Opinion: Tired of the ‘last words of Mwenda’ against the FDC and Besigye!

Mwenda, Andrew Mwenda the Independent Magazine owner and editor, the man who knows all about how to rant against fellow political opponents, than a month later praising them, like they are the next one to save the world. In one week Museveni can be the worst and the other week he will be the hero. The same is with the Forum for Democratic Change and Dr. Kizza Besigye, all through December 2016 and this beginning 2017 his focus has been bashing on Besigye like he is AIDS.

Mwenda has a fetish or worse a deluded mind where he uses all kind of words to address why Besigye isn’t the President, without considering the fact of the power of ‘the old man with the hat’. The editor rant is about the organizations, the loss of local elections and the losing of presidential election going back to Dr. Paul Ssemogerere of the Democratic Party who ran against President Museveni and all of his campaign we’re filled with attacks and brutality. Just like all of Besigye’s has been, it is a reason why he is for the second time in his life-time charged with treason against the Republic. All of those explanations vanish like water meet the heat of the sun and becomes part of the air.

Mwenda’s rants concluded with today’s word calling FDC a Cult on Facebook. Where he was calling literally Besigye a Cult leader, because Mwenda has to grind out every little bit of anger into the public sphere. He added videos of the inauguration of Nana Addo in Accra where Besigye we’re invited, Mwenda had this to say about the Ghanaian President speech: “In these two videos, newly elected Ghanaian president, who invited FDC cult leader to his inauguration, parrots the inaugural speeches of Bill Clinton in 1993 and George Bush in 2001. Besigye’s 2010 manifesto copied David Cameron’s Conservative Party manifesto almost word for word” (Mwenda, 08.01.2016). So his words are saying itself how he has to attack the man for attending and being invited while Museveni is busy bodying himself to drop “Presidential Handshakes”.

“Besigye’s despotism in FDC:

Earlier in the day he wrote this too against Besigye: “Most of the FDC leaders i have interviewed ran away from NRM after witnessing the same trend. Now they say that compared to Besigye and his FDC fanatics, M7 and his NRM look like the best democrats one can find. In short Besigye had established a ruthless and intolerant dictatorship over the FDC and now relies on the cult of personality rather than on institutions to govern” (…) “While Besigye fanatics claim I have been hired by NRM to tarnish the name of their cult leader, the information I post here is always supplied to me by the top ranking members of FDC who want to rescue the party and Uganda’s democracy from the tyranny of extremism and the despotism of Besigye” (Mwenda, 08.01.2017).

So he continues his rants, his words of direct attack, as there are rare breed and the Besigye is giant problem. Besigye is the reason for the losses; Besigye is the reason for everything. If it rains it’s Besigye, if it snows it is Beisgye, if it is wind it is Besigye and if it is sun by all means it is Besigye. That is how you can talk in the sense of Mwenda. He is the weatherman who always will pin the blame on Besigye, and by all current codex or modus operandi it will be boiled down to Besigye. Nobody else, the others are needed props in tale of fatigue, lacking organization or even repeatedly popular personality of Besigye. Instead of asking why was there yet again Primary Elections where Besigye won over Gen. Mugish Muntu. Something that didn’t happen in the Movement, where Museveni where sole-candidacy for Presidency and Mbabazi wasn’t allowed to run against him! Something that Mwenda wouldn’t mention, for one simple reason, it will blow his mind and lose his marbles. Mwenda will be little prick who thinks he is a genius, but misses key aspects of matter. Like you need water or milk to drink tea. You can try to boil coke, but the tea will not mix well, but boiled milk or water will make a perfect blend.

Mwenda’s rants are now pointless and personal, like vendetta against the FDC and Besigye. Like he has to attack them! He cannot do anything else, if not he loses his mind. I know I write against Museveni a lot too, but usually with context of economy or recent acts, but Mwenda recreate the election and the internal organization of FDC without caring about factors that are put into play with no regard of the political status in the Republic. FDC are not alone on the losing end of Movement, but Mwenda acts like they are the only one, there is UPC, DP, Farmer’s Party, TIC, UFA and so on.

Like yesterday’s rant: “Besigye die hards are either cowards or hypocrites or both. While they make the loudest noise on how they are ready to die for him, they have done nothing (except for insulting critics on social media) to prove they are worthy of their claims. Each time Besigye goes to town, Kale Kayihura sends only eight (8) police men who pick Besigye like chicken, bundle him over a pickup truck and take him to police as these “ready-die-for-our-man” fanatics watch helplessly” (Mwenda, 07.01.2017).

He goes again into insults not only Besigye, but his supporters, because what else there to do. Because he doesn’t have a valid argument as long as he is putting FDC and Besigye in vacuum, the same kind of empty hole his arguments and reasoning is for the moment. 2017 stroke Mwenda and his mind went haywire. To prove the nonsense of this man, let’s take a piece of the rant of the day before:

“Over the last 16 years, Besigye has concentrated all the meager resources of the opposition on one singular objective, to capture the presidency. Yet we all know that maintaining the presidency is the most important objective of M7 and the NRM where he has concentrated most of his resources” (…) “Now FDC is much weaker relative to NRM. Not only that. NRM is also backed by the power of the state. By concentrating all opposition resources to attack NRM at its most fortified position, Besigye has expended his meager resources to secure an objective where he has the least chance of success. This is a strategic blunder” (Mwenda, 06.01.2017).

