museveni, 04.04.2022).

What is striking about this text is that the First Lady went to exile herself when the husband went into the bush in the 1980s. Janet and the kids went first to Nairobi in Kenya in 1981. With the help of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, she was able to seek asylum in Sweden in November 1983. Where she stayed herself onto May 1986. So, she stayed there until it was safe for her and the kids to return to Kampala.

That’s why, if someone should understand why people seek greener pastures. She should be the first one to do so. Janet herself first lived in Kenya and for a few years in Sweden as the civil-war/bush-war was on-going. The reasons for why people are fleeing now. Is either brain-drain, lack of opportunities or better lives abroad. Which I cannot deny them. As there are chances of a more stable and better lives. The state is only good for the elites and the anointed of the Regime. The rest is struggling and not advancing. It is not like Uganda has a good and stable economy. No, it has not and that’s the fault of the husband and his cronies.

Janet speaks that people should develop their own and not seek greener pastures. However, it is the faults of the regime and the circumstances that it offers it’s citizens. That’s the reason why the VIPs needs medical treatment abroad and the daughters of the president even gives birth in Europe. These sorts of reasons why people seek elsewhere. Because, the state and the government isn’t giving any hope or real chances of development. That’s because so much of the state is just scheming and scamming for the next big pay-off and quick envelope for the ones connected.

If the sort of regime that her husband was running was in favour of the citizens and the inhabitants of the republic. The priorities would be different and what it does would also reflect it. As well, as the people are running away, because their lives are in danger or they could easily become prisoners of conscience. Since, the state can easily extra judicially kill, kidnap, torture or arrest the ones who dissent. That’s why people are fleeing and it was for the same reasons she fled in the 1980s… ironically, right?

She ends her text with this paragraph:

Covetousness brings no contentment to one’s heart; it is a trap that once gotten into may be difficult to get out of. Therefore, my encouragement to you all my friends and children, fellow Ugandans: let us not be blinded by coveting what doesn’t belong to us. Let us instead focus on the countless blessings that God has already freely given to us and work hard to make our nation a praise in the earth. My prayer is that in the months and years to come, we Ugandans will work even harder to develop our homeland so that the light coming from Uganda will not be surpassed by any other nation” (Janet Museveni, 04.04.2022).

The thing that is striking by this sort of lecture is how far-fetched from reality it is. The sort of elitist ideals without any real justification for it. It really shows why she is not fitted to be a minister or be state official. Since, she speaks of hard-work and dedication, but herself cannot show up in Parliament and deliver statements on the works of her Ministry. While she intends for the people to develop and create a great nation. Be content and happy with what they have. As people are struggling, lacking basic goods and having piss-poor salaries in a gig economy. Where the state isn’t creating social-security or programmes to help the poorest. No, it is just making micro-finance schemes with not proper study or if it will have the possible positive results. Therefore, it is really striking it is easy to be content when she is living a lavish life and have everything she wants. Janet Museveni never needs to worry or be concerned about tomorrow. The bills will be paid, the possibilities of health-care or imported goods will come to her door. While the average citizens has to worry about inflation, empty bank-accounts and possible black-outs. Therefore, we know the lecture is to boost her ego and not really help the Republic.

This is the sort of sermon that is lacking self reflection and how it can be judged. Since it is simplistic. It is easy for her to be happy and content. However for larger part of the population and for the ones that doesn’t see things changing. Why should they strive and be content with the status quo? Why should they strive for developing the nation?

It is her partner for life, the President and his cronies who should make it possible to develop the nation. The President and his decrees should be there to safe-guard the citizens. Secondly, the state should make programs and laws that reflects these ideals. However, that is not what it has done or tried to do. This is why after all these years in office. The problems of the past is haunting this one and the lack of development is only a result of the selfishness and lack of concern of the people from the ruling elite. They rather eat and hope that the donors can feed the poor. That’s how things look and it doesn’t get better by the day.

