AT KAMPALA, JANUARY 16TH 2012
Today, we are here to announce the launch of our latest campaign ‘Walk to Work’ Reloaded. We started the year in much the same way as we ended it: With more stories of public wastage and corruption set against a backdrop of economic gloom and misery. The government announced a once percentage fall in inflation from 28% to 27% as though it were reason to celebrate, well knowing that it is pathetic to talk of any substantive change with such a high inflation rate. Even with the shilling gaining strength against the US dollar towards the end of last year, the ordinary man on the street was unable to reap any benefits because the contradictions in the economy have overwhelmed the best minds in the central bank and Ministry of Finance.
By raising the Central Bank Interest Rate CBR) to 23%, the government was passing the effects of its failed economic policies to traders and ultimately to the person on the street who buy from the traders. The natural consequence of the raised CBR was raising of commercial interest rates to percentages as high as 27 – 30%. As though this was not punitive enough, the government allowed commercial banks to impose this high rate on both new and existing loans thereby exposing businesses (particularly small businesses) to capital and liquidity risks that they had not envisaged at the time of borrowing old loans. The outcry from the trading community was inevitable and in our view it was overly considerate. The harshness and insensitivity of this government’s economic and fiscal policies deserved an even greater, country wide response from the business community. We applaud KACITA in their efforts to campaign for lower interest rates and will add a voice to their cause because it is ultimately the cause of the common man.
As though to add insult to injury, the Electricity Regulation Authority chose the period of the traders strike to scrap the power subsidy and hike power tariffs by an average of 45% across different users. Uganda National Chamber of Commerce responded swiftly, noting that "These tariffs shall fall on the shoulders of the consumer so as to offset the subsidy of 396 billion that electricity regulatory authority (ERA) has been paying to the power generators and distributors, to cushion power consumers from higher tariffs." In addition to the high interest rates and day long load shedding, businesses now have to find means of paying these increased tariffs. Yet the power tariffs do not affect only businesses but also domestic users who will pay Shs 524.5 per unit instead of the Shs 385.6 (a 36% increase), commercial users will pay 487.6 instead of 358.6, (a 36% increase) and medium industrial users will pay 458.9 instead of 333.2 (a 37% increase) while large industrial users will pay 312.8 instead of 184.8 (a 70% increase.)
As the cost of living continues to soar, wages and salaries for teachers, workers and professionals on government’s pay roll have remained stagnant. The Chief Justice has recently joined a queue of public servants that are demanding higher salaries some of whom are threatening organized industrial action.
It is under these severe economic hardships that we are launching walk to work reloaded. Our methods and goals have not changed. We shall continue to use nonviolent action to draw attention to the plight of the common Ugandan. We shall continue to speak out and amplify the voices of millions of Ugandans whose voices are stifled by an oppressive, corrupt and uncaring government. We shall continue until your voices are heard in the highest offices of government and beyond. The year is fresh and we are ready to meet the oppressor on the street as we carry your voices. We ask you to join us at a series of rallies that we have lined up under walk to work reloaded.
Hon. Nabillah Sempala has graciously accepted to host us in her constituency for our first rally, which will be held this week. Rallies will continue over the next couple of weeks at venues and times to be announced on radios. Our final grand rally will be at Kololo Independence Grounds on 28th January, 2012.
We call on all Ugandans across the political and social spectrum to join us and participate in this program where they can express their dissatisfaction and listen to a variety of speakers with ideas on how to tackle the economic crisis. This morning, Police surrounded our colleague, Ingrid Turinawe’s home as early as 5am to pre-empt our activities. She was intercepted and is now being detained at Kasangati Police station. The police Spokesperson alleges that at the weekend A4C beach bash in Entebbe, Ingrid said we would march from this press conference and ‘cause chaos.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. We caution the police to stop being reactionary and to desist from acting on the basis of speculation. We look forward to seeing you all. Our rallies like all our activities are peaceful and anyone harboring ideas of violence is not invited. We call on the police to provide us with adequate security for our peaceful rallies.