The relative argument itself is disgusting, because even if NRM is a ordinary party as Mwenda make it seems, it still is freighting how little he consider how the ambitions are under siege in the NRM, therefore handpicked and rigged members are becoming leaders, but that part of the argument is lost on Mwenda. Because that makes NRM more fragile than Mwenda wants to say. As well as the FDC primary model is better than NRM, though not perfect it still are more democratic than NRM ever will be. Another reason why the debate of Muntu and Besigye in the FDC are a valid one, directly opposite in the NRM where there is no discussion if VP Edward Ssekandi or PM Rukhana Ruganda will ever challenge Museveni. But that is a silent and a mute-point. If doing so your devaluing the epitome of all Ugandan wishes is to have Museveni for life as the chairman of the Movement and Executive of the Republic. Another thing, Mwenda doesn’t have the balls to connects when taking in consideration the stalemate in FDC and in other parties. In a state where it isn’t really democratic, in the sense that NRM are rigging when needed to control the Parliament and all other political offices in the country. The rest is just a front. Strange that Mwenda cannot mention that either. But that is another illness, that his eyes looks away from.

The flawed and the lost plot, is why all of sudden has went into mayhem and going all in to attack FDC and Besigye, Mwenda seems like only dreaming and thinking about them. That is the only thing that boggles his precious minds and the only discussion he can have in the Independent Magazine, as the other obstacles of the Republic can be redundant.  Peace.

Resurrection of rebellion surfaces; while now the SUN sets on the NRM-Regime; And the disregard of justice and the Power-Vacuum created by this announcement of election results; creates distance between the Executive and the People!

This here is worrying signs in the times as people have fled their homes in Bundibugyo district, the violence that spark in Kasese, the intimidation in Kaabong amongst the Karamojong. The situation of house arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye, the harassment of FDC officials and the FDC agents detained, and the witnesses of the Go-Forward Group in the same predicament. While the army is still heavy deployed and the police is still in anti-riot gear. The FDC headquarter in Najjankumbi has been raided and staff been detained to take Declaration Results Forms. That is the main reasons for the troubles of Go-Forward and FDC.  

The worrying is the escalation with a rebel group official starting to attack President Museveni under their leader “Maii Moto” went and attacked the Police Station in Kapchorwa. Even reported that the “We, Save Uganda Now” (SUN) has taken responsibility for the attack on the 5^th March 2016. As even seems to be two battalions and also having UPDF deserters. That is worrying sign, because the UPDF is very professional and well-trained therefore used in operations in Somalia, DRC and Central African Republic. They have even entered South Sudan and reported that certain parts were in Burundi right after the election in 2015. Therefore that UPDF army men leaving the fold and be parts of rebel group, says enough.

This election has left lot of stones to turn as the continuation of fraud surface and the ways government has handled the elections and the aftermath. We see now the historical artifact surface after a hampered and rigged election. It is not enough how the announcement of the result happen on the 20^th February from the Electoral Commission and the question of the existence of a National Talley Centre. The end game is strange and charade at the Supreme Court.

That a rebellious group as the SUN has surfaced should be worrying with mentality that the NRA came to power, as in previous times the ADF-NALU has made violence in the Rwenzori-Region and the LRA in Northern Uganda. Both of the other groups are now at other places and fought back by the UPDF, still they exist and torment of citizens in Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. They are all reactions to the regime of President Museveni. As the newly formed SUN; that SUN exists and already have created casualties in Kapchorwa. That is not a great look into the start of a new term and sworn-in. knowing that people are starting to use the same format and the same guerrilla and bush-war mentality as you did in the 1980s.

It should be worrying already with the men killed after demonstrations, the hurt men after the tear-gas and live-bullets, the detaining and the shunning level playing-field and used the government institutions to achieve yet another “victory”. Not that it is legitimate or correct as the mourning proves and the way people showed up at the rallies of the opposition and the way they was ferried to President Museveni.

There certainly things brewing who is not well established, with the arbitrary laws and creating the Crime Preventers, while mixing the powers of the army and the police in joint operations while carrying out unlawful house-arrests and detaining opposition. It is in this territory that the SUN guerrilla and rebels shows up and shoots up a Police Station in Kapchorwa. Where they pick up guns and kills a police officer. In 1981 the NRA went to Kabamba in Mubende to gain strength and secure guns and ammunition for their bush-war.

For a man who knows this tactic, for a President, who gained force in this way and created a atmosphere of invisibility and maneuvering between guerrillas and government army, while regenerating public support his cause. That must be a worry for the man who has called the people of Kampala rats for voting opposition, blaming opportunists MPs and claiming that he is the only one who can keep Uganda safe. In that picture with the recent deaths, fleeing people and the tension proves that something has occurred and a mentality has changed. As the UPDF, UPF and other security outfit has more work than claiming the P10 of the FDC is an illegal branch who should be dissolved. As they don’t carry guns or create violence. They should fear the SUN guerrillas and rebels who have been created to work against President Museveni. As much as he should not underestimate them as the President Obote did in his time and how the rippling effect it does have, and knowing the main target is to take out NRM and their President Museveni after 30 years in power.

This here is not a wished picture or something anybody wants to see, as I have before explained the similarities between the election in 1980 and even how Dr. Kizza Besigye has been worked against is similar to then Presidential Candidate in 1996 – Dr. Paul Ssemongerere. There is vicious ways of the government operations and the ways they operate has generate a ghost or a reaction that is not peaceful, even if the main opposition speaks of peaceful dis-obedience, as boycotting and not using NRM infused businesses and tax-collecting companies that gives the regime money to fuel their operations. That is decent way of doing so if they get it deliberately and get the public to eat in and take part of it. As the western nations started to shun products from South Africa when the Apartheid policy surfaced and the oppressive regime was taken the lid of. Then the public started to buy the same products from other sources instead of giving the tax-money to South African and South African producers. That is what FDC and other opposition powers are talking. In the political climate now, that is sustainable, as long as the public actually does it. Citizens who show their disregard of the ruling party and their rich elite who keeps them there; therefore the natural reaction would be to stop using MTN or other big business that serves the government right now.

