Uganda Law Society notice ‘ Re: Update on Issues Relating to the Notice from the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development’ (17.07.2018)

Milton Obote Foundation: Press Statement – “Termination of Membership of Hon. J.M. Akena” (26.10.2017)

Opinion: Mzee continues to be hostile to any voice, but himself!

“I have come here,(Buddu FM) mainly to undo the lies peddled by unscrupulous people on radio stations” (…) “I have been polite, but when time comes I will get hard at people who spread lies about the government” (…) “The reason why am here is to detoxicate because many people having been poisoning the public with false information” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Radio Buddu (09.09.2017).

President Museveni had yet another radio show explaining his plans with the Land Amendments and Constitutional Change. As his party and his henchmen has blocked Besigye to do the same. Therefore, National Resistance Movement (NRM) is clearing the air for the President. So when he does that, he should spring some enlightenment, instead he is attack the opposition and the other radio stations.

President Museveni could have told why he and his cronies were blocking Besigye from different radio stations, while he was on his own. Also, why Museveni at the same time stopped an on-air talk-show. Instead, days after he is grasping for air and assaulting them. Mzee, never liked opposition or visions who is not his own. Museveni and NRM have never really been about Multi-Party Democracy or visions for governance.

I am not surprised that Museveni is attacking the opposition and other media for questioning his vision. That has always been lies, since he is the truth-teller who has never told a little lie. He was supposed to step-down twice, he said once Presidents was not supposed to overstay in power. There are countless of lies in the over 30 years in charge. So when he says other people’s lies, he is throwing stones in a glass-house.

Also, when he warns media of having other voices than his. He proves his megalomaniac and controlling sense. Museveni and NRM are the only one for him. Mzee wanted to crush the opposition after the General Election of 2016. The President will really silence the media for his sake, therefore the Amendment cannot be that great if he has to warn the media.

That is automatically lies, since he has to use time for a Radio Campaign to muster support. Mzee is really on thin-ice dancing with the stars, when he has to muster threats instead of policy. When he has to silence and shuffle his deceptions to the airwaves. He spoke afterwards of that, but who cares when he goes all anti-mode and all in to win. It doesn’t matter what sorts of words he says, since he has already put distrust to any voice other than his.

I don’t believe a single word Museveni says, but that is because of decades of deceptions and play the facade. You are naive if you believe this man. President Museveni has used all tricks in the book. The Constitutional Amendment are only out for one thing: Make it easier for the government to take titles and land. So this is to sell-off land to investors and cronies, so they can short-change the public. That is the story the President will not tell. Therefore, what I am writing is a lie and also whatever “what-his-face” is saying on the radio whose not the President. Peace.

Opinion: NRM are cowards for blocking Besigye’s radio campaign!

Just as the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni stopped his national radio trip for traveling abroad for a conference of some kind. The Opposition leader and the People’s President Dr. Kizza Besigye was planning of having his own radio campaign to counter the peddling lies of the President concerning the Land Amendment.

Because the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) are questioning the motives of the Constitutional Amendment and the possible land-grab. That will hurt to be listening to in the villages. That is why the Amuru land-grab has hurt the plans of the government and their sugar factory agreement with the foreign investors. Clearly, Besigye speaking ill of it will bend the lies and mask of the government. This is something the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Museveni cannot deflect. Therefore, even as Besigye had paid Voice of Kigezi or 89.5 FM – The Trumpet, we’re paid 1,000,000 million shillings for participating in a talk-show on the radio. This one time payment was paid on 8^th September , as the show was scheduled yesterday. But the Radio was blocked by the government to air it. The same radio station that hosted the President on the 4^th September. But when Besigye tries on the 8^th September its blocked. What childish play by the government!

You know your speeches and arguments are weak tea, when you cannot be disowned or having other organizations question your actions. Your know your attempt of change of laws is disgusting, when the opposition cannot question it on air. Another radio station Besigye was blocked from was the Kabale Radio station, 94.7 FM Freedom Radio. To this radio station Besigye paid 500,000 shillings. So half million shillings for the time, that he couldn’t use. So Besigye has paid two radio station 1,5 millions shillings, but we’re blocked by both. The Mbarara and Kabale based stations.

