Age Limit: The Key Protocol from the NRM is now “Limited Freedom”!

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”Benjamin Franklin

It is not hard to imagine this as Dr. Kizza Besigye lingers in prison together with fellow FDC leadership at Naggalama Police Station. This after a horrific week and weekend. Where the Police has silenced more consultation meetings and stopped more radio stations in the country. Ironic isn’t it, that the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is currently on a radio campaign tour around the republic spreading message of good governance towards land reform. While in the same country, the rights to assemble and to have meetings are squashed with force.

Well, the limited freedom, taking away the freedom for those who questions the Age Limit and the lifting of it. That is what is happening, it happen earlier this month, when broadcasters was obliged and ordered not to have any of the 25 suspended Members of Parliament on any of their broadcasts. This with the banning of concerts hold by Robert Kyagulyani MP aka Bobi Wine. Certainly, the state do what it can to limit the freedoms and free speech in favor of keeping the age limit in the Constitution.

When Kanugu Radio and Pearl FM is suspended and certainly more will follow, as they have had the guts to question the need and have had guest who is not Age Limit removal friendly. This is the beginning of severe oppression. For not only Besigye and his fellow brethren, but also a bigger picture will elope. These Radio Channels and Broadcasters are just proof of the limit freedom that persist right now.

The stories and the tales will be there, but if they are to hard-hitting and straight-forward they might even close Daily Monitor, the Observer and Red Pepper. Not too long ago someone broke into the Observer and stole a lot equipment. Nobody has been arrested or charged on that matter.

We know the state has already embarked on the trip of assaulting and questioning the Civil-Society Organizations and the Non-Governmental Organization, the CSOs and NGOs are under attack and siege, three has already had their offices turned into crime scenes. The Police has already besieged JEEMA, Democratic Party and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) during the last few weeks. Overall, this is limiting the freedom and intimidating society as whole.

The police is a partisan in oppressing the society and the people, they are target selected few and at random on the consultant meetings, detaining leaders, MPs and activists, but next time it might be you. They are not sparing anything in their duty of assaulting the basic freedoms and expression of dissent. They even charged an over 70 year old in Bushenyi for collecting signatures. Just breathe and think about that, collecting signatures makes you a criminal.

In addition, you should know something is wrong, when just to get the Raphael Magyezi bill passed to Legal and Constitutional Committee for review; it had to be at gunpoint and with Special Forces Command breaching the chambers and clear the court. This should not be accepted and be the way it is done, but apparently it is okay in the state of affairs. Certainly, with the knowledge of the praising session in the aftermath of speaker Rebecca Kadaga. You know there limit freedom is the mantra and the way the NRM operates. Limit the freedom of the ones that dissent from the view that fits the President.

So the towns, the consultations will be filled with harassment, the courts will be a mockery and the activists will linger in jail. The innocent might die at rallies and the police will call the organizers criminals, while they was the aggressor pulling the trigger. This is the state of mind, the mad reality of the age limit. The rush, the hurry and the oppression. The quest of deliberately giving the republic a President for Life!

If you think, this will be beautiful and story of hope, than things has to change. However, for now the government will the police and soldiers to intimidate, and make sure they bill be passed in Parliament. Nothing will stop them, unless the activists and opposition garn all the support and create a real uprising as never seen before.

So if you accept limited freedom, which is the program of the state. That is what you is served and that is the order of the state. That is why joint-MP Consultation meetings are banned and so many other public gatherings is dismissed.

Certainly, this age limit thing is not dying. It keeps breathing and shuffling hard fists at the public. I just wonder how much beating and harassment will the public accept, how little freedom and how limited their representatives will accept. We can question it now as it is going on. Certainly, you know that this will not stop, as it goes now it benefits the President. Moreover, get the ones standing in his way silenced. They will do this until they stop and gives up. That is the will of the state and at all cost.

Therefore, the question now be. When has the NRM crossed a bridge that is too far?

Peace.

UCC letter to Pearl of Africa Radio Limited – Pearl FM – “Breach of Minimum Broadcasting Standards – Suspension of Broadcasts” (17.10.2017)

Gen. Mugisha Muntu: Statement on Police Brutality and Interference in FDC Presidential Election Process (23.10.2017)

NASA Statement: Meeting with Diplomatic Community in Nairobi (23.10.2017)

Age Limit: Besigye have been detained this weekend and expect him to be in trouble until the Magyezi bill are PASSED!

After the troubles that has consistent of the state monitoring and following Dr. Kizza Besigye, his defiance and resistance of the state orders. His issues has persistent, since the fatal Anti Age Limit rally in Rukungiri, that was supposed to be at the Rukungiri Stadium on the 18th October 2017. The life of the people’s president has since been in the powers of the police. They have decided his faith. So on the 19th October he drove from Rukungiri towards Kabale. When the Police blocked his white van, the car that had been directly shot at with live bullets.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) was detained on the spot with no knowledge of his whereabouts or his charges. He was arrested suddenly a day after the police had harassed and killed two civilians who was attending the rally. This acts been so bad that the IGP Kale Kayihura has sacked the DPC of Rukungiri, but don’t expect any of the police officers to be punished. They will walk free, they follow orders from above.

On Saturday, the 21st October it was clear that Besigye was locked up in Mukono and Naggalama Police Station and was charged with murder. He was seen by the authorities as a killer, even if he didn’t carry a gun or knife, but a traveling and preparing a rally in Rukungiri. Clearly, this is forged charges, like the last years treason charges. That he still hasn’t freed from, so he is still under investigations for treason, as we speak.

The Police are clearly trying to send a message, that the biggest and most popular leaders who are against the Age Limit. Will be incarcerated and spend time in jail. For now he is not allowed bail or pay bond. Besigye is just behind bars, because him and Patrick Amurait Oboi was planning rallies. Not because of violence and killings. That is state sanctioned violence we have seen so many times before.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) are really trying to strangle the republic. They are doing it again, just like they did in he months before the general election in 2016 and within months after, until the President was again sworn-in for his seventh term. Therefore, the President knows this will not bring fear into Besigye, he has been here before and is not stressed by it. The FDC and former Presidential Candidate, deserves credit for all of the times he has served without being criminal. For all the times he has been behind bars without any proper charge, and all the time he has been court without having any proper case built against him. Besigye has proven his resilience and mentality to stand against oppression and dictatorship. The FDC leader has no fear and proven, again and again, that he will not stop.

Another forged and fake charge will not scare Besigye, but what the world do need to know. Is that Besigye has now spent 3 days at Naggalama Police Station and we can just start to count how long the state will keep him. If he is freed, expect him to be House Arrested and be blocked from public gatherings, until the Age Limit is settled in Parliament. Peace.

Acting CS of Interior Fred Matiangi’s past: Termination letter from University of Nairobi – “Termination of Service” (23.11.2009)

Age Limit: The Police continues to arrest and oppress Red-Ribbon Consultations across the Republic!

These Age Limit Consultation from the ones who oppose usually leads to their leaders being arrested. The demand for free speech and rallies is insane, but for some strange reasons the Police are not touching Gen. Mughisa Muntu, but the others should be in fear. The ones that easy to mention that has been or still detained somewhere in the Republic on various charges is Patrick Amuriat Oboi, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Nathan Nandala-Mafabi, Ibrahim Kasozi, Ingrid Turinawe, Ibrahim Ngenda-Ssemujju, Erias Lukwago, Robert Kyagulyani and Muwanga Kivumbi. It is a heavy list and heavy-weight, this isn’t all of them who has been behind bars or are still in jail for fighting the lifting of the Age Limit.

The National Resistance Movement and their President are using their force to silence the opposition. All the clear indications of merciless attack on freedom of assembly, free speech and even movement. Are now in the open. The Police are so involved in the matter, that the partisan free police is a relic of the past. They are for some reason giving space to Muntu, but he is a rare flower in the political spectrum in Uganda. Museveni can do as he pleases, the same with the ones that favors the Constitutional Amendment, they can do whatever to push the agenda. The agenda that fits Museveni.

While the ones opposing it will be in trouble, will get detained and get silenced. To say anything else, when you see the record of the police and the havoc they create. They are blocking roads to stadiums, coming with guns and tear-gas. They are coming to stifle the people and intimidate them from assembling. So when Mwenda says this just happens to Besigye, but not Muntu. That is because the NRM needs a precious flower to show the world, while the others are lingering and being under fire.

The IGP Kale Kayihura loyalty to Museveni is so overbearing, that the laws and jurisdiction, the clear impunity and manhandling politics is insane. They are not fighting crimes, but silencing the opposition. This has been going on for decades, but with more striking force. The NRM only has this, because popularity they don’t have. That is well-known, that is why the Besigye and Bobi Wine are getting positive feedback, while its cronies and paid-praise that is spread by the NRM.

Because the Police are banning joint MPs rallies and over County levels that is not the ones they are elected to represent. They are banning so much, even claiming music shouldn’t be into partisan politics. But they can make songs that fits the state needs. It is so ironic and so foolish. The state can do the same, but the opposition cannot.

The Red Ribbons has been outlawed and can be taken away, while the NRM are now wearing Yellow Ribbons, which is okay. It shows their lack of tolerance and respect of the civil disobedience. The ones sticking to the program is allowed, while the rest is silenced. That is the way it is. Not that it is justified, but just how the NRM operates. Be clear, until the dust is settled, until the dusk is coming. There will be dozens more arrested and the opposition will be heavy monitored. The Police will use all means to stop the assembly of the opposition leaders. They have done so and will continue to do so.

So don’t be surprised by the Police vindictiveness towards the opposition and activists, they cannot do anything else. They are ordered to do so. The NRM cannot handle real questions to their authority and their President for Life! Peace.

Opinion: The IEBC shouldn’t hold the 26th October Elections, they should postpone it!

I know its only 4 days to the 26th October, the second Presidential Election in Kenya after the nullification of 1st September by the Supreme Court. Aftermath of that has not showed anything prosperous or changes of the program by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The Internal Memos that have been released to the public, has showed how the IEBC have geared for similar program as in the 8th August 2017.

The revelations of Dr. Roselyn Akombe, the former commissioner and her 9th October Internal Memo to Chairman Wafula Chebukati combined with the Internal Memo sent from CEO Ezra Chiloba to the Returning Officers and Polling Station Officials on the subject of the “RTS” System. They have clearly followed the same procedure, sending Chiloba on vacation isn’t changing the procedures. As the lack of transparency before the polls. It is only rare luck and also the letters between Chiloba and Chebukati has proven how fraudulent the affairs is. But not that has been discussed or taken into consideration.

This together with the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union Envoys has taken the side of the IEBC, talking about process and verification of the election. Even if the elections isn’t credible or free and fair. While the Jubilee party has attacked the Supreme Court and National Super Alliance, while it has defended the IEBC. Kenyatta and Ruto has attacked them both with fierce words and accusation. Matiangi has even banned NASA Demonstrations, while letting the Jubilee demonstrate with burning tires in peace. The Police has even killed in Nairobi and Kisumu, all from grandmothers to babies has been killed by the security organization. This on the watch of the Matiangi and Kenyatta. They have not condemn the killings, neither have they stopped them.

This has been the ordinary days of work for the current leadership. While the NASA Presidential Candidate Odinga and Deputy Candidate Kalonzo Musyoka have pulled out. Even with just mere days ahead, not even having proper nominations according to law. The previous candidates has been put on ballots and has been gazetted. The good news is that the Electoral Laws in Parliament hasn’t been signed by the President and neither tried in the Courts. To see if the Constitutional Amendments would even be legal. Clearly, the Jubilee have done everything they could to seal the second term.

Odinga and NASA has questioned the IEBC from the get-go and that has been righteous. Even if the foreign envoys and the Jubilee has tried to deflect it. Because they will alter the results in favor of the incumbent Kenyatta. The 26th October 2017, the second Presidential Elections and polls, but will not make a difference.

Even if Dr. Ekuru Aukot and all the candidates on the ballots are just a front. As the gazetted timeline and the questionable new ballots that has been delivered. That doesn’t mean it will matter. The mothers of demonstrations has been promised on the 26th October, as well as surely Matiangi’s National Holiday will be a day of chaos. Since the Police will be hostile to demonstrators. Even some returning officers and parts of the IEBC plans to lay down their work for this exercise. Some parts of Kenya are the NASA saying they will not vote at all.

All of this is happening and Kenyatta are just blaming the NASA and praying. He is ready to be vindictive and controlling. Kenyatta are blaming NASA for chaos and keeping the country in suspense. While, it is his non-actions and will of reforms that brought the nation here. It wasn’t NASA, it was the Jubilee and their will of controlling the Electoral Body that got them here. All blame has been put on Odinga and NASA, when they have asked for reforms and used civil disobedience with demonstrations. That the state has tried to silence and block, which has been fatal to many. Too many, and too many has ended in hospitals as an effect of it.

This is not how it is supposed to be, that the Electoral Body is so questioned, but neither is the means of the organization supposed to be like they are. They are to involved in the one ruling party and worked in cahoots with them. That is why the whole elections will be in shambles.

There are too many pieces of the puzzle that hasn’t been arranged properly. The actors are cheating and putting them in place, without proving if the pieces fit the puzzle. We can only see in the days ahead, but not expect it change. They are trying to pursuit the road of unhappiness and the road of rigging, hope for legitimacy and the ways the international community combined with the rest of East Africa. They might as well get that, because the Americans just wants a loyal puppet and the EU wants to show progress of their development projects, even if its done in a bad fashion. They don’t care about the hypocrisy and their maladministration as long it is not their own.

There shouldn’t be an election on the 26th October, the birthday of Uhuru Kenyatta, he shouldn’t be reelected. This should be postponed until the IEBC or any Electoral Body prove they will follow the Electoral Laws and Codes, so that the people can trust the results and the counting of their votes. At this point they cannot and within reason. Peace.

Age Limit: Dr. Abed Bwanika prepares for a Referendum over the Magyezi Amendment!

The independent Presidential Candidate Dr. Abed Bwanika of the People’s Development Party (PDP). Who is somewhat a rare commodity in the political spectrum of Ugandan politics. Not that he has a giant backing, neither has such an astonishing public persona, that whatever he do it matters. Therefore, I wonder if he really has mattered since February 2016. Since he is a part of the Presidential Campaigns, but after that ends up in the wind.

I was expecting the same of the Dr. Bwanika, but he has showed me wrong. He has actually worked in silence within the means to stifle the Age Limit and the life Presidency. I never expected that of Dr. Bwanika. He has had a meeting with the Electoral Commission and the new Commissioner Simon Mugenyi Byabakama. Therefore, that he has applied to use an article in the Constitution called the 255, which states:

255. Right of citizens to demand referenda.

Parliament may by law make provision for the right of citizens to demand the holding by the Electoral Commission of a referendum whether national or in any particular part of Uganda, on any issue.” (Uganda Constitution, 1995).

He is actually pursuing the use of the code and article to stifle the motion of Magyezi Amendment to the Constitution, by settling the affairs through a referendum. Clearly, the President don’t want to that, since that means he has to campaign more and spend more on campaigns. The state economy is already suffering and is fatigued. Therefore, the cost of spending on cronies and manufacture the result will be hard for the National Resistance Movement. Who is meeting hostile receptions and at gatherings for pro-life-presidency.

Abed Bwanika has himself been a presidential candidate since 2006. So he knows how the two previous referendums has been. The one where the President one and kept the Movement System for another period in 2000 and the opening of the Multi-Party System in 2005, where the public gained the possibility for more parties, than the NRM. That is why the Presidential Elections in 1996 and 2001 was internal inside the NRM.

It is a bold move of him to push for this, as the Motion and law are still in the Legal and Constitutional Committee in Parliament, while the state are planning to wire the funds to the positive backers of the bill. So that the bill can be passed in parliament and settle the life presidency, once and for all. Bwanika, might doing the good deed by filling the Electoral Commission, the will of applying for a referendum. Certainly, something that the President will not regard as something he wants to do. He wants to steam-roll it, therefore when Bwanika fills in the Form D and the collection of signatures needed for it, as it is by law. Than, the ship might be moving from port, but expect it to be stalled.

This is a letter sent from the Electoral Commission the 18th October, and by the time Bwanika gets enough signatures, the agreement between the NRM and possible MPs might be settled. It is a Nobel idea and request from the 3 times Presidential Candidate, but if he will succeed in his mission. That is not certain, but for his act of doing this. Still, needs recognition, because there is nothing compelling and saying he should.

Still, he uses the Constitution and uses his time to fight the good fight and to stop the possible life presidency of Museveni. Peace.

Age Limit: NRM crackdown on 28 NGO’s, just because [they can]!

This is happening after the Action Aid accounts have been frozen. The Same has happen to Great Lakes institute for Strategic Studies (Gliss) as well. Action Aid has ironically been called to contribute to Katakwi celebrations days after. So the need for civil society and support is there, just in balance with the controlling needs and their affect on society. Something the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the President Museveni cannot live with. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wants now to not have inference by the NGOs, even if his state needs the aid and needs loans to pay their bills. The goodwill of foreign donors, usually comes with some checks- and balances by NGOs and Multi-National Organization. In the midst of trying to forge himself a life presidency. This is not acceptable.

Therefore, 28 NGOs has gotten feedback that they have to do this:

First they have to deliver Audited Accounts from 2014-2016. Also, the half year financial report of 2017. These reports has to be delivered to the state. The other papers the state suddenly needs is reports of their activity from 2014-2016, they need a half year report of 2017 of their activity in 2017. Continuing the need for information is that they have to deliver certified bank statements from 2014 to September 2017. A copy of the incorporation certificate, certificate of registration and the NGO Permit. Also, the work plans, budget and strategic plan from 2014-2016. All governing documents of the NGO. Than, a list of directors and the boards of the NGO. Finally the list of bank accounts.

This proves how much information and why they want to total insight into the operations of these NGOs. That the state now needs excessive information and control. They do it as they are gearing up the life presidency. So the state will have control of the 28 NGOs and nothing will done in secret or be in a way that questions their power. If they do or even are involved anything electoral or questions about the campaigns that the NRM do. They will not be questioned and their powers.

That is why these organizations are questioned: Action Aid, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), Association of Human Rights Organization in Uganda, Be Forward Uganda, Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy of Uganda (CCEDU), Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), Development Network for Indigenous Voluntary Associations (DENIVA), Educate Uganda, Feed the Children Uganda, Finnish Refugee Council, Ford Foundation, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Forum for Woman in Democracy (FOWODE), Global Refugee International Uganda, Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies (GLISS), Good Neighbours, Human Rights Centre Uganda (HRCU), Human Rights Network (HURINET), Mercy Corps, MIFUMI, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Solidarity Uganda, Synagogue Church of all Nations, Teso Anti-Corruption Coalition, Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF), Uganda Youth Network (UYONET) and Uhuru Institute for Social Development.

They are really going all out there, all sort of civil society organizations like CCEDU, who has been vocal in educating the people of the value of the vote and electoral practice. Something, the state haven’t bothered to do. They are now seeking documents from FHRI, who has spoken for individual rights for woman and their role in society. This is going against the NGOs who studies the society and political landscape like Uhuru Institute for Social Development, HURINET and HRCU. Certainly, these are handpicked by the state for that manner. CSBAG has been critical about the budgets and reasons for the use of taxpayers monies, as well as explaining the values of taxes. Clearly, this has moved them into a questionable path.

But, what is striking is the Ford Foundation, Feed the Children, DENIVA and Mercy Corps. We can wonder their issues with the state and why they we’re picked in the bunch. Are they spending to much in development in certain areas. Ford Foundation main offices in East Africa is Nairobi. Director Maurice Makoloo must really question why his NGO is under siege, like the rest of them. Feed the Children have been working in Northern Uganda since 2012 with Nutrition Programs, Health & Water, Pre School Education and their Livelihood. Mercy Corps been working in Uganda since 2006, they are training farmers with business skills, providing jobs for building roads, promoting maternal-child health and nutrition programs and emergency response to the South Sudanese refugees. I wonder also, what did the Finnish Refugee Council do to get on the list, because they support this in Uganda: “Our work in Uganda improves refugees’ changes to raise their living standards. We provide refugees skills and abilities which can immediately help them increase their income levels”. All of this seems like reasonable causes to work for, therefore you know there is else behind it.

We all know the Age Limit is the cause, the Age Limit problems causes issues for the NGOs and the NRM wants to show power. We can just humiliate the government, because we know the reason. They are afraid to be undressed, but they are already naked. They just don’t know themselves, the President is soon vivid on the pages of The Onion, Red Pepper, Daily Monitor, New Vision and the newspapers around. Where his weakness will be delivered on the front-page.

Certainly, the attacks on the NGOs will also be looked ill on the possible donors that the President has left, after the troubles he has created during the recent decade. There will be more trouble if he continues to hammer on the aid organizations and the NGOs who are supported by either individuals abroad, but also multi-national organizations and state funding from donors. All of this is vindictive of the state, since they are doing this to silence possible questions of their behavior. Peace.