The First Lady can write her sermons, but she should put work in herself. Especially, in the Ministry and address the public in the August House. However, I will not count on it. That isn’t her style and her gizmo. No, she is to highly regarded and therefore, cannot be bothered to be questioned by Members of Parliament. Peace.

Opinion: Karamoja is bleeding and nothing is being done…

The Karamoja Sub-Region has been burning and bleeding of late. This has been as a result of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force and Uganda Police Force, which are doing a joint-operation to stop cattle-rustlers, but clearly acting out of their means. As the 7 Karamoja districts are hurt as a result.

These districts are Kaabong, Kotido, Abim, Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit, and Amudat. All of them are touched by the state sponsored violence and savage killings. People are becoming internally displaced. Houses are being burnt and people are forced to flee. The amount of fatalities are unknown, as the UPDF have only dropped one update and the numbers from there is certainly an understatement.

The Joint Mission Update was what the authorities had done between 19th and 29th March and we are now on the 3rd April and the violence is still occurring at an uncertain rate. The verified 309 people must have add-ons as people are seeking shelters in mosques and elsewhere. Karimojong are really under fire here.

There are even a viral video clip of some soldiers in Abim district who killed an alleged cattle-rustler and burned the remains. While showing the skull in one of the hands of the soldiers as the burning fire of the remains was continuing in the back. That sort of video clip is haunting and show what sort of sinister acts that is going on.

We know that Commander of Land Forces Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerubaga has promised them “hell” and his serving that on a plate. They don’t need to wait for the after-life to be in danger or meet the devil. The forces of Muhoozi is the agents of the Hell is already there and to get away from them would be like heaven.

As before in the month. There been speculations of mineral resources, findings of petrol and wider implications of foreign investors possible getting viable land. If not there is also reports of possible heists of livestock and thieving cows from the sub-region. As well, there is also reports of poisoning of goats there.

Whatever the reasons why it’s happening now. The citizens and the ones that dies… it happens without due process and without the courts of justice. The civilians are guilty before proven innocent in Karamoja right now. This is injustice and extra judicial killings. With the murder of over 300 people. Some might easily say massacres is going on and we don’t know to what extent. Since there is little to none reporting on the actual actions going on. The fatalities is therefore totally hidden and the bloodshed is happening in darkness.

The justification for the amount of death and it’s scale should be really crucial. As these amounts of deaths would be close to war or skirmishes between enemies of a civil-war. Alas, the state is behind a huge operation, which is causing harm that will linger on in the sub-region for decades. The fatalities and the insecurity isn’t becoming better, but worse. The devastating results will linger on and the damage cannot be mended. The souls taken and the land scorned will not be viable quickly. The needs for dialogue and peace. There isn’t a need for war or more guns. It is only causing more fatalities and more death.

That seems to be the devil in Muhoozi. He comes with death and thrives on the burning region of Karamoja. That’s the devil in the details… and how it can be perceived. Peace.

Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC): Tribute to the Rt. Hon. Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah (30.03.2022)

DR Congo: UN envoy calls for strategy to address root causes of conflict (30.03.2022)

Civilian losses and displacement of populations have increased because of bloody reprisals by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants.

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 30, 2022 – Amid deteriorating security in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the top UN envoy in the country has called for a comprehensive political strategy that includes measures to address the structural causes of the conflicts.

Bintou Keita, who heads the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), was briefing the Security Council on Tuesday, on recent developments there.

She said that only three months into this year, nearly 2,300 civilian deaths had been recorded in the country’s eastern provinces. “This is proof of the inherent limits of only having security operations to resolve conflicts,” she said.

Armed groups

Ms. Keita said the security situation in the country’s east has deteriorated despite the joint military operations against armed groups by the national security forces, known as the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), which was joined by the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

She said civilian losses and displacement of populations have increased because of bloody reprisals by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants.

In the past three months, there has been an alarming increase in activities by the M23 rebel movement in North Kivu. On Monday, M23 elements carried out horrific attacks, targeting civilians in communities near Rutshuru.

