Opinion: Nabbanja we see you…

Stop accusing me of stealing iron sheets. Talk about the things you have done for the people, I have never stolen iron sheets. Don’t accuse me of stealing iron sheets. You have done the likes of [Mathias] Mpuuga giving themselves Shs500m, did you hear my name among those? By the time I became Prime Minister, I had already roofed my house with roofing tiles (tegula), the other iron sheets I took them to Kagadi where they were used to roof a church. So don’t spoil my name, Ssenyonyi and team, the problem of corruption will kill our country. Money is stolen; iron sheets are stolen, even from the Office of the Prime Minister” – Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (10.03.2024).

The Prime Minister thinks we have forgotten that she was investigated together with several ministers and high ranking officials who was a part of the mabaati scandal last year. This one is lingering on her, as it was part of her Office, which the stockpile of Mabaati was taken from. She had to know what went down and not just blame lower ranking officials within her office. However, we know her arrogance and won’t take responsibility.

We shouldn’t be shocked that Nabbanja acts like this. She has the hubris and arrogance of it. At the moment she’s untouchable and one of them. It is really striking that she defends the Mabaati thieving… by roofing a church in Kagadi, but it was destined for Karamoja sub-region. Which means the mabaati never went where it was supposed too. No matter what the cause or the supposed usage in another region.

Her defence is that things, money and in general things are stolen from her office anyway. That isn’t a valid response. It is just an admission of guilt and telling what is going on behind closed doors. She isn’t showing strength or leadership by saying it.

Well, things are going missing like mabaati, money and whatnot. People just take things from the stockpiles, which are supposed to be delivered to certain programs and people. Nevertheless, my minions and other high ranking officials are eating of this plate. Don’t mind us… we are doing our duty and we are working for the people doing so.

It is just striking the way she tries to defend all of this. The mismanagement, the rot of the system and how the Office of the Prime Minister is a den of thieves. If it was run correctly she wouldn’t need to defend it. We wouldn’t have to call her out and knowingly seek out her part of the theft. However, we have too, because there is no other way.

The PM cannot spin this around. Especially in her defence of herself is saying there things stolen from her office anyway. That is just really strange, but that is also done to pin blame on others in her near proximity. She speaks of not spoiling her name, but she’s weakening her office by saying what she said.

If you want good spin or better arguments. Don’t expect them from this Prime Minister. She will only try to forge a narrative that others are to blame, but not her. That’s not working when the ill deeds are happening in her midst. Peace.

Turinamukama Bayern Turinawe: Statement on my Abduction (The 9th Day of March 2024) – (10.03.2024)

Yellow Youth Movement (YYM): Response to NRM Youth League Leadership Propaganda Statement titled ‘For Immediate Release’ disregarding the YYM Petition to the Chairman of hte NRM Party and the CEC (10.03.2024)

National Resistance Movement – Youth League (NRM-YL): Press Release (09.03.2024)

Opinion: Did the MPs receive a 50m kickback this week?

There are rumours and speculations that the Members of Parliament this week got a monetary gain of 50 million shillings. They needed to pass by the house of Speaker Anita Among in Kololo. When going there they would receive the cash in hand and go on their merry.

The same deal happened in December 2023 before Christmas. That time the payouts was hidden under the budget vote of “classified expenditure” of the State House. This time it might be somewhere else, but it won’t be in plain sight.

The Speaker wants to vindicate her name and have unbound loyalty. So as she’s eating and control the plate. She can use some additional expenditure and funds to buy that. The MPs are getting “free” and being bought for silence. They won’t target Among’s expenses and misuse of office, if they are doing the same. That means everyone is part of the con and getting the bargain.

The “service award” to the Parliament Commissioners are bad enough. Just like the “per diem” expenses to several individuals in Parliament. There is so much wastage and abundance of funds. While the government services are lacking or not even having enough to sustain itself. The expenses of the Parliament cannot be deemed “value for money”. As it is an open heist.

The MPs are representatives of the people and not robbers. However, they are acting like it and could easily be deemed thieves. The millions of shillings going their way should go to schools, hospitals and paying civil servants. Nevertheless, it instead goes to side-dishes, mansions and luxurious outfits that looks smart on NBS Frontline.

It isn’t surprising that the MPs would sink this low and accept these sorts of money. We have seen it in the past and previous MPs doing it too. Now they are accepting a bribe to be silent about how the Speaker operate. That is done to shun the Exhibition and whatever it reveals. Because everyone knows the IGG, OAG or the State House Anti-Corruption Unit won’t do anything about it. They will look the other way just everyone else.

This is just another “Presidential Handshake” or a “sophisticated” tender that is tricking the trade for a quick pay-off. They are just eating of the plates of others and hope nobody notice. That’s why there will be little to no paperwork on this here transaction. It will be hidden in votes of “confidential funds” and be lost in the sauce. That’s how they work and they are proud of it too.

Being dishonest and accepting theft. It isn’t directly stealing from people, but these funds should have been used for more needy people. There are enough public entities and government institutions that could need an upgrade or more money to work sufficiently. However, it is more important that the MP can afford a new SUV or fix his second home somewhere.

This will be quickly dismissed and some will be running back to Parliament with the funds. As they are obvious to the outcry. They will look like fools, as all the other backbenchers and MPs are eating. The honest ones who dares to challenge after accepting the envelopes will be in trouble. That will be investigated and they will regret doing it.

They will not regret taking the money, but actually returning it. They should have never accepted the millions of shillings anyway, but they did… and others will suffer the consequences. Peace.

