My honest letter to the newfound peacemaker President Museveni!

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

Though I am surely not so dear to you, I am sure if you we’re ever to read one of my pieces. I would end up in Luzira or even Nalufenya, in a dungeon not seeing daylight before my mind was weaken and my thirst for liberty and justice was all over. That is what would be my ending, if you got your will. As many others who has questioned your rule and your power. They have lost their days and their lives, they have been detained and been tortured. This is something you know and done your orders. That is well-known.

So the last week has boggled me, how you at the time taking the Chairmanship of the East African Community, which goes between the Member States. Therefore, your place there after the Tanzanian President Joseph Pombe Magufuli isn’t shocking. What is more important, is the stages of your concern of the nations around you. How you suddenly want to invest your time and urges to change and give hope the republic’s around you.

That you travel on credit to London to talk on AMISOM and possible peace in Somalia, than later you travel to Tanzania and discuss the sanctions and say the EAC should be able to solve what is in-house, and today you are in South Sudan, giving advice on National Dialogue there. You are certainly occupied with other nations troubles.

In London, United Kingdom on the 12^th May you said: “However, our strongly held view is that it is not enough to check Al-Shabaab. Somalia must heal completely and stand on its own feet. In our view, there are a number of bottlenecks that stop the complete healing of Somalia” (Museveni, 12.05.2017). In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on the 20^th May you said: “Burundi is our member and no action should be taken against it without our input. Our house is our house” (Museveni, 20.05.2017). Today in Juba, South Sudan you said: “Within the party, speak frankly to each other. Reach decisions by voting or consensus. Raise issues by having regular meetings in the party. Insist on having meetings in party organs. Never use force. Violence should be a means of last resort” (Museveni, 22.05.2017).

That you suddenly are the grand peacemaker is weird, the man who done his thing civil-war and coup d’etat in Uganda, you have been involved in two wars inside the Democratic Republic of Congo, you ushered the rebellion and ruling party of Rwanda Patriotic Front/Army in Rwanda. You have sent your army without mandate into South Sudan. The other mandated forces has been operations against Lord Resistance Army in Central African Republic and the African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Also, being hired security agents without consent of parliament in the Equatorial Guinea. I am sure you have used them differently, like lately the UPDF helping mission for the SPLA in Bieh State in South Sudan in April 2017. So the use of army for your own gain and the foreign exchange is also well-known.

Therefore, that you suddenly speaks of peace, negotiations and of consensus, it must be a lingo you dislike. As you yourself want to get rid of opposition in Uganda and want only the one who agree with you. Therefore, that you advice President Salva Kiir Mayardit to talk consensus, while in Buyengo Sub-County on the 9^th May you said: “I am tired of wars. I want you to vote for pro-NRM members of parliament like our party flag-bearer, Mr Moses Walyomu.” (…) “I don’t want to go back to the bush to fight again. Don’t send me people who will disagree with me in parliament. I fought in 1986 and I am tired.”(Kirunda, Nakato & Katabulawo, 2017). So it is not like you believe the words you said in Juba today, aye? It seems more like a ploy and pigment of imagination, since you need to say this to look wise for the world. But we know that this isn’t the real you, you don’t believe in consensus, you believe in your vision and doesn’t trust anyone else, but yourself.

That you speak of violence as last resort, what about all the tear-gas as the opposition? What about all the harassment of them? What about all the ones detained for their political affiliation? Than, I also have to ask, why did all of the innocent had to die in violence in November 2016 in Kasese? There are so many questions, you should also answer for detaining all the kids of suspects in the killing of AIGP Andrew Kaweesi? If you doesn’t want to resolve with violence, why is the Flying Squad and the UPDF so quick to spread fear every-time there is ballots and elections. Why did you send the fighter airplanes to fly over Kampala on the days after the Presidential Election in 2016? I ask these questions since you tell people not to use violence, but speaking frankly; which I am doing to you now.