In North Kivu, the situation has worsened because of the use of improvised explosive devices by the ADF. On 11 March, its leadership renewed its allegiance to Da’esh. MONUSCO has also documented a 10 per cent increase in human rights violations and attacks, since last December.

Helicopter crash: Investigation launched

Earlier on Tuesday, the mission reported that a search and rescue operation was underway, after a Puma helicopter lost contact with MONUSCO and crashed in the restive North Kivu region.

Speaking at the regular noon briefing, UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said there had been eight people on board, including six crew members – all from the Pakistani military – and two military personnel – one from Russia, and another from Serbia.

They had been on a reconnaissance mission in the area of Tshanzu, south-east of Rutshuru – the scene of recent clashes between Congolese forces and M23.

“An investigation is underway. We will update you as soon as more information becomes available”, Mr. Dujarric said.

“Our thoughts are obviously with the families and friends of those onboard the helicopter, and all of our colleagues of the UN Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

Civilians increasingly vulnerable

Ms. Keita sounded the alarm in the Security Council over the considerable erosion of the protection of sites for displaced persons as well as frequent attacks against medical services and other civilian infrastructure.

In the face of these security changes, MONUSCO has redoubled its efforts to better protect civilians in Ituri, working jointly with FARDC/UPDF, deploying support units for FARDC to increase the deterrent effect against M23 in North Kivu.

The Mission is also pursuing mobile deployments to protect displaced persons in South Kivu, she said.

However, without a combined approach addressing both the causes and the symptoms, the efforts of both the United Nations and Congolese forces will remain insufficient, she emphasized, adding that in Tanganyika province, the Mission is closely monitoring the evolution of the security dynamics ahead of its scheduled withdrawal in June.

Uganda: Ministry of Defence & Veterans Affairs – Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) – The Situation in Karamoja is Under Control (29.03.2022)

Opinion: 10m shillings is the price of an average Acholi MP apparently…

“𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢 𝐌𝐏𝐬 – UGX 312.9m” (NTV Uganda, 29.03.2022).

The Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) has consisted of 29 MPs and if that is still the case. Then each of them is 10 million shillings in a “special operation” surrounding the burial of late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.

This is now reported and it’s obviously why, because the APG said it would boycott and not stand behind anyone else than an Acholi for the Speakership in the 11th Parliament. However, they voted like the rest of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in regards to the recent election of former Deputy Anita Annet Among, which is not Acholi. Therefore, their treats was pointless and fruitless. Also, their ideals of ring-fencing a position based on tribe. That totally failed.

Alas… they still got additional perks and a benefits drive, which is 10 million shillings into the bank. The APG MPs has clearly gotten paid off for their utter silence and continuing the cause of the State House and the President in the 11th Parliament.

As it is perfectly clear that the Acholi Parliamentary Group and the Acholi MPs pleas and rhetoric ahead of the poll on Kololo fell on deaf ears. The NRM High Command and NRM CEC had already decided. Well, even the NRM Caucus was falling in line and the vote was just a practicality and a necessary thing to do by law. Everything else was already settle a day in advance or so.

The Acholi hadn’t enough leverage and neither did have a man inside the NRM CEC. Since the late Oulanyah happened to be their representative. They had nothing to offer or show for it. This is why it was easily to see that it was more business as usual. Ensure the cause and the will of the President. Not assuring and re-assuring a sub-region of the Republic. No, that is just a cause, which you amplify when in need of votes. The rest of the time… they can fall in line and it is just as easy as dropping an envelope of few million shillings to silence them all.

The President and his merry men only needed 10 million shillings each to get them to back-off. He only needed a small kickback to get them of the hook. That’s all that he needed and that was their price. So cheap, so simple and it’s not even funny.

The Acholi MPs came at a bargain and they took it. Instead of standing their ground and trying to show some sense of solidarity. Nevertheless, they can easily be bought and it’s proven now. Peace.

