[WestNileNet] AFRICAN UNION: SINCERELY, WHOSE UNION?
AFRICAN.UNION: SINCERELY, WHOSE UNION? Photo: Mugabe and other AU delegates sleeping during deliberations. Summary: I actually felt sorry for the minimally-equipped AU foot soldiers on peace-keeping missions who had to face mortal dangers against daring rebels, while the politicians dined and wined without making any single diplomatic break-through in peace negociations for years on behalf of African populations in conflict zones. Share I did a stint as UN support staff to the African Union during the establishment of the AU-UN Hybrid Mission in Darfur. I was amazed at African Union's relaxed administrative processes when I arrived. The AU's organic composition, from HQ to field operations, oozes mostly the unprofessionalism, cronyism and the who cares attitude to procedures and accountability that we find in many African nations public services. Only the monthly salaries in US Dollars seemed to matter to many staff. Honestly, on Darfur, the UN who are even better paid, seemed more concerned than the African Union people I found. Imagine work at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where diplomatic staff are posted there as political favors back in their respective countries rather than their professional abilities. If only they had determination like say the European Union or Gulf Cooperation Council who tackle issues that affect business, education and health of their people, I would be optimistic about our continents prospects. I actually felt sorry for the minimally-equipped AU foot soldiers on peace-keeping missions who had to face mortal dangers against daring rebels, while the politicians dined and wined without making any single diplomatic break-through in peace negociations for years on behalf of the populations in conflict zones. Insteas, like recently, President Museveni raises the issue of the international criminal court. His first target is to call an AU summit to discuss boycotting the ICC. Something that had already failed miraculously last year. The sad point here is that the AU is being used only when there are issues that affect a few persons in leadership. Because when it comes to the issue of migrants dangerously crossing the mediteranean sea and dying while trying to get to Europe, there is no summit. They failed to organize even a singe minute of silence for the victims of Lampedusa. Something that the Italian people on the island actually did on behalf of the continent. The AU has failed to intervene in Libya to save sub-saharan Africans from persecution that continues since Gadhafi was assassinated. The problems surrounding African.labourers being exploited in Europe and in the gulf countries is never discussed. The institution can't take a firm stand on internal governance issues with member countries. Personally, I have never heard of them holding a high level anti-corruption summit. When will they produce guidelines and minimum standards for democracy and elections amongst member nations in a way that whoever doesn't abide is sent to the isolation corner, while serious efforts are made for the culprit to abide by the rules for our continents sake. I guess what I am trying to say is that the African Union needs to start serving the African people rather than remain sensitive only to the leaders problems. And this can only be when African Union starts serving the African people and defending Africa's interests. They cam do that if we Africans snd our civil society organizations start continuously demanding accountability about what they are doing for the African people. The United Nations and donor countries need to open up about the amounts involved in their cooperation with the institution and what results are their to show. My advice to those friendly countries (China, Western donors and also Russia who is a major supplier in military hardware) is that as they try to work with the AU they should first focus on making it a meaningful organization. And for that, they should be aware of how the institution is used for individual interests as opposed to how it is supposed to function as a global cooperation institution as well a defender of African interests. If development funding for individual countries could be done within the framework of the African Union, then it definitely would give the AU more leverage within nations economic affairs while making the institution subject to yet unparalelled scrutiny on its decisions processes. That way, the AU will have a meaningful, respectable and productive role to play as a key oversight tool for Africa. Many things can then easily come together; including integrated economies, education systems, health services, interlinkinh infrastructure development plus peace security. Only then can we talk of Africans starying to genuinely take interest in solving Africa's problems. The writer, Mr. Hussein Juruga Lumumba Amin is an independent politician. ___
[WestNileNet] UGANDA 2014: A TROUBLED POLICE STATE...IN DENIAL.
