Category: Politics

{The NRM presidential candidate, Yoweri Museveni has spent Shs27 billion on his 2016 campaigns in two months, 12 times more than his two closest challengers combined, according to results of a preliminary study about campaign financing released yesterday. }

In the 16 districts reviewed, Mr Museveni spent Shs4.8b in November and Shs22.2b in December, 2015 representing 91.6 per cent of the 29.6b spent by all the candidates in total.

Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, who followed, in terms of spending, spent a total of Shs1.3b or 4.6 per cent in the same period. Dr Kizza Besigye, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate spent a total of Shs976m or 3.3 per cent. The other candidates, Dr Abed Bwanika, Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, Ms Maureen Kyalya, Maj Gen Benon Biraro and Mr Joseph Mabirizi spent less than 1 per cent of the Shs29.6b combined. Prof Baryamureeba spent Shs95,732,000 while Abed Bwanika used Shs34,311,000 and Joseph Mabirizi Shs26,486,000. Maureen Kyalya used Shs5,692,500.

The expenditure of Gen Benon Biraro was not reviewed in the study.
The study was funded by Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and conducted by Alliance for Campaign Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), a loose coalition of CSO activists advocating increased transparency in the practice of financing political parties and election campaigns in Uganda, including Transparency International and Anti-corruption Coalition.

Out of the Shs137.6b spent, NRM accounted for 87.9 per cent or Shs121b in November and December. FDC followed at 2.1 per cent, Go-Forward at 1.1 per cent, Democratic Party at 0.5 per cent and Uganda Peoples Congress at 0.3 per cent. The rest accounted for 0.3 per cent of the total expenditure. “…As European Union Observer Mission, we shall try to get all financial reports from the Electoral Commission and issue our findings after the elections,” said Dr Jurij Toplak, the EUOM, Campaign Finance Analyst while reacting to the report.

Mr Ofwono Opondo, the deputy NRM spokesperson, says their huge expenditure is justified. “No other party or organisation has held activities such as NRM has done. Tasked to explain the source of the money, Mr Opondo said “the party received money from the electoral commission. We also fund raise and get support from volunteers.”

The report faults political parties and candidates participating in the 2016 campaigns of being “poor at keeping records of expenditure.” It also noted that candidates were engaging in voter bribery and misuse of government resources. The report cites materials such as hoes, sugar, sauce pans, seeds and salt distributed by campaign agents to potential voters. “On 9th November, 2015, a number of government vehicles were used on candidate Museveni’s rally held at Kasana Playground. Some of the vehicle registration plates observed in action at the rally included UG 2183C, UG 0178H, and UG 0187D,” an excerpt from the report reads.

Section 27 of the presidential elections act (as amended) 2005 makes it illegal to use government resources for campaigning for election.

Mr Opondo said only the president, the vice president and the Speaker are allowed to use government property in campaigns. “If there are ministers and government officials taking advantage of their positions, we would be glad if someone gives us evidence,” Mr Opondo, who doubles as the Government Media Center Executive Director, said.

FDC party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda says the president is exorbitantly sponsored by the State against his opponents. Jothan Taremwa, the Electoral Commission spokesman, said: “It is extremely difficult to track campaign expenditure because in the first place we don’t know how much someone has budgeted to spend.”
The report makes three recommendations including relevant government institutions such as the Inspectorate of government, Police and the Electoral Commission investigating further the breaches of the electoral laws.

It also appeals to government through the Justice Ministry to amend legal provisions on voter bribery in both the Presidential and Parliamentary Acts of 2005. Further, the report appeals to all Ugandans to fight the commercialisation of politics and embrace the practice of ordinary citizens making donations to candidates of their choice.

ACFIM monitors used scientific tools to collect data on campaign expenses, voter bribery and misuse of government resources for campaigns at constituency level. Filled campaign expenses tools were then submitted to district supervisors who moved between constituencies for data quality assurance. A team of experts at ACFIM secretariat frequently carried out data quality control checks across the 16 districts. Collected data was then entered into a web based database. Also, monitors submitted data on campaign events observed directly and indirectly. Critical incidents were transmitted to supervisors in real time by the use of phone calls or SMS.

The law
Section 22(7) of the Presidential Elections Act provides that: “Each [presidential] candidate shall, within thirty days after the election, …(b) Submit a return to the Commission disclosing all assistance obtained by the candidate from any source.”

Source:Daily Monitor:[Museveni spends Shs27b on campaigns in 2 months->http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Museveni-spends-Shs27b-on-campaigns-in-2-months/-/859108/3043578/-/ecxk7o/-/index.html]

{BURUNDI has said it is ready to continue with dialogue involving all its citizens living inside and outside the country to ensure a lasting solution to the political impasse in the East African country.
}

Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Burundi Foreign Minister Alain Aimee Nyamitwe said that he will continue to consult President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda who is the chief mediator on the dialogue modalities to find a peaceful settlement. “Our government is ready to negotiate and we have shown the readiness in the formation of commission for dialogue,” he stressed.