The SUN is another type of reaction and their attempt and even start proves the liability and weakness in the army and the police as they could ambush the Police station. Even Police Spokesmen Fred Enaga claimed they we’re “mastermind” and this is a Police Force who prides themselves in intelligence and gathering information while detaining people preventative arrests and takes them to jail before the actions are done; as they fear people doing crime or creating chaos. As they have done ever since creating the Anti-Besigye Act or the POMA.

The SUN group uses the same device as the NRA did and already cleared one police station in the midst of the heavy deployment of army, roadblocks from central Kampala and out to Kasangati, the UPDF who supposed to keep things tight-knit and together with the police make sure no post-election happens, even as the violence hits Soroti, Kasese, Bundibugyo and now Kapchorwa. This is inflicted and notion of the intent from the government as they secure their own men and the handpicked men of the NRM, as they have ruled without to many questions since 1986. They been backed by the United States, Russia, Libya and other powers to secure a strong army and rebuild the country after bush-war. Now they are returning into the same landscape they fought to get rid of. As the Police standby while lawyers who work on a petition to question the legitimacy of the recent election is getting raided. While the evidence getting lost. This violent disregard of justice and double-standard; can fuel the men of SUN. Not that we want that, but we have to understand that.

As the killings and guerrilla warfare is not wished. But it happens when oppressive regimes and totalitarian regimes cremate the skeleton of sham elections, sham government and sham funding of government facilities, the loss of accountability and transparency; where everything is circulated amongst one man and his cadres. We can see that is the exposure and the clarity of the government institutions right now. They are all centered toward the executive and his decisions, as the IGP Kayihura has said he “follow orders” and do that without thinking. While before election Generals of the Army together with MPs said they feared going against the President Museveni. This here was put on wax and said to Daily Monitor. There was even reported that it was fear of defacing campaign-posters of him, as the poster represented the President.

When you are in this state and in the climate between people and leaders, when the MPs, Generals and IGP fear the President and would follow his command as a fear of losing the position he has “given them”. Then can have a deteriorating effect and make people kneel and speak as they want to think like the Executive, instead of building to creating a better government, as that is not important as much as clearing the state. Make sure that the state, parliament and government institutions can surely serve the Executive and not the people. The reason why the election became like it was and the excuses and tragic outcome, as the silence and the meager display of confidence in the regime; with the reaction as people tarnished Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya as he was first to congratulate President Museveni. In this sieging of the people’s will and the open stealing of ballots, has made certain bubbles to burst.

As it now seems as certain army deserters actual becomes a part of a guerrilla or militia, even an armed rebel group. That should be worry, even as it is nothing new in the history of Uganda, and the ability of UPDF to shut-down rebellion, though this time they might play it differently and the people might not celebrate the governmental army as before, because of the longevity of the bush-war that created the NRM and the longevity of President Museveni. It would be special if a guerrilla of his own trained deserters would bring him down, as he has never chosen peace or taken defeat as a leader, instead always blamed other people for his failure or opposition for destroying good policies. The SUN might be a little mosquito right now, I am sure Obote at one point didn’t take the runyankore upstart seriously, even if had been defense minister at one point, and been a part of the armed battle together with him battling Idi Amin. He was still sure together with Tanzanian army would be able with UNLA to destroy NRA. Something he didn’t as they could hide easy and move quicker than the government forces while tactically outmaneuver both other rebel forces as Dr. Kayira his Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM) and other ones. So secure the loyalty from the Baganda Kingdom and take Kampala and be sworn-in in 1986. This is something the NRM knows and should worry that they are doing the same as the men they got rid of in 1986, they even seem to have done certain murders that came to the surface in December 2015 by the shores of Lake Victoria, as the Police has not given the public any answers to the crime or given any indication of knowledge on the Christopher Aine case. And the months are rolling and the next swearing in of President Museveni together with his loyal Presidential neighbor’s and President Mugabe, as he will cling to power by any means. That means the army and police will use their guns and the tear-gas, operation to raid opposition offices, even lawyers offices and detain witnesses to keep silence on the electoral fraud that happen on the 18^th February 2016.

Somewhere is Dr. Milton Obote shaking his head together with Yusuf Lule and Dr. Paolo Muwanga who did their business at one point of time in the Ugandan history. Now, this period will be historical for the disarray and measly display of arrogance from the NRM-Regime while the nature of business is shaping the results with the iron-fists, instead of democratic means or justice, as the concern of rule of law does not care for anything else the rule of power. The answer to this is the resurrecting of ghosts of the Ugandan history. Guerrilla and rebels to the government and their ruling; that it happens now show how deep down and little regard the government has for the people. That the Government of Uganda, President Museveni has made the people his enemy and created a big vacuum as the people feels betrayed by their Executive, this has led to people and UPDF deserters to start a rebellion and a guerrilla under the name “We, Save Uganda Now” (SUN). And the violence has been released unto police men in Kapchorwa days ago, as the Police and army, together with other political forces has created similar outcomes in Bundibugyo and Kasese. To many dies for too little as the Executive continues to suppress his own people and take them for granted. Peace.

