Opinion: Kenyatta tarnish his own legacy as he is sworn-in at Kasarani; as the Police is quelling NASA supporters at the Prayer Rally at Jacaranda!

The election was not a contest between a good dream and a bad dream; it was a contest between two competing visions. I believe that those who voted for me chose the better vision. This, however, does not invalidate the aspirations of those who did not vote for me. I undertake to be the custodian of the dreams of all, and to be the keeper of the aspirations of those who voted for me and those who did not. I will be the President of all. And I will devote my time and energy to build bridges to unite and bring prosperity to all Kenyans. Today is a historic day for our great Nation. First our gratitude is to Almighty God. I also point out that the Kenyan voter has been the most important player in the election. Everyone who voted played a role in strengthening our democracy: today’s celebration is yours. Asante sana” (Uhuru Kenyatta – Inauguration, 28.11.2017).

Today, there it is 11 Presidents at Kasarani Stadium for the Swearing-in of the 2nd Term of Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. While that is happening the National Super Alliance had planned a Prayer Rally for the recently deceased supporters at Jacaranda Stadium. This is the rally where Raila Odinga and the leadership of NASA would show-up. Where the Police had it sealed off, and showed tear-gas and water-canons. So that is proof of the two different states within the state now.

Kenyatta and Ruto is currently basking in glory of despots and supporters. While the NASA are under fire and burning as they planned and notified the authorities of the prayer rally. Therefore, the injustice now is put into system. As Jubilee Party and the Ruling Regime can really do as they please. Nothing stops them and they will do whatever to quell the NASA. The acts on Mnyanja Road have proven how ill the government is and how illegitimate it is.

Kenyatta knows this and therefore using force to stop the opposition from the rally there today. As he wants all the glam and good shots at the Kasarani Stadium. Clearly, because of his actions and orders, people will look into aftermath at Jacaranda stadium, where more lives are lost. The count right now is 5 people killed by state officers either Anti-Riot Police or Soldiers.

Today, the speech of Kenyatta doesn’t matter, it is pointless, the inauguration of him is too. He proves to the world that the people are supporting Odinga and even dying for him. As the state officers are killing its own. While several Presidents are trying to legitimizing the regime. The media has been banned from showing live footage of the happenings at Jacaranda, as the show at Kasarani was going smoothly. Today, it’s also ironic that in the last 48 hours the Jubilee has used school-buses to ferry the public to its ceremony. While Acting CS Fred Matiangi, earlier this year has banned this sort of activity. Clearly, the Jubilee is allowed to breach their own regulations when it fits them.

There is clearly to type of rules and two different attitudes. The Jubilee uses nice words and rhetoric, they own it all, but the public support is behind NASA. There are different tensions, as Kenyatta trying to talk of peace between all, while his orders from above is killing civilians. They are ambushing, even throwing garbage at the Jacaranda Stadium, which they knew about. The NASA didn’t do anything ill at Kasarani. So the proof of double standard are there.

The live bullets and the oppressive behavior will back-fire. Again, innocent lives gotten lost behind this hurt between leaders of Kenya. The NASA are trying to do their thing, but Jubilee is stifling it. They have the state powers and the police organizations to handle it. Kenyatta should have let the rally go without violence, without these senseless killings. He should have, but he couldn’t handle being humiliated by Odinga’s crowd and popularity. That he could be shadowed by fellow Kenyan leader. The Pyrrhic Victory will clearly hunt him… it will overshadow all of his reign. Even if he is partly legal by the Supreme Court and by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Still, it will forever be questionable and even with the facts of rigging will tarnish his reputation.

Kenyatta will never be seen as a legitimate president in many eyes and it is proven today. That is the reason why he has to quell and silence NASA rallies. He stops them and uses all tactics. This will not be winning in the long-run. Jubilee, might have the power, but lost important parts of the public. They will never see him as their President. Even as they mourning the dead, he killed more and ordered more death. That is the legacy and the blood on his hands. He can speak peace, but his acts is of violence. Remember that, that is the reality and not something that should be said with ease.

Today, wasn’t a celebration or the start of the second term of Kenyatta. Today is a day again of mourning, innocent lives died, while Jubilee celebrated themselves. If this continues, it will be their demise, how many people can they take without it matters? How much violence and political instability can the Kenyatta government muster before it cracks? That is what we shall wonder about. Since this is self created and self possessed narrative they have created. It should have been a beautiful day, basking in glory and in promise of a better tomorrow. Instead, its in the blood of old and defeat that it will be remembered for.

Kenyatta, your losing it, either your legacy or your power. This is not the way to run and to win. This is the way to stay, but not to be respected or be part of something greater. You might used some powerful and peaceful words, but your actions are depressing. You cannot even show some sympathy or let people mourn without leaving more hurt. That is your legacy now. Peace.

Red Pepper Publication Limited: Charge Sheet from Buganda Road Court (27.11.2017)

South Sudan: Gen. Gathoth Gatkouth Hothyang statement – “Denial of Allegions in the Report of Pre-Forum Consultation of IGAD High Level Revitalization Forum” (24.11.2017)

Chapter Four Uganda Statement: “First Anniversary of Kasese Killings: We Remember” (27.11.2017)

One year ago, more than 55 people – including at least 14 police officers – were killed in the Kasese clashes on November 26. A day later, the military and police forces launched a deadly assault on the Rwenzururu palace killing more than 100 civilians – including children.

One year later, we know more than 180 civilians were arrested and charged in court. However, no military or police officer has been charged for the killing of civilians. Families continue to narrate their ordeal of missing relatives and the palace remains cordoned off by security forces as a crime scene.

We call for an independent and impartial investigation into the role of security forces in the Kasese killings to deliver justice to the victims and their families.

