Teso Affairs: The failure of Soroti Fruit Factory Part II – (2-year-old orange concentrate stored without a plan)

“Soroti Fruits Limited was incorporated to add value to fruits that were abundantly underutilised; to address the high post-harvest losses, provide market for the farmers produce, and create employment opportunities along the value chain, thus increased and diversified household incomes within the greater Teso Sub-region” (February, 2022).

The Auditor General Report of December 2022 isn’t spelling out a better story either. The Soroti Fruits Limited is a proof of mismanagement, lack of survey and planning. It is picking the wrong fruit, the wrong type of production and even not considering the markets itself. Nothing has been checked for feasibility or value for money.

That’s why the December 2022 report says this:

“I inspected the inventory stores at the facility and established huge volumes of orange concentrate in the cold room stores. The factory did not have a recognizable packaging line for ready-to-drink juices in PET bottles leading to choking in the Cooling Rooms. The inability to transform Concentrate into marketable juice because of lack of a commercial packaging line for Ready to Drink Juice, has meant that the company keeps huge volumes of Concentrate which are kept in cold rooms, thus increasing costs of production and inadequate products in the market” (OAG, 2022).

He further explains:

“I noted that the factory still had, in store, concentrate and pulp that had been produced close to two years ago and indication of limited market for the juice produced” (OAG, 2022).

If you ever needed a proof of how little viable the production, the factory and the lines made in Soroti. These sorts of statements say it. You don’t need the financial understanding or the liquidity of the company to understand it. It’s expensive to keep such inventory and to use electricity to keep it well. Secondly, the orange concentrate won’t last forever either. Therefore, there are risks involved.

The Soroti Fruit Factory, which was built for the wrong fruit and now also lacks the ability to tap or utilize the concentrate. Because, it doesn’t have the production facilities to bottle or can the goods. That means the State or Government must spend even more on the failure of a project.

This story is a tale of losses, lack of proper consultation and using local knowledge to benefit the famers in Teso. Instead, it has become a money-pit and a loss-loss project. You can certainly wonder who has benefited from this and why it happened in the first place. Because the famers and the ones who was supposed to be the beneficiary ones aren’t. They are the losing end, and neither is the consumer getting viable products to consume. This isn’t value addition, but expenses upon expenses without any sort of revenue. Peace.

Opinion: Muhoozi can act the way he does because his father carries his load…

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is now preparing himself for the bigtimes. He is holding rallies and have started his mission with he MK Army/Movement. In that regard, he has also appointed a long-time ally and associate Andrew Mwenda to be his spokesperson. The circle has ended, and the “Project Muhoozi” is now a main stay.

Media is hyping the man up. Even when he has no charisma, no flair, and no message. It is a shallow and braggadocios man. Who has never been accountable in his life, whatsoever…? A man who has never stood tall on his own. The only reason why he became a General and a Senior Presidential Advisor. Was for one sole fact – flesh and blood. It wasn’t because of a particular skill or education. No, just because he happens to be the son of his father.

The General do have the options and abilities others don’t have. He could hold birthday bashes, tournaments and now rallies. While the opposition cannot pray, hold conferences, or even visit fellow MPs in the hospital. No, they are blocked from accessing their own or even capable of running their own organizations. While the First Son, the Son of the President can early start with his “campaign” for Presidency with his boosted-up ego.

General Kainerugaba is clearly not that clever. When he uses voter tourism and ferrying crowds to his rallies. Just like his father does because he knows he cannot get them there on default. He must use buses and spend fortunes of getting them. While he does the same mistake to not take care of them. Only have them there for photo-ops and leaving them behind. Meaning, they are without food, shelter, or ability to return home. That’s the vibe over the weekend and we seen that too.

It is obvious that the General have started his MK Army or MK Movement now. He wants to be the NEXT. Though he has no birth right or ability to be there. The man only thinks so, because he has sat at the table of the State House since a child. True that he hasn’t seen anything else, but that doesn’t mean his fit for it either. Especially, considering his brutal and ignorant ways.

I just wonder how Mwenda will spin this, because he has been “Mao” guy and his now in the Cabinet. The editor of the Independent has traded all integrity for the quick buck. No one is shocked, but for someone calling out Bobi Wine and Besigye over the years. He surely needs to muster all of his intelligence to sell Muhoozi.

Why?

He isn’t a bargain and isn’t a winner from the beginning. The General is only high ranking and a man of the town, because of family ties. There is not substantial or unique about his character. He could just be a butcher or a tiny dancer in one of those nightclubs. It is nothing there and it must be artificially created around him. Since there is no justification or sort of persona to be inspired by. That’s why anyone who has the gig or the appointment to MK Army / Movement should feel blessed. They have an empty canvass and can paint whatever picture they want. Except for the brutal brute, which we know from the days of Special Forces Command and the Army Commander ways. That is a story they never want to tell. The stories of murder, torture, and kidnappings. No, that is fort others to tell.

Some says: “Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown”. The crown is carried by the father and the son doesn’t feel that weight. That is why his so nonchalant about it all. He knows he can get rid of someone, and he has no burden to carry. That’s because of his father and the reign, which he has uphold for so long. Gen. Muhoozi is just the proof of how the elite and how they consider themselves above the average citizens. He just thinks so, by the simple of reason of his name and where he has resided. That’s all that matters to him.

The General just want power and be the next in line. Even if he was never fit for it or had the humility to be in that office. No, he just wants to be there… because he wants to continue where his father left off. That’s it and that’s not a winning formula. There is no service, no programme or ideology. Just an egotistic brat who wants to be crowned “King”. Peace.

