Watchdog Uganda
True to his vision, Facebook is probably the fastest growing company in the world. From a standing start in 2004, Facebook now has 2.9 billion subscribers, and revenues of 86 billion USD. To put this in context, this is almost 40% of the population of the world, and the cash generated is twice as much as the Gross Domestic Product of Uganda. Zuckerberg also controls 58% of the Facebook’s voting rights, meaning that this individual has more influence over people globally than any world leader, including the President of the United States.
In order to meet its goals of rapid growth, Facebook, like Google, adopted a strategy of data surveillance in which they collect the data on every user and use that data to manipulate behavior to increase the time they stay on Facebook. Every Facebook user has multiple data points which are gathered and crunched by artificial intelligence to give a very accurate user profile: his likes and dislikes, his habits, his sexual orientation, his location, his movements, etc. Facebook then matches the profile to newsfeeds, adverts, groups, and information. In other words the news presented to one person is subtly different from that presented to another person. If a person has been profiled as a dissatisfied, white, right wing American, he will be categorized along with white nationalists and fed inflammatory views, inevitably making him more extreme.
Facebook does this for purposes of targeted advertising, but also sells its data to third parties, as was seen in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which millions of Facebook profiles were made available to Cambridge Analytica. This enabled an organization working for a political party to determine which voters should be targeted according to their specific profile and vulnerabilities.
Facebook has provided a platform to anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, causing an exponential growth in their influence. There have always been small groups of people who held such views but the reach of Facebook has given them apparent credibility, resulting in people failing to be vaccinated and dying unnecessarily.
Facebook has caused opinions to become more polarized, resulting in a sharply divided world. Therefore instead of Mark Zuckerberg creating a warm fuzzy global community, Facebook has become a platform to promote hate, divisions, lies, and mistrust. The effect of hate speech was evidenced in Myanmar, where Facebook was the main platform used against the Rohingya Community. One would imagine that when Zuckerberg realized that he had created a Frankenstein Monster he would have taken steps to change direction, but no. In fact, Facebook has a whole team of behavioral psychologists dedicated to promoting addictive digital behavior, and behavioral psychology is one of the fastest growing disciplines in Silicon Valley. How can all this happen? The first reason is that we like Facebook: it is very convenient, and if people realize it is addictive they are enjoying the addiction â€" it is pleasurable to get all those likes.
The scary part for me is that algorithms and AI (artificial intelligence) are now playing a large part in manipulating the behavior of human beings, and we are allowing themselves to be manipulated.
There is a lively debate about AI â€" whether it will serve humanity, or simply take over humanity because artificial intelligence is multiple times faster than the human brain. Many people feel that AI is nowhere near the point of overtaking humans in terms of ‘artificial general intelligence’, but AI does not need to be stronger than human beings; it just needs to be stronger than our weaknesses and we will submit.
Facebook is the proof of that. It is at this point that we need the US government to step in and bring regulation to the digital market. Facebook, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have already proven that uncontrolled capitalism will not regulate itself â€" the instinct to make money, no matter the cost to society, is simply too strong. We need regulation to save ourselves from unfettered capitalism on digital platforms preying on the weakness and addiction of human beings. The users are already the fodder for the machine and many are being brainwashed and addicted, while still believing they are in control. Just try to convince an anti-vaxxer, who has gathered his opinions from social media, that he is wrong, and you will understand how people are being brainwashed.
]]> REVEALED: Why Shoprite is leaving Uganda after 20 years https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210823/119818/revealed-why-shoprite-is-leaving-uganda-after-20-years.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 08:35:35 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119818 South Africa’s largest grocery retailer Shoprite Holdings SHPJ.J on Monday said it is withdrawing from Uganda and Madagascar, adding to its growing list of African departures.Shoprite has been reviewing its long-term options across Africa over the past year as currency devaluations, lower commodity prices and high inflation have hit household incomes and weighed on earnings.
The retailer also forecast an up to 25.3% rise in annual basic headline earnings per share from continuing operations.
The supermarket retailer expanded aggressively in Africa, surpassing rivals such as Pick n Pay and Walmart’s majority-owned Massmart to become the continent’s leading food retailer with more than 2,300 corporate owned stores in 15 countries.
But forays into markets including Angola and Nigeria were marred by currency volatility, lower commodity prices and double-digit inflation, which hit household incomes and weighed on earnings. High import duties also contributed.
As a result of the challenges, Shoprite took a decision last year to review its Africa portfolio.
The review included closing its Kenyan operations, selling its Nigerian business to local buyer Ketron Investment and restricting capital allocations to its supermarkets outside of South Africa.
“In line with the group’s non-South Africa review process, our operations in Madagascar and Uganda have been classified as discontinued,†Shoprite said in its trading statement, without any further details.
Shoprite has been in Uganda since 2000, where it has five stores. It entered the Madagascan market in 2002 and operates 10 stores.
The retailer, which will release its results on Sept. 7, said it expects annual basic headline earnings per share (HEPS) from continuing operations rising between 15.3% and 25.3% from a restated 794.7 cents in 2020. Including the discontinued operations, HEPS are seen rising as much as 34.1%.
For the 53 weeks to July 4 group sales from continuing operations rose by 8.1% to about $11.00 billion as all its operations at home grew sales.
