Opinion: We shall disagree with the NRM, but not nail them!

“A man with an National Resistance Movement – NRM yellow Beret has been nailed by yet to be identified people while in kalerwe a kampala suburb . Here at the Hotspot we condemn such acts of intolerance and violence” (Radio Simba Ffemw Mweffe, 29.08.2019).

The greatness of a man and movement is when it can turn the other chin, when the movement and people gathered around a cause in non-violence and with wishes of peaceful co-existence can move-on from its bloody past.

Even as the news spirals are going in cycle. When there are so much oppression and ill-activity from the state towards the Opposition. The opposition need to prove they are different from the ones currently ruling. Just like the innocent bystanders at rallies, public consultations, which has been hurt over the years. It is all state violence against and its wrong. The bullets which has killed and taken lives for taking part in opposition activity. We know this has happen in Republic and we condemn it.

The same shall be done over this matter. There is no justification or no right action to nail someone’s head over the Beret they are currently wearing. Just like the police get no favour arresting people for wearing red berets or printing Besigye T-shirts. That is just wrong, both are wrong.

The individuals who did this today to the man wearing the NRM beret needs to answer for their crime. Just like anyone should. Something the NRM and their authorities also needs to answer for. The acts of abduction, torture and safe-houses. The acts of political policing and the acts of violence against the people who shows up at opposition activities. Putting up roadblocks and arresting Turinawe/Amuriat-Oboi when they criss-crossing the Republic. Yes, we know about that.

Today’s action was wrong. No one has the right to inflict this hurt on anyone. Nobody should consider to do this harm. They shall answer to the authorities and to laws of the land. That is cool, but so should be done for injustice done with impunity over the years at the opposition. This shouldn’t be blown out of proportion. Yes, it is terrible and wrong.

But god damn-it. The state has systematically oppressed, abducted, detained and pinned charges on the opposition. It has as long as I can remember been violent against citizens when the opposition gathers, with mambas, tear-gas and live-bullets. There been hospitalization of innocent civilians and people have been fatally hurt. Therefore, the revolution eats its children.

Now, that being said. This is just mere tragic event, that no one earns a dime on. There is no political mileage. There never shall be, because the innocent and standby civilians are the ones who pay the price, while the Big-Men moves on. We all know the individual hurt today didn’t deserve it. Neither anyone who has been touched in other events either.

This just proves a set of breaking moral codes and it stems for the top, as the top-down orders are shown and the only way to answer it is by addressing it in the fashion. Then your not better, but the same. That is why the opposition needs to show finesse and humility, even in the midst of draconian laws and oppressive state. Since, its supposed to challenge the sinister acts and prove their character. The state will use all tools and ensure its power by all means. Therefore, this sort of acts, acts sadly as good spin for why the opposition is no better.

We know the state is brutal and uses force, uses the laws and the authorities to silence the dissident. Even as the fans and supporters of state goes into public. The opposition got to show they are better and not using the same violence the state does. Because, than they win. Peace.

Uganda Police Force: Clarification on allegations made by Bweranaho Charles against the Flying Squad (09.05.2018)

Yumbe Riot: Conflicting reports, but seemingly authorities created the havoc and it got public reactions!

What can we can conclude is that the Police Force in Yumbe District has arrested about 60 people and two individuals seriously injured (some reports dead) after bullets hit the scene. The Police Force statements and the Uganda Revenue Authority statements doesn’t add-up. While the Police are saying the URA had an enforcement operation there, the URA counter-claim it and says there was none.

However, there has imports of illegal rice in this case, that created the havoc seen today in Yumbe, as both statements refers to it. The URA legal team, who encountered the boda-bodas with it, who was stoned for interfering with it. While the Police Force are not addressing directly the illegal rice, but that URA was looking at the number plates and lack of tax on the motorcycles.

Before the crowd and masses of people rioted, burning both motorcycles and a car belonging to the Danish Aid in the town. The end of the statement clarifies that the URA was there to collect taxes on the imported rice, and that the motorcycle drivers has to pay the state. Also that URA will continue this operations in the West Nile region.

The Police has said they will engage with the Boda Boda Industry and community, as of this incident. What is special, is one saying it was not paid for the motorcycle, the URA saying it was because of the lack of taxes on imports on the motorcycle. It is a small difference, but still one. We can wonder what was the truth.

