

Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda (OPM) Government Statement: On Allegations of Possible Abuse of Refugee Funds (05.02.2018)








Today I am writing about certain comments made by the guy that took over the Election Commission after Dr. Badru Kiggundu, he is legend for his ways and his math. So Dr. Kiggundu will not be forgotten, that is why I have struggled to take this fellow serious. Because Kiggundu destroyed the EC and made it look like a foolish organization filled with cronies who has a love-affair with Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. That is true and therefore, all By-Elections since the General Elections 2016 have been in favor of National Resistance Movement (NRM), except Kyadondo East, which Bobi Wine topped with his huge star-power and speeches. So that Justice Simon Byabakama hasn’t been on my radar. This because the NRM has controlled and in-certain themselves in the by-election, where the opposition parties and independents has no control. Byabakama couldn’t do anything wrong and the NRM can just do whatever. That is how it has been for various reasons, but the NRM are really not trying to have a multi-party state, that is just a piece of flesh on the bone for donor-aid, but not for reality.
So before I rant, here is the statements on the EC Boss I will discuss today:
“According to Byabakama, bribery has become an evil partner with elections in Uganda. “But we are made to understand that bribery has become an evil partner with elections in this country, this undermines the quality of democracy,” he said” (…) “The law says an election result can be cancelled on grounds of bribery, despite the amount involved” (…) “Can you imagine an exercise that has cost the stakeholders, including security about sh1b being cancelled because of sh1,000 or a sachet of waragi or bar of soap? Do we really have to go to the school of economics to understand that this is not tenable in economic terms?” Byamukama wondered” (Nambogga, 2018)
Well, Byabakama have been under a rock or not followed what the party that appointed him and anointed him to become Electoral Commission Chairperson. That the Chairperson didn’t know how the ruling regime and the ruling party has acted during elections. It isn’t only misuse the army and the police as a political tool during elections. All of the state coffers and reserves are used.
Therefore, that the Chairperson Byabakama are now saying bribes are bad. He should start discussing this with the Entebbe State House. Who has sanctions the give-aways to Pastors, Residential District Commanders and others who was getting Prado’s and SUV’s within days of the Election. That is the big buys of loyalty and bribes.
The others are the voter tourism, a definition that came about because between 2015 and 2016, the NRM party and their organizers hired buses, paid t-shirts and food for villagers to bigger local rallies. They even gave smaller sums of cash to the people to listen to Museveni and the group of musicians that was also paid massively for their campaigning for the President. It is sort of hard to forget the massive amounts of shillings spent on the Campaigning of the President. Only for November 2015, the NRM Party spent massively 125bn shillings. That is something one report said and could calculate. The other months up-to February 2016. Can question the whole spending of the NRM. Every single rally before the February 2016 was biggest breaches of bribery of voters. It’s like the Chairman was blind to this or was himself in Finland while it was happening.
The evil partner of bribery is built in the system of corrupt behavior from the State House. They misuse all parts of government and all parts of society. If there isn’t loyalty, it can be shut-down. That is how Museveni works.
So my question to Byabakama: Will you ask His Excellency, if the Party has any plans of stopping to bribe the public every time there is an election?
If you do? Can you also get the New Vision to publish that too? So we can again see how to-faced Museveni is. Thanks. Peace.
Reference:
Nambogga, Jackie – ‘EC Boss warns against bribery in politics’ (04.02.2018) link: https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1470404/ec-boss-warns-bribery-politics





