Uganda Police Force – Ref: Cancellation of Kyarenga Concert (30.10.2018)

South Sudan: CTSAMVM Technical Committee Third Meeting, Khartoum, Sudan (24.10.2018)

Third Time the Charm: Kyarenga Album Launch at Busabaala beach, but what tricks will they use now?

That Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, the Kyadondo East MP who has tried twice to launch the Kyarenga Album at the Namboole Stadium. He has twice signed an agreement with the Stadium Management, before they at a later date has to reschedule the event or even scrap it. Because of pressure from the Uganda Police Force or pressure on the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) so they would not open the gates for a concert for the crafty opposition politician. The one that has shown popularity and that his message has garned attention, that the President cannot contain.

So now that it has been postponed twice. For various of reasons, but most likely because Bosco and his henchmen think they are clever. He had to switch location, however there turns and tricks for the state to dissolve this one too. They have suction everywhere and they can be used in times of need. Especially, when the possible public would show up for the event on the 10th of November 2018. By that time, there might a curfew on the Kampala – Entebbe Expressway. There will be roadblocks and the Police will re-issue the Public Order Management Act (POMA). Also, use strict regulations and has to have an agreement like the MTN Nyege Nyege Festival in Jinja earlier in the year.

We know, that the National Resistance Movement, the Police Force and all the circles around the President are like vultures around the men who oppose. They all want to show loyalty and show their tokens of appreciation of the masters in power.

That is why expect that something happens in Kibiri, the Catholic’s will shun the event and ask for favors. If not the Kaazi Scout National Ground as the neighbor of the Beach. If not some sort of Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) upgrade of the Busabaala Road to Munyonyo from the Expressway to the Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine. That would just be a-typical of this regime. That is just what they do.

If not Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga are ordered by the King to ask for more money for the lease from the MP, if not they will close the deal and arrangement of the beach.

Know that non of this is active yet, but this state use all methods to silence opposition and the voices who gain popularity outside of the cronies and elites of the President. They are shunned and stopped, this has been seen with Bobi Wine already more than once. He is now getting the issues Besigye has to do things. Without meeting the Police Force or even the army. The Special Force Command and other units might barricade the whole beach and areas, because of intelligence of possible terrorist striking the beach. Who knows, but these people have no nerve, silencing the people who are not on their team.

Bobi Wine was smart to move it to his land and his venue. It wasn’t his garden in Wakiso District, but at another venue closer to home and not owned by a public entity. Even if the 6 acres are leased from Mengo. Clearly, this can have implication combined with the roads to the shrine and possible lackluster misuse of power. That the authorities are doing in this situations. Expect nothing else.

I believe something stupid will appear, as these people shun not tactics to harm the ones who are in their way. Peace.

Mzee spells out new guidelines: Don’t think these will fix the open brutality against the dissidents in the Republic!

In yet another letter, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni reveals himself, the character he is and the micro-managing efforts he does have. Instead, of significantly finding the wrongs of himself and his management. He begs to change other peoples ways and tell them directly, where they have to change. Like he forgets that he is the ones that has created this situation and also, the greed for power has costs and the attitude of the public is like this. Because of the amassed wealth of the few, while the rest is scraping by. That is the reality that this President has created, but doesn’t seem to figure out. As well, as the misuse of security organizations to interfere in political atmosphere, creates insecurity, made by orders from above. Meaning him and the rest of the cronies at the State House. That is known, but also overshadowed in his writings.

Yesterday, the President released a letter written on guidelines to Security Organizations within the Republic. Nothing much was new there, but there was concerning aspects. As of the narrative and the ideas coming from the old man. Who is clearly set in his way and writing on default, without much consideration for the other parties, that have been following orders, but now got new guidelines. Apparently.

“Indeed, Uganda has been stable for a long time. It will remain stable. Therefore, nobody should be allowed to threaten life, property or orderliness (obuteeka) in Uganda. If you are a critic, do so truthfully and peacefully” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 28.10.2018).

“The involvement of the SFC, Military Police and CMI in handling law and order issues has been caused by the kawukumi (bean weevils) that had invaded the Police. Otherwise, they should not have been involved and they were never involved. I commend them because the main aims of the government were achieved: to protect the lives of Ugandans and their property. The image of the country was somewhat affected. That, however, will be repaired. What is crucial is the country to be stable and not just to appear stable. Nevertheless, for logical and legal reasons, the army and the other security forces can, if required, backup the Police in Law and Order Management” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni 28.10.2018).

