Opinion: EU Envoy Schmidt are an speaking like an NRM apologist similar to Ofwono Opondo over Besigye’s 2016 Election defiance!

I feel sorry for European Union Envoy Kristian Schmidt who are now sounding like a National Resistance Movement (NRM) apologist, instead of an independent spirit and understanding of the short-falls of the NRM Regime. He seems to been misunderstanding what happen during the General Election 2016. Surely, he wants the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Dr. Kizza Besigye, to say it just water under bridge and let it go. Since the Supreme Court followed the orders of the 31 Years and counting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. First introduce some of the beautiful words of Ofwono Opondo, before the Kristian Schmidt’s foolish interview with Daily Monitor, before enlightening fellow European of his ignorance or forgetting the blatant impunity towards Besigye and FDC in and around the General Election 2016. Since he has forgotten while drinking Nile Brew in the Embassy and going on Safaries with his dignitaries. Surely, Schmidt must feel good about himself!

““In this election, Besigye gained 1.5 million votes compared to two million votes he got in 2011 while Museveni’s gain was a paltry 500,000. To the NRM strategists, this is the most shocking, indeed worrying trend, and having located the cause as being our messaging, strategy, campaign style, internal laxity, occasioned fraud and widespread bickering. We shall not blame anybody else except ourselves. Actually, to be frank, we were almost swept away by our collective failure to robustly respond to the Opposition demagoguery on issues of youth unemployment, despair among the urban population, poor and yet expensive public service delivery and bad public relations, especially to distribution of soft campaign cash that often got stolen along the way among other issues. This, to the Besigye camp, should give hope that with better strategic organisation, not only falsehoods, they can in the future topple NRM through the ballot instead of being bad losers” (…) ““The claims of rigging, especially at the last minute through alleged intimidation of candidates’ agents, ballot stuffing, falsification or alteration of results on tally and declaration sheets and at announcements are perturbing and incredibly unbelievable. These could pass as truth if the peddlers could at least adduce some verifiable evidence from eyewitnesses and documents in their possession that differ from those of the EC, which ought to be available from the multiple sources, including the media that observed these elections” (Opondo, 2016).

So when a NRM spokesperson and Uganda Media Centre director had to come in defense of his master. In the aftermath and with the current illegitimate government. Who has no problems in misusing the government funds and had no problem rigging the election in their favor. As the FDC had massive scores of leaders behind bars, had people with Declarations Forms from Polling Stations at Gun-Point, had their Headquarter barricaded and sealed off, Besigye was under house-arrest and the story goes on. Not an adventure, but a true theft a nation. Still Schmidt says this to the FDC and former Presidential Candidate:

“He added: “That is of course an issue that is dividing but I think it would have been good to come together and discuss. It has not happened and election reforms seem to be not going forward.” (…) “The law of Uganda is what it is: the conditions of petitions are what they are, and for a petition to be successful you have to do a lot of homework. Under your Constitution I believe you have little time, 10 days. I know one of the recommendations of the Supreme Court is to extend that time which I believe makes sense.” (…) “ He said “I think if Dr Besigye was convinced before elections that he would not be happy with the outcomes and the process, he should have been the one to petition. He should have prepared for that but he decided before that he was not going to and under the rule of law.” (Musisi, 2017).

EU Envoy to Uganda Kristian Schmidt, I know you visited him while on undetermined house-arrest. Since the Police Force had been stationed in Kasangati, Wakiso for so long days before the election and until May 2016. When he was able to escape and have his own swearing-in ceremony, before air-lifted to Moroto, where the state charged him with Treason charges. Which he still carries today, he is an arch-criminal and seen as an enemy of the state. Than after all of this, you talk about rule of law, justice and courts. Like Dr. Kizza Besigye haven’t had his time in court, haven’t been detained on more occasions than ordinary thief, even more than average murderers in the Republic.

So, the FDC was unable to counter with a petition, Amama Mbabazi was the only one able to fill in a form or petition. Because FDC has done so after General Election 2011. So it is like the EU Envoy for Uganda Schmidt is not in concern anymore of all the breaches that happen to Besigye. Like the whole House-Arrest period, the whole part of the general assault on the rule of law considering the elections and polls. The self sufficient pre-ticket ballots and Badru Kiggundu’s own special math-class. The statistics and the vicious attempt of forging the whole election in favor of President Museveni.

