Another “Last Word of Mwenda”: He belongs now in a den of thieves….

The editor and founder of the Independent Magazine, Andrew Mwenda is back with his articles on social media. Today he published an article called ‘Uganda’s anti corruption pretense’ which I will discuss. Last time I did this was in September and once in March 2021. So, this year I haven’t cared much about his writing. Neither, has he been so controversial either, but he always has a mannerism ,which puts him on my radar.

Mwenda did defend corruption on a TV Program yesterday on NBS Television. Since 2015 he has become a man who defends that and does it wholeheartedly. That’s why I have to address it. Because, someone needs to retort him and it just happens to be me…

“President Yoweri Museveni came to power promising to fight graft. He has presided over the most corrupt government in Uganda’s history. This, in large part, explains why he has lasted longest. This is not a moral judgment on his leadership. I do not think he would (and can) govern Uganda without corruption. It is just a statement of fact. I believe many opposition politicians genuinely believe corruption can be defeated. However, if they came into power, they would be just as corrupt” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

We know that the editor doesn’t believe anyone else can rule in the Republic. He just another pawn of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). His paternalistic way is that everyone in a system just has to get corrupted and continue the what the previous leaders did. Because, nobody has agency or ability to choose themselves… secondly, if life was as tragic as this… than there would never be reform or development. In the way Mwenda looks at things… cars would never have been created and people would still use horses to get from A to B. So, the opposition should get to try and some might get caught in the greed of power, but hopefully some will be morally strong to compete against the greed and easy money.

“There are many sources of legitimacy for governments. However, critical to the legitimacy of the modern state is the ability of the state to provide a large basket of public goods and services to all its citizens. This governance model requires high levels of social organization and lots of money. Poor countries don’t have these two endowments to govern this way. So, they rely on cheaper and affordable strategies of governance – repression and patronage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Mwenda starts his defence of it and does it deliberately…. and it’s not funny anymore. It’s like the poor countries doesn’t have money, but if they have money to pay the patronage and use corrupt methods they are depleting the funds, which could have been spent on the government service. The same government services only the rich countries has and not spend it on vehicles for MPs for instance. Alas, this is an flawed argument, because the incentives is taken away and the poor are just supposed to stay power. In the same manner, which no opposition can ever reform or transform a nation. That’s a lie, because some might fall in the same trap of the past, but others might resolve the issues and find another way to govern. That implies another ending, which repression and patronage doesn’t become the end-game for any government.

“Poor countries of today inherited the ethical and moral architecture of their governance from departing colonial powers and/or as copy and paste values based on “best practice” in rich Western countries. Yet reading the history of the West showed me that these ethical and moral values had not always been the basis of their governance. When still at the same level of per capita spending as us, the state did not provide a large basket of public goods and services to all citizens. Instead, governments in the West managed their societies using similar cheaper and affordable strategies of governance our leaders employ today – repression and patronage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here is what is ironic here… yet, part of it is true too. Yes, the undefined “poor countries” have inherited a state, laws and institutions of which was based on the nations, which held them captive until liberation from the previous colonizes. However, in plenty of these nations, the rulers and the elites have thrived in using the same means, as the colonizer did. They have inherited it and used the same tricks to salvage wealth and create a microscopic local middle-class and wealthy elite. This elite is most likely connected to the political elite. That’s what his neglecting here.. by just saying the leaders employ repression and patronage.

Secondly, in this manner, yes, the West and multi-national organizations have imposed the governance and government policies, which has been strings reflected on the barrier or stipulations of loans. If not these has come as a costs for cheap loans, grants or development funds. These are money and funds the state could have blocked or not taken. Therefore, the state is doing this to cover for own deficits and shortfalls. Third, as a matter of truth here. The leaders and the elites has used the means of the new governance to assault and stop the others in the tracks. Also, issue in new forms of agendas to be the “new breed” of leaders, which has paid of in the West. One man doing so was Museveni and his party. He promised all of this, but instead only paid of the patronage. That shows that it wasn’t his priorities, but he masked it by following “western” objectives to get funds to cover the shortfall of his cronyism. Which is an ideal, that Mwenda masks over with brush of the pen. It is like it’s no need to mention that, but just take it under the rug and forget it about it.