Additional information : marketscreener.com and nasdaq.com
]]> OFWONO OPONDO: Return of Taliban in Afghanistan, a sharp rebuke to America’s inflated Prestige https://www.watchdoguganda.com/op-ed/20210823/119814/ofwono-opondo-return-of-taliban-in-afghanistan-a-sharp-rebuke-to-americas-inflated-prestige.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 07:32:44 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119814 With the Taliban on the roll, and back in power ruling Afghanistan, it’s evidently settled that the U.S. has lost the longest war after Vietnam in humiliation being reflected in the crescendo of domestic blame-game, and among allies who hanged on US wings and praying. From a strategic view, Joe Biden can now shift focus on Covid19, China and Climate Change.But regardless, many expect the US not to leave Afghanistan alone any time soon, and Afghans should be ready for an extended fight after the formal withdrawal. From experience, the US will try to regain control through air war, sponsoring proxies, economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure to placate its injured ego and doomed military pursuit.
The U.S. said the 9/11 attacks was a criminal act and promised to prosecute suspects under national and international laws. But instead of setting up an international tribunal and seek the arrest of the alleged perpetrators, it invaded and occupied Afghanistan resulting in the deaths, injuries, starvation and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, and destruction of Afghanistan. The humanitarian catastrophe was this week by images of desperate Afghans dropping dead on the runway of Kabul airport off a US military transport plane that hurriedly lifted off ground.
The U.S. achieved nothing politically after two decades of gigantic expenditure, and its army is now on the strategic defensive and withdrawal as was in Vietnam, 1975. The chaotic empire is in a fall and chaotic retreat. With over one hundred thousand pairs of boots on the ground, CIA, units of night stalkers, cave diggers and blusters, Navy SEALS, Special Forces, heavy bombers, helicopter gunships, drones and other modern warfare high tech weapons, the U.S. failed to defeat tribal fighters armed only with light weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and bravery. It is a heavy blow to American prestige after the disastrous wars in Iraq, Syria and Libya where technically the empire isn’t in war.
The Taliban were resilient against U.S. occupation thriving on Afghanistan poor governance structures and desolate economy. At its peak, Washington poured 100,000 men. It now has 6,000 soldiers to guard its flag, and embassy staff at Kabul airport to enable a chaotic retreat. This defeat should teach lackluster Africans how to deal with imperialism, although diminishing powers. It’s also lesson to Western powers that they must be responsible and never to repeat their arrogance and mistakes elsewhere under any circumstances or pretexts, because thousands of innocent people including their own get killed unjustly.
Two decades of trying to reshape Afghan politics, military, government, culture and social dynamics has fallen flat, and the West should know that they have no right or capacity anymore to make countries in their image. Hawks in the U.S. may call the withdrawal a mistake by President Biden, but the extended occupation was the biggest mistake, illegal, and unjust after-all. The defeat underscores why the US and allies should acknowledge their blood-drenched record, and the failure to “democratize†Iraq and Afghanistan after colossal wastage of time and resources.
Some observers are shocked that the Taliban came in a blitz since they thought that the Afghan government and its 300,000 soldier propped by the West would stand ground after U.S. withdrawal. These predictions were presumptuous and deserve debunking. US air power was crucial in helping Kabul retain control over the country as they bombed the Taliban whenever it massed forces anywhere within Afghanistan that posed a threat to the government.
But that air power was indiscriminate causing many collateral damage, became a double edged sword and turned many Afghans from the US and Afghan government towards the Taliban and hence why the Afghan army simply melted away or surrendered to the Taliban. Also, a significant number of the Afghan army wasn’t as qualified as their supporters thought in spite of hundreds of billions of US dollars invested in their training and material support. Some reports indicate infiltration, ghost soldiers that inflated the numbers, and corruption including people who joined for pay-cheque rather than loyalty and commitment. The Afghan army has been a paper tiger all along.
In any case, Iraq and Afghanistan were a cesspool for the U.S. military-industrial complex. The U.S. military withdrawal while long overdue, in hindsight, should not have had an exact departure date since this emboldened the Taliban to prepare the offensive to fill the void created. But some cynics think that the Biden administration purposefully left Afghanistan in this style to provoke a dark scenario of terrorist threats for ulterior reasons unrelated to its stated goals, perhaps hoping to cause problems for Iran, China and Russia.
The rapid collapse of a puppet Afghan government and the chaotic retreat is powerful and reflects poorly on the U.S. as a fading nation whose hegemony is diminished than two decades ago with U.S. is now regarded as untrustworthy having abandoned Afghans who helped it. Afghanistan, as a shared graveyard between two rival empires-USSR and US, isn’t an honorable badge to wear in the eyes of many Americans.
]]> Museveni: Gen Pecos Kutesa has been an intelligent and outstanding soldier https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210823/119809/museveni-gen-pecos-kutesa-has-been-an-intelligent-and-outstanding-soldier.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:25:49 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119809 President Yoweri Museveni has eulogized his bush war comrade, Lt Gen Pecos Kutesa who passed on last week.In his condolence message on Sunday, President Museveni Gen Kutesa has been very useful to Uganda because of his outstanding performance while in the bush even after the struggle and by dying at the age of 65 years was too soon for such a person.
“The UPDF fraternity and the Kutesa Family. Condolences from the Ugandans and myself on the death of Lt. Gen. Pecos Kutesa. I remember four things about Pecos. When I went to Monduli Academy to address Ugandan Officer Cadets, there were two very brown young people in the group of 300 that stood out on account of their complexion; Pecos and Hannington Mugabi. Mugabi died in the bush, at Kitema Masanga, shot by a colleague, accidentally,†Museveni said.
He added that when National Resistance Army â€" NRA attacked Kakiri UNLA in 1981, Kutesa had an outstanding performance during the ambush and he is one of the reasons they managed to overcome the enemy.