What we do know, is that the Police has arrested a dozen of people and two killed, some say they were just hurt. Hard to know what is the fact. 103.2 Open Gate FM reported this earlier in the day: “Two people are reported dead in Yumbe District following a protest by youth in the area against operations of the Uganda Revenue Authority-URA. The protests were sparked by a URA operation against unregistered bodas bodas, in the event apprehending residents in the business. The operation became sour when the URA vehicle knocked down a bodaboda cyclist, making bodabodas to become rowdy by burning several vehicles prompting police to fire bullets. URA Manager Public and Corporate Affairs, Ian Rumanyika said the Authority was cracking down on unregistered boa bodas as well as those smuggles from South Sudan without reverting tax” (103.2 Open Gate FM, 28.03.2018).

So it wasn’t a peaceful initiating, as the URA Management followed and tracked the Boda Boda down. Knocked it and the Police intervened in the operation. The report of Open Gate, also say the URA was doing both, not just stopping the smuggling from South Sudan, but also look into the tags, which hadn’t paid tax. Secondly, they are saying that the URA team drove after the Boda Boda and actually knocked one down. That isn’t just fining and taking the tags, not only checking the products or rice, but actually nearly impounding it. This has been done without forewarning or local knowledge. If not this wouldn’t have happen.

So the URA are now combating illegal imports and also unregistered boda boda’s. Clearly, there have to be better methods, since this became violent, and the following after and knocking down. Was a final spark, since the URA Management created havoc on the way and than the Police intervened with guns, as the youth was throwing stones. When the violent activity transpired they addressed it with throwing stones and also burning cars.

Whatever it was, it shows the lack of oversight and the lack of basic understanding. It is natural for a state to tax imports, also serve taxes on plates, yearly pay for being able to drive on the roads. Both actions are normal, but if the URA Management did the right thing, if the Police Force did the same. Can be questioned and should be.

What should also be asked, would there be a better way to collect the missed tax and also secure the porous border points, so the Boda Boda can pay the levies when entering into Uganda again. Secondly, the URA should be able to notify the drivers of their missing payments and not knock them down for doing so.

We will see with time, if the stories are changing or if they will stay the same. However, this is worrying sight of the state of affairs. When collecting taxes becomes a stand-off, you know something is wrong. Peace.

URA: Clarification on Riot in Yumbe (28.03.2018)

Opinion: Today Mzee said he will have the Crime Preventers as a reserve army, what will he use it for?

October 26, 2015 – Crime Preventers

“Democracy is not simply a license to indulge individual whims and proclivities. It is also holding oneself accountable to some reasonable degree for the conditions of peace and chaos that impact the lives of those who inhabit one’s beloved extended community.” – Aberjhani, (Splendid Literarium: A Treasury of Stories, Aphorisms, Poems, and Essays).

After the hectic usage of the Crime Preventers in the run-up for the General Election in 2016, they are suddenly relevant again. Even after the state are failing with funds and such. The National Resistance Movement, still seems to need several more guns and soldiers out there walking in the streets of Uganda. That is how it seems, but however now it has changed from being part of the Uganda Police Force, into a brigade from the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). That means the Generals will control it and order it, not the Police. That is very different animal if this happens.

Reported by 411UG today: ““I now regard you as a reserve army for UPDF. My idea is to have a small army which is equipped but with a big reserve”, Museveni stated in his address at Lugogo Arena. However, before saying so, President Museveni refuted rumours surrounding ‘who owns them’ he said; “Anybody who had an idea that this was a Kayihura project, please, get it out of your head. But Kayihura was an active cadre who executed that aspect and I congratulate him.” (411UG – ‘I now regard you as a reserve army for UPDF — Museveni tells crime preventers’ 28.03.2018).

