Uganda: The tactic of intimidation ahead of the polls [as the NUP Headquarters are besieged]

Today, in Kamwokya in Kampala, the Headquarters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) have been besieged by the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). There is also reports of Military Police and other agencies involved.

This is all done to intimidate the voters, the opposition party and the ones organizing the NUP. A direct challenge to Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. The authorities have confiscated red berets, face-masks and what else they do have at the Headquarters.

All of this has been done with no warrants, no warnings and no justification. Just a full fledged operation as the NUP planned their National Tour ahead of the 2021 General Elections. That is why this happen today.

The UPF and UPDF shows their partisanship, as they are loyal to the cause of the government and regime. Bobi Wine is clearly a threat. This is a sign what’s ahead for the party. The party who was able to raise millions of shillings to cover nomination fees. That has been done internally in the republic. Something, the state and regime wouldn’t believe was possible.

All of this is deliberate. An act of intimidation and spreading fear ahead of the polls. A message, that the NUP is a criminal organization and that they are an allowed target. This has been done to other political parties who has challenged the regime. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has gotten the same treatment by the state before. Therefore, what is happening today isn’t new, but more of the same.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) needs to use fear to excel. They cannot reign with love and tolerance. They rather come with the armed forces and force themselves on people. That is why they are targeting the ones who challenge them. Right now its the NUP and Bobi Wine. This is why they are besieging the Headquarters, arresting activists, staff and injuring people too. All done in a manner to prove their relevance.

The apologist cannot speak of free and fair elections… when an opposition party cannot do its function and act as a party without the besieged of law enforcement at their doors. This is done because the NUP rise and popularity. The NRM cannot manage challengers and a level playing-field. If it were, the NRM would go after the berets, the colour and the name. This has all been over the time.

The oppression of the NUP continues and is a persistent fact ahead of the polls. The NRM apologist cannot change the fact. The UPF and UPDF will make some defensive statements about it later. There was a “ploy” and the “intelligence” of some “micro aggression” from them. This is also common after the cause. As they need a defence after the fact.

While we all know why this happened. NUP is under fire, because the President and his men are terrified of the rise of the party. If they wasn’t, they wouldn’t be there with all the guns and police officers to address it.

We know what the NUP planned to do in the coming days and also ensure as many of the nominated MPs could run in the up-coming elections. This is why the authorities are attacking it. To make it harder for them to operate. While spreading fear… intimidate and show force. Peace.

Uganda: Nationwide analysis finds Gulu, Jinja, Kasese worst affected by hunger during lockdown (07.10.2020)

For the rest of the year, Gulu and Kasese are expected to remain at Crisis levels even while their markets are supplied with harvests.

KAMPALA, Uganda, October 7, 2020 – Ugandans in nine urban areas were at Crisis levels of food insecurity or worse for months leading to August because of negative impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown. The worst affected of were Gulu, Jinja and Kasese where nearly one in three people struggled to find nutritious food on a regular basis.

For the rest of the year, Gulu and Kasese are expected to remain at Crisis levels even while their markets are supplied with harvests.

These were some of the findings of the most comprehensive Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis conducted in Uganda to date, covering Kampala and other urban areas, the Karamoja region and refugee settlements and host communities for the first time.

The analysis was carried out by the Government of Uganda and three UN agencies and measures food insecurity from June through August and projected from September to December. It was informed in part by real-time data gathered by remote telephone monitoring of households in 13 urban areas, refugee hosting districts and Karamoja region in the northeast. It is the first time, real-time data informed the IPC on urban areas.

The IPC attributed Crisis food insecurity to the loss of livelihoods in the informal sector, tourism, the travel and events industry and the education sector, reduced remittances and reduced commercial networks due to the closure of borders.

Releasing the results of the analysis, the Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Eng. Hillary Onek, said that the Government is committed to ensuring food and nutrition security and well-being for all people in Uganda, including those in urban areas.

Speaking while releasing the results of the analysis, the Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Eng. Hillary Onek, said Government is committed to ensuring food and nutrition security and well-being for all people in the country, including those in urban areas.

“With these new findings, we now know, reliably, who the most food-insecure people are in Uganda, where they are and what we can do to save lives and preserve livelihoods. Such knowledge is critical before we take any decisions,” Mr Onek said.

