Hon.Erias Lukwago’s account of events that transpired at the Frontline Show !

Last night, I happened to be a Panelist at the NBS TV Talkshow that runs from 10:00pm to midnight. The debate was about the sham Soroti East Member of Parliament By-election. Midway the debate, hell broke loose when the Government Spokesperson, who is a regular Panelist (Frontliner) on the show, ran berserk and started throwing tantrums. Out of the blue, he sprung up, charged at me and threatened to evict me from the studios. He pushed his hand into the pocket and around his waist, in a manner that suggested he wanted to draw a pistol at me.
I dared him to shoot at me. He instead pounced on my neck and attempted to strangle me. I did not fight back but instead struggled to wriggle out of his grip. He them punched me in the chest and grabbed both collars of my jacket while huffing and puffing like a cobra. The Moderator, Charles Mwangushya moved in to restrain him but to no avail. He was joined by a Co-Panelist, the Hon. Winnie Kiiza, former Leader of Opposition but the now wild Opondo would not relent as he continued to maul me, while battering and kicking me in the stomach.
Being civilized and mindful of the law of unintended consequences, which could turn out to be catastrophic, I chose not to engage in a fist fight. I instead concentrated on shielding my face with both palms. It was at this moment that another Panelist, the Hon. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister for ICT and National Guidance, who had all along been witnessing the melodrama, joined the duo to prevail over a rampaging Opondo.
The Talkshow ended prematurely and Opondo was shouting at the top of his voice that he was going to finish me off in the corridors of NBS TV or outside the building. He made frantic calls to people I did not understand, requesting for “reinforcement.”
The DPC, Kira Road Police Station, Ssebuyungo, together with the Commander Operations, Aden Muzawula, entered appearance with several police personnel. They made arrangements with Hon. Baryomunsi to escort me back home.
Today morning, I went to Kira Road Police Station and opened up a Criminal Case before the O.C C.I.D and other Police Officers. I also moved to NBS and met with the Management to secure the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage of the said ugly scene but my efforts are yet to yield positive results. In my language, we have an old adage that; “Olaba nkaabira mubikire, naye ate ankutukidde mungalo…!!!”
I will stop at nothing in search for Justice. In addition to the aforesaid criminal proceedings, civil action will also be pursued in Courts of Law in an effort to deal with impunity in our country

For once, Museveni, you should know you have been given hot air because Nobert Mao and the Secretary-General didn’t consult the party structures before signing a cooperation agreement – DP’s Attorney General Nalukoola Luyimbazi.

“The Democratic party reserves the right to enter into an agreement with any legal entity for peace, democratisation, development and order which the beleaguered zygote in Kamwokya can’t foresee. They are now up in arms against an agreement which they even don’t know its content. DP members are not complaining” , says DP Stalwart Hon.Laker Moses.

Uganda’s opposition, especially those DP lovers are up at arms against Mao’s DP and M7’s work together pact that exposed their hypocrisy and created huge shenanigans. To actualize the pact, Hon. Mao was appointed Minister for Justice and constitunal affairs.

36 years, six sham elections as you call it yet you participate, war, revolution, and elections you plan for won’t bring change, you rejected Ipod dialogue, apart from getting to leadership positions and seeing youths jailed and die, Ugandans suffer yet you party after party. If Mao is wrong, what is your solution?

The pact recieved mixed reactions from Ugandans but condemnations from opposition.

I think Mao didn’t invent a new normal, but zeroxed DP tradition. From 1954.- DP has been a party of dialogue and peace. Mao did what Dr Semogere did and Hon Ibingira in the post independence in parliament when they opted to join UPC government. Whatever their reasons, I think we must for peace purposes, understudy democracy in Uganda.

In 1961, DP Ben kiwanuka was elected PM but gave up when unholy alliance with kabaka yekka brought in UPCs Dr obote, but for peace, DP gave up.

In 1986 Dr. semomogere led dp to NRM, and sadly left members like Dr. Kazibwe, Prof Bukenya, Kasamba Mugerwa and many others to NRM. To hushly condemn Hon Mao is to admit our hypocrisy. To me history will condemn hypocrites who pretend to be holy and time will prove them wrong.

I am a mentee of Mao who served as his legislative assistant in six parliament and as elected national spokesperson of DP. This made me know him. He believes in truth and justice. He hates corruption and believes in personal integrity. Mao promised Acholi to run for two terms in parliament, he left when still loved. To me, Mao is not a traitor or bought but loves Uganda more. I am sure the NRM is happy for a big catch and his detractors, but I think we must use wisdom to understand him.

conclusively, the moral questions are, who is the only hope and messiah for uganda? What can bring constructive change in Uganda, where we have peaceful transfer of power like kenya or Tanzania? Do we have opposition? Dr. Besigye whose wife works with government at night? Bobi wine? Lukwago, the Lord Mayor who can kill to be mayor earning over 30 million shillings monthly with no replacement? Or Betty Namboozee, in parliament for two decades earning over 20 million shillings monthly and many others? They can afford birthday parties for wives and children but look at suffering Ugandans. Ugandans, wake up. I understand why President Museveni has been in power for long and all talking of Muhoozi project. If Muhoozi, Mao, Bobi wine, Winne Kizza and many others can reboot Uganda, why not?

