Month: February 2011

To Ugandan Televisions and other media!

The election results are slowly coming in. I have been glued to TV and radios all day trying to get different views. I have watched NTV, UBC and other TV stations and the only prominent female voice i saw was that of Presidential candidate Betty Olive Kamya. The TVs  tell me that Uganda has no females capable of analyzing an election. This blockage of women’s voices is not only on experts but also extends to journalist panels like the one on NTV. We are not seeing women’s voices on air.

This marginalization of women in our media especially when it comes to issues that are vital to the future of our country should not be tolerated. Ugandan media must give equal voice despite of gender. This further enforces stereotypes that women are not interested in politics. I wouldn’t expect media houses to be this discriminatory or ignoring women at such a crucial time in the country’s history.

Uganda held Presidential and Parliamentary elections today. I came into Uganda this morning from a meeting on freedom of expression in South Africa in time to cast my vote. I largely used online sources to monitor the events in three days before the election date.

In the last days, I have had chats with some Ugandan journalists trying to understand why they were not utilizing new media for news coverage and putting their opinions across even when price wars have forced Telecom companies in Uganda to provide free access to social networks like facebook. For the few that I spoke with they cited issues like lack computers for each journalist in a newsroom while mostly we agreed that Ugandan journalists are yet to fully appreciate the use of new media.

I am glad that some journalists did take a step and signed up on twitter while others increased their use of facebook for better discussions on the country’s political situation. The change in attitude however has not only been on individual level. In the last three days we have seen all leading media launch twitter accounts  among them @Newvisionwire @dailymonitor @observerug , @UBCnewsjournal.

We have seen newspapers and magazines push to get their share of attention online.  Uganda’s top tabloid @RedpepperUG launched their twitter account and they have joined The Independent newsmagazine @Uganda Talks  and @dispatchug to consistently update content from different parts of the country. While Red Pepper did a great job on the political reporting they never fail to insert in the sex aspects. Presidential candidate Olara Otunnu did not vote and not much is yet known why but one of the reactions was that the only unmarried candidate is good at abstaining.

Howver radio stations which are the major medium of mass communication in the country are yet to venture into online spaces or it probably their owners who are largely politicians are yet to wake up.

The most prominent elections hashtag #Ugandavotes has been vibrant in the last 48 hours and many Ugandans increased their presence on twitter. This could be a vital point for those interested in tapping into citizen journalism in the country. Most of these discussions are dominated by Ugandans telling their stories and also sharing their experiences with each other and world.

Traditional media in Uganda has largely not invested in new media; in fact few have a well working digital media department with well qualified people. Whatever happens in this election, we will be waiting to see if Uganda’s media keeps up the momentum and the use of new ICT tools to communicate to a largely youthful population using social networks.

Press Release!

A call to political leaders to prevent electoral violence

The Ugandan public has noted and observed through the media and other sources the potential for violence during and after the 2011 elections. The high expectation of violence has been caused by the possibility of electoral malpractices including the following:

 Some presidential candidates are making statements threatening peaceful assembly, association including the right to demonstrate;

 Weapons like arrows and clubs are allegedly being ferried into Kampala from various locations;

 ‘Crime Preventers’ have been hurriedly trained, they are ill-informed about the law and may be a source of violence;

 Some members of the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police and government employees especially RDCs have been seen to engage in partisan politics, which is a potential source of conflict;

 The Voters’ Register has inconsistencies such as multiple registrations and lack of photographs of voters.

 Millions of voters have no voters’ cards;

 The creation and promise of districts over the past few months could be interpreted as an attempt to manipulate the 2011 elections results;

 General lack of confidence by the public in the Electoral Commission, especially in regard to delivering free and fair election;

 The handling of historical issues, like the Traditional and Cultural Leaders Bill recently passed by parliament, is potentially divisive;

 Media houses and workers have increasingly been victims of state censorship and violence;

 Bribery and vote buying are rampant in these elections. The shillings 20 million irregularly given to MPs has been cited as good example of this malpractice;

 Some Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) including Human Rights Defenders working on elections have been intimidated.

