“If there is a youth (in Uganda) who is not NRM, they must have a problem in their head. Without the NRM, those youths would be what the Banyankore call Kaributi (the late). Many of them would have died in infancy” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (08.03.2022).
On the Woman’s Day of 2022 and in the speech on the National Celebration of the day. President since 1986 had to address everyone else. While also showing his disregard for many citizens in the Republic. Since, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) isn’t as popular as it ones was and certainly the youths aren’t seeing any of the promised progress, which is forever been pledged at any campaign since the 1990s.
The youths of the Republic has every reason to be dissatisfied, disgruntled and disembark from the Movement. A movement that left them behind and haven’t given them any reason to be loyal to the cause. Since, they are not the category or the ones who are eating of the plate. They are neither in the calculations or in the bargain of investments. Their equity and ownership is deluded, devalued and sold easily to third parties. Who can get access and live in comfort, while the average youth cannot come out of poverty, hardships or excel to any sort of place of middle-income life-style. Therefore, there is no reason to trust the Movement or the NRM as a youth.
The Youth are being tricked, sold and taken for granted. Their future is traded, loaned and the youth have to pay with interests. Since, the current state is taken up loans that it cannot cash. There isn’t domestic revenue and neither a promised pay-off, which will cover the spiralling debts. Debts and loans, which the old man and his cronies are eating off from. The debt that the next generation has to pay off and with additional fees as well. Heck, if they don’t, then they will loose collateral or the little leverage they have.
The President haven’t delivered a promising future for the youth. So, why should they stick to his programs and pledges? Why should they belong to a party, which have abandoned them? If it hasn’t left them behind. One of their siblings, relatives or friends has been touched by drones, abducted, kidnapped and charged for their political activism. Why should they sell their soul and their minds to a party that does this to their own?
That’s what the President and his like doesn’t get. It can torture, detain and silence critics, activists and political leaders. However, youth aspires to these people and feeds of their energy. Because, the ideals of these people lives among them. The NRM is living among the elites and the NRA veterans. They are not in the trenches, ghettos or lost suburbs. No, they are only their for a minute during campaigns and giving away T-shirts. Before returning back to a State Lodge. Therefore, the President has little to nothing to offer…
It isn’t the youths problem that the Movement isn’t selling. It is the Movement’s problem that it is viable for the youths. It is the President fault and the correct line, which is entail the suffering and the plights of people, which the party and the government has forgotten. That’s why the youth isn’t aspiring to it or feeling a connection with the Movement. Why should they? What is there to gain? Other than blind loyalty and hopes for a plumb-job in far distant future?
Well… that isn’t much and the sacrifice is so big too. You have to give up your ideals to serve a party and it’s leader. While not subscribing to the honest truths of the organization. That is the gist of it. While friends, family and neighbours are in pain, because of the regime. This is why the problem isn’t the youth, but the party, which doesn’t serve them nor their communities. Peace.
“If you see anyone intimidating, it is their ideology and belief. What those people do of intimidating people is their ideology. The guns they say they have, we have the largest number of guns but we don’t intimidate people. A bull that wants to die tastes the axe” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on the 24th December 2020
In the middle of the Christmas, as Advent is over. The President and Head of State, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has decided yet again on the campaign trail to serve the public threats. Instead of showing humility, grace and kindness. He wants to further intimidate and be ruthless towards mankind. Not really Christmas(y) unless the man is the Grinch or Scoorge.
If you ever believed this man was of peace. You are wrong. His the man who rather arrest, kill and destroy the ones opposing his ways. Especially, the ones he cannot corrupt or get into his fold. They are the ones that he ambush, abduct and uses the rule of against.
It is ironic that he speaks of first warning people of intimidating personalities. While later saying he got the biggest guns. Initially coming with a further threat. Not a new one. As he always brag about his defence, his army and his security organization. That is able and ready to take down anyone. The ones who secures his future and his heirloom. Because, it is not like these forces are there for the civilians or for democratic purposes. These are there to fight on his bid and his bid alone.
