“Uganda sacrificing civil liberties for the sake of stability” says US envoy (Youtube-Clip) & Ofwono Opondo responds!

“The United States Ambassador to Uganda has raised concern that government appears to be sacrificing the civil liberties of citizens rights at the altar of maintaining stability. Ambassador Deborah Malac who was addressing students from higher institutions of learning here in Kampala says the poor organization of the elections and detention of opposition politicians has dented Uganda’s democratic credentials. Herbert Zziwa has the details of that report” (NTV Uganda, 2016).

RESPONSE TO US AMBASSODOR MS. DEBORAH MALAC
7th April 2016

The Uganda Government notes and takes strong exception to the continued unfair criticisms about its elections and human rights records by the US Ambassador Ms. Deborah Malac. We would like to briefly respond as follows;
The U.S. Government sponsored an election observer team under the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy (EISD) in Africa, through the International Republican Institute (IRI) Washington D.C. This was led by former Zambian President Rupiah Banda, which issued a report giving credit to Uganda’s just concluded elections. We would like to advise Ambassador Deborah Malac to carefully read that report. Unless she is giving it a vote of no confidence, then she is at liberty to keep referring to and relying on the partisan and very shallow EU report.
lt is strange that Ambassador Malac doesn’t refer to the report her government commissioned. Secondly, she doesn’t acknowledge that late delivery of ballot materials was in only two out of 112 districts in Uganda. These were isolated incidents and indeed time was extended and all voters who wished to vote did cast their votes, and those votes were counted, tallied and added to final results.

Since the publication of the Uganda Presidential Election results, none of the observer groups has come with credible evidence to challenge the results posted by Electoral Commission. We therefore wish to ask them to either adduce evidence or keep their peace for good. Otherwise, we know that some groups in the US and EU, including diplomats accredited to Uganda, funded and are still funding opposition elements in Uganda to cause government change outside the constitutional framework but are disappointed this hasn’t been successful as yet.
The U.S., which uses raw power to project its influence and interests around the world, is the least competent to ask other nations for democratic accountability. Uganda’s democracy is progressing well and we are satisfied with both the pace and achievements registered so far.

Ofwono Opondo
Government Spokesperson

Besigye Gives Museveni Immediate Ultimatum (Youtube-Clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejbdfKccH3M

“FDC’S Dr. Kizza Besigye has given President Yoweri Museveni an immediate ultimatum to consent to have an independent audit kick off or he forms his own government with statehouse in Kisangani. Dr. Kiiza Besigye is one of the aggrieved presidential candidates who are challenging the legitimacy of President Yoweri Museveni as the president elect and has now resorted to a defiance campaign to win the presidency” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016).

In Bushenyi the Public Servants told to keep their mouth shut and don’t become “News Reports”; in the name of NRM-Regime, they don’t want to be accountable or transparent!

Museveni 101115

We know that the NRM does not have it in them to be accountable, if so they would have disclosed more information and dealing then they already do. As the land-agreements, oil-contracts, road-development and so on is kept on the low-key instead of in the public spotlight.

So when one of the general leaders in the Public Consumption told the fellow civil servants to not share their information with the world. Take a look!

What Ms. Nakayenga told new Public Officials in Bushenyi:

” Ms Pauline Nakayenga, told the leaders that information for public consumption is released only by mandated offices. She said revealing the information by anyone else can cause confusion” (…) “Commit yourselves to public service and be faithful to the offices you are taking. Keep government secrets, don’t become news reporters. Government and public information is released by the district spokesperson who is, in this case, the CAO [chief administrative officer] or district chairperson,” said Ms Nakayenga” (Amanyisa, 2016).

This law from the first Obote I Government is still in action and therefore, when it is valid it is useful in the discussion.

Bushenyi Medical Centre

This is what the law says about Public Service on this matter:

Section 8: “Any member or officer of the commission and any other person who, without the written permission of the Minister, knowingly publishes or discloses to any person otherwise than in the exercise of his or her official functions the contents of any document, communication or information” (…) ”which has come to his or her notice in the course of his or her duties in relation to the commission commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twelve months or to both” (…) “Any person who knows of any information which to his or her knowledge has been disclosed in contravention of subsection (1) who publishes or communicates it to any other person otherwise than for the purpose of any prosecution under this Act or in the course of his or her official duty commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twelve months or to both”.