South Sudan: Major. Gen. Lawerence Amitayo Legge resigns from SPLM-IO to join NAS (25.11.2017)

Opinion: Hon. Nsubuga is so caught up in Musevenism, that his defense of lifting [the Age Limit] makes him sound foolish!

I know he said in interview during the recent days that he (Simeo Nsubuga), that he wanted the Age Limit lifted in the Constitution of 1995, as a Christmas Gift to the Ugandan People. I wonder when offering a life presidency, ever been for the citizens and not for the President himself. That would be a honest approach. He wrote a lot of crap recently in the State Media and NRM Propaganda paper New Vision. Which, I read, just to see what would the Member of Parliament say and what sort of ways could he argue for the Life Presidency. It is weird, but fitting. It is not smart or even brilliant. Its more a mockery of the state and the whole thing. I will just take snippets and not the whole article. Because I don’t have the time and secondly, I don’t bother wasting that amount of time on it.

Here is the first part of his wisdom:

With all these future headed projects our country is already rich. The bright future will come with able leadership we have enjoyed for the last 31 years under the NRM/ President Y.K. Museveni. Therefore, you cannot talk of changing leadership for the sake of changing because you are not sure that the next leader will be in position to stir the country to greater heights. Our country is at a critical stage of development/conditions to take off where we need to move forward under steady leadership. Some people have argued that let us change leadership because the Constitution provides for (age limit). Personally, I do not buy the idea because you may change and change for the worse. We need to consolidate what we have achieved, under the visionary and steady leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni” (Nsubuga, 2017).

I wonder where Uganda is rich, as it is begging for funding for infrastructure, are using all kind of schemes to fund its institutions and find funding for state projects. If it wasn’t for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), certain big projects wouldn’t exists. Secondly, this richness has been shown with not paying civil servants, not paying for medical equipment, making sure schools are intact and roads in the district is able to drive upon. I wonder what so of wealth he is talking about. Unless, the wealth is ghost-workers and cronyism, then the state is wealthy!

The bright future is for the cronies and the National Resistance Movement. How they maneuver and are loyal to Museveni. That his why, they cannot see anyone else than the leadership of him. He is still their visionary and supposed steady, even as the crippled economy is growing in debt. That is well known fact and the payment of interest will not slow down, unless the petrodollar really kicks in. What is more surprising is that Nsubuga says that have to consolidate the power, I thought it already was under control within the State House? Isn’t it already so, but isn’t it worrying that a party lasting for 31 years can only manage to have one head and one master. That he lacks so much leadership skills, that he cannot even teach a successor or even groom somebody to be the next in charge. Leadership isn’t only to be the kingpin, but also to leave the mantle to someone suitable. That you have learned them the hoops and shown them the hurdles. So they can succeed and secure the foundation left behind. Clearly, the NRM and the Museveni lacks this talent.

Here is the second part of his wisdom:

You can see that Uganda which has been under steady leadership for the last 31 years is in better place than those countries. So the point is how do we help our people to prosper economically through agriculture, livestock, business and ICT. Small-scale industries like fruit processing and fish farming not age limit (Togigwatako) As a country at this critical stage of development let us focus on development not politics of age limits which are artificial impositions in the constitution because they limit the scope of choice of leaders a case in point is the new Austria Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz aged 31 years the leader of Conservative People’s Party who was recently elected as a Prime Minister and now the youngest leader on European Continent, so if there was age limit in Austrian Constitution say 35 to 75 years like ours here, no way would Mr. Kurz be a Prime Minister. So issues of age limit and term limits are not universally accepted principles of democracy. The most important principle is regular, free and fair elections and in our case we have been doing it this since 1996” (Nsubuga, 2017).

Let’s look at the second paragraph I took from his article. It is more of the same really. I still don’t see anything more steady, other than the same name and same fella in charge. If that is steady leadership. Then any numb-nut can run the nation and become a statesman. It is weird that continue talking and praising the economy, when the NRM know how bad it is and the state functions are struggling. It is like the blind is leading the blind.

That he is using defense of a real democracy like Austria, where the ballots isn’t pre-ticket and the NRM isn’t rigging. That he speaks of elections like democracy, when they are made with intimidations and cronyism, they are clearly not looking into what the NRM are doing to make the kingpin, staying the kingpin. That the Age Limit would be hurdle for Kurz, but the narrative is totally different. So it is not real need of discussing the different.

When speaking of principles of democracy, why couldn’t Amama Mbabazi run in the NRM Primaries against the Museveni in 2015? Why? Because the NRM are all loyal to Museveni and cannot muster real leadership. They are all faithful minions and subjects of Museveni. So speaking of “accepted principles of democracy”, is a mockery of principles and of democracy. Both of them are in this aspect and assessment misuse of words. The definitions of them should be balanced, but the weight in the NRM are always in favor of Museveni. That is also why Nsubuga are praising his work. Even if he knows it a lie and he does it, to show his loyalty, as the subject he is. Peace.

Reference:

Nsubuga, Simeo – ‘Focus on politics of development not age limit’ (22.11.2017) link: https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1466166/focus-politics-development-age-limit

South Sudan: Brig. General Emmanuel Wani Gore resigns from SPLM-IO to join National Salvation Force (23.11.2017)

Kenya: NASA Communique of the NASA Leadership Forum Held on 25 November 2017 at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County (25.11.2017)

South Sudan: Press Briefing on Rebels Intensification of Offensive Operations against SPLA’s Defensive Positions (24.11.2017)

South Sudan: Lt. General Ruai Kuol Jal Thor resigns from SPLM-IO and joins NPASS/NPAFSS (23.11.2017)