He also said that his country was doing all this efforts for the interest of Burundi“We are doing things not to be trusted by the world,” he remarked.

“We want to ensure stability and peace for Burundians,” he emphasised. Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, said Tanzania continues to consult with Burundi on the peace negotiations.

He said that the minister’ visit was a clear indication that Burundi was committed to the dialogue. He said that the talks held between the two countries touched on the issue of deploying peace keeping force.

“I had fruitful discussion on the issue of deployment with AU and we agreed in principle on the need to deploy peacekeepers,” he said. However, the AU have agreed to first consult Burundi government before making such a move, he said.

“Therefore, I have conveyed the message which the minister will deliver to his president,” he said. When Mr Nyamitwe was asked about the petition going on at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) by various stakeholders over the human rights violation. He said it was a democratic process and people were free to give their views.

{Former Kampala city mayor Nasser Ntegge Sebaggala, who in November last year backed President Yoweri Museveni’s 2016 re-election bid, says Mr Museveni should retire now when people still like him.
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Should he retire while he still enjoys some popular support he would leave a good legacy, Mr Sebagala says.

Mr Sebaggala says Museveni who has been in power for 30 years, has limitations that God knows, and, therefore, some things he initiated will have to be completed by other people.
Though he did not mention any name from the Quran or Bible, Moslems and Christians’ holy books, the Old Testament cites, among others, Moses and Elijah who had to leave the unfinished work to Joshua and Elisha respectively.

“If I were a good friend of Museveni, I would tell him ‘you should leave when people still love you’,” Mr Sebaggala told the Daily Monitor during an interview at his home in Kampala,
Mr Sebaggala added, “Even food, if you keep it for a long time, it will expire.”
His remarks come on the heels of Mr Museveni’s statement in Rwashamaire in western Uganda that now isn’t the right time for him to leave State House.

“Those who say ‘let him go’ need to know that this is not the right time. This old man has saved this country [from state collapse]. Why would you want him to go?” Mr Museveni said during a campaign rally.

“We cannot be in the middle of a forest and you want the old man to go. This is not the right time.”

Mr Sebaggala said people who accuse him of being unprincipled should recall even Mr Museveni once associated with the Democratic Party and even Uganda Peoples Congress.

“Museveni told you he started in DP [Democratic Party]. He later joined UPC, where he was a senior officer. He came back [from Mozambique where he had gone to fight for Mozambique’s liberation from colonialism] started UPM. He failed in failed in UPM. He created NRA [National Resistance Army]. Do you want to tell me he is unprincipled? I am principled,” Mr Sebaggala said.

Source:Daily Monitor:[Former Kampala mayor Sebaggala tells president Museveni to retire->http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Former-Kampala-mayor-Sebaggala-Museveni/-/688334/3030566/-/ow76rdz/-/index.html]

{Go Forward presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi has warned that vote rigging could lead to a coup in the country.}

Addressing journalists at Mt Elgon Hotel in Mbale Town on Sunday, Mr Mbabazi said the higher the vote rigging, the higher the chances of a coup d’état.

He advised his supporters to ensure they protect their votes by not leaving the polling stations.
“Election rigging is usually done on the computers in Kampala but leave that for me. I want you to know that election rigging is like a coup d’état and this depends on the level of rigging, the higher it is, the more the chances that it can attract a coup d’état,” said Mr Mbabazi.

Mr Mbabazi’s comments come a couple of days after NRM candidate Yoweri Museveni said he will not be leaving power.

Speaking at a rally in Rwashamaire, Ntungamo District last week, Mr Museveni likened himself to a farmer who plants his banana plantation saying there is no way he can leave when the plantation is just starting to bear fruits.

Mr Jotham Taremwa, the Electoral Commission spokesperson, said Mr Mbabazi should, instead of making threats, report anyone who is planning to rig the elections.

“Election rigging is illegal. Mr Mbabazi is better placed to share that information with us and the police to act on it. On our part, we are committed to organising free, fair and transparent elections,” Mr Taremwa said.

Speaking at the beginning of his campaigns this year, FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye, who claims he has been rigged out in the last three elections, said he will not seek legal redress even if he suffers the same rigging this time round.

Entitlement
However, while campaigning at Boma grounds, in Moroto, on Sunday, Dr Besigye responded to Mr Museveni’s statements saying the NRM leader is simply “kidding” and that he will leave power, “by all means”.

He said Uganda is not Mr Museveni’s personal property.

“This country (Uganda) is not the personal property of Mr Museveni. He will go come shine come rain, you wait and see,” Dr Besigye said, before scoffing at what he called the “steady progress rhetoric”.

“Jiggers, hunger, thirst are killing people in Karamoja but Mr Museveni is saying steady progress. Progress of what?” he asked.

Steady progress is the slogan candidate Museveni is using as he seeks his fifth elective term of office.

Source:Daily Monitor: