Opinion: Besigye should have been the “former head of state” by now

Today marks the 66^th Birthday of the rebel, reformist and firebrand politician Dr. Kizza Besigye. The man who aspired and continues to inspire thousands. He would have been the righteous title of “former head of state”. It wasn’t without a reason he went around and got called the “People’s President” for years.

Besigye haven’t had it easy. He never gotten peace and mind to do his work. Neither has brothers or sisters who has joined him. They have been purged, arrested, charged and detained. The folks around him has been kept detained for months on end without any trial or fair judgement. Besigye have been charged with treason, civil disobedience and all other penal codes that you can name. He has been detained in nearly any corner of the Republic and he has been in plenty of trials. Which has ended up in nothing and been a waste of time.

Besigye is a resolute man and an honest actor. A man of honour and a brave man at that. He could have lived in riches abroad and been a successful doctor. However, he returned back from exile and tried to serve within the NRM government. Nevertheless, he saw the rot and the acts of government and couldn’t bare in mind to be associated with that. So, he left and created Reform Agenda, which later become the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

No one can say it hasn’t cost. The days of house-arrest, the loss of family members and the fatalities within his ranks. The ones who has been poisoned and the ones who has been extra judicially killed by just campaigning for a better tomorrow. The man has seen it all and faced it all too. His comrades and people in the struggle have never had it easy.

The ones who thinks the struggle and hardships came with Bobi Wine. No, it was already here, but People Power and National Unity Platform is the next generation that exposes it even further. They are working for the same cause, but materialize itself differently. Besigye has seen all the ills and the Republic haven’t changed.

The Junta is in-charge and Besigye can still amp up the crowds and spark a fire if he wanted too. Besigye have shown how to revolt and ignite defiance in the population. There been plenty of times because of his popularity. That the authorities and the government has come with an iron-fist and no mercy towards this man. The tear-gas, the assaults and the brutal arrests that will forever linger in my mind. As the video-clips and the photos showed what the authorities is capable of doing to a civilian. Who was only working for the betterment of the Republic and not for his own gains.

Besigye became officially second in many Presidential Races. Though we know the rigging and the means of the state. If it wasn’t for the pre-ticked ballots, voter intimidation and all the tricks of the book to legitimize Museveni. Besigye would have already been the President and been the Head of State. If not in 2016, he would have been so in 2011 or in 2006. We can never know, but in my heart I knew he won in 2016. Without a shadow of a doubt and only by laws of crooks he was stolen from getting a well deserved position as His Excellency.

That’s why today isn’t a day of mourning. It is a day of celebration. He is a man who has shown the way and continues to do so. Bobi Wine is maybe this generations freedom fighter, but he needs to learn and reflect from what Besigye did. Besigye has gone in all the footsteps and paths that was possible in the past. He knows the hurdles and the system at hand. It is an unforgiving on and a type that corrupts. That’s why he resilience and will power of Besigye is not only admirable, but something we can all learn from.

Besigye don’t only have ideals, but manuals on how to dissolve the Junta. The people should reflect on those and they need to follow these. Because, it gives insights into how to overpower and create a peaceful transition. Which has been one of the main goals of work. Where it goes from the dictator and to a civilian leader. It goes from the guns and to the people. A transition without violence and with the will of people. That is what he has strived for, but never seen. Hopefully, Besigye get to see promise land. Maybe not for himself, but for the next generation.

He will never be forgotten. His a hero and a man of integrity. There will always be a need for people like him. If things had gone the right way. Besigye would have been the President and the Head of State. We know by now that this never happened. The will of the people and the authorities was able to quell it. Still, he will always have a special place and should be remembered for the campaigns, the rallies and how he stood on the barricades for the people. He did it for them and we cannot forget that. We will not and the ones who stood in his way. Deserves to be tarnished and remembered for blocking his reign. Peace.

Opinion: Besigye’s words of enlightenment cannot be forgotten

“The struggle I know and understand is that we are looking for a country and first mission should be to recapture the country and then once we reclaim the country and have power over it, then we can choose and leaders and create rules how to choose leaders” (Dr. Kizza Besigye, 16.10.2019).

As time goes by and the dwindling efforts of previous leaders on the frontline. It is important to not forget them and what they stood for. Now, that the National Unity Platform and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is the main opposition party.

We cannot forget what Dr. Kizza Besigye Kifefe fought for and what he stood for. It wasn’t just defiance and public display of resilience. The founder of Reform Agenda and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) deserves credit for his work. He is still a vital voice of reason and shouldn’t be shunned.

Besigye will have a legacy worth remembering. Yes, he participated and at one point had faith in Museveni. He was appointed and took part in the early years of the regime. However, he saw what it turned into and shunned it. Because he made that decision… he has paid a hefty price. The countless arrests, days behind bars, house-arrests or charges on the man. No one in living memory has been politically targeted by the authorities like this man.

That’s why know he is the arch nemesis of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Besigye is the man that made Museveni boil and he ordered the state to go after him. That’s why Besigye has been charged with treason and whatever else they could find in the penal codes. The law-book has been used to maximum extent against him.

Besigye has fought for a peaceful transition. Where the grass-roots and the whole system has turned against the current regime. In a way where everyone is involved and weaken the centres of it. That is a revolution and a mass activism on a scale that haven’t been seen. Though he was close to managing that in 2011 with the “Walk to Work”. He was really getting the riots and demonstrations to a level. Where the authorities and state was on edge. If it had gotten further and run even more rampant. Than the centre might not have hold, but that is just theoretical assumption in 2021.

