UPC internal Divisions are affecting the IPC

23 Aug 2010 54 Comments

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, FDC, IPC, Politics, UPC current politics

Dear readers,

Those UPC supporters who say that nobody within the party is against Olara Otunu, I believe they are just in denial and anybody can see it. There is a section of UPC supporters that dont want Otunu in Uganda House and they could do anything to boot him out, but they are making a mistake, actually a big mistake. This group came up with an excuse that Dr.Otunu’s election as UPC President was in violation of the party constitution, but if we flip the coins: assuming James Akena had won that election, would they still be crying over spoilt milk? The answer is ‘no’. Therefore, i ask James Akena again to come out and distance himself from the group working to bring Otunu down because this is gonna affect UPC in both the short and long term. There are no two ways about it.

Coutesy of John Nsubuga ( member of UAH forum)

The fact of the matter is that the two oldest political parties in Uganda are split into two factions. The Kampala DP faction is understandably and openly working against the Mao factions. There is also DP faction headed by Alhajji Nasser Sebagala which the EC refused to register. Then there is one headed by Mabike which he called the Social Democratic Party (SDC), and it was registered by the EC. Nevertheless, SDC is now part of the IPC.

The Kampala group headed by Sam Lubega is so bitter with Mao such that they will never stop working against his downfall. I understand Mao and his party machine have now summoned some of these members to appear in front of the disciplinary Committee but this is like adding salt to the wounds. The worst that the Mao group can do is to officially expel all those working with Sam Lubega from the party but will this solve Mao’s problems? I dont think so. It will be the beginning of an open warfare which even the DP elders will find difficult to contain. Lubega has got some followers in UYD as is Mao. So we are likely to see these battles throughout the elections and afterwards.

On the other hand, the UPC faction with no address is clandestinely working against Dr.Otunu. This is an open secret. The UPC faction with no address is the one that was against UPC joining the IPC and they are Oboteists. For them, without Obote’s ghost or his son or family member, there is no UPC, and probably that’s what was broken in the UPC constitution by Dr.Otunu. The legitimate faction headed by Dr.Otunu is pro-IPC but it has got some elements fighting Otunnu within, yet we are less than 190 days away to the 2011 elections. As a result, Otunu has been confused by some elements in his party such that he has not yet picked the nomination forms for the IPC flag bearer. If Otunu eventually decided to pull out of the IPC then it will be a big victory to the Akena group or his enemies. Let him soldier on: pick the nomination forms and then support Dr. Kiiza Besigye as the IPC flag bearer.

Seriously, how can a party be divided internally and still think they can chip any votes off NRM in 2011? DP is in a mess as i write this and so is UPC. By the time, they sort out this mess; probably the 2011 elections would be over. That is why I request both DP and UPC members to rally behind FDC’s Dr.Kiiza Besigye, regardless of their party positions, such that the opposition at least gains something in the upcoming elections. We may pretend as much as we want but Dr.Besigye is the best ticket for the opposition right now. I was impressed that Andrew Mwenda of the Independent has so far written two consecutive articles concluding with the same thing.

Let me leave you with a message posted on my blog from one of the most respected elders in UPC. Probably, you will understand what I’m talking about. It was posted on April 21, 2010 at 12:52 am:

”Semuwemba,The fact of the matter is UPC is split and no amount of trying to explain the split away in terms of Jimmy Akena misleading the people of Lango will help Otunnu. As WBK said earlier, in a large measure it is the people leading Akena and not the other way round. An example is what happened just before Otunnu went to Lira. Akena was told in no uncertain terms that he would open a major flood gate into NRM by merely standing near Otunnu. That is the reason you never saw Akena besides Otunnu in Lira, much as Lira Municipality is Akena’s constituency. Later when Otunnu met the elders in Lira they told him they would not accept Akena to hold sinecure offices in Otunnu’s cabinet.

Semuwemba, let me tell you: it is simply resources which is holding us up from opening a rival office to that Otunnu in Kampala. And let me assure you, were such an office to be opened, you would see a flood of UPCs flocking to that office and not 6th floor Uganda House.” Yoga Adhola.

Byebyo ebyange. Abagala okuwuliliza muwulilize


–
Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba
Blogs:
http://ugandansatheart.wordpress.com/
http://semuwemba.wordpress.com/
http://ekitibwakyabuganda.wordpress.com/
http://ugandamuslims.wordpress.com/

A letter from the head of the Commonwealth Observer Group to Paulo Muwanga

02 Aug 2010 2 Comments

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, Obote and UPC, UPC current politics

A letter from the head of the Commonwealth Observer Group to Paulo Muwanga.  Among other things, it raises concern about the UPC rigging in West Nile (top of page 2):

SUBMITTED BY MR.OTTO PATRICK (UAH FORUMIST)

IPC Should not Boycourt Elections but Increase Parliamentary Numbers

22 May 2010 8 Comments

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, FDC, federalism in Uganda, parliament, Politics, Presidency, Uncategorized, UPC current politics

Dear readers,

I will never support anybody who boycotts elections in Africa because our African dictators don’t care whether the opposition is involved or not. As the Baganda say: ‘OMUZIZI AZIMBYA TWE NGA TWELILA‘. President Museveni will be so happy if the opposition boy courts the 2011 elections and I’m one of those who hate the kind of opposition that keeps a smile on his face. It’s actually one of the painful reasons why I have got a problem with Bwana Mao Norbert at the moment because his entrance into the presidential race has kept president Museveni smiling all the time. I’m totally sure that president Museveni has been smiling ever since Mao was elected as president of one the DP factions.

