Just as yesterday’s demonstrations occured and the house-arrest of certain markie leaders of the opposition happen in the midst of early morning on the 5th May. The Police Force never plans to leave, just as the actions of the Police in Kasangati, the same is now happening in Wakaliga in the Rubaga Division. Where Erias Lukwago the incumbent and elected Lord Mayor of Kampala is now under house arrest on the second day!
Here is the final report that have surfaced:
“Right now at LORDMAYOR’S home even today they have denied him access to go to his chambers to money for buying food for his family and practice his dutys “.
So the Uganda Police Force has yet again used their laws to their benefit as they again take their citizens for granted and detain their leaders without impunity. As the hours go without a court-order or a charge against Lord Mayor Hajj Erias Lukwago Ssalongo! Peace.
Many and many more will say it is pointless, many many more will say it wasting of business and destroy tourism industry. Many Many more will say that the Demonstration does not hurt the NRM.Let me counter those men. If it didn’t hurt the National Resistance Movement, why would they get French speaking deployed men in streets of Kampala? Why would they send 3 Sukhoi Su-30Mk2 Russian Fighter Jets to fly low over Kampala?
And why would they send Police Force to House-Arrest Lord Mayor Lukwago, MP Elect Mwijkye and Dr. Besigye. If it didn’t matter why towns and many parts of Kampala would be filled with tear-gas! As this happen why would they detain so many citizens on the spot and take them away? If the demonstration wasn’t a priority why would the NRM use so much space on early broadcast to warn against it?
Why would men like Hon. Muhwezi of NRM and Ministry of Information and National Guidance together with Uganda Communication Commission warn media on covering the Demonstrations and the FDC in general as they tried to sound like Musevenist; who already we’re bent their knees to his power! The same as IGP Kayihura who just follows orders and recently said the same that the Media should not cover the Defiance Campaign! So the Authorities use all methods to intimidate fellow citizens.
They use Airplanes, Army and the Police Force. They detain activist and hurt fellow citizens as the footage and pictures all day have shown the world of their actions. The International Media cares about the proposed ban from the Media, not the detained, not the violence of the Police Force or even maybe connection between the French Speaking Army and the M23.
People have again claimed that Besigye and FDC is wrong as the NRM deservedly won the elections, well if they did so why does they still need to intimidate the population instead of being a legitimate power? Well, the Opondo, Tumwebaze or Muhwezi can’t answer that with a straight face as they are so into the pockets of their master that they don’t want to see the truth.
That people who are Red-Tops get taken from Central Kampala and detained as well. The arrests in Bushenyi, the tension in Mbarara, the closed shops of Rukungiri; the general feeling is that Demonstrations have proved their point that the intimidation does not stop the will of Ugandan people to counter the regime. This morning, the police arrested the former FDC Entebbe Municipality parliamentary Mr. Alex Gitta Mulibanga, he is now the Express Football Club head coach, the FDC Entebbe Municipality chairman Mr. Peter Othienor and other 4 members were picked from FDC Entebbe Municipality office and are now detained at Entebbe Police Station. Also police arrested FDC Kyambogo university students led by Moses Aguuda, the FDC Kyambogo University Chapter Chairman and also FDC National Youth League secretary for Foreign Affairs, Joshua Akoyoyi, the Kyambogo university students’ Guild Speaker, Ambrose Mukwaya and Paul Okuni who are now being detained at Jinja road Police Station.
This demonstration is not about FDC or Besigye, even if they are behind it. It is about basic human rights and the will of the people to have the opportunity to pick and vote for their leaders. Not the ones handpicked and pocketed by the Executive, President Museveni who have done like that since 1986. Time for a change of guards and somebody who cares about the people, not a giant army and using Police Force to detain fellow citizen who disobey his will!
That the US Mission to Kampala slams the Media Ban is ironic as they does not speak high about the other values as the capital and other towns are filled with tear-gas! Where Anti-Riot Police and the Army is deployed to dispersed the demonstration. Why not condemn that to, not only the ban on the media, is the people or the press the most important, I may ask?
Right now seems that the extra allocation of funds to Post-Election Violence even though I am sure the Army Operation in Rwenzori and Rwenzori Sub-Regions have used the money and that they know are using funds that are expected to go to other public functions that they can let-go off. That Charles Rwomushana now speaks the tone of the Government is not strange, as he has to eat humble pie after saying his sources knew that Christopher Aine where dead at one point, secondly because of that it’s not too easy to take his analysis seriously.
