Opinion: Mzee made a 9 Point Plan to end insecurity last year, now his giving DIGP Sabiiti 48 hours to solve it!

I have given 2 days to Commander Sabiiti of the Police to come out with a plan to combat these gangs. The IGP is away in Peru for a meeting. I will look at that plan, comment on it and it will, then, be communicated to all of you. It is easy to defeat these gangs. Their crimes will only add to the credit of the NRM because we are going to defeat them. Yet, the People have already seen the bankruptcy and the criminality of these groups and those who back them” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 15.10.2019).

Well, Deputy IGP Steven Sabiiti Muzeyi has really only about 24 hours to finish the plan to challenge gangs as a Police Officer, a high ranking security official and a former Major General in the army. This on orders and by commands put on Social Media yesterday by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Who should have just sent him the package of already well-written ideas from last year. Unless, these are already fixed.

Because on the 20th June 2018, the President dropped his 9 Point Plan to end insecurity. Which was an extensive plan, but you can bug now 1 ½ year later if the Uganda Police Force and the other agencies did comply to this. Even if the magical plan of last year was implemented and put into action.

Like are the police able to collect fingerprints and ID guns? Are the police able to find out by register of boda-boda’s? How is it going with those specialized helmets for boda-boda drivers? Haven’t the CCTV’s done anything, now that they are actually up and going? How is it going with the building of that forensic laboratory? What is going on wit the Flying Squad? Are the any regulation of drones? How is it going with the thieves den on WhatsApp and on Social Media, any signals of catching up on that? Finally, have the Police and Customs acquired any scanners to secure transit of cargo?

This is brief and quick asking of the 9 Point Programme, as the DIGP Sabiiti only has one more day left. But if felt I left out the breadcrumbs of the DIGP to follow, as he stated earlier in his text: “However, for today, I will only comment on the pigs that are attacking People with pangas and mitayimbwa (steel- bars) and robbing them” (Museveni, 15.10.2019). Not that he has to register or look for lost pigs. No, that he has to register pangas, get people to them illuminated numbers in a registry and also combat illegal imports of steal bars. Maybe even, secure previous 9 point plan and actually enforce it.

Who knows, maybe the bans of hoods wasn’t an bad idea, since the Police Force neither has capacity or resources to follow up on previous orders above high. DIGP Sabiiti won’t say that, because than he might be forced to resign or get assigned to a foot-post in Kotido district or something.

If the President was serious he would have given him more time. As he himself hasn’t finished any of his previously made plans, starting all the way back to the 10-Point Programme, before the Vision 2020 or 2040, even the National Development Plan I and II. Therefore, the man should be a bit more patient with his technocrat or civil servant. However, don’t anticipate that. But just like the 9 Pointer of last year.

The additions made by the DIGP will be put in a stacks of paper and forgotten. That is just the way it is, because the funds are only for monitoring opposition and not fight actual crime. Peace.

Opinion: Mzee suspends the use of Penal Code Section 167, but his not repealing it or amending the law!

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have ordered the Police Force to stop arresting people for being “idle and disorderly” and also release them. Especially, the ones taken in by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement. The President want their prosecution discontinued and also stop arresting illegal traders there.

This is clearly a mission from the President who orders this, but if the Republic is supposed to be a land of law and order. Than, the President should get some of his minions to repeal one of his colonial laws, which he has kept and used when in need. Now, his saying the Police Force should stop using it. I will first show, the Penal Code part, which is used and a little history behind why its there today.

The Penal Code Section 167. says:

Idle and disorderly persons.

Any person who—

(a) being a prostitute, behaves in a disorderly or indecent manner in any public place;

(b) wanders or places himself or herself in any public place to beg or gather alms, or causes or procures or encourages any child to do so;

(c) plays at any game of chance for money or money’s worth in any public place;

(d) publicly conducts himself or herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace;

(e) without lawful excuse, publicly does any indecent act;

(f) in any public place solicits or loiters for immoral purposes;

(g) wanders about and endeavours by the exposure of wounds or deformation to obtain or gather alms” (Penal Code Act of 1950).

Short history of the Penal Code:

As such the Africa Order in Council, 1889 was applied to it. Under this Order in Council, statutes of general application in Britain at the time applied to Uganda. One of these was the ‘Idle and disorderly’ Act, 1824. In 1902, the Uganda Order in Council gave powers to the Governor to make laws that apply to the protectorate. The governor passed the Applied Indian Acts Ordinance in 1907, which made the law applicable to India at the time applicable to Uganda. Thus Uganda started using the Indian Penal Code, 1860 until 1930 when the Uganda Penal Code Ordinance was introduced. The Indian Penal Code did not criminalise idle and disorderly conduct or being rogue and vagabond. Similarly, the 1930 Penal Code Ordinance did not criminalise being ‘idle and disorderly’. The criminalisation of both ‘idle and disorderly’ and ‘rogue and vagabond’ was introduced under the 1950 Penal Code, which is still the Penal Code Act in force today, now designated as the Penal Code Act, Chapter 120 of the Laws of Uganda, 2000” (HRAF – ‘ THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF‘IDLE AND DISORDERLY’ LAWS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MARGINALISED GROUPS IN UGANDAP: 23, 2016).

