Opinion: The next steps for Besigye and continued defiance against the Movement!

OPM Press Release 05052016

It’s not easy to give words of advice to the men and woman who are in the line of fire. But we cannot let the Movement and their spin-control run the mill. They are stealing and thieving with massive speed and impunity. They are trying to avoid the weakness of the economy, trying to find new ways of revamping the economy without too much state debt and without loving donor direct aid. They still have the military and equipment served from loyal allies in the United States, if that will happen under Trump and it has happen under Bush/Obama is not easy to know; certainly U.S. will still let other brigades do the dirt they don’t want to do themselves.

The ones who toll with the problems are Dr. Kizza Besigye and his Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), they work for a peaceful transition in Uganda from the militarized politics of the President Museveni’s Movement. So with this in mind, after a year of issues, a year of tribulations, arrests, detained and charges of treason against the government; the political change is still in the wind. Besigye had deserved a better start and a fresher place as he is still monitored and still has Police following all movement done by the man. The same with his party who cannot hold meetings and public consultations without police taking stereo equipment, arrests or intimidation of citizens who shows up or just happen to be around.

Besigye had started the Campaign of Defiance under the Election Road Map for the General Election of 2016. So in 2015 it was started and has been put under fire from the Resistance Movement, an ironic problem for a draconian and tyrant regime who cannot really be democratic as they tries to silence or get rid of the worst opponents. Besigye is only kept because of known place and international scrutiny of they try to attack him too much.

FDC Besigye 05.04.2016

First Step – Defy with actions:

Besigye should continue and with more force, use more than just words and get the FDC to actually take a stronger stand against the ones that supports the regime. The Mafia regime or junta government, which he has described the Movement so many times. If FDC wants to be fair and wants to defy the Movement, they should suspend themselves first from Parliament. It is risky, but would be a grandeur position to take away the Shadow Government and the legitimacy of the current government.

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Second Step – Defy with dialogue with other opposition:

Secondly the FDC should be in talks with Democratic Party and other smaller parties that are not involved directly in the Movement regime, as they can try to weaken and strengthen the other voices. As Besigye have already done with his friendship with Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Gen. David Sejusa. FDC needs to be connected with people of stature like Norbert Mao and others, who are real opposition to Museveni. Not talk to Jimmy Akena or others who just uses their parties as fronts of beacon of democracy, instead of actually challenging the Movement.

Kale Kayihura Choose Peace

Third Step – Defy the Courts like IGP Kayihura:

Just as IGP Kale Kayihura defied his own court-orders, the same should Besigye himself start to do in 2017, to show that he doesn’t respect the unlawful character of the regime; as the peaceful acts of showing up for treason charge that continue running into oblivion. Time to just say it is a kangaroo court and is only doing it to silence his voice. Therefore not showing up and instead continue to travel around the country to meet and greet party officials and locals to prove the value of building institution over being a sole candidate in Museveni and the NRM.

Times is a wasting, it’s hard to do stuff when you’re behind bars or at court, it’s hard to always move when the Police Force and other Security Organizations follow your every step.

NRM to Daily Monitor 09.02.2016

Fourth Step – Hurt the pocket of the Government:

Certainly the Defiance needs to be hurting the regime. Try to stop the foreign exchange rates, the taxation and the revenue of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), even the business that is inter-connected with the Movement. As much as it should stop the state owned businesses that is being used by the Movement. Museveni would hate that he couldn’t misuse the profits of needed businesses, the ones that are owned by investors who are supplying him funds to pay Special Force Command and other militarized outfits that keeps him as the Executive.

If the Besigye and his folks stood behind and hurt the pocket and legitimacy, not in words only, but also actions that could move the regime and also create a vacuum that Museveni and his movement couldn’t control. The ripple effect and the true hurt would be shown. Especially with the knowledge, that the Election already hurt the economy with massive effect. So if they continue pounding on it took out the cash out of the Museveni owned banks and stopped profits to companies that the Museveni clan partly own. Than the Movement and family would feel the pinch.

Defying the state institutions and the government procedures, stop respecting the Police and Courts, stop listening to the draconian laws and also stop the funding of taxes and funds to directly keep the Movement alive. Something that would really hurt Museveni and his elite; this would really make it hard for the Movement to continue to use Police Force and use the state to gain wealth.

Besigye can continue to talk peaceful transition and I respect that. This sort of acts is not easy. They are hard and costly. Many will be arrested, many more detained, more torture and more innocent dying, but there been so much over 30 years that the defiance campaign has to take it to the next level. Show disrespect, let the government lose its value and show the world that the ones behind Besigye don’t see Museveni as their President. Museveni is just a citizen, not an Executive, as he wasn’t really elected to be so; he coup d’état again when he got sworn-in on the 12th May of 2016.