That Museveni and NRM are cowards, that he has to continue with foul-play is just proving his belittling of fellow citizens. It’s just like NRM can have rallies and demonstrations for the Article 102 Amendment in Arua, but if the FDC would have a counter demonstration, they would be arrested, detained and blocked for doing so. The Police would use the Public Order Management Act, even as the Opposition had informed and notice as by law. Still, the Police would interfere and shut it down. But the NRM and NRM Youth can walk the street with banners and demonstrate for the cause.

The same is now shown with radio campaign of Museveni, but when Besigye tries to do the same. He is blocked. Its cowardice and show how little margin of error there is for others, but Museveni is the royal king who can do as he wants. Museveni can put shackles on anyone, but he can do as he pleases. No boundaries for the misuse of power, as he uses it by any means. Peace.

Opinion: President Museveni Defense of the Land Amendment is to be calling out the ones against it – ENEMIES!

The man who wants to sensitize and usually talk about the Republic as one, the Ugandan Republic. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on this Radio Campaign to defend and promote the Constitutional Amendment on Land Reform. The first interview has no showed his true character, since he is calling the ones who disagree enemies. He cannot manage to come with sufficient arguments to defend it. Like the issues inside Uganda will not be solved this. This here is not made for development of infrastructure or industrialization. The ability to grab land and without the issues they have today with the titles.

That is why the land titles and deeds are so important. The Republic should make it hard to take land, since this can be conned away from the villagers and citizens in general. Because the state made arrangements with investors and plantation owners. That is what most likely will happen. Because that is what President Museveni has done and tried to do as long his been the Executive of Uganda.

Just read the quotes from radio interview yesterday.

Favorable quotes from the Radio Show on Voice of Kigezi FM:

“We are the only country in the region and may be in the world, who legislated to give land to the people; otherwise elsewhere, land belongs to government” (…) “The challenge that the government has is land owners who reject government compensation and run to court thereby making government projects stall. I even wonder what these liars mean by “government grabbing people’s land” and Ugandans must know these liars as their enemies and enemies of Uganda because they are against the development of the country” (…) “They are the same people who talk of unemployment amongst the youth but go on to frustrate government projects such as those in the energy and transport sectors that provide incentives for investment. They even frustrate investors directly as you are aware of the Amuru sugar project that has stalled for 6 years due to the same people” (…) “We need mass industrialisation to develop our country but these saboteurs continue to frustrate investors. I call upon all Ugandans to rise up against these people who are enemies of Uganda” (…) “We even risk denting our country’s image internationally and being isolated because of the character of these people. We have to expose and shun them; otherwise the rest of the world will misunderstand us” (Museveni, 2017).

The President, the government and his cronies will clearly find ways to spoil it. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the President will use the Land Amendment to make sure the projects and developments benefiting them will appear. President Museveni have to call the ones who stand against him “enemies”. He must surely dislike Mama Mabira, but she has switched to his team, so “no”.

This amendment will not create industrialization, the land issue will be more dire. Since this gives more power to the state. The state will overpower the citizens, the land can be taken away from them. President Museveni has no issue pushing this, because the earnings of profits and taking the land from the citizens will benefit the President and the NRM. This will not be for the greater good, it will be used as pawns for the citizens, that is why the ones who stand against it is enemies. They are not opposition, but enemies, because he fears the ones who oppose it.

The President should discuss it with manners, but he doesn’t, President Museveni has to address the ones who are disagreeing with him, as enemies. That is just proving his lack of thinking of democratic ideas and spirit, but he wanted to get rid of opposition parties after the recent elections. It fits with his modus operandi.

But that the ones standing in his way, are ENEMIES. Set worrying signs, they are not fellow peers, they are not of another opinion, but enemies. The warfare and bush-war spirit is still alive, because he has rig and cheat to win elections. He wouldn’t win in a fair fight. That is something the President knows. President Museveni should discuss the Constitutional Amendment with just words, not like this. However, the old man doesn’t know better or cannot change his character. Peace.