It like he wants the one on Treason Charges since May 2016, since the coup d’etat in February 20^th 2016, when the Electoral Commission announced the result. That as the whole NRM and state organization was behind the whole ordeal. Even the European Election Observation Mission and the Commonwealth Election Observation Mission was explaining the massive flaws of the General Election. Still, the EU Envoy want Besigye just to let it go.

Let’s take his first reasoning, since it is shows his true passion, the Danish dignitary: “Now if this was in any other democracy, like in some European countries, it would be unacceptable that the Opposition party does not then recognise the winner of the elections” (Musisi, 2017). If this was an election in Europe, all of these ploys of the NRM wouldn’t have happen. Not normally, that the army is used to intimidate, that local leaders are paid-off with new cars, that ballot are pre-ticket ballots and all powers to be to silence the FDC. Together with the obvious rigging and mismatch of acts in favor of Museveni. If this would not have happen in a European elections and EU Envoy to Uganda knows this. That why it is remarkable that he says about Besigye.

Besigye knows better and the Ugandan people knows so. They are not fools, even if Schmidt is sounding like Ofwono Opondo and has taken lectures from Andrew Mwenda. He surely has hanged in the same bars in Kampala as these two. To sound so blatant ignorant and so forgetful. Peace.

Reference:

Opondo, Ofwono – ‘The media shouldn’t parrot Opposition false claims’ (28.03.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Media-parrot-Opposition-false-claims/-/689364/3135890/-/2m2g7v/-/index.html

Musisi, Fredric – ‘Besigye refusal to recognise government not helpful – EU envoy’ (09.07.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Besigye-refusal-recognise-government-not-helpful-EU-envoy/688334-4006606-er8gyr/index.html

Mzee issues statement on the recent election; let me discuss certain exemptions; because it is not worth read the whole statement from the President; at the same time take the statement from the Statehouse on the 25th February; as they both are worth to counter!

I will hear go through the basic statements, I will not offer the President of Uganda, his excellency the whole article as he in my opinion doesn’t deserve it as his police is harassing innocent opposition people and people visiting opposition people. Therefore as that happens this here will be an exercise of questioning the quotes I feel matters from his recently released article, but we know that President Museveni loves himself. That is easily showed through the article that I now has questioned. Take alook!

His vision of what he has done since 1986:

“Since 1986 we have successfully defended the revolution against a whole spectrum of counter-revolutionaries and terrorists, many sponsored by external forces.  We, therefore, as in the resistance wars, used bullets to successfully defend the Revolution” (Museveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President, but it is okay that you were supported during the bush-war of Colonel Gaddafi of Libya during the 1980s, but hey! You needed the support and blessing from them and that is the difference, right? The same has been with the continuation after gaining power having and getting support from United States for his armies to fight the wars. That they don’t want to engage in, but that is okay, right? Since you talking about bullets, is that the same you use against the people who demonstrates and dies as they oppose your reign or have they not understood your revolution that you seem to own?

Direct Service Delivery:

“Even then, that should not have been the vote we should have got given the work NRM has done, especially in the area of infrastructure (roads, electricity, schools, health centres, piped water, etc.) and also in the area of peace and security.  We should have got 80% in my opinion” (Museveni, 1986).

Well, Mr President, the issues of governance while following the magical works of the NRM, there can nearly in any district show that the money is not going where it supposed to, the roads are not built or in a sub-standard way, except for the ones that are built by direct investments or donor aid from foreign powers. The schools are depleting, the UMEME is half of the time on, the other half on, always a district where the electricity is gone. I could go on, but a bit boring Mr. President, right? You have given a peace and security, but to what price when you go against everybody who is not you ally. The country has national security, but the public is not safe as the people who are opposition can be detained for just existing and you address the people of Kampala rats as they votes opposition is not validating your own people. Your opinion that you deserve 80% is something you to have talk about with Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu and he might can alter the results they was on the 18^th February; as he has already assured you 60% and with the strength of the opponent you keep under house-arrest. You should think about the rigging strategy and might splash out more money under the next pre-election period, maybe even earlier than a month before the polls.

