Back in the day in the year of 2015 there was this National Resistance Movement Primaries ahead of the General Elections in 2016. However in the constituency of Ruhinda, the NRM Members elected Captain Mugabe Dononzio Kahonda. They elected him over the NRA historical and Museveni loyalist , Major General Kahinda Otafiire.
As the times went on and the loyalist couldn’t stand as a candidate for the ruling party. He decided to run as an Independent Candidate, as he had already lost the primaries. During the Primaries the Captain was behind bars. Which says a lot about how the Ruhinda County looks at Otafiire at that point.
Right before the General Election in early February 2016, Otafiire and his campaign team tried to bribe the Captain to step down from his candidacy. So that he could win a walkover by paying him 500m shillings to back-down. However, the captain and his team didn’t agree to do that and exposed the tape of the call from Otafiire instead.
In the General Election, again the NRM Flag-Bearer was behind bars. Still, the honourable Minister and big-man of the ages Otafiire couldn’t win over Kahonda. That is how much people wants to support someone else.
In 2017 the embattled captain was again arrested with new charges. This time forgery and fraud. However, those cases haven’t been resolved nor followed through. The state just pinned this on the man as his a clear enemy of Otafiire. The man who has run the Ministry of Justice for years during the reign of Museveni.
Now in 2020. The Poster for Kahinda Otafiire the upcoming campaigns and will to stand again as the MP for Ruhinda County. It has been released this week, at least on social media. This shows that the man who couldn’t get the popularity within his own party. The man who couldn’t beat a jailbird and someone who was practically unknown. Still could beat him two times within two years. That he intends to stand again.
Otafiire still have to beat the incumbent MP Captain Kahonda. It is proven that he doesn’t have a popular standing in the county or in his home district. If he did, then he would have beaten him in the General Election too. Not only lost in the inner-party race in the primaries. He lost them both to the same man. That says it all.
Therefore, his blind ambition to try again in 2020 and in 2021 after the utter disgraceful failure of last time is beyond me. As long as the President is in Office he will offer him a noble position and get the envelopes to live the high life. The NRA historical don’t need to work for it and he just get it anyway. The loyalty to the NRM and the President is what feeds him.
This is well known and this man shouldn’t be concerned with campaigning or even trying to get elected. The public has already shunned him. I’m sure there are other big-men like Otafiire who thinks they are entitled to be in Parliament. However, that is not the case. That is why he cannot rig his own county and the will of the public there.
He still have to beat the same captain for the candidacy and for the possibility to be an MP in the 11th Parliament. These stories is the sort you cannot make up, but is sadly true. The indifference and the arrogance is strong with this one.
Otafiire should know better, but who are we kidding, right? Peace.
As the day has gone and some first results is coming. I will not comment on them now, as they are not as interesting as the reactions and violations of democratic values and vile display of disgrace of the public will from the authorities and the ruling party in Uganda.
As the Uganda Communication Commission together with Electoral Commission banned Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook, even mobile-money transfers services. As this could give biased news and dangerous bribing of voters, as the voters has not been bribed during the pre-election period at all. Well, the public found other ways of finding the social media and avoid the issue with Uganda Telecom (UTL/Mango), MTN and Airtel. As they download different VPN services on their phone and still got in to the social media outlets. The actual numbers of downloads this day was staggering 1,432,653. By my reckoning also the apparent ghost that will also in total vote in the election when the tally is done.
At one point of the day the Special Forces Command took control of Nakasero Referal Hospital as it had a technical and importance for the authorities as the Presidential guards needed to secure the premises.
In Gaba a suburb of Kampala the public first waited for hours. This happen:
“In Gaba at St Dennis church a full box was brought with ballot papers already ticked in favor of the incumbent who triggered a riot by locals. Military, Police and black mamba security in tinted cars without number-plate were seen patrolling the place. Voting has ended”. As well as the actions contained this as well: “The voters set fire on all the ballots boxes brought”.
