Opinion: Mpuuga have to prove his worth

As the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Parliament, you are having an unforgiving job. Your office is to excel and pushback the government. The spearhead of the opposition and the ones that whip the Opposition MPs against the wrongful and injustice of the current regime. However, that cost and is brutal. That’s why the LoP isn’t an office for everyone.

Mathias Mpuuga is feeling the pressure after the negotiations and the release of the two incarcerated MPs. His name has been put in the mud and tarnished for anyone to see. Mpuuga has been the point of subject and chastised from all sides. He haven’t only been questioned from the ruling regime, but also from within his own inner-circle.

That’s why you know Mpuuga and his prominence is costing. Not like the LoP has a majority or any hold of Parliament. A minority leader swimming in the whims of the Speakers and the National Resistance Movement (NRM). They are the ones steering the ship and his words means practically nothing.

The predecessors of this role has also paid a price for their acknowledgement of this. The way and manner which they pragmatically took part of the proceedings and let go of their defiant ways. Mafabi, Oguttu or Kiiza has all been there and tasted the mud. They have all taken their stride and lost out.

Mpuuga is in a position where he cannot win. No one can win in this office. There is nothing to gain. The only thing you can do is to renegade and inspire the masses. That’s the only thing an LoP can achieve. There is no legislative or possible political framework that can be implemented. The NRM is running the show and the State House has the Parliament by the balls. Not like the Parliament is acting without consensus of the “high above”. No, they are just carrying his water and doing his bidding.

So, in the grand scheme of things, Mpuuga got nothing and it’s deliberate. Just like the predecessors had nothing either. The LoP is a figurehead of a office, which could have a meaning and purpose. However, in the state of affairs it’s only a money-grab and a salute of a honorary title.

Mpuuga can only use this office to leverage public support and be vocal MP against the oppression. He can only stand on the barricades and be in the trenches with fellow allies. Because, he cannot sustain or have any sort of capacity to deliver anything substantial in Parliament. That is rigged against him and the whole opposition. They have no voice and no opportunity to sufficiently win. He and his fellow comrades are bound to lose and that is done by default.

That’s why Mpuuga needs to humble himself and possible atone for the lost time. The arrogance and entitlement is doing him no good. The only favour he has is with the masses, the ones who voted in the National Unity Platform (NUP) and gave him a role in Parliament. They are the ones that given him a chance and he can shine for them. However, will he ever or is he interested in doing so?

We know Mpuuga has fought and been beaten. We know Mpuuga has been active and been a vocal opposition since the Action for Change (A4C) days. So, we know he got it in him. He has been in Parliament now for years and he has to show some finesse. We know he won’t win, but that isn’t the goal anyway. The goal is to undress the king and show his new clothes. It isn’t to implement or directly reform, because that’s impossible. That’s why he got to undermine and make a mockery out of the rulers. That is his job and currently we are not seeing that from him. Peace.

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Opinion: The “We Fought Tribe” is losing relevancy

This years “Tarehe Sita” seems to be downplayed and disregarded. Not that… it’s shocking or sincerely surprising. Since the reality on the ground is changing. The ones who fought and was part of the bush-war is dying, if not already dead. The few who is left behind is either defiant or betrayed. Except the few who is in the elite and the families who are benefiting from the 1980s war.

The National Resistance Army (NRA) and Museveni came with a promise. It came with pledges and words of fundamental change. We know by now that this has been thwarted and the goalpost have been changed as well. The reasons to go to war and the reason for resisting the ruling government are now gone.

The same ills, impunity and totalitarian government is served by the current regime. There is no fundamental change, when “drones” are taking civilians, civilians are charged in military courts and extra judicial killings are explained away. That’s what is happening, and the liberation of the NRA is long gone.

You know Museveni wants it to be his legendary tale, when he describes it like this:

“Congratulations all Ugandans on the occasion of the 42ndAnniversary   of   Tarehe   Sita.   To   inform   the Bazukulu, the 6thof February, 1981, at 0800 hours (Saa mbiri z’asubuhi), is when the 43 of us, but with 27 rifles, attacked the huge garrison of the Kabaamba Military Training  School  with  the  aim  of  regaining some of the 9,000 rifles, Fronasa had handed to the joint  force  created  after  the  defeat  of  the  Idi  Amin regime.   This   united   force   had   been   given   the designation of the UNLA” (Museveni, 06.02.2023).

