Ugandan people shun the Local-Government Elections today; While Dr. Kizza Besigye is arrested while trying to go out and vote!

Today is the Local Government Elections in most places in the country except for the once that gets suspended because of wrong names on the ballots or the persons who are supposed be on the ballots. This time around the ballot-papers we’re delivered on time, everywhere actually and the polling agents was ready. There was also informed to be a public holiday so that there should be possible to show up, but this here is a silent demonstrations and a free-for-all after the sham of an election the 18^th February.

Just as the main elections of the Executive and representatives in the Parliament, this here will be marred with malpractice and even rigged. Therefore the people have shunned the event and polls. As they don’t trust the Electoral Commission; I have lots and lots of issues from around the country, this here is not just an reaction to all those people who never got their say on the 18^th February, but also all them who never got counted that day. Here are some reports.

From Kampala in the morning:

“Although polling materials were dispatched early enough by 6am, the poor turn up of voters has caused delays in starting of the voting exercise. At some polling stations in Nakawa and in Namirembe at Mengo primary polling station, Makarere and Kabale among others voting started after 7:40am with one or two voters occasionally showing up.  The stipulated time to open the polls is 7am and closing time is 4pm. The Electoral Commission has done its part to deliver the materials on time and ensure their electoral agents are already stationed for duty” (Radiocity 97FM, 24.02.2016).

As the Electoral Commission stated on social media:

“Kyankwanzi District that elections for the District Chairperson have been suspended today” (EC, 24.02.2016).

The Observer wrote this:

“Voting material mixup: Wrong ballot papers sent to 6 sub counties in Bundibugyo in  Busaru, Nyahuka, Bubugwanga, Ntoroto, Kasitu & Ntandi” (Observer, 24.02.2016).

Comboni Hospital Polling Station, Bushenyi

In Bushenyi:

The NRM continues to rig elections in the area as the NRM get the FDC Monitors of the elections is arrested, while the NRM starts to bribe the voters to vote for them. And stacks of money are taken to the sub-counties in the area as well. The NRM mobilisers are in the markets and buying the voters. This report from one of polling stations in the district: “Empty Polling Stations in Bushenyi, here at Comboni Hospital; people have refused to go to vote. Atleast 100 people have voted out of over 350 people who voted at this polling station last week”.

In Lungujja:

“Signed blank declaration forms have been discovered in Lungujja by Rubaga MP Elect Moses Kasibante. Chaos has ensues” (93.3. KFM, 24.02.2016).

In Kabale, Moroto and Katakwi:

“In Kabale, voter turn up is low, partly because the district chairperson is unopposed, our correspondent reports” (NBS TV, 24.02.2016). “9:53 LIVE: Our report David Ochieng in Tororo says voter turn out is still low. Voters are complaining about the Biometric Voter Verification” (NBS TV, 24.02.2016). Our reporter Mike Onyang says in Moroto, more locals have been seen at drinking joints than at many polling stations. Onyang says many voters he has spoken to in Moroto say they are fatigued and are still mourning the loss of ‘their’ candidates (NBS TV, 24.02.2016). Very low turn up in LC5 and LC5 councilor’s in Katakwi as the case in the rest of Uganda.

In Jinja:

“Voting for the district chairpersons and councillors is underway, but here in Jinja the voter turnout is significantly low as compared to the just concluded presidential and Members of Parliament election. All this, despite today being a public holiday” (89 Smart FM, 24.02.2016).

In Nebbi:

“Local government elections in most parts of the country have been characterized by low voter turn up compared to Presidential and parliamentary elections. For instance in Nebbi district at boma one polling station by 11:00am only 57 out of 500 voters had voted while boma two out of 142 only 37 had cast their vote” (Radio Paidha Ltd, 24.02.2016).

In Iganga:

There police and military are at the Polling Stations and the roads in the district.

In Kumi:

“Electoral Commission has postponed the polls for the Kumi District LC V chairperson, following the death of Charles Otaok, the Go Forward Candidate. Otaok died in a motor accident along the Mbale-Soroti highway, a fortnight ago. The Kumi District Returning Officer, Monicah Ngobi, said this morning that they received communication from the Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala, to postpone the elections of the LC V chairperson until further notice” (RadioCity 97FM, 24.02.2016).

There been low voter turn-up in Entebbe, Gulu, Makindye, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Masaka, Sembabule, Mukono, and Kampala. In certain areas there are more Polling Officals then voters. Look forward to see how they will fix the results from this locals elections Seem that the country there is low-turn up as people seem to have lost faith in Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu and his Electoral Commission. Who decide for them and therefore they boycott this election to prove as a demonstrations against the regime! As with the other election on the 18^th February there been people captured with pre-ticket ballots. There been silence and not much action since the announcement of the Presidential and Members of Parliament elections has been rigged and taken the public for granted. Therefore the result is low turn-up and showing the Electoral Commission.   