“When we attacked Kakiri UNLA detachment on 6/04/81, as the assault from the East of Kampala â€" Hoima Road was going on, standing near one of the shops, I saw Pecos crawling in the typical military way to capture the Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) the UNLA had fled and left alone. That was the reason I selected him to accompany me when I, on the 6th of June, 1981, crossed Lake Victoria in a 25 horsepower engine boat to Kenya, on my way to meet Muammar Gaddafi who gave us the few guns and ammo we got from outside. Pecos took part in significant battles like February 20, 1984, Masindi battle and at Kabamba on January 1, 1985. He also participated in other battles of encounter, like the one of Mataba swamp, near Kyajinja. He also liked reading novels.â€
The former bush war hero Lt Gen Kutesa, 65, died on Tuesday after a long illness. He was first admitted to a Nairobi hospital and later flown to India for urgent specialized care however he could not make it. His death came after he had retired from the army on August 5.
]]> ODONGA OTTO: Maj Gen Paul Lokech, I have forgiven you https://www.watchdoguganda.com/op-ed/20210823/119797/odonga-otto-maj-gen-paul-lokech-i-have-forgiven-you.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 05:31:23 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119797 In the morning hours of Saturday 21st August 2021, a neighbour stood at my gate and told me, “Paul Lokech is deadâ€. I asked him, “which Lokech†and he replied, “your Paul Lokech you have been having battles with, the Deputy IGPâ€. I replied, “I have enough of my own problems, keep me out of that kind of newsâ€. This was before the news broke on social media. About 10 minutes later, the news broke all over social media (Note: This is a long article and would advise that one reads it upto the end. It has life lessons and calls for forgiveness for one to heal).I have known Paul Lokech fairly well, for over 30 years. A bold, brave fighter who helped pacify Acholi land. I have had a lot of interpersonal contacts with him and good momories fristly I am grateful that he saved my life at one point.
Secondly When i was arrested in amuru of Mhadavani sugar land takeover he called and said †acholi land shouldn’t be taken forcefully, leaders should be talked to ,i will raise the matter in the Army High Command stay strongâ€
Thirdly he called then deputy speaker Oulanyah Jacob and muted a plan that him and the DS should talk to the President and i get some work “i cannot be wasted in defeat †he said ,an offer i remain eternally grateful though reluctant to take.
Albeit all the above the last elections of 2021 had this extracts penned down for a future book “otto my life storyâ€
EPISODE 1:.
Around 2019/20, I met Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech at a fundraising event at Archbishop Flyn S.S in Pader. He had just been appointed to the airforce. He gave lots of money at the fundraising, more than me the area MP at that time. And that was good for the school, God bless him. I later walked to him and asked, “I hear you are not supporting me.†Then he replied, “this time alteast you are workingâ€.
Later on, in mid 2020, Paul Lokech openly fronted one Nurse called Christopher Komakech, his biological son, though passing off as his “adopted†son, to stand against me in the 2021 elections for MP Aruu County. Chris was lucky to even land for campaigns in a helicopter as campaigns went on. Lokech openly deployed both the army and police at will to aid his son’s campaign bid and had guns at his disposal. During campaigns, the former DPC and former OC station of Pader were both replaced by Lokech who brought his right handed men Ramathan Tai as DPC and Enock Musiime as OC station respectively. Lokech was splashing out money in the name of presidential campigns but used it for his son as well. Two weeks to the polls, while I was from a rally in Awere, I was rounded up by police headed by Lokech’s blue eyed boys, DPC Ramathan Tai and Enock Musiime OC station.
It was that evening, on Awere road, that DPC Ramathan Tai drew a pistol at me and said, “if you move, I will shoot. Why are you driving past Covid time?†I replied, “hey, your gun is cocked and besides, I have ended my rallies, I am going home.†“You are under arrest,†said Ramathan Tai just like that. Paul Lokech who knew I was going to win the race, opted for plan B. Arrest Hon. Otto, humiliate him and break down his support. The DPC and OC Station were ordered accordingly. The OC station Enock Musiime, a very nice and composed guy, got into my car as we drove in a convoy towards Pader town.
I told Enock, Chris is having a disco dance at his campaign ground (we could hear the music) why not go and arrest them as well? Enock said, “it was an order from aboveâ€. The “above†was Paul Lokech obviously.
As we approached Rackoko trading center, running battles begun with youth protesting my arrest by police. Gunshots were fired.
Since it was dark and in fear for my life, I took off to the nearest bush abondoning my car at the roadside.
In less than 3 minutes after the scuffle, the police in Kampala issued a statement that I was under arrest. I read the statement from my phone while in the bush. Paul Lokech was at work. I then tweeted, “unless you arrested a ghost of Hon. Otto.†I walked for almost 10 kms in the bush in the dark as though I was fleeing from Kony rebels. I was later ridden on a boda for over 50kms upto Gulu town, arriving at 5 am in the morning. I had become a fugitive in my own Country (since police was hunting for me) yet I was a candidate on a campaign trail. I fled to Bungatira in Aswa and stayed indoors with a friend for 3 days. My phones were off since I knew I was being tracked. I would send my friend to Gulu town to gauge the mood. No information was flowing. Lokech and team had partially achieved their objective by driving me off the campaign trial. Then I decided to shift from Aswa in Gulu to Kitgum after a week of hidding. I used a hired car since my car was towed to Pader police station.
Meanwhile, all my campaign meetings were cancelled. My opponents’ camp ochestrated a story that I was shot by UPDF in the chest as I fled to South Sudan. And that, voting for me would be voting for a dead man since I was ailing and bleeding and the EC had declared any vote for me as invalid. Remember this is an illiterate populace who believe any lie. I then called a meeting of my agents at a secret location in Kitgum. We had to discuss and find a way forward. I was already questioning myself; did I make a mistake to escape?YES and NO. Should I turn myself in? What if I was shot on the night of the botched arrest? Did I do a good thing to flee? The answers were battling in my head in equal proportion.