We know that he wants it to sound prestigious and legendary. The mighty fell to a chosen few. Even when he boosted of a big personal army in FRONASA and as a part of the overthrow of Amin. Hard to imagine that these troops disappeared and went away that quickly after 1979. However, tales must be exaggerated and boasted with time. Just so it sounds supreme and glorious.

Just to put this into perspective:

“On December 23, 1978, rebel Museveni and his merry band of rebels (under the conductorship of Julius Nyerere) embarked on massive recruitment. Soon, Museveni had 200 fighters culled from Ugandan workers in Karagwe District, Tanzania. As he swept into Uganda, Museveni recruited more than 8,000 troops and that’s when Museveni’s Front for National Salvation (Fronasa) teamed up with Tanzanian forces to “liberate” Mbarara on January 28, 1979” (Phillip Matogo – ‘NRA’s 27 guns and tall poppy syndrome’ 02.05.2021, Daily Monitor).

The numbers speak for themselves, and the myth is created to make Museveni seem above it all. Because, if the numbers are better and larger army. The “Tarehe Sita” story makes it seems like an underdog beat the big dog. Instead, the reality might be more boring or more of the ordinary, which isn’t what Museveni wants people to believe. It is also easier to lie, when most of the “we fought tribe” is deceased and no one can counter his origin story. Alas, the records and the past tales will haunt him. Since, we all know that Yoweri cannot be silent or stop talking…

The ironies of the complaints of previous government from Museveni:

“Why such growth in such a short time?  It was on account of the following reasons:

(1) People being desperately   fed   up   with   the brutality and non-accountability of the old armies ─ UA, UNLA;

(2) UPC blocking the democratic process of genuine and constructive debate that we warned them about many times but never paid heed to our warnings:

(3) The collapse of the economy ─no consumer goods, no wealth creation, magendo, kibaanda, kusamula” (Museveni, 06.02.2023).

Again, Museveni don’t have enough insight or understanding of his own making. The words that his expressing here about the past leadership, the ones he toppled. They can be used against him. The same reasons that he gave to take down Amin or Obote. Can now be used against him and rightfully so. The same traits, the impunity and lack of good governance is all what he does. The same security threats, the same societal issues and bottle-necks haven’t been resolved. Instead, he has amplified it for his own personal gain. That’s why the security organizations are taking away people’s liberties, rights to assemble and be active citizens. Because, if they are… they are easily targets and get’s into legal trouble. That’s just the acts of his government.

That’s why the tales of the Bush-War and the “We Fought Tribe” is becoming irrelevant. The reasons for the war and the toppling of Obote has been forgotten. The leaders, the elites and the President have himself become the same dictator he claimed his predecessors was. Museveni have become everything he fought against. He is blocking the democratic process, the possible peaceful transition and isn’t creating a feasible economy. If the President did… he wouldn’t be where he is today. Peace.

Opinion: Nabbanja’s Faultline

 

Well, after reading the depressing statement “on alleged abductions” from Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. We can clearly estimate and assess that the government is cleaning their hands or taking a blind eye to the fact. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and their allies are not clever enough or wise to bring forth a proper statement. Neither able to articulate or make their statement believable. However, then again, the President appointed fishermen and not brilliant technocrats.

Like the PM stated in her statement:

“To say that Government abducts people, Rt. Hon. Speaker, is to impute that the Government leads someone away by force or fraudulent persuasion. Rt Hon Speaker, Government cannot rule out the fact that the word “abduction” is being maliciously used by the opposition for purposes of blackmailing us, and we highly condemn this act. The opposition are deliberately referring to arrests as abductions. An arrest done by a Police officer cannot in any way turn into an abduction. Rt. Hon. Speaker, I want to categorically state that Government arrests suspected criminals and has not abducted or does not abduct anybody” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

With these sorts of words in early February 2023 makes it unbelievable. The person who says and print it cannot believe it herself. These words are just obnoxious and sincerely troublesome. It is saying that the opposition is “crying wolf” and stating it doesn’t happen. However, there are enough reports and enough people pleading for their loved ones. Who has been taken away, arbitrary arrested, abducted, kept incommunicado and later arraigned in courts after the fact. Therefore, the PM hope people are naïve or stupid. I don’t know which, but one of them is what she’s aiming for.