So the laws are already strict as a Public Servant the disclosed material and documents are supposed to be secret and talked about, there even possibility of being fined or being imprisoned up to a year. So Ms. Nakayenga is actually speaking as the law is confined to, even if she knows it or not.

Still it is a worrying sign that the Public Information does not the information out or prove their accountable and transparent towards the citizens they claim to serve. In any instance that is worrying. It is also worrying how quickly I could find a law fitting the NRM-regimes wish for secrecy of Public Office and the Public Service, and their Public Servants!

Bushenyi

In my opinion it is not healthy when the Government does not express its will or its works; as then they have to hide what they’re doing and cannot been seen as accountable. If all work happen in secret then the Public Service is not for the people, but for the elite and the Government itself. And the Government is supposed to serve its citizens with the necessary services and security. Certain secrets are supposed only to be governments ones. But not all and the Civil Servants or the Local-Council and Local-Government should sometimes disclose information so that the public would actually know what is happening with the donor-funds, the taxpayers money and the planned operations and the budget use of the county. Without being seen by central and other Government Officials as “News Reporters”, that is just vindictive.

She did not define secrets, is everything the government do a secret? Is it filing the documents on land-owners in a county a secret? Is the next official contract for which Telephone Company Bundibugyo district is using for their employees? Should that be kept low-key or be told if the locals want to know and also know how much the local-council get funded for their usage of their smart-phone, or is that a secret?

Because if all business of the government and the local-council is disclosed and kept a secret, then the government is shadowing the public; and can do whatever they want without question unless it is visible killings. Still the certainly a culture amongst the NRM and the NRM-Regime to not tell or not wanting to tell their planned actions in public as the public does not need to know in their opinion; that is why under the Election Day the VPN was used and the Electoral Commission wanted to ban cameras and mobile-phones at the Polling Stations. Peace.   

Reference:

Amanyisa, Zadock – ‘Don’t reveal government secrets, youth leaders warned’ (02.04.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Don-t-reveal-government-secrets-youth-leaders-warned/-/688334/3142626/-/kwjdw4z/-/index.html

 

Public Service Act of 1969 – link: http://www.ulii.org/ug/legislation/consolidated-act/288

CEON-U: Post election Press release (01.04.2016)

CCEDU Topowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2016

The post election season has been characterised by tension arising from the house arrest of lead opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, a court case by former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi and filing court petitions for MP, L.C and municipal elections.

The Citizen Election Observers Network- Uganda (CEON-U) is concerned that the continued house arrest of the lead opposition candidate infringes on his right to freedom according to article 23 of the constitution.

In article 43 of the constitution: (I) In the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed in this Chapter, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.

(2) Public interest under this article shall not permit-

(a) political persecution;

(b) detention without trial;

(c) any limitation of the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed by this Chapter beyond what is acceptable and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society, or what is provided in this Constitution.

NBS Besigye 16.02.2016

Section 24 of the police act gives the police a right to arrest someone if he is a threat to public security, but CEON-U demands that police produces evidence that makes Besigye a threat to public security, otherwise will his arrest be indefinite.

In a multiparty system, opposition parties should not be viewed as enemies of the state, but rather as groups that provide alternative Government programmes.

As part of a process of increasing citizen participation in Uganda’s electoral process, CEON-U recently carried out an opinion survey on the recently concluded general elections.

The survey was meant to expose electoral irregularities so as to provide a premise on how to better organise elections in Uganda.

EC 22.02.2015 Guarded Heavy

Consequently;  8 CEON-U managers visited areas where there is conflict, court petitions and requests for vote recounts to establish the causes of the disputed elections. The team visited Tororo, Gulu, Kotido, Butambala, Serere, Jinja, Mayuge, Iganga, Mukono, Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntungamo. The managers worked closely with our long-term observers who are natives of the constituencies and the districts which they observed, before, during and are observing after elections. CEON-U held focus group discussions with members of the community, local council leaders, opinion leaders and voters from all political parties in the districts.

CEON-U also met district police officials, district returning officers, registrars in courts of law and victims of electoral violence.

Oulanyah House 20.02.2016

Findings:

Generally, the presidential and parliamentary elections were peaceful, but the period leading up to the election day was volatile in all the districts visited. In Mayuge for instance a man died under unclear circumstances. He was a supporter of Robert Ntende, an independent candidate. He is said to have been killed by supporters of Idi Isabirye.

