Uganda: " Crawling behind a Saracen's hull from the safety of his living room chair "

New Vision Uganda reports

‘Why do you call me minister of miniskirts?’

                      Ethics minister Simon Lokodo is wondering why he has to be nicknamed "minister of miniskirts".

KAMPALA - Rev. Father Simon Lokodo, the state minister for ethics and integrity, has expressed his concern over the nicknames he is being identified with locally and internationally for his spirited fight for moral uprightness in the country.

“Why do you call me a ‘minister of miniskirts’?” he asked delegates during the launch of a new AIDS program.

Clearly I have miss read that and so have you. This is close to sedition but closer still to satire.

 “They now call me a terrible murderer in the West and a minister of miniskirts in Kampala,” he said, adding: “Why do you call me a minister for miniskirts? [Is it] because I talked about your miniskirts and morals?”

Remember this is the Minister responsible for ethics.

" In 2014 Stephen interviewed Lokodo in Stephen Fry: Out There where he was quoted as saying "...men raping girls. Which is natural."

Early this year, President Yoweri Museveni signed a law which criminalizes indecency and promotion of pornography.

This law forbids women from wearing clothes like miniskirts and cleavage-revealing blouses ('tops') that excite sexual cravings in public, unless for educational and medical purposes or during sports or cultural events.

Confused don't be ...

" In February 2014, legislation was passed which enacted a dress code, primarily aimed at women. Clothes that are considered revealing or sexually provocative were to be outlawed; "If you dress in such a way that you irritate the mind and excite the people then you are badly dressed; if you draw the attention of the other person outside there with a malicious purpose of exciting and stimulating him or her into sex," Minister Lokodo stated "

In making his recent remarks, minister Lokodo was launching a sh3.1b HIV/AIDs project funded by the Danish International Development agency (DANIDA) at Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala.

“I want to introduce myself today as Rev. Fr. Simon Lokodo, the state minister of ethics and integrity whose mandate is to empower Ugandans to uphold values and morals and coordinate government efforts in the fight against corruption,” he declared.

And what he forgot to mention...


" Lokodo first entered politics in June 2006, at the age of 49 years, to contest in a special election where the incumbent Member of Parliament had died of natural causes. Prior to that he was the Parish Priest for Kaabong Parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kotido. He was ex-communicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI when he joined politics. "
“I hope you have heard this.”

Yup... all before.

Minister Lokodo (left) shakes while Mayor of Rubaga Joyce  Sebugwawo at Imperial Royale on Thursday. Right is Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa Director John Mugisa. PHOTO/Kennedy Oryema

The 18-month project will be implemented in the five divisions of Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) and Entebbe municipality by the alliance of mayors’ initiative for community action on HIV/AIDS at local level (AMICAALL).

The AMICAALL country director, Dr. John Mugisa, said the project dubbed ADMARPS (AMICAALI-DANIDA most at risk populations) would target sex workers, long distance truck drivers, fisher folks, security guards, boda-boda cyclists, market venders and other high risk groups.

The project will be executed by mayors and other urban leaders.

The Uganda AIDS indicator survey (2012) showed that HIV prevalence rate in urban areas stands as 8.3% compared to 7.0% in rural areas.

As I said.... Satire.

" He is well known for his unequivocal position to fight homosexuality in all forms and recently even raided with the Police, a gay activist workshop where participants were arrested. He immediately blamed foreigners saying "they should go home" and that " He does not support bestiality and lesbianism". Amnesty International condemned the raid. According to the article, he closed down a workshop aimed at Ugandan homosexuals "because it's [homosexuality is] illegal"."

Well, ....  Bat shit crazy.

DR Congo: M23 are losing the plot. More Batshit Crazy.

Congo DRC News reports ( As I have said before this is an M23 affiliated site and not to be taken seriously from a news perspective, this however is pure comedy gold it has been translated from French by Google Translate. )

Congo: M23 Warns the Kinshasa government

                                                                                     A white helicopter

Official Communiqué No. 058/M23/2013

Branch of the Movement of March 23 to the attention of the public as follows:

And the public are interested in this because ?

01. This Tuesday, October 1, 2013, two helicopters painted white colors and marked A flew at very low altitude, our space for more than three hours from the southern town of KIBUMBA through those RUGARI, Bukima, Runyoni, Ntamugenga TONGO to come out;

M23 delusions of sovereignty seem to be holding on.   ".. and marked A " ?

