#UGSecurity: Police will now enforce rules that makes them ready to be robbin’ the hoods!

There are sometimes, just sometimes you wonder if the blind is leading the blind, that the naïve or foolish is the leaders and the public just have to follow it blindly. That is how it can be perceived by plenty, because the latest “brilliant” and obvious idea from the head-honcho of 32 years is to ban hoodies from motorcyclists and drivers in general. It is foolish, it is not the hoodies that kill people, but the magnificent guns. When someone pulls the actual trigger. That the person behind the gun have the training and ability to shoot-and-kill anyone on the spot. The headgear and the law will not matter to a killer; the killer will pass through this and be undetected anyway.

Here is the ruling:

“Museveni banned wearing of hoodies following the murder of Arua municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga. “H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda while addressing parliament of Uganda on state of security in the country on 20th June 2018, directed that inter-alia persons riding motorcycles/bicycles and driving motor vehicles should henceforth not wear hood. This also extends to driving/riding while putting on anything that can conceal/obscure facial disposition,” reads Mugyenyi’s message in part. He adds, “You are therefore directed to enforce H.E directive by arresting/apprehending defaulters thereof.” The officers have also been ordered to conduct community policing meetings to educate the public over the directive. Banning of hoods was one of the 10-point security plans, the president presented to parliament last month” (URN/The Observer – ‘Police to enforce Museveni hoodie ban’ 19.07.2018).

So now a month a later the Uganda Police Force is working high and mighty, they are pushing the envelope and making sure the youth are driving in smart fatigue. Instead of them hoodies. Because there are the root to all evil, not the guns or the thieves themselves. No, the ones that cover their face. They are all turning into criminals by appearance now, it is like magic, and you go from being a citizen into a master thief by putting on the hoodie.

That is how it looks like, a magical show of appearance, where the person goes from being an innocent worker, and turned into a master criminal working out inner demons to figure out how to empty the reserves of Bank of Uganda. Because, that is what the hoodie does to you. You become a fantastic arch nemesis of the state.

To be President Museveni cannot be easy, sharpshooters for his MPs, ban of hoodies and also the obstacle of actual trying to forge peace elsewhere, when everyone else is conspiring against him. When no one understand him or his orders. Everyone will misunderstand this one too. So, when is the burka and the hijab ban coming? Alternatively, is the arch criminals only Christian Urban Youth?

We should be allowed to ask that question to his royal highness, the grandest of them all, the banner of the hoodie and the one who rose from 27 guns unto vast power for decades. What provision of law is this directed under? Is this the penal code or the public order management act? What is it?

Because it seems like something taken out of thin air and blown out of proportions. Just like all the empty promises made by H.E. over 32 years. Peace.

NRM Caucus Reportedly Plans to revise Exercise Duty tomorrow on Mobile Money, but not on Social Media!

Earlier in the day suddenly without any forewarning, the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah sent at the message of postponement of the plenary session from today the 18th July 2018 unto the 19th July 2018. This was not expected, but the 10th Parliament haven’t been business as usual.

The reason came later, as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Caucus suddenly was summoned to the State House today. This is all of the NRM Members of Parliament, which means the majority of the parliament. As the oppositions and independents are a minority. All of these MPs spent the whole day at the State House. Surely, they we’re made sure to follow the President line on the matter.

This was a meeting on the revision of the newly Exercise Duty, which was put into effect on the 1st July 2018. NTV Uganda reported: “Its expected that the caucus will support the cabinet decision of 0.5% tax on withdrawals, the same position they will support on the floor of parliament” (NTV Uganda, 18.07.2018). NBS TV reported: “According to the Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa, the meeting is intended to reconcile the caucus position on the two taxes. However, some of the NRM legislators who voted against the age limit bill have been blocked from attending the meeting” (NBS Television, 18.07.2018).

The ones not allowed to attend with his royal highness, as they have already proven dissenting voices last year, are these NRM MPs: James Acidiri, Monica Amoding, Norah Bigirwa, Johnson Muyanja Senyonga, Everlyn Chemutai, Hellen Kahunde, Justine Khainza, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa and Henry Kibalya. So these we’re barred from entering the NRM Caucus today. That proves the ironies of the NRM.

