Uganda politics - Uganda Multimedia News & Information

Muntu’s New Formation starts recruiting members

Agnes Tumuheire — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 07:41:48 +0000

Sources who preferred anonymity told daily monitor the New Formation is recruiting members on voluntary basis despite having plans to reach out to nationally recognised politicians who may wish to work with the new party.

“This party is not looking at bringing down another party but we are willing to work with anyone out there so long as they buy into our ideology,” the source said.

One of top leaders of the New Formation, Ms Alice Alaso said they intend to recruit a minimum of 20,000 members before the launch of the party in December.

She clarified that the group appointed district coordinators, some of whom are former FDC chairpersons, to help in the membership recruitment per district.

A total of 58 communication officers received training last week on how to effectively communicate via mainstream and social media, which is the party’s major communication means.

“We are giving a direction on the quality of the message to tell the public since there have been some people who have been going to the media to distort our message out there. We are looking at civility of mobilisation by not being confrontational,

“Our meetings are set up as and when the convener tells the members that there is something on table to be discussed. I chair the meetings as the convener the same way I did at the unveiling of the New Formation.” Ms Alaso said.

Some of the core members of the new group

Stephen Ochola. He is the former Serere County MP in the 9th Parliament. He was one of the people that accompanied Gen Muntu to the meeting with FDC president Patrick Amuriat Oboi at Fairway Hotel in Kampala where a report from the countrywide consultations was tabled. Mr Ochola was among the top officials at the unveiling of the New Formation.

Mary Francis Kabateraine: She is the managing director of Kabateraine Memorial School in Mbarara. The former Mbarara Municipal councillor has been a staunch mobiliser of the FDC in Ankole sub-region.

Yokasi Bihande. He represented Bukonzo East, Kasese District, in Parliament from 2007 to 2016. Mr Bihande, who is the husband of Ms Winfred Kiiza, the former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, served as Kasese District chairperson between 1996 and 2006. He chaired the organising committee that planned the unveiling of the New Formation.

Margaret Pauline Namagembe. She has been a staunch member of FDC and contested for the Wakiso District Woman MP seat in 2016 elections but lost to State minister for Education Rosemary Seninde.

Miria Matembe. The former Ethics minister fell out with President Museveni in 2005 when Parliament amended the Constitution to lift the presidential term limits. Currently a woman rights activist, Ms Matembe is one of the core teams behind the New Formation.

Wilberforce Seryazi. He is a practicing lawyer in Kampala and has been a mobiliser for FDC in Wakiso District. Sources say Mr Seryazi is one of the key people in handling the drafting of the paperwork for the new political party, working with other legal experts behind the scene. Mr Seryazi was the moderator of the press conference at which Gen Muntu unveiled the New Formation.(Source: Daily Monitor)

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Inter Religious Council releases agenda for national dialogue

Agnes Tumuheire — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 07:59:28 +0000

According to Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the chairperson of the IRCU the national dialogue will not be just an event but rather a process to national cohesion.

“We envisage that the first phase of the process will culminate into national conference to take place in June 2019,” Mubaje said.

He added that the political party dialogue will be led by the national consultative forum and the inter party organisations for dialogue.

Among the prominent activities of the dialogue is the negotiations between the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) alongside the constitutional review which will be spearheaded by the constitutional review commission.

“We hope that all citizens here and in diaspora will embrace this nonpartisan and inclusive process so that together we can build on the progress of the last 56 years of independence and shape the future of our country,” Mubaje added.

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NRM MPs propose 7 year term in office for President

Isaac Senabulya — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 10:25:17 +0000

NRM party members of Parliament have mixed reaction whether the presidential term in office be extended to seven years. This as some MPs in the ruling party are supporting the President term in office to move from five years to seven years.

Some MPs are arguing that five years are not enough for the president to fulfill his pledges made during campaigns.The member of parliament for Bbaale County George Wilson Kumama Nsamba said that five years are few because the sitting president starts implementing what he or she promised in the 3^rd year yet the term is ending.

However, Ngora county MP in Ngara district David Abala is opposed to seven year proposal which is still within MPS circles for consideration whether it’s a viable amendment of article 105 (1) of the constitution to provide seven year term.

Rubaga south Member of Parliament Paul Kato Lubwama said that a five year term for the president is enough to serve before he seeks another term of office, adding that seven year would be considered when the majority of Ugandans are in for it.

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Uganda Opposition Leader Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye of Forum for Democratic Change swears in as President of Uganda

Gerald Businge — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:25:55 +0000

If Uganda’s politics were a matter of first declare first serve, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye would be the official President of the Republic of Uganda today.

