Acholi Youth Agenda Press release: “PI ROCO KI DWOKO DEYO PA KAKA” (31.07.2015)

AcholiFlag

Press Release 31. July:

Who are we?
We are Acholi youth. We are not an organization or a political party affiliated group nor are we any political party sympathizers. Acholi Youth Agenda is an ideology that stems from the belief that Acholi Sub Region should not have this abject poverty, 83% youth unemployment, high HIV- AIDS prevalence, the current surge in malaria deaths, loss of respect for culture and identity, maternal health challenges, infrastructural depreciation, moral decay, social deconstruction….. And yet there is an abled people, a knowledgeable elite and a hardworking people that must act and act now!
We stand to welcome developmental initiatives which are sustainable in meeting the current needs of the people without compromising the abilities of the Future Generation of Acholi. On the other hand we stand to constructively condemn, refute and disassociate from acts, resolutions and alignments that fail the purpose of our coexistence as Acholi but rather meet the interest of political heads and that of persons as stakeholders.
Regardless of our political affiliations (which some of our individual members subscribe), there is a road with a pot hole waiting for any of us, there is a unequipped and failed health care system waiting for us, there is a sorry education system of UPE, USE and the dysfunctional University etc to nurture our children, there are widespread land conflicts to the disadvantage of all of us and above all, there is our proud identity to lose. The questions in Acholi are too big for politics alone to answer. It is rather one of a committed Acholi for Acholi. We need a new wave of thinking that shall develop and protect our interest. Acholi Youth Agenda is the new thinking.

• What is the new thinking and why
Every generation has a mandate to fulfill. The pre- war Acholi under the Janani Luwum (R.I.P), Adimola (R.I.P), Okeny Tiberio (R.I.P) and Erinayo Oryema did their part in keeping our land and identityintact during tough times of armed struggles, the war time leaders ushered in with a politics that cooled down the LRA war and achieved the Peace at hand. It is therefore time for a new wave of thinking to usher in conventional approaches to post war questions which a united Acholi has not yet addressed their minds to.
1. Don’t you and I have the potential to mobilize and organize fellow Acholi to realize that our commitment to governance issues makes us check our leaders and improves service delivery?
2. We have often times been neglected, noting the clear irresponsibility exhibited during the days we were in camps and the nodding syndrome and now the uncoordinated planning on use and ownership our land.
3. Can you and I walk the talk? And make demands as equal bonafide citizens of this country? The talk that we have a constitutionally granted power to influence policy, that we definitely need change?
4. Can we translate our good speeches and emotional talks to tangible and constructive action towards change? Than parading coffins on streets and moving youth to Karuma and above spreading hate speech with no tangible results.
5. Don’t we have what it takes to be in charge of this region and country?
6. Can’t we question the failed unity of our leaders? We are gifted with the Acholi Parliamentary Group, Professors, LC5 chairperson’s forum, Acholi In Diaspora andabove all Ker Kwaro Acholi but what have they done to unite us? Are we united?
7. Can we safe guard our interest by having a regional demand that any government that comes into power has to respect and undoubtedly meet?
An organized Acholi needs an agenda for which she lives to achieve. We appeal to Ugandans and International community that the acts of marching with and Burning coffins on streets of Gulu was not generally the collective voice of the Acholi, the acts of Marching to Karuma by hoodwinked hired crime preventers to block Rtd. Brig. John Patrick Amama Mbabazi or any other Politician was not the voice of the Acholi, the current ridiculous and abusive media talk shows by self-styledacholi politicians are not in the interest of the Acholi as a generation BUT chauvinistic, opportunists and political party puppets and we as the informed young generation of this land ask that the above acts and injustices to be utterly condemned. Even the threats to arrest us should be condemned to the greatest terms. We have the freedom of speech and expression and for our people ass the Acholi, we have an enormous responsibility to utter the ordeals that is often ignored by the very people who should be our trusted and beloved leadership. We condemn the recent arrests of our colleagues in Jal fresh. The will and quest of the people shall never be arrested for we shall stand as a support so constant to it that generations shall stand to remember.