His own leaders under him:

“The other mistake is the selfishness and dishonesty of some of the NRM leaders.  When money is sent to do political work, these leaders steal it.  The money that was sent to help the Village Committees to buy stationery was stolen by some leaders.  The masses come to know about it and they, really, get annoyed.  Those who stole that money must refund it or be arrested.  It is not only the dishonesty; but there is the attitude of only undertaking missions for money” (Museveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President you have set the premise when you let people eat grant-money and secure funding projects never existing, while eating the money. As long as you have splashed money to loyal subjects who creates ghost schools and teachers than you have made the dinner and dessert, but only the subject that got the money got to eat; not the public in the constituency or county in question. The thing is that you should give back all the money you have been embezzling before the cronies does, as the nations has higher debt now than ever because of the monetary policies you have made in recent years. So that your loyal cadre steals money on your watch and does not get punished, is a token of your leadership and your values, as you know than they can be bought and shut-up for a lollipop while you take a ride in your expensive car to your extravagant farm.

Leadership culture in the Parliament:

“This spirit was undermined by the ego-centric MPs that were misusing their presence in Parliament and the vague Constitution of 1995 on the issue of remuneration for Public Servants to award themselves huge salaries.  This selfishness and short- sightedness transformed the MP job from being a mission – oriented job to being a rewarding job for the individuals involved” (Museveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President, these MPs are often the men you have handpicked during the selections in inner-party circle, you’re the primary leader and de-facto chief of them. You see the premise of how the parliament is conducted as even general in the army said publicly that they fear you. You have made them selfish, as you are selfish and the centre of attention, as nothing gets put forward unless you have stamped. That has been told by many sources Mr. President. You have yourself together with loyal cadres offered cars, higher salaries, higher nominations fees for MPs and that they need to earn back, secondly: there been steady reports under Ninth Parliament that the MPs got paid to vote “Yes” or for a law that was in favour of your stance and for that they got millions of shillings each. That is the vision you give them and how your cadre and loyalty model feed the MPs and Parliament. So you have made this leadership structure and the way the usage of Parliament is. So you have been rewarding them for this behaviour and wanted them to act this way.

What NRM always do:

“We were able to give a knock-out on the first round to the opposition, as we always do, because of, mainly, four factors: promoting unity among the people; peace; electricity; and the new tarmac roads in areas that had never seen much development” (Museveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President if your rigging the votes calling it a knock-out, or the police and military continue to presocute and arrest fellow opposition while calling out for unity is a little wrong. If you really wanted peace and unity you would not arrest and detain Amama Mbabazi and Dr. Kizza Besigye. You would not get a helicopter to throw tear-gas into the FDC headquarter in Najjankumbi, but that is just me Mr. President. If you really won a knock-out, wouldn’t the streets been filled with people in similar ways the Kampala went blue on 5^th November 2015. As your hired Crime Preventers at Kololo was stuck in town after your rally the day before, I am sure you’re neglecting or trying to forget that fact.

Last remarks:

“The NRM Secretariat must be very active in sensitizing our masses” (…)”We have the capacity to resolve the residual problems, one by one.  That is why the opposition in Uganda is an endangered species” (Museveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President have called them rats, now the opposition is endangered species, this kind of talk proves the values that the President owns up to. It is a dangerous ways that the NRM secretariat should be active to clear the opposition behaviour and thinking by sensitizing it, as well as the problems shall be resolved one-by-one as the opposition will be destroyed as it is an “endangered species”. He must see how this rhetoric and words complied with the security outfits arrests, detaining, house-arrests and violence towards them does not clear the masses or the population, but instead make him and his party look like a militarized politician who incarcerate the citizens and makes them subjects who follows his orders, instead of making up their own minds, as the police continuously attacks the oppositions.

As you see, I got bored by the fact of the article that President Museveni is discussing the victory, but not telling the reality of the victory or how he got the crowds to all those rallies as he paid so much money and spent so much funds to ferrying crowds. As he struggled many places to get them to come! As eye-witnesses said there we’re people in the area they had never seen before, something he did certainly not to write about. We all know why because that notion hurts his pride and honour, especially also his beloved National Resistance Movement aka the Movement.

Now that I have discussed his article, let me just briefly look at some aspects of the rant the State House of Uganda dropped on social media on the 25^th February:

“A lot of (Opposition leaning) ‘Facebookers’ are alleging that the ‪#‎NRM rigged the election. That is all ‪#‎NOISE or even ‪#‎TANTRUMS.

* Why don’t you get and/or provide evidence and go to courts of law?”(State House Uganda, 2016).

Well, you writer of the State House, you have missed one important aspect, how can the opposition create any evidence or any indication on the rigging into a fully-fledged paper or petitions, when your army and police arrests, detains, house-arrests and beat the opposition aides, officials and leaders. It is not easy to send petitions in to Court when your operations are being sieged by the security outfits. That is direct orders from the State House and the incumbent President! I am sure the State House would struggle to do proper work if the locals in Entebbe would siege the buildings and have guns around the gates, telling who to come in or go out. But that is just me!