The erstwhile opposition leader on Wednesday May 11 2016 was sworn in at a brief ceremony in Kampala and took oath of President of Uganda despite prolonged battles with Uganda police that had sworn to stop Besigye from declaring himself as President.

Besigye and his party Forum for Democratic Change insist they won the February 18, 2016 Presidential elections with about 52% while the Electoral Commission gave incumbent Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni a comfortable victory of over 61% to Besigye’s 35.6% in the official results.

As the country awaits the official swearing in of President Yoweri Musevni for another 5year term at Kololo on Thursday May 12, 2016, the swearing of Besigye a day before provides a bad stroke in Museveni’s continued quest for strong control of all matters in Uganda.

Museveni who has ruled Uganda for the past 30years is facing ever growing opposition from Besigye, his former bush war medical doctor. Although Museveni has been declared winner in all past four elections in which he has competed with Besigye, this year’s election campaigns, results and the events after have given the most stark reality of how strong the opposition and Besigye in particular have grown into a formidable force.

The FDC party on their twitter page confirmed that Besigye was sworn in at Nakivubo stadium on Wednesday and promised to form a transitional government of national unity. They have even shared this video.

The swearing in of Besigye is no doubt a key milestone in the defiance campaign that the party declared after what they termed as rigged elections. But this swearing in might miss being a key talking point in the country as the government banned media coverage of the so-called defiance campaign. There are reports that social media websites will be switched off Wednesday evening as the government tries to ensure no one organizes to disrupt Museveni’s swearing ceremony on Thursday.

Several Heads of state have started arriving in Kampala for Museveni’s swearing in but the tense situation in Kampala might give little evidence of celebration. Earlier on Wednesday Entebbe road was half closed off while much of Kampala shops and offices had to close early due to the commotion between police and Besigye in down town Kampala.

The FDC has on their party facebook page earlier today promised Museveni would swear in on 12th May, the same day the Chef Justice Bart Katurebe is expected to swear in Yoweri Museveni.

President Museveni has however assured Ugandans that his National Resistance Movement government is fully in control and no one can and will disrupt the swearing in ceremony and indeed peace in Uganda.

As a matter of fact, after addressing people in Kampala and scuffles with the police, Besigye was arrested and is expected to be presented for charging in Nagalama court.

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Gen. David Sejusa hits at President Museveni in BBC interview- Listen

Gerald Businge — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:23:43 +0000

Man in the news, Gen. David Sejusa

After the government managed to ensure he does not appeal on a local radio show on KFm, Gen. David Sejusa was this evening hosted on BBC focus on Africa and he wasted no time in lambasting his bush war colleague as a dictator, anti people and man pushing an “unconstitutional” project of life presidency and monarchical kind of rule by allegedly grooming his son Brig. Gen. Muhoozi kainerugaba to take over from him.

Listen to the BBC interview below

listen to ‘General David Sejjusa’ on Audioboo

He also confirmed what many have suspected that he has presidential ambitions.

“I cannot rule it out. A four star general without ambitions is misplaced…who gave Mr. Museveni the right to rule us for ever,” Gen. Tinyefuza said.

Gen Sejusa who is currently in some sort of exile in the UK has been in the headlines since he authored a controversial letter in which he alleged that there were assasination plans against senior military officers opposedn to “project Muhoozo” -an alleged plot to have Muhoozi replace his father Museeni as President.
The letter led to the closure of four media outlets including the Daily Monitor and Red Pepper, as well as KFm and Dembe fm. The media houses were re-opened after 11 days but after stiff conditions by the government to avoid coverage of security issues that can distablise the country.

Here are more articles and documents on the matter

Gen. David Sejusa Story and Video interview with BBC on Tuesday June 18

Uganda Government condemned for closure of newspapers and radio stations over David Sejusa letter

Gen. David Sejusa’s letter that raised the first raised his disapproval of government
Court orders Daily Monitor journalists to name source– African Center for Media Excellence

Monitor offices under police siege -Daily Monitor

Military officer’s assassination allegations ensnare journalists
‘Warning to media against undermining national security’

Police question Monitor journalists as government moves to gag media
President’s aide storms newspaper office, threatens journalists

Govt is tampering with right to know ISO agent arrested at Monitor,

Gen Tinye’s case goes to court Oguttu accuses UCC, minister of intimidating journalists

UCC (Uganda Communiction Commision) warning.pdf

Police statement on Daily Monitor Red Pepper premises search 20-05-13.docx

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Ian Clarke quits Uganda politics

Gerald Businge — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:11:21 +0000

Dr. Ian Clarke Busulwa, the LC3 chairperson of Makindye division has quit active politics. Busulwa says he will not seek reelection as LC3 chairperson for Makindye division after his term of office in 2016. Ian Clarke has quit politics at a time when the ruling NRM party was persuading him to accept to contest on its ticket in 2016.

