

OPM Letter: Delivery of Relief 600 Bags of 50kgs of Rice to the Urban Poor in Mbarara Municipal Council (24.04.2017)





Hon. Mathias Mpuuga have today been detained at the Lukaya Police Station as the Democratic Party Conference and meeting in town was blocked and sealed off. This is similar fashion to how it has been with opposition party functions since the Public Order Management Act (POMA) was put into legislation. Therefore, what is happening in Masaka is sort of expected, especially after the DP NEC suspended the Vice-President of the Buganda Caucus Betty Nambooze, who had planned rally and conference in Masaka today!
“Hon. Betty Nambooze and Hon. Medard Ssegona plead with police officers that had blocked blocked their way on the Masaka-Kampala highway. The legislators are headed to Masaka for a DP meeting. The police say the meeting is illegal” (93.3 KFM, 23.04.2017).
Also the ones following the cars of Hon. Nambooze and Hon. Ssegona on the road from Kampala to Masaka. There been several of journalists detained for following the trail of cars going to the meeting in Masaka. Just like it has been before in Uganda, there is dangerous to follow the ones who isn’t directly loyal to the NRM and their paradigm.

So the District Police Commander John Chrysostom Mwaule of Masaka took to the offices of Mathias Mpuuga and the Masaka Municipality legislator offices, a place where police presence was severe, as they knew of the planned event. They we’re even told to write to IGP Kale Kayihura on the 20th April of 2017 from the DPC, as the DPC could give clearance on his own turf. Shows how little institutions matters and more personal understanding of the legality. That the DP MP Mpuuga didn’t believe that IGP Kayihura wouldn’t allow it, as the “Good DP” are following the orders and directives of the NRM. Therefore, this conference has been blocked and stopped it. With the Tear-Gas and Police detaining journalists and MP’s in Masaka. This is something more common to occur for the FDC, not for the DP party.
So the POMA are now used against fraction who is not together with DP President Norbert Mao and his close associates in Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde and Hon. Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi. They are the “Good DP”, that have even been invited into the closed chambers of the President Museveni. However, the so-called opposition party, has a fraction that is not bought by the NRM.
Today the “Bad DP” got the vicious treatment and so has the journalists follow the cars who was going to the “Bad DP” conference in Masaka. Certainly, there are now officially to levels of opposition in Uganda, the ones that are paid and loyal to the NRM. And the one opposition who tries to be in real opposition to the NRM.

Because of these actions stores has been closed in Masaka, as the supporters of the “Bad DP” running chants and stampede against the Police, as they are worried that Mbidde and Mao have sold the party to the NRM. Even the Tropic Inn Hotel have been condoned by the Police Force as well, so there are acts of direct oppressive.
“Police has dispersed off “Bad DP” supporters with tear gas at Lukaya on their way to Masaka ahead of a conference that was organised by Masaka Municipality MP Mathias Mpunga. This has also forced police to close Tropic Inn Hotel in Masaka where the conference was supposed to be held” (The Generation Newspaper, 23.04.2017).
So the “Bad DP” are now getting the treatment that Dr. Paul Ssemogerere did get when he did rally back-in-the-day, therefore, there are now proof of some people resurrecting the party out of the hands of the current leadership inside the DP NEC. Peace.

