#SONA2017: Mmusi Maimane speaks to the media outside Parliament after walking out (Footage)

Remembering Madiba: Let Us Continue Building a United South Africa, Message from President Jacob Zuma (05.12.2016)

Today, on the anniversary of Madiba’s sad passing, let us recommit ourselves to unity, and to working together to build our country, regardless of whatever political differences we may have.

PRETORIA, South Africa, December 5, 2016 – On this day in 2013, the first President of a free and democratic South Africa, President Nelson Mandela passed on, leaving behind a rich legacy of building a dynamic young nation, from the ashes of apartheid.

President Mandela taught us to unite and to love and respect one another as South Africans. He also taught us to build friendly relations with our neighbours and the international community as a whole.

A lot of good work has been done towards building a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. The road ahead remains long and full of challenges given the unending economic slowdown globally and locally and the need to continue building a better life for and with our people. There is indeed a lot more hard work to be done, as we move towards the ideal society he envisaged when he said let there be bread, water and salt for all.

Today, on the anniversary of Madiba’s sad passing, let us recommit ourselves to unity, and to working together to build our country, regardless of whatever political differences we may have. Let us work harder than ever, to make South Africa a success story that generations to come will be proud of.

South Africa Elections: Interview with Phillip de Wet, Editor, Mail and Guardian (Youtube-Clip)

Opinion: Tired of certain types of Politicians who are snake-oil salesmen with their political speeches and writings!

“Every time I hear a political speech or I read those of our leaders, I am horrified at having, for years, heard nothing which sounded human. It is always the same words telling the same lies. And the fact that men accept this, that the people’s anger has not destroyed these hollow clowns, strikes me as proof that men attribute no importance to the way they are governed; that they gamble – yes, gamble – with a whole part of their life and their so called ‘vital interests.”

― Albert Camus

It already decades since Albert Camus graced this blue earth with more water than soil, still his words could be used today and his wisdom is still able to question our leaders of today. The resembling manner and tone, the bristling and blatant words that is still has the sharpness of a blade and cut into the bone.

Why? Why can it cut because the manners of politicians decades ago, seemingly is the same today. As the lies and deceit hasn’t left the politics. Neither has the foul play to gain power instead of serving the public. In general theory the Local Council Members, State Representatives, Governors, Senators, Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Executives are supposed to honour their pledges and be accountable to their caucus, constituency or district. Instead they are more loyal to their own careers than serving their voters. So often feels like a broken bridge between the public, the voters and the representative.

The bridge as they only appear right before the die is cast, sorry, the voters has to cast their ballot or polls as their job is on the line; their legitimacy and their relations has to be kept in upkeep as the liability towards the public sphere is important to promise and pledge to fix housing, roads, hospitals, civic education and save the kids. If not they will save the nation or district from biblical disasters, terrorists and unknown dangers.

We have all heard it and know the clichés and the artificial blend of phrases in a rhetorical manner, especially in a coded manner that could fence the xenophobia, the fear and the destructive tone. Some uses the coded language not to promise or really say that they will build the bridge or fix the schools; more that they see the effort and will stay strong together with the politician and his ruling regime.

Still, we accept this for the faith that the fake and lively attitude to collect the votes from us. The reality is that the lies and fakes to satisfy the play of guards and the sovereign measures of needed institutions to control and have oversight of the state. We should still ask questions to the needed for the lies in speeches and care as the politicians rather spend their time with family, than cutting bonds on roads in the province of nowhere with a local mayor who hate the guts of the Infrastructure Minister who feels betrayed by the locals as they wouldn’t vote for his party if their lives dependent on it.

The seasoned man, who has been in rain have made you wet, who has been in the sun has gotten burned. The measures men does to secure itself with umbrellas and jacket to keep each other dry, the same with sun-cream and others to keep the skin-away from the burning sun. Therefore the men who does so should also be able to pick away the men and woman who lies for their trade.

The quack-sellers and the snake-oil salesmen are in the trades of the Politics. Therefore some politicians earn coinage on their pivoting, their change of heart and their tricks to always stay in the good graces. But this is the not the men of solitude or the men of honour or trustworthy. You never know what they really stand for or what their ethical background as their choices are more a popularity contest of American Idol or Big Brother than of politics.

