Organisers of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa have today announced that the Chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation and former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will be the keynote speaker in the fifth anniversary of the event to be held on 16th -17th April 2016.

Held every year in the northern Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar, the Tana High-Level Forum is an informal gathering of a wide spectrum of African leaders and citizens: heads of state and government; leaders of regional organisations; civil society; the private sector; eminent scholars and practitioners; students and youth; and representatives of Africa’s global partners.

The theme for the 2016 edition of the Tana Forum is “Africa in the Global Security Agenda”.

“Africa is in midst of a rapid social, political, and economic transformation. These transformations and the changing fortunes of its citizens come with added responsibilities. As Africa’s economic importance in the world increases, it must assume its growing importance maturely and conscientiously, including on security related concerns. I look forward to discussing these issues at the 2016 Tana Forum”, said Kofi Annan.

Born in Ghana, Annan was the co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize with the United Nations for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world. With the Kofi Annan Foundation, Mr Annan mobilises political will to overcome threats to peace, development and human rights. He also chairs the Elders Group founded by the late former South African President Nelson Mandela, and the Africa Progress Panel.

“There are few people in the international community that command respect across the board for their tireless work in ensuring a peaceful future for Africa like Kofi Annan”, said H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Chairperson of the Tana Board. “He brings a wealth of experience, not just from his time as the UN Secretary General, but also his involvement in peace-making efforts across the continent. We are delighted that he has agreed to join us in Bahir Dar and look forward to an insightful keynote address.”

‘The Forum’s mission is to further open a vigorous debate on the nature and causes of Africa’s pressing security threats and, over time, to cultivate a distinctively African voice on understanding and confronting the chief peace and security challenges the continent is facing’ a release by the Africa Press Organisation (APO) states.

 

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer has been nominated this morning at the Namboole Stadium.

Besigye, who arrived at the nomination venue followed by thousands of supporters, was proposed by Nulu Nakalema and seconded by Dennis Onekalit.

“It is a unique moment for me to be nominated by the EC that I protest; I have nothing against individuals but against institution. I should have been nominated yesterday, “but was not (to be) because they said I wrote to the EC Secretary and not the Chairman,” Dr Besigye said adding that he found that irregular.

He said presidential nominations were supposed to have been held a month ago, but that the process was delayed to allow for President Museveni to be cleared by the National Resistance Movement.

On his candidature, Dr Besigye said his 2016 campaign is hinged on ‘returning power to the people’.

“The campaign is about liberating the people by empowering them. Their power was usurped and this time the campaign is about defiance not compliance,” Dr Besigye said.

So far the EC has cleared eight aspirants to run for presidency and these include Yoweri Museveni, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, Dr Besigye, Dr Abed Bwanika, Prof Venasius Baryamureeba, Maj Gen Benon Biraro Buta and Pastor Joseph Mabirizi.

Meanwhile, Al Haji Nasser Ntege Ssebagala withdrew from the race; the only female aspirant Maureen Walube Kyalya failed to make the EC grade, while Charles Lwanga of the Ecological Party of Uganda was once again turned away after he failed to satisfy the requirements for nomination.

When Lwanga appeared yesterday, it emerged he did not have proof that he had paid the Shs20 million nomination fees and his photos were also not of the requisite standard as set by the EC.

The Electoral Commission has today nominated three candidates for the  2016 presidential elections. First to be nominated was incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who arrived at the nomination venue at Mandela National Stadium at Nambole at 10.00am in the company of his wife Janet Kataha Museveni.

Donning a yellow shirt and a pair of black trousers, Museveni was nominated by the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda and seconded by the Minister for Youth Evelyn Anite. Among others who accompanied Museveni were the Vice President Edward
Kiwanuka Sekandi, 1st Deputy Prime Minister Henry Kajura, former Minister of Information Kirunda Kivejinja, former Vice President
Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya and NRM Secretary Genaral Justin Kasule Lumumba.

Addressing reporters shortly after his nomination the president thanked Ugandans for their previous support and called upon them give him the next five-year mandate in order to consolidate the NRM achievements.

Just as the President was driving out of the nomination venue, Amama Mbabazi, a former NRM Secretary General and Prime Minister, drove in in the company of his daughter Rachel Mbabazi. Others who escorted Mbabazi included among others Hon. Beatrice Anywar, former UPC President Ambassador Olara Otunnu, DP secretary General Mathias Nsubuga, The Democratic Alliance Chairman Livingstone Okello Okello, JEEMA President Asuman Basalirwa, former ethics minister Maria Matembe and Ms Rosette Nsubuga.

