The New Age-Limit Cabinet

If you thought the loyalty to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wouldn’t pay-off, you would be naive at this point. Yesterdays reshuffle of the Cabinet is all about loyalty to him and his causes. It isn’t about the betterment of the Republic, neither having people capable of greatness. These ones whose been appointed and whose gotten a new role in the over-bloated cabinet is all there because of their role in the abolishment of the Age Limit in the year of 2017. The ones who fought, put forward and whipped the National Resistance Movement (NRM) behind the banner of the President.

There where all vital for the MPs to vote for the bill on the 20th December 2017 and that shall not forgotten by the President. That is why these are the ones of the Age Limit Cabinet, the ones whose supported and joined the Self-Styled President for Life and it’s paying off. Even if it possibly only for two years as 2021 looms.

Here is the “honourable” list of MPs whose now apart of Cabinet!

Raphael Magyezi, Igara West MP, appointed as the Minister for Local Government. The man who issued the “Private Bill”, the Age Limit in 2017 and has suffered the consequences of doing so. Now, his finally promoted by the President and offered a cabinet role for doing the dirty work of the President.

Jackson Kafuuzi, the MP for Kyaka South in Kyegewa district is appointed the Deputy Attorney General and the minister for water and the environment. At one point in 2017, the MP was called on radio the “wife of Magyezi”, which is an insult and remark made to him, because his support of the abolishment of the age limit. However, the same MP has shown his loyalty with how he disregard everything about Gen. David Sejusa or Tinye aka Tinyefuza. So, today he was awarded for his loyalty.

Judith Nabakooba, the Woman MP for Mityana District. She’s been appointed as the Minister for ICT. The former Police Force spokesperson, who became an MP in 2016 and since then shown loyalty. She voted for the Age Limit.

Denis Obua Hamson, the MP for Ajuri County. appointed the Minister for Sports. Who was a part of the Legal Committe who approved the Age Limit.

Peter Ogwang, Usuk MP appointed as State Minister for ICT, another big supporter for the Age Limit.

Robinah Nabbanja, Kakumiro district Woman MP. She was appointed the State Minister for General Health. She was also very proud of “whipping 291 MPs” for the Age Limit. She has also skipped all the rules committee meetings as an MP.

There where the MPs who was picked. Magyezi MP will be synonymous with the Age Limit bill. It was his private bill and he will forever be the one who put fresh air into a prolonged presidency of Museveni. The other ones has played their parts, both in Committees, in public and stood behind the bill in various of ways. That is why they were hand-picked now and gotten appointed. Since, the President want to show them appreciation and give back for giving him two more terms.

That is the reality of it all. That he will have the ability to rule to 2031. Because, the new clause of two terms. Means, the President can initially reign through the 2021-26 and 2026-2031. That is if they are sincere and using the law. Even if the President has already has had 6 official terms and 8 unofficially already. Therefore, the ones who gave him way for more. Did it only for personal gains and not for the betterment of the Republic.

That’s why the appointments yesterday are pay-offs for standing behind the banner, spreading the word of the President and showing him loyalty. They were all there for the sole-candidate and that’s why they gotten a bigger role in government. Now they have to prove their worth on a grander scale. Peace.

Press Release by the Secretary to the Authority National Drug Authority: Clarification on Drugs Recalled by National Drug Authority (13.12.2019)

Opinion: Anticipating a rocky road for Bobi Wine

It is not that I wish anyone ill, I don’t, but knowing how the “orders from above” works and seen how the opposition has been treated over the years. I just know how this will play out. Even as the People Power Movement (PPM) and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine MP plans to hold his consultations in 2020. It will not be without any hurdles.

There will be consequences, just like him jumping on campaign trails and joining forces with other opposition activists for the various by-elections during the 2018 and 2019. That is just the way it is.

The first and foremost. The PPM and Bobi Wine will be served with new criminal charges, if this is “inciting violence”, “unlawful assembly” and so-on. It will catch on and they will also told that they didn’t file the paperwork accordingly to the Public Order Management Act and surely pinned with some charges from the Penal Code. That just happens.

Secondly, the security outfits will monitor, block venues, follow the convoy of Bobi Wine. They will seal of hotels, they will detain activists and local organizers. They will ensure that the radio stations are losing their licenses and so-on. That just happens.