02. This Wednesday, October 2, 2013, another helicopter carrying the same information redid the flies of our space in the same conditions of altitude and time except that, unlike those of the previous day, it flew over the city of Bunagana;

That is a bit of a worry a white helicopter flew over a city as well as flew over some towns. I think that all helicopters in the DR Congo should stop flying and find a less offensive means of going about their business.

03. After checking with the upper echelons of MONUSCO, it turned out that these armed helicopters do not belong to the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for its part, denies having made such flights in our space at the times indicated;

"...these armed helicopters..."  That must be what the A stands for. Good to see the the UN Mission sharing such information as its forces dispositions with an enemy force such as M23. Shit are M23 really that stupid ?

04. It is therefore a camouflage under the label UN enemies gear to deceive the attention of our Army to ensure coverage of military reconnaissance, including surprise attacks.

Or it could just be the UN getting some some tactical information for the intervention Brigade so they can continue their mission of destroying armed groups murdering innocents in the DR Congo or maybe that " big A " we talked about earlier could stand for Army. FARDC the guys you have been fighting. Their job is also to kill you. 

As a result, management of our Movement warns those responsible for acts of provocation. They are therefore warned that in case of recurrence, clear and unequivocal instruction are those of our army to ensure the immediate destruction and without warning of these deadly weapons.

So you are going to fire on the helicopters because they are white have an A on them and might not belong to the UN.

Made Bunagana, October 2, 2013

The Head of the Department of Communication and Media

Comrade Amani Kabasha

What a bunch of morons.

DR Congo: More Rwandan lies.

New Times ( Rwanda ) reports

Endemic DRC war: need for a bottom-up approach

                                                                                     FDLR Child Soldiers

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is again creating attention to the International community. And once again, it is about a conflict /war in its east that seems to have no end. 

“Multifaceted” and “obdurate” these are the expressions over and over again linked with the conflicts, which stem largely from the past seventeen years of chronic instability in the country’s east. Those two descriptors, sadly, have been an excuse for people to mischaracterize the state of affairs and grossly oversimplifying the solutions in DRC.

I have no idea what the point being made here is.“Multifaceted” and “obdurate” would seem to be accurate adjectives but how on earth that then translates into mischaracterisation  and oversimplification is beyond me. I read extensively on the Eastern DR Congo and almost everything I read points out just how complex the situation is. 

The international community has pumped billions of dollars in trying to soothe and build peace, but they recognize their hard work is hardly bearing any fruit. The United Nations has deployed a major peacekeeping force in the area for a decade. On the other hand, there has been no peace to keep-if war is the violent resolution of conflict, then peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather, the ability to resolve conflict without violence.

Peace Keeping presupposes that all parties want a peaceful outcome. That is why we have changed the UN mandate to try and compel peace. 

On July 14, 2013, Fighting resumed between M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army-FARDC. This is the first fight after two months of relative peace. Will DRC achieve peace with renewed fighting? I guess the answer is no. Neither will MONUSCO nor the ‘elite’ UN Intervention Brigade with troops from Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi, will bring peace to the people of DRC.

Well that is certainly the Rwandan hope and probably their overriding foreign policy objective, it is one that fortunately the rest of Africa and the world doesn't share.

Pieter Vanholder, DRC country director of the Life and Peace Institute in Bukavu, told Al Jazeera that the intervention brigade could have an effect, but “if some things go wrong, which is clear to, the brigade may be seen as a kind of occupation deterrent force.

Yes an occupation deterrent force invited by Kinshasa that will hopefully deter Rwanda from further criminal behavior in the eastern DR Congo.

If the United Nations and other actors in DRC cannot identify the root causes of problems and the possible causes, they cannot hope to identify solutions to the entire DRC and the population in general.

The UN experts did. The major problem was Rwanda.  

The only sustainable solution is to have a bottom-up dialogue that involves the government, its international partners and involve all ethnic groups in the DRC with the aim of creating peace and stability in the country. 

Just about last week, MONUSCO announced it will support an offensive against “negative forces” in the Goma-Sake region that will be carried out by FARDC alongside the mainly Tanzanian contingent of the Foreign Intervention Brigade.  

This seems to have come as a bit of a surprise to the author of this drivel, most commentators on the DR Congo have been aware of this for some time. 

It is also widely known that the whole units of the FDLR have been absorbed into this new fighting force. (The FARDC and FDLR are nowadays barely distinguishable). 

