Opinion: I expect Gen. Mugisha Muntu to start his own Political Party tomorrow!

Well, it has come to this, not this is wished upon as Retired General Mugisha Muntu has supporters all over for his moderate and strong belief in peaceful transformation of the Republic. Still, it is has not grasped enough and gotten traded in well within the Forum for Democratic Change own delegates before the recent internal elections.

Its been interesting in the aftermath of the recent internal elections, that the National Resistance Movement and their supporters has spread messages of fear and of dismay of the result. Like it where their own elections. Maybe, because there is only sole-candidacy and handpicked candidates that are getting chosen inside the NRM. Therefore, the FDC delegation and conference this recent week proven their democratic display. Not the result that Muntu or his allies wanted, but it showed that he still carries a big delegation and a loyal base. Even if Patrick Oboi Amuriat won over him.

Therefore, the change of Party President shouldn’t bring him down, but it is humiliating to lose. Still, Nathan Nandala-Mafabi did the same in the last time around and he is still a viable figure inside the Party. It is not like it is a death sentence to lose the Presidency. The first Party President was Dr. Kizza Besigye and he is still significant. Some says it his own making that Muntu has lost his place. That Besigye is all behind POA. That POA is no-one without Besigye. Besigye and POA are might both part of the same fraction of the party. Since they want the party to be more spirited with the Defiance and less of the Muntu spirited compliance.

That is also maybe reason why Muntu lost, Muntu is brave, but also shielded from a lot in the recent year. While other of the Defiance fraction has been detained and legal trouble. Muntu and friends has skated off into the sunset. This and his decisions to actually accept that the FDC are the leading opposition party in the Parliament. Which means they also formed a Shadow Government, as if they weeks and days before was saying was illegitimate. Therefore, Muntu have mad the bed himself and now has to sleep in it.

Muntu knew and knows what is brewing inside a party, who should be tired by the little movement and the stalemate. The Stalemate that is lasting now for two decades against the NRM. That Besigye, Muntu and all other in the leadership hasn’t been able at this point to have peaceful transition from the NRM. Since Museveni and his party of sole candidacy is staying either by the rigged ballots or by the guns.

Fellow Ugandans, I would like to thank all of you for the great show of support for the pursuit of democracy as well as our concerted and continuing struggle for a better Uganda. I will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 10am at Hotel Africana. God bless you all” (Mugisha Muntu, 28.11.2017).

That is why this significant message from Muntu is telling. Since he as the former Party President should know the stakes ahead inside the FDC. It isn’t that Besigye kicked him out and got in a puppet as the Party President. But, that the moderate and careful working Muntu wasn’t proactive enough or even professing to the needed changes within the FDC.

That is why I expect him to start a new Political Party, as he will not be leader under POA or try to contest Besigye again for the Presidential Race. He rather run on his own and try to create his own party. He might bring with him many of the Shadow Government MPs and others. Muntu might bring a big group from the FDC. While FDC becoming more revolutionary and more in the spirit of defiance against the resistance.

What that will say about his, it might be a fluke or hot air like Go-Forward of Amama Mbabazi. It might be a party of the size of Conservative Party, Democratic Party or Uganda People’s Congress. But it might not have the role that FDC has and the FDC will find new leaders for the ones who left. There are lots inside the structure and the years on the sideline of the NRM.

It will not be easy for Muntu to be another one who works for himself. He has to challenge both FDC, but NRM. As well as all the rest of the Opposition parties. If that will be easy in this political climate, as the police are shutting down and silencing their consultations/meetings. That will happen with Muntu if he tries to be someone and somebody. He will not be in peace, unless he does like Beti Kamya and Uganda Federal Alliance, which is now a loyal stooge of the NRM.

We can just await and see what happens tomorrow. If he will roll out a new party, if he has plans inside the FDC or if he goes independent. There are rumors and speculations of several opposition MPs to be part of the press conference at Hotel Africana. That might happen tomorrow. We don’t know at this point, what we do know is that he has these options.

We can assume certain movement from him because he stated this after losing on the 25th November:

I want to operate in an environment where I feel I am trusted by those that I am working with. So colleagues, I don’t want to be unfair to you nor do I want to say that you are being unfair to me. Therefore, at a personal level, there are decisions I will have to make in the coming days and weeks. I ask for your patience and prayers. We need to bear with each other even as we ponder on the decision that we will have to make. We do our part as human beings and the rest we leave it to God” (Mugisha Muntu, 25.11.2017).

So, we know he feels disgruntled, because people are unhappy with some of his actions and of some of his decisions after the General Election in 2016. It is because of that, people has lost it and he also lost vital supports inside the party. Still, Muntu will get backers from the FDC if he shifts. That will be over the Defiance, but also because of his compliance.