Mbabazi was proposed by Hon Anywar and seconded by Ms Nsubuga. In his address Mbabazi urged Ugandans to vote him to power in order to bring about change. Asked why he did not bring about change for the time he was in government, Mbabazi said it was because he was never President. “That is the reason I am seeking to become President so I have the executive powers to delegate my team and work for the betterment of this country,” he said.

The former Prime Minister also pledged his total commitment towards reforms, adding that he was still committed to unity in the
opposition. He also said doors were still open for talks with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in order to field a single
candidate. Shortly after Mbabazi’s address former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Venasius Baryamureba, in the company of his two daughters, was nominated to run in the 2016 elections. The don told reporters that his opponents that had been nominated
before him are too old to lead Uganda. “At 46 I am the right person to be entrusted with the power to govern Uganda since all my opponents are above 60 and should be in retirement. If it was in the Anglican church both Museveni and Mbabazi would be retired bishops,” he noted.

Baryamureba pleged to improve the education sector in order to solve the problem of illiteracy and unemployment, and also promised to improve agriculture, industry and the transport network. He also urged Ugandans not vote FDC flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye, and
Mr Mbabazi, saying they have nothing new to offer Ugandans.  “Mbabazi and Museveni have governed Uganda for the last 30 thirty
years and what Mbabazi failed to do while Prime Minister, he cannot do it now,” he said.

Meanwhile, the nomination papers of aspirant Charles Lwanga of the Ecological Party of Uganda were rejected. Lwanga, who arrived at the nomination venue amid heavy downpour at around 1.30 pm, was told he could not be nominated after he failed to prove that he had paid the nomination fees of Shs20 million.

He was advised to rectify the mistakes mentioned and book another time for nomination “since nominations are open till November 4.” And, addressing the media Lwanga said he was going to correct the anomalies in order to get nominated on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, ‘Independent’ candidate Nasser Ntege Ssebagala who was supposed to appear before the Commission for nomination later today never turned up. But earlier while talking to the media Ssebagala, a former Kampala City Mayor and Advisor to President Museveni, said he would support his former boss Museveni in the 2016 elections.

Sebagala joins former Vice President Prof Gilbert Bukenya, whonannounced two weeks ago that he would support Museveni for presidency in the coming elections, and true to his word, accompanied his former boss for nomination today.

The nominations of President Yoweri Museveni and John Patrick Amama Mbabazi early today have led to a massive traffic jam in Kampala.

Commuters who use the Kampala-Jinja Highway were forced to seek alternative routes including Ntinda-Kyaliwajjala and Nakawa-Kinawataka after the main road was closed off at the Spear Motors junction.

Similarly, cars on most city access roads like Ntinda-Stretcher, Luzira-Nakawa, Mutungo-Nakawa and Kampala City-Wandegeya-Ntinda were moving at snail’s pace, making many arrive at their destinations hours late.

Museveni and Mbabazi were nominated at 9.00am and 11.00am at the Mandela Stadium, Namboole, respectively, and thereafter they led their supporters to the venues of their first official campaign rallies in preparation for the 2016 general elections.

 

 

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has revealed that the ‘joint candidate’ talks between FDC flag bearer Kizza Besigye and former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi have failed.

Addressing journalists’ today FDC spokesperson Ssemuju Nganda (Kyandondo East) said the party arrived at its decision yesterday after the Amama team only considered the provisions of fielding a single candidate in next year’s elections and not the other elective positions. “We concluded yesterday and we did achieve what we wanted,” Semujju said, adding that: “our colleagues think that the only task is choosing a joint candidate. Winning the presidency is our main goal but we need to consider other spots. They don’t care about other positions.” He however said, that talks on future any possible cooperation were ongoing.

Last week a document surfaced on the internet showing that former Prime Minister Mbabazi and the FDC flagbearer Br Besigye were in talks aimed at fielding a single candidate to challenge incumbent President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. The meetings went on throughout the weekend and finally came to an end on late Sunday night.

In a related development, the FDC spokesperson has revealed that preparations for Dr Besigye’s nomination are in their final stages, adding that a  ‘working committee’ led by party president Gen Mugisha Muntu is making final touches on the timely release of both the campaign program and manifesto.

“We are starting a new phase on Wednesday of liberating this country. This is another phase in the struggle,” Ssemujju said, adding: “revolutions can take place even before elections are concluded; we hope we can achieve what we have not achieved in the past years.”

Dr Besigye will be nominated on Thursday November 4 and thereafter, he will address his first official campaign rally at Nakivubo stadium.

The ambush of a convoy in South Sudan and the hacking deaths of bloggers in Bangladesh propelled the two nations onto the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Global Impunity Index of countries where journalists are murdered and their killers go unpunished.

According to ‘Getting Away With Murder,’ a report released recently, the worst offender is Somalia, which edges Iraq out of that spot for the first time since CPJ began compiling the index in 2008. One or more journalists have been murdered in Somalia every year over the past decade, and the government has proved unable or unwilling to investigate.

