The Anti Bobi Wine Act is on the Horizon: The Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act of 2018!

Today, there was a leaked legislation called the Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act Cap 49. This is legislation made to bend the crowds, ensure the promoters and the musicians are following due protocol and can be directly controlled by the state. They cannot just without justification put up an event, concert or any public gathering without proper acceptance of the authorities.

However, if you feel like you have heard about something before, it because you have. There was a time in our life, before the infamous and outrageous law, called the Public Order Management Act (POMA). The law made to ensure the state to know every single activity and political movement of the opposition. They had to notify and be accepted by the state and the Security Agencies before holding rallies, consultation meetings and whatnot.

In the same regard, the 2018 legislation, which is leaked today. Is in the same manner. The second law was make the ones rising to political stratosphere like Dr. Kizza Besigye. Make sure he couldn’t do his work and also make it near impossible to build party structure. Which in some regards has happen, as the strength of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) isn’t everywhere. Because, they cannot be able or have the ability to get there properly without being arrested or breaking the codes of law, which is stated in the POMA.

In the same regard comes the new legislation. It is made for the nuisance, the man who has sky-rocket in the political sphere and has made mess for the President. Bosco is really worried and he has to contain it somehow. Just like he did with Besigye. So, now with the new legislation he hopes he can stop the rise and silence Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. Because this law is targeting him.

As the leaked legislation says: “No person shall perform public entertainment unless that person is registered with the Ministry responsible for Culture in Uganda as a Performing Artist; An artist or entertainer shall submit his/her works for documentation and approval by Uganda National Culture Forum; No Performing Artist or Group of Performing Artists shall stage performances abroad without clearances from Minister responsible for Culture in Uganda” and also this: “The Event Organiser and/or Promoter shall obtain a Special Performance Permit from the relevant Local Government ( Where the performance is going to take place ) at least 30 days prior to the date, where such a performance involve: i Performing Artists not citizens of, or domiciled in Uganda; ii Three or more independent Performing Artists or three or more different Groups of Performing Artists; iii National Event; iv An annual event; – the permit shall NOT be unduly denied”.

These are just snippets of the law. Not the whole gist. But it smells like POMA for musicians right? The notifying of Local Government for any event or performance, also the registration of the performer and the clearance to do so. That is just like POMA. It is just the POMA made for musicians, comedians or anyone on stage, also for anyone planning to make a concert or holding one. They got to get the new permits, the new dispensation to do so. Since, the law will ensure, that everyone doing these activities are following the new guidelines. By all means, that is when this become official legislation and signed off by the President. But, that man wants to silence yet another critic, this is certainly the way to go. With another draconian legislation to curb the enthusiasm and make it stop.

The last paragraph from the leaked pages of the law, which is really striking. Is this one: “Performing Artists or a Group of Performing Artists shall not enter into other Public Performance Contracts on the same day at different venues, unless such other performances shall be held at least four hours after the end of the preceding performance. This provision shall form part of the Performance Contract between the parties”.

All of this is signs of the new found struggle Bobi Wine will have and the other renegade artists who stands a bitter fight against the oppression. As the government are trying to find other solutions to contain him and his career. Since, he has followed the protocol of POMA as public gatherings, but this is so they can really establish strict guidelines for Bobi Wine and other to follow.

What will be interesting when this come into action and being in-forced. Is how this will effect the campaigns and the NRM own concerts in the Campaign Rallies, as they are known for paying a stable of artists to perform before Bosco shows up to utter sadness in every corner of the Republic. Clearly, Bebe Cool and Jose Chameleone cannot perform more than twice that day. Meaning, if the NRM is supposed to follow this law. They got pick who goes where and limit the productivity of the artists it has in its back-pocket.

However, this is all just mere say. Even as the legislation has leaked. Showing yet again. How frighten the NRM is of Bobi Wine. Just like Besigye shooked them, he has too. That is why the President is cooking up legislation to beat him down with. So, that he can use justification to destroy his career or stall it. To show who is the man and who is the servant.

The POMA came because of the power of Besigye, now the SPPE or SPPEA comes as an effect of Bobi Wine. It is not enacted or in-force yet, but signs to come. Because, this is retaliation, Museveni style. This is what he does, he finds ways to assault your life by legislation or by mere humiliation through the courts. Clearly, he intends to do both. Surely, the Ministry will muffle with the works of Bobi Wine too. Just a matter of time, before most of it is banned. Let time tell, but not be confused or surprised by that. It is in the cards.

If not, why would they use time drafting and finding the words to ensure that Bobi Wine and the likes are in the mercy of the state? I just said it there.

FYI or BTW: This is the 2nd Generation Public Order Management Act, just made for musicians, nothing else. That smart aren’t the junta, the ruling regime and YES MEN of Bosco. This is just revising it for the ones being artists instead of politicians. Peace.