Without a doubt, the PM explained the nature of the “drones” by default too:

“Indeed, due to the evolving nature of crime to sophisticated levels owing to technological advancement, sometimes the Government may be compelled to effect arrests using plain clothed oflicers and vehicles with civilian registration number plates and other unconventional methods of arrest to keep pace with the ever changing criminal tactics” (Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

While she claims this is ways to capture and arrest sophisticated criminals. We know these tactics and means to an end is to take in opposition, activists and other people who defies the government. That is an deliberate act by the security organizations and the “drones” are used frequently. The news of abductions and arbitrary arrests are common placed. That’s because of how these state security organizations are operating without fear or consequences. They are doing it and with the blessings of the “high above”. Which is why some civilians are arraigned in military courts to answer for their “alleged crimes” too. It’s a scheme to deter and silence critics. The PM is clear about the activity but claims the victims’ fault for being “criminals” without any facts or evidence of any criminal acts. That just proves the fault-lines of the PM.

The PM ends with some utter baffling response:

“Sharing information on the particulars of an arrest, that is to say who has been arrested, from where, by who and how, will go a long way to not only assist the Government to explain the whereabouts of the arrested persons but also determine whether the arrest was conducted by authorised persons or whether indeed it is a kidnap by criminal elements. Like I stated earlier, the leader of Opposition has not positively responded to the Rt. Hon Deputy Speaker’s request to furnish Government with adequate details/particulars of persons allegedly abducted such as Village of residence, place of work, next of kin, telephone contact, police reference of reports of missing persons, among others yet they are very important for investigation purposes. This has made it difficult for our security teams to trace for these persons” Nabbanja, 02.02.2023).

This is like the right thing to say, but the PM knows better. That’s if she wanted to be sincere. However, we know that she is a part of the problem and a figure head of the state. Which is why she’s undermining and acting “holier than thou”. The PM is just showing how the state neglects the victims of abduction and acts like it got the laws on its side. That the mere gist of the whole statement. She is denying and acting surprised that the Opposition is coming with lists of missing people. Like it never appeared and didn’t really happen. If it did happen, then they were sophisticated “criminals” to begin with. Therefore, we know the malice and the malicious attempts of cleaning the slate for own personal benefits.

We can with certainty say that the Government and the NRM will not take responsibility. It will act like it never happened. They will state the Constitution and the laws, but not say that it acts beyond that. Which is something we already knows, because we heard the stories and read the pleas of the families who has abducted family members. Therefore, the impunity and saga is far from over.

This is the liberty and freedom, the fundamental change Museveni promised in the 1980s. No, I was wrong. He said the opposite, but he stays in power by taking away liberty from the ones who stands in his way. Peace.

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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 11^th 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.

Opinion: Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka must think we are stupid…

“The Government of Uganda does not run any safe houses or ungazetted detention areas. It does not, and when we come back tomorrow, we shall share with you a report from Parliament where they went around all these places, which were alleged to be safe houses and they found they were none. If this happens, then that is a person acting on frolic of their own, and it is not a position of the government of Uganda” – Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka (09.11.2022).

Some days you are amazed. Some days you are flabbergasted and outraged, but not surprised. The Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has a gift for lying. At a recent a recent meeting of the United Nations Committee Against Torture, the AG uttered these words and some more. Which is just the true definition of lying. He must know it and it should haunt him.

Because, by saying these lies. His just another merchant and a man who allows this to happen on his watch. The AG is content with the arbitrary arrests, kidnappings, torture and injustice served on civilians across the Republic. The AG can act like it never happen and isn’t existing, but we know better. We see the missing people, hear about the tortured people returned and the deposed bodies of activists or opposition leaders; which has occurred on the regular. Therefore, the lies is only showing that the AG is complicit and happy to be a part of regime.

“We can assure the committee here that the government of Uganda does not condone the acts of torture. It frowns upon it and we do prosecute those that have been alleged to have been committing these offences” – Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka (09.11.2022).

It is like the AG have forgotten about these reports alone. One from the former leader of ISO and the other the previous Minister of Security, late Gen. Tumwine. These told stories and we know it’s legit. The Safe-House are existing, the authorities are torturing and kidnapping civilians and this is happening on a semi-regular basis. That’s why these places or areas exists

This is why I just show these, I could have taken pieces from recent court cases of the recent years. Where the victims and innocent civilians has been violated by the state. They have been tortured and kept incommunicado. That’s why we know its happening and the AG cannot just act like it isn’t the modus operandi of the government.

Just read these here.