So with your history of violence, your love of guns and militarized government. I have little or to be honest. No faith in your mediation. Mr. President you have no character of trying to make peace. You have only made war and stifled your opposition. Therefore, very few of your adversaries are still alive. Most of them is gone, as well as the UNLA mates are gone and others who has stood in you way.

President Museveni, a leader and Commander-in-Chief since 1986, what sort of history and guidance can you bring from you experience and reasoning inside the Ugandan Republic, to build bridges in Burundi and South Sudan? Other than, bring the Special Forces Command and blow the possible enemies to pieces, Mr. President is that avoiding violence? Or throw tear-gas at consultation meetings of Opposition parties, is that mediation and consensus, Mr. President?

I am just asking because this is your advice… your own advice to the fellow brother in South Sudan, Somalia and in Burundi. Kinda hard to follow where you reside and run the nation, aye?

With

Best Regards

The Writer of MinBane!

Reference:

Kirunda, Abubaker; Nakato, Tausi & Katabulawo, Andrew – ‘I don’t want opposition in parliament, says President Museveni’ (09.05.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/I-don-t-want-opposition-in-parliament–says-President-Museveni/688334-3919496-71atniz/index.html

London Conference on Somalia – Communique (11.05.2017)

 

 

WHO calls for immediate action to save lives in Somalia (11.05.2017)

Drought has also led to lack of clean water and the largest outbreak of cholera Somalia has seen in the last 5 years, with more than 36 000 cases and almost 690 deaths so far in 2017 alone.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 11, 2017 – WHO is concerned by the chronic shortage of funding for life-saving work in Somalia in response to the ongoing drought that has plunged the country further towards famine, disease, and health insecurity. Drought in Somalia led to the destruction of crops and livestock, leaving more than 3.3 million people hungry every day. If the current situation continues, famine could soon be a reality, creating a devastating cycle of hunger and disease as the health of people deteriorates and they become more susceptible to infection. Drought has also led to lack of clean water and the largest outbreak of cholera Somalia has seen in the last 5 years, with more than 36 000 cases and almost 690 deaths so far in 2017 alone. With the beginning of the expected rainy season and floods this month, these numbers are expected to increase to 50 000 cases by the end of June. Cases of measles are also on the rise, with nearly 6 500 cases reported this year, 71% of them children under the age of 5 years.
“History has shown the terrible consequences of inaction, or action that comes too late. More than a quarter of a million lives – half of them children – were lost as a result of the devastating famine of 2011. This year, a much larger percentage of the population is now at risk. We will not stand by and watch millions of already vulnerable men, women, and children become victims of an avoidable catastrophe,” said Dr. Peter Salama, WHO Executive Director for Emergencies.

WHO commends the Government of the United Kingdom for its leadership in hosting an international conference today to tackle the country’s most urgent challenges, and calls on the international community to take decisive action to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. So far in 2017, health sector requirements of US$ 103 million are only 23% funded and WHO has received less than 10% of US$ 25 million required for an organizational response. WHO urgently appeals for additional support from the international community to ensure the health response can continue and expand, to save lives and alleviate the suffering of millions of Somalis.

Background
Whilst the operating environment in Somalia remains challenging, and humanitarian access restricted as a result of ongoing conflict and violence in many parts of the country, WHO and health partners continue to scale up their response, with coordination hubs established in Mogadishu, Garowe, Hargeisa and Baidoa. In March and April 2017, WHO delivered nearly 50 tons of medicines and medical supplies to provide life-saving support for almost 4.3 million people. Cholera treatment centres are now operational in 40 districts, and the numbers of surveillance sites for epidemic-prone diseases have been increased across the country, with Rapid Response Teams deployed to support investigation and response activities. In March, WHO and partners conducted the first national oral cholera vaccination campaign in Somalia, reaching over 450 000 vulnerable people. A second campaign is ongoing in South West State and Middle Shebelle, targeting 463 000 vulnerable people.

Somalia: P&O Ports WINSUSD $ 336 m 30 Year Concession for Port of Bosasso in Puntland (06.04.2017)

Puntland Traditional Elders Forum – A Position paper on the electoral model for 2016 (08.02.2016)