Kagoma By-Election: Grand issues as heavy deployment seems to rig it all for the NRM!

The 11^th May are the Polling Day of the Kagoma By-Election in the Jinja District. As there are unsettling reports and also proves that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) cannot win a sincere election. Since they are coming with a presence of mambas, armed police officers and all the gear to intimidate the public. As even during the campaigning, the President Yoweri Museveni said: “I am tired of wars. I want you to vote for pro-NRM members of parliament like our party flag-bearer, Mr Moses Walyomu.” (…) “I don’t want to go back to the bush to fight again. Don’t send me people who will disagree with me in parliament. I fought in 1986 and I am tired.”(Kirunda, Nakato & Katabulawo, 2017).

Arrested day before the ballot:

“Sadiq Amin, the National Defense Secretary of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party and seven others are in trouble for alleged electoral violence in the Kagoma parliamentary by-elections. The eight were picked up last evening from Buwenge town council ahead of the Kagoma County parliamentary by elections later today. Asuman Mugenyi, the Director of Police Operations, told journalists at Kagoma county headquarters last evening that Amin is wanted for masterminding violence in the just concluded Kamuli municipality MP by elections” (URN, 11.05.2017).

The Police has deployed heavy in the district and in the area. They have even arrested people around the voting stations, on the charges of violence. But there aren’t reports of people at the Hospitals. As there is only FDC leadership who has been detained the day before and know more people being charges. Seems like a day where the Police Force are intimidating the public to vote for the NRM candidate today.

“Security has been beefed up in Jinja town as voters in Kagoma County constituency go to the polls to elect a new MP in today’s by-election . Busoga regional police commander Twishimwe Geofrey says the tension between two groups; supporters of Brandon Kintu, an Independent candidate, and Moses Walyomu of the NRM, were high and so far eight people have been arrested in connection to violence” (88 SMART FM, 11.05.2017).

“Despite some polling station receiving voting material beyond the required time as well as reported cases of a pre-ticked ballot paper, heavy police deployment, the country’s election prefect maintains that nothing is amiss. According to the schedule, voting was supposed to begin at exactly 7am and close at 4pm” (…) “However not all polling centres kept that time. Some polling stations were also forced to suspend voting for hours after the biometric machines failed to function despite earlier assurance by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi that everything was good to go. According to Mr James Otim, a resident of Budondo sub-county, it emerged that voting some at polling stations started late” (Ladu, Tausi & Okeya, 2017).

“Byakika Voting was suspended for nearly two hours at Kiranga-Busoba Polling Station in Butagaya Sub County following the breakdown of election machines. Only 19 people had voted before the thumb-detecting machine stopped working. The station Presiding Officer Paul Kigenyi says the voting temporarily stopped around 8:30am. By 10:30am the E.C team led by one Samuel Kiyingi was still struggling to fix the machine. Voting resumed a few minutes later as voters expressed their anger” (City Beat Magazine, 11.05.2017).

So there been clear malpractice and also intimidation, as the FDC leadership has spent time behind bars, as the Kagoma By-Election was going-on. So if the result doesn’t end with victory for the NRM candidate, I would be shocked. All the cards are stacked against the independents as well as the FDC candidate. This is going on and the government sponsors the fear, in the midst of a by-election in the Jinja District. The clear evidence is already there, that before the tallying, the return forms and the party agents start to take charge over the ballots. This is just beginning of the electoral process, and the issues are here from the get-go. Peace.

Reference:

Kirunda, Abubaker; Nakato, Tausi & Katabulawo, Andrew – ‘I don’t want opposition in parliament, says President Museveni’ (09.05.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/I-don-t-want-opposition-in-parliament–says-President-Museveni/688334-3919496-71atniz/index.html

Ladu, Ismail Musa; Tausi, Nakato & Okeya, Moses – ‘Complain of pre-ticked ballot papers, faulty voting machines blemish Kagoma by-election’ (11.05.2017) link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Preticked-ballot-papers-faulty-voting-machines-blemish-Kagoma/688334-3922948-s0x8bxz/index.html

Kagoma County By-Election: FDC Surge the crowds, while the NRM believes in Voter Tourism!