If the PPM and Bobi Wine still try to access the venues and such, there will be live-bullets, arrests and people hurt. There will a bath of tear-gas on the public, there will be road-blocks and will be damage of property.

The Police Force will say the supporters are rowdy, are hoodlums and thugs, while it was the police and armed state officers who fired the first bullet and tear-gas at the venue. The state will say the PPM didn’t act correct according to codes, even if they have negotiated for months for the stadium and whatnot in whatever county they were visiting.

In this manner, the Presidential Consultations, the meeting of locals and such will be with fury. It will be testy and will not be easy. If you thought Amama Mbabazi and Dr. Kizza Besigye have had it hard. The upstart and the rising star Bobi Wine will feel it too. There will be abducted mobilizers and stories of impunity within the range of the consultation season.

If not, the state has had a change of heart, which I doubt. It wouldn’t be shocking if the state tried to pull-off house-arrest and “preventative arrest” of Bobi Wine and close associates. Since, that way they can contain him in Wakiso district.

This state will use all means, because the old man doesn’t feel the love anymore, people are tired of him. That is why they use all means. To think otherwise is naïve, after seeing other campaigns and election cycles under Museveni.

We just know and will not be shocked, because this is scheduled programming. Peace.

Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine letter to the Electoral Commission – Re: Notice of Intention to Conduct Consultations (03.12.2019)

Bank of Uganda: Monetary Policy Statement for December 2019 (09.12.2019)

Opinion: Mr. President your late to the party…

I have a hard time believing that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) will stop creating districts, sub-counties and whatever local government administrations in the Republic. They will never really cease doing so, because they constantly carved the Republic into tiny pieces. So, that every single Sub-County today can become a district in the near future. It should be a joke, but looking at history, than it isn’t far-fetched at all.

By seeing this one piece from the New Vision:

In 1986 when NRM took power, Uganda had 33 districts which increased to 81 districts by 2008. The districts increased to 112 by 2011, but reduced to 111 after the Capital city ceased to be a district” (John Odyek, Mary Karugaba and Moses Walubiri – ‘25 more districts created’ 19.07.2012, New Vision).

Than my own calculation from November 2019:

The State has continued to create the districts and sub-counties. In 2016 there was 112 districts and by 2021, there will be 135 districts. As well as there was 1,403 sub-counties in 2016, while in 2021 there will be 2057 sub-counties.

With knowing this and the knowledge of the mushrooming state. There is bit a late to cry foul over more town councils and the affordability. When during your time the state has gone from having 33 districts to 135 districts in 2021.

Therefore, this warning seems a bit late:

They are going to be too many and not affordable. Let the little money we have be concentrated first in maintaining security, building infrastructure(roads, railway, electricity, schools, and health centres) and not expanding administrative costs,”Museveni warned in November 28 letter to Butime. The warning by the president comes at a time when government recently announced the creation of 162 new town council that started being operational this year, whereas others will be operational by July 1, 2020” (Kenneth Kazibwe – ‘Museveni warns against creation of new municipalities’ 08.12.2019).

Because of this, I don’t believe the man. I really don’t believe the President and his motives here. It is weird that he has issues, when his made so many districts and sub-counties already. That creating further town councils only follows the modus operandi of the state.

Not like its a revolutionary idea from the state to make more. It would be more shocking if he started to merge sub-counties and districts. So, that it would be less districts and sub-counties in the Republic. In this current stage and time, that would have been positive and plans for actual change. However, than the devolution and the years of curving the districts. It would show the public that it was only political motivated and not really making government better.

That he warns about this in 2019 after 33 years in power and been so hyper-active with creating smaller entities. His surely the wrong man to signal the red-flag. Yes, the state cannot afford more town-councils and such. But that is because the state has already to many districts and sub-counties to pay for.

The state is already deficit financing, the mushroomed state, which the President and his men has created over the years. That is why, writing a letter this year isn’t solving anything or making a difference on the negative and expensive spiral, the President has started. The President knows this, but thinks this make him look smart. When it doesn’t, since his in charge of all these small entities and that will part of his legacy. He can cry now, but his crocodile tears are coming late.

He should have stopped before he created a 100 districts more in his time. Who knows how many sub-counties his created, but surely a 1000 by now. Than count the Municipalities and Town Councils, than you get humongous number. That is what bloated numbers sound like. Therefore, sending out warnings now is late from the old man, he should have done it long time ago, but he didn’t care. Peace.