Let me continue as the rants of the State House continues apparently:

“If the elections have been rigged, let’s hear from the winning Opposition candidates (MPs, Mayors, Councillors) to that effect – otherwise their behaviour smacks of double standards. Did they win through rigging?

* Losing NRM candidates (including 24 Ministers) have exhibitied political maturity by conceding unlike losing Opposition candidates and supporters who shout ‘rigging’.

* It is the Opposition who have been rigging knowing that the NRM still has widespread support in the country.

* Talk or comment in your individual capacity – don’t assume that your opinion is that of all Ugandans or readers” (State House Uganda, 2016).

Well, State House writer certain winning MPs from the Opposition has come with the claimes Francis Mwijukye, Ibrahim Ssemujje Nganda, Nathan Nandala-Mafabi and the list goes on. So the State House has a deaf ear or only reading into things as they see fit. It is not double standards; it is just that they don’t have faith in a system where the majority of winner seemingly fits the NRM-Regime, while the reality on the ground has not been likely for that. But the State House is directly paid by the President, so surely your loyalty lay to him and not with the people. The NRM candidates are surely been spoon-feed and secured their position in the hierarchy of loyal cadre, certain NRM losing MPs has been violent used police forces to attack the courts like in Lira, or the men in Gulu who went all out to change the results. There is also the stories of Kasese and other areas where the NRM losing MPs has not showed maturity, as we also saw the maturity of the NRM when the Independent NRM candidates lost the NRM Primaries, but that is just me right?

The opposition would not have issues keeping Declaration Results Forms if they we’re rigging the elections as the Police are putting FDC officials at gun-point and putting the Headquarters of the party under siege, if they was rigging the elections, there would also most likely been more FDC or opposition party MPs. The actions of security agents and outfits proves that they have not done so, if so it would be foolish as the NRM and the Police are close connected in the works of rigging this election to the benefit of the man who secures the salaries of the writer from the State House. That means your blind loyalty is proven in this text and your rant is not better or worse than the opposition on social media. The difference is that the opposition get behind bars while you drink tea in safety.

I know that my comments is far from what everybody’s view in Uganda, as I am a man who has no problem to counter everybody. At this moment I doubt I do so. If I did that, then the Mr. President hadn’t needed to write this article defending his “knock-out win” or the State House writing their rant! As much as your view is not the ones everybody in Uganda stand by either, while you complain of the rants online, you did the same; to defend the State House and the master of the House; President Museveni. Your defence of the matter and the election is weak tea and giving a bitter after taste. We all have seen the party partisan ideas and acts of the police have become and is now used as a tools for the President. This is something the writer of the State House of Uganda certainly knows by now!

Well, Mr. President, I did not like the rhetoric of your article and the way you described that people would not understand certain aspects that is disrespectful of your own people.

Let me show one phrase:  

“I talk of moneylessness, rather than poverty.  This is because the poverty statistics are not easily understood by the public“ (Musveni, 2016).

Well, Mr. President, thank you for disrespecting the ones who so-called gave you a knock-out victory as they can’t understand statistics, if that is so, haven’t you had 30 years to teach them that, if that a lost cause since they live in poverty or are money-less while your government supposedly collecting more revenue, but while the numbers are higher so is also the issuing of money and the amount of money is connected to value of the currency over the 30 years, the 100 shillings used in 1980s cannot buy as much today as it could back then, right? So the steady inflation and deteriorating of monetary policy has surely not made the economic climate better, as much as the education who cannot be understood by the general public; your wrote that yourself Mr. President, not me. That says enough for that you have neglected certain parts of the education and the levels of understanding of own society as they cannot be trusted with statistics while you in your own article live on dropping number of collected tax. As you do not show the value of the shilling or the rates that gives real indication of the revenue made by this. But that would not be good for your result or argument, right, Mr. President?

I know you won’t read what I have written, I doubt any of your cronies, but surely somebody will catch a whiff of it. As they can question your words and behaviour as they should. 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.

Mzee is either in the darkness of the forest or walking in the banana-plantation; he surely have no plans to leave; that is the true #SteadyProgress

It’s hard for me to write this in all seriousness. Since I writing about an African President whom himself said this in 1986: “The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power” (Ross, 2011).  The President in particular is His Exellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda for 29 years and counting!