Eventually, we agreed with my agents after a vote, that I return to the campaign trail. It was 5 days to the end of the campaigns. I had been off campaigns for a whole week. I then told my Agents to mobilize my supporters in my home area called Ogom on the day I was to come out of hidding to escort me to the meeting venue. I took a boda from Kitgum to Pader to go join my people. I stayed in the bush in Pader, 1 km away from where my people had gathered. I then joined them amidst tears of joy as we drove accross the constituency for people to just see me. There was no time for rallies with 3 days to the end of campaigns. In one rally in Odum, the people said I should remove my shirt and they see if there were bullet wounds. Imagine! The campaign had degenerated to that level. I actually complied and showed them that there was no bullet wound. That is when I realised that I had no time to prove to all voters in such a manner that I was alive and well. My ratings had gone down during that one week of absence. My Agents fled their homes since they were being threatened that they would be arrested. Some police men were moving around with a list containing the names of all my Agents and visited their homes looking for them.
On polling day, as always, I am an Agent at the 5th Divison army headquarters in Kilak to monitor the polling. I arrived there at 6 am. As I was briefing my agents, I was informed by my supporters that soldiers were coming to arrest me on orders of Paul Lokech. I confirmed that from reliable sources. I immediately got into my car and indeed the soldiers came in a landcruiser. Trust what a benz can do. I drove at breakneck speed upto Pader town from corner Kilak. I then called my wife Julie to be by the road side in Pader town as I approached the town. I knew I had saved 7 minutes from the car chase. I told my wife to drive the car to the polling station in the middle of Pader town and I fled back to the nearest bush. The soldiers approached her in a terrific speed, jumped out and found Hon. Otto not there.
I fled to my home village near Pader town and stayed in the bush like a rebel even on voting day. My philosophy was that, if I am arrested on polling day, that would mark the end of my bid since it would send shock waves to my agents and they would flee. Phone calls kept coming in, how money was being distributed by people guarded by police. It was open bribery protected by Law enforcers. They gave 10.000/= each to random voters near the polling stations and 50.000/= each to influential voters. Most of my agents were chased from the polling area and told to stand outside the EC demarcation, at about 30 meters away, where they could not monitor the verification of voters or even seeing how many ballot papers were being issued to every voter. And if they tried to complain, the police constables (under orders from above) would shut them down and say, “we do not want ‘kelele’ here, just keep quietâ€.
There was nothing much I could do to shield my Agents from harassment and intimidation since I was in the bush literally the whole day as people voted. I tried to coordinate on phone but it was not as effective as it would have been if I was free and moving around from polling station to polling station to resolve the harassment issue. At around 3: 30pm, I remembered that I had to vote and time was running out since EC deadline was 4pm to be in the voting line. The dilemma was that my polling station was surrounded by armed men waiting to arrest me. My polling station was about 2kms away from my hiding bush. My Agents got me a boda guy who arrived late where I was. The boda took me to the polling station and I arrived 1min past 4pm. Luckily enough, the soldiers had left.
Then there was a debate as to whether I should be allowed to vote or not. The EC officials then allowed me to vote after consultations. I thank God I saved one vote and left immediately for the bush as I got info that the soldiers were returning to arrest me.
I went back into hidding. As polls closed, all the roads leading to the EC tally center were closed by soldiers in military uniform. My wife, whom I asked to go to the tally center was blocked but later allowed to access the venue after consultations.
While at the tally center, the DPC Ramathan Tai walked straight to my wife and stated rudely, †Madam, am going to arrest you for not putting on a maskâ€. My wife who had put on a mask slightly below her nose, protested because almost every other person had no mask on or had one on the chin. Nonetheless, she put on the mask correctly and then the DPC left her alone. I could not go to the tally centre as I used to. I remained in my hide out.
Christopher Komakech was then declared the winner.
I took time off politics and accepted the loss. Life had to continue. Meanwhile, my car was still at Pader police station.
EPISODE 2
On 19th January 2021, five days after elections had passed and calm was returning, I left Gulu for Pader in the company of my wife and driver. My itinerary was to go to Pader Police station and pick my vehicle, generator and loudspeaker that were impounded during campaigns then go to my village home outside Pader town. I arrived at Pader Police station at around midday and I was taken to the office of the Deputy OC station since the DPC and OC were all out of station. The Deputy OC charged me for breach of COVID regulations during my campaign rallies and disobeying lawful orders from Police. I was granted police bond. I then asked for my vehicle.
The Deputy OC station consulted his superiors and eventually the Regional CID who ordered the vehicle to be given to me. As I was in the parking lot trying to jump start the vehicle, to my surprise, a contrary order came from Paul Lokech through the same DPC, Ramathan Tai and OC station Musiime Enock who arrived at the station and found me in my car. I was ordered rudely to get back inside the police station or they use force. I was shocked. I said, my God, the polls are over what is going on? They forcefully turned off my car and walked me into the DPC’s office and one policeman named Kalanzi of FFU showed up. The DPC and OC started moving in and out of the office to go talk to the Deputy IGP Paul Lokech while pondering their next move. The DPC and OC CID then summoned the Deputy OC station asking him why he had given me police bond? Then the Deputy OC station told them the Regional CID gave him the go ahead. The DPC then summoned the OC Traffic who then told me they needed my driving permit and insurance of the car. And said that the car had an express penalty ticket I had not paid 5 months ago so I was going to be charged for a separate traffic offence and that I required a separate police bond. I told them I was already on police bond, I can use it to report back as required to. The OC Station told me they needed money for towing the vehicle, repair of the police vehicle stoned by angry youth when they confiscated my generator and money for wasting their time as they had planned to arrest me from Rachkoko but failed. I was told the bill was 3 million shillings in total according to them.
