How Besigye’s walking legs fell down Museveni

When the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Dr. Kizza Besigye started the walk to work campaigns months after being defeated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the February 2011 Uganda Elections everyone thought it was a joke.

Even people within the FDC circles including the Crème de la crème like Gen. Mugisha Muntu was highly opposed to it because he though it was just a joke although he later joined when the winds of change finally directed him to follow the direction of the winning strategy.

Dr. Besigye (middle)

Outside Uganda, some people like Jerry Okungu – a respected East African Columnist could not even understand how a respected opposition party president like Dr. Kizza Besigye could shame himself to that level by participating in the highly demeaning protest.

The walk to work, walk to pray campaign started as a very simple thing with Dr. Besigye and a few of his aides walking from his home area in Kisangani to the FDC party offices in Najjanankumbi – a Kampala suburb.

The reasons for walking were simply to push the Uganda government under president Museveni reduce the prices of basic commodities like fuel and also protest the fraudulent elections which handed victory to the NRM government.

Soon Dr. Besigye was joined by thousands some within the NRM and security circles called crooks, thieves, terrorists, economic saboteurs and all kinds of bad names.

The small walk to work protest soon turned into a big international riot attracting international media networks like Al-Jazeera and BBC.

Significant foreign missions like the US and European Union embassies started criticizing the Uganda government for violently cracking down on the protestors.

Professional bodies like the Uganda law society, Uganda Womens Network, teachers and other signification organizations like Kampala City Traders Association joined the protests.

The walk to work exposed the weaknesses of the ‘immortal and visionary’ president Museveni and his government to an extent that even people within NRM have started directly attacking the president without any fear.

Everyone knows how a whole senior presidential advisor John Nagenda rebuked the president in broad day light in the media without even the government rebuffing the criticisms; it was only the insignificant presidential press secretary Tamale Mirundi (he meets the president only twice a year) who made his usual noise that Nagenda is out of favor.

Mike Mukula NRM Vice president for Eastern Uganda who is also a former minister seemed never concerned with the wikileaks releases which were highly critical of the president.

A top Kampala NRM cadre and MP for Kampala Central Muhammed Nsereko and a host of other NRM ‘rebel’ MPs have become more critical than the people within the opposition and no one seems to have capacity to silence them. It was only president Museveni who recently made threatening remarks against the ‘rebel’ MP’s which ended in a dustbin.

The walk to work protests have thoroughly exposed the Museveni regime, weakened it that people within NRM have started fighting themselves for power. The battle now is who is going to replace Museveni, former VP Gilbert Bukenya is in prison because he seemed to challenge Amama Mbabazi for the presidency.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa and Government Chief Whip John Nasasira are soon joining ‘Mahogany’ in Luziira so that Mbabazi remains the only single candidate in the queue for the presidency.

Power has already slipped away from President Museveni because he no longer controls the parliament, his son Muhoozi has failed to control the army, the economy is in shambles and his days are surely very, very numbered.

What began a simple walk to work campaign will soon fall a whole sitting long serving Ugandan president who was right to remark that guns can never dislodge him from power but simple things like Dr. Besigye’s walking legs might actually do the magic!

Why NATO doesn’t want to kill Gadhaffi

As I write this, the former Libyan rebels now, NTC government of Libya are soon declaring victory over Sirte – Ghaddafi’s hometown, Bani Walid and Sabha cities. But trust me, the battle for Libya is not yet over, this is just the beggining.

The former African strongman is no longer in control of the vast oil resources of Libya but he is not yet dead, still in control of vast weaponry hidden in the vast Libyan desert, still has the money to sustain an armed rebellion for years and still very stubborn as usual.

Libyan Rebels

NATO entered the Libyan conflict because of its vast oil interests and nothing else and for those who still doubt this should ask themselves why the Western powers have not intervened to save the Syrian people (Syria has no oil).

Almost the whole of Libya has been liberated by the NTC from the dictatorship of Col. Ghadaffi. However, a stable Libya which will not keep on its knees to continue begging for NATO military support is a threat to Western oil interests.