Mao knows that he cannot singlehandedly win the 2011 elections but I assume he is looking at 2016 where he assumes that he will have more political capital compared to his opponents. But I want to remind Ugandans that whatever will be happening in 2011 presidential elections will be the same story in 2016 when Major General Muhoozi(1st son) gets endorsed to become the NRM flag bearer. The only difference in 2016 will be that gates will be opened to all ambitious young men and women who wish to drive Uganda forward as most of the oldies will retire. For instance, FDC’s Anne Mugisha has already declared herself  available for the FDC Presidential post , but I expect Major Mugisha Muntu to be around the scene again after losing out twice to Dr.Besigye. I also expect Winnie Byanyima to enter the race to succeed her husband as FDC president. So 2016 will be a very interesting year for many of us inishallah.

Nevertheless, Mao is being naive to think that he will be the only youths, if being youth means being in late 50s, who will be shinning in 2016. I know for sure that within DP itself, Erias Lukwago, has got presidential ambitions, and I’m still wondering why he did not stand for DP president in the recently concluded delegates conference. I guess it was because he takes the Mbale conference to have been organized illegally since it was not called by NEC. Among NRM, like I have already said, Major General Muhoozi, will be on the scene whether Ugandans like it or not. In UPC, we expect James Akena(Obote’s son) to bounce back though I don’t see him ever becoming the boss of that party in my life time, because UPC is rebranding itself away from Oboteists. So I will throw my coin on more youthful faces, like Robert Kanusu and others abroad.

As for 2011, as long as Norbert Mao is still playing in the hands of Museveni, the IPC should concentrate instead on increasing their numbers in parliament rather than wasting time on an already rigged presidential election. I think everybody can see it now that Mao has already helped Museveni win the 2011 elections. Those who are dreaming of a rerun should forget it. What Ugandans need to do is to punish bwana Mao in future when he starts knocking on their doors asking for votes.

For the meantime, I request all the IPC leaders who are still interested in politics to find a constituency to stand for parliament, with the exception of whoever will be chosen as the IPC flag bearer for 2011. This will help them increase their numbers in parliament after the 2011 elections. Personally, I would like Dr.Besigye to be the IPC flag bearer such that we say good bye to him for the last time, and we also expect him to use his popularity to  help the IPC candidates in all local elections to be held. Therefore, Let Olara Otunnu(UPC), Kibirige Mayanja(JEEMA), Ken Lukyamuzi(CP) and Michael Mabikke(SDP) all go and stand for parliament somewhere. Actually, they should be already on the road campaigning in their respective constituencies because there is no time.

Meanwhile, i wish the Mengo administration finds a way to work with the IPC to sort out the candidates needed to stand in Buganda. Mengo should not do a Mao on IPC to work alone- because that will turn out to be constly for them. These things need a lot of money and a strong network for any candidate to succeed and that’s why Mengo needs to combine forces with the IPC. Mengo should secretly contact the IPC leaders to sort this out as soon as possible.They should all work together like they have done in Mukono north elections where Nambooze was endorsed by both the IPC and Mengo. Obviously, there are going to be some stumbling blocks like Beti Kamya who has got some personal wars to settle with some leaders of the IPC, but this can be sorted out amicably. Somebody needs to whsiper in Kamya’s ear not to ‘rock the boat’ for selfish reasons. We have seen enough of selfish politicians in the kast couple of years.

Byebyo banange

Abbey

Both DP and UPC are split into factions and therefore need to rally behind Besigye

22 Apr 2010 14 Comments

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, FDC, Obote and UPC, Politics, Presidency, UPC current politics

Dear readers,

Those UPC supporters who say that nobody within the party is against Olara Otunu, i believe they are just in denial and anybody can see it. There is a section of UPC supporters that dont want Otunu in Uganda House and they could do anything to boot him out, but they are making a mistake, a big mistake. This group has come up with an excuse that Dr.Otunu’s election as UPC President was in violation of the party constitution, but of we flip the coins: assuming James Akena had won that election, would they still be crying over spoilt milk? Therefore, James Akena has got to come out and distance himself from the group working to bring Otunu down because this is gonna affect UPC in both the short and long term. There are no two ways about it.

The fact of the matter is that the two oldest political parties in Uganda are split into two factions. The Kampala DP faction is understandably and openly working against the Mao factions. There is also DP faction headed by Alhajji Nasser Sebagala which the EC refused to register. Then there is one headed by Mabike which he called the Social Democratic Party (SDC), and it was registered by the EC. Nevertheless, SDC has applied to join the IPC.

On the other hand, the UPC faction with no address is clandestinely working against Dr.Otunu. This is an open secret, bruv. The UPC faction with no address is the one that was against UPC joining the IPC and they are Oboteists. For them, without Obote’s ghost or his son or family member, there is no UPC, and probably that’s what was broken in the UPC constitution by Dr.Otunu. The legitimate faction headed by Dr.Otunu is pro-IPC but it has got some elements fighting Otunnu within, yet we are 10 months away to the 2011 elections.

Seriously, how can a party be divided internally and still think they can chip any votes off NRM in 2011? DP is in a mess as i write this and so is UPC. By the time, they sort out this mess; probably the 2011 elections would be over. That is why I request both DP and UPC members to rally behind FDC’s Dr.Kiiza Besigye for the meantime such that the opposition at least gains something in the upcoming elections. We may pretend as much as we want but Dr.Besigye is the best ticket for the opposition right now. I was impressed that Andrew Mwenda of the Independent has so far written two consecutive articles concluding with the same thing.

Let me leave you with a message posted on my blog from one of the most respected elders in UPC. Probably, you will understand what I’m talking about. It was posted on April 21, 2010 at 12:52 am:

”Semuwemba,The fact of the matter is UPC is split and no amount of trying to explain the split away in terms of Jimmy Akena misleading the people of Lango will help Otunnu. As WBK said earlier, in a large measure it is the people leading Akena and not the other way round. An example is what happened just before Otunnu went to Lira. Akena was told in no uncertain terms that he would open a major flood gate into NRM by merely standing near Otunnu. That is the reason you never saw Akena besides Otunnu in Lira, much as Lira Municipality is Akena’s constituency. Later when Otunnu met the elders in Lira they told him they would not accept Akena to hold sinecure offices in Otunnu’s cabinet.