These statements and typical ways of the President. Shows the insight into how he considers the security questions and how he look forward to ease the ways to peace. It is like he cannot see how the CMI, Military Police and Presidential Guards coming in as Police Officers as a problem, because he is the one most likely ordering it and giving the word to the underlings to strike. That is why he doesn’t seem to care about the attitude and the lack of protocol, only that the image is destroyed. However, he asked for, when he ordered torture, when he ordered the CMI and SFC to take matters into their own hands that bargain. That was a given after the melee.

The stability factor, is only because he is stagnant on his post, but the insecurity is rising, when he gives so much power to militarized organizations, who are there to secure the border. Not catch petty thieves or signal to the world, that you don’t steal Micro-Loans Money that was distend to Mzee himself. These public violent arrests, these killings of protesters and of opposition activists, Yasin the driver of Bobi Wine. Are all signs of the oppression and the lack of tolerance within the Republic. Just like the selective arrest of the people in and around Bobi Wine. Who only guilty of association, not of crimes on any levels. Except being loyal to someone else, than the almighty Bosco.

We know, even with these guidelines, more innocent people will die after a riot; more people will end up in a hospital, because the Security Organization and militarized organization will brutally silence the people. By any means people and most likely on orders from Jajja. That is just the way it is.

He can speak of codes, justice and rule of law, but it is not believable, as long as people are ending up for no apparent reason at SIU Kireka and arrested for association to someone else than the President. You know the stakes and stacks of cards is against the rebelling public. They cannot win and the powerful SFC, CMI, ISO and rest of them will silence the voice of dissent, whenever and wherever they might arise. That is just the way it is. Peace.

Reference:

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘GUIDELINES ON MANAGING RIOTERS, TERRORISTS, CRIMINALS AND LOOTERS AND METHODS OF ARRESTING AND HANDLING SUSPECTS’ 28.10.2018

South Sudan Civil Society Forum statement on the October 31 celebration, regional protection force & more (29.10.2018)

Bosco the Blogger: 2 texts within 24 hours – The Lectures of the Blame Game!

When it comes to someone who has been in a favorable position since the 1980s and had total power since 1986. You would think that the had some humility and some common sense. Apparently, as we all know, that is not the case. When it comes to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. His ways is the blame game, either blame the dead, the civil servants or the ones who are low-level underneath him. Because it can never be his fault. That he never allocate the funds, that he never applied the funds where they was supposed to go or even create the policies that the state needed. That is because of his greed and need for micro-managing.

We all know that, but his two texts today shows this. It is such a mess and shows his corrupted mind and wanting to steer the conversation, without any insights into how it looks from afar. It looks more like he is just deflecting his own vision and what he himself is up to. Like we cannot that and we are stupid peasants who are not understanding his Grace.

Text One:

Nevertheless, I criticized the Police for not implementing my directives previously. Let all the Police stations have cost free (toll-free) phones that are known to the public. When that is done everywhere, people being attacked, in addition to the “nduuru” to summon neighbours, somebody should ring that local police number promptly. Having removed some of the kawukumi (the bean weevils) from the Police, it is becoming more efficient. The criminals will not escape. In the case of Rwego, a lot of time was lost by the wife just making alarm only, if what I was told is correct. There was a house girl in the home. If only she had rang the nearby police, the story would have been different” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 27.10.2018).

Text Two:

At Kapeeka recently, I commissioned the factories of ceramics, fruit processing etc. This has frightened the parasites and other pigs that do not appreciate value. These parasites, these pigs have been sending threatening letters and recorded messages to steal money from these investors or to even frighten them so that they run away. I am sending this message to the investors to be calm. We shall expose and defeat these pigs, the parasites. Who is it that does not want Uganda to industrialize and why ? They claim to be politically motivated. What sort of politics is it that does not welcome the industrialization of Uganda and yet you claim to be concerned about the welfare of the masses? You are bogus and a charlatan and we have dealt with many in the last 60 years of struggle” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 27.10.2018).

When you read this snippets of the two texts from a President of 32 years. You wonder why he still has the throne and what sort of mindset does the guy have? He is supposed to be the Statesman. However, he is acting like radical tyrant and shows it in his words. The President isn’t reassuring or writing what people want to hear. Unless, it is the “Yes Men” who will jump, when he says: “Jump”.

There are something rear, when the President says he has cleared the Bean-weevils from the Police. While his law-officials and security operations are violently arresting people and people are disappearing. It is like he says he got ride of Boda Boda 2010 and IGP Kayihura, therefore, the difference of the Police supposed to be there. However, that seems not to be the case. The violence and insecurity as the lack of process and partisanship of the Police is shown and known. It is not like there is trust within the community and the public towards the Police. That is because the Police isn’t handling the VIP cases of assassinations of this year or last year even. There is no proof of care or investigations that matter. It is all just talk and it is more likely they will arrest another politician violently for a public statement, before they catching one of the assassins.

