BoU Scandal: Mmaks Advocates – Press Release (12.01.2019)

Age Limit: The value of the Life Presidency is now about two Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita!

What if I told you that, based on the incoming numbers from today’s reporting and last year. We can establish the certain cost of the Age Limit Bill and how much the National Resistance Movement (NRM) or the NRM MPs has cost in total. An amendment of the Constitution, which in purpose have given President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Life Presidency.

With that in mind, I have calculated what each of the NRM MPs have gotten in payment. As it first was the cost of Consultations and the total value of that, later I have taken the direct payment for passing the bill. So take a look!

Latest report on the payment:

The first installment of Shs 40 million was paid before the amendment was passed in 2017 with another installment of Shs 100 million coming immediately after the passing of the Bill. The final installment of Shs 60 million was to be paid on November 30 last year. At the beginning of this week, the MPs received telephone calls from the leadership of the NRM Parliamentary caucus to go for the money but instead of the Shs 60 million, the MPs received Shs 45 million” (Kabuubi, 2019).

Lets do some calculations:

Each of the 317 Members of the NRM Caucus have gotten in total Shs. 85 million shillings or offered this, as it is reported. I will look at the whole sum for everyone, as it is to hectic to calculate the ones that didn’t receive it all, as they wanted the whole sum of Shs. 100 million, but the proof of cost is still up-to-date. As it shows how much the state anticipated to pay for the whole operation to the MPs in question.

So the sum for passing to date is about Shs. 85 million Ugandan shillings doesn’t say so much internationally, so if your using the foreign exchange today. Each MP would get in about $22,740 US Dollars. That is in both instances with the total fee, however, today, they got equlent about “only” $ 12,041 US Dollars or £9,415 Great British Pounds.

This is the payment done for the bill itself, but for the ones remembering back in time. This isn’t the first fee, these honourables got for doing so. The MPs got a consultation fee each. Which I stated like this in October 2018, when the MPs got Shs. 29 millions each for consulting their constituents.

To put the 29 million in perspective is about $ 8000 United States Dollars or £ 6000 Great British Pounds (With the exchange rate in October 2018). So it isThe whole cost of the consultation of the bill was $ 3,553.660 or about 3,5 million United States Dollar. That is the cost of the MPs consultations is equivalent of 13 billion Uganda Shillings or about 3,5 million US Dollars.

That was then, but now with the revelation, there are more money at play. Making the calculation more interesting. As the whole freaking project is getting under wraps. Because, we should calculate all the millions spent on these MPs, to prove the value of Life Presidency in the eyes of Bosco. As he sees this sums fit to give life to his dream of ruling until eternity. The $ 3,5m USD was premature. Since there was even the direct payments to the 317 NRM Caucus MPs. Which was revealed today.

With that in mind, lets do the Math:

Shs. 29m + Shs. 85m = Shs. 114m or $ 30,501 USD or even £ 23,844 GBP each.

That is what the MPs gotten each in Consultation Fees and Direct Payment. We should still look at the whole shindig. Therefore we have to look into how much Shs. 114m are times 317 MPs. That is about Shs. 36 billion or into $ 9,6m USD, or about £ 7,5m GBP.

To put that in perspective how much that really is. In Ugandan Perspective, it is as much as the Namugongo Museum Development Committee planned in 2016 to spend on Anglican Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo, as they would develop the museum, build a conference centre, guest house and a library.

To do another one, the value of the Age Limit bills as of today, it is about the value of two Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita, which is valued about $4.8m USD. Which is an upgrade, as in October last year, the value of the Age Limit was valued to one single Aston Martin. Which is fine itself, but a bit low, considering the value of the Presidency and its perks. The Presidency should cost more and be more expensive. This is still cheap, even if two Koenigsegg is a costly affair.

We should expect more, as we know how the prices on good players are in the Premier League, they are through the roof and a slot of the Presidency shouldn’t be sold for cheap, it should be some Gareth Bale, Christiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé or Neymar. The Ugandan President cost as much as the transfer of Nottingham Forrest Michael Antonio to West Ham in 2016, which in the schemes of things. Is nothing in comparison to the trade of Age Limit. The gift of extension of Presidency and being the Head of State, the Commander-in-Chief and so-on. That should be valued more.

Two fantastic Koeningsegg or a Championship transfer to the Premier League isn’t capturing the seriousness in the trade. To get the opportunity of becoming President for Life, should cost more. We all should agree on that. Peace.

Reference:

Gyagenda Kabuubi – ’Cash bonanza in Parliament as MPs get paid age limit balance’ 09.01.2019, link: https://intelpostug.com/2019/01/09/cash-bonanza-in-parliament-as-mps-get-paid-age-limit-balance/

Opinion: The Ghosts Continue to Haunt the YLP!

The Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) by every minute going, seems like a forged project and fake government projects. In ways to secure funding for other things for other Public Officials, why do I say that? Because the YLP have been given a red-flag before. The YLP should be known for its ghosts and its forged documents.

The ones running it should be questioned, as the YLP is under the Office of the Prime Minister. Therefore, the known OPM who has misused funds, which is not breaking news, but more of the same. While it was revealed there was ghosts in the YLP. This has been known for a while. The was a similar report made in 2017, as it was in 2019. That is why I will show them. To prove the similarities and lack of change.

Just take a look.

Article from 2017:

A recent government investigation has unearthed gross corruption, ghost groups, illegal fees charged for application forms and poor monitoring of the programme countrywide. The same evil has crept into the newly established Women Livelihood Programme started in 2015. The new findings back up the 2016 auditor general’s report, which found the Youth Livelihood Programme did not have a proper accounting framework. The report also found that recovery of funds was so low and some beneficiaries had vanished in at least 35 districts, including Masaka, Rakai, Wakiso, Kalangala and Kalungu. According to the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, at least Shs 84.55 billion has so far been disbursed in loans to over 144,235 individuals affiliated to 11,503 youth groups countrywide, but only Shs 6.7 billion had been recovered by the end of January 2017” (Arua District Local Government – ‘PROBE FINDS ROT IN YOUTH LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMME’ 22.07.2017).

URN reported on the 4th January 2019:Among the queries raised by the auditor general John Muwanga in the reports, is the existence ghost beneficiaries under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) – noting that about 527 million of the fund money is non-traceable. The money was allegedly spent on ghost groups in 30 districts randomly sampled during the audit period” (URN – ‘MPs grill Bigirimana over youth fund ghost beneficiaries’ 04.01.2019).

Before, I settle down on the matter, there was also a communique from the National Resistance Movement Youth League letter of the 14th October 2016, when the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affair Hon. Nakiwala Kyingi, that all Youth Chairman should be connected with Local Technocrats, where they decide that NRM-YL had to use the YLP system to get funds. This was decided in 2016. Therefore, since then, the NRM-YL and others have to make YLP Projects to get funding and loans.

As we knows that, at the same time-frame of the Auditor General report claims funds gone mission in various of districts, also ghost projects and others. Proving this is deliberate actions done by people, who are eating of the YLP. They are using this designated funds to secure wealth or spend on whatever, without any proof.

This is clearly evident of corrupt behaviour and misuse of government funds. That is not new in the Republic either. The YLP is following a long line of short-cons in the government. In 2017, there was talk of vanishing funds in 30 districts, in 2019, there is talk of 35 districts. Certainly, this is managed and mismanaged deliberatly by the Public Officials. Peace.

Opinion: Kadaga’s lifeline to Katuntu shows Parliamentary Rules are only for show!

That MP Abdu Katuntu gets to hold the Chair of the COSASE as the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga allows him to continue the Probe into Bank of Uganda (BoU) and the scandals it entails. This is like shady play, because if Katuntu are allowed to stay, what offers have they given to prolong his term as the chair of Committee in Parliament? Isn’t the legal protocol abiding for the lawmaker and MP?

Alas, that is just showing the mere disgraceful display of ignorance, the chronic cronyism and the patronage of the state. Even if Katuntu is waving the flag of an opposition party and being an MP for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). His acts of overstaying is the same of the ruling regime. He is just waiving differently in the elections, but when in power. The man has trouble emulating the ones he is supposed to oppose and defy.

That the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga allows the MP to be the Chair until the probe of the closure of banks done by BoU. Just shows the mere reflection of how the state doesn’t care about the laws or abiding to it. When it comes to their own. They trust Katuntu, that he will deliver the recommendations and the verdict that the state wants. If not, they wouldn’t have let him continue.

This even as the MPs are supposed to follow Rule 146, which sets an MP is only allowed to be 2,5 years at a Committee. That is clearly done, so they can ensure that they are getting more portfolio and not to connected in one field. As the connections and the cronies can team up, stop the back-log and also the lack of reports being discussed in the Plenary Session. Maybe, that is also why the Katuntu want to stay. As he has certain favours to uphold.

We can really question, as the final ending of the investigation of the BoU cannot be that important, unless the patronage around Kadaga and the President. Are planning to bury the report and make it as pointless, as certain other Parliament Reports, which are as stale as very old wall-paint after years of bad weather.

We can wonder why Kadaga fights over the rules made for the 10th Parliament, the rules made to ensure transparency and accountability of the Parliament. The 10th Parliament rules should be hold, especially by the Speaker. If the Speaker doesn’t care, should the chambers be invaded by strangers and also fake evidence for the Parliament, because if the terms doesn’t matter. Does anything else?

If the COSASE Committee terms becomes pointless, than what else is pointless dear Speaker? We can just wonder, why do the Parliament have protocol and guidelines anyway? If the Speaker doesn’t follow them or can change her mind?

That is how it looks like and how can we trust this probe, when the chair of the committee can just override the rules. Gets extended and violate the laws to finish a probe into dealings done by the BoU. We can really wonder if the report will be juicy or be watered down juice. Certainly, I cannot trust it now. Not that I ever did, but before, they at least acted like they cared about protocol. Now, it is just pointless exercise of power. Without any rules, as the Speaker can overrule everyone. As she wants. That is the memo, we have gotten this week. Peace.

OPM Refugee Scandal: Reloaded!

You would think that the Office of the Prime Minister, who is in-charge of the Refugees in Uganda, would trade the waters carefully, after the last year scandal of thousands upon thousands of ghost refugees. Which the OPM and the state was cashing in on. No, no, no, they are having yet another scheme, as the government are planning to misuse the refugee crisis in the neighbour countries to their advantage. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have no trouble doing so.

The Prime Minister Dr. Rugunda Ruhakana has clearly not lost the touch of deception or lying to the International Community for a buck. Here is yet another scheme made up to make the numbers sky-rocket!

More than 1000 Ugandans living in areas neighbouring Kyangwali refugee settlement were forced to attain refugee status in order to retain ‘ownership’ of their land. The scheme was reportedly crafted by Charles Bafaki, the principal resettlement officer in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Jolly Kebirungi, the camp commandant Kyangwali refugee settlement area, in the newly created Kikuube district and Lutaaya Vianney from ministry of Lands” (URN – ‘OPM forced Ugandans to register as refugees in Kyangwali’ 02.01.2019, link:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/59562-opm-officials-forced-ugandans-to-register-as-refugees-in-kyangwali).

With this in mind, the government are putting lives in jeopardy, making the citizens play as refugees, and not being citizens themselves. Supposed to seek refugee in a camp instead of living their ordinary life. This in a way to get higher numbers of refugees and more need of aid to take care of them. If this isn’t misusing resources and also reckless behaviour against own citizens. Nothing is. This is what Steady Progress means in the NRM land.