In Iganga at Idudi supporters of NRM and FDC clashed on the eve of elections over voter bribery. The NRM MP was giving out cash to voters who alerted FDC supporters. FDC supporters reacted by blocking the NRM from giving out money, the NRM called a NAADS soldier to rescue them. He came and shot dead a 25-year-old man and the crowd became more rowdy. And the soldier continued firing live bullets. In the process of the scuffle, a woman was shot through the arm and an s.3 student was shot through the neck. Both these people were not involved in the scuffle but had gone to the trading centre to buy food. This shooting took place at 8:00pm. (attached are the pictures of the victims of the shootings).

The way results were tabulated and announced at the district provided a sharp contrast with what the locals had gathered from the polling stations. This happened for all the elections, presidential, parliamentary, district council and municipal elections.

NRM UPC Arua 16.11.15

There are mainly two known political parties, the NRM and FDC; even though Uganda has 10 political parties. UPC which was once a known party is almost non-existent.

In a strong multi-party dispensation system people are given an opportunity to have divergent views on handling issues of governance. A weak political party system promotes a one party system of governance which impedes institutional growth.

The management of electoral processes by some of the district returning officials was poor.

A case in point is Jinja: When it came to the L.C.3 election of Walukuba West Parish B;

The LC 3 election had five candidates Joseph Bateganya Atumika, Bisusa Amisi Kafuko, Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda, Mande Milton and Mbulugu Emmanuel.

On Election day the ballot papers that were supplied to the polling stations had wrong names. Mande Milton was called Mande Milton Kirunda. Also party symbols were mixed up between the NRM candidate and FDC candidate. This was sufficient ground for the election to have been cancelled. However, even when the Jinja district returning officer, Ambrose Mwaita was notified about the anomaly he told the candidate Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda that electoral commission Jinja was not going to do anything about this case. A case has been filed against the electoral commission in Jinja court by Kirunda Isaac Kiwunda.

There are several other electoral disputes that have been filed in courts of law in the various districts. In Omoro Constituency there is a Petition: Simon Toolit Vs Oulanyah Jacob was logged in on March 24 2016. Simon Tollit is suing the Incumbent Oulanyah Jacob and EC over election mal practice. These included ballot boxes being kept away in a saloon, EC tampering with DR forms, EC using a Different format of the District DR Form to declare results among other things.

Anti Riot Police 30.01.2016 Before FDC Campaign Kabale

Intimidation and Violence:

In Katawi, Amuria, Bukedea and Serere there were cases of intimidation and violence. The community claimed they were beaten by militia groups and crime preventers and were warned against voting an opposition party into power. ( attached is a picture of the people who gave confessions during a focus group discussion)

In Mukono the parliamentary campaigns were characterised by violence and chaos. According to the electoral commission, Fatuma Ndisaba’s supporters used to beat up Betty Nambooze’s supporters during campaigns. There was also the problem of candidates campaigning beyond the stipulated for campaign time and supporters clashing after the campaigns.

Badru EC

Recommendations:

 The military should be restrained from participating in elections, because elections are volatile in nature. Electoral commission should improve its image by investigating and eventually laying off district returning officers who are said to have altered DR forms and extorted money from candidates who wanted to be announced winners.   All political parties should be treated equally and respectfully by the Government in power.  The Government should seriously consider the electoral reforms that civil society presented last year. Presiding officers and polling assistants should be better remunerated to prevent them from being compromised during elections.  Management of elections is not a single days event. Planning and training of officials, desk officers, middle level managers, desk officers, heads of departments on the process of elections should start the second month after the general elections. Training presiding and polling officials should be done a month to the elections to minimise errors on the DR forms.

Ugandan Election 2016 Grieving

Conclusion:

The democratic path is a long bumpy one, despite the many electoral irregularities that marred the recently concluded elections, the gains made over the last 30 years cannot just be thrown away. We need more concerted effort to promote true democratic ideals.

For more information about CEON-U contact Dr Martin Mwondha on 0788929052 or email omwondha662@yahoo.com visit our website at http://www.ceonu.or.ug (CEON – Uganda) – Towards 2016: Conducting a Unified, Comprehensive and effective election Observation Mission in Uganda. You can also visit the FHRI offices in Nsambya.