Even early in the day there we’re little or no voting material in vast amounts of polling stations in Wakiso District and Kampala Capital City as the Electoral Commission hadn’t delivered the ballots-papers to the stations. As people came early as the voting starting 07.00 and was to end with the new time 16.00 but with the late arrival nearly at 13.00 or 14.00 even as late as 14.54 that gave the long waiting ques simmering anger at the incompetence or deliberate plunder of time of the people in the area. Even the with the UCC and Telecom bans the Electoral Commission wanted people on Social Media around 14.00 to tell that the Polling stations in the affected areas would be officially open to 19.00 as the people should be able to do their civic duty.
In Kajanisi, Kampala a Police Officer was arrested and taken away as he held over 600 ballots-papers pre-ticket for the NRM and President Museveni. Radio One report that Kajjansi B health center polling station in Kampala closed after 3 boxes with pre-ticked ballots in favor of President Museveni and Peter Sematimba were found in a car. Live Bullets in Namuwongo Taking Place. Police and Military Have Intimidated Voters hence forcing them NOT to cast their votes, remember, voting had just begun late at 2:03pm
As of Makindye:
“9:18PM Voting at 22 polling stations in Makindye affected by late delivery of voting materials postponed till tomorrow: Electoral Commission” (NBS TV, 18.02.2016).
In Fort Portal:
“At public library polling station in south division, Fort Portal, 450 ballot papers were received yet the number of registered voters is 429, an excess of 21 ballots. And yet Nyakagongo parish Headquarters in East division received less ballot papers than the number of registered voters. They received 10 booklets some containing 46 ballots, some 50 and others 49 instead of all containing 50 each booklet. There was a total of 500 ballot papers. They have 471 registered voters. They started voting at 7:15am Report: Scovia Atuhaire & Felix Basiime (Daily Monitor, 18.02.2016).
In Masaka:
“Polling agents in Kizungu, Masaka Sports Club have confirmed to Kampala FM that they were not given basins where voters will tick from. This has therefore delayed the voting process since they (agents) too can not afford buying basins” (Kampala FM, 18.02.2016).
More about elections in Masaka:
“Unindentified people have been with fifty Museveni pre-ticked ballot papers at Kaboyo Primary school polling station in Lwengo. The voters who were present at the polling station did not allow police to take the culprits and instead resorted to caining them. They were later on told to go back home and the pre ticked ballots were burnt”.
In Karamoja:
“Karamojong tribeswoman casts her ballot at a polling station during the presidential elections in Kaabong in Karamoja region”.
In Koboko:
“NRM’s Evelyn Anite slips her ballot paper into the ballot box in Koboko Municipality in northern Uganda”.
Early in Apac Town today:
“Voting in Apac town area commenced by 07.10 am. Most polling stations have not had chaos yet, as they voted, Police are all round in Polling stations. Most of the busiest business centers are closed. The number of people in town has also gone down and a few petty businesses are going on” (Rupiny Newspaper, 18.02.2016).
In Arua:
“Last evening, 170 polling officials in River Oli Division in Arua district threatened to boycott work unless Electoral Commission increases their allowances. They include polling assistants and presiding officers. Geoffrey Drani, one of the affected presiding officers, told URN during their recruitment Electoral Commission promised to pay presiding officers Shillings 60,000 and 40,000 for polling assistants. He however, says they were shocked yesterday to receive appointment letters showing that they will receive Shillings 20, 000 each day. According to Drani, as a result, they have declined to sign the appointment letters until Electoral Commission increases the money”.
In Abletong:
“No incident has been registered while in Alebtong, Amolatar, Otuke and part of Lira districts by 9:00am the voting have not started despite the fact that many electorate turned up to cast to their votes. “You cast you votes and you come back and continue with your business,” said Betty Akello shorting after voting at VH primary school polling station. Patrick Okello of Omoro Sub County in Alebtong said at Onyeroiye polling station business is going on well and the turned up was overwhelming. “We think the turned up will be 80% because people are voting seriously,” he said” (Rupiny Newspaper, 18.02.2016).
In Kween:
“Elections of the MP kween district have been postponed until further notice reason the symbols for the candidates didn’t match instead vice versa I mean interchanged for FDC was in independent and for independent in that of FDC”.
In Yumbe:
The Woman Parliamentary MP Vote for Yumbe was cancelled today! (88.7 Arua ONE FM, 18.02.2016).