Semuwemba, let me tell you: it is simply resources which is holding us up from opening a rival office to that Otunnu in Kampala. And let me assure you, were such an office to be opened, you would see a flood of UPCs flocking to that office and not 6th floor Uganda House.” Yoga Adhola.

Byebyo ebyange. Abagala okuwuliliza muwulilize

Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba

Kasubi frames was a cruel act towards Buganda and Uganda but let’s not speculate

18 Mar 2010 19 Comments

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, Buganda, culture, media in Uganda, Obote and UPC, UPC current politics

Museveni angry at those speculating

People,
What happened at Kasubi was a cruel act towards Buganda and Uganda.Let’s hope that the investigators will find the arsonists this time to put a cap on the speculation going on.Obviously, anybody can understand people’s anger towards the government and Museveni because of what has been happening between Buganda and NRM recently, but we should not speculate on this one please. Anybody could have done this!

The TV people were unfair to show Mwami Ssebunya(presidential advisor on Buganda) taking cover after a few shots were fired yet they didn’t  do  the same when president Museveni arrived at the scene. How come the media never produced a video when the PGB were firing shots at people that resulted into 3 deaths.Some of us wanted to see the president’s body language when faced with this kind of animosity from the people he leads.They also didnt show Besigye on the scene which automatically portrays the current imbalance in the media reporting in Uganda. Leaders nolonger feel secure around their people and this is interesting considering the fact that we gonna have an election next year. Overall, what happened at Kasubi was very bad and it should be investigated. Please watch the following videos to make your own analysis of events:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRakxvxp0QQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e2nUGKn438&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrUvJR4ZFGc&feature=channel

I would also like to thank UPC for not voting for Mr.Akena James as their president because i  didn’t know where to place him after watching the following video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXoHbA5v214&NR=1. Akena was almost trying to tell us that NRM is the same as the old UPC, an assessment we appreciate, but he also justified his father’s actions during 1966 crisis. I wonder what Mr.Olara Otunnu has got to say about this considering that he is keeping Mr.Akena as his Vice Chairman. Yes,Dr.Otunnu wants to reconcile the party and that’s why he is keeping Miria Obote’s old team but he should try to get rid of the bad apples when the right time comes. Mr. James Akena and Mr. Joseph Ochieno will predictably give him a hard time if he is not very careful. So i suggest he drops them in future after bonding most of the party members or executive. If UPC needs rebranding, it needs to get rid of some of these characters with time. Dr.Otunnu needs to take UPC to another level and he should try to make peace with Buganda by openly listing the mistakes UPC made while in power, including that of 1966.If he does that, I’m sure such scenes as blocking him from entering the Kasubi tombs, may not happen again.Baganda will slowly give him a chance.

I’m again saying this as a concerned Ugandan citizen.

Byebyo ebyange

–
Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba
Blogs:
http://ugandansatheart.wordpress.com/
http://semuwemba.wordpress.com/
http://ekitibwakyabuganda.wordpress.com/

Sedition charges started with Obote and Museveni just polished it

10 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, 2010-2011 elections, Buganda, kingdoms, luwero war after 1980 'theft', Obote and UPC, UPC current politics

Sedition charges did not start with president museveni as he learnt that from one of his predecessors, Dr. Milton Obote. Journalists and the media were some of the biggest casualties of the government’s sensitivity to criticism during Obote and now Museveni. Pro-baganda newspapers like the economy had a breather after the fall of Amin but things started getting tougher afterwards. Obote also got tougher on foreign journalists who had had freedom under Lule and Binaisa. Many newspapers like the weekly topic were closed down by government officials under obote 2. Anthony Sekweyama, the editor of the main Luganda newspaper, Mumansi, and two other employees of the paper were arrested in March and held for three weeks on sedition charges. They were released in mid-April, but the paper — which was the voice of the opposition, Democratic Party — did not reappear until the middle of May. Even the Chief Editor of the new Sunday edition of the government Uganda Times was detained after only editing two issues. The Obote government was apparently annoyed by an article criticising the US boycott of Libyan oil. Obote had turned his previous socialist policies on their head and had been hard at work courting Western investors. No doubt he did not wish them annoyed by a government paper. Surprisingly, Museveni’s paper: Resistance News of the NRM was left on the streets for a while-a point which strengthenes the argument of those who say that Obote always did undermine the strengths of Museveni from day one.

Museveni’s idea of the media centre headed by Robert Kabushenga did not come from the moon. Obote was the man who first introduced  Newspaper and Publications Act to lay down conditions for the starting of a newspaper or magazine in Uganda. Museveni’s media centre is an equivalent of Obote’s  Press Accreditation Committee (PAC) which had representatives from the Ministries of Information, Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs. Ugandan journalists wishing to send material to foreign sources had to be approved by the same body.

In addition,The throwing away of foreign journalists from Uganda did not start with Museveni as some people think. Four Western journalists who included: Christabel King, Nick Worrall, June Dechter and Bob Dietz, had their accreditation withdrawn before the December 1980 elections which brought Obote to power, mainly because they were considered unsympathetic to Obote. Then four other journalists resident in Kampala also had their press credentials withdrawn and these were: Cameron Morton (September 1981), Mark Lee (December 1981), Tom Lansner (November 1981) and Trent O’Keefe (January 1982). Visiting correspondents, including representatives of the Daily Telegraph and British Independent Television News, were also thrown out of Uganda. The Minister of Information at that time, Dr David Anyoti, said that only qualified and bona fide journalists were permitted to work in the country. He condemned freelance journalists as bent on ‘sensational and subjective journalism’ and condemned the foreign news media for using ‘second-rate yellow journalists’. Cameron Morton, for example, was put under house arrest and expelled immediately after reporting army massacres in the West Nile and Trent O’Keefe had his accreditation withdrawn a few days after a BBC report of the murder of five churchgoers by Ugandan troops during a Sunday service in Katiti village in Luwero district. Actually, any body telling you that the killing of Ugandans like bees in Luwero started with NRM is just kicking himself in the teeth.