Uganda: Szlavik continues to represent Museveni in the U.S. [with little too no results]

Frank Sobotka: You know what the trouble is, Brucey? We used to make shit in this country, build shit. Now we just put our hand in the next guy’s pocket” (The Wire – ‘Bad Dreams’ S2E11, 2003).

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has used lobbyist and paid representation in Washington D.C. since 1992. They have hired K-Street lawyers and lobbyist to fight for their causes. To get favourable coverage and also spread “information” to Congress members in both the House and Senate.

On that has represented Museveni and the Government of Uganda (GoU) for years is Joseph Szlavik of the Scribe Strategies & Advisors, Inc. The registration in FARA registry shows that his still representing and working for the interests of Uganda in the United States of America.

In 2021 he got two payments in June for his work as “compensation”. He earned USD$ 141,000. If you convert that Ugandan Shillings he was paid about UGX 507 million shillings.

In 2021 he sent dozens of emails to Representatives with the sole purpose of a “Meeting request for the Ambassador of Uganda”. He had two in-person meetings with Congressmen Earl Leroy Carter and John Kato. While holding a dinner event with the members of congress on the 24th June 2021 with Steve Chabot, Maria Elvira Salazar, Andy Barr and Claudia Tenny. He was also able to have a lunch meeting with Congressmen Chris Smith on the 26th July. While one man was willing to meet the Ugandan Ambassador in person, that was Senator Ted Cruz on the 29th July. The others who got emails didn’t do that and the list was endless in the filing. So, Szlavik is sending 100s of emails without any results, which is billed to the Government of Uganda.

So, the state is willing to pay over 100,000 USD for sending emails and such. With very little results. He is a professional lobbyist, but the results seems weak. It is like his emails are getting into the spam-folder and not touched. Since, his filling of 2021 emails to get Congressmen and Senators to meet the Ambassador was pages after pages, but only one registered meeting in person with ambassador and a few lunch meetings. That is barely anything substantial.

This is just like when the Baltimore Dock Union leader Frank Sobotka in the fictional tale of The Wire paid lobbyist Bruce DiBiago to get another pier and dry-dock by bribing politicians. The Union was paying this money to the lobbyist, but there was no results. Only that the lobbyist was paid and no results to show for it. Even in the end of the Wire season. Instead of getting the results and upgrade the port needed. It instead got turned into a condominium, meaning private housing and not furthering the attraction of the port. Which means the whole payments of the lobbyist was wasted and not bare any fruits what so ever.

Just like that fictional tale… Szlavik is the same in regard to Uganda. His getting paid, but clearly working and achieving very little. I cannot remember any of the Congressmen or that the prominent Senator Ted Cruz doing anything for the betterment of Uganda. To the contrary the United States government and their authorities are starting to sanction and make things harder for the regime in Kampala. Therefore, Szlavik has a lot of purpose, but very little to show for it. Peace.

Opinion: Mzee has the final word from the NRM High Command to the ballots of the August House

Today, at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, I attended the special sitting of parliament to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. I congratulate the NRM and the ally groups. I also congratulate the other group. Thank you for sitting and behaving properly. To those who have won (my own NRM candidates), I urge you not to go around celebrating, we are mourning and actually, this election should not have happened but the law required so. It is madness to have this election when Oulanyah is not buried, people can think we are witches. Now to the Honourable Members of Parliament, whether you are in the Opposition, NRM or in the Army, in order for us to succeed as a country, you must work for the people. You all know how we can get our people out of poverty but you keep meandering in other things” (Museveni, 25.03.2022).

The Parliament has become the National Resistance Council by definition. They are the House and the Parliament in name, but in action… it is just a big council of National Resistance Movement Members of Parliament (MP). These are following the guidance of the party and the will of His Excellency. Therefore, the only thing they will do is to follow his orders and decrees.

