Opinion: The Parish Development Model is the same old scheme rebranded for 2021…

The newly introduced Parish Development Model (PDM) isn’t anything new. The state is continuing their game drive and trying to find their prey. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have launched all sort of money schemes to elevate the economy over the years. All of them have been quick-fixes, but not materialized. If it had… the state wouldn’t see the need to spend on yet another scheme of this fashion.

The NRM and President Museveni have launched all sort of schemes with similar outputs and lack of results. Just to take it all through the historical drive, which I did with the launch of Emyooga in 2020.

I got to rewind the winner of last year:

The Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) was launched in 1992 in the Republic. The second started with Entandikwa in 1995. When that ended in 2002, they launched National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). In 2004 they launched Rural Micro Finance Project. In the meantime there been launches of Micro Finances schemes for the public from donors and NGOs. In 2013 there was two new schemes, it was the Youth Livelihood Programme and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).

So, it is nothing new with the PDM. The PDM following the history of Emyooga, OWC, NAADS, Rural Micro Finance Project, Entandikwa and SACCOs. All of these should have made a difference and created a paradigm shift and a new financial reality for the citizens. However, they have never cut it and the reports on their deliveries have been shattering. They are a cash-cow for the elite and the inner-circle of the state. Who are getting quick deals with shell-companies and selling bad products for a giant cut. That is how things are ending up eventually.

The bits and bobs get crushed. The lack of funds and lack of proof of expenditure. The auditor general and others will drop knowledge on the wrongs of the scheme, but nothing happens. Even when the Parliament Committee looks through it all. The state machinery continues and its at a loss without any constructive results.

There will be someone who gets kickbacks and there will be “missing funds”. The PDM will follow suit of the others. Especially, when the state says it will be “wealth creation” at “parish levels”. This is practically rebranding OWC, SACCOs, NAADs and Emyooga. There is nothing new here, but a new name and a new budget post. The Office of the Prime Minister might have a new portfolio and another outlet to do state work.

Therefore, this is just relaunching the same thing with a new banner. A banner and a programme without any new proof of working. They are just relaunching … and rehashing old ideas with new names. The government are only doing this for cheap publicity and seemingly doing some grass-root work.

The PDM is bound to fail, because the other ones did as well. The money will be wasted and it is just a matter of time… before scandals are rocking this and the ones running it has to address it. That is how these are goes. There is not enough checks-and-balances plus the big-men has an excuse to eat. That is what is happening and the reasons for relaunching failures like these. Peace.

Opinion: Bobi Wine – Only two things in life is certain – Death and Taxes…

The Uganda Revenue Authority has ordered former Presidential candidate, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi to pay an extra UGX 337,698,776 in taxes before he can get back his armored car” (NBS Television, 22.04.2021).

In life there is always to certainties. There will either be death or taxes. Nothing else really certain. Well, except for impunity and excessive use of law towards dissidents and opposition in dictatorships.

This here is yet another one those… where the authorities was shocked that the opposition leader and National Unity Platform Presidential Contender Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine could muzzle together and get enough support for a bulletproof car. The remittance and support was so strong that they made it possible to purchase it for him.

Apparently, that gesture and ability to file the paperwork and get it concealed to the opposition was hurting the pride of the authorities. They had to retaliate and send a message. That is why after a long time of speculation and supposed works. They have now fined Bobi Wine and he has to pay a small fortune to get the car released. Surely, if he seeks relief in courts, they will dismiss it or not let it play.

Bobi Wine was destined to loose this one. Especially knowing how obsessed the President is with cars. The President nearly believes cars works as PPE against COVID-19. That is what he asked donors and companies to give to his government during the first lockdown. That’s why he was bugging at one address, that the companies hadn’t donated enough cars. So for the old man seeing the pictures of Bobi Wine flexing with a car must have hurt his pride. Bobi Wine got his pimped up ride and Museveni still drive his old Toyota Land Cruiser.

Well, this here is just a muster and a proof of a rigged system. This wouldn’t happen to a crony or an associate of the President. No, they would get cars for free and part of their office. The President would ensure that and they would also allowances on top of that. So, this is just retribution and trying to hurt the upstart.

The government have already gone after his friends, tried to purge his big-name comrades and taken away the freedom of plenty of others associated with Bobi Wine. So, taking his car is practically nothing in comparison to the drones, the abductions and political prisoners the state is keeping in their prisons.

Bobi Wine deserves better, but to expect that in 2021 is too much to ask. The Yellow Bus can only ride over its citizens, and only the compromised can take it for a ride. The rest is unlucky bystanders and walking citizens hit or knocked by the bus on the side-walk. That is just the way it is.