Well as the picture above shows FDLR recruit child soldiers the FARDC don't so I think we can call bullshit on that allegation. Unfortunately we can't do the same for Rwandan forces and M23. FARDC have supported FDLR rebels but it does not seem to be on the orders of Kampala and it is batshit crazy for them to give FDLR any support what so ever.

The renewed fighting could drag back the peace process that had been initiated by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region brokered by the government of Uganda. 

Although the Security Council underlined that the UN special brigade will not create a precedent for future peacekeeping, its deployment could be risky as Christoph Vogel the fellow on international affairs.  Concentrating exclusively on M23 could harm ongoing peace efforts, and any focus on a single group places MONUSCO in a potentially politicized position vis-à-vis other rebels.

Mary Robinson, the new UN special envoy to the Great Lakes region, also emphasized the importance of political and diplomatic avenues during her visit to Goma on 30 April. 

Yes covered that one off here.
“There’s no doubt these armed groups have to be dealt with, but I think it’s important that this does not become a focus on a military solution, [and] that we’re implementing the political steps that have been committed to.

So, let all the warring parties sit on a round table and collectively moot possible sustainable solutions to the problems, right from the roots. 

War destroys and leads to humanitarian catastrophe and at the same time destroying the existing infrastructure, which has only helped to keep people in the eastern DRC in a permanent cycle of poverty for almost two decades now. 

Isn't it great watching Rwandan propagandists desperately trying to shift the blame to anywhere but the place it lies.   

DR Congo: Batshit Crazy Kabila loses the plot.

Alex blogs ( Much to my disappointment ) about much ado about nothing.

 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Kinshasa--Friday, August 2: Nothing... except that Kabila lays first stone of new government building

(PHOTO 1: Flanked by Premier Matata Ponyo and donning a yellow hard hat, Prez Joseph Kabila lays the first stone of the new 12-story "Hôtel du Gouvernement" set to house 8 government ministries--Place Royal, downtown Kinshasa, Friday, August 2)

***

(PHOTO 2: A MONUSCO Light Armored Patrol Vehicle (LAPV) is pelted with stones by demonstrators in Goma on Friday, August 2)

***

My tweet of August 3 captured the universal disappointment and exasperation felt by Kinois soon after it transpired that the much-anticipated cabinet meeting to be chaired by Kabila himself that had been slated for August 2 (see my previous post) turned out to be instead a gathering of cabinet ministers for the pedestrian business of the Raïs laying the first stone of a new 12-story government office building:

"Much ado about nothing! Prez #Kabila summoned cabinet ministers to #Kinshasa Friday for laying of the first stone of new govt building!" (https://mobile.twitter.com/alexengwete/status/363439265490804736)

People in Kin and throughout the country were expecting to see ministerial heads to roll on that fateful bloody Friday! And the whole country could hear the sigh of relief let out by cabinet ministers, their sycophants, and their political parties.

Speaking at the event after Kinshasa Lieutenant-Governor Clément Bafiba, Fridolin Kaweshi--the minister of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning, Habitat, Infrastructures, Public Works and Reconstruction--broke into the usual spiel: this building is yet another marker in the string of other grandiose achievements in Kabila's transformative vision of the "revolution for modernity."

But only diehard Kabila supporters who flocked the midmorning event in downtown Kinshasa were dazzled by this grandstanding.

No one else in the city was much impressed by the miniature model of the 20-month building project that will be implemented by the Chinese construction company SZTC on 23,329.35 m2 for a total cost of CDF24.5b (about $26.5m).

All the talk in town was about two things: 1) What the grapevine called the "aborted government reshuffle" and speculations were rife about who or what prevented it; and 2) The "farcical ultimatum of MONUSCO" that expired in the afternoon of Thursday August 1 and that had Goma residents explode with anger at the "collusion" between MONUSCO, Rwanda and M23 to "balkanize" the DRC.

DR Congo: The lies of Louise Mushikiwabo, Foreign Minister Rwanda

Chimp Report ( Uganda ) reports

Rwanda Warns UN On DRC-FDLR Alliance

“It’s time for the practical action that will bring peace to the Eastern DRC,” Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo told the UN Security Council Thursday evening.

                                                                                               Louise Mushikiwabo

Addressing a UN Security Council debate chaired US Secretary of State John Kerry, Minister Mushikiwabo reiterated Rwanda’s backing for the UN peace process designed to end decades of conflict and instability.