Ministry of Health Statement to Parliament on Cholera Outbreak in Kampala City, 9th January 2019 (09.01.2019)

South Sudan: UNMISS – PoC Update (12.01.2019)

Uganda: Ministry of Health – Press Release – Cholera Outbreak in Kampala (11.01.2019)

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – Letter to Gov. Simon Oath Duol of Bieh State – “Subject: Reorganization of Cien Jak Counties in Bieh and Jonglei States (07.01.2019)

Republic of South Sudan Media Authority letter to Al Watan Arabic Newspaper – “Subject: Letter of Summon to Al Watan Arabic Newspaper” (07.01.2019)

South Sudan: UNMISS – PoC Update (07.01.2019)

OPM Refugee Scandal: Reloaded!

You would think that the Office of the Prime Minister, who is in-charge of the Refugees in Uganda, would trade the waters carefully, after the last year scandal of thousands upon thousands of ghost refugees. Which the OPM and the state was cashing in on. No, no, no, they are having yet another scheme, as the government are planning to misuse the refugee crisis in the neighbour countries to their advantage. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have no trouble doing so.

The Prime Minister Dr. Rugunda Ruhakana has clearly not lost the touch of deception or lying to the International Community for a buck. Here is yet another scheme made up to make the numbers sky-rocket!

More than 1000 Ugandans living in areas neighbouring Kyangwali refugee settlement were forced to attain refugee status in order to retain ‘ownership’ of their land. The scheme was reportedly crafted by Charles Bafaki, the principal resettlement officer in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Jolly Kebirungi, the camp commandant Kyangwali refugee settlement area, in the newly created Kikuube district and Lutaaya Vianney from ministry of Lands” (URN – ‘OPM forced Ugandans to register as refugees in Kyangwali’ 02.01.2019, link:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/59562-opm-officials-forced-ugandans-to-register-as-refugees-in-kyangwali).

With this in mind, the government are putting lives in jeopardy, making the citizens play as refugees, and not being citizens themselves. Supposed to seek refugee in a camp instead of living their ordinary life. This in a way to get higher numbers of refugees and more need of aid to take care of them. If this isn’t misusing resources and also reckless behaviour against own citizens. Nothing is. This is what Steady Progress means in the NRM land.

The OPM are already known for inflating numbers, but now they cheating also by making Ugandan citizens into refugees. That is really ensuring the UNHCR and all agencies for fools. As the GoU and OPM have no trouble risking their own citizens as pawns in a scheme to secure funding. While, also using this scheme to scare locals of losing their land, if they didn’t play along. That is how far they take it.

No mercy, no problems ensuring suffering for people, as long as the OPM secures more funds to itself. Peace.

South Sudan: President Kiir asks for funding the peace-deal, but will he launder that money too?

Just as the New Years of 2019 is coming and the South Sudanese are working on the R-ARCSS or the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, which was reached last year. This has changed the Transitional Government of National Unity, which means the administration in Juba have to evolve, become bigger and also more costly.

That is why the President in his speech on New Years Eve had to speak upon the finances. This is happening as the government of Khartoum are controlling and having more oversight of the Oil Industry. While the South Sudanese are securing their weapons and others imports, as the arms embargo is violated and the same with regional indifferences.

Speaking to the peace party leaders and members of the diplomatic corps at a dinar on the Eve of the New Year, Kiir said: “I also call upon our international partners to help with the necessary finance to implement the agreement,” Kiir also said his leadership is ready to dialogue with groups that are still outside the agreement to take part in it. “My message to you all to those still holding out against peace is that whatever it is, we can find a solution so that all of us participate in the business of building our country.” He also called for cooperation among the parties leaders to protect the peace from collapsing. “I urge all of you to be patient, let us work together and not allow this peace to get out of our hands again.”” (Memoscar Lasuba – ‘President Kiir urges intl community for financial aid’ 02.01.2019, link: http://www.eyeradio.org/president-kiir-urges-intl-community-financial-aid/).

We know, why the President is asking for more money to implement the Peace Deal. As the South Sudan government will be expanded and get more offices, as if they are supposed to follow the signed agreement. It will be 4 Vice Presidents and 4 Major Clusters, where all parties of the agreement have their share. Also, the added strain of Central Government, Council of Ministers, State Government and other institutions who needs funding. The excessive size of the government, combined with the cost of funding it. It needs fresh financial funding of it, so that it can operate the TGoNU and the R-ARCSS.

That is why the President comes out with this, as the crisis is averted with this deal. Even as there are plenty of obstacles, there are plenty of problems ahead. Not just the allocation of funds, the laundering of money through back-channels as The Sentry has proven last year. But also, the mistrust and possible Ego’s of all parties. They all want to eat and not talk. They are used to settle the score with guns and not with negotiations. That is why, even as the months goes by.

All of this is surely to use the peace deal as a pawn, to get the needed funds. While the TGoNU should be focused on policies and secure the peace. Not just ensure, that all parties get offices and get their cut. That will not be sustainable. There is need for long term functions.

The President should consider this, the same is with the rest of the parties involved. They should ensure steady revenue without begging foreign donors. Who are seeing with the The Sentry and with UN reports, where the government and their misuse of funds. Where they are not respecting embargoes or even acting credible with funds they have at this point. Why should the international donors trust them now?

Because, they should show some progression on that part. Not only signing deals, while laundering money through Nairobi. Peace.