Deficit Financing: MoFPED propose to borrow 2 trillion shillings to cover the budget shortfall!

Deficit financing, however, may also result from government inefficiency, reflecting widespread tax evasion or wasteful spending rather than the operation of a planned countercyclical policy. Where capital markets are undeveloped, deficit financing may place the government in debt to foreign creditors. In addition, in many less-developed countries, budget surpluses may be desirable in themselves as a way of encouraging private saving” (Encyclopaedia Britannica – ‘Deficit financing’ (25.08.2015).

In the original budget for 2019/20, the estimated domestic revenue of the state was about Shs. 20 trillion shillings, while the rest would be covered by close to Shs 10 trillion shillings in this manner the budget would cover the 40 trillion shillings. Today in Parliament, the debt trap, which was forecasted by several of Civil Society Organizations and others was proven.

Not only with the recent stipulation of the first Supplementary Schedule to the Budget Year of 2019/20, but also the lack of domestic revenue. This again proves the trouble with generating even half of the budget. As the Parliament are this week, either accepting borrowing 2 trillions domestically to boost the lack of domestic revenue. That means the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the state haven’t delivered on the promise. As the state was spending more and more, but not having the funds to do so.

Therefore, if the state does this. Than, Shs. 2 trillions are loaned to cover for the lack of delivery, the lack of preparations from the government and the added costs of the local government units created. The government knows this, but acts surprised that state have to invest in it. That’s why they have a supplementary budget for it and surely there will be more schedules before the end of the financial year.

Just look at this:

To address the projected revenue shortfall presented in paragraph 3 and the additional expenditure pressures presented under paragraph 9, Government requires a total amount of Euro 600 million equivalent to UGX 2,439 bn (Two Thousand Four hundred and Thirty-nine Billion) to finance part of the budget deficit” (Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) – ‘THE PROPOSAL TO BORROW UP TO EURO 300 MILLION (EURO THREE HUNDRED MILLION) FROM STANBIC BANK (U) LTD AND EURO 3OO MILLION (EURO THREE HUNDRED MILLION) FROM TRADE DEVELOPMENT BANK TO FINANCE THE BUDGET DEFICIT FOR FY 2019/20, December 2019).

Given the revenue performance in the first two quarters of the FY 2019/20, the projected revenue turnout for FY 2019/20 is Shs 181575.18 billion, against the target of Shs 20,448.73 billion. This

reflects a projected shortfall of Shs 1,873.55 billion” (MoFPED, 2019).

In line with the above Section of the PFMA 2015, Ushs 437.631 billion representing 1.08% of the Approved Budget for FY 2019/20 has been authorized by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development as Supplementary funding. The purpose of this letter therefore, is to submit Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2019/20 for consideration by Parliament. Please make arrangements for the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to lay the schedule before Parliament” (Keith Muhakanizi – ‘SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEDULE 1 FY 20I9/20’, 21.09.2019).

Rt. Hon. Speaker, in line with Section 25 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 (as amended), I authorized and have accordingly submitted to Parliament Supplementary Schedule 1 amounting to Ushs. 437.6 billion for this FY” (MoFPED, 2019).

In line with the above, the budget for FY 20Lgl20 is facing the following constraints:

– URA shortfall in revenue of Shs 1,873.55 billion;

– Additional expenditure pressures of Shs. L,432.2bn

– Non-receipt of World Bank budget support funds of Shs. 375 bn

and

– Non-receipt of capital gains tax of Shs. 225 billion (USD 60

million);

10. The total revenue resource shortfall in the FY 2019/20 therefore amounts to Shs. 2,473.55 billion” (MoFPED, 2019).

We know this is serious, when the budget of the FY 2019/20 was 40 trillion. When 2,4 trillion of these have to get borrowed domestically. Even if 437bn of these are supplementary budget and wasn’t in the original budget of the FY. Still, the 2 trillion are a big slice to borrow and gain more loans. This is a debt trap, trapped by even more trap. As the tax-base isn’t growing as forecasted or as possible. By this estimation of the original budget, the domestic borrowing in this financial year would go up from about shs. 10 trillion shillings to about shs. 12 trillion shillings.

Because, with to much taxation, the funds are taken out of the circulation and isn’t spread as much. Not having the ability to generate more earnings for the citizens. They cannot spend, because they are actually paying taxes. That’s why you need sustainable taxes, which makes sense.

