Opinion: When Museveni stops, everyone else has to stop…

The EC has suspended campaign meetings in districts/cities categorised by Ministry of Health as having high spread of Covid19. From 26/12/20, no campaign meetings will be held in Mbarara, Kabarole, Luwero, Kasese, Masaka, Wakiso, Kabarole, Jinja, Kalungu, Kazo, Kampala & Tororo” (Paul Bukenya, 26.12.2020).

There is now reports that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is scheduled to finalize his ending of his campaign on the 30th December 2020 ahead of the January 14th 2021 Presidential Elections. It is therefore fitting that Electoral Commission cancel the abilities for all other candidates to campaign in several of opposition strongholds.

This is just areas where the President knows he lacks support and therefore, the opposition cannot campaign there. Even if the Electoral Commission lacks the mandate to do this. They haven’t issued “State of Emergency” neither has the President. The Parliament haven’t accepted it or even looked over the mandate to do so.

That they are doing this today 19 days ahead of the polls is really irregular and wrecking havoc. The President doesn’t care. He will bag this election with a rigged election and only going through the motions.

This here is really showing Kampala and Wakiso disregard. Just like the Electoral Commission and authorities did in the 2016 General Elections. They are continuing to do this and show repellent actions towards the citizens there. As they are undermined yet again. We are supposed to forget the vote delay and the postponement of polls in 2016?

Yes, the President and the Electoral Commission did that last time around. Yet, again in this election cycle they are doing things earlier. Just like they arrested Bobi Wine ahead of the polls already. Instead of house-arresting him to oblivion after the polls and not allowing him to vote. Just like they did to Besigye last time around.

This here is deliberately issuing and blocking the opposition from campaigning. Using COVID-19 or the Coronavirus as an excuse. This is all politicking and doing this stop the opposition. This is even breaching the Presidential Elections Act of 2000, which states:

21. Protection and immunity of candidates.

During the campaign period, every public officer and public authority and public institution shall give equal treatment to all candidates and their agents” (Presidential Act of 2000).

Not that the campaign period have given the opposition candidates the equal opportunity or the authorities have been fair during the campaign period. No, they hare been partisan and been blocking the opposition.

This is yet another move from the authorities to be unfair ahead of the polls. That its done in opposition strongholds isn’t surprising either. Just shows the state of affairs. The state and the President are just securing their bag, instead of the future.

President Museveni doesn’t care if the law enforcement is unfair and not giving equal opportunities to the opposition. That isn’t shocking… but just the mere reality. All the acts done by the authorities should be enough to challenge these elections in the courts. Though don’t expect favourable judgements, as these folks are appointed by the President and they are their to validate his reign. Peace.

Opinion: Being bulletproof or barefooted will not overcome an rigged election

That Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) have the spirit of defiance and resilience against the oppressive means of the authorities. The National Resistance Movement and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will not loose this up-coming elections. To think so is futile. The idea of winning by the ballot is naive. There is no way that will happen. If that scheme worked. Dr. Kizza Besigye would have been inaugurated either in 2011 or in 2016. However, that never happened. Because the President has the team, the operation and pre-fixed result to win in January 2021.

Bobi Wine can get shot at, tear-gassed and arrested. He can wear the helmet, bulletproof vest and be guarded 24/7 by loyal guards and cronies. All of these ideals are good as the authorities are relentless, blocking him and closing off roads. Not allowing him to sleep in hotels, attend rallies at scheduled places and so fourth. That is all fine and dandy, but he will not win.

POA can go through the same. Being arrested, charged and losing his shoes. The Presidential Candidate can be scuffled, blocked and challenged. He shows the spirit as the proud villager, but that will not cut it.

Bobi Wine is popular and able to sell an idea. That idea will linger on, but the way things are done. Systematic ignorance and usage of force will deplete all ideals. Because no matter how good these ideals are and how honest they may be. The government, the authorities and the law enforcement will ensure another term for Museveni. Not that its the will of the people and they are forced to have him.

The President, the incumbent of 1986 won’t risk losing to these two candidates. They are useful to legitimize the affairs and make it look like a race. However, the President and his team will be pre-ticked into oblivion. The state will ensure that more people suffer, use the live-bullets and fatalities will be on the rise around the polls. The fatalities will suddenly rise exponentially when protests and riots appear.

The barefoot is a nice way of showing strength through it all. Some has mocked that, but it is a neat trick. Nevertheless, POA’s drive and rallies will not strike the strong cord. The FDC needs more P10 organizations and securing the ballots. Then any sort of fishing for relevance these days. The Plan B is what they need to galvanize the public and explain why the ballots are pointless.