“The Framework of Hope, along with regional peace efforts, offer a realistic path to lasting peace and security. There has been more than enough grandstanding by unaccountable actors who seek profit and publicity from the region’s misery,” Minister Mushikiwabo said.

I can't believe I am reading this shit. Rwanda seems to regard the world as stupid and that is a very stupid thing to do. Human Rights Watch details the evidence it has amassed against Rwanda in a report this week that I have blogged here with specific eye witness accounts in part two here.  

The accounts and evidence presented are more than convincing. Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo is a fool to try and lie her and Rwanda's way out of this but as you can see is doing just that.

Mushikiwabo said on the recent FDLR-FARDC collusion, Rwanda remains “seriously concerned.”

There is evidence to back this allegation by Mushikiwabo and it is convincing. The problem is that there is no evidence so far that this was an action of Kinshasa rather than that of regional FARDC officers acting foolishly. The greater problem for Rwanda is that there is a huge amount of evidence that Rwanda has backed and is backing M23 to a huge extent on the direct say so of Kigali. Mushikiwabo cynicism is astonishing. 

“The Security Council received a letter (document S/2013/402) from my Government with details, so I will not repeat the specifics today. Nevertheless, Rwanda requests concerned parties to halt any further threats to its territory and its population such as the recent bombing into Rubavu district from the DRC territory,” she warned.

Again it would seem that two mortars did hit Rwandan territory but just who fired them is a complete unknown as far as I can see. It could have been FDLR rebels or for that matter M23 rebels.

“Nor can the peace process withstand destructive military alliances.

I guess Rwanda views its alliance with M23 as constructive. 

" A 12-year-old girl told Human Rights Watch that an M23 fighter caught and raped her in June as she and her friends were buying sugar cane in a field near an M23 position in Rutshuru:

I saw a [M23] soldier. I started running, but I tripped on a piece of sugar cane and fell. The soldier caught up with me and said he would kill me because I tried to flee. I stopped then because I was very scared. Then he raped me. I cried out, but he closed my mouth.

A 17-year-old girl said M23 fighters had raped her twice. The second time, in June, occurred when she was alone in her house after M23 police abducted her husband and forced him to join a night patrol:"

These are just two of the many abuses inflicted by M23 on the people of the Eastern DR Congo as listed by Human Rights Watch.


Bombs from areas controlled by Congolese troops, FARDC, and MONUSCO recently hit Rwanda.

It is very hard to know just who controls what areas and who is co-operating with who. There is however compelling evidence M23 were operating in the MONUSCO controlled area. 

This morning, after a few hours of fighting and then CRA ( M23 ) was going to pursue the attackers but they were dispersed by the contingent of the UN Mission to the DRC (MONUSCO). An act which Bertrand Bisimwa, president of M23, welcomed with a public statement.



It also emerged that DRC was heavily arming FDLR militia, a group of extremists that draws its militants and leaders from perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) responded by warning DRC that it would not tolerate more bombings in the future.

“While Rwanda views any alliance between the FDLR and FARDC as a threat to regional security, we will not allow these disturbing developments to derail our commitment to peace,” said Mushikiwabo. 

Again it would seem that there is some truth to the charge that FARDC has been supporting the FDLR a policy, if it is endorsed by Kinshasa, of madness. It would seem to me to be more likely to be the actions of regional FARDC commanders acting out of frustration at the massive support Rwanda is giving M23. 

Those recruited in Rwanda into the M23 include demobilized Rwandan army soldiers and former FDLR fighters, most of whom had become part of the Rwandan army’s Reserve Force, as well as Rwandan civilians. A 15-year-old Rwandan boy told Human Rights Watch that he and three other young men and boys were promised jobs as cow herders in Congo, but when they got to Congo were forced to join the M23. They were given military training by Rwandan officers in Congo and told they would be killed if they tried to escape. Other M23 deserters also said Rwandan officers were training new M23 recruits.

Former M23 officers who had been part of previous Rwanda-backed rebellions said they recognized officers serving with the M23 who they knew were members of the Rwandan army. Congolese deserters told Human Rights Watch that a number of M23 fighters admitted freely that they were Rwandan. Some said they had served in the Rwandan army’s peacekeeping contingent in Darfur.

The evidence of Human Rights Watch is overwhelming yet we have this insane attempt by Louise Mushikiwabo to deflect Rwandas action pointing to some isolated indiscretions by FARDC whilst pretending the systematic actions of the Rwandans never happened. The woman is mad.