Mathias Mpuuga
National Coordinator, A4C
Activists 4 Change
Showing posts with label A4C. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A4C. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Rebellion Against Social Injustice Must Be Ugandans' Patriotic Call
Vincent Nuwagaba
20 December 2011
opinion
I was impelled to write this article by my namesake MP Vincent Mujuni Kyamadidi.
While on Capital Gang on December 17, Kyamadidi mesmerised listeners and his co-panelists with well-quoted verses of the scripture to buttress his stance against corruption and injustice within the ruling party, a position that has earned him and some other legislators the lable of "NRM rebels".
I first met Kyamadidi in 2008 when I was hosted on a political programme on Radio West as I represented DP while he was an LC5 councillor. Though on the programme he eloquently conceded to the ills of the government, he would describe President Museveni as a Godsend. Maybe that was good for his political survival. I am not surprised that although some public officials have named the President in abuse of public funds cases, no 'rebel' MP accuses him. That notwithstanding, I commend Kyamadidi and company for the stance to oppose wrong and support right. Indeed, I congratulate them upon the venerable label of 'NRM Rebels'. In a party whose chairman confesses is full of thieves, being branded 'rebels' is gratifying. No pun intended for the President revealed while in Rwanda that his government is full of thieves. Rebellion against injustice is a patriotic call for all of us. While I congratulate NRM 'rebels' upon placing their nation above party and self-interests, I was incensed by Kyamadidi's condemnation of the A4C, saying the NRM MPs will punish the thieves but the opposition should refrain from A4C reloaded. Kyamadidi's argument prompted me to revisit Martin Luther King's 'A letter from Birmingham jail', which I have read countless times.
Accordingly, I recommend Dr King's letter for all politicians to see the urgency for justice. Martin Luther King says, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". I support A4C activities not because I hate NRM. An emphatic NO. It's because I love justice passionately.
On December 27, Makerere University students will begin exams. State House sponsored students (who incidentally are arbitrarily sponsored by taxpayers' money) will sit exams even when the State has not paid. Sadly, poor students - some of who are Kyamadidi's voters, relatives or neighbours, who have not paid will either get dead years, or dropout altogether as has happened before. Upon the increment of fees by up to 126 per cent in public universities (which by law are supposed to be maintained by public funds), many students dropped out. How then do we build for the future? Ironically, with a disoriented education system, illusory UPE and USE, a collapsed public healthcare system, deplorable graduate unemployment, miserable, hungry and angry teachers and police officers, excruciating economic downturn, Kyamadidi condemns A4C!
The task before us is too huge for only MPs to handle. Pouring cold water on civil society efforts to hold politicians to account is an insult to the voiceless Ugandans and a travesty of democracy. For instance, media reports about UBC must be revolting to all right-thinking members of society. I am yet to see whether NRM 'rebel' MPs will push NRM cadres, notably managing director Paul Kihika, corporation secretary Dickens Kagarura and station manager Tony Owana from the national broadcaster and deploy them at the NRM Secretariat. Fusion of the State and the ruling party is abhorrent.
The most venerable Catholic Church leaders have shockingly reportedly decried A4C as a precursor for violence. They should condemn the Police for using violence against peaceful protesters and urge government to address the issues giving rise to protests. Nobody wakes up with a view to riot. Always well-intentioned peaceful protests morph into riots after provocation by the Police.
Appallingly, the government is hell-bent on enacting unjust laws to curtail civil protests. We shall inevitably defy them lovingly, openly and with willingness to accept the penalty since according to St. Augustine "a bad law is no law". No matter how well-intentioned the so-called 'rebel' NRM MPs are, disillusioned Ugandans should not rely on them to set a time table for their freedoms, rights and liberties. Like King wrote, 'Freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed'. We must all be rebels against social injustice, inequality and discrimination. Personally, I lovingly plead guilty to terrorism and rebellion against social injustice.