Reports from Presidential Elections in Karamjoa and explains the 95% for President Museveni:

“In Karamoja the Electoral Commission District Registar has been beaten by the Special Forces command on the 17^th February before making off with all the ballot boxes. He is currently paralyzed”.

Just as the low-voter turn-up the Local-Government does not need Dr. Kizza Besigy’s ballots it seems:

“Col dr Kizza Besigye has been blocked from leaving his Kasangati home. He planned to travel this morning to Rukungiri for local government elections. From the start of the week, Dr Besigye has been kept by police, inside his Kasangati home during the night, and in police cells during the day. Last night at around 10:30pm as he was being returned from police detention back to his home, Dr Besigye said he was tired of this routine, and that he would rather remain in police custody, than being enslaved inside his own house. Besigye on the other hand says he needs to prepare to legally challenge the presidential election results in courts of law, and has now less than 6 days to put together all the necessary evidence” (RadioCity 97FM, 24.02.2016). In the New Vision: “Kizza Besigye of FDC was earlier today denied chance to leave his home to go to Rukungiri to cast his vote in the local council polls by the area DPC, James Kawalya” (New Vision, 24.02.2016).

As the voters shun the election, Dr. Kizza Besigye still not allowed moving freely and under arrest on yet another day! The Electoral Commission will struggle to get more voters than the polling stations as the numbers should be small and the percentage of total voters should be very low. Close to 20% or even less many places, if it is more than it is pre-ticked for NRM candidates as that is the Modus Operandi of the NRM-Regime.

I want to say I understand the people and their demonstrations is vital and viable as the world is following Uganda and the people know about the non-sense re-election of President Museveni. As the opposition continues to be under pressure and harassment as seen by Dr. Kizza Besigye; Seen yesterday in Mbarara and Ibanda; now also in Bushenyi where they arrested FDC mobilisers today. Since it is for the ruling party the access and reason for it is not necessary as the fear and intimidation is what the NRM lives on, and not on vote-ability or accountability for their actions. Peace.  

Analysis of the Pre-Election Period; as the Parties and Candidates make the preparations before the polls

As we go in the final week before the polls happens on the 18^th February as the public and citizens will go to the polls and give their votes. The parties are doing the final preparations and rallies to generate the outcome the want.

This has been three horse race, as the five other candidates has not shined as much as NRM’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, FDC’s Dr. Kizza Besigye and Go-Forward/TDA Amama Mbabazi. Not as Abed Bwanika of the People’s Development Party hasn’t had done a bad campaign; I would say the opposite; but he is not in the league of gentlemen first noticed. Another candidate who has done well considering the beginning is Gen. Benon Buta Biraaro of the Farmers Party has done a decent job and said certain things that have been spot-on. Still, his reach has not come to any level of challenging the big-league. Joseph Mabirizi has become a punchline and not a candidate that justify the time he has spent or the money his campaign used. The only female in the race Maureen Kyalya Wamula has not been great sport, she is smart and wise, but loses the final touch as she speeds away a month in London; when arrives back travers Busoga again. She should instead tried to become a MP from Busoga, then becoming President as it would be fitting by how she did her campaign! Professor Venansius Baryamureeba the independent candidate haven’t made any noticeable progress other than pledges that are out of his league and I personally lost touch of him after the #UGDebate16 as he been in the wind.

So I will not discuss the 5 candidates unless they did something magical. As there been moments, but not many. Just as the media report Museveni and his NRM has “owned” the media, had most space in papers, radios and TV, even with the issues Museveni has had with NTV, Daily Monitor and a rare bunch of local radio channels; Mbabazi comes second most of the time in the report, but either the same as Besigye or not; Besigye been third or second with around 20 %.. So when President Museveni has cried foul it’s been because his make-up hasn’t been perfect while the drones driving over the campaign venue or the headlines in the newspapers he never reads is written in wrong fonts so he can’t find out what it means. As he is watching the pictures and cartoons as that is deep enough for the Mzee!

We can easily see the hurt in NRM, as Go-Forward and Mbabazi is getting crowds without ferrying them, even when they work hard to pay people to shun his rallies, while they people to come to rallies; but never in the same place as the rally, the buses has to go into the villages and give UGX 5k and a t-shirt to get them to show-up at the Mzee venue. While Mbabazi Go-Forward has had massive deflections even major parts of his security detail went to the NRM and Go Forward officials in Teso region have disowned purported defectors, from their camp to the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party.  On Tuesday, more than 700 people were paraded before the First lady, Janet Museveni at Soroti State lodge claiming that they had defected from the camp of ex-prime minister. Even in Karamoja Janet Museveni has paid people who supposed to be FDC or Go-Forward to deflect to NRM.