Immediately, the DPC and OC CID walked out and I overheard the DPC talking to the Deputy IGP Lokech in the corridor saying, “yes sir, I will detain himâ€. It was coming to 4pm since midday and no clear head way was being made. My police bond was just a mere piece of paper as my freedom was curtailed and I couldn’t leave the police station. At about 5pm, after drinking bottled uganda police labbelled water in less than 30 minutes, I collapsed on the floor in the DPC’s office and all I could remember was seeing a blurred image of RDC Dusman Okee, Norbert Mao’s brother asking me if I could recognise him. I was then taken to Gulu Regional Referral hospital in an ambulance according to my wife’s account. From Gulu hospital, I woke up at about midnight and my wife told me police had cordoned off the hospital area and they were sitting outside next to my room window and others were opposite the entrance to the ward. They wore civilian cloths. In the morning, she told me that a policeman hurriedly opened the room door at around 2 am and was shocked to find her in the room from his tone. He asked her, “you mean you slept here?†It’s like he had a plan to enter my room and probably inject me with more deadly substances. The next day, I learnt that I was actually under police detention at the hospital inspite of having police bond papers in my pocket.
The Doctors at Gulu Hospital recommended my referral to another hospital at around 11am and gave me my discharge and referral letter. As I was leaving my hospital room to go to my car and leave for Kampala, the Gulu Police led by the OC station blocked us and even didn’t even allow my car engine to be started. I then laid on the open ground of Gulu Hospital from midday upto 6pm as the police wondered what to do next. The former Leader of Opposition, Hon. Betty Aol Ochan and Hon. Gilbert Olanya came to the hospital and protested this police action. Hon. Gilbert Olanya called the Deputy IGP protesting his orders. Later, the former Leader of Opposition reached a settlement with the Gulu police that I be charged from Gulu and I sign a second police bond paper. My life being the priority, I signed the police bond papers at 6 pm and the charge was “assault†of a person (I didn’t know) during the FUFA drum football match in September 2019. After signing the bond, I was taken to Lacor Hospital and spent a second night at the ICU there. It was late to travel to Kampala in that condition. The next day, Lacor discharged me and gave me a referral. I went straight to Nakasero Hospital in Kampala. After doing their assessment, they referred me to Nairobi.
From Nairobi hospital, I wrote down what happened to me on whatsup and stated that, “incase I do not make it, take this as a dying declaration that these people killed me.†Such flagrant abuse of office and impunity by Paul Lokech and his boys should not be tolerated anywhere in Uganda.†Nairobi, 26th January 2021.
EPISODE 3
1000KMs IN HANDCUFFS:
I was in a gym at bomah hotel at around 7am when I see the magnifient blue glasses beaming with policemen in a single file. I wondered. I asked the gym attendant if this was routine but before I could get answers, I heard a voice saying, “Hon Otto, can we talk to you outside here?â€
It was a kind police officer in his early 50s who had spoken. Am I under arrest? I asked? “Yes†he replied. I gave in and off we went to Gulu regional police offices where we found CID Director Oluga, one of Lokech’s right hand men waiting for me.
“We need your gun†Oluga said. The police from CID headquarters Kibuli had travelled to Gulu with two double cabin pickups on orders of Paul Lokech to arrest a “mere†me. Imagine such extravagant use of tax payers money to arrest an MP who could easily be summoned by the Speaker of Parliament as was standard practise. This was post election witchhunt. My firearm license was not renewed for the first time in 19 years. This reluctance to renew my licence happened when Lokech became the Deputy IGP. What a coincidence! Luckily enough, I had handed over the gun to Parliamentary police when the licence was about to expire for purposes of renewal. It was the normal practice for Parliamentary police to renew licences for MPs.
On a separate occasion, my personal body guard assigned to me through Parliament was arrested during campaigns from my home in Gulu senior quarters still under Lokech’s orders. They sent soldiers who climbed my wall fence and took my escort to Gulu barracks. I have never got him back todate. Back to the gym arrest episode. I was hancuffed and sandwitched between two police officers in the back of a police double cabin pick up and left Gulu for Kla. I asked the arresting officers whether they could remove the handcuffs as we travelled but they told me it was an order. I travelled for 315 kms in handcuffs from Gulu to Kampala. I wondered what they would do to Joseph Kony of LRA if a legislature could be treated that way. We survived an accident around Masindi port. I was imagining what would have happened if we had got the accident while I was in handcuffs. We reached Kampala and I was offloaded at Jinja road police station where I stayed for three days in the police cells. No statement was taken from me, I was not presented to any Court, nothing. That was Paul Lokech for you. The Rt.Hon. Speaker, Rebbeca kadaga on her Speaker campaign trail in Munyonyo made a statement that, “if Otto is not charged or released, I will camp at police.†This caused Paul Lokech and team to hurry and get me out of Jinja road police cell. After Kadaga’s statement, the following day they handcuffed me and drove me back to Gulu, 320kms away from Kampala. Why did they bring me to Kampala in the first place? I wondered. Along the way at Karuma, I wanted to have a call of nature. The officer warned me that they do not want any scene. I wanted them to remove the cuffs so that I ease myself. That request was declined. I cancelled the long call idea and settled for a short call. As I tried to ease myself with handcuffs on, the CID Director Oluga came to me and said, †you better leave Lokech’s son alone if you want to be free. You can contest another time. Leave the election petition.†I had just filled the election petition the same week I was arrested. Another strange coincidence. I looked at Oluga’s face beaming with rage with those thick eyelashes. I stopped the short call half way and thought to myself, if that is the issue, then the next thing would be to “shoot me and say I tried to grab a gunâ€. The remaining pee dripped on my body as i sat in the middle of the officers in the car. The police officers in the double cabin I was in were kind to me. They offered me a drink from corner Kamdini with their own money. Director Oluga was travelling in a separate car. We reached Gulu police station and I was medically examined if I was fit for trial. At 5pm, we again set off for Pader District. In Pader, I was locked up in the police cells for one night yet my home is just 600m away from the police station. I did not bother to ask for police bond. I now knew what they were upto. I told my wife not to let my children know what was happening to me. I said I would sort out myself as a man and this would be the last time I would be stressing my immediate family. The next morning, I was taken to Pader Court and every senior officer was not at Pader police station.