Mr Nuwagaba is a human rights defender
20 December 2011
opinion
I was impelled to write this article by my namesake MP Vincent Mujuni Kyamadidi.
While on Capital Gang on December 17, Kyamadidi mesmerised listeners and his co-panelists with well-quoted verses of the scripture to buttress his stance against corruption and injustice within the ruling party, a position that has earned him and some other legislators the lable of "NRM rebels".
I first met Kyamadidi in 2008 when I was hosted on a political programme on Radio West as I represented DP while he was an LC5 councillor. Though on the programme he eloquently conceded to the ills of the government, he would describe President Museveni as a Godsend. Maybe that was good for his political survival. I am not surprised that although some public officials have named the President in abuse of public funds cases, no 'rebel' MP accuses him. That notwithstanding, I commend Kyamadidi and company for the stance to oppose wrong and support right. Indeed, I congratulate them upon the venerable label of 'NRM Rebels'. In a party whose chairman confesses is full of thieves, being branded 'rebels' is gratifying. No pun intended for the President revealed while in Rwanda that his government is full of thieves. Rebellion against injustice is a patriotic call for all of us. While I congratulate NRM 'rebels' upon placing their nation above party and self-interests, I was incensed by Kyamadidi's condemnation of the A4C, saying the NRM MPs will punish the thieves but the opposition should refrain from A4C reloaded. Kyamadidi's argument prompted me to revisit Martin Luther King's 'A letter from Birmingham jail', which I have read countless times.
Accordingly, I recommend Dr King's letter for all politicians to see the urgency for justice. Martin Luther King says, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". I support A4C activities not because I hate NRM. An emphatic NO. It's because I love justice passionately.
On December 27, Makerere University students will begin exams. State House sponsored students (who incidentally are arbitrarily sponsored by taxpayers' money) will sit exams even when the State has not paid. Sadly, poor students - some of who are Kyamadidi's voters, relatives or neighbours, who have not paid will either get dead years, or dropout altogether as has happened before. Upon the increment of fees by up to 126 per cent in public universities (which by law are supposed to be maintained by public funds), many students dropped out. How then do we build for the future? Ironically, with a disoriented education system, illusory UPE and USE, a collapsed public healthcare system, deplorable graduate unemployment, miserable, hungry and angry teachers and police officers, excruciating economic downturn, Kyamadidi condemns A4C!
The task before us is too huge for only MPs to handle. Pouring cold water on civil society efforts to hold politicians to account is an insult to the voiceless Ugandans and a travesty of democracy. For instance, media reports about UBC must be revolting to all right-thinking members of society. I am yet to see whether NRM 'rebel' MPs will push NRM cadres, notably managing director Paul Kihika, corporation secretary Dickens Kagarura and station manager Tony Owana from the national broadcaster and deploy them at the NRM Secretariat. Fusion of the State and the ruling party is abhorrent.
The most venerable Catholic Church leaders have shockingly reportedly decried A4C as a precursor for violence. They should condemn the Police for using violence against peaceful protesters and urge government to address the issues giving rise to protests. Nobody wakes up with a view to riot. Always well-intentioned peaceful protests morph into riots after provocation by the Police.
Appallingly, the government is hell-bent on enacting unjust laws to curtail civil protests. We shall inevitably defy them lovingly, openly and with willingness to accept the penalty since according to St. Augustine "a bad law is no law". No matter how well-intentioned the so-called 'rebel' NRM MPs are, disillusioned Ugandans should not rely on them to set a time table for their freedoms, rights and liberties. Like King wrote, 'Freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed'. We must all be rebels against social injustice, inequality and discrimination. Personally, I lovingly plead guilty to terrorism and rebellion against social injustice.
Mr Nuwagaba is a human rights defender
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