Press Statement: P10 says: “Defy any provocation to any violence” (05.03.2016)

Uganda Diaspora P10 March 5, 2016

As we focus attention on the coup de tat in Kampala and illegal detention and violation of the rights of President-Elect, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, we are mindful of the well-being of all Ugandans. News making rounds that some gun men raided a Police Post in Kapchorwa and stole guns, killing 2 cops in the process, should be treated with the grain of salt that it comes with. After the regime’s bogus orchestration of youth attack of the American Embassy in Kampala, lets be very vigilant because they are capable of doing anything, including attacking their own Police posts and killing their own Policemen.

These desperate vote thieves are viciously looking for means to justify their primitive use of force to subdue the population. Earlier, we heard that a grenade was left at the home of the sister to Eng. Kiggundu’s. I would like to remind you that any acts of violence and atrocities are a sole trademark of IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura and the Military, thus far. These snippets of news of armed men and grenades, are merely usual diversionary tactics intended to draw away attention from the Military Coup in Kampala and violation of Dr. Besigye’s rights.

The regime has done everything possible to find an excuse to kill Ugandans and to provoke violence. But Ugandans have decided to be silent and composed as they grieve the forceful usurpation of their collective wills. It is the silence that is making the trigger-happy NRM Police and the Special Force Brigade very nervous – such that they have killed Ugandans in Soroti already. We members of the Uganda Diaspora P10 have recommended that this regime is very incompetent in handling peaceful means to resolve political issues.

The most strategic approach for us, in our noble pursuit of the Peoples’ mandate from the grip of the armed coup leaders, is by civil defiance – purely peaceful means. Ugandans have suffered a lot of aimless or rather useless wars in the name of democracy. We all agree that the events of 2016 have dwarfed whatever vote rigging that took place in 1980 and it warrants similar or even more adverse response from conscious Ugandans. However, we believe that enough is enough. Mr. Museveni must hand over power peacefully to the elected leader – President – Elect Dr. Kiiza Besigye. We are in full support of our leader and we shall stand by him in the name of democracy and good governance. Peace be thy name.

Dr. Kizza Besigye: “The 2016 Uganda General Elections and the way forward” (04.03.2016)

Background:
After the 2011 elections, all political parties (including NRM) concurred that electoral and political reforms were necessary in order to have free and fair elections in 2016.

Proposed reforms were generated by various political formations; including, the Inter-Party Organisations Dialogue (IPOD-consisting of all parties represented in parliament), National Consultative Forum (NCF- consisting of all registered political parties and led by NRM), Citizens’ Coalition of Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) and the National Consultation on Free and Fair Elections (NCFFE).

In spite of the NRM having fully participated in the various formations that presented reform proposals to government (executive) and parliament, Mr Museveni, the final authority in NRM decided that no electoral reforms would be undertaken ahead of 2016 elections. That’s what happened.

All parties and persons participating in the 2016 elections, therefore, knew that the elections would be inherently not free or fair. That’s why opposition parties and elements from the NRM were engaged in protracted discussions seeking to devise an appropriate strategy for contesting in an inherently manipulated and unfair election.

This is why my candidature adopted the strategy of a Defiance Campaign. Our clear understanding was that this was an election organised on the premise of injustice. A political defiance campaign entails informing the population about the injustice and enabling the people to organise and confront the injustice.

It’s important to note that a political defiance campaign is completely NON-VIOLENT. It employs well-informed citizens to non-violently challenge the injustices in the electoral process; protect against various forms of rigging on polling day; and ensure that the peoples’ will is respected. This was the purpose of the “POWER 10” system that we organised during the campaign.

Polling Day:
A lot has been talked about events of the polling days, 18th and 19th February. The main problems during voting included widespread disenfranchisement of voters, especially, in Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja, Iganga, and Mbale, with more than 2 million registered voters; arrest of polling agents; pre-ticking and stuffing of ballot boxes; widespread and systematic voter bribery; and denying polling agents their Results Declaration Forms.

Tallying and announcement of results:

What is now clear is that all the injustices undertaken prior and during voting failed to deliver victory to Mr museveni. As soon the Electoral Commission begun to announce the results at the Namboole Tally Centre, the alarm-bells started ringing. It became clear that many of the results they were announcing were different from the ones announced at the polling stations.

When the pattern of inconsistency was sustained, on 19th February, we decided to address the media and draw the public’s attention to this. We’d previously alerted the country about a house in Nagulu, Kampala, where, according to reliable information, manipulation of results from Districts was planned to take place. Ballot papers were also pre-ticked in this house.

It was at this point that the police stormed our Party Hqs and, under cover of teargas, arrested our Party President Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu, FDC Mobiliser Ms Ingrid Turinawe and myself. Our Headquarters was taken over, ransacked and kept under police control up to now.

From 19th February (the day before the announcement of final results by EC) up to now, I’ve been under police detention- either in police cells or at my Kasangati home. Access to our Party leaders and lawyers was very limited.

Several of our District Party offices have also been attacked and hundreds of our Party officials and polling agents have been detained countrywide.

It is this Police/Military operation that crippled our effort of gathering evidence and evaluating it for purposes of preparing an election petition as provided for in the Constitution.

The Constitution gives an aggrieved parliamentary candidate 30 days within which to petition. However, a presidential candidate who’s supposed to collect evidence from 281 constituencies, exclusively by affidavit (statement sworn before a lawyer), has only 10 days to do so.