Time for acts, not talk, time for really defying the government and use the power of the people. Time to use the popularity and risk being harassed, as if you don’t than the Police will continue as they do; business as usual and also target the FDC as much as possible without it costing much for the illegitimate government it is. The illegal detained and the illegal arrests cannot be sustained, as much as the house arrests and unlawful behaviour of the Police towards the FDC is unbearable. This is not militant; it is fighting for a just cause. The real freedom and liberty, not to talk about a real legitimate government who represent the citizens of Uganda! Not a government representing Museveni and only his vision. Peace.

Chairperson of the Council of MAK – “Re: Opening of Makerere University” (24.12.2016)

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Hon. Janet Museveni orders “Re – Opening of Makerere University” (24.12.2016)

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You are not forgotten Sam Mugumya!

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I cannot and as I am together with others, who stand for justice, rule of law and freedom cannot forget the brave men like Sam Mugumya, who has been detained in Democratic Republic of Congo, as he was traded for the release of M23 soldiers and deported to the Congo. Something that is disgusting enough as he has been portrayed by the Ugandan authorities as an Allied Defence Force (ADF-NALU) which is a guerrilla that cause havoc in the DRC.

With that all in mind his been detained since 2014, today is his birthday, certainly he will not able to celebrate it or even enjoy it. He is innocent and rotting in prison because of the exchange that was between DRC Authorities and Ugandan counterparts. Certainly that deal was made with some perks.

In August 2016 there we’re reported that 300 Ugandan citizens we’re detained and in prison in the neighbour country, many of who is said to be connected with the guerrilla – ADF-NALU, but some of them are certainly framed for that as proven with Sam Mugumya, who has been parts of Activist 4 Change with the Walk to Work protest in 2011 and also been a pivotal political force inside the Forum for Democratic Change. Therefore the NRM Regime wants him away and silences him, the best way in a foreign prison where his voice doesn’t matter.

With this recent report isn’t positive considering his case: “In a government statement to parliament last evening, the State minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem revealed that the authorities had declined to have Mugumya released since the matter was under the military establishment in the DRC” (…) “Okello also says that Mugumya may not be extradited soon due to absence of enabling policies between the two governments despite several interventions” (Kyeyune, 2016). So the case has become military after the extradition and prisoner exchange in 2014, therefore the fate of Mugumya is in the hands of Congolese Authorities. The Ugandan ones are towing their fingers as the former Besigye aide is dwindling away and not has the ability to get freedom as he is a political activist and not a terrorist. That is big difference!

In 2015 he said this to the press:

Ivan: “How did you know they were CMI operatives? Were they clad in uniform?” Sam: “They had army uniform and they introduced themselves to me as such. On the first day, they were two. They asked if I had links with ADF then shortly after said I was coming to link up with the People’s Redemption Army.  I told them I was just running away from your brutal regime. On the second day, another set of three CMI operatives came. I remained in Beni for three weeks before I was called for a joint interrogation between Congolese authorities and CMI.  They debated if to bring us back to Uganda or hold us in Congo” (Okuda, 2015).

“Ivan: “The regime back home accuses you of involvement in subversion, terrorism to be precise and government spokesman Ofwono Opondo and UPDF spokesman Paddy Ankunda both stand by this claim. What is your take?” Sam: “It is not true I was involved in subversive activities. I have been involved in legitimate activism which is a fundamental right, to support or oppose a regime. But Mr Museveni and his henchmen like all tyrants mistake principled Opposition for subversion. There is a history to this. In 2011, Ingrid Turinawe, Francis Mwijukye and I were charged with terrorism and the case fell flat because it had no legal limbs and was built on falsehoods. Repeating these same allegations is essentially putting into perspective why we are here. Museveni has always made his position clear; that he is not comfortable with courts granting bail to capital offence suspects.  Of course, he is not interested in the rapists and murderers; he is simply clothing it as capital offences to net political activists. We are the real target” (Okuda, 2015).

When you hear his story that he flee from Uganda because of the possible prosecution and the indicated issues with the brutal regime, that means that the courts and indictment we’re predicated to take him down. The Congolese Authorities just used that and reprimanded him, while they still had been served with Ugandan intelligence to pick-up the activist and take him to prison. Something that is vicious and shows the collaborate effort to harass fellow citizens and also use the military together with security operatives to make sure the people like Sam Mugumya get behind bars, where he still is without question.