UGANDA 2014: A TROUBLED POLICE STATE...IN DENIAL. Posted: Today 2:05 am Summary: Police is supposed to guarantee Ugandans right to peacefully protest. They are even supposed to protect protesters. SHARE It is rare to see any public protests these days. Reason being they have been mostly disallowed under the Public Order Management Law. A new law where protesters need to obtain prior authorization from an already biaised Uganda Police Force that unsurprisingly denies all opposition requests for fear of an irreversible uprising. While the right to protest is guaranteed by law, police contend that they have the duty to see that protests do not degenerate into violence and vandalism. Hence why they have to approve/disapprove any public rallies after a written notice has been submitted days in advance and a security assessment conducted. This makes it all look professional without political undertones, right? The reality is that when government, including the police, want to have a procession in the central business district, they simply go ahead. But opposition rallies are always disallowed. Yet police is supposed to guarantee Ugandans right to peacefully protest. They are even supposed to protect protesters. In the US recently, squad cars and police vans full of officers are seen slowly following processions as announcements are made over a police loudspeaker, informing protesters that police are there for their protection and that their right to demonstrate is being respected. They also warn that any vandalism or violence would lead to a citation or arrest. It is possible to assume that maybe Uganda Police isn't well trained on how to handle protests the right way. Indeed all such events tend to culminate in live gun fire, teargas, water canons and some dead or injured. But we surely can recall the Walk-To-Work protests when opposition politicians were picked up by police as they walked peacefully to town. Besides Retired Col. Kizza Besigye who attracted a huge crowd, all other politicians had been walking easily to their work places. Retired Major-General Mugisha Muntu made it peacefully to town, walking from his residence in the upmarket Kololo suburb without much ado except a few journalists. We saw Hon. Beatrice Anywar in jeans and sports shoes being picked by police as she walked alone along Entebbe road. But what shows that police commanders aren't to blame was the successful walk by Olara Otunnu. He was actually properly escorted by police upto his office at Uganda house. This last example alone shows that the police actually knows what they are supposed to do during protests. But Lo and behold! The officer in charge got reprimanded for that. Then we saw poor Museveni appear on TV news ordering that protesters should be either confined at home or arrested immediately they come out of their premises. That's why I say police aren't always to blame. Because from that day on started the now common house arrest technique at opposition leaders houses whenever there is a planned protest. That has led to interesting cat and mouse games as opposition members such as Kizza Besigye, Ingrid Turinawe and Ken Lukyamuzi display simple covert operations skills that allowed them to outmanoeuvre police guards and head to town. So as we talk about police militarization and their increased involvement in partisan politics, the source of their errors is clear. They are under direct Museveni orders that they are obliged to follow or face the grave consequences. In their strife to survive, police has resorted to primarily getting involved in actions that display their loyalty to the regime rather than follow their job descriptions that require them to serve Uganda. That is the case for Ministers, Resident District Commissioners and Councillors as well. Institution building is the first bitter casualty here, followed by freedom of expression. Only what pleases Museveni is allowed to be? How backward has this country gone? He used to make an effort to display some tolerance back in the late 1990's. So is this the onset of senility? Is Museveni mentally back in the 1980's bush wars while physically in 2014 Uganda? When the voices of reason can't speak, and an emerging, young opportunistic leadership replaces them, the future is increasingly guaranteed to contain serious political upheavals and conflict. That is what is happening with government cadres increasingly from a younger generation that strives to impress with unfettered loyalty rather than work outstandingly for the country. People will always be concerned about their income, promotions, future and that of their families. But what cronyism does is turn this basic human need into a support structure for a clinging Museveni rather than one that builds a nation. A personality cult becomes more visible by the day and idolatry makes its way into government functions and operations. That is why we see cadres kneeling and praising an
[WestNileNet] (1985) DR. OBOTE: SLIM (AIDS) IS TYPHOID
(1985) OBOTE: SLIM IS TYPHOID. February 1985: A select investigative team travels to Rakai district after getting reports of an unusually high number of cases suffering from a mysterious incurable disease. Locals have named the sickness slim because of how patients lost weight. They also suffer from diarhea, vomiting, skin infections and hair loss. After conducting their investigation, the Obote team concludes that ‘Slim’ (HIV/AIDS) is just typhoid. -- Hussein Juruga Lumumba Amin Kampala, Uganda ___ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ___
[WestNileNet] Idi Amin’s History: Can Africans shape Africa’s Narrative?
