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    OPINION: Ugandan Opposition Is Full Of Misguided Emotional Leaders – DP President Mao Says, Reveals How Vital It Is To Meet Museveni In IPOD…

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    3 years ago

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    DP leader Norbert Mao

    The Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao is of the opinion that Ugandan opposition politicians are a bunch of ‘misguided emotional leaders.’

    Mao, who says that DP had scorpions, crocodiles and snakes hiding within the party before they were exposed, disclosed that some opposition politicians are so sentimental to be leaders.

    Mao stresses that the Ugandan opposition is divided by a common enemy. He believes that opposition parties are being led by individuals who ride on their emotions to reach vital decisions for the very many diverse people they lead.

    To defend his decision, Mao has reproduced details of the Press Conference that started the flurry of activities that lead to the 3rd IPOD Summit to be held this Friday.

    The release contains the call for an IPOD Summit, according to Mao on behalf of the DP.

    Here below is the full Press Statement by DP President Norbert Mao released on the 16th February, 2021;

    The purpose of this press conference is to announce definite and constructive measures to express our ideas, concerns and hopes. Specifically we shall focus on plans for rebuilding our party and saving Uganda from fragmentation due to misrule and parochial differences.

    After an election season filled with frustration and disappointment, we have a choice between wallowing in self-pity and bitterness or picking ourselves up and moving forward with dignity, grace and hope.

    To all our members, supporters and well-wishers, I say there’s no time for licking our wounds. We have to regroup without delay and continue the pursuit of the objectives for which the Democratic Party was set up in 1954.

    Those who watched our efforts from a distance have the luxury of making comments – some well-meaning, some painful and even outright malicious. But only our close friends, family and the true believers of the party know what we invested in the race and how much it cost us physically, emotionally and financially.

    We are very proud of all those who lifted high the banner of our party. We salute your courage. Some of our members succumbed to pressures of propaganda and hate speech from our opponents and ended up betraying the principles enshrined in our party constitution and to which they profess allegiance.

    When circumstances demanded that they lead, they degenerated into blind followers of populism. Instead of fighting and risking to lose with honour and dignity, they instead resorted to forging opportunistic alliances based on the selfish and flimsy excuses. Unfortunately for some, even their resort to opportunism did not save them from defeat. They still lost, only that their losses were full of indignity, shame and dishonor.

    For those of us who stood firm to the end and still lost, our loss did not come at the expense of our dignity and honour. The founders of our party are looking down upon us from the high heavens with great pride. We did not dishonor them. We did not betray the party they sacrificed so much to defend and protect.

    We congratulate those who against all odds were able to win. You swam with sharks and you prevailed over the crimson tide of hatemongering, intimidation and baseless prejudice.

    For those of our candidates who were incumbent office bearers, there must be disappointment. To you I say don’t let your disappointment degenerate into bitterness and paralysis. You sought another term and we backed you because we believe you were doing a great job and deserved reelection.

    We are not going to let our frustrations keep us down. We shall get up, appraise our weaknesses and strengths and act on our findings. We will not imitate the path of others with whom we have no shared values and goals.

    You can’t want to win and at the same time persist in doing the things that can only lead to failure.

    Things haven’t worked out to our expectations but we’ll keep going. We will not focus too much on what has happened but what is possible. We shall be adaptable and study different scenarios.

    We are very proud of the decision we made to field candidates at all levels – presidential, parliamentary and local government. We resisted the pressures to surrender our right to think for ourselves and make decisions based on our values, conscience and convictions. As the saying goes, ‘only dead fish flow with the tide’. DP is alive and as ever will never be afraid to swim against the tide. Like our heroic leaders who stood firmly against prejudice in the 1960s we appeal to history to absolve us and make our tormentors pay a high price for their short-sightedness and misguided ambition and sense of entitlement.

    Everything possible has been done to destroy me and DP. Malicious smear campaigns have been orchestrated by a cabal of tribal enemies of DP. Our structures have been infiltrated and subverted. Our leaders have been blackmailed and intimidated to betray the party and many succumbed.

    But it has failed to destroy me. It has failed to destroy the party. The party is still standing. I’m still standing. We’re still standing. There’s nothing more anyone can do. We’ve hit rock bottom. The only way for us now is up. We can’t sink any lower.

    Call me crazy but one day DP will lead this country. And that day is not far off because Uganda yearns for a government whose foundation is Truth and Justice and only DP can offer that kind of government.

    Many have sought to dismember and destroy DP in order to build monuments to themselves on its ruins but none have yet succeeded and none ever will.

    When the waters in DP were stirred with a turbulent strife, caused by provincialist agitators, many thought that it was just about DP and Norbert Mao. Those of us who believe that DP belongs to the whole of Uganda were in contention with those of our members who believe that DP belongs to a section of Uganda.