The stealing of the 2016 presidential election was so clumsy and exaggerated that the Police/ Military forces had to intervene directly to stop its exposure. Even biased courts like ours could not be relied upon to protect the fraud. That’s why the electoral process was overthrown! What happened is, for all intents and purposes, a military coup. Kampala remains under “siege”, with streets reminiscent of February 1971, in the aftermath of Gen Idi Amin coup!

It may be easy to fake results, but it’s not easy to fake people’s response. There was absolutely no celebration on the announcement of the fraudulent declaration of Mr Museveni as a winner of 2016 elections. Even NRM members knew that the EC announcement was not true!

Our results:
I can confidently inform Ugandans that we undoubtedly won the elections. Even with the unprecedented effort of the Police, Military and Intelligence Services to deny us our results, we now have enough to go by in claiming our victory.

We also discovered many clearly anomalous results- including over one hundred polling stations, in Kiruhura District, where 100% of registered voters cast their votes and all voted for Mr Museveni, without a single spoilt ballot paper!!

We also have horrific accounts of what happened in the Karamoja region. In most of the region, it was a military/police/mafia operation, rather than an election conducted by EC according to the law.

The way forward:
It’s on the basis of the information in our possession that we’ve demanded for an Independent Audit of the 2016 presidential election. This would mean that we would politically agree on a process of election audit that’s not presently provided for in the law, since the one provided was overthrown.

This would, basically, mean agreeing on independent auditors and supervisors that would work with representatives of candidates and the EC to carry out the audit. All candidates would commit themselves to respect the outcome of the audit. This can be conclusively done before the expiry of the current term of Government.

All peace-loving Ugandans, East Africans, Africans and members of the International Community are called upon to play a role in working towards the Independent Audit.

If this is not agreed upon, then we’ll have to proceed and exercise the mandate that was clearly given to us by the people of Uganda. We cannot let down the millions of people who supported our campaign, braved the harassment and intimidation, persevered in long queues without voting materials etc, and eventually delivered the victory.

We shall form government as mandated by our people- the Peoples’ Government.

This is the critical moment for our political defiance campaign. Let’s all remember that Government power comes from cooperation, submission and obedience of the population. If the population withholds it’s cooperation, submission and obedience, the government loses power.

I ask all our people to remain strong and vigilant, especially, members of Power 10. We shall call for non-violent actions that disempower the regime seeking to impose itself on our country. We may have to make some sacrifices and should be prepared to do so. I am confident that our people’s resolve to have non-violent change of leadership for the first time will become a reality in 2016.

One Uganda, One people!

For God and my country.

Kizza-Besigye.

Press release from Uganda diaspora P10 – The arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye and other opposition leaders (22.02.2016)

Uganda Diaspora, friends and Development partners join to strongly condemn the cowardly acts of arresting opposition party leaders, intimidation of the opposition voters, use of force and violence against innocent civilians.

For the last 5 days in a row, the morning of 22nd February 2016, we witnessed the arbitrary arrest of the opposition leader Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Secretary for mobilization of FDC party Ingrid Turinawe and a host of staffs at the FDC party headquarters.

The Uganda Diaspora P10 an international communication arm of the FDC Party is deeply concerned by the continued persecution, arbitrary arrest and detention without trial of opposition leaders and our supporters by the dictatorial regime in Uganda. This raises serious concerns about restrictions on the freedom of expression and assembly in Uganda.

Uganda has degenerated into a police state with a heavily militarized police force. The police have been used to vent violence and abuse the fundamental rights and freedoms of Ugandan citizens especially the opposition.

The Opposition and citizens of Uganda have a right to express their dissatisfaction with the outcome of the February 18, 2016 election through peaceful assembly. The right to assembly and freedom of express are universal right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Uganda is a party.

We condemn in the strongest terms possible state inspired violence and the show of force on February 22, 2016 in arresting opposition leaders, DC members of staffs and hundreds of our party supporters.

Opposition parties that peacefully voice criticism of the government play a vital role in inclusive, pluralistic societies.

We are engaging all forms of justice from, local, regional and international courts to ensure that the elements of the Uganda police, military and government involved in the abuse of the fundamental rights and freedoms are brought to justice.

DEMANDS

1. We demand Government of Uganda to protect the universal rights of freedom of expression and assembly.

2. We demand the immediate release without and delay or conditions of all persons arrested without due process.

3. We demand the immediate cessation of state violence against the people of Uganda.

4. We demand that the government elements desist from any intimidation, fear mongering and arbitrary actions against the people of Uganda.

5. We are collecting and analyzing all evidence of these violations which we shall present it the appropriate fora at the appropriate time.

We shall not relent in our fight for a free and fair election in Uganda. We will seek justice in all forms at all levels collectively and as individuals against institutions, individuals and the state for violation of fundament rights and freedoms of the people of Uganda.

Chairperson Uganda diaspora P10
MS JACKIE OLOYA.

Press Release: Ugandan Youth Decide the next steps (23.02.2016)

The young people of Uganda comprise the majority, at over 78% of the total population and they overwhelmingly participated in this election. The voting exercise having been completed two days ago, as key stakeholders and bearers of the burden in all its manifests, we would like to share with all Ugandans and the international community our observations, conclusions and the way forward. The youth in Uganda, is facing a very uncertain future ranging from; having the highest unemployment rate of 83%, deteriorating the quality of education, corrupt credit schemes, abject poverty; and the desperation that is driving us to become, gamblers, prostitutes, economic refugees. slaves in the middle east, far east and other Asian countries.