Western governments who intervened to ensure the fall of Col. Ghadaffi are interested in a weak government to ensure the permanent presence of the Western Military to protect their oil interests.

Suprisingly, Western governments have been in bed with the Libyan strongman massaging themselves. The recent discovery of secret rendition papers on the former Ghaddafi’s spy chief offices in Tripoli showed strong collaboration between the Libyan government and Western governments spy agencies. Ghaddafi government had even started giving lucrative oil contracts to western owned oil companies which was a strong sign of increased cooperation.

Now, out of the blue, the western countries through their armed wing called NATO turned against the Libyan strongman and went on the side of the anti-Ghaddaffi forces.

Why this turn of events? At the beginning of the Benghazi protests in Libya, USA and the European imperialists has already seen that the revolutionalists were going to win the battle for Libya although it would take years because they were already in possession of vast weaponry acquired from the Benghazi Military bases they had already captured.

Although Ghaddafi is weakened, he is the only person who can give headache to the NTC government so that they can always seek NATO’s military help.

NATO might even be having strong intelligence information of Col. Gadhaffi’s whereabouts but can not kill him to protect its interests. Dont even be suprised at one time in future to find NATO aiding the escape of Ghaddafi and some of his close associates incase NTC forces try to capture him.

To further prove this, NATO recently allowed a heavily armed convoy of 250 Ghaddafi vehicles to cross to Niger without being hit. Such weapons in possession of the highly stubborn desert fighters called the Tuareg tribe will cause havoc to the Libyan government.

Provided Ghaddafi remains stubborn and keeps a weak NTC government will will always be on its knees for NATO's military help but does not pose threats to oil exploration in Libya, he will still remain relevant to Western powers oil interests and therefore, they will do what it takes to keep him alive.

Why the battle to save Uganda’s Mabira forest is so fierce

In 2007, attempts to cut down the forest for sugarcane growing by the wealthy Madhvani family paralyzed the city for days in street protests that claimed the lives of three people.

In 2011, the battle lines have already been drawn again and both sides are not ready for any compromises including the Ruling party Members of Parliament who are deeply opposed to their president on Forest Give away.

Mabira Forest

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has insisted that no amount of resistance will stop him from giving the forest to Mehta Group for sugarcane growing because to him, it will create more jobs and reduce the sugar prices.

Environmentalists and opposition groups are also prepared for a battle because according to them, cutting down the forest will distort the ecological system of the area and lead to severe environmental degradation.

The local people are also not ready to allow the forest go because they use it to get their highly needed local herbs and firewood especially on weekends when the management of the forest allows them to visit the forest.

Recently, I was listening to a Mabira Forest debate on a Fort Portal based radio (Western Uganda) and I heard an interesting contribution from a person in the Rwenzori Mountain ranges who was against the selling of Mabira Forest.

To him selling Mabira forest will lead to the selling of other national forests, game reserves and even national parks to ‘investors’ including the national forests in the Rwenzori Mountain ranges.

He added that selling Rwenzori forest will destroy their beautiful streams they depend on for clean water. For starters, Rwenzori Mountain is the highest and biggest mountain in Uganda. The Mountain has a glacier which is slowly melting as a result of global warming.  

Since Uganda president has been depending on the local grass root people for support, their opposition to President Museveni’s on the Mabira Forest give away moreover for free to a wealthy Indian family and the presidents insistence to give away the forest will likely breed more chaos and may lead to his final downfall.

 

No joblessness anymore for East Africa's academic Giant Alimuni

Mak VC - Prof.Venasius Baryamureeba

Jobless students from East African Academic giant (Makerere University) will have less worries after the introduction of vocational trainings for its alimuni.

The development will also give President Museveni some relief since unemployment has been one of the reasons for the popularity of the “walk to work” protests.

Big ups to Prof.Venasius Baryamureeba and all the Makerere University Staff for such a timely helping hand.

CAUTION!!! Only 15 graduates will be admitted annually and opportunities limited to a few departments.