There was an order from Lokech that I be handcuffed and walk on foot to Pader Court so that the voters see me and know that I am finished. As I was leaving the police cells to go to Court I asked the policeman, “do you have to handcuff me?†“It’s an order and we have to walk to Courtâ€, the policeman said. “I have my car outside if the police car can not be usedâ€. I said. I declined to walk and said they would rather carry me to Court or kill me from the station right there. The act of walking to Court was all meant to humiliate me and deny me dignity. While in Court, my Lawyer was never allowed to apply for bail but instead referred to the next Court appearance to make the bail application. I was then remanded to Gulu prison. I boarded the prison lorry waiting outside Court and was handcuffed again. Police had to jump into the prison vehicle and stand over me. I decided not to look up for the entire journey from Pader to Gulu. The world had descended on me and I was at my lowest point in life. I just asked for a favour from the policeman to allow me lean on his shoes as sitting directly on the truck floor was killing my back. You wonder why I was remanded to Gulu prison and yet Pader District has its own prison in Patongo. After 7 days in Gulu prison, I returned to Pader Court and I was finally granted bail. Despite getting bail from Pader Court, I was not yet a free man because I was immediately re-arrested and taken to Gulu Court for another case of 2019 that was coming up that same day. Senior Acholi leaders like the Chief Justice Owiny Dollo, Speaker Oulanyah Jacob (who was the Deputy Speaker at that time), Gen.Otema Awany, Rwot Achana and other well intentioned Acholis, all pleaded with Paul Lokech to let go of me but all in vain.
While in Gulu Court, I was granted bail but my passport was retained. What a life!
As of now, all those criminal cases against me have been dropped and I am a free man. On another note,
my election petition succeeded in Gulu High Court on friday 20th August 2021 and a day after Paul Lokech dies. What a unique turn of events. The God I serve is a living God and he sees the injustices happening in this world.
LESSONS LEARNT:
1. If God lifts you up, be just and fair to people under you.
2. People will always document what one does while in office .
3. God is not a sleeping God.
Thisbare extracts from a book i am publishing in a near future “otto my life storyâ€I thought of publishing this so that I release Paul Lokech from my heart.Forgiveness is the art of the strong and i am better placed to do it now.
May God have mercy on his soul.
]]> NORBERT MAO: The fall of Kabul, corruption and State fragility https://www.watchdoguganda.com/op-ed/20210823/119804/norbert-mao-the-fall-of-kabul-corruption-and-state-fragility.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 04:48:11 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119804 The rapid collapse of the Afghanistan government has been attributed to State fragility. And the State fragility has been attributed to many factors, key among them is corruption.Corruption has many faces. You may seek treatment in a public health facility and be asked to pay double the official fee. You may not complain because this is but a fraction of what a private health centre charges. The official amount is deposited in the public hospital account. The balance is pocketed by the employees.
The hospital staff may tell you that if you don’t pay up, your surgery, however minor, may not go well. And you may not get enough pain killers, disinfectants and antibiotics. The staff are already paid by the government but they expect to be paid by the public who already pay direct and indirect taxes. These kind of employees have simply privatized the public service, turning it into their private business.
Even the law is administered depending on one’s ability to pay. Those who travel in overloaded, poorly maintained lorries with a myriad of mechanical defects can regale you with tales of “highway robbery†by those supposed to enforce the law. Greedy truck owners will overload their vehicles with passengers and luggage. The load will be way above the legal limit. The police will definitely stop the truck.
Their job is to enforce the law, but more often than not they will propose that in exchange for a consideration, the offence will be ignored. They turn the law into their private whim and exempt anybody with the ability to pay from the application of the law. Unfortunately, there’s always a boomerang effect to such blatant corruption. The poorly maintained and overloaded truck will break down at some desolate spot on the road forcing the owner to spend a small fortune on tow and repair charges. Everybody suffers. The passengers face delays and the owners of cargo lose the confidence of customers!
Many jobseekers tell me that they have to pay their prospective employers before they are hired. “I have been told that I passed the interview and I’m supposed to receive a letter offering me the job but I have to pay some money otherwise the job will be offered to another person who is willing to pay,†one job applicant lamented to me. In some cases even after paying the recruiters one still does not get the job. When one pays a bribe to get a job the cycle of corruption continues. He will also demand a bribe before he employs anyone!
I once had a chat about Mailo land with one of the prominent people in the government of the Kingdom of Buganda. “Mailo land was the beginning of “enjawulo†(illicit profit from an otherwise legal transaction)â€, he told me. The deal negotiated between the three Regents representing the infant Kabaka Chwa and Sir Harry Johnstone would have been ‘Dead On Arrival’ if some members of the Great Lukiiko had not seen an opportunity to benefit in exchange for their stamp of approval.
