Uganda: The tactic of intimidation ahead of the polls [as the NUP Headquarters are besieged]

Today, in Kamwokya in Kampala, the Headquarters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) have been besieged by the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). There is also reports of Military Police and other agencies involved.

This is all done to intimidate the voters, the opposition party and the ones organizing the NUP. A direct challenge to Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. The authorities have confiscated red berets, face-masks and what else they do have at the Headquarters.

All of this has been done with no warrants, no warnings and no justification. Just a full fledged operation as the NUP planned their National Tour ahead of the 2021 General Elections. That is why this happen today.

The UPF and UPDF shows their partisanship, as they are loyal to the cause of the government and regime. Bobi Wine is clearly a threat. This is a sign what’s ahead for the party. The party who was able to raise millions of shillings to cover nomination fees. That has been done internally in the republic. Something, the state and regime wouldn’t believe was possible.

All of this is deliberate. An act of intimidation and spreading fear ahead of the polls. A message, that the NUP is a criminal organization and that they are an allowed target. This has been done to other political parties who has challenged the regime. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has gotten the same treatment by the state before. Therefore, what is happening today isn’t new, but more of the same.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) needs to use fear to excel. They cannot reign with love and tolerance. They rather come with the armed forces and force themselves on people. That is why they are targeting the ones who challenge them. Right now its the NUP and Bobi Wine. This is why they are besieging the Headquarters, arresting activists, staff and injuring people too. All done in a manner to prove their relevance.

The apologist cannot speak of free and fair elections… when an opposition party cannot do its function and act as a party without the besieged of law enforcement at their doors. This is done because the NUP rise and popularity. The NRM cannot manage challengers and a level playing-field. If it were, the NRM would go after the berets, the colour and the name. This has all been over the time.

The oppression of the NUP continues and is a persistent fact ahead of the polls. The NRM apologist cannot change the fact. The UPF and UPDF will make some defensive statements about it later. There was a “ploy” and the “intelligence” of some “micro aggression” from them. This is also common after the cause. As they need a defence after the fact.

While we all know why this happened. NUP is under fire, because the President and his men are terrified of the rise of the party. If they wasn’t, they wouldn’t be there with all the guns and police officers to address it.

We know what the NUP planned to do in the coming days and also ensure as many of the nominated MPs could run in the up-coming elections. This is why the authorities are attacking it. To make it harder for them to operate. While spreading fear… intimidate and show force. Peace.

Muwanda & Co. Advocates: Press Statement (09.10.2020)

Mabikke & Kasibante is two disgruntled big-men …

That the process of choosing National Unity Platform (NUP) Member of Parliament (MP) Flag-Bearers has been painful for a few. It is like the ones who has a presence and had a office. Expected to be the natural and upper-echelon from the get-go. They anticipated because of their standing as MPs that they would get the candidacy within the NUP.

These two being Michael Mabikke and Moses Kasibante. Mabikke is the former Makindye East MP and expected to be the standing on the role. Kasibante was expecting to get nominated for the Rubaga North.

Mabikke have jumped from his own party the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Democratic Party (DP) or the DP Block. When that went sour, he went directly to NUP wanting the spot there. Seemingly fishing for relevance and wanting to be on the easiest ticket to the Parliament.

Kasibante wanted a easy way out too. As he was running as an independent, which he has done since 2012. He had to contest his seat after 2011 and went to the Courts. Overturned it and retained the seat. So, the two term MP knows the drill. Still, he was fishing for relevancy and a bigger stage.

This is why Mabikke and Kasibante went to the NUP. They were both trying to configure their tickets. To ensure an easier way to the Parliament. Use the NUP and Bobi Wine to extend the electorate.

Mabikke have been jumping around forever. He has tried to figure out a way of becoming vital somewhere. A way to be serious and not just a brief-case party politician. Because, who knows what the SDP is and what it works for. Other then finding ways of getting more exposure.

These two are meal-ticket politicians. They seemed like a win the minute they went from the DP and independence into the NUP. This was a sort of act done to boost the NUP. Still, they haven’t been as powerful or have the abilities, which the party was looking for. Seeing how they have acted after the failure to retain the Flag-Bearer and Candidacy for MP within the party.

It proves that they are not there for the struggle or the cause of the party. They were only for personal gains. This is why they have gone after the party after loosing out. These two great minds thought it was automatic. Because, of their names and their pre-position. That they couldn’t be challenged within the party.

