I’m Coming Home; But not Like Kyakabale, says Col Mande.

By Estella Jones

Former commander of the dissolved rebel group People’s Redemption Army Col Samson Mande has once again hinted on his impeding return to the country, once shown green light by the regime. 

Mande, who has been in exile in Sweden after his rebel group was defeated by the UPDF in the DRC, said today that he is ready to hold talks with government on his return. 

Mande said at the beginning of the year, that he would be in the country by the close of last month [July].

Last week there were rumors that he had discreetly returned to Uganda, which he refuted as false. 

Today, Col Mande revealed that he would by all means return to his home country and that he was prepared to discuss with government on the terms. 

This he said however, he would do on condition that he is not compelled to join the ruling government which he has critiqued for about 2 decades. 

He said he doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his former colleague in the PRA Lt. Col Anthony Kyakabale who was pardoned by the President in March this year. 

Kyakabale is currently drumming support for President Museveni in the south western region. 

“I am willing to discuss any matter with the government as long as they don’t force me to join NRMO as Kyakabale,” stated Mande. 

“I am not jobless here so am not under economic duress like Kyakabale was. I have my own projects and property in Uganda so I need no government job or help.” 

He added, “I want to come and offer solutions or be part of the ongoing struggle for the political social economic challenges my motherland is going through.” 

President hires SMS company for Campaigns

By Estella Jones

Kampala. After picking nomination forms to run for NRM party chairman and presidential flag bearer in the 2016 election, President Museveni has hired a bulk-sms company to push his campaign messages to Ugandans explaining his candidature.

According to a statement addressed to Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the messages will be in both audio and text.
Mr Silva Musubika, the executive director SMS Empire, the company that has been hired, confirmed the deal and said his team had started the job.

We started work on Sunday and we hope to complete by Friday (August 7),” Mr Musubika said.

The UCC spokesperson, Mr Fred Otunnu, said the commission had received the letter and noted that the company (SMS Empire) is aware of terms under which certain messages are disseminated.

The messages should be at no cost to the receiver and should have opt out options to those who don’t want them, if that is breached, of course, we will take action” Mr Otunu said.
Mr Don Wanyama, the special media assistant in the office of the NRM national chairman, confirmed the development and said the messages would be sent to all Ugandans.

It is true the message is from the chairman (President Museveni). It is a summarised message from the statement he made after picking his nomination forms last Friday,” Mr Wanyama said.

The message

The message which Daily Monitor has seen reads: “Owing to NRM achievements especially bringing peace, the historical league and party structures seconded me to pick nomination forms for NRM chairman and presidential flag bearer 2016 with a mission of leading Uganda to a middle income country by 2019. My fellow Ugandans, join me on this great and rewarding journey. Thank you for the support and trust. Yoweri K Museveni”

Cabinet Gives Up on Electoral Reforms Clause

By Joan Pounds

Cabinet has given up on one of the main clauses in the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2015 commonly known as the Electoral Reform Bill, which is focused on changes in the electoral process. 

The long awaited Bill was only introduced in Parliament by government through the Attorney General on 30th April 2015, a few months before the Electoral Commission issued the road map for the coming general elections of 2016. 

Although the electoral process ahead of 2016 has already started, the Bill seeks to amend some of the articles in the 1995 Constitution including the name of the EC, the appointment procedure of EC commissioners, crossing from one political party to another, minimum requirement of judges of different courts and introducing salary review commission.

The committee of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that was charged with the duty of scrutinizing the Bill finalized their work last month and it is currently being debated though opposition members in the same committee disagreed with the main report and authored their own. 

It has now emerged that Cabinet that passed the Bill before it was introduced in Parliament has agreed and withdrawn clause 4(1)(g) which sought to amend article 83 (g) of the constitution. 

Article 83 (g) says any Member of Parliament that crosses from his or her political party to another party should vacate and his or her seat be declared vacant. The Bill wanted to undo the restriction and give opportunity for those who want to cross freely do it before the end of their term. 

The clause became very contentious since the interpretation of article 83 (g) is currently before the Supreme Court in a case between the four rebel MPs and the National Resistance Movement automatically making it prejudice for Parliament to debate the matter. 

The four MPs including Theodore Sekikubo, Barnabas Tinkasimire, Mohamed Nsereko and Winfred Niwagaba were expelled from the ruling party and asked to leave the house. 

Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga however disagreed with the Attorney General which compelled him to challenge and win the win the decision in the Constitutional Court. 

The four MPs appealed at the Supreme Court that overturned the ruling returning them back to Parliament. 

The debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill was halted at Parliament awaiting another interpretation from the Attorney General who had asked for time to consult with Cabinet. 

Debating resumed on Monday when it became clear that Cabinet has given up on the clause and withdrawn it. 

During the same debate on Monday, MPs like Tinkasimire and Nalubega Mariam (Butambala women) asked parliament to adopt some of the proposals that were made in the minority report by opposition members Ssegona Medard and Paul Mwiru to restore the term limits for the president to redeem the image of parliament because there were allegations of bribery to lift it. 

Meanwhile Budadiri west MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi who is also the Secretary General of FDC asked his colleagues to be careful in scrutinizing the bill so that what they decide do not catch up with them because 70 percent may not return.