If there anyone sending threatening messages to investors in the Republic. They are stupid and it doesn’t do any good. However, questioning them and the tax-holidays, plus possible Presidential Handshakes. That is a healthy conversation and needed one. The way the President passes through it just weird, as he has to make people into insects.

Bean-weevil and parasites is what he called out people today. These are the men he disrespect. Is the way, you want the Executive or Commander-in-Chief sounding like? Is that a healthy vision of fellow human beings, you might disagree with someone and such, but calling them out in this manner. Is that suitable for a man in his position?

I wish he had the sense of saying. I have messed up, I haven’t delivered. I have created a system where ISO/CMI/UPF/Crime Preventers/UPDF/SFC and so on. That is all going out and deliberately doing business with orders from high above. Meaning most likely the President and the State House. When we know this, it is rich that he blames them for the lack of good work. The President could have made systems and policies that sufficiently secured the public. He has had three decades to do so… but haven’t apparently done so.

Again, step your game up and act upon your role. Not act like you didn’t do this and didn’t educate the police officers and such. Peace.

Kawooya admitted to Kampala Hospital after getting bond: Police Brutality as its worse!

On Thursday the 18th October 2018, in the middle of the street and while people where watching in the street. Armed men was using their guns to hit individual there. His name was Yusuf Kawooya a Young Uganda Democrat (YUD) Member. This was a fierce arrest on Colville Street near King Church in the midst of Kampala. The video of the arrest went viral.

While he was taken for unknown reasons and was arrested with mere brutality, later found out the same people left him detained at the SIU Kireka. Which is sort of the new Nalufenya. The place where you sent when your really into trouble and has issues with the state. Even if Nalufenya is closed, the practices of that place lingers on. The torture and pains of people are evident.

The Police and the Security Organizations of the state was really at it, as the Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) officers was behind the arrest and detained him. Where they went in on him, apparently. Since on the 24th October, he was released on bond by help from MP Michael Kabaziguruka. So, that he gotten free, after they did all of this, because the Security Organizations alleged that Kawooya hit on Presidents car, when he visited Owino Market on the 6th of October 2018.

This seems more like an attack on the YUD member, which was deliberate and made to show a signal, that he was a “Bad DP”. Like the President has talked about in the past. They sent the men to the streets, they hit with their guns and now after days in arrests. He is released and has to get specialized treatment at Kampala Hospital. That is what the state does to you.

Yusuf is yet another example, in a long list of political operatives who are badly hurt or in constant distress, because of their political affiliation or their message. Something, that has been actively done against the opposition. There are so many walking with Cains and Wheelchairs because of their political stance. That it shows their battle against the dictatorship, as they are victims to his oppression and lack of tolerance.

What we have seen today, is that the victim and not even a prosecuted felon. Has been tortured by the state officers and on bond. Because they think or alleging crimes on him. There is no proof of it, therefore, this a political act to spread more fear. As they did it publicly and has shown no signs of truthful exercise any legal remedies or trying to tell the public what went down. This seems like a show of force and not of an arrest.

This is a bad sign and shows how impunity and lack rule of law. When the ISO, CMI, Special Force Command and other Security Organizations can do this to civilians and get away with it. That he is out on bond is good, but still. With this sort of state, they will pursuit him and prolong the case for years if needed.

Yusuf will be picked up again. Maybe not early, but later. This is not over. Another proof of the violent tyranny of Museveni. Peace.

OPM-UNHCR: Verification Exercise since March 2018 proves there is 1m refugees in Uganda!

Since February 2018, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Dr. Ruhukana Rugunda has been under fire for faking the numbers of refugees in the settlements and camps within the Republic of Uganda. Where they we’re doubling and tripling the numbers of refugees in Kampala and West Nile. These figures and set-backs have clearly sent out a memo to the United Nations Organizations. As they have been active since March 2018.

On the 20th October 2018 this has been done by United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the OPM are now verifying the amounts of refugees. This is significant, since this will establish the real numbers and how many who is really there. The individuals and their fate is more important, than their numbers, but when they have cheated on it to get more donor funding. These numbers become more vital. So, that the donations and the grants to help out these individuals come to the right ones and not being eaten by government officials.

The numbers dropped on the 20th October 2018 are after a verification exercise done in Adjumani District, this being in Bidibidi settlement on the 16th October 2018. They we’re able to target what they estimate 85% of the population there. In Bidibidi verified a total of 203,392. That is not all, but shows to what extent the refugee crisis is.