The Resistance Movement, has issues with rebels, even as the Movement was forged out of a rebellion. The 1986s of the world is a rare breed. Musevenism must be the most head-up-in-the-ass and lack of soul-searching.

So, if these people doesn’t follow party line tomorrow, everyone should understand. Therefore, the expectation is that the NRM are voting for only one of the third taxes on the Mobile Money. That being only 0,5% on Withdrawal, take away the 1% on receiving, transactions and withdrawals, which it is today. However, there is no change with the Social Media Tax or the OTT Tax of 200 shillings per day. The NRM has no plan of scratching that, they just want to weaken the blow on the consumer and users of the transactions of the money through the Mobile Service.

We can really see, how foolish the NRM Party have become and they all have to bow down for the majesty at the State House. Museveni have to get them in accord.

If the NRM things this was a smooth way… they are wrong, if the NRM things this a way of proving force; They are all wrong. The NRM deserves no credit, they pursuit the taxes on demand by the majesty, they levied it and didn’t due diligence on the taxes either. They we’re just following the possible revenue streams without thinking consequences. The NRM will sell this as a victory, but really it is poor performance. From a ruling regime and ruling party, that is rotten to its core.

If there was any party understanding rebels, this is one of them and they don’t, they are just blindly following Museveni and doing it without consideration of the implications doing so. It makes them look foolish. Peace.

Uganda Law Society notice ‘ Re: Update on Issues Relating to the Notice from the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development’ (17.07.2018)

Social Media Tax: Hon. Tumwebaze speaks of the citizens like they are all loaded!

If you are committed Ugandan who really wants services from you government why are you motivated and proud with your head high to contribute money 30 times OTT tax to the Innovator of VPN” Frank Tumwebaze

Today, The Minister of ICT &National Guidance Frank Tumwebaze spoke his heart out in defense of the Social Media Tax. Just as the first quote. Shows how he will defend the state massive breach of freedom of speech, with the 200 shillings a day for Social Media Tax. That the National Resistance Movement (NRM) calls OTT or Over The Top Services. They are continuing their assault on the use of phone, like it is a luxury and not a way of communications. Non of the times, they are explaining why the citizens are taxed, but not the companies.

When Ministry of Finance is borrowing, we, the Parliament and civil society are grilling them for borrowing. But when we say this is a sector that has grown in the economy so let’s get a bit of it, let’s get Shs. 6,000 from every holder of a smartphone consuming OTTs, what production capacity will it stifle?” (Frank Tumwebaze, 17.07.2018)

Well, when you live on less then a dollar then a day, than your already struggling in life and many are, but this tax is taking up to 20% of the lowest civil servants or public officials, these are the low level government clerks and teachers. They are using one fifth of their salary on this tax on the top of the use of paying taxes for using the phone, as the air-time is taxed, the phone is and the income of the salary is too. So it is not like the person didn’t pay for anything before opening Facebook or WhatsApp. That is just a non-story.

Let me say what it will stifle, the conversation and the opportunity to get the information online, as the most is spread through social media. The media houses, the government and the rest is informing through these platforms to the public. If you want to know something, you go into the Social Media and read the information there. This also close out the poorest from addressing their vocal needs online and even maybe make it too expensive to use apps to configure trade of crops or even tips for using their plots. Not that is considered, because everyone can afford to fork out money like drunk MPs, right?

Is USD 1,4 too much for a citizen to contribute to tax yet you have money to buy a smartphone, minimumly at Shs. 300,000 that is data enabled, and you load bundles of over shs. 30,000? Logically it doesn’t make sense” (Frank Tumwebaze, 17.07.2018).

If this was only true, if the part of the big majority who is under poverty-line or struggling to get salaries, they cannot afford this. They will be silenced. Many are buying knock-off B-Products of Cellphones, which cost a fraction of what the Minister propose. It is a very selected few who owns the newest Iphone, there are more lackluster Samsung and Nokia out there. The ones with the simple smartphone systems. So that the minister should consider that. In the same regard, the Minister should disclose why the companies have closed and stopped the cheapest bundles and packages after 1st July 2018 as the OTTs Tax came into affect?