To me, the best way is a national, transitional government. In the 21st century, Bush war can never succeed, in Uganda demonstrations or the Arab like spring styles might not work. We saw revolution in Sri Lanka, but a dream here.

The ruling class in Uganda cannot make fiscal mistakes. In sri Lanka they failed to pay debt. While in Uganda we have money, though we lose 500 billion shillings yearly on corruption. American government gives us up to 950$ million dollars yearly for health and other development.

35 years of NRM, has seen both patriots and vilains. Patriots who shed their blood and vilains who engaged in aquiring ill gotten wealth with untamed appetite and those massacaring the constitition.

President Museveni, a lover of a monolithic government makes any agreement of parties working together suspicious. Remember he vowed to end opposition in Uganda. By the way, opposition ended on the Mao’s , Okulu Epak, Cecelia Ogwal etc. They had a cause. Today, we have money makers and scammers. In fact, president Museveni will be remembered if he conducts his transition well. Uganda is at take off. With his recent strategy, and if we as Ugandans can open our eyes, we will smile now and after president Museveni .

Having looked at six different elections termed as unfair and a sham by opposition yet they legitimize the same by participating. I see Ugandans must wake up from the slumber nightmare.

To me since, war, elections, and revolutions can not bring change, to stop the so called opposition and government from spending billions in elections that sees many dead, youths arrested and no hope, instead of cracking night deals, running for fake elections, opposition must come and dialogue now. Let’s stop hypocrisy and rhetorics giving Ugandans a raw deal .

Dr. Mwaka lutukumoi.
lutukumoifoundation1@gmail.com

By Odongo Lango

There are times when the news cycle is sluggish. Things happen slowly and random happenings seem, well, random. And such was the initial perception of the historic DP-NRM Cooperation Accord that President Museveni and Hon Norbert Mao signed. The nature and content of the political talking heads’ responses were predictable.

The political game’s patient leopard, President Museveni, has been silent within his burrow. The President was busy behind the scenes, working his magic, like a swift river whose surface is typically deceptively quiet in the middle. Political actors who were unaware and preoccupied with the whims of the latest banner headlines were caught completely off guard. The president appears to be finishing his encirclement maneuver on the opposition, precisely as he had previously predicted. But the president doesn’t wage a war of annihilation. He surrounds his adversaries covertly. He keeps an unblinking gaze on them. He then pounces in when they are entirely at ease.

If I were to hazard a guess about the old man’s political chess game, I would say that he is slowly setting up his pieces in order to respond to ambiguous succession problems in 2026 and later.

Center of Gravity

Consolidating a powerful, modern, and effective military capable of protecting Uganda’s territorial integrity, handling the volatile geopolitical security environment inside the great lakes, and staying submissive to civilian authorities is high on the president’s agenda. The President is making great efforts to ensure that the East African Community’s peace and security are guaranteed through a common security architecture for member states capable of thwarting existential threats to the African peoples in order to advance the Musevenian doctrine of Center of Gravity.

East Africa Integration

Second, President Museveni has a personal stake in seeing that the East African Integration initiative succeeds in creating a market that benefits the people living in member countries. The expansion of markets that promote wealth creation for African peoples is something that President Museveni is a great supporter of.

Political Stability

Thirdly, the President is putting a lot of effort into setting the stage for a long-lasting, unified, and stable Uganda that is at peace with both herself and her neighbors. Recent years have witnessed an appalling tendency in Ugandan politics that teaches political hatred, tribal sentimentality, and religious intolerance. This movement is supported by a small but vocal minority. One may interpret President Wednesday’s handshake with Mao as a calculated move to put a stop to that cancer. This strident minority may have received a few elected political positions in the 2021 election as a result of voter attitudes, but this might also be viewed as a result of the ebbs and flows of political waves. Not the norm, but the exception.

It’s the economy, stupid!

Last but not least, the Wednesday conference may be viewed in the context of establishing a stable macroeconomic climate capable of absorbing and using Uganda’s untapped resources. The plethora of natural resources that Uganda is gifted with will enable the country’s economy to roar back to life once they are mined. This includes favorable weather, productive land, oil and gas, gold, rare earth minerals, and iron, to name a few. Natural resources on their own might be a curse if they are not used appropriately, as is the case in nations like the DRC. Congo has been ripped apart by insecurity, political instability, and warlords’ blatant exploitation due to its small-minded politics. Uganda is being painstakingly protected from such curses by President Museveni.

In conclusion….
Gen. Museveni, the president of Uganda, is a political marathon runner. He hunkers and thinks about decades when his competitors are wasting their valuable political willpower by reacting to the most recent banner headlines. And when seen in that context, it is clear why the President met with Mao.

The author is from Minakulu in the Oyam District and belongs to the NRM party