While in Kampala: “the daily turnout continues to be very low despite additional efforts on mobilization. The verification site remained open on Saturday to allow students and others to be verified over the weekend. However, over the period of six days, only 1,583 individuals were verified, majority being Congolese. In light of the low attendance, the verification team has operated at reduced capacity and the final day has been agreed by OPM-UNHCR as Wednesday 24th October” (OPM-UNHCR VERIFICATION EXERCISE: Update, 20.10.2018).

Therefore, the total estimate with all this exercises since March 2018 to 20th October 2018. Which states: “The ongoing verification of refugees in Uganda that started on 1st March 2018, verified a total of 17,428 individuals last week bringing the total as of 20th October 2018 to 1,088,415” (OPM-UNHCR VERIFICATION EXERCISE: Update, 20.10.2018).

So the are margins of error are still there. But the real crunched numbers are there. As the UNCHR wants the truth, as they are trying to collect funding for the operations of the settlements. Since the Ugandan government also wants to secure the donations too. This is all part of that and validate the need for the refugees. The scandal could block the support and trust in the agencies and the rampant forgery of numbers earlier in the year. This exercise was needed to build trust. Now the accuracy is more likely there. They might still try to find a way to inflate it, but it will be harder. Because the base-numbers through the verification makes it harder.

This was needed because of the lie, the lie of the numbers. These are now shattered. Now, the reality is there. It is still a million refugees and they need help. Both in the present, but also for building their future. That perspective is needed. This is people who fled burning villages, militias and armies fighting each other. They need space and trust to grow and rebuild. These people are trying to build a home. That is what should be focus and giving them hope in a dire situation. They are not just numbers.

Even if this story has been about the baseline numbers of refugees in the republic. That is because of the OPM inflated numbers to cheat donors funds. To earn money on their tragedy. That shall not be forgotten. But in the same manner. We need to discuss, how we can give this people hope for a better tomorrow. Peace.

African Development Bank, World Food Programme join hands to help South Sudan fight hunger and malnutrition (24.10.2018)

The project is designed to enable the Government meet the country’s growing food and nutrition needs, while building community resilience.

JUBA, South Sudan, October 24, 2018 –  The Government of the Republic of South Sudan today welcomed a contribution of US$ 43.57 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB.org) for the implementation of the country’s Short-Term Regional Emergency Response Project (STRERP).

The project is designed to enable the Government meet the country’s growing food and nutrition needs, while building community resilience, as hunger reaches unprecedented levels in the country. It will also support ongoing longer-term efforts to improve the people’s resilience and food security, including tens of thousands displaced by the ongoing conflict in eight regions – Northern Bhar El Ghazal, Western Bahar el Ghazal, Lakes, Jonglei, Unity, Western Equatoria, Warrap and Upper Nile regions.

The grant will be implemented by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) (WFP.org). WFP and partners are scaling up food and cash assistance to reach up to 5 million people in the worst-affected areas of South Sudan by the end of 2018. Despite the harvest in September, as many as 5.2 million people will remain in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 (Crisis), not knowing where their next meal would come from between January and March 2019, with some 36,000 people forecast to be in Phase 5 (Catastrophe), experiencing famine-like conditions in parts of the country, according to the latest IPC report (bit.ly/2EGdxdD).

“We are very grateful for the contribution from the Bank,” said Adnan Khan, WFP Country Director in South Sudan. “It will go a long way in helping us provide life-saving support at a critical period and ensure people have the means to feed themselves not only today but also in the future.” WFP activities are designed both to address immediate food needs while promoting the ability of vulnerable communities to withstand future shocks to their food security. WFP provides various kinds of assistance – food for people building and restoring community assets, life-saving emergency food, emergency school feeding and the treatment of malnutrition among children, and pregnant and nursing women.

“STRERP reflects the Bank’s commitment to support its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in addressing the drivers of food insecurity and unstable food production systems.” said Benedict Kanu, the Bank’s Country Manager in South Sudan. “The Bank’s approach goes beyond addressing the immediate humanitarian needs through food assistance, but also seeks to build resilience of the affected communities and strengthen the capacity of government institutions to effectively plan, coordinate and implement disaster risk management and humanitarian responses. We call on all development partners to work together to address the underlying drivers of vulnerability in drought-prone areas.”

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO Dr. Riek Machar letter to President Salva Kiir Mayardit – “Subject: 30th October 2018 Peace Celebration in Juba” (21.10.2018)