All this is, as Yoweri Museveni put it in his book “WHAT IS AFRICA’s PROBLEM”, a consequence of, but not limited to; 30 years of poor leadership of the very author of the book who now believes Uganda is him, him is Uganda and that he doesn’t see anyone else capable of leading Uganda apart from him!

“Africa doesn’t need strongmen; it needs strong institutions”: Obama
Like President Barak Obama said while on his first official trip as president to the heart of Africa;
“Development depends upon good governance”.
“No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. “That is not a democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end.”

Democracy and good governance are the ingredients which has been missing in Uganda, for far too long.
The 30 years’ revolutionary turned dictator who attained power by gun, rules by the gun and believes only the gun shall remove him from power legitimizes his rule and disguises dictatorship through sham elections.
A rigged election in favor of the incumbent implies our sufferings is not about to end, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government has resorted to the mass arrest of the youth as a means to silence us. It is time for the young to claim their rights and lead this struggle. Uganda’s future, our future is in our hands. The young have the potentials to make this country work for each and every one of us.

Rejection of Feb 18th Election results.

Having widely observed this election and actively participated in voting in search for change from a tired brutal regime to democratic and good governance, we would like to distance ourselves from the final results that were declared by Kiggundu.
We reject these results in the strongest terms possible as they are not a true reflection of the will and wish Ugandan people said on 18th Feb 2016. We saw the deliberate delay, ballot boxes stuffed with pre-ticked ballot papers in favor of the incumbent and kidnap of tallying material and FDC party leaders from the FDC Party headquarters we will not allude to what happened any further.
The entire electoral process became a sham; it was rigged using intimidation of voters, imprisonment of opponents, sabotage of rallies, late delivery of election materials, delayed opening of election centers, vote falsification at undisclosed tally centers, and bribery, among other malpractices.
The European Union and Commonwealth preliminary reports are already out, were aired on 20th February 2016 and are available on the YouTube channel for you to see and confirm our concerns as Ugandans.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Badru Kiggundu intentionally announced the false results in favor of the incumbent, Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the ‘winner’ of the election, on the 20th February 2016. This has been challenged by the main opposition candidate Col DR Kizza Besigye (rtd), the FDC party and the majority of Ugandans! They could have gone to demonstrate their protest but in Uganda, demonstrations are curtailed.

Continued arrests of party leaders.

We have observed the Uganda Police and Military police continue to insurmountable force in illegally arresting and detaining opposition party leaders, FDC party staffs, P10 volunteers, FDC party supporters and pressing no charges against them. We are aware that these are deliberate steps to curtail their freedoms of assembly, expression aimed at physically and illegally blocking all their efforts to seek court redress within the 10 working days required by law to contest this election.

We are calling upon all Ugandans, pro-democratic forces, and human rights activists to reject these actions with all constitutional means possible. We will not continue to look on as you illegally arrest FDC party leaders and members. It’s our constitutional right to stand against all illegalities and inhuman treatment. This should stop immediately and if you don’t stop we will take all measures to stop an illegal operation by the police.

Kizza Besigye Premises.

We would like in the strongest terms possible condemn the continued persecution, house detention, detention without trial of Presidential candidate Kizza Besigye. There is heavy deployment around his house and he can hardly make a step outside his door. This is unacceptable and is very unprecedented in our country. He is not only a Ugandan but a human rights activists as well as a presidential candidate. who deserves to enjoy his constitutional rights and a right to a dignifying treatment by the state. As key stakeholders in this country, we are asking the state not to taste our patience. You have done many unconstitutional things but we will not let you curtail the rights of RTD. Col DR. Kizza Besigye and Illegal besieging of FDC party Headquarters

In the same spirit, we would like to condemn the Uganda police for the continued besieging of a legally registered political party FDC headquarters. The breaking of doors and vandalisation of FDC property by Uganda police. This was uncalled for.

International Community.

To the international community and observers. Will you look on as Uganda’s constitutional order is abused and Ugandans are raped of their dignity to vote for the leaders they want?
We commend you for raising your concerns about the flawed electoral process but actions speak louder than words. We are calling upon you to diligently continue observing the process and remain key watchdogs in this process but also take swift and drastic action that will restore the freedom of assembly, association and movement of Col Dr Kizza Besigye, members of his campaign task force the P10 vote protection volunteers and all the FDC party activists, so that the petition can be finalized and launched in the required time frame for the high court to handle, or impose targeted sanctions on the regime if they don’t comply.

Constitutional Mandate.

We believe in part that the supreme law of the land has been abrogated in accordance with chapter one of the 1995 constitution that states that:
1. The sovereignty of the people.
(1) All power belongs to the people who shall exercise their sovereignty in accordance with this Constitution.
(2) Without limiting the effect of clause (1) of this article, all authority in the State emanates from the people of Uganda; and the people shall be governed through their will and consent.

We believe that the current situation and the announcement of false results infringe on the will and consent of Ugandans. Yet the constitution further says that;

(4) The people shall express their will and consent on who shall govern them and how they should be governed, through regular, free and fair elections of their representatives or through a referendum.
We have all reasons and overwhelming evidence that is blatantly clear to all Ugandan and all election observers that the just concluded presidential elections were not free or fair and thus fell short of this constitutional mandate.

As such we have a constitutional duty enshrined in our constitution and these will be but our next steps until such a moment as instructed by this constitution and we quote;

3. Defense of the Constitution.
(4) All citizens of Uganda shall have the right and duty at all times—
(a) to defend this Constitution and, in particular, to resist any person or group of persons seeking to overthrow the established constitutional order; and
(b) to do all in their power to restore this Constitution after it has been suspended, overthrown, abrogated or amended contrary to its provisions.
(5) Any person or group of persons who, as required by clause (4) of
this article, resists the suspension, overthrow, abrogation or amendment of
this Constitution commits no offense.

