Knowing more at times I pretend that less would suffice, unlike those who give testimony
Saturday, January 30, 2016
A New poem I am working on for my next book
Thursday, January 28, 2016
The debate is the things, a poem by Justice James Ogoola
Sunday, January 24, 2016
The case against term limits in Uganda
He had just ousted the regime of Gen Tito Okello Lutwa after a five-year liberation struggle that had also seen his National Resistance Army rebels fight Dr Apollo Milton Obote’s (1980-85).
On that day, President Museveni delivered his now memorable line to a very euphoric nation: “No one should think that what is happening today is a mere change of guard; it is a fundamental change in the politics of our country.”
He went on and promised to run a frugal and responsible government and told the country: “We want our people to be able to afford shoes. The honourable excellency who is going to the United Nations in executive jets, but has a population at home of 90 per cent walking barefoot, is nothing but a pathetic spectacle.
Yet this excellency may be busy trying to compete with [then US president Ronald] Reagan and [then USSR president Mikhail] Gorbachev to show them that he, too, is an excellency.”
On top of this speech which won him hearts both home and away, he even promised to rule for only four years.
Thirty years later, his name is inked in history books as one of the longest serving non-traditional leaders of the world in the eighth position.
The metamorphosis
After capturing power in 1986, the Legal Notice Number One was established as a basis of legality for the new NRA government as elections were prepared. It also vested legislative powers in the then National Resistance Council –NRC-[interim Parliament] and the President.
In 1989, the NRC was expanded from 98 appointed members to 278 elected representatives (68 of which were still nominated by the President) through the first national election since 1980 and transformed into the Constituent Assembly.
Several accounts have put it that President Museveni started to change colours when he asked for another five years to lay a foundation for the drafting and implementation of a new Constitution.
Former Supreme Court judge George Kanyeihamba, and who was minister of Justice at the time, writing in his weekly column in this newspaper two weeks ago said: “At the time, I believed the policy of extension was genuinely executed and our extension team, which I led as minister responsible, worked out a detailed programme which was to be adopted and implemented for the next five years in the realisation of the peoples’ expectations and wishes.”
The new Constitution was drawn and promulgated in September 1995 with a specific article 105(2) setting two terms for the incoming president. President Museveni sought an elective term which he indicated would be his last and won with 74 per cent.
Before that term would end, he launched a bid for another one. In 2000, while campaigning for the referendum to retain the Movement system, he then likened himself to the chameleon. At least 90 per cent of the 50 per cent voter turnout voted in favour of the Movement system in June that year.
The chameleon manifests
At the Wakiso rally, Museveni was quoted to have said the reason why leaders like UPC’s Milton Obote lost power twice through coup d’états was because they failed to read the situation properly, thereby failing to change accordingly.
A year later, he got a serious political challenger in his former personal physician during the Bush War, Dr Kizza Besigye, who two years earlier had authored a document criticising the NRM of derailing from the principles that in the first place had inspired them to go to the bush.
Amid Besigye’s mounting popularity, Museveni threw in a solemn political promise that this was the last term he was running and would retire thereafter; this is repeated 21 times in the NRM manifesto.
“I am once again offering myself to serve the people of Uganda because of my conviction. I am taking on the challenge of contesting for a last presidential term for the following reasons.”
He polled 69 per cent in the elections while Dr Besigye came second with 27 per cent, results which he challenged in the Supreme Court citing electoral malpractices. The court condemned the electoral process, but declined to overturn the results.
Until we solve our political differences; Uganda will always be caught between a stone and hard rock
The case for term limits in Uganda
“A wise politician should be like a chameleon to change colour when necessary. When I am at Wakiso I have no problem, I can be like a dove. But when facing my enemies and murderers, I turn into a lion,” Museveni said.
That was 15 years ago, and that metaphorical reference has played out in reality in the Museveni’s approach to statecraft and political management of Uganda and beyond since then.
When he wanted more years than was permitted under the 1995 Constitution, he engineered the lifting of the presidential term limits to contradict his 1986 position, on assuming office, that Africa’s problem was not the people but “leaders who overstay in power”.
Now making three decades on Tuesday, Mr Museveni is Africa’s fifth longest-serving president.
He has revised his inaugural January 29, 1986, narrative to justify his changed position by arguing that what he castigated at the time was “leaders who overstay in power without election”.
The President’s changing positions has prompted critics to suggest a possible shadow boxing between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ Museveni if the two versions, which they say contrast, met.
The ruling NRM party chairman and presidential flag bearer a fortnight ago told journalists at a press conference in Ntungamo District that he cannot leave power now, especially when all that he planted is starting to bear “fruits”.
“We can’t be in the middle of a forest and want the old man to go. This is not right. We must concentrate on development, my time will come and I will go. I don’t fear going because I have where to go, but we must first see where we go,” he said.
And true, talk of where to “go”, throughout his campaign trail for a fifth elective term in office, Mr Museveni has been promising that the next term, running up to 2021, is to steer the country where it should be.
“After the liberation struggle, recovery phase and building foundation, Uganda is ready for take-off. NRM will stick to prioritisation in development planning to address Uganda’s challenges,” he says.
Indeed, the one thing he cannot be accused of having failed to do is provide grand plans and visions for Uganda, a habit that dates way back to when he was still a guerrilla fighter.
His recent proclamation came on the heels of another he made last November in Arua District, again at a press briefing, that he is willing to hand over in case he lost power.
“I have got my job; I am a cattle keeper. I am not power hungry, but mission hungry. So I have got a mission of economic transformation of Ugandans,” Mr Museveni said.
‘New breed leader’
On Wednesday, January 26, 1986, President Museveni stood on the front porch of the Parliamentary Building before a rudimentary desk and took the oath as the 9th president of Uganda.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Wonderful woman
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Pigs
Best cows to breed in Uganda
These are my reasons:
Heat stress. Because of the predominant black colour, it absorbs heat more than other breeds. During the dry season, even if you keep the same breeding conditions, its milk production will drop by more than half.
It works in developed countries, they regulate heat because they are kept indoors. It is not also by accident that all the traditional cows in this region are mostly brown in colour.
Soft skin. Of all the cattle breeds, the Friesian has the softest skin and is also very hairy. A tick will bite and stick on any part of the body.
It is not by accident, that for the other breeds, ticks concentrate on ears and underbody because other parts are hard and they fall off.
Therefore, Friesians fall victim of tick-borne diseases more than other breeds, hence they are more expensive to maintain on account of treatment.
High consumption.
The Friesian is the highest feed consumer in the world. Would it be sensible to keep this breed if you cannot get the highest productivity from it?
Photo dynamic dermatitis (Obukomangwa). This is a disease, which attacks the white patches. Over 95 per cent of Friesians are still on free range, therefore susceptible. They have many white patches; this is not a problem with other breeds.
Lack of fat.
A pure Friesian has no fat, it was developed for dairy. Almost all our farmers do not use cattle for dairy only, they also use sales to butcheries as a major source of income.
A dairy farmer buys the cow expensively and at disposal, he/she may sell it at less hence making losses.
Lack of capacity to move distances.
Although we are advocating modern farming, the current situation is not the ideal one. In some or many circumstances, many farmers need to move their cattle in search of water or pasture. The Friesian cannot move like this.
Sight loss.
In a herd on free range, you will find almost 20 per cent blind, which is not with other breeds.
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