 The government has failed to contain the mushrooming of militias like Yellow Brigade; Kalangala Action Plan; Red Brigade; Black Brigade; Kikankane; Mwoyo Gwa Gwanga; Hakuna Kulia; Hakuna Kulala; and Kiboko Squad;

 There is notable intolerance of the political actors and supporters on all sides.

The above suggests the potential for the current electoral process to plunge the country into a state of anarchy. For this reason we invoke the spirit of the 1995 Uganda Constitution, which requires that we recall our history and that we struggle for unity, peace, equality, democracy, freedom, social justice and progress. It is worth pointing out that the government of Uganda both under domestic and international law is duty-bound to protect all its citizens and their property using lawful means.

Now that the official campaigning is over, we address ourselves to the institutions and their heads below who have special responsibility not to lead the country down the terrible path of Uganda’s history, but to adhere to their public responsibilities and uphold their Constitutional mandate.

Ugandans are weary of state-inspired anarchy since the 1966 Kabaka Crisis to date.

 The President of Uganda and Commander in Chief of the armed forces, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni;

 Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Eng. Badru Kiggundu;

 Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima;

 Inspector General of Police, Major. Gen Kale Kayihura;

 Minister of Security, Amama Mbabazi;

 All Intelligence Organizations and Agencies;

 The Judiciary;

 The Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda; and

 Members of Parliament.

Other individuals with special responsibility to ensure peace in this electoral period include:

 Presidential candidate of FDC/IPC, Rtd. Col. Kiiza Besigye;

 Presidential candidate of DP, Hon. Nobert Mao;

 Presidential candidate of UPC, Dr. Olara Otunu;

 Presidential candidate of UFA, Hon. Betty Kamya;

 Presidential candidate of PPP, Hon. J. Bidandi Ssali;

 Presidential candidate of PDP, Dr. Abed Bwanika;

 Presidential candidate, Mr. Samuel Lubega;

For emphasis, the Inspector General of Police is mandated under the law to protect peaceful assembly, association and demonstrations of citizens who may be expressing their discontent with outcomes of the electoral process or with any other issue pertaining to governance.

All Ugandans are also called upon to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election process.

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

Members of CSOs which have prepared this press release:

1. East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project

2. National Association of Professional Environmentalists

3. Human Rights Network – Uganda

4. Street Law – Uganda

5. United Religions Initiative

6. African Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims

7. Muslim Center for Justice and the Law

8. Uganda Water Governance Institute

9. African Institute for Energy Governance

10. Publish What You Pay – Uganda

11. Facilitation for Peace and Development

 

 

In my last post I talked about the heavy security deployments across the country. Here’s a video from citizen media.

These marches of soldiers and security men are a deliberate move to threaten Ugandans. These reminds of many old Ugandans of the dark past of the country and Museveni uses it to show that our security is only guaranteed according to his wishes. We simply don’t need all these security men in our neighbourhoods to feel secure in our country!

 

 

Uganda will hold presidential elections this Friday 18^th February. The campaigns have been more peaceful and short of scandals like in 2006 when leading opposition figure Dr.Waren Kizza Besigye was arrested after he returned to the country, after years in exile in South Africa. The 2006 campaigns were also newsier journalists in a way that President Museveni, the incumbent then and now, decided to go below the belt and throw tramped up rape charges on his former doctor.

This year we have instead had increased reports of voter bribery right from the ruling party primaries and up to now. Many agents of different politicians will be distributing soap, sugar and all little household items to snatch the last vote. It’s elections democracy made in Uganda. The trend was set as far back as 1996 elections when I saw people traverse my village in the night giving people items to vote the incumbent. Since then, the bribery has become the ever present characteristic of elections in Uganda. The Electoral Commission will put out its warnings but we all know the truth and I will be waiting to see good reports on the extent of the bribery.

I will be casting my vote but I am yet to choose the party that will take it.

One thing is for sure I will not be looking at the yellow party- the ruling NRM because of very fundamental reasons. For many, it looks like I should be an easy catch for Museveni. I am from western Uganda which many people outside tend to accuse of benefiting from this regime and therefore ‘we reward Museveni handsomely.’  I went attended my university on a government scholarship at Makerere University and therefore in some circles especially Museveni’s supporters from western Uganda, I shouldn’t be that ungrateful – government money here is seen as the president’s.