Reference:

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘President Museveni explains his radio land campaign’ (05.09.2017) link: https://www.yowerikmuseveni.com/president-museveni-explains-his-radio-land-campaign

President Museveni on Radio-Tour to explain either [Land Amendment] or (Land Grab) 101!

In the coming days near you, if you listen to the radio-channels of Voice of Kigezi, Radio West, Voice of Tooro ,Spice FM, Point FM and Radio Buddu. From today at 19:00 Uganda Time, the radio will filled with reasoning of Mr. President, His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Who for the moment are still trying to figure out a way of spoiling his own age and birthday, but that is for another day.

Right now he is on a quest to prove the validity and reasoning behind the Land Amendment in the 10^th Parliament. The reason for the government sudden need to take more power and have the capacity to take land away from the current landowners and titles from the locals. That without following the current provisions and compensations for land. Because that is hassle, the state needs it for cheap. That is why the President will go on tour explaining, the brilliant legal scholar of Kahinda Otafiire and his minions. So that the people who listens will understand, that the reasonable theft of their livelihood is for the common good and that is just to follow the Don, follow the President no matter what. Here is the amendment in question!

“Amendment of Article 26:

“(3) Where the owner of property or any person having any interest in or right over property objects to the compensation awarded under a law made under clause (2Xb), the Government or local government shall deposit with court for the property owner or any person having any interest in or right over the property, the compensation awarded for the property, and the Government or local government shall take possession of the property pending determination by the court of any dispute relating to the compensation” (Otafiire, 2017).

“(4) The owner of property or person having any interest in or right over the property shall have a right to access the compensation deposited with the court referred to in clause (3),at any time during the determination of the dispute” (Otafiire, 2017).

“(5) Parliament shall, by law, prescribe the time within which any dispute referred to in clause (3) shall be determined” (Otafiire, 2017).

This provision of the law is not to make it better, by law it makes the state more powerful and the frugal mind can possess the land and develop on it. They will take the laws in their hands and make sure the developers get easier access, without having to make sure the facilitation or the boundaries are kept, in this spirit this quick transition is made for less transparent system and for more land grabbing in the hands of cronyism and of the state. This will only benefit the elite and the ones who wants to build sugar factories and plantations, without having to care for the locals, who has been living on the land for generations.

The speeches and his words, better be stellar, his lies better be sufficient and his stamina, better be top notch. Since, the way he will explain this otherwise, will be disastrous, since in the grand scheme of things. This is taking the hand that feeds districts and beating them with a stick. He better, come with some sort of play and some sort of argument that makes cow shit, look like chocolate. Because that what he needed be. Nothing else, just which, he needs to sprinkle the cow-shit and call it hot-fudge sundae. There is nothing else to do. Peace.

 

Reference:

Otafiire, Kahinda – ‘Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2017’ – 08.06.2017 – Uganda Gazette No. 33, Volume CX, Bill Supplement No. 7

Opinion: Akena are officially a NRM-Stooge, as he was heckled defending the Land Amendment!

You know that the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) are losing its value, when the leader of the Party is heckled in Lira. This is after the proposed agreement between UPC and National Resistance Movement, that have led to UPC Ministers in the growing cabinet of the 10^th Parliament. Where even the wife Betty Amogi proposing and working for the constitutional amendment, who gives the state easier access to land. Because of this, UPC Leader Jimmy Akena has tried to promote the Land Amendment, but wasn’t meet with love.

“As Mr Akena was trying to explain the merits of the amendment, hundreds of people who felt the area legislator was not making sense in his presentation shouted him down. “If we do not want to listen, I can sit down. I will sit but you give me this one minute…If you ignore [to understand] what is existing, you are not going to help yourselves,” Mr Akena said. The former Otuke District councillor, Ms Dina Bua, said it was “useless” to give Mr Akena more opportunity to talk about land matters. Mr Akena said: “I have heard somebody saying that this law is not relevant. This is the law of the land today.” (Oketch, 2017).

This here is the proof of the fall of the UPC. When Akena, the leader who ousted Olara Otunnu, are now heckled in Lira. Certainly, he sees now how the people understand the newly proposed law. That will make the land more accessible for the government to takeover. Akena are now really a stooge of the NRM. He is under the umbrella of UPC, but that is just convenient. Still, his acts and his words could have been ordered and sanctioned by Museveni.

There is now no difference between the NRM and UPC now, I called them a few months ago NRM-Lite, but that was to soft. They are far-stretched organization connected with the NRM and following the NRM way right now. Sounding and acting alike, there is not really different between Akena and Museveni, the only difference are the NRM are running it all from the State House. Akena are now trying to show his loyalty and making sure NRM see the need for him. Peace.

Reference:

Oketch, Bill – ‘MP Akena booed during debate on land amendment bill’ (14.07.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/MP-Akena-debate-land-amendment-bill-Lango-Obote/688334-4056988-9ieqj1/index.html

This is what the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2017 do: It makes it easier for the State to grab land!

The Constitutional Amendment Bill has been criticized and created worry, since the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have worked for and to get their leader to stay in charge and executive as long as he pleases. That is the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. So the article 102 (b) could easily been seen as possible change to fit the life and the age of the aging President. Instead, the gazetted bill of retired Major General Kahinda Otafiire is about making it easier for the state to compensate and take land from civilians. Since they want to make more cheap and make it legal to take land. If so make it easier to settle in court. This is clearly making the road development and pipeline building cheaper, also giving the government more power. Just by looking at the text from the government. Take a look!

“The purpose of the Bill is to resolve the current problem of delayed implementation of Government infrastructure and investment projects due to disputes arising out of the compulsory land acquisition process. The problem of delayed Government projects has caused significant financial loss to the Government amounting to millions of dollars in penalties paid to road contractors for redundant machinery at construction or project sites as the courts attempt to resolve the disputes, most of which relate to quantum of compensation” (Otafiire, 2017).

Original Article 26:

“26. Protection from deprivation of property.

(1) Every person has a right to own property either individually or in association with others.

(2) No person shall be compulsorily deprived of property or any interest in or right over property of any description except where the following conditions are satisfied—

(a) the taking of possession or acquisition is necessary for public use or in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; and

(b) the compulsory taking of possession or acquisition of property is made under a law which makes provision for—

(i) prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation, prior to the taking of possession or acquisition of the property; and

(ii) a right of access to a court of law by any person who has an interest or right over the property” (Constitution of 8^th October 1995)

Amendment of Article 26:

“(3) Where the owner of property or any person having any interest in or right over property objects to the compensation awarded under a law made under clause (2Xb), the Government or local government shall deposit with court for the property owner or any person having any interest in or right over the property, the compensation awarded for the property, and the Government or local government shall take possession of the property pending determination by the court of any dispute relating to the compensation” (Otafiire, 2017).

“(4) The owner of property or person having any interest in or right over the property shall have a right to access the compensation deposited with the court referred to in clause (3),at any time during the determination of the dispute” (Otafiire, 2017).

“(5) Parliament shall, by law, prescribe the time within which any dispute referred to in clause (3) shall be determined” (Otafiire, 2017).

So now the part of the article 2 (b) was already giving the citizens and land owners set of rights, but not telling how the procedure for compensation for possible value of the land and neither loss of possible costs of moving. The new part of article 26, is about giving the courts rights to find compensation and awards to fellow citizens property.

What is new is even as the pending award and compensation to the land owner, the government still has right to take possession of the land. Which means the government even if the land owner or the one who has the title of the land has to move before the case is settled in courts. This means that the government can cease the land and later pay the people who lives on the land. So if the state and need to build infrastructure or any other project, they can take possession of the land and pay-off the ones living there later.

The Parliament can put a time-table for the possible ending of land dispute, but the possession is already cleared by the state. Therefore, the loss of possession and pending time depends. The real issue isn’t only the dispute, but no consideration of the loss of title, livelihood or even the possible all other costs like moving to another property or housing. This should have been taken in consideration when writing new standards. This one only gives positives to the state, but the citizens and owners of land titles get the hurt.

It is easy to see the Republic/State are the ones winning with the change of article 26 in the constitution not the citizens. The changes of the law is only to benefit the state and the ones acting by orders of the state, not for the citizens. This should be itself worrying as there are no part that is positive for the citizens in the amendment. The land can be possessed and has to wait for the time-table put forward by the Parliament and within that time while the dispute happening hopefully get compensated. Clearly, this is only giving more powers to the state, while taking away the total ownership of land. Since the state can possibly take possession and pay the title-owner later. Peace.

Reference:

Otafiire, Kahinda – ‘Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2017’ – 08.06.2017 – Uganda Gazette No. 33, Volume CX, Bill Supplement No. 7

CFA Open letter: “Re: Investigation of OneWest Bank, FSB” (06.01.2017)

Leaked Memo: Show’s Mnuchin’s OneWest foreclosure practices, which was very questionable!

The nominee for becoming Secretary of Treasury, the man who follows legislation and other close connected to business in the United States. Should be worrying how he has done his businesses in the past. The California courts and Attorney General tried in 2013 to create a case on the public filings of the OneWest bank and their Foreclosure practices, which got stifled by the possibility to hide liabilities through certain fixed laws that OneWest used.

OneWest did it to not get scrutiny and the Attorney General tried get them on the docket, but the working paper was the only one showing, together with what was collected from one County in the State of California. Steve Mnuchin knew about this very well, as he got the profits from the acts of malicious and defrauding citizens, using false pretence to buy properties and selling for subsidiaries.

“This $2.4 billion figure should not be confused with the $2.3 billion that CIT Group received from the US Government under TARP in 2008. When CIT filed bankruptcy in 2009, the $2.3 billion became a free gift from taxpayers, never to be repaid. Total government subsidy between the two banks is almost $5 billion, yet both banks claim they are prepared to merge and become a Systemically Important Financial Institution if the proposed merger is approved by the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency”(CRC, 2015).

“Since March 2009, OneWest has foreclosed on approximately 35,000 California homes and initiated foreclosures of approximately 45,000 more. In April 2011, OneWest agreed to the Office of Thrift Supervision’s (OTS) entry of a Consent Order. The Order included findings that OneWest recorded documents that were not properly notarized, initiated non-judicial foreclosures without proper authority, failed to devote sufficient resources to ensure proper administration and oversight of its foreclosures process, and failed to sufficiently oversee vendors” (DOJ, P: 4, 2013).

“Finally, in the review of the 300 OneWest loan files obtained from LPS, we found that 21 files evidenced unlawful conduct by OneWest. Those 21 files (7 percent of those reviewed) contained falsely dated instruments executed by OneWest, substitutions of trustee in which OneWest falsely stated that it was beneficiary under an applicable deed of trust when it was not, or both. This unlawful conduct occurred throughout the state, concentrated primarily in Southern California. The 21 files related to homes in the nine following counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara and Ventura” (DOJ, P: 9, 2013).

“The Investigation has uncovered evidence of unlawful credit bidding, a type of misconduct that is not squarely addressed by either the National Mortgage Settlement or the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights. As detailed below, unlawful credit bidding occurs when a party other than the foreclosing beneficiary uses of the credit reflected by the deed of trust to take title to the home, when it is not legally entitled to do so. This means than other bidders at the auction (perhaps in some cases the borrowers and/or their families) are unfairly disadvantaged in the bidding process and that cities and counties throughout the state lost documentary transfer tax revenue” (DOJ, P: 11, 2013).

“OneWest undertook critical steps in the foreclosure process when it lacked the authority to do so. OneWest falsely asserted that its subsidiaries and the trustees for the mortgage-backed securities trusts had authority to conduct critical steps in the foreclosures process when they did not. This misconduct related to three common steps in the foreclosure process, each governed by statute: (1) credit bidding; (2) payment of or claim of exemption from documentary transfer tax; and (3) execution of SOTs” (DOJ, P: 18, 2013).