Idi Amin’s History: Can Africans shape Africa’s Narrative? December 15, 2014 By IdaHorner — Leave a Comment Speak to African immigrants and most have a few anecdotes to share from conversations on their travels. These conversations provide an insight into the narrative that has been constructed about the continent. As an African immigrant, you soon discover that, even someone that has never visited a single African country, treats such narrative as gospel truth. This induces all manner of emotions in us including anger, frustration, surprise etc and can lead to heated discussions in an effort to set the record straight. Imagine this if you will, an English girl I used to work with said to me, “all African children are orphans, aren’t they? My immediate response was, and where did you hear that? “From my English language teacher” she said. I asked her how old she was, “I am 23″ I told her, that her teacher was mistaken, that whilst they are orphans in African countries, not all children on the continent are orphans. I was able to set the record straight in this instance. But what if you can’t set the record straight, because you do not have the facts? My immigrant story and one that is guaranteed to continue for as long as I continue to live outside of Uganda, goes something like this - “Where do you come from?” - From Uganda Then I almost always get one or both of these responses: “Aids” or “Idi Amin”. This is usually followed by long discussions about Amin’s regime. I am often left frustrated because my own recollection of that regime is patchy. I was a child during Amin’s Uganda and the adults at time didn’t talk about their experience and even today, some will not discuss what it was like. A week ago, I was drawn to this comment by Minna Salami’. Hussein Amin, the son of late Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, is not the most objective of persons to complain of his father’s obituary in The Guardian. But reading that he has just done that, I am thinking of the metaphoric similarity between writing about Africa and about Idi Amin, which merely encourages rudimentary debate. If you read the obituary that was published in 2003, words such as ‘savage’, ‘barbaric’ and ‘animal magnetism’ jump at you. The caricature portrayal of Amin as a buffoon-type, in the obituary and generally, is so unjournalistic that it actually detracts from the bitter truths of his regime and from providing a diligent analysis for posterity. It would be useful if the son’s request sparks a discussion about the quality of journalism and/or ruthless politics rather than yet another round of smug ridicule. As Chinua Achebe said, “writing which uses emotive words and other forms of trickery to induce hypnotic stupor in their reader has much more at stake than stylistic felicity.” I was intrigued by Minna’s comment and headed over to The Guardian to read Amin’s obituary. I could not challenge, Hussein Amin, Minna nor The Guardian’s points of views as I have gaps in my own recollection. I for instance, have a memory dating back to that time. In my mind’s eye, I was at a boarding school in a town called Lugazi in central Uganda and this boarding school was surrounded by a woodland. I recall hearing gunshots emanating out of that woodland, the sort you would hear at a firing range. Could it be that this was the location of the mass murders Amin is said to have committed? Could I have imagined the incident? I have sought the answer to this last question for several years now and I am no where near to resolving it. I have spoken to my mother and my older sister about it and they say it is quite possible that this woodland was indeed a location for some of the killings but they cannot confirm it either. This is because most of what transpired during Amin’s Uganda is still unknown and to date some people have no idea what became of their relatives. People just say it is Amin. Unable to come up with a response to Hussein Amin’s challenge to The Guardian, I sought the views of fellow bloggers here and this is what they had to say Andrew Maina I think its a little cheeky on The Guardian’s part not to give a bit more details on the 15 areas of the obituary that were challenged, and on Hussein Amin’s part to ask for the changes for what appears to be his own political reputation. Sitinga Yes, I couldn’t tell if they were being dismissive and it was another attempt to control the narrative of history or if it was just a guy who couldn’t face the reality of his fathers legacy…or if it was just a case where he can face the reality of his fathers legacy but still wants accuracy as he disputes the numbers killed – killing 80k instead of 300k – he was not saying my father didn’t kill anybody, he was saying get the count straight. I think his son should simply write an autobiography if he wants people to pay attention to these disputes or an op-Ed in the form of an open letter to the guardian in a different online source. Jimmy Kainja First of all, I
[WestNileNet] Constitution Amendments Proposals: When is the Deadline?
It was reported that December 20th was the deadline for proposals on next years Constitutional review. This was after it was extended from their last deadline, December 5th. I've just come from the Uganda Law Reform Commission at Workers House. They say they know nothing about the 20th December extension. They closed reception on 5th. Hon. Min. Maj Gen. (Ret) Kahinda Otafiire, What is going on? -- Hussein Juruga Lumumba Amin Kampala, Uganda ___ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ___
[WestNileNet] Memories of Childhood The Fun of Overtaking.
Living with the background of having been part of the first family for eight straight years is not an easy feat. Of course we grew up in quite a comfortable home environment. But though some would imagine that we lived a life of luxury and plenty, we were quite humble compared to what we know of many first families on our African continent. We kept in touch with our African lifestyle and actually lived and played like other kids especially at boarding school. Our education was mainly in local schools, where we learned to make toys with boxes and participated in school competitions with schoolmates. While at Lake Victoria primary school in Entebbe, I remember hiding from the driver sent to pick us from school so that I could walk home with friends. After separating with my friends near the Entebbe golf course, I would branch off alone towards home and enter state house through a secret entrance that only I knew about. Only to find pandemonium as staff thought one of Mzee's children was lost. Once when at a different school Kabale Preparatory School, Mzee mentioned during a live radio broadcast that even his children should be punished with “kiboko” (caning) if they do wrong at school, just like other children were punished.then. Hearing him say