While endorsing Secretary Kerry’s Presidential Statement on the Great Lakes Regional Framework, Mushikiwabo said Rwanda would have liked to see more support of regional initiatives such as the peace talks at Kampala sponsored by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

The talks collapsed months ago. This is a total red herring. 

Rwanda’s future prospects are inextricably tied to the outcomes of the peace process, Mushikiwabo told international diplomats and senior government officials who converged on the UN’s New York headquarters for Secretary Kerry’s inaugural appearance as Security Council President.

“Let me put it in the clearest possible terms: in order to secure long-term peace and prosperity for Rwanda into the future, we need a peaceful and prosperous DRC. As long as conditions persist that allow more than thirty rebel groups to roam with Eastern DRC with impunity -- or as long as men and boys see nothing in their futures beyond crime, violence and conflict -- such a transformation will remain beyond reach.”

The statement followed a disputed report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) that Rwanda was supporting M23 rebels.

The problem is that the Human Rights Watch report reeks of credibility, unlike the position of the Rwandan Government. The only disputers it would seem are the Rwandans who lack any credibility.

Cooperation

Minister Mushikiwabo outlined ways Rwanda has begun implementing recommendations contained in the Peace and Security Framework conceived by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon and overseen by Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mary Robinson.

These included the disarmament of M23 fighters who have crossed into Rwanda as a result of infighting in March this year, as well as reporting sanctioned high ranking officers; Cooperation with UN agencies to accommodate roughly 70,000 Congolese nationals who have sought refuge in Rwanda as a result of instability in the Kivus; and support to the deployment of the Intervention Brigade to allow MONUSCO to carry out its Protection of Civilians responsibility.

Yes well the disarming of the M23 fighters that crossed into Rwanda makes a lot of sense given that Rwanda had armed and supported the other faction of M23 which had defeated them. It doesn't seem to have occurred to the killers of Kigali how much of an own goal this was though, they are that bloody insane but I guess you take whatever breaks you can get from the Congolese perspective.

Supporting the Intervention Brigade ( Africa Brigade ) is yet another demonstrable lie however.

“Those who think that Rwanda today should sit down at the negotiating table with FDLR simply don’t know what they are talking about,” she said adding that it is unfortunate that the rebel group has sympathisers in the region, including President Kikwete himself, should he not retract his comments.

President Kikwete has very legitimate reasons for wanting negotiations Tanzania is leading MONUSCO's Africa brigade. This is to become the offensive arm of the MONUSCO deployment anything that limits the potential casualties that may be inflicted on the Africa brigade should be considered and if that means talking to the FDLR however distasteful that may be, it should be done.

Mushikiwabo told the French broadcaster that she did not expect President Kikwete to suggest that Rwanda negotiate with known terrorists since he has served as a foreign affairs minister for his country and knows the FDLR background.

Which shows Mushikiwabo's geopolitical failings and unsuitability for her role.

The reality is that Kigali has done everything possible to disrupt and delay the deployment of the Intervention Brigade ( Africa Brigade ). The Brigades deployment will end Rwanda's economic imperialism in the Easter DR Congo and they know it.
Others include efforts to boost regional cooperation through enhanced economic integration and tackling the exploitation of natural resources, including the seizure of 8.4 tons of smuggled minerals which are being to DRC authorities

Wow 8.4 tons. What about the rest ?

“We continue to see good performance in the mining industry in the first half of 2011 where export volumes increased by 5.4 percent in value reaching $72.5 million,” said Gatete told members of the media Tuesday.
But, according to critics, Rwanda barely has a mining sector to talk of and especially as an economic pillar for the country to lean on.

“Which mines does BNR say have the minerals that can fetch over $70 million worth of exports, those are from mineral reserves that James Kabarebe and company stole from Congo in the late 1990s,” an insider source revealed to this newspaper.

President Kagame using Kabarebe is said to have stolen gold in thousands of tonnes among other minerals when Rwandan forces operated in Congo in late 1990s. These minerals make part of the resources that the UN accused Rwanda of plundering in Congo, an accusation Rwanda has overwhelmingly denied over the years.

Minister Mushikiwabo urged all parties to adhere to the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework, saying that after nearly two decades of armed conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, there is now an historic opportunity for peace and prosperity.

She further said when M23 leader General Bosco Ntaganda surrendered to the U.S. Embassy in Kigali on March 18th, Rwandan authorities offered facilitation for his transfer to The Hague.