He could have said “You should never take the bull by the horns”. However that would mean to do something brave or in a determined way. No, the old man wanted to prove a point that an axe can kill an bull. Just like his army and his security detail got the most guns. That is not the talk of someone not intimidating. This the school-yard bully saying he knows Kung-Fu and his father is strongest in the whole wide world. Initially, the President is coming with the same rhetoric.
The man is insincere when he speaks of not intimidating. He always scold and says his force will crush someone. If he was so lovable and sweet. These words wouldn’t be so easily accessible. The President isn’t dancing Bambi on the ice. Neither is a peace loving Guru from the mountains of Bhutan. No, his a warlord and has enough skulls on his CV. That is why the first things the trusts is the gun and not man. He trust the weapons and the artillery. The President doesn’t people and his instinct is to use force. Therefore, his go to measure is to use law enforcement against anyone who stands in his path.
That is why he comes with a picture of brutal death like the axing of a bull. That is a bloody picture. Just like the chopped of head of a horse in the Godfather movie. It is no difference here.
The President have to serve threats, because he got nothing else to offer. The only thing giving him an edge is the strength of the authorities and abilities to contain the rise of new power. As long as he can contain and control the opposition. He will still be in power, but when the centre doesn’t hold any longer and when they won’t abide the orders. The centre will loose and he will be rudderless. The President will be alone and his threats will be useless.
That is why he serves the threats and intimidates even ahead of Christmas day. Because he has nothing else. That is who he is.
Let me end with the proverbs after 50 Cent:
“War, what is it good for absolutely nothin’
But niggas keep frontin’
Fuck a nigga, live like a soldier
Die like a soldier” (50 Cent – ‘Whoo Kid Kayslay Shit!’ of the “50 Cent is the Future” 2002).
Maybe that is mindset of this President. I wouldn’t be shocked. As he always cling on the guns and that’s his Modus Operandi. Peace.
“At 76, I have no blood pressure because I don’t stress myself like some people who have been worrying too much yet this is not good to their health. You need to tell this to Ugandans that if they follow the NRM advice, the problem of unemployment will be solved” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (24.12.2020)
That the President is so proud of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ways really says a lot. As the numbers haven’t really changed much or the realities on the ground is much of the same. The public cannot eat the GDP or import numbers. Even if he proclaims greatness that way.
Just like the numbers of participation in the economy for the ages of 15 to 25 years old. Numbers from Macrotrends proves a steady 55 % from the year of 1991 until 2015 when the numbers gotten worse and by 2019 the numbers was down to 51,91%. Still no matter how you look at this numbers in a Republic full of youth and younger generation born after the “liberation” of 1986. Most about 50% of them are not participating in the economy and most of them have never had the ability to do so.
In a DHL Article from 2019: “The situation is grim. A 2015 study by the same organization revealed that the proportion of unemployed youths had risen from 12.3 percent in 2013 to 18.6 percent in 2015, while recent data by the African Development Bank painted a much gloomier picture, placing unemployment figures at up to 83 percent of the nation’s youth population” (DHL – ‘The solution to Uganda’s youth unemployment crisis’ 26.09.2019).
The gig-economy and lack of financial policies helping them. All the money schemes from the government haven’t helped over the years. The NRM haven’t delivered to the youth or made it possible for them to get work or participate in the society. That is why they are willing to do whatever to get food on their plate. This isn’t sustaining society or creating natural growth.
When the President says Ugandans should take his advice. The numbers of unemployment and non-participating is worsening. While the state is stagnate, deficit-financing and a huge debt-burden created by this government. Therefore, this President better seek other advisors and other skilled people. Since his drowning the economy and giving less good lessons to the public,
Instead of giving the public gifts and pledges with promising results. The President will bring bailiffs, sheriffs and undertakers to secure the loans and debts are repaid. The next generation has to figure out the problems created of late. It is the next government and next regime who needs debt relief and austerity means to settle the score. As the President haven’t made it better financially for the economy or industries in general. If he did, the participation of the youth would have been substantially better.