We know Besigye have the ambition and the means to govern. Besigye have the ability to organize and structure people around him. If he didn’t the FDC wouldn’t be as strong after all these years under the tyranny. The FDC wouldn’t have such a political body and measured policies ahead. They would have been a shell and a briefcase party, if others had run it. However, Besigye and his tireless work has paid off in this regard. He has been able to build a party like this and getting trusted individuals to carrying on his legacy. That says a lot about him and his drive.

Besigye deserves credit and people should study his lessons. Where he tells how to dismantle the regime and how to organize to ensure the end of Museveni. If there is anyone who has said what is needed and explained the necessities of a public uprising. Where everyone goes collectively together and forms entities to strengthen the cause. It is wise and adjusted.

What Besigye have proposed isn’t a cheap trick or a simple plan. No, it is what is needed to do, if you are not using weapons or a coup d’etat against a military dictatorship. He believes in the power of the people and what they can do, if they go together in doing it. Besigye could never do this alone and never did he say so. That is why the only way to aspire and wanting to fulfil his legacy. Would be to revolt, organize revolutionary groups and read upon his texts.

One that is forever relevant until it happens is this one:

“The following needs to be done to terminate the Junta’s control of our country:

1) Intensify the “awakening campaign”, for most Ugandans to become active in the processes of achieving a transition. Everyone has a role to play in achieving this.

2) Forming activist networks to make it possible to act together and to be coordinated.

3)Everyone seeking a democratic transition should take deliberate actions, individually or in concert with others to disempower and break down the Junta. Each one’s actions, however small, contribute significantly towards the desired change.

4) Public servants, including those in the security and military are called upon to join the struggle for democratic transition.

5) In coordination with other political and civil society formations, we’ll soon start various activities that will disempower and bring the, now fragile, Junta to an end.

The transition:

A transition process will start when the Junta ceases the control of the state- either, through popular actions or a dialogue process.

The key activities of the transition period are:

1) Government of National Unity.

2) A comprehensive review of the Constitution.

3) Rebuilding State institutions to ensure transparency in recruitment and a national character, a high standard of performance and public accountability; non-partisan character; high standard of discipline and professionalism etc.

4) Truth telling, justice and reconciliation.

5) Free and Fair elections” (Dr. Kizza Besigye, 11.07.2017).

This just proves what has to happen and Besigye has spoken these words out again and again. While it has not gotten into good soil. It is time for it bear fruits. Besigye might never get to the promised land himself. However, the Republic deserves it and Besigye should forever get credit for his work. Not that his done or a silent man. No, his still speaking his peace and hopefully reigniting new people along his way.

That is necessary… the FDC cannot do this alone and neither can Besigye. There is a need for a united front. Just like Besigye said in his text from 2017. It is also a need to not only remembering Besigye’s “lectures” but to be used as inspiration for a peaceful transition. These words and articles needs to spread again. So, that they get re-issued and re-distributed. As they can get people to organize and maybe act upon it. Not just in campaign season, but in ordinary days. As the regime isn’t slowing down with it’s oppression against it’s dissidents. That is as rampant and grave as always. Injustice which is served on a daily basis. Peace.

New Formation: Press Statement (19.03.2019)

New Formation: New Year’s Message (31.12.2018)

New Formation: Press Statement on Registration and Unveiling of New Party (12.12.2018)

New Formation: Remarks to University Student Leaders during the Inter-University leadership Dialogue Organized by Nkumba University Guild on the 9/11/2018

New Formation Statement (01.11.2018)

Opinion: What is illegal about Patrick Oboi Amuriat?

I just have to ask after the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party President was scheduled to meet with party leadership for an internal meeting with the party leaders of Kasese today. However, he was blocked from entering today and was ordered to travel back to Kampala. The Police arrested him on the spot after blocking the road. Also because of lack of gas, they dropped him off in Fort Portal and further released him.

This is in the same month, the same Party President haven’t been allowed to accessing Kumi, Bukedea and Soroti. Therefore, he will struggle to meet and greet, but also access the party, as is his duty as the Party President.

If the police in these instances are using the Public Order Management Act of 2010 as reference, the law states that the internal gathering to discuss party organization and internal affairs, does not mean it is a public meeting and therefore, does not constitute the use of the law in question. This is in the explanation part of law.

What was happening today and earlier in the month, have been internal party gatherings and functions of the party, to discuss the way forward and how to organize their efforts. This has not been public meeting or rallies. Today was a meeting with local party leadership where the President of Party could also reside to follow.

Clearly, this is problem to the state, since they are now blocking the Party President to do his functions and follow his party. This is part of the paradigm, as the NRM are allowed to everything without any consequences, but the FDC have to be burned. This is yet another prime example of this. Where now Patrick Oboi Amuriat is now paying the price and cannot do his elected job.

What is weirder in this manner, did the police ever do this to Rtd. Gen. Mugisha Muntu? Did they stop him from doing his job and such? They stopped a few rallies in the Ankoli in the running up to the General Election, but at that point, the Police is stopping everything associated with Besigye. However, I cannot remember the Police crashing Muntu’s internal party work or even arresting at the FDC Headquarters, where others was taken away, but not him.

That was a side-note, but shows the difference of leadership and what it cost. It costs for POA to be who is and what he represents. Clearly he is striking a nerve and paying the price. As they are not allowing him to meet his own party leaders in the districts of Kasese, Bukedea, Kumi and Soroti. Who knows, which else districts they will block him from accessing?

Secondly, what is illegal with what POA is doing? To what extent and what rights has the security forces right to do this to him?

Certainly, with the knowledge of this police force and this leadership. This is not the last. Not the final straw. This saga will continue. Peace.

New Formation: Opening Remarks to Members of the New Formation’s Media Engagement Team (12.10.2018)

FDC: Membership Audit (01.10.2018)