Because, we know the Office of the President or the National Resistance Army/Movement High Command writes their decree or order. The decree or orders is later designated to the National Resistance Movement – Central Executive Committee (NRM CEC), which is the first place to sanitize it and make it legit. After that, it’s implemented in the NRM Caucus before it is taken to the Parliament. So, all the steps and the journey of a decisions is all handled and controlled. There is no free will or direction where the NRM MPs can go without a direction and everyone knows it.

The NRM MPs are in majority and what they decide will happen. The President has ensured this with election rigging, gerrymandering and all the tricks of the book to secure total control. He does it with the use of the authorities, blocking parties from operating and all the other means of which has made it impossible for the opposition to gain any sort of power. That is why his ending up with the final say.

It is his system by making it out to be a multi-party system. However, it isn’t far from the no-party system. As the other parties only have minor votes and part of the Parliament. They are participating in the name, but got no say and their motions is easily dismissed. Their candidacies and opportunities is close to none.

When the President has decided, gotten acknowledged in the NRM CEC and later directed the NRM Caucus. The plenary session can happen in the August House and his “Council” will vote in his favour and after his bidding. The ones who rebels or acts out of line will be addressed. They will be questioned and possible get into trouble. These are the NRM Rebels, which tends to be manhandled and losing their perks. This is what he does… because nobody should question the only man with a vision.

We knew the results when the NRM CEC wrote their position earlier in the week. We knew that the NRM would just follow where the President pointed and nothing else would happen. It was written and executed according to plan.

The NRM High Command has it all in order and everyone else just obeys. There is no chance. Nothing is missed and the journey of the votes is only formalities. This is how things are and not expect MPs or dissidents inside to be left of the hook. They will be taken care of and they will regret it. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni has earned a living on cheap politics….

I want to warn people who use the death of someone to do cheap politics. I have heard some people saying Oulanyah was killed. We’re coming for you. The police will come for you to help them because you seem to know what we don’t know. We cannot go on with this indiscipline. Oulanyah died in a reputable hospital. For somebody who is educated to claim. You must come to police and explain. We cannot continue with this indiscipline. I had somebody saying there is a camera. Where is the camera you are talking about? Which camera were they talking about? If you are talking about that vehicle, it is not a camera. It is for our security here” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (25.03.2022).

That the President is coming with a warning on the day the late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah is substituted with the former Deputy Speaker. Just show that his mind never rests and he always has to retaliate. There is never peace and never a moment of acting humble.

His coming with warnings and telling that the authorities will investigate the ones who is questioning the death of Oulanyah. It is not like National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the NRM used death as a means to their end. The NRM was forged in death and murder… the killing fields and the bush-war. That was cheap politics, which the NRA even used tricks to wear to UNLA fatigue and killed villagers to blame them for massacres. This was in the 1980s and how he rose to prominence and never looked back.

The President should consider his words. As he is the one that warns of destroying, rhetoric of demeaning opponents and saying his army will destroy anyone. When he does that on the regular. Why wouldn’t people question a sudden death like this? Just like they have questioned other deaths and sudden fatalities of high ranking officials over the years!

The NRM and the authorities haven’t really the trust or the ability of transparency, which would make the public believe in the messages of the state. However, the known secrecy and devious ways, always make people speculate and wonder what went down. And it doesn’t help in this regard, that there was a probe into poisoning of Oulanyah during 2021. We where supposed to forget these headlines in The Observer?

His Excellency should consider how his state failed Oulanyah and all the citizens. When the high ranking officials has to go abroad to get treatment. That shows the Ministry of Health and the Hospitals isn’t up too it. This is why they have to get treatment and medical care elsewhere. The Government of Uganda should consider this and that’s why people are speaking out about his travels to Seattle. However, the President seems to be delusional about this.

It isn’t cheap politics…. It is the sort of politics and questioning that actually helped himself at one point. Just like his speaking ill of coup d’etat these days. The same manner of which he took power in 1986. So, consistency is apparently too much too ask… Peace.

Obwakabaka Bwa Buganda: Office of the Katikkiro – Press Release (25.03.2022)