MUSEVENI HAS ALMOST USED ALL PARTIES IN UGANDA

06 Mar 2010 4 Comments

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, Obote and UPC, Politics, Presidency, UPC current politics

Dear readers,

1. I agree  that Andrew Mwenda is a ‘premier league’ journalist in Uganda and all Ugandans are lucky to have him. It saddens me to see that brother Ahmed Katerega (Newvision)has decided to keep himself in the ‘Championship’ of journalism, and went for state-supportive journalism where a journalist is always reporting in favour of those in the corridors of power. Ahmed’s path may not be bad if the state is already stable politically and economically but Uganda has still got bigger problems that need the attention of journalists to expose them. In other words, Ahmed may die without playing the ‘champions League’ or winning any serious trophy as a journalist. However, if both Mwenda and Ahmed are to stand for a political office somewhere and I’m one of the voters, I may find myself voting for the latter (Ahmed) because I feel a bit closer to him. Brother Ahmed has been a rock for Ugandans at home and abroad by putting in his time to update and discuss with us on the important issues affecting our country. Some of the debates he is involved in have got nothing to do with NRMO or Museveni and we do appreciate it.

2. When I wrote one time that ‘Something has gone terribly wrong with the whole opposition and media processes, I meant the whole opposition including your UPC. Museveni duped a lot of people in 1980s in the name of fighting Obote though he had his own personal political and financial ambitions. This does not mean that I didn’t support his fights against Obote dictatorship. The truth is that the 1980 Museveni-Obote situation is like a poor neighbour who rescues you from an assassin in your compound when his (neighbour) inner intention is to create calmness in your house, get closer to your wife and kids and then repossess your house and everything in it. So Buganda had to be rescued from an assassin called Obote and UPC and therefore supported their neighbour, Museveni. So it is unjustifiable to blame those who supported Museveni in 1980s for his mistakes now.

3. If one is  analytical enough, one would have realised by now that Museveni has almost used  or duped everybody to stay in power this long:

A) NRM historicals: how many of them can even make it to the cabinet positions or influential NRMO organs. In the current cabinet, I think they may be about 5 or 6 ‘historicals’ remaining there.

B) DP: It was the first to form a coalition government with Museveni in 1986 with semo as internal affairs minister. Most of them started falling out with Museveni during CA when they realised what game the man was up to. So he kept the DP members who had embraced the movement 100% and got rid of those ones whose two legs were still in DP.

C) UPC: UPC would be history by now if Cecilia Ogwal had accepted to be Museveni’s VP as reported by the independent newspaper on 13/03/2009. In summary, Obote and UPC accepted to ally with Museveni against the rebellious Buganda during the CA because of Buganda’s continuous demand for federalism. Everything was sorted and the deal was just waiting implementation when Ogwal told Museveni that she was not willing to take on the VP job. This year, Museveni has come back for UPC again because this is the only place left for any political party to tap some desperate personnel. There are now about 6 UPC members in the current Museveni cabinet. Hope he doesn’t go for our Ochieno Joseph before 2011. Otherwise, I will not be surprised to start reading Ochieno’s messages with NRM in the introduction, body & conclusions. The article related to this is available on the internet: http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/insight/67-insight/659-upc-old-guards-taking-over-from-nrm-historicals

D) FDC and Buganda: Both have been used very well and now know Museveni better anybody else. So he is more afraid of them than any of the above parties.The founders of FDC were mainly former members of NRM. Secondly, wothout Buganda support, Museveni would probably not be the president of this country now.

Abbey

Why DP should never trust UPC and Museveni again

06 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, Buganda, Obote and UPC, Politics, UPC current politics

If I were DP, I would not go into any alliance with UPC alone without any other political party because they are the biggest political capital for museveni. So the idea of an Inter Party Cooperation(IPC) is good for DP as long as FDC,JEEMA and CP are there.

Everyone has played around with DP for a long time to make their ends meet but being used by UPC again will be unthinkable. When DP was formed, the Kabaka institution and others looked at it as a threat to their existence and that is how Kabaka went into an alliance with a ‘snake’ to fight DP. King Freddie himself explains this properly in his book: the Kabaka of Buganda, The Desecration of My Kingdom (London:Constable, 1967. He pointed out that the chief aim of the KY was to destroy the DP.

When the ‘snake’ finished biting the Kabaka, they went for DP and this reached a climax with the crossing of the floor by a number of DP members, led by Basil Bataringaya. Obote’s power was unquestionably established after this.

It should be noted that Museveni also managed to weaken DP by retaining a lot of their supporters in NRM after the marriage collapsed in 1996. People like Maria Mutagamba, Specioza Kazibwe,……….. never went back to DP after Semogerere fell out with Museveni in1996

Abbey

UPC must copy PKK and NRM by changing names

18 Jan 2010 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in 2010-2011 elections, Obote and UPC, Politics, UPC current politics

Dear UPC members,

I don’t know why you are so obscessed with the name UPC because its
associated with a lot of things in Uganda that makes some of us feel like we
have had dinner as chilli sauce and chilli burgers coupled with chilli
juice.  Names of parties are just political definitions which can change
with times. Some of the UPC ‘Generals’ have acknowledged that some Ugandanshave grown uncomfortable with the term. So it needs changing, as simple as
that.