Mzee said this in 1980 while running as a presidential candidate:

“Using a government position to a mass wealth is high treason. If the UPM is not going to be supported because it denounces such methods of getting rich, let it be”.

This he said while campaigning in Bushenyi and Mbarara districts(Weekly Topic, August 27. 1980).

So Mzee have  had a few points back in the day and knew this was an issues. Now he deflects  them to the extreme, to a point where it nearly get’s boring. Still here is his recents comments on the matter of riches and staying in power.

This was what Mzee said in November 2015:

““I have my own job at home of keeping cattle. Why would I stay when I have been defeated in the elections? I am not power hungry but I have missions to accomplish. I can’t leave without finishing with them” (Kazibwe, 2015).

Well, he has promised to step-down before, doubt he means this for long or even if this utter words was sincere other than for a show. This was for show from Mzee because of the coming Papal visit in Uganda (all seriousness the visit happen around 2 weeks after this interview). Well, let me continue on what he has said over the new-years and his ordinary modus operandi. When the pope has left the country and he could do what he normally do!

Mzee saisd this on 5^th January 2016:

“I have been hearing people accusing me of sticking around; that I don’t want to leave government. Why would I want to stay in government?” (…)”First of all I am a very rich man. I have a lot of wealth and therefore it cannot be riches that I am seeking in government” (Waswa, 2016).

Well, you have in been in power since 1986. That is sticking around for a while in government and as executive power for nearly three decades. We know you are rich you have a giant farm in Ankole, you and your families own a dozen businesses, some hotels and even some transport businesses as well. You started earning big bucks on transport under the DRC war in the 90s, but that is a nearly forgotten chapter for you and your brother Salim Selah, right? Still you’re in government because you fear what will happen if you leave it. Especially when there is oil-money soon coming into the accounts of Uganda and you want that slice to. The minerals and wood from Kisangani will be small-fry a bogoya. Well, we know about that and as your businesses and family businesses can be lost if you leave government. Therefore you want to secure those, it is a valid argument to stick around in government for wealth as man men make their wealth that way, one of the reason why you went to the bush to eradicate corruption and embezzlement. Well, that chapter is also forgotten and loyal cronies is more and more important therefore we have NRM-Independent and NRM Flag-Bearers in the coming elections, this is new and the NRM-Independents are breach of inner-party law. We know it is okay as long as Mzee,says it’s okay; he even pays the fees for the NRM-Independents to the Electoral Commission. This is to gain their loyalty as well as the ones the members picked in the district and sub-county. That is beautiful right? So, that is the reason why people wonder why you stick around and what can you do now that you haven’t already done? Still, let’s continue to the 10^th January 2016.

Mzee said this on 10^th January 2016:

“cannot leave power now because all he planted has started bearing fruits” (…)”Those who say, let him go, let him go, they need to know that this is not the right time. This old man who has saved the country, how do you want him to go? How can I go out of a banana plantation I have planted that has started bearing fruits?” (…)”We can’t be in the middle of a forest and want the old man to go. This is not right. We must concentrate on development, my time will come and I will go. I don’t fear going because I have where to go, but we must first see where we go” (…)”We can’t be in the middle of a forest and want the old man to go. This is not right. We must concentrate on development, my time will come and I will go. I don’t fear going because I have where to go, but we must first see where we go” (Rumanzi, 2016).

Now he is proclaiming that he has made a country into a banana-plantation, where it is finally bearing fruits. That means sweat bananas with good yields. That must be from the mustards seed he planted in 1986. Wait, this isn’t a mustard farm, but still the metaphor can be extended to the Banana farm. Yes, he has made the country into a Banana farm or should I say a banana republic. Now that all of that was daft, but the point is clear.

The economic state is getting dire in Uganda, the loans rate on the government budget is going up while the aid and donor funds goes down. While the oil-price lowers before the oil-monies are getting in. The sale of coffee is growing but it has not the yielded price on it neither is the sale of the tea. Like they are not producing enough sugar for consumption and have to import from Kenya.

IMF in July 2015 wrote in their report this: “Short-term benefits of the oil price decline have been less pronounced in Uganda than in other countries in the region. In the past nine months, petrol average pump prices have declined by 10 percent in domestic currency”.

He surely isn’t done by seeing all the campaign teams struggling with the villages roads his been building since 1986. Since FDC Campaign Convoy have been stuck in Rwenzori and in certain northern districts, while Mzee himself needed a military vehicle to be able to get to campaign rallies in Abletong. Well, the Banana-plantations don’t need a good road as long as the banana gets to market?