But there other demographic factors that will make me not look at the name at the end of the ballot paper. I was just three years when Museveni took over power and therefore many people of my age don’t find his speeches , which usually begin with ‘when we came here in 1986’ relevant to our lives. I am one of those many Ugandans whom you can’t use the past of this country to control their future.

When you move around the country you will see posters and billboards of President Museveni holding young school kids sort of boasting for bringing free primary education (UPE) which in my view has so far only succeeded in giving us enough dropouts who can’t spell their own name.

My grandfather was a primary school teacher and he was one of the few that educated their daughters in my village. So since my education didn’t start with President Museveni’s arrival in 1986 I don’t find reason he should take my vote.

I have seen enough with lack of institutions in my country, a place where you have to bribe someone at every stage to get things done. President Museveni has successfully presided over the largest government and his ministers seek to loot the country any chance they get. He largely gives Ugandans what they want in form of districts, expanding his administrative positions to take care of people’s tribal sentiments but he will not give them one thing, a democratic Uganda.

I was raised to know that a person who doesn’t respect elders is worthless and a visit to the ministry of public service will tell you a lot about Museveni’s government. At this building old men and women who have served this country for decades are tossed up and down as they try to access their hard earned money (pensions) others are cheated by officials who offer them shortcuts. Many people whom Museveni found serving the country die without accessing their pension. It is only announced they will be paid a few months to the elections. The ministry is just a glimpse into this lootocracy.  A Parliament filled with Museveni’s backers has made it difficult to ensure prosecution of ministers that swindle government money. For anyone who cares about the future of this country, increasing the numbers of opposition members in the parliament is very vital.

I have consistently written about the crippled health system this country and how most Ugandans have to get their own money to buy drugs with hospitals that can’t even provide gloves to nurse delivering babies. And since President Museveni told Ugandans to produce till they can’t produce no more, the job of a midwife in Uganda is one of the most tedious and unrewarding ones.

We have also seen Museveni try to tell the youth in the last few days, through the New Vision newspaper, which largely leads with his stories that they shouldn’t vote the opposition for it will sabotage a government plan to give them jobs. I don’t think Ugandan youth are fools to think that what a man has not done in 25 years can achieve in 5 years.  Uganda produces about 400,000 graduates from higher institutions of learning every year but less than 50,000 jobs are created annually. President Museveni and his brother Salim Saleh have even gone into security business sending hundreds of Ugandan youth to Iraq and Afghanistan to reduce the numbers of idle youth. The truth is there’s no real plan for the youth and many will not be voting for the ruling party.

President Museveni has always taken the votes of old Ugandans by reminding them of the olden troubled days of Idi Amin. Most of Uganda has been peaceful at the expense of the north and some parts of western Uganda for the last 25 years. With the attack by Al- shabab on Kampala at the World Cup final in July last year, many Ugandans are soon realizing that the threat to their lives is no longer the rebels alone. But because many have for long trusted Museveni on security, few Ugandans bother to know or even ask why their sons are fighting in Somalia.

For a regime that has enjoyed such trust on security matters, there shouldn’t be thousands of police officers at every corner in Kampala right now. Ugandans have not seen such a number of security men and no wonder people are now anxious, buying sacks of rice, maize flour and other household items thinking violence might engulf the city after Friday.

President Museveni has tried to say the he has a drug for those looking to cause trouble but the anxiety of Ugandans is not about those people that the president alone seems to know. People are scared of this increased militarism and police in different uniforms at every corner you stop. Today I went out to Wandegeya, just outside the central business area, to a shop I usually visit and people who know me as a journalist were asking me what’s going on in the city. I told them I don’t seem to know more than what they you see. Many policemen with their AK47s on the backs, few Ugandans are feeling safe ahead of Friday. It’s this increase in security men in the towns across Uganda that is giving Ugandans nightmares about possible violence at the slightest protest of anything out Friday’s vote.

We wait for the next three days and see if every home will have a policeman attached to it in the name of security.