That is the reason why men like Nigel Farage, Donald J. Trump or other rascals with very little soul for their initial policies or political framework can get space in the political landscape as our tabloid headline dramatics can give space and airtime on radio and TV for their message. The message creates high ratings and secures advertisement monies to the Media Houses who couldn’t care less about the outcome of an election as they are there for profits; not for the common-good or service delivery of the politicians.

So we are at the time of day where the words of Albert Camus are righteous as the politicians are not telling about secret meetings, keeping the main objectives between the government funding, the multi-national companies and the trade-agreements; also with the bilateral agreements between nations and international organizations that are happening between the closed doors and is why the dossiers through whistle-blower’s are hurting the campaigns and the national security. But most likely also destroying the façade the politicians create and their level of PR expertise and also beholden to the laws they are supposed to keep.

The mentality of this together with the double-edged swords of public perception can cross through the flesh and destroys careers of an ordinary politician as the sexual adventures of Dominic Strauss-Kahn (DSK), but a few blunders haven’t stopped the Republican Nominee Trump. But at these times the lies and fakery seems to let him win over the American nation, instead of them repelling from his words.

So the political speech should be coded and with current words that express the views and place in the political landscape. Still, today there are more worrying signs of the way it is portrayed and accepted as the men behind the words are not stopped or feasible destroy the character not give the politician the space on the mainstream media.

This should be a worrying and not be a place our modern society should be in, where we let stone-age rhetoric and hatred towards fellow humans beings get away with their malicious attempts of gripping power by the teleprompter and by the social media machine of the political parties and the PR experts supporting the Politicians. Therefore the Citizens Kane of the world usually gets discredited on their way to public office, but now it is free-for-all.

Just like Citizen Kane as Charles Foster Kane in his final speech in his campaign for becoming Governor of New York:

“It is no secret that I entered upon this campaign with no thought. That I could be elected Governor of this state!  It is now no secret that every straw vote, every independent pole, shows that I will be elected. And I repeat to you – my first official act as Governor will be to appoint a special District Attorney to arrange for the indictment, prosecution and conviction of Boss Edward G. Rogers!” (Citizen Kane, 1941).

Other Politicians of these days are convicting fellow politicians without trials as a political gain and earn coinage on their bad moral. This is their moral and bad judgement that deserves to be punished with conviction and getting on trial through going courtside for their acts and activity. So with this in mind, the lying political speeches and does it with vital interest of the public sphere.

Main question after this triad from me; why should we accept his behaviour and accept these men leading us without any real discredit or any real consequence for the politician? This is what the society gets together with the public who is eating the bullshit from the politicians. But, that isn’t it, right? Peace.  

RSA Election update: Defacing DA Posters in Tshwane!

“The ANC’s theft and defacing of our posters is nothing more than a desperate attempt to slow down our momentum in Tshwane as it becomes increasingly clear we can WIN.The theft and defacing of election posters is a clear violation of sections 91, 92 and 97 of the Electoral Act and must be condemned in the strongest terms. We will be lodging a complaint with the IEC” (Democratic Alliance, 2016).

The proof of the ruling party continuation of controlling the Electoral environment by defacing opposition posters. The ANC should be so proud of their reckless behaviour towards the DA. Even if it elections and soon ballots. There should be some respect for each others craft and material. As the Citizens should pick on the merit and free choosing, not by who apparently has a President for the moment. The ANC and their comrades better act up and be within reason. Especially since they have been the ruling party for decades now and need to give way for justice and common sense. Peace.

Agreeing with Besigye and it feels good; though sadden by the wisdom Hon. Kiiza…

Eh! It feels good to have same opinion as the incarcerated Presidential Candidate of the Forum for Democratic Change Dr. Kizza Besigye, he have lately been able to drop a few words to the public from his jail cell in Luzira Maximum Prison, this happens as the FDC scrambles for etiquette and justify their place in the 10^th Parliament.

First he will address the Shadow Cabinet, and say similar words to my own. Though he is the freedom fighter and proves that with his words, as he knows the caliber of oppression the regime have and the legitimacy the Shadow Cabinet does. Take a quick look!  

