
Update on the COVID-19 Outbreak in Uganda (07.04.2020)



President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut(the Minister in charge of General Duties-Office of the Prime Minister and Bushenyi District Woman MP) as the Political Head of the Government Fundraising Efforts/Activities towards COVID-19/Corona Virus.
Mary Karooro Okurut has been appointed today, but she has held various roles in government. She’s an MP for the National Resistance Movement and been in Parliament since 2004. Mary been the Minister of Information and National Guidance, where she really showed finesse in the arts of praising the President and his family. This was something she was doing between 2011 to 2013.
Mary has written and used every instance in promoting the message that the President deems fit. This being his ghetto vision in 2019. That being the 10 Point Programme, the supposed democratic achievement, the donor friendly enterprise of the government and so-on. She’s always defended the government, even when the contrary would make sense. But she is so die hard loyalist, that she would never offend the Don.
She is formerly the Press Secretary of the President and has defended him before getting into Parliament. So, her whole career or the political one has been under the wings of the President. Defending, working and serving the President. That is why she suddenly get this appointment, that’s because she will work tirelessly and defend the actions of the state in this concern. She will clean the hands of the President and his handlers, they will be defended and he can rest assure that he has friendly voice on his side.
Okurut MP is the token of a former worker turned high ranking officials. She has risen among the ranks from the State House into Parliament, into the Cabinet and now with additional role for some time.
Just like she defended fiercely the appointment of the First Lady and Wife Janet to the Ministry of Karamoja, as it is was a selfless act and she was supposed to be qualified for it. Not only as the bedmate and part of the household of the Head of State, but she had the ability to run it too. That is what sort of words Okurut wrote in the Independent in 2009.
So, we know what sort of character she is. She will defend the Government and their efforts, she will wash them clean and use her skills to make it look good.
That why she was put there now. The golden voice of positivity and making the efforts look like the best enterprise ever thought of. Mary will be there to ensure the President and his men gets the validation and the praise it needs. So that the work and the operation is getting the right amount of good reporting. They know she can twist things and make sure the COVID-19 fundraising will look like a successful operation from the government side.
I cannot see it any other way. Because, the way she’s gone through the ranks and defend stuff over the years. This seems so fitting as the perfect storm to have her to handle. As she can condition the message and secure the right lenses on it. Ofwono can only get you so far, neither can Canary or Mwenda too. That is why Okurut MP was handed this job. Peace.





Today, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) started with their drive to help citizens during the lockdown in the Republic. Which is something they need to do, as the gig-economy and the loads of people living hand-to-mouth needs food on their plate. While they are spending time at home and cannot afford to buy food. Therefore, what the state now does is needed and a positive drive.
Still, when the state donates maize from Aponye Limited and writes on the 6kg packs of maize flour “NOT FOR SALE – Maize Flour for the Vulnerable Poor – Supplied by: Aponye Limited”. Than, people start to wonder, what is with this company and who owns it?
That is where I come in. Apollo Nyegamehe is the newly elected Chairperson of the NRM in Rubanda district, a big-man from Kabale. Who says his company been running since 1989. However, on his grain selling business started in 2006, which he stated to the DFCU, as he needed the loans from the bank to evolve the business. It has 35 trucks, milling grains up to 240 tonnes a day and sells this to World Food Programme (WFP). Also 50 staff and 120 contractors. By 2007, President Museveni had already given him an award on being a good exporter, which he did to Rwanda and Burundi with his trucks.
“Apollo Nyegamehe, Managing Director, Aponye “What we have achieved, we have achieved it because of DFCU. DFCU has helped my business to grow.” (DFCU – ‘50 Years of Backing SMEs and Creating Jobs in Uganda’15.09.2014).
We know he has no trouble being a big-shot as in 2010, he did by charity buy a portrait of President Museveni for 10 million shillings that was done for a fundraising drive for Rushoroza Cathedral in Kabale. His also a lucky man who was twice compensated for lost trading and investments in South Sudan in 2013. In 2019, he was in part of 150bn cash bonanza scandal hitting the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Where it was reported that his company was getting 40 billion of this, while Aponye claimed he didn’t get a coin. So, his been associated with pay-offs from the state in past.
The tycoon is clearly in the midst of the state and a useful tool for them. That is why his a local chairman and also now involved in the COVID-19 Relief Fund, where his maize flour is delivered to the houses. Most likely because of his close association with the NRM and the leadership. He was a easy pick.
A man whose awarded, a man who has been close and supportive of all NRM. When NRM are in crisis. Who should they call? Well, what about this loyal fella who also owns a granary and trucks to do the logistic. Also, his one of our own, so this tycoon will repay the party later. That is just good business.
What is striking to me is at some places they are claiming his business started in 1989, but himself stated nor many years ago it was in 2006. His been involve in campaigning in Kabale for the NRM in 2011 and 2015/16. Now his a Chairman and a tycoon who they are using. That is just the way it is.
Sure we know, that the investment of 10 million shilling for a portrait of the President has paid off. As he is one of them now. Peace.