So, now, the President is now suspending the arrests of the idle traders and other people taken by the section of society, which the KCCA and Police Force deems them as “idle and disorderly”. This is part of the Penal Code, which has been historically used by the state to restrictive laws of society control. However, the state has kept it, because its a useful tool by the state.

Now, the President suspend it and stops the Police from using it. However, the law is still enforced, unless the National Resistance Movement or some MPs are amending it or repealing this law. Therefore, the act of the President today with ordering the UPF to suspend doing it. Can only be seen as a temporary suspension or even a PR stunt. Because, the law is still enforced. The law is still active.

This means, the state can still use the law, even if the President has sent a circular and order from above. The law is still there and looking at the public. The Colonial heritage is still there and the usage of it is still common practice. Just wait to the campaign season and general election in 2021, the state will use the Penal Codes like no tomorrow. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Curcular – Sub: Arresting People for the Crime of “Idle and Disorderly” (01.10.2019)

Uganda Police Force: Police Statement on recent Transfers and Postings (26.09.2019)

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part XII: Communique (16.09.2019)

Uganda Police Force: Police Statement on Arrests at Court Premises (13.09.2019)

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions XI: Deportation in Respect of 32 Rwandans INV/357/19 (12.09.2019)

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part X: Meeting of the Ad Hoc Commisson for the Implementation of Memorandum of Understanding of Luanda between Republic of Uganda and Republic of Rwanda (12.09.2019)

A retort to Museveni’s recent letter: Will there be a difference between injustice and justice?

I will not use too much time looking into the recent letter written by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. I will instead show some significant pieces of it. That settles the puzzle of who he is as an President and Head of State. Because, it shows his force and his way of governing, by mere words. That his the overlord and without question has the right to take lives. Especially, since killers are pigs, but if it wasn’t for killing himself. He wouldn’t have won his own rebellion in the 1980s. But we’re supposed to forget that, in which, makes that statement contradictory.

Before I go on a long rant… Just look at this!

As I told you before, these criminals are pigs. Anybody who kills people outside war is a pig. Moreover, many are stupid. They forget that all crime leaves clues and, eventually, the criminals will be captured. Up to the killing of Kaweesi, Kiggundu and Abiriga, the security infrastructure had lagged behind. You remember after those killings, I presented to Parliament a 10 points anti-crime plan on the 20th of June 2018. Although we have only partially implemented it, many of the killers in recent times have been arrested. The Masaka gang of Kiddawalime was wiped out (killed or arrested), Serugo Paul and his Syndicate in Masaka, Kanyesigye Juilius alias Mwesigye Amon in Rwizi and Kampala and the Usafi mosque criminal syndicate were neutralized” (Museveni, 10.09.2019).

I am sure that Obote, Tito Okello or anyone else he got rid of would call him a criminal or a pig over his actions. As the rebellion he used was over his own grievances. His saying certain sanctioned killings is cool, as long as they are done in the midsts of war. Even though certain criminal activity and crimes against humanity can warrant arrests, charges and sentencing at the Internal Criminal Court (ICC). Surely, the President who fears that institution, will not mention that, as he acted without question, in a brutal way in the Democratic Republic of Congo and could at one point answer for that in Hague.

Well, the other striking distinction … is how is openly saying he failed implementing the 10 point plan of June 2018. That must surely be as failing to implement as the 1986 Ten Point Programme, which he still haven’t finish. Maybe, we need to give the President another 32 years to finish of his second 10 point plan. He always needs time, while partly making things work.

Before I continue, the President had this to say as well:

You may commit a crime, carelessly taking away the lives of others; however, you will also lose your own life. We need to make this clear to the Courts. It must be an eye for eye. Nothing less will be acceptable to the freedom fighters that I represent and the entirety of the electorate of Uganda that I represent” (Museveni, 10.09.2019).

The President will ensure that state is allowed and can shoot-to-kill before the Courts have found a verdict and said a set individual is guilty of the charges. This sort of policy is made for police states who will not answer to laws, but to enforcement itself. Killing of killers is within reason, but with the enforcement of laws and by evidence produced in the courts.

If it is directly an eye for an eye, than a stray-shot might kill another innocent civilians and anarchy will persist. Where there is no legal bound, but to carry weapons. As everyone will can do it. Instead of making changes and securing the public, these sort of acts will if it is enforced, make life very cheap. Who knows if the ones killed by law-enforced is the killer or his neighbour? Because, when your dead, your either a hero or a terrorist. In the eye of the President, the dead man would initially be a criminal pig. Even if the person shot and killed by security officials was innocent, they can frame it like yet another criminal taken-out.

This is enough for me, because, there is so much in the text that he wrote, but for me this is the standout. Which needs to be addressed, if he believes in justice. He should consider measures that secures a verdict based on evidence, affidavits and proof. Not hearsay and random picking people out and giving them a fatal punishment. Than the innocent could loose their lives, just like the lives taken by the killer. While the ones whose supposed to get sanctioned runs free, because you claim that the innocent did the evils bidding. Did he ever consider that?

Don’t think so, because he seemed focus on retaliation, more than countering injustice with justice. Which means, there is hard to strike a difference between whose the criminal and whose the law-enforcement. That should worry anyone. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Police Activily Investigating Car Shooting (06.09.2019)