EU Statement by the Spokesperson on the Elections in Uganda (31.03.2016)

EU Out of Politics Pre-Election Period

“Today, Uganda’s Supreme Court dismissed the petition to annul the result of the 18 February 2016 presidential elections thereby validating the result.  In its ruling the Supreme Court also identifies a number of areas in need of structural and legal reform.

In this context, the EU recalls the preliminary statement made by the EU Electoral Observation Mission (EOM), and the concerns expressed by both domestic and international observers about serious shortcomings in the election process, including the violation of fundamental freedoms and the obstruction of the opposition’s work in the post-electoral period.

The final EU EOM report, due on 18 April, will make recommendations, including on how the election framework can be improved.

The EU stands ready to continue its dialogue with Uganda to foster democracy.  The Government of Uganda, Parliament, political parties as well as the Electoral Commission, and all stakeholders need to build on the experience of this election  and to work together constructively and peacefully in the direction also indicated by the Supreme Court.”

Besigye Reacts To Supreme Court Ruling (Youtube-Clip)

“Besigye reacted to the dismissal of Mbabazi’s petition saying he has been under house arrest since election day and was not able to file his petition” (NTV Uganda, 2016)

My letter to President Museveni after the Supreme Court ruling today

NBS Presidential Election Petition 2016

31st March 2016, Oslo

Dear President Museveni.

As I writes to you again and the only election petition to the Supreme Court have been dismissed as all of our pundits and most of the general population expected. We expect you grant budgets for lavishly ferry Crime Preventers and the few die-hard NRMs to Kololo for your coming Swearing-In ceremony where you will promise to withhold the constitution and laws of land.

There are issues and there are hesitant, the blatant disregard of the county you have been ruling for 30 years, the distance from you Mr. President towards your own citizens are growing more and more distant. The more you are with the Army and the Police then with your citizens.

23.02. NRM Celebrates Kampala P2

The men and woman on your payroll and who are still obedient to your will say today was a gracious and monumental ruling as the dismissal of the petition while dropping most of the affidavits and evidence in the Supreme Court. While the general public and the reason why there are little share and joys in the cafes, restaurants and pubs where they have followed the live-coverage of the Supreme Court; if the people we’re agreeing they would be cheering in the streets, and you know that very well Mr. President. You know much your people like a celebration!

Mr. President today seemed like the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe and his fellow judges we’re hired men, just like Chairman Kiggundu of the Electoral Commission; that this was already your decisions and mind; let me speak your lingo Mr. President; they spoke and acted on your VISION.

NTV 20.02.2016

Today was in your Vision Mr. President in total disregard for the public perception and the public assessment of the events that transpired during the recent year and through the Pre-Election Period, Election Day and Post-Election to the Announcement of the Presidential Election result. The Vision was yours and nobody else!

You can appoint every man to every position that exists in country as the Executive or even impeach the ones you dislike or get them fired. Detain and preventative arrest as orders from you. This is things you Mr. President have known for a long time; therefore you cling to power Mr. President. For these reasons alone you don’t want to give up that power and the Executive position.

Bart Katureebe

The Supreme Court and the Chief Justice might read the verdict that gave you the power and validated the Election and the ballots that was announced. But the people and the pundits know the story and you can’t control it, even if you through every single opposition member and officials in jail without charges. Even if your going against every single media-house and censorship of the Social Media.

We know your military ways Mr. President as your been in the Western Uganda after the sparking violence that your Police set-off after Local Councilor III Elections went sour. That the government security forces went ballistic on the local population. We have seen your proud mind as your talks to locals and walk around in army fatigue and speak of going to punish the men and woman behind the violence.

High Court Appointments 01.03.2016

As you are in army fatigue and wearing the colors of the army, the Supreme Court validate your respondent to Amama Mbabazi petition. This is the result or you’re Vision and your ambition to continue to be the Executive of the country. The end-game is that distance between your power and structure, the vacuum of power between you the people is becoming at a distance. As the Opposition lingers in a limbo, a limbo created by your vision and the extensive use of Security Organization to distort them and detain them at will. Your Police Force and Army are creating criminals and making political activity illegal as long as it is not done in your blessing or your vision.