“Poor countries adopted this architecture of governance without the financial and a developed social organization to deliver on it. So, our nations are over developed in functions but under developed in capacity – their reach goes far beyond their grasp. The consequence of this mismatch between ambitions and resources leads inevitably to corruption. Meagre resources are spread too thinly across a large territory that is sparsely populated. Then they are placed into the hands of myriads of state employees with limited skills and oversight to do the job. Corruption and incompetence are inevitable byproducts of this effort” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here again he continues. It is like the states and republics, the former colonies or anyone didn’t have a choice. Yes, there would be reactions and efforts would have been made to change it. We know the former colonizers and the Western powers used all means and ploys to get their favoured leaders in office. Therefore, the will and abilities wasn’t huge.

However… every nation and head of state has choices. Like Museveni could have invested in education, schools and the such. Instead he has decided to spend on huge patronage, cronies and the army. Which isn’t means to an end, but to secure his longevity. The state could have used the resources and decided to spend on education, infrastructure and create policies of which had made thing reform in a positive direction. Nevertheless, when that isn’t the goal, but the end-game has been set-up differently and for only the ones that breathes lives to the rulers. That’s why things are not moving forward, but stagnate. It’s like Mwenda doesn’t want to see that and only wants to defend the corrupt and the ones eating of the plates of others. Instead of sharing the resources they actually have… that’s pathetic.

“Because financial and human resources available cannot deliver the large basket of public goods and services, governments find it cheaper (and affordable) to invest in buying-off elites in the different ethnic or religious communities with patronage. In exchange, these elites create a bridge between the state and their constituents. This forms the basis for the politicization of ethnicity – as ambitious people make moral, cultural and psychological appeals to identity to gain the following of particular constituencies. They leverage this following to gain positions of power and influence; and they sustain these through the distribution of material benefits to their constituents by indulging in activities that are largely corrupt” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here his saying it’s cheaper and easier, which is partly true, but also shows the ideals or the supposed states has given up on their mission. It is like he accept the idea that the state only serves an elite or the patronage of the state. They are accepting to buy up a small patronage, but not use the resources it has to serve it’s citizens. That is devaluing the state and what it could do. This is showing the needs for reform and change things. The government and the state could actually try to serve the communities or the citizens, but the focus isn’t on them, but a chosen few who can get to eat. That is a tragic pattern and prospects for the state.

“At the top corruption is the glue that holds the flabby and heterogenous coalition of powerful religious and ethnic elites together. Then below, corruption is the grease that turns the wheels of the state because public sector employees work in large part because their official incomes are supplemented by unofficial earnings through corruption. Therefore, corruption is the way the system works not the way it fails. By adopting the ethics of a modern state at very low levels of public spending, we have criminalized the very governance strategies that allow our states to function. This conclusion is frustrating but realistic. It means that we need to see corruption not as a problem which we can solve but one we should manage” (Mwenda, 10.12.2021).

Here is the end to this sad tale of defending corruption. The magical way of building society by stealing, thieving and siphoning funds. The way of taking money and eating of other people’s plate. The state and the elites are allowed to run rampant and only give scraps away to the majority. Because, that keeps the status quo alive and everything dandy for the elites of Mwenda. He lives with the wealthy and hang around the greedy guts… this is maybe why he endures corruption and gets a few kickbacks himself.

The editor and the journalist should think more straight ahead. The patronage, the cronyism and the corruption is only making everything costly. That’s why roads are so expensive to build, so many needs their envelopes and it gets plenty more hurdles to get things done. The state isn’t becoming better, but everyone needs to be greased. That’s not how to build anything and the values of life will go away as well. Since, everyone is down to be bought and possibly corrupted. If Mwenda believes that is how he builds society. He surely belong in a den of thieves.

This pseudo-intellectualism at it’s finest. Some will buy into it, but anyone who can see through it. Will know it is nonsense and deservingly so. Peace.

Opinion: The ones running rackets will not save you…

One thing is for certain. If you elect gangsters, they will make their office into racket. It is just a matter of time. Their leadership, their model and their ways will exposes by a crisis like COVID-19. The Coronavirus will show the weakness and expose the realities.