NRMO did not start as NRMO.It has been changing with the times and that is
what i called rebranding the party.UPM was changed to Uganda Liberation
Movement when some UNLA soldiers joined them. Uganda Liberation Movementlater changed to MOSPOR(Movement for the Struggle for Political Rights)which later also changed to Peoples resistance Army(PRA)-more like a replicaof the alleged rebel organisation MBU started by Besigye in 2004. PRA laterunited with Uganda Freedom Fighters(UFF) of professor Lule to form NRM.

Museveni saw it necessary to unite with professor Yusuf Lule because he
needed the Baganda and some DP on board to fight the Obote dictatorship. He
therefore met Lule in Nairobi while Lule was residing at one of his
brother’s house.Lule’s brother is called Kabanda whom i personally know as a
relative though we aren’t friends. The bottom line here is that one
sometimes need to form alliances with others if one wants to achive
something.UPC need to cooperate with other opposition parties to fight
Museveni in the 2011 elections.The current IPC can compared to the alliance
NRM formed with the UFM(of Kayiira) and the UNRF when they met in London to form what is called Uganda Popular Front(UPF).

UPC therefore should not be afraid of changing its name and also joining the
IPC wholeheardetly because it is very necessary. By the way,It was also
rumored that MJ was considering changing the name of neverland to ‘Hardly
EverLand’ before he died. UPC can also out of ‘patriotism’ change ‘Uganda
House’ to ‘Uganda’s Taxpayers’ House’ because it was allegedly built using
tax payers’s money.

Political leaders have also changed their names dependimg on circumstances.
For instance, Russia’s Lenin  was once called Ulianov while Stalin  was once
called Dzygasgvuku. Probably, Hon Akena was wise not take Obote’s name on
board because it would have reminded some of us the ‘chilli’ dinners coupled
with gun shots in the evening.But who knows, Akena may change his name in
future to ‘Jimmy AKena Kalule’ because his mother is a Muganda.

Cities have also changed names because names are not religions as Mulindwa
wants us to believe. For instance, India’s Bombay was changed to Mumbai as
China’s Peking to Beijing , both reverting to the correct name from a
pre-colonial era.

Terrorist also do some rebranding when they want to join the ‘political
cake’. For instance,the terrorist group in northern Iraq, known until 2002
as the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) and then as the Kurdistan Freedom and
Democracy Congress (KADEK) changed its name to KONGRA-GEL because they realised that the former names were reminding people of ‘chilli’ dinners yet people want to continue eating their MATOOKE and KAWUNGA in peace.

*Byebyo munange*

Abbey

UPC failed the 1980 test and Exam

22 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, Obote and UPC, Politics, UPC current politics

  1. Both NEC and NCC were dominated by UPC people .
  2. Secondly,Nyerere was running the show in Uganda in post Amin administration and whoever acted against  his wishes was shown the way out. Lule was the 1st to be shown the way before Binaisa. Nyerere was Obote’s personal friend and he was somehow in control of the UNLF government or the military commission. When Binaisa removed Oyite Ojok from his position, he could not consult the NCC b’se he knew the majority were Obote’s men or UPC people.
  3.  The Museveni whom some people call strong in the NEC was not even around when Binaisa was being removed. He was not consulted at all b’se there was no need to consult him. He was a small fry in the pan by then. In any case, Binaisa knew that Museveni could not be trusted in the 1st place and he had demoted him to the ministry of regional cooperation from Defence. So they were not seeing things on the same page already.

 The 1980 elections were a political landmark in the country called Uganda and that’s where we will mostly pin UPC and Obote b’se they failed the 1980 test and exam.

It’s a chicken-and-egg thing, isn’t it? Dictators like Idi Amin,Obote ,Mugabe and Jean-Bedel Bokassa weren’t white guys imposed on African nations – but citizens of  Africa who rose to power through those nations’ “legitimate” political structures! Obote was born and bred in Uganda. He fed on politics. He knew what he was doing by stealing the 1980 election that it will set the country back. Amin was born and bred in Uganda. Museveni is also legally a Ugandan citizen supposedly bred in Uganda and he knows that rigging elections is not good but he does not care as long his party is in power with him as the president.

 On the other hand, the population is also to blame to an extent. Even people in the NRMO know that certain aspects of the electoral process aren’t right but nobody gives a monkey as long as NRMO wins and they retain their daily bread and butter. Unless this changes, we are going to see more rigging as if the 1980,2001,2006 election ‘thefts’ were not enough. The good thing is that all this rigging has been documented and it will be used as a reference as we sort out this mess in our country. What perturbs my mind is the continued denial of rigging by certain parts of the population like as if Uganda will end with Obote or UPC or Museveni. For instance, the documents I and Mr. Otto Patrick posted to the UAH forum with regard to the 1980 elections are genuine but you will find a certain part of the population passionately ready to kiss the hot flat iron just to say that they are forged. These are genuine documents and they will be part of the future reference for the future generation in regard to the 1980 election.Have people ever stopped wondering what Uganda would be like if DP had been given a chance to deservedly lead Uganda after the 1980 elections. The only thing people talk of the immediate war that was sparked after this election theft.The UPC people then continue to blame buganda and baganda for losing their power and these are signs of a selfish person.Very soon they will be asking for the independence of the north b’se that’s where UPC support is.Actually,Mao is steering the wheels towards that way.

 Therefore, I would say that both the leader and the population (party members) take the blame. This business of saying: ‘I eat chicken but not an egg is non starter’.

Byebyo ebyange

Abbey

Rwakasis’s freedon, Muwanga and Obote’s death and tittles was just UPC PR

22 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in luwero war after 1980 'theft', Obote and UPC, Politics, UPC current politics

Uganda house was allegedly built using tax payers' money

Rwakasisi should not be linked to our Nelson Mandela at all. Not every murderer or thief that pops out of  prison should be linked to Nelson Mandela. I think this was a simple PR by UPC which did not go down very well. I’m also happy that Rwakasisi announced not to involve himself in politics anymore because his involvement would have been the biggest injustice to the politics of Uganda in 2009.He has chosen to die a man of God and let me hope that he does not do a U turn and start ‘mubajjeling’ in politics as sheikh Mubajje is doing.

