
Maldives: Maldivian Democratic Party & The Democrats – Joint Press Statement (24.01.2024)






“Ninety-nine problems, but a bitch ain’t one
If you’re havin’ girl problems, I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems, but a bitch ain’t one – hit me!” – Jay-Z – ‘99 Problems’ (November 2003).
Some would grief, some people has buyers remorse and some people have the “walk of shame”. Recently you have finally realized what you did and that you betrayed everything that you had built up.
As a blogger and a part of the People Power Movement, you had a voice and a platform. The Ghetto TV was impactful and you could spread message. However, you decided to give that away and turn on the ones that fed you. Instead of holding on and being part of the struggle. You bought into a cheap trick and easy money.
It is striking that the “Yellow Influencer” drive and the “Ghetto Initiative” felt important to you. Though you where just a piece of the puzzle. The President and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) only used you and got “brownie points” by holding you down for a minute. They only needed you ahead of the campaigns and look like they cared about the things Bobi Wine cared about. That’s why they hooked you up momentarily and made you seem important. However, you where a pawn and always where a pawn to them.
Ashburg Katto you where the gig and a cheap bargain. You didn’t cost much and didn’t have much leverage either. That’s why didn’t have to properly appoint you or even give you fancy titles. He only needed a photo-op and make it seem like he listened to your idea. Just like he promised, pledged and talked for decades now.
You believed in the President and his promises. A man who has promised to build bridges where there is no rivers and being a wolf overlooking a hen-house. That man you trusted. This was the dude you would sign off on and expect securing your future with. He was using you and your youth.
The NRM and the President only needed your vibes. They only needed you to stop using your platform to promote Bobi Wine and the People Power Movement. That was easily done and they didn’t need to do much either. You got the short end of the stick and now your punished years later.
It must be humiliating and feel tragic. Squander your future on an old man. A man who have betrayed people’s trust and only gotten his way through the use of force. Museveni isn’t a man of diplomacy or negotiations. No, he uses that to find his advantage and conquer you. That’s what he did to you and you never understood it. He saw you as a stepping stone into the lives encircling Bobi Wine and to weaken his cause. Alas, you didn’t succeed and neither did the President.
Ashburg Katto you are one out of plenty who has fallen for the President’s tricks. Sold out and gotten nothing for it. You think the moment you accept that your dining with kings. Maybe you feel vast importance and that your finally accepted. However, it’s a mirage and the moment your momentum is over. They drop you… and forget about you… and that they did.
You have no betrayed the People Power Movement, Bobi Wine and everyone else over small tokens of silver… and they know you can bought now. A political mercenary you have become… and that was your choice.
Now you have to live with it and accept the journey your now taking. Peace.