    With the benefit of hindsight, we now thank those who troubled the waters in DP. Calm waters can be deceptive. A lot of deadly creatures hide beneath the calm surface. When the waters are troubled you get to see the deadly creatures lurking in the water. With the waters stirred, we were able to see the scorpions, crocodiles and snakes hiding among the fish and turtles.

    If 2021 has done anything, it has been a reality check. We can no longer deceive ourselves or each other. A moment of truth stares us in the face. We have gone through an empty ritual and called it an election.

    On 16th January, 2021 I issued a statement on the elections held on 14th January. The outcome of the presidential elections is now facing a legal challenge in the Supreme Court and as an Advocate I won’t say much today. It is our expectation that the Supreme Court will carry out a thorough inquiry as required by law to determine compliance with electoral laws.  But I will say this: It would be an insult to our constitution and all the electoral laws to say the 2021 elections were free and fair.

    In line with our commitment to rebuild our party, I wish to make the following announcements:

    We shall focus on rejuvenating the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD). Almost 80 percent of Uganda’s population is below the age of 30. This majority is politically silenced, discouraged and marginalized due to pervasive commercialization of politics, nepotism coupled with tribal and cultural prejudice. The youth have been relegated to the role of disposable pawns and sit at the periphery of our political and electoral processes.

    We shall evaluate and appreciate youth contributions towards achieving a better Uganda for all now and in the future. We shall also promote critical thinking on how to include young people in active and meaningful politics. 2021 has made it clear that if you don’t allow young people the space to express themselves within the law, they will find a way to express themselves outside the law.

    We shall focus on the DP Women’s League

    We shall focus on training our leaders and members. Training is the best answer to meal card politics.

    We shall carry out a post-election assessment, put a mirror before our eyes and see ourselves the way we really are and focus on building a better party of true believers.

    We shall carry out an inspection of all our branches to determine their functionality after many of them were cannibalized by enemies of DP

    We shall compile a new membership register as a basis of rebuilding then party structures nationwide

    In terms of our constitutional framework these proposals and ideas will be thoroughly discussed at a party Management Committee meeting this week followed by a session of the National Executive Committee.

    Eventually the National Council will consider the recommendations from these organs and convene a National Policy Conference to facilitate further consultations.

    We shall evaluate and overhaul the administration of the party

    Finally, as DP we are extremely concerned with the reported cases of abductions, kidnaps, unlawful arrests, illegal detentions, torture and disappearances targeting opposition activists. These illegal activities are being blamed on the security organs of the Uganda government.

    To date, scores of opposition activists are in detention and face charges before the court martial which continues to deny them bail without any lawful excuse. As a party committed to non-violence, rule of law and constitutionalism, we condemn these illegal acts of state terrorism in the strongest terms.

    But we will not stop at condemnation. We believe that this is the time that the political parties have to take steps to end these troubling activities that flagrantly violate the rights of citizens.

    We call upon President Yoweri Museveni who is the current the Chairman of the Summit of the Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) to convene an Extraordinary Summit to discuss the reports of unlawful arrests, illegal detentions, malicious prosecutions, disappearances, kidnaps and torture.

    We believe that a frank discussion by responsible representatives of IPOD member party together with other non-member political parties that may be invited as observers will allow for a proper diagnosis of the problem and information sharing that will lead to solutions.

    I have consulted the leaders of three of the IPOD member parties namely; JEEMA, UPC and FDC and they agree that a high level meeting under the aegis of IPOD can be an important forum for dealing with mutual suspicions and ensuring that the armed forces adhere to the rule of law. This approach is definitely better than trading accusations and grandstanding in the media.

     

    Norbert Mao is a Ugandan politician and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party (DP) since 2010, and he served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District.

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    NATIONAL

    Mpuuga Facing LOP Office Exit Door As Bobi Wine Introduces Nambeshe To International Funders; Bwanika In Muddy Fight For Zaake’s Juicy Job At Parliament…

    Published

    23 hours ago

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    December 4, 2023

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    Bobi Wine with Nambeshe in UK

    Highly placed sources within the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters at Makerere Kavule have revealed to mighty Grapevine that all indicators show that their principal Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) is not going to extend the tenure of Mathias Mpuuga as the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP).

    Mpuuga’s two and half years term is ending this December and sources disclosed that Bobi Wine will soon instruct the party Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya to communicate to the Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among the party’s new leadership in parliament which is going to command their troops.

    Sources divulged that there has been stiff competition between Mpuuga, Butambala county legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, Opposition Chief Whip  John Baptist Nambeshe and Nakawa West’s Joel Ssenyonyi.