Where do we see Acholi going?
The life and living we need shall only be got once we get assertive on demanding from our leaders the social services we need.
Given our youthful nature, even when not mobilized, political rallies, debates and politicking have given us a chance to play, shout and demonstrate to our peers and to the whole world that we are tough, eloquent, indomitable, courageous, have what it takes, among others.
We have been used, exploited, sidelined and left to rot. The Acholi get attention only during election. Using their money, Political leaders mobilize us, use us, mock us and lie to us. But despite their insincerity, we are limited by choice but serve them as way of survival or identity. Political leaders never appreciate the contributions of the Acholi yet we present a good tax Base, we contribute to the country’s bread basket.

How do the youth get practically involved?
The practical involvement of the youth is rather low and the political arena continues to be dominated by older generations. The interests of youths are often not adequately reflected in decision-making and in the design of important policies.
We have all come to the realization that the current government is preoccupied with sustaining itself in power at whatever cost; that this government can no longer perform the roles that decent governments ought to perform. The presidents’ leadership cannot deliver the Uganda we envisage; it is an order too tall for him to deliver. He does not represent the future that Uganda deserves; surprisingly, we have equally lost faith in the current opposition political parties and their leadership. Some opposition leaders are in bed with the ruling government.
Every minute that passes with the current regime in office, precious Ugandan lives are lost to preventable diseases, staggering amounts of money are stolen with impunity, millions of children are condemned to a bleak future by an inept Universal Primary Education, stunted growth and disunity is sowed through tribalism, nepotism and favoritism.

Conclusion
This has gone too far. It is time for positive change. It is time for a new wave of leadership. One for us all and from all of us.

The members of Acholi Youth Agenda among others (Authors of this document)
1. Mr. Jomeo Richard – Youth activist
2. Rt. Hon. Fred Ongom –Dep. PM Gulu University
3. Mr. Andrew Ogwetta Otto – former Guild President Gulu University.
4. Hon. Oginga Odinga – councilor Tegwana Pece Division
5. Mr. Okot Thomas Lutuku – Media activist
6. Ms. Amony Francesca –Women activist
7. Mr.PayiraBonie – journalist at Jal fresh 96.9
8. Mr Langwen Peter

Tamale Mirundi interview on WBS TV on 27.07.2015

The words from the man is enough. The talking point after this should be his arrogance and “third person” tales about himself and security. Specially the self made ways and how he deals with “enemies”. Enjoy! Peace.

Press Statement: The SPLM/SPLA objects to the inclusion of the Republic of Uganda in the Committee constituted by the AU-PSC on the Repot of African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan conflict (24.07.2015)

SPLM2507

Uganda – Tamale Mirundi has finally been sacked from the Statehouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lsiDvpPpBM

Now it has happen the arrogant rich-man with many cars got booted from the State House and now will have a position where he doesn’t have to talk that much in public. This will be a good thing for the President and his campaign, also because of the so called knowledge of the inner beings of the State House that Tamale Mirundi knows now about after working there. The new Presidential Press Secretary will now be Lindah Nabusayi.

Hon. Mirundi had recently a big outburst against Brig Nalweyiso and Maj. Edith Nakalema! That might be the one thing that lead to the fall of Mirundi. Because of Janet Museveni is said to be “annoyed” by this actions from the former Presidential Press Secretary. Therefore he had to be sacked and get another position. Somewhere else then in the Statehouse; even after this! He has promised that he will still be loyal to Museveni and the “first family”.

HRNJ-Uganda Press Release: “Blatant abuse of media freedoms by state agencies threantens the watchdog role of the media ahead of the 2016 general election in Uganda” (26.07.2015)

HRNJMedia2607P1HRNJMedia2607P2

A honest letter to the Ugandan President Museveni after being snubbed by the U.S. President Obama

MuseveniObama

Dear His Excellency (H.E.) President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni!

I write to you since in the recent day you got rejected to meet with the American President Barrack Obama who will visit Kenya on the 24. July 2015. This is today! And he wouldn’t meet you in Kenya!

It must be a slap on your face Mzee that your ally in America is saying “no to see you”. When he is in your neighborhood. When he steps on land in East African Community and will not see you. Your sending troops for them into Central African Republic on the goose hunt for your lost cause for so long in Northern Uganda. The famous LRA and Joseph Kony! The one man that even the American army want to get rid-off! Then they failed together with Ethiopia in Somalia where you have been charged together to fight Al-Shabab. The Americans are certainly happy that you do this and don’t cost them much compared to send their own troops.