First Point – Shadow Cabinet!

On the Shadow Cabinet:

“I do not think MPs should be reduced to fighting for small positions in Parliament. What we need to be fighting for is different. We need to struggle to strengthen our position on the ground and form structures like the Power 10 we used in elections to develop capacity to take on the regime that we know has lost credibility. In Parliament, they are just there to make numbers they can’t change anything President Museveni wants whether in Opposition or not,” (…) “We can’t allow positions in Parliament that mean nothing to cause rifts yet we have much to do,” (…)“I have spent much of my youthful age in the struggle, now I am over 60 years, I am not growing younger. What is remaining is that we must fight to the end whoever dies, others will continue. We can’t hold on any more until we get peace, justice, freedom and equality before the law,” – Dr. Kizza Besigye (Rumanzi, Perez – ‘Nothing to fight for in Parliament, says Besigye’ 26.06.2016 – Daily Monitor).

What Winnie Kiiza has said of late on the Shadow Cabinet:

“… Many people look at Opposition as enemies of the state … people don’t want to associate with us in the Opposition … In multiparty dispensation, opposition parties are supposed to guide and check government, Ugandans should know that at the time we are taking on leadership, as opposition we are facing tough times, so let’s join hands for a better Uganda” Hon Winnie Kiiza (Leader of Opposition).

When you the incarcerated Besigye, the leader who have been able to unify the opposition and also being the man who made progress on the frontline and talked about the real change in the country, to create accountability and democratic values, that Hon. Kiiza who are part of his party is first throwing him under the bus and dodging the entangled issue. While she is defending the righteous ways of being a opposition leader in Parliament, also giving up the principals and all the oppression for quick silver and made-believe possibilities, if not the sealing of the Ministry of Education and Sports after the swearing in Janet Museveni, if the NRM regime and ruling party where democratic then the Ministry would be allowed to use phones and not run under the strict control of the First Lady of Uganda. And this is the regime that LoP is serving and not giving way for liberation and freedom from the Police State under the NRM. That is something she cannot run away from, but easy to attack Besigye while he is behind bars and not visible, but he is the epitome of everything the regime is not. That is also what the issue and the reason why Hon. Kiiza have to defend her place in the Parliament…

Second Point – Deputy Justice Steven Kavuma:

Points taken from the letter to Stephen Kavuma:

“LETTER FROM LUZIRA PRISON: ‪Dr. Kizza Besigye ‪of the ‎FDC has petitioned the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to investigate the suitability of Justice Steven Kavuma as a justice of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court. In a June 16 letter from Luzira prison, BESIGYE alleges that Justice Kavuma is close to the Executive and that instead of doing judicial work in line with the oath he took, he is allegedly doing the bidding of President Museveni, the appointing authority. In a five-page letter, BESIGYE alleges improper conduct, abuse of office, neglect of duty and maladministration by Justice Kavuma which he says should be investigated and appropriate action taken against him. The core mandate of the JSC is to recruit and discipline errant judicial officers. “The conduct of Mr ‪‎Steven Kavuma, over the years since he joined the ‪#‎UGANDAJUDICIARY was initially frequently suspicious, then later frequently outrageous and currently, predominantly improper to point of going against the oaths and the standards expected of such a judicial officer,” Dr Kizza Besigye” (Forum for Democratic Change, 27.06.2016).

The point is valid as Stephen Kavuma has done more to show loyalty to Museveni and NRM than keeping up with unlawful practice. The Justice been more entangled into the works of conducting the orders from above and prove that he justify the truths of the NRM Regime, and the Police State under control of the above high. Together with the Uganda Police going against the opposition and being a tool to control the dissidents instead of stopping criminal activity, also bribing people to be witness and create fake affidavits to secure the rulings in favor of the ruling regime, instead of justice; and it is in this regard that Besigye also write to the Justice Kavuma, it is not a personal vendetta, more of a justified question, as the judge went directly and at one point made FDC party illegal; something that the justice shouldn’t do as a respectable state, as the Defiance shouldn’t be an issue in the nation of Resistance.

So I say this, and for those that are surprised by the assessment, I agree with both pieces and opinions from Dr. Kizza Besigye. His words on LoP and Shadow Cabinet, is similar to the ones I have addressed, they must surely be hurtful for Hon. Kiiza and Gen. Mugisha Muntu, as the proof in the words are addressing the reality on the ground, the same I have written in the recent months.

The same feeling about the Judge and his activity that is more about personal attitude and serves the Mzee instead of being a man of justice, a judge who respect the law and does not serve the Executive, but the laws and regulatory of the state.

There is more to come, as the court-rooms and litigations will continue to be given to Dr. Kizza Besigye and Forum for Democratic Change, while the ruling regime does what it can to take down the opposition and doing that with the main competitor as Besigye are usually silenced by the prison cell and by the alleged crimes put on the politician.

And Mzee must be happy that he can create fuzz between the Muntu-FDC and the Besigye-FDC, as he also did with the UPC-Otunnu and UPC-Akena. Just think about that for a minute, and say I am wrong? Peace.

Footage: South Africa – This year’s election is the most important since the dawn of our democracy in 1994.

“This year’s election is the most important since the dawn of our democracy in 1994. On 3 August, South Africans face a choice: either more of the same broken promises and joblessness under the ANC; or real and positive change that will help move our country forward again” (Democratic Alliance, 26.06.2016).

“This year, on 3 August, South Africans face a choice:

5 more years of corruption, nepotism, joblessness and deteriorating service delivery; or CHANGE that will move South Africa forward again. This is the change that brings about job creation, delivers better services, and stops corruption. While we have made progress since 1994, the ANC has now put our country on the wrong path. We have the opportunity to change this – and ensure that we move in the right direction again. The direction that Nelson Mandela dreamed of” (Mmusi Maimane, 26.06.2016).

“SA’s jobs supercrisis demands a bold new strategy” – Bokamoso by Mmusi Maimane

“There are now 8.9 million jobless people in South Africa, according to the latest StatsSA quarterly labour force report, released this week. This is the highest jobless number ever recorded in our country It is easy to regard these just as numbers – but we can’t forget that this number represents people – fathers, mothers, young people – all without work, and fast losing hope in a shrinking economy. SA’s jobs crisis is not just the aggregation of 8.9 million individual lives in crisis. It puts our whole country critically at risk – socially, economically and politically, impacting the fate of all South Africans for generations to come” (Democratic Alliance, 2016).

The continuous harassment of the Opposition in Uganda; detained up-to 150 and more to come as the Swearing-In is around the corner!

There are certain levels of misogyny and agony of the civilians and Opposition leaders that have their houses surrounded and the Police Force closely detaining them.

The levels of impunity and the access of them with that the Media is silenced and stopping to write on it as they fear the National Resistance Movement. The Media and Journalist fears the government so much that they even right after Hon. Jim Muhwezi said it was banned stopped saying the word “Defiance” on live TV; it was so hilarious and sad at the same time.

Today there is still nothing clarified with the whereabouts of Ingrid Turinawe, during the night Wafula Oguttu went from being monitored to become house-arrested. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda is detained, Lord Mayor Lukwago is house-arrested, Dr. Kizza Besigye is house-arrested, Francis Mwijukye is either house-arrested or detained as his state is not cleared. There are estimated that the FDC Party have a 150 members and leaders in total together with the ones mentioned in jail, house-arrest and detained.

The word Defiance is banned and the campaign of the opposition is by an unlawful decree or court order illegal. Which have made Forum for Democratic Change them illegal and all activity from them the same. By the ways the Police Force are acting and detaining them. Harassing them and taking them in. Without real charges or illegal activity as the Ruling Party NRM have troubles with Prayers and wearing Blue shirts in the country of Yellow and Steady Regress.

The Ruling Party NRM and President Museveni is gearing up for the Swearing-In to his 7^th Term, though officially 5^th Term, but it is Seventh Term because I does not cut away the first decade of his rule as he was unelected to that part. He grabbed the first ten-years in power and have done it again. Therefore he has to made FDC illegal!