Or is it the growing amounts of districts, sub-counties and municipalities? Is that your proud work to make sure that that every corner of the country have a local council to control 1000 people and have loyal payment from you?  That seems like the final goal while going through your banana-plantation. In 1967 there was only 18 districts, by 1989 where already 34 districts and 150 counties. By my reckoning in late 2015 there are 111 districts and 167 counties. So the numbers has grown staggering amount of districts and steady rise of counties. Was this the big plan in 1986 make sure that there 3 times over district then when you came to power?

You might feel that you’re in the forest and not really in the mellow place of the banana-plantation since the situation economically, infrastructure, youth-employment, industrial-development, police-violence and so on. There are much darkness in the forest and not any sweat yields of the banana-plantation. The development that you have left is surely questionable; secondly the legacy you’re leaving behind is not the ones you wish you had. You could have been a man who led to real progress and stand for something new.  Instead you’re the same old tribe of African leaders who overstays in power and does let other people rule.

The economic state, together with the lower prices on coffee and oil should be worrying. Together with edged prices on imports as Uganda imports are higher than their exports. The weaker currency and higher inflation makes the trading barrier even higher. There are so many signs that the general election together with the laws that parliament passes gives more and more power to the Executive and his regime. Ever since Public Order Management Act there been more and more laws who gives the government more stronghold over the public instead of giving them freedoms and opportunity to evolve and think on their own. The laws that gives the government carte blanche to borrow money through the new Public Finance Management Act; one section of this law says this: “Amendment of Section 36: (5a) In addition to subsection (5), a loan raised by the Government as a temporary advance by the Bank of Uganda, which does not extend beyond a financial year shall not require to be approved by the Parliament” (P5, 2015, PFMA). That says how the government can initially use the Bank of Uganda as an ATM, was that the problem you had in the forest or the fruits your having yield on the banana-plantation?

I know that you have no plan of stopping being in power, I am just wondering when you actual thought of leaving since you have been there as long as have lived. Something not many Presidents have done except your friend in Zimbabwe, and maybe aquatints like Paul Biya in Cameroon, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatoral Guinea. But hey, they are from francafrique countries so I only expect you smile at them when you arrive at African Union meetings in Addis Ababa. Since they know and you know that all the fellows who meet with decades ago are no longer there.

We know that what you said before new years are utter rubbish since you have promised before to step down and haven’t. That has happened before 2001 and before 2006. Even before you got the multi-party system back into place; Gen. Benon Biraaro said this early part of his campaign in 2015: “When we captured power in 1986, Mr Museveni promised to rule for only five years and after he will go and look after his cows, I never knew his cows would be Ugandans”.

Surely, if his still is in the forest or in the banana-plantation or even with his cows in Ankole, it is for certain he is still the executive power and will do what he can to keep that in 18^th February 2016 or make sure the counting is fixed to measure the right way. Mzee will make sure that the counting of the ballots from the Electoral Commission declares him the President, AGAIN! If not he has prepared the police with a bucket full billions of shillings for post-election violence. So he must have looked in the darkness of the forest and worried for the outcome. In the sense that he smells the people are not his anymore. They do not follow him blindly and let him guide them freely. The banana-plantation is not as peaceful as it once was; This means that Mzee is not directly entitled anymore, to get the fruits of the plantation without any questions, from the people who are working on it. Peace.

Reference:

Kazibwe – ‘Museveni: I am Ready to Hand Over Power If Defeated’ (19.11.2015) link: http://www.chimpreports.com/museveni-i-am-ready-to-hand-over-power-if-defeated/

Ross, Will – ‘Would Uganda’s Museveni recognise his former self?’ (07.05.2011) link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9477930.stm

Rumanzi, Perez – ‘I can’t leave power now – Museveni’ (10.01.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/I-can-t-leave-power-now—Museveni/-/688334/3027090/-/ldhhetz/-/index.html

Waswa, Sam – ‘It Is Never My Intention to Stick To Power – Museveni’ (05.01.2016) link: http://www.chimpreports.com/it-is-never-my-intention-to-stick-to-power-museveni/

NRM in Talks With Primaries Losers to Drop Intentions of Going Independent (Youtube-Clip)

“Tanga says the NRM losers are wasting time since they will meet the same voters who didn’t give them votes in the primaries” (NBS TV, 2015)