Mabikke and Kasibante has lost out… that is clear. Both of them bashed in glory when they became members. Thinking they would have a simple road to the Parliament in 2021. Now, they have to go against the NUP Flag-Bearer and everyone else in the race.

That will either backfire for the party or be a blessing for them. Still, we can easily see why they went here. It wasn’t for the People Power Movement or their ideals. Just how to secure a meal-ticket and get a boost of their career within a party, which has a growing momentum. Peace.

Opinion: Kibalama’s story is a twisted tale of a failed enterprise

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are working on overtime to dismiss, discredit and destroy Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine political career. Also, destroy his People Power Movement (PPM) and his newly acquired National Unity Platform (NUP) Party.

Because, Bobi Wine is the new arch-enemy of the regime. They have used all means to go after it. Arresting activists, political leaders and such. They have blocked meetings, radio-shows, concerts and rallies. The PPM and NUP are blocked on all levels.

The People Power have gotten into issues and they tried to block the usage of the Red Beret. As the symbol of the movement. They have also used the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) as a shield to block the red colour, which is also a symbol of the movement. Now, within the recent weeks. Suddenly, the regime are using the former leaders of the NUP to “arbitrary” or “unreasonably” lost their party to the People Power Movement.

Now, after the last few weeks and today’s statement by former leader Moses Kibalama. The contradiction of him shows why the Court Case happened in the first place. As the CDF David Muhoozi pressured him in combination with other state security antagonized him to do it.

Therefore, the stories and the discrediting of NUP new leadership have sort of failed. Kibalama, the former leader … who had to first make a statement of a missing payment of millions of dollars for the party. Now, that has been redacted and the pressure from the state made him say this.

That is why Bobi Wine have won and the regime have lost. Now Kibalama have lost all credibility, instead of “winning” back his old party. The army is supposed to be party partisan and not working for one party. In this regard, it is working for the NRM and their goals to destroy Bobi Wine’s chances. This after the NUP and Bobi Wine was able to get the party registered by the Electoral Commission.

The NRM have really tried to use all tricks and this one failed as well. They have now tried to use Kibalama to undermine the NUP without success. The attempt has only showed that they are forcing citizens to make false testimonies, which have backfired. It has undermined the character of Kibalama and the methods of the NRM. All showing what was the purpose and motives from the get-go.

This was a ploy of the NRM to crack the NUP. They even used the former leadership as a tool to question the party itself.

Bobi Wine and his team has proven to be righteous, as the NRM and the State Security used their force to intimidate Kibalama. This was done to put the NUP in trouble, but now they have lost it. That is even before the ruling of the Court. Since, the stories doesn’t add-up.

Kibalama has lost it. The NUP has won and the case isn’t finished. That is really humiliating and shows their real intentions, which wasn’t a good look. Peace.

Opinion: AgaNaga sings for Jajja now!

Sadat Mukiibi also known as Khalifah Aganaga is in his feelings. He got turned down from becoming a Member of Parliament or a flag-bearer for the National Unity Platform for Rubaga South in Kampala.

The NUP nominated Zacchy Mberaaze Mawula for this seat, while also dismissing other candidates as well. Not only Aganaga for the MP seat. They blocked others too, who was dismissed on the reasons for also vying for the position on the Democratic Party (DP) ticket. They we’re trying to be on both sides of the fence. Being both DP and NUP or People Power at the same time. That is why Mawula won this ticket through the party vetting. However, this is clearly unfair for Aganaga.

Aganaga, who could within 48 hours or less than that release a song with the President and become a National Resistance Movement member. Because, he felt humiliated to not be picked as the NUP Flag-bearer.

That shows how entitlement and arrogance reigns in the new candidates in the “newly minted” party of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. As there have been many new faces and aspirants within the NUP. That is causing friction and also tensions, as everyone wants to be on top and be the one holding the party down.

It is natural that there will actions after a vetting process and the ones not deemed fit feels betrayed or let down. Because, someone has to get on top. That is just fine and shouldn’t be dismissed. This is why we are used with friction and “independent” candidates coming out of the woodwork. Who was people contending in the NRM Primaries, but loosing. Therefore, running as “independents” in the General Election.