The Bulletproof car is only a proof of the vile and foolish reign of this President. The mismanagement and oppression. It is just the proof of the problems and the systemic maladministration. The NRM cannot offer anything better, because this is all they know and they are awaiting orders from the “high above”. That is why things ends up like this.

It is nothing new. It is a car today. Yesterday was the beret, the colour, the clothing, the party and the campaign itself. Everything Bobi Wine is illegal or have to be questioned. Since his existence by law is by definition “unlawful”. That is evident and until proven otherwise. That is what I believe. Peace.

Opinion: NUP is now following FDC’s Post-Election Programming

The National Unity Platform (NUP) after the January 2021 elections have the majority of the opposition in the 11th Parliament. Just the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) had in recent elections. Both the FDC and NUP have claimed the elections been rigged and righteously so. Still, they are playing the political games and taking positions in Parliament after. Therefore, their stance of the rigged elections falls flat when you buy into “positions” within the same political sphere.

If the NUP wants to be different then the FDC. Why are you playing into the same fold as them? There is only a name-change and the leader of the Party. The rest is more of the same. The same with Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine planning a tour across the Republic. That is no differences to all the different campaigns Dr. Kizza Besigye have launched over the years. That is all fine, but this isn’t creating something new. This is continuing the same charade and politicking that is lacking.

A glass is either half-full or half-empty. The glass either is soon running empty or have the ability to fill it with more water. That depends on how you look at it. For me, I want to be consistent. If I was against Winnie Kiiza standing as the Leader of Opposition in 2016. There will be wrong of the NUP to have Mathias Mpuuga or anyone else in the 11th Parliament as the ‘LoP’.

That is because both parties have flagged the same case and similar actions after the elections. They have stand the same ground and with similar principals. Therefore, the NUP is going into the same trap as the FDC. They are getting compromised by the ideals of a shadow government and perks of office in the 11th Parliament.

The NUP is supposed to challenge the NRM and General Museveni. However, if they go into the Parliament with this and take those titles. They are getting a cash-grab and getting compromised by becoming “high ranking” officials, instead of fighting the good fight. These are getting incorporated in the political sphere of the dictator. The man they are supposed to fight and get rid of in the first place.

They are going down the same rabbit hole and will caught in the same election cycle without any sort of proper avenue as a shelter for dissidents. To play second fiddle with the dictator and be within his rule will eat you alive. The Parliament will not shelter or ensure the safeguard of these values, but instead be a place for a quick pay-check and instant prospects of becoming a crony.

The NUP should have learned from the past, but now they are doing the same thing. There is no difference between the compromises of Muntu and the NUP selling out here. The radical NUP is becoming as mediocre as the Muntu faction of FDC, which became the ANT. Therefore, if you don’t like it. Check the track-record and see how it went.

Bobi Wine should know better and this gambit will trade-off his resilience. The NUP will become a “red” FDC instead of being its own entity. They will become the new established opposition, instead of being a possible successor to the NRM. The gamble and offering of the January 2021 polls for a cheap bargain of positions within the 11th Parliament. That is no different than what the “blue” did after the 2016 elections.

And I had no kind words for the Kiiza/Muntu actions post-2016 elections and I have no favours for Bobi Wine too. If he uses the same methods and moving post-2021 elections. Then the sacrifices and the costs to run was sold for a few silver coins. That is selling your political capital for cheap and short-sighted titles. The NUP deserves better, just like the FDC deserved as well. They are better than this, but greed can always overcome a ideological pathway. That has happened to others and now its the NUP’s turn to eat of the public plate. Peace.

National Unity Platform (NUP): Statement (19.04.2021)

Opinion: Kutesa lives in an alternative reality [and I needs to know how he got there]

Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa yesterday published a press release where he addressed Western Powers and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Which in itself is a natural thing to do for a Foreign Minister. Especially, when you want to address or explain certain situations for context to the international community. However, his so far from planet earth. He must either already entered Akon City or gotten a VIP ticket to Wakanda. Where I want to join him in the near future. Because, it must be bliss to live like him.

Kutesa is really out of line and lying out of his ass when his saying abductions doesn’t exist and arrests only happening through due process. The minister needs a reality check and maybe someone should enlighten him. He must living on pink cloud and drinking some powerful juices to not be able to apprehend the truth.

The Minister should connect himself with the Jeje Odongo and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. Even have a talk with the IGP Okoth-Ochola , Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerubaga and others who are associated with the abductions, kidnappings and unlawful detentions. There are several of reports and security outfits, which has been in direct connect with the “drones” or “Panda Gari’s”. That is the state effort before, during and after the elections this year. Therefore, Kutesa needs to get his mind right and corrected.