“Abed Bwanika threatens to quit NUP if constitutional reforms regulating elected leaders to two terms are not reconsidered. The Kimanya Kabonera MP spit fire on CBS over the weekend where he claimed the reforms will deny the party senior and experienced leaders like himself” (The Kampala Journal, 25.04.2023).
I am neither shocked nor surprised that this comes from Hon. Abed Bwanika. He has become a journeyman of sorts. Bwanika is the former three times Presidential Candidate. A man who has been on the ballot in 2006, 2011 and 2016. Also created a church and a political party. Before joining National Unity Platform (NUP).
Bwanika was the only independent candidate in 2006 but had already launched his People’s Development Party (PDP) by the 2011 elections. A party he ran on its platform until the 2016 elections. In the term after that he joined the DP Block and became a part of the new outfit. That happened in 2019 and he bolted from that and stood on the ballot for NUP in 2021 elections as an MP.
That just shows how swiftly everything changed and how he went from one outfit or party to another. He went from his own and became a part of the DP Block. However, when that didn’t go to plan. Bwanika left and found a safe haven in the NUP.
Now he is issuing grievances and coming with threats of leaving. Surely, if he leaves his just another journeyman and vagabond who flees the party. Another one of them who got hooked on the wave, but now see the reality of the party he entered. A man who couldn’t phantom that the party had principals and ideals to adhere too.
Bwanika has already tried to get into Presidency three times and finally entered office with the NUP. He has gotten the opportunity to be an MP and he got nothing to show from it. As an MP he hasn’t been vocal or caused a commotion. Neither is he causing a stir or even writing motions to get legislation done. Therefore, his just eating and enjoying the perks of the office without doing more work.
I’m not surprised that he was against the idea of two terms for elected officials within the NUP. He could just dip or ditch the party. Nevertheless, a man who was willing to stand three times for the Presidency and fails. He feels obligated to try more than ones in another office. That is just basic human behaviour. It would go against everything inside him to do otherwise.
Bwanika wants to represent and be a high ranking official. He finally has entered Parliament and with this party constitution. His only allowed to be the MP one more term. That means it is all ending soon and before he really gets to eat. When he has fought tooth and nail since 2006.
We know he can trade his ideals beliefs, because he has in the past sworn an affidavit in support of the elections in 2006 and in defence of Museveni. Therefore, he could easily be swayed again. It just shows how open policy the NUP has when they have allowed these characters to join and get to eat cake.
Bwanika should feel lucky and blessed to be where he is. Because, as a Presidential Candidate he was a joke. Now he finally has a voice and a party to reconcile with. A party that isn’t a briefcase one, but a legit one. That’s why he was able to be elected in the first place. Bwanika should pray to the Gods and be grateful.
Now he does the opposite and proves what sort of journeyman he is. Peace.



“As the Joint Security Agencies, we have obtained credible about plans by NUP to reactivate their structures, through various mobilisation drives, in cities and major towns, to cause acts of disorder and lawlessness in the country. This development comes at a time when the county has been very peaceful. We therefore, call upon the NUP leadership to avoid such clandestine methods of work and instead use legitimate means to achieve their objectives. We also encourage them to emulate the other political parties like the FDC, NRM and DP, that have continued to work within the provisions of the POMA and in harmony with the police” (Uganda Police Force – ‘POLITICIANS WARNED AGAINST HOLDING KUNGA MOBILISATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS’ 12.04.2023).
In the grand scheme of events, I never thought the UPF or the Uganda Police Force would say the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is righteous in their actions. That I cannot phantom or believe in 2023. Not after all the years with Dr. Kizza Besigye and how the UPF has monitored, targeted and the regime enacted the Public Order Management Act (POMA) just because of the FDC!
That’s why reading this today infuriating me. Not only because the Constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate is gone from the opposition. To protest or demonstrate in the Republic is long gone. That is in the wind and the authorities will not allow it. They not allowing opposition candidates at Guild elections to hold Press Conferences either. Neither is the Opposition allowed to hold friend football matches to fundraise for good causes either.
So, it isn’t like the UPF or the authorities are allowing the opposition to move or operate. The UPF who is blocking radio stations, venues, conferences, and whatnot for years. The UPF who isn’t allowing the opposition to pray or even participate at events. The same UPF is now saying they are the good ones. They must be kidding me and think we are stupid.
It is amazing that the UPF is lecturing the National Unity Platform (NUP) this way. When nothing they are doing is allowed. Nothing that they think of or even considers doing. They are only allowed within the premises of the Headquarters and after that it’s a free-for-all. Therefore, putting them in the same line as the ruling party NRM is exhausting. The NRM can hold rallies, galivanting across the republic and not consider even to petition the UPF. They just show up and can even hold demonstrations for “favourable” causes. Therefore, who is the UPF trying to fool?
We know the tear-gas, the arrests, and the well-known police brutality. We know how the UPF operates and how it will raid the offices of the NUP or FDC. The way and manner of pre-emptive house-arrests of leaders, if not take them away and keep them incommunicado for a while too. That’s what the UPF does, and I wouldn’t be shocked if it happens now too. It is just the way the authorities and the UPF acts. Peace.