But the time when Uganda got immersed in corruption must surely be the days of Idi Amin. The State, like a human being, has a character and a soul. When decadence consumes the soul of a State, what would ordinarily be unacceptable becomes acceptable. The so called Economic War, waged in the wake of the expulsion of Asians created the so called “Mafutamingi†class of instant millionaires. Demagogues aligned to the fascist Amin regime weaponized the people against the Asians and fed citizens on the lie that they would all become rich since the Asians had been dispossessed and expelled.
The shadow of those days still looms large. We may have more corruption than we have ever had but the roots of corruption can be traced. Many employees no longer work for a salary. The salary is but a retainer to keep them in an office which they milk for private profit. They don’t see themselves as employees. They own the office.
The lesson we need to pick from all this is that corruption can turn a country into a pack of cards. A captured State need no external enemies. The seeds of it’s destruction are within.
]]> Eczema: A huge skin pain to families https://www.watchdoguganda.com/op-ed/20210823/119800/eczema-a-huge-skin-pain-to-families.html Mon, 23 Aug 2021 03:48:40 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119800 By Dr. Ronald KatureebeMothers and fathers as well plus other caretakers often endure long sleepless and scary nights when the children under their care develop Eczema.
Lindah a mother of two young school going children has endured a number of sleepless nights that started as itchy irritated skin for one of her children.
“The itchiness got out of hand as my 7 year old son Jerome lost all the peace he had as a result of scratching himself continuously through the night making it a very uncomfortable and sleepless night for us all†she says.
I had some pain killers in the house that I tried to give him to relieve the itchiness till morning when we could go and see a doctor but there was little difference.
What is Eczema?
Eczema scientifically known as Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that is very common in children over 6 months through to their teenage years.
Dermatologist Dr. Ronald Katurebe the Lead Consultant at Kampala Dermatology clinic Bugolobi says that this condition usually manifests with dry skin, very itchy patches and it occurs in about one of every 5 children.
Generally those with extremely dry skin which stays looking pale even when Vaseline or lotion is applied are likely to get this condition at one point.
However Dr. Katureebe notes that 60% of children outgrow this condition by the time they are the teenagers.
What causes Eczema?
This Inflammatory condition emanates from the natural barrier of the skin itself being defective. It does run in families which implies that one has the genetic predisposition to get it if a relative or family member has it.
Dr. Katureebe says that ideally the skin barrier is supposed to prevent harmful external materials from getting in while also keeping water inside from escaping.
Normal skin as a result has tightly packed skin cells that help keep water in and prevent dryness while preventing allergens and irritants from getting through.
However in the case of some one suffering from Eczema Dr. Katureebe notes that their skin is open which leads to water escape, dryness and the barrier is compromised allowing allergens, irritants and micro organisms to get in and inflammation occurs as a result of the body trying to fight off these foreign bodies.
The inflammation is the reason the itchy red patches and rash occur as symptoms.
Conditions that facilitate Eczema
First is the genetic factors which predispose one to catch Eczema based on family history of the condition being present in the family lineage.
Secondly Dr. Katureebe notes that environment does play a big part too in one getting Eczema. “ In urban areas with pollutants that irritate the skin, you find this condition occurring more commonly there.â€
Other factors include diet, and weaker immune systems that become hyper sensitive to every attack.
How does Eczema manifest?
In young babies the patches often times occur on the cheeks and for those over 2 years it shows up around the elbow joints, behind the knees, neck and armpits.
However when it is widespread it can affect all other parts too.
What may trigger Eczema?
Skin irritants like soaps, detergents, aero allergens ( from the air), grass, pollen, animal fur and dust mites will cause sensitive skin to react according to Dr. Katureebe. Synthetic clothes also trigger Eczema especially on the back for those with sensitive skin he notes.
Fabric softeners, stress, weather changes, food allergens especially skin reactions to animal proteins from milk, meat eggs and ground nuts can all be triggers.
Complications associated with Eczema
Dr. Katureebe emphasizes that Eczema is not a fatal condition but can cause significant morbidity (sickness). The condition is not curable but can be managed and controlled.
In some cases he notes that the patches can get secondary infections usually bacterial or viral and this occurs in about 50% of Eczema cases.
It is not infectious and with treatment one can live a symptom free near normal life with the condition.
However it is often a big challenge and distressing as the scratching and irritation means sleepless nights for both parents and children.
It also means isolation at school because the patches can look really terrible in some cases resulting in missed school days for the children and missed work days for the parents too leaving families strained and stressed as a whole.
Treatment of the Disease
One should avoid the triggers for the irritation and reaction for a start.
Maintaining the skin barrier using the right moisturizer to help maintain the barrier, the moisturizers have to contain the right emollients.
Eczema is also linked to other conditions like Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma, it is sometimes referred to as ‘Asthma of the skin.’
Dr. Katureebe says the rash when it flares is treated using medicated creams called steroids, these clear the inflammation. This treatment should take not more than 2 weeks.
Prolonged use of these has side effects and should only be prescribed by a medical professional in special circumstances he adds.
In severe cases systemic treatment is used and this according to Dr.Katureebe includes Immuno suppressants and other regimens.
Eczema can also affect adults and there are a number of variants including Nummular Eczema, Dishydrotic Eczema, Asteatotic and Statis Eczema which are seen in adults and the elderly as well.