There is a by-election going on in Kagoma County in Jinja District. This is in Busoga region and inside the Busoga Kingdom. In the recent days there been campaign rallies in the towns and villages of the county. As the candidates together with the leadership of the parties has arrived to spell their program and get their candidate into the 10^th Parliament.

That the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni together with the NRM has held rallies in the district isn’t surprising, neither is it that today only he has hold 4 rallies in the county. What is more common is the proof of bribery and in general using intimidation as well. Therefore, the reports that the NRM used violence against FDC mobilizers. On the 5^th May the pictures of innocent party organizers bloody t-shirts we’re spread on the internet. Therefore, the proof that the NRM cannot win without violence or use money, is yet another proof.

Another typical trick of the NRM, has been how the buses has been driving around in the county and district, giving away t-shirts, offering 10k shillings and food; if they participate to the closest rally of President Museveni and his coming Candidate Moses Walyomu Muwanika. This one is supposed to stop the Forum for Democratic of Change (FDC) candidate Timothy Batuwa. Instead of like the FDC who gather natural crowds with their leadership and convoys.

The NRM uses buses and payments, giving away T-shirts, beating up Independent Candidates supporters, which happen earlier this week. There are certainly double standard in this, as the NRM uses intimidation, harassment, than condemning violence, later knowingly paying for supporters and getting support by bribery. Than, sending buses (Voter Tourism) and picking up crowds, while the other parties scraps people together honest. Therefore, the ruling regime and ruling party uses all tricks of the trade. To get the MP for the area elected again! Certainly, the NRM has no honor, only cheating and rigging to win.

If there will be pre-ticked ballots on the 11^th May 2017 and sudden ballots taken away with Police Officers during the tally wouldn’t surprise anyone. Also, that the late release of the Declaration Forms and the Return Forms, which the NRM will comprise as they have already started to do. That with the bribery of citizens and the ways the buses rides to pick-up and give food. This is all manipulation and selling the ballots for scraps. Certainly, the electoral process isn’t respected when the NRM trades the ballot for 10k shillings and rallies to elect their man. Peace.

The NRM celebrates their Voter Tourism and their “Double Victory” at Kololo today!

Don Museveni and his loyal capos, his underbosses and his Crime Preventers filled the Kololo Independence Grounds, with the quality of voter tourism and the staged affairs. With a 140 cakes with the giant Yellow Bus; as a proof of the ushering in the NRM Bus Company and it’s Steady Progress. “The total cost is 30 million and the who gross cost at Kololo is 2.2 billions” (Breaking News Uganda, 09.04.2016). The 30 million is the value of the 140 cakes, the rest of the NRM celebration at Kololo independence grounds! “Today’s NRM election victory party at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds cost Shs 1.5 billion according to the party’s Secretary General Kasule Lumumba” (The Observer, 09.04.2016). No matter if it 2,2 Billion or the 1,5 billion on a victory celebration. That is just too much and waste of government funds while the State House and Defense Ministry needed grand amounts of shillings for the event.

People from Kampala is not attending the Celebration as the villagers are ferried in, just as the NRM Bus Company is famous for, even when they offer money and food for the attendance at the Celebration of the Election Victory. For Boda-Boda and Taxis they are offering free fuel for the ones who are driving people the Kololo.

They have even used government school buses to get people to come to Kololo like this, the Kigezi High School bus have been used to get people there.

The NRM is celebrating winning the election and the Supreme Court verdict, still the way they did it should be celebrated as they have controlled the whole election and celebrating that is just pissing on the democratic values and the truth accountability for justice for the ordinary Ugandans, and instead they are all now respecting Don Museveni.

Jose Chameleone is having yet another concert for the Don and proving his loyalty to him and the crowds before the Don arrives on stage to say that he deserved 80% of the votes and that the country should have been better sanitized for the message of the movement. The values of the racket and that he is alone the kingpin of the country.

What the NRM Party said this:

“A very beautiful morning to you all. We thank you for voting and supporting NRM in the just concluded elections. Join us today and be part of the national celebration for the victory of our candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. Lets celebrate together.. The victory is ours”. (NRM, 09.04.2016).