Click here for more.

As you crack down the media, be sensitive to the needs of the rural poor

In July 2005, the Ugandan Parliament passed “The Access to Information Act, 2005” granting all people to access and share relevant and up todate information of public interest to anyone without intimidation.

However, access to reliable and timely information and knowledge sharing on public accountability especially in rural communities is still a neglected issue and remains an exclusive privilege for the elite and urban population.

Elected leaders try to silence voices who try to exercise their freedom of expression and information access rights especially, rural journalists and human rights defenders because they are deemed ‘enemies of the state’ since they empower the local people with appropriate information to demand for public accountability from their leaders for better service delivery which at the end exposes the ill’s of the government.

Both local and central government leaders have exploited the ignorance of the people who are not empowered with appropriate information to put their leaders to account as an advantage to exploit the rural population by just being “rhetoric and politicking” in addition to swindling public resources especially in awarding contracts. The rural Kabarole and Bundibugyo districts, were ranked among the most corrupt districts in Uganda (Rwenzori Anti-Corruption Coalition, RAC: Report 2009) because of poor accountability resulting from an ignorant rural population.

When it comes to marginalized groups like the rural women and youth’s, the situation has been aggravated. This has continued to render elections of leaders in the country irrelevant because leaders have failed to address real development issues like access to better markets, health services, unemployment and improving the standards of education in the country hence creating friction between government leaders and the local people as manifested by the recent “walk to work,” campaigns by the opposition.

When Ugandans went for multi-party primary elections in August 2010 and thereafter, general presidential, parliamentary and local government leaders’ elections in early 2011. The rural people who are the majority clearly manifested lack of capacity to make appropriate choices based on issues of good leadership with accountability because of ignorance and fear. They were compromised with mere “hand outs” to buy their votes as admitted by both local and international election observers.

Individuals and civil society activists who volunteer to share such information are even intimidated by opportunistic politicians, curtailing the realization of a community that is well informed, knowledgeable and empowered, democratic, wealthier and responsible for her own development processes.

In 2008, The Fort Portal based Life FM Radio transmitter was burnt down because it hosted a radio program called Twerwaneho which was deemed “critical to the establishment.” The moderator and panelists were also suspended indefinitely and arrested on charges of defamation, inciting violence, and creating public anger against the government which case, they later won. The radio program covered issues of human rights, public accountability and good governance aimed at holding public leaders more accountable.

Therefore, its is important that the government of Uganda desists from intimidating and stopping journalists from reporting information which exposes the ill’s of the leadership to avoid breeding corruption which leads to poor service delivery.

Radio stations rush to music concerts as competition rages

As the number of radio stations increase in Uganda, competition for advertisement revenues has stiffened and survival is becoming more difficult. Some have had to cut the number of staff, reduce salaries and phase out expensive programming. Others have come up with innovative initiatives such as music concerts, which attract some revenues and increase their listernership.

Chameleon performing at CBS Ekitobeero

With increased investments in telecommunication companies manufacturing industries, educational institutions and financial institutions among others, the fight for radio advertisement revenues is becoming stiff day by day.

Worse still, radios stations are competing for advertisement revenues with other media institutions like TV stations, newspapers, outside advertising and websites.

In 1994 when the government liberalized the media only 3 (three) known local radio stations were operating which included; Radio Uganda (which is government owned), Capital Radio and Radio Sanyu, but today there over 200 radio stations in the country. 

According to the 2008 report on the status of the communication Market by the Uganda Communication Commission, the number of private FM frequencies issued had risen to 200 with 173 of them already operational. Another 27 FM stations have been assigned frequencies but are not yet on air.

To survive in the market and continue making profits, radio stations especially in Kampala (with the biggest concentration) have diversified their activities and started organizing Music concerts. The concerts are attended by thousands because they attract popular musicians like Chameleon, Bobi Wine and Bebe Cool among others. 

In addition to gate collections, the Music Concerts also attract sponsorship deals because of the big crowds they attract which can be exploited by business companies to promote their products.