1.We are giving the police 6 hours from now to stop trespassing and vacate the premises of Kizza Besigye or else we mobilize a demonstration at his home in our usual large numbers.

2. Respect Col Dr. Kizza Besigye’s freedom of movement, assembly, association and freedom of expression. He committed no crime to contest as president in this Election.

3. We are further asking you to leave FDC headquarters in peace with immediate effect.

4. We demand that the Electoral Commission must forthwith avail comprehensive lists of the over 3000 polling stations that were omitted from the final tally.

From now further business is not going to be as usual, we are going to assertively control our destinies in order to claim our future. There is no other person who will do it for us.

“For God and My country”.

FDC Statement on the Uganda Police Rigging Operation and Illegal Tally Centre at Naguru (19.02.2016)

Gen. Kayihura knows politics better then Politicians apparently; the Master Yoda of Uganda is Kayihura!

Well, yet again the Ugandan Police Force decides to be a Political actor during election times. As IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura has told Journalist how to do journalism during 2015; he knows now’s how to build party structures, as there is only allowed for NRM to have branches on their organizations. As they have NRM CEC; NRM Historicals, NRM Youth League, NRM Poor Youth and so, and all of them are legal, while FDC can only have their offices and main party but not anything else it seems. Here is what he is initially saying!

What the Inspector of General of Police said today:

“Police have told the Forum for Democratic Change to disband Power-10, a grouping of 10 people per village, which the party says mobilise support for its candidate and will protect votes on election day” (…)”The Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura, said FDC officials have been officially informed about the disbandment of what he called a militia. “If there is any violence, we are going to deal with it,” Gen. Kayihura said” (Bagala, 2016)

Here is the FDC’s Instructions for the P10 Program:

“1- If you want to vote Dr. Besigye, don’t give him only one vote. Please mobilise and recruit 10 more votes for him.

2- On voting day…make sure you GET OUT THE VOTE. Let nobody stay home! You must especially ensure your Power 10 members go in time to the polling station to cast their votes.

3- After voting, protect the vote. You cannot protect it alone! Please be 10 to Protect the vote. 10, 10, 10, at your respective polling stations.

4- After casting and protecting the vote, the final task is to protect victory. The winner must be declared and the loser must accept defeat.

NOTE: -10 people around you is powerful security to each of you. Move together, coordinate together, Vote together” (FDC Mobilisers).

How the NRM intimidate a crowd with the help of UDPF:

Here is their money service delivery with their village bribery program:

If you see that the FDC is such a danger as they mobilize their supports, just as the executive leaders in the Villages under NRM. But that is NRM, as the NRM as allowed to do anything. They can even pay the villagers, pay and give gifts for votes. As in Kamuli on the 10^th February the villagers in the area was given UGX 3k for their vote for the NRM-Regime. That Police doesn’t stop that non-sense is beyond me, but Gen. Kayihura is only following Mzee. The NRM has this Village Program where they give for the total amount of people UGX 250k shared on everybody. In some villages that leaves the amount of value of the vote down 100s or 600 shillings; As in Kikgate sub-county in Isingiro District where each person got UGX 1k yesterday! On the 4^th February NRM gave UGX 3k in Kitete Village in Mukono District. As in Bubulo East County in Manafwana district, MP Simon Mulongo Wetende, Mr. Simon diligent job as NRM man delivered UGX 250 to the villages. While the Bupoto Primary School is still neglected; take a look:

Which it cannot only be worth as the amount doesn’t add value to life or even ability to buy anything of worth, and the only thing this program does, is eating tax-money with leverage; NRM using their position to buy votes, something Gen. Kayihura has no troubles with.

While he claims the P10 is illegal militia, the P10 does not carry weapons or sticks, they are not in it for violence as the other outfits of his Police; the Police in charge of inciting more violence, as I have reported over a long time. The Crime Preventers are more a militia then the P10 ever will be.

It is a reason why the Crime Preventers had to be probed in Parliament:

“Prime Minister’s Time, Dr. Rugunda said, “They are not supposed to be playing partisan roles. If there are any errors committed, we shall follow them up and ensure that they are stopped.” Hon. Okumu, a Parliamentary Commissioner, said Police crime preventers were campaigning for the ruling NRM and intimidating supporters of other parties. He added that instead of crime prevention, they were causing crime and had become partisan. Crime preventers, who are mostly youths, undergo training in community policing courses aimed at empowering them with self defense skills, ideological orientation, crime prevention and patriotism.  Similarly, while responding to a question by Mukono Municipality MP, Hon. Betty Nambooze (DP), the Prime Minister said the role of the Police is to enforce the law without discrimination” (Parilament.ug, 2015).

As the Crime Preventers have self-defense training and at Police Schools around the country with sticks, they have more violent tone and a brigade that the Police can enforce to distress the elections; while the P10 is a 10 volunteers who stand-by and stand together while waiting for results and the counting during the elections. As a democratic way of seeing that the votes are conducted correctly by the tally officers and in-charge of the ballots after receiving them. As there been conducting and results for rigging before under President Museveni; Gen. Kayihura shouldn’t enforce and use his Police Force to stop a branch of another political party; as it undress his political ambition and loyalty towards NRM. Uganda Police Force is more looking as a NRM security outfit, then trying to keep the whole country safe as he defends the NRM by any means, also follow orders like a blind dog. Gen. Kayihura is meddling in everything because of his position and because of his loyalty to Mzee. But that doesn’t save the fact that your using rhetoric and actions that counters righteous ways, how to build society and making sure of the safety of the actual citizens that Gen. Kayihura is supposed to do. Instead he creates a force of Crime Preventers that creates violence and tension; generate also fear with the violence and using his police to follow the opposition with Anti-Riot Police and Special Force Command to ensure that the FDC or Go-Forward doesn’t break the regulations set by the Electoral Commission.