I wish I didn’t had to write this piece, because of the constant warfare and civil-war that lasted and lasted. That the Government of South Sudan, Sudanese People’s Liberation Army/Movement In-Government (SPLA/M-IG) with President Salva Kiir Mayardiit and his loyal people around him. There is also the main opposition from Dr. Riek Machar of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO) from there more and more people have deflected over the recent times. It is hard to keep count in all the rebellious groups. National Salvation Front (NAS) former SPLM-IO Lieutenant General Thomas Cirillo Swaka. As well as Dr. Lam Akol has founded National Democratic Movement (NDM). This is just the beginning and the list could go on. So the situation as the spark after peace agreement of 2015 is different. Because, there isn’t just two direct partners now. There is a bunch and one main government Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), who kind of lost meaning when the shooting in Juba happen and Machar has fled.
Though now that suddenly after all this time, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) and United Nation’s Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) isn’t creating the levels of trust. This combined with the other monitoring missions like Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (JMEC) is making the situation more fluid. While the politics are still controlled by tight little group around the President Kiir. The ones loyal to him get the perks and write his decree’s. Not like the started Parliament with the TGoNU of the peace-agreement has made any changes. Especially after First Vice-President Gen. Taban Deng Gai took the place in his part of SPLM-IO, therefore, it is two of those and you can wonder how real that organization under Deng Gai is. Since he has been controversial from the get-go.
With all this mine, with armed groups and state sanctioned violence not respecting agreements, are creating a continued insurgency and fleeing civilians. While all of this is destroying possible peace and institutions, as long as it is like this, it is the war-lords leading and not the ones building up state structures.
Therefore, that the European Union sanctions on three persons should be seen as good. These individuals are Gen Paul Malong, who has been thrown out of government and been under house arrest. He has his following, but also his enemies after how he did his affairs. Therefore, weird that they are sanctioning him when he is out of government and not when he was in it and using military force against the ones who stood in the way of Kiir. Then you have one in the government, Michael Makuei Leuth for his role in obstructing IGAD process and violations against human rights. Then the Inspector General of the Army Malek Reuben Riak, who is in-charge of buying weapons. Therefore, that sanction makes sense. But I’m puzzled by the time of sanctioning Malong. That should have been done in 2016 or early 2017. Not now in 2018, when his role is more meaningless, unless they are sanctioning him for his past.
The United States are doing this: “Specifically, the Department of State will amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to update the defense trade policy toward South Sudan by application of a policy of denial, with limited exceptions, on the export of defense articles and defense services to South Sudan, including all parties involved in the conflict” (Heather Nauert – ‘U.S. Arms Restrictions on South Sudan’ 02.02.2018).
So the United States are more reacting and promising more amending the previous Executive Order then of 2014. Since, the initial changes is not in the direct statement. We cannot know what sort of changes in the arms trade this will have. Especially since the United States are selling weapons to partner states in the East African Region. One of them is Uganda who has had reports of helping with exporting equipment and arms to South Sudan. So if the United States and European Union wants to be serious. Then, the countries with borders to South Sudan also need to be included.
This has not been shown, but that is also because bilateral security agreements and needs for others contributions on the continent. That is why the US hasn’t broken their peace and arms trade with either Kenya or Uganda. They are both involved in conflicts and parts of Blue Helmet operations in Somalia and Central African Republic. That is also a reason for the special arms trade. We can wonder if this will be persistence.
I doubt that the efforts and arms embargo, the sanctions of arms to South Sudan will have much effect. Since the armed groups will get through their channels and cross the borders into Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ugandan and even Kenya to get their supply. That means also if the Sudanese government in Khartoum still opportunity to create havoc, they can support as well. They are already hated in the West and has nothing to lose to trade to some of the newly created military outfits who fights to get rid of Kiir. This should not be shocking, it should be no news. Just like if the Uganda People’s Defense Force suddenly arrived back, even with no agreement with IGAD, UN or AU. Just showed up because Kiir called his friend in Entebbe. That would be plausible and possible, since both parties has done it before. The oil coins given by South Sudan has been positive to the coffers of Museveni. He wouldn’t mind some more. Even if his country is hosting over a million South Sudanese refugees by December 2017. Therefore, the stakes in Uganda is high and should worry that they have contributed not only with peaceful aspects, but also military. They have strengthen the arms and equipment of the SPLA, the government army in South Sudan.
With this knowledge, why are just the sanctions always falling directly on the inner-circle of government, when they are conspiring with neighbors who gladly supply them for a dime and cookie. We should also make sure they couldn’t use merchants of death, use Lord of War sorts of methods to supply the civil war in South Sudan. Even though we do and we just accept it. The EU, US and AU haven’t addressed the third country supply, an important aspect that needs to be scrutinized. Peace.




The case of District Police Commander Buyende Muhamad Kirumira today is a warning, since he was set for a Police Tribunal in Naguru. Still, that was of no concern to the officers and the commandos storming his home today.
What is striking is that he gets his house raided with live-bullets, without court-orders or warrants, while being a Police Commander who has resigned and awaiting Police Tribunal. Therefore, the Police couldn’t await their own instruction and following procedure, to assign his early departure from his home and evict him with force. It shows the world how ridiculous their current activities is.
It is an overall sad day for the Police Force in the Republic, that they are doing this to their own. That a man questioning the powers to be and IGP Kale Kayihura, are now hunted down like a chicken thief, when he himself has enforced the visions from the top and gotten rank. You don’t rank and titles, without following orders and doing the jobs assigned to you. That is what a DPC has done and how he became that, initially that hasn’t mattered.
That they are sending the Flying Squad or the Special Forces Command to apprehend a DPC, show’s how ill the system within the Police is. Not only that they work with Kifeesi gangs, and Boda Boda 2010, but that the rotten core is now shaking. When one of their own is questioning their methods and behavior. Therefore, because he does that, he has to suffer. Not the ones who made the system, but the ones that talks about it.
He is whistleblower, who open a lid of a can of worms. That is why the IGP and the Flying Squad came to his house. They cannot accept their dirty on public display, even if they tarnishing their reputation just a little more by doing so. That the Police and Flying Squad has acted with sound minds, is evident. Especially with the knowledge of a upcoming Police Tribunal.
There was no need of what happen today. No need and no haste, especially without any court order or warrants. They we’re loose goose hunting and hoping to catch a sitting duck. Instead, they found a raging bull, who knew his rights. Certainly, the Flying Squad should have anticipated that, instead they are treating him like a common criminal.
That is insane, but shows also the state of affairs and how little trust it can be within the force. When they can take down their own without any consideration or protocol. That is a warning. That is a sign. It is dark times and the Police is not showing brilliance, more of disappear! Peace.