National Unity Platform (NUP): Letter from Acting Party President Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru to Mathias Mpuuga MP – Notice to Show Cause why the Party should not Recall you as Parliamentary Commissioner (05.03.2024)

Opinion: Among will only be touched if she flies to close to the sun

The ones working for censoring or impeaching the Speaker of the House, Anita Among… you are running a fools errand at the moment. There is justification for it and the misuse of office is obvious. However, in the Republic and with the ruling regime… those things doesn’t matter and we all know that.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) won’t strike hard on corrupt officials and neither will the State House. It will give a few fire and fury speeches, but actions is another matter. We all see it from a mile away. There is no birds or verbatim messages being sent from Entebbe to Nile Avenue. No, nothing and we can just live another day.

The Speaker is to date untouchable. She is supreme and can run the shop as she pleases. She can be vocal and act as an overlord, as long as she serves the purpose of the Head of State. His Excellency won’t strike at her, as long as she serves his eery whim. That’s what she does and skims a little of the top doing so. Keeping the MPs in order and keeping them tight-knit under her reign. This is her prerogative and she’s thriving on the power-trip.

Some MPs might be frustrated and feel humbled by her. Among is maybe not the average cup of tea. As he expect blind loyalty and follow her orders to a T. There is no second chance or room for mistakes. You abide by her word and dance when she tells you too.

If you do that… then she will honour you and give you gifts. She will usher in a new era and give you the time of day. The perks, the allowances and all your needs will be met. As long as you keep your eyes shut at her practices and misuse of office. No one is to speak of the theft, the thieving and the enrichment of her household. No, she just built a mansion and praised herself as a new Queen in town.

That’s why we just have to await another turn. The 11th Parliament won’t sanction her or have the power to do so. No, she will not allow anyone to censor her or even go after her. If they try… the MPs who writes the motion or even files the paperwork will be endangered. If you thought Zaake MP could be hurt. The ones who goes after her livelihood will be taken out and be vilified easily.

Speaker Among can only be taken out if she tries to jump the line like Amama Mbabazi. If Among believes she’s the next in line and aims at the throne. We have to see the Speaker vocally and deliberately acts to get ahead of time. That she wants to become the Head of State and become a Presidential Candidate. If she does that… she will be dethroned and clipped off her wings.

Among would lose everything, temporarily. Until, she returns to the fold and begs for mercy to His Excellency. That’s the game and we have seen that gambit before.

The Speaker no matter how powerful she is right now. She is still in the mercy of the President. As long as the President see value in her actions. She will be allowed to entertain and continue her practices, but the moment she defies or act in spite of that. That’s when the table turn and her demise will come. Peace.

Bank of Uganda: Monetary Policy Statement for March 2024 (06.03.2024)

Opinion: When the mbuzi (goat) is overpriced…

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has tasked the Ministry Agriculture to explain circumstances under which Shs7.3Mn was spent on the purchase of each goat, yet the majority of the goats bought ended up dying within the first week after distribution, with auditors blaming the supplier of intentionally supplying sick & emaciated goats to Government” (…) “Steven Kajura, Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture defended the cost spent on each goat saying the goats were bought from South Africa and were of a higher pedigree explaining, “The goats were got from South Africa & Namibia, we bought high pedigree animals and that cost includes cost insurance and flight so it came to Shs7.3Mn. The exotic pedigree animals are usually very expensive, you are free to google and you will come to around the same range.”” (Parliament Watch, 04.03.2024).

When the Daily Monitor wrote a piece about goat versus sheep rearing in 2021, they most likely didn’t think it would be this relevant. Even with rising prices and inflation. The stipulations of the 2021 article is sufficient to say that the government, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Project Coordinator who bought the goats overspent money on every single transaction.

We have now heard the testimony that the government spent 7,3 million shillings per goat. In a nation where the prices depending on the age of the goat goes from 150,000 shillings to about 550,000 shillings. That’s the prices which the Daily Monitor said in 2021 and most likely has changed, but not tripled or quadrupled over the years. Even Harvest Money article on the matter from 2023 stated the going price for a one year old good crosses goes for around 150,000 to 200,000 shillings. Which all states the fact that the government paid way over price for the animals.

They should show proof of purchase and not only the words of the Project Coordinator. The proof of transactions and the imports of the goats. As this is such a wastage of public funds. The idea of paying millions per goat when they go for much less domestically. If the government was sincere about “value for money” they would have bought it from the local market. You know “buy Uganda, build Uganda”. However, that is just empty sloganeering and not modus operandi.

It is just special that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) would do things like this. Spend money like tomorrow and waste it on goats that died quickly after being distributed. They spent millions upon millions on goats and they never added any value. The goats just died and didn’t serve their purpose. That’s pure wastage of public funds and lacking oversight of the project itself. Not that is this is new either, as there are plenty of government programs that has money, but no mechanisms to safeguard a purchase. Which is what we have seen with plenty of government programs and the goats is just the latest scandal.

This isn’t even a big scandal, but a minor one, which is just a reflection of how the NRM operates. It isn’t new, but a pattern. We can just wonder who ate the money and who gained “profits” from the tender or the purchase of the goats. Because when you have such an overpriced product/item someone is skimming over the top. It just have to happen and someone acknowledge the transaction and got a cut. With this sort of money… there is gatekeepers and people who found a way to eat. That’s the reality here.

It might never be revealed, but when goats costs in the millions and they die after a short time. You know the whole deal was shady and someone earned a fortune on it. The kickbacks and the envelopes ended somewhere… it is undeniable and we can wonder where. Peace.

Public Square (PS): Public Square Statement Regarding Parliamentary Commission “Service Award” Payments (03.03.2024)