“We thank our partners for working with us to come up with this very important analysis. We now must continue to work together to find solutions to the issues raised in the study,” Mr Onek added.

Currently, through a collaboration with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the United Nations makes 10,000 calls a month to monitor food security in refugee areas, 12 urban areas and Karamoja region.

Using the real-time and other data, the IPC found that refugees in all 13 settlements in Uganda along with more than 1.3 million Ugandans in refugee-hosting districts and Karamoja region experienced Crisis or worse levels of hunger between June and August.

In Karamoja, all districts had worrying levels of malnutrition among young children and pregnant and nursing women, with malnutrition above emergency levels in Moroto and Napak.

The IPC attributed the high levels of food insecurity in refugee hosting districts and Karamoja to WFP’s ration cuts for refugees, the lockdown, floods and subsequent food losses, animal and human diseases, insecurity in some parts of Karamoja and reduced remittances as key contributors to the situation.

“Ration cuts for refugees will remain in place until we secure sufficient funding. To be able to provide full rations for refugees in the settlements until the end of 2020, WFP needs nearly US$15.3 million immediately,” said WFP Uganda Country Director, Mr El-Khidir Daloum.

FAO’s Deputy Representative, Ms Priya Gujadhur said “As part of the UN Uganda’s Emergency Appeal launched earlier this year, FAO has appealed for USD 7.8 million for food security, nutrition and livelihoods interventions. This will allow FAO to provide agricultural livelihood support and training in climate smart agricultural practices to help up to 10,000 of the most vulnerable households produce for their own consumption and diversify income sources through value chain development, thereby strengthening their resilience.”

Even with coming harvests this year, it is expected households will continue to struggle with food shortages partly because of lost incomes during the lockdown. All refugee settlements are expected to remain at Crisis level at best. Food security should improve in nine out of 12 worst-affected refugee-hosting districts. Malnutrition is expected to decline in two districts in Karamoja in the coming months.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Ministry for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Kampala Capital City Authority, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and WFP participated in the IPC analysis. The European Union, World Bank and UK Aid funded the exercise

Opinion: Kibalama’s story is a twisted tale of a failed enterprise

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni are working on overtime to dismiss, discredit and destroy Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine political career. Also, destroy his People Power Movement (PPM) and his newly acquired National Unity Platform (NUP) Party.

Because, Bobi Wine is the new arch-enemy of the regime. They have used all means to go after it. Arresting activists, political leaders and such. They have blocked meetings, radio-shows, concerts and rallies. The PPM and NUP are blocked on all levels.

The People Power have gotten into issues and they tried to block the usage of the Red Beret. As the symbol of the movement. They have also used the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) as a shield to block the red colour, which is also a symbol of the movement. Now, within the recent weeks. Suddenly, the regime are using the former leaders of the NUP to “arbitrary” or “unreasonably” lost their party to the People Power Movement.

Now, after the last few weeks and today’s statement by former leader Moses Kibalama. The contradiction of him shows why the Court Case happened in the first place. As the CDF David Muhoozi pressured him in combination with other state security antagonized him to do it.

Therefore, the stories and the discrediting of NUP new leadership have sort of failed. Kibalama, the former leader … who had to first make a statement of a missing payment of millions of dollars for the party. Now, that has been redacted and the pressure from the state made him say this.

That is why Bobi Wine have won and the regime have lost. Now Kibalama have lost all credibility, instead of “winning” back his old party. The army is supposed to be party partisan and not working for one party. In this regard, it is working for the NRM and their goals to destroy Bobi Wine’s chances. This after the NUP and Bobi Wine was able to get the party registered by the Electoral Commission.

The NRM have really tried to use all tricks and this one failed as well. They have now tried to use Kibalama to undermine the NUP without success. The attempt has only showed that they are forcing citizens to make false testimonies, which have backfired. It has undermined the character of Kibalama and the methods of the NRM. All showing what was the purpose and motives from the get-go.

This was a ploy of the NRM to crack the NUP. They even used the former leadership as a tool to question the party itself.

Bobi Wine and his team has proven to be righteous, as the NRM and the State Security used their force to intimidate Kibalama. This was done to put the NUP in trouble, but now they have lost it. That is even before the ruling of the Court. Since, the stories doesn’t add-up.

Kibalama has lost it. The NUP has won and the case isn’t finished. That is really humiliating and shows their real intentions, which wasn’t a good look. Peace.

Keeping up with Kaguta S1E19: 9 million radios and running

The government plan for long-distance learning through the provision of the 9 million radios sets is on course, the money is available and those radios will be provided” Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (20.09.2020).

Yet again, the President, the marvel and the relic of the Bush-War is holding another National Speech on the matter of COVID-19 or the Coronavirus. To direct, deflect and buy time… as there are always underlining elements, which are either ditched or forgotten about. The President and his handlers doesn’t look at these or says it isn’t wise.

The President have hold these speeches on a semi-regular since the first lockdown in March. He has prolonged the journey and be careful to open up society. Something he continues, as the elections are getting closer and the usage of the pandemic seems more and more obvious. As he don’t want to open to much. As that would allow the opposition and others to gather more frequent in the time ahead.

Today, I will only digress into the favourite quotes of the evening, as the whole speech is to much. He will pledge, offer tokens, which will not be delivered. Just like the Village TVs and Food Delivery during the first lockdown stages….

Here is the best quotes of the evening:

We plan to distribute radios for distance learning but the parents might take them from the children to listen to disco” – Museveni

Long distance learning will continue. The rest of the world is learning online. This route of distance learning is a very good route, and we will consolidate it” – Museveni

I therefore call NRM members not to fight. Why do you fight? Suppose you lose a tooth? Fighting is useless. Write a letter and send to Tanga Odoi. We shall come and audit” – Museveni

Bars remain closed because most of them are in enclosed areas. But also because drunkards can’t control themselves, and would therefore struggle to comply with Covid-19 prevention guidelines” – Museveni

So, here we are… there are still curfews. Restrictions on bars, pubs and elsewhere. Churches can gather, but with a limited crowd. Also, sports can resume and play, but without any spectators. Gyms and casinos are closed still… months upon months with lockdown.

He can try to play cute and funny about things. However, his still serious about the pandemic. Using it as tools for the up-coming elections. This speech was no different. The promises of radios are re-used and it will be an empty pledge.

This is just another edition of the President. With new directives yet again. Also, defensive…but that is to expect. That he defends the NRM and the NRM Primaries. Even saying staying in line for voting isn’t called a gathering. That shows the foolish of the enterprise of this President.

President Museveni can talk… that’s why its no need to look through the whole speech. This is a little gist. Peace.

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF): Operation to pursue escapees from Singila Government Prison in Moroto (17.09.2020)

Opinion: The UPDF is untouchable in the eyes of the President (!)

f you are not working for the enemy, you cannot go on the social-media and demand that we publish the names of the personnel of UPDF, their ranks and their jobs. The only thing we can say and what you know is that recruitment into the Police and UPDF is by quota. Beyond that, leave our Army alone and I mean, leave our Army alone”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (03.09.2020).

In the response the President wrote today. He addressed a lot of matters. That is why I am making a second post on it. This time about the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) or the Army. We are seeing how the President is defending it. As there been inquiries and questions about how the army is a “western” Ugandan enterprise filled with high ranking officials from there. This is something Museveni doesn’t want to properly address.

I’m not shocked he is dismissing it. That his calling people enemies for doing so. Because, if the UPDF isn’t filled with loyal cadres. He would be frightened, as his popularity in the public is frail over the years. The President needs the army and armed forces, because the public isn’t behind him anymore. That is why the President doesn’t accept accountability or transparency in concern with the UPDF.

Coming to the Armed Forces, especially the Army, my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense. The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism. Fighters, real fighters, never have interests in tribes or religious sectarianism; but in comrade-in-arms” – Museveni (03.09.2020).

Because, we know the UPDF have a history of selective recruitment and promotions. If the President wanted to be against sectarianism and be open to all tribes of the Republic. There wouldn’t be an issue, if it wasn’t something there.

This has been known for a long while… the UPDF and the army is filled high ranking officials from Western Uganda. That is not just mere speculation, but facts at this point. If it wasn’t so, the President would say so. However, he doesn’t want people to question the reasons for it.