Yes an opportunity that Ntaganda declined to take given Rwanda had supported the opposing faction an sensibly handed himself in to the Americans. He would be a corpse had he done otherwise and his date with the International Criminal Court must be causing more than a few sleepless nights in Kigali. I am looking forward to his evidence.  

“We can all agree that the economic components of the Framework must be implemented alongside its political and security aspects. To that end, Rwanda is working to boost regional cooperation through enhanced economic integration and close collaboration in cross-border trade,” said Mushikiwabo, adding, “Just last month, Rwanda mining authorities seized 8.4 metric tons of smuggled minerals and are in the process of returning them to DRC authorities, as has been our practice in the past.”

Mushikiwabo is batshit crazy. Unfortunately for her and Rwanda the world isn't.

Update

Coltan is short for Columbite-tantalite - a black tar-like mineral found in major quantities in the Congo. The Congo possesses 64 percent of the world's coltan. When coltan is refined it becomes a heat resistant powder that can hold a high electric charge. The properties of refined coltan is a vital element in creating devices that store energy or capacitors, which are used in a vast array of small electronic devices, especially in mobile phones, laptop computers, pagers, and other electronic devices.

Who are the primary exploiters of Coltan in the Congo?
Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and their proxy militias are the primary exploiters of coltan in the Congo. In an 18 month period Rwanda made $250 million as a result of exploitation of coltan in the Congo. Although Rwanda and Uganda possess little or no coltan, during the period of the war in the Congo, their exports escalated exponentially. For example, Rwanda's coltan export went from less than 50 tons in 1995 to almost 250 tons in 1998. Zero cassiterite was transported from the Congo to Uganda in 1998, however by 2000 151 drums were transported.

Uganda: Need a change ?

Noticed  this while looking for something completely different. It would suggest positive things are happening in Ugandan rugby. 

Friday, 18th January 2013

The Uganda Rugby Union (URU) is a body registered with the National Council of Sports and mandated by the International Rugby Board to develop, regulate and run Rugby competitions in Uganda.  In a bid to improve its competitiveness in World Rugby, the URU is embarking on a High Performance Programme to develop world-class athletes, leaders, coaches, referees and managers so as to achieve a higher level of quality and consistency in national, regional and international competitions.  To this end, URU is now seeking the services of a High Performance Manager on a full-time basis.

Applications should be sent to akalimugogo@gmail.com by the 25th of January 2013

The Person we seek should have the following attributes:

Person Profile:

A demonstrated knowledge of world leading high performance sports systems. Proven expertise and experience in Coach Development Proven Management skills Rugby empathy Ability to develop a positive culture, championing a team environment Ability to work with diverse stakeholders and build successful win/win working relationships Demonstrates personal commitment to the pursuit of excellence Willingness to take ownership and be held accountable A willingness to challenge and be challenged, able to listen Sound business judgment, acumen and decision making capability Ability to deal with a high level of public scrutiny Keeps abreast of sport science research and development and leading edge technology

 Well I guess at a push I could do some of the above.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

A tertiary degree.  Qualifications in a management discipline and/or sports management is an added advantage Proven experience and success at management level with 5-8 years experience Involvement in sports management of 5-8 years Proven experience in business development for sports related projects Background in rugby environment as a coach and/or team manager would be advantageous

Again at a push I could do some of the above. Somehow I don't think a new career is going to emerge running Ugandan Rugby's High Performance Division.

Uganda: They can't be that stupid.

The Daily Monitor ( Uganda ) reports,

Museveni tells MPs: Army can take over

President Museveni is reported to have warned the ruling party’s retreat in Kyankwanzi on Wednesday that if the “confusion” in Parliament persists, the military would not allow it.

                                                     Nicked from Vanguard blog 

My immediate reaction is that the most important function of Parliament is confusion. I can't comment on the Ugandan Parliament but the sods over here  are about as confused as it is possible to get without being locked up under the Mental Health Act. 

The President’s reported warning came days after Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga also delivered a veiled fear of a military intervention if MPs continue undermining public confidence in Parliament.

The public express confidence in Parliaments at elections, so lets get rid of the bullshit. The Army has no mandate to lead the country. Now I have a degree of time for Uganda it has on the whole been doing things that are reasonably progressive the batshit crazy, fucking stupid anti gay hate legislation excepted. And that appears to be going nowhere fast.
It also comes at a time when the NRM leadership is reasserting its authority over members, some of whom have joined the crusade against corruption.

Dr Kiyonga warned the House rules committee last week that soldiers were watching Parliament.