The Ruling Party is saying they are starting a NEW ERA with the Swearing-In on the 12^th May, if that means to be draconian empire run by a President Museveni who eats alone. Who makes other thinkers and other men and woman criminal by a law that gets used when it fits the Executive! President Museveni is so controlling and so overbearing that he goes into investigations of killings of a Boda-Boda driver, all of sudden shows up at Hospital and complain at the underpaid staff that they are lazy, while his institutions are not delivering as promised equipment or medicines as the monies for this is embezzled by his loyal cronies!

The New Era is and will start with not the words of democratic values as it was ushered in, back in the day, even if there were uncertainties at the time as Museveni had no wish to open up the space for multi-party democracy. And it is now proven that he really never wanted it. It was just done to silence the foreign donors so he could be a continued fueled by donor funding to keep the budget balanced. Now he seems not to care.

The New Era starts with relics of the past oppression of opposition. They are detained and arrested. Some are even charged with terrorism by local courts. The other are detained for long and detained in jail. The proud regenerate government that was supposed to deliver something new and make the country stable and safe, not only for the political elite, but also for the people! That is what is happening now and therefore the NRM elite is trying to defend the inaccurate interim order that makes this all happen and mask the illegality of these arrest. As I cannot believe any nation, not even North Korea has laws where the “Prayers for the Nation” is banned and directly illegal.

The Police are surrounding the homes and detaining the FDC leaders in their homes and the silence of the media comes as result of the assault of the freedoms of speech and political liberty of people to choose their political aspiration. Seemingly is that the oppression and the levels of Police brutality as the ruling regime wish to have a silenced country in the coming days as the President is making himself ready for the Swearing-In at Kololo Independence Grounds.

So what more can the Police do then fill the prisons with the FDC members and leaders. House-Arrest their leaders and take them away with no charge or criminal activity behind them. The Police under Museveni is making the FDC the enemy and with a vile force, they might have detained at most 50 FDC leaders in 2011, but now they are up to 150! They want to rewrite history as the rule is illegitimate and not just. The truth is so and therefore President Museveni is Swearing-In with the gun and with the civilians and political advisories detained and house-arrested or taken away to unknown location.

Also the continued siege of the FDC Headquarters at Najjankumbi where the Police are entering and are arresting the FDC staff and bannishing the journalist from the property. As viable proof of the extent the NRM Regime is hassling with the guns to silence the FDC at this point. They are not allowed with party works or with orginizing their party as they are now totally in the mercy of the Police Force who got ‘Carte Blanche’  to take them all without charges or questions. They have even beaten the journalist who are there at the FDC Headquarters to learn them the lesson of not following instructions from the ruling regime.

In numbers the talley of who has been taken today alone: 

“4 FDC leaders have been kidnapped.
1 senior attorney is languishing in hard-core criminal investigation police torture facility.
50 plus FDC Rukungiri supporters including leadership members.
37 other FDC activist brutaly arrested for attending prayers” (Moses Atocon Atyekwo, 09.05.2016).

His Power is not fueled by the People, the popular ballot, but instead by the force of the Police and the Army. As long as he is paying them and making them and the leadership of the army and police happy, then he might sustain, but the people should think about if the FDC and the FDC leadership can be taken without impunity, who is next? Are you or your neighbor as the Police will round you up in your home and detain you at the Police Post or the nearest Prison. Certainly the levels of arrests and detaining is gone too far as the unlawfulness of the NRM is in full bloom! Peace.

Opinion: Human Rights versus National Security is B.S. when spoken about in Ugandan context right now!

Let me clear this is my view and not a general view as there might be seen as fellow counterparts have the same. There is hard to have peace, a general peace and neutral peace when fellow citizens are made enemies. You can’t have in a territory both enemies and neutrals. That doesn’t work, as the enemies of the state will be hunted down at one point. Something that happens as the National Security values will counter to bring down the enemies.

When you have come to the Point as you have made the Opposition to the worst enemies in country and therefore want’s to crush them. In a nation where the Ruling Party set the standard and have the rights first, the Human rights will be the norm. As the newest law that strengthen the government power instead of giving more back to the citizens. Citizens get quicker behind bars for nothing with the new laws; also with keeping the old laws from Colonial times gives the Police possibility to Preventative arrests and even detain without court order within 24 hours. Something that the Opposition parties have felt time and time again.

The initial ones that are saying that the National Security goes before the Human Rights are the ruling elite who earn the money by running the system. The Ruling Elite does not want to the system to change as they earn massive profits on it. Why change something that is currently working right? Well, is it? When you have to prosecute and make fellow citizens criminals, opposition members, opposition leaders from Councilors to Members of Parliament, that happens without questions and that is not a healthy society.

This way of working is making the opposition criminal and their activity criminal. That the society nearly or bravely saying assembles them for prayers are illegal says something of what that rule of law in the country. And it is illegal since it is a part of Defiance Campaign of the FDC that is by Interim Order of 29^th April 2016 by Deputy Justice Stephen Kavuma.

So that a National Political Party from the Opposition should not be enemy of the state; as they come with peaceful demonstration and disobedience. President Museveni has used guns and fear to keep himself in power. Together with buying alliances and paying to silence the ones who is hungry. Not everybody can be paid for silence as Bishops and Jimmy Akena of the UPC. Therefore he makes the ones enemies as he did with Dr. Milton Obote and Tito Okello. He has done the same with others and people have eaten it up, but now he shows that his colors are the same.

The National Security of the country is now meaning that the President is secure and his ruling elite. Not that the Security of the nation and all citizens of the country. If it was so then that would be different and would make a difference.

Human rights as free movement, demonstrations and free speech shouldn’t be so hard for the National Resistance Movement, but if they we’re a legitimate ruling party they wouldn’t had an issue it with it. They wouldn’t have used the Police to detain peaceful demonstrators in the streets around an Opposition Party Headquarters in Kampala. The Police Force wouldn’t have put the regulatory of who could enter the premises or not. Even detaining fellow staff of the Headquarters… if that is not flabbergasting and boggles your mind then you don’t know to what extent the NRM Regime goes.

The National Security aspect isn’t for securing the safety for the citizens, it is for securing the riches for the elite and their businesses. As they earn monies over fist and have to keep it that way, even meaning that that they earn money on embezzling the government funds here and there. But that is not a value worth to consider. As the human rights and the justice for all men is not considered, only considered when it matters for the NRM elite. That should be a worry for the media, for the state and for the citizens.

Dr. Kizza Besigye and his new house-arrest is not biggest breach of human rights, it is just the epitome of how the government does not care about human rights, justice or rule of law. He is illegally detained by the Police Force as he is a criminal for defending his belief and the judgement of Electoral Commission that was fixed to fit the Ruling Party. So he couldn’t even counter the announcement made by the EC this time around because of the harassment of the opposition from the Police. The reason why Opondo and Museveni have sounded like wounded dogs while defending the announcement and victory. Even the double victory after the Supreme Court ruling on the Election Petition! They did not sound like proud winners, more like they knew what they did and wanted to clean their hands from the dirt.

As said the Human Rights at this point should come first, as the Government and Police Force is used to target fellow citizens, tax-payers who pays money to the Members of Parliament who doesn’t in the near future pay tax. That is not justice or free society. That is “man eats man Society” of late Julius Nyerere. We this with the men who represent the citizens, eats all the money of the citizens as they do this without taking actions to defend the citizens. The Government and the Police should shield the public, not make parts of the public its enemies. That is the idea that National Security goes in the front of the Human rights paradigm.

If you let the Human rights be stepped on, will you step on all liberties; all kinds of justices will be brought away from court to keep the streets clean in the name of the National Security. If the Human Rights are respected then the citizens; would have rights to not have issues in court unless they violate the criminal codes, but otherwise the civil liberties and the freedoms of the people is not worth anything.

The Human Rights of the citizens and the people supposed to have this. So their place in the society is safe and their principal right to live as private persons and not criminals. That the State is making fellow citizens criminals for doing peaceful actions as praying is saying to what kind of a Police State the Ugandan Citizens are under.

But at this day and time the National Security is not for the citizens, but for the ruling elite. Then the obstruction of Human Rights is nonsense and the values of attacking this in the sake of National Security are obsolete. The thought of destroying the freedoms of the citizens and the liberty of the citizens are than gone. Not in the name of National Security, but for the NRM Regime. That is not worthy and not righteous. Peace.