His is lingering in jail, but he is not forgotten, as much as the other activist both Ugandan and Congolese who is still behind bars. As the Authorities are keeping them silent behind bars instead of being free to challenge the ones in power. Peace.

Reference:

Kyeyune, Moses – ‘Mugumya Extradition Not Possible, Says Government’ (02.12.2016) link: http://kfm.co.ug/news/mugumya-extradition-not-possible-says-government.html

Okuda, Ivan – ‘I was arrested while fleeing to exile, says Mugumya’ (20.12.2015) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/I-was-arrested-while-fleeing-to-exile–says-Mugumya/689844-3002812-11msrhrz/index.html

Dr. Tanga Odoi lacking salary is the proof of maladministration from the NRM regime

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National Resistance Movement hasn’t apparently paid Dr. Tanga Odoi his salaries for the six months. That is half years pay that the ruling party hasn’t paid their internal Electoral Commission that we’re in charge of NRM Primary Election that we’re before the General Election in 2016.

There isn’t something right when the ruling regime, the ruling party run by the President isn’t doing the right thing. The ruling regime is keener on keeping their loyal investors and cronies as in the recent months they outspent monies and emptied the treasury chest of the State House. Still, they couldn’t cough of funds for the NRM Organization. The NRM Central Executive Committee should focus their funds. They must have diversified the funds that we’re for the NRM House and the NRM fundraisers that we’re before the General Election this year.

The President knows that the party and organization needs him, therefore he can even let them starve, while the land-grabbing are happening in the districts far away like Amuru, while the Kampala based investors get to eat from the government plate.

We would think the Musevenist would be paid by the grand man himself. Instead the NRM-O and NRM-EC is left in the sticks without the needed funds to even pay salaries. This isn’t new as the civil servants can walk for months without pay. That is the way monies are allocated in Uganda, where people can walk and work for months without pay and still strive.

Dr. Tanga Odoi complained during the campaign on his salaries and had a brawl with Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba, which has gone into hiding after the President we’re sworn in. She has hid under a rock or fiercely becoming silent because of her brash attitude and irrational rhetoric that isn’t fitting in any society.

The NRM Party has lost their marbles, they have forgotten their own as they need a loyal party line to continue to work for the tyrant who detains and orders killings of his own, where he put the blame on the victims. That is Kasese for you, while that is happening Makerere, teachers and now Party Organizations are walking unpaid.

Tanga Odoi is just a crown example of the maladministration and mismanagement. National Resistance Movement who is the ruling regime and sponge of the state funds. The state funds must be misused or mismanaged as the allocations cannot make sense. We can understand with the recent history of mismanagement can be proven with the suspension of funds to Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). That couldn’t be the only part of government that could have gotten the same treatment if the International Community had looked deeply into the procedure and waste of state funds.

The NRM Party own model of payment is out of control and the reason is that the President doesn’t even care for his own, other than the ones that are corrupting him and securing his existence. Who is really eating right now could be a mystery, as the closest elite an the NRM-O should be taken care of together with the army and police who are making sure the illegitimate regime alive. Peace.

Buganda Magistrate Court issues Warrent of Arrest on WizKid (16.12.2016)

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Uganda: Legal Red Note on Wizkid after failed concert in Kampala (16.12.2016)

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Opinion: The #NBSFrontline debate about Succession after President Museveni is premature; no matter whom it is!

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#NBSFrontline is wasting all people’s time with discussing the succession of President Museveni and change from the ruling party National Resistance Movement (NRM). Well, even if the wife of Dr. Kizza Besigye is surely a viable candidate; the famous Oxfam leader Winnie Byanyima and her new quest for becoming a Presidential Candidate. That is a noble idea of a genuine and caring individual with an amazing track-record and spokesperson for the oppressed. Still, the talk of succession right now is premature.

The reason for the premature is that the process for anyone taking the reins from President Museveni is a closed door, a barricaded castle and sealed of courthouse. The President who has been in charge since 1986 hasn’t showed any real proof of wanting to stepdown. He has promised it twice, but that hasn’t mattered. Mzee has changed his mind and thought of the idea of not having the reserves of Bank of Uganda and gone back into the race, gone with guns and made sure the campaigns of his competitors has been a living hell. That he do best, also secure that the Electoral Commission is run by loyalist who will deliver the needed numbers to run the Parliament and the mandate to be a strong President.

Mzee hasn’t given any way to anybody you could ask the few left of the bush-war generation, the ones that are left and still around knows this is true. A man who sends army against his own after taking power, you know he isn’t giving up easy.

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Mzee himself said this: “You see when you give them (civil population in the North and East) a good beating then those who are using them will no longer use them. Since the month of January (1987), we have given them much beating especially in Lira and Kitgum Districts. And in fact the week I left (for Yugoslavia) we had given them a good blow in Gulu District. So it is going to settle down”. (New Vision, January 19, 1987).