So the actions of the Government, their Security Organization and other connected to the Ugandan Authorities should know that this is the first day and not the last. This is the beginning and we who feels the Leadership and current National Resistance Movement is a Police State and Totalitarian government that serves President Museveni; that does not serve the purpose of the state. The State of the Government is now fully going into intimidate fellow citizens with fighter jets from the Army, tear-gas, deployed army with guns as the size of a boom-blaster and people detained while peacefully demonstration for their rights.
So Mr. President Museveni, get your mind right. These men you can detain them, you can make them scatter, but their ideals and their feeling for true justice does not go away with your violence and Post-Election violence as you terrorize the ones you are supposed to represent. They don’t feel you represent them as you have violated their liberty, their freedom and feeling of justice.Peace.
Today,was the first day of demonstrations in demand of an Independent Audit of the 2016 presidential elections. On this day, matches were planned from FDC offices to assembly areas.
As expected, heavy military and police deployments were made in all towns; several leaders homes were barricaded; and many roadblocks were erected. This is all anticipated and good for the defiance campaign! The dictator’s forces are worn out, even before citizens take any action!
What was rather surprising, but quite in keeping with the panic and desperation of the NRM Junta now, was the statement made by Gen Jim Muhwezi, Minister of Information.
Inspector General Of Police (IGP) Kayihura, Attorney General Freddie Ruhindi and his deputy, Director of Uganda Communications Commission, and, ominously, the heads of major media houses, notably Nbs, NTV, and Vision group, accompanied Gen Muhwezi.
In his statement, Gen Muhwezi said: “All live broadcast of defiance activities should stop. Any media house that continues to cover them risks having their license revoked”. He went on to intimidate the media generally about any coverage of what he termed “defiance activities”.
Deputy AG Mwesigwa Rukutana told the press that Uganda, as a sovereign nation, doesn’t have to abide by international covenants regarding press freedom and other Human Rights!
The disgraceful actions of the NRM Junta, to further curtail press freedom in Uganda, should be strongly resisted. The Uganda media practitioners shouldn’t take this lying down. International media freedom defenders should also take appropriate action.
Another action in keeping with the panic mode was the flying of fighter jets over the Kampala city and surrounding areas! Military spokesman says they were on “routine test flights”.
UPDF is ready on the streets on Mukono!
From Mukono and parts of Kampala and Wakiso, there are reports of a presence of soldiers that speak languages unknown in Uganda. This raises worry that foreigners may be involved in the massive deployments.This would not be surprising considering that in the 2016 election, members of the armed forces are known to have voted overwhelmingly for change. That may have put the loyalty of most UPDF and UPF soldiers to the NRM regime is in question.
In spite of the heavy media and physical intimidation, Ugandans came defiantly came out and demonstrated in many parts of the country. Main action areas included Lira, in Northern Uganda; Mbale, Busia, and Kamuli in Eastern Uganda; Rukungiri, Bushenyi & Mbarara in Western Uganda; Wakiso and Kampala in Central Uganda.Many people were arrested and are being held in various police stations. Some of the people arrested were actually not involved in the demo. Our leaders are trying to gain access to all those arrested.
I congratulate the courageous citizens that have defiantly demonstrated today. Many people were waiting for me to get arrested! As I’ve pointed out before, this is not about FDC or me.
This demonstration is about citizens having their votes count; regaining control over their country; regaining control over state institutions; and regaining control over national resources.
Citizens want a country that works for them: ensures their dignity by having decent jobs; ensures good health care, quality education, modern infrastructure; a corruption-free environment etc.
That’s why the demonstration, including the prayers, will continue until the people’s will is respected. We shall overcome!
As the Demonstration have set in and the Police Force have used the methods of the Tear-gas and ordinary violence towards the citizens; they had to put up the ante! They couldn’t show weakness towards them. So they had to send 3 Sukhoi Su-30MK2 Russian fighter jets bought by Uganda in 2012 flying over Kampala skies.
It is apparently not enough to order people inside the shops while the Army and the Police disperse the public with force. There been report of 8 arrest in Central Kampala together with the ones mentioned House-arrests in the morning. So the tally is becoming bigger by the moment as the Authorities does what it can to shut down the activists and the Demonstrations in general.
