UGANDA: Taking stock of Museveni's Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo

TAKING STOCK OF MUSEVENI'S KISANJA HAKUNA MCHEZO

CHANGE OF GUARDS - During the inauguration of his current term of military dictatorship on 12th  May, 2016, Museveni crafted  a slogan to underscore the seriousness with which Uganda would be led this time round. “KISANJA HAKUNA MCHEZO”,  which is a combination of both Kiganda and Kiswahili languages to mean NO PLAYING ABOUT IN THIS TERM OF OFFICE.

He went ahead to hoodwink Ugandans by issuing out strategic guidelines that are meant to stimulate the desired impact for social and economic transformation by 2020.  Instead, two and a half years down the road the truth behind Museveni's Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo is painting an ugly picture different from what was anticipated.

Here below is a summary of the current state of affair:

1.  Arbtrary arrest, detention without trial in both gazetted and ungazeted places (Safe Houses), torture, and summary execution of innocent Ugandans by the police, the army  and other paramilitary groups is the order of the day.  The ISO Safe House in Kyangera is no more secret but a household name and it now even allows some family members to visit victims on top of releasing in bond.

2.  Military Intelligence (CMI) and Museveni elite guard unit (SFC) have taken over civilian policing and are the lead agencies in wanton brutality and gross abuse of human rights.

3.  It is now a norm for the military to rearrest and detain suspects lawfully freed by courts of law.

4.  Trial in military courts and detention of civilians in military barracks is now the norm.

5.  Muslims are systematically targeted in false accusations, extra judicial killing, torture and detention without trial.

5.  Targeted arrest, torture and harassment of journalists is the order of the day.

6.  Systematic undermining of the institutions of the judiciary and legislature in favour of military courts and Museveni's military structures for judicial and policy matters is the order of the day.  Repeated helpless cries by both the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice against impunity and excesses by regime functionaries continue to be ignored.

7.  Museveni's State House is now almost a state within a state with fully fledged parallel state structures with human, financial, logistical and an autonomous military (SFC) back up.  In most cases, cabinet and other executive officials are mere spectators.

8.  Surge in unresolved organised violent crime targeting murder of women and prominent people is a cause for worry.  Foreign investors have been targeted and are considering parking their bags and leaving.

9.  The unchecked deadly panga (machete) wielding bands continue to terrorise parts of Buganda unhindered. Interestingly the affected areas of Greater Masaka are the ethnic Banyarwanda Hutu traditional strongholds.

10.  Alarming proportions of mysterious and unresolved fire outbreaks targeting developmental private property like schools and markets continue to cause loss of innocent lives and property.

11.  Corruption, abuse of office and outright theft of public resources by the privilleged few has reached unprecedented levels.

12.  Systematic land grabbing and forced displacement of poor citizens by the privileged class who are protected by State House and its security forces is alarming.

13.  Sectarianism and nepotism favouring certain ethnic communities and sections of society is threatening to tear the country apart.

14.  Poverty levels amongst the general population is alarming while the public debt is skyrocketing.  Farmers' produce have no market while Museveni is minting out billions of public money to individuals and groups just for purposes of patronage.  The economy is in bad shape as commercial banks continue to be closed.

15.  Poor service delivery in the public health and education sectors is alarming.  It is only the few rich who are linked to the regime that can afford quality education and healthcare.

16.  The political space continues to systematically be suffocated as witnessed by the recent arrest, torture and detention of opposition Members of Parliament.  Not to mention the raiding of Parliament, beating up, arrest and detention of M.Ps to force them into scrapping the constitutional age limit for Museveni's life presidency.  Indiscriminate security swoops in urban areas targeting the youth for detention without trial is also in that direction.

17.  The systematic breakdown of government institutions that have been replaced by the military and State House is a cause for alarm.

18.  Civil Society Organisations are a regular target of all forms of harassment by the regime.  From being labeled agents of alleged foreign distablizing entities, to freezing of their accounts, blocking funding and mysterious breaks into their offices to carry files and other electronic gadgets.

19.  In November 2016 Museveni's army descended on innocent Bakonjo communities in Kasese and left hundreds brutally murdered in cold blood.

The list is endless, the situation is bleak but indeed it is KISANJA HAKUNA MCHEZO. "Do you need change or more of the same?"

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM