Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF): Operation to pursue escapees from Singila Government Prison in Moroto (17.09.2020)

Opinion: The UPDF is untouchable in the eyes of the President (!)

“f you are not working for the enemy, you cannot go on the social-media and demand that we publish the names of the personnel of UPDF, their ranks and their jobs. The only thing we can say and what you know is that recruitment into the Police and UPDF is by quota. Beyond that, leave our Army alone and I mean, leave our Army alone” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (03.09.2020).

In the response the President wrote today. He addressed a lot of matters. That is why I am making a second post on it. This time about the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) or the Army. We are seeing how the President is defending it. As there been inquiries and questions about how the army is a “western” Ugandan enterprise filled with high ranking officials from there. This is something Museveni doesn’t want to properly address.

I’m not shocked he is dismissing it. That his calling people enemies for doing so. Because, if the UPDF isn’t filled with loyal cadres. He would be frightened, as his popularity in the public is frail over the years. The President needs the army and armed forces, because the public isn’t behind him anymore. That is why the President doesn’t accept accountability or transparency in concern with the UPDF.

“Coming to the Armed Forces, especially the Army, my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense. The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism. Fighters, real fighters, never have interests in tribes or religious sectarianism; but in comrade-in-arms” – Museveni (03.09.2020).

Because, we know the UPDF have a history of selective recruitment and promotions. If the President wanted to be against sectarianism and be open to all tribes of the Republic. There wouldn’t be an issue, if it wasn’t something there.

This has been known for a long while… the UPDF and the army is filled high ranking officials from Western Uganda. That is not just mere speculation, but facts at this point. If it wasn’t so, the President would say so. However, he doesn’t want people to question the reasons for it.

He wants the people to accept it and leave it alone. It is wrong to look into the armed forces and its structure. That shows that the President fears scrutiny and transparency about this. He wants to stop questions and silence it.

The president knows his only way to keep power is having the loyalty and the control of the army. If he looses that at this point…. he will loose power and it will end his reign. The President needs the soldiers, generals and armed forces all behind him. He needs to have their backs and not loose them.

That is why the President doesn’t want anyone to look into the army and what it does. The UPDF is therefore untouchable… at least in the eyes of the President. However, that is not good. As the UPDF should defend the territory and its citizens. Not be a weapon of intimidation or tactics to scare the public. It is there to defend them.

If the President is that defensive and scared of looking into the army. You know his in trouble and worried about the truth. He should be open, transparent and accountable about it. Alas, his not, because he knows… as we know that its not run like it should. Peace.

Opinion: Why does the NRM have the need to create a war-zone over a by-election?

You can wonder, what sort of lack of talent, integrity and trust in your own population, when you have enforce the crowds, when you have to hire and order the army, military police and the police to a district where a by-election is appearing. You just know that the ruling regime suck at electioneering and also coming with solutions, as their final nail in coffin is to send guns, ammunition and a doze of fear. Because that is the way to sway the public a day ahead of the polls.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have no legitimacy and not transparent activity, they only have the methods of fear and bribes, and there is no policy or no person who’s trustworthy enough to not use the military to intimidate. Because this party has to use guns and ammunition to prove a point. Not try to come with reason or common sense, now you come like an invader and ready for warfare.

You could wonder if there was an election or if the place was under siege, if the NRM and the government was awaiting unknown militias or ghosts of the LRA at Rukungiri. They have done similar things in other by-elections. So they are at it again.

This isn’t breaking news, it is not shocking, it is the only way these fellows and this party can handle affairs. They can only order and hire guns, not talk or do business in other ways. It is special that a by-elections for one MPs to a Parliament is that important, that you have to use all parts of the Security Organizations and beat the message of insecurity to these levels. That the By-Elections looks like Mogadishu, because that is favourite scenery of the President.

There is no common sense in this by-election, only that the NRM are trying to grab a whole of something by any means without any proper justification and reason. It is like they have to grab the people with fear, because they know by this point, they have no solid reason for their existence. There isn’t any progress, anything visible or viable approach for them. It is only empty suits and presidential handshakes.