In Iraq, meanwhile, targeted killings have ebbed since the Iraq War. More recently, Islamic State has abducted and killed at least two journalists, but violence and fierce control of information have made it impossible for CPJ to accurately document additional cases.

Only Colombia has shown enough convictions in journalist murders and decrease in violence to exit the list since 2014.

“Despite calls by the United Nations for states to take greater steps to protect journalists in situations of armed conflict and to ensure accountability for crimes against the press, little progress has been made in combatting impunity worldwide,” said Elisabeth Witchel, author of the report and CPJ’s consultant on the Global Campaign Against Impunity . “More than half of the countries on the index are democracies with functioning law enforcement and judicial institutions, but killers still go free. The international community must continue to put pressure on these governments to live up to their commitments.”

In the past decade, 270 journalists have been murdered, CPJ research shows. Of those, 96 percent are local reporters. In only two percent of cases are the masterminds ever prosecuted.

For the 2015 International Day to End Impunity, CPJ participated in UNESCO’s Ending Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists Commemoration Conference in San José, Costa Rica, on October 9, 2015 and Stop the killing of journalists! Prevention and justice to end impunity in London today.

 

 

 

 

A lawyer representing presidential aspirant John Patrick Amama Mbabazi has claimed that government is planning to arrest his client.

Addressing a press conference at Mbabazi’s Go Forward offices in Nakasero on Monday afternoon, Fred Muwema, one of Mbabazi’s lawyers, said they were investigating intelligence information that their client is to be arrested between now and nomination day tomorrow.

“There is a plot arrest Mbabazi to answer charges of murder, money laundering and spying for a foreign country,’ Muwema said.

By press time it was not possible to establish the authenticity of Muwema’s allegations but the police deputy spokesperson Polly Namaye refuted the lawyer’s assertions, saying they were speculative.

“Those are allegations and should remain as allegations. What is in plan is to actually avail adequate security to ensure that tomorrow’s nominations are a success and candidates proceed safely to the venues where they will hold rallies as planned,” Namaye said.

Three weeks ago discreet blogger ‘Tom Voltaire Okwalinga’ aka TVO wrote on his Facebook wall, also making claims of Mbabazi’s ‘imminent arrest’.

However, Mr Mbabazi is set to be nominated tomorrow, November 3, and he has already written to the Inspector General of Police General Kale Kayihura, informing him of his planned activities.

 

 

 

 

 

With less than 24 hours for John Patrick Amama Mbabazi to be nominated as a presidential candidate, the loose opposition coalition, The Democratic Alliance has failed to zero-in on a joint presidential candidate to take on incumbent president Yoweri Museveni in next year’s elections.

Writing on his Facebook wall earlier today, official TDA spokesperson Wafula Oguttu said Mbabazi and Col Dr Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) would both contest in the elections as individuals.

‘Because of the time element, given that the Presidential nominations are due on 3 and 4 November, we agreed to move on and have the two candidates nominated while we continue the contacts and exploring the possibilities of future cooperation most especially on vote protection and resisting partisan and unconstitutional police actions during the ongoing electoral process,’ Mr Oguttu wrote.

For about four months now both Mbabazi and Dr Besigye have been engaged in a series of meetings aimed at choosing who among them would become the TDA official candidate.

And, over the past two weeks both teams held a series of meetings in the United Kingdom under the auspices of the Kofi Annan Foundation, attended by among others Kofi Anna himself and the former International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo.

Meanwhile, the talks held over two days in Uganda as a follow-up to the earlier talks in the UK were co-chaired by seasoned lawyers Medard Lubega Ssegona and Augustine Ruzindana, while the two teams were led by Ambassador Olara Otunnu and FDC president Maj Gen John Gregory Mugisha Muntu, for Mr Mbabazi and Dr Besigye, respectively.

‘When the negotiations hit a stalemate, FDC proposed alternative B as the fallback position; of both candidates testing the ground after nomination and then (the) two sides meeting again to review the situation. The Go Forward team said they would go back and consult on the proposal,’ Oguttu added.

According to the FDC Dr Besigye is a ‘better candidate’ who has withered the political storm in Uganda for the last 15 years and therefore should be given chance to lead the joint opposition.

‘Pushing for our candidate as the better option, FDC president Maj Gen Muntu argued that Besigye, who had been elected by the Party Delegates Conference, had for 15 years demonstrated his consistence in the struggle for democracy, had a more popular appeal, has millions of voters and supporters behind him despite being rigged out of victory, has strong party structures behind him and was unlikely to suffer any more surprising-state-trumped-up charges,’ Oguttu, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, adds.