He knows perfectly well that this has occurred and happened in the Republic. His just hoping the International Community and these dignitaries are naive. That these folks knows nothing and will eat the lies of his hands. While civilians are getting court martial like soldiers. People are abducted and the state doesn’t even produce the proper list of the ones who is taken away. That is why its disrespectful to the relatives and the loved ones of these individuals that the Minister says this.

Kutesa should know better, but rather live on a lie, than speaking the truth. That is the character of him and the regime he serves. The Minister is a reflection of how the NRM operates and how they think they can whitewash the sinister acts they do. That is just the reality of it all and its tragic.

Sam Kutesa needs to produce does tickets and ways to get Wakanda. If not how he already has entered Akon City. Since, with this sort of statement he cannot be sincere. It is false and a lie. The minister needs to chill or apologize about this.

The Minister needs to get an understanding or back-off. Because, the lies is easy to decipher in 2021. It is not like the grapevine is silent and the truth isn’t leaked out. This isn’t the bush and where you can control all aspects of information. That is impossible at these days and he cannot pull up a smokescreen to hide the facts.

Kutesa needs to call up Odongo and get some knowledge. Clearly that’s not happening. If not, his trying to deceive the world and that wouldn’t be shocking in 2021. Peace.

Uganda: UN experts extremely concerned at serious rights violations linked to general elections (13.04.2021)

GENEVA (13 April 2021) — UN human rights experts* today called on the Government of Uganda to immediately stop the brutal crackdown on its political opponents which began in the lead-up to January’s disputed general elections and continues to suppress opposition supporters.

“We are particularly alarmed by the reports of widespread and continued repression against opposition leaders and their supporters,” the experts said. “More than 50 people have been killed as a result of the brutal policing methods, including the use of live ammunition fired without warning, and at least 20 others have lost their lives in incidents linked to the electoral context.”

They urged the authorities to immediately and thoroughly investigate and prosecute all human rights violations, including allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrest and detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill treatment, deprivation of due process of law and assault on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Several thousand people have been arrested and while some have been released, others have allegedly been tortured before appearing in military courts, the experts said. Relatives of others often do not know their fate or whereabouts. “It is outrageous that those who are requesting information about their forcibly disappeared relatives are further subjected to reprisals and arrest,” the independent experts said.

“We are urging the Government of Uganda to take all necessary measures to immediately stop the concealing of information concerning individuals arrested in the context of the general elections, a practice amounting to enforced disappearance, and reveal their fate and whereabouts.

“The arbitrary house arrest between 14 and 25 January 2021 of the prominent opposition leader known as Bobi Wine (Mr. Kyagulanyi), which a High Court ruled to be unconstitutional, is symptomatic of the flagrant suppression tactics of the opposition and the absence of due process of law,” the experts said.

Opposition leaders and their supporters have protested against alleged electoral irregularities and the prohibition of gatherings under the guise of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The massive deployment of armed forces in cities, as well as the intimidation and attacks of opposition observers at polling stations, reportedly affected voter turnout; while the interruption of internet services slowed the voting process and affected counting.

“The curtailing of freedom of press and media, the intimidation, ill-treatment and assaults of journalists covering the elections and especially the opposition is simply unacceptable. The Government must provide immediate remedies and reparation to all the victims,” the experts said.

ENDS

****The experts:* Mr. Tae-Ung Baik (Chair), Mr. Henrikas Mickevičius, (Vice Chair), Ms. Aua Balde, Mr. Bernard Duhaime and Mr. Luciano Hazan, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Mr. Nils Melzer****, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;Mr. Morris Tidball-Binz****, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions*; ***Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression*; **Clément Nyaletsossi Voule*** Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the *Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.*

For more information and media requests , please contact Ms. Yayé Ba (yba@ohchr.org/+41 22 917 99 32)

For media enquiries regarding other UN independent experts, please contact Renato de Souza ( +41 22 928 9855 / *rrosariodesouza@ohchr.org), Jeremy Laurence (+ 41 22 917 7578 /* jlaurence@ohchr.org) and Kitty McKinsey (kmckinsey@ohchr.org)

Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter@UN_SPExperts.

National Youth Council: Displeasure about the Cabinet Decision to Scrap the National Youth Council through Merging (13.04.2021)

Opinion: Who will investigate the “kickbacks” of Emyooga?

Today Resident City Commissioner for Kampala Hudu Hussain released a press release called: “Warning to those involving in acts of sabotaging the Emyooga Program and the Presidential Directives on the Markets”. My question after that and his threats…. who will investigate these matters? Or to be more frank, who will detect some crimes with these state schemes?