What President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is distancing himself from the statements the Uganda Police Force did during campaigns of 2015, when the UPF stated this: “Uganda Police Force has learnt with profound disappointment that a Facebook group called Team JPAM 2016 has referred to ‘Crime Preventers’ as a militia force, as if that was not enough, they have also drawn comparisons of it with the infamous Rwandan genocidaire group called The Interahamwe who were responsible for some of the most heinous crimes against humanity in the history of mankind. Amid this outrageous ill-motivated accusations, we thought it was important that Ugandans understand that the concept of community policing has always been there and contemplated for implementation, as way back as 1990. It is a metamorphose of the ‘Nyumba Kumi’. Those who are old enough will remember that Nyumba Kumi works on the premise that each community must be able to be self-reliant on security matters. In fact though Nyumba Kumi means ‘ten houses’ in Swahili, the concept is not rigid in its implementation. Again those of pertinent age will remember that visitors and or any new person in a given community was required to register and deposit their IDs with the chairman or the police” (Uganda Police Force – ‘CRIME PREVENTERS ARE NOT A MILITIA FORCE’ 22.03.2018).

So if they are reserves to the UPDF, that means Amama Mbabazi was actual going forward, because the accusation is now true. That means the Crime Preventers will become a brigade, another force under the UPDF. They are militia under the army, they are secondary army and brigades when in need. That means they shouldn’t be involved in policing, but national security. That is if the difference between the police and army is respected. This also means, that the Police Force getting less extra officers, since the changes of program should come swiftly, also the change in mandate of the Crime Preventers.

This is also not in line what he himself said in 2016: ““In all modern countries, there is an Army and Police Reserve. Crime Preventers are a Police Reserve. They do not have any political affiliation. Anyone who wants to become a Crime Preventer should join,” he said. Mr. Museveni reassured the country that there will be no violence during elections. “The law guarantees a peaceful election. It says what is wrong and should not be done during elections. If you do what should not be done, we will arrest you. Soldiers are not yet deployed but they will soon be,” he said” (PPU – ‘ President Museveni: Crime preventers are a Police Reserve Force’ 14.02.2016).

So two years ago, they we’re a Police Reserve, now it has changed, the army needs reserves, the army needs to be bolstered for apparent reasons unknown to mankind. The UPDF needs the extra personnel, that the UPF cannot pay for, the UPDF has budgets for extended personnel and firepower. Certainly, there is something underlining the will of the President. That he is willingly using the Crime Preventers as military reserves. That means, they will follow orders from the military and not from the new leadership of UPF. Meaning they are going from one security organization into another, where the mandate and meaning is different.

This means the Police are now having less people associated with it, this is winging the organization and establishing another norm. We can wonder if the brigade and that the National Crime Preventers Forum (NCPF), that was established in 2013, meaning that the mandate and will of this organization too, needs to change if it supposed to make sense. The Community Policing will not make sense, if they are a military brigade, unless he want to show military force and spread fear. That tehe soldiers will be with guns and ammunition in the streets, to show that the NRM has big enough force to continue their rule, therefore, you never know when you meet a UPDF Crime Preventer. The former Community Policing officer who coordinating directly with the Police. Should now be in direct line with the military. That is because their mission changed.

We can wonder what the need for a military reserve, how come? Is there a war brewing the world doesn’t know about? Does Museveni plans to invade the Democratic Republic of Congo, again? Does Museveni plan to intervene with soldiers in South Sudan, again? What is the use of extra and more soldiers in reserve, that was previous community police officers through the Crime Preventers Program.

Because, it doesn’t make sense to conduct fighting internal policing and being military at the same time. They are two vast different approach to both organizations within the community, the army to secure the borders and people from outsider invading, also being a securing element. That stops the neighbors from wanting to cross the borders. While the police who has the allowed space of investigating and combating crime within the territory, they are also securing the safety directly in the territory. Therefore, seeing the Crime Preventers becoming part of the army, means that the mandate change.

This means that Museveni is up to something. I don’t know what, but it smells fishy. I just don’t know what. Peace.

Uganda Police Force Press Release: Riots in Yumbe District (28.03.2018)

UPF want clarify about the closure of Nalufenya (23.03.2018)

Uganda Police Force: Police Message – “Ref: HRM/141/225/01(.) Force Re-Organization Order” (18.03.2018)

Opinion: The EU is too late to the Party, when they are now asking for Electoral Reforms in Uganda!