that live on a transistor radio that we had been allowed to bring to school was a hair-raising stunner that my primary teacher Miss Kigorogoro heeded with delight. From then on I became suspicious of her but just had to live with the situation while at school. It was only when it was time to share the goodies brought from home and kept by the school management that one could notice that we had abit more biscuits, cornflakes, soft drinks and other cookies. A few other families also brought some great stuff from Nairobi where they would have spent their holidays. As for us, supplies were purchased by one Mugarura, a huge man with thick strong arms who was responsible for all the foods and beverages supplies in the state lodges. We loved his office because right behind it was the ever full-to- capacity store with all sorts of eats and drinks. The problem was that he sat in his office with the keys to the store constantly in sight on his desk. Though once in a while he would give in to our pleas and offer us some nice goodies when it wasn't time for tea or breakfast, we sometimes felt we had to attempt secret incursions while he went to follow-up on other chores and forgot the stores door open. On those days, we would first wait quietly in one of the corners until he would return to his desk, finish whatever he was doing and unknowingly lock us inside before going off to other duties. Then all of a sudden it would feel like heaven! We would start walking around the lanes like one does in a supermarket, picking, tasting and exploring whatever we liked and spitting out whatever was bitter or disgusting to our taste. That would continue for hours, only to be woken up by an unsuspecting staff who would first get the shock of his life on finding one or two kids laying still on the floor inside the supermarket. We would be sleeping with full stomachs. Departure for holidays was also one of those times when we were obviously catered for differently from other kids. Children would be eagerly waiting next to their luggage for their parents to arrive and take them home. Suddenly a guarded convoy of five or six vehicles would appear around the corner and drive straight to the waiting area where everyone stood looking out for their parents. It is then that we would suddenly switch from ordinary Ugandan kid. The security guards would carry our luggage to the vehicles while we hurried to get a good place in whatever vehicle we thought was capable of winning the race home”. There was usually choice between Mercedes Benz, Peugeot and Range Rover’s. The last vehicle in the convoy was always a military Land Rover with telecommunications antennas swagging in the air at every corner. Sometimes we got the surprise of a helicopter sent to take us back home from boarding school. To-date, I suspect this was when they forgot about our holidays and would hurriedly scramble the fastest form of transport that could get there in time. However, we viewed the helicopter as the ultimate experience as we would enjoy “overtaking” from the air. We could see the vehicles moving the way ants follow each other as we flew overhead in the vibration of the helicopter. What a delight! Even when we went by road, the convoy sped past all our good friends one after the other until we reached at another state lodge half way down the road where we would stop for lunch. William, a short man hailing from Fort Portal and who to-date has remained a family friend, was the care taker and he would cook one of the huge chicken that roamed freely in the back of the compound. So enormous they were that there was a thud at every step they would take when we chased them around. After filling our stomachs with the chicken,
[WestNileNet] UGANDA'S ALL-TIME MR GENOCIDE: OBOTE KONY (ACHOLI)
Extract: State-Inspired Genocidal Persecution in Uganda, 1980-85. The episodes of genocidal killing in Uganda in the period under examination, namely from 1980-85, came to an end when the Obote regime fell apart under the strains of its own internal contradictions. Whether that brought to an end the structural vulnerability of Uganda to future episodes of genocidal violence is a different question. The answer is not optimistic. The passing of Milton Obote’s second reign, and in its wake, the routing of the Okellos by the NRA, was viewed by many as a watershed in Ugandan politics; heralding the first decisive shift of political pre-eminence from the elites of the north of the country to those of the south. The years that have followed the NRA’s victory, though marked by a relative upswing of fortunes for the better part of the country, have also been characterized by an explosion of armed rebellion, as Ugandans increasingly perceived Yoweri Museveni’s exploits almost as a re-branding of insurgency as an enterprise, if not elevating it to the level of an institution. No less than fifteen rebel groups and movements have since emerged 18 , the longest-surviving being the exclusively Acholi Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) which, with its enigmatic leader Joseph Kony, has dragged the country into what may probably be the most brutal, if purposeless, episode of insurrection Africa may yet see. It may not be far- fetched to suppose that, in the fullness of time, the dire effects of the rebellion in central northern Uganda might call for the kind of examination that is the subject of this paper, albeit for a different era and principal culprit, Apollo Milton Obote. -- Hussein ___ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ___
[WestNileNet] BLOOD THIRSTY OBOTE/OKELLO SAVAGES IN ACTION: GENOCIDE
Obote's UNLA troops set out to massacre the local populace by locking them in their huts and setting them on fire. This, in addition to looting any movable articles, destroying food stores and desecrating places of worship and burial grounds. Some of the soldiers reportedly arranged for their relatives to come along from Acholi and Lango to assist with the looting, especially of livestock. The end of each cycle of the massacre was marked by victory parades accompanied by music from Acholi flutes. A common scene following the orgies of violence was that of jubilant Acholis clad in belts festooned with the genitals of innocent civilians. Extract: State-Inspired Genocidal Persecution in Uganda, 1980-85 ___ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ___
[WestNileNet] HISTORY: RATHER AMINS TIME THAN THIS LIBERATION RUBBISH. (Watch)
If anyone calls you a liberator it should be a Ugandan insult. Just look at the mess!!! Rarely broadcast documentary by Canada's CBC in 1985. Featuring: - Olara Otunnu as Foreign Minister. - Andrew Kayiira joining the Okello's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwls314iUBAfeature=youtube_gdata_player -- Hussein Juruga Lumumba Amin Kampala, Uganda ___ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ___