Your vision was behind this Supreme Court dismissal and the ways the General Elections of 2016 have gone. The Vision of your leadership the ways of your Power and the Structures you have created or rebuild over the 30 years in Power. The Power and the Executive should be stellar and perfect, the houses of Bundibugyo and Kasese should be golden and the industrial country you have promised since 1986 should have arrived already, but it hasn’t that is because we who see you; see that your vision is jaded and built around your persona and not the civic duty or the Executive to serve the public; it is the Public’s duty to service you; and nobody else then YOU, and that what you envisioned in the bush battles and the meteorically rise from days in the University in Dar-es-Salam in the 1970s.

Road Block at Kasangati 22.02.2016

Therefore your vision has come to full fruition today in the Court Ruling at the Supreme Court this day 31st March of 2016, as the guns, ammunition, detaining of fellow citizens and the grand control of every government institution of Uganda. That is what you know have, but the people’s consent, the people’s will or the people’s justified and legitimate rule is the one thing you don’t have.

Mr. President you might have hired the Supreme Court Judges, the Electoral Commission, but you do not hire the minds of the people who feels sorrow yet again and should mourn in the decision of dismissal of the 1st Election Petition of 2016 from Hon. Amama Mbabazi. That will always be another stain to your accord of grievances against the population and their will.

Alaric

Your leadership is hired and taken for granted by yes-men and Nobel-Idiots who serve you blindly. Just as the hired armies of Roman Empire fall, one of the greatest nations and biggest nations fall when they didn’t pay enough to the barbaric princes and soldiers. Then their revolt burnt Rome. Your wisdom and your vision might serve you well as it has done, but just as the Roman Empire, your fall might come brutally and without excuse as your vision does not control the minds and hopes of all of your citizens. The Police State and Army aggression is not a sustainable governmental affair that you can suppress and execute without losing something dear. Something dear Mr. President that you lost long time ago, the legitimacy and the legacy of liberator, your now the main character of the oppression of the people and the citizens, through the Police Force and the Army.

Your vision is jaded and lost it. The Supreme Court and the validation of the election might occurred today; the reality is that the citizens and population is the ones validation you really need; the Supreme Court Justice might have given you a paper that validates your Executive Power, but it does not give you Carte Blanche to act as you please; or lets the people give your Modus Operandi of justice a free-for-all without questions the Authority you withhold without the clear consent of the publics will.

1996 Museveni Sworn in Ceremony

Mr. President is supposed to be with grace and honor, but the way you have handled it; it’s with disgrace. Not of me, but of your fellow citizens and their intelligence as your dishonestly takes their votes, their fate in the electoral process and their fate in the government as a representative authority and makes it your own personal playground. The Government is now in-graved in your name and your vision without any consideration of anybody else. The Statues and procedures and the coming Parliament is sham democratic place from a weaponized coup d’état where the opposition have been besieged and detained while the announcement was the final straw of pre-election period filled with malpractices of the whole process. Straight from the consultations meetings and state-lodge trips where you Mr. President gave ways to your coming next tenure and no disregard for your fellow citizens. This the legacy you leave behind, even the late Obote would be proud how you photo-copied and made it your own; in your VISON.

You’re said you are the only man in the country with a vision, and the vision is now that you are the one that decide everything. As you fixed and mended this Supreme Court ruling and dismissal of the petition. Hope you’re eating healthy and living well within your vision, but your blind by that vision, as that vision is not in everybody’s head. So please think about that Mr. President and is not what you have envisioned. Peace.

Best Regard

The Writer of the this Blog.

Joseph Elton Mabarizi Statement on the coming ruling from Supreme Court on the Presidential Election (30.03.2016)

Mabirizi Debate16

Friends, I write this at 6.30am March 31, 2016, the day the Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision on the Amama Petition.

As categorically stated before, during my campaign and after the elections, I have little confidence in the possibility of a political problem being solved through questionable legal means. The Independent Coalition, TIC which fronted me as Presidential Candidate, ruled out going to court once the election is/was rigged.

The election was rigged. We all know it. Even Mr. Museveni knows it very well. That’s why he must keep the winner under house arrest.

As our way of setting the record straight, let me on behalf of The Independent Coalition officially congratulate Col (rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye on being elected President of Uganda.

Whatever the Supreme Court says is its business. The people who are more supreme than the supreme court decided to end Mr. Museveni’s 30 year corrupt rule on Feb 18 2016, and they did.

I appeal to our colleagues in FDC to do more than they have done so far, to lead the struggle to secure the victory of the FDC flag bearer.

If they don’t show real leadership at this stage, then another leadership will be forced to do so, and they should not blame us for claiming their victory, just like Museveni (who had miserably lost the election) claimed Dr. Semogerere’s victory in 1980.

The Independent Coalition, TIC and I shall not legitimise electoral fraud for any reason.

For God and my Country.

Hon. Jim Muwezi talks about justifying the house-arrest of Besigye; that personal freedom loses towards a state’s stability; I differ on those opinions; while he has totally forgotten the invitations from … to the Election Observers Mission.

Jim Muhwezi

When you’re losing a bar-fight and thinking that another beer, will give you extra strength and power to sufficiently hit the high and almighty bastard; that is the reasoning tactics of the Minster Jim Muhwezi today, the minister of Information and National Guidance!

Today Hon. Jim Muhwezi talked out on the FDC on the Breakfast Show on the NTV. Here is what he uttered today!  

 “When Kizza Besigye moves, he is followed by people, some of whom are potential criminals who want to loot. Police has a duty to stop that” (…)”“He [Besigye] is not under arrest. He is being regulated. He is free. Didn’t he go to church? Kizza Besigye is being treated as a security threat. Police can stop you from committing a crime. Uganda Police acts on information they get” (…)”Besigye’s ‘detention’ means government maintains responsibility of keeping law and order because elections shouldn’t turn Uganda anarchical so that is why security takes precedence over personal freedom always” (…)”“Besigye’s ‘detention’ means government maintains responsibility of keeping law and order because elections shouldn’t turn Uganda anarchical so that is why security takes precedence over personal freedom always” (…)”I don’t know the importance of this. They are diverting people’s attention from work. I find it strange that FDC is asking people to stay home. Very few people are following this. They are trying to defy nature and honest If Kizza Besigye wanted to go to court, we would have gone to court. Amama Mbabazi went to court without going to court” (Muneza, 2016).

Kizza Besigye 22.02.2016

Well, this here is not easy to subtle and kindly as he claims ordinary Ugandans are criminals for being supporters of Dr. Kizza Besigye, since the crowds and showing up at every town was big and many of the locals. Hon. Muhwezi follows the IGP Kayihura guideline, which Besigye is not under arrest: claiming the few hours going to All-Saints is the proof. I am sorry Hon. Muhwezi you’re soon getting three roadblocks to your home, getting a visiting book to sign in your entire guest, having police-officers outside your home for 40 days and not calling it a house-arrest. Then I and you can have an honest conversation. Even though the IGP Kayihura lies and you do as well, does not make it a truth!

Later you say the personal freedoms cannot be granted if it is fear of security and anarchical actions. The logic is flawed as your master and you’re Executive; your boss and the man you admire with all of your being Mr. Muhwezi. Hon. Muhwezi is defending a Preventative Arrest without any evidence that it has made an impact or given the country more secure. Law and Order means detaining people without having charges in sake of security, for me it sounds as making people criminal before they have even done a crime Hon. Muhwezi; is that the Information and National Guidance you will be remembered for?

Rukungiri 10.03.2016

Hon. Muhwezi it is ironic and fun to me how the NRM officials and NRM MPs and NRM Spokesmen have issues with the FDC Boycott. Why it’s ironic? If you are the grand-slam winners of the elections and have the majority then the boycott would not matter and wouldn’t be on your lips, right? Since it is, then it is hurting society and the general moral as it is way of peacefully reacting to the thieving of the election and acts of violence from the Security Forces and Police Force for the general public.

Enage 02.03.2016

Then the last point on the Petition squabble, I did address this also with the CP Fred Enaga right after. It is special how the NRM people and Uganda Police sound like they have programmed to address and reasoning the same. Must be the 50 shades of ballot-stealing they are learning at Kyankwanzi retreat. It is hard to discuss this with rational sense that Dr. Kizza Besigye could go to court, he was under house-arrest, his fellow Party-Officials was not allowed to meet, the ones with DR Forms from the Polling Stations met at Gun-Point from the Police and also detained by the same Police; also the besieged FDC headquarter of Najjankumbi and twice raided since the Election Day. Therefore the assessment of easily walking with evidence and precedence to the Supreme Court is flawed one. If the NRM party had the aggravated assaults from the Police Force against their operations then their Executive would have gone back to his guns and taken the “Freedom, Liberty and Justice” for himself, but you know that right, Hon. Muhwezi?    

Igads-head-of-Election-observer-team-Yufnalis-Okubo-left-and-former-TZ-president-Ali-Hassan-Mwinyi-who-lead-the-EAC-team-addressing-joint-press-conference-last-friday-at-Sheraton

On International Actors during the Elections:

“Uganda’s internal matters” (…)”observers are not in our constitution and we don’t know why they were here” (Gorilla Express, 2016).

Well, you’re a minister of information, but it is the country who get request and takes the Observers Mission sometimes as a way of creating credibility for the election or securing funding for the government as the precedence of the reign of the rule of power is by the ballot box and an election. Just as the Commonwealth accepted the rigged the election of 1980 was to get a positive government that the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom investment could trust, therefore the Election Observers from Commonwealth in the 1980s was there to give credibility to the Obote II Government. You who are man who has been in government for so long should know this?

Your right an election is an internal matter! But that does not make them righteous to do them wrongly, the reason is to respect the ballot and the wishes of the citizens. That is an internal matter and matter of government, to have the representatives and the leaders the people decided to vote for and get in power. Not for the one handpicked by the Electoral Commission or the NRM-O. So the internal matter can be questioned by the people following and outsiders as we can see that the Government does not respect the internal matter of respecting your population and the citizens in general. Complete disregard for the will of the people when the rigged election has appeared and the announcement takes away the will and power of the ballot.

Mou EOM GoU 2015

Wasn’t that why President Museveni had MoU on the Election Observation Mission in December 2015! But that is forgotten in your mind Hon. Muhwezi? The EAC Election Observers Mission came on invitation from the Electoral Commission, which is also forgotten? The Commonwealth Election Observation Mission happens after an invitation directly from the Government of Uganda, so certainly the GoU and the Electoral Commission; they have asked them to come! That is why they were there and observed the elections, apparently. But as a NRM Ministry of Information and National Guidance, your work is to make people forget certain facts to fit into the vision of the only man with a vision, isn’t that right Hon. Muhwezi?

I did the other destroy the words of Hon. Opondo, but you Hon. Muhwezi was much easier and with more delight. Hope you get to read these words and respect them as a advisory, because it could have been less humble and been more disgraceful as you called the men and woman who follow Besigye criminals, which is a low-point and a common disregard to common sense; why? Because the men majority of the men and woman following Besigye is citizens, tax-payers and the “average” Ugandan! Peace.

P.S:

Well, Hon. Muhwezi you’re speaking so biased I am sorry for you. There is not easy to take you seriously. That is because when I sent a question to mail the NRM Party Online Page, I was sent directly to your Ministry of Information and National Guidance; promised an answer within 24 hours in mid-February, and by today; still no answer on a single question.

Reference:

Muneza, Stephen – ‘Besigye followed by criminals – Minister Muhwezi’ (30.03.2016) link: http://eagle.co.ug/2016/03/30/besigye-followed-criminals-minister-muhwezi.html

Gorilla Express – ‘Jim Muhwezi stings International Community for meddling in Uganda’s internal affairs’ (30.03.2016) link: http://gorillaxpress.com/?p=517

MCC suspends United States Aid to the Tanzanian Gov. on the grounds of the recent Zanzibar election and a draconian law; while the US. Gov. and USAID have no troubles continuing to aide the Ugandan Gov. with their draconian laws and fraudulent election; Double Standard or just me?

Citizen Front Page March 2016

A strange action happened from an Agency that is a part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). They have all of sudden suspended projects in Tanzania after both a so-called draconian law and the recent election on the Island of Zanzibar. Take a quick look!

“A US international development agency has suspended its partnership with Tanzania, citing flawed Zanzibar elections and the draconian Cybercrime Act. The move by the board of directors of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) means that Tanzania will not be receiving an envisioned $472 million in funding for electricity projects” (…)”The US suspension-of-aid notification cites “arrests made during the elections” in Zanzibar as an indication of the Tanzania government having “engaged in a pattern of actions inconsistent with MCC’s eligibility criteria.” (…) “MCC’s model has a partner country’s commitment to democracy and free and fair elections at its core,” the directors’ statement said” (Kelley, 2016).