Mzee there many reasons why President Barrack Obama is saying no to see you. He is firstly meeting Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta. Who is turning into Americans ally in the area of late, even if you fight wars for them and use enormous levels of resources as well, still he doesn’t expect your courtesy call. You have been in charge of Uganda since October 1986. Obama is in his last term he has been lucky to only be Head of State in the country from 2009. He is not like you a true and tested leader like you! Even if he has Nobel Peace Prize. He got before really stepping into the office.

He has also been parts of wars. You have sent your own people and now they don’t even talk to you. I am not sure is because you have latest visits abroad to any great western powers. Was to Russia and then you started to buy army equipment from them instead of American. That is sure a slap to the face or the U.S. Arms producers, the cancelling of a planned military exercises on the 19. June of 2014, because of the “Anti-Gay Bill”! Since then it’s been cold from the American government and the White House. Then you’re buying expensive military equipment for your army from Mzee Putin of Russia. It’s okay that Obama had a burger with his predecessor Medvedev. Still with the Ukraine situation and Putin back in the hot-seat the turning relationship has also hit a snag. So don’t get the possibility to eat a burger in Nairobi with Obama.

So you’re now hurt by the almighty Obama. I am sure you wished yourself was directly mediating in Burundi, instead of the Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga.  You’re in Uganda dealing with your own election then being there looking good for the press. The sad thing for you is to see your former weapon brothers going against you like Jean Patrick Amama Mbabazi. Who is trying to take your candidacy in your own party the NRM! And even worse for you is that the man who has fought against you for so long Dr. Kizza Besigye has gotten crowds where-ever he steps and moves around in the country. And your methods of chasing the opposition like a headless chickens, don’t help you at all Mzee Museveni. You think it does, but up to the election, you just look foolish to all the pundits. You look like a weak man instead of the man who has been in power since the 80s. You have cut loose so many big men before going into power, like Gen. Oyite Ojok, Yusuf Lule, Tito Okello, Milton Obote and Idi Amin. Before that the country was in shambles and you have made in some kind of peace. You could have been a hero! If you had left after your two first terms then you have been left with a decent legacy. That’s would have been since you gave the country a constitution and peace nearly on all places. You struggled with the Northern Uganda. And still continue to pay back to SPLM and South Sudan because of their help in the area. This is not popular that for the U.S. that your involved there without an official mandate.

I am sure that there are more issues for why Barrack Obama isn’t in your presence right now Mzee Museveni. So you are not the poster-boy and future leaders of Africa in 80s and beginning of the 90s. Where you and Kagame your former allies was seen a breath of fresh air! Now you are not the one who the west looks for hope in the continent. And you wonder why? That is because history repeat itself and you have broken your own words time and time again.

I am sure it’s been fun to have over the President of Zambia Edgar Lungu. But that is no Barrack Obama and with the power of U.S. And he could help you with military equipment. Though they not doing business as the Russians and taking pieces of the future oil industry instead of money. So I am sure that hurt your pride Mr. President. But know that the party has still fractions that are loyal to you because you pay them. The leaders who showed you support after last election victory was President Mugabe of Zimbabwe, former Kenyan President Daniel Arap-Moi, the now former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, President of South Sudan Salva Kiir and the Somali President Sheik Sharif Sheik.

But none of this can help you as the American President and honor your presence. You have run a country as long as I have lived. And to get turned down and spend time with newcomer from Zambia must be low-key moment for you. Since you have been so useful to the American government and fought the wars they don’t want to. I am sure you’re having a bad day. Though not saying it since your hurt and parts of you might wish you didn’t visit Russia last time. And you should have tried to mend up with Americans who has supported you through the 90s and 00s. That refinery has cost you and the pipeline for the oil has been dodgy as well. But you’re so close and just need another term to the Lake Albert becoming your black gold. Until then you just has to use the well-used methods of keeping people in order and follow the party line. Though this doesn’t help you with your relationship with the American Government unless you break your principle and rules. Which is sacred to you and that is understandable. The American president only has eight years to do his thing and then he is gone. You have sit eight years in power when it was 1994. By then you we’re support Kagame and the RPA in Rwanda. So the issues with America should go over. You have their old weapons and know how they call on you when they wars they don’t want to fight. So your not best buddies today, but maybe during next term if their getting a republican president in the White House he might support you, because he will only care about policy, not about who as long as he looks good during the whole deal. Tomorrow is another day Mr. President His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni! You will shine again. Believe that and by now your mustard seed should be a big plant and give a good yield. Though Dr. Kizza Besigye is stealing your crops, don’t worry people will vote for you, even if they don’t know they do! The Electoral Commission is your people, you’re safe and good. You just have to wait until the U.S. need you again. Then you will get granted to meet with the Nobel man himself. Maybe even in your own Statehouse in Entebbe.