The Administration, the government will show its true face. If it is sincere, if they have policies or even if they damn care about you, the citizens. However, if you elected a gangster or accepted that they rigged themselves into office. Than, expect the worse.

Because, normally, they will issue some tenders and take some kickbacks, juice up the prices, make fake shell-companies and secure the patronage money from the state coffers. Usually, that hurts the institutions, the government and the budgets. But it doesn’t change much on the ground. As some of the services, some of the procurements are good, but that are drip drops on a faulty system anyway. There are some roads built, some maintained, but a lot to give. That is why development projects, infrastructure projects sky-rocket in price and costs, also prolonged by the gangsters who need their cut.

However, in a COVID-19 crisis, a pandemic this doesn’t work. Their years of neglect and phony contracts cannot sustain the damage, the hurt and the pain. It is occurrent and they cannot forge the paperwork. They rewrite deaths and positive tests of people, but somewhere along the line, there will be mysterious deaths. Secondly, the Hospitals, the ICU beds and ventilators cannot be faked.

Their racket, the racketeering cannot save you. Not that they sheltered the public. Not like the previous rackets or tricks of trade made a big change, but it was a make belief and rouse. It tricked the paper-tigers and surely sold a lot donors. However, the dire poverty is still as rampant. The lack of social security net and welfare state is evident. The heads of state who used their position as a racket is exposed. Their years of neglect and lack of care is now official news.

These folks, these gangster will not save you now. They will only postpone and try to salvage their hurt. They want to secure their vaults and their wealth. If they do things, its only to secure their empires and their vast resources. They will dispose those on the public, neither will they dole the public with massive gifts nor invests properly in the failing Ministry of Health. No, they will await the donors, the Multi-National Organizations, United Nations and whoever who is seeing the tragedy and hope their dime can change the equation. Even if they have dollars upon dollars stored away in unnamed bank-account in Switzerland. Because, that is what they do.

Don’t expect Gangster to save you. They are in it for the nickels and dime. By the hook or by the crook. Anything can become a racket, they just need to find the loophole and the ability to trick the situation. Don’t expect them to save you and yours. They will only patch the hurt if it benefit them in the long-run and you will repay their loyalty. If not, you will be forgotten or not mentioned. You toils, you pain, your suffering doesn’t count, because there is nothing you can repay the favour with.

That is how this is. The game is rigged, you were not expected to play, but you will still loose. It’s just like Casinos. The House cannot loose. The Gangster cannot loose either. The mobster will win. It is just a matter of time. The public will cry, the pain will be real and the death will be on the street. Don’t expect the gangster to mourn, except when the men of honour dies. Than, he will salute and shed a tear for the public. That is only a facade, as long as he reigns supreme. Peace.

Philippines: National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) – Postponing the May 2020 Barangay and Sanggunlang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) remains inadequately justified, and will extend terms of office without voters’ consent (25.09.2019)

Opinion: There are two type of leaders in government I never trust… the warlords and the gangsters!

I feel there is two type of leaders in government, that I can never trust. They might never see themselves as this, but their act are like this. These leaders are fitted in other fashions, than of statesmen. They are leaders who could really be part of the Costra Nostra or even some armed militia. The only difference is that they have the power as head of states and is “elected” officials.

The two types I have to pin-point is the warlords and the gangsters. There are plenty of these in our time. They use the time in power, either to steal, kill or undermine the citizens while being in power. They are not serving the public, no, they are eating and destroying the state, bit by bit.

The warlords are military leaders, who has taken over the civil government, they are using the military for all sorts of actions, instead of building institutions. They are misusing the force, the intelligence and all parts of the security organizations of the state. All done to spread fear and control the public. If the public interfere or question the authority, these sort of government uses the army to arrest, detain and sentence the ones challenging them. This is what they do and the army can solve all trouble in society. That is what the warlords do, other than creating conflicts elsewhere, to be consistent warfare and using their skills in the military field. Instead of really generating peace.