Therefore, the promise to follow the NRM way is really special and weird in concern with the numbers and the lack of proper results. It is not like he has revolutionized or made things possible for more people to get jobs. This is worrying and that his not considering his missteps or where he went lost.
The man has had the time to prove it, but he is careless about it. As the poverty and unemployment is a nice niche to get grants and donations. The rampant poverty is a good way to get multi-national organizations to fund his operations and if he switched this. He would actually have to rise the tax-base and state revenue. Which means the government would actually need to put the work in and deliver for its citizens. That is to much to ask for this President.
His getting free money and can use the poor as an scapegoat to be served funds without doing anything. That is how it seems. This is why your supposed to trust the NRM way and the polices of the President. Because, he needs the naivety and lack of understanding to continue to eat of other people’s plates. Peace.
“My people are going to learn the principles of democracy the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go. Let them worship as they will, every man can follow his own conscience provided it does not interfere with sane reason or bid him act against the liberty of his fellow men.” – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
The incumbent President Abdulla Yameen have really shown his true colour as he took power in the Maldives. He used the military to evict and control the courts and also the Supreme Court. He used all methods to get people to under siege and under his wings. If didn’t follow that, you better seek refugee or even go into exile. Like so many opposition figures and families did in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Now, after yesterdays poll and today’s announced results, the drive and oppressive behaviour might stop.
“Maldivian Democratic Party candidate MP Hon Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, wins the Maldives Presidential Elections, with 134,616 votes. Of 262,135 eligible voters, 233,877 voters cast their votes at the 472 ballot boxes. This is a voter turnout of 89.22 percent” (Maldives MFA, 24.09.2018).
This is positive, hopefully the ones who has fled to safety and out of danger. Can return and start over, instead of living and awaiting, as the new presidency arrives and hopefully secure the future. People are today celebrating that the Coup of 7th February 2012 has been answered, as the leadership of that time, was sent into exile, this being Mohamed Nasheed (Maldivian Democratic Party)and Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik (Gaumee Ithihaad Party). This is redemption, as they hope that the Joint Presidential Candidate Solih, can establish normalcy after the years of harsh control from Yameen and his party Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
Therefore, today is for some the end of the coup d’état and a fresh beginning after 2421 days of waiting for a democratic elected leadership not evolving around the big-man and paranoia of Yameen.
Today, I live in hope for the Maldives, after plenty of dark days, oppression from the state and state aggression against their leaders and their principals. Today, we can hope for a better tomorrow. As the people have someone who represent them and hopefully will restore normalcy. Will ensure the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and the true justice. Not just to his peers and his allies, but to all Maldivians.
Some says it is a power shift from Beijing to New Delhi, whatever it is, it is hope, because the public has shown the courage and the will to overthrow someone who ruled without concern of anyone else than himself. That has to be remembered, that have to be the key thing out of this today.
There are reports of MPs and other political prisoners release at the Criminal Courts in Male, today, however, that is yet to be verified right now. But there is a bunch of innocent people behind bars, because of need of being there, as the previous President needed them there. To keep a grip of power and try to centralize it more. Peace.
On 16 July, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted a framework for targeted restrictive measures against persons and entities responsible for undermining the rule of law or obstructing an inclusive political solution in the Maldives as well as persons and entities responsible for serious human rights violations. This decision makes it possible, if the situation does not improve, to impose a travel ban and an asset freeze on relevant individuals and entities.
This decision is a direct follow up to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 26 February 2018 on the Maldives. The Council considered that the situation was not in accordance with the principles of democratic rule and separation of powers, and indicated it may consider targeted measures if the situation did not improve.
In its conclusions, the Council called on the government of the Maldives to engage with the leaders of the opposition in a genuine dialogue that paves the way for credible, transparent and inclusive Presidential elections.
“President Yoweri Museveni has implored parents who are financially sound to give their children a better education to guarantee a better future even it means taking them to Private schools” (NTV Uganda, 04.03.2018).