That’s why these loans are coming, because the state defaults on taxes, lacks the tax-base and doesn’t have the opportunity to gain the needed revenue. This the reality of the state. They will ask for the loans and add more debt. However, the government will not take responsibility for the acts done. The state are deficit financing and not generating revenue. That is why they are loaning even more debt. At a rate, which should worry anyone following it. Peace.

Opinion: Parasites and lies, a walk against himself…

“I have never stolen anything from anybody. And I am also not a poor man”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4th December 2019

Today, was the official walk against Corruption in Kampala, as the President, the Anti-Corruption Unit at the State House and all other governing parties involved muster up a decent crowd of paid participants, staff and whatnot, security guards and whoever they could find. To walk a distance in the midst of Kampala.

At one point, the guards and security told pieces of the march to slow down, because it couldn’t walk faster than the President. Even as he went to Kololo, he still went at a rate, that was to slow too many. This walk will not change anything. It is a PR Stunt, which will not gain anything fruitful. It is more public wastage in order of looking sincere, which it is not and will never, be.

“It is a moral problem because you make yourself a parasite. Corrupt people are parasites because they get wealth which they did not earn, because they think that God does not see the bad things they do. In the last 60 years, I have been watching and I have not seen these corrupt people being successful sustainably”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4th December 2019

With this in mind, the President is truthfully telling the world that his rich. His vastly rich, Ritchie Rich, rich actually. However, the President doesn’t tell how he got there. It was not like he had wealth and assets going into the role of the Presidency. Not like he had estates, businesses and ranches going in. No, he was an impoverished former Minister, who had gotten grants by mercy of Nyerere and who was hired by Obote II. That is who he was until 1986. Therefore, his wealth has come with power and with incentives given to him over time, also boosting his accounts and also his cronies.

Secondly, if it is a moral problem, then its engraved into this administration. If corrupt people are insects and parasites, there is surely a lot of them in his cabinet, in his offices and around his closest associates. Himself is a parasite then. Because, he haven’t gained wealth on innovation, marketing or basic business models, but by being in-office and getting bargain by kickbacks and inside deals.

Last, but not last. We can say you Mr. President has been successful, gaining more and more power, more and more money and depleting the state, little by little. To a point, where nothing isn’t up for grabs, where secret deals inside the State House decides, if they are staying or going. The Presidential Handshakes and whatnot is the ones crediting to you. That is why walking today is obnoxious and outrageous. Only naïve and dumbfounded people believes this PR Stunt.

The man cannot fight himself. He will not tarnish his own creation and destroy what he keeps him there. Therefore, this is charade, packed as a rally and a march against something. But in the end, it will only further show the rot, the plight and the suffering the actions made by this cause. Peace.

Follow the Code: A secret walk against corruption

On 4th December, 2019, H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda will lead the walk code named Anti- corruption walk. The walk is aimed at intensifying the fight against corruption. The walk will start from Constitutional Square to Kololo and a number of people are expected to participate in this walk” (Uganda Police Force – ‘TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION WALK ON 4/12/2019’ 03.12.2019).

Merriam Webster states that a code name means: “a designation having a coded and usually secret meaning” (“Code name.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/code%20name). With this in mind, I never believed that His Excellency or the President is serious about this.

This is the President whose have had issues with demonstrations, protests and rebellion. Therefore, his not the man whose walking against anything. He was a rebel at one point, but that was for his own cause. That is why his stayed in power since 1986 and never left.

With that in mind, the man whose known for having someone close to his office or cabinet connected in some corruption every single year. It is seemingly happening, there are like those proverbs in the papers saying: “Missing Funds”, “Unaccounted Donor Grants”, “Fake Corporations/Products”, “Ghost Employees” and so-on. Even knowledge of kickbacks, secret agreements between the President and Foreign Investors. That is just happens on the regular.

That’s why the President has created dozens of agencies supposed to have the ability to monitor the state organizations, businesses and tenders. This being the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority(PPDA), Anti-Corruption Unit – State House or even the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). All of these are supposed to combat the ill called corruption. Still, these are not able to do so, neither are the Judiciary nor the Law Enforcement they are working in tandem with.

That is why the walk is even more ridiculous, as if it’s not the man whose the V.I.P or the Fountain of Honour, whose often involved or accepts the corruption. That being some road-scandal, illegal tender nor the Presidential Handshake. Neither some procurement for some government agency played around with to ensure someone got greased.

