Opinion: Nabbanja’s Faultline

 

Well, after reading the depressing statement “on alleged abductions” from Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. We can clearly estimate and assess that the government is cleaning their hands or taking a blind eye to the fact. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their allies are not clever enough or wise to bring forth a proper statement. Neither able to articulate or make their statement believable. However, then again, the President appointed fishermen and not brilliant technocrats.

Like the PM stated in her statement:

“To say that Government abducts people, Rt. Hon. Speaker, is to impute that the Government leads someone away by force or fraudulent persuasion. Rt Hon Speaker, Government cannot rule out the fact that the word “abduction” is being maliciously used by the opposition for purposes of blackmailing us, and we highly condemn this act. The opposition are deliberately referring to arrests as abductions. An arrest done by a Police officer cannot in any way turn into an abduction. Rt. Hon. Speaker, I want to categorically state that Government arrests suspected criminals and has not abducted or does not abduct anybody” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

With these sorts of words in early February 2023 makes it unbelievable. The person who says and print it cannot believe it herself. These words are just obnoxious and sincerely troublesome. It is saying that the opposition is “crying wolf” and stating it doesn’t happen. However, there are enough reports and enough people pleading for their loved ones. Who has been taken away, arbitrary arrested, abducted, kept incommunicado and later arraigned in courts after the fact. Therefore, the PM hope people are naïve or stupid. I don’t know which, but one of them is what she’s aiming for.

Without a doubt, the PM explained the nature of the “drones” by default too:

“Indeed, due to the evolving nature of crime to sophisticated levels owing to technological advancement, sometimes the Government may be compelled to effect arrests using plain clothed oflicers and vehicles with civilian registration number plates and other unconventional methods of arrest to keep pace with the ever changing criminal tactics” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

While she claims this is ways to capture and arrest sophisticated criminals. We know these tactics and means to an end is to take in opposition, activists and other people who defies the government. That is an deliberate act by the security organizations and the “drones” are used frequently. The news of abductions and arbitrary arrests are common placed. That’s because of how these state security organizations are operating without fear or consequences. They are doing it and with the blessings of the “high above”. Which is why some civilians are arraigned in military courts to answer for their “alleged crimes” too. It’s a scheme to deter and silence critics. The PM is clear about the activity but claims the victims’ fault for being “criminals” without any facts or evidence of any criminal acts. That just proves the fault-lines of the PM.

The PM ends with some utter baffling response:

“Sharing information on the particulars of an arrest, that is to say who has been arrested, from where, by who and how, will go a long way to not only assist the Government to explain the whereabouts of the arrested persons but also determine whether the arrest was conducted by authorised persons or whether indeed it is a kidnap by criminal elements. Like I stated earlier, the leader of Opposition has not positively responded to the Rt. Hon Deputy Speaker’s request to furnish Government with adequate details/particulars of persons allegedly abducted such as Village of residence, place of work, next of kin, telephone contact, police reference of reports of missing persons, among others yet they are very important for investigation purposes. This has made it difficult for our security teams to trace for these persons” Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

This is like the right thing to say, but the PM knows better. That’s if she wanted to be sincere. However, we know that she is a part of the problem and a figure head of the state. Which is why she’s undermining and acting “holier than thou”. The PM is just showing how the state neglects the victims of abduction and acts like it got the laws on its side. That the mere gist of the whole statement. She is denying and acting surprised that the Opposition is coming with lists of missing people. Like it never appeared and didn’t really happen. If it did happen, then they were sophisticated “criminals” to begin with. Therefore, we know the malice and the malicious attempts of cleaning the slate for own personal benefits.

We can with certainty say that the Government and the NRM will not take responsibility. It will act like it never happened. They will state the Constitution and the laws, but not say that it acts beyond that. Which is something we already knows, because we heard the stories and read the pleas of the families who has abducted family members. Therefore, the impunity and saga is far from over.

This is the liberty and freedom, the fundamental change Museveni promised in the 1980s. No, I was wrong. He said the opposite, but he stays in power by taking away liberty from the ones who stands in his way. Peace.

National Unity Platform (NUP): Statement on Suspension of Leaders and Appointment of Special Committee to Investigate their Conduct (12.01.2023)

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

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.