Why I will discuss this move and the motivation for it. Is because the USAID and MCC have not done anything after the recent election and all of the laws that have enhanced the powers of the Executive and possibility to move around the Parliament for the Government and certain ministries, therefore easily get funding and short-term loans from the Bank of Uganda without permission of the Parliament, Police laws that monitors the Opposition and controls them even more, also the well-known rigging of the General Election, Parliamentary Election and the Presidential Election in February and early March in 2016.

Zanzibar Election 2016

While the United Republic of Tanzania might have stepped on some toes and had issues during the Zanzibar elections, they have not been close to the systematical oppression the Police and Army have had in Uganda. And the USAID and their agencies have not acted upon it or reissue any of the aid initiatives or anything in the Republic of Uganda, but the United Republic of Tanzania get punished straight away for the similar actions. I wonder if the the Public Order Management Act of 2013 is sweeter and nicer; then the Cybercrime Act and that the Cybercrime act is the official Bad-Act of the Tanzanian Government in the opinion of the United States.

I also wonder if the Tanzanian Government had armies in the wars that the United States does not want to touch, not even with the filthy lying lips of Donald Trump. Because the Tanzanian could have oppressed their opposition, made draconian laws and laws who applies in ways that the ministries and the Executive does not need to take the decision through Parliament before acting. That is Uganda and they have no issues with the USAID and the MCC. Only UNRA have had issues with World Bank and the progression of the World Bank funded Infrastructure and road-building have been suspended because of embezzlement and bad management in the Uganda National Roads Authority; who due the diligence on the development projects. Still the Ugandan Government have had no trouble with the government funds and army exercises from the United States, even the American Fire-Helicopter training together with U.S. Army happened in a month time after the Election Day.

EC 22.02.2015 Guarded Heavy

The Double-Standard is too obvious, what is okay for the Ugandan Government is not apparently okay for the Tanzanian Government. That is openly displayed by the United States this time as well.

So I feel there is a theory behind the actions against the Tanzanian government and their actions during the Zanzibar elections, while the Ugandan could walk skootch free with some disregard of the actions in country, but nothing that affects the relationship between Uganda and the Americans. While today the Tanzanian has lost their extra funding for the Projects through the MCC and the USAID operational company. So there is a political factor behind this and the main factor in why the USAID and MCC suspends, but not do the same in Uganda.

UPDF Lira NRM 14.02.2016

The Tanzanian Government does not have army operations or have the close military relationship that Ugandan Government has at the moment. The American are even training in Uganda and the Ugandan army fights wars for them and are likely in the Peacekeepers missions together with buying and getting military equipment from the U.S. even if the Ugandan once in a while buys Anti-Riot Equipment from China and Military equipment from the Russian Federation. Still, the Ugandan has a clearer mission for the American Foreign Affairs and because of that a close ally of Uganda. Something the Tanzanian is not.

Police 29.02.2016 Kasangati

Therefore it is easy for the American Government to suspend and punish the Tanzanian. That is why the Ugandan Government have not gotten punished for their lax activity with the former M23 rebels and the allegations of them to be on the payroll of the State House of Uganda, even then the American Government does not questions or punish that behavior. But a few arrests on Zanzibar and the Tanzanian Government get slapped. This while many of the opposition officials have lingered in jail without charges, gone missing and even been in house-arrest for over 40 days in Uganda, without any consequences. That is the double-standard and makes President Museveni Teflon, because he is a necessity for their role in the area. I am not sure why the Americans does this and support him with only remarks in the United Nations and letting go of the European Union comments after the Presidential Elections in the country.

But we have all rights to question the reasons from the Americans as they are supposed to be a moral stature and moral authority; something they cannot be seen in this instance. The Double Moral is staggering. Uganda gets a pass, while Tanzania get suspended its aid. That is the case and cannot be hidden under a rug or be not blasted; especially when we know it happens in such a short time span and under the same administrations in all countries and board-rooms. There are no reasons why Tanzania gets the harsh treatment while the Ugandan walks away with no scratches on their arms. Peace.  

Reference:

Kelley, Keven J. – ‘US donor agency suspends $472m aid to Tanzania over Zanzibar elections’ (29.03.2016) link: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/africa/US-donor-agency-suspends-aid-to-Tanzania/-/1066/3138264/-/1144o38/-/index.html