Send a mail to Kayihura: “so you can conduct yourself correctly” — Trust me he will help you out! — It offically Kayihura Mentoring Service! 

So the issue is that Gen. Kale Kayihura should actually do his job and secure the citizens. An not tell opposition to disband one of their branches, as it is set-up to see that their votes get respected by the regime that Kayihura works for. As Kayihura has told us how Journalist should work, it is not surprising that he know has the knowledge on how opposition parties should work and also do their mobilization as Kayihura is the Yoda of Uganda; the man who knows how everybody should act and also conduct themselves; Kayihura has the answers to how everybody should cross the street, grow bananas and even seek refugees under tropical storms. So if you ever wonder how to act or behave as a person in Uganda, please send a mail to: info@upf.go.ug and he will give you advice that makes Oprah look like a wild kid. Kayihura will help you out, trust me! Peace.

Reference:

Bagala, Andrew – ‘Police want FDC’s P10 group disbanded’ (11.02.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Police-want-FDCs-P10-group-disbanded/-/688334/3071262/-/n7ytgwz/-/index.html

Parliament.ug – ‘PM explains role of Police, crime preventers’ (2015) link: http://www.parliament.go.ug/new/index.php/about-parliament/parliamentary-news/630-pm-explains-role-of-police-crime-preventers

P10 Response to Gen. Kale Kayihura’s strange demand to disband the Elect-Besigye P10 Village Structure (11.02.2016)

This is a message of difiance and noncompliance. 

The Uganda Diaspora P10, is a group of pro – Besigye people in Europe, Asia and North America. As I write now, the group has a membership of nearly 600 people. The group is chaired by the able lady Jackie Oloya and Coordinated Globally by Col Samson Mande.

The group’s website is www.ugandadiasporap10.org and we command a very prominent presence on FB and Twitter as well where we have out done the NRM social media machinery with peaceful pro-change messages.

Our activities are peaceful and constitutional and therefore, we shall not disband our structures until after the elections. Gen Kale Kayihura should stop his cheap politics of worrying about people who are peaceful and legally indulging in civic duties as proscribed by the 1995 Constitution of Uganda (as amended).

Our activities are clear; we fund raise to establish and run the P10 structure at the grass root in direct response to what President Museveni has bragged about that NRM has 30 executives in each village of Uganda.

Gen Kale Kayihura has found this structure to be very effective in mobilizing support for Col (Rtd). Dr. Besigye as we have seen in the huge crowd that attend Col. Besigye’s rallies. That is why he is panicking and spending sleepless nights chasing his shadow. Gen Kale Kayihura’s rather rather strange demand has exposed him further as someone who has usurped the constitutional and legal mandates of the Electoral Commission in running this elections.

We demand that Kale Kayihura should first disband the Crime Preventers and also to respect the rule of law by at least pretending to be impartial during the day! In addition, we demand that Gen Kale Kayihura be committed to the Military Court martial just like Gen Sejusa,for interfering with civilian politics and actively organizing for Presidential candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

To assure Ugandans of our activities, we have been testing a radio broadcast on the Short Wave Radio at 18m and 31m band. Further Broadcasting will happen on Feb 17, 18, 19 and 20th to support the activities of the P10 on the ground and we shall be relaying election results live.

Ugandans should be able to tune their radios on the shortwave 31m band to listen to directives and announcements. We are sure that the biased and highly politicised UCC will not be able to interfere with the Short wave radio broadcast.

We shall also announce contact information where the P10 and well-wishers shall be able to contact us with photos, audio recordings and any information depicting irregularities and illegalities happening during the polling exercise that many compromise the integrity of the election process, vote counting, results transmission and peace.

We shall not disband the P10 because it is a peaceful village committee of people who trust each other to stand together for the exercise of their constitutional rights – to prevent Gen Kale Kayihura’s Crime Preventers from stealing our votes. Disbanding P10 is like disbanding Ugandan villages, how can that be possible, if it is not merely a figment of his imagination?

P10 is more than 10 people in the village. This is where the Inspector General of Police is joking with his NRM politics. He is only politicking when he demands that we disband P10. The P10 means every person in the village must be in a wave of 10 people. It is P to power 10. It is a mesh, a network of tightly connected pro-change people organized 10 by 10 by 10 by 10 by victory!

Lastly, we would like to encourage Ugandans to defy Gen Kale Kayihura’s illegal and unusual directives given that he has recruited, trained and indoctrinated 11 million Ugandans into his illegal crime Preventers franchise. That is one in every three Ugandan is already a crime preventer. Where then will the criminals come from?

Ugandans are free to organize themselves in any way they like as long as they remain peaceful and are able to dispense their civic duties as citizens. The P10 is not armed, not trained, not violent like the illegal Crime Preventers that are commanded by Gen Kale Kayihura to rig votes and commit genocide on the people of Uganda.

Mr. Komakech is the Spokesperson of Uganda Diaspora P10 that is strengthening the grassroot P10. Can be contacted via info@ugandadiasporap10.org.