Uganda: Majambere Kamuntu Semakula Ivan letter to Uganda Human Rights Commission – Request to Facilitate for my Asylum to United States of America (U.S.A) – (17.11.2022)

The Dead Silence: 427 Days and still no freedom for Ssewanyana MP and Ssegirinya MP

The bail application hearing for Legislators Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya has hit a snag due to the absence of a Judge. This after the legislators’ lawyer disclosed that their efforts to see their clients’ bail applications heard has yielded no results because no judge is willing to preside over the case” (NBS Television, 07.11.2022).

The murders of Greater Masaka of last year is still unresolved. The pending case of Allan Ssewanyana and Muhamad Ssegirinya is at a stand-still. There is no evidence, proof or witness to the alleged crime. The MPs has off today been in prison for 427 days and counting.

Everything that has been done to the MPs has been deliberate. They are pinned for crimes, which they are not involved or participated in. The National Unity Platform (NUP) MPs are targeted and has been charged with crimes they didn’t commit.

This process is just prolonged. They are not even trying to prosecute or a fair trail. Because, everyone knows it’s a mockery and they are pinned over political affiliation. The MPs are only there for one reason: They are part of the NUP. That’s it and the murders of Greater Masaka region was used as an excuse to arrest them.

The DCI/CID has nothing to show for it. They summoned them and the authorities has kept them behind bars ever since. However, everyone knows that these gentlemen aren’t the ones behind it or the killers themselves.

What is the saddest part of this, not only the injustice served towards the MPs. All the families in the Greater Masaka who never gets rest or peace. The real criminals and the ones behind the murders are getting with the crime. That is really clear here and these murders will not be solved. This is the second layer of injustice in this case.

This saga will continue. The last chapter isn’t written here, but what is likely is that MPs will be behind bars until 2023. If not longer… Peace.

National Unity Platform: On the Ridiculous Statements by Uganda Police and Uganda Human Rights Commission on the Incidents at late Comrade Jakana Nadduli’s Funeral (27.10.2022)

Uganda: Keneth Kaliba letter to National Unity Platform (NUP) – Request to Hold a charity concert in Fort Portal city to collect Funds worth 265 Million to save lives of Two NRM city councillors (19.10.2022)

Opinion: It takes nothing to “disturb the peace” of the Speaker…

“A young man accused of tweeting an inappropriate joke about Speaker of Parliament Anita Among was yesterday sent back to jail after the presiding magistrate said she was indisposed. Mr John Sentamu, aka Kelly Slender, 26, was picked up by a drone at his workplace more than a month ago in connection with disturbing the peace of the Speaker on Twitter” (…) “According to the charge sheet before court, Mr Sentamu, between July and September in Kampala, willfully, and repeatedly, used his twitter handle @JOHNKELLYTON 5 using user name Kelly Slender to disturb the peace of the Speaker of Parliament with no purpose of legitimate communication” (Precious Delilah – ‘Shop attendant remanded for tweeting ‘joke’ about Speaker Among’ 19.10.2022, Daily Monitor).

Some people have little spines. They have such little ability to grasp reality and be in the public sphere. It is like their entitlement is outrageous. The feel so unique, special, and prestigious that you should just bless them. That’s how it seems with the current day speaker of the 11th Parliament.

Speaker Anita Annet Among is the new breed of entitled and enriched cronies of the regime. She is the sort that can say obnoxious things about detractors or dissidents. However, the moment they retort. They got to bend the knee and apologize. That’s the sort of rank and office has now.

The Speaker is acting out of line and cannot stomach her office. We have already seen her actions towards Francis Zaake MP and now against a civilian too. The civilian she is serving for in office. If it wasn’t for the civilians, she wouldn’t have an office to go to. However, when your up high and mighty, you forget those things. It is only when the buck stops and the master your serve is gone. That’s the moment she needs the like John Sentamu.