The Author is a Dermatologist at Kampala Dermatology clinic Bugolobi
Email: rmkatureebe@gmail.com
]]> MP Francis Mwijukye survives deadly accident on Masaka road, hospitalized https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210822/119780/mp-francis-mwijukye-survives-deadly-accident-on-masaka-road-hospitalized.html Sun, 22 Aug 2021 19:34:04 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119780 Buhweju Member of Parliament Francis Mwijukye has been involved in a deadly car accident in Buwama, along Kampala- Masaka Highway.Mwijukye is said to have been travelling along with his family members on Sunday when a boda boda suddenly joined the highway which caused the driver of the legislator’s Land Cruiser vehicle to lose control.
The MP and his wife have since been rushed to International Hospital Kampala as the former complained of chest pain.
This is the second time in a space of less than two years that Mwijukye is getting involved in car accidents.
]]> Gen Pecos Kutesa sacrificed alot for Uganda, says Minister Ssempijja as fallen Senior UPDF officer is laid to rest https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210822/119774/gen-pecos-kutesa-sacrificed-alot-for-uganda-says-minister-ssempijja-as-fallen-senior-updf-officer-is-laid-to-rest.html Sun, 22 Aug 2021 18:52:50 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119774 The former commander of the UPDF Center for Doctrine Synthesization and Development Lt Gen Pecos Kutesa has on Sunday been laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kabura, Lyantonde district.The chief mourner and Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs Vicent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, who met the late Kutesa in 1980 during the bush war described him as a gallant son, brave, loyal, calm, a patriot, and committed to the gains of the liberation struggle.
†If it wasn’t for the adherence to Covid 19 Standard Operating Procedures, this place would be flooded with thousands of mourners because of the love the late Kutesa had for his people,†he said, adding that Lt Gen Kutesa sacrificed alot to put the country where it is today.
The State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen David Muhoozi said the late Lt Gen Kutesa played a big role in professionalizing UPDF.
He said, †Lt Gen Kutesa was a combat leader, legislater, business man, and very instrumental in developing a Uganda National Military Museum, urging the UPDF leadership to prioritize this military museum in memory of Lt Gen Kutesa.
The Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbadi noted that the fallen hero of NRA was a role model, senior cadre and an instructor who has left a big legacy in the forces.
†We thank God for the gift of life he has given the late all his life. We are here to celebrate a unique life of Commander Kutesa. He was brave, courageous, and sacrificed for his country, †according to Gen Elly Tumwine, a former Security Minister. He added that the late Lt Gen Kutesa was a good reader and writer who could also attend a meeting while reading a novel.
The burial was attended by the State Minister for Gender Hon Charles Engola, Hon Diana Mutasingwa from the Office of the President, MODVA Permanent Secretary Mrs. Rosette Byengoma, among other senior and local leaders. A section of family, friends and relatives also gave Late Lt Gen Kutesa a befitting burial guided by a fifteen gun salute.
]]> Uganda to export milk, coffee to Algerian market worth millions of dollars https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210822/119773/uganda-to-export-milk-coffee-to-algerian-market-worth-millions-of-dollars.html Sun, 22 Aug 2021 18:45:50 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119773 Algeria has opened its market to Ugandan milk and coffee.The opportunity will see its agricultural products on the shelves of one of the biggest middle-class markets on the African continent.
Watchdog News website has been reliably informed that powered milk worth US$500 million will be exported to Algeria per year. The deal is in its final stages. Algeria has been importing its milk from Poland and Argentina.
This website understands that Uganda’s president Mr Yoweri Museveni personally wrote to the Algerian government to interest them in Ugandan food products.
The move culminated in the visit of the former Algerian Foreign Affairs minister Sabri Boukadoum who during his meeting with President Museveni in May 2021 announced that Algeria was opening the market for Uganda.
When contacted, Uganda’s envoy to Algiers, Mr Alintuma Nsambu who is one of the architects of these efforts, confirmed the developments. He said, “The trade would be booming had the Covid-19 pandemic not slowed down the processâ€.
The Algerian market is hard to penetrate. Watchdog News understands that Uganda’s embassy in Algeria in collaboration with the Algerian embassy in Kampala have aggressively pushed for this development.
The Algerian Envoy in Kampala H.E. Farid BOULANBEL and Nsambu in Algiers have finalized negotiations with the Algerian government to give Uganda these import slots.
The development is music to the ears of Uganda dairy farmers who will benefit from this market after the country registered surplus milk in the past couple of years, while at the same time neighbouring Kenya attempted to restrict its market from Ugandan milk products.
The opening of the North African country market is a breath of fresh air for the ever-growing Ugandan milk production capacity â€" it is also an opportunity to grow its capacity to milk to a more sophisticated market.
Uganda has some of the healthiest milk in the world because of its low cholesterol levels.
The opening of the Algeria market for milk and coffee is one of the commercial diplomacy efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Embassies. Commercial diplomacy is one of the emphases of Uganda’s recent foreign policy directives, as the country pushes its diplomats from being contented with wine and beer diplomatic cocktails.
The US$500 million milk deal aside, Algeria has already started importing Ugandan coffee. Vietnam has been their source of coffee. Uganda has been exporting six containers of coffee per week to Algeria since two months ago.
Algeria has a coffee market of more than US2 billion which Uganda can grab a piece of â€" if the country maintains and improves its quality and other deliverables.
Among coffee export companies the Ugandan embassy in Algiers has helped to enter the Algerian market include Grain Pulse in Bugolobi and Louis Dreyfus co. Ltd in Namanve. The Ugandan companies are projected to export coffee worth US$1 billion per year.
Uganda’s ambassador in Algiers Mr Alintuma Nsambu called upon Ugandans to take advantage of the opportunity for Ugandan milk and coffee exporters.
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