“At that point, Kaka, then Director General of the Internal Security Organization, who owned islands, Lwamayiba, Ssemuganja and land on Funve and Bunyama Island found it wise to use Lwamayiba as a detention center. Several temporary structures were erected at Lwamayiba, soldiers taken as the place turned into a detention center. “While there, you cannot leave since there are no boats that are used for transport. Soldiers there determine whether you are under rehabilitation or punishment,” one of the victims of the harassment says. The area according to a one Musa, the LC1 Chairperson of Lwamayiba landing site, on Kaka’s detention center was not enough prompting the forwarding of some suspects and officers to Panorama cottages, a facility situated on Kalangala’s main Island, owned by Col Kaka” (Entebbe Post – ‘Col Kaka’s Panorama Cottages turns into a Safe House’ 13.08.2020).

“General Tumwine informed the committee that Uganda had safe houses and noted that safe houses were secure places used for intelligence work. He further said that all intelligence and security agencies world over operate safe houses and that the running of safe houses was not peculiar to Uganda but a worldwide intelligence practice” (Parliament Watch – ‘The State of Safe Houses in Uganda’ 05.11.2021).

We also know that the safe-houses haven’t been investigated. Some MPs was blocked from entering and investigating the premises. The then Minister of Security Gen. Tumwine didn’t allow the MPs to enter. We also know the current Minister of Security Maj. Gen. Muhwezi is claiming there is no safe-houses. However, we know that his lying too. Because, would Gen. Tumwine address it like this a year before?

Just like the state lied about the closure of Nalufenya. You can expect further places in operation and in use. Not only the ones on Lake Victoria, but other places too. There are safe-houses who is in operation and are used for the benefit of the state. That is the gist of things.

We know now that the AG is willing to drop the big lie. He is willing to tarnish his name and reputation to serve the impunity and injustice of the state. His not a man of honour or integrity. The AG is just a merchant of injustice. Peace.

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Opinion: No one is safe – when the authorities can take you in for “guilt” by association

The “drones” or “Panda Gari’s” never left the Republic. It is clear that abductions, kidnappings, keeping people detained incommunicado, torturing and also extra judicial killing is far from over. The authorities does it in broad daylight, they do it in the middle of the day. They come unannounced and without warrants, take away people and their remaining family or friends are shocked.

This can happen because the family is in exile, associated with the “wrong” political party or has some sort “questionable” behaviour. There can be “intelligence” gathered against the person, but nothing has been in the courts. None of the charges or the reasons to apprehend, abduct or kidnapped has been proven or tested. It is only on a hunch and possibly by association with someone. That’s all it takes and there is no other justification for doing so.

This is being done by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Special Forces Command (SFC), The Flying Squad (Uganda Police Force) or Internal Security Organization (ISO). All of them are doing at different times to various of people. It is just so commonly happening. The only reason why we know about it is because people leak videos and messages from “loved-ones” or family members who has been “taken-in”.

The amount of this practice is hard to figure. The numbers fluctuate and the accuracy is hard to know. However, with the lack of oversight and no one been able to look into the practices of “safe-houses”. You just know the state has more facilities where they are keeping “prisoners” or “people of interest”. As they are held without their legal rights or after the 48 hours window to be taken to court to be processed. Because, the entities and the security agencies doing it is operating on a flimsy basis. There is little to no “intelligence” or “proof of criminal activity”. If the security agencies had it. They could have produced warrants and justification for the action in the first place.

The ones that is amazed by this have clearly lost a step. This has been done so deliberately over the years. In such a manner, that the state is now and then forced to pay damages to people captured without a legal basis. That’s why the Courts are forced to so, because the laws are stipulated in that way and the state has to fork out funds. This is for a reason and it happens too. The ones that is fortunate enough to challenge the kidnapping, torture, pain and suffering, which was caused on them by brutal force.

This is the legacy that the National Resistance Movement will leave behind. The acts of the CMI, SFC, Flying Squad, ISO and others will be things that has tarnished its reputation. Everyone knows they are doing it and they cannot run away from it. They have their Argentina House and other facilities that does it. There is no way to run away from it now.

There is no clever spin or sort of reasoning that can suggest otherwise. These actions will remain as dubious and be seen as deliberate acts of vengeance. They are not only done on political leaders, activists and random bystanders. It is also done on people by association and connected by blood. They haven’t even done anything, but their kin did a decision either in absentia, in exile or are already captured themselves. That’s how the state operates and they are not even hiding it. Peace.