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US Endorses M7

rom: U.S. Department of State
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 08:06 PM
Subject: Africa: Uganda's Elections

Africa: Uganda's Elections
Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:54:24 -0600

Uganda's Elections

Press Statement

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs

Washington, DC

February 22, 2011

---

The United States applauds the people of Uganda for their participation in the February 18 presidential and parliamentary elections and congratulates President Yoweri Museveni on his reelection. The elections and campaign period were generally peaceful, but we note with concern the diversion of government resources for partisan campaigning and the heavy deployment of security forces on election day. We are also disappointed by the disorganization at polling stations and the absence of many registered voters’ names from the voter rolls, irregularities that could have been avoided by appointing an independent and more representative Electoral Commission.

Nevertheless, we urge all participants to abide by the official results, refrain from violence, and channel grievances through Uganda’s independent judiciary. Democracy requires commitment at all levels of government and society to the rule of law, freedom of speech and assembly, independent media, and active civil society. We urge the Ugandan government to undertake the electoral and administrative reforms that will substantially improve future elections and will strengthen the country's commitment to multiparty democracy and human rights for the next generation of Ugandan citizens.

PRN: 2011/261

Just for laughs2

Just for laughs

How to win Peasants' hearts (and vote)

The Commonwealth Observer Group interim statement after the Ugandan presidential and parliamentary elections

"KAMPALA, Uganda, February 20, 2011 The Commonwealth Observer Group issued an interim statement after the Ugandan presidential and parliamentary elections, reporting that it was concerned by the lack of a level playing field, the use of money, and abuse of incumbency in the process. Dame Billie Miller, head of the group and a former deputy prime minister of Barbados, outlined their findings below:

- There was a largely peaceful campaign and a reasonably calm Election Day in most areas but regrettably marred by localised incidents of violence. - Some serious concerns remain which mirror findings highlighted after the 2006 elections. Of particular note is the lack of a level playing field and the "commercialisation of politics", both of which will need to be addressed.

- It is encouraging that during the election campaign basic freedoms, including freedom of association, freedom of movement and assembly, were generally provided for.

- The ruling party in Uganda is by far the largest and best-resourced party and following many years in power, elements of the state structure are synonymous with the party. Further, reports regarding the "commercialisation of politics" by the distribution of vast amounts of money and gifts are most disturbing.

- The EC undertook to improve the voter register with an extensive update and cleaning exercise aided by the use of Information Technology. Overall the register shows some improvement, but it is clear that it remains a work-in-progress with some names still missing and some voters lacking awareness of their place of poll. It is regrettable that the National Identification Card was not made ready for use during these elections.

- On the day of the elections, our teams reported that in most areas the voting process proceeded reasonably well. The main problems encountered related to the widespread late delivery of materials and late opening of many polling stations; inconsistent application of procedures by polling officials and instances of voters not finding their names on the list, the scale of which varied. In some areas the nature of the presence of security forces, particularly the military, was a concern.

- Overall, the polling station count was transparent, but again inconsistencies were observed, notably in the completion of documentation. - The new results aggregation system is welcomed as it helps increase transparency and the National Tally Centre provided access to timely and transparent information.

- Media monitoring reports indicate that the ruling party enjoyed a large advantage in coverage by state-owned radio and TV.

- The main concern regarding the campaign, and indeed regarding the overall character of the election, was the lack of a level playing field, the use of money and abuse of incumbency in the process. The magnitude of resources that was deployed by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), its huge level of funding and overwhelming advantage of incumbency, once again, challenged the notion of a level playing field in the entire process. Indeed, the 'money factor' and widespread allegations of bribery, and other more subtle forms of buying allegiance were key features of the political campaign by most, if not all, the parties.

- It is therefore important that for the future serious thought be given to election campaign financing and political party fundraising. This is more so given that there are virtually no checks on the levels of campaign financing and expenditure due to the cash- based nature of the campaign and the lack of stringent campaign financing regulations, both of which facilitate the use of illicit payments to voters as inducements and has the potential to undermine their free will."

HOLY HUMOR !

There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk. "Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady. ======== "Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning." ======== A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses." When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket I'll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation." ======== There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets." ======== While driving in Pennsylvania , a family caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign... "Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust." ======== A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... " ======== A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business." ======== People want the front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention. ======== The minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. Therefore, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play. "Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances." During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up." At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner." And that is how the substitute became the regular organist! ========= Give me a sense of humor, Lord, Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, And pass it on to other folk!*

Terry Kakeeto-Aelen

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your
thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”
Andrew Carnegie

“Success is a matter of understanding and religiously practising
specific, simple habits that always lead to success.”
Robert J. Ringer

The Kampala Matrix

ELECTION ROUND UP~ UGANDA

Election News Round-Up

In a move to curtail the freedom of speech, the government has issued a directive to all mobile phone companies operating in Uganda to intercept key words like "Egypt", "People Power", and "Bullet" from all their short message services or SMS, Reuters News Agency has reported. An internal email from the state-run Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) with the order has also been leaked to the opposition coalition Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) on Thursday.