It feels deliberate, that Eduardo Kukan dropped a statement on the 8^th March 2018 as the General Election in Uganda was in February 2016. That is two years after, this is the Follow-Up Mission to the Electoral Observation Mission, that is long finished and didn’t deliver anything of significance. The whole thing ended up being a charade and mockery of the principals the EU is supposed to stand for. The rigging, the spending and buying votes, the inside deals and pre-ticked ballots should all say that the re-election to a fifth official term and unofficially 7^th shouldn’t be legitimized by any entity. This is the same fellas that left Kololo, because the President’s stance on the ICC. Like they didn’t know?

So, we are in March 2018 and its two years and a month since the entered the port and all of the containers are left, all produce is eaten, all parts of the products is sold, stolen or gone. Therefore, there is very little to regard about the process. Very little the EU can do, because they are beholden to the man they validated. They validated the Supreme Court ruling, they validated the Mbabazi petition, they accepted the stolen votes from Besigye and the obvious lies of the Kiggundu Electoral Commission in favor of Museveni.

The EU should have pushed for the reforms in 1995-1996 if they we’re serious. While the President still looked like he cared a little bit and was a donor-friendly guy, now he despise anyone questioning him and his authority. He is always right, and the rest of you is wrong or can be bought. That is President Museveni now. They could have had a short in 2000-2001, even 2005-2006. Even as the term-limits was deposed at the time. When the true reality was that Museveni had no place of really retiring and spend time with his cows. The EU could have pushed for reforms in 2010-2011, even as the Walk to Work demonstrations (W2W) and the Activists 4 Change (A4C) who both challenged the Presidency. Clearly, the EU could have done more as an outside entity, if they cared about the Electoral Reforms.

So now, that the last election went through, the syncopates, the technocrats and cronies of Museveni is elected, appointed as advisors and whatnot. The EU is asking and begging for changes, since suddenly now is the time. Like Museveni would care about the plight of the Follow-Up Mission in 2018, when he just gotten his carrot in December 2017, the Life Presidency. Did the EU miss that charade? Did they sleep in Brussels and eating Belgian waffles? That is how it seems to me.

That the President that has centralized most of the power around him and his State House would now care about the EU, is to say bluntly naive. That the EU comes with recommendations now will not be listened too. Unless, they are dropping bunch of external funds and juicing the rabbit a little bit. Because Museveni is eating, his cronies is too and there is nothing you can tell him.

So when the EU stated this on the 8^th of March 2018, its not hard to understand, why it is like this: “ The EU EFM has been heartened to find that the recommendations of the EU EOM have been disseminated across several institutions of State and that many interlocutors were familiar with the content of the recommendations. While there has been virtually no progress on implementation of the recommendations to date, awareness of proposals, and the grounds thereof, is a crucial first step in the achievement of the recommendations. Similarly, there is widespread awareness of the directives of the Supreme Court” (Eduardo Kukan – ‘EU Election Follow-up Mission to Uganda urges Authorities to take positive steps to improve electoral process’ 08.03.2018).

Like did you think the man, that has been running since a coup in 1986 would give in and change to a more democratic structure, the one who house-arrest his biggest threat without any jurisdiction or right by laws? Do you think the man who has all the state coffers, has all the bidders at his feet, will finally give way to your advice? Do you think the man who has used the guns to silence opposition and does it will kind of acronyms too.

I hate to say it to you Kukan, but your late to the party. The party-goers have left, they have their whiskey, their Waragin, their vodka and their Nile Brew, but are not interested in your anecdotes. They would have mattered some time ago, when the fire was burning, when Usher and Radio & Weasel was banging on the stereo. But now, the party has died down, the only left is the straws and the memories of the late night charade.

Kukan, you should have acted swiftly, you should have cared about the implications, but your entity and others validated Museveni. Just like you have done in the past. You let him of the hook and this here, will be a stain, but not something that covers the obvious. The theft of February 2016. That you accepted and did for selfish reasons beyond me.

You could have, you should have, but you never did. Peace.

Did Museveni call his former IGP Kayihura a “bean weevil” today? Loyalty to Mzee is clearly not worth it!

“Those criminals can be arrested only that Police had been infiltrated by a “bean weevil” that was now removed, we shall now get them” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on the 8^th March 2018 in Mityana.

President Museveni is his own kind, just days after sacking Inspector General of Police Edward Kale Kayihura and appointing someone else. He is addressing his own Police Chief as an insect who infested the bean. The bean-bag must be the Police Force, as IGP Kayihura over his 13 years in control of the Police.