During the weekend the Forum for Democratic Change wanted to continue with their food relief program in Katakwi, the region that has been hit by famine and by drought. Therefore earlier in April the FDC sent a team and maize flour, that was on the 5th April of 2017. This was blocked by the Uganda Police Force and the Regional Police Commander Francis Tumwesigye. Take a look!
So on the 22nd April 2017 the FDC went through with it:
“FDC officials secretly distribute food relief in Toroma County, Katakwi, after earlier being barred by police Earlier this month, the FDC team, led by Dr. Kizza Besigye were blocked from giving out the food to vulnerable persons who include child headed families, the elderly and persons with disabilities who are hard-hit by the famine that has ravaged the sub-counties of Toroma, Magoro ,Omodoi and Kapujan. However, yesterday the FDC officials resorted to giving out the food secretly with each parish receiving bags of maize flour and beans for the households in the county. This time, Katakwi’s Resident District Commissioner Ambrose Tumwesigye said FDC should have first sought permission from his office to distribute the food” (NTV Uganda, 22.04.2017).
Minister of Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru have had the whole month to deliver the State organized food relief to their own citizens, earlier him together with the Police shut-down the food relief. The FDC tried to the citizens something good. While the loyalty of the Police, RPC Tumwesigye and RDC Tumwesigye, are both prepared to stop the opposition.
That the FDC had to decide to do it secretly says more about the state of affairs, than of the will of going against the state. That the National Resistance Movement and the local state officials haven’t been positive before.
So even the State Minister Musa Ecweru had to apologize to the residents of Katakwi:
“All willing humanitarian agencies or parties have the right to distribute food, if they consult with the line ministry, the Ministry for Relief and Disaster Preparedness,” Mr Ecweru explained. He added that FDC will be allowed to distribute food if they make arrangements with the Ministry for Relief and Disaster Preparedness in order to avoid duplication” (…) “The chairperson Teso Parliamentary Group, Mr Patrick Okabe, also at the weekend, condemned the actions of police to deny the people of Toroma County food, saying: “Teso Parliamentary Group stands firm with the people of Teso in this trying moment.” (NTV Newsnight, 11.04.2017).
So if the FDC had consulted directly with the minster and the regional leadership. Still, I doubt they would allow it, as the NRM hasn’t really been positive to anything involving the opposition parties, unless they are the “Good DP”. So the FDC would no matter what they do, get blocked and stopped, with tear-gas and get people into hospital treatment. Even if the RDC Tumwesigye had been informed or RPC Tumwesigye had been told, I doubt they would have said: “Yes be kind, just do it”.
Since the NRM and their government forces haven’t really showed any finesse in those matters. So that the FDC had to yesterday and this weekend do it in silence, because of their lacking faith in the government entities. That the RDC and RPC would stifle the efforts of the FDC. We can know how the oppressive behavior of the security forces towards the FDC, when they are doing food relief in silence and in the dark in Katakwi. As the last time the violence and disruption of it, destroyed the willing to help the drought hit region.
That the government doesn’t themselves show that they are grateful and the considerate effort of the FDC. Therefore, the reality that the Government says: “please just tell and we will allow” isn’t truthful or sincere. If it was so, then the FDC would have done it and pleased the government. Still, the reality of it is, that the NRM tries what it can to silence the FDC and their leadership. By any means possible, even when citizens who starve are blocked because of the giver. Shows the ice-cold hearts and the oppressive acts of the ruling regime. Peace.