So, if this happens to the ones who loses in the NUP. The same might happen to a few there as well. That is all natural and shouldn’t shock anyone. If you first vie for office, you can expect to loose, but also win. There is a chance for both. No one is automatically getting in-office. Even if the likes of Aganaga thinks so, apparently. There is a process from a party to be registered and later being on the ballots for an election. Seemingly, that is just hogwash in the eyes of Aganaga.

That is why Aganaga could go from being a “big investor” in the NUP to suddenly turn to NRM. He could do it so swiftly, have a public meeting and dropping a song with President. This all happening within few days and nearly 48 hours. Where his now dismissing Bobi Wine and praising the government. If it was that easy, then the NUP did a good decision not picking him. As he could so easily sell out.

Aganaga isn’t strengthening his cause or his ideals. When he does this and will now sing for the Jajja. He is the man for Bosco and Mr. Sunday. That just days after being turned down. If cannot manage the biting fall and lack of credentials to stand as the candidate for Rubaga South MP.

Sadat should know all of this, but instead he uses now his platform to attack Bobi Wine. Ironically, his dropping the song on “Bad Character”. Which is fitting, as this isn’t a sign of reasonable or decent character, but a bad one. As he goes in on the deep end, instead of being humble after loosing out.

Aganaga should know that could happen to anyone. There shouldn’t be automatic ticketed people within parties. Even if with career and long-term incumbents. There should be primaries and test if they still have members of the constituencies trust. If they don’t, then they are picking someone else to represent them. That is also what should happen somewhere within a party. Alas, this seems like fictional ideas for Aganaga. Who because of his stature and his “bad character” should just get the ticket on a whim. A man who could betray the cause within a hot minute.

It seems like the NUP did a good vetting here. When someone can turn against within no time. Then, they are really not fighting for the cause, but there for personal gains. If it wasn’t that. He would have stood behind the cause and cheered for the winning one in NUP. We know that this is not the case.

As he is now a man of the NRM and ditched the cause before the milk went bad. I have had cartons of milk longer in my fridge, than the amount of time between him loosing out in the NUP and him becoming a NRM member. That shows how little that mattered to him. Because, he could so easily trade it away.

This is not a winning hand. That is a losing hand. He might not see it himself, because of his ego and his “bad character”. However, with time he might see it. Aganaga is blazing through right now. The singer is not singing anthems, but a requiem for his soul. Peace.

Opinion: It shouldn’t be this hard to make Museveni’s credentials public

It was the other day, when Lawyer Male Mabirizi petitioned and got the academic papers of the Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. In a heartbeat, the various parts of government scrambled the documents and delivered those to the lawyer. That happen without any hesitation. It was all released for the world to see.

While in Mid-August 2020 another lawyer Muwanda Nkunyingi petitioned the same authorities for the academic credentials of the President. The incumbent, the man of 1986 and beyond. This lawyer was asking for the documents produced for the General Election 2016. However, by the time of early September, the 3rd to be exact. The Electoral Commission only took a few words and sentences from the Election Petition of Amama Mbabazi No.1 of 2018 in the Supreme Court. That is all the public gets.

The President haven’t dropped the gems from the University of Dar Es Salaam or Ntare School, which he has often mentioned several of times. Still, the man who worked in the Research Bureau at one point should have documents and be able to prove his credentials. That shouldn’t be a toxic question and impossible. Unless, he has buried it, because it makes him look weak and not as intellectual as he wishes to be. The President always want to be right and be the teacher. Maybe, his just a KRS-ONE, instead of a Professor X. Who knows, right?

We are now over the middle of September 2020. This means it has gone close to a 1,5 month since the lawyer petitioned the Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission answered a few weeks later and the letter from the 3rd September leaked today to the public on the 21st September. This means, the EC and the authorities have no plan of making them public. Like they do with the other opposition candidates.

If they could just use a minute to release the Bobi Wine credentials. It should be super easy to have the man who has stood for elections and had to be verified every 5 years. They should have copies upon copies in their achieves. There should be documents and credentials going back to 1996 or 2001. The President should have certified copies there.

Unless, he has dropped all those, because he wants to bury his past. Trying to make himself legendary by digging all his past into the ground. If not ensuring the institutions he went to deleted his and burned his past work. God knows right?