Uganda: Chapter Four – A Victory for free speech, digital freedoms and media rights (10.01.2023)

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF): Indiscipline will always be punished (06.01.2023)

Serere County By-Election: NRM versus Independents

This will be the first By-Election in this calendar year in the 11th Parliament, as the Serere County By-Election comes after a fatal traffic accident. The late MP Patrick Okabe won in the 2021 General Election on an Independent Ticket. Now, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) will return with vengeance.

So, the one that lost to late MP will return on the ballot now in February 2022. A year after the General Election in January 2021. Certainly, Philip Oucur feels it’s his time. Though, there are already pressure like in other constituencies to inherit or let the family hold on to the seat. That’s why the most unique candidate against Oucur this time around is the son of the late MP, Omoding Emmanuel Okabe.

There are other candidates in the race. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and National Unity Platform (NUP) have fielded candidates here, but to no avail. Neither has the voters or the candidates gotten any traction. The last election was abysmal for these parties. The Justice Forum (JEEMA) has issued a release for possible candidates, but I don’t think they will go anywhere.

Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) flagbearer is Alice Alaso Asianut, but she isn’t favoured either. Unless, she has a massive campaign. Therefore, I have little to no faith in the opposition candidates. The only that matters now is the NRM candidate and the son of the late MP.

The son of the late MP has the attachment and could easily use the sway of the father. It is striking that the NRM didn’t chose to do this, as they did in a previous By-Election. When they let the son of the late speaker Jacob Oulanyah become the flag-bearer. This time around the NRM Electoral Commission didn’t allow it and ensured that Oucur could stand again.

Therefore it’s interesting, because the NRM has become a party of nepotism and favouritism. The NRM flag-bearer is a rumoured wealthy fish-farmer. If so… maybe, he has sway and fortunes to bound himself to the candidacy. He has actively campaigned and put himself in the spotlight after the accident occurred. So, it seemed planned to usher him in again.

While the UPC has already been endorsing the son of the late MP. That’s why you know the Okabe might be a force to be reckon with. His just that by association and by the merits of his father. Not because Okabe is unique or special. No, it’s all in the name and in the fact of what his father did.

I personally don’t look forward to the By-Elections. By-Elections under the NRM is a warzone, a battlefield and in the end… NRM get the MP and it’s game-over. Mass-arrests, electoral violence and voter tourism is an occurring theme. Therefore, I don’t expect anything else in 2022. The NRM and the EC has shown this to be the case. Nothing will be different here. While the NRM will come with SACCO’s, empty promises and use massive amount of funds to get Oucur finally elected. Peace.

Serere County By-Election: Electoral Commission – By-Election of the District Elected Member of Parliament for Serere County Constituency in Serere County District, 2023 (04.01.2023)

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine: New Years Message (01.01.2023)

International Criminal Court (ICC): Defence Team for Dominic Ongwen (16.12.2022)

Uganda Medical Association: Statement on the Incident at Kololo involving U.M.A President and Section of Medical Students on 3rd Dec 2022 (04.12.2022)

Opinion: Tayebwa defends protocol over injustice…

Colleagues, whether you are who or who, no one will be allowed to blackmail this House because I have seen now where we are going. You have started a very dangerous game” (…) “Not any single day will a member come, undress here, try even to commit suicide here. If you are doing it for your constituency and you want to appease your constituency to show you are the one who has worked, do it, but it will never influence any decision I make here” (…) “Started that issue without honourable Zaake being here. Honourable Zaake has not been in this House for over 10 sittings and without my permission, but I have never spoken about him because he is a brother. You leave a colleague, maybe he is in a constituency, but I want to caution you…” (…) “If you ( Zaake) want to do drama, go and do it in your constituency, you can’t do it on this floor. If you want pictures of people holding you up and how you were arrested to use during campaigns, we can organise for you, we are near national theatre” – Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa (29.11.2022).

The Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa is more into protocol and plenary rules, than into the plights of the people. That is obvious after the recent actions. His acting high and mighty, but he will fall like the rest of them.

Right now Tayebwa is useful. His a loyal subject and one of them who is eating. Nevertheless, when you fall out of favour or do one big miss. You will fall and never return to good graces. It is easy to be boastful and entitled when you have everything.

Zaake might have been out of order. He might have broken a rule or too. However, who would have believed or given him any time of day. Zaake MP has already lost privileges and been scorned in Parliament. It isn’t like his a big-man or a person of vast influence. No, his a renegade MP who fights for his causes. Maybe not doing it by the book.

What he did though, was to infuriate the Deputy Speaker and many others in such a fashion. That the people have to speak out about the kidnapping, abductions, the political prisoners and the “drones” which are used by the authorities. That’s what Zaake did and it’s clever that way.

Maybe Zaake will be punished or get violated in the Parliament. That will not be anywhere near as damaging as the torture he has felt or the injustice the authorities has served him in the past. Zaake MP knows the pain of the opposition leaders, activists and anyone who dares to question the government of the day. He knows the cost and that’s why his vocal about it. No one should blame him for that. He knows better than most how painful and what sort of suffering people are going through.

That’s why the Deputy Speaker can ridicule and mock him. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make the case less important. We know the Government and the Authorities has no interest in investigating or showing the real numbers of the ones suffering injustice. No, they rather act like it doesn’t really happen or is just an anomaly.

We know now that the Deputy Speaker will defend rules, but not have anyone speak out on the injustice done by the state. That is the message. The Parliament isn’t the place for grievances and it will only be Ministerial Statements from the likes of Muhwezi, which will not bring the truth to the table. Because, the authorities would never give a full picture and only small fragments of what is going on.

The kidnappings, the abductions, the keeping people incommunicado and without trial continues. The torturing and the extra judicial killings. That is all done on behalf of the government and the Deputy Speaker honourably represents that… he honours that and he will not have anyone crying out loud. No, he prefers silence and once in a while condoning it. Peace.