The pledges of yesterday is losing value for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the process and the service delivery doesn’t matter, if it ever did. The Universal Primary Education was one of the brilliant moves he did and also got much more donor funding in the beginning of his Presidency. He introduced UPE in January 1997, as the time went the Government of Uganda invested more into the schools. As the Overseas Development Institute in February 2006, which stated: “The UPE programme has required a significant increase in public expenditure devoted to primary education. Total education expenditure increased from 2.1% GDP in 1995 to 4.8% of GDP in 2000, while the share of the education sector in the national budget increased from 13.7% in 1990 to 24.7% in 1998” (ODI – Policy Brief 10, Feb 2006). So the DFID sponsored brief are really explaining how the National Resistance Movement and President Museveni really used funds into the schools to make it happen. However, down the line the investments hasn’t continued and the progress of the policy has lost value. Since they have not continued or hold into that standard.
“The President clarified that parents should feed their children and those who can’t afford should take their children to Universal Education Schools which he insisted should not charge fees, while the capable ones can pay in private schools or ‘big government schools’. “Universal Education Schools should not charge fees and parents must provide a meal for their children, called ‘entanda’. Government has provided UPE and USE for poor parents and here it is free. Those who can afford can take their children to other government schools and private schools where they pay but no child should be withdrawn from school” he emphasized” (Opio, 2018).
When you hear the man who is the leader, whose been the President since 1986, been there 32 years. Saying if you want to give your kid a good education, send them to private schools. The ones who are poor can send their kids to government schools. Therefore, if you have money, you will care more about the future for your kids. Because we as a state has given up the Universal Primary Schools.
This financial year the state is using 10,87 % of the national budget in 2018/19, that is down 11,37% in 2017/18. Both years are really proving how little it is concerning how it was when the UPE was booming around the millennium. In those years the state used about 20% or more on Education. Meaning the means to build and upgrade schools where there, also for more staff and more equipment was there. This has been forgotten and deemed unnecessary by the state.
Already in 2006, the UBOS Statistical abstract stated this: “However, the education facilities including classrooms, teachers’ houses and libraries have not matched the upsurge in the number of pupils. In 2004, provision of classroom space remained an enormous challenge. Table 2.2.2 shows that, only about half of the pupils had adequate sitting space” (UBOS, 2006). So the problems we are seeing today, is systemic from the mushrooming of schools and districts who built-up schools after the announcement of the UPE in 1997. I am not saying it is easy to keep the upkeep after the surge of schools, but if the state wanted them as a priority. They would have allocated funds to it over time.
Clearly, that part has gotten wasted and the state hasn’t figured out that buildings needs upkeep, schools needs equipment and teachers needs salaries. I know all of that seems basic, but the deep understanding of that seems lost somewhere.
Since if you are seeing the numbers, the Education Ministry got 24,7% in 1998 and now in 2018 it get’s 10,87 % of the National Budget. The schools has surged then and the budget is smaller, that meaning the more schools and teachers are getting significantly less funds for their operations. This is clearly the will of the state, as they are prioritizing other parts of government and not the schools. So the pledge before the 1996 Election is now being abandoned, the Ten Point Program point is being dismissed and the State showing disregard for its own system, as the rich can have their own. The poor can have lesser quality and the ones who care about their future can got to the private ones. Because of this I want to go back to 1996, because it says a lot, about why its like this today.
So, we are not going back to 1986 today, but 1996, when this happen:
“Given his earlier opposition to the idea, President Museveni’s decision in March 1996 to make universal primary education part of his manifesto for the upcoming presidential election campaign represented a sharp break with existing policy. In a radio speech delivered on 27 March, Museveni promised that, if re-elected, he would implement a plan giving four children per family access to free primary education (the plan would also apply to orphans) (Radio Uganda 27.3.1996). This education promise was, however, just one part of an overall election manifesto that included pledges concerning liberalisation of the economy, road building, defence, and renewed East African cooperation. In fact, improvement in education was listed as only the fifth of seven bullet points on the back of Museveni’s
published manifesto (Museveni 1996). Though free primary education was only one small part of President Museveni’s initial election manifesto, during the course of the campaign it soon became clear that the promise to abolish school fees was striking a chord with the electorate. Ugandan officials from the period recall that several of Museveni’s close advisors repeatedly sent messages to the Ministry of Finance after campaign meetings in order to emphasise how the UPE promise had been well received” (Stasavage, 2006).