“We lack money but we still have food. We have too much milk, we have nowhere to sell it. Town dwellers who earn hand to mouth are those we are going to help but for a limited period” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (03.04.2020).
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is out on a hot-strike, as he has hit his 7th National Address on the COVID-19 or the Corona Virus outbreak in the Republic. Where he doles out his wisdom. Where he speak out his unfiltered mind and partly wishes he had his own MTV reality show. Because, he loves the spot-light and being the only man with a vision and who can resolve anything.
The medicine man, the man who can secure the faith of the nation, the patriotic superhero and giant of all. Kaguta is at it again. This time saying people are allowed to go the closest latrines and be stuck in their houses.
Also, he complains that workers for him in the State House isn’t leaving, they are cleaners who isn’t fleeing, but needs to get home. Wherever that home be and whatever state their living quarters are. Than, saying he lived in the bush for 5 years, so people should manage whatever. Not like the public should live like in Civil War, because you need water and soap, clean environment to ensure the corona virus spreading.
The President spoke of the power of soap and sanitizers, however, much of the population cannot afford the latter. They have enough things to pay for, while they are stuck in their houses under lockdown and cannot even get salaries or hawk for their daily pay. Still, the President didn’t challenge landlords, nor the authorities to secure running water and electricity.
He also wanted the rich to give away spare 4WD to the local Health Care Centre and such. Because, they who owns factories and such has spare to donate to the state. This coming from the man who ran the state for 34 years and now has excuses to loot the ones who gives him kickbacks to start businesses. Such a class act this His Excellency. Cars will help, but the state has bought dozens of cars over the years to MPs, State House, Parliament and so-on. Which all should be first to be front-line before he anticipate the foreign investors to drop him some investments.
A proof of his total failure of office is this one:
“We should not mix our old problems with this that is new. You can’t bring the long-standing problem of poverty which is not an emergency and has been around for a very long time. If you mix issues up, you are going to make us fail” – (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 03.04.2020).
Why do I say so? Well, for a man who promised to offer a fundamental change and who always speaks of steady progress. The man who says he made a difference and soon becoming a mid-income country. Surely, is failing like hell and cannot stomach the utter disgraceful results this gives. Because, his old problems is his lacking efforts and his lacking governance, which is the terrible factor here. That he who has run the Republic, who has promised to fix this from day-one. Hasn’t delivered. The COVID-19 only amplifies this failure, as the public lacks what they need to battle it and the state didn’t facilitate the necessities nor the stability for the basics. That is all his fault. Because, he has been focusing on his cronies, his associates and those close to him. Not building the Republic for everyone.
If you had cared about “old problems”. The Health Care Centres, the Hospitals and everything would be up to scratch now. The old problems would have be to have more ICU beds, have more units of educated nurses and doctors for this pandemic. You would have a better supported National Medical Stores (NMS). However, those are all ship who sailed, that is why your begging for cars for the district tonight.
Mr. President this is yet another disgraceful attempt of you to show grace. Instead of trying to delegate and let the experts lead. Your continues micro-managing and the mismanagement continues. Instead of taking a good way out. Your digging your own grave. This is not winning. This is slowly loosing.
You want to combat this disease, which the whole world is fighting. The lockdown, washing hands and social distancing is fine. However, the rest is wreck, but that was dead on arrival, because of the old problems. The old problems the President doesn’t want to fix, because he wants the donors to do that. Peace.