Uganda: Chapter Four – A Victory for free speech, digital freedoms and media rights (10.01.2023)

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF): Indiscipline will always be punished (06.01.2023)

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine: New Years Message (01.01.2023)

Opinion: Tayebwa defends protocol over injustice…

Colleagues, whether you are who or who, no one will be allowed to blackmail this House because I have seen now where we are going. You have started a very dangerous game” (…) “Not any single day will a member come, undress here, try even to commit suicide here. If you are doing it for your constituency and you want to appease your constituency to show you are the one who has worked, do it, but it will never influence any decision I make here” (…) “Started that issue without honourable Zaake being here. Honourable Zaake has not been in this House for over 10 sittings and without my permission, but I have never spoken about him because he is a brother. You leave a colleague, maybe he is in a constituency, but I want to caution you…” (…) “If you ( Zaake) want to do drama, go and do it in your constituency, you can’t do it on this floor. If you want pictures of people holding you up and how you were arrested to use during campaigns, we can organise for you, we are near national theatre” – Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa (29.11.2022).

The Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa is more into protocol and plenary rules, than into the plights of the people. That is obvious after the recent actions. His acting high and mighty, but he will fall like the rest of them.

Right now Tayebwa is useful. His a loyal subject and one of them who is eating. Nevertheless, when you fall out of favour or do one big miss. You will fall and never return to good graces. It is easy to be boastful and entitled when you have everything.

Zaake might have been out of order. He might have broken a rule or too. However, who would have believed or given him any time of day. Zaake MP has already lost privileges and been scorned in Parliament. It isn’t like his a big-man or a person of vast influence. No, his a renegade MP who fights for his causes. Maybe not doing it by the book.

What he did though, was to infuriate the Deputy Speaker and many others in such a fashion. That the people have to speak out about the kidnapping, abductions, the political prisoners and the “drones” which are used by the authorities. That’s what Zaake did and it’s clever that way.

Maybe Zaake will be punished or get violated in the Parliament. That will not be anywhere near as damaging as the torture he has felt or the injustice the authorities has served him in the past. Zaake MP knows the pain of the opposition leaders, activists and anyone who dares to question the government of the day. He knows the cost and that’s why his vocal about it. No one should blame him for that. He knows better than most how painful and what sort of suffering people are going through.

That’s why the Deputy Speaker can ridicule and mock him. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make the case less important. We know the Government and the Authorities has no interest in investigating or showing the real numbers of the ones suffering injustice. No, they rather act like it doesn’t really happen or is just an anomaly.

We know now that the Deputy Speaker will defend rules, but not have anyone speak out on the injustice done by the state. That is the message. The Parliament isn’t the place for grievances and it will only be Ministerial Statements from the likes of Muhwezi, which will not bring the truth to the table. Because, the authorities would never give a full picture and only small fragments of what is going on.

The kidnappings, the abductions, the keeping people incommunicado and without trial continues. The torturing and the extra judicial killings. That is all done on behalf of the government and the Deputy Speaker honourably represents that… he honours that and he will not have anyone crying out loud. No, he prefers silence and once in a while condoning it. Peace.

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF): An Onslot on Gun Hungry Criminals has Began (27.11.2022)

Opinion: Endorsing Mzee in 2022 is the same as supporting a relic…

1

a: an object esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr

b: SOUVENIR, MEMENTO

2 relics plural : REMAINS, CORPSE

3: a survivor or remnant left after decay, disintegration, or disappearance

4: a trace of some past or outmoded practice, custom, or belief” (Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Relic. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relic).

The ones that are busy semi-campaigning and making endorsements ahead of 2026 is only doing it, because they are hungry and wants to be seen. They are showing their support and using their time to vouch for an election, which is far from happening and years in advance. It is really just a pity, but that’s what they are doing.

In 2022, a year after the General Elections of 2021. The National Resistance Movement and the Government at large is having scheduled meetings or rallies across the Republic. Just to show the support and supporters of the President. That there are people still believing in him and want him to continue to be in office. Which is very rare… and unique in 2022. Especially, considering that his been in office since January 1986.