For a man that has ruled since 1986. It is weird that this is so hard to get a copy. That the Electoral Commission and the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) isn’t able to produce more than a fragment of a court order from 2018. That is like dropping nothing and intending to not release it. Because, the authorities and the state are wavy about how the public will react when they see the real deal.

The President wants to be a man of wisdom, but these sort of actions isn’t wise. It only proves that his hiding something. That he has some skeletons in his closet. If it was nothing… then it would have been released yesterday. Just like all the letters where the President micro-manage and directs others to do his bidding.

It is not a sign of strength, but a sign of weakness when your hiding this. The public deserves better, but the man of the ages is afraid of releasing this. It might show he sucked in in the sciences or had to retake a class. Maybe he never finished the studies in Tanzania? Who knows?

But… something is up. We just don’t know what. Peace.

Opinion: I expect that the NUP have to walk on water…

There would no other party, no other opposition party, which would go through so much pain and suffering. Than the party of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. That was to be anticipated ahead of the 2021 General Elections. All the soldiers are out, all the security organizations and the intelligence are watching.

The National Unity Platform (NUP), the former dead-in-the-water party that was resurrected by the People Power Movement (PPM), as they knew damn well that the Electoral Commission wouldn’t allow or accept a PPM registration. That is why the PPM together with its team took over the NUP and the body work. Re-issued a delegation conference last year and settled the score. Got verified by the Electoral Commission and the rest is history.

However, now the former Party President and such are retaliating, because of he relevance and because the state is going after them. The former NUP leadership is now haunted, because they sold and delegated the party to the People Power Movement. They are now in trouble and pushing to pursuit the new leadership of the party too. That’s what is happening.

Am I shocked? No, was this to be anticipated? Yes. Since, at gun-point, as being frightened and ambushed to change. Suddenly, the moves of last year isn’t that golden. The soldiers and police officers are abducting and assaulting the previous leadership. Just like it does to mobilizers of the NUP across the Republic. They are arrested and silenced too. There is no difference there.

Only difference, is that the former leadership is coming with claims and trying to justify to take away the new leadership. Just mere months ahead of the election. Trying to sow doubt and erase the Bobi Wine infused party. The NUP wouldn’t be relevant if it wasn’t for him and the ones around him. The original leadership couldn’t even become LCV Chairmen in their constituency.

That’s why this is forged game by the state. As they were tricked to accept the changes last year and didn’t see the scheme behind their nose. They accepted the changes and was shocked at the new launch. That NUP was revitalized and became a part of People Power.

Moses Nkonge Kibalama was fine with it last year, but now that wind is under his wings. He got to fly and poach the PPM and Bobi Wine for money. Suddenly a change of heart and being besieged by the soldiers around his house. In that way to intimidate and use scare tactics to destroy NUP. That is all it seems.

The NRM and the government wouldn’t use these tactics if it was efficient. They are doing this to weaken and destroy the platform and the political party Bobi Wine has. To do enough damage to hurt the options of the main contender and his allies. They have done this with plenty before him and as long as they are in power. They will do that the next in line too.

There is proof that the paperwork has been made, the registration, the change of location of offices an the delegation conference to elect new leadership of the party. Alas, Kibalama can act a fool now, but he has already dropped it.

This here is a farce and a forged play to hurt and maximize pain on the People Power Movement. They are trying to destroy and use all means to take away what they have. Because, it hurt the pride of the regime. When they were able to go under the radar, re-register the party and get control of it. That wasn’t in the cards and was unanticipated.

They were able to trick it, but now the same ones they were able to bargain with. Are giving way and becoming besieged by the state. That is why they are hurt and they use legal means to return assets. Even if the assets are more valuable now, then when they left it into custody of others.

The NUP wouldn’t mean so much. If Nkonge was still rocking the boat alone. He would alone at sea, but with Bobi Wine. The party has some value and has capacity to reach beyond all expectations. That is why the state attacks it too and uses the former leadership like it does.

Now Bobi Wine have to be holier than thou. He needs to be able to walk on water. Since every move will be tested. If he sinks or swims, that is up to him. While the regime will not let go. They went after the beret, they went after the colour and now they are running after his party. Peace.