A group of UN experts has sent their letter on the intelligence they have on the current conflict in South Sudan, as the related information from this letter can be used for further work and next level assistance to the republic. That the sovereign republic that has been in internal conflict since it session from Sudan, therefore, the need for strong intelligence to understand the situation. Some parts of this letter, is old news as the reports have steadily come on the fighting and the problems inside the nation.
That the dire situation in South Sudan is clear, the revealing thing in this letter or report says some new stuff, but not much. Still the evident of certain issues is clear. That the escalation of battlegrounds in more provinces, and also the levels of child soldiers. Secondly, the possibility of several nations exporting arms to the SPLA to further the conflict. This being Ukraine, Egypt and Uganda. These should know that their cooperation are furthering the bloodshed in South Sudan. Take a look!
Conflicts in many regions:
“In the weeks preceding the submission of the present report, SPLA conducted offensives in Upper Nile, in particular around Wau Shilluk on the western bank of the Nile near the Sudanese border; in and around Yuai, northern Jonglei, in the territory populated mainly by the Lou Nuer; and in locations in the Equatorias, in particular the region around Kajo Kaji, Morobo and the hinterlands around Yei near the borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. There have also been reports of fighting in central and southern Unity, near Mayendit and Leer (the home area of Machar), in rural areas of Western Bahr el-Ghazal and near Torit in Eastern Equatoria” (…) “During the same period, the most significant military operations by SPLM/A in Opposition were undertaken by the affiliated Agwelek militia under the command of Lieutenant General Johnson Olony in Upper Nile at the end of January. While it is unclear whether SPLA or SPLM/A in Opposition/Agwelek initiated the fighting, the latter subsequently shelled multiple SPLA positions in and around Malakal, in Wau Shilluk and north towards Renk; both sides engaged in ground operations; and SPLA launched an incursion into Wau Shilluk as well as northern Jonglei, which had been under the control of SPLM/A in Opposition since 2013. SPLM/A in Opposition has since launched a counteroffensive” (UNSC, P: 16, 2017).
State Economy:
“The central bank has almost exhausted its foreign currency reserves, which has limited its ability to play a role in stabilizing the economy. To avoid default and provide liquidity, it may have borrowed between $80 million and $200 million from commercial banks, rendering those banks unable to meet the obligations to their customers, and printed notes, exacerbating inflation. The lack of foreign currency reserves and the risk of losing control over inflation have resulted in repeated requests by the Minister of Finance for international financial support. By the beginning of March 2017, however, no budgetary support had been pledged. To close the budget deficit of some $200 million, the leadership was considering the cancellation of State fuel subsidies” (UNSC, P: 17, 2017).
Child Soldiers:
“On 15 December 2016, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 17,000 children had been recruited to join the fighting in South Sudan since 2013. As the security situation deteriorated, UNICEF reported a corresponding increase in child recruitment. Some 1,300 children were documented to have been recruited in 2016 alone. In a marked departure from 2015 when 1,755 children were documented to have been released by armed forces or groups, only 177 children were released by armed forces or groups in 2016” (UNSC, P: 24, 2017).
Food Security:
“Between February and April 2017, about 4.9 million people — more than 40 per cent of the total population — are estimated to be severely food insecure. The total number nationwide is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and breadth of the food crisis. The key areas being monitored by humanitarian organizations are central and southern greater Unity, greater Bahr el-Ghazal, drought-affected greater Pibor and the counties of Fashoda, Kajo Kaji, Kapoeta, Lainya, Malakal, Manyo, Morobo, Nasir and Yei in greater Equatoria” (UNSC, P: 30, 2017).
Scorched earth:
“In its report of 6 March 2017 (A/HRC/34/63, para. 86), the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan summarized the situation as follows:
The Commission deems the continued restrictions and impediments on access to vulnerable populations placed on the United Nations and humanitarian agencies operating in South Sudan unlawful. The ‘scorched earth’ policy may amount to starvation, which is prohibited by international law as a method of warfare, as is denying civilians safe passage from besieged areas. The civilian population is not provided with adequate food or access to health care, and their right to life is often threatened or breached by all parties to the conflict throughout the country” (UNSC, P: 36, 2017).
Violations of UNMISS mandate:
“Sustained, systematic violations of the status-of-forces agreement have continued. There were 21 violations, by civilian and armed actors affiliated with SPLM/A in Government, recorded in January 2017 alone. The largest category of violations (10) were movement restrictions imposed against the United Nations. Such restrictions prohibit UNMISS from patrolling in areas in which conflict has flared and human rights violations are being reported, impeding the Mission from implementing its mandate to protect civilians and monitor and report on human rights abuses” (UNSC, P: 37, 2017).
Weapons import:
“As described in its report of September 2016 (S/2016/793), the Panel obtained a contract signed in May 2015 between SPLA and a company called Egypt and Middle East for Development for the provision of “Panthera armoured vehicles”. The number of vehicles and the technical specifications are not outlined in the contract, but the stated value of the contract was $7,187,500. The company contracted to provide the vehicles is registered in Egypt and based in Cairo” (UNSC, P: 38, 2017).
L-39 Jet acquisition:
“In February 2017, the Panel received information that an IL-76 transport aircraft departed from Kharkiv, Ukraine, on or about 27 January 2017, bound for Gulu, Uganda. The aircraft manifest indicated that it contained two L-39 jets and engines provided by Musket OU, a company based in Tallinn, that had been overhauled and that the flight was operated by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Subsequently, the Government of Ukraine confirmed to the Panel that the two jets were listed as being operated by the Ugandan military and that the end user certificates indicated that the aircraft were to be used only for advanced pilot training. Given Czingáli’s roles in both South Sudan and Uganda and photographic evidence of the jet he operated in South Sudan, the Panel is investigating whether jets based in Uganda have been operated in South Sudan, contrary to the provisions of the end user agreement. The Panel is investigating reports that the jets have been involved in military operations in South Sudan” (UNSC, P: 40, 2017).
The Security situation together with this knowledge says it all and then you should understand why there are so many refugees fleeing from South Sudan. The SPLM/A are more worried of getting of arms, than making sure the humanitarian intervention are safe, as well as citizens having food security, as the rebels and the state forces are now even using the scorched earth tactics. Meaning that all means of oppression and getting rid of possible livable atmosphere is gone. This combined with the child soldiers, the arms procured and the famine, is surely a tragedy in the making. The world shouldn’t look away, but engage. This is to many innocent civilians getting hurt by the power-struggle to control Juba and earn the profits of the oil. Peace.
Reference:
United Nations Security Council – ‘Letter dated 13 April 2017 from the Panel of Experts on South Sudan established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2206 (2015) addressed to the President of the Security Council’ – S/2017/326 – (13.04.2017)