Dr. Ian Clarke was declared the winner of the LC3 seat in Makindye, after he received 26,000 votes in the polls in 2011 general elections. Moses Kalungi, the incumbent, got only 11,000 votes. Rashid Biruma of NRM, FDC’s Livingstone Kizito, and DP’s Deo Kijjambu also competed.

Clarke was the first European to become an LC3 local official inUganda. Dr. Clarke holds both Irish and Ugandan citizenship.

To win the polls, Clarke campaigned largely on a development agenda, focusing on health and public service issues namely water, pit latrines, and roads maintenance.

Clarke was born inNorthern Ireland’s Armagh, but he has lived inUgandafor over 20 years. He is among the founders ofKampalaInternationalHospital.

By James Okello

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Prof. Gilbert Bukenya retains Busiro North County

Gerald Businge — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:42:22 +0000

Former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya has retained his Busiro County North in the 1^st December hotly contested by-elections.

Prof. Bukenya of National Resistance Movement (NRM) party won the elections with 10,728 votes against 3,035 votes polled by his close rival, Hussein Caster Bukenya of the Democratic Party (DP).

Other candidates in the race included Topista Kanzalwa and Henry Kiwuwa who polled 133 and 91 respectively.

After declared the winner of the by-elections by the Wakiso district returning officer, Sarah Bukirwa, Prof. Bukenya commended the people of Busiro North for the support they gave him and love they have for the NRM party.

He thanked the voters to prove to the general public that he had won the 18^th February 2011 elections genuinely.

Prof. Bukenya promised to continue with his development programs in Busiro County North, Wakiso district and the country at large.

Ultimate Media

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Minister Ruhindi fails to defend Public Order management Bill

Gerald Businge — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:14:05 +0000

Members of parliament on legal and parliamentary Affairs thrown out the committee deputy Attorney General Fred Ruhindi for failure to defend the public order management bill which is under scrutiny.

The deputy Attorney General Fred Ruhindi was asked to leave the committee when he told MPS that he wanted to first harmonize some issues in the bill which raise legalities like on the constitutional ruling of Muwanga kivumbi versus the Attorney General which said that the Inspector of police powers is regulative rather than prohibitive in relation to the exercise of freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration.

The vice chairperson of the legal committee Baka mugabi thrown out Ruhindi on ground that the issues he was raising could propose for amendment of the bill.

The MPS who included Abdu Katuntu , Lubega segoona , Stephen Baka Mugabi said that the deputy Attorney General should sit together and iron out legal and constitutional issues in the Public order management Bill and he comes back before the committee to defend the bill with the minister of internal Affairs who originated the bill next week.

Ruhindi said that he will return to the committee after giving legal advise to the internal Affairs minister on the bill.

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Kamya says she will contest for president again

Gerald Businge — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:11:18 +0000

Former Lubaga North MP Betty Olive Kamya says that she will take in the next presidential elections come 2016.

Kamya has told our informers that last time she lost the polls because she did not have enough money and she was new entrant in the field.

She says that this time she has mastered all the loopholes which made her to lose the presidential polls and so Ugandans should expect her to be their next president after Museveni in 2016. Kamya was talking to our informers at her home in Kampala.

Kamya says that she is currently working with people who have money and they are ready to contribute towards her cause. Kamya was the only woman who contested in last presidential polls and she was 4^th in the race of five men and one woman.

By Maureen Nakyanzi

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NRM stalwart to sue IGG over Prof. Bukenya

Gerald Businge — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:12:43 +0000

A National Resistance Movement party strong member has threatened to sue the Inspector General of Government, Raphael Baku over withdrawing the CHOGM charges against the former Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya.

Former Uganda Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya

On Monday last week the Anti-Corruption Court discontinued the hearing of some of the CHOGM cases against Bukenya basing on the IGG’s directive to do so.

Apollo Kibira, a former contestant for the National resistance Movement Secretary General office says that the IGG has to explain why he withdrew the cases noting failure to do so his lawyers are going to file suit against him.

Kibira explains that the IGG talked to the press conference in Kampala stating that he has all evidences implicating Bukenya but all over sudden withdrawing the charges without giving reasons.

Kibira says that this act will not go unpunished because it puts the taxpayer’s money at risk if the likes of Bukenya sues the government for damages.

Ultimate Media

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