    However the current indicators show that Nambeshe is highly favoured and may take the day.

    “Even in 2021, Bobi Wine wanted to appoint Nambeshe, he never trusted those people from the Democratic Party (DP) but he was under pressure from those people at Mengo (Buganda Kingdom Leadership). Others said that Nambeshe could not be trusted because he was new and had just crossed from President Museveni’s NRM. They allged that this meant that he was not yet tested. They even warned the Principal that Nambeshe can sell their party leadership in parliament to Museveni. That is why he decided to appoint Mpuuga who some now claim has betrayed him,” a NUP insider said.

    This insider based his argument on the recent statements Bobi Wine made in an interview with BBC in London that a number of his party Members of Parliament are working with  and for President Museveni.

    First were allegations that Mpuuga led negotiations with President Museveni’s government that led to the release of legislators Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana from prison after they were detained for two years on murder, terrorism and attempted murder charges.

    Bobi Wine was also shocked to learn that the opposition leadership in parliament were aware of the alleged Shs40m given to each Member of Parliament (including NUP legislator) thanking them which many alleged was a bribe from the sitting government.

    Sources said that to protect his diaspora supporters who fund many of their political activities in NUP, Bobi Wine decided to drop Mpuuga because most of the party leadership in the Diaspora are not happy with him and are alleging that he is in bed with NRM leadership in parliament.

    Sources added that the reason why Bobi Wine traveled with Nambeshe to United Kingdom where he has spent over ten years without stepping foot because of his anti-gay activism is an indicator that the man from Bugishu may fall into things very soon.

    Earlier, Bobi Wine assigned Nambeshe to start receiving application from opposition legislators who want to apply for different positions in parliament.

    In United Kingdom, Bobi Wine, Nambeshe, Barbra Itungo Kyagulanyi held private meetings with a number of politicians in Britain and other leaders from NUP Diaspora. He later traveled to German.

    However, theGrapevine has established that Bobi Wine is under pressure from a section of Muslim leaders who are complaining over his decision not to appoint Kivumbi as the next Leader of Opposition in Parliament.

    Sources said that recently, Bobi Wine explained to a few of them on phone that his goal is to first silence those people accusing his party of being the new Kabaka Yekka party.

    He promised to compensate them by appointing Kivumbi as the Opposition Chief Whip in parliament replacing Nambeshe.

    “This is our time, Bobi Wine seems to have betrayed us. Does he think that a Muslim is not fit for that office? He is also slowly becoming like other politicians who sideline Muslims when it comes to giving them big assignment,” a top sheikh at Kibuli Muslim faction told theGrapevine during the course of investigating this story.

    theGrapevine has also seen a letter written by Kimanya-Kabonera legislator Dr Abed Bwanika asking for the position of Opposition representative on the Parliamentary Commission as a replacement for embattled Mityana Municipality legislator Francis Butebi Zaake.

    Sources said that Bwanika has a big task of convincing Bobi Wine to assign him this influential position because he is on the list of legislators he rarely trusts.

    Other sources disclosed that Bwanika is very calculative. He

    “He is very sure that once Bobi Wine drops Mpuuga, he has to compensate the people of Greater Masaka by giving one of their sons another position.”

    Sources said that chances are high that Bobi Wine is going to renew Zaake’s contract as Parliamentary Commissioner but if he is pressurised to make changes, he will replace him with either Ssenyonyi or Kasanda district woman legislator Flavia Nabagabe Kalule, who is a very good friend to Bobi Wine’s wife.

    Zaake was impeached from the office of the commissioner of parliament on indiscipline grounds after attacking the speaker Among.

    However, his actions were supported by Bobi Wine.

    NUP insiders disclosed that Bobi Wine is expected back into the country before the end of this week to make the long awaited announcement.

     

    By Grapevine Reporters

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    NATIONAL

    M7 Hires Kenyatta, Odinga Lawyers To Defend UNOC In Multibillion Oil Case In Kenya…

    Published

    23 hours ago

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    December 4, 2023

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    Kenyan lawyer Nyamodi (C), Ligomarc's Ruth Sebatindira (L) and UNOC's Peter Mulisa (R)

    President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s government has hired V.A Nyamodi and Company Advocates, a Kenya based law firm to defend Uganda National Oil Corporation (UNOC) in a multibillion oil case.

    Highly placed sources in UNOC revealed that V.A Nyamodi lawyers are going to work with Ruth Sebatindira’s Ligomarc Advocates from Uganda and lawyers from the Attorney General’s chambers led by Kiryowa Kiwanuka the Attorney General together with UNOC legal team led by Peter Mulisa.