“If the military feels the country is in the hands of wrong politicians, some officers might be forced to intervene in the name of refocusing the country’s future,” he said while not ruling out the possibility of a coup.

The soldiers who are watching Parliament closely should at the very least be ordered out of Kampala and into a peace keeping role or other Ugandan Army commitment. Searching the CAR ( Central African Republic ) jungles for Joseph Kony would seem an appropriate task.

The minister was testifying before the committee investigating the chaotic break-down in decorum which forced Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to suspend debate on the oil Bill late last year.

Some of the sources at Kyankwanzi said Mr Museveni echoed his minister’s fears.

However, the Daily Monitor could not independently establish what the President meant by the army, which is represented in Parliament, not allowing the confusion to persist.

But caucus spokesperson Evelyn Anite accused the sources of “putting words in the President’s mouth”, saying the head of State only emphasised that action shall be taken against difficult party MPs.

Taking action against difficult MP's. Fuck off. MP's are accountable under the law and to their constituents. The President, Executive ( Cabinet ) and military have no place here. 

Simmering tensions between the two arms of government mounted after MPs signed a petition to force a recall of the House to discuss the controversy sparked by the sudden death of Butaleja MP Cerinah Nebanda. 
The petition drew the wrath of Mr Museveni.

Fearing a threat to the country’s democracy, critics yesterday reminded Mr Museveni and Dr Kiyonga that Uganda’s government was elected by the people. 

Mr Haruna Kyeyune (Indep, Kyotera) and Ms Florence Namayanja (DP, Bukoto East) said the insinuation of a military takeover is intended to intimidate independent-minded legislators.

Ms Namayanja said the government wants to suppress the right to free speech which is guaranteed by the Constitution.

“The President needs to be reminded that we have rule of law, the Constitution which is clear on the separation of powers,” Mr Kyeyune said.

Mr Livingstone Okello-Okello (former MP Chua) suggested that the country is headed for military government.

The sad truth is military Government has about as much to do with government as military music has to do with music. Ask Fiji.

But the President’s press secretary, Mr Tamale Mirundi, said “even if the President made the statement, why should the indiscipline in Parliament persist?”

He said those criticising the President are fighting a proxy war and do not understand NRM politics. 

Simple solution Parliament disciplines Parliament. 

“The President fought for democracy, he is a strong believer of democracy and rule of law. One of his achievements is an independent Parliament and there is no need to capture this institution,” Mr Mirundi said.”

Ruling out the possibility of military coup because of House indiscipline, Mr Mirundi said “a jigger cannot force you to cut off your toes.”

Samuel Otada (Indep, Kibanda), Jack Sabiiti (FDC, Rukiga) and Abdul Katuntu (FDC, Bugweri), some of the senior members in the House, accused the President and Dr Kiyonga of blackmail.

Laid bare
“It is good news, the pretence is now over, none of these two gentlemen can claim to have democratic credentials. They do nobody a favour to have democratic institutions in place,” Mr Katuntu said.

I guess it is wait and see. If I was betting I wouldn't be backing a coup though. Batshit crazy is Zimbabwe politics not Ugandan politics.

Last week, a bush war comrade of the President, Maj. Gen. Pecos Kutesa, was quoted in the Independent saying that the ongoing row between Mr Museveni and Parliament shows the danger of politics motivated by money.

Army Spokesman Col. Felix Kulaigye yesterday said: “The President is my Commander-in-Chief and the [Defence] minister is my superior. They have spoken for themselves. Once they have spoken, there is nothing for me to add, that will be indiscipline on my part.” 
During the Budget deadlock in September last year, Mr Museveni told NRM MPs that re-allocating Shs15 billion from Defence to cater for the recruitment of health workers could result in the army overthrowing him.

In that case the Army is too powerful. 

Swaziland: Insanity continues

Times of Swaziland reports

Police to arrest women in miniskirts

                              2008 Reed Dance Swaziland

MBABANE –Police, fresh from halting a young women activists’ miniskirt march at the Manzini Bus Rank, Wendy Hleta, their spokesperson says mini-skirts, crop tops and skimpy dresses that reveal parts of the female body are illegal.

Crop tops are tops which expose part of the stomach.

People who wear these types of clothing risk being arrested and prosecuted.

This is because these clothes are deemed to be indecent, immoral and have an element of nudity.

Hehe the Pornocracy it would appear has different standards for different citizens.

