
“Frank Sobotka: You know what the trouble is, Brucey? We used to make shit in this country, build shit. Now we just put our hand in the next guy’s pocket” (The Wire – ‘Bad Dreams’ S2E11, 2003).
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has used lobbyist and paid representation in Washington D.C. since 1992. They have hired K-Street lawyers and lobbyist to fight for their causes. To get favourable coverage and also spread “information” to Congress members in both the House and Senate.
On that has represented Museveni and the Government of Uganda (GoU) for years is Joseph Szlavik of the Scribe Strategies & Advisors, Inc. The registration in FARA registry shows that his still representing and working for the interests of Uganda in the United States of America.
In 2021 he got two payments in June for his work as “compensation”. He earned USD$ 141,000. If you convert that Ugandan Shillings he was paid about UGX 507 million shillings.
In 2021 he sent dozens of emails to Representatives with the sole purpose of a “Meeting request for the Ambassador of Uganda”. He had two in-person meetings with Congressmen Earl Leroy Carter and John Kato. While holding a dinner event with the members of congress on the 24th June 2021 with Steve Chabot, Maria Elvira Salazar, Andy Barr and Claudia Tenny. He was also able to have a lunch meeting with Congressmen Chris Smith on the 26th July. While one man was willing to meet the Ugandan Ambassador in person, that was Senator Ted Cruz on the 29th July. The others who got emails didn’t do that and the list was endless in the filing. So, Szlavik is sending 100s of emails without any results, which is billed to the Government of Uganda.
So, the state is willing to pay over 100,000 USD for sending emails and such. With very little results. He is a professional lobbyist, but the results seems weak. It is like his emails are getting into the spam-folder and not touched. Since, his filling of 2021 emails to get Congressmen and Senators to meet the Ambassador was pages after pages, but only one registered meeting in person with ambassador and a few lunch meetings. That is barely anything substantial.
This is just like when the Baltimore Dock Union leader Frank Sobotka in the fictional tale of The Wire paid lobbyist Bruce DiBiago to get another pier and dry-dock by bribing politicians. The Union was paying this money to the lobbyist, but there was no results. Only that the lobbyist was paid and no results to show for it. Even in the end of the Wire season. Instead of getting the results and upgrade the port needed. It instead got turned into a condominium, meaning private housing and not furthering the attraction of the port. Which means the whole payments of the lobbyist was wasted and not bare any fruits what so ever.
Just like that fictional tale… Szlavik is the same in regard to Uganda. His getting paid, but clearly working and achieving very little. I cannot remember any of the Congressmen or that the prominent Senator Ted Cruz doing anything for the betterment of Uganda. To the contrary the United States government and their authorities are starting to sanction and make things harder for the regime in Kampala. Therefore, Szlavik has a lot of purpose, but very little to show for it. Peace.