In Ruhinda:
If you ever thought Kahinda Otafiire would go away silent as the audio-tape of his bribing tactics as he tried to buy the seat from his opponent that beat him in the NRM Primaries during 2015. 2016, has not been his year and continues as he has been jailed today as he has been distributing bribes of UGX 20k to voters in Mitooma (theInsider.ug, 18.02.2016). Doesn’t seem that the UCC bribe act with stopping mobile-money service stopped Otafiire from acting up! (I was not supposed to write that or think that, my bad!).
In Kiruhura:
“The shame of Kiruhura, after yesterday all night harassment, detention and forceful eviction of opposition supporters in Kiruhura. Today what we are witnessing is, because of fear instilled on our supporters by the security and armed militias last night, they have stayed away from the polling stations”.
In Tororo:
“Police was forced to fire teargas to disperse hundreds of Apollo Yeri Ofwono’s supporters who had threatened to set a blaze the home of the prime minister of Iteso cultural union Paul Sande Emolot in Tororo municipality. Ofwono’s supporters raided Emolot’s home on suspicion that it was used to bribe residents to vote for the incumbent Member of Parliament Sanjay Tanna” (New Vision, 18.02.2016).
Later in the day Dr. Kizza Besigye arrested:
“Besigye was arrested when he joined his supporters and they stormed a house in Naguru, a Kampala upscale suburb arguing that there is alleged vote rigging taking place”. Kizza Besigye have after the arrest by the Police in Naguru, been taken to Kasangati Police Station. That is currently detained.
“Video footage of an FDC raid on a reported safe house in Naguru being used to allegedly tick ballot papers led by Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye in which he was also later arrested for trespassing” (NBS TV Uganda, 18.02.2016).
Shawn Mabiru says this about the detaining of Besigye:
“He was in his home district where he voted when he got information that there was an illegal tally centre manned by the NRM and police” (…)”He walked in and saw them pre-ticking ballot papers. They arrested him and took him to an unknown place”.
In Lira yesterday:
“Lira Magistrate Court today released on Court bail seven people who were arrested over the weekend on allegation of defacing posters belonging to NRM Presidential Candidate Yoweri Museveni. Willy Omodo Omodo the GO Forward Candidate for Oyam North MP, Ibrahim Olong who is contesting for Lira Municipality Mayor and Abura James Walter Youth Councillor for Lira Municipality. Others are Mungu Richard Jakisa the News Editor at Radio North, Otim Innocent , Tile David and Patrick Awongo (Radio Wa 89.8 FM, 17.02.2016).
In Kihihi yesterday:
There was reports that the locals “delivered” and got a 100 Rwandan nationals ferried to vote in the election the 18th had come to Kihihi district to vote for President Museveni. They all stayed in Kihihi Police Station. As they wanted them to ship them home and let Ugandans vote in their election.
In Kayunga County yesterday as the government was kind yesterday:
“Kayunga District distributed more 66 heifers worth 102 million shillings to farmers under the Luwero Rwenzori Development Programme” (17.02.2016); the Government all of sudden share their funds just the day before the election, nothing suspicious about that at all…
Tally Error:
Nakasongola:
The magic is that President Museveni has gotten over 3000 votes while the original papers from the Electoral Commission are saying the total voters are 2098!
Rushere Primary School:
The tally shows another magical result for President Museveni he got 760 votes, Kizza Besigye 2 votes. The magical part is that the School and Polling station has 437 votes!
Fear level at certain places:
As the results are pouring in and the tallies are counted. The Army is deploying heavy forces in Luwero and Nakaseke!
Amama Mbabazi message during the elections today:
“I ask all voters in this election to keep vigilant and report any suspicious incident. I would like to thank the team from Karamoja that is vigilant and have reported the following anomalies. In Abim district, the District Registrar is withdrawing a Presidential booklet (50 ballots) from each polling station and taking to unknown destination claiming that some polling stations were in short supply/under served. We question this logic because it is not only President being voted for today but all Members of Parliament as well. There are 60 polling stations in Abim and this amounts to 3000 votes being taken away. South of Amudat in a place called Karita subcounty, our agents with polling agent letters and supervisors have been chased away by Crime Preventers who are armed. Tell us what is happening at your polling station” (Mbabazi, 18.02.2016).