Hleta said there is a law, which she identified as classified under Common Law and statutory law under the Crimes Act promulgated in 1889 outlaws this type of clothing.

Well passing a law in 1889 that could for see the 1960 mini skirt development was fairly far reaching. We have however moved forward a further 50 odd years. As the picture above shows the King who selects a new bride annually at the reed dance is not constrained by the law.

She said it would take one person to lay a complaint with the police then they would not hesitate but put the offender behind bars.

The law that outlaws miniskirts is the Crimes Act number six of 1889 part V, section 49 which controls "immorality and offences in public places or places of public resort and control of places of public interest’.

Hleta said in recent　 history the law, has not been enforced but since the society of Manzini, especially the bus rank, have voiced it out that they were not happy with miniskirts, people should know the existence of this law.

She said section 49 (1) (b) which states that a person shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred Emalangeni or in default thereof imprisonment not exceeding six months, "....who in or within sight of a public place, or in a public resort indecently exposes his person or makes indecent signs or gestures.

Hleta said the common law in Swaziland detects a criminal act called indecent exposure which entails deliberate showing a potion of your body be it male or female.

She said this kind of behaviour varies from society to society and was dependant on the local moral standards in that society. She said the essence of the law was that clothing that revealed body parts were immoral and, therefore, illegal.

Hilarious.

Nevertheless this will obviously exclude exposure of body parts due to breast feeding and cultural regalia that is acceptable in cultural activity.

The mother of two teenagers said a lot of young girls had the tendency of going to malls for shopping or leisure wearing miniskirts and said this invites people who do not approve of this to emotionally abuse the youth by harassing them.

　

"Our children must dress for the occasion. Short skirts for their parties and since they are aware of the disapproval in bus ranks, they must avoid going there to avoid unnecessary embarrassment and emotional dent. Parents should also assist their children with the truth as some do not really look good in those minis and it even embarrasses females to see another female exposing her back-side or even underwear. For females it is polite that when you have dropped something, squat with your upper body still up right and pick the item rather than bending half your body head first to pick the item," Hleta said.

I don't believe this shit.

She said the Manzini Bus Rank was one area that had openly rejected mini- skirts.

Hleta said this place was male dominated and people who worked there have shown that they did not appreciate seeing women half dressed at their place of work.

Now that has got to bullshit.

"To show that the society there does not embrace skimpiness, women vendors who work at the bus rank assist the half dressed women by borrowing them kangas, to cover up when they are attacked.

"It’s a pity that there are people who have been physically violated at the bus rank. We do not encourage that women should be harmed but at the same time people should note acceptable conduct or behaviours from one society to the other," she said.

Hleta said she loved fashion and loved being beautiful but said being a fashionista should always be confined to the limits of modesty, self respect and confidence. She said she always encourages her children to follow fashion trends that were acceptable to society while guiding them on how other people might take their taste.

"One of my children is very fond of short and skimpy dresses, but is flexible when she is told how other people may criticise an outfit and she is flexible to view it as constructive criticism that may create a responsible future young woman," she said. She said all women were blessed with beauty which was unique and always attractive to men.

"When dressed in skimpy clothing they invite more interest from men who feast their eyes on them in appreciation which is a thing that happens even if you are well covered with clothes. I have read from one of the social networks that men and even other women have a tendency of ‘undressing people with their eyes’, this becomes easier when the clothes are hugging or are more revealing," she said.

She said another problem with the revealing clothes was that it made it easier for men to tear away the clothing during rape, but really this does not mean that man should make a dress code an issue in a rape case since it is not an issue or an element in the crime. Police only enquire about what the victim wore for exhibit record and other relevant evidential reasons.

Am I reading this shit ?

　"The act of the rapist is made easy because it would be easy to remove the half cloth worn by the woman," she said. She said the risk of rape was not worth the miniskirts or skimpy dresses. Hleta said the fact that miniskirts were outlawed in the country does not mean that when women wearing miniskirts were violated would not be attended to by police.

"We will not judge them but we will assist them with due respect and the offenders will be arrested," she said.

"We are still awaiting the Sexual Offence and Domestic Violence Bill of 2009 as it makes it an offence to stalk or harass women in any nature."

She said should this Bill pass, then females may heave a sigh of relief.

"With hopes that they will act reasonably and with respect as I would personally be disappointed if women would take it to the level of wearing bikinis in town in the name of ‘we wear what we want’ as bikinis are common in swimming pools and the beach front," she said.

Bat shit crazy is alive and well in Swaziland.