The NRM enjoys celebrating themselves and their ability to use their buses to get people to listen to their paid entertainers and the Don Museveni. So the NRM finish the General Election the same way they started. Ferrying Voter Tourists to the Kololo Independence Grounds as they also did in November 2015. Peace.

NRM Bus Company Ltd – “Ferrying crowds for the benefit of Party NRM-O”; In Service since 3. November 2015!

The National Resistance Movement Bus Company Limited started its operation on the Presidential Nominations Rally on the 3rd November 2015. The buses was used from the districts and picking up ‘Crime Preventers’ to the Campaign venue. As the successful launch was not without defects as the Company stranded the people in Kampala instead of ferrying them home.

The NRM Bus Company has verified the actual value of their “car-park” as they have 168 buses. Which is being used to serve the company and make sure they deliver people to the campaign venues; the people themselves don’t want to show up without being payed and getting a free ride there. The people who usually doesn’t attend the rallies as the villages and small towns to get to the main venues to see Bebe Cool, Jose Chameleone and the Executive Director of the NRM Bus Company Honorable Yoweri K. Museveni. The one man who has used some of his funds to start the company!  

In the November 2015 alone the Bus Company used UGX 140m on the expenses on the company side (Alliance for Campaign, 2015).

Operational Launch of the Company:

On the initial launch of the company for the nomination rally the Company used the NRM Secretariat UGX 45m to have enough funds to get people from Lyantonde and Mubende to Kololo Independence Grounds on the 3rd November 2015. From the Area the Company had promised to send 15 buses, but only 9 showed up; so the Company did not deliver that day to expectation in the area. Buses from Kololo were also using the service of the Company from Kabale to the campaign venue.  

To the Luweero rallies the Buses was pre-occupied to get the people from the villages to the venues on the 9^th November 2015. They ferried Crime Preventers that was stranded after the Kololo break-down to the rallies in Luweero.

On the 25^th November the rally in Kotido town, where people from the villages had been ferried to; but the Company had also engagements in other parts to secure attendance for the party that owns the Company, though the delivery was sub-par in Kotido as the people we’re stranded as the Company was not prepared to facilitate people home on that occasion.

The Operation on 12^th December the Company had a successful business as they used 30 buses from Mbale to Bududa. The ones that took the opportunity that day in Mbale got UGX 5k and free yellow t-shirt.

The Company suffered a big set-back in Mbale at 12^th December as the truck-drivers was not fairly compensated or the former pledges of the NRM Company was not being kept. Even when a Government Official in the Region District Commander (RDC) was going to negotiate with the Company men, they still refused.

On the 18^th December the Company had a sufficient delivery as the Campaign in Tororo was filled to the brim with no locals and that people from all corners was payed to attend the rallies that day. The people came the day before and Company surely did get people to the event on the 19^th of December.

On the 4^th January in Kabale towards the main rally at the Kabale Stadium, from all around the villages in the district buses was travelling and giving money to attend the campaign rally. The amount of cost for this rally was expected to cost the company UGX 500m.

They had operations at the 6^th January in 2016 to get people from Ntungamo to Rukungiri to make sure that the people arrived safely to the Rukungiri campaign venue. The worst part of the delivery was the village people who had joined and taken part of the services on the 6^th January in Kihihi, was stranded at the Kihihi Police Station; so the Bus Company did not live up to expectations.

On the 10^th January in Isingiro the Crime Preventers was the one who was attending the Campaing Rally, while the locals walked home, successful in the way the Company got Crime Preventers to the venue, but the locals did not use the service.

In January they had a central in Mbarara while making sure the affiliations and hired extended companies like 11^th January the Global Buses to ship people to the Campaign venues. As the 13^th January hired another buses to make sure they got people from the districts around the area to get people to Bushenyi.    

On the 2^nd February the Company fixed trucks and buses to get people to the Sembabule rally of the owning party, but did not facilitate to get people home, as they we’re stranded, the Company was off to other engagements and rallies; was also not ordered to get people back home after the rally.

