Mbabazi Campaign Strategy Leaks
A deadly political plan allegedly by fired Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi aimed at ousting his former master Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been finalized.
In a leaked campaign dossier, detailing all his plans together with his opposition allies, Mbabazi is giving four core reasons why he wants president Museveni jobless in 2016.
The group has also come up with what it calls ‘THE NETWORK OF TEN’ and are supposed to do door to door mobilization right from village level.
The plotters are prohibited from staying in one place for hours so as to avoid being surrounded in addition to being suspicious all the time.
The document gives a whole plan, campaign aim, slogan to be used and the cause for his action. The document is entitled ‘CITIZENS’ POWER’, an Activists guide.
The first cause for his alleged presidential ambitions is because Citizens’ power has been hijacked.
Secondly, the document claims that the state collapsed because it was captured by a few individuals.
Thirdly, Mbabazi according to the document, claims that his cause is premised on the fact that state organs and institutions are under siege and lastly that coercive forces have taken a center stage in the governance of our country.
In the document, the overall aim of the campaign is to take ‘our power back’.
The Slogan of the campaign is OUR POWER, OUR MONEY; while the symbol of his campaign is Holding each other’s hands together!
The document claims that power belongs to the people and that all citizens have a right and duty at all times to defend the constitution and in particular resist any person or group seeking to overthrow the established constitutional order.
This is the legal basis upon which the campaign is based. The document was however, crafted in a way that it only brings out the plan but silent about who is behind it.
HOW PEOPLE’S POWER WAS HIJACKED
According to the dossier, people’s power was hijacked through six ways.
One is that it was taken away through intimidating and installing fear among the population, giving out favors in order to win loyalty and support e.g through tender awards, Saccos, envelops, political bribery, awarding districts, jobs among others.
Power was taken away through controlling the media and distorting information, used of propaganda, deliberate divide and rule to make sure people don’t act together e.g Banyoro-Bafuruki conflict, Japs-Itesots conflicts in Tororo, The Kyabazinga conflicts in Busoga among others; and lastly changing the constitution and enacting laws with an aim of suppressing dissenting views which has led to rule by law as opposed to rule of law.
According to the dossier, it is because of these avenues that the country shall have sham elections!
In the dossier, it is explained that the main objective of the ‘regime hijack’ and capture of power is to control resources and over stay in power!
According to the document, because of this objective, the citizens have been denied of their right to have power in decision making.
“This has resulted into control and abuse of public resources , weak state institutions, social economic marginalization which leads to poverty, poor social services, unemployment, land grabbing, poor infrastructure and breakdown in education system. Eventually, this has led to lawlessness, human rights abuses and economic decay,” the dossier stated.
WHY POWER MUST RETURN TO PEOPLE
According to the dossier, there are six reasons for which people must embrace change.
One is that people must have control over our resources and the use of the resources, people must have control over the leaders, people must attain equal opportunities, people must have good social services, people’s human dignity must be protected and their welfare must be improved upon and standards of living.
In the document, it is stated that after all this campaign has been done, people will achieve rule of law, democracy and good governance.
INJUSTICES THAT UGANDANS FACE NOW
According to the dossier, Ugandans are currently facing structured injustices. It is claimed that this is a systematic target against ordinary citizens.
“If we are to survive, we must rise up together to demand for a better life. The injustices are economic, political and social,” the document laying down the whole plan reads.
ECONOMIC INJUSTICES
Majority of employed Ugandans face enormous risks which include low pay, job insecurity, limited labor mobility, discrimination, sexual harassment and poor working conditions.
The document says about 85% of the workforce is employed in the informal sector without formal contracts and any form of social security.
It adds that 33.8% of workers in private sector earn less than shs50000 per month.
The lowest wages are received by agricultural wage workers.
The dossier also digs into land issues.
It claims that land grabbing and land evictions especially in Acholi, Bunyoro and Buganda has left many poor Ugandans witnessing aggressive land grabs resulting into displacement, famine and poverty.
It also accuses the Museveni regime of looking on when KCCA is dismantling people’s property without compensation, over taxation and double taxation.
The tax holidays and exemptions given to foreign investors to the disadvantage of local investors, high bank rates and fluctuating fuel prices are also part of economic crimes the Museveni regime is being accused of.
SOCIAL INJUSTICES
The major alleged injustice here is violation of human rights, environmental degradation where all forests and wetlands are being cleared, disrespect of traditional and cultural heritage, burning/destruction of important cultural sites and failure to cater for working women who have children.
POLITICAL CRIMES
According to the document, the major political injustice is vote rigging.
Another crime is that of Kyankwanzi resolution which declared him sole candidate.
He is also accused of intimidating the members and supporters of opposition, bribery of politicians, and disrespect of lord mayor, unconstitutional governance and rule by law.
“Uganda needs change to protect millions who are affected negatively by poor policy, legal and budget choices that government made. No body will bring you this change that you need, its you, by you and for you,” the dossier stated.
THE STRAGEGY TO OUST MUSEVENI
The dossier says there must be education/training of people to; change of people’s mindset, people stop the mentality of slaves, be confident and believe that change is possible.
In the strategy, an organizational scheme has been designed.
The design is structured in way that different cells have been created.
The cells are in groups of ten people right from every village up to district.
More activists are being targeted for recruitment.
The plan is to empower citizens, disempower a ‘dictator’ and all this shall be achieved through defiance.
The dossier gives some guidelines Mbabazi and his groups are going to use in identifying potential leaders in this struggle.
One is that the leader to be recruited must understand the cause, must be committed, always available, creative, energetic, stay calm in crisis, persevere, pay attentions to instructions, fearless, mobilize, informed and quick to communicate.
The leader shall be responsible for contacting potential activists at all levels, motivate existing activists, creating a series of pressures, recruiting volunteers, sustaining several task committees, providing support to victims of resistance among others.
GUERRILA TACTICS TO BE EMPLOYED
In order to avoid detection in their activities, the plotters have engaged guerilla-like tactics in terms of communication.
They are supposed to keep a constant mobility.
They are not supposed to stay stationed in order to avoid being surrounded.
The group is supposed to be alert, keep ears open, vigilant and constantly suspicious.
The mode of communication is going to be one to one, intelligence gathering, use social media, email, website, publications, radio/print media, phone calls and SMS, door to door interactions and media briefings.
In terms of funding, there are several fundraising committees that have been formed.
The work of this money is to cater for legal costs, welfare of victims, organize fundraising drives and writing proposals to donors seeking for grants.
The dossier states that in order to sustain the campaign, there is going to be a deliberate move to elect or appoint committed leaders, building structures, fundraising, constant meetings, mobilization/coordination, support victims’ legal support, medical support, counseling, inspirational and motivational meetings, promoting the cause and training activists.
The campaign has been also boasted with support teams.
The support teams include legal-lawyers, sureties, bail money, welfare care for suspects, support families, medical welfare and medication.
When contacted for a comment, NRM spokesperson Mary Karooro Okurut who is also security minister warned the group against causing violence.
She said the state agencies will deal with them.
“They shouldn’t use unconstitutional means. We shall not accept. Let them embrace democracy,” she stated