We will see what happens. But will Muntu do like Mbabazi and try it all on his own? Nevertheless, his party would have longer time before the next election, than what Go-Forward had before the 2016 election. Peace.

The 10th Parliament today adds more debt to the state, near 2 trillion shillings more actually!

Today, the Ugandan Parliament has added more debt to the state since they cannot get grants or donors to fund their projects like in the past. National Resistance Movement (NRM) have the majority of the Parliament, therefore the adjustment and the possible questioning of the bills today. Would be squashed briefly, as the new amount of debt will arise and the state has to get more sufficient funds to repay the loans and the rising interests. That the three projects might bring profits in the future and could be seen as positive development, might be true, but it is a high risk. When the levels of debt already has grown as much as it is.

The first loan approved by the parliament was to borrow for the Lake Victoria Maritime Communication and Transport Project. That loan is up to $ 14,4 Million USD or 52,409 billion Uganda Shillings.

The second loan approved by the parliament was to borrow for the upgrade the road Kapchorwa-Suam-Kitale Road. These was two loans in one. Which is one $ 38,349,313.28 or 139,705 billion Uganda Shillings, this was borrowed from African Development Bank (ADB). The other was $ 56,129,597.12 or 204,437 billion Uganda Shillings from the African Development Fund (ADF).

The third loan was in Euros, first part from UK Export Finance (UKEF), which was EUROS 270,266,042.15, converted to US Dollars is $ 321,199,210.23 or in Uganda Shilling the total: 1,170,081,708,10 Uganda Shillings or in word One Trillion One Hundred Seventy billion Uganda Shilling. The second loan are in EUROS 37,110,585 from Standard Chartered Bank, converted to US Dollars is $ 44,112,060.75 or in Uganda Shillings 160,670,761,044.55 or in words One Hundred Sixty Billion, six hundred seventy million, seven hundred sixty-one thousand, forty-four and fifty-five hundredths Uganda Shillings.

So collectively today, the NRM has accepted loans which totals $ 474,190,180 US Dollars. In Uganda shilling it means 1,727,264,129,950.40 Uganda Shillings. In words it is one trillion, seven hundred twenty-seven billion, two hundred sixty-four million, one hundred twenty-nine thousand Uganda Shillings.

The budget of 2017-2018 was in total 29 Trillion Shillings. Therefore, they are now seeking to borrowing close to 2 Trillion Shillings, which is of last years budget close to 2,9 %. So the NRM MPs and State has had no trouble borrowing close to 3 percentage of previous budget on three infrastructure projects. It is evident and should be worrying with the knowledge that the state is already using 33 % of the budget to repay loans of old and their interests. No matter how positive these projects are and what they can accumulate in the future. Still, the basis of loaning this amounts while having growing debts already. Is really tasking future generations to pay for the loans of the previous ones.

So it seems like the NRM are planning to opening the gates and making sure the state owns more to even more banking and international money lenders. As if the petroleum dollars will safe the deficit in the future. As the interests and the downgrading of the state might appear. Unless, the state gets higher oil prices and some luck. Since, the NRM have really forked itself and hoping someone will bail it out. Peace.

Red Pepper Publication Limited: Charge Sheet from Buganda Road Court (27.11.2017)

South Sudan: Gen. Gathoth Gatkouth Hothyang statement – “Denial of Allegions in the Report of Pre-Forum Consultation of IGAD High Level Revitalization Forum” (24.11.2017)

Burundi: CNARED-GIRITEKA – “Au Terme de sa session ordinaire, le Directoire du CNARED-GIRITEKA porte a la commisance de l’opinion tantnationale qu’internationale ce qui suit” (27.11.2017)

Chapter Four Uganda Statement: “First Anniversary of Kasese Killings: We Remember” (27.11.2017)

One year ago, more than 55 people – including at least 14 police officers – were killed in the Kasese clashes on November 26. A day later, the military and police forces launched a deadly assault on the Rwenzururu palace killing more than 100 civilians – including children.

One year later, we know more than 180 civilians were arrested and charged in court. However, no military or police officer has been charged for the killing of civilians. Families continue to narrate their ordeal of missing relatives and the palace remains cordoned off by security forces as a crime scene.

We call for an independent and impartial investigation into the role of security forces in the Kasese killings to deliver justice to the victims and their families.

Burundi: FPB Letter to President Magufuli on the Inter-Burundian Dialogue (21.11.2017)

East African Community: “4th Inter-Burundi Dialogue Session Set to Begin in Arusha, Tanzania” (26.11.2017)

South Sudan: Major. Gen. Lawerence Amitayo Legge resigns from SPLM-IO to join NAS (25.11.2017)

Opinion: Hon. Nsubuga is so caught up in Musevenism, that his defense of lifting [the Age Limit] makes him sound foolish!