However, that is not a big deal for him. He thinks everyone has his salary and has capacity to pay out of their ass in double or triple tax on the same service, as they are doing in this. Still, putting it all on the citizen and still not on the corporation. What has the Telecoms done to beat the ass of the government? Since the argument is never to tax the corporations who are earning on these services, but always on the citizens?

The final rebuttal from me today, for the fist question about VPN. It is very simple why people use VPN. Because this government spend revenue and donations like there is no tomorrow on wastage of cronyism, corruption and on the President. It doesn’t deliver services, but feed the royal court of Museveni. Therefore, they rather pay a random stranger, than feeding the monster at the State House. This is their reaction to the unhealthy activity of the state, also the unfair double taxation. If they didn’t pay VAT and other taxes on the Air-Time or Data-Bundle, it would be a little fair, but when you already do that and has a second pay wall. Than you know that the issues of stupidity deserves to be counter with defiance. Peace.

Opinion: MPs Security Detail is prepared to be modern day Santana Scandal!

Shiish, there are just some news that doesn’t capture your eyes quick enough. I have read the letter, but didn’t capture all the details, neither the costs. However, there was several of gentleman at the Daily Monitor, that did. Therefore, I am writing here today, because of the possible cost of buying cars for MPs new security detail. This has been ordered by the President and his words is law. No matter how expensive or how insane it is.

Here is the case from today:

“On June 29, President Museveni ordered Finance minister Matia Kasaija to urgently procure bullet-proof cars with “sharp shooters” from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to protect lives of the MPs against what he termed “terrorists”. However, he did not give specifics on the cost of the vehicles and other related expenditures. Daily Monitor interviews with car manufacturers revealed that a 2017/18 model bullet-proof Land Cruiser pick-up costs about $520,000 (about Shs1.9b) while a 2017/18 model bullet-proof Hilux pick-up costs about $166,000 (Shs630m). Therefore to procure bullet-proof Land Cruisers for the 456 MPs at Shs1.9b each, the government would pay out Shs866b while to acquire 2017/18 bullet-proof Hilux model at Shs630m, it would cost government Shs287b” (Solomon Arinaitwe & Moses Kyeyune – ‘MPs security cars to cost Shs1 trillion’ 13.07.2018 link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/MPs-security-cars-cost-Shs1-trillion/688334-4660322-shcp27z/index.html).

This here deal is made for corruption and for ghost costs appearing out of nowhere. This here is just built for that. It is amazing if the government starts procuring, knowing with its history and misuse of state funds. This is the perfect blend, buying vehicles and add-ons on the spread-sheet, claim later added cost without explaining where the funds went. If not order things that never appear. That is also a beauty.

With this in mind, here is the old story that could be re-produced by buying the security detail:

“However, in mid-1988 when Balaki Kirya, minister of state in office of the President in charge of security went to Spain to sign an agreement, he found 260 Santana ‘Land-rovers’ valued at $6.1 million had already been shipped while the agents/lobbyists were negotiating for the importation of another 260 ‘Land-rovers’ now valued at $8 million. The saga leaked to the press. The Weekly Topic of May 3, 1989 had a lead story: ‘Old schemers at their game again, STOP MISUSING PRESIDENT OFFICE’. When contacted, officials from the National Treasury said the purchase was done without the knowledge of the Bank of Uganda (BoU). However, from the BoU archives, on April 8, 1988, a memorandum on the foreign exchange position, by the governor indicated among other payments to be made in the year was for the 260 Land-rovers from Spain for the President’s office and 600 Land-rovers for the ministry of Defence as well as the army uniform from Spain” (Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi – ‘High-profile corruption scandals registered under NRM’ 24.02.2013 link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/High-profile-corruption-scandals-registered-under-NRM/688334-1702448-ndh6w6z/index.html).

I wouldn’t be amazed if the Ministry of Defence, the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister would make a scheme worth paying off for. They would secure kick-backs and additional funds, this is a too important project and the safety of the MPs is the highest priority. Everyone knows that. Not that this is misusing of funds and making sure the MPs are driving around like hostages in their Republic. Nah, that is not important at all.