According to Reuters, the head of UCC, Patrick Mwesigwa, confirmed the memo was genuine: "We had a meeting with content providers on Tuesday and we decided that a list of key words should not be transmitted,” he said. He added that, "Messages containing such words, when encountered by the network or facility owner or operator, should be scrutinised and, if deemed to be controversial or advanced to incite the public, should be stopped or blocked."

The other banned English words or phrases are: “Tunisia”, “Mubarak”, “dictator”, “teargas”, “army”, “police”, “gun”, “Ben Ali” and “UPDF”. Several words from Uganda’s local languages are listed too.

At his final election rally on Wednesday, Dr. Kizza Besigye warned that his supporters will take to the streets if the IPC concludes that the election have been rigged by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM): “In the last two elections we were cheated and all the Supreme Court judges agreed with us but still failed do their duty (and) annul the election. We’re not going to the courts again. If our results don’t tally with those of the electoral commission, I will ask the people themselves to deal with the situation directly,” Besigye said.

President Yoweri Museveni has however threatened to arrest to Dr. Besigye if he asks his supporters to take to the streets to protest election theft.

The situation in Uganda is not rosy according to sources in Uganda.

In the Eastern part of the country, supporters of incumbent MP Nandala Mafabi have been involved in the running battles with UPDF soldiers in Buwalasi and Bumuddu areas in Budadiri West Mbale region. Soldiers in Mambas (armored vehicles) have taken over security in Sironko District. According to reliable source the raged crowd acting in an Egyptian style, they have managed to disarmed a UPDF soldier whilst other soldiers had to show their backs to the determined youthful group in order to spare their lives.

Reports in Mbale that the Chairman of the Parliamentary Publics Accounts Committee PAC and FDC MP Nandala Mafabi strong man who has been Museveni s enemy number one in the region sustained an injury, but we haven’t established the cause.
There is also report that a Ugandan journalist, Julius Odeke, has been in the leg by bodyguards of the Minister for the Presidency Beatrice Wabudeya. He is in hospital in critical condition.

A district police commander, in Sironko, Gerald Mbasa had to flee from the raged voters who were denied their Universal Human Rights to vote. The demanded to know why the police serve only supporters of the ruling party and for what reason it continues to harass the population aat Bugusege polling station.

Meanwhile, President Museveni's main challenger, Dr. Besigye found that his name was not on the voters register in his own locale.
Dr. Besigye was meant to be registered at Katenga Cell Municipal Stadium Polling Station. Instead he was advised to go to Rwakabengo Health Centre III Polling Station where he found his name and finally voted. Samuel Walter Lubega, and Dr. Abed Bwanika both independent presidential candidates, found that their names were missing on their respective voters registers.

Lubega meant to be voting at Rainbow II Polling Station in Kawempe, a Kampala suburb has been only allowed to vote by Electoral Commission officials at the polling station. When contacted, Lubega said that, “We will not accept the outcome of the election because there has been many things going around.”

“I have seen and witnessed very good examples not rumors; but my own eyes,” said Lubega.

Dr. Bwanika, also a presidential candidate, was turned away from his Butikirwa Polling Station and advised to go and vote in Bukoto II Parish in Nkurabiro Trading Centre. “This is like many genuine voters were deliberately left out. It can`t be an accident,” said Dr Bwanika. He attributed the mess to the late changes that were brought without notice by the Electoral Commission.

Strange but real, the police force that's meant to keep law and order has been engaged in alleged bribery. FDC supporters in an eastern town of Iganga, approximately 78 miles east of Kampala carried out citizens' arrest. Eight special police constables were earlier arrested and detained by FDC supporters for allegedly helping the ruling party NRM to bribe the voters.

Additionally, at Walugogo Estate in Iganga Municipal Council, police officers were offering sachets of salt, sugar and bars of soap and persuading them to vote for the incumbent. “As you have heard, it is real. Here people are being given a bar of soap, a kilo of salt and sugar, in return to vote for the incumbent,” a journalist at the scene told this reporter. “We are a very crazy situation, because all state operatives are trailing us. Please, all these phone conversation are being monitored.”

In what appears to be a coordinated move from above, Iganga District Police Commander Mr. David Manzi, told this reporter: “We are investigating the incident, but I have been informed that, the opposition supporters wanted to make the case and put those items on the police vehicle.” Mr. Manzi was insinuating that the civilians had planted evidence on the police.

A wife to NRM candidate has been arrested by police in Kumi District on allegations of bribing voters to vote for her husband.

A wife to an NRM candidate for Kumi County Mr. Julius Omute, has been found in possession of 14 cartons of salt, 6 boxes of laundry soap, 6 dozens of waragi --local gin-- that she has been using to lure voters.

"Speaking Truth To Empower."

WE ARE TIRED..........twakoowa!

............................................TWAKOOWA..............................................