Surely the UPC wanted to use Rwakasisi’s freedom as a way to rejuvenate their party. That is why mama Miria rushed to call Rwakasisis a ‘Mandela’. UPC are very good at using painful situations to galvanise their party. They did it during Obote’s funeral. They also know very well how the death and funeral of their vice president Paulo Muwanga galvanised the party and brought it back from the limbo it had fallen into after the coup of July 1985.

However, Joseph Ochoeno is right about UPC playing a crucial role during apartheid. That is why Mandella very much wanted Museveni to make up with Obote before his death in Zambia. Mandella also invited Obote during his inauguration as president of South Africa. Mandela acknowledged Obote by name as one of the people who helped their struggle. Mandela also helped Obote with money while he was in exile in Zambia. Nyerere  was also friends with both Museveni and Obote and they both tried very hard to bring the two together but Museveni could have none of them could have any of it.

With due respect, What was Obote studying in Ethiopia to be called a DR? Obote was expelled from the University for organizing a food riot, and there are no records anywhere to indicate he ever studied for a medical degree, or a PhD in any field. So what is with this fixation of calling the man Dr.? I think I agree with Mr. Shyaka Kanuma , UNHCR (Rwanda) Media and Information Consultant when he said in 2005 that people who praise Obote all the time can be assumed to reflect some pathological inability  not to tell the whole truth. Have we ever heard of any UPC supporter or sympathiser coming up to say that Obote did A,B,C and D and therefore let us move on. It was only Omugeye Miria Kalule Obote who apologised in 2006 elections on behalf of UPC but she never told us what she was actually apologising for. That is why I have been asking Mr. Joseph Ochieno to give us a list of the things UPC was apologising for. By the way, Joseph promised to send us this list and we are still waiting.

Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba

United Kingdom

Note: Joseph Ochieno is UPC ‘s representative in the UK and Ireland

Video:

Banning political parties in Uganda was necessary in 1986

06 Aug 2009 1 Comment

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, history, UPC current politics

Dear readers,

The reason why I think that banning political parties, particularly UPC, was justified could be found on why Binaisa lost his presidency. If Binaisa had started by banning political parties, rather UPC, he would have lasted in that presidency as probably Museveni. You cannot organise elections in an environment that was as volatile as Binaisa and Lule’s Uganda yet they both never had armies of their own. So in terms of political strategy, Museveni and his ‘friends’ were right to ban political parties when they had just come to power in 1986. Museveni knew that at some point political space or multi partism would have to be opened up and that’s what happened in 2004.

Several groups or parties cropped up during Binaisa and this made him not to concentrate on stabilising the country first before thinking of his leadership. His leadership was threatened from the beginning due to these unbanned political groups, among which included the following:

  1. Uganda National Union (UNU): This was headed by Lameck Ntambi(RIP) who called on Binaisa to resign or risk being denied aid by ‘friendly countries’.
  2. Obote in TZ: this guy was in TZ and he kept reminding Binaisa he was coming home to stand for presidential elections as if there were no other UPC candidates in Uganda. If he had banned UPC for some time, Obote would have become weaker and probably UPC would have considered him a liability to their resources in the process of reorganising their party
  3. DP: This also created a problem for Binaisa as they kept fighting for multipartism instead of the so called UNLF umbrella.
  4. The UPC ‘gang of four’: this included Paulo Muwanga, Professor Dan Nabudere, Professor Yash Tandon, Omwony Ajwok and Edward Rugumayo. These guys used the NCC to mobilise against Binaisa and Lule big time because they wanted to prepare for Obote’s return.
  5. Museveni and his FRONASA: these were also ready to strike him any time they sensed any weakness or loophole anywhere.

Binaisa later realised that he should have put a stop to this political party nonsense in the first place but it was rather too late. In April 1980, Binaisa addressed a meeting of UNLF district chairmen and activists at Makerere University and said that all elections would be held under the UNLF umbrella.

On hearing this, DP was the first to send a delegation led by Semogerere Paulo, and included guys like professor Kyalwazi, Evaristo Nyanzi( probably not the one who knelt for Museveni b’se of ministerial appointment), Henry Semukutu and others , to have a 1:1 with Binaisa about Multipartism. Now you see how the man was not concentrating on other issues apart from ‘BIBINA’, consolidating his leadership and politics.


The UPC group under Luwuriza-Kirunda and notorious Rwakasisi also addressed a press conference some time later opposing Binaisa on this because they knew that it was their ticket to bring Obote back and possibly lead Uganda again. When UPC realised that Binaisa was very serious with retaining the presidency, they organised a coup since it was already their trade mark in the politics of Uganda. That Military Commision headed by Muwanga came to power through a coup: they ordered the soldiers to surround Radio Uganda, the post office and state house and putting the then president under detention.


The Musevenis were also cheering ‘AMUKUBYE’ since they were less influential at the time and just waiting for the big boys to finish their fights before they start theirs.


So how can anybody argue that UPC would not be still in power today if somebody had not taken a decision to fight them in Luwero bushes? They were not ready to follow the paths of democracy when one analyses all their actions before and after the fall of Iddil Amin Dada. They just wanted power at all costs and that was unacceptable. Good enough, they are no longer ‘tigers’ as they have been reduced to ‘parrots’(those birds that repeat words after you when in the house). Parrots are similar in behaviour as mynah birds. Nobody takes them so seriously when it comes to serious issues.