That the 456 MPs who already are allocated money for cars and upkeep of them. Still, they need a second one, with specialized produced safety gear, seems more like they are traveling past war-zones, than friendly neighbourhoods, what about the actual people that live there, are they safe?

Well, that was bit of subject. However, the reality is that this is made for corruption. Someone in the regime will eat and use this as package to get loaded. We can just wonder who and who will be put in charge, who will fake needed equipment and who will give away knock-offs instead of the real deal.

This MPs security deal can be a gold-mine to the right individual. However, whoever that might be, he has to remember to give the king his cut. That meaning the President in the State House, if not your see quickly the other side of the barrel. He has no issues getting rid of people. That is proven in history too.

I wish I could be hopeful, but to me, they are cooking another Santana Scandal. This time it might be the Hilux Scandal or the Land Cruiser Scandal of 2018.

I just know we will get there, but how, that is up to the magicians within the Kings court. Peace.

The Presidential Handshake lives on!

You would think certain scandals and certain ways of thieving the public funds would be died down. The stories would end and the beneficiary of these scandals want it to go away, as it taints their legacy and remaining words about their time as Public Officials, as Clerics and Civil Servants within the State. However, in the matter of the Presidential Handshake, this whole thing just getting more legs and doesn’t die. It is like the President is proud of his bribing ways and proving a point today.

As the NBS TV reports:

“The High Court in Kampala has issued an interim order stopping the Inspector General of Government (IGG) from investigating and forcing beneficiaries of the 6 billion shillings presidential handshake to refund the money” (…) “The public officials had received the money as a token for their role in the 400-million-dollar Heritage Oil arbitration case which Uganda won” (NBS Television, 13.07.2018).

It is like the whole charade was mocked by the legendary report calling it an ‘error’ but not a crime. To give away public funds to civil servants and public officials, as a handshake after winning a court case. It is like the state doesn’t care about their lack of transparency, as long as the cronies are funded.

My favourite quotes from the report published in May 2017 says:

“This “handshake” expenditure was not budgeted URA activity and therefore, a diversion of the UGX 6 Billion without lawful authority was contrary to the PFMA” (…) “H.E. The President’s approval of this “handshake” was bonafide. However, it was an error of judgement” (…) “That all funds paid out of URA account to the beneficiaries of the “handshake” should be refunded” (…) “The Executive should come up with a Bill within 90 days to regulate and streamline the Presidential Donations Budget” (COSASE, P: 45, 2017).

After my calculation were all well beyong 90 days and nothing fruitful has happen, except now the High Court are saying the non-budgeted and the error of judgement by the President is “okay”. They don’t even have to refund, while there is no bill to regulate or streamline any Presidential Donations Budget, because who would dare to cross the authority of the State House and President at this point of time. No one with a clear mind, who will not end up in prison or lose his or her livelihood.

This is a proof of how little power the Parliament have in the current state, as they cannot even look into or question the Presidential Handshake. They cannot even check into the sudden gifts and donations made by the President. Which is a substantial part of the State House yearly budget.

This isn’t funny, this is a mockery of all the ones paying added taxes and paying for state services, as they are being hold in contempt, where a certain amount of big-men and cronies within the state can eat directly of it, without any consequence. Who knows what else the President misuse funds on, right now? Peace.

Reference:

The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (Cosase) – ‘Report of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and the State Enterprises (COSASE) on the Investigations into the Circumstances under which the reward of UGX 6 BN was given to 42 Public Officers who participated in the Heritage Oil and Gas Arbitration Case’ (May, 2017)

Statement by Uganda Law Society Concerning Continued Illegal Acts by the Security Organization (ISO) – (12.07.2018)

Social Media Tax: Museveni at this point of time, where wisdom dies! Part II

Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.” Calvin Coolidge

You know something stings, when a certain individual of the stature of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni addresses the Social Media Tax, that he wrote about to his Finance Minister Matia Kasaija on March 2018 and also was passed in May 2018 and levied from the 1st July 2018. This means that the President has twice addressed it since levying it. Therefore, what he says again is to defend this cause. Still, it is not evidence of wisdom or of consideration of how if affects the public. It is like that part of taxation has passed the old-mans head. Not that it is surprising, because its never his fault and never he who hurts people. It is always someone else or a misunderstood.