While the NRM front-man was really humiliated in Kayunga Town on the 8^th February 2016 as the NRM Poor Youth would not mobilize for him. As he didn’t get the news from Isa Kato that NRM Poor Youth becoming Ugandan Poor Youth Forum on the 6^th January and pleading their alliance to Mbabazi. That must hurt Mzee! As his former outfit have distanced themselves from NRM by giving their credentials to Mbabazi; it’s not a good luck when especially his NRM Mobilisers like Mike Ssebalu (Sebalu) didn’t contact the locals in other ways, as also the locals did not want to be ferried to the campaign venue. That must be slap on his face!

Besigye, the People’s President is really having a blast on the campaign trail and his campaign rallies has been massive as he has not gone into the meager display of the NRM, which has to ferry crowds from other parts of the country or villages with their yellow buses or even hire other transport companies to send people to his venues. While Dr. Kizza Besigye get people hyped and walking with swagger before arriving, they washing the roads and making the venues ready, the roads are blocked by crowds in procession to the stadiums and main squares as the people is really ready for change of the guards.

NRM seems exhausted even when dropping millions upon millions to every village, having the NRM Mobilisers and NRM leaders giving money to villagers. NRM continue to give money to bribe people to vote for them, this is the way have to because they have no legitimate ways of political framework as everything seem more to corrupted by the position the leadership of NRM handling it. As the Primaries was a strange nearly fictional event which was marred with malfunctions.

Just as the NRM EC under Dr. Tanga Odoi has been capable of doing some strange things during the party elections; the Electoral Commission have recently hope that the Ugandan citizens and NGOs continue to be ignorant about their actions. As they introduced a new voting slip system that you search on their site to get your place to go to vote, also where to pick-up the slip.

The Electoral Commission have also dropped the voters register who was compiled with deceased people and ghost voters in the size of 20,000 that took the Chairman nearly two weeks before he addressed. Before he addressed it the rumors of trying to leave the country during this week, while being stopped by 7 military vehicles and not able to leave as he has to do a service for the Mzee. Badru M. Kiggundu is soon looking like a Thomas Moore kind of man; as he is a blind Yellow Fellow who has sold his soul to Mzee, while missing the ingredient of the he getting his head chopped for not following the orders the king gives to him.

The NRM people is addressing the public with fear and telling that the world will dismantle into pieces if they don’t go for the NRM. That is an terrifying way of rhetoric and that Mzee even had to address Lukwago in a dismissal and unfavorable way that none deserve, as the old man with the hat should show some respect to other leaders in the country. The Police continue to oppress the FDC and opposition parties.

The Army is deploying more and more people in the streets as pictures of trucks and soldiers to spread fear in Kampala as the legitimacy is gone. The only way people staying loyal to the ruling-party is if they are payed enough or facilitated to the max so the houses and cars paid by the NRM; not on their own original salary.

New Vision continues writing fictitious polls giving the NRM and Museveni 53 % as servicing the ruling regime until the end. But while we know the Vision Media group and it’s radios and newspapers are owned by Museveni; so they will write in favor of Mzee at any cost, even if it is far from the truth, because they got nothing else.

The interesting last thing I will say my piece on is the second #UGDebate where Museveni actually said he will show up, but he needed to send Justine Kasule Lumumba to facilitate the events in favor of her meal-ticket. As the other parties has no issues about the event, NRM can’t handle that the one person moderate Voice of America own journalist Shaka Ssali from Kabale. They would rather have a UBC journalist or anybody they could pocket to make it beautiful fairytale the NRM want to portray. While Mwenda has said he is not Museveni’s campaign manager and would advise him not to show up and grace the event. That tells more about Mwenda then the debate, as Mwenda is more a closet fan of Museveni now than he will ever admit and seems like he has switches he googles and seen the Resistance Light as he has changed his view 360 from 2008. NRM might attend the event. The rest has promised like last time and will show up. We can be sure about that, they got nothing to lose.

The NRM and Museveni will look even more foolish if they fear Shaka Ssali, then he really is a Donald Trump character as he can’t handle Megyn Kelly of Fox News. There is a picture for you. This is my view of recent; it changes with information and the movement on the ground. This is how I feel, not how mr. Zeke on Kampala Road feels, this is all me. Peace.