The OPM are already known for inflating numbers, but now they cheating also by making Ugandan citizens into refugees. That is really ensuring the UNHCR and all agencies for fools. As the GoU and OPM have no trouble risking their own citizens as pawns in a scheme to secure funding. While, also using this scheme to scare locals of losing their land, if they didn’t play along. That is how far they take it.

No mercy, no problems ensuring suffering for people, as long as the OPM secures more funds to itself. Peace.

WHO Director-General applauds Uganda’s Ebola preparedness response (03.01.2019)

Kampala 3 January 2019:- The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO DG), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has lauded Uganda for the Ebola preparedness response mounted, so far, in the high-risk districts of the country.

Dr Tedros said that Uganda’s disease outbreak response system is recognized globally for its effectiveness. He commended the government for the support rendered during the ongoing vaccination exercising, saying, “The vaccination exercise will go a long way in saving the lives of frontline health workers and health care workers and we are really grateful for the government’s commitment and support.”

He made these remarks at a meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister where he met key government dignitaries including; the Prime Minister- Right Honourable Dr Ruhakana Rugunda; Minister of Foreign Affairs- Hon Sam Kuteesa; Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs- Hon Bright Rwamirama; Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary-Dr Diana Atwiine and other government officials.

He highlighted the appreciation by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of Uganda for the support in the ongoing outbreak response especially regarding capacity building in Infection Prevention and Control and cross-border screening and surveillance.

Dr Tedros emphasized the need to amplify Primary Health Care (PHC) in Uganda in order to prevent diseases among the population. He added that health promotion and prevention of communicable and Non-communicable disease are key to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Prime Minister of Uganda, Right Honorable Dr Ruhakana Rugunda appreciated WHO’s endless support to Uganda, saying, “Whatever Uganda has managed to achieve in public health is because of the general leadership of WHO.”

He noted, with concern, the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC, and commended WHO and partners in the response for braving the harsh conditions to save lives. “Your hard work and sacrifice do not go unnoticed”, he said.

Dr Ruhakana also highlighted the importance of PHC to Uganda. “We have no choice but to support PHC. It is the key to tackling many of the afflictions we are getting”, he said. He committed the government to achieve UHC in Uganda.

In the wake of the Ebola outbreak that is affecting the Eastern part of DRC close to the Uganda-DRC border, Uganda is implementing a series of activities to ensure that the country is protected from the Ebola outbreak or able to control the outbreak in case of a confirmed case in Uganda. These include vaccination of frontline health workers, screening of travellers at the points of entry, risk communication and community engagement, enhanced surveillance including community-based disease surveillance and cross-border surveillance. Other activities include the collection and testing of blood samples from alert cases, capacity building for case management, psycho-social care and capacity building for safe and dignified burials.

The meeting was attended by government officials, the media and officials from WHO headquarters and WHO Uganda country office.

UN Experts Report expose illegal Gold Export to Uganda!

Again and again, the UN Experts are getting validated sources of mineral exports, which are ending up in the hands of the Gold Refinery in Entebbe, Uganda and ending in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These stories continues, as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Museveni are taking advantage of the lack of authorities and control of the borders. That is why the Ugandan can get the illicit gold and earn fortunes of the trade.

They are forging documents and doing so by tricking customs and ways. To ensure, the gold goes from Bukavu to Entebbe into the hands of the AGR. The company, which happens to run by Gen. Salim Selah, the brother of the President. The State House of Uganda is earning fortunes on the illicit trade of gold and forging the gold sources even.

Take a look:

In addition, the Group found that Ugandan authorities lacked a coherent policy to combat smuggling. The Group also found that Kampala-based gold exporters did not have an efficient system to avoid the contamination of their supply chains with illegally traded gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (…) “In fact, documents concerning a supplier for AGR obtained by the Group show the risk of contamination of the supply chain with gold illegally sourced or traded from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The supplier, a Congolese national based in Bukavu who provided AGR, in October 2018, with gold worth more than $3 million, travelled with an official document, delivered five months earlier, identifying his occupation as that of an electrician. The supplier declared to AGR that the gold was sourced from the United Republic of Tanzania. Initial investigations conducted by the Group suggested that the individual was used as a broker by many Bukavu-based gold smugglers” (UNSC, 2018).