There will come more in the coming days as the ministers, local council men and all the elections results will come and people will react to the new 10th Parliament and who will become the new president in Uganda, as the results hopefully get rid of President Museveni as his rigging time should be over and let the people’s will shine. Peace.
“Now this Kahinda Otafiire, he tries to bribe the campaign manager of his opponent with 7 million, not knowing that his opponent has been given 500 million by Kuteesa and Janet to defeat him and bump him off the political stage” (TVO, 2016).
Today has been a good day a Saturday with quotes and actions from the trails. There been some serious hazard of actions from the ruling party of NRM. But hat is understandable, that is the only thing they know. That’s why the others have to campaign with defiance and strength to overcome the ruling party. There is heavy campaigning. Though not reports from them all. Like the smaller candidates.
I got the most notable from the trio of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Dr. Kizza Besigye and Amama Mbabazi. Not squat on the rest today.
Erias Lukwago: “It’s now interesting that 95% of KCCA NRM councilors have not returned at the primaries”.
NRM vice chairperson eastern region Capt. Micheal Mukula said this recently: “Jinja town will never be granted a city status while still in the hands of the opposition”.
Ibrahim Nganda Ssemujju – “I have a feeling that if Kayihura doesn’t like you; you may not be announced winner”.
Dr. Kizza Besigye on the trail: “We spent $760m to buy 6 fighter jets. We can get $360m to buy laptop for secondary students”.
Gen. Mugisha Muntu: “I don’t understand why the most marginalized districts overwhelmingly vote for NRM”.
Olara Otunu: “Museveni has used the dived and rule policy”.
In Mbarara where Go-Forward and Amama Mbabazi are having an rally later today on this Saturday. The Police wasn’t happy about that so they has jailed two hundred (200) boda-boda drives, motorcycle taxis, so that there would be less transport from town to the venue where the former PM where holding his Presidential Rally later today. Also the day before the Campaign rally of Amama Mbabazi their posters was taken down and changed for the NRM-Posters. Surely this is clean business as usual for the NRM-Regime. After the rally and little or no pay from the promised chiefs to shun the Go-Forward Rally; they have no been running and chasing the local RDC Office “demanding payment for their service”.
While in Kakyeka at the Total there the ones who was travelling and refueling their motorcycles was paid by the NRM for fuel, but many just entered the Total with NRM-posters, but when they left the Gas-Station they just threw the NRM-Poster away.
In Bushenyi there been groups and teams who has had their duty to take down campaign material and posters of Go-Forward and Amama Mbabazi posters in the town. They have even been caught on tape explaining the plans on how to do so. And that is fair game?
In Mitooma District NRM Supporters was disrupting the event and venue for the Go-Forward and Amama Mbabazi. That was because this district was a Museveni District.
Next weeks planned Presidential Rally for the Go-Forward team at the Lira Golf Grounds. They have now been sealed down with Iron sheets. So that when the other candidates will have a venue in town they have to arrange it at smaller spots like Mayors Ground.
In Bududa there were 104 NRM members who deflected after the rally to the FDC camp.
Letter from Go-Forward to ICC:
UPC Drama:
UPC leaders in Acholi have shunned the Jimmy Akena over the NRM agreement and alliance.
Bududa/Manafwa (Mwanyaala Naabi):
The health services system under FDC led Government will consider the citizen as the central focus and include a complete package: treatment, diagnosis, prevention, education, research and outreach. It must take into account the unique roles of women and the burden they shoulder in caring for the sick in our households and community. #WesigeBesigye
Some Government letters:
One More:
A little more:
Aftermath:
So there we go; another day done and the trail continue at high speed. The Police is very active still and showing its face yet again. For those who wondered if the police would be a part of this election? They are and the one interesting are the reactions to the deal between NRM and UPC. How the leaders of UPC respond. Hope you enjoyed. There will be more to follow. We have the rest of November, December, January and parts of February. There will be more and more actions from the ones involved. It is just a matter of time before the Public Order Management Act gets into action! Peace.
MinBane 