Going through the motions. Doing the same, again and again… and expecting another result is just bonkers. To think you will get a reckoning and a sudden change is outrageous. The fatigue of this is understandable. The public and the parties have run through the same procedures countless of times with nothing to little to show for it. The state have taken it all and fixed it all too.

The NRM and the President will have the majority, they will have the Presidency and the opposition will suffer again at the polls. Not because the opposition doesn’t have support or built a new base of supporters. No, that doesn’t matter, because these people doesn’t count with ghosts and pre-ticked ballots in favour of the NRM.

Bobi Wine bulletproof campaign and #WeAreRemovingADictator is genuine message and a needed one. However, it will not work. Unless, he ask for a revolution and for a risk of total disregard of the polls. Bobi Wine and POA can only overcome the President with defiance. There is no other way. The ballots are ticked and results will only serve the fountain of honour. The others will only receive breadcrumbs and not get the golden ticket. That is not happening. Just like it didn’t happen in the past either. It isn’t a matter of free and fair elections. It isn’t about accountability or transparency. It is all about power and regaining it. The state will not fumble this or risk losing it. They are all bound the fate of one man and they are willing to see the Republic burn as long as his reigning. They are all counting on him.

The bulletproof and barefoot is commendable, but they need to amp up the speed. These motions and the same as last election cycle will not be enough. The system isn’t changed. Yes, the NUP and FDC have shown character and been bold. I commend that, but know deep in my heart. That this will not push the state over the edge. They are not fearing enough and worried enough. They are not losing sleep and lost for words. No, they are continuing like Yester-year and anticipating similar outcomes as in past. Peace.

National Resistance Movement (NRM): Response to Media Reports regarding Proposed Constitutional Amendments and Postponement of the 2020/2021 General Elections (24.12.2020)

Opinion: UJCC wants to give Mr. 1986 three more years for free

The Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) an umbrella association of Christian leaders in Uganda has urged the government to postpone the forthcoming 2021 general election for three more years, due to the growing cases of COVID-19. The Christian Council wants the elections to be held in 2023 when the COVID-19 pandemic is contained” (Jonah Kirabo – ‘Religious Leaders: Extend elections for 3 years, change constitution to allow Museveni lead’ 23.12.2020, Nilepost.co.ug).

The Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) wants to give President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni another three years in power. Another term without an election as we are awaiting the polls on the January 14th 2021. Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga now wants it extended when its only 22 days ahead. It is like 3 weeks to the due date. Therefore, the UJCC is really to late to the party.

An constitutional amendment needs more time. Even if the Special Force Command (SFC) invades the chambers and force the voting in favour. They still needs two or three readings. It needs to be sent to Committee and be voted for with possible changes to the law. Therefore, it needs time. Plus the National Resistance Movement (NRM) needs to convene NRM Caucus at the Entebbe State House. Also getting the final verdict from the NRM CEC. This is all making the process slower. There is also a need for accounted cash to be given to the ones that votes for this altering law.

It is just like the UJCC doesn’t care about the procedures and how laws are made. Especially altering the Constitution. This would be yet another change to benefit Museveni. Give him another term unelected like he was between 1986 to 1996. He has already had two terms without an elections in the past. It would be foolish to give him that again. Especially, when the elections of Tanzania, Burundi and United States went ahead even during these times of Pandemic.

If the government of Uganda is as great as the NRM always proclaim. They shouldn’t be weaker and lack courage to make safe elections happening like the other Republic’s did. These Christian leaders is just chasing the bag. They are vouching for the President and his cause. By coming with recommendation of keeping him power.

Giving a man who has been in office since 1986 doesn’t need another 3 years. There is no excuse or reason for him to linger. If he haven’t done it yet, it will never happen. The old man cannot sustain or be able to revolutionize government services. If that should have happened. It would have been in the early 1990s and not now. His not interested in that, but only keeping power.

If the UJCC suddenly receives envelopes and SUVs. I wouldn’t be shocked. They have done a service to the old man. They have shown token loyalty and been mouth-pieces for him. Just 22 days ahead of the polls. This is ass kissing and if they were trying to compete. Only Ofwono Opondo and Andrew Mwenda would be further up his ass.

UJCC is a disgrace for doing this. Giving Museveni more time? Who are they kidding here? That is mockery and wanting Constitutional Amendment to give it legitimacy. If the President wanted to do that. He should have pushed his majority MPs a while back and if COVID-19 was such a crisis. Why didn’t the President invoke “State of Emergency”? Something he never did, because then he would be even more accountable to the Parliament by law and that is hectic for him.