He wants the people to accept it and leave it alone. It is wrong to look into the armed forces and its structure. That shows that the President fears scrutiny and transparency about this. He wants to stop questions and silence it.

The president knows his only way to keep power is having the loyalty and the control of the army. If he looses that at this point…. he will loose power and it will end his reign. The President needs the soldiers, generals and armed forces all behind him. He needs to have their backs and not loose them.

That is why the President doesn’t want anyone to look into the army and what it does. The UPDF is therefore untouchable… at least in the eyes of the President. However, that is not good. As the UPDF should defend the territory and its citizens. Not be a weapon of intimidation or tactics to scare the public. It is there to defend them.

If the President is that defensive and scared of looking into the army. You know his in trouble and worried about the truth. He should be open, transparent and accountable about it. Alas, his not, because he knows… as we know that its not run like it should. Peace.

Uganda People’s Defence Force: Misuse of Armed Personnel by Political Contenders (01.09.2020)

Opinion: For 65 dollars more and you can enter the Republic…

It is amazing that a Republic like Uganda can charge $65 or 245,000 shillings on entering the Republic to be tested for COVID-19 or Coronavirus. This from a same government that has gotten grants upon grants to combat the disease. That is why this is infuriating.

Yes, no republic have boundless of funds or money to combat a global pandemic like this. While the government of Uganda have gotten support from all sort of foreign donors and multi-national organizations to beat it. Still, they sought to profit and cover their expenses on the ones arriving at Entebbe and the border points.

This means, the truckers, foreign aid workers, tourists and the ones who has the disease has to be tested, pay and then even quarantine somewhere. Certainly all of that costs and the quarantine “hostel” or “hotel” will not come for free either.

The “Cost Recovery Fee” is really showing the blatant disregard for the ones entering the Republic. Also the diaspora who are stranded and has to cough up funds to pay additional fees on entering. Like foreign students and maids abroad cannot afford this. Neither can the average truckers. This will either stop the testing or create a market for questionable behaviour. Since people cannot afford this.

Yes, the UN workers and Multi-National Organizations can afford doing this to support their projects. They will just allocate funds to expenses to secure their staff. However, the random and ordinary citizen cannot afford this. This is such a huge cost.

This is also spitting in the face of the donors and the ones offering grants to Uganda. As they are charging the same people on entering. Ensuring they are both offering grants and also getting fees to cover expenses. They are double paying for this.

Nobody is winning on this. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) just showing they have no sense and doesn’t want to cover their bases. They rather get additional funds. Then actually ensure the safety of the border points and see if they can trace the sources of the spread.

That they are doing it is insane. The state should know better and the donors should now ask for transparency and accountability over the COVID-19 Funds. Since, they are now clearly asking to be covered twice and sometimes by their own, but also by the same people who has used grants and donations to make it possible. Peace.

Mzee’s story has changed on the Arua By-Election

It is very simple, that President Museveni and his team of spin-doctors cannot keep their tongues straight. Today, we have caught the President in a little lie. It cannot be true. In 2018, the President claimed the helicopter was used to save people in the midst of fracas and violence happening after the Arua By-Election in August 2018. However, today he said it was used to capture the “ring-leaders”. That is very simple lie to catch someone in.

When a leader can lie about the usage of helicopter. Why aren’t there more lies in his texts? The window was destroyed with perfection. The whole Arua By-Election was state sponsored violence and torture of civilians. Usage of military soldiers to arrest, abduct, torture and harm opposition leaders. That is what is visible after the post Arua By-Election.

The two stories told by the same man… shows that he uses it for political propaganda fitting to his paradigm at any given day. There is no need for truths, because why change the story? Why is it international interference in a by-election in 2020, but not mentioned in 2018? Why is the people so important in 2018, but invisible in 2020? That’s because the vilification of Bobi Wine is more important in 2020, then it was in 2018.

Just look at these passages from two “informative” texts in the different years.