On the 4^th February the Company used it resources and got people as far as Kalangala to be a part of the rally at Masaka. They used rented and owned trucks from the long distance areas to make the full with people.

On the 8^th February to be able to have enough people for the rallies that day, the Bus Company had operations in the Busoga Region, giving T-Shirts and UGX 20k and the ride to the campaign venues of the day. As the locals that day would not attend on the rallies there.

On the 10^th of February the Company had troubles with the arrangement and buses where in the shop so the service delivery was substandard and therefore the amount of people at rallies in Entebbe as the mechanical problems destroyed the result of the company that day.

On the 11^th February the Company had hired Global to be successful again getting people from Mbarara to Kampala to attend the venue graced by the company.

Today (12.02.2016)  in Kampala the NRM Bus Company have been busy with offering ferrying services from Central Parts of city to Kawempe main rally, as the operations drops UGX 5k as the Bus Service was in operations in Kampala.

Basic Part of the Operation of the NRM Bus Company Limited: 

As we see the operations since the beginning has not been perfect, but that is to blame for the mobilisers who has not address the central organizations as Mike Ssebalu as the NRM Campaign Task Manger or Gen. Tukumunde “the money man” who hasn’t fixed the money from the owning party. As the NRM Bus Company is not yet a fully functional enterprise or limited company as it will be after the 19^th February. Then the NRM Bus Company Limited will both dissolve and sell the buses, so they can be customized for those who want the buses that have tested the worst roads of the country while driving from village to village. Our main spokesman in Ofwono Opondo who will delegate the issues that you have through the Uganda Media Centre, while Jim Muhwezi and his men in the Ministry of Information and National Guidance, as they take the questions you may have on the NRM.ug as that is in their working title. So the Press if they have issues should either address Hon. Opondo or Hon. Muhwezi. The Executive will just address the bus-matter if the participation is fully in his hand and not set standards by anybody else. If you have issues with procurement or allocations as the party sometimes as owner delivers the payments slow, be assured the Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda will come with the necessary facilitation to make sure the venue and people have the money that they deserve for being a part of the Bus Company, A customer and also a citizen at the same time. Peace.

Reference:

Alliance for Campaign – ‘MONITORING CAMPAIGN EXPENSES DURING THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD’ – PROGRESS REPORT NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2015

Mzee had today a weak campaign rally at MUBS (Nakawa, Kampala) today; As the crowd left when the musicians done playing! (Footage of it!)

A Politician that people is tired of, as we saw in Isigniro where the public and locals went in the middle of Mzee speech. The Youth of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) or Nakawa and locals, went away from the campaign rally today when they had seen and listen to Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool; then they we’re ready to take a Sambusa or rollex in town instead of listening to the same old pledges of the President. This should be a worrying side for NRM as the YOUTH doesn’t eat his words and pledges, instead they comes for free music and entertainment, not HIM! Or his National Resistance Movement…

How did the NRM get people there today:

“People of Nakawa division a suburb of Kampala City today got a share of the taxes they pay when the Ugandan dictator Yoweri Kaguta Museveni went to campaign in their constituency.  Not only empty yellow buses were moving around carrying people to Makerere University Business School but also taxis were moving all over the division. This time it was clearly seen when these vehicles were making stop overs in various places carrying people to MUBS the center of campaign for Mu7 today.  Each time a person enters the vehicle, he or she is given 10,000/=(Ten thousand Uganda shilling cash)”. 

(A rumor) I don’t know is true but:

The NRM owns 148 Buses and has 15 Trucks to ferry people under their “NRM Bus Company” or “NRM Transport Limited”. As their main business since Nomination Day in November 2015 has been Voter Tourism. What does the people say? Peace.

 

Finale Stages of the Pre-Election Period; my thoughts on the lost leades of opposition; NRM losing ground; while FDC has the momentum!

When we going into the final stages of the pre-election period. This here has been interesting and will continue to be as the final works of the parties, the electoral commission and the other actors into action in the final phase.