I know he said in interview during the recent days that he (Simeo Nsubuga), that he wanted the Age Limit lifted in the Constitution of 1995, as a Christmas Gift to the Ugandan People. I wonder when offering a life presidency, ever been for the citizens and not for the President himself. That would be a honest approach. He wrote a lot of crap recently in the State Media and NRM Propaganda paper New Vision. Which, I read, just to see what would the Member of Parliament say and what sort of ways could he argue for the Life Presidency. It is weird, but fitting. It is not smart or even brilliant. Its more a mockery of the state and the whole thing. I will just take snippets and not the whole article. Because I don’t have the time and secondly, I don’t bother wasting that amount of time on it.

Here is the first part of his wisdom:

With all these future headed projects our country is already rich. The bright future will come with able leadership we have enjoyed for the last 31 years under the NRM/ President Y.K. Museveni. Therefore, you cannot talk of changing leadership for the sake of changing because you are not sure that the next leader will be in position to stir the country to greater heights. Our country is at a critical stage of development/conditions to take off where we need to move forward under steady leadership. Some people have argued that let us change leadership because the Constitution provides for (age limit). Personally, I do not buy the idea because you may change and change for the worse. We need to consolidate what we have achieved, under the visionary and steady leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni” (Nsubuga, 2017).

I wonder where Uganda is rich, as it is begging for funding for infrastructure, are using all kind of schemes to fund its institutions and find funding for state projects. If it wasn’t for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), certain big projects wouldn’t exists. Secondly, this richness has been shown with not paying civil servants, not paying for medical equipment, making sure schools are intact and roads in the district is able to drive upon. I wonder what so of wealth he is talking about. Unless, the wealth is ghost-workers and cronyism, then the state is wealthy!

The bright future is for the cronies and the National Resistance Movement. How they maneuver and are loyal to Museveni. That his why, they cannot see anyone else than the leadership of him. He is still their visionary and supposed steady, even as the crippled economy is growing in debt. That is well known fact and the payment of interest will not slow down, unless the petrodollar really kicks in. What is more surprising is that Nsubuga says that have to consolidate the power, I thought it already was under control within the State House? Isn’t it already so, but isn’t it worrying that a party lasting for 31 years can only manage to have one head and one master. That he lacks so much leadership skills, that he cannot even teach a successor or even groom somebody to be the next in charge. Leadership isn’t only to be the kingpin, but also to leave the mantle to someone suitable. That you have learned them the hoops and shown them the hurdles. So they can succeed and secure the foundation left behind. Clearly, the NRM and the Museveni lacks this talent.

Here is the second part of his wisdom:

You can see that Uganda which has been under steady leadership for the last 31 years is in better place than those countries. So the point is how do we help our people to prosper economically through agriculture, livestock, business and ICT. Small-scale industries like fruit processing and fish farming not age limit (Togigwatako) As a country at this critical stage of development let us focus on development not politics of age limits which are artificial impositions in the constitution because they limit the scope of choice of leaders a case in point is the new Austria Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz aged 31 years the leader of Conservative People’s Party who was recently elected as a Prime Minister and now the youngest leader on European Continent, so if there was age limit in Austrian Constitution say 35 to 75 years like ours here, no way would Mr. Kurz be a Prime Minister. So issues of age limit and term limits are not universally accepted principles of democracy. The most important principle is regular, free and fair elections and in our case we have been doing it this since 1996” (Nsubuga, 2017).

Let’s look at the second paragraph I took from his article. It is more of the same really. I still don’t see anything more steady, other than the same name and same fella in charge. If that is steady leadership. Then any numb-nut can run the nation and become a statesman. It is weird that continue talking and praising the economy, when the NRM know how bad it is and the state functions are struggling. It is like the blind is leading the blind.

That he is using defense of a real democracy like Austria, where the ballots isn’t pre-ticket and the NRM isn’t rigging. That he speaks of elections like democracy, when they are made with intimidations and cronyism, they are clearly not looking into what the NRM are doing to make the kingpin, staying the kingpin. That the Age Limit would be hurdle for Kurz, but the narrative is totally different. So it is not real need of discussing the different.

When speaking of principles of democracy, why couldn’t Amama Mbabazi run in the NRM Primaries against the Museveni in 2015? Why? Because the NRM are all loyal to Museveni and cannot muster real leadership. They are all faithful minions and subjects of Museveni. So speaking of “accepted principles of democracy”, is a mockery of principles and of democracy. Both of them are in this aspect and assessment misuse of words. The definitions of them should be balanced, but the weight in the NRM are always in favor of Museveni. That is also why Nsubuga are praising his work. Even if he knows it a lie and he does it, to show his loyalty, as the subject he is. Peace.

Reference:

Nsubuga, Simeo – ‘Focus on politics of development not age limit’ (22.11.2017) link: https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1466166/focus-politics-development-age-limit