There is reports you get a courtesy call in Ethiopia, but for a great man like you that feels like you been snubbed twice already by the American President. I am sure your hurt and tried to patch up the hurt with a meeting with the Zambian President to be the big shot in East Africa. While your neighbors president get him directly for visits. Uhuru Kenyatta the Kenyan President and also meeting with Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in their homelands. While you have travel to Addis Ababa to see him for a short time and not an official visit like they are getting. And you have been their ally for decades and when they’re in your area they don’t show you respect you deserve. For God and for country!

Best Regards:

From the Writer of this blog

Press Release: NRM will not Tolerate Independents (22.07.2015)

NRM Secteriat Independent2.1

Press Freedom in the East African nations with ratings of the environment in 2014 (+ reports that the Ugandan regime turned off the transmitter of the Radio Baba in Jinja yesterday)

Dr. Kizza Besigye Jinja Iganga-Jinja Rallies 21.07.2015

Yesterday on the 21.07.2015 the NRM regime cut off the radio transmitter for the “Baba Radio” or as it’s really named 87.7 Basogo Baino FM in Jinja after Dr. Kizza Besigye had a great rally earlier in the day in Iganga and Jinja. Therefore it made me go through the report on ‘Press Freedom in 2014 – Harsh Laws and Violence Drive Global Decline’ that is coming from the NGO Freedom house. Today on 22.07.2015 Mr. Innocent Anyole is sacked from his job after trying to interview Dr. Kizza Besigye this sacking happen by Radio Director Hon. Moses Grace Balyeku, the NRM Chairman of Jinja and MP for Jinja West Constituency. He sure followed party line and broke the wing of the man who introduced FDC man Dr. Kizza Besigye. Well, let me introduce the Press Freedom in East Africa according to the global rankings of the Freedom House and their report on how it was in 2014.

This report has three important levels of how the media is and which place in society it has:

  1. Free
  2. Partly Free
  3. Not Free

The difference between them comes to how great power the countries government controls the media or let them be. How the laws and treatment of journalist and media institutions is and how the events surrounding them have been in the recent year.

I will focus on the East African Countries and those in the “area” around how the quote and place this countries in the report. Because I write about the South Sudan, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. These are the countries that will be taken. Not the whole world but the basic places that I usually cover in my blog somehow. So it shouldn’t be surprise to anyone.

Before addressing the numbers and rankings of the nations, let me take the quotes on some of the nations from the report as well:

“Ethiopian authorities stepped up arrests of independent journalists, including the Zone 9 bloggers, leading more than 30 to flee the country during the year, according to CPJ” (…) “In Kenya contained several vaguely worded clauses curtailing press freedom, including the threat of three years in prison for journalists who fail to obtain police permission before reporting on terrorism investigations or operations, or for coverage “likely to cause public alarm, incitement to violence, or disturb public peace” (…) “Somalia’s score improved from 82 to 79 due to the increased ability of private actors to open media outlets and the greater distribution of media, especially radio, throughout the south-central part of the country” (…) “South Sudan’s score declined from 62 to 68 due to the government’s near-complete disregard for constitutional and legal protections for freedom of the press in 2014, as well as the lack of such protections in rebel-held areas; a marked increase in restrictions imposed on journalists by the security forces; and heightened censorship, self-censorship, and retaliatory attacks on journalists”.

From here I will address the rankings of the East African nations coming when it comes to press freedom and the numbers that they have gotten from the expert committees that gone through reports and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX). The stories this numbers are telling and the situation that the media has on the ground is staggering. Therefore it’s a story that has to be told. Now will explain the criteria of the global ranking that is made of scoring process, the value of the levels and what they mean for each country and last the main groups of questions that the researchers and analyst in cooperation with IFEX. That has crunched the numbers with the questions and reports from sources from the whole world.