The years of election rigging, paying citizens small fees in the villages while being on the road, the years of promising grand project and not delivering should be reasons for the change of leadership. But the people should have created turmoil as the President has the army and the monies that are forged through his illegitimate government. Instead they let him steal the nation and smile over pennies. Therefore the President fears for his life after the years on the throne as the marble and treasury chest might be looted by the ones that he was in charge of or even the grandchildren of the men who died to get him in power.

As long as President Museveni is in charge he will not bow-down with grace. There wouldn’t be any mercy he played the rights for the citizens and justice for the people that had been under Dr. Milton Obote and Gen. Idi Amin Dada. Who both had been Presidents for a long time before him; Museveni went to the bush to get rid of them both and just took away the Presidency of Yusuf Lule because he could.

When a man who made relationship with both Libyans and Americans to get weapons and make sure the power got into his hands. Doesn’t really care to what extent he will do to keep it, he will play all sorts of political games and use the tactics of the former leaders, but try to do it better to gain himself. He might give way to somebody, but only so he can destroy their career and silence them.

Uganda Election 2011 P2

So even if Winnie Byanyima decides to run what will be different between the former ones running against President Museveni? Museveni has eaten a spit out Dr. Olara Otunnu, Norbert Mao, Dr. Paul Ssemogerere, Amama Mbabazi and Dr. Kizza Besigye.

They have all run against him and caught his wrath, his tactics and his methods of oppression as he beats the drums at the opposition rallies with bullets, tear-gas and close the venues without any reason. The laws have been changed and amended to make it usually worse for the competition and make sure the President stays the President. Like the time to make a petition for the Presidential Election is really short, while the Presidential Candidate are by law even if struggled to get funds has to visit all district in the campaign. This is while the President takes helicopter and the others stresses through the rainy-season on washed mountain roads and districts. Something that is easily forgotten the laws and procedures are made to secure the President, not make sure the fellow or person that Ugandans want to be President is actually the President.

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Because if the succession had been a thing then there wouldn’t be the idea of if somebody becomes too ambitious in the ruling regime and ruling party than they have been demoted by the President. Museveni has had a few Vice-Presidents, at the first period of his reign he didn’t have any until his first inner-party elections. After that the ones under him has been Hon. Samson Kisekka, Hon. Specioza Kazibwe and Hon. Prof. Gilbert Bukenya. As well as there been changes of Prime Ministers, because at this state the current President has had six of them.

The #NBSFrontline none of this came up in the discussion as the ones discussing it we’re into gender politics and the left-over, left-behind former party officials of the National Resistance Movement. Even the main contenders in the recent presidential race where former loyalist of the President, Besigye and Mbabazi has been vital and key persons in the Movement System as we know it.

We should just know that President Museveni has no plans to let anybody else than him have the throne, no other can rule than him. All of his game is for him to rule the nation and eat of the government plate. Peace.

Opinion: It’s total silence not defiance anymore

Dr. Kizza Besigye Quote Outspend

The Campaign of Defiance is dead, because the compliance has sunk the ship of Defiance that we’re ushered in with the Presidential Campaign of 2015/2016 of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and for the Presidential Candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye. The rigged and fraudulent election went down, the President since 1986 President Yoweri Museveni triggered election victory with 100% in dozens of districts and acted vicious in others; that are known opposition strongholds like Kampala, Wakiso and others. Therefore the FDC and Besigye should have and could have grievances on the methods of suppression of the votes.

Besigye’s campaign of defiance was a grand idea in the darkness of an oppressive regime under the National Resistance Movement. The NRM has for decades and during previous elections used public funds, used the state and security organizations to spread fear instead of free and fair election. As well as hiring fellow cronies in the Electoral Commission that we’re working directly on orders for the Movement instead of securing the popular vote, as well as using the Police Force and the Army to show where the loyalty should be, also gifts of soaps, food and small fees to take part of rallies in the districts. This has been NRMs way of spreading loyalty and fear mixed together.

So the Defiance campaign was a good idea, to defy the rigged system and state apparatus that has eaten the whole plate and only follows orders of loyal cronies of Museveni. That in itself was genuine and straight-forward plan from Besigye, only if more of the citizens and the party he was apart of really believed in it. As with time the defying plans has been silenced, the fighting the machine and corrupt behaviour of the state has turned silent.