“You purport to take a disciplinary action against Hon. Mp Bakireke Nambooze, a senior member of the party, without even according her the inalienable right to a fair hearing!!! I thought my brother, Hon. Norbert Mao, could do better than that!” – Erias Lukwago (20.04.2017)
The Democratic Party of Uganda must be weak party at the moment, when DP Buganda Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze. She was today suspended from the party leadership and National Executive Committee. They took her place away and her seat in the DP NEC. You know the party is weak, when the DP Legal Sam Muyizi also left the meeting after she was suspended for three months.
That she was suspended for holding a Buganda Caucus meeting that was also stopped by the Police Force during March 2017. This just shows what sort of party the DP has become. They have a Minister in the giant Museveni cabinet, they got another loyal man to Museveni put into the EALA and Mao has himself professed to be talking to the President. Real proof that the DP isn’t really opposition, but nearly integrated into the NRM.
The DP under Norbet Mao are now not only in dialogue but working directly with the NRM. If they we’re then they would accept that Hon. Nambooze tried to visit Stella Nyanzi, that she tried to have principal politics and work out to fix the difference between Museveni’s claim for “Good DP” and “Bad DP”. Certainly, Nambooze must be “Bad DP” as the “Good DP” are suspending her. They have such little spines.
The DP under this current leadership should just fold themselves into the NRM and become a official branch under the NRM-O, why not just co-operate with NRM Secretary General Justine Lumumba, so their acts and their vision can be alike. Than the “Bad DP” can form their new party and become a real opposition. If not they can go into parties that are really against the NRM regime and their rule.
The DP is really bad, not “Bad DP”, it is tragic DP… the Party of Dr. Paul Ssemogerere has become this settled with the state and the NRM. That the President now can control the “Good DP” to such a move and take away the independence of the party. The initial result is the proof of the suspension of the place in the leadership.
This is not settling the issues within the DP, as her popularity isn’t going down, her popularity has been soaring. So today’s disciplinary committee was striking and certainly capable of voting in grandeur for her suspension. 22 for it and 1-2 absentee today at the vote.

What is striking is the words of Doreen Nyanjura on March 29 2017: “What exactly is wrong with Betty Nambooze calling for a consultative meeting in her area of jurisdiction, she is the Deputy President in charge of Buganda Region. DP in full is Democratic Party! The ‘Democratic Party’ can’t allow it’s leaders to hold meetings in their constituencies! N’way I should leave things of DP to DP” (Nyanjura, Doreen, 29.03.2017).
So the “Bad DP” did something bad, she convened a caucus meeting in her constituency. That a Buganda MP and Buganda Deputy President couldn’t hold a meeting to find a plan forward. So because of that move and the Police Force was also stopping it. Therefore, the people know now the real DP, the tragic DP and the not-so-democratic party under control of Norbert Mao.
Norbert Mao and his NEC is now no different than the NRM, they smells the same and acts alike. They are even working together, when they can. DP Mao are certainly settling for little trade that gives him little space, as his own MP’s cannot act without his blessing. If they try to act they have to do it on his command now. And Mao has to wait on Museveni as well…
This is the price for being a Good DP! Peace.