On a personal note, I’m still happy to stay in the UK at the moment; after all I’m not yet planning and probably will not plan to stand for any elective office in Uganda, unlike some people who are doing it from UK. It is like a person who plans to get a mango fruit from a mango tree using ‘OLUSOLOBYO’( a long, straight and light stick) instead of climbing the tree. In England, they use ladders or cherry pickers to get the fruits but at least they are near the fruit tree.

Byebyo Mukwano

Abbey

UPC should emulate PKK and NRM to change its name

21 Jul 2009 Leave a Comment

by semuwemba in UPC current politics

Dear UAH,

I don’t know why some UPC supporters are so obscessed with the name UPC because its associated with a lot of things in Uganda that makes some of us feel like we have had dinner as chilli sauce and chilli burgers coupled with chilli juice.  Names of parties are just political definitions which can change with times. Some of the UPC ‘Generals’ have acknowledged that some Ugandans have grown uncomfortable with the term. So it needs changing, as simple as that.

NRMO did not start as NRMO.It has been changing with the times and that is what i called rebranding the party.UPM was changed to Uganda Liberation Movement when some UNLA soldiers joined them. Uganda Liberation Movement later changed to MOSPOR(Movement for the Struggle for Political Rights) which later also changed to Peoples resistance Army(PRA)-more like a replica of the alleged rebel organisation MBU started by Besigye in 2004. PRA later united with Uganda Freedom Fighters(UFF) of professor Lule to form NRM.

 
Museveni saw it necessary to unite with professor Yusuf Lule because he needed the Baganda and some DP on board to fight the Obote dictatorship. He therefore met Lule in Nairobi while Lule was residing at one of his brother’s house.Lule’s brother is called Kabanda whom i personally know as a relative though we aren’t friends. The bottom line here is that one sometimes need to form alliances with others if one wants to achive something.UPC need to cooperate with other opposition parties to fight Museveni in the 2011 elections.The current IPC can compared to the alliance NRM formed with the UFM(of Kayiira) and the UNRF when they met in London to form what is called Uganda Popular Front(UPF).

 
UPC therefore should not be afraid of changing its name and also joining the IPC wholeheardetly because it is very necessary. By the way,It was also rumored that MJ was considering changing the name of neverland to ‘Hardly EverLand’ before he died. UPC can also out of ‘patriotism’ change ‘Uganda House’ to ‘Uganda’s Taxpayers’ House’ because it was allegedly built using tax payers’s money.

 Political leaders have also changed their names dependimg on circumstances. For instance, Russia’s Lenin  was once called Ulianov while Stalin  was once called Dzygasgvuku. Probably, Hon Akena was wise not take Obote’s name on board because it would have reminded some of us the ‘chilli’ dinners coupled with gun shots in the evening.But who knows, Akena may change his name in future to ‘Jimmy AKena Kalule’ because his mother is a Muganda.

 
Cities have also changed names because names are not religions as Mulindwa wants us to believe. For instance, India’s Bombay was changed to Mumbai as China’s Peking to Beijing , both reverting to the correct name from a pre-colonial era.

 
Terrorist also do some rebranding when they want to join the ‘political cake’. For instance,the terrorist group in northern Iraq, known until 2002 as the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) and then as the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK) changed its name to KONGRA-GEL because they realised that the former names were reminding people of ‘chilli’ dinners yet people want to continue eating their MATOOKE and KAWUNGA in peace.
Byebyo munange
Abbey

Fascism in UPC exposed

15 Jun 2009 1 Comment

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, history, UPC current politics

Dear friends,

One UPC supporter on UAH called Edward Mulindwa wrote:’……The fascistic hatred you have for the Obote family makes one wonder whether you are a bonafide fascist…..’.

I think this was uncalled for but for the sake of the debate, let us let readers here judge for themselves. Fascism first crystallized in Europe in response to the Bolshevik Revolution and the devastation of World War I, and then spread to other parts of the world. If it is a post-WWII occurrence it should be called neofascist or neofascism unless it solely involves participants in older movements. The first political party to entrench fascism or neo-fascism in Uganda is UPC. What makes UPC neofascists is because they reinterpreted FASCIST ideology and strategy in various ways to fit new circumstances happening in Uganda since the 1960s.

Ugandans have been fighting UPCfascist policies as far as 1960s. When Obote illegally aborogated the constitution in 1966 and declared himself president,resistance was short lived and mainly limited to Buganda, but when he tried again to force himself and his UPC ideologies on us in the 1980s, the resistance was bigger than before and that’s why it succeeded.So how can anybody call Abbey a fascist or neo fascist when you have got a fascist party occupying the tax payers’ ‘Uganda House’.

If up to now, some UPC supporters don’t believe that the 1980 elections were rigged, then they will never believe anything and i will just drop this one.However, the August 1983 cabinet itself Obote formed after stealing the elections reflects the fascist ideology and policies of UPC. The 1967 constitution itself Obote used to form a cabinet and open up parliament was not respected after stealing the elections. Because Obote did not stand as an MP somewhere nor specifically elected by the UPC parliamentary group,he broke the law to allow himself to be sworn in as a member of parliament. UPC had no respect for laws or constitutions as some people in the present government. Paulo Muwanga who was appointed as VP also fell in the same category. Both Obote and Muwanga and their party were law breakers and neo-facsists first class. As if it’s not enough,Obote then made himself an imposter MP(without a constituency), president and minister of finance at the same time.On the otherhand, Obote made Paulo Muwanga- the minister of Foreign affairs, the VP and minister of Defence(as if the Mulindwas weren’t interested).

Out of the 50 ministers in Obote’s 1983 government, there were only 5 Baganda yet Baganda were about 26% of the whole population. The Muslims who were approximately 6.6% of the whole population did not have any sneeze in that fascist cabinet. On the otherhand, the protestants were 28.2% of the whole population and were given 40 ministerial appointments.The catholics who were the majority(still the majority in the country) got only 9 ministers. Mbu UPC is not a fascist party and does not do tribalism,which kind of defence is that?