To prove what a weevil is, the dictionary of Merriam Webster defines that as: “any of a superfamily (Curculionoidea) of beetles which have the head prolonged into a more or less distinct snout and which include many that are destructive especially as larvae to nuts, fruit, and grain or to living plants; especially: any of a family (Curculionidae) having a well-developed snout curved downward with the jaws at the tip and clubbed usually elbowed antennae” (Merriam Webster – ‘Weevil’ 28.02.2018). So the President are mentioning him in this fashion. To deflect the narrative that Museveni has ordered, put forward the laws Kayihura had to abide too, and also the direct orders from him. That is known, as Kayihura said his loyalty was to Museveni and his wishes. It had to be, because that is the only reason for the longevity of Kayihura as the IGP. Kayihura was able to be the IGP for 13 years. Over that time, he followed orders and made own. Which also became his fall.

However, to blame it all on him is an understatement. Kayihura did a lot wrong and followed his guts in the is political will and his achievements of monitoring politicians and using the police in oppression of the opposition. This has been done with the blessings of the State House. If it wasn’t for the will of Museveni, Kayihura wouldn’t have acted. Some things he did on his own, like the ICT Corruption Scandal within the UPF. The mission of using Crime Preventers, but that was also blessed by the almighty himself. It was okay to use Boda Boda 2010, when it was to intimidate the opposition and intimidate them. Now that it became a problem and their crimes became an issue, the squabble with Gen. Tukumunde, was the final nail in the coffin. Museveni couldn’t have it this way.

Clearly, the little bug, the little insect that he hired again and again. He had 4 terms of 3 years. That is twelve years, before given his 5^th last year. So it wasn’t like Museveni didn’t trust him and used his services as a punching bag and as the IGP. In November 2016, Kayihura was awarded by the State as the “Exemplary Uganda’s Civil Servant”. A little over a year later, he is sacked because he isn’t that good, but he was good enough in Mbale in November 2016.

Now, after the bustle between Kayihura and Tumukunde, while the insecurity has been rising, while murders being unsolved and the crime not taken care of by the Police. They squabble between them destroyed the credibility of both of them even more as the Muslim Clerical murders, Entebbe Woman murders and the list goes on. Even the high profile assassination of Andrew Kaweesi hasn’t been solved. There are to many plots and acts who hasn’t been looked into or afraid to do, because it might reveal who is on the top of the food-chain and who ordered the killings.

So with that in mind, calling min a weevil or an insect days after his sacking is beneath any president, but it is in fashion when it comes to Museveni. He has called people similar in the past, but this is what he says about someone who has been loyal to him, like forever. Kayihura had been his cadre, his comrade in crime, the one who did his dirty work and followed orders. Kayihura just worked in the interest of Museveni. Now days after Museveni shows how much he values his work.

If it had been opposition, they would have the right to name him in bad fashion, since he has crashed them, detained them, house-arrested them and tried to destroy their lives. Because they were opposition and against his master Museveni.

The President shows his own personal agenda, it is always washing his hands of his dirt. Always making sure that he himself get left unscratched by the actions and orders he delivered. That is why this demeaning to Kayihura and his work. Kayihura was acting vile and was a monster, he was someone who acted as a IGP in command under Museveni. He would not act like that if the President didn’t order him too. Some he would do on his own, but the rest is orders from the President and his will.

So if IGP is an insect, he was the President own personal insect. So now he used pesticides and got rid of it. That is what the President said today. He took him away with Raid sprayed the crap out of the Police and now gotten rid of the weevil. Now that the insect is gone, the Police will catch the criminals. However, I doubt that, because the system and rules, the orders came all from Museveni.

Kayihura was the man Museveni made, even if he don’t like the results now, it was his making. Museveni made the organization, accepted the short-comings of him and his use of Police Force. Police Force became like it is, because Museveni made it possible. I don’t say that to defend Kayihura, because I don’t want to defend the man. He deserves to be in bracelets himself for breaches of the Constitution and misuse of power. However, that will not happen.

Mr. President when you are saying things like this, your proving that loyalty to you and following your words is worthless, because you will destroy them the moment you can in your own favor. Peace.