What is striking is that the RCC of Kampala warns “opposition elements” and wants to “flush them out”. However, what the RCC should be worried about is the ones who is buying bad seedlings or procuring things at a high-price. If not the ones who is getting kickbacks, paying ghosts and getting in a circle or ill-advised trade. That is what usually happening. This is the lesson the previous schemes have shown the world. That is Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) was such a mess… and we know why, but his highness will not butcher or incriminate his own kin. We just know that.

So, at this point with the newest scheme of the government. The scheme they used to hold rallies and public meetings outside of the elections road map. They are now warning the opposition. Nevertheless, if there are some ill activity. Shouldn’t the authorities look into this?

Like shouldn’t the Auditor General (OAG) or the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA). Maybe even the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) or the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA). Heck, the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) or the newly minted Anti-Corruption Unit at the State House. Without using any of the direct outfits of the Police Force or the Judiciary. There is several of places where the state should be able to find the wrong doers and find the culprits. Nevertheless, the statement or the warning of the government official doesn’t state any of these.

With the ACU at the State House there is 6 agencies within the state apparatus that could look into corrupt behaviour. Still, they are not able to catch or willing to find the ones who do. The state has more than enough government bodies to sufficiently stop this if it matters. However, all of these parastatals should easily do this. Nevertheless, that is never happening and seems to be impossible.

Still, it is ironic that the opposition has to be flushed out. When the biggest scandals and corruption cases have involved the state officials and high ranking officials within the ruling party. It haven’t been guys associated with the FDC or NUP. No, these brothers and sisters has been yellow and been close to the “high above”. These have been charged and sometimes even court-side, but with time the charges been dropped and the case even dismissed. They got caught thieving but still off the hook. Therefore, these sort of warnings should be to the ones on the bus and not the ones under the umbrella.

The state have the machinery and the agencies to fight corruption, if it was a priority and if they really cared about it. However, we all know the drill and they catch the small fishes, but the sharks gets away. That is just the game and its rigged. Peace.

The NRM MPs at the Kyankwanzi retreat bonded over Bobi Wine

One of the biggest benefits out of this retreat has been to enable members to bond with one another. We expect that this bonding will help members to relate well with one another in the 11th Parliament” (National Resistance Movement, 12.04.2021).

We know that the President and the ruling regime have been focused on Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. It is now clear that its their message. They are really fearing the “upstart” and his political party. If they didn’t feel it like that. They wouldn’t use the start of the retreat with the newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) to be aimed at him.

If the NRM retreat was about their plans and the manifesto was the vital for the 11th Parliament. The MPs telling this in secrecy wouldn’t leak this information. Because, the NRM is clearly looking at Bobi Wine and continuing to go after him.

As it is reported today:

A source who happens to be an MP from Eastern Uganda says since the Kyankwanzi retreat kicked off on Friday, the main discussion has been hinged on the National Unity Platform party leader, Hon. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert aka Bobi Wine. “We expected the heated speakership debate to be settles but up to now, our trainers are preaching only Bobi Wine and NUP since Friday,” the MP told this reporter. “We are being told not to allow Bobi Wine to confuse the youths. I don’t what our trainers mean by that,” he adds” (Emmanuel Busingye – ‘Bobi Wine is Uganda’s enemy, NRM tells MPs in Kyankwanzi retreat’, 12.04.2021, Ekyooto.co.uk).

This is not shocking… and it is anticipated in some matter of fashion. The NRM have targeted and the state has targeted him and his party. That is a simple verdict, as everything he has done has either become illegal, detained or even silenced. The man cannot do anything without getting into trouble.

The NRM and the state is in default setting: “Go after Bobi Wine. All means possible and no method is to much”. That is why they had to discuss Bobi Wine and NUP at the Kyankwanzi retreat. The NRM will have the majority in the 11th Parliament. They are the ones that can set the policies and the legislation ahead of the next term. However, they are busy finding ways to undermine the opposition. Because, they stand for so little that they have to go after him.

This shows how little the ability and power means to the NRM. When they are using their time to plan the 11th Parliament policies. That is such a waste of time and shows their lack of progress. This is the fellows who promise securing people’s future, but they are lost in the whirlwind of politicking.

It is clearly a sign that Bobi Wine will be the enemy of the state and his party will be the aim. That is what is happening and it will continue until the end of time. As long as Bobi Wine dares to challenge Museveni and the NRM. They should have capacity to make a use of their mighty power. Instead, they are showing how they fear the opposition. That is ironic and tragic at the same time. Peace.

Uganda: Warning to those involving in acts of sabotaging the Emyooga Program and the Presidential Directives on the Markets (12.04.2021)