In 2018:

If the Army had not intervened in Arua, a lot of people would have been killed by this Bobi Wine group. They had gathered stones, knives and there were reports of even guns. Why is it that we have never heard of any incident where the NRM supporters have ever attacked the Opposition supporters? Do you remember how the Bobi Wines were attacking the other MPs in Parliament? Are we to allow them to attack the Wanainchi in similar ways? How about assaulting soldiers or policemen? Do you remember the policeman, Ariong, who died from a stone throw? The security forces should be commended for saving mass deaths in spite of the fact that many of them were not equipped for anti-riot” (…) “His mistake may be to organize and participate in such a violent procession and to import illegal voters. The court will decide according to the evidence. Stop supporting impunity, stop supporting election cheating, stop supporting violence whatever side you are on. As already said above, I am investigating the circumstances of the driver of Bobi Wine who died. Five people were also reported in hospital with gun-wounds. We shall get the circumstances of those cases. In certain circumstances, the Police can use live bullets if they are not equipped with anti-riot equipment and the rioters are on the verge of killing innocent people. That is also possible. The question is: “Why do you riot? Why not use legitimate and peaceful ways of expressing your opinion?” When they stoned my car, what was the reason? If they could be so reckless to attack me, how would they spare the poor Wanainchi? Good enough, my protection force did not respond immediately. They delivered me to the helicopter and went back to rescue the Wanainchi, which they generally did in spite of the circumstances. That is why no local mwanainchi was killed by the hooligans. They did not have enough time to do the damage they intended” (Museveni, 2018).

In 2020:

Hon. Zaake has been tortured but his torturers were not punished. LDUs are punished. First of all, Zaake and a few others are a misguided group being used by some foreigners to destabilize Uganda and for many months now. You remember their actions in Parliament when they jumped on tables, tore away the microphones of Parliament, beat others. Here is the video. In Arua, they stoned my vehicle and attacked NRM supporters who were coming from my rally. They had even driven a road grader (tinga tinga) all the way from Kampala, I think, to use in ramming our vehicles (kutomera). The SFC soldiers in a disciplined way delivered me to the helicopter first and went looking for the ring-leaders – Bobi Wine, Zaake and others. Eventually, they found them in a hotel. These wonderful gentlemen tried to assault our soldiers with punches. The soldiers punched them back until they subdued them. It is very impressive that the soldiers never used guns against Bobi Wine and Zaake in the hotel rooms where they were making a fool of themselves trying to box soldiers as if they were boxing village thieves. One person died outside the hotel in mysterious circumstances. These groups have been in collusion with foreign enemies to infiltrate groups with guns to kill demonstrators and say that Government is the one killing them. We are patiently following up those. You remember the piki piki riding killers that killed Abiriga, Kirumira, Kiggundu etc.? We have defeated them and we shall unearth them” (Museveni, 2020).

The really rich thing about it all. The guns and ammunition found in the hotel of Bobi Wine was later retracted from the state as it was “evidence” pinned on the politician. There been no proof of the supposed weapons from the “assailants” on the President’s car. Neither, have there been any evidence of a gang going against the President. Instead, the proof is on the side of the state and they are no willingly to see into the state sponsored violence. While trying to make the opposition look like bad-guys.

He is using the violence happening in Parliament as defence. While not condemning the assault on MPs inside the Parliament. As he accepts the ideal of having weaponized strangers to benefit his cause in the Parliament, while dismissing the civilian lawmakers defending themselves. That proves what sort of man the President is.

The helicopter story is twisted now. That really shows that this man cannot keep his stories straight. If he did, he would have said the same, but alas he didn’t. This is why the opposition will be implicated and be the ones to blame. Even if the government and the security organization went full gung-ho and didn’t leave anyone behind.

The stoning of the car is always the pin-point and reason. But wasn’t a old person charged with it and not in association with the Arua 33? If so, why blame Zaake or Bobi Wine, when his not associated with them? That doesn’t make sense, but that doesn’t fit the mind of Bosco.

Well, enough rubbish. There should be a proper investigation into what happen. As there was to much hurt, but the Special Force Command will never get charged. These people will only get promoted and eat at the table of Mayors and the elites. Peace.

Reference:

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘Facebook Post on Arua on the 20th August 2018’ (20.08.2018)

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘reply to comments made by Mityana MP Francis Zaake, where he made several distortions regarding COVID-19 and the Arua Fracas’ (27.08.2020)

Uganda: Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development – Media Statement on COVID 19 Cases (24.08.2020)