President Museveni doesn’t deserve more time. He should have retired a long time ago. However, he never did and the state shows it fatigue by having him there. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni shouldn’t throw stones in a glasshouse

I know Bobi Wine and the fools supporting him who don’t know Uganda very well, foreigners and others who are here but I know all them. I know that this one is a fool and the other one” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Kikuube, Hoima on 19th December 2020

There are some people who has the foresight and visions to get ahead. President Museveni thinks he did, but apparently he never got there. If he had faith in the general public or people in general. He wouldn’t come with a statement like this. This is intolerant and very sectarian of him.

This is deeming some people and a whole group of supporters for fools. That is very devise and for someone who is a liberator and working for Pan-Africanism. If he was supposed to bring in the whole collective and be working all parts of society. He should also understand and appreciate other opinions.

However, that is not the deal of the old man with the hat. His is a self-entitled, self-styled President for Life and the only man with a vision. This is why Bobi Wine is a fool. That’s because he doesn’t work in accordance to the beliefs and ideas of the Presidency. Everyone is supposed to follow his ‘Correct Line’ and if they don’t they are not part of the “fundamental change” this President promised.

Apparently, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine isn’t following the programme and neither is his supporters. They are trying to remove the old man and his regime. That is clearly violating the ideals of the regime and its cronies who is all working in tandem with this. They are all involved and enriching themselves. They don’t want to loose their bread and butter. However, when someone like Bobi Wine challenge that. It is dumb, stupid and foolish.

Nevertheless, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, in the gist of it. It can be seen as a hopeless mission to vacate a dictator or a tyrant. That road is so filled with obstacles, hardships and suffering. The state is working against you and all avenues are blocked. There is no way to turn without getting oppressed or suppressed for your belief. Still, you work on it, because the idea of true freedom and liberty will not stop. Not until it happens.

Museveni is not wise calling this enterprise foolish. It makes him insecure and belittling his main competitor. For someone calling politics a battle of ideas. This sort of act shows his indifference to pleas of his citizens. It shows the reality on the ground and what sort of narrative he plays out.

The National Resistance Movement is filled with “yes-men” and only following man’s ideas for decades. The party is run like a one man show. While other organizations are run through protocol and through conferences, which sets the program and manifestos. Therefore, the Chairman and President controls the game. Anyone just supposed to follow him blindly.

This is why the ones who doesn’t is in his eyes a fool. However, that is not true. If so then most people are and many who did follow him has stopped. They have left because they couldn’t following the solo-run of the President. Not like he has the same folks around and only a few choses who has stayed there. Not because of policies or dogma, because that wouldn’t be beneficial to their ways of earning profits on their offices.

The President better start acting rational and not like this. If he thinks this is wise or wisdom. I hate to break it to him. It’s really not that smart and not brilliant either.

This is just desperation and a bad trade of the old man. He should know better, but clearly he don’t. Peace.

Another night where Bobi Wine cannot access a hotel [this time in Mbarara]

The police is blocking us from accessing the accommodation we booked. They say we can not sleep in Mbarara”Bobi Wine (18.12.2020)

This is another day of this as Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is twelve miles away from Mbarara. Where the Police Force is blocking the National Unity Platform Presidential Candidate from getting to Mbarara town where he had booked accommodation or a hotel room ahead of the next day’s campaign in the region.

Bobi Wine also tried to go in another direction and get a hotel in Isingiro. However, the Police Force blocked that too. So, we can expect the Presidential Candidate to sleep roadside somewhere. Even been taken to somewhere out in nowhere and sleep inside his vehicle again.

This is becoming so common that its obnoxious. The President comes with all the flash and fanfare. While this one gets the tear-gas, blocking roads, venues and hotels at night. Live bullets towards his car and his associates. Who are either hurt or arrested while they are campaigning. Some are even captured during the night on dodgy charges that will go nowhere.

Therefore, what is happening tonight isn’t new, but a systemic efforts to thwart things. They haven’t been as many hours in one location as they we’re in the Northern Region. However, they are still blocking his movement and not allowing him shelter for the night. That is injustice and disgusting behaviour of the state. This is what the Law Enforcement does to their own citizens.

Bobi Wine is an enemy of the state. That is evident by the acts made towards him. This is ridiculous. Peace.

Police shot at Bobi Wine’s car in Rwampara

Police officers have shot at Bobi Wine’s car,flattening the front tyre as he approached Rwampara for campaigns. Two NUP members have also been injured. Bobi’s campaign roadmap covers Rwampara, Ntungamo and Isingiro today” (91.2 Crooze FM, 18.12.2020).