1. Nkoye abantu abelaba mu mirror ya Cairo Bank. That’s not a dressing mirror (I’m fed up of people who check themselves out using the Cairo Bank wall pane. It’s not a dressing mirror). 2. Nakowa peeps that come to Facebook with studio pics in that kaKampala village pose of crossing the legs and the arms on the laps with those bu Chinese river/stream backgrounds. Ain’t U photogenic enough? Why do U have to prepare for a photograph ... we want to see you in your natural self. 3. Twakowa all those that romance in taxis. 4. The way Sylvia Owori puts bu models in her glossy magazine and then adds “Top:85,000Ushs” when the top is 6k in the basement of Mutaasa Kafeero. Twakowa ababbi. 5. Twakowa NRM, MTN, NSSF, KIGGUNDU, MBABAZI, SEKIKUBO, KUTEESA, BODA BODA MU KAMPALA ne SEBAGGALA. 6. Sikaakyi naye enyimba ze ki protestant zikoya.....oba ku nyimbe oba mbaga oba Christmas....the same songs.....nebikusobela! (Why are Protestant hymns so boring and unvarying; the same songs are sung at funerals, weddings and in Christmas services. I’m fed up.) 7. Twakowa ebinigeria esp the scenes nga they are opening the gate for the car to come in. Ako ka part bwebakasalako movie tebelawo? (We are tired of Nigerian movies, especially the scene where the guards are opening the gate for cars to enter. Can’t the movie proceed if that part is cut out?) 8. Chicks with big feet. We even fail to buy you fitting shoes because we know females have small feet. 9. Old NRM politicians who have no retirement in their vocabulary! Maria Mutagamba,Sam Kutesa, Namirembe Bitamazire, Amama Mbabazi, Sevo etc. I’m so tired! 10. Radio presenters who pretend they can’t speak Luganda!!! Someone calls speaking Luganda and the fool answers in English..... Touch FM presenters style up. You should know better what the white man thinks of us. 11. Muslim names like Maimuna, Asirafu and Afuwa etc. 12. Twakowa the new 1k notes which get old quickly!!! 13. The word “Wolokoso” nakyo nkikoye. (I’m fed up of the word wolokoso.) 14. Nakowa people who are always telling me that I’m small. Munveko, (leave me alone) you think I want to have city tyres, drooling bums, legs like pestles, fresh diary and no neck. No thanks so keep the crap to yourself. Nakowa… 15. Twakowa all that stuff I hear mbu Hidden Passion, La Tormenta.... What the hell? 16. The guy seated behind me on a taxi is koyaring me with Ronald Mayinja’s ziki...kale ankoyeza nyo nyo (The guy behind me is tiring me with Ronald Mayinja’s music). A follow-up comment told her to buy her own car. 17. Twakowa writing nonsense. Can’t you guys write sense like twakowa bad roads instead of twakowa neighbours having sex in the morning, chicks who are ugly! If you are tired of ugly chicks on earth go to a planet of only beautiful gals... 18. Nkoye those bu girls who carry big handbags yet there is only a hankie n’ Shs700. Even abayaye (thieves) no longer snatch your ga-bags because they know. 19. Some dudes and babes be having like 1000+ buddies on Facebook, you might even think they are celebs and stuff but how come I don’t know them. I suppose they be sending friend requests to everyone and accepting each all day. 20. Twakowa Kahinda Otafiire. Mbu I have the capacity to start a war and stop it! Silly. 21. Nakowa bu emails mbu “if you do not send to nine people something bad will happen ,Ebintu sibya kukaka (Don’t force people). 22. AAAAAAAAAGGNES NAAANDUTU NNNtv news, Tukoye. 23. The word is Love! What the hell is lv, luv, lov? Well, maybe better, I dunno! I feel like it is bicupuli (fake) love when it is misspelt! I Love English!! 24. Banange nkoye Ugandan wanabbe Rastafarians and artistes who speak silly Jamaican patois; it sucks....Kati Butchaman biki byeyayimba mu Inna De Dance? (What’s that Butchaman was singing ‘Inna De Dance’?) Silly nbakoye. 25. Twakowa abantu abalina ssente ezigula omwenge ogwa mitwalo kumi naye nga tebasobola kugula deodorant ya kanana! (I’m tired of men who spend over Shs100,000 in bars, but can’t sacrifice Shs8,000 to buy a deodorant.) 26. Nze nakowa bu fake chaps/chicks who go “outside countries” for two weeks & come back with heavier accents than the bazungus. Grow up u show offs!!!! 27. I’ve kukowad this chick who is ever borrowing my cousin’s charger. Since last semester, borrowing, borrowing, borrowing.... Even during the long holiday, she did not buy one but still keraz (comes early) at our door to borrow a charger. Ye oba yabaki (What’s wrong with her)? 28. Nakowa men with small, feminine voices... Bambi, it’s not your fault but still nakowa. 29. I’m tired of the twakowa page. It’s now for every Tom, Dick and Museveni..