So in Kampala alone there been demonstrations at Kyambogo, Makerere, Natete, Nakawa and Old Kampala or the Central Business District. So the city has showed their dissatisfaction with the regime and their methods of controlling them. Three Kyambogo students have been arrested alone and is currently detained Jinja Police Station.
Defiance in Chinese if your worried about banning you on Social Media: 视.
The Soldiers in Kampala is been said to speak French; so they seems like hired guns by the government to keep their own citizen silenced. The Same as the Election Day, when President Museveni had hired South Sudanese army to keep people calm on that day.
Lukwago’s home have gotten the famous Black Van to his place, means he soon detained!
Side Note, but important:
Mbale police and army arresting people randomly. Several in police cells while others are taken to unknown distinations.
Side Note No.2:Kamuli responds to the Demonstrations!
Side Note No. 3:
There are now reports that the Police Force are detaining people in Entebbe.
Side Note No. 4: Information from Bushenyi
About 6 FDC activists and a media practitioner Wilber Muhwezi Kasibante have just been arrested in Bushenyi Town and detained at Bushenyi Police Station. RPC and DPC conducted operations. There also been arrested in total three journalists in Bushenyi!
There will be more to comes this is the beginning for the trial of democracy and the trial of justice for the votes cast in February 2016 as the public want an International Audit of the General Election of 2016. Peace.
“Is there anyone who thinks Besigye is right to operate outside the law? If you do… you must be sick” – Hon. Jim Muhwezi
Hon. Jim Muhwezi the Minster of Information and National Guidance follows the Party line of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura who has gone out and told media not cover the “Defiance Campaign” and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in Uganda. This happens on the 5th May National Demonstrations for a International Audit of General Election of 2016. Something the Ruling Party NRM has no interest of letting happen. The Ones that does live broadcast of the demonstrations and Defiance campaign might lose their license and lose their ability to broadcast anything at all; so to follow advise of the President to write about and broadcast the empty hospitals who doesn’t have medicine as he wanted the other day to focus on the Health Care.
Nakawa, Kampala
And if you do care about that there is a running Yellow Fever Vaccine Scandal at the moment in Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) between them and the National Medical Stores (NMS). Where the Vaccines are getting sold or gone in the wind as teh KCCA have one claim, while the NMS have proof of delivering it. Can please Hon. Jim Muhwezi speak about that, so he does as his master commands him?
Kampala
“UCC:We can control TV and radio but if you must go ahead and use social media for defiance, the government will control it”.
On Social Media:
“Government bans live broadcast of FDC’s defiance campaign, vows to shut social media: “We know about VPN but if we have to shut down social media completely, we will. We constantly communicate with Facebook and Twitter. We can shut down social media platforms if we have to,” government roars” (Daily Monitor, 05.05.2016).
Old Kampala
“I had planned to travel to North Korea and China to see how it’s done. I don’t have to anymore, thanks to you know who” – Andrew Mwanguhya (Daily Monitor Journalist).
At Lukwago’s House
As of this morning Dr. Kizza Besigye the leader of the FDC is on the second day of House Arrest. MP Elect Francis Mwijuke has been put under same arrest this morning. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago is also put under house arrest today. The Kabarole Chairperson Nyakato Ruasoke has been arrested in Fort Portal.
Makerere University
There been demonstrations at Makerere University and Kyambogo University in Kampala. They have both been dispersed by the Police with tear-gas and anti-riot police squad cars. By all means so that means throwing tear-gas at the students!
Busia
There been grand demonstrations in Busia where the Police Force went in heavy and dispersed the demonstrators in the town.
Shops have been closed in Rukungiri where there we’re reports of live fire in the early morning. The shops closing been verified, but the shooting has not been.
Kampala
More from Kampala:
“Situation check in Kampala. Mother nature has brought a truce , we have retreated for shelter services to be resumed. Meanwhile we shall wear the military down. They can’t eat on the guard so by 5 pm they will be worn out” (Moses Atocon Atyekwo, 2016).
As the demonstrations continues and resumes. Even if new ones comes; the Defiance continues even if President Museveni and the men of Resistance doesn’t see the problem with resistance and resisting authority as that was the way they came to power. They resisted Obote, and now the Opposition and their supporters defy them. Civil disobedience not committing a crime; as the court order is flawed and can be countered by what is written in the 1995 constitution. By my reckoning that constitution is supposed to be the standard law of the land where the Resistance is the ruling party who has trouble with Defiance. Long live the National Resistance Movement and their foolish poetic injustice that manifested yet another day in Uganda. Peace.