    V.A Nyamodi Advocates led by Poul Nyamodi helped former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to win the presidential petition against Raila Odinga in the 2017 presidential elections petition and also represented Odinga in the recent presidential election petition against President William Ruto.

    UNOC lawyers are going to battle with Royani Energy Limited and concerned Kenyan citizens Charles Kombo and John Kinuthia who protested the move to allow UNOC to obtain Oil importation Certificate to import petroleum products through Kenya.

    In their petition filed in a Kenyan Court, they insist that UNOC does not have Shs36bn turnover covering three years as required by the Kenyan authorities.

    They also allege that UNOC has not sold 6.6 million litres of petroleum products and does not have the five retail stations and depots within Kenya to fulfil one of the conditions set by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya for a license to be given to them.

    They added that it was wrong for the Kenyan authorities to waive the said conditions so as to grant UNOC the license.

    UNOC through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development applied for a license in Kenya to import Uganda’s petroleum products through Kenya and both countries agreed that UNOC opens offices in Kenya which was done.

    This comes days after president Museveni signed the Petroleum Supply Act which gives exclusive monopoly to UNOC as the sole importer of petroleum products in Uganda.

    The Attorney General Kiwanuka also signed a deal on behalf of Uganda with Vitol Bahrain to trade directly with UNOC without engaging middlemen especially those in Kenya.

    President Museveni explained that Oil price in Uganda has been high because of the said middlemen.

    However, Oil dealers in Uganda are secretly planning to challenge the Act in the Constitutional Court.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

    Views: 481

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    NATIONAL

    Mufti Mubajje In More Trouble: Attorney General Kiwanuka Advises M7 On Meeting Him Over Muslim Properties That  Are Set To Be Auctioned…

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    23 hours ago

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    December 4, 2023

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    Mufti Mubajje (R) with President Museveni (L). Inset is Minister Kabanda (L) and AG Kiwanuka (R)

    Embattled Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Ramathan Shaban Mubajje is in more trouble after learning that Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has advised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on meeting him over Muslim properties that are going to be auctioned.

    Kampala affairs Minister Hajjat Minsa Nabengo Kabanda revealed that last week, Muslim ministers in president Museveni’s cabinet approached him and pleaded with him to save the Muslim properties including Gaddafi Mosque which is the National Mosque from being auctioned over a Shs19bn debt.

    Last month, Commercial Division of the High Court ordered public auctioning of Muslim properties registered in the names of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) and the listed ones are; Land in Leasehold Register Volume KCCA 149 Folio 16 land at Kampala City William Street which houses Tabliq mosque.

    Others are; Lease Register Volume 2771 Folio 2, Old Kampala Plot 23-25 which houses the national Muslim mosque and the Muslim headquarters; Kyadondo Block 195 plot 5463 Land at Kyanja Kampala City; one square miles of land at Bukwe Hoima district, one acre of land located at Lumbas, Jinja city; plot of land at Mbale city; shares in Uganda Rancheers Ltd & Commercial Holdings Ltd; Subsidiaries to Uganda Moslem Supreme Council that own 2 square miles land at Migyera-Buluri; plot of land at Entebbe Municipality opposite Victoria Mall.

    Mubajje through his lawyers led by Musa Kabega and Abbey Bukenya are fighting a losing battle to overturn the Commercial Division of the High Court decision after losing two appeals.

    Minister Kabanda said that when the matter was presented to the President, he invited the Attorney General to advise him since it was a legal matter.

    The nonsense Kiwanuka advised the president not to intervene but wait until the court process is done.

    Highly placed sources in State House told theGrapevine that since the order for auctioning Muslim properties, Mubajje has been lobbying State House staff to arrange for him a meeting with the president.

    When all efforts failed, he turned to the Chief Justice Owiny Dollo and his Deputy Richard Butera to save him. We have learnt that they have not yet fixed a meeting with him.

    Minister Kabanda said that Muslim ministers in cabinet and Members of Parliament are set to meet Mubajje and businessman Justus Kyabahwa and his lawyers led by Ahmed Kalule Mukasa for a fact finding meeting before returning to the president to brief him on the matter.

    “I give assurance to Muslims that the President will help us save the Muslim properties,” Kabanda said.

    The development comes days after former UMSC Secretary General Hajji Ramathan Mugalu threatened to take legal action against Mubajje claiming that he defamed him when he told the public that he forged his signature when he signed on the agreement that okayed the sale of Muslim land in Sembabule district which is the genesis of all these troubles.

    He insisted that Mubajje signed the Shs3.5bn land sale agreement willingly and they both have audio and video evidence as proof.

    However, Mubajje boasted that UMSC has the capacity to mobilise funds to pay the businessman.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

    Views: 538

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