We could see it was his own initiative, as the President knew what would strike a chord, making sure the kids was educated and had a better future. The same resonates today, but the state has forgotten that. They are not caring, they build a giant program, a big school system of Primary Schools, but not allocated or planned the upkeep of them. That is why the state of the schools are going down and the level of poor public schools is rampant. The districts and sub-counties are not getting enough to keep the schools in functions or even the buildings up. That is why we can find pictures of schools falling apart and looking like they we’re forgotten the day after they finished building it.
From a report from the Ministry of Education and Sports in 1999 said this: “Uganda spent only US$8 per pupil in the early 1980s, and in financial year 1997/98 US$32.50 was spent per pupil” (…) “ UPE is one of the surest means that will lead Uganda to the attainment of the Jomtien Conference (1990) pledge of providing basic education to our primary school going population. As we provide that ìminimum package of knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes required by every person to enable him or her live as an independent, productive and effective citizen in a societyî the individual is empowered to meet her or his daily needs and aspirations, those of the community and the nation, which are focused on modernisation. Uganda is confident that by the target year 2003, Universal Primary Education will have been achieved for all its children” (Ministry of Education and Sports, P: 19, 21, 1999).
So in 1999, the State was hopeful, today in 2018, UPE is not for all children. Not if you listens to the words and the statement from Museveni. It’s Private Schools for the wealthy and the UPE for the POOR. Therefore, Museveni is claiming to classes and two system, which is really demeaning to the ones going to the UPE schools. This is his fault that the schools are bad. He introduced the system, he made it and built it. However, he forgot to the upkeep. He forgot the pledges of the past, even the goals of his own ministry in 1999. It is nearly 20 years since or 19 years ago. Therefore, if Museveni has forgotten it is natural, I don’t remember what I wrote a year ago. However, he promised this and used his Presidency to promote this. The UPE is one of the few grand achievements of Museveni. Even I can say that. But now its rotting and that is because the State has stopped funding it. It is their own decisions not upgrading or even maintenance of the buildings. It is weird that the NRM went into this, build this giant school program and had no plans for maintenance of the Schools or the Salaries of the teachers.
It is easy to start something, but when it continues, you needs to allocate, secure and also funds for day-to-day business. That is forgotten and today, Museveni has given it up. If not he doesn’t care about the UPE he introduced officially in 1997 and pledged during the 1996 Campaign. I say that because, well they have gone from using over 20% of the yearly budget in the 1998 to around 2000, but now the state has allocated as little as 10%. So it the Primary Schools are neglected, because the State has decided to neglect them. It is because the state has built a lot of them, but not funds to maintenance of them. Museveni knows this, but doesn’t say it. That is why the schools are for the poor, because the President even keeps the Government Primary Schools poor themselves.
I just have to ask the President, you used years and your time in the beginning of your time as President to build up the Universal Primary Education, have you officially given it up? Should the Ugandan population give it up too?
If you I can put the whole situation into one simple explanation: Museveni wanted to give the public a giant castle, he pledged to give the public that giant castle. He actually built the giant caste and made sure the public could use the castle. However, with time he didn’t have the funds or the money to maintain the castle. The walls and barricades are failing, the walls are weaker, the structure needs fixing. The servants, the people who are inside the castle are not getting paid and even educated to keep the walls steady. So, the stones and the building are looking more like a ghost-town than a castle. Museveni could have had a castle, instead he has a rundown ghost-town.
There are too many UPE schools that are rundown without proper buildings, which has been neglected. The same has the teachers and the pupils, who them all are living through it. Their future is depending on it and they are forgotten. Now the President tells, the ones who can afford it should go to the Private Schools instead. The poor has enough with the UPE schools. That just shows how he has given up the 1990s project.
Isn’t this a sign that you as a leader should have retired, since you have actually given up one of your achievements?
MinBane 