Criteria:

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”

Scoring Process:

“The research and scoring process involves more than 90 analysts—including outside consultants and members of the core research team headquartered in New York—who prepare the draft ratings and country reports” (…) “the other members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) network for providing detailed and timely analyses of press freedom violations in a variety of countries worldwide, on which we rely to make our judgments”.

Scale Point for the levels:

“A country’s final score (from 0 to 100) represents the total of the scores allotted for each question. A total score of 0 to 30 results in a press freedom status of Free; 31 to 60 a status of Partly Free; and 61 to 100 a status of Not Free”.

Questions that makes the score:

The scores are put into three categories: Legal Environment (0-30points), Political Environment (0-40points) and Economical Environment (0-30points).

daily-nation-east-african-newspapers

Placing of the East African nations: 

Rank Country Score Status
164 Burundi 74 Not Free
172 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 79 Not Free
180 Ethiopia 83 Not Free
124 Kenya 57 Partly Free
172 Rwanda 79 Not Free
172 Somalia* 79 Not Free
152 South Sudan 68 Not Free
115 Tanzania 54 Partly Free
123 Uganda 56 Partly Free

*Somaliland got ranked 115 – Score of 54 and was set to be ‘Partly Free’

What this means:

This tells something about the environment that the press in the East African nations goes through. Of the eight nations three is ‘Partly Free’: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This means that certain levels of freedom is on the media, but has certain levels of strings on the press. It’s worse in the rest of the nations because they are on the level of ‘Not Free’: Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Somalia and South Sudan. And they did make Somalialand as a separate territory as a ‘Party Free’ whiles the country as a whole is set as ‘Not Free’. Therefore in that setting certain areas of Somalia federation has more freedom then the rest.

What that is shocking for me is how low scores countries of Uganda has compared to Ethiopia. Ethiopia has been strict on media and journalist. Especially to those who are abiding opposition in the country. Uganda has many outlets, still the big ones has over time been disorganized by the regime like the Daily Monitor. That has not happen with similar media in Kenya. Though the laws for media there is isn’t similar reports on shut downs of radio station and papers when the regime disagrees. Rwanda I am sure that the government is strict on the media, because the news from there is usually in the mood of the regime. Burundi if it wasn’t for protests and deflectors, there would be less news and information on the regime of Pierre Nkuruziza. DRC and Kabila haven’t put this into motions after all the issues that have been in the last decades. The regime has control and want to be sure of the information that is put out. Therefore when you hear something negative it’s from the UN bodies or MONUSCO but not the press of the DRC or journalists. Tanzania has its freedom but also strangles on the media. The party has been running the country since independence so the feelings is that their intertwined and feel like they are together, instead of actually being critical of the politicians and society. But it should be worried that the different countries and how big the difference between the top and bottom of the scale in the East African. From Tanzania who got 54 points and the worst was Ethiopia got 83 points – the close competition was Rwanda, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo got all 79 points on the scale. 60 Points scale is the max for the ‘Partly Fee’ media nations. So that the environment is on a far level from partly and even longer way to being free. The thing that is worrying is that it’s less than 5 points from ‘Partly Free’ to ‘Not Free’ with Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. It’s just small tweaks and harassment of the media and in 2016 report will degrade this nations and how the media has a place in these countries. Though it doesn’t look to good, but hopefully I and others can be surprised. Until then let hope that the media get into a place where they can actually monitor their areas and speak their minds without fear or legal repercussions. Peace.

Reference:

Dunham, Jennifer, Nelson, Bret & Ahekyan, Elen – ‘Press Freedom in 2014 – Harsh Laws and Violence Drive Global Decline’ – April 2015 – Freedom House

On 20.07.2015 Vincent Kaggwa was released from undisclosed locations by the UPF

Vincent Kaggwa 2107Pic1

Vincent Kaggwa was released yesterday. Good news from the regime. Who knew they had just picked him up to an undisclosed location without trial. Picking him up because he was wearing a Amama Mbabazi t-Shirt. But we can be glad he is breathing. Still we can ask where is Sam Mugumya? Never thought the UPF or IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura would release the brother. But on the 20.07.2015 he was out and free again. Peace.