Again, the Police Force using dangerous means to stop Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine in the mist of campaign. It is a reason why his wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet. The man need to be safe and secured, because the Police Officers are clearly not keep him safe.

On our way to Rwampara, the same team of masked men in black police uniforms who have been trailing us on all our campaigns, cut us off the road in a remote area, shot at our car flattening the front tyres, an officer using his bayonet injured 2 of our comrades” – Bobi Wine (Kampala Dispatch, 18.12.2020).

We are seeing that Police Force have no regards for the opposition or their campaigns. They are ordered to block and violently stop the National Unity Platform (NUP) Presidential Candidate. This is seemingly so. Since the RDCs and DPCs are all finding their measures and ways to make it hard for Bobi Wine to campaign. They are using all tactics means to make it hard for him and his team.

This have been a steady act of the authorities. They have been relentlessly on the case of Bobi Wine. Ensuring that he cannot access districts, hotels and not even use the main roads. There are so many cases of injustice and impunity in the middle of the campaign. Not only the unjustified arrest and fatal days of riots to get him freed. No, that is only one piece of a systemic acts of disenfranchised candidate who has the “world” or the state directly against him.

Bobi Wine is an enemy of the state. To say otherwise at this point is naive. His car has been shot at before, used tear-gas against and roads blocked to any sort of venue or hotel even. There are nothing he can do without questioned or have law enforcement on his tail. This man is more monitored than terrorists or common criminals. It is like Bobi Wine is a serial offender and serial killer who is traversing the Republic. With all of that his still persisted and continued to campaign.

So, that Bobi Wine car shot again isn’t surprising. This is sadly the state of affairs and what they do to him. We are lucky it’s the wheels and towards that part of the car. Even though that is dangerous and we cannot know wheels would react after the shots. The cylinders and mechanics could have been damaged. The shooter could even hit the engine and put the car into fire.

We are lucky that it was the tires. It could have even hit the front windows and been dangerous for the driver and other people in the vehicle. That says it all and how far the government are willing to go after their enemy.

If Bobi Wine wasn’t an enemy. Why are you using live bullets towards his car and towards his team?

That is the signal of this and the message I am getting from this. This is why things are directed towards him and with such fierce force. Peace.

Opinion: Museveni continues to tarnish the #FreeBobiWine demos and intimidate Police Officers…

I congratulate the UPDF for defeating the insurrection that the traitors, with the foreign backers, attempted to stage a few weeks back. The Police Force must be made to do its duty of defending Ugandans from lawlessness, threat to life and property, any police person, that does not do this, must leave the Police. There are thousands ready to replace them” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – New Appointments memo to the UPDF & UPF, 16.12.2020).

Today the new appointments and changes within the leadership in Uganda People’s Defence Force aka National Army and Uganda Police Force was official. As the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made swift changes and moved around personnel. This is not new, but something he does irregularly.

What was more striking than the actual changes was the way he ended it. As the old man with the hat. Was proud of the killings of the plain-clothed soldiers and armed personnel who did the extra judicial killings, which was promised to be investigated, but nothing has happened. That is not strange when the President is proud of it and continues to push unsubstantial claims without any evidence. As he is backed by foreigners and his budgets has been for years. So, him saying that is nonsense until any proof is delivered. Which will never happened. Just like we never got any evidence of the Arua stone.

It is tragic that the President is like this, but he lives and thrives on fear. President Museveni needs that to be in office. That is why his using these means and saying it this way. That he states it like this about the #FreeBobiWine riots or demonstrations. Where he cannot prove anything and neither can any of “his” security organizations. Calling citizens traitors, but not proving the treachery. That is a huge charge on citizens without any evidence.

The way the Police Force is addressed is also striking. That he says its easily to change the personnel and the police officers. This means for him that anyone else is replaceable, but not himself ironically. The Police can easily be replaced by someone else. They are told they are not doing their job good enough. Which is also intimidating them and inciting fear of their job. That their work is on the line and someone else can come in their place. To say that is challenging them to deliver.

That is what the President does and he does it a month ahead of the polls. This is clearly a message to them. To ensure the Police Officers acts accordingly and be vigilant towards the demonstrators and possible riots. The ones that doesn’t follow can leave the Force.

This says how much the President values the most important reasons for his prolonged time in power. The ones that is on the frontline for him He clearly doesn’t value them and sends them threats too. The Afande, Kifeesi and everyone else should know this. Peace.

Electoral Commission: Press Release – Electoral Commission Directs Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu to Comply with Election Guidelines and Respect Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (15.12.2020)

National Unity Platfrom: Northern Uganda Regional Office – Statement on Human Rights Violations in Northern Uganda (14.12.2020)