Central broadcasting services (CBS), Simba FM and recently Beat FM have been organizing music concerts dubbed Ekitobero, Ekiguunda Kyo Mwaka and Oluwombo respectively.

Beat FM events promotions coordinator Ruth Wanyana denies that the shows are meant for profits, “Oluwombo concert isn’t aimed at making profits, the money generated from the event is given to Beat FM radio presenters and organizers who came up the idea. The concert is aimed at rewarding loyal listeners and to expand our listenership.”

“Many people are curious to listen to a radio station, which organizes such a big concert, at the end of the day they get hooked up forever.” Wanyana says.

She adds that in July 29, 2007 when beat FM organized its first show at Nakivubo stadium dubbed Oluwombo. It attracted 35,000 people, each paid 5,000 shillings and enough profits were made (although she refuses to state the real amount).

As a result of the show Wanyana says, Beat FM was ranked as the most listened radio station in greater Kampala region (which includes; Kampala district and the surrounding districts of Mukono, Wakiso, Mpigi and Mityana) by the Steadman group in a study conducted in 2007.

CBS FM commercial events manager Kevin Zziwa also denies that the music concerts are meant for only making profits but largely a Public relations event for the radio station, “the event (Ekitoobero) is meant to celebrate CBS anniversary, reward loyal listeners and show the popularity of CBS FM because of the numbers it attracts for the concerts (more than 50,000 people according to Zziwa) so that advertisers can be brought on board.”

He adds, that the concert makes some profits through gate collections and sponsorship deals but a lot of it is used for social responsibility activities, “sponsorship deals by Jomayi properties, Samona products and Nile Breweries accounts for over 40% of the revenues but most of the profits is used for doing social projects in Buganda Kingdom like support to education which include; donations to Muteesa 1 Royal University and construction of Wobulenzi Public School in Luweero among others."

CBS was the first radio station to come up with the idea; it was followed by Simba FM, Radio West and lately Beat FM. CBS has come up with another concert dubbed Enkuka ya CBS egalawo omwaka which takes place every 31^st of December at Lubiri in Kampala.

Zziwa says the new concert is more popular than Ekitoobero because the number of people, who attend, doubles or triples the number which attends Ekitoobero. This means more profits.

I am predicting a Somali Libya

I am not a prophet of doom, everyone can see the mayhem a leader is unleashing to his people because of the greed for power after a brutal 42 years eating, enjoying the company of the Ukrainian nurses and Ugandan Queen mothers.

Libya is an Arab country located in North Africa bordering two Arab countries of Tunisia and Egypt which have just experienced revolutionary waves which toppled their two long-serving dictatorial presidents.

Libya and Somalia are quite different countries because unlike Libya, Somalia is a country made up of one tribe but with so many different clans. Libya has more than 140 tribes and considered one of the most tribal nations in the Arab world. One similar thing about the two countries is the political influences exerted by their different tribes and clans.

Where things have reached now, Muammar Qaddafi looks not ready to hand over his sweet chair to the protesters. Mind you, Qaddafi also commands a lot of respect among his tribesmen therefore, he looks set to control his own tribe as the country breaks down into chaos where the ground looks well set for a principle of every tribe on its own and God for us all!

Tribal Chief Brother Qaddafi

All statements made by the embattled Libyan leader shows that he is simply not going anywhere, his own son predicted a civil war should the protests continue.

He no longer cares for the Libyan people as he has ordered his military to bomb and fire live bullets on the protesters.

Qaddafi has gone ahead to release Islamists political prisoners to unleash terror on his own people and also hired foreign mercenaries.

All the terror he has unleashed on his people will take him to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face life imprisonment if he dares leave the country. As a proud Arab dictator, there is absolutely no doubt that the Libyan dictator will fight on until the last bullet rather than stand to be humiliated by Moreno Ocampo.

He insistence on power will embroil the whole country into a stateless state and highly divided on tribal grounds which will be headed by tribal warlords including Qaddafi himself.