Just to let you know that when you kill a person in Uganda evenif there are no street cameras, we have still got something called GHOSTS( called ‘emizimu in Luganda). Actually, there is an interesting film called the ‘GHOST’ if anyone feels liek watching it as it shows that some people in the developed nations also believe in these kind of stuff. So UPCs should not think that because nobody took a picture of Obote’s meetings or could come up with a video of the 1980 murders, we don’t know that Ugandans were killed under UPC watch.So those who commited murder in 1980s and went away with it will soon die and get their punishment in heaven.

I would like UPC supporters to crosscheck with Opiyo in Canada about the anarchy UPC caused at Makerere University in the 1980s.Before Opiyo, there was a UPC Guild president in the names of Welikhe Watuwa who was the first to abrogate the constitution of the Guild(just like Obote did in 1966)-because he(Welikhe) was simply a fascist or rather neo-fascist.So a resolution of vote of no confidence was introduced and tabled in the Guild General Assembly to boot him out. Opiyo Oloya was the one that was elected to replace Welikhe and in the press release of 6th Dec 1980, Opiyo warned that the majority of students he represented wouldn’t recognise any govt that would come in power illegally or fraud.So when UPC stole the election, they booted him out and that’s how he ended up in Canada. So go and ask him nicely with a cup of coffee, he will tell you everything you need to know.

Abbey Semuwemba

Acholi Vs Langi is not a secret anymore and Otunu ‘s UPC presidency

03 Jun 2009 2 Comments

by semuwemba in 1980 Uganda elections, UPC current politics

UPC supporters,

Uganda is a tribalistic society and it’s not Abbey Semuwemba thriving on it as some people say. It was your Obote and UPC that thrived on it more than any body else from the 1960s till when he was toppled by Acholi officers in 1985 on the day baganda call Mulindwa:

Yes, there is sort of a group that wants all the ‘greater north’ to speak with one voice. Personally, I hope it happens because I like unity for a cause. But, I’m gonna be honest with you on this one: for instance, if the presidential elections are to be held today in Uganda and there is a candidate from the north (Probably Robert Mao or Otunu Olara) against a Semuwemba or Besigye from the South, majority of the northerners would vote for their son whether he is less qualified compared to other candidates or not. It happened during the DP’s August 1980 delegates’ conference at the international conference centre in Kampala when the Acholis fronted Tiberio Okenyi to stand against Dr. Semogerere for the post of president General of the party. Semogerere got 186 votes while okenyi got 23 votes. All the delegates from the north voted for their Acholi son except Ambrose Okullu and Zachary Olum who voted for Semo.

Nevertheless, the acholis have never forgiven Obote for dividing the Acholi district into Simba and Moto Moto factions because he wanted to prolong his stay in power. Obote wanted to keep them fighting each other since a unified Acholi would worry his leadership and he was right when one looks at what happened at the later stages of his leadership. Obote depended on rival factions within the party to lead UPC for a long time. In Toro, he clandestinely supported a rival UPC group called ‘KAGOROGORO’ under Rwambarali against another one under Samson Rusoke. That is how he run his shows in UPC for a long time till the day called ”Mulindwa” happened in 1985.

During the 1980 General elections in Kampala, most of the Acholis soldiers in Mbuya, Nagulu, Makindye and Lubiri voted for DP because traditionally most of the Acholis were DP supporters. They were just ‘chakamuchakasised’ or brainwashed by their Acholi leaders in the army (the Bazilios) to start supporting the Langi president and UPC because most of their sons had been recruited in the army and in the public service during Obote times. The Obote army was dominated by Acholis and Langis during Obote.

On 2nd March 1983, Obote announced the promotions of Major General Tito Okello to the rank of Lieutenant General and also promoted Brigadier Oyite Ojok to the rank of Major General. This was done as a ‘thank you’ to both the Acholis and Langis for helping Obote rig the 1980 elections and retain political power. This Lango-Acholi alliance eventually collapsed when the Acholis learnt that Obote and Oyite Ojok(both Langi by tribe) were promoting more of the Langi officers than the Acholis( who were the majority in the army). Obote also ensured that the battalions around Kampala were commanded by the Langis because he did not trust the Acholis. Eventually, this mistrust led to Obote being kicked out later one and Tito Okello( a langi) taking over. So the day the baganda call ‘Mulindwa’ was initiated not by the southerners but by the sectarian army Obote built. Probably, this may also explain how Museveni is fertilising his downfall by promoting mostly people from his region at the expense of other tribes.

We should also take French based Ugandan jouranlist,Billie Kadameri’s comments about the still exisiting bad blood between the Acholis and Langis seriously. There is a rumour going on that the Acholis in the army and abroad have been grooming Olara Otunu as the future president of Uganda since the days when the Langis(Obotes) were in power.

Nevertheless, I have listened to several of Olara Otunu’speeches and interviews and he seems to be very good and articulate in what he is talking about. He singlehandedly exposed the problems in northern and sold the ‘genocide’ idea to the international community. Last time, I listened him, it was in 2006 when he was hosted on Andrew Mwenda’s KFM when he was tussling issues out with General Tinyenfunza.

Otunu is also remembered during the reign of Iddil Amin when he was the Guild president of Makerere University in the 70s. At a meeting in 1973, between the minister of Education, Brigadier Barnabas Kili, and the students at the campus, Otunu attacked the Amin regime, accusing it of neglecting the welfare of the masses and accused government officials of fattening like pigs because of corruption. He later fled the country immediately after these attacks on Amin’s dictatorship.

Byebyo Ebyange

 

Abbey.K.Semuwemba

United Kingdom

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Semuwemba is a Ugandan residing in the UK

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"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~

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