
#ThisFlag Citizens’ Movement Statement on the detained Pastor Evan Mawarire (02.02.2017)


“Zimbabwean Cleric, Evan Mawarire has reportedly been detained at Harare International Airport. It’s believed State Security Agents apprehended him on his return from the United States where he has been in exile for the past months” (SABC Digital, 2017)




President John Pombe Magufuli, the Tanzanian President and Executive, the Chama-Cha Mapinudzi leader, the one who is running the succession of the ruling regime that has ruled since independence in the East African nation. He was hailed for his stern controlling and stopping of corrupt behaviour, as he cut wages and cleared state organizations. His smiles and grins on the inauguration was a proof of a peaceful democratic nation, even as MCC of USA had suspended aid-projects in Tanzania as they we’re not impressed by the last election on Zanzibar. So the year of 2016 has been a roller-coaster in Tanzania and it continues where it left of.
The Tanzanian President has with stern hand, detained journalists, and opposition figures and also used the police force to stop opposition rallies around nation. This has been done in silence as he has been hailed with #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? Since his works has extended and showed that their hope of good governance and possible accountability from the Tanzanian authorities. Instead, he now turns into a man who cannot manage that people questions his actions and planned legislature. Like he only want to be hailed and not become a villain. Though with his threats and wishes to silence the local media, he will only give the nation state propaganda fitted to his views and belief, instead of growing balls and actually see the misgivings that a government can have, as the media will display and reason with the citizens. Their trying to find and see at the imperfections of government and their regulatory state, can give the citizens a fair balanced experience of the leadership. That is apparently something that isn’t in high regard from President Magufuli. He wants lies, deceit and deception of the Tanzanian citizens.
As he said himself:
“Dr Magufuli warned the media against writing or airing inflammatory stories that may endanger peace at it happen in Rwanda where radio and other reports instigated the 1994 genocide. “The government, which specializing in ‘lancing boils’, cannot let such newspapers to continue operating. It cannot leave Tanzania to be a dumpsite of seditious news. This will not be allowed under my rule, never”, said Magufuli. “And its only two newspapers. Whenever you read them they always incite people… when you say this they turn it into something else. I want them to hear me. Their days are numbers” (Mwalimu & Ibengwe, 2017).

So clearly the President cannot handle the pressure and the temperature certain newspapers put out. Not that I now directly what they said, but saying that criticism of his reign will bring genocide is harsh and disrespectful for those who died in the genocide. Misunderstood and forged news are by all means a problematic field, as sources and credited writers has to pick their sources and verify the reports before publishing it. With the easy extent of information and the many outlets, there are more possibility to get information and therefore spread it to the public. A President cannot contain or control it the way they could do just a generation back in time. They are open online, on the telly, on air on the radio and also still in the papers.
By all means, with the extent of population of the United Republic of Tanzanian, there will detractors and people of opposite political base that reasons for tarnishing President Magufuli. They will do and should do it they feel like it, even if it is true or not. Still, the President can address them and undress them if their wrong in their assessment and understanding of the legislation or budgets post. But say that he will sanction and stop their press, proves that Magufuli is coward, a man who cannot handle the pressure of his throne, of his office and his station. He has to silence the media who looks critically into his acts and his motions. Like he expect fanfare and processions of glee journalists to bow their knees when they are entering the gates of the National Assembly or the State House, as the President is the most Nobel and grandest man in the Republic.
President Magufuli is the executive and the one who reins the United Republic, but that doesn’t mean everybody going to cheer and enjoy all of his decisions. Some going to scrutinize and question the reasons for the work he does as the Executive. There will be people who cheers and are proud who wouldn’t dare to question the President, but they would never say their honest opinion or control their words when addressing the ruler and the regime. So, the need for a strong and various outlet for news and discussion of what the President is important.
I thought Magufuli we’re stronger, smarter and had audacity to handle pressure, but I was so damn wrong. He cannot manage pressure or questions to his rule, he cannot manage newspapers and radio. Like he did during 2016 he arrested MP Singida Tindu Lissu for calling him a dictator.
The Opposition Member of Parliament Tindu Lissu saw something many others didn’t, Magufuli, the good doctor cannot handle opposite opinions and cannot accept that people are assessing his acts. They are supposed to eat it out of the hand of the President without questions and with a grin on their faces. Nothing else is acceptable. The President speak, the President act and the people bow their knees to the almighty. Peace.
Reference:
Mwalimu, Saumu & Ibengwe, Stella – ‘Fear as Magufuli threatens media’ (14.01.2017) link: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Fear-as-Magufuli-threatens-media-/1840340-3516910-1123b5hz/index.html