That is not a good look, when your been running the republic for over three decades. That you have to send the military to install fear to sway voters. That is just sinister, but also show the lack of respect from the rulers, that they are instead of being tolerable and understanding, they are coming with the big-guns and expect submission.

By doing so, the NRM are showing they have already lost. The plot doesn’t’ thickens, it is just weak mediocre soup with very little or no meat, just boiled water on stones added some spices to funk the soup up. When everyone knows it is paper-thin and not really tasty. That is the reality in this mess. Every party knows this. However, they try to act differently.

It is not working, how weak is your message and faith in your programs, that your sending the army to get people into submission? How little policies and little benefits have you given the public over the years, which you have to send guns to get them over to your side.

It is insulting, but that is the M.O. of the NRM. They are insulting people’s intelligence and their goodwill, they are insulting the barriers of trust and accountability, they are just eating and hoping no-one cares, but apparently they do. If not, they wouldn’t need to invade the Rukungiri district ahead of the polls tomorrow. Peace.

Museveni: If your are against tribalism in the UPDF; Why do you appoint mostly from Western then?

It is weird, but when it comes to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his words today. Has he checked his appointments and the people around him. He has a hankering for getting people from the Western Uganda, especially the ones in and around Rukungiri, where your are doling monies these days, as your trying to capture a By-Election for Woman’s MP slot. Museveni, is really trying to show his integrity. However, his actions are talking louder, than his words. First his wanted message from the rallies today, then his real aspirations.

M7 in Rukungiri:

“I have heard some people using sectarian sentiments to campaign in Rukungiri. These should be rejected. The NRM decided long ago that tribalism does not build institutions. For example, you cannot recruit an army based on tribalism. It is on the basis of building a national army devoid of tribalism that we have the peace we enjoy today. This peace has resultantly led to sustainable development in terms of roads, electricity, schools and hospitals” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 28.05.2018).

Nilepost reported in December 2017:

“Armed Forces. Four-star generals: On analyzing of the 9 highest-ranking UPDF personnel it was established that Western region has 6 (67%) trailed by Central, Eastern and Northern with 1 each, constituting 11%. Lieutenant Generals: Of the 6 examined, 2 were from Eastern Uganda with the other regions sharing one apiece. Major Generals: In examination of the 16 major generals, it was revealed that Western region had 11 (69%), Eastern and northern stood at 2 (13%) and Central with 1 (6%). Brigadiers: In terms of regional distribution, Western region stands higher with 27 (53%), followed by Central 10 (20%), Northern 8 (16%) and Eastern which has 6 (12%)” (Nilepost – ‘Report: Western region dominates jobs in army, police, foreign missions’ 14.12.2017).

Let me just say, again Museveni is all talk, but not acting. Its his twisted tongue and his words that doesn’t make sense. If he was against tribalism, he wouldn’t favor the Western in the armed forces. That is insane to say, as the same stats are in the rest of the government, the appointed and hired are from the region. In dozens compared to the rest of Uganda. It happens to be from the area and the districts around Rukungiri.

So Museveni, maybe you should come with a better sentiment, something that would mirror reality. Like the actual truth for ones. That would be fine. Because this sort of article or blog, is to damn easy to write these days.

Museveni, Mr. President if your campaigning and not thinking the bribing, the sudden need to give to Rukungiri, because of the popularity of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate in the area. Then, you should actually come with speeches where the facts and reality are fitting as a glove. Right now your sending out doves and instead of feeding them, your taking out your shot-gun and blowing them to smithereens, it is like he doesn’t understand the reality.

The reality is that his government is directly a tribal affair, which he has sanctioned and done all this decades. There is only the paid-off and the loyally bribed cronies from the other parts, but the key allies are all Western Ugandan based people. Therefore, him saying NRM decided long ago to counter that, he hasn’t really done so. Its still clear that the key figures and the ones highest up the food-chain are from Western Uganda.

You might lie to the blind sheep, but not to my kind.

Tribalism is rampant in the UPDF and the NRM hasn’t really fought this. Except with a twisted tongue and an excuse of a mind, which happens to be the President.

Peace.