At this point and time… President Museveni has done everything he can achieve. The President have nothing to prove and doesn’t care. His just going through the motions and excelling at status quo. There is nothing that is triggering him or making him better at governing. No, his just enjoying the spoils, enlarging his entourage and creating more government entities. That’s what his doing while his often scheming, finding tricks and ways to siphoned funds from various government projects or whatnot.

That’s why it’s really blatant and out of touch to vouch for the man in 2022. His a the epitome of the past, neither the present or the future belongs to Museveni. He is the past and that’s why he always encircles it. It is for a reason why 1986 is so important and why he mentions all the predecessors too. That’s because it’s all he got and he has little to show for it. The rising debt, the lack of democratic credentials and the tumbling civil society. In combination of the deficit and lack of tolerance. It is giving him a jaded-vision and not helping the nation forward.

This is why it’s striking seeing supposed youths or other officials throwing weight behind Museveni. That’s because they need to be seen and show loyalty. Since everyone knows that Museveni isn’t serving the public anymore. No, his not a man of the people and the ones defying him is in danger. The ones that opposes him or leaves him… they can easily be accessed and be silenced. That’s happening on the regular and this is why they got to show him love.

Even when Museveni is a relic. He is an item of the past. Even if his living in the present. The bush-war legends aren’t that relevant. Neither is the 1990s wonder-kid and new-breed leadership the saviour of the era. No, the NRM and Museveni are a proof that some things aren’t for 2022. If it was… these sorts of events wouldn’t be necessary so many years ahead of the Election Road Map. The Electoral Commission is usually issuing that and the NRM or the Government is far to early to do this now. Because, there is no way the NUP, UPC or anyone else could pull of these sorts of stunts in 2022. We just know it and it’s clear what the message is…

The message is that Museveni is the one to come, the one that has been and will not change. He will come with “No Change” which he promised the public back in 1990s. That’s all his giving them and no one should expect anything else. Peace.

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF): Attack on UPDF Soldiers on Guard Duties (18.11.2022)

Opinion: The MK [Army] Movement will die quicker than Go Forward

I don’t know if you remember a time and the place when Amama Mbabazi was challenging within the National Resistance Movement to be the Presidential Flagbearer. That is a few years back, but not long ago to be folklore. No, Mbabazi, the Chairman of NRM and as Prime Minister tried to conquer and get ahead of President Yoweri Tibuhurwa Kaguta Museveni. We all know that went south and he created his own political pressure group called Go Forward.

We are now seeing similar things created for General Muhoozi Kainerubaga. The MK Army or the MK Movement. There was one little moment where there was talk of a rebrand of the NRM to the National Progressive Movement (NPM). However, that seems thwarted and instead his making his own entity.

If that entity is a political pressure group or political party… that’s hard to know at this very moment. It is an extension and a prepared machinery of the “Project Muhoozi”. Where people are elected to roles and such. Just the other day, the MK Army elected Michael Mawanda MP, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi and the Supreme Commander himself Muhoozi Kainerubaga into various of roles within the MK Army. Even Frank Gashumba is the Chief Strategist and Media Director of the MK Army. So, the plan is made and people are organizing the efforts.

Nevertheless, there isn’t a lesser of a man or a man lacking charisma they are selling. Street preachers or choir girls has more flair or finesse than this man on stage. His people or team behind the scenes has to polish the man. Because, there is nothing in the public speeches of late, which oozes brilliance or even credibility. His just a mediocre leader who happens to be the son of the President.

These people hired and elected to positions in the MK Army will fall flat. They have clearly the money and the ambition here. Just like the Go Forward Pressure Group had vast funds, a social media team and a broad-based manifesto. Still, there was nothing of interest or generating a huge following come election day.

The MK Movement will get the same vibe. At least Mbabazi can speak in public and he has some sort of flair. He doesn’t sound baffled or struggling to speak a coherent sentence on stage. Neither does he lack the personality or the ideology of his political causes. No matter how I dislike and wants to discredit a corrupt person like Mbabazi. At least his political savvy and can sell a story. However, Muhoozi cannot even sell his favourite bottle of beer or believe that he loves his wife. It all is just posturing. Just like his Christianity and his “Pan-Africanism”. He is just saying it to follow the footsteps of his father…

The MK Army or the MK Movement will dwindle and be hot-air. If a man of expertise and of experience like Mbabazi can fail. You will now that the mind of Muhoozi will fall even more. There is no real popularity and the gig-economy can only get you so far. The amounts of voter tourism and paying attendance at rallies or public functions will not be sustainable either. The public will come for the food and the T-shirt. For then to go home and laugh about the sorry display of Muhoozi.