The gangsters are the parties and groups of politicians, who uses the government as a racket. They are racketeering. Meaning, they are eating of the plate of the public, they are overtaxing them and not giving them services. They are expecting to be men-of-honour and deserve honour, even if they are emptying the reserves, creating fake problems and making laws, which takes away opportunities of the citizens, as they are expected to blindly follow the Don and his mafia. There will be extra-judicial killings, corruption scandals and continuously embezzlement. Therefore, the gangsters are working and earning of the plate of others. But don’t expect them to give you anything. If they do, they expect to get returns.

However, if they don’t, you will get in trouble for making deals with them. You should have known better, but maybe you had no other choice. Because, they run the government and they supply the tenders, so you had to deal with them. Expect to be extorted or taken advantage off, they are gangsters for a reason. Men for every season.

So, surely, if you follow the news, you will see these characters. They are maybe in the headlines, maybe making pledges and greeting you on the screen. Remember, that you cannot trust them. They are warlords and gangsters, there for self-serving and only there to misuse their power. If you don’t follow their codes, you will get got. If you don’t listen or try to fight these men. Than, your their prey and they intend to use your citizenship as a pawn in their game for ill-gotten wealth.

This is the way it is. Not that its right, but we let it happen. Time to make it right. Peace.

DPP: Press Statement – Investigation on Allegation of Irregular Payment of Kshs 68,000,000/= made by Nairobi City County to M/S Wachira Mburu, Mwangi & Company Advocates (26.04.2019)

EACC: Press Statement on Investigations into Two Allegations of Irregular Payment of Kshs 68 Million by Nairobi City County Government to Wachira Mwangi and Company Advocates (26.04.2019)

Byandala aquitted for the Project 1034 Mukono-Katosi Scandal: Thieving is apparently legal!

The Project 1034 Mukono-Katosi Scandal that is going as far back as 2009-2010, but the official starting point of the project was in 2014, as the scheduled end of the project was in 2017. This was the works of the Ministry of Works Abraham Byandala. He got siphoned money to a non-existent company, which didn’t work on others than imaginary stuff for years. The bills that the state totally paid was up to 24 billion Ugandan Shillings. That this man was in-charge of and took over the years.

This scandal isn’t new, the documentation between Byandala, the companies and Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is all there, but that wasn’t good enough for him to suffer. That is because of his connection and that he is married to the upper-echelon of society. If he was an ordinary con-man he would linger in jail, but since he wears a suit and is connected. He could walk like nothing after a prolonged case and now they are clearing him of the charges. That happens as it has gone years since he ate this money and the state is ready to move on.

That the National Resistance Movement (NRM) are above the laws is proven with judgment like these. As the former Minister made up a company, siphoned money into the accounts of the make belief and made paperwork for possible road-works, without anything being delivered. The state paid for nothing and was still billed. They paid for ghosts and an a mirage made by the Minister.

This is like a really bad scam of the people and whoever carried the footed bills for company, which was non-existent. That shows the nerve of the NRM, as they are charging whoever oppose them, but their own thieves they are allowing freedom.

That Byandala has stolen billions of shillings is known. This was done while he was in power and he did it with others. As they tried all tricks to hide it, but it leaked and hit the public. As the prices of the road between Mukono-Katosi becoming to huge. The state was continuing to paying for a projects that lasted forever. That is why this is are real injustice. The people didn’t get the roads and their funds was taken by a Minister appointed by the President.

That is why this is insulting. As Byandala is walking away without a scratch, without an inch of pain and could take the billions like nothing. Peace.

Hon. Otto Odonga: Notice of Motion to Censure Betty Amongin over abuse of Office (23.05.2018)

Barangay and SK Election: Final Update before the polls!

There been reports of violence, killings and even arrests as the public are preparing to go the polls. After my calculations over 20 people have died in incidents connected with the elections. Therefore, the elections has already cost lives, which shouldn’t be necessary, in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections of 2018 or in election for that matter! 

Let’s hope the added military and police in the streets will make it peaceful, also the ban of fire-arms and alcohol can secure all of it. That the public holiday the election day can be plus. Even as the possible pay-offs on Saturday and Sunday, may sway voters in their directions, as the incumbents and others are trying to secure their post for this term. Let’s hope people go for the ones, who is less corrupt and the ones with integrity, even as the posts are paying little. However, it is a elected public office, so your not supposed to take that for wealth, but for will of serving the community. Even in the smallest office as a captain and councilors at the local Barangay. Your not supposed to enrich yourself or your clan. You are supposed to serve the community. 