There are two or three missing pieces for me in this time, silent leaders who has been like blown in the wind; they have been cast into shadows and need a strong flash-light to reappear on the surface. If there was like American Milk-Carton they would be “missing”.

First up! I wonder what is up with is the UPC, Uganda People’s Congress, not their sold-out NRM henchman Jimmy Akena, then you are wrong, he doesn’t even have the ability to scrap enough funds to pay up the nomination fees for the parties MPs and LCV men and woman, which should make his father turn in his grave somewhere; together with the pact together with Museveni. But Akena is not the one missing from the political map, the one is Honorable Olara Otunnu, I am not sure if he really is on the campaign trail with Amama Mbabazi as he was loyal and confident in the The Democratic Alliance in September 2015, while Akena was taking down the UPC flag at the compound. There has since then been drama and escalation of political struggle between them, that till this day is not fully resolved because of the arrogance them both. Playing a game between them for the Presidency in the oldest party in the country! What I miss is the wise-man and accurate touch of the political landscape that Hon. Otunnu has been like a shadow. A missing component that could have made a difference for the opposition and showed more progress of the political parties, which he could have been. Please Mr. Hon. Otunnu come back!

Second man that I wonder where is Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party, the whole party sounds like it has dissolved. He is in the same league of Justice Party (JEEMA) leader Asuman Basalirwa is the third leader who is gone in the wind. They are leaf’s that hasn’t surfaced between the bottles of Fanta Berry and Matooki while listening to KFM Radio. They are maybe part of the TDA. Still they are not anywhere in the landscape, they could be eaten by wild lions for what the public interests knows.

Norbert Mao has been visible but not for the right reasons, unlawfully violated by the Police in Acholiland, while campaigning for another candidates in his Democratic Party in the Northern Uganda. Norbert Mao himself will not be voted in for the Gulu Municipality, because of the Electoral Commission want somebody else to represent the DP there, as it is a stronghold of the party. Mao has been loyal towards Mbabazi and the TDA since he arrived there from the wilderness in September in 2015.

Erias Lukwago has not been missing, he has been in the spotlight and together with FDC; here and there ever since the Nomination rally in November in 2015. Hon. Lukwago has been representing Gen. Sejusa at the recent court trail before he was sent to Luzira, he has had issues with the Police in Kampala as he started his campaign for Mayoral position again, as he won it in 2011.

The NRM has continue to ferry and Voter Tourism; NRM could have their own bus-company and ferry people after the election with Ofwono Opondo as the spokesman for the company as they can recharge the Uganda Media Centre and add a Costumer friendly app to tell when the buses are in the district; something they should already operate since November 2015. NRM bus company comes to rescue if need a hitch a bus from Mbarara to Lwengo or to Masindi!

As I am talking about: NRM has paid for their flag-bearers recently they paid UGX 20m each. They have 32178 of them. That is a massive amount of funds. Just to put in perspective the total fee is UGX 643,560bn that the party has splashed out. While the FDC payed the MPs nominations fees of UGX 800m, which tells the difference between the parties.

Mzee has ferried people for weeks on weeks, that has not been the only thing, his fellow loyal companion for ages Hon. Sam Kutesa has tried to pay people 20k each for not showing up for rallies in Sembabule district, as much as that did not work. NRM has also tried stifling Go-Forward rallies with destroying campaign material, paying security detail to shift to NRM, and also trying to pay boda-boda drivers from not doing their job; to get people from the villages to rallies. The same the NRM has done to the FDC in the pre-election period; they can’t help themselves to try to corrupt the whole population, so they can mirror themselves in them. The sad thing for the NRM is that people is not buying into the cheap tricks of the NRM! 

Mzee is losing touch with his people so he had to relaunch his 20 year old autobiography “Sowing the Mustard Seed”. With a second edition; as his YES MEN says is a good idea. The thing it makes it look like is more publicity stunt than coving his achievements, something the original edition did in 1997. In 2016 his legacy is tarnished by the history of corruption, wars, power-struggle inside the NRM and paid cronies instead of bringing development and prosperity to Uganda as he promised after the coup d’état in 1986. This event today was a shallow event. As much as the speech he held the day before at the ‘Tarehe Sita’, one of the memorable days of the victory of the Ugandan armies. There is something missing from Mzee these days, as the spark is gone!