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The FDC and the defiance after the failing Election Petition of the Go-Forward and Amama Mbabazi in Supreme Court, the FDC and Besigye hasn’t had the levels of defiance in them or tried to defy the structures that validates the regime. The FDC has turned into compliance as the swearing-in of Museveni happen and the Members of Parliament we’re sworn-in after the fraudulent election. It was topped when certain MPs went into Shadow-Parliament and legitimized the Movement.

So with this the FDC themselves did comply with Museveni and his fellow cronies instead of defying the ruler. They went into the chambers made sure they got paid and later trying to follow the lead of Besigye isn’t believable. That the same men and woman who easily take the small-change at the Parliament and later goes to FDC Prayers is playing to games.

The Short-Con is the Shadow-Cabinet and validating the rule of Museveni to make sure their pockets are filled and that their MPs respectability is fixed so their families and friends are secured. But with this they are forgetting the long-term damage to be parts of Movements skin-democracy.

The Long-Con is that with the sharing parts of the skin-democracy and playing the game of the freedom fighters while not really working the cause. So the long-con is some of the FDC leadership roles right now, only patching the hurt, but not trying to rebuild.

FDC 05.05.2016 Planned March

The Defiance Campaign was about defying the Movement… something that the FDC didn’t do, which is complicated and also lacking of moral support from the FDC while he was serving time in Moroto and Luzira. They might show up to gates of the prison and even say publicly that they condemn the Police Force actions against the democratic and rights to assemble as an opposition party.

So the plan of Defiance wasn’t supposed to be one-man band, Besigye wasn’t supposed to carry it on his own. Besigye weren’t alone as we could see youths, P-10 Groups and FDC-Diaspora we’re supportive efforts. You had and still have Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Gen. David Sejusa. Still, they have very few others who have been under fire at the same level without trading their souls, there is Ingrid Turinawe and Doreen Nyanjura has fought battles without much to gain.

That the silence in general should be worrying as the Police Force are continuing to battle with Besigye, his house is still besieged and the man is monitored every movement. If he breaks the barrier and creates public excitement, than it’s straight into detention or police brutality cases towards the crowds that surge the man.

Besigye should be free, the country should be free, but the silence isn’t saving anything. The silence has settled the defiance campaign and the mentality of the defiance agenda. They didn’t build momentum enough to stop the daily life and hurt the business of the movement. The defiance didn’t stop the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) from collecting VAT or stop exports of fuel. The Defiance didn’t stop the UPDF from getting new recruits or any other possible monetary deficiency the campaign could do. Just like the shops stopping trading as the shop-keepers we’re even detained for doing so, because it hurt the taxation and trade that the Movement needs to run their merry-go-round of graft and embezzlement of public funds.

The Defiance could have worked if the FDC and Besigye had gotten the momentum and had the public will behind them, not the half-ready pile of work, sort of like the way the Police Force in Uganda picks up intelligence as they see fit in forged police case. The FDC could have used the anger and frustration of the public, the citizens who feel used.

So the May Protest this year we’re starting of profound messages that the citizens we’re on the road of pressing the government. So much we’re ready as they remembered the recent thieving of their future from the Movement yet again, the wounds we’re fresh. Still the army had been in the streets, the Police Force we’re targeting the opposition and also civil society offices we’re attacked.

FDC Youth 14.03.2016

The people shouldn’t be silenced as the Christmas season are in line, the FDC cannot carry this alone, not that all of them wanted the defiance; they wanted the easy compliance life of the pseudo-opposition instead of a fighting defying organization that could get rid of the militarized movement that been running it since the 1980s. That should be KEY. That should be the goal of the FDC; instead many went into legitimizing it.

So the silenced is understandable, Besigye and his trials cannot be of only him and it isn’t, but it is many who has given in and went back to business-as-usual. Besigye could have more support from the FDC NEC, but he hasn’t. They don’t have the backbone and the wish to succeed. They gave in when it was going against the grain. They we’re risking it all and couldn’t. While Besigye is again under a “treason” charge as others who are questioning the Movement; the others are walking free and without any Court Orders in their name.

It’s not like the man who took the power by the gun want to leave silent or let it go easy, he fought a brutal bush-war. Now he has a big-army and guerrillas of M23, Museveni got allies of USA and Russia dropping arms in his favour so he can suppress his people. Citizens can fight this, but they cannot only rely on Besigye. Besigye only has power if the people are behind him. If the people are working with to dismantle the regime, but the silent obedient citizens are changing an illegitimate regime. Civil disobedience and systematic effort to discontinue the regime would be true defying the Movement. Instead the silence is what is running the tides as 2017 are coming around the corner. Peace.

Makerere: MUASA Press Release on Political Activism and letter on delayed Salaries of Staff (02.12.2016)

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