Internet use can be sometimes for educational purposes and research. This should not be taxed. However, using internet to access social media for chatting, recreation, malice, subversion, inciting murder, is definitely a luxury. As I said in my earlier message, it is, moreover, a luxury that is costly to the country’s economy apart from the shillings the users keep spending to use the internet to access the social media (facebook). The foreign telephone companies accumulate a lot of local shillings from the social media merry- makers or malice promoters; they, then, go to the forex bureaus and buy the dollars I have earned from my milk products, from coffee, from tea etc etc and, guess what, send abroad (send back the very dollars we had just earned) this hard currency. Thereby, putting pressure on our shillings. In this heammorage, they are joined by the people of games betting where, again, betting machines are owned by the foreigners. This is not only extravagance but also parasitism. Our people are unknowingly being used by foreign interests (telephone companies, social media companies) to parasite on us- to take away our hard earned dollars in order to have fun or promote malice on social media. That is why a social media tax is, really, a minimum. Instead of re-introducing foreign exchange control which other countries still have, we have simply said: “Please since you are endlessly having fun or expressing your views at the expense of the dollars we have earned, make a modest contribution to the building of the country”. Those involved, should, surely, happily, at least, do this minimum” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘President Responds to feed back to earlier statement on the new social media and mobile money taxes’ 12.07.2018).

It is like he doesn’t understand what he does, the shillings are not taken from the Foreign Companies licensed to trade and operate in Uganda. No, this tax is still going directly to the citizens. So, if the President was seriously offended by the operations of these Telcoms and their businesses. However, the Social Media and the other Exercise Duty are going directly taxation of the public, not the businesses.

Therefore, when he complains about what people write on the Social Media, he himself are in the same regard calling people again parasites. He is calling foreign companies evil leeches feeding of the public. Seriously, he speaking and calling them out. The President says all citizens on Social Media are: “malice, subversion, inciting murder, is definitely a luxury”.

So it is okay to do malice, subversion, inciting murder as long as you pay 200 shillings a-day, than it is cool? Is that what he is saying? Who is promoting malice on Social Media?

It is like the man saying foreign companies are parasites, the man who has called former allies bean weevil and himself the Leopards Anus. Are saying other people are malicious. Maybe, he should clean his own language, before lecturing people online. Its more that here. That is why I only took a small fraction of the piece he wrote. Because seriously, it is not worth your time and needs to be checked for what is truth and fiction.

If he had a problem with Foreign Telecoms being licensed and operating in Uganda. He shouldn’t have burned and sold-off Uganda Telecom to the Libyans, neither made sure Airtel, MTN and other companies could take the market shares. If they couldn’t do that in legal ways, they would have been suspended and lost their licenses. However, the state has accepted their business and they are there for a reason. These companies are not leaching money, but creating business in the marketplace, also the state has allowed it to happen.

It is not a modest contribution to the state of taking 200 shillings a day, when it cost 70,000 shillings if they do it daily. It is about 20% of the lowest paid yearly salaries of the civil servants by his government. The NRM has failed the people, they are not only taking their PAYE, VAT, Income Tax on the Cellphone Companies and their services, but also the Social Media Tax and Mobile Money Tax (On all three stages of the operation). This is just an insult to them for doing that and not just a modest contribution.

A modest contribution would be to give up the confidential spending on him and the State House, also cut the budget of the State House in half. That is if he cares about the government services, these supposed funds collected this way might also go there. I doubt this funds collected with the Social Media Tax and Mobile Money Tax will go to roads or schools, because if he had cared about that, the funds would have gone there more often for the last 32 years.

It is insulting to people’s intelligence, the second lecture made by Museveni on the subject. Still, not the decent wisdom the man should have dropped. It is like they are continuing to blame the companies, but still defending of taxing the people. If the companies are the problem, tax them and their operations. Be real. Shut up! Peace.

UCC: Public Notice of UCC Ban on Scratch/Airtime Cards (12.07.2018)

President Museveni letter to Finance Minister Kasaija: Additional Personal Security for Members of Parliament (26.06.2018)