Even Gen. Benon Biraaro of the Farmers Party of Uganda (FPU) has said in the recent day this about Mzee: “I hear Mr Museveni and his NRM have started pledging sanitary pads, hoes and condoms, [but] such pledges cannot transform Ugandans economically”. That tells how spot-on Biraaro is. Biraaro might not be a top-candidate who fights together with big trio. As Mbabazi, Besigye and Museveni, still his words and ideas has tractions and should be listened to, since he speaks with his beating heart and common sense, something that is rare. As a NRA historical he can really dismiss Mzee on the grades of the struggle and reason for why they original fought for in the 1980s. Biraaro deserve credit and has been visible!

NRM the big monster has used it force in words recently spreading fear to the public in a fashion that is outrages. While they are talking and excessive towards the public! This is also manifested with the UPDF getting a bigger space in the pre-election period. The Police have ordered and gotten heavy equipment to make sure of being able to shut-down demonstrations, the post-elections that are expected by Parliament and NRM-Regime, as they have assured by Badru M. Kiggundu has already the election results in his pocket as his pay-rise proves loyalty to the NRM.

There even reports of supposed ferrying of Rwandan nationals to be shipped in on the General Election polling day on the 18th February, as they will vote in Kisoro and other districts close to the border of Rwanda. The need for using funds from the NRM-Regime to get this people to vote for Mzee!

Mzee doesn’t have appeal as he ones had. That has been seen in the districts as Dr. Kizza Besigye and the FDC Campaign Convoy has made the villages and towns on fire, they have prepared the towns, while the NRM have done the same, but with monies from cronies and hiring people to fix the towns yellow; which is different from the FDC that has been on their own and own machine, as they cleans towns roads and make the venues ready for the People’s President! Something that differs from the NRM; NRM has bought loyalty and only a little part of rallies are die-hards. As the people show-up to see Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool, even the magical Crime Preventers and ferried crowds.

Andrew Mwenda continues to praise Mzee until the bitter end, his own person from the KFM Radio as Radio Host would vomit while reading and listening the words coming out his mouth and articles, he is even published page on page in the New Vision. Tamale Mirundi will both praise Mzee and pull him down, while sounding as a confused hyena until the end of the pre-election period.

NRM is doing what they can to prepare for fear! More fear the better is the tool of the NRM. As Ofwono Opondo is sharing on the Uganda Media Centre; while Gen. Sejusa is imprisoned, Gen Tukumunde and Gen Katumba Wamala is continuing to work as partisan politicians for the NRM, as Gen. Sejusa is not allowed to the same for the FDC! The Same with Gen. Kayihura in the Police Force is working as NRM-Police. Something that should not occur; though it is the modus operandi of the NRM-Regime; their generals can work as they please.

The one thing bothers me, and should bother others who follow’s this pre-elections time. Amama Mbabazi and his Go-Forward Group I must question. Mbabazi is saying to be a NRM-Member still he is an independent Presidential Candidate under his own umbrella. And as a Joint Presidential Candidate for the opposition coalition TDA! If he is a Go-Forward/TDA candidate and being still a part of the ruling party NRM. It is understandable he has ties in the party that he has used his life in. Mbabazi sounds wrong… and make me doubt his will of Going Forward! As he still says he has a foot inside a National Resistance Movement. He can’t be either or!

There will be more interesting things to follow, as the UPDF will drive more through the streets of Kampala as a sign of the election coming near, and the Bush-War general of Museveni, can’t leave the guns to speak for himself, as that is the only tool he knows how to use properly, as he is not a great statesman as he should have been by now! Instead the cronies, militarism, fear, pre-rigging, police shooting and killing, and much more will happen in the coming days. Even with the Electoral Commission, with EOM missions from COMESA, EU, Commonwealth and the EAC. They will not this before after in their reports, as the Government of Uganda has told of the American Embassy as they came with a poll describing the percentage of Mzee lower than Besigye. Peace.