National Unity Platform (NUP): Statement on Mr. Moses Nkonge Kibalama (17.09.2020)

National Unity Platform Northern Uganda Region Press Release (09.09.2020)

Opinion: Bobi Wine retaliated with swagger against Mzee [and I will look into ‘Point 3. We Kill Our Supporters in Order to Blame Government’]

Today, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine dropped an articulated response. A 7 point piece not only defending himself, but addressing the matters of responses to the blogging and retorts made by the President. Which has been directed both at fellow cadre Francis Zaake, but also on hot topics. Which I have addressed on my page.

I will today look on a ridiculous claim by the President, which Bobi Wine addresses with sense. He retorts in a manner more people should do. He is going straight to the heart. Not sure, the President is used to this. He should be though, because with age and his history lessons. The man should know that everyone isn’t eating of his hands anymore. Only his paid-off cronies and token friends are doing so. The rest fears the army and the law enforcement. They don’t want to be violated for being civilians and possible dissidents.

So, I will take the vital pieces of the Point 3 from Bobi Wine’s piece and then discuss it underneath. Something I have done several of times with Mzee and now it’s Bobi Wine’s turn.

There are always low moments in every politician’s career, but it is regrettable that the man who presides over our country has no limits on how low he can descend. I wonder how you sleep soundly at night! I wonder how you can extra-judicially kill our people, and then turn up with a straight face blaming their death on the glorious forces of change” (Bobi Wine, 06.09.2020).

This is really showing no remorse and he shouldn’t either. The way he address it is really unleashing a disgust, as the liberator turned tormentor is using the death of oppositions as a tool and dancing on their graves. The President continues to claim he came with fundamental change, but the pattern of actions from the government isn’t so. The government still kill civilians without consequences and this from a government that was supposed to liberate from similar past governments. This is why the usage of them in the manner the President is disgusting and horrific. Instead of getting justice for their lives, he betrays them even in their deaths. Because that saves his cause, which is to stay in power.

Now General Museveni is telling the nation that we have killed all these people in order to put the blame on his regime of blood and national shame! We are told by scripture that God does not sleep nor slumber. The blood of these innocent brothers and sisters cries from the ground. One day, they will get justice. When your friend Omar el-Bashir was butchering the people of Darfur, (the very same way you butchered our people in Northern Uganda, Kasese, etc), he thought of himself as all powerful and invincible. Today, he must be wondering what went wrong. The arm of justice may take so long, but it eventually catches up with those who commit atrocities and think of themselves as too wise and highly exalted. To draw the parallels for your ease of reference, only in April 2015, Omar el-Bashir had organized a sham election, in which his own version of Byabakama awarded him a sweeping 94.05% of the vote. Today, he is in a cold cage, perhaps wishing he had read the signs. I don’t want to remind you of your other friends Gaddafi, Mubarak, Mugabe, Campoare and the rest. Rest assured, you will end up on the dustbin of history, like all those who came before you. The tragedy is that no dictator ever learns from the fate of the other!” (Bobi Wine, 06.09.2020).

This here is a stern warning, a warning that Bobi Wine will say in vein. A person and a ego like Museveni will not listen to him. People warned that he would be a President for Life before the abolishment of Term Limits. Still, the man promised to retire. This man only listens to himself. Even if the warning is poignant and justified. Bobi Wine speaks the voice of the ones the hurt, killed and detained for the cause. He really does here and also shows what has happen to others who has reigned like Museveni did. Their legacy, their reign and their power, when it ends. All their glory, all their bullets and everything will be lost.

Yes, in the moment of power, in the hour of strength, a man like Bobi Wine isn’t dangerous for a man like Museveni. However, when the pendulum turns. The time is up and someone’s else’s turn. Then Museveni has to pray for mercy for his ills. The actions made and the enemies created. He has to beg them for salvation and mercy from his fate. He put through punishment, atrocities and misuse of power. That is all ills he needs to answer for.

That Museveni doesn’t learn from that. Only shows how the power corrupt. This man knows, he knew the ills of the continent and the problems of Africa. Still, he repeats them, uses them and trust upon the same thing towards the ones he is proud to have overthrown like Mobutu and Habyarimana.

Museveni knows all of this, but still uses this rhetoric against People Power and the National Unity Platform. That is the sort of man Museveni. A man who knows, but ignores this knowledge. Because, it isn’t beneficial and keeps him in power. Also, enrich his family and his associates. Bobi Wine is speaking the truth, but it will only be heard by the choir. It will not be approved by the men and woman who needs it the most. The ones who is eating of the plate of the President. Peace.