I cannot see this going well. The public has already been forced the father for over 30 years. To send his son in his stead. Is just a reminder of what is currently going on. If the son think this will go well. Then his a fool and that is the perception anyway. Nevertheless, the ones eating of his plate is surely feeling blessed these days. They have an easy journey in the troubling times. While we all know the MK Army will most likely feed into the same traps of Go Forward. It isn’t a popular rising or a figure of hope.

The General is just a reminder of everything wrong and a continuation of the oppression of his father. That’s why he was named the avenger and it’s proven already by the tenure or leadership of the Special Forces Command (SFC). That unit has shown the sinister side of the NRM and what they are willing to do… to silence people and make people stop. That’s why the crowds or voter tourism will only show “fake love” and when the money stops. The whole thing is a facade and Muhoozi will be the biggest loser. Because, he invested all of this money and time with nothing to gain from it.

KaBobi” will easily beat Muhoozi in a fair fight, but we know Muhoozi like his father will only win with “predetermined” results or rigged in their favour. It is not like the General would risk it all and trust the public. He got no proof of governing or political track-record. His only a high ranking official and senior Presidential Advisor, because of his lineage. That’s it and that’s why it’s a fools enterprise, but an enterprise, nevertheless.

Well… the General’s turn is maybe up, but he will fall brutally down. Peace.

Opinion: 2 Trillion shillings is suddenly needed to cover the deficit

A letter dated to the 7th November 2022 by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija was leaked titled “Request for Proposal to Finance the Government of Uganda Budget for the FY 2022/23”. In that letter, the Minister is specifying the needs to borrow €500 million euros. When you convert this to Ugandan Shillings it ends up being 1,957,704,000,000 or about UGX 2 Trillion Shillings. That’s a lot of money that the Government and the MoFPED needs to borrow.

This is the definition of deficit financing. The cycle of bad loans in combination of lacking domestic revenue. The only way to be able to cough up funds for the short-fall in the short-term is to add additional loans. So, the cycle continues, the state take one loan after another. Loans upon loans to cover for the old loans. While also borrowing more money to be able pay expenditure and government expenses.

That’s why the idea that the MoFPED is asking for this now isn’t surreal. It is the bleak reality and the misfortune of a bloated government. The government has to many entities, to many representatives and a local government structure, which is too expensive. Expensive in the sense, that the government cannot foot the bills and don’t have the revenue to carry the expenses. That is living lavish and someone else is picking up the tab.

We already know the state is running out of loss, when the budget was forecasted with a huge leap of faith that grants and such would cover about 40% of the budget. That is telling and it’s really showing the lack of it when the state this early in the Financial Year needs another 2 trillion shillings loans to cover it’s expenses.

The MoFPED wouldn’t call for this loan and at these levels… if they didn’t know there was a short-fall or a lack funds. There is deficit and that’s not shocking. It is just worrying that it’s happening at this extent and is so normalized. While we are seeing the 11th Parliament is following where the 10th Parliament left off. Accepting loans after loans on development projects and other additional expenses, which only creates a huger debt-burden down the road. These roads or infrastructure projects has to be covered and they are not money generating enterprises. Therefore, the cost of doing it will be ten-fold in the long run. Especially, when you don’t have money for the upkeep or the ones doing the day-to-day works on it.

That’s why you know the latest revelation of this loan is just concerning. It is not a winning bargain, but a proof of mismanaged and lacking progress. When the state cannot sustain itself or be able to get a tax-base to cover these expenses. That’s because the state is wasting funds on paying for old debts and interests, which are far over the grace-period. Peace.

Uganda: Joint Press Release – Court Case against Uganda and Tanzania over the EACOP Project to be heard (11.11.2022)