Yesterday (19.04.2017), the internal memo was sent out the leadership of the Uganda Police Force, to the district leaders to get back the Police Uniforms and Uniform parts from the Crime Preventers. The Crime Preventers even got motorcycles in 2015. The Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura have defended the program since 2015, as the political opposition inside Uganda has questioned the use of it.
That is natural, as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Museveni has used the Crime Preventers, they we’re important part of the campaigns and the use of fear during the campaigns between 2015-2016. They we’re usually at the rallies and also in the villages drumming up people for the President. By 2016 the numbers of Crime Preventers we’re about 65,000.
So after getting the amount of the unemployed youth, getting them trained and paying them for the loyalty to the state, they are now trying to disembark the giant project of Crime Preventers, since it cost to much and has to many people to take care off. The NRM cannot sustain the brigades of Crime Preventers, the youth who learned the Movement mantra and use of propaganda for two years. As the use of them was valuable in 2015 and 2016, in 2017 less, as the rallies and the opposition is easier to control.
The Police Force can easily monitor the Opposition in the non-election time, but during campaigns the strength of manpower is hurt, as the UPF cannot hire enough proper officers and train them, than it is healthy to use of the unemployed. The Unemployed can very easy just become Crime Preventers and then loyal to the NRM. That was the sufficient need and they could also intimidate the public and make sure they where loyal to the Movement.
So that today the start of dismantling the Crime Preventers and the stage of need is gone. They are not seen as so vital, as the NRM feels safe about their state of affairs. Since they don’t need the youth group who are trained by the Police to be Community Policing, the NRM needed them only to do so when the Opposition parties where campaigning, now they need to clear the unnecessary bills. That bill now is the Crime Preventers and they are approximately 65,000 civilized police.
The civilian trained police force that was the Crime Preventers and they we’re needed in the 2015 and 2016, but not now in the 2017, as the republic are cash-strapped and the economy isn’t booming. Therefore, the Police doesn’t need a big budget post, which is unnecessary. The unemployed youth we’re needed while campaigning and promising pledges, but in office again, they are just big bill. Peace.


Again, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) dropped another report on the fiscal policies and the fiscal health of the economy in Uganda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) have created this environment as the growing debt and growing interest payment comes with their planned debt rise. Still, the PriceWaterhouseCoopers spelled gloom earlier in the year, as this report was dropped on the MoFPED web page today. Even if the Report was spelled out in December 2016. It is if like the NRM didn’t want this to spelled out early. Since the numbers aren’t compelling of an arts piece, more issues… just take a look!
“The stock of total public debt grew from US$ 7.2 billion at the end of June 2015 to US$ 8.4 billion in June 2016. This represents an increase from 30.6% of GDP to 33.8% over the two periods. The increase was largely on account of external debt, which grew from US$ 4.4 billion to US$ 5.2 billion over the period. Domestic debt increased from US$ 2.8 billion to US$ 3.2 billion” (MoFPED, P:V, 2016).
That the debt are growing quick, as the public debt grew with US$ 1.2 billion, that the percentage of GDP went up with 3,2%, the external debt rose with US$ 0.8 billion and the Domestic debt went up US$ 0.4 billion. All of these numbers show the amount of monies that the Government are adding on their debt, as the UNRA and the development projects are suspended by World Bank. So the Infrastructure development can be questioned as the growing debt, as the government must have other uses of the growing and scaled up debt. Since the transparency of the economy isn’t there and that the sanctioned bills comes from the State House. Just look at the growing interest rates as well.
“Interest Payment as a percentage of GDP stood at 2.2% as at end June 2016, up from 1.9% as at June 2015. The increase is largely explained by interest payments on domestic debt, which grew from Shs 1,077 billion in FY2014/15 to 1,470 billion in FY2015/16. There was a significant increase in the weighted average interest rate of Government debt; from 5.9% to 6.5% in June 2015/16. This followed increases in the weighted interest rates for both domestic and external debt, from 13.6% to 15.3% for domestic debt and from 0.9% to 1.2% external debt. As interest rates increase, so do the debt service obligations of Government” (MoFPED, P: 4, 2016).
The difference between June 2015 and June 2016 the percentage has grown with 0.3%, the domestic interest rate grew with Shs. 0.393 billion. The Interest rate alone went up by percentage 0.6%, as the weighted interest rates went up 1.7%. The key sentence that the report wrote and I repeat: “As interest rates increase, so do the debt service obligations of Government”.
That idea isn’t only on the interest payment percentages are running higher, but as the debt goes up, the interests goes up. So the Debt Service Obligations are going up for the Government. This is a natural outcome, that the obligations for the state goes up with the amount of debt it rises. So the government can try to portray this is controlled, and to one extent it is under control. Still, the growth in this regard proves that the NRM regime are pilling up debt and increasing their debt, as well as interests. In the end this will make the state worse. Especially knowing that the energy dams have been built poorly and many of the expensive roads haven been fruitful. This is development that the growing debt is being used to…
So the NRM regime and the Ugandan government isn’t believable… the rise of debt and interests show’s the current state of affairs. Even if the percentage is after plan, the government still has to take charge and make sure they can pay back both the debt and interests. Peace.
Reference:
Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) – ‘DEBT SUSTAINABILITY
ANALYSIS REPORT 2015/16’