Alas, the Speaker should be able to take jokes, because she is becoming the pun in plenty. She couldn’t manage her cool with the words of Zaake and now she couldn’t get the joke of Sentamu. Certainly, she needs to buckle up and get a grip. However, that’s to much to ask. Maybe, that’s why she became an ex-wife this year? She cannot manage a man who has the balls and the tenacity to question her? She is so supreme, that she got to be the Kingpin of everything!

Well, life isn’t easy on the top. When a joke can get you in a tailspin and order a drone on a civilian. Your life is surely precious. The Speaker’s mind is so fragile and so easily fatigued. That someone cracking a joke is a direct offence. You know that isn’t much a person or a leader when she resorts to this. If it is a joke of a nobody on Twitter. She could have responded or mocked the person for written it there. A tit-for-tat, but that’s apparently beneath her.

The speaker is a coward and a reckless individual for making life so hard on a civilian. She should put herself in his shoes. What if Kadaga had done this to her while she was civilian. Would that have been fine and dandy? Would it have been accordingly, if Among had cracked a joke about Kadaga on Facebook back in the day?

I don’t think so, but then again… with power comes prestige and prominence. However, she is clearly not able to carry the weight of the office. It is a burden that is to much. Especially, if a civilian’s joke is disturbing your peace. Your mind will never rest or be “tewali”. The Speaker needs guidance or help. But I know it’s futile, because everyone is just supposed to bow their knee to the almighty Speaker and the Leader of the August House. Peace.

Opinion: Kusasira is having buyers remorse…

I feel a lot of pain that I can’t explain to you or to someone else inside me. But all the pain comes as a result of enemies who are fighting against me left and right that makes me just find myself in the center squeezed from there. My tears and pains are of a combination of many things that include my property that I have lost include that which I worked for as a musician because fans supported me overwhelmingly and I made some money but now all is gone. I am being fought by many individuals and I know the president’s word is a direct order. I support President Museveni as an individual but I request what he directs, let it be done because some of us who love him we face lots of challenges and difficult times. We are fought side by side and you find that those who don’t support him don’t fight us as much but those in the party play all sorts of dirty games against us” Catherine Kusasira (07.10.2022).

The running up to the 2021 elections was like nothing else. That’s because of the People Power Movement and the rise of the National Unity Platform (NUP). The National Resistance Movement finally met an organic rise of opposition and within the means of youths who opposed the reign of Museveni. Not the like the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) haven’t been the Leader of the Opposition and rightfully so. However, NUP and People Power came in like a wind and caused a stir.

That stir was met with changes, President Museveni suddenly showed up in the ghettos and acted like he cared for a hot minute. He tried to sway former People Power associates and some he got into his fold. One of them was Kusasira. She went from being on the side of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine into an appointment of being Presidential Advisor of Kampala Affairs. That happened in 2019 ahead of the 2021 elections.

She was one of the people Museveni purged and got into the NRM. Just to prove that the mass-mobilized party could be relevant for the people that Bobi Wine talked to and was relevant for. That’s why he went for Balaam, Ashburg Katto and others. He appointed them, gave them a role and made them “special”. They became part of the state and was suddenly honourable people.

Kusasira was suddenly one of them. She had a V8 Vehicle, an Office and could afford to buy a mansion. Her place within the NRM was established and she was part of the ruling elite. She could travel with racks-on-racks and even act arrogant towards the Ministry of Kampala and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). That’s because she could just call President and get vouched for.

Now she is falling short. The money is draining up and she’s not relevant. Kusasira is feeling lost and isn’t in the wind. Her place and role is sort of outplayed. It is nothing she has to offer or relevance for the President. Museveni only needed her for the elections and appointed her to hurt the campaign of Bobi Wine. There was no real love, just like all the other ones who was “captured” or swayed over from People Power. They only did so to damage and possible break the popular rise of the NUP. However, that wasn’t the case and these folks lost their way.

It is tragic that she lost her house and feels betrayed by her own. She chose to be a pawn and pawns never lives long. The king stays the king, but she haven’t done anything to fight or change her role. The only thing she offered was arrogance and betrayal. That’s not valuable for anyone in the long-run. Neither is she a master mobilizer or a people’s champ. No, she’s just another of them. A washed-up musician who got caught in the web of Museveni.

Kusasira made her bed and she now has to sleep in it. Peace.