Let’s hope and pray for peaceful affairs and not more loss of lives. This is small local positions, this is not an election for the Parliament, like the Representatives and Senators even. These are the position in the local council and local government levels. Therefore, lets hope the candidates, the local security officials and that the volunteers trained by the COMELEC are ready for the elections. Make them as fair as possible, and that they make sure that, this a credible election. Even as there are some irregularities that I have mentioned in a previous post. But let’s still be hopeful.

We can hope and live in these days, that the Security Officials and that the ones contesting are acting within reason, as well as the polling staff will act according to protocol and not rig it. There will always be some who wants to take advantage of a situation, but that doesn’t mean everyone. Like there are reports from various provinces that the Barangay’s haven been frenetically candidates buying votes. Therefore, this may sway the electorate to one direction from another. As well as in certain Barangay’s there are many unopposed, meaning they will go straight back to office without any real contest. These are the bad signs connected with the sad deaths. However, not all are, so let’s still be a bit hopeful. 

But let’s hope for peaceful election day, let’s pray for safety of all people and also, for a credible affair, where the best candidates wins. Peace.

The NRM Way is Corruption, so please don’t be shocked when they do it!

You should never be shocked if a National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament (MP) or Historicals are caught eating of the public plate. No matter who it is, they are acting as they are entitled to this. They are entitled not pay rent, they are entitled to grab land and entitled to get kickbacks on government contracts. This is the system the NRM has built. To say otherwise is naive. This is the continuation of the “pay-to-play” system that Amama Mbabazi was known for. How do you think him and Gilbert Bukenya made their wealth?

They did not sell Nile Brew on the streets of Kampala, no these two used their positions to eat and therefore was synonymous with the word corruption, at one point they could have their face in the dictionary as they we’re always connected with some sham transaction. The same can be said the Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa, who always has some shady business deal or arrangement to make sure his pockets are fat. When the new generation of NRM MPs see how the old-guard did it. They want to be in on it. That is natural.

So when Betty Amongi does what she does, she has learned from her peers. Not that is right or by law, but by the activity of the party. The same can be said by Evelyn Anite, whose also has some shady deals now. Both of these are just the newest crop, in addition to the ones who has already played these games. I am just waiting for Frank Tumwebaze to have some sort deal with the Telecoms, so that he could earn something on the side with this Sim-Card Saga of his. That would have made sense and also within reason.

And we know the likes Jim Muhwezi and others has made enough fortunes, big enough homes, that is why the house of Gen. Elly Tumwine, whose trying to outshine the Gbadolite, the house of former Dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Therefore, the NRM elite has money, while the government lacks it and borrows to keep the cash flow going. If not, they are begging for handouts to secure government projects. This is happening while the elite is finding all kinds of tricks to find new money.

These are MPs with a lavish pay, secured pay for cars and housing, these are MPs whose already getting well-fed on the government tab. So they shouldn’t need to do shady backroom deals, but still they do, because the ones with much, always wants a little bit more. The rich wants to get richer. That is also natural, but they are feeding themselves on a rotten root and hoping the tree will bear fruits next season. Which is impossible, as they are killing off the tree, instead of nurturing it and making sure it can last.

The NRM eating like there is no tomorrow, it isn’t only the President. The State House and the PM. They are the main beneficiaries, but the MPs want their part of the pot of gold. That is why we see Presidential Handshakes, bribes, kickbacks, graft, land-grabs and whatnot. They all want their slice, because they want to be like the previous NRM ministers who did the same. They are NRM and therefore entitled to eat. That is the system. Not a beautiful masterpiece, but when the predecessors did it, why can’t they?

I am not saying it is justified, but I understand why it happens, why they are acting like this. Because they want their loot and their fortunes. If not they wouldn’t run as MPs or part of the elites. This is the way to get it. Not by hard work or dedication, no by association and by office. That is how this system work. This is 32 years down the road, and nothing has changed…

So please don’t be shocked, its put into play long time ago. That is why even Mwenda was bitching about this a decade ago, before his “independent” magazine launch. Peace.