It’s not easy to give words of advice to the men and woman who are in the line of fire. But we cannot let the Movement and their spin-control run the mill. They are stealing and thieving with massive speed and impunity. They are trying to avoid the weakness of the economy, trying to find new ways of revamping the economy without too much state debt and without loving donor direct aid. They still have the military and equipment served from loyal allies in the United States, if that will happen under Trump and it has happen under Bush/Obama is not easy to know; certainly U.S. will still let other brigades do the dirt they don’t want to do themselves.
The ones who toll with the problems are Dr. Kizza Besigye and his Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), they work for a peaceful transition in Uganda from the militarized politics of the President Museveni’s Movement. So with this in mind, after a year of issues, a year of tribulations, arrests, detained and charges of treason against the government; the political change is still in the wind. Besigye had deserved a better start and a fresher place as he is still monitored and still has Police following all movement done by the man. The same with his party who cannot hold meetings and public consultations without police taking stereo equipment, arrests or intimidation of citizens who shows up or just happen to be around.
Besigye had started the Campaign of Defiance under the Election Road Map for the General Election of 2016. So in 2015 it was started and has been put under fire from the Resistance Movement, an ironic problem for a draconian and tyrant regime who cannot really be democratic as they tries to silence or get rid of the worst opponents. Besigye is only kept because of known place and international scrutiny of they try to attack him too much.

First Step – Defy with actions:
Besigye should continue and with more force, use more than just words and get the FDC to actually take a stronger stand against the ones that supports the regime. The Mafia regime or junta government, which he has described the Movement so many times. If FDC wants to be fair and wants to defy the Movement, they should suspend themselves first from Parliament. It is risky, but would be a grandeur position to take away the Shadow Government and the legitimacy of the current government.

Second Step – Defy with dialogue with other opposition:
Secondly the FDC should be in talks with Democratic Party and other smaller parties that are not involved directly in the Movement regime, as they can try to weaken and strengthen the other voices. As Besigye have already done with his friendship with Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Gen. David Sejusa. FDC needs to be connected with people of stature like Norbert Mao and others, who are real opposition to Museveni. Not talk to Jimmy Akena or others who just uses their parties as fronts of beacon of democracy, instead of actually challenging the Movement.

Third Step – Defy the Courts like IGP Kayihura:
Just as IGP Kale Kayihura defied his own court-orders, the same should Besigye himself start to do in 2017, to show that he doesn’t respect the unlawful character of the regime; as the peaceful acts of showing up for treason charge that continue running into oblivion. Time to just say it is a kangaroo court and is only doing it to silence his voice. Therefore not showing up and instead continue to travel around the country to meet and greet party officials and locals to prove the value of building institution over being a sole candidate in Museveni and the NRM.
Times is a wasting, it’s hard to do stuff when you’re behind bars or at court, it’s hard to always move when the Police Force and other Security Organizations follow your every step.

Fourth Step – Hurt the pocket of the Government:
Certainly the Defiance needs to be hurting the regime. Try to stop the foreign exchange rates, the taxation and the revenue of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), even the business that is inter-connected with the Movement. As much as it should stop the state owned businesses that is being used by the Movement. Museveni would hate that he couldn’t misuse the profits of needed businesses, the ones that are owned by investors who are supplying him funds to pay Special Force Command and other militarized outfits that keeps him as the Executive.
If the Besigye and his folks stood behind and hurt the pocket and legitimacy, not in words only, but also actions that could move the regime and also create a vacuum that Museveni and his movement couldn’t control. The ripple effect and the true hurt would be shown. Especially with the knowledge, that the Election already hurt the economy with massive effect. So if they continue pounding on it took out the cash out of the Museveni owned banks and stopped profits to companies that the Museveni clan partly own. Than the Movement and family would feel the pinch.
Defying the state institutions and the government procedures, stop respecting the Police and Courts, stop listening to the draconian laws and also stop the funding of taxes and funds to directly keep the Movement alive. Something that would really hurt Museveni and his elite; this would really make it hard for the Movement to continue to use Police Force and use the state to gain wealth.
Besigye can continue to talk peaceful transition and I respect that. This sort of acts is not easy. They are hard and costly. Many will be arrested, many more detained, more torture and more innocent dying, but there been so much over 30 years that the defiance campaign has to take it to the next level. Show disrespect, let the government lose its value and show the world that the ones behind Besigye don’t see Museveni as their President. Museveni is just a citizen, not an Executive, as he wasn’t really elected to be so; he coup d’état again when he got sworn-in on the 12th May of 2016.
Time for acts, not talk, time for really defying the government and use the power of the people. Time to use the popularity and risk being harassed, as if you don’t than the Police will continue as they do; business as usual and also target the FDC as much as possible without it costing much for the illegitimate government it is. The illegal detained and the illegal arrests cannot be sustained, as much as the house arrests and unlawful behaviour of the Police towards the FDC is unbearable. This is not militant; it is fighting for a just cause. The real freedom and liberty, not to talk about a real legitimate government who represent the citizens of Uganda! Not a government representing Museveni and only his vision. Peace.