“To date, we have located five examples of such examples of such misconduct from public records, and we believe that many of the 86 examples of recorded substitutions of trustee (SOTs) executed in OneWest’s name bearing dates prior to date that OneWest began operations are likely to have been executed without authority (the entity purporting to sign them did not exist on the date the assignment purportedly took place). Similarly, in the review of 175 completed OneWest foreclosures in Alameda County, we found 10 unlawful substitutions of trustee” (DOJ, P: 20, 2013).

“In response, we will argue that: (1) it is undisputed that conflict preemption applies after July 2011; and (2) that complaint seeks to hold OneWest accountable for types of misconduct that were outside the scope of OTS’s claimed field preemtion because they involve criminal and civil code statutes which only incidentally affect the lending operations of federal savings associations” (DOJ, P: 23, 2013).

“We recommend that the Attorney General authorize use to file a civil enforcement against OneWest” (DOJ, P:26, 2013).

Complain files:

“OneWest also made false statements concerning its own status as beneficiary, as well as the beneficial status of others. These statements were made in a variety of contexts, including the context of the trustee’s sale bidding process and in the avoidance of transfer taxes” (County of Alameda, P: 4).

This was only what we’re reported by two single reports earlier in the recent years, but there been questioning about the merger for OneWest with another Bank. Therefore the reality of their ways of foreclosure should have stopped and should have been looked into, as the malpractice for a quick profit. The profits of the OneWest bank we’re earned in a very disgraceful way:

“After foreclosing on almost 8,000 homes here in LA County, how can OneWest Bank say with a straight face that they’ve been a good community partner or that this merger is going to somehow help our communities?” Kinlaw said in a statement. “Foreclosing on families meant billions in profits for the billionaire owners of OneWest, but it came at the expense of families who were thrown out of their homes.” (…) “Stein said the coalition is composing a letter that will ask the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice to conduct a fair housing and fair lending investigation into OneWest’s lending practices” (Smith, 2015).

So there wasn’t only the Attorney General of California who knew there was malpractice and unlawful activity from the OneWest on their practices on the foreclosing of their properties to secure more funds. As they bought into funds with loans and defunct debt that could give the bank property as collateral and resell the properties for more profits, especially if they fixed the contracts and back-dates so the home-owners could be sealed off or resold in subsidiary of the OneWest.

So with the knowledge of these actions, these vulture capitalists shouldn’t be running the Administration. The Administration should make sure these men and woman doesn’t get power. Because their loose, laisses-faire economic regime might loosen the regulations and will lead to more quick profits, but hurt the bottom-line, the public! Trump Administration will favour possible vultures and people who do anything to earn bucks, with no concern of the outcome for the average families and the working-class, the ones that initially got them in power. That the ironic part is the ones that exhausted and gave way for the Administration is the ones that will suffer for the economic programmes from the coming term of presidency.

Steve Mnuchin has only been in business to get wealth, by any means; his business savvy way of OneWest proves the way of use all ways to gain profits. OneWest proves that they didn’t care about how they earned their profits on foreclosures, even if they twisted documents and their ways of buying titles. As long as this is known the vulture of Mnuschin should be known and not be put away in some chamber. Instead it should be questioned if he is fit to be Secretary of Treasury and be a part of the Administration at all! Peace.

Reference:

California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC) – ‘Fact Sheet: OneWest Bank Expected to Receive Over $2.4 billion from the FDIC’ (12.04.2015)

State of California Vs OneWest, FSB, Federal Saving Bank and DOES – Complaint for Civil Penalties, Permanent Injunction, and other equitable relief – County of Alameda

Department of Justice – MoU: ‘Executive Summery – Request for Authorization File Action against OneWest Bank, FSB OneWest Investigation (SF2012105513) – 18.01.2013

Smith, Kevin – ‘Coalition seeks investigation of OneWest foreclosures’ (09.05.2015) link: http://www.sgvtribune.com/business/20150609/coalition-seeks-investigation-of-onewest-foreclosures