So, this walk against corruption. The man whose behind the grand-corruption and his party is usually connected directly in these operations. That is why tomorrows walk is walking against itself. This is like the man who makes everyone sick, suddenly will drop the cure. The man who drops bombs over a nation, suddenly calls and walks for peace. It doesn’t work. That isn’t real!

Unless, the old man with the hat starts to shadow boxing himself, knock himself out and suddenly understand that his the problem. Not that it will happen. This is a PR stunt and nothing else. The NRM MPs, the ones who wants to show loyalty will show up. But everyone knows the state who does this on the regular. Will not stop doing it. That is why Total had secret talks in the State House with the President just this week.

We cannot expect anyone than the small-fry gets charged and taken into custody. The ones who are the big-fish will not touched, unless they have fallen out with Jajja. Peace.

Opinion: Bobi Wine need to muster “W2W” on steroids to get rid of Museveni

We know that Museveni is planning to rig the election, he has done it in the past … But we are banking on overwhelming him because a vote can easily be rigged if it’s not overwhelming. And ultimately, if President Museveni tries to rig the election … the people of Uganda will rise up and they will stop it … They are tired of this operation and they are tired and they will not take it any longer”Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine on Al Jazeera on the 30th November 2019

That no one can conquer or win in an election with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni should be common knowledge by now. The 2021 Polls is only done for the facade sake and not because the will of people will be listened too. The public and the voters will not be listen too. Just like the rigged elections of 2016 and 2011, and so-on.

Bobi Wine needs to must er the character, the finesse and the ability to get people to listen to the amount of the gatherings, the demonstrations and the defiance of the Walk to Work in April of 2011. The W2W showed the government, that the public can rise up and stand-up to them. That time because of the rigged elections of 2011 and also the rising inflations as a cause of the overspending during the elections.

The People Power Movement and allies needs to collaborate like they predecessors did together with the Action 4 Change (A4C). They was capable of getting together and standing together against the authorities and the enforcers of the law. A4C and W2W did very well, it even made the authorities so scared, that they killed civilians, which the authorities never have investigated. Neither, taken responsibility for the wrongfully arrests nor the preventive arrests of the leaders behind the demonstrations.

The PPM and Bobi Wine needs to do it on a larger scale and be able to inspire in the midst of possible bloodshed and insecurity created by the power-vacuum, because this sort of operation will cost. The will be more pain and suffering. There will be hurt and damage. Bobi Wine should know this and that an army based government will not give way. They will use all military organizations and security outfits, which will stop all public gatherings, demonstrations and block every type of communications platform to silence it.

That should be well-known and should be the machinery behind the election of 2021. Just like it was in 2016, 2011, 2006, 2001 and in 1996. There been various names of the security outfits, but they have had the same mission. They will do the same thing again and if the people rise against the machine. The machine will answer, by the “high above” ordering it to pull the trigger. The hammer will hit and the bullets will come their way. Not because I believe in violence, but that is how this government answer dissidents. Either take away their civil liberties, take away their freedom or buy time. Either way, the government has always won.

It is a matter of time, when the centre loose hold and the ones who follow up on the orders says its enough. That the generals and other security leaders gives way to the public, instead of following the “high above”. But at this point, that is just mere speculation, when they see that their behaviour and acts will deem them unfit for the afterlife of Museveni. Still, as long as his breathing and giving them power. They will let their legacy go over a little envelopes.

Bobi Wine needs a big structure behind him. He needs his supporters to bring the same sort of energy, but even more resilient than during the “Walk to Work”. They need to be so resilient and so steadfast, that the public needs reassurance and security that its working. Since, if it seems like failing and that its fade quickly. Than the costs of standing up towards the dictatorship will not hold. Since its better to live, better to keep the health and await the possible end by doing nothing. Than risking it all, when it seems like it will be a fiddle.

This is the message Bobi Wine need to spread as well, since the PPM and their allies needs to know this. Especially, since the peaceful takeover will not happen over the ballot. The Electoral Commission, the state authorities are all blind in loyalty to the President. There will be no turnover over an election, but only toppled by a revolution. And a military government doesn’t give up easily and especially, when they have everything to loose by giving way.

I end here, but my point is already said. With that in mind. A Luta Continua. Peace.