We have seen these stories before, its still vital and important to show, yet more evidence of the illegal export and illicit trading of the Congolese gold through Ugandan exporters, which happens to be in connection with the President and his brother Gen. Selah. This is common knowledge, but has to be addressed. As the ownership of the AGR is known and also, how that implicates the State House.

This is just a few statements of what they do, but still enough to prove how they do it. As this is very fresh reports and just out from the UNSC and their experts. Peace.

Reference:

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – ‘Letter dated 18 December 2018 from the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council’ (31.12.2018)

AG Byaruhanga tries to make a bribe into a donation: Per President Order!

Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something while you live and it is in your power.”Marcus Aurelius

Today, Attorney General William Byaruhanga delivered his Interim Report on the indictment and the criminal charges of Patrick Ho in connection with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kuteesa and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. This has been known now and if these was just mere charges, than the Chinese National wouldn’t get charged and sentenced in a United States Court.

This is because the Chinese National offered a bribe of 500,000 USD each for a possible Oil Deal for a Chinese Company in Uganda. Therefore, the Chinese National made it possible for the high-ranking officials in the Ugandan government to solicit half-a-million United States Dollars for it. That is why we are here today. This was signed off as a Campaign contribution, but by that time, the President had already been re-elected in 2016. We know this, but has to say all this before I quote the Interim Report. What is special about the case too, is that the government will claim the Foundation owned by Kuteesa, but has anyone seen it outside of a paper and a registered entity outside of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), which it was in 2015. That is why today is special, because a ghost entity got good money for a possible business transaction… that would favorable for the repentance, which happens to the Minister and President.

What is also important to state, which is already white-washed in the interim report, is the delivery of the bribe. That went through customs, which was mailed between the Chinese National and the Minister. Who both combined their efforts to send the money and deliver it in cash, in secrecy, as it was intended to a favorable transaction. Not something that was supposed to end up in Court Documents in the United States and incriminate one, while implicating the high-ranking officials in Uganda.

With that in mind.

The quote:

The Foundation received a sum of US$ 499,993 on 9’h May 2016 from a Hong Kong-based NGO known as China Energy Fund Committee. The money was a donation to the Food Security and Energy Sustainability Foundation which Hon. Kutes a and his wife started as a vehicle for enabling Hon. Kutesa to continue to champion some of the causes he had spearheaded during his tenure as the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations with respect to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals”.

While that quote is special and says a lot, it does trying to clear the implicated Minister in the Corruption Scandal that has rocked the man. That the Auditor General did this on direct order from the President. This was to ensure the President and his ally Kuteesa got off the hook. That is why the Foundation and the “donation” we’re the Chinese National had reasons to give there. Like we are naive.

The Foundation is just based on paper. There are no proof of their work or whatever their supposed to do. Certainly, they are servicing some special and unique unicorns, sorry, ghosts. Because, this money came by plane from the United States to Entebbe International Airport, as it entered the Customs as warned to the parties involved.

So, I have a hard time believing the AG in this matter, as he is trying to figure out a way to clear he Minister of his implication, per order as a loyal subject of the President. Who also got money in the transaction done by the Chinese National. They all know this.

Time for the AG get his act together, unless he is a blind soldier for the President. Peace.

Reference:

Interim Report of the Auditor General on Allegations of Bribery against Hon. Sam Kuteesa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Connection with the Trial of One, Mr. Chi Ping Patrick Ho, A Chinese National, In the United States

BoU Scandal: Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende defends himself (18.12.2018/19.12.2018)

President Museveni letter to Hon Matia Kasaija: “Re: Massive Tax Evasion and Concealment of Rental Tax” (23.11.2018)